The holidays seemed to fly by after Christmas. The students who had gone home for Christmas returned and Harry found himself missing the quiet of an empty castle.
He didn't worry too much with his friends back and just as excited as he was for the coming term. Hermione had immediately given them a rundown on their study schedules for the next few months. Everyone had to group up in order to convince her to schedule more freetime than she had originally planned.
The day after the students had returned, Neville asked Harry, Ron, and Hermione to join him in the classroom where they'd practiced spells before.
"I can't tell you how much this new wand makes a difference," he said, setting up the dummy at the other end of the room. "I couldn't do any magic at home but just holding it in Ollivander's shop was overwhelming."
He took his place and readied his wand.
"Flipendo!"
The spell shot from his wand and slammed into the dummy pushing it firmly up against the wall. Neville turned to the others with a huge smile.
"I knew it! Once I'd picked it up at the shop I could tell I wasn't going to have any more problems casting." He looked at Harry. "Thanks, mate. I don't think I would have ever thought of getting a new wand had you not pointed me to Marcus."
Harry smiled back and clapped him on the shoulder. "We all knew you had it in you, Neville. You just needed the right tool."
Hermione smiled and gave Neville a quick hug while Ron gave him a fist bump.
The four of them decided to go to the practice room once a week to help each other. Harry didn't quite know how to react to the other three looking to him for guidance but he felt, with Hermione's help, he could come up with some sort of plan. Plus, he was still excited to be able to practice magic and wasn't going to say no to working together.
The Spring term of Hogwarts University began with a blanket of snow covering the castle. Even with the cold the students felt a sense of comfort in being back to a routine. The first years especially felt more confident in classes. Harry thought it was because they were now used to the way school works.
The major difference was the introduction of Astronomy. They had touched on it in a few classes but they were now going to be having regular classes at night in order to further familiarize themselves with the stars.
At first, Harry wasn't convinced it was something that needed so much attention but when Hermione explained that certain potions and rituals were completely ineffective if not done at the proper time. However, even with that explanation, the first years weren't super excited about the late night classes.
It was a few weeks into the term and they had just finished up such a class and were making their way back to the first year common room when Harry glimpsed Snape limping down another corridor.
Harry slowly worked his way to the back of the group letting everyone pass before he slipped behind a pillar and pulled out his new cloak.
Once covered, he followed where he thought Snape was headed. He found him at the central staircase, waiting on a platform for one of the stairs to move into position. Harry kept his distance and watched as Snape grimaced from the pain in his leg. When the staircase finally moved into place, Snape made his way down and towards where Harry knew the staff lounge was.
Snape entered the room before Harry could catch up, making Harry wonder why he wasn't going to the infirmary for his leg. Before he could get too deep into his thoughts the door to the lounge opened again and Snape reappeared, dragging behind him an obviously flustered Professor Quirrell.
"S-Severus!? What is going on?"
"Silence!" hissed Snape. "You will keep quiet until I allow you to speak."
Harry followed them as Snape led the other professor into the dungeons and into the potions auditorium Harry knew was used for larger lectures. Harry was able to slip in behind Quirrell and sink into the shadows to watch whatever was happening play out.
Snape limped down to the instructor's desk at the front of the room and pulled up his pant leg revealing a massive cut that ran down the side of his calf. Harry could tell the bleeding had been stemmed using magic as the wound was still open.
Snape pulled his wand out causing Quirrell to flinch away. Snape sneered at him before flicking his wand and a small bottle with a brown liquid inside floated out from one of the cabinets along the wall. He pulled the cork and carefully poured a few drops onto the wound. Harry winced as green smoke billowed from the wound and Snape's face contorted into one of intense pain. Before Harry realized what was happening, the wound closed itself and the skin began healing and smoothing over. In only a few moments Snape's leg was almost entirely healed.
Letting out a relieved sigh, Snape replaced the lid on the bottle and turned his attention back to Quirrell. For a long moment nothing was said. Just Quirrell shaking and doing his level best to not make eye contact.
"Why are you so insistent on making me your enemy?" Snape asked. Harry was thrown off by the calm in his voice. He'd expected a more explosive start.
"I a-assure you I don't kn-know what you are talking about."
Snape stood and walked to Quirrell who had stumbled back and into one of the seats in the front row. He cowered back as Snape stood over him.
"I tire of your schemes, Quirrell. You slink about the castle doing everything you can to be discreet. Instead your incompetence is so blatant I am sure there are muggles that can see through you."
Quirrell sputtered again, fear evident on his face.
Snape took another step forward, narrowing his eyes into a glare.
"You know very well what I'm talking about and you will cease this hopeless venture."
He stepped back and walked to the door before he paused and turned his head back toward Quirrell.
"We'll have another little chat soon when you've had some time to think. Do not anger me."
With that, he threw the door open and exited. Harry stood for a moment and watched Quirrell from across the room. The man looked like he might shake apart, his fear clear on his face. Harry could tell he was mumbling but he couldn't make out the words. As Quirrell finally stood and left the room, Harry was finally able to make out the word "traitor" before the professor disappeared out the door.
Harry waited for a moment for the corridor to clear before working his way back to the first year dorms, each step bringing more questions. What is Quirrell doing that Snape doesn't like? Why was Snape's leg injured? What was happening at this school?
Harry couldn't take his mind off Snape and Quirrell's conversation. On the surface, it sounded like Quirrell was doing something Snape didn't like but Harry couldn't figure out what it actually was. Eventually he told Ron and Hermione but they couldn't think of anything either.
In the end, Harry decided to just forget what happened and focus on school. If something did happen between Snape and Quirrell, he'd hear about it eventually.
It also didn't help that the term had really ramped up his work load from classes. He was so busy with school work he hadn't been able to just relax with his friends. To be fair, his friends were just as busy.
A few weeks after Snape and Quirrell's argument, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the first year common room working on their school work.
"Bloody hell, I've never hated a piece of paper more than this damn potions essay."
Harry looked up and saw Ron dramatically slide out of his chair and onto the ground.
"Why can't we just have a nap till Thursday?"
"Oh it's not that bad, Ron," said Hermione as she stretched her arms above her head. "It's not too long and the subject is quite interesting."
Ron turned to her with a look of abject terror.
"How in the world is Canadian Peary Caribou excrement and its uses in potions interesting?"
Hermione huffed and began rattling off how effective it was in different potions. Before she could get too deep into lecture mode Ron groaned and rolled onto his stomach, pulling his pack over his head to cover his ears.
Harry grinned as Hermione glared at Ron's now covered face. She then looked at Harry and gave him a mischievous smirk as she pulled her wand and shot Ron in the but with a stinging hex.
Harry and Hermione laughed as Ron let out a yelp in pain.
"What was that for?" he asked, rubbing the spot where she hit him.
"For being a prat."
"But he's always a prat, Hermione," Harry said. "I think you need to keep up the punishment until he gets his act together."
"You know, I think you're right, Harry."
"Maybe you can ask his brothers how best to keep him disciplined. They do know him best."
"That's a wonderful idea, Harry!" she said with a beaming smile. "I'm sure they will have plenty of ideas."
Harry looked at Ron and gave him a wicked grin. "You could also write to his mother. I'm sure she would love to know how his school life is going."
Ron had been growing more and more pale as they had bantered back and forth but with the mention of his mother he looked absolutely terrified.
"You two are evil…"
Harry and Hermione gave each other a look and Harry winked at her before turning to pack up his things.
"Well, I think I'm going to take a break and visit Hagrid. Do you guys want to join me? I'm sure he'd love for you to visit."
"I'd love to," said Hermione, also packing up her things. "It's good to not overwork yourself."
Harry and Ron both paused and looked at her a little incredulously.
When she noticed their stares she gave them an exasperated look.
"Hardy Har, boys. Yes, I know I tend to go a bit overboard with my workload but that doesn't mean I can't relax as well."
"I'll believe it when I see it," murmured Ron as he turned to pack his things as well. He didn't see Hermione draw her wand and send another stinging hex his way.
"Ouch! How do you always hit the same spot?!"
Harry laughed as he approached Hermione who had just closed her bag and stood to leave.
"Come on, Ron," he said before taking her bag for her. "I want to make it to Hagrid's for tea."
Harry didn't notice as Hermione blushed a bit as he shouldered her bag.
"Well if someone is done stinging me we'll get there much faster."
"Oh quit whining and let's go," Hermione said, leading the boys from the common room.
The three laughed and joked all the way to Hagrid's hut. When they finally got there, they were greeted by Hagrid in a huge apron.
"Isn't it a bit early to start cooking supper, Hagrid?"
Hagrid chuckled a bit as he ushered them inside, closing the door behind them. It was swelteringly hot in the hut and Harry felt sweat beads already forming on his arms and forehead.
"Bloody hell, Hagrid," Ron said, wiping his brow with his sleeve. "Can't we at least open a window here?"
Hagrid hesitated, his eyes flicked toward the fire before he shook his head.
"Er… sorry, but I can't quite yet."
Harry followed where Hagrid's eyes had looked.
"Uh… Hagrid? What is that massive egg in your fire for?"
The other two students looked at the fire before Ron approached the fire with wide eyes."
"How in the world did you get this, Hagrid?"
"Well, you see, I won it from a stranger in a card game last night. The guy seemed to be glad to get rid of it."
"Wait a minute," Hermione said. "What exactly is inside that egg, Hagrid."
Before the big man could answer, Ron spoke.
"It's a dragon egg."
The way he said it so nonchalantly seemed to short circuit Hermione's brain for a moment before she looked at Hagrid.
"You live in a wooden house, Hagrid."
But at that point Hagrid wasn't listening. The egg had just wobbled a bit.
"It's hatching?" Ron almost yelled. "Hagrid, you can't hatch this thing here! It's against a dozen laws and there is now way you can take care of it here!"
"I'm sure everythin' will be fine, Ron. I've taken care o' big creatures before an' been fine."
After a moment he saw the three of them looking at him with expectant expressions.
"Well, mostly fine anyways. Don' worry. I'm sure I'll be fine."
Ron shook his head and sighed before approaching the big man and laying his hand on the man's arm.
"Hagrid, my brother Charlie is a professional dragon handler and even with a full team of handlers they struggle with caring for baby dragons. Yes, the early days would be pretty easy but this little guy will grow faster than you think. It will be dangerous in only a few days and you won't be able to constrain it."
Hagrid's eyes watered up a bit before he nodded at Ron.
"I know tha'. It's just that I've wanted a dragon fer as long as I can remember an' when I finally had one at my fingertips it was too hard to pass up."
Ron gave the man a warm smile. "Let me reach out to Charlie. I'm sure he can help us get it to a reserve and maybe he can set it up to where you can visit when it's safe."
Hagrid nodded, too choked up to speak. Just as he was about to move on the egg cracked and his attention was fully on the fire. He put on some massive oven mitts and reached into the fire to grab the egg before resting it on the table in the middle of the room.
All four of the people in the room approached the table, eyes wide in fascination. Slowly, cracks appeared and deepened along the egg. They could hear and see something moving around inside. Suddenly, a piece of the egg was pushed out and fell to the table, revealing a small claw.
The claw began to pull at the shell, widening the hole. Eventually a little mouth appeared and began breaking the shell even more. After a few moments, the shell crumbled leaving a small, crumpled dragon on the table before them.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid said, a tear in his eye.
The others just nodded, entranced by the creature.
It looked up at all three of them before looking at Hagrid and crawling forward. It struggled to move as its limbs had been curled up for so long but with each step became more confident. It approached the big man before crawling into his lap.
"Awww. He knows his mummy."
Hermione finally seemed to come to herself as she immediately started pacing.
"We need to contact Charlie as soon as possible. This could become a much bigger incident if we wait too long."
Ron nodded and stood. "You're right. I'll go write to him now. Do you guys mind if I ask the twins for help as well? I know they can be goofballs but they really know the castle and grounds better than anyone."
Harry looked to Hermione who thought for a moment before nodding. "I think that would be very helpful. Good thinking, Ron."
"Alright, I'll get going then. Hagrid, be careful okay? Even small things can still be dangerous."
As he said that the dragon sneezed and lit Hagrid's beard on fire.
A little while later, Harry and Hermione returned to the common room to see Ron, Fred, and George hovering over a piece of paper. The twins noticed them enter and waved them over.
"You guys have been here for all of five months and you already are having one of the crazier adventures," one of the twins said. "Seriously, a dragon? As first years? I have a feeling your time at Hogwarts is going to be interesting to say the least."
"It's not like we seek out these kinds of things," replied Harry. "They just kind of happen."
"Don't get us wrong," said the other twin with a massive grin. "We are absolutely loving this."
Hermione rolled her eyes before turning to Ron.
"What have you got so far?"
"Well, the twins have given a few suggestions on where we'd be able to meet to make the hand off. I'm going to let Charlie make the final decision on which option he wants and when. Hopefully he's able to get here soon."
"We also need to make sure Mum doesn't realize he's in the country," Fred added. "She'd freak out if he came all the way from Romania and didn't see her."
"That is an excellent point, Fred," Ron said, making a final note before folding it up and sliding it into an envelope.
"Here," said Harry, taking the letter. "I'll have Hedwig deliver it. She's been a little cranky about only doing short flights to Hagrids and back."
The others spoke for a little longer while Harry made his way to the owlery. Hedwig was clearly excited about the long flight. She nibbled at his finger for a moment before taking off with the letter in her talons.
They got Charlie's response two days later.
I cannot believe you guys have a baby dragon. I always knew Hagrid loved big dangerous creatures but even in my wildest dreams I never thought he'd actually end up with a dragon.
Okay, so let's go with the astronomy tower for the hand off. My team and I won't be able to actually get into the castle so flying up on brooms to meet you will be the safest move. Also, good call on making sure Mum doesn't know I'll be there. I don't think she'd let me leave again…
I'll see you guys on Saturday night.
Cheers,
Charlie