Written for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments) Term 12
Challenges listed below
Word Count - 1485
"Welcome to the Harvey Ridgebit Dragon Research Centre, Misters and Mrs. Scamander."
"Oh, Charlie. Don't you dare be formal with me," said Luna encasing him in a hug similar to those his mum used to give.
Being Ginny and Harry's bridesmaid along with Hermione, Luna was definitely already part of the family, and, when the twins were born there was no one better to help her than Molly Weasley herself. Taking after their parents, the twins had developed a love for every creature. More so for dragons. Twins and dragons? Molly had that in the sack. The kids' grandparents were great help, of course they were and she was nothing short of grateful, but none of them had the level of experience that Molly did. It was hers the idea to send Charlie a letter asking him to receive them in Romania so the boys could see some dragons up close. Best birthday gift ever, as Lorcan and Lysander said so themselves.
"Come, come. I have to introduce you to our resident Dragonologist, Carlos Ridgebit."
"Carlos Ridgebit? As in Harvey Ridgebit's great-grandson?"
"That's the one, mate. Do you know him?"
"My grandpa really admires the guy. I think he was his mentor of some sorts," explained Rolf. "When it came to dragons, at least."
"Then it's time you meet me, pal," said a voice behind them. "Hi, I'm Carlos."
Carlos Ridgebit walked around them shaking hands, until he stopped next to Charlie and rest his hand on his shoulder. Carlos and Charlie were nothing alike. From the hair, skin, size and specially clothes. If the kids had trouble before differentiating between a Dragon Keeper and a Dragonologist, they didn't anymore. Charlie had much heavier clothes and scars, and while Carlos was not immaculate, compared to the redhead he looked like a porcelain doll.
As they struck up a conversation, it was a little hard to say who was more starstruck, if Rolf or the boys, but the second Carlos took out a turquoise egg with black stripes it was Luna who squealed.
"Is that a Peruvian Vipertooth egg?" She held out her hands flexing her fingers like a little kid. "They're Fairy Nargles' favourite dragon eggs."
Rolf smiled upon seeing the looks on their hosts' faces. Ever since finding one and being able to prove to the Wizarding World they were real, Luna had made it her personal goal to befriend them and find out every single little thing about them. So far, she was succeeding.
She took the egg in her hands looking fascinated. "Oh, Feeny would love this."
Charlie laughed. Of course she had named the creature she was studying. She was still Luna. Granted, much more grown up, but still Luna. "It's almost noon and it's getting quite hot, so why don't we go over to that tent and while I feed the dragons you can start setting up the table for lunch?"
Everyone knew as soon as the Weasley finished speaking that the kids would protest and ask to tag along, what they didn't expect was the look of utter betrayal that painted their faces for thinking that Uncle Charlie would not let them near the dragons.
"While we feed the dragons, right, Uncle Charlie?" Lysander had the same look on his face that Luna did when she was daring Harry to defy her.
"Of course, blondie. You two and me."
The trios separated, each talking about a different breed of dragon and its particularities. Carlos focused on the scientific aspects of the creature, while Charlie took the fun approach talking about how big and heavy they were. All Scamanders were fascinated.
As soon as Luna, Rolf and Carlos sat on the chairs on one side of the table, the other three came back. The twins chatting excitedly to each other about the huge Hebridean Black that uncle Charlie had fed.
"Mum, it was bigger than our house, I promise!"
Luna didn't doubt it. Since they were traveling so much, they had opted for a discreet cottage by the Scottish shore.
The night fell and the temperature dropped considerably while they were watching and talking about dragons. Carlos showed them every single dragon egg they had at the Centre and the kids rated them from prettiest to less pretty in Lorcan's case and dopest to less dope in Lysander's case.
As Charlie took the eggs back to where they belonged, Luna and Rolf carried the complaining 8-year-olds across the camp where they would be sleeping. Rolf wanted to stay at a hotel, but Luna and the boys were adamant. They wanted to stay as close as possible to the creatures. Rolf took his time to ensure that the tent was well protected against anything and everything, even fire. The tent was warm enough to counteract the cold from the outside, but even then, the four of them slept curled up against each other.
Luna woke up in the middle of the night for a glass of water like she always did. Sleepily, she took a large hand from her waist and a small one from her other arm. The third hand was supposed to be on hers. Her eyes shot open. Where was the third hand? She got up so fast, she started seeing spots, but that didn't stop her from scanning every inch of the magical tent.
"Rolf! Get up! Now!" She whispered, shaking her husband nervously.
"What? What is it?" The way he lazily opened his eyes got Luna mad.
"Your kid, Rolf. Lorcan is not here. Get up!"
Rolf looked around and only saw one blond head. "Do we wake Sander up?"
"We can't bloody well leave him here alone, can we?"
Rolf had seen all types of mama-creatures protecting their little ones, but none of them compared to mama-Luna and her little ones. Instead of arguing or taking offense, he told her to go find Charlie and Carlos while he woke Lysander up and dressed him up. Luna only threw a jacket around herself and left.
She was yelling Charlie's name even before she reached his tent, so by the time she got close enough to shake it, he had already opened the zipper.
"What's wrong?"
"Lorcan in missing?"
"Are you sure?"
"Charlie. Don't test me."
"Alright. We'll look for him. Don't worry."
"No. We'll find him. Look for him is not good enough for me."
"Yes. Yes. Of course."
"Charlie," she started through gritted teeth. "If we don't find my child, I swear on Merlin's name that the dragons will be the least dangerous thing in this place, do you hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Her husband and kid joined them as Carlos was exiting his tent. They were camping as well to help them in case anything happened. And boy did something happen.
"Let's split up. Luna, you come with me. Rolf and Lysander, you go with Carlos."
And so they went. Yelling Lorcan's name so the boy could hear and risking being murdered by the awaking dragons in the process. Luna took of a pair of pink glasses from her coat pocket.
"Specterspecs? Can they help? I thought they only detected – what was it called?"
"Wrackspurts. And they do. Lorcan has a lot of them surrounding him."
"Aren't they supposed to make your brain fuzzy?"
"Precisely. That's the only reason why he would leave the tent in the dead of night."
They kept walking and shouting. Charlie threw food to every dragon they passed that looked furious, which was all of them. Well, all of them except one. A few feet ahead, laid a dragon with dark green scales and long glittering gold horns. Charlie's favourite, if he dared say. He called her Ronan and she was definitely not this quiet. Something was wrong. He approached her carefully and the Romanian Longhorn stared at him, pulling her wings closer to her.
"Hey, girl," he called, approaching her slowly, with Luna right behind him. "Is everything okay?"
Her right wing moved a little and Luna spotted a head of blond hair under it. "Lorcan?"
"Mama?" He tried to get out from under the dragon's wing, but she held him back. He turned to face those big eyes. "It's okay, lady Dragon. That's my mama over there. Thank you for keeping me warm." The little boy held out his hand and the dragon nudged it with its snout.
"Thank Merlin." Luna took her son into her arms and held him tight. Too tight.
"Mama, you're suffocating me."
She took off the leather jacket from her shoulders and put it around her son's. "Oh, honey. That's nothing compared to what I really want to do to you."
As they walked back to camp to find the others, amidst all the "Lorcan Harold Scamander, what on Rowena's name were you thinking?", Lorcan looked back at the big green dragon behind him and thought how much easier it would be if he just lived under her wings forever eating dead raw animals.
Assignment #6
Muggle Studies - Task #2 - GPS Jacket: Write about worrying about where someone else is.
Insane House Challenge
#911 - Profession - Dragonologist
Writing Club March
Disney Challenge - #4 Family is important: Write about a strong familial bond.
Amber's Attic - #27 creature: dragon
Elizabeth's Empire - #10 emotion: fear
Liza's Loves - #23 Sapphire Salute: Write about a Ravenclaw
Trope of the Month - #19 Genre: Family
Winter Seasonal Challenges
Days of the Year - January 25th - Chinese New Years: Include a dragon in your fic.
Flowers - #5. Helleborus: (plot) Visiting family or friends.
Slytherin Challenge - #60. (colour) Green