Who: Glinda Prescott What: Reinforcements from Dover When: April 23rd, 1810 Where: Cádiz, Spain Warnings: None
Getting into Cadiz had looked like it might be a challenge, before Glinda saw the dragons rising from the fortress, barricading the French lines from her approach over the sea. “Signal flags, if you please!” she shouted, and the flags snapped into motion, warning the British and their allies of their intent to land.
There was very nearly a skirmish nonetheless, but longwings didn’t have their reputation for nothing, and the smaller French Roi-de-Vitesse that had been quick enough to make it past the British lines before they’d formed was driven off as soon as Glinda ordered them around where they could spit acid from above. The British forces and their Spanish and Portuguese supporters seemed to be doing very well in the air, with no actual engagement occurring, so rather than join their lines, she used the cover they’d provided for her and came in for a landing in the largest square they could spot from above.
“Everyone stand back!” she cried as those on the ground crowded in, too close for a longwing’s wingspan. She repeated the order in French, just in case, but her grasp of Portuguese was poor and her Spanish even more so. They seemed to get the message eventually, Glinda giving orders from dragonback until everyone had disembarked, and then jumping down to find someone in charge.
“Who’s in command here?” she asked the first person she saw in uniform. He looked around almost comically, finally ending with his gaze up in the air at the dragons aloft, as if struck mute by his inability to communicate directly with the person he was seeking. Glinda sighed. He was very young, and his cheeks were flushed pink. Perhaps it was her trousers.
When the boy stammered an answer at last, however, a genuinely pleased smile lit Glinda’s face. “Charlie Weasley,” she echoed, pleased. “Well, well.” It had been a while – several years, in fact – since she’d seen him. She’d known he had been in Portugal since the British had landed troops on the peninsula, but she hadn’t realized his formation had been ordered here. Her last news was weeks out of date, and she probably had letters waiting for her back in England, if he’d written since.
She’d have to pass along greetings from their son.