Astley Manor.
"Jinhu, where have you been all this time?" sixteen-year-old Audrey said as she scooped Jinhu into her arms. "I've missed you so much!"
"Oh, Jinhu, why has one of your eyes turned grey?"
"It still looks quite nice though," Audrey said, setting Jinhu down. "You're not allowed to run away again, do you hear me?"
Jinhu gave a small roll of his eyes and slipped out of Audrey's bedroom, padding into Grindelwald's room.
With a slight shudder of the feline form, Edmond made his appearance.
Hydrus's soul followed Edmond's movements, utterly bewildered.
'Wasn't I supposed to be dying?'
They say that before you die, your life flashes before your eyes, so why was she seeing Edmond's past instead?
"Edmond, did you get the medicine?"
"Heh, Great-uncle, you really did me in! I traded an eye for that medicine, only for that girl to recover on her own?"
Grindelwald remained silent for a few seconds. "My boy, the medicine you obtained is vital. Keep it safe."
Edmond sighed. He was only venting; he didn't want to see his mother's tragedy repeated in another wizarding family.
For the future of wizardkind...
"I know, Great-uncle. Don't worry. If the day comes when I must give everything, I won't hesitate."
Grindelwald's expression was conflicted. This great-nephew was one of the most brilliant descendants he had ever known; compared to him, Dumbledore's favorite student was leagues behind.
"It's a burden on you, Edmond. You were meant for a far more glorious future."
"Don't say that, Great-uncle," Edmond replied with a carefree smile. "The one who can truly bring a bright future to the wizarding world isn't me—it's her!"
He looked outside.
Sunlight spilled across the lawn, making the greenery exceptionally vibrant.
"That's why I'm willing."
...
...
The subsequent scenes showed Edmond assisting Hydrus in building her enterprise.
Consolidating the Water Snake's Fang...
Spreading misinformation to hoodwink Gringotts...
Acquiring vast assets in Ukraine...
Negotiating with major nations and corporations on Hydrus's behalf...
One day, Edmond fell asleep hunched over his desk, next to a thick stack of documents awaiting his review.
When the two-way mirror began to vibrate, Edmond bolted upright.
He grabbed a towel from the basin of cold water beside his desk and wiped his face.
"Edmond?"
Seeing the dazed Edmond, Audrey spoke first.
"Some brat named Viggars Rolle just called me a Mudblood and bragged about how rich his family is!"
Edmond shook his head affectionately.
"Alright, I've got it. Their family will be penniless soon enough."
...
The scene shifted as Edmond infiltrated the Rolle household, gathering intel, formulating plans, and setting a trap to lure them to ruin.
For the sake of a single remark from Audrey, Edmond had exhausted himself for an entire month, all while keeping up with his responsibilities in Ukraine...
Hydrus felt a pang of sympathy for Edmond. No wonder old Madam Vinda Rosier had been so hostile toward her, strictly forbidding her from bothering Edmond at work...
So that was why.
...
...
The timeline moved to just before the start of the current term.
The headquarters of the AA Group in Ukraine.
"Great-uncle, what are you doing here?"
Grindelwald looked grim as he patted Edmond's shoulder.
"My boy, I've seen glimpses of the future."
Edmond, rarely seeing such an expression on his great-uncle's face, asked with a smile:
"What's wrong? Did our group go bankrupt, or did Dumbledore die?"
"No," Grindelwald said in a low voice. "I saw Hydrus hit by the Killing Curse. She died..."
"Impossible, how can that be?" Edmond shook his head repeatedly. "That girl is as strong as a dragon. She's so afraid of dying that she activates her Dementor constitution whenever she goes out. The Killing Curse shouldn't be able to touch her!"
"No, Edmond, I saw it clearly."
Grindelwald sighed.
"She died at the gates of Hogwarts, surrounded by young witches and wizards."
The office fell into a sudden silence.
"And so?" Edmond asked, already anticipating his great-uncle's intention.
"I want you to go to Hogwarts to protect her. You know she cannot be allowed to come to harm."
"Of course, she cannot come to harm."
Edmond replied with a smile.
Having spent so many years together, setting aside the grand affairs of the wizarding world, the bond between them meant he could never leave Hydrus to fend for herself.
Yet, there was an inevitable sense of reluctance in his heart.
It was time to say goodbye.
...
...
Hogwarts.
Audrey's dormitory.
Audrey had dragged Edmond from the Defense Against the Dark Arts office to her room.
"Don't worry, you little lazy cat, I'm here for other reasons."
Edmond gave Audrey's head a vigorous rub.
Back when Hydrus was distracted by the head rub, she couldn't see Edmond's expression; now, watching as an observer, his eyes were clearly rimmed with red.
"You should enjoy life while you can. Who knows, you might not have such comfortable days ahead."
...
...
The scene shifted once more.
Hydrus found herself in a pure white room.
There was nothing there except for Edmond Grindelwald standing in the center.
"Edmond?"
Hydrus asked in disbelief.
"Are you dead too?"
Edmond looked at Hydrus intently, flashing his trademark smile.
"Yes, I'm dead. But you aren't. Hydrus, you must remember—you have to live on for the both of us!"
"Farewell, little water snake!"
...
...
"Haa—"
Hydrus inhaled sharply, the freezing air rushing into her lungs like a plunge into an ice cellar.
She sat up.
Surrounded by professors and young students.
Isaline Windsor was beside her, wiping away tears.
"Audrey is alive!"
"It's Hydrus! Hydrus is alive!"
"Whatever her name is, she's alive!"
The young students cheered with joy. Hydrus frantically searched for Edmond.
She didn't have to look far; Edmond was lying quietly beside her as if asleep. But Hydrus could tell at a glance that the shell was completely dead. This was death declared on a fundamental level; not a single cell remained vital.
"Alright, Prefects, please escort the students back to their respective common rooms! We will announce the rescheduled Quidditch match after the pitch has been repaired!"
Dumbledore gave a slight sigh as he issued the Headmaster's order.
The students left, discussing excitedly among themselves. In their eyes, Professor Bagshot was incredible for managing to revive Hydrus after she was hit by the Killing Curse.
Even though he had "fainted," who else could perform a miracle like bringing someone back from the dead?
Nobody! Nobody!
Once the students had gone, Dumbledore noticed that Bode Gray, Thetis, and Alan Ash had all disappeared.
Glenda Chittock, finally letting her guard down, was overcome by a wave of pain and exhaustion and fainted; Professor Sprout had already rushed her to the hospital wing.
Filch was cradling an infant in his arms, cooing to her softly.
This was Arjonia's child, so she must be his...
This was his daughter!
Grindelwald walked up to the dazed Hydrus and said softly,
"Child, do not grieve. Edmond did this willingly. I hope you will not let his sacrifice be in vain."
"I want him to live."
Hydrus murmured.
"Child, calm yourself. We must consider Magni's final words. He said his brother would avenge him, which means there is another god out there. You must pull yourself together and prepare!"
Grindelwald's words went in one ear and out the other.
Isaline's sobbing only deepened Hydrus's grief.
"I want him to live."
Dumbledore sighed. "You know how difficult it has been throughout history to bring someone back! Some spend their entire lives failing to resurrect their loved ones. Do not waste your energy on such an impossibility, Hydrus!"
Hydrus heard nothing.
The Slytherin soul inheritance and the Ravenclaw alchemy golem inheritance flipped through her mind, page by page.
Her mind raced at high speed.
She would make him live!!
There was still some time before he fully descended into the realm of the dead. If she had the Resurrection Stone, she could temporarily intercept Edmond's soul!
Binding a soul to a puppet required immense power, and she clearly wasn't strong enough yet! Then she would become stronger—stronger than ever!
In the meantime, she just needed to find a temporary vessel for Edmond's soul!
And Edmond certainly wouldn't like having an alchemical puppet for a body! So she would have to learn flesh-reconstitution magic... or master the fundamental rules of life!
She was a newborn god!
She would make him live!!
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]