Aymee Parker B2 - The Cursed Mark

Chapter 43 : Fake King

Hepzibah's POV

Soon the last Friday of the school year arrived. On Saturday morning, Hepzibah found Aymee at the rendezvous point they had agreed upon, her pockets filled to the brim with sweets given by the house-elves. They had agreed to make the trip together. On their way to the carriages, the girls passed Poole, who fled in the other direction as soon as he saw the tip of Aymee's nose.

"You don't run after him to compare your grades?" wondered Hepzibah.

Aymee shrugged as she walked around a carriage.

"Nah, I don't even know my grades."

"How so?"

"I burned everything without looking."

Hepzibah froze before bursting into laughter. Were her grades that bad? Aymee didn't seem to find it really funny, but that didn't stop Hepzibah from laughing. Although, her laughter suddenly stopped when she found herself face to face with a black creature half horse, half bat with a dragon's head.

"Whoa! What is that thing!?"

Aymee turned her head. Hepzibah didn't move, in case the creature species was one of the greek monsters Aymee had told her about. Aymee joined her, caressing the necks of the skeletal horses. She didn't look the least bit frightened by those death horses, but her eyes seemed dull.

"You see them?"

"Of course, I'm not blind! Where do they come from? And why do they look dead?"

"They're thestrals."

Aymee didn't need to say more: Hepzibah understood immediately. She had heard of these ominous creatures before. The Giant suddenly calmed down. Only those who had seen death could see them. Hepzibah eyed Aymee.

"Oh. And you see them?"

Aymee nodded. She said no more, but Hepzibah figured Aymee seemed rather familiar with the thestrals. She must have been able to see them for a long time.

"You can pet them, you know. They are nice."

Hepzibah hesitated a little, but finally held out her hand. The thestral sniffed her for a moment before extending its reptilian beak. Its membranous skin was soft and warm.

"Do you think we can give them some grass?"

Aymee shrugged before turning around.

"They would already be eating it if they wanted some. Let's go?"

Aymee embarked and Hepzibah quickly followed her. The carriage started off before rolling off at a brisk pace. Hepzibah took advantage of the fact that they were alone to ask her a few questions since there was little chance they would still be on the train.

"You said we'd take a portkey, right? Then why don't we take it from Hogwarts? We would save time."

Aymee tilted her head in thought.

"We could... But then I wouldn't see Kingsley."

"Oh. The big black guy?"

Hepzibah remembered him quite well, which was exceptional given that she had only seen him once while she was still unsure of the names of the girls she had shared the dorm with for two years. Hepzibah wasn't sure Aymee remembered, but they had guided her through Kings Cross station when they first started school. That day, her mother had relapsed and her stepfather went to the hospital urgently. Thus, Hepzibah had taken the Magicobus to the station alone, but had gotten lost once in King's Cross Station. That's where Aymee and Kingsley had come in and saved her day. It was the first time Hepzibah had met someone who made such a strong first impression on her. He would have told her that he was the king of a foreign country and she would have believed him without any problem.