On that Sunday a poster popped up in the common room "FLYING LESSONS START THIS THURSDAY FOURTH PERIOD WITH SLYTHERIN."
Honestly, I am looking forward to flying lessons, I can fly already if I use my shroud, but with a broom is completely different. I have never been able to practice flying with my shroud so I am currently pretty slow, at best slightly faster than a car. But now I can finally get some practice in the air.
On Thursday morning mail came again and I got another letter from Auntie Dromeda telling me about how Sis Dora had taken her masters in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She got an E+ on them now all she has to do is apply for an apprenticeship and she will be a full-fledged Auror.
I write back two letters one goes to Auntie, I tell her about how Harry got in trouble, I also brag a bit about how well I am doing in my classes. The second letter I write is to Sis congratulating her on almost securing her dream and doing so well on her Masters which usually takes a person years to get. I am genuinely happy for her.
I notice Neville also got something in the mail, a package. One that he promptly tears open as soon as he gets his hands on it. It is a clear glass ball that has a golden band wrapped around it with mist floating inside of it.
"It's a Remembrall!" he exclaims. "It glows red when you have forgotten something, Gran knows I'm really forgetful that's probably why she got it for me." as he finishes his exclamation the mist in the ball starts to turn a scarlet red.
He stares into the ball with confusion. "But I don't know what I've forgotten?"
I tap his shoulder and gesture at my robes. He springs up "I forgot to put on my robes!" He yells in an exaggerated fashion.
As he is about to walk away I notice Malfoy passing by us eyeing Neville's Remembrall. I see his arm reach out about to snatch it but I grab his arm as it gets close. Neville jumps back at my action, nearly falling over making the whole table turn towards us.
Malfoy quickly realizes he has been caught starts to laugh it off "Sorry, I was reaching for some scones."
"Oh, has your table run out of food?" I say with a smile tightening my grip on his arm.
He sneers and tried to pull back his arm but I just tighten my grip still smiling.
"Let Go!" He yells, at his yell, Snape notices what is happening and walks over.
He looks at both of us "Is there a problem here.' He speaks in his usual slow monotone speech.
I shove a scone into his hand as I let go of my cousin's arm still smiling "Nope, no trouble at all." turning to Draco with an even bigger smile "His table just ran out of food. Right Draco?"
He tosses the scone on the ground as he scoffs with a severe scowl. Draco quickly marches away like a mini Snape with his lackeys in tow while holding his arm. I smirk more seeing I hurt his arm quite a bit. He is fun to bully for some reason.
Snape looks at me with his usual calm demeanor "I suggest you not cause any trouble, Mr. Black." He looks over at the other teachers eating breakfast. "There are some who would much rather see you gone."
I am a bit taken aback by his sincerity but before I can reply he walks away. I watch his departing figure trying to figure out what the emotionally stunted man is thinking.
I shake my head giving up after a while. He is too much of an enigma. As I leave the Great Hall Neville catches me in the hall to thank me. I just wave off his thanks as we walk to our first class.
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Later that day we finally head out to a large courtyard where the flying lessons are held. The Professor who is teaching us is called Madam Hooch, she has silver hair and yellow eyes a strikingly odd combination.
The courtyard is semi-enclosed and halfway between the castle and the Forbidden Forest. We all started crowding in the courtyard staring at the setup oddly. Not far away from the congregation are roughly 30 brooms all in 2 lines around 5 feet away from each other.
Hooch starts off the lesson by yelling at us "What are you all waiting for, choose a broom and stand on the left side of it!"
All of us follow her orders and line up next to our brooms of choice. The brooms themselves look like old-fashioned straw brooms from the 12th century. 'I'm pretty sure these are the same brooms Sid used while he was here.' I muse to myself.
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"Alright everyone, put out your right hand above your brooms ." She shows us and we all followed. "Now yell, UP!" her broom flies up into her hand with a snappy sound.
I yell "UP" and my broom comes first try, I look around and see both Harry also got it on the first try, and Malfoy on his second. Next to me, Neville and Hermione are both struggling to try to get their brooms to listen. Hermione's looked like a disobedient dog rolling on the ground and Neville's broom just flat out wasn't listening to him like it was anchored to the ground.
After a while, Hooch begins to teach us about how to mount the broom. Soon everyone was straddling their broom properly standing in line, Hooch gives us a satisfied nod.
"When I blow my whistle you will kick off the ground hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. Three, Two,-"
She is cut off as Neville jumped too early and is slowly flying away. "Come back here Longbottom!" she yells after him. I roll my eyes at her lack of effort.
He gets nearly 20 feet off the ground swaying side to side struggling to stay on his broom. I start to get worried as he is hovering in the direction of the forbidden forest. I turn to Hooch who was just staring in a daze "Professor Hooch! Aren't you going to get him?" My chastising seems to snap her out of her daze.
She gets on her broom and takes off in his direction, but as she nears him his broom jerks hard to the side causing him to fall off. Hooch dives quickly to try and get him before he lands but she isn't fast enough.
*CRACK*
Everyone goes pale, you can hear the loud crack upon impact and a few students gasp as he lays on the ground. I am the first to run up to him and students slowly surround us, his right forearm is broken just past the wrist.
A few moments later Professor Hooch lands next to us and yells "Everyone clear up, give the boy some room."
I look up at her walking over "His arm is broken and I think he tore something, he needs to go to the infirmary."
"Alright, I will take him, everyone can wait here, no flying while I'm gone."
I help Neville up while he is moaning in pain "I'll help him there." I say giving her a scowl she just nods.
Madam Hooch looks at the students "I will lead the way, follow behind." She is obviously trying to not look incompetent.
I roll my eyes at her words. 'If I had known this Professor was so inept I would have saved him myself' we all head to the infirmary and Madam Pomfrey says he has to stay for a few days to recover. Magic is pretty amazing, a bone takes a few hours to heal and tendons only take a day or so.
After I get back to the common room later that day Hermione tells me that Harry got in trouble. He apparently competed with Malfoy in a flying contest when he stole Neville's Remembrall.
McGonagall had seen him flying through her window and came to take him away. This honestly has me a bit worried I don't want Harry to get into trouble twice in two weeks, but I am proud of Harry for standing up for his friend.
Just like clockwork Harry Happily into the common room looking absolutely elated. He excitedly explains to us that he did not get in trouble, quite the opposite. McGonagall took him to meet with Oliver Wood the Quidditch team captain to tell him that she wants him to be the seeker for the team since they have an empty seat.
We call Ron down from the dorm and tell him the news he honestly seems to be more excited than Harry. He began to run around yelling about how Harry would be the youngest to be a seeker probably ever.
After calming him down we head to dinner and talk about it almost all night, Fred and George even came over after hearing us talk. They began telling Harry about how Quidditch worked and the basic rules. Little did I know Fred and George are actually on the team, they are Beaters.
We kept chatting happily until Malfoy noticed us and came with his fat lackeys in tow "You eating your final meal Potter?"
Harry scowls standing up "You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you,"
'Wow, Harry is growing up quickly' I think like a proud parent before cutting in.
"Isn't it just wrong to say 'little'." I quietly sneer just loud enough for everyone to hear. Ron laughs far louder than anyone else causing me to smirk.
Malfoy scoffs as his lackeys blush "I'll take you on, how about it Potter? A good old-fashioned duel, no contact, wands only, we can even do it tonight… What never heard of a duel before Potter?"
"Of course he has, I'm his second. Who is yours?" Ron becomes serious as he speaks up for Harry. I really wanna smack Ron for getting Harry into a duel but I just watch since these kids aren't threatening.
Malfoy turns to his lackey's "Crabbe." He gestures at the slightly larger one who smacks his large belly. "We will duel at midnight in the trophy room." He walks away and we all turn to Ron.
"Don't do that again." I hear Malfoy sternly say to Crabbe as he smacks his fat rolls.
"What the hell man, you can't just accept a duel for someone else." Ron looks down as Harry speaks up for himself.
He pauses for a second before he sighs "It's fine." He turns to Ron "But what do you mean by your 'my second'?"
Ron casually says "it means I'll take over for you if you die." he starts to eat again like nothing happened "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy will be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway"
"But what if I can't attack with my wand?" Harry now looks concerned, he obviously doesn't know offensive magic.
"Then you throw the duel aside and bloody his nose with a good one." I sigh as I rest my hand on my face, Ron's remarks are too casual.
This time Hermione interjects, for the first time having held in her thoughts until now. "You can't, midnight is way past curfew, if you get caught you'll lose even more points for our house." at the mention of lost points Harry looks a bit ashamed.
I just shake my head. "We still have a while till the duel I can show Harry an easy spell in the meantime."
After that, we all head back to the Gryffindor common room to hang out till the duel. I seem to have persuaded Hermione that I can keep the two of them out of trouble. I can't… they are too dumb.