The Twin: a Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 21

We were back at Hogwarts. We were going to the dormitory. Ron saw us walking back.

"Where have you two been?" he asked.

"Nowhere. We just spent the night somewhere," I said. Slughorn was walking toward us, but when he saw us he turned around.

"Still no luck with Slughorn, then, I take it," Ron said.

"Luck, that's all we need is luck," I said, and idea popping into my head.

When we went to the Griffindor common room I asked Harry to go get liquid luck. I explained my idea to Ron and Hermione and Ron while he was upstairs.

"That is brilliant, Hallie," Hermione said.

"Thank you," I said. Harry got back down with the vial.

"Harry we each are going to take a sip, and then find Slughorn, You go first," I told Harry. He took a sip, then handed it to me. I drank the rest. All of the sudden I felt really happy. I felt really lucky.

"Well?" asked Hermione. "how do you two feel?"

"Excellent!" Harry said.

"Really excellent!" I said.

"Remember, Slughorn eats early, takes a walk, and then returns back to his office," Hermione said.

"Right, I'm going down to Hagrid's," I said. "Do you want to go Harry?"

"Yes!" he said.

"No! Harry, Hallie, you two have to go speak to Slughorn!" Hermione exclaimed. "We have a plan.

"I know but I have a really good feelings about Hagrid's right now." I said.

"I feel like it is the place to be tonight. You know what I mean," Harry said.

"No," Hermione and Ron said.

"Trust me, we know what we are doing," I told them.

"Or Felix does,"Harry said. We walked off.

On our way to Hagrid's we saw Slughorn inside the greenhouse. We walked up beside him. He shuddered when he saw us.

"Merlin's beard, Harry and Hallie, you scared me," Slughorn exclaimed.

"Sorry, sir we should've announced ourselves, cleared our throats, or coughed," Harry said.

"You probably thought we were professor Sprout," I said.

"Yes, I did actually. What made you think that?" Slughorn asked.

"Just the general behavior, sir," Harry said.

"Sneaking around, jumping when you saw us. Are those tentactular leaves, sir?" I asked.

"They are valuable aren't they?" Harry asked.

"10 gallons a leaf," Slughorn said. "Not that I'm familiar with any back alley business, one does hear rumors. I got my own academic purposes though."

"Personally, sir, the plants always freaked me out," Harry said. We started heading to Hagrid's again.

"Exactly how did you two get out of the castle?" Slughorn asked.

"Through the front door, sir. See we are off to Hagrid's, you see he is a very dear friend of ours and we fancy on giving him a visit," I said.

"So if you don't mind we will be going now," Harry finished.

"Harry! Hallie!" Slughorn said.

"Sir?" we both said.

"Its nearly nightfall! Surely realize I can't let you two roaming the grounds yourselves," Slughorn said.

"Well than all means come along, sir," Harry said.

"Harry, Hallie! I must insist that you two accompany me to the castle now!" Slughorn told us, while we were almost at Hagrid's.

"But that would be counter-productive sir," I said.

"What makes you say that?" Slughorn asked.

"I have no idea," I murmured. We saw Hagrid crying in front of a giant spider. We all stood next to him.

"Horris," Hagrid greeted Slughorn.

"Merlin's beard!" Slughorn exclaimed. "is that an actual acromantula?"

"A dead one, I think, sir," I said.

"Dear fellow, how did you manage to kill it?" Slughorn asked.

"Kill it? My oldest friend, he was," Hagrid said.

"I'm so sorry I-" Slughorn started.

"Don't blame yourself, you are not alone. seriously misunderstood creatures, you spiders are. You know I think it's the eyes. They look so fearsome," Hagrid interrupted.

"Or it's the pinchers," Harry said, pulling his fingers up to his cheek and made a clucking noise.

"Or it's that two," Hagrid said.

"The last thing I wish to be is indelicate, but acromantula venom is very uncommonly rare. Would you allow me to extract a vile or two?" Slughorn asked. "clearly for academic purposes, you understand."

"Well I suppose it isn't going to do that much good now will it?" Hagrid asked.

"My thoughts exactly," Slughorn said. He walked up the the spider taking a vile out of his jacket pocket and put it near the spider.

"Would you like me to say a few words?" asked Slughorn.

"Yes," Hagrid said.

"Had a family, I trust?" Slughorn asked.

"Oh yeah," Harry said.

"Farewell?" Slughorn asked.

"Aragog," Hagrid said.

"Farewell, Aragog, king of the acromantulas. Your body will decay, but your spirit lingers on. And your human friends will be here."