Harry Potter's : Fantastic Beasts Guide

After a friendly exchange with Salazar, David instructed the giant snakes to return to their original positions. He then commanded the Norwegian Ridgeback to fly towards the entrance of the cave. As he approached the edge, David scanned his surroundings, searching for Harry. But there was no sign of him.

Had he left?

David guided the dragon to land on the ground and called it back. Just as he was about to search for Harry, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the distance. A tall figure emerged from the green mist, stepping into view.

"Professor?" David called out, raising a hand in greeting. "Professor Dumbledore, why are you here?"

Dumbledore strode towards David, his pace brisk and filled with urgency. His long beard fluttered as he exhaled deeply. "Harry said you were in danger, but it seems you are unharmed."

"David, are you okay?" Harry's voice rang out as he ran towards them, panting. From afar, he had seen them talking and had rushed over in concern.

"I'm fine," David reassured him, waving lightly.

But Harry seemed unconvinced. He hurried up to David, inspecting him closely before finally letting out a relieved sigh. Without warning, he pulled David into a tight embrace.

"I... I thought you were trapped inside," Harry admitted, his voice slightly choked with emotion.

David was taken aback but patted Harry's shoulder reassuringly.

Dumbledore, watching them, smiled and asked, "Would you like to tell me what happened inside?"

David recounted their encounter with the portrait of Salazar Slytherin. "He mistook me for a wizard of ancient magic, so he sent Harry out and kept me behind. Then, he gave me a few gifts."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "And what exactly did he give you?"

David pulled open his leather bag and retrieved a book, handing it to Dumbledore. "Some magic books, but I don't understand them well. I might need your help, Professor."

Dumbledore flipped through the pages and nodded. "These are ancient spells. Their translated versions can be found in the Restricted Section of the library. You may study them later."

David eagerly took out more books, but after a brief glance, Dumbledore only kept a few, noting that the rest were already available in the library. Though slightly disappointed, David found solace in the little green snake curled around his wrist.

With that, Dumbledore led them out of the chamber. David and Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room, where Hermione was still awake, curled up on the sofa by the fireplace.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Hermione asked worriedly as she stood up to greet them.

"Not a scratch," David assured her, stretching his hands towards the warmth of the fire.

Ron, who had been waiting for them, eagerly asked, "Did you really tame the basilisk? What's it like?"

"Of course," David said confidently, glancing at the book on Hermione's lap. He turned to the page depicting a basilisk and pointed. "It looks just like this—though even more magnificent in real life."

Ron leaned in with excitement. "I meant, what does it feel like seeing it up close?"

David chuckled. "It's overwhelming, really. More beautiful than any illustration. I can take you to see it one day."

"Really?" Ron's eyes widened with excitement.

But Hermione frowned, tugging at David's sleeve. "Isn't that dangerous? I read that a basilisk's gaze can kill instantly."

David waved a hand dismissively. "We just won't look it in the eye. Besides, we have Harry. He can command it to turn around, and then we'll be safe."

Hearing this, Harry puffed out his chest proudly. Ron, meanwhile, grinned and began discussing plans with Harry. Their voices grew louder and louder until David intervened.

"I understand the excitement, but Percy won't. If you two keep this up, he'll come down here and deduct points."

At the mention of Percy, Ron and Harry exchanged a look and immediately lowered their voices. No one wanted a late-night lecture—or worse, a letter to Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione sighed. "Maybe we should all head to bed before Percy hears us."

They all agreed. As David warmed himself one last time by the fire, Hermione suddenly hesitated. Then, with a soft smile, she turned to leave. "Goodnight."

"Wait, Hermione," David called after her.

She turned back, blinking in curiosity. "What is it?"

David reached into his bag and pulled out one of the ancient magic books Dumbledore had allowed him to keep. "I have something for you."

Hermione's eyes widened as she took the book. "You got this from the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yep. Dumbledore took most of them, but he let me keep a few."

Hermione beamed. "These are more than enough!" Without warning, she hugged David tightly before quickly gathering the books and heading upstairs.

David stood there for a moment, scratching his head. He could still feel the warmth of Hermione's embrace.

By the time he reached the dormitory, Harry was already fast asleep, his clothes tossed carelessly aside. Ron, as always, had dozed off the moment his head hit the pillow.

As David quietly tidied up Harry's clothes, a whisper caught his attention. He turned to see Neville peeking out from under his blanket.

"Are you okay?" Neville whispered.

David smiled. "Not even a scratch. Get some sleep, Neville. One day, I'll take you to see the basilisk too."

Neville grinned, snuggling back under his blanket. Moments later, he drifted into sleep, his dreams likely filled with grand adventures.

With the basilisk tamed and Hogwarts at peace, the students soon turned their excitement towards Christmas. The Gryffindor common room buzzed with anticipation as the holidays approached.

One evening, as they sat by the fireplace, David turned to Harry. "Would you like to spend Christmas at my house?"

Harry's eyes widened. "Your house? Really?"

David nodded. "If you want to come, I'll write to my grandfather."

"That would be amazing!" Harry said excitedly.

Ron, overhearing their conversation, suddenly hesitated. He had already told Mrs. Weasley he'd be home for the holidays. But as the talk turned to magical creatures, his resolve wavered.

"Ron, do you want to come too?" Harry asked hopefully.

Fred and George appeared behind them, grinning. "Where are you all going?" Fred asked, grabbing a cookie from the table.

"David's house for Christmas!" Harry said eagerly.

The twins exchanged a mischievous glance. "Can we come too?"

Ron groaned, knowing that if his brothers got their way, he'd never hear the end of it.

After some deliberation—and a lot of teasing from Fred and George—Ron finally agreed. Even Hermione decided to join, borrowing Hedwig to send a letter to her parents.

As Christmas break began, they all boarded the Hogwarts Express, excitement bubbling in the air. When the train reached the station, David spotted his grandfather, Newt Scamander, waiting with John amidst the crowd.

"Grandpa! John!" David called, waving enthusiastically.

Newt smiled warmly. "Welcome home, David. I hope you're all ready for an unforgettable Christmas adventure."