The Other Potter: Book 6

Willow of ages winner + a crappy chapter

The next month or so seemed to drag on endlessly. It consisted of the way I kept catching Snape and Dumbledore looking at me sadly. There was Harry complaining about the memory he needed from Slughorn and sulking about Malfoy. Then Ron sulked about Lavender and Hermione sulked about Ron. I wanted to talk to my friends about the whole ‘August situation’, but there was no simple way of saying “I’ve snuck out every night for the whole year to see this boy.”So I walked around moping, complaining to myself, and wondering when the next time my memories would be confiscated by Dumbledore and Snape.

I love my life.

We were in the outside at break, all of us brooding over different things, when a wild Hedwig appeared.

“Hedwig uses letter attack!” I shouted; they all looked at me funnily. “You three had no childhood.”

Hedwig was amused by my Pokémon references, and gave me Harry’s letter.

Dear Harry, Ron, Hermione and Willow!

Aragog died last night. Harry and Ron, you met him and you know how special he was.

Willow, Hermione, I know you’d have liked him.

It would mean a lot to me if you’d nip down for the burial later this evening.

I’m planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favourite time of day.

I know you’re not supposed to be out that late, but you can use the cloak.

Wouldn’t ask, but I can’t face it alone.

Hagrid

“Wow, okay.” I said giving the note to Harry.

“Look at this,” said Harry, handing the note to Hermione.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she said, scanning it quickly and passing it to Ron, who read it through looking increasingly incredulous.

“He’s mental” he said furiously. “That thing told its mates to eat Harry and me! Told them to help themselves! And now Hagrid expects us to go down there and cry over its horrible hairy body!”

“It’s not just that,” said Hermione. “He’s asking us to leave the castle at night and he knows security’s a million times tighter and how much trouble we’d be in if we were caught.”

“It’s not actually that tight. It’s easy to sneak past, even without a cloak.” I said knowledgably. Hermione gave me a look of utter confusion, and opened her mouth to ask me something -

“We’ve been down to see him by night before,” said Harry, unaware that I’d spoken.

Phew.

“Yes, but for something like this?” said Hermione, eyeing me suspiciously. “We’ve risked a lot to help Hagrid out, but after all — Aragog’s dead. If it were a question of saving him —”

“— I’d want to go even less,” said Ron firmly. “You didn’t meet him, Hermione. Believe me, being dead will have improved him a lot.”

Harry stared at the note.

“Harry, you can’t be thinking of going,” said Hermione. “It’s such a pointless thing to get detention for.”

Harry sighed. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “I s’pose Hagrid’ll have to bury Aragog without us.”

“Yes, he will,” said Hermione, looking relieved. “Look, Potions will be almost empty this afternoon, with us all off doing our tests. . . . Try and soften Slughorn up a bit then!”