𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

Chapter 17

They walk out and around the hut to the window. They look at the spiders crawling down the wall.
Sereia: Come on.
Ron: What?
Sereia: You heard what Hagrid said. "Follow the spiders."
Ron: They're heading to the Dark Forest.
They look at each other. Sereia follows the spiders with Ron behind her. He looks terrified.
Ron: Why spiders? Why couldn't it be "follow the butterflies"?

They laugh while the ones who are terrified of spiders nod in agreement.

They walk into the forest. While walking through it they hear rumbling in the distance. They walk behind Fang careful not to step on the spiders.
Ron: Sereia, I don't like this.
She ignores him and continues waking.
Ron: Sereia, I don't like this at all.
Sereia: Shush!
They stop by a hallow and Sereia holds the lamp up and sees the spiders walking in. Ron looks around.
Ron: Can we go back now?

Many nod. Arthur, Poseidon, Sirius, Remus and their friends look at them worried.

Sereia: Come on.
She walks into the hallow and he quickly follows her. They come out, to the end of the path and see a nest. They stop in front of it. From behind it comes rumbling. Sereia leans for.
Voice: Who is it?
Her eyes widen.
Sereia: Don't panic.
Ron turns to it and looks terrified.

They freeze seeing Ron's face.

Voice: Hagrid? Is that you?
Sereia: We're friends of Hagrid's.
A large spider crawls from the nest making them take steps back.

Hagrid smiles at his friend. Most scream terrified. Annabeth hides behind Grover and many more hide behind their friends or older students.

Sereia: And you? You're Aragog, aren't you?
Aragog: Yes. Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before.
Sereia: He's in trouble. Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets. Like before.
Ron looks around.
Aragog: That's a lie. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets.
She looks at Aragog confused.
Sereia: Then you're not the monster?
Aragog: No. The monster was born in the castle.
Ron looks behind him and sees a big spider crawling over a tree trunk.
Aragog: I came to Hagrid from a distance land in the pocked of a traveler.
Ron pulls at her sleeve.
Ron: Sereia.
She looks at him.
Sereia: Shush.
She looks back to Aragog and Ron looks up.
Sereia: But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl 50 years ago?
Aragog: We do not speak of it. It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others.
Sereia: But have you seen it?
Aragog: I never saw any part of the castle but the box in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid bought me here.
Ron: Sereia!
She looks at him.
Sereia: What?
He whimpers and points up. She looks up and sees thousands of spiders coming down to them. She gulps and looks at Aragog.

They whimper.

Sereia: Well, thank you. We'll just go.
They take steps back.
Aragog: Go?
Ron nods hurriedly.
Aragog: I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command.
They look at each other while walking back before looking around scared.
Aragog: But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst.

Hagrid frowns at his friend before looking at Sereia and Ron. "I'm sorry, I didn't know he would do that." Umbridge sneers at him. Sereia and Ron nod at Hagrid.

The spiders crawl to them.
Aragog: Goodbye, friends of Hagrid.
Ron looks at her.
Ron: Can we panic now?
A spider jumps in front of them and Ron points his wand at it. Sereia hits the spiders away with the lamp. She drops the lamp and takes out her wand. They stand back to back.
Ron: Know any spells?
Sereia: One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them.
Ron: Where's Hermione when you need her?

She smirks at him and he rolls his eyes. Sereia shakes her head at them.

The spiders circle them in. They look to the side when they hear a car engine. They see Mr. Weasleys car. The car drives over the spiders and stops in front of them. The spiders crawl away and the car doors open.
Sereia: Let's go!
They run to the car. Fang and Ron quickly enter. A spider leg gets stuck between the door. Sereia stops by the door and points her wand at the spider coming towards her.
Sereia: •Arania Exumai!•
The spider flies away and she gets in the car and quickly closes the door.

Tom looks to her amused and she rolls her eyes at him.

Spiders jump on the car.
Sereia: Go!
Ron drives the car backwards out of the cave and the spiders fall from the car. The car hits the ground on the other side and they breathe heavily. Ron turns to her.

They breathe out.

Ron: Glad we're out of there.
She nods before jumping back as a spider jumps against Ron's open window. The spider wraps its legs around his neck. He scream and Sereia takes out her wand.

They scream and look at him worried.

Ron leans to the side and she points her wand at the spider.
Sereia: •Arania Exumai!•
A bright light flings the spider away.
Ron: Thanks for that.
Sereia: Don't mention it.
She pockets her wand and looks forward. She narrows her eyes before her eyes widen seeing the spiders crawling to them. Ron looks at them before freezing and whimpers.
Sereia: Get us out of here.
He looks at the spiders terrified.
Sereia: Now!
He shifts the gear and drives backwards.
Sereia: Come on! Come on, move faster!
H the car spins forwards causing them to scream.
Sereia: Come on! Go!
He drives with the spiders behind them.
Sereia: Get us in the air.
He shifts the gear.
Ron: The flying gear's jammed!
More spiders crawl in front of the car.
Sereia: Come on, pull!
Ron: I'm trying!
They drive through the spiders and pull the gear together. The gear shifts and the car flies up. The car flies out of the forest and lands in front of Hagrid's hut. The doors open and they get out. Fang barks and goes inside the hut.
Ron: Follow the spiders. Follow the spiders. If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him.

He winces and looks at Hagrid sheeply. "Sorry" "is all right"

The car starts drives into the forest. They look after it.
Ron: I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?
He looks at her confused.
Sereia: We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent.

They look at him. Amelia Bones writes it down."After this is done, we will handle this." Hagrid begins to cry and looks thankfully at Sereia and Ron who smile at him.