Starting Spark

Before The Action Begins

Clarissa's P.O.V

        "Knight to E5, that'll teach you a -" I was about to finish the sentence, but Harry shot up beside me and startled me.

        "Where are you going?" Ron asked suddenly.

        "I just thought of something, and we've got to go and see Hagrid, now." Harry said in a rush as we eagerly stood up and followed him. But of course me and Ron had to clean up the Chess first and then go and try catching up with them.

        When we caught up, I found out that Hermione wasn't quite sure if he was okay. So she asked, "Why?"

        "Don't you think it's a bit odd?" Harry started to explain, "That what Hagrid wanted more than anything else was 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?"

        "What are you on about?" Ron asked, but Harry was too far away to hear him, much less answer him.

        We exchanged glances and shrugged, like always. Then hurrying up to catch up with Harry.

        "Hullo, finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?" Hagrid asked kindly as he opened the door to let us into his hut.

        "Ye–"

        "No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night when you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?" Harry asked, as soon as we got inside of Hagrid's hut. 

        Apparently, Hagrid was baking again. He went around and offered us some cookie but they all dismissed it and I didn't want to make us all look bad so I smiled at him, and grabbed a cookie.

        "Dunno, he wouldn't take his cloak off." seeing us all stunned, he continued to explain, "It's not that unusual, yeh got a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head – that's the pubs down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

        Seeing Harry sink down next to the bowl of old, molded peas, I knew immediately that we needed more information. And quick.

        "Uh, Hagrid. What did you talk to him about? Did he mention anything about Hogwarts?" I asked in a hurry, hoping this slope hasn't gone too far down yet.

        "Mighta come up," Hagrid pauses to as he tries to recall, "Yeah ... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here ... he asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after ... so I told him ... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon ... an' then ... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buying me drinks ... Let's see ... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted ... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn't want it ter go ter any home ... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy ..."

        "And did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, suddenly in the mood to make conversations again.

        "Well – yeah – how many three–headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, just play him a bit o' music n' he'll go straight off  ter sleep –"

        Then, realizing what he had just done, he stopped in and look bewilded.

        "I shouldn'ta told yeh that." he repeats a couple time, "Forget I said it! Hey – where're going?"