only angel- harry potter

Chapter 34

"Through the front door, sir. I'm off to Hagrid's, you see. He's a very dear friend and I just fancy paying him a visit. So if you don't mind, I will be going now," Harry spoke as he swiftly left the greenhouse.

"Harry!" Slughorn called.

"Sir?" the boy who lived paused.

"It's nearly nightfall. Surely, you realize I can't allow you to go roaming the grounds by yourself," Slughorn replied firmly as he looked at the sky which was bright orange and pink color.

"Well then, by all means, come along, sir," Harry smiled.

"Harry, I must insist you accompany me back to the castle immediately!" Slughorn tried to be intimidating but Harry ignored him.

"That would be counterproductive, sir," Harry responded quickly.

"And what makes you say that?" Slughorn questioned.

"No idea," Harry said as he ran outside of the greenhouse over to Hagrid's hut.

"Wait up!" Slughorn ordered.

Once the two arrived at Hagrid's hut there was a large dead spider in front of it. Hagrid stood in front of it wiping large tears from his eyes.

"Horace," Hagrid croaked as Slughorn looked at the spider with an astonished look.

"Merlin's beard! Is that an actual Acromantula?" the potions professor asked.

"A dead one, I think, sir," Harry tried to hide his smile.

"Good God. Dear fellow, however, did you manage to kill it?" Slughorn looked at Hagrid.

"Kill it? My oldest friend, he was," Hagrid gasped as he looked glum.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't-" Slughorn tried to apologize.

"Ah, don't worry yourself. You're not alone. Seriously misunderstood creatures, spiders are. The eyes I reckon, they unnerve some folk," the half-giant sobbed.

"Not to mention the pincers," Harry clicked his tongue while using his fingers to demonstrate the pincers.

"Yeah, I reckon that too," Hagrid sniffled.

"Hagrid... The last thing I wish to be is indelicate but Acromantula venom is uncommonly rare. Would you allow me to extract a vial or two, purely for academic purposes, you understand?" Slughorn asked as he took out two empty vials.

"Well I don't suppose it's gonna do him much good now is it," Hagrid sobbed. His beard had fresh tear droplets in it.

Slughorn crouched under the beast and once he was done collecting his samples, the formerly empty vials were now full of a purplish liquid.

"My thoughts exactly. I have an ampoule or two about my person for just such occasions as this. Old... Potion master's habit, you know?" Slughorn stood up beside Hagrid.

"I wish you could have seen him with his prime. Magnificent, he was. Just magnificent," Hagrid said.

"Would you like me to say a few words?" Slughorn asked the half-giant who nodded.

"Would you like me to say a few words?" the potions professor questioned.

"Oh, yeah," Harry said brightly.

"Farewell...uh what was his name?" Slughorn looked at Hagrid.

"Aragog, his name was Aragog," Hagrid cried.

"Farewell, Aragog. King of the arachnids. Your body will decay... but your spirit lingers on and your human friends find solace, the loss they have sustained," Slughorn said as Hagrid continued to cry.