Chapter Nine
Requisites
"So what's next to do?"
A grouchy voice interrupted Dumbledore's musing.
"You know what it is, you old goat. I've been waiting for you to get off the stick and pick up the parchment. So has the Castle. You've even been doing the work you usually push off onto Minerva to avoid it and don't think she hasn't noticed it. Quit stalling already."
Blue eyes slid up to where the Sorting Hat rested.
"You're not concerned about this? At all?"
The Hat gave the impression of a shrug.
"Why should I be? I have a deeper connection to Magic than you ever will. A fourfold connection, thanks to the Founders donating a part of themselves to give me the ability to Sort. I'm telling you, Magic is not concerned about this at all. And besides that, the old magics that had governed the ancient dragon quarters still exist, maintained by the leylines just like the Castle herself. No dragon would be allowed in that area that didn't come willingly by invite or was born here. Once here, there's a code of conduct that they always follow."
"Code of conduct? Dragons?"
There was a protracted sigh from the Hat.
"Yes, Albus, dragons. How soon people forget. Invading dragons are different but Hogwarts dragons abide by it."
"Forget? Forget what, exactly?"
There was mutter about age-related senility that the Headmaster carefully ignored for the hundredth or maybe two hundredth time, before the Hat went on. It sounded uncomfortably close to some things he overheard Minerva mutter but in a different accent.
"For one, Salazar and Godric had two dragons here at Hogwarts. The area they used is long overgrown, but its still there. It took a lot of convincing of Rowena and Helga – more Helga than Rowena, to be honest – but they managed. It came at a price that they didn't anticipate however, once they did the convincing."
The Hat chuckled, lost in memory for a bit. Dumbledore was intrigued, despite himself. This was better than doing parchmentwork, as long as the Hat didn't notice.
"What was the price?"
The Hat snorted.
"Every time Godric or Salazar pulled a prank on them that they didn't particularly appreciate, guess who got made to muck out the dragon pens? Without magic? And guess who fed the dragons extra when the boys weren't looking and working?"
"Oh, my. Really?"
"It didn't help Godric any once he found out that Salazar was using Parseltongue to convince the dragons to… well, make his job harder let's say. That was after pranking Helga a few times and making it look like Godric did it."
"The dragons let him do that?"
"The dragons thought it was hilarious but never let on. So did the Castle, for that matter. I don't think Helga ever found out the truth. I certainly didn't tell her. That woman had a vicious temper once she finally had enough. It usually took a good while, but once she had enough, she had enough."
Dumbledore thought about that and ignored the aside about Helga Hufflepuff. Aside from the research into the uses for dragon's blood, he hadn't really had much to do with dragons. He was an educator, not a dragonologist. Maybe he should ask a certain Weasley he knew of in that field to dinner in the castle one evening and pump him for information on the beasts.
Sighing, he finally picked up the parchment. It gleamed a light blue as his fingers touched it. A tiny blue wave flowed from the middle out to the edges, bounced off, and went back to the middle before swirling out.
"That's new. Somebody's been experimenting. Wonder how they did it?"
There was an irritated clearing of a throat that didn't actually exist over his head. Dumbledore scowled at the Hat.
"Be quiet! I'm looking at this."
He ignored the Hat grumbling about too many lemon drops and read the letter from the Ministry. It was several sheets long and from the details enclosed, had a good deal of information. Some of it he had no idea about and he groaned to read it. Whoever wrote it had tiny quillmanship. Enlarging charms didn't work on it, either.
According to the letter, the Treaty of Shelleche Notch provided for use of the Hogwarts Dragon Quarters and the magic associated with it should it ever become necessary. Even though the Quarters had been built a few years after Hogwarts first opened, the wards considered them 'original construction.' This allowed the Castle to keep track of them and gave the dragons living there a way to communicate problems or needs if their minders either didn't notice or didn't care.
In return, the dragons were given the ability to hold classes, as it were, for those breeds that were interested in it. Only one had done it and it turned out that he that liked to spin yarns, even if it was somewhat educational. One of the yarns involved a drink that later evolved into a precursor to Firewhiskey, but was much more potent.
For that ability, the old magic allocated by the wards allowed any dragon within the confines of the Quarters to have a wide-area translation charm apply to them so that they could speak to the students. It didn't apply anywhere outside the bounds, so a dragon flying lazily over the Black Lake wouldn't have been understood to be talking to another about the large fish that was about to be dinner. The area of effect was the sleeping quarters for the dragons, another living area for the wizard minders, the feeding areas, two large fields and a small creek. Any area larger than this and it was found that the translation charm broke down. There had been efforts on using smaller charms linked together to make a wider area, but that caused too many problems when they interfered with each other during use. Consequently, that was abandoned.
Rowena had been working on a set of runes that could have been carved into the dragon's talons or horns and powered by the draconic magic, but that never came to pass due to her ill health. No one knew what happened to her notes about the work.
Dumbledore read this information with a rising white eyebrow. He wondered out loud what kind of dragon he was going to have to deal with and was met with raucous laughter from the Hat.
"What's so funny?"
"Just… hee hee… just keep reading."
The old wizard narrowed his eyes at the Sorting Hat and wondered if it had found a way to read all this already, somehow. Fawkes had been looking entirely too innocent about something lately. That worried him more than whatever the Hat was up to.
|:-:|
Some distance away as Albus Dumbledore was trying to ignore the Sorting Hat's amusement, Harry was finding out what it felt like to be poked and prodded by a curious dragon. It didn't help that Annika was laughing about Harry being poked and prodded while doing the poking and prodding, however gently. Thankfully for all involved, she merely hummed whatever music was on her mind while she worked. Harry was sure that the other dragons had been looking a bit tense when she started humming, but didn't want to ask why since he had a pretty good idea.
There had been enough explanation about that earlier, and he didn't want to give Annika any encouragement.
Tessaies had earlier mentioned that in order to take Harry under her protection according to the Treaty, he had to submit to draconic examination witnessed by the dragon handlers. It turned out that although she was the mother dragon that had the most time mothering, so to speak, she didn't have the best magic available to perform the necessary examinations. All dragons did have that kind of magic due to the discernment abilities they possessed, but some were a lot better at it than others.
Harry just wasn't sure if the looks on Charlie's and Malcolm's faces made him feel any better when it was announced that Annika was best suited for doing this. The lick she gave him as she got started didn't help either. Neither did the dragon version of giggles as he was poked and prodded.
For the rest of his life, Harry would be able to say that dragon giggles were in a class of their own. He never explained why to anyone who wasn't there that day. Those that had been there just put it down to Annika being Annika.
Annika plucked the glasses off his face with a deft flick of a talon, and Hermione caught them carefully as she watched Harry. The Swedish Short-Snout parked her nose in Harry's chest and stared into his eyes for several minutes without blinking.
~~ Annika? Is there something wrong? ~~
Tessaies sounded a bit resigned. Harry thought she seemed to be dreading the answer or maybe expecting a certain answer and dreading it. Either way, she sounded like she was unsure if she really wanted the question answered.
~~ Such pretty eyes for a drakon! None of mine had such beautiful eyes. I'm jealous. ~~
She went on and on, gushing about his eyes. For a dragon she had big blue eyes that didn't look bad to Harry.
Do dragons normally have blue eyes? He couldn't help but wonder that.
He thought about what she had said so far, but there was one thing that stuck out for Harry. Dragon magic could fix his eyesight, but the big sticking point was that he would be blind for a month. The reason for that was that traces of basilisk venom and phoenix tears had been found in his bloodstream. Otherwise, it would have been two weeks.
"Are there any advantages?"
~~ You would be able to see, ~~ Annika chuckled.
"Besides that," Harry huffed.
Annika puffed smoke at him as she laughed at his answer, and he coughed. Short-Snout smoke had hotter heat, too. Tessaies rolled her eyes.
~~ And you'd be able to see twice as far. Also, those beeeeeeautiful eyes would have the girls fluttering around you in droves! ~~ She poked at him some more, this time around his ribs and making him grimace.
Harry made the mistake of glancing at Hermione when Annika said this. The somewhat frizzy haired girl picked up on this movement, he discovered to his dismay. He'd hoped that she wouldn't have, but on reflection that was a foolish help.
"What did she say, Harry?"
"Erm…"
"What. Did. She say?"
"She said I would be able to see twice as far!" Harry was hoping that Hermione wouldn't notice that he left some of it off. The sound of Annika and Tessaies chuckling at the look on her face didn't help his case. The sound of the other girls chuckling at him didn't help him.
"Haaaaaaarry."
Daphne was seated a few feet away talking to Luna.
"Give up, Harry. I know she said more than that, and I'm not your Mate." The teasing she sent at Hermione was acknowledged with a grimace.
Sighing, hoping that he wasn't about to find himself in trouble, Harry debated relaying the rest of what Annika said when he caught the sight of Tessaies' Look reminding him about the translating duties.
Hermione stopped for a moment and looked at Annika, and looked at Harry. She stepped up closer and Annika graciously moved her snout out of the way to let her stare into Harry's eyes. There were several snorts of what had to be amusement over their heads at the display, and several from Charlie and Malcolm.
"She's right, you know. They'll be all over you," she said thoughtfully.
"I know- wait, what?"
"Girls will be all over you." There was a slight bit of hurt in her eyes that Harry could see since she was so close to him. Harry didn't like that hurt expression one bit.
"The only girl I want all over me is the one standing in front of me."
He gave her a quick kiss and held her close, feeling her relax.
~~ Ahem. ~~
"Yes, Annika?" he sighed.
~~ I was busy doing something. Go mate another time. I want to see more drakons with those beautiful green eyes and your Mate's hair. Maybe I can teach them to sing. ~~
Now Harry was sure Annika was saying these things on purpose. It distracted Hermione from getting upset about the thoughts of other girls, so he couldn't get upset about it.
Not that it would help with dragons, but one could hope – right?
Across the way, he heard Rhiain snort and Charlie look up while inspecting her talons. He was a bit concerned since he didn't have a way to translate whatever she had heard. Rhiain tapped her talon on the ground and Malcolm chuckled.
"Charlie, I think she wants you to quit being distracted. Either that or she wants you to sweet-talk her again like you do. Too bad it doesn't work on human women."
The reply to that jibe wasn't sweet, and Charlie found himself covered in dragon smoke.
"I don't think that was it, Charlie."
Rhiain hissed something.
"Sorry, Rhiain, I don't know what you said. Our translator is busy."
She eyed him long enough to make him a little nervous. Malcolm was actually enjoying himself at Charlie's expense.
"You know, she reminds me of that girl at the bar that threw her drink in your face. Same expression, same posture, same everything. However, I don't think our girl here will throw a drink in your face. It'll be something else."
"Malcolm, you're not helping."
Charlie had went back to looking at the talon, finding some pits in the surface. That was strange, as Rhiain was fastidious about her appearance. The more he looked at it, the more he thought about the restraining chains…
"Are you girls learning how to pick locks?"
Visions of Fred and George teaching dragons certain skills danced in his head again. She raised her talon to her scaled lips in a distinctive gesture. Malcolm stared.
"Charlie… I don't think there's enough alcohol to cover this."
"You're telling me."
"Do you think they'll share whatever whiskey dragons drink?"
"Malcolm, you're not he… dammit, nevermind."
Rhiain snorted something over their heads that Charlie didn't want translated. He wanted something to help him forget all the mind-bending things he'd seen today.
Unfortunately, he wasn't going to get his wish – at least the way he would have hoped. Annika's shout got his complete attention.
~~ WHAT IS THIS?! WHO DO I NEED TO KILL?! ~~
The hissing sounded like super-pressurized steam tearing through a thick pipe. The last thing Harry knew from looking at the Short-Snout, Annika had taken a much deeper breath and froze. He gulped when he saw that her blue eyes had turned black. His blood ran cold at the sight.
"Oh, shit."
Nobody was sure if it was Charlie or Malcolm or even Harry that said that, since Quiangya and Rhiain was already in motion. They had been keeping an eye on Annika as she worked, and barreled into her as she started to stomp around. The other two dragons had the Short-Snout flat on the ground as her tail flailed and blue fire shot skyward.
~~ ANNIKA! ~~
She didn't hear, but Harry could hear what she shouted.
~~ WHO BROKE NEARLY EVERY BONE IN THAT CHILD'S BODY? WHO SCARRED HIM? WHO POISONED HIM? WHO STARVED HIM? WHO DAMAGED HIS MAGIC? WHO?! I'M GOING TO ROAST THEM AND THEIR NEXT SEVEN GENERATIONS, BY DIALGA'S TALONS! LET ME UP! ~~
Tessaies turned to look at Harry. Her eyes were aflame, but she stooped gently and licked him again.
~~ Remember your duties, Speaker. Sometimes it means more to do the hard things no matter how much it hurts, than to sugarcoat it. Now, excuse me. I have a rampaging mother to cool off. ~~
He nodded reluctantly.
Annika was still bellowing.
~~ BASILISK VENOM! PHOENIX TEARS! I KNEW THEY WERE THERE BUT NOT WHY! THE CHAMBER WAS OPENED! FOUL PERVERSIONS OF MAGIC! ~~
Harry broke off translating for Charlie and the others and stared at Annika with wide eyes.
"Harry?"
"Somehow she knew about the events in the Chamber. How?"
Hermione gasped and went pale.
"You mean…"
"She was staring in my eyes while she was going on about them and I felt a gentle pluck at my memories. I think she's been seeing my memories and that lead her to know where to look for the things that's wrong with me."
"How are they going to get her calmed down? Malcolm and I can't do it ourselves." Charlie sounded awed at the sight. Harry looked at the four dragons struggling with each other on the far side of the grassy arena.
"I have an idea."
Hermione moaned and the other girls looked at her, confused.
"Annnd here we go. One Harry Potter Special, coming up. I'd duck, if I were you."
Harry didn't hear her, since he was already striding toward the dust cloud and snapping tree trunks. His wand whipped out to his hand and pointed to his throat. He spoke a muttered Sonorus and overpowered it before putting the wand back. Harry cupped his hands around his mouth for good measure and shouted.
~~ ANNIKA, CALM THE HELL DOWN! I CAN'T HEAR MYSELF THINK! ~~
Annika froze suddenly at Harry's shout. The two dragons that had been about to jump around over her body to get a better grip on her rammed their heads together as they moved.
~~ OW! ~~
~~ URK! ~~
Rhiain and Quiangya thumped to the ground on either side of Annika's now limp body. They looked a bit dazed. Tessaies turned to look at Harry as she shook her head in pain and rubbed the ear closest to Harry.
~~ Was that really necessary, Harry? She would have calmed down sooner or later. ~~
He looked at the three spent dragons while wondering how his life came to this, muttered a Quietus and looked at Tessaies.
"Had to do something. It worked, right?"
She muttered something that Harry couldn't hear but was fairly sure it wasn't complimentary. Tessaies walked over to Annika's sprawled body. On the way, she hooked Charlie with a stretched out wing to come along. He looked like he wasn't too sure about the process, but wasn't given much of a choice.
~~ Annika. Get up. ~~
With a groan, the Short-Snout did. Charlie stood still for a moment, still a bit shook up by the emotional burst Annika had had, but she slouched in place. She looked like the tantrum had drained her. Soon Charlie started checking her over with careful movements and she didn't resist.
~~ Tell me what you found. ~~
She hung her head. There was a couple of steaming teardrops that splatted to the ground. Charlie yelped as one landed on him.
~~ I'm embarrassed to say anything, ~~ Annika whined.
~~ I need to know and so do they. You'd want to know if something happened to your babies, wouldn't you? ~~ Tessaies was firm, both in voice and posture.
After a moment, Annika nodded. Watching eyebrows were raised as she cuddled Charlie to her for a moment. He yelped again when she nuzzled him, forgetting about the horn on her nose. She put him down and licked him before trudging over to Harry. The ground trembled as she took her steps, since she wasn't being as graceful as usual.
She didn't say anything for a moment, but Harry could see that her blue eyes still swam with hot tears.
~~ I'm sorry, Harry. I went off without thinking. No one should treat a child the way you were. ~~
The mother dragon's voice quivered and Harry was quiet for a moment as his throat tightened up. He swallowed a few times to try to get it to loosen up so he could say something.
"I agree, but I need to ask. Did you see my memories?"
~~ Yes, Harry. It's part of the draconic magic linked to the Treaty and the manner of dragons. I saw everything from the moment of your birth to about an hour ago. It allowed me to quest for the things I needed. I'm so sorry if I scared you and the others. Can you forgive me? ~~
"I can, Annika, but this can't be a regular thing. It doesn't really help. You should apologize to the others, too."
~~ I know. ~~
She thumped to the ground, looking dejected. Luna approached and started rubbing her snout. Soon the others heard her singing a lullaby. It sounded Irish, if the language was any clue. The despondent dragon calmed down and by the end was listening closely. Luna's soft soprano weaved a comforting blanket to all who could hear it. The other dragons listened as well.
Harry looked at this and whispered to Tessaies, "Think she'll try to sing it later?"
The look on the Horntail's face was a sight to see, but she said nothing.
The song ended and Luna was gently snuggled by the dragon. Harry thought to himself that for a dragon, Annika sure was a snuggler. The thought of Hagrid packing Norbert up with a teddy bear years ago came to mind and had to be repressed before Tessaies noticed. After Luna had time to get clear, Annika stood up and faced Harry.
~~ I have to say what I've found, Harry and you have to translate this to the others. I'm sorry, but it has to be done to fulfill the Treaty requirements. ~~
He nodded and gulped. She waited for him to gather everyone around him.
"She's got to tell Tessaies as Mother Eminence what she found in me and I have to translate. It's… it's not going to be easy."
Charlie looked at his pale face and transfigured a rock into a sofa.
"Sit down, Harry. Girls? You're on Harry-comforting duty. I know some of it from my brothers but this sounds like it's going to be rough from the looks on Annika's face."
Harry sat down, wondering what the girls were going to do. Hermione plopped herself down in his lap and held him close. She covered his face in several light kisses. Luna and Daphne took opposite sides, and Tracey hustled around to the back and stationed herself. Harry was well and truly snuggled up and wouldn't have been able to move if he wanted.
To be honest, it was making him a bit drowsy.
Charlie traded looks with Malcolm but said nothing to his partner. Both realized that jokes wouldn't be appreciated now and Charlie was secretly glad his mother wasn't around to hear. For that matter, he was glad she wasn't around to make any comments about it.
Tessaies looked at the setup and turned to Annika. The younger dragon's face and snout was still wet with steaming tears that released tiny tendrils into the air.
~~ Tell me. ~~
Annika took a deep, deep breath and started to speak. Throughout her speech, Harry translated, his mind elsewhere and unaware of the tears that started to stream down his face to match Annika's. Around them, draconic blood started to sing and Harry was unaware of the four dragons starting to glow.
He continued to speak and it was hours later when Annika finally stopped.
|:-:|
Within the Castle, there was a rumble that made everyone inside wonder what was going on. It sounded angry, and throats everywhere dropped into stomachs young and old. The suits of armor snapped to attention with loud clangs, the hollowness inside making the noise reverberate before echoing down the stone passageways. This was followed with the ringing of swords being drawn.
No one knew why. The suits didn't menace anyone, but it was disquieting to see them obviously ready for action somewhere. Even the ghosts looked worried, and the Fat Friar could be seen blessing every corner that he reached. What really worried people was the sight of Peeves going ahead of him, picking up everything he could and storing them away as fast as he could before the Friar reached where the poltergeist had been.
In the dungeons, Professor Snape was tripped by a multitude of chains that appeared out of nowhere and slithered out the door that had slammed itself open. After cursing the hard landing on the unforgiving stone floor, he managed to get up and follow the stream of chains. The chains had cuffs that looked like every venomous snake's head he'd ever seen and he followed very carefully. His ears rang from the sound, but he knew he had to follow and try to find out what was going on.
The chains moved to a large room that he'd been thinking about using as a project room. Before his disbelieving eyes, the chains forged themselves into several large cells, subdivided into smaller cells. The heat in the room rose quickly and he had to keep casting cooling charms on himself. There were several slits forming in the stone walls that formed sides of the cells, like windows of a type, but there was no view of the outside since the dungeons was sunk into the ground. Professor Snape watched as the now-stiff chains formed thick bars that drove themselves into the wall without resistance from the stone.
Everything was sparking as metal struck metal and stone, but magic contained those and used the energy to mold the metal.
Several smaller set of chains scaled the empty wall across from the cells and formed a large emblazonry of a dragon in fiery battle. It stood with a five-foot radius to the golden border and as it cooled, colors could be seen. The flames rippled and the dragon itself had scales that sparkled in the reflected light of those flames. The horns, teeth, and claws stood out in stark whites that made the Potions Master shiver.
A set of keys formed out of sparkles on one of the dragon's talons and the entire room went still and began to cool. Snape wondered how he was going to explain what he'd witnessed before dashing out.
Several floors above, the Hospital Wing burst into activity. Beds started making themselves and Madam Pomfrey's potions cabinet unlocked itself to spew out bottles of various items onto waiting trays. The two interns on duty stared at the actions of parchments slapping down on the table and quills screaming across them. The mediwitch dashed out of her office.
"What's going on here?!"
"We have no idea!"
She looked down at the parchments and turned the whitest they had ever seen her as she saw what was being written.
"Go get the Headmaster! Now!"
|:-:|
Fawkes flamed into being over the Castle. If anyone had been able to see him, they would think that he was larger somehow as he began to sing. His song tightened chests, made eyes leak, and stiffened resolves to do something.
But… what?
No one in the castle knew, save perhaps the ghosts and the suits of armor but they weren't saying anything.
They listened to the phoenix song, bereft of knowledge and sure something was about to happen that they were afraid they weren't going to like. Many hands felt to make sure wands were at the ready in pockets, sleeves and belts.
The owls streamed out of the Owlery, lead by the oldest owl there. Gleamtalon knew something was about to happen. Hedwig was already silently orbiting the building, waiting for them.
Fawkes fell silent, and across the grounds there was answering silences. No birds chirped, none of the various cats or Fang made a noise, nor did any insects buzz.
The Centaurs stood together, waiting. Arrows were on bowstrings, aimed at the sky away from Fawkes.
The acromantulas paused in their work, listening.
The unicorns and hippogriffs waited, as did the thestrals.
Everyone was waiting, some on the edge of seats, some standing. Fawkes landed on the Astronomy Tower and a whole parliament of owls landed around him to face in all directions. They deferred to him as they found their places.
There was absolute silence for another minute or two before it was suddenly broken.
Dragonfire lanced upward from a corner of the grounds. Four streams, three slightly smaller streams dancing around a larger stream in the middle stabbed through the air and incinerated every arrow that the Centaurs fired. The Castle sang its witness while the suits of armor slammed their swords against shields or breastplates. The soothing verses from the Vulgate flowed easily from the ghostly lips of the Fat Friar, blessing the endeavor as he motioned to all points. The unicorns whinnied as the hippogriffs and thestrals took to the air and the acromantulas went back to what they were doing. The sounds of outraged feminine screams was drowned out somewhat, but some in the Castle with good hearing still heard and shivered.
The Treaty of Shelleche Notch had been invoked and was in effect.
}-{
Author's Note:
I got this AO3-posted review recently. It's not just me! Anyone want to try it?
Spinnerendgirl63 on Chapter 8:
I truly wish someone would illustrate this story. The picture of Harry's adopted dragon mother and Molly Weasley sitting down and gossiping about their children and children's girlfriends. Harry in the background turning a brilliant shade of ruby red and poor Charlie looking equally embarrassed with mom telling his childhood stories to someone he essentially works with. This story gives itself so easily to illustration. From Harry's first meeting with his new mom in chapter one to Meeting the rest of the dragons and realizing dragons are not so wise and mythical they can act just as weird as everyone else.
And yes, the mental image that paragraph evokes for me is hilarious. I wonder if Molly has baby pictures of Charlie?