Not Just Our Story

Chapter 5: No, Not the Forest

April to May 26, 1992

Draco Malfoy

Well, Christmas is over, and Easter is just around the corner... though I must say, it's not as fun as I thought it would be. For one thing, the exams are fast approaching, and Potter won another Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. Weasley practically pummeled me and gave me a black eye during the match, and Longbottom joined the fray.

Then one morning, around breakfast time, I was walking past the Gryffindor table when I caught a few words.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing---"

"Er, guys, you might want to keep it down."

All three of them: Potter, Weasley, and Granger, anxiously saw me. I was only a few feet away from them when I had stopped dead to listen. I quickly looked away and walked on.

A dragon, they said? That ought to be interesting...

Later, during morning break, I followed them as they ran out to their oafish friend's hut. I went up to the window, peered inside, and saw it: a dragon egg was lying on the table, already with deep cracks in it. The egg split open and a baby dragon flopped onto the table. Black and skinny with huge spiny wings, it wasn't pretty at all. A couple of sparks flew out of its long snout as it sneezed. It snapped at the giant lout's fingers, showing pointed fangs. Then, he saw me. The gamekeeper ran up to the window and I rushed to the castle, not daring to look back.

I had witnessed a dragon hatching.

It was incredible, but it was also against our laws to raise a dragon.

To make the story short, I told Professor McGonagall what happened, got involved with Longbottom when the trio tried to smuggle the dragon out of Hogwarts, and ended up getting a detention with them. Weasley's the only one who got off because he was bitten by the dragon and had to stay in the hospital wing.

It was eleven o' clock that night. I was with Filch at the entrance hall when they arrived. "Follow me," he said, lighting a lamp as he trudged outside. We followed him in silence as he leered at us. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh? Oh yes...hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

"Well, that sounds delightful," I sarcastically thought.

We trailed across the grounds, relying only on the light of his lamp and the flickering moonlight. Up ahead is that wretched hut. "Don't tell me we have to do our detentions with him," I thought.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Potter's face charmingly lit up, and I felt a pang of yearning to smile. Filch, however, expunged that. "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, lassie---it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

My train of thought snapped when I heard this. "The forest? We can't go in there at night---there's all sorts of things in there---werewolves, I heard."

Longbottom clutched the sleeve of Potter's robe and made a choking noise. Lucky...

"That's your problem, isn't it? Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"