The Brazilian Torch

Only a week was left before Ron, Harry, and Hermione were due back at the Hogwarts School of Magic. They had already been to Diagon Alley and picked up their books for the coming year.

Ron was excited. "Charlie is coming home and he said, he has something special to show me." Charlie was Ron's favorite brother. He had always stood up for Ron and sometimes got on to Ron's other brothers when they gave Ron a hard time.

"Yes I know," thought Harry. "This is only the thousandth time you have told us."

Hermione was reading through her book list for the coming year at Hogwarts. "I need to look through a couple of these books. They look very interesting. I think I will go out into the garden where it is nice and sunny.

Harry spoke up. "Let's all go out in the garden. Hey Ron, let's go toss some gnomes while we wait for your brother."

"Sure Harry. Did you know Charlie is bringing me something special? I wonder what it is. He works in Romania taking care of dragons you know."

"Yes Ron I know," smiled Harry. "Let's go toss a few gnomes. I bet you a chocolate frog; I can toss one farther than you."

"You're on Harry!"

Hermione was reading and shaking her head at the same time. "Boys!"

"Harry, let's see if we can bounce one off another as they fly over the wall.

"You're on," said Harry.

Hermione, going into the burrow to get a drink, returned quickly. "Ron, your clock says Charlie is almost here."

They all started looking into the eastern sky.

"There," yelled Harry pointing to an orange dot.

Quickly the dot grew bigger and soon Charlie landed his broom. Grabbing Ron, Charlie gave him a big hug. "You are really growing little brother. I want to thank for all the letters."

Looking over at Harry, he said, "I remember you. You fought the Norwegian Ridgeback. Well done mate!" He shook Harry's hand with great enthusiasm.

"And who might you be sweet lady?" he asked Hermione.

"I am Hermione Granger," she said.

Taking her hand Charlie kissed the back of it and said, "It is a pleasure to meet a great lady such as yourself. I have heard much of your great exploits and wondrous beauty."

It was difficult to tell who blushed more Ron or Hermione. "Now, however I must go and say hi to Mum or she will skin me alive.

Harry, grinning, turned to Ron. "I like your brother, very normal and friendly."

Ron wasn't paying attention, however; he was looking at Hermione. She was all red and quivery looking.

Looking up at Ron, she asked, "What?"

"Why are you blushing?" he asked.

"He called me a lady and treated me as one," sighed Hermione. Tossing her head, she turned away.

Ron looked at Harry and shrugged.

Screams of joy came out of the house as Mrs. Weasley found her son.

Harry and Ron continued to toss the gnomes. As the gnomes collided with each other they would call out each other's name. "Don't you dare hit, Gu."

"Ha! As if I care, Ga."

Charlie walked back out of the house.

"Charlie you made Dragon Master!" said Ron. "Look at your robes they are beautiful." Charlie's robes were bright red at the collar turning into flaming orange at the hem. They had a dragon embroidered on the back and a small dragon patch in the front.

"Right you are little brother. Here," he said, handing Ron a box wrapped in brown paper. "When I found it, I thought of you and I had the elves fashion it into a necklace with a thick silver chain. They say they are good luck and potent for other things."

Excited Ron tore into the box. Inside was a gleaming polished dragon's tooth with silver mounting. It was beautiful.

"This is rare!" said Ron with awe in his voice. "They are very hard to find."

"Not so hard to find, if you are a Dragon Master with a little brother who wants one!" laughed Charlie.

As Ron admired his gift Charlie told them to gather around him. Opening the collar of his cloak, he spoke, "Wake up Pepe!" A bright orange head appeared looking around.

Jumping back Hermione said, "Oh No! you have a pet snake."

Charlie grinned, "A pet, but not a snake. Pepe give me a kiss." Quick as a flash the creature had circled Charlie's neck and was rubbing his cheek with its little head. "We call this little dragon a Brazilian torch. It is barely a foot long. The natives where he comes from call him a flame lizard because of his color. They are quite common in the deep interior of Brazil. So common that no one ever classified them as a dragon. They are very friendly and they are as smart as a dog or cat."

Hermione sniffed at that. "No way they can replace a cat!" she said.

"Kiss Hermione," Charlie pointed at her. With the speed of a bullet the tiny dragon flew to Hermione and had circled her neck and was rubbing its tiny head against her cheek.

Reaching up to scratch its cheek, Hermione softened. "Well they are affectionate."

Giving them a lesson, Charlie explained, "I received an egg from a colleague of mine at the Peruvian Dragon enclave. He included instructions on what kind of egg that it was. How to hatch it, and what the hatchling would normally eat. Dragons are a lot like birds. They impress when they break out of the shell. What this means is that the first thing they see, moving, must be their mother. Pepe thinks, I am his mother. These little dragons live to be at least a hundred years old. Luckily I am a wizard. The ones that impress humans usually die from loneliness, when their human dies. Notice the long legs in front and the short legs in the rear. This keeps their keel bone off the ground. The keel bone to which their flight muscles attach is very pronounced in this species. While the wings are not that big relative to their body size they beat at a high speed. This gives them a good top speed and enables them to almost hover. They eat bugs, fruits, and nuts, but they really like bugs. The reason we call them torches is that they have the hottest flame of any dragon. In fact their flame can melt iron. Now they don't look like much, but if a big dragon comes in their territory look out. With their speed and maneuverability, combined with the high temperature of their flame, they can run off a bigger dragon with ease. They generally target the larger dragon's eyes. They rarely hurt humans unless you try to hurt them. They seem to know the difference between mistake and malice."

"Ron, do you have your broom."

"Yes'" said Ron excitedly.

"Get on it and be ready. Pepe go for a ride?" pointing to Ron's broom. Pepe flew over to Ron's broom and settled on to the broom handle between Ron's hands. It folded its wings tight to its body and put its jaws flush to the wood. Its front and rear claws holding firmly to the broom handle.

"Ron, I bet you can't shake him off. So go ahead and try."

Ron took off. He was making some amazing maneuvers with his broom. Harry was impressed with Ron's skill. He thought to himself. "The twins have been causing Ron to be self-conscious. They have a habit of doing it to me too. If he could get away from them and their criticism for a while he would do much better at Quidditch."

Hermione was worried the violent maneuvers might hurt the dragon.

"The dragon can get off any time it wants. Pepe just likes to ride, the faster the better."

Ron settled back down to the ground. Pepe flew over to Charlie's shoulder where it landed and wrapped it self around his neck. Charlie pulled an apple from his pocket and placed it on the garden table. "Dinner Pepe," and he tapped the apple. The little dragon walked down his arm onto the table and started eating the apple.

"Even though dragons have internal fire to keep their blood warm, Pepe doesn't like the cold much. We were going to use his species to help us in our work with the larger dragons. As you know it takes a fairly large team to control a big dragon using stunners. One man with a couple of trained Brazilian Torches could handle a large dragon quite well. Unfortunately, since they are so small they lose heat rapidly and you have to feed them constantly when it is cold. I don't think it is good for them to have to eat all the time. We may still find a use for them in the Dragon Enclaves that are in warmer locations."

"Can I pet him?" asked Hermione sitting across from Ron.

"Sure, go ahead."

"He is not slimy. His little scales are sort of slick and soft." Pepe rubbed against her. Hermione was petting his head and put her fingers under his chin and stroked him.

"Don't," yelled Charlie.

Too late Pepe yawned and shot out a foot long flame. It singed Ron's eyebrows.

Charlie laughed. "I suppose, I should have told you about that earlier. When you stroke him under the chin he breathes out fire. Quite useful for boiling water for your morning tea."

Hermione had released the dragon and had her hands in the air.

"Blimey Hermione," Ron said. "Do I have any eyebrows left, Harry?" feeling his forehead.

"Well Ron, I hate to tell you this. No!" laughed Harry.

"It's not funny Harry. I look like Seamus when he kept catching his hair on fire."

"Yes Ron, but at least when you get to school you can tell the others you lost your hair in a great battle with a dragon, not from a misplaced spell." Harry said as he was tickling the dragon's belly. It lay on its back moving its little head back and worth.

"Yes," said Ron dreamily, "I could say I was rescuing a fair damsel in distress." He looked at Hermione. "You should back up my story Hermione or I will tell everyone you shaved them off in my sleep to make a love potion to use on me."

Hermione sputtered, "Well I never. I am going into the house to help with dinner." She put her hand over Charlie's and said softly, "It is so nice to meet a gentleman." She turned and glared at Ron while stalking off the kitchen.

Ron watched her go with his mouth open.

Charlie raised his eyes and made a quick heads up to Harry. "Harry would you like to take Pepe for a ride. I hear you have a very fast broom."

"Sure," and Harry nodded slightly. He knew Charlie wished to talk to his brother alone. "Pepe go for a ride?" The dragon fluttered over and latched itself on Harry's broom. The first time Harry dove towards the ground at full speed Pepe spread his wings a little in case he had to get off in a hurry. The next time the dragon turned its head and its eyes glistened as it looked at Harry. It liked it.

Charlie and Ron were watching Harry's flying. Charlie put his arm on Ron's shoulder. "Well Ron, how is your love life doing? I got your letters."

Ron looked at his older brother. "It could be better. I like Hermione. Every time I try to get near her I seem to mess up. All I know how to do is treat her like a guy friend or a sister. Neither seems to work very well."

Charlie squeezed Ron's shoulder. "Dragons are much easier to understand than women. I am definitely not an authority on either. Neither men nor women make sense when they are in love. Women's brains stop working and their emotions take over. Other parts of a man take over and tell them what to do. It is nature's way."

"What I have found that works is to pay them attention. All creatures live for attention. Realize you are two different beings. You don't think alike, you don't dress alike, you don't have the same desires or needs. Be you, yet try to accommodate each other. Never berate each other in public. Always chide gently without anger. Talk to each other, as communication is critical. And most importantly set aside a time when only the two of you are together."

"Women need constant assurance that they are loved. They do not assume they are loved. I was quite successful with the ladies in school, but alas a Dragon Master has a greater calling. The beasts take a lot of your time. Most women are not inclined to be considered second to a dragon. I hope some of this helps little brother."

"I will try," replied Ron slapping his brother on his shoulder.

They called Harry down for supper.

Charlie fed Pepe some nuts, which Pepe happily started gnawing on.

Hermione had baked some bread for supper. It was very dry. Ron almost blurted out a criticism, but he held his tongue. Later he cornered Hermione alone.

Hermione he said gently, "You bread was a little dry this time. I know it is your first attempt. You will do better next time. By the way you look awfully cute with your hair in disarray and flour all over you."

"So you think it was a good first attempt?"

"Yes I do."

"And you think I look cute."

"Yes I do."

Hermione just beamed at him and walked off, a sly grin on her face he didn't see.

Later that night they all watched Pepe as he chased bugs around the garden.

He was very fast and skilled at catching them.

The week ended quickly and Charlie had to go. He hugged the women and shook the hands of the men. "Say goodbye Pepe!" The little dragon flew to each person; landed on his or her shoulders and rubbed its head against their cheek. Finished with its farewells the dragon flew to Charlie and dove under his robes around his neck with only its head sticking out. They all waved as he took off on his broom.

"It was a great visit," thought Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Each of them had a different impression, but all were satisfied with their own thoughts.