The sky trembled as the dragon descended, its obsidian wings slicing through the air with raw power. Gasps and murmurs swept through the garden as students froze, their conversations forgotten. The enormous creature landed with a thunderous thud, claws digging into the soft earth, sending a gust of wind rippling through the crowd, rustling leaves and robes alike.

You sat tall on its back, your expression calm as you murmured something only the dragon could hear. With a deep, guttural growl, it lowered its head, offering you an elegant dismount.

As your boots touched the ground, the dragon lingered for a moment, its glowing eyes sweeping over the crowd, as if daring anyone to speak. Then, with a mighty roar, it launched back into the sky, disappearing beyond the treetops.

The garden was unnaturally silent, every pair of eyes fixed on you.

“Blimey,” Ron muttered, eyes wide. “Did that actually just happen?”

“It did,” Hermione confirmed, breathless.

Mattheo let out a low whistle, his dark curls tousled by the dragon’s departure. “Well, that’s one way to make an entrance,” he said, a roguish grin tugging at his lips. “I think I’m in love.”

Draco, standing beside him, crossed his arms. “A bit dramatic,” he drawled, though his smirk betrayed admiration. “But I’ll give you points for style.”

You dusted off your cloak, unfazed by the sea of stares. “Is this the welcome committee?” you asked, voice light with wry amusement.

Harry recovered first, stepping forward with a curious gleam in his eyes. “Not exactly,” he said, lips quirking into a half-smile. “But I’d say you’ve made quite the impression.”

“Yeah,” Mattheo added with a teasing grin, “though the rest of us have a hard time keeping up with dragons as transportation.”

Draco chuckled softly. “Speak for yourself.”

The tension broke, whispers buzzing through the crowd as students reluctantly returned to their conversations. But the eyes of a few remained firmly on you, curiosity and intrigue sparking like embers in the air.