CHAPTER FIFTEEN: ARAGOG
Ron took a deep breath a bit nervous about the memories tied to the events.
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"Wise decision" Moody praised.
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"That's a good question." Sirius said.
"It works out though." Harry said smiling at the memory of Fawkes swooping down and the sword coming out of the hat.
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"Someone has GOT to control that boy" Molly sighed.
"Don't worry Mrs. Weasley." Harry told her remembering how Malfoy had backed off the strutting after his father lost the governor position.
Ron smirked at Hermione with a totally different memory in mind. A memory that involved a certain punch in the face.
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"Who in their right minds WOULDN'T want the Chamber closed?" Charlie asked as McGonagall raised her eyebrow at Malfoy's assessment about her.
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"If Snape's headmaster, I'm skipping school" Harry declared earning an eyebrow raise from both Snape and Remus.
"And I'll be right with you" Ron added.
"You two will most certainly NOT. You will both get full educations." Molly declared before turning to Ginny and the twins. ALL of you are."
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The twins pretended to gag.
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Snape made a mental note to watch ALL students. Not just the ones he felt needed to be watched.
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"Why that foul, evil cockroach" Ginny growled as Snape wrote down Malfoy's betting about serious matters.
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Snape looked at Ron with raised eyebrows.
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"At least he recognized his mistake." Sprout said relaxing a bit, but still planning to have a word with her badgers.
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"If he had asked before Christmas, I would have answered differently." Harry sighed.
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"You two are going into the forest, aren't you?" McGonagall sighed.
"Not yet." Harry answered.
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"You too huh?" Remus teased Ron to lighten the mood.
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"Touch luck." Bill told Harry.
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"Yes he would have." Everyone in the room chorused.
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"Really? Because I don't think YOU were there when it happened?" Sirius stated.
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"You didn't have to kick me THAT hard." Ron told Harry.
"Sorry. Didn't want word about the cloak getting out if it can be helped." Harry said.
"'Always have an ace up your sleeve' as the muggles say" Moody praised.
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"Aww." The twins and Ginny teased trying to use whatever chance to lighten the darkening mood as they got closer to her abduction.
"Shut up." Hermione and Ron chorused with identical blushes.
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"I was trying to decide whether or not to tell Harry about…things." Ginny explained.
Arthur placed a comforting hand on his daughter's shoulder.
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"Using your resources." Moody praised. "You boys will make fine aurors yet."
Harry and Ron smiled at each other. Hearing that from the REAL Moody felt pretty good.
"I'm not sure I like you encouraging this behavior." Molly said to the auror sternly.
"In these times, it's better safe than sorry." Arthur assured her. "I'd rather have the kids know what they're doing rather than have them caught unprepared and unable to act."
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Moody looked ready to say something, but Harry caught it.
"I didn't want to risk loosing it in the forest" Harry explained. "Not after what happened the previous year."
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"We REALLY didn't need to know that last bit." Bill said making a face.
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"I felt the same way for the first and third task" Harry told his friend.
"What about the second one?" Ron asked.
"I didn't think too much on what can go wrong. I just knew I had to get you out of there…and then Hermione, Cho, and Fleur's sister."
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"What's wrong?" Molly asked worriedly as the two Marauders looked at each other fearfully.
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"A centaur?" Sirius asked.
"Might have been Fluffy" Remus pointed out.
"That's it. Not going into the forest again" Ron declared.
"And that experience didn't make you realize that?" Harry asked pointing to the book.
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"HUH!?" everyone else asked.
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"I guess the magic manifested itself in the car to give it life." Arthur mused. "Fascinating."
"Hey Mum?" Fred asked. "If we find it again…"
"…can we keep it?" George asked.
"Absolutely not!" Molly declared firmly.
"Hey!" Fred told his twin. "Maybe we can take another car…"
"…and charm it using what Dad had used…" George added.
"…Then set it wild in the forest…" Fred continued.
"…then Dad's car can have a friend. Maybe even start a little family."
"With little carlets running around the forest."
Hermione slapped her forehead. She wasn't even going to say anything, that plan was so ridiculous.
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"I take it you saw a spider?" Bill asked.
Ron shook his head as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"It was worse." Ron said.
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"Were you boys alright?!" McGonagall demanded.
"Yeah. Just scared out of our wits." Harry said. "Ron even moreso."
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"I thought you said they weren't spiders?" Bill asked his younger brother.
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"Acromantulas" Charlie groaned. "A TYPE of spider, but Ron's right. They're worse than what you'd find in a garden."
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"The Chapter name." Flitwick recognized.
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"NO!" Molly and Sirius chorused looking horrified.
Harry noticed Ginny was as pale as she had been in the Chamber. He recognized the look from himself when he had looked in the mirror before Diggory's memorial:
I did this.
If Sirius didn't kill him at the end of the book, Harry made a mental note to talk to Ginny. He noticed Ron catching his eyes and subtly motioned to Ginny.
Apparently Ron was thinking that both of them, Hermione too, needed a talk with the younger girl.
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"So Hagrid WAS innocent of that" Tonks mused hearing the proof for herself.
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Dumbledore nodded in agreement with the acromantula.
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"I wish he hadn't done that last bit." Ron stated before continuing.
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Remus resisted a groan knowing that spiders feared basilisks.
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"Oh Sweet Merlin!" Ron swore.
"What?" Arthur asked his son wondering what had Ron (who had already LIVED this chapter) upset.
Ron turned to Harry.
"Can you imagine what would have happened if Aragog HAD told Hagrid?"
"I think Hagrid has a bit more sense than to try to tame THAT thing." Hermione said.
"But he'd probably name it 'Angel'" Harry joked.
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"Sh**" Sirius swore as he gripped Harry's arm TIGHTLY as tangible proof the boy got out alright.
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"Saved by the car!" the twins chorused.
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Everyone relaxed.
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"Were you alright?" Molly asked her son.
"Just…scared beyond belief." Ron assured her. "Other than that, I was okay. And…it was a bit worth the trip."
"How so?"
"Harry figures it out"
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"At least you boys got back alright" McGonagall sighed.
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Jaws dropped.
"Myrtle was the Chamber victim?" McGonagall asked Dumbledore.
"Yes." Dumbledore confirmed.
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"Done" Ron said breathing a sigh of relief.
"You did very well" Hermione praised.
Harry peeked around his godfather and saw that Hermione had her hand on Ron's leg. He then caught Ginny's eyes and motioned to the hand on the leg. Ginny smirked and nodded knowing the unasked question.
Hermione had her hand there ever since the spiders showed.
"So…who wants to read next?" Ron asked as Hermione removed her hand before anyone could notice (or so she hoped).
"Hand it over Weasley" Moody said.
