Chapter Seventeen: Deported
It was just an old store left to rot away. A closed down, dilapidated old shop on Charing Cross Road that hadn't been occupied in decades. Broken windows in the front, leaning badly to one side, it was destined to be torn down and made over.
But now the woman shook her hair out of her face, where the wind was forcing it, and stared with determined eyes. She knew she had seen the boy disappear into that very building earlier that day. It was now night time, and bitterly cold. The wind blasted along the abandoned street of London. Only the brunette woman stood on its sidewalk, eyes narrowed in determination at the store front.
He had looked just like her memories, tall and confident. Black hair, pale skin, and sharp blue eyes. But she knew, in the back of her mind, it was impossible for him to still be that young. Which could only mean one thing, but how? She knew she was missing something, and the only clue was in that building.
However, sheer will could not make up for the fact that she was a muggle. And all a muggle could see in that spot on Charing Cross Road was a broken down store, nothing more.
Freezing cold and disappointed, she was almost ready to leave when the man appeared across the street. One moment, she had been alone, and the next, he was there. She only saw his back, and he was wrapped in some strange red cloak. He, too, seemed to focus on the deserted old shop.
Immediately the woman started inching backwards, into the shadows of the alleyway. Even muggles had a sixth sense, sometimes, and it was screaming at her that this was danger. Another two men spun themselves from thin air, appearing to the left and right of the first. With wide eyes, she turned on her heel and ran.
It was sometime in the early morning, and Jayna was sleeping peacefully when she woke up to the feeling of Sorcio's scales sliding over her skin. Mumbling, she shoved him off her arm. The small snake hissed, sounding irritated.
Jayna, who had been passed out on her stomach, face buried in the pillow, propped herself up on one arm. Shoving her blonde curls out of her face, she blinked sleepily down at the garden snake. It hissed again, eyes glowing golden in the dark.
Something is wrong. Something is really, really wrong. Jayna couldn't describe it, but a horrible cold feeling suddenly settled over her and she snapped awake. She could only think of one thing that could be wrong. And that was Dumbledore had left them behind. Irritated, she shoved back the blankets on her bed and got dressed quickly in the dark, her mind cycling over a plan for how to catch up to Dumbledore if he had left them. Sorcio watched her, hissing once more.
"I don't speak Parseltongue! Go find Riddle, stop hissing at me!" She snapped at the snake. She grabbed up her wand and stuck it down the waistband of her skirt, since the stupid thing had no pockets.
Then she threw open the door to the living room, striding forward to the door of the suite. Sorcio slithered from her bedroom, scales glinting a faint red color in the moonlight that shone through the window. The small snake squeezed through the open crack to Riddle's bedroom, disappearing into the darkness. A light snow had begun to fall outside, against a deep red backdrop. Had Jayna done a second glance at the window, she would have noticed the burning night sky.
But oblivious as always, she didn't notice it and continued, stepping out into the hall of the Leaky Cauldron. Dumbledore had rented a room down the hallway from them, and she started forward before coming to a stop. Ahead, a doorway was left ajar and it was not to Albus Dumbledore's room.
Jayna took a hesitant step, eyes squinting to make out the dark liquid spilled on the wooden floor. With very little light, it glistened like spilled ink, and it seemed to be coming from the room. Goosebumps erupted across Jayna's skin, a lump forming in her throat. She took her wand out, forcing another step. She was tempted to cast Lumos but knew she shouldn't.
Another step and she was able to see inside the room. The liquid seeping from the room was dark crimson, and it came from the body of the dark haired witch she had seen eating in the dining room a few nights ago. A huge gash laid open the woman's chest, her mouth wretched open, and her eyes devoid of light.
Jayna's mouth opened in horror but she cut off the scream before it could exit her body. Her mind only fumbled for a moment before she knew she had to get back to her room and wake Riddle, because he would surely know what to do better than her.
She turned, but immediately another scream threatened to leave her as she ran right into a person. He clamped a cool hand over her mouth, whispering, "Quiet!" Eyes darting up, Jayna saw it was only Riddle. He looked like he had dressed quickly, his shirt only half buttoned and off by one, his coat thrown over it.
She mentally cursed him for being so quiet all the time. "Tom! Tom, she's dead!" Jayna breathed, terrified, once he had removed his hand from over her lips. Her entire body had begun trembling, feeling as if it was vibrating on a high pitched frequency.
Tom's eyes burned as he repeated, "Quiet!" Then his eyes darted around the darkened hallway, stopping on the door a few feet away that led to Dumbledore's room. He seemed to zone out for a moment before snapping back to reality.
Jayna was a moment away from vocalizing her thought, that perhaps they should get the professor, before Tom cut any hopes of help off. "Dumbledore's gone," he said, sounding in slight disbelief.
"What?" Jayna gasped, half in denial. "What the hell is going on-"
Tom ground out, as if it were obvious, "Grindelwald, Jayna." Hand grabbing hers in a crushing grip, he dragged her back to their room. She stopped, eyes wide, as for the first time she noticed the bright red window. Crossing their small living room, she looked out, and saw the brilliant red sparks that were dancing across the night sky directly above the Leaky Cauldron. A jolt of terror jerked down her spine.
They were exactly the same as the sparks that had rained down on Hogwart's grounds over a month ago. Jayna recalled the panic that had ensued, and realized the sparks were more than just a show of support for the dark wizard now.
"He's here!?" She asked, alarmed. Tom shoved the last of their things in his bag, shoving it and Jayna's over his shoulder before grabbing up Sorcio and thrusting the serpent into her hands.
"Come on, we have to leave," he ordered, attempting to tow her from the room.
"What? Are the others even awake?" Her mind reeled as she thought of Dodderidge, and the others staying at the inn.
Tom turned on her, eyes narrowed as he was about to snap in response, but it was then a strange noise shook the glass of the window. The whole building shuddered beneath their feet, upsetting Jayna's balance. Her hands shot out as she grabbed on to Riddle, whose balance had been proven better than hers.
He steadied her, as the rumbling slowed. It was not the earth that had been moving beneath them, Jayna thought, but rather the air that was vibrating. A wailing was heard, it was faint but distinct in the night silence. It reminded Jayna of the kind of noise schools used back in her time, to warn of tornadoes or fires. It immediately increased her heart rate, until she was shaking with useless adrenaline. Tom's hands tightened on her arms, until his grip was felt down into her bones.
Then, a whistling almost too high pitched to hear whined against her eardrums. Tom's blue eyes widened in the darkened room before he shoved her backwards, underneath the sturdy wooden table before the fireplace. The entire building shook with the impact of something, Jayna had no clue what.
Her mind reeling, she finally realized she was in London, and the year was 1940. How could something that major have slipped her thoughts for so long?
"Bombs?!" She screamed, terrified. Tom was crouched over her, his beautiful, alarmed face turned to the window, until another explosion sent the glass shattering into the room in shards. He winced as several small pieces stung his back, though the table top did offer some protection.
Jayna buried her face against his chest, holding Sorcio close to her own chest protectively. The snake was writhing wildly in her grip, but she didn't even notice as the floorboards beneath them gave an foreboding crack. Her mind reeled, shocked, and completely lost as to how a pleasant night had led to this. Somehow she had forgotten about the reality of the times. Submersed into the wizarding world, she had neglected to realize the muggle war currently raging.
But the Leaky Cauldron is a magical building! Shouldn't it be protected against muggle bombs?
Jayna clung to that hope, even as the ceiling gave an ominous groan. Another jarring of the ground beneath them, so violent that it sent her teeth rattling inside her skull, and the wooden beams above them gave out. The roof crashed down onto them, and a flash of blue blinded Jayna as the table above them gave way.
Jayna awoke on a hard, cold surface, her cheek pressed to a worn fabric that reminded her of Riddle's robes. Blinking in the night, which was much brighter than it should have been, she regained consciousness. Her sense of time was completely askew, and it took several minutes to even realize what had happened. She felt like hours had passed, but knew it couldn't have been that long. Sitting up slightly, Jayna gave a whimper of pain at the throbbing of her head. She glanced down, seeing it was indeed a spare set of Riddle's robes beneath her head, and Jayna sat the rest of the way up, feeling a trickle of something down her face.
Glancing around, she saw the devastation the bombardment had caused. Half of the Leaky Cauldron's roof had collapsed down, and all of the windows were blown out. However, it had mostly been shielded from the real damage. Other buildings along the street were demolished, or completely engulfed by flames that lit up the otherwise pitch black night. The stars were vanished behind thick gray smoke, the moon barely managing to shine through it.
Muggles were everywhere, panicked, and they paid little attention to the Cauldron. They saw only a shack there, after all, and the few witches and wizards that extracted themselves from the building were nowhere to be found. Some seemed to run with a determination, others just moved in a daze, eyes distant.
Jayna reached a hand to her temple, wiping away the sticky substance from her skin. She glanced down at her hand and saw it was blood, though the pain in her head was dulling. She was slightly shocked, her mind one step behind every action. Somehow, she reasoned, she had been moved there, to the sidewalk. She slowly raked her eyes across the people in the streets, wincing at the sight of injuries far more grave than hers. She only stopped searching when she saw Riddle a dozen or so feet away.
He was speaking with Dodderidge, the man looked even more dazed than she. Jayna watched as Riddle seemed to argue with the owner of the Cauldron, grabbing him by the shoulders at one point. Then he relaxed, even from afar Jayna could tell Tom was controlling himself as he leaned nearer the older man's face to speak.
Setting her hands onto the rough stone ground, she pushed herself up, and grabbed Riddle's robes and their bags. She hesitantly started forward, just as Riddle seemed to hear what he needed from Dodderidge.
The owner of the Cauldron sank to the ground, holding his head in his hands, as Riddle turned and strode to Jayna. Seeing her awake and up, his face relaxed slightly. "We need to get into Diagon Alley," he told her, reaching her and taking their bags from her. He slid his arm around her shoulders. She realized only when he supported her partly that she had been unsteady on her feet, and gratefully now walked with him, allowing her head to fall against his shoulder and taking some small comfort in it.
They started down the alley beside the Cauldron, leaving the screams and moans of pain and the wailing of sirens behind them. Riddle guided her around a pile of stones that had crumbled down from the inn's roof, as Jayna watched the fire, mesmerized until the building blocked it from view. Her throat sore from the cold and soot that filled the air, she asked Riddle, "Sorcio?"
Tom pulled the snake from his robes, passing it to Jayna. She smiled weakly at the serpent, which seemed to be unharmed, and watched Riddle approach the small brick wall behind the pub. Thankfully, it was intact. He tapped the stones, and Jayna breathed out in relief as a peaceful Diagon Alley was revealed to them. Nothing even seemed to be stirring in the magical town, a stark contrast to the war torn muggle city that was spinning in chaos.
Stepping through the arch of bricks, they left behind the broken Muggle city and entered the sleeping town, most of whose inhabitants were still in bed and unaware. She didn't bother asking where Tom was leading her, she just kept walking, occasionally stumbling. The snow was beginning to collect on the streets, making Jayna adjust her footfalls so as not to slip. She gripped Tom's sleeve, sniffling as the cold began to make her nose run.
As they passed down the street, more and more of the building's lights were turning on. Witches and wizards were emerging, news of the attack most likely spreading. Tom didn't stop to answer any of their questions. It was only when they got to the end of the alley, near a small picket fence that marked the lawn of an old white house, that he spoke again.
"I don't know where Dumbledore is. But Dodderidge admitted he was there when the portkey was arranged. It is somewhere in this house, Jayna," Tom told her. She nodded. "Are you able to stand? Or do you want to wait here?" He asked, scanning her over with worried eyes.
Jayna moved away from him for a step, finding the ground to be more steady underneath her feet. "I'm fine," she told him, her voice sounding stronger than she felt. She started for the house, aware of Tom shadowing behind her. She paused at the front door, hand reaching out to feel the rough, peeling paint.
Pointing his wand, Tom murmured, "Alohamora," and the door cracked open. Jayna pushed it further, revealing before them the shadowed interior of the home. Glancing over, she asked the Slytherin, "What about not using magic?"
He gave a shrug, a smirk devoid of humor twisting his face. "The Ministry has many more important things to handle tonight. By the time they get around to us, we'll be long gone."
Jayna had to admit he was right. Fishing her wand out of the waistline of her skirt, Jayna commanded, "Lumos!" Her wand lit up at the same time as Riddle's nonverbal spell lit his.
The twin beams of light illuminated the piles of junk within the doorway of the old home. Groaning, Riddle took a step into the house. "How are we going to find a portkey in this?" He asked, kicking out and sending an old doll flying into the wall with a sharp thud.
"Isn't there some sort of magical way to check?" Jayna asked, heaving a sigh. Tom turned, looking down at her, half bewildered. "What? Stupid suggestion?" she sighed. "No. Actually, it was a very smart suggestion," Tom said, sounding impressed. He pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead, wincing his eyes closed for a moment. "I should have thought of it myself…"
"Neither of us is really on top of our game," Jayna admitted tiredly. She watched as the dark haired Slytherin nodded dismissively at her, his wand sending out an arc of blue light.
"This way," he told her, stepping deeper into the home. Jayna carefully stepped around an old rocking chair coated with dust and followed him, first through the living room and then up creaking stairs.
Tom muttered beneath his breath, and a fainter arc of blue light spread out. A few moments later, they found themselves in a woman's bedroom. The bedspread was starting to decay and fall apart, but Jayna's eyes stayed glued to it as Tom searched the room, because it was adorned with roses. Her hand raised to her throat, where she had fastened the choker necklace the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw had given her. The small white rose on the collar felt real to the touch.
"Here," Tom's gruff voice interrupted Jayna's daze, as he straightened in the corner of the room. In his hand was a small, ornate golden mirror.
They sat in silence, both holding a finger to the small mirror between them. Tom had his watch out, and his blue eyes stared unblinkingly down at it, counting down the last few minutes until seven in the morning. When the time came and went, Tom heaved a sigh.
"Dumbledore told us to be ready by seven. It makes sense the portkey wouldn't leave right then," Jayna told him, arching her back to stretch out the muscles. Her head was giving a slight ache, but other than that she felt pretty decent for having been dragged out of a half-collapsed building.
Save for the few cuts in Tom's back, he didn't seem to have any injuries either. Jayna almost felt guilty for such luck, especially when images kept flashing through her mind of the muggles she had seen wounded in the street.
Tom was silent, his eyes still focused on his watch. Jayna sighed. When focused on a task, Tom wasn't very good company. Jayna, then, was left to wander about in her own thoughts, which experience had shown never led to anything good. She thought about where Dumbledore had gone, and if he would randomly reappear before the portkey left. Then she thought about the bombing of London, and strained to remember her freshman history teacher's lecture on the subject….
Muttering to herself, she admitted, "I can't believe I forgot about the Blitz…"
"The what?" Tom asked, his head snapping up as he finally looked at something other than the time.
"The bombing of London….I'm so stupid, I knew the war was going on…I could have warned someone," Jayna admitted, cheeks growing warm with an ashamed blush.
"'Warned someone'?" Tom repeated, eyes burrowing into hers for a moment before he looked away, laughing. His laughter was a shock to her, because he sounded genuinely amused.
"What? Why are you laughing, Tom? People died last night! People are probably still dying right now! And I could have done something!" Jayna exclaimed, hurt.
The heir of Slytherin shook his head, his messy black hair falling into bright sapphire eyes. "Oh yes, you could have done something. You could have prevented a disastrous act of war by 'warning someone'. Jayna….don't lie to yourself."
The blonde sputtered, half in confusion, half in indignation. "But I knew about it beforehand, I was just too self centered to even think-"
"You were nothing like that. Some things are just too great, too momentous, for one small act to change them," Tom told her, voice reassuring. Jayna wanted to believe him, because it would have eased some of the guilt now pressing down upon her conscience, but found herself shaking her head.
"No! You know I'm…I told you I'm from…" She stuttered over how to say it. "I'm from someplace where this has all already happened! There must have been a way to help!"
Tom scanned her for a minute, before slowly shaking his head. "Your optimism sometimes disgusts me…It is your biggest flaw. You assume everyone to be like you, good and pure-intentioned…Jayna you are a diamond in a pit of coal, and your best efforts won't ever change the fact that you are surrounded by ugliness."
Jayna recoiled back from him, her body reacting faster than her mind. She was already halfway standing before she remembered she had to keep her hand on the mirror, as it could leave at any time. She settled for a look of disgust, sitting back down and settling her hand on the golden rim of the mirror once more.
"Your pessimism disgusts me," the blonde spat back at Tom, glaring down at the floor between them.
"I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic," he retorted. When Jayna said nothing, just continued glaring down at the floor, he sighed. "Would you stop being so childish?"
"Just shut up for a while," she suggested, chancing a glance up to see a wide smile spreading across his face. It only served to infuriate her more. How dare he be grinning like that while she was feeling so terrible.
"No," he refused. "There is a war going on. Millions of people on each side fighting, clashing, struggling to prevail against the other. And you've deluded yourself into thinking one act on your part could have changed anything-"
"JUST SHUT UP, TOM!" Jayna screamed, then fell silent, breathing heavier with anger. Riddle's eyes widened, then narrowed, his face emptying of emotion as he retreated behind his stone façade. "I left behind my entire life-MY ENTIRE FREAKING LIFE-to come here, on the hope, the little hope, that somehow one act on my part could change something! So excuse me for my delusions! But I've sacrificed everything I've ever known for the delusion that you might not want to become a horrible monster destined to an eternity of agony! So tell me now, Tom, if I'm just wasting my time, if this was all for nothing! Tell me if I should stick my optimism where the sun don't shine! Otherwise just SHUT UP!"
Jayna winced her eyes shut, attempting to calm her racing heartbeat. Silence filled the dusty old room of the abandoned home for several minutes. Then, finally, Jayna chanced a look up at the Slytherin. He seemed taken aback. He opened his mouth, apparently decided against it, and shut it. Content, the blonde closed her eyes once more and let the time tick by.
I must be making progress if I got the know-it-all to shut his cakehole, she thought, slightly less perturbed.
Jayna enjoyed the silence for a while, before Tom announced, "Seven fifteen."
Glancing up, she saw he was once again staring down with laser like concentration to his watch. She shook her head, trying to push away guilt before it wormed into her heart. But she was unsuccessful, as she started to regret her earlier outburst on Riddle. "…So…." she started, unsure whether an apology was really necessary. He glanced up, cocking an eyebrow as if expecting something. "…Um, you really think I'm a diamond in a bunch of coal?"
Tom smirked humorlessly. "It was an analogy."
Jayna's hesitant smile fell, causing the Heir to roll his eyes. "Jayna, please just try to concentrate on the task at hand…"
"What task? Holding a portkey?" She quipped.
Tom didn't seem amused. "You must realize we are about to go to a camp of magical creatures who won't take kindly to us. Please try to control yourself."
The blonde snorted. "I'll be fine."
The dark-haired teenager across from her raised a skeptical eyebrow. "If you say so…"
The mirror beneath her fingertips started vibrating, as if on cue. Jayna glanced down and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing…" she murmured. The room around them started turning, first slowly, then faster and faster. Feeling as if she had been hooked behind her belly button, Jayna was jerked forwards, as the room spun so quickly it became a blur.
With a plop, Jayna and Tom landed in a snow bank. Jayna stayed perfectly still as she waited for her eyes to stop spinning inside her head, fighting back waves of nausea. Finally, she was able to open her eyes without feeling the urge to throw up.
Tom swore, pulling his wand out from under his back, where he had apparently landed on it. Jayna glanced around. They were at the edge of a small village, and there didn't seem to be anyone about. There was an expanse of pristine white snow stretching out in front of them, then the beginnings of a dense evergreen forest. The trees towered above them, coated in blankets of snow, like something from a postcard.
Tom immediately trudged out of the bank of snow, turning back to offer a hand. "Come on!" he urged, business like, when she stayed put.
"But, shouldn't we speak to someone in the town-" Jayna hesitated, craning her neck to search for someone moving amongst the small stone buildings. The place seemed deserted, and it immediately made her feel unease. I know its early in the morning, but there should be someone here…
Tom grabbed her hand and forcefully pulled her from the snow. "We should get moving," he insisted.
"But isn't it strange? There's no one around!" Jayna pointed out. "No one's even noticed us…"
Riddle gave a snarl of impatience. "And would you prefer to dawdle around until someone does? And then would you care to explain what two teenagers from England are doing wandering in the middle of a Soviet controlled territory?" he questioned her quickly.
Jayna's eyes widened before she sheepishly shook her head. "Well….no."
"I did not think so," Tom agreed, towing her towards the edge of the woods. Jayna stuck out her lip in a pout, trying to stop her stomach from flipping about in fear. She gulped as they took step after step into the forest, her hands beginning to shake. Tom murmured a heating spell under his breath, and though it warmed Jayna it did nothing to stop her nerves.
And she seriously hoped he was right about the Ministry having better things to do at the moment then pursue underage use of magic.
After a while of silence save for the crunching of snow and snapping of twigs underfoot, Jayna spoke up. "So um…what shall we talk about while marching through a creepy forest?"
Tom, who had been walking slightly ahead of her, turned around and gave her a sly smile. "Scared, Jayna?"
She looked up at him and said, in all seriousness, "I hate you, Tom Riddle."
His eyes lit up with mischievousness and he turned back around. "I'm sure you do. Now try to keep up."
They had been walking for at least half an hour, Jayna decided. Still nothing. She was about to point this out to Riddle in her most annoying manner possible when she realized the trees were becoming less densely packed. No longer were they forced to squeeze between tree trunks or trip over raised roots hidden beneath the snow cover.
"Tom…What if Dumbledore got the location wrong…Or what if we're going the completely wrong direction?" The blonde finally spoke up, voicing her worries. Tom suddenly paused in front of her, holding up a hand and cocking his head like a dog trying to hear something.
"Shh," he commanded.
"I'm just saying…We could walk for hours and just get lost…" Jayna muttered, wrapping her arms around herself in the bitter cold.
"Jayna, quiet!" Tom whispered, frustrated.
"Why?" She asked, searching the woods in front of her. She saw nothing but trees and snow.
"Because I think there is something watching us," Tom said, his voice barely audible. Jayna's heart stuttered for a moment. It was then she became aware that the forest had fallen silent. She had grown accustomed to the slight background noise of animals, things moving about around them. But now it was dead silent. Not even the air seemed to stir.
Until Jayna felt her hair move, and warm air brush against the newly exposed skin of her neck. She froze, hazel eyes widening into perfect circles at the feeling of something huge breathing against her neck. Then, hesitating only a moment out of the stupid belief that delaying the inevitable might somehow take away the terrifying something behind her, she turned.
A single massive eye, larger than her head, stared back at her. Brilliant yellow, with a vertical black slit of a pupil, it blinked once. Jayna started backing up automatically, tripping over a branch and sprawling onto the ground. Riddle took a step in front of her, his wand drawn, but even he looked beyond shocked. The dragon snaked silently between trees, its curious eyes focused on the two clueless teenagers. It had a ring of bronze horns about its head, like a crown, and was covered in black scales that held a sheen against the snow. The beast was surprisingly graceful, its tail darting between the tree trunks as it cocked its massive head, apparently deciding whether they were tasty looking or not.
"Holy-" Jayna began, but the dragon gave a low grumble.
"Jayna, get up," Riddle hissed. She climbed to her feet, unable to look away from the dragon. It used its wings to crawl across the ground, closer to them, and its growl grew louder, until it was practically a scream.
"RUN!" Riddle ordered, and Jayna obeyed, turning to retreat back in the forest where the trees were much more tightly packed, in hopes the dragon couldn't follow them much longer.
She hadn't made it more than fifty feet when Riddle swore loudly, then practically tackled her to the ground. "What the-" she began angrily, but was quickly shut up when the dragon's horned tail swung directly above her and Riddle, laying on the forest floor. It connected with a tree trunk to the right of them, exploding the wood into a shower of splinters.
"WO, WO!" Someone yelled, Jayna knew it wasn't Riddle. She hesitated, a moment from climbing to her feet once more to take off. But the dragon paused, its fury seeming to diminish. "SETTLE…" The voice commanded.
Jayna craned her neck to look behind where she and Riddle were, and saw a figure coming through the trees. Her gaze darted back to the Hungarian Horntail, which was now pacing uneasily, puffs of black smoke emitting from its nostrils. The man stepped around Jayna and Riddle, who was rising slowly to his feet.
He walked forward, and Jayna saw that the mystery man was almost as tall as Tom, with shaggy brown hair and worn out clothing. Riddle was now on his feet, and pulled Jayna up by a shoulder, pushing her backwards. The man approached the dragon slowly, his hands held out, palms open. "Settle…" he repeated, voice deep and soothing. The dragon let him step closer and closer, and somehow he wasn't a human barbeque yet.
Jayna wanted to stay, to watch, but Riddle was inching her backwards from the dragon. However, just when she was about to turn the man reached out a hand, laying it on the horntail's snout, and the huge beast's entire body fell still, its eyes closing. She froze, watching in amazement. It was like the monster was put into a trance, all by that simple touch.
Tom stopped as well, watching as the stranger turned around. He was a young man, and his face was sharp and intimidating until he started laughing at their shocked faces. "Trespassers, have we?" he asked, when he had stopped laughing long enough to speak.
The horntail opened its eyes, nudging its snout into the man's shoulder and making him stumble backwards and almost fall. He laughed again, shaking his head. Tom spoke up. "If there is a leader to your group, we came to ask permission to speak with him," he said evenly.
The man shook his head, taking a step forward. The dragon moved, and Jayna watched as it climbed back through the trees, using its wings to climb upwards and out until there was enough space about it to dart up through the canopy. Craning her neck, she saw it spread huge wings and soar overhead, a plume of smoke washing down onto them as it passed by.
"You wish to speak with him?" The man repeated, recapturing their attention as he walked closer, his smile growing. Mr. Dragon Whisperer is actually pretty cute, Jayna thought appreciatively.
"Please," Jayna stepped around Tom to focus the brown-haired man with her best attempt at a charming smile. His gaze moved from the Slytherin to her. "We don't mean to intrude…But it's very important we get to speak with whoever is in charge."
"Well what if that's me, deary?" The man asked her, sweeping into a bow. "What if I am in charge in this forest?"
Jayna raised an eyebrow, about to reply when Tom cut her off. "That's doubtful."
"Oh? Why so?" Retorted the stranger, his brown eyes jolting back up towards Riddle's.
Tom smirked, once more edging in front of Jayna so he was between her and the other man. "Because it is clear already you'd rather spend your time playing with dragons than organizing a settlement," he said, focusing him with a challenging glare.
Blue eyes bore into brown, until finally the stranger looked away from Riddle and back at Jayna. "This is true," he told her, grinning. "Would you like to come with me, deary? I'll take you to our great and fearless leader." He drawled, extending a hand as if to take hers.
"We both would like to be taken to him," Tom ground out. Jayna, however, was quickly taking a liking to the dragon tamer, whoever he was, and smiled back at him as he dropped his hand, glancing in a mock fearful manner at Tom.
"Very well," he announced, turning on his heel. "This'away."
