HP: Bad Intentions

Arriving in Paris felt like stepping into a dream. Blake drove the vintage car with ease, merging into the steady flow of Parisian traffic without missing a beat. The street scene bustled around them, and Nagini's eyes sparkled as she took in the surroundings, her expression a mixture of excitement and wonder.

"Do you speak French?" Blake asked, glancing over at her with a smirk.

"No," she replied honestly, still taking in the view.

"Neither did I… originally."

"Wait—originally?" Nagini turned, surprised.

Blake nodded, grinning. "Yep. But I put in a bit of study last night. I woke up this morning able to speak it."

"Wait, wait—so if you study a language for one night, you'll just be able to speak it?" Nagini's jaw dropped a little in awe.

Blake shrugged, nonchalant. "Why not? Don't you believe me?"

Nagini shook her head with a weak laugh. "Well… yes. I suppose I do." Knowing Blake, it wasn't hard to believe; she had already witnessed him do things most people wouldn't even dream of attempting. Learning French overnight seemed ordinary compared to his other abilities.

The truth was that Blake had wanted to come to France for a while, and when he received a letter from the renowned alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, the idea became reality.

Last night, after Nagini had drifted into a peaceful sleep, Blake had stayed up studying the language. He found a variety of French textbooks in Dumbledore's vast library and, with the help of a lucky potion and a powerful memory-enhancing spell, managed to pick up a decent understanding of French. Though his pronunciation was still a bit rough, he could follow and navigate conversations with ease.

"Where are we going first?" Nagini asked, her anticipation barely contained.

"Obviously… shopping!" Blake announced, grinning mischievously.

Nagini's eyes lit up at the idea. She was thrilled at the thought of exploring the city and splurging a bit on clothes and souvenirs. But a moment later, her excitement faded as she remembered a crucial detail: they were in the Muggle world, and she didn't have any of their currency.

"I... don't have Muggle money," she admitted, visibly deflated.

Without a word, Blake reached for a small suitcase resting between them, lifted it, and opened it slightly. Nagini peeked inside and gasped as she saw stacks of Euro notes neatly arranged within.

"Where did you get all this money?" she asked, eyes wide.

Blake hesitated briefly, smiling with a hint of mystery. "Ah, just savings… a little here and there."

He couldn't exactly tell her the full story. The money was genuine, but he'd found it scattered across multiple bronze treasure chests he'd recently discovered. They contained various items from the Muggle world, including this substantial amount of paper currency. He had checked each note to make sure it was real, although he still wasn't entirely sure how or why the system had provided them.

"You didn't… steal it, right?" Nagini asked cautiously, unable to believe her eyes.

"Of course not!" Blake chuckled. "You know me—I'm an alchemist. Do you think I need to steal?" He paused, adding confidently,

"I've got plenty of alchemy materials back home. Any one of those could fetch a good price."

Nagini nodded, finally reassured. Alchemists were known for their wealth, after all. Even in the Muggle world, tales of Nicolas Flamel's vast fortune circulated widely. With the money settled, they both set out to explore Paris.

The duo spent the afternoon roaming the famous shopping streets, visiting a mix of boutiques and department stores. From clothes and accessories to perfumes and chocolates, they explored it all. Thanks to a minor enchantment Blake cast, Muggles around them barely gave them a second glance, seeing only a pair of young travelers enjoying the city. As evening approached, they left one last shop, both in stylish new outfits and carrying an assortment of bags.

Blake checked his watch, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Alright, it's almost time to meet Nico."

Nagini nodded, excitement returning to her face. Blake sorted through the bags in the car, carefully choosing a few to take with them. These were gifts for Flamel and his wife, Perenelle—a custom Blake always observed when visiting others. He felt it would be rude to show up empty-handed.

As they organized their items, Blake's heightened senses picked up a strange sound from a nearby alley. Thanks to the One Ring he wore, he could discern noises even Nagini couldn't hear. He instantly recognized the faint, ominous click of a gun being loaded.

Blake positioned himself calmly in front of Nagini, taking a step toward the alley to intercept any potential threat. Just then, two suppressed gunshots rang out.

Prepared for such an ambush, Blake raised his hand, halting the bullets mid-air before they reached him. Suspended in the air, the bullets spun wildly, frozen by his magic. He released them, and they clattered to the ground with a metallic sound.

"Well, well," came an emotionless voice from within the shadowed alley.

"So, you two are wizards."

Blake glanced around and noted that the silenced shots hadn't alerted anyone nearby. People continued moving past the shops, blissfully unaware of the scene that had just unfolded.

Nagini gasped and instinctively moved closer to Blake, worry etched across her face. "Blake! Are you alright?" Her eyes had shifted to narrow, snake-like slits, ready to defend him with everything she had.

Blake gave her a reassuring smile, patting her hand gently. "I'm perfectly fine, Nagini. They can't harm me."

Nagini's expression was fierce. She had seen Muggle firearms before and knew they were lethal. Even wizards weren't immune to bullets, particularly in a surprise attack. However, Blake's confidence helped put her at ease, at least somewhat.

As Blake turned his attention toward the alley, he saw the two men standing in the shadows. They wore dark suits and appeared slightly shaken, likely disturbed by Blake's calm deflection of their bullets. They hadn't anticipated the ease with which he'd neutralized their attack.

Without breaking eye contact, Blake snapped his fingers, casting a soft white light that floated to the alley's wall, illuminating the two men. They stood revealed, each holding a silenced pistol, their eyes shifting nervously between Blake and Nagini.

"Why did you attack us?" Blake asked with a pleasant smile that masked the intensity in his gaze.

The two men exchanged a nervous glance before one of them stammered, "We... we noticed you were spending a lot. Paying in cash like that… thought you'd be easy targets for a quick robbery."

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