Chapter Six

Flying Lessons

"Yay!" James cheered. Lily shushed him.

Harry drummed his fingers on the table as he scanned the ceiling for any sign of his owl. He had sent Hedwig with a letter to Sirius the previous day concerning his sorting into Slytherin, and he was anxious to see his godfather's reaction.

Remus snorted and said, "If he's the same Sirius I know, not very good."

Sirius puffed up in indignation and replied, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lily growled and said testily, "Are you guys going to let me read this book, or will I have to revoke the ability to speak?"

Both Remus and Sirius paled and quieted.

"Thank you," Lily said sweetly.

"Merlin Harry, can you stop that incessant tapping? It's driving me insane," Blaise snapped. Draco nodded in agreement, and Harry flipped them the bird.

"Harry!" Lily scolded.

"Oh, so you're allowed to talk?" Sirius muttered. Lily shot him a wrathful glare.

Draco smirked and said, "Naughty naughty Harry, who taught you such profanity?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply when he caught sight of his snowy owl descending from the ceiling. She landed on the table and helped herself to Harry's toast while he quickly opened his letter and read the contents:

Dear Harry,

Well, can't say I'm surprised. You were always too sneaky to end up in Gryffindor. Personally, I blame Tookie.

Harry smiled. Tookie was his friend that lived in their apartment building and his partner in crime. Before Howarts, they were always sneaking around and causing trouble for all the adults in the building.

Seriously, though, I could personally care less what house you got sorted into, as long as you're happy. Speaking of which, those Slytherins aren't causing any trouble for you, are they? If so, Padfoot might have to make a little visit…

Well, I'll see you at Christmas. Later, kiddo.

Sirius

"Well, Sirius, you weren't a complete git!" James commented offhandedly.

Lily opened her mouth to expound on his statement and Sirius said grumpily, "Yes, Lily, I get the picture. Continue reading."

Slightly put out, Lily continued reading.

"So, what'd he say?"

Harry looked up to see his friends looking at him curiously. Despite their outwardly cold demeanor, Harry knew they were concerned about him. He handed them the letter and, when they were done reading it, Draco snorted.

"Lucky you. If I had been sorted into Gryffindor, my parents would have disowned me," he said, an almost imperceptible edge to his voice. Both Harry and Blaise were aware that Draco's father was an active Death Eater (as active as he could be, what with Voldie in hiding), and the rest of his family were as Dark as they come. They also knew that Draco had no intention of becoming a Death Eater, as he found the whole thing intolerable.

Remus nodded in approval. "Good. The last thing we need is another Death Eater on our hands!"

Blaise nodded sympathetically. Despite the fact that his family life was perfectly fine, he knew exactly what Draco's home life was like, having been friends with him since early childhood.

Their slightly gloomy moment was interrupted by Hermione, who bounced over from the Gryffindor table. Her housemates, like every morning, followed her with their eyes, betrayed expressions on their faces.

Draco, eyeing the distraught Gyffindors, commented, "You know, Hermione, you might want to ask Dumbledore if you can be resorted next year. I don't think I can take six more years of the weeping Gryffindors."

"Oh, it can't be that bad."

Hermione gave an unladylike snort and replied, "Yeah, like Dumbledore would go for that. He clearly favors Gryffindor."

"Why would you say that?" inquired Blaise. He looked honestly confused.

Hermione looked at him. "I dunno, just something I get."

"That's not true!" Sirius Exclaimed

"For all we know, Black, it could be." Lily said, logically

"…Whatever." He pouted.

Blasie decided not to argue with her. In the end, she was always right.

Harry checked his watch. He said, "We'd better hurry if we want to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson."

The others laughed at Harry's fake enthusiasm. This was due to the fact that the DADA professor, Professor Quirrel, was a complete joke. He was afraid of everything from the students to Mrs. Norris. Though, everyone had a reason to be afraid of Mrs. Norris. She was Filch's deputy, calling him to misbehaving students faster that you could say "detention".

James snorted. "Faster than that, I reckon."

"Hey, we should time it next time!" Sirius said excitedly. Remus rolled his eyes.

The four of them got up and went out to the hallway, where a crowd of their fellow first years suddenly engulfed them.

"What is so interesting that they have to crowd in the hallways?" Draco snapped, irritated as always.

Blaise, who was the tallest of the four, craned his neck and replied, "Looks like there's some sort of announcement on the far wall. I'll go see what it is."

A few minutes he came back and informed them, "It's just flying lessons. They're scheduled for later today. We have ours instead of Charms. Unfortunately, they're mandatory."

"They weren't that bad," Lily objected.

"Imagine if you already knew how to fly a boomstick, Evans. Then see how interesting it would have been."

"Hmm. Point."

Harry and Draco groaned, and Hermione looked at them, wide-eyed. She replied, a little panicked, "What do you mean, 'unfortunately'? I don't know how to fly!"

Harry smiled at her patronizingly and said, "Well, you'll just have to learn along with the rest of the little first years."

Hermione smacked his arm playfully and said sarcastically, "Thanks for the support."

"No problemo," replied Harry, checking his watch, "and we'd better get to class if we want to avoid detention."

James gasped. "My son, worried about detention?"

"It's the apocalypse!" Sirius howled, clutching a pillow to his chest.

Lily eyed him and asked, "What are you doing to that poor pillow?"

"None of your business."

"…Are you petting it?"

"MO-VING ON!"

Hermione gasped and started down the hall, dragging Harry behind her.

"Now, put your right hand over the broom and say, 'up!'"

Harry smirked as he observed the other first years attempt to call their brooms. "Up," he said clearly, and the broom immediately leapt into his hand.

Hermione gave him a frustrated look from across the row, obviously bewildered at his success. Harry merely raised an eyebrow in response.

Once everyone had mounted their brooms(something that took a while to achieve), Madam Hooch ordered crisply, " Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms stready, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle – three – two – "

Neville interrupted her countdown with a squeak of surprise, having accidentally pushed off before the whistle.

"Oh. That's not good."

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was already off into the air.

Barely stopping to think, Harry mounted his broom and pushed off, sailing into the air. He zoomed toward Neville, who, just before Harry reached him, lost his grip on the broomstick and started to plummet to the ground.

"Crap," Harry thought before leaning into a dive. He caught hold of the back of Neville's vest, merely feet from the ground. Summoning all of his strength, Harry pulled Neville onto his broomstick and coasted down to the ground.

"NICE ONE HARRY!" James cheered.

"SILENCE, POTTER!" Lily glared, a vein pulsing in her forehead

"SORRY, EVANS!" James glared.

"SHUT UP, THE PAIR OF YOU!" Remus growled, petting Nymphadora on his lap.

"…Sorry, Remus."

"S'okay."

Madam Hooch hurried up to them. Checking Neville for injuries, and finding none, Hooch turned her gaze to Harry and said, "That was fine flying, Mr. Potter.I admit, I am impressed. However, if you ever pull a stunt like that in front of me again, you will be punished faster than you can say 'Quidditch'. Understood?"

"Talk about a backhanded compliment."

"Yes ma'am," Harry replied. Satisfied, Hooch walked back to the rest of the firsties. Almost immediately, Hermione, Draco, and Blasie rushed up to take her place.

"That was awesome, Harry!" Blaise exclaimed, a look of awe still on his face. Draco nodded fervently in agreement. Hermione, however, was not so thrilled. She walked up to Harry and punched him in the gut.

"Wtf?" said Lily.

"What does that mean?" asked Sirius, confused.

"I wouldn't expect your tiny, little brain to understand." she said, sticking her tongue out at Sirius

"Oh, you! Such a charmer." Sirius teased

"Shut up, Black."

"Shutting."

"Ow! Hermione, what was that for?" Harry cried, clutching his stomach in pain. To his surprise, Hermione then pulled him into a hug. "I was worried about you!" she sniffed, her arms wrapped tightly aroung his neck.

James wolf-whistled.

"Shut up," said Lily.

"Anything for you, Lily-flower."

Sirius pretended to gag, and James punched him in the gut. "oof!"

Harry ducked his head in embarrassment and muttered, "Well, you shouldn't be. I'm fine. See? Fine."

Hermione released him and said scoldingly, "Well, don't do that again. Or else!"

"Don't worry, I won't," Harry replied, wincing as he rubbed his stomach.

Seeing that, Hermione commented, "Well, I'd say I was sorry, but I'd be lying. You deserved it."

"Gee, thanks a lot," Harry said sarcastically as Draco and Blaise howled with laughter.

"Your welcome," Hermione teased, ruffling his already chaotic hair. Harry returned the favor, and the four of them ran back to the group of first years, laughing all the while.

"That's the end of the chapter," said Lily, holding up the book.

Sirius held out his hands. "I can read!"

"Dabatable," muttered Remus, causing James to snicker.

Lily too eyed Sirius doubtfully, but she handed him the book.

Sirius settled down and turned to the next chapter.