The Squad and the New Member
POV Red:
How troublesome.
Yes, I, the grand, the supreme, the incomparable Dragon of Chaos, in service of the Scarlet Witch and young master Harry—future conqueror of this pitiful world—have just called it troublesome.
And if right now some stupid mortal is wondering how something could possibly be troublesome for me… it's because they're a stupid mortal!
The answer is simple: the object before me is.
An egg.
An egg that exudes a dark, malicious power, almost insulting.
A power that rules over death.
Although, of course, it doesn't even come close to my true power.
"Hiiiihh… Brrrfff."
Destroy it? My loyal friend Destructor would suggest that without hesitation. Don't let his white and almost holy body fool you: he earned the name Destructor because all he ever does is tear apart anything that reeks of darkness. And since darkness is everything… basically, he wants to destroy the world. A perfect name! And worthy of being part of this glorious squad!
"Ruff, ruff, ruff."
Ah, Fluffy. That adorable dog of the Underworld who insists on having three different opinions at the same time. According to him, we could include it in the group.
The stupidest idea I've heard in centuries.
I like it.
Having a beast that toys with death… defeating that wretched old man would be far more entertaining this way.
"So… how shall we do it, boys?" I asked, looking at my subordinates. Both returned empty stares, as if the answer wasn't already written in fire across the very heavens. Pathetic!
"It's a being that controls death, right? Then perhaps my Flames of Chaos can awaken it," I thought, gathering red fire in my jaws.
"Mmm… what are you doing here?"
The voice thundered behind me. The giant protector of the forest had appeared.
Yes, I admit it: I lowered my guard for a moment. But only because I deemed it beneath me to turn around and look at someone so ridiculously enormous! Perhaps he was a spy sent by that old man to infiltrate us, just as we had done. Oh, how cunning that would be!
"You shouldn't be here. You're about to destroy this enormous stone head," he said with that stupid face he always makes, as if it could intimidate a dragon.
"Stupid giant! This place is now our base of operations and strategy. We shall destroy anyone who dares to harm it or drive us out!" I roared, smoke hissing from my nostrils to underline my contempt.
But as always, impious simple mortals cannot hear my great voice. Only the Scarlet Witch can. And that is terrifying enough.
"No, Fluffy! You mustn't show submission to inferiors!" I scolded as the thrice-idiotic dog rolled over to expose his belly. "Only before Master Harry, the Witch of Chaos, and, of course, myself! No one else. Remember your dignity!"
"And you, Destructor, stop begging for food! Honestly, between the two of you, you make my squad look like a joke." My anger was rising. At times I think we don't even understand each other.
Crack.
Oh. That sound.
I turned, and there they were: two tiny yellow eyes shining, piercing me with a gaze that carried the whisper of death itself.
The egg had broken.
I hadn't needed my flames. It had been born. The being that would bring an end to that stupid old man. My task was clear: guide it to its destiny.
"What's that?" asked the Giant clumsily, peering closer. The moment his eyes met those of the newborn, his body froze, paralyzed on the spot.
Mmm… he didn't die. Well, I suppose this little creature still needs to grow to unleash its full power.
And I, the great Red, Dragon of Chaos, will help it. It shall be part of our squad!
A spark of excitement ran through my chest. Yes, I admit it. Looking to the future, I could already see it: those who dare defy Master Harry would face only three fates…
Chaos. Madness. Or death.
…
POV Change
"Mum, I've got a bad feeling. Could you check if Red is causing trouble for Hagrid?" asked Harry as he stepped into Wanda's office.
Wanda sat at her desk, while on the other side Luna happily sketched on a sheet of paper. At her side rested a crystal sphere, glowing softly under the light.
Wanda looked up at Harry and raised a finger with a solemn gesture.
"P-r-o-f-e-s-s-o-r," she corrected with a faint smile of amusement.
Harry, not particularly enthused, played along.
"Professor," he said monotonously.
"Don't worry, I already made sure nobody died," Wanda answered with a calm smile.
"What?" Harry exclaimed, his eyes widening.
Wanda, paying him little mind, tilted her gaze toward Luna's drawing. With her imaginative strokes, three well-known magical creatures surrounded a cracked egg, from which a tiny head with bright yellow eyes emerged.
"You missed a bit of color here," Wanda pointed out, tapping one of the yellow eyes.
"No. They got softer when it came out of the shell. And you snapped your fingers," Luna said, with the concentration of someone noting a detail everyone else had overlooked.
Wanda's smile widened at those words, her eyes shining with interest.
"Now I really am more worried," muttered Harry, thinking of the chaotic red dragon left near Hagrid to "watch over him." This year, Red seemed to have no interest in traveling with them to Beauxbatons, which partly relieved Harry, and at the same time, unsettled him.
The dragon spent his time playing in the Forbidden Forest, as if it were his backyard, often accompanied by Fluffy, Hagrid's three-headed dog. In theory, no creature there could harm him… but Harry was convinced that wouldn't stop Red from causing some disaster. Perhaps even one big enough to give Dumbledore a proper headache and rob him of some of his peace, while the school was being renovated.
Before Harry could continue questioning his mother, Wanda interrupted softly:
"By the way, Harry, your teacher said he has a surprise for you and the others. So be ready."
"All right, I'll let the others know," Harry answered, resigning himself as he left the office.
If his mother said nobody was going to die, then everything was fine.
Right?
That's what Harry hoped, at least.
…
Alchemy Club
"Hi, Harry, I found that upgrade you told me about. It really worked, thanks!" greeted a student as soon as Harry entered the club room, proudly raising a small battle golem.
The golems had made their way to Beauxbatons, and in the alchemy club they sometimes organized battles between them to study new improvements. Surrounded by students obsessed with alchemy, even Harry and his group had gotten very good ideas to perfect their own golems.
Too bad the student council had banned competitions outside of the clubs, arguing that watching golems tear each other apart amid cheers was a "barbaric activity." Fortunately, the headmistress intervened, reminding them that those golems had been approved by none other than Nicolas Flamel himself. Thanks to that, the ban was not total.
"That's good. Let's see how it turned out later," said Harry with a smile, walking toward where his group was working.
The scene was peculiar: Draco was under a huge machine, lying on a wheeled cot like a mechanic, covered in a viscous liquid that looked like grease, though in reality it was a special oil used to trace runes on resistant minerals. Hermione, with a huge blueprint in her hands, circled the structure again and again, checking connections. Daphne arrived carrying rune-carved arms that looked like magical prosthetics, placing them on a blanket to inspect them before installation.
"You're late," Hermione scolded without looking up.
"Sorry, I went to see my mother," Harry replied as he put on a white lab-style robe, just like the others, to avoid staining his uniform.
"So, can we test it?" he asked, just as Draco crawled out from under the machine and wiped his hands with a rag.
What they were building was, basically, an assembly machine.
More precisely, a mini golem assembly machine.
The idea was that the alchemists would engrave runes into each loose piece of a golem, and then the machine, in the end, would only have to assemble them, minimizing the work.
"Everything seems in order," concluded Hermione after checking one last time.
"All right, activate it," ordered Harry.
Daphne ran to the button while Harry poured into the hopper a box full of unfinished golem parts.
"First test."
The machine began to vibrate, making a strange noise, until after a minute it stopped with a click and a signal that it was ready.
Harry opened the compartment and pulled out the result. The others crowded closer, full of anticipation.
"Well… looks like it will need more adjustments," he admitted, showing the mini golem. It had all five of its limbs made only of other golems' hands, and on top of that, a comically crooked smile.
"I want everyone's attention for a moment," said the club president seriously.
The other students left their projects: one was modifying a magical coffee maker, another was trying to connect three crystal spheres to a blue one (projecting floating images), and another—for reasons unknown—was building a magical trap.
"The headmistress announced that Mr. Flamel wants to see our progress, so there will be… an alchemy fair," he explained, raising a scroll with the notice.
"Alchemy fair?" several repeated in surprise.
Draco, Harry, and Daphne immediately turned to Hermione, who avoided their gazes. Surely she had planted the idea in Flamel's mind.
"It will be a showcase of our studies. A jury will select the best, and the winners will receive sponsorship and a scholarship. Basically, recognition as serious alchemists," added the president enthusiastically.
Faces lit up instantly. Winning meant securing a future and not being dismissed as mere students with a knack for alchemy.
After all, getting a job as an alchemist was not easy. Large companies preferred to hire people they had trained themselves, because they trusted more in their skill levels. And alchemy was expensive; not everyone could afford to continue it after school. Beauxbatons was lucky to be sponsored directly by Nicolas Flamel.
"Is it really a good idea?" asked Draco thoughtfully.
Harry understood the doubt. "It's like a Muggle science fair. Technology would be displayed, and more would be invested in research."
"Exactly what we need!" said Hermione with shining eyes. "With the union of Muggle science and magic, we could create outrageous advances."
But Draco still frowned.
"The problem," Harry explained, "is that wizards' mindset is still in the Middle Ages. If we accelerate things too much, it could bring more problems than benefits."
"Why? I think it would be great," Daphne commented.
"Muggle technology also caused wars and abuses. And not everyone investigates just for fun like we do," Harry said seriously.
Hermione was about to argue, but the president interrupted her:
"The headmistress also appointed a supervisor to oversee the creations, just in case things get out of hand. Apparently, it's someone Flamel trusts. His name is… Nick."
He looked at the paper as if waiting for a surname that never came.
"Just Nick."
At that moment, the club doors opened.
A man entered with a confident stride. Blond, handsome, dressed in an immaculate white shirt and blue trousers. A mischievous smile played on his lips.
Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Daphne widened their eyes in shock at recognizing him.
"Pleasure," said the newcomer with a faintly mocking tone, even winking.
Nick. Or rather… Nicolas Flamel.
Harry sighed, convinced that sometimes, adults could be even more childish than themselves.