He.found.there.was.a.way.of.lodging.his.knees.behind.the.wing.joints.that.made.him.feel.more.secure,.then.looked.around.at.the.others..Neville.had.heaved.himself.over.the.back.of.the.next.Thestral.and.was.now.attempting.to.swing.one.short.leg.over.the.creature.s.back..Luna.was.already.in.place,.sitting.side‐saddle.and.adjusting.her.robes.as.though.she.did.this.every.day..Ron,.Hermione.and.Ginny,.however,.were.still.standing.motionless.on.the.spot,.open‐mouthed.and.staring..
.What?..he.said..
.How.re.we.supposed.to.get.on?..said.Ron.faintly...When.we.can.t.see.the.things?..
.Oh,.it.s.easy,..said.Luna,.sliding.obligingly.from.her.Thestral.and.marching.over.to.him,.Hermione.and.Ginny...Come.here…..
She.pulled.them.over.to.the.other.Thestrals.standing.around.and.one.by.one.managed.to.help.them.on.to.the.back.of.their.mount..All.three.looked.extremely.nervous.as.she.wound.their.hands.into.their.horses.mane.and.told.them.to.grip.tightly.before.she.go.back.on.to.her.own.steed..
This.is.mad,..Ron.murmured,.moving.his.free.hand.gingerly.up.and.down.his.horse.s.neck...Mad….if.I.could.just.see.it.‐..
.You.d.better.hope.it.stays.invisible,..said.Harry.darkly...We.all.ready,.then?..
They.all.nodded.and.he.saw.five.pairs.of.knees.tighten.beneath.their.robes..
.OK…..
He.looked.down.at.the.back.of.his.Thestral.s.glossy.black.head.and.swallowed..
.Ministry.of.Magic,.visitors..entrance,.London,.then,..he.said.uncertainly...Er….if.you.know….where.to.go…..
For.a.moment.Harry.s.Thestral.did.nothing.at.all;.then,.with.a.sweeping.movement.that.nearly.unseated.him,.the.wings.on.either.side.extended;.the.horse.crouched.slowly,.then.rocketed.upwards.so.fast.and.so.steeply.that.Harry.had.to.clench.his.arms.and.legs.tightly.around.the.horse.to.avoid.slidng.backwards.over.its.bony.rump..He.closed.his.eyes.and.pressed.his.face.down.into.the.horse.s.silky.mane.as.they.burst.through.the.topmost.branches.of.the.trees.and.soared.out.into.a.blood‐red.sunset..
Harry.did.not.think.he.had.ever.moved.so.fast:.the.Thestral.streaked.over.the.castle,.its.wide.wings.hardly.beating;.the.cooling.air.was.slapping.Harry.s.face;
.eyes.screwed.up.against.the.rushing.wind,.he.looked.round.and.saw.his.five.fellows.soaring.along.behind.him,.each.of.them.bent.as.low.as.possible.into.the.neck.of.their.Thestral.to.protect.themselves.from.his.slipstream..
They.were.over.the.Hogwarts.grounds,.they.had.passed.Hogsmeade;.Harry.could.see.mountains.and.gullies.below.them..As.the.daylight.began.to.fail,.Harry.saw.small.collections.of.lights.as.they.passed.over.more.villages,.then.a.winding.road.on.which.a.single.car.was.beetling.its.way.home.through.the.hills….
This.is.bizarre!..Harry.barely.heard.Ron.yell.from.somewhere.behind.him,.and.he.imagined.how.it.must.feel.to.be.speeding.along.at.this.height.with.no.visible.means.of.support..
Twilight.fell:.the.sky.was.turning.to.a.light,.dusky.purple.littered.with.tiny.silver.stars,.and.soon.only.the.lights.of.Muggle.towns.gave.them.any.clue.of.how.far.from.the.ground.they.were,.or.how.very.fast.they.were.travelling..Harry.s.arms.were.wrapped.tightly.around.his.horses.neck.as.he.willed.it.to.go.even.faster.