Tom, the Creature That Was Made

Dumbledore looked at Newt gravely. "For... the Greater Good."

"Albus, you..." Newt rose from the sofa in shock. For a moment, he could not tell whether the man before him was Dumbledore or Grindelwald.

"Albus, are you sure you know what you're saying?"

"Of course, Newt," Dumbledore said. "I haven't gone senile, and I'm not Gellert in disguise. Relax."

Newt let out a long breath. "To be honest, I don't understand. After all..."

Dumbledore knew what he meant, but there were things even he could not explain.

"Newt, don't worry. I know what troubles you. You needn't have any reservations. There are simply some things I can't tell you yet. When the time comes, you'll know everything."

After hearing Dumbledore's answer, Newt did not press him further.

They had been friends for years. Newt knew Dumbledore would tell him anything he ought to know.

"Just don't tell me you're planning to join forces with Grindelwald and rule the world!"

Dumbledore laughed at Newt's joke.

"Albus, does the boy know where he came from?"

"Newt, that's exactly what I need to warn you about," Dumbledore said quickly. "Jerry doesn't know yet, so be very careful around him. He's clever."

Newt nodded. "Albus, aren't you afraid you'll raise another Grindelwald?"

"No. Spend some time with Jerry and you'll understand. He's better than either of us. Besides, I've always thought he takes after me more than Gellert."

Newt was speechless.

After leaving the Headmaster's Office, Jerry headed straight for the library.

"Hey, Hermione, guess who I just met? Newt Scamander."

Hermione jumped up in excitement. "The author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?"

Jerry nodded.

"You two, this is a library. Keep your voices down! If you need to talk, go outside!"

Madam Pince's stern warning made Hermione blush. She took Jerry by the hand and led him into the corridor.

"Dumbledore told me Mr. Scamander will be at Hogwarts for the next few days. Let's go to Hagrid's Hut after class this afternoon. He should be there."

Knock, knock, knock.

As soon as classes ended that afternoon, Jerry scooped up Tom, who had been dozing on the grass, and hurried to Hagrid's Hut with Hermione. Newt Scamander answered the door.

"Mr. Scamander, you're here already!"

Newt smiled. "I guessed you'd come looking for Hagrid, so I came straight here after seeing Dumbledore."

"Let me introduce my friend, Hermione Granger. She loves your book!"

"Hello, Mr. Scamander," Hermione said excitedly. "It's an honor to meet you. I love your book!"

Newt greeted Hermione with a smile and invited them both inside.

Jerry looked around but saw no sign of Hagrid. "Is Hagrid not here, sir?"

"He's still in the Forbidden Forest. There's no need to worry," Newt said. "But he mentioned a few things in his letter that made me think I ought to examine your pet first."

Jerry nodded and handed Tom to Newt.

Newt took Tom and held him with barely contained excitement, examining him closely.

A quarter of an hour later, Newt frowned. "Mr. Green, could you tell me where you got this pet?"

Seeing Newt's expression turn serious, Jerry said, "He suddenly appeared in my room before school started. Is something wrong with Tom, sir?"

"Tom looks like a crow or a raven," Newt said, "but look closely at his feet. Neither has talons this cold-looking and sharp."

"And I just cast an offensive spell at Tom's feathers, yet look—there isn't a mark on them. Merlin's beard, that level of protection is extraordinary."

Jerry took Tom back and stroked the feathers Newt had attacked. They were still smooth.

"So what are you saying, Mr. Scamander?"

Newt's expression grew grave. "There are only two possibilities. Either Tom belongs to a species of magical creature that has yet to be discovered, or... someone made him."

At those last words, Jerry shot to his feet, disbelief written across his face.

Seeing how upset he was, Hermione gently tugged his hand, urging him to calm down.

Once he had steadied himself, Jerry said, "Sir, Tom is flesh and blood. How could someone have made him?"

"Don't be alarmed, Jerry. It's only a possibility. Tom may belong to an extremely rare species, one even I've never encountered."

Jerry knew Newt was trying to comfort him.

After so many years studying magical creatures, how could Newt never have seen or even heard of such a species?

Jerry pressed on. "Mr. Scamander, do you know of anyone in the Wizarding World capable of creating magical creatures? Or any way it could be done? Alchemy?"

"Jerry, alchemy is extremely dangerous, and using it to create living creatures is illegal," Newt said. "If the Ministry of Magic finds out, you'll be sent to Azkaban and never regain your freedom!"

"Could Gellert Grindelwald do it, Mr. Scamander?"

Newt's face grew uneasy. His gaze darted about, refusing to meet Jerry's eyes.

He lowered his head and stammered, "Jerry, why would you ask that? How could it be him? Isn't Grindelwald still locked up in Nurmengard?"

Dumbledore's excessive attention had made Jerry question his origins before. Newt Scamander's reaction when they first met in the Headmaster's Office that morning had only strengthened his suspicions.

Jerry had asked the question deliberately to see how Newt would react. The answer was plain: Mr. Scamander was not good at lying.

So his surname was not Green. It was Grindelwald!

"Are you all right, Mr. Scamander?"

When Newt looked up, he saw Jerry's warm, brilliant smile, and for a moment he was dazed. It was as if he were looking at a young Grindelwald—and yet, somehow, a young Dumbledore.