AU (kinda AU, anyway) for the Houses Competition. Ron and Hermione having travelled to a valley to seek out Death Eaters.

Ravenclaw, HoH, Drabble, Prompt: Antipodean Opaleye, WC: 355

0-0-0-0

"Holy shit."

"What a beautiful sentiment, Ronald," I mutter, adjusting the straps of my small backpack. Ron stands two feet behind me, utterly gormless, staring down into the valley. "Come on, we need to be closer."

He looks horrified for a moment, then swallows thickly and nods, as though resigning himself to some terrible fate. As if I have doomed him in exactly one sentence. But it's no matter; this is all part of the mission, and it must be done. I start walking before he does, feet slipping ever so slightly on the craggy rocks decorating our summit as we look down into the valley. The valley that just so happens to contain a resting Antipodean Opaleye. Its huge head rests at the trough of the Northern glacier, while its tail is curled halfway down the valley.

"What does the Order need us to do, again?"

"Do you ever listen?"

"Just answer the question, Hermione," he replies, frustrated already.

"We need to get into the mountain – you know, by its head. Then we gather intel on the Death Eater population, and report back to HQ."

Ron nods in understanding, grabbing onto a patch of grass as we descend further down into the valley. Unable to apparate, we have to navigate the grounds without that all-too-convenient method of transportation.

We trek carefully, stones crumbling beneath our feet and falling down the rock face. It's unnerving, to say the least. We creep past the pearly grey body of the dragon. It really is beautiful – I finally understand Charlie's fascination with them. So brilliant that the scales are even slightly iridescent, reflecting the dying sunlight.

"Be quiet," I mouth to Ron.

But then it happens.

As I'm tapping against the door that will lead us to the Death Eaters, red sparks fly out the end of my wand, ricocheting in every direction.

I turn slowly.

Pale eyes, shimmering with malice. No pupil. Wide mouth, slowly animating itself to life. The dragon shifts. I'm caught in the gaze that stares back at me. Frozen.

Ron moves behind me, reaching out a hand to calm the beast.

0-0-0-0

Thanks for reading!