As the days passed, Pepper found herself settling into a routine. Every morning she would wake up early. Some days she would go straight to the Great Hall for breakfast, or else sometimes she would familiarize herself with the school and its grounds. Pepper discovered all kinds of hidden tricks and tunnels in the castle; doors that weren't really doors, steps that you would sink through, walls that were really doors in disguise. Pepper had walked every inch of the grounds, all the way down to the Forbidden Forest.
Every morning, she would sit with Albus and Rose at breakfast. She liked Al, he was clever and funny and he wasn't afraid to speak his mind. Rose was much quieter, but she was kind. Pepper was proud to call them friends. She made a point to talk to Sacha every day, and that usually meant spending time with Cameron too. The pair of boys were inseparable.
During breakfast each morning, the owls would swoop in with mail for the students. Albus received a letter from home almost every day, and his Grandmamma Weasley sent him cookies and fudge and treacle tart. Rose always got a similar package. Pepper had received one letter in her first few weeks, a short, clipped letter from her father.
Philippa,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am sure that you are having a good time at that school. Business is going well for me.
Perhaps we will be able to summer in the Caribbean when you return home.
Sincerely,
Your father
She had tossed the letter the first opportunity she had. She did know what her father was playing at; sending her letters when it was clear he didn't care about her well-being. She wondered what lie he had cooked up for his lawyer friends at home. Probably that he had sent her away to some boarding school for troubled girls. They would believe that, Pepper had always been a 'rebellious' child.
Today, there was a small break in routine, however, and Pepper was both nervous and excited. Today they would have their first flying lesson with the Ravenclaws. A few of the students from wizarding families had already flown; they weren't the least bit concerned. Albus bragged that he had been riding a broomstick since he was a toddler. Pepper didn't doubt it. After all, his mother had been Captain of a famous Quidditch team, and his father could have played for England if he hadn't pursued a career as an Auror.
Pepper had stayed up late into the night, reading 'Quidditch Through the Ages' and any other books involving broomsticks and flying that she could find. Whenever she started panicking, she repeated the chapters she had read silently to herself. Albus led the way as they traveled across the grounds towards the Quidditch pitch. An enormous oval, lined with benches, and three golden hoops at either end. As they stepped out onto the field, Pepper could see brooms already lined up along the ground, two rows facing each other. The flying instructor, Madam Hooch, was waiting for them.
"Hurry along, now. Everybody pick a broom and stand beside it!" Pepper took the broom to Albus's left. As the Ravenclaws walked out onto the pitch, Pepper caught a glimpse of Grape's tiny form shuffling at the pack of the group.
"Grape! Over here!" she called. Grape lifted her head and beamed at her. She ran up past the other Ravenclaws and flung her arms around Pepper, nearly knocking her over.
"I missed you so much, Pepper!" Grape squealed. Pepper shifted her gaze guiltily. She hadn't seen much of Grape; they had classes together, but they had always been assigned seats apart from each other. Grape didn't seem to blame her, though, as she stepped back next to her chosen broom, still smiling.
"Welcome to your first flying lesson!" Madam Hooch called, and all the first years shut their mouths. "We're going to start simply today, and work our way towards actual flight. For starters, everyone step up to your broom, if you haven't already." There was some shuffling of feet as a few stragglers to the group stood next to their broom. "Now, place your right hand over your broom, and say 'Up!'"
There were shouts and whispers as students commanded their brooms. Some of them, like Albus's, flew right into their hand. Other required more persuasion. Rose's broom was rolling away from her along the ground. Pepper took a deep breath. "Up!" she said firmly. To her surprise, her broom flew up and she caught it easily.
"Excellent. Now, everyone, mount your brooms!" Madam Hooch instructed. Pepper threw one legs over the broom and straddled it. She shifted her hands along the handle. Madam Hooch moved up and down the rows, correcting stance and grip.
"Very good, Ms. Zaniel," she nodded approvingly as she passed. Albus winked at her.
"You sure this is your first time?" he asked. His stance and grip matched hers exactly. Pepper shrugged, grinning from ear to ear. Beside her, Grape was having some trouble getting a leg up over her broom. It was way too big for her, and she was barely able to hold it with one hand while keeping her balance. Pepper set down her broom to give Grape a hand with hers.
When she had mounted again. Madam Hooch instructed," Now, when I blow my whistle, I want all of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Hover there for a moment, then lean forward and touch back down. Understood?" she asked. The class nodded and murmured affirmations. Madam Hooch raised her whistle to her mouth and blew.
Pepper barely put any force into her jump, and yet her broom seemed to rise of its own accord. Pepper almost felt it humming to life beneath her, and the overwhelming urge to fly came over her. She wanted to take off, over the lake, over the forest, riding deep into the mountains. She felt as if she could fly forever and never want to stop. Her thoughts were interrupted as Madam Hooch blew her whistle again. With a sigh, Pepper leaned forward against her broom, and felt herself drift slowly back to the ground.
"Excellent. Now, would anyone like to give flying a go?" Madam Hooch asked. Albus and a Ravenclaw boy raised their hand. Madam Hooch ignored them, however, her eyes on Pepper. Pepper gulped and raised her hand shakily. "Excellent. Ms. Zaniel, if you please," she said with a glint of something Pepper couldn't quite identify. Pepper nodded and resumed her stance. Again, she pushed off from the ground, and then she was flying.
Pepper could feel the wind blowing through her hair, whipping curls into her face. She laughed, exhilarated, as she rose higher and higher, above the Quidditch pitch, above the golden hoops. Instinctively, Pepper knew what to do. She lowered herself close to the broom handle, and shot off like a jet. She looped around the pitch, once, twice... weaving in and out of the hoops, then soaring high, almost vertically, so the wind blew her hair down her back. All too soon, she heard Madam Hooch's whistle, and she reluctantly sank slowly to the ground.
Her feet touched down, and all the assembled Gryffindors and Ravenclaws burst into applause. Grape had tears in her eyes from sheer delight. Albus gave her a clap on the back and said something the Pepper couldn't quite make out over the noise. "Class dismissed," Madam Hooch called over the din. "We'll continue this next week," she said when she was met with disappointed groans from the first years. Sullenly, they all set their brooms down on the ground and hoisted their bags onto their shoulders. Pepper started to walk back to the castle with the others, but Madam Hooch took her by the shoulder.
"A word, if you please, Ms. Zaniel." Pepper nodded, and turned to Albus, Grape and Rose, who were waiting patiently for her.
"You guys head on up. Save me a seat at the dinner table," she requested. Albus nodded, and took Rose's hand as they walked back up to the castle. Pepper followed them with her eyes for a moment, watching as Grape introduced herself excitedly. The Pepper turned back to Madam Hooch. "Yes, ma'am?"
"You fly very well," Madam Hooch commended her. "If I were you, I would definitely consider trying out for the Gryffindor team." Pepper beamed at her compliment. Madam Hooch smiled and ushered her back towards the castle. As Pepper walked away, Madam Hooch cried out," You fly just like your mother!" Pepper stopped in her tracks and turned back to Madam Hooch. Her mother? Madam Hooch smiled at her, a little sadly, and turned to gather up the broomsticks.
In the Great Hall, Albus and Rose had saved her a seat right next to the hot sauce. Around her, all the other first years laughed and gossiped about their lessons that day, particularly their first flying lesson. Pepper didn't join them, wrapped as she was in her own thoughts. Madam Hooch had known her mother. Her mother had been a fly-er too, possibly a Quidditch player. Pepper smiled to herself. For the first time, the idea of her mother seemed real to her.
A/N - Thanks to E.M Blaine for commenting. You know, I never thought of Grape's and Pepper's names that way, but when you put them together, they do sound like an awesome band :) I'll definitely consider that for a band name if I ever go Hollywood ;)
