Games Are Afoot Chapter 33
Games Are Afoot Chapter 33
What A Picture is Worth
DISCLAIMER: JKR owns it all, I am just playing in her world.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: THANKS TO CHRIS AND ENTHRALLED FOR HELPING ME WORK THROUGH THIS CHAPTER.
The day dawned cloudy, dark, and windy. Rain clouds loomed on the horizon and the air was alive with electricity. 'Great day for flying.' Hermione thought to herself. She seemed to be the only one who harbored this opinion however. Her dad was beside himself with excitement. Royce had completely outfitted him with robes that resembled a long trench coat. These robes were similar to the feel of a nylon tent and were supposed to repel water. He had goggles, gloves, and a hat pulled low over his ears. Hermione chuckled to herself as she thought about how he looked like a cattle rustler from the old muggle westerns from America.
She herself had been outfitted similarly. Charlie had already reassured her several times that he would be able to hold onto her through all the clothing so she wouldn't fall off the broom. Everyone was riding in pairs. One with a camera and one with a wand ready at all times. The wand holder was in charge of flying. Hermione could see the pairs standing around checking equipment. Jack was there too and he had a list and a map for each pair so they would know which section of the grid they were to cover. Three teams were assigned for each sector.
Charlie and Hermione would be with Royce and Robert and another pair she hadn't met yet. Charlie had left her holding the camera and broom while he went to get their map. She watched the group as a whole and noted that excitement reigned. She seemed to be the only one with reservations about flying…in this weather. The regular handlers and tamers acted as if this were a field trip. They were reminiscing about past inventories and regaling each other with 'near miss' stories. The pit in her stomach grew and she turned slightly so she could focus on the dragons in the enclosure near her. These dragons were familiar after watching them all week. She didn't want to hear any more stories. She was nervous enough.
Charlie returned and seemed to sense her mood. He placed a hand comfortingly on her back as he moved behind her.
"Whatcha looking at?"
"I was just focusing on the familiar. I don't think I can handle anymore of the boys' stories about burns, falls, and narrow escapes." She chuckled dryly. Her voice held a hint of fear.
Charlie pulled her back into him and hugged her lightly. "Trust me. The stories get bigger and better each time they tell them. I am not going to let anything happen to you. If Jack thought it was too dangerous, you wouldn't be allowed to come."
Hermione nodded but didn't turn. "I know they are just excited."
"Hermione, relax. It's going to be something you never forget." Charlie soothed.
She chuckled. "That's what I'm afraid of." He laughed with her and gave her a gentle squeeze.
"We head out soon."
She nodded and he took the broom from her and went to discuss their grid with Royce. Hermione looked over the camera and went over in her mind the quick lesson Royce had given them on operating it. It worked much like a muggle camera. It was voice responsive so they could make comments associated with the pictures they were taking. For example, breed, color, location and if they were currently protecting young. The voice notes would be helpful since it's hard to take notes in the air.
Soon they were mounting the brooms and slowly the crowd on the ground thinned as more and more groups hovered above. Charlie slid behind her on the broom and pulled her snuggly against him leaning them slightly forward.
"Ready Bookworm?" He asked in her ear.
She closed her eyes and nodded, dreading the feeling of taking off. Charlie was a good flyer though and she hardly felt them rising. Her only hint was when she realized her feet were dangling. She clutched Charlie's hand that was wrapped around her. He breathed in her ear and she began to relax as she felt his slow heartbeat through her back. Once you got over the fact that you were incredibly high in the air, it was actually quite breathtaking. She began to look around. Despite the darkness of the clouds threatening rain, the trees and landscape were straight off a postcard.
The mountains in the distance were barely visible through the clouds. It made their area seem smaller and more manageable. They were slowly circling farther and farther out from the main camp of the reserve.
Hermione leaned into Charlie and turned her head slightly so he could hear her over the wind. "How big is the reserve? How big is the area we are going to cover?"
Charlie used his wand arm to point out different landmarks. His voice was low and resonant in her ear. "The ground looks even from here, but there are crevices and valleys scattered throughout these hills. We have a straight block to search from here to the mountains."
Hermione let her gaze sweep the area that Charlie had pointed out. Each of the three brooms was spaced out about two hundred meters apart. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to discover they weren't flying very high. She guessed it was so they would be better able to see into some of the denser brush.
Suddenly, her dad and Royce began a steep dive off to their right. Hermione gasped as they zoomed toward the ground. Flashes of light started to emanate from the blur. Hermione hadn't realized she was clinging ferociously to Charlie's arm or that she had been holding her breath until she heard Charlie's deep laugh.
"Guess they found one." He chuckled in her ear. She loosened her death grip and offered a weak giggle.
"Are we going to dive like that too?" She asked hesitantly. Apparently the wind was gusting too strongly at that moment because he didn't answer and tightened his hold on her. They bounced up and over to the left before Charlie steered them back on course.
The broom to the left dove rapidly down and Hermione realized to her chagrin that they were indeed going to dive just like that. The flashes of light lit up the dull light of the day. She focused ahead of her.
"Do you see anything?" Charlie asked her.
She shook her head and began to pay more attention to their task at hand. She pointed suddenly to something that looked like a spark. A second later she wished she hadn't as they pummeled to what she was sure to be her death. Before she had a chance to get too scared, Charlie had leveled them off and she was nearly eye-to-eye with a large Hungarian Horntail who looked more than a little agitated. She pressed her finger to the button and her flash clicked rapidly as Charlie circled the great beast. He whispered commentary in her ear and she yelled it toward the camera so she could be heard above the wind that was picking up in intensity.
After they had completed several revolutions, Charlie aimed the broom upward and they shot back to their original altitude. Once they were hovering she laughed out loud.
"That was more fun than I expected." She shouted over her shoulder. Charlie laughed with her and they proceeded forward. Hermione was now scanning the ground below with a scrutinizing eye. She wanted to find another one. She was so caught up in their endeavor that she seemed to forget she was sitting on a moving stick in the air.
Charlie watched her enthusiasm grow and found himself smiling and whistling quietly. He enjoyed watching her when she was determined to succeed. It reminded him of that first game-playing day back at the burrow a year ago. The day he first could see the wheels turning in her head as she quirked her eyebrow at him. The day she figured out where Bill was hiding. The day she solved the rune puzzles. The day he realized she was special.
A loud gasp from Hermione refocused Charlie in a flash. He followed her gaze to the right. He suppressed his chuckle knowing she would not appreciate it. Off to the right and down just about to the treetops he could see Royce and Robert. Well, to be honest he couldn't really see Robert as he was dangling inside the tree. He was holding to the broom with one hand, that if Charlie was not mistaken, Royce had attached with a sticking charm. He could hear the laughter across the sky, but since Hermione was stiff he could tell she was worried. He angled their broom towards the two men so she could see that there was no danger. Robert was going for a great shot.
"Breathe Bookworm. He's alright." Charlie said into her ear reassuringly.
She took a gasping little breath. He could feel her heart pounding and her hand was clasped so tightly over his he was sure his circulation was impeded.
"They are just going for a picture. He's not falling."
Hermione took another stilted breath. "Are you sure? Look at him!" She pointed to the now swinging Robert.
Charlie chortled in her ear. "Listen." They both heard the laughter and the directions being called out.
"A little more to the left and I think we've got her Royce!"
"Ho! Ho! Robert, she's a beauty!"
Hermione was stunned. Absolutely stunned. Her father was swinging like a monkey from the broom and enjoying it. She was speechless. Charlie steered them back to their original location and gave her waist a little squeeze.
"See? Nothing to worry about." He muttered playfully.
Hermione half-turned so she could launch a disgusted look in his direction. She grunted but did not comment. Her eyes began scanning the terrain once again. Charlie felt her before he heard her. She gasped and pointed as a dragon shot up directly in front of them. Charlie used his seeker reflexes to swerve and swing around the beautiful Chinese Fireball. Once she got over the sudden appearance, she began to take pictures as Charlie again whispered the pertinent information into her ear so she could repeat it aloud for the camera.
Hermione froze when the dragon turned and stared back. Charlie was finding this to be immensely fun and merely widened the circular path he was flying to give it more room. As suddenly as it appeared it plunged back down into a deep fissure in the rock below.
"Wow." Hermione finally managed to utter.
Charlie laughed richly out loud. "That about sums it up."
Hermione laughed too. "It was a little unexpected, but wow. That was amazing!" Her enthusiasm for the project was increasing rapidly. "It didn't try to attack us or chase us or anything! Why did the dragons at the tri-wizard seem so much more ferocious?" She asked curiously.
"They were nesting mothers. They are a bit testier during that period. They wanted the mothers to make the task more challenging." Charlie explained. He looked toward where the Fireball disappeared. "Did you like that? How it just exploded up to check us out?"
She was nodding before she could form the words. "Oh yes. I mean, it was amazing. Did you see how fast it shot up to us? And then it looked as curious about us as we were about it!" She rambled waving her hand toward where the dragon had disappeared.
Charlie grinned. He felt the same way no matter how many times he saw them. "It is an amazing sight. Look down and left."
She did as he suggested and discovered two bursts of flame aiming for each other. "Is there more than one?"
He leaned in so the broom descended slowly and spoke in her ear. "It's a mother and her young. Be ready with the camera, but we have to be cautious. She will be protective."
Hermione nodded in response and aimed the camera toward the pair as they neared. She began speaking quietly describing what she was witnessing.
"We see two Antipodean Opaleyes. Obviously a mother and her young one. The flames are shooting out as if the mum is teaching the little one how to send the fire. The scales reflect the light and heat of the exchange so that they look opalescent…nearly translucent. It's absolutely beautiful."
Charlie slowly guided the broom in a wide arc around the pair. High enough that the dragons had not yet noticed them. "The baby looks about six months old." He whispered to her and she repeated it for the record. "The mother has a long scar on the left wing." He continued. "OH! She's limping too, as if she's been injured. Get a picture of that!" He said firmly. Hermione complied.
After they finished documenting and had climbed back to their hovering altitude, Hermione could not hold back her questions. "What happened to her?"
"Most likely she was injured protecting her young. She must have been fighting something…or someone. Charlie raised his wand and sent up some red sparks. "Jack will want to know about this immediately. Could be we have discovered where our poachers have been."
Hermione felt sick at the thought that a wizard had done this to the dragon. Several brooms were headed their direction now. She was amazed and slightly alarmed at how fast they were traveling. Before long there was a group of handlers hovering near them.
She recognized Jack under his gear and waved to him. He flew up next to them.
"Charlie." He nodded seriously.
"Jack. I think we've got something. Hermione, let Jack see the pictures we just took." Hermione passed the camera tentatively. Leaning away from Charlie and over the empty expanse of air made her breath hitch and her stomach clench nervously. She sat back immediately into his snug embrace. She could feel his chest rumble behind her and realized she hadn't been as subtle as she thought. She glanced around and saw a few of the other handlers fighting smiles. She sighed triggering the laughter that had been brewing.
"Don't let them ruffle your feathers." Royce chuckled. "They just forget how much they used to feel the same way when they started flying." He looked knowingly at a couple of them who suddenly looked away. Hermione laughed.
"Thanks Royce."
He nodded to her and smiled like an overprotective uncle. Robert patted his shoulder to express his appreciation.
Jack had studied the picture and the damage to the dragon's wing. Suspicion filled his mind as he wondered just who they were dealing with. He directed several of the handlers to switch from their grids to Charlie's so they could cover the area more thoroughly. He directed others to go back to the start and research what had already been done only this time he wanted them to go lower and slower looking for anything amiss.
Charlie and Hermione continued on their trajectory. They were nearing the mountains now and the storm was escalating. A bright flash blinded them momentarily followed by a long roll of thunder. Charlie hardly seemed to notice, but Hermione was as tightly wound as a spool of thread. She was getting decidedly more uneasy each minute that passed. The rain was starting and she could feel the large drops pelting them. The broom handle was now slick and wet with the rain and she realized what a blessing the gloves Charlie had given her were because they had grips on the palm side. She was holding on so tightly that here knuckles were beginning to ache. She noticed every slight movement like Charlie shifting so he could more easily reach the handle in front of her.
"Relax, it's just a little water." Charlie encouraged. She tried—really she did, but the next clap of thunder made her jump which jarred the broom. Charlie tightened his grip around her in an effort to make her feel more secure. Visibility was getting obscured, but Charlie was used to flying like this so he was able to keep an eye searching for his beloved dragons.
"CHARLIE!" Hermione yelled over the wind. He leaned in closer so he could hear her more easily. She pointed toward the cliff face they were approaching. His eyes followed her arm and finger as she pointed to a nearly invisible mass fluttering in front of the craggy rocks. A Hungarian Horntail was fighting the wind and trying to land on a small ledge about halfway up the cliff. Each time it tried to land, some of the rock would crumble and the dragon would fly back screeching.
"What is it doing?" She asked curiously.
"I've never seen anything like it!" He shouted back over the rushing of the wind. It was taking all his strength to keep the broom on track. Hermione began snapping pictures of the spectacle. As they neared the cliffs, Charlie brought them in at an angle.
Hermione gasped as she could see better from their new position. "Charlie! Look!"
There on the tiny ledge was a baby dragon. It was backed up flush against the rock as the bigger dragon continued to try and land. Each attempt was robbing the little thing of precious footholds. The bigger dragon was keening wildly, but as they got closer, they could hear a smaller version of the screeching coming from the baby.
Hermione had been so engrossed in the scene unfolding before her that she hadn't noticed that both other pairs had joined them until Royce spoke.
"That baby doesn't stand a chance if she's gonna crumble that ledge!"
"The only thing I can think of is to wait until the ledge is gone and then use levitation charms and cushioning charms to protect it until it's on the ground." Charlie responded.
"That mama isn't going to like interference!" The other handler offered.
"No. She could get a titch upset." Royce chuckled. Charlie laughed too, but Hermione couldn't see anything funny about the situation.
"Oh!" She reached her hand out as if she could catch the baby dragon. Another couple of swipes and it would be plummeting down several hundred feet.
"Charlie, you levitate! George, you cushion! Robert and I will try to distract mom till baby is on the ground. We good?" Everyone nodded. Charlie leaned in very close to Hermione.
"This is going to be fast and jerky so I need you to hold on tight with one hand and film it all with the other, ok?" She nodded and took a deep breath. He moved his legs so that he could grip better and raised his wand arm. His other arm still brushed by her but was gripping tightly to the broom handle around her. Suddenly they were dropping—or freefalling—she wasn't sure which. The only thing she was sure of was that her stomach was somewhere still near the top.
Somehow she managed to turn on the camera and record just as the ledge gave way. Her heart and her breath stopped as she watch the baby helplessly floundering as it fell, ricocheting off the rocks, the mother screaming and sending out long lines of flame. One blast of fire came so close that Royce had to pull up suddenly and unexpectedly causing Robert to slide off the back of the broom. Hermione saw it out of the corner of her eye and instantly forgot her fear. She forgot to film. She forgot to breathe. Instinct kicked in and in an instant her wand was out and she was yelling "Wingardium Leviosa!" Her father stopped, suspended in mid air. Royce circled the broom around and picked him up then sped towards Charlie and Hermione.
Meanwhile, Charlie and George had successfully landed the baby and the mother had joined it. Charlie looked up toward the cliff face to judge how far the baby had fallen when he noticed wand light at the top.
Hermione was frantically trying to determine if her dad was injured and he was retelling the experience like it had been an amusement park ride.
"Dad, you nearly fell to your death! How can you be so amused?" She barked at him.
"That was some mighty fine wand work Hermione." Royce complimented her trying to take the heat off of Robert.
"Oh no. I used my wand away from school. I am going to get expelled!" Hermione panicked.
Royce laughed. "No yer not. They won't know it was you first of all due to all the magic around her at the moment. Secondly, don't worry your pretty little head about it. Yer allowed in matters of life and death."
Hermione sighed with relief and turned to see Charlie having a near silent discussion with George and his partner. They departed heading far to the left. Charlie turned towards the others.
"Wand light at the top, Royce."
"You thinking poachers Charlie?" Royce questioned seriously.
"Yep. We just need to let Jack know with out raising suspicion. George and Matthew are going around to come up behind them. Someone else needs to go to the right. And the other needs to go to Jack."
Royce studied Charlie's eyes. Then he looked between Hermione and Robert. "My guess is you are going to need all the wands you can get." He said looking at Hermione.
"That's what I was thinking too. You take the camera with you. She is going to need both hands." Charlie said with authority. Royce nodded and reached for the camera.
"Robert, I am going to magically stick these cameras to the broom and I am going to need to stick you on too. We are going to be flying very fast." Robert nodded and Royce performed the necessary magic. "We'll be back soon. Don't lose them." He cautioned just before they took off like a ball shot out of a cannon.
Hermione watched them go for a moment and then turned to Charlie. "Wands out?" She asked bravely.
"Hermione, these people tend to be willing to do anything to get what they want. If I had time, I would take you back first, but we can't risk letting them get away. I may need you. We are going to try to set anti-apparition spells before they know we are there, but that means I need you to stand guard. Use any spell you can think of to defend us." Charlie searched her eyes for fear, but was pleased to find them set with determination. He had never been so happy that she was a Gryffindor.
"Ready?" He asked. She nodded and they shot to the right around the cliffs to the dense forest at the top. They flew lower and turned into the trees to camouflage themselves. They slowed their pace and made their way carefully up behind where Charlie had marked that they were. They did not speak.
Once they landed, Hermione could hear the voices. There were at least four or five men. Hermione stood tensely and cautiously as Charlie leaned the broom against the tree and crept quietly towards the sound of the voices. She followed. He crouched down behind a bush and she could see wand light through it. She looked at Charlie and moved just away from him so that she could keep watch to make sure no one came upon them suddenly. Her wand was ready and she recited various spells to herself in her mind trying to decide on a useful one.
She was so engrossed in her task that she nearly screamed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed measurably when she realized it was only Charlie letting her know he had been successful. He leaned in close to her ear so he wouldn't be overheard.
"Now we wait."
She nodded and they stood watch waiting for a signal that the others had arrived. Hermione wasn't sure what to expect from the approaching handlers. Would they come quietly? Or would they come in firing wands? She knew that she couldn't ask Charlie so she waited anxiously, her eyes constantly scanning the area around her.
Charlie was taut with readiness. He hoped George and Matthew had made it to the other side so the poachers would be surrounded. He knew that Jack and Royce wouldn't be long.
Suddenly, a rain of red sparks shot out like a huge firework. The men on the other side of the bush were scrambling and yelling and trying unsuccessfully to apparate. Hermione could hear Royce's voice but it was chillingly cold and severe.
"Hold it right there. Don't move."
Handlers were landing all around them so Charlie pulled Hermione behind him and hissed, "WAIT HERE!" as they crept around the bush to contain the criminals. Hermione backed up until she was standing with her back to the tree and her wand out.
The noise and confusion on the other side of the foliage was loud. She was anxious but not scared. Suddenly a man came running around the greenery. She lowered her wand and was about to stun him when she recognized her dad. She lowered her wand as he came toward her rapidly. He hugged her tightly.
"Are you all right?" He asked with concern holding her away from him and looking her over for any possible injury.
"I'm fine dad." She whispered to him. "But you better let me stay alert. Charlie told me to keep my wand ready." He nodded and moved to her side. The shouting from the other side of the brush had quieted. She remained vigilant.
After what felt like hours, Royce came around to find them.
"Alright?"
They both nodded.
"Come on over here then." He gestured toward the direction he had come from. "Accio Charlie's broom." He said clearly and a rustling was heard as the broom flew toward his outstretched hand. Robert's eyes were huge.
"If only I could use that to find the remote." He muttered causing Hermione to giggle.
"Or the keys!" She added merrily.
Royce looked at them in confusion and then shrugged his shoulders as he led them into a clearing. He handed Charlie his broom. There were five men standing with magical ropes binding them. They were also encased in what looked like a blue transparent bubble. Jack was been speaking lowly and quietly to Charlie and Royce and some of the senior tamers.
After he had given instructions, the group dissolved to get to work. Charlie and Royce joined Hermione and Robert.
"Ready to head back?" Royce asked. Robert nodded and moved toward the broom that Royce had mounted. He slid on the back.
"Can you stick me on again so we can go fast?" He asked. Royce laughed.
"Sure thing Robert!" Hermione shook her head while Charlie grinned.
"Your dad seems to like flying." He offered.
"So it would appear." Hermione replied with a scowl.
"If you've had enough for today, we can fly just a little way over and then apparate back." Charlie suggested with concern.
"Thanks Charlie, but I think one last broom ride with you will be okay." She smiled at him and then winked. He laughed and held the broom out for her.
"Up!" She ordered and to her immense relief it came. They got on and flew leisurely back to the compound.
The next morning dawned bright and cloudless as if there had never been a storm at all. The poachers had been delivered to the department of Magical Law Enforcement for Romania and Jack had called everyone to a special meeting in the center of the compound.
"In honor of the outstanding performance of this group in apprehending the poachers, I am going to give you all three days of leave. It will be on a rotating basis as I can't run a dragon reserve by myself." His words were met with cheers and laughter. "Meet at the pub tonight and the first round is on me!" The cheers were deafening at this point. Hermione smiled at the obvious camaraderie of this dragon keeping family.
As the group dispersed, Jack headed for her. "Hermione." She turned toward him and extended her hand.
"Jack."
"Young Lady, you are might quick with that wand of yours. You should seriously consider joining us." He grinned at her.
"Definitely. You should definitely consider this." Her dad encouraged. "Then I would have a great reason to come back." The group laughed.
"Aw, Robert, aren't ya gonna come back and visit me and Squirmy?" Royce whined and pretended to pout generating more laughter.
"Ah, you know I would in a heartbeat. It'll just take a little convincing…" He looked toward Hermione who was nodding.
Jack clapped him on the back. "Whatever you have to do. You'll always be welcome."
Robert beamed. "Thanks Jack."
"So when do you go home?" Jack asked.
"We leave in the morning." Hermione answered solemnly.
"Well then, I guess we better make sure Charlie gets his leave first then hadn't we." Jack said elbowing a shocked Charlie. "Can you be packed and ready for three days off by tomorrow?" Charlie nodded happily.
"Well, I guess this is good bye for now then." Jack said as he shook their hands again. "Thanks for all your help. Don't be strangers."
"Good bye Jack. Thank you for a week I'll never forget!" Robert replied.
"Good bye and thank you." Hermione added. She turned to look at Charlie. "I guess you get to play the game I promised Fred and George now!"