The Dragons of Raveana

In the Presence of Dragons

Harry stiffened as the order ricocheted through the air, hands balling into fists at his sides as he spun slowly to face the older wizard. Behind him the dragons rumbled anxiously, their fluttering wings stirring the grasses. Eyes blazing angrily, he stalked toward the pulsing green wards and sneered. A hand on his shoulder stopped his forward march, brought his eyes around to meet icy orbs gleaming with fiery determination.

"They can't pass through the wards unless they're invited." Draco murmured, tightening his grip in a quick squeeze before letting his hand fall away. Frowning, he crossed his arms and studied the quietly arguing group, his wand still dangling threateningly from his fingers. "Your call, Harry."

Drawing a deep breath, Harry glanced over his shoulder at the clan of Mage Dragons. Under his gaze, they hissed and dipped their heads, wings churning slowly. Gritting his teeth, he drew himself up and prowled gracefully forward with Draco following closely at his heels. "Moody," he greeted in a relatively calm voice. Tightening his fingers around his wand, he tipped his chin up and arched an eyebrow. "What can we do for you?" His question was met with stunned silence.

"What can we do for you?" Moody parroted, magical eye swirling in its socket. Shaking his head, he hobbled closer toward the glowing wards and extended a hand, cautiously testing their strength.

"Yes, I'm assuming something brought you here." Harry called, shooting Draco a quick look as the blond drew even with him.

"You've been missing for half a week, boy!" Roared Moody, jerking his hand back as the wards lashed out at him. Gritting his teeth, he yanked his wand from its sheath and leveled it at the wards, managing to point it in Draco's general direction at the same time. "Dumbledore has an entire division of the Aurors out looking for you and Malfoy and you ask me what I'm doing here!" The spell he snapped slammed into the wards, only to dissipate in a shimmer of magic.

"I see you're in no mood to talk." Harry commented with a shake of his head. Sighing heavily, he grabbed Draco by the elbow and turned the pair of them around, making the entire movement elegant as he slipped his arm through the blond's. "We'll come back later, after you've had a chance to calm down."

"Potter, get back here!" Mad Eye hollered, waving his wand in warning. Before he was given another chance to hex the wards, the swirling magic reached out and crashed into him, tossing him away from the transparent green wall.

"Now what do we do?" Draco asked, fingers absently rubbing at a stain on the arm of the raven-haired wizard's Quidditch jersey. He frowned when he received no answer, lifting his gaze to meet the glowing emerald's that were focused on their entwined arms. "Harry?"

Giving the blond a bitter smile, Harry turned his eyes to the dragons following quickly after them. "We wait," he breathed, sheathing his wand. Clearing his throat, he led the way into the dark manor and closed the door after Draco. "Moody will firecall Dumbledore. I'd rather deal directly with him than anyone else."

"So that's your plan? Wait for Dumbledore to come and get you?" Draco asked in astonishment. He unlinked their arms and slid his wand away, trailing after the Gryffindor as he glided silently down the corridor toward the library. Wincing as he bashed his toe off the leg of a collapsing side table, he shook his head and bent down to examine the injury.

Harry halted in front of the open library doors, turning around and searching for the blond crouched among the shadows. "No, that's part one of my plan. You don't actually think I'd just leave the dragons here, do you? Those wizards out there aren't going to leave until the Mages are gone." Frowning, he walked back to the blond and knelt beside him. "Dumbledore has influence with the Ministry as well as other high ranking officials."