Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Little Princess Marina and the Dragon, I have no rights to them nor do I make any money from writing these fics.
Light Bringer
"Careful now," Charlie Weasley said proudly, "It might be almost tamed but its still a dragon."
"Amazing," Ron said with wide eyes as he peered into the dark cell, "You mean to say that a dragon was put in there long ago and it's still in there now?"
"That's correct little brother," Charlie said with a grin, "Through…you better be careful, I know they say that no dragon is truly evil or anything but this one…"
Harry listened to Charlie words; he felt as if a hand had wrapped itself around his heart and squeezed it hurtfully. He felt the pain and sadness within him as he looked into the darkness. He couldn't imagine what the dragon would feel like to of lived in such darkness for so long.
"Come on, we've still got a lot to see," Charlie said as he pointed to the exit, "There's still a load of dragons to see before it gets dark, plus I've got to do my job still."
"Can we help?" Hermione asked with wide eyes, "I'd love to learn all about dragons."
For once everyone was in argument, everyone but Harry that was.
"You alright mate?" Ron asked, "I've noticed that you've not stopped stairing into the cell since we got here."
"I'm fine Ron," Harry said half distracted, "I…I'm just trying to see the dragon…I…"
"Good luck then," Charlie said with a shrug, "For years now no one has seen it, no one even knows what it looks like besides from the glowing green eyes that occasionally peer out of the darkness at us."
"I wonder if it's still alive," Fred and Gorge said together with large grins on their faces, "Let's go and see!"
"Oh no you don't," Molly cried out as she grabbed each twin by an ear, "You both leave that poor creature alone you hear me. If I find out that you've put one tiny finger into that cell you'll be sorry."
"Actually mum that goes for you all," Charlie said as he motioned to the exit, "I mean they're dragons and you've not had the proper training or anything."
"We understand son," Arthur said with a soft smile, "Now then what's this about other dragons?"
"I think that I can show you Hargid's Norbert if you want," Charlie said before laughing, "I think that Norbert's got himself a mate, that should please Hargid."
"We could take photos for Hagrid," Ginny said, "He'd like that."
"What a kind and thoughtful girl you are," Molly cooed as she hugged her daughter tightly, "Now then let's go and see Norbert."
"This way," Charlie said as he led his family and Hermione out into the open, "His not far from here, only a ten minute walk."
Charlie opened the door again using his special dragon keeper key and allowed his family to step outside. Checking to make sure that everyone had left the dark underground area Charlie noticed that Harry was missing from the group.
"Hang on guys, I think we've left Harry behind," Charlie said quickly, "I'll be back soon with Harry but I need to close the door properly as there is a dragon in here."
"That's alright dear," Molly replied as she only half listened, "I have to just sort out the twins, somehow they've managed too…"
Charlie shook his head in amusement, the twins always got into trouble but he didn't have time to stick around and hear what they had done. Instead with a nod to his father Charlie shut the door, locked it, and began to make his way back down to where he left Harry.
Walking down the stairs and into the darkness Charlie found himself shuddering, this place was truly a dark place. It felt almost like Azkaban but for a dragon instead, he was glad that they was now out of the time when the muggles killed dragons. As he placed a hand on the cold stone wall to guide him down the steep stone steps he found himself coming into contact with a weird texture.
Raising his wand and muttering a spell Charlie shuddered at what he saw, blood, blood had tried on the stone wall leaving a weird texture behind. He couldn't help but wonder if the dragon in the cell had caused that.
"Harry," Charlie called out, "If you're down here still shout out, it's too dangerous to be down here by yourself."
Charlie wished with his heart that Harry would hear his cry and follow his voice to the steps. He really didn't want to go that extra few footsteps by himself, the darkness before him seemed as inviting as a Dementors kiss.
Charlie now knew just why his fellow dragon tamers never came down here alone but always in pairs.
"Harry please follow my voice," Charlie tried again only this time he got a response through it was not a reply.
The sound of someone crying came to his ears, someone in pure pain and sadness. Making his mind up Charlie held his wand high and walked forwards into the darkness, he had to find the boy he felt of as a little brother, if what he had heard from Ron about Harry crying…then whatever he would meet when he found himself with Harry he had to be ready.
As he walked through the darkness and towards the place where they had been moments before the crying came louder, it broke Charlie's heart that someone could be in such pain. After a few more minutes of walking Charlie found Harry in the same place that he was before.
"So much pain and sadness he must feel," Harry said with tears running down his face, "How horrible it must be for the poor dragon to live in such darkness…"
Charlie put a comforting arm around Harry' shoulders, "It's alright Harry, I'm sure the dragon likes it in there. I mean we've tried to bring it out into the refuse with the other dragons but we can't. For some reason it shields away from the light yet it is drawn to the light. Don't cry Harry…I'm sure the dragon's alright…if it's still alive."
Wiping his tears away Harry nodded his head and allowed Charlie to lead him back up the stone steps and outside. As they walked away Harry looked back to the cell only to find a pair of glowing green eyes much like his own looking back at him. Those eyes, those eyes seemed to show hatred, death, battle and all that is evil.
"Would it be alright if I came to visit the dragon again tomorrow?" Harry asked as he nervously looked at Charlie, "It just doesn't seem right that he should live down here all alone in the dark."
"I'm sorry Harry but I don't think that's possible," Charlie said rubbing Harry's back soothingly, "We know nothing about this dragon for all we know it could kill you. If you want to help me out with the dragons then you can but not this one Harry…his too dark and evil."
"Alright," Harry said only he didn't truly mean it.
The dragon was dark? Harry had a feeling that the dragon was no more dark and evil then he was. If Harry had lived all his life to this very day in the darkness of his cupboard he felt that he too would be like the dragon in that cell. He had to do something about it.
"Here we are," Charlie said suddenly breaking Harry out of his thoughts, "We're back at the door, sweet sweet daylight huh Harry?"
"Yeah," Harry replied as he rubbed his arm nervously, "Sunlight."
'Maybe…that could be it' Harry thought as he looked up at the sun through squinted eyes 'Could it be…it couldn't be.'
"Hey mate," Ron called out catching Harry's attention, "Come on, don't you want to see Norbert?"
Harry gave on last look at the now locked door that kept the dragon in the cell, "Alright, I'm coming."
"Brilliant," Ron cheered as he looked to Hermione, "Got the camera ready 'Mione?"
"I have," Hermione said as she tapped a camera which hung around her neck, "It's amazing just how this camera works, if it wasn't for magic I couldn't of believe it was possible."
"Please don't talk like another Collin Creevy," Ron moaned into his hands, "We have enough of his at school as it is."
"Remember the time he got a photo of us all in the shower?" Harry said with a smirk, "I never have seen Luna act that way before."
Hermione giggled, "Well at least everyone knows that at least one or more of Luna's creatures are real."
"And that Neville is no longer single," Ron chuckled with a smile.
"What happened?" Arthur asked with a small smile, his wife and the twins was walking a few steps ahead of them so it was safe to ask.
"Well it seems that Luna didn't take to well to having her boyfriend's naked body being shown in the Hogwarts newspaper," Hermione answered with a giggle, "Who knew Luna was a prankster?"
"Who knew that Luna could hit that hard," Ron said, "She sent Creevey to the Hospital Wing with a single punch."
"Well that tells you a very important life lesson boys," Arthur said, "Never ever get on the bad side of a female."
Ron and Harry nodded their heads in agreement while Hermione gave a sharp yell of protest.
As he listened to his friends bicker Harry couldn't help but allow his mind to wander back to the dragon in the cell. Even through Charlie had warned them that the dragon was evil Harry had a strange feeling, the dragon wasn't truly evil in his eyes, there was something in the back of his mind telling him so.
"Hey Harry," Ron called startling Harry, "You ready to see Norbert? We should be able to see him in the distance any second now."
Harry made up his mind, that night he would go down into the dungeon and free the dragon, no one disserved to live so long in darkness like the dragon had done.
Over the course of the day Harry tried to take part in the vacation only to find his mind being carried back to the eerie eyes of the dragon. No matter what he tried to do during the day he always seemed to come around in a complete circle back to thinking about the dragon.
As they headed to bed Harry found his thoughts drifting back to those large eyes of the dragon, he had made up his mind. When everyone was asleep he would go down to the dragon and try to help it.
"Come on mate," Ron said as he placed an arm over Harry's shoulders, "I don't know about you but I'm exhausted, I can't wait until we can show Hagrid those photo's of Norbert!"
"Yeah," Harry said with a weak smile, "Nor can I."
"Well I think they'd be even better if we could make them move," Hermione said as they walked into their tent, "I mean it'd be the next best thing for Hagrid."
"We'll ask Charlie in the morning," yawned Ron, "We'll see if we can get them to move, if not we can always just ask Colin how to do it back at school."
"Good idea, that's a new one for you," Hermione said with a smirk only to find herself yawning, "Well we've had a long day and we have an early start tomorrow, I'm off to bed."
Hermione gave both boys a quick hug before turning towards the female sleeping area as shouts of 'Night 'mione' echoed behind her.
"Well she's right you know," Ron said as he stretched his tired body, "Better get to bed, an early start tomorrow…you coming?"
"Yeah," Harry said as he looked at the candles on the table, "I'll be there in a bit, there's something I need to do first."
Shrugging Ron turned around and headed towards the male sleeping area, he knew better then to ask Harry what it was. After all the other deserved a bit of privacy.
Harry waited until he was sure Ron was asleep before he walked over to the candles, he looked each candle over and noticed that they were set in a row, each other slightly bigger than the last. Harry mused that the candles were for the Dragon Tamers that worked during the night but he paid no really attention to that thought.
Grabbing the smallest candle and lighting it Harry slowly made his way out of the tent that he was staying with the Weasley's and Hermione and slowly but carefully made his way towards the dungeon door. He moved quickly and quietly through the night, he had made sure he knew the path to take so there wouldn't be any problems.
A few minutes later Harry came to the dungeon door only to find that it was locked. Frowning Harry wiggled the door a few times only to find it didn't budge, in anger Harry kicked the door only to give a startled yelp as a spell suddenly activated.
The spell floated in the air like an orange mist for a few seconds before it suddenly turned into words, 'Tamer Patterson, remember the blasted key is under the nearby flower pot' was what it said.
Using this to his advantage Harry grabbed the key from the flower pot, he wouldn't ask what a flowerpot was doing here of all places, and unlocked the door. He placed the key back in its spot making sure no one would realise he had been before walking down the stairs and into the dungeon.
As Harry went he felt himself growing with fear, the further he went the more it grew. As he got half way down the stairs a loud growl echoed throughout the area followed by a jet of green flames. Giving a cry of shock and surprise Harry dropped the candle and ran back the way he came, never looking behind him.
If he had Harry would have saw the dragon looking at the lone little candle, still strongly burning thanks to magic. Harry would of saw the dragon look at the light as if it was magical.
"I'm just an idiot," Harry moaned as he found himself in the shared male sleeping quarters, "I can't believe I got scared after everything I've been through! Tomorrow I'll take another candle down there!"
And he did, each and every night Harry brought a larger and larger candle down to the dragon, he lined them up on the steps, each one getting closer and closer to the dragon. With each candle Harry's fear grew less and his understanding grew more.
Everything was going smoothly; no one noticed anything until Harry's final night at the Dragon Reserve.
"What's going on?" Ron cried out as they all rushed out of the tents, "Where's Harry?"
"Sorry for your final night to end like this," Markus, a senior Dragon Tamer, apologised, "But it seems that the dragon we keep in the dungeon cell has gotten out."
"What!" Molly screamed in terror, "An evil dragon roaming about, it could kill anyone! What about my babies!"
"Mum," Ginny said pulling on her mother's robes, "Harry's missing; his bed hasn't been slept in."
Panic and terror washed over the Dragon Reserve, a lose evil dragon roaming about the reserve free and a young male had disappeared…they drew their own conclusions in their minds.
"That evil dragon has eaten Harry!" Molly screamed as she fell into her husband's hug, "Harry's dead!"
"No I'm not. I'm alive and the dragon isn't evil."
Turning around everyone was shocked to find a healthy and very much alive Harry Potter standing only a few feet away, they would of gone and checked Harry over for injures only…
"H…Harry mate," Ron stuttered as he looked at just what was behind his best friend, "You…You have that dragon standing right behind you!"
Blinking innocently Harry simply turned around and rubbed the dragon's neck with a happy smile as the dragon began to growl in pleasure.
"It's not evil Ron," Harry said without turning away from the dragon, "The dragon won't harm anyone so put your wands away. The dragon is my friend, his become really friendly. Nothing to worry about."
The others snorted at Harry's words. What Harry was saying couldn't be possible.
"Harry," Charlie said slowly, "That dragon is evil, it won't go out of the darkness, the dragon-"
"Is a male," Harry said simply as he continued to pat the dragon, "It was the light that did it, the candles that I took down to him. I knew from when I was in my cupboard and with the Dark Lord that anyone living in continual darkness must become dark and wicked themselves. Only one who is able and willing to live in the light would know the life and warmth it brings, and be able to let it shine from within. That is why I took more and more light to the dragon every night."
Everyone could only stare and listen to the knowledge that came from him, from one so young. He had worked out what others before he couldn't.
"What will happen now?" Ginny asked nervously, "I mean to the dragon?"
Charlie gave a sigh and shook his head in amusement, "Don't worry little sister, Harry's helped it, his…His allowed the dragon to start a new chapter in its life…time for a new life for the dragon…a better and happier one."
The End.
I took the speech about the light from the tale with a few changes, so I don't own that part but I really wanted to get that bit right so *shrugs*