A Dragon's Quest {Newt Scamander}

Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon

In a room above the Leaky Cauldron a young woman slept. The only sound in the room was the gentle snoring from the woman. She rolled over in her sleep and a long dragon tail draped over the edge of the bed. This woman was very different, she was a witch, but not the average. She was a dragon, a dragon in hiding so to say as not many people accepted her into the magical community.

Suddenly there was a knock on door, this caused the young woman to jump in her sleep as she mumbled "Go away!" into her pillow.

"Gwendolyn! Gwendolyn Presley!" a young male voice sounded on the opposite side the door. "It's me."

Gwen groaned even louder trying to block out Newt Scamander's voice by bringing her bed sheets above her head.

"Will you let me in? It's an emergency." Newt asked quietly waiting for a response, but when there was none he announced, "Okay, you give me no choice. I'm coming in."

Newt turned the knob of the door and pushed it open. Unfortunately, the door squeaked open causing Gwen to lob an object at the loud, intrusive noise. Newt looked at the object she had launched in his direction, a candle, and picked it up.

"A candle Gwen?" Newt asked the sleeping woman.

"Leave me alone I'm trying to sleep." Gwen groaned as Newt approached her bed.

"Come on Gwendolyn this is a very important Ministry matter." Newt coaxed his friend as an amused expression crossed his face. "Or I could just tickle you."

Placing his suitcase and candle done, Newt reached out towards Gwen's curled up body; careful not to step on her tail and began to tickle her. All Gwen wanted to do was lash out, but instead she began to chortle and writhe as Newt tickled her.

"Stop it!" she laughed, "You're not supposed to tickle dragons." She continued laughing as her tail swung about on the ground.

"Well I'm doing it right now and nothing bad has happened." Newt smiled, but was cut off as Gwen let out a half laugh-half cough sound which resulted in a flame being thrown to catch a desk on fire.

"Bloody hell!" Gwen said shocked now fully awake, she reached for to her right and grabbed her wand and yelled, "Aguamenti!"

Newt backed away as the flames died down from the desk, "Whoops."

Turning back to Newt, Gwen stood wide eyed, "Whoops! That's the third time I've set that desk on fire." She stated, "And that's why you draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."

Newt nodded, "Really? Just three thought it would've been more." He handed Gwen the thrown candle, but as soon as she took it she lobbed her pillow in his face.

"So did you just come in the middle of the night to help me set my desk on fire or did you come for something else?" Gwen asked rubbing her eyes before lighting the candle.

"Oh yes," Newt said his eyes brightening throwing the pillow back at her. "We need to go to the Ukraine."

At the mention of her home Gwen jumped up, "No! No absolutely not."

"Oh, come on you didn't even here what it was." Newt said throwing his head back.

Gwen narrowed her eyes at her friend, "Go on."

Newt perked up, "Okay so there's been this plague that has caused all the Ukrainian Ironbelly Dragons to fall ill. The Ministry needs us to go because the affected dragons are getting harder to control as they have started going on unprovoked rampages and-"

"Wait!" Gwen said just understanding what Newt was telling her. "You said we?" she questioned, "Why would I need to go? And how did the Ministry find out about me?"

Newt stood uncomfortably in Gwen's gaze, "Well, I might've mentioned that you could slightly communicate with them."

Gwen groaned, "Oh Newt..." her face was pained before she glared at him, "I'm not going back to the Ukraine."

Newt sighed as he pulled at his hair. His gaze landed on the burnt desk as movement caught his eye. Newt walked toward the desk to see the Daily Prophet and on the page that was open an older woman stared back glumly as she held up a prisoner number. The woman in the picture had light hair and resembled Gwen quiet a lot, well besides the murderous glare the camera captured: Cassie Presley.

"This is why, isn't it?" Newt asked holding up the paper so Gwen could see it.

Gwen stared at the paper in fear and nodded, "I can't go back, not now. Not after they released her."

"But the paper is dated a month ago and she's under house arrest with-" Newt squinted at the writing and read, "...one Dementor guarding the location. A Dementor?" he asked looking at Gwen.

"Because, she not only tried to kill me twice, she nearly killed my father since he was trying to protect me." Gwen explained sitting on her bed, "She was sentenced for ten years originally, but was split up between five years in Azkaban and five years in house arrest with a Dementor. If you just ask me she should've never left."

Newt stared at Gwen, "You're hiding." He stated.

"I'm not hiding." Gwen growled, "I'm avoiding."

Newt walked around the room placing the paper in Gwen's hands, "Same thing. Now tell me why."

Gwen gripped the sides of the newspaper. Her mother's face glaring at her, all Gwen saw was the horror from her past whenever she saw that face. One other feeling also crept within Gwen's soul: Fear.

"I'm...afraid of her." Gwen mumbled out.

Newt expected Gwen to lash out with her emotions, but her response was surprising as she burst into tears. He stood awkwardly as Gwen sobbed into her hands, he eventually got the courage to take his arm and pat her back.

"Oh please don't cry." Newt soothed her, "I don't know what to do."

Gwen chuckled at that statement as she felt him pat her back awkwardly. "It's okay Newt, I'll be fine."

Gwen wiped her face and ran her fingers through her hair. Newt took a seat beside Gwen and both sat in silence.

"So..." Newt glanced towards her.

Gwen raised her eyebrows, "My answer is still no."

Newt groaned, "Oh, come on Gwen. Don't you want to know about why these dragons are ill?" he questioned.

Gwen sighed putting her hands over her eyes. "I do, but I can't. I can't go to the Ukraine." She said shaking her head.

"Yes you can!" Newt said, "You said we'd conquer our pasts together, this is one of those times."

"But-"

"No, buts, we are going and if I must drag you I will." Newt said determined as he stood up. "And whatever fears you have, we'll face them together."

Gwen lifted her head defeated, Newt wasn't going to leave unless she went with him. "Very well," she complied as Newt clapped his hands in victory heading toward the door. "but we leave tomorrow."

Newt smiled triumphantly, "Awesome, I'll pack, take care of the animals and..."

"I said I would go Newt, but leave me alone." Gwen yawned growing impatient with her friend. "I'm tired."

"Oh right." Newt coughed, "I'll just be leaving." He turned toward the door and was about to leave when he heard Gwen call him back.

"Why don't you just stay the night." Gwen rolled her eyes, "There's only four more hours until sun up." She gestured to the other guest bed in the room nodding her head to it.

"Ok, thanks." Newt said putting his suitcase down as he laid down on the extra bed.

Blowing out the candle, Gwen sighed as she fluffed her pillow before placing her head down. Settling down Newt sighed closing his eyes, but no sleep came to rescue him from his thoughts. Why were the dragons becoming ill? And why just the Ironbelly dragons? Consumed in his thoughts Newt only heard the gentle snoring of Gwendolyn Presley.