After much back-and-forth, Hagrid finally relented. He agreed to let Ron write to his brother Charlie to see if Norbert could be sent to Romania.
If it worked out, someone would come to collect the month-old dragon, packing her into a crate for the journey.
No one expected Norbert to fly herself there. Sure, she had wings, but dragons didn't develop the strength for solo flight until they were at least a year old. Besides, letting a dragon fly freely was a one-way ticket to disaster for any keeper—caught between being swallowed whole like a Cauldron Cake or roasted like a chestnut.
Edward had been keeping to himself lately. His schedule had diverged sharply from the other Slytherins. While his housemates were buried in revision, staying up late and barely awake during the day, Edward stuck to his disciplined routine.
That discipline gave him time to help Hagrid look after Norbert.
One Wednesday at midnight, the Slytherin common room was still aglow, filled with students—first-years and older—cramming for exams. Daphne, Malfoy, and Pansy were among them.
Their plan was to tackle Transfiguration theory until at least midnight. Daphne, in particular, was determined to outshine Edward in the end-of-term exams.
Edward, true to his routine, had already gone to bed.
Early to bed, early to rise—keeps a wizard sharp.
He slipped into a deep sleep.
But in his dream, a strange, familiar voice echoed—a woman's voice.
"Edward, I'm worried. I can feel it again—that thing's presence! I'm scared. Where are you?"
"Norbert's getting restless too. Should I find Hagrid? But it feels like that thing is close, so I'm hiding!"
It was Ramleh, the unicorn.
Strange. Was this a dream? The voice felt so real, as if it were whispering in his ear.
Ramleh was in danger!
The thought jolted Edward awake. He shot upright in bed.
It was past midnight, nearing half-past twelve.
The voice was gone, but a gnawing unease lingered.
He had to check the Forbidden Forest.
Edward dressed quickly, grabbed his small bag, and slipped out of the dormitory quietly but swiftly.
The common room's fire had dimmed, but a few figures lingered on the sofas nearby.
"Off to break school rules again?" Daphne asked without looking up, her nose buried in Transfiguration notes, reciting them word for word. Pansy was sprawled across her lap, fast asleep.
Malfoy was slumped in an armchair, his book open on his lap, head bobbing like a niffler sniffing for treasure.
"I should probably join you lot for study sessions next time," Edward said softly as he hurried past. "I'm worried about Ramleh. I need to check on her."
Daphne's brow furrowed.
"Ramleh's safety?"
"It's just a gut feeling. Maybe I'm wrong."
"I'm coming with you."
Her tone left no room for argument. She gently moved Pansy's head onto a cushion, grabbed her wand, and headed for the common room door.
Malfoy was still dozing, oblivious. Pansy mumbled, rolled over, and stayed asleep. Edward and Daphne slipped out unnoticed.
A thunderous roar shattered the silence, piercing through the Black Lake and the castle's thick walls, echoing in Edward's ears and mind.
A dragon's roar.
Malfoy and Pansy jolted awake, bleary-eyed and panicked.
"What now? Another troll?!" Malfoy's pale face caught the firelight.
"What was that?" Pansy's short hair was a mess, her eyes wide with fear.
"No time to explain! Draco, Pansy, find Professor Snape! Tell him a dragon's under attack in the Forbidden Forest!"
"And stay in the castle—don't go anywhere!"
Edward barked the orders and bolted out of the common room, racing upstairs with Daphne hot on his heels.
He didn't try to stop her. When it came to unicorns, he knew no amount of reasoning would keep her back.
"Edward, don't wait for me! Go!" Daphne panted, struggling to keep up. Edward had slowed his pace deliberately, but it was still too fast for an eleven-year-old girl.
He didn't hesitate. Taking a deep breath, he surged forward like lightning, weaving through the corridors. He sped past Filch, who was clutching a lantern and heading toward the forest, and a bewildered Mrs. Norris.
Bursting through the Great Hall's doors and across the Flying lesson lawn, the dragon's roars grew louder.
Edward gripped his sword and wand tightly.
Hagrid, flustered and shouldering his crossbow, had just stumbled out of his hut when he saw a figure streaking from the castle.
"Oi! Edward! Get back! It's too dangerous!"
But Edward couldn't be stopped.
"Hagrid, it's that poacher again! No time!" Edward's shout echoed into the night. Hagrid's face hardened—he knew exactly who Edward meant. The unicorn-slaying poacher was back.
With a roar, Hagrid's heavy boots pounded the ground as he charged into the forest after Edward.
Near a cave in the Forbidden Forest, three beings faced off.
Norbert lay on the ground, scales bristling, snarling with rage and pain. Smoke and sparks puffed from her nostrils. A chunk of her scales had been torn off, blood oozing from the wound, grim and raw.
Ramleh pawed the ground, her horn glinting ominously in the moonlight, ready to charge.
Opposite them stood a figure in a black hooded cloak, its hem dragging on the ground. It moved unnaturally, gliding rather than walking, its movements eerie and inhuman.
Norbert's wounds were this figure's doing.
"Raaargh!"
Ramleh let out an angry whinny, rearing up on her hind legs and charging the cloaked figure.
She'd been uneasy all evening, hearing odd noises around the cave—not the usual forest creatures. She knew the Forbidden Forest well; even Acromantulas wouldn't attack her without provocation, especially with a young dragon nearby.
Norbert might not have mastered her fire-breathing yet, but her claws and spiked tail were enough to deter most predators.
Could it be that attacker again?
The thought of that terrifying shadow sent a chill through Ramleh.
But fear wouldn't help. If that figure was back, she had to hold it off until Edward arrived.
Ramleh trusted that Edward's presence would make everything right.
He'd told her to protect Norbert—and herself.
Now was her moment.
But before she could muster her courage, a spell exploded in the cave. Norbert's furious roar shattered the night as she dragged herself out, her body bloodied and torn.
The cloaked figure had returned.
Ramleh charged without hesitation.
A powerful spell grazed her hooves and body, slamming into a nearby ancient tree with an ominous crack, but Ramleh felt no fear.
Last time, she'd been ambushed. This time, she was confident her nimble movements would keep her safe.
Darting left and right, she surged forward, her magic-infused horn aimed at the figure, nearly striking it.
But the figure seemed to lack substance. Ramleh's horn only tore a scrap of black cloth from the cloak.
A red flash hit her abdomen.
The spell wasn't overly powerful, but it muddled her senses. She shook her head, trying to clear it.
When had the figure split into three?
Edward, hurry! Where are you?
Fear crept back into her heart.
Norbert strained to breathe fire, desperate to drive off the attacker, but only ash and smoke sputtered from her nostrils.
Mastering dragonfire was still beyond her.
The cloaked figure closed in on Norbert, its focus clearly on the dragon—for now.
"Reducto!"
A Blasting Curse from the side forced the figure back.
"Stupefy!"
"Confringo!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Spells rained down in quick succession. Caught off guard, the figure retreated, though the spells didn't seem to cause real harm.
Ramleh, sensing something, looked up with relief.
Edward, in his emerald-green robes, was sprinting toward them.
Spell after spell shot from his wand—not to hit the figure, but to create chaos and close the distance.
Four glowing green magical blades hovered around him, spinning and slicing through anything in their path.