Blood Rose

Chapter 17

By next Tuesday the Stone was still safe. Now I was nicer, and by nicer I mean I was no longer making fun of him. I could not relax because of Hermione's study fever and I began to dream about the Stone. I had a feeling something bad was coming. Even though exams were TEN WEEKS AWAY, the teachers were now piling homework on us. I had no fun during Easter break. I was barely managing my homework and I've been studying this stuff since I was three. One afternoon, Hermione, Ron, Harry, and I were in the library working. Ron threw down his quill down.

"I'm done." He said.

"Hermione, I might need that color coded study schedule after all." I said.

"Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?" Asked Ron.

"I didn't know you could read!" I said. Hermione scolded me with her eyes.

"No offense Hagrid." I quickly added.

"None taken. What are yeh doing in here. Still lookin for Nicholas Flamel?" Hagrid asked, holding something under his coat.

"We found him ages ago. We know all about the Sorcerer Stone." Ron said.

"Shush! Students aren't spused to know." Hagrid said shifting a little. I smelled, sulfur.

"Come down to my-" Hagrid said.

"Hagrid, what's in your jacket?" I asked eyeing the bulge. He turned and hurried off.

"I'm going to see what section he was in." Ron declared. I looked over at Harry's book.

"Harry it's right here." I said, pointing at the word 'Dittany'.

"He was in the Dragon section." Ron said, dropping a pile of books on the table.

"Hagrid has always wanted a dragon, he told me so himself." Harry said.

"But it's against our laws." Ron said.

"I have a pet dragon." I said.

"The rules don't even apply to you." Ron dismissed it.

"Did you smell it?" I asked.

"Smell what?" Harry asked.

"Sulfur." I said.

We went down into Hagrid's hut. The fire was blazing making the circular room hot and stuffy. They interrogated Hagrid. Hermione is remarkable at wheedling. I was busy staring at the Norwegian Ridge-back egg on top of a grate and over a fire.

"Blimeny, Hagrid you have a Ridge-back. Do you have any idea how rare they are?" I said.

"You do realize you live in a wooden house?" Hermione asked. Hagrid was busy stroking the fire and humming.

I was getting more stressed all the time, it didn't help when Harry got a note: it's hatching. The other three want to Herbology. I was 'sick' so I got at Hagrid's hut in time to want it crack. Later Harry, Ron, and Hermione came in time for it to pop out. It was gorgeous, I reached out and stroked the back of it.

"Look it now's it mommy!" Hagrid said when it snapped at his fingers. I saw Draco's face through the window just before he ran into the castle. We spent the next week trying to convince him to get rid of it.

"You have to let him go." I said.

"I can't, he's too little." Hagrid said.

"You have to, Malfoy could rat you out any day now." Ron said.

"I've named him Norbert." Hagrid said. He began to play peek-a-boo.

"He's lost it." Ron whispered to us. A thought hit me.

"Charlie!" I said looking at Ron.

"You've gone nuts too, I'm Ron." Ron said.

"No, you're brother Charlie studies dragons. We could send Norbert to him, he could raise him and let him loose in the wild." Harry explained. He's the only one who understands me.

"Brilliant, how about it Hagrid?" Ron asked. Hagrid agreed to send an owl. I was worried he would say no ten I would have to execute plan Kidnapp Norbert. I didn't want a half giant after me.

Hermione, Harry, and I stayed late waiting for Ron to come back. He came in and took off the invisibility cloak.

"It bit me!" He cried shoving his bloodied hand wrapped with a handkerchief. I shoved his hand away.

"Don't shove it in my face." I said.

"He said I scared it!" Ron said.

"You're face scares me too!" I said. Hedwig tapped the window with his beak. Harry went and let her in. Shadow slinked onto my shoulders. Ron hit her accidentally, so she bit his other hand. He jumped back and clutching his hand.

"Cats hate me." He grumbled as we gathered around Harry to read the note.

Dear Ron,

How are you? Thanks for the letter, I'd be glad to the Norwegian Ridge-back, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is , they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon. Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Sunday? They can you meet there and take him away while it's dark. Send me an answer as soon as possible.

Love,

Charlie

Harry wrote a reply and sent it. I interrupted the staring competition between Hedwig and Shadow to tie the message to her.

"That's easy we have the invisibility cloak. We should have room for two of us and Norbert." Harry said.

"I know an invisibility charm, it's not the best but it'll work." I said. Ron's hand swelled up and was turning green. He didn't want to go to Madam Pomfrey until I told him that I found out that a Ridgeback's teeth are poisonous. Draco mocked him and stole a book with the note in it. The plan was falling apart. The three of us went to Hagrid's hut with the cloak and left with a baby dragon. Half to the tower we saw something so we hid in the shadows. A lamp glared, revealing Professor McGongall dragging Draco by his ear.

"How dare you get out bed." She said.

"Harry Potter will be here all. He has a dragon!" Draco said.

"Rubbish! Stop spewing lies." She said. She dragged him away. We laughed as we got to the top. When Charlie's friends came we said goodbye to Norbert. We went down the stairs and walked into Filch.

"Aren't we in trouble." Filch said. Drat.