Feral Den

Chapter 54

Thestrals.

That was Lunas idea of travel.

"Erm..." Ron glanced confusedly around the wooded area. "Are we supposed to wait for it?"
Luna giggled. "No, silly. They're right here."
"What? What is right there?"
Hermione frowned in confusion at Hailee.

Luna hummed, tracing her fingers across the body length of an adult Thestral.

"Beautiful creatures, aren't they?"
"What's beautiful?!" Ron threw his hands up.

"Thestrals." Hailee explained before the boy decided to start ripping his hair out in frustration. "They're invisible unless you've watched someone die."
"Hagrid talked about them," Hermione made a noise of recognition in the back of her throat.
Hailee nodded.

She walked toward one of the males. His head lowering to allow Hailee to run her fingers across his skeletal neck.

"Are you sure Thestrals are the correct way?" She asked Luna. "They can't fly, can they?"
"They can." Luna smiled.

As if on the word, the male Hailee stood beside shook his body. Wings spread from the flesh of his ribs.
They were bony with holes in the skin. But Hailee wasn't one to doubt a magical creatures abilities after the Acromantulas and Buckbeak.

"Well... okay than." Hailee dropped her hand. "We go in pairs. Hermione you'll go with Luna. Ron, you're with me. Ginny, I'm placing you with Neville."
"Really?" Ginny breathed as Hailee walked up to her.
"The Thestral will do the work. Just hold onto Neville, yeah? I don't need his death plaguing me."
Ginny grouches, but relents as Hailee grabs her hand and pulls Neville by the wrist.

They stop at a near Thestral. It inclines its head, the mane long as Hailee assists Neville up before Ginny.
Neville whimpers at the gaze below. His body suspended in midair.

"Hold onto its mane." Hailee grabs Ginny's hand, leading it to the Thestrals neck. "Neville grab onto Ginny's shirt."
He eagerly clutches his underclassman. Ginny sends Hailee an exasperated look.

Luna and Hermione sit on top of Lunas picked Thestral.

"Ron—"
"HAILEE!"  

Everything feezes.
Hailee's body stiffens as a cold seeps into the air. Magic. She notices quickly. Raw, relentless magic.

"HIMALIA!"

Ron jumps. Running to grab onto Hailee.
A spell shoots through the darkened forest. The two are forced to duck as the Thestrals with their friends and —in Ron's case— sister, spread their wings.

"Quickly." Hailee hisses.
She pulls Ron to the male Thestral waiting patiently for them.

Another spell, one that sparks purple, spears millimeters from Hailee's shoulder. She pivots. Hoists Ron onto the Threstal before pulling herself in front of him.

"Hold onto me." Ron does. "Let's go!"

Red singes pass her ear. Purple. Blue.
Multiple spells and obvious curses come near Hailee's head. Shoulder. Arm. Leg.

The Thestral stretches his wings.
There's no warning before Ron is clutching Hailee. Tugging himself into her mold as she flattens herself onto the Thestrals bony spine.
Forced to squint even through her glasses as air rushes across their bodies. Lashing unforgivingly.

Ron grunts as the Thestrals wing beats against his leg.

Behind them Hermione is squealing as Luna praises their Thestral. Ginny is cursing words Hailee knows the girl heard from Fred and George.
Fucking bad influences.
And Neville is no where to be seen. His school cardigan the only plain sign he's even hanging on correctly.