"Good night, Professor," Severus Snape said with a slight nod, preparing to turn and leave.
At that moment, he felt a faint rustle at his collar. Nagini's slender form emerged from the neckline of his robes, her forked tongue flickering lightly in the air.
Snape's hand darted to his collar, intending to push her back, but it was too late—Dumbledore had already seen her.
When Nagini's green, slit-pupiled eyes met the blue gaze behind Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles, the headmaster's face betrayed a flicker of surprise.
"Severus," Dumbledore's voice remained calm, but Snape caught the subtle ripple in his tone, "it's been a while. No need to rush off—let's have a chat in my office."
Nagini had already slipped back into Snape's robes.
"Follow me," Dumbledore said, not waiting for a response as he turned toward the staircase.
On the eighth-floor corridor of the castle, Nagini writhed restlessly in Snape's sleeve, her scales grazing the inside of his wrist.
"It'll be fine. Be still," he whispered in the hissing Parseltongue only snakes could understand. "He won't harm you."
Ahead, Dumbledore's steps faltered for a barely perceptible moment before continuing upward.
"I suppose this isn't an ordinary pet relationship, is it?" Dumbledore's voice floated down from above.
"Cockroach Cluster," Dumbledore announced to the stone gargoyle.
As the gargoyle sprang aside, revealing the spiral staircase, he turned to Snape. "Severus, when did you master Parseltongue?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Snape replied as the staircase began to ascend, choosing his words carefully. "Perhaps it started when I first conjured a full Patronus..."
"But," he continued, "when we entered Bob Ogden's memory, I was surprised to find I could understand Parseltongue." He paused, deciding to reveal the truth. "Professor, forgive my caution. You know Parseltongue is often associated with dark wizards, so I chose to keep it hidden back then."
"Fascinating. Truly fascinating, Severus," Dumbledore said, stroking his long beard. "Parseltongue is typically inherited through bloodlines. Learning it later in life is extraordinarily difficult—almost impossible, one might say."
He gave Snape a thoughtful glance. "Then again, I've never met someone with a snake Patronus."
"Hm..." Dumbledore murmured. "It's not terribly important. Come in."
Dumbledore gently pushed open the office door. Fawkes, perched on his stand, opened his eyes, his golden-red feathers gleaming.
They entered the headmaster's office. Dumbledore settled behind his desk and gestured for Snape to take the high-backed chair opposite.
No sooner had Snape sat down than Nagini, impatient, slithered out from his sleeve, gliding along his arm onto the headmaster's desk.
A clear, piercing cry cut through the air.
Fawkes swooped down from his perch, his fiery tail feathers leaving a blazing arc in their wake.
Nagini instantly coiled herself, her neck flaring in a threatening posture, hissing sharply.
"Fawkes!" Dumbledore called, halting the phoenix's advance.
Snape rose swiftly, positioning himself between Nagini and the bird.
Dumbledore waved a hand at Fawkes, a silver light guiding the phoenix back to his perch.
Fawkes veered sharply in midair, reluctantly returning to his stand, though his golden eyes remained fixed on the small snake on the desk.
"It seems our friends don't quite get along, Severus," Dumbledore said, his voice calm again but his gaze sharper. "Where did you meet this snake? Albania, perhaps? Could you be the Parselmouth Bertha Jorkins mentioned in The Daily Prophet?"
"Yes, in the forests of Albania," Snape said softly. "Surprisingly, Bertha showed some restraint—she didn't name me outright. Professor, her name is Nagini."
Dumbledore's fingertips tapped lightly on the desk. "How did you learn her name?"
"It's obvious, Professor," Snape said, meeting the headmaster's eyes. "She told me herself." He paused deliberately. "You... know her?"
A brief silence fell over the room, broken only by the faint snores of the portraits of past headmasters on the walls and the occasional disgruntled chirp from Fawkes.
"Yes, she's something of an old friend," Dumbledore said at last, his gaze settling on Nagini, coiled near Snape's hand. "Severus, could you assist me in speaking with her?"
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Don't you know Parseltongue?"
"I can understand it, but I cannot speak to snakes or control them," Dumbledore admitted with a smile. "It's like reading a foreign language without being able to speak it."
"I see," Snape said, nodding. "But I can't guarantee smooth communication. Her language skills seem quite limited—beyond simple words, she struggles to express herself. What would you like to ask her, Professor?"
"Ask her," Dumbledore said, "what she's been through these past years."
Snape leaned toward Nagini, hissing softly in Parseltongue. "Nagini, this is Professor Dumbledore. He wants to talk to you. He wants to know about your experiences over the years."
The small snake raised her head, her tongue flickering rapidly, emitting sounds that seemed incoherent.
"Cre... den... ce..."
At first, the fragmented words puzzled Snape. After several attempts, realization dawned—he pieced together that Nagini was struggling to say "Credence."
Snape straightened, noticing Dumbledore's fingers tighten slightly on the desk.
"Credence?" Snape asked, feigning confusion. "Who's that?"
Dumbledore's fingers froze midair.
"An... old acquaintance," he said, his gaze drifting past Snape into the void behind him.
"An old acquaintance? What do you mean?" Snape pressed, curiosity piqued. "What happened to him?"
The Fantastic Beasts series never reached a proper conclusion. After The Secrets of Dumbledore faltered, Warner abandoned the story. Thus, Snape, like everyone else, knew nothing of its resolution.
"He's gone," Dumbledore said, his long fingers touching tip to tip.
Both he and Snape looked down at Nagini. Her emerald eyes gleamed in the candlelight, filled with a human-like anticipation.
"How should I tell her?" Snape asked, glancing at Dumbledore and then at Nagini with a touch of pity. "Should I tell her Credence is gone?"
"Clinging to false hope while ignoring reality is the cruelest torment, Severus," Dumbledore said with a gentle nod.
Snape hesitated before pressing further. "What did Credence mean to her?"
"They were... friends," Dumbledore said softly, the word carrying a heavy weight in his voice. "In dark times, two cursed souls found warmth in each other."
Snape turned to Nagini, hesitating briefly before hissing in Parseltongue.
Nagini's body stiffened suddenly, then sprang open like a coiled spring—
Her scales flashed with blinding light, her body swelling rapidly as the Shrinking Charm's constraints tore like tissue paper.
A twelve-foot python now dominated the center of the headmaster's office, her eyes blazing with pain and fury.
A spinning silver instrument on the oak desk toppled, spewing smoke, and a spilled ink bottle sent deep blue ink streaming across the surface.
In the same instant, Fawkes spread his wings, soaring toward Nagini, a burst of golden flame erupting from his beak.
Dumbledore shot to his feet as Snape stepped in front of Nagini, his black robes singed with small holes from the phoenix's sparks.
"Fawkes, back!" Dumbledore commanded, raising his arms to block the phoenix. A transparent barrier shimmered into existence before the desk.
Fawkes let out a confused cry and returned to his perch.
"Nagini," Snape said, not turning but locking eyes with her, "don't—"
His words were cut short as Nagini calmed abruptly.
Her frenzied writhing ceased, and the giant snake's eyes reflected Snape's silhouette.
Her massive head lowered, the anger in her gaze giving way to sorrow. In her expression, Snape thought he glimpsed an apology.
Nagini dipped her head, her cold scales brushing gently against Snape's cheek.
"It's alright," Snape said, stroking her neck and feeling a faint tremor. "I'll shrink you again."
With a flick of his wand, the Shrinking Charm took effect, and Nagini reverted to her smaller form, curling up on the desk.
Dumbledore waved his wand, and the toppled objects returned to their places.
The office looked as it had minutes before, unmarred.
"Professor," Snape said, resting his hand beside Nagini so she could lay her head on it, "what happened between Nagini and Credence?"
"Nagini is a Maledictus," Dumbledore said after a pause. "She hails from Indonesia. And Credence... he was a soul burdened by an Obscurus."
"I know about Obscurials," Snape said. "But a Maledictus? Are you saying she was once... human?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said with a deep sigh. "A blood curse is a rare and specific kind of curse. It doesn't kill its target outright but is hereditary. Maledictuses are those afflicted with such a curse, destined to transform permanently into an animal."
"Can she ever become human again?" Snape leaned forward, asking.
"Not to my knowledge," Dumbledore replied, his bluntness carrying a hint of cruelty. "Once a Maledictus fully becomes a beast, the change is irreversible."
"Is that so?" Snape glanced at Nagini. "I thought only the Killing Curse lacked a counter. Tell me more about her story, Professor."
"They met in their lost days and parted at a crossroads of choice," Dumbledore said, his gaze drifting to the bright night sky beyond the window. "In 1927, they crossed paths in Paris—two outcasts shunned by the mainstream. Later, in a battle against... a dark wizard, they found themselves on opposing sides. Perhaps Nagini still hoped to save her friend."
"She chose her path, and he chose his," Snape said, taking a deep breath. "Choice—what a beautiful word."
"Our choices are as vital as our abilities," Snape continued. "I choose to stand with you, Professor, even if I speak Parseltongue."
Dumbledore's face broke into a smile.
"Still," Snape went on, "it sounds like there's another key figure in this story—a dark wizard before Tom. Was it Gellert Grindelwald?"
"That's a longer tale, Severus," Dumbledore said, his smile fading.
"It's late. You should rest." He stood, making a gesture of dismissal. "Being late on the first day of term isn't fitting for the Head Boy. If you're late to Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow, I'll have to reconsider whether you're suited to remain Head Boy."
"Of course, Professor," Snape said, swallowing the words "old fox." He extended his hand, letting Nagini slither back into his robes.
As he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of Dumbledore standing by the window, moonlight casting him like a statue.
Instead of returning to the dorm, Snape headed to the door of the Room of Requirement.
"I can't keep letting Nagini stay like this," he muttered, feeling her coils in his sleeve. "I envy Newt Scamander's suitcase—how did he ever make that thing?"
He paced three times before the blank wall, and a wooden door appeared, leading to "a place suitable for snakes."
Opening it gently, he found a small grove with tall, withered trees, tangled vines, and a small pool. But it lacked the breath of a forest, the sounds of life—an empty replica.
"This..." Snape hesitated, calling Nagini forth. "What do you think of this place?"
Nagini peeked out, then retreated. Snape understood instantly.
The Room of Requirement wasn't an all-powerful wish granter. It couldn't create a complete ecosystem.
Resigned, Snape took Nagini back to the Slytherin dorms beneath the lake.
As he changed out of his robes into pajamas, Nagini slithered up from the floor, climbing to his shoulder.
Thankfully, Patrick Abbott had already drawn his curtains and was fast asleep.
"Nagini," Snape said amid the soft lapping of lake water, his fingers brushing her smooth scales, "sleep for now. Don't bite anyone. We'll find a proper place for you later."
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