Ch 27 DragonSlayer Part 1

The moment Sirius stepped out of the cave, he was met with the gaping maw of the Black Dread, its flames fueled by rage, ready to immolate him. However, unlike before, Sirius was not afflicted by magical exhaustion, so there was no need for him to flee.

Swiftly flicking his wand, he conjured his most powerful shield, fortifying himself just in time as the searing hot dragon fire crashed against it. The shield held strong, protecting Sirius until the dragon's breath waned, both literally and figuratively. Looking up at the creature with an infuriating smirk, Sirius taunted in an arrogant tone, "Your puny flames didn't work the first time, so what made you think they would do anything to me this time, you slimy lizard!"

It seems Sirius didn't need to learn parseltongue to convey his message, as the dragon's eyes immediately turned reddish, roaring in fury and launching itself at the spot where Sirius had been standing just moments ago. With a loud snap, the dragon's jaws closed with alarming speed.

However, Sirius had come prepared, assuming his half-grim form prior to facing the dragon. His heightened senses and augmented strength enabled him to effortlessly dodge the ancient beast's lunge. Waste no time, he taunted once again, "Are you losing your eyesight in your old age, you little snake?"

By this point, the Black Dread had succumbed to mindless rage, allowing Sirius to easily lead it away from the cave towards his desired location. During the Basilisk and the dragon's attempts to breach the cave, they had wreaked havoc on the surrounding trees and rocks, inadvertently creating a makeshift clearing. This spared Sirius from worrying about excessive obstacles or accidentally setting the entire forest ablaze while evading the flames.

The dragon utilized every part of its colossal body as a weapon, from its teeth to its whipping tail and razor-sharp claws, not to mention its magical fire. However, regardless of its efforts, it proved unable to harm the nimble two-legged monkey who continued to mock it without fear, effortlessly bouncing from one spot to another.

And Sirius wasn't having an easy time either as it was taking all his physical as well as magical abilities to barely stay out of harm's way. He had too many close encounters with death to count and was only able to escape them by using the Conjuctivites curse which while didn't do too much to the Dragon but still stopped it in its tracks for a few seconds which was enough for him to dodge.

But the more worrying thing would be that

that none of Sirius's spells, be they curses, charms, or transfigured projectiles, seemed to penetrate the dragon's impenetrable scales. He was well aware of the creature's terrifying reputation from ancient times, but he had never anticipated being completely unable to harm even a single scale on its body. Fortunately, he had a plan in place; otherwise, the dragon would have merely had to wait for his magic to deplete before devouring him, since escaping was not an option with the Anti-Apparition ward still enveloping the forest.

Ducking beneath the meter-thick tail of the beast, Sirius swiftly retreated, preparing to defend against the expected flames. However, this time, the dragon hesitated, its mouth halfway open but devoid of fire. Curiosity prompted Sirius to steal a glance behind him, revealing the reason for the creature's hesitation.

Lying there in all its fearsome glory was the lifeless body of the dragon's comrade, the Basilisk. Even in death, the colossal beast sent a shiver down Sirius's spine. Its sideways position featured menacing red eyes glaring hatefully at the surroundings, while its cavernous mouth, large enough for Sirius to enter, revealed its sharp, yellow teeth that still dripped with the most potent poison known in this world.

Numerous swords jutted out from the upper jaw of the fallen creature, the cause of its agonizing demise. And it wasn't just a few swords; the entire mouth was littered with gleaming blades, creating a fearsome sight that made Sirius pause for a moment to absorb the gravity of the situation.

Sirius redirected his focus to the dragon, observing its gaze fixed upon the fallen Basilisk with an inexplicable semblance of emotion. The sight gave him a brief pause, but he knew he couldn't afford to hesitate any longer; his survival depended on it. Resolutely steeling his heart, he taunted the creature once again, "What's the matter, little lizard? Are you afraid of hurting your dear friend? But it's already dead, so I'm quite certain it won't feel a thing—"

His words triggered a complete loss of control in the Black Dread. It unleashed a torrent of scalding flames, engulfing both Sirius and the head of the Basilisk. Acting swiftly, Sirius conjured his most dependable shield but this time he added a thick plate of water on top of it.

While his mastery over elemental magic was not on par with the likes of Voldemort or Dumbledore, he possessed enough skill to summon and manipulate a limited amount of water effortlessly. As intended, the intense heat transformed the water into billowing steam, shrouding the surroundings in a dense white fog, obstructing the dragon's vision. Sirius, however, remained unhindered thanks to his keen magical senses.

As soon as the dragon ceased its fiery assault, Sirius wasted no time as he ripped his secret weapon from its place propelling it directly into the gaping maw of the Black Dread. The dragon appeared momentarily bewildered, behaving almost like a common mammal, involuntarily swallowing what it presumed to be food.

That proved to be the gravest mistake of the dragon's existence. The consequences were nearly instantaneous—its eyes bulged, and it stumbled about as if intoxicated. It coughed and hacked, as though attempting to expel its throat. Opening its mouth to roar in agony, it emitted nothing more than a feeble whimper. The dragon felt as if its insides were liquefying, as though its veins coursed with acid instead of the usual magical blood.

As the fog gradually dissipated, the dragon fixated its hateful gaze upon the source of its torment. It took a faltering step toward the two-legged figure, its intent to deliver one final bite evident. Unfortunately for the creature, its hind leg gave way, causing it to crash to the ground with a resounding thud that reverberated through the earth.

Lowering his wand wearily, Sirius addressed the beast, "Rest now." After a few seconds, the feeble rise and fall of its chest ceased altogether, marking the conclusion of the ancient creature's life, the final representative of its species taking its last breath.

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