A Nundu for A Pet

As Harry walked into the Great Hall, the usual buzz of conversation died down, replaced by intense whispers and not-so-subtle pointing. Itisa padded silently behind him. Harry caught fragments of conversations as he walked:

"...fought Quirrell..."

"...dead professor..."

"...first year did that?"

"...Dark Arts teacher..."

Sebastian waved from the Slytherin table, gesturing to an empty seat he'd saved. Harry made his way over, trying to ignore the way conversations stopped and started as he passed.

"Saved you a spot," Sebastian said casually as if it were any other day. "Though I think your familiar is causing more stares than usual."

Itisa settled on Harry's shoulder, her form casting a shadow over several nearby students who tried very hard to look like they weren't nervously scooting away.

The moment Harry sat down, Daphne Greengrass leaned forward, her usual composed demeanor cracking with curiosity. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Harry asked, reaching for a piece of toast.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "The whole school's buzzing about it. Apparently, you killed Professor Quirrell after he tried to attack you."

"The whole school knows?" Harry's toast stopped halfway to his mouth.

"Well, they know something happened," Daphne cut in, clearly annoyed at Sebastian stealing her thunder. "There are at least six different versions going around. In one of them, you dueled him in the astronomy tower."

"I heard it was in the forbidden corridor," Blaise Zabini added from further down the table. "And that there was a three-headed dog involved."

From across the table, Draco Malfoy let out a derisive snort. "Please. As if Potter could actually take down a Defense professor. He can barely cast a proper levitation charm."

The surrounding Slytherins went quiet, waiting to see how Harry would respond. They didn't have to wait long.

"Funny you should mention levitation charms, Malfoy," Harry said coolly. "I seem to remember you having trouble with yours in class last week. What was it Professor Flitwick said? 'Mr. Malfoy, the feather goes up, not sideways into Mr. Crabbe's ear'?"

Several Slytherins snickered, and Draco's pale face flushed pink. Crabbe, sitting next to him, unconsciously rubbed his ear at the memory.

"At least I didn't need a professor to save me from a troll," Draco shot back.

"You're right," Harry replied smoothly. "You were too busy running in the opposite direction, screaming about telling your father."

This time, the laughter was louder, and even some of the older Slytherins joined in. Draco looked like he'd swallowed something particularly unpleasant.

"If you're quite finished," Daphne interrupted, "some of us would like to know what actually happened."

Harry glanced up at the staff table, where the professors were trying to look like they weren't watching the Slytherin table with intense interest. Professor Snape, in particular, seemed to be studying his porridge with suspicious concentration.

"Look," Harry said quietly, "all I can say is that sometimes people aren't what they seem. And sometimes they're exactly what they seem, just worse."

"That's not an answer," Daphne protested.

"It's the only one you're getting right now," Sebastian interjected, noticing Harry's discomfort. "Besides, I'm more interested in hearing about what happened in the hospital wing. I heard Newt Scamander himself came to visit?" he asked, knowing Newton must have visited Harry.

Before Harry could respond, Itisa made a sound that was somewhere between a purr and a rumble, drawing everyone's attention. She was looking directly at Draco, who suddenly seemed very interested in his breakfast.

"Your cat doesn't like me," Draco muttered.

"Can't imagine why," Harry replied dryly. "It's not like you've ever given her a reason to dislike you."

"That thing isn't just a cat," Theodore Nott spoke up, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Is it?"

Harry met his gaze steadily. "She's my familiar. That's all anyone needs to know."

The way he said it, combined with Itisa's steady gaze, made several students shift uncomfortably in their seats. The message was clear: some questions were better left unasked.

"Well," Sebastian said brightly, breaking the tension, "who's looking forward to Transfiguration? I hear we're turning matches into needles again, and this time Seamus probably won't set anything on fire."

The conversation gradually turned to safer topics, but Harry noticed that his fellow Slytherins kept shooting curious glances between him and Itisa. He also noticed that Draco seemed to have lost his appetite, especially whenever Itisa's tail flicked in his direction.

As breakfast continued, Harry caught snippets of theories from other tables. The Gryffindors seemed convinced he'd engaged in an epic duel. The Ravenclaws were debating the theoretical possibility of a first-year defeating a professor. The Hufflepuffs appeared to be working on a collaborative timeline of events, complete with witness statements.

"You know," Sebastian muttered to Harry, "sooner or later, they're going to figure out something big happened."

"Maybe," Harry replied quietly. "But by then, hopefully they'll be too busy worrying about exams to care."

"You really think that'll work?"

Harry glanced at Itisa, who was now calmly grooming herself, acting for all the world like a perfectly normal oversized cat. "Let's just say I've learned that sometimes the best way to hide something extraordinary is to make it seem ordinary."

"Nothing about you is ordinary, Potter," Daphne commented.

"Thanks, I think?"

"It wasn't entirely a compliment," she said, but there was a hint of a smile on her face.

The rest of breakfast passed in relative normalcy, though Harry couldn't help but notice that the space around him and Itisa remained conspicuously empty. It seemed that while his fellow Slytherins were willing to accept his presence, they weren't quite ready to test how close they could get to his mysterious familiar.

As they left for their first class, Harry heard Draco muttering to Crabbe and Goyle, "Just wait until my father hears about this."

"About what exactly?" Harry called back. "That you're scared of a cat?"

The resulting laughter from their fellow Slytherins echoed through the corridor, following a red-faced Draco all the way to class.

Tomorrow

The next morning, Harry made his way to the Hufflepuff table, where Tonks was enthusiastically waving him over. He noticed several surprised looks from other students as he sat down, Itisa settling behind him as always.

"Morning, Harry!" Tonks greeted cheerfully, her hair cycling through various shades of yellow. "Thought you might like a break from all the Slytherin interrogations."

"Only to face Hufflepuff interrogations instead?" Harry asked dryly, but he was smiling.

Susan Bones, sitting on his other side, had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. "We're not going to interrogate you. Much."

"Very reassuring, Susan."

"Harry!" Hermione's voice called out as she approached the table with Neville in tow. "Mind if we join you?"

Before Harry could answer, Tonks was already scooting over. "Come on, plenty of room! The more the merrier!"

The two Gryffindors settled in, earning more surprised looks from around the hall. Harry could practically hear the whispers starting up again.

"So," Justin Finch-Fletchley leaned forward, trying to sound casual and failing completely, "about Professor Quirrell..."

"Here we go," Harry muttered.

"Is it true he used all three Unforgivable Curses?" Hannah Abbott asked in a hushed voice.

"I heard he tried to feed you to a vampire," Ernest Macmillan added.

"I heard he was actually a vampire," another Hufflepuff chimed in.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "And I heard he was actually three nifflers in a turban, but we shouldn't believe everything we hear."

Tonks snorted into her pumpkin juice while several others tried to hide their laughter.

"But something did happen," Hermione pressed, her analytical mind clearly working overtime. "The professor is gone, and you were in the hospital wing, and—"

"And if Professor Dumbledore wants to make any announcements about what happened, he will," Harry interrupted firmly. "Until then, I'm more interested in these excellent breakfast muffins."

"Very diplomatic answer," Susan commented. "Auntie would approve."

"Auntie?" Neville asked.

"My aunt Amelia, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Susan explained proudly.

"Speaking of law enforcement," Tonks grinned mischievously, "did anyone else notice Filch's face this morning when he found all those dungbombs in his office?"

"Totally unrelated," Harry said quickly, perhaps too quickly.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Harry..."

"What? I was in the hospital wing, remember? Perfect alibi."

"That's not a denial," Susan observed with a smirk.

"I'm hurt by these accusations," Harry replied, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. "Besides, if someone were to hypothetically prank Filch, they would hypothetically need to be much more creative than simple dungbombs."

"Hypothetically speaking, of course," Tonks added with a wink.

Cedric Diggory, who had been quietly observing the exchange, finally spoke up. "You know, I've been at Hogwarts for four years now, and I've never seen anything quite like this."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"This," Cedric gestured to their group. "Slytherin, Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff all sitting together, just chatting and joking. Usually, everyone sticks to their own tables."

"Well, technically, there's no rule against sitting at different house tables," Hermione pointed out. "I checked."

"Of course you did," several voices chorused, causing Hermione to blush.

"I think it's brilliant," Neville said quietly. "Shows we don't have to be divided just because of what house we're in."

"Careful there, Neville," Harry teased. "That kind of revolutionary thinking might get you in trouble."

"Speaking of trouble," a new voice cut in, and Harry turned to see Fred and George Weasley approaching with identical grins.

"Oh no," Hermione muttered.

"Oh yes," the twins replied in unison.

"Harrykins," Fred (or possibly George) began.

"Our favorite snake," George (or possibly Fred) continued.

"We couldn't help but overhear—"

"—that you might have some experience—"

"—in the noble art of pranking."

"I admit nothing," Harry said primly, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"Of course not," the twins agreed.

"But hypothetically speaking—"

"—if someone were interested in—"

"—a completely harmless little project—"

"—involving the Slytherin common room—"

"—and possibly several hundred rubber ducks—"

Harry nearly choked on his juice. "Several hundred what?"

"Rubber ducks," they repeated together.

"Do we want to know why?" Tonks asked, looking both concerned and intrigued.

"Dad's fascinated by them—"

"—keeps asking what they're for—"

"—so we thought we'd help him figure it out—"

"—by conducting an experiment."

"An experiment that just happens to involve the Slytherin common room?" Susan asked skeptically.

"Pure coincidence," the twins assured her.

"Absolutely no correlation—"

"—with the fact that certain Slytherins—"

"—might have hexed our little brother."

Harry considered this for a moment. "Would these certain Slytherins happen to have very blonde hair and a fondness for saying 'my father will hear about this'?"

The twins' grins widened. "Now that you mention it..."

"As much as I'd love to help," Harry said carefully, "I do have to live in that common room."

"But you wouldn't have to be involved directly," Fred suggested.

"Just maybe provide some inside information," George added.

"Like, hypothetically—"

"—what's the best time to sneak in—"

"—and where would be the most entertaining place—"

"—to place several hundred charmed rubber ducks?"

Itisa chose this moment to make her presence known with a soft rumble, causing the twins to jump slightly.

"Blimey, mate," Fred said, eyeing Itisa. "Your cat gets bigger every time I see her."

"Really?" Harry looked at Itisa innocently. "I hadn't noticed."

"She's certainly... distinctive," George observed carefully.

"Isn't she just?" Harry smiled. "Very protective too. Excellent at keeping watch, especially at night. Almost like she never sleeps."

The twins exchanged glances. "Perhaps—"

"—we should reconsider—"

"—the timing of our experiment."

"Probably wise," Harry agreed. "Though if you're still interested in pranking, I might have some other suggestions. Ones that won't result in my housemates trying to hex me in my sleep."

The twins' eyes lit up with interest, but before they could respond, Professor McGonagall's voice cut through their conversation.

"While I am pleased to see inter-house cooperation," she said, approaching their table, "I do hope you're not planning anything inappropriate."

"Us?" The twins asked in perfect innocence.

"Never," Harry added with his most angelic expression.

McGonagall looked thoroughly unconvinced. "Mr. Potter, while your presence at the Hufflepuff table is perfectly acceptable, I do hope you remember that any... activities that might disrupt the peace of the castle are not."

"Professor," Harry said seriously, "I'm shocked that you would think I'd be involved in any disruptions. I've been a model student."

"A model student who somehow managed to lose his professor under mysterious circumstances?"

"I didn't lose him," Harry protested. "I know exactly where he went. Mostly."

McGonagall's lips twitched slightly. "Indeed. Well, carry on with your breakfast. Though perhaps with fewer discussions about rubber ducks."

As she walked away, Nevilla turned to Harry with admiration. "You know, you've got quite the talent for talking your way around authority figures."

"It's a survival skill," Harry shrugged. "Besides, I learned from the best."

"Oh?" Hermione asked. "And who would that be?"

Harry glanced at Tonks, who winked at him, making his face turn a little red. "Let's just say I had some excellent teachers in staying out of trouble. Or at least, not getting caught in it."

"Speaking of trouble," Susan interjected, "we should probably head to class soon. Though this has been... interesting."

"We should do it again," Neville suggested, then looked surprised at his own boldness.

"Definitely," Tonks agreed. "Maybe next time we can get some Ravenclaws to join us. Make it a proper inter-house gathering."

"Just what Hogwarts needs," Harry mused as they all started gathering their things. "More house unity and chaos."

"Isn't that a bit contradictory?" Hermione asked.

"Welcome to my life," Harry replied with a grin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go make sure the twins haven't already started smuggling rubber ducks into the castle."

As they all headed off to their respective classes, Harry couldn't help but notice that the usual stares and whispers seemed less focused on the Quirrell incident and more on the unprecedented sight of students from different houses actually getting along. He counted that as progress, even if it meant he'd probably have to deal with Draco's complaints about "consorting with Hufflepuffs" later.

Later

Harry was packing up his books after another successful Charms lesson, where he'd managed to master the Softening Charm before anyone else – even Hermione, who had given him a mix of pride and mild frustration at being second.

"It's not fair," Susan had joked earlier. "You're making the rest of us look bad."

"Except in Potions," Harry had replied dryly. "Where I apparently can't tell the difference between clockwise and counterclockwise stirring."

"That's because Snape breathes down your neck like an overgrown bat," Hermione had pointed out. "Anyone would mess up with him hovering around waiting for you to fail."

Now, as Harry was about to head to lunch with Itisa padding along beside him, a familiar voice called out, "Ah, Harry! Just the young man I was hoping to find."

Harry turned to see Newt Scamander approaching, his blue coat slightly askew and his hair as disheveled as ever. Several students in the corridor stopped to stare – after all, it wasn't every day you saw a famous magizoologist wandering the halls of Hogwarts.

"Mister Newt," Harry greeted with a smile.

"Just Newt, please," the older wizard insisted, waving off the formality. "Makes me feel ancient otherwise. I was wondering if you and your fascinating companion might have some time for a few tests?"

Harry glanced down at Itisa, who gave him a look that clearly said, 'If we must.' She seemed about as enthusiastic as a cat being told it was bath time.

"Now?" Harry asked.

"Unless you're terribly busy with something else? Perhaps plotting another adventure involving deadly professors?" Newt's eyes twinkled with amusement.

"No deadly professors today," Harry assured him. "Just lunch plans, but those can wait."

"Excellent!" Newt beamed. "Follow me, then. And do try to keep up – I tend to get rather excited about these things and forget not everyone walks at my pace."

They made their way up through the castle, with Newt occasionally muttering to himself about "fascinating adaptations" and "remarkable camouflage abilities" while stealing glances at Itisa. For her part, Itisa maintained an air of dignified boredom, though Harry noticed her ears perking up whenever Newt mentioned something particularly interesting.

When they reached the seventh floor, Newt led them down a seemingly random corridor and stopped in front of a blank wall. Without explanation, he began pacing back and forth, his face screwed up in concentration.

"Er, Newt?" Harry ventured after the third pass. "Are we waiting for something, or...?"

His question was answered by the sudden appearance of an ornate door materializing in the previously blank wall. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Ah, there we are!" Newt said cheerfully, as if doors regularly appeared out of nowhere. "Now, Harry, I must ask you to keep this room a secret for now. It's rather special, you see, and while I'm sure you'd make excellent use of the information, we wouldn't want just anyone knowing about it."

He pushed open the door to reveal what looked like a cross between a magical laboratory and a nature reserve. The room was enormous, with different terrains sectioned off – from a small forest to a rocky outcropping to what appeared to be a miniature desert.

"Welcome," Newt announced proudly, "to the Room of Requirement. Or as I like to call it, the Come and Go Room. Though right now, it's more of a 'please turn into a magical creature testing facility' room."

Harry stepped inside, looking around in amazement. "This is incredible! How does it...?"

"Work?" Newt finished. "Magic, of course! The best kind – you need to walk like I did in front of the wall while thinking of wanting to find something and the door will appear for you."

Itisa had already started exploring, showing more interest than she had all day. She sniffed at various objects and areas, her tail twitching with curiosity.

"Ah, she likes it!" Newt said excitedly. "I thought she might. Created a few areas based on habitats where similar creatures have been found!"

"So what kind of tests did you have in mind?" Harry asked, watching as Itisa investigated what appeared to be a glowing crystal formation.

"Oh, nothing too strenuous," Newt assured him. "Just a few simple exercises to observe her abilities. For instance..." He pulled out his wand and conjured a small golden snitch-like object. "Let's see how she reacts to movement."

He released the object, which zoomed around the room. Itisa watched it for a moment, then very deliberately turned her back on it and started grooming herself.

"Ah," Newt said, looking both amused and fascinated. "Not interested in chase games, I see. Very dignified. Very cat-like response, actually. Though most cats I know can't resist a good chase."

"She's not most cats," Harry said with a grin.

"Indeed not. Which is precisely why we're here. Now, shall we try something a bit more interesting?" Newt reached into one of his seemingly endless coat pockets and pulled out what looked like a small silver bell. "This is enchanted to produce sounds only magical creatures can hear. I'm quite curious to see how she—"

Before he could finish, Itisa had bounded over and swatted the bell out of his hand with surprising speed. It went flying across the room and landed in what appeared to be a small pond, where it sank with a satisfying 'plop'.

"Well," Newt said after a moment of silence, "I suppose that answers the question about enhanced reflexes. And provides a rather clear opinion on high-pitched magical sounds."

Itisa gave him a look that clearly said, 'Try that again and the next thing going in the pond will be you.'

"Message received," Newt chuckled. "Though I must say, your familiar has quite the personality, Harry. Reminds me a bit of my Niffler, actually. Similar attitude toward things they don't like, though thankfully with less tendency to steal anything shiny."

"Are you sure about that?" Harry asked, pointing to where Itisa was now batting at something sparkly near the crystal formation.

"Oh dear," Newt muttered, hurrying over. "Those are rather rare magical crystals that... oh. She's actually arranging them by color. How fascinating!"

Indeed, Itisa had sorted the crystals into neat piles based on their hues, looking quite pleased with herself.

"Intelligence test passed with flying colors, I'd say," Newt commented, scribbling something in a notebook that had appeared from another pocket. "Though I'm beginning to think she's testing us more than we're testing her."

Given the smug look Itisa was now sporting, Harry couldn't help but agree. This was going to be an interesting afternoon indeed.

"Well," Newt said, closing his notebook with a satisfied snap, "shall we address the Nundu in the room. Would you mind if I could see her true form?"

Harry glanced at Itisa, who was now lounging on a rock formation. "What do you think? Want to show off a bit?"

Itisa's tail twitched in what Harry had come to recognize as her 'might as well' gesture. She stood up lazily, and then began to grow. Her transformation was mesmerizing – her domestic cat features morphing into something far more imposing. Her fur shifted to a deep crimson red, her frame expanding until she towered over both of them, massive paws equipped with claws that could probably slice through steel.

"Remarkable!" Newt exclaimed, furiously scribbling notes. "The color variation is particularly interesting – most Nundus are spotted leopard-like creatures, but this red coloration... absolutely extraordinary! And look at those cranial ridges – clearly adapted for enhanced magical conductivity."

Itisa preened under the attention, showing off her impressive teeth in what might have been a smile or a warning – with her, it was sometimes hard to tell the difference.

"And you're not even attempting to release toxic breath!" Newt continued enthusiastically. "That's usually the first thing they do. Well, that and the mauling."

"She saves that for special occasions," Harry said dryly. "Like when certain turbaned professors try to cause trouble."

"Quite clever. Though I imagine Professor Quirrell was rather surprised."

"That's one way to put it," Harry chuckled.

Newt proceeded to conduct various tests, most of which seemed to amuse Itisa more than anything else. She solved magical puzzles with ease, demonstrated remarkable control over her size-changing abilities, and at one point actually rolled her eyes when Newt tried to test her tracking skills with a rather obvious trail of magical treats.

"You know," Newt said as he recorded her solving of a particularly complex magical maze, "I once spent three months tracking a Nundu through the African savannah. Ended up with two broken ribs, a rather nasty curse scar, and a newfound respect for their problem-solving abilities. Your Itisa here would have probably just looked at me like I was being ridiculous and taken a nap instead."

"That does sound like her," Harry agreed. "What other creatures have you tracked?"

Newt's face lit up. "Oh, where to begin! There was the time I found a Thunderbird in Arizona – lovely fellow, named him Frank. And the Ukrainian Ironbelly incident – bit of a misunderstanding there, really. Dragons can be quite reasonable if you approach them the right way. Usually."

"Usually?"

"Well, there was that one time in Romania..." Newt trailed off, absently rubbing a spot on his arm. "Let's just say some dragons appreciate personal space more than others. But that's what makes magizoology so fascinating! Every creature has its own personality, its own way of thinking."

Harry watched as Itisa demonstrated her ability to blend into shadows, her massive form seemingly disappearing despite her bright red coloring. "I can see why you love it so much."

"Have you ever considered becoming a magizoologist yourself?" Newt asked, peering at Harry over his notebook. "You certainly have a natural talent for understanding magical creatures."

"I haven't really thought about what I want to do yet," Harry admitted. "Though meeting more creatures like the Great Leviathan would be amazing. Are there many other powerful magical creatures like that?"

"Oh my, yes!" Newt's eyes lit up even more, if that was possible. "There's the Quetzalcoatl of South America – magnificent feathered serpents with control over rain. The Lung dragons of China, who can heat up the air around him. The Phoenix Lords, though they're incredibly rare..." He paused, looking thoughtful. "Though I must admit, if you meet a Great Leviathan. It would be quite the achievement for your first year. Most magizoologists go their entire careers without encountering one."

Itisa, who had reappeared beside Harry, made a sound that seemed suspiciously like a snort.

"Yes, yes, and having a Nundu as a familiar is equally impressive," Newt assured her. "Though I must ask – how did you two meet? It's not exactly common for a Nundu to adopt a wizard, much less one so young."

Harry exchanged a look with Itisa. "It's... kind of a long story."

"The best ones usually are," Newt said with a knowing smile. "My wife Tina always says my best stories start with 'well, it's complicated' and end with something either on fire or trying to eat me."

"That sounds about right," Harry laughed. "Though in my case, I found her in a muggle park when my relatives decided to go to a part for some reason."

"You just found her there?"

"Well, I was resting on a bench, and back then, I didn't know magic existed, and this person wearing all black appeared and left something on the ground before disappearing. I went to check and found Itisa." Harry answered, and he could almost see the gears moving inside Newton's head.

"...Did you see the man's face?"

"No. I didn't see his face, only that he was a male and that he disappeared after leaving Itisa." Harry answered, hoping Newton had an idea of who it could be. Much to his disappointment, it didn't appear that he had a clue.

"This is strange, why someone would ever leave a Nundu in a park like that?" He muttered under his breath but knew he couldn't get that answer right now. So, he wrote what he heard on his notebook and decided to change the subject a little.

"I've spent my entire life studying magical creatures, and I still find myself surprised by them. Just when you think you understand something, they show you a completely new side of themselves." He gestured to Itisa. "Like a Nundu who decides to become a protective familiar instead of a deadly predator. Or perhaps," he added with a twinkle in his eye, "she's both, and simply chooses when to be which."

Itisa's rumbling purr seemed to confirm this theory.

"Well," Newt said, finally closing his notebook, "I believe that's enough testing for one day. Though I would love to continue our discussions about magical creatures sometime. Perhaps over tea? I have some fascinating stories about a colony of Occamy that once nested in my teapot."

"I'd like that," Harry said sincerely. "As long as the teapot we use is Occamy-free."

"Oh, naturally," Newt assured him, though the slight twitch of his lips made Harry wonder. "Though I should warn you – my stories tend to encourage adventure rather than discourage it."

"Perfect," Harry grinned. "Those are the best kind."

Newt suddenly stopped, looking as if he'd just remembered something important. "Harry, I've been meaning to ask – what are your plans for the summer?"

"I live with the Tonks now," Harry replied.

"How would you feel about a slight change of plans?" Newt's eyes sparkled with that familiar look of adventure. "I'm planning an expedition across Europe, and I could use an assistant who has a natural talent with magical creatures. Say, for the first month of summer?"

Harry's eyes widened. "Really? You mean it?"

"Of course! I've already discussed it with Professor Dumbledore. He agrees it would be an excellent educational opportunity." Newt grinned. "Though I suspect he's more interested in keeping you occupied and encouraging you to get to know more people."

"Where would we go?" Harry asked eagerly while Itisa perked up with interest.

"Well, our first stop would be France." Newt reached into his coat and pulled out a worn leather journal. "There's a rather remarkable creature there I think you'd be particularly interested in meeting – the Hippocampus Royale, or Royal Sea Horse. Unlike their smaller cousins, these magnificent beings are the size of houses and can control water itself."

"Like the Great Leviathan?" Harry asked excitedly.

"Not quite as powerful, but similar in principle. They're incredibly rare – only found in certain magical regions off the French coast. The local magical community considers them sacred." Newt's expression turned slightly sheepish. "Though I should mention, the last time I tried to study them, I may have accidentally started a small diplomatic incident involving three Ministry departments and a very angry mermaid chieftainess."

Itisa made a sound that was distinctly unimpressed.

"Yes, well," Newt coughed, "I'm sure with you two along, things will go much more smoothly this time. Probably. Almost certainly."

"When do we leave?" Harry asked.

"Right after term ends. Though we should probably discuss this with Professor Snape first." Newt paused. "And maybe warn the French Ministry this time. Just as a courtesy, you understand."

Harry grinned. "Should we also warn them about Itisa?"

"Oh no," Newt's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I think we'll let that be a surprise. After all, what's a good expedition without a few unexpected developments?"

Itisa's tail twitched in what could only be described as anticipatory amusement. Summer was certainly going to be interesting.