Chapter 137: A Horned Serpent

Chapter 137: A Horned Serpent

Dora was flying freely over a dense forest. She didn't know how long she kept flying, but when she eventually got down to the ground, she landed near a beautiful creek filled with blue water.

"Wow."

She was enjoying the view when suddenly, she heard musical notes echoing all around the area.

"!!!"

Then, something big came out of the water!

...Before she could see just what it was, she heard a sharp tapping of a cane from somewhere...

and she woke up.

Someone was sharply tapping her door with a staff. It was, of course, Mad-eye. The old man wouldn't let her sleep in peace even for one day.

Dora slowly and very unwillingly got out of her bed and started dressing up.

"Stop it already. You know I'm awake," she yelled to the door. "Constant annoyance," she muttered to herself in a low voice.

"I heard that! Five more kilometers run for you now, kid," came a gruff voice.

Dora groaned. "Oh, let me off, old man. I couldn't even sleep much."

But Moody was unrelenting, "It's your fault for talking to that brat for more than half the night. I already told you just ignore these kinds of things for a few years if you want your sleep," he said simply.

Dora sighed. That was impossible, wasn't it? It's already bad that she can't see Chris. The day she doesn't talk to him feels empty.

Dora had more than once just wanted to straight-up quit all this and go to Chris. But that would be a really stupid choice.

First of all, being an Auror had been her dream since her childhood. And when she was often seen as a cheap hoe or thot in Hogwarts, she always took solace in the fact that she'll one day become a very powerful and respectable Auror while they will all be a bunch of nobodies. (She also wanted to be a duelist, but the corrupt ministry only gives chances to Purebloods or rich and old families hiers.)

So, if she now gives up her dreams and becomes just a nobody herself, how will she ever face those people?

The other reason was, what would she even achieve living in Britain? Chris lives in Hogwarts anyway so she'll rarely get to meet him. And as for her family, well she was already used to staying away from them.

Thus, Dora grits her every day and works hard. Because she has seen how talented Chris truly is. And she doesn't want to be left behind by him.

While she was lost in thought, she had already gotten ready in her favorite traveling attire. It was something that had come with the bag Chris had given her. In clothing, he'd put in a pair of t-shirts, one saying 'HATERS GONNA HATE' and other saying 'MAY THE 4th BE WITH YOU', both enchanted with Merlin knows how many spells.

A pullover with kept her at the right temperature in any weather, a pair of trousers which fit just right, even when she sometimes habitually increased her height when she felt like it, a pair of boots which definitely had the best cushioning charms inside and the exterior is light, flexible and durable. And a color-changing cloak to top it all off.

Dora didn't know when he even had the time to get this all made and how much money he'd spent on it, but she gets moved to tears every time just thinking about the amount of care and thoughtfulness he'd put in to get each and every single piece into something she'll absolutely love.

Actually, even though it might seem too much to Dora, she didn't know that it wasn't all that much for Chris. This was just how Chris was to family and friends as well. He always tries to give his all in his relationships with all the ones he cares about. He just went a little extra in Dora's case since he likes her, but the ones receiving his gifts are absolutely moved by his thoughtfulness.

Dora once again lovingly caressed her outfit before she came out of the door with her wand in hand which was the right choice since a spell headed straight towards one of her lower left leg where it was the most difficult to cast the shield!

But Dora didn't use her wand to defend that one. She simply blocked it by the door. She instead used her wand to defend herself from the spell that was cast to hit her when she was distracted by the first spell.

She didn't stop here. And fired a bright light right into Moody's face which caused his one eye to go useless.

She was about to go more on the offensive when Moody called it off.

"Hmm?"

But for some reason, the scenery looked extremely familiar to her. All of this felt like a Deja Vu to her, like it had already happened.

Usually, people would give up after not being able to remember anything, but Dora had excellent memory due to her mastery of occlumency. Dora delved into her memories to search it.

"A dream?" Dora usually can't remember her dreams which she's forgotten, but somehow, this one was etched clearly into her memories.

"How is this possible?!

She could see that the scenery below somehow matched with the one in her dream!

This only had her curiosity, but now this has her attention. Detective Dora decided to investigate.

She quickly increased her speed and disillusioned herself since she was reaching the middle parts, where the danger start.

Dora didn't forget to cast the spell to erase her smell as well.

"This should take care of the Snallygaster." She muttered. If the Snallygaster was the only dangerous creature reported, this should be enough to prevent it and any other creature from detecting her.

Dora had soon bypassed the area where she was supposed to find the Bat-thorn flower. But she gritted her teeth and increased her speed further.

Dora kept flying at eye-watering speed in the direction she remembered flying in the dream. After about 30 minutes of non-stop flying, Dora didn't realize it, but she had entered a warded area whose wards had let her bypass them freely.

And then, she finally reached it!

A clearing between two hills, just like her dream. A wide creek, with water that looked blue.

"This is it," she murmured. As she flew around the creek.

""

But before she could do much, she heard musical notes eerily similar to her dream echoing throughout the area.

Dora froze and her eyes stopped at the creek, remembering what was going to happen next.

And sure enough, the surface of the creek rose up, and Dora was finally able to see just what it was!

Beautiful black scales, sharp fangs, then came its forehead, and Dora saw a shinning blue jewel glittering there, and as soon as it got out, the surrounding blue color of the water intensified. Then came the eyes which were as blue as the gem on its forehead. Behind its head were white horns. Dora was dimly aware of the fact that she should probably be fleeing as fast as she can right now, but she was really unwilling.

Of course, she knew what this creature was. She'd researched all about snakes. After all, snakes and rabbits were her favorite animals.

This was a Horned Serpent. An XXXXX category snake! Its rarity only surpassed by the Basilisk's! Both of them have only ever been mentioned in legends.

And somehow, a real Horned Serpent was right in front of her eyes! And... for some reason even after being invisible and odorless, its eyes were trained directly on her!

***

A.N.: Here it is! Tell me your opinions what do you want to see and also guess what happens next!

Also, spare some POWERSTONES for this pitiful author who's wraking his brains daily to make the story more and more interesting.

For reading ahead, go to

Pat /Snollygoste