Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

The aftermath of the dinner with the Huttons upsets everyone except Dr. Thatcher, who finds the whole situation hilarious. Jeremy is consumed with guilt even though none of the adults are aware of his involvement. Mary Lou catches up with him the following day, but before they can speak, they are both called to the office of the principal, Mr. Martinez. He gently addresses Jeremy’s struggles in art class and tells the boy to come to the office the next time he has trouble.

During recess, Jeremy retreats under a tree and is joined by Tiamat, who has followed him from home. She informs him that she escaped the house through the cat door. Despite his attempts to send her back home, Tiamat stays with him, sensing his need for comfort. Mary Lou is delighted to see Tiamat, but Jeremy remains wary of her. When they return to class, Jeremy keeps Tiamat under his desk while he takes a math test, and her presence helps him to focus. While the teacher is collecting the tests, Mr. Kravitz arrives to announce the Spring Art Contest, but Jeremy’s excitement is quickly dampened when Mr. Kravitz harshly forbids any fantasy art.