Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

I'm really paranoid thanks to my former Criminology Prof. (A man in a grey suit and silver metallic tie takes a bow while Rae glares)

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Disclaimer - none of this is mine (except the plot) in any way, shape or form. I write to keep myself from doing schoolwork … but really, what sort of genius can't figure out that writing fan fiction is a lot more enjoyable than writing an essay or doing homework? Well, I used to, now I'm doing it to keep my sanity after working 12 hours and keeping my mind off of an evil late Midterm tomorrow (long story short, the prof missed a few days and didn't think it was right to test us over material we hadn't covered.)

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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

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Olivia: From Egg to Fire

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It was Hermione's idea to start studying EARLY for exams, it was barely April for Merlin's sake! Both Blaise and Ravyn tried to tell the stubborn witch that they were at the top of their classes and wouldn't need to revise so much but the curly haired witch refused to listen to any of their pleas for sanity. Ron even agreed with them - but that didn't really say a lot because Hermione and Ron still weren't the best of friends.

Hermione had just appeared in the School Commons where Blaise and Ravyn were chatting with Susan Bones and Tracey Davis. She had given them the schedule (which was rather ingenious but that's besides the point) and told them to meet her in the library Thursday after class as she knew that Ravyn had Quidditch practice on Wednesday and Monday nights.

She had then complained that she couldn't find "Ronald" anywhere, and then Ravyn suggested that she track down Seamus or Dean as Ron liked to hang out with them when Blaise and Ravyn were being "too studious".

She left and apparently found him as he was sitting across from Ravyn at the six person table that Thursday afternoon, the three boys were at one end while Hermione was at the other - completely surrounded by books and pieces of parchment.

They were going over their notes from the beginning of the year (well, really Ravyn and Blaise were passing notes while skimming over what they did have as notes) while Hermione was diligently taking notes about her notes ... mental.

Ron was sleeping with his eyes open and from the way he was drooling all over the sleeve of his robe, he was probably dreaming about food.

Hermione slammed her book shut, which woke Ron up and made Ravyn and Blaise throw their notes into their pockets to hide the evidence. "URGH!" she exclaimed and Ravyn looked at her worriedly.

"Are you alright, Mione?"

"I can't concentrate!" she grumbled as she crossed her arms.

Ravyn nodded, "Want me to try to get a vision about what your scores will be?" he offered with a smirk on his face.

"That's cheating!" she hissed.

"How? All he'll be seeing is that you're the top of the class, just like you've been all year." Blaise said softly, trying to reassure his friend.

"You're sure?"

Blaise nodded and frowned, "What is Mr. Hagrid doing in here?" he wondered aloud as he saw the half giant walking among the shelves.

"Hagrid?" Ravyn asked and turned to see Hagrid walking out of the library. he stood up and went off in the direction that Hagrid had come from.

He picked up the books and brought them back to their table.

"Dragons?" Blaise said in awe as he looked through the books. "Wait, the trade is outlawed in Britain... Why would he need books about their care?"

"Good question." Ravyn said as he looked at the books with a look of trepidation on his face.

That night, the three Gryffindors and the single Slytherin walked out to Hagrid's hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Hagrid!" they exclaimed as he pulled them in.

Blaise looked around the house, it was rather Spartan, but it fit the half blood so he wasn't about to criticize the man. Not only that but it was BLOODY HOT! It was practically a sauna!

Ravyn immediately pulled off his cloak, he'd worn it as it was a little cold out and hadn't wanted to freeze in the walk to Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, I don't mean to sound mean or anything, but isn't a bit hot in here? Can't we open a window or something?"

Hagrid shook his head, he liked the small first years plenty. Parker was how he'd imagined Harry to be, kind and caring; Hermione was nice enough and always willing to come down for a chat - she'd first done so a few months earlier and they had talked about Fluffy. The young witch had explained it away by stating that she'd been chased by Peeves into the third floor and he hadn't a doubt that she wouldn't tell her friends about her endeavors. Zabini, well he was a wild card that Hagrid hadn't expected. The Slytherin was accepting of him in a way that didn't scream "barely tolerating" like other Slytherins, he even asked for more rock cakes when he and Parker visited him after Parker's Quidditch practice a few weeks earlier. Ron Weasley was another surprise, he seemed willing to please but also like he wanted to get out from his brothers's shadows. Oh well, he would learn.

Ron frowned as he looked at the fireplace, "Hagrid... is that what I think that is?" he asked as he looked in amazement at what looked to be a round stone.

Hagrid nodded proudly, "Yep."

"But- where did you get it?"

Ravyn frowned, "Hagrid... is that a ... a dragon egg?"

Hagrid smiled broadly, "Yes."

"How... Those are Class A Non-Tradeable goods!" Blaise exclaimed. "We're going to prison!" he said paling.

"Blaise, we are not going to prison!" Ravyn insisted.

"My Mum is going to kill me! Forget that I'm her only son! She'll kill me and they will never find the body!" the Italian-British wizard exclaimed.

"Blaise! Shut up!" Ravyn exclaimed before he turned to Hagrid. "Where did you get it?"

"Won it last night in a poker game at the Hogs Head." Hagrid said. "Bloke was a little too ready to get his hands clean of it, let me tell you."

"And why shouldn't he be! Prison sentences here we come!" Blaise exclaimed as he stomped towards the door and then stomped back.

"Blaise, shut up!" Ravyn said as he walked over to his friend and shook him. "Calm down, no one is going to prison."

Blaise nodded and closed his eyes and took a deep breath, reinforcing his Occlumency shields while he was at it - not that anyone but Ravyn could tell as Occlumency was a tricky science.

"Hagrid?" Hermione asked as she looked at the egg in the fireplace. "That's REALLY a dragon egg?"

Hagrid nodded, "Yeah."

"Well... don't dragons... breathe fire?" she asked as she looked around the wooden house and the others paled as they realized where she was going with it even though Hagrid was too busy lovingly stroking the flames.

"Yes."

"And don't you live in a wooden house?" she asked as she looked around her as though the house would burst into flames at any moment.

Hagrid didn't answer.

"Er... I think we need to leave before curfew guys." Ravyn suggested and Blaise all too willingly ran out the door, followed closely by Hermione and then Ron - who seemed a little reluctant to leave - and then finally Ravyn himself.

On their walk back to Hogwarts...

Ravyn and Blaise rejoiced in the cool night air.

"What are we going to do?" Blaise asked, turning to them.

Ravyn shook his head, "I don't know if we can do anything. Legal or not, it is Hagrid's and we can't make that sort of decision for him."

"Then what can we do! We're just kids!"

Ravyn shrugged, "We could make suggestions." he said as he and Blaise walked through the main doors, Hermione and Ron not far behind.

"And what sort of good will that do?" Ron asked, joining into the conversation. "You said yourself, we can't make that sort of decision for him."

Ravyn shook his head, "I don't know, but I'm a Parker and we don't give up so easily. I'll talk to Aunt Xi Wu tomorrow after Potions."

Blaise looked at him, "Better you than me, mate."

"Why her?" Hermione asked.

"It's simple, Hagrid's new... pet... has so much natural magic that it could interrupt the wards. We're having enough trouble with them as it is." he said simply before they said their goodbyes and the three Gryffindors went up while Blaise went down to the dungeons, each thinking about what had happened that night.

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