Hetalia Academy 12

Matthew climbed up the files of stairs until he finally reached the roof. He looked around at the buildings that held the various species, each house having its own type of animal. He weaved through them, rushing towards the one he knew held snakes. He opened the green door, being pushed aside by the warm air. Sun lamps warmed the building as he walked in, searching cautiously until he found the tag that read "Viperidae".

He peered into the glass confinement, shivering as he did. The creatures were long and rough looking, and he hated to admit it but snakes were just about the only animals he was afraid of.

But he had to do this. He hardly had a choice and if he didn't someone else would and get hurt. But even with his gift he had to be careful with such a poisonous animal.

Opening the glass door, he pulled on the long gloves that hung beside the door for protection. Nervously pushing the door the rest of the way open, he targeted one of the animals.

"Hello," He spoke quietly, only to be ignored.

"Hello?" He repeated, this time one of them looked up at him in annoyance.

It was a rich golden yellow with sharp, brilliant eyes. Its scales were pointed and sharp along its long body as it stopped moving and looked at him. "What?" It hissed in return with a slurred tongue.

Of course the viper wasn't really speaking in English, but with his gift, Matthew was able to communicate beyond others to understand.

"I need help." He stated bluntly. He didn't have time to beat around the bush.

"So?"

"Please! I need one of you!" He urged pitifully.

"Will someone die without our assistance?" It asked smoothly.

"W-Well, no. I suppose not." Unless Antonio doesn't cool down.

The snake slithered lazily up one of the nearby trees that hung crookedly through the sand. "Then why should any of us bother?" He questioned, only to be grabbed below the head, squirming and hissing the entire time it was dragged out of the cage.

"Unhand me! Unhand me now!" He thrashed violently in the Canadian's hand but wasn't released.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Matthew repeated as he ran out of the building and through the dorm halls and into Arthur's room.

When he bust through the door, he realized he was the last to return. Everyone stared at him and most of them gasped and backed away from the lashing creature in his hands.

"Arthur! What do I do with it?" He urged, panting heavily.

"Here! Hold still!" The Brit pointed his thin, wooden wand at the snake and it lit a dim yellow before lying still. The others stayed silent though they all stared at the viper. "Don't worry, it isn't dead. Just knocked out. Now, lay him on the table."

Matthew did as he was told and after he pulled the long gloves off his hands and rested them on one of the higher piles of books.

"Alright. How much time do we have?" Arthur asked, putting the various ingredients in a dark pot.

"Well," Matthew spoke up. "Lovino came over around midnight so…"

"Fuck!" The Englishman hissed, but never faltered in his work. "We only have an hour to finish this!" Craftily he worked while the others made sure Antonio and Lovino were restrained from Gilbert who had curiously formed a black eye since they'd been gone.

Arthur poured the different things into the pot before finally grabbing an empty vial. Carefully he lifted the viper's head, pressing the roof of its mouth against the top of the glass, he pressed the sides of its mouth. They all watched as the lime drip from under the rounded fangs and trail down to the bottom of the vial. He stopped squeezing the poisonous venom from the unconscious snake's mouth once the glass was full.

He set it back down carefully even though he knew it wouldn't awaken until he released his spell.

"Here, this is it! The last thing," he began pouring some of the lime colored venom into the pot to mingle with the other ingredients until Ludwig butted in.

"You're putting snake venom into it!? He'll die!"

"He won't! This potion is very precise. "The snake is a symbol in many cultures as a creature of rebirth and sometimes healing. When someone dies, their death leads the way to a new birth." He explained simply." He finished, putting the still half full vial down and began stirring everything together. "Alfred, get me three white candles. Now!"

Alfred rushed to the command, knowing better than anyone else where everything was. He set the nicely scented things down on the table beside the pot before taking over the stirring as he was next instructed. Now, Alfred moved the wooden spoon around while Arthur set up the ritual.

He etched a squiggle into the middle candle that resembled a snake. The first one he messily wrote "Lovino Vargas" before the last one had "Gilbert Beilschmidt". The candles surrounded the pot as a triangle and Arthur urged Alfred away again before lighting all three of them.

"We only have a few minutes!" Matthew cried out suddenly. All at once, everyone froze and watched like anxious stones.

"Everyone stand back and don't interrupt me." Arthur ordered, taking a deep breath before he began.

"Healing light, shining bright,
Let this sickness flee in fright!
With harm to none, including me,
I cast this spell, so mote it be."

He repeated this three times, each with as much force and accuracy as the last. The flames on the candles danced around the black pot. They began to glow brighter as the flames grew until the bystanders shivered in fear of having started a fire. But Arthur didn't move and eventually the dancing ceased. The green product in the pot bubbled loudly though no fire was under it. It popped and spit at him as Arthur poured it into one of his tea cups.

"Hold Lovino, he has to drink this now!" He barked, already approaching the Italian that squirmed and cursed against Francis who held him.

"No! Gil, stop them! Don't come near me you bast-" But the glass was shoved against his tan lips and the lumpy liquid crawled down his throat uneasily. He was held until it was all gone and Arthur pulled away, Francis did not just in case. Lovino had gone limp, his body resting sideways against the Frenchman's arm was his only support.

"Did it work?" Matthew whispered against the cold silence.