Ron tugged at his robes, muttering, “They’re old… used to belong to my brother Bill.” He glanced down, his expression slipping into one of uncertainty. “I’m probably just going to blend into the background, though. All my brothers did amazing things at Hogwarts already. Even if I manage to do something good, they’ve done it first.”

  I nodded, understanding more than he might realize. “Everyone doubts themselves sometimes, but you can be greater than anyone believes. The hardest battle you’ll ever fight is against the part of yourself that says you can’t do it. Trust me,” I added with a reassuring smile, “one day, your son will be the one hoping to live up to your name.”

  A flicker of surprise passed over Ron’s face before he grinned, nudging my shoulder in a friendly way. “Thanks, Ben. You’re one heck of a friend.”

  The truth was, I didn’t have true empathy in the way most humans did, but I had spent centuries observing their behaviors, learning to mirror their gestures and words. Over the ages, I’d become quite skilled at passing as one of them. I knew exactly what needed to be said, how to time my gestures, and even how to simulate a genuine smile. It had become second nature—though sometimes, I’d slip up, saying something that didn’t quite fit the moment. Nobody’s perfect, I thought, amused at the irony.

  Ron sighed, adjusting his robes. “Well, I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “That’s the spirit,” I encouraged, giving him a confident tap on the shoulder. I’ll make a brave and confident man out of you yet, Ron.

  We stepped off the train onto a small, bustling platform shrouded in mist. Almost immediately, I heard a booming voice call, “Firs’ years! Follow me!” The speaker was a towering figure with wild hair and a kindly, if somewhat worn, face.

  “I need to do something real quick, Ron. Don’t worry—I’ll catch up. Save me a seat in your boat,” I said, activating my invisibility charm and slipping away before he could reply.

  Rushing off, I darted into the dark woods surrounding the station. I knew Cedric had mentioned the “horseless carriages” that would bring older students to Hogwarts. Only a creature of magic could be pulling them unseen, and I suspected I knew exactly which creature it was.

  When I finally reached the spot, I saw them—Thestrals. They stood like spectral guardians, skeletal bodies cloaked in thin, ghostly skin that gave them an eerie, otherworldly beauty. Winged, with raven-like faces, they seemed to hover between life and death. They were creatures of a high death affinity, drawn to those who had encountered mortality. Even their appearance was a reflection of this: partly in our world, partly in the realm beyond.

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  I approached one quietly, reverent. “Hello, friend,” I whispered to the nearest Thestral, and it turned its head toward me, a soft, cooing sound rumbling from its throat. Many would find the sound haunting, but to me, it was familiar and comforting.

  Thestrals were rare creatures of unusual magic, one I don’t know fully how it came to be. Being Death I do know the most about them. While they resembled horses, they were carnivores, with a diet closer to that of scavengers. The thin skin stretched over their bones allowed them to slip partly into the realm of death. Their tail hair—while unseen by most—was a powerful conduit of magic, but only a handful of wizards could handle it.

  “Excuse me, friend, but could I trouble you for a tail hair?” I asked, keeping my tone soft.

  The Thestral nodded, its skeletal head lowering slightly in a gesture of respect. “Of course, Old One,” it replied, plucking a long hair from its tail and extending it to me.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, stroking its head with gratitude. “I’d love to talk longer, but I have to go now.”

  The Thestral gave a gentle nod, understanding. “I’ll see you next year,” it replied, eyeing my robes with a knowing gaze.

  Tucking the hair carefully into a hidden pocket within my robes, I waved to the Thestral and ran back through the trees toward the boats, weaving around trunks and branches in my rush. When I arrived, Hagrid and the others were already at the water’s edge, and Ron and Hermione were looking around anxiously.

  “Are you sure he didn’t get on another boat?” Hermione was asking, her tone impatient.

  Ron shrugged. “He said he needed to do something.”

  I dropped my invisibility charm and reappeared beside them. “I’m here,” I announced casually.

  Hermione jumped, clearly startled. “Where were you?”

  “I wanted to see the horseless carriages. Now I have,” I replied simply.

  “Horseless carriages?” Hermione asked, baffled.

  Hagrid’s face turned stern. “Yer not supposed ter know ‘bout them yet. Tha’s second-year stuff.”

  I widened my eyes at him, doing my best impression of what humans call “puppy eyes.” It seemed to work; Hagrid’s sternness softened immediately.

  “Well, come on now—we’re runnin’ late as it is,” he muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of scolding me. For all his imposing size, there was a gentleness to him that reminded me of creatures I’d encountered over the centuries.

  As we piled into the boat, I glanced over at Hagrid, sensing an odd melancholy beneath his surface cheer. His clothes smelled faintly of alcohol, and his eyes, though bright, seemed shadowed. Was it a sadness related to Harry’s death? Perhaps he had known him or his parents, and their loss still weighed on him. Whatever the cause, I doubted I would be spending much time with him in the future. But in this moment, he intrigued me.

  The boat drifted into the misty water, Hogwarts Castle looming ahead like a dream carved into the mountainside. As we approached, the castle lights flickered in the twilight, casting warm glows across the water. Ron and Hermione stared up, awe on their faces.

  “Hogwarts is bigger than I imagined,” Ron whispered, his eyes wide.

  “Bigger and older than most realize,” I replied, my gaze fixed on the castle. Even for me, there was something about Hogwarts that was almost... timeless, as though it held secrets even I couldn’t see.

  As we neared the shore, Hagrid called for us to gather our things, and Ron gave me a reassuring nudge. “Ready, Ben? This is it.”

  I looked back at him, nodding. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Ah, but grades in a school aren't everything...

  Nobody's perfect...

  I will make a brave and confident man out of you yet! I thought.