Unknown Origins - The Rewrite

Chapter 4 - Tricks and Trolls

Around 3:30 that afternoon, the classes went outside and were met with Madame Hooch. They were already getting shouted at the minute she arrived.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, up!"

"Up!" Erica looked directly at her broom, hand out.

Erica's broom took a second before it flew up into her hand.

"Hey, I'm quite good at this." Erica smiled.

"Only 'cause Cedric helped you." Ron muttered.

"Up!" Parker held her hand out.

As expected, the broom flew up into her hand.

"Me too." Parker hummed.

"We're just naturals." Erica shrugged,"It has nothing to do with Ced."

"Cedric Diggory?" Parker glanced at her.

"Mhm, he's like the best person ever." Erica nodded.

"I've heard nice things about him." Parker hummed.

"Up!" Ron groaned.

"Come on, Ron, you tell that broom." Erica smirked.

"Up!" Ron shouted as the broom flew up, hitting him right in the face.

Erica turned her head away. snickering and covering her mouth.

"Shut up." Ron pointed.

"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight, you don't want to be sliding off the end. When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, and then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle. Three... Two-" Madame Hooch began.

Before Madame Hooch reached one, Neville pressed off the ground prematurely, clearly very nervous.

"Mr Long- Good heavens." She gasped as she saw Neville raise higher and higher,"Come down, boy!"

Erica looked up as friend rose higher and higher... God, he was probably twenty feet in the air now!

"Help!" Neville shouted.

They all stood helplessly. frozen in shock. Why wasn't Madame Hooch doing anything!? By the time Madame Hooch grabbed her broom, Neville's grip loosened and... He fell.

He landed on the ground with a thud. Everyone was just... Stood there as he lay in a heap.

"Oh no." Hermione gasped.

Madame Hooch hurried over and bent over him, examining him.

"Ow- My arm! My arm!" Neville yelped out.

"Hm, broken wrist. Come on, boy. It's alright." She then turned to the rest of the class,"None of you is to move while take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch. Come on, dear."

As soon as they were out of earshot, Draco burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Ron turned.

"Did you see his face, the big lump." Malfoy snickered.

"Shut up, Malfoy.," Erica clenched her fists.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Never thought you'd like fat, little crybabies, Weasley." Pansy scoffed.

"Shut it." Parker pointed.

"Look!" Draco quickly picked up an object from the grass,"It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."