Cassia's POV

Today, we had a Quidditch game, Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. Right now, we were listening to Wood talk us through our match strategy. "Alright, listen up. We play our game. Hufflepuff doesn't stand a chance. We're stronger, quicker, and smarter," he encouraged us. We all walked out of the tent and headed for the pitch.

"And not to mention they're dead scared that Harry and Cassia will Petrify them if they fly anywhere near them," Fred added.

Wood shrugged. "Well, that too."

McGonagall suddenly came up to us, stopping us from going onto the field.

"Professor McGonagall, what's going on?" I asked.

"This match has been cancelled," McGonagall informed us.

"Professor, you can't cancel Quidditch," Wood protested.

"Silence, Wood. You and your teammates will go to Gryffindor Tower," McGonagall ordered. Once Wood and the others were out of sight and earshot, she turned to Harry and I.
"Potters, you and I will find Mr. Weasley. There's something the three of you have to see," she said.

We nodded and rushed to find Ron. Once we did, McGonagall led us to the hospital wing. "I warn you, this could be a wee bit of a shock," she admonished us as she led us to a bed in a far corner of the room.

I gasped once I saw who it was. "No..."

"Hermione?" Ron added.

"She was found near the library. Along with this," McGonagall held up a mirror. "Does it mean anything to any of you?" she asked.

We shook our heads.

McGonagall then walked out of the hospital wing, leaving Harry, Ron, and I alone with our best friend. I knew Hermione probably wouldn't be able to feel me, but I didn't care- I hugged her anyway.

<><><><><>

Later on, we were all asked to return to Gryffindor Tower.

"Could I have your attention, please?" McGonagall called out. All eyes turned to her. "Because of recent events, these new rules will be put into effect immediately." She unrolled a scroll and read "All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock every evening. All students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions." With that said and done, she rolled up her scroll. "I should tell you this. Unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught, it is likely the school will be closed," she told us. As soon as she left, everyone started whispering about the news.

My brother and I looked at Ron.

"We've got to talk to Hagrid. I can't believe it's him. If he did set the monster loose last time, he'll know how to get inside the chamber. And that's a start," Harry said.

"But you heard McGonagall. We're not allowed to leave the tower except for class," Ron objected.

"I think it's time to get our dad's old cloak out again," I told him.

<><><><><>

Once everyone was asleep, I got out of bed, changed into some street clothes, and met up with Harry and Ron in the common room.

My outfit:

Harry wrapped the cloak around us and we snuck down to Hagrid's hut. I knocked on the door and it opened abruptly.

"Who's there? Hello? Hello?" Hagrid called out. We took off the cloak. "Oh, it's you three. Come in," Hagrid let us in and made tea. When he poured some into Ron's cup, he was shaking and he overfilled the cup.

"Hagrid, are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine," Hagrid answered.

"Did you hear about Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that, alright," said Hagrid.

"Look, we've got to ask you something. Do you know who's opened the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry questioned.

"Now, look, what you have to understand about this is-" Fang's loud barking cut Hagrid off. "Quick, under the cloak! Under the cloak! Don't say a word, any of yeh!"

We did as he said and slipped to a far corner of the hut, while Hagrid walked over to the door and opened it. "Professor Dumbledore, sir," he greeted. From where we were hiding, I could see Dumbledore and a shorter, middle-aged man.

"Good evening, Hagrid. I wonder...could we?" Dumbledore asked.

Hagrid let them both in.

"That's dad's boss. Cornelius Fudge. Minister of Magic," Ron whispered to us.

"Bad business, Hagrid. Very bad business. Had to come. Three attacks on Muggleborns. The Ministry's got to act," Fudge said.

"No, I never...You know I never-" Hagrid objected.

Dumbledore cut him off. "I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence."

"Albus, look, Hagrid's record is against him. I've got to take him," Fudge insisted.

"Take me? Take me where? Not Azkaban prison," Hagrid protested.

Fudge had a solemn look on his face. "I'm afraid we have no choice," he said.

Before Hagrid or Dumbledore could argue further, there was another knock at the door, and then it opened to reveal Lucius Malfoy. "Already here, Fudge? Good," he said, walking into the hut.

"What're you doin' here? Get outta my house," Hagrid snapped.

"Believe me, I take absolutely no pleasure being inside your...you call this a house?" Lucius replied, "I simply called up the school and was told the headmaster was here."

"And what exactly is it that you want with me?" Dumbledore asked.

"The other governors and I have decided it is time for you to step aside," Lucius replied. He held out a scroll. "This is an order of suspension." He handed it to Dumbledore and added, "You'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel as if you'd, rather, lost your touch."

"You can't take Professor Dumbledore away. Take him away and the Muggleborns won't stand a chance! You mark my words, there'll be killin's next!" Hagrid warned.

"Calm yourself, Hagrid. If the governors desire my removal, I will, of course, step aside," Dumbledore assured him. "However..." He walked up to Lucius. "...you will find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

"Admiral sentiments," Lucius sarcastically remarked. "Shall we?" He turned to the Minister. "Fudge?" With that, he left, taking Dumbledore with him.

The Minister gave a small sigh. "Come, Hagrid," he said, glancing back at our half-giant friend.

"If, uh...if anybody was lookin' fer some stuff, then all they'd have to do would be to follow the spiders," Hagrid said, "Yep. That'd lead them right. All I have ter say." He started to follow Fudge. "Oh, and someone'll need to feed Fang while I'm away." The door shut behind them as they, too, left the hut.

When we were certain they were out of earshot, we took off the cloak.

"Hagrid's right. With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day," Ron remarked.

Harry and I looked over at the window. Numerous small spiders were crawling up the wall, and out one of the windows.

"Come on," I urged the boys, starting for the door.

"What?!" Ron exclaimed.

"You heard what Hagrid said, 'Follow the spiders'," Harry said.

"They're heading for the Dark Forest!" Ron whined.

Harry and I ignored him, taking two lanterns and following the direction of the spiders.

"Why spiders? Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?" I heard Ron continue to complain, making me roll my eyes.

"Why can't you man up?" I asked, not even bothering to look behind me at Ron.

<><><><><>

"Harry, Cassia, I don't like this. Guys, I don't like this at all," Ron whimpered as we ventured deeper and deeper into the forest. Harry only shushed him in response.

After what felt like hours of walking, we finally came to what appeared to be a spider hollow.

"Can we go back now?" Ron complained.

The miniscule spiders crawled into the hollow, and disappeared from our sights. For a few short moments, everything went quiet.

"Who is it?" we heard a deep voice hiss, breaking the silence. "Hagrid, is that you?" it asked.

"We're friends of Hagrid's," Harry answered.

I heard several loud thuds coming from right in front of us. Eight long, spindly legs appeared, and then a body, and then a face. It was a giant spider. Probably the biggest one I've ever seen in my life.

"You...you're Aragog, aren't you?" I asked.

"Yes. Hagrid has never sent men or women into our hollow before," Aragog replied.

"Up at the school, there's been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets, like before," Harry told him.

"That's a lie! Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets!" Aragog snapped.

"Then you're not the monster?" I assumed.

"No. The monster was born in the castle," Aragog replied, "I came to Hagrid from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveler."

"Harry, Cassia," Ron whimpered, only for Harry to shush him in response.

"But if you're not the monster, then what did kill that girl fifty years ago?" I asked.

"We do not speak of it! It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others," Aragog answered.

"Have you seen it?" Harry asked.

"I never saw any part of the castle, but the box in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here," Aragog explained.

"Guys..." Ron whimpered.

"What?" Harry and I snapped.

Ron only pointed skyward. I followed the direction of his hand and saw multiple spiders coming down towards us. They were way bigger than the ones that led us to Aragog. Looking over at Harry, I saw him getting a bit nervous as well. Even I was starting to get scared.

"Well, thank you. W-We'll just...go," Harry stuttered.

"Go?" Aragog questioned, "I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye, friends of Hagrid." He disappeared into the hollow, leaving us to fend for ourselves against his...children.

"Can we panic now?" Ron whined.

A spider jumped down in front of us, and Harry immediately whacked it with the lantern. When another spider came at us, I did the same thing. But it wasn't enough. We were eventually surrounded on all sides, with the spiders all closing in on us, ready to attack.

"Know any spells?" Ron asked.

"I know one. But it's not powerful enough for all of them," Harry answered.

"Where's Hermione when you need her?" Ron asked.

Right before any of the spiders could make a move to bite us, we were momentarily blinded by a pair of bright lights. Some of the spiders were shoved aside as something hit them. To our surprise, it was the Ford Anglia. As curious as I was to know how it managed to find us, I knew we didn't have time to ponder over this. We had to get moving, or else we'd be spider chow. The three of us rushed over to the car.

"Aranea Exumai!" Harry yelled, aiming his wand at a spider as it tried to attack him while he was trying to open the front passenger's side door.

We got into the car and slammed the doors shut. In the few seconds it took Ron to get us moving, two spiders jumped onto the roof and hood of the car. Instead of going forward, the car was somehow stuck in reverse. Luckily, one of the spiders fell off the roof of the car.

"WHOAAAAA!" we all shouted as we flew over a small hill, before landing far away from Aragog's hollow. The other spider fell off the windshield, crashing to the ground.

"Glad we're out of there," Ron panted. Somehow, he managed to jinx it, because a spider appeared in the window and grabbed him with its pincers. Ron started screaming, trying to pry it off. I tried to help him, but the spider would not let go. It seemed dead set on attacking Ron.

Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the spider. "Aranea Exumai!" The force of the spell sent the spider flying backwards.

"Thanks," Ron panted.

"Don't mention it," Harry said. He was about to put his wand away when we noticed all the spiders crawling towards us. With every passing second, they got closer and closer.

"Get us out of here. Now!" I ordered.

Ron slammed his foot on the gas and we drove as fast as humanly possible.

"Come on! Come on, go faster!" Harry urged.

We drove, but the spiders were still following us. Ron tried slamming his foot on the gas, but the spiders kept up with the speed.

Things were not looking too good for us. I knew there was only one way to get them off our trail. "Get us in the air!" I ordered.

Ron tried to pull the lever that would make us airborn, but failed. "The flying gear's jammed!" he told us. He tried again.

"Go! Go!" Harry encouraged.

"I'm trying!" Ron yelled.

"Maybe we need to use extra force," I suggested. Taking my advice, Harry put a hand on the lever and started pulling, but it wouldn't budge. I grabbed hold of the lever and helped them try to pull it. It took us 3 tries, but the third time was the charm. The car lifted off the ground and we were in the air.

We landed once we got out of the forest, not too far away from Hagrid's hut.

"Follow the spiders? Follow the spiders?! If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him!" Ron yelled, once we got out of the car.

The doors of the car slammed shut and then the now-wild vehicle sped off, back into the forest.

"I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?" Ron asked.

"We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent," Harry answered.

"So, that's four people we've ruled out," I added.

"Four?" Ron repeated.

"Yes, four. We know it's not Harry or I. Malfoy said he doesn't know anything, and Aragog told us Hagrid was innocent," I explained. So who's behind this?