Throughout the next weeks, Quirrell looked more and more unsure and nervous. Harry wondered why that might be so, but one random encounter had given him a clear reason why that is so.
"So, Quirrinnus, have you found out yet how to get to the Philosopher's Stone?"
"W-what a-are you talk-talking about Severus?"
"Oh, you know damn well what I'm talking about, stop pretending."
"...."
Harry happened to overhear this exchange when he was walking back to the Gryffindor Tower after a particularly exhausting Quidditch training.
"What took you so long?" Ron asked once Harry sat on a couch next to him.
"Wood." Harry answered.
"No, I mean, what took you so long to come here? Everyone else from the team came back ten minutes ago." Ron corrected himself.
"Oh, I just happened to overhear Snape and Quirrell having an argument - if it even could be called one." Harry shrugged.
"What was it about?" Hermione joined in.
"Nothing much, Snape was just asking him if he found a way how to get to the Stone."
"And did he?"
"I have no idea, he was doing the same nervous act he always does."
"Would we still need to save the Stone?" Hermione asked, trying not to sound slightly worried.
"I guess," Harry shrugged again, "we did it once guess we could do it this time too."
At that, Ron and Hermione just exchanged glances.
Two days later, the trio decided to visit Hagrid.
"What do you think Hagrid's up to?" Ron asked.
"I just hope he hasn't gotten a hold of Norbert again."
"Norbert?"
"Wait no, Norberta," Harry corrected himself.
"Norberta?"
"Who is Norberta?"
"I'll tell you later," Harry ended and knocked on the front door to Hagrid's Hut.
"Who's that, then?" Hagrid called out, and then opened the door, "Harry, Ron, Hermione? What yer doin' 'ere?"
"Just wanted to come for a visit," Harry explained, trying to sound like a kid.
"Can we?"
"Oh, er... come on in, then!"
And thus, the trio walked inside. It was as hot as an oven inside.
Harry sighed in dissapointment, luckily, no one noticed it.
"Why is it so hot in here, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.
Then the three of the noticed a couldron with a fire under it.
Just to make sure, Harry went to check what's in it and, sure enough, inside it is-
"Where did you get it? That egg had to cost you your whole wealth!" Ron called out.
"I, er, won it, I did..." Hagrid nervously answered.
"And who gave it to you?" Ron asked, suspicious.
"Don't rightly know what he looked like, 'e was wearin' a cloak and kept buyin' me drinks..." Hagrid said, a little upset, "seemed right glad to be rid o' that egg..."
"..." Ron and Hermione shot Harry a look, as if asking if he knows something about this, he nodded.
The time in the hut was insufferable due to the high temperature.
But, right after they were out and the door closed, the questions started.
"You didn't look surprised," Ron started.
"Was that the 'Norberta' you were talking about?" Hermione added.
"Yea," Harry nodded, "I'm not particularly excited about probably having to help Hagrid get rid of it."
Ron and Hermione just stared, but the three of them kept walking towards the castle.
"I just hope we won't get in trouble because we'll forget the Cloak somewhere." Harry shrugged.
It's tommorow morning, and everyone is eating breakfast in the Great Hall.
It was the time when the owls fly in and do the deliveries, today Harry got a note from Hagrid.
'It's crawlin' out,'
That's it, that's all it said. But the trio knew what it meant.
Norberta's crawling out of her egg.
Ron wanted to skip Herbology.
"Aw, come on Hermione! How many times will we see a dragon hatching out?" Ron quickly shot a look towards Harry.
Harry, who wasn't sure how to answer just shrugged, and suddenly he noticed Malfoy a few meters behind them.
"Ron's right, but be quieter!" Harry whispered and vaguely gestured with his head towards Malfoy.
Ron and Hermione lowered their voices when they saw Malfoy.
Hermione and Ron argued the whole way to the Green House, asking Harry about his opinion was useless, seeing as he doesn't care about Norberta hatching.
But when the class has ended, the three of them completely abandoned their shovels and went straight to Hagrid's Hut.
"He's nearly out, he is." Hagrid hurriedly ushered them inside.
The egg was layed on the table and there were already huge and deep breaks, inside it, the dragon was moving, and strange sounds came out of it.
They moved their chairs closer to the table and Ron, Hermione and Hagrid (and Harry a little too) stared at the egg with unsureness and excitement.
Suddenly, they heard a crack and the egg shell flew apart completely. What was left on the table is the baby dragon.
"Ain't he a beauty?" Hagrid is in total awe.
On the other hand, Harry never found dragons particularly pretty.
Hermione was worried.
Throughout the whole week the trio kept visiting Hagrid.
"Let him go," Harry tried with Hagrid, "let him free."
"I can't, he's still wee, he'll die!" Hagrid didn't let go.
Harry highly doubts that Norberta would die in the wilderness but it's not like he can just say that.
The trio then stared at the dragon, it doubled in weight.
Norberta then suddenly sneezed. Just like the last time, Hagrid neglected his keeper's work. The floor was a mess too.
"I've gone an' decided ter call 'im Norbert." Hagrid soad and looked into the dragon's eyes, "Look, he knows me! Norbert! Norry! Where's yer mummy then?"
"He's gone mad," Ron whispered to Harry, "hasn't he?"
"If he has he wouldn't be able to keep his job." Harry answered in a whisper.
"Hagrid," Hermione firmly said, "in two weeks Norbert will be as big as your hut! And Dumbledore will find out!"
"I know —" Hagrid bit his lip, " - I know I won't 'ave 'im forever, but I can't just let 'im go, I really can't..."
Ron and Hermione turned to face Harry, Harry thought about what to say.
"Charlie, your brother," Harry turned to face Ron, "he'll be able to help this time too right?"
That surprised Hermione and Ron, luckily, Hagrid wasn't paying attention to the three of them.
"Yea - I guess - I'll write to him."
Harry nodded.
But now, they had to convince Hagrid. The convincing took longer then they'd want, but they were still successful.
The answer came sooner then it originally did, it only took three days for the answer to come;
"Hi, Ron!
How's it going? Thank you for the letter - I'll gladly take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy to take him here. It would be for the best if you'll send him after my friends, who are coming to visit me next week. But you just have to be careful so nobody will catch you nor them illegally transporting a dragon.
Could you, somehow, get him to the highest tower so my friends could take him this Saturday at midnight?
Send the answer as quick as possible.
With love,
Charlie"
The trio looked at eachother and Ron quickly wrote an answer, an agreement and promise that they'll do it, and sent it away with Hedwig.
"So, how are we going to do it again?" Ron asked.
"We'll use the Invisibility Cloak of course," Harry answered.
Unlike in the original timeline, Ron was in luck, he didn't get bitten by Norberta and thus was completely able to help Harry and Hermione.
So, when it came to Saturday, Harry, Ron and Hermione came to Hagrid's Hut an hour before midnight.
Hagrid disagreed at first, but then unwantingly complied.
Hagrid put Norberta inside a wooden box with alcohol and a teddy bear; and, surely enough, the Teddy Bear didn't last too long.
Hagrid, teary eyed, waved goodbye to Norberta and the trio then picked up the box and Hagrid put the Cloak over them, luckily in covered them whole ('is it bigger this time?' Harry questioned in his thoughts.).
But now, they have to hurry, they only have half an hour left. So they quickly got out of the Hut and into the castle.
Getting uncaught was much easier this time around then it was the first time, the box was also a bit lighter.
It took them almost 25 minutes to get to the highest tower, but they managed that.
And now they just had to wait for five minutes.
"This is so hard!" Hermione unintentionally whispered.
"Hard? This is actually easy compared to how it was the first time!" Harry whispered back.
Five minutes later, Charlie's friends finally arrived and took Norberta.
The trio thanked them and then helped to put it in the support between the four people on brooms.
After they were done Charlie's friends flew away into the night.
The trio walked only a few steps when suddenly, Harry remembered that they don't have the Cloak on, so he took it and put it over himself and his best friends; and then they quickly got back to the Gryffindor Tower and inside their Dormitories.
No getting in trouble this time!