The Search for Answers in the Forbidden Forest

Harry and Ron follow Hagrid's clue into the Forbidden Forest, where they meet Aragog and learn the truth about the monster.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Following the Spiders

A Hazardous Path The Decision Determined to find the truth, Harry and Ron use the Invisibility Cloak to sneak out of the castle and enter the Forbidden Forest. They take Fang with them. The Spider Trail They follow a trail of spiders that leads deep into the forest. The spiders are fleeing from the basilisk, but Harry and Ron don't know that yet. The Encounter They are captured by giant spiders and taken to their leader, Aragog. The spiders are hostile, but Aragog speaks to them.

Aragog's Testimony

The Truth from the Spider Hagrid's Innocence Aragog reveals that he was never the monster of the Chamber. He was raised by Hagrid, who was expelled for keeping him. The real monster is something that spiders fear. The Clue Aragog refuses to name the creature, but he says it is ancient and that the first victim was a girl found in a bathroom. This leads Harry to suspect Moaning Myrtle. The Escape After the conversation, Aragog's offspring attack. Harry and Ron are saved by Mr. Weasley's flying car, which crashes through the forest. They escape with their lives and the crucial clue.

The Realization

Connecting the Dots The Bathroom Harry realizes that the girl who died was Moaning Myrtle, and that she died in a bathroom. The entrance to the Chamber must be in that bathroom. The Next Step Harry and Ron now know where to look. They also understand that the monster is a basilisk, based on spiders' fear and the rooster killings. The Urgency With this knowledge, they must act quickly before the next attack. The forest expedition provides the final piece of the puzzle.

after Hagrid's arrest, late May

in the forest hollow, late May

after returning to the castle, late May