As soon as her, Harry and Ron had entered the forest after using a pathway leading from Hagrid's hut, they had felt eyes on them. It was the same feeling of being watched that the occupants of the castle had experienced on the first night. They had been crammed together under the invisibility cloak, though it no longer fit the three of them, as it did in their younger years. As an added layer of protection, Hermione had cast a shield charm and a charm to muffle their footsteps. Ron had brought an old T-shirt which belonged to Ginny, as per Hermione's request. She had learned of a charm in an old book which could help in tracing a person by using a personal item of theirs. Hermione had performed the spell, which lit up the tip of her wand, and then the wand starting moving by itself, spinning around in different directions, indicating that the trace was working. Hermione had taken the lead, and Harry and Ron remained alert behind her to protect them all from any kind of creature.