"Enter," Called Professor Dumbledore as he sat behind his desk, organising a few papers while Fawkes was perched on his stand while cleaning his feathers. Soon the door opened and in walked none other than Rubeus Hagrid, the gentle half-giant walked over to Professor Dumbledore's desk.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir," He greeted Dumbledore warmly and respectfully with a nod of his head.
"Good afternoon, Hagrid," Dumbledore smiled as he flicked his wand and enlarged the chair in front of his desk for Hagrid to sit in before he strengthened it to be able to withstand his weight.
"Thank you," Hagrid said in a grateful voice as he sat down.
"I suppose I should be calling you 'Professor Hagrid' now, shouldn't I?" Dumbledore asked, his blue eyes twinkling brightly while Hagrid blushed.
"Just Hagrid will do, Professor Dumbledore." Hagrid insisted.
"As you wish, Hagrid," Dumbledore inclined his head in agreement. "Now, not that I am displeased to see you, but I must ask, why have you come to my office today? Is now not normally the time you would spend in the forbidden forest?" He asked, well aware of Hagrid's love of venturing into the forest.
"That's actually why I am here now, sir," Hagrid confessed, his voice and expression turning slightly more serious.
"Oh," Professor Dumbledore looked at him curiously. "Do go on, Hagrid." Dumbledore gestured for him to continue.
"Yes, well," Hagrid coughed lightly before continuing to speak. "It's usually around this time of year that I go to visit Aragog in the forest. Now, normally I get through the forest without any problems. Stop and chat to the centaurs, go say hello to a few magical creatures and so on before I reach the spider's nest. Now, when I get there, his children let me in and guide me to him. But this time, they didn't."
"Why not, Hagrid?" Asked Dumbledore with a small frown.
"They only ever really let me in because of Aragog," Hagrid confessed. "When I got there, they told me that Aragog was no longer in charge."
"No longer in charge?" Professor Dumbledore repeated. "Do correct me if I'm wrong but the only way that should happen is if there is a new king."
"Aye," Hagrid confirmed with a nod. "And that'll only happen if Aragog died or stepped down."
"Which do you believe happened?" Dumbledore asked.
"I hope it's not the first one," Hagrid admitted in a grim tone that made it clear he knew which one was more likely. "I plan to ask the centaurs tomorrow, they might know something."
"Hmm," Dumbledore hummed thoughtfully. "I'm sorry, but why did you not ask the centaurs today?" He asked.
"Because I was too busy getting chased out of the forest," Hagrid said in a hurt voice. "The older spiders remembered me and gave me one warning to stay out of their nest, said that since Aragog wasn't around, they were no longer obligated to spare me. The youngest ones did try and eat me, had to send a few warning shots from my crossbow when I booked it out of there. Poor Fang was with me, he's scared senseless."
"That is definitely disturbing," Dumbledore sighed. "Do you know who the new king of the spider is?" He asked hopefully.
"No, they wouldn't tell me, they sounded right scared of him," Hagrid admitted.
YOU ARE READING
We Are Venom
FanfictionHarry Potter gained a new friend just before the start of his third year at school, how will his story change when a symbiote has been added to the mix?
