Dragons

When we got in he told us that the dragon was nearly out which had us excited to see it since we'd been waiting for it to hatch. When we walked in we saw the egg on the table with deep cracks on it you could tell something was moving about in it. So we all drew up chairs and waited with baited breath for when the egg would split open revealing the dragon within. Then all at one there was a scraping noise before the egg split open and a baby dragon flipped onto the table. It was something I sure as heck that I wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon since it was really cool. It sneezed making sparks fly out its nose which had us backing up a little worried about our clothes catching fire. "Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid said as he reached out to stroke the dragons head but it snapped at his fingers. "Bless him he knows his mommy!" I smiled at him since he seemed really happy about all this plus he's always wanted a dragon, heck I would have given him a tamer one. "Hagrid, how fast do Norwegian Dragon-backs grow, exactly?" Hagrid had told us that his dragon was a Norwegian Ridgeback the last time we were there so we already knew what it was. Just as Hagrid was about to answer the color suddenly drained from his face before he kept to his feet and ran to the window. "What's the matter?" We were all worried since this wasn't like Hagrid but we were also doing something illegal. "Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains - he's runnin' back up ter the school." Harry and I bolted to the door to look out it but even at a distance it was no mistaking that it was Draco. Draco kept smirking through out the next week made the others nervous but I knew he wouldn't do anything until we moved the dragon. Everyone spent a lot if time in Hagrids hut trying to reason with him so he wouldn't get into trouble for having the dragon.

"Just let him go, set him free." I already knew that was a bad idea even before Hermione said it since but was still a baby and couldn't fend for himself or well herself. "I can't, he's to little he'd die." We could tell that the dragon was growing quickly as well as wearing Hagrid down a lot by looking around his cabin. Everyone kept trying to reason with him but I knew it wouldn't do any good because he wanted to keep the dragon. That's when Harry remembered something before turning to Ron which gained all of our attention. "Charlie." The light bulb went off in my head when he said that but the others didn't seem to understand what he meant. "Charlie - your brother, Charlie. In Romania, studying dragons we could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild." Hagrid finally agreed to let us send an owl to him asking him about it the next week seemed to drag by I was completely tired with both classes and practice with Professor Snape. We were all sitting around the fire in the common room, I was reading my alchemy book trying not to fall asleep. Then Ron came outta no where from under the invisibility cloak since it was his turn to feed Norbert. "It bit me! I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragons the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby." Then there was a taping at the window which had us all looking over at it to see that Hedwig was outside it with Charlie's answer. 

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 its while it's still dark. Send me an answer as soon as possible. 

Love, Charlie.

We all looked at each other already piecing together the plan of action that we would have to take to get it outta here. "We've got the invisibility cloak, it shouldn't be too difficult- I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and Norbert." It was bad enough that we all actually agreed with him I know raising a dragon isn't easy but this was crazy. However the next morning Ron's bitten hand had swollen up to twice the size which I knew would be trouble. By the afternoon Ron's hand had turned a nasty shade of green which means Norberts fangs might be poisonous. He was pretty bad at the end of the day when we went to visit him. He was complaining about how his hand was hurting as well as Draco who had apparently come in to tease him about it. However he remembered that Charlie's letter was in the book Draco had taken earlier but we didn't get to answer as Madam Pomfrey came over then. We all knew it was too late to change things now mostly because we didn't have the time to send another owl to Charlie to tell him plus wait for his reply. When we got to Hagrids to tell him about what was going on we saw Fang outside with a bandaged tail which had me feeling sorry for him. 

"Poor Fang..." Hagrid opened a window when we got close to talk to us which had us confused since he's never done this before. "I won't let you in, Norberts at a tricky stage - nothin' I can't handle." Harry told him about Charlie's letter but then Norbert bit Hagrids leg, which I knew had to hurt. "Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot - ju' playin' - he's only a baby, after all." We could hear Norbert hitting the walls with its tail, I guess, before we headed back up to the castle wanting Saturday to come soon. I knew the others were more worried about what they had to do rather than about Hagrids feelings like I was. Although I was upset that they came back upset because they had lost us a hundred and fifty points plus they all had detention with Malfoy. 

I had a bad feeling about all this but I couldn't explain why I was feeling this way, it was a few days later when I was down in the dungeon. I was walking towards the Potions classroom for my usual lessons with Professor Snape when I walked passed Professor Quirrell. My head started to feel dizzy, my vision started to go out before I sent an SOS to Snape before blacking out. When I woke to again I was in the infirmary wondering why I was there in the first place while sitting up. "Good morning dear, you passed out just outside Professor Snapes room, you had him very worried about you along with your friends." I smiled at her before it all came back just as Hagrid walked in with some flowers and I smiled at him. "Ah, good you'r awake Serena, yeh had us worried there for a bit. How are you feelin'?" I smiled up at him after taking the flowers he gave me smelling them, just before the others ran in. "Hi everyone, and I'm doing fine Hagrid, everyone I just got a little dizzy when I passed Professor Quirrell... although I'm not sure why..." 

I said looking at them wondering what was happening and why I was feeling this way since I'd been fine moments before. My hand would only hurt when he was near, maybe I should ask Professor Snape about this. Once I was released I headed back to common room with the others so I could get my books. We had been studying a lot lately because exams were really close and we all wanted to move onto the next year. A girl named Pansy Parkinson was really starting to get on my nerves but when she started dissing my family I got mad so I punched her. Which earned me detention for fighting but I didn't care no one messed with my family and gets away with it. It was about a week before exams were to start and we were currently waiting on Harry to come to the library to study. 

When I saw Harry come in Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy and he told us what he had heard Quirrell say. I sighed knowing this was going to go no where since it was still divided with Hermione and me still saying he couldn't do it. Ron of course was on Harry's side, Hermione wanted to go to Dumbledore which I thought was a good idea but Harry said we didn't have proof. "Quirrells to scared to back us up. Snapes only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was no where near the third floor - who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, well all of us but Selena, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, were not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining." I had to agree with my brother there since this was something top secret and we shouldn't know about it. Harry finally seemed to be on board with us about leaving it alone but Ron didn't seem to get it. The next morning notes were delivered to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and me at the breakfast table. 

They all said the same thing: 

You detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall. Professor M. McGonagall.

When it came time for our detentions we all headed down to the entrance hall after saying goodbye to Ron at the common room. We saw Filch and Malfoy already there which had me groaning since I didn't want to be anywhere near Draco. Then we followed him all the way out to Hagrids hut with Filch complaining about letting the old punishment die out. I was happy to see Hagrid again along with Fang but I had to smile when Draco started acting scared of going into the Forbidden Forest. "The forest? We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard." I sighed knowing there were more dangerous creatures in there than that but none seemed to really care about it. "Abou' time, I bin waitin' fer an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione, Selena??" I smiled up at him already knowing that he was upset about Norbert having to leave but I knew he would be fine soon which had me happy as I walked over to him and hugged him. "It'll be ok Hagrid your baby will be just fine." I whispered to him which had him smiling while patting my back gently which I took as his thanks which had me smiling at him. Filch had told Hagrid not to be to friendly to us but Hagrid told him to mind his own business that he had done his bit. Then Filch left saying he'd be back at dawn for us, or what was left of us which had Draco and Neville frozen. I mentally prepared myself to face Voldemort while looking for an injured unicorn but since I already knew what was going to happen I was more on edge. 

"I'm not going in the forest." I could tell the others were able to hear the panicking in Draco's voice which we all knew he hated showing. "Yeh are if yeh want to stay at Hogwarts, yeh've done wrong an' now yeh got ter pay fer it." I was happy that someone had finally told Draco off for his you can't make me attitude and making him do his punishment. "But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd -" I just rolled my eyes wondering what he would have to do to get his father to scold him... probably date a Muggle or Mudblood since he hates them so much. Although Hagrid called him out on that since copying lines don't do much here at Hogwarts except help you forget everything else. "- tell her that's how it is at Hogwarts, "Copyin' lines! What goods that to anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think her father's rather you were expelled then get back off ter the castle and pack. Go on!" We all turned to look at Draco but he didn't move, he just looked at Hagrid furiously before looking down. "Right then follow me, now, listen. Carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what were going to do tonight, an' I don't want no once takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment." He led us through the very edge of the forest, he was holding his lamp high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track the as t disappeared into the think black trees. 

"Look here, see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. Theres a unicorn in there bin hurt Bat my summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. Were gonna tey an' find the poor thing. We might have ter pit it out of its misery." I flinched at that hating the fact that we might have to kill the unicorn because they are so very rare. '"And what if hurt the unicorn finds firat?" I could tell Draco was scared since he couldnt keep the fear out of his voice which but we were all a little scared. "There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang, An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split into two parties and' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around last night at least." I sighed knowing that this wasn't going to be good because Hagrid already said that we would be safe with him and Fang. "I want Fang." I looked at Draco like he was an idiot Fang may be big but hes a coward he runs whenever things get scary. "Alright, but I warn yeh, hes a coward. So me, Harry an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Serena, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get her wands out an' practice now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful- let's go." I sighed before heading down the path Hagrid said to take to see that it lead us down a small trail. Then Draco decided to pull a scare when he disappeared from us but I could still feel his mind around us so I wasn't scared. He managed to scare Neville pretty badly making him shoot of red sparks but right then something shot towards us. 

My hand started to turn really bad causing me to scream out and fall to the ground holding it since it felt like someone put an iron on it. However it was gone the minute Hagrid came running through so I smiled weakly at him feeling like I had a bad fever. Hagrid came over and picked me up before we headed back to the others with him fuming. I told him quietly what happened when we got back to the others Harry was really worried but I felt something coming to us which had my head pounding. I called out for help with it not realizing that Professor Snape was still in tune with my mind because of our practicing. So he showed up, I guess following the sparks path to us but when he saw me he looked worried before hiding it away. Hagrid explained quickly what happened before handing me over to him thanking him before we turned and headed back up to the school. I don't remember much but I do remember Snape calling out to someone to get Dumbledore to the infirmary. Which is where I woke up the next day with a sore body and pounding head, I also noticed Shina sleeping curled up around my scared hand that bore the S. The minute Madam Pomfrey saw that I was awake she came over with a cup of something which she wanted me to drink. 

"Professor Snape brought this for you my dear, he said it would help you recover." I nodded before drinking it before falling back asleep, when I woke up again I was still in the infirmary. "Good evening dearie, have something to eat." She said. Bringing over a plate and cup with silverware in it smiling, once she sat the plate down it filled with food I would normally eat. When I took out the silverware the cup also filled up with my drink so I began eating happily feeling a little better than I had before. I was also starting to worry about Harry, Hermione, and Neville since I left before they did plus I knew I had to thank Professor Snape for helping me when I needed it.