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Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Pukwudgie Butler

Sean had, for no apparent reason, gained himself a Pukwudgie butler.

Even though the creature always held its chin high, the moment Professor Tayra barged into the cottage—beaming—and helped Sean sign the contract, its head lowered.

Sean couldn't help thinking… it felt a little like the "taming" process of a house-elf.

"Pukwudgies follow great wizards. We witness glory and fear no death."

William's face was icy.

Sean could see the Pukwudgie—named Will—wearing a kind of feverish devotion.

"Well then. The first wizard to—take a Pukwudgie with them."

After placing the mayflowers, Headmistress Herrera left behind those words and walked away.

That left only Sean, staring at Will.

Sure, he did need a steward, but… this was way too fast.

"You will become a great wizard like Madam Isolt Sayre. Will offers you his loyalty."

Will dropped to one knee.

"Pukwudgies are proud. They like playing tricks on humans. But the Pukwudgies gathered at Ilvermorny aren't like that.

"Madam Sayre built the Ilvermorny Forest as a hunting ground for the Pukwudgies, to repay William's life-debt.

"The Pukwudgies flourished in the forest, generation after generation. They were grateful to Madam Sayre, and they revered William.

"So they want to become legends, like William.

"And so, generation after generation, Pukwudgies have searched for what they call a 'great wizard'—and I have to say, their eye for people is something wizards can't even imagine."

Professor Tayra explained, wearing a proud, gratified smile.

She'd tried to recruit Pukwudgies here once, too—because compared to house-elves, they had more fighting spirit, and in some ways they were even more stubborn.

Or, to put it another way: loyal, in a way that didn't lose to house-elves.

But clearly, she'd failed.

Now, seeing her student succeed, even her eyebrows relaxed with pleasure.

"Did you find a Wampus? And how's the Wizard's Book coming along?"

Tayra had been busy nonstop lately. Now that Christmas had passed, a full week had gone by, and she asked after Sean's studies like a kindly elder.

Sean helped Will up first. The contract they'd signed wasn't complete servitude—it was more like an investment.

The Pukwudgie would provide service and follow instructions, but only for thirty years. After thirty years, it could decide for itself whether to stay or leave.

Pukwudgies lived for centuries—William, for instance, was at least four hundred years old—so thirty years wasn't all that long to them.

"The Wizard's Book is more complete," Sean answered carefully.

"Show me," Tayra said, lifting a brow.

When the three-hundred-square-meter First Prairie Zone spread out before her, she could already smell grass and damp earth. Her expression went a little blank.

"Some?" she said, then sighed with a helpless laugh. "And the Wampus—did you—"

She didn't finish.

Iffa pounced right up into Sean's face.

"Well—alright," Tayra said, smiling from the heart. "My dear student… looks like our mission at Ilvermorny is complete?"

Sean stroked Iffa's head and smiled faintly as he nodded.

When they stepped out of the little cabin, Ilvermorny's stone hut had vanished again.

Its purpose had been to shelter a headmistress who refused to move on. Now that she had, the hut disappeared with her.

Along the snowy path, Sean saw William giving Isolt Sayre's statue a final polishing.

At Sean's side, Will silently watched his elder.

"Lord William said: if you forge bonds, you must accept the risk of tears."

Will blurted it out, out of nowhere.

Tayra studied him with amused interest.

"I'm Lord William's favorite junior. I remember every word he ever said," Will declared, proud as anything.

Tayra, for her part, thought he sounded completely unmoored—but hilarious.

"I think I'll cry for you too, Mr. Green," Will said solemnly.

That made Tayra burst out laughing.

Sean only nodded, as if to say he'd received the message.

"Why did you choose little Green?" Tayra asked curiously.

"Lord William chose him," Will replied.

"Oh? Then why you?" Tayra pressed.

"Lord William chose me," Will said.

"Alright then," Tayra sighed.

And amid the bickering—Sean, Tayra, and one Pukwudgie—made their way back into Ilvermorny Castle.

Newt was leaving. He was returning to Dorset, England. And Sean and Professor Tayra had completed their task, which meant—

They could finally move together.

As for why Newt wasn't staying in America, it was exactly as he'd written in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them:

"When MACUSA heard I had a large number of unregistered magical creatures in my case, Jacob, Tina and I were arrested.

Unfortunately, MACUSA later found an Obscurus in the case as well.

And so Percival Graves sentenced Tina and me to death—"

After that uproar in New York, MACUSA's attitude toward him had settled into a strange state: welcome him, but be ready to expel him at any moment.

In that case, Sean could use the time before departure to finish the Snowfield Zone—and if anything went wrong, he could still ask Scamander.

So Sean's schedule tightened again—bringing a place that large to completion took enormous time and focus.

Thankfully, with a Pukwudgie butler, Sean didn't need to personally trek out and "cut" space from the snowfield anymore—Pukwudgies could Apparate.

As Sean stood by the window, selecting a location—

Ilvermorny Castle still floated in its endless fog. Wizards were downcastly discussing the honorary professor's impending departure.

In these few days, they'd seen more magical creatures than they'd likely seen in their entire lives before: a runespoor that could expand and shrink at will; a thunderbird that called storms and left people's hair standing on end; a demiguise that drifted close to witches and wizards yet was almost impossible to spot—

So many marvelous beasts, it made their heads spin.

And now, the honorary professor was leaving. He sat at the staff table in the dining hall, smiling shyly at every student who came to say goodbye.

Beside his hand lay a gilded invitation.

In the wizarding world, there was basically only one shop that ran on invitations.

"If Tina writes me a truly heartfelt letter, maybe I'll find the time to visit her," Headmistress Herrera said casually to Newt.

"I'll pass it along," Newt said, the faintest curve of a smile appearing.

"You're finally going to the Fairy Tale Shop?" Herrera asked, a little curious.

"I want to buy a few," Newt said, his hope brightening.

"A few—don't tell me you don't know it's two per customer?" Herrera's expression turned odd.

Newt's smile slowly faded.

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