Norbert (Norberta)

Norbert was a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon who was illegally hatched and briefly raised by Rubeus Hagrid at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1992. The effort to care for and later smuggle Norbert off the Hogwarts grounds was a significant event for Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger during their first year. It was later revealed that Norbert was, in fact, female, and she was renamed Norberta upon her arrival at the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary.

The dragon egg that would produce Norbert was won by Rubeus Hagrid from a hooded and disguised stranger (later revealed to be Professor Quirrell acting on behalf of Lord Voldemort) during a game of cards at the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade. Hagrid eagerly took the egg back to his hut on the Hogwarts grounds and incubated it in his fireplace. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were present in Hagrid's Hut when the egg finally hatched. The newly-born dragon, which Hagrid named Norbert, was described as looking like a “crumpled black umbrella”. Despite his affection for the creature, whom he treated like a baby, Hagrid quickly discovered how dangerous a young dragon could be. Norbert grew at an alarming rate, developed a fiery temperament, and his bite was venomous, as Ron Weasley discovered when Norbert bit his hand, requiring medical attention.

Realizing that raising a dragon at Hogwarts was both illegal and unsustainable, Hermione Granger convinced Hagrid that Norbert had to be sent to a proper sanctuary. They contacted Ron's older brother, Charlie Weasley, who worked with dragons in Romania. Charlie agreed to have some friends, who were visiting on business, pick up the dragon. The trio planned a covert, late-night operation to transport Norbert in a crate to the top of the Astronomy Tower, the tallest point in the castle, where Charlie's friends were scheduled to meet them. Using Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak for concealment, they successfully handed Norbert over. Unfortunately, they were caught on their way back to their dormitory by Argus Filch, having been discovered by Draco Malfoy, which resulted in a severe loss of house points and a detention in the Forbidden Forest.

Norbert was safely transported to the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, where he could live among other dragons. Years later, during the buildup to the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998, Hagrid reunited with Charlie Weasley, who provided an update. Charlie informed a delighted Hagrid that “Norbert” was actually a female dragon and that the keepers in Romania had renamed her Norberta. He also noted that she was “a right vicious little thing,” which was typical for Norwegian Ridgebacks.

As a hatchling, Norbert was a black dragon with spiny wings, a long snout with wide nostrils, bulging orange, ping-pong ball-sized eyes, and stubby horns. His fangs were noted to be venomous. Despite Hagrid's view of him as a harmless baby, Norbert was inherently wild and dangerous, as is the nature of his species. He sneezed sparks and set fire to Hagrid's beard on one occasion. His bite was severe enough to cause Ron's hand to swell to twice its normal size and turn a sickly green color from the venom. Charlie Weasley later confirmed Norberta's aggressive nature was normal for a Norwegian Ridgeback.

As a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon, Norbert possessed abilities inherent to his species from birth.

• Fire Breath: Like all dragons, Norbert could breathe fire, even as a hatchling.
• Venomous Fangs: The fangs of a Norwegian Ridgeback are venomous. Norbert's bite on Ron Weasley's hand required specialized care to treat the effects of the venom.
• Exceptional Strength and Hide: Though not fully developed as a baby, he would grow to have the immense strength and magically-resistant hide characteristic of adult dragons.

• Rubeus Hagrid: Hagrid acted as Norbert's surrogate mother, affectionately calling himself “Mummy”. His love for magical creatures, especially dangerous ones, was fully evident in his deep emotional attachment to the young dragon, and he was heartbroken to see him go.
• Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger: The trio assisted Hagrid with Norbert's care and were instrumental in his safe removal from Hogwarts. The experience bonded the three friends but also landed them in significant trouble. Ron, in particular, bore a physical scar from his encounter with the baby dragon.
• Charlie Weasley: As a dragonologist, Charlie provided the crucial connection to the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, enabling Norbert's safe and legal relocation. He was responsible for overseeing Norberta's care after her arrival.

• Norbert: A Germanic name derived from nord (“north”) and berht (“bright” or “famous”). The “north” element is a direct reference to his species, the Norwegian Ridgeback.
• Norberta: The feminized form of Norbert, given to her after her handlers in Romania discovered her true sex.

• In the film adaptation, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film), Norbert's hatching and departure are depicted largely as they occur in the book. However, the revelation that Norbert is actually female and was renamed Norberta, which comes from the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is omitted from the film series.
• According to Pottermore, the Norwegian Ridgeback is one of the rarer dragon breeds and is known to be particularly aggressive towards its own kind. They feed on large mammals and, unusually for dragons, also on water-dwelling creatures (Pottermore).