Here Be Dragons...
Glad for a chance for a straight run, air deliciously open and free, each scale of her neck and her belly buffed pleasantly by the scouring wind, Maggie was happy. The weight of Flamehair was comforting and familiar now, pressure from his knees and occasional pats on her neck were enjoyably warm in contrast to the elements. She knew she was going to find the Birdbeasts, and she liked this game. She would find all the Birdbeasts that Flamehair had hidden for her and when she had burned them all, Flamehair would make happy noises and give her food.
Flamehair's pack had come too, as they had a few times before, but Maggie knew she would find the Birdbeasts first. Their fires came from sticks and they weren't as hot or as fast as a dragon's breath, oh no. The deer would be hers, when all the Birdbeasts were gone.
Charlie guided Maggie low across the coast at Kyleakin, and over Eilean Donan Castle towards Invermorriston, before following the loch up as far as Drumnadrochit and turning east towards Hogwarts, which they approached from the north, via the Quidditch field.
It was hardly recognisable. And neither was Hogwarts itself...Albus Dumbledore had been right. The architecture of the castle had...warped.
Bill felt a sickening feeling in his stomach at the sight of it and, partly to calm himself down, cast a long glance over his family. Half a dozen red Weasley heads, counting his own, with the Hebridean black at the centre. Who would have thought that it was possible to train a dragon? But Charlie had done it - and Bill was proud, and more than a little afraid. They had all joked and laughed about this moment, but now that it was happening, now that they were here...
George looked down at the Quidditch field glumly. The spectator towers. that had once rung out with shouts of encouragement and support, lay in ruins. The goals were nowhere to be seen. He exchanged a look with Fred, shook his head, and sadly remembered all the good times, the fun, the cameraderie, the jokes they had played. It all seemed like centuries ago. They were good days. And they would be again, he felt sure of it. They'd win the battle for Hogwarts, and everything would be back as it was before. Almost.
----}}-'<~
Charlie looked down at the crumbling battlements, and then further down to the courtyard. Suddenly, he felt Maggie tense and draw her neck back. That could mean only one thing... The harpies are coming.
Bill felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck as a familiar shriek resounded, echoing, against the ancient stone. Another followed it. And another, and then the ghastly stench of carrion breath heralded the approach of one of the beasts. From the corner of his eye, he saw another. Bill took a deep breath to calm himself and adjusted his weight on the broom so that he could fly one-handed.
The Birdbeasts were everywhere! A contented purr rose from Maggie's slender throat, followed by a plume of steam that shot back into her nostrils as she snorted in preparation to flame.
The twins took up station behind Maggie as the first wave of harpies approached. Fred faced forwards, ready to repel any attack on Charlie, while George, ever the showman, flew backwards, ready to drive off any harpies approaching the group from the rear.
Hermione's adaptation of the inkdart charm to produce - and hurl - a blob of burning pitch had had success in trials, using harpy dummies, and it did not fail now. From five Weasley wands pitchdarts were fired and the stink of burning feathers and tar was strong, and, although the darts were not powerful enough to dispatch a harpy, at least they sent them shrieking away from Charlie, who at all costs must not become unseated. Several enraged harpies flapped, wings trailing foul-smelling smoke, circling around to scream and attack the other end of the party. The rest was up to Maggie.
The pale yellow gout of flame incinerated one of the Birdbeasts and wounded another behind it. Maggie snorted again, and flamed again with a challenging bellow, tossing her head up to align herself better for a third target.
Quickly removing a glove and placing his fingers between his lips, Charlie gave a raucous whistle. As his mother looked toward him he flashed a quick smile and made a clockwise turning motion with his hand. Waiting for Molly to inform the rest of the team he replaced his glove and patted Maggie on the neck. "Attagirl! Lots of deer for you tonight!"
Seeing that the family were prepared, Charlie started Maggie on a steeply banked turn, each mighty beat of the huge black wings bringing more and more harpies into her range. As Maggie bellowed and blasted, Charlie felt a slight touch at his collar, followed by an enraged sqaulling sound and the smell of pitch and burning flesh. Charlie held Maggie firm on the turn, waving in gratitude at his older brother who had almost certainly saved him from being snatched from Maggie's back.
Bill's wand hand was shaking, his face pale under the smuts of soot, but he managed a grin. That had been a close one.
Flames poured from Maggie's mouth, again and again. She was having a wonderful time. There went another Birdbeast, nasty inedible thing, and another...
To Be Continued
Much credit of course to the writing talents of dragonesk and mum_of_hearts
Flamehair's pack had come too, as they had a few times before, but Maggie knew she would find the Birdbeasts first. Their fires came from sticks and they weren't as hot or as fast as a dragon's breath, oh no. The deer would be hers, when all the Birdbeasts were gone.
Charlie guided Maggie low across the coast at Kyleakin, and over Eilean Donan Castle towards Invermorriston, before following the loch up as far as Drumnadrochit and turning east towards Hogwarts, which they approached from the north, via the Quidditch field.
It was hardly recognisable. And neither was Hogwarts itself...Albus Dumbledore had been right. The architecture of the castle had...warped.
Bill felt a sickening feeling in his stomach at the sight of it and, partly to calm himself down, cast a long glance over his family. Half a dozen red Weasley heads, counting his own, with the Hebridean black at the centre. Who would have thought that it was possible to train a dragon? But Charlie had done it - and Bill was proud, and more than a little afraid. They had all joked and laughed about this moment, but now that it was happening, now that they were here...
George looked down at the Quidditch field glumly. The spectator towers. that had once rung out with shouts of encouragement and support, lay in ruins. The goals were nowhere to be seen. He exchanged a look with Fred, shook his head, and sadly remembered all the good times, the fun, the cameraderie, the jokes they had played. It all seemed like centuries ago. They were good days. And they would be again, he felt sure of it. They'd win the battle for Hogwarts, and everything would be back as it was before. Almost.
----}}-'<~
Charlie looked down at the crumbling battlements, and then further down to the courtyard. Suddenly, he felt Maggie tense and draw her neck back. That could mean only one thing... The harpies are coming.
Bill felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck as a familiar shriek resounded, echoing, against the ancient stone. Another followed it. And another, and then the ghastly stench of carrion breath heralded the approach of one of the beasts. From the corner of his eye, he saw another. Bill took a deep breath to calm himself and adjusted his weight on the broom so that he could fly one-handed.
The Birdbeasts were everywhere! A contented purr rose from Maggie's slender throat, followed by a plume of steam that shot back into her nostrils as she snorted in preparation to flame.
The twins took up station behind Maggie as the first wave of harpies approached. Fred faced forwards, ready to repel any attack on Charlie, while George, ever the showman, flew backwards, ready to drive off any harpies approaching the group from the rear.
Hermione's adaptation of the inkdart charm to produce - and hurl - a blob of burning pitch had had success in trials, using harpy dummies, and it did not fail now. From five Weasley wands pitchdarts were fired and the stink of burning feathers and tar was strong, and, although the darts were not powerful enough to dispatch a harpy, at least they sent them shrieking away from Charlie, who at all costs must not become unseated. Several enraged harpies flapped, wings trailing foul-smelling smoke, circling around to scream and attack the other end of the party. The rest was up to Maggie.
The pale yellow gout of flame incinerated one of the Birdbeasts and wounded another behind it. Maggie snorted again, and flamed again with a challenging bellow, tossing her head up to align herself better for a third target.
Quickly removing a glove and placing his fingers between his lips, Charlie gave a raucous whistle. As his mother looked toward him he flashed a quick smile and made a clockwise turning motion with his hand. Waiting for Molly to inform the rest of the team he replaced his glove and patted Maggie on the neck. "Attagirl! Lots of deer for you tonight!"
Seeing that the family were prepared, Charlie started Maggie on a steeply banked turn, each mighty beat of the huge black wings bringing more and more harpies into her range. As Maggie bellowed and blasted, Charlie felt a slight touch at his collar, followed by an enraged sqaulling sound and the smell of pitch and burning flesh. Charlie held Maggie firm on the turn, waving in gratitude at his older brother who had almost certainly saved him from being snatched from Maggie's back.
Bill's wand hand was shaking, his face pale under the smuts of soot, but he managed a grin. That had been a close one.
Flames poured from Maggie's mouth, again and again. She was having a wonderful time. There went another Birdbeast, nasty inedible thing, and another...
To Be Continued
Much credit of course to the writing talents of dragonesk and mum_of_hearts