The ShapeShifter

Chapter 21 - Ron's Worst Nightmare.

Chapter 21 - Ron’s Worst Nightmare

The past week has gone by, and it’s starting to warm up. The ground is damp, and the mornings are chilly, but the sun eventually heats everything up. This would normally be a good thing, except its utter torture when you’re stuck in class.

“Yes, now open your books to page 55, entitled ‘Invisibility’.” Ms. McGonagal informs us. Everyone just groans and there’s a loud thud of people flipping their text books. 

The rest of classes past by slowly, as per usual on gorgeous days like these, so by the time they’re over, nobody stays inside.

“Ah, finally!” Ginny says, stretching out on the soft warm grass. Hermione, Ginny, Harry, Ron and I decided to finish our homework outside, in the lazy afternoon sun. 

“I can’t believe we have to read 20 pages on ‘Invisibility for McGonagal.” Ron exclaims, slumping down on the grass in a ‘Ron fashion’.

“It’s not too bad, plus won’t it be cool to turn things invisible?” Hermione says excitedly! But of course she had already read the passage twice, and was now starting the assignment.

“Yeah, it will.” I say, leaning back against the big birch tree. I looked over at Harry, he looked.. off.

“Hey Harry,” I nudged his side to get his attention. “Are you feeling alright?” He looked at the ground, and played with the laces that tied his sneakers.

“Yeah, it just feels odd..” He replies, glancing off towards the forbidden forest. 

“What feels odd?” I ask, urging him for more details. Usually when Harry has feelings like this it means somethings going to happen.

“I don’t quite know yet.” He says back, looking apologetic. I just let him go on thinking about whatever will strike next, and start reading.

“Okay, I am DONE.” Ginny exclaims exhaustedly, stuffing her book bag full of her assignments, quills and parchment. 

“Yeah, I agree.” Hermione says. We all just look at her with wide eyes. “What? Even I get tired of work occasionally.” She says. We all just laugh, and start heading up the hill, towards the castle.

“Are you coming Ron?” I ask, looking back at the ginger headed boy that’s still nose first in a textbook.

“Yeah, yeah, I just have to finish this, i’m almost done.” He mumbles. I turn back to Harry, Ginny and Hermione and shrug.

“I guess today is a day of surprises!” Ginny laughs. 

“Yeah, seems like ‘Mione and Ron switched brains..” I say. We all just chuckle and head back towards the glowing castle. 

It had gotten darker and dusk was approaching. That’s when Ron finally took his nose out of the textbook. 

“Wow,” Ron mumbled to himself. “Who knew invisibility could actually be interesting.” 

He got up slowly and put his books into his bag. Night had begun to settle, and the landscape looked black against the glowing castle. Ron was just about to turn towards the famous Hogwarts castle, when something in the distance caught his eye.

There, near the edge of the forbidden forest, was a glowing orb of blue. “Huh,” thought Ron, “maybe I can practice invisibility on that...” Sure it may not seem logical to practice invisibility on an ‘unidentified-glowing-object’ to you, but to Ron it seemed like the perfect plan. 

Ron stumbled to the edge of the edge of the forbidden forest, only to see that the ‘unidentified-glowing-object’ had moved 100 meters into the forest. Not thinking too much about it, Ron moved towards the blue orb. 

When he finally got close enough, he was impressed. It was a dazzling blue orb, but it wasn’t alone.. It had seven other companions of an equally dazzling blue. Ron reached out to touch it, but it moved away slightly. 

“Oh, c’mon.” Ron mumbled to the orbs. He took another step closer, and closer. 

The setting sun finally reached through the trees of the dark forest. The glowing sun, lined the eight orbs of what appeared to be long black fur. 

Seeing the orbs true identity Ron took a step back, wide eyed. He turned around and tripped over a twig, just as the pincers snapped. Horrified Ron scrambled from the ground running as fast as could to the edge of the dark forest. He could he the scrambling of eight, sixteen, thirty-two legs behind him. It’s true, it’s happening again, Ron came face to face with 10, 20, 30 foot spiders. One of whom’s name was Aragog. Running as fast as he can to the perimeter of this terrible forest, Ron finally made it. he turned around, and around, looking for the spiders that filled him  up with fear. Hearing a faint ‘snap-snap’ Ron came face to faee with the King of Spiders. Aragog himself. Letting out a high pitched scream, Ron turned and ran away, back up to the castle.

“Ron! Where have you been?” Ginny asked her pale faced brother, who just came in the great hall, huffing and puffing. 

“Spiders, H-harry, the-the spiders.” Was all he could say, before stuffing his face with red Jell-O. 

“What does he mean?” I asked Harry. Harry just looked at me with wide eyes. Of course he knew what Ron meant. 

“In year two... Me and Ron went into the forbidden forest, in the flying car, attacked by spiders.” Was all he could get out. 

Ginny, Hermione and I just looked shocked. 

“But that already happened once before!” Hermione exclaimed, having heard about the time Harry and Ron had the run in with the spiders and Aragog many times before.

“No, it’s happening all over again.” I replied slowly. “Just like with the trolls.” 

“But that’s impossible!” Ginny says. 

“It should be.” Hermione mumbles quietly.

I look at all my shocked friends. “Well there’s only one thing to do.” I reply. “Find the flying car. If it’s there, we’ll know it this is actually happening again. If it’s gone, we know it’s just a fluke. 

Everyone finally agreeing, we head back down to the edge of the forbidden forest. I look out, into the quiet dark group of trees. Everything is still.

“See, it’s nowhere to be seen.” I say, trying to reassure Ron, Harry and the rest of my friends.

“Don’t be too sure.” Hermione says shocked. I turn around to face her, with confusion all over my face. 

“Where?” Ginny asks. Hermione raises her finger, and we all look up. 

And there, right above where Ron was standing when he got attacked by the giant spiders, was the famous, sky-blue, flying car.