บท 49: Chapter 50: I am tasty!

Padma POV

Ansh has been acting weird lately, more so than before. He was jumping with us from Hogwarts after getting to know about the cushioning charm, now it seems like someone killed his owl... and he doesn't own one!

And I have seen him trembling these days, but he didn't have a fever when I checked. Even now his hands are subtly shaking as he's holding the spoon.

'Let's try to cheer him up.'

And what better way to do that than to annoy him with useless stuff?...

"What do you think Ansh?" I ask him directly when he doesn't participate in the conversation after a while.

"Hmm, I agree with you." He responds.

"Is that so? Tell me what do you agree with me on?" I could've gotten him to agree to do my homework for the remaining year and he wouldn't have known.

"On that thing."

"Uh-huh, so did you hear anything we said?"

"Did you say anything worthwhile for me to listen to?" He quips.

"Oh, so sulking is worth your while?"

"*sigh* look, just tell me what you were saying and we won't have to do this."

"UGH! Fine, we were talking about what we all think is on the third corridor that will lead us to a painful death."

"Why, wonder about it? Just go and see for yourself."

'What else did I expect?'

"Yeah, no thanks, I don't want to die." Says Anthony.

"I think it has a fearsome creature that will eat up whoever dares to go in." I say.

"If there is a creature that will kill you in one bite then the forbidden forest is a better bet." Anthony chimes.

His eyes suddenly sparkle at that and he almost jumps up from his seat.

"Where are you going?" I ask him as he hurriedly leave somewhere.

"To see a fearsome creature."

'So…. A mirror?'

*******************************************

'Now okay, this time I am going in. no turning back this time.'

I have been at the edge of the forbidden forest for a while now, and every time I try to enter, these damn legs turn around.

'I can't exactly blame them, this does look spooky.'

I think looking at the dense woods in front of me.

'Maybe this isn't a good idea after all, I am pretty sure I can find another way to off myself. Finding acromantulas isn't my best one yet.'

I turn around to go back to the castle.

*Slap*

'No Ansh, turning round is not an option. What if I close my eyes and enter?'

I turn around and close my eyes, fill my lungs with air and march forward….. or at least the way I thought was forward, hard to tell with my eyes closed...…

I have been walking for a few minutes already, still with my eyes closed and I just thought of question…. how will I find the acromantulas?

*thud*

In my reverie, I tripped on a branch and fell. This made me open my eyes and look at my surroundings.

'…..this is… not that scary maybe.'

*rustle*

'Mummy!'

I look towards the sound, but there isn't anything there.

'Jai Hanuman gyan gun sagar, Jai Kapis tihun lok ujagar….'

'Does this even work inside my brain?'

...'I am an idiot!'

What did I come here to do? If a ghost or something is there, then I should go towards it, Not away from it. I can't be scared in my own mind.

With newfound courage, I make my way deeper into the forest…. While the courage still remains...

After walking for a long while, I finally saw some hope- 'Spider webs'.

'Jackpot!'

I rush towards it to see it closely.

As I near it, I see a few more sparse webs in the forest deeper.

My breathing quickens…

'No need to be exited just yet. Let us find the spiders first' I tell myself.

I had to beat my leg a few times so that I started moving in the direction of the webs…

...…

'Do not breathe.'

In front of me are two acromantulas. Their backs to me.

'Okay, calm down. This is what we came for, right? Now get their attention.'

I try to shout to get their attention, but my voice seems to be stuck in my throat. No matter how much I try, no sound seems to want to come out of my throat.

'This must be another way for my mind to try and stop me. But it won't succeed.'

Since screaming for attention doesn't work, and my legs seem to have turned to stone, I try another method, I raise my hand and flick the string on one of the webs near me.

Instantly I have their attention on me. They produce as few clicking noises and then start running towards me.

'Wait, why do I also hear the same noise from above?'

I look above to figure out, and instantly something covers my face and I feel a searing pain in my shoulder immediately after.

I try to get whatever it is out of my face but feel my body getting stiffer.

'Why do I feel so sleepy *yawn*..'

......…..

I wake up under the stars.

I get up and see around, it was still night time. But that wasn't concerning, the concerning part was the horde of spiders all around me.

'Okay, no need to panic. This… this is .. god. Yes, this is good. This is what I came here for.'

I stop my body from crawling back, or more like, something was behind me that wouldn't let me move.

I turn around to face…

'Hey brain, I know we don't get along very well now-a-days, but could you do me a favour? Please size Aragog down…a little bit….. still waiting.....'

Looks like my brain is still upset with me. No problem. On the bright side, if I can call it that, he looks really hungry.

For a few seconds, we just stare into each other's eyes. He was looking at my two small ones, possibly wondering how best to eat me, I was looking at his eight large ones, trying to decide which ones to focus on.

"Hello." I squeak.

"A child from Hogwarts. What are you doing here? I thought you were not allowed to come to this place? Are you a friend of Hagrid?" Aragog speaks in a gruff voice.

I try to answer it, but no words form in my mouth. All I could focus on was his large two things on the side of his mouth.

"Why are you quiet? Did Hagrid send you here?"

"N- Nnnnn…..nnn-"

"Speak clearly" he was not happy.

"No." I manage to utter that single word somehow.

"No? Then why are you here? Did you bring food for us?"

'Okay Ansh. Deep breaths. This is what you came for, don't back out now.'

"No, I did not."

"Hmmm, you didn't. then why come here? I thought you brought food, so all my children came here. If they don't get something to eat, then they will eat you."

'Yes. Yes, finally.'

"Okay"

"Now I can't do that. Hagrid has told m-….. wait, what did you say?"

"Okay, eat me."

"….Why? aren't you scared? Does it look like I am lying about eating you?" Aragog comes near me, almost up to my face.

"No. I just want you to eat me. You can do that right. Right?"

"Yes I can but-"

"Okay then."

I close my eyes, waiting for the agony to begin any second, followed by a quick release.

...

…..

'Strange, I don't feel anything.. maybe that's actually a good thing.'

I patiently wait with my eyes closed….. for 10 more seconds.

'…..5…..3…2…1…0!'

I open my eyes, expecting to be in my room now…..

"Why am I still here?" I ask Aragog.

"You…. are insane."

"Okay? Still doesn't answer my question. Why are you not eating me?"

"I am not going to eat you!"

'WHAT!'

"What!?" What is this things problem?

"Kid, do you think I want to die? Eating a Hogwarts student here. If I do that, the wizards in that castle will burn me to ashes."

"Wasn't eating those who come here your 'thing'?"

"I was told to scare off the children by Hagrid. I get to live here, in return I scare children away from this forest."

"Come on! That can't be it. Surely you are hungry right? If not you, one of your many children must be."

"We are not. The forest has enough prey for us to fill ourselves."

"…So, you really won't eat me?"

"No! just leave the forest and we are good."

"But I don't want to. Please eat me, I beg you." I latch onto on of his leg.

"No I won't. get away from me." Aragog tries to shake me off, which he successfully does.

"Please, you are my only hope. Please eat me. I promise I will be tasty. I can-"

Before I could speak any further, Aragog webs up my mouth. Then he proceeds to wrap my entire body in web.

'Finally! He is going to eat me'

"Take him away and throw him out of the forest." Aragog commands one of his children after he is done, making me unable to move at all.

"No, no don't do this. I am a good source of nutrients. Help me! I wanna get out. Help me!" I try to plead to the big guy, but with my mouth tied up, the small spider lifts me up and scuttles out.

The small spider hurriedly zooms through the forest, deposits me on the outer edge, cuts my web, and then goes back.

I am left staring at the stars, lamenting my fate.

*Sob*

'Why does it seem like the Gods have abandoned me? *Sob* All the doors I try to go through are closed.'

*Sob*

'Is there *sob* no other *sob* way?'

All I can do is sit under this made up sky of stars and cry.

"No! NO Ansh. You can't *sob* think that way. *Sob* There has got to be a way. We- we just have to think hard and *sob* we'll find it. No use to cry over it. *sob* we'll get through this."

All I have left is hope…. And I am not going to lose it.

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A/N: Something longer than usual. Thanks to those who helped me with this idea. And those who suggested fluffy, i tried that, but it just didn't fit the whole vibe i am going for. So I scraped that and then wrote this.

Hope you liked it!