Out of The Shadows (Golden Trio Era) {1}

The Hollow

Harry and Ron hide under the invisibility cloak as they knocked on Hagrid's door, it swung open showing the usual gentle giant holding a crossbow. "It's us!" Harry whispered at Hagrid, he let them in offering the boys tea, as he pour the tea into the cup, his hand shook and the tea began drilling out of the cup. Harry asked him if he was ok, he told them he was alright and Harry asked if he heard about Hermione and Mikayla. "Yeah. I heard about that, all right." Harry nodded, "Look, we have to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?" When Hagrid tried to give an answer there was a knock on the door, the boys quickly threw the invisibility cloak around them and backed up against the wall before Hagrid answered the door. In walked Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Fudge started not with a hello but tells Hagrid that the ministry has to do something after all the attacks, especially since 3 were muggle-borns. Dumbledore assured the room that he doesn't believe that it Hagrid causing the attacks and Fudge told him that Hagrid's record stood against him. Fudge then informs the room that he has to take Hagrid, "Take me? Take me where? Not Azkaban prison!" Hagrid's voice rose as he spoke. Fudge said he has no choice, the boys exchanged and worried glance before returning focus to the room.

Lucius Malfoy enters the hut, Hagrid yells at him to get out of his house, "Believe me, I take absolutely no pleasure being inside your.... You call this a house?" Lucius walks in the direction of the boys, stopping just in front of them. Lucius then told them that he first went to the school before going to the hut because Dumbledore was down here. Another bomb was dropped when Lucius announced that Dumbledore had been suspended due to not protecting his students efficiently. Hagrid tried to argue but Dumbledore stopped him, before agreeing to step-aside. "However, you will find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." He looked directly at the boys, Lucius turned around to see what he was looking at before returning his gaze to Dumbledore. "Admirable sentiments. Shall we?" Lucius spoke smoothly before heading to the door, Dumbledore follow. Fudge called Hagrid to go with him, before leaving Hagrid told Ron and Harry to follow the spiders but acted as though he was just talking to the room. He followed Fudge out the hut, leaving the two boys alone.

Harry and Ron leave the hut before Harry spots a bunch of spiders scuttling into the Forbidden Forest. They argued quietly, Ron didn't want to go because he hates spiders, but Harry didn't really give him a choice. "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?" The pair walked through the dark forest, a lantern in Harry's hand and Fang by Ron's side. They followed the spiders into a massive hollow deep within the forest. A massive spider's raspy voice filled the boys ears, "Who is it?" Harry told Ron not to panic, "Hagrid? Is that you?" The spider asked, Harry told him that they were friends of Hagrid's. Harry asked if he was Aragog which the spider admitted to before informing them that Hagrid never sent anyone else to their hollow before. Harry explains that Hagrid is in trouble, about the attacks happening in the school, and how they think it's Hagrid. "That's a lie. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets." Aragog spoke angrily, Harry stated a question of Aragog not being the monster inside the Chamber. "No. The monster was born in the castle" Aragog explained how Hagrid came across him, and told them that the real monster is an ancient creature that spiders fear above all others. Harry asked if the spider had seen the monster which he replied that he only saw the inside of the box Hagrid kept him in.

"Harry!" Ron whimpered before pointing out other spiders that were making their way towards them. Harry thanked Aragog before informing him they were going to leave. "Go? I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wonders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye, friend of Hagrid." Aragog announced, Ron whimpered as the spider closed in. The boys realised they didn't know any spells that was powerful enough for all the spiders, "Where's the girls when you need them?" Ron asked shaking with fear. Soon headlights come into view, as the Weasley old car drove into the hollow to save the boys. The car fought to get out of the hollow and once it did it stopped. A spider jumped and attacked Ron through the drivers broken window, "Arania Exumai!" Harry yelled and the spider flew off Ron. They soon saw all the spiders calling out of the hollow and turned the car around before speeding towards the end of the forest. Dodging and squishing spiders as they went, once they were on the grass near the castle, the car threw them out and drove back into the forest. "Come on, we better get back to the tower." Harry said quickly, grabbing the invisibility cloak out of Hagrid's and quickly wrapping it around him and Ron. They rush up to the Gryffindor Tower, Ron still in a fearful state after almost being killed by spiders his biggest fear. Everyone always said they're more afraid of you than you are of them but they also argued that they are tiny in comparison to people. Aragog and his family were not only fearless when it came to the two boys but they were massive and trying to eat them. Ron swore he's going to kill Hagrid next time he sees him after sending them into that death trap. Once they arrived up into the tower, they rushed up to their dorms, into their pyjamas and into their beds. They boys said goodnight to one another but neither fell asleep, their minds were racing from the events of today.