When the five first years met up before breakfast, Hailey told them about what happened. As the weeks that followed that, it seemed like Quirrell was a lot stronger than they thought. Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter. Hailey, Mandy, and Michael tried to give Quirrell encouraging smiles when they came across him in the halls.

Hermione had more on her mind than the Philosopher's Stone since she started making up study schedules and colour-coding her notes. Mandy loved the idea and started doing the same, so the two girls nagged at their friends to do the same.

Ron said, "The exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," Hermione replied. "That's not ages; that's a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron said. "What are you two studying for? I bet you all know everything, anyway."

Mandy scoffed at Ron, "They're very important. I need to pass these exams to get in second year."

"I should've studied a month ago. I don't know what's gotten into me," Hermione said.

The teachers seemed to have followed Mandy and Hermione's line of thinking, since they piled so much homework on them. Ron wasn't amused and said that the Easter holidays weren't as fun. Ron even said that it was hard to relax when Hermione was reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements in the Gryffindor common room.

Michael ended up making a study schedule for himself since he liked Hermione's idea and he even offered to make Hailey one too. Hailey caved and Michael made one for her too.

One afternoon, they were in the library and Ron was moaning and yawning because of the extra amount of work they had to do.

"I'll never remember this!" Ron said, throwing down the quill he was using and stared longingly out the window.

Hailey didn't blame him as she looked out the window. The weather did look perfect, since the sky was a nice forget-me-not blue and there was a feeling in the air that summer was coming. She looked back down trying to look up 'Dittany' in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

"Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?" Ron asked and Hailey looked up.

Hagrid was hiding something behind his back and looked out of place in his moleskin overcoat. "Jus' lookin'," he used a shifty tone that got their attention. "An' what're you lot up to?" He looked suspicious, "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found him months ago," Ron replied. "And we know what that dog's guarding. It's a Philosopher's St—"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around, as if making sure that no one heard. "Don't go around shoutin' about it. What's the matter with you?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you," Mandy said. "What else is guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy?"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid shushed her more loudly than Ron. "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 knew. They'll think I've told yeh 'bout it."

"See you later, then," Hailey said.

Hagrid walked off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Hermione asked, thoughtfully.

"I bet it has something to do with the Stone," Mandy said.

"I'll be right back." Ron said and went in the rows. He returned with an armful of books and slammed them on the table. "Dragons!" He was whispering, "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons. Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno;A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

Hailey remembered something, "The first time I met him, he told me that he always wanted a dragon."

"But it's against our laws," Mandy pointed out.

Ron nodded, "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709."

"It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden," Mandy replied. "You can't tame dragons, it's dangerous."

"You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania," Ron said.

"Are there wild dragons in Britain?" Michael asked eyes wide.

"Of course there are," Ron replied, "Common Welsh Green and Hebriden Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job of hushing them up, I can tell you that. Our kind has to put spells on Muggles who spotted them, to make them forget about what they seen."

"So, what on earth is Hagrid up to?" Hermione asked.

An hour later, when they went to the game keeper's hut, they noticed that the curtains were closed and Hailey knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Hagrid called and when they told him who they were, he let them in. He closed the door quickly and they realized it was stifling hot inside.

It was a warm day and there was a fire in the fireplace. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"So, yeh wanted to ask me something?" Hagrid asked.

"Yes, we were wondering if you could tell us what else is guarding the Philosopher's Stone besides Fluffy," Hailey said. There was no use beating around the bush.

"O' course I can't," Hagrid said. "One, I don't know myself. Two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn't tell yeh, if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts—I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beat me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy," he shrugged.

Hailey noticed that Michael was already sweating and so was Ron.

"Oh, come on Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know. You know everything that goes on around here," Hermione said, using a warm flattering voice.

Hailey noticed that Hagrid's beard twitched and she knew that Hagrid was smiling.

"We only wondered who had done the guarding, really," Michael replied, wiping some sweat from his cheek.

"We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you." Mandy said using a sweet voice, "That's all."

Hailey and Ron looked at each other.

"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—" He was ticking them off with his fingers. "Professor Quirrell—an' Dumbeldore himself did somethin', o' course." He looked like he was thinking about it, "Hang on. I've forgotten someone. Oh, yeah, Professor Snape."

Hailey nearly dropped her teacup, "Snape?"

Hagrid responded, "Yeah—yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Hailey looked at her friends. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it would've been easy figuring out the other teachers were guarding it, except for Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.

"You're only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, right?" Hailey asked, "and you wouldn't tell anyone how to do it, right?"

"Not a soul knows, except me an' Dumbledore," Hagrid said, in a proud voice.

"That's something," Hailey muttered to herself.

"Hagrid, can we please open a window? I'm boiling," Michael said.

"Can't, Michael, sorry," Hagrid said and glanced at the fireplace.

Michael looked and stared at the huge, black egg in the fireplace under the kettle. He pointed at it, "What is that?"

Hagrid looked at the egg, "That's—er…"

Ron went over and crouched down to look at it. "Where did you get it? It must've cost a fortune."

"Won it, las' night down in the village, after havin' a few drinks. Got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest," Hagrid explained.

Hermione looked at the egg and Hagrid. "What are you going to do with it when it's hatched?"

"Well, I've bin don' some readin'," Hagrid said and pulled out a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library—Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit—it's a bit outta, date o' course, but its all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, deed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour."

Mandy looked disgusted at the mixture.

"An' see here—how ter recognize diff'rent eggs—what I got is a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare." Hagrid looked pleased with himself but Hermione wasn't.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house." Mandy pointed out, but Hagrid stoked the fire, humming merrily, as if he didn't hear her.

They had something else to worry about with the fact that Hagrid is hiding an illegal dragon in his hut. They were worrying about what would happen to him if someone found out about the dragon egg.

At the Ravenclaw table, Hailey noticed that it looked like Hermione was trying to make a study schedule for Ron, who looked like he was ready to snap at her.

Hedwig brought Hailey a note that said: It's hatching.

She showed Mandy and Michael, and then proceeded to go to the Gryffindor table where Hermione and Ron were to show them.

"I suggest we skip Herbology and go straight down to Hagrid's hut," Ron said.

"No, we're not going to skip Herbology," Hermione stated firmly.

"How many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?" Ron asked, looking annoyed.

Hermione said, "We've got lessons, we're going to get in trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing—"

"Shh," Hailey said, looking at Malfoy, who had stopped to listen. Hailey wasn't sure how much he heard, but she hated the look on his face.

Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology, and in the end, agreed to run down to the hut at break. When the bell sounded from the castle, they dropped their trowels at once and ran down to the hut.

When Hagrid answered the door, he was looking flushed and excited. "It's nearly out," and he ushered them inside.

The egg was laying on the table, with deep cracks in it. A funny clicking noise was coming from inside it, signaling that something was moving in it.

They drew chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath. Hailey wasn't sure what Michael was feeling, since he suddenly grabbed onto her arm. There was a scraping noise from the egg. The egg split open and the baby dragon came spilling out of it.

To Hailey it looked like a crumpled black umbrella. It had spiny wings that were huge compared to its skinny body. It had a long snout with wide nostrils, stubs of horns, and bulging, orange eyes.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid asked, reaching out to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at him, showing pointed fangs.

Michael gave Hailey a strange look, as if he was thinking that Hagrid had gone mad. Hailey kind of agreed with Michael.

"Bless him, he knows his mummy," Hagrid stated.

"Hagrid, how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow?" Mandy asked, staring down at the baby dragon.

It sneezed and a couple of sparks came out of its snout.

Hagrid looked like he was going to answer, but he jumped up suddenly, paling. He went to the window and looked out.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked Hagrid. He looked at the other four first years, confused.

"It's a student. He was lookin' through the hap in the curtains—he's running back up ter the school," Hagrid said.

Ron bolted to the door and looked out. He looked at them, looking angry, "It was Malfoy."

"Oh, no," Hailey said. She wasn't sure what that prat had planned, but it gave her a sick feeling.

During the next week, Hailey wanted to punch that smirk off of Malfoy's face. They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.

"Just let him go," Mandy said. "Set him free."

"I can't," Hagrid said. "He's too little. He'd die."

They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in just one week and smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Michael kept nudging Hailey away from it. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers scattered around.

"I've decided to call him Norbert." Hagrid said, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbet! Where's mummy?"

"He lost his marbles," Michael said in Hailey's ear.

"Hagrid!" Mandy said, "Give it two weeks and that thing is going to be as long as your house. Malfoy can go to Dumbledore any time!"

"I—I know I can't keep him forever," Hagrid said.

"Damn right," Michael muttered under his breath.

"I can't just dump him. I can't," Hagrid continued.

Hailey looked at Ron, "Charlie!"

"Oh, no. You lost your marbles, too," Ron said.

Hailey guessed that Michael had said it loudly enough to where Ron heard him. Hailey shook her head, "No, your brother, Charlie. He studies dragons in Romania, right? We could send him Norbert and Charlie can take care of him, and release him back to the wild."

"That's brilliant," Ron replied. He looked at Hagrid, "how about it?"

In the end, Hagrid had agreed that they can send an owl to Charlie.

At breakfast, Ron and Hermione both went to the Ravenclaw table, with a note from Charlie so the Ravenclaws can read it together.

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 Satuday? They can meet you there and take him while it's still dark.

Send me an answer as possible.

Love,

Charlie

Hailey was kind of bummed that she wouldn't be able to see another Weasley family member. She knew what Ginny, Fred, George, Percy, and Molly looked like, but not what Bill, Charlie, and Arthur looked like. It was like a missed opportunity.

She looked at the letter again. "We have the Invisibility Cloak, so it shouldn't be that difficult. I'm sure it can fit two people and Norbert."

Wednesday night, Hailey and Michael were up, waiting for Mandy to return, who was down at the hut helping feed Norbert with Hagrid. Michael had finished up some homework and Hailey was reading The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum.

The door open and then closed, showing no one there, Mandy ripped the Invisibility Cloak. She had a bloody kerchief wrapped around her hand. "That bloody dragon has got to go! It bit me! I'm not going to hold a quill for a week. That is the worst animal I have ever met, but the way Hagrid talks about it, you would think it was a bloody fluffy, bunny rabbit. After it bit me, he told me off for 'frightening' it and when I left, he was singing it a lullaby. That man has lost his bloody marbles!"

"It's leaving on Saturday, so we can throw a party afterwards," Michael replied.

"How bad is the bite?" Hailey asked, looking at Mandy's right hand.

"You don't want to know," Mandy replied. "I'm going to bed. Good night." She stomped off, past Rowena Ravenclaw's statue to get to the dorm room entrance.

"That dragon is a pain in the arse," Michael said and Hailey nodded.

On Thursday, the bite on Mandy's hand had swollen to twice its usual size. Hailey wasn't sure if it would be safe for Mandy to go to Madam Pomfrey since she wasn't sure if Madam Pomfrey would recognize dragon bites, but in the afternoon, Mandy had no choice but to go since the bit had turned to a nasty green. It looked like Norbert's fangs were poisonous.

After lessons were over, the four rushed over to visit Mandy in the infirmary. It looked like that blonde girl was in a terrible state.

"Are you okay? You look terrible," Michael said.

"It's not my hand," Mandy whispered. "It feels like it's going to fall off, but Parkinson told Madam Pomfrey she wanted to borrow one of my books, just so she can laugh at me. She told me that Malfoy told her what bit me, so she was threatening to tell Madam Pomfrey what really bit me."

"What did you tell Madam Pomfrey that bit you?" Hermione asked.

"I told her that it was a dog, but I think she doesn't believe me," Mandy said. "I shouldn't have hit Malfoy at the Quidditch match."

"I'm sure the git deserved it. We got a few more days till Saturday so we don't have to worry about Norbert," Hailey reassured Mandy.

Mandy sat up instead, "Oh, no. Charlie's letter was in the book that Parkinson took, since I borrowed it from Ron. Malfoy is going to know that we're getting rid of Norbert."

Before they could respond, Madam Pomfrey ushered them out, saying that Mandy needed sleep.

On Friday, they went down to Hagrid's hut. Fang was sitting outside the hut, his tail bandaged.

Hagrid opened the window, "I won't let you in since Norbert's at a tricky stage. Nothin' I can't handle."

They told them about Charlie's letter and Hailey noticed that Hagrid's eyes filled with tears.

Saturday came along and Ron tagged along since Hermione refused to break anymore rules. Michael was nowhere to be found, but Hailey couldn't be sure if he was visiting Mandy in the infirmary or trying to hide out in the library to work on homework.

Hailey would've felt sorry for Hagrid, but she was worrying about what they had to do.

Luckily it was a very dark, cloudy night. They were late arriving since they had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall from where he'd been playing tennis against the wall.

Hagrid had Norbert packed in a crate, "He's got lots o' rats and some brandy fer the journey." He had a muffled voice.

Hailey wasn't entirely sure if Hagrid meant that there was bottle of brandy in the crate or if there was a bowl in there filled with brandy. She would rather not look in the crate, to make sure, because she was sure she would be in the infirmary with Mandy.

"An' I packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely," Hagrid said.

There was a ripping sound in the crate that sounded like either the teddy bear got it's head ripped off or got disemboweled.

Hailey and Ron threw the Invisibility Cloak over themselves and started carrying the crate to Hogwarts. She wasn't sure how they managed to get up to the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. She led Ron through one of the shortcuts she got from the Gray Lady, which did help. They reached the corridor to the tallest tower and she noticed movement ahead of them. Hailey and Ron shrank back against the wall, momentarily forgetting that they were invisible. There were three figures, but it looked like two of them were grappling with each other.

A lantern flared and Professor McGonagall, wearing a tartan bathrobe and a hairnet, had Pansy Parkinson by the ear. Michael was standing beside Professor McGonagall, with his arms crossed. He had his book bag and was looking tired.

"Detention!" Professor McGonagall said, "Twenty points from both Slytherin and Ravenclaw! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you—"

"You don't understand, Professor. Hailey Potter's coming and she has a dragon!" Pansy said.

Michael snorted at the mention of the dragon. Professor McGonagall looked at him, "And you…go back to your common room. I'm aware that you lost track of time in the library, but I'm sure that's why Ravenclaw has a library in there. I'll have Professor Flitwick sort out your detention later." Michael nodded and ran off.

Professor McGonagall looked at Pansy. "What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on—I shall see Professor Snape about you, Parkinson."

They went up the steep spiral staircase, which was easy to Hailey, but she wasn't sure what it was to Ron. When they got there, they threw off the Invisibility Cloak, glad to finally breathe again.

"Parkinson has detention!" Hailey said, giddy.

"So does Michael," Ron pointed out.

Hailey shrugged, "the worst is that he would have to polish something or sit in a classroom writing lines because he was in the library at the time. Not sure what detention awaits Pansy, though because of the whole dragon thing."

"Why was it Parkinson and not Malfoy?" Ron pointed out.

Before Hailey could come up with a theory, Norbert started thrashing around in the crate.

Ten minutes later, four broomsticks appeared and Charlie's friends showed them the harness they rigged up to suspend Norbert between them. They buckled Norbert in, shook hands with the lot, and watched as Norbert was now gone.

They went to the door and Hailey stopped Ron, "Wait." She grabbed the Invisibility Cloak, and threw it over them. "Almost forgot this." They started down the stairs and they noticed Filch was leading Neville somewhere. Hailey frowned, wondering why Neville was running around during the night.

Hailey was sure that Neville would talk about it to Ron tomorrow.

"Let's go," Ron whispered, "before we get in trouble."

Hailey nodded, feeling bad for Neville.

A/N: Yes, Hailey will still have to serve detention which would be explained. Four more chapters to go before Year 1 is done.