“You two honestly need to stop battling your hearts out whenever you two see one another.” Irine groaned to her best friend who was patting the dragon with pearly scales that lines its body and glittering multi-coloured eyes that have no pupils that she had trained and worked with for since it hatched from its eggs. The dragon nudged Chorong affectionately as the young woman scratched the area just upper of the dragon’s eyes. Being the one and only human being that interacted so closely to the dragon, the 3 year old Antipodean Opaleye considered the young witch much like her mother of some sort.

“He was the one to be blamed you know. He was the one that made fun of me in the first place. Just like what he did when we were at school. You can’t blame me Irine. He’s in the fault and we both know it. He was just lucky that I was kind enough to not let Aoi burn him to crisp.”

Irine shook her head in disapproval. “You honestly need to stop using Aoi for your own defence.”

“Am not. She wanted to do it herself. As if she would let anyone humiliate her mother.”  Chorong reached for the fresh raw goat’s meat from the huge bucket that Irene got from the shelter. “Isn’t that right Aoi?” in which the dragon responded with somewhat is close to a purr for dragons.

The two young woman was just a few metres outside of the Romanian Dragon shelter since Aoi is not quite found of her new surrounding and also due to her quite soft nature, other dragons in the shelter tends to bully the dragon by breathing fire in means of attacking her. There was simply no way Chorong was about to let that happen to her baby.

“Anyway, Charlie told me that all of us need to be in front of Magnus’s house in 10 minutes. A bit of briefing about what is going to happen tomorrow I think.”

“I don’t think I’ll be going Irene. You’re just going to have to tell everything once you guys are done.” But before the strawberry-head could answer to raven head, a voice that genuinely annoys the life out of her came into the picture.

“It doesn’t work that way little princess. You’re one of the dragon handlers that’ll be flying one of the three dragons tomorrow. You need to be there.” The male said it in a tone that screams that he would never have a ‘no’ for an answer.

Chorong gritted her teeth in distaste. All she wanted to do right now is just rip his head off and feed it to those dragons.

“I’m talking as your superior this time around Park Chorong. Be there.”

“Fine!” she snapped. “Bite his head off for mummy won’t you Aoi?” she whispered to her dragon but unfortunately not only did the Antipodean Opaleye ignored her instruction, the dragon chose to nuzzled Lu Han with affection! This is just unacceptable and a disgrace! Her own dragon is fraternizing with her enemy!

“You are not going to get the treat that I promised you last time young lady!” and again the young dragon ignored her handler once again as she nuzzled to Lu Han affectionately once again.

“Aoi knows full well that I am the one that would always indulge her and she is smart enough not to do as you say Chorong.” he said with a confident smirk that only irritates Chorong more. “That’s Daddy’s girl.” but before Chorong can argue with that statement, Charlie Weasley stepped into the picture.

“Honestly Lu Han. I told you to get the girls. Not to play around with Aoi.” Charlie sighed. “Come one. Everyone is waiting.”

Instantly Chorong disregarded the matter regarding Lu Han as she talked to Charlie. “I can’t just leave Aoi here.”

“Put her inside the shelter then.”

“Charlie…” she trailed. “You know those lots are much like bullies to my little one right?”

“She is not that small Chorong and if you worry so much, just put her close to Norberta. No dragon wants to trespass her territory and I’m pretty sure Aoi would be fine there.” Chorong looke at Charlie with disbelief.

“Yes no other dragon would try to bother Aoi if she’s with Norberta but you know her temper!” everyone knows how temperamental the Norwegian Ridgeback is and that is precisely why Chorong cannot possibly entrust the safety of her beloved dragon with Norberta.

“Roscoe would be there too. I’ll tell him to make sure the two are ways from one another okay?” Charlie said and that allows Chorong to relax a little thinking of the green Ukrainian Ironbelly that Anora Forney, one of the dragon handlers at the shelter is so fond of. If there is any dragon that is able to stand up against Norberta, it’s Roscoe and not to mention the two are mates so Chorong is a little bit assured that Aoi would be in good hands.

“Okay fine. Lead the way then.” with Charlie being the one steering the way and Irene being next to him asking about whether they have new information about the condition of the war. From what her hearing could tell her, apparently the trio Harry, Hermione and Ron are still nowhere to be found and the Dark army is extending their influence at the best as they possibly could. Honestly, with the only powerful wizard that the wizarding world has ever known being killed, their only hope for now rested on the Boy who Lived who have yet to finish whatever mission he and his two friends are on.

“No one is going to resent you if you’re not going Chorong.” the voice for once surprised Chorong by how concerned he sounded when he said that.

“I’m not that weak pretty boy.”

“That was not what I am trying to say.”

“Listen here. This war is what is going to determine what is going to happen to the world and nothing is going to stop me from joining the lines with whatever I can do when I know that I have the power to help and defeat You-Know-Who.” Even with such bravery she displayed, the young woman is still hesitant in saying the cursed name out loud. The name still has an effect for people like her. How can it not considering all of the destruction that he had done during his last reign that also killed both of her parents. She was too young to understand and fought back then but not now. She is older, much more powerful, knows more spells than an average witch and heck, she has a dragon on her side!

Lu Han had already expected the backlash from Chorong but still he refused to let Chorong actually fly out into battlefield. But whatever he had in mind then had to be put on hold as they entered the sanctuary and Charlie beckoned Chorong with Aoi in two towards the two dragons that was lousing at one corner of the sanctuary. The briefing is about to start soon and that one is the one he is going to have to prioritize for the moment being.

The plan was that the three dragon handlers ; Charlie Weasley, Anora Forney and Park Chorong would be riding their own respective dragon ; Norberta, the Norwegian Ridgeback, Roscoe the Ukrainian Ironbelly and Aoi the Antipodean Opaleye while the other wizards and witches would build up a circle around each dragon on their brommsticks, in an effort to make sure that the invincible charm placed onto the dragons won’t dissipate. Even with the war waging on, they can’t take the risk of the dragons being spotted by Muggles.

“We’ll set flight in 3 hours. Make sure you have everything you would need. Every witch, wizard and dragons should be in front of the sanctuary at least 10 minutes before we go.” and that concludes the briefing. Chorong sighed as she realised that she indeed needs to pack a whole lot of meat for Aoi. The journey from Romania to Hogwarts which is in the Great Britain is not going to be a short ride. Knowing her girl, the dragon would need her red meat for fuel for the long and exhausting journey.

Thus Park Chorong was about to go to Charlie and Anora to ask for supplies but yet again she was stopped by Lu Han. Irene who was standing next to her right then saw the look that Lu Han was giving her. He needed to talk to Chorong. Desperately. The strawberry head sighed.

“I’ll go with Charlie and Anora for Aoi’s supplies. Talk to him.” She was not about to allow Chorong to respond as she fled the scene by apparating away from the two. It was enough to face all of those bickering and fights that the two have had for the entire 7 years at Mahoutokoro, the wizarding school of Japan (since there is no wizarding school in Korea and China, they were sent to learn there) and though the two haven’t seen one another for years after graduating, they are still able to pick on each other’s nerves.

“Merlin’s beard. Lu Han should just kiss her and be done with it. Those two really are the most dense witch and wizard that I have ever met in my entire life!” Irine muttered to herself.

“Are you still going to stop me from going because if you do… I’ll transfigure you into a sheep and feed you to one of the dragons here.”

“Chorong-”

“What?!” she snapped.

“Would you even let me finish?” long has gone his playful and goofy attitude that often irks Chorong and that was replaced with the serious version of Lu Han that he would often put to display whenever he was talking to his Quiditch teammates during practices or before a match.

Hesitantly, Chorong nodded. “Okay. Shoot.”

“I still don’t think it’s wise for you to come along. And let me finish this time. You have a bright future Chorong. What if you lose your life on the battlefield? What do you think would happen to Irene when she discovered her best friend is dead? What about Aoi? You know she refuse to be handled by anyone except for you. Has it ever occurred to you about the consequences of your actions here Park Chorong? A lot of people cared for you and for you to gamble your life away is not wise Chorong. Think about what-” the rest of his blabber was cut short when he was pulled in for a kiss.

She took him by surprise at first but when he realised the situation, there was no way he was going to let those pink lips get away from his. He bit her lower lips, seeking entrance and it was barely a fight as she allowed him to.

When they finally pulled away from one another, they both were out of breath.  Chorong’s head was leaning on Lu Han’s chest, her hand clutching the male’s shirt. Lu Han’s head too was leaning on Chorong, breathing in her sweet scent, his hands pulling the young woman into his embrace.

“I’ll be fine.” she whispered and though Lu Han wanted to say something to contradict that, he decided against it. The reality is that both of them are off to war and no matter how Lu Han had wanted to be selfish and to be sure that the woman that he love with all of his heart since their third year at Mahoutokoro is safe and sound he knew that is impossible. Park Chorong is a woman with determination and for her to be away from the battlefield in which she can help is just a cowardice move that she would never admit to.

Lu Han nodded. After all, the woman that he fell for is the one that train and handles dragons for a living. What did he expect? For her to back out of it? Not in a million years.

“Took both of you long enough to be truthful to one another. I thought I had to ram your heads to one another just so both of you get the message.” came the voice of Irene who was looking quite satisfied and triumphant and not to mention Charlie and Anora were also there, snickering at the two.

“Come on now, we need to get a move on. Better not to get your lips tied to one another throughout the journey.” Charlie said teasingly.

“Come on Charles, give them space. After all it took the years to finally snog one another.” Anora said as she chuckled in amusement leaving Chorong to roll her eyes while Lu Han shook his head at all of the teases that were headed their way.

With their hands in each other, they walked towards Aoi. It is time. For the last battle.