Chapter 118: 118: Norbert the Dragon

The dragon wasn't entirely mindless—it was smart enough to know something was clinging to its back. Norbert twisted and thrashed violently, trying to shake Nolan off. Nolan held on tightly, his left hand gripping a ridge of the dragon's tough scales, while his right hand plunged the short silver blade into its back repeatedly. The scales were incredibly durable, but Nolan's strength was greater. After five deliberate strikes, a large patch of scales was pried loose, exposing raw flesh beneath. Norbert let out an ear-splitting roar of pain. Blood poured from the wound, glistening crimson as it mingled with the sunlight. Flesh and nerves were torn away along with the scales, the agony perhaps akin to a human being skinned alive. "No!" Hagrid bellowed from below, waving his massive hands in anguish. "You can't hurt Norbert! He's just a baby!" Harry, standing beside Hagrid, was equally distressed. To him, Norbert wasn't just a dragon—it was Hagrid's "child," raised with love and care. Harry shouted into the sky, his voice straining to reach Nolan. "Nolan! You can tame it! Don't kill him!" Another burst of blood sprayed from the dragon's back, followed by Norbert's tortured howl. The sight made Hagrid tremble uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face as he turned to Hermione in desperation. "Hermione! You've got to stop him! Use a spell—something! Please!" Hermione gripped her wand tightly, her knuckles white. "I-I..." she stammered. "Nolan's a master of magic. I don't think I can stop him..." Ron, not one to back down, raised his own wand. "We just need to hold that lunatic Draugr off long enough for Dumbledore to get here! Harry, Hermione, let's hit him with Stunners!" With his wand aimed high, Ron tried to cast Stupefy, but his attempts were laughable at best—nine out of ten times, his wand fizzled without effect. Harry had slightly better luck, managing to fire several Stunning Spells. However, none of them landed; some went wide, while others ricocheted off Norbert's armored scales. Hermione stood frozen, her mind racing back to the handkerchief Nolan had given her earlier by the lake. It had been a small gesture, but it carried warmth—a surprising kindness from the cold and aloof Slytherin. While Harry and Ron debated rallying more Gryffindors to help, a sharp voice cut through the chaos. "STOP!" A silver streak sliced through the air. Eve, perched elegantly on her Silver Arrow broom, zoomed in at breathtaking speed. With a deft flick of her wand, she blocked two Stunning Spells aimed at Nolan, glaring furiously at Harry and Ron. "How dare you try to ambush Nolan while he's fighting!" Eve's voice was filled with righteous fury. "You filthy Gryffindors! Is this your idea of bravery?" Hagrid, desperate and teary-eyed, clasped his massive hands together as he turned to Eve. "Oh, Eve, please! I'm begging you! Norbert's like my child! You have to stop Nolan—you can talk him down, can't you?" "That dragon nearly killed me!" Eve snapped, her voice shaking with anger. "Cho and I were inches away from being eaten alive!" "It didn't mean it—" Hagrid began, his words cut off by Eve's furious retort. "Don't be ridiculous! Dragons are born predators! Do you expect me to believe it wasn't trying to eat me, just... play hide-and-seek?" she shouted sarcastically. "Should I smile and say, 'Oh, well, no harm done,' after almost being roasted alive?" Eve's voice rose even higher as she gestured toward the sky. "Nolan's furious because of what happened to me! I won't plead for that overgrown lizard's life—not even if my mother begged me to!" It was clear Eve wasn't one to turn the other cheek. To her, vengeance was a principle, not an option. As the chaos above raged on and arguments erupted below, Dumbledore finally arrived. The Headmaster appeared out of nowhere, clutching the hand of a house-elf. His half-moon glasses gleamed, but his normally twinkling eyes were now grave as they scanned the scene. He took in the blood-soaked air, the wounded dragon, and the frantic students before his gaze settled on the calmest person present. "Miss Granger," Dumbledore said gently, though his voice carried the weight of urgency. "Would you mind explaining what happened here?" Hermione, her face pale, stammered, "It's... it's awful. During the Quidditch match, Norbert suddenly appeared on the pitch. He attacked Eve and Ravenclaw's Cho Chang—they were almost eaten..." "That's not true!" Hagrid bellowed at Eve, his voice echoing through the stadium. Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes moved to Nolan, who was still astride the dragon's back, mercilessly tearing at its scales. With a slight nod, he sighed deeply. "I believe I understand the situation now. I must admit, Hagrid, keeping a dragon at Hogwarts was not the wisest decision." Hagrid collapsed into sobs, his massive shoulders shaking. "Oh, Dumbledore! If you want to sack me, then sack me! But please, save Norbert! He's my best lad—my child!" Dumbledore's expression softened briefly but then grew somber. "I wish I could tell you it's not too late, Hagrid, but it seems... it already is." His voice carried a weight of inevitability as he gazed upward. "It appears our Mr. Draugr is far angrier than any of us anticipated." Suddenly, a Gryffindor student screamed from the stands. "They're falling!" Indeed, Norbert was plummeting from the sky. The enormous dragon crashed to the ground with a deafening thud, its massive body convulsing. Its powerful limbs twitched weakly, and it let out a final, despairing wail before going still. Hagrid stumbled forward, throwing his arms around the fallen dragon. "No! Norbert! No! Oh, my poor baby, you'll be alright... you'll be alright..." "'Baby'? I'd wager Hagrid thinks that thing is just a fluffy bunny with wings," Nolan muttered dryly as he swooped down in his Animagus form, a sleek black raven. He landed gracefully beside the dragon's corpse, shifting back into human form with effortless ease. His right hand was drenched in blood—not his own, but the rare and valuable blood of the dragon. Standing nearby, Snape raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Draugr, be careful not to smudge that blood unnecessarily. If no one objects, I'd like to take a sample. Dragon's blood is invaluable for potion-making. Surely, you understand that, Albus." Dumbledore frowned, his tone stern. "This matter can wait, Severus." Before anyone could respond, Nolan interjected, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "If Professor Snape gets the blood, then I'd like some scales, perhaps a few bones and sinews as well." Dumbledore shot Nolan a warning glare. "We'll address your requests later. For now, let's focus on what needs immediate attention." Hagrid wept inconsolably over Norbert's lifeless body, but sympathy was in short supply. After all, everyone had seen the dragon's brutal attack on Eve and Cho. Most onlookers agreed it had met a fitting end. Most, but not all. Harry and Ron were seething, their anger at Nolan palpable. To them, his actions were heartless, an act of cruelty against an innocent creature. Worse still, it had broken Hagrid's heart. "How dare you!" Ron shrieked, pointing his wand at Nolan with trembling hands. "You... you bloodthirsty monster!" Dumbledore stepped in before the situation could escalate. "Calm yourself, Mr. Weasley. If it had been your friends attacked by the dragon, you would be just as angry. Nolan's actions are not without reason." "But he knew! He knew how much Norbert meant to Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed, his face flushed with fury. His voice trembled, caught between anger and disappointment. In that moment, all the grudging respect Harry had held for Nolan evaporated, replaced entirely by loathing.