Hagrid's eyes went comically round.
"Sixty-five million years?"
Merlin's beard—that was… quite a while.
He'd never finished History of Magic. The oldest names he knew were the Four Founders—and, all right, Merlin, though Hagrid mostly used the name for swearing. That was only a few thousand years. Dinosaurs made that feel like yesterday.
Task or no task, the lure was too much. He followed Theodore to the collection room.
When the door swung open, a stretch of floor—ten metres at least—held several reconstructed dinosaur skeletons.
"Merlin—what are those?!"
Hagrid stared, entranced.
Theodore smiled, guiding like a museum docent.
"This is a Triceratops. Herbivore, but hardly gentle—mass and momentum would reduce most attackers to paste.
"That one's a pterosaur, a flying carnivore—the sky's old apex.
"These smaller ones are velociraptors. Pack hunters—small frames, nasty brains. They work together and bring down prey much larger than themselves."
He sighed, half-laughing.
"The Natural History Museum wanted to gift me a T. rex cast for a book favour. But the thing's too big; even this room can't take it.
"If you'd like, Hagrid, I can take you to see it sometime. King of the meat-eaters—the largest land carnivore of its age."
Hagrid swallowed audibly, dizzy with delight. Just looking at the bones made him happy. These "lovely" giants—he could have hugged them.
And there was a bigger one?
If Muggle worlds had creatures this marvellous, he'd clearly been missing treasure for years.
When he found words again, he could only breathe praise.
"Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."
He all but leaned in to kiss the skulls.
Seeing the moment was ripe, Theodore spoke simply:
"Hagrid—pick one. Take it home."
Hagrid jumped. "I can't possibly—"
"You can," Theodore said, sincere. "They're taking up space. I'm off to Hogwarts, I won't be back often to admire them.
"If you keep one safe, it has a caretaker who appreciates it. I can visit and see it at yours—better all round.
"And… I'm keen on magical creatures. Let me gift you a fossil; you show me a few wonders at Hogwarts. Fair trade between friends."
"Friends." The word landed. Hagrid's eyes went damp; he fumbled out a handkerchief.
He didn't have many friends. People didn't understand his love of "dangerous" beasts. This boy did. It went straight to the softest place in him.
"A-all right. My hut's small, mind you—I'll take a velociraptor, then."
"Theodore—when you come to Hogwarts, you must visit. I'll have something for yeh. Plenty of surprises to show. Between us, I'm well in with the Forbidden Forest lot—centaurs, unicorns, and… even cuddlier fellows. I'll take yeh to see 'em."
As Hagrid rattled on, Theodore kept his face polite—but joy sparked behind his eyes.
The pane had already refreshed:
[Your bond with Yuan Hong has reached Acquaintance.]
[Reward acquired: Copper Skin & Iron Bones — blades do not pierce; fire and water do not harm; banes find no purchase; lifespan extended.]
Done.
Hagrid: connection made.
A small pang remained. Hagrid was open-hearted but not reckless; you didn't make a close friend in one hour—unless you were Harry Potter with inherited loyalties and life-and-death adventures waiting. Theodore wasn't there yet.
No Staff Mastery this time. But Hogwarts would give him plenty of chances to deepen the bond. No need to rush.
And Copper Skin & Iron Bones was more than enough to keep him alive.
[Claim reward?]
He drew a breath.
Self-control? None. He was absolutely claiming that.
He did have one worry: if claiming it changed him, it was best to do that somewhere private.
"Stomach's a bit off," he told Hagrid lightly. "Give me a moment. Keep browsing—choose the fossil you'll take. We'll head to the wizarding world after."
Hagrid nodded, already starry-eyed at the raptor.
Theodore slipped into the washroom, turned the lock, and whispered:
[Claim.]
The pane flickered:
[Current Connections: Bi Gan (Life-and-Death); Spirit Crane (Close Friend); Yuan Hong (Acquaintance).]
[Current Talents: Seven-Apertures Heart; Night Vision; Windriding; Copper Skin & Iron Bones.]
Heat bloomed in his core and surged outward, washing through flesh and bone.
Crackle. Crack.
His skin tightened, his frame felt… denser. In the mirror, a faint gold-bronze sheen chased across his skin, carrying the intuition of something indestructible.
He flicked a finger against his forearm. A tiny ring of sound answered—like metal on metal.
The colour sank a moment later, the sheen fading beneath the surface.
He exhaled, relieved. No need to walk out gleaming like a statue. Subtle was safer.
Beneath that relief sat a new certainty—a quiet, armoured confidence. As if very little in the world could truly break him now. And threaded through muscle and marrow, he felt a new strength coiling—like the promise that, if it came to it, he could tear a tiger in two.
He straightened his cuffs, rolled his shoulders once, and smiled at the mirror.
"Hello, survival."
Time to see about Diagon Alley—and the next rung up the ladder.