Guest Author - Taisha Turner
Thestrals are whimsical animals whose bodies resemble a horse. Their face and neck resemble a dragon. Like a dragon, they have fangs. Blank, white, shining eyes stare from the face. A long, black tail and a silky mane grows on the beasts. Large, leathery wings give them the ability to fly.
It is a common myth in the Wizardry community, thestrals are bad luck. Superstition says, people who see thestrals will experience misfortune. The only people who can see them, are those who have seen death. This means, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom can see them.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has a herd living in the Forbidden Forest. Rubeus Hagid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds, takes care of the thestrals. He feeds them raw meat. Hagrid started the herd from one male and five females. The first thestral born in the Forbidden forest was Tenebrus.
The thestrals live behind Hagrid’s cabin. They wander the Forbidden forest. Hagrid’s call and offer of food bring them near. They pull the school’s carriages. People can travel on them. The winged-horses have a great sense of direction.
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom ride thestrals in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Harry Potter believes Sirius Black, Harry’s Godfather, is in mortal danger. Having no saddles, they ride the magical creatures bareback. They wrap their legs tightly around the winged-horses and twist their hands in the black manes. The winged-thestrala deliver the witches and wizards to the Ministry of Magic in London, England.
Thestrals make a reappearance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bill and Fleur Weasley travel on a thestral because Fleur does not care to travel by broom. Also, Hermione and Kingsley travel on a thestral. Harry travels with Hagrid. Hagrid drives a motorcycle with Harry in the side car. Thestrals cannot bear Hagrid’s weight. The whimsical animals deliver safely their passengers to their destination.
"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one." - Elbert Hubbard
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