Aragog

           Summerwascreepingoverthegroundsaroundthecastle;skyandlakealiketurnedperiwinkleblueandflowerslargeascabbagesburstintobloominthegreenhouses. ButwithnoHagridvisiblefromthecastlewindows,stridingthegroundswithFangathisheels,thescenedidn’tlookrighttoHarry; nobetter,infact,thantheinsideofthecastle,wherethingsweresohorriblywrong. 

           HarryandRonhadtriedtovisitHermione,butvisitorswerenowbarredfromthehospitalwing. 

           "We’retakingnomorechances,"MadamPomfreytoldthemseverelythroughacrackintheinfirmarydoor. "No,I’msorry,there’severychancetheattackermightcomebacktofinishthesepeopleoff..." 

           WithDumbledoregone,fearhadspreadasneverbefore,sothatthesunwarmingthecastlewallsoutsideseemedtostopatthemullionedwindows. Therewasbarelyafacetobeseenintheschoolthatdidn’tlookworriedandtense,andanylaughterthatrangthroughthecorridorssoundedshrillandunnaturalandwasquicklystifled. 

           HarryconstantlyrepeatedDumbledore’sfinalwordstohimself"Iwillonlytrulyhaveleftthisschoolwhennonehereareloyaltome...HelpwillalwaysbegivenatHogwartstothosewhoaskforit." Butwhatgoodwerethesewords? Whoexactlyweretheysupposedtoaskforhelp,wheneveryonewasjustasconfusedandscaredastheywere? 

           Hagrid’shintaboutthespiderswasfareasiertounderstand.Thetroublewas,theredidn’tseemtobeasinglespiderleftinthecastletofollow. Harrylookedeverywherehewent,helped(ratherreluctantly)byRon.