Disney Hogwarts

Chapter 4: Tuesday, September 12, Quidditch Pitch Pinocchio Geppetto

I stood with the other first years at the end of the Quidditch pitch, trying to contain my enthusiasm. First, I'd been told I was magic and could train to be a real wizard! Then I got to have Jiminy, my pet toad I fed crickets to. Now, we were learning how to fly. To fly! It was unbelieveable.

Three witches marched out onto the pitch before us. The tall, plump witch in pink led the trio, brandishing her long, golden wand and addressing us, "Good afternoon, first years! I am Madam Flora, and this is Madam Fauna and Madam Meriwether! We will be teaching you how to fly for the next three months. It is a required skill to graduate from this school because it will help you all be able to transport yourselves whithersoever you please. Now! Madam Fauna will teach the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs, Madam Meriwether will teach the Ravenclaws, and I will teach the Gryffindors."

I joined the other Hufflepuff first years: Penny Forrester, Riley Anderson, and Russell Nagai. Vanellope Von Schweetz and Amber Enchancia composed the whole of the Slytherin first years. Madam Fauna smiled kindly at us all. "Flying," she proclaimed, "is irreplaceable. I don't know how Muggles could get along without it." She shuddered. "I sincerely hope you all appreciate the ability we have as wizards to fly and I hope you all try your best to master the skill. Now, does everyone have a broomstick?"

Each of the witches taught flying very differently. Madam Flora lectured the Gryffindors about dozens of different techniques while they idly held their broomsticks. Madam Meriwether eyed Madam Flora and taught similarly, except the Ravenclaws were allowed to practice mounting the broom. Madam Fauna was the only one to allow the students to fly into the air, if only six feet. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws cast us jealous looks, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel sorry for them. But...flying! It was amazing!

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I was still riding high after the lesson when we got back to the Hufflepuff Common Room. It was full of students, crowded around newspapers and speaking in hushed tones. Edward Marsden was consoling his girlfriend, Giselle Andalasia, as she cried quietly beneath a waterfall of orange hair. Snow White trembled with the Daily Prophet clutched in her hand, surrounded by Anna Arendelle, Peter Pan, and Ferdinand Florian, all trying to calm her down.

"What's going on?" asked Riley.

James Enchancia sauntered over, swaggering about to try and hide his trembling hands. "It's Maleficent. She's been sighted!"

All of us first years were silent, not daring to ask who Maleficent was in case we sounded ignorant.

"Don't you know who Maleficent is?" James asked incredulously. He came from a pureblood family and was a second year to boot. He'd relish ridiculing the ignorant, Muggleborn, first-years.

Russell shook his head sadly. "Who is Maleficent?"

"Only the worst witch ever to walk the Earth!" James exclaimed. "They say," he dropped to an intense whisper, "That she is raising an army to overthrow Minister Stephen Briar from the Ministry of Magic. This morning, she was sighted killing Muggles in a town called Framlingham. Almost wiped everyone out. Giselle and Snow are shaken, everyone is really."

Pinocchio gulped. "Is Framlingham closeby?"

James shrugged. "The location of Hogwarts is secret, no one really knows. But I don't think we are in very real danger."

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At dinner, the Great Hall was buzzing with the news of Maleficent. Snagged bits of conversation hissed her name and shudders filled the room with motion and fear. Professor Merlin stood and immediately silence fell on the Hall.

"I'm sure by now you've all read the Daily Prophet," he began, clutching his hands behind his back. "And I'm sure that by now those of you who haven't read it have heard by word of mouth." A few nervous laughs broke the quiet that followed.

"Hogwarts is the safest place in the country for you. No one has attacked this school in hundreds of years, not even Maleficent. I expect that tomorrow morning parents will begin to write to me, asking about safety regulations. Some may even ask to pull you out of school."

Hushed murmurs seeped in as friends looked to each other, desperate not to be separated. "However, I will urge them to allow you to stay and finish your education for this year. I urge you all to write and do the same. Now, eat up!"

Russell turned to his mashed potatoes sullenly. "I haven't got anyone who would know who Maleficent is. It's just my mom and me, and the neighbor across the street. I don't think I'll tell her; she might just get scared."

I nodded. "It's just my father and me. He doesn't need to worry about me. He makes puppets for a living, he shouldn't be given a care in the world, especially a dangerous one like Maleficent."

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Later that night, I tossed and turned in my bed, trying to fall asleep. The name 'Maleficent' repeated itself like a mantra inside my head, keeping me from dreaming. Finally, finally, after listening to Russell snoring for hours, I fell asleep and dreamt of giant whales and boys that could transform into donkeys and stars that would grant you any wish your heart desired.