As a regular customer, Draco strode inside.
Dumbledore was already seated in the large chair, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
Draco pushed open the door and entered without the slightest hesitation. " Old Dumbledore, we meet again."
Dumbledore gestured for Draco to sit in the chair opposite him. "Please sit, Draco."
Draco sat down as instructed, and without further ado, went straight to the point. "What do you plan to do with Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback?"
Dumbledore replied:
"I'll have an owl deliver a message to Charlie Weasley in Romania tonight. He'll arrive at Hogwarts before nightfall tomorrow and take the young dragon to the Dragon Ranch Sanctuary."
Draco sat in his chair, remained silent for a few seconds, then frowned slightly. "Isn't this too fast?"
It wasn't that he was reluctant to part with the little dragon, nor did he feel that the arrangement was inappropriate.
But he knew in his heart that the little guy had only been out of the shell for a short time, and could not even stand steadily, with his wings still drooping limply over his body.
What's more, Hagrid... that big guy who's rough around the edges but incredibly kind-hearted.
He had barely tasted a moment of joy before facing separation, which was probably harder for him than for anyone else.
Seeing this rare moment of tenderness in him, Dumbledore, and he sighed softly.
"Quickly, it's to protect it, and also to protect Hagrid, and to protect Hogwarts."
The earlier you deliver the goods, the fewer accidents and the further away from danger you are.
" Charlie has extensive experience in taming dragons, so he won't let it suffer any hardship on the journey. Once we get to Romania, it can grow up freely."
"From now on, I won't have to hide in a small room with the curtains drawn, I won't have to worry about being hunted down by the Ministry of Magic, and I won't become someone's leverage to scheme against Hagrid."
Draco, who had initially felt a tinge of reluctance to part with the dragon, completely let go of that feeling at this moment.
He nodded slightly. "Okay, you're right."
"Go," Dumbledore waved his hand, his tone softening again, "Go back and keep Hagrid company with the little dragon. It's newborn and needs some warmth."
Draco stood up, turned, and walked out of the Headmaster's Office.
The stone door slowly closed.
The room returned to quiet.
Dumbledore gazed out the window at the deep night, gently picked up a lemon candy, and put it in his mouth.
Forbidden Forest Cabin.
Before long, steady footsteps could be heard outside the door.
Hagrid suddenly looked up, extremely nervous.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked towards the doorway.
The door was gently pushed open, and Draco walked in, his expression still calm, only the urgency he had shown when leaving was gone.
He closed the door behind him, his gaze first falling on the still swaying little dragon on the table. After confirming that it was alright, he slowly looked at the others.
Hagrid, supporting himself on his knees, stood up and asked anxiously, " Draco... what did Professor Dumbledore... say?"
Draco relayed Dumbledore's words to the others:
"The professor is fully aware of everything and has made all the arrangements. He immediately sent someone to contact Ron's brother, Charlie Weasley, Charlie will quietly come to the Forbidden Forest Lodge late tomorrow night to retrieve the Norwegian Ridgeback."
Hagrid's body trembled slightly.
Draco continued:
"The professor said that Charlie works at Romania Dragon Reserve and knows best how to care for baby dragons. Sending it there will ensure it receives the best care, grows up safely, and no one will be able to use it to scheme against you again."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the little dragon, the weight that had been hanging over her heart finally lifted.
Ron nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of reassurance at the thought of his brother arriving soon.
Harry looked at Draco, then at Hagrid, knowing this was the merciful outcome at the moment.
Hagrid slowly lowered his head, his large, rough hand gently stroking the little dragon's back.
His throat tightened. "Okay... okay... leaving tomorrow night... that's fine too..."
He said yes, but his eyes still showed reluctance.
In this reluctance, there is no longer panic, no longer struggle, only a gentle acceptance of fate.
Draco, observing this, softened his tone. "The professor also said that you should just stay with it and not worry about the Ministry of Magic or outsiders; it will take care of everything."
Hagrid looked up abruptly, his eyes instantly reddening, large tears rolling down his rough cheeks and landing on his clothes.
He wiped his face vigorously and nodded emphatically. "I know... I know... the principal... he always protects me..."
Draco nodded slightly, said nothing more, and simply walked to the table, quietly watching the little dragon as before.
Hermione stepped forward gently and handed Hagrid a rough handkerchief, saying, "This is for the best, Hagrid. It will have its own space now!"
"Yes, Hagrid!" Ron patted his chest to assure him, "You know what kind of person my brother is. He cares more about dragons than himself, and he'll definitely take good care of Norbert."
Hagrid took the handkerchief, wiped his face haphazardly, and sniffed.
Looking at the little creature on the table, still curiously spewing sparks, he suddenly grinned, revealing a mixture of laughter and tears:
"Okay... I'll do as Professor Dumbledore... I'll do as you all say... Tonight, I'll cook it a good meal and spend the night with it..."
Draco said, both amused and exasperated:
"There's no need to be so downcast. If you have nothing to do during the holidays, you can always go visit the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary."
"There are countless dragons there. I'm afraid that your beard and hair will all be burned off by the fire dragons."
As soon as he said that, Hagrid's droopy eyes lit up instantly, and he was fully revitalized.
He slapped his thigh hard, making the table tremble slightly, and his loud voice immediately returned to its usual booming tone as he cheerfully shouted:
"Hey! You're right, kid! How come I didn't think of that!"
"So what if it's all burned out? It'll just grow back! I'd be happy even if I were bald from the burnt-out dragons, as long as I could watch a bunch of big and small dragons frolicking every day!"
As he spoke, he carefully picked up Norbert, cradled him in his arms, and gently shook him. His face had lost all its sadness, replaced entirely by joy and anticipation for the future.
"Just wait! As soon as the holiday starts, I'm heading straight to Romania!"
"Then I'll not only learn from Norbert, but also from Charlie how to serve dragons! Just you wait and see, I, Hagrid, will become a proper dragon caretaker sooner or later!"
Ron burst into laughter, Hermione smiled and gently shook her head.
The heavy sadness that had filled the room was completely washed away by Draco's joke.
The small wooden house became lively and warm again.
The next day, as dusk fell, twilight descended upon Hogwarts, the clouds hung low, and the wind carried the damp scent of the Forbidden Forest.
Charlie Weasley, who had promised to attend, ultimately failed to show up in person.
Since it was inconvenient for him to come, he asked his friend to come instead.