Chapter 501: Magical Creatures
Chapter 501: Magical Creatures
"Hey, Newt", Felix said to the busy figure, "Any findings?"
"I'm not sure", Newt straightened up from the table, scribbling a few notes hurriedly, and stared at the glass cabinet where several large scorpions were rampaging. "Hagrid calls them Blast-Ended Skrewts? They seem quite temperamental, perhaps they are in heat. Some animals get a bit silly during mating season... and some people do too."
"Nobody can be certain. This creature has only appeared in the real world for less than a year, and no one has fully understood its habits yet", Felix said. "Originally, Hagrid was taking care of them, but he had to go on a long trip and left the last few to me. He really hopes to get your opinion."
"We need to observe them for a while longer", Newt said, his eyes fixed on the glass cabinet. "We must confirm whether the Blast-Ended Skrewts can reproduce stably in natural conditions. That's the priority—otherwise, they will just disappear into history. There are many examples of artificially created species failing. Hagrid didn't involve magic in their creation, which is good—it means there's a possibility of stable existence. I think I should set up a habitat for them; your magic has been restraining them."
He looked up, his face eager.
"Build it sturdy", Felix advised, "I've never seen a docile Blast-Ended Skrewt. They seem to lack a brain altogether."
Newt nodded.
Felix held Valen, and together they examined the ball of yarn hanging from the ceiling.
It was a spiky sac. As they watched, the sac suddenly opened, transforming into a large, butterfly-like reptile with skeletal wings. It looked terrifying, hanging upside down like a bat, staring at them. Valen, in Felix's arms, was startled.
In the next second, it retreated back into the sac.
"Knarlwing. When not flying, it curls up into a spiky sac. This one isn't dangerous, but you should keep your distance. Norris is a bit shy", Newt said with a faint smile.
"Squeak?" Valen was still shaken, patting its little chest.
"Norris, its name", Newt repeated. "Just like you are a Horned Serpent but named Valen." He looked at Felix, "It's hard to believe, she's already learned to write. The letters are a bit ugly, but... well, she's already very good. It reminds me of my brother", he murmured the last part almost to himself.
Felix gazed at the curled-up Knarlwing, unable to resist smacking his lips. "Valen is still cuter", he said. "I don't want to turn into that. So, you've tamed it?" He suddenly thought of something and asked curiously, "This thing is quite dangerous in the wild."
Newt's face took on a nostalgic look.
"I once had a Knarlwing; it helped me a lot. Norris is its descendant."
"I see", Felix nodded, then asked softly, "I guess that Knarlwing helped you catch Grindelwald?"
"Oh, oh—" Newt looked at him, "Headmaster Dumbledore told you?"
"No, my source is a Teaching Assistant from Ilvermorny", Felix explained. "He told me that there is a hidden Knarlwing statue in the American Congress of Magic's hall, near the courtroom... The inscription on the stone reads, 'It once assisted in defeating the source of turmoil.'"
"He said the statue was left by the President of the American Congress of Magic, Serafina Picquery. Considering the context at the time, I made that guess", he added.
Newt put down his work and fell into a distant memory. "I can't reveal more—it involves Headmaster Dumbledore. But so far, everything you've said is correct."
"What kind of person is Grindelwald?" Felix asked sharply. "This shouldn't be forbidden, right?"
"…Not really… He's very proud, or rather, confident… and very charismatic, though I don't particularly like that. He caused a lot of trouble back then…" Newt's voice trailed off, and only at this moment did he seem like someone approaching a century old.
Two days later, Felix bid farewell.
"Hey, Flash, you're here too." Felix greeted the invisible creature beside Newt, which had revealed its form today. It looked like a sloth. Felix handed it an apple.
"Have you finished your investigation?" Newt asked.
"Yep, it was quicker than I expected", Felix said, satisfied. "I think it's because I gave up on some of my targets. After all, the Horned Serpent and the Mooncalf weren't really suitable…"
And they didn't look very appealing either.
"Can I ask you something?" Newt asked, his interest piqued. "You mentioned wanting to observe the structure of Magical Creatures using Magic—was the term 'scan'?"
Felix nodded at him.
"Yeah—using Magic to scan. Honestly, I don't fully understand it. It sounds like the process of familiarizing oneself with a creature in Transfiguration…"
"You're right", Felix said with a slight smile.
"Really, it's Transfiguration? But that doesn't make sense. Ordinary Transfiguration can only change the appearance of Magical Creatures, not their essence. Even advanced Animagus transformations only remove some of the drawbacks…"
"Even Headmaster Dumbledore—wait, I think I've seen something similar, though not a complete transformation. There were barely any changes to the skin. I always assumed it was a magic I didn't know."
Newt's eyes sparkled as he stared at Felix, filled with curiosity.
"Can you really do it? Can I see?"
"Of course, it would be an honor to demonstrate this ability to the world's greatest expert on Magical Creatures."
Valen stood on the table, equally eager, gazing at Felix. Despite having seen it before, Valen still found it astonishing. What species was the Dark Lord? The invisible creature, munching on a fruit, suddenly widened its eyes and dropped the fruit—it had seen what was about to happen.
Felix tilted his head, his eyes scrutinizing his fingers, and began the Transfiguration. A strange sensation spread through his body. His form seemed to melt, his hands shrinking and merging into his sides. His torso and neck elongated, and a pair of blue wings, like curved blades, tore through his clothes, emerging from his back… Felix felt no pain, only warmth; his mind was calm, untroubled—because he knew the target of the transformation and his body could adapt to this level of change.
He was a magical creature.
Felix lowered his head, but his body rapidly expanded, his gaze towering over Newt. His blue, bird-like head, roughly the size of the invisible creature, looked down at the people present. His vision shifted, easily taking in the distant river, caves, and plains.
His tall, majestic form was covered in vibrant feathers, stretching over a hundred feet in length.
He had transformed into a Basilisk.
(End of Chapter)
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