𑣲⋆𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻⭒
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Damaris couldn't help but keep thinking about what Rikkali had been doing as they headed toward the carriages; she kept dwelling on the way Rikkali seemed to be caressing the very air that pulled the carriages toward the school. She wanted to keep pondering this, but her friends called out to her, snapping her out of her reverie after she had spent a few minutes in silence.
"The forest looks spooky... we should explore it sometime" she heard Haeli say. She couldn't help but smile, knowing Haeli was likely already plotting a prank for them to pull at Hogwarts or dreaming up some trouble to get into—and, to be honest, that was exactly what she had craved most, what she had missed most about her friends during the summer they had spent apart in their respective homes. When they reached the point where they had to continue on foot, they did so willingly, chatting animatedly and laughing as they walked with the ease that comes after completing a first year. They arrived at the Great Hall and found seats together at the Gryffindor table, continuing their conversation while waiting for the Headmaster’s speech marking the start of classes and the new school year—a speech she knew would take a few minutes, though Damaris didn't mind at all. She had missed the wizarding world terribly over the summer and had been eager to return to school and learn more.
After listening to the director's long speech, food magically appeared on the table in front of them, making them smile before they began to sample a bit of everything, each enjoying the company of her friends after not seeing one another all summer.
Every now and then, Damaris glanced at the tables belonging to the other houses, truly intrigued by the students in her year whom she hadn't had the chance to speak with before.
"Do you think we'll meet anyone new this year?" Damaris asked, looking back at her friends to gauge their thoughts—though deep down, she knew they would be more than happy to socialize with others and expand their circle of friends.
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Reducio
@Rikkali Fyre, @Hex Ambrose, @Haeli Randall
𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻, 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓪 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓪 𝓷𝓪𝓹
𑣲⋆𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻⭒
The carriage ride up to the school was peaceful. Rikkali watched the Thetrals pulling the
carriages effortlessly. The black creatures were definitely strange to look at, with their almost skeletal bodies. Their bat-like wings were held close to their bodies as they pulled the carriages. What she liked the most is the fact they had a dragon-like head. She always had a love of dragons.Tearing her eyes away from the creatures as Damaris said 'Rikki, let's go'. As Rikkali
climbed into the carriage, Damaris had asked why she had been petting the air. Rikkali gave her friend a sly grin. As if she had a secret that no one else knew about. In actuality, Rikkali knew if her friend could have seen the Thestrals, she'd have not been asking why Rikkali was petting the air to begin with. Which meant that her friend had never seen death. Which, thankfully she had not. Rikkali didn't want to wish that on anyone. The ride to the castle had been extremely short, therefore Rikkali didn't have much time to respond to Damaris' questions as the others in the carriage chatted away animatedly. "I'll explain after the sorting ceremony and the speeches." Rikkali promised. "And I agree
we seriously need to explore that forest. We never got around to doing it last year, unfortunately. If I hadn't of gone off without you gals, and ended up in the Hospital Wing after, we might have had the chance for exploration of the forest." Rikkali said, sounding a bit. 'In truth I do feel sorry, because there could have been a ton of things we all could have done together, but with my accident, and then my being in the Hospital Wing for a long time after, it prevented us from doing any of those things together. What I do know though, is that my friend's loyalty to me is amazing, which I am very grateful for. They had come to my aide to begin with, then sat with me each day when I was stuck in the Hospital Wing. If that's not loyalty, then I don't know what is. But, then again, what if it had been one of them in my shoes. I don't know what I'd have done. Surely, I'd do whatever I could to help and stay with them as they had done with me. But I wouldn't want any of them to be hurt either. Especially if they were injured and it would have been my fault. I don;t think I could face that.' she thought to herself.They arrived at the castle and quickly rushed inside. They found their places at their
table, each eagerly waiting for one thing or other. For herself, she waited for the amazing food that always magically appears on their tables. She hadn't eaten anything since the snacks on the train. The headmaster announced that the sorting ceremony would be commencing. Rikkali watched as students were added to their house, and each of those students added, had made their way to their table.After the last student was sorted into their respected houses, the headmaster stood and
continued with the speeches and announcements. As the headmaster's hand smacked together, food magically appeared. "Finally!" Rikkali stated as she grabbed a bit of everything as if she had been starving for three days. Remembering she had promised Damaris she'd explain about the carriages after the sorting ceremony."So, the carriages. Well, each of those carriages are drawn by creatures called Thestrals.
They are only visible to people who have witnessed and emotionally processed death. I was young when I witnessed my parents being killed. Therefore, I can see them. They are black with a dark translucent skin. Their heads are like dragon heads. And they have large bat-like wings. My foster father could see them as well. He was very intrigued by them. He studied them. Had many books about them. When I started seeing them too, he had taught me what he knew of them. Let me read those books too. They are native to Ireland, and the British Isles. They are carnivorous, eating raw meat. They are drawn to the scent of blood." Rikkali stated.Rikkali took a bite of the ham roll she had chosen. Then took a sip of the pumpkin juice
to wash it down before continuing her explanation. "They are fiercely loyal and will protect the riders they recognized, an owner or one of their herd member. They are highly intelligent. They can understand commands no matter how complex they are. They can recognize specific human friends. Living and hunting together in organized family herds. They are calm and rarely get spooked. They will remain focused even during chaos." She said as she took another bite and drink before giving the last detail.Rikkali smiled at her friend. "Lastly, there is a Superstition revolving around them. All
false of course. But many believe they are bad omens or considered unlucky due to their association with mortality. In truth Thestrals are harmless symbols of grief and acceptance, nothing more." she finished as she started in on a bubbly pie.
𑣲⋆𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻⭒
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Damaris listened closely as her friend explained the creatures she had been petting before arriving at Hogwarts—the ones that pulled the carriages. Thestrals.
"They sound like majestic creatures" she said, taking a bite of the meat on her plate and enjoying the conversation with her friends; they were actively participating and listening intently, genuinely interested in what Rikkali was sharing.
"So," Haeli said, "only those who have witnessed death can see Thestrals?" She asked the question and received a nod from Rikkali as they ate.
"By witnessing death... do you mean, I don't know... seeing a relative or a friend die?" Damaris asked, wanting to understand how people came to see these majestic creatures—creatures her friend had described in such vivid detail that Damaris could picture them perfectly in her mind.
Damaris listened intently to Rikkali’s explanations about Thestrals, fascinated by the subject—so much so that she barely took a bite of her food, focused as she was on the details her friend was sharing.
"Do you think we’ll study them in Care of Magical Creatures next year?" she asked with a smile, already excited about the prospect even though she was just beginning her second year. Of all the subjects taught at Hogwarts, Care of Magical Creatures interested her by far the most—alongside Herbology, a subject in which she had excelled and which she had handled with ease and high marks since her first year.
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Reducio
@Rikkali Fyre, @Hex Ambrose, @Haeli Randall
𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻, 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓪 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓪 𝓷𝓪𝓹
𑣲⋆𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻⭒
“Gosh, heavy stuff for the start of term, eh?” Hex joked. She was interested in learning more about everyone’s past, the good and the bad. She found the Thestrals exciting and intriguing - she would want to meet them if it wasn’t for the circumstances. “ it would be great to meet them in Care of Magical Creatures! I wonder if we can touch them without seeing them” she mused on the idea. It would be strange to experience touching something that wasn’t there.
“ you know, I never actually asked you guys. What is your favourite subject?” She looked at the other girls. Hard to imagine that she had been studying with them for so long now and not asked what their favourite subject was. If pranks was a sybject she knew that it would be Rikkali’s favourite!
Also… I found out the location of some secret rooms from my brother! If you guys wanted to visit this year, I heard someone found a giant wolf in one of the rooms - how crazy is that? I think we could fight it off though. Definitely between us at least. I think we can get in a couple of hits!”
Don’t Wait Up
Hex Ambrose | Gryffindor
𑣲⋆𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻⭒
"Thestrals are majestic, at least I certainly think so. Sad that no one else can see them
unless they have witnessed a death. They are misunderstood too. They are actually really gentle, and very intelligent. And yes, like in my case, seeing your parents die. Or any loved one." Rikkali stated. Rikkali took a moment to take a bite of her meatroll, then wash it down with her pumpkin
juice. Rikkali remembered back when the first time she had seen a Thestral. She had thought they were majestic then too. But when she alerted her foster parents to the Thestral in front of her, she realized that only her foster father could see it, but her foster mother could not. Her foster mother had tried to tell er that she was seeing things, that there wasn't anything really there. But her foster father had rectified that. Later, Rikkali found out that her foster mother had never known death, therefore she couldn't see the Thestrals. She had learned about them when she was younger, just never believed they were real, since she had never seen them. It wasn't until a few years later when she had witnessed a death of her own, and she finally did see a Thestral. After that, she had apologized to Rikkali for not believing her."I'm sure at some point we'll learn about them in Care of Magical Creatures, but not sure
how well it would go over. Remember only some of us will be able to see them, while others would see thin air." Rikkali stated. "I mean if there was a way for someone to be able to 'see' without having to witness a death, that would be perfect." Rikkali added. Rikkali looked over at Hex as she spoke. "I know right?" she said with a chuckle.
"Touching them without seeing them? Hmm... we should do an experiment and see if you could really touch one without seeing it." she gave a laugh. "Hmmm my favorite subject... I like all of them so far. Herbology would be my favorite at the moment. But I think my all-time favorite will be Care of Magical Creatures, once we are able to start that class. Something about learning about all sorts of creatures magical and non-magical gives me a thrill." Rikkali said.At the mention of secret rooms, Rikkali grinned mischievously. "Oooh can't wait to
explore those. And oh yes of course I came well prepared this year. I brought a whole trunk full of pranks this year." Rikkali said giggling. She had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "That Caretaker of our is in for a real treat... or prank in this case... this year." she said, going into a full bellied laugh. After she stopped laughing, catching her breath she looked at the others. "Can't wait to be able to do all of that with all of you." she added.