Chapter 342: You’ve Come at the Right Time
Before coming to the Dragon Reserve, Kyle had imagined the atmosphere here would be tense.
But when he arrived, he found it was surprisingly calm. There were no roaring flames, no deafening dragon roars, and although dragons could be spotted flying in the sky, there were only one or two at a time. Around him, people were gathered in small groups, chatting as if they were at a casual get-together with old friends.
Charlie didn't explain much, simply giving Kyle a meaningful pat on the shoulder and saying, "If you had come a day earlier, you wouldn't have thought this way. Let's just say you caught a good moment."
Charlie showed Kyle around a bit longer, and when he thought the timing was right, they returned to the main area. The crowd had grown, with some people bearing a strong resemblance to Charlie: dark-skinned, around thirty, dressed in rugged clothing and heavy boots—these were the dragon keepers. Others in the crowd stood out, wearing various unusual outfits and appearing somewhat older.
"These are all Magical Creatures experts from around the world," Charlie whispered. "See that lady by the tree with the House-elves? That's Mrs. Rozzino from North America—the only person in North America allowed to privately raise a dragon."
"And the bearded man across from her, that's Mr. Cote. He's the one who sent us three dragons."
"The man talking to Mr. Scamander is Professor Lochneal from Beauxbatons—his Abraxan steeds are famous throughout the wizarding world..."
Charlie introduced each person in detail, while Kyle listened carefully, jotting down their names. There weren't many—only twelve, including Newt himself. As for their assistants, Charlie didn't bother mentioning them, likely because he felt it wasn't necessary. In short, assistants didn't warrant names—just familiarity.
"I always thought you had only muscles in your head," Kyle teased. "Never imagined you'd know so many people, even ones from as far as North America. Turns out, dragon keepers have to be cultured, too."