The idea, once it took hold, became almost irresistible.
Establishing a dragon sanctuary in Britain would undoubtedly strengthen the royal family's standing among British wizarding communities.
At present, the royal family's reputation in the magical world was modest at best. For ordinary witches and wizards, the British Royal Family represented a distant, largely irrelevant concept, something belonging to the Muggle world rather than their own.
But what if the royal family funded a dragon sanctuary?
The Daily Prophet would cover the story, and wizards across Britain would discuss it.
They would say: "Have you heard? The royal family is funding dragon conservation. Britain will have its own sanctuary." The effect on public perception could be considerable.
Wizards were not without national feeling, despite common assumptions. A significant number felt a genuine and deep connection to Britain, and this had expressed itself in remarkable ways throughout history.
During the First World War, Minister for Magic Archer Evermond had enacted emergency legislation prohibiting wizards from participating in the conflict, fearing violations of the International Statute of Secrecy.
Yet thousands of wizards had enlisted regardless, driven by loyalty to the country they called home. Theseus Scamander, elder brother of the famed Newt Scamander, was among them, and emerged from the war regarded as a hero.
Speaking of the Scamander family, it occurred to Henry that Newt Scamander might make an exceptional advisor for precisely such a project.
His expertise in magical creatures was unparalleled, and his reputation lent any conservation effort immediate credibility.
Beyond prestige, the more immediate benefit concerned Hagrid himself.
Hagrid might appear to outsiders as a rough-edged half-giant with eccentric tastes and an impractical affection for dangerous creatures.
But Henry recognized his value clearly. Hagrid was among Dumbledore's most trusted allies, he had grown up within Hogwarts, knew most of its inhabitants, and held knowledge of its secrets accumulated over decades.
He maintained remarkable relationships with the creatures of the Forbidden Forest; centaurs, unicorns, and even the colony of Acromantulas deep within the trees regarded him as a friend. And crucially, Hagrid was straightforward in the most fundamental sense: he remembered kindness and repaid it without reservation.
If the royal sanctuary were to accept his dragon and welcome him to visit and care for it at any time, Hagrid's gratitude would be genuine and lasting.
Should his assistance, his information, or even simply his goodwill ever be needed, would he hesitate to offer it so long as no harm came to Hogwarts or Dumbledore? Almost certainly not.
And the sanctuary was only the beginning. A broader conservation center for magical creatures could follow, then a protected habitat for endangered magical plants, and eventually a foundation dedicated to cultural exchange between wizards and Muggles.
Each step would extend the royal family's presence deeper into the wizarding world, quietly and naturally.
Standing at the castle gate and watching the sunset descend below the horizon, Henry had already mapped the outline of a plan in his mind.
The first step was to write to his father.
Charles had always been curious about the wizarding world. He had taken out a subscription to The Wizarding Weekly and posed thoughtful questions to Henry about magical plants and creatures over the holidays.
More importantly, he was a committed environmentalist with a deep personal investment in protecting endangered species. Since the 1980s, he had maintained organic farming practices on his estate, refusing to use pesticides and absorbing considerable criticism from agricultural quarters who considered it impractical.
More recently, he had turned his attention to the climate crisis, even when most audiences seemed reluctant to engage seriously with the topic.
If Henry told him that certain endangered dragons in the wizarding world required protection and that the royal family had the opportunity to fund a dedicated sanctuary, Charles would not simply agree, he would be genuinely enthusiastic.
The second step required engaging Sir Arnold.
This would need careful planning. Approaching the Ministry of Magic directly, or approaching Fudge personally, would be premature.
The better path was to first cultivate broader awareness through various channels, generate interest from the Daily Prophet, and allow public discussion to build organically.
Once public sentiment was sufficiently engaged, a formal application to the Ministry could follow. At that point, Fudge would find it difficult to refuse, supporting the initiative would align him with popular opinion, something a minister in his position would find difficult to resist.
The third step involved Hagrid.
Once the dragon egg hatched and it became clear that Hagrid could not safely keep the creature, he would inevitably begin to worry about its future.
At that precise moment, Henry could quietly inform him that the royal family was developing a sanctuary capable of providing exactly the care his dragon needed, and that he would always be welcome there.
Hagrid's gratitude would require no engineering.
The fourth step concerned Charlie Weasley.
A dragon sanctuary would require expert handlers, and Charlie was unquestionably qualified. His parents had always worried about him living so far away in Romania.
But the approach required some delicacy, Henry reaching out directly to recruit him would carry a different weight than Ron discovering the opportunity and raising it with his family himself.
These were two very different dynamics, and the distinction mattered.
Henry turned the remaining details over in his mind as he walked back into the castle.
Dinner was already well underway in the Great Hall. The four long tables gleamed with food beneath the light of floating candles, and students filled the hall with the easy noise of conversation and laughter.
Henry settled at the Slytherin table. Draco leaned toward him almost immediately.
"Your Highness, where were you all afternoon? I've been looking for you for quite a while."
"The library," Henry said, "and then Hagrid's hut."
Draco's eyebrows lifted. "That... half-giant? What business did you have there?"
Henry smiled with deliberate mystery and lowered his voice. "It's something I can't share widely, Draco. Can I trust you to keep a secret?"
Draco's interest sharpened visibly. He leaned forward, expression alight. "Of course, Your Highness! You have my word!"
Henry held his gaze for a measured moment, then offered a slight, serene smile, picked up the glass of water in front of him, and took a calm sip.
Draco's expression shifted through several stages of indignation and curiosity. Beside him, Daphne and Pansy exchanged a quick glance before dissolving into quiet laughter.
After dinner, Henry didn't linger in the common room for long. He returned to his bedroom within the hour, where Theodore already sat on his bed reading quietly.
Theodore nodded briefly in acknowledgment as Henry entered, then returned to his book without comment.
Henry settled at his desk, drew out a sheet of parchment and a quill, and sat for a moment considering his words before he began to write.
"Dear Sir Arnold,
There is a matter I wish to raise with you.
Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts, recently came into possession of a dragon egg. There may be more complex factors underlying how he acquired it, though I would prefer to discuss that aspect separately. For now, I wanted to ask your assessment of a different question: do you consider it feasible for the Royal Family to fund the establishment of a dragon sanctuary to house this creature once it hatches?
I have outlined below the advantages as I see them."
He wrote through each consideration in careful, methodical detail before concluding:
"If you consider this proposal viable, my intention is to contact my father and ask him to pursue it formally. If you identify any significant risks or complications I have overlooked, I would very much appreciate your thoughts.
I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Henry"
He folded the letter with care, sealed it, and crossed to the window where Mercury waited on the sill. The snowy owl ruffled its feathers, closed its talons around the letter, and disappeared silently into the night sky.
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