As she dropped the last of the ingredients before the dragon's blood into the pot, she felt a hot breath against her neck. She shivered as she was in between her boiling pot and the heat of the person behind her, though he was a dragon, he clearly informed her. She picked up the two vials of blood, and popped their corks off, before pouring all of their contents into the pot. Smoke began to emit from the pot as she began to recite the incantation for the potion to become viable. Spells, and incantations were always written, and recited in the ancient language, so not many were actually able to use them. Witches were the only species that had continued to use the language, in their spells, and in most of their writing, until only a century ago, so they always were able to keep the powerful spells. While witches and mages both used spells, mages used spells that had been poorly, according to her and other witches, translated into each new language the country, and world, she dare say, developed into. Because of this, mages didn't quite hold as much power as a witch.

"So this is what you do?" she heard behind her, his breath warming her neck.

She spun around, letting the now blood red liquid boil for a few more seconds, "What are you doing here?"

He laughed, and dodged her hand as she intended to push him back. "Thought I'd see what you were up to."

"Well then go back to where you stay! Out!" She pointed to the couch.

His wings drooped, though his face was still smiling, "It's kinda lonely over there."

"You just got back!" she exclaimed, placing her hands on the black clothed chest, and pushing him back.

He walked backwards along with her push, "and?"

Once he was back into the area she allowed him to be in, she stepped away from him, "Stay." she held her hand out, her palm facing his face.

He looked at her hand, before blinking, and tilting his head to look into her chocolate eyes, "Are you threatening me?"

"What?" she asked, lowering her hand, "No, I want you to stay in this area, no where else."

He slouched, "But it's boring!" he glanced around, "Where's Happy? We were gonna play a game."

"He's sleeping, don't get him." Lucy replied, as she turned back around to the boiling pot, so she could put out the fire, and let it simmer on the ashes for a bit, before it was cold, because it wouldn't work if it were hot.

"Is this a nightgown?" she heard him say, and glanced behind her, "cause it doesn't look like one."

"It's a cloak, Natsu, I decided to give you that, cause I didn't want one of my nightgowns possibly getting ripped." Lucy replied, as she turned back to her potions, before looking over the book again, to make sure she had done it all right.

"Oh! I see." he replied, "I'm tired, I'm gonna go to sleep."

"What?" she turned around as he took off the black coat.

"You don't want me ripping these, right?" he asked, holding it up.

She snapped her head back around, "Wait until I leave first." she mumbled.

"Oh, sorry," he replied, "Did you already put out that fire?"

"Yeah, why, you cold?" she asked.

"No, I'm hungry." he replied, "but I guess it's fine."

She turned her head back to the bottles and books before her, as she heard the rustling of his clothes. She heard the couch squeak as he got on it, and she dared to turn around, the ashes of the fire beneath her pot had now been completely black, no orange glows amongst them anymore, and she just needed to wait until the following day, at least before it would be ready to use. She glanced behind her at the couch, and noticed him in the dragon state she found him in, he was larger than when she had first seen him, and besides the scarf, the cloak was the only thing covering him.

She made her way over to his sleeping figure, and grabbed his head in her hands, before smoothing them over the snout. The red scales were smooth, and almost soft, she dared say. The horns on his head were a darker shade than the rest of his body, as were the spikes lining his back, though they were covered by the cloak she had given him. Lucy was amazed, here was this ancient beast, that was equal to the most powerful being in the realm, the demon. Sure, witches had counterspells to demons, hence one of the reasons they were discriminated against so highly, they were no match for the beast of a dragon. Her hopes were long last coming true, as she stared into the many red scales covering his body.

She lifted part of the coat so she could see where she had remembered the healing scales had covered. It was seamless. She wanted to brag to all of the people that had tried to kill her that she now had an ancient beast on her side, but she didn't. She knew it would be extremely dangerous for them to leave, even if it was just her. She literally had nearly died the last time, because they wanted to sell her or something. But dragons were an entire other concept. Dragons are extinct, thus, if one were to be found, she couldn't imagine how many hunters or mages would want to kill him, just to wear his powerful shield of scales.

Even molted scales of dragons, though white and no longer attached to the life-force, were very strong against both fire and swords, let alone spears. People had stored the scales in their families and sold them for extremely high values. This dragon sleeping before her was probably wanted more than she was. The demon's would probably want him dead since he could match them in power and battle, or they'd want him working for them. They wanted witches working for them, and even tricked a few into sealing deals in blood with them, and it hurt her to see her friends, and even the former princess of the realm to be under the hands of that black demon.

She ran her fingers over his body before getting up, and leaving him alone for the time being. She made her way into her room, and got ready for a good night's sleep. She'd have to go into town and get food the next morning, since they had already eaten all the fish she had in her storage. Lucy collapsed herself onto the bed, surprising the two sleeping pets, though they returned into their snuggle with each other, and looked up at the ceiling. She had like three familiars now, a dog, a cat, and, in a way, a dragon. She smiled, things were beginning to look up, and she was happy. She knew she shouldn't be, considering the concept of things, and the fact that letting the dragon into her home nearly caused her more danger, but she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

When she had awoken the following morning, she heard a loud and obnoxious commanding knock on her front and only door. She yawned as she made her way out of her room, passing the sleeping red dragon on her couch as she opened the door, "Yes?" she asked, making sure to not open it completely, as the dragon would be exposed to the person outside.

"Witch Lucy Heartfilia?" the person asked, looking at a scroll.

"I am she." she replied, stepping outside, and closing the door behind her.

"Since you are a witch," he began, "it is required by law of the Black Demon Lord to inspect your home." he stated, with a smirk.

"Inspect my home?" she repeated, "but you guys already did an inspection last week."

"And?" the man asked, feeling superior since she worked for the ruler of the land.

"I have one inspection every month, thus I already had one this month." Lucy argued.

"Oh, the poor wretch." the man stated, folding his arms about him in feigned sympathy, "you don't know of the law that was passed just yesterday?"

"Law?" she asked.

"Ah, yes, due to the Black Demon Lord's sudden feel of a surge in power around this area," he began, and Lucy gulped, knowing that surge of power came from the creature sleeping peacefully in her living room, "it is required to check witches' homes now every week instead. Mind you, it should be checked everyday, due to your wretched appearances." the man stated, covering his nose as if she smelled bad.

"Wretched?" Lucy heard behind her, and she wanted to push him back inside.

"And who are you?" the man asked.

"I'm Na-argh!"

Lucy stepped backwards onto his bare foot, "Nab, this is Nab. He's my distant cousin."

"So are you a witch as well, Nab?" the man asked.

"Witch? No, I'm a d-ow!" she stepped on his foot again.

"He's a distant cousin on my father's side." she replied, thankful that his wings were covered by the cloak he was still wearing.

"Your father was an elf, correct?" the man asked.

"Yes," Lucy replied, with a faint smile.

"So this man is an elf?" he asked.

"Yes, of the beastly kind," Lucy replied, knowing the horns might be visible under the hair.

"So you aren't a witch then, Nab?" he asked Natsu.

"Why would I be a witch." Natsu replied, folding his arms.

"May I ask why you are staying in this wretched being's home?" the man asked.

"She's taking care of me til I find my own place in this town." Natsu replied, finally understanding what Lucy had been getting at, his foot aching with the proof of his knowledge.

"I see. Well, we have rooms available in the town, so you don't have to stay with a witch." the man replied, before beginning to shove the girl to the side, Natsu moving out of the way as well.

The man opened the door, and glanced around. He looked down at the couch and picked something up off the ground, before looking at the black pot, the blood red liquid looking more of a soup at the moment than a potion, and the cat and dog sleeping peacefully in the room. After a simple inspection he came out, and held what he had picked up to Lucy. Lucy's eyes widened, and she wanted to look at Natsu, though she didn't.

"Tell me, witch," the man stated, holding the still fading scale to her face, "How did you get such a scale? Still losing its color? Though dragons have been extinct?"

"I dipped it in my potions." Lucy lied, biting the insides of her cheeks and hoped Natsu wouldn't say anything.