Chapter 28: Draconis Loqutus
Harry Potter swung himself onto the rocky outcrop and heaved himself over. He lay there panting, his glasses fogging up. He swore that he would get contact lenses the moment he returned to London.
He heard somebody yelling up to him from the ledge below. He wriggled over and stuck out his hand.
"Grab my hand, Sirius!" he yelled.
Sirius Black grabbed onto his godson's hand and heaved himself over the ledge.
"Don't-know-why-we-can't-just-apparate-up-there" he panted.
"Charlie said the loud sound of us apparating upsets the dragons. It sounds like muggle gunshots which makes them mad and they might attack us."
"Blasted-dragons" muttered Sirius.
Harry shielded his eyes from the mid-day sun and looked at the top of the cliff. He could see two figures silhouetted against the light- Charlie Weasley and Neville Longbottom were already at the top of the cliff. Charlie had climbed up the cliff as quickly as if it were a staircase, Neville had been petrified but Charlie had expertly hauled him up. Without Charlie's helping hands, Harry and Sirius were far behind.
Finally, everybody made it to the top of the cliff. They had reached a kind of rocky valley in the heart of the mountains with a more or less even stone floor. Neville was staring wide-eyed at the scene before him. Charlie put his fingers to his lips. About six dragon handlers had chained a large Norwegian Ridgeback and were dragging him to a small cave at the right of the valley. Other dragons were sleeping in caves scattered about the valley. Suddenly, red sparks shot out of the six wands and hit the chained dragon, which slumped to the floor. It had been stupefied.
"Rogue" said Charlie cheerfully. "Doesn't know mating season's over and tries to fight all the other males. Just needs a good long rest, he does."
"Hello Charlie!" said one of the handlers brightly. His dragon-hide outfit was singed all over. "Who're your friends?"
"Hello George! This is Neville Longbottom, and this here's Sirius Black and this is the boy we've all been waiting for- Harry Potter."
George stared goggle-eyed at Harry. "You've finally made your way here, Mr Potter? Well that's great. Just wonderful, can't understand what's making these dragons so testy lately." Above him, a loud roar echoed among the craggy Romanian mountain peaks. Harry Potter gulped. He had never liked dragons.
"Well, he's finally made his way here, waited months we have." said Charlie. "Where's Old Mum?"
"She's back in the second valley- with the other young females."
"Well, we'd better not waste time, Harry" said Charlie.
"Er…who's Old Mum, Charlie?" asked Harry nervously.
George chuckled. "That'll be Mordriana, the matriarch of the Norwegian Ridgebacks."
"M-M-Matriarch?" whispered Neville Longbottom.
"Are you sure this is safe?" asked Sirius. Daredevil as he was, he didn't like the look of these dragons.
"Oh, they're all right. Up here in their natural habitat, they don't attack anything unless they think it's a threat to them. So just lie low, speak politely and show that you're humble." said Charlie, grinning. Another deafening roar emitted from the craggy peaks around them.
George cocked his head up. "Hmm…sounds like that sick female we found the other day needs attention. Well, I'll be leaving you now- good luck with Old Mum, Harry. Nice to have met you!"
Harry shook his hand solemnly. He was feeling extremely nervous by now.
The four men climbed over some more rocky crags. Although the sun was shining, it was very cold in the mountains. Puffs of condensed air came from their mouths…just like dragons thought Harry. Of all the magical creatures in the world, Dragons probably made Harry the most nervous. The first time he had seen one in the TriWizard tournament four years ago, he had nearly pissed himself. Over the years, that one experience with the dragon had grown and grown in his mind till by now, the dragon had taken on colossal proportions and breathed fire non-stop like some demon spawn. Calm yourself Harry told himself. He tried to imagine Old Mum wearing a knitted shawl and white bonnet. It didn't work. The knitted shawl burst into flames and enormous five-foot long spikes poked out of her white bonnet. Harry shuddered.
"All right, Harry?" asked Sirius in concern.
"Ulp" said Harry.
Neville looked whiter than a ghost. Sure the boy was a powerful Auror, but dragons were a bit too much for him also- only Charlie looked like they were going for a picnic in Hyde Park. He hummed gently under his breath. Sirius cursed as his dragon hide cloak tore on a rock.
"That happens" said Charlie brightly, whose own cloak was tattered and patched all over.
Suddenly, a ferocious roar stopped all four of them dead in their tracks.
"That's Old Mum" said Charlie quietly. "Now, Harry, you go forward with me. Bow low, okay? Don't look up until she gives you the signal."
"What's the signal?" whispered Harry.
"She'll fold her wings. Now, don't worry- it's quite safe. She's one of the more reasonable ones, really. The two of you stay here" he said fiercely to Neville and Sirius. Neville looked grateful to be excluded.
Harry and Charlie entered the rocky clearing and came face to face with the most enormous Norwegian Ridgeback Harry had ever seen. She was at least sixty feet tall and had a wingspan of about a hundred and twenty feet.
"Bow" muttered Charlie.
Harry bowed for all he was worth. The dragon kept her wings open. She gave an enormous roar that ended with a short hiss. Harry got the shock of his life- if he concentrated, he could make out what she was saying. She was saying something about "visitors".
Much to his relief, she folded her wings and regarded them with cold yellow eyes.
Charlie nudged Harry. "Go on, I can't do it- you're the parselmouth."
Harry bowed even lower before straightening up. He concentrated.
Greetings Mordriana, I am Harry Potter.
Greetings Harry Potter. I know who you are.
The dragon's voice rasped like a million serpents in his ear. All the basic rules of Dragon Etiquette that Charlie had pumped into him in a crash course came rushing back.
Oh glorious Mordriana, your wings are as vast as clouds, your scales shine like precious stones, your fire is like the tails of comets.
I'm flattered, Harry Potter.
Oh wondrous Mordriana, grant me your favour and allow me to assist you in whatever matter has been troubling you and your honourable brood this last year.
The dragon gave an angry roar.
Finally, someone who understands! Our eggs! Our babies! They were taken- all of them! And we are very angry…
Harry Potter listened carefully to Mordriana's tale of woe and fury. Slowly, a look of understanding came into his face followed by a look of triumph.
Charlie Weasley couldn't believe his eyes when after a full hour of conversation with Harry, Mordriana, who had never been known to ally with any other living creature before, suddenly extended her enormous right foreclaw to Harry's hand- in what was crude, yet unmistakeable form of a handshake.
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The base camp was set up at the foot of the mountains. It was already spring but at night, it grew deathly cold in the Romanian mountains. Charlie had taught them a warming spell to put on themselves- "it only makes you think you're warm , but you'd better cover up anyway if not your toes and fingers will fall off with frostbite."
The campsite was rather jolly- the Aurors Sirius, Harry, Neville, Elphias Doge and George the Dragon Handler were chugging flagons of warm ale around a merrily burning green fire. Everybody wanted to hear over and over again what Mordriana had discussed with Harry.
"I can't believe Old Mum would be that angry! No wonder the dragons have been acting so strange lately!" said George.
"I just wish there was some faster way of getting the news to Dumbledore" said Sirius. "He would be thrilled."
"Fancy that, Dragons, helping us against Vol…You-Know-Who" said Elphias.
"We wouldn't have a chance of getting past his line of giants without them" said Neville.
"Mordriana said she would lend us three of her strongest bards- 'course they'd need training up a bit" said Charlie.
"I wouldn't mind staying on to train them with you," said Elphias to the Dragon Handlers. They nodded. "We'll need to get'em accustomed to being harnessed and turning invisible and all such. I don't think they're used to being domesticated, probably the first time ever."
"Not so- in 1092 Salazar Slytherin had two pet dragons he often rode as steeds. He saved their eggs and reared them by hand. They were quite tame."
Everone stared at Neville in surprise.
"How on earth did you know that?" asked Harry in surprise.
Neville blushed. "It's in Hogwarts- A History. Hermione told me, I forgot all about it till now."
"Who's Hermione? Your girlfriend, Neville?" asked George, grinning.
"Er-no. Just a school friend."
Harry and Sirius looked very hard at Neville.
"Why was she talking to you about Dragons, Neville?" asked Sirius, curiously.
"It was- er- the Sixth year Care of Magical Creatures essay assignment. It was about Dragons."
"Yeah, 'Mione used to help us all out in school a lot," said Harry.
"Well anyway," said Neville changing the topic, "I think it's really great that we've managed to get three bards to help us out. But I'm not sure they'll be enough… word is there's an awful lot of Dark Creatures besides Giants on Voldemort's side"
Sirius looked worried. "Yes. Remus mentioned that a lot of the werewolves have gone over- they were tired of being shunned all the time."
"Which is why we're going to China" said Harry excitedly. "We've had the same news about the Chinese Fireballs. I bet it's the same thing! Maybe they'll ally as well."
Neville grinned happily as did Sirius.
"More ale?" asked Charlie, fetching the pitcher.
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"Watch for it…watch for it…" Justin Finch Fletchley and Sturgis Podmore were hunched under a jasmine bush, high up in Three Cloud Mountain, somewhere in the Mongolian Mountains north of Beijing. It was a moonlit night
An enormous roar echoed around the mountains, they could see bright red and golden sparks shoot some one hundred feet into the air in front of them.
"Shit!" said Justin. "No matter how many times I hear it – that sound always fucks me up!"
Sturgis looked a bit white too. But the older man had stronger nerves than the younger one. "Quiet, wands at the ready.…any moment now."
Justin clutched his wand tightly. This was the moment they had been waiting for. For the last month, they had been tracking two Death Eaters across Europe and into China. They were known to be stealing dragon eggs. When the Norwegian Ridgeback supply had run out, they had started winding their way across Europe. At first, Justin had been convinced that they were headed for the Hungarian Horntails, but instead, the Death Eaters had passed from Europe into China, straight for the Chinese Fireball nesting ground. At last, Justin and Sturgis had managed to track their nightly movements and laid an ambush for them. They had hoped to wait for the other Aurors to arrive, but this was the last of the eggs so Sturgis had suggested laying the ambush tonight anyway.
Justin had noticed the older man looking grumpier and grumpier as the weeks passed. He was glad tonight was probably their final night here in the mountains.…they had been stuck out here in these godforsaken mountains for nearly two months now. Sturgis Podmore looked grim and wished he were back in the Leaky Cauldron drinking warm butterbeer. Not stuck out on some mountain in China going to fight two of Voldemort's most powerful Death Eaters.
Just as had happened every night for the last week, two black hooded figures came running down the mountain side after stunning one of the Dragons. The one behind carried a large box, which Justin knew contained yet another poached dragon egg. They came closer and closer…suddenly, with a yell, the front figure disappeared into a hole in the ground and the figure running behind him skid to a halt.
"Now!"
Justin and Sturgis leapt out from behind the Jasmine bushes. "Impedimenta!"
The second Death Eater's legs buckled and as he stumbled to the ground, the box with the egg was flung wide.
"Wingardium Leviosa" the Death Eater who had fallen into the hole that Justin had dug earlier suddenly levitated right out of it like a large, evil crow.
"Expelliarmus!" Justin pointed his wand at him immediately but, now on the alert, the Death Eater was too quick. He easily deflected the disarming spell. The duo hurled curses and deflecting spells at each other for some time, but the Death Eater's age and experience showed that he was the more powerful…he finally countered with a powerful hex that momentarily blinded Justin, who howled in pain.
Sturgis was doing better with the second Death Eater. He had immobilized the man and was searching for his wand in his robes. The first Death Eater advanced on Justin. "Expelliarmus!" Justin's wand flew out of his hand.
The Death Eater raised his wand…Justin regained his sight just in time to see the Death Eater grin as he pronounced the words, "Cru…"
He never finished the curse because Sturgis hit him with a stupefying curse. Unfortunately, his attention had wavered from the second Death Eater who recovered and leapt to his feet, holding his wand.
"I'm fine!" yelled Justin to Sturgis who was now battling the second Death Eater.
In the dark of the Mongolian mountains, Justin couldn't find his wand. "Accio wand" he heard a laugh.
"Looking for this?" the previously stupefied Death Eater snapped Justin's wand in half.
"Accio wand" the Death Eater's own wand flew back into his hand.
"Part of Dumbledore's new army…are you? You must be fresh out of Hogwarts…you still look like a little baby boy to me…well, prepare to meet your end. Avad…"
His voice suddenly cut off as he screamed in agony. Justin was advancing on him with a bright glowing sword.
"Fila" Justin whirled around and took another stab at him.
"What the fuck's this Nott?" screamed the Death Eater, now bleeding profusely. Sturgis Podmore and the second Death Eater momentarily stopped battling in shock at seeing Justin wield a very deadly, very corporeal Gladeus Valeus.
Sturgis grinned- so that's what Dumbledore had been training his young Aurors to fight with.
Justin knew he wasn't allowed to kill with the Gladeus Valeus, only wound: or the blade would be hidden from him forever. He dodged a few curses thrown by the Death Eater, finally slicing the man at the knees. The Death Eater crumpled, moaning. Justin disapparated his Gladeus.
"Avery!" screamed the second Death Eater, at the sight of his fallen partner. "Crucio!" he hit Sturgis Podmore with the curse of pain and Podmore screamed as all his nerves turned raw.
Justin tried to conjure the Gladeus again, but found his mind too full of panic to properly conjure it.
"Can't conjure it, eh? Too wet about the ears?" laughed the second Death Eater. "Inferorum Animas Gladeus Maleus."
To Justin's horror, the second Death Eater conjured a black sword, that seemed to suck in all the moonlight. "Inferorum Animas Gladeus Valeus…Inferorum…" Justin tried desperately to conjure his blade, but his heart was too full of fear and only wispy silver smoke appeared in his hand. He wished that that he had listened to Figg and practiced more at not losing concentration. But it was too late for regrets.
"Two can play at this game" said the Death Eater as he struck out at Justin. Even without his sword, Justin's reflexes were fast. He dodged. From the ground, an injured Sturgis threw Justin his wand. It was better than nothing.
"Accio Wand!" shouted Justin. Sturgis' wand leapt into his hand. It was really no match for a Gladeus, Justin knew. But he had to try something, anything. "Stupefy! Stupefy! STUPEFY!"
The second death eater laughed as he easily deflected all the curses with the black blade. "Oh well…goodbye little boy…" Justin had no doubt that this Gladeus was capable of inflicting death wounds. It looked like its primary purpose. The black blade plunged towards Justin.
"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS" said three voices loudly.
Justin thought he was hearing things. He saw the Death Eater's eyes widen in shock as he was hit by a three bright threads of petrifying curses. As he lost concentration, the Gladeus Maleus vanished and he fell heavily onto Justin.
"All right there, Justin? Sturgis?" said a familiar voice.
With a sigh of relief, Justin realized that Harry Potter had arrived just in time.
"Where the hell were you, Potter?" he groaned, standing up.
He saw Sirius and Neville tying the two Death Eaters up.
"Sorry we're late…had some problems at customs" Harry said, helping Sturgis Podmore to his feet.
"Well, we couldn't wait any more…this was the last of the eggs." Justin pointed to the left, where the box containing the last of the season's Chinese Fireball eggs had rolled. As dragons bred only once every ten years…it was extremely precious.
Harry nodded, picking it up. "We'll return it to its mother tomorrow"
Justin brushed his clothes off and began the descent of the mountain with the other Aurors. Sirius and Sturgis had put a full body bind on the two Death Eaters and were watching them closely.
"I see Voldemort has trained some of the Death Eaters to use the Gladeus Maleus." said Sirius. "No wonder Dumbledore thought it imperative to teach the new generation of Aurors how to use the Valeus."
"Doesn't miss a trick that man" said Sturgis. He was plainly impressed at Justin's ability to conjure and wield the Valeus. "Wish we had magic like that in the old days…would have proved mighty useful. Would have liked to teach that some of them a thing or two…poke it right up their backsides."
"I know what you mean" Sirius thought how nice it would be to jab his murderous cousin Bellatrix with a sword of power. Hard.
"What happened in Romania?" asked Justin when they finally reached the camp.
Sirius, Harry and Neville smiled. "Well, it was like this…"
When Harry finished talking, Podmore was smiling for the first time in many months. Tomorrow, the Fireballs might be equally eager to co-operate. Dumbledore would be pleased at the news.
