[Third person POV]
When Arthur finally returned to his dormitory, the warm scent of pumpkin pasties and roasted meats greeted him before he even reached the entrance. He paused, blinking in surprise.
The Halloween feast—apparently—had been relocated from the Great Hall to their common room. A cozy atmosphere now filled the space, with floating jack-o'-lanterns casting flickering shadows across the walls and enchanted bats darting playfully through the air.
As he stepped inside, he was immediately met with a chorus of voices.
"Arthur!!"
Hermione, Harry, and Ron practically sprinted toward him, each holding a plate piled high with food. Their faces were lit with relief and joy.
"Hallo," Arthur greeted cheerfully, raising a tired hand in acknowledgment, a crooked smile on his face.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked, concern etched clearly in her features as she scanned him up and down for any sign of lingering injury.
"Better than expected," Arthur replied, stretching slightly as he walked in. "Madame Pomfrey nearly had an aneurysm when we explained everything that happened. She tried to keep me confined to the hospital wing for the whole day, but I managed to give her the slip at the last second." He flashed a thumbs-up proudly.
The trio sighed in relief.
Hermione stepped forward, her expression softening. "I wanted to thank you, Arthur… for coming to help me. What you did—it was incredibly brave."
Ron nodded emphatically, his mouth full of shepherd's pie. "Yeah, the way you took that thing down? Absolutely mental. I've never seen anyone move like that."
Harry grinned. "He's right. You were amazing."
Arthur chuckled, brushing his fringe back from his forehead. "I see you two patched things up, then?" he asked, glancing pointedly at Ron and Hermione.
Harry answered with a nod. "After a long chat with Dumbledore and the rest of the professors, Ron finally apologized properly."
"You did?!" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
Ron frowned. "Why do you sound so shocked?"
Arthur scratched his cheek and gave a sheepish grin. "No reason," he said cheekily, prompting Ron to scoff.
Hermione smiled and added, "I forgave him. Even though what he said was awful, they still came running the moment they thought I was in trouble. That counts for something at least, right?"
Arthur nodded warmly. "I'm really glad to hear that."
"We saved you a spot," Harry said eagerly, gesturing toward a space at the table near the fireplace. "Come on, there's loads to eat."
Arthur gave a small laugh but politely declined. "Thanks, but I think I'll call it a night. I'm still a bit out of it from all the magic I used earlier. Completely drained, to be honest. I'll turn in early."
They all nodded in understanding, albeit with a touch of disappointment.
"Sleep well," Hermione said gently.
Harry moved aside to let Arthur pass, giving him a friendly pat on the back.
Arthur made his way toward the dormitory stairs, but paused at the threshold. For a moment he simply stood there, unmoving, deep in thought. Then, suddenly, he turned on his heel and walked briskly into the common room again. With expert hands, he grabbed several plates—stacking them dangerously high—each piled to the brim with food. Balancing them with practiced ease, he nodded to the trio with mock seriousness before disappearing up the stairs.
The three friends exchanged glances, momentarily stunned, before bursting into laughter.
…
Back in the quiet sanctuary of his magically expanded suitcase, Arthur lay comfortably surrounded by the plates he'd taken. The cozy interior glowed softly with ambient light, casting gentle shadows across the enchanted furnishings. Cosmo, his black cat, had his own little feast set up nearby and was happily munching away on a chicken drumstick, crumbs sticking to his whiskers.
Arthur leaned back with a tired sigh and pulled his sword necklace from around his neck. He held it in his hand, studying it with solemn eyes. "Good thing the scabbard speeds up my magic recovery," he muttered. "Otherwise I'd be completely out of commission and would have had to wait another day."
He glanced over at Cosmo and gave the feline a playful grin. "Are you excited, boy? You're going to be a big brother soon!"
Carefully, Arthur stepped toward the pedestal in the corner and lifted the large, glowing egg resting upon it. Cradling it gently in his arms, he lowered himself into a lotus position, settling it into his lap with care.
Cosmo, now finished with his food, sauntered over and sat beside him, curling his tail neatly. He watched in silence, his head tilted curiously.
Arthur closed his eyes and began to focus, channeling what little remained of his magical reserves into the egg. He let the energy flow from his core, pushing past the weariness in his limbs. Slowly, the magic transferred, his hands glowing softly as the egg hungrily absorbed the energy.
Minutes passed. Beads of sweat formed on Arthur's brow, dripping down his temples. His breathing grew heavy and labored, his body trembling from the strain. The glow around him began to flicker, dimming more and more with each pulse.
And then—darkness.
The magic dissipated.
Arthur gasped for breath, utterly exhausted. He stared down at the egg in his lap with furrowed brows, his expression weary and crestfallen.
"Really?" he muttered bitterly. "I was sure today would be the day… I even had a good feeling about it."
Arthur looked at Cosmo with a sigh of disappointment, his shoulders slumping just a little. "Sorry, buddy," he said with a soft chuckle, scratching behind the black cat's ears. "Looks like you'll have to wait a bit longer to be considered a big brother."
He glanced down at the egg in his lap, his fingers tracing along its cool, smooth shell. But then something shifted—Cosmo, who had been grooming himself lazily, suddenly froze. The cat's eyes fixated on the egg, his ears twitching with alert curiosity.
Arthur blinked, puzzled. "Cosmo?" he asked, following the cat's gaze.
Then he felt it—a subtle tremble beneath his hands.
The egg shook.
Arthur let out a startled gasp and carefully lifted it, holding it with both hands like a fragile treasure. He quickly placed it down on the ground in front of him atop a soft pillow of folded cloth, creating a makeshift nest. Cosmo, fully intrigued now, stood up and padded silently to his side, tail flicking behind him.
The egg began to rock back and forth in small, eager movements.
Arthur's heart leapt in his chest. "It's happening," he whispered breathlessly, his eyes wide with joy. "Finally… it's really happening!"
The trembling intensified. Small hairline cracks spiderwebbed across the shell, light leaking from the seams. One of the chips suddenly popped free with a soft crack, flying off and clattering against the suitcase floor.
Arthur leaned forward, barely breathing.
From within the egg, something stirred—and then he saw it.
A tiny eye, bright and gleaming, peeked out through the opening.
"Rawr~!" a chirpy little voice called out, high-pitched and playful.
Arthur let out a squeal of excitement, practically melting on the spot. "Oh Merlin," he whispered, hands hovering near the egg as it rocked harder now, eager to be free.
With one final burst of effort, the little creature inside shoved against the shell—and the egg cracked open completely. Bits of the shell broke away in a flurry of movement, and out tumbled a small white creature, round and fluffy, wings tucked awkwardly to its sides.
Arthur instinctively caught it in his hands as it rolled toward him. The little being blinked up at him with big, expressive eyes that shimmered with color—deep cerulean blue fading into soft golden yellow. Glistening white scales lined its body, interspersed with delicate silver-tipped feathers. A tiny tail flicked restlessly behind it, and a pair of small, curved horns peeked through the top of its head.
Arthur stared, completely enchanted.
"Rawr~!!" the baby chirped again, giving him a toothy smile—and then promptly leaned down and bit his wrist.
"Argh!! What was that for?!" Arthur yelped in surprise, jerking his arm back as the dragonlet clung to him like a baby bird.
Then, just as suddenly, a searing sensation flared at the back of his hand. Arthur winced and quickly set the creature down. With his free hand, he peeled off his glove and stared in disbelief.
There, where the dragon had bitten him, a white-hot symbol was slowly etching itself into his skin—shaped like the head of white dragon, tail curled into a circle around it. It shimmered with magical energy as it burned into place.
And then—he heard a voice.
'Mama!!'
Arthur flinched. He looked around wildly, eyes wide, until they settled on the little dragon now sitting happily on its haunches. It stared at him with a goofy grin, its wings fluttering excitedly.
"Mama! Mama! Mama!" it squealed, bounding forward with unsteady steps and rubbing its head affectionately against his arm.
Arthur picked her up, laughing in disbelief, and held her close to his chest. "I'm not your mama," he corrected gently, grinning down at her. "I'm your papa—since, you know, I'm a boy."
The baby dragon's eyes sparkled. "Papa!!" she exclaimed, quickly adapting. She snuggled closer to him, nuzzling his chest. "Thank you, Papa!"
Arthur blinked. "Thank me? For what?"
"For feeding me your delicious magic, obviously!" she chirped gleefully, licking his cheek with a surprisingly long tongue.
Arthur burst into laughter, holding her more securely in his arms. "Well, I'm glad you liked it, little one."
"Little One?" the dragon repeated, tilting her head with curiosity. "Is that my name?"
Arthur chuckled. "No, no. That's not your name. I should think of one for you, shouldn't I?" He leaned back and studied her more closely. "Hmm… Tell me, are you a boy or a girl?"
The dragon blinked up at him, then gave a little dramatic huff and started to pout and sulk. "Papa should know this already. You're supposed to feel it!"
Arthur laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Right, right—of course. I should know." He squinted at her delicate face and long lashes, then hesitantly asked, "Are you… a girl?"
"That's right!" she beamed, sticking out her chest proudly. "See? Papa did know! You were just being silly."
Arthur smiled fondly. He glanced at her shimmering scales and the way the light of the suitcase space reflected off her silvery sheen. Her presence reminded him faintly of someone. His thoughts wandered back to Seraphenex—the celestial dragon who had given him the egg. Her aura had been equally radiant.
'Since Seraphenex is her mother,' he thought, 'then I want to honor her too… something that begins with an S...'
He held the little dragon up, cradling her in his palms like a sacred gift. Her scales glinted, catching the light like silvered glass.
"I've got it," he said softly. "Your name… shall be Sylvia."
The baby dragon gasped, then giggled with joy. "Sylvia… I love it! Thank you, Papa!" she squealed, leaping in his hands and planting wet kisses on his face.
Arthur laughed until his sides ached, his heart full to bursting.
"Welcome to the world, Sylvia."
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