Nova's Universe

Chapter 24 (2032)

Charlie

"You ready to do this?" I asked my son as we walked the path towards sedating one of the Sanctuary's most vicious dragons.

Roger gave a firm nod. "I was nervous yesterday, but I think we can handle it."

He'd come so far, not just at the Sanctuary, but in life. He'd made friends here, something that eluded him at Hogwarts. Working alongside dragons was truly his passion, and it showed. He was arguably the best Dragonologist we had. One night, while having drinks with Andrei, who became a bit intoxicated, he even confessed that Roger had surpassed my skill in handling dragons, and that's saying something considering he once thought I was the most talented lad he'd ever met.

Roger thrived in this environment. I'd never seen anyone love their job this much, not even myself, and being around dragons all the time was my dream too. He was incredibly dedicated. Every morning, he woke at 5 am sharp to review reports on all the dragons, ensuring our team knew what to focus on that day. He stayed late, double-checking that everything was done properly and the dragons were content. He always wore protective gear and warned colleagues if they were underdressed. He didn't just give instructions; he mentored others and even attended social gatherings, something I never thought I'd say about my son.

Nova and I couldn't be prouder. Sure, I had initial doubts about him finishing school and adjusting to a full-time role here, but he's been nothing short of brilliant. Our pride only grows.

Last week, Andrei tasked Roger with a critical assignment: sedating Moose, the Sanctuary's largest and most feared dragon. This annual procedure allowed Healers and researchers to conduct a thorough checkup. As dragons aged, like Moose, they required more frequent monitoring.

With my upcoming retirement and plans to take on an administrative role alongside Andrei, Roger being assigned Moose was a test. Andrei wanted to see if he was ready to take over as team leader, and having him tackle this with just me as a backup would be his final evaluation.

When I received my team, Andrei and Felix put me through a similar test. Back then, the dragon I faced was Arto, Moose's dangerous counterpart. We all knew Roger deserved the team leader position, perhaps even years ago. Maybe I was a bit selfish - I wasn't ready to give it up just yet. For decades, the Sanctuary had been my life's work. Even backaches requiring physical therapy and countless dragon-inflicted scars couldn't dampen my passion.

"Why are we alone again?" Roger asked, stopping in front of the enclosure.

"Andrei thinks we can handle it," I said, not wanting to reveal it was a test. Knowing how nervous I was back then, I wanted to spare him that. "Ted and Kate are on vacation."

"Can I go first?"

"Lead the way," I said. "Walking up this hill winded me anyway."

"Sounds like retirement talk, Dad," Roger teased with a smirk.

I playfully rolled my eyes and nodded for him to proceed.

Needless to say, the Moose sedation went like clockwork. Roger's precision, knowledge, and skill left me wondering if I was even necessary. Sedating such a massive, dangerous dragon was no small feat. No one, to my knowledge, had ever done it so smoothly. But then again, Roger wasn't called a "dragon whisperer" for nothing.

"Looks like he's out, Dad," Roger announced after monitoring Moose's breathing. A wide grin stretched across his face.

"You were incredible!" I said, squeezing his shoulders. No words or gestures could fully express my pride. I knew Nova would get an earful, and possibly some happy tears from me, later.