Nagini noticed Cro's strange reaction and immediately retracted her creepy smile.
"Sorry, Master. I've just regained consciousness and haven't fully recovered the ability to take on human form," Nagini said apologetically, her gaze softening as she looked at Cro. However, in her current snake form, that gaze only made her look more like she was eyeing prey.
"How long will it take for you to regain your human form? I can't exactly take you to Hogwarts like this, can I? Even if we don't go, you'll definitely scare Hermione and the others," Cro frowned. While he was surprised that he'd received Nagini from the treasure chest, he didn't mind it too much.
If he remembered correctly, Nagini's human form was an incredibly beautiful East Asian woman. And now that she had his soul imprint, she was technically his Horcrux.
This also meant that, just like Voldemort, he could use a Horcrux to be reborn! Though, strangely, he didn't feel like a part of his soul had been torn away.
But surely the system wouldn't lie to him, right? Even though it was kind of a lousy system.
System: ...Thanks, I can hear you!
Diagon Alley.
Deep in the vaults of Gringotts!
"Master... th-there's no... Philosopher's Stone here. What should we... do? In a few minutes... Aurors from the Ministry will... arrive. I-I don't think... I can defeat them," Quirrell stammered, clutching his wand in panic.
At his feet lay the lifeless body of a goblin, eyes wide open in death.
{You fool! Do I need you to tell me that? If you can't fight them, then run! What are you standing around for? Waiting to be captured?!}
{How could I have...!!! What's happening?! What's happening?! My Horcrux... Nagini!! Where's my Nagini?!}
{Damn it!! Who is it? Who killed Nagini?!} Voldemort's furious screeches echoed in Quirrell's mind.
Moments ago, Voldemort's soul had trembled, and he had instantly sensed the loss of one of his Horcruxes. And not just any Horcrux, but Nagini—the one he had carefully hidden away!
Once a soul imprint is placed, it's impossible to erase. After all, it contains a fragment of his soul. Losing contact with it could only mean one thing—the Horcrux had been destroyed!
And since Nagini was a living being, it could only mean that she had died!
"Master... are you sure... perhaps you've... sensed it wrong?" Quirrell asked nervously, trembling from head to toe as he felt Voldemort's overwhelming anger.
In the blink of an eye, his clothes were soaked with cold sweat.
{Shut up, you useless fool!! Do you think I'd mistake the loss of one of my Horcruxes?! Now, stop wasting time and run!!}
Voldemort's voice was filled with fury and malice.
{Whoever it was that killed Nagini, I'll make sure they're ground to dust!!}
Quirrell nodded repeatedly, drenched in sweat. Without hesitating for a second, he jumped into the Gringotts cart and headed back to the surface. Since the vaults were enchanted to prevent teleportation magic, he couldn't use Apparition. Otherwise, he would have left instantly.
Lily Street, Number 444.
Cro sat on his bed, frowning as he looked at the massive creature in front of him.
"Sorry, Master. It's my fault. I'll need at least a month before I can regain my human form," Nagini said, lowering her head in shame. She, too, felt helpless.
A Maledictus wasn't the same as an Animagus. While both could transform into magical creatures, a Maledictus suffered from a blood curse. Over time, their consciousness would gradually fade until they became a full-fledged magical creature.
Originally, Nagini had been hidden away by Voldemort in a secret place, where she had been in a deep sleep, with very little of her consciousness left. She had nearly become a true basilisk.
When she awoke, she found herself in this new environment. Her faint consciousness fully revived, and the soul imprint in her mind had vanished. However, before she could feel relieved, another soul imprint had immediately been branded deep within her soul.
She was still utterly confused about what had happened.
And, having been in snake form for so long, she had forgotten how to change back into a human.
"It's alright, it's not your fault," Cro said with a sigh, gently stroking Nagini's scales. Instinctively, Nagini coiled her large body around him.
Eve watched the scene unfold, her eyelid twitching. She silently turned around, pointedly ignoring both of them.
This weird poop-scooper and this strange snake...
Cro sat cross-legged on his bed, still absentmindedly stroking Nagini. He had to admit, her cool, smooth scales felt oddly pleasant to the touch. Nagini, on the other hand, lay contentedly beside him.
"System, how do you expect me to deal with this situation? You don't seriously think I can just take her to school like this, do you?" Cro asked flatly. "If you really want me dead so you can find a new host, then go ahead and keep pretending to be mute."
"If I take Nagini out tomorrow and shock the world, would that satisfy you?" Cro added sarcastically before falling silent, waiting for the system's response.
He wasn't exaggerating. If he showed up with Nagini tomorrow, it wouldn't just cause a stir in the Muggle world; the wizarding world would be in an uproar!
Even Dumbledore would likely pay him a visit personally, with a team of elite Aurors in tow!
After all, Nagini was known to be one of Voldemort's pets. Though most wizards didn't know about Horcruxes, they knew about Nagini's connection to the Dark Lord.
If Nagini suddenly reappeared, how could they not speculate that Voldemort might have returned?
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T/N:
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