Dragon's Keep

It was a quiet day, not unlike any other at the sanctuary. Charlie was sleeping on his cot, after a long night of observing the territory battles the resident dragons take place in every year just before breeding season. After that, he needed his rest. What sunlight could trickled in through a tiny gap in the blanket he had thrown up over his window at the last minute before collapsing onto his bed.

His notes and essays lie scatted on his desk and floor. Dragons had been the main focus of his life long before he graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was one of a long line of wizards, not a terribly notable family, not by history's standards by any-means, and he was perhaps least notable of all. He however, was just fine with that. All he needed was freedom, the outdoors and, of course, dragons.

"Charlie!" boomed the director's voice as he rushed into his bedroom waking Charlie from his dreamless sleep.

"What?" Charlie shouted sitting bolt up right, all reaction, no real thought just yet. A wave of fear washing over him he surveyed the room. He shook, the war was over, the Dark Lord was dead but he was still electrified by spine tingling terror each time he awoke... Had he lost another brother?

"We need yer help!" the tall thin man said barreling down the hall, back the way he came. Leaping out of bed Charlie followed him, heart still pounding.

"What's going on, Hraban?" Charlie asked badly butchering the Germanic name in his weary state as he struggled to catch up.

"There!" Hraban said pointing to a para-scope that looked out over the vast mountain range in the observation tower that joined to the dorms. Charlie walked over to the large glassless window giving wary glances to those around him.

"Yes," said Charlie "It's the den of the Dominant Ridge-back. What's the matter?"

"Someone," Hraban sighed. "Is continuing the practice of 'Den Laying'..."

"'Den Laying?'" Charlie questioned.

"Yes it's a brutal, horrible thing outlawed in the mid to late 1700s" Hraban paused he had a kind, gentle heart and by the tone in his voice what he was talking about disturbed him greatly.

"If you have a small or sickly baby, you leave it at the den of a dragon," Dianne cut in. "In hopes- In hopes that it's killed!" she explained her arms folded tightly over her chest.

Charlie's brows knit tightly together as he peered through the para-scope again. "I can't see anything!" he remarked shrugging his shoulders as he pulled away.

"It's a baby, it's tiny!" Dianne snapped. "I saw it while doing grounds examination earlier!"

"We need several people for this Charlie..." Hraban paused. "We need someone to get the baby!" he said looking at Charlie with a heavy gaze.

Charlie nodded sharply, "Me."

Wands at the ready twelve witches and wizards, scientists, Dragonologists, not a warrior among them soared over the dragon occupied mountains to where the largest and oldest Norwegian Ridge-back dwelt. Even the Horntails gave this ancient beast wide birth. It was Den Laying tradition to leave the unwanted infant at the opening of the largest dragon in the area, and these negligent parents were keeping to tradition.

"Keep low!" Hraban called to the others. In unison they dove. Keeping their eyes sharp they were sure to scan their surroundings, not only did they have to worry about the resident dragon, but also rivals that may come to challenge the mighty creature, or females defending nesting grounds.

As they made a wide arc they could see movement below their eyes fixed on a small red blanket, and then the large mass that was shifting to the cave entrance. Suddenly without warning a dragon fell on them from above! Without a word they scattered, Charlie veered left followed by Hraban and a new researcher, fresh from Durmstrang. Five others turned right sharply, and four shot straight ahead. The territorial male went after the four wizards still within his line of sight.

Just as he was about to devourer Dianne who was a more skillful researcher than flier and had fallen behind the dragon was struck by a volley of Stupefying blasts caused him to turn his teeth gnashing in anger.

"Now!" Hraban shouted as they neared the earth.

Swooping lower still Charlie gritted his teeth, branches whipped his darkly freckled face as the ground came nearer still. As he got closer his heart seized, the great wyrm at who's cave the babe had been left emerged, his wings tattered and worn from age stretching forth to the sky as tendrils of smoke swirled around his head.

Charlie grunted as he leaned in tighter, he could do this, he was Charlie, Seeker for and captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He'd lead them to many a victory, this was no different, he could do this! The beast loomed over the child, it's eyes intent on the tiny annoyance. Taking a deep breath Charlie flipped. Hooking his ankles and gripping the broom with only his knees Charlie let go, his upper body held aloft only by his powerful abdominal muscles.

It seemed to happen in a heart beat to those who were looking on, but to Charlie it seemed to take forever. Reaching out he scooped the infant off the the ground, cupping it's head and body separately trying to avoid giving baby whiplash. Tears sprang into his eyes as the rough earth raked his back, his head jarring violently. Then he pulled the baby tightly and securely against his chest. Charlie pulled his body upward, looping his right arm around the broom he gave a short sigh of relief. All this as the dragon lowered it's head to examine with wailing intruder.

In a flash the small crying thing was gone and the great Ridge-back roared with anger and confusion. At hearing this the young Horntail which had given chase retreated, he knew when to fight and when he was out matched, this was still his first mating season and he was clearly out muscled. This was a heaven sent to the researches as the Ridge-back went after him.

"Sh... Sh!" Charlie shushed bouncing his delicate bundle slightly. His shirt was torn and back bloodied, he'd nearly crashed, but of all the wounds he'd gained in his work with the dragons, these were the most worth while. "Hey, hey," he cooed as the infant cried in short wheezing gulps. "You're safe I have you now!" he said pulling the babe away for a moment to examine it. The baby was remarkably small and fragile, tiny hands curled into pale little fists. "You're a pretty girl huh?" Charlie asked wincing as he turned, his shoulders burning. "It's ok, you're going to be alright!" he assured her pulling the little girl who was having trouble breathing close to him once more.

As the others flanked in beside him Charlie had the over whelming feeling of suddenly wanting more, then freedom, the outdoors, and dragons. As he held the abandoned baby his heart felt light, he smiled to himself before kissing the sparse copper brown hair on the top of her head.

Charlie sat on the foot of a bed in the medical wing of the research facility. Leaning forward as one of the nurses cleaned out the wounds on back he winced clenching his fists tightly. "Ow!" he grunted. Most of the skin had been scraped off his back and shoulders, he also had several deep cuts from stones, and a nasty gash on the back of his head.

"You'll live!" Eloise said giving his wrist a squeeze before bandaging him up. "Arms." she said motioning for him to raise them. He made a face when he did. "Baby." she mocked as she wrapped gauze tightly around his torso.

"We have a very sick, very lucky little girl here!" Raffaella another nurse said entering the room a small squirming bundle in her arms beaming at them.

"How is she?" Charlie asked standing.

"She was most likely born premature," Raffaella started looking at him, but was cut off when Hraban burst in.

"Well done lad, well done!" he boomed his eyes wrinkling as he grinned. "I haven't seen flying like that since The Holyhead Harpies match of 1953!"

"Thank you Hraban." Charlie replied sheepishly.

Raffaella sighed as she looked at Hraban with annoyance. "As I was saying," she said in a sharp tone. "The baby seems to have been born early. She's small, her lungs, eyes and kidneys seem to be under developed. But, that shouldn't be a problem, a couple drops of this in her bottle over the next few months and she should be right as rain!” the dark haired woman explained producing a small vile or clear slightly purple tinted liquid.

“Poor thing!” Eloise cooed walking to stand by her friend. “Why wouldn't anyone want you?”

“Well,” said Dianne as she entered the room. “I've contacted the Ministry, and the soonest they can have someone here is tomorrow morning. Apparently this isn't an urgent situation!” her voice was deadly and full of distain as she spoke.

"Well that's just fine!" Raffaella said smiling down at the baby. "We'll keep you here tonight!"

The blanket wriggled and then the baby emitted a small lamb like cry. "Oh!" the women said in unison as they huddled closer together.

Hraban leaned over Eloise's shoulder and laughed, "Reminds me o' my first! Has that sweet quivering lip cry 'n all!"

"Let me hold 'er." Charlie said waddling over like an old man, so as not to aggravate his back.

"Lookie here little one! It's Charlie the hero!" Raffaella said handing over the babe.

Charlie smiled a bit bashfully as he looked down at the infant. “I think she's hungry.” he said bouncing her. Eloise quickly made a bottle adding four drops of Raffaella's potion and handed it to Charlie. “Better?” he asked the baby as she suckled ravenously.

“Uh-oh!” said Hraban replacing what would normally have been a strong slap on the back with a bracing squeeze to Charlie's forearm. “I know that look, it's love! I got that same dumb grin with each one 'o my children, looks like you're a father!”

“Now I wouldn't say that!” Charlie objected his eyes becoming quite wide.

“Watch come tomorrow, you won't want to see the baby go!” the older man beamed at him.

“She needs a name.” Charlie said after a while, his gaze soft as he looked at the infant.After seeing the skeptical looks around him he added. “Well we can't just call her 'the baby' can we?”

“'ow 'bout Clotilda?” Hraban suggested smiling crookedly at him as he tried to keep his thoughts to himself. Charlie shook his head.

“Clara?” Dianne pitched.

“Edith?” Eloise offered.

“Too plain,” Raffaella said as if offended hands quickly flying to her hips. “She has those soft lavender eyes, she needs a pretty name. I like Ilaria, it's Italian, and means joy.”

Everyone seemed to turn to Charlie as if it all counted on his approval. “Ilaria?" he asked before thinking it over a bit. "I like it!” The others, smiling agreed.

The next morning when Hraban lead the stuffy, needle nosed woman from the Ministry down the hallway to the medical wing. Hraban sighed as they walked. "So er, where'll she be going?" he asked soft morning light coming in through the many window of the hall.

"A suitable family." the woman answered shortly.

After a moment silence he dared another question. "How will the family be chosen?"

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose, as if merely being here was giving her a headache. "They will be a wizarding family, obviously!" she sighed.

"And what's wrong with Muggles?" the man haddn't meant to snap like he did, but he couldn't help himself. "My parents 're Muggles, me wife's a Muggle and one 'o my children's a Muggle!" he said trying not to bellow.

The woman pursed her lips,a smug arrogant look on her face. "Why, nothing is wrong with Muggles, absolutely nothing!" That was it Hraban decided, he hated the woman!

Coming to the medical room the directer paused the door half open. Charlie lay shirtless on his stomach, the bandages on his back bled through in areas. Breathing softly he had a protective arm around Ilaria who's limbs were curled tightly to her body making her look like a large pink frog lying on it's back. The baby took a quick hiccupie breath her limbs jerking. Charlie pulled her closer mumbling something in his sleep. Closing the door Hraban beamed to himself, he'd been right after all. Looked at the woman he selfishly thought about the joy he would have at making her life just a little bit harder.

“On second thought we may need adoption papers of some sort!” he said. The woman glared at him, Hraban didn't care, Charlie deserved this, he hadn't seem him this happy since he recorded the home ranges of the sanctuary's dragons and discover the areas of cross over. Hraban smirked. "He is from a wizarding family after all!"