How It All Goes Down

Norbert The Norwegian Ridgeback

 The three friends keep an eye on Quirrell, the three-headed dog, and Snape. Everything
seems to be status quo.
 Hermione wants them all to get started studying for end-of-year exams, which are in ten
weeks. They're a requirement for making it to year two.
 The students have tons of homework, especially through the Easter break. One day,
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are working in the library when they spot Hagrid. They tell
him they know all about Flamel and what Fluffy's protecting.
 Hagrid shushes them and tells them to come over later, before sneaking out.
 Hermione notices he was hiding something, and Ron figures out he was reading up about
dragons. Ron explains that having a dragon is illegal and a lot of trouble – although there
are some wild ones in the UK; they're just kept secret from Muggles.
 At Hagrid's house, everything seems secretive. Harry wants to know what else is
protecting the Stone. Hagrid won't tell, saying he doesn't know, and they already know
enough, anyway.
 Hermione flatters Hagrid into saying that some other faculty, including Quirrell and
Snape, did protective spells on it. Hagrid's confident that Fluffy is good protection, and
says only he and Dumbledore know about that.
 Hagrid also defends Snape, but the other three aren't sure. They notice how hot it is in the
house, and realize Hagrid has a huge egg nested there. Hagrid says he won it from a
stranger. He's been doing research and is excited about his Norwegian Ridgeback,
although the other three don't think it's sensible. So, they have to add Hagrid's illegal
activity to their list of concerns.
 Days later, they get a note that says the dragon's being born.
 Ron and Harry want to go right away, but Hermione says they have to go to Herbology
class. Harry worries Malfoy overheard them.
 During break they head to Hagrid's and watch the dragon emerge. It's ugly but Hagrid
loves it. Suddenly they realize someone else is spying – Harry sees it's Malfoy.
 For the next week, the three worry about Malfoy. They want Hagrid to let the dragon go,
but it's still a (big) baby, and Hagrid loves it: he's named it Norbert.
 Ron has the bright idea that they could ask his brother Charlie, who trains dragons in
Romania, for help. They send him a note via owl.
 Several days later, Charlie's reply arrives, right after Norbert bites Ron's hand. The note
says that Charlie will help them out. They need to take Norbert to the highest tower of
Hogwarts that Saturday in the middle of the night, and Charlie's friends will pick him up.
Harry says they can use the invisibility cloak.
 Before the handoff, Ron gets sick because of the bite and has to go to the infirmary.
Malfoy visits him there and threatens to tell the truth. He borrows a book that has
Charlie's letter with the plan in it, but Ron realizes this too late.
 Harry and Hermione decide they have to proceed with their plan anyway. They tell
Hagrid, who can barely control the small dragon.
 That Saturday, Harry and Hermione are worried about everything going smoothly.
Hagrid says goodbye to Norbert, sobbing. Harry and Hermione struggle to get the dragon
in its crate up the tower, while all three hiding under the cloak.
 Suddenly they see Prof. McGonagall telling Malfoy off. He says he's waiting for Harry
and the dragon; she says he's lying and gives him detention.
 After the others leave, Harry and Hermione wait for Charlie's friends. For a moment,
after the friends take Norbert safely away, they're happy and relieved.
 They're going back downstairs when they run into Filch, and then realize they forget the
invisibility cloak. Problem!