CH: 43 Pensieve

The process of concocting the 'Oculus' potion is incredibly complex, requiring at least six to seven days to complete.

Although Anna's cabin is abundant in potion ingredients, some of them are not suitable for preservation, necessitating a trip to Knockturn Alley for purchases.

Living things such as leeches and mice are required.

And to avoid interfering with 'time,' one must refine the Polyjuice potion and acquire hair from Muggle society for disguises and purchases.

Time stretched on.

While Anton was preparing the potion, Fiennes sent the goblin Pedro away, not wanting his knowledge to spread, especially to his enemies.

Most importantly, Fiennes continued to explain his potion's lecture while the potion was being prepared, deconstructing the discipline of potion brewing from the perspective of magic and spellcasting.

Anna, being well-mannered, knew better than to pry. Her good upbringing taught her what she should and shouldn't observe.

Especially since she could finally travel back to fifty-eight years ago, she pleaded with Pedro to let her see her mother.

Only God knows the amount of courage it took for Pedro to agree.

It's important to note that Pedro's strength is what it not used to be in the past thirty-eight years, and the Pedro from thirty-eight years ago was nearly killed by Andre.

Now, Pedro had managed to escape with his life, while Andre was relentlessly hunting him down with murderous intent.

And Pedro was planning to sneak into Andre's house?

That would be a serious risk to his life, wouldn't it?

However, Anna's pleading cries were so pitiful that they touched his heart, which was beginning to feel the weight of age.

Anna spent her days in happiness.

Upon returning, she would always visit the laboratory to share interesting stories of her day with Anton.

Her mother would tell her the story of the little prince to lull her to sleep, though she would often fall asleep first. Her mother would braid her hair beautifully. Her mother's favorite snake grass had finally bloomed that day, its petals elegant and emitting a faint fragrance.

Anna scrunched up her little nose, expressing her sadness. She wondered if the flowers that snakes were attracted to had lured the large snake, leading to her mother's death as she tried to save Anna.

Until one day.

Pedro caught a large snake in a corner of the cabin grounds.

Twelve feet long, of the Viper species, and bearing numerous mottled scars from past injuries.

It was the same large snake that Anton had rescued on the island.

Anna's voice broke, tears streaming down her face as she grappled with overwhelming sadness. "So, the super-sized time-turner I used brought this big snake back to fifty-eight years ago, causing my mother's death. I'm a terrible person!"

Pedro, the goblin, let out a heartfelt sigh, his hand tenderly caressing Anna's little head. "Time travel is a dangerous thing. Sometimes we believe it can change something, but it often ends up being a cruel twist of fate."

Fiennes, usually filled with mischief, remained silent. His head buried in his arms, he refrained from his usual cackling laughter, involuntarily releasing a heavy sigh. "Fate can be incredibly cruel." he muttered, his voice heavy with resignation.

Anton, wearing a perplexed expression, observed the scene.

He carefully set down the potion he had been working on, removed his dragon leather gloves, and gazed at Anna with a mixture of emotions.

After wrestling with his internal struggle, Anton finally released a heavy sigh, his gaze filled with empathy as he earnestly reached out to pat Anna's trembling hand.

"The truth can be even more cruel than what you've already seen," He began, his voice tinged with a mix of caution and concern. "I'm not sure if I should tell you or not, but eventually, you will find out."

Anna's astonishment was swiftly overtaken by a flicker of fear, her eyes widening with anticipation. She cast a quick glance at Pedro, acknowledging his presence, before turning her gaze back to Anton with a determined resolve etched across her features.

"I remember you mentioning it before. You know about my mother's actions," Anna asserted, her voice filled with determination. "Please tell me. I can handle more than you may think!"

"Perhaps," Anton replied cryptically, his finger pointing towards the big snake.

The large snake was now held in Pedro's magic, gripped tightly by a massive purple-skinned magical puppet. The puppet's menacing stance suggested it saw the snake as an enemy, ready to crush it into shreds with its ten powerful hands, as if awaiting Anna's command.

"The name of this snake..." Anton hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

"Is Nagini." He finally revealed, his voice carrying a weight of somber realization.

"What!" Anna's voice trembled with incredulity, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at the large snake before her. The realization struck her like bolt of lightning, leaving her momentarily paralyzed by the revelation.

"What!" Pedro echoed Anna's astonishment, his grip on the puppet involuntarily loosening, causing the snake to slip from his grasp and slither to the floor. Startled, he hurriedly stepped back, allowing Nagini to find refuge in a secluded corner of the room.

"What!" Fiennes, though caught off guard by the astonishing connection, remained in a state of detachment, his usual mischief subdued in the face of the unfolding revelation. His reaction, inconsequential as it may be, held no bearing on the weight of the situation at hand.

"Yes." Anton's gaze grew solemn as he locked eyes with both Anna and Pedro, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "She... is Nagini."

"That's impossible!" Pedro exclaimed, his voice betraying a sense of disbelief and shock.

Before him, the very air seemed to tremble, creating countless ripples that distorted the fabric of space itself. Through the shimmering waves, Pedro's already wide eyes appeared even larger, almost dwarfing his head in their sheer astonishment.

Feeling a surge of anxiety, Anna tightly clutched the fabric of Pedro's suit jacket, her heart pounding as she anxiously awaited his response. Her eyes fixated on his mouth, hoping for answers, a mix of panic and hope intertwining within her.

"I..." Pedro's voice wavered, his uncertainty palpable.

After a pause that seemed to stretch on, Pedro finally confessed, his words heavy with uncertainty and realization, "I have no idea."

"I can perceive that the body of the large snake is the soul of a woman," Pedro revealed, his voice laden with a somber tone. "But she has been completely transformed. The influence of the spell has penetrated her soul, rendering her unable to revert back to her original form, and her soul has solidified into the shape of a snake."

Pedro's gaze remained fixed upon Anton, but it seemed to lack its usual clarity. His voice wavered, sounding somewhat hoarse as the weight of realization settled upon him. "Are you suggesting that, if Andre had not deceived me, she... she is genuinely my daughter? The blood curse that I, myself, created..."

In an instant, Pedro appeared to age significantly before their eyes. His once average stature now appeared hunched, burdened by the weight of his own creation, and his eyes brimmed with a bitterness that threatened to consume him.

Weakened by the magnitude of this revelation, Pedro collapsed to the ground, his body slumped and defeated. His trembling hand repeatedly slapping himself. "I'm a fool, I'm such a fool..." his voice choked with remorse, carrying the weight of his painful revelation.

A sense of sorrow enveloped them all.

Tears streamed down Anna's cheeks as she wept, her gaze filled with sorrow as she gazed at the snake before her. "I was so afraid of her before, I couldn't bear to look at her. She was right beside me all along. For half a year, I never took a proper look at her."

With trepidation gripping her heart, Anna took tentative steps forward, her movements cautious and deliberate. However, before she could draw close, the large snake reared up, hissing threateningly, as if preparing to attack.

Fiennes, overcome by panic and concern, urgently called out to Anna. "Anna, don't go near her! She's just a snake now, she could harm you!" His voice filled with genuine worry, his words echoing with a sense of urgency and caution.

"Ding!"

"Ding Ding!"

A resounding sound resonated through the room, capturing the attention of everyone present. Their gaze turned towards Anton, who was using his wand to tap gently on the cauldron, emitting a clear and distinct tone.

"My 'Oculus' potion has been successfully brewed, Mr. Pedro," Anton announced, his voice brimming with confidence. "You mentioned that you wanted me to use the 'Avis charm' to learn and imitate your 'Oculum Mutatio' spell."

"Now is the perfect time for you to demonstrate the process of the 'Oculum Mutatio' to exploring memories." Anton continued, his words carrying a sense of encouragement and anticipation.

"Yes!" A surge of excitement coursed through Pedro, his enthusiasm evident as he exclaimed, jumping up from his position. "Yes, I want to explore her memories. 'Oculum Mutatio' charm is not an ordinary goblin spell; it is unique to the profession of 'time and memory collectors.' Even if her memories have been erased by the blood magic spell, I will be able to see them!"

In response to Pedro's enthusiasm, Anton waved his wand, causing a portion of the potion in the cauldron to levitate in mid-air, hovering before them. "So, shall we begin?"

"Wait a minute!" However, before they could proceed, Anna cried out anxiously, her voice filled with urgency. "Wait for me!"

After receiving approval from Anton and Pedro, Anna hurriedly ran into the depths of the cabin. After a short while, she returned, cradling a peculiar magical object in her arms.

It was a metal basin adorned with intricate runes, strange symbols, and precious stones fitted into it.

Engraved on the basin were German words: "Für das Größere Wohl-1898" (For the Greater Good).

Anna's explanation flowed earnestly from her lips as she presented the gleaming metal basin to Pedro. "This is an heirloom left behind by my relative, Vida Rosier," she clarified, her voice carrying a hint of awe. With unwavering determination, Anna handed the Pensieve towards Pedro.

"It's a Pensieve. With it, you can show me what you see at the same time," With unwavering determination, Anna asserted, her eyes shining with an unyielding resolve, "I want to see! I want to look!" Her eyes locked onto his, brimming with resolve as she firmly declared her desires.