Harry Gaunt - Chapter 7

It had taken Harry over a week to locate this particular dragon, which currently slept amongst the warm air in Southern Cyprus. It was a curious place to find a Dragon, Harry thought so too as he crept behind a shallow ridge that encircled the its den.

He peered over the top, then zipped back in like a child playing hide and seek. This dragon was big, female too and by the looks of it, was sitting on a small collection of bronze coloured eggs.

Harry daren't get closer, not while the morning sun had yet to rise. This species was nocturnal, a helpful fact in keeping it away from lazy Dragon Handlers, who'd rather go for the simpler breeds during the day.

Harry though, as he heard its soft sleepy hiss, was different from them. He had a plan that would ensure his success. "Hello?"

The dragon twitched.

Harry continued rigidly. "I know you can hear me," he said, still hiding behind the ridge. "May I speak with you?"

Harry knew what this dragon was, and stupid it was not.

"Come out speaker," it said, unfurling its tanned wings and serpentine face. "Come out so I may seeeee..."

It was difficult to tell its intent by the tone, which lacked the same depth any human's would. But as Harry stood from behind the ridge, he hoped she was sincere.

"Got you."

It breathed an enormous boom of fire straight at Harry's head, which barely had time to duck before it singed the tops of the stone. "I just want to talk!" shouted Harry, hurrying further down as more fire came tumbling over the top. "It's about your home here, it's in danger!"

Boom.

Harry slid to a stop down a small incline, which brought him close to the dragon's level. It was just around this rocky corner.

"What danger?" asked the dragon, her scales twitching with agitation. "They dare not come here! They dare not!"

She slapped her tail on the stone.

"You lie," she hissed with narrowed eyes, looking now at the corner where Harry waited. "Come out."

Harry had no choice, he came out with his arms raised and his wand - he stared her down. She was a beautiful dragon, and where the Horntail had been dark and covered in spikes, she was smooth and tanned like quality leather.

The sun was glorious here.

"As I thought," she sniffed, inspecting Harry as he stopped a short distance away. "You are one of them."

She regarded Harry with caution, as if she were the prey and he the trickster.

"One of who?" replied Harry curiously, lowering arms a little. "You've encountered us before?"

But they all said that, they all called him speaker this and speaker that. Even the snakes he'd conjured from nothing.

"Yes…" she hissed lowly. "You are much the same, he too thought to deceive me," she showed her teeth. "He died."

If dragons could laugh, she would have as she moved a little closer, her claws scraping against the ground.

Harry backed away, but didn't run. "Speak," she commanded. "What of this danger to my home."

She looked at Harry expectantly. Harry told her the truth. "This region has been marked for development," he explained, feeling sure she would know if he was lying. "The British Ministry does not know you are here, but when they find you…" Harry didn't need to explain what would happen should they cross paths. "There will be hundreds of them."

It had been quite the fortuitous moment when Harry had researched the Cypriot Sand Skin, discovering much about their historic persecution here in Cyprus. They were believed extinct, mere rumour that any still survived in the mountains.

"Hundreds you say-" she slapped her tail again. "-never. They will never come."

She rose away from Harry, her full strength on display when her wings swept in a threatening way.

"Please believe me!" shouted Harry from below. "You must leave! I can help you!"

But she wouldn't listen, she flapped her wings towards Harry, sending a gust of air that promptly slammed him away and through the air.

He appeared on her back with a crack from apparition. "I didn't want to do this," he hissed, staying put as she began to flail. "IMPERIO!"

She relaxed at once, swaying listlessly. "Stay put, I'll collect your eggs."

Harry could feel her resistance, but Harry being Harry, promptly put a stop to it as he asserted his will. He hopped off her back, walking to the eggs with his wand in hand. This had to be done very carefully, if he bumped even one she would break free.

Harry levitated each one with a careful hand, placed each of them inside a small suitcase he'd brought along in an expanded pocket.

Hissss.

"I know," placated Harry, turning about with the case in hand. "Trust me, everything will be fine. We're going to a sanctuary in Romania, you'll have everything you need there, I promise."

They could even recreate the lovely warmth she enjoyed, their enclosures something akin to that Zoologists' suitcase as Harry climbed back up. "Away!"

Harry whooped as she took off with a powerful jump. "If only I'd been a dragon!" cheered Harry as he held on tight. "YESSSS!"

And with that, they set off for Romania.

Meanwhile.

"What do you mean there's a dragon on the loose?" asked the incredulous Director of Romania's best Dragon Reserve. "It's not one of ours!" He gave the face at the other end of the floo call a stern look. "I don't care where you saw it - it's not ours!"

"But it's heading straight for you reserve," replied the voice of an official at the Romanian Ministry. "You need to do something! The Minister cannot afford anymore slipups!"

This was a critical juncture for their government, they were already getting it in the neck for their animal rights issues, and now they had what appeared to be a Cypriot Sand-Skin flying within their airspace.

"You said it looked like a Cypriot?" queried the Director. "They're extinct, at least in the wild."

Though there's been a few reports over the years, but nothing substantial. It was then the official really blew his top. "The Cypriots are demanding an explanation!" he shouted. "THEY WANT IT BACK!"

"IT'S NOT OURS!"

The Director hung up the call. "Idiot."

He turned away, striding back to his desk and his cup of tea.

"Sir?" poked a head through his office door. "Um, we have a situation." The man glanced at the window.

The Director looked, blinking through the sun as he saw his reserve. He couldn't see anything strange.

"It's here sir," explained the dragon handler. "He's demanding to see you."

"Who is?" snapped the Director. "Who brought it here?"

But the dragon handler didn't know. He shrugged.

"Where did it land?" demanded the director as he hurried to the door. "Take me!"

The dragon handler nodded, apparating them both with a loud crack. The scene they arrived to was of a field filled with the director's men, all of which were staring as a man stood by the neck of an enormous Sand-Skin.

The director pushed his way to the front, his burly frame making short work of them. "Who are you?" he demanded, looking carefully at Harry's face. "You're just a boy!"

He was just teenager.

"Boy?" posed Harry innocently. "I am 18," he said. "Would you like to buy this dragon?"

He patted the dragon's neck, as if to show she was real. "And if you're interested," continued Harry at their shocked faces. "I'll even throw in a few of her eggs." He showed the case. That certainly got their attention.

"How many?" hastened the director. "How many eggs?"

Harry counted in his head. "Six in total," he said. "But I might sell some at auction. Who knows."

The eggs would fetch a higher price in England, but it would be a drag to arrange it all. Harry gave them a moment to discuss it amongst themselves, which seemed to invoke all manner of speech from the excited team. The director spoke little, his expression thoughtful as it remained on the dragon.

"Is it wild?" he asked a moment later. "You found it then?" He looked at Harry appraisingly.

"In the Cypriot mountains," nodded Harry, understanding why the Director had asked. "I won't tell if you don't, there's no proof it was from there anyway. You could say you had it all along…" Harry smirked at the man, who soon returned in a similar way.

"A moment," he said, turning back to his men who had slowed to listen. They spoke quickly to each other, things were looking good.

"Take a look," whispered Harry to the dragon. "It's a nice place, they'll build you your own home, feed you, take care of you and your eggs."

She didn't answer, but grumbled weakly beside Harry. She was still bound by the Imperious, but could understand him still. It was actually the reason the Imperious had worked in the first place - communication. That was the requirement of the spell, which meant only a Parselmouth could have done what Harry had performed.

She coming out of it though, it wouldn't be long now as the Director came to a decision.

"Six eggs," he began. "You keep the Dragon."

Harry shook his head. "You won't have a single egg without the dragon," he stated. "Buy them both, or I leave right now."

Harry made a show of touching the dragon's hide, about to climb up before the director stopped him with a raised hand. "100,000 for a single egg. And 500,000 for their mother. None negotiable."

The handlers behind crossed their arms, trying to look menacing as Harry climbed back down. "Cash?" checked Harry.

"Yes," the director nodded. There would be no evidence. "Deal?" he held out his hand.

Harry walked over to him. "Deal," he said, shaking firmly before adding. "Can I use your loo?"

It had been a long journey.

"Of course," the director gestured behind. "Follow me."

Break.

After Harry had relieved himself and received the suspiciously at hand 1.1 million galleons from the director's office, he was on his way, handing both the case and dragon to the director's waiting hands.

Harry didn't want to stick around, leaving in a hurry before the Imperious could come undone. "Oh well," he said cheerfully as he arrived outside the steps of Gringotts. "Not my problem now."

Harry hurried inside, giddy at the level of wealth he was about to deposit. Greycup would be giddy too, they were peas in a pod when it came to growing the wealth of House Gaunt.

"Greycup," said Harry as he walked through the open door of his accountant's office. "How are things?"

Harry placed the case on Greycup's desk, grinning as the Goblin peered up at him. He seemed relieved. "How did it go?" he asked, assuming his scheme had failed. "You seem unharmed."

That was a positive.

"It went well," said Harry with a gesture to the case. "1.1 million galleons. See for yourself."

Harry slid the case over to him, watching as Greycup glanced at it, then back to Harry's face. Greycup opened the case with fumbling fingers.

He stuck his head inside.

"Y-you actually did it?" he came back up, peering over the case's lid. "I thought you were joking," he admitted.

Greycup slid the case back, chuckling with a hop from his chair. "This is perfect!" he said loudly, coming around to face Harry. "To your vault Lord Gaunt!"

He pointed onwards, leading the way out the office as Harry followed. Greycup wasn't like any Goblin he'd met before, even Griphook had never showed such open regard for a wizard. Harry was glad to have met Greycup.

"Any news while I was gone?" asked Harry from inside the cart. "The investments?"

"Oh yes," said Greycup deeply, turning dials on the dashboard. "The investments went well, but they could never compare to this. Truly sublime Lord Gaunt."

"I told you to call me Harry," replied Harry, the two setting off with a sharp at the release lever. "We're friends Greycup."

But Greycup shook his head. "Respect is offered where respect is due. I will never dishonour your station, Lord Gaunt."

The cart sped along the metal tracks, diving and jolting into every bend as Harry held on with a smile on his face. Greycup was such a good sport, he really went for it on the straights and through the corners.

They arrived at the very bottom.

"Suit yourself," said Harry with a blink, hopping out onto the rocky floor. "And do you think it will it be enough to pay off all the debts?"

Harry hadn't tallied the total amount as they came to a large vault door, a dark metal which opened at Greycup's touch. "Yes," he said, inspecting the door with a finger. "Just about."

"Just about?" said Harry. "How much will be left?"

He walked to Greycup's side. The vault clicked open a moment later.

"About…" Greycup rubbed his chin. "70,000."

He shrugged at Harry's look.

"What did you expect?" he asked, stepping aside so Harry could deposit the galleons. "House Gaunt was in ruin, they didn't live in that shack because they chose to, they had no choice. Marvolo was a ridiculous man."

Greycup sniffed in remembrance. He'd been pitiful.

"Serves them right," scowled Harry as he emptied the case, dropping coins like pebbles from a bag. "Disgusting."

Harry clipped the case closed. He'd since learned about his ancestry, and to say he was disappointed was a huge understatement. Brothers and sisters, fathers and daughters.

"Indeed," agreed Greycup, wishing things had been different as they left the vault. "But on a more cheerful note, I've received many letters regarding your ascension."

Greycup started the car again.

"Let me guess," said Harry from his seat. "The creditors."

Greycup nodded, starting the cart as they zipped away at a more sedate speed. "They wish to discuss repayment with you, they are curious."

The cart began to climb, Harry dismissed it.

"Not yet," he said, leaning against the cart's arm rest. "Pay them back as soon as possible, I don't wish to owe them anything."

He'd meet them later, if ever.

"And what should I say is your reason for denying their requests?" posed Greycup, knowing they would be offended.

"Tell them I am a student," said Harry, sitting a little straighter. "Tell them I am a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Harry smirked, he was going home.

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