Harry Potter and the Dragon

IX

Welcome to your Lodgings

"WAKE UP!" the dragon shouted, standing on the iron doorframe in Harry's prison.

Harry, who wasn't sleeping at all, turned around slowly. He saw the dragon, barely lit by the little light that came through the barred, minuscule window. "What d'you want?" he answered insolently. He didn't care at all what could happen to him anymore. He had ceased to worry. He knew the dragon was going to kill him, and didn't want to spend his scarce remaining time on earth being nice.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT, YOU SCOUND -!!"

"Oh, well." Harry went back to his former position and dropped his head once more on the straw, ignoring the dragon's words.

The dragon, astonished, fell silent. Next, he made to grab Harry by the neck but something, he didn't figure out what, prevented him from doing it. Harry couldn't help jumping away as a reflex, sensing the massive body of the beast had moved nearer.

"YOU'RE LIVING UNDER MY ROOF NOW, SO YOU'LL HAVE TO DO WHAT I SAY!! AND I COMMAND YOU TO FOLLOW ME TO THE ROOM I'LL PROVIDE FOR YOU SINCE... since I'm such a good boy..." The dragon found himself speaking in order to cover his sudden rejection to the idea of touching his prisoner. He started yelling infuriated, but underlined his last words with a leer.

"Room? Are you treating me like a guest? Oh! I'm sooo honored I could cry! But why would you deprive me of this magnificent chamber I'm already acquainted with? I wouldn't like to bother you, for you seem to be such an amiable creature!! YOU DIDN'T EVEN LET ME SAY GOOD BYE TO HAGRID, YOU AWFUL BEAST!!" Harry shut up. Was he shouting back at the beast? How he could be that stupid?

To his amazement, the dragon said nothing but "FOLLOW ME!" And so he followed.

***

While walking the manor's corridors behind the dragon, Harry focused his attention on the decorations he had overlooked before, when roaming around in his search for Hagrid. The walls were covered by portraits of sleeping people that looked like wizards and witches from different stages of the past; most of them had a fair complexion and a proud expression that told him what kind of family had inhabited this place before a dragon had made it its home. Since when dragons live in manors? And since when dragons speak, in the first place? Wait... since when dragons exist? I thought they were a figment of Hagrid's mad imagination... Surely all this nightmare's the product of mine; I never thought I had such a masochistic one...

The dragon was trying to observe his prisoner without being spotted, something that was very easy since he was now concentrated on the surroundings. He doesn't seem to be scared of me at all... I'll show him!!! No... no. I have to be nice to him, so he can fall in love with me... and then, when I'm back into my perfect body, I'll kick him out and laugh for a while, and throw a party, and... I suppose this falling in love thing's not that difficult... Well, luckily I have a large wine cellar; its contents will smooth things out...

"Hey, you! You can go everywhere in this manor, but don't dare show up in the dungeons. If you do, I'll kill you," said the dragon. In a tone he considered was extremely polite.

"Okay," said Harry shrugging. "Er, what's your name? Since we'll be housemates I'll have to talk to you from time to time, and the words that keep coming to my head every time I see you don't seem too appropriate for a gentleman like me to pronounce. So, what should I call you?"

"You will call me Master, or Prince, or God, pick up one..." said the dragon smugly through a loop-sided smile.

"Monster, ponce, and git, the same words that keep coming to my mind... curious..." Harry replied without thinking.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY??? WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY, YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SHIT??? I'LL SHOW YOU... BAAASTAAAARD!!!"

And before Harry could make up an cynical apology, he was grabbed by the neck and thrown as if he was a doll into a dark room. Luckily, he landed on a big four-poster bed before bouncing and falling heavily on the floor.

"YOU CALL ME A PONCE ONE MORE TIME AND I'LL CUT YOUR THROAT WITH A BLUNT KNIFE, AND I'LL PLAY WITH YOUR HEAD LIKE IT'S A BALL, WHILE YOUR BODY BLEEDS AND YOUR BLOOD CONGEALES, WHILE YOU YELL LIKE THE FUCKING PIG YOU ARE, DID YOU HEAR ME, YOU DAMN SON OF A MUDBLOOD???!!!" Then, the dragon fiercely slammed the door shut.

Lupin the candlestick and Snape the clock had come running to the scene, attracted by the screams. "Master! What are you doing? You're supposed to behave in front of the stranger!"

"Master please, try to keep your temper controlled, he's a harmless idiot that shouldn't extract that amount of anger from you!"

"Master, what about the plan? What about your intentions of befriending the boy?"

"I suggest you invite him to have breakfast, since the day is dawning -"

"SHUUT UP!!!! SHUT UP YOU BOTH, STUPID ARTIFACTS!! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!! GET OOOOUUUTTT!!!" And to the closed door, he added. "BREAKFAST WILL BE SERVED IN HALF AN HOUR!!! IF YOU'RE NOT SITTING AT THE TABLE WITH ME BY THAT TIME, I SWEAR I DRAWN YOU IN THE PRIVY'S HOLE AFTER ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD HAD FILLED IT WITH ALL THE SHIT WE CAN, DID YOU HEAR ME??? DID YOU, MORONIC ASSHOLE???"

"Like you couldn't be heard a mile around, you insane oversized lizard!! I'd rather take a swim in your fucking privy than sitting at your table; I bet it smells better than you, you mad, fire-spitting dog!!"

"Did you hear him? DID YOU HEAR HIM??? AND THEN I AM THE ONE TO BE BLAMED FOR EVERYTHING!!! LIKE EVERY FUCKING THING'S MY FAULT!!! LIKE I'M THE BAD GUY!!!" the dragon berated in direction to his loyal servants. Then, he added looking at the door, "STARVE, YOU SCUM!! STAAAARVE!!! IT'S A SLOWER, BUT EFFECTIVE MEANS OF TORTURE AS WELL!!! IF YOU LEAVE THIS ROOM, I'LL COME AND KILL YOU BY GRABBING YOU FROM YOUR NECK, FLYING TEN THOUSANDS FEET HIGH, AND THEN DROPPING YOU INTO AN ABYSS TEN THOUSANDS FEET DEEP, FULL OF POISONOUS SNAKES AND SPIDERS!!! DID YOU HEAR ME; YOU MASS OF SMASHED PIG BRAINS?? DID YOU?? Listen to me Lupin, stay here by the door and let me know if this prick leaves the room, UNDERSTOOD??"

The dragon stormed away while his servants sighed, one departing and the other staying behind with a disgruntled look in his face.

Inside the room, Harry opened the curtains and saw it was dawning. Looking around, he raised an eyebrow while scanning the chamber's furniture. Everything was very beautiful indeed, and also refined. He moved towards the bed and opened the hangings, which were red as well as the bed clothes. He didn't think twice. He needed to sleep more than anything. Then, he could figure out a plan to escape and go back to Hagrid.