The current heads of the four houses at Hogwarts, including Snape, are all people who have risen above vulgar interests.
They don't value Galleons highly. Some of them are even not quite accustomed to Dumbledore's sudden decision to offer a special allowance.
As for Eris, she was quite pleasantly surprised by this unexpected windfall. However, with an unpredictable 'bomb' in her belly and an uncertain future, she didn't show much excitement.
So, no one bothered to inquire about the amount of the so - called special allowance or when they would receive it.
Everyone just nodded slightly, indicating that they were ready to act.
Dudley watched all this and thought that the old man's team was really easy to lead and satisfy.
Dumbledore, the Boss, must be having a really smooth time.
Seeing that everyone was ready, Dumbledore didn't waste any more words. He asked Hagrid to lead the way in front, while he followed behind with Dudley and a group of professors.
Together, they entered The Forbidden Forest.
The Forbidden Forest during the day was a bit more lively than at night.
From time to time, one could hear the chattering and annoying calls of the Hags.
There were also some magical creatures and dark creatures peeping at them secretly through the gaps in the trees and bushes.
However, the calls of the Hags and the secret peeping of the creatures obviously couldn't pose any threat to their team.
None of the eight people in their party was an easy - going person. In terms of pure combat power, they were even capable of sweeping across the wizarding world.
With Hagrid, the half - giant who regarded The Forbidden Forest as his backyard, leading the way, they didn't encounter any short - sighted creatures blocking their path or launching sneak attacks along the way.
As they got closer to their destination, the sounds of birds and insects around the team gradually faded away until they disappeared completely.
The variety of creatures peeping around also became increasingly single.
In the end, the only things they could sense were large, swarming spiders peeping at their team.
Dudley could see clearly that the smallest of those spiders was as big as an adult's palm, and the largest was as big as a carriage wheel.
Moreover, as the team got closer to the center of the Acromantula territory, the spiders they saw were getting bigger and bigger. The abdomens of some spiders looked big enough to hold three or four Professor Flitwick, which was extremely terrifying.
On the faces of Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout, the expressions had become a bit ugly. Although they didn't think they couldn't defeat these spiders, they still couldn't help but feel a little scared.
They also gradually began to question Dumbledore's idea of building a training maze in such a place.
At the end of the team, Snape still had his stench field on, and his expression was as gloomy as ever.
But upon closer inspection, one could find that when Snape looked at those big spiders, there was a glint of greed and desire slowly appearing in his empty eyes.
The venom of the Acromantula is an extremely rare potion ingredient. On the market, wizards would fight fiercely for it. Even at a price of three thousand Galleons per ounce, those wizards skilled in potion - making were extremely eager for it.
This stuff was so rare that it rarely made its way to the market.
"Damn, it's really something that dumb Hagrid managed to breed so many of them!"
This was exactly what Snape was thinking at this moment.
He observed the large Acromantulas around him and found that most of them could no longer be called pure - blooded Acromantulas because during the breeding process in The Forbidden Forest, it was inevitable that the blood of other spiders had mixed in, diluting and degenerating the bloodline of the offspring Acromantulas.
But even so, they were still quite rare.
Snape already had the idea of pulling off a heist secretly after finishing his official business.
He wanted to get some venom from the Acromantulas with a relatively pure bloodline to stock up on materials for brewing the Love - Drunk Potion and Soul - Dissolving Potion he had in mind.
"Severus, these Acromantulas look so scary! If we encounter danger later, you must protect me!"
Snape was in the middle of planning his official business when unexpectedly, this troublesome woman, Eris, started pestering him again.
That coquettish and affected voice could only come from a useless person who would only be a burden to others.
Snape's face darkened. He turned his head and stared at Eris, who was constantly shaking the stick and making his arm shake too. He said coldly:
"Professor Eris, we're just colleagues, and we're on school business at the moment. Please, like me, address others by their surnames and add their titles!
Moreover, if a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts still needs someone else's help to fend off dark creatures, then she must be unqualified!
If you're really that helpless, please go back to the school infirmary to recuperate, and give up your position as the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts to someone capable!"
Eris was cussing Snape in her head. She wished she could rip out Snape's heart and see if it was made of stone.
But she still didn't dare to expose her true thoughts. She activated Occlumency to the fullest and started causing new trouble.
"Professor Snape, don't hate me. I'm very strong. I... I'm not afraid of these big Acromantulas!"
Eris put on a show of crying and pleaded pathetically. She took out her wand and pointed it at two or three Acromantulas in the distance, ready to cast a spell to prove herself.
"No! Professor Eris!"
The team members in front were distracted by Eris' loud ruckus.
Hagrid, the leader, saw that Eris was about to attack the descendants of Aragog and quickly tried to stop her.
Shouting, he rushed towards Eris and Snape. Unfortunately, he accidentally stepped into Snape's stinky area and was nearly knocked out by the stench. With great difficulty, he took two steps back to escape. Retching, he blocked in front of Eris.
The Acromantulas in the distance saw Eris take out her wand to attack. They started moving their mouthparts and assumed an attacking stance.
Seeing Hagrid, the master of their long - dead ancestor, come out to stop them, they barely suppressed their desire to attack.
And the moment Hagrid shouted, Eris lowered her wand. She never intended to attack the Acromantulas at all. She was just putting on a show for Snape to maintain her image as a lovelorn woman.
The psychological shadow brought by the unicorn herd to Eris hadn't disappeared yet. How could she be so reckless and suicidal as to target the Acromantula clan that feasts on human flesh?
Hagrid didn't have as many schemes as Eris. Seeing Eris put down her wand, he let out a sigh of relief. He turned around and waved at the few watching Acromantulas, signaling them to go back to their nests quickly.
"Professor Eris, please don't attack Aragog's children. Calm Mind! We're here to build the maze!"
Hagrid seriously admonished Professor Eris. He originally intended to emphasize the danger with harsh words, but when he saw Professor Eris crying aggrievedly, he quickly fell silent.
While crying, Professor Eris secretly stole glances at Snape's face in full view of everyone, looking like someone scorned in love who wanted to seek forgiveness but didn't dare.
Seeing this, the other three house deans frowned at Snape, looking at him like he was a real jerk.