When it came to the heat Valerie Gray was no different from a rabbit. Her physique was not one that could easily adjust to the high temperatures such as this and her lungs almost felt as though they were drowning due to the humidity. There had been a trip to the beach a little after she had come to live with her aunt and uncle after the untimely demise of her family (details of which were still unknown to the Wampus and it was best that they remained as such) during a particularly hot summer day. Despite the sunblock caked on her skin, she had nearly gained third degree burns from the blazing sun and had had to be rushed to the hospital for those and extreme dehydration. It had been a lesson for the then seven year old to be mindful (hence her continual efforts to conjure and drink water since arriving here) but it seemed as though her rigorous efforts were futile as was the Isa run still tucked in her pant pocket.

Although her attention was far more focused on the runespoor ahead and ensuring that it did not weaken her further. Despite her Loricatus charm fending off the initial attack, there was absolutely no guarantee that it would a second or third time should she elect to turn her back on the creature and focus solely on the second line of runes. Which was why she needed to immobilize it now.

The effectiveness of her Knockback Jinx Duo had come as a pleasant surprise and gave her just enough time to pound her fist against her thigh muscle and over the cramp there to try and encourage the blood flow there just enough to permit her to stand. Only to be met with disappointment as she witness what had become almost her bread and butter failed. First her corporeal patronus in the first task and now this? It was like these tasks were meant to pigeonhole her into doubting herself. Only she was difficult (as many could attest to) and it only made the pounding in her ears louder. Almost loud enough to drown out the screeching hiss of the runespoor.

Again, she was grateful for not casting a Supersensory Charm upon herself for that cry surely would have rendered her deaf and her spine vibrating.

But her Daydream Charm had not been entirely ineffective. The runespoor had stilled despite the middle head beginning to wake. It was more than enough an opportunity to ignorantly push through the pain and strike. Given this brief moment to breathe (a breath that came with much difficulty with the sticky air) she could finally consider the other heads more - only was it worth it? Sure she could attempt a Confundus Charm to hopefully distract the heads further, particularly the left head as it was the one which dictated in which direction it would move next, but if a charm she had every confidence in casting was failing she needed to fall back on her true strength: Transfiguration.

“Incarcolvo,” she repeated, mustering her strength for a forceful jab directly towards the runespoor and knowing that the bars of the cage conjured would be too thick and too narrowly apart for it to slither out between should it attempt. Feeling dizzy as the duel with the runespoor continued to take its toll on her body (but it was hard to consider any alternative actions), she readied her cherry wood wand again and pointed it at the magical snake in one final desperate attempt to subdue it. Rather to tame it. “Verminiate Tolinia,” she panted feebly, her resolve and intent no less ablaze, with a point and flick of her wand.

The damn thing should count its blessings that she had not flung a Bombarda at it. The least it could do was turn into a capybara for her.

She had no choice but to assume one or both of her spells worked. Surely the hour was nearly up by now.

Heat exhaustion seeping in as the white light burst forth from her wand and flew towards the runespoor, Valerie sunk to her knees and managed to hold her wand up close to her lips. “Aguamenti,” she muttered horsely and lapping at the water almost rabidly as it flowed forth from her wand. Bowing her head next and inserting her porcelain face into the water, her free hand shakily journeyed into her pocket for the Isa rune and inspected it. But it was difficult to tell the potency of the glow with her vision as it came in and out of focus while the water rejuvenated her, so she closed her eyes for even a blind witch could perform magic if her intent was true. “Isa isa isa, i i i i i i i i i, i i i i i i s s s s s s, s s s s s s i i i i i i, i i i i i i i i i,” she croaked out and then swiftly pocketed the rune with moderately more stable hands. Ending the stream of water with a flick, she next traced a small tear dropped shape in the air with her wand and whispered a gentle, “Lluvia,” and then waited for the eventual downpour to cleanse her tired limbs and wash away her first runic line musings.

Her mind was telling her to perform more magic. To provide herself with more cooling mechanisms, but her instincts fought her. Fiercely. That was energy and focus she needed to decode the next line of runic script. Script that once she had she would know how to get through this knobless door and then she would be liberated from this hell.

Soaking her face and drinking deeply again, the seventeen year old turned back to the door and ran her fingers over the first line of runic script. “This door remains closed while the snake roams free,” she repeated while ignoring the sting to her lips as they threatened to crack. “What else have you got for me?”