289 Why Am I the Only One Who Can't See It?

The Hogwarts Express sped along without any further trouble.

Due to the delay caused by the Dementors' search, it was completely dark by the time the train pulled into the station, with only street lights to guide the way.

Harry remained unconscious for the rest of the journey, worrying Hermione and Ron, while Ivan found it strange.

He recalled that Harry had not been unconscious for so long in his time.

However, Ivan soon remembered that Harry was not surrounded by Dementors when he was on the train…

Harry was even more affected by the fact that even he was unable to contain his emotions and tried to drive out the monster that was drawing joy and causing pain.

When the train stopped and Ivan packed his bags, Lupin carried the unconscious Harry on his back and they left the train together.

Malfoy and his two henchmen had just stepped off the train when they saw Harry on Lupin's shoulder. Malfoy's eyes lit up and he moved closer to Harry.

"Oh, our poor Potter… I heard he was knocked out by a bunch of Dementors, is that true? Is he all right?" Malfoy pretended to be concerned and tutted.

His two henchmen, Goyle and Clark, giggled at the right moment, filling the air with merriment…

"You want to fight, Malfoy? Harry was attacked by Dementors! Attacked, you know?" Ron said angrily.

"Attacked, how? Did Potter get kissed by a Dementor? I heard from my dad that this is how they like to treat prisoners…" Malfoy pulled his wizard's robe over his head, mimicking the Dementors as he terrorised Ron.

"Malfoy, is it? A Dementor's kiss is far more terrible than you can imagine! It is not to be trifled with," Lupin interrupted Malfoy with a frown, continuing sternly. "It takes your soul! It rends your body an empty shell!"

"And who might you be?" Malfoy asked, startled and then annoyed.

"I'm the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor!" Lupin announced.

"Oh, really? How do you do, Professor! I'm looking forward to seeing you for a bit longer this term…" Malfoy's face broke into a nasty smile, but he didn't want to be too obvious about it.

With that, Malfoy told Goyle and Clark to go on ahead, glaring at Ivan before leaving.

Ivan stole his house-elf during the first year of school, and his mother Narcissa cooked for him during the summer holidays.

However, one could only imagine what it would be like for a noblewoman who had never cooked before to suddenly start cooking.

So he was forced to eat dark food for weeks, until his father finally gave in and took a servant who could cook magic to end his miserable life…

"Why is that Malfoy against Harry?" Lupin asked Ivan curiously as he watched Malfoy leave.

'How should I know?' Ivan shook his head in exasperation, but tried to combine this with Malfoy's performance in the original dimension.

"I've heard that some children prefer to hide their…well, concern in this strange way! What do Muggles call it? Pride?"

So that's it? Lupin had never heard of the term tsundere, but he could read between the lines.

"Ivan…it's not what you think, is it?" Ron stammered, and Hermione looked at him strangely.

"Don't you think Malfoy reacted badly every time Harry got hurt or accomplished something?" Ivan blathered.

Ron thought about it carefully and shuddered. So that was it? That was horrible…

They talked as they approached a carriage.

Lupin placed the unconscious Harry on a bench at the back of the carriage so that he could sleep more comfortably, then sat opposite him.

"There's room for one more. Who wants to come up!"

Hermione glanced at Ivan and hesitated, but Ron got into the car and sat beside Lupin to look after Harry.

Despite Harry taking up two seats, the carriage began to move slowly, and it seemed that it did not have to take four passengers.

Ron, who was sitting in the carriage, was still amazed that the carriage could move on its own, and he wondered if there was some sort of advanced magic on it, like the car he and Harry had driven in the previous school year.

The remaining two turned to the next carriage.

Ivan took a few steps closer, but did not get into the carriage immediately. He stared silently at the two Thestrals standing at the front of the carriage.

They were emaciated, with dragon-like heads and little flesh on their bodies. Their black fur clung so tightly to their skeletal frames that you could see the gaps between their bones.

The most striking feature was the large, black wings on each side, which looked like enlarged bat wings, blending in with the black night sky, looking strange and ominous.

He could see thestrals…

It made sense. Ivan thought about how he had personally killed four people and witnessed the deaths of a dozen wizards in two months.

Looking at them, Ivan felt a little sad, even though he had expected to be able to look directly at them in his first year of school…

Hermione wondered why Ivan had stopped and was about to ask when a disembodied voice sounded from the carriage.

'They look cool, don't they?'

Ivan's thoughts were interrupted when he noticed the young witch sitting alone in the carriage with a newspaper.

"Why are you here alone, Luna? Where are your roommates?" Yvonne asked curiously.

"They didn't want to be in the same carriage as me…" Luna whispered, without the slightest hint of displeasure.

"But I'm fine on my own. The carriage will move anyway."

"Want to sit on it?" Luna invited, suddenly patting the seat next to her.

"Of course, that makes three of us!" Yvonne said, climbing into the carriage and sitting opposite Luna.

Hermione followed and, after a moment's hesitation, sat down beside Ivan.

The Thestrals drove the carriage slowly towards Hogwarts Castle in the dim night…

Ivan looked at the Thestrals pulling the carts. They were magical creatures, and looking at them was always calming.

Luna tilted her head and watched, too…

Hermione's wide eyes followed their line of sight, but there was nothing there.

Hermione was discouraged at the thought that she had touched one of these creatures during the previous school year, which meant that thestrals were real…

But why was she the only one who couldn't see it?