The Dragon Thieves//Charlie Weasley

2 ~ Eggs

Lia cringed. The female Chinese Fireball had a nasty temperament. She was still a juvenile-- had only been at the compound for a few months since she hatched-- but they might have to look at releasing her sooner rather than later.

Andrea-- the new female recruit-- dove out of the way, but not enough to avoid catching one of the Fireball's claws. It shredded right through the cargo pants into the flesh of her thigh. Blood splattered on the dirt of the dusty arena. She screamed. 

Lia could see Andrew's face pop out of his office in the compound. She waved her hand at him. There was nothing worth worrying about. She might have to spend a night in medwing, but she'd be fine. Despite the behaviour of the Fireball, there was nothing else of concern. Her breed was naturally aggressive, but her claws weren't poisonous-- like the Irish Barbbelly-- and she hadn't developed her ability to breathe fire, though she likely would within the next couple of months.

Helena snarled behind her, and Lia glanced over her shoulder. The emerald green dragon was crouched on all fours. Helena herself had only started to breathe fire within the last six months-- a sign she was nearing adulthood. Lia stepped slightly, so she was between the Jadewing behind her and the Fireball in front of her. The last thing she wanted was a dragon brawl when she was the only one present able to break it apart. Jason might be able to help, but he was better suited to the eggs and occasional spats between the infants. 

Lia gestured at Andrea with her wand. "Stay down. If you hobble around, you'll be more of a target!"

Andrea followed the order, laying on the dirt. Her blustery attitude from her arrival was gone, now that she realized exactly what dealing with dragons was like. 

Ben Shafiq-- who she could recall from Hogwarts, though he was a couple of years younger than her-- was crouched near the side. He had been mostly useless this entire fight. It wasn't even like it was that hard of a training exercise. All they had to do was get the dragon docile enough to get back into her cage. Sure, it was difficult since dragons were primarily impenetrable to magic unless you got their eyes, but it shouldn't take this long.

Lia twirled her wand through her fingers once and walked forward. She had done this what felt like thousands of times. A few ropes thrown over and once pinned, a gentle sleeping charm. Helena growled, but Lia waved her hand at her. A sign to stay put. 

Lia grabbed the edge of the arena wall and hopped over the waist-high stone wall, landing on the dirt. She had only taken a few steps when Charlie finally moved. 

She paused, crossing her arms. She watched him move across the arena slowly, the sun battering off his freckled arms and face. His red hair was pushed back from his face, exposing his face tightened with concentration. Lia pursed her lips, hating the way her face heated.

As much as she hated it, she wanted him to succeed. 

The Fireball turned her focus to Charlie, and Lia watched him still, not looking the dragon in the eyes. At least he listened now; he never did in school.

Or at least she thought he was. Quickly, he drew his wand, shooting a spell at the dragon. It missed, ricocheting off the dragon's scarlet scales. The Fireball roared and Lia scowled, her own anger rising. Charlie was going to get them all killed. 

She watched him dodge, jumping over Andrea and leading the dragon away from Ben as it snapped its mouth at him, saliva dripping from gleaming teeth. The dragon's foot nearly missed crushing Andrea. An injury like that would get her sent to St. Mungos.

Charlie shot another spell, and this time he got lucky. It hit the dragon's eye and it stumbled back, stunned. Before he could cast another, Lia intervened, waving her wand. Ropes sprung into existence, tying the dragon to the ground. It huffed a couple of times before she nudged it with a sleeping spell, and steam curled from its mouth.