The post owls soared into the Dining Hall as the students of the Salem Witches' Institute looked up eagerly to see if they had received any mail. Qwinn Halloway looked up to see four owls flying directly at her. They swooped down and dropped three magazines and a newspaper on the table in front of her before flying off again. "Oh, wow," she said, looking at The Salem Daily, The Quibbler, Which Broomstick, and Magizoology Monthly. She looked at the cover of Magizoology Monthly and read the headline "Nundu on the Move," which was accompanied by a picture of a large leopard. She set the magazine aside and looked at the cover of The Salem Daily and saw a large moving picture of the British Minister for Magic Kingsley what's-his-name making some sort of speech. She then turned her attention to the cover of The Quibbler. Qwinn looked at the headline that said "Crumple-Horned Snorkack Sighting!" Below this was a very odd looking creature indeed. It looked like a horse, but it was stranger than any creature Qwinn had ever seen. This creature was furless, save for a long, brown, horse-like tail protruding from its hindquarters. The Snorkack's skin was a yellowish-orange colour, and protruding from its shoulders were two small, useless, ripped, leathery, red wings. Between this creature's rabbit-like ears was a long, twisting horn that looked like that of an Erumpet and was located in a location similar to a Unicorn's horn. It had dark purple eyes. Despite its abnormal appearance, it was a beautiful, gentle-looking creature. Also on the cover, there was a frog in the corner, but it was not green as frogs normally are, but Albino-looking with black eyes. This was under a smaller title or "Moon Frogs for Sale: Contact L. Scamander." Just as Qwinn was putting The Quibbler aside to look at Which Broomstick, a fifth owl flew over her head and dropped a letter directly on her plate of scrambled eggs. "Oh, Merlin's pants!" exclaimed Qwinn, using her wand to clean the eggs off of the parchment envelope. The letter was addressed to Qwinn and had the school crest (a diamond with a red letter "S" in front of a black cat whose eyes literally glowed - they emitted light) on it. She broke the red wax seal and began to read:
Qwinn K. Halloway:
you have been chosen for a
SUMMER INTERNSHIP
with the Department for the
Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures
Qwinn's hands were shaking. She couldn't believe that she had been chosen for this internship. Each year, there was a summer internship in Healing, teaching, Magical Law Enforcement, and Magizoology. Only one student from the four Wizarding Schools in America was chosen. Usually, it was only seventh years that were chosen, although fifth and sixth years were also eligible. Qwinn was only a sixth year, but she was still chosen. Rightfully so, she thought, seeing as she had received top marks in her Care of Magical Creatures classes ever since she had started taking them in her third year. She knew Newt Scamander's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them back to front. She was the youngest person in Massachusetts to have a Kneazle license, and had a pet Puffskein. She read every article in every edition of Magizoology Monthly that she ever bought. She thought she deserved this, but she was so surprised that she got it. She unfolded the second piece of paper and read:
The internship will take place in the small African country of Burkina Faso, near the city of Banfora, in a large forest studying the native wildlife, specifically the Runespoor. There are many dangers associated with this trip, including:
☼ One of the Runespoor's heads is extremely venomous, although it very rearely attacks humans.
☼ There is evidence to suggest that the Nundu may be migrating west. The Nundu is an extremely dangerous creature and has a rating of XXXXX by the Ministry of Magic.
☼ There are rumours - unverified rumours - that Dementors may reside in caves of the forests of Burkina Faso. However, every person on the research team that can perform magic and is allowed a wand is able to conjure a corporeal Patronus.
Despite the dangers of this trip, it is an excellent learning experience and will look very good to future employers. Qwinn was chosen for this internship because of her high marks in Care of Magical Creatures class and her earning of an O on her Care of Magical Creatures and Transfiguration O.W.L.s. As she is still 16 years of age, she will require parental consent to go on this trip. Qwinn's parents will have to fill out the following form to give her permission to go on this trip.
Thank you,
Chagrin Q. Foster
Chagrin Foster, Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures
Parental consent ... that could be a problem. Her parents were usually pretty good about that sort of thing, but Nundu, Runespoors, Dementors ... and Lethifolds should be there, too. But Qwinn could also produce a Patronus. But did it mean that certain members of the research team weren't magical or even human? All the better, thought Qwinn. She liked things like Centaurs and things and would be interested in knowing some. She did see one problem: The paper gave no date of the trip; what an annoyance. She would have to write a letter. She hated writing letters. Her handwriting was so terrible. And she made so many mistakes. If she would have to give one thing to the Muggles, it would be those compy-thingies they use. Maybe she'd try and bewitch her quill to take dictation. Her Charms teacher had told her class how to do it. Charms wasn't her best class, but she thought that she could do it. She was just about to go up to her dormatory to write the letter when her best friend, Zuri, ran up to her and said, "Shouldn't you be at the Quodpot Field?"
"Damn," said Qwinn, stuffing her magazines and letter into her bag and running out of the large wooden doors at the end of the Hall.