Author's Note: Very slightly late Secret Santa gift for Sam. Sorry I'm bad at giftfics, love. Hope this brightens your day a little. :)
Many thanks to my Magpies for the peptalks and betaing.
Written for…
Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Team/Position: Montrose Magpies, Captain. Task: Write about a duel or fight. Lyric: See you on the other side
Hogwarts Assignment 9. Lesson: Games and Sports, task 5. Task: Write about a physical fight
[Seasonal] Astrology. Prompt: Write about something good coming from a bad situation.
[Seasonal] Days of the Year. Prompt: Write about someone going by a different name.
[WC] Disney Challenge. Prompt: Write about undergoing a transformation of some sort.
Geek Pride. Prompt: (Transformers) Write about someone changing their appearance
[Seasonal] Flowers. Prompt: Receiving new a order/task/assignment
[Fortnightly] International Workers Day. Prompts: red, broomstick
[WC] Liza's Loves. Prompt: Write about someone in disguise
[WC] The Fabulous World of Comics. Prompt: flying
[Fortnightly] Choose a Side. Prompt: Death Eaters
[WC] Lyric Alley. Lyric: we got ourselves in a bind
Murder Mystery May. Prompt: Charlie Weasley
Hogwarts Game Night. Prompt: Dragonologist
[WC] Scamander's Case. Prompt: hypnotize
Gobstones. Prompts: wand, flying, nervous
[Seasonal] Spring Prompts. Prompt: gentle
[Seasonal] Hufflepuff. Prompt: dedicated
[WC] Angel's Archives. Prompt: exotic
[WC] Bingo. Prompt: Draco
Spy On the Inside
2,028 words
Charlie shifts in the uncomfortable chair he's been made to wait in, feeling out of place in the office setting. There was a reason he never followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Ministry, and that was mainly due to how stifling it felt to be crammed into a small cubicle as he was now.
"Mr. Weasley, I'm sorry to keep you waiting," a middle-aged wizard says, hurriedly taking his seat behind the desk.
"It's no problem," Charlie tells him, offering a smile. "And please, call me Charlie."
"Charlie. Excellent. My name is Desmond Jaffe. I understand you're a dragonologist, is that right?"
"Yes, sir. I've been working at the Ridgebit Dragon Sanctuary for about nine years now."
"Right, good. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, Charlie. The Ministry's in a bit of a tight squeeze, and I think you'll be able to help. I hope so, anyway. Your brother down in Magical Transportation recommended you for the job."
"Percy," Charlie supplies. "What's the problem?"
"Are you familiar with the Death Eaters?"
Charlie leans forward in his seat, his interest piqued. "The dragon smugglers? Of course."
"They smuggle more than dragons, I assure you. The Ministry has been trying to bring them down for years but they're very clever. They always manage to evade arrest or get released on technicalities. We need something concrete, something that will get them off the streets. We're hoping to capitalize on the dragon fights they've started."
"Dragon fights?"
"Yes. Rumor has it they've started instigating dragon fights in order to take bets."
"That's cruel."
"It's also incredibly illegal. But if arresting them for illegal gambling and animal cruelty is what it takes to get the Death Eaters off the streets, I'm willing to try it."
"What do you need from me?" Charlie asks, his fists clenched in anger. No dragons were going to be hurt if he had anything to say about it.
:-:
Draco doesn't want to be here.
He watches from a distance as two dragons — one a muted green, and the other with shiny scarlet scales — attack each other again and again. His stomach churns as the green one falls to the hard ground, wings covered in scorch marks. The crowd around him cheers as the Chinese Fireball is announced as the winner of the night's match.
"That's the fifth night in a row my dragon's lost," Crabbe complains loudly.
Draco doesn't tell him that the Welsh Green is being underfed and made to lose. His father's sworn him to secrecy on all matters of business, of course. So he keeps his mouth shut as Crabbe rambles on about how he'll bet on the Fireball the next chance he gets, and Draco doesn't tell him that the Fireball will probably be made to lose then, when everyone's betting on it.
He shakes his head at the foolishness of it all as he goes to check on the eggs. There are only three, sat by a fireplace in Draco's office. He kneels down next to them and lets his hands run over the hard shells. The eggs came in just a few days before, from Lucius' supplier, Macnair, but he hadn't been forthcoming with where they'd come from. Draco wonders what they'll do with them if and when they hatch.
Smuggling eggs had been one thing — passing them straight from Macnair to the hands of some pampered pureblood who wanted the most exotic of pets. But actually raising dragons was another thing entirely. Draco knows how the full-grown dragons are treated by the staff, and a part of him hates the thought of handing babies over to the same men.
Rising to his feet, he makes a hard decision: they need someone who knows how to handle dragons. It will be difficult to talk his father into it, but it's what's best for the creatures. Surely Lucius will see the benefit in putting a little effort into their investments…
:-:
Charlie is sure the plan will fail.
His scalp tingles from the spell that's darkening his hair to a chestnut brown, and he can't help running his hands through it every few moments. The full beard he sports is also new, though Charlie finds he doesn't mind it as much as he minds the covering of his trademark freckles, or the nose shape that doesn't suit him at all. Admittedly, he doesn't look like Charlie Weasley anymore, but it's a lot to take in all at once.
He puts on a thick Romanian accent when he meets Lucius Malfoy. It comes easily to him after so many years at the sanctuary, but he's nervous and trying to remember to answer to a new name, and he's sure Lucius will figure him out.
Then he's brought to the Fireball, and everything falls into place. She's small and angry, straining against her chains. Charlie has to clamp his mouth shut before he says something that would jeopardize the whole operation.
"She has a wound on her neck. See if she'll let you tend to it," Lucius orders.
Charlie's handed a broom, and he wastes no time in taking to the air. He's always felt more at home on a broom, and it puts him at ease even if he has an impossible task in front of him.
At the sanctuary, they don't make physical contact with the adult dragons for a few weeks in order to reduce risks and get the dragon to trust them first. Charlie knows he doesn't have that kind of time.
He tests her out, flying just out of her reach so she strains and tries to nip at him. It stretches out her neck and he can see the wound clearly — bite marks, best he can tell. He swings around behind her. She's slow to move, claws sliding on the concrete floor, wary of getting tangled in the chains. It gives Charlie enough time to lower himself until he's just above her. One hand still gripping the broomstick, ready to propel himself back if she strikes, he reaches for the wand tucked into his boot and points it at the wound, muttering a simple healing charm. It won't fix it completely, but it'll help to keep it sterile until he can get her out of this place.
Confident he's done all he can, Charlie puts away his wand and touches down on the ground in front of Lucius, grinning smugly.
"Well done, Mr. Bogdan, I think you'll do well with our organization."
Charlie shakes his hand, feeling a knot grow in his stomach.
A younger blond man steps forward, and Charlie knows right away that this is Draco Malfoy. He's heard Ron complain about the Malfoy heir enough when they were in school, but the man before him is not what he was expecting.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bogdan, I'm Draco."
"Please, call me Andrei."
:-:
Draco likes Andrei.
He doesn't form friendships easily, but he can't help feeling drawn to the dragon expert his father hired. They wind up spending a lot of time together over the next few weeks as Draco becomes attached to the three eggs and, eventually, the tiny hatchlings. Andrei's enthusiasm for dragons is infectious and Draco becomes hypnotised every time the Romanian launches into a detailed explanation of the right way to care for them, which is often.
"Be careful with this one," Andrei tells him, picking up a hatchling with silver scales. He gently places it in Draco's hands. "They're notorious biters."
"You must love dragons a lot to have learned so much about them."
"I do. They're incredible creatures." Something in Andrei's voice changes the more excited he gets. He clears his throat and continues. "I'd do anything to keep them safe."
Draco frowns, letting the silver baby climb up his arm to perch on his head. "Then why are you here?"
"I don't understand…"
"This isn't a good place," Draco says quietly, though there's no point. Lucius is busy overseeing preparations for tomorrow's big match. No one is listening in.
"I know. If I can help protect them from the worst of it, maybe they'll be okay."
"But they're still going to have to fight. Tomorrow the Fireball and the Welsh are going back in the arena. My father's going to throw the match. He'll do something to the Fireball so she'll lose. The Welsh will tear her up."
Andrei doesn't look happy, but he says nothing for a long moment. "Why do you stay if you're unhappy too?"
The question surprises Draco, but he shrugs. "Where else would I go? I was born into this life, it's all I have."
"You could do anything if you wanted to."
"I can't just leave. My father will find me. He'll be angry."
Andrei reaches out, taking Draco's hand in his. "I won't let that happen."
It's an odd statement from someone he's only known a short time. But looking into Andrei's watery blue eyes, Draco can't help but trust him.
"How?"
"Tomorrow, during the fight, we'll leave. I'll create a distraction so no one will notice you sneaking out the back. Lucius… he'll have more important things to worry about than finding you. We'll meet at the Leaky Cauldron at midnight. Please trust me."
"I do," Draco tells him honestly.
"Good. I'll see you on the other side." With a wink, Andrei leaves, and Draco wonders what he's just agreed to.
:-:
Charlie's stomach churns at the sight of the dragons being chained in the arena. He watches everything calmly, trying not to snap as one of the men working under him gets too close to the Welsh's sensitive wings. He checks his watch every few minutes, watching the seconds tick by impatiently.
He's already notified the Aurors. They're raiding at ten, which only gives him a few hours to keep up appearances. He keeps a close eye on Draco from across the arena, making sure he's okay. Charlie can't help but feel for the young man, forced into this life of crime and cruelty when it's so obvious that he cares deeply for the creatures too. He has such a big heart, Charlie's sure he'll do fine with a little help.
The stands soon fill up. Hundreds of people waiting to see these innocent creatures tear each other to pieces, all for a few galleons. Charlie watches the match with his broom in hand, ready to intervene if it goes too far. He winces every time the dragons snap at each other, noticing the way the Welsh claws at the Fireball's belly. It's sick, but he has to wait.
His watch finally chimes ten. Charlie looks across the room at Draco and smiles, then pulls out his wand and snaps the Fireball's chain.
With nothing tethering her to the arena, she rises up over the stands. The crowds screech, Death Eaters begin running in every direction in an attempt to escape the angry beast. Charlie grins and hops on his broom to avoid being trampled. From his vantage point, he can see Draco running for the back door just as the Aurors start apparating in.
:-:
Draco taps his fingers against the bar of the Leaky Cauldron anxiously, his eyes never leaving the clock.
"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" the barmaid asks him again. He shakes his head.
"I'm meeting someone soon."
The door opens at midnight, and Draco turns in anticipation of seeing Andrei, but his face falls when a redheaded man walks in instead. He turns back to the clock and resumes his tapping, aware of the redhead joining him at the bar.
"Lovely night," the man comments. Draco doesn't respond.
He worries about Andrei. Did his father catch him? Did the Aurors take him?
"You know, Romania is lovely this time of year."
Draco's eyes snap to the stranger's quickly. They're the same shade of blue as Andrei's.
"What…?"
"I know of a dragon sanctuary that could use some help, if you're looking for a job. Might be a good place to start over."
There are many questions that need answering, but Draco doesn't want to ask them. He's free, as far as he can tell, and he's been given a chance at a better life.
"It sounds perfect. What's your name?"
"You can call me Charlie."