Caravanning
7th of August, 1997.
Clan-brother Kato.
We require your assistance with a matter that
has been brewing for many years now.
In Namibia an unexplored cavern lies.
The locals call it Dragon's Breath Cavern.
Clan Alfknif will be going down there and
your unique abilities would come in
handy. We leave on the seventh.
General Rourk II in His Majesty's Service
Kato placed his bag down next to the letter. He had received it a few days earlier before Fleur and her family had left. He assumed that he either showed up or they would leave without him. He had let Draco know that they were going, and he hoped that his apprentice was ready because he would leave him behind otherwise.
Kato appeared in the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor with a flourish. With determined steps, he started heading up to Lucius' study. He placed a heavy stack of documents down on Lucius' desk. "We'll be heading into the unknown and I will need you to sign these," he said before Lucius had the chance to speak.
"Draco did mention Namibia," Lucius said as he looked down at the papers. "What is this?" he asked.
"Non-magical bureaucracy, unfortunately. As long as you sign those, we won't have any trouble. The goblins will handle the rest," Kato said.
"Do you believe that it will be dangerous?" Lucius asked.
"I believe it will be less dangerous than walking in the dragon enclosures I took him to earlier in the summer," Kato said. "I will also have more time to focus on his abilities. He has been improving decently fast all things considered."
"If you could not get him arrested this time that would be nice," Lucius said while giving Kato a pointed look.
Kato chuckled. "Oh, I can assure you he will not be arrested on this trip," he said. "You should be proud Lucius. His performance was exemplary. Everyone believed his half-truths." He turned slightly as Draco walked into the room. He was packed this time. "Ready to go?" he asked.
"I've never been to an African country before. This is supposed to be an expedition right?" Draco asked. "We're heading into the unknown?"
Kato nodded. "We'll be going to a place where no human has set foot in the past two millennia at least," he said. "They call it Dragon's Breath Cavern so I assume we're going to see if there are any dragons there."
"Goodbye Father," Draco said. "I will see you before the start of school."
Kato said goodbye to Lucius as well before placing a hand on Draco's shoulder. They headed down towards the entrance hall. Bellatrix stopped as she saw them. Kato could tell that she wanted to say something, but despite being slightly insane she apparently knew how to keep her mouth shut. Kato wondered how Voldemort had achieved that result as they walked past her.
Once they had landed, they found themselves in a Clan arrival room at Gringotts. "I will assume that they are gathering in the nearby hall," Kato said. "A lot of our co-workers will be goblins. You will show them appropriate respect. There will be other apprentices. If any of them act disrespectfully towards you I want to know. In goblin society, the elders handle the conflicts to avoid bloodshed. Despite my youth, I hold a lot of respect based on my abilities."
Draco nodded slowly.
"Don't show teeth. It is considered rude and aggressive," Kato said. He pushed a door open and they walked in.
A broad-shouldered goblin was leaning on his heavy battle axe as he spoke with Master Vekk and Healer Syn.
"Ah, Kato you could make it," Vekk said. "Very good. We could certainly use your talents with this. Some foolish brashness might take us far. Who knows there might be another Necromancer."
"Please just don't end up half dead again," Syn said. "I don't think my heart could take it."
Kato smiled. "I will do my best," he said. He turned to the last of the trio. "General Rourk, I presume."
"Master Kato," Rourk said while bowing his head. "I have heard good things about you. I expect to know if you are rushing off somewhere. You might be the best to send and sending you alone might be the best option, but you will let me know so that I may decide."
"Yes, sir," Kato said. "This is my apprentice Draco Malfoy." He turned to Draco. "I have worked with both Master Warder Vekk and Healer Syn before," he told Draco. "We explored a pyramid together."
"Others have taken over the dig now," Syn said. "Jora is still there though."
"I left Ogden there. He is doing well," Vekk said.
"Well, I think we have everyone we need," Rourk said. He walked over to a table and picked up a rope. "Have that nasty armour I have heard about with you?" he asked Kato.
"Always, sir," Kato said.
"Good, good," Rourk said. "Grab on and let's see if the rest of the team has gathered."
Draco walked up next to Kato and grabbed on. He hoped there would be more humans. He wasn't quite sure how to act around the goblins. It would be rough if the only other human except him was Kato.
The portkey activated.
The temperature change was the first thing that hit them. It was scourging hot. They were standing in a tent yet it was so light that Draco kept blinking as his eyes adjusted. They walked out of the tent. Sand. There was sand everywhere. They headed from the tent they arrived in over to a bigger tent filled with equipment and people walking around.
"Curse-Breaker Weasley," Rourk said gruffly. "Report!"
"We have our equipment," Bill said. "The Elovyns are ready for us and Prower arrived yesterday. We're still missing Rose." His eyes moved over the group that had just arrived and he was glad to see the lot of them. General Rourk had gotten a hold of a good group of people. "Welcome to the base camp. Don't get used to it, we're not staying for long," Bill said. "All your equipment is here." He pointed Vekk and Syn to their respective things so they could inspect everything.
"Fleur sends her love," Kato said as he walked over to Bill. "This is Draco, my apprentice. I'm teaching him how to cast magicka."
Bill took Draco's hand and shook it.
"We spent a couple of weeks with Charlie. He'd probably send his regards if he knew we were going to meet you," Kato said.
"You survived his dragons then," Bill said jokingly. "I don't know if this is much better. No one has gone down into those caverns and come back."
"I highly doubt that is going to be a problem," Kato said. "We look fairly well prepared to me."
"It is going to be quite the walk," Bill said. "I've been running the recognisance, and it looks rough. The wild animals alone could kill us."
Draco looked at Kato. "I'm pretty sure that isn't going to be a problem," he said. Knowing his Master a pack of lions wouldn't bother him.
Bill nodded slowly. "You could certainly be right," he said.
"Who gave the recommendations for this team?" Kato asked curiously. He recognised the goblins quite well. He was wondering how they were going to bring them in. They would have to glamour heavily if they were coming along, to begin with.
"It is collaborative. The general wanted people who could work together so we had to puzzle," Bill said.
"Sounds like you have a hand in things," Draco said.
Bill shrugged. "I lead the caravan. The goblins are staying here until we can establish a safe teleportation point for them," he said.
"Correction," Rourk said. "You and Master Kato will be leading until I arrive. Kato is the only human representing the Clan."
"As you wish," Kato said.
Bill nodded. He didn't mind sharing the responsibility. Kato was easy to talk to and get along with. "I guess we should call our people together and introduce you," he said as the last member of their team arrived. He grabbed Kato's shoulder and led him over to the opposite end of the tent. "Hey! Attention for a moment please," he said. "This is Kato Peverell and his apprentice Draco Malfoy. Kato is a member of Clan Alfknif and will as such represent General Rourk in his absence for our trip to the cave."
"I thought you were going to do that," Prower said.
Bill shrugged. "If Kato didn't show up I'm sure I would be," he said. "I'll be clear right now. I don't mind. Kato and I know each other quite well."
"Basically, look at it more as an added security for you," Kato said. "The Clan will take my word if something unexpected happens without all the added work to present proof."
"That doesn't mean Kato can just go around lying," Bill said. "They will check with me too."
"Oh, they would kill me if I lied to them," Kato said. "That is bad inter Clan."
"So you can lie to us as long as you don't lie to them?" Prower said.
Kato chuckled. "Something like that," he said. "I don't like lying though so could we please drop this."
"I have a question," A pink-haired woman asked. "How are we going to deal with dangers along the way?"
"We will have two former Aurors escorting us, Rose. Laurina and Ralis Elovyn," Bill said before looking over at Kato.
"And I am a Battle-mage," Kato said. "I have combat experience and I know how to keep wild animals away from us."
"We'll be going through non-magical territory so I expect all of you to dress accordingly," Bill said. "We'll meet here tomorrow at six o'clock sharp. It is a long way to go so please put on good shoes."
Kato chuckled. "Sounds like we have a mixed crew on our hands," he said.
"You'll be sharing with me tonight," Bill said. "Let's head over there and get an early night."
8th of August, 1997.
Kato made sure that Draco put on proper clothes the next morning. Bill watched them with an amused look on his face. "At least he's making sure you'll pass Laurina's inspection later. She can be brutal when it comes to the gear you wear," he said.
Draco sighed and gave up entirely. He guessed this was one of those times when it was better to just listen to Kato. It was too early to argue either way. He had fallen asleep way too late the night before. He knew it would punish him now, but there was nothing he could do.
Bill brought out a portkey as they entered the main tent. The goblins weren't there and that was probably for the best. Prower seemed to be in a bad mood and Rose looked like she might kill someone.
Bill groaned internally. He had too many people along for this trip who weren't morning people. At least Kato wouldn't be a problem. "Well, since everyone is here we better get going," he said. "Grab on."
"What about those Aurors?" Rose asked.
"They are waiting for us," Bill said.
Kato and Draco grabbed the portkey and the others followed closely behind them. The tent started spinning. It turned into an open-plan house with a low ceiling and heavy wooden beams.
A woman with long black hair was standing by the door. "Good you're early," she said. "I'm Laurina." She walked forward and looked them over. She motioned Bill and Kato to the side. "You pass," she said. She stopped by Draco and sighed. "You are going to stand out kid," she said. "Aren't you a little young?"
"He is my apprentice," Kato said.
Laurina nodded absently. "It would be better if his hair wasn't so visible," she said. "Otherwise he is fine."
"I can fix that," Kato said. He walked up to Draco. "I'm going to apply a glamour and link it to this pin." He placed the pin on Draco's clothes and glamoured his hair brown and his skin darker. "There now you won't stand out as much," he said. He summoned a mirror for Draco.
Draco blinked a few times. He had never considered changing his hair. Malfoy's were blond and that was that, but he didn't look bad. Kato must have done this kind of thing before because it looked real. "Would a finite take this out?" he asked.
"No," Kato said. "That is what the pin is for."
"Please make something for her hair as well," Laurina said as she waved toward Rose. "While she looks fantastic. It is too much for this trip." She had hoped that the people that were coming would be more serious. She had to tell that woman to remove colour-changing buckles. Bill had told them to go muggle she was sure. She had worked with him before; he knew how to dress appropriately.
"Now that everyone blends in a bit better, we should head out," Bill said. "Stay close. We'll be crossing a semi-busy street just as we leave Tsumeb. Keep your wits about you."
Laurina opened the door and they headed outside. Ralis was standing on the other side of the road. He fell in next to his wife as they arrived. No one spoke for a long while as they headed straight out over the vast plain. In the distance, some springbucks were gracing.
Kato felt uncomfortable. The lack of trees or mountains made him think back to the plains by Cheydinhal. Flashes of people shouting rang through his ears. Blood covered his hands. He couldn't focus on the world around him. Stopping in his tracks, Kato stared out towards the raging battle…
Bill looked around. "Where is Kato?" he asked. He looked back the way they had come. His eyebrows furrowed as he saw Kato just standing there. "Hey Laurina!" he called. "Could we stop for a moment?"
Laurina looked back at him. Her eyes caught sight of the man they had left behind. "I told you to stick together," she said irritably. "Is he hard of hearing?"
Bill shook his head. "No, something is wrong," he said. "I should go get him."
"Bill stop!" Ralis commanded. He pointed off in the distance. "That is a pack of hyenas," he said. "We're not losing two of you."
Bill looked towards the hyenas before looking back at Kato.
"I'll go," Ralis said.
Bill grimaced. "No you won't," he said. "Kato is more dangerous than the hyenas. He knows me. I'm more likely to get through to him."
"Do you know what is wrong?" Laurina asked.
"I think so," Bill said. The hyenas were getting closer and Bill started running. He hoped he could reach Kato before they did.
"Master has fought," Draco said. "Master has killed. It was war. He didn't have any choice, but I think the worst of it was sending his own people to their deathbeds as he had to choose who to save."
"You are saying he has PTSD?" Ralis said.
Draco shrugged. "I have never seen it manifest before," he said. "Then again I haven't been with him for long."
"Those hyenas are going to rip him apart," Laurina said. Her eyes widened as a hyena sniffed Kato's hand. The movement was so quick she could barely follow. Suddenly Kato was standing several meters away from the hyenas with a sword in his hand. He reached out toward the hyenas.
Ralis couldn't hear what he said, but he could feel the magic. "I get a feeling we don't need to worry about them," he said as Bill finally reached Kato.
"Kato!" Bill said sharply. Amber-coloured eyes turned to Bill and seemed to almost look through him.
"Why," Kato said softly. "Why did they have to die?"
Bill stopped a few steps away from Kato. "I don't know," he said. "War claim lives, Kato. There is nothing we can do about that. You need to return to here and now. We need you." Slowly Bill could see how Kato seemed to refocus on the world around him. He looked down at the hyenas that seemed quite content with lying around him before looking back up at Bill. "I'm sorry," he said.
Bill shrugged. "You don't have to apologise. I didn't think about it either, and I know what you've been through," he said. He grabbed Kato's shoulder. "How about you put that sword away and we catch up with the rest again." He looked at the hyenas. "Oh, and maybe send these ladies home."
Kato chuckled as he sent off another spell that had the hyenas getting up and running off. "I should book a meeting with my mind-healer when I get back home," he said when they reached the others.
"Might be good," Laurina said.
"Will you be alright now?" Ralis asked. "I'll be honest and say that we can't afford you having episodes and hurt people."
Kato shook his head. "I spent more of my time caring for others than killing," he said. "I don't think I would hurt anyone. Either way, I'm not going to have another episode. Now that I know they can happen, I can prepare to counter them." He walked next to Bill as they continued. He knew that Bill was keeping an eye on him. He didn't mind, to be honest. It felt good to know that someone cared.
"You said war," Rose said as she approached Draco. "What do you mean by that? I mean how many people were there?"
Draco gave her an unfriendly look. When Kato had told him about that war he had been able to tell that it pained his Master to talk about it. He doubted he had spoken about it with that many people. It was good that Bill seemed to know because he also seemed to know how to handle Kato. Draco didn't want to air his Master's life with this woman though. She rubbed him the wrong way. "I don't know how many fought in the war," he said. "The dead on Master's side counted in the thousands and they won."
"Is this supposed to be recent?" Rose asked. "Peverell isn't that old after all."
"He was twenty when he fought," Draco said.
Rose flicked her hair back. "I haven't heard anything about a major magical battle taking place that recently," she said. "I would know if it had happened."
Draco thought her words over for a moment. She was right, he guessed. Yet he was certain that his Master hadn't lied to him. "What if it was a goblin war?" he asked. It was a logical conclusion. Kato could have fought in a massive goblin war and humans would know nothing about it. Goblins didn't like airing their dirty laundry to humans after all.
Rose gave Draco an irritated look as if his suggestion was a direct insult to her before she stomped off.
Ralis chuckled as he watched her walk away. "You could very well be right about that," he said. "Could explain a lot. Like how he is a member of a goblin clan. He could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Excelling at a task forced upon him could have given him the honour he has been granted," he said.
Draco nodded. He felt better. He didn't like questioning his own worldview. He had come to trust Kato even if he still really disliked him sometimes. He grabbed the water bottle from his belt and took a swig. He wondered how much further they had to go and was glad for the training Kato had pushed him through. At the start of the summer, he would never have been able to keep up with Laurina and Ralis. "Something scared the springbucks," he commented as he watched them run off.
"Hopefully nothing we need to care about," Ralis said.
They stopped for lunch a short while later. It was a nutritious meal that didn't seem to fit everyone's pallets.
Draco was glad to see that he wasn't the only one who didn't like the food, but at least he still ate it. Hopefully, Kato would make dinner.
"Are those rhinos?" Rose asked sometime after they had started walking again.
Laurina looked over at the heavy-set herd. Her eyes narrowed. "No, those are erumpents," she said. Her eyes closed and she sighed. "Why are we one person short again?" she asked.
Kato looked around. "Las Yah Niir," he said softly. He walked over to Laurina. "Over there," he said as he tapped her arm so she could see a glow. "He must be wearing some form of cloaking device."
"I swear…" Laurina didn't finish the sentence. She couldn't quite understand why they had to drag all of these people with them. Why couldn't she and her husband have gone ahead and set up an apparition point like they usually did? At least this Peverell guy seemed to know what he was doing, and she couldn't blame him for having PTSD.
"I can calm those erumpents the same way I calmed the hyenas," Kato said. "Want to go get him?"
Laurina sighed. "We should," she said. She turned to her husband. "Just keep going," she said. "We'll be fine." She started walking and Kato followed her lead.
"Can we run or will that piss them off?" Kato asked.
"Can you cloak us from them?" Laurina asked.
"Will do," Kato said. A faint shimmering film appeared over their skin as Kato's magic took hold and Laurina took off running as soon as it did. She was a little surprised when Kato easily kept up with her. It even looked like he might be able to go faster. She could appreciate that considering just how much Rose had been complaining about her sore feet the last hour or so. They had told her they would be walking.
Kato reached out and grabbed Prower's arm. "I think it is time for you to come back to the group," he said sternly. "Unless you want me to report you to the Clan."
"How the hell did you find me?" Prower exclaimed.
Kato sighed and took a firmer grip on the man's arm. "That doesn't matter," he said. "You were told to stay with the group. You will return with us now, or I will send you back to base."
"You can't do that," Prower said. "I was handpicked for this mission. You are just here because you're human."
Kato snorted. "I'm here because I can stop a dragon from tearing your face off. I'm here because I can stop an entire herd of erumpets from trampling you down. I'm here because I have experience with the unknown. How many unexplored caves have you travelled into the past five years?"
"Certainly more than you have," Prower said. "You're just a brute with some magical reserves."
Kato sighed and grabbed the invisibility cuff that Prower was wearing. He logged it and packed it away. "You can ask General Rourk for this when it is time for you to sign off this mission," he said.
Prower was about to start arguing when he saw the look on Bill's face. He didn't want to get on Bill's bad side.
"If we hurry up a bit we can make it there before nightfall," Laurina said. "I'd rather reach our destination tonight than sleep out here in the open. There are at least a few trees over there."
"We can set up wards too," Kato said. "I'm a warder so I can ward the place for us. We can keep nomags and animals away."
"They never gave us a full list of your abilities," Laurina said. "I know what the rest can do but not you."
Kato chuckled. "What did they write?" he asked. Then he smiled. "I am a warder and a healer. I can weave illusions and I can fight."
"Don't forget cook," Bill said. "Kato's food is amazing."
Laurina shook her head and sighed. "Where did they find you?" she asked.
"That is a very good question isn't it," Kato said.
"If you only knew the things this idiot has done," Bill said. "What is the most dangerous being you have fought with nothing but your sword and your magic?"
"Well," Kato said. "I'd say that is relative to my skills at the time though I guess the basilisk when I was twelve doesn't count since I technically had a phoenix then. I'd say that either a dragon or the necromancer queen was the worst."
Bill shuddered. "Don't remind me," he said.
Laurina shook her head. She didn't feel like she had gotten any wiser. At least now she knew they had a warder and a healer with them. Kato walked up and took point with Draco not long after that. They were racing the turning of the earth now. The sun would set soon and it would get quite dark once that happened. They didn't want to fumble around in the dark around the mouth of Dragon's Breath.
"Draco and I are going on ahead," Kato called back. "I'll get the wards up." he looked at Draco. "Let's show these guys that rich kids can outpace them," he said.
Draco rolled his eyes, but he sped up to keep pace with Kato. It felt good to run. The wind caught his hair and he realised that he felt more energized than he ever thought he could just from moving.
They reached the trees and Kato slowed down. "Let's get this ward up," he said.
…
Bill rolled his shoulder as he walked through the wards. "And we're gone," he said. He pointed through the trees. "I can see a fire over there," he said. "I'm guessing that is Kato and Draco." He led the others over to the fire and they sat down around it.
"I don't want meat," Rose said as she saw the spits hanging over the fire dripping fat and water into the flames.
"No problem," Kato said. He cleaned his hands off and pulled some halloumi out of his bag. He asked Rose if that was alright with her and she nodded absently as she watched Bill with a hungry look in her eyes. "He's getting married come winter," he said absently as he handed Rose her food later. She gave him a calculating look. He guessed she was trying to judge whether he was telling the truth or not. "I see," she said after a while.
Kato didn't care what she decided to do. Bill could most certainly handle himself. He made sure everyone got some food. They needed to erect some kind of shelter then he was sure most would just fall asleep. They weren't used to these kinds of treks. He put the fire out and grabbed his guitar. Maybe he could lull them to sleep. Tomorrow wasn't going to be any easier on them.