Hey all, this is my first attempt at writing a fanfic on a universe crossover that has been inspiring me since I first found this website. American Dragon Jake Long was easily one of my favorite cartoons as a child (despite Jake's initially unbearable, cringe-worthy behavior), and the Harry Potter series is possibly the single greatest pop-culture influence of my entire life. Merging the two, when they both encompassed such similar concepts, felt so natural in my imagination that I was surprised more crossovers of this nature hadn't been attempted. So here I am, putting in my own two cents, and I'm glad to have you along for the ride!
From the perspective of AD:JL, this story takes place when Jake is around 16, three years since he first became the American Dragon. This universe is canon with the TV series, taking place after the events of Hong Kong Longs. I warn you now, this fic isn't focused on Rose, as you'll see in the story. I feel like the JakexRose stories are plentiful already and didn't really belong in this story.
From the perspective of Harry Potter, this story takes place at the beginning of the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix. Everything up to and through Goblet of Fire is canon, and only now with the introduction of the Jake Long universe do changes begin to pop up.
Again, this is my first fanfiction, so I am begging you: please read and review. Reviews give me inspiration, direction, and show me that at least someone is enjoying it. Or not enjoying it, I'll take the bad with the good. Follow if you want to stay updated, and bear with me as we hurtle down this path with our brave heroes contending against their worst enemies...
-James
Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own American Dragon Jake Long, the Harry Potter Series, or any characters associated with them.
The Sun shone brightly in the center of the sky, lighting the serene island below in a warm mid-summer's glow. Waves ebbed gently along the shores while a light breeze flowed through the grassy hills and sharp cliffs lining the mountainous peak at the center of the paradise. If not for the occasional shadow cast by clouds lazily floating by, the scene truly would have been picturesque, almost comically so, Lao Shi mused.
The former Chinese Dragon sat meditating in one of the few remaining natural groves in the area, as close to relaxing as the wizened man was ever likely to be found. Were he not restricted by the necessity of the island's secrecy and his own duties back home, Lao Shi would be content to return to this shaded spot every day of his life. Yet he couldn't help but be reminded of the impermanence of his peace as the quick blur of a shadow streaked across his closed eyelids, snapping his attention back to the present. In the distance, two blurs, one red and the other yellow, cut through the horizon, travelling at speeds that even Lao Shi considered impressive. "Of course," he mumbled to himself, "he would fill our last day with childish competition and rivalry." Not so much disappointed as exasperated by his grandson's predictable nature, Lao Shi did his best to again empty his mind and meditate. He was yet again distracted, however, as a group of figures walked out of the reception building along the coast of the island. "It is time," he sighed, before transforming into a large, blue, snake-like dragon and flying towards the Dragon Temple.
"You should've known better than to try and challenge the Am-Drag!" Jake shouted as he and his opponent careened past another sharp turn, through jagged canyons and past pits of boiling geyser water. The two were using every ounce of their energy to try and outdistance the other, refusing to accept defeat on their last of three "friendly" contests. Pride was on the line, and Jake wasn't about to lose to the biggest chump he'd ever met, magical or otherwise. "There's still time to throw in the towel, Nerk!"
"This 'aint over yet, mate!" Fred shot back, before twisting perfectly into a stream of spewing geyser steam. Jake flinched in sympathized pain before seeing his rival, wings fully exposed, riding the blast of air and rocketing ahead of him.
"Oh, so that's how we're gonna do this?!" he yelled ahead. Fred laughed to his passed opponent as the piggy-backed cloud of air dissipated. He took off at his usual pace, gunning for the final glowing hoop in the distance. The Australian Dragon, his victory assured, tilted his head back to Jake to get in a last few, choice taunts.
"It's alright, mate! You gave it your…" was all he managed to get out before reflexively ducking out of the way. A red dragon with a yellow underbelly and spine tipped with green flaring scales roared past him. Facing behind him and chest to the sky as though he were trying to backstroke through the air, with his limbs and wings all tucked in to be as streamlined as possible, Jake was roaring out every ounce of fire he could through his gaping mouth. In truth, he managed to look quite like a missile cutting through the air.
Jake couldn't help but spare a wink and "good-bye" wave for Fred, who was desperately trying to gain the speed he needed to catch up. He was soon out of flames, the sudden loss of breath and following gasping struggle to flip over into his normal flying position quickly shook Jake out of his gloating. He managed to right himself just in time to see the upper rim of the goal colliding with the bridge of his snout, the pain blinding him instantly.
Fred slowed to a glide the moment he saw Jake collapse to the ground with the formerly floating ring goal following suit. He landed smoothly next to the downed dragon, commenting, "I'd call that little trick of yours a beaut if it weren't so stupid." He gave a small laugh, offering his hand to Jake, who took it gladly.
"Make's sense, it was your little geyser stunt that gave me the idea," Jake rasped while brushing the dirt off of his scales. The welt on his head wasn't going away any time soon, and his throat felt like burning asphalt.
"Well now THAT explains it, I couldn't have thought of a dumber plan if I tried," Fred chortled. The two boys burst with laughter (which Jake's throat sincerely resented) and began another contest, this time of recounting who had made a bigger fool of himself in the past. Ultimately, Fred won by pointing out Jake's backfired pepper prank that had almost cost him his master years before, though not before the two had shed several tears in laughter over the stories. Had you told either of them that they would become so close when they first met three years previously, they would likely have had similar, if not worse, fits of laughter.
The two were finally pulled out of their reverie of story-telling when a smaller dark pink dragon flew up to them and landed near Jake. Turning his head to the new comer, Jake recognized none other than his overbearing and perfectionist sister. "Whaddup, Hales?" he asked, climbing up off of his side to his feet. The sudden movement brought another wave of pain to his forehead, but it was nothing compared to the sweet sense of victory that still lingered in Jake's chest.
"Hey Fred!" Haley cheered to the yellow dragon still sitting next to Jake. Nerk responded with a mock salute and toothy grin.
"G'day Haley, care to go for a run around the track?" he asked gesturing to the flight course in the distance. "We don't have a third goal ring thanks to Jakeroo over here, but I'd probably already have finished the race before you made it past the second one anyway," he teased her.
She rolled her eyes so well Jake thought they might be stuck back in her thick dragon skull until she turned to face him. "Jake, gramps wants us to meet him at the steps to the council chambers. He sounded serious, but he wouldn't tell me what was going on," she said with a downcast stare and her claws folded neatly in front of her. Jake saw the nervous motion and instantly rebuffed her with his hand on her shoulder.
"Nothing to worry about, little sis', Mac'Daddy Jake's got this. Nerk, you coming?" he asked Fred, who was now on his feet stretching his limbs.
"You kiddin', mate? If it's got Lao Shi worried, then you'll need the Australian Dragon for sure. Only question is, who's gonna get there first?" Before Jake could register what was happening, Fred was soaring towards the Dragon Temple, keen on getting revenge for earlier.
"Oh, it is so ON!" Jake yelled, flying after Nerk and leaving Haley to sit in the dust from his take off, slowly shaking her head in a mixture of disbelief and annoyance.
"Boys."
Lao Shi stood next to the man in his dragon form. He could see two other dragons near them waiting patiently in the audience benches. Sun Park, Haley's master and the former Korean Dragon, sat vigilantly to his left, and Dominic, Fred Nerk's master, relaxed to his right. Above them sat the five council members, each a dragon as well, watching intently as the man stepped forward towards the center of the dais below the council, preparing to speak to the leaders of the Dragons of Draco Isle.
"I know that it has been quite some time since you've welcomed any outsiders in person, and I am grateful for the hospitality," the tall figure said humbly with a slight bow. He wore no identifying clothing or paraphernalia, as far as Lao Shi could tell, yet he thought the man dressed far too warm for the climate on the island. A large flowing traveller's cloak covered his form, showing underneath nothing more than simple purple silk robes and fine shoes. His beard was impossible to ignore, extending nearly to his knees with the occasional bead or thread looped through it in ornamentation. A simple, flat hat with thin embroidery adorned his grey haired scalp, and elegant half circle glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Lao Shi even noticed a small pin tucked into the inside of his cloak reading "Howling Holyhead Harpies" which he could make nothing of. It was clear that he was trying to appear as formal, yet simple, as possible, and the effort was not wasted. The council regarded him warmly, each member giving approving glances and polite smiles to the stranger.
"Come now," began Councilor Andam, "you can hardly call yourself an 'outsider' after all you've done for our community."
"If not for your efforts, our people may have suffered terrible fates in the past decades, were we to survive at all," agreed Councilor Kulde. "Not only was your advice essential in defeating the Dark Dragon, but you also brought Grindelwald and his destruction to an end when we could not," he continued. At this, Lao Shi's eyes snapped fully open. He was aware they had received significant help in tracking down and cornering the Dark Dragon before Lao Shi had defeated him in combat, but he had never known where the help had come from. Even if his fall had only been temporary, it had still bought the dragons decades of peace, free of his evil influence. The tale of the wizard Grindelwald, who had come so close to causing all-out war amongst wizards so long ago, was also well known, even to dragons. To think this man had aided in both disasters was astounding, but who was he?
"An emphasis on the 'helped', I believe. Nothing I've accomplished has been alone," the man replied with a gentle smile and distinct twinkling in his eye. Lao Shi couldn't help but feel his respect for the man grow with every word he spoke. In the back of his mind, a spark was growing and he could feel some recognition of this man emerging. He was rescued from his slight of memory when Councilor Andam gave him the answer he had been searching for.
"Leave it to Dumbledore to deny his own status and achievements," Andam jovially said while gently shaking his head with closed eyes in disbelief. "Pleasantries aside, however," Andam continued, all signs of lighthearted casualness wiped from his face, "we cannot deny that this meeting is very unorthodox. Though we trust your judgment completely, we must still ask: what it is that would require us to meet in such secrecy?"
The man Lao Shi now recalled as Albus Dumbledore, easily the most famous and talented wizard in the world as far as the dragons were concerned, also lost all traces of easiness and friendship in his expression. The twinkle in his eyes had been replaced with stern passion and a sense of foreboding urgency that almost felt tangible in the air.
"I am afraid," Dumbledore began with a small sigh, "that I am in desperate need of your help. Another dark and powerful wizard, Lord Voldemort, has been believed to be dead by most in the wizarding community for over a decade. However, a few months ago he returned, killing one of my students and attempting, unsuccessfully, to kill another. The Ministry of Magic is attempting to prevent chaos and uprising in our community by denying these events and defaming anyone who claims otherwise, myself included." He paused for a moment, allowing the councilmen time to digest what they had learned so far.
Kulde was the first to speak. "This Lord Voldemort that you spoke of, he is the one referred to today my most witches and wizards as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, yes?" Dumbledore gave a nod, confirming Kulde's worries. "We also believed him to be dead for over a decade now. How is it that he managed to return, and is he truly the threat you make him seem to be?" The councilmen wore mixed expressions, some showing concern, others, like Kulde, wearing cautious skepticism.
"I am unsure myself, and beyond any doubt," Dumbledore answered. "Though his previous campaign to conquer the wizarding world failed and barely managed to extend beyond Britain, he had many followers and now he is more powerful than ever before. If not stopped, his influence will surely spread throughout the world, and the magical community as we know it will never be the same. He will enslave or kill all normal humans, he will become a dictator over all witches and wizards, and he will destroy any who stand in his way." He paused again to allow the councilors time to consider this. When none seemed to have a question, he continued, "I have been able to do much in my time to help our communities, but this, I think, even I cannot overcome," he finished with a solemn downward glance, almost as though he were ashamed of the fact, Lao Shi thought.
Councilor Kukulkhan took the opportunity to address the wizard next. "Dumbledore, you know that we are sworn guardians of the magical world, just as much as the Ministry of Magic, at times, claims to be. We have never been fully cooperative with one another, and the distance that we've kept for centuries, though strenuous, has managed to do the job. In the absence or inability of the Ministry to act, we of course will rise to the challenge." Kukulkhan stood as he finished, his pride in their capabilities practically radiating from him. His furor was short lived and soon replaced with a frustrated, confused expression. "However, we have no information on Voldemort or his plan, location, or immediate goals. With so little to go on, what could we possibly do to help you in this plight?" The other councilors nodded in agreement before turning back to Dumbledore. Though they all felt the same in their responsibility to the wizard that had shown them compassion and faith in the past, he still had not made his desires known and the same question weighed heavy on all of their minds: what, exactly, was he expecting from them?
Dumbledore lifted his gaze at these words, now with a small smile returned to his lips, much to the surprise of Lao Shi. "An excellent question," he began, bringing his arms out from under his cloak to clasp his hands behind his back. "As you are all aware, I am still currently the headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though stopping Voldemort before his plans can be realized is my desire, this cannot currently be achieved for all the reasons you've just mentioned, and…more. For now, however, I still must insure the continued safety of my school and, most importantly, my students. They are the future of our world, and with current events the way they are I am afraid that they are all in grave danger." Dumbledore surveyed his audience while taking a breath. Each councilor was still listening intently, looks of concern or determination appearing on some of their faces.
"There is also the problem of how Lord Voldemort is likely to prepare for his new campaign. Last time he attempted a coup against the wizarding world, he had done so with the assistance of many magical creatures that he had convinced to join his cause." This comment struck a chord with each councilor, looks of rage and resentment passing through them. "I plan to do everything to prevent this from happening again, and in doing so remove a great source of power from Voldemort. However, he will still have access to his most dangerous weapon of all, one which I cannot hope to overcome."
"This," Dumbledore began, taking the time to look at each councilor intently, and even sparing Lao Shi an equally stern gaze before returning his attention to the dragons above him, "is where I need the help of the ancient Dragons of Draco Isle. With your help, we can, as muggles are fond of saying, kill two birds with one stone."
Lao Shi could see the confused curiosity in the eyes of the councilman, but before they could provoke any further explanation from the wizard the room shook, an overwhelming, reverberating ring bursting out from the closed doors of the council chambers behind Lao Shi. One of the doors slowly eased open until a red dragon that was slumped against it fell into the room on his back, barely conscious.
Embarrassment and anger surged through Lao Shi at his apprentice's foolishness, while the tall wizard seemed very amused by the display, struggling to contain his grin when the red dragon fluttered his eyes open and spoke in a drunken slur.
"Did I win?..."
As always, if you have any opinions or advice (positive or negative), PLEASE review and comment! Any feedback is great feedback, and it lets me know you at least cared enough to respond! This is my first fanfic, so I'll take what I can get.
And if you're worried about the Potter half of this fic, DON'T WORRY. The first few chapters set the scene for the AD:JL characters, but starting in chapter 4 you'll get plenty of Potter. Keep reading and hang in there!