Chapter 14: Norbert's Hatching
Rain lashed Hagrid's hut, the windows rattling under the storm's fury, the air outside thick with the scent of wet earth and pine. Inside, the fire roared, its crackling warmth battling the chill that seeped through the walls. The hut smelled of sulfur, wet fur, and the sharp tang of Hagrid's homemade molasses biscuits, their charred edges crumbling on a tin plate. Alex Sterling, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley crowded around a cast-iron pot on the hearth, its metal glowing faintly from the heat within. Hagrid loomed over them, his massive frame blocking the firelight, his beard quivering with excitement as he peered into the pot. The mottled green egg inside, the size of a melon, pulsed with faint thump-thump sounds, its surface crisscrossed with jagged cracks.
"She's comin'! Listen to that scratchin'!" Hagrid's voice was a reverent whisper, his hands hovering over the pot as if cradling a newborn. His eyes glistened, tears catching in his beard like dewdrops.
Alex adjusted his scarf, the wool damp from the trek through the rain, his boots leaving muddy prints on the wooden floor. "Norbert's about to make his grand entrance. And then the real trouble starts." The system hummed, its interface flickering as he analyzed the egg.
[Analysis: Norwegian Ridgeback Hatchling (Norbert). AE Consumed: 10. AE: 5/50]
[Blueprint Fragment: Fire Resistance (Advanced). Magical Signature: Primal Fire-Based Magic. Warning: Volatile and Unstable]
The egg split with a sharp crack, the sound like breaking stone. A wriggling, black creature emerged, its skin wrinkled like old leather, its wings tattered and bat-like. Norbert's orange eyes gleamed with feral malice, and a tiny plume of oily black smoke curled from its jaws as it let out a feeble roar. The air grew heavy with the scorched scent of dragon fire, making Alex's eyes water.
"He's beautiful!" Hagrid bellowed, tears streaming down his face as he scooped up the hatchling, ignoring its snapping jaws. "Norbert, my lad! Look at them wings!"
Harry grinned, his glasses fogging in the heat. "Blimey, Hagrid, he's… something else."
Ron, leaning closer, laughed nervously. "Yeah, like a flying furnace with teeth."
Alex stepped back, the heat prickling his skin. "Blueprint's a goldmine, but this thing's a walking disaster." He caught a flicker of movement outside—a pale face pressed against the rain-streaked window, gone in an instant. Draco Malfoy. "He's seen it. We're screwed." His stomach twisted, but the group was too caught up in Norbert's squealing to notice. He kept silent, his hand brushing the locket for reassurance, its cool metal grounding him.
The atmosphere shifted from wonder to danger as Norbert lunged, his tiny teeth sinking into Ron's finger. Ron yelped, shaking his hand, the bite marks swelling green-purple, the air tinged with the sharp, acrid scent of venom.
"OW! Bloody hell, he bit me!" Ron's voice was a pained howl, his freckles stark against his paling face.
Alex reacted instantly, pulling a scrap of cured leather from his pocket, its texture rough against his fingers. "No time for a full potion. This'll have to do."
[Crafting: Basic Antidote Patch. AE Consumed: 5. AE: 0/50]
He etched a crude neutralization rune with his wand, the leather glowing amber before fading. Slapping it onto Ron's finger, he pressed it down, the leather warm against the swollen skin. "Hold it tight, Ron. It'll stop the poison spreading, but you'll need Pomfrey for the swelling."
Ron stared, his eyes wide with pain and gratitude. "Blimey, Alex, you're a lifesaver. Where'd you learn that?"
"Just… quick thinking," Alex muttered, his head throbbing from the AE drain. "I'm tapped out. This better work."
The group's focus snapped back to Norbert, who belched a cloud of smoke that singed Hagrid's tablecloth. Harry's voice was grim, his hands smudged with soot. "Hagrid, he's too dangerous. We can't keep him."
Ron, clutching his bandaged finger, nodded. "My brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania. He'll take him. We just need to get him to the Astronomy Tower."
Alex rubbed his temples, the CS ache flaring. "I can whip up a Cloaking Charm. It'll blur him—make him look like a trunk in the dark. It's not perfect, but it's our best shot." His voice was steady, but worry gnawed at him. "Malfoy's out there, waiting to ruin us."
Hours later, the castle was a maze of shadows, the air cold with the scent of old wax and polished stone. The group crept toward the Astronomy Tower, Norbert's cloaked form a shimmering, trunk-like blur that occasionally squeaked or puffed smoke. Alex's boots scuffed softly, his heart pounding as he scanned the darkness for Malfoy's pale silhouette. Harry and Hagrid dragged the bundle, their breaths fogging in the chill, while Ron limped, his finger still swollen.
A sharp voice sliced through the silence, freezing them on the staircase. "And where, precisely, are you going at this hour?"
Professor McGonagall stood at the top of the stairs, her tartan dressing gown stark against the stone, her face a storm of fury. Beside her, Draco Malfoy smirked, his pale eyes glinting with vindictive triumph, his robes pristine despite the late hour.
"They're smuggling a dragon, Professor!" Draco's voice dripped with glee, his finger pointing at the smoking bundle. "I saw it in Hagrid's hut—a Norwegian Ridgeback! They're trying to sneak it out!"
Norbert chose that moment to squeak, a puff of smoke escaping the charm. McGonagall's eyes narrowed, her voice icy. "A dragon? Of all the reckless, idiotic—Mr. Hagrid, explain yourself!"
Hagrid stammered, his massive hands wringing. "I-I didn't mean no harm, Professor! Just… a special creature, is all!"
As McGonagall launched into a scolding, a distant light flashed—Charlie's signal. Harry and Ron, desperate, hoisted Norbert over the railing, the dragon vanishing into the night with Charlie's friends. The subplot resolved, but the fallout was immediate.
"Fifty points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin!" McGonagall's voice was a whip-crack. "And you, Mr. Malfoy, for sneaking about—fifty from Slytherin as well! You'll all serve detention with Mr. Filch in the Forbidden Forest tonight. Perhaps that will teach you to respect rules!"
Alex's stomach sank, his hand brushing the locket for comfort. "The Forest. Quirrell's playground. This is bad." He caught Harry's eye, a shared flicker of fear passing between them. The air grew heavier, the scent of wax now tinged with dread, as they faced the looming danger of the Forest and Quirrell's dark schemes.
[EXP Gained: Norbert Subplot Resolved. EXP Toward LVL 2: 60%]
Mechanics Recap: Blueprint Fragment (Fire Resistance); AE at 0/50; CS at 51%.
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