#thestrals

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when you initially asked her out she thought it was an awful prank, but upon discovering that you were serious tried her best to “not mess things up”

constantly making you handmade love notes and cards

making matching half heart pins so you each have one on your bags

sticking up for her when someone is rude

taking long strolls in the forbidden forest and befriending the thestrals and unicorns

she’s very private about your relationship because she doesn’t want anyone to make fun of you for choosing to be with her

going bird watching because she’s exceptionally good at repeating the calls

having her repeat herself when she speaks because she’s overly excited when she discovers something new

she daydreams about you constantly

sneaking out late to watch the stars through the telescopes in the astronomy tower; charting the stars and planets every time you sneak out so she never forgets how the world was when she was with you

always praises your imperfections

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It’s Bee’s first time to Hogsmeade and she’s going with Sebastian! On the walk, they see plenty of things that capture Bee’s attention. Every little thing is magical to her, as she’s always dreamed of walking in a fantastical world like this while growing up in Muggle society.

So, I have been questioning for a while now why it is that Harry could only see thestrals after Cedric’s death and not Quirrells. However, I have a theory after rereading the Philosophers Stone.

We know in order to see thestrals you have to see someone die, that is set in stone. The reason why Harry couldn’t see them is because he didn’t actually see Quirrell die.

In the book as he was fighting Quirrell he couldn’t see due to the extreme pain in his forehead not allowing him to. He was also quickly losing consciousness during the encounter.

We also were never told if Quirrell even died when Harry was conscious. Dumbledore says to Harry that Voldemort had left Quirrell to die and Dumbledore had to pull Quirrell off of Harry meaning he was very much alive while he was awake, meaning he died after Harry passed out.

It is probable that Quirrell died shortly after due to the injuries he sustained from Harry touching him since it’s confirmed he did die. However, it all happened after Harry passed out, so thus, Harry didn’t actually see Quirrell die which means no thestrals.

Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung off — the pain in Harry’s head was building — he couldn’t see — he could only hear Quirrell’s terrible shrieks and Voldemort’s yells of, “KILL HIM! KILL HIM!” and other voices, maybe in Harry’s own head, crying, “Harry! Harry!”

He felt Quirrell’s arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and feel into blackness, down… down… down…

Elsie loved the Thestrals. Perhaps it was how she was raised - death was natural, something that everyone experienced, and as the souls of the deceased departed to some pain-free afterlife, the hope that those left behind would see them again someday was their only comfort.

She still was uncertain whether she believed in all of that, but when she greeted the macabre creature with its leathery skin and protruding rib cages, she almost wondered if they could be reincarnations of loved ones passed.

Only those who had witnessed death and understood it could see Thestrals. And as off-putting as their appearance seemed, perhaps their presence was meant to offer solace to the grieving.

Or maybe she was being optimistic.

Just a rough little thing I did. A very symbolic peak into little Maggie Darling's past.

Without getting too spoilery, I recently discovered a legend of N'oun Doare, which some believe to be the inspiration for thestrals, has some interesting parallels with her backstory.