The front yard outside Hagrid's hut glowed warmly beneath the evening sky.
Fire crackled steadily beneath the roasting racks while rich aromas drifted through the cool air. The scent of lamb fat, spices, and simmering stew grew stronger with every passing minute, making everyone increasingly hungry.
Hagrid suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Hold on!" he boomed. "I just remembered—I've still got some tequila inside. Good stuff too. We can have a drink if anyone gets thirsty later."
"Really?" Harry immediately replied. "Then let me help."
He jumped to his feet at once.
Standing around while Hagrid and Leo handled everything felt rude.
Draco stood up almost simultaneously.
"As a guest," he declared with practiced dignity, "it would be improper not to assist."
Though truthfully, a large part of him simply didn't want Harry appearing more helpful than he was.
Nearby, Leo barely looked up.
He was currently teaching Garcia and two other house-elves how to properly marinate the remaining cuts of lamb. His expression was unusually serious, completely absorbed in the cooking process.
"More cumin," Leo instructed calmly. "And don't rub the seasoning in too aggressively. It changes the texture."
The elves listened with absolute concentration, memorizing every detail as though studying advanced magical theory.
Meanwhile, Ron remained entirely disconnected from reality.
His eyes moved constantly between the roasting lamb and the bubbling stew pot like a starving man trapped between two wonderful dreams.
Hermione eventually gave up trying to speak to him.
Beside her, Rose sat surprisingly quietly while watching the fire. The usually energetic girl seemed oddly peaceful tonight.
Inside the hut, Harry and Draco lifted a small wooden barrel together while Hagrid searched for cups.
As Harry adjusted his grip, his eyes suddenly landed on a folded newspaper resting on Hagrid's chair.
Instantly, he froze.
Draco took several more steps before realizing Harry had stopped moving.
"What now?" Draco asked impatiently.
Harry didn't answer.
His attention remained fixed entirely on the newspaper.
The Daily Prophet.
Something about the headline made his stomach tighten.
Draco frowned while still carrying half the barrel's weight.
"What's so interesting about a newspaper?"
Harry quickly scanned the front page.
"Latest Report on Gringotts Break-In Investigation."
His heartbeat immediately sped up.
The article continued:
"The investigation into the attempted break-in at Gringotts on July 31 remains ongoing. Goblin authorities refuse to disclose what was stored within the targeted vault, though officials insist nothing was stolen."
Harry's eyes widened.
July 31.
His birthday.
The exact day Hagrid had taken him to Gringotts.
Draco noticed Harry's expression changing rapidly.
"Potter?"
The magical photograph printed within the newspaper suddenly moved.
A wizard reporter stood dramatically outside Gringotts Bank while damaged stonework and agitated goblins bustled behind him.
"It is believed," the reporter announced excitedly, "that the attempted theft may be connected to Dark Wizard activity. Gringotts representatives insist the vault in question had already been emptied earlier that same day."
The image shifted toward a goblin official.
"What was stored in the vault remains confidential," the goblin snapped coldly. "It would be wise not to investigate the matter further."
Harry's mind immediately began racing.
Vault 713.
The tiny dirty package Hagrid had collected.
If the vault had already been emptied that day...
Then whatever Hagrid retrieved was exactly what the intruders had wanted.
Harry immediately grabbed the newspaper.
"Harry?" Draco asked again, now genuinely confused.
"Oh—sorry!"
Harry suddenly remembered the barrel.
He hurried outside with Draco before immediately turning around and racing straight back into the hut to grab the newspaper properly.
Then he sprinted back outside.
"HAGRID!"
Draco stared after him blankly.
What in Merlin's name had Potter discovered now?
Curiosity immediately won.
Draco abandoned all dignity and rushed after him.
The loud shout instantly drew everyone's attention.
Even Hermione and Rose looked over sharply.
Only Ron barely reacted, his focus still tragically fixed on the lamb.
Leo, meanwhile, noticed the newspaper in Harry's hands and immediately understood what had happened.
Ah.
So we're finally here.
A strange look flickered through his eyes before disappearing.
Harry hurried toward Hagrid while clutching the Daily Prophet tightly.
"Hagrid," he asked breathlessly, "do you know anything about this Gringotts break-in?"
The moment Hagrid saw the newspaper, panic flashed across his face.
His eyes immediately darted away.
"Oh—that?" he said awkwardly. "Nothin' interestin', Harry. Just newspaper rubbish."
His answer only made Harry more suspicious.
"But this happened on the same day we went there!" Harry insisted. "And the vault they searched was emptied earlier that day—"
Hagrid visibly panicked harder.
"Now listen here—"
"Hagrid," Harry interrupted, "was it Vault 713?"
Silence.
Hagrid's expression immediately became unnatural.
Hermione and Rose exchanged curious glances while Draco folded his arms thoughtfully nearby.
Under everyone's gaze, Hagrid became increasingly flustered.
"Well—that's school business!" he blurted suddenly. "Not fer first-years ter worry about!"
Then, in his panic, he accidentally muttered:
"Nicolas Flamel..."
The instant the name escaped his mouth, Hagrid froze.
His massive hands clamped over his beard in horror.
Too late.
Harry immediately caught it.
"Nicolas Flamel?" he repeated.
Draco's eyes lit up at once.
"Oh, now that's interesting."
He crossed his arms smugly, clearly delighted that something important was happening.
Harry immediately turned toward him.
"You know who that is?"
Draco lifted his chin proudly.
"I've heard the name before."
That wasn't entirely true.
He had mostly overheard his father mention the name once or twice during conversations involving ancient alchemy and influential wizards.
Still, this was an excellent opportunity to sound impressive.
Hermione leaned forward immediately.
"Nicolas Flamel?" she repeated thoughtfully. "Why does that sound familiar?"
Rose looked equally curious now.
Hagrid, meanwhile, stared at Draco with growing horror, apparently terrified that the boy might actually know something important.
The atmosphere around the fire suddenly became tense and mysterious.
Even Ron finally looked up from the food.
....
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