"It is so nice of you to come and see me," Sybill said, leaning back in her chair in front of the fire. "Not many of my former students, who are now inhabitants of the higher planes of this castle, have taken the time to do so." In truth none of them had, but there was no need to make the young ghost feel self-conscious.

The transparent girl smiled and settled a little deeper into the chair she was floating in. "I'm just sorry I haven't come sooner," she said. "I'm quite embarrassed that I did not think to call on you, before I needed your help."

"Oh yes," Sybill said, hiding her smile by taking a sip of the tea Winky had just brought her. "What is it, exactly, that you think I can do for you, that our new Headmistress can't?"

"Well," Lavender leaned forward as if confiding in her. "It's these new creatures. The dragons…"

Sybill almost jumped in her chair. Her tea spilled over the edge of the cup and would have splashed on her dress if Winky hadn't somehow managed to thrust a tea towel under it in time. As the elf took the cup and went to refill it, Sybill tried to compose herself. It really wasn't dignified that a woman her age should be scared by such creatures, but they were so small… Like little flying rodents. She shivered, but forced herself to smile.

"Yes?" she prompted the girl, who had stopped speaking when she spilled the tea. "What is it you want to know about Hagrid's new… pets?"

"Oh, they're not just Hagrid's now," Lavender said, beaming. "They're going to be living all over the castle." She did not notice Sybill's outraged huff and went on. "Hagrid's begun building them lairs to hang in the dormitories, classrooms and some of the corridors. They'll be keeping the school warm and supplying us with the energy we need to remain vibrant and active. Without draining everyone around us. They're really quite useful. And…" She giggled. "They're awfully cute."

Sybill very much doubted that, but nodded for the girl to go on.

"Hagrid's named them after students who've gone to Hogwarts," Lavender continued. "So there's a Ron and a Harry. Neville. Katie and Angelina. Even a Draco and a Blaise. And…" She blushed silver. "There's also a Lavender. Only… little Lavender has gone missing…"

Realising that this was a unique opportunity to show Minerva just how 'useless' the art of divination was, Sybill jumped to her feet. "Fear not, Miss Brown. I will find your namesake. You have nothing to worry about."

She hurried over to a corner table, picked up her own crystal ball, which was really much better quality than the ones she let the students use, and carried it into the middle of the room. She held it up in front of her and then slowly brought it closer to her eyes, focusing on the swirling mists within, willing them to show her where and when the dragon would be found.

At first she saw nothing, but then the mists seemed to lift and she saw a tiny fluttering form, no larger than a fingernail. "I see you…" she chanted, mainly to let Miss Brown know it was working. "I see you… Now come closer… Show yourself to me…"

And the thing did indeed come closer, slowly growing until she could confirm that it was indeed a dragon. "Yes…" she urged. "That is good. Now show me where you are…"

The creature moved closer and closer until it seemed like it was pressed up against the glass, its large eyes looking at Sybill intently. Almost as if it could see her. It opened its mouth and Sybill could almost hear the little squeak it made. Miss Brown wasn't completely mistaken. The creature was sort of… cute…

She squinted, trying to make out any of its surroundings, but from the few details she could see, it might as well have been…

"It's right there!" Miss Brown squealed, so loudly that Sybill dropped the crystal ball, which would have shattered if Winky had not been standing ready to catch it.

Sybill screamed as she found that she was still eye to eye with a tiny dragon, only there was no longer anything between them.

The dragon squawked and flapped its wings and a tiny flame shot out through its nostrils.

"Monster!" Winky cried and tossed the crystal ball at the dragon, who dodged it easily and then zoomed off as the ball smashed against the wall of the classroom, covering everything in crystal dust.

Sybill, who had almost stumbled over a pouf as she retreated, whirled around and almost threw herself through the trapdoor.

"Dragon!" she screamed as she raced down the stairs. "Dragon in the tower!"