Thestral Nest

Where thestrals can freely roam.

Of course, not many students know they roam here, since... they can't see them.

Nicolas was riding Persephone when suddenly she stopped.

"What's wrong girl?" Nicolas asked gently. "There's nothing here."

However, Persephone remained tensed. Nicolas dismounted and started walking forward just to demonstrate his point.

"See? Nothing he-" Nicolas was cut short when he collided with something invisible.

Sevastyan straightened his cloak as he strode across the grounds to where the thestrals were kept. He was on his way to tend to Morana, a mare from his family's herd of the reptilian-looking winged horses. Had the name been up to him, he certainly would have given it a bit more thought before naming her with a label that translated from Slavic to mean 'death'. But then again it was also the mythic name of a deity of snow, something he was quite fond of.

In the distance, Sevastyan noticed a winged horse he'd only seen a few times. So rare were the aethenon to be seen anywhere other than Western Europe, particularly in Britain. Wait a second, he made himself pause: was a student riding the creature whilst unattended? Observing a bit more closely and approaching easily so as not to disturb either equine species, Sevastyan assumed the relation between boy and horse must have been ownership just by the tone the lad had used toward it.

There were at least seven thestrals out in plain sight today, his Morana being the one closest to the young man with the winged horse. Sevastyan realized it was likely the younger couldn't see thestrals the moment he'd collided with a rather intrigued Morana's forequarters. A light ringing of laughter with nothing to do with mockery escaped the Defense Professor: Sevastyan did precisely the same thing Nick had when he was a boy.

"It is likely she sees the thestrals, Mister Casillas, hence her vorry. But Morana is pleased to have run into you, or rather vice versa," Sevastyan explained by way of greeting, though kept an eagle eye on Morana as she turned her reptilian head to sniff at her new acquaintance.

Nicolas looked up bewildered. "Thestrals?"

"Where?" Nicolas said stupidly.

"There are seven of them. Morana is right in front of you, and the rest are in a cluster halfvay between straight ahead and to your right," Sevastyan explained congenially. "Vatch," he requested, retrieving a slice of raw meat from the satchel dangling from his right shoulder.

Sevastyan held out the meat in the palm of his hand so Nick could see at least where one of them were. "Придено, Morana," he spoke softly in Russian, requesting the mare come to him. Though he could see the thestral clear as day, Sevastyan's gaze went to the ground, where hoof prints could clearly be seen in as she trod forward. Before he knew it, the small steak-like portion had disappeared in two bites.

"Do you know much about thestrals, Mister Casillas?" he asked conversationally. Morana curiously began to approach the satchel, pausing between the two men when Sevastyan corrected the behavior by swinging the bag onto his left shoulder. Without thinking, Sevastyan reached up to stroke Morana's leathery neck. It must have looked like he was about to mime waltzing with an invisible woman to certain observers.

"Not much," Nicolas admitted. "I only know that they pull the carriages and that it is a misconception that they are a symbol of death."

Sevastyan nodded to show that Nick was correct. At least on the second count anyway. Because his transfer to Hogwarts had been delayed, Sevastyan knew very little about how the students traversed the grounds on their first evening back. "They are carnivorous, vich makes them a unique species of vinged horses, and hence are attracted to the scent of blood. Only those that have vitnessed a death can see them, hence how the misconception likely started," he explained congenially. How ironic would it be if Mister Casillas' next Care of Magical Creatures class just happened to be about thestrals? The corners of Sevastyan's mouth jumped upward slightly at the thought.

"Morana comes from a herd of thestrals belonging to my family, and is quite used to people - and attention," he added conversationally. There was an unspoken offer in the air for Nick to come over and, well, perhaps not observe. . . more like take note of the texture difference between the aethenon's hair-covered body compared to the thestral's bony leather one. In all his years taking care of Morana, Sevastyan did not recall a single incident where she bit anyone so long as there was a kind of mutual respect between human and beast.

"The aethenon you vere riding is beautiful. Is she one of the school's horses, or yours?"

Kiara smiled when she saw Sevastyan and Nicolas in the middle of the herd of theatrals.

Behind were a few of the Thestals that lived at Hogwarts, the came here often actually.

"Good afternoon Mr. Casillas, Professor Kaminski, I see you found the favorite spot for the thestrals?"

"She's mine. My cousin and I rescued her from Wizards who were abusing her when she was a foal." Nicolas said letting his tone grow hard to show just how much he disapproved of the cruelty.

"Good afternoon Professor," Nicolas replied to the Headmistress.

Heavy eyebrows furrowed at the telling of Nick's tale. It was clear Sevastyan didn't condone such cruelty either. "It vos noble of the both of you to do so - I pray the vizards abusing her got at least part of vot they deserved," he responded, a trace of hardness in his voice and a nod that was almost just as stiff.

"A good afternoon to you as vell, Headmistress," Sevastyan replied, a congenial demeanor restored to his features. His hand rested, poised, on Morana the thestral's shoulder.

Kiara nodded "Hiccup.... sorry I have had these all day"

"And good afternoon to you as well Persphone," said with a smile.

"They did," Nicolas said darkly.

"Where is she?" Nicolas said. "Morana, I mean."

"Good," Sevastyan replied to Nick's assurance, but didn't ask for details. It seemed clear enough by the younger man's tone alone that either authorities or more 'unofficial' measures were taken. Had Sevastyan been in Nick's place, he was fairly certain he would have taken the latter option without any hesitation. But, as a teacher, Sevastyan wasn't about to encourage such a thing from a professorial point of view.

"Morana is here, to my right," he replied, giving the thestral a pat on it's semi-reptilian nose. "It is the first time she has been avay from her usual herd, hence why she is likely being somevot aloof around the others," Sevastyan commented offhandedly.

Judging by the Headmistress's additional greeting, Persephone was the name of Nick's aethenon. It was interesting that both the Kaminski and Casillas families had chosen mythological names for their creatures.

"So, vot brings us all here on such a vonderful day?" Sevastyan inquired conversationally. It was a good day for riding, he observed, and felt slightly guilty that he hadn't come out earlier for a ride. Sadly, other duties took precedence over a luxurious ride/flight on the back of a thestral. The year wasn't over yet, though, and Sevastyan silently vowed to make it out to the grounds a bit more frequently.

Kiara smiled "Just enjoying the warm weather before winter comes, and I guess I have become the game keeper at hogwarts as well, so just visiting I guess"

"Hiccup,,, err i can get rid o these"

"Can I touch her?" Nicolas said interestedly looking at the direction the Professor indicated to where the Thestral was.

"Vot happened to the previous Game Keeper?" Sevastyan asked curiously. He hadn't been here the year before, nor had he yet reviewed the backgrounds of his colleagues that were no doubt on file somewhere in the castle. Sure, he'd gotten to know a bit about Professor Viper by speaking with her not long ago, and had made an acquaintanceship with both Professor DeLanquar and the Headmistress during a masquerade ball earlier this year, in the summer. But other than them he was almost very much a strange person in a strange land, even though he had been to this part of Europe a couple times before.

At Nick's question, Sevastyan smiled and extended his left arm in an obvious gesture of permission. "Of course, Mr. Casillas. Morana is exceptionally passive - more than I can say for the stallion that is her mate - and adores any attention one vith good intentions might vant to offer."

Shortly after saying this, though, Sevastyan delved into his satchel to acquire a small steak that looked different from the first one he'd openly offered his thestral. It looked as if the meat had been cured with a grainy spice - like salt or even sugar - and then slowly dried in a fashion to make it appear reminiscent of beef jerky. "You might vant to give her this, first, however; to get on her good side. Though she vould not refuse a sugar cube, I have found that his -" Sevastyan brought further attention to the steak by waving it around slowly but not teasingly, "- vorks vonders for becoming friends vith a thestral."

Morana's interest peaked at her master's retrieval of her favorite treat. An audible exhale of anticipation could be heard. Only those that could see the thestral noticed that, seconds later, Morana was covertly stretching toward Sevastyan's hand for to swipe the treat before he even noticed. It was her rotten luck, however, that Sevastyan happened to spot the tactic out of the corner of his eye and thus put a few more inches of distance between thestral and the desired tidbit of meat, not unlike a parent restricting a child's consumption of candy bars.

"Morana… вы должны знать более лучше чем то к настоящему времени," Sevastyan admonished the thestral, his voice deepened to the lowest point he could manage.


((Sevastyan just told Morana that she, "should know better than that by now" according to the online translator. I think I need to teach myself Russian next, lol.))

Nicolas nodded. "Persephone's the same. She won't let anyone close to her unless they seem trust worthy. But Sugar is the sure fire way to get to her heart."

"I cannot say I blame either of them for being swayed over such indulgences," Sevastyan commented in mild amusement and handed Nick the treat to give to Morana, who gave a kind of sighing noise at being made to wait.

"Don't vorry about being head-on - Morana vill come to you ven she realizes she may have it."

Nicolas nodded and looked blindly ahead. He extended his arm slightly, offering the steak to Morana.

Morana glanced briefly to her handler before taking the few steps required to reach Nick, taking the offered item from him with equal amounts of speed and gentleness. Of course, she really had no idea that he couldn't see her. Once the treat was downed, Morana lowered her head to allow Nick to pet her.

Sevastyan, meanwhile, smiled, looking at the space between Nick's hand and Morana. "I believe you have made a new friend, Mr. Casillas. I trust Persephone isn't too much the jealous type?" he asked with a chortle of approval. "She vill let you to pet her now - she's about six inches to your left, straight ahead, vith her head lowered . . . I'd say four inches down."

Nick glanced brielfly at Persephone. "You don't mind?" Persephone was watching Nick and Morana with interest. She seemed to be as interested as the Thestral as Nick was. She bowed her head one. 'Go ahead.'

Nick then manuvered his hand at the Professor's directions. And tentetively, Nicolas felt the odd texture of the Thestral. "Wow..."

"Wow, it feels so... weird."

"Yes; their skin is leathery as opposed to being covered in hair. And their bodies are naturally skeletal, so if you feel bones that is why. Needless to say. . . they can be a bit uncomfortable to ride to start out vith," Sevastyan explained.

Morana took a step or two closer to Nick and sniffed again at his hair, then searched his hand with a gentle nudge for any treats. The inevitable noise of exasperation from the thestral was an unmistakable appeal to be given another hand-out.

There was a pleasent chill that ran through Nicolas' spine when Morana stiffed him.

"I feel her!" Nicolas exclaimed. "I think she wants more treats... can I give her some sugar cube?"

Nicolas dug some out of his pockets.

Sevastyan smiled at the interactions between the two. "Certainly, Mr. Casillas, but not too many," he nodded. Since the lad also handled a horse, he assumed Nick would know a good limit to set.

It was during this time that Morana positioned herself between the two men, likely so that her master couldn't see that she was being given extra treats. What the mare didn't realize was that Sevastyan could still see the pair interact despite her efforts, and had only needed to move slightly. Morana softly voiced the new coordinates, in her own equine way, and lightly nuzzled Nick's shoulder.

"Morana. . ." Sevastyan warned her, knowing a plot for goodies the thestral employed when he seen it. "She vants to be spoiled beyond reason, vich she knows I vill not allow; but othervise appears to be varming up to you qvickly," he explained to Nick.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Vot became of Persephone's herd?" After all, where there was one abused horse, there may or may not have been more. Sevastyan assumed the former.

"I don't know," Nicolas said feeding Morana some sugar cubes. Magic was apparent everywhere yet it was still an odd site to see the sugar cubes on top of his hand disappear into thin air.

"She was a pony when we rescued her, I reckon, she'd been taken from them by the Wizards illegally." Nicolas felt the sensation of his hand coming in contact with something wet and velvetly. He figured Morana was probably trying to get the last of the sugar crumbs.

"We tried to set her free, in fact, she's free to go anytime she wishes but..." Nicolas looked at Persephone affectionately, "she just won't leave me alone."