Chapter 62
Standing at the entrance of the cave, Albert couldn't help but reflect on the strange magic of fate. What had started as a simple hunting expedition had turned into a full-scale purge of the eight-eyed giant spiders.
But when he looked at the faces of the surrounding horsefolk, he found them quite satisfied with the unexpected turn of events. After all, for them, this had also resulted in the eradication of a long-standing plague in the Forbidden Forest. Even if it hadn't been part of the original plan, it didn't spoil their mood.
Still, Albert couldn't help but think: there were always traitors or opportunists at the end of battles—those who seized the chance to steal spoils during the final moments.
Albert didn't necessarily consider this behavior evil. After all, even unicorns—symbols of gentleness—hadn't opposed such practices.
This train of thought brought him back to the aftermath of Voldemort's first fall. So many Death Eaters had blood on their hands, and yet most had merely been imprisoned. When Voldemort rose again, many of those same Death Eaters returned and committed even more murders.
If they had been executed earlier, how many innocent lives might have been spared?
In this light, Albert came to a grim conclusion: perhaps the British wizarding world simply didn't have enough good unicorns in it.
Shaking off these thoughts, Albert quickly got to work. He tied together all the remaining grenades into a massive explosive cluster, then discussed the attack plan with the centaur riders.
At Lady Betty's command, several riders threw seven or eight remaining grenades into the cave. A series of blasts echoed deep inside, and whatever spider remained within was surely shaken.
Though nothing had emerged yet, Albert pointed his wand into the cavern and magically launched a cluster of grenades deep into the hollow. At the same time, he fired a rocket-enhanced spell to push them further in.
Sensing that the grenades had made it to the cave's depths, Albert shouted, "Take cover!"
He ducked behind a rock, squatted, covered his ears, opened his mouth, and braced himself.
The explosion that followed was immense.
A shockwave roared through the air, making his internal organs feel compressed and distorted. Despite his preparation—covering his ears and opening his mouth—the thunderous blast still left his ears ringing.
Once the noise died down and the tremors ceased, Albert slowly emerged from his shelter. The unicorns and riders crept out from their hiding spots as well.
Albert had just stepped forward to observe the aftermath when a dark blur darted from the mouth of the valley—it was Wolf, his face pale and his hands clamped over his ears.
"Oh Merlin, oh Merlin, that was a terrifying explosion," Wolf exclaimed breathlessly. "You wouldn't believe it, I saw a spider leg fly right past my face!"
Albert, now at the cave's mouth, could see clearly: green blood and charred remains were scattered in a radial pattern from the cavern's center. Fires, both large and small, danced across the shattered bodies.
Albert cast a detection charm to sense life within the cave—nothing. The spiders were dead.
More than ten minutes later, two riders ventured inside to confirm. When they returned, their report was definitive: the spiders nearest the blast had been completely destroyed. Aragog's head had been found crushed against a jagged rock, obliterated by the force.
Several other spiders remained intact in body but had clearly been choked or burned to death. Deeper within the cave, they had even found dozens of eggs—all of which had been cooked by the intense heat.
It was done.
The eight-eyed giant spider infestation in the Forbidden Forest had finally been eradicated. Everyone who had taken part in the battle wore a triumphant smile.
The unicorns bid their farewells, and Lady Betty instructed the horses to begin collecting spider remains as spoils of war.
---
After the ceremony, Albert reflected on the forest around him. So many souls had been trapped in this place—corrupted, tainted by decades under the shadow of the giant spiders.
The eight-eyed spider was a dark creature. Its presence alone had poisoned the forest, blocking the path for spirits to return to the natural cycle. Over the decades, the very atmosphere had grown twisted.
So Albert did more than purge the living spiders—he cleansed the lingering spiritual corruption built up over generations.
Though the cost in magical resources was high, the gains were even greater. His soul magic had been strengthened. Every time he purified a soul, he could feel his merit increase slightly, accelerating his spiritual growth.
By the time he was finished, the sun had long dipped beyond the horizon. It was time to return to the castle.
At Lady Betty's request, Wolf escorted Albert back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A week later, Wolf would deliver all the materials harvested from the spider corpses—Albert would certainly make use of them.
---
On the way back, Wolf chatted as he always did, his voice cheerful and relaxed. Albert simply listened with a smile. As they reached the forest's edge, he noticed Wolf looking hesitant.
Perhaps it was hard for a creature with such a young soul to live among so many battle-hardened riders. This place, though beautiful, could be isolating.
So Albert promised, "As long as I'm well, I'll visit you again." He also asked Lady Betty to notify him when the time was right.
Reassured, Wolf smiled again. And with that, Albert departed smoothly back to the castle.
Unfortunately, it was already past 7:30—well after dinner hours.
Albert remembered that he still had some emergency rations—compressed biscuits tucked into his enchanted bag from the last trip. Not ideal, but they would have to do.
---
Dragging his tired body into the common room, Albert spotted a small, brown, furry head poking around.
Before he could react, he was dragged into the corner of the room, where a rapid barrage of scolding awaited him.
"Albert, where have you been?! I didn't see you at dinner, and your roommates said you weren't in the dorm all afternoon! If I hadn't found you, I was going straight to Professor McGonagall!"
It was Hermione—clearly upset.
Albert felt a twinge of guilt. After all, worrying about someone else was an act of kindness, not a flaw.
He quickly offered a sincere apology.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to worry you. I went into the Forbidden Forest this afternoon to visit… an interesting friend."
He then shifted the conversation, introducing her to Wolf and his background, sharing his experience.
As he spoke, Albert felt a small warmth in his heart. It was comforting—this simple feeling of kno
wing that someone cared.
It was something truly precious.