The Potter Twins - Year One

7: The Gathering

            When there is a notice pinned up in the common room, everyone should not just gather around it. Because then only three people get to read it and everyone else just tries to push their way forward. It. Doesn’t. Work. Well.  Nevertheless, there was a gathering of first year students all around the parchment. Why? Harry and Ron joined the gathering to find out what was on the notice while I just sat in a comfy chair. This is why you let other people join a gathering before you! Wow… first it was a huddle… now a gathering.

            Harry came back with a glum expression while Ron looked slightly excited.

“What’d it say?”

“Flying lessons start Thursday.” He said with a voice as glum as his face.

“Well why do you look sad! Flying, Harry! We’ve been looking forward to this for ages!”

“It’s with the Slytherins.”

“So?”

“…Malfoy. He’s going to laugh at me. You hear how much he goes on about Quidditch.”

            I always thought that Dudley was the worst kid in the world. Then I met Draco Malfoy. Dummy. He’s just so… dumb. We don’t see him often, just at potions. I think I might actually like potions (with the softly simmering cauldron and its shimmering fumes) if he wasn’t there. Unfortunately, he is. But I just don’t like the guy. I think Harry has this whole rivalry thing going on. Then again, I’m not sure. He’s a boy. Boys are confusing. For all I know they’re actually friends.

“You know Harry, it’s probably all talk.” I said, trying to comfort him. In any case, Malfoy did talk about Qudditch. A. Lot. No one needs to talk about something that much! He’s like blah, blah, blah, Quidditch. Blah, blah, blah, father. Blah, Blah, Blah, I-hate-the-Potters. It gets annoying. All his stories started off normal but ended in him barley escaping with his life. A lot of the first years talked about Quidditch a lot as well. Like Seamus and Ron… Then there were people like Dean who were brought up by muggle families and knew about football. But then there was Neville. A pure-blood wizard brought up by magical people who had never ever been on a broomstick. But he had an excuse. He’s beyond clumsy.

            The day of our flying lesson I sat with Hermione at breakfast. She was rapidly reading a book called Quidditch Through the Ages. I felt bad for her. Hermione is a book person. Flying is certainly not a book person thing.

“When flying,” she read, “it’s always best to-”

“Hermione?”

“Yeah?”

“Have some toast.” I said, shoving a plate towards her. She sighed.

“I should keep reading.” She said, trying to push the plate back.

“Starving yourself for a few flying tips isn’t going to make you a better flier.”

“It’s helping me!” Neville said nervously. "I need all the help I can get." At this, Hermione started reading again. I sighed and walked down the table to where Harry and Ron were sitting.

            I returned quickly, however, when the mail arrived and Neville got a package. Being the snoopy person that I am, I had to know what was in that box.. Neville opened it excitedly revealed a little clear ball with white smoke inside. "It's a Remembrall!" he said, "It lets you know if you've forgotten something. When the smoke turns red it means that - oh." The smoke just turned red. Oh Neville.

"You've forgotten something." I said. He then started struggling to remember what he'd forgotten when Malfoy walked over and took the Remembrall from Neville. Don't take the Remembrall from Neville that's not okay. That's mean. Do I come over and take the packages you get from home every day from you? No. I don't. Jerk. I jumped to my feet. "Give it back, Malfoy." I said in them most menacing voice I could muster. The problem is: an eleven-year-old girl's voice isn't ever very menacing. Malfoy sneered. Oh come on! What is a sneer supposed to do? You're annoying. Give me a good reason to punch that sneer off your face you little...