Brian had always believed that if a passage selected for a reading comprehension exercise had only one standard answer, then, in a sense, that passage had been put in chains-today, he would add a qualification to that outlook on life: in most cases, human literature.
What exactly was Norberta trying to say? Brian did not know and had no idea. His Dragon Language probably still needed practice-he followed Norberta's gaze and saw an outstretched hand belonging to Targaryen make an OK sign. Then bald-headed Hagrid emerged from between the leaves.
It sounded as though Targaryen had reached her judgment-as for why it "sounded" that way, that was naturally because Brian had clearly heard her tell Charlie, "Untie him. Release Hagrid!"
"Norberta..." Hagrid said tenderly, holding the Teething Stick Hagrid he had prepared.
"..." Norberta continued to stare at Hagrid and gave a low growl without any particular meaning.
It was a modal particle in Dragon Language, similar to "ah," "oh," or "hmm" in human speech.
There was no sense of wands drawn and teeth bared at all. Norberta still remembered Hagrid-this was wonderful news worth drinking three large glasses of wine through one's nose over. Brian breathed a sigh of relief, but the other dragon present had already gone on alert.
"Is this the mutant two-legged beast whose prey I stole? There are actually two of them. One's a fake-I get it! This one must have a stick that shoots beams of light!"
Katherine's dragon eyes widened a little. She ground her teeth twice, and a whiff of gunpowder rose from her mouth.
"Have you come to collect a debt? Then let me tell you, there's no chance of anything I've swallowed coming back out-do you know how strong I am?"
She thrust a claw forward threateningly and pressed down