Forgotten

Book 1 Ch 12

Arguing with Hagrid had become a pointless hassle. He had grown attached to the dragon, who he had now named Norbert. Whenever I mentioned getting rid of the dragon, he would go on about how the dragon was too little to be set free. After awhile, Hagrid had abandoned his gamekeeping duties in order to look after the dragon.

I stared at the dragon as it moved around Hagrid's cabin. It had already grown three times its size since it hatched. Before long, there would be no way to conceal him in the cabin. We wouldn't have to worry about Malfoy going to Dumbledore soon enough.

"Hagrid," Harry spoke up. "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

"There will be no use for that. What will we do once Norbert gets to be too big?" I said.

"I -- I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

I dropped my head into my hands. We had gone through the same conversation too many times to count. My fingers rubbed my temples as my eyes closed. I just needed to be out of here for a few moments.

"No -- Charlie -- your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!" Harry said.

I looked up at Harry. His plan was brilliant. Norbert would be safe in Charlie's care, and Hagrid trusted him.

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

"I don' know." Hagrid twisted his beard in his fingers.

"You trust Charlie. As long as Charlie is around nothing will happen to Norbert. You know that as well as I do, Hagrid." I said.

After several minutes of convincing, Hagrid finally caved in.

"Perfect, I will write to Charlie right now."

"You know that I can write to my own brother, right?" Ron said.

"But he will listen to me."

It didn't take long for Charlie to send a response back. Once he had, we devised a plan for him to pick up Norbert by the next week. It was in that week that I was scared the most for our plan. Too many things could go wrong. Malfoy could easily go to Dumbledore with the information. Anyone could catch Norbet if they went to Hagrid's cabin. Not to mention that the dragon was getting too big to move.

I was sitting in the common room when the trio came up with a new problem though. The fleeting look on their faces told me instantly that we needed to talk in private. My eyes scanned over the last paragraph on the page before I closed the book. Alison and Lee exchanged looks with each other as I left the tower without a word.

"What happened now?"

"Norbert bit Ron." Harry said.

"He's a dragon, what did you expect?"

"That isn't what the problem is." said Hermione. "The bite has gotten bigger. I don't think that it is wise for us to go to Madam Pomfrey about it."

"Of course it isn't wise. Let me see."

I took Ron's hand gingerly. They had already come to me too late. The bite was a dark shade of green that I couldn't help. Ron looked extremely pale on top of the bite. I placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him steady.

"Do you know a potion or something to help him?" Harry asked.

"Ron, look at me." I said softly.

Ron's eyes trailed over mine.

"How do you feel?"

"My hand feels like it is going to fall off."