AN: You can thank (or blame) DarkInuFan for this little Outtake.

It fits into the last scene of chapter 88 and shows parts from there from another perspective.

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Harry the Hungarian Horntail

Harry watched from where he stood next to the buffet – a plate filled with various dessert variations over chocolate in hand – how the children played over on the grass charmed to stay dry and warm. It seemed that the little boys and girls were unenthusiastically passing a ball around which was shaped like a quaffle.

"I have an idea how we could spice this party up a little." Harry turned around towards the speaker and smiled in surprise as he saw Bill standing next to him, a glass with something red in it in hand.

"You haven't brought along stuff from the twins, have you?" Harry asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice. It probably would be a really bad idea to give Fred and George's prank products to children around six years old.

"Would I ever do something like that?" Bill held a hand to his chest right over his heart, feigning to be hurt, but with a smile in his eyes.

Harry gave the older wizard a once over as if he was weighing the other's trustworthiness. "I think you're too smart to risk getting my little brother into a dangerous situation."

Bill laughed and picked a few napkins up from the table with all the different sweets – the buffet really was heavy on sweets – to transfigure them into a few pieces that looked leathery to Harry. And were those scales?

"Charlie would often dress up as a dragon and chase us others around the orchard before he went to Hogwarts as well. It was always a fun game. Here, put them on!" Bill held the transfigured objects out for Harry to take and intrigued, he did carefully extend his hand to accept them.

It didn't take him long to recognize what Bill had created. Especially with the big hint the eldest brother of the Weasleys had dropped just moments before.

There were three parts. Or two, depending on how one was to count them. Two leathery sheets bound to rigid spikes with straps that could be used to attach them to something were connected by a short, narrow band of equally leathery material. A second piece was obviously intended to be worn as a kind of hat and was topped with a lot of spikes of varying length. The whole getup looked eerily like something Harry had come much too close to.

"A Hungarian Horntail, Bill? Seriously?" Harry held up the pieces with a mild glare towards the smirking red-head.

"Who called for me?" Sirius stepped around the buffet table, snatching up a candied cherry, and gave the two of them a questioning look. When he spotted the transfigured objects in his godson's hands a smirk settled on his face. "Oh, yes, you can't decline that. Put them on!"

Grumbling the whole time, mostly for appearance sake, Harry let the two others help him don the wings – strapped to his arms – and the headdress, effectively dressing him up as a dragon.

While Sirius walked over to the children to rally a squad of dragon tamers, Bill gave Harry some last instructions on how best to act as a dragon. "Don't beat your wings too quickly, and you need to fly big circles. Even the Hungarian Horntail isn't that nimble in the air. And don't forget the cries!" Bill grinned over his whole face. "They are especially important!"

Harry laughed, experimentally flapping his arms, causing enough of a wind to disturb part of the decoration on the buffet. Then he heard the battle cries of several children and the much lower pitch of Sirius' voice in the mix.

Slipping into his role of vicious dragon, Harry turned around, spread his wings, and roared.

He felt like giggling the moment a few of the children screamed more in delight than actual fear, turned, and ran away from him. Instead of laughing out loud Harry gave chase, following the directions Bill had given him, slowly flapping his wings, turning in bigger circles when the children suddenly changed their direction.

It was surprisingly funny to play the dragon chasing after a few wizards and witches who were trying to steal from his nest. At least Harry had decided that was the dragon's motivation for chasing the wizards. Even with the fact that dragons liked to eat humans from time to time, hunting such a big group wasn't the best idea.

Sirius and Bill were watching from the sidelines – having stopped being directly involved pretty quickly – but Harry didn't care one bit what the adults might think of him. He was playing with his little brother at a party that had been organised in his honour. If he couldn't be a little silly and play a dragon at a party for a small child, when should he be a child himself?

The tables turned when the kids banded together, no longer scattering like leaves in the wind when Harry ran towards them, but turning on him and chasing him down. Soon Harry found himself on the ground, trying to evade many small hands, laughing helplessly. Tickling was terrible!

"I give up! Please stop!" Tears ran down his face and he tried to squirm away from the laughing children, partially piled up on him.

"We've caught the dragon!" Marcus exclaimed, opening the tie keeping the headdress on Harry's head, waving his trophy over his head with glee. He sprinted away, waving the transfigured napkin over his head like a flag, the others following behind with enthusiastic shouts.

Harry let himself roll onto his back, catching his breath. That had been taxing, but so worth it! With a silly grin Harry slowly got back on his feet and returned to the buffet. He had a plate of dessert waiting for him.

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AN: I hope you have a few nice days and a Merry Christmas to all those celebrating ;)

See you with a regular chapter to the main story next year!

Thanks to Jordre and Jake for helping to improve my spelling!

First published on the 24th of December 2018