Year One

Chapter 10

Dragon Eggs and Unicorn Blood

It was the night just after the last Quidditch game. Persephone sat in her usual spot in the Slytherin common room; the snake engraved chair looking out the windows to the black lake. She had a lot to think about after receiving a note from Harry. Apparently he saw Snape meeting Quirrell in the woods trying to get information on how to get passed the defense teacher's spell protecting the Stone. Persephone didn't believe it. She remained the only one of her friends who believed it was Quirrell, not Snape, trying to steal the Stone. She had to admit what Harry saw could be incriminating, but then it could still be a misunderstanding. Harry didn't hear the whole conversation, they could have been speaking about anything.

"Hey, House Traitor!" Draco yelled. He was sporting a freshly blackened eye thanks to Ron.

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response." Persephone said to herself. She turned away from Draco and his so-called friends, looking out to the black lake instead. Again she saw a splash of bright red float across the window. "Did you see that?"

"Did you see what your Neanderthal of a friend did to me?" Draco pointed to his bad eye.

"You're one to talk," Persephone glanced pointedly at Crabbe and Goyle. "Did you see what your neanderthal friends did to poor Neville? He's lucky I knew some healing charms. I don't generally condone violence but you provoked him. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't been hit before." Draco cringed, and in that moment Persephone had a new understanding of Draco Malfoy. Her voice softened as she continued, "Someone has hit you before? Was it your father?"

"You don't talk about him!" he snapped. "You don't know anything about my father, my family. You're just a stupid mudblood." Draco stormed away.

Crabbe and Goyle followed, but not before laughing at Persephone and calling her mudblood.

Strangely, she wasn't as bothered by the term that time.


Exams were coming to Hogwarts, which meant with all the extra homework Persephone and her friends had little time to think about the Philosopher's stone or who might be trying to steal it. They were spending more time in the library now than when they were looking for information on Nicolas Flamel. It was all very exhausting going over everything, which is why when an opportunity to do anything else appeared Persephone accepted.

"Persie!" Neville called as Persephone was approaching the library. She stopped so he could catch up, he looked like he had been sprinting to find her. "Hagrid gave me a note for you as I was leaving the greenhouse." He presented her with a folded letter requesting her help at Hagrid's hut.

"Thanks Neville, I'll head over to Hagrid's right away."

"Wait." He said, stopping her as she turned away. "I just wanted to say thanks again, you know, for helping me after the fight…"

"No problem Neville, I don't like to see my friends hurt."

Neville looked at her surprised.

"We're friends?"

"Of course we are!" She smiled brightly at him. She continued even as she backed away from the library entrance, "Could you let Hermione know I won't be making it today? If I did it myself she'll just berate me about timetables. Don't worry, we're still on for Tuesday night!"


"Hagrid, what was it you needed help with?" She asked as the half-giant let her into his hut, but Hagrid needn't answer because the reason was sitting on his tea table. "Is that what I think it is?" She sat down in one of the large wooden chairs, her fingertips barely grazing the black egg's surface.

"Aye," he confirmed, "a Dragon's egg."

"How'd you get it Hagrid? They're hard to come by aren't they?" Persephone may not have spent much time in the wizarding world so far, but she hasn't seen as many dragons as she thought she would. In fact the only one she'd seen was at Gringotts.

"Won it las' night in a game o' cards. We gotta keep it secret o' course, but I was hopin' yeh'd help me out with carin' for it."

"I'd love to, Hagrid." Persephone smiled, but after looking around the hut she frowned. "Are you sure it's okay? We won't exactly be able to keep a dragon in here."

"We'll figure tha' out when the time comes," Hagrid said dismissively. He added happily, "I always wanted a dragon. I got a book 'ere on 'em, but I'm afraid it don't have much information on hatching and carin' fer a baby." Hagrid handed her a book: Dragon Species Of Great Britain and Ireland.

"I'm sure they've got a book that could be more help at the library," Persephone suggested, "Why don't you look for one while I read through this."

Persephone would have gone herself, but she was a little worried she'd run into the trio. She hadn't exactly told Hermione that she couldn't make it to the library that day and was a little embarrassed.

By the time Hagrid returned from the library with Dragon-Breeding for Pleasure and Profit, Persephone had read all she needed from the other book.

"Hagrid I think I figured out which species the egg is from," Persephone showed him a page on recognizing different eggs, "It's a Norwegian Ridgeback."

Hagrid looked from the page to the egg rapidly before agreeing, "Aye, they're rare them."

The two read from the library book together, and then quickly readied the room to incubate the egg. Persephone closed all the windows and curtains as Hagrid stoked the fire. It was already such a warm day out that Persephone was sure that soon the heat would be unbearable.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Are you expecting someone?" She asked as Hagrid answered the door to let in Persephone's study group.

"Persie what are you doing here?" Ron asked.

"Why weren't you at the library with us?" Hermione followed up with, "You're going to be behind schedule."

"I was helping Hagrid out with something." She replied sheepishly. Luckily, Hagrid got the tea before anyone could ask what she was helping him with specifically. 'Not that it would be much of a secret,' Persephone thought, 'if any of them look to the fire in this boiling room.'

"So-yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?" Hagrid said, and Persephone realized the trio were here to ask about what was guarding the Philosopher's stone.

Hagrid didn't really know any of the details, and made it clear he wouldn't tell them if he did, but with some persuasive flattery on Hermione's part Hagrid revealed the professors involved in guarding the Stone. Unfortunately that short list included Snape and Quirrell.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" Harry asked, meanwhile Persephone shifted nervously in her seat. She knew how to get passed Fluffy and having that knowledge felt dangerous and incriminating. Persephone spared a glance at the only person in the room she told; Hermione shook her head indicating now wasn't a good time to say anything.

"And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you?" Harry continued, "Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

Persephone jolted up as Hagrid refused, seeing him glance at the fire and giving away their secret with his eyes.

"Does anyone want more tea?" She asked, doing her best to shield the black egg from view. But it was too late.

"Hagrid - what's that?" Harry asked.

"It's ceramic!" Persephone said quickly, "Hagrid's helping me with an art project."

"Looks pretty real to me," said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "Where did you get it, Hagrid? It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid, giving up the ruse. He told the others about winning it over a game of cards.

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?"said Hermione.

"Raise it, of course. Hagrid and I have been doing some research."

Hagrid nodded, pulling out the library book to show them.

"Got this outta the library - it's a bit outta dat, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour."

"We even know what species of dragon it is - a Norwegian Ridgeback. Hagrid says they're really rare." Persephone and Hagrid shared a pleased smile, but Hermione was most definitely not pleased.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.

"We'll move it somewhere else once it gets too big," Persephone suggested. Hagrid didn't seem to be listening anymore, he was too busy humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

Once the four left Hagrid's hut Hermione held Persephone behind.

"You can't seriously think it's a good idea for Hagrid to keep a dragon," She whispered.

"Why not?" Persephone replied.

"It's dangerous for one," Hermione reminded.

"I'll help him," Persephone offered confidently, "I could tame a dragon."

Hermione shook her head.

"You don't know that for sure. Besides, it's illegal to breed dragons. You know that right."

Persephone hadn't known that.

"But Hermione," She replied in lue of a better argument, "It's a dragon."


Persephone spent more and more time at Hagrid's hut as the time for the egg to hatch approached, checking on the egg and helping him make the dragon's baby juice. Her time there, however, had not been left unnoticed.

"You've been spending a lot of time at that giant oaf's hobble." Draco said one evening as Persephone entered the common room. She really didn't understand why he cared where she spent her time.

"His name is Hagrid and he's my friend." She replied briskly, "I'm sorry you don't spend time with your friends."

"You're up to something. I can tell," he said quietly, "and I'm going to figure out what it is."

"Oh really? Do you have a sense for schemes?" Persephone scoffed. "If you must know, Hagrid has been teaching me about thestrals. As groundskeeper he takes care of the ones we keep here."

"Thestrals?" Draco said, his nose crinkling, "What are those?"

"Look it up!" Persephone replied over her shoulder as she hurried to her dorm room. Hopefully that would distract Draco long enough to forget about what she's actually been doing at Hagrids hut.

One morning at breakfast Persephone received an owl from Hagrid with a short message: it's hatching.

"What's that?" Draco said, trying to peek at her letter.

"None of your business." Persephone replied, crumpling the note and stuffing it in her pumpkin juice. A moment later the goblet was gone, where the House elves would take care of it.

Glancing at the Gryffindor table, she noticed Harry received a note as well. Briefly Persephone wondered if they would skip class, but knowing Hermione she wouldn't let them. It was perhaps the one benefit of not sharing a house with her best friend.

"Daphne," Persephone turned to her house mate, coughing for effect, "I'm not feeling well. I don't think I'll make it to our first class today."

"Okay," She said between bites of toast, "It's only history of magic. I doubt Professor Binns will even notice." That was true, it often seemed that the ghostly Professor didn't even notice when they were there.

Persephone snuck down to Hagrid's hut as the first year Gryffindors walked down to their herbology lesson. Hermione had a stern look for her as Persephone passed, but none of the instructors or prefects stopped her from skipping class.

The egg was wobbling when Persephone reached the hut, and scratching noises were coming from it. By the time first lessons had ended and the trio had joined them the dragon was nearly out. Deep cracks marred the egg and it emitted a funny clicking noise. Then suddenly the egg split open and the baby dragon flopped onto the table. It was all black with bulging orange eyes, and even though it wasn't the most handsome creature yet that didn't stop Persephone from cooing at the baby dragon.

Persephone reached a hand out, which the new dragon sniffed. Then it sneezed; a couple of sparks flew out of its snout tickling her hand.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs. "Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!"

"He's the cutest thing I've ever seen." Persephone said, she was stroking its head. The newborn dragon almost seemed tame under her touch, nuzzling into her palm like a cat.

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the colour suddenly drained from his face - he leapt to his feet and ran to the window. Persephone ran to the door, Harry behind her. In the distance she could see the unmistakable platinum hair of Draco Malfoy as he ran back up the hill. There was no doubt in any of their minds that he had seen the dragon.


"Please don't say anything." Persephone said later that day after catching Draco alone in the halls.

"Don't say anything about what?" He feigned ignorance, but the devilish smile on his lips gave away the truth.

"You know what I'm talking about. Please, Draco, please don't say anything," Persephone pleaded.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't." Draco shrugged, that stupid smug smile still plastered on his face. "But you won't know until it's too late."

Persephone groaned as Draco continued down the hall. Of course he was going to make this as tortuous as possible.

All of Persephone's worries were relieved, however, once she was around the dragon, which she and Hagrid had named Norbert. She spent most of her free time at the hut, playing catch with Norbert and feeding him the rum and chicken blend Hagrid made. Meanwhile Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent most of their free time trying to convince Persephone and Hagrid to give up Norbert. Persephone only agreed once Harry thought of contacting Ron's brother Charlie to raise Norbert with other dragons in Romania. And with Persephone on board it was rather easy to get Hagrid to agree too.

Norbert may have been rather tame around her, but with everyone else Persephone could see how Hermione might consider him dangerous. Poor Fang had his tail caught in the dragon's claws and Hagrid had been bitten a time or two. The worst however was when Norbert had bitten Ron's hand while he was feeding the dragon.

Luckily, Charlie had written back by then and the four had a plan to bring Norbert to the highest Astronomy tower midnight on Saturday to be picked up by some of Charlie's friends.

Unfortunately Ron had to go to Madam Pomfrey for the bite, as his hand had swollen to twice its size and turned a sickly green color.

"You should have let me try to heal it." Persephone said. Hermione, Harry, and her had visited Ron in the hospital wing.

"No offense, but I think I'm better off here. At least Madam Pomfrey knows what she's doing, even if my hand feels like it's about to fall off." Ron winced in pain as he moved his hand a little. Then he told the three about Malfoy visiting him earlier to laugh at him. He was nearly hysterical talking about it and Hermione's attempt to soothe him by reminding him it would all be over Saturday only made it worse.

"Oh no— oh no— I've just remembered—" Ron said in a hoarse voice, "Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."


That Saturday Persephone spent her day with Norbert, saying goodbye since she wouldn't be able to see him that night. In the evening after dinner Persephone stayed in the Slytherin common room on the lookout for Draco trying to make his leave. He finally made an appearance a quarter past eleven. There weren't many students left in the common room, just a group of third years playing gobstones and a couple snuggling on the couch.

Persephone ran to the doorway, blocking the exit.

"Get out of my way Croft."

"No! Students aren't allowed to wander the halls past curfew."

"Tell that to your Griffin-pets you're protecting."

"The only one I'm trying to protect is you, you dingbat! Anyone caught out of their dorms past curfew is going to get in trouble."

At the moment a seventh year, hands full of sweets from the kitchens, opened the door from the other side. Persephone, who was leaning on the passageway fell out, landing on her bum. Draco stepped out and walked briskly down the dungeon corridors.

"Wait!" Persephone called, she followed after the boy.

Persephone followed after Draco all around the empty halls of the school, looking out for her friends as well as any staff. They didn't really talk except for the occasional smug remark from Draco that Potter was finally going to get what he deserved and Persephone trying to convince him to head back before they were caught.

"I'm telling you Malfoy you've made a mistake. You're not going to see anything tonight." Persephone warned for the umpteenth time.

"Miss Croft is right, Mr Malfoy." Persephone's blood ran cold at the stern voice of their Transfiguration Professor. They'd just rounded the corner and there was McGonagall, dressed in a tartan nightgown and a hairnet.

Persephone knew this wasn't going to end well, but Malfoy didn't get it yet.

"Professor!" He said almost delightedly, "you've come out just in time, Potter—"

But McGonagall had no interest in what Draco had to say about Harry.

"Come with me, Malfoy, Croft. Straight back to the dungeons."

"But Professor—"

"No buts, Malfoy! You have no business wandering the castle this time of night! Especially with everything that's been going on!" Draco must not have been moving quickly enough for her because McGonagall had taken him by the ear and dragged him with her. Persephone followed suit, not wanting to be yelled at or have her ear pinched too.

McGonagall was taking them back to the dungeons, to Professor Snape no doubt, giving them both detention and taking twenty points each in the process.

Moments later they sat across from Professor Snape, who looked far more sour than usual. It was deathly quiet in the Professor's office.

"So… were you having a good night Professor?" Persephone asked meekly, the silence was getting to her. Snape didn't answer, but his glare looked more annoyed.

"What could possibly possess you both to leave your dormitories this time of night?"

"Potters smuggling a dragon!" Draco said.

"And I kept telling Draco that's ridiculous. Where would he even get a dragon." Persephone argued.

"She's lying! She's in on it. I saw her and Potter—"

"Stop talking!" Snape ordered. "From this moment on, do not speak unless directed too. I highly doubt even Harry Potter is capable of keeping a Dragon secret from the Headmaster. What punishment did McGonagall give you, Croft?"

"She gave us both detention and took twenty house points each."

"And I shall take ten more points for the insolence and stupidity. Now go to bed, both of you," Snape dismissed. "And I want to hear no more about Potter and Dragons."


At eleven o'clock a week before exams Persephone had to serve her detention. She almost forgot Draco had gotten detention too when she saw him standing by the common room entrance.

"About time." He said.

"Were you waiting for me?" She asked.

"No!" Draco denied quickly, "I was just making sure you were going too. It's your fault I've got detention in the first place, Croft. I'd hate it if I didn't get to see you suffer too."

"My fault? I was trying to keep you out of trouble. You just didn't want to listen to me."

"Why would I ever listen to you?"

"Because I was trying to help you! But you're too stubborn to accept help from someone you deem lesser than."

"You weren't trying to help me, just Potter!"

"Save the arguments, unless you'd like another detention." Filch said as they reached the entrance hall.

Once the Gryffindors arrived Filch lead them all outside. Filch was in a particular jovial mood that night and spoke animatedly about his office shackles. Filch took them far across the grounds, so far that Persephone could see the lights of Hagrid's hut.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want teh get started." The half giant shouted in the distance.

Persephone felt much easier after realizing they would be spending their detention with Hagrid. But Filch, not liking to give students hope, said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again— it's into the Forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Draco, who had been keeping pace with Persephone suddenly stopped.

"The Forest?" He repeated. "We can't go in there at night—there's all sorts of things in there—werewolves, I heard."

"That's your lookout, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

"Malfoy has a point. I thought the Forest was forbidden to students. Why are we serving detention in a place we're not supposed to go?"

Filch didn't get the chance to retort for Hagrid had met up with them, Fang at his heels and a crossbow in hand. The two staff members exchanged words and then Filch turned and left them there. Now Draco turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that Forest," He said, a note of panic in his voice. Persephone cringed as Draco denounced their punishment as servants work and threatened to tell his father. But Hagrid was having none of it and Draco finally gave up on the issue.

Hagrid led them to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. With the light of his lamp he showed the students the silvery blue liquid spotting the ground along a narrow path through the trees. It was unicorn blood. He told them it was injured, something must have attacked the creature. And it wasn't the first, another unicorn had died last Wednesday.

"How could anything harm such a creature?" Persephone asked.

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the Forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid.

Then they were divided into two groups: Hagrid, Hermione and Harry in one, and Persephone, Fang, Neville and Draco in the other. Hagrid instructed the students on how to send up different colored sparks from their wands; green if they found the unicorn, red if they found trouble instead. They went down the little path, first as a group then when they reached a fork in the path they split up.

The Forest was dark and quiet. Neville huddled close to Persephone as they walked. He was shivering, from fear or the cold she couldn't tell. Draco was behind them walking with Fang. Persephone and Neville had their eyes toward the ground searching for any sign of the unicorn, but only coming across small splotches of silver blue blood on the fallen leaves.

"Do you think Malfoy's right? Could it be a werewolf?"

"I don't think so Neville. Look at the moon. It's not full. Werewolves only transform during the full moon. They're just regular people the rest of the time."

"Know-it-all." Draco scoffed.

"Knowledge is power." Persephone quipped. She added sarcastically, "But you know better than me don't you? Being pureblood and all."

"S'not all it's cracked up to be." Neville said. "Lot's of folk from non-magical families already know more than me."

"That's not saying much, Longbottom." Draco said, "Your toad knows more than you."

"Don't listen to him, Neville. You've improved a lot. And you're really not that bad at potions, I think it's just Snape."

Persephone followed down the path for over half an hour with Neville attached to her arm. They hadn't seen anything in the Forest yet except giant trees and splatters of silvery blood.

"Where did Malfoy go?" Persephone asked. She hadn't heard his disgruntled sighs in a while. Looking back she only saw Fang.

"Aaargh!" Draco screamed ferociously, grabbing Neville from behind. Neville screamed in panic and shot out red sparks into the sky from his wand. Fang started barking. Draco doubled over in laughter.

"That's not funny, Malfoy!" Persephone shouted.

"I'm laughing aren't I?" He replied. Draco's laughter was cut off short however as they heard something big and heavy crashing through the undergrowth.

"Is it a werewolf?" Neville asked, terrified. He hid behind Persephone who had her wand out and ready. Draco looked frightened as well. There was a collective sigh of relief as they saw it was only Hagrid.

But Hagrid was fuming once he saw nothing had attacked them.

"What do yeh think yer doing?" Hagrid said, "The Forest ain't a place to be foolin' around." He had the three and Fang follow him back to the others through the path he'd made in the trees. "We'll be lucky to catch anythin' now, with the racket you lot were makin'." Hagrid grumbled, "Right, we're changin' groups- Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione. Harry, you go with Persephone, Fang an' this idiot."

So the new group set off into the heart of the Forest. They walked deeper and deeper into the forest, the path getting smaller as the trees grew thicker. The blood was getting thicker as well, and Persephone knew they were getting close. Up ahead they could see a clearing through the branches. Harry put an arm out to stop them as they reached the clearing.

"Look—" He nodded toward something gleaming bright white on the ground.

Persephone gasped in grief once they had gotten close enough to see the unicorn in full. She had wanted to see a unicorn for herself, but not like this; its legs were stuck out at odd angles, its own silver blue blood pooled out from the wound on its side and its mane, still pearly white, was fanned out on the dark dirty ground.

"Its dead." She sobbed quietly, lowering herself to the ground beside the unicorn. "Who could do this to such a beautiful and innocent creature?" Tears poured freely from her eyes and when Persephone's emotions overcame her a soft yellow light emitted from her entire being. Draco and Harry watched transfixed as Persephone lowered her hands to the fallen creature, engulfing its lifeless body with the light too. Then to the amazement of all three the unicorn's wound closed up and it rose, miraculously alive again. The unicorn ran off deeper into the forest.

"How did—" Draco's question was caught in his throat by a slithering sound coming from the bush on the edge of the clearing. Behind Persephone a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. She scrambled back to the boys when she noticed it. In the light of the moon they could see the silver blue blood of the unicorn streaking down the front of the strangers robe, as if he had been drinking the blood and it spilled.

Draco let out a terrible scream and bolted— Fang was close behind him. Persephone clutched onto Harry's arm as the hooded figure moved towards them. They stumbled back, falling to the ground, Harry was clutching his head for his scar was burning.

Something galloping, jumped clear over their heads charging at the dark figure. The thing ran off and now, to Persephone's astonishment, there was a centaur in front of them. To the waist he was a man with long white-blond hair and below the golden palomino coat of a horse.

"Are you alright?" said the centaur, helping the two humans to their feet.

"Yes— Thank you— what was that?" Harry said.

The centaur didn't answer. Instead he looked carefully at the two students in front of him.

"You are the Potter boy," He said, looking at Harry. Then he turned to Persephone, "and you are the Enchantress. You had better get back to Hagrid. The Forest is not safe at this time- especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself onto his front legs so they could clamber onto his back.

Firenze brought them back to Hagrid quickly.

"Persephone! Harry, are you all right?"

Hermione was running towards them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.

"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying.

"The unicorn's okay, Hagrid, it ran off back through the Forest." Persephone said, sliding off Firenze's back.

"It was nearly healed," Harry added, looking at Persephone. "I think it'll be fine, Hagrid." Persephone thanked Firenze and headed back towards the castle with Harry and Hermione.

Back at the Slytherin common room Draco was waiting for her. There was no one else there.

"How did you do that?" He asked.

"How did I do what?" She said, making her way past as quickly as possible, but Draco stopped her.

"Don't act stupid, it doesn't suit you Croft," he said. "I saw what you did before that...that thing came."

"I don't know." Persephone replied. She grabbed his hand and held in hers as she pleaded, "But you can't tell anyone, I mean it this time. It's very important you don't tell anyone."

Draco snatched his hand back.

"Don't worry, Croft. Why would I have anything to say about a freak like you."