.....

Mystery solved.

Zahra Kettleburn. Ugh. Even her name put a bitter taste in his mouth. Zahra. He should've suspected as much. Merlin, Zander thought he'd finally get a break from her antics considering her boy toy guy was back at Hogwarts. Thank Merlin the two of them were seventh years by the way. 'Cause next term was gonna be HEAVAN. He couldn't wait.

But in the mean time, "OI!" Dramatic, yes. But he needed to get the point across, alright? "Do you mind!?!?!" STILL SPINNING by the way. Get off!! GAAAAAH. Zahra.

-_________-

Yup, also getting a little dizzy now.

Though it was kind of his--NO, no. It was ALL HER fault. The Kettleburn one. How in Merlin's name was he supposed to handle a situation like this????? Nothing had prepared him for this. WHERE WAS THE USERMANUAL?? WHAAA?? Just kidding. As if Zander would ever even read one of those. BUT STILL. Where there instructions on how to turn her off because that'd be very nice information right about now. Zander was getting desperate.

.....

*MELLOW*

"Getting off my back??!!???" As if it wasn't OBVIOUS. Oh sweet Merlin. What was the protocol for 'wild Gryffindor girl on back'. Code red?

Still spinning, by the way. Until Zahra hopped off. Or fell off. Or until he fell. Hopefully the second option, but the third was definitely a possibility.

Getting diiiiiIIIiiiiiiizzzzyyyyYYYyyyy

Astronomy Lesson 2 HW Post #3
 

Some scaling the walls while others scurried across the floor, the herd made their way quickly through the corridor. In silent agreement, as if it had been the plan for some time now, they broke off into two groups heading in opposite directions.

This particular Gryffindor was minding her own business and leisurely making her way from the Common Room to the front doors via the long way, giving her legs a good workout. You know, before she wasted that workout by laying out in the grass by the lake to soak up the sun. But something made her stop dead in her tracks. Acromantulas. A whole herd of 'em. And wasn't like it could be said that her eyes were playing tricks on her either. Not with the size of them.

Now, Heather wasn't normally scared of spiders. But, as previously stated, THE SIZE OF THEM! Plus the fact that a classmate had been EATEN by the things last term, well that wasn't helping her mental state at the sight of them. Though, she wasn't stupid enough to confront or insult them. But what she did do, that probably didn't help things either.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

...............

Acromantulas in the castle!"

Hopefully, that was loud enough for everyone on this floor to hear, because her feet were not working. Not to mention that she was feeling light-headed.

Heather. Sort of.
 

One straggling acromantula, the runt of one of the herds if there was such a thing when it came to these monstrous creatures, became distracted from its siblings when it heard the scream.

"Human flesh!" it said in a giddy, yet dark, tone. Eight horrifying legs moving in almost a blur, the hungry acromantula ran towards the girl with its pincers clicking excitedly. Mother said it was okay now.

MOVEMENT! THERE WAS MOVEMENT!

Becoming all to easily distracted by movement in the distance. Distance that it had sensed thanks to the cobwebs cluttering the castle. All of its beady black eyes locked in the direction of the fleeing girl and off it went.

Speed increasing, it raced right pass the Gryffindor (lazykitty). It's enormous abdomen struck her with such force as it changed directions suddenly that it could throw her up against the wall.

"FEAST! COME BACK, FEAST!"

She could hear them.

The legs.

Hitting the floor.

Lots of legs.

And then there was the sound of a voice too.

All of which were heading TOWARDS HER!! Didn't they get what she was trying to do?? Like. Rude. Her plan hadn't worked. Why had it not worked? Why had she been on this corridor in the first place?? Perhaps because her owner likes to be mean to her. Why hadn't she just stayed in her common room? Why was she out here????????????

Maggie didn't even scream or anything. She was just running.

Maggie too. Sorta.
 

Yeah, definitely hadn’t helped things. As evidenced by the 'runt' now headed towards her. Come on, feet, work!!!!!!!

But amazingly, the acromantula changed course right before it reached her, going for something behind her and knocking her into the wall and to the floor while it was at it. Knocking the wind out of her, of course. And probably breaking a rib. Ow. Heather was SO wishing death on whomever had the idea to bred those monsters right now.

Staying on the floor for now to catch her breath, she tried to remember who had an office on this floor and which was nearest. Headmistress Truebridge? Professor Tanner? The Headmistress would definitely be the best one to inform.......

.....if only she could catch her breath.

*cough heave wheeze*

Help?

Leaving the Gryffindor behind, for now, the black mass on eight legs continued its pursuit of the fleeing girl.

Closer...

Closer still...

Just a little more...

"TASTY MORSEL!" it hissed, its pincers nearly clipping her heels now.

Maggie was NOT a tasty morsel.

Although if she didn't hurry about she was going to be. She could feel the thing behind her. Hear it too. But mostly feel it. It was there. It was right there. Luckily she'd had the presence of mind to grab her wand BEFORE she'd started running so now at least she had that. Not that she could aim very well but it was definitely worth a try.

Without slowing down, she pointed her wand behind her over her shoulder. "BOMBARDA!" Blowing up a big spider was a good idea right?

Err.

"TASTY! TASTY! TASTY!"

The acromantula chanted as it scurried after the human girl. The human girl who was now pointing one of those sticks at him that Mother had told them all about.

Veering to the left as quickly as its eight legs could manage, the acromantula was not prepared for the spell that was cast.

Now there were 7 legs instead of 8.

Screeching and rearing its remaining front limbs, the arachnid recoiled slightly. Maybe it was time to hobble back to that other human (lazykitty) and turn her into a tasty morsel instead...

Run, Heather, Run!!
 

Her diet was 100% healthy so if you thought about it she probably WOULD be very tasty. Although, Maggie still didn't want anyone to take a bite of her.

Being spider food was NOT on her bucket list.

Unable to check if the spell had hit its target, Maggie could only assume by the sounds the creature was emitting. Not that that helped her really. There was no way she was going to stop running until she'd safely locked herself into an empty classroom or something. Or even a broom cupboard would do. ANYWHERE where the big spiders couldn't follow. Could they open doors?

She tried to send another spell at the creature behind her but was too exhausted for it to work. Maggie was in shape but that didn't mean that sprinting down corridors didn't wear her down. Where could she go??? There was a corner so she took a sharp left, not entirely sure where she was right now.

*cough cough wheeze*

Acromantula say what now?! Heather quickly looked to see what or who the giant spider was talking to, as it was obviously past her now, and couldn't see anyone. Which meant that it would soon be turning back to her. But with her broken rib, there was no way she could run. So that meant that she would have to fight the stupid thing. Injured. Perrrrrrfect.

She pulled herself up off the floor, wand in her right hand and her left wrapped around her front to hold her right side where the pain was. If she was going to have to fight for her life against an acromantula, she was damn sure going to get the first punch in. Taking good and careful aim, she shouted the first spell that came to mind. "BOMBARDA MAXIMA!" Take that!

And where the hell were the professors?! Well, professor and Headmistress. Surely they were making enough noise to be heard?!

Screeching and stumbling, the injured acromantula turned around and took off with impressive speed towards the human.

Studying her movements, it managed to avoid her spell while the floor now had a charming crater in it. Climbing the wall and scurrying further across the ceiling until it was positioned directly above the human...it pounced.

Seriously cursing whomever had the bright idea to breed these stupid monsters now, Heather watched as her spell MISSED. Grrrrrr. There was definitely some serious cursing from the Greek Gryffindor now, in every language she knew.

But, in between the bursts of cursing, she had the presence of mind to throw herself out of the way of the giant spider on the ceiling, the monster barely missing her foot as it pounced. She quickly pulled her foot away, aiming her wand now right in the middle of the giant spider's many eyes. "BOMBARDA MAXIMA! INCENDIO MAXIMA! ARANIA EXUMAI! INCENDIO MAXIMA!" Adrenaline running through her veins now, she didn't even wait to see if her spells hit before dashing towards the nearest stairs and using the banister to slide down to the first floor.

Bye, spider!

Unable to adjust to its missing limb, the acromantula hit the ground and rolled on to its side. Screeching and flailing its massive legs, it tried to turn itself over but all efforts were in vain.

A spell, or two, hit the creature right on the under side of its abdomen.

SPLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

Now that severed leg was the only piece of the spider actually recognizable as smoldering bits and pieces of the arachnid clung to the ceiling and walls.