Chapter 240: Dreams and Storms
Chapter 240: Dreams and Storms
The rain fell steadily from noon until evening, starting as a light drizzle and gradually intensifying into a rhythmic patter against the windowsill, like a musical performance.
With limited water vapor in the atmosphere, a storm was unlikely to occur for the next ten days or so after this rain.
Upon returning home, Lupin said to Vold, "I hope you won't be too disappointed, Vold."
"James and the others decided to learn Animagus in their second year, and it wasn't until their fifth year that they succeeded. Most of them are like this—it takes years, even decades of accumulation, to take that step."
"Compared to them, you're already quite fast. Maybe just wait a few weeks, and the most suitable time will come."
"By then, your preparations will definitely be more complete than they are now."
Seeing the concern in Lupin's eyes, Vold smiled and said, "I understand. I was already prepared for a few failures... Besides, I haven't failed yet; I just need to keep waiting, right?"
Lupin smiled in relief and said, "Of course... Don't forget the spell at sunset."
"I understand."
Vold spent some time reading in the study, and when he realized he hadn't turned a page in a while, the alarm clock suddenly emitted a shrill sound.
He reached out to turn off the alarm, pointed the tip of his wand at his heart, and whispered, "Amado, Animo, Amado, Animagus."
"Boom!"
In his chest, a strong and powerful heartbeat responded to his spell, as if a creature was eager to break through the blockade and emerge.
Vold turned his head and saw the long trails of rainwater on the glass, the later ones chasing the earlier ones, creating crisscrossing paths, only to be replaced by new ones in an instant.
He felt that he wasn't really that disappointed, just as he had told Lupin—he had long prepared himself for a two to three-year endeavor.
Failing two or three times in the Mandrake process was considered rare, and even six or seven times wasn't considered excessive... But he had almost succeeded on his first attempt.
Casting the spell was a continuous and lengthy process, and an accidental stupor or oversleeping could result in having to start all over again.
However, he strictly adhered to the schedule he had set for himself, never missing a single session.
Yet, as he got closer to success, the waiting seemed to drag on endlessly. He knew the storm would eventually arrive, but every second before it felt elongated.
Vold poured himself a small glass of butterbeer, the alcoholic version, and downed it in one gulp.
Usually, such a weak alcohol content would only intoxicate creatures like house-elves.
The bitterness of the beer and the aroma of cream entwined in his throat, followed by a slight spiciness and a more complex fragrance.
Vold felt like he understood why some people enjoyed drinking this golden beverage.
He felt a bit lightheaded, as if everything around him had become lighter, and his mood had lifted significantly. Vold restrained the thought of "one more glass" and lay down in bed, pulling the blanket up to his chin.
"Sleep," he told himself.
"I still need to wake up before sunrise tomorrow!"
...
Vold wasn't aware that he was dreaming.
He flew in the sky, with wispy clouds passing by, and the Hogwarts castle seemed far away, while the moon and stars appeared closer.
The massive full moon shone brightly like a lake, hanging overhead, emitting a pure light.
Countless stars accompanied him, and upon closer inspection, they were spherical, pitted rocks, some even gleaming with a metallic luster.
In his dream, Vold suddenly felt puzzled—weren't most of the stars supposed to be stars?
Voldemort's mind immediately provided an answer: he was flying through the asteroid belt of the solar system.
A massive, dark gray planet suddenly glided past him silently. It completely blocked the moon and almost obscured his entire field of view.
Such an enormous presence naturally made one feel insignificant and fearful, and at the same time, the name of the planet popped into his mind—
Ceres.
The largest asteroid in the solar system.
Unconsciously, Voldemort wanted to put some distance between them, but suddenly, he found himself being pulled towards Ceres by its gravity.
Departing became so difficult that as he struggled to fly away, the surrounding meteors rushed towards him like bullets!
Voldemort hastily dodged, but was still hit by several fist-sized rocks, and the entire world seemed to shake with the impact!
He suddenly opened his eyes, and Lupin was shaking his shoulder vigorously.
"Voldemort, wake up! The storm is here!"
Before he finished speaking, a flash of lightning filled the sky, and the dim room instantly became as bright as day!
The bright light flashed by, and a few seconds later, the rumble of thunder rolled in from the distance.
Voldemort's groggy mind instantly cleared, and he jumped out of bed, grateful that he had forgotten to change before sleeping. He grabbed his jacket and threw it on before following Lupin downstairs.
With a loud bang, Voldemort's bedroom window suddenly opened, and torrential rain poured in, along with a dark figure.
"No time to waste!" Sirius shouted, "We don't know how long this storm will last, let's fly over!"
In the midst of the thunder, his voice was a bit unclear, but both saw the flying broomstick in his hand.
Voldemort grabbed it and jumped on, flying out the window and landing on the ground in a second. As lightning streaked across the sky again, he darted into the cellar and found the crystal vial he had hidden there before.
The transparent vial contained a crimson potion, refracting a brilliant light, with just enough for a single sip.
"Good, everything's going smoothly, let's go!"
Sirius shouted, "Voldemort, stay close to me!"
Three flying broomsticks shot out with a "whoosh," like swallows defying the storm.
Sirius led the way, with Voldemort in the middle and Lupin close behind. The three of them formed a straight line, flying through the curtain of rain and into the forest, where they slowed down without discussion.
Taking advantage of the lightning, Sirius spotted the entrance he had left earlier. The three of them darted in like flying arrows and landed on the wet grass.
Voldemort jumped off his broom and glanced at the other two. Without hesitation, he pointed his wand at his heart and recited the spell again—
"Amado, Animo, Amado, Animagus."
Then, he pulled out the stopper and tilted his head back, drinking the potion.
Intense pain immediately swept through his body. His muscles seemed to melt, and every bone felt like it had been broken and reshaped. His skin was filled with countless painful sensations, as if thousands of steel needles were about to pierce through his flesh.
His limbs began to twist and deform, his head rapidly shrank, and his body underwent a strange transformation, as if it were about to merge with his clothes...
At the same time, an image of a certain creature appeared in his mind. Voldemort hesitated for a moment, then lunged forward, allowing his magic to naturally respond to a certain call.
The black-haired youth seemed to melt away in an instant.
A raptor with a blue sheen flapped its wings and vanished in the blink of an eye!
(End of Chapter)
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