Chapter Text
Charlie Weasley had been wrangling dragons for nearly 10 years and thought he’d seen it all: a Chinese Fireball that burped bubbles, a group of trained Aurors trying to lure a Hungarian Horntail out of the woods with a giant inflatable goat, and even an eleven-year-old Harry Potter delivering him a Norwegian Ridgeback on the top of the Astronomy tower at Hogwarts were three of the tamer things he had witnessed.
But nothing had prepared him for the adventure that was being best friends with Luna Lovegood.
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Charlie had been sent to Australia for work and had invited Luna to come along. He was investigating a problem with some of the Antipodean Opaleye in the Melbourne area, and she had accepted his invitation to search for another one of her “imaginary” creatures that in his experience, didn’t always turn out to be quite so imaginary.
Their portkey had deposited them a few miles from the camp where they would be meeting the local dragon wranglers. Charlie dropped his backpack and suitcase and pulled out a map. He was just starting to get his bearings when he heard a delighted squeal escape the mouth his traveling companion.
Oh no, he thought. Here we go again.
“Luna, what did you see?” he sighed, putting his map down and turning to face his friend. Luna was racing towards a tree. A tree that was buzzing. Wait, buzzing?
“Luna, that’s a Billywig nest. Come away from...Luna!” Charlie yelled, sprinting after his Ravenclaw friend.
“But Charlie, I just know I saw an Umgubular Slashkilter pass by underneath.” Luna said excitedly, slipping on her new yellow-tinted goggles as she ran away from him towards danger. Again. Her mismatched purple boots kicked up sand and dirt as she scrambled up to the tree. Peering around around it, she looked for yet another bizarre creature that Charlie had never heard of.
Charlie skidded to a halt, freezing as a tiny blue creature landed on her hand. “Luna,” he said quietly, approaching her slowly, “Don’t move.”
“Of course! I wouldn’t want to scare off the Slashkilter. They are so rare, I never thought I would get to see one. It must have been attracted to your red hair. It does stand out against the desert landscape,” Luna whispered back distractedly.
“Wait, my hair…? No, there’s a Billywig on your hand. We can’t let it sting you.” Charlie drew his wand. At first glance, the beelike Billywigs didn’t seem threatening in the least, but after living with Fred and George for 17 years, Charlie knew better. The twins loved Fizzing Whizbees, a candy that made whoever ate it float a few inches off the ground. Pure Billywig poison, however, had the ability to make its victim levitate up to 10 feet in the air, and if the person was allergic, the effect was permanent. Luna already seemed to live with her head in the clouds, he didn’t need the rest of her up there too.
He saw the green nest, peeking through the branches of the tree, vibrating with the energy of all the insect-like creatures buzzing around inside. “It’s too small for me to hit with a spell, but maybe if I levitate the nest away from you...”
“Oh, look Charlie! There it is!” Luna cried, pointing excitedly at the creature only she could see. The Billywig, startled, began to spin agitatedly.
“No! Don’t…!”
But it was too late. Luna, in her excitement, tripped over a root and fell against the tree, shaking it and the nest attached to the top.
“Luna!” Charlie took off at a full sprint, closing the distance between them in mere seconds. He reached her just as the Billywig swarm left the nest and began to zoom towards her. He pulled her into his arms, trying to cover her body with his as best he could, keeping her safe from the creatures. He winced as he felt the stings all over his back and arms. They didn’t hurt very much, and the quick pain of the stingers was nothing compared to the burn of a dragon’s fire; he was more concerned about the aftereffects.
“Charlie, what on earth are you doing?” Luna exclaimed, squirming in his grip.
“Protecting you from the Billywigs!” He felt her stop wriggling and then frowned as she began to laugh. “Why are you laughing? This is serious!” Charlie said angrily. The insects were beginning to disperse, as if realizing that the two humans were not a threat.
“Charlie, I’m immune to Billywig poison. I wouldn’t have gone near the nest if I weren’t. Can you let me go now please? I believe you’re going to start feeling the effects in a moment.”
Of course she was immune. He had underestimated his friend and been a “foolish, well meaning Gryffindor,” as Luna liked to say, and now he was going to pay the price. He let go and shook off the remaining Billywigs, wincing as the movement jostled his new wounds. He conjured a rope and gave the other end to Luna as he began to levitate off the ground. “Don’t let go,” he said, resigned to his fate.
And that is how he arrived at the dragon camp in Australia: Being towed along like a giant muggle balloon by a skipping Luna Lovegood as she chattered on about how exciting it was to have finally seen a Umgubular Slashkilter in the flesh and wasn’t it going to be exciting to see all the creatures Australia had to offer?
Yes, he thought with an amused smile as his new co-workers laughed at their predicament. He had seen many things, but none were as exciting and fun as the adventure that was being best friends with Luna Lovegood.