"I'm never going to remember this," moaned Ron as he screwed up another roll of parchment, throwing it into the small pile in the middle of the table. He banged his head against the table loudly, before laying it upon the table. "How's your aunt doing, Harry?"

"She's alright," Harry replied. "She's home now, repairing the damage done to her parents' house. It turned out to be some sympathiser's wanting to avenge their master." He sat back in his chair and watched Hermione write paragraph upon paragraph about the magical properties of Dittany. "The wards took a beating and are taking a bit of time to be repaired and replenished."

Curious, Hermione placed her quill into the inkpot and turned to her friends. "I would have thought that the house was quite well-warded. It shouldn't have been so easy for them to attack - was there not some kind of alarm ward?" She asked, brow furrowed in concentration as she mulled over the admittedly little she knew about magical warding.

Harry shook his head. "It was, but there wasn't an alarm ward. They can only be cast in certain places." He closed his eyes as he remembered what his Aunt had explained to him in Saint Mungos. "Aunt Tuney couldn't ward the house as much as Potter Manor is, because there simply isn't enough magical energy year-round. Yeah, the house-elves keep it maintained and putter about, but wards can't saturate much of their magic, because they aren't elven wards. It can't be extensively warded either because its in a completely muggle area," well, he amended in his mind. There's Severus, but I doubt I'd survive if I told them where he lived. "The area runs off electricity, as does the house. That much magic would fry it - it'd completely kill the phone lines and it could make any kind of electrical appliance blow up. Definitely noticeable - we'd break the Statute of Secrecy with minutes, if not seconds."

"What?" Ron said, not understanding at all. His dad waffled on at times about eckeltricity and fellytones, but like this conversation, he'd tuned out and simply washed over him as noise.

"Never mind. Is that Hagrid?" Hermione asked, watching him as he shuffled out of the magical creatures section of the library. "Hagrid!" She waved him over, and frowned as his eyes darted to and fro suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

"Jus' havin' a look aroun'. Wanted ter get a new book to show me how ter-" Hagrid cut himself off, clearing his throat and swallowing. "Wanted ter look summat up."

Harry glanced at Hermione. He really should stay out of it. Hagrid, while a friendly man, was firmly in Dumbledore's pocket, they could never be the best of friends. His inquisitiveness however took over. "What are you learning, Hagrid? Have you got a new pet?" He asked, making himself appear eager.

Hagrid smiled and relaxed. Harry was a nice lad, and wouldn't tell anyone, surely? "Tell yeh what, come an' see me in me hut, an' I'll show yeh." he said, clearing his throat again as the others nodded. "I'll be seein' yehs then."

Two hours later, after cajoling Hermione and partly convincing her that she was sure to pass her exams, they knocked on the door of the gamekeepers hut. For some reason, the curtains were closed. Hagrid appeared in the window, peering out and nodding to himself before he would let them in.

It was already sweltering hot outside, but Hagrid's hut seemed to be a furnace. Hagrid poured each of them a cup of tea, before taking the book he'd hidden under the cushion of his armchair, and handing it over for them to see.

"Egg to Flame; Raising Your Dragonet," Harry read out, holding the book carefully before passing it over to Hermione to peruse. The book looked frightfully old, it was dog-eared and almost crumbling before their eyes.

"1692," Hermione mouthed, holding the book in awe before carefully placing it on the table.

"Hagrid," Ron sighed. "You've got a dragon egg haven't you?" Hagrid's proud nod and smile made him groan, running his hand through his hair. "Bloody hell."

"You know the Warlocks' Convention of 1709 banned common breeding, Hagrid. Only reserves can." Harry said as he walked to the fireplace to take a look at the egg. He pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to Hagrid.

Hagrid just smiled, pleased with himself. "I won it in a game o'cards in the Hog's Head with Dum- with someone." Hagrid corrected himself, avoiding their eyes.

Harry was sure the half-giant was about to say Dumbledore. What was the old man doing now, and why did he keep using Hagrid to implement his plans? Harry was sure that if he wasn't raised by his Slytherin aunt, he would probably trust Hagrid and go along with anything he said. That's what Dumbledore had counted on, he thought.

"Hagrid, for Merlin's sake. Your hut is made of wood. You know wood sets on fire, right?" Harry said as if he were speaking to a five year old, a biting tone in his voice. "Dragons breathe fire, Hagrid. Fire-breath, plus wood, equals you have no home." Hagrid was immediately disgruntled and quickly threw them out.

"Well done, Harry." Hermione said sarcastically, before heading to the castle with Ron.

Harry shrugged. It wasn't his fault Hagrid was ridiculous enough to think he could raise a dragon, illegal or not, in a wooden hut. He'd only tried to reason with the man. He however, knew someone nearby who could do something. He shook his head as he set off for Severus' office.

"Yes?" Severus said, unsure as to why Harry was visiting him.

"This isn't a conversation for others to hear," Harry said, hoping the man would listen. Severus stood there for a moment, hesitating before opening his door further and inviting Harry in, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. He took his own seat and waited for Harry to begin.

"Si-Severus," Harry started, wondering just how you told someone that a half-giant had a very illegal dragon egg, was intent on raising it, and had most likely received it from their illustrious headmaster.

"What is it, Harry?" He asked, taking the glass of firewhisky on his desk to take a sip.

"Hagrid's got a bloody dragon egg." Harry burst out.

Severus choked on his drink, sputtering. "An egg?! What joke are you playing here, Potter?" Honestly a dragon egg.

"It's true, go ahead and ask Madame Pince if Hagrid has taken out any books on raising a dragon. Then there's also the fact that Hagrid told me," Harry replied, pleading with Severus, begging with his eyes for the dour man to believe him.

"Right," Severus sighed. He downed the entire glass and poured himself another measure. "The oaf has a dragon egg. Write to Petunia, and tell her to get here as soon as possible. We'll send it through the floo. Does anyone else know?"

"Ron and Hermione."

"Weasley and Granger knows?" Severus sat up, alarmed. No Weasley was known for keeping secrets. As soon as they were angry or sad they'd spill their guts. Those twins though...

"They won't tell." Harry reassured him.

"And I'm a vampire."

Dear Aunt Tuney,

You need to come to Hogwarts as soon as you can. I'm sure Dumbledore's up to something. Hagrid's gotten himself a dragon egg and is set on keeping it. He's already calling it Norbert, and telling the egg that he is it's mother.

Apparently he won it in a game of card in the Hog's Head. He was about to tell us who with but he cut himself off, but he did say 'Dum'. Sound familiar?

Love,

Harry

"What's the floo password to the Manor?" Severus asked, making his way over to the fireplace.

"Ab irato." Harry smirked.

"An angry man indeed," Severus mused, before sending the letter through the floo. "Now, I'd wager we have ten minutes before Tuney gets here. Tea?"

"Alright then," Harry agreed as Severus ordered the tea using the floo.

Severus took his seat behind his desk, and only a moment later a house-elf appeared with a crack, laying the tea-tray on the desk, and disappearing with another crack. He served them both and passed a cup to Harry.

"The elves here are different, at the Manor, they're fine with being seen." Harry commented.

"That's their orders," Severus explained. "The headmasters have always insisted upon the old tradition that a house-elf is not to be seen, nor heard. Visit the kitchens and they're ecstatic for visitors and will fall over themselves to serve you."

"Odd," Harry replied. They chatted for several minutes about Harry's classes, and jumped when there was suddenly screaming coming from the floo.

"A dragon egg?! Harry Potter, you will explain this to me!" Petunia screeched from the floo. "I'll be there in five minutes, and there better be tea waiting, Sev."

"Of course, dear."

AN- So sorry about the awfully long wait. Christmas, new year and job searching have taken their time. I'll be updating more regularly now. Hope you enjoyed it :)