To shake off the pursuing car, Leon bolted toward the densest part of the forest, where the trees grew thick and tangled. The light grew dimmer with every step.
After a few minutes, the only sounds were the rustling of leaves in the wind, the snap of twigs underfoot, and Harry's ragged breathing. The roar of the car had faded.
Leon finally stopped running and glanced back. "Did we lose that car?"
Harry, exhausted, collapsed onto the ground, his broom missing a few bristles from their frantic escape. Gasping for air, he couldn't speak, so he just pointed weakly in the direction they'd come from.
Leon scratched his head, frowning. "Wait, did we take a wrong turn?" He muttered, "That useless bird Tom didn't even warn me! Where is Tom, anyway? Flying slower than I can run!"
Harry wanted to snap, You're not running fast—you're practically flying low!
Leon scanned their surroundings. It was all trees, bushes, and undergrowth, blending together in a dizzying blur. Going back the way they came risked running into that deranged car again. Pressing deeper into the Forbidden Forest wasn't much better.
The best option, really, was to take a detour and exit the forest from another side, farther from Hagrid's hut. But trusting Leon with directions? Yeah, probably not the smartest move.
As soon as Harry caught his breath, he said, "Let's just wait here for Tom."
Before he could finish, a blinding beam of light shot out from behind them.
What, did they think a car couldn't take a detour just like they could?
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The flying car came barreling toward them, its noisy engine roaring.
"Run!" Leon shouted, ready to drag Harry along again.
Harry was done. He wanted to yell, I'm out!, flop onto the ground, and give up. He was too tired to keep going. Honestly, if his cousin Dudley, who'd chased him since childhood, had Leon's stamina and speed, Harry probably wouldn't have survived this long. For once, he was grateful to Aunt Petunia for feeding Dudley until he was fatter than a pig.
Lost in his thoughts, Harry's world suddenly flipped upside down—literally. Leon, despite his terrible sense of direction, was freakishly strong. When Harry wouldn't budge, Leon hoisted him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and took off running, not slowing down one bit.
Harry: "???"
This time, Leon chose an even more rugged path, weaving through dense bushes and tripping over tree roots and stumps—anywhere too narrow for a car to follow. The sound of the car grew fainter, and the light ahead dimmed further.
Leon noticed the ground sloping downward. They were heading into a low, sunken part of the forest.
He stopped again, sensing something dangerous in the air.
Click.
A strange sound came from their side.
"Leon!" Harry's voice trembled. "Over there!"
Leon turned to where Harry was pointing. Between two massive trees to their right crouched a spider as big as a Thestral. Eight hairy legs, eight gleaming black eyes, a massive abdomen, and clicking pincers. A monstrous, terrifying creature—one of the Forbidden Forest's most dangerous inhabitants: an Acromantula.
There was no time to think. The giant spider had spotted them. With terrifying speed, it scuttled forward, its eight legs moving in a blur, closing the gap in an instant. Its front legs rose, ready to clamp down on Leon and Harry.
This was serious. Time to get real.
As the Acromantula's massive legs lunged, Leon cast a Levitation Charm, kicked off the ground, and shot back several meters.
Clang!
The spider's iron-hard limbs hit nothing but air.
"*Incendio!*" Leon hurled a burst of ordinary flames to slow the creature's next move. Then, using the trunks of nearby trees for leverage, he bounced upward, floating into the canopy.
The light shifted dramatically. The setting sun bathed the forest in a purple-red glow.
"Quick, Harry, get on the broom and take me with you! Let's fly out!" Leon helped Harry balance on a thin branch, casting a couple more Levitation Charms to keep it from snapping under their weight.
Harry was nervous but buzzing with adrenaline. Following Leon's instructions, he clambered onto the broom, hovering steadily and reaching out to pull Leon up.
The Acromantula charged again, its massive pincers clacking furiously, summoning its kin from the nest.
"*Arania Exumai!*" Leon fired a spell to repel the spider, which was getting dangerously close—practically in their faces.
The spider's family was even faster. The rustling of their approach grew louder, coming from every direction. If they didn't move now, they'd be surrounded.
Leon scrambled onto the broom.
At that moment, Tom's grating squawk and the car's engine roared in unison.
"Caw! Bird's exhausted! Caw! Stupid Leon went the wrong way!" Tom screeched.
Leon was this close to losing it with that parrot. Not only had Tom been useless at a critical moment, but now he was swooping in to make things worse.
Sure enough, Tom's vibrant feathers and ear-piercing shrieks drew the Acromantula's attention. With a hiss, it shot a strand of webbing at him. Though the distance was great, the webbing hit its mark.
Tom's screech cut off mid-note. His wings were bound by sticky webbing, and he plummeted to the ground with a thud.
"*SQUAWK!*" Tom let out a pained cry and passed out.
The Acromantula, instead of going after its prize, turned back to Leon and Harry, spitting more webbing their way.
Harry reacted lightning-fast, urging the broom a meter higher to dodge the attack. Leon flung two more small fireballs at the spider's face. With Harry there, he couldn't risk using Fiendfyre—plus, setting the Forbidden Forest ablaze would be a disaster he'd never live down.
"Forget it! We need to save Tom!" Harry shouted, peering through the leaves at the swarm of Acromantulas surging like a dark tide. Tom had fallen dangerously close to their grasp.
"Don't!" Leon yelled, burning away another strand of webbing with a fireball.
Harry was frantic—how could they abandon their companion?
But Leon was already one step ahead. "*Accio Tom!*"
The chubby parrot zoomed into Leon's arms.
"Ugh! What is this stench?!" Leon gagged at the webbing clinging to Tom, which smelled like decades-old phlegm. A Cleaning Charm left Tom shedding feathers like a molting chicken.
With everyone aboard, Harry let out a huge sigh of relief. He urged the broom forward, skimming the treetops at top speed, racing toward Hagrid's hut and the safety of Hogwarts. They soared through the fading glow of the sunset, leaving behind a trail of Tom's garish pink feathers.
The enraged Acromantulas and the flying car—now apparently playing bumper cars with the spiders—were left far behind.
That Forbidden Forest adventure was way too intense. Leon swore he'd never come back!
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