At Last//Harry Potter [1]

12

It's been a few months since school's started, and Autumn still felt like it was a dream. It really made Autumn realize that it felt like a dream when she and Hermione were in Charms, and Professor Flitwick told the class that they would make objects fly.

Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Autumn was working with Harry, and Hermione was working with Ron. Hermione was furious that she had to work with Ron -- the feeling was mutual. Hermione hasn't talked to any of the two for a month since the incident with the dog.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too. Never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Autumn and Harry were both struggling. It was most definitely difficult to accomplish. There were two feathers on a desk that each partner was supposed to levitate. Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much luck.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Hermione finally spoke. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, not Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Hermione walked out of class feeling fantastic -- her first attempt of magic was successful. Although Autumn wasn't able to make the feather float as high as Hermione, Hermione had promised Autumn to help her excel in whatever way she can. Autumn promised in return to help her whenever she needed help, which Autumn doubted very much.

The high moods that the two girls were in was quickly destroyed by Ron. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said to Harry as they walked back from class, "she's a nightmare, honestly. And Autumn? How can she stand Hermione? They're both terrible; thinking that they're 'all that'."

Hermione walked away from Autumn as she bumped into Harry, then walked past them.

"I think she heard you," Harry said to Ron.

"So?" Ron said. "She must've noticed she's got no friends -- Autumn can't really be her friend."

"You're not too bright, are you, Ron?" Autumn asked, stopping in front of the two, making them stop as well. "Usually, friends hang out together. So, if Hermione heard you, then I definitely would've heard you. Now, I know I'm short, I know I'm not intimidating, but if I hear you talking badly about my friend again, I will hurt you so badly that you won't remember your name."

Autumn turned away from the two, ready to walk away, when she suddenly remembered something, "I don't think you two knew how lucky you were that Hermione was there that night, opening that door." Autumn took one last attempt to talk to the boys before she chased after Hermione, "You're both awful people." With that, Autumn ran away from the two and towards the direction where Hermione ran off to.