Quirrell was braver than they'd thought. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, Alucard had joked that he seemed more like a vampire every day, but he didn't seem to have cracked yet.

Every time they passed the third-floor corridor they would turn to Alucard to confirm that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was still sweeping around with his usual bad temper, which surely meant the Stone was safe. Harry and Ron started giving Quirrell some more support in their own ways.

Hermione and Alucard, however, had more on their minds than the Stone. Hermione had started drawing up revision time-tables and colour-coding all her notes. The boys wouldn't have minded if she hadn't started nagging them to do the same.

"Hermione, I have perfect memory recall. I don't need to go over the stuff again." Alucard tells her exasperated. They were sitting in the library together. Alucard had a bunch of books on Transfiguration while Hermione had all her schoolbooks.

"Maybe you missed something! Or could have a better understanding reading it over?" Hermione says in argument.

"Trust me, I didn't miss anything. And if I want to read it over I just need to close my eyes. Trust me, I don't need to study that, I need to study this." Alucard says gesturing to the books next to him. "I'll help you with your stuff, if you want?" Hermione nods eagerly.

"Okay for the Levitation Charm…"

Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They had piled so much homework on them that the only one fully enjoying the Easter holidays was Alucard, who had finished all of his. The four of them now spent most of their time in the library, doing their own work.

"I'll never remember this!" Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out the window. It was the first really nice day they'd had in months. He sky clear and the feeling of summer was in the air.

"Hey, Hagrid! What're you doing here?" Alucard suddenly asked. The other three look up as Hagrid steps into view, hiding something behind his back.

"Jus' lookin'." He tells them in a shifty voice that only served to make them curious. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He asks suddenly suspicious of them. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"No, they're not." Alucard says before Ron can speak. "They found that out ages ago. They also know what's being guarded."

"Yeah, it's the-" Ron is cut off by Alucard slapping a hand on his mouth.

"Remember, no one is supposed to know." Alucard reminds Ron, who nods. Alucard removes his hand and wipes it on his pants.

"That's right. They'll think I've told yeh." Hagrid says in agreement. "Listen, come down to me hut later. I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', though."

"See you later, then." Harry says. Hagrid shuffle off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Hermione asks thoughtfully.

"I'll go check what section he was in. I'm the only one who's finished their homework." Alucard says as he rises from his seat. He came back a minute later and placed a pile of books on the table.

"He was in the section on dragons." Alucard says in a whisper. "He was researching them, probably." Alucard adds, pointing at the covers of the books: From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide; Dragon Species of Europe and How To Identify Them.

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him." Harry says.

"But it's against our laws." Ron pipes up. "Dragon-breeding was outlawed by the Warlock's Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles noticing us if we keep dragons in the back garden – anyway you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got from wild ones in Romania."

"It's against the law, unless you have a Dragon Reserve with permission, I agree that you can't tame a dragon, but you can make it calmer and more passive by treating it well and with respect." The others give Alucard a strange look. "My family has a Reserve in the mountains near our house, we've calmed the dragons down, so they don't attack unless provoked, even if their nesting."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" Harry asks them hopefully.

"Course there are." Alucard tells him. "You can't control where a dragon goes and decides to stay."

"There are Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks." Ron adds. "The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our lot keep having to spell Muggles, to make them forget."

"So, what on earth's Hagrid up to?" Hermione asks, looking around at them.

When they knocked on the door of Hagrid's hut an hour later, they noted that all of the curtains were closed.

Hagrid called out, "Who is it?" before he let them in and then shut the door quickly behind them.

It was stiflingly hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered the first years stoat sandwiches, which they declined.

"So – yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"We were wondering…" Alucard starts. "If you could tell us who's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy." Hagrid frowned at him. "We just want to know who Dumbledore trusted enough to help him, apart from you." Hagrid's chest swelled in pride. The other three smiled at him.

"I don' s'pose it would hurt ter tell yeh that… let's see… he borrowed Fluffy from me… then some o' the teachers did enchantments… Professor Sprout – Professor Flitwick – Professor McGonagall-" He said ticking them off his fingers. "Professor Quirrell – an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

"Snape?"

"Yeah – yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Harry knew the others were thinking along the same lines as him. If Snape was helping protect the Stone, it would have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything – except how to get past Fluffy and Quirrell's spell.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" Harry asked anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore." Hagrid tells them proudly.

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

"Can't, Harry, sorry." Hagrid says, glancing at the fire.

"Because of your dragon egg?" Alucard says nonchalantly. Hagrid looks at him in surprise while everyone else turned to the fire.

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" Ron asks him, crouching over the fire to get a better look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune. That's what my brother, Charlie, says that dragon eggs cost, at least." Everyone looks at him. "Charlie's in Romania studying dragons."

"Won it." Hagrid reveals. "Las' night. I was down in Hogsmeade havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But, what are you going to do with it once it's hatched?" Hermione asks concerned.

"Well, I've been doin' some readin'." Hagrid informs them, pulling out a large book from under his pillow. "Got this 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 recognise different eggs – what I've got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them." Alucard's frown deepens as Hagrid continues.

"Is there no information on how to keep them calm?" He asks suddenly. Hagrid flips through the book then shakes his head frowning. "Information on their size or growth rate?" Another negative. "Hagrid, that book is so out of date, it's basically useless."

"B-but…" Hagrid starts to be cut off.

"The only accurate thing so far was to keep them in fire and the species. But the temperature of the fire is important. Warmer makes males, while cooler makes females. When it hatches you need a bucket of a mixture of cow blood, chicken meat and brandy, fed to it every hour. That'll cover all it needs to be healthy until it reaches three months."

"Oh, erm…" Hagrid tries to say, but is talked over.

"Norwegian Ridgebacks can get to about sixty foot depending on male or female, females are bigger. And they reach maturity at about a year old. Ways of keeping babies calm include; tough chew toys, I mean dragon hide tough, wrestling, I'd recommend wearing gloves as they have a venomous bite, and peek-a-boo, dunno why that works but it does." Alucard finishes. The first-years look at him in a mix of awe and amusement.

"Also, I'd recommend charming your walls and roof fire resistant." Hagrid nods slowly then quicker with a smile.

"Thanks fer the help, I'd like any help yeh can give me." Hagrid says. He then walks over and stokes the fire. "So, yeh said that this egg'll be a girl?" Alucard nods. "Now, I need a name fer her."

So now that something else to worry about. What would happen to Hagrid if someone found out about the illegal dragon he was hiding in his hut.

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life." Ron sighed one evening. They had been struggling through evening after evening of all the extra homework they had received. Hermione even started making Harry and Ron revision timetables, it was driving them mad.

Then one breakfast, Hedwig brought Harry a note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: It's hatching.

Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut with Alucard, who two free periods. Alucard and Hermione wouldn't hear it.

"How many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"You can come to my family's Reserve anytime during the holidays. There's always one with a nest near hatching." Alucard tells him. "The offer is open to you two, also." He adds.

"We've got lessons, we'll get in trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in if someone finds out what he's doing-"

"Shut up!" Harry hisses at them.

Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. Alucard gave him a grin and he scuttled off quickly. How much had he heard? Harry didn't like the look Malfoy had before he ran away.

Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology, and in the end they agreed to meet with Alucard there during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped what they were doing and rushed to Hagrid's hut.

Hagrid greeted them looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He says while ushering them inside. "Alucard's watching it."

The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it. Alucard looked up and waved them over, a large grin on his face.

They all drew chairs to the table and watched with bated breath.

Suddenly there was a scraping noise and the egg split open simultaneously. The baby dragon flopped on to the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; it looked sort of like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny black wings were huge compared to it's skinny jet black body and it had a long snout with wide nostrils, stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.

It sneezed and a couple sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't she beautiful!" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke it's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing off pointed, venomous, teeth.

"Looks like we'll have to start calming her down early." Alucard says absentmindedly as he rolled up his sleeves.

"And what're you doing?" Hermione asked him in shock.

"I'm going to wrestle with it, obviously." Alucard tells her as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Wrestle… with a… dragon… How daft can you be?!" Hermione says hitting his head. She pulls her hand back and rubs it.

"It won't hurt me, you know." Alucard says as he reaches out to the dragon and pulls on its tail. It turns around and bites his hand. He uses the bitten hand to flip the dragon over.

Hagrid suddenly leaps to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asks him worried.

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains – it's a kid – he's runnin' back up ter the school." Harry bolted to the door and looked out, followed by Alucard, who had somehow escaped the dragon's bite unharmed. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.

Malfoy had seen the dragon.

Alucard's eyes flash a deadly red.

The smile lurking on Malfoy's face uneased Harry, Ron and Hermione while Alucard had ignored it and told them not to worry because he had a plan. Alucard now spent a lot of his time in Hagrid's darkened hut, joined by the three first-years every so often, working with the dragon and trying to reason with Hagrid.

"Come on, just send her there." Alucard was saying to Hagrid one afternoon. "You can visit her whenever. And you won't have to worry about being hurt."

"I can't." Hagrid says gruffly. "She's too little, she'll die." The first-years looked at the dragon, who was currently pinned to the floor by Alucard. It had grown three times in size in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid had only been doing the minimum of his duties when Alucard was with the dragon because the dragon had kept him so busy.

There were empty brandy bottles, feathers and other bottles empty all over the floor. Alucard let the dragon up. It instantly jumped away and turned on him. He lifted a cloth and covered his face. The dragon tilted it's head then sniffed and investigated the cloth. Alucard dropped the cloth and the dragon jumped back in surprise. He repeated this process a few times until she eventually just sat and watched him curiously.

"I've decided to call her Norberta." Hagrid informed the first-years with misty eyes. "She really knows me now, watch. Norberta!" Her head snaps towards Hagrid and lowers to the floor. "Where's Mummy?" She blew a cloud of smoke at Hagrid then at Alucard.

"They've lost their marbles." Ron mutters to Harry.

"Hagrid!" Harry calls loudly. "Give it a fortnight and Norberta's going to be the size of your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

"Let him." Alucard says suddenly.

"What?" Harry and Ron turn to face him.

"I said, let him." Alucard says standing. "I've got a license to raise dragons. If anyone asks, Norberta is mine and Hagrid is helping me keep her away from students."

"That's kind of yeh, Alucard, but I know I can't keep her forever." Hagrid says, resting a hand on Alucard's shoulder. Harry turned to Alucard.

"Didn't you say your family ran a dragon reserve?"

"Yeah?"

"Can't we send Norberta to them? They can take care of her then put her back in the wild!" Harry says excitedly.

"That's what I've been trying to get Hagrid to agree with." Alucard says before turning to Hagrid. "See, even Harry thinks it could work."

In the end, Hagrid agreed to send an owl to Alucard's parents to ask them.

The following week dragged by slowly. Wednesday night found Hermione and Harry sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to sleep. The clock just chimed midnight when Alucard and Ron appeared out of nowhere. Alucard handed Harry his Invisibility Cloak. They were down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norberta, who was now eating chickens whole.

"It bit me!" Ron exclaimed, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met."

"You are only complaining because you didn't listen when I said don't tease it without gloves on!" Alucard tells him annoyed. "I told you three times already, it's your fault you got bit."

"Yeah, yeah. I got told off by Alucard and Hagrid for teasing it, and when we left Hagrid was singing it a lullaby. The way he goes on, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit." A tap on the window stopped Ron from continuing.

"It's Zwart." Alucard says as he opens the window, letting a large black owl in. "I think he has my parent's answer." The four of them put their heads together to read it.

Dear Alucard

How are you, son? We thank you for the letter and hope you are in good health.

We will gladly take in the Norwegian Ridgeback, you said you had been working with it already, that is good. It will make the work we have to do less. We can pick it up next week.

We don't want to start any problems with the students or staff, so could you meet us at the gates of the school at midnight, Saturday? We will meet you there and take her while it is still dark.

Send us a message as soon as you can.

Love,

Your Parents

They looked at each other.

"We've got the Cloak; it should be big enough to cover two of us and Norberta." Harry offers. It was a sign of how bad the week had been for the first-years when the other two agreed. Anything to get rid of Noberta - and Malfoy. Alucard put the letter down on the table.

There was a minor hitch in their plans. By next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice it's normal size. They didn't know whether they could go to Madam Pomfrey - would she be able to recognise a dragon bite? By the afternoon though, he had no choice. His hand had turned a nasty shade of green, which Alucard found intriguing.

"Huh, Norberta's venom seems more potent than a normal one of her species. It normally takes two full days before it turns green, and she's only an infant. Imagine when she's full grown!" Alucard gushes as he studies the bite carefully.

"I don't think that's the most important think right now." Ron says weakly.

"Oh, sorry." Alucard says, backing off.

They went to visit Ron in the Hospital Wing after their lessons to find him in a terrible state.

"It's not just my hand." He whispers to them. "Although it feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he can come and have a laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me - I told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me - I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this." They tried to calm him down.

"It'll all be over this Saturday." Hermione reminds him. It has the opposite effect.

"Oh, no! The book Malfoy took had the letter in it! The letter from your parents! You left it on the table, and I stuffed it in my book!" Ron says panicking. "Malfoy, knows we are going to get rid of the dragon!"

Before they could get a chance to say anything, Madam Pomfrey came over and ushered them out, stating that Ron needed rest.

"It's too late to change plans now." Alucard tells them. "We won't be able to get an owl to my parents in time. At least we've got the Cloak. He doesn't know about that."

When they went to tell Hagrid, Fang was sitting outside with a bandaged tail. Hagrid only let Alucard in and spoke to Harry and Hermione through an open window.

"I can't let you two in." He puffed as a loud thud echoed from behind him. "Norberta's being tricky - nothin' Alucard and I can' handle." Another thud.

When they told Hagrid about the letter, his eyes welled up in tears. Although, it could have been Alucard and Norberta crashing into his back.

"It's all right, they are just playing! She's only a baby after all." Said baby crashed into the ground again with Alucard making the windows rattle. Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.

Harry would have felt bad for Hagrid, if he wasn't so worried about what he was about to do. Alucard, it seemed, did not share these worries.

"Hey, Hagrid, it'll be fine. You've seen our Reserve! All of the dragons are looked after, and you can come visit over the break, if you want?" Alucard says reassuringly. Hagrid had somehow gotten Norberta into a crate.

"She's got lots of beef and chicken fer the journey." Hagrid says in a muffled voice. "I've also put in her favourite chew toy." Chomping sounds came from the crate.

"Bye-bye Norberta!" Hagrid calls as Alucard lifts the crate easily. Harry covers himself, Alucard and the crate with the Cloak. "Mummy will never forget you!"

How Alucard managed to carry the crate, by himself, to the entrance gates, Harry might never know. He struggled to see where he was, even without carrying a dragon, but eventually they made it.

"Nearly there." Harry whispers, knowing Alucard would hear him."

"Shh, there's someone there that shouldn't be." Alucard warns him. They trudge slowly to the gate, keeping silent. Suddenly, a lamp flares, revealing Professor McGonagall holding Malfoy by the ear.

"Detention!" She shouted. "And fifty points from Slytherin! Out of bed after curfew is bad enough! Out of the castle!"

"You don't understand Professor! Harry Potter and Juvatich are coming! They have a dragon!" Malfoy says.

"I know of Juvatich coming here to hand over an item of interest to his parents, which was cleared between Dumbledore and the Juvatich's. Nowhere was Harry Potter mentioned! Once the item has been passed on, we shall see Professor Snape about you!" McGonagall says angrily. Alucard steps out of the Cloak with Norberta and gestures for Harry to stay in place.

"Hello, Professor." Alucard says calmly as he walks forward. McGonagall turns around and eyes the crate Alucard lugged under his arm warily. "Did Dumbledore tell you to supervise this?"

"Yes, he did. He said someone would have to open the gate for you." McGonagall says, calming down quickly. "Do you know if your parents have arrived yet?"

"Yes, they have, Professor." Alucard says. "They are waiting for you to open the gate as we speak." McGonagall turns to the gate and spots two people.

"Professor! That's the dragon I was talking about!" Malfoy suddenly exclaims, pointing at the crate. "He can't have a dragon, it's illegal!"

"Even if it is a dragon, which I doubt, Mr. Juvatich has a permit to work with and raise dragons." McGonagall snaps at Malfoy. "Now be silent." McGonagall then waves her wand at the gate which opens, and the two people walk over quickly.

The man, who must be Alucard's father, is a tall, well-built man with long, dark, curly hair that hangs to his shoulders. His eyes, a grey stone-like colour, raked over the gathered group before warming at the sight of his son. His mouth settles into a proud smile. His black tail-cloak billows out behind him, revealing his dark red button up shirt and black trousers that hug his form perfectly, as if tailor-made.

The woman, Alucard's mother, is a beautiful woman. She is tall for a woman, a few inches above McGonagall even, with glistening red hair that frames her face. Her eyes, a black that perfectly matches Alucard's own, glow with warmth and happiness, a smile that holds unparalleled love is placed on her lips as she sees her son. She is wearing a formfitting red dress that matches her hair and a black cloak that wraps around her shoulders and flows out behind her.

Harry can now see where Alucard gets his air of power and his looks. These two looked like the perfect couple; beautiful, powerful, and most importantly, happy.

The two walk straight to Alucard, who puts down the crate, and embrace him in a family hug. They break apart after a few seconds and Alucard's father holds Alucard at arm's length.

"You've grown again, my son." He says. "How have you been? We heard you've made some friends?"

"Yes, father. I've been having a great time at the castle. I have made a three new friends among the Gryffindor first-years. You will be able to meet them at the end of the year at Platform 9 and 3/4." Alucard responds, both parents smile slightly wider upon hearing this. They turn to McGonagall, who had approached the group.

"Hell, Mr. and Mrs. Juvatich, I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress." She introduces herself, holding her hand out, both parents shake it.

"And I am Dracule. And this is my beautiful wife, Serene." Dracule introduces them.

"I am honoured to make your acquaintance."

"As are we, but we must be quick about this business." Dracule turns to Alucard and gestures to the crate. "Is this it?"

"Yes, father, it is."

"Good, the we shall be off. We will send you a letter tomorrow about it." Dracule says, picking up the box with the same ease as Alucard. "Farewell, all." Alucard hugs both his parents again before they walk back out the gate and disappear.

"Well then, Professor, I shall be going back to the common room." Alucard says as he turns and gestures for Harry to follow him. They walk back to the castle. Harry takes off his Invisibility Cloak as they enter the castle and tucks it under his robes.

"Your parents really love you." Harry says as they enter the school.

"And so did yours." Alucard responds, Harry smiles and looks down.

"Oh, lookie here." A voice says from behind them. They turn around quickly and spot Filch. "My, aren't we in trouble."

'Shit, I let my guard down!' Alucard thinks, annoyed with himself. Harry freezes in fear.

Author Note:

I'm going on a break for this story until December because I have exams, I will have a chapter out ASAP by then.