EDITED - End of chapter

CHAPTER 26 - DRAGON TALES

"We should get the uniforms next," Harry commented.

Tommy smirked at this, well aware of Harry's reasoning. While everything else on the list they were purchasing could be of use whether or not they attended Hogwarts, the uniforms were not. Neither one of them were interested in wasting money, even if they did find themselves suddenly very rich, so if they purchased the uniforms it was a safe bet they would be going. "We still have things to discuss, Har."

"Tommy!"

"Seriously, Harry, do you think this is a decision we should make without talking to the team? It's not just us anymore, their lives are tied to ours. You know that."

Harry didn't respond immediately. "They'd tell us it's our decision. Just like they did over the Eltarian academy."

"Jason's team said that, yes," Tommy agreed softly. "When we were just fighting Rita. You so sure they'll feel as confident against Zedd? Con and Kat might not agree so easily either."

"Jason trusts your judgment. You tell them they'll be okay against Zedd and they'll face him with confidence. Con owes you his life and Kat and her girls would do anything for you. Actually, they all trust your judgment, they all owe you their lives, and they all would do anything for you. I'm not saying we shouldn't talk to them," Harry added quickly. "I'm just saying what we both know. We'll talk to them but they will agree to whatever you decide."

That's the thing, Har, Tommy thought to himself the words he couldn't say. How can I tell them I'm confident they can handle Zedd without us when I doubt we can even if we stay together? Even more, how could I tell any of you my doubts when you're all looking to me for inspiration? He sighed softly. I suppose not being sure we can handle Zedd as we are is answer enough. We need to improve our skills, the best way to do that isn't self study. "Alright, Har. Uniforms next."

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed. Then he glanced around. They'd been walking around while talking, simply moving to be away from the main crowds, and he now had no idea where they'd ended up. "Where is that Madam Makens?"

"Malkin's," Tommy corrected absently.

"Her shop's on the main alley," a stocky man with long red hair stated, having heard Harry's question as he stepped out of the second hand store the boys were standing beside. "If you go through…" His words drifted off as his eyes met Tommy's. A strange sensation passed through him, something he'd only felt before from the dragons he worked with though it had never been as strong as this.

Tommy didn't say anything as he met the red haired man's eyes. He seemed to be what Zedd's people referred to as a dragon spirit, which would make him a great potential ally or even friend. If Tommy was willing to let him in and was able to protect him from Zedd, anyway. At this moment though, he could be a great source of information since a dragon spirit would be unable to even conceive of lying to Tommy.

"Charlie Weasley," the man introduced himself after a long moment of simply staring at Tommy in shock.

"Tommy Oliver. My brother, Harry."

"I didn't find the robes I need in here so I have to go to Madam Malkin's anyway. If you'd like, I'll just show you the way?"

Tommy nodded agreement and the three started off. "We'll be starting Hogwarts this year, the main thing I'm worried about there is how people will react to my brother when they realize he's Harry Potter."

Harry looked over in shock at this. He couldn't believe Tommy was telling that to some man they met mere seconds ago, even if they did seem to see something in each other. What could Tommy have possibly seen in that moment?

"Harry Potter huh," Charlie repeated.

"I prefer Oliver," Harry dryly stated and Charlie nodded in understanding.

"He's under a glamour right now," Tommy continued.

"There's a lot of … expectations around that name," Charlie said thoughtfully. "I don't know… Do you have the scar?" When Harry nodded, Charlie frowned. "Everyone will recognize that. There are stories about Harry Potter … ridiculous stories really. Like the one where he killed a dragon when he was two years old, things like that. My baby sister has the set of Harry Potter storybooks. Some writer capitalizing on his name, forgetting he's a real person. Everyone at Hogwarts right now grew up with those stories so I bet you'll have a hard time getting any of them to see you instead of those stories. They'll expect you to be in Gryffindor. That was my House but I almost hope you aren't sorted there simply because it's the expected. Our people really could use a dose of reality."

He fell silent as they entered Madam Malkin's, and stood back waiting while she took their measurements. Tommy placed their order, which consisted of quiet a bit more than the required numbers.

"All mine are to be lined in this green," Tommy pointed out the material from the stacks within the shop. "My brother's in that white. Well lined, ma'am. I do not want so much as an eighth inch of black material to touch our skin. I don't care if that makes any sense to you or not," he added before she could voice the confusion written clearly upon her face. "All that matters is that is the only way we'll accept the clothing and we are willing to pay for the extra material and labor. Can you do that?"

Madam Malkin thought a moment then named a price. Tommy looked to Charlie.

"It's decent. That's half again the amount if you ordered that number of regular school uniforms," Charlie said with a shrug.

Tommy agreed to the price. After Charlie ordered his fireproof cloak, they headed outside. Without thinking about it, Charlie found himself walking with the boys as they continued shopping. He spoke with them like they were his best life-long friends, he deferred to Tommy like a respected boss or head of family, all without consciously realizing it. The fact he was talking with eleven year old boys never crossed his mind, even when answering questions that highlighted that fact. After rather excitedly telling them all about his new job in Romania working as a dragon handler, they returned to the subject of Hogwarts.

"His descriptions aren't too bad," Charlie said after hearing what Cedric had told them. "McGonagall is … distant from her House. It think it's probably because we're supposed to be the house of the brave, she figured we should be able to handle any problems ourselves. All the other Heads are more hands on. Flitwick will assist in any academic issues but I believe he even sent his Ravens to Sprout if the problem was outside that. Snape takes care of his Slytherins. I've never heard of one of them going to one of the other Heads for anything. Everyone said he favors his House but looking back, I think he might do that mostly because the other professors are harder on his House."

Charlie pointed out a telescope set. "That's the one Sinistra suggests for her class. She always complains over the shops pushing the cheaply made ones because they make more profit off them."

"Maybe she should add her suggestion to the list?" Harry commented.

"She would but the Board won't allow it. She's a good instructor, a fair woman. When the Board refused her request, she purchased a dozen of these sets and loans them out to the students who buy the store's suggestion and have it break halfway through the year. Most anyone else would tell you to owl order a new one."

Charlie thought for awhile. "What else can I tell you? I don't know who's teaching Defense this year. History is a waste of time. Binns is the most boring ghost in existence, you'll get more from reading the book. You will have flying lessons with Madam Hooch, the Quidditch referee. She's a good referee, strict but fair. I don't know how she'll do teaching though. This will be her first year taking on that job."

With that, the conversation moved to Quidditch. Charlie explained the rules then shared stories of his games where he played Seeker. "I was offered a position with the national team but who wants to spend their whole life playing games? Quidditch is fun and an exciting break from school but it's still just a game." He laughed. "Not that my youngest brother would ever believe that. Ron starts this year too. If you don't want to hear everything about the Chuddly Cannons, also known as the worst Quidditch team ever, don't get him started on Quidditch. He thinks they're the greatest."

Harry grinned. "Now that sounds like great advice."

They were almost to the bookstore when Charlie noticed the time. "Shit! I have to go, I'm meeting my boss. Owl me." He waited for Tommy to nod in agreement before he rushed off.

"He's a bit odd," Harry said once the older man was gone. "At least you're reaction to him is anyway."

"He's a dragon spirit, he's drawn to me because I'm a dragon lord," Tommy explained softly. "He wouldn't understand the language or anything that obvious, he's just drawn to dragons and the like. He doesn't seem to know why he's drawn to me just as he doesn't seem to realize he was deferring to me either. That makes him fairly safe to talk with since he couldn't imagine lying to me or anything. So long as Zedd never finds out about him, he's cool." He paused, thinking. "He was definitely more honest with the downsides than anyone else would be because of that."

Harry frowned at that but didn't say anything. The clothes were ordered but their attendance was still in question.

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