Chapter 4
Browns and Burning
"You are healing at a remarkable rate," Master Oldive commented as he examined Harry's ribs. "I can't detect the fractures any more. It usually takes months for injuries like this to heal fully, not three days. It's almost like…" He trailed off but everyone in the room knew what he meant.
It was true that Hermione had used a few Speedy-Healy charms, but nothing big enough to fix the entire fracture in one sitting. Harry wasn't willing to let Hermione risk removing all his ribs in practice.
Hermione of course had been quite offended by this.
"I would never do anything so stupid!" She shouted indignantly after having demonstrated the charm on her own face to heal the cut she had gotten from T'bor.
"Like fawn over Lockhart." Ron muttered, which earned him his fourth punch in the shoulder that day.
"Well," Master Oldive said slowly "Normally I'd want you to stay in bed at least another week before you started getting around, but I see no problem with letting you now."
Harry started standing up. Since it had been several days since he'd been on his feet he stumbled a bit and Hermione and Ron rushed to his side to help him get his balance.
"Now, Master Robinton has convinced the Weyrleaders to let you freely explore. However Lessa requests you avoid the hatching ground." Master Oldive tone told them quite simply that the Weyrleaders really didn't want them wandering around, but after summoning wand incident no one had even bothered to bar the door.
"Exploration! An excellent idea Oldive!" Master Robinton exclaimed joyfully as he walked in the room. "However, perhaps a tour would be a better plan then simply letting the run amuck." He paused. "Although, for all we know they could discover a hidden room with devices that can freeze Thread in it tracks!" He laughed and Master Oldive smiled wryly.
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione looking for any clue as to what they were talking about.
Master Robinton catching their confusion quickly explained.
"Young Lord Jaxom of Ruatha hold and his friend Felessan managed to discover some rooms hidden deep in the Weyr. The rooms contained ancient equipment like strange metal tubes that you look into and see small partials of dust that look like boulders." Master Robinton whispered dramatically at the end.
This certainly did not have the desired effect.
Ron raised an eyebrow, Harry bit his lip, and Hermione was visibly shaking from trying not to laugh.
Still trying to control herself, Hermione spoke.
"Interesting," she choked, "some sort of microscope."
Harry was positive if he didn't stop trying to hold in his laughter his ribs were going break all over again.
"Microscope... Micro, Scope, what a delightfully perfect name!" Master Robinton exclaimed. "You have the fine makings of a Harper my dear!" He clapped Hermione on the back.
Hermione shocked expression was too much for Ron and he burst out laughing.
"Ha! Now all you need is a Telescope and you're all set!" Ron continued laughing uncontrollably.
"Telescope?" Robinton asked.
"Oh yes," Ron put on his best impression of Professor Trelawney, "A fabulous item that allows you to see the most distant star up close."
"Oh yes, Mastersmith Fandarel is working on a Distance Viewer, what did you call it? Telestope?"
Harry grinned, remembering Ron talking about a Fellyfone, "Telescope."
"Telescope, telescope, another wonderful word." Robinton seemed lost in thought briefly. "Right then, how about that tour?"
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"And that is the feeding ground," Master Robinton said pointing pleasantly to a large open area where large ostrich like creatures were penned in.
As he spoke a big blue dragon swooped down and caught one of the helpless creatures in its talons. The dragon had barely landed on one of the nearby cliff ledges before it began digging in.
"Lovely." Hermione smiled wryly.
Harry gazed around the area. The main Weyr itself seemed to be carved right into the cliff side. It was really quite amazing that anyone could actually create such a thing in a shear rock wall. Harry idly wondered what the view from the plateau was like, but his thoughts were interrupted.
There was a loud bellow behind them. All four of them whipped around and saw a great brown dragon leap into the air and then disappear between.
"I wonder where F'nor's going." Robinton said vaguely.
All three were staring where the dragon was right before it disappeared into thin air. Disappeared into between.
"Wow." Ron said in awe.
"Hagrid was right wasn't he," Harry said smiling.
"About what?" Hermione asked vaguely.
"Dragons, they're all-" Harry suddenly interrupted himself with a shout of pain as he grabbed at his forehead.
"What's wrong?" Hermione and Ron ask simultaneously.
"My scar," Harry grunted through gritted teeth.
Hermione and Ron pulled out their wands and started cautiously looking around.
Robinton took a step back in surprise. "What do you think you're doing?"
Harry didn't hear Hermione's reply. Something was wrong. His scar was burning too much. It had never burned this badly before, even when Voldemort had touched him. Harry shuddered at the memory, but then he couldn't stop shuddering, he fell down and started having some sort of seizure.
And then it stopped.
His scar stopped burning.
Harry gasped in surprise at the same moment a hundred dragons roared.
Hermione gave a little cry and fainted.