"Hagrid you can't keep him here!"
The group were huddled inside Hagrid's hut the following day, trying hard to make him see reason.
"I've written to Charlie to see if his reserve can take him." Bella soothed.
"But what if he don' like it in Romania?" Hagrid asked.
"He will." Ron assured him. "He'll be with his own kind."
Hagrid sniffed and wiped a tear that was streaming down his face as he spared a glance at the dragon sat on his bed.
"I named him Norbert." He added.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Well he's got to have a name don' he." Hagrid replied.
Hagrid's face paled as he jumped from his seat and rushed over to the window, pressing his face against it.
"What's wrong?" Emily asked as they all shoved over to the window.
"There was someone there, they're running back up to the castle."
Bella pushed the door opened and was unsurprised to see the shock of white hair bouncing in the wind; Malfoy. The first years all sent looks of fear around as Hagrid audibly gulped.
"You'll have to send him to Charlie now Hagrid."
After trying to calm Hagrid down they managed to escape back to the castle for lunch. Bella hoped Charlie would reply soon, Malfoy knowing about Norbert was the last thing they needed. Hedwig was waiting for Harry at the Gryffindor table, a letter tied to her leg. Harry took the letter and handed it to Bella who unfurled it, Ron hanging over her shoulder.
Dear Bella,
How are you? How is Ron? How has your first year been? It was nice to hear from you - we'd be happy to take the Norwegian Ridgeback but there will have to be some work on your part. We have some workers returning to Romania so it would be easier to send him over with them. I need you to get him to the top of the tallest tower on Saturday at midnight and they'll take him from there while it's still dark as they cannot be seen carrying an illegal dragon.
Send me a reply as soon as you can.
Love,
Charlie
Perfect timing thought Bella. They only had to wait two days and they would be rid of Norbert, and Malfoy would be none the wiser. She folded the letter and stuffed it into her textbook to keep it safe.
"We can use your cloak." Ron said to Harry.
"What cloak?" Bella asked.
"I got an Invisibility cloak for Christmas, it was my dads." Harry said.
"You kept that quiet didn't you." Freya laughed.
"The cloak should be big enough to cover two of us and Norbert." Harry added.
"I'll go with you." Bella replied.
With that sorted all they needed to do now was tell Hagrid of the plan. After lunch Harry and Ron headed down to tell Hagrid of the plan while Bella traipsed to the library, head in the clouds as she thought about everything that had happened so far. She settled herself in her usual seat and pulled out her books, propping one open in front of her while pulling out her homework. She had barely put quill to parchment before she was interrupted. She groaned audibly as she lifted her eyes to look at the smug face of Draco Malfoy
"Anyone would think you were obsessed with me." Bella commented, turning her nose up at him as she looked back down to her homework.
"As if." Draco scoffed.
"Well kindly tell me what you're after then piss off, I'm busy."
"I just like to get you annoyed."
She rolled her eyes as he chuckled. There was a silence as Bella scribbled on her parchment and she quirked an eyebrow at him. Before she could say a word a familiar figure approached.
"Hey tiny, is he giving you grief?"
Cedric leaned against the table and crossed his arms, his back to Draco as he smiled down at her.
"No it's okay Cedric." She smiled at him before turning to glare at Draco. "He was just leaving."
Grumbling to himself Draco stood to his feet and glared at Cedric, turning on his heel.
"Thanks." Bella smiled
"No bother, if he causes you any more hassle you let me know." Cedric puffed out his chest as he spoke.
Bella laughed while Cedric chuckled.
"I'll see you later." He added as he smiled at her then strode out of the library.
Bella could no longer concentrate so she packed up her stuff and slung her bag over her shoulder, heading to the common room. She wandered the corridors thinking only one thing; Saturday couldn't come quick enough.
Harry and Ron told the girls at dinner that night that Hagrid had sobbed loudly when he found out about Norbert leaving. When they left he was snuggled in the large arm chair with Norbert, singing him a lullaby while Norbert tried to nip his nose. Bella felt sorry for Hagrid but she was more concerned about what she and Harry would have to do come Saturday night.
After dinner Bella tried to get some more homework done in the common room. This time she was joined by Hermione, Emily and Freya while Harry and Ron played an intense game of Wizard's Chess a few paces from them. Her textbooks were scattered around the table and she reached for the one she had stuffed the letter in; her potions textbook. Only when she looked at the books on the table she realised it wasn't there.
She took in the titles of the books she was looking at and still couldn't find the textbook she was looking for. Rummaging around her bag frantically turned up no results either. Her heart rate began to rise as she began to panic.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked.
"The letter." Bella breathed, shuffling once again through her textbooks. "It's gone."
"What do you mean gone?" Emily asked.
"I mean it's not here."
Bella stood from her chair and bent down to check the floor.
"What's wrong?" Ron called over.
"Charlie's letter is missing." Freya answered.
"Malfoy." Bella growled
How could she have been so stupid? Draco already knew about Norbert and now he knew he was being transported on Saturday. The little slime ball. It was too late now to change the plans, Bella and Harry would just have to take the risk, although they did have the upper hand; they had Harry's cloak that Draco didn't know about.
"What does he have to do with this?" Harry asked.
"He came over and sat down at my table in the library earlier. My potions textbook was sitting on the table and he must have taken it."
"Why did he sit with you?" Ron asked.
"I don't know." Bella snapped, running her hands through her hair.
"W-We can't change it now." She breathed.
"Change what?" Hermione asked.
"The plan! It's too late. We'll just have to take the risk." She stated, looking at Harry.
He nodded his head as Bella tried to regulate her breathing. One more day and then this nightmare would all be over.
By eleven o'clock on Saturday night Bella and Harry wanted nothing more than for this to be over. Clad in their pyjamas the pair set off for Hagrid's, walking slowly to stay safely concealed under the Invisibility cloak. Hagrid was waiting for them outside, Norbert's cage sat at his feet. Hagrid was sniffling into his large pink handkerchief while Fang growled at the large cage.
"He'll be okay." Bella soothed, patting his arm gently as they covered Norbert's cage and themselves with the cloak.
After a struggle (they hadn't realised Norbert's cage would be so heavy) they were finally at the top of the tower, Charlie's friends already waiting for them. The wizards attached Norbert's cage securely between their brooms, wished the pair a goodnight and set off into the darkness. Harry and Bella stood watching until they were out of sight, sharing a satisfied smile that their plan had worked. Shame they spoke too soon.
They were barely at the bottom of the staircase before a high laugh rang out around them.
"Sneaking around at night. We are in trouble." Filch laughed mockingly, sneering at the pair.
They followed silently after him not daring to look at each other. Their plan had gone without a hitch and they forgot the one thing they needed to get back to the common room safely; the invisibility cloak.
Filch smiled evilly at them as he pushed open Professor McGonagall's office door and ushered them inside. The dull thud of the door closing behind them made Bella's heart sink, they were really in for it now. Bella noticed Draco standing at the desks in the front of the classroom and her blood boiled. She was pulled from her thoughts when McGonagall began to speak.
"Nothing, and I mean nothing, gives a student the right to be out of bed. What do you have to say for yourselves?"
"We're sorry Professor." Harry exclaimed.
"Truly." Bella added.
"As a result of your behaviour I will be taking fifty points each from Gryffindor." Bella's heart sank for the second time as she realised they had just lost one hundred points, ruining any victory the Quidditch team had made.
"I will also be taking fifty points from Slytherin and the three of you will serve detention."
"Excuse me Professor." Draco piped up and Bella internally smirked, she didn't feel as bad about the point loss now.
"Don't say a word Mr Malfoy." McGonagall snapped, silencing his argument before he could voice it. "Back to bed."
Bella didn't have to be told twice. She grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him from the classroom, ignoring Draco's existence. She would get her book back, but that was a fight for another day. They had caused enough trouble for Gryffindor that night and all Bella wanted to do was snuggle up in her warm cosy bed.
