Fantastic Beasts: Alone

16 - The New Arrival

"Eddie, we need to get going for the NEWTs exam!"

"I know, I know... One more minute, Lia..."

"Fine, fine."

For your information, Eddie and I were not kissing... Well, maybe we were, but I wouldn't tell you either way... Okay, yes we were kissing.

"Lia, do you remember the first time we met each other, six years ago? You came up to my compartment and asked if you could sit in it... and we were so awkward together. Remember when I said I thought Hufflepuff was a stupid and weak house? Well..." Eddie gave me another small kiss. "I don't believe that anymore. Hufflepuff isn't weak and stupid. It has you in it."

I smiled. "And Gryffindor is made better by you being in it. Even if you did want to be in Slytherin."

Eddie chuckled. "I don't know why I loved the thought of Slytherin house so much. I suppose... I suppose I thought it would make me stronger, you know, with the ambition and everything... I dunno."

"We really need to go now, Eddie. My dad would kill me if we didn't get there in time."

Eddie checked his clock and froze in fear. "Uh, Lia... we kind of only have two minutes to get there..."

I groaned. "It'll take half an hour to get there on foot!" I crossed my arms. "I told you we should've left sooner!"

Eddie sighed. "Sorry, Lia."

At that moment, one of the Griffins approached us. We looked at it, then at each other.

"Griffin." We said together, before laughing a little. Eddie got on first, then gave me a hand up.

"Okay, my friend... could you take us to the castle, please?" I whispered. The Griffin must've heard me, as it spread its wings out and took off, soaring through the air. Ari appeared from my robe pocket, a little bemused and scared. I held him on my hand. "Look, Ari, it's the Forbidden Forest!"

"It looks so beautiful from up here!" Eddie said with a smile.

"Thank you." I gave the Griffin a stroke as Eddie got off its back. The Griffin lowered its head a little, before soaring high into the air, back to its habitat.

I turned to Eddie, who was watching the Griffin with fascination. "Eddie." I said, snapping him back to his senses. "Let's go."

We raced through the corridors of the school, headed straight for the Great Hall. We were just in time as we saw Evelyn rounding everyone up, her Head Girl badge glinting in the sunlight. We saw the Head Boy, Elliott Watkin, helping Evelyn with Fern, who was trying to sneak magical fireworks into the exam. We approached Evelyn, and she looked at us with 'disappointment'.

"And where have you two been?" She asked, clearly already knowing the answer.

"Tending to the Griffin." Eddie said with a grin. Evelyn looked at us both with a knowing look, before sighing and shaking her head. "Good luck."

"You too, Evelyn." I said, smiling. Evelyn got everyone else together, before we headed into the Great Hall.

I sighed. 'Give one reason for a Chimaera to kill Muggle animals.' I put my hand up, and the examiner, glad of something to do, walked over to me.

"Is there a problem, miss?"

"It's this question, Question 17. There has never been an incident of a Chimaera killing a Muggle animal."

The examiner furrowed his eyebrows. "'Give one reason for a Chimaera to kill Muggle animals...'" He muttered under his breath. "I'm not sure, Miss Scamander. Put that on the paper, and I'll let Professor Kettleburn know."