If the wizard who had said those words hadn't been Draco, Pansy and the others would probably have dismissed the idea of a Dragontongue as nothing more than wild fantasy or a mischievous lie.
Not to mention the seriousness etched into Draco's face, along with Hermione's expression, which clearly showed she had known about this for some time. All of it made one thing unmistakably clear: this was real.
Pansy, who had never doubted Draco for a second and even believed he was some kind of chosen wizard, accepted this so-called Dragontongue identity without hesitation.
"So, Draco, you can really command those powerful dragons?"
"To be precise, it's communication, not command."
"That's still incredible. This isn't some minor talent that a mere snake or even a Basilisk could compare to."
Pansy wasn't wrong. In fact, long before this, Draco had already brought Norberta with him and crushed the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets without mercy.
The Basilisk might have possessed a petrification curse, but a dragon's innate magical resistance was more than enough to withstand that so-called trump card…
Compared to Pansy and the others, who were brimming with excitement and curiosity, there was a trace of worry on Hermione's face. Out of consideration for everyone present, however, she didn't voice it.
Even so, Draco noticed.
"If nothing unexpected happened, then the Dark Lord probably knew the moment he returned," he said. "So yes, Hermione, your concern is valid."
There was a hint of uncertainty in Draco's tone. He had never studied Horcruxes in depth. To be exact, because they involved the soul itself, this kind of magic was filled with uncontrollable variables.
It was not only dangerous, but also classified as Taboo magic.
Driven by ambition and madness, no one could say just how far the exceptionally talented Voldemort would push himself in this field. That was why Draco couldn't be completely certain whether everything a Horcrux experienced would ultimately return to the main body.
Memories. Thoughts. And that ability he had once witnessed with his own eyes, the talent to communicate with dragons…
...
Draco's explanation made Hermione nod in understanding.
Astoria, who seemed to have grasped the implications as well, frowned deeply.
"So what you're saying is that, aside from Granger and us who already knew about this, the Dark Lord is also aware that you possess this… ability?"
"That's right. Judging from their actions, the probability is at least eighty percent."
"Eighty percent? I shouldn't need to remind you. That man definitely won't let this go."
Pansy, who had only moments ago been happy for Draco, finally reacted when she saw the serious expressions on Hermione's and Astoria's faces.
This wasn't a talent that could be revealed casually. It could even put Draco in serious danger.
Perhaps it was precisely because Lucius understood this that he chose to betray Voldemort without hesitation…
…
Dragons.
Creatures that appeared only in legends and fairy tales were naturally assigned a danger rating of XXXXX by the Ministry of Magic.
Of course, the reason they were rated XXXXX was simply because the scale's upper limit stopped at XXXXX…
No matter the breed, dragons possessed immense size and strength, and their scales carried considerable magical resistance. When they appeared on a wizarding battlefield, they were, without question, terrifying weapons of war.
And if there was anyone who coveted such dangerous creatures the most, it was undoubtedly the Dark Lord who had returned from the dead, Voldemort.
In fact, during the First Wizarding War, Voldemort had already recruited dark creatures such as giants and werewolves into his ranks.
In other words, if he were to learn of a wizard who possessed the talent of Dragontongue, then whether for the sake of drawing dragons to his side or eliminating a potential threat, that confident and mad Dark Lord would never let such a wizard go.
If he couldn't have him, he would destroy him. That outcome was easy enough to foresee…
That was precisely why Hermione, who understood the history, and Astoria, who had a strong sense of the bigger picture, wore such worried expressions.
At the same time, Draco's complete trust in them made them feel warmed, yet it also placed a heavy weight on their shoulders…
Seeming to notice the pressure and concern written on their faces, Draco quietly reached down and picked up a suitcase from beside his feet, apparently intending to change the atmosphere.
The familiar trunk made Pansy and Hermione freeze for a moment, while the baffled Astoria examined the strange, utterly unremarkable-looking suitcase in front of her.
Astoria didn't believe Draco had any interest in collecting this sort of leather trunk…
"Isn't this the… magical trunk you had me fetch from the dark magic shop back then?"
"A magical trunk? Don't tell me—!?"
Pansy, who had once handed this trunk over to Dobby, was the first to react. Hermione, meanwhile, recognized it from books and Pansy's startled cry.
In the very next second, Hermione hopped forward, nearly pressing herself against the trunk as questions spilled rapidly from her mouth.
"A suitcase enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm? This brass dial—there's no mistake, it's for switching to Muggle mode! I've read about magical suitcases like this in books!"
Newt Scamander and his magical suitcase were famous figures in magical history, so it was no wonder Hermione was this excited.
But…
"But isn't this a prohibited item? Could it be—"
"It's exactly that 'could it be.' Come to think of it, Norberta's been missing you."
The mixture of delight and awkward disbelief on Hermione's face made Draco laugh as he gave the magical suitcase a light tap on the table.
More accurately, it was a means of transport for Norberta…
...
Who was Norberta?
And what exactly was hidden inside this magical suitcase?
As Draco explained and the others gasped in surprise, an answer gradually took shape. It was just that the answer itself was rather shocking…
"So, Draco, you brought Norberta out because you want her to live in Romania?"
It was common knowledge that the closest place to Britain where dragons lived was right where they were now: Romania.
Otherwise, the magical world wouldn't have established its dragon research base here in the first place…
"Mm. Even though the space inside the trunk is large enough for Norberta to fly and stretch freely, it still can't compare to a real sky."
"If Norberta knew, she'd definitely be happy."
"Ha, no, no, no. Compared to that, that beautiful menace would probably rather have me bring her a barrel of dead-rat-flavored brandy next time I visit."
"I can't wait to see her again."
The easy, harmonious exchange between Hermione and Draco made Pansy, who couldn't get a word in edgewise, puff out her cheeks in displeasure.
Why hadn't she known that back at school, Draco and Granger had even met a female dragon named Norberta?
Had this woman gone off on her own without saying a word?
What Pansy didn't know yet was that it wasn't just a matter of sneaking ahead. Even Draco's kiss had already been stolen by Hermione…