"Are we... are we there?"
Ron asked in a low voice.
"No. Keep following them!"
The deeper they went, the harder the going became. Bushes, thorny vines, fallen dead trees, and sharp stones all blocked their way.
Fortunately, Luo Bin was excellent at clearing a path. Only then could the four of them barely keep up with the Black Spiders.
Forty minutes later, Luo Bin stopped again. Ron had been watching their left and failed to notice him stop. He nearly knocked Luo Bin over.
"Luo Bin, could you give us a heads-up next time you stop?"
Ron sounded exasperated.
"Ron, he did warn us. You just didn't hear him!"
Ron thought Hermione always took Luo Bin's side, so she might well be lying. He craned his neck toward his friend Harry.
"Luo Bin did say something!"
Harry stepped forward and crouched, staring down the slope that vanished into darkness.
"All right, Luo Bin. Sorry. I got it wrong!"
Luo Bin crouched too and stretched the hand holding his glowing Wand as far down the slope as he could. He wanted to see what was below.
Ron crouched as well. "What are you two looking at... Whoa, what's that?"
Far off in the darkness, two glowing yellow eyes suddenly appeared. A buzzing, rumbling, furious roar made Ron clamp both hands around Harry's arm.
Bzz! Rumble!
"Sounds like something huge. Wait, it's coming this way. Run!"
Cold sweat beaded on Harry's forehead. He hauled Ron up and fled, barely slowing even when a thorny vine tripped him and sent him stumbling.
Half a minute later, Harry realized Luo Bin and Hermione hadn't followed. He looked back and shouted, "Luo Bin! Hermione! It's dangerous! Run!"
Crunch! Crunch!
Ron took out two bags of finger biscuits and handed one to Hermione!
Crunch! Crunch!