Chapter 4
The night on Julia’s couch had brought Draco little sleep. The fabric of the sofa was softer than he had expected, but it did little to calm the unrest in his mind. His thoughts raced, circling around the past and the bleak future that awaited him. What if this was just another failure? Another place where he wouldn’t be accepted?
Despite his exhaustion, a heavy sense of dread settled over his body. What if things never got better? That thought, dark and familiar, crawled out from the shadows of his mind. It would have been so easy to stop fighting. The war had destroyed everything—friends, family, and himself.
He turned onto his side, staring up at the ceiling, closing his eyes as if the darkness could force him into sleep. But the dark thoughts lingered until, eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and he finally drifted off.
In his dream, he found himself on a vast hill, under a bright blue sky. In front of him, dragons soared through the air, majestic creatures whose wings reflected the sunlight. It was as though he could feel the heat of their breath, even from afar. But unlike in reality, Draco felt no fear. Instead, he felt… connected.
Suddenly, Charlie was standing next to him. He was calm, arms crossed, watching the dragons. It was a quiet moment, yet it felt full of meaning. Charlie turned his head and gave him a small smile, one that meant more to Draco than he was willing to admit. “It won’t be easy,” Charlie said, “but you can do this.”
Draco wanted to respond, but before he could find the words, the image blurred, and the dream dissolved into nothing.
When Draco woke, it was already morning. The faint light of dawn seeped through the windows, and a feeling of emptiness filled him. The dream had felt so real, but now he was left with only the cold reality. Pushing the thoughts aside, he slowly got up and prepared for what lay ahead. His first day of work.
Julia knocked lightly on the door. “Ready for your first day?” she asked with an encouraging smile, handing him a cup of tea.
Draco nodded, even though his thoughts were still on the dream. What would the day bring? He had no idea, but he knew he had to be ready.
A few hours later, Julia led him to the dragon reserve, where Charlie was already waiting. Next to him stood two other people, both in work clothes, but with open, friendly faces.
“These are Anna and her wife Lea,” Charlie said as Draco approached. Anna, a tall witch with dark hair and an energetic presence, waved at him. Beside her was Lea, a petite woman with short blonde hair that fluttered in the light breeze. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Hey, Draco,” Lea greeted him, stepping forward and extending her hand. “We know each other, remember? We were at Hogwarts together. I was in Hufflepuff.” She grinned broadly. “Don’t worry, I was pretty inconspicuous.”
Draco hesitantly shook her hand. “I… I don’t remember exactly,” he muttered. “But it’s nice to see you here.”
“Don’t worry,” Anna said, wrapping an arm around Lea’s shoulders. “We’re all the same here. Everyone has their own story.”
Next to them stood a young wizard with messy brown hair and a mischievous grin on his face. “And I’m Leaf,” he said, also extending his hand. “I take care of all kinds of magical creatures here. Right now, I’ve got a little Niffler with me. His name is Loki.”
“A Niffler?” Draco asked, surprised. “Aren’t they known for causing chaos?”
Leaf laughed heartily. “Oh, absolutely! Loki’s a little thief, but he’s also quite clever. Watch this.” He gave a short whistle, and a small, black Niffler crawled out of his pocket. Its tiny paws clutched a few shiny coins that it had apparently stolen from somewhere. “This is Loki,” Leaf said with a proud grin.
Loki sniffed curiously in Draco’s direction, his little eyes gleaming as if he were searching for something valuable. Draco couldn’t help but smile slightly. “He looks like he doesn’t miss an opportunity.”
“He doesn’t,” Leaf replied, laughing, and set Loki down, who immediately scurried off in search of more treasures.
After the brief introductions, Charlie led Draco to the main task of the day—his first introduction to dragon care. They approached a large enclosure where some of the massive dragons were already housed. The smell of fire, smoke, and wildness hung in the air.
“This is Nox, one of our older dragons,” Charlie explained as they neared a majestic black dragon. Its golden eyes gleamed watchfully, but it seemed calm, almost regal.
“What we’re doing today is mostly observation,” Charlie said. “You’ll learn to understand their behavior, recognize their moods. Dragons are dangerous, but they’re also predictable if you read them right.”
Draco nodded, watching the dragon, studying its movements. A slight nervousness crawled up his spine, but he tried to calm himself. I can do this, he told himself.
Charlie glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and gave a small smile. “You’re doing well. Just stay calm.”
The next few hours were spent watching and learning from Charlie how to handle the dragons. It was fascinating to see the massive creatures up close and to understand how to treat them with respect. Despite his initial nervousness, Draco began to feel more confident—especially in Charlie’s presence.
By the time the day ended, Draco was exhausted, but in a good way. It felt like he had accomplished something valuable.
“Tomorrow will be more intense,” Charlie said as they made their way back. “You’ve got talent, Draco. You’ll fit in here quickly.”
Draco looked at him, grateful for the reassurance he so desperately needed. Maybe, just maybe, he could make it here.