39. Didn't see that one coming.

A week of bashing my brain against the book led me to learning a few rather interesting applications of magic. For starters, the fact that in a manner of speech, the common spells that we have been taught so far are built using a hypothetical two dimensional matrix using arithmancy and mathemagics. This is precisely why the spells in the book look so alien. Them being built in a hypothetical four dimensional matrix makes them not only incredibly complex but also orders of magnitude more powerful. 

Now, there is absolutely no way I could in any way shape or form decipher those spells from a stand still point. It would be like going from multiplication and division to advanced calculus or worse. So instead, after the first two days of frustration, I began building my comprehension of the subject for three dimensional matrixes instead. 

Of course, seeing as I couldn't find any information at all in the library on the subject, I suspect that perhaps, the concept itself did not exist at the time. Either way, I had to work and do everything by myself with no help or foreknowledge to help me. In other words, I had to deal with insane amounts of trial and error. 

A week of work has given me… nothing, well not nothing but not something either. The work is not done but it wasn’t wasted either. If I had to make a guess, I would say I am around ten percent of the way to having a fully functional model, maybe, possibly. 

I loud thud, that which is distinctly of a forehead impacting an open book, brought me out of my thoughts. To let my head cool down a little I decided to engage in some light reading. You know, reading actual wizard history and such in the library. Did you know, there was a wizard by the name Barbazar who tried to get to the moon. A hundred and eleven recorded attempts. He failed of course and died for it in a rather hilarious way. You see, his last attempt involved apparition. End result? He ran out of magic somewhere along the way and died in the vacuum of space. The portkey he had prepared in case of emergency activated and barely managed to throw his body into the atmosphere where it burned on reentry. 

Either way, looking towards the source of the sound I found the golden trio plus Sophia looking at a bunch of books. The latter had joined them recently as before she had been reading about history with me, and laughing at the ridiculousness within. 

“Ron, no slacking, we need to check all these books, there must be something about this Nicholas Flamel in one of them.” Hermione reprimanded the red head who was currently holding his head as if he had the mother of all headaches. 

“We have been reading books for hours!” The exclamation coming from Ron in response was barely shy of a shout. To the side I could see Harry looking with a wry expression, probably wanting to express similar feelings but not willing to catch flak as Ron did. 

Now, I could let things go and play out without my interference. Yes, so far things hadn’t gone exactly as the books or movies, things being more dangerous. Even so, with Quirellmort out of the picture things should calm down. For all I know, they would lose interest soon enough…

Who am I kidding? Of course they won’t then again, things should be safer… right? With a sigh I decided to get myself involved anyway. If nothing else, I could steer them in a way that would benefit me. Afterall, Harry did manage to get the stone out of the mirror, something I doubt I would be able to pull off… easily or quickly mind you. Is it my hubris and pride talking when I say I believe I could get it out with enough time? Doesn’t matter. Either way, getting them the hints and ingratiating myself to them will benefit me in the long run, even if it doesn’t provide immediate benefit. 

“Nicholas Flamel, the most famous and respected alchemist the world has seen to date. The creator of the philosopher stone. Has lived for over six hundred years thanks to the elixir of life the stone can create.” I spoke as I got within hearing distance of their desk. 

“That’s it!” Hermione almost shouted as she dashed away from the desk only to come back half a minute later with a thick tome. Opening it she found the page of the man in question where the information I had recited could be found. 

“Now, may I know why are you all looking for information on him?” I asked, acting clueless. Afterall, I couldn’t just come out and say I knew it right off the bat. With how paranoid Ron could be where I am involved he would jump to conclusions. Probably something along the lines of me being a spy for Snape. 

“Ah well that is…” Harry started but a look from Ron had him slowing down his words until he stopped. An awkward air settled for a moment before Sophia spoke. 

“They think there is a conspiracy afoot. Something about Snape being the one to set fire to the stands during the quidditch game. And him wanting to steal, what we now think might be the philosopher stone.” I nodded as she spoke and ignored Ron’s glare. The little shit really… hate? Nah that is too strong of a word, he just doesn’t like me to a great extent. 

“You think Snape was the culprit of the fire?” I asked incredulously. Poor Snape, not even being absent could absolve him of suspicion.

“Yeah, he was absent but we believe he set some kind of delayed spell to light the fire. That way, everyone would be too busy with the fire to look for him. He probably was going after the stone at the time.” Harry explains while both Ron and Hermione nod to his sides. 

“What about whatever was wrong with Harry’s broom?” As soon as the question left my lips Ron jumped to answer.

“It was definitely Snape as well. He probably wanted to have Harry killed by the combination of his broom going out of control and the fire!” I wanted to sigh so, so, bad at that moment. By this point, Snape could fart and This trio would attribute it to a foul plot or some such. Not my problem though. 

“Okay, so what is the plan?” Because really, I wanted to know what was going inside those minds. Kids will be kids and all that but for me, them involving themselves in this felt exceptionally foolhardy. 

“We need to tell the professors.” Hermiony instantly answered right about to bolt out the library to do just that. She was however stopped by Ron. 

“They will never believe us! Snape is a professor too afterall.” To his side Harry nodded. 

“We will have to take the stone first.” Harry said with all the seriousness he could muster while to the side Sophia looked worried for her brother and friends. 

“And how do you expect to get past the cerberus?” To that all four of them turned to look at me with questioning looks. That is until Hermione’s expression swapped to that of realisation as she dashed away to get another book.  

“Here it is.” A moment later everyone huddled around the book as Hermione read on the cerberus as a species. Where a rather important hint could be found. 

“Cerberus tends to easily fall asleep when relaxed. Some will slumber to the sound of calm music, others to poetry, and some others to something as simple as a specific scent.” As Hermione finished reading everyone became silent as they thought about it. That is when I decided to help them a bit more. 

“You know, if there is anyone who would know what would make this specific cerberus slumber it would be Hagrid.” Not a second had passed once I finished speaking before the golden trio rushed out of the library towards a rather obvious destination, Sophia a few meters behind. 

“Hmm, wonder if the dragon is ready to hatch or if my involvement sped things up too much” Shrugging I decided to follow them just at a much more sedate pace. No need to hurry or get all sweaty from running, Hagrid wouldn’t vanish into thin air after all. Funnily enough, I got there almost at the same time as them thanks to my navigational skills, and by that I mean, that the moving stairs wasted a good few minutes. 

“We know about the philosopher stone.” Well, looks like I got distracted enough to miss the initial interaction of the gentle giant and the kids. Nothing to it really, and what followed was rather close to what I had seen in the movies, except for them including the fire into the accusations which Hagrid took offense to, seeing as some students died and all. 

“I am telling you professor Snape didn’t do it, and even if he did for some reason, there is no way he is getting past fluffy. Only Dumbledore and myself know how… I shouldn’t have said that, I shouldn’t have said that.” 

It was then that I noticed how hot the hut was. Instantly my eyes turned to the chimney which had a rather strong fire burning in it. Not to mention the metal pot atop it. That confused me some, afterall, I had accelerated the events so things shouldn’t have coincided yet, it looks like they would.  

Focusing my magical senses on the pot I soon felt the concentration of vitality within. However, it was then that I realized that no, the dragon wouldn’t be hatching today but in around a week or so. That is unless I decided to do something… interesting. 

Here is a question. What would happen if I were to inject vitality into the egg? The answer, I have no clue and I am oh so very curious to find out. Casting a very mild notice on me, I got to work creating a link to the egg. I had to be careful and precise with what came next. If I were to push too much too fast the magic would become visible to the naked eye, not to mention what may happen to the egg. 

Minutes went by as the Golden trio plus Sophia chatted with Hagrid, trying with the subtlety of a train’s horn, to pry the secret of putting Fluffy to sleep. Of course, Hagrid being Hagrid didn’t notice. While that was happening I kept feeding the egg vitality and monitoring it with my magical senses.

I could see, for lack of a better word, the dragon within developing. Curiosity got the better of me again, and so I decided that in for a knut in for a galleon. Besides vitality I began feeding it my magic as well. It was with amazement that I saw the dragon developing further, as it… mutated. From a four limbed creature to a six limbed one as the wings and frontal legs separated. 

The greedy little fuck began to actively try and pull more of both my magic and vitality. Being magnanimous and not due to my curiosity at all I allowed it. As annoying as replenishing so much vitality would be, I was already too invested in my little experiment. 

Loud creaking and cracking began to sound from the egg which caught everyone's attention. It was a moment later that everyone huddled around the table as the egg continued to make noises. There was some chatter but I was too focused on the little life within the egg to care. 

All conversation stopped as the egg pretty much exploded to expose what laid within. The best I could describe it would be the evolved cousin of the Norwegian Ridgeback. Tiny obsidian black scales gleaming and an eerie blood red. wicked sharp claws as well as regal horns… or as sharp and regal as those of an infant dragon could be. The little cutie looked around, stopping for a moment while looking at Hagrid. 

“Oh look, he knows his mom, hello Norbert.” Hagrid said as he tried to pet her, only to get a beard full of flames. I could almost feel the indignation from her when Hagrid not only misgendered her but also gave her such a god awful name. 

“Looks like she doesn’t like the name.” I commented with a small laugh and a smile, only to get a chest full of trilling dragon a moment later. The moment she heard my voice she turned to look at me with so much enthusiasm I worried for her neck. 

“Uh well, aren’t you a cuddly one.” I commented as I held her while she nuzzled her spiky head affectionately against my neck. If those Spikes weren’t still relatively soft from her recent birth, my neck would have turned into quite the gory mess. Looking to the side I could see the devastated sight of Hagrid looking between his beard and the dragon happily snuggling to me. 

“How about we call you Rubedo?” Everyone could tell she loved the name as she trilled even louder before letting little sparks here and there in a display of excitement. This was also a hammer blow for Hagrid as he sulked on his seat. 

“Now little Rubedo, go apologize to Hagrid for burning his beard.” I said that mostly as a joke but to my surprise and everyone else's, she listened as she got off me and instead jumped on hagrid with soft trills as if apologising. 

“Silver, can you talk with dragons?” Sophia asked with amazement as I was wondering the same for all of a few seconds before shaking my head. I hadn’t noticed until I looked for it but soon enough found an explanation. Rubedo having fed off of my magic and vitality had a mark linking her own with mine. She couldn’t understand my words per se but she could somewhat understand my intentions. 

“Don’t think so, maybe she is just a smart little girl.” I said with a smile as Rubedo turned to me and gave me a happy little trill having understood that I was praising her. I had never had a pet be it in this life or my previous one but I was quickly growing fond of the little thing. 

---A/N---

Welp, I'm late again, oops. I don't have an excuse for this one. I got too into playing prey (2017), great game btw, and from the depths, also a great game. Add to that getting lost binging a 400+ chapter story and yeah, before I knew it the month flew by. That being said, I will be uploading an extra chapter as an apology either today or tomorrow :3

PS: Patreon changed its UI again for some reason. WHY WON'T IT STOP! (I do kinda like this one better tho)