Norwegian Ridgeback
“This is the common room. As you heard before, you need a verbal password to get in. It will change every two weeks, so keep an eye out on the notice board. Do you have any questions, Chuuya?”
Chuuya looked around at his housemates- only one look around the room- before his gaze returned to his Transfiguration teacher.
“Yes, actually. Which one of these rooms is my dormitory?”
At least Dumbledore, after introducing him to all his teachers, stopped chaperoning him around. Professor McGonagall, luckily, was someone who didn’t talk too much nor ask too many questions. He was getting tired of just talking to Dumbledore.
“You’re a fourth year, aren’t you? Well, your dormitory is all the way up the tower. Do you need help with your things?”
“No, I’ve got it. Thank you.”
“I’ll be in my office if you need me then, Nakahara.”
Once she disappeared out of the entrance, he took another look around, noticing how many people were staring at him. Only at the very top of one of the towers did he stop. At least, there weren’t that many stairs. He set down his things and knocked on the door, before swinging it open. Chuuya realized that it didn’t have a lock- was that a privacy issue? - before quickly paying full attention to the boy and girl sat on the floor there.
Ron, he thinks, by his orange curls (Chuuya’s was a lot longer and a lot brighter than the Weasleys, at least) and that must mean the girl is... Hermione, right? Yeah. Dazai mentioned that they did a lot together. Ron’s eyes were narrowed on him. He kept his composure. Hermione, too, looked straight at him, although her cheeks were a bit red. There was no one else in the dormitory, but there was a spare bed.
“...Who are you?”
Yep, a long year indeed. The British accents were starting to drive him mad. He took a deep breath and looked at them, still not moving from the doorway.
“Chuuya Nakahara. I’m a new student in your class, it’s a pleasure... But what are you doing?”
He bowed his head at them and then lifted his luggage. Ron and Hermione watched him take it to the spare bed (conveniently, furthest from the door. Who wouldn’t take this bed?) and shove it under.
“Oh. Well, I’m Hermione Granger, and this is Ron Weasley. Ah, and we weren’t doing anything but studying!”
He peered over his shoulder at their books. It obviously wasn’t for an assignment, then, judging by the lack of writing material and paper to copy it down onto. Ron seemed a little more awkward with him, even as he sat down between them. Perhaps befriending some of these guys who know Dazai would prove helpful later on, depending on how Dazai wants to use him.
“...Dragons? Why would you need to study about them, of all things?”
“O-oh! It’s nothing, of course... They just seemed interesting!”
“Mhm! Uh, yeah... Hagrid said he always wanted to have one as a pet, and so we decided to find out more about it!”
Between their excuses, he stared at them blankly, blissfully unaware that dragon breeding was illegal, and the reason for their fluster was the fact that they were looking after an illegal dragon in Hogwarts. His eyes skimmed the page.
‘Norwegian Ridgebacks are very easily agitated compared to most other dragon species and are prone to attacking whatever witches or wizards it comes across. In some cases, this is because a mother (or father) Ridgeback is protecting their eggs in a nest. If they think a Wizard of Witch a threat to them or their young, they will get very aggressive.
Usually, this spells disaster for any Witch or Wizard trying to bypass one, so if you ever come across a Norwegian Ridgeback, the best thing you can do is turn around and run away. Sometimes, you won’t have enough time to do this, so causing a distraction by casting Incedio on a nearby flammable object and luring the dragon to it will suffice.
There have only been a select few who have been able to kill a Norwegian Ridgeback without dying on the spot. For example:
Juliette (no last name found), Representing Beauxbatons in the Triwizard tournament, 1432. Even as the first Witch to take part in the Triwizard tournament, she died in the first round and her body was never found as it was eaten by another participant’s dragon (which had escaped from its section).
Sven Krout, Representing Drumstrang in the Triwizard tournament, 1657. He was later hospitalized and died due to the venom which came from the bite of the Norwegian Ridgeback (read page 247 for more details).
Alissa Bourey, Representing Hogwarts in the Triwizard tournament, 1777. She was later hospitalized and died due to blood loss.
Francis Lumiere, Representing Beauxbatons in the Triwizard tournament, 1792. He was later hospitalized with major injuries and recovered, standing as the only Wizard (or Witch) to have survived a battle with a Norwegian Ridgeback.
To summarize, when you come across a Norwegian Ridgeback, do not try to fight it.’
“Oh, okay? Hey, what’s the... Triwizard tournament?”
“Huh!? You don’t know, Chuuya!? It’s like, the biggest tournament for anyone in Hogwarts!”
“Especially because we’re hosting it this year. Been two hundred years... well just about, since it shut down due to high death toll,” Ron said, “But Perce- My brother, Percy, who works in the ministry- told me along with the rest of my siblings and Hermione that it was coming back. A bit of an open secret, now.”
Hermione swallowed, looking uncomfortable at the idea that the Triwizard tournament was still happening. He stared down at it in disbelief. Only four people? Surely, he’d be able to kill a dragon. With his ability, sure, but... Perhaps not with just magic. He hasn’t even tried using magic, yet!
“Huh. That’s interesting.”
Hermione looked at the clock hanging above the door and promptly stood up. Ron did as well, after closing his book. Chuuya, hesitantly, joined them, choosing to stretch as they left the dormitory. The Gryffindor common room was as full as how he left it.
“Time for dinner. We best get there early enough to get a good seat close to the professors, if we’re ought to hear anything about the Triwizard tournament. We’ll pick up on our studies when we get back.”
“How can you guys tell its dinner without a bell or anything?”
“Well, we just pay attention to our timetables. Speaking of, did you get yours from Professor McGonagall?”
“Not yet. She asked me to pick out some subjects earlier, then said that she’d get a timetable prepared for me by dinner.”
“Oh yeah. Wouldn’t it be better for you to hang out with some of our other classmates during dinner today? I mean, getting to know more people than just the two of us...”
“It would be. Thanks for the advice, Ron.”
He barely paid any attention while they walked until Hermione was pushing some... rather large doors out of the way and they entered a hall of some sorts. Four long tables sat in the middle of the room, with a sort of banner hanging from the edge on either side to stand for the house. On the other side of the hall, however, there was a platform and a smaller table sat sideways to host all the teachers. He recognized them all.
There was already food on the table even though there weren’t that many people out, so when Hermione pointed over at a boy (called Neville, he heard) surrounded by a few other Gryffindors, before promptly disappearing off to the other end of the table, he decided to go become friends with him. As Ron followed her, he snuck a glance over at the Slytherin table.
“Dazai doesn’t usually show up to dinner. Perhaps Blaise managed to drag him there today,” he heard Ron whisper almost under his breath.
He ignored it (secretly hoping that Dazai had been eating enough in his absence) and joined the pack of Gryffindors at the table.