center>Chapter 5
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That night set the pattern for the next several months. During the day Naiser studied, with forest politics added to his curriculum along with the magic and survival skills. In the evenings Moirethe would tell him stories of her long life. Some of them were funny, like the one about her crazy aunt's crazier wizard who took them to live in a school. But some were heartbreaking, like the story of the last Parselmouth Moirethe had known, a child killed by the Wizarding government because his parents had supported their enemy Grindewald. It was after the boy's death that Moirethe had turned her tail on the human world forever.
Naiser had by this time developed a deep love for both Moirethe and the forest itself, and didn't care if he never saw another human again. But he eventually developed a problem.
Good morning Moirethe. Yikes! It's cold, was his greeting to the world that fall day.
Good morning Wizardling. And it's small wonder you're cold with your clothes worn to rags as they are. It would be much easier if you had fur or scales of your own, grumped Moirethe, who was not a morning creature.
Could I get some? With a magic, maybe?
Sss… perhaps. There have been wizards and witches who could turn into animals, but I'm not sure how they go about it.
Well, other things happen when I picture them and want it. Perhaps I could think myself into a snake form while you tell me what it's like.
Very well, we shall try it. Compose your mind and follow my voice. Your sight has become secondary to your senses of smell and taste. The air currents on your tongue tell you of the trees, the flowers, that deer over the rise, and more. Scent defines your world. In addition, your vision has expanded greatly. You can see the heat given off by living things and judge them by that warmth. Having no limbs, you must slither low to the ground, but you are no less graceful for that. All the better to find the soft underbelly of your prey. You have long fangs, attached to poison glands, with which you can kill prey or enemies. Interlocking scales cover your whole body like protective armor, and you are magnificent. As Moirethe spoke, she could taste Naiser's magic swirling and focusing around them. By the time she was done the old basilisk could see that it had worked.
Look at yourself, she hissed softly.
Naiser did so and was awed. He was magnificent. He was not quite a basilisk. His scales were silver, with a black lightning bolt pattern, and he had no crest. His eyes remained green and he was only about four feet long. But, as the unfortunate deer soon discovered, he was very poisonous and he was more than satisfied. Moirethe breathed a little easier, for now that her Wizardling was a snake, humans couldn't take him away. She shifted the primary focus of their lessons off magic and onto serpent lore, and thus continued her ward's education.
