Back in his room, Richie didn't crack open Legilimency and Countermeasures right away. He stepped into the expanded suitcase study and straightened the books on the shelves instead.
Funny how fast things changed. A few weeks ago the shelves had looked embarrassingly empty. Now nearly twenty volumes filled them—mostly first- and second-year Hogwarts textbooks, but every one packed with real insight. The rest were dense magical theory books, the kind that made his brain hum.
Those were the ones Richie loved most. Only in those pages did he feel the pure rush of thinking.
Reading wasn't just about memorizing spells or dates for him. Every book became scaffolding. He connected new ideas to old ones, spotted the gaps, then hunted down the "rebar and concrete" he needed to fill them. Werewolf transformations and curses? He linked them to everything he already knew about curses. Mind magic and spell intent? Same process. Piece by piece he was building an entire magical framework inside his head—one he would eventually own, then use to reshape the world outside it.
Just thinking about it made his pulse quicken with excitement.
Humming under his breath, Richie flipped open a notebook and got to work.
The day slipped by fast.
Knowing they had an early start, he turned in early and was out cold the second his head hit the pillow.
---
6:00 a.m.
Knock knock.
Knock knock.
Richie's eyes snapped open. He looked toward the window. Nothing visible outside.
He knew exactly what it was: Hagrid hovering on the invisible motorbike. The engine was loud; keeping it Disillusioned was the only way not to wake the whole neighborhood.
Richie hopped out of bed, pulled on his robes, grabbed his wand, and opened the window.
A silent blast of wind rushed in. He squinted against it.
Then a strong hand caught him by the collar and lifted him straight out.
The second his feet left the floor, the Disillusionment Charm dropped. A massive shape appeared right in front of him.
"Oi, Richie! You ready?"
Hagrid swung him into the sidecar like a piece of luggage.
"We're off!"
Richie twisted around and cast a quick Locking Charm on his bedroom window. Hagrid twisted the throttle. The bike roared and shot forward with a gut-punch acceleration, rocketing into the pale dawn sky.
---
By the time the sun was fully up, the Muggle towns below had vanished. Endless green valleys and plains stretched out beneath them.
July was when the world felt most alive. The hills were lush and bright, animals moved across the fields, and birds wheeled through the sky keeping them company.
Richie was still drinking in the view when a wizard on a broom appeared ahead of them. At his signal Hagrid eased off the throttle and they dropped toward a small wooden cabin below.
From the outside the cabin looked tiny. Inside, Undetectable Extension Charms had turned it into a huge, multi-section facility.
"Please pull over and present valid identification and visitor passes," a staffer called.
Hagrid and Richie climbed out of the bike.
A wizard with a wild mop of bright red hair walked over.
"Ben, I'll take them from here. You're good."
The staffer nodded and left.
"Hey, Charlie!" Hagrid boomed, wrapping the younger man in a bear hug.
"Blimey, Hagrid, you're early!" Charlie laughed, clapping the half-giant on the back. His eyes slid to Richie.
Richie gave a polite nod. "Hi, I'm Richie Harland."
"Charlie Weasley," the redhead said, offering a strong, calloused hand. "Nice to meet you. Come on, I'll get you checked in."
After the paperwork was done, Charlie led them deeper into the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary.
"The sanctuary is laid out in six valley zones and four plains," he explained. "Every dragon has its own personality. Some love sunbathing, some want open space, some prefer swimming. It's not strictly breed-related—they're all just… individuals. So when we're inside, stay with me, keep back from the barriers, and whatever you do, do not make eye contact with any dragon for more than three seconds unless I say it's okay."
He grinned. "Last month an intern stared at a Hungarian Horntail for five seconds. Poor bloke's still at St. Mungo's getting new skin."
The huge wooden building was open at the back, connecting directly to the valleys and plains. Magical barriers separated each dragon's territory. The small indoor area served as their feeding hall.
They kept walking until they reached the juvenile section—Paddock 109.
"Norbert!" Hagrid cried the second he spotted the familiar shape.
On a sun-warmed rock across the valley lay a dragon the size of a full-grown elephant. Its bronze scales glittered in the morning light. Two months had changed it completely, but Hagrid recognized his baby instantly.
"Norbert! Mum's here to see you!"
Tears were already streaming down the half-giant's face.
---
They changed into protective gear and heavy gloves, then followed Charlie into Paddock 109.
"Actually," Charlie said with a grin, "Norbert isn't a boy. She's a girl."
Hagrid's eyes went wide.
"Norwegian Ridgebacks are impossible to sex when they're very young—first two or three months, no one can tell. But two weeks ago we noticed the new scales coming in. Smoother, no sharp edges. Classic female traits. So we renamed her Norberta."
Hagrid stared at the sunbathing dragon, tears still rolling down his cheeks, but now he was beaming with pure joy. "Norberta… my little girl."