Written for the Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge (5/5 eras - Riddle)
Written for the Was That You? Competition (change up a canon event)
Aragog's Secret
Hagrid set the box down, looking over his shoulder to make sure nobody had seen. His heart was pounding a million miles an hour as he carefully removed the lid and peered inside. Sitting inside was an overly large spider, its body moving up and down rhythmically, asleep.
Keeping his voice low despite no one being in this part of the castle, he whispered, "Aragog… Aragog, wake up!"
The spider stirred, its many eyes opening to stare up at the half-giant boy above it.
"Hagrid, I was enjoying my sleep," it grumbled as it stretched its eight legs.
"Aragog, did you do it?"
"Did I do what, Hagrid?" Its tone was mild, unconcerned with Hagrid's worried one.
Hagrid was distraught as he tried to ask what he needed to. It was almost as if he didn't believe what was happening. Swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat, he said in a low voice, "Did you kill those Muggleborns?"
There was a silence – one that obviously made the schoolboy uncomfortable. The spider once again stretched its legs, its many eyes blinking.
Eventually, it spoke in its low, deep voice. "You think I killed them? Hagrid?"
Rather than responding, the boy broke down in loud sobs. Anyone who may have been walking past at that time would have heard him.
"I'm hurt, Hagrid."
The boy continued to cry, echoing around the enclosed room like a stage performer would. The creature in the box poked its legs to the top.
"A-aragog, I am s-sorry, b-but I-I h-had t-to ask."
The spider watched on as the only friend it had known broke down. A spider was unable to feel emotion, but if it were, it might have felt guilt over what it was about to say next. "I needed to feed, Hagrid. You deprive me of fresh meat. It was a necessity."
Hagrid stopped, his hands which had previously covered his face, dropping to his side. His mouth moved up and down, searching for words, but unable to find them.
"No," he finally managed to whisper.
"Yes."
"N-no… no, I don't believe it! Aragog, no, you would never do it!"
"You deprive me, Hagrid. I needed to eat."
Before the poor boy could reply, the door burst open and in came another, roughly the same age. He had his wand pointed at Hagrid.
"I've found you, Hagrid," the new boy said. His tone was even, calm. He knew what he was doing.
"No, no, Aragog hurt nobody!" Hagrid insisted.
"I can't let this go on," the confident boy answered. He turned his wand on the creature Hagrid clearly loved. "You're hurting innocent people, Hagrid."
"No, no… NO!"
The box Hagrid kept the spider in tipped over. Before the boy could attack, the spider had disappeared through the open door. Hagrid watched on in confusion.
"You must come to the headmaster," the boy instructed. "He's waiting for you."
Too shocked to say anything more, Hagrid obliged. There was nothing he could have done, anyway.
He had been harbouring the Hogwarts murderer the whole time, without even knowing it.
I hope you liked it, and if you read it, your reviews would be much appreciated. Thank you!
