Bathed in Moonlight

I had a month until I could continue the Animagus ritual, one entire month of keeping this damn leaf under my tongue. It seemed like a simple task but it was frustrating when I wanted to eat, drink, or even talk. One wrong movement, swallowing or spitting out any, and I'd have to restart from the beginning.

A few days in I got so annoyed with it I ended up carefully lifting my tongue in the mirror and casting a fixing charm onto the leaf that was loosely stuck under my tongue. As the charm attached itself to the leaf, it stayed secured onto my tongue from that day onward. It was nice not having to worry about any accidents but it was still uncomfortable having that leaf there.

Throughout this time spent I continued to train in the RoR, improving my knowledge on 'Augmentum' and such. 'Augmentum' fundamentally strengthen an area of the human body when used however there was recoil when doing some movements. After all, unless I could use a full augment, I would only have a part of me in an 'Augmented' state. This part of 'Augmentum' was a learning process, learning the limits of what recoil I could take.

Midway through the month of waiting I decided to write a letter for Nana and Melony about my plans for the summer this year. I had Merlin's key from the vault and I wanted to track down where the key was used. If I could get any insight at all before the end of the year about where to look that would be great, if not though I would instead stay at the Leaky Cauldron over the summer and work on something else instead.

It may seem strange not returning to Nana and Melony however considering what I predicted to happen soon It would be foolish of me to return when all eyes start to shift onto me. It would make that orphanage a target for harassment and possibly worse. Hogwarts and the Ministry were aware of it but the public didn't need to be if I could help it.

After finalising the letter, I took a nice walk up to the Owlery, heading into the tower with owls scattered all over I noted Nyx had sensed me coming, flying down onto my shoulder and brushing her head up against my cheek.

"Have you been resting well?"

"Hoot!"

Nyx seemed happy with her accommodations here in the tower. At the very top of the owlery she had claimed her spot, as if to say 'I'm the best here'. She was an extremely prideful owl despite her blindness. Then again, being able to 'see' magic was something even some magical beasts couldn't do. It made me wonder how that even came to happen within Nyx, whether she developed the ability on her own or if it was hereditary.

After grooming Nyx, a bit and feeding her, I handed her the letter I wrote carefully.

"You know the place to take this Nyx, feel free to spend some more time there this time around if you want. Let Melony spoil you a little bit"

"Hoot!

Nyx essentially gave a nod at my instructions and flew out from the Owlery with the letter I had given her. Soaring off into the sky. Watching the owl fly like this I truly had to marvel at her speed. As my eyes watched her soar off into the far distance, I eventually peeled them away looking down the stairs on the cliff up to the Owlery. There was someone heading up with a letter in hand.

I kept a cold glance as I started to walk down the stairs, taking a look at the person I noticed that the person was actually a familiar face. It was Tonks.

As she saw me, she took a double glance before stopping in front of me. With a smile she started to speak;

"If it isn't the solitary snake himself. Visiting that unique owl of yours?"

… 'Solitary snake'?

"Solitary… snake? What sort of dumb nickname is that?"

Tonks giggled slightly as she began to explain further.

"Well unlike all those other Slytherins that live in groups, trying to get connections and such, you have grown a reputation due to being… well a bit of a loner. Alongside the fact that those Slytherins can't ever put you 'in your place' you grew yourself a bit of a reputation"

I felt an exasperated sigh escape my lips. I didn't really focus on the words spreading throughout Hogwarts via the students as I was too focused on my own goals. Due to my icy exterior, it wasn't like anyone would outright mention this to me either… unless it was someone like Tonks it seemed.

"How do you know about Nyx?"

"Oh, that unique owl? He has as much of a reputation as you! He's the most domineering owl the owlery has ever had. All the other owls are basically scared shitless of him"

"It's a 'her'"

"A… her? But she's so small!"

"Well, the manager of Eeylop's also made the same mistake so no need to be so shocked. She's unique in more ways than one"

"I see…"

Tonks placed her hand on her chin for a moment thinking. Seeing her in front of me I had to wonder why she was even here; shouldn't she be doing the ministry of magic programme?

"Oh right! I haven't even introduced myself. My names Tonks, its nice to meet you…"

"Oz, my names Oz. Don't call me 'Solitary Snake'"

"Ah Oz right now I remember… I saw you near the beginning of the year trip up those three Slytherin boys. That was a funny little display back then. It would have been cool to see you mess with more Slytherins through the year but with this damn programme I've only been in the school intermittently for tests and a couple lessons here and there"

"Programme?"

"The Ministry of Magic programme. Something I opted in for as a seventh year. I work under Mad-Eye Moody helping him out… well more like being his little assistant. The man just orders me around whilst I'm at the ministry"

"… Sounds like a pain"

"It is~"

The two of us stood in an awkward silence for a moment before I started to speak again;

"Well, I need to get back to the castle. Good luck with your programme"

Walking past Tonks, she seemed to have something she wanted to say, I continued to walk before she turned and grabbed my shoulder.

"Y-You didn't hear this from me but… The Slytherins, they are planning a big event to get at you after all the failed attempts this year. I… overheard it when returning from the ministry the other day"

My eyes blinked in surprise for a moment before cooling back down. Considering where I was at now with my strength, I had reached a plateau fighting those training dummies. I even said back then that those as targets weren't sufficient anymore. If what Tonks was saying was true, I would have some prime new 'combat dummies' arriving at my doorstep for me soon. With it approaching the end of the year as well, I wouldn't need to be as 'light'.

I flashed Tonks and unbothered smile;

"Thanks for letting me know Tonks, I'll get going now"

Tonks seemed surprised as she saw the confidence in my gaze. All the petty tricks and things the Slytherins had tried up to this point were easily dismantled and ignored as they were underhanded and out of sight. This time though it seemed a plan was cooked up for… well basically a 'public execution' by the end of the year at the very least. Maybe the main plan was to injure me just before the year ended so I would be bed-ridden well into next year.

It was far more straight forward and ballsy on the group of Slytherins part, completely discarding that usual slyness of theirs, however they needed to resort to this due to how I evaded them up to this point. That evasion and stalling didn't go to waste though. Compared to me when I first joined Hogwarts and the me of right now, with 'Furtim' and 'Augmentum' in my arsenal. I would be able to wipe them out.

It would be time to send them a message, one that would resound for the rest of the years I'm here.

.

After Tonk's words I kept a clearer ear out for anything, even eavesdropping when walking through the Slytherin common room. However, any sort of talk about it seemed to not linger in the common rooms, as if the Slytherin students were wary of my abilities.

The rest of the month progressed as such until the fated night arrived where I had to enact the next step of the Animagus ritual. Using 'Furtim', I headed out of my room stealthily and in extension out the castle doors into the fields of Hogwarts. Looking up at the sky I noted that I was lucky as there were hardly any clouds blotting out the moon. Moonlight was essential for this next part after all.

I headed further out of Hogwarts whilst cloaked, essentially leaving the grounds a bit and found myself on a hill in between the long walk to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. On top of the hill was a few rocks, bathed in the moonlight from above. I noted this area would be the best bet in continuing the potion making procedure.

Heading up to the rocks, I carefully took a vial out of my extension pouch. This was the Animagus potion I had prepared yesterday. It was basically perfect, the only steps left being the leaf, hair, dew and moth. The rock was a bit too bump to perfectly place the vial on it so I took my wand out, casting a concentrated 'Diffindo' making the rock into a flat, table-like, surface.

Placing the vial in the centre of the rock I looked up at the moon that shone down onto me. I was within the moon's pure rays for now however it looked like I would need to be quick as clouds were seemingly starting to appear off to the east and rolling towards the moons gaze. Lifting my tongue to the roof of my mouth, I felt that the leaf was fully intact on the bottom and none of it had been swallowed.

First, I undid the fixing charm which notably made the leaf grip a lot less to my tongue. That didn't matter though as soon I would need to spit it out. Placing myself carefully over the vial, I made sure I was in range of the moon's rays. Carefully I began to spit the leaf out, into the vial. Since the leaf had been adhered to my tongue for a month it came out all mushy as it plopped into the vial. This was a month-long journey so I was showing as much concentration as I did when I created 'Augmentum'.

As the leaf fully left my mouth and entered the vial I continued on to the next step. Taking my hand up to my hair I painfully plucked a few strands out, much like what was needed in a Polyjuice potion. Dropping the strands in, the sunk into the vial alongside the leaf I had spat out. The next step was the dew which I had kept out of sunlight for seven days now. Taking it out of my extension pouch I carefully poured exactly a teaspoon worth into the vial.

I was onto the final step, the Death's-head Hawk Moth. Looking up at the moon I noted that clouds were soon to roll over it. This entire process needed the moons rays laid upon the vial so I needed to act quickly. I took out the final piece of the puzzle, the chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawk Moth. I carefully placed it within the vial allowing it to be absorbed by the inner liquid. As all the ingredients sank within the potion, I grabbed Merlin's adorned box which had his wand in it from my extension pouch and placed the now capped vial into the box next to Merlin's wand.

The vial needed to be left in a dark and quiet place. The extension pouch seemed like the best bet for now and Merlin's box had an ancientness to it that just felt right storing the vial in there. It would of course be dark when the lid was closed onto it also so that cover all the bases needed.

Closing the lid slowly I breathed out a sigh of relief as the moons rays ceased on the hill, leaving me bathed in darkness.

The second part of the ritual had been completed without a hitch; I could only hope the final main part would go as well as the previous two parts. As I headed back to the castle from where I was, 'Furtim' reactivated, I started to see the sun rise on the horizon. I took my wand to my chest, pointing it at my heart, chanting;

"Amato Animo Animato Animagus"

I felt a slight magical energy coalesce inside me for a moment as the chant was made. I sighed noting that this was going to become a daily thing until a thunderstorm arrived. I hoped one would arrive before the end of the year…