A/N:

Guest: I'm sorry that the romance aspect of this story has not been happening fast enough to satisfy. I really do understand when you're looking for a specific 'something' and a story just isn't giving it to you. There will be romance in the story, I just haven't been able to rush it without it feeling forced at this point, but it is coming.

Pgoodrichboggs: You rock the house with your reviews! I always look forward to your speculations and thoughts! This chapter is dedicated to YOU! I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 17

The end of summer still graced the land in a warm and slightly balmy temperature, and the comfortable glow of the air that blew up from the south carried with it the sensation of magic, which enveloping his mind and senses comfortably with little tingling tones that rolled over his skin. Tom smiled. He'd found it.

"And here Thoros, I doubted the extent of your academic pursuits." Tom purred to himself. "It seems I have been mistaken." The Lord Riddle's smile was either venomous or triumphant, one couldn't be entirely certain. And to think, all it took to open up Thoros Nott's mouth was a little pain and suffering as he lay on the floor until his secrets had run from him like water. With how volatile Lord Riddle could be at times, you could never be certain if he was going to pat you on the back, or stab you in the side; The smile he'd be wearing when he did either would be exactly the same, and it was the expression he'd worn as Thoros had writhed beneath the magic Tom had cast upon him.

Somewhere in the mounds of literature within the crumbling rolls of parchment and dusty tomes that Thoros had been pouring over in the last few months, he had found the location of mountains deep in the south where the last organized faction of red Dragons resided. Thinking himself ahead of the game, he'd deigned to keep it withheld in the face of having been tasked by Tom Riddle to find it.

That maneuver had proven unwise for Thoros in the end. However misguided it had been, though, Tom was unable to justify ending his life as his heir was neither positioned to ascend as the head of the House, nor was the lad equipped to fully run the full functions as the Lord of a House. It seemed Thoros' saving grace had been a technicality in the end, though Tom had still not left him in good enough shape to pick himself up off the floor once the exacted punishment had been concluded.

For all that secrecy and espionage that Thoros had worked so hard to maintain, all of it was rendered moot in the end, as Tom stood proudly overlooking the foothills of an innocuous and unassuming mountain range that lay just north of an unfriendly waste-land like desert. A no-mans' land, really. Certainly not a place that any Lord would care to lay claim to, nor would any serf, vassal, or countrymen wish to colonize independently. The land was barren and unfriendly lacking vegetation save for scrappy trees, and succulents adorned with thorns. It made a strange sort of sense, when Tom pondered it further, realizing that the lack of hospitable landscape created an environment that a Dragon might consider a kind of Shangri-La, should they wish to be solitary.

Tom Riddle focused himself on a point in front of him, which he could see clearly at the very foot of the nearly-bare rocky mountains that appeared to jut raggedly into the sky out of the clay-textured sand beneath them. The brown was tinted with the ochres of clay soil that eked into the earth of the mountains before him. Consumed by the feeling of suction inward all around him, Toms form disappeared from where he stood, and materialized at the exact spot he had focused upon.

Properly apprehensive, Tom observed his surroundings carefully. He needed to find where the Dragons were, but without getting too close too quickly. He needed an element of surprise with the option to observe from some measure of a safe distance, or his plan would never work. And thus it would put him in a high degree of danger.

Focusing again once he had scanned the area, he apparated again to his next focal point. Again, and again he would apparate, observe, and occasionally traverse the area he'd arrived to in order to seek clues as to whether or not he was close. He was reticent to use too much magic lest he alert the Dragons that he'd entered their territories. Though the information he'd reviewed had explained much, he knew well that there were significant gaps in what was available. There were little, if not paltry few individuals left whom had working and accurate knowledge of how to go about courting wild Dragons. And wild red Dragons, at that.

Within a few hours of his arrival to the land, Tom had fortuitously come across a few clues as to his closeness to where he needed to target his hunt. It started with spotting an ancient tree, which had been fractured horizontally and had toppled over in a most unnatural angle. The jagged splinters projecting from the trunk had been singed horrifically and charred down to nubs.

The Lord couldn't help the excitement within him. Alone, he allowed himself the wash of giddiness to roll over him and he smiled unreservedly at the discovery. It was, in truth, only an occasional indulgence he permitted himself to get so energized. So much like he would if he were a young boy.

Tom apparated again, and again he discovered scorching marks along the ground, along with disturbances in the formation of the soil at his feet in the shape of clawed feet that were something near four or five hands across.

With another apparition, Tom looked around him, and from across a ravine there was a mountain with a plateau, and a distinct long red form. From his vantage, the shape was not clear, but it was unmoving and long as though stretched out lazily. The color was a deep and eye catching shade of ruby that glistened in the sunlight above.

Even from where he stood on the mountain facing, he noted that the large and resplendent shape luxuriating there in the warm weather, the thickest part of the great red mass rising and falling appropriately as it breathed.

Even at this great distance it was only a matter of time until he was sniffed out, and Tom knew the longer he waited, the more the danger increased. It was time he made his move.

Drawing his power, Tom formed a bright orb in his left hand that glowed warmly. He murmured an incantation into the ball he'd created and its glow surged with brilliance. The Lord reached back and hefted it out toward where the Dragon lay, using his magic to send it the distance that his arm could not manage on its own.

The spell shot true and straight towards its target: without making any noise, the orb burst and a blindingly and dazzling light sprang forth from it. The eruption of light woke the Dragon with a start, and with shrieks and hissing sprang forth in great volume it rolled to stand. The Dragon which had been previously in respite, was now wide-awake and poised to strike. The massive and horned crimson head lowered to the ground and the mouth containing bone colored teeth opened. The Dragon bore no lips that Tom could discern, so the sharp teeth jutted out aggressively. The opening of its mouth only added to the intense ferocity.

From nearby the forms of other red Dragons had begun to creep in. Low to the ground, despite their great mass, they moved slowly and deliberately with massively clawed paws with black nails and sharp looking scales edges that scraped against stone beneath them.

Tom hadn't seen any of these when he'd scouted this remote parcel, existing at the very edge of red Dragon territory, so as they crept in closer to where the original red had lain, he observed curiously as the gathering around his spell continued.

The light from his spell receded somewhat to expose a replicated visage of his own person. The nearest Dragon lowered its great head, adorned with razor-sharp horns that jutted out dangerously from every angle in its face, all motioning backward away from its muzzle.

The nearest beast lowered its face to the ground where the spectral Tom considered it calmly, and its massive yellow eyes narrowed dangerously, with venomous intent. From its mouth a sharp hiss emanated which started quietly, but grew in volume. Tom could feel its slithering quality even at the distance in which he stood, and though he would never dare reveal it; it was a terrifying sound. The Dragon sported a bone-colored singular horn at the end of its snout, just atop the nostrils which flared with aggravation as that hiss continued as breathed. As the spectral form he'd created hadn't moved the creature nosed towards it and drew a series of sharp inward breaths, scenting the projected being in front of it though its body never lost its tense posturing.

The real Tom bowed to the creature, and his spectral form mimicked the motion. "I bid you greeting, great red Dragon; most powerful magical creature and fierce protector of your lands and home. Greatest and most mighty of magical creatures." Tom paused, watching carefully as the beast leaned back and away from the speaking, non-corporeal form. It did not return his sentiment, and its eyes continued to remain locked onto him quite intently.

The surrounding red Dragons crept carefully, watchfully, as the neared to where the specter stood, considering him carefully as he observed their movements. Their massive bodies moved with that same grace he had noted, that it continued to surprise him. Their scales upon their bodies sounded like silk as they moved smoothly and sinuously together in tandem. Like that of a snake. But the texture, he could see, resembled that of stone. Each individual bore distinct features to that of its own body with slight variations in color and horn formations, they were all quite similar in shape. Each bore a dense and sharp shock of horns that pointed backward from their face beginning behind their eyes and grew larger as they grew into the rows of spines that cascaded down their backs. The jaws were equally as adorned by rows of stubbier stalactites of horn that tapered off to sharp points.

The great and distinctive wings of each specific beast were all tucked neatly and close into the back as they slunk around each other, weighing what they say, examining the spell Tom was weaving to address them from the safety of his distance.

It was their great yellow eyes that was truly the most striking part of them; the color appeared to burn with fervency. Each pair watched him carefully as the few nearest circled and paced, and drew nearer toward him to suss out what it was he was doing there.

He turned slowly toward the one that stood nearest to his projected form. His position was precarious, at best, he realized. Invading the red Dragons territory was dangerous, if not foolish and neither his spell nor his physical person would withstand the withering and blistering heat of Dragon fire should they choose to cast it upon him.

Tom inclined his head. "I greet you, oh great and wise master of the sky, and weaver of the arcane magics. Great and feared terrors of the lands, and keepers of the purest lineages." The closest Dragon's head dipped just a fraction at his statement. The red mass dipped lowed still to peer at Tom's form, leaning its great head so one of its eyes was closer than the other.

Tom continued, undeterred. "I come to seek your hand and offer you a partnership, one of great advantage with promises of wealth and prosperity for you, and others such as you. I bring with myself magic as an offering to share with you in exchange for your might and your fire."

The silence that followed was filled only with the sounds that the tails of the Dragons made as they drug through the ground below them. Tom waited patiently, holding the gaze of that closest Dragon which still watched him warily with that fired yellow orb. The Dragon closed its eyes slowly and took a deep breath.

A strange sound filled the air, which was some combination of grinding rocks and the rumbling of the earth beneath his feet. Its timbre was graveled and deep, but dark as a night without stars and filled with cinder.

Tom realized it was laughter.

The Dragon opened its eyes and bored them into Tom. Even through the spell, he could feel heat emanating from the Dragon's mouth as words poured forth from it; foul as the pits of a volcano spewing toxic gas from its caldera.

How foolish it is of you, little fleshling wizard, to come here. The Dragon chuckled. Its voice was like a thousand shards of glass, and Tom struggled to keep from wincing obviously as the Dragon continued to size him up. Your imprudence in showing your face here, with offers of little magic tricks? We hold your death in our jaws, mortal. Its head began moving back and forth slowly and methodically, still watching him with that yellow eye.

The other Dragons that had surrounded the area hissed and gurgled. From the corner of his eye, Tom could see the flare of light and heat, catching his attention. The mouth of one of the great behemoths had opened, and its toothy jaws wagged as its laughter all but burned and smelled of cinders and ash. The scent was a prelude to destruction and death.

Their heads lowered threateningly, the Dragons held still but watched Tom as he maintained his posture and kept his attention to the Dragon who had spoken to him.

"Foolish, great one? Perhaps." He purred, truly seeing the mass and size of the Dragon before it. Truly, the beast was a mammoth, if ever there was one. Its teeth were as long as Toms forearm, and even though the beast was low to the ground the head was taller than Tom himself stood. From his vantage point, the wizard estimated that the length of it measured at least 7 lengths of a man[1].

The Dragon made a sound that sounded like a scoff, but it wasn't entirely certain. Then what is it you truly seek from us, little wizard? Why do you come to risk life and limb to the jaws of the Greater Dragons? The reds tongue flicked out just then, as though it was tasting the air near its open maw.

Dragons wasted no time, it seemed. Tom was pleased at this revelation. Too-often did Lords misuse precious moments with postulation, deflection and all other manner of divertive action. "It is my purpose to win your allegiance, great one." Tom's petition tasted sickly sweet as it rolled off his tongue, and the sound of it curdled in the Dragons ear.

Be gone with you from this place, mortal thing. Your flesh is nothing to us. We only offer ash and death and fire. It said with finality and made a low chuffing noise. The Dragons that surrounded the area bowed up from their crouches and made to move back to areas farther from where this congregation had arrived. The large red before him lifted its head and strode back several steps before swinging its head away, dismissing Tom as it moved to leave this place.

NO! After all the work he had done to find this place, the preparation for the spell now? Tom raged, loudly. He would not be put off so easily. From the depths of his flesh and bone Tom conjured from within him a heat that he cast out across the divide, through his spectral projection that took the form of a white, broiling fire that struck the Dragon at its side.

The impact and heat caused the Dragon to jerk its huge head back around and glare menacingly at Tom.

The Dragon no longer moved to leave, but reared its head sharply, and opened those great and fearsome jaws, sucking in a massive intake of air and gaseous material. Sensing the Dragon about to strike, Tom braced himself from the distance at which he stood and fortified his spell, grounding himself and hardening his focus. In a jet the Dragon shot out a line of fire from its mouth that shot straight through the spectral vision of Tom as he stood stalwart while the Dragon rained its blaze through the projection.

As the inferno died back into the Dragons mouth, little ignited droplets fell down onto the bare ground out of the jaws, and the outpouring of flammable material the Dragon produced was quelled. The phantom of Tom remained standing as he had, completely intact and wearing a smug smile on his unblemished face.

The Dragon turned its head and considered the vision more carefully before opening his jaws again, and with a low roar of frustration that shook the earth near him, brought his mouth down rapidly, snapping his jaws shut around the poltergeist that stood before it.

A rolling laugh sounded from the infuriating projection as the jaws passed completely through it, leaving it intact and unharmed. The Dragon snapped again and again with loud clacks of its bone-like teeth tore through the air as it build a furious scream from its throat, unable to find purchase on the form in front of it, and unable to tear it in two. The red Dragon ceased, and let loose a scream of frustration that sounded like glass and metal in the air. Even from where real-Tom stood, it scrapped at his eardrums and he fought to keep from wincing at it.

DAMN YOU BOTHERSOME PEST! The Dragon roared. WHERE BE YOUR MASTER?! The final bellow shook the ground as the Dragon howled its frustrations, clawing at where the spectral Tom Riddle stood, continuing to work itself into a frenzy as it used its head to try to bash him, more fire to burn him, and the lashing around if its long and barbed tail to skewer him. All efforts failed.

The other observing Dragons which had previously made to leave, had all crept curiously back toward the scene to witness as the large Dragon complained endlessly with spitting curses intermingled with a noise that sounded greatly like it was endemic specific to the Dragon, but was formed of consistent sounds.

Toms laughter had goaded the beast into a rage as it tried again and again to tear him asunder, each attempt failing completely until the beast settled itself, body heaving with deep breaths and a smoldering trail of smoke still seeping out of its mouth.

Be you a demon, or be you a man, mortal insect? It hissed at him, but not waiting for Tom to reply. What is your hidden purpose?

The man grinned ear-to-ear at the Dragon; it was ready to talk after all, it seemed.

"I seek your alliance against my enemies, great one." he proclaimed, and the Dragon gave a sharp nod of understanding, but was still clearly incensed at having been unable to lay harm to the much-smaller adversary.

And what enemies have you, that we should care, tiny mage? Tom smiled, but considered more carefully the posture the Dragon still maintained; its great neck was still curved as though to strike, the head low to the ground in menace. Its entire body screamed with threat and the Dragon eyed him carefully.

"Gold Dragons, great one." Tom observed carefully the posture of the large red Dragon as it reeled back and snarled.

Pomposity and self-importance, those are. How come you to believe we have a care to mingle in the detestable politics of man? We care naught for obliging the likes of you, vermin. Its recoil at the mention of gold Dragons was clear, but so was its stubbornness over his pursuit.

Tom straightened himself further. "Oh, their piety and sickening benevolence is well-known." He agreed. "They make their supposition of greatness clear; that they are the superior being, and the greatest of all." The red cocked its head.

The gold Dragons are nothing more than charlatans. False kings. Vexatious in their self-proclaimed purity and righteousness. The Dragon spat upon the dust of the ground. The last great Elder drove us here in exile to punish us for our misdeeds against man. Tom's interest piqued further. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Any why then should the "great" gold Dragons have sway in where you live, red master?"

The Dragons crackling laughter was low, not disguising his enjoyment at a compliment. Gold Dragons are the largest, and detestably the strongest. He grumbled. We were bound here by The Elder with our own blood, unable to leave.

Tom considered his words most carefully before he posed his next questions. "So what then would a mighty red king such as yourself do, were someone to free you of your prison?"

For the first time since the exchange had begun, the great red Dragons posture changed, it relaxed slightly and its head dropped low to look directly at the spectral vision of Tom Riddle, the two eyes facing forward, the great giant raised a massive paw, one blackened razor claw outstretched.

Now that would be an engaging piece of magic indeed, little fleshling.

The Lord Riddle smiled ear-to-ear at the Dragon, and bowed to it humbly. "Then I am a servant to you in this venture, as I beseech you to enjoin together once you are freed."

The great red Dragon wagged his jaws just a little, as though it were a chuckle that only the Dragon could hear. So you are, mortal. What curious serendipity this is. The yellow eyes looked at Tom carefully, though the beast settled downward until it was perched -not unlike a common cat, upon the ground in front of Tom. The great horned head no longer positioned to strike, those yellow orbs, shot through with light yellows and ribbons of saffron, were speculative and curious now.

Show me what you can do, little mage. Free me from my prison and let us discuss this scourge of gold Dragons we share as adversary.

AN:

[1] – Tom is using a measurement of 6ft. So 6ftx7 = 42 feet.