The process of retrieving Blackwing was seamless.
Secretly taking a massive magical creature like a Hippogriff while it was under Hagrid's care would not normally be an easy task, but right now, I was invincible.
An Aisen who can use magic is invincible.
It's a thought that strikes me anew, but the power of magic is truly versatile. With enough strength to break through the magic resistance of an XXX-rated magical creature, it's even possible to shrink a Hippogriff down to a miniature size that fits neatly in one hand.
*—Keeeeee!*
And the result of that was Blackwing, crying out on the palm of my hand.
"Alright, alright, I'll take you with me. Let's go."
I gently stroked the feathers of its mane, just as I often did with Highwing and Caligo, who I presumed were Blackwing's parents. Then, I headed for the Room of Requirement with Blackwing in tow.
I felt a little sorry for Hagrid, who would surely be in trouble over the missing Hippogriff, but strictly speaking, this wasn't theft. It was getting what was mine back.
I was simply taking back a child born among the animals of the Knightly Farm. In other words, it was like an animal shelter returning a lost pet to its owner.
That's right.
And considering all the trouble I've gone through to cover for Hagrid's various eccentricities, he should humbly accept this much. He really should.
With this self-justification complete, I placed Blackwing on my shoulder and soon arrived at the entrance to the Room of Requirement.
As usual, on the eighth floor near the Astronomy Tower, I closed my eyes and paced the corridor three times, and a door materialized.
I opened the door and walked in naturally, but after a moment, I sensed something was wrong.
*What is this place?*
This was not my usual hideout.
Dim lighting, all sorts of objects piled up haphazardly. The atmosphere was almost bizarre.
*—Keee?*
I gently stroked the crying, miniature Blackwing with my index finger, wondering what on earth this was, and looked around.
No matter which way I looked, this place was fundamentally different from my hideout, which was always bathed in warm sunlight. So, where was I?
After a moment of thought, I realized the answer.
"A different kind of Room of Requirement?"
It seemed that because I had been focused on Blackwing, instead of my hideout, a thought like 'a place to hide Blackwing' must have surfaced.
So, did that mean this version of the Room of Requirement was the one summoned when students needed a place to hide something?
I glanced around, but I didn't see anything particularly special. I was thinking I should just leave and open the way to my hideout again when my eyes fell on a very familiar object.
"…No way, what is this doing here?"
***
I had made an unexpected gain from the wrong Room of Requirement, but that wasn't particularly important. Even if the object in question was Ravenclaw's Diadem, a Horcrux.
It sounds important when I put it like that, but I carry Hufflepuff's Cup with me on a regular basis. Adding one more item to my Founders' collection is hardly something to make a fuss about.
And aside from its value as a historical relic, my magic training hat is a far more precious item than this diadem. It really is.
In any case, I took the diadem and re-entered the correct Room of Requirement.
Deek, who was, as always, maintaining the workshop-slash-hideout, welcomed me.
"Master, you've returned! I've been keeping the workshop in perfect order!"
"I trust you without you having to tell me, Deek. But more importantly, want to see what I brought?"
"What did you bring, sir?"
To Deek, who was expressing his curiosity with his large house-elf eyes, I returned Blackwing, who had been on my shoulder, to its original size.
With a *fwaaat—* sound, Blackwing appeared and cried out.
*—Keeeeee!*
"Whoa! A Hippogriff! It's been a long time since Deek has seen one."
Then, as if he had found something familiar about Blackwing, he tilted his head.
"Master, could it be…?"
"Yes, I think so. It seems to be their child."
"Ahh, no wonder. It looked so familiar to Deek's eyes."
Blackwing watched with interest as Deek tenderly stroked its leg.
Deek asked, "Then, shall we open the old farm again?"
"Yes. We can let it loose there."
This hideout was a very familiar place to me. To be precise, it was the very same hideout I had used in the 19th century.
Back then, the Room of Requirement provided a passage to a hidden scenic vista to protect the magical creatures I had rescued from poachers. After I graduated, I converted that place into a full-fledged farm, the very one Deek used to manage.
Although Deek had released most of the animals, except for Ardeura, after I disappeared due to the time magic, it meant the grounds themselves remained intact.
Anyway. Deek manipulated something here and there, and a large door opened on one of the hideout's walls, creating a passage to the farm.
"Blackwing, it's cramped here, so let's play inside."
Perhaps happy to be in the farm where its parents had lived, Blackwing leaped and bounded about. It spread its wings wide, snorted, and then rolled on the ground.
"..."
Watching it, I felt a wave of nostalgia. Blackwing was the spitting image of its parents.
I quietly approached and stroked Blackwing's body and wings.
*—Keeeeng?*
The pure white but slightly grubby feathers of its body. The silky, glossy black feathers of its wings. Their warmth and texture were exactly like Highwing's and Caligo's. But they were not here.
In my memory, they were animals I had cared for myself just a few years ago.
But when I came to my senses, both had already returned to the earth, and only their child, whom I had never met, remained.
It is at times like these that I am forced to confront the discontinuity of time. I am a lost child of the 19th century, living in the 20th.
My goodness. I've been living in this era for over six years now, yet I still feel like my roots have been left behind somewhere in the 19th century. How foolish of me.
"Master…"
As if sensing my emotions, Deek called out to me softly.
Forcing a smile, I said, "Anyway, it's a bit of a shame to have only Blackwing on these vast grounds. Since it's come to this, why don't I bring in some other animals and start the farm again?"
At those words, Deek's face lit up in a bright smile and he nodded eagerly.
"Wonderful, Master! Ardeura will be so happy to have the farm open again! …And, I was just getting worried because our income has been too low lately. This is perfect!"
I was listening with a fond expression, but something he said caught my attention. I blinked and asked, "Are we short on money? Me?"
I took all of that gold and treasure from the Lestrange family. How could we be short on money in just a few years? Does that even make sense?
Deek made a troubled expression and said, "We still have a lot of treasure left, Master. But it is becoming increasingly difficult for Deek to liquidate it… Knockturn Alley is not giving us a fair price, so we need to find a new route. In any case, it is good to have a regular income."
In short, for reasons unknown, the value of the treasure was relatively declining. I tilted my head in confusion but then nodded.
Since long ago, it had always been easier to just leave these matters to Deek. It wasn't that I couldn't do it, but Deek was a specialist in this field. He had managed the entire farm as well.
It's always best to leave the work to the experts.
Nodding, I said, "Alright, then I'll go and get some animals for the farm."
*—Keee? Keeeeee!*
As I said that, Blackwing, who had been playing in the distance, digging at the grass, ran over and flapped its wings. It seemed to mean it wanted me to take it along.
The way it flapped its wings seemed to be an offer to give me a ride.
I nodded.
***
Hogwarts is located in the Highlands, a magically concealed land somewhere in Great Britain.
All sorts of creatures live in the Highlands. Not just ordinary animals, but magical ones as well.
Most of these magical creatures produce byproducts that are useful to the magical civilization.
A prime example is the phoenix feather. It is one of the core materials for wands, an essential item for wizards.
Besides such prominent examples, most magical creatures produce materials that can be used for something.
In other words, it meant that I could profit by raising just about any animal on the farm. Of course, money was a secondary issue at this point; the main goal was to create an ecosystem for the farm where Blackwing lived.
"Blackwing, let's go over there. If my memory is correct, Mooncalves used to live in that area."
*—Keeeeee!*
And so, I was now riding on Blackwing's back, soaring all over the Highlands.
The familiar feeling of riding it stirred up a strange emotion.
A hundred years is, naturally, enough time to affect the habitats of forest-dwelling creatures.
The unicorns that used to live in the Forbidden Forest had moved their territory quite some time ago. It was presumed to be due to the influence of the centaur clan.
The herd of Thestrals that lived in the swamp had also moved, as I couldn't find them in their old spot. In any case, it would have been a comical sight if I had brought them back, as no one else would be able to see them.
In any case, despite such changes, I was able to find the animals I wanted quickly. If you were to ask how…
…it was, of course, a search using the power of magic. Not using the power you have makes you a fool.
…By the way. There was one thing that was bothering me.
Naturally, in the process of searching for animals throughout the Highlands using magic, I had also looked for someone else.
Needless to say, the escaped prisoner of Azkaban. Bellatrix Lestrange.
Or more precisely, the ghost she had with her, Sebastian.
However, it was as if they had completely fled the Highlands in the meantime. Even while I was locating the habitats of all sorts of animals, no information about their whereabouts appeared.
Not only their current location but not even a trace. Even Apparition leaves a small trace, but there was nothing of the sort.
A sense of unease lingered, but it wasn't the most important thing right now. I gently tapped Blackwing's mane, telling it to return to Hogwarts.
"Huh? Hey, where are you going?"
But the direction Blackwing was flying was not toward Hogwarts. In fact, it was flying in almost the opposite direction.
I could have stopped it, but I felt a strong sense that it desperately wanted to take me somewhere, so I didn't restrain it and let it be.
After flying for a long time, Blackwing led me to a cave in a remote forest.
*—Keeeeee.*
It tugged at the hem of my robe with its beak, urging me on. I stroked it and entered the cave.
"You rascal, why did you bring me here… ahh."
Inside the cave where Blackwing had led me, there were two traces of earth that were distinctly different in color from the surrounding soil.
That's the kind of mark you get when you haphazardly dig up dry earth and then cover it with the soil from beneath.
And considering why Blackwing, of all creatures, had brought me here, the identity of that place was clear.
"…You buried your parents here?"
*—Keeeeng…*
It was the grave where this clever Hippogriff had buried its dead parents.
I stood there in silence, gazing at the spot for a long time.
The fact of living in a different time from those around you was, at times, a very sad thing.
If only I had succeeded with the time magic. No. That's a pointless thought now. Pushing down the useless notions that surfaced, I shook my head and stroked Blackwing's head.
"You did well, little one. Thank you for bringing me here."
Even if I am a lost child, I can't live like one forever. Committing the location to memory, I returned to Hogwarts with Blackwing.
***