Carelessness Loses the Serpent's Fufu
After Newt Apparition away, the Albania forest seemed to fall back into undisturbed silence.
About a hundred meters away from that tree hole, deep within the layers of the tree canopy.
A leaden-gray viper silently coiled around a thick horizontal branch.
Its triangular head peeked out from under the branches, its snake-like eyes fixed on the direction where Newt had stood and disappeared, its tongue occasionally flicking out.
This is very abnormal.
At this time of year, in winter, snakes should normally be hibernating.
Suddenly, wisps of tangible black mist seeped from between the viper's fine scales.
The viper's body stiffened abruptly, and its eyes, which had been gleaming with the light of a cold-blooded creature, quickly lost all their luster, turning as dull as dusty glass beads.
"Clatter."
The snake's body, having lost some kind of internal support, became limp and powerless, falling straight down from the branches and crashing onto the cold, hard ground below. It bounced slightly before losing all life.
On the branch where the viper had been coiled, a pitch-black soul with constantly twisting and undulating edges slowly appeared.
It has no fixed shape, more like a dense, impenetrable shadow, except that where the eyes should be on its face, two slightly pulsating, scarlet mists are suspended.
This is Voldemort.
Since the destruction of Quirrell's body at Hogwarts last year, his frail and remnant soul has been fleeing in panic, eventually drifting to this remote Albanian Forest.
The two crimson "eyes" stared intently at the empty space where Newt had disappeared, their entire spirit trembling violently with anger and frustration, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet.
Damn it! Newt Scamander! What's he doing here?!
Voldemort had a basic understanding of the well-known figures in the Wizarding World, especially those who had not clearly sided with him in past wars, or those who possessed special talents that might pose a threat.
The wizard who carried the signature briefcase and was surrounded by animals was easily recognizable with a little observation.
How did Newt end up running into Nagini? And why did he take her away?!
At this thought, Voldemort's soul mist churned even more violently.
Even after losing his physical body and becoming the lowest of wandering spirits, his talent for Parseltongue never disappeared.
He firmly believed that this was proof of his lineage from the great ancestor Salazar Slytherin, a symbol of bloodline and power.
During his time wandering this forest, Voldemort used this ability to establish a connection with Nagini, the enormous, distinctive dark green serpent.
That snake was very special.
She was neither an ordinary wild beast nor a Magical Creatures.
When communicating with the snake, Voldemort could clearly sense its intelligence and spirituality, which far surpassed that of ordinary snakes, and could even understand its complex thoughts and emotions.
In his weak and lonely years, when he could only eke out a living by possessing lower animals, this intelligent and powerful serpent became almost the only being Voldemort could call a "communicator," bringing him a twisted sense of comfort, like a special...
"Friend".
A subtle yet strong magical connection has been established between them.
Voldemort had made up his mind. Once he had accumulated more power, he would find an opportunity to kill someone, split off a piece of their soul, and merge it into Nagini's body, turning the other person into his Horcrux, so that they could live forever together and be companions forever!
But all of this was disrupted!
Why is Newt Scamander in this desolate wilderness?!
Rage and doubt scorched his weakened soul.
Just now, when he sensed Newt approaching and confronting Nagini from a distance, he had tried to use that special connection to send Nagini the order to attack.
Nagini seemed to respond at first, so why did the attack suddenly fail? How did Scamander dodge it?
Too far away, coupled with his extremely weakened soul and the limitations of possessing an ordinary viper's body, Voldemort did not see the magical light flashing on Newt's wrist and waist. He only saw Nagini pounce, and then be inexplicably subdued and taken away.
The years of studying Dark Magic and its corrosive effects on the soul, the pain and doubt of repeated failures, all fueled Voldemort's already unstable remnant soul.
The billowing black mist surged and spread, adding a chilling cold to the already frigid air in the surrounding area.
Last year at Hogwarts, in addition to the expected Harry Potter, a wretched boy named Lucien inexplicably appeared. After fighting him, Voldemort's soul became weaker and more unstable than before.
Now he can only try to possess small animals in the forest, but even the snakes, which are most compatible with him, cannot bear his dark and magical soul for long due to their fragile bodies, and he often collapses and dies within a few days.
Voldemort must find a way to accumulate enough life force to nourish and strengthen his soul as soon as possible. His goal remains to seize a real human body or find a way to reshape his physical body.
Nagini was part of his plan, a ready-made and powerful ally.
And the result?
How did Newt Scamander suddenly appear out of nowhere?!
A violent killing intent, like venom, spread through every corner of Voldemort's soul.
Wait for him, wait until the great Dark Lord has a physical body that can move freely, then find Newt Scamander, kill him in the most painful way, and then take back Nagini that belongs to him!
And that kid named Lucien...
The soul mist flickered violently.
All who stand in his way, all who bring him defeat and shame, deserve to die.
They all deserve to die...