The War of Shades

Chapter 49 Aragog Revisited

Harry began to open the first envelope as he left the prefects bathroom and headed for the stairs. Then something occurred to Harry. He needed to ask Hermione about one more thing. He ran to the hidden passage to the Hospital Wing that they had been shown for removing injured students from DA sessions. He called down it and caught up with her partway down it. She stopped and turned, the dim torchlight of the tunnel gave her excited grin and panting from the running and adrenaline a macabre cast.

"Yes, Harry, is there something else? We're really in quite a hurry and I may not be able to answer, you know."

"Yeah, there's something else, but first - how can you grin at a time like this?"

Her smile took on a bit more warmth and focus, although her speech remained as fast and overwrought as before. "Because it's almost over. You aren't the only one who couldn't really have a life until Voldemort's forces were met. We were all targets, as well as our families, once we had taken training with you. Don't get me wrong - no one regrets that part for a second. We're ever so grateful. But we've been through a lot - as have you - this year to bring it all to this point. We've been in an intricate and torturous cat-and-mouse game all year, and now it's wands out in the open. It's such a relief not to have to pretend any more. And of course, it is delightful that the tables have turned and the hunters have become the hunted - our allies and our traps will flush them out and our platoons will mow them down like we did at Gringott's."

"I guess I can see that," replied Harry, "but I need to make sure I understand something: everything this year has been planned?"

Hermione went on as hyperactive as before. "Yes, in broad outline - we made up the details as we went along, but we could always make up something to argue about, or just go berserk. Sometimes making up ridiculous reasons to fight was great release of tension in itself - rather like playing pranks. Oh, quidditch was played straight if that's what you're worried about. We didn't see a reason to mess with that, and everyone needed their outlet from the stress of putting on an act all the time."

"And Ginny?"

"Oh, yes! Goodness, hasn't she been brilliant?"

"Well, I thought so, but I ..."

"When she was asked, she volunteered immediately, you know," chattered Hermione manically, as if Harry had not even responded, "right from the beginning. We knew that you would need someone other than Hagrid and Cameron for emotional intimacy. And to look in the eyes: you have been looking into her eyes, haven't you?"

"Well, okay, yes, but how did you ...?"

"I told you - she volunteered. We knew. It was safe - she's mastered occlumency. How do you think she got so many detentions? It was deliberate! It was cover for her training. She could have avoided those: of course, she knows how to avoid detention! See, she always got detention with Snape. That was so she could take occlumency lessons without being detected. Oh, she was the perfect candidate. I only wish I had that kind of control. I do fine when there's a chance to think things through, but I get too confused when everything is happening around me. You remember how poorly I did at the Department of Mysteries. But Ginny, now she's just as cool as a ghost, no matter what happens. It was hard on her at first. She kept on getting thrown by it. That's how she went through the knees of her jeans so often. That's why it was always said that she had been scrubbing the floors - it explained why the knees of her jeans were so worn. But she was motivated and by December she had mastered occlumency and after that we only gave her the occasional detention so she could keep in practice. And we looked for the perfect opportunity, when you would be as emotionally low as you could be, when you desperately needed someone to provide you that emotional support that only a relationship like that can provide. When you disappeared in the castle after Dobby and Melony staged their fight, we knew that was the time."

"It was all ... planned?"

"Of course - Dobby and Melony's fight was timed for your arrival. In fact, to goblins the things he said about her qualify as pillowtalk, although the tone wasn't. And when Dobby yelled at you after you visited to see their goblet - all planned. I can't tell you how he hated lying to you and yelling at you, but he was made to understand how his part was crucial to being thoroughly convincing. Even the Hogsmeade trip where you got paired off to explore caves with Ginny was planned. Not that Ron and I minded the date we had, and you two were a hoot showing up the way you did. It was so good to see you playing! We had to keep you going, Harry, but we also had to keep up the appearance of an ever-greater breakdown of our ability to function together. And it worked! Now that's all we have time for. You really need to get going."

Harry nodded numbly as he turned back toward the stairs. He held up the page from the first envelope, but he had trouble reading it as his eyes filled with tears.

There was a dull roar in his ears as his thoughts tumbled over each other. "How could you have thought she would have loved you, Potter? You should have known something was up. You're the coach and the warrior - a compatriot. They had to press someone into service to pose as your girlfriend. Well, at least she was a volunteer, that's what Hermione said. But this is war. People are called volunteers in war when they're not very willing at all. She probably just was looking for extra opportunities to take the glasses off. Everyone hated them, she said so herself. Besides, this helped the plan and would serve to protect her family - she loves them dearly. She said she'd do anything for her family. She'd lay down her life for her family. Compared to that, posing as Potter's girlfriend might not have seemed too awful. Hmf - no wonder she had turned around from her attitude during the summer - she was told she had to for her family and friends. It wasn't about you, Potter, except that 'Coach' had to be kept in the game. She's a fine soldier alright. I never suspected she didn't really love me. I guess it's a good thing I suppressed the legilemency - oh, that's right, she learned occlumency, spent hours with Snape, just so she could hide her real feelings about me. It wouldn't have done for Voldemort to have seen she didn't really care: that would have given up the whole plot. How could you be so foolish, Potter, to lose your heart like that!? Every bad thing that's happened in years has been because of you. You don't deserve someone as wonderful as that."

Then Harry tried to tell himself, "Oh, well, it was for a good cause. She did her part: now I'll do mine." He knew that good magic depended on proper focus and he needed to move on. He thought those words, but he didn't really mean them. He felt angry, used, and abandoned.

Harry brushed away his tears. All around him people were rushing this way and that, still wearing their sunglasses to avoid giving away the strategies. Harry opened the page from envelope 1 - "When you are away from the castle, you are strong enough to apparate where you will. The spell cast today is strong, but because it covers such a large region, it won't stop the strongest of sorcerers. Apparate to Hagrid's cabin. His part of the plan has been explained to him and he will explain what you need to do to help him with his part."

Harry thought it must be something to do with Grawp. As he headed out the door, he was preceded by Justin Finch-Fletchley's platoon heading out together. They smiled and gave him thumbs-up, and then went trotting to the south end of the lake, keeping cover between themselves and the Forest. Harry looked at the bright sky when he got out the door, and then apparated to Hagrid's cabin. He knocked on the door.

The door flew open and Hagrid pulled him in. "Harry, you should have apparated right in - you knew I was expecting you."

"Sorry, Hagrid," said Harry quietly.

"Harry, what's the matter? You're not down about the battle, are you?"

"No, I guess everyone's right - it's time we faced them once and for all. There'll be a lot of injuries, probably deaths as well, but we would lose more dragging things out."

"From what I bin told - and I'm not in on everything, mind you - it's a brilliant plan. Ron and McMillan worked with Moody and aurors for hours and hours on the field strategy so the students and others could all be as safe and efficient as possible. So what's the problem?"

"I guess it's just getting me down that the relationship with Ginny was just a sham to provide me emotional support."

"Oh, now they didn't tell me about that part: I was just told about what I'm to do. Oh, and that there warn't no curse all along."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, well, Hermione told me plenty about it. She was all excited about it - 'everything worked so well'. Except I feel like a drain plug's been pulled on my heart."

"Well, o'course, Harry. But are yeh sure yeh understood Hermione right? She's brilliant and all, but she can get pretty wound up at times. I've seen the way Ginny looks at you, and though I couldn't see her eyes, I don't think anyone could fake that."

"No mistake, Hagrid. Hermione mapped it all out. Ginny's quite the actress. She sure had me going." Then he added bitterly, "But it's all for the greater good, and that's what I've wanted all along. So, what am I supposed to help you with?"

"Well, they told me that you're s'posed to apparate me to Aragog, so I can convince 'im to lead the acromantulas ag'inst the giants. I hate to attack me own kin, but they threw in with Voldemort, so it's their choice, not mine. I shouldn't have any trouble convincing Aragog once I tell him the giants are supporting the wizard that betrayed me so long ago. He's grumbled about that many times. He's wanted revenge all along, if we ever had the chance. Ron explained it all to me, but I told him that I didn't think you could take someone my size."

"Oh, you're no problem, Hagrid. It's not like we're going to London, or anything far away. It's just a few miles."

"Does it hurt?"

"What, apparating!? Oh, that's right, you haven't had a chance to learn it yourself yet, and there aren't many people who could apparate you. No, it feels wonderful. Well, at least I like it. Cameron hates it. But then, he likes the Floo Network, and I hate that. Why do we need to apparate anyway?"

"Mostly to save time. There are teams assigned to fight the giants - can't tell you which ones - but it takes massed magical power to bring down a giant, so we need the acromantulas as soon as possible. Once Aragog puts out the call, it'll take most of an hour to gather the largest of his family, and then another two or more hours to reach the giants. The sooner we open up a second front on the giants, the better."

"Okay, makes sense. I hope you don't mind if I don't stick around for long. Apparently I have other tasks to do."

"O'course. Ron said you would be leaving immediately. Oh, he also told me to apologize for him, but he didn't say why."

"He stunned me. Now that I know why, there's nothing to apologize for."

Hagrid looked puzzled. "Ron stunned you - I'll bite, why?"

"Once the dark forces had committed, our side needed me out of commission for a while so they could get ready to place the anti-apparation spell over the entire region. If I was aware that they were executing a plan, then Voldemort would know and could warn his people. So I had to be unconscious."

"That's a fine way to treat your leader."

"I'm no leader, Hagrid. I'm just the coach. It's okay, though: I can take a little pain to help us all out."

"Alrigh' then, Harry, I guess I'm as ready to get started on this battle as I ever will be. Let's get going. Can you take us right to Aragog's lair?" said Hagrid, apprehensively.

"Of course, Hagrid. I've been there, remember. At least this time I know I can get out if I need to. Don't worry about Apparation: the only odd thing is suddenly being where you need to be," replied Harry. "Take my hand."

Hagrid took his crossbow, a quiver of arrows, a belt pouch with several enormous biscuits (the right size for Hagrid), a five-gallon canteen, and a poncho of some magical creature's skin (Harry thought it was Horklump, but it was hard to tell since he had never seen one live). Harry noticed that Hagrid's hand was trembling as it enfolded Harry's entire hand. Harry could only close his hand around two of Hagrid's fingers, but it would be enough for the firm grip needed.

"Ready, Hagrid?" asked Harry.

"I s'pose," said Hagrid apprehensively.

With a crack they were gone from the cabin and standing in Aragog's clearing. There was a raucous clicking of pincers, until they were quieted by the deep rumble of Aragog's voice.

"Welcome, Hagrid, we have been expecting you."

"Greetin's Aragog. How'd you know I'd be comin'?"

"With a large family such as mine, it is important to know what is occurring throughout our domain. We cover a great area now and pass messages swiftly. We have been particularly watchful since the giants started arriving. There were several of our smaller members in your cabin when your instructions were given to you earlier. We know that you want us to help attack the giants. We have already begun to assemble to consider your request."

"Do you also know that the giants are serving the wizard who betrayed us over fifty years ago?" asked Hagrid.

"That I do, and my personal inclination is to assist, but there are concerns my brood has that must be answered, for they do not remember that time."

"Alright then, let's get it out on the table," said Hagrid.

"First, the ancient evil of which our kind will not speak had left soon after the last time this human with you came here. But now that great evil has returned. We know you had a hand in it."

"Oh, well, Harry here and his friends are keeping it as a pet. They wanted something with a little more zest than just a garter snake. Just like when I was a boy and wanted to raise a spider more interestin' than a simple tarantula."

"Your comparison is not lost on me, Hagrid, but that particular creature appalls us more than any other, and we believe there is a further purpose. We demand honesty in an alliance."

"May I speak, Aragog?" said Harry.

"Certainly, young friend of Hagrid, if you may shed light."

"You're right, it's not just a pet, and in all honesty, except for Hagrid, we all find it just as hideous and terrifying as do you. We enlisted Hagrid's help in hatching it because it was the only method we knew of for eliminating dementors. The stare of the bas- ... erm, the creature you despise will petrify dementors so that we do not have to fight them off again and again. That is our only purpose and when that purpose is fulfilled, it will be destroyed."

"No, Harry, yeh can't kill it!" said Hagrid, in shock.

"Hagrid, you've already petrified yourself once with it - it's just too dangerous."

Aragog chuckled like distant thunder echoing through the forest. "Hagrid, your affection for living things knows no bounds. Your young friend is right - the creature is far too dangerous and not just to us. Can you assure us that we will not be exposed to it if we join the battle?"

"The strategies are being kept from me, as my mind is linked to Lord Voldemort's, but I know from his mind that the dementors are to the south of the lake, attacking along with the dark wizards. They are being kept far from the giants because the giants could not protect themselves from the dementors. I know the people who devised the strategy would have also realized that, so the creature you fear is either being kept in the castle still or it will be brought to the south end of the forest, far from where you are being asked to go."

"Hagrid," said Aragog, "do you trust the wizards who have planned this campaign?"

"The only ones I'd trust more are Professer Dumbledore and Harry here."

"You are sometimes misled, Hagrid, as when you were asked to breed the creature, but you will be with us, so we know you are asking us to trust no more than you yourself are. We will accept this assurance. The second concern is that my brood wishes to know if there can be any sort of reward for its efforts."

"What sort of reward are they looking for?" asked Hagrid.

"Meat! Too often you have prevented us from removing the bodies of creatures you have held affection for, though they were already dead. We do not understand such behavior."

"Well, Aragog, we humans get kind of attached to other beings and creatures, and that affection lasts past their death."

"Hagrid, you are not fully human, no matter how you call yourself. You ask us to kill giants - our kind eats what we kill. Would you prevent us?"

"No, Aragog. In fact, it would actually be doing everyone a favor if your brood removed the giants' bodies. The giants' religion views them as having arisen from the earth and needing to return to the earth to restore themselves after death. That is done by the bodies being left out to be consumed by the creatures of the field and forest. Your taking of their bodies represents fulfillment of their notions of a proper disposal. It would also help the rest of us because it would be a terrible undertaking to dispose of hundreds of giants' corpses."

There was a sudden excited clicking by the assembled spiders at the thought of all those enormous mounds of fresh meat.

"We have not had such a feast in many years. At this point, I am not sure that I could stop my children from attacking if I wanted to."

"Tha's great, Aragog, but please tell 'em not to attack anyone who isn't larger than me, and also to leave m'brother Grawp and Madame Maxime alone."

"That is the giant who has been in these woods for over two years and the half-giantess who walks the woods with you?"

"Tha's right; she'll be working with him to help slow down the giants so you get an easier shot at them."

"We know them. They will not be attacked. But if they are killed by others, we will take the bodies."

"Agreed for Grawp. That would be as he would wish it," said Hagrid. "Maxime has been living as a human - leave her alone."

"Done. A most civilized understanding," said Aragog. "The colony will be ready to depart in fifteen minutes, as you reckon time, Hagrid. As they assemble, I will be giving instructions in our tongue. You may wait by the stream and refresh yourselves, then the brood will follow you to battle. I myself will be unable to go in my blindness, but they understand your speech, and within limitations they will heed you."

"Thanks, Aragog. C'mon, Harry. Let's get a drink at the stream. You won't never taste better water."

"Alright, Hagrid, I can do that while I check my next message, but I'm afraid I mustn't delay," said Harry.

As they walked to the nearby stream, the spiders of every size parted to leave them a path. They were particularly careful not to squash any of their new allies, nor to do anything to the larger Acromantulas which would cause a violent response. Harry waited until they were at stream's edge to open the next envelope. Inside there was a message and an envelope with another piece of parchment wrapped around it.

The message read: "The goblins have been expecting to join the battle for weeks now. Grishnack will be in Gringotts' lobby. He insisted on your appearance to rally the goblins. You are to give him the envelope without having opened it. The parchment around the envelope tells you where to lead Grishnack so that all the goblins can assemble."

"Well, ya see, Harry. Last year, ya helped out the goblins from Fudge's attack, and this year it comes full circle."

Harry nodded. "Well, that's not the reason I did it, but I'm happy for any help we can get. I'd better leave immediately. You've got everything under control here."

"Right, Harry. I'll see you later, prob'ly after the battle."

Harry hugged Hagrid, who hugged him back.

"Be careful, Hagrid."

"I will, but don't you worry about me - look what I'll be surrounded by: thousands of acromantulas, some bigger'n a centaur. Take care of yourself."

"I will, Hagrid." Then Harry disappeared with a pop.