Chapter 297 – Ron's Scream
The night was deep and moonless, and the line of carriages gliding toward Hogwarts looked almost ghostly. They moved without wind, wheels crunching softly over the path, heading toward the towering silhouette of the castle in the distance.
Down by the lake, the small first-year boats bobbed eerily under the glow of lantern light, their reflections rippling across the dark water. The Forbidden Forest was little more than a massive shadow to the right, yet even from here, faint wolf-like howls drifted from within.
All of it made the second-year students in the carriages tense up. Those still unaccustomed to the nighttime scenery kept their eyes fixed on their classmates instead, whispering about new-term rumors just to distract themselves.
Then—
A scream cut through the night.
Sharp, shrill, unmistakable.
The single cry set off a chain reaction. Screams erupted from carriage after carriage, each louder than the last, like a line of firecrackers going off in the darkness.
"What happened?!"
"A werewolf! The werewolf from the Forbidden Forest escaped!"
"No—ghosts! It must be the ghosts from the Shrieking Shack!"
Near the middle of the convoy, a very different conversation floated above the noise.
"Oi, Lee Jordan! Know what that scream reminded me of?"
"I know! When your little brother saw his doll turn into a spider?"
"Exactly! That sound is identical!"
"And this carriage smells like mold and straw. With that? A spider's normal!"
Their voices were magically amplified—clearly a Sonorus charm—and within seconds, the panicked screams died off.
"Well done, Fred! George!" someone shouted.
The convoy finally settled back into uneasy quiet.
Inside one of the carriages, Ron Weasley's face was nearly as red as his hair.
"Damn it, Percy!" he muttered furiously. "I knew that scream sounded familiar. And Fred and George didn't even try to hide it!"
Harry didn't answer. Thanks to Alexander's earlier spell, Harry still couldn't take his eyes off the visible Thestral standing in front of the carriage, its ghostly figure shimmering in the moonlight.
Hermione stared silently as well, and Alexander didn't speak either. They knew Ron needed a moment of dignity—something in short supply tonight.
The carriage rolled forward, and soon the students were greeted by the grand, iron-wrought gates of Hogwarts, flanked by stone pillars topped with imposing winged boars.
As the gates opened, the Thestrals—now visible to four of them—picked up speed, clearly sensing their approach to home.
Turrets and towers rose into view, glowing windows shining like stars.
They had arrived at Hogwarts.
---
"That's Ron Weasley! He's the one who screamed!"
"I heard he's one of the three who defeated You-Know-Who's trap last year! Why is he afraid of spiders?!"
"I bet Harry Potter saved him. I wish I were Harry's friend…"
Students pointed and whispered as they disembarked. Ron tried shrinking into himself, wishing for once that his flaming red hair didn't make him stand out like a signal flare.
"Ron, are you alright?" Draco's voice came from behind as he pushed through the crowd with Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy in tow.
"I'm FINE," Ron grumbled. "I just saw a bloody Thestral!"
"They are unlucky creatures…" Draco murmured.
"See?! I'm doomed this term!" Ron declared dramatically.
Then he abruptly rounded on a Ravenclaw girl with dark hair.
"What are you staring at?!"
Her features were hard to see in the dark, but Ron's sharp eyes locked onto the badge pinned to her robes.
"Supporter of the Tutshill Tornadoes—figures. They weren't even famous before."
"Another trend chaser," he muttered. "People only care once a team starts winning."
He slapped his own chest proudly. "Unlike me. I'm Chudley Cannons for life."
Hermione sighed. "Her name is Cho Chang. She's a year above us. She's supported the Tornadoes since she was six."
Cho quickly slipped away into the crowd.
"Right… I remember Oliver Wood once saying she'd make a brilliant Seeker—if it weren't for me," Harry added thoughtfully.
"She was just looking at Harry. Future Ravenclaw team member looking at their captain," Alexander said calmly.
Ron groaned. "Alright, alright! Fine—it's my fault."
Draco, satisfied that Ron wasn't dying, was promptly dragged away by Pansy. Crabbe and Goyle followed, silent as ever.
Alexander and the others joined the flow of students climbing the stone steps, entering the massive oak doors and stepping into the warmly lit entrance hall. Torches blazed along the walls, and the marble staircase shimmered under the light.
The doors into the Great Hall were wide open, and the four of them were swept along with the crowd.
---
"Ron, are you alright?" a concerned voice called from behind.
It was Professor Lupin, slightly breathless. "The prefects sent paper cranes saying students were screaming. I rushed over—"
"I'm fine," Ron mumbled. "I just saw the Thestrals."
"Thestrals? Oh!" Lupin paused. "Your uncle Billions passed away, didn't he?"
Ron didn't even have the energy to correct him. He simply nodded weakly as they continued into the hall and took seats at the Ravenclaw table with Alexander.
"What happened?"
"Ron screamed?"
"Was it a spider?"
"I bet Fred and George did something," Neville and the others whispered around them.
Dean and Seamus turned from the Gryffindor table, while Lavender Brown leaned closer, ears practically twitching.
Ron took a deep breath.
"I saw the Thestrals pulling the carriages."
Silence.
Then he added dramatically, "They're horrifying. Dragon-like heads, dead-white pupils, skin like dried leather stretched over bones…"
Neville paled immediately, trembling. "I—I saw them too. After my grandfather…" His voice quavered, memories resurfacing.
Lavender Brown let out a shriek even louder than Ron's earlier one.
"They're unlucky! Extremely unlucky!" she cried. Lavender, like Ron, was deeply attached to superstitions.
Alexander massaged his temples.
"No, they're not unlucky. That's just wizarding superstition. Thestrals are intelligent and very useful."
"My relative Tina Goldstein is dating Newt Scamander, the greatest Magizoologist of our time!" Anthony said proudly, finally finding an opening to show off. "I've read all his books. Thestrals are amazing creatures."
"Well they're not good for me," Ron muttered miserably. "Look at this! My reputation is ruined—and the year hasn't even started!"
He slumped forward onto the table with a groan.
The semester, in his mind, was already over.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 40+ advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at [email protected]/Translatingfanfics