The Hogwarts castle is under a powerful spell that makes all Muggle electronic devices useless, even flashlights. Only old-fashioned cameras, like Colin Creevey's, can function without a hitch.
But Dudley didn't need any of that. He just held up a finger, and a bright light erupted from its tip, illuminating the dark and dangerous Forbidden Forest like a powerful torch. He walked casually through the woods, as if on a stroll. The Wand-Lighting Charm, the only spell he could cast, had become a versatile tool in his hands. He could make any part of his body glow if he wanted to.
Normally, Dudley wouldn't be caught in the Forbidden Forest at night. It's full of dangers, and there aren't as many magical ingredients to forage after dark; nocturnal magical plants are far less common than their daytime counterparts. But he wasn't here for ingredients this time.
Dudley walked deep into a secluded, open area. He pointed his finger at the sky and waved it around a few times.
"ROAR!"
A moment later, a deep roar echoed from the sky. A winged creature, about as tall as Dudley, slowly descended from above.
"You've gotten bigger, Charizard," Dudley said softly, patting the creature's tough, scaly body. The creature he called Charizard was none other than Norbert, the dragon hatched from the egg.
"ROAR!" The young dragon roared in protest at Dudley.
What a terrible name, it seemed to say. It wasn't too fond of Norbert either, for that matter. It thought it should have a more intimidating name, something like 'Deathwing.' It had heard Dudley say the name once and liked it instantly. But Dudley had a tendency to ignore its suggestions. After all, Deathwing was already dead, and Charizard was the main character of a popular Muggle story.
In this world, dragons aren't as smart as they are in fantasy stories, but they still have a certain level of intelligence. They aren't just mindless beasts. The little dragon knew what kind of creature it was and had never considered Hagrid to be its mother.
The dragon's grumbling stopped the moment Dudley pulled a small pouch from his bag.
"ROAR!"
Gimme!
The young dragon's eyes were fixed on the pouch in Dudley's hand. The scent coming from it was so delicious it made its mouth water. Magical Creature Food - Reptile Blend.
The dragon wanted it desperately, but it didn't dare try to steal it. The human in front of it had the power to easily pin it down. It still remembered the first time it tried to snatch the tasty food away; Dudley had pinned it to the ground with one hand, and it couldn't move for the longest time. The terrifying strength of the human was a memory it couldn't shake. Even though it had grown so much, it still wouldn't dare to act out. Just wait until I'm an adult; I'll show this pathetic human a thing or two...
"Want some?" Dudley asked, slowly opening the pouch. The delicious scent wafted out, filling the air.
"Then you'll have to say 'please' next time. And remember, I'm your master."
You vile human, I will never submit! It's just some food! I'd rather die!
Dudley quietly opened the pouch a little more, and the scent grew even stronger.
"ROAR!"
MASTER!
The little dragon that Hagrid couldn't bear to part with had been completely won over by Dudley. Hagrid had hurt Dudley's hand, so what's wrong with taking his dragon as a pet as an apology?
Eat... eat... eat... The dragon could only think of one thing now. Its tail thudded against the ground, trampling the grass around them. It looked less like a dragon and more like a little puppy waiting to be fed by its owner.
No animal could refuse Dudley's food. Not Ripper, not Mrs. Norris, not Fawkes, and not this little dragon. This was a talent even more potent than his potion-making.
So delicious.
Chewing mouthfuls of the savory food, the dragon felt like it could never live without it. It was the best thing it had ever eaten. It had tried to hunt on its own in the Forbidden Forest, but that food could only fill its belly; it was nowhere near as good as this. It was like an addiction. If it went more than three days without it, it would feel miserable, and nothing else would taste good.
Humans are truly terrifying creatures, the little dragon thought. They're strong, and they can make amazing food. It thought about the two humans it had known: the one who hatched it and the one who fed it. Both were so powerful.
The dragon licked the last morsels from the corner of its mouth and let out a satisfied burp, a tiny flame escaping its nostrils. As the happy dragon closed its eyes contentedly, Dudley's voice drifted into its ears. Dudley patted its increasingly solid body. "Looking good, Charizard. It won't be long until you can take me soaring through the sky."
This was the real reason he had Hagrid release the dragon in the Forbidden Forest. The moment he first saw the little dragon, he had already decided. He was going to be a dragon rider.
The young dragon's red and yellow eyes widened in horror. Its tiny forelegs flailed wildly, and its head shook like a rattle. The words brought back a very bad memory. At first, the dragon thought carrying Dudley wouldn't be a big deal. He was just one human. He could probably carry three without a problem. But the moment Dudley climbed onto its back... it felt like a mountain had been placed on top of it. It couldn't even stand up, let alone fly. It just lay on the ground, completely immobile. Since then, the young dragon hadn't dared to let Dudley ride on its back again.
Just as Dudley was about to continue teasing the dragon, his expression changed, and he frowned slightly. Both he and the dragon looked in the same direction.
He smelled a faint scent of blood in the air. It was getting closer. The source was about a kilometer away... No, it was now less than nine hundred meters. The creature was running, and it was fast. It was getting closer, and it was heading straight for their location.
The dragon let out a low growl, the scales on its neck bristling. It was a sound that warned of a danger that could threaten even a creature at the top of the food chain, like a dragon.
Dudley silently began to meditate, building his focus. His left hand went to his pouch, and he grabbed a few potions.
Less than five hundred meters away. Not many creatures in the Forbidden Forest could move that fast.
Three hundred meters...
One hundred meters...
It was right in front of them!
Perhaps sensing the danger, the surrounding woods had gone quiet. The chirping of insects and birds had ceased.
Suddenly, with a whoosh and the sound of rustling branches, a horse-like creature with a faint white aura and a single horn on its head burst from the trees. It was a unicorn. Dudley instantly recognized it as a member of the herd that lived in the Forbidden Forest. He knew because he was the one who had thinned the hair on its neck.
The ground was littered with silvery blood. The unicorn was clearly injured, and badly. But Dudley didn't have time to worry about it. The real threat to Dudley and the young dragon wasn't the unicorn. It was what was following behind it.
A dark green glow rose up behind the unicorn.