Cielie

Care for Magical Creatures, the class that I loved and excelled at, but today I didn't rejoice as I headed down the steps to Hagrid's hut. I carried an egg in my robe pocket and with each step I took it grew warmer, as if in anticipation of something. I walked faster. I could see the crowd of students in front of Hagrid now. I didn't know what to say or do when I got there. How would I explain that the egg had been inside my mother's box, the one my father had left to me in his will, and that the egg must have been sitting in the box for at least the past 8 years. The fact that it was now almost ready to crack worried me even more. I had heard all about Norberta and Fluffy from Hagrid, and no matter how much I loved magical creatures, this was not the best time for me to have something like that on my hands.

I pushed through the crowd, careful to shield the egg, making it to Hagrid after a painstaking struggle of navigating the tightly packed students.

"Hagrid, I need your help," I tell him as quietly as possible, not wanting anyone to over-hear. Hermione does anyways and shoves closer towards us.

"What have you done now, Cielie?" Hermione gives me a look as Ron and Harry join us.

"Can we not discuss why I need Hagrid's help in front of all these students," I answer.

Hagrid gives me a nod and turns to the students, "Everyon' get back to the school. You've got a free this period, go enjoy 'urselves." With that a giant mass of students turns away from the hut and to the castle. I find it insulting how no one seems sad that they will be missing a valuable Care for Magical Creatures class. Hagrid is the best teacher I have ever had. I am just about to turn back to Hagrid when I see Malfoy and Pansy. They haven't moved and are trying to see past Hermione and Ron, who are standing in front of me. I give them a glare and that seems to spur them into action. They are both soon small figures striding through the light snow across the grounds to the castle.

"Now, what was it that you need help with, Cielie," Hagrid looks down at me. I pull the egg out of my pocket, it is almost uncomfortably hot now.

"This, Hagrid, is what I need help with. It was in a box from my mother, the one left to me in my fathers will," I tell him, shifting the egg from my right hand to my left. Luckily, I am wearing gloves, the weather is getting colder and a light dashing of snow and frost cover the grounds. Hagrid realizes this and quickly gestures for me to bring it inside his hut.

Inside, he places a cloth on the table and tells me to set it down, which I gladly do. Harry, Ron, and Hermione join me around the table and Hagrid grabs a pair of oven mitts.

"They're mighty hot when they first come out, y'know. 'arry can tell you, Norberta set me beard on fire right after she first broke out o' her shell," Hagrid says. Hermione nods in agreement and Harry and Ron join in. I start laughing and a moment later the others join in. I would have killed to have been there when Hagrid's dragon Norberta was born. Unfortunately, Norberta was sent away before I could meet her, all thanks to one Malfoy. I really hate that kid, hate isn't even a strong enough word, I despise Malfoy with a fiery vengeance and someday I will make sure he gets what's coming for him.

A crack makes us quiet and we focus on the deep green egg. A single fissure runs down it, and then, without warning, a green thing shoots out of the shell. Before I can think about what I am doing, I catch it, my hands screaming in protest. I shout, in surprise, in pain, I'm not quite sure, and then the thing nuzzles against me with a wet nose. I look down at it and see that it has curled itself neatly in my arms. It's body temperature has also dropped to a bearable amount of heat, although the damage to my hands has already been done.

I smile and the beast looks up at me with deep gold eyes, so similar to the ones my mother had. I feel a tear slip down my cheek, and the dragon snuggle closer, comforting me as a memory of my mother hits me like a tidal wave.

"Mommy," I wail, my scraped knee burning as I lay on the pavement. My mother comes running and gently scoops me up.

"It's okay, it's just a little scrape. You'll be fine. Look, it isn't even bleeding," my mothers' voice soothes me. She holds me in her lap. I let a few tears fall as I tell her, "but it stings, mommy, it stings." She tucks me closer, gently taking my hand in hers.

"Cielie, my dear Cielie, the best things in life leave their marks on you," she murmurs in my ear.

"What do you mean?" I wonder, confused as how my stinging and burning knee can possibly be a best thing in life.

"Well, think about what you were doing before you fell."

I do, I had been climbing in a tree in the backyard. I had seen a fairy light on a branch that was far out from the trunk and as I had reached out I had fallen. Slowly I realize what my mother means, or at least I think I do.

"I saw a fairy light, but it was on a branch that was too far away," I tell her.

"Exactly, now you will always remember that you found a fairy light when you were climbing in that tree. When you see your scrape, you will be reminded. Just like when I met your father for the first time I had just burned myself on my cauldron in Potions class. Now, whenever I look at the scar, I remember that moment." I nod, slowly running my finger along my knee.

"Cielie, hello?" Hermione says, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Yeah, sorry, just got lost in a memory," I tell her, pulling the warm dragon closer to me.

"Well, Cielie, it looks like you got yurself a dragon on yur hands. Any idea what you're gonna do with it?" Hagrid asks me, "Oh, an ye might wanna have Madam Pomfrey check on those burns."

I nod, seeing the angry marks on my hands and arms. "I'll go do that, as for the dragon, she's staying with me."

Turning I get up from the table, thank Hagrid for his help, tell him I'll be back soon and leave for the Hospital Wing. Stepping outside my hands instantly protest, the sudden cold wind not doing me any favors as far as the burns go. The dragon shivers slightly and I quickly opt for putting her in my robe pocket, instead of parading up to the castle and through the halls with a dragon.

The Hospital Wing is warm and Madam Pomfrey is alone, thankfully. I hurry up to her and explain what happened. She just shakes her head and goes to get bandages and some burn slave from the cupboard. When she is finished wrapping my hands she says, "Well after all that, you'll have to show me this dragon of yours."

I smile, "After all you've done for me, gladly." I take the little bundle of warmth out of my robes and hold her gently out for Madam Pomfrey to see. She, the dragon-not Madam Pomfrey, yawns, revealing two small fangs and a pink gummy mouth. We, Madam Pomfrey and I-not the dragon, both laugh at that. Maybe, just maybe this school year won't be so terrible after all.

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