Chapter 55: Dragons Don't Belong in Hogwarts
"Fang?" Evan recognized the dog instantly, rushing forward to meet him.
Fang bolted into Evan's arms, whining in terror with traces of blood on his legs.
"He's hurt!" Harry noticed too, dashing over, with Ron close on his heels.
"It looks like a curse injury, but thankfully it's only a graze," Hermione said, more composed than the boys, but her calm led her to a terrifying thought.
"What if something has happened to Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest!" Hermione was getting anxious now.
Whimpering, Fang seemed to understand Hermione's words and started tugging at Evan's trousers, pulling him in a direction.
This confirmed Hermione's suspicion. Harry and Ron were ready to charge into the forest to save Hagrid, but Evan stopped them.
"It's too late for that. Running there would take too long, and if Hagrid and Fang together couldn't handle the enemy, you won't be any help. The best thing to do is to get back to the castle and inform the professors..."
Of everyone present, only Evan knew that Hagrid had been investigating the unicorn attacks and could have encountered Quirrell, possessed by Voldemort.
Evan hadn't anticipated that stopping Malfoy from eavesdropping on the dragon egg would lead to this.
"But Hagrid is in danger now; we have to save him!" Harry understood that going back for help was the best option, but as Evan said, by the time they returned, it might be too late for Hagrid.
"That's why I said you should go back..." Evan sighed, then climbed onto Norbert's back, much to the surprise of the others, and settled in, gripping the dragon's horns.
"Evan, are you going to..." Hermione's eyes widened in realization.
"Right, flying there is faster than running. I might make it in time with Norbert," Evan nodded, feeling responsible for the situation.
He then looked down at Fang.
"Fang, come on up! We'll need you to show us the way."
The dog, typically timid, shied away from Norbert's massive and menacing form. Yet, after Evan's persistent coaxing, Fang mustered the courage to jump aboard.
"Good boy!" Evan hadn't expected the timid dog to overcome his fear. He had thought Hermione or Harry might have to carry Fang to him.
"Ron can go back alone to inform the professors; Harry and I can go with you," Hermione suggested, worried about Evan going alone.
Harry nodded in agreement, while Ron looked confused, unsure why he was the one left out.
Evan glanced at Harry, tempted by the offer. After all, Harry was a trump card against a Voldemort-possessed Quirrell.
"No, Norbert can't carry the weight of three people."
After a second's hesitation, Evan dismissed the idea. Norbert was only a month old and barely able to carry him and Fang.
"Norbert, take flight!" With a pat on Norbert's head, the young Norwegian Ridgeback flapped its wings, stirring the air, and launched into the sky.
Evan used the dragon's horns as a makeshift steering wheel, letting Fang direct them. The dog, though terrified of the sudden ascent, barked toward the direction from which they'd come.
Evan knew the way, guiding Norbert in the direction of Fang's barking.
Despite his caution not to expose the dragon, Evan occasionally rode Norbert at low altitudes under the cover of night.
The thrill of dragon-riding was too much for Evan to resist, which was why he felt confident he could save Hagrid.
After Evan took off on Norbert, Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurried back to the school.
"Excuse us, coming through!"
Harry led the way, with Ron and Hermione in tow, barging through the corridors. They had intended to go straight to the headmaster's office but realized they didn't know the password. Hermione remembered that Professor McGonagall was likely teaching a third-year class at the moment.
They burst into the classroom without hesitation...
As the door broke open, all eyes turned toward them, but the most daunting sight was McGonagall's fiery gaze.
"Mr. Potter, unless you have a good explanation..." McGonagall began sternly, ready to reprimand them, but she was quickly whisked away by Harry and Ron.
"Professor McGonagall... there's been a serious incident! We need to go, we'll explain on the way..." Hermione managed to say before she, Harry, and Ron pulled McGonagall out of the classroom.
The third-year students sat stunned as their instructor was dragged away by first-years, indicating some urgent matter that likely meant McGonagall wouldn't be returning soon.
"Does this mean we don't have class this afternoon?" George asked, realizing the implication amidst the silence.
The third-year students cheered at the prospect.
"Yay! No class!"
...
Meanwhile, in the hallway, Hermione explained the situation to McGonagall as they ran.
"You're saying Hagrid is in danger in the Forbidden Forest, and his life is at risk? And that Halse rode off on a Norwegian Ridgeback named Norbert to rescue him?" McGonagall's first thought was that Hermione had concocted a story to deceive her.
"I must insist you stop this nonsense. There are no dragons at Hogwarts!" McGonagall stopped in her tracks, impervious to the students' tugging.
Harry was at a loss on how to explain the long story to McGonagall.
Just as Harry was about to give a brief explanation, a dragon's roar echoed from the direction of the Forbidden Forest. They watched from the window as a fire dragon ascended from the woods, then dove down, breathing flames, in a spectacular display.
"I think we won't need to explain after all," Ron shrugged.
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