CHAPTER FIFTEEN
❛Him? That fool?❜
As the Gryffindor students walked into the Dark Forest, everyone had different ways to deal with the creepiness. Ron jumped at the sound of anything, Harry kept his wand raised, while Hope admired it all.
"There's something moving over there, something big." called out Ron, taking multiple steps backward.
A flash of light shined through the trees, coming out in spots where leaves weren't visible. Harry and Ron went to turn around but Hope let out a loud laugh.
"Guys, it's just the car." she pointed out, the once shiny car was now scratched with lumps of dirt and grass sticking out of it.
"Merlin, it's filthy." Harry looked at the windows.
Ron let out a laugh. "It's been here all this time, look at it. The Forest has turned it wild."
The Potter boy glanced back at the slope they were following. "Let's go, we don't want to lose our trail."
Hope, Harry, and Ron followed the trail into a shadowed area, tall trees towered over them, with webbing all over. Harry kept his hands at his side, while Ron kicked web off of his feet. Hope reached out to touch the web.
"Extraordinary." she said, amazed at the style. "Now, if I was correct these are from--"
"Harry." Ron called out. "Hope."
"Don't panic."
The air crackled with movement as a big spider came down from the trees. As it came down, they noticed its unusual large size. Harry and Ron backed away but Hope took many steps forward.
"You do not come from The Forest, your heart beats like," the spider paused. "Men."
"We're friends of Hagrid's, my name is Hope. You must be Aragog, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The head of the spider turned ever so slightly. "Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before."
"Aragog, Hagrid is in big trouble. The monster of the Chamber has attacked again. And for some reason, the Minister thinks it was Hagrid." Hope explained.
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."
Harry stood up straight. "We know one thing, Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was, well is, innocent."
Hope, Ron, and Harry all wandered into the Hospital Wing. The Lupin girl eyed each one of the petrified victims while the two boys stayed by Hermione.
"Each one is merely petrified, not dead. Why?" she spoke out loud.
Madam Pomfrey frowned as she walked in. "There is no point in talking to a petrified person. They won't hear a thing that you say."
Ron shifted uncomfortably. "We know that, Madam Pomfrey. It's just, well, you see--"
"She's our friend. Even if she can't hear a thing we say, what would it hurt? We miss her, Poppy." Hope spoke up.
"Madam Pomfrey to you, Miss Lupin." she scolded. "But, very well then. Be quick about it."
As the three stood next to Hermione's bed, Hope picked up the circular mirror she held. While Ron just eyed Lockhart's card that read out 'Get Well Soon.'
"You don't think Lockhart could be the Heir of Slytherin, could you?"
The Lupin girl bursted out into laughter. "Him? That fool? Hilarious. Besides, he was never in Slytherin, he was a Ravenclaw. Not that he is smart enough to do something like that."
"Forget I said anything." mumbled Ron.
"The Basilisk, Hermione must've seen it. But why isn't she dead?" Hope spoke out loud.
Harry looked to Hope. "The mirror? I mean, Colin Creevy seen it through his camera--"
"That's it! Hermione saw it through the mirror, while Colin saw it through his camera. Justin must have seen it through Nearly-Headless Nice, who couldn't die because he's already dead." she yelled out.
"What about Mrs. Norris? I am pretty sure she didn't have a camera or mirror, Hope." the statement made Hope sit down before she jumped back up.
"That water, there was water on the floor that night. She only saw the reflection."
Harry looked to Hope. "Then why were Hagrid's roosters killed?"
She looked at her friend. "The crowing of the rooster is fatal to it. That must've been why."
"How has it been getting around? Someone surely would have noticed a big dirty snake before now--" Ron was cut off once again.
"Pipes." added Harry. "It's using the plumbing."
The Lupin girl's eyes lit up suddenly. "Harry, Ron, remember what Aragog said? About the girl fifty years ago? She died in a bathroom, what if she never left?"
"Moaning Myrtle!" the Weasley boy jumped up.
The three students walked down the corridor, peeking around every corner. Out of nowhere, Professor McGonagall's voice echoed through the castle.
"All students return to their dorms at one. All teachers to the second-floor corridor. Immediately."
Professor McGonagall stood beside a wall, while the three stood by listening closely to the conversation that was unfolding.
"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fear has happened. A student has been taken by the monster, into the Chamber itself." all of the teachers reacted in great fear. "I'm afraid we have to send the students home. This is the end of Hogwarts."
Gilderoy burst in cheerfully. "So sorry, dozed off. What have I missed?"
Snape wore a slight grin as he spoke to the man. "Just the man. A girl has been snatched by the monster Lockhart. Your moment has come at last."
"My moment?" Lockhart spoke with worry lacing his voice.
"Weren't you just saying last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" Severus questioned.
"Did I?" he managed to say over the shock. "I don't recall--"
McGonagall interrupted. "That settles it. We'll leave it to you to deal with the monster, Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, you are a legend."
"Very well, I'll be in my office. You know, getting ready?" his statement came out more as a question.
Professor Sprout looked to the Deputy Headmistress. "Who has the monster taken, Minerva?"
"Ginny Weasley."
Hope's jaw dropped, her eyes filled with tears. "No, no. Not Ginny."
"Hope?"
"If that blubbering idiot doesn't know how to save Ginny. I'll kill him." and with those final words, the three sprinted to Lockhart's classroom.