Hagrid stared in disbelief at Norbert, who was snuggling in Audrey's arms.
"She's a girl?" he asked.
"Yes," Audrey replied with a smile. "Maybe we should call her Norberta instead."
"Oh, my goodness, I've been so foolish!" Hagrid patted his own head so hard he nearly stunned himself, his brain buzzing.
"Hagrid, you just don't have experience," Audrey said, setting Norberta down. The little dragon immediately squealed, rushing back for cuddles. "By the way… what did you need my help with?"
Hagrid shook his head, trying to think clearly again. He cast one last reluctant glance at Norberta before speaking:
"The thing is… Draco Malfoy found out I'm raising this little one. That bad boy! He'll definitely tattle. Ron wanted his brother Charlie to adopt Norbert—Norberta, I mean. Oh, his brother works at the dragon sanctuary… Besides, she's growing so fast, soon I won't have room for her!"
Hagrid rambled on, still reeling from his earlier slap to the head.
"In a week, Charlie will take Norberta up to the tallest tower at Hogwarts. I'm worried Harry and the others won't be able to calm her. And if Filch catches her, that'll be terrible!"
Audrey, holding back the cuddly dragon, looked intrigued. "You mean… you want me to escort Norberta with Harry and the others?"
"Yes, yes! Can you help, good girl?"
Audrey suddenly laughed. Norberta didn't know why she was laughing, so she chirped happily, shooting out a few sparks.
"Hagrid," Audrey said, "first, Malfoy won't be a problem—I'll handle him. Second, I can arrange a place for Norberta right here at Hogwarts, so you can see her whenever you want."
"Really? Really?"
Hagrid had only expected a small favor, but now he was overjoyed beyond belief.
"Of course," Audrey said, reaching out. A shimmer of distorted space appeared at her hand. With a shhh, a suitcase materialized in her palm. "This will be Norberta's new home!"
"Oh, Audrey, your magic is amazing!"
"It's nothing, Hagrid," Audrey said with a gentle smile. "Just a combination of Summoning and Apparition."
She opened the suitcase and, holding Norberta, jumped in first. "Hagrid," she peeked back, "follow me!"
Hagrid hesitated. "Audrey, you know… I'm not exactly slender. This suitcase looks small… maybe I—"
"Belt, summon!" Audrey waved her hand. In an instant, Hagrid was yanked into the suitcase by his own belt, shouting and flailing.
In a way, Hagrid and Norberta belonged in the same space—they both shouted loudly.
Inside, the suitcase was enormous—six or seven football fields in size. A massive airplane and four tanks were stored there.
Audrey casually waved her hand, and the tanks and plane settled neatly in a corner.
"Audrey, what are these?" Hagrid asked.
"Oh, just Muggle vehicles," she said.
"These metal beasts must be heavy! And yet you moved them so easily… Merlin's beard! Your magic is incredible—you're one of the strongest I've ever seen," Hagrid marveled. "Dumbledore said young witches and wizards who start at sixteen achieve amazing things. I think he was right!"
Audrey let him mutter to himself, crouching to set Norberta down.
"Norwegian Ridgebacks usually live on coastal cliffs…" Audrey mused, propping her chin in thought. "So we need a seaside environment for her."
She cast a weather charm, and a humid sea breeze swept through one corner of the space. Dark clouds formed above, ready to rain at any moment.
"Norberta, make do for now. I'll get you some seawater and rocks later," Audrey said, turning back.
Norberta dashed happily to the T-80 tank, chirping excitedly.
"Oh, Norberta, my little darling," Hagrid grinned. "You like this big thing, don't you?"
Norberta tried to climb the tank but was too small and weak. She bumped into the tracks with a clang. Hagrid laughed heartily, lifting her onto the tank. Normally, Norberta would hiss and spit sparks when picked up—but this time she remained calm, making Hagrid even happier.
"Such a good girl!"
Audrey rubbed her forehead, waving her hand to make the tank carry Norberta under the dark clouds. Hagrid, grinning foolishly, chased the flying tank, his massive frame bouncing with joy.
He truly adored Norberta!
Watching her cling to the tank without moving, Audrey shook her head in exasperation. A dragon with "beta" in her name… did she have to love tanks? Not even Vegeta drives tanks!
"Cousin, what do you want with me?"
In the corner of the Slytherin common room, Audrey sat on a sofa, having just declined her seventh invitation to play wizard chess. Draco Malfoy, panting, ran over.
"I heard you're going to report Hagrid for secretly raising dragons?"
"Ah, that…" Draco said smugly. "I like dragons, so I won't report him. But I want to make Harry and the others uncomfortable. They won't be able to handle the pressure, and then I can catch them in a mistake."
Clever little cousin.
"Don't worry about that."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Because that dragon is my pet now."
Draco: !!!
"Cousin," Draco's eyes sparkled, excitement barely contained. "Can I see the little fire dragon?"
"Quiet!" Audrey frowned. "If anyone finds out my real identity, I swear I'll kill you."
Draco shrank back. He believed her completely!
Hydrus Lestrange's record was legendary—she'd dared kill people openly in Knockturn Alley! How could he have thought she was easy to talk to?
But the fear lasted only seconds. "The little fire dragon?"
"Follow me."
Pansy Parkinson, watching Draco follow Audrey into the girls' dormitory, angrily tore her half-written essay in two.
This little vixen! She was four years older than Draco—how could she!
Pansy got up and decisively followed them.
"Pansy, what's wrong?" Daphne Greengrass asked, puzzled.
"Nothing!" Pansy stormed off. "Daphne, help me gather my things!"
Daphne's expression darkened. Their Greengrass family had fallen on hard times.
It was Draco's first time in the girls' dormitory. Curious, he looked around. "It's not much different from the boys' dorms!"
Girls couldn't enter without invitation, but girls could freely enter boys' dorms.
After passing through three or four magical barriers, Draco finally saw Audrey's room. Gold, artifacts, antiques—her bed was almost buried in treasures. One word: it looked like a Gringotts vault.
Dad had said Audrey was the richest witch—and it certainly seemed so!
"Cousin," Draco said, now able to call her freely, "aren't you going to show me the little fire dragon?"
Audrey opened the suitcase and jumped in.
"Come in—let me show you a big treasure."