Something was very wrong... very, very wrong. Hermione couldn't help but stand still, trembling, watching as the body of the boy began transforming. She wanted to shout that something was off, but the fear blocked every order from her brain to reach their destination. This was not an animagi transformation. They didn't destroy the clothes nor morphed the body. None that she knew about looked so painful to go through... this was something else and dark... she could feel it. It was as if another presence was emerging from his body, taking over the original flesh. Maybe even Fleur could sense it, as she had just stood there, watching until the dark, giant snake manifested before their eyes.
"It was such a long time since I had a body." It hissed, but of course, none of the girls could understand what Herpo was saying. "Temporary freedom... mhm... Distant memories are relived in a flash of a dream. Poetic... Be happy, my little descendant, that I am no longer the same as before, ahahahaha!"
"Don't look into its eyes!" Fleur cried out as everyone panicked, trying to avert their eyes, but Hermione just... couldn't. She already glanced into the basilisk's glowing, yellow eyes before she could move her head.
"I'm dead..." She whispered, wanting to cry, expecting pain or just darkness enveloping her... but nothing happened.
"As I said," Herpo hissed to himself, "Everyone should consider themselves lucky. Do you think someone like me can't control a basilisk's powers? I CREATED THEM!"
With another laugh, he flung his snake tale at them, blasting snow into the air, aiming to bury them under it. Brigitte was fast and managed to cast a shield charm, stepping before Hermione, while Elodie pulled her to the ground, afraid she was turned into stone. Luckily, she wasn't; she was simply numbed by fear.
"Die, Conrad Anguine!" Fleur roared, raising a platform from snow and ice, standing on it, holding a bag in her hand, throwing out not one but a dozen roosters.
"Anguine?" Hermione flinched as that name finally broke the 'spell' on her, replacing fear with confusion and astonishment.
"You are a stupid girl. Roosters may kill a basilisk, but I am not a basilisk. Does an animagus who took up the form of a dog really become a dog? Your understanding is weak and flawed." Herpo lectured her, standing still, letting his tail sweep the ground behind him while the roosters began crying in fear, realizing where they were.
It didn't take long for Fleur to realize the snake wasn't dying, although its face did morph a little, displaying his displeasure.
"Tsk... it still hurts and interferes with the transformation." He groaned, feeling that his body, meaning Conrad's body, wanted to turn back into a human, which would be really perilous right now.
"Attack! Idiots, attack him! Now!" Fleur screamed loudly, realizing something was wrong, and she herself used an explosion spell, aiming at the ancient wizard.
Finally, the rest of the girls also woke from their stupor, summoning spells, bombarding the giant snake's body, hearing it grunt and hiss, and seeing some of his scales fly off, revealing bleeding injuries underneath.
"He doesn't move... doesn't dodge..." Hermione whispered, lowering her wand and looking behind the snake, realizing why. It was shielding the unconscious elf and girl in the snow. It wasn't moving because then their spells would have hit them. He was... protecting them.
"Enough!" Herpo shouted, which sounded like a deep, dangerous hiss.
Next came a vomit of sizzling, dark acid, landing on the flock of roosters, melting them into the snow, leaving behind no bones nor feathers. It was followed by a surprisingly quick snap from its large body, just like how a cobra would attack its prey. Before anyone could see what had happened, the basilisk was already coiling around the bodies of Quincy and Squeaky, blood dripping from its body and mouth.
"AAAAAAAAH?!"
The shout belonged to Elodie, who was pointing at the raised platform Fleur was standing on previously. Half of it was missing, leaving behind nothing but a greenish sludge, sizzling, melting the ice. It was clear that the snake simply ate her... Maybe she already melted when she entered its mouth. Whatever the case was... Fleur Delacour was dead.
"We are going to die, we are going to die, we are going to die..." Brigitte murmured, falling to her knees, no longer bothering with looking into the basilisk's eye or not. It was a preferable death than what was waiting for them.
"Anguine? Your name is Anguine?!" Hermione asked, shouting and standing up, wanting to know it, watching as the giant snake raised the unconscious bodies from the snow, turning its giant head towards her.
"The kid's name, yes. Be lucky his heart does not see you as enemies. Or I would have killed you, too. Don't get in his way, or I will eat you just like I ate your friend. Even if I can't cast spells, I am the Father of the King of Snakes. Nobody can control them as I do." With that, he gathered the power in his blood, using Conrad as a conduit, evoking something similar to how the elves were using magic, and with a pop, they teleported away.
"What... what... what... was... it... saying?" Elodie asked, trembling and crying, falling to her knees, not even knowing she peed herself.
"I don't know..." Hermione answered, swaying, barely able to put things together before she finally fainted.
...
....
......
When I came to be, I was lying in a cave. It was cold and dark, and I could hear the wind howling outside. My body was freezing and hurting... and burning. When I looked down, I realized where the burning sensation came from. It was the hot blood flowing from my wounds.
"Quick... or you will die. Cast a spell to isolate the cave and ignite a fire."
"Herpo?" I mumbled, hearing his voice inside my head ever so faintly. Although I had many questions, it was no time to ask them. I did as asked, and soon, a fire was blazing, lighting up the cave we were in. "Quincy!" I shouted weakly, looking at her cold body, but to my relief, she was breathing. I hurriedly pulled her close to the fire, trying to warm her up.
"She will be fine. But..."
"Squeaky?" I asked, remembering, looking around, and noticing her small body... I could tell, from one glance, she was gone. Her eyes were still open, but her head was open at its back. She most likely died in the initial impact... "Tell me they are dead... tell me they died horribly, screaming for mercy... tell me the pain they felt was worse than anything Crucio could do to them..."
"The one named Fleur died, yes. The others survived."
"..."
"Control." He said, his voice becoming sharp momentarily, "Your decisions are being influenced by the basilisk blood within you. If you are not careful, you will end up the same way as the boy who ingested the dragon's blood. Then, you will slowly transform and lose your humanity to the will of the basilisk."
"..." I had to concentrate on what he was saying as I was watching Quincy, rubbing her body, trying to warm her up, not even registering my own pain. Anything, just to not think about Squeaky... everything was making me so angry that I was no longer cold. Instead, I was burning with rage. My spine hurt, my eyes hurt, everything hurt. It wasn't like it was coming from a specific wound on my body; it was coming from within my blood, cursing in my veins.
"Conrad, listen to me. Keep your blood in check. I can't come out again, not after so soon. It would kill you; you burnt away so much blood already."
"What... do you mean..." I asked, breathing with difficulty, trying to do as he said, reigning in my anger, refocusing my mind on something else.
"What I told you back then wasn't a lie. I am dead. I am only a memory within your blood. I can't return. I wasn't lying to you. If I did, it would consume your blood and you would die, simple as that. If not, I would have already been back long ago. Believe me, I tried in the past!" He chuckled, "But thousands of years give someone enough time to think and evaluate things."
"Where were you...? I haven't been sensing you... The feelings from before were gone. It only came back just now!"
"Because I let it come back." He said, and his voice was deep, lecturing and filled with warnings, "Those feelings are all from the basilisk. The anger and pain you used to feel? It's your wild blood, wanting to kill and destroy. It is a blood that carves to dominate others. It wants you to use it, to transform you into the King it perceives itself as. To make you the Emperor of Snakes."
"Am I turning into a basilisk?"
"In a way, yes. If you keep giving in. I have been blocking it for you as you are in a very vulnerable state right now. Letting you change and lose your humanity wasn't a good idea."
"..." I couldn't help but look at Squeaky again. If I had given in sooner... maybe she wouldn't have died.
"You know, I am in your head and can read your thoughts."
"You let me transform now... why?"
"It is better to risk it than to die. Plus, I know I could come out a little and bring you away. Listen well, Conrad! I will retreat again to not hurt you, but if anything, heed this one lesson of mine!"
"..."
"Control. If you use the blood within you, exercise ultimate control. Be the one that conquers and breaks the King. Don't become its servant, or you will become the snake. If you can control it, it will be your power. It will be active when you want it and dormant when you don't need it. Otherwise, there will be a day when you look into Quincy's eye as a human and turn her to stone..."
"...!"
I wanted to ask more, but I could no longer feel or hear him. It was only the howl of the wind outside of the cave that answered me. I just knelt there, naked, holding Quincy's head, facing the fire before us. So many things happened and so many things was my fault... thinking back, we were careless. We thought we were fine and just remembering all that we did... They found us because of me. Squeaky died because of me... What am I doing?
"Conrad...?"
When Quincy woke up, she immediately sat up, looking at me, beginning to get clothes and medicine out to treat me, but I couldn't help myself. I began sobbing, asking her to forgive me. I couldn't ask it from Squeaky, but I wanted to... I wanted to say so much but couldn't, and maybe it was something she did, but I suddenly felt sleepy, falling into a dreamless sleep all of a sudden.
Something was very wrong... very, very wrong. Hermione couldn't help but stand still, trembling, watching as the body of the boy began transforming. She wanted to shout that something was off, but the fear blocked every order from her brain to reach their destination. This was not an animagi transformation. They didn't destroy the clothes nor morphed the body. None that she knew about looked so painful to go through... this was something else and dark... she could feel it. It was as if another presence was emerging from his body, taking over the original flesh. Maybe even Fleur could sense it, as she had just stood there, watching until the dark, giant snake manifested before their eyes.
"It was such a long time since I had a body." It hissed, but of course, none of the girls could understand what Herpo was saying. "Temporary freedom... mhm... Distant memories are relived in a flash of a dream. Poetic... Be happy, my little descendant, that I am no longer the same as before, ahahahaha!"
"Don't look into its eyes!" Fleur cried out as everyone panicked, trying to avert their eyes, but Hermione just... couldn't. She already glanced into the basilisk's glowing, yellow eyes before she could move her head.
"I'm dead..." She whispered, wanting to cry, expecting pain or just darkness enveloping her... but nothing happened.
"As I said," Herpo hissed to himself, "Everyone should consider themselves lucky. Do you think someone like me can't control a basilisk's powers? I CREATED THEM!"
With another laugh, he flung his snake tale at them, blasting snow into the air, aiming to bury them under it. Brigitte was fast and managed to cast a shield charm, stepping before Hermione, while Elodie pulled her to the ground, afraid she was turned into stone. Luckily, she wasn't; she was simply numbed by fear.
"Die, Conrad Anguine!" Fleur roared, raising a platform from snow and ice, standing on it, holding a bag in her hand, throwing out not one but a dozen roosters.
"Anguine?" Hermione flinched as that name finally broke the 'spell' on her, replacing fear with confusion and astonishment.
"You are a stupid girl. Roosters may kill a basilisk, but I am not a basilisk. Does an animagus who took up the form of a dog really become a dog? Your understanding is weak and flawed." Herpo lectured her, standing still, letting his tail sweep the ground behind him while the roosters began crying in fear, realizing where they were.
It didn't take long for Fleur to realize the snake wasn't dying, although its face did morph a little, displaying his displeasure.
"Tsk... it still hurts and interferes with the transformation." He groaned, feeling that his body, meaning Conrad's body, wanted to turn back into a human, which would be really perilous right now.
"Attack! Idiots, attack him! Now!" Fleur screamed loudly, realizing something was wrong, and she herself used an explosion spell, aiming at the ancient wizard.
Finally, the rest of the girls also woke from their stupor, summoning spells, bombarding the giant snake's body, hearing it grunt and hiss, and seeing some of his scales fly off, revealing bleeding injuries underneath.
"He doesn't move... doesn't dodge..." Hermione whispered, lowering her wand and looking behind the snake, realizing why. It was shielding the unconscious elf and girl in the snow. It wasn't moving because then their spells would have hit them. He was... protecting them.
"Enough!" Herpo shouted, which sounded like a deep, dangerous hiss.
Next came a vomit of sizzling, dark acid, landing on the flock of roosters, melting them into the snow, leaving behind no bones nor feathers. It was followed by a surprisingly quick snap from its large body, just like how a cobra would attack its prey. Before anyone could see what had happened, the basilisk was already coiling around the bodies of Quincy and Squeaky, blood dripping from its body and mouth.
"AAAAAAAAH?!"
The shout belonged to Elodie, who was pointing at the raised platform Fleur was standing on previously. Half of it was missing, leaving behind nothing but a greenish sludge, sizzling, melting the ice. It was clear that the snake simply ate her... Maybe she already melted when she entered its mouth. Whatever the case was... Fleur Delacour was dead.
"We are going to die, we are going to die, we are going to die..." Brigitte murmured, falling to her knees, no longer bothering with looking into the basilisk's eye or not. It was a preferable death than what was waiting for them.
"Anguine? Your name is Anguine?!" Hermione asked, shouting and standing up, wanting to know it, watching as the giant snake raised the unconscious bodies from the snow, turning its giant head towards her.
"The kid's name, yes. Be lucky his heart does not see you as enemies. Or I would have killed you, too. Don't get in his way, or I will eat you just like I ate your friend. Even if I can't cast spells, I am the Father of the King of Snakes. Nobody can control them as I do." With that, he gathered the power in his blood, using Conrad as a conduit, evoking something similar to how the elves were using magic, and with a pop, they teleported away.
"What... what... what... was... it... saying?" Elodie asked, trembling and crying, falling to her knees, not even knowing she peed herself.
"I don't know..." Hermione answered, swaying, barely able to put things together before she finally fainted.
...
....
......
When I came to be, I was lying in a cave. It was cold and dark, and I could hear the wind howling outside. My body was freezing and hurting... and burning. When I looked down, I realized where the burning sensation came from. It was the hot blood flowing from my wounds.
"Quick... or you will die. Cast a spell to isolate the cave and ignite a fire."
"Herpo?" I mumbled, hearing his voice inside my head ever so faintly. Although I had many questions, it was no time to ask them. I did as asked, and soon, a fire was blazing, lighting up the cave we were in. "Quincy!" I shouted weakly, looking at her cold body, but to my relief, she was breathing. I hurriedly pulled her close to the fire, trying to warm her up.
"She will be fine. But..."
"Squeaky?" I asked, remembering, looking around, and noticing her small body... I could tell, from one glance, she was gone. Her eyes were still open, but her head was open at its back. She most likely died in the initial impact... "Tell me they are dead... tell me they died horribly, screaming for mercy... tell me the pain they felt was worse than anything Crucio could do to them..."
"The one named Fleur died, yes. The others survived."
"..."
"Control." He said, his voice becoming sharp momentarily, "Your decisions are being influenced by the basilisk blood within you. If you are not careful, you will end up the same way as the boy who ingested the dragon's blood. Then, you will slowly transform and lose your humanity to the will of the basilisk."
"..." I had to concentrate on what he was saying as I was watching Quincy, rubbing her body, trying to warm her up, not even registering my own pain. Anything, just to not think about Squeaky... everything was making me so angry that I was no longer cold. Instead, I was burning with rage. My spine hurt, my eyes hurt, everything hurt. It wasn't like it was coming from a specific wound on my body; it was coming from within my blood, cursing in my veins.
"Conrad, listen to me. Keep your blood in check. I can't come out again, not after so soon. It would kill you; you burnt away so much blood already."
"What... do you mean..." I asked, breathing with difficulty, trying to do as he said, reigning in my anger, refocusing my mind on something else.
"What I told you back then wasn't a lie. I am dead. I am only a memory within your blood. I can't return. I wasn't lying to you. If I did, it would consume your blood and you would die, simple as that. If not, I would have already been back long ago. Believe me, I tried in the past!" He chuckled, "But thousands of years give someone enough time to think and evaluate things."
"Where were you...? I haven't been sensing you... The feelings from before were gone. It only came back just now!"
"Because I let it come back." He said, and his voice was deep, lecturing and filled with warnings, "Those feelings are all from the basilisk. The anger and pain you used to feel? It's your wild blood, wanting to kill and destroy. It is a blood that carves to dominate others. It wants you to use it, to transform you into the King it perceives itself as. To make you the Emperor of Snakes."
"Am I turning into a basilisk?"
"In a way, yes. If you keep giving in. I have been blocking it for you as you are in a very vulnerable state right now. Letting you change and lose your humanity wasn't a good idea."
"..." I couldn't help but look at Squeaky again. If I had given in sooner... maybe she wouldn't have died.
"You know, I am in your head and can read your thoughts."
"You let me transform now... why?"
"It is better to risk it than to die. Plus, I know I could come out a little and bring you away. Listen well, Conrad! I will retreat again to not hurt you, but if anything, heed this one lesson of mine!"
"..."
"Control. If you use the blood within you, exercise ultimate control. Be the one that conquers and breaks the King. Don't become its servant, or you will become the snake. If you can control it, it will be your power. It will be active when you want it and dormant when you don't need it. Otherwise, there will be a day when you look into Quincy's eye as a human and turn her to stone..."
"...!"
I wanted to ask more, but I could no longer feel or hear him. It was only the howl of the wind outside of the cave that answered me. I just knelt there, naked, holding Quincy's head, facing the fire before us. So many things happened and so many things was my fault... thinking back, we were careless. We thought we were fine and just remembering all that we did... They found us because of me. Squeaky died because of me... What am I doing?
"Conrad...?"
When Quincy woke up, she immediately sat up, looking at me, beginning to get clothes and medicine out to treat me, but I couldn't help myself. I began sobbing, asking her to forgive me. I couldn't ask it from Squeaky, but I wanted to... I wanted to say so much but couldn't, and maybe it was something she did, but I suddenly felt sleepy, falling into a dreamless sleep all of a sudden.
