The three Gryffindors tossed the cloak off.
'Hagrid's right. With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day.'
'Look.'
Spiders were shown crawling out the window.
Alyssa gulped when she remembered what would happen next.
'Come on. Come on, Fang.'
Harry, Alyssa, and Ron walked outside, Harry holding a lantern as they saw the trail of spiders.
'Come on.'
'What?'
'You heard what Hagrid said: 'Follow the spiders.'
'You're kidding?' Alyssa said in disbelief.
'Nope, come on!'
Harry started towards the forest and Ron groaned.
'Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?'
'Ah yes, of course! What a great idea to head into the dark FORBIDDEN forest where the suspicious trail of spiders is going.' Marlene said sarcastically with a groan.
'Hagrid wouldn't direct them somewhere they'd get hurt though. So they'll by fine...right?' Lily said uneasily.
'James, this is your fault.'
'What?! Moony, you can't blame this on me!'
'Really? Because somehow, I'm pretty sure that Harry got his reckless, stupid gene from you!'
'Did you just call me stupid?' James said in disbelief with a scowl and Remus rolled his eyes in response.
They followed the spiders through the woods, Fang leading the way.
'Harry, Lyss, I don't like this.'
'I second that Har- can we please turn back?'
'Harry, I don't like this all.'
'Shush.'
Harry watched the spiders go through a narrow opening, Alyssa and Ron clinging to each other in fright.
'Can we go back now?'
'Come on.'
'This is such a bad idea. I'm telling you now.' Alyssa muttered.
The three crouched down and walked through the tunnel, a huge spider descending after they passed.
'Shit!' Evan flinched back from the spider, Cissa looking disgusted and Alyssa holding Marlene's arm tightly as memory her was doing to Ron.
Harry, Alyssa, and Ron came out of the tunnel, looking around and missing the hidden spiders. Branches were heard crashing.
'Who's that?' Peter gulped.
'W-w-who is that?'
'Don't panic.'
'Don't panic? Are you fucking kidding me? If we die then someone better write on my grave "death by listening to Harry dumbass Potter and his bullshit plans", "let's follow the spiders!" God Harry you moron.'
'Ouch.' Harry rolled his eyes at her.
'I mean fair enough. That forest is not a fun place to be at night.' Frank shuddered.
'Hagrid? Is that you?'
'Hagrid just got arrested you moron- how bad is your memory?' Alyssa hissed.
'We're friends of Hagrid's.'
Huge legs appeared, crawling out of a hole, Alyssa and Ron looking scared, slowly holding each other tightly as Harry looked shocked. The gargantuan spider laid on top of the hole.
They all recoiled in horror, Alice shrieking at the sight and Alyssa holding Marlene even tighter.
'Oh my Merlin.' Bella murmured in shock.
'Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.' Alyssa whispered under her breath.
'And you? You're-You're Aragog, aren't you?'
'Yes. Hagrid has never sent men or women into our hollow before.'
'He's in trouble. Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets like before.'
Ron looked around, feeling watched and Alyssa gripped his even tighter- if that was even possible.
'That's a lie. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets.'
'Then you're not the monster?'
'No. The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land...in the pocket of a traveler.'
'Harry...'
'Shush.'
'I think he should listen to what Ron had to say based off his face.' Pandora commented.
'But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl 50 years ago?'
'We do not speak of it. It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others.'
'Well that's bloody brilliant! The monster is something that scares that thing!' Sirius groaned.
'But have you seen it?'
'I never saw any part of the castle, but the box in which Hagrid kept me.'
Ron and Alyssa looked up, their fearful expressions only getting worse.
'The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused Hagrid brought me here.'
'Harry...'
'What?'
Alyssa and Ron pointed up whimpering, Harry following their gesture, multiple gigantic spiders started descending down.
'GET OUT OF THERE!!!'
'Mkay! Storytime's over. Bye bye.' Alyssa cut in, grabbing Harry's arm and he nodded nervously,
'Well thanks. We'll just go...'
'Stop with the pleasantries! YOU NEED TO RUN!' Marlene yelled:
'Go? I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command, but I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst.'
They all looked horrified.
'Fuck.' Regulus muttered.
'WHY ON EARTH DID HAGRID LEAD THEM TO HUMAN EATING GIANT SPIDERS?!' Lily yelled in disbelief.
'Goodbye, friends of Hagrid.'
'Can we panic now?'
A spider jumped down, startling the three. It went to attack when Harry hit it with the lantern, giving Ron and Alyssa time to draw their wands. Soon the three were back-to-back-to-back, wands drawn.
'Know any spells?'
'One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them.'
'At least it might buy us time.'
'Where's Hermione when you need her?'
They were all looking more and more stressed out by the second.
They were surrounded by spiders, all of them enclosing on the three, when lights shone on them. The spiders started to scatter, the Ford Angela racing through the pack of spiders as it stopped in front of them, opening its doors.
'The car!'
'Well that was incredibly lucky.'
'Let's go!'
Ron got inside, his doors closing just in time as two spiders tried to grab them. Harry and Alyssa had yet to get in, Harry pointing his wand to an approaching spider.
'Harry! Get in!'
'Arania Exumai!'
The spider was blasted back and Harry got in the car.
'Lyss?' Harry asked in confusion when both their attention was drawn by a loud scream.
'Yet out me you piece of- Ah!'
'ALYSSA!'
'IM COMING! GIVE ME A MOMENT.'
She managed to get to the car, stopping just before it as another spider stood in her way.
'Um. Hi?'
'HI?' Andy yelled at her, 'REALLY?'
'I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY!'
She held her wand out and suddenly the spider went flying back inexplicably.
'What the hell?' She muttered.
'Was that non-verbal magic again?' Remus asked and she nodded,
'I'm pretty sure.'
She managed to get in the car finally.
The spiders then attacked from the sides, one jumping onto the top of the car as another jumped onto the hood.
'Go!'
'Get us out of here! Please!'
The car backed up, running over spiders and going off a ledge.
'Whoa!'
The last spider fell onto the ground as the car stopped.
'Glad we're out of there!'
'Don't jinx it.' James said.
The spider then appeared out of nowhere and grabbed onto Ron, his pinchers around his neck.
'RON! NO!'
'Oh my god!' Lily gasped and Alice clapped her hand over her mouth in shock and horror.
Alyssa and Harry jumped back startled, both of them taking their wands and aiming at the spider, Ron moving so neither of them hit him.
'Arania Exumai!'
The spider was thrown back, Ron turning to the two.
'Thanks for that.'
'Anytime.'
'Uh Huh.'
Harry and Alyssa looked forward, incredulous looks on their faces. The spiders appeared through the trees and climbing down.
'Oh fuck...'
'Shit. That is really not good.' Regulus said with wide eyes.
'Get us out of here. Now!'
'Now, Ron!'
Ron backed the car up, the spiders pressing forward.
'Come on! Come on, move faster!'
They screamed as they spun around.
'Come on! Go!'
The spiders were in close pursuit as Ron drove as fast as he could.
'Get us in the air.'
'The flying gear's jammed!'
'We're going to die. We're actually going to die.'
Spiders were shown in front of them, alining to cut them off.
Everyone sat forward in fear and suspense.
'Come on! Pull!'
'I'm trying!'
'Try harder Ron or we're gonna be SPIDER FOOD!'
The three of them pushed even harder as they ran over more spiders, the gear finally shifting, making the car fly away.
The marauders cheered happily. As the others breathed sighs of relief and Alyssa finally released her death grip on Marlene.
The car landed in front of Hagrid's hut, the three Gryffindor's and Fang getting out.
'Follow the spiders. Follow the spiders! If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him!'
'I second that!'
The car then reved, pulling back to drive off back into the Dark Forest.
'I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?'
'We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent.'
'I'm so glad.' Alice sighed.
'Okay, but why is it that no one really ver tells us that hat is e need to know. Like, it's not hard for that spider bitch- whatshername?'
'I dunno. Ariel or something.'
'Hey! Don't do Ariel like that Ron.'
'Who's Ariel?' Cissa asked.
'A mermaid Disney princess.' Alyssa replied, only to get looks of pure confusion to which she shook her head with a scoff,
'Uneducated weirdos.'
'Aragog.' Harry cut in.
'Yeah. Aragog, well it wouldn't of been hard for her to just tell us what creature it was. Like, I don't fucking care if you're scared of it, saying the name isn't gonna kill you mate so get over your irrational fears.'
'Says the one who was just crying over the spiders.'
'I'm sorry, does spiders trying to eat you not count as a rational fear?'
'Guys! Can we please go inside. It's cold.'
'Really?'
'And dark.'
'Come on!'
'And the spiders might come back.'
'Well you know what, now that I think of it, inside sounds lovely!'
The sunrise was shown, Hogwarts at the foreground. Dead flowers on a night stand were replaced by fresh ones, Harry sitting on the bed next to Hermione as Ron and Alyssa sat on the other side, watching her sadly.
They all looked sombre again.
'Wish you were here, Hermione.'
'We need you. Now more than ever.'
The three sighed sadly, Harry holding her hand as he furrowed his brows. He looked and saw a crumpled up piece of paper in her hand, taking and unraveling it.
'What's that?' Xeno asked.
'And why didn't Madame Pomfrey or another teacher notice it?' Lily added with a thoughtful look.
'What's that?'
'Ron, Lyss, this is why Hermione was in the library the day she was attacked. Come on!'
Ron, Alyssa and Harry raced out the hospital wing, Alyssa yelling after them,
'I swear that paper wasn't there before...guys?'
'"Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye. Spiders flee before it...' Ron, Lyss, this is it. The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk.'
'A what?' Peter asked.
'Of course.' Lily muttered, slowing piecing everything together in her head.
'That's why only I can hear it speak. It's a snake.'
'Of course!' Remus sighed.
'But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it no one's dead?'
They all thought hard to try and figure it out.
Harry stopped to think before the three of them looked into the glass across them.
'Because no one did look it in the eye- not directly, at least. Colin saw it through his camera. Justin...Justin must have seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got the full blast of it, but he's a ghost. He couldn't die again.'
'And Hermione...had the mirror. I bet you anything she was using it to look around corners in case it came along.'
'And Mrs. Norris? I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror, Harry.'
No one said anything, all trying to silently put the pieces together.
'The water...There was water on the floor that night. She only saw the basilisk's reflection!' Alyssa said in realisation.
'You guys are actually so smart.' Barty said and Alyssa shrugged,
'What can I say!'
'"Spiders flee before it." It all fits.'
'But how's the basilisk been getting around? A dirty, great snake someone would have seen it.'
'Hermione's answered that too.'
The word pipes was written on the torn page.
'Pipes? It's using the plumbing?'
'Harry, Ron, remember what Aragog said about that girl 50 years ago? She died in a bathroom? What if she never left?'
'Moaning Myrtle.'
'Moaning Myrtle?!'
Minnie's voice was then heard on the P.A system.
'All students are to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers to the second floor corridor immediately.'
The three shared looks before darting off.
'You're not going to the dormitories are you?'
'I think you already know the answer to that.'
The teachers rushed to the corridor.
'As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fear has been realized. A student has been taken by the monster into the Chamber itself. The students must be sent home. I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts.'
'FINALLY!' Lily exclaimed, 'it took you long enough!'
'Wait, a student was taken into the chamber? Who was it?' Regulus asked.
Footsteps were heard, Lockhart showing up after the rest of the teachers.
'So sorry. Dozed off. What have I missed?'
Sirius groaned,
'Dick.'
'A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last.'
'My...m-moment?" "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the Chamber of Secrets is?'
Lockhart looked like a deer caught in headlights.
'Karma bitch!' Marlene yelled in satisfaction.
'That's settled. We'll leave you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend.'
'And this is why I love you, Minnie.' James grinned.
'Very well. Uh, I'll just be in my office getting...um... Getting ready.'
'Who is it that the monster's taken, Minerva?'
'Ginny Weasley.'
The spying Gryffindors looked shocked and devastated at hearing this, Ron falling back against the wall and Alyssa instantly hugging him with tears in her eyes.
'Oh my god!' Lily said in horror.
'Ginny was taken?' Alice asked sadly.
The teachers left the scene, the message, 'Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever' written in blood is scene.
Everyone was too stunned to speak. Luna having tears in her eyes at seeing what happened to one one her best friends.
'"Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever." Ginny...'
'Fuck...'
The three rushed into the DADA classroom.
'Lockhart may be useless, but he's going to try and get into the Chamber. At least we can tell him what we know!'
The three rushed into the office, Lockhart seen throwing his clothes into his trunk.
'Professor, we have some information for you.'
'IS HE PACKING?' Alice yelled angrily, 'What about Ginny?'
'That dick!' Sirius reiterated his earlier point.
The three looked at him angrily.
'Are you going somewhere?'
'Uh, well, yes. Urgent call. Unavoidable, uh... Got to go.'
'What about my sister?'
'Well...um... As to that, most unfortunate. No one regrets more than I.'
'HE'S NOT EVEN GOING TO TRY AND SAVE HER?!' Cissa yelled in anger.
'You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and as shit as you may be at your job, you can't go now.'
'Well, I must say, when I took the job, there was nothing in the job description about-'
'You're running away? After all that stuff you did in your books?'
'Books can be misleading.'
Everyone's jaws dropped.
'I knew it.' Regulus scoffed.
'You wrote them!'
'My dear boy, do you use your common sense! My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things!'
'That's horrible!' Alice exclaimed.
'You're a fraud.'
'You're a coward, a cheat and a disgrace to Ravenclaw.' Alyssa said angrily.
'Is there anything you can do?'
'Yes. Now you mention it. I'm rather gifted with memory charms. Otherwise, you see, all those wizards would have gone blabbing, and I'd never have sold another book. In fact, uh...'
'Oh no, he better not do what I think he is.' Andy said in disbelief.
'I'm going to have to do the same to you.'
The three casually pulled out their wands. Lockhart turning with wand in hand, looking stunned at the three angry students.
'Don't even think about it.'
'If like to see what happens to you when everyone finds out what a lying piece of scum you are.'
They motioned for him to drop his wand, him doing so reluctantly.
'Thank Merlin.' Cissa sighed in relief.