The Dragon and the Phoenix
"Get up," a burly voice growled, flinging the door wide open.
Sunlight suddenly streamed down into the room through the open door, causing a warm sensation to fall upon the previously sleeping Charlie Weasley. He groaned loudly at the sudden brightness and buried his head deep into his pillow so as to block it out. The others in the room began groaning and protesting as well, until the room was filled with a symphony of angry male voices.
"What's the meaning of this?" the angry Scotsman, who slept in the bed next to Charlie, piped up demandingly.
"Quit your moaning," the first voice replied. "Today is a special day, and that means we need to get to work straight away."
"What's so special about today?" a voice called from across the room.
"We have a visitor."
There was another loud chorus of groans; Charlie was amongst them. It wasn't too unusual to have visitors. There were always plenty of men delivering things and bringing packages, and some that collected things too. Today hadn't been a scheduled delivery day, but it seemed as though there was a load of fresh supplies, and that meant a lot of hard work for the men.
The man in the doorway snorted loudly with amusement. "I don't think you'll be feeling that way when you meet our special visitor. I need everybody to freshen up and assemble outside in fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes—no exceptions."
Charlie had his eyes firmly shut, but he could hear the creak of the floorboards as the man made his way into the room and seemingly towards the bed where he was currently laid. "Especially you, Weasley—I think you'll particularly like our guest. I suggest you hop in the shower pronto."
Charlie opened his eyes at this point due to curiosity, but the man had already turned around and was making his way towards the door. Why would he, Charlie Weasley, particularly like this guest? A thousand answers crowded his mind.
Perhaps it was a family member come to visit him? His parents couldn't afford the travel though, and besides, they were too busy. Maybe it was simply a new recruit, a British one perhaps? Besides him and the Scotsman, everybody else was Romanian. Or maybe if it was a new recruit it was one his age, as he was the youngest man at the reserve by quite a few years.
It could be a great number of things that would appeal particularly to Charlie, but either way he decided that this visitor, whomever they were, wasn't worthy of him taking a shower. He could just spend another five minutes in bed instead...
As he eventually walked to the door and out into the open, Charlie was able to catch a snippet of a conversation between two of the other men. "I heard it's some important guy's son and he's here to select the dragons for some tournament or something happening in Britain."
"You mean the Triwizard Tournament?"
"Yeah, that's the one!"
So that's what was happening. Charlie had heard rumours about Hogwarts hosting the Triwizard Tournament this year, and it seemed that these rumours were true.
"Dragons, huh?" Charlie murmured to himself. If they were shipping dragons over to Hogwarts then maybe they needed some recruits from the reserve to go with them. So that's why they'd been ordered to freshen up. This visitor was most likely going to be selecting both dragons and men to be going over to Hogwarts.
Charlie loved the idea of returning home, especially to Hogwarts. He loved working at the Dragon reserve in Romania, but it wasn't exactly a high-paying job. He, along with the rest of the men who worked there, all had to sleep in the building on the reserve, where beds and facilities were provided. It felt more like the army than a proper home.
But this was his chance. He'd get a free trip home, and he'd be able to see his family again. It was the perfect opportunity! Charlie cursed under his breath. Maybe he should have taken a shower, after all.
"Over here, Weasley. Join the line."
Charlie made his way over to the line of men stood out in the open. He eyed them nervously. These men were much older than him and far more experienced. He didn't look nearly as intimidating and well-trained as they did, though the truth was that he was probably much better. It was all about appearance though.
It was like lining up for an inspection. Now he really felt like he was in the army.
"Alex Fennix," the man in charge called out, "has just arrived, and will be choosing four dragons and a handful of well-trained men to travel over to Hogwarts School in the North of Britain. Be warned though, only the best of the best will be selected. The rest will remain here and continue work as normal."
"It's Alexis, actually. Though most people call me 'Phoenix,'" a feminine voice with an English accent spoke up.
Charlie's jaw physically dropped as a young woman strolled over to stand before the men. She was shorter than him, though appeared to be roughly around the same age. Her hair was thick and a rich red in colour, much darker and more vivid than his lighter, ginger curls. Her skin was tanned and blemish-less—much different to the rough, calloused skin of the men who worked at the reserve. It was hard to find skin without a trace of scars, bruises, or even burns usually. Yet there she stood.
After three years without a single glimpse of a woman, Charlie was completely mesmerised. Alexis Fennix was far more exquisite and far more beautiful than any of the dragons he'd worked with since coming to Romania—and he'd always been left breathless at these magnificent creatures.
He remembered girls at Hogwarts as being delicate and soft. But the one that stood before him was toned and athletic. He couldn't help but think she'd make an excellent Quidditch player. There was nothing soft and delicate about her at all. She had a fierce, fiery look in her eyes; she exerted confidence and power. Charlie didn't know whether it was because he hadn't see a girl in three years, or if she was genuinely mesmerizing, but he'd never before felt a greater attraction to anybody he'd ever laid eyes on before.
"Who is she?" Charlie breathed in wonder.
"Don't be a twit," somebody said next to him. "Didn't you listen?"
Charlie blinked in surprise, completely taken aback. Of course... This young woman was merely here to select men and dragons to go over to Hogwarts. She wouldn't be here permanently, so it was perhaps best not to get attached. Too late for that though, he thought to himself. He needed to be selected. He really regretted not having that shower...
"Weasley," a voice barked at him, "take Miss Fennix to the dragons so she can choose them first. Get going."
Before Charlie knew what was happening, a hand had thrust him forwards, out into the open. Alexis turned her head sharply, eyeing him up. Charlie gulped. It felt like his heart was throbbing. Her eyes gave nothing away; she merely looked him up and down with a bored expression.
"Err, right," Charlie gulped. "Right this way, umm, Miss Fennix," he stuttered, leading her towards where the dragons were kept, though avoiding looking at her directly.
"I told you," she said irritably, "they call me 'Phoenix.'"
He apologised quickly, stealing a glance at her. There really was a fire burning in her eyes. Her whole posture, her whole attitude, was fierce and fiery. Phoenix made perfect sense. It was like she was engulfed in flames.
"What do they call you?" she asked in an almost hostile manner, as they continued to walk.
"Weasley," he said quickly, finally beginning to gain a little confidence. "Charlie Weasley."
She didn't respond. "And you live here, in Romania?"
He nodded sheepishly. "I moved here three years ago, from England."
Phoenix made no effort to respond again. "And what do you have, then?" she eventually asked.
Charlie hesitated. What did he have? What was that supposed to mean? What possessions he had? What qualifications he had? "I—" he murmured, racking his brains for what she could possibly mean when she asked him what he had.
Phoenix rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. "What dragons do you have?" she demanded, as though able to read his mind.
"Oh, right," Charlie mumbled, feeling his cheeks burn red with embarrassment. "Well, we've got them all, really—this is the biggest dragon reserve in Europe. We've got Fireballs, Ridgebacks, Vipertooths, Longhorns..." He counted on his fingers as he listed the names. "A Horntail, a—"
Phoenix stopped abruptly in her tracks. "A Horntail?" she asked in disbelief. "A Hungarian Horntail? A genuinely real Hungarian Horntail?"
Charlie nodded. "Yeah, she's a real beauty," he told her proudly, trying to impress.
Her eyes were wide. "I've always wanted to see a Horntail," she told him wondrously.
Charlie's heart was beating so loudly in his chest that he couldn't believe she couldn't hear it. "I—I can show you her, if you want."
Phoenix grinned at him eagerly. "They've always fascinated me. There aren't any in England, though I'm sure you knew that."
Charlie puffed his chest out proudly. This was his chance to really impress her. "She usually stays over here," he informed her, indicating to a rock formation amongst the dry ground. He led her towards the Horntail, pointing out the various Welsh Greens and Swedish Shortsnouts that were crowded nearby, though she seemed disinterested in them.
"I find the Horntails to be particularly fascinating too," Charlie said as they walked along, desperately trying to act as confident as possible. He'd been popular enough with the girls at Hogwarts, but this one was impossible. How was he supposed to win her over? He'd met dragons that were easier to get along with. "We used to have a male one too, but she, err, well, she killed him..."
"Oh, really?" Phoenix asked in the most bored tone he'd ever heard anybody use. She never even so much as glanced at him. "Didn't you know that Hungarian Horntails prefer solitude? That's why they're so uncommon; they hardly ever reproduce. They're the most dangerous dragons that exist, you know?" she asked him patronisingly.
"Yes, we did know that, but I thought it would be worth a shot," Charlie replied angrily. He hated being belittled, especially by this impossible woman.
"Well, you clearly thought wrong, didn't you?"
He scowled at her. "As a matter of fact, she conceived before killing her mate," he said smugly.
For the second time, Phoenix stopped abruptly in her tracks and turned to stare at him, eyes wide. "You mean to tell me that she's nesting?"
"Yes," Charlie said, taken aback. "Is that—is that a problem?"
Phoenix actually smiled at this point. "No, that's brilliant—just what I'm looking for, actually!" she cried in delight.
"You need a nesting Hungarian Horntail for a school competition? I'm not sure that's such a good idea..."
Her smile dropped instantly, and she proceeded to scowl at him. "Well, I don't care much for your opinion, Charlie." His heart fluttered as she said his name. "I will be taking this Horntail back with me."
We'll see about that, Charlie thought to himself. Phoenix turned around and began to walk again, though not before tossing her fiery red hair over her shoulder.
Charlie cleared his throat as they approached the Horntail. "There she is," he announced proudly, indicating to the outstanding creature that sat before them. Its scaly skin was as black as the darkest night, and a long trail of brutal-looking, bronze spikes protruded from its tail. He took a few steps towards her, beaming proudly at the beautiful creature he'd spent the past three years working with. Her cold, yellow eyes were fixed on him.
"Don't get any closer," Phoenix yelled at him. "She'll have a fire-breathing range up to fifty feet, and she's nesting—don't be a fool!"
But Charlie continued to walk towards the beast. "It's fine," he told her, amused.
"Hey!" Phoenix shrieked. "Do you have a death wish or something?" she demanded, flinging herself at him so as to pull him to safety.
The sudden movement caused the Horntail to raise her haunches and hiss angrily at the approaching humans. Smoke began to spill from her nostrils; she was preparing to attack.
Charlie pushed Phoenix back roughly, beginning to panic. She stumbled and fell, shrieking the entire time. Charlie darted forwards until he was about twenty feet from the dragon. He raised his arms as though in surrender. The dragon eyed him angrily for a moment, before her steely expression melted, and she relaxed, turning away to instead look at her eggs.
Charlie retreated and smugly extended a hand towards the wide-eyed girl on the ground. She slapped his hand away and rose by herself, brushing herself down as she did so. "How did you do that?" she demanded, a mixture of shock, confusion, and wonder etched onto her face.
Charlie shrugged. "I've spent the past three years with this dragon. I tamed her," he said simply.
Phoenix shook her head in disbelief. "No," she defied, "dragons can't be tamed. Hundreds of wizards have tried and failed. It's impossible."
He couldn't help but break into a wide grin. This was how you impress a girl. "Well, you're right. It's impossible to tame dragons, but I've managed to train this one into not killing me. Pretty impressive, right?"
She glared at him, disgust plastered on her face. "That's not impressive," she spat at him. "That's just plain stupid. Why would you even attempt it?"
Charlie's smile dropped immediately. There was no pleasing this woman—it was infuriating. He'd trained a dragon not to kill him, yet he couldn't even train a girl into tolerating him? There was that fire burning in her eyes again. She was just as feisty and stubborn as the Horntail had been when he'd first encountered it. He was positive he could use the same techniques to gain this girl's trust. Perhaps he'd spent too much time with the creatures, but Phoenix was just another dragon to him. If he could do it once then he could do it again, just as easily.
"How many others can do it?" she asked in a hostile manner.
"Just me," Charlie said proudly. "We have a special connection." He stared deep into Phoenix's eyes as he said it, trying to make her understand that maybe he wasn't just talking about the dragon. She merely snorted at him. "If you want this dragon, then you need me too."
"I don't think so," she said haughtily.
He gave her his most meaningful look. "Me and her," he said, pointing to the dragon, "we're a package deal. You don't get one without the other. I'm the only one around here who has any chance of controlling her. You need me."
Phoenix stared at him in disgust. "I don't need you," she said angrily. Charlie loved how feisty she was—she truly was just like a dragon. "But you're on the list, Weasley. You go where this dragon goes, and it's only because I want this dragon so much."
Charlie couldn't contain how happy he felt in that moment. "I guess that means you and I will be spending a lot of time with each other," he told her suggestively.
Phoenix raised her eyebrows at him in a cool manner. "I don't know what gives you that impression. I'm not going to Hogwarts."
Charlie faltered. "You're—you're not?"
Phoenix shook her head so that her fiery hair seemed to dance around her face. "I'm only here to select the dragons. My dad will be in charge when you get to Hogwarts."
Charlie couldn't believe what he was hearing. After all this, she wouldn't even be there? His heart felt tight in his chest. "So..." he said slowly, though his mind was thinking fast, "is this where we say 'goodbye?'"
Phoenix stared at him inquisitively. "Well, yes, I suppose so."
Well, in that case he had nothing to lose. If he was never going to see this impossibly enchanting woman again, then he had to make it count whilst he still could. Just like with the Horntail, Charlie had started by spending time with her and slowly getting her used to being around him. Then he had to act suddenly and drastically, to put her to the test. Now was the time to apply this strategy to Phoenix. All she was, was a smaller—though much more feisty—dragon.
"Well, if this is goodbye then there's something I need to do before you get on that plane..."
Phoenix opened her mouth to reply, but before she had a chance to utter a single word, Charlie had seized the sides of her head in his hands, and thrust his mouth to hers, holding nothing back. He kissed her as passionately and fiercely as he possibly could, feeling the silkiness of her hair beneath his figures. Feeling elated, he broke away, staring deep into her eyes. Phoenix watched him for a moment without either of them saying anything.
It was impossible to read her expression, though Charlie knew it had worked. There had been instant chemistry as soon as their lips had touched. There were butterflies soaring in his stomach, and fireworks exploding in his head. That's how you tame a woman, he thought proudly. Even easier than a dragon.
Phoenix looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. Charlie broke into a wide grin once again. Perhaps, this time, she would kiss him first. Without any indication, Phoenix raised her hand, striking him firmly across the face. Charlie let out a small yelp of surprise, instantly cradling his stinging cheek. Now, that was feisty!
He could've sworn he heard the Horntail laughing at him as he looked up to watch the dragon girl furiously stalking away from him.
"There's only one problem," Charlie muttered to himself, with deep amusement. "She isn't a dragon; she's a Phoenix."
Originally written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season 1—Round 5
Team: Wigtown Wanderers
Position: Beater 1
Additional Prompts: Dialogue: Who is she? and This Love, Maroon 5