Chapter 24: Aragog

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Needless to say, after both Harry and Sam made their shocking discoveries both wasted no time in telling the other and their teams what happened.

"I don't which is crazier. Hagrid or this?" Barnaby said blown away.

"Sam are you sure? I mean 100% sure?" Hermione asks.

"I have his journal and the direct memories. I'm pretty sure." Sam nods.

"I can't believe Hagrid might be Slytherin's heir." Penny said.

"Hagrid does have a habit of getting dangerous pets: Fluffy, Norbert the dragon and now this." Ron lists.

"Maybe Riddle got the wrong person." Harry said.

"How many monsters do you think this place can hold?" Ron asks.

"The attacks stopped right after Hagrid left, why else would Riddle get that award?" Barnaby asks.

"He sounded very eager to bring Hagrid down. He didn't even hesitate." Penny said.

"He was gonna leave Hogwarts to go back to an orphanage. I don't blame him for wanting to stay here." Harry said.

"Yeah but to go to such lengths. Look I get being stuck in an orphanage isn't fun but that's only if you let yourself be miserable there. I live in an orphanage and I can be happy there." Sam said.

"Well clearly Riddle wasn't as open as you are." Penny said.

"Still I can't believe it. Salazar Slytherin is innocent." Hermione said.

"I have the memory, the journal, and the proof, but none of that matters unless we can find the culprit of who's doing this." Sam said.

"If there's another attack we go right to Hagrid." Harry suggests as they all nod in agreement.

"You better prepare yourself, this weekend you have your match against Hufflepuff." Barnaby reminds.

"No hard feelings if I beat your house, Penny?" Harry asks.

"If you beat us." Penny said putting emphasis on if.

The day before the match, all Second Years were gathered to choose their new classes they could take next year and were given many options: Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies and Divination.

Needless to say, Sam chose Care of Magical Creatures right out of the gate.

"Interested in magical creatures?" Liz asks signing up for it as well.

"Oh yeah, let's just say I know a guy who really helped open my eyes to the subject." Sam smiles.

"You better be careful with your second choice Sam, these could affect our whole future." Hermione said.

"Uh I don't think it's that bad Hermione." Tulip said.

"It's a shame I can't give up Potions." Harry said.

"Or Defense Against the Dark Arts." Ron agrees shocking Hermione.

"What? But that class is super important." Hermione gasps.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it." Merula said walking by. "He's turned that class into a joke and witch or wizard who believes his garbage is an idiot."

"Excuse me." Hermione said.

"No she's right. He is the absolute worst. All talk no action." Sam said.

"The only thing he's taught us is don't open a cage of Cornish Pixies." Ron said.

"How about Muggle Studies?" Penny points.

"Hmm I think I already good understanding of Muggles." Sam chuckles when he noticed Chiara writing down a pick. "What are you taking?"

"Divination, figured it wouldn't hurt to learn about the future." Chiara shrugs.

"Hmm not bad." Sam said.

Deciding to wing it, Harry and Ron signed up for Care of Magical Creatures with Sam but they all picked Divination. The study of the future.

Hermione on the other hand went for all of them.

As Harry made his way back to the Common room, he looks to see Neville, Seamus and Dean waiting by the stairs.

"Harry, we don't know how it happened we swear." Dean said.

"It was like this when we got here." Neville said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ron asks.

Leading them into their room, Harry looks to see his area of the room was a mess. His trunk had been thrown everywhere, his mattress had been stripped completely with the sheets on the ground and his books had been flipped open and scattered.

"What happened?" Harry gasps.

"We don't know. Neville came back and saw it like this." Seamus said.

"Someone's been going through your stuff Harry." Dean said.

Walking over Harry examined everything.

"Was anything taken?" Ron asks when Harry noticed it.

"Tom Riddle's Diary is gone." Harry realized.

"But, only a Gryffindor could have come up here, they would need our password." Ron realized.

The next day everyone was eager to see the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff but right before the match was about to start it was canceled.

Soon, Prof. McGonagall was leading Harry, Sam, Ron, Penny and Barnaby to the Hospital Wing.

"Prof. McGonagall what's going on?" Penny asks.

"What's wrong?" Barnaby asks.

"I asked you 5 to come because you need to see this. I warn you though. It might come as a bit of a shock." McGonagall warns as they enter the hospital wing to see a Ravenclaw girl in bed next to Hermione, both completely petrified.

"Hermione." Sam gasps.

"They were found near the library, this was on the floor next to her. I don't suppose any of you can explain it?" McGonagall asks holding up a small circular mirror.

"No ma'am." They all said.

"I see well then I will escort you all back to your common rooms. There will be meetings in all of them." McGonagall said.

As they walked away Harry and Sam stole a glance at each other, they knew they had to move.

Down in Slytherin, all the students were gathered in the common room as Snape read the new rules.

"As of now all students are to return to their dormitories by 6 o'clock evening. No student is to leave after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to walk the halls unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are hereby suspended until further notice and all evening activities are canceled." Snape read.

"Why do we need to suffer? It's not like anyone in our house has been attacked." Malfoy asks.

"Headmaster's orders." Snape said.

"I bet you five galleons the next Mudblood dies. Pity it wasn't Granger." Malfoy smirks.

"You wanna say that again." Sam hisses.

Turning around Malfoy saw Sam walk right up to him to look him in eye as everyone looked at him.

"I dare you. Say it again." Sam growls.

"Sad your mudblood friend didn't die." Malfoy said.

Growling in rage Sam was about to attack him when Snape grabs his arm and pulls him back.

"Enough!" Snape yells startling everyone. "I will not tolerate this behavior in my own house!"

"One of these days Malfoy you are gonna be humiliated and I hope I'm there to laugh in your face." Sam growls.

"Keep dreaming Samuel, that's all you know how to do." Malfoy mocks as most of the house points and laughs at him.

As Snape lets go he watches Sam storm out of the room trying to keep it together.

Frowning softly, Snape recognized that look. The pain of ridicule was one he knew all too well.

"So what's the plan?" Barnaby asks following Sam.

"If I know Harry he's going to Hagrid tonight and so are we." Sam said.

"What about Penny?" Barnaby asks.

"We don't have time to grab, it'll just have to be you and me this time." Sam said going to get his Viper Fangs.

That night, as the full moon was high in the air Harry and Ron were approaching Hagrid's Hut before taking off the Invisibility cloak.

"Should we really have come alone?" Ron asks.

"Don't worry if I know Sam he'll find a way to meet us." Harry said.

"You thought right." Turning around they saw Sam and Barnaby emerge from the shadows next to them.

"How did you?" Ron asks blown away.

"Harry's not the only one with cool sneaky items." Sam said holding up his Viper Fangs before strapping them to his belt.

Making their way to the hut, Barnaby knocks on the door.

"Who's there?" Opening the door, Hagrid aims a crossbow at them before realizing who it was.

"What's that for?" Harry glares.

"Oh nothing I was expecting uh…you know what it doesn't matter. Come on in, I just made a pot of tea." Hagrid said letting them in.

As he poured the tea they noticed Hagrid was shaking nervously.

"Hagrid, are you okay?" Barnaby asks.

"You hear about Hermione?" Sam assumes.

"Oh I heard alright." Hagrid said.

"Hagrid, please you have to tell us what you know about the Chamber of Secrets." Harry said.

"Alright, you see—" Before Hagrid could say anything there was another knock at the door. "Quick get under the cloak." He whispers.

Moving to the corner, Harry puts his Invisibility Cloak over all four of them as Hagrid walks to the door.

When he opens it he sees Prof. Dumbledore and a second elderly man with him.

"Oh Prof. Dumbledore." Hagrid said lowering his crossbow.

"Hagrid, could we come in please?" Dumbledore asks.

"Of course." Hagrid said letting them.

"No way, that's Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. He's my dad's boss." Ron whispers.

"And my Uncle Cecil's." Barnaby whispers.

"Bad business Hagrid. Very bad. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle Borns. Things have gone far enough, the Ministry has to act." Fudge said.

"Prof. Dumbledore you know I would never do such a thing." Hagrid said.

"I want it understood Cornelius that Hagrid has my full confidence." Dumbledore states.

"Albus, I'm sorry but Hagrid's record is against him. I have to take him." Fudge said.

"Take me? Take me where? Not Azkaban." Hagrid trembled.

"Azkaban?" Sam mutters when the door opens again revealing Lucius Malfoy.

"Already here, Fudge." Lucius said Fang started to growl.

"What are you doing here? Get out of my house!" Hagrid orders.

"Believe me, I take no pleasure being inside your…uh you call this a house?" Lucius mocks looking around.

As his face was inches from them it took every bone in their bodies to not make a sound.

"No, I simply called up the school and was told the Headmaster was here." Lucius said looking to Dumbledore.

"And what is it that you want with me?" Dumbledore asks.

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore, but the other Governors and I have decided it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension." Lucius said handing Dumbledore a parchment. "You'll find all 12 signatures on it. I'm afraid we fear you've lost your touch. At this rate there will be no Muggle Borns left at Hogwarts."

"You can't do this! Take Dumbledore away and I swear there will be killings next." Hagrid assures.

"Calm yourself Hagrid. If the board wants me to step aside I shall. However, you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none are loyal to me and at Hogwarts help will always be given to those who ask for it." Dumbledore declares.

"Admirable sentiments. Shall we?" Lucius asks as he, Fudge and Dumbledore head for the door.

"If anyone was looking answers all anyone would have to do is follow the spiders." Hagrid said following them out. "Oh and someone will need to feed Fang while I'm away."

As the door closed Harry tossed off the cloak.

"Hagrid's right, with Dumbledore gone Hogwarts won't last a day." Ron said.

"Dammit, unless we stop this there's no way I can show him my proof." Sam groans.

"What do we do?" Barnaby asks.

"Look." Harry said noticing several large spiders climbing out of the cabin and out the window.

"Follow the spiders." Sam recalls.

"What?" Ron gulps.

"Come on Fang." Barnaby said grabbing Fang's leash while Harry grabbed a torch.

"Lumos." Sam said making a light with his wand.

As they made their way into the forest following the spiders, none of them noticed something was watching them from deep within the forest.

"Hey guys there's something up ahead." Barnaby said spotting something.

Looking ahead they look to see Mr. Weasley's car but it was completely wrecked and covered in dirt and plants.

"The car." Ron gasps.

"Wait isn't the car used to get here?" Sam asks.

"Yeah but when we landed the school's Whomping Willow wrecked it." Harry said as they walked past it.

"I can't believe it's been here all this time." Ron said.

Barking Fang got their attention as they looked to see the Spiders all entering the same area filled with giant spider webs.

"Ron you mind holding this?" Harry asks handing him the torch.

"Yeah sure." Ron said as Harry and Barnaby took out their wands.

"Who is it?" A voice asks surprising them as Fang barks. "Hagrid, is that you?"

"We're friends of Hagrid." Harry calls out.

From the webs, all of them look to see the biggest spider you ever saw emerge.

"No way." Barnaby gulps.

"An Acromantula." Sam said in shock.

"Are you Aragog?" Harry asks.

"Yes, Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before." Aragog said.

"Hagrid's in trouble. There have been attacks up at the school and they think it's Hagrid." Sam said.

"They think Hagrid's the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets." Harry explains.

Looking around Ron cringes seeing more spiders scurry around them.

"That's a lie. Hagrid never did such a thing. I remember that day well. They believed I was the monster that dwelled within the chamber. They thought Hagrid had opened it and set me free." Aragog explains.

"So you didn't come from the Chamber?" Barnaby asks.

"Guy." Ron whimpers.

"Ssh. He's still talking." Barnaby shushes.

"No. I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant lad. I was just an egg when Hagrid got me. He cared for me, fed me, loved me, and he even found me a mate." Aragog said.

"So that means you never attacked anyone." Harry realized.

"Never. If I attacked it would be out of instinct, but out of respect to Hagrid I never harmed a human. The two who were killed in the castle was by an ancient creature we spiders fear above all else." Aragog said.

"But what is this creature?" Sam asks.

"I never saw any part of the castle, but the box which Hagrid kept me in. The children were discovered in a bathroom. One inside, one just outside the door." Aragog said.

"Guys." Ron whimpers louder.

"What?" Sam, Harry and Barnaby ask as Ron points up and they see tons of smaller acromantula climbing down towards them.

"Uh…I see your kids are here, so we'll just be going now." Barnaby said.

"Go? I think not. My sons and daughters will 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 as the spiders surrounded them.

"Can we panic now?" Ron asks.

Sam backs up in fear when he remembers the lessons Snape taught him.

"Incendio!" Sam said making a ring of fire around them to keep the spiders away as the four of them had their backs to each other.

"You guys know any spells to stop them?" Barnaby asks.

"One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them." Harry said.

"Where's Hermione when you need her?" Ron gulps.

Suddenly they heard the roar of the engine as they look to see Mr. Weasley's car drive in knocking the spiders away before the door opens.

"Let's go!" Harry said as they ran to the car.

"Get Fang!" Barnaby said as Sam went for the dog.

"Come on Fang." Sam said helping the dog into the car, but just as the others climb in a web shot out and grabbed his leg.

Yelping Sam was yanked to the ground.

"Sam!" Harry yells as one Acromantula pulls him in.

Sam cringed in fear as the spider's teeth were about to rip him apart when suddenly a loud howl echoes through the forest before something rammed into the spider knocking it off him.

"Huh?" Looking up Sam sees a familiar silver-haired werewolf growling at the spider keeping it from Sam. "It's you." Sam said in shock.

Growling the werewolf swings its claws at the spider but it whacks it with one of its legs knocking it back.

As the spider moved in the werewolf grabs the spider by its front two legs and throws it into the others.

Turning to Sam the werewolf pushes Sam into the car allowing it to drive off while the werewolf chased after them.

Once they were finally able to outrun the spiders the car door opens and all of them were thrown out.

"What the?" Barnaby groans when the car started up and drove off on its own.

"Just our luck." Ron said when the werewolf stops across from them.

Gulping in fear the guys had their wands ready as the werewolf slowly approached Sam.

"That's the second time you've saved my life. Thank you." Sam said slowly reaching out.

"Sam what are you doing?" Barnaby gulps.

"Thanking a friend." Sam said slowly rubbing the werewolf's head. "Thank for being there for me." Sam smiles before the werewolf ran off into the forest.

"Come on we better get going." Barnaby said as they started walking back to Hagrid's hut.

"If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him. We're lucky to be alive." Ron said.

"Guess he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt any of his friends." Barnaby said.

"That's Hagrid's problem! He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they seem and look where that's got him!" Ron snaps.

"But guys didn't you hear Aragog. Hagrid didn't open the chamber, he's innocent." Sam said.

"Even so what do we do now? Sam's Salazar Slytherin proof is worthless unless we know the current culprit. We've hit a dead end again." Ron said.

As they dropped Fang off at the hut, Harry was slowly putting things together.

"Wait a minute. Guys Aragog said that the two students were killed in a bathroom, right? One inside, one just outside the door."

"Yeah why?" Sam asks.

"What if they never left the bathroom? What if both students are still there?" Harry realized.

"No way." Ron gasps.

"You mean…Myrtle and Duncan?" Barnaby realized.

Maybe this wasn't a dead end after all.