B.Q. Book One: Princess of the Blacks

Chapter 10: Arrival

Disclaimer: Did it take Harry until book 5 to see the Thestrals? If so, I don't own the Harry Potter franchise; it belongs to J.K. Rowling, Scholastic Press, Warner Bros., and whoever else she sold the rights to.
______________________________

Halfway through the journey to Hogwarts, the clouds that had portended rain that morning finally acted upon their threat, and so it was a torrential downpour that greeted the young wizards and witches to the Hogsmeade platform. Some of the students, Muggleborns all, had brought umbrellas, while a few more pulled up the hoods of their cloaks to cover their heads. Most, however, were forced to sprint up the hill in the direction of the school.

I hope we don't have to walk the entire way there, Jen thought as she subtly pushed the rain away from herself, her magic acting like a slicker and keeping her dry, at least above her ankles. Loki, wanting to stay out of the elements as much as his mistress, huddled against the right side of her head and under her shield. There is far too much mud along the path for it to be entirely safe.

She had read that Hogwarts possessed incredible wards, and she certainly noticed when she crossed their boundaries. Just like when she entered Grimmauld Place for the first time, the castle pressed against her with all the weight its magic could bring to bear. After a moment or two, it seemed to reluctantly let her into the grounds, where her magical sense stretched out for approximately one hundred feet.

It's not as good as I am used to at home, she thought, but at least I can access a greater range than I had in Avryporth. Having the same clarity as Grimmauld would be nice, but it isn't like I'm the heir of Hogwarts. After all, I could only stay aware of everything around me because I was the future head of Black inside a Black family property and its wards.

She directed her attention forwards and found their destination. At the crest of the hill they were walking on was a line of carriages, each pulled by a large winged horse. A more focused inspection revealed them to be thin and bony, practically emaciated, though they seemed quite healthy nevertheless. A misstep caused her to slip in the mud, and only Kenneth's quick reflexes kept her from falling face-first into the road. She muttered a curse and kept her mind on the slick path in front of her.

Following another few minutes of slogging through the muck, they reached the carriages. Kenneth waved a goodbye as he made his way to a group of older students, likely friends in his year. Susan and Justin departed immediately after, which left only Tracey, Luna, and herself.

"Can we get out of this storm already?" Tracey groused, her teeth chattering. Jen was feeling a mite bit cold herself, though the mild warming charm she had placed on her clothing largely kept the chill's bite at bay. The two girls approached one of the waiting buggies, the flighty Ravenclaw following only a few paces behind, and Tracey entered the cab while Jen made a quick detour. Reaching up with one hand, she lightly stroked the side of the flying horse. It's skin was supple like leather, and it nickered softly as she ran her hand from its flank towards the neck.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?" asked Luna.

She sighed. "Yes, they certainly are."

Tracey poked her head outside. "Hey, what the bloody hell are you two still doing out there?"

"I would think that fairly obvious," she replied, giving the horse a slight pat.

"Looks to me like you're lost and trying to find the carriage. The door is about four or five feet to your left; just follow my voice."

Jen scoffed. "I know where you are, Tracey. If you can't understand what I'm doing, then we need to check which of us is blind."

"Have you ever seen someone die, Tracey Davis?" Luna said, stepping in the middle of their developing argument.