Chapter 52: Delightful Ancient Magic!

Nagini's massive body was shrinking at an astonishing speed!

At the same time, Wid clearly felt that the strange, almost overflowing magical power within his own body was being rapidly vented outward!

Clearly, it was Wid's Transfiguration that was shrinking Nagini... but it was not entirely Transfiguration either...

To be precise, this was Transfiguration performed using the magical power of ancient magic!

In an instant, venting all the ancient magic power within his body through Transfiguration produced an effect countless times more powerful than ordinary Transfiguration!

Wid knew very well that if he had used his own ordinary magical power for Transfiguration,

given his current magical strength, it would have been quite impossible to cause such a drastic change in Nagini...

He had already witnessed Nagini's "magic resistance" strength when they first met in the sewers.

Before long, Nagini, who had been struggling violently amidst the entangling vines, could no longer move at all.

Because her originally massive snake body had shrunk to only half a meter long and was as thin as a pair of chopsticks.

Even the vines tightly binding her to the ground were thicker than her body...

Wid walked over and looked down in shock at the pocket-sized version of Nagini on the ground.

He had indeed seen the protagonist in the game use ancient magic to shrink a giant spider and then squash it flat with one foot...

At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, but now... it was simply way too cool!

After witnessing it with his own eyes... and even casting it himself, he finally appreciated the charm of ancient magic!

Although, given his current reserves of ancient magic, this kind of powerful attack seemed to be limited to once a day for now, the emotion brought by this surge of power was singular...

That was pleasure... extreme pleasure!

Wid's hands were trembling slightly.

Just this tiny bit of ancient magic power within his own body had brought him such immense pleasure; what if he absorbed more?

Without needing much thought, Wid understood.

If he had accepted that strange person's proposal just moments ago, it wouldn't take long for him to become the second strange person.

And he would be even worse off than that strange person... because he didn't have a good friend capable of crafting a freezing cloak for him.

In fact, such powerful magic was a tremendous temptation not just for Wid... but for anyone!

Wid clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and decisively extinguished the thought of turning back right now to find that strange person.

Without the confidence to control his own desires, he must absolutely not go back to find that strange person.

Besides... who could say that his current craving for ancient magic wasn't a side effect brought on by the ancient magic itself?

Vigilance! Caution!

Wid reminded himself inwardly.

"Stupefy!"

Once her body had been shrunk, Nagini's physical constitution was likewise reduced to the absolute limit. If Wid wanted to, he could crush her to death with a single stomp right now...

Therefore, a mere ordinary Stunning Spell was enough to knock the severely weakened Nagini unconscious.

Wid transfigured the surrounding vines into a cage and locked the unconscious, pocket-sized Nagini inside.

As the caster, he could clearly sense that Nagini's current state would last for a very long time.

Wid intended to hand Nagini directly over to Dumbledore and the others for them to handle.

The resourceful Dumbledore always had a way of dealing with such matters.

Wid picked up the cage and carefully sensed the magical fluctuations caused by Aurelius.

Perhaps because Aurelius's self-control was exceptionally strong, the magical fluctuations coming from that direction seemed to have diminished considerably.

He believed that it wouldn't be long before Aurelius recovered once more.

Without lingering any further, Wid Apparated directly back to the entrance of the Hog's Head Inn.

Carrying the cage, he automatically switched his facial expression to one of anxiety and then pounded heavily on the door of the Hog's Head Inn.

The Hog's Head Inn was open during the evenings, but generally closed around midnight.

Therefore, Aberforth had actually fallen asleep not long ago.

Upon hearing the violent pounding on the tavern door, Aberforth drew his wand instantly.

He assumed it was some drunken sot who had lost his mind.

"Which bastard is pounding on the door? Don't you know we're closed?"

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The tavern door was jerked open abruptly by Aberforth.

Then, his cursing words stuck right in his throat, making him feel thoroughly uncomfortable.

"Wid? Why are you outside? Shouldn't you be sleeping in your room right now?"

Wid said with an anxious expression on his face, "This isn't the time for that! Quick! Aurelius has lost control! Right over there in the Forbidden Forest!"

"What did you say?!" As soon as Aberforth heard those words, he instantly stopped questioning why Wid was outside.

He Apparated directly up to the loft, and upon finding the loft completely empty, reappeared in front of Wid once again.

Aberforth grabbed Wid's arm and asked urgently, "Do you remember where he is?"

"Of course I remember..." Before Wid could finish his sentence, Aberforth grabbed him firmly and Apparated to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

This was the edge of the Forbidden Forest closest to Hogsmead village.

"Did you see which direction he went?" Aberforth asked anxiously.

After identifying the direction, Wid pointed and said, "Over that way."

In truth, the pitch-black Forbidden Forest looked identical everywhere, and Wid couldn't really recognize the landmarks clearly.

Fortunately, however, the magical fluctuations of the Obscurus that Aurelius had transformed into were massive, and Wid could still clearly perceive their direction.

He was just a bit curious as to why Aberforth hadn't sensed them...

"Alright! You stay right here and don't go anywhere. Remember, absolutely do not venture into the Forbidden Forest! Your Professor Dumbledore will be here very soon."

After giving these urgent instructions, Aberforth waved his wand toward the direction of Hogwarts, and a translucent white goat flew out, charging toward Hogwarts...

As for Aberforth himself, he pulled a broomstick from goodness knows where, swung his leg over it, and shot straight up into the air in the direction Wid had pointed!

Watching that white goat vanish into the distance, Wid's eyes lit up involuntarily.

If he wasn't mistaken, this must be the Patronus Charm.

And that white billy goat was Aberforth's Patronus.

In the future Order of the Phoenix established by Dumbledore, members were very fond of using Patronuses to send messages; he hadn't expected this communication technique to already exist in this era.

However, thinking that Dumbledore would be arriving shortly, Wid quickly ran through everything that had happened tonight once more.

What he wanted to say and what he wanted to keep quiet—he had already planned it all out.

Before long.

"Crack!"

The sound of Apparition rang out, and Dumbledore's figure appeared beside Wid.

"Aberforth said you saw Aurelius lose control and run into the Forbidden Forest?"

"Yes, Professor." Wid nodded.

A flash of doubt crossed Dumbledore's eyes, but he knew this wasn't the time for questions.

"I'll send you back to the tavern first; wait for me there. I need to go find them, as I'm afraid Aberforth might not be able to handle it alone."