The next class was Charms, taught by Professor Flitwick, who also happened to be the Head of Ravenclaw house. Dasha took an instant liking to him and greeted him cheerfully when they entered. "Today, first-years, I'll be teaching you the Bubble-Head Charm. Just wave your wand like so and pronounce the words very clearly; "Bulla Caput." Dasha did as instructed and watched as a fairly-sized bubble appeared around her mouth and nose. Jai did the same and a slightly smaller bubble appeared. The two girls high-fived each other and turned to face Professor Flitwick. He immediately caught sight of them, since they were the only ones so far who had been able to produce bubbles of that size. "Well done girls! Good job indeed! Ten points each! Oh good on you, Mr Guinness," he said cheerfully. Malfoy, frustrated by their success, pointed his wand at his face. "Bullcaput, Bullcaput, Bullcaput!" Everyone's attention was attracted by a very loud and very sudden bang which had come from the tip of Malfoy's wand, blasting him in the face. Professor Flitwick sighed while everyone laughed. "Go and clean yourself up, Mr Malfoy! Oh good job, Miss Shouter! Ten points to Ravenclaw!"
Charms continued in this manner until everyone had been able to produce a decently-sized bubble. "Your homework for this week is to practice the Bubble-Head Charm until next Tuesday. Class dismissed," said Professor Flitwick, ushering them out.
They were just walking to the Potions classroom when Dasha cried out: "Oh bother! I forgot to tell you guys, but Quidditch tryouts are next week on Monday at four o'clock. What are you doing here?!" This question was directed towards Malfoy, who had appeared from behind a pillar, followed by an extremely buff boy. Malfoy swaggered up to them with his hands in his pockets. "Well, well, well. Lincoln, Bran and….who are you two?" he asked Jai and Patrick. Jai slowly took out her wand. "I am Jai Gatward, and this is Patrick Guinness. I suppose you are Malfoy?" Virtutis drew his wand too. "Yes, I am. by the way, Lincoln, Daddy sends his greetings. I told him that you were friends with Mudbloods and blood-traitors, but he ignored it." Theo was just about retort something when Dasha couldn't help but say, "Daddy? Daddy? Do you seriously call your Dad Daddy?" All four of them laughed while Virtutis flushed bright red. Theo smirked as Jai stowed away her wand. "Anyways, excuse us but we need to be in class right now. Let's go guys!" They ran around Malfoy and the boy, and made their way to the dungeons.
When they arrived there, they discovered that they were five minutes late but luckily, Professor Slughorn didn't take any points from them. "Oh well, oh well, this is your first class after all. Just take a seat and pop out your Potions books. As I was saying, today we will be brewing a simple potion, the Forgetfulness Potion. Now, would anyone one of you mind telling me what the three key ingredients to a Forgetfulness Potion are?" Dasha's hand, as usual, immediately shot into the air. Professor Slughorn smiled. "Ahh, Miss Bran is it? Well, we're all eyes and ears. Tell us." "The three key ingredients are Lethe River Water, Mistletoe berries, and Valerian sprigs," recited Dasha, who had read her Potions book the day before. Professor Slughorn nodded emphatically, causing his walrus moustache to shake. "Excellent. Five points to Ravenclaw. Now we will be…." continued Slughorn, when he was interrupted once again by the dungeon door opening. "Mr Malfoy! I really do not tolerate lateness in this class! Mr Armstrong too. Five points each from Slytherin! Now sit down please." Theo tried not to laugh as Malfoy and his cronie sat down at the back. "As I was saying before being interrupted, now we will be making our own Forgetfulness Potion. Open up your books to Page 5 please," instructed Slughorn, pacing behind his desk. There was a rustling of paper as everyone hurriedly found Page 5. Professor Slughorn chuckled as he saw the eager faces, waiting to be told what to do next. "All you instructions are on those two pages, all you need are your ingredients. They're all in the cupboard, in there own box. Start brewing your potion, now!" There was a scramble for the cupboard door as everyone tried get their ingredients. Fortunately, Dasha and Patrick had been closest to the cupboard and so, they quickly managed to get their ingredients out of harm's way. Dasha, who had, as previously mentioned, already read the book, knew exactly what to do and her coral coloured potion quickly turned from pale red to transparent. Patrick, who was having a little more trouble, had by the end of the lesson, managed to produce a semi-clear potion. Jai had given up halfway and her potion had turned black while Theo's was the same as Patrick's. Slughorn passed by Jai's potion without saying anything, patted Theo and Patrick on the shoulder and merely glanced at Malfoy's burnt one. By the time he got to Dasha's he looked somewhat disappointed, but when he saw her absolutely clear potion, Professor Slughorn clapped his hands enthusiastically. "Oh well done! Well done, Miss Bran! Come, gather round for a look!" he exclaimed, beckoning everyone around her cauldron. Malfoy and Armstrong hung around the back of the group and didn't pay any attention to what Professor Slughorn was saying. "...And that is a true Forgetfulness Potion. Good job everyone, especially you, Miss Bran! Class dismissed! I won't give you any homework this week." They left the Potions classroom in a slightly displeased state of mind.
Right now, they had a free break and the four friends decided to go hang out under the tree again. This time, Dasha was teaching Patrick and Theo, while Jai was watching. "Just move your wand in this shape and pronounce the words 'Incendio'. Go on, try it," she said, demonstrating to them and producing a small ball of flames which she immediately put out with a jet of water. Patrick moved his wand "Incendio!" he cried, but nothing happened. Dasha turned to Theo. "Okay, now it's your turn, Theo." He made the same movement and managed to produce a small flame. Theo grinned and looked extremely pleased with himself, making Patrick look a little disappointed. Jai noticed this and patted him on the back. "It's okay Patrick, you just need to practice. But outside of course." He nodded and was just about to try again when Dasha cried out "I've got to be at the library! Jai, I need your help! See you guys in the Great Hall! Bye!" They sped off towards the castle and disappeared from view. Theo rolled his eyes and turned back to Patrick. "Try again. Go on." By his third attempt, Patrick could successfully produce flames as big as Theo's.
"Patrick, I've been thinking it over. About my dream you know. Maybe it'll happen again tonight? If it does, I'll try to get a proper look at that room and that book. Do you agree with me about Transfigurantes, though?" Patrick nodded silently in agreement, waiting for him to carry on speaking. "Well, I've been giving it some thought. Maybe he's a vampire!" joked Theo, standing up. "Let's go ask Professor McGonagall something."
The group made their way to Headmistress' office when Patrick, who had gone on ahead, bumped into someone. "Careful, Mr Guinness!" reproached McGonagall, about to carry on walking, when Theo stopped her. "Professor, I just wanted to ask you a question." She turned around to face him. "Yes, Mr Lincoln?" Theo coughed slightly. "Well, I just wanted to know, why is Professor Transfigurantes so, so pale? Is he sick?" McGonagall's eyebrows shot up into the brim of her hat. "Professor Transfigurantes told me that he is an Albino. Anything else?" Theo thought for a moment. "No, Professor. Thanks." She nodded curtly and carried on walking. The three friends were just about to carry on with their conversation when they were interrupted by a silky voice. "Good day, Mrrr Lincoln, Mrrr Guinness. Wherrre arrre you heading?" Patrick smiled. "We're on our way to the library. Sorry, but we need to go right now. Bye!" he said, hastily pulling them away. Theo glowered at the Professor as he passed by and received an extremely chilling look in return. Jai stopped around the corner. Theo leaned to have a look to see if the Professor was still there. He was gone. Theo whipped back and whispered quickly. "Okay, guys, I've had an idea. Why don't we gather information about Professor Transfigurantes? First we need to find Dasha. Okay?" Patrick nodded and the two of them went off to find the library.
When they finally found her, she was sitting down at a table, hiding behind a pile of books. "Dasha, Jai, what are you doing?" asked Patrick, coming up behind her. "I've found something on vampires while I was looking for a book about the room you keep seeing in your dreams. Also, about vampires, it turns out that they can speak a language called Zbortbăţ, which in Romanian means 'flying bat'," read Dasha. Theo listened impatiently. "But what about their appearance?" he asked her, trading looks with Patrick. Jai pointed to a passage in the book. "A basic description of a vampire's appearance would be that of an Albino; with one exception- their hair will always be raven-black." Theo nodded thoughtfully, swapping looks with Patrick. "That reminds me of someone. What about you Patrick?" Patrick nodded. "Aye, sure does." Dasha narrowed her eyes but said nothing. "Anyway, I've also found out something about a certain 'Mirror of Erised'. Here let me read the description. 'The Mirror of Erised is an ancient, ornate mirror. It has clawed feet and a gold frame inscribed with the phrase 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.' The mirror shows the most desperate desire of a person's heart, a vision that has been known to drive men mad," read Jai, shivering slightly.
The four of them stayed in the library for a long time, finding out more information on the mirror and vampires, while finding nothing about the room from Theo's dreams. Eventually, they were found by Madam Pince, who had been skulking around the library shelves, herding students out from the library. When she saw them, Madam Pince screamed. "Out of my library! Out! Out!" She chased them out with her broom which was hitting them on the rump every time they slowed down.
Chapter 9: Flying Lessons
And so, a month passed, during which the weather became increasingly colder. Strangely, Theo's dream didn't occur again, leaving all four of them bitterly disappointed. Out of all of them Dasha was the only one to finish her homework by the due dates, so she always had to help them.
They were just leaving the Muggle Studies classroom when Jai checked her schedule. "Okay, so Dasha and Theo, you guys are having a Flying Lesson from now, then me and Patrick afterwards," she said gesturing. Dasha and Theo grinned in excitement. Jai gave the a light shove. "Come on, go. You're going to miss your class! See you at lunch!" She grabbed her bag and raced away to class, with Patrick in tow. Theo pulled Dasha. "Come on, let's get going!" They went off in the opposite direction and soon found themselves assembling on the lawn next to more than a dozen broomsticks. They were all chatting together when a sharp voice shut them up. "Quiet! Line up next to your broomsticks. Come! We haven't got all day!" A tall, hawk-eyed woman with short grey hair, strolled briskly down the line, inspecting them closely. Dasha took the broomstick next to Mikael and Theo took the one opposite her. Theo grinned as he examined the broom. Madam Hooch strolled back to where she had started. "Now, I want you all to place your right hand above your broom and say 'Up!'. Good? Alright, on the count of three; one, two, three!" The air was suddenly filled with the cries of 'Up!' and the whooshing of the broomsticks. Theo blinked in surprise as his broom immediately shot into his looked slightly disappointed as her broom rolled over before finally rising into her hand. Madam Hooch nodded. "Now that you have your broomsticks, you're going to mount them." They did just so. "When I blow my whistle, kick off from the ground, hover in the air, balancing your broomstick, and leaning forward slightly, return to the ground. One, two, three." She blew her whistle sharply. Theo instantly kicked off and found himself float about half a metre in the air. He leaned forward and returned to the ground. Dasha did the same, kicking off and rising into the air. However, when she leaned forward to return, she didn't lower onto the ground. Instead, she began to rise with an alarming rapidity. Madam Hooch finally noticed what was happening and was standing where Dasha had just been. "Miss Bran! Miss….Miss Bran! Come back here this instance!" Theo watched as Dasha slowly began to move further and further away. Here, he made his decision Theo mounted his broomstick and kicking off once more from the ground, rose rapidly into the air. Madam Hooch, whose back was to him, didn't notice. He leaned forward and immediately shot after her. He was so focused on balancing on his broom that he didn't hear Madam Hooch shouting after him to return. Theo stopped, high above the ground, trying to see where Dasha had gone. Suddenly, he heard a cry for help come from nearby. He swiveled around, trying not to fall off as he did so. "Help! Someone, help!" cried the voice again. This time, Theo understood where it was coming from; it coming from the tree right underneath him. He flew down and hovered a few centimetres above it. "Dasha, are you there?" he shouted to her. "Yes! I'm in this tree! Help me and then we can go catch the broom!" she cried, pulling herself out of the foliage. She grabbed Theo's outstretched hand and pulled herself up onto his broom. "Where is it?" asked Theo as they rose into the air. "I don't know, maybe- Oh look! There it is!" she cried, pointing to their right. Theo turned his broom around and saw, in the distance, a dark shape floating through the air. He leaned forward and spurred the broom on as it shot off. As if sensing that it was being hounded, Dasha's broom turned around and began to quickly fly off towards the Quidditch Pitch, when they were only a few metres away from it. Dasha pulled out her wand and pointed it at the broomstick. She steadied herself. "Immobulus!" The broomstick immediately froze and began to fall to the ground. "Accio!" said Dasha, keeping her wand on the broom. It immediately flew into her hand and with the broomstick in tow by means of a Levitating Charm, they returned to Madam Hooch. A crowd of cheering students ran forward to greet them as the touched down onto land. Dasha released the petrified broomstick and holding it firmly in hand approached Madam Hooch. "Professor, I don't know what happened to my broom but if Theo hadn't decided to go help, I would still be stuck in a tree." Madam Hooch nodded curtly and walked towards him. "That was very good thinking on your part Mr Lincoln. Now, would you please follow me? Both of you. The rest of you may return to The Great Hall for lunch. Oh and Miss Bran, bring that broom with you. Let's go!" She briskly led them off in the direction the west-ward side of the castle. Madam Hooch suddenly stopped outside a classroom. "Wait here, you two." Dasha and Theo exchanged worried looks. She opened the door. "Excuse me, Professor Slughorn, can I have Smith for a second?" "Why of course, Madam Hooch." A tall girl, wearing Slytherin robes stood up and came outside. She smiled at Theo. "Smith, today was Mr Lincoln's first flying lesson yet he has already saved Miss Bran and returned with her safely on his broomstick. I think he would make a good Seeker for the Slytherin Team," explained Madam Hooch. Smith grinned, nodding. "Well done, Lincoln." Albus blushed slightly. "Thanks." "He needs a bit of training of course, but he has the skills," continued Madam Hooch. Smith nodded thoughtfully, studying him carefully. "How about it?" she asked him. Theo grinned. "Sure." "That's settled then. Lincoln, your training begins the day after tomorrow," said Madam Hooch. Theo grinned. Madam Hooch's thin lips formed into what they took to be a smile. "You two discuss the times for your training while we do something about this broom. "When you're finished, you may go have some lunch, Mr Lincoln. Miss Bran, follow me," instructed Hooch, beckoning to her as they moved forward. Dasha had no idea where they were going but probably somewhere good, where she wouldn't be punished. Madam Hooch knocked on a door which read 'Professor Filius Flitwick' on a gold plaque. "Come in," said a voice from within as Madam Hooch opened the door. "Sorry I we're interrupting Filius, but could you take a look at this broomstick, I think it might be jinxed," she said, leading Dasha inside the office. Professor Flitwick took the broom from her and placed it on his desk. After a few moments of examination Professor Flitwick gave Dasha a startled look. "Why, the broom's been immobilised! Is this you work Miss Bran?" he asked her curiously, while Madam Hooch looked at her in surprise. Dasha gulped, thinking that she would be in trouble. "Yes, sir. Theo and I were trying to catch it before it flew away and I managed to hit it. Then I used the 'Summoning Charm' before it fell," she recounted quickly. Professor Flitwick blinked rapidly. "Well! And did you carry it back?" Dasha shook her head. "No, sir. I used the Levitating Charm. Am I in trouble, sir?" she asked anxiously. He beamed and shook his head. "In trouble? No, of course not!" he chuckled rubbing his hands together and returning to the examination. Madam Hooch rested her hand on Dasha's shoulder. "Go get some lunch, Miss Bran." Dasha grinned and was just about to leave when Professor Flitwick stopped her. "I just wanted to tell you a few things Miss Bran," he said beckoning to her. She walked forward hesitantly. "You, Miss Bran, are a true Ravenclaw and I am proud to have you in my House. I've never met a first-year who could know so many, if basic, spells only after a week of school. You may go now," he told her kindly. Dasha smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Professor." She quickly left the office and set off for lunch.
When she got to the Great Hall, Dasha found that Jai and Patrick hadn't returned. She sat down next to Theo, still smiling. He looked at her curiously. "Why are you smiling?" he asked, frowning slightly. Dasha looked at him beaming. "Professor Flitwick complimented my magic! He said I was a true Ravenclaw. Oh, and congratulations on making the Slytherin team! I didn't know that first-years were now allowed to be on the teams," she said all in one breath. Theo grinned but then it was replaced by a frown. He nodded and played around with his food thoughtfully. Dasha peered at him in concern. "Is something wrong?" she asked, the smile slowly slipping off her face. Theo paused momentarily before answering. "What do you think happened to that broom? I mean, was it perhaps jinxed? What do you think?" he asked her. Dasha shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it wasn't jinxed? If it was, then Professor Flitwick will find it don't worry. Good day Professor Transfigurantes!" she said, greeting him. Transfigurantes stopped in front of them. "Good day, Miss Bran. Your homework was very knowledgeable and perfectly logical. Well done," he complimented her, giving her what Theo thought to be a chilling smile. Dasha blushed. "Thank you sir. Oh, could you help us? Today was our first Flying Lesson and one of the brooms went crazy and flew away. Theo here, thinks it was jinxed. Could you tell us what symptoms to look for in a jinx like that?" she asked him, trading looks with Theo. The Professor gave Theo his usual look and not blinking his eyes, said. "Do you really think so, Mr Lincoln? Interesting." Theo didn't back down and looked him straight in the eye. The Professor let his gaze fall on Dasha as he spoke to her. "Who was riding the broom, Miss Bran?" he asked in what appeared to be a concerned voice. Dasha hesitated for a second before answering him. "I was sir." Professor Transfigurantes appeared slightly startled. "You, Miss Bran?" Dasha nodded. Once again, Professor glowered at Theo, this time for some reason unknown to Theo. "I'll tell you the symptoms later, Miss Bran. I have a book on symptoms for jinxes and curses. Right now, I need to go," and saying so, he quickly walked away. For a few seconds, the two sat in silence. Then Theo spoke. "I've got Quidditch Practice next week. Are you going to try for Ravenclaw Quidditch try-outs?" Dasha looked uncertain. "I'm not one hundred percent sure; should I, I mean, would I be good enough to get in? What do you think?" she asked him, abandoning her food. Theo grinned. "I think you'd be awesome at Quidditch. You just need to practice, that's all." Dasha blushed and smiled. "Thanks. I'll try." "What position though? And also, Hooch is taking practice session with first-years who want to try-out for the House Teams." Theo asked. Dasha thought for a moment. "I dunno; maybe Keeper. I mean I was a good goalie at school when it came to football." Theo looked confused. "What's football?" Dasha couldn't help but laugh out loud, causing Theo to look hurt. She immediately sobered herself up as she answered him. "I'm sorry I laughed. Here, let me explain what football is…"
By the time Jai and Patrick sat down next to them, Theo had already fathomed what football was and was trying to understand how you played as a goalie.