Chapter 44: Negotiation.
"How much do yeh know?" Hagrid said looking at the trio with a bit of disappointment in his face.
"Well, let's see... there is a dog guarding the philosopher stone on the third floor, which was restricted by Dumbledore and our Saviour here seemingly suspects Professor Snape." Draco said, "But seriously who puts such a valuable item in a school full of children? The man wanted to steal it from Gringotts, what makes them think that putting it in Hogwarts, a school full of children is a good idea."
"Good question. Now it all makes sense, the sudden robbery, and everything." Theodore said nodding, "Maybe it's because of Dumbledore? He is, after all the strongest wizard in the world and besides with Nicholas Flamel being his Alchemy partner he obviously handed it to him for protection. So I am guessing over-confidence."
"Wit' Dumbledore here, no one can steal the stone," Hagrid said with confidence. "An' besides yeh, kids should stop underestimatin' Dumbledore."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron quietened up, they now finally knew how much of the conversation both of them heard.
"Wait! how did you know about Gringott's since we have never mentioned it, today?" Harry asked looking suspiciously towards Draco
'Shit!' Draco thought to himself, he kinda went overboard with the whole blackmailing thing.
"Well-- do you really think this is the only conversation I heard," Draco said trying to look confident, "The walls are very thin around Hogwarts."
"You..." Harry looked at Draco in anger.
Draco sighed in relief, that Potter bought his excuse as he rolled his eyes, "So Hagrid about the deal, as long as you give me the Dragon. I will not talk about the philosopher stone again and not leak the news outside."
"What do yeh mean?" Hagrid asked with a tense voice.
"It's simple, isn't it?" Draco replied, "As I said leaking the news outside will be very easy for me, one letter to the daily prophet and boom! the news will be on the front page tomorrow."
"Draco.." Hermione wanted to stop Draco but he didn't even look back at her.
"Hermione, I am talking business so could you please not try to side with the other party too much." Draco said with an annoyed tone, "As I was saying Hagrid, I will not leak the news outside and plus I will give you the money for the egg, so how about you save yourself some trouble and give it to me."
Draco was kinda annoyed by Hermione today since she had tried to stop him a couple of times already. Hermione didn't say anything and just stayed silent, after that. She knew somewhat of Draco's character and she knew he hated being controlled the most, she could now only hope that Draco doesn't bully Hagrid too much since the odds are in his favor.
Hagrid was contemplating on what to do when Theodore added, "We can make a deal, right Hagrid? You don't want Dumbledore finding out that his trusted ground-keeper was the one who leaked the secrets."
"You are blaming him for it now?" Harry said angrily, "You are the one who's threatening Hagrid."
"Are we really?" Theodore said innocently, "Too bad for you, we just overheard the conversation of the great Harry Potter and his freckled red-headed friend, who were discussing the topic of the philosopher stone and where it is hidden, and you know the best part of it all, one of the men who Dumbledore trusted was the one who leaked the secret."
Hagrid's face paled listening to Theodore, he was now really regretting telling Harry about it and was cursing his big mouth. Harry and Ron didn't know how to comfort Hagrid since it was their fault that Hagrid even told them in the first place.
"I--"
"I will give you permission to visit the dragon, time to time as well." Draco added giving the final offer to Hagrid, "This is all I can give you Hagrid, money for the Dragon, permission to visit him and not leaking the news, how about it? It's either this or you losing both the Dragon and Dumbledore's trust."
"Hagrid, accept it." Hermione said, "Sigh! It's for the best and I will personally assure you that Draco will give you the money and make sure he will let you visit the Dragon when it grows up."
Harry and Ron stayed silent and didn't say anything since they knew they had no chance of winning this fight. They themselves can't defeat Draco and Hagrid didn't even have a wand, so fighting wasn't even an option.
"Draco, how much do Dragon eggs cost?" Hermione asked
"Umm, how much did you buy it for?" Draco asked looking at Hagrid.
"I-- sigh! I won it in a bet." Hagrid said giving up.
"Bet?" Theodore and Draco looked at each other in doubt.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, "Is it not normal?"
"Hagrid, what kind of bet, was it?"
"It was a game of cards, I as'ume the oth'r party was a Dragon dealer." Hagrid said.
"Dragon dealer?" Theodore was still doubtful about the situation but Draco understood it completely, "Are you sure, you didn't give him-- you know what, How about I give you twenty thousand galleons for the Dragon?" (1 galleon = 6.14 US dollars, so I am offering 122,800 dollars which I guess is a fair price for a Dragon egg.)
Hermione and Theodore noticed that Draco wanted to say something but didn't, both of them didn't say anything but were waiting to get outside to ask Draco what was going on.
Harry noticed something too but didn't put much thought to it.
"Twenty thousand galleon?" Ron repeated gulping, Harry was also in a bit of a shock as it was more than 1/3rd of his wealth that his parents left him.
"Sounds fair!" Theodore said, "A dragon egg would usually cost around the same in the Black market, which is expensive considering they sell it illegally but this isn't legal either so the price is right."
Hermione also nodded, she didn't know how much a dragon egg cost, but twenty thousand Galleons was a lot of money.
"I don't need the money," Hagrid said shocking everyone.
"Hagrid, you should take it." Hermione said, "You can build a better house for yourself with that money."
"Yes, Hagrid. Since we have no other choice, we should at least take full advantage of the situation." Harry added.
Hagrid shook his head, "I wan' some'hing else."
"What do you want?"
"I wan' yeh to make me some potions for me creatures." Hagrid said.
"Creatures?" Draco asked, "Can't you just buy it with the money, yourself?"
"No, I hear' that yeh wer' grea' at Potions." Hagrid replied, "So I wan' yeh to make me a couple."
"Sure...!" Draco said, he knew Hagrid loved animals, so his request wasn't that unexpected. "What do you want?"
"A coupl' of healin' potions, maybe a bit of potion for diges'ion and yeh know normal magical creatur' disease." Hagrid said vaguely.
Draco nodded and took out a small pouch, he stuck his hands inside it making everyone surprised,
"Enchanted Pouch." Hermione said looking at Draco sticking his whole hand inside the small pouch.
Ron, on the other hand, was explaining Harry what it was.
Draco pulled out a huge chest half-way through. "Little help!" He said
Hagrid walked over and helped him pull the remaining chest out.
Everyone was looking at it wondering what was inside, while Draco put his hands back in the pouch and pulled out a small key, He went over and unlocked the chest. Everyone was shocked by the content of the box, which was filled with potions.
"I don't know much about the diseases of magical creatures but these potions are something that I have experimented over in the past, so it's okay to use it in beasts." Draco said, "The red ones for healing external injuries, the blue one is for digestion problems, the dark-blue one is for most internal diseases and the purple one, intoxicates them in case you know, they ever need to put out of their misery."
Hagrid took a look at them and nodded. "This woul' do."
"The potions worth around the same money, I offered so I hope there will not be any further problems." Draco said.
Ron and Harry gulped again hearing Draco, 'Potions are really expensive.' They thought
Hagrid sighed and nodded.
Draco went over to the big guy and extended his hand, "Hagrid, even though I didn't want our first official meeting to be, me blackmailing you but we can put the past behind us and start fresh, can't we?"
Hagrid looked at him for a second and caught Draco's small hand with his big hand and shook it. "As Hermione said, it's probably fer the bes' but I hope yeh lis'en to me one smal' reques'"
"What is it?"
"I wan'a see it hatch." Hagrid said.
Draco thought for a while and nodded, "Sure, let me know when it hatches, I have never seen one hatch before as well."
Hagrid smiled once again and said, "Sure, I'll let ya know."
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