Re:HP-A New Life

I am 15 chapters ahead on my patreón, check it out if you are interested.

https://www.patréon.com/emperordragon

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Chapter 48: Secrets Unraveled

The hospital wing was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of sheets or the sound of Madam Pomfrey bustling about in the background. Ron lay in one of the white beds, his arm bandaged and resting on a pillow. His face was pale, and he winced as he tried to sit up when Harry, Rose, and Hermione entered.

"Hey," Ron said, managing a weak grin. "Come to see the wounded hero?"

Rose rolled her eyes but smiled. "Hero? You got bitten by a baby dragon, Ron. That's hardly heroic."

"It was a vicious baby dragon," Ron shot back, though the effect was ruined by the grimace of pain that followed.

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed, his green eyes scanning Ron's arm. "That looks bad. You should've been more careful."

"Yeah, well," Ron muttered, "it's not like I planned on getting bitten. I was just trying to help Hagrid feed Norbert, and the little bugger decided my hand looked tastier than the chicken leg."

Hermione sighed, crossing her arms. "You're lucky Madam Pomfrey knows how to treat magical creature bites. If you'd been left untreated, you could've lost your arm."

"Thanks for the encouragement, Hermione," Ron said dryly, but his grin returned.

The group stayed with Ron for a while, chatting and laughing to lift his spirits, but as the clock ticked on, Madam Pomfrey shooed them out, insisting that her patient needed rest.

The previous night, Harry had helped Rose and Hermione execute a daring plan to rid Hogwarts of Norbert. With Ron in the hospital wing, it had been up to the three of them to get the dragon out of the castle.

Under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, they had sneaked to Hagrid's hut, where the enormous crate containing Norbert waited. The baby dragon screeched and thrashed as they carried him up to the Astronomy Tower, his black scales glinting in the moonlight.

"Keep him quiet," Harry hissed as they struggled to navigate the castle's winding staircases.

"I'm trying!" Rose whispered back, nearly tripping as the crate jerked in her hands.

At the top of the Astronomy Tower, Charlie's friends were waiting. The exchange was brief—Charlie's friends were clearly eager to leave before anyone noticed them. They secured the crate to their brooms and flew off into the night, Norbert's screeches fading into the distance.

Harry returned Rose and Hermione to Gryffindor Tower without incident, though the adrenaline of the night kept them awake long after they'd returned to their beds.

The next morning, after their visit to Ron, Harry, Rose, and Hermione were summoned to Lily's office. The warmth of the familiar space, with its shelves of books and walls adorned with photographs, did little to ease the tension in the room.

Lily sat behind her desk, her expression calm but her green eyes sharp. "Madam Pomfrey mentioned to me that Ron is being treated for a dragon bite," she began. "Care to explain where he encountered a dragon?"

The three exchanged nervous glances.

"Don't know," Rose said quickly, avoiding her mother's gaze.

Hermione nodded. "We were just as surprised as you, Professor Potter."

Harry stayed silent, watching his mother closely. He could tell she wasn't buying their act.

Lily leaned forward, her voice soft but firm. "Rose. Hermione. Harry. You know lying to a professor—especially your mother—is a serious offense."

The pressure mounted, and Hermione, unable to hold out any longer, cracked. "Alright, we'll tell you everything!" she blurted, much to Rose's dismay.

Under Lily's piercing gaze, Hermione confessed the entire story: Hagrid's acquisition of the dragon egg, Norbert's hatching, the plan to send him to Charlie, and Ron's injury.

When Hermione finished, Lily sighed, rubbing her temples. "You three could've gotten yourselves expelled—or worse," she said, though her tone held more concern than anger. "You should've come to me or another professor the moment you knew about the dragon."

"I'm sorry, Mum," Rose said quietly. "We just... we didn't want Hagrid to get into trouble."

Lily softened, her eyes warming. "I understand that, but you need to realize that some things are too dangerous to handle on your own."

She dismissed them with a warning to avoid any more reckless behavior, though Harry suspected she didn't believe that for a second.

In the Headmaster's Office

Hagrid stood before Professor McGonagall in the Headmaster's office, his head bowed like a scolded child.

"How could you be so irresponsible, Hagrid?" McGonagall demanded, her stern tone cutting through the room. "A dragon in Hogwarts! Have you lost your mind?"

"I'm sorry, Professor," Hagrid mumbled. "I didn't mean fer it to cause any trouble. I just... I've always wanted a dragon, yeh know?"

"This isn't about what you want, Hagrid!" McGonagall snapped. "The Philosopher's Stone is in this castle. You know what that means. That dragon egg here was a distraction, one we cannot afford."

Dumbledore, seated behind his desk, attempted to interject. "Minerva—"

"No, Albus!" McGonagall interrupted, turning to him with a glare. "Don't you dare try to defend him. This was reckless, and you know it."

Dumbledore raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "I'm not defending his actions, Minerva. I'm simply pointing out that addressing the matter through official channels would have resulted in Hagrid being sent to Azkaban without trial."

Hagrid paled at the mention of Azkaban, his hands wringing nervously.

McGonagall crossed her arms. "And that justifies letting a group of first-years smuggle a dragon out of the castle?"

"Perhaps not," Dumbledore admitted, "but I trusted them to handle the situation with care, and they did. The dragon is gone, Hagrid is safe, and no harm was done."

McGonagall sighed, her anger giving way to exasperation. "Hagrid, you need to think before you act. You could've put everyone in danger."

"I understand, Professor," Hagrid said earnestly. "I'll never do anythin' like this again. Promise."

McGonagall nodded curtly. "See that you don't."

As Hagrid left the office, guilt etched on his face, McGonagall turned back to Dumbledore. "You're playing a dangerous game, Albus. I hope you know what you're doing."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes dimmed slightly. "So do I, Minerva. So do I."