Muggled

4. To Track or to be Tracked

"Appare Vestigium" The sparkling dust filled the air and uncovered several foot-prints of the hippogriff feet all over the ground. 

Young women watched as her companion smelled the soil between his fingers and walked around the hippogriff nest. Unfortunately her tracking skills were far behind those of Mr. Scamander. It must be due to his long-term experience of researching creatures in the wilderness during which Newt had no choice but to learn some advanced techniques. 

Isabella felt uneasy just standing around and doing nothing. Suddenly she got an idea and rushed to the nest. Newt stopped and watched the young woman digging in the twigs and straw. There was something funny about the way she was scurrying around, her hair all messy with a few leaves stuck in it as she threw the nest into complete disorder. 

"We need a feather." Isabella explained. 

Man nodded and joined her. After couple of minutes Isabella found one showing it out as if it was the most precious treasure. She held the feather in front of her, pointed the wand and said the incantation: "Avanseguim." 

The feather started spinning in one way than the other. On spur of the moment it stopped and pointed towards the sky. 

"Do you have a broom inside there, Mr. Scamander?" Isabella asked pointing at the suitcase in a hurry. 

"I haven't flied on the broom since the school years. There must be other..." Mr. Scamander begged. 

"Accio!" Miss Peterson summoned her broom and soon it emerged from the woods whizzing through the air. Isabella grabbed it and got on. 

"Come on, Mr. Scamander!" 

The feather shot out into the sky in amazing speed. 

The man unwillingly hopped on the broom, sitting closely behind Miss Peterson touching her thighs and back. 

"Hold on tight!" Isabella instructed her co-flier and rocketed into the light chasing after the feather. 

At one point he almost dropped his suitcase when they were twisting in between the towers and pointed roofs of the Hogwarts castle. 

The feather slowed down gradually just as it was approaching the Forbidden Forest ahead of them. 

"Why would Jack go to the Forbidden Forest?" Newt leaned towards Isabella's face in attempt to overpower the noise of swishing air. 

"I don't know! He has always avoided this place." Isabella yelled back through the wind. 

The couple followed the feather as it dropped and entered the darkness, it continued deeper into the forest, this time flying just above the ground. Isabella managed to land smoothly and Newt was happy to finally stand on the firm surface. Both hurried after the flying object. It stopped in the middle of nowhere pointing into the emptiness.

          Almost no light could get in through the dense vegetation and the gloomy smog creeping around the trees. 

"Can you feel it?" Isabella murmured. She moved slowly trying to not make a sound. 

Newt was occupied by examining the area.However, he could not find anything unusual. Massive trunks of old trees towered into the darkness. Some of their roots were exposed above the ground – most of them covered by moss – and their winding shape reminded him of snakes. Jack's foot-prints vanished right under the floating feather. 

"Psst! Mr. Scamander!" Isabella didn't give up catching Newt's attention. 

She couldn't get rid of the feeling that somebody's watching them. Since she visited the Forbidden Forest only on special occasions – always accompanied by Professor Kettleburn – it was hard to tell for sure. Yet, she had a suspicion that she knew this territory. Fear stopped her from speaking up until she was completely sure, so she searched the ground for traces of evidence instead.