Regarding the Nature of the Dragons of Draco Isle: For any confusion on the relation between wild dragons and those of the Isle of Draco, a few things. First, most of the information on this topic comes from allusions in the behavior of Umbridge and Jake (which Hermione is slowly picking up on). I've added a few bits to chapters 7 and 8 for additional clarity, but suffice it to say that the typical dragons (eg. Hungarian Horntail, Green Welsh, etc.) are distinct from the Dragons of Draco Isle, the two sharing no direct relation to one another. But again, Jake's reactions to Umbridge's bigotry speak volumes of this particular issue...
Also, Fred and Hermione? I never even considered Fred's romantic interests...intriguing...
Now for Chapter 15! As always, read, review, and follow for future chapters!
Dumbledore stepped out of the green flames, ducking below the mantle of his fireplace and lifting his eyes to survey the walls of his office. Books lined the many shelves, trinkets filled the nooks and cubbies, and pale light filtered in through the arching windows behind his desk. He walked up to the glass, looking down below and towards the direction of Hogsmeade, seeing thin tendrils of black smoke curling into the sky from the crooked buildings. A large crowd of people meandered in the entrance courtyard, just outside the grand doors of his school. Students and adults alike huddled together, the professors scattered throughout and looking over them all. A white tent had been erected in a corner of the courtyard, and he could see Madam Pomfrey handing out blankets and bandaging those with injuries while floating trays delivered warm beverages to the crowd.
All told, Dumbledore had feared worse, though he could hardly say he knew the depths of the damage. He had been meeting with Fudge concerning the residence of the Dragons of Draco Isle, the Minister insisting that they be removed after the negative fallout from the Quidditch fiasco weeks ago. Dumbledore had been attempting to explain their necessity, a difficult task considering Cornelius's refusal to accept the very real threat of Lord Voldemort, when a ghostly tabby cat had burst through the walls of Fudge's office and found the headmaster. Minerva's voice echoed from its pulsing white light.
"Hogsmeade is under attack," her voice said, devoid of emotion. Albus at least took heart in the fact that she didn't sound alarmed, but nevertheless immediately returned to Hogwarts through the Floo Network. It seemed by the time he'd arrived, the events of the afternoon had come and gone. He turned to descend his staircase when he heard the scraping of stone, the staircase rising of its own accord beyond the doors to his office. He waited patiently in front of his desk as footsteps quickly approached and in strode his Transfiguration professor.
"Thank goodness you're here, Albus," she said with relief after seeing his calm, stalwart figure.
"I came as soon as I got your Patronus," he replied, eyeing the two dragons that had now entered the room behind her. Lao Shi and Sun ducked through the door, the blue dragon carrying what looked like several of their iconic grey cloaks in a rough pile.
"Headmaster," Sun addressed him, "we have an emergency. We need to return to the Isle of Draco immediately and we're hoping you can provide us with a Portkey." Though she did her best to remain calm, Dumbledore could sense the urgency in her voice, the tone that told him by 'hoping' they truly meant 'demanding'. McGonagall seemed more interested than worried, her eyes never leaving the large bundle cradled by the blue dragon.
Dumbledore turned to Professor McGonagall. "Thank you for escorting them, Minerva. I can finish up here if you would be so kind as to return and help the others. I will join you shortly," he said with soothing calmness. She gave a nod and one last look at Lao Shi's curious package before gliding out of the room, the door closing shut behind her.
Dumbledore waited until the sounds of scraping stones ceased before finally responding to the two dragons. "Do either of you know who or what attacked Hogsmeade?"
"Unfortunately, yes, and that is part of the emergency," Sun conceded. "Dark creatures that took the form of dragon shaped shades assaulted the town an hour into the students' trip." She hesitated, struggling to say the impossible truth weighing heavy on her mind. "These shades are the minions of choice of the Dark Dragon."
Both of the dragons cringed at the mention of their sworn enemy, a response Dumbledore was all too familiar with when talking aloud about You-Know-Who. He grabbed a silver ball that had been resting on his desk and began to move his wand in complicated motions over its surface while approaching the dragons.
"I thought the Dark Dragon had been defeated years ago?" Dumbledore asked, coming to a stop in front of the two in the center of his office. Sun turned to look at Lao Shi, who simply returned the stare and uncomfortably shifted the pile of cloaks in his arms.
"He was sealed in an alternate dimension, along with the first Dragon Temple at Victoria Peak just outside of Hong Kong. The temple only appears once every thousand years, making his apparent escape all the more…concerning," Lao Shi explained. He looked back at Dumbledore and continued, "The Dragon Council must be informed of his return, we don't have a moment to lose."
"And the rest of this emergency?" Dumbledore pried, looking now at Sun. After she didn't respond, he added, "You said the Dark Dragon was 'part' of this emergency, so I believe it safe to assume there is more to the story?" Sun's expression turned to one of hurried thought and frustration, kicking herself for misspeaking earlier.
"Headmaster, I beg you, time is of the essence…" she implored defensively after raising her head, only to have Dumbledore turn away towards Lao Shi, movement in the fabric he carried drawing the wizard's attention. The blue dragon grew stiff, eyeing the sharp wizard in front of him with reserved guard.
Dumbledore paused for a moment, Sun now looking desperately at Lao Shi for some sort of cover or distraction, before he said, "One of your students was injured?"
Lao Shi bowed his head, his eyes closed. "How long have you known?"
"I am an old man, Lao Shi, and I have learned many things in my time. For the sake of simplicity and ensuring the success of our current arrangement, I feigned ignorance. I am sorry for that deception," he answered while walking forward to the blue dragon. He carefully lifted the lip of the topmost cloak away, revealing the pale face of an older teenage boy with Asian features and black messy hair tipped with green dye. A smile tugged at his lips as he recognized the similarities to the outspoken red dragon he'd first met months ago. "What happened?"
"The shades surrounded him and Harry Potter while they escorted the last group of students out of Hogsmeade. By the time we were able to reach them, Jake was losing consciousness, though Mr. Potter was mostly unharmed." Lao Shi's words had the slightest hint of pride when he described their efforts, though now he grew sullen and his brows furrowed together. "According to Mr. Potter, the shades had collapsed onto Jake and attacked him without causing physical harm. He was forced out of his dragon form, but we were able to remove Harry and the other witnesses before then."
"His dragon chi appears to have been greatly diminished by the Dark Dragon's minions, beyond what I alone can repair," Sun almost whispered in regret. "On the Isle of Draco, however, we can mend the damage," she finished, delicately placing her hand over Jake's unkempt hair. Dumbledore in turn reached up and rested his own hand on her shoulder, his eyes adopting their characteristic twinkling.
"I can't thank you all enough for what you've done today," he said softly, placing the silver ball in her other hand. "Do what you must. Hogwarts will wait patiently for your return." Sun smiled faintly, raising the ball to Lao Shi so that he could grip the top of it. As soon as his grasp tightened over its smooth surface, the forms of the two dragons twisted and collapsed into the point where the ball had been with a muffled crack.
Dumbledore turned back to the windows of his office and looked again at the crowd of refugees below. He would have to quickly send a letter to Fudge explaining what had transpired, worded as carefully as possible, before Umbridge filled his ears with her own warped perceptions. Then, he'd meet with the professors and citizens of Hogsmeade and orchestrate how they would secure the village. The news of the return of the Dark Dragon had worried him deeply, but for now he would have to focus on repairing what damage had already been done.
It would undoubtedly be a trying couple of days. "At least it's the weekend," Dumbledore sighed.
The flickering light of the fireplace scattered dancing shadows over the common room, filling it with feigned activity and life despite the fact that it was only currently occupied by three people. Harry and Ron lounged on the couch, their abandoned books and essays scattered on the table beside them, while Hermione teetered on the edge of her chair's cushion, staring intently into the fire with her arm supporting her chin. The moon shone bright through the windows, the night sky as black as ink as they neared the midnight hour. Harry had just recounted the details of his and Jake's plight earlier that day, and Ron and Hermione sat considering the story for a few moments before Hermione asked her first question.
"He told you to leave and was saying that he couldn't stop something?" she asked. Harry gave her a single nod, refusing to break eye contact with the fireplace. "And there was fire appearing all over his body?" Again, a single nod. "But he didn't look pained, or agitated, just scared?"
"Yes, Hermione, that's what I just said," Harry irately replied.
"I know, I know, it's just so…weird…" she mumbled.
"It's a bit more than weird," Ron chuffed.
"And Lao Shi was more concerned with having Dominic take you away than stay to help Jake…" Hermione considered aloud.
"What about the freaky voice shouting about Jake hiding and you seeing what you were really protecting?" Ron asked
"Haven't got a clue," Harry admitted. At the time, he'd been too distracted to consider the argument Jake seemed to be having with their invisible foe, but looking back on it none of their banter made a bit of sense. Remembering their conversation, another thought came to Harry. "I wonder why it kept calling Jake 'the American Dragon'."
"Maybe because he's American?" Ron absentmindedly guessed.
Harry didn't bother rolling his eyes. "So is the pink one…(Haley, Hermione interrupted)…alright, Haley, she has an American accent too, but the voice called him the American Dragon, like he was the only one."
"Well we don't exactly know much about the dragons, now do we?" Hermione sighed, once again frustrated by her lack of answers. "We'll just have to ask him when…if he comes back," she finished, dropping her eyes back to the fire. Jake, Lao Shi, and Sun had all vanished after the attack, and all Fred and Haley had said when the three had approached them had been that the two Dragon Masters had to take Jake back to the Isle of Draco, making no mention of any plans for their return, or even if there would be a return for that matter. "To think they kept Fred here and his accident was awful. For them to take Jake…"
"Don't say that," Harry snapped. "He'll be fine…I know he will." All of this talk about Jake and his injuries made him want to retreat to his dormitory. He looked down at the piece of parchment that was now thoroughly crumpled in his hand, remembering why they were still here to begin with. Hedwig had found them hours after the attack amidst the chaos of refugees and students with a small note strapped to her leg. She seemed to be injured given a strange bend in her left wing, but Harry wasn't that surprised given the events of the day. The note had simply read Same time, Same place, all of them immediately understanding the message.
Hermione's eyebrows disappeared behind her bangs. "Well, you've certainly had a change of attitude."
"Yeah, since when do you give a troll's arse about the dragons?" Ron laughed, not mocking Harry but instead as delighted as Hermione was to finally see acceptance coming out of their stubborn friend.
Harry was thankfully saved from their probing questions by sputtering flares hopping out of the fireplace. He immediately sank to his knees by the hearth, Ron and Hermione joining him as the face of his godfather materialized in the embers.
"Sirius!" Harry whispered excitedly.
"Hi," he greeted smiling at the three of them. "Busy day?"
"You don't know the half of it," Harry sighed before explaining the strange monsters that had assaulted Hogsmeade while they were at the Hog's Head, forgetting to include the reason they'd all been in the strange pub to begin with. To his credit, Sirius listened patiently without interrupting, looking troubled with thought as the flames brushed the outline of his head harmlessly.
"I am not familiar with these creatures from your description, Harry, and I know more of dark magic than I care to admit," Sirius said through a tight jaw. "You are certain they weren't dementors?"
"I know dementors when I see them, Sirius, and these definitely weren't them," Harry assured him. "Dementors are still…there, you know? These things weren't, they were like smoke, or…or shadows. I tried using spells to snare them, stun them, but they barely even noticed."
"But they could still attack you?" Sirius asked.
Harry nodded, thinking back to Jake's injuries from the alley fight and the cuts and slashes on the refugees recovering in Madam Pomfrey's tent. "My Lumos held them back at first, but they took control of it somehow. Only fire managed to hurt them."
"Don't forget your Patronus was what drove them off," Ron reminded him.
"The Patronus Charm?" Sirius questioned, eyes squinted in thought. "A repelling spell that doesn't involve physical damage…that's clever thinking, Harry, but why use it against anything but dementors?" Sirius followed.
"Hermione was the one that told me light was their weakness, and the way they acted reminded me of when the dementors attacked us by the lake two years ago, so I thought I'd give it a shot," he tried to explain, realizing only now how lucky he'd been.
"Jake was really the one that told us about their weakness, though," Hermione quickly corrected, her expression again growing somber at the thought of the missing dragon. "Honestly, if it weren't for him we wouldn't have stood a chance."
"And who is Jake?" Sirius asked in confusion.
"One of the dragons, and a bloody good fighter. I reckon the bloke must have taken on at least half of those things by himself," Ron responded, making no attempt to downplay Jake's actions.
"A dragon?..." Sirius scoffed, his voice thick with disbelief. The change in tone caught them off guard, Harry feeling defensive for the creature that had likely saved their lives today.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Hermione shot back, no doubt mirroring Harry's reaction.
Sirius seemed to realize he'd clearly misspoken, trying to recover with a chuckle and saying, "Nothing, it's just I'm not that trusting of foreign magical creatures that no one's seen in centuries…"
"You don't know anything about them, Sirius…" Harry tried to explain.
"And you do?" Sirius cut him off. "Then tell me, why did Jake know how to defeat the creatures that attacked you today?" Harry was tired of Sirius persecuting Jake, but he didn't have a good answer for his godfather and a quick look at Hermione told him she was having no more luck than he. "From what Mundungus told me, whatever was controlling them actually spoke to him, is that true?"
"Well yeah, but…hey wait," Harry narrowed his eyes, "how did Mundungus know that?"
"He was at the Hog's Head watching you," Sirius quickly answered, waving off Harry's sudden concern. "Honestly, having your meeting in a place like that, what were you thinking?"
Hermione looked like she was about to argue the point when Harry intervened, "Jake talked with whoever it was, but they weren't exactly being chummy, Sirius."
"And I suppose he wouldn't even tell you who it was if you asked," the head in the flames sneered once more.
"Considering the last time we saw him he was unconscious, no, he wouldn't," Harry replied coldly. He'd waited eagerly all night to speak with Sirius, yet now he wanted nothing more than to turn and walk away from the fireplace. "Anything else?"
Harry couldn't tell if Sirius looked more taken aback by his godson's reply or the following sudden dismissal. Sirius looked sadly up at him before mumbling, "People with secrets to keep don't make for loyal company. Just be careful who you count as your friend, Harry." Then he turned sharply from the fire, his head disappearing and the flames returning to their low burn. Harry stood quickly with a sigh, feeling the exhaustion of the day catching up with him.
The fireplace spontaneously roared back to life, Sirius's head briefly appearing once more. "Oh, and Harry?" He waited until Harry grudgingly looked at him. "You'll make a great teacher." He gave one last flash of a smile with a wink before disappearing, this time the flames remaining trapped amidst the logs and ashes.
Hermione looked to Harry gently, saying as disarmingly as possible, "He's only being cautious, Harry. We all know that Jake and the other dragons…"
"But that's just it, Hermione," Harry interrupted with a sigh, turning away from the staircase in front of him to look back at Hermione. "Sirius was right, we don't know them. We barely know anything about them. How can we trust anyone like that?" He couldn't think of anything else to say, deciding sleep was all he truly needed, and turned back to climb the stairs to his dormitory with Ron following behind him.
Hermione watched them ascend the stairs in defeat before turning back to the fireplace, the crackling embers returning her thoughts to the dragon she could only hope was alright on some far-off, distant island.
Why wasn't he moving? He could see the gap ahead, steadily growing smaller with every passing second, his friends and family beckoning to him from beyond its reach.
Time was running out. If he didn't reach the gate soon, he'd be lost in this shapeless, infinite place forever with his ultimate enemy, and worse…so would she.
His prize clung desperately to his chest, weak and injured from her efforts to distract the dark being that lurched behind him. She, who was once their salvation, their redeemer, was now cradled helplessly in his arms. Every ounce of his strength was going into his wings, he was willing himself to fly harder, fly faster, than ever before. He was her only chance, and he was desperately trying to save her, but he'd never do that if he couldn't MOVE.
Booming laughter sounded behind him, the noise wracking his spine with fear. He turned to see the burning eyes filled with hate staring him down, the creature's massive claws gripping his foot. He hurled as much fire as he could muster, burning his own flesh along with that of the monster. The voice cried out in pain, relinquishing its hold and backing away from the firestorm.
He flew forward immediately, charging towards their last dwindling chance at victory. The hole was closing rapidly, his comrades on the other side disappearing one by one behind the growing wall of emptiness.
"Jake…" she groaned, body still limp in his grasp.
"Just hold on, we'll make it," he begged. He was moving, but the portal remained as distant as when he began. His sister was gone, his father was gone…
"Jake," she said more vigorously.
"I know!" he shouted. His mother's outstretched arm vanished, Lao Shi's eyes closed before fading from sight. He was never going to make it. He was going to lose everything.
"JAKE!"
"I KNOW!"
He was on his feet, his breathing hoarse and ragged. His shaking hands still had her gripped tight, but the monster was gone, the abyss was gone, the gateway was gone. It was just the two of them, alone in a small room echoing with the sound of his gasping breaths.
"Jake?" Sun said carefully. Her hands came up slowly to grasp his, loosening their painful clutches on her shoulders and folding them into her own. He was drenched in sweat, his face filled with terror, and the blanket from his bed was still caught on his foot after his sudden awakening. One moment he had been tossing violently in his sleep and now he struggled to rein himself in. Slowly, he relaxed, dropping back onto the mattress behind him.
"What happened?" he rasped, now taking in his surroundings. The bedroom was small, the window next to him showing a peaceful beach shining in the sunlight. He ran his hands through his hair, alarmed to see his skinny human arms and feel the hair and skin of his normal body.
Sun saw the spontaneous panic and immediately drew his attention, "It's okay Jake! You're alright, we're on the Isle of Draco away from any wizards. I'm human too, see?" He quickly looked at her, verifying what she had said to be true, and again relaxed his posture. "Are you okay, Jake? How do you feel?"
"Totally messed up…" he complained. "I feel like I haven't slept in days, and my back is killing me…" He reached back and felt bandages across the back of his shoulders and neck.
"Well, I'm not surprised," Sun laughed, drawing back the curtains to let more light into the room. "Just relax for a bit. I'll tell Lao Shi that you're awake and get something for you to eat." She walked through the only door in the room and closed it behind her. By the time her and Lao Shi entered, Jake had propped his pillows against the backboard of his bed and was leaning against them, waiting for the persisting dizziness to slowly ebb out of him.
"Good afternoon, young dragon," his grandfather greeted him, pulling a chair to the side of Jake's bed and taking a seat. Sun did the same on his opposite side, placing the lunch tray she carried next to Jake's legs. The sight of food made him painfully aware of his gnawing hunger, and he quickly snatched the sandwich from the tray.
"You're the best, Sun," he thanked before diving into his food.
"Well, fighting the Dark Dragon must have given you quite the appetite," she remarked.
Jake nearly choked, coughing out half his bite of food shouting, "The Dark Dragon!" He turned to Lao Shi, continuing, "Gramps, the Dark Dragon's back, I don't know how but his goons were attacking the town and…"
"Jake," his grandfather interrupted. "We are aware of the circumstances behind the attack on Hogsmeade. The Dragon Council has been informed, along with all of the World Dragons." He sat up straighter now looking at Jake, a smile pulling at his wrinkled face. "You did very well, grandson. Along with the professors, Haley, Fred, and Dominic, we managed to evacuate everyone in the town without any serious injuries. Except, of course, for you…"
"Aw man," Jake mumbled, bumping his head against the backboard. "I did my best, G, there were just too many of those jerks. I couldn't even keep up my dragon form," he groaned with mixed disgust and shame. "At least Nerk wasn't there, he'd never let me live it down if he…saw me…" Jake's eyes snapped open. "Potter, he was there, did he…you know…?"
"No, Dominic took him away before you transformed. Had you not kept your form as long as you did, the Dark Dragon truly would have succeeded. To think it could actually be worse..." Lao Shi answered in a low voice.
"What do you mean 'worse'; I thought you said no one got hurt?" Jake didn't like turn this conversation had taken.
"An entire village was still attacked, Jake," Sun patiently explained. "We told Dumbledore the truth about the Dark Dragon being responsible, but the rest of the wizarding community is still in the dark. All they know are what the witnesses reported: that dragon shaped creatures suddenly appeared and terrorized the town, attacking the residents and students. You can imagine how the news is being received."
"So they blame us? After we saved them?" Jake almost shouted.
"Not directly, no, though from what Stout has learned at the Ministry rumors abound about the coincidence of our arrival and this new threat," his grandfather answered. "Though we've maintained our secrecy, we must withdraw before our presence instigates further animosity. Otherwise, we may never reconcile ourselves with witches and wizards."
"We need to…leave?" Jake choked, refusing to believe his master's words. His face set in denial as he threw off his covers and stood from the bed. "No, nuh-uh, not gonna happen."
"Jake, the Council has already decided…" Sun tried to console him.
"Then I'll change their minds," Jake cut her off, slipping on his jeans and red jacket that had been folded on his nightstand. He found his shoes and left the room, the two Dragon Masters following close behind him. Sun continued to try and convince Jake of the wisdom in the Council's choice, but Lao Shi remained mysteriously quiet, making no comment as they left the living complex along the beach and followed the long stone path to the Dragon Temple, nestled into the mountain in the center of the island.
As they neared the top of the final staircase, Jake could see the two large, golden doors, exactly the same as they'd been two months previously. Sun had abandoned her attempts at swaying him and now followed silently beside Lao Shi as Jake pushed open the doors and strode into the room beyond. The same benches and platform for the Councilors were present, the Councilors themselves seated at their places as humans and ceasing whatever private conversation they had been conducting as the three of them entered.
"It's good to see you awake, American Dragon," Councilor Andam greeted Jake as he walked forward to stand in the center of the dais below them. "Now that you are feeling well, we would greatly appreciate your own testimony on the events of yesterday's attack to ensure we have as much information as possible."
"Sounds like you got the big picture from what Gramps told me," Jake answered, crossing his arms. "So what's the plan, when do we go back to Hogwarts?"
Councilor Kulde gave him a careful look before answering, "American Dragon, your Dragon Master no doubt told you of our decision. This expedition is to be terminated, and the six of you are to return to your respective regions."
"Oh yeah, G told me alright," Jake laughed, as though it were a playful joke. "It just sounded so whack that I didn't exactly believe him. I mean c'mon, the Dark Dragon attacks a village full of children and y'all think we should take away the only people that can protect them?"
Councilor Kukulkhan let out a frustrated sigh before retorting, "The headmaster is more than capable of defending his own school, Mr. Long. Your own territories, however, that you are sworn to guard remain sorely unprotected. Gregory has had enough trouble as it is assuming your responsibilities, but now that the Dark Dragon is at large…"
"Woah woah woah, you gave the Am-Drag's job to Greggy?" Jake fell into a fit of laughter. "That boy can't even protect his own backside, and you gave him the whole country? That's just wrong, yo."
"We were left with few choices, American Dragon," Kulde said with steely severity, bringing Jake out of his reverie. "Your cousin's lack luster abilities, however, are all the more reason we need you to return to New York City. Should the Dark Dragon attack the magical community located there, Gregory will stand little chance."
Jake managed to return his own serious demeanor, responding, "As long as gramps and I stay at Hogwarts, we'll know exactly where the Dark Chump's gonna hit next. We're the two people he hates the most; he even chose to attack me over the Potter kid back in Hogsmeade."
Councilor Andam tilted his head in consideration. "Yes, that's true. The Dark Dragon's shadow demons nearly destroyed all of your dragon chi, and would likely have succeeded if not for Harry Potter. It took three of our best healers several hours to stabilize you." Again, the reminder of his defeat filled Jake with resentment as he lowered his eyes to look at the floor below him. It took him a moment before he could look once more back at the Dragon Council, intent on getting his way.
"I saw the way the students reacted to the attack. Even the oldest ones were useless, running and hiding instead of defending themselves," he said with slow clarity. "With the way the Ministry of Magic is teaching them Defense Against the Dark Arts, they'll never stand a chance against the Dark Dragon, or their Volde-freak. Harry's the only one with any experience, and Hermione and Ron are pretty good too, but that won't be enough."
"You've lost perspective, American Dragon," Councilor Kulde said. "How their government choses to teach them is not our concern, nor could we improve their defensive skills if we wanted to."
"We won't have to," Jake added smiling. "Before the shades attacked, Harry and the others were having a meeting to make a defense group so they could train on how to fight, and the place was packed with kids. If we can help them keep it under wraps from Umbridge, then the next time something like this happens they won't just be sitting ducks!"
Now, the councilors were beginning to loosen their staunchly defensive attitudes, a fact that greatly served to hearten Jake. Councilor Kukulkhan lifted his head. "You said it yourself, Mr. Long. The Dark Dragon will likely continue to try attacking you and your Dragon Master, regardless of where you go or hide. You realize you would be putting the students and professors of Hogwarts in danger by returning there?"
Jake rolled his eyes at that. "Dog, they're already in danger. Their dark wizard or whoever is already trying to get Harry, and their Ministry's just as bad. At least this way we'd have everyone in one place, it'll be way easier for us and the professors to protect everyone! And no matter what their stupid newspapers or minister say about us, I know that dragons and wizards can work together and I'm not about to give up on that."
Councilor Andam rubbed his eyes, sinking lower into his chair. "Jake, if I recall correctly you were the one most opposed to this arrangement from the start. So far both you and the Australian Dragon have been seriously injured within the span of a month, and the Ministry of Magic has done nothing but fight against our attempts to build trust. So tell me," he stood now, planting both hands firmly on the stand in front of him and asking with barely stifled annoyance, "why are you so desperate to return to Hogwarts?"
Jake was actually surprised by the question, the answer seeming so obvious that he failed to understand why the Council struggled to anticipate it. He looked back for the first time at his grandfather, who had remained perfectly silent and now only looked at his grandson with a smile, nodding his understanding at his student's thoughts. Councilor Andam watched intently as Jake turned back to him, laughing.
"Because, yo. They're my friends."
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