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[alt_charlie]

Poppy, I need you -- or anyone else at Hogwarts -- to meet me within about ten minutes or so. Far side of the lake, just past the wards, on the path to Hogsmeade Station?

I've just got your dragon blood -- two whole phials -- but I need to hand it over quickly before anyone notices I'm gone.

Comments

[alt_poppy]

Charlie Weasley, you're a wonder.

I'm on my way this instant.

Private Message to Charlie Weasley

[alt_poppy]

You'll note that I am not putting this where your mother will see it.

GET TO YOUR HEALER RIGHT THIS INSTANT, YOUNG MAN!

I know perfectly well not all that blood was the dragon's! 'Only a scratch', indeed.


That said, thank you. I know you're aware how precious this ingredient is and how important it could prove. I certainly appreciate the risk you took today.


NOW GET THAT WOUND SEEN TO!

[alt_charlie]

Right, for anybody who sees this later and wonders what that was all about: I stomped out of supper tonight because everybody was getting up my nose and went out flying to cool down, and found Istvan, one of our Horntails, mortally wounded just at the edge of the reserve. Looks like two of them got in a fight, which means we'll have to keep an eye out for who the other one was. I'm guessing it was spill-over from whatever those people are doing to them for the wards.

There was no way he was going to survive, but I did manage to get two phials of blood before I had to put him down. (Wish like hell I'd had more phials with me, too, since I likely could've got more.) I was able to deliver them to Poppy and get back to the reserve quickly enough that nobody missed me.

Sadly, Istvan was tagged, so I couldn't harvest anything else -- no heartstring, no liver, no lung -- since we have strict protocols in place for what happens when one of our dragons dies. But it's something, and I'll keep my eye out in case one of the wild and untagged ones doesn't make it through the winter.

Here's to Istvan. One cranky bastard, but a beautiful dragon.

Private Message to Charlie

[alt_nymphadora]

I know what you mean about having everyone you live with seem completely irritating. Between the baby, the business, the moons, and the shape-shifting, we drive each other mad several times a wee day. I'm sure I'm as awful to live with as the rest, mind you. Not saying I'm perfect at all.

Sounds as if you had a bit of an adventure between the dying dragon and the quick pop to Hogwarts and back and not getting caught out over what you'd done. Good show!

They keep a tight lock on all the saleable bits of your dragons, then? Makes sense, I suppose, but I can't imagine dragon handlers are much for inventories and Ministry parchmentwork, though. Or do you have someone who lives up there who just does that sort of record keeping and line-toeing?

We raised a glass for Istvan here last night. And thought of him again this morning when Bea had a complete caterwauling tantrum at the end of breakfast. I think she's had a growing spurt, and it's all been in her lungs! I swear to you, she wasn't this loud a month ago!