Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix [77]
“Thank you again,” hissed Harry as he, Ron, and Hermione ran off.
“What did it say?” asked Hermione as they ran off.
“He said that the spiders are in the middle of the forest, in a place where the moon light shines,” said Harry, skipping the part about the whole Dark Lord and his master thing. Ron shuddered.
“Do we have to use the spiders?” asked Ron as they continued running. “I mean, can’t we just leave for Azkaban now?”
“No Ron,” said Harry. “If we leave now, there’s almost a one hundred percent chance that we’ll be seen, caught, and punished. We need to distract everyone.”
“Alright alright,” said Ron. They went a little further, and Harry suddenly saw a bright light creeping through a few trees.
“I think the clearing’s coming up,” he whispered. Harry was right. Within seconds, after working their way through countless trees and bushes, they came to a large clearing in the middle of the woods.
It was a sight to behold, Harry had never seen anything like it. Millions of spiders of all sizes ranging from that of a nickel to the giant one the size of an elephant were all dancing in perfect unison in a circle. They were all synchronously clicking their pincers to create a very eerie tone. The giant spider in the middle was shooting a continuous stream of web into the air like a fountain. Harry recognized the giant spider as Aragog.
“There he is,” said Harry to Ron and Hermione, pointing to Aragog. Ron and Hermione nodded. The three of them were squatting behind a large bush and peering through a hole in it.
“What are they doing?” asked Ron.
“They praying to the moon,” said Hermione. “Since all spiders fear the basilisk, it seems like an appropriate thing to do.” Ron and Harry gave her confused looks, she just sighed.
“Don’t you know?” she asked them, knowing the answer. “The crowing of a rooster is fatal to a basilisk, and since the setting of the moon signifies morning, in which the rooster would crow, the spiders are performing a ceremony to ensure that it sets.”
“But, doesn’t the rising of the sun also go along with the crowing of a rooster?” asked Ron.
“Yes it does Ron,” said Hermione. “But, since spiders prefer the night, they see the moon as a more powerful deity and worship it instead.”
“Okay, enough babbling,” said Harry, getting more and more freaked out by their eerie ceremony every second. “We should creep around behind them, and then chase the big one in the middle up to the castle. Alright?” Ron and Hermione whispered “Yes,” and they started walking around the spider’s ceremonial circle, trying to be as quiet as possible. It was very strenuous and slow work, trying not to step on a single leaf, or say anything when your arm was pierced by a large thorn.
However, they finally made it to the other side of the spiders, the point from which they would begin their charge. Harry looked at his basilisk watch, and he suddenly felt nervous. Not nervous like before you’re about to say your lines for a play, present something in front of a class, or even right before a Quidditch game. It was nervousness like before you know you’re about to die. But, Harry reminded himself that he had to do this, and he suddenly felt confidence flowing through him.
“Okay, Hermione and Ron, I’m going to run out to them. As soon as I step out, aim your wands at my ring, and use the Engorgio spell. That should create a large enough basilisk to scare them away.” Hermione and Ron took out their wands. Harry stood up, took a deep breath, and ran out right into the middle of the spiders’ ceremony.
CHAPTER 16- The Return of the Phoenix
It was pure chaos. As soon as Ron and Hermione used the Engorgio spells on Harry’s ring, it immediately grew almost one hundred times its size, both in length and width. It shot out like a missile off of Harry’s wrist, and it hit