Miss Quinn

148 ~ The Department of Mysteries

Emma mounted the nearest Thestral with the ease of someone accustomed to flying horses. Harry wound his hand tightly into the mane of another Thestral, placed a foot on a stump nearby and scrambled clumsily on to the horse's silken back. It did not object, but twisted its head around, fangs bared, and attempted to continue its eager licking of his robes.

Neville had heaved himself over the back of the next Thestral and was now attempting to swing one short leg over the creature's back. Luna was already in place, sitting side-saddle and adjusting her robes as though she did this every day. Venus, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, however, were still standing motionless on the spot, open-mouthed and staring.

"What?" Harry said.

"How're we supposed to get on?" said Ron faintly. "When we can't see the things?"

"Oh, it's easy," said Luna, sliding obligingly from her Thestral and marching over to him, Venus, Hermione and Ginny. "Come here . . ."

She pulled them over to the other Thestrals standing around and one by one managed to help them on to the back of their mount. All four looked extremely nervous as she wound their hands into their horses mane and told them to grip tightly before she got back on to her own steed.

Emma didn't know why she'd figured Venus could see the beasts. Probably because Venus could see the future, and had most likely seen countless deaths. But for some reason, the blonde was just as innocent as the others.

"This is mad," Ron murmured, moving his free hand gingerly up and down his horse's neck. "Mad . . . if I could just see it--"

"You'd better hope it stays invisible," said Harry darkly. "We all ready, then?"

They all nodded and Emma saw six pairs of knees tighten to their horses beneath their robes.

"OK . . ."

He looked down at the back of his Thestral's glossy black head and swallowed.

"Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London, then," he said uncertainly. "Er . . . if you know . . . where to go . . ."

For a moment Harry's Thestral did nothing at all; then, with a sweeping movement that nearly unseated him, the wings on either side extended; the horse crouched slowly, then rocketed upwards so fast and so steeply that Harry had to clench his arms and legs tightly around the horse to avoid sliding backwards over its bony rump.

One by one, the Thestrals shot off the ground after Harry's. Emma closed her eyes as they broke through the topmost branches, soaking in the weightless feeling of flight. Then the eight Thestrals, with eight humans atop, soared out into a blood-red sunset.

Riding a Thestral was almost as extraordinary as riding Mocha the Pegasus. Emma had missed flying... the wind whipping her hair out of its braid, soaring through nothing, the ground miles below. She'd never been afraid of heights, and she didn't think she ever could. The world was too beautiful from above to never see it again.

They were over the Hogwarts grounds, they had passed Hogsmeade; Emma could see mountains and gullies below them. As the daylight began to fail, Emma saw small collections of lights as they passed over more villages, then a winding road on which a single car was beetling its way home through the hills.

"This is bizarre!" Emma barely heard Ron yell from somewhere behind her, and she imagined how it must feel to be speeding along at this height with no visible means of support.

Emma looked over her shoulder and met Venus's eyes. The girl looked terrified, but when she saw Emma's pure elatedness, she managed to smile. Venus was one of the only people who knew how comfortable Emma was on flying horses.