Sdfasdkjfhsadf Japan is amazing and I'm sorry for my lack of updates!

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Chapter Nineteen

Harry kept a watchful eye on the two transfers as they sat quietly through breakfast, careful not to draw their attention as he attended to his own food. They had seemed to grow more soft-spoken as the days progressed, Harry mused as he swallowed another mouthful.

Their eyes have lost light, Harry thought worriedly, looking up to draw another quick peek at the two, who were now engrossed in a conversation about Thestrals. Harry could barely hear what they were talking about, but he picked up a few words of 'home', 'Hyrule', and 'twilight.' Having heard about Link and Zelda's plight with their current state of non-living-ness, Harry had resolved to help as much as he could, though it all really depended on how willing to share the two were with their information.

Pushing forward his now empty plate, Harry was drawn into a conversation with Ron and Hermione, and not long after, their talk of their little 'study group' was interrupted by the rushing forward of students as they hurried out of the Great Hall.

Ron groaned. "Guess it's time to go to class, huh. Starting off the day with double Snape, wonderful."

Harry mimicked Ron's grimace, and gently tapped on Link's shoulder. "C'mon, we gotta go."

"Huh? Oh, I'm coming," said Link, standing up as he gave Zelda a nod, who smiled tiredly back.

The trio and Link weaved their way through the breakfast masses, and walked slowly down towards the dungeons. It was quiet, but it was to be expected. It was a Monday after all. As they continued at their turtle-like pace, the natural sunlight flooding from the windows shifted to the dank, firelight of the torches that lined the dark stone walls. Using the dimness to his advantage, Harry cast his eyes onto the transfer's face, slightly surprised at Link's grim expression. Link's eyes, which usually glowed with an iridescent feel to them, were much duller than what Harry remembered when they first met. They still held an unnatural feeling to them, but Harry could tell how a part of the light had been lost.

The rusty wooden door to Snape's classroom was coming into view, and the familiar sinking feeling in Harry's stomach resurfaced as he stepped in, aware of the distasteful glare being directed at him from the professor's direction.

Class passed through uneventfully, the usual monochromatic lessons dulling Harry's mind, and he sat through the lecture in a daze. When Snape finished with the last word of his usual condescending speech, Harry took that as a cue to pack up his things, and soon after, the trio and Link were padding out of the dungeons looking very drowsy, with the exception of Hermione.

Link yawned. "How much more boring could he have made the lesson?"

"I dunno," Ron muttered darkly, "and I don't want to."

The rest of the classes followed shortly after, and Harry could easily see the energy being drained from his fellow transfer school mates. At dinner, Link and Zelda sat listlessly as the students excited dinnertime chatter wafted around them, and Harry frowned in concern.

"You guys alright?" asked Harry, snapping the two out of their reverie.

Link blinked rapidly, and he adjusted his gaze onto the black haired boy. "W-what? Yeah, I'm great. Why do you ask?"

Harry shrugged. "No reason, you guys seemed really out of it though."

He didn't miss the look the two exchanged, noting the slight hint of worry dotting both of their expressions. Harry didn't mention it though, even if both Ron and Hermione were aware of the transfer's situation. He didn't want to pressure them, and make them feel even more uncomfortable.

Dinner passed on like any other night, with Link and Zelda not touching any of the piles of food laden out in front of them. And as they were walking back to their dorms from the Great Hall, Ron spoke up curiously,

"Blimey, you guys don't even eat anymore! How are you getting through the day?" It was genuine curiosity and concern, but Harry saw the slight wince as both the transfers registered the ginger's words.

Link let out a dry chuckle. "Do dead people need to eat?"

Ron blinked. "No…?"

"Then there you have it," Link said, gesturing melodramatically with his hand. "It won't stay down. The food, that is."

Ron blanched. "Oh bloody hell mate, that's terrible!"

Hermione nodded, self-consciously folding her arms over her stomach. "I'm so sorry."

"No, no, it's fine," Zelda answered dismally, though her eyes twinkled at the concern her friends were showing.

"Anyway," Link said evasively. "We should get to class. What do we have next again?"

Zelda sighed. "You really should be able to know what classes you have by now, Link. It's been what, more than a month of school?"

"Haha, my bad," Link smiled sheepishly, though it was obvious that he was glad that the conversation had shifted onto something less depressing.

Like any other day of the week, the students slogged through their schedules, until they reached Care of Magical Creatures, with Hagrid. The giant man had been back for only a couple of days, bruised and battered, with little cuts adorning almost every inch of exposed skin. Harry and his friends had gone to see him one night, and was greeted by the groundskeeper pressing a block of cold meat to his face. Since then, Harry had yet to properly speak to his giant friend, and he was actually looking forward to class today.

"Hey, you hear?" asked Ron, prodding Harry in the arm. "Seamus told me Umbridge's sitting in on Hagrid's class."

Harry choked. "But it's his first class since he got back! Give him a break…"

Worry bit at his heart as they trekked the familiar path to Hagrid's "classroom," which was really just the grassy patch of earth located a bit from the forest, close to the giant man's crusty cabin. Though he was glad that his friend was back, albeit covered in wounds that clawed at Harry's curiosity, Harry could probably find himself missing Professor Grubbly-Plank's off the textbook lessons, as they provided a sense of normality amongst all the chaos that was going on in the castle. Don't get him wrong, Harry loved Hagrid's unconventional lessons, but sometimes the giant man took it to the extremes, probably shaving off a few years of Harry's life.

"So what's Hagrid like? You guys mentioned him in the beginning of the year, and I know he's the groundskeeper," Zelda stated, looking thoughtful as they walked, the group moving in somewhat of a cluster as to not block the hallways instead of walking in a horizontal line.

Link knocked his fist into an outstretched palm, as if just remembering something. "Oh yeah! Big heart and big size, something like that, right?"

Hermione giggled. "Sure. He's a kind man, though his tendency to mess up goes eye to eye with his kindness."

"Sounds like a certain person I know," Link chuckled, thinking fondly of Fado, who let more goats escape than there were total on the farm.

"Not to mention that he's giant!" Ron added in excitedly.

With the new information on the new professor stocked and stored in his mind, Link headed towards the Care of Magical Creatures class with a new spring in his step.

Beasts and other weird creatures, huh? I think I'm going to enjoy this class, Link thought with a grin. Zelda eyed him as his cheeks pulled back to reveal teeth, and gently poked his cheek.

"What are you grinning about?" she asked, amused as he turned to face her.

"Nothing much. I just have a good feeling about this class."

Link strolled breezily onto the tufty grass, enjoying the comforting scents of nature that drifted around him. He took note that most of the Slytherins had already arrived, and he grouched internally that it was them he had to share a class with and not the Ravenclaws, something Zelda had remembered last minute before scampering off in the other direction. Link and the trio approached the group, earning a couple of nods and 'hellos,' mostly of which were directed at Harry, Ron, or Hermione.

As they situated themselves into the grass, a couple of other students trickled in, and a sudden booming voice permeated the air. Link jumped, having not noticed the large, bushy-bearded man standing in the front.

"Welcome back! It's good ta' see yer' faces again!" Hagrid boomed happily, shifting his eyes over the small group, a grin blossoming under his thick facial hair. The man cast his eyes excitedly over the students, the smile on his face growing as he caught Harry's eye, though there was a look of slight reluctance buried deep within the giant man's face.

Link blinked, tilting his head minimally as he caught the exchange between student and teacher, but quickly shook off his confusion as Hagrid shifted his eyes onto Link. The transfer offered a crooked grin, exposing one of his sharp canines, and nodded politely at the teacher, who returned the gesture in greeting.

Then came a high-pitched, familiar annoying cough, and Link groaned, refusing to turn his head to look at where the sound came from, whereas the rest of the class had directed their attention on the pink-clad professor, who was strolling quickly towards the group.

"Hem hem," Umbridge repeated, her eyes traveling upwards to gaze at Hagrid, and a look of disdain immediately became present on her face. Link focused his ears towards the woman, and picked up the slight cluck of her tongue, one she kept out of sight of the students and teacher.

"Good day, uh…Professor Hagrid," she sniffed, clutching her clipboard to her chest.

Hagrid looked uncomfortable under the toad's heavy scrutinizing, but he replied with an awkward, "Uh, hello to you too, ma'am."

Umbridge arched an eyebrow, but scribbled onto her clipboard, nonetheless. "Please don't let me interrupt your class, professor. I'll only be judging your performance to see if you are suitable to remain as a professor in Hogwarts. Please continue."

Link scowled. Wow, way to lay it on him.

Hagrid nodded self-consciously, and turned his direction back onto the class, albeit with nervous sweat beginning to trail down his battered face.

"So, um, uh, o-our first class, uh we'll be starting with one of my favorites," Hagrid stuttered, eyeing Umbridge out of the corner of his eye every few seconds. He beckoned the class over with his hand, leading them into the forest, his head turning back every so often to make sure they were all present.

They followed Hagrid into a clearing, the sunlight shining onto the chalky green of the grass for once. The dark, ominous trees surrounded the patch of grass, almost as if creating a barrier between the world of light and dark, and Link, feeling a familiar presence hiding within the shadows, kept his eyes on the trees.

Having spaced out for almost the entirety of Hagrid's shaky lecture, Link was surprised to see the large man draw out a huge hunk of meat, and with a loud heave, throw it near the border between the clearing and the darkness.

When he heard the familiar hooves pound gently into the grass, Link let out a gasp, and his eyes quickly took in the charcoal bodies of the demonic horses.

We don't appreciate you calling us demonic horses, you know, one Thestral called out, and Link chuckled under his breath, drawing weird looks from the students standing next to him.

"Um, what are we supposed to be looking at?" Malfoy drawled, his bored eyes scanning the clearing, but to no avail.

Hagrid, with a proud look on his face, turned to platinum blond. "Why, can't you see 'em? There 'a couple of 'em standing right there."

The students murmured in confusion, looking back and forth between the empty clearing and their professor.

Finally, the Thestrals stepped out of the shadows, and padded forward towards the enticing piece of flesh laying on the ground. When they treaded into the sunlight, Link felt an uncomfortable prickle in his stomach, and his hand self-consciously rested on his torso. There was a strange tugging he felt in his limbs, but he quickly pushed aside the alien feelings.

To his right, Link heard a gasp escape Harry, and he followed his gaze forward until he met eye to eye with a Thestral. Link dipped his head, and the Thestral mirrored him, much to the confusion to the dark haired boy next to him.

There was simultaneous intake of breath as a Thestral tore into the meat, and ripped out a large chunk. The group stepped back, edging into the opposite end of the clearing, away from where the piece of meat was being ripped to pieces.

A few feet away from him, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were quietly chatting, their heads turning towards the horses every once in a while. And Link found solace in just watching the Thestrals eat, and completely disregarding whatever fearful chatter that had sprung up amongst the students.

"Those are Thestrals," Hagrid repeated, looking fondly at the dark horses. "They're carnivorous, and are mainly nocturnal, however there are a few cases where they'll come out in the day, like this one."

The class listened with rapturous attention, their eyes glued to the invisible force that was now cleaning up the bones of the carcass.

"They're invisible ta' most people," Hagrid stated, "but anyone's that's seen death will be able ta' see 'em." His eyes trailed over to Harry, whose face was covered in a look of shock. Actually, the whole class had eyed Harry with an expectant look, causing the dark haired boy to look away.

Hagrid rambled on, listing random facts as he stared at Umbridge nervously, who continued to look unimpressed as she jotted down the happenings of the class onto her ever-present clipboard.

Twilight beast, one Thestral called out, and Link's head jerked up. He immediately regretted the action, as the movement instantly brought a wave of painful ringing in his head. His mind swam; what was causing such a reaction?

You've best move away from us, the Thestral continued, a hint of worry and agitation lining its indistinguishable voice.

Link opened his mouth, but was met with a painful tugging of his spine, and his eyes widened. His discomfort didn't go unnoticed by the others, and he felt Harry's emerald green eyes fall onto him, an unspoken question on his lips.

"I'm fine," he grunted, a trickle of sweat coursing down his face, and he wiped it off gingerly. "What do you mean?" he gasped in his mind, looking at the equestrians.

The Thestral stomped its foot, and flapped its wings, the sound of rushing air catching the attention of most of the students, simultaneously drawing some of them away from Link.

The creatures of Twilight are unable to exist in the world of light, the Thestral began hurriedly. The sunlight harms our bodies, Twilight beast, and in order to maintain our forms outside the forest and in the day, we must exert our inner twilight. Of which is harming you right now, drawing on your shadow stone, as well as the remnants of twilight stuck in your body.

Link drew a breath, his shoulders stiffening as he registered the words. "Shadow stone," he murmured. Suddenly, his body was racked with pain, and he collapsed onto all fours, feeling the familiar ache as his bones were cracked and stretched into place.

"Whoa!" Harry cried, dropping down to his knees, hands tentatively outstretched towards his friend.

The Thestrals snorted in concern, and one of them had begun to tread closer towards the shape-shifting boy.

Link, in the final spurt of his transformation, let out a pained scream, and he felt his wolf skin completely cover him before collapsing onto the grass in fatigue. The Thestral padded up towards him, and nudged him gently with its snout, and Link licked the horse's mouth in response.

With Link's attention directed solely at the Thestral's show of concern, he had forgotten about the thirty or so students, the giant professor, and most of all, the pink toad.

Whoa lots of stuff in this chappie. And forgive me for updating so late, since I was all caught up with stuff in Japan. I'll be going back to the US in August, so updates should take less time. Anyway, I don't have my book with me right now, so things might diverge from the canon a bit and happen in different orders (which is good, since I don't want to follow it word by word).

Thank you to everyone that left a review, follow, or favorite! You guys freakin' rock!

ChangelingRin: Haha that's no problem at all! You're not obligated to review, but thank you nonetheless. And yeah, I really didn't feel the need to include too much action in the last chapter, so it was mainly buildup. And thanks again!

Guest (Jun 5): Thank you so much! I've had lots of fun so far, and I hope I will for the rest of my stay as well!

Dragonspirit996: Great, because me too lol. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this one too!

Guest (Jun 18): I know, I can't wait either haha! Thank you much!

BrandonBGamer: Not a bad idea, but I would like for this to stay mainly TP, but thanks for your ideas!

Infinityworlds: Thank you so much! That little extra bit made me even happier, thanks again!

TriforceOfDerp: I've momentarily overcome writer's block, but I foresee it coming in the near future…and how could I have forgotten, you've included it into almost every review XD, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I really appreciate your enthusiasm! (But please note that I don't have much free time as an exchange student, and I want to spend as much time with my host family as possible, so updates might take a bit longer (~) sorry!)

Auzaraia: Thanks! I'll try to write as much as possible, and I'm loving Japan right now XD

SkyPirate0614: Thank you sooo much! I'll try my best!

pokemon- 35055: Then I hope you liked this one :D

I didn't edit this, so please inform me of any mistakes! Anyways, thank you so much for reading!

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