The little bird flapped its short wings, finally reaching the opening of the large cloak, and squeezed through with its tiny beak.
It transformed back into Anton inside the tent.
However, he was clearly in a terrible state—pale, sweaty, and gasping for breath.
Anna hurried over to assist him.
At that moment, Fiennes also floated up from the ground.
"Go back immediately!" Anton's urgent voice pierced through the exhaustion, commanding attention. His words carried a concise and unwavering directive, cutting through the overwhelming tension. "Don't waste any time!"
"Okay," Anna nodded resolutely. With unwavering resolve, her small hand reached into the void. Her fingers closed tightly around the handle of the time-turner, grasping it firmly as she summoned every ounce of strength within her. In one swift motion, she pulled the time-turner forcefully.
A cloud of blue smoke enveloped the air, spreading over the group before abruptly shrinking.
Rumble...
The heavy rain drenched the previously dry ground covered by the large cloth, erasing all traces.
...
Anton felt as if he were walking through a whirlwind of vibrant colors, spinning wildly like clothes in a washing machine.
In the end, they were all expelled.
Several people crashed onto the ground.
Anna's eyes widened in surprise, her gaze transfixed on the large snake as it retreated into a corner. An overwhelming sense of hope mingled with anxiety as she dared to believe in the possibility of their success. "Did we succeed?" she murmured, her voice laced with a tinge of wonder and relief.
Pedro, the goblin, erupted into hearty laughter, the sound echoing through the air. "We did it! I witnessed it with my very own potion," he exclaimed, his voice filled with awe and triumph. "This is the first time I've altered history! I've traversed centuries in the flow of time. It's an incredible feeling."
Anton's expression tightened, his focus drawn to the unexpected appearance of scars that adorned Nagini's body. "I have just noticed," he noted with a somber tone, "That countless scars suddenly appeared on her body. It seems that time automatically corrects itself treating her as the Nagini who has lived through 52 years."
A sense of gratitude washed over Anna as she slowly rose to her feet, a smile gracing her worn features. Her eyes met Anton's, conveying her heartfelt appreciation. "Thank you," she whispered filled with gratitude.
Fiennes, too, couldn't help but be captivated by the awe-inspiring sight that greeted his eyes—the towering ten-meter-tall time-turner in the factory. "Time and fate truly are remarkable." he murmured, his voice tinged with reverence.
After enduring so much, everyone was exhausted, but no one wanted to rest.
Anna took Anton's old wand and skillfully used the Levitation charm she had recently learned to fetch fruit wine and food from downstairs.
Clink,clink!
The sound of clinking wine glasses filled the air, a harmonious symphony of celebratory toasts. "Cheers!" they exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with a mix of jubilation and relief.
Everyone gathered around the small round table in the hall, their faces mirrored a shared sense of inexplicable relief.
Pedro, his chest puffed with pride, couldn't resist the opportunity to claim the credit. "It was because I was the first to find Nagini and bring her to you. I had this plan." he boasted, his voice carrying a mix of self-satisfaction and pride.
Anton's response held a disdainful edge. "Oh please, you didn't put in much effort. You may be strong, but you still relied on me to the hard work." he retorted, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.
Fiennes, never one to miss an opportunity for to mock Pedro, chimed in with a mischievous grin. "That's right. My dim-witted teacher is truly getting old. His movements are slow, and his thinking is sluggish. He's too slow to respond in time." he teased, his words dancing with playful jabs.
Pedro gritted his teeth in frustration, the sting of their comments pricking his pride. It was abundantly clear that he had warned them all. Fed up with their banter, he shifted his attention to Anna, he directed his advice towards her. "Don't travel into time on your own in the future. It's extremely dangerous." he warned, his voice tinged with genuine concern.
Anna nodded earnestly, her eyes reflecting a sense of understanding and gratitude. A warm smile graced her lips as she addressed the group. "Okay," she assured, her voice filled with sincerity.
They partied all night.
Anton couldn't hold his liquor any longer. Exhausted and drained of energy, he nearly slumped under the table.
Pedro sneered, but still picked him up and brought him back to his room.
Upon returning, he helped guide Nagini back to her room and reinforced the protective spell on the door.
Fiennes also floated back to his own room.
Eventually, the streetlights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows dimmed, leaving Anna alone sitting cross-legged in front of her mother's room, peacefully asleep with a smile on her face.
Everything seemed to return to how it was before they entered the time-turner.
Everything had subtly changed.
...
The next day, Anton gathered everyone again, though everyone was still exhausted.
Lupin's eyes widened in astonishment as he listened to Fiennes's captivating tale, his expression filled with genuine wonder. "So, I was locked downstairs for one night, and you all went through an entire month?" he questioned, his voice laden with incredulity.
Everyone burst into laughter, and Lupin joined in the laughter as well.
Anton, seizing the moment, tapped the table with his wand, the resonating sound drawing everyone's attention. "Pedro has confirmed that Nagini's soul now exists between that of a human and a snake. She's been saved!" he announced, his voice infused with a mix of triumph and determination.
Taking charge of the room, Anton continued. "Now, the next crucial step is to uncover the memory of the blood curse and find a cure for both Nagini and Anna." he stated.
A note of uncertainty seeped into Anton's voice as he acknowledged the challenges that lay ahead. "It will require some luck," he ventured, his gaze flickering towards Pedro. "And Pedro, with his abundant reserve of memories, holds a crucial role in this endeavor."
Pedro, dipping his cigar with a haughty snort, interjected with a touch of coldness. "Stop stealing my knowledge. It belongs to the goblins!" he admonished, his voice carrying a hint of possessiveness.
Anton, shrugging off Pedro's retort, conceded, "I truly didn't mean to, but this is a problem that the two of us need to solve. You have so many memories, and I don't know when we'll find the right one."
In that moment, the air was filled with a symphony of hearty laughter that reverberated through the room, capturing everyone's attention.
"I have the solution!"
With a gentle sway, the door swung open by itself, revealing a strikingly handsome middle-aged man. He stood tall, his warm smile illuminating the room as he held a wand in his hand.
It was Andre, who had been missing for quite some time.
Anna's eyes widened with both surprise and delight. Unable to contain her excitement, she leapt from her chair, rushing towards Andre and engulfing him in a tight embrace. "Father!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine joy and relief.
Andre returned her embrace with equal fervor, his smile widening as he ruffled her hair tenderly. "My dear, I apologize for keeping you waiting." he murmured, his voice laced with a mixture of regret and affection.
Both Fiennes and Pedro were taken aback, especially Pedro. Seeing this familiar face, he recalled the near-death experience he had with Andre in his memories, leaving him with mixed emotions.
Most importantly, this friend was actually his son-in-law?
And yet, Andre didn't even want Pedro to be called "Father-in-law"?
With Andre's return, Anton's doubt momentarily dissipated as he refocused on the matter at hand. He regarded Andre intently, curiosity tugging at his thoughts. "What exactly can you solve?" Anton inquired, his voice tinged with a trace of skepticism.
Taking his daughter's small hand in his own, Andre guided them through the crowd, producing a pendant from his pocket. "Behold," he announced, a sense of reverence lacing his words. "This is the lucky pendant of the goblin time traveler and memory collector. It can guide you to the depths of memory."
Pedro's eyes widened in astonishment as he recognized the pendant. "Damn! That's mine," he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and annoyance. He touched his bare neck, a realization dawning upon him. "When did you take my pendant!" Pedro demanded, his disbelief evident.
With a light smile, Andre placed the pendant gently on the table, his expression holding a glimmer of mystery. "That's a long story." he replied, his voice tinged with enigmatic meaning.
Andre's expression turned serious as he addressed Anton directly. "Young wizard, I must express my sincere gratitude for your unwavering efforts," he declared, his voice carrying the weight of gratitude. "The Rosier family is indebted to you."
Anton's brow furrowed, curiosity dancing in his eyes as he met Andre's gaze. "You know what happened? Did you overhear it at the door? You don't seem surprised." he remarked, his voice carrying a mix of intrigue and suspicion.
Andre offered a knowing smile, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. "What keen observation you have." he responded with a hint of playfulness. "I've known for decades!"
"What!" The room erupted with astonished gasps as everyone turned their gaze towards Andre, disbelief etched across their faces.
Quickly seizing the opportunity, Anna brought a chair for her father to sit on, her own small form perching on a high stool beside him. beaming with joy.
"You all experienced time travel, and you probably know what happened during that time."
Andre affectionately ruffled Anna's hair.
"Afterward, I took Anna back to the family and hid her away, while I searched everywhere for Pedro." Andre recounted, his eyebrow raised in wry amusement. "It took me three years to find him."
Pedro stood speechless, a mix of surprise and disbelief etched across his face. "But... I'm right here! You didn't have to search for me," he blurted out, his voice tinged with incredulity.
Unfazed, the attention remained fixated on Andre, the rest of the group hanging on his every word. Pedro, feeling insignificant in that moment, clenched his jaw in frustration, stealing a resentful glance at Andre before closing his mouth in silent resignation.
Admitting the remarkable nature of Pedro's existence, Andre's voice carried a tinge of reverence. "Pedro is not just an ordinary goblin. He is a 'collector and traveler of time and memory' among the ancient goblins, a wise man well-versed in matters of time." Andre explained, casting a knowing look toward Pedro.
Pedro's eyes widened, his disbelief evident. "How do you know I have wisdom? This..."
Before he could finish his protest, Fiennes rushed over, a displeased expression etched upon his face, causing Pedro to flinch. "Oh, for the love of Merlin, shut up, you foolish teacher!" Fiennes admonished, shaking his head. He then turned to Andre, gesturing with a hand. "Please, continue speaking and pay no mind to his comments."
Andre smiled gratefully at Fiennes and nodded in agreement. "Pedro did indeed forget the memory of the Blood curse," he revealed, his expression betraying a hint of regret. "I compelled him to take me to cast the spell, but unfortunately, Pedro buried his own memory and secured it with a powerful spell. Unless he had a strong instinct to do so, he wouldn't be able to access it."
Pedro stood there, stunned by the revelation. "I buried that memory?" he whispered, his voice filled with disbelief.
Andre sighed in confirmation, compassion evident in his gaze. "Yes, you did."
He continued, his tone steady yet tinged with a touch of weariness. "Since we couldn't change the actual fact of casting the Blood curse, and I didn't know the solution to the curse, I had to keep going back to the time when I killed Nagini, attempting to find a way to alter everything." Andre explained, his words hinting at the immense weight he had carried over the years.
Pedro couldn't contain his bewilderment any longer. "Wait!" he interjected, his voice laden with exasperation. "You kept going back?" he exclaimed incredulously.
Andre's smile remained serene as he confirmed Pedro's question with a nod. "Over the next 52 years, I forced you to take me through time a total of 5,325 times," he revealed.
"You're insane!" Pedro erupted, anger infusing his words as he angrily rose from his seat. "No wonder my memory has become a jumbled mess, and I feel like I'm aging rapidly. I've been cursing those future individuals who keep intruding upon my life!"
A massive purple goblin golem materialized behind Pedro, ready to jump into action. "I'll fight you!" He bellowed, the golem's presence poised for conflict.
Andre quickly stepped back, diffusing the tension. "Haha, there's no need for that, Pedro," he intervened calmly. "After all, we have become great friends throughout this long journey."
The anger in Pedro's eyes simmered, a flicker of recognition and understanding gradually replacing his frustration. "Who wants to be friends with you..." he grumbled, only to be caught off guard as he spoke simultaneously with Andre, their words perfectly synchronized. "You damn foolish wizard."
Pedro was taken aback, momentarily stunned by the realization.
Andre shrugged, a sense of camaraderie coloring his gesture. "See? We have grown so accustomed to each other's presence that familiarity is inevitable," he remarked with a faint smile.
Fiennes burst into hearty laughter, unable to contain his amusement. "Oh, my poor teacher," he chuckled through his laughter. "Being dragged through time over 5,325 times, it truly is a pitiable and miserable predicament. Hahahaha!"