Chapter 02 – Dragon in the dark

"Harry, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Were they always this useless?"

Harry chuckled at Ron's assessment. They'd just finished giving the inquisitor's the run around and were now tramping out into the forest where everyone else was waiting.

"I mean seriously, we've fought trolls that were more graceful. How do you even dogpile like that?"

"I don't think that's a fair comparison" said Harry.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. What'd a troll ever do to you to deserve that."

Now it was Ron's turn to chuckle, "Alright, but seriously, why were we ever afraid of them?"

"Matter of perspective I suppose" said Harry, "back then we hadn't been through hundreds of life or death battles, two sieges, and an extended campaign to hound a dark lord into a corner."

"Spose yur right" the ginger acknowledged.

"They're just children. We're not anymore."

"Wouldn't know it to look at us" Ron quipped.

"You'd be surprised" Harry countered, "Our bodies may be young again, but we don't carry ourselves like we did."

"Think anyone's noticed?"

"I doubt it. Most people aren't that observant in the first place and it would take someone very familiar with us to notice such a change. I notice because I know to look."

"Have to be careful round mum then. Not much gets past her."

Harry nodded, "If she asks just tell her it's been a rough year. It's not a lie."

"Not the truth either."

"You really think she could handle the truth?"

That gave him pause. How would his mother react if he told her the truth? He pondered on it as they meandered further into the Forbidden Forest. A name which all of them found quite laughable now. There was nothing in this place they hadn't seen a worse version of.

"Ron, Harry."

The two boys waved as they came to a clearing where their various females waited.

"How'd it go?" asked Hermione.

"They were all trying to go in different directions last we saw them" said Harry.

"Useless plonkers" added Ron.

"Good, good, that's good" said Hermione.

Before Harry could wonder at his friend's odd behavior there was an exclamation of "Harry!" and the man in question found himself on the ground with a cuddly succubus on top of him.

"Oh fur cryin out loud" Ron grumbled.

Harry tried to lift the perky demon girl off, but Luna decided jumping on Harry looked fun. Then Lucinda and Mooneria joined in and Harry found himself firmly planted into the ground.

"So Hermione, how's that body building potion coming?" he wondered from the bottom of the pile.

"A few more days I think."

"Until then you can't stop us from having our way with you" declared Ruby.

"Surrender Harry" said Luna.

"We will have our way" the twins cooed in unison.

"I will not submit" Harry shouted.

The girls giggled at his defiance till someone cleared their throat, "If we could get on with this please" said Sera.

Reluctantly the pile of bodies removed itself from Harry. The, not so young, ranger pulled himself out of the hole and approached his 'daughter'.

"Good girl" he said patting her on the head.

The small girl child beamed.

"Yes, well… Now that we've all settled."

Harry again looked at his brainy friend oddly. He'd never seen her act like this before. It was pinging all his danger senses. Discreetly, he slid his wand out of his sleeve and into his hand.

"So, what'cha drag us out here for?" asked Ron.

"Well, while putting together our magical refresher I was given time to consider some things. The crossing of magical classes, techniques, differences in wizardry between the two worlds. It really is a fascinating study I …"

"The point, Cleric" Sera snapped.

Hermione jumped at the interruption, taking a moment to collect herself, "I believe I may have found a way to remove your collar."

The forest was suddenly silent. Then…

"Are you serious?" exclaimed Ron.

Sera herself might have said something similar if she hadn't been too shocked to speak.

"What I learned after studying the collar and what I learned while restudying our first four years of Hogwarts wizardry has led me to several possibilities. Wizardry is done, that being taught, very differently in the two worlds. Things we learned early on I don't believe they even know about."

"Your certain then" said Harry, the picture of tranquility, "You can get it off."

"I think so" said Hermione, her agitation momentarily forgotten, "I have at least four we can try out tonight. If none of them work I've several others that need some time to prepare."

"You can free me" Sera whispered, drawing all attention, "I can be a dragon again."

"…Yyyeeeeessss" Hermione hedged.

Harry relaxed as Sera squealed. He understood now what was bothering his bushy haired friend. He wasn't bothered by it himself, but he'd long ago come to terms with that quirk of his personality.

"How do we do it? Can we do it now? What do I need to do?"

"Uh, well, just stand there."

The little girl went stiff as a board. Her expression betrayed the eager excitement that threatened to erupt if too long contained. Harry just chuckled and stepped up next to Hermione.

"What's first on the docket then?"

"Uh, I thought I'd try a finishing charm to start."

Made sense, he thought. Worked on everything else.

Hermione raised her wand and pointed it at Sera. The little girl was vibrating in anticipation. Hermione too was shaking, so hard she dropped her wand.

"I can't do it!" she cried, falling to her knees.

Behind them there was a massive sigh of relief.

"Oh thank goodness."

"For a moment I thought you were actually going to."

The twin's appraisal was blunt, but Ruby had a bit more to say.

"What were you thinking?" she shouted, "Did you want to get eaten? You do remember what kind of dragon she is? Have you lost your mind?"

"It… from an intellectual perspective it was…" Hermione defended weakly.

"Insane, that's what it was" said Ruby harshly, "The wizard who did this was an arrogant fool. You, just… argh! It doesn't matter. We stopped the lunacy before it was too late."

"You can't stop the lunacy" said Luna with a cherubic smile.

"Now don't you go getting any ideas" said Ruby rounding on Luna.

"Finite Incantatem!"

The shout of the spell and the following explosion drew everyone's attention. Harry stood, wand pointed at Sera who sat up from the ground where she'd landed when the collar had forcefully shattered. She reached up to her now bare neck, eyes widening in disbelief.

"I feel…" she said.

They never got to hear how she felt as the power that had been held in for years erupted. A massive black cloud rose and expanded at an alarming speed. Those not frozen in fear merely watched with passing interest as the cloud solidified and took form.

Talons and claws like well honed swords. Scales stronger than the finest black armor. Powerful jaws full of glinting dagger teeth. Massive black wings stretched wide, blotting out the moon.

There was a pause in which the whole world seemed to be holding its breath. The moment ended when the most feared beast in two worlds opened its mouth and announced her presence to the world.

The roar was loud and long. It shook the trees and sent everything in them to flee. Her proclamation made, the black terror came down to all fours with a boom.

With her head now at their level they could see the malevolent golden eyes as she looked them over. The other worlders trembled as the dragon stared with too much interest. Their lives flashed before their eyes as she began to approach.

"If I have one regret" Ruby declared as death approached, "it's not having more sex with Harry."

Lucinda and Mooneria just whimpered as the massive jaws began to open.

"Sera!"

The dragon's attention snapped angrily to her addresser. Harry stood, squarely in her sights. The dragon snarled, a low angry sound rumbling in her throat as she stalked toward him.

Harry waited, stance relaxed, wand held loosely in his hand. Hermione watched, horrified. This is what she had feared. She wanted to scream but her voice box refused to cooperate.

Standing inches from her quarry, the dragon gave a disdainful snuff from her nose. The little gust mussed his unruly hair. His expression remained unchanged.

Deliberately he raised his wand and gently placed it behind his ear. The dragon watched. The now empty hand reached out and came to rest on her snout. Her lips curled back, eyes dilating dangerously.

"Seraphina."

Her heavy, aggressive breathing stalled, then calmed. Eyes focused on the man before her. Fangs vanished behind thick ebon lips.

"Papa" the little girl dragon rumbled.

Harry smiled, "there's my girl" he said, stepping forward to stroke her long scaly head.

The others stood in silent awe. Except Luna who just kept grinning.

"I lost myself" the dragon rumbled quietly.

"I know" said Harry, "but I found you."

Without warning the black dragon transformed again into black smoke, shrinking down into a more familiar shape. Arms wrapped around his waist and a head buried itself in his chest. Harry stroked the long black hair while wrapping his other arm around his little girl protectively.

The others stared, relieved at being alive and back on familiar ground. Naturally it was Ruby who broke the silence.

"Does she look taller to anyone?"

"They grow up so fast" Luna sighed, skipping over to the two of them and squishing Sera in the middle of a three-way hug.

"Luna" Harry chuckled.

"Family time" the quirky blonde chirped.

"Mama."

"Is it over?"

Ron peeked out from behind a massive tree cautiously. Everyone gave him a look.

"Really Ron" said Harry.

"Hey, I barely survived the little one. Can you imagine the frying pan a dragon could swing?"

The girls snickered, "At least she doesn't want to eat you" said Mooneria.

"I was sure we were about to be dragon food" said Lucinda.

Ruby nodded emphatically.

"I wouldn't eat you" said Sera, giving the three buxom women a sideways look, "Too much fat."

Three jaws hit the ground, "Bitch!"

The dragon girl smirked.

"Hold on, what is this?" Harry said, taking her by the chin and brushing the hair away from her vibrant green eyes, "those are new."

The girl smiled, "Just like my papa."

The warm moment was cut short when her expression went hard and her attention turned towards Hogwarts.

"Sera?"

"They're coming."

Casting his eyes back at Hogwarts he decided to try something. Taking a deep breath, he released it slowly, feeling it pass his lips, exciting his sense of touch as his other senses became numb.

He'd long ago mastered his wind lore but what he was attempting was still difficult. Reaching out through the air he could 'see' everything it touched. Each leaf and rock, the grooves in the bark of every tree, all of it was clear.

He pushed out farther. Squirrels and birds shivered in the cold, or fear, and bigger things as well. He found 'them' 40 meters from the edge of the forest. They tramped through the underbrush so loudly it was a wonder he hadn't heard them.

"You sure about this Draco?"

"Course I'm sure" the Malfoy scion snapped, "Greengrass said she saw them come in here."

"I said I saw someone come in here" the girl defended whilst hugging her coat tighter.

"Oh whatever, we all know it was him."

"But aren't we gonna be in trouble?" Pansy asked nervously.

"We work for the High Inquisitor, who's going to punish us?"

"I'm more worried about being eaten" Pansy muttered under her breath.

"How we gonna find 'em?"

"Just keep your eyes open" Draco told his minion, "They can't have gone that far."

With those final words ringing in his ears Harry withdrew back to himself. Drawing in a great breath as he again became aware of his body.

"Forgot how disorienting that is" he said as he brought his breathing back under control.

"Well?"

"Sounds like Greengrass was set to watch outside" said Harry, "Careless" he cursed.

"We can escape them" said Hermione with confidence, "we're much better at this than they are."

They were, it was true. But they'd underestimated them once tonight. Harry wasn't interested in doing it again.

"I think it's high time we put some much-needed fear into a certain group of tyrant's bullies. Sera?"

A frightful grin spread across the girl's face, "Yes papa?"

"Time to play."

"Alright, that's it, I'm going back!"

The whole group halted, "Where you think you're going Greengrass" Draco demanded.

"My nice warm bed in the nice warm castle you worthless cretin" she snapped.

"What about finding Potter" shouted Pansy.

"Who cares" she said, tromping back the way they came, "If he wants to freeze his arse off out here, let'im."

"Get back here Greengrass" Draco ordered.

"Up yur ass Malfoy" she shouted back.

Not a person who could handle disrespect, Draco raised his wand preparing to threaten the insubordinate witch. His words died in his throat when a deep rumbling growl shook the trees.

The inquisitors huddled together, looking around like over caffeinated squirrels.

"Draco" Pansy whimpered.

"Potter!" Draco shouted with more courage than he felt, "I know that's you."

What he 'knew' was called into question when a massive form appeared out of the darkness. Its long snout pushed through the underbrush followed by the head and then neck of a massive black dragon.

"Ass not Potter" Goyle observed as he fought not to loose his bowels.

Draco tried to stutter out something, but his brain was caught in a loop that left his jaw working like a pantomime fish. Showing a surprising fortitude under the frightful gaze, Pansy gave her boy a reset slap.

This had two obvious effects. One, he stopped pantomiming. Two, he registered what he was seeing and did what most people would have done. He started screaming like a dying old lady. Not to be beat the dragon roared in reply, drowning out the old lady scream.

Cognitive thought ceased, and instinct took over. The inquisitors turned tail and ran as fast as their legs would carry them.

Daphne Greengrass was in for her own surprise when the housemates she'd left behind came barreling out of the forest, passing her by like she was invisible. She glanced back at the forest, decided she didn't want to know, and took off after them.