The Brick Road to the Castle

The weather in Scotland was its worst as usual. Rolf sighed staring at the darker field under the leaden sky between the hills. He missed Hogwarts, but he had some sort of guilty feeling that he couldn't come back to help the students younger than him while seaching for the new speices of the magical creatures outside Britain. Having some concerns, the trip to Asia was interesting. Chasing after deer-like magical creatures resulted in finding a rain god dragon hidden among the clouds above the Himalaya mountains. He had a chance to visit Himalaya for the second time, when he was summoned to return to Britain.

The brick road to the castle from the station reminded him of his school days with friends. He used to learn a lot from the conversations with his mates, they talked about their future after school. Charlie Weasley was one of them. His interest in dragons would often give him a hint to choose the way to trace the path his grandfather had engaged in.

They reported Common Welsh Green dragons began moving to the north. The Ministry bade him to join the fact-finding team at Hogwarts castle. He was excited to see Charlie Weasley who nodded smiling at him. He informed him of the numbers witnessed by one of the professors.

'Twenty? It sounds like the native Common Greens all moved to Scotland. What do you think is happening, Charlie?'

'I don't know. The dragons in the other European countries had no issues, but I am afraid they might sense something terrible occurring.'

'In Wales?'

'I can't say anything about it yet.' Charlie shrugged.

'Who found them gathering in Scottish hills?'

'Professor Evans. Here she comes.' Charlie nodded towards the entrance. 'If you have never read her thesis, you'd better have a look at it. It is available in the library here.'

A strawberry blonde witch entered the room followed by McGonagall. Rolf had an impression that the blonde-haired teacher looked like the war goddess Athena. McGonagall spoke,

'Professor Evans told us we would need more dragon tamers near future. We have to prepare for dragon's change of habits. Professor Evans?'

Evans nodded and spoke,

'Thank you for coming all the way down from your place. We will be in an emergency situation in a few years. The king of the dragons woke up from a long sleep. We need to learn their languages after two thousand years.'

People there exchanged their glances in silence. After a while, Rolf asked,

'What language do we have to learn? I've never heard of it. Besides, the king dragon's story is just a folktale. How did you know the king has woken?'

'We should think migration in numbers proves their king was woken with his own will. Gaelic is the easiest way to communicate with them. But the speaker can't let them understand the words without innate magical power. Muggles who speak the language cannot talk to them apparently. A few powerful wizards and witches can communicate with the dragons.' Her brilliant green eyes twinkled, which reminded Charlie of Harry's.

McGonagall spoke,

'Professor has already started the lesson about the dragons for the students. They have to learn how to ease the dragon's mind to defend themselves. This education will be a model for the other schools in Europe.'

In the afternoon, Harry woke Ron and they started searching for professor Sinistra. They tried to look for a trunk which was supposed to lead them to the hidden room where the poor professor was confined. But the room strangely vanished with the baby. They even tried the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor, but ended in vain.

'After the war, the room must have broken, Harry. Since the last time Fiendfyre burnt everything.'

'Yeah, you may be right...' Harry bit his lip.

When they went to the headmistress's office, McGonagall wasn't there. Dumbledore told them she had an important meeting. Ron complained that he was hungry so they left the office and visited the kitchen. The house-elves happily gathered round them and made Ron satisfied with a pile of food. Harry asked Winky about professor Sinistra and the baby. Winky answered jumping.

'Winky knows that poor professor was enchanted and she is nursing a baby.'

'Where are they, Winky?' Harry got elated at the news.

'Beneath the guest room, sir.

'You mean our room?'

'Winky says beneath the room where Harry Potter and his friend sleep.'she jumped again.

'Thank you, Winky and food!' Harry and Ron whose mouth was filled with meat ran out of the kitchen.

Climbing the stairs to the fifth floor, they entered the empty classroom just below the guest room. But the room was entirely deserted.

'Where have they gone?'Ron asked.

Harry looked up at the ceiling, when the answer hit him. 'Come on, Ron. Go back to the guest room.'

When they went back to their room, Harry crouched down and checked the spot under the bed. As he expected, there was an antique chest trunk. They pulled the heavy trunk out together.

'Blimey, I didn't notice this.' Ron tapped the lid with his wand carefully and chanted,

'Alohomora.'

Ron's magic didn't work. Harry tried to open, but he couldn't either.

Ginny entered the prefect bath room before dinner. She felt contented after a good practice with her old and new fellow players. She was optimistic about the coming game against Slytherins.

'My team is a good team. They will be stronger than any other house teams this year.'

She wrapped her body with a fluffy towel and checked her shoulders reflected on a full-length mirror. She frowned counting the numbers of freckles. She needed to ask George to invent a whitening potion. When she untied the elastic ponytale holder,she heard a baby crying beyond the frosted glass door. She wondered if there could be an elder seventh year student who had become a new mum. At least, she didn't notice any in Gryffindor common room. When she shoved the door open, she was surprised to see professor Sinistra take care of the baby in her arms. Before Ginny spoke, the Astronomy teacher got past her and disappeared behind the statue of a mermaid.