Knowledge is Power

Chapter 35

Mag nearly had an impossible time focusing on her classes the next day. Even Charms, potions and alchemy, which she loved, couldn't hold her attention for long. Knowing she would actually meet a dragon after classes were over was just too exciting! She and Nightshade headed directly for Severus's class room as soon as her last class, ancient runes, was over.

"I need to talk to you," she said, rushing inside.
Severus frowned.
"What is it?"
"Something big, that probably shouldn't be overheard," she said quietly as she approached his desk.
Nightshade left her shoulder to land on the back of Severus's chair. From the man's attentive expression as he regarded the owl, Mag could tell that Nightshade was filling him in on the situation which only made her a little nervous. He did have quite the unique way of putting things, after all.

""And you actually believe this," Severus asked tartly as he turned to Mag.
"I do."
He frowned.
"Have you lost your bloody mind? There are no sentient dragons. They're just beasts. Don't you think I've researched the limits of dragon intelligence? I've read every book there is on dragon research."

That, Mag hadn't known. Could Severus like dragons as much as she did?
"I understand how unlikely it sounds, of course. But if you'd felt him in your mind, you'd know it's real. Like with Nightshade but different... He feels bigger...more...just different. And he needs help!"

"I'm just sure he does," Severus replied sarcastically.
"He's set a nice trap and he very much needs for us to walk right into it, whoever HE is!"
Mag scowled.
"Don't you think that occurred to me? Voldemort screwed with him too! Everything he said added up."

"Except the bit about sentient dragons," Severus said dryly.
"He explained that so it added up too," Mag insisted.
"Look I'll show you the stone and you can speak to him yourself. It isn't as if he'd know someone worthwhile would actually find that stone if you're thinking it's a trap set by Voldemort. He'd have no way of knowing Nightshade and I planned to fly last night. It's not as if we do it all the time."

Severus's expression seemed to waver.
"I'll have a look at the stone," he said reluctantly.
Mag quickly drew the heavy six sided hematite from her pocket. It fit nicely into her palm and she placed it there then lifted it to her face.
//Areecen? It's Mag. Are you alright?//

//I am well enough,// the dragon replied.
Somehow he felt a bit fainter than he had yesterday and Mag experienced a spike of concern on his behalf.
//I don't feel you in Wales,// the dragon thought.
//Has something happened to delay your arrival?//

//I've told my wizard friend about you but at present he doesn't believe that you are who you say you are.//
There was a pause in which she thought she could feel the dragon considering.
//He may be a smart man,// Areecen said carefully after a few beats.
//Still in this case, as I am who I say I am, it is inconvenient.//
//I understand,// Mag said, trying not to feel mildly amused.
//Would you speak to him?//
//I suppose,// the dragon replied.

Mag extended the glowing stone to Severus.
"He'll talk to you," she said quietly.
"I've filled him in on the situation and he says you're smart if inconvenient."
Severus arched a brow, but took the stone and held it up to his eyes as Mag had done.

//How did this stone end up in the forest for a witch to locate,// Severus thought at the stone, getting directly to the point of his main concern.
//That's a good question.//
The voice that spoke into his mind was as Mag had described. More, other, powerful. Likely Voldemort would also feel more, other and powerful were he in someone's mind, but Severus thought Voldemort's thoughts would have a more unpleasant feel that he'd be unable to disguise. At least the potions master hoped so.

//Unfortunately,// the dragon, if that's what it was, went on, //that is a question that I have no answer to. I assume he had to have dropped it, but it seems odd that he would be so careless with his connection to my power.//
//Does he need to touch the stone to drain your magic,// Severus asked.
//As I feel drained even now I would guess not. Perhaps that is why he is not troubled that he lost it,// the dragon replied.

//Or if he is, he simply doesn't know where he was when the stone was dropped,// Severus thought, but it felt odd.
The dark lord wasn't that careless, was he? It certainly wasn't a side Severus had seen before.
//And you are quite sure the one who did this is Voldemort?//
//He used the name at any rate. He said that I may call him my lord...Voldemort.//

The dragon's mind tone was disgusted as well as holding a bite of simmering rage.
//He incorrectly thinks of dragons as greater serpents. He believed to make his serpent powers greater with my dragon magic. Why does he look so serpentine, by the way? It seems to go deeper than transfiguration, because his blood is even colder than that of human wizards.//
Severus hated to admit it, but the more he interacted with the dragon, the more he understood why Mag was so sure he was what he said. Those thoughts and observations concerning Voldemort would never be those the man would make about himself. He could think to insult himself pretending to be someone else, but the dragon's observations were more insightful.

//I don't know,// Severus answered.
//I had no idea his blood was colder, other than figuratively. I assumed he had used transfiguration. I find it hard to believe he could ever arrange to have his body looking as it did before it's death or whatever it was, so he decided to go for serpentine instead, perhaps out of some Slytherin fixation,// Severus speculated.

For a moment the dragon did not speak, and when he did, his reply put Severus sharply in mind of himself when attempting to follow Nightshade's odd speech in the early days.
//How does one die and yet not die, and what is Slytherin?//
Severus arched a brow, then realized the dragon probably couldn't see him anymore than he could see the dragon.
//You don't get out much do you?//

//I don't get out much around humans, no. They tend to hunt us for our blood and bones and scales and now apparently our magic as well,// the dragon ranted.
//Hogwarts, where we are located now, is a wizarding school in Scotland that has been here for around one thousand years. Slytherin is the house of one of the four founders. He stands for purity of blood and he could talk to snakes as can any of his descendants. Voldemort is the end of the line and not at all of pure stock. Let's just say nothing the founder would be proud of producing even if indirectly.//

//Is any of this going to become interesting or useful,// the dragon wanted to know.
Severus scowled.
//Don't forget, you asked,// he bit out tartly.

//Then have you satisfied yourself that I am real,// the dragon asked.
//Yes,// Severus replied after only a mild hesitation.
//You will bring me the stone so that I may destroy it and so sever my ties to this Voldemort leach now?//
After another slight hesitation, Severus sighed.
//Yes. We will apparate to Wales within five minutes then contact you again.//
He returned the stone to Mag.
"Lets go," he told her.

Mag squealed in excitement, not even caring that she would normally be embarrassed to behave so in front of Severus or perhaps at all.
"So you believe him?"
"I do. If this is all true, we can't allow Voldemort to gain that much more power, so we must take action. If we are all wrong, and this is some sort of nasty trap, I suppose it was a good one," he concluded dryly.
"I am going alone, though, and you will wait here where it is safe. I shouldn't have given you that stone back, because I'll be needing it. You can send for back up if I'm not back in an hour. Just tell Albus what happened."
Severus extended his hand expectantly for the hematite.

"Oh no," Mag said, shaking her head firmly.
"I've obsessed over dragons from the time I was old enough to understand what they were! I found him and I am going with you. If there is a trap, three of us will be able to fight better than one, and besides, I'd never let you walk into a trap alone."
Severus blinked a few times then sighed.
"I'm leaving a note on my desk. If we aren't back by this evening, Albus will find it and he will know where we are. I will tell him where the dragon claims to be."
Mag waited while Severus jotted a quick note to the headmaster, trying not to bounce on her toes with eagerness to be off. In less than a minute, Severus was finished and they were out the door.

First they stopped at the library to check a map of Wales, but that only took a moment. After that they headed directly out of the castle and toward the edge of the grounds.
//Shit I hope that dragon won't try to eat me or something,// Nightshade thought from Severus's shoulder
Luckily no one was in sight, so they wouldn't have to worry with explanations.
//I seriously doubt he'll be trying to eat someone who came to help,// Mag told Nightshade.
//Yeah but we don't know anything about the smart dragons,// Nightshade replied.
//He knows you're smart too, so I think you're safe,// Mag said.
Before Nightshade could fret any further, they were at the edge of Hogwarts grounds and Severus apparated them with a crack.