Thinking back to last time, I had been chased through the Forbidden Forest by spiders like a pig.
Now, with my hands in my pockets, I searched far and wide and could find no worthy opponent.
With a means of saving his own life at hand, Su Er had gotten cocky.
Bang. His wrist twitched subtly, and his wand responded eagerly to the incantation. A bolt of red light shot straight out, sending an Acromantula that had approached his safety perimeter flying.
After all that time under Snape's training-or rather, torment-he had never had a chance to see just how much he had improved.
Now a ready-made opportunity had arrived, and it was this exciting right from the start.
All the spiders had come over!
How could hitting dummies be as fun as hitting something that moved?
Su Er waved his wand as he backed away, keeping his eyes and ears alert in every direction. Any spider that breached his safety perimeter got a Knockback Jinx.
None of the spiders were seriously hurt. Their powerful magical immunity meant that, at most, the falls left them a little dazed. This also cooled Su Er's head somewhat. He really did need to find a way to get Snape to teach him Sectumsempra. An ordinary Severing Charm could only leave a white mark on an Acromantula's body. It was a little too weak.
Su Er fought as he retreated. Amid the rapid barrage of spells, he could clearly feel his magic about to run dry.
That was about enough.
"Wait!" he shouted. "Aragog, I'm Hagrid's friend. Hagrid sent me to find you."
Click. A faint but distinct clacking sound rang out, and all the spiders stopped moving like soldiers receiving their general's command.
"Who... are you?" Aragog's puzzled voice came from beneath the