Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Chapter 100 Nature Reserves

In the days that followed, Norbert grew very quickly.

Every day after school, the Gryffindor trio would run to Hagrid's cabin, not because they wanted to see the dragon, but because they were worried.

I'm worried about Hagrid, worried about Norber, worried that something bad will happen someday.

Henry went there a few times, but not frequently, and each time he stayed for a short time.

He just sat there quietly, watching, occasionally saying a few words, and then left.

He was waiting for Sir Arnold's reply, for his father's response, and for the right opportunity.

Two days later, the letter arrived.

There were three letters in total; the first one was from my father.

Dear Henry:

I received your letter. This is an excellent idea, and I fully support it.

Regarding the funding issue, I have already communicated with the Royal Charitable Foundation. Twenty million Galleons is not a small sum, but considering this is the Royal Family's first official investment in the magical world, the money is entirely worthwhile.

Sir Arnold will discuss this with you in detail. If you need my assistance, please let me know.

Also, William and Harry are eyeing my scarf again. This time they've set their sights on my tartan scarf—the one your grandmother gave me, which I've already locked away.

"Your loving father, Henry," Henry read the letter and couldn't help but smile. He could picture his two younger brothers as those fearless rascals they used to be.

but----

Twenty million Galleons?

It seems that his father was more generous than he had imagined.

The second letter was from Sir Arnold, and it was much thicker than his father's letter.

Your Highness:

Your letter has been received. His Highness the Prince of Wales has spoken with me, and the funding issue has been resolved. Twenty million Galleons will be injected over three years: eight million in the first year, seven million in the second year, and five million in the third year. This amount is sufficient to establish a world-class magical animal sanctuary.

Regarding contacts with the Ministry of Magic, I have made initial contact with Fudge's office through some channels. The details are as follows:

First, the progress of the negotiations.

Last week, in my capacity as a royal advisor, I had an informal meeting with the Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Magic, arranged by Humphrey. He showed great interest in the plan, especially the "royal funding, Ministry of Magic oversight" model—it was a face-saving arrangement for them, and they didn't have to spend any money; there was no reason for them to refuse.

Second, the size of the protected area.

Our initial idea was just a dragon sanctuary, but during the negotiations, the other party put forward a more interesting idea: why not establish a magical animal nature reserve covering a variety of endangered species such as dragons, unicorns, and hippogriffs?

This has several advantages. First, it is larger in scale and therefore has a greater influence. Second, it can attract more stakeholders (such as scholars who study unicorns and organizations that protect hippogriffs). Finally, it is easier to obtain approval from the Ministry of Magic because of its broad coverage and wide reach.

I agree with this idea, and if you agree, we can upgrade the plan from the Dragon Base to the Magical Creatures Sanctuary.

Third, there are political issues.

The biggest obstacle right now is not money or land, but Fudge's attitude.

As you know, Fudge is someone who craves power, prestige, and the ability to prove he's not Dumbledore's puppet.

If the royal family were to lead this project, he might feel that we are stealing his thunder.

However, your grandmother believes that you are now old enough to stand on your own, so since you made the suggestion, why not give you the opportunity to communicate with Fudge?

Fourth, which is the next step.

If you agree with the above plan, I suggest you do two things.

First, communicate with Hagrid, let him know about the plan, and tell him not to rush. The dragon can be used as a starting point.

Then prepare and negotiate with Fudge.

Enclosed is a detailed plan for your reference.

Looking forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely, Arnold Robinson Henry read the letter and remained silent for a long time.

Twenty million Galleons, the Fantastic Beasts Nature Reserve, and Fudge's possible attitude.

He placed the letter aside.

Fudge, a politician eager for political achievements and to escape Dumbledore's shadow, would certainly not sit idly by while the royal family gains prestige in the wizarding world. He would definitely pounce on it like a shark that has seen blood, wanting a share of the pie, or even wanting to take the lead in this matter.

But the royal family can't just be the good guy who silently supports from behind. What the royal family wants is influence, a voice, and to let everyone know that we did it.

After much deliberation, he picked up his quill and began writing a reply to Sir Arnold.

Sir Arnold:

Your letter has been received. Thank you for your and your father's hard work.

Regarding Fudge's question, I agree with your analysis and thank my grandmother for giving me this opportunity.

I will prepare carefully for this meeting. I need you to provide more detailed information—Fudge's personality traits, what he cares about, what he fears, and what he wants. And, if the negotiations reach a stalemate, what cards we can play.

Furthermore, regarding the size of the reserve, I completely agree with upgrading it to a Wonderful Animals Nature Reserve. As you said, the larger the size, the greater the influence, and the more stakeholders it can attract.

I will first speak with Hagrid to put his mind at ease. Then, once your documents arrive, I will begin preparing for your meeting with Fudge.

I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely, Henry. The next afternoon, Henry went to Hagrid's cabin again.

-

The trio was also there; they would run to Hagrid's cabin almost as soon as get out of class was over.

Norber has grown quite a bit; in just a few days, it has grown to almost three feet long, and the chain that tethers it is now replaced with a thicker one.

But Hagrid said it often tugged hard, trying to break the chain.

"It wants to fly," Hagrid said. "It wants to fly away, but it can't fly yet."

Henry looked at the little dragon, which was lying on the ground, its orange-red eyes staring at them, occasionally spitting out a spark.

"Hagrid," he sat down next to Hagrid, "I have something to tell you."

Hagrid turned his head and looked at him.

"What is it?"

"About Norbert," Henry said.

As soon as he said that, Harry and the other two perked up their ears.

Hagrid's expression changed; he was clearly nervous.

"What happened to Norbert?"

Henry didn't answer directly; he looked at Norbert and at the small scorch marks left on the ground by the sparks it spewed out.

"Hagrid, you know you can't keep it."

Hagrid fell silent, his hands unconsciously rubbing together.

"I know," he said finally, his voice very low, "but—"

"But you can't bear to part with it," Henry said for him.

Hagrid nodded.

He looked at Norbert for a very long time.

"It was the first dragon I ever raised," he said. "I've wanted to raise a dragon since I was a child. You know, my biggest dream when I was a kid was to have my own dragon. I read a lot of books, studied all kinds of dragons, and dreamed about them all the time."