The stars (Harry Potter fanfiction)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

I suggested to Harry that we go into the forest. Since he needed to go somewhere to clear his head. I only suggested it because I know Luna is here around this time. And I know she doesn't have shoes. So I decided to bring some, from when we run into her.

"Why are you carrying shoes?" Harry asks me, I shush him. And we continue walking, he's looking around. Looking at all the thestrals around us.

And then I see long blonde hair in front of us. It's Luna, of course, she's barefoot and petting one of the thestrals. She doesn't even need to turn around to know who's behind her.

"Hello, Harry Potter. Athena."

"Your feet. Aren't they cold?" Harry asks her. Luna looks down at her feet. And shrugs her shoulders.

"Bit."

I sigh and walk over to Luna handing her the shoes. "I brought shoes. Put them on." She shakes her head.

"Sorry, Stars. But I don't need shoes."

"Your feet are getting cut up. Put them on." I tell her once more, she sighs at me before she grabs them out of my hands and puts them on.

She then looks at me and Harry. And tells us. "Unfortunately, all my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect Nargles are behind it." I smile and nod my head. Even though I know this isn't the nargles. It's just kids being plain old mean.

I use to think the nargles were taking her shoes. Until I caught some kids hiding them, I didn't have the heart to tell her so I go and look for them and give them to her. I believe the nargles take things. But they don't take her shoes. Bullies do that.

She and Harry both look up at the thestral. While I look at the ground, acting like I can't see them.

"What are they?" Harry asks.

"They're called Thestrals," Luna tells him.

"They're quite gentle, really, but people avoid them because they're a bit..." Luna stops talking and watches a baby thestral walk. Harry finishes her sentence.

"Different."

Luna and Harry start to walk towards them. I just follow standing a little to the side.

"But why can't the others see them?"

"They can only be seen by people who've seen death," Luna tells him, Harry stops and looks at me. "You've seen someone die?" I shake my head and say no.

Luna then butts in saying. "My mum. She was quite an extraordinary witch, but she did like to experiment... and one day, one of her spells went badly wrong. I was nine, Athena was ten."

Harry looks at me again. But I look at the ground, ignoring his stares.

"I'm sorry," Harry says, apologizing to Luna. I take a seat on the ground, as they got closer to the baby thestral.

"Yes, it was rather horrible. That's why Athena pretends it didn't happen. And pretends she can't see the thestrals."

"I do feel very sad about it sometimes, but I've got a dad. And Athena's mum, she's very sweet."

Luna reaches into her tote bag and pulls out an apple. She throws it to me and points to the baby thestral.

"We both believe you, by the way. That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, and you fought him... And the Ministry and the Prophet are conspiring against you." Luna tells him before turning to look at me.

"Thanks. It seems you're about the only ones that do." Harry tells her, still staring at the baby thestral.

"Feed it. Athena." Luna tells me, I sigh and hold out the apple. The baby comes for it, eating it right off my hand. Luna smiles at this, but I don't want to. I wish I didn't see these animals.