Window into the Past

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Exams were ten weeks away and Hermione was in drill sergeant mode.

From stopping Snape from getting the Philosopher's Stone, me getting sick once a month and all this work, my head was going around and around like a record.

"Hagrid?" Ron frowned and me, Harry and Hermione looked up from our books. "How come you're in the library?"

"Just looking," he murmured. "I hope you three aren't still harping on Nicolas Flamel."

"Oh, we already know all about him," I said in a matter of fact way. "We know the Fluffy is guarding the..."

"SHH!" Hagrid shushed me. "We wanted to ask you if there was anything else guarding the..." Harry continued but he was shushed too.

"Come and see me later, I'm not promising anything, d'you hear me?"

Harry nodded and Hagrid was hiding a book behind his back. Ron leaned backwards to get a closer look. "Dragons," he mouthed at us. "Hagrid always said he wanted a dragon," Harry pointed out.

"He's up to something," I furrowed my eyebrows.

***

Hagrid's hut was like an oven once we went in. "Did youse want to ask me something?" he wondered once we sat down.

"Is there anything else, besides Fluffy, guarding the Stone?" Harry asked Hagrid straight away.

"I really don't know to be honest Harry," Hagrid admitted. "The four of you know too much anyway."

"Please Hagrid," I begged him. "We just wanna know who Dumbledore trusts, apart from you of course."

Hagrid took a deep breath.

"Suppose it couldn't hurt, it's obstacles based on each house," he explained to us. "Hufflepuff, then Ravenclaw, then Gryffindor and lastly Slytherin, the heads of the houses created each one."

"Snape?" Hermione questioned him. "He's protecting it," Hagrid insisted. "Not trying to steal it."

I pulled my legs up to my chest, trying to determine what said obstacles could be.

I had a theory, could it be based on the subject they teach? Hufflepuff, Herbology. Ravenclaw, Charms. Gryffindor, Transfiguration. And then Slytherin, Potions.

Hmm, maybe. I'm not a hundred percent sure, it's just a theory. "Are you the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy?" Ron asked him.

"Just me and Dumbledore," Hagrid answered his question. "Well that's good," Harry commented. He shuffled around. "Oh, can we open a window?"

"Please?" I added. "Sorry, no can do," Hagrid said to us.

"Is that a dragon egg?!" Ron gaped, looking into the fireplace. "Yes Ron, that's a dragon's egg."

"It must've cost a fortune," I said. "I won it," he explained. "Game of cards, stranger wanted to get rid of it, that Joy, is a Norwegian Ridgeback."

***

Well, having that egg was, in a word, let me think...

Oh yes.

Illegal.

While diving into my pancakes, Biscuit flew in and landed by the platter of sausages. He had a small scroll tied to his leg.

Once I untied it, he nuzzled himself against my shoulder. "Good boy," I cooed and I gave him my toast to peck at.

It was from Hagrid and I read it aloud. "It's hatching."

"Well, come on!" Ron ushered us. "But what about Herbology?" Hermione asked him

"Oh, piss on Herbology! This is a once in a lifetime moment!" Ron exclaimed.

"He has a point," I mumbled. "Oh, come on then," Hermione got up and the four of us headed down to Hagrid's.

We all sat around the table, watching the egg crack, waiting to see what's inside.

The tiny little thing fell out of the egg and sneezed, a few sparks flew out of his nostrils.

"Isn't he beautiful?"

The dragon nipped at Hagrid's finger and came over to me. He lay down, resting his head on my arm, nuzzling into my jumper.

"Aw," Hagrid cooed. "Seems Norbert likes you better, Joy."

"It's funny, a lot of animals like me," I chuckled.

"Who's that?" Hagrid pointed at the window. Harry turned around and sighed. "Malfoy."

"He's gonna squeal," Ron pointed out. "What do we do?"

Norbert fell asleep on me and I stroked him gently. "What about your brother?" I suggested. "He's had experience, Norbert would be in great care."

"Well...." Hagrid was hesitant. "Okay, send Charlie an owl."

***

Charlie agreed but Norbert had bitten Ron, so he got a ticket to the infirmary.

We had risks but I decided, the less people the better. Me and Harry would go because one, Invisiblilty Cloak, two I'm the only one who Norbert won't try to take a chomp out of and three, Charlie knows me and trusts me.

But maybe we could've used an extra pair of hands because let's just say...they grow up so fast.

Me and Harry were heaving the heavy cage all the way to the Astronomy tower.

"For a baby, he's heavy," Harry groaned. "We're nearly there," I told him and we lifted the cage.

We reached the stairs and sighed. It was a long staircase. Suddenly, we heard voices coming down the corridor.

"Detention!" McGonagall came around the corner as me and Harry huddled underneath the cloak. She had Malfoy by the ear. "And twenty points from Slytherin!"

I felt a big smile grow on my face. Once we got to the top, we took the cloak off and I did a little dance. "Serves him right for spying on us."

"Joy?"

"Yeah?"

"What's that on your wrist?" Harry asked me. I looked at what his eyes were locked on and I pulled my sleeve down. "The last orphanage I was at was for troubled youths, they beat the discipline into you, quite literally. I got beat on a lot but I never learned."

"I'm so sorry," Harry sighed.

Charlie's mates finally arrived and took Norbert from us and flew off.

We made a quick get away but the unfortunate thing was that the Invisibility Cloak was left back there and once I realised that, we ran into Filch.

"Well well," he sneered at us. "We are in trouble."

I sighed as me and Harry were led away.

We were so so so screwed.