Note: This story follows the Harry Potter timeline, not the Narnian timeline.

There are dragons in this world. And not just the figurative type. Susan already knew there were people she'd consider dragon-like, boasting, dangerous, greedy, hoarding their treasures with their fiery breaths. Several of her exes could easily fit that description. But she hadn't thought there were dragons. True, actual fire-breathing, flying around, scaly dragons. Just like the ones she had known in another world, in another life.

She found out about them in the most peculiar way. She had run off for a spell, to get away from their nagging reminders of a world they had lost, one she had long lost belief in.

"A one way ticket to whatever the farthest place this will get me," Susan said, handing over a few pounds to the cross woman who slowly counted them out.

The woman sighed and consulted her dog-eared page of fares. "Romania?" she said sarcastically, clearly not thinking Susan would take it.

"Romania then," Susan said, reaching out an expectant hand. The woman gave her a strange look but handed it over.

She rested her head against the foggy window, pulling out her sketchbook. Maybe something in her knew that the random choice of location was a sign. Or maybe this was just one of a whole list of coincidences that lead her to discovering the magic of this world. But coincidence or not, she decided to start drawing a dragon. She had only ever seen two dragons – three if you include Eustace, although she had only ever seen him human. But she could imagine based on the stories those three returned with.

"This train is insanely crowded," a voice suddenly said. Susan looked up and saw a man, maybe just a few years older than her , peering down at her, his unruly red hair covering half his face.

"Yes, it is," Susan said shortly before returning to her sketches.

"Dragons, huh. Pretty accurate drawing," the man said. Susan gave him a confused look. He winked. She did not know what to make of that, and rather did not care as he would most likely take her asking as an invitation to linger longer.

"Mind if I sit here? I had to leave my seat for an elderly woman who just got on. And well, this the only space left," the man said, gesturing to the seat opposite of her. "Unless another elderly person decides to come on before others get off again."

She picked up her bag that she had left there and put it on the ground next to her. He took that as an invitation and sat across from her, lounging backwards and kicking his feet up on the seat next to her. She intentionally shuffled a bit to the side away from his feet, hoping he would take the hint. He did not.

"So you are...Susan?" he began.

She gave him a look.

"It's on your bag," he pointed out.

"Oh, right. Yes."

When she did not continue by asking his name, he attempted to begin conversation again by asking, "So, Susan, why are you drawing dragons?"

Susan put her pen down, sighing. She indulged him with, "I think they are very interesting to draw. The way their scales catch the light – I mean would catch the light. If they were real that was."

"You aren't drawing in color," the man pointed out.

"I don't need to," Susan said smugly, showing him the drawing.

The grin disappeared from his freckled face as he leaned over to look at the drawing more closely.

"Wow. This is really, really accurate," he said, a suspicious tinge to his voice.

"Accurate?" Susan questioned.

"Accurate," the man said with another wink.

"To how a scale might catch the sunlight if there were any scaly creatures that could fly?" Susan pressed.

"Of course. What else could I mean? After all, dragon's don't really exist," the man said with another wink.

"Is something wrong with your left eye?" Susan asked pointedly.

The man bit his lip, looking her up and down appraisingly. "No. So, ah, why are you headed to Romania?"

"Not so much headed towards anything as headed away from things," Susan said. "You?"

"My job's there. Animal control," he said.

"Animal control? I'm sure there's plenty of similar jobs in England. Why travel so far?" Susan said. She had been pulled into the conversation despite herself.

"I specialize in...let's say unusual creatures," he said.

"Unusual?" Susan asked.

"Would you believe me if I said dragons?" he said eagerly.

Susan frowned and picked up her pen again. "Now you're just mocking me." She began sketching again, trying to ignore him as she had originally intended to do.

"Nah, just wishful thinking. Wouldn't dragons be awesome?" the man said, although something seemed off. Susan just couldn't put her finger on what exactly that might be.

"I suppose," she said shortly.

"I bet if dragon's existed, I could ride wrangle one. Ride it around," he teased.

Susan snorted at that before thinking how odd that reaction might seem.

"What, you don't think I could?"

"Not unless you're fireproof," Susan challenged, even though she knew very well that fire was actually the least of your problems, for some dragons at least. She had challenged a dragon once, well, she and Edmund. They had been on their annual tour of the Lone Islands when a horned red dragon had swooped in to try to steal a child. She had taken a flame straight to the face, but it was so weak that it only really singed the tips of her hair which she was able to pat out rather quickly. It was the teeth and horns that were the problem.

"Maybe I am," he grinned. "Or just too fast for them."

"No one's too fast for a dragon," Susan scoffed.

The man lounged backwards. "I am."

After a moment's thought, Susan suddenly said, "How could you know if you're faster than a mythical creature?"

He just laughed. "Well, if you ever come across a dragon, send me a letter."

"So if I ever happen to see a mythical creature, I should contact an address I do not even have?" Susan pointed out.

"Got any spare paper on that sketchpad?" he asked, reaching out an eager hand.

Susan deliberated, but it could be helpful to have at least a way to contact one person. "Sure."

He scribbled down an address. "My work address...and my friend's address that I stay at. Feel free to drop by there anytime. And since you seem alone here... if there's an emergency and you need someone, try catching me at work then. Especially if the emergency involves dragons," he said with another wink.

"If I see any dragons, I'll be sure to let you know...Charles?" Susan said, looking at the slip and trying to read the name on it.

"I go by Charlie, actually," he said with a lopsided grin. "Charlie Weasley."