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Iron Dragons and Firelegs COMPLETE	By : FemmeBono Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Het - Male/Female Views: 2353 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Cht. 3, Digging the trenches

Lacey's breath huffed out in wisps of frost as she ran, the familiar cadence
running through her head as she muttered it under her breath.

141 cruising down the strip

Air Force maggots on a one way trip

Mission top secret, destination unknown

Don't even know if we're ever coming home

Arrived in the jungle at a quarter to four

We got off the plane and were ready for war

We won the battle and we won the war

Then partied all night at the local bar

Riding high and feeling good

Feel like stars in Hollywood

The Air Force is second to none

We can't be beaten, we're number one!

She jogged through her early morning mile, trying to adjust herself to the
higher altitude as she simultaneously considered it a scouting mission of sorts.
This was the best way, first thing in the morning, to suss out the terrain and
get to know the grounds better. She had run down from the castle, along the
fringe of the forest and past the gamekeeper's hut, now skirting the lake. She
received a nasty shock on her way when the willow tree she had noted the day
before suddenly sprang to life, twisting and snapping its branches in a blatant
attack. Lacey had ducked and rolled, low-crawling away before she finally lay
back on her elbows and watched the thing settle again once she was out of range.
"Damnedest thing," she thought, "maybe we can use that." After the incident, she
used the adrenaline rush to carry her the rest of the way through her run. When
she came up to the edge of the cliff, Lacey circled back and retraced her path,
coming out near the forest behind Professor Hagrid's cabin. As she did so, she
slowed her gait, having the distinct impression of being watched. Yesterday, in
the interest of their safety, Dumbledore had mentioned some of the beings that
lived in the forest, but she felt certain that none of them came this close to
the school. The feeling intensified, and thankful that she was already warmed up
and had shed the encumbering sweatshirt that was now wrapped around her waist,
Lacey stopped near a tree stump and began stretching, facing the woods to try
and surreptitiously see what or who she felt was there.

Not soon after she did, he appeared. Lacey had to give credit where it was
due, despite a complete lack of camouflage, other than head-to-toe black, the
man made no noise as he stepped out from the darkened cover of woods into the
morning sunlight. One raised brow, a small smile playing his lips, he looked for
all the world like the villainous rake of a Victorian novel. If she read any of
those. Lacey straightened up, chin lifted, readying herself. When he stopped
three feet away and inclined his head, Lacey relaxed her stance. Somewhat.

"I take it you are one of the American Muggles sent to help us fight the
Dark Lord?" he intoned sotto voce, in a voice of velvet.
The honeyed tones were a stark contrast to a somewhat mean appearance consisting of dark lank hair hanging over the sharp planes and angles of his face. They evoked images of Heathcliff himself, after a walk on the moors, she thought, or perhaps Mr. Rochester surveying his grounds.

"Yes, sorry--hi," she said, gathering her wits, hand outstretched. "I'm Captain Lacey. Are you our... spy from the other faction?"

"Indeed, Captain," he answered, clasping her hand briefly.
"Severus Snape, at your service. Shall I escort you in?"

"Sure." Escort? He must have read those novels, too.

They trudged silently up the hill for only a moment, before his information
gathering instincts got the better of him.

"It seems your men are also determined to continue their regimens here.
I have witnessed one out doing some sort of calisthenics toward the other end of
the Forbidden Forest, not to mention two others running up and down the stairs
inside the castle itself. I did wonder if I should tell them the staircases
move..."

"They move." Moving staircases, waving portraits, red-eyed cats
and giants...what next?

"Of course."

"Well, why wouldn't they?" she said with an incredulous laugh.

"Are you enjoying your stay in Gryffindor tower?"

Lacey
wondered briefly what the derisive emphasis was for before answering him.

"I like it a lot up there actually, it's better by far than any of the barracks
I've stayed in, and definitely beats the hell out of a tent in the middle of
the desert. Besides, way up there I can see what's coming from all sides. That's
a good defensive position."

"I will grant that," he said, "I have never been a fan of that
particular house, however. Far too many brash dunderheads with a talent for
breaking rules... And yet, you mention being in a tent in a desert, what may I
ask was that in reference to?"

"Desert Storm. I was stationed in Kuwait during part of it, for
intelligence. You and I have very similar jobs, it seems."

Severus made a sound of assent as they reached the heavy doors. Stepping in
before her, he held the door as she walked through, amazed at the gesture.
Before she could reach the stairs, he cupped her arm and pulled her toward
another set of double doors.

"I'm sure you would wish to refresh yourself, however, breakfast is
already being served and we will be discussing what news I have here."

"Ah, well let's get this on."

As it was, the food was fantastic. The military crew had another moment of
amazement when they were told that it was all prepared by actual elves, and they
considered it a huge compliment to their hosts' hospitality that the platters
appearing in front of them were both American and British favorites. In addition
to the customary sausages and black pudding were cantaloupe slices, blueberry
pancakes, carafes of caffeinated and decaf coffee, and "grits!" cried Hancock, who promptly spooned them up.

Once the plates were cleared the team sat and pored over photographs of those
known to be Death Eaters, as Voldemort called his minions. As they perused each
photograph, mostly prison pictures, Snape outlined each person's signature moves
and flaws. He came to one wild-haired woman, oddly named Bella, whose favorite
move was a Cruciatus Curse. As he described the essentials of it, Hancock blew
out a breath.

"Bitch likes to play nasty, huh?"

"It sounds a bit like shock therapy," said Brynn disgustedly.
"She likes torture, this one."

"It's alright, that," snorted Thom. "Sure and we can teach
her a few things, eh, Brynn?"

"Too right we can. I hope I get a chance at her, scary trick."

Severus, however, did not look much amused at the inherent bravado in his new
comrades. His eyes glittering, he passed over another photo from a news clipping
someone had taken of a young couple who had been clearly unhinged.

"Should you meet her," he clipped, "you may wish you hadn't.
This couple, name of Longbottom, was tortured so long and so mercilessly by her
that they lost their sanity."

"Hey, but we're all vets here, except Brynn," said Thorpe holding
up his hands in mock surrender. "She just got commissioned, but we've seen
stuff like this, sir, just not with magic. We've been up against people who
torture, maim, kill, and victimize the innocent. The only difference is the ones
we've seen use other weapons. We're taking this seriously, man. Seriously."

Once they had gone through all the photos, with each officer getting copies
to familiarize themselves with later, Snape moved into the intelligence he had
received at last night's meeting. He claimed the enemy was encamped at a manor
house in Wiltshire, and plotting an attack on Hogsmeade on the evening of
September first. He knew it to be a viable plan because he had overheard
Voldemort issuing orders and mentioning that he himself would be there. It also
confirmed suspicions that he already had, as he had learned of the push for
"proper" wizarding families to pull their children from the school and
send them abroad or have them tutored at home. Now that the warning had gone out,
apparently, the ones whose children showed up for their start of term would pay
dearly. However, as Dumbledore pointed out, this left them an advantage. Knowing
that the attack was coming, and that the Death Eater's children had been
surreptitiously withdrawn, they could safely delay the start of term until further notice by
charming the notification letters to make the recipients forget the departure
date. It would allow them about a month's time to make a final stand against
Voldemort and repair any damages afterwards. Now having the
certainty of the attack gave them all a bolster; it meant steps they could take
into some sort of action and gave them a firmer purpose. As Severus mentioned,
it was his suspicions that finally prompted the Ministry to request help in
staving it off.

With the sun well up in the sky, Dumbledore and Severus led the team off the
grounds, using a hidden entrance to the south that must have led under the lake
and up again, until they walked straight out of the base of a large oak on the
edge of a clearing lined with heather and bracken. The team was standing for
only a few moments when they heard the telltale beating of choppers coming in
low to the ground. As the crafts landed, they watched the blades slow to a
standstill as ten men and women hoisted duffle bags over their shoulders and
crept out to a safe enough distance that they could stand. Lacey and Thom swept
forward to greet the rest of their soldiers and introduce them to the two
wizards gazing fixedly at the massive helicopters. Lacey's troops were all men:
Clark, Vandekamp, Jesup, Inch, and Dyess. The latter three had all been with
her the day they encountered the giants, but the former had no idea what awaited
them. As a result, Lacey wasted no time once they were back up in the tower.
She gave them an hour, allowing them time to settle themselves in their
rooms, unload their packs and get assembled again before she debriefed them,
using the photographs and information from Severus and Dumbledore. It had helped
that Clark and Vandekamp met Professor Hagrid on the hike back up to the castle,
making it much easier for them to believe the story of the giant attack near
Bristol. Added to that, on entering the castle, Vandekamp embarrassed himself by
yelping aloud when a ghost swept up the stairs straight through him, much to the
amusement of the other airmen. Yet once her men were apprised of the situation
and she was sure they were prepared to handle the situation with the utmost
brevity, Lacey left Dyess in charge and met the other officers in the
entrance hall. In the midst of all the preparations for battle, there must be a celebration.
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Iron Dragons and Firelegs *COMPLETE*

Iron Dragons and Firelegs COMPLETE