Stars in Her Eyes {Wolfstar's Daughter}

Chapter 65: Changes

"Is it just me or does it feel like people are staring at us" Nell said as the four of them made their way towards the carriages to carry them up to Hogwarts.

On the platform it had been far too busy with students and parents to tell, but now that they had arrived at Hogsmeade station it was quite obvious people were in fact staring at them. With little attempts to hide it too. Of course by now everyone had heard about what happened that night of the third task, essentially every wizarding newspaper had written about it, but Nell thought people at least have the decency to be more subtle about it.

"Nope, they're definitely staring" Harry confirmed, clenching his jaw slightly in irritation. It felt as if ever since they got into that cursed competition, people had no where else to look.

"Fantastic" the girl grimaced, pulling her robes slightly tighter around herself as a small chill brushed over her, either from a passing wind or her awareness of the abundance eyes on them.

"Oi find something else to gawk at" Ron raised his voice slightly to the students around them, joining the pair at Nell's side as the previously staring kids snapped their heads away at the confrontation.

"Thanks" she breathed gratefully, the four of them still trudging forward towards the next carriage.

By the time all the other students had filled all the carriages ahead, they seemed to be only ones left stood on the path. Not that Nell minded considering their tendency to stare.

They waited as another carriage pulled up from behind them, only as she turned around, where Nell expected to see the self drawn cart pulling itself towards them, she saw something else entirely.

"It's beautiful" she whispered, taking a step forward towards the create that had no come to a halt before them.

"What is it?" Harry joined her just as curiously, stepping to where she now stood in front of the magnificent creature.

Before them, the creature stood with the most haunting elegance Nell had ever seen. It's body, which could only be compared to that of a horse, was of an ashy skeletal build, its skin pulled in against the bones which weaved effortlessly between each other.

It's glassy eyes were both hollow yet somehow entirely full of life as some form of knowing swirled beneath their surface. Yet they continued to stare right ahead, not so much as flickering to the children before them.

As they approached, the horse remained unusually still and unmoving, as if it didn't register their presence at all, or more accurately, as if it didn't believe itself to be seen by the children.

It wasn't everyday it came across students who had seen what the two before it had, gifting them with the privelge of seeing it in a way others couldn't.

It was used to being walked passed without so much as a second glance, invisible to only the saddest of eyes. The eyes that understood pain to a different level than those around them.

"What's what?" Ron asked, very much confused as he watched his two friends staring up at the empty air as if there was something to look at.

"That pulling the carriage" Harry reiterated as Nell began to stretch her hand out to its black mussel.

"There's nothing pulling the carriage guys, they're pulling themselves as always" Hermione said, both her and Ron's confusion turning to slight concern as they watched Nell reach her hand up into nothingness.

When her palm finally made contact with the face the others couldn't see, the creature made a deep exhale, before bowing its head towards her.

"Harry look" she breathed in awe.