The Dragon Thieves//Charlie Weasley

5 ~ Colours

Lia glanced once behind her, both to ensure that the recruits were still following her and to double-check that the mysterious figure from last night was gone. She hadn't slept much, her thoughts plagued by images of flashing light and dragon eggs. She had retrieved her wand in the morning and was torn between asking Andrew what she had seen and ignoring it. 

She paused in front of one of the cages, where a baby Swedish Softhorn was curled up, snoring softly. Lia turned, placing her hands on her hips and turning to face the recruits. 

"What can you tell me about white dragons?" Lia asked. It was a relatively basic fact she was asking of them, but if they didn't know their basics, there was no chance of learning the advanced skills for riding. 

There was a quiet shuffling of feet before Charlie finally spoke up. In the watery morning sunlight, his hair gleamed like the embers of a fire.

"They are similar to the green and brown dragons. They are typically ambush predators and rely on their colours to hide and find food. Warmer-coloured dragons are usually pursuit predators, due to their colours standing out in the natural environment."

Lia, although begrudgingly, nodded in approval. It turned out that she wasn't the only one who had payed attention during Care of Magical Creatures. "Some species, like the Swedish Softhorn here, will shed their scales throughout the year, changing into different colours throughout the seasons. 

Helena herself was an ambush predator, and that made it excellent whenever Lia and she ended up searching for eggs or otherwise. They were rarely attacked, and typically successful. Lia glanced over her shoulder, where the aforementioned dragon was laying sprawled out, her head buried in a pile of wildflowers that Lia had fetched earlier. 

Behind her, someone cleared their throat, and Lia turned to look at Jason. He had appeared at the entrance to the nursery, carrying a golden egg under his arm. Red and white formula was splattered across his leather apron, and his dark hair was pulled back in a shaggy ponytail, strands of it curling around his ears. His tanned skin was unusually pale.

"Lia, can I have a word?"

Lia frowned, but nodded, looking once more at the recruits. She snatched a brush and shovel that were resting on the side of the pen. "Here," A small smile crept onto her face. "You guys can give Jason a hand and muck the pens."

Lia waited until the recruits had entered the pens, creeping around the sleeping dragon before she turned back to Jason and followed him into the nursery. It was stifling hot inside, fires roaring under every egg. 

"What's going on?" She asked.

Jason let out a heavy breath. "Another egg went missing."

Lia stilled. The man she had seen last night, with the Ironspike egg. Was it possible he had gotten into the nursery somehow? Despite the countless charms and wards surrounding it? Even now she could feel the enchantments humming over her skin like a pesky fly.

"What kind of egg?" 

"One of the Ironspike eggs that Vester brought back. I had it set up in the flames next to the two other eggs, but it's gone."

Lia hissed through her teeth. She had her confirmation then. Andrew and the mysterious figure were stealing eggs from the nursery. But why?

~~~

Lia was still mulling over the question later while she stirred her tea. If one of the recruits managed to bond with a dragon or convince them to take them as their rider, it was likely that she'd be off on a mission in the next week or so. She wasn't sure she wanted to leave, not with eggs vanishing and mysterious people taking them. 

But what had she seen in the mess hall the night before? A quick glance around the room told her that there was no sign of the ritual she had seen last night, the white runes gone in the sunlight that streamed in from tall windows. 

She set her spoon down on the small plate and lifted her cup to her mouth, letting the warmth settle on her tongue. It had a similar taste to the flavour her parents always served when guests came over. It soured on her tongue and she set the cup aside. 

Lia let out a sigh, digging the heels of her palms into her eyes and settling back in her chair. Maybe she should go find Helena and take her out to stretch her wings.

Lia had nearly decided to stand and head outside when the chair across from her screeched and someone settled down. Slowly, she removed her palms from her face, expecting Vester or Simon, and instead finding Charlie. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing freckled forearms.

"Can I help you?" She asked. 

Charlie focused those warm eyes on her and gave her a tiny smile. She stiffened slightly, unsure why he had approached her. It seemed as though they were both content to avoid each other and act as though they did not know each other. It was certainly better than the years they had spent together at Hogwarts. 

He set down a cup of tea, still steaming. The floral scent wrapped around her head and her stomach seized. God that smell. She watched him settle into the chair and lean back, her eyes narrowing. 

"I wanted to ask," He started. "Why did you change your name?"

Lia scowled and snatched her wand, moving to stand. 

Charlie quickly threw up a hand, his fingers wrapping around her arm. Her limbs stiffened at the sudden contact and she glared at him until he let go.

"That's not something that concerns you." She responded, letting the chill soak into her voice. Lia hated how familiar the tone felt. Hated the way she was reminded of stone hallways and even stonier voices. Hated the way something inside her curled in comfort at the voice. She tilted her gaze down at his hand, still on her arm. She could feel the warmth of his hand through the thin fabric of her blue long sleeved shirt. 

Charlie shrugged and smiled again, in that disarming way she had seen him weaponize on every teacher, every student, every parent, until he had his way. She hated the way it made her calm.

"Okay, I get it, I won't ask again," He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms across his broad chest. He was still smiling at her and she clenched her fists, blood boiling. She wanted to punch him, remove that smile from his face.

Lia shifted in her seat, ignoring the cup of tea and the way he was watching her. She really should go and check on Helena-- since the eggs had begun vanishing and she had seen that ritual last night, she couldn't stop her mind from worrying about her dragon. What is Helena was stolen? Sacrificed like some lamb?

They were quiet for a moment before Charlie tried speaking again. "I didn't think you would be here when I requested to transfer."

Lia frowned at the attempt at conversation but hesitated from snapping. "What do you mean you requested to transfer? You don't get transferred here. You either get posted here from the start or don't end up here." 

Everyone at the outpost, as soon as they applied to work with dragons was specially selected and sent out here. None of them started in the offices. You either got office or fieldwork, there was no switching between the two.

It was Charlie's turn to stiffen. Lia watched him stand, her eyes narrow. "I misspoke. I was assigned here. I didn't transfer."

Lia hummed leaning back in her chair, but she didn't say anything more as she watched Charlie vanish from the hall, his cup of tea in his hand.