Random OUAT/HP Drabble: Thestrals (from the prompt by perspicaciouslistener).
Chronologically, this would take place in between the two Christmas drabbles.
Rating: T
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If Emma was honest with herself, she was lost. She'd gone and properly wandered off and she'd never be heard from again.
One would think that someone as large as the castle would be impossible to lose track of, but Emma had managed it. Now, she was stumbling through the forest in the rapidly falling dark. Her unfamiliar robe kept snagging on branches and shrubs. She'd thought the robes were neat, at first, but now she thought they were absolutely ridiculous.
After eleven long years of dreaming of a way out, one had finally come to her in the form of an invitation to wizard school. But now Emma had messed it up, of course. They would kick her out, she was sure of it. This had all been a mistake, and they'd send her back to the orphanage or to that awful family that—no, no matter what happened, she wouldn't go back there. She'd run away, first.
If she ever got out of the forest.
Why had she separated from the rest of her class? She couldn't even remember, now. With a sigh, she continued tromping; well, really more like creeping. She tended to move quietly after…
Emma rubbed the spot on her left wrist where the little circular scar was still visible, frowning at the memory. She gave herself a little shake and resumed walking. Thinking about where she would go after they expelled her.
After a while, Emma thought she could hear a voice ahead. She slowed down and moved as quietly as she could.
"But that's over with, I suppose," said a male voice.
He sounded young, like a student, not a teacher. Emma crept forward, peeking around a tree to see.
It was dark, but she could make out the shape of him, standing in a clearing in his school uniform. His back was to Emma, but she could see a messy head of dark hair. He had his arm stretched out as though he were touching something, his hand sliding along some imagined or invisible surface in front of him. He picked up his hand and moved it back to where the motion had begun, stroking to the right as if petting some large animal.
"I miss you," he said softly, his voice a hoarse whisper. "So much."
Emma barely caught the words. She slunk forward to try to hear better.
"How am I supposed to do it, Liam?" he said, sounding sadder than anyone Emma had ever known. "How can I do it alone?"
The boy inhaled sharply, and then cleared his throat, his shoulder sagging.
Emma realized she was fully standing in the clearing, now, and she wasn't sure what to do. She heard a strange sound from the clearing, almost like a horse's whinny, and then the boy's back suddenly stiffened.
"Are you lost?" the boy said, louder than before, his voice not quite kind. He glanced over his shoulder and then did a double-take. He spun around to face Emma, his posture shifting quickly from defensive to open.
"Oh, hello," he said in a friendly tone, his eyebrows shooting up. She couldn't quite make out his features in the dark. His eyes and lips were just dark smudges against pale skin.
"Hello," Emma said, looking down and wringing her hands. She didn't know why she was suddenly nervous.
The boy was quiet for a moment, and then he took a step toward her. It seemed as though he was watching her, reading her. She felt like if she looked up, he'd know all her secrets.
"I was just heading back to the castle," he said gently, "would you like to go with me?"
Emma nodded, meeting his eyes for a fraction of a second before looking away again. The boy took another step toward her, offering her his hand.
"Who were you talking to?" Emma blurted out. She immediately bit her lip, wishing she could unsay the words.
"Threstrals," he said, his eyebrows rising again. He looked behind him and gestured toward… nothing.
Emma shook her head.
"You can't see them," he said. He nodded. "That's good, that's good. I'm glad."
He turned back to Emma, who was tilting her head and looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"They're invisible," he said, and she thought he smiled, but it was too dark to tell.
"Then how come you can see them?" Emma asked, putting her hands on her hips.
The boy paused, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
"My brother taught me," he said finally, quietly, looking away.
"Oh," Emma said. "Does he go here?"
"He did," the boy said, offering Emma his hand again. "But I'm much younger than he, so… He doesn't go here anymore."
Emma took the boy's hand in hers and let him lead her out of the clearing. They walked together in silence for several minutes. The forest grew darker and darker around them, but the boy's footsteps never hesitated. Emma wondered if he went into the woods at night a lot.
Eventually, they came out of the woods onto a grassy hill. The castle loomed before them, big and impressive, like something from a fairy tale.
"There we are," said the boy, turning his head to look at her. She thought his eyes might be blue. "Think you can manage from here?"
Emma looked at the castle for a moment, and then she looked at him again and nodded.
"Well, then," he said, shuffling his feet. He reluctantly let go of her hand. "Off you go, then. I've… I've left something behind. You go on."
Emma frowned at the boy for a moment. She didn't think he was being completely honest.
"Thank you," she said.
He bobbed his head and took a couple steps back. He gave her a little wave.
Emma waved back and then started walking toward the castle. When she looked back, he was still standing on the hill, watching her. She suddenly realized that she hadn't asked him his name. She took a step toward him, but he retreated to the tree line, disappearing into the forest.
Emma waved again, in case the boy was still watching, and then she turned around and marched toward the castle.
