At eight fifty the next morning she reported to the potions lab, and was set to the task of brewing three large cauldrons worth of altitude potion. The task didn't take long, as the potion was something even a novice could achieve. The potion only needed an hour to simmer, and while the three cauldrons bubbled away she worked on sorting and breaking down a variety of ingredients which had been sent from the sixth isle for use in the potions lab.
Using a mortar and pestle to powder the Occamy eggs, she barely noticed the passing over time as she worked the silver shells into a fine dust. When the potions master returned, she'd bottled up the three cauldrons worth of potion and had finished putting away the potions ingredients in the cupboards. After the man dismissed her, she went to seek out her father whom master Snape said would be waiting for her in the entry hall.
"Ah Vinia, I am going to inspect the progress of the second isle. Would you like to come?" Her father asked, and she nodded glancing up at the grand stairs where her mother was directing a floating tapestry onto the wall.
"Yes," she said nodding in an almost frantic manner. It would be much better to follow her father on his inspection then be stuck helping her mother decorate.
"Bippity, bring Vinia's things for an outing." Her father called into the empty air, and with a soft pop the elf appeared holding her favorite black cloak with silver fur trim and the box holding her serpent construct.
Allowing the elf to wrap the cloak around her shoulders, she settled her construct around her wrist, as she'd worn her hair down, allowing the loose flowing curls to fall delicately down her back. Leaving the entry hall with her father, they descended the stairs towards the dark wood carriage which bore the Morte crest on the door. Today only four Abraxan where harnessed to the carriage, as they were using the smaller carriage with retractable roof. The roof was currently down, allowing her a full view of their surroundings as they flew past the third isle towards the second.
Each of the islands formed a circle and were continually moving, floating in a ring around the first isle which was the focal point for the islands to circulate around in a manner similar to the way the planets in their solar system orbited the sun. When the sixth island was raised, it would join the inner circle and her father told her that the next ring of islands would not join the inner ring, but would form a ring a little further back filling in the spaces between each of the island in the first ring.
She watched with interest as her father sketched on a scrap of parchment, showing her his plan for the next two circles. The islands in the second and third circle were also only about half the size of the ones in the inner circle. Some of the islands third and second ring would be given to each of the European countries, and one in the second ring was intended to be a magical craft school for those who lacked the strong magical abilities.
The school would teach students the skills needed to gain employment in the magical world, and give them a much better learning environment then what the London school of magical craft currently offered. There were very few places those who only had minimal or no magic could attend, and her father claimed that this was in part why they sort out employment in the muggle world. This then resulted in them marrying muggles, and was why there were 'muggle-borns' who were in truth the descendants of those who left the magical world. If the squibs, or as her father called them no-mag, remained in the magical world then the increasing number of muggle borns would cease to grow, and the risk of muggle's finding out about the magical world would decrease.
It was why her father encouraged the hiring of human servants, having them take on duties around the manor and grounds. While they still had their house elves, the elves were mainly used to aid those in their employ with magical tasks. Having seen this, many noble families began doing the same, hiring coachmen, stewards, cooks and groundskeepers. She'd certainly noticed an improvement in the cooking in their manor when mister Butterworth was hired to cook for them. While the elves were decent cooks, they lacked the creativity that the chef did, and would often only serve the same several meals on rotation. With their new chef in-charge, they had much more variety. Some families didn't embrace the changes, and seemed intent to stay stagnant in the old ways, but many embraced the changes with vigor, seeing having human servants a sign of their houses prosperity, for only a house who was well off could afford to hire human staff.
As they flew her father spoke about the plans for the second ring of islands. The first of which would begin to be formed by the Krum's after the sixth island was raised. As well as the school of magical craft, he intended for some of the isle to be dedicated to farming and the raising of animals for food. There were farming plots available on the third and fifth islands, but those farming based islands on the second and third rings would be needed to feed the population he hoped would soon call Caerulum home.
There was also to be islands offered in the future third ring for those magical creatures with higher intelligence. The third ring islands wouldn't be as big as those closer were, but they would be more than large enough for the populations of magical beings to reside and if needed more islands could be added.
It amazed her how much her father had achieved, and what he still planned for the future, he was without a doubt, the best, strongest and most amazing wizard in existence. Her daddy was just amazing, and in her eyes no one could else could manage all this, yet have kept so many people in the dark through out it all.
Sure, people sensed there was something going on, but funnily enough Dumbledore was insisting all the secret goings on were signs Voldemort was returning. When people 'disappeared' he blamed Voldemort's followers, never for a second thinking those people were alive and working under oath to help build Caerulum. Her father always did everything with secrecy oaths and contracts, for if the ministry or Dumbledore caught wind of what was happening they would no doubt try to take over or have some input.
The best thing about Caerulum was it was out of the borders of each European ministry, which ended at the coast of each country and if her father so desired he could move it anywhere in the world. Once Caerulum became public knowledge, her father predicted there would be many pureblood families seeking to claim a place on the isles, and many other witches and wizards. For what her father called the first wave, their would be special incentives for people to relocate to Caerulum and to opens stores and the like.
At the end of the year, her father would announce Caerulum's existence, offering all who wished to move to Caerulum the right to do so, provided they filled out the proper forms and had the gold to purchase land or prebuilt housing in one of the towns on the third and fifth isle, or in the city on the second isle.
"Vinia, please be on your best behavior, no running off." Her father warned as their carriage descended to land in an open area.
Once they landed they seated in the carriage, and the coachman directed the Abraxan in a slow trot through the cobbled streets of what would be known as Arcania city. The plan was for the entire twelve hundred acres of the second isle to be a single large city, one which would rival the muggle city of London which was just over seven hundred acres. Already the city was well on its way to completion. As her father intended for the city to maintain a uniform appearance the buildings would be sold pre built, which the interiors left blank for the new owners.
There were even some stores which already had signs, and she guessed those had been brought by some of the families who'd worked on Caerulum as she saw several with the crests that showed them to be owned by pureblood families. One in particular that would sell brooms and quidditch gear she identified as being owned by the Krum's. There was also a very large building which looked like it would one day house a menagerie that bore the Scamander crest. Over the next months, invitations would be sent to craftsmen and shop owners offering a chance to relocate to the second isle, allowing them the opportunity to do so before it became fully known to the public in a sort of soft opening.
As they rode past the bank she gave a small wave to a cluster of goblins who were walking towards the building, getting a bow from them as they passed. The goblins had not only been given rights to open a bank on the second isle, but also would have claim to an island in the third ring. Amusingly, the goblins had leapt on the offer and even offered much needed manpower to help with the building of the city, along with several rune masters to work with her grandpa on carving runes into the stone used to build each building.
It was a good thing her grandpa was good friends with an alchemist who could make gold, or her father would have gone bankrupt with all the gold used to fill the runes on not only the buildings, but the underside of the islands.
She'd once expressed concerns people might try to chip away at the gold, seeking to enrich themselves, but her father assured her such a feet would not be possible for even the strongest wizard. The nature of the runes themselves, protected them from any damage. Even he could not damage them, or the buildings they were carved upon, which was why it was so important that the city was built right, as there would be no redo's if a mistake was made. Though this was only for the outer shell of the buildings, as the interior was made of normal materials, allowing people to rearrange the rooms, and inner layout as they wished.
"There is the library, and over there is the hospital." Her father said, pointing to a large five story building with a statue of a row of books on the roof, the words Arcania Public Library was spelled out across the spines.
The hospital was separated from the library by a large park, with flourishing gardens, a pond and what appeared to be a play ground. Small birds and other animals ran about the park, and she watched a large flock of Jobberknoll flitting around the branches of a tree. There was even a Diricawl and its chicks wandering about, and she also saw a group of bowtruckle and several puffskin just rolling about.
"Newt decided to populate a few of the parks, and this one being the closest to the hospital where patients might come for some fresh air was the first to receive his attentions." Her father said, seeing her interest in the frolicking animals. "There is a low powered ward on the parks which prevents the animals from being hurt or taken away unwillingly, it's also designed to keep them to the park areas. Though the birds are free to fly wherever they please."
"I'm sure lots of children will enjoy playing in the park," she said off handedly, not wanting to admit she kind of wanted to go play in the park herself. Now that she had her wand, she was officially a young lady, and young ladies didn't play on swings or hanging bars, or any of those things.
Once the carriage stopped in front of the hospital her father helped her step down, and they were met by Healer Shafiq who led them on a tour of the hospital which would be named the Lady Dilys Hospital of Magical Ailments and Injuries. Named after Dilys Derwent, a greatly respected healer and former headmistress of Hogwarts. The hospital had ten levels, and was still in the process of being furnished with beds in each room along with other tools and equipment the healers would need, but Healer Shafiq was confident they would be finished by Christmas.
Once they left the hospital, they rode around the city some more, stopping to speak with a group of goblins constructing what would be an apartment building, and some other construction groups building townhouses on the eastern side of the city. The city was well laid out, and her father had ensured there were parks and gardens spread through the city for the people to enjoy.
Once done with their inspection of the second isle, they flew downwards toward the island that was still floating on the oceans surface. Flocks of magical birds flew over the tree tops, and a large mountain on the far side of the island had smoke drifting from the top, and she was certain she saw a dragon flying into the forest below the mountain.
They landed in a small clearing, where a series of six cottages sat in a u shape and were met by Newt Scamander an older man whom she'd learnt was considered rather eccentric. Though she'd never thought him as such, he was simply a man who cared greatly for all magical creatures.
"Marvolo, and little lady Vinia, welcome welcome, ah is that a fwooper I see hiding in your curls?" The man said, smiling warmly at them as they climbed down from the carriage.
"It is, Mr Scamander, this is Razle." She said, shifting her hair slightly to reveal her Fwooper who'd burrowed into her hair to nap.
"A nice looking specimen, if a bit on the small side." He mused, leaning down to get a better look at Razle.
To her surprise, Razle willingly stepped off her shoulder onto the mans hand allowing him to stretch out his wings and inspect his body.
"Yes, he also doesn't seem very interested in the seed the store gave me." She said, explaining how the store owner told her Razle was hatched in the wild, and taken from the nest by the supplier who sent it to the menagerie.
Nodding with a slight frown on his face, Newt continued examining her Fwooper with a keen eye.
"Have you given him any fruits or vegetables?" He asked and she nodded.
"He seemed to like those better then the seed, but the book said they primarily eat seed."
"They do, but it is good to offer him a variety, I've found that Fwooper have a strange liking for fruits and vegetables that match their feathers, so feeding him green foods is a good idea. I also have a seed mix which is made from the seeds naturally found in Africa, its better then the commercial seed mixes. He is a little malnourished, but with the proper diet that can be fixed." Newt said, setting Razle back down on her shoulder.
"Thank you," she said, giving a short curtsy.
Waving his hand in a dismissive gesture, he turned to her father. As the men began talking, she noticed Rolf Scamander exiting one of the cottages and made her way over to the younger boy.
"Hello, Rolf." She said smiling, giving the basket he carried a curious glance. "What's in the basket?"
"Vinia, hi! I didn't think you would be coming to the isles until your Christmas break." The boy said smiling up at her.
"Dad brought mama and I earlier so we can get the castle ready," she said, tilting her head as she heard her words mimicked back at her in a high pitched mocking tone from within the basket.
"Sorry," Rolf said, cheeks flushing as he looked down at the basket. "One of the Jarvey had a litter of kits, and they just starting to learn to talk."
Nodding in understanding, she followed the boy as he carried the basket out to a small penned off area. There were tunnels dug into the ground and various toys scattered about, and she watched with interest as Rolf released a group of three Jarvey into the pen. They immediately set off running for one of the tunnels, darting in and out in a game of chase, their slinky furry bodies bounding around the pen with glee.
The rest of her afternoon was spent following Rolf around as he showed her some of the habitats closest to the cottages. Her father and mister Newt having left to inspect the habitats of the more dangerous creatures, with orders for them to stay near the cottages.
When her father returned, it was almost five in the evening and she was grateful to see him as she was getting rather hungry. The small lunch they'd eaten in the carriage after leaving the second isle felt like it had been a century ago. After getting a bag of seed from mister Scamander who promised to send her more whenever she needed it, they boarded the carriage for the ride home. She was a little disappointed they hadn't made a trip to the first isle, but from what she'd seen the day before there was still much to be done before the school buildings were even halfway finished.
Another chapter before I head to bed, hope whoever may be reading this is enjoying reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.