The Return to Hogwarts

Throughout the ordeal, the giant spider remained silent, seemingly enjoying the two young wizards' terror and helplessness.

"I never allow anyone to come in here—"

Click click click——

The giant spider's two large pincers moved rapidly as it spoke slowly and deliberately, its aged voice carrying a chilling undertone.

“I’m so sorry—” Hermione said softly, sobbing. “We didn’t mean to offend you, Mr. Spider. We’re here to track down Ban. That wizard, he’s a criminal, and we’re taking him back to the castle.”

"We don't concern ourselves with wizarding matters—"

Aragog's mouthparts trembled, and it spoke coldly.

“We have always lived here. We don’t disturb the people in the castle, nor do we want to be disturbed. But you always break the agreement and disrupt our peaceful life. Sorry, you two little human wizards, you can only die here.”

"and many more!"

The moment the giant spider gave the command, Harry immediately felt the massive claws gripping his waist tighten, and an overwhelming urge to vomit rose in his throat, causing him to cough repeatedly.

"Cough, no, please don't do that, Mr. Spider. If we have offended you, I'm willing to stay here, but please let us go—"

"My name isn't Mr. Spider!"

The commotion in the forest hadn't subsided all night, and now several humans had even trespassed into their territory. Aragog, annoyed, brandished his large claws, creating a howling, menacing wind.

"I have a name, Aragog, that's my name!"

Aragog?!

Harry and Hermione stopped struggling at the same time. They looked at each other in mid-air and saw the astonishment in each other's eyes.

They had heard the name before, tonight, from Hagrid's lips.

Could it be that this spider and Hagrid have some connection?

"Wait a minute, Mr. Aragog!"

Hermione's eyes welled with tears as she struggled to speak, her voice strained by the oppressive and suffocating feeling.

“You know Hagrid, don’t you, Mr. Aragog? We are his friends, and he sent us to arrest Peter!”

Harry and Hermione thought that the terrifying spider would calm down after they said they were Hagrid's friends, but to their surprise, it had the exact opposite effect.

"Hagrid's friend is lying!"

Aragog's eight milky-white eyes darted wildly in their sockets, and its two large claws left afterimages in mid-air. It was no longer the drowsy, tired creature it once was, but was now pacing back and forth in its hemispherical spiderweb, its steel-needle-like body hairs standing on end in anger.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Hermione was pale and murmured listlessly.

“Maybe this spider has a grudge against Hagrid!” Harry gritted his teeth, the pain making it hard for him to breathe.

"Hagrid never brings anyone here!"

It was very strange for a spider to roar in such a howling tone, but Harry and Hermione couldn't laugh. In their anger, the giant spider used its legs to support its body, and its massive body stood upright, blocking the moonlight from the red moon in the sky. The shadow devoured all the light.

There is only one exception!

Aragok roared indignantly.

"Last year, Hagrid brought a friend over to ask me some questions. When I refused to answer, the wizard almost killed me!"

Cough cough--

Looking at the two little guys below who were dumbfounded, Amosta, who was in mid-air, touched his nose and looked a little embarrassed.

Well.

After a moment of contemplation, Amosta raised his head, his penetrating gaze searching through the dark forest for something useful. Then, his gaze paused, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“We’re really having the worst luck, Harry,” Hermione said sadly.

"You'll have to rely on yourself now, Hermione!"

Harry, breathing heavily, turned to look at the eight-eyed spider that was waiting for Aragog to finish his tirade and seize them, and roared.

"All petrified!"

creak creak!

A gentle breeze blew against their faces, and the spider's limbs suddenly made a strange, unsettling rustling sound. Then, Harry and Hermione both felt the powerful force in their waists dissipate.

I didn't expect that—

Harry and Hermione slipped down to the ground, Harry looking on incredulously.

"I thought it wouldn't work; I failed when I tried to cast a spell on a werewolf before!"

"I remembered!"

Hermione clutched her chest and said quickly,

“These creatures are eight-eyed spiders. Professor Blaine used them in a practical lesson for Fred and George last year. He told them that eight-eyed spiders have very low resistance to magic, and even first-year wizards can defeat them if their magic hits them!”

"That makes things much easier!"

Harry shouted excitedly.

Professor Blaine

Aragog stiffened, its ugly head slowly lowering as it spoke softly.

"Could it be Amosta Blaine?"

Uh... Could it be that Professor Blaine was the one who almost killed Aragog last year? Could he be planning to capture Aragog and use him to teach the young wizards?

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, the same thought popping into their minds at the same time.

"You are that wizard's students—"

Aragog crawled slowly across the spiderweb once more, his voice filled with a deep-seated hatred.

"Then I'm sorry, human cub, I can't let you two die so easily--"

"Go, Hermione!"

There was nothing more to say to this old spider, so while it was rambling on and on, Harry decisively shouted.

In the moment of crisis, Hermione demonstrated her reliability. With a flick of her wand, two spells were released from the tip of her wand, severing the spider silk that was hanging Peter upside down. Before the eight-eyed spider next to Peter could react, the subsequent petrification spell froze it in place!

"How dare you!"

Aragog let out another shrill roar, preparing to give orders to its offspring, but then the ugly, bristly head suddenly felt a chill and abruptly stopped the words it was about to say.

A sharp twig trembled slightly and gently pressed against Aragog's head.

Hermione rushed over and dragged the white cocoon that was wrapped around Peter, but this was far too strenuous for a young witch who was not yet an adult, and Peter, who could not see what was happening outside, was struggling violently.

"Help me, Harry!"

Sweat soaked through the white gauze covering the wound on her forehead, and Hermione stamped her feet anxiously.

Sometimes Hermione is frighteningly clever, but occasionally she can be just as slow-witted as Neville.

"Why don't you use magic, Hermione?"

Harry dared not look away from the commotion at Aragog, but hearing the noise there, he knew Hermione had gone mad.

"Oh!"

Hermione straightened up, slapped her forehead, and exclaimed in frustration. Then, she made the white cocoon float up and pulled Peter to Harry's side.

"But how are we going to get out of here, Harry?"

Behind them, hundreds of eight-eyed spiders living in the massive meteorite crater had surrounded them, their angry clicking sounds seemingly the only noise in the world.

"Order them to back off!"

Harry couldn't possibly fail to see that this old spider was the leader of the spider tribe. He flicked his wand, and the sharp spike pressed against Aragog's head slowly began to rotate, seemingly trying to pierce Aragog's carapace.

"impossible--"

Aragok said venomously.

“You will not leave here tonight; you will become fertilizer for my children and grandchildren.”

Upon hearing this, Harry frowned. He hadn't expected this spider to be so stubborn, refusing to yield even in the face of death.

“Don’t kill it, Harry!” Hermione gasped. “Have you forgotten? This spider knows Hagrid; it’s Hagrid’s friend.”

"Yes, I haven't forgotten!"

Harry's temples throbbed with a growing sense of unease. He had only intended to scare Aragog, with no intention of killing it, but Hagrid's formidable friend was determined to leave him and Hermione there, putting them in a difficult predicament.

Chapter 311 Escape from Death

2023-06-03

If Harry and Hermione hadn't faced being surrounded by werewolves earlier that night, this scene would probably have terrified them. Hundreds of eight-eyed spiders lay before them, these agitated and angry spiders trampling each other, making a loud, clattering sound like a rolling thundercloud.

Peter seemed to sense something was wrong outside. He stopped struggling and curled up in the white cocoon, shivering.

"This is to teach the people in the castle a lesson—"

Aragok said venomously.