▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 ━︎━︎ 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 ▌
━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃 being in her's and Hermione's room alone. The empty bed made her feel nauseous and staring at all of Hermione's things made her not only miss Hermione but it made her jaw clench with anger. She would kill whoever or whatever did this to her. Juniper was sitting in the common room, staring blankly into the fire. The sound of footsteps made her look up. Ron and Harry made their way down the steps, Harry holding his cloak. The two boys spotted her and made their way over to her.
"Ready?" Harry asked her.
Juniper nodded, standing up. "Yeah. Hagrid better have answers."
The three got under the invisibility cloak and made it to Hagrid's hut. Harry knocked on the door and there was nothing but silence for a moment before Hagrid carefully asked from inside, "Who's there?" Hagrid kicked the door open, a crossbow in his hands, only to see no one there. "Hello?"
Harry removed the cloak and frowned. "What's that for?" Hagrid closed his eyes in relief.
"Oh, nothing. I was expecting. . . it doesn't matter." He lowered the weapon. "Come on in. I just made a pot of tea." The three walked in after him, Juniper closing the door behind her.
Hagrid began pouring them all a cup of tea, overfilling one of the cups. Harry frowned. "Hagrid, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm alright."
"Did you hear about Hermione?" Harry asked as Juniper stepped forwards, grabbing a cup of tea and immediately began drinking it.
Hagrid sighed. "Oh, yeah, I heard about that, alright."
"Look, we have to ask you something." Harry glanced at Ron before looking at Hagrid. "Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?"
For a moment, Hagrid said nothing, causing Juniper to stop drinking her tea and look at him. "What you have to understand about that is―︎" Hagrid was cut off at the sound of someone knocking on the door and Fang barking. "Quick, under the cloak. Don't say a word. Be quiet. All three of you." Juniper took her cup with her as she ducked under the cloak, not wanting any evidence of her being there. Hagrid grabbed his weapon again, pointing it at the door before opening it. He quickly lowered it. "Oh, Professor Dumbledore, sir."
"Good evening, Hagrid." Dumbledore greeted. "I wonder, could we. . .?"
"Of course. Come in. Come in." Hagrid stepped to the side, letting Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge inside.
"That's Dad's boss," Ron whispered. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic."
They turned back to the conversation, Cornelius talking. "Bad business, Hagrid, very bad business. Had to come. Three attacks on muggle-borns. Things have gone far enough. The Ministry's got to act."
"But I never―︎" Hagrid cut himself off as he looked at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor."
Dumbledore turned to look at Fudge. "I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence."
"Albus, look, Hagrid's record is against him. I've got to take him."
"Take me?" Hagrid asked. "Take me where? Not Azkaban prison!" Juniper involuntarily flinched, causing the two boys to glance at her.
Cornelius looked at him with mock sympathy. "I'm afraid we have no choice, Hagrid."
The sound of the door opening and the voice that followed made Juniper cringe. "Already here, Fudge? Good." Lucius Malfoy stepped inside the hut and Juniper's eyes narrowed into slits.
"What are you doing here?" Hagrid asked, angry. "Get out of my house!"
"Believe me, I take absolutely no pleasure being inside your. . ." Lucius looked around, walking closer to where the three of them were standing making them back up. "You call this a house? Hmm. No, I simply called at the school and was told the headmaster was there."
Dumbledore looked at him. "Well, what exactly is it that you want with me?"
"The other governors and I have decided it's time for you to step aside." Lucius held out a scroll towards Dumbledore. "This is an order of suspension." Lucius walked towards Dumbledore and Cornelius went to take the scroll but Dumbledore held up a hand, stopping him. "You'll find all 12 signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you've rather lost your touch. Well, what, with these attacks, there'll be no muggle-borns left at Hogwarts." Lucius turned and began walking towards their hiding place. "I can only imagine what an awful loss that would be to the school."
"You can't take Professor Dumbldeore away." Hagrid denied. "Take him away, and the muggle-borns won't stand a chance. You mark my words, there'll be killings next."
"You think so?" Lucius questioned, the lack of concern in his voice making Juniper nauseous.
"Calm yourself, Hagrid." Dumbledore assured. "If the governors desire my removal, I will, of course, step aside." Dumbledore began walking towards Lucius. "However. . . you will find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." Dumbledore looked past Lucius and looked right at the three of them.
Lucius turned to look behind him, trying to find what Dumbledore was looking at before turning back to look at the Headmaster and saying, "Admirable sentiments. Shall we?" Lucius walked out. Dumbledore stood there for a moment, looking at the three with raised eyebrows before turning and walking out after Lucius leaving just Cornelius and Hagrid.
"Come, Hagrid," Cornelius said. "Well?"
Hagrid coughed, clearing his throat. "If, um, if anybody was looking for some stuff, then all they'd have to do would be follow the spiders. Yep. That would lead them right. That's all I have to say." Hagrid began to walk out before stopping. "Oh, and someone'll need to feed Fang while I'm away." Fang let out a growl as Hagrid walked out with Fudge following after him. As soon as the door closed, they removed the cloak.
"Hagrid's right." Ron was the first to speak. "With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day."
Juniper walked over to Fang, smiling at the dog as she started to rub his head. She turned her head to look at Harry who's eyes were focused on the window. "Look," he said, nodding towards the window. The other two turned to follow his eye line just to see a trail of spiders crawling up the wall and out the window. "Come on." Harry grabbed Hagrid's lantern. "Come on, Fang."
Fang got up and jumped down from the chair, staying beside of Juniper as they walked out and followed after Harry. They looked at the spiders that were crawling down the wall of Hagrid's hut and leading to the forest. "Come on," Harry urged.
"What?" Ron's voice cracked as fear entered his body.
"You heard what Hagrid said, 'follow the spiders'."
"They're heading to the Dark Forest." Ron said with disbelief. Harry just looked at him for a moment before walking forwards after the spiders. Juniper followed him with Fang at her side. Ron let out a whimper. "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?" Reluctantly the redhead followed after them.
They entered the Dark Forest. Juniper was walking beside of Harry, Ron on his other side, with Fang in front of the group, sniffing out the spiders and following them. Juniper watched the forest intently, waiting any minute now for something or someone to jump out at them and attack them. She was on edge. She had no idea where this was about to lead them, but something in her gut told her it wasn't good.
"Harry, I don't like this." Ron cried, shaking his head. It seemed the deeper that they got, the more spiders that appeared. "Harry, I don't like this at all."
"Shush," Harry whispered.
Harry looked down a tunnel in the ground whilst Ron looked around at the spiders and pure fear was covering his face. Juniper looked at the boy with worry, frowning. "Can we go back now?" Juniper had never heard Ron sound so scared.
"Come on," Harry urged, moving forwards.
Juniper looked at Ron and held out her hand. Ron looked at her for a moment before grabbing her hand. He was scared and Juniper wanted to comfort him somehow. This was the best way she knew how. "Come on," she whispered, her voice calming. Ron nodded and followed after her.
They walked into the underground tunnel that was swirled with spiders and roots. It was dark and Juniper couldn't see what was in front of her barely. The only thing she could see was the light that Harry was holding. She could barely make out Fang who was way ahead of them now. They made it to the other end of the tunnel, noises echoing all around them. Juniper had to admit that even she was starting to get a little nervous about all of this. They walked up a hill, coming to a stop when they saw what looked like spiderwebs clumped together on the cave wall.
The sound of branches moving make the three pause, not daring to move a muscle. A raspy voice filled their ears, sending shivers up Juniper's spine. "Who is it?"
Fang let out a soft bark whilst Harry whispered, "Don't panic."
"Hagrid?" The voice questioned. "Is that you?" Movement could be heard again and Ron's face twisted with pure fear.
Harry answered, "We're friends of Hagrid's."
A hairy long thin spider leg appeared over the hill, and then four more followed until there was gigantic spider the size of a house standing in front of them. Juniper's eyes widened, her mouth running dry. Ron's hold on her hand grew tighter as he backed up, practically hiding behind Juniper. Harry took a step back so that he was standing beside of Juniper, his eyes not moving away from the giant spider that was now looking at three. The spider didn't move to attack them like Juniper had expected, it stayed in its spot.
"And you? You're Aragog, aren't you?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Aragog whispered. "Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before." Juniper scoffed.
"He's in trouble," Harry rushed out. "Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets, like before."
"That's a lie!" The spider hissed, anger evident in his voice. "Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets."
"Then you're not the monster?" Harry frowned.
"No." Aragog answered. "The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land in the pocket of a traveler."
"Harry," Ron's barely audible voice cried, turning to Harry with begging eyes.
"Shush," Harry quickly shushed him. He turned back towards Aragog. "But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl 50 years ago?"
"We do not speak of it." The spider told him quickly. "It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others."
"But have you seen it?"
"I never saw any part of the castle, but the box in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here."
Ron grabbed Harry again. "Harry. . ."
Harry turned his head towards Ron, annoyed. "What?" Ron cried as he pointed up, making both Harry and Juniper look up. Juniper's eyes widened as she saw hundreds of spiders dangling above them, looking down at the trio and some were even growing closer to them. Harry swallowed thickly, clearing his throat as he looked at Aragog. "Well, thank you. We'll just go."
"Go?" Aragog asked. "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. Goodbye, friend of Hagrid."
"Can we panic now?" Ron screeched. They all pressed their backs against each other. "Know any spells?"
"One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them." Harry answered.
"When I say go," Juniper told them, "go." Before Juniper could cast a spell, headlights appeared, sending the spiders scrambling as the car approached them. It was a pretty beat up car in Juniper's opinion. She looked closer. "Ron. . . isn't that. . .?" The car's doors flew open and Ron and Harry ran towards the car. Juniper went to ask but decided to ask later as she quickly ran after them, hopping in the back seat.
The car quickly started to back up, spiders jumping on top of it. Juniper's eyes widened. She'd never seen a self driven car before, especially not one so beat up. The car sent them flying from the spiders cave, making yells leave all of their lips as they became airbourne before landing back on the ground.
Ron took a few deep breaths before looking between Harry and Juniper. "Glad we're out of there." Just as he said that a spider appeared, wrapping it's leg around Ron's throat making the boy yell.
Juniper quickly pulled out her wand yelling, "Arania Exumai!" The spider went flying and Juniper let a shaky breath escape her lips.
Ron swallowed before looking at her. "Thanks for that."
Juniper nodded. Harry turned back towards the front before he narrowed his eyes. His eyes quickly widened when spiders started crawling over the hill. "Get us out of here." Harry demanded. "Now!" Ron did so, putting the car in reverse, going as fast as he could. He turned around, putting the car in drive and pressing on the gas. The spiders were not too far behind.
"This is not how I want to die," Juniper groaned.
"Get us in the air," Harry said.
"Oh. . . oh, I don't like this one bit." Juniper shook her head.
A panicked whimper left Ron's lips. "The flying gear's jammed!"
"Come on!" Harry urged. "Move!"
"I'm trying!" Ron shouted. He moved on of the gears and suddenly they were flying up in the air and away from the spiders. Juniper's eyes widened, heavy breaths leaving her lips. Fang was sitting beside of her and she quickly held the dog for comfort. As they headed back to the castle she sat there and wondered how in the hell she was going to explain this to her mother.