£ Cat tongue £

$ Serpent tongue $

: High Mind Speech:

SPRB FB

With the letter written, he tucked it into the envelope and wrote Barchokes name on the front.

Hedwig jumped to his shoulder, and took the offered letter in her beak, and winged to the bar, where she opened the box by gripping the knob in her right talon, lifting, and dropping the letter, before closing the box. She returned to the perch where she self groomed, looking quite pleased with herself.

"And how long did it take to train her to do that?" Soran asked.

Hedwig glared at the blue haired male.

"She is both very smart, and a mail owl." Harry chuckled. "For some reason, I tend to surround myself with intelligent females…" He smiled at the other guy, "And not so intelligent guys. Our other friend, used to be my best mate… got me into so much trouble. First year, he accepted a challenge to a Wizard's Duel for me and named himself as my second. He then led me right into the faces of a Cerberus. By the name of Fluffy if you can believe it."

The shocked looks on the Americans' faces brought a chuckle out of Hermione.

"Don't laugh… miss 'We could have died…or worse, been expelled'."

"Okay now I know that you are making things up." Soran shook himself out.

Kyra just looked at the two Brits. "No… They're not joking. She really said that, and they really faced off against a Cerberus named Fluffy."

Just then, Hedwig perked up…

SPRB FB

Meanwhile in London:

Barchoke was finishing up with the last of the 'brats' transfers. The sun he had absorbed would be enough to hold off the cold this winter. The paperwork backlog was worth the month he spent with the brat, the boy had invited the three of them to his Estate where the half naked females shared their wine and gossip.

A 'ding' heralded the arrival of a letter from the brat…

He almost ignored it and went home, but his curiosity got the better of him. His taloned thumb popped the seam on the flap with practiced ease.

What he read was enough to cause his hair to fall out if he didn't already shave it off.

"Hey Barchoke.

Got a quick question.

On the twenty-eighth of May in Ninety two, I killed a Basilisk.

Now that she was dead, and I was wounded and had an underclassman to see to safety, I left her laying there, protected by the defenses of the Chamber. I didn't know about certain rights and responsibilities I had for killing her.

Now that I am informed, something tells me that you know something about something on this issue. Please make the discreet inquiries that are needed and get back to me.

I can tell you that she was more than large enough to practically swallow me whole when I was twelve. She is resting under Hogwarts, but you will need my assistance to retrieve her.

…

He didn't need to read more.

Barchoke was quick to send a response to the young Lord, proming to have the answers for him by the second of September… as well as more questions.

No sooner than the note hit his out tray, it vanished.

His pen, a fountain pen gifted him by the young Lord's grandfather, flashed in the lights as he penned requests for information on the costs for processing of the carcass and the projected interest and value of the beast hitting the market.

He grinned at the images of the hornet nest his Patron just kicked.

SPRB FB

Hedwig perked up, and barked, before she winged to the box to retrieve the letter inside. Delivery of the letter to Harry earned her some scratches from her human. She accepted the Palmed owl treat and returned to her perch to bask in the awe of the ground crawling Plebs.

Hermione snorted at the owl's antics. "She has him better trained than I do."

"Oi!" Harry turned to the cat eared witch beside him. "Just for that… you don't get to read the note." He waved it in her face…before she pounced on him to wrestle the folded note out his hand.

Soran cocked his head one way, then the other. "Is it just me, or is he holding the note so that she has to rub her tits on his face?"

Hermione epped, punched him in the ribs, snagged the note and retreated. Purring.

"So …" Kyra smirked at Harry, "Was it worth it."

"I would be lying if I said no, but like her ears reveal, curiosity kills the cat." Harry sat up and rubbed his ribs. "I keep forgetting that she can punch like a pro."

"I notice that you don't seem to have moved away from her." Soran sneered.

"Dobby. Until we get to the Academy…" Harry sneered back. "Soran only gets one serving of meat."

The look of horror on the Drakon's face caused Kyra to burst out laughing.

"Well … Barchoke is pleased with the opportunity, and does know that should everything else be ruined, the fangs, bones, hide should be salvageable." Hermione reported from where she was sitting.

Seeing the looks on everyone's face, Harry sighed. "Tomorrow night, I will answer three questions… if I can't answer I will tell you why and you can try again when it is your turn."

He then rolled into his Puma form and stretched out between the couch ring and the stairs to the rooms upstairs.

Hermione, purring, curled into his belly pocket in her mixed breed cat form.

Soran shrugged before he shifted over to dragon and wrapped himself around the two cats.

Kyra smiled before curling up to Hermione, wrapping her tail around the cuddle pod.

Dobby happily honed the dagger blade for Master Harry, when he finished honing the blade, he polished it and the antelope horn hilt, showing its Damascus style grain. He then drew out the panga machete. First he cleaned it, then he cleaned the edge with a coarse stone. He knew that where Master Harry's dagger was for slicing through the flesh of his targets, Grungies' Knife was more for hacking through the limbs of his.

Once he was finished with the knives, he crawled into the pile of warm fur and slept the few short hours he needed.

[Flashback end]

Soran looked at Kyra.

"Not one of my three, do we have to do this now… or can we wait…"

Harry licked his teeth. "I will let you wait. I don't have to answer any questions unless you state that you are using a Question."

The two Americans sighed.

Soran looked about. "This is our fourth night in the tent, and we have yet to see the bedrooms."

"Yeah." Kyra stood up.

"Well Dobby assigned you rooms when we first hit the baths." Harry grinned. "There are six rooms, each with ensuites and full closets. Other than the items we had to burn, Dobby has washed, pressed what needed pressing, and stored your things as is proper. Your rooms are the first two closed doors past the Bath Hall.

The two Americans looked at each other before they bolted up the stairs.

Ten minutes later they were back. "Not bad." Kyra smiled as she stepped off the steps, "Not the room I would have chosen, the bed is …. Too limited for me to fully stretch out, but as I am only using it for storage and such it will do."

"Same." Soran grinned at Harry. "Sweet digs. Even my parents don't have the swanky crib and they are dragons with a hoard to kill for… three to five times over."

"Thanks." Harry smiled. "Now, Hermione needs another night of cuddling, so I am going to have a quick bath… and this time I am taking Soran too. Are we piling together here again or are you going to try your own beds?"

"Pile" everyone chorused.

SPRB

When Hermione's alarm charm sounded, the Assembled pile of bodies broke apart and checked their clothing, making the necessary adjustments as needed, before heading out.

Kyra was dressed in the Toga/sports bra that Hermione had given her, and a pair of cargo shorts with knee high hiking boots. Her focus was a pair of slave bracelets linked to a ring on her middle finger.

Soran was dressed in cargo pants and the vest that Harry had cleaned and Dobby helped adjust to fit him like a second skin. He didn't have a focus as he was not a mage.

Hermione was in her Mao style. Her Dragonhide togs, and knee high hiking boots, her wand in the boot slot she had made for it. A wide belt ran from her right shoulder to her left hip-thigh and a storage pouch. At her hip was the pistol that she had chosen to use … she called it a .380 cal colt. "If you need something heavier, you are either carrying the wrong gun, looking for the wrong kind of trouble, or completely in the wrong."

Harry was in his yoga togs, knee high boots, and the saddlebag harness. His wand was sheathed just above the dagger.

"Dobby. We will need the bikes." Harry ducked out of the tent.

He cast a wandless Luminous. The polished stone about them in the tunnel spoke of skill and or power to cut and polish the whole tunnel.

The others stepped out.

"Okay… this was not carved…" Kyra ran her hand along the wall. "It was shaped. By a Great One."

"How did a Great One live here and no one know?" Soran asked.

"Snow Point." Hermione smiled. "It pulled a Yoda."

"What?" Harry looked at her as the other two nodded.

"With the Academy nearby, anything that it did would be blamed on the school, and if the rumours are true," Kyra shook her head to clear it, "If there was no blood, damage to school property, or loss of life… the Academy don't really care or notice."

After packing up the tent, and mounting the bikes, they headed deeper into the tunnel.

By Noon, they still had not found any signs of life or light. They stopped to request lunch from Dobby, when a gust of wind caused Soran to snap around.

"Dobby, hold the food!" He jumped on the Motorcross and charged into the darkness.

"That was not excitement." Kyra gunned the triumph and charged after.

"Yeah Mule!" Hermione cried as Harry kicked the cruiser into gear.

Twenty minutes later the Four of them stood over the mummified remains of a giant coatl.

"Like I said. A Great One." Kyra smiled sadly.

"She's been dead for sometime." Soran looked at the husk.

Harry Walked up to it, and stroked the nose. "She is a beauty." He turned to look at the two behind him. "Would it be wrong to collect the remains?"

"For what purpose?" Kyra frowned at the lad.

"The skin and bones are from a great Magical Beast. They have been soaking in said power as it faded. The Feathers are still pristine, and…"

"So I think it would be okay if you can promise that it will be honoured by you and those who you share with." Kyra sighed.

Soran nodded.

"As I was thinking that I would only share with you three… or someone who has earned our respect… above the token respect you offer a Professor and Head of State." He patted the nose of the giant snake. "Dobby, your presence please."

"Great Master Wizard Harry Potter Sir calls Dobby!" the Elf bounced on his toes before the lad.

The three glared at the Wizard.

"Ah, Dobby. Try again. You got the words mixed up." Harry knelt to be on a more even eye to eye with the Elf.

"What should Dobby be saying?" The Elf pulled on his ear… but was not able to control his smirk.

"Good one, scamp." Harry rubbed Dobby's head as he stood. "I need this beauty stored until I can process it myself or with trusted help." He pointed at the feathered serpent.

Dobby inspected the body, before he nodded, snapped his fingers, and vanished… taking the snake with him.

And revealing two eggs the size of Dobby, in a pile of mixed gems and coins from around the world.

"Dobby." Hermione was by Harry's side quickly. "Please check the eggs…"

"Dobby check." The Elf appeared between the two eggs. "Both growing strong. Expected to hatch in six months."

"Put them in the room beside mine. Keep an eye on them." Harry commanded.

Again the Elf snapped and vanished.

"Dobby, you forgot the loot!" Harry called out to the thin air.

The cavern was suddenly completely empty except for the three bikes and four riders.

"I am not hungry right now." Soran huffed.

Harry knelt, offered a prayer to anyone listening and thanked the serpent for her gifts to him and his.

With a somber mood, they remounted the bikes and rode into the darkness, Hermione checking the Wayfynder.

They arrived at the westaside cliff face over looking a stretch of barren rock and the sea.

They made camp inside the tunnel mouth.

TBC