Chapter 30 – Thestrals.

I'm sorry, everyone. I thought I'd fixed this, but apparently I hadn't. Here's the correct chapter.

[Chapter Size: 2600 Words.]

Third Person POV

Train.

...

...

The rest of the trip was a mix of questions from the girls, who were fascinated by Articuno, who stayed there showing himself off, clearly enjoying the female attention, while Severus listened to and answered some of their questions. However, seeing that he was reading during the trip, the girls eventually respected that.

It was by nightfall that the train finally reached the mountains of Scotland and, shortly after, Hogwarts was no longer far from where they were, with the castle already illuminated.

"You all need to change. And you too," Iris made sure to say to little Heloísa, also turning to Severus.

Heloísa had to wear a neutral black wizard robe, since they would change to represent whichever house the hat chose. That was why first years had to buy this type of clothing for the change during the Sorting, while Severus had to wear Slytherin clothes.

Heloísa had left, but Severus merely shrugged.

"I don't need to change," he said, while Roberta let out a small huff but said nothing.

In any case, Severus closed the book a while later, when the train finally arrived. Heloísa appeared running, excited.

"You can already see the castle! Look over there!", she began pointing through the open door toward the window on the other side, since it was possible to see the structure of Hogwarts.

"Just wait until you see the inside. You're going to love the Great Hall," Iris started laughing at the girl's enthusiasm, while Severus stored the book inside his ring. Roberta noticed that and was surprised, but remained silent.

'You can stay invisible now,' Severus said to the ice phoenix on his shoulder, who had remained there ever since it appeared, with everyone talking only about it until recently.

Iris was incredibly enthusiastic about that bird, a new species that her grandfather had never even cataloged. For Iris, it was a frenzy, and she had already started writing everything about the creature to send to her grandfather later.

Well, Severus was going to introduce her to Scamander anyway. He just had not done it because, when the Newts invited him to go to their house, Severus had gone to deal with problems yesterday. But he knew Newt would become obsessed as soon as he read Iris's letters.

'Well, leave that for the future... He will definitely come looking for me...' Severus shrugged at that.

Then, he picked up his wand and pointed it at himself, while his clothes began to change using Transfiguration itself.

"Wow! How did you do that?!", Roberta this time did not stop herself from looking with a certain envy.

His casual clothes from the entire trip simply changed at the very last moment. What kind of spell was that?

Roberta and Heloísa were full of questions, but Iris spoke first, despite the obvious admiration:

"That was Transfiguration. And a very good one, by the way..." she murmured.

"Are you sure you're not Merlin reincarnated or something like that?", Roberta murmured.

"I only did a basic clothing change. Anyone good at Transfiguration can do that," Severus did not think it was that impressive to earn such praise.

He had only changed his clothes. Even though no one else could do that, as far as he knew. There were people who could make clothes change a little, but not alter their entire structure, which was certainly a good use for his Transfiguration abilities.

After that, he did nothing else, but looked at the suitcase Heloísa had brought.

"You won't be able to carry that," Severus said.

Heloísa looked a little lost and everyone looked at the suitcase in the corner of the compartment, immediately understanding what he meant.

"That's true. First-year luggage will automatically be sent to the castle and they won't allow that with you on the boat..." Iris commented.

"On the boat? Oh, right! I read that in the book!", Heloísa widened her eyes as she finally understood.

But Severus merely shook his head.

"Don't worry. I'll carry your suitcase," Severus said.

With a movement of his hands and stretched fingers, the suitcase simply began to float.

"Without a wand..." Roberta could not help but murmur, looking at Severus. She seemed frustrated every time she saw a new trick from him.

"Did you know I can make potions without touching the ingredients or the cauldron too? And even without looking, sometimes," Severus could not help but look at Roberta and start teasing her.

"Idiot, I don't believe it..." she clicked her tongue.

"So that means I'm not going with you?", Heloísa spoke from the side, interrupting Severus's teasing.

He smiled and turned back to her.

"It's just a first-year rule. They'll take you across the Black Lake. It's a fun experience," he said.

"I agree," Iris nodded with a smile.

In any case, the trip was coming to an end. The prefects began making movements and preparations for the other students to follow them outside as soon as the train stopped, giving instructions mainly to the first-year children.

Soon everyone started leaving the compartments, while Severus merely let the suitcase float behind him, with them following the group of students beginning to form a line to get out. He would deliver it to the girl later.

Hagrid appeared outside holding up a lantern, while he began calling the first-year kids.

The rest of the students started gathering in one corner, where the countless carriages were, already beginning to board them.

Iris did not leave Severus's side while they walked together, with Roberta coming right behind. Severus liked the sky when he looked up, heavily filled with stars and with few clouds.

"Anxious?", she asked curiously, looking at Severus, who had lowered his head to observe the castle in the distance, on the other side of the Black Lake.

"I'm feeling strange," he could not help but let those words out while observing Hogwarts. "But also anxious. I want to learn from everything this place can offer... So if I don't get expelled, there is a lot to learn here," he said.

"Expelled?" Iris laughed, thinking it was a joke. "What are you going to do? Try to burn Headmaster Dumbledore?", she burst into laughter.

Severus only kept a small smile.

"Maybe, given our relationship, I'll feel like showing that old man the middle finger," he said calmly, as if he was already anticipating doing that at the first opportunity he had, even if he got expelled for it.

"Hey! You can't be serious!", Iris looked stunned now, losing her laughter. Even Roberta had choked behind them.

Soon, they joined a huge group of students. Heloísa, who had remained silent behind them, still a little lost, looked at the other students. They also seemed to be first years, since they were a bunch of eleven-year-old children wearing black robes without their house symbols.

Severus looked at her.

"Go. I'll give you your suitcase later," he said.

The girl nodded, beginning to head toward where Hagrid was.

At that moment, he also saw a group of sixth-year Gryffindor girls passing through his vision. Unsurprisingly, he saw Lily among them, while they continued talking.

And from their perspective, they noticed Severus, who kept his gaze on where Heloísa was walking away. Even so, Severus's eyes also turned toward them.

Lily Evans, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Alice, Dorcas Meadowes.

"Who is he?"

"Wait, we saw him in Diagon Alley the other day!"

"Merlin, look at those eyes..."

"Is he from Slytherin? He must be a transfer student..."

"What a shame he's a snake..."

Severus immediately felt their gazes fixing on him, even Lily exchanged a look with him, while her friends immediately started gossiping and laughing quietly. Lily did not seem to recognize him, and Severus's eyes only remained on her for a second before he turned back to Heloísa, who was still walking away and joining the other children.

He ignored the gazes from those girls and from several other groups that were observing him...

"She'll be fine," Iris commented beside him, carefully watching Heloísa as well.

He nodded and continued with them until joining an enormous crowd of hundreds of students wearing multiple robe colors, gathering around the area while they waited for the carriages to become free to board them, mostly forming groups that began gossiping.

Severus could see the Slytherin students and the other houses looking at him as well. It did not go unnoticed, many murmuring and wondering who he was.

"What a pain..." Severus muttered and ignored all of that.

Iris stared at him, noticing exactly what was happening, and smiled, looking somewhat complicit.

"Well, they have the same impression I had. Even Roberta did. Imagine their faces when they find out you're the fearsome Severus Snape," she joked.

"Oh, the way you're saying it almost makes it sound like they care a lot about that..." Severus mocked. "Maybe the novelty gives them a feeling of great curiosity. And knowing Hogwarts students and how gossipy they are, it's obvious this will attract attention. But only at the beginning. After that, they'll get used to it."

He even saw Lily's group joining the other Gryffindor students. Near them were the Marauders talking, while the prefects continued helping. Even Lily and Remus Lupin left their respective groups to help organize the lines for the carriages.

"Hey, Iris! Roberta!" At that moment, some friends of the Hufflepuff girls approached. The same ones who had previously invited the two of them to go to their compartment.

Quickly, they began crowding around them, asking questions they had not been able to ask before. Severus, who was observing something else in particular while ignoring the students, simply stepped forward.

He went to one of the nearest carriages that had just stopped with third-year students, entering it. Ignoring all the conversation and questions about him, which did not seem to leave the students' gazes around him, he was more interested in the animal in front of him.

A Thestral.

He stood before the death horse. He could see it, all the carriages were being pulled by that same animal.

Severus approached. The animal did nothing to stop him while he observed those dark eyes like an endless abyss. There was a beauty in that darkness that captivated Severus...

"Thestral... An animal that only those who have witnessed death can see..." he murmured.

'A peculiar animal, I must say,' Articuno could not help but murmur in his mind. 'And a great mystery,' he added.

Severus touched the animal, feeling a good affinity, though not in a negative way. It seemed to have liked his touch.

Anyone who saw that, meaning the vast majority of the students, would see Severus simply petting the air, with some commenting things like: "Why is he doing that?"

But he ignored everything and did not hesitate to enter the animal's mind while he began observing it from within. He wanted to understand.

Being inside that animal was a little strange, even for him.

He felt that energy running through its core like essence, while the world was seen in a distorted way. But somehow, he could see auras with various colors.

He could not see the world the same way a human could. It was more black and white, but the auras surrounding people were somewhat strange.

He made the animal itself look at him. Severus had a more powerful aura than anyone else in its field of vision. No one else compared. His green aura, mixed with white and red, exploded like a waterfall rising to the sky, while most people only had a few centimeters outlining their form, with different colors...

"Well... this is strange," he said.

Meanwhile, someone went to his side.

"So you can see them..." It was a statement.

Iris did not seem able to see them, but she certainly knew of their existence. Severus looked at her for a moment before taking her hand, making her look surprised, while he made her open her palm before placing it against his own and guiding it toward the animal.

She might not be able to see it, but she could feel it. Iris could not help but shiver a little when she felt the touch of something invisible.

A soft neighing sound came from the Thestral.

"It seems like he likes you," Severus said with a reassuring smile.

'It's been a while. You won't admit it, but you're courting this female now...' Articuno's voice echoed in his mind.

'Shut up.' Severus merely replied.

Then, while they delighted in that moment, the sound of the carriage emerged and they moved forward as the carriage began to move.

Severus turned his attention to the Hufflepuff group. Roberta was still talking with them, while they could not stop looking in the direction where Severus and Iris were, certainly gossiping.

"If you keep following a Slytherin around, they might think something wrong about you," Severus commented.

"Then let them think it," she gave a smile, without any regret at all.

The interaction between them, as well as Severus touching the Thestral and talking with Iris, had not gone unnoticed by many, who immediately began commenting among themselves. Many still wondered who he was.

Severus ignored that and another set of carriages came shortly after, while more students started gathering. Finally, a carriage stopped right in front of the two and Iris called Roberta, who left the group and followed them inside while they settled in.

Severus placed Heloísa's suitcase on the floor beside him.

"Hey, let me join too!" Another Hufflepuff student immediately joined them. She wore glasses, had blonde hair, and looked at Severus with a certain caution, but he did not care. She sat down after Roberta, with Severus being the only Slytherin among 3 Hufflepuff girls... Which was a strange sight...

His eyes turned toward the window while he observed the boats beginning to leave one by one with the first-year children.

"So it's true? You're Severus Snape?", the question echoed from the third Hufflepuff girl, as the carriage finally began to move.

Severus turned his attention to the girl who was still cautious around him.

"So gossip spreads fast," Severus said, but looking directly at Roberta while Iris started laughing.

"That's true. Roberta was the one who started gossiping to all of Hufflepuff about who you were," she said, with Roberta giving her friend a furious look.

He looked calmly at the blonde girl with glasses, studying her before she spoke again:

"You look so different. Much more different than I remember you," she admitted, before pointing at the two of them. "Now let me ask: all the girls are asking about you and Iris... Are you already together?"

Her question was honestly quite accurate, considering how Iris stayed close to Severus and followed him around, in addition to Severus taking her palm and placing it on the Thestral.

Even if most students could not see it, the older ones clearly knew what pulled the carriages, which showed that the unknown student knew death... And to those students' eyes, the contact between Severus and Iris had been a rather intimate scene, which had even left them surprised and dumbfounded.

"Kimberly! Stop saying those things about people!", Iris immediately revealed her irritation.

Roberta merely showed a smile.

"You didn't deny it. And you were engaged," the so-called Kimberly accused Iris.

"It's not what you're thinking," Iris replied unhappily and turned to Severus. "We're friends."

"Sure, friends..." Kimberly mocked, before turning back to Severus. "So, what exactly happened to you?"

She immediately wanted to investigate and seemed to be one of those very persistent women. Severus merely sighed while the carriage continued following the others along the short road to Hogwarts and he was being bombarded with questions from another curious student.

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