The Nagini Rescue Plan

The laboratory had been tidied up, and the magical images on the walls had been taken down. With a flick of a wand, words appeared on the wall: The Nagini Rescue Plan.

"The plan is simple. We just have to be cautious—extremely cautious. We can't let the Anna and Rosier of the past discover any trace of us."

"If either of them sees us, it could cause unpredictable changes to their memories."

Anton looked at everyone with a serious expression.

Everyone nodded.

"First, we know that after Anna wakes up, it takes her five minutes to find her mother by the pile of rocks in the corner of the garden."

"So we have at least five minutes to give Nagini the Sealed Prison potion."

"One thing needs to be emphasized: Nagini is quite powerful. If she senses danger, she'll transform into a Viper and move incredibly fast, making her even harder to stop."

"Anna will handle this. You're a little different from how you looked at six, but Nagini was dazed at the time, and with the rainy weather blocking out the moon, she won't notice. Even if she does, she won't hurt you."

"Of course, I'll stay nearby. If she attacks you, I'll cast the Shield Charm on you. Lead her over to me, and I'll pick you up on my Flying Broomstick."

Anton tapped the table. "Nagini can't fly, but we can. We'll keep as close to her as possible and take her away from this spot."

"I've tested it. My Shield Charm can withstand Nagini's attacks."

Pedro stared at him in disbelief. "When did you test that?"

Anton shrugged. "I've been here long enough. There's always been a chance. I needed to know how strong my Shield Charm was, so I tested it whenever I got the opportunity. Let's not waste time on irrelevant topics."

He turned to Anna. She nodded solemnly. "Anna can do it!"

"Good."

Anton looked at Pedro. "We'll be pulling a trick right under the nose of the powerful dark wizard Rosier, someone even you can't take on."

Pedro scowled. "Thanks for the reminder. Damn it, I don't remember how I became friends with him."

Anton continued, "We were in Knockturn Alley. The Pedro from the past covered us with a large piece of cloth, and no one noticed us—not even Rosier."

Pedro nodded. "That's one of our Goblin alchemical treasures. It isn't actually cloth. Its true nature is—"

He paused. "Why am I explaining this to you?"

Anton smiled, unbothered. "Do you know where the Pedro of this time is? Good. Go find him, and get that cloth, by any means necessary. Once Anna gives Nagini the potion and brings her back, you'll restrain Nagini and cover us with the cloth."

Pedro nodded. "Okay."

Anton turned to the old wizard. "You'll keep watch. Hide inside a tree, and if you see Rosier appear, stick one finger out. Pedro will keep an eye on where you're hiding."

"Also, you'll teach Anna the Levitation Charm over the next two days. If Nagini drinks the potion willingly, she'll fall asleep. Anna can use the Levitation Charm to bring her over to Pedro by herself."

The old wizard cackled. "Wonderful! I get to help, too."

Anton pointed to himself last. "I'll protect Anna's safety—and that of both Annas—so neither of them gets hurt by a Nagini from a different time."

"We have three days left." Anton braced both hands on the table and looked intently at everyone. "I'm holding myself to the highest, strictest standards. That's how I'm approaching this, and I hope you will, too."

"Meeting adjourned!"

Everyone got to work.

Anton locked himself in a room with Nagini, repeatedly casting the Biomimicry Charm on himself and her.

In the form of a Color-Changing Windbird, even Rosier couldn't detect them.

This was their contingency in case the plan failed.

If anyone gave them away, Anton would cast a spell at once and make them disappear right before Rosier's eyes.

The three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Night fell quietly.

Thick clouds covered the sky, blocking the moonlight and blurring everything from view.

Anton and the others emerged from the castle, stepping out beside the fountain and down the stone steps. They exchanged glances.

"Stick to the plan!"

The old wizard floated to the garden entrance where Rosier would appear, slipped inside a tree, and stuck out his translucent hand to give them an OK sign before drawing it back in.

A huge, purple-skinned Goblin Golem appeared behind Pedro. Its ten hands grabbed the transparent cloth and the giant snake. The cloth billowed around them, and they vanished from sight.

Pedro would make his way to the corner by the pile of rocks, ready to assist and keep the situation under control.

Anna looked nervous. She clutched the potion bottle and breathed heavily.

"Don't be nervous. You can do this." Anton smiled and patted her shoulder. "Graceful, proud Anna is also incredibly strong-willed. Not everyone at your age could shut themselves inside a factory and work every day with a machine like that."

Anna gazed at him, then grinned. "Anton, thank you."

Anton raised an eyebrow. "I accept your thanks."

Anna smiled sweetly. For the past two years, ever since her mother died, she had thought of her every moment.

Now that she had traveled back to this point in time, she was already happy just to see her mother from afar every day.

But now she could touch her, talk to her, and hug her!

Anna felt more fulfilled than ever.

They had to succeed. They had to bring her mother, who could still be saved, back to thirty-eight years later. Even if her mother would still be a snake, it would mean there was hope!

"You've given so many people hope." Anna's deep green eyes reflected Anton's face. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

Then she strode away.

Anton stared after her in surprise, touched his cheek, and chuckled.

Actually, I just wanted someone to lean on.

Fate always seemed to play tricks on him. He'd wanted Lupin to be his caretaker. He'd planned everything out and put all his effort into it.

And then he'd ended up becoming Lupin's caretaker instead.

He shrugged.

All he could do was smile at fate.

What else could he do? Nothing. He could only lie back and take it, stop worrying about his safety, his life, or the future.

Do what he wanted, without caring about gain or fearing death.

He drew his wand and walked step by step toward the pile of rocks.

"Ah~~~"

Nagini clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her cry of pain from waking her daughter in the wooden house.

Her body kept changing, and she forced it back into human form. She could feel herself losing control.

She could no longer change between human and snake at will. Sometimes, she only realized she had turned into a snake after the transformation.

Even more dangerously, she had suddenly discovered that when she turned into a snake, she lost her human consciousness and became a beast ruled by instinct alone!

She had to get away from here as soon as possible. She was afraid she might hurt little Anna.

"No, I have to leave!"

She staggered outside and reached a pile of rocks, where she finally collapsed.

Her body began to change violently. She felt herself stretching longer and longer. She was turning into a snake, and the snake's body was slowly swallowing her consciousness.

She fought the feeling, forcing herself to turn back.

The effort left her convulsing in pain.

She lay on the ground, gasping, her eyes full of despair. "Andrei, come back! Stop looking for Pedro and come back!"

Just then, someone appeared in front of her.

She opened her eyes, their pupils narrowing to slits, and made out Anna's figure.

"Mother!"

Her voice trembled, but her resolve held firm. The little girl uncorked the bottle and held it to her mother's mouth. "Quick, Mother. Drink this!"

No! It was no use. Back at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had tried everything, but she had never been cured. In the end, she had left in despair.

"Anna!"

Nagini reached out a trembling hand and touched her daughter's cheek. Her convulsing body seemed to erupt with boundless strength, and she shoved her away.

Thud.

Anna's little body flew away like a cannonball, then drifted gently to the ground on a gust of wind.

"Anna!" Nagini shouted with all her strength. "Run, Anna! Run as far away as you can!"

The shove was infused with magic. Though she had sent Anna far away, she could no longer hold on, and her body began changing rapidly.

It stretched out, quickly becoming a giant snake.

Then the snake opened its eyes. Its cold, slitted pupils blazed with a madness that hungered to devour anything in its path.

The potion slipped from Anna's hand, fell to the ground, and shattered. She stared blankly as the liquid seeped into the soil, then scrambled up in a panic. "No, don't!" She threw herself down and frantically dug at the ground, trying to gather the potion back up.

The glass shards cut her fingers, and blood streamed down her hands, but she kept digging without paying any attention.

"Mother?"

Six-year-old Anna's voice rang out from the garden. "Mother, where are you?"

"..."

"..."

The old wizard floated out of the tree, stunned.

Pedro lifted the cloth, his face full of fear. "It's over. I knew it—we can't change anything. We'll only make things worse. I never should have—"

Anton rolled his eyes and pulled another potion bottle from the bag at his waist. "I knew it wouldn't be that easy."

He crept close to the giant snake and drew his wand. "Giving up has never been in my dictionary."