The cause of the incident was simple.
It happened during Care of Magical Creatures class.
Hagrid figured that after laying the groundwork with the Hippogriff,
he could finally bring out the real "big guy."
So,
he introduced a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon hatchling that lived deep in the Forbidden Forest.
"Hatchling" was just Hagrid's term for it.
In reality,
this Norwegian Ridgeback, which had hatched in its first year and grown for over two years now,
was already the size of a house.
When it looked down at them with those orange vertical pupils, Harry could have sworn he saw a fierce hunger in its eyes.
Ron's face went pale as he muttered, "Bloody hell... it's definitely thinking, 'These two-legged snacks look pretty tasty'!"
In contrast,
the Ravenclaws, who were sharing the class with Gryffindor, seemed much calmer.
They huddled together, discussing things like "how the spinal ridges indicate age" and "just how tough are those scales."
As for why,
it was simple.
"—We've got Ethan!"
Michael proudly arched an eyebrow at the Gryffindors.
As winter gave way to warmer days,
faint sunlight filtered through the branches.
It spilled onto the black-haired boy's forehead, casting a soft warmth across his fair features.
Around him, tiny dust motes danced like elves in the air.
He exuded a serene and elegant aura.
It made the surrounding girls turn their heads, blushing and whispering:
"Ethan's really handsome when he's not talking... he cuts quite the figure."
"He totally embodies Ravenclaw's scholarly and refined vibe."
"Exactly. The Daily Prophet even spread those rumors about Ethan being tied up with a fugitive—they clearly don't know the real him at all!"
"Hey, hey, you over there, move aside. You're blocking our view of the handsome guy."
Michael, "you over there," silently stepped back, two wide streaks of tears streaming down his face.
He clenched his fist in frustration!
Does being handsome mean you can get away with anything? Does it let you do whatever you want?!
Hagrid: "Alright! Everyone! Take a look at this adorable little dragon baby; it's right at the age where it's about to leave its mum!"
Hagrid was clearly thrilled, waving his arms enthusiastically.
"I just brought it out to get familiar with the surroundings—"
Ron yelped in horror: "Familiar with where it'll be hunting its meals in the future?!"
Hagrid: "—Even though it's pretty big, don't be scared! Norbert here's a real gentle sweetheart."
The "real gentle sweetheart" snorted.
Instantly, scarlet flames erupted from its mouth and nostrils.
Scorching the ground in front of it to a crisp.
The students screamed and scrambled back.
Choosing Care of Magical Creatures had to be the biggest mistake of their lives.
Hagrid gazed at the black dragon hatchling with adoring eyes, deeply touched, and said:
"Oh—look at that, how healthy it is!"
"I guarantee, as long as you don't provoke it, Norbert's perfectly safe—no other school's got anything like this!"
"No wonder other schools have more students..." Harry grumbled with a deadpan expression.
He took off his glasses, wiping the lenses that were now smudged with soot.
Squinting, he glanced around... Today, the spotted dog hadn't shown up either.
Ever since the Hogsmeade incident, that clever guard dog had vanished.
According to Ethan, it had slunk off in shame over its failure to protect them last time.
It almost made the dog seem more human than Ethan himself.
Harry's mind was spinning.
His mouth dry, his heart pounding with unease, and just then.
The black dragon hatchling's gaze suddenly fixed on Harry.
Staring at the glint of sunlight reflecting off his glasses, its vertical pupils narrowed to slits.
Hagrid noticed it sharply.
Its tail began to swish from side to side.
That was a sign it was gearing up to hunt.
"Norbert?! No—"
"Roar!!"
Amid the screams of everyone around.
The black dragon suddenly lunged forward!
Its excited eyes locked onto a completely baffled Harry!
"Wh-what?"
Half-blind Harry fumbled to put his glasses back on.
What greeted him was the Norwegian Ridgeback's massive jaws, terrifyingly close.
Its dagger-like fangs about to snap shut!
In that instant.
Harry's heart stopped.
He thought blankly:
First year, the secret of the Philosopher's Stone got out; second year, the giant spider's lair; third year, the Norwegian Ridgeback... Hagrid, you really want me dead!!
The next second.
"Portal."
"Impedimenta!!"
Two voices overlapped almost perfectly!
Harry's feet lost their grip on the ground.
He tumbled abruptly into a dark doorway.
At the same time.
A spell shot out from the side, hitting the Norwegian Ridgeback!
It transformed into a glowing ring, binding its movements tightly!!
"Roar—!"
In the midst of its furious bellow.
Harry's heart skipped a beat.
As if sensing something, he glanced toward where the spell had come from.
It was a disheveled man.
The same man he'd seen in the Shrieking Shack that day.
Sirius Black.
The next moment.
Harry emerged from the darkness and crashed heavily onto the lawn.
Panting, he looked up, clutching his wand tightly.
On the grounds.
There was dead silence.
All the students were stunned, staring at the man who'd suddenly appeared from the Forbidden Forest.
Until a thunderous roar shattered the quiet!
"Sirius—!!!"
Hagrid lunged forward like a storm!
His massive presence rivaled the enraged giants of ancient legends.
A flash of pain crossed Sirius's eyes.
But he still flicked his wand nimbly, casting an "Impedimenta."
At the same time, he rolled across the ground.
Dodging Hagrid's charge, which the spell had barely slowed.
"Mew?"
Even Norbert was drawn to this sudden skirmish.
It tilted its head, curiously watching the two-legged creatures whose little sticks were firing off colorful lights.
At that moment.
The students finally snapped out of it.
They screamed in terror:
—"Ahhhhhh!!! It's Sirius!!! The fugitive Sirius!!!"
Chaos erupted instantly.
Shouting, shoving, they bolted toward the castle.
They didn't even glance at those who tripped.
Leaving behind limited-edition giant shoe prints on black robes.
Sirius: "Aren't you going to check on your students? They're about to start a stampede—Impedimenta!"
Hagrid bellowed: "So you can slip away and kill them?! Take this!"
Sirius was fuming with urgency.
Just then.
A clear voice, strikingly out of place in the surrounding pandemonium, rang out:
"Go, 'Insatiable Durasol'."
"It's the perfect time to test my new card's effects."
The next moment.
A crisp, melodious neigh rose from the ground:
"Yoo-hoo—"
It echoed through the frozen forest.
Like a resonance in an empty valley.
Reverberating ethereally in the air, it instantly quelled the chaotic scene.
The students froze, turning their heads in surprise.
They saw Ethan holding a painting, from which brilliant golden light poured out!
Ah! They still had Ethan!
The students' eyes brightened.
A profound sense of security welled up within them!
"It's Ethan! We've still got the 'Light of Ravenclaw'!"
"From the look of it, that has to be another new card, right?"
"It feels so radiant, and the sound is gentle and beautiful—not like scary creatures such as the Hellhound."
The students couldn't help but halt.
They gazed at Ethan with anticipation, eager to see him crush Sirius utterly.
Ethan smiled faintly.
He uttered a low command and channeled magic into the painting in his hand!
"Whoosh—"
The golden light blazed!
Blinding everyone's vision.
Even Hagrid and Sirius had to squint.
Right after.
They felt the ground tremble with a boom.
As if a mountain had crumbled, or something immense and heavy had slammed down.
A few seconds later.
The light dimmed slightly.
The students eagerly opened their eyes and looked ahead.
They saw.
A monster the size of a small mountain sprawled across the ground.
It resembled a stag, with thick, twisted antlers like ancient trees.
Its muzzle jutted out, extending in an inverted cone from its broad, elevated forehead, all covered in brown fur.
Its black nostrils flared, puffing out white mist.
Compared to it,
humans were utterly insignificant.
Dead silence fell.
The mighty black dragon hatchling froze on the spot.
Instinctively, it huddled down, suppressing its presence, its body quivering faintly... That wasn't prey.
That was a terrifying apex predator.
A student snapped back to reality, shouting with a trembling but joyful voice:
"The more terrifying and grotesque, the better!! This is exactly what we need to take down the fugitive Sirius!!"
As his words faded.
They watched the enormous head, resting on the frozen earth.
Slowly adjust its angle, turning toward the shouting student.
In the grip of icy fear.
It curved its pupils and drew back its lips from its humanoid, square teeth:
"Yoo-hoo—"
It emitted a crisp, beautiful cry.
As if mocking them all.
The students:
?
What the hell!!
Why did this terrifying monster seem to be coming for them?!