Chapter 11: Spiders!
Harry, Ron, and the Elementals could not believe it, Hermione had been petrified! They just stood with shocked expressions, except Samantha who stood there completely emotionless.
"She was found in the library, with this." Professor McGonagall stated, showing them a handheld mirror. "Does it mean anything to any of you?" She asked.
"No professor." Chelsea replied.
When she and Madam Pomfrey left, Samantha completely lost it.
"This is entirely my fault." Samantha said with a hint of guilt in her voice.
"Samantha, no it isn't." Amelia stated trying to soothe her.
"Yes it is!" Samantha practically yelled. "If I hadn't have left her alone, she wouldn't be lying there."
"No, you would be in the bed next to her, or worse." Jimmy stated.
"We better get her to Claw." Chelsea whispered to Bethany.
"Right." She replied.
"Guys, we better head back to Gryffindor tower." Harry said.
After being told the new rules by Professor McGonagall about leaving the tower and attending class, Samantha decided to sneak out and see Claw; she needed to talk to her familiar right now. She didn't even bother asking Harry if she could borrow the invisibility cloak, training with Grandpa helped her improve her sneaking skills. Before she left, she agreed with the others that they would all meet up at Hagrid's hut later tonight.
"Claw." Samantha called into the forest.
In just five seconds the dragon was standing right in front of her, and the other's familiars were with him as well.
"Samantha what is it?" Claw asked.
"Where are the others?" Skye added.
"They're back in the castle. If you guys don't mind, I'd like to talk to Claw alone." Samantha said to the other familiars.
"Of course." Arrow replied before she, Skye, Abhay, and Gollum left the young girl and the dragon alone.
"What's wrong Samantha?" Claw asked as soon as the others were out of sight.
"Everything is wrong. Hermione's petrified, Dumbledore won't tell us anything, and I have no idea what to do about anything!" Samantha broke down on her familiar.
"Whoa, slow down; tell me everything from the beginning." Claw said.
"Hermione is lying in the hospital petrified, and it's entirely my fault! If I hadn't have left her, she probably wouldn't be in there right now; but I left to go prepare for the quidditch game." Samantha explained on the verge of tears.
"You had to go somewhere Samantha, that wasn't your fault; and if you were there you'd probably in the bed next to Hermione, or worse you could be dead. Now what did you say about Dumbledore?" Claw asked.
"He won't tell us anything about what's going on. I feel like I'm being used, and I'm not a chess pawn! Don't get me wrong Claw, I love you, but I really miss my home." Samantha stated.
"Well, I don't know why he wouldn't tell any of you what exactly is going on. That doesn't seem to make any sense, because you can't do a job without knowing the information, but even so you're just a kid Samantha. You shouldn't have to go through this, none of you should."
"I know that Claw, I'm only sixteen years old. First Dumbledore kidnaps me, and now one of my friends is petrified. No sixteen year old should have to go through this."
As Samantha made her way out of the forest she saw the others getting out from under the cloak at Hagrid's front door.
"Hey you guys." Samantha called out.
"Feel better?" Bethany asked.
"Yeah, I just needed a good long talk with someone." Samantha said.
Ron knocked on the door, and when they opened it they saw Hagrid holding a crossbow, pointed right at them.
"Why do you have a crossbow?" Samantha asked.
"Samantha, this isn't the time to be asking that." Amelia stated.
"I just, never mind, come on in; I just made a pot of tea." Hagrid said.
Hagrid seemed pretty edgy, because he spilled the tea.
"Hagrid, are you all right? "Chelsea asked.
"Yeah, I just…." Hagrid attempted to say.
"Did you hear about Hermione?" Harry suddenly asked.
"Yes." Hagrid replied.
"Look, we need to ask you a question. Do you know anything about who opened the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked.
"Well, look, there's one thing you should know about that…" Hagrid's sentence was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Quickly, under the cloak, don't say a word, any of you." Hagrid said urgently.
So the seven young Gryffindor got under the cloak and could not believe who they saw.
"It's dad's boss, Cornelius Fudge, minister of magic." Ron stated.
Dumbledore was also present. The Elementals drifted off, trying to figure out why the minister would possibly be there. They heard Dumbledore say that Hagrid has his absolute trust, and the minister say that Hagrid's record is against him and that they needed to take him.
"Take me where, not Azkaban prison." Hagrid said.
"No, they can't take Hagrid away." The Elementals thought.
Then a familiar and unwanted face entered the hut, someone that they never wanted to see again, Lucius Malfoy.
"What are you doing here, get out of my house." Hagrid said in anger.
"That man pisses me off." Jimmy stated.
"I can set his hair on fire." Samantha offered.
"Are you crazy; you'll give us away?" Ron replied.
"Not if he's standing near a fireplace." Samantha fired back.
"You can't take Professor Dumbledore away, take him away and the muggle-borns won't stand a chance." Hagrid stated.
"Hagrid, I will go willingly if I have to." Dumbledore said.
After Dumbledore was gone the minister told Hagrid that it was time for him to go.
"Well, I guess if anyone was looking for anything, all they'd need to is to follow the , that's it. Oh, and someone will need to feed Fang while, I'm gone." Hagrid said to the minister before leaving.
Once both men were out of the house, Harry took off the cloak, and the Gryffindors bolted out the front door. Everyone just stood there shocked.
"They took Hagrid away." Bethany stated ruefully.
"And with Dumbledore gone, there'll be a petrifying every day." Amelia said.
Everyone suddenly turned to see spiders crawling down the side of the hut.
"Come on." Harry said to the others.
"What?" Ron croaked.
"You heard what Hagrid said, follow the spiders." Harry replied.
"They're heading into the dark forest." Ron stated.
The others just walked ahead of him.
"Why spiders; why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?" Ron asked himself.
"You think those can't be dangerous too?" Samantha called back.
The seven young Gryffindors (and Fang) made their way deep into the dark forest. The further they went it seemed that the greater the amount and the size of the spiders got. The Elementals were a little startled; none of these spiders were bigger than Abhay, but there were certainly a lot of them. Suddenly they came to a big tree in the middle of the forest; a low voice came from under it.
"Who is it?" The voice asked. "Hagrid, is that you?"
"We're friends of Hagrid." Harry replied.
Right after Harry said that, a giant acromantula came out from under the tree.
"You're, you're Aragog, aren't you?" Harry questioned.
"Yes. Hagrid has never brought men into our world before." The acromantula stated.
"He looks smaller than Abhay." Jimmy whispered to Bethany, who nodded in agreement.
"Hagrid's in trouble, they think he's opened the Chamber of Secrets like he did 50 years ago." Harry stated.
"That's a lie, Hagrid never opened the chamber." Aragog replied.
"Then, you're not the monster?" Harry asked.
"No, the monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land, from the pocket of a stranger."
"But, you must have at least seen some part of the castle that where the chamber could possibly be." Amelia said.
"I did not see any part of the castle except the box that Hagrid kept me in."
"Then, what is the monster?" Harry asked.
"We do not speak of it; it is ancient creature that we spiders fear. A girl was killed in a bathroom. When I was accused Hagrid brought me here, and I have been here ever since." Aragog stated.
"Harry?" Ron questioned.
"What?" Harry replied.
Ron pointed to the numerous, yet smaller spiders that were approaching the seven Gryffindors.
"Well, thank you, we'll just be going now." Harry said.
"Going, I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, but I cannot deny them fresh meat. Goodbye friends of Hagrid."
"Can we panic now?" Ron asked.
Harry and Ron began to run away, the Elementals just stood there too afraid to run but also to stay there.
"You five have certain scents to you." Aragog said.
"Are you saying we stink?" Samantha asked.
"You girl, you smell like a dragon." The spider stated.
"That would be Claw." Samantha replied.
"And you smell of a kelpie." He said to Chelsea.
"That would be Arrow." Chelsea replied.
"And you carry the scent of one of my kind." Aragog said to Bethany.
"Yes, that would be Abhay, and I should add that he's way bigger than you." Bethany stated.
"Very well then, I shall let the three of you go." Aragog stated.
"And us?" Amelia asked fearfully.
"I don't see why I should fear a phoenix and a gnome." Aragog stated.
"Well, if you won't let Amelia, Jimmy, Harry, and Ron go, we'll just have to help them. Good bye." Samantha said before the Elementals went to help Harry and Ron.
The Elementals eventually found Harry and Ron after running and jinxing a lot of spiders. They saw Harry and Ron in the Ford Anglia that Ron had taken from his dad. There were a lot of spiders trying to break the windows and grabbed at Harry and Ron. So each of them pulled out their wands and used the spell Harry had mentioned to them after he was sucked into Tom Riddle's diary.
"Arania Exumai!" The Elementals shouted in unison.
Within seconds the spiders were gone. Ron finally got the car moving.
"Quick, get in." Ron yelled to the Elementals.
They quickly hopped into the back of the car; but more spiders suddenly attacked the car. Luckily, a bigger spider and a horse quickly appeared and attacked the spiders.
"It's Abhay and Arrow!" The Elementals thought.
The seven Gryffindors managed to make it out of the forest and back to Hagrid's hut; unfortunately the car drove off the minute everyone got out of it.
"That was one of the scariest things I've ever had to experience." Bethany stated.
"Follow the spiders! If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him!" Ron yelled.
"Well we did learn something important from this. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets, he was innocent." Harry stated.
Hey! Sorry this took so long. Summer classes are keeping me busy, but the good news is that DevilDragon8 and I already started working on the next chapter; so it will be up soon. Thanks again to my co-authors DevilDragon8 and Bethany. Pleeease write me reviews! Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the OCs. See you guys in my next chapter!