Into The Multiverse

Chapter 16 - Moldy's First Appearance

I think I did well in the writing exams. Though using a quill is so much harder than it seems, I misspelled so many words because of the ink. They said that the quills are bewitched with an Anticheating spell, which is interesting, to say the least.

There was a practical exam too. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk, mine did a breakdance, which was very amusing. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox, mine turned out the prettiest, she said. Professor Snape made us do a Forgetfulness potion, which Snape was quite impressed with when he saw mine. The last exam was History of Magic. One whole hour of easy questions like names of old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons.

Hermione: That was far easier than I thought it would be. I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager.

Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, butRon said this made him feel ill, so we wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. 

Ron: No more studying. You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet.

Harry was rubbing his forehead. 

Harry: I wish I knew what this means! My scar keeps hurting — it's happened before, but never as often like this."

Hermione: Go to Madam Pomfrey. 

Harry: I'm not ill. I think it's a warning...it means danger's coming... 

Ron: Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore'saround. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get pastFluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid letsDumbledore down.

Harry nodded, but he explained to Hermione that he's missing something. 

Hermione: That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one.

He was in deep thought when suddenly he jumped to his feet.

Ron: Where're you going?

Harry: I've just thought of something. We've got to go and see Hagrid, now. 

Hermione: Why? 

Harry: Don't you think it's a bit odd? That what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?

Ron: What are you talking about?

Harry sprinted toward the forest. Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl. 

Hagrid: Hullo. Finished yer exams? Got time for a drink? 

Ron: Yes, please—

Harry: No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?

Hagrid: Dunno. He wouldn' take his cloak off. It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head —that's the pub down in the village. Might a bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up.