The Potter Twins and the Philosopher's stone (1) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 10 - Flying Lessons

"Good afternoon, class." Madam Hooch says, as we all eagerly await our first flying lesson. "Good afternoon, Madam Hooch." I was glad, my ankle has healed just in time for this.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson." She says, making me even more excited than ever. "Well, what are you waiting for? Step up to the left side of your broomstick. Come on now, hurry up," Madam Hooch says. We all so as she says.

"Stick your right hand over the broom and say, 'up.'" Not bothering to look around to see what others are doing, I place my right hand over my broom and speak; "Up!" I say, and the broom flies to my hand, first try. Harry's does the same, and we share a confused, yet proud look.

Draco manages it only a few seconds after us and smirks smugly at me. "With feeling!" Madam Hooch says, as slowly other people manage it.

Hermione's broom, on the other hand, is simply rolling around on the ground, barely leaving the ground at all. "Up!" Ron says irritably, and the broom flies up from the ground and hits him straight in the face. Harry and I laugh along with the rest of the class.

"Shut up, Harry and Haylee." He says, with a slight grin on his face. "Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it," Madam Hooch instructs, "grip it tight. You don't wanna be sliding off the end."

We all mount our brooms, and I prepare myself to take flight. "When I blow my whistle, I want you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle. Three, two..."

She blows her whistle, and Neville instantly begins rising into the air, much higher than he should be. "Neville!" We all shout. "Mr Longbottom." Madam Hooch says warningly. But clearly, judging by the look on poor Neville's face, he hasn't got any control over his broom.

"Down! Down!" Neville yells as the broom begins to zoom forwards, away from us and higher into the air. We all watch on as Neville flies aimlessly around the castle, rolling, flipping and narrowly missing hitting the castle. "Mr Longbottom!" Madam Hooch shouts as Neville begins zooming towards us.

We all dive out of the way and Neville flies out of sight for a moment and then reappears as he gets his sweater caught on a light hanging from the side of the castle. His broom falls to the ground and he hangs from the light, before falling from the light to the ground. He makes a strange strangled sound and we all look at each other anxiously. Why is it always him? Poor guy. "Everyone out of the way!" Madam Hooch exclaims, pushing through us to get to a whimpering Neville. 

"Is he alright?" Hermione whispers in my ear as Madam Hooch inspects Neville's limp wrist. "Oh, dear, it's a broken wrist. Poor boy. Come on now, up you get." She says, helping Neville to his feet. "Everybody is to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take him to the hospital wing," she tells us, "understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will be expelled before they can say Quidditch. 

"With that, she and Neville begin making their way to the hospital wing. Well if that's not a perfect start to flying, then what is? Crabbe and Goyle - who is standing annoyingly close to us - laughs quietly, holding something familiar in his hand. "Did you see his face?" He asks.

 He laughs along with the other Slytherins. He's holding Neville's Remembrall...the one his grandmother sent him. "Give it here, Goyle," Harry says angrily as he steps forward. 

"What was that?" Crabbe says menacingly, glaring daggers at Harry. "He said to give it here," I say, stepping forward to stand beside my brother. "No. I think you should leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find," Greengrass says, as he mounts his broom and begins to fly upwards.

"How about on the roof?" He calls out, as he zooms further and further up. "What's the matter, Potter? A bit beyond your reach?" He sneers down on us, making my blood boil. I look over at Harry and he nods his head firmly. We then mount our brooms and prepare to chase after him.

"Haylee, no way!" Draco tries to stop us. "You heard what Madam Hooch said. Besides, you two don't even know how to fly!" I roll my eyes slightly and Harry and I kick off from the ground and begin flying towards the git that is Astoria Greengrass. 

 "Give it here, Astoria! Or I'll knock you off your broom!" Harry shouts. "Is that so?" she smirks. Furious, I see Harry zoom forward and try to snatch the Remembrall from her, and much to my surprise, he succeed. 

Greengrass frowns and begins trying to snatch the small ball back. I manage to keep the Remembrall away from her, but it doesn't look like she's giving up anytime soon. In a desperate attempt to keep the Remembrall away from her, Harry, using his broom, hits it to me. A bit to hard though.

 I started zooming after it - but not before sending me an exasperated look. Harry is only just in our sight when I catches it, looking very pleased with himself. Well, I never knew I could catch that coolly.

 I return to the ground at the same time as Harry and our friend's cheer for us. "Nice going!" "Harry that was wicked!" "Haylee that catch was brilliant!" "Harry and Haylee Potter!" A familiar voice shouts at me. I turn to see McGongall looking at us. "Follow me, and your both now is the Gryffindor Quidditch team" She adds. We're delighted. 

"Quidditch," I say under my breath, thinking back to Madam Hooch's original statement of what would happen if we left the ground, but she was wrong. Still holding the brooms, McGonagall leads us through the castle at a quick pace. "You wait here." She orders as we reach a classroom. She enters the classroom and speaks; "Professor Quirrell, excuse me.

"Could I borrow Wood for a moment please?" "Wood? Oh god, what are they going to do to us? "Y-yes, of course," Quirrell responds. McGonagall returns with a Gryffindor boy from fifth year. "Potters, this is Oliver Wood. Wood, I have found you a Seeker and Chaser."

 McGonagall says excitedly. "Are you serious, professor?" Oliver asks, looking delighted. "Absolutely," McGonagall replies. "They're naturals. I've never seen anything like it, was that your first time on brooms, Potters?" She asks. We nod silently. "She caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it. And he threw it with more force than Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell combined, and she managed to steal it off Greengrass effortlessly. 

"Oliver looks as if all his dreams have suddenly come true. "Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potters? Chaser and Seeker? But first years never make the house teams," Ron exclaims after we told him our news. "Nice one Hayles" I hear Pansy and Draco say. "You must be the youngest players in--""A century." Harry and I say in unison. "According to McGonagall," I add. "Hey, well done, Harry and Haylee," George says as he and Fred come up behind us. 

"Wood's just told us." "Fred and George are on the team too. Beaters." Ron explains to us. "Our job is to make sure you two don't get bloodied up too bad." George says, "can't make any promises, of course. Rough game, Quidditch." "Brutal!" Fred adds, "but no one's died in years.  

Someone will vanish occasionally-""--But they'll turn up in a month or two!" "Go on, you two. Quidditch is great. Best game there is, and you'll both be great too." Ron encourages us after Fred and George leave. "We've never even played." I moan as Hermione appears at my side. "What if we make a fool of ourselves?" Harry adds.

 "You won't," Hermione tells us, "it's in your blood." She leads us through the corridors an old trophy cabinet filled with various awards. Hermione simply points towards one and smiles.