Shy Grandpa Newt

Newt Scamander led the way, quietly explaining as they walked, "This is Thunderbird Town, named after the Thunderbird."

"Besides Thunderbird, the Thunderbird Sanctuary is home to many other Fantastic Beasts, and numerous families and companies have established breeding bases and material processing plants here."

"In addition, with the increasing number of tourists coming from far and wide, this pure wizard town gradually took shape, and the Magical Congress even set up an office here."

Tom nodded. That made sense; the wizarding population in North America was several times larger than in Britain.

In addition, given the vast territory, a single Magical Congress simply cannot govern it all, so it's normal for each region to have a center.

"I have a house here, so let's stay here for now."

As Newt Scamander was speaking, he noticed that Tom had stopped and was looking in his direction. Newt's face instantly turned bright red.

"Th-that is..." Newt Scamander stammered, at a loss for words.

Tom suppressed a laugh and said seriously, "What's there to be ashamed of? You should be proud!"

What Tom saw was actually a tall brass statue.

On the statue, there is a Thunderbird with its head bowed, and next to it stands a young wizard carrying a leather suitcase, reaching out to stroke the Thunderbird.

It goes without saying that this is to commemorate Newt Scamander's rescue of the Thunderbird from poachers.

"They're too high-profile," Newt Scamander muttered under his breath, looking extremely uncomfortable. "I just did what I was supposed to do."

"You're being too modest," Tom shook his head. "Just doing what you're supposed to do is already quite an achievement."

"Moreover, what you consider a simple act is an incredible feat for others."

Newt Scamander felt extremely uncomfortable listening to this, and his pace quickened. If Tom continued to praise him, his face would burn with embarrassment.

Newt Scamander's house here is a two-story house with a back garden, and it looks no different from the houses next door.

Newt Scamander has many such residences around the world, some hidden deep in the mountains and forests, and others located in bustling cities.

But they all have one thing in common: they are surrounded by Fantastic Beasts with whom they have formed a bond.

The Scamander family are never short of money; Newt Scamander can easily exchange some Fantastic Beasts materials for a large sum of money.

For example, the sap that Tom collected from the Curly-Winged Demon yesterday is worth ten times more than the venom of the Acromantula.

After making the bed, Newt Scamander came to Tom: "Let's rest today and go into the reserve tomorrow."

"Are we going to stay here again?" Tom asked.

Newt Scamander thought for a moment, "I usually Apparition back, but in special circumstances, I'll have to stay in a tent."

"Let's go prepare some food."

Tom's suggestion was approved by Newt Scamander, and the two went to the nearby pubs and restaurants, bought a lot of ready-made hot dishes, and sealed them with magic so they could stay fresh for several days.

Tom did all the talking, while Newt Scamander, who was socially awkward, didn't even dare to go into crowded stores.

Tom thought to himself: So you brought me here just to make me a diplomat, huh?

The next morning, Newt Scamander and Tom arrived at the entrance to the protected area, where Auror from the Magical Congress were in charge of inspections.

When the wizard checking the documents saw the name "Newt Scamander Scamander," his expression instantly became respectful and eager.

Before Tom could react, he pulled out a brand new copy of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and said excitedly.

"Mr. Scamander! I'm a huge fan! I've bought every single one of your books, and I'm so glad I got to see you today while I'm on duty. Could you please sign one for me?"

Newt Scamander was caught off guard by this sudden enthusiasm, and his social anxiety kicked in again, leaving him standing there stammering and unable to speak.

Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Tom quickly pulled Newt Scamander two steps to the side, took the book, and said with a smile, "Signing it is no problem, just wait a moment."

Tom acted as the middleman again, waiting for Newt Scamander to finish signing the book and return it to the wizard before the two could finally enter the protected area.

With no outsiders present, Newt Scamander finally returned to normal. He pulled out two Nimbus Two Thousand, handed one to Tom, and said, "Let's go, let's fly in."

The two rode Flying Broomstick, traversing the vast wilderness, venturing deeper into the wilderness.

The entire protected area is mostly high-altitude desert terrain, located in the middle of the world-famous Grand Canyon.

The earth is covered with towering Giant cacti, the only species in the genus Giant in the cactus family, which can grow up to 30 meters tall in ordinary areas.

Under the influence of magical power, 30-meter-tall Giant pillars are common in the protected area, and many are even 50 meters tall.

The two flew very fast, passing through one not-so-high mountain after another, and arrived above the canyon, flying north along the canyon.

The sky gradually darkened, dark clouds rolled in, and flashes of lightning could be seen moving through the clouds.

"Eh--!"

In the instant the lightning exploded, Tom's eyes were blinded. He squinted and saw a pure white figure moving through the dark clouds.

The wings spread out in an arc like a fully drawn bow, every feather glowing, lightning bursting from the tips of the feathers, weaving a silvery-white net across the sky.

Tom's eyes lit up, and he almost fell off his Flying Broomstick. Thunderbird! That's so cool!

Amidst the churning clouds, lightning flashed, and a pure white wing unfurled, its body wreathed in tiny arcs of lightning. Each flap of its wings stirred the winds that swept across the heavens and earth.

The Thunderbird circled in the air, its gaze sweeping over the wasteland below, exuding an aura of majesty.

Tom looked up, his eyes glued to the view, filled with awe.

These naturally formed, divine beings are indeed far more awe-inspiring than anything described in books.

Newt Scamander stopped sweeping and gazed quietly at the sky, his eyes filled with tenderness and longing.

"That's the Thunderbird I saved back then; it's now the leader of its kind."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Thunderbird in the sky seemed to sense a familiar presence, let out a long cry, and slowly withdrew its lightning.

It slowly descended towards the two of them, its enormous wings whipping up gusts of wind that sent sand and gravel swirling around on the ground.

Tom instinctively steadied himself, watching the enormous creature slowly land. Its body was even more robust than that of an adult dragon, and its eyes, though clear, exuded a dignified and imposing aura.

After landing, the Thunderbird went straight to Newt Scamander, meekly lowering its head and letting him gently stroke its crest, showing none of the aloofness it displayed when facing strangers.

"After all these years, it still remembers the old feelings," Newt Scamander murmured with emotion.

Tom silently observed from the side, his mind racing with calculations.

Adult Thunderbird are incredibly fast, and he certainly couldn't outrun them, but that wasn't his target. His ultimate goal was the newly hatched chicks.

While Newt Scamander and the old Thunderbird were catching up, Tom discreetly looked around, scanning the woods and cliff edges, trying to find any trace of the Thunderbird chicks.

"Stop looking," Newt Scamander said with a smile, seeing through his thoughts.