DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.

Chapter Thirteen - A Diary of Dragons

Daily Prophet
Outbreak of Owl Flu, page 9

A recent outbreak of the rare and deadly owl flu has been uncovered after the deaths of several owls from the famous wizarding school, Hogwarts. All owls currently upon school grounds have been placed in quarantine and will be unable to deliver messages for an unknown period of time. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore assures parents and students that another means of letter delivery will be organized as soon as possible.

For now, parents are being discouraged from sending family owls into the quarantine zone and risking the spread of the illness. Until further notice, all owl deliveries into and out of the school have been stopped. Any owl attempting to deliver mail will be turned around at the school wards. Should the wards fail, the owl will join those currently under quarantine.

- Bernice Briklewood

XxXxX

Harry was standing impatiently before the picture Raveana had first appeared in when the manor began to shake. His eyes widened as the portraits along the walls began to rattle, a fine tremble that threatened to send them crashing to the floor. Raising his hands to brace the landscape, he cried out as the painting came down suddenly, impaling itself on his upraised fingers. Grimacing, he shook the portrait off and winced as it clattered to the floor, torn edges waving with the faint wind rising through the corridor.

A dull crack had Harry slowly looking up, his emerald eyes taking in the long line creeping through the plaster of the ceiling. Small chips of white dust rained down on him, making him cough and sneeze as he stared in shocked awe at the lengthening crack. The creak and groan of weakening wood had him stumbling backwards in a vain attempt to escape the rain of mortar. With a grinding roar the first hunk of ceiling fell, crashing into the dark-wooded floor and sending a wave of white dust into the air.

"Merlin's Balls!" Harry yelped, wheeling around and dashing down the hall. He glanced over his shoulder and cried out as the white dust chased him, the cloud growing larger with every chunk of plaster that fell. The glimmer of metal had him sliding to a halt, nimble fingers yanking the door open as he lurched inside. Slamming the door closed, he stumbled backwards until he felt the firm touch of wood behind him. He slid to the floor and covered his head, shielding himself from the objects raining down from the closet's shelves. Seconds later, everything went still. Unfolding his arms, he peered into the gloom around him before drawing his wand and whispering Lumos.

The floor was covered in various objects that had slid off the narrow shelves. Allowing the tip of his wand to ghost over the mess, he stilled suddenly. He swallowed deeply as he extended a hand and closed it around the narrow piece of wood, pulling it closer for inspection. It was an arrow's shaft, the wood smooth and worn under his fingertips. The metal head was missing, replaced by a dark stain that crawled up the shaft. Rolling it slowly, he fumbled the wood when he found himself staring into the twinkling eyes of a white wolf. "Malfoy." He murmured, dropping the shaft into his lap. Shaking his head, he sent his fingers searching through the darkness, patting for anything else of interest.

The brush of soft leather had him arching an eyebrow and pulling the small book from the rubble. A single white lily had been painted upon the blue cloth, its green stem curving into a long leaf. Putting his wand between his teeth, he used both hands to pry the pages open, squinting to make out the scrawling script sliding across the parchment.

XxXxX

10th of June, 1569

It took many years and many deaths for the Dragon's Maw to finally arrive within my grasp. I shall not give the details or methods I used to acquire the instrument, only that I orchestrated a series of events worthy of the greatest dark wizard to bring it to me. If my family hadn't already distanced themselves from me, this would have been the final ingredient in the cauldron. He disapproves of course, yet at times, it was his wand that did the casting.

27th of June, 1569

I suppose I never really believed the Dragon's Maw summoned the Mages. However, I find my disbelief assuaged as I sit here writing this. For you see, today I met my first dragon. There are truly no words to describe the surprise I felt upon seeing him draped upon the cliffs. Scales the deepest of crimson shining under the sun while he watched me with those swirling emerald eyes. A king among dragons, and the first to answer my call. I have named him Basta.

16th of July, 1569

I awoke to find my lawns covered in a fine frost. It was extremely surprising, especially since it's the middle of July. My house elves were upset, the beautiful gardens surrounding Shirestra have been completely destroyed by the hoarfrost. The culprit can only be a Coldmouth. Though I have yet to see this dragon, I shall name it Druid, for only a master of magic could bring snow in the summer.

19th of July, 1569

This evening I returned from a dinner party with several old friends to find my usually quiet home in an uproar. It seems a small Sandtongue managed to find her way into my kitchens and made a thorough mess of the entire room. It is strangely disappointing to see only one of a breed when you know they prefer to travel in pods or clans.
Esdra, as I am calling her, must surely have lost her family to a hunting party. I'm left to wonder how much damage has already been done, how many dragons slain because they are worth more in death then in life?

21st of July, 1569

A second King Mage has decided to grace my cliffs with his presence. He is truly a formidable beast and very impressive to look upon. Basta ignores him but I imagine that shall change with time.
The council sits again today but I have been told to remain at home. It's hard sometimes, not knowing whether I'm doing more harm then good. As the days pass I find myself growing more tense and quiet, finding comfort only within the arms of my husband or sitting upon Basta's shoulder.

22nd of July, 1569

Against his wishes, I attended a meeting of the ministry this afternoon. I had wondered why he'd been so close-lipped about the court's proceedings, and it was easy to see why after sitting through the first hour of debate. THEY condemn them for sins that are unavoidable. Why is it we can kill to protect ourselves but they can not? The ring on my finger was probably the only thing that kept me from rising and cursing them all.

24 of July, 1569

A new dragon arrived this evening. If my deductions are correct, he's of Icefang lineage. He rode in on the winds of a thunderstorm, his white and gold body visible among the dark clouds. His screams ring like thunder and I'm left to wonder if he controls the element or if it was just an eerie coincidence.
Basta was not happy about this new arrival. Something tells me that my king shall have his work cut out for him if he is to maintain the position of leader over the slowly growing clan. For now, Silverhawk (as he has been named), seems comfortable to accept the role of follower.

28th of July, 1569

Riding Brigadier upon the cliffs has become a dangerous past time as I found out this morning. Generally a fairly calm and quiet animal, the poor boy was given quite a fright when a pair of Green Backs materialized upon the path before us. He did as any smart stallion would, he dumped me into the grass and took off for home, leaving me to walk the two miles on foot.
Other then a bruised rump, I find myself elated at seeing a mated pair. F'lar, the male, is a dark blue with a narrow band of silver running up his back. His mate, F'lor, is the colour of emeralds and marked with a thick line of silver running from the tip of her nose to the hook of her tail. Their arrival gives me new hope and I can only pray that the Shirestra Cliff clan will continue to grow in the weeks to come.

1st of August, 1569

The ministry has acquiesced.

5th of August, 1569

Basta bonded with me today. It was a privilege I never expected to earn, a pleasure that has been denied witches and wizards for centuries. The magic of the Mage flows through my veins, changing me forever in ways that I know not. Already my once lovely blue eyes have changed, replaced by a shimmering green the colour of emeralds. They are his eyes; the glimmering orbs of a King Mage. I can only wonder how he will take it. In my heart I know that I will not survive like this. Mage Magic burns to quickly, you see, it consumes the body and mind at an abnormal speed. Unless I find a way to burn it off, I might possibly die of a magical overload.

10th of August, 1569

I buried my sweet Brigadier today. He was a fine stallion, perhaps the best I ever had the pleasure of claiming as my own. It was an arrow that brought him to his knees, my dagger that finished the job. I recognized that arrow, that smirking white wolf pacing the wood. It has truly begun. Perhaps I had come to believe they would forget about me and my dragons, safe here behind my wards. He was merely reminding me of that fact. One death shall be outweighed by the many to come. Be over shadowed by the sheer numbers that shall only increase as the days pass.

14th of August, 1569

The last few weeks have been quiet and I've found myself spending most of the time searching the sky for dragons. My constant search was finally rewarded when a new dragon appeared on the horizon. A female Siberian Shade, a very angry female Shade to be exact. Since her arrival, she has done nothing but harass Silverhawk and chase Esdra.
Basta has yet to sort her out but I will leave that up to him, I have no plans to pit myself against this dragoness. Black Lady, for she truly seems to have the temperament of a spoiled duchess, will most likely be the last dragon to answer my call.

20th of August, 1569

Perhaps my spoiled little duchess isn't the last dragon to answer my call after all. A dragon lurks beneath the waters of my cliffs, visible only when the surf is calm. I am only able to catch a glimpse of this Mage now and then, its metallic blue scales allowing it to blend in with the sea and sunlight. Maybe the Mage Dragons know something is coming. With all their power and magics, surely some of them know what's occurring and have gone into hiding.

25 of August, 1569

Death brushed my wards yesterday, bloodied the magical wall I had constructed about Shirestra. It has begun, I can no longer sit back and watch the world pass us by. My dragons are no longer safe here, I have only come to realize this after killing a man. He dragged my Blue Knight from the sky, chained him to the ground and hacked off those once magnificent wings. He reduced a once fearsome animal to a wailing pile of flesh before my very eyes. I burned them both, hid the evidence of my failure and crime. We can only mourn now as we wait for the time to flee.

27th of August, 1569

I shall die today but they will live, is that not what I have been striving for all along? Accept this as the last will and testament of Raveana Draconis, disowned daughter of Melinda and Corace Potter. All that I have shall be left to my family, except the Dragon's Maw. The flute shall be hidden, as per my wishes, in a place where no one will think to look. The Maw is to be put to rest, for its call will unwind everything I have put in motion. Unless the power and might of the Mage is needed, I request it go unplayed. One last reminder shall I give before joining my king on the cliffs: combine the Mage and Maw, and you'll have a power greater then anything every foreseen.

XxXxX

Harry shut his eyes, swallowing deeply as sorrow swept over him. So many new questions had arisen concerning Raveana Draconis. She spoke of a husband but Hermione had claimed the witch had never married. Who was this he she spoke of then? He opened his eyes slowly and reread her last entry before loosening his fingers. The pages of the diary fluttered closed softly, leaving him to stare at the white flower adorning the cover.

He reached up and removed the wand from between his lips, dousing the glow with a soft whisper. Putting a hand against the floor to push himself to his feet, he jumped when the door of the closet was jerked open. Blinking against the sudden flood of light, he glared up into the blue eyes of one very peeved Slytherin.

"What the hell are you doing sitting in a closet?" Draco demanded loudly, a scowl plastered on his face as he peered down at Harry. Shaking his blond head, the wizard planted his hands on his hips. "You've finally lost it haven't you? The Boy-Who-Lives crying in a cupboard like a little girl. Shameful, really."

"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry muttered, hauling himself to his feet. He jammed the small book into his pocket and began to brush at his Quidditch robes, frowning when he only managed to smear the plaster dust around. A gleam of silver caught his attention and had him straightening to stare at the flute the other wizard held lightly. "Were you playing that by chance?"

"I was," Draco stated proudly, chin rising as he narrowed his eyes at the question. The blond jumped when something brushed his leg, lurching into the closet and whirling around to glare at the Sandtongue standing innocently in the doorway. "And they answered. Did you hear them Potter? How they sang perfectly in tune with me."

"Have you seen the mess you made?" Harry hissed, gesturing at the white floor the little dragon stood upon. "Dozens of portraits destroyed, the roof practically caving in around us. The house has been ruined enough without you adding to it."

Sniffing, Draco raised a hand and stared at his nails, pretending to ignore the raven-haired wizards words. He was still to elated to be angry at Potter, his recent playing of the flute having boosted his spirit. Rolling his eyes as the other wizard continued, he whipped out his wand and held it over his head. "Calm down, Potter. It's nothing that a little magic can't fix."

A sudden rush of power had the hair on their arms raising. Both immediately searched for the source, the tips of their wands shaking as magic swirled around them. The air vibrated with energy, almost humming perceptibly around them. With a final surge, the wave faded, leaving the pair standing slack-jawed at the sight before them.

"Did you do that?" Harry asked dry mouthed, stepping out into the corridor and looking both ways.

Draco followed slowly, his head shaking as he stared at the gleaming wood floor. "No." He croaked, raising his gaze to the spotless ceiling. A chittering had him whirling and backing away from the Sandtongue, hissing slightly as the dragon focused a swirling amber eye on him. "Maybe you should ask her."

XxXxX

Hermione dropped into a chair in the Charms classroom, her book bag thumping upon the floor as she reread the article that had caught everyone's attention in the Daily Prophet. She flipped the paper closed and settled back in the chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I can't believe this." She hissed at Ron, rolling her eyes when the redhead jumped. Pushing the paper toward him, she reached down and opened her book bag, withdrawing several books from its interior. Slamming them down on top of the desk, she narrowed her eyes on their professor.

She shot a look over her shoulder when she heard the chairs scrape the floor, nodding politely to Blaise and Pansy as they collapsed into the seats. Her eyes fell upon the paper the wizard held, seeing the wrinkling of the paper under his tight grip.

"You know what they're doing, don't you?" Blaise whispered, rolled paper bouncing in the palm of his hand. He tipped his chin toward the Professor, eyes narrowing as the wizard explained something to several other students. "They're cutting us off. Making sure Potter and Draco's disappearance doesn't put the wizarding world into chaos."

Hermione nodded in agreement, elbowing Ron as the wizard stared blankly at the empty blackboard. "It's obvious why they've chosen to stop all owl deliveries but surely they don't think that will stop rumours from traveling. I mean, how are they going to stop our Hogsmeade weekends? Claim we've all contracted some made-up disease."

"I'm quite certain they'll come up with something." Pansy mumbled, brushing her chin with the neon pink feather of her quill.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione slumped down and faced the front of the room, flipping her text open to index. Staring at the folded paper, she reread the title over and over again before a light bulb went on inside her head. "Hedwig!" She hissed in excitement, snapping her fingers.

Blaise arched a dark eyebrow and exchanged a look with Pansy. "What?"

"Harry's owl, Hedwig. She can find him anywhere." Hermione explained, already grabbing a piece of parchment and beginning to write. "All we have to do is figure out how to get the message to her without getting caught."

"Leave that to us." Blaise murmured, a purely Slytherin smirk sliding across his face. Settling back into their chairs, the group began to plan.

A/N: I know, everyone wanted a lot more action but I just had to give you this. lol, next chapter I promise a lot of dragon action. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and review!

Shinigami – I've never come across the terms 'seme' and 'uke' before, could you please explain? I'm guessing its something along the lines of dominant and submissive but would appreciate it if you would correct me.
fourth-face-of-the-goddess – lol, many of your questions will be answered in the next chapter, as for Harry's hands, maybe they have a mind of their own?
MagicallyInclined – It isn't known whether or not the dragons speak parseltongue, however, if I they do, I'm sure I'll find an interesting way to get them talking with Harry.
muffinsnail – lol, the dragons are unfortunately just dragons, though that would have been a unique spin on the whole thing. Glad you're enjoying the story so far.
IvySnowe – Sorry, once again only little Esdra makes an appearance. Next chapter though . . . I'm just drooling to write. Some dragon on dragon fighting, an almost singed Draco, it's definitely gonna be a thrill to write.
kasmo – Bingo! Only you've put your finger on that one and Raveana is repeatedly doing this for a reason.
PleiadesWolfe – lol, I think he was a little mad.
Liria Nai – If he didn't notice then, he should definitely have noticed now.
NinjoftheDarkness – lol, Draco's playing startled him greatly and made him mad.