Saphira Black and the Philosopher's Stone

Thirty-Three~ Norbert The Norwegian Ridgeback

    "Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard. "That's- er..."

    "Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said, Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

    "Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

    "But what are you going to do with it once it's hatched?" Hermione asked.

    "Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library- Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit- it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here- how ter recognize different eggs- what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

    He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.

    "Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.

    But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

    So, now we had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

    One breakfast time, Nightray brought me another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: It's hatching.

    Ron wanted to skip Herbology, but Hermione wouldn't hear of it.

    "Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

   "We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing-"

    "Quiet!" I hissed.

    Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? I didn't like the look on his face. He quickly covered it up by winking at me and saying, "How you doing, Black? Do you think you've changed your mind about Potter yet?"

    I scowled at him.

    We decided to go to Hagrid's hut at break, so when class was over we dashed through the grounds to the end of the forest. Hagrid greeted us, looking flustered and excited.

    "It's nearly out." He ushered us inside.

    The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.

    We drew our chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.

    All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; I thought, personally, it looked like some crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.

    It sneezed and a couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

    "Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

    "Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!" said Hagrid. Suddenly the color drained from his face and he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

    "What's the matter?"

    "Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains- it's a kid- he's runnin' back ter the school."

    I bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance, there was no mistaking him.

    Malfoy had seen the dragon.

    Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made us very nervous. We spent most of our free time in Hagrid' hut, trying to reason with him.

    "Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

    "I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

    We looked silently at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils.

    "I've decided ter call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now. Watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mummy?"

    "He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered.

    I suddenly turned to Ron.

    "Charlie."

    "You're losing it, too," he said. "I'm Ron, remember?"

    "No! I mean your brother- Charlie!"

    "Yes," Ron said slowly, "I do have a brother named Charlie."

    I face-palmed.

    "Your brother who studies dragons? We could send him Norbert! Charlie can take care of him!"

    "Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

    In the end, Hagrid agreed that we could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.

    The following week dragged by. On Wednesday night, Harry, Hermione, and I were sitting in the common room, finishing up our homework when Ron appeared out of nowhere, as he took off Harry's invisibility cloak. He was at Hagrid' hut, helping him feed Norbert.

    "It bit me!" he said, showing us his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible thing I've ever met. When it bit me, Hagrid told me off for scaring it, and when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

    There was a tap on the dark window.

    "It's Hedwig!" said Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

    We all put our heads together to read the note.

        Dear Ron,

        How are you? Thanks for the letter- I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be           easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine             who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal                     dragon.

            Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet              you there and take him away while it's still dark.

            Send me an answer as soon as possible.

        Love,

        Charlie

    We looked at each other.

    "We've got the invisibility cloak," Harry said nervously, "it shouldn't be too difficult- I think the cloak's big enough to cover three of us and Norbert."

    It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that we all agreed with him. Anything to get rid of Norbert- and Malfoy's smirk.