A Prophecy of Two Boys

Chapter 5

(Edited: 17/07/2020)

Chapter 5

Percy's Point of View

The first couple of weeks after that first day passed quickly. Charles fought with us almost daily, but Harry and I took to ignoring him. Logic won out over the urge to respond to our brother. That was, of course, until our first flying lesson, which took place during our second week of classes.

We were paired with the Slytherins, thank Merlin. I may have been placed in Gryffindor, but I was more of a rogue Lion than part of the Pride.

I could feel Harry buzzing with energy as we walked beside Draco. They were discussing Quidditch and the best strategies and techniques that professional players used. I tuned in and out but something about the idea of flying terrified me. Water felt safe, it felt like home, but the sky... the sky was something else entirely. If we fell....

'Percy?' Harry sounded concerned. 'What's wrong?'

'The sky...' I shuddered. 'I feel as if we don't belong in the sky.'

'Oh. Are you ok with me flying then? I won't if you don't want to.' There was no hesitation, just a small note of disappointment when Harry offered. I shook myself. I was a Gryffindor. Where was my courage?

'Its fine, Harry. I know you've been looking forward to this for ages now.' I sent him a quick grin. 'You go for it. I'm just being silly.'

"You two ok?" Draco passed a worried glance over us. "You went silent for a minute."

Harry nodded. "We're fine, don't worry about it. We had a bad dream last night, and it was bothering Percy slightly."

Draco looked sceptical, but didn't dwell on it as we had reached the Quidditch pitch already.

Twenty or so broomsticks were lined up on the ground in the centre in two rows, the bristles facing outwards, in the centre of the pitch. Madam Hooch stood in the centre of them, her short spiky white hair looking windswept. She was dressed in the traditional black and white striped Quidditch referee robes, looking completely in her element. A smile slipped onto our lips at the sight.

"Right, line up all of you. Don't dally now, we don't have all day." Madam Hooch ordered happily, just a note of seriousness in her voice. Somehow I got the feeling she wasn't someone to cross.

We obediently lined up, the Slytherins taking one row of brooms, the Gryffindors taking the other. We stood next to Draco, ignoring the Gryffindor's glares for now.

"Now, everyone hold your left hand out over the broom and shout up!"

Harry followed the instruction quickly, the broom shooting into his hand. I noticed Draco's did the same, as did Charles. Charles' best friend Ron, however, was having much more trouble, the broom hardly moving an inch. As for the Granger girl... I snorted. She was glaring at her broom, ordering it in her strictest voice, but it merely rolled over a couple of times. Eventually she gave up, and just picked the broom up.

We shared a grin with Draco, who was smirking openly at the sight.

The next task was to mount our brooms and attempt to fly round the pitch. I burrowed as far back into our mind as I could as Harry kicked off, and did my utmost best not to flinch or whimper every time a gust of air almost knocked us off. Our movement was unsteady at first, while Harry found our balance, then we were off properly, zipping round the pitch to eventually be the first to land. Harry was laughing with an ecstatic kind of joy.