Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Regulus put his wand away, a smile pulling at his mouth. "Done."

Baruk's head swiveled toward him, eight eyes staring.

Chelicerae clicked twice, louder than before, the sound bouncing off the walls of the expanded room. A tentative note in his voice. "...Finished?"

Regulus stood, patted the dorsal shell, and nodded. "Finished."

Baruk rose too.

Head turning one way, body another, chelicerae snapping in quick succession. Click-click.

He lifted his right foreleg first. Around the base of the bristles, a ring of color had changed, deep brown gone to dark red..

He craned his head back, trying to see his own shell.

But a spider's head could only rotate so far. Halfway around it locked up, and all he caught was a glimpse of fine new patterning at the foreleg joints, faintly reflective in the light.