United We Stand

Flying Lessons ~ Tracey

                ‘Thursday 3:30- Flying Lessons with Gryffindor’

                I stared at the paper unhappily. I’d never been a very good flyer. Glancing over I saw Draco, surrounded by his ‘gang’, smiling excitedly. He’d been on a broom for as long as I could remember, and one of his biggest complaints about Hogwarts was that first years weren’t allowed to bring one to school.

                “What’s the matter?” Archie asked. He was a year above me, but I liked him better than most of the people in my year. Reaching over he snatched the paper out of my hand. “Flying? Is that what you’re so worried about?”

                “I can’t fly a broom to save my life-“ I admitted.

                “I’m sure you’re not that bad” He grinned “Besides most of them will never have even been on a broom. Just keep a firm grip on it and you’ll be fine.”

                “Thanks” I muttered, but I wasn’t very convinced. Archie was nice, but he had never seen me on a broom. It was bad. Out of corner of my eye I saw Draco stand up from the table and walk over to Gryffindor, Crabbe and Goyle in toe.

                I rolled my eyes as I saw him grab something away from the fat boy, something Longbottom. I would never understand his constant need to pick fights, but the prospect of flying was probably making him cocky.

                We were all lined up and ready when the Gryffindors hurried out of the castle door. There were two rows of brooms, 10 in each. I smiled as Sophie took the one in front of me. She gave me a tentative smile, before staring at the ground for the rest of the instructional.

                I have to admit Archie was right, at least I could get the broom to fly up to my hand which was more than most of the kids could do. Of course both Draco and Potter got theirs flew on the first try, but I felt pretty proud that I got it on the second attempt. I also had a brief moment of pleasure when Hooch told Draco he’d been gripping his broom wrong, which I’d been telling him for years.

                The real fun started when Madam Hooch told us to lift off slightly. Longbottom pushed off to hard and went spiraling upwards. The rest of the Slytherins and I were laughing, and I could see a few Gryffindors laughing as well.

                WHAM! Longbottom hit the ground, and the laughing was caught short. The boy was crying as Hooch hurried to him, her face almost as white as his was. Trying, but ultimately failing, to be subtle the rest of us gathered around in an attempt to listen. Before I could get close enough to hear what she was muttering, Hooch was sweeping Longbottom to his feet and striding through the crowed “None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you’ll be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch! Come on, dear.”

                Draco waited just long enough for them to get out of earshot before bursting out laughing. “Did you see his face, the great lump?”

 If I had been closer to him I would have elbowed him into silence. Instead I had to be content with just glaring at him, while some of my other housemates joined his laughter.

“Shut up, Malfoy” one of the Gryffindor girls snapped at him.

“Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?” Pansy mocked “Never thought you’d like fat little cry-babies Parvati.”

“Look!” Draco called to the rest of us, as he snatched something off the ground “It’s that stupid thing Longbottom’s gran sent him.”

He held up a clear crystal ball with a golden ring around it. A rememberall. The smoke on the inside was a deep crimson, indicating Draco had forgotten something, but nobody else seemed to be noticing that.

“Give it here, Malfoy” Everyone stopped talking, as Potter stepped toward Draco, one hand wrapped around his broom, the other held out for the ball.

Was he really this stupid? Of course Draco wouldn’t give it back now.

“I think I’ll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find- how about- up a tree?”

No! I wanted to yell at him to stop being an idiot, but it was too late. Draco was in the air, before I could do anything.

“Give it here!”  I glanced toward the castle doors. If Madam Hooch came back and Draco was in the air…

“Come and get it, Potter!”

“He wouldn’t-“ I don’t know when Sophie got there, but she was standing next to me.

“I don’t know-“

“No!” Someone yelled. Everyone was crowded around and I was too far outside to tell who “Madam Hooch told us not to move- you’ll get us all in trouble”

Whoever it was Potter didn’t listen. A second later he was above us, facing off with Draco. They were saying something, but it was impossible to hear over the noise the Gryffindors were making, all cheering on Potter as they flew higher and higher.

“What if they fall-“ Sophie whispered next to me.

“Draco won’t fall” I said it confidently, but I wasn’t so sure. He was a good flyer, but he took unnecessary risks. As for Potter- I had no idea.

Potter flew at Draco, who only narrowly got out of the way. I watched as Draco raised his arm and threw the rememberall. Potter went zooming after it. The ball began to drop. He dropped with it. Draco sat, watching as Potter went into a nose dive. Everyone else was focused on Potter. No one else saw the horror and disbelief on Draco’s face as Potter plummeted toward the ground. I don’t think anyone else noticed how he started to fly towards him, on the off chance he could catch Potter before he hit the ground, or the relief as Potter pulled out of the dive at the last minute, and gently fell onto the grass, no harm done, rememeberall safely in his hand.

“HARRY POTTER!” Potter got to his feet as McGonagall marched across the yard toward him. I was sure she would call out Draco’s name next, but she didn’t seem at all concerned with the pale boy, still a few feet up on his broom. “Never- in all my time at Hogwarts- how dare you- might have broken your neck-“

Draco sat on his broom, clearly to stunned to come down.

“It wasn’t his fault, Professor-“

“Be quiet, Miss Patil”
                “But Malfoy-“

“That’s enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now.” The black haired boy had no choice but to follow. After they were safely inside the castle, Draco landed with a cheer from the other Slytherins. The smug smile was back, as everyone surrounded him.

“Looks like we’ve seen the last of famous Potter” He joked. He glanced over and saw me “Aw loosen up Davis, nobody got hurt.”

“No thanks to you” I shot back. It was true, nobody had gotten hurt. Pansy started pulling at him, and he turned away.

“You can- can’t seriously be ok- okay with this-?” Sophie was looking up at me. I hadn’t noticed how short she was before.

“It’s not like Draco planned for Potter to follow him. How was he supposed to know he’d be stupid enough to go after the dumb ball” Before she could respond Madam Hooch reappeared.

When some of the Gryffindors tried to tell her what happened she dismissed them “Professor McGonagall has informed me. Now line up.”

We proceeded as if nothing had happened, but the Gryffindors kept glaring at us, and Sophie was giving me weird looks. I tried to catch up with her after the lesson, but she took off before I could. Draco was surrounded by the others, leaving me to climb up to dinner alone.