Harry Potter and the Greek Gods

{22} Thestrals

JASON'S POV

Shortly after the disastrous quidditch game, the fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins had their first lesson of the year with Hagrid. 

It seemed to be an unusual lesson right off the bat, as the man we learnt was Hagrid had some sort of dead animal slung over his shoulder- that made Piper gag- and he led them into the depths of Forbidden Forest, causing many of the students to murmur worriedly. 

When we stopped in a clearing, Hagrid dropped the cow to the ground.

"Gather roun', gather roun'." Hagrid encouraged them, "Now, they'll be attracted to the smell of the meat but I'm goin' ter give 'em a call anyway, 'cause they'll like ter know it's me."

He turned and let out an odd, shrieking cry, that would have made most of the students laugh at him if they weren't so terrified. I wasn't terrified, but I was apprehensive. It might be a monster of sorts, and they would certainly come for the demigods, and then our cover would be blown. 

A few minutes passed in which Hagrid called out twice more. Finally, the same creatures that had been pulling the carriages emerged, with the same blank, white eyes and black skeletal body with matching wings. It began to tear flesh from the carcass. 

I visibly relaxed, and I could see several of my fellow demigods doing the same. Except for Clarisse, who looked more disappointed than anything. 

"Why doesn't Hagrid call again?" Ron asked quietly.

I frowned, exchanging a bewildered glance with my girlfriend. It was then I noticed that a lot of the other students were still looking around in confusion as well. Aside from the demigods, Harry, Neville and a Slytherin boy, it seemed as if no one could see them.

"Oh an' here comes another one!" 

And Hagrid.

"Now, put yer hands up, who can see 'em?"

Harry put his hand up first.

"Yeah... yeah, I knew you'd be able ter Harry."

Neville and the demigods slowly raised their hands too.

"An' you lot as well, I knew that. Neville, eh? An'-"

"Excuse me," Malfoy said in a sneering voice, "but what exactly are we supposed to be seeing?"

Instead of answering, Hagrid pointed to the carcass on the ground. The whole class stared at for a few seconds before several people gasped or squealed. 

"What's doing it? What's eating it?" A Gryffindor girl demanded.

"Thestrals." Hagrid replied proudly, "Hogwarts has a whole herd of 'em in here. Now, who knows-?"

"But they're really, really unlucky." The same girl interrupted, "They're supposed to bring all sorts of misfortune on the people who see them. Professor Trelawney told me once-"

"No, no, no." Hagrid chuckled, "That's jus' superstition. They aren' unlucky, they're dead clever an' useful. Course, this lot don't get a lot of work, mostly jus' pullin' the school carriages unless Dumbledore's takin' a long journey an' don' want ter apparate- an' here's another couple, look."

Two more horses came out of the trees, one passing close to the girl, who shivered and pressed herself against a tree. 

"I think I felt something. I think it's near me!" She cried.

"Don' worry, it won't hurt ya. Righ', now, can anyone tell me why some o' yeh can see 'em and some can't?"

Only Hermione raised her hand.

"Go on then," Hagrid said, beaming at her.

"The only people who can see Thestrals," She said, "Are people who have seen death."

"That's exactly right," Hagrid said solemnly, "Ten points ter Gryffindor. Now, Thestrals-"

"Hem, hem."

Professor Umbridge had arrived. She was standing a few feet away from us, wearing her green hat and cloak again, her clipboard at the ready. Hagrid, who had never heard Umbridge's face cough, was staring concernedly at the closest Thestral, evidently thinking that it was it that had made the sound. 

"Hem, hem."

"Oh, hello," Hagrid said, smiling, having located the source of the noise.

"You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning? Telling you that I would be inspecting your lesson?" Umbridge said in a slow, loud voice. 

"Oh, yeah." Hagrid said brightly, "Glad yeh found the place all righ'. Well, as yeh can see- or, I dunno, can you? We're doin' Thestrals today-"

"I'm sorry?" Umbridge said loudly, cupping her hand around her ear and frowning, "What did you say?"

Hagrid looked a little confused. 

"Er- Thestrals." He said loudly, "Big- er- winged horses, yeh know?" 

He flapped his gigantic arms hopefully. Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows and muttered as she wrote something on her clipboard.

"Has... to... resort... to... crude... sign... language."

"Well, anyway... erm, what was I sayin'?"

"Appears... to... have... poor... short... term... memory," Umbridge muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. 

A lot of Slytherins looked as though Christmas had come a month louder, while a lot of Gryffindors, Harry and co. especially, seemed to be seething.

"Oh yeah," Hagrid said, throwing an uneasy glance towards Umbridge, "Yeah, I was going to tell you how come we got a herd. Yeah, so we started off with a male an' five females. This one," He patted the mane of the first horse who appeared, "name o' Tenebrus, he's my special favourite, firs' one born here in the Forest-"

"You are aware," Umbridge said loudly, interrupting him, "That the Ministry of Magic has classified Thestrals as "dangerous"?" 

"You know, anything could be dangerous in the wrong hands. I don't know what she's trying to get at." A voice hissed in my ear.

My eyes widened as I turned around, my mouth open to reply when I found a hand clamped over it. 

"We need to talk." My sister declared quietly, "Now." 

Art by Angela West.