As the finish line came into view, Lucien spotted Newt's figure at the mountain's peak.
A clear, ringing cry echoed through the air. Lucien, moving just a hair faster than the thunderbird, zipped past Newt's position.
Newt barely caught a glimpse of the two figures speeding by, only feeling a wild gust of wind.
Lucien landed, shifting back to human form, his chest heaving slightly from excitement and exhaustion.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the Thunderbird Dance. The Bone-Blood Cleansing Potion loan has been repaid.]
SCREECH!
The thunderbird landed beside him, letting out a loud, triumphant cry.
Lucien understood what it meant: "Boss, I'm starving—let's eat!"
He chuckled helplessly and dug into his pocket, pulling out a feast: a perfectly cooked steak, braised pork ribs, roasted ostrich…
These had all been magically preserved to stay as fresh and hot as when they were made. Paired with a nutrient potion tailored for thunderbirds, it was a proper banquet.
After all, this thunderbird had been tagging along for days. A promised reward was only fair.
But why was it calling him Boss?
Watching the thunderbird devour the meal with gusto, Lucien decided to hold off on asking for now.
"Lucien, no matter how many times I see it, your Transfiguration is jaw-dropping," Newt said, strolling over with a grin, not shy with his praise.
"Oh, by the way, have you registered as an Animagus with the Ministry yet?"
"Not yet, but Professor Dumbledore said he'd take me to the Ministry this summer."
Newt nodded, relieved. An unregistered Animagus could land you in Azkaban, after all. "Good. With Dumbledore handling it, it's no big deal."
With that worry out of the way, Newt struck up a casual chat with Lucien, particularly curious about Animagus matters. Registered Animagi were rare—only seven on record, eight now with Lucien. Sure, there were probably unregistered ones out there, but they kept their secrets close. To most, Animagi were pretty mysterious.
Lucien talked about the standard Animagus experience, mentioning their ability to communicate with animals in their transformed state. Newt sighed. "When I was younger, I thought about becoming an Animagus. That communication ability would've been handy. But I couldn't get past the risk. I really admire you lot—takes guts most people don't have."
Lucien nodded, remembering the dangerous final step of the Animagus transformation. It wasn't for the faint of heart. But Newt, with his natural talent for connecting with magical creatures and years of practice, didn't really need that ability. He was already the world's top expert on fantastic beasts.
They chatted a bit longer before Apparating back to Stormville.
The thunderbird, still chowing down nearby, suddenly looked up, confused. It glanced around, realizing everyone was gone.
"Chirp?"
---
After a half-day's rest, they tracked down Frank, the thunderbird king. Newt opened his suitcase and released a thunderbird they'd planned to set free.
With Newt and Lucien mediating, Frank welcomed the new thunderbird without a hitch. Mating season was nearly over, so it wouldn't stir up any trouble.
"Phew, we gathered a ton of material this time. I might be able to update Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when I get back," Newt said.
"Oh, you're working on the fifty-third edition?" Lucien asked, eyes lighting up. Newt's book, already at fifty-two editions, got richer with every update as he added new insights. A new release was bound to cause a stir.
Newt nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Yup. And I owe you some thanks for that, Lucien."
"Thank me?"
"Yeah. Remember those notes you sent me way back? The ones on acromantulas and unicorns?"
Lucien nodded. He'd spent weeks in the Forbidden Forest compiling those.
"And not just that," Newt went on. "That time in the Forest last winter, helping deliver a unicorn foal—that was invaluable. Plus, these past few days, your ability to talk directly with creatures has given me so much new material for the thunderbird section."
He paused, then added, "If it's okay with you, I'd like to include some of this in the book. What do you think?"
Lucien didn't hesitate. Knowledge was meant to be shared. It could be complex, reachable only by a few, but it shouldn't be hoarded. True knowledge didn't weaken when shared—it grew stronger, lasting forever. Helping more people understand magical creatures was rewarding, and recording their details for posterity felt meaningful. He thought of species driven to extinction by humans, with only scraps of information left behind too late to save them.
"Of course," Lucien said. "It's a good thing for more people to learn about them."
Newt blinked, a little dazed. That was it, wasn't it? Understanding magical creatures—that was his life's work. "Yes, yes, it's a good thing. A great thing!" he said, his voice tinged with emotion. He'd been right about Lucien. The field of magical creatures needed him.
There was something Newt had planned to say, but he held back, wanting to surprise the kid. In the new edition of Fantastic Beasts, he'd give a special shout-out to Lucien Grafton. The boy deserved it.
And Newt had a bit of a sneaky plan, too. This was a chance to start building Lucien's reputation in the magical creature world. With some name recognition and experience under his belt, by the time he graduated, he'd have a leg up if he chose this path. Sure, Newt and Dumbledore had agreed to respect Lucien's choices, but giving him a little boost wasn't forcing anything—just laying down a few extra paving stones for the road ahead.
With the thunderbird release sorted, Lucien and Newt returned to Stormville. Their American adventure was complete.
Time to pack up and head home.
SCREECH!
As Lucien was organizing his luggage, a loud cry rang out. He opened the window and saw a thunderbird circling above Stormville, calling repeatedly.
Thanks to his gift, Lucien understood it—and was totally confused. The thunderbird was shouting, "Boss, where are you? Why didn't you take me to your territory?"
He was certain this was the same thunderbird he'd flown with earlier, which only made it weirder.
"What's this bird going on about?" he muttered.