The Devils Mistress | T.Riddle

Chapter twenty six - Creatures and Chess

T.W. Mentions of young children experiencing death. 

~Lives POV

 I slowly approached the boy, his face was straight and his eyes were glued on the forest ahead. Professor Dippit had told me never to go in there because it was dangerous and I could get hurt. "Good morning Theo" 

"Good morning Live" he turned to face me

 "Do you know what we are studying today?" There was a short pause before he lifted his hand to point deep into the forest "Thestrals" he said. Theo was pointing at beautiful black stallions that danced around the forest floor. There wigs glistened in the light from the forest tops.

 "There beautiful" 

"Thestrals are a breed of winged horse with skeletal and reptilian features, they are native to Britain and Ireland, some people believe they are omens for misfortune and death, it's classification is XXXX so I presume only the Professor will have access to the creature. Thestrals can only be seen to those who have seen death" Theo finished and withdrew the monster book of monsters from his bag. 

"What death have you seen Theo?" He turned sharply his expression was cold and dark nothing I had seen on him before. "A-a Friend of mine, pasted when I was young"

 "I'm sorry for your loss-" 

"I do not need pity Live, it was years ago" he snapped turning his attention to back to the book in his had. After a few moments of silence Theo spoke again."I presume Vanessa was your experience?" he mumbled. 

"No, My mother was the first" He looked up and stared at me, What is going on inside of your head Theo Wright. 

Sadness, Grief, loss, abandonment, death. 

It all came in waves of emotions. He hid it so well, the pain he was going though daily. All I wanted was to say sorry. "How old were you?" He asked through gritted teeth. 

"I was one, and you?" 

"Eleven" Cleary this topic hurt him, the more I asked the more his layers peeled away, the more I could read, the more I could learn, the more I could use. 

Theo was a natural occlumense, I had found this out in the library when we first met. But clearly the emotional strain that his life had taken on him affected his abilities. I concluded that he would feel a leglimence attack so I would have to gain his trust enough for him to let me in. Maybe my Veela abilities might help. But not here it's too risky and people might get suspicious. 

"Are you ready class" Professor Harding asked emerging from the trees.

 "Follow me" she gestured, one by one the students entered the forest, we followed the Professor though winding trees getting closer to the dark stallions. When we arrived only Professor Harding, Theo and I were facing the Thestrals the rest of the class were chatting a way completely unaware of the beauty that stood before them. 

"Class today's lesson we will be focusing on Thestrals, so who can tell me what Thestrals are" a few students we confused as they saw nothing however a bunch of people knew what they where. 

The rest of the lesson was left talking about the creatures and how they are misrepresented in society. Theo was completely silent durning the whole hour despite knowing ever answer to the questions that were asked. 

Sometimes I would catch him eye rolling when a student asked a stupid question. A certain gryfindor boy kept asking 'when do we get to see them?' And I could have sworn I saw his knuckles turn white. One things for sure, he knew his creatures. I preferred to sit back and observe the lesson rather that get involved so I could gain much more information.