The Fire Dragon Egg

As the cold winter recedes, tender green shoots sprout on the lawn.

Snape was overjoyed. Tom's material extraction method had been validated, and with a slight adjustment to the dosage in the formula, he could brew an even more effective Potions.

But what made him even more proud was something else: he became the referee for the next Gryffindor Quidditch Match.

When the news came out, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team were devastated, as if the sky had fallen.

The Hufflepuff members were so embarrassed by their laughter that their faces turned bright red. Every time they ran into Gryffindor in the corridor, they had to turn away and pretend to look at the scenery.

On the day of the match, Albus Dumbledore's appearance relieved the Gryffindor Quidditch Team.

As soon as Quirrell saw Albus Dumbledore, he turned and ran away, hiding in a secluded corner, glaring fiercely at Harry.

Snape couldn't suppress the smirk on his face. He was acting as referee to protect Harry, but that didn't mean he couldn't cause some trouble for Gryffindor.

Especially when Harry rode his broomstick, his arrogant demeanor was exactly like James's Potter in the day, making Snape's teeth itch with envy.

But the result of the match surprised everyone. Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff two penalty kicks when Harry went berserk and grabbed the Golden Snitch right under the nose of the Hufflepuff Seeker.

Tom frantically snapped photos with his magic camera, laughing so hard he couldn't stand up straight. Snape, on the other hand, was deathly pale, his lips pressed tightly together, and blood was seeping from them.

That expression is so rare, I have to take a picture of it and give it to him as a Christmas present at the end of the year; I guarantee he'll be "surprised."

Daphne covered her mouth and laughed, Hermione laughed too, and even the usually serious Professor McGonagall's lips twitched when she saw Tom busy filming.

After the race, Tom slipped into the Forbidden Forest as if he were going home to see his little unicorn.

But how to help the unicorn become stronger was a mystery to him and the two old men in the Study Space. Newt Scamander's letter didn't mention it either, so obviously he didn't know either.

Tom even considered giving the little unicorn the strengthening potion, which he now considered a panacea. However, as soon as the scent of dragon's blood wafted out of the potion, the little unicorn jumped around in fright, its big eyes filled with terror.

Tom had no choice but to quickly put it away, and after much coaxing, the little unicorn finally agreed to come closer again.

The Easter holiday was seven days long. Daphne went home to see her sister. She was tearful when she left, Tom promised to look at her in Two-way Mirror every night before she finally got into the carriage, looking back every few steps.

During the holidays, Tom wandered around the castle and saw Harry and Ron sneaking into Hagrid's Hut.

The two men, hunched over and close to the wall, walked while constantly looking back, like two foxes stealing chickens.

Tom crouched behind the tree for a while and saw Malfoy sneakily follow him; Malfoy was always the most attentive to Potter's every move.

Tom thought about it for a moment, then his curiosity got the better of him, and he followed.

The fireplace in Hagrid's Hut was burning at its brightest, with a large, dark egg in the center of the flames.

The egg was as big as a football, with scaly patterns on its shell, and it glowed a dark red in the firelight.

Hagrid squatted in front of the fireplace, his face showing the expression of someone who had just become a father.

"It really is a dragon egg!" Ron squatted by the fire, examining the eggshell. "This must have cost a lot of money, right?"

"Last night I was drinking in the village when a Greece guy came over. He played cards with me and lost the dragon egg to me."

Hagrid rubbed his hands together. "I guess he wants to get rid of it himself. This is a big problem."

Harry's expression changed. "It's illegal to privately tame a dragon, and you still took it on?"

"But this is a living, breathing life! How can I abandon it?" Hagrid's voice was so gentle it could melt your heart.

"Your little house can't hold it," Ron pointed out. "In just one month, the fire dragon will burst your house."

Hagrid wouldn't listen to any advice. "It's okay, I'll handle it."

Suddenly, Harry glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of a familiar eye through the crack, which startled him so much that he jumped up from his chair.

"Malfoy! Malfoy just saw a dragon egg through the window!"

Harry had barely finished speaking when he dashed to the door, but Malfoy had already turned and run away. It was a Malfoy family trait—never putting themselves in danger.

That Half-blood- Giant could really kill someone with a single punch; he didn't want to get caught.

Hagrid's joy vanished without a trace. Harry and Ron offered him a few words of comfort before heading back to the castle to devise a solution.

Hagrid circled the house a few times, picked up a large basket, and prepared to go out to collect food for the little dragon.

He pushed open the door, and Tom's amused voice came from the doorway.

"Look what I found: a dragon egg that came from who-knows-where, and a hunting ground guard who's trying to illegally breed fire dragons."

Hagrid's face was pale, his lips moved, and he spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Tom Riddle."

Anyone who has ever done something wrong knows that once caught, the feeling is absolutely unbearable—the limbs go numb, the mind goes blank, and the whole body feels as cold as if it's fallen into an ice cellar.

That's exactly how Hagrid is now.

The door to Hagrid's Hut closed behind Tom. Hagrid leaned against the door, his legs still trembling, with only one thought in his mind: What a terrible thing to do!

Fifty years ago, a Slytherin named Tom Riddle caught him in the act of secretly keeping Acromantula and expelled him from Hogwarts.

Fifty years later, another Slytherin named Tom came and stumbled upon Tom's dragon egg scheme. It was the same scene, the same fear.

Tom ignored his inner thoughts, didn't even glance at the messy objects, and went straight to the fireplace.

The firewood crackled and sparks flew everywhere. Tom squatted down, stared at the black egg by the fire, and nodded. "Norwegian Ridgeback, it's quite a formidable creature even among dragons."

Hagrid, who had been so frightened his legs were about to give way, suddenly brightened up upon hearing this, forgetting his fear, and leaned closer with a look of delight.

"Is it really Norwegian Ridgeback? I haven't had a chance to check it in the books to confirm!"

Tom glanced at him sideways, his face full of disdain. "A black eggshell like ink jade, with traces of square scales, and you can't even see that? You're such an unprofessional hunter."

Hagrid perked up again, his eyebrows dancing with excitement. "I love Spinosaurus! It's so tough, thick-skinned, and sturdy—it's so cute!"

Don't get too excited yet.

Tom's slow, casual remark instantly extinguished Hagrid's interest; his honest, large face drained of color, and his voice trembled.

"Tom, what exactly are you trying to do? I can explain where this dragon egg came from; it wasn't stolen!"

"Don't explain, I won't listen." Tom said casually. "I only believe what I see with my own eyes. The dragon egg is in your hands, that's enough. Whether you stole it or bought it is none of my business."

Seeing Hagrid's blank, expressionless face, Tom's inner voice was laughing wildly.