Between the Lines and Lies

A Seeker

(In the great hall, around midday. The students are all doing their homework. Seamus is trying a spell on a cup.)

Seamus: Eye of a rabbit, harp string hum. Turn this water, into rum. (Looks in cup and shakes head.) Eye of rabbit, harp string hum...

Harry: What's Seamus trying to do to that glass of water?

Ron: Turn it into rum. Actually managed a weak tea yesterday, before-

(Ron is cut off when a mighty flash occurs. We now see that the cup has exploded and Seamus is left charred. Several students laugh at this as Hermione fans away the smoke with her hand. Suddenly, a flock of owls start coming into the hall from the rafters above.)

Ron: Ah! Mail's here. 

(The owls soar by, dropping parcels to students. Harry gets nothing. He sees the newspaper Ron has put down.)

Harry: Can I borrow this? (Ron nods) Thanks.

(Neville is unwrapping a gift. It is a clear glass ball with a gold banner around it.)

Dean: Hey, look! Neville's got a Remembrall!

Hermione: I've read about those. When the smoke turns red, (the smoke turns red) It means you've forgotten something.

Dense chuckles are heard through the Hall as everyone intently watches the screen.

Neville: The only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten.

Harry: Hey, Ron, somebody broke into Gringotts, listen. (he reads the article) Believed to be the work of dark witches or wizards unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist that nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. That's odd. That's the vault Hagrid and I went to.

(The scene fades into another scene showing two lines of Gryffindor and Slytherin students. The teacher, Madam Hooch, comes down the line. She has short hair and hawk yellow eyes.)

Madam Hooch: Good afternoon, class.

Class: Good afternoon, Madam Hooch.

Madam Hooch: Good afternoon, Amanda, good afternoon. (to the class) 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!

Class: Up!

(As soon as Harry says up, the broom instantly flies into his hand as though it is a magnet.)

Harry: (Amazed) Wow.

(Hermione stares at him as the class continues.)

Rowan: Up! (broomstick flies up and Rowan smugly grins.)

Hooch: With feeling!

Hermione: (As her broom slowly rises) Up. Up. Up. Up.

Rowan snickers. No one pays him any attention.

Ron: Up! (His broom immediately shoots up and whacks him on the nose) Ooh! (Harrry laughs) Shut up, Harry.

Hooch: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. (The class mounts on their broomsticks) 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...3...2...