After receiving Sirius's assurance, Harry and the others were overjoyed, eagerly anticipating the start of the school year.
Kyle, however, did not return to St. Catchpole Village. Almost everything he needed—homework and other essentials—was packed neatly in his suitcase, which he carried with him at all times. Even if he forgot a few books, he could simply have them delivered by owl, so there was no need to return home.
His early departure from 12 Grimmauld Place, however, had an entirely different purpose.
When the Apparition ended, Kyle found himself in a lush forest. Perched on a pine tree to his left, a colorful Fwooper tilted its head and regarded him curiously.
"Long time no see, buddy," Kyle greeted, and the Fwooper responded with a cheerful chirp.
A moment later, a House-elf appeared a short distance ahead, dressed rather peculiarly. He wore a rattan-like armor and a pair of long rubber boots. Initially cautious, the elf's expression shifted to surprise upon recognizing Kyle.
"Oh, Mr. Kyle, is that really you?"
"It's me, Dobby," Kyle replied warmly. "How have you been?"
"Thanks to you, Mr. Kyle," Dobby said excitedly. "Dobby loves it here, and it's wonderful to be able to work here!"
"That's good to hear," Kyle said with a smile. "Is Newt home?"
"Yes," Dobby nodded enthusiastically. "Mr. Scamander is taking care of the newborn Demiguises... Oh, Dobby must hurry back to help!"
With that, Dobby turned and darted into the depths of the forest. Kyle followed, and after a short walk, a wooden house seemed to appear out of nowhere.
The door stood open, and a gray-haired witch was waiting there with a warm smile.
"I heard Dobby shouting your name just now," Tina said. "Come in—I've just baked some biscuits."
Dobby couldn't help but roll his eyes. Even now, he struggled with Tina's firm rule to keep him away from the kitchen. For a House-elf, it felt like torture, but thankfully, there was plenty of other work to do.
As soon as Kyle stepped inside, Dobby hurried to the innermost room. Not long after, Newt Scamander emerged to greet him.
"Hogwarts starts tomorrow, doesn't it?" Newt asked.
Meanwhile, Tina placed a plate of grapefruit cookies in front of Kyle. "I thought you weren't coming this year," she said.
"A lot happened over the holidays," Kyle replied, launching into an account of his recent experiences. He told her everything—from his encounter with Voldemort to the abrupt interrogation by the Ministry of Magic.
Tina's smile faded as she listened, her expression growing serious.
As an experienced Auror, she found nothing to criticize in Kyle's actions. When confronted with the unrestrained malice of Death Eaters, he had done what was necessary to protect himself.
Whether it was using the Fiendfyre Curse or even the Killing Curse, she believed he had acted appropriately. What caught her off guard, however, was the audacity of the Death Eaters to file a complaint with the Ministry—a tactic she had never encountered in her career.
"Fortunately, there's Diana," she said, visibly relieved.
"Yes," Kyle agreed. If Prior Incantato hadn't worked, the situation would have been far harder to navigate.
Newt, who had remained silent, let out a sigh of relief. He had known about Kyle's encounter with Voldemort but hadn't been aware of the subsequent interrogation.
"You don't need to be afraid," Tina said firmly, meeting Kyle's eyes. "If you encounter Death Eaters again, do the same thing—use the Fiendfyre Curse, or whatever else is necessary. Your life comes first."
"And if the Ministry of Magic tries to punish you afterward, don't worry. If it comes to that, I'll send you to Ilvermorny; the English Ministry can't touch you there."
"Hey, you should trust Dumbledore," Newt interjected softly. "He won't let Kyle be convicted."
"You'd better hope so," Tina said dryly.
She knew Newt's faith in Dumbledore was absolute, but she also recognized that even Dumbledore had his limits. Sometimes, it was necessary to prepare for the worst.
Newt, understanding her perspective, chose not to argue further.
After finishing the biscuits, Newt prepared to return to his suitcase. The Demiguise cub still needed time to acclimate to its surroundings. Although Dobby was helping, Newt couldn't shake his worry. Kyle followed closely behind.
"I heard Dumbledore mention that... that man has been resurrected," Newt said as he pulled a blanket from a shelf inside the suitcase. "I offered to help, but Dumbledore refused. He only asked me to write to some friends and invite them to England."
"That's fine; we can handle it," Kyle replied. He agreed with Dumbledore's decision. Newt's expertise was invaluable, but at nearly a hundred years old, there was no need to involve him directly in such perilous matters.
Moreover, Newt's unpredictable nature was a factor. While he was exceptional in unfamiliar territories like Paris, in England—on their own ground—it seemed wiser to avoid unnecessary risks unless absolutely necessary.
The two made their way through the wooded area and past a lake until they arrived at the Demiguise's lair.
Dobby was crouched nearby, playing with the newborn Demiguise using a stick tied to a rattan ball. The cub's fur was a soft grayish brown, and its invisibility ability was inconsistent. It shimmered faintly, resembling a young wizard who had just begun practicing the Disillusionment Charm but hadn't yet mastered it.
True invisibility would come with age, as the cub's fur turned silvery-white. For now, the young Demiguise was vulnerable.
Hearing footsteps, Dobby turned and greeted them excitedly.
"Mr. Scamander, I think its invisibility is improving!"
"That's right," Newt said with a smile. "Demiguise cubs learn quickly. By their second day, they can almost completely evade their natural predators. But it will take at least a month for their fur to turn silver."
"Mr. Scamander, Dobby will take excellent care of it!" Dobby assured, thumping his chest.
"I have no doubt about that," Newt replied warmly, "but it's better if you don't linger here too often. Constant proximity can make the cub less vigilant and might even disturb the adult Demiguises."
"Try hiding over there instead." Newt pointed toward a dense bush nearby.
Though he didn't fully understand, Dobby nodded obediently and quickly scampered off to hide in the bush—leaving only one large ear poking out.
With that, Newt led Kyle to another part of the habitat.
Since Kyle had traveled such a long way, Newt took the opportunity to introduce him to several magical creatures exhibiting unusual behavior or throwing tantrums. As always, Kyle took on the role of magical creature therapist, helping diagnose their problems.
By evening, the pair had just emerged from the Mooncalves' enclosure.
One particular Mooncalf had been ostracized by the herd due to her clumsy dance moves. It was moments like these that highlighted just how magical Newt's suitcase was—where else would you find a Mooncalf with two left feet?
Newt had spent most of the afternoon coaching the hapless Mooncalf, and the lessons weren't over yet.
"Do you want to head back for dinner?" Newt asked, glancing at the time. "Or is there somewhere else you'd like to visit?"
"I'm not hungry yet," Kyle replied with a smile.
Newt nodded knowingly. "Alright, tell me where you'd like to go. But I must warn you—Dumbledore won't allow certain magical creatures into the castle. That includes the Nundu."
Kyle's jaw tightened for a moment.
He had come to Newt for assistance after all. Diana had been right—there were alternatives to relying on destructive spells like the Fiendfyre Curse. One of those alternatives had been the Nundu, but Newt had preemptively denied the request.
"It's a special situation," Kyle said quietly. "And I'm confident I can control it."
Newt hesitated. Kyle had a point. The Death Eaters had already targeted him once, and another attack seemed inevitable. This time, they'd even manipulated the Ministry against him. If that tactic failed again, what would they try next?
Still, a Nundu posed its own risks. "The Nundu doesn't distinguish between friend or foe," Newt said gravely. "If it attacks, everyone nearby is at risk—even its own allies."
"I'll be careful," Kyle assured him.
Newt was silent for a long time before responding. "Just the Nundu?"
"There's one more," Kyle said, leaning closer to whisper the second request.
Newt's eyes widened in alarm, and he immediately shook his head. "No. I can lend you the Nundu, but not this one. It's far too dangerous. And Dumbledore would never allow it in the castle."
"That was then," Kyle countered. "The circumstances are different now. The castle itself is no longer a safe haven. In fact, it's in unprecedented danger."
"Besides," Kyle added, "it's part of Hogwarts itself. It has a duty to help protect the school."
"Even so," Newt said firmly, "I'll write to Dumbledore. If he agrees, then I won't object."
"There's no need," Kyle murmured. "It was mine to begin with."
Kyle didn't want Dumbledore involved—he knew the headmaster might refuse outright.
"It's necessary," Newt insisted. "And you're mistaken about one thing: it can only be entrusted to you after you graduate."
Kyle sighed and quickly changed the subject. "Why don't we go check on the Nundu? It must have grown a lot by now."
"It hasn't reached adulthood yet," Newt said as they walked, "but it's grown significantly."