Acromantulas (Was: Arianna / Thestral/Selkies/Lavender)

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 184275

Pippin wrote:
>,snip>
>  Obviously Scamander hadn't visited Hogwarts recently, or he would
know about the giant spiders (whose presence can now be confirmed by
many witnesses, not just Ron and Harry) as well as the domesticated
thestrals bred by Hagrid.

Carol responds:

Since Newt Scamander was born in 1897, he probably didn't do a lot of
traveling (unless he was as hardy as Dumbledore). And even if he had
visited Hogwarts, neither Hagrid nor his protector, DD, was likely to
let the author of the ban on experimental breeding (FB vi) know about
the colony of Acromantulas. The rumor might have been started when
Hagrid was expelled in (IIRC) June 1943, but, of course, he didn't
acquire Mosag (Aragog's wife) until some time later. The Forbidden
Forest was off limits to students, only a few of whom (MWPP, the
Weasley Twins) apparently broke the ban on purpose. Draco and Neville,
who went there unwillingly for a detention, didn't see the
Acromantulas, and Harry and Ron, who "follow[ed] the spiders," weren't
about to reveal what they had seen and get Hagrid in trouble.

So the rumor that a colony existed in Scotland (not necessarily at
Hogwarts) remained unconfirmed. Of course, after the Battle of
Hogwarts, that would change (assuming that any spiders remained alive
after the battle). I had the idea, perhaps mistaken, that their lair
had been destroyed, and I doubt that any parents would want their
children to attend Hogwarts until the entire colony had been wiped
out. BTW, the spiders that Harry and Ron followed can't be baby
Acromantulas, considering that the eggs from which they're hatched are
as big as beach balls (FB 1), so even the babies would be recognizable
on sight and presumably destroyed, whatever Hagrid's feelings in the
matter might be (and "Don't hurt 'em!" is one of those ambiguous lines
that can be read either way).

Carol, sincerely hoping that every trace of the murderous,
cannibalistic brutes was wiped out