On Saturday afternoon, William, Cedric, and Cho reluctantly set aside their homework and left the castle to visit Hagrid's hut.
The hut had undergone a dramatic transformation. It was now surrounded by layer upon layer of wooden fences, resembling a small maze.
Hagrid, ever the artist, had drawn a map to help them navigate the labyrinth. William followed the crude, squiggly lines on the map, and after circling around several times, they finally made their way inside.
When William knocked on the door, they heard a nervous shuffle from within, followed by three deep barks.
Then came Hagrid's voice, "Back, Fluffy, back!"
Hagrid opened the door just a crack, revealing his bearded face. "Hold on," he said, "Back, Fluffy."
He swung the door open and ushered them in while struggling to hold onto the collar of a massive black dog.
The hut had been completely wrecked. The ceiling, once decorated with hanging hams and pheasants, was now lined with thick books, titles such as The Breeds of British and Irish Three-Headed Dogs, From Birth to Death: A Guide to Three-Headed Dogs, and Breeding Manual for Cerberus.
Everything else in the hut, however, was in a state of utter disrepair. The large bed in the corner had its legs broken off, leaving it lying on the floor. The shattered wood bore the unmistakable imprint of sharp dog teeth. The room was a mess, with torn objects scattered everywhere.
Hagrid's once-cozy hut had been completely demolished—by Fluffy, the three-headed dog.
Standing in the corner of the hut was Charlie Weasley.
Charlie, much like Hagrid, had a fascination with magical creatures, particularly the large and furry kind. The two had become fast friends.
Hagrid pulled out five chairs—somehow still intact—and everyone sat down.
Cho glanced around and asked, "Where's Fang?"
Hagrid sighed and said, "I had to leave Fang near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He'd rather live out there than come back here."
Fluffy had grown even larger than Fang. In the past, Fang had often stolen Fluffy's snacks, but now it seemed he feared revenge.
Fluffy was not only huge but had also become increasingly ugly. Drool dripped from the three open mouths of the heads, which gnawed hungrily at whatever was left of the hut.
"You need to let him go, Hagrid," Cedric suggested gently. "Release him."
"I can't," Hagrid said, his voice plaintive. "He's only six months old! He's still just a baby!"
"..."
Charlie chimed in, "Hagrid, three-headed dogs grow fast. In less than a year, he'll be as big as your hut. And don't forget, we still don't know if Snape was involved in that Ministry incident. But if the Aurors come back and find Fluffy here, what do you think they'll do?"
Hagrid looked at Fluffy with tear-filled eyes. Fluffy's three heads were still ripping apart a plush toy that Hagrid had made for him.
"So, where can we put him?" Hagrid asked, finally giving in.
"The Forbidden Forest?" Cho suggested.
"No," Hagrid shook his head, "I've already asked the creatures in the forest. The centaurs told me if I left Fluffy there, they'd kill him!"
Though a fully grown three-headed dog would be a formidable opponent, Fluffy was still a vulnerable pup for now.
The solution was simple: they needed to tell Dumbledore. But Hagrid was too afraid to confess, though William suspected Dumbledore already knew.
"We could keep Fluffy somewhere in Hogwarts," Charlie said after a pause. "I know he's growing fast, but if we can make it through this year, I'll be graduating. I plan to take Fluffy with me to Romania over the summer. I'm going there to study dragons."
Everyone stared at Charlie, stunned.
McGonagall often called Charlie a Quidditch genius, and she wasn't wrong. Charlie had joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team in his second year and immediately showed immense talent.
In his first final, he caught the Golden Snitch under incredible pressure, securing Gryffindor's first Quidditch Cup in five years.
Though they hadn't won the cup in the following four years, it hadn't diminished Charlie's reputation. Many believed he was destined for the national team. There were even rumors that the England Quidditch team had already reached out to him.
But now Charlie was saying he planned to study dragons in Romania? The revelation was shocking.
Charlie raised his hand, laughing.
"Don't look at me like that. Including this year, I've played Quidditch for six years. I love the sport, but I'm tired. I want to do something different, something more adventurous."
Charlie stood up and patted Fluffy's head, and the giant dog instantly lay down, obedient as ever, wagging its tails.
"I'm not the kind of wizard who sticks to one path," Charlie continued, laughing. "I hate monotony. Everyone thinks I'll join a Quidditch team, and yeah, sometimes I thought about it too… But that predictable future just isn't what I want.
"And it turns out, I'm fascinated by magical creatures. One day, I just asked myself, why not study dragons instead? So here I am."
William and Cedric stared at Charlie in amazement. This was the bold, adventurous spirit that truly defined a Gryffindor.
Hagrid, lips pursed in thought, finally asked seriously, "Did you tell Arthur and Molly?"
Charlie hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded. "I told my dad. He asked me not to tell Mum just yet—he said he'd find the right moment."
Hagrid sighed deeply. "Yeah, I remember when your brother Bill made the sudden decision to go to Egypt. Such a brilliant kid, earning twelve O.W.L's. Everyone thought he'd join the Ministry. Molly was heartbroken when he left. And now you, Charlie—going to distant Romania."
Charlie forced a small smile. "Don't worry, Mum will come around. I'll visit often."
Hagrid said nothing more. Though he shared Charlie's love for magical creatures, family meant more to him than anything.
He loved dragons, sure—but he wouldn't encourage Charlie to go to Romania to study them. Hagrid would never leave Hogwarts for a dragon. This was his home.
Of course, Hagrid's usual solution was to bring all his "little darlings" home instead.
After a moment of silence, Charlie chuckled and said, "Anyway, don't tell Fred and George, alright?"
William, Cedric, and Cho all nodded quickly.
"Alright, enough about me. Let's focus on what to do with Fluffy," Charlie said.
"We definitely can't keep him here much longer. We need a hidden place, somewhere we can care for him without drawing attention. And I happen to know just the place: the Room of Requirement."
join my patreon for 45+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/HyppoTL