Disclaimer: All that is not JKR's is mine-and that mainly consists in the human character of Nagini and the influence she exerts on the magical world.
Chapter 20: A Duel or Two of a Sorts
As she headed to class later that day, Nagini remembered her vow after the Quidditch match to make Parkinson's life a living hell. Since then she had been distracted by classes, the approaching holidays, and her research on the Mirror of Erised, but she hadn''t forgotten. Nagini slipped into Charms just before the bell sounded and sat down in her usual desk, between Tracey and Theo and behind Parkinson and the rest of her gang.
"Finished!" she whispered triumphantly to Theo as Professor Flitwick clapped to get everyone's attention.
"Does this mean no more skipping meals for unnecessary trips to the library?" he asked hopefully.
"Yep," she replied. "On this side of the holidays at least." Theo made a big show of rolling his eyes and groaning, and Nagini smacked him on the arm before turning and listening to Professor Flitwick.
"Today we are going to practice the color-changing spell we studied last week," he said from the front of the room. "You''ll be practicing on these crystals," he continued, picking up a box from his desk and holding it high above his head, "because they are the most receptive material to color changing."" He walked up and down the rows, handing each student several crystals with which to practice. "Could anyone tell me what the spell is?" he asked.
A Ravenclaw boy at the front of the room raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. Boot?" said Flitwick.
"The spell's 'Cambiaris colorus,' sir," he said.
"Very good, Mr. Boot. Five points for Ravenclaw. And can you tell me what the wand movement is?"
"You simply point your wand at the object whose color you want to change," said Boot.
While the class reviewed, Nagini played with the crystals on her desk. They were really quite pretty, she thought as she tilted them so as to create a rainbow on her desk. "Now notice, class," Flitwick was saying, "that the spell doesn't specify to what color you want the object to change. While you're performing the spell, you need to have a clear idea in your head of what color you want your crystal to turn; otherwise, the spell won't work. Concentration is key!" he finished, clapping his hands. "Alright everyone, let's see what you can do."
Nagini looked down at her crystals. What color should she make them she wondered? She glanced down at her black robe and allowed the color to fill her mind. Without taking her eyes off her robe, Nagini pointed her wand at one of her crystals and said, "Cambiaris colorus." After a moment, she looked over and saw one of the crystals had turned midnight black. It no longer cast rainbows, but rather absorbed all the light that hit it. Nagini smiled. Knowing she could do the spell, she had fun with her other crystals, making them blood-red like rubies, deep forest green like emeralds, and even multi-colored like a rainbow.
"Nice job, Nagini," said Theo looking over at the crystals on her desk. Nagini glanced over at his desk. His were all a perfect shade of emerald green.
"You, too," she said smiling. Then her eyes twinkled, and her smile turned mischievous.
"What?" asked Theo narrowing his eyes.
In response, Nagini pointed her wand at Theo's tie and said, "Cambiaris colorus." The silver and green tie turned red and gold.
Theo slowly looked down at his tie than up at Nagini. "You'll pay for that," he promised, an evil grin forming on his face, and he pointed his own wand at Nagini. ""Cambiaris colorus." Nagini's eyes widened.
"You didn't," she breathed.
Theo grinned. "Oh, but I did."
Nagini's hair was no longer black; it was white blond. "I'll get back at you for this, Nott," she threatened , her eyes flashing as she raised her wand. "I refuse to be a blond."
He grinned. "Bring it on, Ferestael."
Both of them sent spell after spell at each other, changing the color of their clothes, their skin, their books all while trying to restore themselves to the proper color. After a minute of furious fighting, the rest of the class had taken notice. They quit attempting to change the color of their own crystals and instead watched the battle taking place at the back of the room. The Slytherins stared as two of their own battle fiercely while a few of the Ravenclaws took to shouting suggestions at the combatants. When Flitwick noticed where everyone's attention was, he immediately ran over. He put himself between them and raised a hand to each of them. Both Nagini and Theo froze, their wands still pointed at each other. Slowly, they both lowered their wands and looked at Flitwick.
"Excellent demonstration of the spell," he squeaked. "Now, please return to your seats and work with the crystals!"
"Yes, professor," said Nagini and Theo simultaneously.
Professor Flitwick turned to go back to the front of the room but then paused. "And ten points to Slytherin," he added, "for excellent charms work."" Nagini and Theo looked at each other and smirked.
"Really, you two?" asked Blaise quietly. "You have to duel in Charms class?"
"All in good fun," replied Theo good-naturedly as he and Nagini restored themselves to their proper colors, ties and hair included.
That evening after dinner, Nagini sat with Theo and Blaise at their table in the library as they finished up their homework. "Only three more days of this," commented Theo, "and then we'll be free forever!"
"Forever amounts to about three weeks," Blaise reminded him.
"Hey, three weeks is better than nothing, right?"
Nagini rolled her eyes and returned her attention to the book before her. She had finished her own homework an hour before because, unlike the two boys, she did not procrastinate, and chose to use her time researching curses and jinxes that she could use on Parkinson. Nagini turned another page in the book and paused. This was seemed promising: Locomotor Mortis, locks together the legs of the victim, making him or her unable to walk. Nagini made a quick note of the spell in her growing pile of notes of spells to learn later then continued browsing.
A half hour later, Blaise stood up yawning. "I'm done for the night," he told the other two. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night," called Theo quietly, and Nagini raised a hand to wave, not looking up from the pages of her book.
A few minutes later, Theo looked up from his Transfiguration book. "I'm thinking about calling it a night, as well," he told Nagini. ""How much longer do you plan on staying?"
"Not too much longer," Nagini replied, her quill in her teeth as she rummaged for something in her bag.
"Do you want me to wait for you?"
"No, that's alright," Nagini said, looking over at Theo. "You go on ahead. I'll follow in a few minutes."
"Alright," said Theo, standing up and picking up his things. "See you later."
"Mmm hmm," muttered Nagini absentmindedly, busy jotting something down.
After a few minutes, she, too, stood up and placed the book on its shelf before gathering her belongings and leaving the library.
"Here she comes!" someone hissed, and Nagini stopped in her tracks in the entrance to the library. Dropping her bag, she reached for her wand, where it lay in its sheath. On either side of the door, Millicent and Daphne stood guard. Directly in front of her, Pansy approached, Tracey trailing behind her like a shadow.
"What do you want, Pansy?" demanded Nagini, drawing her wand and pointing it at her.
Pansy raised her hands mockingly and smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."
"Why are you here?" Nagini demanded again, her patience wearing thin. "Don't you have some Hufflepuffs to antagonize?"
"We're here," said Pansy slowly, "because my good friend Tracey told us you'd be here."
Nagini glanced at Tracey, who ducked her head, ashamed.
"And what you do want with me?" asked Nagini evenly.
"To teach you a final lesson before the holidays," said Pansy smugly. "Daphne, take her wand. Millicent, you know what to do.""
Before either girl could react, Nagini swung her wand arm in the air and cried the first spell that came to her mind. "Locomotor mortis!" Pansy's legs snapped together, and she fell to the floor. Nagini quickly turned her wand on Daphne and Millicent. "Don't move any closer if you know what's good for you,"" she warned, "else you'll get the same as her," she added, jerking her head at Pansy lying on the floor. Millicent and Daphne both backed away slowly then turned and ran to Pansy. They helped her stand and supported her between them as she hopped down the hall. With one last look at Nagini, Tracey darted after them.
Nagini smirked and collected her things. It would be awhile before any of them worked up the nerve to confront her again, she knew. With that thought, she slowly followed them down the corridor and toward the common room. When she rounded the corner, she almost ran into Draco Malfoy. The blond boy, instead of watching where he was going, was staring behind him at Daphne and Millicent supporting Pansy, who was hopping down the corridor.
"Whoa," he said, turning around and pulling up short. "Watch where you're going."
Nagini raised her eyebrows and gave him a look. "I'm not the one walking one way while looking the other," she told him.
"Fair enough," he said hastily, sensing trouble brewing. "Did you do that?" he asked gesturing back the way he'd come.
"Pansy?" asked Nagini. "Yes, I did."
"What did you do exactly?"
"'Locomotor mortis,'" she told him. "Locks the victim's legs together so he or she can't walk. Comes in handy in a confrontation."
"And it's great for laughs," added Draco, smirking.
"That, too," agreed Nagini with a smile.
It was the first day of the holidays, and the train left for London in just under an hour. Nagini was in the Great Hall eating a late breakfast with Theo and Blaise before they left. Theo was chatting happily as the other two listened silently. Nagini thought privately that both she and Blaise would be glad to have a break from Theo and his never-ending good mood.
Soon enough, McGonagall announced that the train would be leaving soon, and anyone returning home for the holidays had to head for the station immediately. Nagini stood up with Theo and Blaise. "Happy Christmas," she wished them both.
"You, too," said Blaise.
"See you in the new year!" added Theo.
Nagini shook her head fondly and raised her hand to wave goodbye as they left.
Sighing, Nagini headed back to the common room. Most of the school had left for the train. Very few students were staying in Hogwarts over Christmas, only a handful of Slytherins. Nagini knew none of the Slytherins staying, they were all fifth years or older, and so she felt no obligation to talk to them.
Nagini flopped onto the couch in the common room, content. Throughout the entire year, the common room had neither been that empty nor that quiet. The other Slytherins were probably at breakfast still or somewhere else in the castle. Nagini stared at the emerald flames in the fireplace, enjoying the peace and quiet that reigned in the castle.
The days up until Christmas passed quickly for Nagini. She spent most of her time in the library—learning new spells to use on Parkinson and her gang, studying, and reading novels she found in a back corner of the library. When she grew bored of reading, Nagini wandered the castle, exploring. She discovered new twists and turns, hidden cupboards, passageways behind tapestries. In the basement, she found the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room and the entrance to the kitchens. She learned that in two of the towers, were the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw dormitories, and unlike the other common rooms, to enter that of Ravenclaw one didn't need a password, but rather had to answer a question posed by the door knocker in the shape of an eagle. Occasionally in her wanderings, Nagini found herself walking by the forbidden third floor corridor. When she did, she would stop and, after glancing around, she pressed her ear up to the door, hoping to hear something that gave her a clue as to what lay behind the door. To her surprise, she did. From behind the door came the sounds of growling and the click of claws on the stone floor. Nagini pulled back in surprise. After that, she came back often, trying to figure out what sort of creature was making those sounds. She never went inside, however. She wasn't quite that curious. Yet.
~Kasyntra