As soone who can pick up a Diricawl just by going out for a walk, Newt’s biggest trait is that he’s never short of unexpected surprises.
Since tomorrow is the first day of school, Kael originally planned to head back right after dinner.
But just as he took a bite of a freshly baked caral potato cake, Newt ca running up in a hurry, grabbing Kael’s collar and pulling him into the suitcase.
"Wha- What’s going on?" Kael followed Newt in a daze, stuffing the remaining half of the caral potato cake into his mouth in just a couple of bites.
"The Nundu is about to give birth, tonight." Newt said without looking back as he grabbed Kael’s arm, "We have to get there quickly."
"What?" Kael’s mouth twitched.
The Nundu is a type of Fantastic Beast resembling a cougar, jet black with a giant poisonous sac around its neck, making it so deadly that even its breath can be poisonous.
Although it can control the poison within itself, it depends on the situation.
Kael didn’t believe it would have the energy to worry about not accidentally poisoning others during childbirth.
No, one could even say that a Nundu is at its most dangerous during this ti.
Childbirth drains a lot of energy and to survive the vulnerable period safely, and to ensure that no other creatures co near, they instinctively release large amounts of poisonous gas around them.
Going there now would be akin to courting death.
"Can I not go?"
Kael tried to refuse.
"It’s not that I’m afraid, it’s just that caral potato cakes aren’t as tasty when they’re cold..."
"No worries, Tina can make more."
"But that’s such a hassle..."
"Tina enjoys it... She makes a lot every day, sotis the Nifflers have to help finish them."
"But..."
Kael was about to say sothing else when Newt suddenly slapped his forehead, taking out sothing the size of a Golden Snitch.
"This was made with Dumbledore’s help, encasing a stone ford in the stomach of a Re’em. Wear it, and the poison mist won’t affect you."
"..."
You had such a good thing, and you only bring it out now.
If he had known about this, he wouldn’t have waited till now.
Kael imdiately took it.
It was a small ball woven from silver thread, covered with a fine net encasing a golden-colored "stone."
Kael picked it up, catching a faint earthy fragrance...
He nodded.
Yes, no doubt about it, it’s genuine Bezoar.
Like Dung Stone from a goat’s stomach, Bezoar is a strong antidote.
It’s just brighter in color, as ordinary Bezoar is brownish, but this one is as golden as a Galleon.
Kael plucked a leaf from the side, transforming it into a string to thread the stone and hang it around his neck.
To be safe, he made the string particularly short.
After doing all this...
"Get ready, Kael, we’ve got to move quickly."
...
Newt grabbed Kael’s arm, apparating to the eastern grasslands in the suitcase.
As soon as they arrived, Kael felt sothing was off.
Like an early morning in London, a light green mist hung visibly above the grassland.
However, it seed like there was an invisible wall at the edge of the grassland, preventing the poison mist from spreading outward.
It was probably set up by Newt.
"You just need to wear it, right?" Looking at the poisonous mist ahead, Kael couldn’t help but ask.
After all, Bezoar usually needs to be in the mouth to have its antidote effect.
"Yes, just having it on you is enough."
Newt nodded, "A Re’em is almost immune to all poisons, and its bezoar naturally restrains a Nundu’s poison... Oh, and there’s this."
Newt took out his wand and waved it lightly, and a transparent bubble appeared over Kael’s head.
He did the sa for himself.
"Alright, let’s go in."
Newt took the lead, walking into the poisonous mist.
Kael hesitated for a mont, looked back at Fawkes who had followed, and said.
"Fawkes, try to think of sothing sad to squeeze out so tears, I might need them later.
Not much, just one pint will do."
Better to be safe than sorry; Phoenix’s tears can cure even Basilisk venom, so it should work for a Nundu too.
Listening to Kael, Fawkes couldn’t help swatting him with a wing.
It’s a Phoenix, not a faucet.
And a pint of tears? That’s a tall order... What, are you thirsty or sothing?
Even if you were to drink it, it wouldn’t take that much.
An annoyed Fawkes grabbed Kael’s clothes, unceremoniously dragging him into the poison-mist-filled grassland.
The combination of the Bubble-Head Charm and Bezoar proved effective as the poison mist around them automatically dissipated.
It didn’t take long before the two of them and the Phoenix found the Nundu atop a huge rock.
It lay on its side, its belly bulging, occasionally letting out painful groans.
Newt approached and gently placed his hand on its chin, rhythmically massaging back and forth.
"Doing this will help her relax a lot," Newt explained.
Watching Newt’s actions, Kael asked in confusion, "But won’t the sll of Bezoar bother it if you’re that close?"
"There might be a bit of that, but it’s not too bad."
Newt glanced down, "Sort of like when soone who doesn’t like vegetables slls carrots."
Kael nodded, understanding Newt’s point.
Even if it’s disliked... it’s not utterly intolerable.
Kael sat down beside him, watching Newt stroke the Nundu’s chin.
Under his skilled hands, the Nundu’s breathing gradually steadied, and it stopped moaning in pain.
But as ntioned earlier, this was destined to be a lengthy process.
Kael had thought that Newt brought him here to witness a rare experience.
Two hours later... when even Newt’s expertise ceased to work, Kael realized he was brought along to "chat."
Yes, literally, to keep the Nundu company, distracting it from the pain.
But the tone of the Nundu made it clear that it wasn’t keen on talking, even attempting to bite Kael at one point for being too noisy, but Newt managed to calm it down.
"Don’t stop, keep talking!" urged Newt.
Left with no choice, Kael continued, albeit against his will.
The problem was he didn’t know what to say.
He had already repeated all the comforting words he could think of several tis, and if he said them again, the Nundu might really bite him.
Even Newt wouldn’t be able to stop it then.
Having no other options, Kael began describing all the Fantastic Beasts he had encountered.
From the Three-Headed Dog, Fluffy, to the Norwegian Ridgeback, Norbert, he recounted incidents at Hogwarts like telling a story.
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