THANTOPHOBIA ① g.weasley

year two: spiders

Harry spoke up. "Like before."

Aragog grew angry. "That's a lie, Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets!"

"Harry, where did you get that idea?" asked Hope, confusion lacing her voice.

"But, if Hagrid never, that means you're not the monster."

Hope looked to her friend. "Aragog is an Acromantula. He is a magnificent creature, but never a monster."

"Listen to Hope, she is like Hagrid. Respectful of creatures." Aragog said. "The monster was born in the castle."

"Harry, Hope--" whispered Ron.

Harry ignored Ron. "Then what killed the girl fifty years ago?"

"We do not speak of it, it is a creature we spiders fear above all."

"A Basilisk." said Hope. "Another creature."

More spiders began to come down, as Ron finally grabbed the attention of Hope. "What Ron?"

"Look."

"Aragog, it really has been a pleasure. Thank you for all the helpful information." Hope smiled. "Though, we really must be going."

"Go? I think not, my sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid or the new friend Hope, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye, friends of Hagrid."

Ron began to freak out. "Can we panic, now?"

The three quickly spun around and sprinted in the other direction. Five-foot spiders began to appear from multiple different directions. Hope pulled out her wand, Harry following. The Weasley boy just stood frozen in fear.

Fang began to whimper as the spiders came near. But all was interrupted by a long beep of a horn from behind them. Seconds later a blaze of light came shining through the trees, it was the car that had once belonged to Arthur Weasley.

"Let's go." shouted Harry, as everyone jumped into the car.

Hope climbed into the driver's seat while a spider appeared at the side window. "The windows, roll up the windows!"

"I can't, it's stuck." but as a spider came up to her window, she let out a high pitched scream. Hope stomped on the gas which threw the car into reverse.

The car blasted out of the hollow, but once a spider began to grab Ron, she raised her wand and just pointed it. Not a word leaving her mouth.

"Thanks for that."

"Not a problem, Ronald."

As they fought through the bunches of spiders, they came to a narrow opening in The Forest. "That is the way, it's the only way out! Hurry, Hope, they're catching up."

Hope jammed the accelerator, just as an Acromantula blocked the way out. Ron looked down and mumbled. "We're as good as dead."

"Can you get us into the air?"

"Flying gear is jammed."

As the spiders grew closer, the car had randomly decided to lift into the air. It rose high enough to fly over the trees and into the grass beside Hagrid's hut. Fang bolted out of the car, while the other wobbled out.

"Follow the spiders! Follow the spiders! If he ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill Hagrid. I mean, what was the point in sending us in there. What have we found out?" yelled Ron in frustration.

"Ronald, your phobia of spiders returning?"

He gave a small smile. "Wasn't me who screamed that high pitch scream."