The Forbidden Forest

Chapter 4

I stay on the floor even after they leave. I can't move. I'm terrified. A single tear slips from my eye as I position myself so that my legs are supporting the weight of my hanging head. No one's looking at me anymore. What am I doing? I need to stand up. My muscles tense up with the motions of extending my legs. I begin slowly walking, cradling my injured arm. Instinctively, I walk to the hospital wing that Harry told me about. Madam Pomfrey sounds like just the person I need right now. Once I open the large doors, I am greeted by an elderly and kind looking woman. She takes a quick glance at my arm and rushes over to me.

"Dear, what's happened?! Please sit." I gladly take her offer as I rush through excuses for my hurt arm in my mind.

"A few books on a shelf in the library fell while I was putting some back up. Stupid domino effect," I say with a little laugh. I hope she can't tell I'm lying. Luckily, she laughs as well.

"Ah, I see. Well, this appears to be a minor injury, so I doubt you'll need any bandaging, just a simple potion will suffice." Today is a day to be grateful and yet hateful of the fact that I now live in the wizarding world. Madam Pomfrey strides toward a small table covered in ingredients to mix a concoction that smells strongly of the plant, bubotuber. She soon returns to my side and carefully holds the glass to my lips as I graciously drink the shimmering liquid.

I feel it working instantly. The soreness fades and the bright red bruise above my elbow lightens. I flex my arm to test the accuracy of this "healing potion". It feels completely normal. I stand, eager to stop bothering this woman.

"Thank you, but I have to get going. Madam Hooch doesn't like it when people delay her class!"

"No problem at all, dear! Have a wonderful day, Kaia," Madam Pomfrey replies, her smile genuine. Kaia? I didn't tell her my name. Even the staff know of me? Great, I really do have all eyes on me.

On another note, I hate that I showed the school's largest brat a sign of weakness today. I will never do that again. He's going to exploit anything he can, so I can't show him the fear he hopes to see. With that in mind, I rush off to Broomology, my tote bag still curled into my arm.

"Ok, students, make your choice," Madam Hooch uses her pointer fingers to direct our eyes to each side of her, "the people on my left stay behind and on my right come with me" Madam Hooch claps her hands. I raise an eyebrow.

Most people chose the group to the professor's right, so I decide to blindly follow them. Soon enough we are being led to the Quidditch field with brooms clasped in our hands. We all stand in a line while Madam Hooch giddily explains the rules of whatever we're doing.

"The rules are simple: start when you hear the whistle and stop at the end of the field; I'll permit sabotage; no wands. Now go have a race! Don't forget what's at stake."

What?! A race!? I learned how to fly a broom a mere few weeks ago while these people have been flying for years. I don't stand a chance. Sure, I know the basics, but my experience holds a candlelight to some of these students. I recognize some of them as being on their house's quidditch teams. Great. This is fantastic. While frantically going over technique in my head, I get into position on the line along with 20-or-so witches and wizards. They are all laughing and making separate bets with each other. Before I know it, Madam Hooch is blowing the whistle and I feel my mind acutely focus. I lean forward slightly to increase my speed but my balance wavers. I see people passing me quickly and with grace that I do not have.

I remember something.

I aggressively steer my broom to the left and hit someone, not the faintest idea whom, so hard that they are tossed to the side of their broom and are hanging by their hands. My eyes widen. I didn't realize I had hit them that hard. I just wanted to not horribly fail at this challenge, and this is what I did to achieve that? I look forward and realize that if I really push for it, I could probably make the top 3. Most people had been impaired the same way as this mystery...girl? It's ok, right? After all, sabotage was permitted. The adrenaline I didn't feel before causes me to impulsively choose my desire to win and quickly rush to the front of the race. My thoughts shut off until I landed back on the ground. I hadn't suffered a brain injury or had some spell cast on me, but I was so engrossed in winning that I stopped acknowledging my own actions. In fact, I was completely enveloped in the euphoric feeling of victory.

Once I regain consciousness of my surroundings, I look for the girl I had thrown to the side of her broom. She had short, dark hair with an expression of complete menace that I had overlooked when I saw it in the moment. When I find her after my reward is announced (bragging rights) the past seems to be repeating itself as her angry features shoot in my direction.

"Hey, sorry about hitting you so hard back there. I'm Kai-"

"Don't act like you think I don't know who you are. Everyone knows who you are. Why is that? Because you're special? I've found that 'special' is used to describe bland people that are mediocre at playing pretend." Woah. What the hell.

"Sorry?"

She rolls her eyes and walks away. I laugh a little out of utter confusion at the outburst and scurry to my friend Neville.

"Hey, who is that girl?" I discreetly point.

"Pansy: one of Draco's minions."

Ah. Draco. I had a feeling my issues with him would be greater than a library quarrel. 

- I'm back! It's been a few years, but I think I want to continue writing. We'll see if I steer towards a different story or stay with this one. Happy ready :)