Fire Dragon Incident: A Terrifying Scare

Loren knew the outcome from the start and wasn't worried about the Fire Dragon. Hermione, after reviewing various cases, was consumed by anxiety about studying.

Harry was determined to see the Fire Dragon with Hagrid.

Only Ron sighed and groaned as the Fire Dragon's hatching approached, feeling both excited and worried.

"Anyone who didn't know better would think the Little Fire Dragon came out of Ron's belly," Loren teased Hermione.

Breakfast time, at the long table in Gryffindor.

Hermione ate bread while reciting the Twelve Uses of Dragon's Blood, claiming that morning recitation was most effective.

"Please! Hermione, we're expecting a Little Fire Dragon to be born."

Harry was terrified of the first time he saw the Little Fire Dragon, thinking, "The twelve known uses of Dragon Blood include oven cleaner, spot remover, wart treatment..." Hagrid might put him back in the Little Fire Dragon's egg if he found out.

"I'm just reviewing," Hermione replied.

"Dragon Nerve can also be used as wand cores, like Hermione's wand," Loren added with a chuckle.

Harry and Ron stared at Hermione with strange looks, as if she were some kind of wicked Little Fire Dragon butcher.

Hermione gripped her wand tightly, wanting to demonstrate the power of the Dragon Nerve Wand Core to them.

"Speaking of wands, Neville, how's your new wand?" Loren turned to the side to change the subject.

The weekend after the Quidditch Match, Neville went to Ollivanders Wand Shop, but didn't seem to find anything. He went again Easter Holiday.

Upon hearing Loren's words, everyone's gaze turned to Neville.

He was struggling with a tough cranberry cookie, crumbs sticking to his chin.

"Cough cough!"

Neville wasn't used to being stared at suddenly. He hurriedly wiped his face and vigorously rubbed his hands on his clothes before taking out his new wand.

This is a brand new magic wand. The amber seeps into the wood grain, giving it a dark red hue that appears understated and mysterious.

"When I first went there, I tried many wands, but none of them were quite right," Neville explained in a low voice. "Mr. Ollivander made this one to my specifications, made of cherry wood and Unicorn Hair."

"Cherry wood often gives wands superhuman destructive power," Hermione, with her excellent memory, immediately pointed out, citing this characteristic of the material.

"Oh!"

For a young wizard, lethality is a particularly cool thing.

The noise in the Great Hall continued. Hedwig, dressed in pure white, flew into the Great Hall through the skylight with a large flock of owls, fluttering her wings and landing in front of Harry.

Hagrid wrote him a note with only four words: "Shell hatching soon."

These four words seemed to possess a magical power, igniting a fire in Harry and Ron's backsides and making them extremely uneasy.

After breakfast, the young wizards walked in small groups toward the Greenhouse to begin today's Herbology Class.

The weather has been so nice lately, with clear, bright skies, a blue like the color of forget-me-nots, and a hint of summer approaching in the air.

Harry and Ron didn't say a word the whole way, their minds filled with thoughts of the Little Fire Dragon.

After walking past the vegetable garden and reaching the entrance of the Greenhouse, everyone turned into the Greenhouse, while Harry and Ron continued walking forward.

Hermione was nearly driven mad by what she saw. No one knew how many points would be deducted for skipping class, so Loren quickly pulled the two of them back.

"Are you trying to skip class?" Hermione clenched her fists, wishing she could crack open their heads to see what was inside.

Harry and Ron finally snapped out of their daze and sheepishly entered First Greenhouse. Greenhouse, their gazes kept drifting towards the Forbidden Forest, trying to pierce through the obstructions and see the Fire Dragon Egg.

The first thing Professor Sprout said as he entered the Greenhouse was, "Today is a rare good day. The sun is shining but not too bright, which is perfect for turning over the roots and stems of herbs to sunbathe."

Small shovels were handed to the young wizards, and everyone was sent to the fields to bury themselves in turning over the grass.

On a bright, sunny day, with no assigned work to do, the young wizards frolicked in the fields, their occasional squeals echoing as they spotted insects. The sunlight made the scene glow.

Harry and Ron listlessly picked up their shovels, swinging them without even looking, killing one herb after another.

Loren and Hermione's eyes twitched at the sight. If Professor Sprout had seen this, he would have knocked them both to the ground.

Hermione approached and tapped each of the two blockheads. They looked up, staring blankly at Hermione.

"Focus on your studies and don't cause trouble," she warned.

"Hermione, let's go, no one will find out." Harry's voice sounded rather pitiful.

The young wizards, who were in class, were scattered across the grass. There would be a break later. The professor wouldn't check attendance at the end of get out of class, and nobody paid them any attention.

Just walk through the Greenhouse and a little further ahead, and you'll see Hagrid's Hut, where their beloved Little Fire Dragon lives.

"How many times in our lifetime will we see Little Fire Dragon hatch?" Ron chimed in.

The two stopped wasting the herbs and instead surrounded Hermione, arguing with her.

Finally, Hermione agreed to go with them to Hagrid's Hut during the morning break.

When class ended, the bell had just rung in the Castle, and the three of them dropped their shovels and ran.

Loren was sunbathing at the edge of the field, feeling that not only herbs, but people also thrived in this kind of sunshine. He sat on the ground, his eyes half-closed, as if he might fall asleep at any moment.

"Loren, stop sleeping in! Let's go!" Harry said as he passed by, kicking away the shovel next to Loren.

Ron pulled Loren up from the ground.

Before Loren could react, the two grabbed him, his feet moving involuntarily. "What are you doing? Kidnapping me?"

Hermione gave Loren a push every now and then, "Run! We have to be back before class."

The sweat-dampened body hair glistened on her fair face, and the little Witch's voice held an excitement she herself was unaware of.

As the four approached the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid, led by Fang, greeted them. He was beaming and very excited.

"They'll be out soon." He led them into the hut.

A large, dark egg lay on the table, covered in soot from the charcoal fire and its own black and red intertwined patterns.

The three little ones hurriedly surrounded it. This was the first time Loren had ever seen Fire Dragon Egg; the eggshell was shimmering with a deep red Magic Power light he had never seen before, and this light was converging towards the center.

When all the Magic Power converges at one point, that may be the time when the Fire Dragon hatches.

"Long time no see, Loren! I thought you didn't like Fire Dragon." Hagrid greeted Loren while making tea, his voice louder and more excited than usual.

"I'm busy fiddling with something, using the Unicorn Hair you gave me last time." Loren reached out and poked the Fire Dragon Egg; it was warm.

"Then you've come at a good time." Hagrid excitedly pointed to a pattern on the eggshell and said, "The book says that when this pattern turns into a tricolor pattern, it means the little guy is about to hatch."

Their gaze fell on the spot Hagrid was pointing to, where the black and white area had now turned faintly red and was visibly darkening.

They all moved their chairs closer to the table, held their breath, and watched intently.

Suddenly, with a screeching sound, the eggshell shattered on the table, the egg cracked open, and an ugly Little Fire Dragon hatched.

It resembled a winged lizard, a typical Western dragon, only slightly larger Loren and his companions' two hands. It had a slender neck, broad, thin wings covered in small spines, and a hard, wrinkled, black exoskeleton. Its nose was rather long with white nostrils, and it had horns on its head and protruding, orange-red eyes.

"Squeak!" It sneezed, and a few Mars flew out of its nose.

Hagrid stared at it, mesmerized, and murmured, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He reached out a hand and patted the Little Fire Dragon's head. The Little Fire Dragon bit his finger, revealing its long, sharp teeth.

The young wizards shuddered in fright.

The Little Fire Dragon couldn't bite through Hagrid's skin, and he was even happy about it, "Good heavens, look, it recognizes its mother!"

"Why not Dad?" Loren asked.

Harry and Ron discussed this issue, each offering their own reasons.

Hermione slammed her hand on the table, the ferocity of the Little Fire Dragon catching her off guard. "Hagrid, do you know how fast Norwegian Ridgeback grows? In less than a month it could treat your hand like a snack—"

Before he could finish speaking, Hagrid suddenly looked out the window, his face turning deathly pale.

By the window, a blond boy turned and ran away quickly.

Harry darted to the door and looked outside.

The robes were trimmed with green, typical of Slytherin House robes. Even from a distance, he would never mistake them.

It was Malfoy; he saw the Little Fire Dragon.

"He must have come with us," Harry, feeling deeply guilty.

Returning to the Greenhouse before the school bell rang cast a shadow over their initially joyful mood, and even the bright sunshine seemed less warm.

Aside from Loren, he still enjoys sunbathing.

For the next week, Malfoy had a sinister smile on his face, which made Harry and Ron very uneasy.

Hermione told the two that Hagrid should be fine as long as the Fire Dragon posed no threat. But she, along with Harry and Ron, still advised Hagrid to release Norbert before Norbert grew up.

Norbert is the name Hagrid gave to the Little Fire Dragon.

Loren, on the other hand, was completely relaxed. The second pair of runes in the Rune Alchemy Laboratory was progressing well, and he would soon have spatial equipment.

From an outsider's perspective, it's perfectly clear. If Malfoy really wanted to make a fuss about this, the Board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic would have sent representatives to Hogwarts that very day.

But now a week has passed and there's still no news; it's obvious that this rascal is just trying to scare Harry. Loren is happy to see this kind of show.

On an ordinary night, Harry, Hagrid, and their friends failed in their routine attempt to persuade Hagrid to release the animals, and returned to the common room dejectedly.

"Hagrid is right, Norbert is too young to be thrown away," Ron said.

"But once it grows up, the Ministry of Magic can punish Hagrid and Norbert on the grounds of threatening the students' safety." Hermione felt that they shouldn't have been allowed to leave Herbology Class in the first place.

Harry, who had been frowning, suddenly remembered something and looked at Ron with delight. "Charlie!"

Ron was a little confused. "You're confused. I'm Ron, I'm Ron, remember that?"

Harry explained his idea: Ron's brother Charlie, who was researching Fire Dragon in Romania, could adopt Norbert.

Uncontrollable smiles appeared on the faces of the two, finally finding a way to get rid of Norbert, or rather, a way to get rid of Malfoy.

Not long after, Harry and Ron put on their Invisibility Cloak and went to the Forbidden Forest to write a letter to Romania with Hagrid, asking for Charlie's opinion.

There was hope, but the following week was even harder to get through.

Malfoy's laughter grew more sinister and frequent, as if he were about to lead his men to execute Norbert at any moment.

Harry and Ron lived in constant fear, yet held onto a sliver of hope, struggling between the two.

To outsiders, Malfoy has recently been going up to Harry all the time, flashing a affected, sinister smile. Some young children making that expression look rather comical.

Harry, however, always seemed startled, his unease showing on his face. This only fueled Malfoy's enthusiasm for the game.

Loren felt that this kid had some family secret techniques and knew how to torture people.

It was Wednesday night again. The clock on the wall had just struck midnight. Everyone was already asleep when Hermione pulled Loren along to wait in the common room.

The Portrait Hole suddenly opened as if from the sky, and Harry and Ron appeared in the common room.

Harry set the Invisibility Cloak aside and helped Ron sit down on a soft chair. Ron's right hand was injured and wrapped in a blood-stained handkerchief.

"Norbert isn't safe anymore. I just fed him some rats and he bit me. Seeing all the wounds on Charlie, I thought Fire Dragon bites didn't hurt," Ron said, trying to sound casual.

His lips were pale, and he seemed hesitant to look at Loren and Hermione, two intelligent people, for fear of giving himself away. He turned to Harry and forced a smile, saying, "Tell them some good news."

"We received a reply from Charlie, telling him to bring Norbert to the tower at midnight on Saturday, where Charlie's friend would ride by on a broom and take Norbert away."

Harry, oblivious to Ron's odd behavior, suppressed his joy in a low voice, finally free from Malfoy's torment.

Loren sat down next to Ron and opened his handkerchief to examine his hands. Ron stiffly tried to pull his hand away, but after being slapped, he became quiet.

There was a small ring of fine teeth marks on it, and the edges of the wound were faintly black. The hand was already swollen.

"I think this could be a big problem." Loren pressed his hand around the wound and squeezed it; a spurt of pus with a faint odor oozed out.

"Ah!" Ron was in so much pain that sweat beaded on his forehead, and he collapsed onto the soft chair.

It hadn't been long, and the wound had already deteriorated to this extent. Norbert was only a few days old; his teeth hadn't yet been tempered by bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms. Clearly, the Norwegian Ridgeback's teeth were venomous.

As the toxin of a dangerous creature of XXXXX level, this is not something that can be endured by brute force, nor is it a wound that a first-year wizard's rudimentary Herbology and Potions Master can treat.

"We need to get Ron to Madam Pomfrey," Loren said, looking at Harry and Hermione.

"No." Ron's face was as pale as Malfoy's. "Madam Pomfrey might be able to tell that it was bitten by Fire Dragon."

"Charlie has plenty of wounds, but nothing serious," Ron said, as if he were reassuring his friend, or perhaps himself.

Newt and Hagrid were both fired for keeping dangerous animals. He wasn't sure what punishment he would face if his situation were discovered, and he didn't want to implicate Hagrid, Norbert, or his friends.

Loren didn't say anything, and dragged Ron out.

"Let go, this is my own business!" Ron struggled, but Loren pressed down on his hand, turning his struggle into a powerless one.

Hermione went up to help and dragged Ron out.

Harry was stunned by what he saw, but quickly recovered and pulled out his wand, pointing it at the three of them.

Loren and Hermione looked at Harry.

"[Stupefy]"

Ron was subdued.

Meeting their gazes, Harry smiled shyly, "This will make things easier."

The three of them dragged Ron toward the Hospital Wing.

As you walk up the steps, the occasional dull thud of a body hitting the stone echoes through the dimly lit corridor, sounding somewhat eerie.

"Would it be better if we tried a different approach?"

"If he lands headfirst, won't he get brain damage?"

The portraits in the corridor were not visible; only fragmented conversations could be heard. Shivering, rumors began to circulate that a dark wizard had infiltrated Hogwarts.

The Hospital Wing was on the Second Floor, and they met Madam Pomfrey shortly after knocking on the door.

She wore a starched white high-collared nurse's cap with two pointed ends and two white cloth strips hanging from the back. She also wore a white apron over her clothes, making her look like a nurse from a community hospital.

Madam Pomfrey, her face stern, immediately spotted Ron dragging on the floor. "Good heavens, how dare you..."

She cast a spell, Ron floated up. The three of them slapped their foreheads, realizing they'd forgotten about the spell.

Ron floated behind Madam Pomfrey into the Hospital Wing.

Just as Loren was struggling with how to explain the situation to the doctor, the door to the Hospital Wing slammed shut, ending their worries.

"Lights out, everyone go back to sleep!"

"I will take good care of him."

Madam Pomfrey's voice came from inside.

The three people locked outside exchanged a glance, put aside their worries, and started their way back to their dormitory.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "I feel like I've taken a burden off my shoulders, and it's actually quite relaxing."

Before Ron showed any signs of pain, Harry was only trying to cover up the fact that there Fire Dragon at all costs and try to get away with it.

When Ron was exposed by Loren but still tried to put on a brave face, Harry didn't think anything was wrong.

He only snapped out of his daze when Loren and Hermione dragged Ron to the Hospital Wing. The thought that Madam Pomfrey would recognize the wound as Fire Dragon bite and inform Professor McGonagall Headmaster Dumbledore actually made him feel relieved.

"I thought you were going to attack both of us," Loren laughed.

"Am I the kind of person who would put my friends in danger for my own sake?" Harry asked, feigning anger.

"Perhaps it's for your child—baby Norbert," Hermione teased.

Hey! You two.

Laughter broke the silence of the night; thankfully, Filch wasn't nearby, or someone would have been in trouble.

Back in my dorm room, I lay down on my bed.

Harry was worried about what kind of punishment he would receive tomorrow after the Fire Dragon had hurt someone and Madam Pomfrey had noticed it.

Points deduction, confinement, or expulsion from school.

If he gets expelled, he can go live with Sirius Black. That doesn't sound bad, Harry thought with a smile as he drifted off to sleep.

Inside the Alchemy Laboratory of the Fantasy Book.

On the bottom of an ordinary suitcase, on the second and fourth points of Hexagram array, two symmetrical Rune echo each other, emitting a shimmering white light.

Loren watched this scene with a satisfied smile.

The next day was Thursday.

Harry got up early. Ron's bed was empty, and everyone else was still asleep. A corner of a large book was sticking out from Loren's bed.

He thought that Loren and Hermione loved learning so much that they should stay at this magic school. It was Loren and Hermione's good fortune, and it was also Hogwarts ' good fortune.

You'll be alright. It's all my fault about the Fire Dragon. Harry made up his mind.

With time to spare, Harry explored the Castle from top to bottom. Remembering how he always struggled with the stairs at the beginning of the school year, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. This Hogwarts Castle —it changed his life.

Following Loren's example, Harry ate steak and stewed beans for breakfast.

Hmm, it tastes good, but Harry still can't get used to it.

In the morning, during Defense Against the Dark Arts, he helped a few people reserve seats in the back row, and then sat alone in the front row.

This might give Professor Quirrell some encouragement before he leaves, allowing him to persevere longer under Snape's threats.

Loren and Hermione sat in the back row, whispering to each other.

"What's wrong with Harry?"

"I don't know. I didn't see him when I woke up. Maybe he wanted to take me to the hospital to be with Ron?"

"Didn't Abbott get an upset stomach last time?"

"The Quirrell flavor is even stronger now, maybe it'll work."

"He and Ron are really close..."

Harry's idea only lasted five minutes. Summer was approaching, the temperature was rising considerably, and the humidity in the air was increasing. Quirrell's smell became even stranger, mixed with a hint of blood.

Amidst the admiring gazes of the many young wizards, his eyes glazed over. "Damn it, Professor Quirrell isn't really fighting Vampire, is he?"

Harry noticed that Professor Quirrell would occasionally make eye contact with him, which brought him some comfort. As long as he could encourage the professor, all the suffering was worthwhile.

Frustratingly, after class, the other young wizards refused to come near him; he already smelled like Professor Quirrell.

Loren stood next to Hermione, a little afraid of this weakened Stink Eggs, and called out from a distance, "You're not planning to go to the hospital and stay with Ron, are you?"

Harry sighed. Going into the restaurant like this would probably get him kicked out by everyone. He needed to go back to his dorm and clean it properly.

Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Class is this afternoon, and he might be expelled. Harry hopes to attend one more Flying Class so he can teach Malfoy a lesson and break his leg.

Surprisingly, Professor McGonagall didn't mention the Fire Dragon at all. She just assumed Ron was sick and that's why he was absent.

Harry was overwhelmed by the sudden surprise, radiating joy from the inside out. His Transfiguration was quick and skillful, even Gryffindor.

During his Flying Class, feeling the atmosphere of Hogwarts and thinking about visiting Ron after class, Harry flew freely in the sky.

This elicited gasps of surprise from below.