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1910- Pura Tanah Lot Temple, Beraban Village, Bali
The Holy Priest looked at the shivering girl in front of him with compassion itched on his aged face.
“Aanya...” He started softly.
Tears slid down the young witch’s eyes as she hugged her newborn to her bosom:”Please tell me, Your Reverence. Is she the girl of the prophecy? I saw the mark of the snake on her nape the moment Mama bought her to me.”
The Holy Priest smiled sadly and nodded:’’This girl is the manifestation of the Snake Goddess, she is a blessed child of Mother Magic, the most awaited one. She will suffer a lot, but her last sacrifice will invoke the safety and welfare of the Wizarding World.”
“But…” Aanya choked on her tears, sniffing the baby’s soft neck.
“She will be called Nagini, from nāga. She is the last of her kind, the one the stars foretold of millennia ago. She will spend her life waxing and waning through her pain, every transformation taking a bit of her soul, until she is no more. But…”
Aanya’s sobs made The Holy Priest’s heart bleed, but as Mother Magic’s messenger, he must tell the truth and nothing but the truth.
Alas, in that moment he sought to relieve some of her anxiety, for he understood that a mother’s heart was always so pure and he didn’t enjoy seeing her wishes shatter to no avail.
“Do not fear child. After she dissolves into the darkness, Mother Magic shall breathe in the lost dust of Nagini’s soul. There would be a love so pure, so selfless, even the stars shall envy. Her path is paved with thorns and bathed in blood, but Death will be her salvation.”
Aanya wiped her red eyes and kissed her newborn’s forehead, seeming resolved to her fate:”What should I do? You know that the villagers won’t leave her alone if they learn of her true nature. They won’t let her step out of the temple, they’ll try to pay their reverence and suffocate her with their awe and worship.”
The Holy Priest waved his hand and his Sacred Kris hovered in the air.
“I will mark her, for only blood shall save her from this cursed life. When the time is right, Nagini will come back and bless this place again. For now, let the water guide her. Her destiny lies far away from here.”
Aanya’s eyes pleaded with him one last time, alas, she read the truth in his wise black eyes.
“Her trip is going to be a long one. She will sail against all odds and explore unexpected lands, not of her choice. She shall unfortunately fall victim and find herself lost over and over again. Her anchor shall fail to work and her spirit and strength shall fall flat in the face of a Dark foe, but the Child of Death, so audacious, so pure of heart, shall remind her of her aims and aspirations and the Maledictus’ scales shall glitter and shine again.”
The Holy Priest’s Kris cut above the newborn heart, nothing deep, just enough to collect a single drop of blood.
He levitated the drop with something akin to reverence and smeared it on the Temple’s main entrance.
“This place shall recognize her when she comes back. It will be the time when her destiny is fulfilled. Do not fret my child, you are great and Mother Magic shall never forget your sacrifice. Let the Giant Snake dwell elsewhere, it’s time to set her free.’’
Aanya nodded and with shaking hands, put the sleeping girl in the wooden basket The Holy Priest conjured.
With one last look, she let the sea take the little girl to her destiny, praying that Mother Magic’s Blessing would never leave her.
Her child, her heart, her little Nagini.
1927, Circus Arcanus, Paris.
Nagini sighed as she massaged her abused limbs. What many didn’t know, was that every single transformation was very painful for her kind.
Alas, she had no choice.
Skender, the cruel ringmaster who managed to abduct her from the orphanage and bind her to his will with a Blood Ritual, didn’t care about her welfare.
For him, she was the featured attraction of his traveling troop, the money-bringer.
She couldn’t help but hope that Credence would fulfill his promise and set her free. He was the only one she knew of capable of such feat.
A solid bond formed between them due to their dark past: Nagini the cursed Malidectus, who knew nothing of her family, of her origins and Credence Barebone, the Obscurial struggling to suppress his true nature while the whole world was set to unveil the monster lurking inside.
Credence, whose dearest wish was to find the truth about his past.
A Small Flat Near Eiffel Tower
Nagini smiled as she watched Credence caring for the little chick that appeared all of a sudden.
As part creature, she felt the power inside the small chick and suspected what kind of splendid bird it would grow to become.
If what she heard, thanks her travels, was true, a phoenix only appeared when a soul had a dire need of its aid.
Few wizarding families had close ties with the majestic birds.
Her eyes followed the motion of his hand, fascinated by the gentleness few witnessed before.
Every move he made was fluid, graceful, like a big cat on the prowl.
It was only when he raised a brow that she realized she’d been staring.
Fighting a blush, she murmured:’’You’re thinking again.’’
Credence sighed and dropped his head against the wall :’’I am tired. I thought that my meeting with Irma Dugard will give me the answers I seek. I wish I was the lost Corvus Lestrange. However, it was not meant to be.”
Nagini knelt next to him and patted his shoulder:”Don’t give up. I’m sure you’ll find out about your parents eventually.”
There was a stillness to him that made her want to cover the space between them and stroke his hand. Perhaps touch would achieve what words hadn’t.
“I have to meet Grindelwald.” The statement was absolute and she froze.
“Credence.” She pleaded as she met his eyes.
They were unflinching and eerily devastated and she knew she lost him for good.
And how true she was.
⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱
Nagini’s tears slid silently down her cheeks as Credence crossed the Ring of Fire.
A pained sob erupted from her throat as she ran into the action and tried to latch on him before it was too late.
However, Yusuf Kama clutched her arm.
She tried to move, but found herself unable to do so, limbs and extremities frozen in place.
“It’s too late.” The grim wizard said coldly, his conviction echoing crystal clear amid the chaos.
She railed mentally, able to do little more than stare. Her gut twisted as reality struck.
She lost her best friend, the wizard she fancied for over a year.
She slumped against Kama’s chest and closed her eyes as he raised her wand, preparing to apparate them to safety.
Their paths diverged, and she knew hers lied with Scamander and the others.
So, she traveled to Hogwarts where Dumbledore awaited them.
Unknown to her, soon, the man she underwent her final transformation for, in a desperate bid to help, should become her worst enemy.
1994- Tropojë, Albania
The magnificent Burmese Python slid through the forest floor, uncaring of the creatures’ whispers echoing around.
It had been years since a witch called Nagini lost herself to the snake’s spirit, the curse too great to fight.
Once upon a time, she was a good girl who tried to help. She saw friends and loved ones die, she experienced petrifying fear and raw agony.
She witnessed her best friend forfeit the fight against his Obscurial nature.
At least, he achieved his goal and spent his last days in his father’s arms.
The snake sniffed the air, feeling the disturbance and become one with the foliage thanks to her dark green scales.
Something bad lurked in the shadows, her instincts told her.
She tried to push aside the tension creeping up her body, brought by the knowledge that she was in danger.
Sadly, it was too late.
The last thing she remembered was a whispered:’’This is perfect.”, before she lost all awareness and control.
It was the day a malevolent piece latched on her and what little remained of Nagini, the pure hearted witch, was lost for good.
It was the day she became the Seventh Horcrux.
May 1998, Hogwarts
Nagini bared her fangs as the tall boy called Longbottom chased her with a sword clutched firmly between his hands.
She knew these people meant to kill her, her Master warned her before, like she knew she must survive to protect her Master’s precious soul.
She was his beloved, his last treasure and would never yield or give up on the soul at her hub.
The determined boy swung the sword again as she prepared to strike.
It seemed she was so tired from the chase, for she couldn’t avoid the hit fast enough.
⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱
Nagini woke groggy and disoriented in the Forbidden Forest’s floor, curled into herself, half tangled in the dark green robes she was wearing.
Her mind was foggy and numerous flashes kept passing through her eyes.
She saw the moment Newt Scamander patted her head before she decided to undergo her last transformation.
She saw the moment Credence was bestowed his true identity, the moment his true nature managed to finally poison him.
She saw the moment she wandered the forests, travelling far away, swallowing her pain and her grief.
She saw the moment she decided to settle in Albania for a while.
She remembered the moment a malicious presence disturbed the peace and void surrounding her. The moment Voldemort possessed her and took her free will.
Identifiable memories and emotions resurfaced with the same fevered intensity and Nagini couldn’t contain her sobs anymore.
Disgust and shame flashed across her face as she remembered the things she did, the horrors she caused.
Her body was the same as the day she transformed, still young and beautiful.
But her soul had aged drastically.
She wanted to scratch her skin and gorge her eyes out for the flashes she was re-living were so gross, so horrible.
Her pulse thudded in her veins and fear throbbed against the unblemished skin of her throat as she wondered about her destiny.
Why was Fates so cruel?
Why did they bring her back, now that she sinned beyond any redemption?
She would’ve welcomed Death with open arms.
She would’ve thanked the Longbottom boy from the depths of her heart for only death could wash her misdeeds.
Silence rang around her, but the sound of hoofs made her stiffen.
As she raised her blurry eyes, she met the unblinking gaze of a blond, ethereally beautiful Centaur.
“Raise nāga. The time to bow and hide in the shadows is over.” He offered nonchalantly, his eyes reflecting the moonlight.
“But…Who are you?” She trailed her eyes around, clutching the dry grass.
“I am Firenze. The stars foretold your story years ago. You paid your debt and your blood was cleansed. Raise nāga, it’s your time now.”
Before she could utter another world, he galloped away.
Pain flashed across her face as she forced her weak limbs to carry her body up.
She swallowed thickly and she massaged the center of her chest.
The loss of the Horcrux was still a bleeding wound and she knew it would take time to get over what transpired for the last years.
As she pondered about her next step, she heard a familiar thrilling.
Nagini balked, moving away as Fawkes’ feathers glowed bright gold.
The phoenix regarded her as if he was gauging her worth, before he let some ashes over her shivering body.
She shuddered when he sat over her shoulder and nuzzled her wet cheek.
She heard a gasp and her blood ran cold as none other than Harry James Potter studied her with bewildered eyes.
She winced the moment he asked hoarsely:”Who are you?”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Thanks to Luna, Harry managed to escape the crazed crowds.
He didn’t fancy their congratulations and embellished words.
How could they expect him to be happy when he was grieving?
When he just underwent the most gut wrenching experience a wizard could have?
Bloody hell, he died!
He died for them.
He took a Killing Curse at point-blank, suffered another riddled conversation with the old coot and came back.
He met…
He met his parents, Sirius, Remus…
He sent the ceiling a scathing look as he took in his surroundings.
Even his old room in Gryffindor Tower felt twisted and defiled. It was the same, yet it left him confused and uncomfortable.
He knew he had to leave, he had to seek comfort in the stillness of Grimmalud Place, where his sweetest memories lied.
Where the voice of bygone dear ones called, where the pride that was borne from deep within filled every nook and corner.
It was where his heart belonged.
He clutched his newly fixed Holly wand and prepared to sneak around, when a bright flash almost blinded him.
His eyes widened as he recognized the intruder.
“Fawkes?” He wheezed.
It had been over a year since anyone saw or heard anything about Dumbledore’s phoenix.
Everyone thought that after his companion’s demise, the legendary bird travelled away, lost to his grief and loss.
Fawkes thrilled sadly before he hovered in front of him.
His beady, way too intelligent eyes enticed him to look into them and he heard the words in his head:’Follow me.’
Harry sighed. Too much for fleeing before Hermione caught him.
However, he couldn’t ignore the friend who saved him too many times to count.
So, he nodded and threw the Cloak over himself.
Harry followed Fawkes through the deserted corridors. It seemed his sharp friend sensed his need for some time alone.
Finally, they reached the Forbidden Forest.
Harry frowned:’’Fawkes?”
But the bird chirped again and kept fluttering his wings.
As they crossed a respectable part of the forest, they came open a clearing and Harry suspected it was the same place where he confronted Voldemort few hours ago.
He gaped as he noticed a girl, looking around seeming lost.
Her long dark hair fell over her back like a silky curtain.
As Fawkes landed on her shoulder, she stiffened, before a sad smile adorned her red lips.
Harry froze as he beheld the girl standing in front of him.
Recognition coloured her slanted dark eyes and she seemed flustered.
Her elegant hands shook and he felt her trepidation and feared that she might bolt at any given opportunity.
“Who are you?’’ He blurted, because he was a Potter and his need to pry was weaved with his very being.
The girl gulped and averted her gaze, before she whispered:”I’m Nagini.’’
Good Godric, did the last fight turn his brain to mush?
“I beg your pardon? I meant…’’ He tried again.
She shook her head and nodded firmly:’’I am Nagini, the one you knew as Voldemort’s pet snake.”
Harry’s gaze trailed over the gorgeous creature standing in front of him.
Since he frequented this crazy, unhinged world, he learned to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
But, the thought of this…woman being what used to be ‘Nagini’ rankled him.
He dredged up the picture of the poisonous snake, trying to hold it away.
This girl was too delicate, too fragile, too…human.
“Aw…” He gasped in shock as Fawkes slapped him with a flutter of his wing and when he heard her muffled chuckle, he muttered unhappily:”Bloody chicken…”
Nagini’s eyes seemed cleared as she drew nearer.
She took a deep breath, before she said in a small voice:”I am indeed Nagini and I’m sorry for all the grief I caused you and yours. However, you should understand that the choice was never mine. I am a Maledictus, the last of my kind from what I heard. Would you care to hear my story?”
The sadness her voice carried tugged at his heart, and without thinking, because he never did actually, he offered:”Come with me.”
When her eyes widened in fear and betrayal, he raised his hands:’’No! Not that. Fawkes trusts you and I never found fault with his judgment. I am knackered and I want to take a rest, so I’m heading to my home. If you want, you can tag along.”
He suspected she had no place, no one to seek so the choice wasn’t really a hard one to make.
“Will it be alright?” She asked, raking a shaking hand over her shiny hair.
“Yes. We can rest, have a bite and talk. Maybe I’ll be able to help you, you know with me being the Man Who Won and all that.” He snorted and her smile made him giddy.
He didn’t know why, but it was the first time he was comfortable in the presence of a girl of his age. Even though he suspected she was way older than what she looked.
“Alright. And….thank you.”
Before he could respond, Fawkes chirped and flashed them away.
Bloody flaming chicken.
⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱
Harry resigned himself to the fact that his life was a whirlwind of crazy happenings.
It was the way Fate meant for it to be.
He was barely able to wrap his fried mind around Nagini’s story, a story filled with betrayal, pain and loss.
A tragedy so reminiscent of his.
A strange hum crept over his skin, warming him on the inside as he stared at her face, studying her closely.
She was beautiful: delicate, dark haired, brown-eyed, pale-skinned.
She seemed shocked by what transpired that night as well, but it was fleeting.
A sense of camaraderie overwhelmed him for this girl not only shared a similar disturbed past, but she shared his burden as well.
She shared his curse for years, Voldemort’s filthy shard sullying her pure soul.
Harry stood from his armchair, intending to walk away from the confining place.
He thought that his godfather’s home would bring him warmth, but Nagini’s story filled him with frustration.
He wanted to get his hands on Skender, who abused her for years.
Credence Barebone, who left his best friend and ignored her heart, seeking a shadow, a lie.
Dumbledore, who failed to protect the Maledictus and encouraged her to fight, knowing that every transformation brought her closer to her demise.
And finally, Voldemort…
The noseless bastard had it too easy, he regretted finishing him off with a …
“What now?” Her tired voice poured water over the inferno wanting to erupt from the depths of his soul.
“You can stay here as long as you wish. Kreacher will take care of you and I’ll keep you company, that is if you want of course. I won’t tell anyone until you’re ready, or never if you don’t want me to.” Harry swallowed thickly and Nagini’s eyes shone with unshed tears.
“Thank you. You’re very kind Harry Potter, despite all what I…”
“Not your fault!” Harry cut her abruptly, knowing beforehand where she was going, “Listen to me Nagini, our lives were strangely so similar. I was saddled with this prophecy since birth while you were cursed into a half-life. Please, rest at ease and let’s try to forget what transpired all these years. Let’s start over.”
He offered her his hand and Nagini took it with something akin to worship.
“Let me show you to your room.”
And just like that, with a small kind gesture, Harry James Potter, a saviour through and through, set the pace for two wounded hearts to heal.
Two tortured souls that did not need tangible repair, but rather someone who understood.
A Month Later, Grimmauld Place
Harry woke muzzy and confused, nestled inside the warm, downy bed with thick, lush blankets courtesy of Kreacher.
He shifted his legs and went still as he slowly realized that the weight around his waist was an arm, the small tendrils of air against his nape were the softest of exhalations, and the lean appendage intertwined between his knees was a leg.
He shuddered before he reprimanded himself and hurried to disentangle their entwined legs.
This happenstance became a daily thing. The way he woke up since he brought Nagini with him.
After he showed her to what used to be Hermione’s room that fated night, he took a shower and jumped into his own bed.
Too tired, he drifted to sleep at once.
Only, for someone to stir him hesitantly few hours later.
As he opened his eyes, he noticed how weary Nagini looked as she asked:’’Can I stay with you tonight? I won’t bother you, I swear. It’s just…”
Without hearing any other word, he lifted the blankets and offered:’’I know, it’s the loss of the Horcrux. I feel it too.”
She nodded eagerly and hopped in.
And did so every single night after.
Harry was tired of fighting the stirring in his heart he felt for the witch.
He knew that what was blossoming between them surpassed the past they shared and the piece they lost.
He enjoyed the time he spent with her, relished in the sense of quietness and calmness he missed all his life.
He laughed and listened carefully as she related her adventures and mishaps, as she recounted a journey long lost in time.
Everything about Nagini, the witch, the woman was ensnaring and bewitching.
Thankfully, with the cogent bond they forged since the night they met, he recognized the way her feelings mirrored his own.
He had been really too ignorant and elementary, for neither Cho Chang nor Ginny Weasley would’ve fitted into his life.
He needed someone who shared his struggles, who lived them firsthand and saw the man behind the mask.
The truth and not the reflection.
The reality and not the embellished dream.
He turned around softly, as not to startle her and his lips twitched as his eyes locked with her eerily hypnotizing, slanted ones.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” He whispered against the tender spot beneath her ear, nuzzling the hair that was now hanging loose around her shoulders.
Her nearness was like Amortentia, intoxicating and debilitating.
Rational thought went out the window, replaced by pure need and a longing he had yet to experience for a woman.
To be sure, Ginny had tried to engage him in more daring endeavours.
However, she hadn’t been able to ignite this fire in his veins or bring his sensual side rushing to the surface in anticipation.
He shouldn’t feel this way for her so soon, yet for some inexplicable reason, he did.
He had heard of such things from Sirius, who claimed he became a totally different person every time he discovered a witch he fancied.
He insisted the emotions and needs were a living thing, something he couldn’t control even if he tried.
The reminder sent Harry into a frenzied heat.
He struggled to make a decision when Nagini came over his body, grasped his hand in hers and settled her weight between his thighs.
Her voice came out husky with need as she moved closer and whispered against his lips:’’I don’t want to fight this anymore Harry. I…I like you. But if…”
She tried to go away when he remained still.
But Harry wasn’t the swiftest seeker Hogwarts had ever seen for nothing.
With agility born from his training and his trials, he switched their positions, caging her against the soft mattress.
His face descended, eyes locked with hers.
He knew what she was allowing, yet he acknowledged that she should have a choice nevertheless.
He stifled a groan of want as a tremor shook them.
Their eyes met, and he froze, seeing the mutual desire burning inside the pools of chocolate brown.
At that particular moment, all he wanted to know was if she tasted as good as she smelled.
Her eyelids slid shut when his mouth found hers.
Her full lips were incredibly soft, and her taste was addictive, spicy, and totally feminine.
She responded without being asked, parting her lips, and moaned when his tongue darted inside, tempting her further.
She didn’t struggle or fight, instead she brought her fingers down to touch and explore the smooth skin at his shoulders.
His muscles flexed under her hands.
He felt warm and whole for the first time since he could recall.
As she squirmed beneath him, Harry lifted his head, kissed her hot cheeks and whispered:”I think I love you.”
Nagini gasped, before quiet sobs shook her.
He was about to apologize and start to mend what he seemingly broke, when her shaking arms latched over his neck, bringing them chest to chest.
Her lips trembled against his neck as she breathed:’’I love you too, Harry. Thank you for saving me, but more importantly, thank you for accepting me.”
The last thing he remembered before he dropped his head again, stroke her silky throat and surrendered to his want was Fawkes chirping happily from the opened window, the morning light making his feathers glow like orange flames.
They both deserved a happy ending, so why not chose themselves for once?
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Few Months Later- Pura Tanah Lot Temple, Beraban Village, Bali
Nagini clutched Harry’s hand as they took steady steps inside the temple.
The past months were...heaven.
For the first time in her life, she felt wanted, needed, alive.
Her past was a part of her, something she would never forget. But she started to enjoy her present.
Harry took her to meet the Weasleys, his surrogate family, and introduced her as a foreign witch he met while wandering in Diagon Alley.
He avoided telling them her name or anything pertaining her past.
Hermione Granger looked at them smugly and mouthed:”Good luck.” And Ginny Weasley wouldn’t stop glaring at them.
Harry told her he took the witch aside after the battle, when she tried to kiss him, and tried to reason with her that their relationship was a fleeting thing, a children’s infatuation.
Alas, it seemed the stubborn redhead didn’t get it yet.
Mrs Weasley welcomed her with open arms, more so after she witnessed how skilled she was in the kitchen.
All in all she was satisfied with her new acquaintances, even knowing it was mostly thanks to Fawkes who wouldn’t leave her shoulder.
All the Light followers understood the meaning of gaining a phoenix’ loyalty, hence no one could begrudge Harry his choice.
August the second, was the day she saw a weird dream, one she recognized as an invitation.
The next morning, she asked Harry to purchase a portkey to Bali.
A heady feeling of magic welcomed her and she gasped as a transient pain awoke in the old scar she had above her left breast.
When she looked down, her brows furrowed as she noticed the drop of blood seeping through her white summer dress.
“What’s the matter, love?” Harry inquired.
“I…I’m bleeding but nothing hurt me…” The thought added to the strange feeling she was beginning to experience.
Without waiting, Harry flicked his wand out. But before he could whisper an ‘Episkey’, someone cleared his throat.
Her love stood in front of her, always shielding her from the world even though she was older, and probably wiser, and they both froze.
Apprehension caused their skin to prickle as an old wizard, with a suffocating aura faced them.
“Welcome back nāga.” He offered kindly.
Harry tried to steer her further back, wand at the ready.
The wizard waved his hand and the doors were slammed shut, caging them inside.
“Do not fear my child, for I mean no harm. I am The Holy Priest of this temple.”
Nagini’s eyes widened.
Even though she never set eyes on this place before, she visited many places all over Asia and heard about the Reverent wizard.
She bowed her head respectfully and Harry followed suit, even though the tension didn’t leave his shoulders.
“Come and take a seat. I waited so long for you.”
They acquiesced and he faced them, taking a Lotus Pose.
“I called for you through the Dream Realm. I know how much you want to know about your past, not unlike your friend Credence.”
Nagini gulped and Harry took her hand in his, massaging it gently and sending calming tendrils of his soothing magic.
The Holy Priest’s eyes became stark white as he looked into hers and Nagini saw it all.
Her mother’s struggles, the prophecy, her fate as the last Maledictus, her mission to help end this war by housing the last shard of Voldemort’s vile soul.
Her mind recoiled as it welcomed the influx of information.
Yet, she knew she had to endure.
She had to learn the truth about her existence, about this heavy burden Mother Magic saddled her with.
She slumped against Harry’s chest as The Holy Priest closed his eyes.
She felt the gentle kiss her love left over her snake tattoo.
“Everything is over now, my child. It was a road paved with thorns, but it led you to Harry Potter, your destined one, the other half of your soul.” The Holy Priest’s voice was hoarse and bordering on pitiful and it became a struggle to nod.
Harry massaged her nape and she dropped her head.
Yes, she understood.
All this was a journey that guided her to Harry Potter, the keeper of her heart.
Fawkes landed on her shoulder and she smiled as she heard Harry’s muttered curse.
“Nothing is lost my child. Fawkes still cries Credence and Dumbledore’s tears, for those we love never leave us. Your best friend and the man you swore your loyalty to slighted you in the past, but they’re still here. Unseen, unheard, yet always close, looking over you because you had always been loved. You had always been the cherished daughter of Mother Magic.”
The priest smiled at Harry then:’’I sent you a request too, Child of Death. Did you fulfill your task?”
Harry cleared his throat and she spun her head, looking into his emerald green eyes.
Eyes filled with love and selflessness.
“Yes, Your Reverence.” He stuttered a bit, reminding her of the gentle boy behind the tough, war scarred hero.
“Then let’s proceed. Nagini, from this day on you are reborn. You are no longer the cursed nāga. You are a free witch, a beloved wife and a future mother. As your other half, I asked Harry to choose a new name for you that will mark your new beginning.” The Holy Priest laughed at her widened eyes and his eyes softened as he carried on:”Nagini was hampered by a bad fate. She is not you anymore. Accept your new name with an open heart and remember, this is your home. You’re always welcome here, my dear child.”
The Holy Priest disappeared in a shimmer of light and Harry cradled her closer to his heaving chest.
She heard the way his heart beat like crazy and fingered the buttons of his shirt as she murmured:”So, a new name?”
He breathed and her head swam as he ran his cheek against hers:”Come with me.”
He steered to the cave by the beach on the opposite side and they glanced at the enticing view of the sun as it sat magnificently behind Tanah Lot Temple.
Harry struggled for a moment, before he licked his dry lips, encouraged by her smile:’’You know that I don’t know much about the Indonesian or the Asian culture for the matter. But I did my research nevertheless. I didn’t even seek Hermione’s help, imagine?”
They both chuckled at his affronted expression.
His fingers fisted in the strands of her flowing hair, tugging against her scalp, and urged her closer.
She rested her forehead against his as he whispered against her lips:’’Nainika, the pupil of my eye.”
Sucking in a deep breath, she pulled him flash against her and her mouth sealed over his waiting lips.
His low curse made her want to grin.
A novice in love they might be, but apparently they were doing something right.
She knew that she would forever carry this thunder and lightning in that space between her bones and soul.
She had to face the storm of her misdeeds everyday, but a hurricane would never run from the rain, not when the lightning was firmly on her side.