For those wondering why there was no upload Monday, let's just say that someone was attempting to do it for the first time, and was not as successful as they let on. TheFawleyBloodline, I'm looking at you. Any who, that just means you get a double feature today.

Not Potter and the Stupid Stone

Chapter 18

Noel

Days later, as we were traveling down the long path to Hagrid's, the conversation of The Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape, grew stronger. At this point, I was sick of that stupid stone. You know what? That's what I'll call it. The Stupid Stone. Anyway, we, mostly everyone besides me, continued chattering.

"Maybe Snape let the troll in on Halloween," Hermione suggested, "so that no one would be around, and he could sneak to get the stone."

"Like anyone could get passed that three headed terror," Ron scoffed in response.

"I'm sure there must be some way to get around it," Laura pondered, "a powerful wizard might be able to stun it."

"That would depend on the thickness of its skin." Hermione added.

"Yeah," Ron continued, "you didn't see that thing, Laura. It looked tough as a dragon."

"Are those real then?" Harry questioned, "the dragons, that is."

Ron chuckled a bit before answering with a decided, "yeah, they're real alright." I assumed he had some kind of inside joke with himself about dragons.

Approaching the gatekeeper's door,Isaw that the window curtains were closed, and the door was sealed tight, rather thanbeinglooselyclosed, as was the norm.How odd,I pondered.My train of thought came to an abrupt stop as Harry knocked on the door.In almost a blink, the door was thrown open, we were dragged inside, and then the door was shut swiftly behind us. The whole thing was quitebewildering, especially considering the air inside the hut was quite thick and smog-ish.

"So," Hagrid asked, "yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

He spoke, grabbing tea and sandwiches from the kitchen area. The whole house was burning up from, what seemed to be, an ongoing fire.

"Yes." Harry replied, "we were wondering what you knew about The Sorcerer's Stone."

"I really can't tell yer much..." He mumbled.

"Could you possibly tell us what's behind Fluffy, then?" I requested, "some of the other protective measures that guard the stone?"

"O' course I can't."

"We really just need to know who set the protective measures." Laura said, as insistent as possible.

"'n why might that be?" Hagrid said,

"We suspect someone is breaking in, to steal The Sorcerer's Stone." Hermione explained.

"Yer not still on about Snape, are yeh?" He groaned, accepting defeat. "Well, I don't s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh a bit... Fluffy is one of the precautions... some o' the teachers did spells and enchantments, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall... Professor Quirrell, Dumbledore, o' course, and Professor Snape."

"But, you're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, right?" Harry asked, concerned.

"O' course." Hagrid responded.

"Well that's something..." Ron sighed.

"Hagrid, could you please open a window." I panted, "it's broiling, in here."

"Can't," he muttered, "sorry."

"Um, Hagrid," Laura said, pointing to the fire, "what's that?"

Within the fire, under the steaming kettle, lay a huge, black, dragon egg.

"Ah... um..." He tried to explain.

"Where'd you happen to get it?" Ron questioned. "It must've been a fortune."

"Happen to win it, las' night, actually." Hagrid went, explaining. "Down in the village, havin' a few drinks, an' I got into a gam o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"What are you going to do with it when it hatches." I asked, nearly appalled by the idea of raising a dragon.

"I've bin doin' some readin', got dis outta the library - Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit – it's a bit outta date, 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. An' see here – how ter recognize diff'rent eggs – what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

"You live in a wooden house, Hagrid." Hermione added, trying to make him think logically.

Ignoring her, Hagrid tended to the fire, happily humming.

For the next few days, we had just one more thing to worry about, along with the immense amounts of homework we were receiving, a soon to hatch dragon and keeping it's secret. At this point, Laura, who wa, surprisingly, considering her weekend habits, extremely organized, had begun making us all study schedules, which drove the boys mad. They were decent schedules, but Hermione and I easily paced ourselves faster than the set times.

One morning, later on in the week, at breakfast, Hedwig soared above our head, aand brought down a note above our plates. On it, it read two simple words: It's hatching. I didn't know how to react. A dragon was hatching, but this also meant tons more work for the five of us.

"We need to head down now! How many times are we going to see a dragon hatch?" Ron said, extatically.

"We have school, still." Hermione reminded him.

"And besides," I added, "all five of us skipping class would be extremely suspicious."

"Why don't we just-" Laura tried speaking, before Harry whispered, "Shut up!" as Draco had walked up nearby, stopping dead to listen to their whole conversation. We then quickly left the great hall, hoping beyond anything that Draco hadn't herd. I tried to get the other four to drop the topic after that, to no avail. They argued all the way to Herbology and even through the class.

During morning break, Hermione and I had finally consented to run down to Hagrid's. When we arrived at the door, we were met by Hagrid's glee, and smoke, streaked face.

"It's nearly out." Hagrid said, not looking up from the egg.

The egg was lying on the dining table in front of us, quiet noises chipping from within. In we were all caught, holding our breaths, as the egg split open. Haphazardly, a small baby dragon flopping out of it and onto the table. It sneezed, which created a few sparks, as Hagrid bent forward even further, to scoop it up. At this point, I really didn't want to be anywhere near a creature that could set me on fire via sneeze at any moment.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid's eyes glistened. He was stroking the small dragon, as it snapped at his fingers, "awh! He knows who his mummy is!"

"Hagrid," Hermione began, "you do know how fast Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, right?"

Suddenly, his gaze shifted towards the window. All color drained from his face, as he sprinted towards it, angrily pulling the curtains completely closed.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked.

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains," Hagrid panicked, "it's a kid – he's runnin' back up ter the school."

I ran to the door, and held it open, as myself, Laura, Hermione, Ron, and Harry peered up towards the castle. Running up on the path, undeniably, was Draco Malfoy.

"Draco saw the dragon." Laura said, blank faced.