When two worlds collide.

The Unexpected Funeral.

"Well, how do you feel?" Hermione questions.

"Oh, yeah! Amazing!" I state.

"Remember, Slughorn usually leaves early, takes a walk, and then returns to his office." Fred mumbles.

We had made a plan to sneak into Slughorn's office to get more info.

"Right. I'm going down to Hagrid's." I sigh.

"What? No, Alex, you've got to go snoop through Slughorns office. We have a plan!" Ron scolds.

"I know but I've got a really good feeling about Hagrid's. I feel it's--it's the place to be tonight. Do you know what I mean?" I yawn.

"No!" They gasp.

"Well, trust me. I know what I'm doing. Or Felix does..." I rush outside, just before Slughorn comes back inside. "Hi."

"Merlin's beard, Alex!" He exclaims.

"Sorry, sir. I should've announced myself. Clear my throat. Coughed. You probably thought I was Professor Sprout?" I run my hand through my hair.

"Definitely. What makes you think?" He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

"Ah well, just your general behaviour, sir. Just sneaking around, jumping when you saw me. Are those tentacular leaves, sir?" I look at the leaves in his hands, trying my best to seem actually interested.

"Yes!" He nods.

"They're very valuable, aren't they?" I fold my arms.

"Ten galleons a leaf to the right buyer. Not that I'm familiar with any such back alley transactions but one does hear rumours. My only interests are purely academical." He reassures.

"I mean, personally, these plants always kinda freak me out.." I shudder.

"Exactly how did you get out of the castle?" He looks at me carefully.

"Through the front door, sir. I'm off to Hagrid's, you see. He's a very dear friend and I just fancy paying him a visit. So if you don't mind, I will be going now."

"Alex!" He chases behind me.

"Sir?" I raise my brow.

"It's nearly nightfall. Surely, you realise I can't allow you to go roaming the grounds by yourself." He gasp.

"Well then, by all means, come along, sir." I smile.

"Alex, I must insist you accompany me back to the castle immediately!" Slughorn orders, dominance laced through his voice.

"That would be counterproductive, sir." I run my hand through my hair.

"And what makes you say that?" He stops and stares at me.

"No idea.." I clear my throat.

"Horace, Alex." Hagrid stops in front of us.

"Merlin's beard! Is that an actual Acromantula?" Slughorn gasps, admiring the huge freaky spider.

"A dead one, I think, sir." I inhale sharply, shuddering at the sight.

"Good God. Dear fellow, however did you manage to kill it?!" Slughorn gasps defensively.

".."Kill it"? My oldest friend, he was!" Hagrid frowns, lowering his head slightly.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't-" Slughorn starts.

"Ah, don't worry yourself. You're not alone. Seriously misunderstood creatures, spiders are. The eyes I reckon, they unnerve some folk!" Hagrid reassures.

"Not to mention the pincers!" I add.

"Yeah, I reckon that too." He mumbles, nodding along.

"Hagrid...the last thing I wish to be is indelicate but Acromantula venom is uncommonly rare. Would you allow me to extract a vial or two, purely for academic purposes, you understand?"

"Well I don't suppose it's gonna do him much good now is it." Hagrid nods in agreement.

"My thoughts exactly. I have an ampoule or two about my person for just such occassions as this. Old Potion master's habit, you know?" Slughorn sighs, shrugging.

"I wish you could have seen him with his prime. Magnificent, he was. Just magnificent!" Hagrid cries out.

"Would you like me to say a few words?" Slughorn pats Hagrids back.

"Yes." He lays the spider down.

"Had a family, I trust?" Slughorn glances in Hagrids direction. "Oh, yeah."

"Farewell..." Slughorn exhales.

"Aragog." Hagrid whispers.

"Farewell, Aragog. King of the arachnids. Your body will decay...but your spirit lingers on and your human friends find solace, the loss they have sustained!" He mumbles, hanging his head down low in respect.

What the fuck am I witnessing?

It feels...illegal?

"I had him from an egg, you know? Tiny little thing he was when he hatched. No bigger than a Pekingese. A Pekingese, mind you." Hagrid rambles on as we walk around.

"How sweet! I once had a fish. Francis. He was very dear to me. One afternoon, I came downstairs and...it vanished. Poof..." Slughorn frowns as he reminisces.

"That's very odd, isn't it?" Hagrid furrows his eyebrows.

"Suppose it is, isn't it? But that's life! I suppose, you--you go along with and suddenly...poof!" He exclaims.

"Poof!" Hagrid whimpers.

"Poof." I sigh, monotone.

I wanna go to sleep!

"It was a student who gave me Francis. One spring afternoon, I discovered the bowl on my desk...With just a few inches of clear water in it... And floating on the surface was a flower petal. As I watched, it sank. But just before it reached the bottom, it transformed into a wee fish. It was beautiful magic. Wondrous to behold. The flower petal had come from a lily. The day I came downstairs, the day the bowl was empty. That's the day you- I know why you're here. But I can't help you. It would ruin me." Slughorn groans, frowning.

"Do you know why I survived, Professor? The night I got this scar? My mu-..Riley..because she refused to step aside. Her love was that much more powerful than Voldemort's..- but now? She's lost it."

"Don't say his name!" Slughorn looks down nervously.

"I'm not afraid of the name, Professor. I'm going to tell you something. Something others have only guessed at. It's true. I am the Chosen One. Only I can destroy him, but in order to do so, I need to know what Tom Riddle asked you all those years ago in your office and I need to know what you told him. Be brave, Professor. Be brave like my mother. Otherwise, the bowl will remain empty forever.." I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Please, don't think badly of me when you see it. I had no idea what he was like, even then.."

. . .