Snivellus

23

Everything happened so quickly. They threw the cloak over themselves and backed off into the corner of the room. Hagrid opened the door. Lucius Malfoy, Dumbledore and the Minister for Magic.

Darah, Harry and Ron each exchanged panicked looks. Darah clenched her teeth and fists together and she felt Ron tense up every bone in his body too.

They listed deeply into the conversation, worried for Hagrid and their Headmaster. Dumbledore was about to leave when he looked Darah in the eye. 'Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask it.' Then she could've sworn he winked at her.

Harry, Ron and Darah exchanged glances again, all their mouths slightly jaw-dropped open.

Hagrid then swung back and forth on his heels and coughed. 'Now someone better feed Fang whilst I'm gone. Oh and er, if anybody was looking for some stuff then follow the spiders yep, that's it.' And he and Fudge walked out the hut.

They peeled off the cloak as soon as they were gone. 'What was all that about?' Darah asked.

Harry looked at the two of them. 'I don't know but with Hagrid gone, we'd better hurry.'

Ron's eyes widened as he turned to look at the door. 'S-spiders.' His hand shook and voice squeaked as he pointed at the window. There was a trail of tiny spiders running along the wall and outside.

'Come on let's go.' Harry exclaimed and the three of them rushed outside.
'They're heading into the forest!'

Ron quivered. 'Follow the spiders? Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?'

'Don't be such a baby, Ron.' Darah hit him with the back of her hand gently to snap him back to reality.

The three of them walked off into the dark forest, Ron shaking close behind them.

A loud crack had sounded and Ron leaped up into the air and hugged behind Darah for safety who tried to waft him away.

'Relax, I just stood on a stick.'

'Seriously, Ron.' Harry laughed, trying to put on a brave front.

'Yeah so much for being a Gryffindor and you're scared of some tiny spiders.' Darah joked and Ron gulped.

'Wait.' Harry held his hands back and paused them.

'Oh sh-' Darah looked up and saw a giant spider crawl out in front of her, she stepped back, almost loosing her footing.

'Look who's scared now.' Ron could only just make out a small voice as he and Darah huddled together behind Harry.

Darah gulped. 'So much for small spiders.'

'Are you, are you Aragog?' Harry asked it.

'Why yes.' The giant spider spoke.

'Why is the spider speaking. Um Harry, the spider is speaking!' Darah said stunned. 'That is a talking spider.' She said quietly to Ron in his ear.

'Clearly 'Mr brave' decided to leave that tiny detail out of his memory story.' Ron whispered back, his voice still small and high pitched.

'We are friends of Hagrids.' Harry gestured towards the three of them.

Aragog looked at them all judgingly with all his many eyes.

'I don't like the way it's eyes move.' Darah whispered to Ron, who shook his head rapidly in return.

'We're here to ask about the Chamber of Secrets.' Harry carried on taking to the spider.

Aragog crawled forward, you could hear it's many feet tapping along and it's old body creaking. 'My old friend Hagrid is innocent.' It spat at them.

'So you're not the monster.' Harry gasped. 'Then what is?'

'We do not speak of it! It is an ancient creature we spiders are afraid of, born inside the castle.'

'How can a spider that big be afraid of anything?' Darah squeaked.

Ron looked at her, his mouth quivering. He looked around the forest and tugged on Darah's sleeve.

'What-' then she saw what Ron was pouting at. Spiders were crawling around all around them, locking them in.
'Harry!' Darah shouted, her voice not fully able to speak through the fear.
'I'd prefer giant butterflies.' She squeaked and huddled even closer to Ron.

'Shush you two.' Harry shouted back at them, concentrating on Aragog's story.

'It happened to a girl in the bathroom, that is all I know.'

'Harry!' Ron and Darah whimpered together.

Harry whipped around to them. 'What?'

The both of them pointed up to the sky. Spiders were descending down, caging them in.

Harry turned back to face Aragog. 'Well. Thank you.' Harry looked at his wrist where there was no watch to be seen. 'It looks like it's time we get back.'

'Leave? Oh no. I wouldn't harm Hagrid but I cannot refuse my brothers and sisters fresh meat.' The spider looked at the three of them, as if it was grinning. 'Goodbye friends of Hagrid.'

Ron screamed.

'Run!' Darah shouted and the three of them sprinted in and out of the trees being chased by dozens of spiders.

'You're friends with Hagrid. A guy who led you to get eaten by giant spiders.' Darah shouted at the boys whilst panting.

'Well, last year he had a huge three headed dog that almost ate us.' Harry panted back.

'And an illegal dragon.' Ron added.

Darah shook her head. 'Glad I'm not a Gryffindor, you people are weird.'

Ron screamed as a spider jumped at him.

'They're gaining on us!' Darah shouted looking all around her at the spiders in all corners.

The spiders edged closer in a matter of seconds, the three of them were almost swallowed up.

'I hate spiders.' Darah whimpered as the three of them stood huddled together in the middle of the spiders circle who they imagined to be licking their lips. Trapped.