"Snow, stop."
Wanda's clear voice rang out, firm yet gentle. She raised her hands, forming an intricate magical gesture.
In response, a dark red sigil flashed across the snow-white forehead of the Ukrainian Ironbelly.
ROAR!
The mighty dragon bellowed, its voice rumbling with reluctance, but its wings slowed, and the tension in its muscles eased. With a heavy thump, it descended, claws digging into the grassy earth as it landed with a final, resounding quake.
Ian, still hovering mid-air, let out a long, audible sigh of relief. With a flick of his wand, the thick white mist that blanketed the battlefield began to dissolve, dispersing into the sky until the surrounding plains were clear once more.
Wanda, already at the dragon's side, placed her palm on Snow's smooth, cool scales. The dark green lines that had marred its pristine hide faded away, and its jagged spikes softened and retracted, returning to its natural, snowy white form.
"Good boy," Wanda murmured affectionately, her fingers gliding over the warm scales. She smiled softly, then took a step back, her body lifting effortlessly into the air with a faint pulse of magic. She landed gracefully atop the dragon's broad head, settling comfortably between the protective ridges.
Ian, descending from the sky to hover level with her, crossed his arms and gave her a flat, exasperated look.
"Really, Wanda?" he said, his voice heavy with disbelief. "This is how you fight now?"
Wanda, unbothered, grinned down at him. "What?" she teased, her green eyes sparkling mischievously. "A win's a win."
Ian groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You called in a dragon!"
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "Snow is my pet," she said with mock innocence, "which means he's part of my strength. If you didn't want me to use him, you should've specified no pets allowed."
Ian gave her a long, suffering look. He opened his mouth to argue further but stopped halfway, sighing deeply instead. He knew better than to get into a debate with Wanda. She always found a way to twist the rules in her favor.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he muttered, his voice laced with defeat. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Wanda's smile grew smug. "Winning's what counts," she said breezily. "Besides, Snow deserves a little exercise."
Her voice softened slightly, though, as she added, "Not that it really helps my combat skills. Snow's a powerhouse, but I'm a wizard, not a summoner. If I keep relying on him, Master Steve's lectures will never end."
Ian gave a half-hearted chuckle. "You're not wrong," he replied. "Steve's got a lot to say about 'discipline' and 'self-reliance.'"
The banter between them fell into a comfortable silence for a moment. Ian floated down to the ground, landing lightly on his feet. He had just begun dusting himself off when Wanda's voice broke the quiet.
"Ian," she said suddenly, her tone more serious, "are you free anytime soon?"
Ian raised an eyebrow. "What's on your mind?" he asked cautiously.
Wanda's lips curled into a small, hopeful smile—one Ian instantly recognized. It was the smile—the one she used when she was about to drag him into trouble.
"How about you join me in making a request to Miss Carter?" she suggested sweetly.
Ian narrowed his eyes immediately, his posture shifting from casual to guarded. "What for?" he asked, his voice slow and measured.
Wanda met his gaze directly. "I want to take Snow back to his homeland," she said, her voice soft but steady. "I felt it—especially during the fight. He misses his home."
She paused, looking away briefly. "I want to grant him that. Let him see his birthplace again. Even if it's just once."
Her words were sincere, but Ian's sharp gaze didn't miss the slight flicker of guilt in her eyes.
"That's not your only reason," he said knowingly.
Wanda hesitated for a split second before sighing. "You're right," she admitted. "I do want to see the outside world myself. Ever since we arrived, I've been stuck in either Lockhart's magical suitcase or the Kamar Taj grounds. I've never even visited Hogwarts—just Gringotts that one time. I've barely seen Diagon Alley, let alone the rest of the wizarding world. Don't you think it's time to experience it?"
Ian folded his arms, his eyes thoughtful. He understood her feelings all too well.
But—
"Kamar Taj isn't a playground," he reminded her. "You know why we're under lockdown. We're a school now, like Hogwarts. Do you think they let their students run off whenever they want?"
Wanda pouted slightly but said nothing.
Ian continued, "It's been, what, three or four months since Kamar Taj officially opened? We're barely past orientation. Most of the students aren't even battle-ready yet. If we start wandering around, we could draw attention to Kamar Taj before it's prepared to handle the scrutiny. And you know how Lockhart feels about that."
Wanda huffed, "Yeah, yeah. 'Don't provoke the wizarding world,' 'Keep a low profile,' 'Preserve the dream realm.' I've heard the lectures."
She kicked a small rock on the ground. "But it's not like we are ordinary students," she argued. "You, me, Remy, Vera—we're his first students. He practically drilled magic into our bones. The rules aren't as strict for us, right?"
Ian shook his head. "Still need a reason, Wanda. You know Miss Carter. She won't approve anything without proper justification."
Wanda pursed her lips, then asked, "So... will you help me or not?"
Ian was silent, considering. She was impulsive, but her heart was in the right place. And truthfully... he wanted to go too.
After a moment, his lips curved into a small, sly grin. "You're going about this all wrong," he said, his voice lowering conspiratorially.
Wanda's ears perked up. "Oh?"
Ian's eyes glinted with mischief. "Here's what we'll do: We won't ask for a trip."
"No?" Wanda blinked in confusion.
"We'll propose a research expedition," Ian said smoothly. "A field study on the reproduction and habitat of Ukrainian Ironbellies as part of Kamar Taj's magical ecosystem initiative."
Wanda's eyes widened slightly, but Ian wasn't finished.
"We'll say it's for—" He began counting on his fingers, "—gathering ecological data, advancing our knowledge of dragon behavior, and establishing potential breeding protocols for endangered magical species. All in service to Kamar Taj's biological research division."
He smirked. "After all, dragons are incredibly rare magical creatures. And right now? Kamar Taj's bestiary is lacking."
Wanda's mouth slowly opened in awe.
"And of course," Ian continued smoothly, "we'll request funding support for travel and equipment."
Wanda's eyes practically sparkled. "...Free food and fun?" she whispered excitedly.
Ian chuckled. "All expenses covered."
Wanda pressed her hands to her heart, as if Ian had just proposed to her. "Genius…" she breathed. "Absolute genius."
But Ian wasn't done. "We'll also 'reach out' to the local Ministry of Magic using Kamar Taj's diplomatic channels," he added. "You know—'academic cooperation' and all that. Build some goodwill with the locals while we're at it."
Wanda was stunned. Her mind whirled with the possibilities, her previous nervousness forgotten. This wasn't sneaking out—it was strategy.
Ian gave her a smug look. "See? You wanted a vacation. But now it's a mission."
Wanda clapped him on the shoulder with stars in her eyes. "You, sir, are a visionary."
Ian smirked. "And you owe me dinner if this works."
Wanda grinned back. "Deal!"
Then, Ian's voice turned practical. "But… it'll look more legitimate if we bring in Remy and Vera. Four people—just enough for a proper expedition team without raising eyebrows."
Wanda nodded quickly. "I'll get them on board. No way they'll pass up a free adventure."
Ian's eyes narrowed mischievously. "Oh, and… let's sell the performance a little more. Make it convincing."
Wanda tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Ian's grin turned devious. "Have Vera brew up some potions to make Snow look... sickly. Sluggish. We'll say it's 'environmental distress.'"
Wanda gasped, her expression a mix of shock and delight. "A pity card?! Brilliant!"
"Nothing tugs heartstrings like a 'poor, homesick dragon,'" Ian replied with a wink. "We'll bring Snow along—visibly unwell—and present our project as urgent for his wellbeing."
Wanda's cheeks ached from grinning so hard. "Ian," she said sincerely, "You're an evil genius. I love it."
Ian laughed. "Just remember who's doing the talking when we get to Miss Carter."
"You've got it!" Wanda declared happily, already flying off to find Remy and Vera. "Leave the hard part to you!"
Ian sighed, shaking his head. "Figures…" he muttered. "She gets the fun part, and I get to sweet-talk the teacher."
But despite his grumbling, he couldn't suppress the smirk tugging at his lips.
This was going to be fun.
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