Chapter 28 – Fire & Fury
They had all stood momentarily in shock as the enormous dragon came in to view and it proceeded to roar again, only this time the beast did it directly at them. The five of them were almost knocked off their feet as the force of the creature's cry hit them full on.
"Run!" Charlie screamed and they all dived behind various rocks and stalagmites for cover as the dragon unleashed a wave of fiery breath around the cavern.
Phenix found himself behind a massive rock with Kyle as they could feel the intense heat from the dragon's fire behind them. He looked around to see if he could see any of the others but no one was in sight.
"What do we do now?" a panicked Kyle asked as the dragon unleashed another fiery breath that lit up the cavern.
"No idea," Phenix replied, hoping the others were still safe and he could feel a sharp pain in his leg.
Phenix felt inside his trouser pocket and realised when he had dived to safety he had landed on the Sneakoscope and it had smashed in his pocket. As he drew his hand out again he could see blood on it and realised the glass from the device had cut his leg.
"Are you OK?" Kyle asked when he saw Phenix's blood stained hand.
"Yeah I think it's just a graze. I'll be alright."
Once the cavern darkened again Phenix risked a look and peeked over the top of the rock they were behind to see where the dragon was now. He could see the beast moving away from them and it had its head lowered and seemed to be sniffing at a stalagmite. Phenix really hoped none of his friends were behind it and looked around the rest of the cavern and spotted Charlie, who like him had his head poking up from behind a rock to get a better look at the dragon. Phenix ducked down again and turned to Kyle.
"Charlie's over there," he said pointing. "I'm gonna make a run for it."
"Are you crazy? You're going to risk it just to be with lover boy and leave me here on my own?" Kyle fumed.
"Charlie knows more about dragons than any of us. I'm hoping he has an idea of how to defeat it."
"Defeat it?!" Kyle exclaimed. "It's a dragon. We're a bunch of students. We can't defeat it. It's going to burn us all alive!"
Phenix didn't appreciate Kyle's scepticism much but he had to admit vanquishing a dragon was a big ask. He risked another look over the top of the rock and saw the dragon was still preoccupied as it curiously sniffed around at the other side of the cavern.
Phenix took his chance and made a run for it and dived behind the rock where Charlie looked surprised to see him. A second later Kyle jumped behind the rock too, having not wanted to be left on his own.
"So Phenix thinks you know how to kill one of these," Kyle said through panted breath to Charlie who looked taken aback.
"I never said that," Phenix corrected him. "But I was hoping you might have some ideas?"
But Charlie looked totally helpless.
"I mean I've read various things in books. Various curses people have used on dragons but I never actually used them myself," Charlie answered as the dragon roared again and the whole cavern shook.
"We could just use the Killing Curse on it," Kyle suggested as he scrunched himself up behind the rock to make sure no part of his body was visible to the dragon.
"Have you ever used it before? Because I know I haven't," Charlie noted mockingly and Kyle was about to argue back with him when Phenix interrupted.
"I don't think we're supposed to kill it. Think about it. The founders wouldn't have wanted to kill a dragon every time they wanted to get into the vault. For all we know if we try to kill it the curse might rebound and hit us," Phenix stated as he glanced again around the cavern to see where the dragon was now. "Plus we only found two statues of students in the last chamber. Maybe the other two of them got past the dragon without killing it."
"Or the dragon burnt them to a crisp and there's nothing left of them," Kyle derided.
Just then they heard a scream and they all looked up to see Phia and Jack running across the cavern as the dragon unleashed a flaming breath at the spot where they had just been. The pair made it safely behind another rock as the dragon's fury continued to rain down.
"Whatever we're going to do we need to do it fast because unless that dragon's contracts a sore throat very soon we're all gonna be toast," scorned Kyle as he ducked back down behind the safety of the rock.
"That's it!" Charlie cried out exuberantly.
"What is?" asked Phenix as he sheltered back behind the rock.
"We just need to think of a curse to stop it breathing fire long enough for us to get past," Charlie stated, already thinking in his head of possible spells to use.
"Is there a spell to give someone a sore throat?" Phenix asked.
"There's one for hiccupping," Kyle noted.
"I think the last thing we want is that creature hiccupping. It will probably end up shooting fire all over the place," Phenix said.
"Good point," Kyle replied wishing now he paid more attention in Charms class.
Phenix took another glance over the rock and could see the dragon was still looking for Jack and Phia on the other side of the cavern. He then looked over to where the pair had run too but they were still keeping out of sight behind the rock so he couldn't see if they were OK.
"There's one to make someone lose their voice but I don't know if that would have any effect on breathing fire," Charlie suggested, unable to think of anything better.
"What about the Frog-in-the-Throat Charm?" Phenix suggested.
"Isn't that the same as someone losing their voice?" Kyle asked.
"No it's literally a frog in the throat," Phenix said.
"I don't think one frog is going to stop that thing," Kyle pointed out as they all heard the beast let out another deafening roar.
"Yeah but maybe not if we all cast it multiple times together on the dragon. If we do it enough it might stop it," Phenix suggested, thinking it might possibly work.
"It's worth a try," Charlie said thinking about how he'd always wanted to come face to face with a dragon but now the appeal had well and truly worn off.
"Right I'm going to try and get closer to the others to let them know the plan," Phenix said as he glanced around the rock. "Keep that thing distracted if it sees me."
Charlie immediately stood and peered over the top of the rock as Phenix got ready to run. As soon as he broke the cover of the rock the dragon seemed to either hear or sense him running and turned. Charlie swiftly pointed his wand at the far side of the cave.
"Flipendo!" Charlie shouted and a bolt of light shot from his wand, hitting a massive boulder on the far side of the cavern and sent it tumbling furiously backwards.
The dragon instantly turned away from Phenix and glanced at the boulder as it rolled noisily along. By the time the creature turned back Phenix was safely hidden behind a stalagmite and he could see Jack and Phia nearby.
"Are you both alright?" Phenix asked after he had caught his breath.
"Yeah fine," Phia replied for both of them though Jack looked positively pale through fear.
"We've got an idea. We're going to all cast the Frog-in-the-Throat Charm at it over and over again at the same time," Phenix said, explaining his plan.
"That's your plan?" Phia fumed. "That's a rubbish plan."
"Do you have a better idea?" Phenix asked and when he got no reply and only blank looks he continued. "Do you both know how to cast it?"
"Yeah sure," Phia replied but Jack shook his head. "Don't worry I'll show you."
Phenix turned to his other side where he could just about see Charlie and Kyle behind the rock where he had left them and gave them the thumbs up. He then cautiously peered around the stalagmite that was shielding him to see where the dragon was now. It was no longer interested in the boulder that Charlie had moved and was now searching the cavern and seemed to be making its way towards where they were all hiding.
Phenix looked back to Phia and Jack and could see his sister quickly explaining the curse to him and waited for them to give him a signal that they were both ready to proceed. Once he got the nod from them it was time to see if his plan would actually work.
With his back to the stalagmite he took a deep breath and gripped his wand tightly as he mentally prepared himself. Then in one swift motion he spun himself around from behind the safety of the rock pillar and thrust his wand forward.
"Rana Faucium!" he yelled and a flash of green light burst from his wand and hit the dragon dead on in the face.
Suddenly there was a chorus of 'Rana Faucium' as the others burst from their cover and the cavern lit up green from all the curses that were being fired at the creature.
The dragon turned towards them and gave the most miniscule of coughs as something fell from it's mouth and then it unleashed a flaming fury at them. Everyone dived back behind the cover of the rocks as the fire rained down.
"I don't think it worked!" Kyle shouted over the rumble of the fire.
"Just keep trying!" Phenix shouted back and once he felt the heat die down behind him he broke cover again.
"Rana Faucium!" he shouted once more.
The others were losing faith in Phenix's plan but when they saw him taking another shot at the dragon they didn't dare leave him to fight it alone.
"Rana Faucium!" Charlie shouted as he emerged from behind his rock.
"Rana Faucium!" Phia screamed and a flash of green shot from her wand.
Soon Jack and Kyle joined them all in casting the charm as the dragon coughed again before releasing another onslaught of fire on them.
"Keep going!" Phenix yelled as he covered behind the rock and as soon as he felt the fiery breath had stopped he turned and bombarded the dragon with the curse once more.
The dragon shook it's head violently as more curses hit it and it began to charge towards them, smashing through stalactites that hung from the ceiling as it went and rocks poured down to the cavern floor.
Charlie and Kyle had to cover themselves with their arms as debris rained down on them as they sought refuge behind the rock once again, but from the huge pounding footsteps the dragon was making as it approached they knew it was getting closer.
Phenix could see the dragon was heading right for where the pair were hiding and would be on top of them any second.
"Over here!" he shouted, waving his arms frantically as he ran through the cavern, jumping over boulders and rocks, trying to get the dragon's attention.
The dragon's head was right over the rock Charlie and Kyle were hiding behind when it turned, having heard the commotion, and saw Phenix running. Immediately the creature turned and gave chase.
Phia and Jack watched on perilously as they peered over the top of the rock that was hiding them and saw what Phenix was doing.
"Is he mad? The dragon is going to get him," Phia said in panic as she watched on helpless.
Phenix didn't turn back to see where the dragon was but he heard it's almighty roar and immediately dived for cover as the cavern lit up as the flames showered down.
"We need to help him," Phia said and before Jack could stop her she had run out into the open. "Stupefy Maxima!"
The stunning spell hit the beast squarely in the back but didn't seem to have the desired effect and it just turned around to face Phia, having felt the curse hit it, and roared manically at her.
"Phia run!" Jack shouted at her but she seemed frozen to the spot as the dragon's head swung near as it continued to roar in anger.
Sensing that she wasn't about to move and without a second thought Jack sprinted towards her just as the dragon opened it's mouth once more to release its blazing breath right at her.
Phia could see right inside the dragon's mouth and the fire emerging deep from within its throat as it swelled towards her but she still couldn't move. She closed her eyes and prepared for her grim fate. But suddenly she felt not heat and burning but an arm around her.
"Protego!" a voice shouted and Phia dared to open her eyes and saw Jack beside her.
The dragon's flame was lighting up the cavern but as she turned she saw a barrier of light from Jack's wand protecting them both from it. Then in the distance she heard more shouting.
"Rana Faucium!"
It was Phenix and he was casting the curse at the dragon again and then Phia heard the curse being cast from behind her too as Charlie and Kyle joined in the barrage.
The dragon's fire ceased and it raised its head up to the roof of the cavern and let out a thunderous cough.
Jack and Phia took there chance and ran back behind their rock. Once Jack was sure Phia was alright he began casting the curse on the dragon as well and once she had regained her composure she joined in too.
Flashes of green light hit the dragon from all directions as it continued to cough violently. The creature seemed to swing its head wildly in every direction it was being attacked from but every time it opened it's mouth and tried to unleash its fire all it could manage was another booming cough.
They all continued their assault on the dragon with curse after curse striking the beast and it persisted to struggle. But as hard as the creature tried it now seemed unable to breathe its deadly fire as it wheezed and spluttered.
No one let up their attack and the dragon attempted one last breath but all that came out of its mouth was a flurry of frogs that rained down to the ground. The dragon crashed to the floor with a mighty thud that shook the whole cavern and it lay wheezing, exhausted and unable to attack as the five of them emerged from the safety of their hiding spots, just as fatigued as the dragon was.
"I can't believe that actually worked," Kyle said as he went and gave Phenix a congratulatory slap on the back.
"Yeah that was incredible. I can't believe we actually defeated a dragon," Charlie said as he walked towards Phenix and gave him a big hug and suddenly Kyle felt like a third wheel and stepped away from the pair.
The dragon continued to gasp, its head sprawled on the rocky ground and its tongue hanging out. Every now and then a frog would find its way out of the creature's mouth and croak loudly as it hopped along the cavern floor.
"Are you OK?" Jack asked Phia as he helped her step over a boulder to join the others.
"Yeah I'm fine and thanks. You saved my life back there," she said with a smile and a look on her face that was half way between confusion and happiness.
"I don't know how long its going to be down for, so let's get out of here quickly before its back on its feet," Phenix said as he looked around the cavern for a way out.
"I think there's a door down here," Jack shouted across to him, having spotted something down the end of a pathway in the cave.
They all made there way down the torch lit passageway and found a pair of huge metal doors at the end that were at least ten foot tall.
"Let's hope it's not locked," Phenix said as he tentatively reached out and grabbed one of the handles and gave it a big pull.
To everyone's relief the door began to swing open as it grinded against the stone floor. Charlie moved beside Phenix and helped him open the door the rest of the way as light filtered through the opening.
They all looked through the doorway in amazement. There glistening and gleaming in front of them was the biggest pile of gold any of them had ever seen.