Originally Posted by NiallNIP

Quinn had actually been doing and thinking the exact opposite of Lia. Quinn had been actively avoiding the barn as much as possible this term. He knew that he would be able to see them. The Thestrals. But if he did... it would just... make everything feel more real. He had distanced himself from the memories of last term heavily over the summer—it was like he was in an entirely separate universe, after all. No magic, no school friends, no Hogwarts. But now all of that was back, and the memories were already starting to creep up on him. If he saw the Thestrals... that's something tangible. A change that was made to him because... of last term. Even his scar was faded—almost completely—but this... it would be a stain on his mind for the rest of his life. He would never be able to unsee a Thestral.

So why, you ask, would Quinn now be going out of his way to try and see one? Simple. What if... he couldn't see one? Memories were fickle things, after all. You could easily trick yourself into thinking you saw something when you didn't. Sure, it was common knowledge what happened at that Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, but.... just because Quinn was there doesn't mean he saw it. He could just as easily have seen... the Muggle... after it happened and then... y'know, tricked himself into thinking that he watched it happen. He... he might not have seen it happen. He might not have seen it happen. He could still be... clean.

Quinn cautiously slid the door to the barn open, and he immediately saw "Oh! Dahlia... I mean, I guess I should've known you would be in here..." he chuckled awkwardly. He walked over to her and looked into the stall in front of them. He could feel the presence of the Thestrals in their stall, but... he was having a hard time mustering up the courage to look. "S-so... how's it going with... y'know... the creatures?" he asked nervously.