Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Chapter 160 Speeding Up the Iceberg

Philip's words startled everyone around him.

Charlie opened his mouth, unsure how to answer.

Dragon Knight?

You're quite old, really quite old.

George and Fred exchanged a glance; they were clearly already planning how to saddle Norbert—perhaps with reins, stirrups, and a specially designed dragon-riding manual as well.

Henry glanced at his grandfather and shook his head helplessly.

"Grandpa, Nobeta is too young to ride now."

"What if it grows up?" Philip was still not giving up.

Henry thought about it and decided to leave the problem to the professionals.

In this situation, the best approach is to shift the blame to someone who knows the ropes.

"You'll have to ask Charlie, he's the expert."

All eyes turned to Charlie.

Charlie wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead and coughed twice.

"Your Highness, I've never studied how to ride a dragon," he said resentfully. "Norwegian Ridgebacks aren't meant to be ridden. They have bad tempers, recognize people, and..."

He pointed to the row of sharp protrusions on Norbert's back. Those protrusions stretched from the back of its neck all the way to the base of its tail, each one as sharp as a short sword, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

"And what?" Philip pressed, showing no sign of backing down.

"And they have that row of bumps on their backs," Charlie tried to sound professional, "If you sat on one, you'd probably get a sharp stab right through you. These things are sharper than a steak knife; I've seen them slice through a tree as thick as a bowl."

He thought for a moment, then added, "Of course, if you sit still on it, it might just poke a few holes. But when the dragon flies, it will bounce, and those protrusions will be like saws—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already quite clear.

Philip looked down at his stomach, then at the row of sharp protrusions, and nodded thoughtfully.

"Then we'll need to get a mat."

Ron muttered quietly beside him, "You're really planning to ride it?"

Philip glanced at him, his eyes filled with regret.

"What? It won't work?"

How can this young man have so little ambition?

They're nothing like our older generation, who dared to fight, struggle, and take risks!

Ron opened his mouth, only to find that he didn't know what to say.

His mind raced, trying to find a reason that would neither offend the prince nor prevent this insane plan.

But after thinking about it for a long time, I could only come to one conclusion.

This old man and his twin brother are the same kind of people.

So he could only look helplessly at Henry.

Henry received Ron's look, sighed softly, and stepped forward.

"Grandpa, don't rush," he said. "We'll study this when Norbert is a little older. Right now, it's still a child and needs to grow up properly. It can't be ridden around like that."

Philip thought about it and agreed that it made sense.

"Okay," he said somewhat reluctantly, "then let's wait until it grows up, and I'll be the first to ride it then."

"And then you become Talking Tom," Henry said. "You know, the one who sits on a board of nails, sucks up water, and then waters the garden like a watering can."

"You little rascal—" Philip pointed a finger at Henry and chuckled.

He turned to Norbert and looked at him for a while longer.

The black dragon was now lying on the rock, basking in the sun. Its eyes were half-closed, and its tail occasionally flicked, making a dull thud as it hit the ground. It looked quite content.

In the sunlight, its black scales gleamed with a metallic sheen, and it would occasionally exhale a small puff of smoke from its nostrils, which would then slowly dissipate into the air.

It seemed to sense that someone was watching it, so it opened its eyes and looked at the group of people by the fence.

Then Henry appeared. It jumped down from the stone and strode toward the fence.

Its footsteps were heavy, each step causing the ground to vibrate.

Ron's legs started to go weak again.

"It—it's coming," he whispered, instinctively taking a step back.

Norbert walked to the fence and rubbed his head against it.

The fence was specially made, forged from magically reinforced steel, but it still clanged loudly when it hit.

It raised its head, looked at Henry, and let out a coquettish hiss.

The sound was high-pitched and sharp, completely unlike its fierce appearance; it sounded more like a kitten begging its owner for food.

Henry reached out and stroked its head through the fence.

Norbert made a purring sound, like a giant cat.

It tilted its head to one side, making it easier for Henry to reach a more comfortable spot.

Philip watched from the side, marveling at the sight.

"It really recognizes you."

Henry nodded: "It recognizes me. We've been together since we were little. Although we don't see each other often, it remembers me every time I come. Besides me, it also really likes Hagrid."

"Why?" Philip asked. "Are dragons that intelligent?"

"Norwegian Ridgebacks are incredibly intelligent," Charlie explained from the side. "Their intelligence is equivalent to that of a five- or six-year-old child; they can remember those who have been kind to them. His Highness Henry cared for it with Hagrid from the moment it hatched, and it has always remembered that."

Philip nodded thoughtfully, still considering whether to invest more in the project.

Let's speed things up for the iceberg!

Diana stood beside her, her eyes sparkling.

"It's so beautiful," she exclaimed sincerely.

Norbert heard her voice and turned to look at her.

It tilted its head, sizing up this complete stranger.

Diana looked at Henry, and asked expectantly, "May I touch it?"

Henry glanced at Norbert.

Norbert tilted his head and looked at Diana.

Then it nudged its head closer to the fence, looking very well-behaved.

Diana gently placed her hand on its head.

The scales were cool and smooth, giving off a very strange feeling. It was like touching some kind of metal, but with warmth.

It feels like touching a stone, yet it's also springy.

The touch was so peculiar that Diana couldn't help but touch it a few more times.

Norbert let out a soft snore and his eyes narrowed again.

Diana smiled.

"It likes me."

Charles, standing nearby, said, "It really likes you."

"How did you know?" Diana looked at him.

Charles pointed to Norbert's eyes.

"The way it looks at you is the same way it looks at Henry."

Diana smiled, a smile warmer than the sunshine.

Harry was jumping with anxiety. He stood on tiptoe, craning his neck to try and see Nobeta clearly, but he was too short and could only see the lower half of the fence.

"I want to touch it too! I want to touch it too!" he shouted, grabbing Henry's sleeve and shaking it violently.

Henry bent down and picked him up.

Harry finally saw the whole of Norbert. The black fire dragon was much bigger than he had imagined, but for some reason, he didn't find it scary at all.