Quidditch, Fluffy and a Dragon
For the next few weeks was pretty calm compared to Halloween. This Saturday was the first Quidditch game of the season between Gryffindor and Slytherin. When he made the team, he practiced on one of the school brooms. One day after the mail came in Harry saw his owl carrying something to him; he was curious because he never received mail before. He took the parcel, which oddly enough was a poorly wrapped broomstick to the tower. Wood’s excitement was an understatement when he showed his new Nimbus2000, stating “We’ll definitely win the cup this year"
On the day of the game Harry sat at the breakfast table picking at his food. Hermione was one side nagging him to eat, while Ron was stuffing his face on the other side of him. Snape came limping forward, “Good game today Gryffindors’ even if it’s against Slytherin” and he limped away. “What was that about?” asks Ron as Fred and George got up from the opposite side of the table. “ He does that every year since he’s Head of Slytherin House” “Yeah, trying to show sportsmanship or something” replied the twins after one another. As the twins leave Harry nudges Ron and Hermione “Did you notice Snape limping?”, Ron huffs “ yeah what about it?” Harry was about to answer before Wood came up and told Harry to head down to the pitch.
Harry was soaring above the stands looking for the Snitch. He snorted at some of the commentary that Lee Jordan was giving with McGonagall chastising alongside him. Gryffindor was ahead, until Flint from Slytherin took a beater's bat and took out Wood. One thing’s for sure Slytherin played dirty. He saw a glint of gold and shot after it. Then his broom lurched and bucked, in the stands, Hermione grabbed Hagrid’s binoculars and searched the stands. Her eyes settled on the teacher’s stands and saw Snape looking at Harry, lips moving. What she didn’t see was Quirrell looking at Harry the same way. She gave the binoculars to Ron, “ It’s Snape he’s jinxing the broom” she states before running off towards the other side of the stands. When she got to the stand where Snape was standing, Harry was now hanging from his broom for dear life; Hermione takes out her wand and points it at the hem of Snape’s robes. “Incarnem inflamalde” she whispered and a jet of flames shout out of her wand, once Snape realized he was on fire she ran back to her seat, knocking over Quirrell.
Harry pulled himself up onto his broom once it stopped moving erratically. He caught up to Slytherins’ Seeker who was heading towards the Snitch. Both he and the other Seeker dove, closer and closer to the ground they came; only Harry dared to follow all the way; even standing on his broom to reach it better. That’s when he toppled to the ground, feeling something trying to come up he lurched and out pops the Snitch! He won the game for Gryffindor! The other captain, Flint was protesting “ He didn’t catch it! He nearly SWALLOWED it!” but no one paid him any mind.
That night in Gryffindor Tower was loud, even though it was the first game of the season. Harry who decided that overly loud, brash parties were not for him. He made and excuse to go study for Herbology and left for the Library; which was open late during weekends.
At one of the Library Tables sat Hermione and Neville. Harry places his bookbag on the back of the chair and sits down. With small glances, his tablemates say hello, and got back to studying. Turns out Neville was quite good at Herbology and was able to help with some of the questions. It was hours before Ron came looking for them, a little miffed that Harry left without telling him.
They walked the long corridors and up the staircases to Gryffindor Tower. Suddenly the staircase they were on moved! They all held on for dear life and as soon as it stopped moving they continued up it. The passageway was different. And he had the feeling that they weren’t supposed to be there. They ran into Filtch’s cat Mrs. Norris; Shite, they were in the third-floor forbidden corridor.
They all started to run, and there was only one door available to them but it was locked! Ron was panicking, Neville looked like he was about to faint. He was about to run again when Hermione whisper-shouted “ Oh, move over.” and pointed her wand at the lock “Alohomora”. There was a click and the door swung open; they ran inside and closed the door.
That was a big mistake, as Neville whimpered and tapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry turned and stumbled backward bumping into Ron. The remaining kids turned around and saw a massive three-headed dog sleeping. The dog, dogs? Stirred and woke up and growled at the quartet who all screamed, and ran out of the room; shutting the door as fast as possible.
They were out of breath when they reached the portrait, Hermione gave the password and they walked through. “What were they thinking?! Keeping that thing locked in a school” shouted Ron, Harry had to agree. Neville walked over to a nearby sofa and fainted upon it. “ Well, you weren’t using your eyes then, it’s lying over a trap door, which means it’s guarding something” explained Hermione, walking towards the staircase. “ Now, I’m going to bed, before the both of you come up with more ways to get us killed or worse expelled. Make sure Neville’s okay.” And she disappears up the girls’ staircase.
Ron had a mixed look on his face, “ She really needs to sort out her priorities”.
It was now mid-November, and Harry was not as interested in the three-headed dog as much as Dumbledore would like. He placed a story in a transfigured Daily Prophet, with a compulsion charm on it, to have it delivered to Ron Weasley, knowing Harry would read it as the boy doesn’t receive mail. The mail came that morning and he smirked as he saw Harry grab the newspaper and tapped Weasley and gestured to Granger to come closer.
At the Gryffindor Table
“ That’s the vault Hagrid and I went to, he said it was Hogwarts’s business.” Harry said confused. “ So” Ron said with a mouth full of food.” Harry sat for a moment, “ So that’s what the dog is guarding”. “ What’s it guarding?” Hermione prodded. Harry puts down the paper “ I don’t know, but I think Hagrid might.” He got up and the other two got up and followed him.
After the day’s classes Harry, Ron and Hermione walked the winding path to Hagrid’s hut. Harry knocked on the door and Hagrid let them in, putting a kettle on for tea. They sat around the table, their legs dangling off the large furniture; talking about their classes. It was Harry who inadvertently brought up the subject of the Gringotts robbery.
“Tha’ be none of ya business Harry” Hagrid scolded, “ That business is between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.” Realizing he said something he shouldn’t have, “Shouldn’t have said that” Hagrid mutters.
“Who’s Nicholas Flamel? And does it have to do anything with the three-headed dog?” Asked Harry.
“Who told ya abou’ Fluffy?” questions Hagrid exasperated.
“ That thing has a name?” shouts Hermione placing her tea mug on the table.
“ O’ course he does, he’s mine. Won him from a Greek wizard down at the pub. Speakin’ of which” he gets up and walks to the fire. Something was rattling in a pot. Hagrid now wearing oversized oven mitts reached in and pulled out an oval object.
He walks over and places it in the middle of the table, Ron gets up and backs away from the table and motions for the others to do the same.
“ I know what that is, Hagrid where did you get it?” Ron says his face gone pale.
“ I won this just last week. Always wanted one of these. Chap I won it from seemed glad to be rid of it” Hagrid beams.
“ What is it” asked Hermione looking confused as the thing rattled loudly and began to crack.
“That’s a dragon’s egg, they’re illegal to trade unless you have proper training and clearances. My brother Charlie works with them in Romania.” Ron explained. The egg on the table then exploded. Everyone quickly shielded their faces.
Once clear, everyone saw a baby dragon on the table. “ And by the looks of it, it’s a Norwegian Ridgeback,” Ron stated.
“Oh, look. He knows his mummy. Hello, Norbert.” Hagrid cooed scratching the baby dragon under the chin.
“Norbert?”
“Well, he has to have a name now, doesn’t he” answers Hagrid. There was a clatter outside the window. They spun around quickly. It was dark outside but Harry did glimpse what appeared to be white hair.
“Didn’t know it was that late. You best be heading up to the castle.” Hagrid says as he shoos them out the door. They trudge up to the castle felt longer as they jogged up the path.
“I need to contact my brother Charlie about getting that dragon out of the country. As a dragon researcher and tamer, he can get the proper paperwork to transport ‘Norbert’.” He huffs as they came up to the closing entrance doors.
There on the staircase stood Malfoy. And, Professor McGonagall. The trio stood there frozen in fear.
“ Oooh boy. Ye are in trouble.” snarked Filtch. Pushing a broom behind them.