Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Over the following week, Suer rarely saw Hermione and the others in the library. They had plainly devoted every spare moment to Hagrid’s hut.

Suer himself seldom visited after the dragon hatched, mainly because he had become rather busy.

The reason was simple: Professor McGonagall discovered that Suer had “consulted” someone else’s homework.

He had to promise that he would complete his own work in future. To avoid further punishment, he also had to submit a new version of the assignment.

He completed it in Professor McGonagall’s office.

McGonagall was not so brutal as to deny Suer food, however, so meals became his opportunity to receive the latest news about the dragon.

Perhaps the altered hatching method and nutritious diet were responsible, but Norbert grew with astonishing speed and frequently lifted its head to roar.

“If Hagrid didn’t live so far from the castle, somebody would have discovered it already,” Hermione said. “But there is no need to worry now. It’ll soon be going somewhere new.”

“We asked Ron to write to Charlie,” Harry added. “His brother works with dragons in Romania. He may be able to help us send Norbert away.”

Another week passed, and Suer became busier still. Even mild-tempered Professor Flitwick found something peculiar in an essay Suer submitted.

Suer strongly suspected Professor McGonagall had told him.

On Thursday, Suer noticed a cloth wrapped around Ron’s hand as he passed the Gryffindor table.

“What happened to your hand?”

“Norbert bit me.” Ron looked down and spoke casually while spreading raspberry jam over bread with his other hand. “It’s fine.”

“Neville grows dittany in the dormitory. I crushed a few leaves and put them on the wound. It worked well–the bleeding has almost stopped.”

“A friendly warning, Ron: go to Madam Pomfrey immediately.” Ron’s unconcerned manner forced Suer to speak severely. “Unless you want to lose your hand or your life.”

“Is it truly that serious? I feel fine.” Ron stuffed the jam-covered bread into his mouth and, still chewing, removed the cloth. “Look.”

The wound was green. Tattered leaves, already darkening, covered it, while a neat row of teeth marks had swollen around the edges.

“Perhaps you should look as well,” Suer suggested.

“Hm?” Ron lowered his head and immediately saw the problem. “Whass happened?”

A little later, Harry and Hermione arrived. They found Suer at the Gryffindor table but no Ron.

“Morning, Suer. Have you seen Ron?” Harry asked. “He was gone when I woke.”

“Madam Pomfrey. A Norwegian Ridgeback’s teeth are venomous, so you should all be careful.”

“I’ll go and see him.” Harry turned and hurried from the Great Hall without eating.

“Why haven’t you visited Hagrid lately?” Hermione sat beside Suer, took a slice of bread and asked curiously.

“Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick have been keeping me after lessons.” Suer sighed. “It may continue until the final exams.”

“Isn’t that wonderful? Individual lessons with professors are a privilege most students never receive.” Hermione spread jam on the bread, openly envious.

Suer sighed gloomily. He could hardly admit he was rewriting homework.

Next time he consulted someone’s assignment, he would remember not to copy the other student’s name as well.

“Has Charlie replied?”

“Yesterday.” Hermione nodded brightly. “At midnight this Saturday, we can say goodbye to Norbert.”

“Do you need help? I’ll probably be in Professor McGonagall’s office until curfew.”

“That would be excellent.”

Time vanished like sheets of parchment beneath Suer’s pen. Saturday arrived swiftly.

“You may return to your common room, Mr Bones,” Professor McGonagall said softly from behind her desk.

“Yes, Professor.” Suer gathered his parchment and stacked it neatly.

Rewriting homework was exhausting, but not entirely without reward. After McGonagall finished her marking and administrative duties, she explained a great deal of Transfiguration theory–once she had confirmed that Suer firmly understood the material appropriate to his current level.

When Suer reached Hagrid’s hut, Harry and Hermione stood helplessly before an enormous crate while Hagrid muttered beside them.

“You came at exactly the right time.” Hermione’s eyes brightened. “Help us think. How are we supposed to carry Norbert’s crate to the Astronomy Tower?”

Suer stared at her in disbelief and tapped her head crossly.

“Are you a witch? Use the Levitation Charm.”

“Do you think I didn’t consider that?” Hermione slapped his arm away. “We have to fit beneath Harry’s Invisibility Cloak. It isn’t long enough. If the crate floats too high, we’ll be exposed.”

“Then use a Feather-Light Charm.”

“What’s a Feather-Light Charm?” A question mark might as well have appeared over Hermione’s head. “Have we learnt it?”

“Oh, I forgot. Professor McGonagall told me about it while I was re–while we were discussing how wizards built the pyramids.” Suer tapped his forehead.

“It’s simple. The principle resembles the Levitation Charm, but instead of making an object float, it temporarily removes the object’s own weight.”

“We should hurry,” Harry interrupted anxiously. “Norbert seems to be waking.”

Soon the three carried the crate, rendered almost weightless by the charm, beneath the Invisibility Cloak. They crossed the marble steps of the Entrance Hall, passed along a dark corridor and climbed floor after floor to the Astronomy Tower.

One incident made them hold their breath.

Professor McGonagall marched Malfoy through a torchlit corridor by the ear.

Apart from that, nothing went wrong. They did not even meet the unpredictable Peeves. They delivered Norbert smoothly to the empty platform atop the tower.

Harry was delighted–not only because Norbert would soon leave, but because Malfoy had finally received punishment.

After they waited in the cold air for ten minutes, four broomsticks descended from the night. Charlie’s people had arrived.

At last, Norbert departed.

Suspended beneath several ropes, he disappeared into the endless darkness.