#intent matters

When you headed over, he stepped in your path. With an annoyed look, you paused the music and pushed the headphones down.

“Yes?” you asked sharply, both of your hands making the universal “What do you want?” gesture.

“Good evening, my dear. Are you looking for anything in particular?” He looked honestly concerned.

“Transformation magic,” you replied. He might as well make himself useful.

“And what you are trying to transform?” he asked, while slightly elevating his eyebrows.

“Knives,” you hissed, irritated.

“Knives. Hm, what do you want them to turn into?”

“Why would you need to know that? You sell books. I need a book. So go, find it,” you snapped at him. It made your stomach turn, but your patience had run out.

“My dear please, I promise I am only trying to help you. The kind of enchantment you are aiming for is a rather complicated and delicate task.” His voice didn’t raise a single notch; it got softer instead. “Let us take a seat and see if we can find a less difficult path to your goal.” He pointed towards the plush, heavy chairs in a corner.

“Oh, to Hell with it! Fine.” You stomped over to the chairs and dropped into one of them.

The shopkeeper sat down in the other seat. Before he could say something, a man came down the staircase. You blinked and angled your head. There was something there. Somehow, he reminded you of Henry—your Boa constrictor—impossible.

“Aziraphale, what did you do now?” the newcomer leaned against Aziraphale’s armchair.

“Crowley, I am trying to help here!” he replied offended. “We are going to find a solution for this witch’s problem.”

“And that problem is?”

“Everybody my age and some even younger carrying a knife around. And they are using them too! This has to be stopped!” you threw at them, slapping your hands down on the armrests.

“I see. And you were going to solve this by transforming the knives into...?”

“Snakes,” you supplied. Correcting yourself, “Well they prefer serpent—especially the big ones.” You ended up looking at the man named Crowley.

“Very true,” he stated, “But what happens then—with them?”

That was a good question. One you had no answer to. Cause animals getting hurt on your behalf was unacceptable to you.

“Witch?”, Aziraphale addressed you gently. “Have you thought about using an illusion for this?”

You froze. An illusion? Illusions were simple—relatively speaking. And nobody was going to get hurt—serpents or humans.

“That sounds picture perfect,” you perked up. “So, every time someone grabs a knife, they see a serpent in its place.”

“You want all restaurants to close?” Crowley drawled. “You know, they use knives rather often.”

“Ähm,...” you stammered.

“Certainly, no one here wants that!” Aziraphale cut in. “There is a simple solution. Bind the spell to the intent, with which people are holding a knife.”

“That’s it! Only humans, who want to hurt someone will see serpents.” You were bouncing with excitement, which made your seat squeak.

“And what kind of serpent will they see? A poisonous one or a harmless one? Big or small?” Crowley fired questions at you.

“Corn snakes, they are harmless, small and common enough to cause shock but no panic.” You reasoned—more to yourself than to them.

Smirking at Aziraphale, Crowley commented, “Oh, the irony of serpents disarming humans.”

Aziraphale shot him an indignant look and got up.

“Let me get you the right book then.” He went behind the counter.

You angled your head again and decided it was worth a try.

Addressing Crowley, “On the topic of serpents: Why do you remind of my Boa constrictor—Henry?”

He smiled at you and said: “That’s not for you to know.”

So, you went over to Aziraphale to collect your book and pay. You swallowed. “Thank you, Aziraphale. For your time and your patience—you’re an angel.” You went to hug him.

He took a quick step back, holding up his hands, “That’s quite all right my dear. It was a pleasure. Have a wonderful day.”

“You too.” You waved at him and left the bookshop. You put your headphones back on and chose to “Power” from Songs of Legion from your playlist. The song now matching your mood.

Author’s Note

This was meant to be a standalone. Tumblr, AO3, and one particularly lovely comment had other ideas.

Disarming Serpents is now the intro to a series called Of Serpents, Magic & Wings, because I clearly wasn’t done with these characters — and they weren’t done with me.

Also: no good deed goes unpunished. Especially when angels, demons, and intent-bound magic are involved.

All headers and dividers used in this series were created by me. Please don’t repost or reuse without permission.

Comments and asks are welcome.

When you headed over, he stepped in your path. With an annoyed look, you paused the music and pushed the headphones down.

“Yes?” you asked sharply, both of your hands making the universal “What do you want?” gesture.

“Good evening, my dear. Are you looking for anything in particular?” He looked honestly concerned.

“Transformation magic,” you replied. He might as well make himself useful.

“And what you are trying to transform?” he asked, while slightly elevating his eyebrows.

“Knives,” you hissed, irritated.

“Knives. Hm, what do you want them to turn into?”

“Why would you need to know that? You sell books. I need a book. So go, find it,” you snapped at him. It made your stomach turn, but your patience had run out.

“My dear please, I promise I am only trying to help you. The kind of enchantment you are aiming for is a rather complicated and delicate task.” His voice didn’t raise a single notch; it got softer instead. “Let us take a seat and see if we can find a less difficult path to your goal.” He pointed towards the plush, heavy chairs in a corner.

“Oh, to Hell with it! Fine.” You stomped over to the chairs and dropped into one of them.

The shopkeeper sat down in the other seat. Before he could say something, a man came down the staircase. You blinked and angled your head. There was something there. Somehow, he reminded you of Henry—your Boa constrictor—impossible.

“Aziraphale, what did you do now?” the newcomer leaned against Aziraphale’s armchair.

“Crowley, I am trying to help here!” he replied offended. “We are going to find a solution for this witch’s problem.”

“And that problem is?”

“Everybody my age and some even younger carrying a knife around. And they are using them too! This has to be stopped!” you threw at them, slapping your hands down on the armrests.

“I see. And you were going to solve this by transforming the knives into...?”

“Snakes,” you supplied. Correcting yourself, “Well they prefer serpent—especially the big ones.” You ended up looking at the man named Crowley.

“Very true,” he stated, “But what happens then—with them?”

That was a good question. One you had no answer to. Cause animals getting hurt on your behalf was unacceptable to you.

“Witch?”, Aziraphale addressed you gently. “Have you thought about using an illusion for this?”

You froze. An illusion? Illusions were simple—relatively speaking. And nobody was going to get hurt—serpents or humans.

“That sounds picture perfect,” you perked up. “So, every time someone grabs a knife, they see a serpent in its place.”

“You want all restaurants to close?” Crowley drawled. “You know, they use knives rather often.”

“Ähm,...” you stammered.

“Certainly, no one here wants that!” Aziraphale cut in. “There is a simple solution. Bind the spell to the intent, with which people are holding a knife.”

“That’s it! Only humans, who want to hurt someone will see serpents.” You were bouncing with excitement, which made your seat squeak.

“And what kind of serpent will they see? A poisonous one or a harmless one? Big or small?” Crowley fired questions at you.

“Corn snakes, they are harmless, small and common enough to cause shock but no panic.” You reasoned—more to yourself than to them.

Smirking at Aziraphale, Crowley commented, “Oh, the irony of serpents disarming humans.”

Aziraphale shot him an indignant look and got up.

“Let me get you the right book then.” He went behind the counter.

You angled your head again and decided it was worth a try.

Addressing Crowley, “On the topic of serpents: Why do you remind of my Boa constrictor—Henry?”

He smiled at you and said: “That’s not for you to know.”

So, you went over to Aziraphale to collect your book and pay. You swallowed. “Thank you, Aziraphale. For your time and your patience—you’re an angel.” You went to hug him.

He took a quick step back, holding up his hands, “That’s quite all right my dear. It was a pleasure. Have a wonderful day.”

“You too.” You waved at him and left the bookshop. You put your headphones back on and chose to “Power” from Songs of Legion from your playlist. The song now matching your mood.

Author’s Note

This was meant to be a standalone. Tumblr, AO3, and one particularly lovely comment had other ideas.

Disarming Serpents is now the intro to a series called Of Serpents, Magic & Wings, because I clearly wasn’t done with these characters — and they weren’t done with me.

Also: no good deed goes unpunished. Especially when angels, demons, and intent-bound magic are involved.

All headers and dividers used in this series were created by me. Please don’t repost or reuse without permission.

Comments and asks are welcome.