\u201cHello, Hagrid\u201d, Harry smiled at the large, burly man. \u201cI\u2019m sorry we didn\u2019t visit sooner\u201d.<\/p>\n
It was the morning of their third day of practice, and all their muscles were sore. Potions did help, though.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019arry, my dear boy, I\u2019m so glad to see yer!\u201d, the man crushed him with a bear hug. \u201cAnd \u2018ermione, too\u201d, he hugged her as well.<\/p>\n
He was more careful with Lyra and Viktor. \u201c\u2019allo to you two\u201d, he smiled. \u201cI \u2018aven\u2019t seen yer since the weddings\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry about that\u201d, Lyra beamed at the large man as she approached to embrace him. \u201cWe had a broken society to heal and four babies to make between the four of us, but that\u2019s no excuse\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell it sounds like a proper one from wher\u2019 I\u2019m standin\u2019\u201d, he laughed. \u201cCome right in, have some butterbeer and rock cakes, I made some last night\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cHere\u2019s the thing, Hagrid. I know you\u2019re attached to them, but those big spiders Aragog spawned are a menace. There\u2019s a contract at the Ministry out for their eradication, and it\u2019s our job to do it since we\u2019re Aurors. I just wanted to let you know so that you\u2019d be prepared, and see how you might feel about it\u201d, Harry looked at him softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cArr, they\u2019re a menace alright\u201d, Hagrid nodded. \u201cNothin\u2019 like poor ol\u2019 Aragog. Tried to eat me, and fought for that Voldemort bastard, pardon my language. Almost as bad as the Dementors, for sure. And they\u2019re spreading in the woods, eating boars and deer and everything else. Scaring Hippogriffs and Unicorns and other critters. Good that we have the Centaurs who keep shootin\u2019 arrows at them, or there\u2019d be no end to them\u201d, he grumped. \u201cThe sooner ye get rid of \u2018em the better, I\u2019d say\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be around here\u201d, Hermione\u2019s eyes were slightly glazed over, as she followed her tracking spell. \u201cOh, here they are\u201d, she winced.<\/p>\n
Harry took Lyra by the hand and came forward. \u201cHello, Magorian\u201d. He looked deeper into the woods and nodded. \u201cFirenze, Bane, Ronan. It is our honour to be in your presence\u201d, he bowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarry Potter\u201d, the leader of the Centaurs came out to meet him. \u201cWe meet again, and you have grown\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to introduce you to my wife, Lyra\u201d, he proudly smiled at his bride. \u201cYou already met Hermione, and this is her husband and my dear friend, Viktor\u201d, he pointed, and they all bowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is strangely pleasing to meet you\u201d, Magorian bowed back seriously. \u201cAnd I see that none of you carry wands\u201d, he looked at the rest of his herd. \u201cHow peculiar\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cCapricornus sent vanguards, and yet it is barely the time of the Water-bearer\u201d, Ronan mused. \u201cAnd four of them\u201d.<\/p>\n
Firenze nodded. \u201cIndeed\u201d.<\/p>\n
Lyra beamed at them. \u201cI like the way you think\u201d. She closed her eyes, and all around the clearing bright flowers sprouted, glowing with ethereal light. The rest of them took the hint. Harry closed his eyes next, making the lines of white light show on the trees, as they took their life from the earth, and reach all the way to the tiny branches, exploding with thousands of tiny points of light. Viktor smiled and made hundreds of glowing lights in the air, that made subtle wind chime sounds, and his wife took his hands, closed her eyes and rifts opened in space around them, glowing with heavenly light and music of the spheres.<\/p>\n
The entire place was bright with sacred magic and light, and the Centaurs looked in awe.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cSince this forest is under your stewardship, we wanted to ask your permission before we did anything else\u201d, Harry nodded at Magorian first, and then the others. \u201cThe Acromantulas, the big spiders, are a great nuisance. They attack people, animals and magical beings, they multiply and they are vile. We intend to destroy them. With your permission, we would like to do this now\u201d, he bowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe appreciate your respect, Harry Potter\u201d, the chestnut-bodied Centaur with black hair bowed back. \u201cThe great spiders are indeed a revolting pest and a dark evil in the forest, and we have been reducing their numbers to some measure, but there are few of us, and many of them. If you offer to destroy them, that would be to our greatest satisfaction\u201d, he nodded.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, here\u2019s the thing. They are very sensitive to fire, and that would be the easiest way to destroy them. However, there are two issues with that. First, it\u2019s a forest, and we don\u2019t want to burn it down. Second, I want to harvest their venom, because it\u2019s rare and precious, and after we have dealt with them it\u2019s going to become even more so. This means money, and money means we get to leave more to our children. So, let\u2019s think about this\u201d, Lyra addressed them as they approached the darkest part of the forest and Firenze left them.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeveral things come to mind\u201d, Viktor rubbed his chin. \u201cI guess a spatial crush would be an overkill and also destroy their mandibles and venom glands. But that cooking spell of yours, targeting the body. That should do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso, something like Sectumsempra<\/i>, or Petrificus Totalus<\/i>, followed by harvesting the venom and then Incendio<\/i>\u201d, Harry nodded. \u201cBut by all means, if you find yourselves overwhelmed, just burn them down. I wouldn\u2019t use Avada Kedavra<\/i> because it\u2019s almost as harmful to the caster as it is to the target\u201d.<\/p>\n
Hermione nodded in assent. \u201cAlso, we want to practice Festino, Tranquillo, Pax, Zona stasis<\/i> and Lux <\/i>P<\/i>ropria<\/i>. Effugio<\/i> if we need to\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cGirls, you cast the perimeter spells, keep them away from us. Control the time. Keep yourselves on a safe distance so that you are calm and have strategic control. Viktor and I will deal with the stragglers, exceptions, the unexpected, and immediate protection if something breaks through\u201d, Harry laid out the law.<\/p>\n
They all nodded. \u201cYes boss\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere they come\u201d, Harry pointed at the dark shadows.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cAre there more?\u201d, Viktor panted.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me cast a spell\u201d, his wife nodded and closed her eyes. \u201cThere are nests with eggs that magically resonate with the species. A few adults guarding them. One bigger than others. We seem to have nailed almost all of them\u201d, she smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent. Let\u2019s harvest the venom into standard flasks with unbreakable charms, and store them in our holding bags\u201d, Lyra conjured a bottle and started collecting the venom.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a long day\u201d, Viktor frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cBro, Festino<\/i> is a thing\u201d, Harry clapped his shoulder and turned into a blur.<\/p>\n
Viktor slapped himself. \u201cStupid\u201d, and blurred out.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cPhinneas, can you hear me?\u201d, Harry spoke into the medallion Hermione made.<\/p>\n
\u201cLoud and clear, boss\u201d.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cDo you see the visual?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. It\u2019s slightly dark, but I can see all of you and a lot of dead Acromantulas, if I\u2019m not wrong\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cCorrect. Seven hundred and fifty eight, by Hermione\u2019s counting spell, plus the eggs and the nests\u201d, Harry confirmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWoah. You\u2019ve been busy\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cYou can say that again. I just wanted to report the status. We harvested the venom for personal use and we\u2019ll now leave and report to the Centaurs who control the forest. Please send a team of three to our location now, for collecting evidence and controlled burn of the bodies, because we can\u2019t risk there being some eggs in there\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cGotcha.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
Three Aurors apparated with a crack.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello boys; we did our part and we\u2019ll be leaving them to you now\u201d, Harry grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cSon of a bitch\u201d, one Auror cursed, looking at a huge ring of dead car-sized spiders, hundreds of meters across.<\/p>\n
\u201cImagine what it would be like to live in that forest with those around\u201d, the other nodded in assent.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s record this for evidence and get out of here, this place is giving me the creeps\u201d, the third one got to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cCleanup is going to be some work, but can you imagine having to kill all of them?\u201d, the first one noted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bosses sure earn their pay\u201d, the second one shrugged and got to work recording the scene.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cSeven hundred and fifty eight, by Hermione\u2019s count, plus eggs. We killed all of them and our detection spells do not register other specimens of that species within a hundred kilometre radius, which means the forest is clean and safe\u201d, Harry reported to Magorian. The clearing was still bathing in subtle lights and sounds.<\/p>\n
The Centaurs looked at each other. \u201cThis is an astonishing feat, Harry Potter. You have our gratitude for dealing with those horrid pests\u201d.<\/p>\n
Magorian looked to the distance. \u201cOh\u201d.<\/p>\n
Harry turned around to see Unicorns coming into the clearing, slowly and shyly, obviously coming to greet them; girls first, but then they approached him and Viktor as well, allowing to be petted like common horses.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmazing\u201d, Firenze spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe it\u2019s a sign of a deeper alliance between Wizards and nature\u201d, Hermione wondered.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u201d, Ronan waved his head. \u201cYou are Wizards no longer\u201d.<\/p>\n
The four looked at each other, not understanding. \u201cWhat, then?\u201d, Lyra wondered.<\/p>\n
\u201cInfant Gods\u201d, Ronan bowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you you\u2019re a Goddess\u201d, Hermione smiled at Lyra.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u201d, Bane spoke. \u201cFour, not one\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cCapricornus visited the realm of the Water-bearer\u201d, Ronan nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe salute you\u201d, Magorian lifted his bow high, and others joined him.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened to you guys?\u201d, Harry looked at the Weasleys and the Malfoys sprawled in exhaustion on all available surfaces, covered in sleeping babies.<\/p>\n
\u201cHush\u201d, Molly put a finger to her lips. \u201cThey are finally asleep\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are too old for this\u201d, Lucius whispered tiredly.<\/p>\n
Hermione snickered. \u201cI\u2019ll bring tea\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cHello, Hagrid\u201d, Harry smiled at the large, burly man. \u201cI\u2019m sorry we didn\u2019t visit sooner\u201d. It was the morning of their third day of practice, and all their muscles were sore. Potions did help, though. \u201c\u2019arry, my dear boy, I\u2019m … Continue reading