𝔇𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔩'𝔰 𝔖𝔫𝔞𝔯𝔢 (18+)

≿❈ 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔏𝔦𝔷𝔞𝔯𝔡-𝔪𝔞𝔫'𝔰 𝔏𝔞𝔦𝔯 ❈≾

     "The Eleutherodactylus Iberia and the years of toil have found a viable subspecies. And now, Harry Potter!" a voice spat, startling me awake.

     My head throbbed as I peeked through dirt-smudged glasses that barely hung on my sweaty face. The events leading up to my current predicament hit me—like a punch to the gut—and panic shot through every cell of my swamp beaten body.

     After taking a few deep breaths and adjusting my glasses, I noted the wrong-side-up Juniebee Jenkins looking like one of those troll dolls with spiky hair. Thorny green vines wrapped around her ankle. With a glance, I saw that I was being held the same way.

      Finding my wand holster empty, I swung up, grabbed the green binding—avoiding its thorns. The vegetation tightened its grip with each tug, so I gave up. Relaxing back to my upside-down position, I scanned the area.

     There was candlelight burning from several wall sconces. A few benches looked to have been recently cleared of its burdens. A giant green toadstool with smaller ones growing below its brim—like a mother protecting her offspring—decorated the uninviting musty space. Water trickled down roots from the ceiling and splashed into a growing puddle beneath me. The gloomy underground cavern filled me with a sense of dread.

     "This is no good," a voice rasped out to no one in particular.

     I watched the green and brown scaled man make his way into view from a man-sized hole in the wall. His skin, black eyes, and scraggly long hair made him look like a demon from the underworld.

     "I can't have this-this-this distraction! My work! And what will she say? Hum? That I was careless!? No, not me. Not ever!" His eyes darted to where we were.

     Slamming mine closed, I pretended to sleep. My skin crawled as I felt Lizard-man draw close.

     I could feel his breath on my face as he spoke in a deadly tone, "You should not be here, Potter."

     I didn't react until the vines slammed me into the muddy wall—knocking the wind out of me.

     "Oof!" My eyes sprang open to see his yellowed jigsaw-puzzled teeth grinning at me.

     Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted my missing counterpart's location lying under a red cap. A few feet away was Juniebee's wand.

     His scaled head snapped in my direction, and he wandered back over to stand before me. "What to do, to do?"

     "I'll help you figure it out if you let me down so I can think."

     "The swamp shall have you." His black eyes flicked to Juniebee, and his voice turned remorseful, "Both."

     He pulled out his wand and pointed it to the cave ceiling. With a snap of his wrist, the water dripping down the moss picked up its pace and began flooding the room.

     "You don't have to do this," I tried to reason with him.

     He shook his head. "I'm her's."

     "Who?"

     He looked at me like I was an idiot. "Master."

     That wasn't going anywhere, so I changed tactics like Markus had instructed me on a number of mind-numbing occasions. "We could go back to the Ministry, and you could answer some simple questions. If you cooperate, I'm sure we can make you a deal that would suit both our needs."

     Flicking his wrist once more before he put his wand away, he stared at me. "Why would I help the Ministry? They don't want to expand the wizarding world—only control it."