Newt had never claimed to be the most upright of wizards, but he had always been confident in his Patronus. After all, he had never harbored malicious intentions, considered himself genuinely happy, and possessed strong positive emotions.
But judging from the unicorns' reactions… they clearly didn't think much of his Patronus.
Seriously, what have these unicorns been eating all their lives?
This made Newt far more curious about Tom's Patronus, and it also deepened his trust in him.
A wizard who could produce a Patronus of such rare quality couldn't possibly be a bad person.
"It seems the problem lies with your Patronus," Newt said, glancing at Tom. "Its quality surpasses mine—and even the essence of these three unicorns—so it's purifying the energy within them. That must be the cause of their change."
Tom nodded. "That's my guess as well, and it could apply to other magical creatures too."
On this point, Newt's thoughts aligned perfectly with the conclusions of Grindelwald and Andros. In fact, Tom trusted Newt's judgment here even more.
"Oh?" Newt's interest deepened. "Could you give me another example?"
"Let's take thunderbirds," Tom began after a moment's thought. "They often fly into the skies during natural thunderstorms to bathe in lightning—that's how they strengthen themselves. So, if I could provide lightning even stronger than nature's, could they absorb it?"
"And then there's the venomous baghera," Tom continued. "Their natural venom is already terrifying. But if we fed them a toxin even deadlier than their own, maybe they could grow even stronger."
"Of course, the conditions are extreme, but it's not impossible. Since we're heading to the Thunderbird Sanctuary anyway, it's worth a try."
Newt found the idea reasonably feasible. The moment the conversation turned to magical creatures, his entire demeanor lit up—he was ready for action in an instant.
"And where exactly would you find lightning stronger than a thunderbird's storm?" Tom asked curiously.
Newt's enthusiasm froze mid-expression.
Right.
What wizard's lightning spell could rival the sheer might of nature?
Perhaps Dumbledore at his absolute best… but calling in Dumbledore just for a theory? Far too unrealistic.
Better to focus on the venomous baghera instead. Newt recalled a rumor from India—apparently, one such beast had once drunk from the Ganges River and dropped dead on the spot, foaming at the mouth.
"I've just had a new idea…"
"ROAR!"
Just as Newt was about to tell Tom he planned to 'borrow' some Ganges water, a high, piercing dragon's cry split the air inside their space. The three unicorns instantly shrank back, hiding behind Tom.
From a distance, a dark shadow shot toward them at incredible speed.
Newt already had his wand in hand, but Tom pressed it down, stepped forward, and spread his arms wide. The black figure slammed into his embrace, forcing Tom to take two heavy steps back.
"Well now, you've gotten heavier, haven't you?"
Tom caught the affectionate Usagii as she nuzzled his neck. Compared to when they'd gone to the Greengrass estate, she had grown immensely—her length had gone from half a meter to nearly his own height, and her girth had thickened considerably.
It actually took effort for him to hold her now.
The Greengrass family's meteorite, combined with all the other minerals she'd been fed, had long since been devoured. Three days before his departure, she'd fallen into a deep slumber to digest all that energy.
And now, the moment they arrived in New York, she had woken.
"Eee-eee~ eee-eee~" Rayquaza chirped indignantly. She was a girl, after all—how could he just say she was heavy?
Tom's face twisted oddly.
What kind of dragon makes cutesy noises like that? Who had been teaching her this?
Far away in Britain, Daphne suddenly sneezed.
"Tom, is this your pet?"
Newt stepped closer, studying Usagi intently. The more he looked, the more shocked he became.
He would swear on his own name—he had never seen such a magical creature before. Not even a close relative species.
"Could this be… a completely undiscovered magical beast?" The old man's voice trembled.
Tom gently stilled the little dragon's playful wriggling. "Yeah, Usagii is from the Rayquaza species. She told me that much herself, but she's never said more than that."
Newt leaned in another step, but Usagii immediately let out a low, warning roar. Only then did the old man realize his excitement had crossed a line. His gaze and movements had triggered her wariness. With an embarrassed smile, he stepped back to his original place.
"Grandpa Newt," Tom said evenly, "Usagi doesn't like being studied. I won't force her. If you want to learn more, the best you can do is observe from a safe distance. That's my limit."
Newt nodded repeatedly. "I understand. Many magical creatures dislike humans. From her voice, I could feel her draconic might—but it's more refined and pure than that of a fire-dragon. Dragons are the proudest of all creatures, and earning her recognition… that's truly rare."
Tom simply smiled and said nothing more.