"I've spent all of the love I saved.
We were always a losing game."
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She's a Gryffindor. He's a Slytherin.
She's a Weasley. He's a Malfoy.
She's sweet. He's a bully.
She's dangerous. He's dangerous.
She likes him. He likes he...
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Since Harry had informed them about the conversation he had overheard between Snape and Quirrell, the Quartet had been keeping a close eye on the stuttering DADA teacher but, despite looking paler and more anxious, he hadn't seemed to have cracked under the pressure of Severus Snape.
And if that wasn't hard work enough, exams were coming up so the four of them spent all their time in the library listening to Hermione teach them about pretty much everything. Ron had even suggested that she was teaching them stuff above First Year level.
Finally, after hearing Ron complain for the billionth time, Hagrid gave them a much needed break.
"Come an' see me later. I'm not sayin' I'll tell yeh anythin' but, don't go talkin' about it. Students aren' s'posed to know."
Hagrid shuffled off with something hidden behind his back and deciding he needed to stretch his legs, Ron hurried over to the aisle Hagrid had been in. In his arms were books about-
"Dragons."
"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon. Told me so the first time I met him." Harry said.
"What on Earth is Hagrid up to?" Hermione fretted, the two boys sharing her worry. However, Cassie was more excited than worried and secretly hoped she could talk to Hagrid about dragons. Dragon healing was her dream and if Hagrid shared her dreams, she wasn't about to stop him.
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Shuffling across the grounds towards Hagrid's house, Cassie felt herself growing excited at the idea of potentially seeing a real life dragon. Despite Charlie sending her pictures of the baby dragons on the reserve, she had never seen a dragon before and so this was a chance for her to get some experience (because no matter what her mother said, she was going to work with dragons).
Smiling up at the friendly, half-giant, Cassie sipped her tea whilst Harry began instantly bombarding him with questions. He may have defeated the Dark Lord but he certainly lacked subtlety. Thankfully, Hermione was full of it. And charm. After a few sweet words, Hagrid was willing to spill the knowledge that he knew.
"Some o' the teachers did enchantments. There was Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, Professor Quirrell, and Dumbledore o' course." He counted them off on his fingers to help him recall. "Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."
Snape?" Harry exclaimed, horrified.
"Look, you four. Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about to steal it." Hagrid reprimanded.
Watching as her friends exchanged a glance, Cassie sighed into her cup. Whilst she knew Snape was dodgy, she didn't think he'd go as far as to sneak around behind Dumbledore's back to steal something from him. Surely nobody was that stupid.
"Not a soul knows how to get past Fluffy except me an' Dumbledore."
"At least that's something." Harry muttered. "Hagrid, can I open a window?"
Much to his dismay, Hagrid refused. Before Harry could inquire as to why, Cassie noticed something in the fireplace and rushed over to it with a loud gasp.
"Where did you get that?" Ron asked, crouching beside his twin. "It must've cost a fortune!"
Cassie couldn't deny that it sounded dodgy that he'd won it from a stranger in a card game. A dragon egg wasn't something one simply carried around. Sweating under her layers, she kept glancing towards the Norwegian Ridgeback egg and wondering whether it would hatch before they left.
"Hagrid?" Hermione said, trying to gain his attention. "You live in a wooden house."
Cassie snorted out tea.
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Thankfully, they didn't have to wait too long to find out. A few days later, Harry received a letter from Hagrid. Unfortunately, the news led to Ron and Hermione arguing as they trudged down to Herbology over whether they should go now or not. Once the bell for morning break sounded, they snatched up their things and sprinted towards Hagrid's hut.
Faces red and covered in perspiration, they beamed up at Hagrid as he invited them in.
Deep cracks ran across the big, black egg as it jiggled back and forth.
Perching on the edge of her seat, Cassie couldn't wait to tell her brother that she had witnessed the birth of a Norwegian Ridgeback; a very rare dragon.
Harry grimaced at the small shape that tumbled from the egg and onto the wooden table but Cassie thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Its wings would've been considered enormous compared to the slimness of its jet black body. It's bulging, orange eyes fixed on the group with an unnerving stare.
As it sneezed, it released little sparks of fire that had Cassie cooing.
However, when she was informed that someone had been spying on the group, her face filled with anger as she stormed out the door to see Malfoy's retreating frame.
Luckily, Hermione was there to knock her wand out of her hand before she could send a nasty hex his way.
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After much convincing, Cassie had been told to send a message to Charlie to ask whether he could take the Ridgeback to his reserve in Romania.
Sat before the fire with her friends, she sniggered as Ron complained about the bite that baby Norbert had given him. Thankfully, Hedwig interrupted Ron's whining.
'Dear Cassie, How are you? I'd gladly take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but getting him to the reserve won't be an easy feat. He'll have to be sent over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week - they must not be seen with an illegal dragon. Think you and Ron could get him up to the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away under the cover of darkness. Also, I'm so happy that you got to see your first hatching. There will be many more for you to see when you visit. Send me an answer as soon as possible.
See you soon, trouble. Love, Charlie. Xx'
"Why doesn't he send me kisses?" Ron grumbled, noticing that his brother only sent him short responses.
"Because I'm his favourite sibling."
Putting together a plan, they quartet decided that two of them would sneak Norbert up to the tower under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, and pray that they didn't get caught.
