A Love Purer Than Blood

19. Talking spiders and Newt Scamander

Two weeks later, one particular herbology lesson had Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors pruning Abyssinian shrivelfigs. Lily listened as Ernie apologised to Harry, Hannah joining them to add an apologetic smile. Harry and Ron said something about spiders before Neville told Susan about Malfoy's comments in their potions lesson before.

"Neville." Lily called from her spot at the other end of the table, pulling the attention of all in the greenhouse. "Did he seem pleased about Hermione." Neville nodded solemnly, leading Lily to tilt her head and smile a smile that not even Waverly could figure out, but before anyone else could comment, Lily had both apparated away and returned with a satisfied look on her face.

At dinner all the second year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors smirked knowingly at the sight of Malfoy's bright red cheek as he glumly ate his meal, chewing through the pain of his stinging skin slowly. Lily glared at him through the entire dinner period, silently threatening him to speak.

That evening, something was bothering Lily. All the girls agreed that it wasn't regret for slapping Malfoy, no, it was something different. They all asked her about it, but not even Lily knew what she was feeling. She chalked it up to anxiety and turned in early for the evening, the girls joining her in slumber not too long after.

At almost 11 pm Lily awoke with a start from a dreamless sleep with an overwhelming urge to go down to the grounds, the overwhelming feeling having only hit her a year prior when Harry potter lay dying in the castle's underbelly.

She apparated in her pyjamas straight into the middle of the grounds, a few paces from Hagrid's hut as two beams of light came towards her. She managed to throw herself to the side as Harry came flying out of the car almost onto her lap. The car screeched driverless back into the forest as Ron and Fang groaned, the duo dazed from their experience.

Fang wasted no time and bolted back to Hagrid's hut with his tail between his legs before the others could lift themselves off the grass. Silently, Lily opened and closed her mouth to speak, but couldn't find the right words before Harry hurried after the dog with Ron hot on his heels. The dragon girl followed Harry into the hut as Ron remained in the pumpkin patch, his dinner threatening to rise, leaving him speechless.

Lily sucked her teeth with her tongue and crossed her arms, her gaze boring a hole between Harry's eyes. "Gunna talk Potter?"

Harry shrugged as he collected his cloak and turned to leave just as Ron lost his battle, causing Lily to grimace slightly at the sound of the boy retching. Harry paused at the door, unwilling to view the sight of his best friend in that condition. "Spiders." He said simply, his back to the auburn haired girl.

Lily's brows twitched together as her mind raced with reasons around his answer. "Elaborate?"

"No."

Lily licked her bottom lip before biting it, her hands shaking as she wound them even tighter around herself. "Harry, the last time I felt like this, I found you dying at the hand of a maniac. What did you do?"

Harry scoffed. "Nice try. Dumbledore found me last year."

"Yeah, sure." Lily tutted and rolled her eyes. "What did you do?"

"Spiders."

"Potter!" Lily sighed exasperatedly.

"Giant spiders live in the forest, bigger than horses." Lily blinked twice. "They told us that Hagrid is innocent."

"They told... what?!"

"Ron!" Harry called as the boy finally stopped making vile noises.

Lily wound the information around her brain before following the boys back to the castle as they finished their conversation. "The spiders spoke to you?" She asked, seeking confirmation from the boy as he threw a cloak over him and Ron.