Chapter 85: Seeking Their Fortune
Chapter 85: Seeking Their Fortune
Harry and Ron both held their breath.
They had already guessed that Hagrid's ultimate goal in leading them to follow the spiders was to find this giant spider—Aragog.
Aragog could prove that Hagrid was wrongly accused and expelled from Hogwarts fifty years ago.
They also understood why Sherlock had come to the Forbidden Forest at midnight to find Aragog.
However, Aragog did not give him a definitive answer.
"No, I have my suspicions, but I cannot speak of it. That ancient creature, I dare not provoke it."
As he spoke, the spiders around them began to slowly gather in Sherlock's direction.
Sherlock coldly watched Aragog, who was crawling backward, preparing to retreat into his den.
"What do you intend to do?"
"With my restraint, my descendants will not harm Hagrid, but I cannot stop them from enjoying the food at their doorstep. I have lived long enough and have only a few days left. I have no energy to deal with Hagrid's affairs. I am now just a blind, dying old spider."
Harry and Ron, watching the giant spiders converging on them, clutched Sherlock's robe in growing anxiety.
They exchanged pale glances, seeing the same thought in each other's eyes.
Professor Forrest's jinx had come true once again!
"Beasts are beasts", Sherlock's voice was cold and calm. "No matter how well humans treat them, beasts will still follow their instincts. It's truly revolting."
Aragog did not respond, as the giant spiders were now swarming around them, about to engulf them.
Harry and Ron screamed in terror, and at that moment, Sherlock finally raised his wand.
"Fiendfyre."
Bright yellow flames erupted around him, the intense heat forcing the surrounding spiders back. The flames protected Harry, Ron, and Fluffy.
"What do we do now, Professor?" Harry asked urgently.
Sherlock controlled the flames, expanding their range to a five-meter radius around him.
The giant spiders retreated, both fearing the heat and the intense light.
"Follow me, grab my arm, and don't let go", Sherlock quickly instructed, then began moving toward the edge of the spider swarm, protected by the flames.
Although Acromantulas are classified as highly dangerous magical creatures, their weakness is very clear.
They fear fire.
Sherlock had been at Hogwarts for over half a year and, while he had not mastered many advanced spells, he had become extremely proficient with practical, foundational spells like Fiendfyre.
In fact, the flames he cast were even more powerful than those of an average wizard.
During his free time, he had engaged in some simple exchanges with Professor Flitwick, who was a master of spells and had been teaching at Hogwarts for decades.
Even this seasoned spell master praised the intensity of Sherlock's spells, noting that he had clearly not neglected his magical training and research over the years, despite having only started seriously studying magic half a year ago.
This only made him more skeptical of the contents of the Soul Stitching book he had found in the library, originally owned by its author's mother.
If a soul is torn apart, it should weaken the strength of magic, so why does it seem to have the opposite effect on him?
Under the protection of the flames, Sherlock led Harry and Ron out of the spider's nest.
However, those spiders, which had been suppressed by Aragog and had never tasted human flesh, had no intention of giving up.
They continued to follow Sherlock and his group like a pack of wolves trailing behind a buffalo, ready to attack the moment the flames disappeared.
"Really taking me for a pushover, are they?" Sherlock said with a sneer.
The flames continued to circle around them. At the same time, he waved his wand at a pile of dry branches on the ground. The branches linked together, transforming into a long chain.
These chains, hidden among the leaves, were barely noticeable. As Sherlock and the others continued to retreat, the chain extended under his Transfiguration Spell, until a spider's leg touched the chain he had left behind!
"Whoosh!"
The chain, now transformed from branches, coiled up like a snake, wrapping around five spiders in just a few seconds, binding them tightly like crabs!
Sherlock then waved his wand at the trees above the spiders, and the leaves turned into sharp swords, falling down!
"Thud!"
The blades instantly pierced the massive rear ends of the Acromantulas, green blood splattering everywhere!
The five captured spiders struggled desperately, trying to escape the range of the blade rain, but they could not break free from the chains that bound them.
In the end, they were left riddled with wounds, lying motionless on the ground.
For the vast spider population, the death of five spiders was insignificant, but it served as a powerful deterrent.
After all, in the Forbidden Forest, they had few natural enemies from birth. Few of their kind had ever died, and even the Centaurs tolerated the invasion of their territory by these spiders.
Sherlock's counterattack instilled fear in their hearts. While they did not stop following, their pace clearly slowed down.
After leaving the spiders' territory, the trees around them became increasingly dense. The death of the five spiders had created a deterrent, and Sherlock immediately unleashed a Fire Spell, spreading it to every corner within ten meters!
Flames licked the air, and heat waves rose!
The trees caught fire, forming a high-temperature barrier between them and the spider horde.
This finally stopped the spiders from continuing their pursuit. Sherlock led Harry, Ron, and Hagrid's dog away from the spiders' tailing.
Looking at the raging fire behind them, Harry asked with concern, "Professor, will this burn down the entire Forbidden Forest?"
Sherlock grabbed the back of Harry's collar, pulling him forward and pushing him to keep moving.
"You're giving me too much credit. The Forbidden Forest is vast. Even Dumbledore wouldn't dare claim he could burn it down. Besides, the Centaurs who live here will organize to put out the fire."
As he spoke, he glanced back at the spiders trapped on the other side of the inferno, his tone cold.
"But this won't be the end. I've heard that the venom of these creatures can fetch a sky-high price in Knockturn Alley. I'll be back to make a fortune someday!"
(End of Chapter)
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