Darkness Falls

Two

1991 - First Year

The first week of lessons flew by for all of the new students. Harry and Ron had already been late to a lesson and Seamus, the Irish boy Hermione had met on the boat ride to Hogwarts, had already blown something up in class. Hermione found that she spent most of her free time studying between lessons, and when she wasn't studying she was reading the book that Draco had sent to her on her first night.

The book was about a young wizard that had been adopted by a poor couple in the 1920's. Although he was a wizard, he wasn't actually aware until later on in life when his adopted father, who was also a wizard, shared their secret. Everything he learned from his muggle mother shaped his personality. He was kind, sweet, funny, loving, and he would do just about anything for his family; but they never asked or wanted for anything other than his happiness. Hermione reached a point in the story where the young boy had just discovered he had magic before she put it down and prepared herself for her first flying lessons. As soon as Hermione received her time table she noticed that on the second week, flying lessons with Madam Hooch started for first years, she had been dreading it, she didn't like the idea of flying.

All the first year students from Gryffindor and Slytherin were lined in two lines facing one another with their brooms on the floor beside them. "Good Afternoon Class," Madam Hooch spoke as she made her way to the other end of the line of students. The class greeted her in unison, "Welcome to your first flying lesson! Now, I want everyone to step up to the left side of the broomstick. Stick your right hand over the broom and say up," she told the class. She then began to make her way down the rows of students to observe who was managing to lift the broom.

Harry was the first to be successful after his first attempt at saying up, the broom lifted off of the ground and into his hand, with Draco following close behind. Ron on the other hand was having difficulties as the broom didn't even flinch on the floor when he yelled up at it multiple times. Hermione's moved frantically on the floor but made no indication of going higher than an inch off the ground. Ron's finally moved, which then resulted in the broom flying up at such a speed that it bypassed his hand and smacked him in the face.

Once everyone had successfully gripped their brooms, Hooch continued, "Now, once you have hold of you broom, mount it and grip it tightly. You don't want to go sliding off the end."

The class followed as she instructed, Hermione's heart beating so fast she thought it was going to break out of her chest.

"When I blow my whistle I want each of you to kick off from the ground, keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle, three, two.." Hooch blew her whistle and Neville's broom immediately flew up into the air just above everyone's head. "Mr Longbottom!" Hooch shouted worryingly, but it didn't stop Neville's broom from flying higher before shooting off heading towards the castle.

Neville yelled for help as he made his way around one of the castle towers until eventually his robe caught on a statue and pulled him off his broom. It wasn't long until the material gave way and he fell to the floor with a great thud. Madam Hooch and the rest of the class rushed over to him as he lay on the floor groaning in pain, upon further inspection it was clear to see that he had broken his wrist.

As Hooch guided him up off of the floor she spoke to the class, "Everyone is to keep their feet firmly on the ground whilst I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing, understood? If I see a single broom in the air the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say Quidditch," she finished as she walked off with Neville.

Once they were no longer in sight, Draco began to snigger alongside Crab and Goyle, "Look, it's Neville's Remembrall." Draco laughed whilst throwing the ball in the air .