A Bend in Time - Chapter 152

Suddenly the darkness lifted enough for Rowan to see that she had reached the ridge of a vast hollow. A hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that stars shone brightly onto the most hair-raising scene she'd ever witnessed. Spiders. Not TINY ONES! Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic!

The massive specimen that was carrying her made its way down the steep slope as Rowan began to desperately hope that basilisk had safely escaped from the sticky tar pit. If not all her planning was for not. And she was about to eaten alive having her organs sucked out like some sort of root beer float via a straw!

The spider made its way down the steep slope toward a misty, domed web in the very center of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly the sight of its load. Rowan was unceremoniously dropped onto the ground. Quickly she rolled to her feet clutching her wand and rooster each in one hand. The spider that had dropped her began to make clicking like sounds as though speaking. "Aragog!" It called. "Aragog."

And from the middle of the misty, domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very slowly. There was more gray than black on his body and legs. And each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head were milky white. He was blind.

"It looks like Aragog is already ancient now and never mind twenty years later," Rowan privately thought to herself.

"What is it?" he asked, clicking his pincers rapidly.

"A man," clicked the spider who had caught Harry.

"Is it Hagrid?" said Aragog, moving closer, his eight milky eyes wandering vaguely.

Suddenly something clicked in Rowan's mind. How did Hagrid get his egg? A complete and utterly random stranger gave it to him. The line that she needed had been staring her in the face all along! Hagrid attended Hogwarts at that same time as Riddle! But more importantly, he might just know something more.



"A stranger," clicked the spider who had caught Rowan.

"Kill them," clicked Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping."

"I'm a friend of Hagrid's!" Rowan loudly cried out as she waited for the spider to ask.

Click, click, click went the pincers of the spiders all around the hollow. Aragog paused. "Hagrid has never sent another man into our hollow before,' he said slowly.

"Actually, I was dragged here by the courteous acromantula over here," Rowan politely said. "And I was attempting to do something on Hagrid's behalf, but I'm afraid that's all for not now. Thanks to this-. I'm sorry, but what is the gender of the acromantula's at my side?"

There is a long pause as Aragog finally says, "Male."

"Ah yes, this gracious gentleman here brought me into your nest," Rowan lied with a straight face. "And I happen to be in the middle of a very important mission that may get all of you killed."

Click, click, click can loudly be heard by the pincers of the spiders all around again as they whisper with disbelief. "And what could possibly pose a danger to us that Hagrid sent ye?" Aragog growled, fiercely clicking his pincers in agitation.

Suddenly a loud boom can be heard in the distance as Rowan merely points in the direction of the sound. The spiders all become still as Aragog hurriedly hisses, "And what is that?"

"Well, I do believe you are quite familiar with it, no, Aragog?" Rowan pointedly said as the old spider stiffened.

"No, the Chamber was sealed away by the last Slytherins heir!" Aragog hissed as the spiders clicked their pincers in sudden distress.

"It would seem we are short on time, but to make the long story short, someone released the foul beast," Rowan tactfully neglected to mention that she was the culprit. "And just as I thought it is indeed coming this way with a nefarious purpose in mind. Therefore, we have one of two choices, we either run very fast in the opposite direction hoping for the best. Or we join hands to temporarily to deal with the horrifying menace."

"We cannot fight it!" Aragog whispered as the clearing began to be filled with clicking full of fear.

"Ah, but I've got a rooster!" Rowan explained as she lifted the quiet bird in her arms for all the spiders to see.

"It smells of magic!" Aragog growled as he clicked his pincers painfully loud.

"I know that this fake rooster won't kill the snake, but it will hurt it," Rowan firmly declared as the two stared at each other for a moment, despite the fact that one of them was very much blind.

"A temporary truce," Aragog finally agreed as his pincers clicked in afterthought.

"Agreed," Rowan said as she cleverly cast the aura spell over herself and neglected to do so on the spiders. Vengeful, a tad bit. But honestly speaking, they'd turn around and try to eat her the moment the basilisk was dead.

The forest is utterly silent except for the booming and crashing sounds that grow louder and louder with each passing second. Trees and creatures alike in the basilisk's path are smashed, crushed, or instantly killed. In its maddened wrath the basilisk would not allow for anything to stand in its way of vengeance.

"It's coming, witch," Aragog softly said as he shivered and clicked once or twice in unease. The sound echoed quite loudly in the silent night as the rest of the acromantula's remained silent and rather still waiting and watching.

Sensing that Aragog needed to hear a response, Rowan said, "That is so, but we will kill it this night."

"Yes, it will end tonight," Aragog clicked his pincers in terror and anger as the creature could now be felt.

The King of Serpents suddenly burst into the clearing enraged as traces of blood could clearly be seen where scales and skin had forcefully been peeled off. Hissing the basilisk reared up and attacked a pair of petrified spiders. Instantly crushing them in its powerful, poisonous maw before flinging the acromantulas aside. Not only did the basilisk instantly kill with its eyes, but its tail as well as swept away all and any assailant.

Squeezing the rooster until it was about to burst, the confounded rooster finally squawked. The basilisk shrieked and began to curse out loud, but Rowan hadn't ever been one to play fair. After all, the saying went, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

The spiders stormed the withering basilisk but even then, they were either thrown off or killed. However, just as one was killed two more replaced the deceased acromantula as more and more spiders swarmed the snake. Still, it wasn't near enough as the snake began to cleverly whip its body around to allow it space from which to attack.

Squeezing the rooster again, the terrified rooster squawked again as the basilisk cursed. "I shall kill you all!" Despite its obvious pain, the basilisk was quickly gaining a tolerance of the transfigured rooster's cries.

"Aragog, will one of your children allow me to ride them to get closer?" Rowan asked at seeing its movements less slow than before.

Clicking its pincers, Aragog turned to the spider that had captured Rowan. The spider angrily clicked back as he said, "Hurry witch!" In the pitch-black darkness, she saw the wavering spider-like form in purple. Climbing as best as she could up the hairy bristled legs, Rowan found herself on top of its sleek back.

"I need to be close," Rowan instructed as the spider scurried forward. Screams could be heard from both the basilisk and the dying acromantulas. The air was filled with violent hissing and clicking of pincers. Something large and eight-legged flew past Rowan's head causing her to duck down and lay low on the spider's back.

"Here," the spider hissed as it abruptly stopped. Raising her head, Rowan could feel the very earth shake as the basilisk wildly fought. Raising her wand high, she watched the dizzying emerald form in the middle of the darkness thrash about. The seconds seemed to turn into minutes as the basilisk remained out of reach until its head finally dropped down below into range at having spotted its enemy. The enraged basilisk barreled forward opening its gaping maws to swallow her whole.

"Sectumsempra!" A scream was heard as the basilisk cried out in agony, "My eyes, my eyes!" Immediately opening her eyes, Rowan sees the once bright yellow serpent eyes now dull having been sliced open as blood and goo streamed out.

The spiders seeing their chance instantly swarm forward as Rowan leaps off at sensing the spider's ill intent. The spider she was riding quickly joins the foray as the spiders attack the defenseless snake. But the Basilisk was the King of Serpents for a reason and despite its blindness, it still could hear and taste them in the air.

Still tightly clutching her rooster, Rowan waited and watched as the Basilisk grew weaker and weaker from the bleeding wounds in its eyes that would not cease to bleed. Hours or maybe mere minutes later, the basilisk finally fell and ceased to move. And with it over 2/3rds of the acromantula colony were now dead.

There is a silence for a moment until Rowan releases the rooster that eagerly flaps away to escape. Warily turning towards Aragog, Rowan drily says, "I do believe our truce is now over."

"Yes," Aragog clicked as the remaining spiders of the nest creep out.

Firmly gripping her wand, Rowan is about to teleport away, when Aragog says, "I was watching you, young witch. You could have easily fled, but you stood beside us and fought. Even dealing the creature the fatal blow that caused its fall."

Taking a step forward, Aragog clicked. "We may be magical creatures, but we repay our debts. Take the victor's spoils, young witch. And leave to never return."

Rowan warily nods as she scurries forward to where the giant emerald basilisk lays lifeless. Quickly casting a preservation spell, Rowan says the shrinking charm, "Diminuendo." The basilisk shrinks to a long scarf length, which was fine by her as she transfigured into a muffler and wrapped the transfigured snake around her neck like a scarf.

Nodding once to the spiders, Rowan turns to leave and scurries out of the clearing before using the point me spell to find north. Rushing through the forest in the moonlight, she doesn't dare use Lumos lest it attracts anything else unwanted. The moon had long begun to wane, but she knew she was quite far off from where she emerged from.