Chapter by: Elipsa
Helga waved at the retreating forms of Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet. The four had been forced to pause as the stairs had moved, leaving the small group a brief moment to chat and laugh over Fred and George Weasley's prank on Professor Quirrell a few weeks ago. She felt that snowballs to the back of his turban had been quite a splendid idea.
After digging around with the multitudes of acquaintances that she now had, Helga had come up blank on what could be going on with Quirrell. She had plenty of information, like:
Scarlett Lympsham, a fellow first year in Slytherin, had heard the man talking with someone who wasn't there asking what needed to be done.
Fred and George never saw the man without the turban, and they were constantly trying to catch the man unawares.
Jemina Cobris, a fifth year Ravenclaw, had caught the man speaking a few times without stuttering.
Still, even with all that, she had learned nothing new.
She sighed, wishing for a chair and a cup of warm tea. Her finger drew circles in the air, as if moving on the lip of a teacup.
Helga had kept her disquiet to herself, not wanting to be a bother to the other three. She felt as if she hadn't been much help in their venture so far, only gleaning information from Samuel that was of little use. There hadn't been enough time to create a knowledge ring, not a decent one, at least. Those took years, if not decades to create; not to mention the number of experienced witches and wizards needed. After only seven months at Hogwarts she had what she would only consider a foundation for her network of contacts.
She had people she was friendly with from all the houses. The other Hufflepuffs were easily befriended and shared knowledge readily. Gryffindors were brash and one had to muddle their way through piles of unneeded conversation. Ravenclaws were slightly trickier as they usually caught on to what was happening and didn't like others prying. Slytherins, though, were the ones that Helga enjoyed the most.
The wit, the banter, the back and forth, the sharing of what's known without giving too much away. Salazar and herself had spent many hours going back and forth in easy comradery to see who could get the most information out of others.
She made her way down the stairs and towards the Great Hall.
Most of the time she prevailed for the simple fact that Helga enjoyed conversing with others; that she didn't find the entire thing tedious. Salazar, while great in his own right, had no patience for insolence or inane chatter, nor did he enjoy speaking to others outside his family or friends - unless, of course, the person had some new or obscure knowledge to offer.
Godric was too brusque and Rowena just didn't have the fine touch needed for those types of conversations.
She sighed, shaking off her melancholy as she stepped onto the stone floor of the landing. Her head tilted up and she pushed her shoulders back. Enough wallowing, she had a network to create. For the time being she focused on her next move: solidifying her friendship with Hagrid.
Godric had passed on to her and the other two that Hagrid had let slip the name 'Nicholas Flamel'. After that, figuring out what the stone was became quite simple, even if the children hadn't figured it out yet.
The Sorcerer's Stone.
Helga spent a moment to question the sanity of the headmaster, especially at keeping such a stone in their school. Regardless, she had begun to speak more with the gentle half-giant and play with his friendly dog.
She stepped outside, tilting her head up to the sky and basking in the sunshine, even as she wrapped her cloak tighter around her to fend off the cold. Calling a bluebell flame to her palm to keep herself warm, Helga quickly strode to Hagrid's hut.
As she walked she could feel the magic in the earth whispering, and she yearned to respond, but she could not as of yet. Her eyes cut over to the large, angry tree. She shook her head. It, too, would have to wait.
After a few minutes, she made it to Hagrid's door and knocked as loudly as she could manage.
"Be ri'ht th're!" Came the gruff answer over the loud barking of Fang. "Back, boy! Back!"
Helga was giggling by the time Hagrid got the door open. The giant man looked around before thinking to look down. "Helga!" The man exclaimed. Fang let out another high pitched whine as Hagrid held his dog back. "Good ta see ya so soon! Come in, I just made some fresh cakes."
"Perhaps some tea, Hagrid? I have been wishing for some all morning."
"Of course, of course." He wrestled Fang back to get enough room for Helga to make it inside, her fingers immediately running over Fang's fur. He licked her face and she giggled again, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her cheek on his tall shoulder.
"Hello, have you been behaving for Hagrid?"
Fang woofed and she took that to mean, 'of course not, where's the fun in that?' His attitude always reminded her of Godric and she laughed quietly at the mental image of Fang with Godric's face.
Hagrid huffed and patted Fang on the head before lumbering to the fire.
Stepping back from Fang, Helga fanned herself from the immense heat in the hut and watched as Fang went to lie by the closed door, tongue lolling out and panting.
"Hagrid, I do realize that it is still a bit nippy, but why ever do you have it so hot in here?"
A flush ran up his cheeks and he scuffed his feet on the floor. "There ain't no reason, don't worry ya litta head."
"Hmm," she glanced over at the roaring fire that held a cauldron in it. Taking a few steps she maneuvered around the man and peered in, her eyes widening at what she saw. "Hagrid, is that a -"
When Helga turned to look at the man, his face was beet red and his eyes were shifting around. "Ya, that be a dragon egg. I won 'em, froma man down a' ta pub. We was speakin' and talkin' about how I could care for one."
"Oh, I'm sure you'd do a lovely job of raising one."
His chest puffed up and he grinned. "Thank ya! That's wh' I said, though he didnna believe me til I mentioned Fluffy."
Fluffy had already come up and Helga had already put him at ease of her knowing. After all, why would she go to the third floor and why would she tell any more children about the Cerberus?
Rowena, Salazar, and Godric knew about Fluffy already, but Hagrid didn't need to know that.
"What convinced him you could raise the dragon, though? They are notoriously difficult to train and have their own minds, much like us."
"Oh, it's all about knowin' wh' makes 'em tick. Ya know, take Fluffy. Play him music and off ta sleep he goes"
Helga nodded, not letting her face move at the new information Hagrid had easily handed out. People, like the animals Hagrid's kept, had a tick themselves. If one acted like Hagrid hadn't just told a secret, he wouldn't even realize what he had let slip.
An honest, gentle soul with a flaw easily - and apparently already - manipulated.
"Hmm, though Hagrid, I do have to wonder something?"
"Ya?"
"While I have no doubt in your methods, do you think your dragon will truly be happy here?"
The man blinked, head cocked as he poured a cup of tea for Helga. He kept the cup in between his large hands, as if testing the heat before carefully handing it to her.
"Thank you." She blew across the liquid, steam blowing away from her face as camomille wafted up her nose and her eyes shuttered in happiness at the smell.
Camomille, Diarmid's favorite tea. Her husband claimed it calmed one's mind and soothed the spirit, perfect for one as wild as Helga. A smile pulled up her lips as she inhaled again, her shoulders drooping in appeasement. The ache in her chest was a companion she had long ago become accustomed to, and she sorely missed his big green eyes, the laughter that rang loud with joy without a hint of abashment, and his soft, gentle hands that would card through her hair.
"Why won't th' kit be happy here?"
Helga blinked the fog from her mind and took a sip of the tea.
"Perhaps happy was the incorrect word. More like... safe. There are children afoot, Hagrid. I come in, I believe I've seen Harry, Ron and Hermione down here as well. I'm sure others visit. A dragon has a curious nature, and people tend to be rough even though we have not meant to be. It would be easy to step on its tail, or a claw, or its spine."
She took another sip from the cup, eyes fluttering closed before she continued speaking, "To protect the hatchling, you would have to keep it cooped up here, in your home. While there is plenty of space for you and Fang, adding a hatchling to that would be difficult. Especially if Fang wishes to play with your new friend. Him or the kit could come to harm."
"Oh... I... didna think of that."
Helga watched through lidded eyes, fingers playing on the ceramic. Hagrid's large shoulders drooped and Fang went to stand up, probably to offer his master some comfort, but plopped back down with a soft whine.
"I could, however, be wrong." She daintily crossed her ankles as Hagrid's head jerked back upright, a hopeful light in his eyes. "Why don't you tell me about dragons and we can hash it out together. I wish the best for your new friend as much as you."
The safest place would be with it's own kind and not in a school filled with children that the being could burn at a moment's notice, but... Hagrid cared more for animals, and did not understand why others did not share his beliefs. If she could prove that the kit was better off with dragons without outright telling him that, Hagrid would follow along.
He smiled, "Thank ya, Helga." He sat back, his red chair creaking under his weight. "Well, tha' one be a Norwegian Ridgeback. You can tell since t'e egg is black." At Helga's nod, he continued, "They live in the northern mountains of Norway, they like the cold, ya see. So he'll enjoy the winter."
"Yes, but doesn't it get quite warm here during late spring and summer?"
"A bit." Hagrid frowned, but moved on with a shrug, "They have venomous fangs, it's how they can get the large prey. Someone caught sight of one carrying a cow!" He grinned, staring happily at the fire and the egg staying warm and cozy inside.
"Fascinating." Helga drank more of her tea as she waited for Hagrid to look at her. When he did and opened his mouth to speak, she cut her eyes over to Fang, letting a small smile curve her lips as she gently held the cup loosely between her palms. She ignored the feeling of sweat running down the small of her back. "Large prey, you say? We do have some deer here in the forest, though we would have to speak with the centaurs and other creatures of the forest before allowing the dragon to hunt. Fang would enjoy another house mate, dragons are social creatures, I presume?"
He glanced nervously from Fang to the dragon egg, tapping his fingers restlessly against his thighs. "Ah... no, not really. They are... aggressive towards any who cross its borders." His bushy eyebrows furrowed and his leg started to shimmy up and down.
"Oh my, what would the School Board of Governors do if he started protecting his home against the new students?" She bit her lip, letting her true worry be seen in her eyes. Hagrid shifted, so she continued, "At least he will not be able to fly or breathe flames for a while."
Hagrid's shoulders slumped, head hanging low as he murmured, "Norwegian Ridgebacks can breathe fire righ' quick after hatchin' and can fly a year after."
Helga finished off her tea, letting the man think. She set her cup down and walked over to Fang, listening to the dog pant. "Hagrid?"
"Yes, lass?"
"I will be letting Fang out. He is not doing well in this heat and the fresh air will do him good." She didn't bother waiting to hear Hagrid's reply, simply opened the door and ushered Fang outside. The dog didn't hesitate to run out and lay in the cooler air, rolling around with a bark.
Closing the door so the chill wouldn't come inside, Helga turned and saw Hagrid's distraught face.
"Oh Hagrid."
"What am I supposed to do?"
She blinked. "What is best for the dragon?"
He ran his fingers through his tangled hair, Helga flinching subtly when they got caught in massive knots.
"To let him go. But who would take care of him?"
"Is there not dragon reserves?"
"Yes..."
"You trust the headmaster. Let him know what happened and he will help you with the rest."
"But... I wan'ta see 'im 'atch."
"If you wait for him to hatch before telling anyone, the poor dear could come to harm due to everyone being unprepared. Perhaps if you let Headmaster Dumbledore know about the egg now, he may allow you to keep the dragon safe until he is hatched. Afterall, waiting would be the wisest decision as it would be difficult to keep the egg warm enough to survive a trip."
Hagrid stood, wiping at moist eyes and nodded. He stoked the fire to make sure the flames burned hot and true before straightening. He ambled to the door and Helga was quick to follow when he let them out. He locked up behind him and smiled at Helga.
"I will walk ya up to the school, lass. Thank ya for talkin' with me."
"Are you going to speak with the headmaster?"
"Aye. Can't have anythin' happenin' to the tyke."
She patted his arm, offering what little comfort she could.
They walked up the path, speaking softly between themselves.