Penelope had always wanted to believe in magic.
As a kid she would pretend she had wings and jump around on the furniture, hoping that if she got just high enough that maybe the gift of flight would be handed to her, when she got older Penelope found out how much it hurt to hit the ground.
It happened one day at school. In the middle of recess the other children decided that to have a contest to prove who could jump the farthest off the swings. As the kids lined up, Penelope looked in awe at the supposed flight her fellow classmates where embarking on. Does it feel as if your flying, She inquired to herself or is it like falling? This thought put her last in line.
Suddenly, it was her turn on the swings. The ultimate victor at the time was the Dursley child, one among the unfortunate sort, who's obesity just seemed to propel him forward instead of enforce gravity. Penelope pumped her legs once she was upon the swing, and soon enough she was at the limit. With one great huff she released the swing and flew, managing to pass Dudley by two great feet, only to land in a crumpled heap.
Her ankle was throbbing uncomfortably; with tears in her eyes she remarked, "Does this mean I win?" Some of Penelope's classmates nodded, she smiled, pleased with herself, until a child named Tyler asked, "Where's Potter?"
"He doesn't count! Potter doesn't have the brain power!" Dursley exclaimed, clearly put off both at the thought of Harry, and losing (to a girl, no less).
"Oh, who gave you the right to ask if my brain works right Dudley? Seeing as you have as much brain power as the pigs you look like." Said Potter as he emerged from behind the crowd.
"Pigs are actually quite intelligent." Penelope commented quietly, and rather unhelpfully. Thankfully, no one seemed to hear her.
Potter, Potter, Potter!" A boy from the back chanted. This was highly out of character for anyone in the class, as Harry was extremely unpopular. Dudley face reddened.
"Fine."
With that Harry mounted the swing, and soon, quite literally, took off. Sailing to the point right next to Penelope. "Tie, then?" He said. "Umm…sure." Even though Penelope was quite positive he was a inch or two in front of her. Undeterred by her hesitation Potter grabbed her hand and raised it, while it was still entwined with his, to signal the shared victory.
Penelope moved towards her good friend Harriet, and winced at the pain that flared up from her ankle. "Ouch! "
"You hurt your foot?" Harry deliberated. "I'll walk you to the nurse, if you want."
Penelope cocked her head, as if in deep thought. "Sure." She said after a moment.
With that they walked (well, she hopped and he walked) to the nurse. It turns out that Penelope's ankle was sprained. The news made Penelope positively distraught. "But how am I supposed to play at recess!" The nurse failed miserably at consoling the girl. Penelope, who was seven at the time, didn't seem to like the idea of waiting five to ten weeks to be able to walk properly.
Later, while Harry and Penelope sat waiting for Penelope's parents to appear, Harry simply remarked, "You get to use stick thingies though! Those are pretty cool." From that moment on, Penelope decided she rather liked Harry Potter. They would most definitely be friends.
