Previously On The Twice Blessed Child…
We all run to the common room and up the stairs. We enter the boys room to see it is a disaster. His trunk is flipped over, drawers flung open, bedclothes strewn on the floor.
"It had to be a Gryffindor. Nobody else knows our password. Unless, it wasn't a student…" Hermione said
"This house isn't only filled with cowards it's also filled with thieves." I said
"Well, whoever it was, they were looking for something." Ron said
"And they found it… Tom Riddle's diary is gone." Harry said
"Ana was right we should have thrown it into the Black Lake." Dudley said
"I'm always right." I said
Unknown Time Skip…
Hermione, Ron, Harry, Dudley, and I all run down the staircase. Harry is dressed in his Quidditch robes. We notice Ginny down below, Ron yells down to her.
"Hey, Ginny! Going to the match?" Ron asked
Ginny looks up, startled, then shakes her head and walks away.
"I tell you, she gets weirder and weirder by the day…" Ron said
~Kill this time…Let me rip…Tear.~
Harry and I suddenly freeze hearing the voice. The others stop and look at us.
"No…don't tell me…" Ron said
Harry turns and follows after the sound, I follow Harry. Harry reaches out and his fingers touch the wall. We both look around trying to find the sound but once again as soon as it is there its gone. I look over at Hermione to see that she wears her 'I just figured something out' face.
"Harry… I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!" Hermione said
As Hermione sprints back up the stairs, Harry yells after her.
"What do you understand!" Harry said
But she is already gone. Harry turns to us.
"So who going to stay with her?" I asked
"I did it last time, and Harry has a game." Ron said
"I guess that leaves me and you Ana." Dudley said
"How about we play for it." I said
"Sure. But no magic." Dudley said
"Okay." I said
"Rock."
"Paper."
"Scissors."
I throw down rock he throws down scissors.
"Best two out of three." Dudley said
"Okay." I said
"Rock."
"Paper."
"Scissors."
I throw paper and he throws out scissors. So we play again.
"Rock."
"Paper."
"Scissors."
I throw scissors and he throws paper.
"I win. So you are on Hermione duty." I said
"I hate playing you. You always win. We need to think of a new way. Good luck Harry." Dudley said
"You too." Harry said
With that Harry, Ron, and I head out the game, and Dudley heads towards the library.
We reach the stadium. Ron and I say goodbye to Harry and head up into the stands. We wait for the game to start and doesn't.
"I wonder what is taking so long?" Ron asked
A few more minutes pass before we figured out why. We both see McGonagall come up into the stands with Harry following behind her.
"The Quidditch game has been cancelled. Mr. Weasley, Anastasia please come with me. AS for the rest of you wait for your perfect to take you back." McGonagall said
Ron, Harry, and I follow McGonagall all the way to the hospital wing. We stop outside the door, she turns around to face us.
"I warn you. This will be a bit of a chock." McGonagall said
McGonagall opens the door. Madam Pomfrey is quickly moving from one bed to another they were right next to each other. One bed has a girl in it and the other has a boy. Once she sees us and moves from the bed we can see who the two are.
"Hermione." Ron yelled
"Dudley." Harry and I yelled
"They were found near the library. Along with theses. Does it mean anything to either of you?" McGonagall asked
She holds up two mirrors. All three of us shake our heads no. McGonagall nods gravely, and leads us out. She leads us up to the common room. We enter the common room where everyone is at. She pulls out a piece of paper and reads from it.
"All students will return to their house common room by six o'clock in the evening. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions." McGonagall said
She then rolls up the piece of parchment.
"I should tell you all this. Unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught, it is likely that the school will be closed." McGonagall said
She turns and exits the common room. As soon as the portrait is closed everyone starts to talk. Neville speaks up.
"Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin - why don't they just chunk all the Slytherins out?" Neville said
"They can't close Hogwarts. Where would we all go?" Seamus asked
"I don't care what anyone says. As long as Dumbledore's here, Hogwarts will be here." Dean said
I start to laugh. They all looks at me.
"You guys are all pathetic. Not even an hour ago you thought the Heir of Slytherin was Harry. So what now that his friend and cousin are in the hospital wing the Heir is suddenly a Slytherin. I wouldn't be surprised if all of this was coming from this house. I mean I thought this was supposed to be the house for those who are brave, full of courage, have determination, and have chivalry. But all I see is a house full of cowards and fakes." I said
I turned and headed up to my dorm. I sat on bed and shut the currants. I created a rainbow, and pulled a drachma from my pocket and tossed it into the rainbow.
"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering. Let me speak to Chiron." I said
A few minutes passed before Chiron appeared.
"Sorry to bother you." I said
"It's okay Anastasia you don't call often so they must be something very wrong." Chiron said
"They have been a few attacks here. The students are being petrified. But one of the ghosts actually "died". Then there is Harry and I who can talk to snakes and we can hear one that is talking about killing, and ripping, and blood. Before one of the attacks there was a line of spiders running away. So I was wondering if maybe you have heard about anything like this." I said
"I will looks into it. Is there any other information that might help?" Chiron asked
"Roosters. All of the Roosters keep ending up dead." I said
"Okay, and Ana don't do anything to reckless." Chiron said
"I can't promise you that. Before tonight the people that were attacked were people I didn't know. But earlier tonight Hermione and Dudley were petrified. And we both know I won't sit back and let some hurt my family." I said
"Don't get caught." Chiron said
"I won't." I said
"I'll ask around and look through books and get back to you as soon as possible." Chiron said
"Thank you Chiron. Goodnight." I said
"Goodnight Ana." Chiron said
The message faded away. I got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to change. I walked out of the bathroom and looked over at Hermione's bed. I was still looking at Hermione's bed when the rest of the girls walked into the dorm. I didn't even look up at them.
"Harry, and Ron are looking for you." Lavender said
I nodded. I headed downstairs. Ron and Harry were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. I reached the bottom of the stairs and we moved to the side.
"We've got to talk to Hagrid. I can't believe it's him. But if he did set the monster loose last time - even by accident - he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets. And that's a start." Harry said
"But you heard McGonagall. We're not allowed to leave the tower except for class -" Ron said
"Since when do you listen to the Professors?" I asked
"I think it's time to get my Dad's old cloak out again." Harry said
We waited till almost everyone was out of the common room. Harry headed upstairs and grabbed his dad's cloak and came back down stairs. By the time Harry comes back down from his dorm Ron and I are the only ones in the common room. We threw the cloak on and left the common room and headed down to Hagrid's hut.
…
We get down to Hagrid's hut. I knock and the door swings open, Hagrid has a crossbow in hand.
"Who's there?" Hagrid asked
"Who do you think?" I asked
We then drop the cloak. Hagrid lowers the crossbow. We walk inside his hut. Fang is happy to see us. Harry points to the crossbow.
"What's that for?" Harry asked
"Nothin', nothin'. I've been expecctin'…dosen't matter. Sit down…I'll make tea…" Hagrid said
Harry, Ron, and I exchange looks. Hagrid nervously takes the kettle, and spills the water.
"Are you okay? Hagrid? Did you hear about Hermione and Dudley?" Harry asked
"Oh, yea. I heard, all righ'." Hagrid said
"Look…we have to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?" I asked
Hagrid stops what he is doing, he goes to answer but there is a knock on his door. Harry throws his cloak over us. Hagrid picks up his crossbow and points it at the door.
"Come in." Hagrid said
The door opens. A grim Dumbledore enters, followed by a portly man in a pin-stripe suit and bowler.
"Good evening, Hagrid." Dumbledore said
Ron leans over and whispers towards Harry and I.
"That's Dad's boss! Cornelius Fudge. The Minster of Magic." Ron said
I cover Ron's mouth with my hand and I give him a shut up look.
"Bad business, Hagrid. Very bad business. Had to come. Five attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act." Fudge said
"I never…you know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir…" Hagrid said
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence." Dumbledore said
"Look, Albus, Hagrid's record's against him. I've got to take him." Fudge said
"Take me? Where? Not Azkaban prison." Hagrid said
"For a short stretch only. Not a punishment, Hagrid. More a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be released with a full apology." Fudge said
There is another knock on the door, Dumbledore opens it. In walks Lucius Malfoy.
"Already here, Fudge? Good, good…" Lucius said
"What're you doin' here! Get outta my house!" Hagrid yelled
"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your - do you call this a house? I simply called at the school and was told the Headmaster was here." Lucius said
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore, but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension. You'll find all twelve signature on it. I'm afraid we feel with all these attacks, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts. And we all know what an awful loss that would be." Lucius said
Lucius hands Fudge the Official roll of parchment. Fudge unrolls it
"Now, see here, Lucius. Dumbledore suspended. No, no…last thing we want right now…IF Dumbledore can't stop these attacks…I mean to say, who can?" Fudge said
"That remains to be seen, but as all twelve governors have voted -" Lucius said
"But there is a thirteen signature missing so this is invalid until you get the thirteenth signature Dumbledore will be staying here." Fudge said
"What?" Lucius asked
He snatches the paper from Fudge and looks it over. Where at the bottom there is a line missing a signature. Next to the blank line it said Hogwarts Heir. Lucius eyes got huge.
"It would seem the Minister is right." Lucius said
"It doesn't matter. If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside. However…you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who…ask for it." Dumbledore said
Dumbledore's eyes drift over to where we sit.
"Admirable sentiments. We shall all miss your highly individual way oof running things, Albus, and only hope your successor will manage to prevent any more, um killing's." Lucius said
Lucius strides to the door and bows Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling uth his bowler, waits for hagrid. Instead, Hagrid stands his ground, takes a deep breath and says carefully…
"If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff all they'd have ter do is follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right! Tha's all I'm sayin." Hagrid said
Fudge stares at Hagrid in amazement, then follows him out. As the door slams shut, Fang starts to howl, scratching at the closed door. I throw the cloak off.
"I'm going to strangle Lucius." I said
"I'll help. Hagrid's right. With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day." Ron said
"Look…" Harry said
Harry points at the windowsill, a trail of spiders escapes through a crack in the glass. Harry grabs Hagrid's lantern.
"C'mom." Harry said
Ron, Fang, and I follow after Harry out of Hagrid's hut. We follow the trail of spiders to just outside the forest. Ron is hesitate to follow into the forest.
"What are you two doing?" Ron asked
"You heard Hagrid. He said 'Follow the spiders'. So that's what we are going to do." I said
"They're heading into the Forbidden Forest." Ron said
Harry and I looks at each other.
"Then stay here with Fang. Let's go Harry." I said
Harry and I start head into the forest. We can hear Ron behind us.
"Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'Follow the butterflies'?" Ron asked
I just shook my head. I had my ring ready in hand. Fang walks in front of us.
…
He crashes through the low-slung branches and sharp brambles as Harry follows. Ron gingerly picks his way, then jump as Fang howls. Branches snap. A rumbling noise sounds, then silence. Harry spies something, and points.
"There's something moving over there…something big." Harry said
I move slightly so that I am a little bit in front of Harry and Ron. Suddenly there is a blaze of light splinters the trees, blinding them. We move to run but Ron stops.
"Wait! Harry, it's our car!" Ron said
A scratched and mud-smeared, with bits of earth and grass sprouting from its headlamps and hubcaps - the Ford Anglia looks half-animal. Ron circles it in wonder.
"So this is the famous flying car." I said
"Yeah. It's been here all the time! Look at it. The Forest has turned it wild." Harry said
Harry nods, then looks back at the trail of the spiders that a disappearing.
"C'mon, we don't want to lose the trail." Harry said
We leave the car to go back to following the trail of spiders.
…
We enter a hollow ribboned with shadows. Enormous trees tower over us, strewn with strands of white webbing. Ron steps on a strand, and kicks it off queasily. I see the trail of spiders stream towards a dark opening. We slowly approach the opening, a clicking sound emanates from within, echoing in the branches of the tall tree. It grows louder. Ron falters, glancing about nervously.
"I don't have a good feeling about this, Harry, Ana -" Ron said
"Whatever is about to happen don't panic." I said
I take a step towards the mouth of the cavern, the air suddenly crackles with movement. Twigs snap. A huge shadow emerges, slowly engulfs us. We peer up to see an ancient spider, the size of a small elephant. As it advances, we back up slowly away. Then its blind eyes catch the light, and it stopes. As if…listening.
"You do not come from the forest. Your hearts beat like…man." the spider said
"Well I'm a girl." I said
Harry and Ron both glared at me.
"Yes. We're friends of Hagrid's. And you…you're…Aragog, aren't you?" Harry asked
Hearing this, Argog's head turns slightly.
"Hagrid has never sent men and girl into our hollow before." Aragog said
"He's in trouble. Up at the school, there've been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he's opened the Chamber of Secrets. Like before." I said
"That's a lie. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets." Aragog said
"We know it wasn't you and Hagrid. We were hoping that you might know who it was that opened it or maybe what the creature is." I said
"I do not know who. But the monster was born in the castle. I came from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveler." Aragog said
There is a moment of silence.
"Harry… Ana…" Ron said
"Shh!" Harry and I said
"What did kill that girl fifty years ago?" Harry asked
"We do not speak of it! It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others." Aragog said
"But have you seen it?" Harry asked
"I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here." Aragog said
Then it clicked. The girl that died fifty years ago in a bathroom. Myrtle!
"I know who we have to talk to now." I said
Ron grabs a hold of Harry and I and pulls. We both turn around.
"What!" Harry said
Ron points. We both look, and pale. We slowly turn back to Aragog.
"Well…thank you. We'll just go…" Harry said
"Go? I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye friends of Hagrid." Aragog said
He turns and disappears into the shadows of the cavern.
"Can we panic now?" Ron asked
"No." I said
Then we hear it. Click! Click! Click! We spin and see a gang of five-foot spiders bar the path ahead. They begin to move forward. We spin around again to see that more spiders block our path. Harry swings the lantern in his hand. The spiders falter, the creep forward again as the arc of the light chases itself away. Around and around. Then the lantern goes out. Harry throws it to the side. Ron and harry pull out their wands, I squeeze my ring and it turns into my sword.
"Nice knowing you." Ron said
Fang whimpers. The spiders draw closer, clicking feverishly, when a long, loud horn bleats. A second later a blaze of light ignites the hollow and the Ford Anglia comes thundering over the rim and down the slope, knocking spiders out of its path. As it screeches to a halt, the doors fling open.
"Let's go!" Harry yelled
Harry, Ron, Fang, and I leap inside. Ron shifts frantically a spider appears at Harry's open a window. I stab the spider with my sword it falls.
"THE WINDOWS! ROLL UP THE WINDOWS!" Harry yells
Ron tries.
"I CAN'T! IT"S STUCK!" Ron yelled
"Just go I'll deal with the spiders." I said
Just then a hairy leg reaches through Ron's window. Ron hits the gas, throws the car into reverse. I cut the spiders leg off. It falls off the car. The spiders scatter, but two cling to the side windows hold tighter. I cut off the one with Harry he rolls his window up. I do the same to the one by Ron. The Anglia jets out of the hollow, lands with a thud. We can hear a distant clicking. As the car flies over a ridge, they see them. A sea of spiders heading straight for us like a heard of raging wildebeest. Ron puts his foot to the floor, spins the wheel and sends the car sliding away. The spiders stampede after.
The Anglia slams through the forest, skimming past trees as the spiders charge after. I see an area of fallen trees up ahead. There is an opening one narrow escape route.
"That way! It's the only wait out! Hurry! They're catching up." Harry yelled
Ron jams the accelerator…just as a giant tarantula drops on front of the escape route.
"Can you get us in the air?" Harry asked
Ron starts jostling the gear stick.
"Flying gear's jammed!" Ron said
The spiders behind draw closer. The tarantula waits ahead. I reach forward and pull on the gear shift. I see the tarantula's pincers open, ready to kill, when…the gear shift gives the Anglia's wheels lift and the car flies leaving the furious spiders below. The car barely avoids the rearing tarantula, then sails over the trees.
As we land, Fang bolts free. Harry, Ron, and I exit the car wearily, then watch it turn and rumble back into the forest.
" 'Follow the spiders'! FOLLOW THE SPIDERS1 if he ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill Hagrid. I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?" Ron asked
"We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent." Harry said
"We also found out who the girl was that died." I said