"We have arrived," Stout proclaimed. Their group had been soaring over the lush countryside below them for a few hours before Jake had begun to see the parapets of their destination rising out of the hills. They had stayed at King's Cross long enough to see the few suitcases they had brought with them loaded into an empty storage compartment and to spare a few passing words with some of the wizards escorting the train. It sounded like people kept calling the guards 'Horrors', which Jake thought was unsettling, but they seemed polite enough. The students and families had begun arriving soon after, so Stout had led them out of sight to wait for the Hogwarts Express to depart. Once the engine had passed the horizon and the platform was vacant but for them, the dragons unraveled the second drawstrings on their cloaks, causing them to shrink and dangle loosely behind them, and took flight. Soon they had caught up to the train and continued sailing ahead towards the school.
In retrospect, Jake really didn't know what he had thought this trip was going to be like. Given that he'd only ever attended a typical, human school, and the fact that Nigel, the only wizard (sorry, sorcerer) his age that Jake had ever met, did the same, he just assumed that they would be going somewhere similar in London. That idea was quickly dismissed when Lao Shi had explained the journey plans that morning after successfully waking Jake, who had well overslept. Hogwarts, it turned out, was more of a boarding school, a good distance away from any human towns and secluded in foothills that, strangely enough, couldn't actually be plotted on any geographical map. Hearing this made Jake's separation induced anxiety begin to creep back in, but he was committed to overcoming his homesickness, especially if Nerk was handling it just fine.
The few hours of flight they had shared had also served to distract him, as Stout used the opportunity to fill in some crucial gaps in their knowledge of recent events. First, he reiterated that The Dark Lord, or Lord Voldemort as Dumbledore had referred to him, was one of the most evil and dangerous wizards in history and had mysteriously disappeared over a decade ago after he failed to kill a child known as Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.
"What's with the fancy title?" Nerk had asked.
"Because the spell Lord Voldemort used, the Killing Curse, never fails." Stout explained, his previous joviality completely gone. "Harry Potter is the only wizard to ever survive it, and Lord Voldemort perished instead. Or so we thought…" This, Stout continued, turned out to be untrue. During a competition in the previous year known as the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Lord Voldemort's followers had managed to plot and steal away both Harry Potter, who had been competing against his will, and another competing student, Cedric Diggory. Ultimately, they had used a ritual involving the Potter boy to resurrect Lord Voldemort. Harry somehow managed to escape. Cedric, however, did not.
As Stout told them all the story of the Potter boy and his struggle against this mad murderer, Jake couldn't help but feel empathetic towards him. He had thought that he had it rough, having the responsibilities of the American Dragon thrust upon him at the age of thirteen without his consent, demanding all of his time and effort. Yet here was another boy, who had lost his parents, been neglected for eleven years, and then magically rescued only to struggle against the most destructive wizard in the world at every turn. A look at his sister and rival next to him revealed that they were feeling exactly the same way. On some level, it worked to steel Jake's resolve for this mission. He had never felt so driven to sacrifice himself before. In fact, it hardly felt like a sacrifice at all.
"The worst of all," Stout continued, looking back at them with genuine rage in his eyes, "is that the world refuses to believe it ever happened. The Ministry openly mocked Potter and Dumbledore, and still does. They claimed Diggory died in an accident, that there is nothing to worry about or prepare for. Their carelessness…their denial…it's reprehensible." Stout growled out the last word, emerald flames licking out from the mouth of the dark brown and green dragon. The silence that followed left them all thinking on Stout's words and the gravity of the situation, until he broke in again. "I apologize, that was uncalled for. When it comes to the Ministry of Magic's policies, I can tend to get a bit, well, heated." He laughed dryly at his own bad humor.
There was no need for the apology, however. They all felt the same as he did, though now their thoughts turned to how they could help the students if the Ministry of Magic could not. The remainder of the flight was filled with small talk, casual questions about the school, its classes, what a 'muggle' was (Nerk kept hearing it in Diagon Alley and had been thoroughly confused), how to behave, what the wizards knew about the Dragons of Draco Isle (thankfully, virtually nothing), and other topics of the like.
Now, however, they approached the outskirts of a small, crooked town that rested on a hilltop just down the way from the Hogwarts grounds. The world remained clueless as to the truth about Benjamin Stout, and, since he had not boarded the train, he intended to act as though he had 'apparated' to this town known as Hogsmeade to meet with the Dragons of Draco Isle before escorting them to the castle itself. After asking shyly, Stout informed Haley that apparating was essentially teleportation for wizards, a common means of individual travel. The group separated temporarily, with Stout "meeting" them at The Three Broomsticks Inn for a quick butterbeer before continuing on their journey.
"You've really thought this through very well, Benjamin. Though, a life such as yours would inevitably demand a great degree of charisma and cunning," Lao Shi complimented the English Dragon, who simply accepted the compliment with a nod. The six dragons followed closely behind his human form, their cloaks double knotted to conceal their forms. Iron gates were visible now farther up the dirt path.
"I would say that I enjoy the mystery and planning involved in my line of work, but, to be honest, I miss the life I had before my mentor passed." Stout's eyes seemed to glaze over slightly, as though he were lost in a memory. "It's difficult acting the spy, surrounded by strangers who think of you as a friend, knowing you can never trust them and how they'll never truly know the person they think of when they hear your name." Stout's shoulders drooped and Jake felt pity for the man, just before he straightened right back up and threw his hands behind his head with a hearty laugh.
"Then again, think of all the good that has come with it! Honestly, Great Britain has never been more peaceful, as far as magical creatures are concerned. It's been so quiet in my department that if I didn't know better, I'd wager Fudge thinks I've been skimping on reports!" He had regained his cheerful demeanor, and frankly Jake wasn't sure what to think about the man. "Though with how things are going now, I doubt it'll remain like this for long…" Stout commented darkly. He was complicated and uncertain, but Jake already admired him immensely. The way he balanced his responsibilities as a dragon with his own life, Jake thought, was remarkable, an example he wished he could learn to follow.
As they neared the iron gate that loomed ahead, Stout regained his semi-formal composure and whispered "It's show time, gents!" to the dragons behind them. They each checked themselves over to make sure the Cloaks of Concealment were working correctly with hoods drawn and followed the department head up to the figure waiting beside the cold, wrought bars.
"Filius!" Stout boomed, arms thrown wide as he hailed the short man in black and blue robes guarding gate. "It has been far too long, my good man, what have you been up to?"
The man seemed to have been dozing judging by how high he jumped when his name had been shouted. His look of panicked confusion turned to uncertainty as he tried to identify who was speaking to him. When the realization hit him, his eyes opened wide and his smile stretched from ear to ear. Stout seemed to have that effect on people, allowing them to absorb some of his gushing joy until they were nearly as cheery as he was.
"Benjamin! It is a pleasure to see you again!" the man returned, shaking hands with Stout whole heartedly as if he'd just found his best friend. The two continued into their greetings for several minutes, even going so far as to reminisce about old memories involving a centaur stampede, when Stout seemed to be bemused and upset with himself.
"I do apologize, dear Filius, but I'd completely forgotten to properly introduce our guests." Stout turned to the cloaked figures behind him, who Filius had seen but clearly paid no mind to, until now. His eyes grew even wider, if that were possible, and his mouth gaped open for a moment before he collected himself. "Allow me to introduce the liaisons of the Dragons of Draco Isle." Stout gestured to the group with a bow and stepped aside to allow them and Filius proper room to speak.
Filius still looked shaken, but approached the group politely. "It is an incredible honor to welcome you all to our school," the man swooned humbly, bowing so low that Jake was afraid he'd tip over. "I am Filius Flitwick, the Charms Professor and Head of Ravenclaw House here at Hogwarts." He straightened back up, his pride in his house and the school he worked at filling his form. "This year will be improved beyond imagining with you here to help forge new bonds and encourage our students. Please, follow me to the castle." He finished with a perfect turn, facing the gate and waving his wand to swing the doors open. Together, the troupe of dragons and men walked toward the castle, the lit windows burning brightly against the night sky, dimming the stars and radiating warmth from within. Jake was finding it hard not to stare in amazement and had to force himself to breathe deeply, calming his racing heart.
The little man ushered them over a large stone bridge and onto the grounds of the castle, through a calming courtyard, and into what appeared to be the main hall. To their left, two enormous doors stood open revealing a grand dining room, currently barren except for four long rows of benched tables. To their right, an intimidating staircase led up into the bowels of the ancient and intimidating castle, filled with all manners of who knows what. They filed into a small room just off to the side that seemed to be used as a trophy room of sorts. Plaques, medals, and statues of all makes and kinds lined the room, filling shelves, pedestals, and glass cases until there hardly seemed to be room to breathe.
"The Hogwarts Express should be arriving soon with the students. Once they've reached the castle, the First Dinner Ceremonies will begin, first with the sorting of the new students into their respective houses, followed by key announcements by the headmaster and other professors. Once those are finished, we would be delighted to introduce you to the hall before we begin the feast!" Filius was struggling to keep himself together in front of his esteemed guests, though nothing could stop his excitement from leaking out and infecting the dragons as well.
"We will wait patiently for our cue, Filius," Lao Shi assured with a small chuckle at the man's giddy air. "However, if it is alright with the headmaster, we would prefer to make introductions after the feast. We are all very tired, and would like a bit of rest before we meet the students."
"Oh, absolutely!" Filius trilled, "We certainly don't want to rush any of you, and I'm sure the students will be much more obliging after their meal. Benjamin, I entrust you've informed them of where we've prepared their resting quarters for afterwards?" Stout nodded confidently, easing Filius's nerves a bit. A small cave had been established near the base of the large outcropping that the castle itself rested on, near the docks of the lake where the first-years would soon be landing. It was protected with warding charms so that only the dragons could enter or leave, and held hallways leading to private rooms deep within the cave, should they desire more privacy.
"Well then, I look forward to receiving you all shortly in the main hall. I will see about sending some plates of food for you as well. Please, you need only let Benjamin or any professors know if there is anything you require." Filius reminded them before politely bowing and excusing himself. Everyone let out a collective sigh as the door shut, worry pouring off of them in waves. Lao Shi's quick thinking had bought them a little more time to calm themselves, which they desperately needed. Haley was practically a statue, frozen in place and staring at nothing in particular. Nerk had begun to pace in a circle, the nails of his clawed feet clicking on the floor. Their masters, too, seemed extremely tensed, with folded arms and downcast glances. Jake thought he might just lose his mind when Stout finally broke the ice.
"Everyone, please, relax. I know the events of the next few months can determine whether or not we finally reconcile our relationships with the wizarding community, but I have complete faith that this will work." He stepped into the center of them all, hoping to give them a focal point to latch onto. "You will be surprised, trust me. You all have much more in common with the people here than you might like to think!" he laughed, once again lifting what felt like enormous weights from Jakes shoulders.
Before they could speak further, however, voices could be heard in the distance. A lot of voices. Droves of scuffling feet and chattering mouths were soon passing right by the door they were all leaning against. There was laughter, yelling, excitement, fear, every emotion you could imagine welling up from hundreds of young witches and wizards as they continued on to the Great Hall. Eventually, these sounds died out as well, and the doors to the hall could be heard clanking shut.
Now all they had to do was wait.
Whatever meager strength Stout may have managed to instill in them had quickly evaporated, and he didn't even attempt to harden their resolve this time. Soon once more, voices could be heard approaching the hall, snapping everyone in the room back from their nervous pacing to sit next to the door, trying to hear a bit of what was occurring outside. It sounded like a woman was lecturing, describing the history of the school in brief and the four houses that students were divided into. It was easy to tell from their ragged breathing and shuffling steps that these kids were terrified, and the realization made Jake feel ashamed. Here he was cowering behind a wooden door while eleven year old children, the same age as Haley, were walking forward to be forced into a group filled with strangers they'd have to live with for the next seven years. He almost wanted to laugh at it all, but bit his tongue for fear of being heard.
The woman stopped speaking and opened the doors to the Great Hall, allowing the first-years to flow in for their sorting. The doors closed again after them, blocking most of the noise from inside the hall. The lack of information was driving him insane; it felt like knowing that a monster was creeping around the corner and you couldn't even see or hear it coming.
We didn't come all this way to just hide in a closet until someone told us to leave, Jake griped to himself. He gripped the door handle and gently cracked it open, verifying with his eyes what his ears had told him: no one was in the hallway outside of the large wooden doors.
"What are you doing?!" Lao Shi hissed at him, as Jake opened the door and took in his surroundings.
"Getting a better view," he said absentmindedly before tugging the second knot of his cloak loose. The wool untightened and dangled loosely behind him and Jake stretched his wings after having kept them folded and cramped beneath the cloak. The ceiling above him was sealed, but the doors to the grounds were still open. He flew out and up to the top of the roof of the Great Hall, noticing the small side windows had no panes. Clambering beside one, he could see and hear below the crowd of students watching intently as the first-years one by one sat on a stool and had their houses shouted out by a drab, pointed hat, receiving a cheer from their new families as they moved to join them.
Soon, the last of the new students was fleeing towards the table beneath the yellow banners and the tall woman Jake guessed had been giving the lecture earlier was carrying the stool and hat out of a side door. Dumbledore rose from his seat long enough to say a few words and wave out his hands, all of the tables suddenly overflowing with mounds of food. The display was jaw dropping, and Jake suddenly found himself wishing they had accepted Filius' offer to join the feast when he saw Nerk motioning to him from below. Some of the elves that served the castle had been kind enough to bring a few platters of food to the trophy room for them, and the dragons couldn't help but devour the delicious spread.
"So how was your view, young dragon?" Lao Shi asked Jake, who had been caught with a mouthful of pork chops and baked potato. He chewed furiously and washed it down with a gulp of something that looked like orange juice, but tasted like pumpkins to his surprise.
"You know, G, outside of the wandering ghosts, funny uniforms, and floating candles, it really was just like a school cafeteria," he answered. "They were all just hanging out like normal kids. I think a few of the newbies were close to puking when they put the hat on them, though," he chuckled to the disapproving glare of his master. The dragons continued their light discussion for a while longer, relaxing now that their stomachs had been filled, when the sounds of conversation that had been growing louder from the Great Hall quickly died down. The dragons noticed and Jake quickly swept out of their make-shift dining room to return to his perch above the hall.
Jake couldn't pretend to understand the ceremonies, nor why everyone seemed to hate the small woman dressed in disgusting amounts of pink that had given a boring speech about "preservation" or something. He did, however, see the magic in the air around the students. Not the literal kind, mind you, though the fake sky below the roof was a nice touch. No, it was how the students looked at one another spreading joy and laughter, losing all worry when they found their comrades and fell into the seat next to them. It reminded him of Trixie and Spud, sending a surge of remorse through him. His high school had begun classes last week, and missing the start of a new year with his friends had made his insides feel like they were being crushed.
"And finally, for our last announcement," Jake recognized the smooth but powerful voice of Dumbledore, the wizard they had met on the Isle of Draco, "I would like to introduce you all to my good friend and advisor, Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Benjamin Stout!" Dumbledore announced, as Stout walked beaming from a side entrance near the head of the hall towards Dumbledore's podium to a politely clapping student body.
"That's our cue, Jake," Haley whispered in his ear. Jake was startled to see her and Nerk had joined him at the window, though he hadn't been paying much attention. "Let's get back to gramps and the others."
Jake nodded in agreement, and the group quickly flew down back through the hallway doors, meeting their anxiously beckoning dragon masters. The trio quickly landed, folded in their wings and tails, and knotted the cords on their cloaks, the fabric quickly covering them scale, claw, and all. Stout sounded like he was getting close to finishing whatever speech he was making as Lao Shi lined them up, standing two abreast with master and apprentice side by side, Jake and himself leading the group, Nerk and Dominic following them, and Haley and Sun in back. With a last assuring nod from Lao Shi, they all raised their hoods, double checked their cloaks, and faced the imposing doors before them.
The two ancient slabs of intricately carved wood began to open in front of them, the lights from the hall beyond pouring into the eyes of the dragons. As Stout was fond of saying, it was show time.
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.