Storybook Plan
Storybook Sources:
1. Laura's Mahabharata Microfables Blog:
2. Wikipedia
Potential Story episodes:
1) The Fire - In this first episode, I will explore Nagini's childhood in the Khandava Forest, which will be described as Eden-like oasis of natural beauty. I plan to touch on Nagini's parents as well as few of her siblings or friends. After setting the stage, I will tell the traumatic story of the fire that destroys the forest and takes the lives of all of Nagini's loved ones. This fire will have been caused by a magical battle between two Aurors, Lily and James Potter, and some evil wizards and witches attempting to steal an important artifact. The fire is not the direct fault of Harry's parents, but Nagini will latch onto them as a way to channel her grief onto something tangible.
2) The Wicked Wizard - In this next episode, I will describe Nagini's life outside the forest of her youth. Alone and full of rage, Nagini travels to the edges of the wizarding world and preys on any wizard or witch who strays into her area of the wild. One of those wizards happens to be a young Voldemort, who has learned the secrets of Horcruxes and is in the process of splitting his soul to become immortal. After a failed attempt to kill him, Nagini realizes Voldemort is unlike other humans. He, too, has a hatred for much of the wizarding world and plans to kill Aurors who stand in his way, including Lily and James Potter. After a discussion in Parseltongue, Nagini agrees to become one of Voldemort's horcruxes and aid him in his evil plot to rule of the wizarding world.
3) The Duel - In the climax of the storybook, the Indian tales I draw from collide with the world of Harry Potter most clearly. Nagini is featured more prominently in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, so now that I have created a backstory for her, I can write about her ultimate demise at the hands of Neville during the Battle of Hogwarts. I will use the scene from the final movie where Nagini leaps at Ron and Hermione only to be decapitated by Neville as inspiration, combining this moment with the tale of Karna's fight against Arjuna. The end of Nagini's biography is not pleasant - her life is a tragedy, and the choices she makes along the way lead to this fateful demise. It is unfortunate, but it makes sense.
Storytelling Style:
I want to tell this story in the 3rd person, as an omniscient but unnamed narrator. I think the stories would seem too childish if told in first-person as Nagini herself, and I want this to seem like a biography or documentary of Nagini's life. As described above, each story is a different stage of Nagini's life, from childhood to death.
Message:
I want this story to be intriguing to fans of Harry Potter, of course, but I want the main message to be that there are a multitude of ways to handle trauma and grief, and some are far worse than others. Nagini handled her grief completely alone, and she chose anger and violence rather than coming to terms with the unfortunate but unintentional actions of the crime-fighting Aurors. I think reaching out to others for help is so, so important, so I hope the end to Nagini's story helps readers realize that being around people they love and trust (or even seeking therapy) is a much better way to handle grief.
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