Ron offered a long sigh.
"Ready?" Harry asked.
"As I'm ever going to be," Ron said. "This entire mess still pisses me off. Follow the bloody spiders. To a couple of second years."
No one was going to argue with Ron.
"Rightfully so," Ginny said somberly.
"Hagrid has his blind spots," Hermione offered with a shrug.
"You don't say?" Malfoy asked.
"Well, we should get to this chapter," Ava said.
"Let's do it," Sara agreed.
"Chapter Fifteen" Gideon narrated. "Aragog."
"They're only twelve when they encountered that thing," Sirius said. "And his brood…which might be a lot larger than when we last ran into it."
"I shouldn't be surprised that you lot encountered it," McGonagall said.
"We…ran into them as well," Tonks said.
"The Hogwarts Mysteries Crew?" Lita asked.
"If that's what you must call us, yes" Tonks said.
"And I'm not surprised you did either," McGonagall said. "But, you four redefined trouble so I'm not surprised you ran into it."
"No, you shouldn't," James said. "But, we were fifteen, sixteen. Harry and Ron are only twelve. And they shouldn't have to…deal with that thing."
"Mmm," Astra said.
"You're not going to be too happy with Hagrid by the end of this chapter," Lita said.
"Don't know what gave you that idea," Astra said.
Hagrid is gone and there are no visitors allowed in the hospital wing, because there is a fear that there's a chance the attacker might finish the job they started.
"Reasonable," Astoria said. "As annoying as it was."
"Although the lack of heightened security is concerning," Charlotte said. "And why didn't the victims get moved elsewhere, to the same place that had the monster who attacked him?"
"And is there a way to answer the question without passing the blame to Dumbledore?" Alex asked.
"We did everything we could to secure the hospital wing," Snape said. "Although, some students who had information should be more forthcoming."
"We'll get to an obvious clue the teachers missed in a moment," Harry said. "Although, relying on the students is why some of the nonsense happens in the first place."
Ron and Harry stood outside of the Hospital Wing, and noticed a frustrated first year girl just huffing around the hallway.
"That's Greengrass's sister?" Ron asked.
"Yes," Harry said. "I'll go talk to her."
Harry walked over towards Astoria whose eyes snapped towards Harry.
"Astoria?" Harry asked her.
"Daphne wanted to figure out what was going on, and she was caught out by the monster," Astoria said.
"Hermione too," Harry said.
"Some really bad people might be behind this," Astoria said. "They say it's Hagrid, but he's just an easy fall guy for this. And Lucius Malfoy, he took advantage of this to remove Dumbledore. It's politics. And it's disgusting."
Harry thought that Astoria was pretty much on the mark.
"I wish I could find who it is," Harry said.
"What can you do?" Astoria asked. "You're just a student like the rest of us. Dumbledore couldn't do it, now he's gone."
"I have to do something, before Hogwarts closes, "Harry said.
"It's going to happen, by the end of the year," Astoria told him. "Mum wants to bring me home. Professor Snape is talking to her now. Trying to ease her concerns. Although I think even Snape realizes how messed up this is."
Harry could not think of Snape easing anyone's concerns.
"Your opinion on my empathy is irrelevant," Snape said. "And yes, her mother was rightfully upset."
"She lost Father that previous summer, to a mysterious magical disease,' Daphne said. "A blood illness which claimed several of our family members."
"Thankfully, Lena and Harry caught the illness early in me, and found a way to treat it," Astoria said. "Thank you."
"Oh, it was enlightening, and our research may have put forth several advances in medicine," Lena said. "Giving people most cost-effective alternatives."
"Just watch out for Big Pharma," Mick said.
"Unfortunately, he's got a point," Lena said.
"Maybe if I had done something…"
"You can't do everything," Astoria said. "Gryffindors, honestly. Always want to be the hero."
And Astoria walked off in quite the mood. Ron watched her go and sighed, shaking his head.
"She's hurting," Harry said.
"We all are, mate," Ron said. "We all are."
Ron and Harry had no idea what to say to each other.
"She has a point," Kara said. "You can't do everything."
"Not that it won't stop him from trying," Lily said. "I really wish you didn't have to deal with all of the failings of the people around you."
"Oh I do sometimes," Harry said. "But, I didn't take the job because it was easy."
"It's not your job," Ava said.
"Astoria, I…" Ginny said.
"We'll talk later," Astoria said.
Harry ponders what Dumbledore's cryptic hint meant about helping being provided for those who asked.
"The same level of nonsense Dumbledore's cryptic hints normally mean," John said.
"He's not gone," Regulus said.
"I'm beginning to think Dumbledore never left the school," Narcissa said.
"Well, if he did, he was no closer than the Hog's Head," Nora remarked.
"You know, that bartender does remind me a bit of a grubby Dumbledore," Sirius said thoughtfully.
"Imagine that," Sara said.
"Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't banned the Legends from the Hog's Head with all of the run-ins we've had with him," Ava said. "We're just asking for it sometimes."
"Yeah, well we always have a good reason," Mick said.
Harry and Ron, although reluctantly, were trying to find spiders to follow. However, there appeared to be not a single spider in the castle.
"You say that as if it's bad thing," Astra said.
"Well, I was desperate not to have the school shut down," Harry reminded her. "And really desperate to not be sent back there."
"I know," Astra said.
"Hint may have come too late to do any good," Nyssa said.
Draco Malfoy was jubilant about Dumbledore being sacked. And hopes for another Headmaster, one who will do a better job.
"I don't necessary disagree for hoping for a better Headmaster," Astra said.
"Oh?" Harry asked.
"Malfoy's going to make me regret agreeing with him," Astra said.
Draco suggests that Snape would be the perfect Headmaster.
"No!" Severus yelled. "Being a teacher is bad enough."
"My sentiments exactly," Snape said.
"We're all in agreement," Natalie said.
"Terrible, terrible idea," John said.
"And just how brown is your nose,Malfoy?" Kate asked.
Snape suggests that Dumbledore will be returning soon. Malfoy remarks that he'll put in the good word to his father and tell him that Snape's the best teacher in this place.
"I think we can smell what Snape had for breakfast on Malfoy's face," Thea said.
"Thanks for that visual," Mia said.
"Runs in the family, kissing arse," Ginny said with a sigh.
"Lots of grease coming from kissing that arse," John said.
Seamus Finnegan speaks for many by miming vomiting in his cauldron.
"My thoughts exactly," Astra said.
"I wouldn't have disagreed with him," Snape said quietly.
Malfoy makes a comment about how he hopes the next one dies, and makes a comment about how it was a pity it was not Hermione.
"Draco Malfoy!" Narcissa shouted.
"Mother, it was…."
"I don't care if it was five hundred years ago," Narcissa said. "That was the worst possible thing you could have said in public and no wonder you're always the first suspect when everything bad happens."
"All of the Malfoy ego cancelled out that Black cunning," Bellatrix said with a sigh.
"You dirty, filthy….Dad let me go," Kate said.
"Kate, calm down," Harry told her. "It's been a long time."
"And I'm aware of what Malfoy thinks of me," Hermione said. "And I can assure you that if the situation had been reversed, the feeling would be mutual."
Everyone could feel the chill coming from Hermione's tone.
"Damn," Kara said.
"You don't mean that, do you?" Ruby asked.
"His bullshit got tiring mid-way through our second year," Hermione said. "And he's only behaving because there's a magical bomb stuck in his head. Not out of any sense of decency."
"Wow, straight from the Amanda Waller playbook," Sara said.
Dean and Harry wisely hold Ron back from dislocating Malfoy's head from his body.
"Likely for the best," George said.
"No matter how tempting it is to teach him a lesson," Fred said.
"I'm not sure if I would have held him back," Astra said.
"Well, I didn't want Ron's wand harming someone that wasn't Malfoy," Harry said.
"And knowing my luck, that was a good call," Ron said.
Snape takes them to Herbology.
"With the Hufflepuffs," Mia said.
"First time you saw them since the last attack," Hermione said.
"Hopefully they've come to their senses," Ruby said.
"Not all of them are bad, but damn if I'm not disappointed with a lot of them as well," Tonks said.
Ernie apologies for suspecting Harry. And Harry graciously accepts his apology.
"Far better man than I ever could be," Sirius said.
"I would have told him where to stick his apology," Astra said.
"Not a battle I wanted to keep fighting," Harry said. "I had bigger fish to fry than flaky Hufflepuffs."
"Why do I have a feeling this isn't the last time Hufflepuffs turned on you?" Lily asked.
"Because, you can read between the lines," Zari said.
"Oh bugger me sideways," Tonks said.
"Later," Harry said.
Tonks just stuck her tongue out at him.
Ernie asks if Harry thinks that Malfoy is Slytherin's heir.
"Bit behind the times here," Peter said.
"Yeah, could have gotten a good conversation out of that about three months ago," Mia said. "But now, Malfoy's just a loudmouth tool, not an evil mastermind."
"Did he stop being a loudmouth tool?" Kara asked.
"No," Astoria said. "No, he didn't."
Ernie and Hannah are shocked that Harry so swiftly says no.
"Given your history, I would have been taken aback as well," Daphne admitted.
"Well, there's times where Harry has adventures while the rest of Hogwarts just exists," Lita said. "He's just this mythological figure where they can't understand."
"And the truth is more insane than many rumors," Remus said.
"Such is life at Hogwarts," Daphne agreed.
The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
Harry and Ron spy several spiders and try and follow their path without Ernie and Hannah noticing.
"Good eye," Thea said.
"Well, yes," Harry said.
"I still think you're nuts," Peter said.
"Oh, I don't disagree," Ron said. "But, we didn't quite know what Hagrid meant. And we weren't expecting that."
"Ugh," Astra said.
The spiders are going into the Forbidden Forest.
This caused a few of the readers to get restless.
"Not again!" Astra snapped. "Two years in row Hagrid got you out into that Forest because of something stupid he did."
"And to think you were almost ready to forgive him," John told her.
"I'd offer you a calming draught," Lily said. "But, considering Harry's immune to them, I think you would be again."
"Lovely," Astra said.
Harry suggests they take the Invisibility Cloak and Fang into the Forest.
"Cloak, good, very good, very useful," James said.
"Fang on the other end, his bark is worse than his bite," Tonks said. "And his bark isn't that scary."
"Couldn't be any more of a coward than Killer," Sirius said.
"That was Hagrid's dog before Fang?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Sirius said. "Poor thing was scared of Mrs. Norris."
"Hagrid's entire naming scheme is so backwards," Tonks said.
"No kidding," Kara said.
Harry tries to appease Ron that the Forbidden Forest is not all that bad. Although he never wanted to end up the Forest ever again.
"So, how well did Harry's appeasement do?" Kara asked.
"Not very," Ron said. "And it didn't matter once we got there."
"Damn it, Hagrid," Astra murmured to herself.
"My sentiments exactly," Lily said.
Lockhart is all boisterous even though the rest of the class is in a gloomy mood.
"Oooh, bugger me sideways," John said. "I almost forgot about him."
"Not sure how," Tonks said. "He's quite unforgettable."
"He's really going to make this all about him somehow," Zari said.
"On the one hand, I can almost excuse him for trying to lift the spirits of the students," Nora said. "But on the other hand…"
"Read on," Ava said. "Just read on."
Lockhart remarks that the Ministry would not have taken Hagrid away unless they were sure about it.
"No,' Junior said curtly. "You're an idiot."
"He really is ignorant," Kate said.
"I…I don't think I can even defend anything he says anymore," Hermione said.
"You were blind to his faults because he wrote books," Daphne said.
Ron tries to argue it, but Harry reminds Ron they were not supposed to be there.
"Yes, that could raise some questions," Nyssa said.
"Lockhart's not smart enough to ask them," Mia said.
"Still, got be careful," Nyssa said.
Ron and Harry prepare to head outside to the Forbidden Forest.
"Well, here we go,' Ron said.
Sara turned to Astra. Astra waved her hand to continue. While she looked tense, she was not the only one.
Fang greeted them. Harry fed Fang fudge to keep him quiet.
"If only you would have fed him Fudge instead of fudge," Junior said.
"Wow, that got a whole lot darker than I thought was possible from you," Bellatrix said.
"Fang wouldn't be the type to devour people whole," Lita said. "Hagrid's other dog…."
"Well, I think Fluffy would have better taste," Sara said. "And you're not supposed to feed dogs chocolate, still."
Harry leaves the Invisibility Cloak in Hagrid's hut.
"Not the choice I would have made," James said.
"Actually, that's not one of our better choices," Harry said.
"Wonderful," Ruby said.
"Well, let's get to see exactly what scarred our baby brother for life," George said.
"Emotionally, other than all of those physical scars he's got," Fred said.
Ron, Harry, and Fang follow the spiders into the Forest.
"The deeper you get, the worse it is," Thea said.
"I can see how Harry's keeping a good look at where he is at all times," Nyssa said.
"Good, good," Sara agreed. "What you'd expect from the Dragon?"
"It's not too late to turn around," Peter said.
"Other than the fact this has already happened?" Regulus asked
"Well, they're getting close to running into the terror in there," Remus said.
Lily watched without blinking.
They walk for quite a long time, until Fang barks at something.
"Oooh," Ruby said. "I don't know if I could look."
"It's nothing bad," Harry told her. "Yet."
"Why is that making me feel worse?" Sirius asked.
"Because, Harry likes ramping up our nerves," Alex said.
It is something big and ominous.
"Just out with it already!" Astra yelled.
"It can't be worse than the thing," Ginny said. "Right?"
"We're about to find out," Ron said. "And no it's not worse than…that menace."
They discover Mr. Weasley's car in the Forbidden Forest.
"Well, I was wondering where it went off to," Astra said.
"Damn, you had me going for a while," James said.
"Took about ten years off my life," Lily said.
The Forest has turned Mr. Weasley's car sentient.
"What did your Dad do to that car?" Ruby asked the Weasleys.
"I'd like to know that as well," McGonagall said. "It's some impressive transfiguration and Charm Work."
"I don't know," Fred said.
"And I wish we did," George said.
"Once in a lifetime magical fluke," John said. "The forest had it's own magic which merged with whatever your father did with the car."
Fang is apprehensive. Ron pats the car. But the trail has gone cold.
"That's a good thing," Astra murmured.
"Oh, never for Harry," Kara said. "And this just feels like the calm before the storm."
"A responsible person would turn back now and quit while they're ahead," Snape said. 'But given we're dealing with Potter and Weasley, they're going to move forward."
Suddenly, Ron catches sight of something which causes his face to contort in terror.
"Well, it's here," Sirius said.
"Bugger me, I never wanted to run into those things ever again," Tonks said.
"You encountered them as well?" Narcissa asked.
"Yes," Tonks said.
"I feel like some pest extermination is in order," Lita said.
"I'm going to need a bigger flame thrower," Mick said.
They were surrounded by massive spiders. And they carried Ron and Harry off.
No one said anything. The looks of terror on their faces said plenty.
One of the spiders calls for Aragog.
"I'm honestly curious how to get out of this one," Astra said.
"Well, they have to," Bellatrix said. "Unless they're ghosts. And they look pretty solid to me."
Bellatrix threw an apple at Harry who caught it and took a bite on it.
"Pretty solid to me," Bellatrix said.
"Thanks for verifying that," Lena said dryly.
Aragog is informed it's men. When he learns it's not Hagrid, he tells his fellow spiders to kill them.
"Real friendly guy," Daphne said
"Yeah, I can see why Hagrid would send you to them," Astra said. "Because, obviously he's responsible and wouldn't have a blind spot for an obvious monster."
"This is what I've been saying for years," Malfoy said.
"Yeah, but you're a wanker," Kate said.
"Katherine," Charlotte warned.
"Dumbledore knew these things were in the Forest, didn't he?' Alex asked.
"Alex, Dumbledore knew a lot of things," Kara said. "And the fact he didn't follow up on any is enough to make you sick."
"It's already making me sick," Thea said while wrinkling her nose.
Harry quickly says they are friends of Hagrid.
"That might buy some time," Tonks offered tentatively.
"Long enough to figure out a plan out of there," Nyssa said.
"What did we think was going to happen anyway?" Ron asked.
"No one would have expected you to expect to get eaten by giant man sized spiders," Lena said. "I want to think the best of Hagrid but…"
"Man's got his blind spots," John offered. "He could be useful if we were dealing with monsters though. Half-giant's are hard to take down. But, I wouldn't want to housesit for him."
"Which is saying something coming from you," Natalie said.
When Aragog questions this, Harry says Hagrid is in trouble. And explains about how Hagrid has been taken to Azkaban.
"I'm not entirely sure it was undeserved," Astra replied.
Snape shook his head.
"All things considered, maybe he should have never came back to Hogwarts when they discovered Aragog," Tonks suggested.
"He shouldn't have been given a job," Charlotte said.
"Dumbledore's influence stretched far and wide," Narcissa said.
"There's a lot of teachers in Hogwarts who should have been sacked,' Nora said.
"Hagrid does seem like a good guy," Sirius said. "I just…there has to be an explanation about this."
"Well, I don't think there's a good explanation for sending a pair of twelve year olds to a den of man-eating spiders," Ava said.
"Technically Ron was thirteen," Hermione said.
"Technically it doesn't make it any better," Kara said. "I used to like Hagrid, but he did cause Harry to be in the Forbidden Forest two years ago so…well it's not good."
"I think Kara means, Hagrid is fucking irresponsible," Lena said.
"I know," Peter said. "And we went to the Forest on our own accord. Harry and Ron on the other hand, were sent there by a responsible adult."
"Hagrid's not responsible," Bellatrix said. "He's only kept at Hogwarts because he's a useful idiot to Dumbledore."
And given what played out in these books so far, none of them could argue.
Aragog explains he did not come from the Chamber of Secrets and he was given to Hagrid when he was an egg.
"Newt Scamander," Harry said simply.
"What?" Nora asked.
"What about him?" Daphne asked.
"That's who gave Hagrid the egg," Harry said.
"Not surprised in the slightest," Snape grumbled. "Idiot was worse than you, Potter, and Jacobs."
"Nice to see you think someone is worse than Harry," James said. "Not that bad, is he?"
"Potter, shut up."
"How do you know?" Tonks asked.
"Because, he told me," Harry said. "He took a liking to Hagrid because of his interest in magical creatures."
"Figures," Zari said.
"Those two would be two peas in a pod," John said.
"But, he said the reports of the Acromantula colony in Britain were unfounded," Hermione said.
"The cheeky bastard knew," John said.
"To be fair, he was likely trying to deter people from going to the Forest," Junior said.
"There would be idiots who would try," Natalie said
"Which is why there are so many warning labels on products," Lita said.
Also, Hagrid found Aragog a wife, Mosag and their family has grown.
Astra threw her hands into the air in disgust.
"Grown, yes, I can see it's grown," Astra said. "The one spider is bad enough. But Hagrid had to find it another. And then they mated and had spawn!"
"Likely afraid it would get lonely, knowing Hagrid," Sirius said.
"And Acromantulas breed well into old age," Nora said.
Astra wanted to ram her head into the table in front of her. Fortunately, Harry stopped her.
"So, not too fond of Hagrid now, are you?" Malfoy asked.
"Just because you've got a point, doesn't make you any less of a wanker," Astoria said.
Aragog claims he has never killed anyone and the body of the girl was found in the bathroom. But Aragog has never seen any part of the school other than a cupboard.
"Well, just because this nightmare is not responsible, does not make Hagrid innocent," Lily said swiftly.
"I'm surprised none of you are defending Hagrid," Bellatrix said to the Marauders.
"I wish we could," James admitted.
"But, Hagrid's not doing himself any favors," George said.
"Less than no favors," Ruby said.
"I don't think I could ever forgive this man for this," Astra said.
"I can't blame you," Harry said.
"I know Ron never truly would," Ginny said.
When Harry asks about the creature, Aragog says it is a creature that spiders fear above all else.
"Oh, that's wonderful," Sirius said. "Just like some kind of monster Voldemort."
"Wonderful indeed," Astra said.
"If those eight-legged freaks hate it…sorry, Harry, poor choice of wording," Lena said.
"It's understandable," Harry said.
"Right, but if they hate it, it's really bad," Lena said.
Harry remarks it's time to go.
"I'm going to say that's not going to happen," Mia said.
"Kiddo, you have no idea," Thea said.
"If only, if only," Peter said. "And Aragog is lying. He tried to eat us when we stumbled in."
"And my friends, he tried to eat them as well," Tonks said.
"My argument that he wouldn't want to eat me, he didn't know where I had been didn't sway things," Sirius said.
"Human meat, it's a delicacy to these monsters," Nora said.
Aragog prevents them from leaving, and says that he will not deny his children fresh meat that has wandered into the Forest.
"Oooooh my God!" Ruby yelled.
"So, what saves them?" Bellatrix asked.
"A miracle," Sara said.
"The old Potter luck," Zari said.
"Which can be really good or bad depending on the day of the week."
"Potter, you have a nasty habit of snatching victory when it's not warranted," Snape said.
"That's not a bad thing," Kara said.
"You should have been all by all dead in the forest," Snape said.
"And you should have been someone's prison bitch if it wasn't for Dumbledore," John said.
"Okay, moving along," Sara said.
Harry realizes he can't fight out.
"Harry thinks it's hopeless," Sara said.
"Start blasting, ask questions later," Remus said.
"Actually, we never had a chance," Ron said.
"What?"
"Wait for it," Ron said.
Suddenly the car shows up, and gives Harry, Ron, and Fang the opportunity to get away.
"So it turns out that flying the car was a good idea, Hermione," Kate said.
"Yes, although they couldn't…" Hermione said. "You know what, screw it, it was a good idea. Are you happy now?"
"For the moment," Kate said.
"Guess the car did come in handy, though," Alex said. "Still want to know what Mr. Weasley did to it."
"Don't we all Danvers, don't we all," Malofy said.
The car drives itself out and gets out of the Forest, sending spiders flying everywhere.
"Hope some of them got crushed," Ron murmured.
"Me too," Astra said.
Ron is terrified beyond words.
"Perfectly understandable," Peter said.
"That was by the skin of your teeth," Sirius said.
"And it was damn lucky you got out of there," Astra said. "Especially with how venomous Acromantula venom is."
"Didn't get bitten, thankfully," Harry said. "Although there were a couple of close calls. I tried to keep Ron and myself out of mouth's range."
"Well, you did that," Nyssa agreed.
"Luck," Snape said.
"No, keen understanding of his surroundings," Nyssa said. "Your biases blind you to true skill."
After dropping Harry, Ron, and Fang off, the car goes back into the Forbidden Forest.
"Where legend says it still roams until this day," Lita said.
"Actually true," Kate said. "I swear I've seen it a couple of times."
"And what have you been doing in the Forbidden Forest?" Charlotte asked.
"Care of Magical Creatures takes place on the outskirts of the forest," Kate said. "Naturally, I wouldn't go in. I'm a good girl, right?"
She fluttered her eyelashes when Harry scoffed.
"Right," Harry said skeptically.
"She's your daughter," Charlotte said.
"Of course she is, but only when she gets in trouble," Harry said.
"That's how it generally works," Kara agreed.
Harry returned to get the Cloak. And Ron hurls in the Pumpkin Patch.
"I did as well," Tonks admitted.
"Me too," Peter said.
"I waited until I got inside the school," Sirius admitted.
"I recall, Black, those were my favorite robes," Severus said.
"Well, it's your fault for lurking around like a creeper," Sirius responded.
"Ladies," Sara warned them.
"We're trying to play nice with Snape," James said.
"You're trying to play nice with Snape," Sirius amended. "And it's in the past, isn't it?'
Ron declares that he'll never forgive Hagrid for this.
"Me either," Astra said.
"Did you ever?" Zari asked.
"I really just learned to overlook it," Ron said. "Although, I didn't sleep right for months."
Everyone nodded as Ron took a large swig of firewhiskey.
Ron has a good rant about Hagrid not understanding how dangerous these monsters were.
"Another point for Ron's favor," Kara said.
"Half giant's have a different perspective than humans to what dangerous is," Nora said. "The problem is, Hagrid hasn't quite grasped that people can't handle the things."
"Could that have been any worse?" Natalie asked.
"Oh, I don't know," Lily said. "Maybe not. Unless Hagrid managed to breed some entirely new and awful magical creature, I don't know how this could have gotten any worse."
Malfoy, Ron, Hermione, Harry, Fred, and George all fixed their expressions, recalling the Skrewts. But they will get to that.
Harry suggests that Hagrid is innocent. But, Ron doesn't think Hagrid hatching Aragog qualifies as innocent.
"Guilty, so totally guilty," Ruby said.
"Hagrid, what the actual fuck, mate," John said. "I'd go out with you for a drink still, but I wouldn't let you near any kids."
"Or tell him any of your personal secrets," Mick said.
"Or that," John agreed.
Harry ponders what he heard from Aragog. And then it all clicks.
"What clicks?" Lily asked.
"Lils, you don't think…" Natalie said. "No way."
"Well, let's keep reading," Astra said.
Harry suggests to Ron, after he wakes Ron up, that the girl who died in the bathroom never left it. Because it's Moaning Myrtle.
"And the penny drops," Ruby said.
"Wow," Bellatrix said. "Just wow…we should have…wow."
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Mia said.
"Frustrating how all of the pieces are there and you can't solve it," Zari said.
"So, that's another chapter," Sara said. "And we're getting closer to the end."
"Time for Harry to do something completely reckless and dangerous, that could have been avoided had the teachers done their job," Zari said.
"I guess it's going to be inevitable," Astra said.
"Someone had to do it," Harry said.
"And I suppose it has to be you," Kara agreed.
"Can we at least agree that we never want to see Aragog ever again? "Peter asked.
"Where's the Firewhiskey?" Sirius asked. "Because, I'll drink to that."
Ron already poured himself his third glass after that chapter, and wordlessly passed it around.
"Going to need to save some of it for the next chapter, gentlemen," Ron said.
"We still have ice cream, right?" Ruby asked.
"Of course," Daphne said.
"Pass me some of that," Ginny said.
Daphne gave Ginny an extra large scoop. She was going to need it for what was to come.
And they were closing in on the end game. Where Harry Potter would solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets.
To Be Continued.
