The Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon
Every time they passed through the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, and Hermione—often accompanied by Neville, Parvati, or someone else from their group—pressed their ears to the door to check if Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was prowling around in his usual bad temper, which Harry took as a good sign: the Philosopher's Stone must still be safe. Whenever Harry ran into Quirrell in the corridors, he gave the professor an encouraging smile, while Ron had taken to scolding anyone who made cruel remarks about Quirrell’s stutter.
Hermione, on the other hand, seemed more focused on the upcoming exams than on anything else. She had divided her notes into sections coded with different colors and was constantly trying to convince the others to do the same. Even Neville, who usually avoided organized studying, had been dragged to the library for an afternoon.
“But, Hermione, the exams are ages away!” burst out Seamus as she tried to hand out some color-coded parchments to the group.
“Ten weeks,” Hermione corrected impatiently. “Ten weeks is not ages. It’s nothing, and believe me, no one wants to face the exams unprepared.”
“Well, I’m not six hundred years old like Nicolas Flamel,” Ron grumbled, earning a stifled laugh from Dean. “And anyway, Hermione, you already know everything. What are you even revising?”
Hermione rolled her eyes. “Do you realize that we have to pass these exams to move on to the second year? They’re really important, and I should’ve started studying a month ago!”
“You’re not the only one who thinks that, Hermione,” said Parvati, who was helping Neville with a Charms exercise. “But a bit of sunshine wouldn’t hurt you. Look outside—it’s a perfect day.”
Indeed, the sky was a soft blue, and the air already carried the scent of summer. However, Harry hadn’t moved from his spot, engrossed in looking up “Dittany” in One Hundred Magical Herbs and Fungi, when he suddenly heard Ron exclaim, “Hagrid! What are you doing here in the library?”
Hagrid had appeared on the far side of the room, looking awkward and out of place in his moleskin coat, and seemed to be hiding something behind his back.
“Jus’… jus’ havin’ a look around,” he mumbled, casting a suspicious glance around. “What’re you lot doin’ here? You’re not still after Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?”
“Oh, we’ve already figured that out,” Ron replied smugly. “We also know what Fluffy’s guarding: a Philosopher’s Stone—”
“Shhh!” Hagrid looked agitated, glancing around quickly. “Yeh can’t go talkin’ about that stuff here! What’s got into yeh?”
“We just wanted to know how the Stone is being protected, other than Fluffy,” Harry said, trying not to sound too interested.
“SHHHH!” Hagrid waved a massive hand in front of Harry’s face. “Listen, if yeh want to talk, come down to my hut later. Don’t ask questions here! It’s bad enough that there’s a group of students pokin’ around everywhere. I don’t want anyone thinkin’ I told yeh anything!”
“Alright, see you later,” said Harry, watching as Hagrid lumbered out of the library.
Hermione tilted her head. “What was he hiding behind his back?”
“It didn’t look like anything ordinary,” added Parvati, watching Hagrid’s retreating figure thoughtfully.
Ron, intrigued, stood up. “Hang on, I’m going to see what he was reading.” He returned shortly with a pile of books and dropped them onto the table. “Dragons!” he whispered. “He was reading about dragons! Look: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland, From Egg to Inferno: A Dragon-Keeper’s Guide…”
“Hagrid’s always wanted a dragon,” Harry commented. “He told me that the first time we met.”
“But it’s illegal!” Ron protested. “Dragon breeding was banned by the Warlocks’ Convention of 1709. How does he think he’ll keep a dragon hidden?”
“He can’t,” said Neville, nodding. “They’ll find out straight away.”
“And besides, dragons are dangerous,” Ron added, unusually serious. “Charlie’s always told me that. They can’t be tamed, and they’ll burn anything in their path. Charlie’s gotten loads of burns in Romania. Hagrid’s about to get himself into huge trouble.”
“Water is wet, Ron,” said Seamus with a grin, earning a rude gesture from Ron.
“And are there wild dragons in Britain?” Dean asked, curious.
“Of course,” said Ron. “The Welsh Green and the Hebridean Black. The Ministry of Magic works hard to keep them secret. We’re always casting spells on Muggles who spot them to make them forget.”
“Then what on earth is Hagrid thinking?”
An hour later, Harry knocked on the door of Hagrid’s hut. Accompanying him were Ron, Hermione, Dean, and Parvati, while Seamus, Neville, and Lavender were too far behind on their study schedules to leave the library. All the curtains were drawn, and Hagrid asked, “Who’s there?” before letting them in. Once inside, he quickly shut the door behind them, glancing around suspiciously. The hut’s interior was stifling. Despite the cool day, a roaring fire blazed in the hearth. Hagrid made them sit, brewed some tea, and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they politely declined.
“So, yeh wanted ter ask me somethin’?” he said, sitting down.
“Yes,” Harry said bluntly. “We were wondering if you could tell us what else protects the Philosopher’s Stone, apart from Fluffy.”
Hagrid frowned at them. “O’ course I can’t tell yeh that. First, I don’t know everythin’ meself. Second, yeh already know too much, and I’m not sayin’ another word. That Stone’s here for a good reason. Barely stopped it bein’ stolen from Gringotts—yeh worked that out, didn’t yeh? But blow me down if I know how yeh figured out about Fluffy!”
“Come on, Hagrid,” Hermione said in a persuasive tone. “Maybe you don’t want to tell us, but you know. You know everything that happens around here. We just wondered who helped Dumbledore protect the Stone, besides you.”
Hagrid’s beard seemed to twitch—it was a smile. His chest swelled with pride.
“Well, I s’pose there’s no harm in tellin’ yeh that,” he said, looking pleased. “Dumbledore borrowed Fluffy from me… then there’s some o’ the teachers who put enchantments on it: Professor Sprout, Professor Sinistra, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall…” He counted on his fingers as he spoke. “Professor Quirrell, and o’ course Dumbledore. Hold on. I’m forgettin’ someone. Ah, yes, Snape.”
“Snape?” Harry exclaimed.
“Aye. But listen ter me—yeh’re not still thinkin’ bad o’ Snape, are yeh? I told yeh, Snape doesn’t want ter steal anythin’. He helped protect the Stone.”
Harry didn’t reply. His brain was working frantically. He knew the others were thinking the same thing: if Snape knew the protective enchantments, it wouldn’t be hard for him to figure out the details of the others’ spells. The only real obstacle seemed to be getting past Fluffy and Quirrell’s enchantment.
“You’re the only one who knows how to calm Fluffy, right?” Harry asked, trying to mask his anxiety. “You wouldn’t tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?”
“Not a soul knows, jus’ me an’ Dumbledore,” Hagrid replied proudly.
“Well, at least that’s a relief,” Harry whispered to the others. Then he added, “Hagrid, couldn’t we open a window? It’s boiling in here.”
“No can do, Harry, sorry,” Hagrid said, glancing at the fireplace.
Harry followed his gaze and saw something he could hardly believe. Right in the center of the hearth, under the kettle, was a massive black egg.
“Hey, Hagrid, what’s that?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
“Oh, that…” Hagrid fiddled nervously with his beard. “Er… I won it. Last night. I was down in the village, had a few drinks, and played cards with a stranger. He was real keen to get rid of it.”
“That must’ve cost you a fortune!” Ron exclaimed, leaning closer to inspect it. “What are you going to do when it hatches?” Hermione asked, alarmed.
“Well, I’ve been doin’ a bit o’ readin’.” Hagrid pulled out a hefty book from under the mattress. “Got this from the library: Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit. Bit outdated, but it’s got everything. Says yeh have to keep the egg in a blazing fire, ‘cause dragon mothers warm their eggs with their breath. Then, when it hatches, yeh feed it a bucket o’ brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. Mine’s a Norwegian Ridgeback. Rare breed.”
“But, Hagrid…” Parvati began, eyeing the egg warily. “You live in a wooden hut.”
“Don’t yeh worry, Parvati, I know what I’m doin’!” Hagrid said cheerfully, ignoring their worried faces.
And so, they had something else to worry about now: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.
“I wonder what it’s like to live a quiet life,” Ron sighed during one of the many evenings spent slogging through their Easter holiday homework. Hermione had extended her revision schedule to include everyone, even Neville and Seamus, and was making Harry and Ron stick to it religiously.
“Just think, we could tell Dumbledore and solve everything,” Dean said, sitting down with them in the library. “Though I know Hagrid would never forgive us.”
“We can’t involve Dumbledore,” Parvati said thoughtfully. “But a dragon… that’s no joke.”
The conversation continued in hushed tones but was abruptly interrupted when Hedwig flew in with a letter for Harry. Quick as lightning, Harry opened it: it was Sirius’s response to the letter he’d sent asking for advice after learning what Hagrid had done.
Dear Harry,
Hagrid is a loyal friend, but this time he’s gotten himself into a real mess. Don’t try to handle this on your own—it’s too risky. Didn’t Ron tell you at Christmas that his brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania? Contact him. He’s your best solution. Act quickly, before someone finds out.
Keep your eyes open.
Sirius.
Harry read the letter aloud to his friends.
“Charlie!” Ron exclaimed excitedly. “It’s perfect! He works with dragons—he can take care of Norbert. I just need to send him an owl.”
“First, we need to talk to Hagrid,” Hermione said. “He won’t give up the dragon easily.”
The next morning, during breakfast, Hedwig brought Harry a message from Hagrid. Inside were just three words: It’s hatching.
“We have to go now!” Parvati said excitedly.
“We can’t skip Herbology,” Hermione protested.
“How many chances do we have to see a dragon hatch?” Seamus retorted.
As they argued, Malfoy passed by their table and slowed down, listening closely. Parvati, without realizing it, said, “It’s so exciting! A real dragon!”
Malfoy paused for a moment, a gleam of malice lighting up his face, then walked off with an air of indifference. Harry watched him: he didn’t like the expression on Malfoy’s face at all.
“Parvati!” Hermione hissed. “If Malfoy overheard us, we’re finished!”
“I’m sorry,” Parvati stammered. “I didn’t think he was listening!”
After Herbology, the group rushed to Hagrid’s hut. They arrived just in time to see the egg crack open and a small, wrinkled dragon tumble onto the table. Hagrid watched it with shining eyes, ignoring their worried looks.
“Isn’t he beautiful?” Hagrid murmured, reaching out to stroke the creature’s head. It lunged to bite his fingers, revealing sharp fangs.
“Bless him… Look, he knows his mummy!” Hagrid said.
“Hagrid,” Hermione said, “how long does it take a Norwegian Ridgeback to grow?”
“Less than a month… I think…” Neville said hesitantly, looking to Hagrid for confirmation.
Hagrid was about to reply when his face suddenly went pale. He leapt up and ran to the window.
“What is it?”
“There was someone peering through the curtains… a boy… he ran back to the school.”
Harry dashed to the door and looked out. Even at a distance, it was impossible not to recognize him. Malfoy had seen the dragon. There was something about the smug grin Malfoy wore on his face all week that deeply unsettled the first-year Gryffindors. Taking turns, they spent much of their free time in Hagrid’s dimly lit hut, trying to reason with him.
“Look, you need to let him go,” Harry urged. “Set him free.”
“I can’t,” Hagrid replied. “He’s too little. He’d die.” They glanced at the dragon. In just a week, he had tripled in size. Smoke constantly curled out of his nostrils. Hagrid had neglected his duties as gamekeeper, so busy was he with the dragon. The floor was littered with empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers.
“I’ve decided to call him Norbert,” Hagrid said, gazing at the dragon with teary eyes. “He really knows me—look. Norbert! Norbert! Where’s your mum?”
“He’s gone mad,” Ron muttered in Harry’s ear.
“Hagrid,” Harry said loudly, “in two weeks, Norbert will be as big as your house. Malfoy could tell Dumbledore everything at any moment.”
Hagrid bit his lip.
“I know… I know I can’t keep him forever, but I can’t just chuck him out, can I?”
Harry suddenly turned to Ron.
Then Dean reminded Harry of Sirius’s letter.
“Dean, you’re right—Charlie!” Harry exclaimed. “Your brother, Ron! He could take care of Norbert.”
Ron slapped his forehead. “Why didn’t I think of that before? I’ll write to Charlie straight away. Hagrid, is that alright?”
In the end, Hagrid agreed to send an owl to Charlie to ask if it was possible.
The following week passed slowly. Finally, Wednesday evening arrived. Hermione and Harry were sitting with Dean and Parvati in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just struck midnight when the portrait hole suddenly swung open. Ron appeared out of nowhere, pulling off the Invisibility Cloak. He had been down at Hagrid’s hut, helping feed Norbert, who was now devouring dead rats by the bucketload.
“He bit me!” Ron said, showing them his hand, wrapped in a bloodstained handkerchief. “I won’t be able to hold a quill for a week. I’m telling you, dragons are the most horrible creatures I’ve ever seen, but from the way Hagrid treats him, you’d think he was a fluffy white bunny. When Norbert bit me, Hagrid scolded me for scaring him. And when I left, he was singing him a lullaby.”
A tapping came at the now-dark window.
“Hedwig!” Harry exclaimed, rushing to open it. “She must have Charlie’s reply!”
Harry read the letter aloud to the other Gryffindors:
Ron,
How are you? Thanks for the letter. I’d be happy to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won’t be easy to get him here. I think the best plan is to hand him over to some friends of mine who’ll be visiting me next week. The tricky part is they can’t be seen smuggling a dragon.
Can you get the Ridgeback up to the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it’s still dark.
Send me a reply as soon as you can.
Love,
Charlie
They looked at one another.
“We’ve got the Invisibility Cloak,” Harry said. “It shouldn’t be too hard… I think the cloak is big enough to cover two of us and Norbert.”
That week had been so exhausting that all seven Gryffindors immediately agreed: they’d do anything to get rid of Norbert… and Malfoy.
But there was a hitch. The next morning, Ron’s hand had swollen to twice its normal size. He wasn’t sure if he should go to Madam Pomfrey—what if she realized it was a dragon bite? By afternoon, he had no choice; the wound had turned an ugly shade of green. Apparently, Norbert’s fangs were venomous.
By the end of the day, the other seven Gryffindors rushed to the hospital wing to find Ron lying in bed, looking miserable.
“It’s not just the hand,” he whispered, “though it feels like it’s about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books, and with that excuse, he came in to have a laugh at my expense. He hasn’t stopped threatening to tell everyone what bit me… I said it was a dog, but I don’t think Pomfrey believed me. I never should’ve hit him at that Quidditch match—this is his revenge.”
The other Gryffindors tried to comfort him.
“By midnight on Saturday, this will all be over,” Hermione said, but Ron didn’t seem reassured. In fact, he sat up suddenly, sweating.
“Midnight on Saturday!” he croaked. “Oh no… oh no… I just remembered… in the book Malfoy borrowed, I left Charlie’s letter! He knows we’re getting rid of Norbert!”
None of them had time to reply. At that moment, Madam Pomfrey came in and ushered them out, saying Ron needed rest.
Harry and Hermione left the hospital wing with Neville, Parvati, Seamus, Lavender, and Dean, nervously discussing the situation as they wandered through the castle’s nearly deserted corridors. Ron’s revelation that Malfoy had Charlie’s letter had everyone on edge.
“We have to act quickly,” Hermione said, frowning. “Malfoy knows everything, and if he decides to tell someone, we’re done for.”
“He won’t just tell,” Neville said anxiously. “He’ll twist it to make it seem like we’re the ones behind all of this, even though it’s Hagrid who has the dragon.”
“Exactly,” Harry added, clenching his fists. “We can’t wait for him to make the first move. We need to do something.”
Seamus broke the silence. “Then let’s create a good distraction. If Malfoy wants to snitch, he’ll need Filch. So, let’s take Filch out of the equation. We’ll lock him up in a classroom or somewhere he can’t move.”
Hermione stared at him in disbelief. “Lock up Filch? And how do you plan to do that without getting caught?”
“Well, a good diversion never hurts,” Seamus replied with a sly grin. “A little explosion here and there, nothing too dangerous. Maybe I’ll use something like the spark trick I tried in Charms. Once Filch is distracted, we lock him up.”
“And what about Mrs. Norris?” Lavender asked, watching the plan unfold with her usual mix of excitement and concern. “Filch never goes anywhere without that cat. If we don’t deal with her, she’ll find us anyway.”
“We can lure Mrs. Norris somewhere with food,” Neville suggested nervously. “Or maybe a spell… something to make her chase a light?”
“I’ll handle Mrs. Norris,” Lavender said firmly. “With some leftover meat from the kitchen and a simple charm to lure her, I can keep her away.”
Harry nodded, trying to process it all. “And Malfoy? We can’t leave him free to do whatever he wants.”
“I’ll keep an eye on Malfoy,” Dean volunteered. “If he tries to head for the Astronomy Tower or talk to anyone, I’ll stop him. I’ll make it look like an accident, but I won’t let him get away with it.”
“And us?” Parvati asked, looking at Harry and Hermione.
“You and Neville will stand guard after helping us carry Norbert’s crate,” Harry replied. “You’ll stay at the entrance to the Astronomy Tower to make sure no one sees us carrying Norbert. If anyone comes, warn us.”
Neville gulped but nodded. “I can do that. But… what if we’re caught?”
“We won’t be caught,” Hermione said confidently. “But if it happens, we’ll come up with an excuse.”
Harry rubbed his chin, thinking through the plan. “To sum up: Seamus, you’ll handle the diversion. Filch will leave, and we’ll lock him up in a classroom. Lavender, you’ll distract Mrs. Norris. Dean, you’ll follow Malfoy and stop him if he tries to interfere. Neville and Parvati, you’ll stand guard at the Astronomy Tower entrance. Hermione and I will handle Norbert. Everyone clear?”
The group nodded, though no one looked completely confident in the plan. Hermione took a deep breath.
“We only have one shot,” she said. “We can’t afford to mess this up.”
Harry looked around, meeting each of his friends’ eyes. “We’re doing this for Hagrid,” he said firmly. “And to stop Malfoy from ruining us all.”
With the plan decided, they dispersed to prepare for the decisive night.
Finally, the time had come to get rid of Norbert. It was a cold, cloudy night, and Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Parvati made their way to Hagrid’s hut with silent but determined steps. They arrived a bit late, having had to wait for Peeves to tire of throwing chalk at the portraits in the entrance hall. When they reached the hut, they saw Fang, Hagrid’s boarhound, lying outside with a bandaged tail.
Hagrid spoke to them from the window without opening the door. “I’m not letting you in,” he explained, his voice heavy with sadness. “Norbert’s in a mischievous mood. But… I’ve got him ready. He’s in the crate.” His massive figure moved away, and they could hear the familiar thumping of Norbert’s tail against the wall.
When Harry explained that everything was ready and that Charlie’s friends would be coming, Hagrid’s eyes filled with tears. Perhaps, though, it was also because Norbert had just bitten his leg. “Ouch! It’s fine, got me on the boot… it’s just playin’. After all, he’s still just a baby.”
“Baby?” Parvati murmured, staring in horror at the crate, which was shaking violently under the dragon’s blows.
With one final, trembling “Goodbye, Norbert!” Hagrid allowed Harry and Hermione to lift the crate. Neville and Parvati followed closely, keeping a step behind as lookouts, ready to intervene if any problems arose.
The trek up to the castle was a herculean task. The crate was as heavy as a ton and constantly wriggled, making every step more difficult than the last. Harry and Hermione exchanged frustrated glances but said nothing, focusing on not dropping their precious cargo.
As they crossed a deserted corridor, a noise made them freeze. A thud, followed by an angry voice: “Let me out, you scoundrels!” It was Filch. Harry and Hermione stopped dead, holding their breath.
“Seamus did his job,” Neville whispered with a hint of relief. Parvati nodded, keeping her eyes fixed behind the group, ready to alert them to any danger.
Farther ahead, they found Dean waiting next to a suit of armor. He took off the Invisibility Cloak as they approached. “Lavender locked Mrs. Norris in a classroom near the Gryffindor Tower, and McGonagall caught Malfoy,” he said with a satisfied smile. “He tried to follow you, but I tripped him, and she found him just as he was getting up. She said she’s going to report him to Snape.”
“Nice work, Dean,” Harry said gratefully. “You just saved us a lot of trouble. Now head back to the dormitory.” Dean handed him the cloak and dashed off, while Harry and Hermione slipped under the cloak with Norbert.
They reached the Astronomy Tower without further issues. With Neville and Parvati’s help, Harry and Hermione carried the crate to the top, while the other two stayed at the door to keep watch. The cold night air hit them full on, and for the first time in hours, they could breathe freely.
Shortly after reaching the top of the tower, as Norbert continued thumping his tail against the walls of the crate, four figures emerged from the darkness on broomsticks. The faint sound of bristles landing on the stone floor echoed in the silent night. The figures dismounted swiftly and decisively.
The first to approach was a girl with tightly braided hair, her face lit by a cordial but determined smile. “Here we are,” she said, looking toward the crate with a raised eyebrow. “Norwegian Ridgeback, right? Charlie told us about you.” She turned to Harry and extended her hand. “Liz Tuttle.”
Harry shook her hand. “Harry Potter. Thanks for coming.”
“I don’t think you needed an introduction, Potter,” said a slim boy with curly hair and a slightly amused tone. He had a sharp air about him, and his eyes seemed to take in every detail. “John Fawcett. I was told you were famous, but I didn’t expect you to be so… normal.”
Harry blushed slightly and exchanged a glance with Hermione, who had already started observing the newcomers intently.
“Charlie’s told us a lot about you,” another boy chimed in. He was tall and sturdy, with a friendly, open expression. His hair was messy, and his relaxed demeanor put others at ease. “Barnaby Lee. And I guess you’re Hermione Granger, right?” he asked, addressing the girl next to Harry.
Hermione looked surprised. “Yes, how do you know?”
Barnaby smiled. “Charlie said you’re the one who keeps Harry, his brother, and the rest of the group out of trouble… or at least tries to.”
“I don’t always succeed,” Hermione murmured, blushing.
“And I’m Merula Snyde,” the last girl said, stepping forward. She had a sharp gaze and a smile that seemed almost challenging. She paused for a moment, sizing Harry up from head to toe. “So you’re really Harry Potter, huh? I expected someone taller.” Her tone was ironic but not overtly hostile.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Harry replied with a tone that surprised even himself. Merula laughed, tilting her head slightly.
“Not bad,” she said. “Charlie was right—you’re sharp.”
Liz rolled her eyes. “Merula, please. Let’s focus on the dragon.”
The attention returned to the crate, which was still trembling and emitting unsettling noises. Norbert, evidently, was not pleased about the imminent transport.
“Alright, let’s get this little guy sorted,” Barnaby said, approaching the crate. “Harry, Hermione, can you help us tie it to the supports?”
With some difficulty and plenty of sparks flying from Norbert’s nostrils, the group finally managed to secure the crate to the harnesses Charlie’s team had designed. Jacob worked quickly and precisely, while Liz supervised, ensuring everything was properly fastened. Barnaby lifted the crate with one arm to test the harness’s strength, while Merula stepped back to observe the trails of smoke rising into the night.
“Perfect,” Liz said with a satisfied nod. “Now we’ll take it from here.”
John turned to Harry and extended his hand. “Great job. Charlie will be glad to hear you handled everything smoothly.”
Harry exchanged a glance with Hermione, who seemed about to correct him, but he shook Jacob’s hand. “Thanks for coming.”
“It’s not every day you get to transport a dragon,” Merula said, climbing deftly onto her broom. “I like it when things get interesting.”
Barnaby shot her an exasperated look. “Not too interesting, please.”
As the four soared off into the night with Norbert securely strapped between them, Harry and Hermione watched until they disappeared into the horizon. A sense of relief washed over them, and they exchanged tired smiles.
Descending from the tower, Harry and Hermione rejoined Parvati and Neville, who were waiting for them with triumphant smiles.
“It’s done!” Parvati exclaimed. “Norbert’s safe, and Malfoy got caught!”
“Finally, we can breathe easy,” Neville added, visibly relaxed. But the moment didn’t last. A familiar, stern voice stopped them in their tracks.
“Are you so sure about that?” Percy Weasley emerged from the shadows, arms crossed. His face was serious, and his eyes moved from one of them to the next with an expression of disapproval. “It seems to me you have a lot of explaining to do…”
Harry felt the blood drain from his face as Percy stepped forward, and their relief turned to pure terror.