Author's Notes:
Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for such a delay in this chapter. No, I haven't died and I'm not ill. Honestly? I got somewhat depressed over the last few weeks while waiting for the Pennsylvania Bar results to come out. On top of that, I'd been working at a firm as a temporary assistant while I waited and I haven't worked a fulltime schedule in years. It's been a lot of changes for me over the last few weeks. The biggest, I think, is that I am OFFICIALLY a lawyer! I passed the bar exam and I have sent in my paperwork for formal admittance and am officially an Esquire! I believe I'm getting an offer from the firm I'm at and I've been waiting on that for the last week. The meeting is Monday so I'm crossing my fingers as I love it there and don't want to leave.
Based on the above, I hope you will all forgive my lapse in chapter updates. I promise I'm not going to suddenly stop working on my story and I'm working on getting back to my regular, weekly update schedule.
On another positive note, THIS IS CHAPTER FIFTY! What a development! I'm so excited to hit this milestone with all of you and during such a momentous month! I want to thank everyone who has been with me for each and every chapter whether you've just found my story or have been there since the beginning. I hope you all stay "until the very end".
Beer of the week: Mad Elf. I have to do it, I'm sorry for those of you who are so over this brew but! It's the beer of Christmas! And with Christmas this coming Friday I have to give it a review. Troegs' Mad Elf is definitely a must have for Christmas. Brewed with Cherries and PA Honey it is a sweet and strong beer clocking in at over 11% ABV! Personally, I love mixing this beer half and half with their Chocolate Stout for a chocolate covered cherry concoction. It's absolutely divine.
Reviews: Iwik: I feel like that's the question of the year! See what I did there? I'm very excited to get into that drowning realization for the Marauders. Hopefully it's not too devastating. As for the mirror, we'll have to see—spoilers! ProfessorBowties: Ask and you shall receive! And, yes, knowing there's a basilisk but not being able to utilize it was absolutely difficult. I had to really think about how to get around that major, missing plot point. I hope you like this update! WinkingSkeever: Ask and you shall receive ;) RauthrMystic: I'm so glad you've liked my story so far! I promise that, as Harry and Co. grow and learn, there will be MUCH more magic involved. I did not write out Draco's try out session, so you didn't miss it. I'm just not a huge fan of writing quidditch scenes. It was an uneventful try out and he blew Cho out of the water.
Thank you everyone for sticking with me through fifty chapters of Ignoring Destiny! Only a few more until we reach the end of PS! I love you all and please enjoy this next chapter!
*Keep any eye out for a one-shot story I've been working on when I have writer's block! I'm featuring your favorite set of mischievous twins! FOLLOW ME AS AN AUTHOR FOR THE NOTIFICATION*
Update Schedule: (hopefully) once per week.
Chapter Fifty: Hagrid's Little Secret
Over the next several weeks Harry and company did their best to keep tabs on Snape and Quirrell. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco each took turns checking on Fluffy in the third-floor corridor each time they passed by. And each of them had begun giving Quirrell their own forms of encouragement in the hopes that it would give him the strength needed to keep Snape at bay. And, with Snape sweeping about in his ever-consistent foul mood, they were sure that, for now, the stone was safe where it was.
As the weeks brought them into the first tines of spring, the four of them had to begin thinking more and more about their upcoming exams. Hermione and Draco had worked together to create an elaborate study system for all of them to utilize. This schedule spaced out subjects and studying so that they only studied each subject for a maximum of an hour at a time to "keep their brain active" Hermione explained.
The four of them found that they were now, once again, spending all of their free time inside the library attempting to get through all the extra homework their professors had begun assigning to them. That's where they found themselves late one particularly fine and sunny afternoon as Ron shoved his book away and threw his quill to the floor.
"I'll never remember this," he burst out as he folded his arms and looked longingly out the window, "There's too much information to remember for just one exam. How do they expect me to remember all of this for, what, 7 classes?"
Draco rolled his eyes, "That's why we made the study plan. Remember?"
"You mean this torture device?" Ron asked as he indicated the color-coded sheet in front of him, "Rubbish."
Ron and Draco bickered over the relevancy of the study plan, debating whether they were trying to pack too much into each day. Hermione backed Draco up in between paragraphs and wand movements. Harry didn't even bother to look up from his work until he heard Ron call out.
"Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"
"Oh, 'ello you four. Jus' lookin'," he said in a shifty voice that immediately peaked their interest, "An' what're you lot up ter?" he looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"
"Oh, no, we found him ages ago," Ron said impressively, "And we know what that cerberus is hiding, it's the Philosopher's st—"
"Shhh!" Hagrid shushed loudly, "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 about, well—yeh know."
Draco frowned, "Hagrid, that's the dragons section you've just come out of. Are you researching them or something?"
"How do you know that's the dragon's section?" Hermione asked.
"I was looking up information about dragon's blood—Hagrid, why would you be in there?"
"Jus' some light readin'," he replied evasively, "I'll see you four later!"
The group watched silently as Hagrid bustled out of the library, a book quite clearly concealed under his coat.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked, "I know he's always wanted a dragon, but why suddenly do more research now?"
Draco paled, "You don't think—"
"No way," Harry shook his head, "Hagrid wouldn't. He knows it's illegal."
"Not to mention extremely dangerous," Ron added thoughtfully, "You should see the burns Charlie gets from some of the wild ones in Romania."
"There's just no way Hagrid got a dragon's egg," Hermione whispered, "Where would he have even found one? They're extremely rare."
"He could have bought one," Draco said off-handedly, "You can buy almost everything you want in Knockturn Alley."
"Like what?" Hermione asked, confused, "What's Knockturn Alley?"
"It's the darker part of Diagon Alley. Where you can buy dark artifacts and books and stuff. Father goes a lot."
"What would Mr. Malfoy need in a place like that?" Hermione asked as she wrinkled her nose.
Draco shrugged, "This and that. I don't pay attention when we go, to be honest."
"Well," Harry interrupted, "Whatever Hagrid is doing, we'll find out soon."
And soon it was—about an hour later the children found themselves traipsing through the sunny gardens and vegetable patches to the hut at the edge of the forbidden forest. When they walked up, Harry knew immediately that something was wrong—the curtains were drawn and, despite the warmth outside, the fire seemed to be going inside the building. Harry wondered if Hagrid was sweating himself out for some reason. And when Hagrid did finally let them in, Harry's suspicions about the heat were confirmed as the stifling blaze overtook his senses.
"So," Hagrid started as he took a seat in his large armchair, "yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"
"Yes. We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Stone apart from the cer—Fluffy."
Hagrid frowned, "O' course I can't. Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here for a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts—I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all, haven' yeh? Beats me how yeh even know about Fluffy."
"Oh, come on, Hagrid," Hermione said in a soft, un-Hermione-ish voice, "You might not want to tell us, but you do know. And, besides, we really only want to know who else is helping Dumbledore—who else he trusted apart from you."
Hagrid's beard twitched as he tried to conceal the smile spreading on his face, "Well—I don' s'ppose it would hurt anything ter tell yeh—yeah. Let's see…he borrowed Fluffy from me…then some o' the teachers helped…Professor Sprout—Flitwick—McGonagall—Quirrell—an' Dumbledore himself. Hang on—I've forgotten someone. Oh, yeah, Professor Snape."
"Snape?" Harry asked, incredulous.
"Yeah—yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."
"I don't know about that," Draco stated, "I don't trust Snape. He's a Death Eater, you know."
"Come off it—Dumbledore trusts Snape. He came over to our side durin' the war."
Draco shook his head, "No he didn't. Snape was a double agent. He convinced Dumbledore that he had changed his ways towards the end of the war on the Dark Lord's orders. The Dark Lord needed a contact, a spy, inside of Hogwarts and Snape had the necessary qualifications."
"I think yer getting' yer facts wrong, Draco," Hagrid said, his anger rising.
"I'm not," Draco said confidently, "Snape told the Dark Lord about Harry being the one to kill him. Without that information, the Dark Lord couldn't have prepared for that possibility."
At those words, Harry's head snapped up, his green eyes dark as he looked at his friend, "What do you mean, he told Voldemort about me?"
Draco shrugged, "I don't know specifics because I was the same age as you when it happened, but in my lessons Father always talks about Snape in high regard because of his services to the Dark Lord. All I know is that Snape ratted you out during the war."
"Snape told you-know-who on Dumbledore's orders," Hagrid argued, "Yeh wouldn' understand."
"Snape didn't begin spying for the Dark Lord until plans for Harry's murder were in motion. Not to mention that Snape never told Dumbledore—or anyone in the Order—about the Dark Lord finding out about where the Potters were hiding."
"Only Pettigrew knew 'bout that."
"No. The Dark Lord's entire inner circle knew. That includes Snape."
Hagrid shook his head, "Come off it. There's no way."
"I'm sorry," Harry said angrily, "Can we go back to the part where Snape sold my family out?"
Draco frowned, "What about it?"
"He told Voldemort about my family," Harry announced every word.
"Yes. He did."
"He sold my family out, he was in Voldemort's inner circle as a Death Eater, and was potentially a spy for Voldemort—but no one thinks he's after the Stone?"
"He was workin' on Dumbledore's orders!" Hagrid said, "An' that's enough of that!"
"It's not—"
"Hagrid," Ron said slowly. He had clearly not been paying attention to anything that had been said, "What is that?" he asked as he pointed into the fireplace.
As his anger rose, Harry turned to look where Ron was pointing, prepared to state that it didn't matter and continue the conversation. Then he laid eyes on a enormous, onyx egg nestled in the coals of the fire.
"Ah—that's—er—"
"Where did you get it?" Ron asked as he crouched over the fire to get a closer look, "It must have cost a fortune."
"I won it. Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad to be rid of it, ter be honest."
"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" Hermione asked as she paled at the prospects.
"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'. I got this book at the library—it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. From what I read, this 'ere is a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."
"Hagrid," Draco said slowly, "You don't see anything—er, problematic—with this situation?"
"What do yeh mean?"
"Hagrid," Hermione said, "you live in a wooden house."
Hagrid merely smiled and stoked the fire as a hummed a little tune to himself.
~ID~
"You're joking!" Ginny exclaimed, "Absolutely shitting me!"
It was several hours later that Harry found himself hiding inside of his trunk, talking to Ginny through their mirrors. He had just finished telling her all about the events of that evening.
"Where did you learn a word like that?" Harry asked, shocked.
Ginny smiled wickedly, "Fred and George have taught me more than picking locks."
"You can pick locks?" Harry asked, amused.
"Among other, notable talents. But enough about that, what in the world is Hagrid thinking?"
"I honestly have no idea, Gin. Hermione had a good point—he lives in a wooden house! Honestly, I ought to take bets on whether the thing burns to the ground and how many people are in it."
"Harry! Don't say that! Someone could get seriously injured!"
"Yeah, like me! You know he'll expect us to help him with this, right?"
Ginny sighed, "And you're going to, aren't you?"
"I mean—if we don't, he could get caught or hurt."
"But you could get caught or hurt."
"Nah—I won't get in trouble if we're caught. I can plead ignorance of the law," Harry said with a crooked smile, "You know it's true, Gin."
Ginny's gaze softened as she looked at Harry's image in the mirror, "You know that won't work."
Harry shrugged, "Worth a try. Anyway, Ron and I have been betting on when the thing will hatch. Don't tell Hermione, but Draco joined in on it—he took next Thursday."
"But all of this aside—Snape, Harry!"
His eyes darkened, "Yeah. I had no idea how deep into Voldemort's inner circle he was."
"And Draco just—told you all of this? Like—he's always known this information?"
"Apparently he thought it was common knowledge. He was shocked when we talked to him after leaving Hagrid's and told him we had no idea about any of that. He told us a bit more information, too. Apparently Snape had also joined this group, the Order of the Phoenix, which was run by Dumbledore. Our families were in it, Ginny. He has everyone fooled. Now I know he's trying to steal the Stone and I think I know why. I think he wants to use it to bring Voldemort back to life."
Ginny shuttered, "Really? I just—I don't get it, Harry. You've been at school since September and you've been in classes with Snape. If he's truly helping you-know-who, why hasn't he tried to—you know—off you or something?"
"I've been thinking about that. I really think it's because Voldemort wants to do it himself or something. That or Snape wants to try to stay on Dumbledore's good side until he can get to the Stone."
"How long do you think Quirrell can hold out?"
"Who knows. I'm surprised he's lasted this long if I'm honest," Harry said as he rolled over on the bed and faced the ceiling, "Quirrell is a bit of a wimp when it comes to anything the least bit threatening."
"I've been thinking about that—I wonder if there isn't any real trick to getting passed Quirrell's enchantment and it's more of a skill of sorts. You know, like chess or something."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, his brows furrowed, "I'm not following you."
"I'm saying that maybe Quirrell's enchantment doesn't have just one answer, that it's a skills test, and that's why he hasn't told Snape yet. Because there's nothing to tell."
Harry frowned, "That, or maybe Snape has been trying to get through his enchantment and can't because it's a skill he doesn't have. Either way, it's only a matter of time.
"But still, him having been a Death Eater only proves he's up to no good!"
"I can still hardly believe it. But, I suppose Draco's dad would know more than us-wasn't he a Death Eater, too?"
Harry nodded, "Yeah. Course Mr. Malfoy claims to have been Imperiused the entire time." Harry rolled his eyes.
"Ah, yes," Ginny said in a high, haughty voice, "We mustn't forget that Mr. Malfoy can do no wrong!"
Harry let out a burst of roarkus laughter.
Ginny smiled before continuing, "Still-do you think Snape will reach the Stone?"
"Honestly, Gin? I don't think it's an 'if' anymore-I think it's a 'when' and I think when is soon."
Ginny paled, "How soon? Do-do you think he already knows where to find you-know-who?"
"Dunno," Harry admitted with a shrug, "And I'm not sure who else to warn about this. I thought about talking to Nana, but I don't know if she'll believe me or not. And Dumbledore? He trusts Snape-that's a lost cause."
"What about your dad?"
Harry snorted, "Please! He'd sooner yank me out of school on the chance I'm right. And by the time that's settled Voldemort will probably have the Stone. I need to learn to fight him-I can't risk having to leave Hogwarts."
"Harry," Ginny started nervously, "I just think-"
Harry shook his head, "It's not worth the risk, Gin."
"Sirius, then," Ginny half-pleaded, "Or Remus?"
"They'll tell my dad and yank me out of Hogwarts."
"Look, Bill's coming home for the holiday. What if I talk to him about all of this?"
Harry thought that proposal over for a moment. Surely Bill, a curse breaker who helped locate the cursed vaults at Hogwarts, would be able to help with the challenges that protect the Stone? While Harry could see the benefits of enlisting Bill's help, Harry also knew that, if Bill suspected anything out of place, it was likely he would mention something to Mr. Or Mrs. Weasley who would, in turn, tell James.
"Let me ask the others," Harry finally concluded, "I'm not sure telling anyone just yet is a good idea. Snape probably doesn't know everything in his way, yet, and it probably doesn't matter."
"Just don't do anything rash," she said, "Like getting yourself killed. Or expelled. You know, whichever would be first."
"Yeah, yeah," Harry said as he rolled his eyes, "You're one to talk. Cause any mayhem lately?"
Ginny's eyes glinted wickedly, "Absolutely not—I'm an angel, don't you know that, Harry?"
"And I'm Nicholas Flamel," Harry said sarcastically, "What have you done?"
"I definitely didn't send Fred and George a toilet seat," she remarked, her eyes glittering.
Harry snorted, "A toilet seat? You—you," Harry quickly thought for a word, "imp."
"Harry! I'm quite offended!" she let out a peal of laughter. A few moments later, Harry could hear Mrs. Weasley yelling up the stairs to her, inquiring as to what the noise was for.
"Oh, no. I'm sorry, Harry. I should go. Mum doesn't know about the mirror. Call me soon, ok?"
"Sure, Gin. Have fun!"
Ginny rolled her eyes and quickly closed the compact mirror and grabbed the book sitting on her bedside table. She had just managed to open it and read a few lines before Mrs. Weasley knocked on her door and entered. Mrs. Weasley frowned.
"Ginny, dear, I thought I heard voices up here. What are you doing?"
"Just reading, mum. Sorry, the last passage was quite funny. I didn't realize how loud I was being."
"Right," Mrs. Weasley replied slowly, "Well—it's time to wash up in any case. Dinner is almost ready. Come down and help me set the table, will you?"
"Sure, mum. I'll be down in a minute."
Mrs. Weasley nodded and left Ginny alone in her room, the door open ajar. Ginny waited until she heard her mum in the kitchen before she flung herself back on her bed and sighed. She couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts.
~ID~
Sirius found himself sitting in the living room with a book laid out before him on the arm of the couch. His half-drunk beer was sitting beside him now warm and flat. He had found that ever since his trip to St. Mungos, he didn't quite care for the taste of alcohol as much as he had. Though he still enjoyed a beer now and then, and he found social drinking to be somewhat entertaining, he didn't seek out a drink nearly as much as he used to.
He found himself easily distracted while he tried to work. Really, he didn't find the book the office had assigned him to read entertaining at all. He was currently reviewing the techniques and uses for some basic charms and jinxes that he hadn't had to study since his first year at Hogwarts. He was briefly considering having Harry brush him up on the topic so he could avoid having to read the dull book when James wondered into the room.
James seemed slightly surprised to see Sirius somewhat engrossed in any kind of book. Surely he hadn't seen Sirius even touch a book, outside of their horcrux research, since the time at Hogwarts. And even then, if memory served him well, he was sure that Sirius didn't touch books then, either, instead relying on Remus' account of what they contained rather than read them for himself.
"Well, I didn't know you could read."
Sirius smiled, "Ha-ha. You're so funny. I'll have you know that I can read in three languages."
"Sarcasm, pig-Latin," James ticked them off on his thumb, index, and middle finger, "and baboon?"
Sirius let out a bark-like laugh, "Sure, that sounds accurate. Still more languages than you know."
"Careful, Sirius, all this book reading will make you too serious and people will have to take you," He paused, "seriously."
"Come off it, Prongs. I'm trying to work."
"Look at you," James said as he flung himself on the couch and laid an arm around Sirius lazily, "being an adult and putting in hours at an actual job."
"Yeah. Never thought you'd see the day, eh?"
"Lily and I had our bets. If she were still here, I'd owe her ten galleons. She said you'd settle down one day and I bet that you'd be a wild, maniac your entire life. She always did know people well."
"Lils was one of the few people who truly understood any of us," Sirius agreed, sadness in his eyes, "I miss her every day, James. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to save her."
James shook his head, "Don't be. I'm sorry I wasn't able to save her. But, at the end of the day, no one could have saved her. Voldemort had decided she wasn't worth keeping alive and once he makes that decision hardly anyone ever survives. And she saved our Harry. I couldn't have asked for more."
"If I had just been earlier—even a few minutes, Prongs. She could still be—"
"Stop. Didn't you and your mind-healer discuss letting go of your guilt? It's not your fault. Anyway, I came in to see what you were up to. I feel like we don't see each other nearly as much as we used to."
"That's true. I've been working and you've been at your appointments for your hand."
"Now that Voldemort is gone, we don't have anything to worry about. Why don't we go out? Find something to do? I'm sure two old men can find a new hobby or activity."
"Who are you calling old?"
"Certainly not you!" James laughed, "I heard that Cork is having a muggle car show today. It's a sort of event where muggles go to see expensive cars and other types of vehicles. I heard they're displaying the new Lamborghini and a few new motorcycles. Any way I could convince you to come with me? I bet we could pay to test drive some of the models."
"James!" Sirius said, shock displayed on his face, "That's called prostitution and I believe it's quite illegal! But, if you insist."
"The cars, Padfoot! The cars!"
"Oh, well, that doesn't sound nearly as fun as what I had imagined."
James rolled his eyes, "They'll have a beerfest, too. What do you say? Spend the afternoon with your old mate?"
"Like a date?" Sirius batted his eyelashes, "I thought you'd never ask!"
James stared for a moment before making a bouquet of flowers appear in his hand and held them out to Sirius, "Anything for my one and only love."
Sirius swooned and took the flowers, making a show of smelling them and holding them close.
The two men quickly got ready and then apparated to Cork where they made their way to the car show. Though both men were raised in a pureblood society, each had a deep love and fascination with muggle cars. Sirius, of course, had actually purchased himself a motorcycle once in the past and had enchanted it to fly. The bike, though, had been lost after Hagrid had used it to take Harry to the Dursleys after the fall of Voldemort. Sirius had failed to track it back down again after that and had yet to replace the vehicle.
Due to his love of motorcycles, that was, of course, their first stop. James watched, amused, as Sirius eyed the bikes with a reverence James did not quite understand. James wondered as they continuously found themselves looking at the Ducati's over and over whether his friend has somehow fallen in love with an inanimate object. And it was after their fourth time back to that section that James spoke up.
"Gods, Sirius, just buy the damn thing. I'm tired of coming back to look at it and surely you have more than enough gold to pay for it."
Sirius frowned, "I mean, I do. But, James, another motorcycle? After what happened to my last one?"
"Just don't lose this one and go and buy it already. You can ride it home."
"That'll take me days!" Sirius complained.
"So you can sleep in a motel room and show it off to all the women you see! Think about how easily you'd be able to pick women up on that thing. And it comes in both red and black."
"I'm partial to the white and black one," Sirius said with a smile, "It looks sharp and the chrome features stand out much better on that model."
"So why are we still arguing about it? Just buy the damn thing. It'll make you happy. Treat yourself."
Sirius thought for a moment before nodding, "I should treat myself. And why not? I deserve it."
James snorted as Sirius turned and called for a salesman. They discussed the Ducati Sirius was interested in and it wasn't long before papers were drawn up. Sirius had been able to pay for it in full. He had James had both decided early on in their adulthood to keep both muggle and wizarding accounts. Well, ever since Sirius was picked up by the muggle policemen and neither James nor Remus had kept muggle money. It had been a damn sight to try to get their galleons converted to pounds in the middle of the night on New Year's Eve. It had taken them all night to come up with the 500 pounds needed for Sirius' bail money. And by the time they returned to the police station, Sirius had charmed the officers so well that they had decided to release him with a simple warning to no longer be caught pissing in bushes. Since then, both men kept their muggle accounts full just in case something of a similar nature occurred again. They had to admit that those accounts had come in handy over the last decade.
After an hour of wandering around, Sirius finally caught up with James in the mobile camper section of the show, a smile plastered on his face.
"I managed to talk them down a few hundred pounds."
"Yeah? Good on you, mate. And you're driving it home?"
"Nah, I'm having it customized. They'll deliver it in a few weeks. Have you found anything that catches your eye?"
"Not yet," James admitted, "But I was just about to make my way over to the sports car section. I'm sure something there will strike me."
At some point during the day Sirius managed to convince James to purchase a Corvette in a lovely shade of cream. James had opted to get the more expensive, tan leather seats for the car as well as all of the upgrade features. Though he had never learnt to drive a car, James was excited at the prospect of learning and having a new mode of transportation available to him.
Come the end of the show, the two men found themselves at the beerfest looking at the options before them. As they left the line with their commemorative sampling cup, Sirius frowned.
"How do they expect us to get drunk with this little cup? My finger doesn't even fit into the handle. What, is this made for house elves?"
James laughed, "It's small so you sample the different brews. You can have unlimited samples from each stand and there's about twenty of them."
Sirius turned and looked at the endless options before him and smiled, "Oh good lord, I'm going to have fun with this. Oh! Look! They've got a stout with cherry in it. Can you believe that?"
James smiled as he watched Sirius run off toward the closest stand. "James! Look at this! A blood orange IPA! I don't know what the fuck a blood orange is, but I fucking want some!"
James quickly ran off to meet Sirius and had his cup filled. They decided that each would get one of the beers so they could both sample them. It was unanimously decided that the Stout was much better than the IPA but that the IPA was significantly better than any other they'd ever had.
As they made their way around the room, James and Sirius decided to make a list of their favorite beers. They intended to be able to buy some for home. In the end, James and Sirius decided that the best beer they had was a hefeweizen from a small, unknown brewery in Scotland. James managed to talk to the owner of the brewery, who happened to be working the event, and discussed a potential investment in their product. Once he established that he, in fact, invests in several wineries and breweries around the world, the owner scheduled a meeting to discuss the endeavor further.
By the time they left the beerfest, both men were drunk enough to be singing drinking tunes and, for some unfathomable reason, sea shanties. Somehow they managed to stumble home; James suspected one of the elves came to pick them up so they didn't accidentally splinch themselves.
~ID~
Harry and company spent a good deal of time wondering what was going to happen once Hagrid's dragon egg hatched. They worried at how much help they would have to give him and what would happen to Hagrid if he got caught. Of course, they didn't have to wait long to find out. It was about a week later while all four of them were just sitting down for breakfast when a school owl landed in Draco's bowl of oatmeal, sending flecks of the milky white gunk all over the table. Draco frowned as he wiped his breakfast off of his robes as Ron tugged the parchment from the owl's leg. He quickly unfurled it and read the two words written in scratchy handwriting, It's hatching.
Ron and Harry were all for skipping Herbology to go straight down to the hut. They argued that it isn't every day that one gets to see a dragon hatching. But Draco and Hermione quickly nixed that idea, stating simply that they would get in trouble if they skived. Draco quickly hushed them, though, as Zabini and Nott passed by their table. Nott frowned at them, curiously, eyeing Draco, while Blaise smiled maliciously before continuing on.
In the end, Hermione and Draco had been right to not skip their lesson. They had managed to make it just in time to watch the baby dragon split the egg open and fall out onto the table. They watched as it sneezed and a few sparks flew out of its nose.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured as he reached out a hand to stroke its small head. Apparently the little dragon did not enjoy this display of affection because it attempted to bite Hagrid, baring its fangs at him. "Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!"
"Hagrid," Hermione started nervously as she eyed the wrinkled, black dragon, "exactly how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow?"
Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face and he leapt to his feet and ran to the window, "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 opened it in time to see Blaise Zabini running back into the castle at top speed. There was no mistaking him and Harry was sure that he had seen the dragon through the gap in the curtains. He turned to see Draco looking out of the door, his face white as the gravity of the situation set into him.
"This won't be good," he muttered.
"You think he'll tell Dumbledore?"
Draco shook his head, "He's going to keep it to himself until he sees the perfect opportunity to screw all of us over. It won't be enough to simply get Hagrid in trouble, he'll want to take all of us down."
"Why?" Hermione asked as she covered her mouth, "We've never done anything to upset him or cross him—I don't understand why he has it out for us?"
"Honestly? I think it's my fault. We used to be friends during our childhood, as you know, but then I wasn't sorted into Slytherin and went against my family's ways. It's hard on him, I'm sure."
"That's such a stupid reason," Ron said, "You don't have to stop being friends just because you're in different houses. I mean, we're still friends with you. Lord only knows why, though."
Draco rolled his eyes, "It's different for families who still follow the old pureblood ways. Yours doesn't, Ron, so you wouldn't understand what the problem is. To us, this is the ultimate betrayal."
Something about the smile lurking on Zabini's face during the next week made Harry, Draco, Ron, and Hermione very nervous. As they feared, they ended up spending most of their free time in Hagrid's hut, trying to reason with him and help keep Norbert from burning the house down or injuring Hagrid too much.
They tried convincing Hagrid to release Norbert, to just set him free to fend on his own, but Hagrid wouldn't hear of it. According to Hagrid, the dragon wouldn't survive if they released him—he needed to be older, Hagrid would argue.
By the time Norbert had grown three times in length, a mere week after his hatching, the group managed to convince Hagrid that the dragon would soon be too large to contain within the walls of his hut and that the forest was not a safe or suitable place for him to stay.
"I know I can't keep him," Hagrid said to them one evening, "but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."
Harry had been racking his brain trying to figure out a safe and suitable option for all involved. Then, he had a sudden, glowing idea that sat shining before him.
"Charlie!" Harry shouted to the group.
"You're losing it," Ron said, "I'm Ron, remember?"
"Is the heat getting to you?" Draco asked, "Even I can tell the difference between the Weasleys."
"No—Charlie—Ron's brother who lives in Romania and works with dragons. What if we sent Norbert to Charlie? Then he can take care of him and then release him into the wild!"
"Harry! That's a brilliant idea!" Hermione commented, "I never would have thought of it. What do you think, Hagrid?"
It took some persuading and more flattery, but, eventually, Hagrid relented and agreed to let them write to Charlie and ask for his assistance.
It took Charlie a week to reply to them. It was late in the evening, long after everyone else in Gryffindor tower had gone to bed while they waited for Ron to get back from Hagrid's hut. They hadn't been waiting long, the clock had just struck midnight when Ron suddenly appeared, the invisibility cloak in his uninjured hand.
"It bit me!" he exclaimed, "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. And you know what Hagrid did when it bit me? He told me off—for frightening it! Can you believe that? And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."
Hermione quickly examined Ron's hand and was prattling away about potential healing spells when they heard a sharp tap on the window. They looked up quickly, fear in their eyes before they realized it was only Hedwig.
"She'll have Charlie's letter!" Harry said as he let her into the room. He quickly took the letter and pulled his mirror out, calling Draco as he opened the note. Then he read it aloud for everyone.
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 to 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,
Your Favorite Brother
They looked at one another quickly as they took in the request.
"It shouldn't be too hard," Harry said slowly, "We have the cloak and can use that to keep ourselves invisible. It's definitely big enough for two of us and Norbert. Maybe three if we're lucky."
"You go," Ron said, his face turning green, "I'm not going to be any help with this hand."
Ron held his hand up to the mirror and explained to Draco what had happened to him that evening.
"Be careful," Draco advised, "Some dragons can be venomous. And their bites can cause nasty infections. You should go to the hospital wing in the morning. Say you were too close to the forest and something bit you but you couldn't see what it was. She may think it was a Thestral. Sometimes they get curious."
"What's a Thestral?" Ron asked, confused.
"Invisible, winged horses. Hogwarts has a domesticated batch," Hermione answered quickly and then added, "It's all in Hogwarts: A History,"
Draco nodded, "She'll suspect you're lying but I don't think she'll call you out on it. Madam Pomfrey is very, don't ask, don't tell."
By the next morning the group discovered that Draco had, in fact, been correct in his warning to Ron as Ron's hand had swollen to twice its usual size. By that afternoon it had turned green and began leaking some sort of foul liquid.
Ron decided to feed Pomfrey the story Draco gave him and it seemed to work well. She seemed suspicious but muttered something under her breath about Thestrals and their dangers.
When the group came to visit him that evening, Ron was in a state of panic.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked as he saw the distress on Ron's face.
"It's more than just my hand—though I think that may fall off it hurts so badly. Don't ever get bitten by a—well, anyway. Zabini was in here not long ago. He told Pomfrey that he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could have a good laugh or to confirm his theories or something. Anyway, he took my book and I realized, Charlie's letter was in that book. He knows about the meeting!"
Before Harry, Hermione, or Draco could respond to Ron, Madam Pomfrey came over and shoed them away, scalding them for causing her patient distress. As they walked back down the stairs, the three of them discussed the implications Zabini now presented.
"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry said, "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance. Besides, Zabini doesn't know about my cloak."
"I don't know if it's worth the risk," Draco said, "And in any case, it's not worth the time to try to get up to Ravenclaw tower and get me. Maybe you two should go at it alone. That will be less people to try to cover under the cloak."
"I agree," Hermione said, her face white, "We can't all fit and it makes sense to have the two of us go since we're in the same house. Less time and less risk of being caught."
They quickly found themselves at Hagrid's hut and knocked. Hagrid quickly opened a window to talk to them.
"I won't let you in," he puffed, "Norbert's at a tricky stage—nothin' I can't handle."
They told him about the letter and about Zabini and their concerns. And, as they left, they felt that Saturday couldn't come fast enough. But come it eventually did.
Hagrid said a tearful goodbye to Norbert as Hermione and Harry helped him prepare for the dragon's departure on Saturday evening. They loaded him carefully and securely into a crate for transportation before setting out on the seemingly impossible and long journey to the Astronomy Tower.
How they had managed to get the crate all the way into the castle had seemed like a miraculous feat. But when they stepped into the corridor that would lead them to the tower, they felt they had accomplished the impossible. That is, until they saw McGonagall in her dressing gown and bathrobe, a lamp in her hand, as she drug Zabini behind her by the ear.
"Detention!" she said harshly, "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you—"
"You don't understand, Professor! Potter's coming—he's got an illegal dragon!"
"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come along—we shall see Professor Snape about you, Zabini."
Once McGonagall was gone and they stepped into the tower, they knew they had finished an impossible task. Hermione actually broke out into a small sort of jig in her excitement.
They waited and watched the window until a group of four people came swooping down out of the darkness. And, as they whipped the cloak off, Harry realized that she recognized one of the party.
"Tonks!" Harry exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"Watcher, Harry! Sorry I didn't tell you I'd be here. Charlie thought it was best that you were kept as much in the dark as possible to make sure this went smoothly and quietly."
"I knew you were friends with Charlie but I didn't realize you were going to visit him."
"Sure am! I was given three days off from work and I decided to travel since your Uncle is being absolutely impossible right now," Tonks said as she rolled her eyes.
Harry watched as they loaded Norbert up in a safety harness between them, "You'll be safe, won't you? Uncle Moony will bite my head off if you get caught or hurt."
"Oh nonsense," Tonks said, blushing, "Remus couldn't care less about me or my wellbeing."
"He sure could. He cares about you a lot. Didn't you know that?"
"He does?"
"Well I've certainly never seen him act the way he does with you towards anyone else. Even his last girlfriend."
"You don't say," Tonks said quietly as she looked down at the dragon, "Anyway, we'd best be off. We need to make sure we get to Romania before the sun comes up."
They all exchanged pleasant goodbyes and Harry and Hermione watched as Norbert was flown slowly away. They watched until they couldn't see the group anymore and smiled.
They quickly slipped back down the staircase and began making their way towards the staircase that would take them back to Gryffindor tower when a face suddenly loomed out of the darkness.
"Well, well, well," Filch whispered, "we are in trouble, aren't we?"
That's when Harry and Hermione realized their biggest mistake. They had left the cloak at the top of the tower, rendering them visible.
End Notes:
Thank you for reading Ignoring Destiny and for sticking with my story for so long. I love you all. Please remember to like, follow, and review!
