A shorter, bubblier filler.

December in Scotland is absolutely beautiful.

Imagine the quilts of silvery-white-glisten snow draped across it's fields, forests, mountains, and more. Snow flurries dripping from trees in small clumps of congealed ice and wind. Grey, vast, covering callus-clouds conjured to accumulate and hide the sun away. The calming, reaching frosts climbing glass and leaves. Thick, glass-ice locking those living within the Black Lake beneath it's surface until the weather deems they're once again able to breach.

Yes. December in Scotland is absolutely beautiful.

This morning I woke to find the grounds completely covered with the snow from the storm that passed last night. I expected it to begin soon, as we're maybe half-way through December, meaning both the snow and Christmas was soon to come, and I noticed, upon waking particularly early, that one has come today, and so now, an hour before I'm supposed to be within the Great Hall for breakfast, I'm stood outside and looking about.

My shoes crunch satisfyingly through the icy-crystal accumulation, the sounds of early-rising birds calling off in the cold distance. I wonder if they're as cold as I am? I'm freezing! But I can't convince myself to leave the sight just yet.

We used to get snow back home during the Christmas season and through the first few months of the new year, but it was never as beautiful as this. I've always loved the cold. Loved the snow. I've never really thought why, but I know that I don't much mind not understanding, I just enjoy, well, enjoying it.

Mum never liked the cold, however, and she'd refuse to let me out within the snow when I was younger through fear of me getting sick. I used to find myself mad at her for not letting me, but as the years grew in number, and my willingness to understand progressed, I came to understand that she was simply looking out for me, and that she had every right to be frightened by my falling ill. She had, after all, already lost my sister.

The horrible side of our Amethyst Healing Gift, is that we cannot use it on those of us with said gift. That's why mum never taught it too me even when I begged and begged her too when she was once ill herself. 'It doesn't work like that, sweetheart," she'd said. 'If it did... we'd be much better off.'

It wasn't until a few years later that I realised she was speaking about my sister at that time.

From the corner of my eye, I see something dash from one area to another. I glance that way hoping to see it again, but I don't, and so I move over to investigate further. The snow crunches beneath me as I approach the area I saw whatever it was, to find a small trail through the snow no deeper than that left by a house cat, though I'm sure all of our cats are staying warm in the castle, so it can't be that.

I hear shuffling from my right and turn just in time to see the body of a dark-brownish to black creature dashing underneath a nearby bush. Definitely not a house cat. I move cautiously over to the bush and crouch down in the snow, the small grunt of the animal hidden murmuring from the shrub. I move the branches back to find a plump creature with very dark, short fur, a small tail, four, little legs, black eyes, and a long snout reminiscent to a ducks bill.

"A Niffler?" I ask aloud after recognising it's species. "What on earth are you doing out here in the cold?"

I reach towards the creature, recognising it from one of my favourite books, and a couple others, knowing that the beast, although generally wild, should most definitely be within it's burrow this time of the year. It's much to cold for the poor thing. He'll catch his death out here.

The creature shies away from my touch, quite unsurprisingly as I'm a stranger to him, and backs up further into the bush. The poor things looks scared. I need to think of a way to get him out of the cold... In Newt Scamander's book, he talked about the Niffler enjoying sparkly objects like the metals and gems of jewellery, but I'm not currently wearing any, however, I did slip a pin into my hair this morning... perhaps he'll come for that.

I unpin my hair and show the small Niffler the glittering object, his interest immediately piquing as he spots it, and, a little apprehensively, he makes his way closer before placing his little hands on mine, asking me to release it. The pin is old, and one I've had since I was young, passed down from my mother's father's mother, so I can't let him keep it, but for now, if it'll get him to trust me, I'll let him hold on to it.

"If I give you this, will you let me help you?" I ask the creature gently, and the simple reply comes in the form of him removing both his hands before placing them back down again. I smile and chuckle before handing over the pin and letting him look it over, before stuffing it in his pouch and taking my hand again. "I'm sorry... I don't have anything more on me right now, but..."

Nifflers are also known to be quite hungry, a lot of the time, and they love food.

"Would you like something to eat?" The animal doesn't shy away this time as I lean forward to pick him up, and immediately he seems to appreciate my warmth as he tries burrowing closer to me within my arms. "Let's get you some food then."

I stand with the little Niffler and begin making my way back into the castle. I'll need to sneak him into the Great Hall somehow. Maybe I can take him in my book bag. I do have classes after. Then again, I'm not sure if taking him into Transfiguration is the best plan...

"I need to name you, little guy. Would you like that?" I asks the adorable little critter. "But what – wait! I'll call you Newton! Little Newton Scamander! It's perfect!"

I hug the creature close to me and hurry through the corridors towards Gryffindor Tower.

I've a fascination with Newton Scamander. I love his book, and all the stories about the adventures he went on within it. Not only is it an amazing informational document, it's also an unbelievable story. One I love very much. He loved his creatures, all the ones he protected, and I admire him very much.

I enter my dorm quietly and shuffle around in my bag, moving things around as to make room for Newton. I then place him down and am quick to pick it up when I hear Mione waking from her bed.

"Y/N?" she asks tiredly. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Oh! I was just walking about the castle, it snowed over night – I wanted to go out and see before breakfast."

My bag moves a little, which catches Mione's attention. "What's in there?" she asks.

I look at her with wide eyes before seeing a sleeping Misses on my bed, and thinking quickly, I answer, "It's a mouse that Misses must have drug in. I'm going off to release it now. I'll see you at breakfast, Hermione!"

I really hope she doesn't remember that I'm afraid of mice and wouldn't touch one given the option. I'd tell her about Newton, but I feel she'd want me not to take him to breakfast with me. She's responsible in those ways as I'm not. I'd love nothing more than to bring him for something to eat.

"Come along, Newton... Let's go get you some food."

Sneaking Newton into breakfast was no trouble, nor was getting him to keep quiet whilst I fed him a few different pieces of toast, and let him hold on to three spoons and a fork, and for the most party he kept quiet, until he caused the silverware to clatter, forcing me to pretend I dropped my own spoon.

Transfiguration rolls around fast, and in no time, both Newton and I are fed and sitting in class listening as Professor McGonagall goes over the rules of transfiguring one thing into another thing, showing us as she transforms a small snail into a blue bird and then a silver and sapphire pendant. I watch in awe of her magic before the entire class is interrupted by the small clatter coming from under my feet.

"Miss Amethyst?" McGonagall calls upon me. "What have you got there?"

"Nothing, professor. I just accidentally kicked my book bag," I tell her, looking to my notes sheepishly in hopes she believes me.

"I suggest you clear out some of the bag's content when you find yourself with the chance, Miss Amethyst. It sounds as though it's in need of such."

I nod and look to my bag to find the flap open, and my Niffler friend, Newton, missing. I frantically begin looking around the room in hopes of spotting him before someone else does, but I can't see him anywhere. That is, until McGonagall has put her transfigured pendant onto her desk, and I see a small, pinkish hand reaching for it. I gasp as he takes it in hand, and McGonagall looks to me again.

"Something wrong, Miss Amethyst?"

"Uh – no – Professor... I just remembered that... never mind, it's nothing," I dodge, earning a round of snickers and confused looks.

"Very well. Please do your best to pay attention."

"Of course, Professor."

I pull my attention back to Newton where he's watching me from beneath McGonagall's desk with the pendant slowly being pushed into his greedy little pouch. I try and make him understand through eye contact alone that he needs to come back immediately, but that seems to be the last thing he wants to do, as now he's spotted something else glittery. A book with jewels encrusted across it's spine, and he's going straight for it.

"Miss Amethyst, what, care to tell, are the measures would one should take when transfiguring an animate creature into an inanimate object?"

My attention, seemingly snapping all about the place, once again, falls on her with my eyes wide.

"Pardon me?"

"If you were listening, you should be able to tell me what measures one should take before the transfiguration process," she states pointedly. I sink into my chair a little glancing around before returning eye contact.

"One should generally cast a preliminary stationary spell to halt its movements... so they can't – you know – move out of the way."

She looks at me for a moment longer before deeming my answer worthy and telling us it's time were off to our next class. I quickly stand and wait for everyone to leave the room and then I dart in the direction of the bookshelf here I last spotted my Niffler. I begin pulling the books from the shelves in my attempt to find him.

"What are you doing, Miss Amethyst? Looking for a book?" I hear from behind me, causing me to abruptly drop the book I'm holding on my foot and yelp, which in tandem, causes the Niffler to dart from the shelf and back to my bag where he's deemed is safe.

I turn to face my professor to find an impatient look upon her face, and yet a small smile in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, professor... I – uh – I just-"

"Where did you find it?" she asks as she walks towards my bag and collects it from the ground, the content cluttering around from the inside. " assume you found it and didn't bring it with you?"

"Yes, Professor," I sigh in dejection. "I found him this morning... he was cold and hungry, and I think maybe he was out foraging and his burrow was buried in last night's snow."

"He?"

"Um – yes – I named him Newton, ma'am."

I hear her chuckle gently under her breath as the creature pops his head from my bag and looks at me expectantly. I shoo him away though, but apparently not in time, as now he's holding out one of his spoons to me.

"I'm not upset with you, Newton, it's okay," I sooth him, as he obviously feels he's done something wrong, though nothing he's done isn't within his nature, meaning it isn't his fault.

"I suppose that's the silverware from the Great Hall?"

"Yes... he was looking at it this morning... I was going to bring it back, but he just looked so happy, and-"

"Miss Amethyst, I suggest you take your little Scamander Junior down to Hagrid. I'm sure he'll have a place for him, but you cannot bring creatures into the school like that," she scolds while suggesting a place for him.

"I know... I'm sorry, again. He just looked so cold, and – hang on... Scamander Junior?"

"I'm assuming he's who you've named the fellow after?"

I smile and nod before taking my bag from her, with the Niffler, and taking him out. I tickle him above the professor's desk, as Newt said is what's to be done to reclaim stowed items, and watch as they all pour out. I take up the book Newton took and the pendant and hand them over to McGonagall, to which she tuts and collects them.

"I'll take the spoons and such back to the Hall, Professor just as soon as I've taken him to Hagrid."

"Let him keep them," I hear her tell as she looks to the animal, and I can see the soft spot she's already formed for him. "But nothing else is to go astray, Miss Amethyst. I mean it. I'm placing trust in you to get that Niffler to our Game Keeper and to not detour from such."

I nod happily and gladly hand Newton back his spoons, and my pin, before stowing him away again, shouting her a thanks, and rushing off to Hagrid's.

I knock on the door quickly once I've reached him, and he's quick to open with a look of confusion on his face.

"Hello, Hagrid... I've – can I come in for just a moment? I have something for you."

"O' course yeh can. Come on then," he laughs as he lets me through, and as soon as I am, I sit my bag down and take up the Niffler for the umpteenth time today.

"Where on earth did yeh get tha'?" he asks as he looks him over.

"This is Newton, and I assume his burrow was buried in the snow... I found him this morning, and have been trying to look after him, but he's much too much of a handful with classes, and Professor McGonagall suggested I bring him to you. He like's toast with blackberry jam the best. I think he'd like that in the morning, and I hope you can take him... I don't want him to get cold because he can't find his way home," I tell him all in a rush.

"Don't you be worryin'," Hagrid says after a moment. "I've got us some blackberry jam somewhere 'round 'ere. I'm sure we'll get along."

I smile and grin down to the Niffler.

"Now you be good for Hagrid, Newton, or you'll get no toast... I'll come and visit, if you're still here..."

After giving the Niffler one last hug, I thank Hagrid again before taking off for next my class.