Nagini's serpentine eyes glowed scarlet beside Voldemort's feet, and she flicked out her slender tongue excitedly.
Her enormous body scraped against the ground with a rustling sound.
"Don't even think about it!" Sirius unleashed a spell straight at Nagini, but Voldemort intercepted it halfway.
"Patience, Black."
Voldemort flicked the Elder Wand, sending a jet of pitch-black light at Sirius in an instant. Sirius barely managed to raise his wand to block it, but the force of the spell lifted him off his feet and hurled him into the crowd, where Remus caught him.
Although the spell had been deflected, its effect seemed to have spread along the wand to Sirius. A stream of black energy rapidly spread over his entire body.
"If you want to die, I'll oblige you, but not yet."
"Besides." Voldemort raised his eyes to the furious crowd. "You wouldn't want those children you're protecting behind you to lose their lives, would you? Hmm?"
The Death Eaters behind Voldemort raised their wands with vicious grins, the green light unique to the Killing Curse flickering faintly at their tips.
No one dared make a rash move. They could only watch in grief and anger as the snake slithered toward Neville and Harry, flicking her tongue and leaving a trail of scale patterns on the stone floor.
Su Er's eyes, however, lit up in the crowd.
An opportunity. Nagini had finally left Voldemort's side.
Both sides were watching Nagini. A sob came from beside Su Er as Ginny covered her mouth and buried her head in Mrs. Weasley's arms.
Voldemort's attention was on Nagini too. Now, Harry wouldn't just let Nagini eat Neville, would he?
Su Er watched the situation unfold, quietly slipping his other hand into his pocket.
"Oh, gently," a voice sounded in his mind.
Closer, closer.