CHAPTER ONE
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Not so perfect January morning
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He was running through the hallways, almost knocking off a man and making a girl with pink converse drop her books to the floor.
He rapidly picked up one and gave it to the man next to her, shouting a quick "Sorry!", before breaking in a run again.
He was late— again.
He had distracted himself while watching the sky. The birds flying next to the clouds, and the sun shining down to the city. He saw a peculiar small red bird pass by his window, and position itself in the branch of the tree just outside his building. Mesmerized by its beauty, he sat in the ledge of the window, with his notebook in hand, and started drawing the creature.
That took him most of the morning, nonchalant about getting to class. However, he had forgotten— like always —that he was asked to get 30 minutes earlier that day.
He jumped up the stairs 2 at a time, almost falling at the last step. His classroom was at the 4th floor , to the end of the hallway. He broke into a run and stopped in front of the door.
Opening it a little too aggressively, he exclaimed, "I'm sorry! I know, I know, I'm super la-"
He stopped when he noticed no one was there.
He frowned, he clearly remembered Professor Quint strictly asking them to be there at 9 o'clock in the morning.
He checked his clock— 9:20 a.m.
Where the hell was everyone?
"Late as always, Scamander", said someone at his back.
He turned his head slightly and smiled, "Jane! Where is everyone else?"
Jane was leaning against the wall across the hall. Her strong features were marked by waves of dark brown hair that hung down the sides of her face. Her tanned skin and her amber eyes seemed brighter in the light, and a mischievous smile was etched on her face.
"Classroom C12", she said while straightening up, "I came to see if you were here yet. Come on, Professor Quint is waiting."
She started to walk towards the stairs and he followed her to the floor below, "Why are we going there? Isn't it used mostly for trainings?"
"You really live up in the clouds don't you?" Jane smiled at him when he caught up to her. "Professor Quint has been talking for weeks about today! Some English dudes he is friends with are coming, with some students from the academy in England too— I think."
"You think?" He grinned at her, quirking an eyebrow.
She pushed him on the arm slightly and grinned back, "Oh, fuck off. Quint said the students could come until next week, if they didn't come today. He wasn't told; he said it this morning."
He saw her smirk, "If you had been here early, you would have know." She paused, "although you probably would have been watching out the window, paying no attention to the rest of us."
He opened his mouth to try to contradict her, but thought about it better, and knew she was probably right.
"Now, hurry up!" She said starting to run away, "Before Quint goes all Troll on us!"
He grinned and ran after her, "I thought he did that on a daily basis!"
Great-grandsons of the famous Newt and Tina Scamander, and sons of recognized Magi-zoologist in England, Luna and Rolf Scamander. Lysander Scamander and his twin brother, Lorcan, had keep up their family tradition to love the extraordinary.
In an abrupt change during their final year of school, the Scamander family moved away from England, and made a new life in America. Transferring from Hogwarts to Ilvermory hadn't been easy for the Scamander twins, but nevertheless adapted— kind of.
Since the moment they graduated, Lysander never stopped moving. He signed up to New York's Academy of Extracurricular Magic, where he attended to the Magi-zoology trainings and knowledges program.
Being a Scamander taught him everything about magical creatures while growing up, but in the Academy he would be offered more opportunities, next to some extra works in different reservations around.
The reservations here were nothing compared to the ones his parents had back in England, but he was up for this change.
He loved New York, the beautiful sunsets, the city mornings and nights, the Academy, and all the bookstores that brought wonderful memories. Although his parents didn't actually live with him, they still come quite frequently, seeming as they had some running business with the Academy and the Department of Magi-zoology in NY.
Lorcan didn't attended the Academy, but he did hanged around the Herbology areas sometime in the week, and stayed with Lysander. They both had a flat— provided by their parents —in a building close to a park, but not too far from the Academy.
While Lysander surrounded himself with magical creatures, Lorcan worked for some laboratories their parents had been in contact with, running experiments and discovering the wonders of plants, or the uses of different creatures defenses (everything he did was harmless to the environment and nature— in fact, he did it to protect it.)
Even though they constantly fought about some quite important decisions they had differences in, neither of the twins left the other.
As Jane and he entered the classroom, he could listen to Professor Quint, " ...so I expect you all to be in your best behavior."
Jane knocked on the door, "we are here sir."
Professor Quint turned around slightly and said, "You finally dignified to bless us with your presence Mr. Scamander?"
"Sorry sir, I lost track of time." Lysander said as he hung up his coat and bag.
"Really? I didn't realize." Professor Quint turned back to his notes, "Come with the others, Scamander."
"Yes sir." Lysander answered as he made his way to the rest of his classmates, who some of them were laughing slightly at Quint's words.
"Like I was saying," Quint continued, "I expect you all treat everyone with respect. This people made space in their agenda to come and be part of this little activity the Academy has made.
"Let me remind you, some of the students from the England academy may be more advanced, due to them working in bigger reserves than we have in the busy city of New York."
Lysander didn't listen much, as he got distracted by watching outside the window. It was such a beautiful day, for a January cold morning, it was really sunny outside. The perfect climate, another sign that this year was going— almost —perfectly.
He let himself drift off from Quint's instructions, and listen to the sounds from outside. The different buses passing by, the sound of people walking around. If he listened very closely, he could hear the bird's singing. So beautiful.
He noticed a small red bird— the same one he saw that morning — perched in the windows landing. He could swear it looked straight at him, but it flew again when a new voice entered the classroom. He turned towards the door.
"Ah, there he is." Quint said, "Ladies and gentlemen— or whatever you call yourself— let me present you the one and only, Henry Horton."
"David, a drama Queen as always." Henry Horton was a tall man, he may be past his 40's, but age had done him well. "There is no need for such dramatic introduction."
Horton smiled to everyone in the room, waved, act that Lysander found funny, and shook hands with Quint.
Lysander didn't remember why Horton was exactly here— Quint might have said it once, but he didn't pay attention — but all interest on him drained off, so he continued to watch outside the window.
"I'm sorry if I was late, had some trouble finding the room." Horton continued, "Hagrid sends his sorry's, seeming as he has his own lessons to teach, and he hates traveling this far. Thought a half-giant wouldn't mix in New York very easily."
That name caught Lysander attention, so he turned slightly at them.
"Well that's disappointing," Quint noted slightly smiling, "Guess it will only be you and me, send my hi's to old dear Hagrid."
He turned to the class, but Horton started speaking again, "Ah, but I'm not the only one." He grinned to the rest of the class, "As Hagrid couldn't make it, he send a replacement. An old friend of his, an even I have worked with him, he specializes on dragons..."
There was a murmur from the students. Dragons was not a common area taught by Quint— unless a toy like model counted— and having an expert visit opened the possibility of working with a full size one.
Lysander smiled slightly, Hagrid? Merlin, it had been years since he last saw him. Who would this friend of his will be...?
"But not only this friend of mine would be blessing us with their presence. One of Hagrid's star students will be coming too. She works in my reserve back in England."
"You were serious about bringing her?" scoffed Quint, "I thought we already were having some novice students, how is she going to help anyways?"
"Do not underestimate her." Horton smiled, "She was recommended by Hagrid himself, and Charlie Weasley's niece is not someone you want to get bad with."
"Charlie Weasley?" One of the students closer to the door asked, "Where have I heard that name before?"
Horton looked at him, and grinned even more, "Charlie will be our dragon specialist guest." He tilted his head a little, "His family is... quite something."
To his side, he heard Jane say almost breathlessly, "No way."
Charlie Weasley? THE Charlie Weasley? But they said that his niece was coming too... since when one of the Weasley children is interested in magical creatures? There is one, not exactly a Weasley though.
No... could it be? No, no way...
"And where is this 'fantastic' girl you kept talking me about?" Quint remarked.
Horton laughed slightly, "She had a little of a disturbance, when she got here, she should be here in no time though."
Quint seemed as he had something to say about that, but no one got to hear it because he was interrupted.
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!" A voice from the doorframe said.
"Speaking about the queen of Rome..." Horton chuckled.
The person started to walk in, "You couldn't imagine in how many rooms I crashed in by accident," a small smile formed on her lips.
Lysander turned away from her the moment he caught a glimpse of her hair.
No way in HELL.
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a/n
Hello!
Hope you enjoyed the first chapter :)
Before we continue,
I wanted to give a shout out to
alpenglow (in Ao3)
Who's "If You had Wings" story
didn't only inspire me to write NMY,
but created the character Henry Horton.
I have asked for her permission to use him and she has been so nice about it!
Please check her stories out,
she is an AMAZING writer
and a nice person overall.
Enjoy your day/night, and see ya later!
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