In an instant, the bristly hairs on Aragog's body stood on end, a bone-deep chill gripping its ancient frame. The old Acromantula couldn't tell if the terror stemmed from the flame-wreathed creature before it or the young wizard with a disarming smile.
Just as Lucien raised his wand and Luster, the Qilin, took a step forward—
"Wait, wait!" Aragog's mandibles clicked frantically, its voice faster than ever. "I was just joking!"
Lucien's wand stayed raised, the electric arcs dancing on its tip growing fiercer. "Oh, just a bit of fun, was it?" he muttered in a tone Aragog couldn't quite parse.
The chill didn't fade—if anything, it deepened.
"I—I promised Hagrid I wouldn't harm anyone!" Aragog blurted, desperately name-dropping Hagrid to defuse the situation.
But Lucien's wand remained trained on it, the arcs tightening as if ready to unleash a spell. "You promised Hagrid. But have all your countless descendants made the same promise?"
Aragog caught his meaning in a flash. Its mandibles worked so fast they nearly sparked. With a command, it ordered its brood to scatter, clearing the area around Lucien.
Relieved, the spiders fled faster than ever, desperate to escape the searing heat radiating from Luster. If not for Aragog's orders, they wouldn't have surrounded the human in the first place. At first, he'd seemed harmless—even approachable. But the moment he raised his wand, primal fear had gripped them, urging them to run.
Lucien surveyed the now-empty clearing and nodded, satisfied. "Not bad. Now it's just us."
Aragog's body stiffened. Just us? Now it had to face these two monsters alone!
The strange, fiery creature was one thing, but why did this young wizard inspire such dread?
"Relax," Lucien said. "I'm not here with bad intentions. I just want to study your kind and collect some venom."
Aragog relaxed slightly. Good. He's willing to talk. "Of course, of course. I can tell you mean no harm," it said, forcing sincerity. "Hagrid's friends are never bad people."
Lucien smirked, amused by the spider's sudden shift in tone. All high and mighty one minute, groveling the next.
"Have your descendants line up in two groups—males and females, youngest to oldest. I want to examine them."
Aragog agreed instantly, eager to get this over with. It clicked its mandibles, and two small Acromantulas crept forward, nudging each other nervously, neither wanting to be the first to approach.
"Don't be scared," Lucien said with a chuckle. "I'm just checking if you're growing properly." He levitated the two spiders, jotting down their data.
Glancing at Aragog, still huddled at the edge of its lair, Lucien pulled a cedarwood bucket—about the size of a water cooler—from his Extension-Charmed bag. He floated it over to Aragog. "Don't just sit there. Fill this with some venom."
Cedarwood was ideal for preserving Acromantula venom's potency. Aragog didn't hesitate, scuttling to the bucket and beginning to secrete venom.
Lucien efficiently recorded data on Acromantulas of all ages. Thanks to Aragog's sprawling family, he gathered the most comprehensive data yet on any magical creature.
Time to check the venom haul. With the Boomslang venom secured, he could start brewing Delayed Truth.
He summoned the bucket and peered inside. Whoa—more than half full? Hadn't he told Aragog to "put in a bit"? Did elderly Acromantulas just produce that much venom?
Then he looked at Aragog, sprawled on the ground, its eight legs limp, its already pale body looking even whiter.
Oops. Looks like it burned itself out.
Well, older Acromantulas did produce stronger venom. No point making it drink the stuff back—it was already out. Still, it looked like it was on its last legs.
No, no, I can't drain the well dry. Sustainable development, Lucien!
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small vial, and uncorked it. A single drop of shimmering Qilin saliva floated out, guided by his wand to Aragog's mouth.
In an instant, Aragog sprang to its feet. The weakness from overproducing venom vanished, and a spark of new vitality coursed through its ancient body. Even its cloudy, blind eyes seemed to catch a faint glimmer of light.
"What—what is this?" Aragog stammered.
Lucien tucked the vial away. "Don't worry, I'm not taking your stuff for free. Catch you later!"
With a wave, he patted Luster, and the pair vanished in a blink.
Aragog waved a foreleg instinctively, then froze. Wait. Did he say "catch you later"? He's coming back?!
---
"Where'd you leave Fang, Luster?" Lucien asked.
"Master, I left him right here! Where'd he go?" the Qilin replied.
Lucien clicked his tongue. Fang better not be lost. He'd brought the dog along, after all. "Alright, Luster, let's split up and find him. We can't lose that dog."
"Oh, and about that unicorn we ran into earlier—be extra cautious around magical creatures like that. Keep an eye on your surroundings. If there's any danger, Apparate out immediately. No hesitating!"
Lucien was specifically warning Luster about Quirrell, who might come to the Forbidden Forest hunting unicorns. But that was a worry for a few months down the line. According to the system, a growing Qilin developed rapidly. Who knew how strong Luster would be by then?
"Got it, Master! Oh, what's a magical creature?" Luster asked.
"Creatures with magical abilities. Good question—after we cover the basics, I'll teach you to identify them."
"…"
Lucien searched high and low for Fang, but it was Luster's keen nose that finally tracked him down. The dog was curled up in a tree hollow, trembling, covered in rotting leaves and branches.
"Wow, Fang, you're pretty clever, huh? Hiding your scent like that!" Lucien said. "Sorry about this, buddy. I'll make it up to you with some braised ribs later!"