At first, Pomona's "summer assignment" for Neville had been to retrieve her turtle from the Scamander family, but she later added other tasks. She had forgotten one thing, though—how was Neville supposed to get there?
He had not even started his fourth year yet, nor did he possess extraordinary magical talent, so Apparition was impossible. Newt Scamander's home was deep in the mountains, far from any city. Even if Neville used the Floo Network to reach the nearest city, he would still have to ride a broom for part of the way. As it happened, Neville could not fly, so Pomona had no choice but to take him to the Scamander family herself.
Newborn babies could not Apparate. To deliver Harry safely to Petunia's home, the entire Wizarding World had gone to great lengths and violated many International Statutes of Secrecy. Even the Muggles had sensed that something was amiss.
All that fuss had not been for nothing. Harry had survived safely until now. Unlike Harry, Neville did not "have to" spend every potentially unforgettable summer at relatives' homes he disliked. The start of term, which other children hated, was "a rush toward freedom" for him. He had even needed George and Fred to help him "break out of prison."
Pomona planned to have the two "errand boys" handle this in the future, but not today. She Apparated with Neville to the banks of the River Spey in northern Scotland, beside a great lake set within a gorge. Next to the lake stood a dam-like stone building. That was the Scamander home.
Like the River Ness, the Spey flowed into the North Sea. Since its waters came from melted snow mountains, the lake was very cold. It was unsuitable for human swimming, but perfect for Kelpies.
Not every Kelpie was