Golden Dreams

GD: Chapter 7

Columbus and I stayed around for a while and I met all of the dragons. Dean had been worried about one of the baby Ridgebacks and that's why they had taken the baby from the enclosure in the first place. It had apparently hatched early and much smaller, also not eating as well as the other baby. According to Columbus, the baby should be fine if monitored and any changes should be reported immediately to the both of us.

After that, Columbus showed me the runespoor as well, which is also at the rescue because it was actually attacked by a group of muggles. Though I feel worse for the muggles rather than the runespoor because it's literally a giant, multi-headed, flame spewing snake.

Anyway, we made our way back to camp and it was already time for dinner, which Columbus had told me is usually later in the evening than I would be used to. Somehow the day had already gone by so quickly.

"After dinner we typically light the campfire and talk about the day and any changes that have occurred, if there are any." Columbus was telling me as we waited in line to grab dinner. The sun was beginning to set, if that says anything about how late they eat dinner. I grabbed a plate after Columbus did and there were cabbage rolls with filling that I wasn't familiar with but I would try them anyway. As well as a slice of bread with butter.

Columbus sat beside Jean and Thomas on one of the log benches and I didn't want to try to squeeze on so I sat on an empty log bench next to it. I extended my legs closer to the fire that had been set ablaze, trying to warm up as the sun set. Although I'd complained about the heat earlier, it began to get surprisingly chilly once the sun was hidden.

A couple minutes later, Lina came and sat beside me while I was stuffing my face with bread.

"Hi, Mae," she greeted softly, smiling at me. "How was your introduction to the camp?"

I smiled back and quickly chewed the bread I had in my mouth. "It was great! Honestly, the camp is better than I expected, so I'm really excited to start getting to work."

"I'm glad!" Lina leaned in slightly, looking almost unsure. "I'm really happy there's another girl my age here," she said, glancing off at Amber, who was chatting to Charlie by the kitchen tent. "Amber is ... well, you'll see eventually, I guess. But anyway, did you just graduate from Hogwarts?"

My gaze lingered on Amber and Charlie, raising an eyebrow at the way she laughed and grabbed his arm. "Oh, yes, I just graduated. What about you? Well, did you go to Hogwarts?"

"I graduated three years ago, and so did Amber. We were in the same year and Dean was a few years above us, but he's the brother of one of my friends and so that's how I got an internship here," she said, tumbling over her words. I hadn't noticed at first, but Lina seemed to have a slight lisp and at first, it was hard to understand some of the things she said. It was getting easier to understand her the more I listened and got used to her use of wording. "Amber actually transferred into Hogwarts during our third year from Beauxbatons, and she never let anyone forget about 'her heritage.'"

I'm surprised I don't remember seeing Lina at all, considering we were only three years apart, but at the same time Hogwarts is huge so it's possible. If I think about it, I might remember Amber in the hallways talking really loudly with friends, but I wouldn't have immediately recognized her.

"I am--was?-- a Gryffindor," I said, shrugging. Dean probably graduated a year or two after I even got there so it's not surprisingly I don't recognize him.

"Ravenclaw," she replied, nodding as if she had guessed it.

We stopped talking as we continued eating, and I noticed Dean, Charlie, and Amber walk off all in the same direction, also entering the same tent together.