Black and White

17

About three weeks into the school year, and four more random detentions with Umbridge (my personal favorite is when she blamed me for drawing obscenities on her chalkboard, another excuse to talk to me about the whereabouts of my dad), I decided I should write to see how dad is doing.

Dear Snuffles,

It's getting close to winter. I think I might freeze before Christmas break even gets here. Our new DADA teacher is very interested in you. She's persistent, that's for sure. Anyway, I'm about to go feed the thestrals with my new friend, Luna. She is so sweet, though a little odd. People keep stealing her shoes. You would love her, I think. I hope you are well. I love you. Tell Tonks I say hello.

Lucy

I send the letter with Draco's owl, Athena, as she is less likely to be flagged by the Ministry.

For a long while, Luna and I feed the thestrals in barefoot silence. That is, until Harry happens across us.

"Hello, Harry Potter," Luna greets.

"Your feet," Harry says. "Aren't they cold?"

"Bit," Luna admits. "Unfortunately all my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect Nargles are behind it."

"I offered her mine, but she refused," I explain. "So I left them outside the forest."

"She is quite stubborn," Luna nods, smiling wistfully.

"What are they?" Harry asks, looking at the skeletal, winged horse Luna had just been petting.

"They're called Thestrals," Luna answers. "They're quite gentle, really, but people avoid them because they're a bit..."

"Different," Harry finishes, as we all look towards a baby that has neared us. "But why can't the others see them?"

"They can only be seen by people who've seen death," Luna explains patiently.

"So, you both know someone who's died, then?" Harry asks.

"My mum," Luna nods. "She was quite an extraodinary witch, but she did like to experiment and... one day one of her spells went badly wrong. I was nine."

Luna looks at me next, and I realize she means for me to share. "Oh, um... when I was seven, Rodolphus, Belatrix's husband, had an affair. He was a Death Eater, but... he was kinder than Bellatrix. He taught me to read, gave me the password for Aunt Narcissa's library. Uncle Lucius killed him in our living room. I'm not sure he knew I was there, but I don't think he would have cared. And then, there was another Death Eater last summer, but... I'd rather not talk about it."

I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment, trying to push away the bad memories, and when I open them, the baby thestral is almost to us.

"I'm sorry, to both of you," Harry says sincerely.

"Yes, it was rather horrible," Luna admits, and I nod. She takes my hand gently. In her other hand, she pulls out an apple for the thestral. "I do feel very sad about it sometimes, but I've got Dad. We both believe you, by the way. That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, and that you fought him, and the Ministry and the Prophet are both conspiring against you and Dumbledore."

"Thanks," Harry says. "It seems you're about the only ones that do."

"I don't think that's true," Luna says, rolling the apple to the thestral. "But I suppose that's how he wants you to feel."