Chapter Thirty-three: Dragons
October 15th
A month found the Hogwarts Royalty on a Wednesday in Care of Magical creatures' class.
Well, at least on their way, no, Harry Hermione and Ron on their way to Hagrid's hut, Draco and the Slytherins were following the Gryffindors.
Dora and Ray were at home in Muggle School.
Nothing had changed much, Mione and the others were working on their 'extra lessons' and Mione was researching ways in which to clean Snape's hair and get the entire school to do one thing together for once.
Ron had joined the group, and gained an emergency card as well. He was now the proud owner of the ten of hearts.
Dora and Ray also held cards. Dora had a ten of spades and Ray a ten of diamonds.
Walking only few feet further brought both houses to complete silence.
Mione looked at the row of dragons and just imagined the grin of Hagrids face.
"What are you all staring at? Get over here before I take points!"
That was not Hagrid. Everyone shuffled over to see Snape standing in front of the chained down dragons.
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked innocently.
"He is incapable of handling such a situation because of his 'fascination.' Now everyone take a seat on the ground and pull out your parchments and quills."
A rustling was heard as everyone did so.
"Now Dragons come in types, fifty completely different ones and over a thousand subtypes, here are six, I shall call on six of you, three from each house, and point to a dragon, you are to tell me its type and where it is found. Ms. Granger, don't bother raising you hand, you go first. Name this one."
He pointed at a silver dragon with wings that went iridescent at the edges, and had blue eyes. It seemed to think itself better than all the others, but she saw kindness in its eyes.
It reminded her of Draco so much that she nearly said his name, but caught herself before she opened her mouth and instead responded "It's a Finnish Crystalline. They are found near the artic rings and found in England only when breeding."
"Two points to Gryffindor." He pointed at Draco. "Mr. Malfoy name this one."
It was a black dragon, with red eyes, and a glare that would shame Snape's.
"It's a Bulgarian devil, sir, found in the forests of Germany."
"Ten points to Slytherin."
And on they went.
Once all the dragons were identified, Snape put four students per Dragon, and told them to get the dragons to accept them.
At the end of the lesson they had to prove that the dragons trusted them.
Draco Mione Ron and Pansy were together, Harry Neville Crabbe and Goyle, were also together. Mione's Group got the Crystalline and Harry's got the Devil.
"So, Granger, how are we going to complete this assignment?" Pansy asked sneering.
"For you information Parkinson, Crystalline Dragons accept anyone who has a kind heart. In other words they have no secret evil desires."
Hermione walked up to the dragon with one hand on her pendant and the other reaching out to touch the scales.
They were like silk ice. She slowly place her hand firmly on the dragons hide.
'hello young witch.' A voice echoed through her head. 'think and I will hear you, I don't want others to hear you.'
'Hi, how is it that I can talk with you?'
'your pendant.'
'How is my pendant causing this?'
'Not many show your kind of loyalty to our kind, that proves it. It was given to you by a dragon correct? And it is a dragon?'
'yes to both.'
'there you see. As such carrier you are a Dragon Keeper.'
'a Dragon keeper?'
'yes, that's the term for humans who can understand us.'
'oh I see. Well its nice to meet you.
'you too dragon keeper.'
'Well, enough with salutations, our teacher wants us, our group that is, to gain the trust of the dragon we were paired with.'
'well, the four groups with the brown and green dragons will have little trouble, they like humans. As for the black one, he only lets humans who are brave and have faced battle touch him.'
'how can he tell?'
'he can smell it on them, all dragons can. The black haired lad you came here with, he might be able to ride him.'
'How can our group gain your trust?'
'I let mostly everyone touch me, unless they bare the dark mark, then I kill them before they can reach me.'
'then our professor?'
'is an exception, he wears it for spying duties.'
'oh, well our teacher wouldn't think that we did much if we all can easily touch you.'
'I know, how about I give all four of you a ride? You all have the purest hearts of the lot.'
'that would be wonderful, but aren't you a bit small to carrie us all?'
'haven't you heard of dragon magic? I made myself smaller, like the others so we wouldn't loom over you. Now stand back and tell your friends that you are going to ride me, while I get bigger.'
Hermione took a step back removing her hand, then she turned to the other three members.
"He says that he will let us ride him to prove his trust in us."
"Really?" Pansey looked overjoyed.
"He said we have the purest hearts of the groups. SO he trusts us. Ok yeah, one second." And she ran off to see Harry as the Silver dragon gained size.
"Harry." She stopped a few feet from the dragon.
Harry walked over to her. "what is it Hermione?"
"Are you having trouble?"
"Yeah, we are, The two dimwits are to scared to do anything and Neville feinted."
"Well, try walking up to it and put you hand on his scaled, then ask if you can ride him!"
"You nuts Hermione?"
"No not at all, Our dragon said that yours would trust you."
"Ok I'll try." And he did as she asked.
Hermione walked back over to her group to see her dragon became three times the height and size it was. And now it was lying on its stomach.
'Get on.' He mind talked to her.
"We can get on now!" she told her group and they all walked over to the dragon. They mounted the dragon like one would a horse, one hand on the wing and another on the neck. Soon they were all on. Hermione and Draco were closer to the head, riding in the crevasse of the neck; Ron and Pansy were on the back between the wing blades.
"Hold on everyone!" Draco called and the dragon began to fly.
It's nearly impossible to describe a flight on the back of a dragon, it's like flying a broom and riding a horse, the power of the wings and the flight are nearly overwhelming. The beauty you see of the world as you soar past it at dragon speed is remarkable to say the least.
The Crystalline Dragon flew loop 'd' loops. Flew side ways and around in circles. It did dives and climbs. Once when they were near the ground they could make out someone yelling at them.
"You g--- down --- before - --k- points!" it was Snape, but none riding could make it out, lest know who was speaking.
Once the dragon had landing they were face to face with a reddened face Snape and a loud applause.
They say Harry and the Black Dragon land beside them.
"Hay Harry how was the ride?" Ron yelled curiously.
"One word Ron..." he yelled back.
"WICKED!" they both finished.
Everyone climbed off the dragons backs wobbled as they caught their balance and immediately were cheering from the rush.
"All of you get detentions for the next week!" Snape shouted at them, breaking their giddiness.
"What?" Draco asked curiously "We did as you said, we gained the dragons trust, and proved it, by flying!"
"A simple hand on the back would have worked Mr. Malfoy. Also you, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger are to see me right after class for an additional punishment!"
The class ended in only a minute any way. Hermione walked over to the Crystalline Dragon while she waited for the rest of the class to leave.
'what's your name?'
'I can't tell you.'
'why?'
'because if I do, you'll have compleate control over me, do you want that?'
'no, but I want to say good bye.'
' there wont be any need for that, young dragons keeper.'
'Why do you say that?'
'a Dragon keeper, does just that, they keep dragons. I have spoken with you, and thus you keep me.'
'No! I can't do that, it's against the law!'
'Yet, there are many, though few of you.'
'how do they manage?'
'your pendant, child, I'll stay there.'
'not now, Snape will realize you're gone.'
'I know, but when the release us again, I will transport myself into your pendant.'
'how will you stay?'
'it's kind of like a genie in a bottle thing, my essence will be stored there.'
'well--."
"Ms. GRANGER!"
'I'm being called, I'll see you.'
'fare well, child.'
"Coming Professor!" and she ran over to the small group.
"Now that I have all of your attention, Dora and Ray will not be able to visit for another month, and punishment. Not only is it against the law to keep dragons, it's against the law to ride them as well, be greatful the punishment isn't worse."
"What about Harry and Parkinson?"
"They have an additional week of detention to the one I assigned you three. Now get going or you'll miss lunch."
They couldn't leave quick enough.
Hermione looked back for a second and smiled at the dragon. "You know what Ron?"
"Hum?"
"I agree with Hagrid, they aren't that bad, Dragons."
"Don't tell me you want one!" Ron Whinned and Draco looked back with an 'oh really?' expression on his face.
"Oh no, I have one already." She placed her hand on her pendant, remembering what the dragon had told her. "right here."
She almost didn't believe it herself.
This year she had:
Made friends with Malfoy.
Told her friends her secret.
Made her friends witches.
Formed a group for seventh year pranks.
Got Ron to accept Dora Ray and Draco.
Made Draco's dad decent.
Learned how to fly, Do karate.
Discovered and taught a new kind of magic known as perceptive magic.
Got along with Snape well enough to have him keep a secret.
Shown someone her book for the first time in six or so years.
And now she had become a 'dragon keeper' and officially keeps a crystalline dragon.
Yet there was still more to do.
A week ago Professor Stone was fired and tomorrow they would have yet another DADA professor.
She also had to find out how she was spending the winter holidays, and she still had to help plan the end of the year pranks! She knew more was still to come; after all they had to practice more for the pranks.
Hermione Elizabeth Granger was all in all making the most of her seventh year.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: ok cheesy chapter ending I know, next chappie this sections purpose will be revealed!
Yeah, all shout for joy!
But don't get over excited. I'm in my crunch period of school. You all know it, it's when all of your teachers are testing you and giving you projects galore!
So naturally I have very little time on my hands and I can't lose that much sleep. So, as sacrifice for my grades and for the sake of being able to still write, I won't be publishing as often as I used to. This gap is about the time period you'll have between updates, maybe more.
I'm sorry and please for give me. Once I'm out of this you'll know I'm be posting weekly like I did at the beginning, and when break rolls around, daily again.
Please be patient!
Remember to review!
Relena~
October 15th
A month found the Hogwarts Royalty on a Wednesday in Care of Magical creatures' class.
Well, at least on their way, no, Harry Hermione and Ron on their way to Hagrid's hut, Draco and the Slytherins were following the Gryffindors.
Dora and Ray were at home in Muggle School.
Nothing had changed much, Mione and the others were working on their 'extra lessons' and Mione was researching ways in which to clean Snape's hair and get the entire school to do one thing together for once.
Ron had joined the group, and gained an emergency card as well. He was now the proud owner of the ten of hearts.
Dora and Ray also held cards. Dora had a ten of spades and Ray a ten of diamonds.
Walking only few feet further brought both houses to complete silence.
Mione looked at the row of dragons and just imagined the grin of Hagrids face.
"What are you all staring at? Get over here before I take points!"
That was not Hagrid. Everyone shuffled over to see Snape standing in front of the chained down dragons.
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked innocently.
"He is incapable of handling such a situation because of his 'fascination.' Now everyone take a seat on the ground and pull out your parchments and quills."
A rustling was heard as everyone did so.
"Now Dragons come in types, fifty completely different ones and over a thousand subtypes, here are six, I shall call on six of you, three from each house, and point to a dragon, you are to tell me its type and where it is found. Ms. Granger, don't bother raising you hand, you go first. Name this one."
He pointed at a silver dragon with wings that went iridescent at the edges, and had blue eyes. It seemed to think itself better than all the others, but she saw kindness in its eyes.
It reminded her of Draco so much that she nearly said his name, but caught herself before she opened her mouth and instead responded "It's a Finnish Crystalline. They are found near the artic rings and found in England only when breeding."
"Two points to Gryffindor." He pointed at Draco. "Mr. Malfoy name this one."
It was a black dragon, with red eyes, and a glare that would shame Snape's.
"It's a Bulgarian devil, sir, found in the forests of Germany."
"Ten points to Slytherin."
And on they went.
Once all the dragons were identified, Snape put four students per Dragon, and told them to get the dragons to accept them.
At the end of the lesson they had to prove that the dragons trusted them.
Draco Mione Ron and Pansy were together, Harry Neville Crabbe and Goyle, were also together. Mione's Group got the Crystalline and Harry's got the Devil.
"So, Granger, how are we going to complete this assignment?" Pansy asked sneering.
"For you information Parkinson, Crystalline Dragons accept anyone who has a kind heart. In other words they have no secret evil desires."
Hermione walked up to the dragon with one hand on her pendant and the other reaching out to touch the scales.
They were like silk ice. She slowly place her hand firmly on the dragons hide.
'hello young witch.' A voice echoed through her head. 'think and I will hear you, I don't want others to hear you.'
'Hi, how is it that I can talk with you?'
'your pendant.'
'How is my pendant causing this?'
'Not many show your kind of loyalty to our kind, that proves it. It was given to you by a dragon correct? And it is a dragon?'
'yes to both.'
'there you see. As such carrier you are a Dragon Keeper.'
'a Dragon keeper?'
'yes, that's the term for humans who can understand us.'
'oh I see. Well its nice to meet you.
'you too dragon keeper.'
'Well, enough with salutations, our teacher wants us, our group that is, to gain the trust of the dragon we were paired with.'
'well, the four groups with the brown and green dragons will have little trouble, they like humans. As for the black one, he only lets humans who are brave and have faced battle touch him.'
'how can he tell?'
'he can smell it on them, all dragons can. The black haired lad you came here with, he might be able to ride him.'
'How can our group gain your trust?'
'I let mostly everyone touch me, unless they bare the dark mark, then I kill them before they can reach me.'
'then our professor?'
'is an exception, he wears it for spying duties.'
'oh, well our teacher wouldn't think that we did much if we all can easily touch you.'
'I know, how about I give all four of you a ride? You all have the purest hearts of the lot.'
'that would be wonderful, but aren't you a bit small to carrie us all?'
'haven't you heard of dragon magic? I made myself smaller, like the others so we wouldn't loom over you. Now stand back and tell your friends that you are going to ride me, while I get bigger.'
Hermione took a step back removing her hand, then she turned to the other three members.
"He says that he will let us ride him to prove his trust in us."
"Really?" Pansey looked overjoyed.
"He said we have the purest hearts of the groups. SO he trusts us. Ok yeah, one second." And she ran off to see Harry as the Silver dragon gained size.
"Harry." She stopped a few feet from the dragon.
Harry walked over to her. "what is it Hermione?"
"Are you having trouble?"
"Yeah, we are, The two dimwits are to scared to do anything and Neville feinted."
"Well, try walking up to it and put you hand on his scaled, then ask if you can ride him!"
"You nuts Hermione?"
"No not at all, Our dragon said that yours would trust you."
"Ok I'll try." And he did as she asked.
Hermione walked back over to her group to see her dragon became three times the height and size it was. And now it was lying on its stomach.
'Get on.' He mind talked to her.
"We can get on now!" she told her group and they all walked over to the dragon. They mounted the dragon like one would a horse, one hand on the wing and another on the neck. Soon they were all on. Hermione and Draco were closer to the head, riding in the crevasse of the neck; Ron and Pansy were on the back between the wing blades.
"Hold on everyone!" Draco called and the dragon began to fly.
It's nearly impossible to describe a flight on the back of a dragon, it's like flying a broom and riding a horse, the power of the wings and the flight are nearly overwhelming. The beauty you see of the world as you soar past it at dragon speed is remarkable to say the least.
The Crystalline Dragon flew loop 'd' loops. Flew side ways and around in circles. It did dives and climbs. Once when they were near the ground they could make out someone yelling at them.
"You g--- down --- before - --k- points!" it was Snape, but none riding could make it out, lest know who was speaking.
Once the dragon had landing they were face to face with a reddened face Snape and a loud applause.
They say Harry and the Black Dragon land beside them.
"Hay Harry how was the ride?" Ron yelled curiously.
"One word Ron..." he yelled back.
"WICKED!" they both finished.
Everyone climbed off the dragons backs wobbled as they caught their balance and immediately were cheering from the rush.
"All of you get detentions for the next week!" Snape shouted at them, breaking their giddiness.
"What?" Draco asked curiously "We did as you said, we gained the dragons trust, and proved it, by flying!"
"A simple hand on the back would have worked Mr. Malfoy. Also you, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger are to see me right after class for an additional punishment!"
The class ended in only a minute any way. Hermione walked over to the Crystalline Dragon while she waited for the rest of the class to leave.
'what's your name?'
'I can't tell you.'
'why?'
'because if I do, you'll have compleate control over me, do you want that?'
'no, but I want to say good bye.'
' there wont be any need for that, young dragons keeper.'
'Why do you say that?'
'a Dragon keeper, does just that, they keep dragons. I have spoken with you, and thus you keep me.'
'No! I can't do that, it's against the law!'
'Yet, there are many, though few of you.'
'how do they manage?'
'your pendant, child, I'll stay there.'
'not now, Snape will realize you're gone.'
'I know, but when the release us again, I will transport myself into your pendant.'
'how will you stay?'
'it's kind of like a genie in a bottle thing, my essence will be stored there.'
'well--."
"Ms. GRANGER!"
'I'm being called, I'll see you.'
'fare well, child.'
"Coming Professor!" and she ran over to the small group.
"Now that I have all of your attention, Dora and Ray will not be able to visit for another month, and punishment. Not only is it against the law to keep dragons, it's against the law to ride them as well, be greatful the punishment isn't worse."
"What about Harry and Parkinson?"
"They have an additional week of detention to the one I assigned you three. Now get going or you'll miss lunch."
They couldn't leave quick enough.
Hermione looked back for a second and smiled at the dragon. "You know what Ron?"
"Hum?"
"I agree with Hagrid, they aren't that bad, Dragons."
"Don't tell me you want one!" Ron Whinned and Draco looked back with an 'oh really?' expression on his face.
"Oh no, I have one already." She placed her hand on her pendant, remembering what the dragon had told her. "right here."
She almost didn't believe it herself.
This year she had:
Made friends with Malfoy.
Told her friends her secret.
Made her friends witches.
Formed a group for seventh year pranks.
Got Ron to accept Dora Ray and Draco.
Made Draco's dad decent.
Learned how to fly, Do karate.
Discovered and taught a new kind of magic known as perceptive magic.
Got along with Snape well enough to have him keep a secret.
Shown someone her book for the first time in six or so years.
And now she had become a 'dragon keeper' and officially keeps a crystalline dragon.
Yet there was still more to do.
A week ago Professor Stone was fired and tomorrow they would have yet another DADA professor.
She also had to find out how she was spending the winter holidays, and she still had to help plan the end of the year pranks! She knew more was still to come; after all they had to practice more for the pranks.
Hermione Elizabeth Granger was all in all making the most of her seventh year.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: ok cheesy chapter ending I know, next chappie this sections purpose will be revealed!
Yeah, all shout for joy!
But don't get over excited. I'm in my crunch period of school. You all know it, it's when all of your teachers are testing you and giving you projects galore!
So naturally I have very little time on my hands and I can't lose that much sleep. So, as sacrifice for my grades and for the sake of being able to still write, I won't be publishing as often as I used to. This gap is about the time period you'll have between updates, maybe more.
I'm sorry and please for give me. Once I'm out of this you'll know I'm be posting weekly like I did at the beginning, and when break rolls around, daily again.
Please be patient!
Remember to review!
Relena~