Luag Chambers (dragons_shadow) wrote in afic, @ 2011-02-15 22:25:00 |
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Current mood: | pissed off |
Who: Luag Chambers and Katie Bell
When: Tuesday, early morning, 15 February, 2005
Where: Out in the field with the dragons, Outer Hebrides
What: The feds come a knocking.
Rating: PG-13
Status: Thread, to be completed?
Luag had really hoped that the dragon flu was more of a twenty-four hour thing when it had started. They hadn’t been that lucky though and it had only gotten worse and worse over the weekend, requiring them to call in almost all of their dragon keepers just to do damage control and to get the bloody beasts their medicine. Dealing with dragons could be hard on its own, but dealing with them when they were miserable with sickness and unwilling to take the potions that would make them well was an entirely different matter. The fact that it happened over Valentine’s Day also made for many cranky keepers who had to cancel plans. They had tried to work around who they could let go, but there was only so much that they could do with the number of keepers and the number of dragons. Although considering what dealing with dragon snot was like, most of the keepers figured they wouldn’t have been in a very romantic mood by the end of the day anyways.
They had just taken down an unruly dragon who had gotten wise on their trick of hiding the flu potion in food in order to administer its dose of potion and take its vitals when Luag spotted three people in robes coming up the rocky hill towards them. He frowned as he straightened up and squared his shoulders, making himself look bigger and more intimidating out of habit from dealing with dragons, Quidditch players, and his fellow Scots. There was only one sort of people who wore robes when they came out to the islands and they usually knew weeks in advance when they were supposed to show up. “We’re nae due fer a census ‘til after the eggs hatch...” he muttered before glancing at Katie. “Ye expectin’ friends?”
Looking up at the sound of Luag’s voice, Katie’s grin faltered as she went stock still. Every muscle in her body became to constrict as she recognisd the Ministry robes and the same carefully blank faces of the people who had taken her into the room all those weeks ago.
Her swallow wasn’t audible but the murmured “no, no” was as she furiously tugged the cuffs of her jumper and coat further down her arms as though to try and hide the brand that marked her shame and new status. They couldn’t be here; not on the island which had become a home and a refuge for her after the Battle and the Ministry. Finchley was familiar, the house where she’d grown up in was home but the Bothy and the lifestyle on the island was completely hers. Now it had been invaded and Katie loathed herself for the embarrassment and fear flooding through her.
The plaintive mewl of the Dragon brought her back to reality and she turned to look at her friend with wide eyes. “Luag,” she couldn’t do anything for her but she could help him. “Run. Head back to Camp and tell Ruaridh the Ministry are here for me. Make sure the Reserves safe.”
She’d barely finished when the Ministry group broke the bluff of the hill and the Gryffindor stood up a little straighter; she’d go in with what pride she had left.
Worry furrowed his brow as Luag watched Katie’s reaction. He had never asked her about his suspicions. There never seemed to be a good time to bring it up and the most obvious way to ask mirrored what the Prophet said too closely to be acceptable. But tugging at her sleeves like that and actually looking scared by a few people he knew she could easily take...
He knew what his mother would want him to do. That if they were here for Katie, to just turn a blind eye and keep out of trouble. That it wasn’t their problem if they came in for some Sassenach ferry-louper. But she was his friend and part of their family in a way. And if he stayed his course, he’d be taking Ruaridh’s place one day and he’d be in charge of keepers like Katie. What sort of working condition would he be promoting if he just let the Ministry come and harass whoever they wanted? If they felt like a family and worked like a family, they should treat each other like family and protect each other like family. Especially when there was no telling what the Ministry wanted. If he was right, they had branded Katie for no good reason that he could see. Merlin, they had branded Hermione for no good reason that he could see. They weren’t dangers to the wizarding world and after the brandings and the attacks, he didn’t really trust the Ministry to do anything right.
Shaking his head, he straightened up, instinctually placing his body between the Ministry agents and Katie. “Och, go an’ tell Ruaridh yerself,” he shot back. “Ah’ll take care o’ this.”
One of the Ministry Officials looked on with interest at the mention of the older MacFustys name and made a small notation on the memo pad he was clinging to dearly. She wanted to run, the urge to flee had never been so great but she couldn’t. There was simply nowhere else to run to and she was out of options.
“You are Katherine Grace Bell, date of birth June 22nd 1979.” The tone was brisk and brooked no pause for corrections as he read out the number of the brand seared into her arm. She couldn’t look at Luag, didn’t want to see the suspicion and distrust creep into her friends face at her status as a Suspected Terrorist and focused instead on a small spot above the mans shoulder as he droned on.
She would be taken in for questioning. If she co-operated with them, she might be able to save Luag. “Stop it!,” she warned “You can’t. Just..please, go. Tell Ruaridh, he knew I was branded and he can send my stuff onto the flat. I -I understand.” If she’d been alone, she might have been an effort to resist them but Luag had too much to lose; he was going to take over the Reserve one day, it was an open secret amongst the Keepers and someone needed to look after the dragons.
After this arrest, it wouldn’t be her. She knew that.
Luag’s jaw clenched as he listened to the Ministry cockboy, his eyes not leaving the three of them as he tried to push down the anger he could feel boiling up in him. He really couldn’t understand why they would see Katie as a threat to the safety of the wizarding world and just the effect they were having on Katie angered him more considering he had seen her hold her own against dragons and her fellow keepers. Anyone who could deal with that shouldn’t be quaking at the sight of this lot. Shooting Katie a stern look at her warning, he crossed his arms over his chest as he stared each of them down before focusing on the guy that had spoken.
“What’s yer cause fer bringin’ her in fer questionin’?” he asked. In his mysteries, they always needed some sort of cause when they brought people in, even if it was flimsy. You usually at least got what crime they were being questioned for. Apparently though, it wasn’t something they got asked often because two of the Ministry officials exchanged a look that showed they clearly thought he was crazy.
“It concerns the safety of wizarding Britain,” the same cockboy answered, managing to hide his bewilderment better than the others.
Luag snorted as he rolled his eyes. “Aye, my Auntie. If ye’re concerned ‘bout the safety o’ wizardin’ Britain, ye’re better off leavin’ her here.” He nodded back towards the dragon that was still mewling pitifully. “Ye see how he is. We’ve got a bunch more just as peely-wally an’ just ‘nough keeper ta tend ‘em. So, ye take away one o’ our best keepers an’ ye’re putting wizardin’ Britain at risk o’ this situation gettin’ out o’hand an’ some poor dragon gettin’ confused an’ flyin’ ta the mainland an’ boakin’ all over Hogwarts. So, ye’re goin’ ta have ta be more specific ‘bout yer reasonin’, ye ken?”
He elbowed Katie gently to get her back for bumping him as all three of the Ministry people eyed the dragon warily. Noticing that they hadn’t moved any closer than when they first arrived and were well out of biting range, he realized that they at least had an advantage over the Ministry cockboys. At least until they realized the dragon was too drugged up to very well do anything worthwhile.
“She’s needed for questioning in regards to the terrorist attack on the Minister’s house,” the mouth of the group finally replied.
“Katie was here all day yesterday an’ fer days before that. Ye’ve got a ton o’ keepers, our supervisor, an’ even more sick dragons as witnesses ta that.”
“As a suspected terrorist-”
“Who has an alibi.” Luag scowled at all of them. “If it’s so important, ye can question her here while we’re gettin’ our job done. Otherwise, we’ll send her over when her shift is done.” He raised an eyebrow. “Or if ye can find a dragon keeper good ‘nough ta take her place while ye question her, we could go that route instead.”
The Ministry official who seemed to be in charge arched an eyebrow at Luag’s tone and choice of words. In Ministry-ese, his stance seemed to convey an unwritten command and the two lackeys moved closer to one another. And closer to Luag. “You’re Luag Chambers. I don’t recall you having any authority over these lands in the official Ministry documents and since you have no authority, you have no say over what happens to the Reserve’s employees.”
“If I go,” Katie’s voice interjected the stare-off between the two men as she piped up. “If I go with you. Quietly. Will you leave him alone please? He - He doesn’t want any trouble.” The look she shot the Scot was apologetic as she stepped forward to alleviate the tension. The Ministry robes brought back an uncomfortable prickling sensation between her shoulder-blades and she just wanted their taint off the lands she loved and the animals she adored. There was no point hiding her brand now and her sleeve was rolled up to the brisk Scottish wind as she watched the man in charge nod slowly.
“Of course.” At those words, relief spread over Katie’s features and she moved forward a little further. Luag would be safe; the Reserve would be safe and not harmed by her status. It might not be okay but it could have been worse.
“Bring him in,” came the clipped order. “And someone take care of this..thing,” the last was directed to the dragon at their feet and a deliberate insult to the Keepers standing beside him.
Luag was already red with fury at the comment about not having any authority. While he still had his own demons when it came to that, no outsider had the right to say what he did or didn’t have any jurisdiction over. Then turning on Katie’s promise and threatening their dragons. He was moving into action before the Ministry officials had fully processed the order. He lunged at the closest person, punching them before pulling his wand. He knew he didn’t have much time. Instead of aiming at any of the remaining lackeys, he pointed his wand at the dragon instead. He sent a spell that sent a shock through the dragon, hopefully enough to wake it up out of its stupor enough so that it would understand what his next spell meant. He quickly muttered the spell that set off the clanging bells that they used to signal the dragons that there was fresh food at the designated locations.
He held his breath, everything else forgotten for a moment as the dragon sluggishly raised its head and then to his relief rose to its feet and after a few wing flaps, took to the air. He was so relieved that the dragon got away that the curse that knocked him to the ground took his breath away for a moment in surprise. Swearing loudly in Gaelic, he swung his wand around to aim only to have it shot from his hand. There were a few moments when he tried to get to his feet to fight back before a stunning spell hit him and everything went dark.