In Harry Potter as Neville Longbottom

Chapter 61: The Picnic!

"This is a great initiative from Lady Augusta. This will benefit many wizards and boost the overall knowledge and progress of new witches and wizards who have just started their journey. As the new Minister of Magic, I thank her for her immense contribution to the wizarding world."

Rufus Scrimgeour, the newly elected Minister for Magic this month, gave a short speech and thanked Lady Augusta at the opening of the 'Longbottom Library for Wizards and Witches'.

The library is open to all wizards and witches, and it will bring immense popularity and prestige to the wizarding community. Plus, the series of funny candies from the Weasley twins are also popular among the kids and they will earn a hefty sum for this. Hermione somehow became the pseudo instructor for Pansy, and both learned a lot of new spells and perfected the old ones.

During this summer vacation, Neville sorted out many things and had many adventures. He got a hold of a new Horcrux but lost another one. He managed to successfully concoct Aqua Benedicta ahead of his schedule and also a new healing potion. But he was also hit by a jinx and felt unimaginable pain. It was a mix of good and bad in a way.

In short, these two months had been very fulfilling for Neville. Before school opens, Neville wanted to take his group of friends on a short picnic. The other Vanishing Cabinet was already sent to Hagrid a few days back and now, there is a direct route to the animal sanctuary.

He called Dean and Seamus and along with Hermione and Pansy, the group of five kids entered the fixed Vanishing Cabinet one after the other.

"ROOOOAAAARRRR", a loud ear-piercing roar of the dragon came from above when the five kids came out of the Vanishing Cabinet. It seems as if Diana was already waiting for them.

"Is that...?" Hermione tried to ask something, but her voice got lost somewhere when Diana suddenly decided to land near her father.

"ROAR" Diana roared loudly and then moved her head closer to Neville. Neville understood her daughter's demand and chuckled.

"You are still a gluttonous Dragon, aren't you?" Neville said before taking out a huge piece of meat from his stretchable purse and throwing it very high in the air via the floating charm.

Diana took off instantly and caught up with the floating meat in the air and then she spit a good amount of fire to directly grill it in the air. Before the meat could fall, she pounced on it beautifully and then landed a few feet away from the kids.

"WOW! That was amazzzzing..!" Dean was jumping in excitement looking at this smooth action.

"It was awesome!" Even Pansy could not hide her praise.

"So, it's you lads? I wonder why the girl is roaring so loudly in the morning?" A loud voice startled the kids and they found Hagrid coming toward them.

"Oh my god!" All the kids shouted at the same time looking at Hagrid.

The tall half-giant was completely a new man in the last week. His signature beard was gone along with long hair. It also looked like he lost some weight. How was this possible? How could Hagrid lose his beard? Is this still Hagrid?

Neville found it difficult to link this baby face with the scary face of Hagrid. This new face looked cute with bulging cheeks and white tender skin.

"Ahem! AhthisYou see, I got into an argument with Diana, and she sprayed some fire over my face. I didn't even notice my beard was on fire until it was too late. Same with my hair. It's not easy to take care of a dragon you know! Plus, she is still growing up and quite rebellious!" Hagrid said while scratching his head in a shy manner.

"HAHA HA." The kids started laughing loudly and Hermione and Dean even fell down on the ground.

Hagrid without his beard was like a big baby!

However, the real amazing moment came when Neville let the flying snakes out of the suitcase.

The kids have become a little bigger and were able to fly using their small, cute wings but the instant they saw Diana, all 15 small snakes huddled together and suddenly, their sizes increased 10 times in an instant scaring Neville and others.

"HOLY MERLIN BALLS!" Hagrid nearly fell out of his chair looking at the scene. He had heard about Occamy, but he had never seen one. These are the legendary Occamy. They rarely go alone in the wild and usually nest together with their group.

Diana suddenly found 15 new playmates. Even though they were of a different kind, Diana went crazy with joy.

Soon, the kids found Diana flying in the lead with 15 flying snakes chasing her and then it was the reverse. It was the dance of dragons (or snakes) in the sky that made the whole Picnic worth it. Neville left the flying snakes with Hagrid on the island.

If they live more closely with Diana, they will learn to live and survive in the wild better and plus, Diana can protect them and they all can play together and have better ties at a young age.

Hermione and Dean wanted to ride the Occamy, but Hagrid told them that their large size is a racial talent and very soon they will revert to their original size. This is a kind of instinctive protection for their kind when they face a larger predator.

In the end, all kids decided to give Diana a bath and they fulfilled their wish to touch a dragon. Diana had the best day ever. Lots of food. New playmates. Plus, a massage and bath made her relax. She loved the picnic, and the kids felt the same.

In this way, the picnic was a blast, and both the kids and dragons had a lot of fun.

Somehow, no one noticed that the group of white monkeys disappeared from Neville's suitcase. Anyway, they forgot to go back inside before Neville left with the other kids and then they were left on the island.

Sad monkeys had to sleep on an empty stomach that night but in the morning, Hagrid found a bunch of monkeys eating his fruits and veggies for the whole month.

"Merlin Balls!" {a drunk Hagrid fainted}