golden quartet | ron weasley

year 1 | chapter 7

All of the sudden, the pot above the fire started rattling and, much to our surprise, Hagrid pulled a giant brown egg out of it.

"Uh, Hagrid," I asked, "What exactly is that?" We gathered around the table the massive egg was placed on and watched as it continued to move around.

"That? Oh, that...that is...um..." Hagrid trailed, trying to think of anything but the truth.

"I know what that is!" Ron said excitedly, his eyes widening in realization. "But Hagrid, how did you get one?"

"I won it," Hagrid explained, "off a stranger I met down at the pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it, as a matter of fact."

The egg continued to wiggle around before cracking noises could be heard. Everyone began slowly moving away from the table in fear. As the egg shattered and the shell went everywhere, Ron held his arm up to block his face and mine. It was a really sweet gesture, Ron trying to protect me, even if he didn't realize he did it.

Inside a tiny dragon was revealed, that began stretching its wings and squawking. I stood still in shock, looking at the creature. None of us could take our eyes off the creature, staring at it with wide eyes and open mouths. I'd never seen a dragon before, and I certainly didn't think I'd be seeing one tonight.

"Is that...a dragon?" Hermione asked, staring wide-eyed as well.

"That's not just a dragon!" Ron said, "That's a Norweigan Ridgeback. My brother Charlie works with these in Romania."

"Woah, really?" I said excitedly, impressed with both the dragon and Ron.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid asked. He looked as if he was about to start crying. "Oh, bless him, look, he knows his mummy. Hello, Norbert." Hagrid began petting the dragon and it squawked in contentment.

"Norbert?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, well, he's gotta have a name, doesn't he?" Hagrid replied. "Don't you, Norbert?" Hagrid continued playing with his baby dragon. Ron and I smiled at each other before looking back at the creature. Suddenly the dragon coughed, spewing a ball of fire out of its mouth with it, landing directly on Hagrid's beard. Hagrid quickly patted it out. "He'll have to be trained up a bit, of course. Who's that?"

We all turned out the window to see a young boy with sleek blonde hair peeking through the window. Once he was caught, he quickly ran off.

"Malfoy," Harry grumbled.

"Oh, dear," Hagrid mumbled. With that, we decided to leave and head back to the castle.

"Hagrid always wanted a dragon," Harry explained. "Told me so the first time I ever met him."

"It's crazy," Ron said, "and worse, Malfoy knows."

"Is that bad?" I asked.

"It's bad," Ron confirmed. The look on his face was enough of an explanation.

Suddenly, we heard heels clicking against the stone floor of the castle before Professor McGonagall appeared. "Good evening," she said as Malfoy stepped out from behind her with a smirk on his face. Of course. She pulled us into her classroom.

"Nothing, I repeat nothing," she began, standing behind her desk with the four of us shamefully standing in front of her, "gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken." My mouth opened in shock. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"50?!" Harry asked. I could hear how ridiculous he thought it was by his tone of voice.

"Each," McGonagall finished, "And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention." Detention?! Harry and I were good students growing up, and now we were getting our first detentions, all for trying to protect some ancient rare artifact for them.