Lucas got it instantly.
Ellie’s bubbly excitement last night and the way she looked right now—completely crushed—clicked together.
She must have begged her father to let her attend Hogwarts, and he’d shut her down hard.
She hadn’t slept a wink.
Right then Alastair finally spoke.
His voice was low and gravelly, like two stones scraping together.
“You saved my daughter, Mr.
McGregor.”
He reached inside his cloak and pulled out something the size of his palm—black, heavy, and hard.
He held it out.
Lucas took it, surprised.
It was a dragon scale, deep black, thick as armor plating, with jagged edges and intricate natural patterns that looked like ancient runes carved into the surface.
Hagrid sucked in a sharp breath, eyes locked on the scale.
“That’s… a dorsal scale from a Hebridean Black!”
Alastair nodded solemnly.
“You saved Ellie.
The MacFusty clan owes you a debt.
This scale is our promise.
If you ever face a problem you can’t solve on your own, show it to any of us.
We will do one thing for you—anything, as long as it doesn’t break the law or harm the dragons.”
Everyone stared at Lucas and the heavy promise resting in his hands.
Dumbledore’s eyes flickered behind his half-moon glasses; he clearly understood exactly how big this gift was.
Lucas looked down at the scale, then at Ellie standing beside her father—eyes red, forcing herself to stay upright.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
He closed his fingers around the cold, heavy scale.
“Anything, as long as it doesn’t break the law or harm the dragons?
The MacFusty clan will honor it?”
Alastair gave a single firm nod.
“The MacFusty clan never goes back on its word.”
“Then,” Lucas took a deep breath and lifted the scale toward Alastair without hesitation, “I’m calling in that favor right now.”
Alastair’s eyebrows shot up.
Hagrid’s mouth fell open.
Even Dumbledore looked surprised.
Just got the scale and he’s cashing it in on the spot?
Lucas spoke clearly, every word steady.
“Mr.
MacFusty, here’s what I want—”
“Let Ellie come to Hogwarts.”
The air went dead still.
Ellie’s head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief.
Hagrid let out a loud “Blimey!” and glanced back and forth between Lucas and Alastair.
Dumbledore stayed quiet, his gaze moving between the two of them as a small smile grew.
For the first time, the stony expression on Alastair’s face cracked.
His brows drew together, and his voice dropped even lower, thick with suppressed emotion.
“Do you understand what you’re asking, boy?”
“I do.” Lucas didn’t back down an inch.
“Ellie wants to study here.
Yesterday she told me all about Hogwarts, and her eyes were shining.
Now that light’s gone out because you said no.
Right?”
Alastair shook his head.
“This is a family matter.”
“You said you’d grant me one request as long as it didn’t break the law or hurt the dragons.” Lucas kept the scale raised between them.
“The MacFusty clan never goes back on its word!”
“Lucas…” Ellie’s voice trembled.
She stared at him, violet eyes brimming with tears.
Alastair closed his eyes for a long second, then opened them again.
“You don’t understand, Mr.
McGregor.
Our clan has a sacred duty.
Too much contact with the outside world is the first step toward corruption.”
“The MacFustys live in harmony with nature.
We cannot lock ourselves inside the wizarding world.
Attending Hogwarts would expose her to too many impure influences and pull her away from the true path of nature.”
“The true path of nature?” Lucas shot back.
“Ants building nests is natural.
Bees making honey is natural.
So humans building cities and wizards building Hogwarts—that’s not part of nature too?”
“Everything develops according to its own laws.
If it exists, there’s a reason for it.
Living, learning, and growing in line with those laws—that’s the real way of nature, isn’t it?”
His voice rang across the morning lawn.
“Keeping Ellie locked at home, refusing to let her see the world she dreams about—isn’t that just another way of going against her nature?”
Alastair’s rock-hard face twitched.
Dumbledore watched Lucas with open surprise.
Lucas McGregor…
“No need to debate it,” Alastair said flatly.
“The outside world will make her forget what really matters.”
“Will she forget how to be with dragons?
Will she forget where her home is?” Lucas countered without flinching.
“If it’s that easy for her to forget, then maybe those ‘roots’ aren’t as strong as you think.”
The words cut deep.
Alastair’s expression darkened.
Lucas changed tack.
“Besides, Mr.
MacFusty, the fact that Ellie got carried off by that black dragon proves there are gaps in the family training she’s been getting, doesn’t it?”
Alastair’s eyes sharpened.
“At least for her, the way the family teaches has shortcomings.
If you truly want her to grow strong and carry on the clan’s duty, then let her come to Hogwarts.
The professors here are good people.
She’ll learn a more complete, systematic kind of magic.”
His voice softened, turning almost pleading.
“Most important of all, this is what Ellie wants.
Wanting to see a bigger world and learn new things—that’s a powerful, completely natural life force, isn’t it?”
“And you’re her father.
Can you really stand to see her this heartbroken?”
“Dad…” Ellie couldn’t hold back anymore.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she grabbed her father’s rough hand.
“Please… I really want this… just let me try…”
Dumbledore spoke gently.
“Alastair, I respect your devotion to tradition and purity.
Hogwarts isn’t perfect, but it is a school—a place that protects and educates the young.
We teach magic, but we also teach responsibility and courage.”
“Letting Ellie study here won’t pull her away from the MacFusty duty.
It will open a new window and give her even more ways to protect the dragons.”
Hagrid jumped in too.
“Yeah!
Hogwarts is the best magic school in the world!
There’s loads of amazing creatures in the Forbidden Forest—I could show her around… er, within the rules, of course!” He shot Dumbledore a quick, nervous glance.
Alastair stayed silent for a long time.
He looked at his daughter’s tear-filled, pleading eyes, then at the red-haired boy still holding the dragon scale high, gaze steady and determined.
Finally his eyes met Dumbledore’s.
He reached out and took the scale back from Lucas.
“One year, Ellie.”
“I will allow you to study at Hogwarts for one year.
But after that, if you do not pass my test, you will return to the islands and continue your family training.
That is final.”