A/N: This deviates slightly from the canon timeline, but not so much that it's going to significantly alter how the main plotline goes. Norbert is introduced perhaps a few weeks early, but out of convenience as I figured I could tie in his introduction with Kellen's birthday bash. This is going to be largely light-hearted and innocent, much like Kellen and Hermione's Christmas together.
And like that, January had come and gone. Kellen had played all four positions in the four quidditch matches that he participated in – and Gryffindor had won every single time. Spirits were especially high in Gryffindor, except when it came to schoolwork – the professors had somehow decided it was a good idea to add to the already-considerable amount of homework that the students already received. Hermione and Kellen didn't mind, but Harry and especially Ron were nonplussed.
One day, on a grey chilly day in the beginning of February, Hermione, Desiree, and Daphne paid a visit to Hagrid's hut after school concerning Kellen's upcoming birthday, which was just a few short days away.
"Hello, young ladies," Hagrid chuckled. "What can I do for yer?" He nodded at Desiree. "I don't recall seeing yer before. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Gamekeeper at yer service, but most folks just call me Hagrid."
Desiree smiled. "Hello, Hagrid. I'm Kellen's cousin Desiree Moultrie. I don't think I've met you before either."
Hagrid chuckled again. "Pleased ter meet yer, Miss Desiree. Kellen has no shortage of pretty lady friends, does he? C'min, c'min! Would yer care for a bit of tea and treacle toffee?"
"Maybe just the tea, please," replied Hermione politely. "We're here about Kellen… his birthday is next week, and we need your help."
"Oh, so Kellen's a birthday boy?" asked Hagrid as he started boiling some water. "I was wonderin' when his special day was." He smiled at Hermione. "What do yer have in mind?"
Hermione returned the smile. "He's Norwegian, or at least of Norwegian descent, so I was hoping maybe you could help bake some munker. It's a Norwegian pastry, sort of a cross between a donut and a pancake. I'm sure he'd be delighted to have a traditional Scandinavian breakfast for his birthday."
Hagrid beamed. "I have an aebleskiver pan, which is for Danish pastries. If yer have a recipe for munker, please let me know as I'm not rightly sure what's different between the two, but I'm sure he won't turn down fresh aebleskiver either."
Hermione flashed a hundred-watt smile. "One step ahead of you, Hagrid." She pulled out a parchment with a list of ingredients and baking instructions. "I'd be delighted to help you bake the munker."
"I'd be delighted ter have yer help me, Miss Hermione," Hagrid replied gratefully. "Have yer thought of what other gifts yer wanted ter give him?"
"Between the three of us, Harry, Ron, Pansy, and Tracey, we should have enough galleons to maybe get him something that reminds him of home. He is a fan of some sports team – baseball, if memory serves, called the Minnesota Twins. He really seems to be fond of a player named Kirby Puckett. If we all chipped in a few galleons, would you be able to perhaps get him a jersey and perhaps a cap? I know you have a way of procuring strange things, and those are about as strange as they come! I may have to get Harry or Ron discreetly look at his Muggle clothes to get an idea of what size to get."
"What day is his birthday, exactly?" Hagrid asked.
"The twelfth," replied Hermione.
"That's ten days away," Hagrid said thoughtfully. "That should be enough time, but yeh'll need to get me the specifics tomorrow for sure. Does that work for yer?"
"That's fine, Hagrid, we can get back with you tomorrow."
"And we can maybe design a really nice birthday card," Daphne suggested. "I'm not the maestro that Kellen is – that portrait Kellen made of you is gorgeous, by the way, Hermione – but between Desiree and myself, I think we can make something he'd appreciate."
"Oh, I have something, erm… personal I need to ask Hagrid," Hermione told Daphne and Desiree. "Would you mind stepping outside for just a few seconds, please? It's… Gryffindor-related business."
"It's chilly outside, Hermione," Desiree said. "Please don't take long."
"Thanks, Daphne and 'Ree," Hermione said with a grin. "I promise this will be short." Daphne and Desiree bundled up and stepped back outside while Hermione asked Hagrid her question.
"What is it that's so personal, Hermione?" Hagrid wondered.
"I remember a while back, you got that guard dog from a Greek gentleman… and you told us that the thing it's guarding is a secret known only by Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel… well, Kellen and I did some research and we believe that the object that it's protecting is the Philosopher's Stone. Do you know why it's being so carefully guarded? Who would want it so badly to require so much protection? What else do you know about it?"
Hagrid waved a hand dismissively. "Let's talk about this later, all right? Now's not a good time for me. Maybe Thursday after dinner?" He smiled gently at Hermione. "Yer might want ter let yer friends in, I'm sure they're getting quite cold out there."
Hermione opened the door for Daphne and Desiree and let them back in the warm hut. "Sorry about that," she said softly. "I appreciate you respecting our privacy." Hagrid and the girls enjoyed a nice spot of tea together by the fireplace.
The next day, Hermione had collected whatever coins she could get from her friends - Harry, Daphne, and Pansy were all able to contribute a couple of galleons each, while she, Ron, Desiree, and Tracey were only able to spare a few sickles apiece, but she figured every little bit helped. She also got a size from Harry (based on what he could find, "Adult Medium" was the most consistent shirt size he could find for Kellen's Muggle clothes, so he went with that) and as discreetly as she could, she sprinted to Hagrid's hut between classes with the money and Kellen's sizing information. Hagrid wasn't at his hut at the moment, but thankfully the door was not locked, so she wrote a quick note and left the money and the jersey information on the table, and bolted back to her next class as quickly as her skinny little legs could carry her.
That Thursday, Hermione, Kellen, Harry, and Ron returned to Hagrid's hut for more information on the Philosopher's Stone. None of the children were prepared for the sight that awaited them. Hagrid was holding a large object, maybe the size of a soccer ball, that resembled a big black goose egg. He was about to stow it in a makeshift incubator under the kettle to help it hatch.
"What in the world is that?" Ron asked.
"It's something I won the other night, playin' cards," Hagrid said with a note of pride in his voice.
"It looks like an egg of some kind," Hermione guessed. "Some sort of exotic bird?"
"Dragon," Hagrid said.
"But isn't dragon-keeping illegal here?" Ron asked incredulously. "Pretty sure that they were outlawed as part of the Warlock's Convention of 1709".
"What they won't know, won't hurt 'em," Hagrid replied matter-of-factly.
"Do you even know how to take care of a dragon? What do they eat? How big will they get?" Harry asked.
"I checked a book out at the library earlier this morning," Hagrid said with a grin. "Has everything I need ter know about raisin' a dragon."
"While we're here, Hagrid," Hermione chimed in, "you said something about bringing up the philosopher's stone another time. This is another time, after all, and I was hoping you could provide more information. For example, is there anything else protecting the stone besides Fluffy?"
Hagrid smiled. "Well, I s'pose there's no hurting telling yer that much. Let's see... several of the professors got together ter create different enchantments as additional insurance. I don't rightly know what kind of enchantments they are, but they make it mighty tough for any thieves ter try and take that stone. Even more secure than Gringotts." He wiped his brow. "There was a close one there a few months back, let me tell yer..."
"Who would want to steal the stone? Obviously someone incredibly powerful... or incredibly mad, or even both," Kellen asked.
"I don't rightly know myself, but what I can tell yer is that it's not Snape, even though I'm sure yer already suspect him, as he can be a pain in the bum," mumbled Hagrid. "In fact, he was one of the instructors sworn ter protect the stone. He's not friendly, but he's not yer enemy." He chuckled. "I think at this point yer kids know more about that bloody stone than I do!"
"So, do you know what kind of dragon egg you got?" Ron asked. "My brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania, I'm sure he'd be interested."
"This here is a Norwegian Ridgeback," Hagrid said proudly.
"Norwegian?!" Kellen exclaimed. "I'm half Norwegian! I had no idea that there were dragons from Norway... not even my Bestemor Pernille told me stories about dragons, and she told me all sorts of tall tales! Viking stories, Sami folk tales, you name it!"
"There certainly are, Kellen," chuckled Hagrid.
Wednesday, February 12th finally arrived. Hermione woke up extra early to go to Hagrid's hut to help him make Norwegian munker, or pancake-donuts, for breakfast to celebrate Kellen's birthday. On the table at Hagrid's was a Minnesota Twins baseball cap, plus a Kirby Puckett jersey, just as Hermione wanted to get Kellen!
"Hi, Hagrid," Hermione greeted. "How's the egg coming along?"
Hagrid chuckled. "It's coming, still a ways away from hatching. I can owl yer with its progress. Oh, I hope I got the right things for Kellen's birthday!"
Hermione hugged Hagrid. "You're a miracle worker, Hagrid. Kellen's going to love his birthday, and it's all thanks to you!"
Hagrid beamed. "It's my pleasure, Hermione. Kellen's a terrific lad - so bright, so helpful, so brave - he's the poster child of what a true Gryffindor should be. And birthdays are only once a year, so we might as well make it a special one for him!" He gestured to the kitchen counter. "I have all the ingredients yer listed in the recipe, so if yer want ter wash up, let's get breakfast started and take it ter the Great Hall!"
A few minutes later, Daphne arrived at Hagrid's hut. "Hiya Hagrid! Hiya Hermione! I have the card that Desiree and I made. Tracey, Pansy, Desiree, Harry, Ron, and Neville already signed - I caught them earlier this week, but I knew you were going to be here to make the munker, so would you two please sign this card before I leave?"
Hermione smiled brightly. "Definitely," she said. "We'll be making our way to the Great Hall in just a few, so I promise we'll sign it. Why don't you stick around for a few minutes? If you want to help stir the batter, you're more than welcome."
"Really?" Daphne gasped. "I'd be delighted to help."
It wasn't long before Hermione, Hagrid, and Daphne headed to the Great Hall with dozens of munker, along with Kellen's birthday gifts. Kellen was already sitting with Harry, Ron, and Neville, and Pansy, Tracey, and Desiree made their way over to the Gryffindor table when they saw Hagrid, Hermione, and Daphne enter the Great Hall.
"Hello, birthday boy!" bellowed Hagrid, as he wrapped his great arms around Kellen in a bear hug. "We got a little somethin' for yer. Hope yer like it - munker, just like back home!"
"No way!" Kellen gasped. "That's awesome - my grandmother makes the best munker! Who's idea was it?"
Hermione's cheeks turned nearly crimson. She shyly walked over to Kellen and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Happy birthday, Kellen," she said softly.
"Here's a little something your cousin and I made," Daphne said as she handed Kellen the homemade birthday card. Kellen opened it, and saw all the signatures of his friends.
"Thank you so much, everyone," Kellen replied. "I've only been awake a bit over an hour, but it's already a terrific birthday!"
"And here's a little something from all of us," Hermione said as she handed Kellen a wrapped package. Kellen tore into it and to his delight, saw a Kirby Puckett baseball jersey and a Minnesota Twins baseball cap.
"Wow... this is really, really hard to find outside the States... I don't know how you guys pulled this off, but this is beyond awesome," he exclaimed. "Thank you... I wish I could wear this to class," he added with a chuckle.
"Me too," replied Hermione. "But you look perfectly handsome in your uniform and robes." She gave him a gentle hug.
Everyone around the table sang a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" to Kellen, and they all gave him a warm hug before enjoying a tasty Norwegian breakfast staple.