"To prevent dark wizards from poaching dragons, the reserve has the same anti-Apparition wards as Hogwarts," Charlie explained, guiding the group.
"You can use fireplaces to zip between different clan territories. Within these areas, we usually get around on broomsticks. The committee gave us fireproof boots and leather armor, but some dragon flames are too intense."
"Norwegian Ridgebacks and Swedish Short-Snouts are about the same size and live next to each other. Norbert's still young, living by the lake in the marsh. There's a Short-Snout in the nearby valley, in its incubation period."
"Look! These burn blisters? That's her handiwork," Charlie said, showing off his bandaged arm, marked with a dozen scars of varying sizes.
The group strolled along a valley slope, walking on a soft carpet of humus and pine needles. The forest by the stream gave off a damp, earthy scent. Sunlight filtered through the dense trees, making the foliage greener, with dew drops glistening on the leaves.
A midsummer breeze rustled the branches.
But the temperature felt off. Even in June's heat, the valley air should've been crisp, not this warm gust.
Melvin frowned, peering down into the valley where the hot wind rose, listening closely to the forest's sounds.
Suddenly, he sensed a surge of invisible heat, its powerful magic sending a chill through him. "Dragon's breath incoming!" he shouted.
No sooner had he spoken than the forest's warm breeze revealed its true nature. The entire slope was engulfed in blue dragon flames.
A piercing roar echoed, as if the air in the dragon's throat had ignited with sulfur and fire. The sound reverberated through the trees. A silver-blue scaled dragon soared into the sky, its nostrils and mouth spewing dazzling blue flames, instantly reducing trees to ash. Rocks glowed red, melting into liquid that flowed down the slope.
"It's that Swedish Short-Snout!" Charlie yelled.
"Block it!"
At Melvin's warning, the two seasoned dragon keepers sprang into action. Charlie's colleague yanked off his outer robe, revealing leather armor. With a shake, it expanded into a fireproof shield. Charlie braced beside him, holding the shield against the onslaught of flames.
Boom!
The ferocious dragon fire slammed into the shield like a flood hitting a dam, leaving a narrow gap in the middle while pouring fiercely around the sides.
The armor, woven with mithril and enchanted to form a broad shield, was lined with Ukrainian Ironbelly scales. Within seconds, the heat turned the alchemical mithril red-hot, searing the keepers' arms with a faint sizzling sound.
Still, they breathed a sigh of relief, though puzzled.
The Swedish Short-Snout's flames were among the hottest, and their armor usually couldn't withstand such a fierce blast.
"…"
Melvin, who'd first sensed the dragon's breath, had already cast a Shield Charm, blocking the flames and molten rock spilling from both sides. He furrowed his brow, gauging the heat while peering through the blinding blue light to track the Short-Snout's movements, calculating his next move.
If he were alone, he'd charge the dragon with his shield up and duel it.
But with others nearby, stepping out of the protective bubble would turn Hagrid and the old professor into human barbecue.
The blazing blue flames surged again, ravaging the forest like a roaring wave. Hagrid stood frozen, while Kettleburn and the keepers' faces grew grim, confirming this wasn't a normal reserve event.
"It's the Swedish Short-Snout!" Charlie said through gritted teeth, enduring the pain. "A mother dragon wouldn't go berserk for no reason. Poaching wizards must've snuck in and stolen her egg while she was resting!"
"Damn it…" His colleague's sweat evaporated instantly, leaving faint white salt marks on his neck. "Hold on a few more minutes—others should be rushing over."
Kettleburn, oddly thrilled by the Short-Snout's flames, had edged too close, singeing half his eyebrow. His face turned serious. "We need to get out of here."
"We want to, but we can't!" Charlie replied.
"…"
Melvin expanded his Shield Charm bubble.
The pressure from the dragon fire eased suddenly. Charlie and his colleague blinked, staring at the young professor with a mix of awe and disbelief.
No time for chatter in a crisis. Sheltered by the shield, they quickly retreated, scrambling over the slope to escape the flames' reach.
Temporarily safe, they headed toward a cabin while keeping an eye on the rear.
From here, they could clearly see the Short-Snout circling above, breathing fire between gasps, its nose twitching as if searching for a scent.
Dragon keepers on broomsticks arrived from all directions, clad in dragon-scale armor, dodging flames with agility. Their wands flicked, sending faint spell beams that paled against the blue dragon fire but swarmed like a net, blanketing the area.
The Swedish Short-Snout, a mother who'd just lost her egg, was enraged by the poachers. She twisted and dodged the spells, countering with blasts of flame.
Under the brilliant sunlight, Melvin saw the dragon's eyes—red, vertical pupils bulging with human-like anger, fear, and grief.
"Request backup!"
"Seal the reserve!"
"Get Aurors to hunt down the dark wizards and recover the egg!"
At least dozens of keepers darted through the air on broomsticks, casting hundreds of Stunning Spells like a fine rain, locking down the area.
Roar…
The Short-Snout let out a shrill, piercing wail.
A similar cry answered from afar, echoing in the sky, lingering.
Melvin and Hagrid glanced at Kettleburn and the keepers, sensing this wasn't good.
"Damn it! Other dragons are going berserk too… Find cover now!" Charlie, usually good-natured, roared in frustration. "What are those dark wizards playing at? Stealing multiple eggs? Are they trying to get people killed?"
"Bloody hell!" His colleague's face darkened. He sprinted to the nearest cabin, grabbed two broomsticks, tossed one to Charlie, and kicked off into the air.
"Professor, stay safe!" Charlie called without looking back, his expression resolute.
Within minutes, chaos erupted. Several dragons took flight, clashing with the keepers. Dragon flames and spell lights intertwined, outshining the sun.
Melvin thought this trip was worth it—the spectacle was unreal.
One dragon would've been manageable, but with a dozen circling, the keepers struggled to control these 5X-rated beasts before their flames engulfed the habitat.
New keepers joined the fray every moment, unable to use lethal spells. Standard control charms were ineffective—Stunners were dodged or swallowed by flames. The few that pierced the fiery veil barely slowed the dragons.
Meanwhile, the keepers were thrown off balance by the dragons' wingbeats or forced to land when flames grazed them, tending to burns.
Hagrid was speechless, staring wide-eyed at the chaos.
The keepers, limited to non-lethal spells, kept casting Stunners, unable to stop the frenzied mother dragons. The tug-of-war only worsened their injuries, and the situation grew dire.
Flames of different hues blended into a dazzling blaze.
Cough, cough…
Charlie sniffed, the air thick with sulfur, nearly unbreathable.
If this continued, it could spread to other areas.
Then, a brilliant spell beam sliced through the smoky sky.
A blue streak, thicker than any Stunner, pierced the dragon fire and struck the Short-Snout's upper jaw. In disbelief, it lowered its head to see a young wizard standing before a cabin, wand angled skyward, readying another spell.
The dragon's jaws stayed open, its roar fading, flames dying out. Its wings slowed, then stopped. Its massive body froze for a moment before crashing to the ground, shaking the earth.
Charlie and his colleague pulled back, staring at the figure in a Muggle suit by the cabin. The slender wand seemed mismatched with the massive, radiant spell beam.
Melvin didn't pause. Without incantations or gestures, he fired off more powerful Stunners.
The dragons' spell-resistant scales were like parchment now. One by one, they fell into slumber and crashed.
More keepers arrived, staff swarming with alchemical chains and iron posts, securing the unconscious dragons' limbs, wings, and necks, anchoring them to posts driven deep into the ground and rock.
Melvin noticed the first Short-Snout wasn't fully out. Its eyes, still half-open, pupils dilating with a dim yellow glow, made him frown slightly.
An older wizard in fireproof dragonhide gear, balding, dropped his broom and approached, his face grave. The dragons were subdued, but the problem wasn't solved.
"Professor Kettleburn…" He nodded briefly to the old professor before turning to Melvin, his expression softening. "Professor Lewent from Hogwarts?"
Melvin nodded. "And you are?"
"Thank Merlin you were here to stop the dragons! You've saved us!" The old wizard's face was full of gratitude. "I'm Anton Vogel, head of the Romanian Ministry's Department of Magical Creatures and director of the reserve."
read more inpatr***
ilham20 only for 3$ an month