It is finally springtime and unfortunately, all of the snow has melted at this point. Sadly the happy memories that were made in the snow also melt along with it, but now it is springtime and that just means that I have to make more happy memories.
Ever since the Mirror of Erised, Harry and I have been unable to go back to the library to find any information on Nicholas Flamel. The only time that I have been able to look for information is when I'm in the library doing homework which, by the way, my brother doesn't do at all costs. Literally, the only time that my brother does his homework is when Hermione forces him to do it, along with the Weasel. Sorry, I'm starting to get sidetracked by my brother but I can't help it. I mean, come on! Its only like a page of homework for each class. I'll stop ranting now but I'll probably come back to it later.
Back to Nicholas Flamel, I still have that déjà vu feeling every time I hear or even think his name. I honestly re-read all of the books that I have already read before the Quidditch game and I haven't seen that name since. At this point, I feel like I am going crazy. Unfortunately, lately homework and tests have been taking up all of my extra time. Before I could look for the name while doing homework but now that is impossible to do.
Right now, Harry, Ron, and I are in the library doing our homework. Hermione is also in the library but she is simply looking at books instead of doing her homework. In fact, I believe that somehow she finished all of her homework already and I want to know her secret. I am exactly like her in the terms that we are both bookworms, we always raise our hands for questions(even though I can't speak), and I always do my homework. Except, she has all of her work done while I'm only halfway finished.
Sighing, I shake my head and focus back on the transfiguration paper that is in front of me. What does Professor McGonagall even mean with these questions?!? I am starting to get frustrated and I forcefully run my hands through my hair as I continue to stare at the paper. I wonder if there is a spell to make homework disappear into a dark abyss for all of the eternity. Usually, I am okay with homework, not happy but okay, yet this homework has tested my patience and absolutely destroyed it. As I start to dwell on my negative emotions, Hermione comes over to the table that I am sitting at with my brother and the Weasel.
"How could I be so stupid?!?" my brunette friend says as she slams a large book onto the desk surface. I smile at the distraction that my friend has brought me and I close the homework inside the book that I was using. I start to focus on anything other than the work because I really don't want my emotions to be sour for the rest of the day. I giggle slightly when I notice that the other guys quickly put away their homework as well as if they also needed this distraction.
"I checked this book out a couple of weeks ago for a little bit of light reading," she says as she opens the large book. Oh, my Godric! I forgot about reading this book with Hermione when we got the time! Oh, my Salazar! This book is the book that I have been looking for since the first Quidditch match. THIS book has the information about Nicholas Flamel that we have been searching for. My excitement goes into overdrive and I start bouncing in my seat as I grab onto Hermione's arm. She looks over at me as I continue to jump around in my seat, and she smiles at my happiness but her smiles turn into a glare directed at Ron when he says his next sentence.
"This," he says with his eyebrows rising up into his hairline, "is some light reading?!?" After he says that I also glare but then it quickly disappears because I will not allow him to ruin my newfound happy mood. It appears that Hermione silently agrees with me and focuses on the book in-between all of us. Helping out my friend, we flip through the book together until we reach the page that has the name Nicholas Flamel on it.
"Here it is," the brunette says as she runs her finger along the page. Clearing her throat she reads what the book says out loud, " 'Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone(also known as the Philosopher's Stone).'"
"The what?" my brother and his friend both ask Hermione. I turn to look at my friend and we both roll our eyes at their blatantly obvious lack of reading. We focus back on the more illiterate bunch of this mismatched group.
"Do you guys seriously not read?" I write down on my notepad before holding it up to the two boys. My big brother smiles at me while looking embarrassed. The Weasel just shrugs his shoulders and turns his attention on Hermione. Sighing, I turn to also look at the bushy brunette who is looking at the book and let her explain what the Sorcerer's Stone actually is.
" 'The Sorcerer's Stone is a legendary substance that transforms any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life, which makes the drinker immortal,'" Hermione says but before she can continue reading the text the Weasel interrupts her.
"Immortal?!" he exclaims and we all look up at him. Quickly, I write the definition out onto a piece of paper before handing it to him. He reads it before giving me a dirty look, "I know what immortal means!" My brother silences him and I giggle slightly before looking back at Hermione. She gives me a high five underneath the table before she continues to read the book.
" 'There is only one stone currently in existence, and that belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel who just celebrated his 665th birthday.' That's what Fluffy is guarding and that's what is underneath the trap door. The Sorcerer's Stone!"
We all look at each other with worry clearly evident on all of our faces. What are we going to do because we now know what is underneath the trap door but we don't know why it is there? I suppose that whoever is trying to get to the stone wants the Elixir of Life that it can produce because I seriously doubt that whoever is trying to get to it would do all of this just for the ability to turn every metal into gold. I mean that is a great ability to own but still, I would think that going through a three-headed dog and a giant school would just be too much.
I turn my attention back to the soul-crushing homework that still needs to get done. Sighing, I force myself to open the textbook and look back at the transfiguration homework. Please, let there be some excitement around the corner because this is the most boring homework in the entire world.
My big brother, Weasel, Hermione, and I are quickly walking across the dark field towards the half-giant's hut, also known as Hagrid. We had to wait until it was completely dark out and everyone was asleep before we could head over to Hagrid. After learning about the Sorcerer's Stone we decided that we needed to talk to the one person that will give us the answers that we need.
We knock on his door with some urgency because we are actually not supposed to be out after dark. Again, I am pulled into going against the rules because I love my big brother and my best friend, the Weasel I could care less about. Unlike the other time, this time it was harder to sneak out of the Slytherin commons because there are more people at school now. Maybe, I should ask Fred and George how they sneak around the castle because the one thing that I learned about those two over the past season is that they can get through the school without being seen.
Hagrid opens the wooden door and quickly realizes who is at his door in the middle of the night.
"Hagrid-!" my big brother starts to say but is cut off by the giant.
"I don't wish to be rude but I am in no state to entertain today," he tells us with a somewhat smile underneath his fuzzy black beard. Hagrid starts to close the door and we start to panic so we said the one thing that comes into all of our minds.
"We know about the Sorcerer's Stone!" we, minus myself, call out to him as he shuts his door. A second later he slowly opens the door back up while looking at us with a disbelieving look on his face. He says 'oh!' and turns around before walking further into his hut. We all look at each other before stepping inside the small house and I close the door behind us.
"I think that Snape is trying to steal it," my brother says and I roll my eyes slightly while Hagrid groans after hearing that. Honestly, I still have my doubts that Professor Snape is the one trying to steal the stone. Yes, I'll admit that him threatening Professor Quirrell is very unusual and makes me lean towards my brother's side but at the same time, Quirrell wasn't a pure saint either. The one thing that everyone learns about this stuttering teacher is that he is a very scared person in general, a scaredy cat per say. Oddly enough, when my head of the house threatened the already scared teacher that same teacher was actually pretty calm during the whole thing. That being said I think that that is very suspicious in itself. I guess that my brother didn't notice Quirrell during that exchange because he never commented on it. Shaking my head I focus back on the present time and decide to think about my suspicions later.
"You are still not going on about him, are you?" Hagrid says as he walks to his fireplace.
"We know that he is going to try and take the stone!" Harry says as he and Ron sit down next to the fire while Hermione sits on an armchair on the other side of the room. There really isn't any other chairs to sit at that is close to the fireplace, so I decide to sit on the armrest of the chair that Hermione is sitting at. Hagrid checks into the pot that is hanging above the fire before turning to my brother.
"Look, Snape is one of the teachers protecting the stone. He wouldn't go and try to steal it," he says and we all look at each other with confusion.
"What?!" we all say to him, while I think that word in my mind. After we say that, Hagrid tells us that he is a little bit preoccupied today and tries to get us out of his house. Unfortunately, for him anyway, he couldn't get us out of his house fast enough because Harry starts to question him again.
"Wait for a second! What do you mean, 'one of the teachers'?" my brother is honestly confused at this point while my brunette friend seems to be having a brain surge.
"Now, I get it! There are other things guarding the stone beside Fluffy! For example, there are spells and enchantments guarding it as well!" she says while Hagrid agrees with her but he mumbles about it being a waste of time. Hermione and I glance over at the Weasel to see an old black dog getting into his face. The Weasel appears to not really like the dog because he looks slightly disgusted.
Before we could talk with him further, we start to hear some weird clicking and cracking noises coming from the pot that is above the fire. What in the world is inside that pot? With some oven mittens on, Hagrid grabs a shiny goldish-looking egg from the pot but I guess that even with oven mitts on it still is hot because Hagrid quickly hurries over to the small round dining table to gently place the egg on the surface. After setting the egg down, we, (meaning Harry, Ron, Hermione, and ), hurry around the table to get a better look at it.
"Um, Hagrid? What is that?" my big brother asks him as he continues to stare at the egg. I nod my head while I move so that way I am standing in-between my brother and Hermione. The half-giant tries to come up with an excuse but couldn't think of anything.
"I know what that is! Hagrid, how did you get one?" the red-headed Weasel exclaims while he continues to stare at the wobbling egg. Hagrid starts to explain about how he won the egg from a guy at the pub but I kind of tune him out. Instead, I focus on the egg that is making pecking noises and is rolling around the table. Thinking back to all of the books that I have read since coming to Hogwarts, I remember that there was this one book that I read which was full of different kind of eggs. I start to mentally cross off all of the different species of eggs that this egg is definitely not a part of. Finally, after a minute of going through all of the species on my mental list, there is only one kind of egg that is left. This egg is a dragon egg...and...it...is... hatching right now. Every single one of us slowly takes a few steps away from the table. A few seconds later the shell of the egg breaks into a few large pieces and then flew apart. Thankfully, the pieces did not harm any of us but we did cover our faces just in case.
We uncover our eyes and I gasp at the sight before me. A baby dragon which is about the size of a small dog is looking around the table. It is super adorable and I love how the scales have a brownish-green color to it. I wonder if it is a boy or a girl. The dragon tries moving around like a bat but it's back legs slip on the eggshell and it decides to just stand still for a few seconds.
"That is a Norwegian Richback!" Ron says as he looks at the baby dragon. As the dragon hears the Weasel's voice, it turns to look at him before spinning completely around so that way it is facing Hagrid, "My brother, Charlie, works with them in Romania!"
"Isn't he beautiful?!" Hagrid says with parents love clearly evident in his face. Well, I guess that answers my question whether if the dragon is a boy or girl, "Look! He recognizes his mommy! Hello, Norbert!" The half-giant starts to pet the dragon underneath his head and Norbert leans his head into his new 'mommy's' touch. I smile with happiness as I watch the interaction between the two. My smile turns into a frown however when Norbert sneezes and accidentally spews fire at Hagrid. Thankfully, it isn't that much fire and it only singes his beard.
"Who is that?" Hagrid asks as he leans forward. Curiously, I turn my head to look at the kitchen window and I see my blonde friend's face in the window. Draco realizes that he has been caught and he quickly leaves the window but he doesn't come into the hut.
"Malfoy," my brother says with slight irritation in his voice. I smack his arm for sounding like he doesn't like my friend. I turn back towards the window and I am starting to worry about why he just ran away. Is he going to tell on us for being out past curfew? No, he wouldn't do that to me. Draco is my best friend and I am his. He would never intentionally get me into trouble. Feeling reassured about this, I turn back to Hagrid as he is also looking out the window.
"Oh dear," Hagrid says and we all realize that it is probably time to go. We all start to say goodbye to the half-giant and I give him a hug as my way of saying goodbye. On the way out of the door, I quickly stroke Norbert's head before shutting the door behind us. This time we didn't have to race across the fields to get back to Hogwarts but we are still being sneaky because we do not want to get caught by any of the professors.
Thankfully, we didn't get caught or anything as we enter the school but now here comes the hardest part. We have to sneak around the actual building without being caught. I know that doesn't sound too bad but there are professors who are patrolling the halls of the school, and also Mr. Filch. Also, we didn't memorize their patrolling patterns and so we don't know if they're going to just pop out around the next corner. This uncertainty makes this adventure back to our dormitories even scarier.
"Hagrid has always wanted a dragon. He even told me of that wish when I first met him," my brother says as a way of starting a conversation. Silently laughing at his attempt, I wrap my arm around his shoulders as we continue to walk down a corridor.
"The worst part about all of this is that Malfoy knows," the Weasel says and I sent him a deathly glare after that sentence comes out of his mouth. Unfortunately, before I can write him a clever response to that rude comment, I hear the clicking of heels echoing across the hall. Turning my attention to the head of us, and I watch as Professor McGonagall comes around the corner with a candle in her hand. She stops in front of us but Hermione and Harry haven't noticed the teacher in some pajama robes. I remove my arm from around my brother and quickly start to tug on his sleeve. Keeping my eyes on the teacher, I noticed Harry looking at me from the corner of my eye and I direct his attention to the professor. We all stop in front of her and the hallway is eerily quiet. It is so quiet that after a few seconds of just standing there I gulp down my spit and everyone could hear it.
"Good evening," McGonagall says with a stern look on her face. How did she know that we were out here? I mean if she was one of the teachers patrolling she wouldn't be in her pajamas. My question is answered when I see Draco step out from behind her. Seeing him makes my eyes open wide while betrayal slashes through my heart and I know that it is evident on my face because when he looks at me I can see guilt on his pale face. Apparently, he would tell on me even though I am his best friend. How could he have done this to me?
Forcing the tears away, I sharply to away from that boy and give my full attention to Professor McGonagall. She silently motions us to come into her classroom and we all quietly enter the room. My big brother can tell that I am ready to cry and so he puts his arm around my shoulders. Draco tries to talk to me as we walk past him but I turn my head away from him and continue to walk in. I hear him sigh behind me before also hearing him follow behind us. Once we are in front of her desk, the transfiguration teacher starts her lecture.
"Nothing and I mean NOTHING, gives a student permission to walk about the school at night. I have decided as punishment that fifty points will be taken," she says and all of our jaws drop in horror. Well, everyone has their mouths dropped open beside Draco who is smirking at our misfortune. How can he stand there and smile at this!?! No friend just stands there and smiles at their friend's punishment! Seeing that smile makes my sadness morph into anger and I close my jaw with a snap.
"Fifty!" my brother shouts and the adult clarifies her ruling.
"Each!" she says and my brother looks angry as he closes his mouth. I pat him on the back as we wait for her to continue, "Just to make sure that this doesn't happen again, the five of you will receive a detention." Five? Why did she say five? I look over and I notice that Draco's smirk fell from his face and he seems to have heard her say five.
"Excuse me, professor, but I think I heard you wrong. Did you say 'the five' of us?" he says as he steps closer to her desk. McGonagall explains to him that even though his intentions were good, he was also out of bed and so he has to have detention as well. All four of us smile when we realize that Draco also gets punished along with us. I do feel slightly sad for him but that is quickly overpowered by the rest of me feeling happy that he is also in trouble. He snitched on us and he is still getting punished, that's amazing! That is what he deserves for treating me as a total stranger and smiling at my misfortune.
Apparently, the detention is going to be served with Hagrid and that is awesome but it is also taking place in the Forbidden Forest. I don't understand why we are having detention in the FORBIDDEN Forest. First, they tell us that we cannot go into the forest but now they're like 'Here! We are sending into a deadly forest for your detention. Have fun!' I mean seriously!
Mr. Filch is leading us out of the castle towards Hagrid's hut with a lantern in his hand. Draco is walking behind him while I stay on the opposite side of my brother, so that way I am as far away from Malfoy as possible.Ever since we left McGonagall's office, Draco has been trying to talk to me but I simply stick with my brother because I don't want to blow up on him. I don't want to ruin this fragile friendship, because we literally became friends a few weeks back, and I just don't want to deal with that again. Especially since he gave me that beautiful necklace which, surprisingly, I'm wearing right at this moment. SO, until I am not angry with Malfoy I'm just going to stick with my twin and another friend.
"I'm sorry about this, Hagrid," Filch says to the half-giant that we just talked to. Unfortunately, Hagrid doesn't reply to the mean, old man and continues to sniffle like he has been crying very recently. Mr. Filch sighs, "Good God, are you still going on about that dragon?" Understanding dawns on me when I put two and two together, and I instantly feel bad for the kind man. Ignoring the fact that I'm here for detention and the fact that the tall man is holding a crossbow, I hug the giant man as much as I can.
"Norbert is gone. Dumbledore has sent him to Romania to live with the other dragons," Hagrid says as he puts my back while still sniffling. I tighten my grip on him as a way of comforting him, and he pats me on the head before pushing me gently back to the rest of the group. Poor guy, he finally got his wish of owning a dragon and now that dragon is gone.
"Isn't that good though? He is living with his own kind now," Hermione tries to reassure him but Hagrid doesn't take too kindly to it.
"Well, what if he doesn't like it there? What if the other dragons pick on him? He is only just a baby," the kind man says while Filch rolls his eyes. I am really tempted to hit this guy in the face. How rude can this man get?!? Hagrid has just lost his 'child' and this man has the nerve to roll his eyes! Why are there so many rude people at this school?
"Pull yourself together, man! You are going into the forest after all and you need to have your wits about you," Filch says and that seems to have reigned in Hagrid's sadness for now. He straightens up a little and doesn't sniffle any longer. He tightens his grip on his crossbow and leads us into the forbidden forest. What will be waiting for us inside this forest?
ent 3;8Sg