A shrill flash lit up the murky air, and a surging blast of wind swept up the snow and dust from the ground.
Harry saw Voldemort's snake flung into the air by the blast, its body twisting as it hissed, before crashing heavily onto the ground.
"Did it work?"
There was a slight tremor in Draco's demanding voice.
But before Harry could answer, Draco already had his answer.
Nagini had not died. In fact, it appeared completely unscathed. Their carefully prepared spells had done it no harm at all!
They saw Nagini coil itself tight like a spring, then suddenly leap forward, leaving behind a chilling black afterimage in the air.
"Protego!"
Harry roared first, erecting a sturdy magical barrier before them. It did work.
The giant snake slammed into Harry's magical barrier at tremendous speed with a heavy thud. Harry could feel the pain the impact caused it. His soul was connected to this snake!
Under Draco's astonished gaze, Nagini was thrown back. But before it hit the ground, it violently whipped its tail!
Bang. Crack!
The soft yet hard snake tail struck the barrier, finally shattering the Protego barrier!
Suppressing the turbulence in his magic, Harry grabbed the stunned Draco and hurriedly retreated, putting distance between them!
"This thing is harder to deal with than I imagined!"
Watching Nagini slither back and forth before them, Draco's expression darkened.
"That's not beyond my expectations—"
Harry said breathlessly,
"The last one of these things I encountered was far more terrifying than a snake."
"What exactly is it?"
Draco glanced at Harry, his brow furrowing.
"I think—"
Harry shook his wrist and said softly,
"You could call it Voldemort's avatar."
An avatar?
Draco's gaze fell once more upon Nagini, which was searching for an opening. His lips pressed together, and the