Aragog

Chapter 688: Aragog

The two had just arrived outside Hagrid's hut when Harry stepped forward and knocked on the door.

There was no answer. Hagrid was not home, and without Fang barking, it meant he was patrolling the Forbidden Forest—Hagrid only took Fang with him when he was patrolling the forest. At other times, he kept the timid boarhound locked inside the hut.

What was going on? Felix Felicis had led Harry to find Hagrid, but Hagrid was not home.

Were they supposed to wait here?

Silvan glanced at Harry and saw not the slightest disappointment on his face, as though he had known this would happen all along. Knocking on the door had merely been a formality.

"Wait a little longer. I have a feeling Hagrid will be back soon," Harry said.

The next second, Silvan heard heavy footsteps coming from the woods behind them.

Hagrid was back. His head was lowered, his eyes were red-rimmed, and he seemed to have just been crying. Dazed, he walked straight past Silvan and Harry without noticing either of them.

"Hagrid."

It was not until Harry called to him softly that he finally came back to his senses.

"Oh, Harry, Silvan—you—" Before he could finish, his voice caught in his throat, and tears streamed down his cheeks into his tangled beard.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked quietly.

"It's not, it's not me—it's Aragog." Hagrid let out a loud sob. "He's dead—just now—"

Harry comfortingly patted Hagrid's arm, the highest place he could reach without much effort.

Aragog was an Acromantula Hagrid had kept when he was a student. It was because of him that Hagrid had been framed by Tom Riddle and eventually expelled.

But Hagrid had never blamed the Acromantula for it. When Dumbledore appointed him Hogwarts' Keeper of Keys and Grounds,