Ed and Al were at Care of Magical Creatures class, standing outside Hagrid's old hut after he was promoted to the Ministry. Luna began the lesson.
"Ok, class, open your books to page 94, and be sure to stroke the spine before doing so, or else the book bites." Ed and Al stroked the spine and opened the books. A black winged bird/horse hybrid appeared, being led out by Luna.
"What is that?" Alphonse asked.
"That is a Thestral." Luna explained. "They can only be seen by people who have witnessed death."
"We both witnessed our mother dying, so that's why we can see it." Edward realized. Mai could see it as well.
"I witnessed my dad dying of a stroke. It was horrible." Mai looked at the beast with her two eyes.
"To anyone who can see it, who volunteers to ride one?" Ed volunteered.
"Edward, is that so?" Luna wanted Ed to confirm. Ed nodded.
"Very well." Luna agreed. Go on. They are gentle creatures, don't be afraid." Ed approached the beast and petted her on the head. The Thestral liked it. Ed climbed on.
"Onward!" Ed flew on the Thestral across the Black Lake, waving out his hands. He circumnavigated the Black Lake and flew back to the class area.
"Well done, Edward!" Luna clapped. "And well done to my Thestral, whom I will call Pandora, named after my late mother."
"Your homework assignment is to go out to the Highlands and find two Thestrals, both male and female so you can breed them in the Room of Requirement." Luna handed out special bags for the students.
"Where am I supposed to find two male and female Thestrals?" Ed asked Luna.
"Trust me, you will find them." Luna answered. "I would recommend looking in the Thestrals' den in the North Ford Bog."
"Ok then." Ed went with Alphonse, using the Portkey to go to the North Ford Bog, and found some dragons in distress, being chained up by Noir's recon unit.
"Sorry, Luna. The Thestrals are going to have to wait." In the swamp, there were rafts where dragons were chained up, being pulled on black and purple boats.
"Reducto!" Ed cast the Reducto charm on one of the chains, breaking it.
"Captain Cromwell, they're trying to free the Persian Goldfang!" One of Cromwell's inferiors took notice.
"I'll put a stop to it." Cromwell pulled out his Enfield Revolver, trying to point it at Edward, but Al cast the Expelliarmus charm, disarming Cromwell. Ed had cast the forbidden time freezing charm, stopping time. He cast the Reducto charm on more of the chains. Time had resumed, and the dragon was set free. The Persian Goldfang flew in the air and roared at Ed and Al.
"I guess that's his way of saying thank you." Al saw the dragon come up to him. He stroked the dragon on his head.
"Fly, be free!" Ed told the dragon. The large, champagne gold dragon flew up and torched the boats and the raft, forcing Cromwell and his goons to abandon.
"Well, he's free now." Alphonse realized they still have a homework assignment. "We should still look for Thestrals."
"Yes, but don't tell anyone that I used the time freezing charm." Ed told Alphonse.
"Ok then." Al agreed. "It must never pass our lips that we used it." Ed and Al proceeded to look for Thestrals.