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The moon—a milky sphere floating in an indigo ocean—cast soft light on the ground. Castle room lights had gone out. Only corridor fires still flickered. Far off, the Black Lake rolled gentle silver waves under moonlight.
Anthony and Hagrid walked through dense forest. Damp leaves made soft rustling sounds under their feet.
Even with moonlight so bright, the deeper they went, the darker it became. In spring's growing season, new leaves blocked outside light completely.
Hagrid skillfully skirted a tree stump. Stepped over its protruding roots. "Nearly there. Bet you know the way by now, Henry."
Night wrapped them like velvet burial cloth. Only distant cricket chirps and occasional unseen creature rustles broke the silence.
Anthony looked around. Didn't even see Centaurs. The Forest at night seemed nothing but endless trees. Off the path, they grew even denser. Branches reached skyward like skeletal fingers. Leaves layered thick overhead.
The ground suddenly dropped. Surroundings brightened abruptly.
Anthony followed Hagrid closely. Used his back for support to avoid sliding down. The layered leaf canopy overhead had vanished. This wide hollow held no trees at all. Just frighteningly large spiders and misty white webs.
"Aragog!" Hagrid boomed. "Aragog! Where is he?"
As if answering his call, several giant spiders clicked loudly too. "Aragog! Hagrid! Hagrid!"
Others told Hagrid and Anthony, "Aragog is sleeping." They stared at Anthony. Looked at Hagrid. Fiddled with their eight legs. Slowly retreated.
The dome-shaped web in the clearing's center moved. Then a shockingly large blind Acromantula emerged slowly.
"What happened?" It waved its pincers. Asked wearily but with concern. "What is it now, Hagrid?"
Hagrid said happily, "Aragog, look who I brought! Henry!"
"What is Henry?" Aragog asked without interest.
Anthony tugged Hagrid's elbow. Hagrid didn't notice. Just raised the bottle high. "We came to drink with you, old friend! Celebrate... celebrate clearing your name!"
Aragog—woken from sleep to find Hagrid just wanted drinks—wrapped around Hagrid's middle. Laboriously hauled him toward the trees.
Hagrid grabbed its fuzzy long legs. Muttered drunkenly. After Aragog climbed the steep slope, shouted, "Wait, Henry!"
"Yeah, thanks for that," Anthony complained. Picked up the dropped bottle. Looked at the giant spiders beside him. "Well, I'm heading back too. See you next time."
A spider greedily clicked its pincers.
"I really want to eat human..." it said. Took a tentative step toward Anthony. Several Acromantulas beside it began staring at Anthony intently. Slowly followed. Shifted their legs. Thick fur trembling slightly in the breeze.
The spider behind it said, "No!"
Anthony also said calmly, "I suggest you restrain that thought."
The spider who'd voted against the eating proposal said, "Can't you tell who he is? Hagrid said—he's the one who killed the monster we don't name."
The pro-eating Acromantula repeated: "Human."
Another spider clicked. "Ah, human... Hagrid's friend..."
The objecting spider said, "Foolish. This means he's dangerous! Try if you want. Human, please remember I don't want to eat you."
"What's your name?" Anthony asked.
The spider said, "I don't need a name, Hagrid's friend."
"Then how should I distinguish you from other spiders?"
The spider hesitated. Said, "You may call me Ninety-Seventh Grandchild."
"Dangerous..." The spiders hesitated. Whispered discussions drowned in clicking pincers. Anthony suspected every Acromantula in the hollow was talking.
"If you don't object, I'll leave," Anthony said.
Spiders discussed. Eight eyes hesitantly examined him. Anthony walked to the steep slope's edge. Found it hard to climb.
Behind him, Acromantula arguments grew fiercer.
The spider wanting to eat him said, "Leave? I think that's difficult..." It still watched Anthony. Like a child eyeing dessert. Body swaying slightly.
Anthony shook his head.
Of course, he could use necromancy to build himself a ladder. Or directly borrow corpses from various Forest creatures (even Acromantulas) to send himself up. But he didn't want to rashly use necromancy anymore. So—
"Expecto Patronum!"
The air trembled. A massive bear appeared in the clearing. Bigger than all the Acromantulas. Bigger than Aragog. Compared to this nearly eight-foot-tall black bear, even the moonlight-reflecting silver webs seemed low.
It looked around. Sniffed a nearby Acromantula (which quickly jumped away). Curiously looked up at the moon. Then lay down. Let Anthony grab its fur. Climb onto its back. Slowly stood.
"Farewell, descendants of Hagrid's friend," Anthony said, copying the spiders' manner of address. "And farewell, Ninety-Seventh Grandchild."
The spiders said nothing. Rustled back.
"Let's go." Anthony said. The bear stepped forward. Easily walked out of the hollow.
Anthony looked down at the Forest. Saw at the Forest's edge—Aragog walking back. Milky blind eyes staring blankly at the sky. Eight legs moving rapidly. As if it knew the Forest paths by heart. On the other side, birds flew up. Trees shook. Must be Hagrid trying to return.
"Let's find Hagrid," he told the bear.
He didn't know how to dismiss the summoned bear—few people wanted to dismiss a Patronus—could only wait for it to fade naturally.
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