𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞 | 𝐇.𝐏.

𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟐 - 𝟖

We walked around the side of the house to see the window from the outside. As expected, the spiders were crawling back down the outside of the wall and onto the grass, not breaking their lines.

"We have to follow them," Potter said.

"What?" Weasley asked, voice cracking. I almost laughed.

"You heard what Hagrid said. 'Follow the spiders.' " Potter pushed.

"They're heading for the Dark Forest," Weasley said like his best friend was out of his mind. I agreed.

Potter just ignored him and continued to walk forwards.

"Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?" Weasley wailed.

And so Fang led us into the Forbidden Forest. We kept having to stop so Potter could bring the lantern to the ground if he lost sight of the spiders, and it made for a very slow trek through the trees. Eventually we got to a point where the canopy was so thick that no moonlight was shining through, and I could only see a couple feet in front of me. 

The wind whistled, and I swore I heard wolves howl in the distance. The mist rolled off the trees like waterfalls, and I was forcefully reminded of the only other time that I had ventured into the Forbidden Forest, when the Dark Lord in the form of Professor Quirrell nearly killed Potter and I.

But I also noticed that the farther on we got, the more spiders there were, not to mention the way they were steadily growing in size. I jumped when I felt one on my ankle. 

"Harry, I don't like this," Weasley said, sounding like he was ready to cry. 

"I don't like this at all," I agreed.

"Shush," Potter said suddenly.

"Don't you dare 'shush' me, Potter," I hissed.

"No, really," he looked around, fear in his eyes.

"Can we go back now?" Weasley whispered when the clicking of pinchers and scurrying of legs seemed to increase in sound.

"Come on," Potter argued. Weasley and I shared a glance, and then reluctantly pursed. 

We followed Fang and Potter down a ginormous, damp hole, like a cave made of earth. Roots grew up and over our heads, and there were spiders everywhere. Above us, under us, and on both sides of the weird cave. Weasley was breathing far too heavily next to me.

We emerged under the biggest tree I had ever seen, with roots thicker than my entire body. The sound of a branch thrashing came from ahead, and then an old voice that sent a shiver of terror down my spine.

"Who is it?" The faceless voice rasped.

"Don't panic," Potter whispered as Fang barked.

"Thanks, Potter," I whispered back. "I'm all better now."

"Hagrid?" The voice asked, almost hopefully. "Is that you?" A louder branch cracked.

"We're friends of Hagrid's," Potter said bravely.

Eight huge, hairy legs emerged from inside the dip of ground in front of us. Every time the tip of its legs hit the ground, there was a thundering sound. Its body pulled at the sticky web surrounding it.

"You... you're Aragog. A-aren't you?" Potter asked. 

"Yes," the monster replied. "Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before."

"He's in trouble," Potter said hurriedly. "Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets, like before."