A Thunderbird's Song {Newt Scamander}

Chapter 3

My two years of Hogwarts were a success. I got "E"s on my Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Herbology exams. I was okay with the fact that I got "A"s in Potions. What caught me excited was I got "O"s in Transfiguration!

"Congratulations, Ms. Crawford," Professor Dumbledore had told me, "I'm looking forward to teaching you again for the next few years, along with your friends Ms. Pryce, Ms. Lestrange, and Mr. Scamander."

It was July and Beatrice and I had completed our summers together. We planned on meeting Newt and Leta at Diagon Alley to pick up our supplies for our third year at Hogwarts.

Beatrice always jokes about this: Newt and I wrote letters to each other during the whole summer. Writing letters to Newt was one thing I enjoyed beside hanging out with Beatrice.

"So, you like Newt?" Beatrice had asked me.

I blushed, "No, we're only friends now. Plus I like writing to him and receiving letters from him. Newt makes me feel included. He makes me laugh, smile, and bring out my true self when he's around."

"So. . . you like him?"

"No way. He may like Leta anyway. . . or you."

"Come on, Arden. I see the way he looks at you when you're having a conversation. He likes you."

"As a friend," I finished the conversation. There's no way. He wrote to me he hanged out with Leta most of the summer. We both had plans to meet up, but family business came up for me.

My dad wanted me to come with him to New York for the summer, but my mother didn't want me too. There were continuous fighting on the phone the whole summer. I hid in my room crying myself to sleep. My parents officially divorced. Beatrice came by and talked to me then Newt sent letters and wizard candy to cheer me up.

The third year officially started when Beatrice, Leta, Newt, and I sat down in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. I stared out the window while Leta and Newt were telling us a story about how Newt's Hippogriffs were doing tricks for carrots. Blah, blah, blah, Leta is giggling because of Newt, I thought. Ever since day one when we met Leta, it's like I never see Newt anymore. He always with Leta. Whether if it's doing homework, or sneaking in the kitchen to grab food from the house elves, they were doing it together.

Newt turned to me and asked, "Arden, are you alright?"

I nodded still looking out the window.

"I hear there's a birthday coming up. . ." Newt tried to get me to look at him. The only thing I liked about this compartment, Newt decided to sit next to me.

I looked at him. Maybe Beatrice was right. Newt's eyes were sparkling and his reddish brown hair was curlier because of the weather. I saw every little freckles as if I were connecting dots. I really liked Newt. I really liked him, but there was no way he could be for me.

"Yeah, I'm turning 13," I said, "I'm going to be a teenager now. I can do anything now. Well—not anything. Most things."

"Oh, sweet! We need to do something special for your party," exclaimed Leta. Beatrice agreed.

I replied, "No, you don't need to. I've already know what I'm doing. I got my permission slip for Hogsmeade. I've been looking forward to it all year."

"Yes! I been looking forward to that also," Newt said, "Plus there's Care to Magical Creatures this year!" Newt started getting all excited. He was animal crazy. He told me everything about beasts he's seen or heard of. He and Leta got into another conversation about magic beasts. This was going to be a long trip.