𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 •°𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴

[31]

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

'Thestrals,' said Hagrid proudly and Hermione gave a soft 'Oh!' of comprehension at Harry's shoulder. 'Hogwarts has got a whole herd of 'em in here. Now, who knows - ?'

'But they're really, really unlucky!' interrupted Parvati, looking alarmed. They're supposed to bring all sorts of horrible misfortune on people who see them. Professor Trelawney told me once - '

'No Parvati, that's just a superstition,' Sara said and she looked at the creatures.

She could see them ever since her second year and was curious about them. Her 12 old self found all the information she could. Sara still didn't know how Harry started seeing them just that year and not since forever. They were both 1 year old when their mother dropped dead before their eyes. Sara still remembered that night, even better than Harry.

'How do they look like?' Nico asked from beside her. He was looking with wide eyes at the meat that was eaten by the Thestrals.

'They look like horses, only they have wings and their eyes are completely white and their skin looks like insects ate it,' she breathed out the best description of those creatures she could come up with.

'Sounds gross,' Nico replied.

'They're all kinda beautiful.'

'Oh Sara,' he smiled brightly, 'always seeing the beauty in everything.'

Sara smiled at him and got closer to him, their shoulders touching, so were their fingers.

Two more horses came quietly out of the trees, one of them passing very close to Parvati, who shivered and pressed herself closer to the tree, saying, 'I think I felt something, I think it's near me!'

'Don' worry, it won' hurt yeh,' said Hagrid patiently. 'Righ', now, who can tell me why some o' yeh can see 'em an' some can't?'

Hermione raised her hand.

'Go on then,' said Hagrid, beaming at her.

'The only people who can see Thestrals,' she said, 'are people who have seen death.'

Tha's exactly right,' said Hagrid solemnly, 'ten points ter Gryffindor. Now, Thestrals - '

'Hem, hem.'

Professor Umbridge had arrived. She was standing a few feet away from Harry, wearing her green hat and cloak again, her clipboard at the ready. Hagrid. who had never heard Umbridge's fake cough before, was gazing in some concern at the closest Thestral, evidently under the impression that it had made the sound.

'Hem, hem.'

'Oh, hello!' Hagrid said, smiling, having located the source of the noise.

'You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning?' said Umbridge, in the same loud, slow voice she had used with him earlier, as though she were addressing somebody both foreign and very slow. 'Telling you that I would be inspecting your lesson?'

'Oh, yeah,' said Hagrid brightly. 'Glad yeh found the place all righ'! Well, as you can see - or, I dunno - can you? We're doin' Thestrals today - '

'I'm sorry?' said Professor Umbridge loudly, cupping her hand around her ear and frowning. 'What did you say?'

Hagrid looked a little confused.

'Er - Thestrals!' he said loudly. 'Big - er - winged horses, yeh know!'

Hagrid continued with his lesson more nervous now that Umbridge had been watching him. She asked the Slytherins some questions at which they all laughed and replied quickly. Sara knew it wasn't something good.

'Miss Potter!' Umbridge exclaimed when she approached Sara and Nico. 'Who have you seen dying?'

Sara looked at her for a few moments before clearing her throat and saying: 'My mother.'

Nico froze and so did a few other students. Draco Malfoy was now watching Sara curiously, ready to hear more.

'I was 1 year old when it happened but surely everyone knows about it already,' Sara finished.

The memory was still fresh in her mind, just as the taste of chocolate was on her lips. The scream, the green light and the fall, the fall of Lily Potter.

Umbridge gave her a smile and noted something on her clipboard.

'And how about this class? What do you think about your teacher?'

'I always liked it honestly, because we discover new creatures. Not all of them are very nice but they are interesting to observe and read about and professor Hagrid's teaching is unique,' Sara replied and smiled brightly at Hagrid that was looking at her with admiration.

Umbridge nodded and went over to Neville. Sara looked around, some were still staring at her as they have heard about her mother. Even Draco was looking at her, impressed of her courage to share such memories with not only Umbridge, but the Slytherins too. Sara just scoffed at the blonde and threw a reassuring glance at Harry.

'Are you okay?' Nico asked, still worried about what might happen after class.

'Yes, it's something that happened after all. I'm proud of my mother and even if it's sad that she's gone, I moved on, she and dad would of wanted that,' she said softly.

'Of course,' Nico muttered and pulled her into a quick hug. 'You will never be alone, remember that.'

'I know, I have you.'

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───