SABAISM | H. POTTER

SEVENTEEN. | STICKY SITUATION

"WHY SPIDERS," Ron lamented, his voice cracking with a mixture of terror and frustration as he clutched the scruff of Fang's collar. "WHY COULDN'T IT BE 'FOLLOW THE BUTTERFLIES'?" The trio of friends, propelled by a chaotic blend of courage and sheer desperation, clung to their tenuous connection to bravery and valor, but as they ventured deeper into the foreboding, shadowy embrace of the Dark Forest, a gnawing sense of nervousness washed over them like a cold wave. Even Gemini, the girl known for her reckless audacity and fearless spirit, shifted uneasily, her fidgeting hands betraying a flicker of apprehension.

"Ron," she hissed softly, her voice low and intense, "Pipe down with the moaning. Your nosiness will only draw, if anything, increased attention!" Her warning sliced through the ambient noise of the forest, resonating within him with an unmistakable truth. The Dark Forest was a place steeped in ominous lore; a realm where not even the bravest of students dared to tread. The students spoke of it in hushed tones, tales of those who entered never to return echoing ominously in their minds. Yet, here they were, impossibly deep in the belly of the beast. Even Hagrid, their giant friend with his peculiar knack for befriending deadly creatures, had been denied passage beyond a certain point.

"You're not helping to calm me," Ron retorted, his nerves frayed and his voice trembling as anxiety tightened its icy grip around his heart. Gemini brushed aside his words with determination, leading them deeper into the unknown depths of the woods. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and decaying leaves as an eerie, pale yellow light illuminated the skittering insects around them, their darting movements appearing frantic and frantic enough to mirror Ron's growing dread.

Their journey was anything but stealthy; the sounds of crashing shins against low-hanging branches and the sharp tug of brambles ripping at their clothing broke the stillness of the woodland, punctuated by their breathless gulps of anxiety. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs sent jolts of fear coursing through their veins, shattering the fragile facade of bravery they attempted to maintain.

Suddenly, a rumbling growl echoed ominously from the left side, startling the trio into a collective recoil. The snarling sounds halted as abruptly as they began. "There's something over there...something big," Harry stated, his voice barely above a whisper. "Really?," Ron shot back sarcastically, his voice trembling behind an equally frightened Fang, who sensed the tension in the air. They strained to listen, their breaths caught in their throats when, without warning, a blinding blaze of light exploded from the treetops above them. Instinct took over, and they fled without thinking. That was, until Ron, in the midst of their panicked escape, suddenly came to a jarring halt.

"What the hell, Ronald?!," Gemini exclaimed sharply, twisting around to pull him along with her, "Have you lost your mind in the span of a single minute?" Ron remained rooted to the spot, tripping over his own feet in his attempt to resist her pull. "GUYS! ...Harry, Gem; it's our car!" The two cautiously turned, their hearts still pounding, only to behold what had captivated their friend's attention. The Ford Anglia sat there, scratched and mud-smeared, bits of tangled earth and grass sprouting grotesquely from its headlamps and hubcaps; the sight was almost comical, as if the car had taken on a life of its own amidst the wilderness.

Gemini, releasing her grip on Ron's wrist, exclaimed in disbelief, "This atrocious turquoise creation is still operational!" The boys circled it, the glowing illumination chipping away at their unease, at least momentarily.

"It's been here all this time," Harry observed, examining the car's condition with wide eyes, "Look at it! The Forest has turned it wild." The girl allowed her gaze to roam over the cracked glass and chipped paint, nodding in agreement, her mercury orbs glancing back toward an impending slope ahead. "C'mon, we don't want to lose the trail," she urged, her voice steadying as a sense of urgency gripped them.