When it came to the name Newt, he was easily one of the most well-known wizards among all young witches and wizards.
And not just in Hufflepuff—students from other houses too.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them had long since become one of the wizarding world's global bestsellers. Not only was it a required textbook for Care of Magical Creatures in every magical school, it was also a favorite bedtime read for many young witches and wizards.
Newt's research had a profound impact on the entire magical world.
Before Newt, magical beasts certainly existed, but no one had ever proposed the idea of protecting them.
It was he who, step by step, ventured across the globe, studying, rescuing, and preserving all sorts of endangered magical creatures, enriching the world with vibrant diversity.
Nundus, Graphorns, Occamies, Thunderbirds…
All of these creatures were once on the verge of extinction—until Newt intervened, helped them reproduce, and ensured their species grew in strength.
Even many of the creatures in the Forbidden Forest had been sent there later by Newt.
And in Hufflepuff, Newt was practically every Badger's idol.
He had added another proud label to Hufflepuff's legacy.
Besides Herbology and Food, Hufflepuffs were now also known for their affinity with magical creatures.
Beyond that, Newt had also played a huge role during the wizarding wars.
Aside from Grindelwald and Dumbledore, he was the most famous wizard of that era. He foiled Grindelwald's plots multiple times and was the one that dark wizard despised the most—without question.
He was, in every sense, a protagonist-level character.
And after the final battle, Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, and Newt returned to America, settling in New York with Tina, the female Auror. He had remained there to this day.
Wayne didn't hesitate—he opened the letter right in front of Dumbledore.
To Mr. Wayne Lawrence,
Hello, I am Newt Scamander, a former Hufflepuff.
I'm very pleased to know that such a talented individual has emerged within the school. I've always believed that Hufflepuff is the most perfect of the four Houses.
A few days ago, I received the feathers and some droppings that Professor Dumbledore forwarded to me.
To my amazement, your phoenix is extraordinarily unique. Compared to Fawkes, it is even more...
(A long block of academic discussion follows.)
If possible, may I request some research samples?
Additionally, I will be returning to Europe over the summer holidays. Would it be possible to visit you in person?
Your loyal fellow Hufflepuff,
Newt Scamander
The letter was quite long, brimming with Newt's curiosity toward Ho-Oh, as well as a bunch of detailed instructions on how to care for a phoenix.
You'd never guess from the tone that this was written by someone with extreme social anxiety.
"Professor," Wayne looked up, "how should I reply to Senior Newt?"
Dumbledore's smile froze for a moment.
Technically, there was nothing wrong with how Wayne addressed him—Newt was indeed his senior.
But Newt was nearly a hundred years old…
Dumbledore pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote down Newt's address, then imprinted it with a magical seal using his wand.
"Send your reply to this address. Don't forget the seal—without it, Newt won't receive your letter."
"He's a rather… private person. Quite nervous about fans showing up at his door. And... some old acquaintances are still a bit too eager to reconnect."
Old acquaintances…
Probably referring to those Saints who once followed Grindelwald, Wayne thought to himself.
He carefully stored the letter and the parchment, then politely took his leave and left the headmaster's office, heading for the library.
Cho and Hermione were already there waiting for him—and working on a bit of homework in the meantime.
As the three of them walked out of the castle, Hermione asked casually:
"So, what did you talk to Dumbledore about?"
Wayne answered truthfully, "Nothing much. Newt Scamander sent me a letter and asked Dumbledore to pass it on."
"Oh," Hermione responded absentmindedly.
Then suddenly, she stopped in her tracks.
Scamander… That surname sounded very familiar.
"Wait, who?"
Her eyes widened: "Newt Scamander? The Scamander who wrote Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?!"
"Yes, that's him," Wayne replied, confused by her intense reaction.
Cho was equally stunned. "Newt Scamander actually wrote you a letter?"
"That's the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!" Hermione squealed, gripping Wayne's hand in excitement.
"What did the letter say? Why does he know you? Can you get me an autograph?"
In that moment, she looked no different from a Muggle fangirl.
Bombarded with questions, Wayne simply pulled out the letter and handed it to them to read themselves.
There wasn't anything in it that needed to be kept secret.
When they saw that Newt had written that he was planning to visit Wayne, Hermione flushed with excitement, and Cho was just as giddy.
Only then did Wayne realize how famous Newt truly was in the wizarding world.
"Wayne, when Mr. Scamander comes to visit, can I come meet him too?" Hermione asked hopefully.
Cho didn't speak, but her beautiful eyes were fixed expectantly on the boy.
"No problem," Wayne agreed immediately. "I'll write back to Newt. Once we settle on a date, I'll let you both know."
The two girls cheered in unison.
The trio soon arrived at the patch of farmland near the edge of the Forbidden Forest where Hagrid had let them grow things.
After some time growing, along with a bit of magical fertilization, the Chinese Chomping Cabbages had finally begun to resemble their mature form.
But they looked strangely calm. Wayne peeled one open to check and discovered that the teeth hadn't grown in yet.
"Wayne, why are you growing Chinese Chomping Cabbages?" Hermione asked, no longer bothering to scold him for breaking school rules.
Wayne was far smarter than she was—he never left any trace behind, even when bending the rules.
Hermione was gradually becoming a true Gryffindor now.
If you didn't get caught, then it didn't count as breaking the rules.
"First, I want to try how they taste. Second, I plan to use them against enemies," Wayne said matter-of-factly.
"When I throw a dozen cabbages at someone, they'll be too busy running to do anything else."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "This is Hogwarts, the safest place in the world."
"With Dumbledore here, what kind of enemies would we possibly have?"
"Just be careful not to hurt yourself."
Wayne opened his mouth, but said nothing.
The safest place in the world...
Well, he hoped that when everything did happen, she'd still be able to say that.
As Professor Sprout's favorite student—and with an almost soul-deep instinct—Wayne's talent for herbology was through the roof.
He led the two girls in loosening the soil, fertilizing the cabbages, and finally casting a beast-repelling charm to protect the crops.
Only then were they done for the day.
"You just dragged us here to be your free labor," Cho grumbled, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Her robes were now covered in dirt, and Hermione looked like a little mud monster, her face streaked with soil.
"Don't be like that," Wayne said with a grin. "I'll give you a few cabbages as payment."
"I don't want them," Cho said immediately.
"Neither do I," Hermione echoed.
Both girls clearly disliked the ugly, vicious plants. Only Wayne seemed to actually like them.
"What do you want, then?" Wayne asked.
Hermione thought for a moment. "A few bottles of that potion from last time. I found it really useful."
"What potion?" Cho asked, intrigued.
"Just a basic energizing draught," Hermione explained. "He gave it to me after one of our spellcasting sessions."
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