Aragog

"None of your business!" Hagrid's face darkened at once. His massive hand swung sharply as he said roughly, "Stay away from me!"

Then he strode toward his hut.

Even at a jog, Snape struggled to keep up with him.

"Hey, Hagrid!" Snape called after him. "What's going on?"

Bang!

Hagrid slammed the door shut.

This was troublesome.

Snape frowned where he stood. He knew he was not Harry; Hagrid would never readily tell him about what had happened all those years ago.

But he had not expected Hagrid's reaction to be so intense. He had not even been given a chance to speak with him.

As for following Aber's suggestion and asking the staff or ordinary ghosts, he would likely get nothing useful from them. Dumbledore had surely told everyone who knew to keep it secret long ago.

Did he really have to barge straight into the Girls' Lavatory on the second floor?

But he had no reason to seek out Myrtle directly.

He had to obtain the right information through seemingly reasonable means before he could ask that poor girl about it.

Otherwise, with Dumbledore's sharpness and wisdom, it would be difficult to explain himself to him.

It seemed he had no choice but to take a risk and use something more drastic.

Knock, knock, knock!

Snape walked up to Hagrid's hut and pounded hard on the door.

"Hagrid! Don't hide in there without making a sound! You had the nerve to get that little girl killed, so why don't you have the nerve to open the door? Open up!"

A few seconds later, the door flew open.

Snape found himself facing Hagrid, who was aiming a massive crossbow straight at him.

"No, I didn't! Aragog would never kill anyone!"

Hagrid roared, his eyes red.

"Who is Aragog? The spider mentioned in the Daily Prophet?"

Snape took a step forward and reached out to push the crossbow aside.

"Hey, don't try to scare me, Hagrid. You would never hurt anyone."

Hagrid lowered his weapon, but he still glared fiercely, his tangled beard trembling with every breath.

"So I guessed right. You were the one expelled from Hogwarts thirty-three years ago?

"Let's go inside and talk."

After a moment of silence, Hagrid stepped aside and let Snape in.

The hut had only one room. Hams and pheasants hung from the ceiling, while a large bed stood in the corner, covered with a patchwork quilt. Hagrid's pink umbrella rested against the back wall.

Snape sat down at the only large wooden table in the hut.

"Aber told me some things about you. Could I try one of your Rock Cakes?"

Hagrid snorted forcefully through his nose.

At last, he took a large platter of Rock Cakes from the cupboard and set it down heavily in front of Snape.

Snape soon regretted asking. The Rock Cake nearly chipped his teeth, but he still had to pretend he loved it.

He put down the half-eaten Rock Cake in his hand, lowered his head to make sure none of his teeth were stuck in it, then said, "Hagrid, I believe you were not the murderer in that incident.

"If you had been, I don't think Dumbledore would ever have allowed you to remain at Hogwarts. I was only making wild guesses earlier, so I could have a chance to talk to you.

"Since you are still here, there must have been more to what happened back then."

Snape pulled several folded copies of the Daily Prophet from his robes.

"Take a look," he said, pushing the newspapers across the table to Hagrid. "These are the reports from back then."

Hagrid shifted uneasily.

"Can you tell me Aragog's story?" Snape asked.

"I can't tell you," Hagrid said flatly. "I won't say anything."

"Then let me boldly venture into the realm of speculation and imagination."

Snape sat up straight and stared directly into Hagrid's black eyes.

"In 1943, a series of attacks took place at Hogwarts. One female student even lost her life, and panic spread through the school.

"Tom Riddle discovered that you had been raising a Giant Spider in the castle, and believed that it—Aragog—had killed that girl."

"No... Aragog didn't..." The parts of Hagrid's face not hidden beneath his hair and beard turned as pale as paper.

Ignoring Hagrid's defense, Snape continued, "Whatever the truth was, the Chamber of Secrets attacks stopped after that."

"Riddle received the 'Special Award for Services to the School,' while the so-called 'student responsible'—" He gave Hagrid a long, careful look. "You were expelled, and your Wand was snapped, correct?"

Sweat began to bead on Hagrid's forehead, and his beetle-black eyes were full of terror.

"Can we talk now?"

Hagrid nodded stiffly, his face blank.

"Since Aragog was not the culprit, what did you know?"

"It wouldn't tell me."

"What?"

"I asked Aragog many times, but it wouldn't say.

"It only told me that an ancient creature it feared most was roaming the school, but it would never reveal that terrible creature's name."

Snape lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers. He was already close to the answer he wanted.

"What did you know about Riddle?"

"He was brilliant. Top of every class, and Male Student Council President too."

"And afterward? Such an outstanding person."

"I don't know." Hagrid shook his head. "There was no news of him after he left school."

It seemed Hagrid knew almost nothing about Riddle.

"Then what did you know about that poor girl?"

Hagrid hesitated, as though unsure whether he should reveal anything about her.

"Look," Snape said again, leaning forward and spreading the newspaper before Hagrid. "If the true murderer has remained at large all this time, how can she rest in peace in the other world?"

"She didn't go to the other world," Hagrid said in a hoarse, low voice. "She's still in the castle."

"What do you mean by that?" Snape asked, pretending to be surprised.

"Moaning Myrtle, that dead girl," Hagrid said. "Her body was found in the lavatory. She came back."

"You mean the ghost who is always crying sadly in the Girls' Lavatory?"

"Yes." Hagrid shifted his shoulders awkwardly, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.

"Thank you, Hagrid. This information has been very helpful," Snape said. "I swear I will not tell anyone about you except Dumbledore. Though I think he must have known all this long ago.

"Also, out of personal interest, I will find a way to uncover the truth of what happened back then. If possible, at the proper time, I will clear your name."

Snape rose and walked toward the door.

He headed toward the castle through the deepening dusk, light spilling from the windows and drifting through the fresh air.

Later, he only needed to find a time when no one was around to see Myrtle. Then he could legitimately discover the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets—the tap carved with a little snake.

Though he still had no way of getting inside, it was progress nonetheless.