The snake in the garden
Challenge info: Seeker for the Appleby Arrows Finals Round 1
Character: Tom Riddle/ Lord Voldemort and Secondary Character:Nagini
Warning:This is just a personal idea about Nagini and how she came to be.
Tommy Riddle walked to garden behind the orphanage. The hall ways were empty because it was the time of day that the sister taught about the bible. He had been forbidden to go with them as she refused to have that devil boy in her class. She hadn't taken to him very well, often believing his bullies, but accepted him because it was her job to teach them. The orphanage was supported by the church and so was always short on funds. He got in trouble the first time by asking her if God created evil too because light cast shadows and if light was good then darkness had to be evil. He was ignored then punished for speaking out of turn despite the fact he put up his hand and she said that he could speak.
The woman was unreasonable in her faith. He was eventually banned because she deemed him unteachable and was ordered to do chores while everyone else got to rest. It wasn't his fault he didn't see things the same way. He tried to keep an open mind but it seemed to make no sense to him. He would ask a question then be told to take it on faith that it was true.
The only adult in the orphanage was Sister Jasmine and the woman in charge of his age group was as cold as ice but bore down on him whenever he caused 'trouble' for others. The last time he got in trouble for breaking something in the rec room he was on the other side of the building with Sister Jasmine. She had defended him, but he still got in trouble because she deduced he broke the toy, just not then.
He walked into the enclosed garden and began to weed it. On his hands and knees he carefully crawled along the length taking them out. Eventually he got to the end and gathered most of them before he heard it. He froze at the hateful voice.
"Stay away from me!" something spoke and he looked around. The garden was empty and the door was closed behind him. He began to gather the weeds and put it in one pile.
"Humans- destroyers and killers." He heard before something near the plant moved and stared at him. It was a vibrant green snake with a diamond pattern scale and a cream belly.
"Not all humans are bad!" He spoke thinking of Sister Jasmine.
"A Speaker! What are you doing here, speaker?" the snake hissed.
"I live here. My name is Tommy Riddle, what is yours?" Tom asked.
"Nagini, speaker- It's an honor to meet you." Nagini answered.
"You should stay away from the garden because you could get hurt," Tommy warned Nagini.
"Rats are plentiful here, why should I leave?" Nagini hissed back.
"Because humans kill snakes," Tommy Riddle said, "And you are a snake."
"I refuse to move because humans could be a threat." Nagini hissed.
"They kill snakes- but if you stay hidden- could you be my friend?" Tommy Riddle asked.
"Yes. It would be an honor, speaker." Nagini answered.
-A year later-
Nagini had been with him for two months before he noticed a large change. She had grown longer and her fangs had become larger too. She told him that his magic seemed to make her more better as they spent more time together. He would hold her as he gardened and did chores often hiding her on his person.
The effect seemed make the changes more pronounced as she could have been wrapped around his wrist like a bracelet when they first met to coiling around his torso a few times like a belt. She had told him that her venom seemed to paralyze quicker and she had even killed a cat with a tiny amount. She was proud of it and was his best friend.
He felt a push and then a sharp pain on his back. Three older boys glared at him with a fourth behind him. He felt Nagini move and warned her softly to stay still. She stopped moving but when two of the boys grabbed his arms and the third punched him in the face and the other cried out in unison with him as he seemed to be bitten by Nagini. He looked back and the other boy was shuddering.
Nagini uncoiled from his thigh and slithered in front of him. The other boys looked in shock as Tom cried out for Nagini to be careful. One of them grabbed her neck as she looked at him and snapped it before stomping on the body. He froze one of them ran to get help and the other two approached him after making sure the snake was down. He was numb as they showered hit after hit as his mind played back the attack. Nagini was only a snake but she was among the few that cared about him.
From that day Tommy Riddle lost all of his faith in humanity.
-Over a decade later in a darkening forest-
Tom Riddle stood in the forest deep in thought. He had been training in privacy and been attacked by a constrictor. She was the only thing alive anywhere near him. His spells cleared out all of the other animals in the area. He was both annoyed and impressed at the snakes bravery. It simply hissed that it was hungry and that if the speaker wanted to kill her then to get on with it.
"Your name is now Nagini," He hissed as he stroked the smooth scales, "And you will follow my orders."
He had never seen a snake shocked but this one clearly was as he undid the spell paralyzing the snake. "Why not kill me,speaker?"
"My spell casting cleared away anything near us yet you stayed and then attacked me when I got close. You will be able to take our enemies by surprise," Tom said, "And I need followers that wouldn't run no matter what they face."
"It will be an honor, speaker, to follow and serve you." Nagini hissed.
-Two years later-
Nagini joined him in the journey to gain more power. She had no venom of her own but was surprised when he told her to bite the ugly creature in his arms. The creature was wrinkly, wrapped in a blanket, and was wailing like a siren while squirming like a worm. He ordered to send saliva through her fangs and she obeyed and the thing stopped moving and got quiet. Finally the ugly creature stopped breathing and Tom tossed it the garbage before they moved to their camp.
"I wanted to see if you developed venom like my first friend," Tom said.
"Was she the snake you named me after?" Nagini asked.
"Yes. She could kill rats and small kittens but before she died she put a boy in a coma," Tom answered.
"I see. You better sleep, master. Morning always comes too soon," Nagini said.
"You'll probably become even longer and be able to paralyze an adult human male in time, Nagini," Tom said as he went to bed and Nagini watched over the slumbering wizard.
-The day Tom Riddle declared himself Lord Voldemort-
Tom Riddle smiled and pet Nagini. She had grown considerably from her former size and her venom was strong enough to kill some of his healthy followers. They had been together years now and he was proud of her. She was more than a pet- but was his familiar. He heard her hiss happily asking for a large rat.
Nagini had been brave but now she was smart too thanks to him. She would be beside him like the garden snake he met when he was young. She was going to be by his side forever.
-The day Tom Riddle lost his original body-
Nagini knew when Tom Riddle first died. She felt the link between them flicker and weaken before steadying. Tom Riddle had died but was still alive. She felt his spirit flee and wondered as he came closer and saw a fellow snake with red eyes. She thought of attacking but he reeked of her master.
"Nagini- Stay alive and wait for me to regain a body. You'll know when I do." The snake said before it died and she fled deep into the forest leaving the headquarters behind.
She would wait for the day for the her master to be reborn but until then- she was going to find a nice place to rest then a place with plenty of food. Her master would rise again and need her when he did. She climbed up a tree and closed her eyes. She would find him when he called but first she would sleep.