start smiling
stop wondering
why did I say
'yes'

ϟ

"Thank you, Hermione," Perry whispered as she took the study schedule from the curly haired girl.

"Oh and I made one for Viktorija too," Hermione whispered as they walked down an isle in the library.

"That's so sweet of you, 'Mione," Perry said in a hush. "I'll put it right at the front so I don't forget to give it to her." Perry placed the schedule in the front of her work portfolio and slid it into her bag.

"Hagrid invited us down to his hut later if you want to tag along."

"Of course I'll come. I wouldn't want to miss out on any—" she looked around the library and leaned in a little closer to Hermione's ear—"Philosopher's Stone information."

"We caught Hagrid in the library earlier— when he invited us down— and you can't imagine the look on his face when he asked if we found out anything about Nicholas Flamel and we told him everything we learned. He was utterly frazzled."

"I wish I could have been there," Perry said with a giggle. "But what was Hagrid doing in the library?"

"Is it really that hard to believe he can read?"

"No, no!" Perry said abruptly. "That's not what I meant at all!"

"I'm kidding, Perry," Hermione said laughing. "Get this! He was researching dragons."

"Dragons?" Perry asked in surprise.

"Yes! That was my exact reaction too."

"First time I met him he told Harry and I he really wanted a pet dragon," Perry explained as she held a book up and it magically sorted itself.

"That's what Harry said too."

"What would Hagrid possibly have to learn about dragons?"

ϟ

"Hagrid," Harry started, as the four children found seats around the small circular table, "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."

"O' course I can't," Hagrid said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts— I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all. Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know," Perry said. "You know everything that goes on round here. We only wondered who had done the guarding, really. We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

A huge smiled grew on Hagrid's face and he looked at the blonde haired girl with soft eyes. If Viktorija had made any impact on Perry, it was definitely shaping her charisma and charm to get what she wanted.

"Well, I don' s'ppose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments— Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, Professor Quirrell— oh an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh, yeah, Professor Snape."

"Snape?" the four children chorused.

"Yeah— yer not still on abou' that, are yeh?" Look, Snape helped protect the stone, he's not about ter steal it."

The four students all exchanged a look of fear. If Snape was helping to protect the stone, it wouldn't be that difficult to figure out how to get past the other professor's traps. It seemed that the only two troubling him must be Fluffy and Professor Quirrell's obstacle.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, voicing the question resonating inside each of their heads. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," Hagrid said proudly.

Well, that's something, Perry thought.

"Hagrid, can we have a window open?" Harry asked. "I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry," Hagrid said attending to the fire.

In an instant, Perry stood up with her mouth wide open.

"What is that, Hagrid?" she asked. She knew exactly what it was but she wanted to ask anyways.

"Ah," Hagrid said nervously, "That's— er—"

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" Ron said crouching beside the fire to have a better look at what appeared to be a dragon egg. "It must've cost you a fortune!"

"Won it," Hagrid answered, "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it once it's hatched?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'. Got this outta the library— Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit— it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here." Hagrid went on to explain all he had learned about how to care for a dragon, but Perry had found one flaw. "What I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

"Hagrid," Perry said as sweetly as she could, "You live in a wooden house."

ϟ

"Harry!" Perry exclaimed running up to him in the great hall. She grabbed onto his arm and walked with him. Behind her Viktorija ran to catch up. "Where's Ron?"

Ron was barely ever without Harry. To see Harry with only Hermione was a bit of a surprise to Perry.

"About that," Harry said as he ushered her away from Hermione and Viktorija, "Remember that nasty bite on his hand? The one the dragon— eh— Norbert— gave him?"

"Yeah," Perry said slowly, "I remember."

"Well it started looking green and this weird puss was coming from it—"

"Eww," Perry interrupted. "I understand— spare me the details."

"Well, long story short, we both concluded it was getting infected and he had to get help."

"Get help? How get help?"

"We went to the infirmary and Madam Pomfrey gave him a bed and said she would take care of him for the night."

"Please tell me you did not tell her how his hand got infected."

"Of course we didn't tell her the real story behind the bite infection. We're not that stupid."

Perry let out a sigh of relief. "So I guess Ron can't go with you anymore?"

"No, I suppose he can't," Harry said.

"Then Hermione's going, right?" Perry asked.

"That's the plan," Harry responded.

Perry nodded.

"Do you think Ron would mind if I went and visited him?" Perry asked.

"I think that'd be great," Harry beamed. He wanted Perry to be as close to his friends as he was.

"Okay, then I'll go now," Perry said smiling before turning.

"Come on, Tori," Perry said, "Another road trip."

"Ugh," Viktorija cried. "You've got to be kidding me."

Viktorija followed Perry to the hospital wing, only complaining a few times about how fast Perry was walking compared to the average witch.

"Who are you here to see?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Ron Weasley, ma'am," Perry said sweetly.

"Friends of his?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Perry replied.

"Yeah, sure," Viktorija muttered.

"What was that," Madam Pomfrey said looking up at the two girls.

"Nothing," Viktorija smiled, "Just worried for him, that's all."

She nodded and observed the two. She stared at their Slytherin logos a bit too long for someone as quick witted as Perry to not recognize.

"How do you know him," she inquired.

"I don't necessarily think you need to know that bit of information," Perry said, "But since I'm feeling rather generous, he was a friend of a friend who became our friend as well."

Viktorija smiled as she stood behind her. Not only because she was trying to fool Madam Pomfrey but because she was proud of Perry.

"Mhm," Madam Pomfrey hummed. "Bed eight."

"Thank you," Perry said turning away from her and walking towards Ron's bed.

"That was..." Victorija started.

"I know," Perry said smirking.

She opened the curtain and stuck her head through saying, "Guess who?" in a sing song voice.

"Perry!" Ron said in a croaky voice. Perry walked through and Viktorija followed her. "And Viktorija."

"Don't seem so surprised, Ronald," Viktorija teased. A smile appeared on Ron's lips as a blush took his face.

"I'm sorry about— well, everything," Perry said.

"It's fine," Ron said. "Now I can say I lived through being poisoned."

"Poisoned?" both girls said in sync.

"Yeah, the— the fangs were poisonous," he whispered.

Neither Perry nor Viktorija knew what to say anymore.

"But that's the least of our problems," Ron said. "Malfoy came to visit me—"

"Excuse me?" Perry asked. "How can Malfoy be worse than being poisoned?"

"He told Madam Pomfrey he needed to borrow one of my books, and she let him in. He came in here and.. made fun of me.." he was hesitant to say the last part—"and then he took my book."

Ron threw his head back against the pillow, "I tried to stop him. I really did, but I couldn't do much."

"Am I missing something...or..." Victoria drawled out.

"The book had my letter from Charlie in it."

"Oh no," Perry gasped.

"So now Malfoy knows the plans for tonight."

They sat there in silence for a few seconds before anyone spoke up.

"Well," Viktorija said from the seat beside Ron's bed. "What about the hat or coat thing you said Harry got for Christmas. That turns people invisible, right?"

"You're a genius, Tori!" Perry exclaimed. "Hermione and Harry will be able to sneak right past Malfoy if he tries to cause any trouble!"

"Thank you, thank you," Viktorija said dramatically. "Please hold your applause."

"Okay," Perry said, "I have to go tell Harry and Hermione everything." She got up and whispered in Viktorija's ear, "Stay here and keep Ron company. I'll be back later."

"What?" Viktorija exclaimed as she left through the curtains.

Perry ran down the staircase to the ground floor. She had no clue where Harry could be and she didn't know where to start looking. Hogwarts wasn't exactly small so when you were looking for someone you had to hope fate was on your side. Then Perry got an idea. She looked around to see if anyone was watching her and when she clarified there wasn't she ducked into an old broom closet.

Harry, she though. She concentrated and repeated his name multiple times.

Perry?

After a few minutes she had an answer from Harry. She was surprised but she didn't let herself lose concentration.

Where are you?

Hermione and I are walking up from Hagrid's. Our visit didn't go exactly as planned.

Save the details. I'll meet you at the doors.

Perry opened her eyes and smiled to herself. She had done it! She was so proud of herself. She left the broom closet and skipped to the doors out to the grounds. She saw Harry and Hermione walking forward towards the castle. She also saw smoke coming from the two of them.

"What happened to you?" she asked Hermione and her charred hair when the two Gryffindor students approached.

ϟ

"I've decided— I don't— like— dragons," Perry said as she helped Harry carry a much bigger Norbert down the corridor.

"Me either," Harry whispered after a grunt.

The past few days had been filled with chaos. Perry has been so excited when Hagrid sent the note about the dragon, whom he named Norbert, hatching. When it came down too it, he popped out of the egg and since than had been nothing but a nuisance. He bit Ron with his poisonous fangs, so now he's in the hospital wing. He burned off some of Hermione's hair so she was currently working on a potion to regrow it. Malfoy had seen him and had been giving the four of them and Hagrid nothing but hell and anxiety about the dragon.

Now Harry and Perry were hidden under the invisibility cloak carrying a crate with the dragon in it. Charlie, Ron's brother, told them he had taken care of getting the dragon far away from Hogwarts, as long as they deliver Norbert to the right spot. Harry and Perry just hoped they could make it to the tallest tower before Norbert set the cloak on fire.

"Nearly there!" Harry grunted as they walked down the last corridor before the tallest tower.

Farther down a door opened and out stepped Professor McGonagall in a bathrobe with her hair tied up in a bun. By her said was an uncomfortable looking Draco Malfoy being pulled by his ear.

"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you—"

"You don't understand Professor," Draco cried. "Persephone and Harry Potter are coming— they've got a dragon."

"What utter rubbish!" McGonagall reprimanded. "How dare you tell such lies! Come on— I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

After that the two felt exhilarated. They felt as if they could run a mile. Malfoy getting detention because of them? Maybe this whole dragon thing was worth it.

The climb up to the highest tower was easy after watching Malfoy be dragged off by the ear. They spent all of their energy climbing up those stairs to where Charlie's friends would finally take the nuisance that is Norbert the dragon.

When they got up to the top they threw the invisibility cloak to the ground and walked Norbert over to Charlie's friends. Charlie's friends were astonished by the Norwegian Ridgeback. They were more surprised they had kept it such a secret and it hadn't hurt too many people.

"Two firs' years carryin' a dragon," one of Charlie's friends said. "Not something yeh see e'ryday."

"Wouldn't have gotten away with it at my school," another said in a thick African accent.

Perry furrowed her eyebrows, "What school did you go to then?"

"Uagadou," he answered. "My heart still resides there. Enjoy your time while you can."

"I can take the little guy from you," a girl with tattoo sleeves said. Perry and Harry handed the girl the cage with Norbert in it. "Hiya little guy."

"Oh— er— we named him Norbert," Perry said.

"Adorable," she said. "You're gonna be a mighty fine dragon, Norbert."

Perry and Harry smiled to each other as Charlie's friends harnessed in Norbert's cage to the contraption they had made. They each climbed onto their broomsticks and lifted Norbert off the ground.

"Just send an owl if you have any other dragon trouble," Charlie's friend said with a wave goodbye.

Perry and Harry watched as they flew into the distance. Norbert kept flying farther, farther, farther, farther, and finally, gone. Perry let out a sigh of relief as he disappeared from sight.

"Thank Merlin that's over with," Harry sighed.

"I know what you mean," Perry said. "And what about Malfoy getting detention!"

"Makes the trip all worth while," Harry said excitedly as he started down the stairs.

"I could sing, I'm so happy," she said running after him.

"Please don't," he said as they walked down the spiral staircase.

Perry opened her mouth in offense before a mischievous smile came over her face. She ran after him with her hands out and fingers wiggling.

"No, no, no!" Harry exclaimed as he ran down the stairs to escape Perry and her tickling finger. Perry laughed as she chased him down the stairs. This reminded the two of them so much of when they were younger.

They got to the bottom and Harry stopped. Perry quickly tickled him under his arms where she knew he was most ticklish.

"Stop— Stop—" he said between laughs. Perry dropped her hands and laughed at him squirming around.

Once they calmed down they stepped into the corridor. Out of the darkness Filch's face appeared. Both were filled with horror as they remember the invisibility cloak was lying on the floor of the tallest tower.

"Well, well, well," Filch whispered, "We are in trouble."

Perry whispered to Harry in a barely audible voice, "I forgot this is how tickle-monster usually ended."