Sean hadn't even reached Aragog's territory before his magic fully recovered.
Without hesitation, he cast the flying spell and shot straight toward the massive spider's lair.
"Aragog! Aragog!" he shouted midair.
But what came first—
was not Aragog.
It was the swarm.
Hundreds—no, thousands—of spiders poured out from every direction.
From trees.
From grass.
From burrows.
A living tide.
Sean's scalp tingled.
He knew—
these creatures ate humans.
But right now—
he had no room left for fear.
At last, Aragog emerged.
Its massive body crawled out slowly, eight pale eyes cloudy with age.
"Young wizard of Hogwarts… was it you who called me?" it asked.
Sean said nothing.
He immediately pulled out Hagrid's goggles.
The token.
Recognition flickered in Aragog's many eyes.
"What does Hagrid want?"
Sean lowered himself cautiously.
Holding out the Golden Scepter.
"He wants you to guard this."
Aragog paused.
"That object… carries an ancient evil."
"Please," Sean said urgently.
"Hagrid is in danger."
"I need you to guard it—"
"and send your children with me to help him."
Aragog hesitated.
Even its savage instincts recoiled from the Scepter.
But—
Hagrid.
The one who had raised it from an egg.
Cared for it.
Protected it.
"…Very well."
"I will guard it."
"But my children…"
"Once they leave this territory, I cannot control them."
"I am old."
Sean understood.
These creatures—
would even devour their own dead.
Without Aragog's authority—
they were chaos.
"…No time to think about that."
"Go," Aragog commanded.
"Children—follow him."
"Feast."
Sean dropped the Scepter.
Aragog carried it back into the cave.
And behind Sean—
a tide of spiders surged forward.
He flew.
They followed.
When he returned—
everything had changed.
The one fighting Coates—
was no longer Hagrid or Mick.
It was Severus Snape.
"Professor!"
"Why are you back?!" Snape snapped.
"I told you to take the Scepter and leave!"
"I already gave it to Aragog," Sean said.
"I came back to help."
Below—
Hagrid and Mick lay motionless.
Coates looked up.
Through the mask—
his eyes were full of disdain.
"Back to die?"
Sean activated his Magic vision .
No light.
Mick—
gone.
Hagrid—
gone.
Only Buckbeak still flickered faintly.
"…They're dead."
Sean's mind went blank.
Then—
rage exploded.
The spiders arrived.
A black flood.
But without Aragog's control—
they turned feral.
They crawled toward the bodies.
Toward Hagrid.
Toward Mick.
Toward Buckbeak.
They were going to eat them.
"No—!"
Sean unleashed spell after spell.
"Blazing Meteors!"
Fire rained down.
Spiders shrieked—
burned—
but there were too many.
Too many.
Despair crushed him.
He had brought them.
He—
had done this.
He couldn't even recover their bodies.
No miracle came.
No sudden surge of power.
Only—
his magic draining away.
"GET OUT OF HERE!" Snape roared.
"…I know."
Sean turned.
Left.
Again.
Just like before.
"I'll bring them back."
He flew.
Faster.
Harder.
Drank the last potion.
Five minutes later—
he stood atop the tallest tree in the forest.
A hidden path.
To a secret chamber.
Through corridors—
through rooms—
he emerged—
into the girls' bathroom inside Hogwarts.
The castle was still empty.
No time.
He flew through the corridors—
straight to Snape's office.
He burst inside.
Opened the drawer.
The Time-Turner.
Four months.
Only one hour left.
"One hour… is enough."
He stared at the clock.
4:48.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
At exactly 4:50—
he turned it.
Time—
reversed.
3:50.
Before Coates entered the forest.
Before everything collapsed.
Sean B moved.
He rushed to his dorm.
Took the Wizard's Heart.
Recovered his magic in under a minute.
Seven potions.
All gathered.
Then—
he flew.
Toward the Hidden Valley Forest.
After more than ten minutes—
he reached the campsite.
Students stared.
Shocked.
"Isn't that Sean?"
"Why is he here?"
"Shouldn't he be competing?"
He ignored them.
Walked straight into the Slytherin second-year tent.
Silence fell.
"Sean?"
Chris stepped forward.
"What are you doing here? What about the match?"
"…You got eliminated?"
Cassius asked.
"No."
Sean's voice was sharp.
"Listen to me."
"The match doesn't matter anymore."
"I have something more important to do."
"Give me your wand."
"…What?"
Cassius blinked.
"Where's yours?"
"No time. Trust me."
"NOW."
Something in Sean's tone—
made him freeze.
Cassius hurriedly handed it over.
Sean tested it.
Shook his head.
"Chris—yours."
She didn't hesitate.
"Take it."
Sean gripped it.
Better.
Not perfect.
But usable.
"…I'll explain later."
He said quietly.
And turned—
ready to rewrite fate.
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