William swiftly stuffed Otto back into the suitcase and snapped the clasps shut.
"Follow me, Professor Shafiq." Newt seemed eager to head downstairs and led them toward a wooden door that opened into the basement.
Snape lingered in the sitting room for a moment, glancing at Tina and Dumbledore chatting happily on the sofa, then at the dark stairway leading downward. After two seconds of consideration, he apparently decided that watching snakes was preferable to small talk and followed them in silence.
The moment they descended the stairs, the view opened up dramatically.
Newt's basement was far more than it appeared from the outside. Numerous Extension Charms had been cast here; the interior space was astonishingly vast and divided into several different natural habitats.
Newt led them with practiced ease through a humid tropical rainforest, then across a dry desert region filled with rocks and sand, and finally into a dim, damp cavern.
Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and the ground was covered in cool stone and moss.
"Millicent? Good girl, we've got visitors."
Newt crouched beside a cluster of massive stone pillars and called softly, as if summoning a beloved pet.
A huge orange serpent's head slowly emerged from behind the rock, its slit pupils glowing in the darkness.
William froze.
The Runespoor loosened itself from the pillar and slid toward Newt, revealing its enormous body.
"Merlin… how did she grow this big?" William couldn't help asking.
Until now, he had considered Otto's seven-foot length impressive. But this one, by his estimate—was at least twelve feet long. Her scales gleamed like armor; coiled in place, she resembled a small hill.
Newt reached out as the snake affectionately nudged his hand with her middle head. "I adopted two Runespoors in 1920s New York—Millicent's parents. Her father was unusually massive. I'd never seen one that size before."
He patted Millicent's scales. "She's actually smaller than her father. Most Runespoors grow to about six or seven feet, like your Otto."
As Newt spoke, Millicent seemed to catch the scent of another of her kind from the suitcase. Curious, she slid closer, her enormous head hovering near the case.
William released the latch and opened it.
The usually domineering Otto was now cowering at the very back, his three heads squeezed tightly together. No matter how much William shook the case, he refused to come out.
With a sigh, William reached in and dragged him out by force.
The moment he emerged, Otto wrapped himself tightly around William's arm—so tightly it began to hurt and refused to let go.
"He's… a bit shy," William said awkwardly.
"He's never seen another of his kind before. And the first one he meets is… that big."
As Millicent approached, flicking her tongue toward Otto, William couldn't help asking, "Mr. Scamander, do Runespoors fight? Especially when there's such a size difference?"
He was genuinely worried Otto wouldn't stand a chance.
"No need to worry." Newt gently unwound Otto from William's arm and placed him on the mossy rock floor. "Runespoors have a bad reputation, but they're actually quite friendly toward their own kind—especially the opposite sex."
"After all, they spend most of their time fighting their own heads," Newt added, pointing to Millicent's right head, which wore a protective muzzle. "If they attacked each other too, they'd have gone extinct long ago."
"And Millicent is very gentle. She's a good girl."
Sure enough, Millicent lowered her head and affectionately nudged Otto with her left head.
Otto still looked stiff, even almost petrified—but showed no aggression. Possibly because he knew better.
William finally relaxed. When it came to magical creatures, he trusted Newt completely.
"Then I'll leave him in your care for a while, Mr. Scamander."
William took out Otto's velvet snake bed and silver feeding bowl from the suitcase and set them carefully on the stone floor.
Newt stared at the velvet bed, clearly baffled. He had probably never seen anyone keep a Runespoor like this before.
Then his expression turned serious.
"Professors," Newt said. "Dumbledore told me you intend to breed Runespoors in the Forbidden Forest to provide materials for teaching and potion-making. I support that."
"When Millicent lays eggs, I'll keep one or two. The rest will be yours."
He paused, voice firm. "But I never want to see her offspring on the black market. If I do, I will personally come to Hogwarts to ask questions."
William met his gaze. For the first time since they arrived, Newt's eyes held steady.
William noticed the clarity in them—the same look he'd seen in Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn.
"Of course, Mr. Scamander," William replied. "If you'd like, we can make an Unbreakable Vow right now."
"I have to take it too?" Snape asked for the first time.
"Yes," William answered immediately.
Newt's stern expression softened into a smile. "That won't be necessary, Professor Shafiq. If Dumbledore trusts you, so do I. Let's leave them be."
They left the cavern.
Before exiting, William glanced back. Deep in the shadows, Millicent continued nuzzling Otto enthusiastically, while Otto sat silently in his velvet bed, looking rather miserable.
William silently cheered his snake on:
Hang in there, Otto. Once your noble mission is complete, I'll come take you home immediately.
====================
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