Harry Potter and the Triwizard Gambit - Chapter - 19

Harry tightened his grip on the Invisibility Cloak as he slipped out of Gryffindor Tower. The castle had gone quiet after curfew, torches burning low along the stone walls. Every step echoed far louder than he would have liked, but his mind was made up.

He needed to see the cages himself.

The dragons hadn’t vanished into thin air—something had broken those enclosures, and Harry had an awful idea of what it might have been.

Pulling the cloak over his head, he started toward the front doors. His heart pounded, each step down the staircase feeling like it might summon Filch from the shadows.

But he wasn’t three corridors away from the Entrance Hall before a familiar whisper froze him.

“Where do you think you’re going, Harry?”

The cloak slipped from his shoulders as Fred and George Weasley materialized out of the darkness. Both had smug grins plastered across their faces, arms crossed as though they’d been waiting for him.

Harry groaned. “You two followed me.”

“Course we did,” George said. “You’ve been twitching all day like a cat on hot bricks. You thought we wouldn’t notice?”

Fred raised an eyebrow. “Off to have a midnight stroll in the Forbidden Forest, were you? Very suspicious. Very rule-breaking. Very… us.”

Harry opened his mouth to protest but gave up almost instantly. There was no talking the twins out of anything once they’d caught wind of it.

“All right,” he muttered. “Yes. I’m going to investigate where the dragons were kept.”

The twins exchanged a look that was equal parts delight and disbelief.

“See, George? He is rubbing off on us.”

“Or we’ve rubbed off on him.”

Either way, it was decided. Harry wasn’t going alone.


The night air outside was biting cold, and the forest loomed ahead like a wall of shifting black shapes. Owls hooted in the distance, and the occasional snap of a twig made Harry’s nerves jangle.

The three of them crept through the undergrowth, wands out, the silvery light of Harry’s cloak tucked back into his pocket for emergencies.

“This is madness,” George muttered, though his grin gave him away. “Detention for life if we’re caught.”

“Not to mention death if we run into anything hungry,” Fred added cheerfully.

They pressed deeper into the forest, guided by the faint stench of scorched earth and singed wood. Soon, the air grew heavier, thick with the tang of sulfur and old fire.

And then they found it.


The clearing was vast, its ground scarred by blackened patches of soil. Enormous iron cages lay scattered like broken toys, their bars twisted and bent outward as though something immense had forced its way through. Chains as thick as a man’s arm dangled loose and shattered.

Fred whistled low. “Merlin’s beard…”

George crouched by a snapped chain and ran his fingers over the metal. “This wasn’t cut by tools. Look at the edges—melted. As if…”

“As if fire got to it,” Harry finished grimly. He stepped closer to the largest cage, brushing his hand against the scorched iron.

Everywhere he looked, claw marks gouged deep trenches into the earth. Trees at the edge of the clearing were split apart, bark blasted away. Whatever had freed the dragons hadn’t just broken through—it had burned through.

“This wasn’t poachers,” Harry muttered. “This was… something else".

George leaned in. “Look at these bends… no wand could do that.”

Harry exhaled slowly. “I think I know who.”

The twins turned to him, their faces half-shadowed by the moonlight.

“Norberta,” Harry said at last.

Fred’s jaw dropped. “Our Norberta—”

“I am very sure she rescued them,” Harry finished, lowering his voice.

George’s eyebrows shot up. “What about the basilisk?”

Harry gave a small nod. “They’ve been safe there, away from everyone. You already know how powerful the wards are. Only Stars club can find it.”

The twins exchanged looks, then broke into identical grins.

Without waiting, Harry tugged the Cloak tighter around them and led the way. The forest grew thicker, the air warmer, until the faint smell of sulfur tickled their noses. Finally, after weaving past an illusionary wall of rock, they slipped into a clearing that shouldn’t have existed.

The cave mouth yawned before them, glowing faintly with runes Harry had carved long ago. Inside, the air shimmered with enchantments—protective wards humming softly, cloaking the cavern from unfriendly eyes.

“Merlin’s beard…” George breathed as they stepped in.

The cavern was vast, its ceiling glittering with crystals that formed by dragon fire, and mimicked starlight. And there, stretched across the stone floor, were not one but four dragons—the three missing tournament beasts alongside Norberta, their scales glistening like living jewels. Beside them, coiled in dignified silence, was Sapphira, her emerald eyes fixed on the newcomers.

Norberta lifted her great head, smoke curling from her nostrils, but when her gaze fell on Harry she rumbled a deep, welcoming growl.

“She did it,” Harry whispered. “She freed them.”

Fred nudged George. “Of course she did. Look at her—queen of the forest, savior of dragons.”

George chuckled nervously. “And we thought Charlie had the monopoly on dragon stories.”

Harry stepped forward, slowly lowering his hood so Norberta could see his face. “You didn’t have to do this,” he murmured, though his voice was gentle. “But you couldn’t let them suffer, could you?”

Norberta’s eyes glowed, as if she understood every word. Sapphira hissed softly, the sound not threatening but resonant—almost like agreement.

Fred scratched his head. “So what now, Harry? You’ve got three wild dragons squatting with your dragon and basilisk. That’s not exactly something you can keep under wraps forever.”

Harry turned, his expression firm. “We keep them hidden. For now, no one can know. If the Ministry or the Headmaster finds out, they’ll send hunters, chains, or worse. Dragons don’t belong in cages—they belong free. And if Norberta risked everything to rescue them, then we’ll protect them. All of them.”

For once, both twins were silent, their usual grins replaced by something more solemn. Then George smirked and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

“Well then,” he said, “looks like we’ve just become dragon-keepers too. Fred, fancy telling Mum about this at dinner?”

Fred snorted. “I’d rather face Sapphira unarmed.”

The cavern rumbled with low growls, the dragons restless, but under the shimmering runes they seemed calmer—as though they knew they were safe here. Harry looked around, heart heavy but resolute. This was no longer just a secret cave. It had become a sanctuary.

And now, it was his responsibility to keep it that way.



The Forbidden Forest loomed behind them, a shadowed mass whispering of secrets. Harry, Fred, and George slipped through the underbrush with caution, their breaths heavy after witnessing what few in Hogwarts could ever imagine—Norberta, Hagrid’s beloved dragon, not only thriving in the forest but also sheltering the three missing dragons in the enchanted cavern Harry had once prepared for her and Sapphira, the basilisk.

It had been Harry’s greatest secret, known only to a handful of friends. For years, he had crafted protective enchantments, runes, and wards deep in the forest to ensure that Norberta and Sapphira had a sanctuary safe from both wizard and witch eyes. To see her now, proud and powerful, offering protection to the lost dragons, filled him with a warmth that rivaled the flames those creatures could breathe.

But returning to Hogwarts was never going to be simple.


As they neared the edge of the forest, Harry halted abruptly, pulling the twins behind a wide oak trunk.

“Blimey…” Fred muttered, peering out cautiously. “They’re swarming the place.”

Indeed, the entire area near Hagrid’s cottage was crawling with Aurors. Robes dark as raven feathers, wands drawn and ready, they patrolled in tight formations. Some were stationed in pairs, eyes fixed toward the treeline, others closer to the pumpkin patch where Hagrid usually worked. They had clearly been ordered to guard Hogwarts from the possibility of a dragon returning in rage.

George exhaled sharply. “If they spot us, we’re done for. They’ll think we’re sneaking about with the dragons.”

Harry frowned. “Exactly why we can’t just walk through. They’ll question everything. We need another way back.”

Fred’s lips curved into a mischievous grin. “Or… we just do it our way.”


Without another word, the twins glanced at one another, their grins identical, and with a shimmer of shifting magic, their bodies rippled and shrank. In mere seconds, where once stood the troublemaking Weasley twins now bounded two foxes—a sleek red fox with fiery fur, and a nimble silver fox with eyes glittering with mischief.

Harry shook his head with a faint chuckle. “Show-offs.”

The two foxes flicked their bushy tails at him in response and dashed out from behind the tree, weaving between Auror patrols. Their paws made no sound, their movements so quick and natural that the Aurors barely noticed. One Auror glanced briefly at the streak of red fur before muttering, “Just a fox. Nothing to worry about.”

The brothers darted straight toward the castle, vanishing from sight.


Harry remained behind the tree, his heartbeat quickening. He had only completed his Animagus transformation a month ago, but it had already become second nature. Closing his eyes, he drew in a steady breath, his body shuddering as bones stretched, feathers unfurled, and wings spread wide.

Moments later, a majestic harpy eagle stood where Harry had been, his wings catching the moonlight as they expanded to their full span. His sharp golden eyes scanned the patrols below, seeing every twitch, every movement, with clarity only a predator could know.

With a powerful beat of his wings, Harry soared upward. The Aurors below craned their heads at the sudden rush of air.

“Bird,” one muttered. “Big one, too.”

“Eagles don’t come near here often,” another remarked, but neither gave chase.

Harry wheeled upward, climbing higher and higher, until the towers of Hogwarts came into view. He angled himself directly toward the seventh floor, bypassing staircases, guards, and all the trouble in between. His talons brushed the edge of an open window, and in the blink of an eye, the eagle shimmered and vanished, replaced once again by Harry Potter, his cloak quickly thrown over his shoulders as he slipped inside.

When he landed softly on the stone floor and waited for Fred and George to arrive, They rushed into the Griffindor common room, their fox forms gone, grins plastered across their freckled faces.

“That,” George said, his eyes gleaming, “was brilliant.”

“Absolutely majestic,” Fred agreed, slapping Harry on the back.

Harry smirked faintly. “You weren’t too bad yourselves. If the Aurors knew Hogwarts had three Animagi running around under Dumbledore’s nose…”

“They’d lose their minds,” Fred finished.

“Not to mention,” George added, “poor old Percy would explode. Imagine the lecture!”


“You’ll never guess what we stumbled on while sneaking back,” Fred began, his voice hushed with mock-dramatic weight.

Fred nodded eagerly, pulling the Invisibility Cloak from his pocket.
“The new cloak came in handy. We wrapped ourselves up and took the long route—didn’t want the professors catching a whiff of us after that dragon fiasco. But, oh, did fate reward us.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “What did you see?”

The twins exchanged a glance, grins widening.

“Snape and Moody,” George said simply.

Harry blinked. “Snape and Moody… together?”

Fred leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“Not together. Quarreling. Right there in the corridor near the first floor. We nearly tripped over them before realizing it was too juicy to miss. And let me tell you, Snape looked like he’d swallowed a dungbomb whole.”

George chuckled, mimicking Snape’s deep sneer.
“‘You think you can wave that blasted staff about and intimidate me, Moody?’ he said. Proper venom in his tone. We could practically feel the air sizzle.”

Fred jumped in, eyes glinting.
“And Moody—Mad-Eye himself—just tapped his staff, gave that wild eye of his a whirl, and snarled back, ‘I don’t need intimidation, Snape. I’ve got my eye on you, always. Dark habits die hard, don’t they?’”

Harry frowned, leaning forward. “What was Snape’s reaction?”

George smirked.
“Snape hissed like a bat cornered in sunlight. ‘You have no idea what you’re talking about,’ he spat. He kept his voice low, like he didn’t want anyone overhearing. But you know Moody—he thundered back so loudly we thought Filch would pop out of the walls.”

Fred spread his hands wide.
“It was glorious, Harry. Moody accusing Snape of still meddling with dark magic, muttering about ‘loyalties being tested soon enough.’ Snape’s face twisted so hard I thought he’d hex Moody right there. But in the end, Snape just swirled his robes and stormed away. Very dramatic exit.”

George chuckled, wagging a finger.
“But Moody didn’t move. He stood there, muttering to himself, tapping his staff against the stones like he was… waiting. Almost like he wanted Snape to slip up and come back.”

Fred shrugged, though the gleam in his eyes betrayed excitement.
“Whatever it means, Harry, there’s bad blood there. More than usual. And trust us, we’ve seen a lot of professors bicker—but that wasn’t bickering. That was war waiting to happen.”

Harry sat in silence, the image burning in his mind. Snape and Moody… snarling in the shadows. A secret clash between two dangerous men. Something about it unsettled him deeply, but Fred and George were already laughing about it, nudging each other as if they’d just witnessed the best prank of the century.

“Next time, Harry,” George said, eyes twinkling, “you’re sneaking with us. Who knows what other secrets the castle’s hiding?”