Hogwarts: I'm Truly a Model Wizard

After more than half an hour of searching, they finally found the lake.

But a new problem had arisen.

Kyle had scanned the lake three times, but not only had he failed to spot a Manticore, he hadn't even seen a single Bowtruckle.

"Are we in the wrong place?" Kyle asked, suspiciously. "There's nothing around here at all."

"No, we're not in the wrong place," Newt replied, squatting down in a nearby open area. He picked up a few golden hairs from the ground, holding them up to his nose and sniffing.

"The scent on these hairs hasn't completely faded. We can be sure the Manticore was here yesterday and hasn't gone far."

Newt stood up and continued, "It looks like it's been moved somewhere else, but it shouldn't be too far. Let's look around…"

Kyle nodded, about to head toward the only forest path nearby.

If Hagrid was involved in this, following that path would definitely be the right move.

Just as Kyle turned, Newt suddenly grabbed his arm.

The next second, a rumbling noise echoed from deep along the path, as if something massive had crashed to the ground.

Then came a loud clattering, and out of the darkness poured a swarm of large spiders with eight eyes and eight legs.

These were not the small spiders that scurried through fallen leaves—each one was as large as a small horse.

They were everywhere, approaching from all directions, encircling Kyle and Newt.

The spiders moved their large pincers excitedly, producing a clattering sound.

After the spiders completely encircled them, a spider the size of a small elephant slowly emerged from the depths of the path.

"Oh… I never imagined an Acromantula could grow this big," Newt said in amazement. "This size… even among all Acromantulas, it's a rare giant."

"This isn't the time to admire it," Kyle said dryly. "It's clear they're planning to have us for dinner."

"No, you're wrong," Newt replied seriously. "Acromantulas don't care for sweet foods. We're probably more like savory buns to them."

"And how is that any better?" Kyle said, exasperated.

"Exactly!" Newt muttered in a barely audible voice. "I don't even like pudding…"

While they spoke, the Acromantulas had drawn closer, surrounding them completely. The largest spider moved forward, its enormous pincers clattering rapidly.

"You followed the spiders into our lair…" it rasped. "Tell me, what is your purpose!"

Acromantulas were known for their linguistic talent, able to mimic many sounds, including human voices. Though hoarse and dry, its speech was remarkably clear, and both Kyle and Newt understood it perfectly.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding, Aragog," Kyle said. "We're just here searching for a Manticore. We heard it was nearby, so we simply stopped to check."

"You know my name?" The giant spider took another step forward.

"Hagrid told me," Kyle replied.

"Lies…" Aragog hissed slowly. "Hagrid has never sent anyone to our hollow before."

"I wasn't sent to your hollow. I'm just passing through…" Kyle tried again.

But Aragog ignored him, clicking its enormous pincers even faster.

"We need to leave, Kyle," Newt said urgently. "That clicking is a sign they're about to attack."

Sure enough, as Newt finished speaking, the spiders moved in from all sides, their rustling limbs creating a steady, sinister noise.

"Prepare the Lighting Charm," Newt whispered. "Acromantulas can't close their eyes, so a burst of bright light will overwhelm them, rendering them defenseless."

"I've got an easier solution," Kyle replied.

Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, facing Aragog directly.

"So, are you going to kill us?" he asked.

"Out of respect for Hagrid, I have never harmed anyone," Aragog replied, "but I cannot stop the others from enjoying themselves. Goodbye, friend of Hagrid."

"Oh, I see," Kyle nodded. "Then I'll give you two options."

He calmly placed his suitcase on the ground and opened it.

In the next instant, Norbert's head poked out. The dragon positioned itself beside Kyle, its mouth slightly open, revealing a faint glow of orange-red flames within.

The spiders froze, then immediately began retreating in panic. But Aragog stood rooted to the spot, immobilized by terror. It sensed Norbert's piercing gaze and knew that any sudden move would likely result in a searing blast of dragon fire.

"Damn it, who is this young wizard, and how does he have a dragon?" Aragog roared internally, feeling his entire body tremble.

"Misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding…" Aragog blurted hastily, even his speech speeding up. "It was merely a joke, of course we wouldn't harm Hagrid's friends…"

"You really frightened me. I had no idea you were joking…" Kyle said, patting his chest in mock relief.

"Yes, yes," the old spider nodded quickly. "We respect Hagrid greatly; naturally, we wouldn't harm humans."

"But I was still scared," Kyle said with a smirk, "so in fairness, I think some compensation is due for my emotional distress."

Aragog's pincers clicked hesitantly. "You're searching for the creature with the scorpion tail, aren't you? Hagrid took it to the Three-Headed Dog. I know the location and can lead you there."

"Not good enough," Kyle replied, shaking his finger. "I already know where the Three-Headed Dog is. I don't need directions."

He paused, surveying the mass of spiders. "How about this… I notice you have plenty of companions here. How about giving me some venom?"

"Fine," the old spider muttered, "how much do you want?"

"Not too much," Kyle said, pulling out his wand. He transformed the nearby leaves into a dozen large bottles, each the same type that The Three Broomsticks used for Pumpkin Fizz. Every bottle could hold exactly a pint.

"Just fill these up," Kyle instructed. "I'll come back for them later. If they aren't ready, I may have to collect it myself. So, what do you say? Is that acceptable?"

The old spider remained silent, visibly seething. Over a hundred pints of venom… did this young wizard think they were pumpkins? Venom wasn't something you could just "squeeze out!"

Yet, feeling the warmth from the dragon and the unyielding eyes fixed upon him, Aragog dared not voice his anger. In the dense forest, a single dragon flame could set the entire area ablaze, leaving them no chance to escape.

"I accept!" the old spider spat out resentfully.

"A wise choice." Kyle straightened up. "Don't be bitter. I'm doing this for your own good."

He continued, "Let me put it this way: Professor Dumbledore up at the castle is not exactly lenient. If you harm any students, you're finished, and Hagrid won't be able to save you."

Kyle gave Aragog's massive pincers a friendly pat and walked past him. Norbert closed his mouth, visibly disappointed—it seemed the dragon was quite interested in sampling one of the "snacks."

Newt chuckled quietly as he closed the suitcase and followed Kyle, shaking his head with amusement.