Cohen couldn't bring himself to burst that lovely bubble. Hagrid looked like he'd never been happier – after all, Aragog was the magical creature he'd had the longest.
But when Aragog actually showed up in class to be demonstrated, things weren't quite so cheerful.
"He's just as fluffy as the Chimaera, aren't they?" Cohen whispered, snickering, to Ron – who was already plotting his escape.
"That's spikes!" Ron shivered all over. "No way, I've got to get out of here – will it chase people who run like a hunting dog?"
"Probably, predatory instinct, most animals have it," Cohen guessed. "Lions chase people too, but with the Goat hanging onto its back, there wasn't much danger."
"Anyone want to give it a try?" Hagrid asked, looking disappointed. "Its fur isn't actually all that stiff."
"Is it poisonous, Hagrid?" Parvati asked cautiously from behind the fence.
"Oh, yes, yes, it is," Hagrid said. "Just mind its fangs, the other bits aren't poisonous."
"First the Chimaera, now this..." Some rather gloomy comments started circulating among the students.
"Don't talk rubbish, the Chimaera was actually quite fun," Lavender Brown of Gryffindor shook her head. "That Goat head sounded a lot like Professor Dumbledore, it's a shame it left – I heard that Chimaera was just passing through..."
"Is there really no one?" Hagrid asked.
"Cohen—" Harry nudged Cohen.
"Why are you pushing me—you go sit on it—" Cohen pushed Harry back.
"Aren't you really close with Aragog?" Harry whispered. "Hagrid said you were the one who persuaded it to come..."
"Only if it was cooked would there be a chance," Cohen retorted. "I'm not sitting on a spider, I've always hated bugs—"
"You two?!" Hagrid exclaimed delightedly.
Only then did Cohen and Harry realise everyone else had backed away several steps, leaving the two of them standing there rather conspicuously.
It looked exactly as if they'd volunteered.
"Go on!"
"You'll win!"
"Stay alive!"
Encouraging cheers, sounding rather like they were watching a show, erupted from the crowd.
"We're finished..." Harry groaned.
"Come on, over here." Hagrid enthusiastically scooped them inside the enclosure.
He first picked up Harry in one arm, then smoothed down the stiff hairs on Aragog's back so they wouldn't prick Harry's backside.
"Hagrid, why is it... shaking?" Harry asked, terrified.
"Maybe it's excited – no one's ever ridden it before." Hagrid then picked up Cohen, and also placed Cohen securely onto Aragog's back.
"&*!&^...!$#!"
The very moment Cohen landed on it, Aragog instantly sprang up, letting out an indescribable screech.
Its reason couldn't control its instinct anymore – Harry and Cohen were shaken off onto the ground, and the giant spider's eight legs scrambled wildly, disappearing into the depths of the Forbidden Forest in a way that made your skin crawl.
It was hard to imagine how much of a torment it was for Aragog to be here. It could smell Cohen's scent constantly lingering in the air, and Hagrid kept inviting students to sit on it – being blind, it had no idea who would sit on it next.
So the moment Cohen touched it, it fled as if it had suddenly become decades younger.
"Oh, the agony..." Cohen shook his head.
This lesson was forced to turn into a theory class because of the unexpected turn of events, which brought a sigh of relief from nearly all the students.
Because according to Hagrid's original plan, they were supposed to go with Hagrid to feed Aragog some lamb.
"Maybe it's still too shy," Hagrid concluded after class. "Maybe I should have chosen a younger one..."
"Please don't pick creatures like this for class again, okay?" Ron pleaded. "Otherwise, I might have to drop your class, Hagrid..."
"Alright... alright..." Hagrid ruffled Ron's hair. "I was hoping to help you change your mind about spiders..."
"That's never going to happen," Ron said flatly.
The remaining bit of the term flew by – because everyone was starting to prepare for their final exams.
Cohen, who had "special methods for dealing with exams," started keeping an eye on Voldemort's movements through his Flesh Golem.
Voldemort wanted to see how much support he still commanded – and Lucius came up with a plan.
There was a Quidditch World Cup in August, where many Death Eaters hiding their identities would be present.
Lucius would send up the Dark Mark then, and loyal Death Eaters would show themselves and join in the disruption – nothing would make their allegiance clearer than that.
At the end of the term, Cohen passed his exams by controlling his scores, just as Dumbledore had warned him before, without showing any sign of being "out of the ordinary."
Although Gryffindor had lost one hundred and fifty points because of Harry and the others, the victory in the Quidditch final made up for those points, and Gryffindor secured the House Cup again this year, though not without a scare.
The students boarded the Hogwarts Express, and by midday, they arrived at King's Cross Station.
"This summer's definitely going to be happier than before," a wide smile was fixed on Harry's face. "Sirius said he'll pick me up after my birthday, and if the Dursleys bully me again, he'll come give them a 'little lesson.'"
"You need to be careful," Hermione reminded him worriedly. "Don't let him end up back in Azkaban for hurting Muggles..."
"I just need the threat of it," Harry said. "Telling the Dursleys that should be enough to stop them locking up my books and homework."
Harry's estimate was spot on – he didn't even need to say anything to the Dursleys, because when they left Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, they could see the Dursleys' faces from a distance, seething but not daring to say a word.
Sirius had most likely paid the Dursleys a visit already.
"If that fellow comes again, can't you..." Mr. Dursley was whispering something to Edward. "You've got to keep him in line – he said if we don't treat the boy like our son, he'll turn our whole family into bats—"
"Don't worry, Vernon," Edward patted Mr. Dursley's shoulder. "Just don't mistreat Harry, and he won't do anything to your family."
"Don't you people have any laws about this?!" Mr. Dursley growled quietly. "He's threatening my family!"
"Well, Britain does have laws against abusing minors," Edward reminded him.
Mr. Dursley shrank back, feeling guilty – despite being so fat he barely had a neck.
After picking up Harry, Mr. Dursley stomped away angrily.
"What's going on?" Cohen asked Edward. "Did you join the Ministry of Magic? Handling laws now?"
"Joining up isn't really possible," Edward shook his head. "I can't get up in the mornings now, so I can't manage a job at all – Sirius went to the Dursleys' place the other day, nearly got into a fight with them. Good thing I was home and pulled him back, otherwise he'd probably be back in Azkaban."
"Just got out and he's already trying to get himself locked up again? He certainly lives an interesting life," Cohen smacked his lips. "For Harry's sake, I'll have the Dementors give him a cell that's not quite so draughty, might prevent arthritis..."
It wasn't until Edward took Cohen home that he remembered he had good news to share with Cohen.
"Oh, right, we're all going to the Quidditch World Cup this summer," Edward said. "Arnold said he could get our family four tickets right in the stands – said it was thanks to us boosting his career, because of that Silver Key wanted old man, he's been promoted to the Auror Office now, though still just a clerk. He kept insisting he needed a peaceful work environment because he's about to have a child."
"Quidditch World Cup?" Cohen lay on the sofa, and a question suddenly struck him. "Mum likes travelling, you like Dungeons and Dragons, who in the family actually likes watching Quidditch?"
"Me?" Mr. Frando popped his head out of the kitchen. "I rather like watching wizards flying around up there, like those old witch gatherings..."