Time is an enigma; it slips by unnoticed, yet occasionally, it seems to stretch on indefinitely. After three restless days at the cabin, John found himself unable to remain idle any longer. An incessant urge gnawed at him, compelling him to consider casting Fiendfyre or a Shattering Curse on the cabin, as if an invisible force was relentlessly prodding him to act. "This is truly vexing," he muttered, his lips curling in annoyance. To distract himself, John immersed himself in his studies, occasionally casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself for practice.
On the sixth day, his patience was rewarded when he finally spotted the giant serpent emerging from the cabin. He watched intently as it slithered away, calculating the distance between them. "This distance isn't sufficient," he thought. To launch an effective attack, he needed to be within ten steps of the serpent, all the while ensuring he remained outside the cabin's protective spell range.
John tapped his wand against a tree trunk, casting a Super Sensory Spell that extended a hundred meters around him. This spell ensured that no disturbance, no matter how minor, could escape his notice. He waited silently for the serpent to move beyond the cabin's protective range, noting the chaotic particles that lingered in its wake. These particles, ephemeral in nature, seemed to be more concentrated within the serpent's body.
With a soft exhale, John conjured a mist, reminiscent of the hazy aftermath of rain, that silently enveloped the forest. Concealed within this magical fog, he relied on his Super Sensory Spell to track the serpent's movements, even as his own vision was obscured. He followed the serpent, which seemed unbothered by the mist, familiar with the path it had traversed countless times. Along the way, the serpent consumed a stray rabbit, fur and all, showcasing a ferocity that starkly contrasted with the delicate, miserable voice John had heard before.
John continued his silent pursuit until they reached a three-pronged tree, a landmark he recognized from his first visit. The serpent's diet seemed indiscriminate, consuming small animals and even a red hat without hesitation. Its occasional hisses were unintelligible to John, who lacked the ability to understand Parseltongue.
"This should be far enough," John thought, calculating the distance. Even if Voldemort were to discover them now, he wouldn't be able to close the gap quickly. John carefully donned a pair of anti-curse gloves and retrieved a bottle of black powder from his bag, a gift from Quirrell intended for a darker purpose. The powder, derived from unicorn horn, was capable of inducing a deep slumber in its victims.
With meticulous care, John used wind magic to direct the powder towards the serpent. The powder, nearly invisible to the naked eye, required a keen insight to be seen. As the powder made contact with the serpent, Voldemort, lurking within the cabin, sensed the intrusion. "Someone has found Nagini," he realized in alarm.
"No!" Voldemort's realization came too late as he witnessed Nagini succumb to the powder's effects. In a desperate attempt, he unleashed a powerful curse towards John, who glanced towards the cabin just in time to see the curse barreling towards him. Reacting swiftly, John dove to the serpent's side and, grasping its tail, used Apparition to escape. The two vanished with a pop, moments before the curse struck, leaving a crater in its wake. Voldemort's furious roar echoed through the cabin, its lethal intensity killing any nearby animals.
Outside Belby Manor, there was a loud crack as John and the giant serpent reappeared. John's face was pale; his Apparition, only at level 2, was not suited for such long-distance travel. Traveling with a snake had indeed exhausted him. Moreover, the cry he heard from Voldemort as he was leaving struck his soul, feeling as though it was squeezing his head. "As expected of the second-generation Dark Lord, his strength is formidable. Even without a magic wand, he poses a great danger," he thought, his expression filled with apprehension. John couldn't help but think of Tom Riddle, the young version of Voldemort. Even in his fifth year, Riddle had demonstrated the strength of an Auror. It was difficult for John to imagine how powerful Voldemort was at his peak. Perhaps, if not for Dumbledore, Voldemort might have conquered the wizarding world long ago.
After narrowly escaping death, John, despite his experience in battle, felt his heart racing. He grabbed the tail of the large snake and dragged it to Belby Manor. Dharma Alex was feeling somewhat dejected. He had just fallen asleep, but upon waking, found John gone. They had agreed to share their achievements, so why had John taken the prize and left? This thought panicked Dharma Alex. To him, losing his honor was worse than death itself. "I better act first and release it in advance, so he can't take it from me," Dharma Alex thought. Although his Blood Demon potion hadn't been tested yet, he began writing in order to preserve his honor. After several revisions, just as he was about to publish his results, John returned.
"Dharma Alex, do you have a dungeon or something similar here? It would be ideal if it were enchanted," John inquired, looking quite peculiar. His hair was tangled with grass roots and leaves, and his clothes were damp with dew, despite the absence of rain. But what caught Dharma Alex's attention most was the twelve-foot snake John was dragging into the manor, its condition unclear.
"John, what have you done?" Dharma Alex momentarily forgot the letter in his hand. He watched as John returned and immediately wanted to follow and ask where he had been. However, John didn't give him the chance, so Dharma Alex reluctantly led him to the Belby family's dungeon. After throwing the large snake inside, John also cast enchantment spells on the dungeon.
"Phew... it's finally ready. Now we have the material for our experiment," John said, pretending to wipe non-existent sweat from his brow. He glanced at Dharma Alex, who had donned a cloak and switched to a more luxurious cane, and was about to leave. "Are you going out?"
"Uh... I'm not in a hurry," Dharma Alex replied, tucking away the letter with a guilty conscience. Recalling John's earlier words, he exclaimed in surprise, "You just mentioned... experimental materials?"
John asked the house elf to prepare a cup of thick, sweet hot chocolate for him. He nodded casually and said, "Yes, this is a patient afflicted with a blood curse."
"What?!" Dharma Alex, initially intending to question John further, was suddenly intrigued. He was not even deterred by the possibility of the sleeping snake waking up and rushed into the dungeon. He examined the large snake closely, eager to study this rare blood curse patient.
"I suspect that this blood-cursed being has undergone a transformation, but it seems her soul has been somewhat preserved. We can start our investigation from there," John explained, taking a sip of the thick, sweet hot chocolate the house elf had respectfully handed him. He might not have enjoyed such a sweet beverage before, but now he savored it eagerly. The warm chocolate seemed to revive his pale complexion.
"Why is this large snake sleeping so soundly?" Dharma Alex noticed something odd about the snake; despite his loud movements, it showed no signs of waking.
John finished his hot chocolate quickly and replied nonchalantly, "Oh, I used a method similar to a sleeping spell. It will probably sleep for a few months."
"How many months?" Dharma Alex pressed for details.
John coughed twice, slightly embarrassed, and admitted, "About two or three months."
"You cast the Sleeping Curse on it dozens of times, didn't you?" Dharma Alex deduced, realizing the extent of John's actions. Alex was taken aback. "If we use dozens of sleeping spells, even a fire dragon would slumber eternally. It's also John's first time employing black unicorn powder, so it's understandable that he might struggle with controlling the dosage." He stated confidently, "This situation is actually ideal; it presents us with an opportunity to conduct a test."
Dharma Alex also realized the potential benefits. Given the size of the serpent, it was clear it wasn't going to be easy to handle. Testing it while it was unconscious might indeed simplify matters. John felt a wave of relief wash over him upon seeing Alex come around to his point of view.
At that moment, a silver thread of light appeared before John's eyes, causing him to pause in surprise. The thread seemed to be connected to the serpent. As he reached out to touch it, a voice filled with sorrow and gentleness echoed, "Help me, end my suffering." The voice carried a tone of desperation.
John took a moment to consider his response before replying, "I'm doing everything I can." His words traveled along the silver thread to the serpent, and it seemed as though the voice's owner had heard him. A note of disbelief tinged her voice, "Can you really hear me?"
"Yes, so please hold on. I'm doing my best to free you from this curse," John replied, his voice softening. It appeared that the voice was able to reach him because the serpent was under the spell of sleep. Every blood-cursed being was a living tragedy, doomed through no fault of their own.
"Trust me," John said with conviction. Despite the youthfulness of his voice, there was an undeniable sincerity that inspired confidence.
Nagini, the serpent with a soul on the brink of shattering, found a glimmer of hope and spoke again, "Who are you?"
"John Wick," he answered. As he spoke, the silver thread in his hand disintegrated and drifted towards the serpent. Their conversation came to an end.
John watched the fragments of silver light in his hand, reminiscent of a broken soul. The moment was dreamlike, filled with a poignant sense of loss and hope intertwined.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge