Wonderstruck

Charlie didn't so much as breathe, with nothing but a camera between him and the thestral.

He'd been waiting to take this photo for years, ever since learning about them. Pitiful little Charlie; able to see them before he knew of them.

There would be a filter on this photo you just couldn't get with muggle editing; The way only some would see the subject. Admittedly, maybe they weren't a lucky some, the single requirement to see the subject was an unfortunate one. But oh, how Charlie would love to hang it in his dorm...

Excitement arose and a sport-like adrenaline rushed through him as he heard the click of the photo.

The thestral, as he'd expected, came to attention. The hollow, ebony eyes gazed at him, and the bony structure of the creature froze almost animatedly- one wonderstruck observer to another.

The animal took careful, yet naturally paced steps toward him. Or so, it appeared.

It continued on by, ignoring Charlie completely.

Bella waved as the boy turned around, an odd mixture of embarrassment and awe written all over him.

As he stood, she noticed a camera in his hand. And although Bella knew nothing of the subject, she knew that was no wizard world camera.

"I'm sorry," She said, looking surprised for a fleeting second before. She hadn't expected to see anyone out, most especially out in the woods, at so early in the morning. Bella had only a jacket and boots over her pajamas to keep her warm.

The boy, on the other hand, was perfectly prepared, from his hat to his boots.

Charlie subconsciously shrugged, and a tiny voice in the back of his head was telling him to pay attention, to reply, to speak, but he was mesmerized by the thestral, who looked straight into Charlie's eyes with a prevailing kind of confidence.

"Could I ask you a favor?" Charlie said, slowly, carefully.

She nodded, but didn't give him a strange or confused look. She merely tilted her head a little, awaiting instruction.

"Put out your hand," He said, and he knew he didn't have to tell her to do so gently.

It surprised Bella slightly when her hand touched something like a transparent wall. Possibly a protection charm of a sort. Or something invisible the boy just wanted her to test out.

She did have to question, however, why she had to.

She moved her hand further along the invisible subject, and feeling it shift, she knew what it was instantly.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the boy with his camera up to his face again, right at her and the thestral.

"Hey, boy," She spoke softly, holding out her hand, and feeling something nudge at her raised, overturned palm, she smiled gently.

Charlie was at a loss for words.

He wouldn't see the photo until later, a disadvantage to film, but simply looking at them left him wonderstruck.

The trust between one who couldn't even see the other was something of a phenomenon, when two of this world could communicate and never trust each other in this life or the next.

The thestral lowered his head, taking steps back, and the girl's gesture turned into a single, soft wave.

It disappeared into the woods without a trace, without a word, and somehow, with a goodbye.

"I-"

She smiled at the trees, "You can call me Bella."