Let's Blame Magic

Chapter Thirty-Nine

  The eerie silence of the maze raised the hairs on the back of their necks; any sound other than silence triggered their reaction. They walked in a triangle; their backs face each other while their eyes scanned every direction as they walked. Hermione led the group as she followed the faint blue trail of magic she casted as they entered the maze. Ariella’s throat was parched; her eyes fidgeted in all directions and her breaths short and dry.  A branch snapped in the distance and the three froze.

   “Don’t move.” Hermione muttered under her breath.

  The three heavily breathed and listened quietly but all they heard was silence. They waited a minute longer, but nothing. They decided to keep moving; they had no intention of stopping even though it was against their will for the sake of returning safe with Cedric and Harry.

   “Did you hear that?” Ron blurted out after the group took a few steps further. The light blue trail hovered off the ground. Ariella and Hermione stood still but neither could hear anything.

   “There’s nothing. Snap out of it.” Hermione hissed towards Ron before she started to lead but he stopped her again. Ron was being delusional and a nuisance for Hermione and Ariella; they couldn’t show any fear, they’ve dealt with more horrendous things and considering this was arranged by the Ministry, there was nothing to worry about. Ron looked over his shoulder, rolling his eyes at Hermione but let out a whimper as something caught his attention.

   “Ron, I swear if you don’t cut it out-” Hermione’s sentence was cut off as she looked at Ron with a look of horror on his face, looking over her head. Ariella and Hermione slowly turned around and a gasp of air left their lips.

  Hanging over their heads, its feet clinging to a white thick thread with their eight eyes staring straight into theirs. An arachnid. Ron looked as if he was about to faint; he was always afraid of spiders and seeing a giant one before his eyes, he has seen all he needs to see.

   “Don’t move.” Hermione said again but Ron was baffled.

   “So, I should offer myself as that things dinner!?” Ron looked at Hermione, his eyes widened and the veins on the side of his neck exposed. Ariella listened while the two quarreled and watched as the arachnid slowly descended from its nest; a sound escape from its mouth that immediately let a high pitch whimper escape Ron’s mouth. The sound that escaped its mouth sounded almost snake-like.

    “Hermione,” Ron whimpered but she quickly told him to be quiet. “Do something.” He began again.

  The arachnid stared one more time. A second of silence went by before the spider began to his, bearing its fangs towards the three. Immediately, Hermione abandoned the rule of staying still and declared a new one: everyone for themselves. The three were now racing for survival; Hermione and Ariella dodged every blow that arachnid swung at the two of them, while Ron jumped over the branches that popped out of the ground and tried to entangle him. It was Devil’s Snare. The three kept running disregarding the faint blue trail in front of them was now gone. Hermione clenched her wand and thrust the tip behind her, towards the arachnid.

   “Immobulus!” She shouted. The thundering footsteps of the arachnid vanished beneath the silence. They began to slow down, catching their breath to see a very life-like statue of the arachnid. Heavily panting, Ron looked at Hermione with a smile.

   “Next time I ask for you to do something, please do it when I ask.” Ron panted before he began to lead the way. Hermione scoffed but with a smile.

  The arachnid was one of many beastly encounters. Spells were shouted, breaths were drawn short and a layer of sweat mounted on the hairline of Ron, Hermione and Ariella. When they revisited the solitude of silence the maze provided, the three panted and gasped for a breath of air.