"Professor Kettleburn has given me a problem." Vison opened the box in front of Lupin, revealing its contents.
This wasn't something that needed to be hidden.
Lupin's eyes widened as he stared at the dragon egg inside the box.
"A dragon egg?" he asked in a low voice, surprise clear in his tone. "Where did it come from?"
Vison nodded, pointing to the egg's surface. "It's a Chinese Fireball egg. Professor Kettleburn gave it to me. And it might hatch in just a few days."
Lupin naturally knew Professor Kettleburn; he'd been the Care of Magical Creatures professor during Lupin's school days at Hogwarts.
Hearing that the dragon was about to hatch, Lupin quickly leaned in for a closer look.
"Looks like trouble," he muttered.
"Naturally," Vison sighed. "And there's worse news. I heard the Ministry of Magic is looking for this little darling."
Lupin frowned, shifting his gaze from the egg to Vison. "Then why don't you hand it over to the Ministry? It's just a dragon egg. Precious, yes—but not worth the risk."
"Then Professor Kettleburn would kill me," Vison smiled faintly. "The Professor is only storing it with me temporarily."
"Okay. I won't tell anyone about this," Lupin said seriously.
"Ah, I trust you wouldn't," Vison nodded with a small smile. "In fact, I never doubted it."
The feeling of being trusted felt good—especially for Lupin.
As Lupin reached out to touch the egg, Vison stopped him. "Careful. Your hand just brushed against Plant Poison."
Lupin froze, his hand midair. He wasn't sure if the dragon egg could be poisoned, but better safe than sorry. Muttering under his breath, he pulled out his wand and cast several Scourgify spells on himself.
"What are you going to do with it?" he asked while cleaning off the lingering poison.
Vison motioned for Lupin to follow him. "We need to put it somewhere more suitable. What does a dragon need for hatching? High temperature!"
The two passed through the door of Shed Three and entered Shed Two.
Lupin had only lingered near the entrance of Shed Two before. All he knew was that it contained various trees.
As they walked, Lupin glanced around curiously. "Where exactly are we going?"
"I told you—we're heading to an area more suitable for dragons," Vison replied, just as a wave of scorching heat blew toward them.
"Look," Vison said, turning his head back. "We're here."
Lupin looked ahead. A massive tree towered in front of them, beautiful and pagoda-shaped, with a straight, healthy trunk. But what struck him most were the flowers at the top—brilliant red and shaped like tulips. They weren't just colorful; real flames danced atop the petals.
At first, Lupin thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. But when he noticed the air shimmering from the heat, he knew this wasn't an illusion. He could already feel sweat forming on his brow from several paces away.
Species: Flame Tree
Level: 2
Trait: Burning
State: Growing (22%)
This was a mutated Flame Tree, one Vison had transplanted from Africa. Thanks to his plant transfiguration abilities, it now possessed the rare Burning trait.
"I think we'd better not get too close," Vison said, glancing at Lupin. "It's hotter than last time. Maybe soon this place will feel like the inside of a volcano."
Thankfully, Vison's shed was tall enough that there was no danger of the tree burning through the roof.
Vison raised his wand and murmured a spell. The dragon egg floated up from the box and drifted under the Flame Tree, where the temperature was just right for hatching.
Almost immediately, the egg's shell glowed red.
"Won't it cook?" Lupin asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Vison chuckled, watching the egg vibrate slightly. "Don't worry, it won't cook. Dragons are tough. As long as the temperature stays within their tolerance, they actually thrive in extreme heat."
Lupin nodded, though he couldn't help feeling astonished. Almost every plant Vison grew here was some kind of wonder.
"Are we going to tell Harry about this dragon?" Lupin asked suddenly.
"Why not? Every wizard should know about dragons. Almost every part of them is valuable—scales, bones, teeth..."
Vison brushed dust from his robe and turned to leave. "Let's go, Lupin. We have other work to do."
The dragon hatched six days later.
The baby dragon was lively—and destructive. On its first day, it tore off a small branch from the Flame Tree, much to Vison's distress.
Dragons had a universal appeal, whether among wizards or Muggles. Harry was no exception. Once he learned about the dragon egg, he visited the Flame Tree every day to check on it.
But his excitement faded quickly. The newborn dragon was... well, ugly. Hyperactive, unruly, and with none of the majestic aura that stories promised. It reminded Harry of an annoying brat rather than a mythical beast. Perhaps only Professor Kettleburn saw its charm.
The dragon needed care, but Vison wasn't interested in babysitting. Harry was too young, and Lupin had other duties. So, Vison delegated the task—to the Devil's Snare.
Luckily, the baby dragon couldn't breathe fire yet, so the Devil's Snare didn't have to worry about getting scorched.
Professor Kettleburn came by when the dragon was born. He named it Torch, probably because the Flame Tree looked like a giant torch; he'd spent a long time staring at the tree before deciding on the name.
Even after that, Kettleburn left Torch in Vison's care.
Vison leaned against the shed wall, watching Torch wrestle with the Devil's Snare. The plant seemed almost amused, tightening just enough to keep the dragon occupied without harming it.
"This one's going to be a handful," Lupin remarked, stepping inside.
Vison nodded. "I doubt Kettleburn's going to take him back anytime soon. Looks like Torch is ours for now."
Torch, meanwhile, let out a high-pitched screech and bit down on one of the Devil's Snare's tendrils. The plant recoiled slightly, only to wrap around the dragon again in a playful tug-of-war.
Lupin shook his head. "You've turned Shed Two into some kind of sanctuary for dangerous creatures."
"Not creatures—plants," Vison corrected with a grin. "Torch is the exception."
Lupin glanced toward the Flame Tree. Its fiery blossoms were still blazing, undisturbed by the chaos below.
"Have you considered what happens when Torch gets older? He won't stay this size forever," Lupin pointed out.
Vison sighed. "I know. For now, the Flame Tree's heat will keep him comfortable. But eventually... well, we'll have to figure something out. Maybe transfer him to the Forbidden Forest or build a dedicated enclosure."
"With Ministry approval, I hope," Lupin added.
Vison shrugged. "If they don't come knocking first."
They stood in silence for a moment, watching Torch's antics.
"By the way," Lupin said, breaking the quiet, "I saw Archer practicing with plant poison this morning."
Vison raised an eyebrow. "Still at it? That kid's got determination."
"Yeah. —sorry, Plant Poison—nearly got him again. The vine snapped right past his ear."
Vison chuckled. "Archer needs to refine his dodging skills. But it's good training. Plant Poison's movements are unpredictable."
"Unpredictable and poisonous," Lupin muttered.
Vison waved him off. "That's part of the challenge. Archer's learning to anticipate, not react."
Outside, Torch let out another shriek and flopped onto his back, belly exposed to the sweltering air. The Devil's Snare loosened its grip, letting the dragon catch its breath.
Lupin sighed. "This place is turning into a circus."
Vison smirked. "A circus of wonders, Lupin. And it's only just beginning."