Lily Potter (Harry Potter's Twin)

Chapter 37

Published March 1, 2015

I wonded my hand into the mane of the nearest thestral, placed a foot on a stump nearby and scrambled clumsily onto the horse's silken back. It did not object, but twisted it's head around, fangs bared, and attempted to lick my hand.

I found there was a way of lodging my knees behind the wing joints that made me feel more secure. I looked around at the others. They seemed to have gotten on their thestrals easily enough. Neville had heaved himself over the back of the next thestral and was now attempting to swing one short leg over the creature's back. Luna was already in place, sitting sidesaddle and adjusting her robes as though she does this every day.

After everyone was situated, Harry said, "We all ready, then?"

We all nodded, my knees tightened on my horse to get a good grip.

"Okay.." said Harry, looking down at his thestral's glossy black head and swallowed. "Ministry of Magic, visitor's entrance, London, then."

For a moment the thestrals did nothing at all. Then, with a sweeping movement that nearly unseated me, the wings of either side extended, the horse crouched slowly and then rocketed skyward so fast and so steeply that I had to clench my arms and legs around the horse to avoid sliding backward over it's bony rump. I closed my eyes and put my face down in the horse's silky mane as we burst through the topmost branches of the trees and soared out into a blood-red sunset.

I don't think I have ever moved do fast:The thestral streaked over the castle, wings hardly beating. The cool air was slapping my face; eyes screwed up against the rushing wind, I looked around and saw everyone was safely in the air.

We were over the Hogwarts grounds, we had passed Hogsmeade. I could see mountains and gullies below us. In the falling darkness I saw small collections of lights as we passed over more villages, then a winding road on which a single car was beetling its way home through the hills...

I was sort of happy I could see the thestral. I couldn't imagine how it would be speeding along at this height with no visible means of support...

Twilight fell: the sky turned to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars, and it was only the light of Muggle towns that gave us any clue of how far from the ground we were and how fast we were traveling. I wrapped my arms even tighter around my horse's neck as I willed it to go faster.

On we flew through the gathering darkness. My face felt stiff and cold, my legs numb from gripping the thestral's sides so tightly, but i did not dare shift positions lest I slip. I was deaf from the thundering in my ears and my mouth was dry and frozen from the rush of cold night air I had lost all sense of how far we had come, but I knew it couldn't be far now.

My stomach gave a jolt. the thestral's head was suddenly pointing toward the ground, I actually slid forward a few inches along it's neck. I screamed a little in surprise of the change of position. We were descending at last.

I could start to see the tops of buildings , streams of headlights, squares of pale yellow that were windows. Quite suddenly, it seemed, we were hurtling towards the pavement. I gripped the thestral with every last inch of my strength. I closed my eyes as we landed smoothly on the ground. I sat up and looked around. Ron was struggling to his feet, Harry was already headed to the vandalized telephone box.

Luna, Ginny and Hermione just then touched down. I looked up to see where Fred was, and saw a shape twirling in the sky. He had the show-off thestral. After one more loop, the thestral descended.

"That was awesome!" said Fred, jumping off of his ride. "Where can I get one of these?"

"Your mum won't let you take a thestral home," I said, going over to him. We didn't notice that the others were following Harry to the telephone box.