Sunlight streamed into the room as Nagini shifted her gaze from the picture frame.
"Which of you is Mr. Albus Dumbledore?" she asked softly, her lips purple and face pale, like a small, blooming roadside flower.
But it seemed even the wind stirred by passersby could make her fall apart.
"I am," Dumbledore said, stepping forward from beside Howl.
The entire room brightened.
Not figuratively, but in a physical sense, which made the sunlight seem a little dim, but the room gained a lot of vitality.
Nagini asked respectfully, "Professor, thank you, do you still teach at Hogwarts? And this is?"
"Aberforth, you've met before," Dumbledore said with a gentle smile.
"It's good to see you," Aberforth nodded, his eyes filled with thought.
"Ah..." Nagini let out a long sigh, a mix of emotions.
"Is something wrong?" Albus asked with concern.
"No... I just..." Nagini hesitated, "I'm very confused..."
With that, her gaze shifted to Howl, her eyes filled with sorrow: "Is this also like me—"
"No, absolutely not!" Howl interrupted her decisively.
"Alright," Nagini chuckled softly.
"Your emotions are a bit strange," Howl then said, "like a tangled ball of yarn."
"How should I put it?" Nagini shook her head helplessly. "It's like watching someone else's story, and then trying to accept that the protagonist of the story is myself."
"Memories... you don't have a deep enough emotional connection to those past events, do you?"
Hearing this, Dumbledore and Aberforth also became serious.
"I'm trying," Nagini explained:
"I'm trying to accept the emotions within it, and I'm happy to see this result.
But this intentional effort creates a sense of detachment in me. Especially when I gaze at that photo and review all the past events.
For instance, when I first thought of a certain conversation with him on the rooftop, I found it boring. But then, a thought would shift, and I'd feel like I should smile, should laugh for that scene.
It doesn't come from the heart, but rather 'I' should do it this way."
"It's like wearing a mask, no matter how perfect, how empathetic, how identical the expressions and laughter—you are ultimately not her, right?"
"Yes... a mask, a brilliant way to put it."
"This..." Aberforth took a step back in disbelief, "You... you're not Nagini?!"
"I am, and I am not," Nagini said, "I also wish I were... perhaps in a few more days, I can be 'me.' But it needs some time, I don't have those emotions yet.
For example, the hatred I once felt now seems to me like someone merely stepped on my foot.
Intense emotions from the past are now like the slight flutter of attraction between two passing strangers who admire each other."
...
The atmosphere on the second floor was a bit heavy, like the unyielding leaden clouds from a few days ago.
The room, which had just brightened, dimmed again.
"Haha," Dumbledore laughed, "Sixty years, almost sixty years, it's truly delightful to see you speaking so eloquently in front of me again."
Nagini also forced a smile. Reviewing her memories, she already knew that'she' would not have spoken so eloquently in front of Dumbledore.
Between her and the Professor, there was an unbridgeable chasm, a vast gulf. To be able to look up to him, to see him intervene in worldly affairs, was already the greatest fortune.
"So... now that you've reawakened, is there anything you'd like to do?" Dumbledore asked, stepping forward and opening the cage door.
The girl cautiously stepped out of the cage.
"The world has changed a great deal," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Yes... yes," Nagini nodded, then solemnly bowed her head, "Thank you, Professor... thank you for bringing me back to this world."
Clearly, at this moment, she had concealed that sense of detachment, put on the mask, and was playing the role she was supposed to play.
"Not just me, but also Mu En Jones," Dumbledore introduced. "His contribution was not just a little greater than mine.
I thought there was no need to introduce him, but you just asked that question, so I suppose you don't remember him. It seems I didn't do my best with the memories!"
"My memories from today and sixty years ago are blank. No, I should say... very vague. I'm truly sorry, this might be my problem!" Nagini expressed her apologies sincerely.
"Thank you very much," she said, bowing respectfully.
"No need," Howl shook his head, his tone listless.
"Then, go see this world," Dumbledore smiled.
"No!" Nagini shook her head. "Professor, I want to visit Credence's grave."
"Oh, that," Dumbledore tilted his head. "For that, you might have to ask his father, Aberforth."
"His father..."
Nagini had originally thought his remaining life was spent under Dumbledore's care... but... he found his family, and he smiled very happily in the photo.
That's enough.
"Let's go, I'll take you to see him," Aberforth said with a forced smile. "And while we're at it, take a look at this era."
He still didn't want to give her the letters filled with longing that Aurelius had left behind.
The current her was not yet Nagini enough.
Was this self-deception?
Aberforth didn't know either.
Soon, led by Aberforth, Nagini disappeared into the Pigs Head Bar.
On the second floor, silence reigned.
"It failed..." Howl said.
"It succeeded," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"She's not Nagini, she isn't now, and even if she becomes more like her later, it's impossible for her to be the original Nagini," Howl said indifferently.
"She inherited everything from Nagini, she is Nagini, she just needs some time to find her'self,'" Dumbledore offered his opinion.
Clearly, this did not convince Howl.
Then, Dumbledore looked around the room.
"I remember when I was very, very young, our house was severely damaged by a magical accident.
Necessarily, under my father's lead, we began to rebuild our home.
Not long after, a brand new home rose up from the original site.
New furniture, completely different decor.
Yes, at that time I thought it was a new home.
But as I gradually became familiar with its layout, as I learned where the plates were kept, where Mother would hang clothes..."
With that, Dumbledore turned his head, his gaze piercing.
"Yes, that was home!"
With that, he smiled.
"Howl, that is Nagini.
The Ship of Theseus, recognizes objects as new, but the heart as old.
And magic, and human love, hate, and emotions, clearly belong to the latter!"
Howl was silent for a moment, then merely shrugged helplessly, spreading his hands dismissively: "Forget it, this was the result I expected from the beginning. Inputting memories was highly unlikely to perfectly replicate the original.
The past is irrecoverable, even a child knows that."
"It seems you anticipated this," Dumbledore smiled appreciatively.
"Always," Howl's lips curved upwards, and he turned to wave his hand, "I'm leaving, I'd rather go back and rest with this time... As for the follow-up, soul state checks... hmm, I don't think there's any rush, after all, as you said, she hasn't even found her 'ego' yet."
"Alright," Dumbledore nodded, watching Howl depart.
Only when he saw his figure walk out of the Pigs Head Bar did he sigh.
Effort, then failure.
Always the same.
Soon, the weekend quickly passed with lively matches, and on Wednesday evening, Harry and Draco once again came to the Pigs Head Bar, using the Invisibility Cloak.
However, this time, they did not go to the bar counter, but found a table for themselves, waiting for the person they hoped to see.
"What would you like to drink?" a clear female voice rang out.
Harry looked up in surprise, only to see the girl he had seen in the cage before, now wearing a black dress, standing at the bar.
Years of grime had disappeared, the glasses were sparkling clean, and the surrounding windows were open, letting out the smoke exhaled by the patrons.
Draco pinched his nose; the air here was much better, but he was still a bit unaccustomed.
At the same time, he looked at the girl with some nervousness.
"A tequila, please," he said, gripping the brim of his hat and pulling it down slightly.
Harry looked at the suddenly serious Draco in surprise.
More'serious' than ever before.
The kind that was completely feigned.
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