You're Not Alone-Hermione Granger(Currently Editing)

Twenty-Six

As the three walk out of the hut, they find more spiders crawling towards the forest. "Come on" Harry tells the other two. "What?" Ron asks incredulously. "You heard what Hagrid said. Follow the spiders." Harry says. "They're heading to the Dark Forest" Ron exclaims. Harry just follows the spiders as Juniper sends him an amused look. "Are you afraid of spiders, Weasley?" She asks and Ron sends her a glare as she chuckles.

"Come on, Fang" She whistles, following after Harry. Fang follows dutifully after Juniper as Ron sighs, shaking his head. "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?" He complains, following after the others. Harry leads the way with the lamp, lighting up the path as they walk through the Forbidden Forest.

Juniper remembers her detention last year where they were on a hunt for an injured unicorn. She also remembers Draco being an idiot and making her fall into some unicorn blood as well as the centaur that saved her and Harry from getting killed by Voldemort himself. She shudders at the thought.

"Aren't there- aren't there supposed to be werewolves in here?" Ron gulps nervously as he looks around, lagging behind the others. "Not to worry, Ron. Some werewolves can be nice if they're in control. And there are some good creatures too, like unicorns and centaurs" Juniper explains and Ron nods uncertainly.

They continue to follow the spiders as Fang starts to lead them, sniffing the ground. "I don't like this." Harry and Juniper send each other a look but continue to walk. "Guys, I don't like this at all" Ron repeats. "Shush!" Harry tells him as they notice a crowd of spiders headed under a fallen tree branch and into a little tunnel. "Can we go back now?" Ron begs. "Come on" Harry tells him and Juniper drags Ron after her. Ron tries to stay as far away from the tunnel walls as possible, not wanting to even get near a spider.

This definitely reminded her of last year's detention when Draco didn't even want to leave her side the whole time. Both him and Ron were babies when it came to this stuff apparently. The tunnel leads them to a clearing with giant branches spread all over the ground, connecting to a big tree in the center. They stop in front of a giant cave where the spiders seemed to be leading them. "Who is it?" They hear a deep voice boom and all look at each other with wide eyes as Fang barks. "Don't panic" Harry whispers to the others.

"Hagrid? Is that you?" The voice wonders. "We're friends of Hagrid's." Harry calls out. They start to back away as spider legs begin to crawl out of the cave, revealing a giant spider. Juniper looks at it with wide eyes. She loved animals and creatures of all kinds but...she'd never seen anything like this before. The spider looks over them. "And you? You're Aragog, aren't you?" Harry asks. Juniper looks over confused. Who's Aragog?

"Yes. Hagrid has never sent anyone into our hollow before." Aragog says in what sounds to be a deep raspy voice, as black eyes flick between each figure stood in front of him. "He's in trouble. Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid" Harry explains as Ron gets Juniper's attention. She looks over at where he's looking and sees more giant spiders. Smaller than the gigantic one in front of them of course but still big enough to be creepy.

"They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets. Like before." Harry finishes. "That's a lie" Aragog snaps and Juniper flinches. "Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets." Aragog informs them. "Then you're not the monster?" Harry asks. "No. The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land in the pocket of a traveler" Aragog explains as Ron continues to snap his head around in all different directions as more spiders appeared.

"Harry" Ron squeaks out. "Shush" Harry tells him. "But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl 50 years ago?" Harry wonders. "We do not speak of it. It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others." Aragog says. "But have you seen it?" Harry pushes. "I never saw any part of the castle but the box in which I was kept in. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here." Aragog explains.