Year One

Chapter 10

Annalis hears the clicking from behind them but doesn't get a chance to move as what appears to be a leg wraps around her waist. She glances around realizing that Harry, Ron and Fang had also been grabbed and carried away. She fights an internal battle with the fear building in her as she sees pincers. Suddenly she's dropped to the ground beside Harry and looks around. There are giant spiders everywhere and Ron looks like he's had a Silencing Charm cast on him with his mouth open in a silent scream. She catches a few words of what the spider is saying to the bigger blind spider in the web dome before she tunes it out to observe their surroundings.

"We're friends of Hagrid's." Harry's voice brings Annalis back to the conversation and clicking goes around the clearing.

"Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before." Aragog, the blind spider, says as Annalis glances between him and Harry.

"Hagrid's in trouble. That's why we've come." Harry replies, Annalis can hear his breathing speed up.

"In trouble?" The spider asks in concern. "But why has he sent you?" Annalis watches Harry for a second before turning her head toward the giant spider in front of her.

"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a - a - something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban." She says with a confidence only a Slytherin could possess. Clicking echoes through the hollow at her words.

"But that was years ago. Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free." Aragog says, almost frantically.

"And you...you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry finds his voice and Annalis rolls her eyes as Aragog clicks angrily.

"I! I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man. When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness..." Harry seemed to be at a loss when Aragog had finished speaking so Annalis spoke again.

"So you never - never attacked anyone?" Annalis was beginning to worry about Ron, he had been quiet for far too long.

"Never. It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet..." Aragog replies, Annalis nods to herself.

"But then... Do you know what did kill that girl? Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again-" Whatever Harry was gonna say next is overridden by furious clicking and the angry movement of legs.

"The thing that lives in the castle is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school." Aragog says and realization dawns on Annalis.

"What is it?" Harry asks when Annalis stays silent.

"We do not speak of it! We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times." Aragog moved slowly back into the dome as the other spiders moved closer to the four of them.

"We'll just go, then." Annalis tells the spider as she stands from being on her knees and gestures to the others.

"Go? I think not." Aragog says as Harry and Ron start to climb to their feet.

"But - but -" Harry starts only to be cut off by Aragog.

"My son and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wonders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid." Aragog says before slipping completely into the dome. 'Crap.' Annalis thinks as she takes in the spiders coming toward them. She's about to call out to Harry when a loud sound echoes through the hollow accompanied by a bright light. The car comes flying into the hollow, hitting spiders as it goes before coming to a stop in front of them with it's doors open.

"Get Fang!" Harry calls to Ron as he and Annalis jump into the car. Ron grabs Fang and tosses him into the backseat before following him in. As soon as Ron's in, the car slams the doors and takes off out of the hollow. There's a few moments of quiet in which Annalis and Harry glance between themselves before turning to find Ron still open mouthed.

"Are you okay?" Harry asks the red head, who says nothing in return, still in shock. After about ten minutes of jostling around, Harry and Annalis can see patches of sky and the trees have thinned out. The car comes to an abrupt stop and Annalis braces herself on the dashboard. Harry reaches back to let the howling Fang out and as soon as the door is open the boarhound leaps out. Annalis watches him make a beeline for Hagrid's house as her and Harry climb out of the car. She turns back to the car when Ron climbs out, still unable to speak. She watches Harry pat the car in appreciation before it returns to the forest. As Harry goes into Hagrid's house to get the cloak and check on Fang, Annalis turns to ask Ron if he's okay only to find him emptying his stomach in the pumpkin patch.

"Follow the spiders," Ron says, wiping his mouth as Harry joins them. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive." Annalis snorts at the whine that seeps into Ron's voice.

"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his." Harry replies and Annalis is pretty sure he rolled his eyes.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" Ron whines, smacking the house's side wall. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" Annalis rolls her eyes as Ron shivers. "What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?" Ron continues his rant.

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent." Ron snorts rather loudly as Harry throws the cloak over the three of them. The three of them continue the journey towards the castle in silence, too afraid of being caught. When they finally make it to Gryffindor tower, Ron immediately goes up to the boy's dorm but Harry stays in the common room with Annalis. They sit in silence for a while before Annalis looks up at Harry.

"Hey Harry?" She says, eyes wide with realization.

"What is it, Anna?" Harry asks, eyebrow creeping up his forehead at the look on her face.

"Harry - that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom... What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?" She watches confusion flit across his face before understanding settles in its place.

"You don't think - not Moaning Myrtle?" She nods at his conclusion.