Chapter 862: The Stubborn Hungarian Horntail
Chapter 862: The Stubborn Hungarian Horntail
As dragon keepers, they shared a deep bond with their fiery charges.
After witnessing Newt packing away the eight-month-old Hungarian Horntail, everyone present was filled with reluctance to part with it. When it came to the Hungarian Tree Bee, they were equally overjoyed and tearful.
Especially the five dragon keepers who had brought it, several burly men with muscles knotted like tree roots suddenly embraced each other and burst into tears.
"The days of living on the edge are finally over..."
"Mr. Scamander... You're a good man."
"From this day on, you're my idol."
"I'm going to buy ten copies of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' tomorrow!"
"I'll buy a hundred!"
The men continued, each adding to the chorus of gratitude, their enthusiasm nearly lifting Newt to the heavens.
Drools, too, was beaming, and he even broke out a bottle of brandy, taking a hearty swig.
Dragon keepers were not allowed to drink alcohol, especially not spirits, while on the job, as the scent of alcohol could provoke the dragons' appetite, and one might find themselves bitten at any moment, which would be fatal for a dragon keeper.
But Drools was so elated that he cast caution to the wind... At most, he'd take half a day off. For today, he just wanted to savor the moment.
Kyle sat there expressionlessly, having figured out that this Hungarian Tree Bee was no ordinary creature.
Whose well-loved dragon, upon being hit with a Stunning Spell, would still try to swat people with its tail?
And the same could be said of Drools.
Perhaps, from the moment he suggested replacing the dragon egg with a young dragon, he'd had this in mind.
It was all a setup, and Drools' initial intention might very well have been to send away this very Hungarian Tree Bee.
Yet, he had fallen for it, after all, given the choice between a Welsh Green and a Hungarian Tree Bee, anyone would opt for the latter.
But he never imagined that an eight-month-old Hungarian Tree Bee would be larger even than a fully grown Welsh Green.
And from the looks of Drools, backing out of the deal was probably not an option anymore.
...
Upon leaving the Dragon Sanctuary, the enthusiastic dragon keepers escorted them all the way, only turning back when they saw them depart through the door with the key.
"Let's grab a drink at the Leaky Cauldron later, it's on me."
"Of course, we have to celebrate today, even if I get fined for it, I'll take it."
"Count me in, and while we're at it, I'll cancel that order for blood-stopping potions and bandages."
"Hey, do you think Mr. Scamander is up for all this excitement at his age?"
"Don't worry, he's a master of magical creatures, he'll be fine..."
"Why don't we pitch in and send him something nice? Otherwise, I'll feel guilty about this."
"Hmm... Good idea, let's send him a lot so he won't feel like returning it."
Without even bothering to request leave from the sanctuary, the men headed straight for the Leaky Cauldron.
On the other side, Kyle and the others used the door key to return to Newt's home in the Dorset County Forest.
They were greeted by the enthusiastic house-elf, Dobby, who invited them in.
Kyle glanced at Newt, hesitant to speak.
"Go ahead and ask if you have any questions," Newt said with a smile.
"It's about the Hungarian Tree Bee..." Kyle asked in a low voice. "Is there something wrong with it?"
"Oh, it's nothing much, just a bit temperamental," Newt said offhandedly. "So far, nineteen dragon keepers have been injured by it. Did you see the long scar on Drools' arm? That's its handiwork.
"I heard that recently, the people at the Dragon Sanctuary moved it to another area, and three adult dragons nearly got killed by it."
As Newt spoke, Kyle's forehead began to glisten with sweat... This creature wasn't just difficult, it was a downright bully!
No wonder the dragon keepers were so moved to tears when it was being sent away.
"But it's only eight months old, how can it take on adult dragons?"
"That's what makes the Hungarian Horntail so unique."
Newt explained earnestly, "They are known for their fierce temperament, showing no mercy even to their own kind. Combined with the limitations of their habitat range, to counter potential dangers, the Hungarian Horntail has an extremely short juvenile period, reaching thirty feet in length within a year.
"For a Ukrainian Ironbelly of the same size, it would take two years."
"So, are all Tree Bees like this?" Kyle continued, "Able to take down adult dragons at eight months old?"
"Oh, certainly not," Newt shook his head. "Most Tree Bees, in the year after hatching, will avoid their own kind and any potential threats, hunting as much prey as possible to make themselves stronger.
"But this one is an exception. According to Drools, its temperament is the most volatile even among Tree Bees, and it prefers the thrill of battle over the food it gets from hunting."
This...
Kyle forced a dry laugh, at a loss for words.
He felt like he had brought a big trouble upon himself, and what's more, he had actively sought it out.
"Also..." Kyle rubbed his forehead, changing the subject, "What did you say to Drools to make him agree to give me a Hungarian Horntail?"
"That's it.
Kyle's heart sank as he realized he had misread the situation, thinking it was all due to Newt's influence.
But at this point, it seemed too late to do anything about it.
"Come on in, I need to take advantage of the Stunning Spell's effects and settle them in." Newt set down the box he was carrying and jumped into it.
Previously, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Kyle's box had always been in Newt's possession.
"I'll help too, as a form of after-sales service." Dumbledore said as he followed suit and jumped into the box.
At the end of their second year, Kyle had bargained with Dumbledore, offering the Philosopher's Stone he had found in exchange for help in expanding his box to its current state.
However, at that time, Dumbledore had designed it with the Forbidden Forest in mind, not suitable for housing fire dragons.
After all, he hadn't anticipated that one day there would be not one, but five fire dragons residing within.
By the time Kyle jumped in, Newt and Dumbledore were already hard at work.
Modifying the environment was a massive undertaking, not something that could be accomplished overnight. So, they decided to start by transferring some of the fantastic beasts, including the Lobalug, into Newt's box to prevent them from causing chaos later.
After that, Dumbledore shooed everyone else out.
"Leave it to Albus," Newt said with a smile. "He's truly changed; the Albus I knew wouldn't have been this enthusiastic."
"I just hope he doesn't build me a blue castle." Kyle muttered under his breath.
If it had been the old Dumbledore, Kyle wouldn't have worried about this, but now his mind was filled with thoughts of Ariana, and who knew what eccentric ideas might pop into his head?
After all, Ariana's favorite colors were blue and earthy yellow—one representing the freedom of the sky, the other the solidity of the earth.
Earthy yellow wouldn't be so bad, but as for the other...
The image of fierce fire dragons perched atop a shimmering light blue castle was just too bizarre, and Kyle wasn't sure he could handle it.
"Well... I don't think... probably not..." Newt replied, his voice lacking confidence.
To be honest, even he found the current Dumbledore a bit unfamiliar.
Just then, a sudden scream interrupted their conversation.
Dobby came rushing over, his fingers pointing frantically upward as he ran.
"Sir... Oh no... That spiky dragon... It's flying..."
Spiky dragon?
Hungarian Tree Bee! Kyle and Newt turned simultaneously. The Lion Dragon was still fast asleep due to the effects of the Stunning Spell, but the Hungarian Tree Bee had woken up.
Perhaps due to the sudden change in its surroundings, it seemed exceptionally irritable, spewing flames dozens of feet long in all directions.
A wave of scorching heat washed over them, sending Dobby flying through the air before he crashed to the ground, his teeth chattering in pain.
Kyle immediately drew his wand.
But at that moment, a similar roar came from not too far away.
It was the other Hungarian Tree Bee, the one originally in Newt's box. It must have sensed the presence of its kin and quickly flown over.
The two Tree Bees met in mid-air, and a battle ensued—not with dragonfire, but with pure, vicious clawing and biting, their hammer-like tails lashing wildly at each other.
That was when Kyle remembered that the Tree Bee in Newt's box had also been a troublesome one, having been returned by the Dragon Sanctuary three times.
"Should we help?" Kyle asked.
"Ah, not yet." Newt sighed with a headache. "If we intervene now, they'll see us as enemies. Let them settle it themselves."
Newt helped Dobby up and asked him to disperse the surrounding fantastic beasts.
In truth, this was unnecessary, as when the two dragons collided, the nearby fantastic beasts had already fled to a safer distance.
Soon, only Kyle, Newt, and Dobby remained.
Dobby was clearly terrified, his legs shaking so hard they almost blurred, but he stood his ground in front of Newt and Kyle.
"Don't worry, Dobby." Newt squatted down and said, "Go take care of Rafrar. I just saw him running towards the Camelsnake."
"But... I need to protect you, sir..." Dobby stuttered.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Newt smiled, unconcerned about his own safety.
As they spoke, Kyle kept his eyes on the sky above.
He noticed something incredible.
Despite the huge difference in their sizes and strengths, the eight-month-old dragon showed no signs of backing down. It even initiated several attacks, determined to leave its mark on the other dragon's scales, even if it couldn't pierce them.
Kyle's lips twitched.
This little dragon was fearless to a fault, its stubbornness truly impressive.
What if this little beast ended up in his box...
Kyle shuddered at the thought of opening his box one day to find the Tree Bee wreaking havoc within.
"But, does Drools really intend to give it to me?
"Unless something unexpected happens, this young Horntail will undoubtedly challenge the current 'king' when it reaches adulthood, which will undoubtedly spark another chaotic battle, something the sanctuary would want to avoid at all costs."
The 'king' of the Fire Dragon Sanctuary?
"Umm..." Kyle stiffly turned his head, "I think they get along quite well. Why don't we keep it as a companion?"
"Get along well?" Newt froze for a moment, turning his head in disbelief as he pointed at the scattered scales and dragon blood in the sky, "How do you figure they get along well?"
"Fire dragons, you know, it's like they say, 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.' Who knows, maybe they'll be best buddies tomorrow." Kyle muttered softly.
"I don't think so." Newt spoke slowly, "Moreover, I'm already a hundred years old; I doubt I have the energy to take care of another Hungarian Horntail."
Newt emphasized his age, leaving Kyle momentarily speechless.
Indeed, it wouldn't be right to burden Newt with this troublesome dragon at his age.
"Now what..." Kyle sighed, "If I had known it would turn out like this, even if it meant losing face, I would have insisted on returning it to Drools..."
"Don't worry, you have options." Newt said.
"Me?" Kyle pointed at himself, then glanced at the stubborn young dragon in the sky, its determination to inflict damage on its opponent even if it meant hurting itself in the process, "I don't think it will listen to me."
"There's always a way." Newt said, "Don't forget, you also have a Runespoor."
"Can the Runespoor make it obey?" Kyle asked, perplexed.
"No, fire dragons and Runespoors are arch-enemies." Newt explained.
This left Kyle even more confused.
However, Newt didn't elaborate further, merely gazing calmly at a cave where the Runespoor had been relocated.
Due to certain reasons, Kyle hadn't put the Runespoor into a deep slumber, and perhaps stimulated by the scent of dragon blood, it crawled out of the cave at that moment.
Fifty feet long, with a body thicker than a bucket, it exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure. The only thing marring its fearsome appearance was the velvet cloth covering its eyes, adding a touch of unintentional humor to its menacing form.
The Runespoor flicked its tongue, tasting the dragon blood on the ground, but this action simultaneously enraged the two Hungarian Horntails in the sky.
The stubborn young Horntail from the sanctuary charged down first, spitting a jet of dragonfire at the Runespoor's head.
The larger Horntail had also intended to join the fray, but halfway through its descent, it abruptly changed direction and flew away.
"It saw us." Newt chuckled, "Knowing that this battle would lead to no conclusive outcome, and with the Runespoor's appearance providing it with an opportunity to escape, it naturally lost interest in continuing the fight."
"What if we made an exchange?" Kyle suggested tentatively.
Newt merely smiled without responding.
On the other side, the battle between the Horntail and the Runespoor also came to a swift conclusion.
Although the Horntail had the advantage of flight, it was only eight months old. In its eagerness, it dove straight down, intending to strike the Runespoor with its hammer-like tail, but the Runespoor was quicker, biting down on its wings.
And Runespoors, of course, had venomous fangs.
Kyle's heart skipped a beat, and he was about to rush forward when he noticed that Newt showed no signs of intervening, standing there calmly instead. Thus, he hesitated and stopped.
Just as the Horntail, dazed and intoxicated by poison, wobbled and fell from the sky, Newt finally waved his wand decisively.
The Runespoor, which had been about to swallow the Horntail whole, was blocked by a wall of earth that suddenly rose up, pushing it back into the cave. The wall sealed the entrance, preventing it from breaking out no matter how hard it rammed against it.
"Good." Newt breathed a sigh of relief, "Rest assured, the Runespoor's venom won't kill a fire dragon, but it will induce a deep slumber, much more effective than a Stunning Spell."
"I'm not worried about the Horntail." Kyle frowned, "I just don't understand your intention behind all this."
"Do you remember what I said before? Fire dragons and Runespoors are arch-enemies." Newt stated.
Kyle nodded.
"That's the reason." Newt continued, "Given this Horntail's temperament, today's defeat will be a humiliation to it. From now on, its eyes will only be on the Runespoor, and that's how you can control it."
"Since fire dragons can understand your words, and you can also command the Runespoor, as for how to create and maintain a delicate balance between them, you can take these few days to think it through carefully."
A temperamental Horntail and a venomous Runespoor... a delicate balance?
Kyle furrowed his brows, "You didn't just come up with this now, did you?"
"When I saw you take out that magical contract." Newt said, "In fact, Drools has been troubled by this matter for a long time. He wrote to me more than once, wanting to entrust this Horntail to me, but I refused each time, as I mentioned earlier, I don't have the energy to take care of another Horntail.
"But you're different. With the Runespoor, you essentially have a leash on it, and given the current situation, this Hungarian Horntail can provide you with the most significant assistance."
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
