Harry, with a look of dismay, turned to Daphne, while John expressed his gratitude to the mysterious creature that had aided them. "Thank you for your help," he said. If not for the creature's timely intervention, John doubted he would have emerged victorious so easily. It seemed this creature, with its prominent eyebrows and large eyes, had a penchant for surprise attacks. As John extended his hand in a gesture of thanks, unsure if the creature understood the meaning, its eyes shimmered with colorful lights before it suddenly let out an anxious scream.
Puzzled by the creature's reaction, John's confusion was quickly replaced by alarm as rustling sounds surrounded them. "Why does this sound so familiar?" he wondered aloud. Looking towards the source of the noise, he was met with the sight of a spider, as large as a small car, fixating its gaze upon them. "Run!" was John's immediate decision.
The dog, Ya Ya, had vanished, likely having sensed the danger ahead. Harry, upon seeing the enormous spiders, wished fervently for the ability to sprout additional legs to aid his escape. The two dashed through the Forbidden Forest, only to stumble upon a spider's nest.
"I can't believe this," John muttered under his breath, realizing they had inadvertently run into the very heart of danger. It wasn't Voldemort's machinations they needed to fear at this moment, but rather the spiders lying in wait. As the acromantula's eight eyes gleamed with avarice, it issued a piercing shriek and launched an attack.
"Harry, fight!" John commanded, as he conjured a blast of white light from his wand, striking the nearest spider and causing it to burst open. He was no stranger to these creatures. With Harry struggling to retaliate, John noticed another spider about to pounce on him and swiftly intervened, sending the spider flying with a well-aimed spell.
However, their situation grew dire as more spiders swarmed them. John, wielding a sword in one hand and his wand in the other, fought valiantly, but the numbers were overwhelming. Harry, exhausted and drained of magical power, could barely stand.
"What do we do?" John pondered, desperate for a solution as the spiders continued their relentless assault. Suddenly, a peculiar noise cut through the chaos. "Di Di—" Both Harry and John turned towards the sound, initially mistaking the source for glowing eyes. It was, in fact, the headlights of a car.
"Harry—!" Ron's voice emerged from the vehicle, with Hermione's familiar face visible beside him. The Weasley family's enchanted car plowed through the spiders, with Ya Ya barking excitedly from within.
"Hermione, Ron!" Harry exclaimed, overwhelmed by relief and gratitude as his friends came to their rescue. He quickly boarded the car, urging John to follow.
Surrounded, John's gaze hardened as he stared at the nest teeming with spiders. Recalling a previous encounter where he narrowly escaped being devoured, his patience had reached its limit. Climbing onto the car's roof at Harry's insistence, he prepared for one final stand.
Taking a deep breath, John traced a large circle with his wand, his eyes narrowing into slits as rage consumed him. "Fiendfyre," he whispered, unleashing a torrent of red flames. The spell transformed into a colossal dragon, its fiery breath incinerating the approaching spiders. The Fiendfyre dragon rampaged through the nest, leaving nothing but ash in its wake, a testament to John's wrath and determination to protect his friends. The red dragon transformed into a sea of flames. John felt his magical power rapidly depleting as he manipulated the Fiendfyre, parting a path through the inferno with both hands. The air was filled with the screams and howls of spiders, causing the three younger students to freeze in terror. Ya Ya, shivering, curled up in the back seat, while the invisible beast had somehow found its way into the car.
"Run!" Ron shouted, slamming his foot on the accelerator. The car burst out of the sea of flames as John, using the last of his magical power, directed the dragon of fire into the heart of the spider's lair. "If you want to eat me, then face extinction!" John declared, his face twisted in anger. The spider's nest became a blazing inferno, countless spiders perishing in the flames, including the old Aragog, who watched in horror as its indulgence nearly led to the extinction of its offspring. The webs within the lair served as perfect fuel, allowing the fire dragon to rage for two hours before it finally subsided. Thick smoke rose into the sky, forming dark clouds from which rain fell, marking the near annihilation of the Aragog tribe.
...
The Weasley family's enchanted car sped to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. John leaped off the roof, his mood significantly calmer. "It seems I shouldn't overindulge in Felix Felicis," he mused, reflecting on his recent recklessness. He recalled the potion's side effects, including potential poisoning and a tendency to make one arrogant and reckless. He had never before used Fiendfyre, wary of its black magic origins and its instability. Controlling Fiendfyre was a daunting task, requiring a level of magical power significantly higher than the flames themselves.
John was satisfied with his cleansing of the spider's nest, though he wondered if Hagrid would mourn the loss upon his return. The three younger students exited the car, and John carefully carried Daphne out. The Magic Car, seemingly with a mind of its own, slammed its doors shut and sped back into the Forbidden Forest.
"...Has this car gone wild?" John pondered, puzzled by the car's behavior.
Hermione approached, visibly furious, and berated John and Harry. "How could you be so reckless? You've broken at least fifty school rules!" Her anger was palpable, and she didn't care for their excuses, scolding them as if they were misbehaving children.
Ron, intimidated, remained silent throughout the ordeal, a testament to his place in the family hierarchy. Harry nudged John, suggesting he try to appease Hermione. After a moment's thought, John explained, "It's not Harry's fault. Riddle took Daphne away, and I was a bit out of sorts."
Hermione's anger began to subside as she noticed Daphne, a beautiful girl who was often seen with John. Ron, curious, asked, "Who's Riddle?"
"Oh, that's Voldemort," John replied nonchalantly, with Harry quickly nodding in agreement. The mere mention of Voldemort's name brought a chill to the air, causing Ron to shudder and protest, "Don't say that name."
Hermione, too, was frightened by the realization of how close Harry and John had come to a deadly fate. Despite her initial anger, she understood the gravity of their situation.
With Daphne still unconscious, the group made their way back to the castle, their absence having caused quite a stir at Hogwarts. They were first met by Professor McGonagall, who was visibly relieved to see them safe. She led them to the headmaster's office, where Professor Snape was also present.
John felt a twinge of guilt, his recent recklessness fueled by an overdose of Felix Felicis. He had even dared to snatch a potion from Professor Snape's hands without concern for the consequences. Now, as the effects of the potion wore off, John braced himself for the possibility of detention, yet he couldn't help but feel that fate might still have something favorable in store for him. Dumbledore had been suspended from his duties, but he was the first to return to Hogwarts after the recent incident. In his office, the atmosphere was tense among the five individuals present: one was unconscious, two appeared disheveled, and two could barely muster the courage to lift their heads. Among them was a couple, Daphne Greengrass's parents, who had rushed to ensure their daughter's safety. Upon seeing Daphne unharmed, her mother, a woman of striking beauty, momentarily set aside the fact that John was a Muggle. "The Greengrass family will never forget your kindness," Daphne's father declared solemnly, his expression conveying a depth of gratitude as if John had saved something precious of his own.
The Greengrass family was not the only one expressing their gratitude. Mrs. Weasley, too, embraced Harry with overwhelming joy. Ginny had confessed everything to Dumbledore, prompting him to invite the Weasleys. Mrs. Weasley's embrace extended to John as well, filled with relief and gratitude. Without the courageous actions of these two boys, Ginny might have faced severe charges for the death of a classmate.
John laid out the diary, the Sword of Gryffindor, and the basilisk fangs—irrefutable evidence of their adventure. With Harry's concise ten-minute explanation, it was clear that Ginny was innocent.
"Well done, Harry, John," Dumbledore praised without reservation. Despite the fact that their actions had broken numerous school rules, Dumbledore knew that such concerns were trivial in the grand scheme of things, especially to Gryffindors and Slytherins alike. The Golden Special Contribution Award was bestowed upon several students, catching Ron completely off guard with happiness. He had not anticipated receiving such an honor, especially since Hermione had been quite upset with him moments earlier.
"Ron Weasley, for your courageous venture into the Forbidden Forest to rescue your classmates, you truly deserve this," Dumbledore commended, turning his attention to a visibly anxious Hermione. "And Miss Hermione Granger, for your wisdom and bravery in alerting the professors immediately and protecting your friends, you are equally deserving."
Dumbledore's words were a testament to the valor and quick thinking of the students involved, highlighting the importance of unity and courage in the face of danger.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge