The screeching didn't stop until another Acromantula appeared. Dangling from one of the trees downward. She was much bigger than Groggy. Useless Groggy.

"Shut up before I eat you, Groggy." Moggy screeched. "You woke me from my beauty nap!"

Now where were these delicious hoomans? Oh, THERE they are. The smallest one had even lit up their location. They were even covered in ketchup-colored robes. Thank you, hooman.

They could almost taste the delicious juicy flesh of hooman skin. If only those tall hoomans weren't with them. They lowered themselves down to face them.

"Let's play a game.. tag you're it!" She made to pounce at the smallest hooman, but the mustard girl-hooman seemed to have cast a shield charm as her pincers met an invisible glass inches from them.

"Ooh, clever girl. You trained them well." She complimented the taller hoomans. "But I'm not picky, I'll take either one of you!" She was bigger, therefore not afraid of the tall hoomans and so she pounced again at their retreating figures.

First, she would wound one of them, then she could take them for a spin. Hehehe. Meanwhile, Groggy was still flailing in an effort to stand right-side up.

The exit wasn't going to be open for long.

Dhruv could always count on Ean to pick up right where they left off in terms of offering explanations. So while Ean spoke of Jaws, they kept a wary eye on the struggling acromantula, and a keen ear out for its friends. Was there panic within the DADA professor? Not in the least; they always taught the students that it was best to keep a calm mind in the presence of danger. So it was only logical they continue practicing in reality what they taught. They weren’t quite keen on the idea of Kara illuminating the path, not when the said light could make it just as easy for the other acromantulas to find the group as much as using their olfactory senses. Ariadne’s choice in spell, however, was the one that met Dhruv’s approval, and they hoped that it was strong enough to withstand…

That.

That second, bigger spider. Dhruv’s heart did feel like it skipped a bit at the sight of the creature above. And now their heart was hammering away the new acromantula lunged toward the girls. Had the circumstances been a relaxed one, they would have offered a compliment with regard to the strength of the Shield Charm. “Go. You're almost to the gate,’’ Dhruv repeated firmly once again to Ariadne and Kara, and at the same time putting himself between the gigantic spider and everyone else. Dhruv knew it would be useless to tell Ean to go as well so they didn’t waste their breath and precious time. Instead they raised their left hand. “Arania Exumai!” A bigger arachnid required far more intent and focus; Dhruv put exactly that into the Spider Blasting Charm. She wasn't about to claim either them or Ean this evening. Or any other time for that matter.

Jaws sensed her even before he saw her. If Groggy was menacing then Moggy was ten times more. Jaws knew they were all in deep trouble. The creature also knew how capable the human adults were.

Now. With Groggy still down it would be nice if these two human girls would just hurry along to safety. Jaws knew the professor humans would stand their ground until the youngest two were back on the other side of the gate.

Jaws snickered as Mogg y pounced. That snicker was due to a slight panic but despite that he swivelled to face her.

Just as she pounced again Jaws took off at a speed. He barrelled towards Moggy with his hooves clopping loudly on the path.

His first goal was to protect, this time the professor humans by putting himself directly in Moggy's path. As Moggy pounced again, Jaws took a running leap so that he sailed through the air. He sailed passed Feirgrund and Khanna and soared directly towards Groggy's girlfriend.

His second goal too was to crash into her with a force enough to stun her. After all Jaws wasn't confident he'd be able to knock her over.

It was a strange feeling being pulled and nudged along by some invisible force field, aka what her House head referred to as a Thestral named Jaws. Still clutching to Ariadne's hand, she smiled graciously when the older girl cast the shield charm. Oh that was smart - and one that she actually should have known, but she was only eleven, so what could one expect??

Appreciative glance back as their defense professor shot another spell back at the spider, she didn't dare attempt that spell herself. Instead she continued to trudge forward with Ari by her side.

From now on she'd keep her adventuring spirit to within the castle. At least for the next few months. Maybe when she learned a few more spells. And researched what exactly a thestral was, although they didn't seem to be as terrible as the acromantulas that wanted to eat her.

Ean was about done with this excavation in the Forest. The more time spent, the higher level of the danger increased. His earlier disappointment and annoyance at students defying the rules had vanished. Being a father above his job shifted his feelings in making sure the students were okay and safe. Miss Walsh's action to light the way was well intended and helpful in showcasing the way easily, but not exactly the best choice as it made their location easier for the Acromantula's girlfriend to drop in on them.

Merlin, she's huge. He could tolerate spiders, but one that was large enough to scoop two of them raised some of the hairs off the nape of his neck. Especially when her pincers went straight for the first year, but Miss Rose put a stop to that with the protection charm. "Five... points for lighting the way, Miss Walsh. And ten points to Hufflepuff for protecting Miss Walsh, Miss Rose. Let's go." He said. Strange time to award points? Not necessarily, it in a way served to break some tension enough for them to focus. Especially since he nearly witnessed the youngest get pierced. Shivers, anyone?

Jaws the Thestral was aiding the girls along the way with Ean following after to cover them from behind. "When you reach back to the castle, Miss Rose, do tell Master Dane that he's received five points for his quick reflexes." Under regular circumstances, all three would getting detention, but the situation at hand has presented itself as a valuable lesson. A bit of a harsher lesson than he would have planned, for certain. His detention would've been resolved to cleaning the gate. But wait, where was Jaw going? Oh no. Professor Khanna's spell was aiding them more time, but the Thestral seemed to be having its own mission now. "Do not stop, girls, head straight towards the castle, if either of you need a Calming Draught, head to the Hospital Wing." A good sleep would help them after this ordeal.

When Ean saw the Thestral hurtling towards the Lady Acromantula, the best he could do was stop and draw his wand out, tracing a fast complex movement before the Thestral could reach them. "Glacius Tria!" Forming a blue light aiming right at the Acromantula, if all went well, she would be a frozen ball and maybe, just would put an end to their threat.

Groggy was too tired to screech anymore at this point. They rocked back and forth, without any success. After all the commotion, they were exhausted from the effort. Sighing, Groggy ended up rolling backward out of the hoomans view past the trees and down the hill. Sleep tight, Groggy.

"Stupid..." Moggy grimaced. Groggy was useless. She was alone but always kept her word, next to be pounced was a delicious juicy hooman. And if not, Groggy was looking mighty tasty. But one of the spells stunned her. Her beady eyes circled towards the oldest hooman who casted that. Clicking her pincers she made a snarling noise before dashing over.

"Bad idea."

Suddenly, her sight was blinded by a blue light and the air was suddenly cold.

"Youu B-" The words that were meant to escape her hairy mouth never came out as the sound of crackle and crinkle formed over her figure. An ice shield in the shape of a ball freezing her in place. Making her a perfect target.

The sound resembling a bowling ball hitting the pins echoed off the trees as the Thestral hit her dead-on. Excuse the pun. Sending her far, far away from all the hoomans sights. In the distance, a screeching noise could be heard.

Was this truly the end? The threat was suppressed for now.

Dhruv didn’t question the timing of Ean handing out points. The students had done well to offer assistance in a situation where many would have gone into utter panic. This was something which Dhruv usually attempted to dissuade anyone from doing either by reminders or by practical manners such as through meditation. Now their attention was predominantly occupied by Moggy, whom they were determined to not let progress further. Foggy was still down which worked out in everyone’s favour.

The sound of galloping hooves, rather than retreating, was growing louder. That meant…

“Jaws!” The brave, silly Thestral. Horror ripped through the DADA professor’s heart because their imagination fast forwarded to Jaws plunging straight into the acromantula’s wicked mouth. Dhruv’s worry could be explained by the fact that they had tended to this young Thestral since the day it had come into existence. Whether Jaws heard them or whether it was too stubborn to back down, It was most likely the latter.

Many things happened in quick succession.

Moggy scurries towards them, an incantation, a flash of blue light, Moggy freezing and Jaws hitting her head on with a sound loud enough to catch the attention of the Castle’s occupants. Dhruv was concerned for Jaws but they still scanned the surrounding to make sure that both arachnids - and any other that may have gathered during the chaos - were not around any. “We’re in the clear it seems. See to it that the girls made it back to the Castle grounds safely,’’ they told Ean. With that, they dashed over to the thestral to ensure there were no serious injuries.

There had been no plan other than to knock Moggy out of the way or at the very least distract her so that the humans could make an escape. The blue light blinded Jaws during his quest. Without realising it he smacked into her head on. When had Moggy gotten so close? Hadn’t there been a little more distance between them?

Dazed due to the combination of the almighty thump on his head and the loud sound Jaws collapsed on one flank. His were closed and his breathing laboured. When the familiar form of the Defense professor knealt beside him Jaws weakly lifted his head to nuzzle their hand reassuringly.

Jaws was going to be fine. He just needed to recover. The distant screeching was quite satisfying to heal up to. More importantly, there didn’t seem to be any threat now.

Crisis averted.

Ariadne had to admit that it felt good, right inside to see that her casting of the shield charm proved very useful and important. Those two spiders were HUGE. She really didn't like spiders, and now she didn't like them even more, and those pincers... Ari kept holding on to Kara's hand as they trudged on alongside each other on the path towards the castle and safety.

Ari heard Professor Feirgrund's voice, and turned her gaze to him as he actually awarded her 10 house points for her casting of the shield charm to protect both herself and Kara from the archnids. "Thank you Professor Feirgrund for the points. I promise to tell Talesin that he has gotten awarded 5 house points for his fast reflexes." Ari was happy, but also surprised that she had gotten points when she expected, and was sure to get detention for her trip into the FF. Nodding Ariadne said "I'll be sure to stop by the hopsital wing if I need a calming draught...I think though a hot meal, a hug from my sister Tiffany, and some sleep is just what I need after this...." Ari hoped that the thestral that she couldn't see was okay since they wouldn't have gotten away unscathed if it hadn't been for the thestral's assistance and bravery.