Fixing the Future

4.1

The three Gryffindors tossed the cloak off.
'Hagrid's right. With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day.'
'Look.'

Spiders were shown crawling out the window.

Alyssa gulped when she remembered what would happen next.

'Come on. Come on, Fang.'
Harry, Alyssa, and Ron walked outside, Harry holding a lantern as they saw the trail of spiders.
'Come on.'
'What?'
'You heard what Hagrid said: 'Follow the spiders.'
'You're kidding?' Alyssa said in disbelief.
'Nope, come on!'
Harry started towards the forest and Ron groaned.
'Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?'

'Ah yes, of course! What a great idea to head into the dark FORBIDDEN forest where the suspicious trail of spiders is going.' Marlene said sarcastically with a groan.
'Hagrid wouldn't direct them somewhere they'd get hurt though. So they'll by fine...right?' Lily said uneasily.

'James, this is your fault.'
'What?! Moony, you can't blame this on me!'
'Really? Because somehow, I'm pretty sure that Harry got his reckless, stupid gene from you!'
'Did you just call me stupid?' James said in disbelief with a scowl and Remus rolled his eyes in response.

They followed the spiders through the woods, Fang leading the way.
'Harry, Lyss, I don't like this.'
'I second that Har- can we please turn back?'
'Harry, I don't like this all.'
'Shush.'

Harry watched the spiders go through a narrow opening, Alyssa and Ron clinging to each other in fright.

'Can we go back now?'
'Come on.'
'This is such a bad idea. I'm telling you now.' Alyssa muttered.

The three crouched down and walked through the tunnel, a huge spider descending after they passed.

'Shit!' Evan flinched back from the spider, Cissa looking disgusted and Alyssa holding Marlene's arm tightly as memory her was doing to Ron.

Harry, Alyssa, and Ron came out of the tunnel, looking around and missing the hidden spiders. Branches were heard crashing.

'Who's that?' Peter gulped.

'W-w-who is that?'
'Don't panic.'
'Don't panic? Are you fucking kidding me? If we die then someone better write on my grave "death by listening to Harry dumbass Potter and his bullshit plans", "let's follow the spiders!" God Harry you moron.'
'Ouch.' Harry rolled his eyes at her.

'I mean fair enough. That forest is not a fun place to be at night.' Frank shuddered.

'Hagrid? Is that you?'
'Hagrid just got arrested you moron- how bad is your memory?' Alyssa hissed.

'We're friends of Hagrid's.'

Huge legs appeared, crawling out of a hole, Alyssa and Ron looking scared, slowly holding each other tightly as Harry looked shocked. The gargantuan spider laid on top of the hole.

They all recoiled in horror, Alice shrieking at the sight and Alyssa holding Marlene even tighter.
'Oh my Merlin.' Bella murmured in shock.

'Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.' Alyssa whispered under her breath.
'And you? You're-You're Aragog, aren't you?'

'Yes. Hagrid has never sent men or women into our hollow before.'
'He's in trouble. Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets like before.'

Ron looked around, feeling watched and Alyssa gripped his even tighter- if that was even possible.
'That's a lie. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets.'
'Then you're not the monster?'
'No. The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land...in the pocket of a traveler.'
'Harry...'
'Shush.'