Writing prompt: You and Luna see thestrals for the first time.

#spookysnek

I was so excited to finally get to Hogwarts! The Hogwarts Express journey had been fun, but it felt like every passing tree, each bush that flickered by, just increased my excitement exponentially! And wait! Was that a flying car I just saw out of the window?? I turn to my companion in our compartment, a fellow first year, but she was still absorbed in her magazine, which she was reading upside down, for some reason.

My mother was so thrilled when I got the letter. I grew up learning about magic from my uncle, but when he died in a car crash two years ago, it was just me and my squib parents left. But they told me his stories, and kept me excited, and soon I would be there for real.

Ahhh, finally! The train slowed, and we pulled into Hogsmede Station. It was quaint, that was the best word for it, not overtly magical, but had a certain je ne sais quoi that made my senses tingle. I looked for my companion, as we were herded towards some boats, but she had wandered off dreamily, and was petting some horses. Except they weren't horses. Not by any standard definition. They were larger, jet black, and skeletal. And of course their most impressive feature - huge black leathery wings. My companion had decided to go and pet one, rather unwisely I thought, but I went over to her.

She turned towards me, still petting the things nose, and whispered,

"Seeds and fruit and life and death, everything is entwined, isnt it?"

I won't lie, I was a bit confused. But her meaning was made clearer as she pulled an apple from her bag and fed it to one of the horses.

"They're Thestrals," she explained, "and you can only see them if you've seen death."

Ah, that explains her comment. Memories of my uncle wash over me, but I am pulled from my grief by her hand on my shoulder.

"Of course, they prefer raw meat, but I love the poetry of feeding them apples, dont you?"

I sniffled, and blinked away my tears. "I suppose so."

This girl had a remarkable talent of keeping me slightly off balance.

With a final pat of the thestral's nose, she grabbed my hand and pulled me into a run. "What..?" I gasped as I struggled to keep up, but the reason was suddenly, horribly clear. The boats were leaving. We had spent too long with the thestrals, and now we would never get to Hogwarts, or be sorted, or be witches and wizards, or... the girl, who I am certain was at least half fay, still pulled me along, wrenching me from my thoughts yet again, and just as the last boat slipped from the pier, we jumped, the biggest jump we could manage, and landed, tangled in a heap, in the bottom of the boat.

So how does the story end?

My brother, when it was his turn, was less lucky, and actually ended up in the lake. Although personally, I dont believe his story about the Giant Squid.

And for me and the girl?

Well, we were sorted into different houses, and barely spoke, until four years later, an extra curricular club brought us back together. And as that club made us fight for our lives, two years after that, and I stepped in front of the curse meant for her, I thought back to that first day, with the excitement and the theatrals. And I embraced Death with open arms, for all life is death, but if your death can have meaning, to save a life, then what better way is there to die?