Harry Potter: Dragon Whisperer

Opportunities Abound

Disclaimer – I solemnly swear that JKR owns everything Harry Potter. Whether or not I am up to no good with her characters is for you to decide.

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Harry Potter: Dragon Whisperer

Chapter 32 – Opportunities Abound

1:20pm

Friday, 27 August 1995

Papa Stour, Shetland Islands, Scotland

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The instant that the portkey released him, Harry looked around. As expected, no one was in sight. Charlie, he knew, was running an errand before he was going out for the rest of the day and the only other person that could have been here – Angus – was in London at the Ministry with Madam Grimblehawk conducting the first interviews with the prospective new dragon handlers.

He was alone. Not a human for miles. The island was completely deserted, which meant that he could take some time out to just relax. And what he had in his bag would allow him to do just that.

Pulling his Nimbus from his pocket, he resized it, jumped on and flew up high, looking for the perfect vantage point.

Naturally, it didn't take long before he was spotted. With a bugle of welcome, Ramaranth leapt from where she'd been sunbaking and soared towards him. Other dragons, too, quickly joined them, flying circles around him in an aerial display that had him laughing in joy.

§Speaker, you came§! Ramaranth called.

§Hi, Ramaranth. How is everyone today§? he replied.

§The weyr is well, Speaker§, she replied.

§You're liking it here§? he asked.

§Fish make a good, different meal but it is not home§, she replied.

§Yeah, I know what you mean§, Harry replied.

Finally, he found what he was looking for. Below and to his right, a bluff, protected on one side by a set of high rocks that would shelter him from the wind, looked out over not just part of the island, but also the sea beyond. With a nod, he altered course and landed.

After leaning his Nimbus against the rocks out of the way, he methodically began setting up. His artist pack was unslung, placed on the ground and opened. His easel was set up and a canvas pulled from the expanded inside and secured. Lastly, the pack's extendable legs were pulled out and the bag's neck opened to give him easy access to his chalks and paints and brushes.

The light might not have been quite right just then, but Harry was confident that in an hour or two, the sun would reach the perfect angle for the painting that he had in mind. That, he knew, would give him plenty of time to sketch the area, the rocks and land, the sea and crashing waves against the cliff and, of course, the dragons.

Harry smiled to himself. As he'd come to expect, dragons had settled around him, some quite close, others further away but positioned where they could still keep an eye on him. Just in the field of view that he'd chosen for this particular painting, there were two Greens and Black.

§What do you, Speaker§? Myrddys asked.

§Hush and watch§, Ramaranth advised. §It is called 'painting'. The Speaker can create marvels§.

Harry couldn't help but laugh. Ramaranth, he knew, was quite proud of the painting that he'd done of her and even more so that she'd been the first. Anytime that he was either painting or sketching when she was near, she – and the hatchlings when he was in Romania – would be there, watching it all.