Chapter 7:-Serpents and Puppeteers

June 10, 2020

Grimmauld Place, London. Evening.

The members of the Straw Hat crew stood in the vast training hall of Grimmauld Place, paired off with their respective Order mentors. With Halloween looming, the urgency in their training was apparent. Each session was tailored to their strengths, pushing them to adapt to magic-infused combat.

Zoro stood with his arms crossed, facing Kingsley Shacklebolt, who radiated an air of quiet power.

"Swords against magic, huh?" Zoro smirked. "Sounds unfair… for you."

Kingsley chuckled, twirling his wand. "Confidence is good, but a tactician wins wars, not just battles. Show me what you've got."

Zoro lunged forward, his swords moving in a blur. Kingsley disappeared in a flash of purple light, reappearing behind Zoro. A binding spell shot from his wand, forcing Zoro to slice it midair.

"Impressive," Kingsley mused, "but what happens when you fight an opponent who doesn't stand still?"

Zoro grinned. "I'll just cut everything in my way."

"Then let's see you try," Kingsley challenged, raising his wand.

Sanji's eyebrow twitched as Tonks demonstrated her ability to change appearances in an instant.

"Blimey, you're terrible at sneaking, aren't you?" Tonks said, shaking her head.

Sanji lit a cigarette. "I prefer to face my enemies head-on."

"That's cute," Tonks teased. "But there are times when you need to disappear. Try this—blend into the crowd."

With a flick of her wand, Tonks made herself look like Molly Weasley. Sanji nearly dropped his cigarette.

"What the—?!"

"And now I'm you!" she said, shifting her appearance into a replica of Sanji.

Sanji gaped. "That's… kind of freaky."

"Welcome to the art of disguise, sweetheart," Tonks said with a wink. "Your turn. Let's see if you can avoid detection."

Bill Weasley unrolled an aged parchment, covered in runes. Nami and Robin leaned in, studying the inscriptions.

"This looks similar to Poneglyph symbols," Robin noted, her fingers tracing the patterns.

Bill nodded. "There are connections between ancient wizarding scripts and your world's lost histories. Magic leaves traces, and if you can decipher them, you can predict magical traps."

Nami groaned. "I deal with weather, not magic curses!"

Bill smirked. "Then let's test your instincts. This room is filled with invisible hexes. Get through it without tripping one."

Robin adjusted her gloves. "This should be interesting."

Nami sighed. "Why do I feel like I'm about to be electrocuted?"

Chopper's eyes widened as he examined Lupin's transformation scars.

"Werewolf injuries don't heal like normal wounds?" Chopper asked.

Lupin smiled wryly. "They don't. Lycanthropy affects the body's ability to regenerate. The pain lingers even after transformation."

Chopper frowned. "There has to be a way to lessen the pain. Maybe using herbs—"

Lupin placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have a healer's heart, Chopper. We'll work together to find a way. But for now, let's focus on magical first aid. You need to know how to treat hex wounds on the battlefield."

Chopper nodded firmly. "I'll do my best!"

Franky marveled at the magical gadgets cluttering Arthur Weasley's workshop.

"This is SUPER!" Franky exclaimed, picking up an enchanted wrench.

Arthur beamed. "You love machinery, don't you? Well, imagine what happens when magic and technology work together. We're going to build something marvelous."

Franky's eyes gleamed. "A magic-powered cannon? An enchanted ship engine?!"

Arthur chuckled. "How about starting with something smaller—say, a self-repairing device for your ship?"

Franky gasped. "That's… even more SUPER! Let's do this!"

Garrick Henshaw, an old war veteran, stared at Brook, unimpressed.

"You're dead," Henshaw said.

Brook laughed. "Yohoho! I prefer 'immortal.'"

Henshaw's expression didn't change. "Undead doesn't mean invincible. Ever heard of spirit-binding curses? They're designed to trap wandering souls like yours."

Brook froze. "Wait… I can be trapped?"

Henshaw flicked his wand, and spectral chains wrapped around Brook, pulling him down.

"Yohoho! What is this?!"

"A little demonstration," Henshaw said, watching Brook struggle. "You need to learn how to resist. If you get caught in the wrong spell, not even your crew will be able to help you."

Brook focused, summoning his soul energy to push back the chains. They flickered before disappearing.

Henshaw finally nodded. "Not bad. But you'll need to be faster. Again."

Brook sighed. "I have a feeling this will be a long night…"

As the night continued, the Straw Hats pushed their limits, adapting to new forms of combat under their wizarding mentors. With Halloween approaching, the lines between magic and piracy blurred, forging something even more powerful in the process. They weren't just training—they were preparing for war.

June 10, 2020

Cypher Pol Facility, Unknown Location.

Usopp sat in the dimly lit cell, his mind racing. He had survived captivity through wit and sheer stubbornness, but the walls were closing in. He needed a way out.

A voice from the shadows whispered, "You want to leave, don't you?"

Usopp turned sharply. A man, ragged but with an air of quiet strength, stepped forward. "Who are you?" Usopp asked, wary.

"Someone who has no love for Cipher Pol," the stranger replied. "Name's Orion. Used to be one of them. Until they left me here to rot."

Usopp's eyes widened. "You were Cipher Pol? Then why help me?"

Orion smirked. "Let's just say, I owe them some payback. And you, Straw Hat, might be my best chance at it."

Together, they devised a plan. Orion knew the facility's weak points, and Usopp had the creativity to exploit them.

As alarms blared, Usopp ran, his heart pounding. "Orion, this way!"

They burst through a side exit, slipping into the darkness. Usopp looked back at his unlikely ally. "So, what now?"

Orion exhaled. "Now? We go hunting. There's a war coming, and I intend to be on the right side."

June 10, 2020

A mansion in the remote forests of Albania (an Eastern European country). Midnight.

Within the eerie confines of an abandoned castle, Voldemort sat upon a cold throne of stone, his red eyes glowing with intrigue. Across from him stood Doflamingo, arms crossed, his ever-present smirk hiding the calculations running through his mind.

"You speak of power," Voldemort hissed. "But power is nothing without control. And control is what I will have."

Doflamingo chuckled. "Oh? And what do you intend to control? The Will of D.? Or do you fancy yourself a king among pirates?"

Voldemort's gaze darkened. "There is magic older than your seas, pirate. Magic that bends reality itself. That is what I seek."

Doflamingo tapped his chin. "Ancient magic is interesting, but I have my interests—bloodlines. Blood carries power, and power determines who rules."

Before Voldemort could reply, the doors burst open. Bellatrix Lestrange stumbled inside, breathing heavily, her wild eyes burning with fury.

"My Lord! Usopp has escaped!"

Voldemort's fingers twitched around his wand, his voice deathly quiet. "How?"

Bellatrix hesitated. "A prisoner—one of our own, perhaps a traitor—helped him."

Doflamingo's smirk faltered. "Interesting. Seems like your grip isn't as tight as you thought."

Voldemort's eyes flashed dangerously. "It was your facility as well, Doflamingo. If there is a traitor, they will answer to both of us."

The air between them thickened with tension, two forces of cruelty and ambition momentarily united in their anger. Whatever fragile alliance they had was quickly unraveling.

June 10, 2020

Roger's Cottage. Midnight.

Joseph Alphonz and Severus Snape approached the ruins of Roger's old cottage, their wands drawn as they stepped over the remnants of what was once a legendary pirate's home. The air was thick with residual magic—powerful, ancient, and unsettled.

"This place was attacked recently," Joseph murmured, his sharp eyes scanning the ground. "But whoever did this wasn't just looking to destroy. They were searching for something."

Snape ran his fingers along the blackened edges of a broken doorway. "The Dark Lord would not waste his time on meaningless relics. If he was involved, there was purpose."

Before Joseph could reply, the sound of rushing footsteps broke the silence. Death Eaters emerged from the shadows, wands at the ready. A cruel voice rang out.

"You should have stayed out of this, Professor Snape," one of them sneered. "The Dark Lord has no use for traitors."

Joseph and Snape barely had time to brace themselves before spells flew. A bolt of red light narrowly missed Snape as he deflected it with a sharp flick of his wand. Joseph ducked, rolling behind the remnants of a fallen beam before sending a counterattack, his wand tip flashing silver.

Then, chaos erupted.

A burst of energy sent one of the Death Eaters crashing into the rubble. A second later, a powerful punch knocked another unconscious. Koala, Hack, and Bartolomeo had arrived.

"Need a hand?" Koala called, flipping over a Death Eater and landing gracefully beside Joseph.

Hack sent a Death Eater flying with a brutal strike. "We heard you might run into trouble. Seems we were right."

Bartolomeo cackled as his Barrier magic blocked a particularly nasty spell. "Man, these guys don't know when to quit!"

Within minutes, the remaining Death Eaters either fled or lay unconscious. As the dust settled, a new figure emerged from the shadows.

Leo, the small but fierce leader of the Tontatta pirates, scampered forward. "Snape! Joseph! We bring important news!"

Snape, still adjusting to these bizarre new allies, narrowed his eyes. "I don't recall ever requesting information from you."

Leo puffed up his chest. "But you need it anyway! Vivi, Boa Hancock, and Rebecca are headed to meet the Kozuki family. There is a connection between their lineage and an ancient relic linked to Roger himself."

Joseph frowned. "A connection? What kind of connection?"

Leo hesitated. "That part is... unclear. But it's important enough that both Voldemort and Doflamingo are after it. If they find it first—"

"Then we may be dealing with a war worse than any of us imagined," Joseph finished grimly.

Snape remained silent, processing everything. It was strange enough to be fighting alongside pirates, but now they were feeding him information willingly. He had spent a lifetime doubting others' motives, and this was no different.

He met Joseph's gaze. "Why are they telling us this? What do they stand to gain?"

Joseph's expression was unreadable. "Sometimes, Severus, the best allies are the ones who understand what's at stake."

Snape wasn't convinced. But as he looked around at the assembled fighters, he couldn't deny one thing—this war was no longer just between wizards. The world itself was shifting, and whether he liked it or not, he was standing in the middle of it.

TO BE CONTINUED