The Plan Begins

In the original story, as Ron and Hermione tried to talk Harry out of it, they brought up Hagrid, saying he would never betray Dumbledore. Harry looked up at the sky in frustration and saw flocks of owls carrying envelopes in their beaks. That made him think of the letters Hagrid had written him—and of Norbert, who could spread his wings and fly.

That raised a question: why had it been so easy for Hagrid to win an egg?

This was a crucial point in how events unfolded. Luo Bin watched the sky for a few more minutes, until Ron laughed and said he was about to turn into a sunflower.

"Luo Bin, there's nothing up there but the sun and clouds, is there?"

"I was thinking about Romania, so far from Hogwarts. What does the sky look like there? Is Norbert, who's as big as a house now, practicing flying up there? But it's strange when you think about it. A wizard broke the law by carrying a dragon egg around the Hog's Head, then lost it to a complete stranger!"

That was about as clear a hint as anyone could give.

Sure enough, Harry sprang to his feet. "Yes! I knew I was missing something. That's it. What are the odds? Hagrid wanted to raise a dragon, and someone just happened to wager a dragon egg. This... this was a plot from the start! I have to ask Hagrid about it."

Desperate for an answer, Harry raced across the grounds toward the Forbidden Forest. The other three exchanged glances, then jogged after him.

"Oh, if I remember right, all your exams are over. Want a bowl of boiled peas?"

Hagrid sat in his yard shelling pea pods. Fang lay at his feet, flapping his big ears as he chewed on an empty pod.

"No, thanks, Hagrid. We came to ask you something. That night you won Norbert by drinking and playing cards, did you tell anyone about Fluffy?" Luo Bin asked, rubbing Fang's big ears.

"Fluffy? Why would I tell anyone about him? What's brought this on?"

Clearly, Hagrid had drunk a little too much that night and forgotten a few details.

"See, Harry? Hagrid can keep a secret. You can relax now!" Hermione said, panting.

"Hagrid, did you see what the other person looked like?" Harry pressed.

Hagrid shook his head. "He wouldn't take off his cloak. He was covered from head to toe."

The children stared at him in shock, and Hagrid laughed.

"What's so surprising? All sorts turn up at the Hog's Head in all sorts of outfits. I've seen cloaks, clown costumes, animal costumes, even huge frilly skirts."

Harry frowned and crouched beside Hagrid, shelling peas as he asked, "Hagrid, what did you two talk about that night?"

"What would we talk about? At first, we just drank. Once we were a bit tipsy, he asked what I did. I told him I was the gamekeeper at Hogwarts School. Then he asked what animals I kept. He knew a lot. Every time I named a creature, he could tell me its habits, its traits, and how to care for it. We got on better and better, and eventually I admitted I'd always wanted to raise a dragon."

"And wouldn't you know it, he had a dragon egg. Said we'd hit it off, so he made me a wager. I beat him at drinking and cards, but maybe he wanted to test whether I could raise a baby dragon properly. You know what dragons are like when they cause trouble—nobody can handle them. I swore I could do it, and to convince him, I brought up Fluffy."

"And then he got you to tell him more about Fluffy?" Luo Bin asked flatly.

"That's right. He was very interested in Fluffy. I told him Fluffy might look fierce, but he's gentle, really. He's got an ear for music, too. The moment he hears it, he falls fast asleep..."

Fear flashed in Hagrid's eyes. "I... I shouldn't have said that. Hey, where are you three going?"

"Probably to find Professor Dumbledore!"

With that, Luo Bin grabbed a small handful of raw peas and quietly fed them to Fang. He didn't need to follow the others to guess what would happen next.

The Main Character Group would run to the Headmaster's Office, only for Professor McGonagall to tell them the headmaster had left and would not return until tomorrow. Harry would say Snape and Voldemort were working together to steal the Philosopher's Stone that very night. Though Professor McGonagall would be shocked that the three knew about the Stone, she would not believe a word of Harry's accusation.

The three would decide to keep a close watch on Snape and guard the Third Floor Corridor!

But halfway through putting their plan into action, Snape would catch them. Not only would he give them a scolding, but Professor McGonagall would also threaten to deduct fifty points from each of them if she saw them in the Third Floor Corridor again.

None of that would shake the Main Character Group's resolve to protect the Philosopher's Stone. That night, the three would put on the Invisibility Cloak and go to the Third Floor Corridor, where they would face Voldemort directly for the first time.

"Dumbledore's gone to London. They won't find him. Luo Bin, you have to forget everything I just said."

"Hagrid, do you want me to forget that music is Fluffy's weakness, or that you told someone about it at the Hog's Head?"

Only then did Hagrid grasp how serious this was. "Luo Bin, look after Fang for me. I'm going after Dumbledore!"

He dropped the peas, mounted the Flying Motorcycle, and flew off!

Woof! Woof! Woof!

Fang barked until Hagrid's huge figure had shrunk to the size of a mosquito.

"Come on, Fang. Let's go inside and cook you some peas!"

Half the peas in the wooden basin had been shelled, and half hadn't. Luo Bin washed them all and tipped them into the pot. Once they were cooked, Fang ate the shelled peas, while Luo Bin sucked the others straight from their pods. It was simple, saved effort, and tasted even better.

Hagrid wouldn't be back anytime soon. After eating the peas and settling the animals on the Hunting Grounds, Luo Bin headed for the castle. As he passed through the Entrance Hall, he ran into the other three, who looked both nervous and excited.

"Luo Bin, where have you been? We haven't seen you all afternoon!" Hermione asked, coming up to him.

"Oh, I was at the Hunting Grounds the whole time. Hagrid went to find Professor Dumbledore. He should bring him back tomorrow, so you don't need to—"

Hermione clapped a hand over Luo Bin's mouth. She didn't want anyone else to hear about it. With a soft "Shh," she pulled him up to the tower!

Harry then told Luo Bin their plan: that night, they would put on the Invisibility Cloak, go to the Third Floor Corridor, and guard the Philosopher's Stone!

"Harry, first, we know Voldemort is hiding at Hogwarts. Second, he needs the Philosopher's Stone to come back to life, so he might try to steal it. But have you considered this? If Voldemort doesn't make a move tonight, what you're planning to do will look exactly like an attempt to steal the Stone."

"Harry, for the first time, I think Luo Bin has a point!" Ron said, swallowing hard.