Norbert.

Harry and Ron practically burst into the Great Hall, faces flushed and sweat glistening on their foreheads.

Aster smirked, watching them catch their breath. "Didn't know you two liked to run. Want to accompany me tomorrow before dawn?"

Both Harry and Ron blurted out in perfect unison, "NO!"

Ron dropped heavily into the chair beside him, still panting. "I think Hagrid has a baby dragon."

Harry nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, it's small but—"

Before Aster could say anything, Hermione cut in sharply, "Don't be stupid. Hagrid is Hogwarts staff; he knows having dragons is illegal."

Aster glanced sideways at her, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure? He doesn't seem much… trustworthy when it comes to following rules and norms."

Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't argue further. Ron and Harry exchanged a grin, already imagining the chaos a baby dragon could bring.

Aster just shook his head, amusement flickering behind his calm exterior. "Well, if there is a dragon, I want to see it."

Aster finally made his way to Hagrid's hut one quiet afternoon. The warm, earthy scent of the small pumpkin patch mixed with the smoke trailing from the chimney. It was peaceful—until he knocked on the door and heard a low groan from inside.

Hagrid opened the door, wincing as he moved, his arm bandaged hastily with a tea towel.

"You alright?" Aster asked, stepping inside without waiting for an answer.

"'M fine," Hagrid muttered, but Aster's sharp eyes caught the darkening bruise on his side and the stiff way he walked. Clearly, something had gone wrong.

"You need Wiggenweld potion," Aster said. "I can brew it, but it'll take time."

Hagrid grunted. "Don't bother yerself. I'll be alright."

Then, from the corner of the room, a screech cut through the air. Aster turned just as a small, black-scaled baby dragon bared its tiny fangs. It hissed and flared its wings, but then stopped. Its golden eyes locked onto Aster's violet ones.

To everyone's shock, the dragon sprinted, then leapt onto Aster, knocking him backward. But instead of attacking, it curled against him like a pup, snorting affectionately.

Ron blinked. "Dragons shouldn't do that." He stepped closer, brows furrowed. "My brother works with dragons. That's not normal."

Hagrid beamed. "Ain't he cute? He just needs a bit of trainin', that's all."

Hermione crossed her arms. "No, Hagrid. It's acting like that with Aster. Not with you. That's dangerous. You need to release it."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, I can owl Charlie. He'll know what to do." He paused, eyeing Aster on the floor being enthusiastically licked by the dragon. "He's… probably going to want to study why it's acting like a Kneazle with you."

Hermione's expression hardened. "Hagrid, it's illegal to even have a dragon egg. How did you get it?"

Hagrid froze. His lips moved before his mind caught up. "A man in Hogsmeade… he was havin' trouble with a three-headed dog, and I helped him and—"

He clamped his mouth shut. Eyes wide. Too late.

Hermione's tone turned icy. "What man?"

Hagrid looked between them, suddenly shrinking under the weight of their stares. "That's it, kids. Fine..." His voice broke, and he looked to Norbert, the little dragon now snuggled on Aster's lap. Tears welled in his eyes. "I'll let yeh handle it."

As Ron scribbled a note for Charlie and Hermione began pacing in thought, Aster stayed silent. Norbert's claws dug slightly into his shoulder as it purred, but he didn't push it away.

Instead, he thought quietly to himself:

"Pretty irresponsible… but maybe useful. That man must've known about Fluffy. This isn't just about a dragon."

He ran a hand down Norbert's spiked spine, still thinking.

Ron leaned slightly toward Aster as they moved through the shadows of the courtyard, Norbert nestled against Aster's back with surprising calm. "Hey," Ron whispered, nodding toward a figure lurking near the edge of the Astronomy wing. "I think Draco saw us. He's been watching from the window since we left Hagrid's."

Aster didn't even glance over. "Let him try," he said calmly, adjusting Norbert's weight. His tone carried no fear, just quiet certainty. Ron frowned but didn't argue. You didn't need to be a genius to know Aster wasn't bluffing.

A week later, under the cloak of darkness, the four of them made their final journey to the Astronomy Tower.

To everyone's surprise, it was easier than expected. Maybe too easy.

Norbert clung to Aster's back like a barnacle, growling contentedly. The staircases didn't shift. Peeves was nowhere to be found. And even Filch seemed to be off somewhere grumbling about muddy footprints instead of lurking near the tower. Nyx flew above them, wings fluttering in sharp bursts of irritation, cawing angrily at the situation.

When they finally reached the tower and stepped into the moonlight, Norbert stirred and bit into Aster's hand.

"Ouch!" Aster winced, drawing his hand back instinctively. The wound was shallow, but unexpected. Norbert didn't growl or hiss; it didn't seem malicious. Just instinct. Or fear. Or maybe confusion.

"I told you," Hermione snapped. "He's dangerous. Now not even Aster is safe."

Aster gave her a look, not anger, but weary resignation. "He didn't mean it," he muttered, wrapping his hand with a strip of cloth. "He's just scared."

Hermione didn't reply. She stood stiffly, arms crossed, though her eyes flicked worriedly between Aster's hand and the restless Norbert.

Then Aster turned to Harry. "Hey… where did you get that Invisibility Cloak? You didn't have it before."

Harry blinked, caught off guard. "Oh. Uh—Christmas. It was just… there. No note, just a package left for me. Dumbledore said it was my father's."

Aster nodded thoughtfully. "That's… interesting." He didn't elaborate, but the glint in his violet eyes said he was filing the information away for later. Aster himself had discovered strange artifacts in the Black family vault, things that pulsed with old, forbidden magic. He had an inkling this cloak was something similar, not just rare, but powerful.

The night air shifted as the thrum of dragon wings echoed overhead. Charlie's team had arrived. They moved swiftly and silently, cloaking Norbert in enchanted chains that didn't harm, only suppressed.

As Norbert was taken, he didn't hiss or fight. He looked back at Aster with something like recognition. Not sorrow. Not anger. Just understanding.

"I think he liked you," Ron said, scratching his head.

Aster nodded.