With Hagrid and Dumbledore gone and new security measures in place, Harry finds life at Hogwarts “horribly wrong” (265). He and Ron search for spiders but struggle to find any remaining in the castle. One day in Potions class, Draco brags about his father’s role in demoting Dumbledore and suggests that Snape apply to become headmaster. Later, in Herbology, Ernie apologizes for suspecting Harry, admitting that Harry would never attack Hermione. Harry accepts his apology. He suddenly spots a group of spiders moving in a straight line toward the Forbidden Forest at the edge of the school grounds. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lockhart celebrates Hagrid’s arrest, confident that the danger is now passed.

That night, Harry and Ron sneak out in Harry’s Invisibility Cloak. After stopping at Hagrid’s house to pick up Fang, Hagrid’s dog, they follow a stream of spiders moving into the forest, despite Ron’s growing discomfort. Deep in the forest, they come across Mr. Weasley’s car, which seems happy to see them.

Harry hears a clicking noise, then is picked up by what turns out to be a giant, horse-sized spider; two others collect Ron and Fang and carry them to a vast web at the center of a colony of giant spiders.