Cyrus feigned doubt and frustration as he continued asking:
"So you've never-never attacked anyone?"
"No," the old spider said bitterly. "I have the instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I have never harmed a human. The murdered girl's body was found in a Bathroom. Apart from the cupboard where I grew up, I have never seen any part of the Castle. We spiders prefer darkness and silence..."
"But back then... did you know what killed that girl?" Harry asked. "Because whatever it was, it's back now and attacking people again-"
At once, a chorus of clicking erupted, and countless long legs rustled as they moved. Huge black shadows shifted all around them.
"The creature that lived in the Castle," Aragog said, "was an ancient creature that we spiders fear above all others. I remember it clearly. When I sensed that beast moving through the school, I begged Hagrid to let me go."
"What is it?" Harry asked urgently. The truth was right before him.
The clicking grew louder, and the rustling intensified. The spiders seemed to be closing in, becoming terribly frightened and agitated.
"We do not speak of it!" Aragog said fiercely. "We do not speak its name! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dreadful creature, though he asked me many, many times."
Harry did not want to press the subject any further, especially with spiders converging on them from every direction. Ron looked ready to faint. His face was whiter than whitewash, and he gripped Harry tightly, his expression terrified and pleading.
Aragog seemed unwilling to speak any more. He slowly retreated into his domed web.
"Looks like we won't get anything else out of him, but at least we learned something," Cyrus said, watching the spiders.
The spiders seemed unable to restrain themselves