Harry Potter and the Dragon of Magic

Harry Potter and the Dragon of Magic

Chapter 2- With the Guide of a Sprite

(A/N: Ok, I'm still disappointed about not getting very many reviews on my prologue. So here's the second chapter, not too much happens here, no real big disasters, I think, I don't know yet since I'm writing this before the actual chapter. LOL well, please R&R!)

(Disclaimer: I own none of J. K. Rowling's characters! Well, you know what Rowling owns, so I don't have to go into details. I own only the plot, though some of the ideas belong to my friend and beta reader, Someone2 (see screen name Someone2 and Krazy Kris. I'm KK) that's it! As I said before: R/R!!!!!)

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The next day Harry got up after a dreamless night to the sound of tapping on his window. He shook his head sleepily and looked at the window. He sat bolt upright, there appeared to be a 4 headed owl outside his window! Then, as he blinked several times, he realized there were actually 4 different owls out there.

He laughed quietly, got out of bed, and opened the window, letting the owls in. They fluttered onto the edge of his bed. Looking at them, he could see two that looked like they came from Hogwarts and Hedwig, who had gone out last night had probably stopped at Hermione's, was there, but Harry wasn't sure about the last one.

Harry took the letter off one of the Hogwarts owls and was about to read it, but the other owl from Hogwarts hooted impatiently. Harry grinned and took off the Hogwarts owl's letter and package, the letter from Hedwig, and the unknown owl's letter and package. When he was done with that, the two owls from Hogwarts flew off, although the unknown owl stayed. Hedwig hopped over to her cage to get a drink. Harry looked at the letters. One of the letters from Hogwarts was his list of school supplies and books; he would look at that later. The other letter and package from Hogwarts was from Hagrid, saying Happy Birthday. Harry grinned and turned toward the package. It was a huge package almost in the shape of a D. Harry wondered how an owl could have flown with it. Even though it had been a large great-horned owl, it still seemed too heavy for an owl to lift and carry in flight.

Harry shook his head and reached hesitantly toward the package. Remembering the present Hagrid had given him for his birthday before his 3rd year, a biting book, he prodded the package, then pulled his hand away quickly. He half expected it to jump up and run around the room screaming bloody murder, but the package only rocked slightly from his prod, and lay still. He sighed in relief; nothing had bitten him, and that's saying something when it came to Hagrid's presents.

Grinning, he grabbed the present, pulled it into his lap and began ripping the disheveled wrapping paper off. He smiled, for in his hands was a large bow, about ¾ths his own height, and a thin quiver full of feather fletched arrows. They were the exact replicas of the bow and arrows Hagrid had used in his first year when Hagrid, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Draco, and himself were looking for the unicorn killer as punishment for being caught in the corridors after bedtime.

Harry studied the bow in his hands. It was made of a lightweight but sturdy and durable wood, probably oak or mahogany. It had carvings of vines all the way down the dark brown wood, and the string that connected the ends was taut. Harry plucked it and grinned and the quiet sound it made. He stood up, hefting the bow in his hand and raised it to his cheek; he pulled the string back as far as he could, just about to his ear, and let go. The string seemed to jump forward, smacking his arm with a loud twang before coming to a vibrating halt in its normal position.

Harry almost dropped the bow onto the floor, but caution made him turn and drop it on the bed before clutching his forearm and jumping around the room, biting his lip in agony. When he had calmed down, he pried his right hand away from his sore left arm, which had a bright red line from where the string had hit it.

He rubbed the spot gently.

"Damn, that hurt!" he whispered. Reminding himself to ask Hagrid how to shoot the darn thing before trying it on his own again.

He shook his head, and turned to the rest of the things that lay strewn across the bed. He picked up the letter that Hedwig had brought back and unrolled it.

Harry,

How are things going at the Dursleys? Are they treating you all right? I hope so! Happy Birthday! I'm sorry, but I can't give you a present right now, I didn't have time to get to Diagon Alley yet. Don't worry though, I'll get one when we are in Diagon Alley (no you aren't going to pick it out).

Harry frowned again and muttered to himself. "Ok, something's up." It's one thing if one of your friends hasn't gotten you your present yet, it's a whole other thing if both of your best friends suddenly "didn't have time" to get one. He turned back to the letter

Again, I am really sorry! Well, I hope you have a nice birthday and that the Dursleys don't treat you too bad!

Love,

Hermione

Harry sighed, wanting to know what they were planning, but just reached over and grabbed the last letter and the package. He opened the letter.

Harry-

Are you ok? Are the Dursleys leaving you alone?

Harry smiled; it seemed that everyone was more worried about the Dursleys than he was.

They had better! Well, I don't have too much time, gotta send the owl, so I just want to say Happy Birthday and that you should send me back a letter with Horen, the owl. Hope you like your present. It was your fathers. I never found out where he got it but I thought you would like it!

-Snuffles

Harry smiled; he always liked getting letters from Sirius, then looked curiously down at the present that lay wrapped in his lap. He tore it open and in it was a small gold-chained necklace. Harry frowned and picked it up, now noticing that the pendant on it was an eagle made of silver, wings open and talons forward. He grinned and clasped the necklace around his neck. It may have been his imagination, but the eagle's eye, which was a tiny ruby, seemed to glow. When he looked down at it, the ruby was as normal as it could be.

"Awesome," He grabbed up a parchment, quill, and ink and wrote a quick reply saying that the Dursleys were treating him no worse than usual, that he loved the present, and asking if he was sure he didn't know anything about how his father had gotten the necklace. He made a gesture at the owl and tied the letter to its leg when it hopped over. "Back to Sirius." He told the owl, which then flew out the window.

Harry yawned, dressed, and decided to go downstairs to start the day. He trod wearily down the stairs into the kitchen and began frying bacon and eggs on the stove. He went through his list of egg choices. He decided to make scrambled, that was Dudleys favorite and usually if he made that, Dudley was happy, and as long as Dudley is happy, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were happy.

Soon after, he heard a thundering sound from the stairs. Harry didn't have to look around to know Dudley had come down to the smell of bacon and eggs.

From behind him he heard. "Are you almost done with that food?"

"Yes, I'm done." Harry said without turning. He grabbed plates from above him and slid the eggs and bacon onto each, making sure to give Dudley the biggest part. He took them over and set them on the table, then snorted in disgust at Dudley's manners, or perhaps, lack of manners.

Soon after that, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia came down the stairs. Uncle Vernon glared at Harry and Aunt Petunia shrieked at Harry to make more eggs and bacon for them. Harry turned around so they wouldn't see him roll his eyes and got out more eggs and bacon. Breakfast passed after that without incident. After breakfast, just as Harry was about to go back upstairs, Uncle Vernon's rumbling voice stopped him.

"Boy, get back here!"

Harry turned around with an eyebrow raised. "Yes, Uncle Vernon?"

Vernon growled, "Me and Petunia have decided that you need to work more around here. We have been too generous to you, letting you stay in our house, eating our food. So we have decided you have to earn all of that!"

Harry looked on in amazement, then shook his head, "What do you want me to do?"

"Starting with today, you are to go out every morning and mow the yard, after that you will weed the garden, every day. Then you will come in here and vacuum the living room, and all the other rooms except your own, you are to do that in your free time. Then you must wash all the windows. If I see so much as a spec of dust on them, you will do them all over again do you here me?…" The list continued on for several more minutes with threats and growls added occasionally.

"You want me to do this everyday?" Harry asked.

"Of course! I am having a realtor come by and tell me how much this house is worth. If it is worth enough we will be moving."

Harry frowned, "Where would we go?"

Uncle Vernon narrowed his eyes at him, "Who said anything about you going?"

Harry blinked, "Well, if I don't go with you, where will I go."

Vernon glared at him, "We are still thinking about that, but we don't want you messing up our new house. Now stop asking questions and get to work!"

Harry nodded and went outside, still thinking about what his uncle had said. He sighed and looked around the yard; This is going to be a long day!

The rest of the day slowly dragged on. After mowing both the front and back lawns, he weeded the garden, then came in and did his indoor chores. It was suppertime before he knew it. As he sat down to eat, Vernon growled, "Did you finish all your chores?"

Harry looked up, nodded and continued eating.

Vernon narrowed his eyes, but also continued eating his supper. "Then you can go to your room after you eat. I don't want to see you anymore than I have to."

Again Harry just nodded, too exhausted to speak. After finishing the meager meal, if one could call it that, the Dursleys had supplied him, he trudged wearily up the stairs and flopped down on his bed. Harry almost immediately drifted into an exhausted dreamless sleep, but not before glancing out the window, seeing a full moon and tiredly worried how Professor Lupin was doing.

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It's 6 in the morning, the day after the full moon, and he chose this specific time to meet. Remus Lupin shook his head as if to rid himself of the sleepiness that seemed to pull on his eyelids. He paused on a landing in the middle of a staircase, yawning, then continued climbing. At the top of the stairs he paused again, looking from left to right, trying to remember his way around. It had been a while since his last visit to Hogwarts, that added to the fact that he had gotten absolutely no sleep the night before due to it being the full moon and he was too busy making sure he didn't eat the neighbor, made it nearly impossible to find his way around the gigantic castle of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. He wasn't even sure why Albus Dumbledor had asked to meet him. He knew for sure that if this was to take up the Defense Against Dark Arts teaching job, he would say no.

That's all there is to it, I will not teach again no matter what. It's not as though I don't like teaching, but the stares from the kids, the whispers. They act as though I might attack them even when the moon isn't full. He shook his head again, banishing the thought and took the right passageway, hoping for a corridor he recognized.

"Need some help?" A high-pitched voice came from behind him.

Remus whirled around, surprised. And found no one. He blinked, and slowly turned. There was no one in sight, yet he was sure he heard someone say something. He sighed, he must be even more tired than he thought, and continued down the hall.

The voice came again, "You look a bit lost."

Remus stopped short and called out, "Who's there?" In this castle, it wouldn't surprise him if the walls themselves were talking.

"Me!" This time the voice came from directly above him. He looked up.

Hovering above his head, was a small fairy, not the kind of pixie that loved to cause destruction, but a small glowing ball with wings. It fluttered down and rested on Remus's left shoulder. As soon as it landed it looked more like a small child than a ball of light.

"You look lost." The fairy repeated.

Remus shook his head, far weirder things had happened to him than this. He gave the fairy a small smile, "Actually I am a bit lost, do you know the way to the Headmaster's office?"

Grinning wildly, the fairy launched into the air again, "Of course! I'll show you right where it is!" the fairy tilted her head, "I am Thestral. Who are you?"

"My name is Remus" Lupin replied.

Thestral gave a little bow, which was quite strange according to the fact that she was hovering in the air, "Pleased to meet you Remus, please follow me!" With that, the fairy took off down the corridor.

Chuckling at the fairy's enthusiasm, Remus jogged after her.

Several corridors, stairs, and too many turns to count later, Remus stopped, panting, in front of the gargoyle leading to the headmaster's office. Thestral had taken a perch on the gargoyle's nose, waiting for Remus to catch his breath. Smiling at the fairy, he muttered the password that Dumbledore had given him.

"Bumblebee Brownies."

The gargoyle lurched to the side, unseating Thestral from her perch. She glared indignantly at the gargoyle before following Remus into Dumbledore's office. As Remus raised a hand to knock, the door swung open and Dumbledore's smiling face came into view.

"Ah Remus! I hope this wasn't too much of a problem, but I'm glad you came."

Looking at Dumbledore's cheerful face, Remus could hardly stay grumpy, he smiled, "It wasn't a problem at all, I even found a temporary guide!" He pointed at Thestral who, after buzzing around the room, decided she liked Remus's shoulder better than any of the other perches.

Dumbledore grinned, "Ah yes, Hagrid found a large group of fairies flying around the forbidden forest, out of a home, so we adopted them here."

Remus smiled, but soon became more serious, "Professor? Why exactly did you want to talk to me about?"

Dumbledore nodded and clapped his aged hands together, "Let's get down to business then shall we? Now, This is the main reason I wanted to talk to you…"

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(A/N: I am starting to hate FF.N (not really)! I just finally finished my chapter (after a long delay I might add) and now I can't post it….. life sucks. Oh well, I hope this chapter gets more reviews than the other ones did. I know this took a heck of a long time but it is a bit longer so that counts for something doesn't it? I hope so. Well, I want to thank those of you who did review my last chapter and special thanks to my best friend Someone2 who contributed some of these ideas! Enjoy! And Review!!!!!

Another special thanks to Ellie, one of my reviewers, who wrote a nice review to me, hope you like this chapter. And if you ever do draw a dragon, could you send it to me? Again, R/R!!!!!)