I Have a Better Choice

Ron was genuinely terrified. After learning that Hagrid had kept Acromantula, he no longer cared about the Dragon and just wanted to get back to the castle as soon as possible.

As long as he can go back, I'd be willing to let him do a whole... well, half a day's worth of homework.

However, this small request has never been responded to.

Harry and Hermione are still trying their best to persuade Hagrid to release Norbert; he certainly won't just leave like that.

Ron had considered leaving Harry and Hermione there while he left, but he quickly dismissed the idea, as it would make him appear cowardly.

Unable to move or dare to move, Ron could only suppress his fear of the spider and stand there trembling with fear.

"The Forbidden Forest is too small, Hagrid," Hermione advised. "It might be able to hide Three-headed Dog, but it definitely can't hide a dragon. Don't forget, Norbert can fly. He can fly fifty feet high with just a flap of his wings. Those trees are useless."

"But... I just got it." Hagrid hesitated.

"Do you want it to stay in the Forbidden Forest forever, never to fly?" Hermione continued, "Norbert is a dragon, Hagrid, he was born to fly."

"I...I know I can't keep it forever." Hagrid bit his lip and murmured, "But it rubbed against my hand while eating yesterday, it must think of me as its mother...I can't just throw it away, I can't."

ah?

Kyle looked up, puzzled, at Norbert was lying on his arm pretending to be dead.

What happened? How did I suddenly become a male mom without even realizing it...?

Furthermore, he had never heard of Dragon having a tradition of "recognizing relatives by touching hands," so how did Hagrid come to this conclusion?

"Charlie!"

Suddenly, Harry shouted, drawing everyone's attention.

He said with some excitement, "Ron, I remember your brother Charlie is studying Dragon in Romania. Why don't we send Norbert to him?"

Ron didn't speak, he just nodded stiffly.

"That's a great idea!" Hermione exclaimed. "What do you think, Hagrid?"

"I'm sure Charlie will take good care of it!"

Hagrid remained silent for a moment, not immediately agreeing, but saying he needed to think about it.

After that, no matter what Harry and Hermione said, he wouldn't budge.

Only after the three left did Hagrid slump into a chair, scratching his head, and ask, "Kyle, do you think I should have agreed to their offer... sending Norbert to Romania might have been the best option?"

"To be honest, there's no need for that."

After confirming that the trio had gone far enough, Kyle said, "Charlie is indeed trustworthy, but I have a better option..."

Kyle stayed in Hagrid's cabin for a long time, not leaving until noon.

The next day, when Harry and Hermione came again to persuade Hagrid to hand Norbert over to Charlie, they received news that surprised them greatly.

"You mean, you've found a solution?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yes." Hagrid looked much more relaxed as he processed a fish. "You're right, dragons can't be kept here, so it will leave once it's a little bigger."

Hearing Hagrid say that, Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

Although I don't know exactly where he sent Norbert, as long as it's not at Hogwarts, that's fine.

"By the way, where's Ron?" Hagrid looked up and asked, "Why didn't he come with you?"

"Oh, he has other things to do today," Harry said.

Since learning that he would be coming here again today, Ron left the common room and hasn't returned; Harry has no idea where he is.

Hermione, don't you think something's a little strange?

On the way back, Harry glanced back in the direction of the cabin and asked, "It's only been a day. Why did Hagrid suddenly agree to send Norbert away? Did something happen that we don't know about?"

"That's not surprising. Perhaps Hagrid has realized that he simply can't keep a dragon at Hogwarts."

"And more importantly, we have more important things to do now."

Hermione seemed a little anxious, speaking rapidly, "Final exams are coming up soon, we need to hurry up and catch up on all the time we've missed."

"Exams? That's a long way off," Harry said nonchalantly.

"Twenty days left!" Hermione retorted. "Or rather, exam week is next month. Do you still think it's too early?"

"Twenty... days?" Harry stopped abruptly, staring blankly at Hermione.

The last time they discussed the exam, there were still ten weeks left. How come there are only twenty days left now?

But he felt like only a few days had passed... Who stole his time?

What made Harry even more desperate was that he couldn't remember anything he had learned in class; his mind was completely blank.

When they returned to the castle and told Ron, who was waiting for them at the entrance of the Great Hall, about it, he showed the same expression.

It seemed like only a moment had passed, and the exam was no longer something unattainable.

For a while afterward, Harry and Ron didn't have time to think about Hagrid and his Dragon anymore.

Night after night, after finishing the mountain of homework assigned by their teacher, they still had to struggle to complete the study plan Hermione had set for them, which was driving them crazy.

"This is terrible..."

In the library, Ron looked at the thick stack of books in front of him, books he could never finish reading, and said with a hint of despair, "Now I even dream about Self-Stirring Cauldron."

"Did you dream about the answer?" Hermione looked up, displeased. "Which wizards invented it?"

There were even more books in front of her, almost filling the entire table.

"All I remember is those cauldrons lining up to smash my head..." Ron said with a bitter face, "But Hermione, why are you still reviewing? You already know everything."

"Were you driven mad by those crucibles?"

Hermione said anxiously, "Just knowing it won't get me an O (Outstanding) on the final exam."

What if the questions are really difficult? I can't even imagine what I'd do if I only got an E (exceeding expectations)."

Harry and Ron exchanged glances. To be honest, they would probably jump for joy if they could get an E.

"But you're already the best student in the whole grade," Ron said softly. "In class, you're always the first to finish what the professor asks."

"Many people can do that...like Kyle in second year," Hermione shook her head. "And I understand he got a perfect score last year."