Chapter 330: The Thestrals

As usual, they exited the compartment and joined the crowd in the aisle, making their way slowly toward the exit.

At the door, Alaric could smell the fresh pine scent from the trees lining the path to the lake.

Upon arriving at the platform, Alaric heard a crisp, commanding female voice calling out.

"First-year students, please line up here! All first-year students, follow me!"

The voice was unfamiliar to him; in the past, Hagrid had always been the one to greet the new arrivals at the station.

A lantern swayed its way toward Alaric, and by its light, he saw Professor Grubbly-Plank with her prominent chin and meticulously groomed hair.

She had substituted for Hagrid as the Care of Magical Creatures professor for a time the previous year.

At that moment, Cho Chang returned, seemingly having completed her task, accompanied by her friend Marietta.

They proceeded to the sooty street outside Hogsmeade Station, which had been washed by rain.

There were about a hundred Thestral-drawn carriages lined up, which every year transported students to the castle.

This was nothing new to Alaric, but just as he was about to move forward, he heard two shrill screams.

It was Hermione and Cho Chang.

They were staring at the carriages in shock, as if they had seen something bizarre.

"What's wrong?" Alaric asked.

"Look at those things!" Hermione tugged at Alaric's sleeve, pointing in the direction she was looking.

"What things?" Alaric asked, still puzzled.

"Those horses… I mean, what are those horse-like things?" Hermione's tone was full of amazement.

"What horse-like things?" Marietta interjected, puzzled by their questions.

"The creatures pulling those carriages!" Hermione said impatiently.

"We've never seen those horses before. I always thought the carriages moved by themselves," Cho Chang added.

They were now only a few steps away from the nearest Thestral, which was staring back at them with its hollow white eyes.

Marietta looked at Cho Chang in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean… Look!"

Cho Chang pulled Marietta's arm, directing her attention to the winged creature in front of them.

Marietta stared for a second, then turned back to Cho Chang.

"What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"Look at that… Right there, between the shafts! On the carriage!" Cho Chang insisted.

Marietta remained baffled.

Hermione and Cho Chang exchanged a strange look.

"Could it be… Could you not see them?" Hermione asked.

"See what?"

"Can't you see the creatures pulling the carriages?"

Marietta's face showed extreme fear.

"Are you both feeling alright? Cho, Hermione, have you been cursed by some ghost and are now seeing strange things?"

"We're fine!"

But Hermione and Cho Chang were thoroughly confused.

The Thestral was right in front of them, clearly visible in the dim light filtering through the station windows, its breath forming visible vapor in the cold night air.

Yet… Unless Marietta was playing a really poor prank, which didn't seem like her style, and though she liked to joke around, she wouldn't play such a joke. 

It also wasn't an illusion, as the creature's image was quite clear, visible to both Hermione and Cho Chang—something highly unlikely with typical illusions, which usually affect only one person.

But why did Marietta claim she couldn't see them?

As they pondered this, a dreamy voice spoke up.

"You're not going crazy. I can see them too."

"Really?" Hermione asked eagerly, and Cho Chang turned to Luna as well.

They saw the silver-white eyes of Luna reflecting the winged horses.

"Luna is right. Actually, I can see them too," Alaric explained.

"They are Thestrals, a type of magical creature, a breed of winged horses. Only those who have witnessed death can see them."

Alaric's explanation was a relief to Hermione and Cho Chang.

However, Alaric started to wonder when they might have witnessed death.

After all, they hadn't seen Thestrals the previous year.

Cho Chang might have seen death in the underground vault, given the many goblins and wizards drowned in molten armor—some deaths there were quite normal.

As for Hermione…

Does seeing Harry die once count?

Lost in thought, the carriages formed a line, creaking and swaying along the road.

They passed through the tall stone pillars flanking the gate, coming to a stop beside the stone steps leading to the oak front door.

After several months, Alaric was once again at Hogwarts.

The Great Hall was still filled with the four long house tables, beneath the black, starless ceiling, matching the sky they had seen through the high windows.

Candles floated above the tables, illuminating the silver-white ghosts scattered around the hall and the excited faces of the students.

They chatted excitedly, exchanging news from the summer, greeting friends from other houses, and admiring each other's new hairstyles and clothes.

However, this term, Hogwarts had seen some changes. Notably, the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, cursed by Voldemort, had a new occupant.

Of course, it wasn't Fudge's lackey, the "toad" Umbridge.

For one, Umbridge was still in Azkaban.

When Alaric had been summoned by the Wizengamot, he had dealt with some of Fudge's provocative members, and among them was Umbridge.

As Fudge's lapdog who had led the provocation against Alaric, she had been severely punished, first with a fiery and watery ordeal, and then held responsible for the entire incident.

She had been sent to Azkaban over a year ago.

Additionally, Fudge was now preoccupied with maintaining his power, battling Amelia Bones, and had no time to manage Hogwarts.

To Fudge, Amelia, who was publicly proclaiming Voldemort's return and aspiring to the position of Minister, was the real threat, not Dumbledore.

Thus, Hogwarts had escaped Umbridge's tyranny, thanks to Fudge's preoccupation.

Alaric thought that Hogwarts' young witches and wizards should be grateful, for his machinations had spared them from the torment of the foolish Umbridge.

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