Three weeks earlier...

Albus Dumbledore was a strange man, Newt Scamander finally came to realize. When he was a student, like everyone else he admired the amiable professor and saw something of a father in him. This admiration doubled when Dumbledore was the only teacher to argue against his expulsion from Hogwarts and to believe his innocence. But as Newt grew older and was no longer obliged to show the man as much deference as he used to, he discovered that Albus Dumbledore was much more than that.

He was a great wizard, and Newt didn't respect him any less, nor did he ever doubt that he was a good man. But the problem with Dumbledore was that his intentions were indecipherable, and his motives were never clear, like an enigma, impossible to solve. Such people made Newt uncomfortable; he didn't like being a pawn on anybody's chessboard.

But when it came to rescuing beasts, Newt would do anything. Dumbledore knew that, and he made sure to use it to fulfill yet another purpose which Newt did not understand.

"Dear Newt," he had said in an unexpected letter. "A reliable source has informed me that there is a Thunderbird being trafficked in Cairo, Egypt. I thought you might be interested in rescuing it." Then he went on with some more details before ending the letter with "Yours, Albus Dumbledore."

When Newt read this letter, he didn't doubt the professor's words for a moment, but this didn't prevent questions from buzzing in his head. How did Dumbledore know about the Thunderbird? How reliable was that reliable source? And more importantly, why had he chosen that exact timing to contact him? When the letter arrived, Newt was in Italy, the last stop in his European tour after which he intended to go to Africa. So did Dumbledore know his whereabouts or was it merely a coincidence?

All these questions, and no answers. Newt couldn't bring himself to include them in the letter he sent back to Dumbledore, because he didn't want to sound rude or distrustful towards the man who wrote to him, "I trust you will try to the best of your ability to save the poor creature." So he thanked him for the information, and promised to do his best as well as keep him updated. That was it.

Besides, even if Newt could say what was really on his mind, the Thunderbird needed to be saved first, and the earlier he did that, the better. Therefore, asking those questions would be pointless, at least for the time being. He would have to move quickly without awaiting a response.

Newt spent his last day in Italy recalling what he knew about Thunderbirds. That didn't prove to be so useful in reducing his worrying, but it was the most positive thing he could do at that moment. The other option was to fret, and let the foreboding thoughts consume him and turn his mind into a war zone of agitation. He opened his notebook, the treasured draft which contained his knowledge, and read in silence what he had written there about those magnificent creatures:

Thunderbirds are avian creatures, native to North America, and most commonly found in Arizona, US. They are large and their appearance resembles a Hippogriff in its head (note that the beak of a Hippogriff is more curved), but the fact that a Thunderbird doesn't possess a rear similar to a Hippogriff's makes the two creatures easily distinguishable (DO NOT use the word rear in your book unless you intend to describe how it looks). Thunderbirds also have three pairs of wings, and their—

Newt turned the page. He didn't need to be reminded of the Thunderbird's anatomy, but rather any information about its nature that he might have forgotten and should have in mind.

Thunderbirds create thunderstorms as they fly (perhaps you shouldn't mention this part in the book. Too obvious, given that their name is Thunderbirds). The most interesting thing about them, though, is that they can sense any approaching danger and react to it. Normally, they aren't friendly creatures, however, a few Native American wizards have managed to gain their trust in the past. It's not certain how they did so—

"Well, I hope I'll find out soon," Newt said to himself, then continued to read.

— but it's been recorded that once a Thunderbird has trusted someone, it becomes unfalteringly loyal to that person.

The reason why many people seem to be interested in Thunderbirds is because of how valuable their feathers are. They could be used to make wands that, despite being difficult to master, are considerably  powerful. It's also believed that adding their feathers to Watchfulness Draughts is what gives them their properties.

Dark wizards too have an interest in Thunderbirds because their blood and flesh are indispensable ingredients in some of the worst potions they brew, as well as certain rituals (Accidentally reading about them made you never return to the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library , remember? So you'd better avoid mentioning this part all together because you don't know what sort of maniacs might read the book).

***

The next day, Newt had left early for the sea port. He went on board the ship and awaited its departure with a patient face, hoping that pretending to be calm would cause him to be actually calm. That, however, did not work, but when the ship had set off towards its destination, Newt finally found a distraction, and hence a way to relax. The sea, indeed, was a fascinating thing to look at.

When Newt was a child, he believed that the sea had the soul of a human being embedded in its waves, a soul as ancient and keen as the flowing waters that embraced the Earth for too long. So when the human became angry, the sea did the same, and when they calmed down, the sea became quiet as well.

Part of Newt still found a great pleasure in pondering this possibility, even though he no longer believed in it like his younger self did. And how much Newt would have loved to spend the days of his journey gazing into that blue brine, contemplating the impossible things, and imagining what magnificent wonders it hid. But that proved to be impossible, as the voyage from Genoa to Alexandria made the beasts in his suitcase more impatient than he had anticipated.

Dougal the Demiguise was causing many disturbances, and Marcus the Sea Serpent had become unusually moody since the departure of the ship. Newt thought that being this close to his natural habitat without being able to leave for it must have made him homesick. He decided to set him free on the way back to England, or whenever he had the chance to avoid the eyes of the Muggles on board.

Not to mention the Niffler. That furry, little devil had managed to escape from the suitcase twice, and Newt only caught him again by sheer luck. He wouldn't risk losing him for a third time, nor would he risk raising the suspicion of anyone, so he had to keep an unblinking eye on his suitcase to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Finally, after ten days, the ship reached its destination, and Newt stepped foot in the city of Alexandria. The aromatic sea air of the Mediterranean tickled his nostrils, and urged him to stay for a week as he had intended to, or even for a couple of days. Alexandria was home to numerous interesting beasts, primarily mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman books, and Newt had aspired to study them up close to extend this knowledge. But that was before Dumbledore's letter which forced him to alter his plans. The Thunderbird, the poor Thunderbird became Newt's priority. Anything else could wait.

To Cairo, then, Newt decided. He looked for an empty corner in the street, and once his eyes had found one, he went there and Disapparated with a pop.

A second later Newt was standing in an overcrowded street, which helped make his appearance out of thin air unnoticeable. With the suitcase in his hand, he marched forward, trying to blend in with the people around him. This was not difficult; the diversity in the Cairo streets was so remarkable that he easily became an element of it. There were men dressed in jellabiyas and men who wore suits and fezzes. There were women who had the lower half of their faces covered with the perforated veil, and women who did not. There were also people like Newt, with European features and accents.

Newt had been to Cairo before, so he recognized several landmarks that he had previously seen. He kept walking, and from his pocket he drew a piece of paper which he had kept from his last visit. It had the address of the wizarding inn where he had stayed back then. Unfortunately, Newt was helpless when it came to knowing directions, or following them for that matter. But before it occurred to him to use his wand, his feet had led him to the banks of the Nile River where the sight was captivating enough for him to stand and watch.

In the horizon the sun was a small, fiery ball, bracing itself for facing the approaching dusk. On the surface of the Nile, the reflection of the sun looked more welcoming and it seemed, after a few minutes, that the sun was tickling the water with its warm, gentle touch. Newt tilted his head, observing with admiration the beauty before him, but with a sudden snap of attention, he caught sight of something alarming.

On the brink stood a woman, dangerously close to the water.