Chapter Twelve: The Dragon
There are several dialogue quotes taken from JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in this book. This is to convey the same story she wrote, but from another character's POV. The quotes taken directly from the book have three quotation marks (instead of two) around them to signify she wrote them and that I am citing them. Because I am transforming pieces of her work into something new this falls under the Fair Use Act. Additionally, JK Rowling has stated that she is okay with noncommercial fan fiction. All direct quotes, the Harry Potter storyline, and the characters all belong to JK Rowling.
The night that Draco had stumbled into the Slytherin common room covered in bruises, he told Pansy, Blaise, and Daphne about what he had seen in the forbidden forest. He told them about the confrontation between Snape and Quirrell, and he told them about Harry spying on them.
The four Slytherins spent the next few months splitting their time between studying for their final exams, and trying to figure out what was going on with the sorcerer's stone. Draco had come to the conclusion that Snape was trying to protect the stone while Quirrell was trying to steal it, but the others were not convinced.
"I don't know Draco," said Daphne. "I feel like there are several logical explanations we can't rule out."
"Daphne," Draco whined. "Snape said 'We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie'. That practically proves it."
"No it doesn't mate," Blaise chimed in. "Snape could be the one trying to steal it, and maybe he wants Quirrell to help him."
"Draco makes a good point Blasie," Pansy interjected. "Snape followed Quirrell into the third floor, not the other way around."
"Exactly," said Draco slamming his fist on the library table. "Let's tell Professor Dumbledore, and we'll be rewarded. We have to do it before Potter does, and gets all the credit"
"No," Daphne insisted. "The only proof you have, you got from breaking school rules, and spying on teachers. Also, if Snape hasn't told Dumbledore there must be a reason. This could be dangerous."
"As much as I love messing around," Blaise interjected. "Let's not forget that exams are coming up and we're supposed to be studying."
The others shivered at the mention of exams. They were only first years, but it was never too early to start proving yourself, not when you had so much to live up to. The weeks that followed were pretty much eaten up by their constant studying. Draco and his friends, like many students, opted to stay at Hogwarts for Easter break to have access to the teachers while they revised.
One particularly gorgeous spring day, when summer seemed just around the bend, the four Slytherins were cooped up in the library again, wishing more than anything to go play outside. Draco looked out the window and saw Crabbe and Goyle stealing books and papers from anyone who was trying to work outside in the sun.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione happened to be sitting at a table, one row of books away from the four Slytherins, and every once in a while they could hear Hermione scolding Harry and Ron for not focusing.
Suddenly they heard a loud booming voice that surely did not belong to any of the obnoxious Gryffindor trio. "'Jus' lookin','" said the voice. "'An' what're you lot up ter? Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?'"
The voice clearly belonged to Hagrid. The four Slytherins immediately perked up at the sound of Nicolas Flamel. Pansy opened her mouth to say something, but Blaise put a finger up to his mouth telling her to hush.
"'Oh, we found out who he is ages ago,'" said Ron. "'And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St —'"
"'Shhhh!'" Hagrid interjected. However, his plees were to no avail, as all of them were talking quite loudly. "'Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?'"
"'There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact,'" they heard Harry say in a slightly lower voice. "'about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy —'"
Daphne's mouth dropped open in a mix of anger and shock. "Hagrid told them what's guarding the stone?" Daphne mouthed.
"'SHHHH!''' Hagrid pleaded. "'Listen — come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh —'"
All four Slytherins, who were in complete shock by this point, looked around at each other with smug expressions.
"Famous Potter," Draco spit. "Always getting special treatment."
"We're following them." Daphne declared bluntly.
"Oh that's definite," said Blaise slamming his book shut. "But I would have expected you to at least try to talk us out of it. Aren't you supposed to be the sensible one?"
"Where's the fun in that?" asked Daphne.
The four Slytherins waited for the Gryffindor trio to leave for about an hour. Eventually they saw them scurrying out of the library, and they waited five extra minutes before following them down to Hagrid's hut.
"This place stinks," Pansy complained as the four of them crouched underneath the window. The curtains were drawn and they couldn't see in, but they could hear every word that was spoken inside the poorly structured makeshift home.
"'So — yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?'" Boomed Hagrid's voice. It was as if he felt his walls were sound proof, as he did not bother to lower his voice.
"'Yes,'" they heard Harry answer. "'We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy.'"
"So Fluffy is the dog they were talking about?" asked Pansy, and Draco who had had enough of Pansy talking over them, gave her a nudge and she fell into Daphne.
"Bugger of Malfoy!" Daphne whisper-shouted to Draco, pushing poor Pansy into him.
It looked as if Daphne and Draco might resort to physically wrestling each other. This was not uncommon considering how long they had known each other. They were practically siblings. However, Blaise gave them an annoyed and urgent look that reminded them what they were here for.
They quieted down just in time to hear Hagrid say, "'Well, I don' s'pose it could 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 — Professor Quirrell — an' Dumbledorehimself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape.'"
"'Snape?'" The Gryffindor trio shouted.
"'Yeah — yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it.'" Hagrid responded.
"They think Snape is trying to steal the stone?" Draco whispered incredulously. "That's ridiculous! We clearly have more information than they do."
"'Hagrid,'" they heard Harry say. "'can we have a window open? I'm boiling.'"
"Shit," said Blaise, and the four Slytherins sprinted back towards the castle, not waiting to see if Hagrid would oblige.
Back in the common room, the four over them mulled over the new information they had been given. "So we know some dog named Fluffy is guarding the stone, as well as several other traps each Hogwarts Professor set," said Blaise. "Honestly it seems like the stone is safe even if Quirrell is trying to steal it."
"Maybe you're right," said Daphne. "Honestly, even if you're not, we don't have enough evidence to turn Quirrell in, and all we do know we gathered from breaking school rules."
The four Slytherins decided to keep an eye on the situation while continuing to focus on school and exams. For weeks things just went back to normal. Draco expected that at some point he would hear something unusual. He was right, but not in the way he had expected.
Draco was making his way down the Great Hall one morning at breakfast, when he overheard Ron say, "'Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?'"
"'We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing —''' Hermione answered.
"Shut up!" Harry whispered, noticing that Draco had been listening. Draco sent Harry a smug smile to let him know he had heard, and then walked over to the Slytherin table.
"Guess what I heard?" Said Draco proudly. "Potter, Weasley, and Granger are going down to Hagrid's to see a dragon hatch. This is the perfect information to get them in trouble," Draco smiled and took a bite out of a green apple.
Blaise, Daphne, and even Pansy stared back at him with incredulous faces.
"You can't be serious, mate," said Blaise.
"Clearly this is just a set up to get back at you for the midnight duel," said Daphne.
Pansy nodded vigorously, "Please don't tell me you're falling for this."
Draco scoffed angrily, "They were clearly upset that I heard. I am not an idiot guys- I know that this isn't a set up. What the hell do you take me for?"
Blaise just shook his head and said, "Seriously mate, it's not worth it."
"Just promise you won't go after them," said Daphne. "You don't want to get yourself into more trouble with your father."
Draco went silent at the mention of his father. He got up and strutted off to class without another word. During morning break, Draco went out to the courtyard and watched the Gryffindor trio make a break for Hagrid's hut.
Draco followed far behind him, like he and his friends had weeks before. He ducked under the window, and noted that this time the curtains were wide open. He managed to hear Hermione ask "'Hagrid, how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?'"
Draco could not believe his ears, a Norwegian Ridgeback? Not being able to contain himself, he shot up and peaked through the curtains. Unfortunately, Hagrid happened to look out right at that moment, and Draco made a break for it, running back to the castle.
Draco decided not to tell his friends that he had really seen a Dragon in Hagrid's possession, as retribution for them doubting him. Instead, he pretended like everything was normal for the next couple of weeks.
When Draco saw Ron's hand swelled up one day from what clearly must have been a dragon bite, he mustered up all his restraint and did not say anything to him in the Great Hall. Instead, once Draco had gotten wind that Ron finally went to the infirmary, he talked his way in there by saying he had to borrow one of Weasley's books. Draco walked over to Ron's hospital bed and roared with laughter at the sight of him.
"You are so busted!" Said Draco.
"Malfoy, please... don't be such a twat," said Ron.
"I own you Weasley," said Draco. "If you want my silence, bad manners is not the way to go about it."
If looks could kill, Draco would have died right there in the middle of the infirmary. Instead he grabbed Ron's potions book, and left, thanking Madam Pomfrey on the way out.
Draco was not sure what he was going to do with the information about the dragon. Rat the trio out? Hold it over their heads? He was grinning over the possibilities, when a piece of paper slipped out of the book and landed on the ground. Draco picked it up and saw that it was a letter to Ron.
"'Dear Ron,
How are you? Thanks for the letter — I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon. Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark. Send me an answer as soon as possible.
Love, Charlie'" (Excerpt from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone).
Draco could not believe his eyes, or the luck that he was having. He balled up the note and stuffed it in his pocket.
Saturday evening came, and while the students were eating dinner in the Great Hall. Pansy finally snapped, "Oh for heaven's sake Draco, you have been smirking at us, and acting strange for weeks. Just tell us what it is you know. Clearly you want to talk about it."
"It's not a big deal," said Draco smugly. "Tonight is just the night I bust the Gryffindor trio for having a dragon."
Blaise pinched the bridge of his nose, and Daphne groaned in annoyance. "Draco," she said in a slow, drawn out voice. "It's… a… trap."
"No it's not," Draco answered proudly. "I saw it."
"I'm sure you think you saw it-" Started Blaise, but then he changed his mind. "You know what, nevermind, good luck mate."
"Fine, don't believe me," snapped Draco, "But I'll be the one who's laughing tomorrow when Potter, Weasley, and Granger are taking the train back home."
Draco did go through with his plan to catch the trio that night, despite his friends' warnings. He hurried up the staircases, ducking behind coats of armor whenever he heard footsteps. He was almost to the tallest tower, and thought he was going to make it, when suddenly someone from behind grabbed him by the ear.
"'Detention!'" the voice shouted, and Draco painfully turned his head to see it was Professor McGonagall. "'And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you —'"
"'You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming — he's got a dragon!'" Draco cried.
"'What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on — I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!'" McGonagall shouted, and she dragged him down the stairs in her bathrobe and slippers.
Draco held back tears as he and McGonagall made their way to the dungeons. Professor McGonagall pounded on the door to Snape's sleeping quarters. A sleepy, grumpy, Professor Snape finally opened the door, eyes wide with surprise.
"Your student," Professor McGonagall shouted, "was out wandering the corridor. When I caught him he made up some cock and bull story about how Potter had a live Dragon on him. In addition to his detention, I assume you will take care of him?"
"Rest assured, Minerva, I will take care of this," said Professor Snape. McGonagall turned and left without another word, leaving Draco alone with Snape.
"I think you best come in, Draco," said Snape, opening the door.
Snape led Draco to a little office area with a desk. Snape sat down behind it, and gestured to Draco to sit in the seat across from him.
Snape stared at Draco for a while before doing something quite uncharacteristic of him. It started with a little smile in the corner of Snape's mouth, and spread until he was full on chuckling to himself. Snape tried to cover his face but it was to no avail.
Draco sat there staring back at Snape, completely disbelieving what he was watching.
"You mean to tell me," said Snape, trying to get his laughter under control. "That Potter told you he had a dragon, and you fell for it. Honestly Draco, I took you as a much smarter person than that."
Snape's laughter rang in Draco's ears, and Draco felt his face flush red with embarrassment. "Honestly Draco," Snape continued. "On one hand I'm completely furious that you embarrassed Slytherin with your stupidity... but I must be half asleep, because a part of me finds this amusing."
Draco didn't bother to argue with Snape or try to convince him the dragon was real. He was already completely embarrassed, and wanted nothing more than to be back in his dorm bed sleeping.
"I won't write to your father... this time," continued Snape much more seriously now. "But you will serve whatever punishment Professor McGonagall gave you and I suggest you use your brain in the future. Now go, off to bed."