𝘀𝗸𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸, charlie weasley

˗ˋ 21

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH THEIR MINDS
ARE MADE UP

. . .

"McGonagall told you we should study dragons?" Charlie sounded surprised about that, and for good reason. 

Professor McGonagall was known as a strict, tight-laced woman - it was a necessity for her position of Head of Gryffindor House; they had always been a rowdy lot and were perhaps known for producing some of Hogwarts' most notorious pranksters and homed many lovers of the art of practical jokes. 

Dragons - for some odd reason that Charlie couldn't put his finger on - seemed rather outlandish in comparison to McGonagall's usual suggestions. But, there were the odd, one-off and very far between reports of the Scottish woman having a streak of mischief in her herself, and nothing could exactly be ruled out. 

"No.. not exactly." Kai replied as she settled against the wall of the alleyway. They were yet to go anywhere else, wanting to just sort out Kaida's thoughts and ideas on their futures before they rejoined the others. 

"Sorry.. I didn't get much sleep last night after practise." Charlie was stifling a yawn with his hand as he spoke, sat on the top of an old metal Butterbeer keg. "Explain it to me again?"

"McGonagall didn't tell us to study dragons." Kaida decided to quickly clear up that confusion before it could take effect. "As you know, she pulled me into her office for a careers meeting - you know, seeing as we're already well into our final year - and I fed her the usual story about us wanting to find the lost Arizonian Thunderbirds colony. 

"The more you mention that the more I'm actually considering doing it." Charlie admitted. "It would be cool as hell if we found them as well."

Kaida shook her head. "Charlie - you're a ginger. You don't take well to the sun, and I'd rather not walk around with a guy who looks like a piece of raw bacon with carrot coloured hair."

"Fair point." Charlie nodded. " Sorry, I went off topic. Please, comtinue talking about the dragons."

"She didn't believe me, about the Thunderbirds." Kaida began once more, making a mental note to just get through this and not let her best friend interrupt her once again. "Which, to be honest, is expected at this point, we've tried to convice her that's our dream so many times that it's obvious we're covering up what's reslly going on." 

She paused, letting herself to take a deep breath before continuing on - Charlie needed the full, proper story. "Then she got me talking about what we enjoy. Care of Magical Creatures is our best class and our favourite.. so naturally we went in that direction. Then McGonagall asked me if there was any particular topic or creature we enjoyed. I told her dragons."

"And?"

"I'm pretty sure she still thinks I'm somewhat joking. But it got me thinking, especially when she mentioned sanctuaries for that type of creatures... you know the super dangerous, going extinct ones?" Kaida could watch as realisation quite literally dawned on Charlie's face.

"Don't let it get to your head.. it doesn't need inflating any more... but you're a genius," Charlie pushed himself up from the rusting Butterbeer keg, coming to a stop beside her. "Dragons!" He repeated in a satisfactory hiss. 

After letting it settle in, Charlie didn't seem to be doubting this idea at all. He turned to Kai. "Come on - lets go snd tell the others and then we can go research." Now that the Phoenix girl had mentioned it, their was no way they could go back on it, and she knew from the look on her best friend's face that this was it, after a sixth year full of failed career interviews, they had finally found something the both of them loved.

Kaida nodded and let him pull her out of the alleyway and into the cobbled streets that were busy and bustling with Hogwarts students. They raced past shops and groups of younger years until they arrived at the Three Broomstick, pushing the door open quickly and heading inside, just slightly breathless.

They managed to find the table their friends were at relatively quickly - it helped that Isla was waving manically at them. Charlie and Kai hurried to the table, coming to a stop in front of them. "We have an announcement." Charlie began.

"You finally became a couple so that Dana can have her fantasies in peace?" Tonks hid her smirk by taking a sip of Butterbeer from the clear tankard, Dana looking horrified. 

"Sorry what?" Kaida asked, and as Leo's eyes landed pointedly on their still connected hands, they snatched them back.

"We're going to work in a dragon sanctuary." Charlie recovered from then couple jibe by Tonks quickly, looking between his friends, awaiting a reaction.

"Oh really? When are you leaving?" Xavier barely looked up from his tankard, extending a small, golden fork across the table as he stole some of Leo's chocolate cake.

A silence hung between the group.

"Oh your being serious?" Xavier blinked once, and then twice. 

The best friends just nodded their confirmation.

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