The news that the dragon was finally hatching completely destroyed everyone's ability to focus during afternoon classes.
Even Professor Flitwick introducing a brand-new fire-making charm during Charms felt painfully unimportant compared to the imminent arrival of an illegal Norwegian Ridgeback.
Harry and Ron barely paid attention at all.
Ethan, meanwhile, had already mastered the spell long ago.
So instead of listening, he quietly browsed through his system shop during class, searching for magical items useful for taming dangerous creatures.
Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be any convenient "obedience collars" for magical beasts.
Which meant Ethan would have to rely on personal charm instead.
A deeply unfortunate situation for everyone involved.
The moment Charms class ended, the four of them grabbed their bags and rushed across the grounds toward Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid practically dragged them inside the second they arrived.
The temperature inside the cabin had somehow become even worse than before.
At this point, Hagrid had dedicated his entire existence toward maintaining ideal dragon-hatching conditions.
Honestly, Ethan was beginning to wonder what kind of horrifying spoiled lifestyle the hatchling would enjoy once it emerged.
"If human flesh happened to be part of a dragon's diet," Harry whispered uneasily beside Ethan, "I genuinely think Hagrid would volunteer himself first."
"You should be grateful we aren't the backup food source," Ethan replied calmly. "Hagrid alone can probably feed the dragon for several weeks."
"It's almost out!" Hagrid interrupted excitedly, having completely ignored the conversation.
The egg sat in the center of the table.
A deep crack had appeared across the black shell, and faint clicking sounds echoed from inside while the hatchling shifted around impatiently.
[Soul Strength: 20]
Even immediately after hatching, the dragon already possessed an incredibly powerful soul.
Dragons truly were troublesome creatures.
Physically and spiritually.
Still, its soul remained weaker than Ethan's.
Which meant Ethan still won.
"Does it breathe fire immediately after hatching?" Harry asked nervously while staring at tiny sparks escaping from the cracks.
The egg now smelled strongly of sulphur.
"Probably…" Hagrid admitted uncertainly. "But wait—it's pushin' against the shell now—quiet!"
Another network of fine cracks rapidly spread across the surface.
Something inside was hammering against the shell.
Everyone instinctively leaned closer.
Ethan happened to sit directly opposite the new cracks.
And in that instant, he suddenly realised exactly what was about to happen.
Crack.
A jagged hole burst open in the shell.
A tiny black dragon head poked out.
The newborn dragon immediately opened its mouth in a gigantic yawn.
Then it opened its eyes.
And locked directly onto Ethan.
Fear exploded across the little dragon's face instantly.
Everything froze.
The dragon froze.
Ethan froze.
Even Hagrid and Harry stopped moving.
Then—
Pat.
Without making a sound, the tiny dragon slowly withdrew its head back inside the egg.
A small claw stretched through the opening, grabbed the broken shell fragment hanging loose…
…and carefully pulled it back into place.
The hatchling resealed itself.
Norbert had officially rejected existence.
"…?"
Even Hagrid looked utterly confused.
Apparently none of his dragon books had prepared him for this possibility.
"Maybe there were too many people watching," Ethan lied smoothly. "Or maybe it just needs a little help hatching."
While speaking, he reached forward toward the egg.
After all, if the dragon insisted on hiding forever, everyone would eventually miss their next class.
[Ding! Sin Value +10]
[Note: You don't even spare newborn dragons?]
As Ethan began prying apart the shell, miserable whining noises echoed from inside.
The little dragon was resisting desperately.
Unfortunately, resistance was meaningless.
It was facing a magical half-Dementor.
"Careful!"
Hagrid panicked as Ethan casually used a blasting spell on the shell.
Crack!
The egg exploded apart completely.
Norbert lost all remaining defensive cover instantly.
Now the entire dragon hatchling lay exposed on the table.
It looked like a wrinkled black umbrella.
Its spiny wings and thin black membranes appeared several times larger than the rest of its body. Tiny horns covered its head while smoke drifted weakly from its nostrils. Its bulging orange-red eyes looked terrified beyond belief.
Even after the shell shattered completely, Norbert still desperately tried burying itself beneath the broken fragments.
It tucked its head under its wings like a traumatised child hiding under blankets.
Honestly, the entire scene made Ethan look incredibly evil.
"It's beautiful…" Hagrid whispered emotionally.
His enormous hand reached forward and gently stroked one of Norbert's wings.
Norbert immediately bit him.
"Oh! Merlin's beard—it knows its mother already!" Hagrid said tearfully while staring at the bite mark on his finger.
"I think it's just stressed," Ethan corrected reasonably.
"Go on! Yeh can touch him too!" Hagrid encouraged the others enthusiastically. "He's beautiful—and soft!"
The moment Harry, Ron, and Hermione noticed the bite marks on Hagrid's hand, however, all three instantly took several steps backward.
If something small enough to fit on a table could bite Hagrid that hard…
…they wanted absolutely no part of it.
Ethan, on the other hand, calmly reached toward Norbert.
Harry and the others stared at him with profound respect.
The moment Ethan touched Norbert's back, the hatchling began trembling violently.
Unlike with Hagrid, however, Norbert didn't dare bite him.
Instead, the little dragon practically tried digging its own head into the wooden table like an ostrich hiding underground.
It seemed completely convinced the terrifying monster touching it would kill it immediately.
But after several gentle strokes…
…Norbert slowly realised it was still alive.
The horrifying creature hadn't hurt it at all.
"The texture isn't actually very pleasant," Ethan commented thoughtfully while withdrawing his hand.
The dragon felt cold and hard.
Like touching sharpened metal.
"But it seems surprisingly obedient at the moment."
"It probably thinks you're its mother too!" Hagrid said excitedly. "You were the first thing it saw!"
"Then it has five mothers," Ron pointed out immediately. "We were all standing here."
"None of us look remotely like dragons," Harry added.
"I've decided ter name him Norbert!" Hagrid announced proudly while completely ignoring them. "Found the name in Raising Dragons for Pleasure and Profit! There's a Norwegian Ridgeback in there called Norbert too!"
After confirming Ethan wasn't planning to murder him immediately, Norbert slowly lowered the wings covering his face.
Then, very cautiously, the tiny dragon shuffled closer to Ethan.
Its head nearly touched the table while its tail lifted awkwardly into the air. The entire hatchling twisted around clumsily like an overexcited puppy trying to please its owner.
Harry stared at the dragon strangely.
"Why does that posture feel so familiar…?"
"Dog," Ethan supplied immediately.
....
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