Author's Note: Apologies for the wait, I had to figure out how best to go about this story. Truthfully, there were two possible routes, and I hate forks in the road. Anyways, I am going to be attempting to stick to a two week updating schedule. *Sarcastic* Yay! Less time to play Palworld. Likely for the better. Well enough on that. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and the route that I took with it. Once more, this is a response to DZ2's Prompt "Dragon Force Magic" and I hope the man himself appreciates what he hopefully sees in store for this.

Secondary Notes: Check out DZ2's "The Danger Zone" forum. He's got some nice challenges and prompts there. Now that advertisement is once again done, let's begin.

Chapter 2

Dragon Brothers

X777 July 7

Fiore, Ishgar

For all that he was; confident, proud, a teensy bit boastful. Harry was not good with the emotions Natsu was going through at that moment. Last night they had gone to sleep, curled up in Igneel's large tail, the cave that they had called home for most of their young life, bringing them comfort and familiarity. And today they had woken up in a forest, alone and with Igneel's scent gone.

For him, the abandonment hurt very little. Sure, his heart stung a little, the gargantuan dragon had been a father for him, but he had spent several years alone before finding Igneel and Natsu. Learning things here and there, and surviving on his own.

Natsu was the complete opposite.

As far as he knew, the pink-haired boy had been raised by Igneel since birth. And as the boy desperately called out Igneel's name, his cries went ignored. For the dragon was gone. Seeing Natsu finally collapse to the ground, cries turning into soft, sorrowful sniffles, something in his heart felt the sharp stab of a talon.

Ignoring the feeling that brought forth others, some very foreign to Harry, he walked forward and knelt by Natsu's side. He was taller than him, by an inch or two, something that always made the pinkette annoyed. And for a split second, he saw that usual annoyance out of the corner of Natsu's black eyes.

"Igneel's gone, Natsu,"

The pinkette sniffled a bit, gathering himself. Natsu didn't like appearing weak, especially with Harry. As the Fire Dragon Slayer, he knew he had a position to uphold, and considering his relationship with Harry, he felt his own pride wounded whenever he showed weakness to the other Dragon Slayer.

"I…. I know,"

His voice was soft and sad. Tears had been shed, and like he had done to countless flames before, it was as if his emotions were being sucked away into the maw of another Dragon Slayer or dragon, leaving him nearly hollow.

Not knowing what he should say, for his experience was going far differently, Harry did something that he didn't do before and usually avoided.

He hugged Natsu.

No words were shared further. The two just stayed there, bathing in the warmth of the brotherly embrace. Whether it was Natsu's flames heating up his body or something else, Harry didn't know, but he enjoyed the hug. It felt… right.

"Igneel may be gone, but you have me, Natsu. Together, we can do anything. We can even hunt down that old dragon and deck him in the schnoz," Natsu laughed and shoved him away, hopping to his feet with renewed energy.

A light flame seemed to sizzle in his eyes, and when he grinned, Harry was taken aback by the words that followed.

"Thanks, Harry. You're a great brother,"

A smile graced his face. Brother. He had heard of the term and knew what it meant, but he had never thought of it much. Sure he and Natsu had grown up together, Igneel had raised them both, but it wasn't a term of endearment he was accustomed to. Nor had he ever expected to be. It was as useless for him as a goblin was to eat. Nasty things that tasted horrific. And yet, now that Natsu had called him brother, when all they had left was each other, he felt his heart, directly where it felt like a talon had stabbed it, brim with a heat that made him feel….

Content. Happy.

And furious. Igneel had abandoned them and hurt Natsu in the process. When he found him, he would make the old dragon feel untold agony and humiliation at his hand for hurting his brother.

Harry's smile never dimmed and his eyes gleamed with confidence. "Of course I am! Who is better than the great Harry Potter!"

"Harry, your arrogance is showing again,"

"I'll teach you arrogance! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Both boys quickly dissolved into a brawl, one that quickly set ablaze the forest surrounding them and killed the nearby wildlife. At least their dinner was kind enough to die so easily.

The two boys spent the better part of two weeks making their way through the kingdom of Fiore, something the locals seemed surprised they weren't aware of beforehand. They went through several villages, a few towns, and even a city. Though the last one taught them one important thing.

They hated cities.

And trains.

Especially trains.

Finishing their latest vomiting session in some bushes, both boys grimaced. The locomotives were very horrible and left them with lingering effects, one of which was several days of constant nausea.

"How much do we have left, Harry?"

Sticking his hand into his pocket, Harry pulled out a wallet that they filched off a rather stately looking gentleman from the city. It had been fuller than the one they took from a drunk, and lasted longer too. Though now it was almost empty.

"Not much. Most went towards our last meal,"

Natsu gained a dreamy expression, remembering the feast that they had enjoyed back in town. Though Harry didn't care to be reminded of that, for what came after was something he wished to forget. Bastards never stopped staring, he thought, annoyed.

"Come on, let's keep going. We should be close to the next town,"

They continued their walk and quickly reached the end of the road, or more like they chased, caught, and cooked a deer before taking the meat with them to-go, which left them lost and now standing at a cliffside. Though the view below was great.

Below them was a small city, with hundreds of buildings, most appearing to be red-tile roofed houses with beige exteriors. Canals were cut into the earth, separating entire streets, houses, and businesses, and at the center lay a beautifully constructed church. Though Harry's eyes were fixated on the northernmost part of the city, sitting on the shore of a lake, was a large, two-story high building. And inside of it, he sensed magic.

Lots of magic.

A grin so wicked it would make demons cry, split his face, and he pointed his finger at it. "Natsu, look! That place is full of magic! That's where we should go first!" When he received no response, he looked back only to see that Natsu was gone. Whipping his head back around, he saw his brother rushing down the side of the mountain, headed directly towards the market district.

Eyes widening, he patted his pockets and felt no wallet. "DAMNIT NATSU! WAIT UP!" Leaping off the side of the cliff, he slid down the mountain faster than the pinkette could rush down it. A competitive gleam flashed in his eyes, and his fangs grinned in the sun.

Fairy Tail, Magnolia

Home of the famous Fairy Tail Guild, the guild hall in fact boasted a very humble interior. The inside was similar to a large lunch hall, mainly consisting of wood, possessing a parquet floor and a mezzanine held up by wood beams overlooking it. Several long benches and the related tables stretched across its length with a bar managed by a pretty bar wench at the end. Several waitresses were already hard at work tending to the requests of the guild members.

Presently, not much was going on, despite the guild's rambunctious and wild reputation. At a table, a girl and a boy sat playing cards. One was a long-haired brunette in a plaid, spaghetti-strap dress, with bright purple eyes. This was Cana Alberona. Beside her was a spiky, black-haired boy with only blue shorts on his body. He had a dark blue guild mark of Fairy Tail proudly displayed right below his collarbone, on his right pectoral muscle. This was Gray Fullbuster.

And he was frustrated.

"Cana! For the last time! I did not cheat!"

"Yeah yeah, Mr Counts Cards,"

"Argh!"

This display of adorable childishness was destroyed by the doors to the guild being thrown open, silencing all sound within the guild. Standing at the doorway, practically bathed in sunlight, was a spiky, blonde-haired young man, wearing purple pants and a dark yellow t-shirt over a long-sleeve black one. Resting on his neck was a spiked pair of headphones. This was Laxus Dreyar.

The grandson of Fairy Tail's Guild Master, Makarov Dreyar.

Though the attention wasn't on him, but two boys, both appearing similar in age to Laxus, greedily eating away at huge legs of meat. "Bringing back strays already huh, Laxus?" A voice called out from the bar, and grandson and grandfather met gazes, Laxus' being thoroughly smug.

"Strays with potential are better than strays as brittle as ice,"

"Hey! I heard that, asshole!"

A tick marked form on the young teen's face, and with a wave of his hand, launched a bolt of lightning at Gray, sending him flying back into several older men, making them drop their beers. Immediately they were on their feet, angry expressions on their faces. "That was good beer, brat! Stars Alignment: Seven Star Wrath!"

"Blaze Stream!"

"Thorn Stomp!"

The mages all casted magic circles of gold, red, and dark green, and their spells launched forward at dangerous ferocity. Laxus didn't even blink as he dodged and weaved around the spells, and leaped above the thorns that erupted from the floors. Twisting through the air, he landed safely on a table, and smirked cockily as chaos erupted.

Remembering the 'strays', he turned back to the doors, only to see nothing. Looking around, he couldn't find them. Thinking he had lost his chance to one up his grandfather, he was about to go hunt down those promising pricks when he heard two spells that made his body shiver.

"Fire Dragon's Talon!"

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

He found the two boys, and saw that they had joined the brawl he had started. Glancing at his grandfather, the man seemed content to sit there and enjoy his beer. Oh what the hell, he thought and joined in the brawl.

He sat at the bar, enjoying a quick drink as he browsed through the latest issue of Wizards International. It was a magazine that published about some of the most powerful wizards across Earthland, their stats, and their spell repertoires. And to his displeasure, most had broadcasted their spell repertoires flamboyantly.

"Fucking fools," Laxus grumbled, looking through the Lightning Wizards section. Several were glory-seekers that had successfully painted targets on their heads. Rogue mages were morons, with even higher desires for glory and infamy, that would gladly take a shot at these fools.

Though he planned to get to them first. How else would he prove himself the best Lightning Mage in the world? The most powerful. The most cunning and crafty. Though he would make sure to not be as flashy as the rest.

"Looking forward to the Tournament of Wizards, huh kid?"

A biting retort nearly made it passed his lips, but instead of a retort, the only thing that came was a sigh. "Yeah, Macao. I plan to participate in the Lightning Magic division," A clap on the back was what he received, and he turned his head to see that behind Macao stood Wakaba Mine, the former's best friend and a man that had been in the guild his whole life.

Both sported proud, confident smiles. "You'll do great, kid. That Dreyar blood runs strong in you," A spark of anger flashed in his eyes, but his orange gaze was not targeted at them. It wasn't unknown to the two men, who were practically his uncles, that he felt shackled down by his grandfather's strength and glory, unable to escape his grandfather's shadow and prove to the world he was strong on his own. All his strength, neither his father nor his grandfather had ever trained him. Hard-work and dedication, blood and tears, it all had been given to become as strong as he was today. But even hearing about his Dreyar blood could ignite an anger in him, though he was better able to quell it.

"Yeah, the Dreyar blood has done my family wonders," He grumbled, remembering the tales of his great-grandfather, the glory days of his grandfather, and the wasted potential of his father. The Dreyar blood was strong, though he still preferred hard-work and dedication. Felt more…

Earned.

"Carol, get this boy a shot of the good stuff,"

"Macao! He is underage-" The bar wench hissed, having already caved in giving Laxus a light beer, but the blue-haired mage waved off her concerns. "He is a man, woman! Does all this masculinity mean nothing!?"

Feeling his cheeks getting pinched, he shoved the older man off, getting a laugh from Wakaba as Macao dramatically clutched his side and a very faux wince. "Oh! My side! Now Carol, I can tell you that was not a blow from a wee brat!"

"Fine! Just cut the dramatics!" The woman snapped, fondly irritated by the man's childish antics, and Macao slid a wad of Jewels across the table. Without a word, she turned and made Laxus' unintended drink, leaving the growing, stocky blonde to notice that she pocketed some of the Jewels.

Before he could get angry, thinking she was stealing from the guild, Wakaba patted him on the shoulder and sat down beside him. "It's the fee for her silence, kid. Never let Master know we're using that special rule against him, yeah?" Laxus gave him an intense stare before nodding.

His drink came, and he quickly fell into a conversation with the two alcohol-lovers, not realizing that at the back of the second floor, something that would change things for him was taking place. Though something within him, artificial and roaring with power, recognized the strings of fate being rearranged.

Within the Master's office, Makarov leaned back in his chair, even as the two sixteen year old boys before him rather impatiently awaited their guild marks. Dragon Slayer Magic. Not something that left a good taste in his mouth, not after what his grandson had gone through. And yet sitting before him were two boys boasting of hailing from the first generation. Both with the Magic capacity to contend with Gildarts, though he momentarily wondered if the raven-haired one could rival his guild's Ace.

Shaking such thoughts from his head, he made a decision. "Let me fetch my grandson," Both nodded, and as Makarov stepped past them, he thought of the two boys in particular. Abandoned by their parent- a dragon of all creatures- with limited knowledge of human society and how it was run, and a clear desire to explore the world on one endless, mysterious adventure.

If I ever could receive two boys that could embody that aspect of Fairy Tail, it would be two dragon-raised mages, the old man thought, bemused.