The six months passed quickly. Grindelwald had run out of things to teach long ago, but he had grown used to the boy's presence. Now that they were about to part ways, the old Dark Lord actually felt reluctant to see him go.
Dumbledore came to pick him up, but instead of taking Owen back to Hogwarts, he brought him to another old friend. This friend was very shy; when he met the boy's bright, inquisitive gaze, he offered a gentle smile before quickly averting his eyes.
"Newt, this is Owen. For the next three months, I'm entrusting him to your care."
"Of course. I'll take good care of him. Mr. Corlett, please follow me."
Newt Scamander's house wasn't huge—at least, not compared to the inside of his suitcase—but it was cozy and organized in a cluttered, lived-in sort of way. It felt infinitely more like a home than the old Dark Lord's cell.
However, the biggest surprise came moments after Owen walked through the door. A small, furry creature suddenly appeared on him, clinging to his robes with one paw while waving the other back and forth in front of his face.
Owen blinked, then looked sheepish. "Sorry, little guy. Apart from books and notebooks, I don't have anything on me. But I can ask Headmaster Dumbledore to give you a Galleon when he comes to pick me up. Would that be okay?"
The creature nodded in satisfaction. But just as it was about to scurry away, a hand reached out and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck. Newt looked at the Niffler in his hand, then at the young wizard.
"Can you understand him?"
Owen tilted his head, confused. "Isn't communicating with magical creatures a normal ability for wizards?"
Is it?
Newt was stunned. But before he could figure out how to respond, a pair of hands reached out from behind the boy.
"Oh, what a lovely young wizard. Let me guess, you're not lost, are you?"
"This is Tina, my wife," Newt introduced.
Owen turned and bowed respectfully to the elderly woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. I'm Owen Corlett. Headmaster Dumbledore sent me here to learn from Mr. Scamander. I apologize for intruding on your lives."
Looking at the polite, well-behaved boy, Tina's heart melted instantly. "Oh, dear, there's no need to apologize. I'm delighted you're here. I just baked some cookies—would you like to try one?"
"Thank you, ma'am. But I think Mr. Scamander might have something to say to me first. Would you mind waiting a moment? I'm really looking forward to your cookies."
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a standard textbook at Hogwarts. The best part was that it wasn't even finished yet—it was constantly being updated. Meeting the author in person was incredibly exciting for Owen.
Seeing that his wife hadn't immediately whisked the boy away, Newt let out a quiet sigh of relief. He actually had a lot of questions for Owen, but now he realized he didn't need to ask. He just needed to run a test.
The suitcase clicked open. Owen followed Newt inside.
First, they entered a study. Sitting on the desk was the very same Niffler that had just interrogated Owen about his lack of Galleons. In the blink of an eye, the chubby little guy had already made it down here. Fast little bugger.
Next to the study was another door. Opening it felt like stepping into another world. Outside lay a vast grassland, with a forest in the distance and snow-capped mountains beyond that. Oh, and a large lake bordering the grassland, just slightly smaller than the Black Lake at Hogwarts.
Newt led the boy toward the forest. As they walked, Newt suddenly spoke up.
"Dumbledore said you spent the last six months studying with Grindelwald? Were you learning Dark Magic?"
Owen nodded. "Yes. But Dark Magic is too simple and frankly lacks research value. So mostly, I learned various casting techniques from Mr. Grindelwald."
Newt didn't know what to say to that. But in this environment, he trusted his animal companions more than words.
Just as they entered the forest, a blur of yellow light flashed past. Before Owen could even register what kind of animal it was, a large cat appeared between them. It had a thick, long tail, which immediately curled around the boy's wrist.
"Woo..."
Seeing the big cat, Owen showed no fear. Instead, his face lit up with excitement. "So cute!"
He didn't just say it; he reached out. The moment he touched its fur, the Wampus Cat moved. It wrapped its paws around the boy, pulling him into a hug, and began nuzzling his face enthusiastically, purring with satisfaction.
Newt was dumbfounded. He had never seen anything like this. Humans petting cats, sure. But a cat petting a human? That was a first.
"Jona? Nice to meet you, I'm Owen."
"Are you a Wampus Cat?"
"No, I think your pattern is beautiful."
Newt stopped walking. He sat down nearby, watching the boy communicate effortlessly with the Wampus Cat, a smile slowly spreading across his face.
He loved magical creatures and treated every species with sincerity. You could see it in his writing, and it was the root of his success.
Newt knew this about himself and lived by it. But he never expected to meet a child who could win over magical creatures without any effort at all—someone who could seemingly converse with them without barriers.
"You want a boyfriend?"
The boy's words snapped Newt out of his reverie. He saw Owen sitting on the ground with the Wampus Cat resting its head on his lap. The boy looked conflicted.
"That... might be something only Mr. Scamander can help you with... No, it's not that I don't want to help. I'm just too young and can't travel very far. But don't worry, Mr. Scamander is an amazing wizard. He'll definitely find a way."
Newt saw the Wampus Cat shoot him a glance that looked suspiciously like disdain.
Newt: "..."
Provoked by the cat's judgmental stare, Newt left the house that very night. Tina seemed used to his sudden departures and didn't mind at all. She was too busy happily hosting the adorable little wizard.
Watching him enjoy her homemade cookies and pastries with such genuine delight put her in a fantastic mood.
"Ma'am, your baking is wonderful. It's just as good as my mother's—it even tastes the same!"
Tina knew a little about the boy's background. Hearing this, she felt a pang of sadness. "Oh, dear. Don't be sad about those who have passed. I'm sure your parents would be very proud of you."
Owen nodded. "Yes, they would be. Ma'am, where will I be sleeping tonight? I have a habit of reading before bed—will that disturb you?"
"Of course not, dear. Diligent little wizards always get a reward. Now, let me think... what should your reward be?"
Meow!
Meow!
Mrrow!
Three Kneazles appeared. They circled Tina once before sitting down directly across from the boy.
"It seems they like you too..."
"I'm here to study with Mr. Scamander for three months."
"Don't worry, I won't steal your snacks."
"I'm sorry, I don't have any money, so I can't pay the protection fee in dried fish."
Tina's expression changed...