(Book 1) Lilian Andromeda Black and the Philospher's Stone

Ch. 14 Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

NORBERT THE NORWEGIAN RIDGEBACK

Lilian was noticing a few changes ever since she vowed to leave the trio alone. Professor Quirrell was becoming paler and thinner and Professor Snape had his usual temper but snapped more at the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. It was rather terrifying, Lilian hoped that the Philosopher's Stone was safe and that the trio would leave everything alone. Sometimes she would wonder how they weren't in trouble by the professors and how they couldn't seem to catch a few first years from wondering around the third corridor that Dumbledore had strictly told each and every student not to go to.

Most of the Ravenclaws in the dorm were studying but not as much as Hermione was. Sometimes Lilian would stop by the trio and see Hermione drawing up study schedules and color coding all her notes. Lilian heard Hermione nagging Ron and Harry to do the same.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away." They complained.

"Ten weeks." Hermione snapped. "That's not age, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old." Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..."

"You should at least be prepared for the exams, though don't overstudy. You should see the Ravenclaw common room it's filled with students studying for the OWL and NEWT exams."

"See!" Ron yells.

The Easter Holidays had rolled around but it wasn't nearly as much fun as the Christmas one. The teachers had piled on homework and Lilian spent most of her free time with Sue and Morag in the Girl's dormitory studying.

"You got all of them correct!" Lilian cheered to Morag and she sighs.

"I guess so." Morag says.

"Let's take a break." Sue says. "We've been studying for hours."

The girls sigh notice the time. "Looks like we won't get one, classes in 10 minute." Lilian says and they groan. "Let's go."

History of Magic was as boring as ever and Hermione, Ron and Harry came running by. "Lilian, want to see something?" Lilian looked over at her friends and shrugged and waved goodbye.

"Sure." She said and the morning break bell rung and they explain what had happened in the library. "But Dragon Breeding is illegal! We'll get in trouble if someone catches us!" She whispers, they had already told Hagrid that she was going with them.

"Sometimes I can't tell who follows the rules more, you or Hermione." Both girls glare at run and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.

The egg was lying on the table and there were deep cracks in it. The dragon was moving inside and a funny clicking noise was coming from it.

They drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breaths.

There was a loud scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table and Lilian face split into a wide smile. Its wings were huge compared to its skinny black body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bugging, orange eyes.

It sneezes and a couple of sparks flew of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured and reached out his hand to stroke his head but he snapped at his fingers showing pointed fangs.

"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" Hagrid said.

Hagrid." Lilian and Hermione asked. "How fast so Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid opened his mouth to answer but the color drained from his face and Lilian looked back and saw Draco looking through the gap of the curtains. She sprung to her feet and locked eyes with him and he went running. Lilian ran out of the door and took off after him.

"Draco!" She yelled and tackled him to the ground.

"What?!" He yelled and tried to push her off but she was too strong.

"Don't tell please! If you do then Hagrid will get in trouble!"

"Like I care about that bloody oaf!" He pushed Lilian off of him and she falls to the ground.

"Draco Malfoy I swear if you tell a soul, I'll hex you until your death!" She screams at him and he runs away towards the school. She huffs angrily and stalks up to the school.

The entire week Draco had a smile lurking on his face whenever she saw him but it disappeared faster than you can say "Accio!" when he saw her. The following week passed and she visited the Gryffindor common room and saw Ron with a large dragon bite, it had turned a nasty shade is green and the blood left her face.

With her friends help they took him to the hospital and they told her the plan. "I'll help you. After all I don't want Hagrid to get in trouble and it's my cousins stupid fault."

Saturday night she snuck out of her common room and headed towards the meeting place which was the tallest tower she heard a sudden movement and she used a charm that she found in a book. She swirled the white light around her body like a rope and looked around, her entire body want invisible, but it had taken the appearance of the Hogwart's wall.

Professor McGonagall was holding a lamp with Draco by the ear, she was in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net.

"Detention!" She shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you --"

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming -- he's got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish!" She shouted, it did sound like a lie, a first year having a dragon impossible. "How dare you tell such lies! Come on -- I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

Lilian held her breath as Professor McGonagall walked away from her with Draco. She went up the steep spiral stair use to the top of the tower and took a step and noticed Hermione and Harry were already there with Norbert trashing around in the crate. Hermione did a jig.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"

"Don't." Harry advised her and they looked back at Lilian and they waited. It took about ten minutes for four broomsticks to come swooping down out of the dark cold night.

They smiled at them and showed them the harness they'd rigged so they could suspend Norbert between them. They helped buckle Norbert safely in it and the first years shook hands with them and thanked them.

Norbert was going... going.. gone. Lilian watched until they were out of sight and looked around. Both Harry and Hermione had left, saw the invisibility cloak on the ground.

"Oh no." She said and picked it up and wrapped it around her and slipped back down the spiral staircase and saw Harry and Hermione and Filch,

"Well, well, well." Filch whispered, his face loomed in the darkness, "we are in trouble."