Reflections - Mattheo Riddle

Thestrals

Kirra and Jasper finished off their duty and made their way back over to the boys.

"Where's Whiskers?" Kirra asked in confusion as they walked up to the boys, her eyes scanning over all of them in search for her cat whom she had entrusted them with

"That Luna girl was carrying him," said Blaise with a small nod, "she seemed to be pretty fond of the cat so I think he'll be fine."

A short distance away, Draco Malfoy, followed by a small gang of cronies including Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson, was pushing some timid-looking second years out of the way so that they could get a coach to themselves. 

"There she is. . . ." Jasper muttered out, a hint of relief in his voice as they spotted Luna Lovegood 

Luna had just emerged from the crowd, clutching a squirming Whiskers.

"Thanks," said Kirra, relieving Luna of the cat with a happy smile on her lips, "I hope he wasn't any trouble."

"He was very pleasant," Luna responded with a nod 

"He's always well behaved," Jasper said, sticking up for the cat, his eyes lingering on Luna for a few seconds longer

"Come on, let's get a carriage together before they all fill up. . . ." Theodore said, giving his cousin a funny look

"What are those things, d'you reckon?" Jasper asked them, nodding at the dark horses as the other students surged past them, "I didn't want to ask last time we saw them because I was embarrassed, but what are they?"

"What things?" Blaise asked in confusion, looking around to see what Jasper was talking about

"Those horse —"

Kirra placed Whiskers on the ground for a moment to she could make sure her uniform was right, but Whiskers clearly didn't like that as he jumped up into Jasper and jumped into Jaspers arms 

"He's a smart cat," Luna said. "he jumped right into your arms, he must really like you, are you a cat person?"

"Er . . . yeah . . . and he doesn't really like getting his paws wet," said Jasper as he wrapped his arms around the cat in a way to make him more comfortable, "I spend a lot of time with him so I guess he is used to me." 

"Well, come on then enough showing off to the lady Jasper, let's get in. . . . what were you saying before Jasper?" Theodore asked

"Shut the fuck up, I wasn't flirting. I was saying, what are those horse things?" Jasper said, as he, Kirra, Blaise, Mattheo, Theodore, and Luna made for the carriage in front of them.

"What horse things?" Blaise asked

"They are Thestrals," Kirra said to him

"Those horse things pulling the carriages?" said Jasper making sure they were talking about the same thing; they were, after all, about three feet from the nearest one; it was watching them with empty white eyes. Blaise, however, gave Jasper and Kirra a perplexed look.

"What are you lot talking about?" Blaise asked in confusion, "are you guys going crazy?"

"I'm talking about — look!" Jasper exclaimed

Jasper grabbed Blaise's arm and wheeled him about so that he was face-to-face with the winged horse. Blaise stared straight at it for a second, then looked back at Jasper.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Blaise said

Kirra opened her mouth to try and explain why Jasper could see it and Blaise couldn't, but her mouth hung open a little bit as she realised that if Jasper could see them then it means that he had witnessed someones death.