Echo | Harry Potter - George Weasley

Chapter 6: Sheer Dumb Luck

"One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation, or the ability to make things fly," the charms instructor, Professor Flitwick, said; his stature so short that he had to stand on a pile of books so that the entire class could see and hear him. "Do you have your feathers? Good. Now, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing. The swish and flick. Everyone."

Reaching for her wand, just like the rest of the class, Shaye repeated the words, "The swish and flick," while making the same movement with her wrist.

"Good." Flitwick smiled. "Oh, and enunciate. Wingardium Leviosa. Off you go, then."

While the class got to work at practicing the levitation spell they had just been taught, Hermione turned to Shaye and used the many voices around to muffle her own. "Have you thought of anything that we could use to start looking for your sister?" she asked.

Shaye shook her head. "No. I keep trying to think of something that might be a clue but I just can't seem to come up with anything."

"Well, that's okay." Hermione leaned in close, causing Shaye to do the same. "Because I think I've got an idea."

"Really?" Shaye had to struggle to keep her voice down through her surge of excitement. "What is it?"

"I'll tell you after class."

Shaye grinned. "Good thinking. We should probably start practicing."

At the same time, Shaye and Hermione sat up straight again in their chairs, just in time to catch a glimpse of Ron thrashing his wand around, his face scrunched up in frustration at the feather that lay on the desk in front of him.

"No, stop." Hermione grabbed his hand before he could hurt himself or someone else. "You're going to take someone's eye out. Besides, you're saying it wrong. It's Leviosa, not Leviosar."

"You do it then if you're so clever." Ron huffed. "Go on."

Picking up her wand, Hermione flicked and swished her wand at her feather. "Wingardium Leviosa," she said and the feather immediately floated up into the air, high above the desks.

The whole class stopped what they were doing to watch Hermione's feather, which was the only one that had even managed to lift off from the tabletop, let alone float almost all the way up to the ceiling.

"Well done!" Flitwick praised. "See here, everyone, Miss Granger's done it. Splendid. Well done, dear."

It was then that a loud explosion and flash of light filled the room, and by that point in the school year, the students didn't even have to ask who had caused the ruckus. All heads turned to Seamus, whose hair was frizzy, face was covered in black soot, and feather was smoking—much like his goblet had done when he had attempted to turn water into rum.

"I think we're going to need another feather over here, professor." Harry blinked slowly, the side of his face slightly black as well since he had been Seamus' partner and had been so close to the blast.

The class let out a series of chuckles, but before long the mess had been cleaned up and Professor Flitwick had gotten everyone back on task. By the end of the lesson, Shaye had managed to get her feather to levitate, but it was nowhere near as high as Hermione's had been. 

Like usual, Hermione was the star pupil.

As soon as class was dismissed, Shaye met Hermione in the courtyard to listen to her plan, which in usual Hermione fashion, was brilliant.

"It came to me when I remembered what Ron had said about your sister in the Great Hall the other day. I honestly don't know why I didn't think of it sooner." Hermione started as the two girls snuck away from the boys after class and rushed through the halls. "Remember when Ron mentioned that his brother Charlie said your sister was so good at Transfiguration? Well, I think a good place to start would be to ask the Transfiguration Professor. If your sister was one of her best students, she is bound to remember something about her."