The Dragon Ranch
Samantha did not enjoy her flight inside the winged carriages. You couldn't Apparate or take a Portkey all the way to America, it was too risky. You could accidentally end up in the ocean. Instead, she was taking a very popular and fast mode of travel. Large winged horses attached to a flying carriage. It could hold up to ten people, so it was more private than a boat, and she preferred that. They flew faster than most muggle airplanes and they had very few fatalities. However, storms often frightened the horses and although it was perfectly safe, Samantha had begun to feel queasy from the turbulence. Her conversation with Harry weighed on her mind, Kingsley had really gone out of his way to make this happen for her. Her regrets towards taking the position as Editor-in-Chief weren't as great, but she decided to save celebrations for when she actually found her brother.
When the seventeen hour flight finally ended, she was never happier to be able to Apparate again. She Apparated half a mile outside the Dragon Rehabilitation Ranch of America. It was between a large canyon made of red clay. It was certainly brighter than anything at home.
Samantha walked across the hot path and held her hat to her head as the wind whipped around her. She could hear the roar of dragons and wondered how many silencing charms it took to be able to keep things quiet. There were large domed cages, all the size and length of Quidditch fields around a little wooden shed in the center.
Samantha held tight to her bag, she hadn't forgotten her fear of dragons. She took deep breaths. It wasn't really the dragons she really feared anymore, it was what came from the depth of their bellies. The expansive scars on her neck and back almost twinged with a phantom pain. She remembered being set on fire while defending Hogwarts, she remembered the smell of her flesh and the crackle as her skin boiled.
She noticed a few dragons were trying to blow fire, but the fire never escaped the cages. The fire was extinguished before it could reach her. Her hands twitched slightly, but the onyx was doing a good job. She didn't begin her intense shakes.
She was almost to the little cabin, where she assumed she needed to go. A tiny little black dragon flew up to her. She recognized the little dragon as it circled her head. She laughed as it tried to blow fire, but it barely emitted a puff. It nudged it's little face against her cheek.
"Hey there, Duke!" She said to the little dragon as it sat on her shoulder. He was possibly the only dragon she would ever like. She'd met him when she was still a fourth year writing articles during the Triwizard Tournament.
Sitting outside on a bench by the cabin was someone she remembered fairly well. He was still wearing the same brown fedora as when she had last seen him in at the battle of Hogwarts. He had a red beard and scars that resembled her back, on his arms. His beautiful blue eyes met her's and she had to remind herself he read minds. She found him attractive for sure, but she didn't want him to know that.
"Glad to know you still think my eyes are beautiful. I heard you from a mile away." He said leaning back on his bench and crossing his legs. She could feel little Duke's feet dance upon her shoulder.
Samantha crossed her arms and practically shouted through her mind for him to get out.
"Ow." He grimaced. "Point taken Fyre. I expected Kingsley would send Aurors, not the Editor-In-Chief of the Daily Prophet."
"Sorry to disappoint." She crossed her arms.
"I should have expected you'd come instead. Your damned idiot brother was with them after all." He rolled his eyes and bit his mouth.
"I'll be out of your hair, I just want to know what you know." She said before grabbing her hat to make sure it didn't fly away as the wind blew.
"Oh, I get fourteen dragon eggs stolen and my dragon mothers are traumatized by that damned bitch, but your runaway idiot brother gets top priority?" He asked before standing up and beginning to walk away from her into her shack.
Samantha couldn't watch her thoughts as she followed him up the wooden stairs onto the wrap around porch. Her boots made a loud sound against the wood.
They were just dragons, they could lay more eggs.
He turned back to her in a fury, "How would you like it if I came and stole a baby from you sometime? You could always have more after the first one."
She almost laughed, she had no children or a husband to consider the idea, so she hadn't thought about it that deeply before.
"You aren't married?" He questioned with a squint of his eyes.
"Why does that matter?" She asked feeling her upper lip raise.
"It doesn't." He shrugged. "Honestly, it's off the point. I want you out of here."
Samantha grimaced and almost fell back down the stairs behind her. He was being much more aggressive than when she had first known him.
"You know, you can go and tell Kingsley if he isn't going to send the damned Aurors after Freya, I'll call MACUSA next time! She's supposed to be his problem!" He was close to her face and a vein was popping out of his head.
She wasn't going to be intimidated by this man. Her favorite advice was one she had received years ago, no one was allowed to make a powerful witch feel inferior. She was going to find her brother and bring him home. If he wasn't going to talk to her, she would find someone who would.
A squeak came from the wooden door behind Kai. A thin older woman, dressed in a long mauve dress with little tassels at the bottom, stepped out. She had a natural way of moving, almost like a Veela or a mermaid.
"Kai." The woman called in a soft sing song voice. She had a real New York way of speaking, like she didn't belong in a desert. "Who's this lovely young lady?" She looked at Kai who turned his eyes to the ground.
"I'm Samantha Fyre Mam." Samantha held out her hand to shake.
The woman gave a little giggle and took her hand, "Queenie Kowalski. A pleasure to meet you. I've heard your name before, where have I heard it?"
Samantha assumed it was either her article or her position. She hated both options.
"Oh now, I remember, my Grandson here danced with you at one of those Weasley weddings." Queenie took her by the arm, "Now would you like yourself some iced tea? I know you Brits prefer it hot, but my British brother-in-law says mine is quite manageable."
Samantha laughed heartily for the first time since arriving in America. Little Duke had now jumped off of her shoulder and onto Queenie's. "I'd love some."
"She was just leaving Grandma." Kai grunted.
"Oh no she isn't." Queenie insisted back to him giving a very disapproving look. She led her inside to a very rudimentary looking shack. It didn't match Queenie's elegance at all. There was only a sofa that looked flea ridden beside a small fireplace. There were pictures across the mantle, but that was the only real adornment in the room.
"Now my Kai isn't much of a decorator." She waved her wand and a glass of tea for each of them flew into the room. Following the tea came a couple of chairs, which landed behind Samantha and Queenie. Kai was excluded from this comfort, he seemed locked in a staring match with his Grandma. Samantha drank her peach iced tea while she added the facts up. Queenie was probably a Legillement as well.
"Oh Kai darling." Queenie piped up, "I can hear your next group from Ilvermorny. You had better go and begin your tour. I will attend to Miss Fyre."
He aggressively opened the door and strode out. His boots hit the floor and mud dragged on the floor. A broom lifted from the corner and swept behind his steps. Duke lifted from Queenie's shoulder and flew out the window after him.
"He can be so dramatic sometimes." Queenie giggled as she sipped her tea. "You have to forgive him. He loves those dragons, maybe more than any person alive. "
Samantha nodded. She didn't understand it.
"I believe you and I have a few things in common." Queenie giggled, "Never fond of dragons much myself."
Samantha laughed again, but began to feel the small twitch in her hand. "It's not the dragons really."
"It's the flames?" Queenie asked looking her over.
Samantha nodded, she liked the way Queenie read her mind, it felt respectful.
"It takes a while to control you know. Kai isn't very good at it yet, you'd think after all these years, he'd know how to be less invasive. It's harder with people who have minds like yours. He was right, you have a very loud mind. Something you and your brother have in common, it's how Kai knew your brother was here and how he was able to save seventeen eggs." Queenie nodded to her.
Samantha's heart momentarily lifted, her brother really was alive. He had been there.
Queenie's eyes dropped to the floor. "Years ago I made a decision, much like your brother, that I still very much regret." Queenie reached her hand out and touched Samantha's knee. "Don't you believe for one solitary moment that any of his choices were your fault. All my choices had been mine, just as your brother's are his."
Samantha nodded and felt her shaking stop.
A loud set of children's laughter pierced their silence. Queenie stood and walked over to the window before waving Samantha over.
Samantha watched as the man who had been red in the face moments before, was laughing with a bunch of children and showing them one of the large dragons. The children seemed fully in awe and enraptured by his every word.
She liked watching him, more than she would have liked, this Kai Jones was vastly different than the one she had seen barely moments before. He was engaged, and laughing with a handsome heir. His smile was intriguing and she enjoyed when his smile covered his face. It reminded her of the night when they first met, a decade ago. She was terrified of the dragons and he had let her hold little Duke the whole time to keep her calm. He had been nothing but intriguing and she had held a small childish crush.
She watched how he rolled up his sleeves and showed the children his scars. She wished she had that kind of bravery with her scars, that she could just show them off. She found herself covering them with clothing or her hair, she believed the day she received the scars on her back was the day she lost any true beauty.
"Oh, but he chose his scars. You didn't choose yours." Queenie interjected and Samantha flinched remembering Queenie had hear her attraction to her grandson.
Queenie now had both hands in her's. "First of all, your inner beauty comes from your strength and kindness. Second of all, if you are worried about physical beauty, you didn't hear what my Grandson was thinking when you came striding up here."
Samantha was flattered but after seeing his outburst she had no interest. She'd dealt with enough moody outbursts when she dated Lee Jordan.
Queenie laughed fully, "He's only dramatic about his damned dragons. Now why don't we sit back down and let him finish his classes? I'll get you whatever information you need for your brother."
Queenie explained that she had heard her brother's mind that night. He was a normal part of Freya Jade's dragon poaching crew.
"I don't know where he is now. She still has the dragon eggs and it can be assumed she will pay him after they are sold." Queenie revealed. "Kai was
waiting for the arrival of Aurors, but he has a source on the market and I'm sure they can also point you both in the right direction."
Samantha nodded, she wasn't sure Kai was going to be all that willing to bring her along.
"Don't you worry honey," She giggled and winked, "I'll straighten him out. Let's bring your brother home I say!"
Samantha was grateful for whatever help she could get.
"Until I can straighten out Kai, why don't you and I have ourselves a bit of a chat? We can always learn from our pasts. I think you should start from the beginning so we can learn what we need to find your brother." Queenie shifted in her chair so as to become more comfortable.
Over the next few hours, Samantha had found herself on a bit of a journey through her memories. Queenie saw everything and let her cry for a while, something Samantha hadn't done in years. It had felt so freeing to be so vulnerable where she couldn't undermine her pain or trauma.
After their discussion, Kai returned from his tour. Queenie had them clean up and insisted Samantha stay for dinner.
"Tomorrow you and Kai will go and see his contact." Queenie explained as she sat down at the little wooden table in a small underwhelming kitchen. Kai was sitting across from her, looking less than thrilled to be sharing a meal with her. He had taken off his hat to reveal soft looking messy hair.
Duke the dragon was at one end of the table with his own bowl of food presented to him. The bowl was bigger than him, but it was rather adorable.
Samantha shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "Excellent." She would need to find accommodations.
"Oh no sugar, you can just stay here." Queenie said softly sitting herself at the head of the table. Before them was a steaming hot stew with homemade rolls. It smelled amazing and Samantha's stomach began growling the minute Queenie insisted she stay for dinner.
"I don't want to take advantage of your kindness." Samantha said with a shrug.
"Not at all. I would never imagine turning you out into the night with no where safe to stay. You are a bit well known. It could be a bit of a shock to the locals." Queenie said before taking a drink of wine.
Queenie turned and grimaced at Kai, "You will not be rude to our guest. She has been through enough, she does not need your insensitivity over some eggs that the dragons can produce more of."
Kai nodded before turning back to his stew. He'd been softer in his treatment when he returned from teaching his little Ilvermorny group, but he had said very few words to her.
"You are welcome to stay." He said back before turning to his stew.
"That's much better." Queenie giggled a little, she really reminded her of Luna in an odd way. She was insightful and generously kind.
"Oh do you mean Miss Lovegood?" Queenie asked interrupting Samantha's thoughts.
"Yes, you know her?" Samantha felt her shoulders recede and her heart beat faster.
Queenie giggled. "She was here last year as part of her training. It is quite a compliment to be compared to such a dynamic young lady. I enjoy how she looks at the world."
"Me too." Samantha said remembering every memory with Luna for Queenie to see.
"Rolf, my cousin, has a real thing for her." Kai said, again not looking up from his meal.
"Rolf is on my staff actually, recently hired, he told me you were all related." Samantha said with a smile and continuing her meal.
"His grandmother, is my sister." Queenie explained. "He's a good young man."
Samantha nodded as she finished her meal, she was trying to keep her brain blank, trying to keep them both from seeing more. There wasn't much Queenie hadn't seen and Samantha wasn't sure why, but she felt she could really trust her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to trust Kai quite yet.
"Now, I will make up one of the guests rooms. You keep our guest company Kai." Queenie said before kissing Kai's cheek and scampering off.
Kai promised after his grandmother left, "We're leaving first thing in the morning tomorrow to see my contact."
Samantha nodded. "So who's this contact of yours? Old friend?"
Kai raised an eyebrow, "I wouldn't call him a friend. He just owes me a few favors."
"Where is he at?" Samantha asked sitting back and taking a drink of her wine.
Kai leaned on the table, "What do you know about the Underbelly?"
Samantha had heard the term often, her colleague Zachary Bailey who ran the New York Glass had mentioned it quite a bit. He got his best stories from his investigation team constantly attempting to infiltrate it.
"Well, I've infiltrated it. That's where Freya likes to do her deals." He said, replying to her thoughts.
"Isn't it constantly moving?" Samantha asked.
He nodded, "Yep, unless you already know where it is."
"Confusing."
"Of course it is Fyre." He rolled his eyes. "We can't go in there tomorrow though, if you are going to be Editor of the Daily Prophet."
"Editor-in-Chief." Samantha reminded before drinking more wine.
"Whatever, I'm just saying you have a bit of a name attached to you. Even in the states, everyone has read your article." He insisted. "I mean everyone."
Samantha shuddered a bit, she hated that damned article every day. "Ok, I'll use an alias."
"Do you have one you prefer?"
"I went by Rebel in the war, I'm a bit attached." She smiled looking down to her palm.
"Alright, tomorrow, you will be Rebel Jones, my wife." He informed her.
Samantha laughed, "I will admit I think your eyes are pretty, but I'd have preferred a date or two, first Jones."
He chuckled a little, "I'm serious. You need to have a reason to be traveling with me. You aren't exactly a dragon expert."
He had a point. Someone could ask her a question and she wouldn't know anything.
"Fine." She rolled her eyes before Duke flew across the table and landed on her shoulder.
"And just follow my lead tomorrow, it's a dangerous place."
"I'm a big girl Jones." She crossed her arms.
"I'm sure you are." He said in a tone that was on the edge of flirtatious.
"I mean that, I can take care of myself." She snapped back. She didn't want to like the way he scanned her with his eyes. "Don't worry too much about me."
"I won't then." He raised a glass to her.
She lifted a glass to his as well.
"Why did you bring up the fact I'm not married?" Samantha asked with a shrug. She wasn't wanting him to get the wrong idea about her, she was here on business. "When I showed up this morning I mean."
"I was really just shocked you weren't married to that kid, with the sword, from the battle." Kai said with a shrug.
"Neville?" Samantha asked.
"Yeah, that's the one! You two had an interesting moment behind the Greenhouses." Kai laughed. "Clumsy, but sweet, all the same, it made a person want to puke."
"You heard all of that?" Samantha asked uncomfortably. She liked keeping that moment close to her heart, it had always been private before now. She'd mentioned it casually to Ginny but never to any extent of detail. She'd even glossed passed it when she had opened her mind to Queenie earlier.
"Well, it was hard to miss it when you kept loudly running the moment over and over in your mind that day." Kai accused, "I was just glad to hear you had your mind on love and not, the other stuff you were thinking about."
Samantha laughed out the word Love. She didn't know what that even was, outside of family anyway. She'd never even considered that word about anyone, it scared her too much.
"Well, it sounded a lot like love to me. From both of you." Kai reacted sitting back with his arms above his head. "So I'm sure you can understand my confusion when you showed up single."
"How would you know what love is like anyway? I doubt you have ever been in love." Samantha snapped back.
Kai nodded, "Yes, actually. A long time ago. I would have gone to the ends of the earth for her. I still would."
"What happened?" Samantha asked leaning her cheek on her hand.
"War." He said cryptically.
Samantha nodded, she must have died in the war. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it was a long time ago." Kai said before finishing his wine. He then interjected "We all have our scars."