After collecting the sand, the trio returned to the Common Room once more.
Then they found a corner and began experimenting.
They found two large jars, filled one with water and the other with sand, then put one little dragon in each.
There was no reaction at first, but after their experience with the Golden Egg, Harry and the others had all grown more patient.
The wait was nowhere near as long as it had been with the Golden Egg. Just over a minute later, the little dragon in the water stirred, then began swimming around the jar, shaking its head and swishing its tail.
The gold on its body quickly faded as well, leaving it sea blue.
It had actually come alive!
Almost simultaneously, the sand in the other jar began churning. It looked as though the little dragon inside had also come alive and was crawling around.
The two boys each took their little dragon out of its jar and placed it in their palms. Harry's had also lost its gold color and turned a sandy yellow.
The little dragons seemed rather unhappy about being taken out of their comfortable surroundings, baring their teeth and waving their claws as they shook their heads and swished their tails.
"The little dragons are alive. Now what?" Half an hour later, Ron held his little dragon up to his eyes and spoke with some puzzlement.
The reason half an hour had passed was that Harry and Ron had found the newly animated dragons such a novelty that they had played with them for quite a while, completely forgetting for the moment that these two little dragons were actually clues for the Second Task.
Only now that the novelty had worn off did they remember the clues again.
"Hey, these scales don't