Here I am again. Drop a line, please? If you're the least bit interested, please tell me, even if it's just to tell me whether or not you do think it's better than the old one or that you didn't read the old one, so you wouldn't know. (Yes, yes, I know, I'm babbling now. Sorry.)

Disclaimer: Las ideas no son mías pero la idea de la humana Nagini sí es mía.

Chapter 3: Orphaned

October 31, 1981

Nagini stood waiting at the window staring out into the street, bathed in the vestiges of sunlight. Her father was coming tonight. He had told her so, and he never lied to her. "Nagini," called Will, walking into the room. "Are you still waiting? You do know that your waiting doesn't make him come any faster." Nagini turned to him, but just then she heard the sound of the door opening.

"Yes, it does," she called to Will triumphantly over her shoulder as she ran to the opened door and almost crashed into her father.

"Well, hello, Nagini. How are you tonight?" he asked, bending over and tugging one of her curls.

"Great," she said smiling up at him.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," he replied. "Unfortunately, I can't stay long tonight. I have something I need to take care of, but then I'll be back in a few days for you. Alright?"

Nagini nodded sadly. "Can't you stay?" she moaned.

Voldemort picked her up and looked her straight in the eye. "No, I can't. But I will be back. I promise."

"Fine," she sighed.

Voldemort smiled at her disappointment but then started when the little girl reached out her arms around his neck and hugged him. Awkwardly, he patted her on the back, and she snuggled closer to him. He was surprised. No one had ever hugged him before. He had known life would be different now that he had a daughter, but he had never expected so much affection from her. He sighed. That's what comes of having her live with a caretaker, he told himself. Just then, Nagini separated herself from him a bit and gave him a kiss on the cheek, her touch feather-light. He staggered backward. Nagini looked at him with wide green eyes. "I love you, Daddy."

Voldemort was shocked, but he quickly recovered. Nagini would do whatever he asked her simply out of love for him, he realized. Dumbledore's greatest weapon would work to his advantage in this case. Nagini was looking at him expectantly, and Voldemort kissed her brow, murmuring something. Nagini smiled happily, and Voldemort carried her over to the couch, rubbing her head of black curls. He gently set her down on the couch. "I need to go now, Nagini. Make me proud."

"Alright," she said quietly looking up at him. "Bye, Daddy."

"Goodbye, Nagini."

Nagini watched as her father turned around and left without a backward glance. She missed him already! She barely saw him, and tonight he left after only a few minutes. He hadn't even shown her any magic! At the sound of the door slamming shut, Nagini jumped up and ran to the window. He was gone.

"I'm sorry, Nagini," said Will from behind her. "I know you were looking forward to his visit, but he said he'd be back in a few days. That's not too long, is it?"

"Yes, it is," said Nagini petulantly turning to Will, her green eyes tearing up. "Few days is long time. Long, long time."

Will smiled at her. Personally, he was glad her father had left so quickly and was in no hurry for him to return either, but his early departure hurt Nagini, and so hurt him as well. He loved the little girl as if she were his own child. "Well, Nagini," he continued. "How about we go to the park to keep your mind off it?"

The little girl brightened considerably. "Magic too?" she asked.

"I don't see why not," Will replied, laughing, but before he had even finished speaking Nagini had run off to find her toy wand. In a moment, she had returned.

"Let's go!" she cried and began tugging on Will's shirt sleeve, pulling him toward the door.

Voldemort strode down a street in Godric's Hollow, moving ever-closer to his goal. His servant had said they were using a Fidelius Charm and that he was made their Secret Keeper. Voldemort chuckled to himself. They really should have chosen their friends more carefully, he thought. For as soon as Wormtail was made Secret Keeper, he relayed the news to his master. Ever since then, Voldemort had been planning for this night. He let them get comfortable in their safe house, let them think they were finally safe. He smiled coldly. How wrong they were.

As he turned a corner, his thoughts drifted back to Nagini. She was so sad when she learned he couldn't stay for long. And she had kissed him. What's more, he had returned the gesture. He sighed to himself. He really was quite fond of the girl, but he knew that was as far as his emotions would go. He had spent so many years teaching himself not to love that he knew he would never be able to again, even if he had wished to. Nagini, however, did love him. She had even told him, and that worked in his favor. Love was a weakness. He would never let Nagini's relation to him come to light for that very reason, but Nagini would do whatever he asked. She would be his shadow, his most loyal follower, one who would follow him wherever he wished simply for the sake of her love for him.

Voldemort shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed to keep his mind on the task at hand. He could visit his daughter after it was completed. Tonight, the Potters were the most important; everything else paled in significance. He turned another corner and watched how the children fled from him or remained hidden in entryways. He chuckled. The brats were afraid of him. Unlike Nagini, he mused; she wasn't afraid of him at all. He shook his head to clear it of thoughts of his daughter and then stopped in front of a gate. He had arrived.

He waved his wand, and the gate swung open. He strode purposefully up the path toward the door. He could see them through the window. They were talking and laughing together; the Mudblood was holding the baby boy. Fools, he thought derisively. Did they really think they were safe here? Did they really believe that their friends would protect them? He waved his wand again, and the door opened, crashing into the wall.

"Lily, it's him! Take Harry and run! I'll hold him off!" Voldemort laughed as a man with round glasses appeared around the corner. He didn't even have a wand. Did he really think he could defeat Lord Voldemort?

Still laughing coldly, Voldemort pointed his wand at the man's chest. "AvadaKedavra!" he cried. The man crumpled to the floor in front of him in a flash of green light, and Voldemort stepped over his lifeless body, following the sound of running footsteps. He found the woman in a room upstairs at the end of the hallway. She turned to face him, red hair flying, panic on her face.

"Not Harry!" she cried. "Please have mercy! Don't kill Harry!"

"Move aside, girl. Lord Voldemort is merciful. You need not die tonight. Step aside, and I will spare you." The woman stayed where she was, blocking her son from his sight. He sighed in frustration, his anger and impatience growing. He wanted to be rid of the threat the boy posed to him; he did not want to have to deal with hysterical mothers.

"Not Harry! Please not Harry!" the woman continued to scream.

"Step aside, silly girl!" cried Voldemort raising his wand. "Avada Kedavra!" With another flash of green light, the woman fell to the floor, lifeless. Kicking her aside, Voldemort made his way over to the crib where the boy, Harry Potter, sat staring between him and his fallen mother.

Voldemort considered the boy. How could it be that someone so small and powerless posed a threat to him? It didn't matter, he thought. He will one day, and so he must be taken care of now. The boy began to cry as Voldemort stared at him. Voldemort raised his wand. The boy was only a little older than Nagini, thought Voldemort as he pointed the wand at the sobbing one-year-old. However, Nagini was more mature and more powerful.

For the third and final time, Voldemort cried, "Avada Kedavra!" Green light filled the room, and a scream split the air. Voldemort was horrified to realize the scream was his own. Somehow the curse had rebounded and struck him. He was in agony—blinding, burning, never-ending agony. He was wrenched from his body, but still it didn't end. His spirit was thrown into the air, and then all was black.

Nagini spun around and around in circles until she fell to the ground dizzy and disoriented. She sat up laughing, leaves in her hair. Will laughed and waved his wand. Glimmering purple and green streaks of light appeared in the air around Nagini. When she tried to touch one, it darted away. She grinned and got up. Nagini chased after the dancing lights, weaving through the tall grass and ducking around the trees.

She laughed as she played in the park in the moonlight. She almost forgot about her father leaving her earlier that evening. Almost. A part of her missed him, but she trusted that he would return soon. He said he would come back in a few days, and he never lied to her. Never. So she would wait for him, but in the meantime, she would have a bit of fun playing with the magic lights in the park with Will.

Will watched her and smiled. She was much happier now. It nearly broke his heart to see how crushed she was after her father left. Will shuddered. There was something about Nagini's father that made him very uncomfortable, and he would be very happy if he never returned except he couldn't bear to see Nagini heartbroken, as he knew she would be if her father didn't return.

In the distance an owl hooted, and a cloud covered the moon. All of a sudden Will Morrison felt very strange. There was a tingling throughout his entire body and then was suddenly gone. He felt lighter as if a great weight that had been pressing down upon him had suddenly been lifted. He looked around himself with new eyes. What was he doing in the park, he wondered. Then he realized he didn't know. He didn't know what had happened to him or what he had been doing for the past year.

Sophie, he thought. Peter. My wife and son. What must they think? He hadn't seen either of them since the day before Peter's fourth birthday. Oh, Merlin, he thought feeling lightheaded. When he never came home. . . They must think he died. After all, You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters were swarming the country, and everyone lived in fear that their loved ones would disappear or that they would discover the Dark Mark above their house.

Will's heart beat faster. What did they do without him? He had to return to his family as quickly as possible. He stood up and was about to disapparate when a little black-haired girl ran up to him. She had to be less than two. Where were her parents, Will wondered fleetingly. She shouldn't be allowed to run around the park by herself.

"Is it time to go?" she asked.

Will stared down into her green eyes in confusion. He didn't know the girl, so why was she talking to him? "Where are your parents, girl?" he asked.

"Gone," she replied. "But Daddy's coming back," she added happily, smiling up at him.

"But who's supposed to be looking after you?" Will continued. "Your dad?"

"No," she said shaking her head. "You are, Willie. You play with me!"

There was a sinking feeling inside Will. Could the girl have been abandoned? Would her father have left her in the park, say he would come back later and that the man on the bench was taking care of her? Unfortunately, he knew it was possible. The world, both wizarding and Muggle, was a cruel place. Will scratched his head and looked down at the girl staring up at him. He couldn't leave her here. The city wasn't safe at night for little girls. Anything could happen to her alone.

"What's your name, girl?" he asked her, a plan forming in his mind.

"Nagini," she answered, staring at him in confusion. "You know that."

"That's right, of course," he said, trying to placate her. He couldn't leave her alone in the park. No matter how much he wanted to return to his own family, he had to take care of this little girl, Nagini, first. He stretched out his hand to her and said, "Well, come then. Let's go."

Nagini took his hand and skipped along beside him as he led her out of the park and down the street.

So what will happen to little Nagini? Those of you who read the old version probably know. Any guesses, though? Let me know by pressing that lovely blue button