Chapter 74. Race Development Plan
"When was the last time you went to see that colony of Acromantulas?"
Duncan asked as he stepped forward to free Graham and the others from the vines' intimate embrace.
They looked a bit bedraggled.
As always, there were five of them.
One had been frightened into unconsciousness.
Two had wet their trousers.
The remaining two were still awake but dazed under the vines' caresses and the Acromantulas' intimidation.
Hagrid thought for a moment and replied, "Almost a fortnight ago."
"I've been rather busy lately and haven't had time to go..."
"When you went last time, did Aragog talk to you about a food shortage?" Duncan asked.
Though Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were not keen, they still swung their wands to clean the filth off those two students.
"No," Hagrid said, shaking his head.
"Aragog was very cheerful at the time and even told me about their race development plan."
"Race development plan?" Duncan echoed, turning his gaze to Hagrid.
"What exactly was the plan?"
Hagrid scratched his head in distress.
"I don't quite remember... something that could make them stronger."
"He was very happy when he said it, his great pincers clicking the whole time."
"Become stronger?" Duncan felt increasingly uneasy.
"Hagrid, let's go and take a look after this lesson."
"Mm..." Hagrid nodded, then asked hesitantly, "Duncan, what's wrong with these two Acromantulas?"
He rather feared hearing something dreadful from Duncan, because then he wouldn't be able to keep feeding Acromantulas in the forest.
"I'm not sure either," Duncan replied.
"We'll only know after we see their habitat."
Hagrid's arrows had blasted the two Acromantulas into shredded meat.
Even if Newt came, he might not find the problem in a short time.
"Oh..." Hagrid bobbed his head up and down, silently praying that the Acromantulas would be all right.
Just then, Professor Kettleburn hurried over, led by the guiding birds.
He was still out of breath as he said, "I went to get the other students out of the forest first, so I'm a bit late."
"What on earth happened?"
"How bad is it?"
"It's been handled," Duncan replied, pointing into the distance.
"Two Acromantulas popped out from who-knows-where."
"How could that be?" Professor Kettleburn said in puzzlement.
"I patrolled yesterday and didn't find any trace of them."
"And I was afraid they'd come in from elsewhere, so I pre-sprinkled powder they detest around here."
"They shouldn't have come."
"It is odd," Duncan said.
"I'm planning to go with Hagrid to their habitat later."
"Then I'll trouble you for that," Professor Kettleburn sighed.
"I'll take these students back first and come find you."
The very first outdoor lesson had another incident.
The rest of Care of Magical Creatures would probably have to be conducted indoors again.
Professor Kettleburn flicked his wand, and branches from the ground rose to form stretchers for the Slytherin students to lie on.
But just as he was about to tell Fred, George, and Lee Jordan to leave together, a clamour suddenly arose all around, coming closer and closer.
Click-click, click-click.
All other sounds in the forest were drowned out, leaving only that one noise echoing between the trees and battering everyone's eardrums.
The pixies circling above panicked.
Nofi darted over at speed.
"Loads of big spiders are closing in—too many to count."
[Optional Task: The Acromantulas in the forest have all gone mad, posing a tremendous threat to the other denizens of the forest.
For the sake of peace in the forest, use your power to keep them all here!]
[Task Rewards: Virtual Coins ×1000, Random Item ×1]
"I'm counting on you—get to the tower as fast as you can and find a white-bearded old man."
"Bring him here at once!"
Seeing that trouble was imminent, Duncan gave his orders to the birds in the sky without hesitation.
If anything felt wrong, call for backup first.
This was a survival guideline Tina had distilled for him from Newt's past exploits.
The birds on the treetops took off in flocks.
Duncan looked to the side.
"Professor..."
"I see them," Professor Kettleburn said gravely.
"Hagrid, protect the students who can't move."
"Right!" Hagrid answered quickly.
He gripped his stone bow in a death-clutch as his furious gaze swept the vast black shadows drawing near.
"And you four?" Professor Kettleburn asked again.
"Can you keep yourselves safe?"
"We can," Duncan said with a brisk nod, calm at heart.
Even if his wand was acting up, he still had a few powerful items on him.
Keeping himself safe would be no problem at all.
Fred and George nodded too, taking their places at Duncan's side.
In their hearts, Duncan was younger than they were, so they ought to protect him.
Lee Jordan's face looked a bit grim.
He had only followed because he was worried about his Galleons, and he hadn't expected to run into this.
He sighed inwardly and felt a little regret, but still kept pace with the twins.
"Good," Professor Kettleburn said, giving his wrist a light shake, his tone almost excited.
"Today I'll show you my strength, so you stop thinking I'm old and less capable than the other professors!"
An Acromantula came into view.
Kettleburn twitched his wand.
The spider's steps faltered, and it was slain in an instant.
"Brilliantly done, Professor Kettleburn!" Fred became a proper cheerleader, raising his arm and shouting with delight.
Professor Kettleburn had intended to wave nonchalantly and toss off a line about this being routine work, nothing to fuss over.
But before he could speak, a thick black line appeared within sight and, in the blink of an eye, turned into a black river.
The click-click filled their ears.
Countless Acromantulas were advancing from afar, stretching out to the horizon.
As they passed the few spider corpses along the way, they began feeding at once.
Within seconds, the ground lay bare again.
"Ha-have they all gone mad?" Hagrid said, his voice trembling as he drew and nocked and made ready to fight.
"I think so," Duncan replied.
The earlier fighting had ended too quickly for him to study the spiders closely.
Only now did he see them clearly, and on their bodies he noticed something extremely wrong.
"Professor, look at their eyes," Duncan said quickly.
The Acromantulas' eyes, clustered at the front of the body, were bloodshot and bulging as if on the verge of popping out.
They jutted far further than in their normal state.
"This again?" Professor Kettleburn murmured softly.
Duncan looked at him in confusion.
"You've seen this before?"
"Mm... I've seen it in the rainforests of Southeast Asia," Professor Kettleburn said with a nod.
"But it's a bit complicated."
"Once we've settled things here, I'll explain it to you in detail."
"All right," Duncan said.
He drew his gaze back to the oncoming Acromantulas, tightened his grip on his wand, and took a deep breath.
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