Legilimens
Iris decided to take a flight, and transformed into her animagus form. While it was always enjoyable to fly, she had to keep her eagle eyes looking not just for Charlie, but for dragons that may want a fried eagle snack.
She flew up and down the gulch, looking for the spot she had found Charlie and finally landed around the spot she felt she recognized. The ground itself just looked charred. Leaves disintegrated under her feet as she walked, and there was ash still flittering down like snow. The large tree she surmised had been pushed over by Goldie had a thick layer of cinders, some still orange with heat, slowly burning. Iris looked at the ground and kicked around, creating a plume of ashes that rose up into the air.
She had a thought on her mind, and wondered if she could find an answer. For as long as she had known him, he had always carried that brown leather backpack slung over his shoulders, with a silver ornate dragon head buckle. The amount of times that he had it repaired and fixed had to be in the double digits, especially now that they were approaching thirty.
What she was the most concerned about, was the notebook she knew was in there. All his notes and sketches of dragons, their patterns, identifying marks, and interesting behaviors had been thoroughly documented. Charlie kept all the filled ones in a box in his closet, but she knew he had started a newer on recently, all the information regarding Goldie was in there.
Iris pulled her wand from her sleeve and tried simply,
“accio. Charlie's bag.” The bag hit her hard in the back of her head, knocking her to her knees. She grumbled and straightened her hair, which had completely covered her face like she was Cousin It, and turned to see the blackened bag. She pulled it closer to her and tried a few spells to see what she could do, but it looked like it would need to be professionally repaired. She flipped open the bag and saw that the notebook and other things were for the most part alright, there had been a whole burned in the back, and consequently a hole burned into a book.
Iris pulled the notebook out and read a few pages, seeing the thoughts Charlie had when she was suddenly pulled from her reading by the sound of footsteps. She contemplated turning into the Eagle and flying away, but she honestly found herself hoping to see Goldie... And perhaps her eggs. Iris stood and looked into the gulch, seeing the large Chinese fireball, dropping what looked to be a incinerated animal of some kind. From under a burned pile of logs, a couple little golden hatchlings. Iris hunkered down and decided to take the time to watch, and found herself excited to be able to tell Charlie that Goldie's eggs were safe, and her babies had hatched.
Iris had a thought hit her, and pulled out Charlie's notebook and the pencil inside. She flipped open to a blank page and started to doodle, outling any distinguishing scale patterns she saw on the hatchlings.
“Beautiful.” She murmured to herself, and then watched as Goldie looked directly at her. Surely her hearing isn't that good- Her thoughts cut off as Goldie then turned and looked behind her, towards Iris's left. Iris thought that was strange and followed Goldie's line of sight, and saw a couple people apperate not far from where Iris was sitting. They were speaking in something, she knew it wasn't Romanian, she had heard enough the last few days. Goldie's demeanor immediately changed and Iris knew these weren't reserve caregivers. Her wand flew up, pointed to the sky, and she cast a patronus to summon Rupert, and other Reserve workers.
She was not going to play offense, and immediately went on the defense.
“Depulso!” It caught them off guard and blasted two of the three men right off their feet. “Digitus removēre!” She spat the finger removing jinx at them, hitting one and causing him to drop his wand. “Flipendo!” One after the other, Iris fired at them, advancing as she went. They were not going to take advantage of the situation and either harm or kill Goldie, nor one of her children if Iris was there. “Lapifors Maxima!” With her last jinx, she turned the three of them into rabbits. In their tiny fury form, they could little but bounce away, and so Iris walked up to them and grabbed up their wands.
“Iris!” Rupert called from the woods, as she cast a spell, levitating the three rabbits into the air.
“Got three trespassers.”
“Those are... Rabbits.”
“They are now.” Iris held out the wands towards Rupert and he took them, looking rather surprised, then very impressed.
“Charlie has said you're a hell of a witch.” He smiled. “I appreciate it, I'll call the Romanian Aurors.”
“Mhmm. I'm just glad they didn't actually set eyes on Goldie.”
“Oh yeah, and her hatchlings. How many did you see? I spotted four the other day.”
“I saw four too.” She confirmed and visibly saw him relax. “If you don't mind, I'm going to keep my eye on her for a little while longer, that way I have more to tell Charlie.”
“That will either keep him quiet or make him want to get back quicker,” Rupert laughed. “I'd say be careful, but uh, I think you got it.” He pulled out his own wand and took over levitating the rabbits and headed for the front of the reserve while Iris returned to her hiding spot. When she walked around the tree Iris found herself once again making eye contact with Goldie. They were so golden, with splashes of orange and yellow, with the pitch black pupil that ran down the center of her eye. All the dragons and animals that she had connected with over the years, nothing was as intense as looking into the eyes of Goldie. It was an experience that Iris felt to her core and she felt water building in her eyes.
Goldie let out a breath, and hot air washed over Iris in a way that she could almost feel her curls deflate in the humidity. Her nose moved closer and closer until she bumped Iris in the sternum, and she took that as the ok to reach out her hands and place them on Goldie's face.
“You are the most amazing creature I have ever been around.” Iris told her.
I know little white one.
“MOTHER OF MERLIN!” Iris screamed jumping back, and falling right on her bum. Her eyes looked wide at Goldie and she swore for a second the dragon smirked.
I have not met many legilimens in my years. Iris knew her mouth was dropped open as she stared at the Chinese Fire Ball. The freaking dragon was a legilimens. Close your mouth little white, you'll draw bugs. Iris closed her mouth with an audible click. Last I saw you, you were with Lionheart.
“Lionheart?” Iris asked her, but it dawned on her- “oh... Yes, he's my... Mate.”
He is my favorite. I was quite worried when I found him injured, that is why I brought him back to my nest, to protect him.
“He's mending. He was worried about you too, and your children.” Iris told her, and it still felt like she was in a dream.
I could tell. He encouraged me to move the nest into the forest instead of the rocky ridge line I normally nest. Iris could still hardly believe she was having a conversation with a dragon. How long have you been mated with Lionheart? He has not mentioned you. Iris had no idea dragons could be passive aggressive, and yet here she was.
“Just a few months, but we have been friends since we were eleven.” Iris told her, getting to her feet and dusting off the ask as much as she could.
What is it you do? He cares for me and my children, are you also a dragon caregiver?
“I take care of... Plants.” Iris found herself fumbling, feeling quite small talking to a dragon about how she cares for simple flowers.
Plants? I did not know plants needed tending to. Iris just blinked up at her.
“They do...” She nodded simply. “I know Char-Lionheart will want to know about your children, have you named them?”
Well, I know that the reserve calls me Goldie, while it was not my name a few hundred years ago, I feel that it fits me. She told Iris, lifting her large wings to show her gleaming gold and red scales. My children shall continue the lineage, Jin, Aurum, Voski, and Hema. Iris quickly wrote down the names before she forgot, because those were names that were hard to remember for anyone.
“I cannot wait to tell Charlie.” Iris mentioned, closing the notebook and looked up to Goldie. “He adores you,” she looked up at the dragon, gently reaching her hand out and placing it on Goldie's nose, “I hope you know just how much.”
He has mentioned it before, and I hope you can relay that I adore him as well.
Iris could hardly wait to tell Charlie.