Chapter 9 – In which there is a trade and a dragon
Once classes had started again Willow, Hermione and Sam were so busy with work that they had almost forgotten about Nicholas Flamel. Sam had sent off two letters to her parents during the first week of term but so far hadn't gotten a reply. Willow and Hermione were both working hard and were both at the top of the class. Sam was doing some work and yet she could still keep up with Hermione and Willow. They couldn't understand how she did it.
A few weeks later Sam received two answers. After reading the letters she sat down at a table in the common room, right in front of where Potter was whispering to Weasley about Snape refereeing the next Quidditch match. Willow and Hermione walked in and sat down next to Sam. "Are those the replies from your parents?" Willow asked.
Sam came out of the trance she was in. "What? Oh, yeah." Before Sam could continue the portrait hole opened and Neville fell in, due to the fact that he was under the Leg-Locker Curse. Willow, Hermione, Sam, Potter and Weasley went over to him while the rest of the population of the common room laughed.
Hermione performed the counter-curse and helped Neville up. "What happened?" Willow asked concern evident in her voice.
"Malfoy," he replied shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looing for someone to practise that on."
Willow, Hermione and Sam exchanged a look as Potter said, "You're worth twelve of Malfoy. The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." The girls glared at Potter but ignored that comment as they began to move toward the lounges near the fire.
They immediately stopped when they heard Potter say excitedly, "I've found him. I found Flamel!"
Without saying a word Sam looked at Hermione and Willow and they went up to their dorm. As one they sat down on Willow's bed. "Come on Sam don't keep us in suspense," Hermione said.
"What did your parents tell you?" Willow finished for her.
Sam glanced at the letter in her left hand. "Dad said that Flamel is six hundred and sixty-six years old and is the only known creator of the Philosopher's Stone." She held up the other letter. "Mum went into a bit more detail. Apparently the Philosopher's Stone will transform any metal into gold and also produces the Elixir of Life, which makes the drinker immortal."
"Curiouser and curiouser," said Hermione.
"Okay, so we know about Flamel," Willow said, "but we still don't know why Potter and Weasley are trying to find out about him."
"I'd bet anything they don't know as much as we do," added Sam.
Willow and Hermione both looked at her, astonished. "Sam you're not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?" asked Willow.
"Depends what you're thinking," Sam replied nonchalantly.
"You're not thinking of... trading information are you?" Hermione asked.
"Well yeah. We'd find out what we want to know. And it's not like our information will help them much."
Willow gave her a half-smile. "You would've done well in Slytherin, I think."
"So I've been told. Well? Are we gonna tell them?"
Hermione nodded. "Before breakfast."
The next morning Willow, Hermione and Sam sat waiting in the common room. As Potter and Weasley walked down the stairs from the boys' dorms, the three girls stood up. Weasley and Potter stopped in their tracks and watched in silence as Willow approached them. "We want to talk to you," she said. "It'll be to your advantage," she added, to make sure they would agree. The boys nodded and followed Hermione, Sam and Willow out of the common room, down a few hallways, and into a classroom that, being only 7:45 in the morning, was empty.
Potter and Weasley turned to the girls. "What do you want?" Weasley snarled.
"Like I said, to talk to you," replied Willow with nonchalance.
"What about?" Potter asked cautiously.
"Nicholas Flamel," Hermione said, stepping forward.
Weasley and Potter instantly took a step back and the girls could tell by looking in their eyes that they even more suspicious. "What about him?" asked Potter.
Sam sighed in exasperation and spoke for the first time. "Look you want to know about Flamel and we have information on him. We want to make a deal."
"I don't think so Shirley. Why would we want to make a deal with you?" Weasley replied in contempt.
"You might not want to Weasley but Potter seems to be seriously considering it."
"How do we know you won't lie about what you know?" inquired Potter. He certainly seemed to be full of questions this morning, Sam thought.
Willow rolled her eyes. "What would be the point in us lying to you?"
Potter shrugged. "Fine it's a deal. So what do you want for the information?"
"You have to tell us why you've been trying to find out about Flamel," piped up Hermione.
"Is that really any of your business?" Potter raised his eyebrows.
"No," Willow said simply. "But we're curious people."
"Curiosity killed the cat." Weasley gave Potter a look that clearly said he thought he was bonkers.
"But it won't kill us," said Sam with conviction. "Now spill."
"Granger do you remember the three-headed dog we came across in the third floor corridor?" Hermione nodded. "Well, we asked Hagrid about it. He accidentally told us that the dog was guarding something and he mentioned Nicholas Flamel. So we were trying to find out who he is but had no luck. But whatever it is we think Snape's trying to steal it."
"You really are stupid aren't you?" Sam asked.
"Why?"
"Snape's a teacher. He's not going to try to steal the Stone."
"What stone?"
As Sam was explaining to Potter and Weasley who Nicholas Flamel was and what the Philosopher's Stone did, Hermione's brain was busy, processing everything that she'd just been told. Willow noticed that Hermione's eyes suddenly lit up with understanding. "Of course," she murmured, "it makes sense now."
"What does?" Willow whispered.
"That three-headed dog I told you about once. Flamel must have asked Dumbledore to protect the Philosopher's Stone for him. Obviously someone's trying to steal it and there's no way it could be Snape. I don't like the guy but I don't think he'd try to steal the Stone. And I'd bet anything that there is more than just the dog protecting the Stone. Dumbledore probably had various teachers put enchantments around it. Snape included more than likely."
"I agree with you. But it still begs the question: who's trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone?"
As the weeks passed Willow, Sam and Hermione stopped thinking about the Philosopher's Stone. There wasn't anything else they could do as no new clues to who might be trying to steal the Stone had turned up. Obviously it couldn't be someone from Hogwarts because hardly anyone knew it was there, or even knew it existed for that matter. Which meant that someone outside of Hogwarts knew of its existence and would try to break into the castle and steal it. In fact had already tried to steal it. Willow had found out about the attempted robbery of Gringotts during the summer and had assumed that there could only be one reason for it and that it was to get the Philosopher's Stone.
Hermione had taken to drawing up study timetables and colour-coding her notes. Willow often joined her for the study sessions. After all, there was only ten weeks left until the exams. Sam had attempted to help them but there was only so much she could take, and after a couple of Hermione and Willow's intense study sessions she gracefully backed away and just let them go. During their study times Sam would either do something by herself or talk to Draco. That is when he also wasn't studying or bullying someone.
The girls had spoken to Draco about his bullying people in general but also about Neville Longbottom in particular. Draco had said that he would stop but then the very next day Willow, Hermione and Sam had found him teasing a Hufflepuff. They didn't like it but the three girls had resigned themselves to the fact that he would probably never stop. Not when it was part of his nature, just as it was part of their nature to be nice to people in general.
The teachers had piled on so much work that the Easter holidays were no where near as fun as the Christmas ones had been. Willow, Hermione and Sam were spending every bit of their spare time in the library, Willow and Hermione either studying or doing homework, Sam reading. One day Sam just couldn't take anymore of the constant work and insisted that they go visit Hagrid. After much persuasion Sam managed to drag Hermione and Willow away from the books.
When the three girls arrived at Hagrid's hut they were surprised to find all the curtains closed. Willow knocked and they were ushered in quickly. The heat inside was stifling. Hermione went to open the windows but Hagrid stopped her. "Hagrid it's boiling in here," said Willow. "Can we please open a window?"
Sam was staring at the blazing fire. She couldn't understand why Hagrid would have a fire going when the weather had gotten so warm lately. Then she noticed the black object in the flames. Willow and Hermione followed Sam's gaze and also saw the object. "What is that?" asked Willow.
"Hagrid is that a dragon's egg?" Sam asked as she took a step forward to get a closer look. "Where did you get it?"
"Won it," Hagrid replied proudly, "about a week ago. I was having a few drinks in the village and got into a card game with a stranger. Think he was glad ter be rid of it."
"Hagrid what do you plan to do when it hatches?" Willow asked.
"Why look after it o' course. I did some reading and what I've got there is a Norwegian Ridgeback. Really rare."
"But Hagrid you live in a wooden house," Hermione protested, although Hagrid wasn't listening.
A little while later, when the heat in Hagrid's house had become too much for them, Hermione, Willow and Sam said goodbye to Hagrid and headed back to the castle. "I can't believe Hagrid has a dragon egg," said Willow.
"Does he realize that it's illegal to own a dragon?" Sam said. "Probably not."
"Let's just hope no one finds out about it," Hermione said, ending the conversation as they reached the castle doors.
A week later Willow received a note at breakfast with only two words on it. "It's hatching," Willow read out loud. She looked up at Sam and Hermione, who had both forgotten about their breakfasts at Willow's words.
"Lunchtime?" Hermione suggested, already knowing the answer.
During morning classes Willow, Sam and Hermione couldn't concentrate on their work. They were too busy thinking about the dragon and hoping Hagrid was okay. The girls had noticed that Potter and Weasley were missing. They guessed that the boys knew about the dragon and had presumably also received a note at breakfast.
When the bell went to signal lunch Willow, Hermione and Sam rushed down to Hagrid's and quickly went inside. The girls had been right in assuming that Potter and Weasley knew about the dragon as the two boys were leaving. On the table was a black baby dragon with large wings in comparison to its body, a long snout, tiny horns and bulging orange eyes.
"Girls come in," Hagrid said. "Isn't little Norbert absolutely beautiful?"
"Norbert?" Willow asked incredulously as she looked at the dragon that was trying to bite Hagrid's fingers off.
"It's what I've decided to call him." Willow, Hermione and Sam looked at each other as Hagrid gazed lovingly at "Norbert".
Over the next two weeks Norbert grew extremely quickly. In one week Norbert had tripled his original size. Every second night one of the girls would sneak down to Hagrid's to help him feed Norbert. One night Willow came back with her right hand swollen and bloody. "The stupid thing bit me," she said as she sat down. "And Hagrid didn't even notice. He was trying to sing it to sleep as I left."
"Willow go see Madam Pomfrey," said Hermione, worried. "You can't leave your hand like that."
"She'll ask how it happened. I don't want to risk getting Hagrid in trouble."
Sam bit her lip. She was extremely worried. She didn't know much about dragons but getting bitten by one was not likely to be a good thing. "If it gets worse you have to go to the hospital wing Willow," said Sam.
By the next morning Willow's hand had gotten drastically worse. It was now swollen to twice the size of her other hand and the area surrounding the cut had turned green. It appeared that Norbert's fangs were poisonous. "Willow we're taking you to Madam Pomfrey," said Hermione.
When they arrived in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey took one look at Willow's hand, sat her down on a bed and bustled off to get a potion. She brought back an orange paste and asked, "What happened?"
"She was bitten by a cat," Sam improvised.
Madam Pomfrey looked at her suspiciously but didn't respond. She applied the paste and bandaged Willow's hand. Saying that Willow needed rest, the medi-witch shooed Sam and Hermione out of the room.
The following day, before going to visit Willow, Hermione and Sam went down to see Hagrid. When they arrived they found Hagrid sitting at his table, eyes bloodshot and holding a cup of tea in his large hands. "Hagrid have you been crying?" Sam asked.
Hagrid sniffled but didn't give an actual response. "What's wrong?" asked Hermione as she glanced around and noticed something missing. "Where's Norbert?"
Hagrid sniffled again and replied, "He was taken away last night. Harry and Ron gave him to Charlie Weasley and now Norbert's in Romania."
"It'll be alright Hagrid," said Sam, patting Hagrid's hand.
"He's in a better place now," added Hermione, "and surrounded by his own kind."
After comforting Hagrid as best they could Hermione and Sam went to inform Willow of the happenings. "Norbert is gone?" Willow repeated excitedly.
"Gone for good," Sam cheerfully said.
"He's in some dragon reserve in Romania apparently," elaborated Hermione.
"Thank goodness that dragon is finally gone," said Willow. "And I think Madam Pomfrey is going to let me out tomorrow. My hand's all fixed up. At least it didn't happen during the exams."
Hermione looked startled. "The exams are only two weeks away. Sorry Willow I have to go study. I'll see you tomorrow."
Willow and Sam grinned at each other as Hermione rushed out of the hospital wing to get to the library.
Once classes had started again Willow, Hermione and Sam were so busy with work that they had almost forgotten about Nicholas Flamel. Sam had sent off two letters to her parents during the first week of term but so far hadn't gotten a reply. Willow and Hermione were both working hard and were both at the top of the class. Sam was doing some work and yet she could still keep up with Hermione and Willow. They couldn't understand how she did it.
A few weeks later Sam received two answers. After reading the letters she sat down at a table in the common room, right in front of where Potter was whispering to Weasley about Snape refereeing the next Quidditch match. Willow and Hermione walked in and sat down next to Sam. "Are those the replies from your parents?" Willow asked.
Sam came out of the trance she was in. "What? Oh, yeah." Before Sam could continue the portrait hole opened and Neville fell in, due to the fact that he was under the Leg-Locker Curse. Willow, Hermione, Sam, Potter and Weasley went over to him while the rest of the population of the common room laughed.
Hermione performed the counter-curse and helped Neville up. "What happened?" Willow asked concern evident in her voice.
"Malfoy," he replied shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looing for someone to practise that on."
Willow, Hermione and Sam exchanged a look as Potter said, "You're worth twelve of Malfoy. The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." The girls glared at Potter but ignored that comment as they began to move toward the lounges near the fire.
They immediately stopped when they heard Potter say excitedly, "I've found him. I found Flamel!"
Without saying a word Sam looked at Hermione and Willow and they went up to their dorm. As one they sat down on Willow's bed. "Come on Sam don't keep us in suspense," Hermione said.
"What did your parents tell you?" Willow finished for her.
Sam glanced at the letter in her left hand. "Dad said that Flamel is six hundred and sixty-six years old and is the only known creator of the Philosopher's Stone." She held up the other letter. "Mum went into a bit more detail. Apparently the Philosopher's Stone will transform any metal into gold and also produces the Elixir of Life, which makes the drinker immortal."
"Curiouser and curiouser," said Hermione.
"Okay, so we know about Flamel," Willow said, "but we still don't know why Potter and Weasley are trying to find out about him."
"I'd bet anything they don't know as much as we do," added Sam.
Willow and Hermione both looked at her, astonished. "Sam you're not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?" asked Willow.
"Depends what you're thinking," Sam replied nonchalantly.
"You're not thinking of... trading information are you?" Hermione asked.
"Well yeah. We'd find out what we want to know. And it's not like our information will help them much."
Willow gave her a half-smile. "You would've done well in Slytherin, I think."
"So I've been told. Well? Are we gonna tell them?"
Hermione nodded. "Before breakfast."
The next morning Willow, Hermione and Sam sat waiting in the common room. As Potter and Weasley walked down the stairs from the boys' dorms, the three girls stood up. Weasley and Potter stopped in their tracks and watched in silence as Willow approached them. "We want to talk to you," she said. "It'll be to your advantage," she added, to make sure they would agree. The boys nodded and followed Hermione, Sam and Willow out of the common room, down a few hallways, and into a classroom that, being only 7:45 in the morning, was empty.
Potter and Weasley turned to the girls. "What do you want?" Weasley snarled.
"Like I said, to talk to you," replied Willow with nonchalance.
"What about?" Potter asked cautiously.
"Nicholas Flamel," Hermione said, stepping forward.
Weasley and Potter instantly took a step back and the girls could tell by looking in their eyes that they even more suspicious. "What about him?" asked Potter.
Sam sighed in exasperation and spoke for the first time. "Look you want to know about Flamel and we have information on him. We want to make a deal."
"I don't think so Shirley. Why would we want to make a deal with you?" Weasley replied in contempt.
"You might not want to Weasley but Potter seems to be seriously considering it."
"How do we know you won't lie about what you know?" inquired Potter. He certainly seemed to be full of questions this morning, Sam thought.
Willow rolled her eyes. "What would be the point in us lying to you?"
Potter shrugged. "Fine it's a deal. So what do you want for the information?"
"You have to tell us why you've been trying to find out about Flamel," piped up Hermione.
"Is that really any of your business?" Potter raised his eyebrows.
"No," Willow said simply. "But we're curious people."
"Curiosity killed the cat." Weasley gave Potter a look that clearly said he thought he was bonkers.
"But it won't kill us," said Sam with conviction. "Now spill."
"Granger do you remember the three-headed dog we came across in the third floor corridor?" Hermione nodded. "Well, we asked Hagrid about it. He accidentally told us that the dog was guarding something and he mentioned Nicholas Flamel. So we were trying to find out who he is but had no luck. But whatever it is we think Snape's trying to steal it."
"You really are stupid aren't you?" Sam asked.
"Why?"
"Snape's a teacher. He's not going to try to steal the Stone."
"What stone?"
As Sam was explaining to Potter and Weasley who Nicholas Flamel was and what the Philosopher's Stone did, Hermione's brain was busy, processing everything that she'd just been told. Willow noticed that Hermione's eyes suddenly lit up with understanding. "Of course," she murmured, "it makes sense now."
"What does?" Willow whispered.
"That three-headed dog I told you about once. Flamel must have asked Dumbledore to protect the Philosopher's Stone for him. Obviously someone's trying to steal it and there's no way it could be Snape. I don't like the guy but I don't think he'd try to steal the Stone. And I'd bet anything that there is more than just the dog protecting the Stone. Dumbledore probably had various teachers put enchantments around it. Snape included more than likely."
"I agree with you. But it still begs the question: who's trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone?"
As the weeks passed Willow, Sam and Hermione stopped thinking about the Philosopher's Stone. There wasn't anything else they could do as no new clues to who might be trying to steal the Stone had turned up. Obviously it couldn't be someone from Hogwarts because hardly anyone knew it was there, or even knew it existed for that matter. Which meant that someone outside of Hogwarts knew of its existence and would try to break into the castle and steal it. In fact had already tried to steal it. Willow had found out about the attempted robbery of Gringotts during the summer and had assumed that there could only be one reason for it and that it was to get the Philosopher's Stone.
Hermione had taken to drawing up study timetables and colour-coding her notes. Willow often joined her for the study sessions. After all, there was only ten weeks left until the exams. Sam had attempted to help them but there was only so much she could take, and after a couple of Hermione and Willow's intense study sessions she gracefully backed away and just let them go. During their study times Sam would either do something by herself or talk to Draco. That is when he also wasn't studying or bullying someone.
The girls had spoken to Draco about his bullying people in general but also about Neville Longbottom in particular. Draco had said that he would stop but then the very next day Willow, Hermione and Sam had found him teasing a Hufflepuff. They didn't like it but the three girls had resigned themselves to the fact that he would probably never stop. Not when it was part of his nature, just as it was part of their nature to be nice to people in general.
The teachers had piled on so much work that the Easter holidays were no where near as fun as the Christmas ones had been. Willow, Hermione and Sam were spending every bit of their spare time in the library, Willow and Hermione either studying or doing homework, Sam reading. One day Sam just couldn't take anymore of the constant work and insisted that they go visit Hagrid. After much persuasion Sam managed to drag Hermione and Willow away from the books.
When the three girls arrived at Hagrid's hut they were surprised to find all the curtains closed. Willow knocked and they were ushered in quickly. The heat inside was stifling. Hermione went to open the windows but Hagrid stopped her. "Hagrid it's boiling in here," said Willow. "Can we please open a window?"
Sam was staring at the blazing fire. She couldn't understand why Hagrid would have a fire going when the weather had gotten so warm lately. Then she noticed the black object in the flames. Willow and Hermione followed Sam's gaze and also saw the object. "What is that?" asked Willow.
"Hagrid is that a dragon's egg?" Sam asked as she took a step forward to get a closer look. "Where did you get it?"
"Won it," Hagrid replied proudly, "about a week ago. I was having a few drinks in the village and got into a card game with a stranger. Think he was glad ter be rid of it."
"Hagrid what do you plan to do when it hatches?" Willow asked.
"Why look after it o' course. I did some reading and what I've got there is a Norwegian Ridgeback. Really rare."
"But Hagrid you live in a wooden house," Hermione protested, although Hagrid wasn't listening.
A little while later, when the heat in Hagrid's house had become too much for them, Hermione, Willow and Sam said goodbye to Hagrid and headed back to the castle. "I can't believe Hagrid has a dragon egg," said Willow.
"Does he realize that it's illegal to own a dragon?" Sam said. "Probably not."
"Let's just hope no one finds out about it," Hermione said, ending the conversation as they reached the castle doors.
A week later Willow received a note at breakfast with only two words on it. "It's hatching," Willow read out loud. She looked up at Sam and Hermione, who had both forgotten about their breakfasts at Willow's words.
"Lunchtime?" Hermione suggested, already knowing the answer.
During morning classes Willow, Sam and Hermione couldn't concentrate on their work. They were too busy thinking about the dragon and hoping Hagrid was okay. The girls had noticed that Potter and Weasley were missing. They guessed that the boys knew about the dragon and had presumably also received a note at breakfast.
When the bell went to signal lunch Willow, Hermione and Sam rushed down to Hagrid's and quickly went inside. The girls had been right in assuming that Potter and Weasley knew about the dragon as the two boys were leaving. On the table was a black baby dragon with large wings in comparison to its body, a long snout, tiny horns and bulging orange eyes.
"Girls come in," Hagrid said. "Isn't little Norbert absolutely beautiful?"
"Norbert?" Willow asked incredulously as she looked at the dragon that was trying to bite Hagrid's fingers off.
"It's what I've decided to call him." Willow, Hermione and Sam looked at each other as Hagrid gazed lovingly at "Norbert".
Over the next two weeks Norbert grew extremely quickly. In one week Norbert had tripled his original size. Every second night one of the girls would sneak down to Hagrid's to help him feed Norbert. One night Willow came back with her right hand swollen and bloody. "The stupid thing bit me," she said as she sat down. "And Hagrid didn't even notice. He was trying to sing it to sleep as I left."
"Willow go see Madam Pomfrey," said Hermione, worried. "You can't leave your hand like that."
"She'll ask how it happened. I don't want to risk getting Hagrid in trouble."
Sam bit her lip. She was extremely worried. She didn't know much about dragons but getting bitten by one was not likely to be a good thing. "If it gets worse you have to go to the hospital wing Willow," said Sam.
By the next morning Willow's hand had gotten drastically worse. It was now swollen to twice the size of her other hand and the area surrounding the cut had turned green. It appeared that Norbert's fangs were poisonous. "Willow we're taking you to Madam Pomfrey," said Hermione.
When they arrived in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey took one look at Willow's hand, sat her down on a bed and bustled off to get a potion. She brought back an orange paste and asked, "What happened?"
"She was bitten by a cat," Sam improvised.
Madam Pomfrey looked at her suspiciously but didn't respond. She applied the paste and bandaged Willow's hand. Saying that Willow needed rest, the medi-witch shooed Sam and Hermione out of the room.
The following day, before going to visit Willow, Hermione and Sam went down to see Hagrid. When they arrived they found Hagrid sitting at his table, eyes bloodshot and holding a cup of tea in his large hands. "Hagrid have you been crying?" Sam asked.
Hagrid sniffled but didn't give an actual response. "What's wrong?" asked Hermione as she glanced around and noticed something missing. "Where's Norbert?"
Hagrid sniffled again and replied, "He was taken away last night. Harry and Ron gave him to Charlie Weasley and now Norbert's in Romania."
"It'll be alright Hagrid," said Sam, patting Hagrid's hand.
"He's in a better place now," added Hermione, "and surrounded by his own kind."
After comforting Hagrid as best they could Hermione and Sam went to inform Willow of the happenings. "Norbert is gone?" Willow repeated excitedly.
"Gone for good," Sam cheerfully said.
"He's in some dragon reserve in Romania apparently," elaborated Hermione.
"Thank goodness that dragon is finally gone," said Willow. "And I think Madam Pomfrey is going to let me out tomorrow. My hand's all fixed up. At least it didn't happen during the exams."
Hermione looked startled. "The exams are only two weeks away. Sorry Willow I have to go study. I'll see you tomorrow."
Willow and Sam grinned at each other as Hermione rushed out of the hospital wing to get to the library.
