Chapter 51 Draco: Today is really worth it
After wrapping Abey in the Invisibility Cloak, Harry and the others left the Great Hall.
They cautiously looked around, and after confirming no one was paying attention to them, they hurried towards Hagrid's Hut.
However, as soon as they reached outside the Castle, they were coincidentally spotted by Draco and his two cronies who were out for a stroll.
"Where are you going?" Draco blocked the way and asked with interest, "The common room isn't this way."
"None of your business." Ron pushed Draco aside after saying that, leading a slightly guilty Harry and Hermionequickly through the corridor.
"How rude," Crabbe said indignantly.
Draco's face also showed a hint of displeasure. Normally, he would have sharply retorted to Weasley, but he had matured a lot recently.
Weasley could lack refinement, but Malfoy could not.
"What are they doing outside the Castle so late at night?" Goyle asked, puzzled, "It's almost curfew!"
"What else could they be doing?" Draco sneered, "The only person outside the Castle they have any connection with is that Giant groundskeeper, and that's the only place they could possibly be going."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Draco's expression turned a little strange, "Very suspicious! What are they doing at that place so late at night?"
"Maybe they're just catching up!" Crabbe didn't think too much into it, as Harry and his friends did have a good relationship with Hagrid.
"No!" Draco began to pace slowly, "If it were just to catch up, there's no need to do it at this time. There isn't much time left until curfew, and if they can't get back to the dorm in time, they'll lose points.
Besides, they seemed a bit sneaky just now, as if they had done something unspeakable.
Most importantly, I didn't see Abey. Aaron must have entrusted his cat to Hermione Granger.
Something's wrong, definitely something's wrong."
Crabbe asked hesitantly, "Then... should we follow them and see?"
"Don't be ridiculous, it's almost curfew now," Goyle said weakly, "Going back to sleep is the proper thing to do. What if we don't make it back in time?"
"Then we'll make it back before curfew," Draco said with a knowing look, "If we're fast, it shouldn't be a problem."
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged glances and nodded helplessly.
Knowing their destination, the trio of Draco wasn't in such a hurry and walked leisurely towards Hagrid's Hut.
Meanwhile, Harry and the others ran breathlessly to Hagrid's Hut.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The three of them continuously knocked on the wooden door.
A few seconds later, Hagrid opened the door. Seeing the three of them, his expression was a bit helpless, "Hi! I'm sorry, don't mind my rudeness, I'm busy today and can't play with you."
Just as Hagrid was about to close the door, Harry took Abey, who had been wrapped in the Invisibility Cloak, out. "You might want this."
Hagrid's eyes lit up. Looking at the sleeping white cat, his gaze was full of interest. "You really did it?"
"I think you should invite us in," Ron said playfully.
"Of course, come in quickly."
The three entered the Hut and found the temperature to be extremely high, stiflingly hot.
"It's already spring, why is your fire still burning so fiercely?" Hermione asked, a little puzzled.
"That's not important." Hagrid enthusiastically poured tea for the three, and a large hand instinctively reached for the sleeping Abey.
"Wait!" Harry stopped Hagrid, "We've brought the cat, shouldn't you tell us who else was involved in designing the enchantments protecting the Philosopher's Stone?"
"I can tell you, and I keep my word.
But you absolutely must not tell anyone, and certainly not that I told you." Hagrid said, reluctantly counting on his fingers, "Dumbledore, he borrowed Fluffy from me and also cast some magic.
Besides him, there's also Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick... Oh, and Professor Quirrell.
That's all. Now, shouldn't you let me see Abey?"
Hermione hesitantly placed the cat she was holding on the table. "Let's be clear, you can only look, and you can touch, but you absolutely cannot harm it."
"Don't worry, I would never harm animals," Hagrid said earnestly, "I just want to study what kind of creature Abeyis."
Unbeknownst to Hagrid, as he said this, Draco and his two cronies had just arrived at the wooden Hut.
Hearing this, the three exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a hint of shock.
"It wasn't a wasted trip today!" Draco said with a sneer, "I thought Granger was Aaron's good friend!
Who would have thought! It just goes to show you can know a person's face but not their heart."
"This is a shameful betrayal," Crabbe said angrily, his round face somewhat distorted.
"Normal!
Spending a long time with Weasley and the savior Harry Potter, it seems only natural to go astray." Draco waved his hand, lowering his voice, "The priority now is to inform Aaron to come over. It would be best to catch them red-handed, otherwise, they will absolutely not admit it.
I'll stand guard here and rush in to protect Abey if necessary. The two of you hurry back and call him."
"But it's almost curfew," Goyle hesitated, "There's definitely not enough time for a round trip."
"Stupid!" Draco said, exasperated, "The only person patrolling the vast Hogwarts at night is Filch. As long as you don't get caught by him, nothing is an issue.
Besides, I am a Malfoy. Even if I get caught, he won't do anything to me. At most, I'll just lose some points.
Hurry up, it might be too late if you delay."
Draco's attitude was exceptionally firm, and Crabbe and Goyle naturally dared not raise any objections.
They themselves were also very disgusted by the actions of Harry and his friends. After quietly moving away from Hagrid's Hut, they burst into a speed they normally couldn't achieve, sprinting towards the dorm.
Draco was somewhat surprised by this and his mouth twitched. He even wondered if these two cronies had been faking it all along, as this was certainly not the speed a fat person could display!
Just then, an unusual sound came from the Hut, drawing Draco's attention.
Clink! Clink! Clink... A sound of pot lids clattering suddenly rang out, and Hagrid immediately stood up from his seat.
The three also looked in unison behind Hagrid, where a pot was constantly shaking on the blazing fire.
Hagrid, wearing a thick pair of gloves, fished out a somewhat charred egg from the pot.
The egg was quite large, and its surface was very hot. Even with gloves on, Hagrid found it extremely hot and quickly placed it on the table.
No one noticed that Abey, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly twitched his nose at that moment, as if he had smelled something delicious, and slowly opened his sleepy eyes.
"Hagrid, what is this?" Harry asked curiously.
"It's a, it's a..."
"I know what it is," Ron said, and then his expression turned strange, "But Hagrid, how did you get it?"
"I won it, from a stranger," Hagrid's eyes shifted slightly, "Somehow, he seemed eager to lose to me."
As soon as he finished speaking, a black crack appeared on the surface of the eggshell. The entire egg shook constantly, and white steam erupted from the crack.
The four, no, counting Draco outside the window, all five of them held their breath, nervously watching this scene.
A few seconds later, the eggshell shattered, and the upper fragments shot outwards. Fortunately, the four people surrounding the egg were not hit by these hot pieces of eggshell.
A dark claw emerged from the lower half of the eggshell, connected to a spiky wing.
The wing flapped a few times, clearing away most of the eggshell pieces on the table, and a dark young dragon appeared before everyone's eyes.
This dragon was not particularly beautiful. Its head was only the size of a fist, and because it had just hatched from the egg, it was still wet.
It let out a soft cry, looking around bewilderedly, with a long trail of mucus hanging from its mouth, yet it displayed powerful vitality, moving its limbs on the table.
"Is that a, a dragon?" Hermione looked at Hagrid in astonishment.
She knew that there were dragons in the Magical World and had read about them in books, but a living dragon appearing right before her, besides feeling lucky and surprised, she was mostly at a loss.
"It's not just a dragon, it's a Norwegian Ridgeback," Ron said with certainty, "My brother studies dragons in Romania."
"Isn't it beautiful!" Hagrid smiled gently, then reached out a finger to stroke the Norwegian Ridgeback's head, "Look at this little fellow, it thinks I'm its mum.
Right, Norbert."
No sooner had Hagrid named the dragon than his Norbertsneezed, and a puff of dragon fire shot from its nose, burning a large patch of Hagrid's thick beard.