Dragon Hatching

One weekend afternoon, Silas, Harry, Ron, and Hermione quietly slipped out of the castle (using a Portal). They arrived at Hagrid's hut, where Hagrid was already anxiously peering out the door. Seeing them, he immediately pulled them inside, his face beaming with uncontrollable excitement.

"Come in, come in! The little dragon is about to hatch! I can hear movement inside!" Hagrid excitedly rubbed his large hands together.

By the fireplace in the hut, the Norwegian Ridgeback egg was shaking violently. Fine cracks appeared on the surface of the shell, and faint but extremely sharp scratching sounds could be heard from within.

The four of them gathered around the fireplace, staring at the egg with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. Hermione quietly recited knowledge about dragon hatching, while Harry and Ron's eyes were wide.

Finally, with a crisp "crack," a small hole broke open at the top of the eggshell. A tiny, black, scaly, and wrinkled claw stretched out from inside, struggling to push through the shell. The cracks grew larger, and before long, a similarly wrinkled little head emerged. It sneezed, and a few sparks shot out from its nostrils.

Then, the entire little dragon struggled to climb out of the shattered eggshell, collapsing onto the warm ashes. It made faint, hiccup-like sounds, occasionally puffing out a little smoke and sparks. It looked ugly, yet possessed the magic of new life.

"Oh! It's so beautiful!" Hagrid let out a sigh full of affection. Although Silas thought Hagrid's filter for the dragon was thicker than the walls, his huge body trembled slightly with excitement. He carefully extended a finger and gently stroked the little dragon's wrinkled back, his eyes tearing up. He was as happy as a seven-foot-tall child.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were also captivated by this magical scene, leaning closer to observe the newborn little dragon.

However, amidst this warm (and somewhat chaotic) atmosphere, Silas's gaze sharply caught sight of a flash of platinum blonde hair in the bushes outside the hut's window!

It was Draco Malfoy! He had clearly followed them secretly and witnessed the dragon hatching! Malfoy's face held a smug and malicious expression of having discovered a major secret. He was rapidly turning, seemingly preparing to run and report Hagrid's illegal dragon-keeping to Professor McGonagall or Snape!

Silas's eyes sharpened, and he didn't hesitate for a moment. He didn't even bother with the door, simply stepping back two paces, taking a running start, and, to the astonishment of Harry and the others, agilely flipping out of the hut's open window!

The Levitating Cloak billowed behind him, providing cushioning and buoyancy, allowing him to land lightly on the open ground outside the hut.

Upon landing, he immediately sprinted in the direction Malfoy had fled, like a bolt of red lightning, leaving only a brief message drifting into the stunned ears of Harry and the others:

"Malfoy saw the little dragon, I'm going to go threaten him!"

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve. Hagrid, Harry, and the others watched Silas's rapidly receding figure, all understanding that Silas's so-called "threat" probably wouldn't be very gentle. Malfoy was likely in for more trouble this time.

Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy was ecstatic about discovering Hagrid's shocking secret of illegal dragon-keeping. He weaved rapidly through the bushes, mentally planning how to report it to Professor Snape, so that Potter and his friends would be severely punished, and ideally, that big oaf Hagrid would be kicked out of Hogwarts too!

The more he thought about it, the more smug he became, a malicious smile curling his lips.

However, he hadn't run far when he felt his ankle suddenly tighten! A powerful force instantly tripped him, and he fell heavily to the ground with a "thump," getting a mouthful of dirt and dead leaves.

"Ah! What was that!" Malfoy screamed in terror. He struggled to get up, only to find his feet bound by several strands of bright red energy ropes that emanated a scorching heat, like red-hot branding irons! The ropes not only held him immobile but also gave off a sealing sensation that made his magic stagnate!

He writhed uselessly on the ground like a fish dragged ashore.

Immediately after, the force began to drag him! He was pulled backward, sliding across the rough ground, his robes tearing and his skin scraping, causing him to grimace in pain and whimper in fear.

A few seconds later, the dragging stopped. Malfoy, dizzy, raised his head and saw a pair of gleaming black boots. Looking further up, he saw a face with a half-smile, half-smirk – Silas Cyril was looking down at him, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light.

Silas bent down, leaning close to Malfoy's face, contorted with fear and anger, and asked in an exaggerated tone filled with mockery and cold killing intent, slowly:

"Ooooh... our little Master Malfoy, where are you in such a hurry to go? Are you planning to use that 'little secret' you just saw as leverage to threaten Potter... for how long?"

His voice was not loud, but it slithered into Malfoy's ears like a poisonous snake, chilling him to the bone. Malfoy could clearly feel the undisguised threat emanating from Silas, more terrifying than Professor Snape's wrath! Malfoy had truly kicked a titanium alloy wall this time.

Silas grabbed Malfoy by the collar and effortlessly lifted the Slytherin boy, who was not much shorter than himself, off the ground. Malfoy's feet dangled uselessly as he kicked the air. Silas's eyes, usually filled with laziness or mockery, were now as cold as the bottom of Hogwarts' lake, piercing directly into Malfoy's terrified pupils.

"Draco Malfoy," Silas's voice was not loud, but carried an undeniable pressure, clearly reaching Malfoy's ears, "I want you, now, immediately, to forget everything you just saw in Hagrid's hut. Understand?"

Malfoy was struggling to breathe, his face flushed red from the tight grip, but his long-ingrained arrogance and bullying habits made him unwilling to back down easily. He shrieked with feigned ferocity:

"You... this is bullying! Naked bullying! I'm going to tell my father! Lucius Malfoy won't let you get away with this! He'll make you, you Mudblood..."

Bang!

Before he could finish the insulting word, Silas released his grip on his collar. Malfoy, caught off guard, fell heavily back to the ground, grimacing in pain.

Silas looked down at him, a mocking cold smile on his face, his tone filled with undisguised contempt:

"Tell your father? Fine, go ahead. But before that..."

He crouched down, leaning close to Malfoy, and in a voice only they could hear, he reminded him word by word:

"I haven't forgotten that just a few weeks ago, in the library, because Longbottom unfortunately walked past you, you cast the Leg-Locker Curse on him, making him fall to the ground like a log, ridiculed by everyone. I think what you did was true bullying."

Silas's eyes were sharp as knives: "What? Only Master Malfoy is allowed to bully others, but others aren't allowed to 'remind' you? Is this Hogwarts your family's playground?"

Malfoy was speechless, his old mistakes brought up by Silas, and his words choked by the cold gaze and unsparing accusations. He had indeed bullied Neville, and more than once. But he had never imagined that someone would stand up for that weak Neville Longbottom, and in such a forceful manner.

He looked into Silas's eyes, which seemed to see through all his despicable actions, and the aura of someone completely unfazed by his family's name, and for the first time, felt true fear and helplessness. He knew that this damn Ravenclaw wouldn't fall for his "I'll tell my father" routine.

Silas stood up, clapped his hands as if he had touched something dirty. He gave one last warning: "Remember what I said, Malfoy. Forget what you saw. If you dare to utter a single word..."

He didn't finish, but the cold glint in his eyes was enough to send a shiver down Malfoy's spine.

Silas no longer paid attention to Malfoy, who was slumped on the ground with a pale face, and turned to walk back towards Hagrid's hut. He knew that for someone like Malfoy, who bullied the weak and feared the strong, who was cowardly and obnoxious, only being more ruthless and fearless could make him shut up. And today, he had succeeded.

Watching Draco Malfoy scramble away in a pathetic state towards the castle, Silas's cold expression instantly vanished, returning to his usual slightly lazy demeanor. With a thought, the Sekern Red Belt that had been wrapped around Malfoy's ankles turned into specks of red light and dissipated into the air.

At the same time, his red hair, which had become as vibrant as a branding iron from casting powerful Vishanti Magic, rapidly cooled and faded, returning to its original light brown color, as if the fierce and imposing aura from moments ago had never existed.

He turned around, not returning to Hagrid's hut immediately. Instead, he reached into an inner pocket of his mage robe, which seemed to hold an infinite number of things, and pulled out a thumb-sized, crystal-clear vial. Inside the bottle, a few drops of dark red liquid sloshed, seemingly still carrying a hint of warmth.

Silas held the small bottle up to his eyes, examining it carefully in the light, a sly and triumphant smile curling his lips. He muttered to himself:

"Baby dragon's blood... hehehe, Norwegian Ridgeback, just hatched... this is a rare and good material! Extremely high magical activity, and it contains the vitality of new life. Whether used as a catalyst for high-level potions or for drawing special magic circles, it's top-tier stuff!"

Clearly, while everyone's attention was focused on the newborn Norbert in Hagrid's hut, Silas had stealthily collected these few precious drops of dragon blood. For someone like him, who was proficient in Potions and had a keen interest (or rather, a collector's obsession) in all sorts of magical materials, how could he miss such an opportunity?

He carefully put the small bottle away, patted his robe, a look of "rich harvest" satisfaction on his face, and then leisurely walked towards Hagrid's hut, as if the "enforcer" who had dragged someone with red belts and a cold gaze just moments ago was merely an illusion.

For Silas Cyril, threatening Malfoy was just a minor inconvenience, while collecting rare magical materials was the more valuable "real business."

In Hagrid's hut, the newborn Norwegian Ridgeback, Norbert, immediately became Hagrid's darling. Every half hour, Hagrid would carefully scoop a little amber-colored Bourbon Whiskey with a giant spoon and hold it to Norbert's mouth, watching the little dragon greedily lick it up. Norbert seemed to enjoy the strong drink, letting out a boozy burp and puffing out a few sparks after each sip.

Silas looked at the familiar liquor bottle in Hagrid's hand. It was the same bottle of top-shelf bourbon whiskey he had given Hagrid at the start of the school year. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he couldn't help but ask, "Hagrid... the alcohol you're feeding it, it's not the bottle I gave you at the beginning of the term, is it?"

Hagrid chuckled heartily, patting the bottle. "Oh, it is! It's this one! Tastes real good, Norbert loves it! Thanks again, Silas!"

Silas's face instantly darkened. He looked heartbroken at the expensive bottle of wine, a wine so good that even his father, Anthony, was reluctant to drink much of it, now being used as an "appetizer" for a young dragon. He muttered under his breath, "Such good liquor... used to feed a dragon... If my dad found out, he'd be heartbroken..."

Hermione, who was nearby, heard his complaint. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, nudged him lightly with her elbow, and whispered, "What are you heartbroken about? That wine was a gift meant for someone else. Besides, you're only in your first year, you can't even drink. Wouldn't the best wine be the same as plain water to you, useless?"

Silas blinked, then suddenly realized. He slapped his forehead. "Right! That makes sense! I can't drink it anyway, so out of sight, out of mind."

He immediately cast aside his lingering heartache and continued to watch with great interest as Hagrid clumsily cared for the rapidly growing Norbert.

Two weeks later, Norbert had grown to the size of a small hound. Its temper was becoming increasingly volatile, and the flames it spewed were starting to be dangerous, even nearly singeing Hagrid's beard. Hagrid's hut was a mess, and Fang was too scared to go near.

Hermione finally couldn't stand it anymore. With a serious expression, she found Silas.

"This can't go on!" Hermione stated decisively. "Norbert is growing too fast, and Hagrid can't control it at all! If this continues, not only will Hagrid be in danger, but if the school finds out, Hagrid will definitely be expelled, and Norbert will be dealt with!"

Hermione continued, "We've already contacted Ron's brother, Charlie, by owl! He's studying dragons in Romania! He's agreed to help and will send a colleague to pick Norbert up from the top of the highest Astronomy Tower next Saturday at midnight!"

Although this plan was risky, it seemed to be the only solution for now.

After listening, Silas nodded crisply without the slightest hesitation. "Okay, let's do it. Sending it away quickly is good for both Hagrid and Norbert, and it avoids any further complications."

He had long felt that Hagrid raising a dragon was unreliable. Having professional dragon handlers take over now was the best outcome. As for the potential trouble during the dragon's transport? In Silas's opinion, opening a portal directly to the tower top was no problem at all. He just hoped to get rid of this hot potato quickly so Hagrid could have some peace.