In love with a Weasley (Charlie Weasley)

OOTP 22

"There are other ways of flying than with broomsticks," Luna said  serenely. 

"I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?" Ron demanded.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly," Luna said in a dignified voice, "but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for." I looked where she pointed and standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily, were two thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word. 

"Yes!" Harry whispered, moving toward them. They tossed their reptilian heads, throwing back long black manes, and Harry stretched out his hand eagerly and patted the nearest one's shining neck. 

"Is it those mad horse things?" Ron said uncertainly, staring at a point slightly to the left of the thestral Harry was patting. "Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?"

"Yes Ronald" I told him.

"How many?" 

"Just two." Harry answered him.

"Well, we need 4," Hermione said, who was still looking a little shaken, but determined just the same.

"5, Hermione," Ginny said, scowling. 

"I think there are 7 of us, actually," Luna said calmly, counting.

"Don't be stupid, we can't all go!" Harry said angrily. "Look, you three" he pointed at Neville, Ginny, and Luna "you're not involved in this, you're not" They burst into more protests. "Okay, fine, it's your choice," he said curtly. "But unless we can find more thestrals you're not going to be able" 

"Oh, more of them will come," Ginny said confidently, who like Ron was squinting in quite the wrong direction, apparently under the impression that she was looking at the horses. 

"What makes you think that?" "Because in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood," she said coolly, "and we know Hagrid lures thestrals with raw meat, so that's probably why these two turned up in the first place." 

"Okay, then," he said. "Ron and I will take these two and go ahead, and Hermione can stay here with you three and she'll attract more thestrals" 

"I'm not staying behind!" Hermione said furiously. 

"There's no need," Luna said, smiling. "Look, here come more now. You two must really smell" No fewer than six or seven thestrals were picking their way through the trees now, their great leathery wings folded tight to their bodies, their eyes gleaming through the darkness.

"All right," Harry said angrily, "pick one and get on, then." I wound my hand tightly into the mane of the nearest thestral, placed a foot on a stump nearby, and scrambled clumsily onto the horse's silken back. It did not object, but twisted its head around. I found there was a way of lodging my knees behind the wing joints that made it feel more secure and looked around at the others. Neville had heaved himself over the back of the next thestral and was now attempting to swing one short leg over the creature's back. Luna was already in place, sitting sidesaddle and adjusting her robes as though she did this every day. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, however, were still standing motionless on the spot, openmouthed and staring. "What?" Harry said. 

"How're we supposed to get on?" Ron said faintly. "When we can't see the things?" 

"Oh it's easy," Luna said, sliding obligingly from her thestral and marching over to him, Hermione, and Ginny. "Come here" She pulled them over to the other thestrals standing around and one by one managed to help them onto the backs of their mounts. All three looked extremely nervous as she wound their hands into the horses' manes and told them to grip tightly before getting back onto her own steed.