Hermione's question left Harry a little confused too.
Yes, why could he see Thestrals?
Cedric could see them because of his mother. Last year, Cedric had told Harry and the others that he had witnessed his mother die during a magical experiment, which was why Dementors affected him so strongly.
But when had Harry witnessed death?
It certainly wasn't because he had witnessed his parents' deaths, even if they really had died right before his eyes. Otherwise, he should have been able to see Thestrals in his third year.
Hmm... perhaps he had been too young then to realize that it was death.
But that meant Harry had witnessed a death while fully conscious and understood what had happened. And it had happened sometime in the past year.
When had it been?
For a moment, Harry was at a loss. Then another slightly uneven paving stone beneath the carriage made it jolt. Harry felt something lightly bump against his ribs.
It came back to him at once.
There was a small box in the inside pocket of his robes, a box enchanted with space-folding magic. Inside it was a strange wooden box.
He had acquired it by chance in Hogsmeade last year.
That was also when he had witnessed a battle between high-level wizards, during which several wizards had been killed. That was when he had witnessed death.
Harry understood at once.
"Why are you spacing out again?" Hermione asked, frowning at Harry.
"Ah..." Harry hesitated. He hadn't mentioned the wooden box to anyone during the holidays, because it seemed to be connected to his Left Hand of Chaos and Calamity.
And the power in his left hand was connected to the Black Man, who seemed to be a deity.
Harry considered getting involved with a deity extremely dangerous, so