FOLLOW THE SPIDERS

It wasn't until next day that Alex found out that Hermione had turned into a cat instead of into Pansy. She was in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had given her a potion to reverse the transformation. It was a matter of days that she went back to normal. In another order of things, Pansy was furious at Alex for leaving her for an entire night locked inside a wardrobe. However, Alex had denied such awful thing, and since Draco had seen Alex that night, she didn't believed Pansy, which made her being even more furious. Crabbe and Goyle, on the other hand, couldn't remember a thing. So, they were all safe. For now.

Once Hermione was out of the hospital wing, they were all walking around the corridors, when Harry ran over them and told them what he had found out.

- It was Hagrid! Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago!

- Okay, what? Where did you get that from? – said Alex.

- It's a long story. There was this diary that belonged to Tom Riddle, okay?

- Okay… - Alex, Ron and Hermione looked at him with attention.

- Well, I wrote in it, and somehow it teleported me fifty years ago. Must be some kind of spell or something. Anyways, I saw what happened. The creature, it was Hagrid's. It killed people. And Hagrid tried to protect it. He opened the chamber. And Riddle unmasked him.

- It can't be Hagrid. It just can't be. – said Hermione.

- We don't even know this Riddle. He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me. – said Ron.

- The monster had killed someone, Ron. What would any of us done?

- Look. Hagrid's our friend. Why don't we just go ask him about it? – said Hermione.

- That'd be a cheerful visit. "Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?". Yeah, not going to work. – said Alex with exasperation.

- Mad and hairy? Wouldn't be talking about me, now, would you? – suddenly, Hagrid was right behind them.

- No! – the four of them said at the same time.

- What's that you've got, Hagrid? – asked Harry.

- Flesh Eating Slug Repellent. For the Mandrakes, you know. According to Professor Sprout, they still got a bit of growing up to do, but once their acne clears up, we'll be able to chop them up, stew them, and get those people in the hospital unpetrified. Until then, you four best watch yourselves, all right? - they nodded, watched Hagrid lope away. Just then, Neville came running up. He looked pale with fright.

- Harry, I don't know who did it, but…you'd better come.

They all followed Neville around, until they arrived at the Gryffindor common room. She wasn't sure if she was allowed in, but Hermione signalled her to follow, so, she did. It was the first time she saw the Gryffindor common room. It was good, but not as great as the Slytherin one. They climbed up the stairs towards the bedrooms. Harry's space was a disaster: trunk riffled, 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… – said Hermione looking around.

- Well, whoever it was, they were looking for something. – Ron added.

- And they found it…Tom Riddle's diary is gone.

Some days passed. It was Sunday, and there was a Quidditch match. Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. Alex went to wish her friends some luck.

- I hope you win today, boys. – she said to Harry and the twins.

- We will, people will be way too afraid of Harry to get closer. – Fred laughed.

- So funny…

- You're not coming to the match, Alex? – George asked.

- No, I'm supposed to meet Hermione at the library. We're…investigating something. Well, she is. She just wants my help. – she smiled at her friends, and left towards the library.

When she arrived, Hermione was nowhere to be seen. She looked around the whole library, and nothing. She was about to give up, when she saw something odd behind some books. There was water, like some pipe had broken. She followed the water and suddenly, she saw her. Hermione. Lying on the floor. Completely petrified. Alex ran away to go look for a teacher, when she found Professor McGonagall. When the old teacher saw her face, she knew something was wrong.

- Miss Black, what is it?

- Hermione, she is petrified! Come!

McGonagall followed quickly behind Alex. There she was. Still on the floor. McGonagall called more teachers, and they moved Hermione to the Hospital Wing, with the rest of the victims. Alex stood there, next to her friend all the time, when Harry and Ron showed up next to Professor McGonagall.

- Hermione! – Ron was completely shocked.

- I found her on the library. – Alex looked at her friends, tears in her eyes.

- She had this along with her. Does it mean anything to either of you? – McGonagall showed them a little mirror. They all shook their heads. – Well, you all need to go back to your common rooms. Immediately. C'mon.

Alex went to the Slytherin common room, which was filled with all of the house students. When Draco saw Alex, he walked up to her.

- Where were you? Something must have happened, they told all of us to come here.

- Hermione got petrified.

- … - Draco didn't knew what to say. He didn't like Hermione, he couldn't care less. But he cared about Alex, and he knew how important was Hermione to Alex. – I'm sorry. – suddenly, Professor Snape walked inside the common room, with a parchment on his hands.

- Everyone, pay attention. "All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions.". I should tell you all this. Unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught, it is likely that the school will be closed. – and with that, Snape left the room.

Everyone looked at each other. There was an awkward silence. Truth be told, not a single Slytherin had been petrified. It was the Heir of Slytherin. The monster of Slytherin. It was obvious that whoever the culprit was, it was standing in that room.

When the next morning arrived, Harry and Ron quickly approached Alex in class.

- 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.

- But you heard the teachers. We're not allowed to leave the tower except for class. – said Ron.

- I think it's time to get my dad's old Cloak out again. – and with that, they agreed to use the invisibility cloak to get out of the castle that night.

The three of them moved as quickly as possible towards Hagrid's hut. They needed to talk with him and fix all of it. They knocked on his door, and when he opened the door, they got out from under the cloak. Hagrid had a crossbow on his hand.

- What's that for? – asked Alex.

- Nothing, nothing. I've been expecting…Doesn't matter. Sit down…I'll make tea… – Hagrid looked pretty nervous. It was clear he was hiding something.

- Are you okay? Hagrid? Did you hear about Hermione? – Harry asked the giant, who looked lost on his own thoughts.

- Oh, yeah. I heard, all right.

- Look…we have to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets? – before he could answer, there was another knock on the door. Hagrid grabbed his crossbow and Alex, Harry and Ron got under the cloak once again.

- Come in.

- Good evening, Hagrid. – Dumbledore stepped in, followed by a well-suited man.

- That's dad's boss! Cornelius Fudge. The Minister of Magic! – Ron whispered to his friends.

- Bad business, Hagrid. Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things have gone far enough. Ministry has got to act.

- I never…You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir…

- I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence.

- Look, Albus, Hagrid's record is against him. I've got to take him.

- Take me? Where? Not Azkaban prison.

- 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. – suddenly, someone else walked through the door. Alex felt her blood freezing.

- Oh, no… - she whispered.

- Already here, Fudge? Good, good… – Lucius Malfoy walked in.

- What are you doing here! Get out of my house!

- 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.

- And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?

- 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 signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. What with all these attacks, there'll be no Muggleborns left at Hogwarts. And we all know what an awful loss that would be. – he handed Fudge an official roll of parchment.

- Dumbledore suspended. No, no…last thing we want right now…If Dumbledore can't stop these attacks…I mean to say, who can?

- That remains to be seen, but as all twelve governors have voted…

- And how many did you have threatened before they agreed!? – asked Hagrid with anger.

- I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. – Lucius looked at him with a grin on his face.

- You can't take Dumbledore! Take him away and the Muggleborns won't stand a chance! There'll be killings next!

- Calm yourself, Hagrid! 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's eyes drifted to Harry.

- Admirable sentiments. We shall all miss your highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope your successor will manage to prevent any more, um, killings.

- If anyone wanted to find out some stuff, all they'd have to do is follow the spiders. That would lead them right! That's all I'm saying. – and with that, Hagrid and the rest, left the hut.

- Hagrid's right. With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day. – Ron said getting out from under the cloak.

- Of course, Lucius had to be involved… - said Alex with disdain.

- Look… - Harry pointed at the window. A trail of spiders escaped through a crack in the glass. Harry grabbed Hagrid's lantern. - C'mon.

- What are you doing? - asked Ron, terrified.

- You heard Hagrid. Follow the spiders.

- They're heading into the Dark Forest. - Harry sighed and kept going. Ron and Alex looked at each other, and then followed Harry.

- Why spiders. Why couldn't it be 'Follow the butterflies'? - Alex couldn't believe their luck.

Fang crashed through low-slung branches and sharp brambles as Alex, Harry and Ron followed. They entered a hollow ribboned with shadows. Enormous trees towered over them, strewn with strands of white webbing. Ron stepped on a strand and kicked it off easily. At the far end of the hollow, the spiders streamed toward a dark opening. As the three of them approached the opening, a clicking sound started emanating from within, echoing in the branches of the tall trees.

- I don't have a good feeling about this, Harry…

- Don't panic, Ron.

- It's not about panic, it's about logic. This is the worst idea you've ever had, Harry. – Alex was next to Ron, who was grabbing her arm.

- Who's there? – a deep voice spoke.

- Don't be afraid. – said Harry.

- Hagrid. Is it you?

- We are friends of Hagrid's.

As they stepped to the mouth of the cavern, the air suddenly crackled with movement. A huge shadow emerged. An enormous spider, the size of an elephant showed up. As it advanced, Alex, Ron and Harry backed slowly away.

- And you…you're…Aragog, aren't you? – Harry spoked again, while Alex and Ron couldn't stop shaking.

- Yes. Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before.

- He's in trouble. Up at school, there've been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he's opened the Chamber of Secrets. Like before. – as Harry talked, Ron's and Alex's eyes darted warily about. There were dozens of spiders all around, of all sizes. They looked at each other with fear. Ron nudged Harry to warn him, while Alex got a hold of her wand.

- That's a lie! Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets!

- Then you're not the monster?

- The monster was born in the castle. I came from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveller. – Ron turned around and saw two spiders getting closer.

- Harry…

- Shhh! But if you're not the monster, what did kill that girl fifty years ago?

- We do not speak of it! It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others.

- But have you seen it?

- 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. – as Aragog and Harry kept talking, both Ron and Alex couldn't stop looking around them. Spiders all around, getting closer and closer, not in a friendly way. They needed to get out of there. And fast.

- Harry… - Ron grabbed Harry one more time.

- What? – Ron pointed up, and Harry realised what was going on. – Well…thank you. We'll just go…

- 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.

- Can we panic now? – Ron asked completely terrified.

As spiders started closing in, Alex got her wand out.

- Incendio! – Alex waved her wand around, creating a barrier of fire between them and the spiders. – RUN!

They started running away from the fire and the spiders. However, there were spiders all around, fire was not an impediment for all of them. Some started drawing closer, when suddenly a long, loud horn bleated. Seconds later, a blaze of light ignited the hollow and the Weasley's ford Anglia came thundering over the rim and down the slope, knocking spiders out of its path. As it screeched to a halt, the doors flung open.

- Let's go! – Harry said, and Ron, Alex and Fang entered the car. Ron started the car and backed up, away from the spiders. When they arrived at a clear, they stopped the car and looked at each other. Suddenly, a spider appeared at Ron's open window. Harry was quick to react, and casted a spell.

- Arania exumai! – the spider flew back.

- Thanks for that.

- Don't mention it.

- Emm, guys… - Alex was sitting in the back with Fang when she looked at the front of the car. Both Harry and Ron followed her gaze and saw hundreds of spiders getting closer and closer.

- We need to go. Now! – Ron started the car again and turned around, trying to get away from the spiders. However, they seemed faster than the car.

- Can you get us in the air? – asked Alex as she hugged Fang.

- Flying gear is jammed! – Ron tried to pull the lever, but it was stuck. Harry started helping him. As they were about to crash against a group of spiders and some trees, the gear gave in and the car elevated in the air, leaving the furious spiders behind. When they landed at Hagrid's hut, Fang ran towards the house, and Alex, Ron and Harry hurried to get out of the car. The moment they stepped out of the car, it went back into the forest.

- "Follow the spiders"! "Follow the spiders"! If he ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill Hagrid. – Ron was angry walking towards the castle.

- I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out? We almost died! – Alex was furious as well.

- We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent. – Harry was right. That was one thing they had found out.