Chapter 9: Norbert, the Norwegian Dragon

"Harry, did you hear the news?", said Wood darkly to him at the feast when the holidays ended.

"What, Olliver?", said Harry confusedly.

"Snape will be the referee for the next Quidditch match versus Hufflepuff.", said Wood even darkly than before.

"You must be joking!", shouted Ron.

"That's unfair!", said Nan, clearly outraged.

"Another penalty for Hufflepuff.", said Snape with an evil grin on his face.

"BOOOO SNIVELLUS YOU SUCK!", shouted Nan from her seat.

Fortunately, Harry dived through the air, just past Snape, and grabbed the snitch, which led to Gryffindor's victory!

A few minutes later

"Hey Harry, where've you been? There's a party in the Gryffindor common room!", said Nan worriedly.

"I must tell you something, call Ron and Hermione and let's go to boy's dormitory.", said upset Harry.

"What is it? Let's celebrate the victory!", roared Ron.

"Shut up Ron, Harry's got something to tell us.", said Hermione.

"So, you know how I was heading back to leave the broom in the cupboard, right? When I was near the school entrance, I saw a hooded figure running towards the forbidden forest. It was Snape, I recognized his 'hover walk', so I decided to follow him. I flew on my broom over the forest, and saw him threatening to Quirell, asking him whether he had found out how to bypass that three headed dog. Quirell was just muttering and more paling, so Snape decided to leave him alone for now, but he threatened that they'd speak again later."

"That git! He's trying to get past Fluffy so he can steal the stone!", shouted Ron angrily.

Nan thought if she should tell them about Quirell, but she decided that it'd be the best to play along for now.

"Hey, let's go and visit Hagrid!", said Nan the following morning.

"We should study!", Hermione was angry because no one wanted to learn for the exams.

"Relax, 'Mione, the exams are in seven weeks.", replied Ron who was irritated by Hermione's constant nagging.

"Well, let's go to the library then, I need to pick up one book, then we can go to Hagrid, okay 'Mione?", proposed Nan.

"Oh, just damn it. Let's go.", Hermione gave up.

"Heya Hagrid! What brings you to the Hogwarts' magnificent library?", said Nan when she saw Hagrid, "And what's that book about?"

Hagrid waved to show her to be quieter.

"Hey Hagrid, we were wondering if you could tell us what else is protecting the stone?", said Harry.

"Nan, Harry, Ron, Hermione, why don't yer come to visit me now? I may be able to tell yah somethin'..", replied Hagrid.

Hagrid's hut

"Hagrid.. Is that a dragon egg!?", Nan said when they entered Hagrid's hut, in which was very hot.

"Shhhh! Be quieter, someone might hear yah!", whispered Hagrid.

"But Hagrid, how did you get it? It must've cost a fortune!", said Ron in awe.

"Not to mention that it's illegal!", added Hermione.

"Well I guess that's why you were looking at books about dragons, right?", stated Nan.

Now they had two concerns, first being Snape trying to steal the stone, and the second being what would happen to Hagrid if anyone found out about the dragon.

And today the egg was supposed to hatch. Hagrid invited them over if they wanted to watch the hatching, but Hermione didn't even want to hear about it.

"Come on Hermione, how many times in your life do you think that you will see a dragon hatching?", said Ron.

"Shush, you two.", said Harry, because Malfoy was listening to their conversation.

"How much did he hear?", wondered Harry.

"I'll deal with him.", whispered Nan to Harry.

"Draco.", said Nan coldly, "It's not nice to eavesdrop other people's conversations."

"That savage is hiding a dragon! I'm going to tell professor McGonagall!", he hissed at Nan.

Her voice became dead cold, "Believe me, Draco, you don't want to get on my bad side. I've forgiven you your insolence quite a few times, but if you do that, you'll regret that you've been born, I promise you that, honey.", gently touched him on the cheek and walked away to Hagrid's.

"Malfoy knows.", she said, "But he won't bother us anymore."

As soon as she said that, the shell broke and the baby dragon was born!

"Awww, look, it knows who's his mommy!", said Hagrid.

"But where are you going to keep it?", asked Ron.

"I'll keep 'im in here, of course.", replied Hagrid.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house.", nagged Hermione.

"Hagrid, I think it'd be the best if we gave it to someone who handles dragons.. Hey, Ron, doesn't your brother work with them?", asked Nan.

"Yeah, we can send an owl to Charlie!", added Ron.

"It'll be at least ten times bigger in a few weeks, Hagrid. We must do it.", said Hermione.

"I guess yer right, eh?", sighed Hagrid.

They got a response from Charlie a week after that, which said that they should wait for his friends at the astronomy tower, at midnight.

Unfortunately for them, Ron got bitten by Norbert, which Hagrid decided that it would be a perfect name for "his little baby."

At first he thought that it'd pass with time, but the scratch had doubled in it's size and turned green, which made Ron go to madam Pomfrey.

"Hey Ron, how's your finger?", said Harry while entering the Hospital wing with Hermione.

"Not good Harry, Malfoy's got the letter! He told madam Pomfrey that he needed to borrow a book from me to get entrance to the hospital wing and then he mocked me about how he'll tell McGonagall. That's not all, while he was exiting, he took the book in which was the letter!", Ron muttered.

"We don't have enough time to send another one to Charlie, we'll have to risk it then.", said Hermione, half scared.

And so Harry and Hermione left to pick up Norbert at half past eleven, under the invisibility cloak, of course.

"Neville, what are you doing in the common room so late?", Nan asked curiously. She couldn't sleep because something was bothering her, like she'd forgotten something.

"Harry and Hermione are going to get that dragon, I want to warn them that Malfoy will tell professor McGonagall!", cried Neville, "He mocked me today about it!"

"Fuck! I forgot about that!"

"That little piece of shi- just stay calm, Neville. I'll go and warn them, and I'll be sure to add that it was you who they should thank.", added Nan softly.

"Thanks Nan, you're my best friend!", Neville whispered.

"And you're mine too, Nev."

"But professor! Potter is coming this way with a dragon!", Malfoy shouted.

"That will be twenty points from Gryffindor, Mr. Malfoy, and you will serve detention. Now come, I'll have to report this to professor Snape", McGonagall was shouting at Malfoy while Harry and Hermione passed by to the astronomy tower.

Charlie's friends were a happy bunch of four. They told Harry and Hermione about how they planned to transport Norbert, and as soon as they placed him properly, they flew away.

"Malfoy's got a detention, and we got rid of the dragon! What could possibly go wrong?" said Harry cheerfully while going down the stairs.

"Well, well. two students out of bed.", said Filch at the bottom of the stairs.

Harry and Hermione both gulped at the same time.

"Stupefy!", shouted Nan behind Filch's back, and before he could react, he fell to the floor unconscious.

"Nan!", shouted Harry and Hermione at the same time.

"What have you done?!", Hermione sounded outraged.

"Saved you from detention and from losing a big amount of points?", suggested Nan.

"Oh Merlin!", shouted Hermione and hugged her.

"You know, I'll probably have to erase his memory of this moment.", added Nan.

"Yes.. It's for the best.", said Hermione, unsure of that.

"Obliviate!"

Author's note: 1,3k words! We've hit the 12k mark with this one!