Harry Potter and the Great Old Ones

Chapter 586 Aragog
After the Quidditch selection tournament ended, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to visit Hagrid at his cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, just as they had agreed.

When they arrived there, they saw the enormous gray hippogriff Buckbeak howling in front of Hagrid's hut.

It pointed its sharp beak and turned its enormous head toward Harry and the others.

“Oh my goodness…” Hermione said nervously, “It’s still a little flustered, isn’t it?”

"Alright, stop talking. You're disturbing it, aren't you?" Ron said.

Harry stepped forward and bowed to Buckbeak without blinking. A few seconds later, Buckbeak also bowed.

"Are you alright?" Harry slowly approached, asked in a low voice, and gently stroked its feathered head.

After Tyrell took control of the Ministry of Magic, he changed many laws and revoked numerous bans and arrest warrants.

Among them were death penalty laws and arrest warrants for Bakbik.

Therefore, Sirius Black, having regained his freedom, no longer restrained Buckbeak after temporarily no longer needing it, and let it fly freely all over the world.

Magical creatures like Buckbeak, with their high intelligence, have a certain understanding of emotions such as family and friendship. Therefore, after regaining their freedom, besides playing around, they would return to their "mother" almost every day, sometimes to freeload and sometimes simply to visit Hagrid.

"Aww—" Buckbeak cried out loudly as Harry stroked him.

When Hagrid saw Harry and his friends arrive, he strode toward the corner of his hut, still wearing his big floral apron and carrying a basket of potatoes.

Tooth followed behind him, and he alertly called out and ran forward.

"Get away from it! It will bite your fingers—oh, and more."

Toothpaste jumped up in front of Hermione and Ron, trying to lick their ears. Hagrid stopped, glanced at them, turned, and went into his hut, closing the door behind him.

“Oh my God!” Hermione exclaimed, looking utterly devastated.

“Don’t worry,” Harry said calmly, walking to the door and knocking loudly. “Hagrid! Open the door! We want to talk to you!”

But there was no sound inside.

“If you don’t open the door, we’ll blow it open!” Harry said, pulling out his wand.

“Harry!” Hermione cried, terrified. “You can’t—”

“Of course I can!” Harry said, then the tall boy shouted, “Back up—”

But before he could say anything, the door opened, just as Harry had expected.

Hagrid stood there, glaring at him, his face still bearing a warning despite his ridiculously large floral apron.

"I'm a teacher!" Hagrid yelled angrily at Harry. "I'm a teacher! Potter! How dare you threaten to blow up my door!"

“I’m sorry, teacher,” Harry said, emphasizing the last word as he put away his wand.

"Since when did you start calling me 'teacher'?" Hagrid looked very surprised.

“From the moment you started calling me 'Potter',” Harry replied wittily.

“Very good, very clever,” Hagrid roared. “Very amusing. But I’m still smarter, aren’t I? Well then, come on in. You bunch of clueless little devils…”

He muttered something to himself, then turned and let them in.

Hermione followed closely behind Harry, looking terrified.

“So?” After Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down at his large wooden table, Toothpick immediately sprawled on Harry’s lap, drool dripping all over his robes. Hagrid said gruffly, “What’s this? Showing me pity? Thinking I’m lonely or something?” “No!” Harry immediately denied, “We just wanted to see you.”

"Miss me? Is that so?" Hagrid sighed. "Alright then."

He stood up, brewed tea in his large teapot, and kept gurgling. Finally, he tossed them three peachwood cups filled with tea and a plate of hard cake.

Harry was so hungry that he could tolerate Hagrid's cooking, and he quickly grabbed a piece.

“Hagrid…” Hermione said somewhat guiltily. By then, Hagrid had already sat down at the table with them and started peeling potatoes very roughly, as if each potato had a grudge against him.

“We really want to ensure the safety of the Divine Biology Department, you know…” Hagrid sighed heavily again.

Harry became even more convinced that the potatoes were planted by some kind of monster, and once again secretly rejoiced that he didn't have to stay for dinner.

“We tried!” Hermione said timidly, “but, but, but… but your class really conflicts with our other classes…”

"Then you should come and tell me yourselves, instead of having Tiera relay the message!" Hagrid had just finished peeling a potato and threw it heavily into the empty plate with a loud "bang."

Ron, who was engrossed in drinking tea and munching on a hard cake, was startled and nearly jumped out of his seat.

“Oh, sorry…” Hagrid scratched his head in annoyance, then sighed and explained, “I… I’ve been in a bad mood lately…”

"What's wrong, Hagrid?" Hermione asked with concern.

“Aragok…” Hagrid suddenly said with a mournful face, “Aragok is dying… Waaaaah… It, it, it is very sick!”

“Oh… Hagrid…” Hermione stood up and gently patted Hagrid’s shoulder.

Harry and Ron were also comforting Hagrid in their own ways—

Ron stopped eating and, mimicking Hermione's actions, comforted Hagrid.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all knew how much Hagrid cared for his oddly shaped pets.

Harry knew that Hagrid had once given a baby dragon a plush bear. In addition, Harry had seen Hagrid feed a giant scorpion with a straw and a pacifier, and had even tried to reason with his ferocious half-giant brother.

“Hagrid, did you tell Tyrell about this?” Harry asked. “I mean… Tyrell must have a way to save your pet.”

“I said, I said, but, but…” Hagrid said, his voice trembling.

"But what?" Harry asked curiously.

Given Tierra and Hagrid's relationship and their shared love of magical creatures, Tierra would never refuse to help prolong the life of "Aragok" should Hagrid ask.

"But...but..." Hagrid seemed to cry even harder.

"Aragok was originally just old and dying, but for some reason, after I brought Tiera to treat Aragok, it, it, it..."

“It went mad… Waaah…” Hagrid wailed. “It used to be so docile, it would never hurt anyone, but it seems to be terrified of Tiera… Waaah… It even attacked me, and its children and grandchildren, too…”

"Hagrid... what exactly is an Aragog?" Hermione asked curiously.

“Aragog is an eight-eyed giant spider.” Hagrid wiped away a tear.

"Ugh—" Ron, who was mimicking Hermione patting Hagrid's shoulder to comfort him, froze instantly.

I'm so sorry everyone, I've been busy with experiments lately, and my ears have been bothering me with intermittent stinging and itching, so I took a few days off. I'll resume normal updates today.



(End of this chapter)