Gerald said goodbye to Lupin and had barely taken a few steps when Lupin called after him.
"You'd best ask Hagrid about that Thunderbird Egg." Lupin leaned against his doorframe, speaking with the air of someone who had been through it all. "If Professor McGonagall finds out you're keeping a Thunderbird in the Gryffindor dormitory, you'll be in for it."
Gerald acknowledged the advice and waved at Lupin.
Lupin was right. How did you hatch a Thunderbird? What did it eat once it hatched? What sort of environment did it need to grow in? Would it summon a thunderstorm in the dormitory and split Gryffindor Tower in half?
He really didn't have much of a clue about any of those questions yet.
There were only a handful of people in all of Hogwarts who knew more about fantastic beasts than Hagrid. Asking him was undoubtedly the best choice.
He walked through Hogsmeade and headed back along the path to the castle.
The Scottish Highlands still held a chill in late April, but the sunshine was lovely that day. The trees along the edge of the Forbidden Forest had begun putting out tender green shoots, and tiny flecks of gold shimmered across the Black Lake in the breeze.
The castle's spires rose against the blue sky, every window reflecting the afternoon sunlight. From a distance, they looked like golden sugar cubes embedded in the grey stone walls.
After more than a week away, seeing the castle again actually gave him a sense of coming home.
Back at Gryffindor Tower, Gerald found himself stopped in front of the Fat Lady's portrait.
The Fat Lady in the painting wore a vivid pink silk gown and held a glass of wine, lounging lazily against the frame.
She raised an eyebrow as Gerald approached.
"Password?"