Connected By Magic

CHAPTER TWO - In the Market of Dragons

Tori

The mission was simple sneak in, eavesdrop on the Ashwinders plans and get out unscathed and hopefully with some useful information. Tori Marie Dragonfire had scraped that plan the moment she had laid eyes on it.

The dragon egg was sat on a pyre in one of the far corners of the square. Even through smoke and flame that enveloped the egg, the white colouring of the shell shone through like the moon on a clouded night. Pointing out the top of the egg were grey iron spikes that reflected off the fire and she knew then that she couldn't just stand by and let this dragon egg be sold off to the highest bidder or in her mind Tori would be no better than the poachers who stole it. The plan materialized as she waited in the soggy mud.

Tori had snuck into the black market after she had overheard information of its existence and whereabouts pass through some drunk poachers at the Three Broomsticks a few days earlier. Tents had been set up in a square structure all facing inwards where a surface of concrete created a flooring for the illegal market to set camp. Candle flickered hanging in the sky by invisible strings of magic, it reminded Tori of the great hall.

It was not the most ideal thing to hear when she had come to have a butter bear with her friends, but useful all the most. Alas her moral compass had not allowed her to ignore the passing mention of an illegal black market hosted by the gracious hosts called the Ashwinders. Tori had not given much thought about what she would find at the market, but a dragon egg was certainly not the top of her list. She had been thinking more gloomy low life's trading the scavenging's that the weeks catching's provided.

The plan was not one of her finest to say the least, a bit of a make it up as she went plan. So here she was her invisible body pressed up against a fabric beige tent which had no light illuminating from inside waiting for the moment to strike.

The square was clearing up as it got later into the night, now was time the perfect time to rescue the egg. Most of the people who had previously viewing the egg had left to explore the wide variety of other illegal objects displayed. Like the tent that was selling the egg the other tents had many various plants, potion recipes, and other peculiarities. Tori stepped out of the protection of the shadows and moved as quietly as possible to the dragon egg. Her breathing quickened and she fought for control. The disillusion charm she had cast over her body wavered and flickered revealing the plaid navy skirt and white blouse she adorned. Tori had to say she didn't equipt herself quiet to well for a stealthy mission, but she did have magic after all so what the was the point of darker shades of clothing. She had to steady her breathing. In, out, in, out. It was working the magic rearranged and her body turned fully invisible again.

Nearing her destination, Tori could feel the heat radiating from the flame, the inside of the egg locked away from the flame by its shell. Tori had done research on dragons before as they had intrigued her. When she had first been introduced to the wizarding world she had almost cried as Eleazar had explained the great wonders of magic, muggles had thought they were only fairy tales meant to scare little children.

The egg looked scalding on where it sat on the dark crimson coals and Tori was an idiot for thinking she could rescue the egg without burning her hands off.

Basically, crawling Tori snuck up behind the one remaining poacher that was studying the egg and cast petrificus totalus. The poachers' body froze up, their limbs fused to the sides from the curse, the falling body hit the ground with a small thud. Tori sucked on her teeth hoping nobody heard the body drop. A quick scan put an end to the thought as the thinning crowds were all preoccupied with their own business or in the pop-up pubs.

Now Tori had to figure out how to grab this egg. She crept up to the pyre pondering for a second before casting Glacius freezing the outside shell of the egg. The light grey shell made a heart-breaking crackling sound as frost crawled up the sides and up to the spines. The spell simultaneously dimmed the flames surrounding and coated the stone pyre with frost, for a second Tori thought she had killed the dragon inside, but the resilient little thing gave a shudder – as if it was cold. Her stupid thinking had almost killed the thing, she would have to be more careful in the future.