Dumbledore also saw Lucifer, with some surprise in his eyes, then thought of Howl, and immediately felt that it was quite normal...
"This is Aberforth Dumbledore. He is quite familiar with Nagini..."
The focus of the group quickly shifted to Nagini.
Aberforth looked at the large snake coiled on the table, and quickly confirmed through the markings on its body that this was indeed the girl.
He slightly raised his hand, and with Harry's hissing assistance, gently stroked the creature's head.
He calmly shook his head: "Aurelius regretted not being able to apologize to her until his death. I never thought that upon meeting again, she would have become like this."
"You know each other?"
Howl stood behind Aberforth, casting a questioning look at Dumbledore. They had initially just wanted to ask about this creature's origins, to see if they could dig up some old secrets of Lord Voldemort.
"Nagini was from Grindelwald's era; she once fought against Grindelwald with us.
And Aurelius is my child," Aberforth explained.
"Albus, is there still a chance? If so, I want to ask for your help," he suddenly said.
Dumbledore was somewhat surprised; for decades, Aberforth had never asked him for anything.
"This is something Aurelius couldn't complete before his death," Aberforth said.
"I don't know, perhaps it's worth a try."
Dumbledore couldn't say no, yet he had never delved deeply into this field.
"She... is most likely already dead," Howl hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak plainly.
"If my guess is correct, she might only have a wisp of remnant thought left now."
Aberforth looked at the large snake lying on the stone table, his blue eyes burning brightly: "Regardless, I want to try."
"Alright, suit yourselves," Howl nodded, not holding out much hope, and turned around, only to find Fawkes standing by the fireplace.
Lucifer extended a small fiery hand and said rather lewdly: "Come in, come play."
...
It's simply a disgrace!
He turned back to Nagini, not intending to disturb Lucifer.
A while later, Dumbledore left with Fawkes, under Lucifer's reluctant gaze.
However, Aberforth refused to leave with Dumbledore.
Howl could tell he still had something to say.
"I know you," he immediately said after Dumbledore left: "Jones, living in the Shrieking Shack, right."
Howl sat on the sofa and nodded: "Are you also in Hogsmeade?"
"I run a pub there," he said, quickly changing the subject: "I know you are a very powerful Wizard, and I want to ask for your help.
I am well aware that my brother is not skilled in this area. Not to mention, this is a Curse that has been unsolved for centuries."
Howl looked at him, "I'm very curious why you have such a strong obsession. Even... just now when you used the word 'ask for help', I saw Dumbledore's face twitching."
Aberforth had a faint smell of goat about him. Thinking this, Howl leaned back on the sofa, moving a little further away from the other party, and set up a small spell for his nasal cavity.
"Aurelius is my son," he said: "An Obscurial created because of my mistake.
In short, my guilt towards him is difficult to express in words. I just want to fulfill his last wish, something he constantly thought about even when he was dying."
"Related to Nagini?"
Aberforth nodded: "Nagini and he met in Grindelwald's era, one an Obscurial, the other a Maledictus. They once banded together for warmth, comforted each other, and fell in love.
But because of the mistake I made, Aurelius was deceived by Grindelwald.
In one incident, he defected to Grindelwald and abandoned Nagini.
This matter was something he kept thinking about after I brought him home.
But by then, Nagini had disappeared from Hogwarts, and I searched every corner of the Wizarding World. I wanted Aurelius to have the chance to apologize to her in person, to confide in her.
But until Aurelius died, I couldn't find her. So many years have passed, and I had already given up, but I never expected to see her again in my twilight years."
As he spoke, Aberforth's body gradually straightened a bit: "My child, the child who became an Obscurial because of my mistake.
His wish was to heal Nagini and to apologize to her in person.
The latter may no longer be possible.
But the former, I hope to achieve in my lifetime."
Saying this, he looked at Howl.
"I once witnessed you in Hogsmeade annihilate a broken soul with overwhelming power in Hogwarts.
I also heard from pub patrons about your terrifying magic that destroyed everything in Knockturn Alley.
I know how tricky the Maledictus Curse is, but when I saw Nagini before me, I simply couldn't say the word 'give up'.
If possible, I hope you can provide some assistance in this matter. For this, I, a centenarian, would have no complaints about giving up the rest of my old life."
Howl looked at the white-haired old man making a solemn promise before him, and couldn't help but sigh.
Aberforth was much more straightforward and genuine than his brother!
Credence Barebone, original name: Aurelius Dumbledore
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