Chapter 156: Parseltongue

Guided by the tracking spell, Xiven and Newt’s party ventured deep into the forest.

A crystal-clear lake lay quietly here, nestled among towering ancient trees.

Xiven frowned; the inexplicable sense of familiarity in this forest was growing stronger.

"There's a range of hills just past the lake. That's probably where the vipers congregate." Newt’s voice interrupted Xiven's train of thought.

He looked up toward the hills ahead of the lake, but that sense of familiarity suddenly faded.

*Could it be an illusion?* Xiven pondered to himself.

Upon arriving at this place, Aurelius grew increasingly nervous. He kept taking deep breaths along the way, trying to calm his fluttering heart.

"Don't worry, Nagini will be fine," Aberforth patted his shoulder and consoled him.

Led by Newt, the group climbed the hill ahead, on the side of which was a massive cave opening. Through the faint light shining into the entrance, they could occasionally glimpse numerous light-brown vipers with chain-like oval markings slithering through the cave. The rustling sound of their bodies scraping against the ground sent chills down their spines.

"Careful, vipers are highly venomous. Don't get bitten," Newt turned his head and cautioned everyone present with a prudent tone.

Hearing Newt's warning, Xiven was the first to float to the front of the group and said, "I'll go in and scout the path ahead first. At least I won't get bitten by snakes."

Newt thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Very well, then we'll wait for you at the entrance," he said.

Thus, taking advantage of his spiritual form, Xiven drifted into the cave entrance first.

At this moment, Aurelius could no longer contain his nervousness. A layer of black wispy mist suddenly wrapped around his body, carrying him as he floated over to Xiven's side.

"I won't be harmed by venomous snakes either. We can go together," Aurelius said.

"Alright," Xiven nodded.

After the two of them drifted together into the depths of the cavern, they discovered that the light inside was dim and difficult to see by.

Xiven silently stretched out his hand, causing a weakened version of the Light of Nirvalon to flare in his palm.

Immediately afterward, a dazzling white radiance illuminated the entire cavern in an instant.

Once this gloomy cavern was lit up, Xiven looked down at the ground and suddenly spotted hundreds of vipers of varying sizes! They were densely intertwined, their forked tongues flicking out with hissing friction sounds from time to time, making one's hair stand on end.

Seeing this sight, Xiven shivered violently, feeling utterly disgusted...

As for Aurelius, although his complexion was somewhat pale, his obsessive drive to find Nagini ultimately gained the upper hand.

Consequently, the black smoke of the Obscurus carried Aurelius, drifting back and forth within the crowded cave as he searched for a viper whose appearance resembled Nagini's Maledictus form.

Since snakes are not phototactic, they could not even perceive the light, naturally reacting not at all to the illumination brightening the cave.

Moreover, although their eyes could clearly detect thermal radiation, Aurelius in his Obscurus state and Xiven in his spiritual form possessed not a shred of body heat. Therefore, as Aurelius searched about, the serpents made no aggressive movements whatsoever.

Of course, even if they had attacked, it wouldn't have caused any harm to them anyway.

"Can you recognize Nagini's viper form?" Xiven floated over to Aurelius and asked curiously.

Aurelius nodded, yet a moment later shook his head in a somewhat dazed manner.

"I don't know," he said softly. "I've searched here many times over, and there's simply no sign of her. I don't know if ten years of time has altered her form, or if I've completely forgotten what she looks like..."

"Look on the bright side, what if Nagini's blood curse hasn't fully erupted yet?" Xiven comforted him. "If the blood curse hasn't erupted, maybe she isn't even here at all?"

"I know, I know," Aurelius shook his head and sighed. "It's just that the gap is too vast. This time, I truly thought I was going to find her."

Returning empty-handed, the two left the viper-infested cave and rejoined the others at the entrance, where Newt and the rest were still waiting.

"Well? Did you find Nagini?" The moment the two of them floated out, Aberforth stepped forward eagerly and asked.

Aurelius pulled the black mist of the Obscurus back into his body and gently landed on the ground.

Then, he silently shook his head at Aberforth.

Aberforth opened his mouth, and the words of blessing that had been on the tip of his tongue transformed into profound consolation.

"It's fine. What endeavor is without setbacks?" he told them. "This is only the first search. Don't be discouraged, keep your spirits up!"

Aurelius managed a forced smile, but the look of disappointment in his eyes was already painfully obvious.

Just as everyone was gradually losing hope, Newt gazed at the cave, which had plunged back into gloom, and said softly, "If only we could communicate with these snakes, they might know something."

Dumbledore had also been comforting Aurelius, but upon hearing Newt's words, he froze abruptly in his tracks.

"Wait, Newt. What did you just say?" Dumbledore looked at Newt seriously and asked him.

"Uh... these snakes might know something?" Newt looked at the solemn Dumbledore and said somewhat bewilderedly.

"No, not that sentence." Dumbledore frowned, as if some clue were about to surface yet persistently eluded him. "What was the other thing you just said?"

"The other thing?" Newt thought for a moment, then spoke up. "If only we could communicate with these snakes."

"That's it, that's the phrase!" Dumbledore's brow suddenly unfurled, and he smiled. "How could I have forgotten him?"

As these relieved words left his lips, even his expression lightened considerably.

"Albus, what nonsense are you muttering?" Aberforth looked at Dumbledore with dissatisfaction, reproaching him for still failing to take things seriously at a time like this.

Not only was Aberforth perplexed, but Xiven and the others present were equally at ease understanding who this "him" Dumbledore was referring to.

Yet Dumbledore did not immediately answer everyone's doubts.

He merely chuckled softly, turned his head, and said to Xiven, "Mr. Strange, can you open a portal to Hogwarts and help me bring Xiven over?"

*What good would bringing me do...?* Hearing Dumbledore's words, Xiven was even more baffled, having no idea what role his presence could possibly play.

Out of trust in Dumbledore, however, Xiven still opened a dimensional gate and transported the younger wizard Xiven straight into the Albanian forest.

"Professor, did you need me for something?" The younger wizard Xiven feigned ignorance of what had just transpired, asking with an innocent and clueless expression.

"Xiven, how are things between you and Tom lately?" Dumbledore suddenly asked.

"Huh? Riddle?" Xiven froze, then replied blankly. "I suppose... it's alright."

Xiven couldn't fathom what Dumbledore was thinking at all. How could his train of thought leap to such a degree? And wasn't they discussing Nagini's matter? Why bring up Riddle instead?

"As long as relations are good," Dumbledore said cryptically. "Newt's words reminded me of something. Perhaps we really can communicate with those snakes!"

"When I went to the orphanage to welcome Tom to school, he told me once that he could speak Parseltongue!"