The Hidden Snake of the Lions (Harry Potter SI): Chapter 8

“Ok, let's try this one more time. Are you ready?”

Vritra just gave me an annoyed glance before going back to sleep on the floor, making me give her a wry smile.

I could understand her annoyance.

Ever since I finally got my wand, I have been working non-stop to refine my control and re-learn all the spells that I knew, the legal ones.

As for the spells that were illegal in my time but I still ended up learning, I decided to postpone messing with them until I got to Hogwarts and accessed the Room of Requirements.

I cannot afford to be thrown in the Azkaban because I stupidly messed with cruel curses like Imperio or Crucio while under the public eye.

Shaking my head, I concentrated back on my magic and pointed my wand at Vritra, using the wand moments that I had long since forgotten because of how redundant they had become in the latter part of my old life.

Want movements, and spells in general, become easier to use the more experienced a Wizard becomes is said spell.

For example, I remember that I had become so proficient in certain spells that I didn’t even need my wand to cast them back then. Even my Ancient Magic proficiency had become so potent that what required great effort from the Keepers of old, I could do with but a thought.

Professor Rackham had even said that I had surpassed Isidora Morganach by that point in terms of my Ancient Magic potency.

Unfortunately, that is no longer the situation now, especially since the potency of my magic in this life has increased by several fold, which also played into why I found it so hard to fine-tune my control to what it used to be.

Once the slow and deliberate wand movement was completed, according to my memory, I spoke out the incantation.

“Engorgio!”

Magic shot out of my wand, intertwining with Vritra, who excitedly raised her head, feeling that my spell this time had finally succeeded.

In front of my very eyes, her body started to grow larger and larger, until the below average-sized Grass Snake grew to the size of an Anaconda.

She excitedly hissed and inspected her body, wrapping her body around me and resting her head on my own.

I chuckled as she sent images of contentment with her hisses and started scratching her massive head.

“You do know I’ll have to return you back to your original form, right? We can’t have the emergency services called on us and make national news when someone finds you like this.”

Immediately, the massive snake started to hiss in warning at my words and glared at me. But I knew that all of this was just her way of whining at my words.

“Don’t be a baby. Once we get to Hogwarts, you can do whatever you want. I’ll even let you grow into this size over there.”

That managed to convince my unruly baby, making her move away from me and back to her original place.

Once again, I made slow and deliberate moves with my Wand and spoke out the counter spell for the Engorgement charm.

“Reducio!”

Just like before, magic shot out of my wand and engulfed my snake, turning her back to her original form, and then kept shrinking her.

Vritra’s eyes widened in panic as she watched her body shrink to become nearly half of what she originally was while I watched with amusement.

“…..I guess I’ll have to work on that spell for a bit.”

Vritra’s panicked hisses filled my room as I could not help but laugh out.

She was always very conscious about her size since she was probably the runt of her litter. Not that her already below average size had gone down even more, her panic was bordering on hysteria.

I picked up the now pocket-sized snake and placed her on my bed.

“It’s alright. The effects of the spell should wear off in a day or two at most.”

That did not help her calm down, as I believed. Instead, she started to nudge my wand arm towards my arm as the images of her enlarged form filled my mind with her hisses, indicating what she wanted me to do.

“Sorry, girl. But we can’t risk using any more magic today. The wards I made with my Ancient Magic were already at their limit, keeping the tracking charm on my wand at bay. If I use any more spells, there is a really high chance that I’ll be expelled from Hogwarts before I even arrive.”

Once again, her distress was transmitted to my mind through her hisses as she sulked and silently slithered into my pocket.

I really did want to help her, but what I said is the truth.

Things have changed considerably in the wizarding world from my time, according to the many books I got from Diagon Alley.

Many, many things that were considered acceptable in my time have been outright banned nowadays.

For starters, Making Potions is no longer something that any wizard can indulge in. While it was regulated even in my time, it was seen more as a common art that any wizard or witch worth their salt should know. Now? It is viewed as a dangerous art that requires proper certification or a potion master to watch over the maker.

This meant that many of the usual Potions that I depend on for my combat needs are locked behind a certification for which I can’t even apply until I am a fifth-year student at Hogwarts.

And then there are the rules regarding Magical Creatures. Specifically, how stringent Hogwarts has become towards what pet a student can or cannot bring.

Back in the day, we were literally allowed to choose any creature that we felt our magic bond with.

Now, we are only allowed to choose from three. An Owl, A Toad, or a Cat. From what I read, there are exceptions to the rule, but they are so rare that they require the student to fill out very tiresome and long paperwork.

Not to mention that owning a Magical Creature is straight up banned for a first-year student.

A shame, considering that I was about to get an Occamy for myself once I figured out how to get back the key to my inheritance from the Headmaster.

If only Poppy was here. She would have torn the Ministry a new one for creating such a rule.

……Or maybe it was she who came up with this rule in the first place? Honestly, it could go either way with what I know of that girl and her childhood.

There is a reason why the Poaching of Magical Creatures has gone down hard ever since this rule was invoked and the sale of Magical Creatures and their parts became highly regulated.

Shaking my head to get rid of those thoughts, I snuggled into my bed, my mood going down a little bit as I caught sight of the date on the calendar.

31st July.

My birthday.

Even after all these years, I still remember that first birthday that Lilly and James Potter celebrated for me back then. I still remember Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, the stupid gifts they brought for me, and the tongue lashing that Mum gave them.

I don’t remember much from my previous life’s childhood. What I do remember paints a very grim picture. Hell, I don’t even remember the faces and names of my parents in that life, and given how I feel nothing when I think of them, I don’t think I was particularly close to them.

But here, in this life, I was blessed with a loving family.

A family that was torn away from me by a madman.

A madman that will die at my hands one day.

However, revenge will not bring Lilly and James Potter back to life. Avenging them will not fill the hole left in my heart after their death. It will not bring back the brief period of happiness that I had at that time.

The only thing that I now had left was ashes. Just like I did in my past life.

That is why I felt nothing when my birthday came and nearly went by today.

For a man like me, days of celebration only have meaning when you have a loved one to spend it with. When that does not exist, there is no meaning in celebrating by yourself.

I felt Vritra slither out of my pocket and curl up atop my head, probably sensing my mood.

I smiled as I scratched the small snake.

‘Yes. I still have you, don’t I?’

I allowed sleep to claim me as Vritra continued to curl up with me, my mood guaranteeing that I would probably have a few nightmares this night.

Then, the wall of my room exploded, and a sheepish-looking Giant sent me an apologetic look.

……..Life really does love throwing curve balls at me, doesn’t it?