The next day was full of excitement amongst the first years. It seemed like everyone from every house was either talking about the upcoming Flight Lessons or bragging about their skills to anyone who listened. Purebloods, in particular, like to tell any muggle-born they come across of their childhood exploits.
"I'm telling you, Cho, I didn't know the helicopter was chasing after me until I saw those please-men with their weapons," said the formal voice of first year Ravenclaw, Michael Barnes.
Liz rolled her eyes as Cho gasped and leaned in for the rest of the story. What a fake!
"Everyone knows Barnes is too much of a coward to actually do any of those things. He can't even stand up to Longbottom when the boy asked him to stop blocking his way. One glare of pure aggravation and the boy took off crying for his mum," she grumbled under her breathe.
At her side, Nikki was quietly walking. Her face was drawn in a serious frown and her eyes stared blankly ahead in a thoughtful way. It was rare to see this expression on the girl's normally cheerful face and Liz asked in concern, "You alright there, Nikki?"
Nikki's frown deepened slightly and she said, "It's nothing Liz. I'm just worried about the lessons."
"But I thought you loved flying," replied Liz as she remembered the constant stream of stories her friend told her of her childhood exploits.
"I do...a bit," Nikki brushed a stray curls behind her ear with a sigh, "But these lessons are free for all first years to participate in. I mean, sure, it was divided evenly among the entire first year, but that means any Slytherins could be in this class. Including Dra- I mean, Malfoy."
"Still worried about him, huh?"
"Yes, of course I am. I haven't gotten a letter back from my parents yet, and only Theo has been talking to me. Pansy's still mad I chose you over her. And Malfoy's...just Malfoy."
Liz bumped her shoulder with her friend's. "Don't worry about it too much, Peacemaker. Even if Malfoy is there, you have me to distract you."
Nikki gave a teasing smile and said jokingly, "Just you?"
"Alright, so you also have Ginger and Scarface. And Merlin knows what Harry will do if his Pretty Bird gets hurt."
"Liz!"
"What?! It's true!"
"I TOLD YOU THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON BETWEEN ME AND HARBEAR, LIZ!"
Liz smirked at her friend's red face, "Oh, so Harry's turned from Lion to Harbear now?"
"Elizabeth-"
"There you two are! We thought you chickened out from coming," Ron's voice sounded from a few feet in front of them. The red-haired male stopped in front of them and raised an eyebrow while asked, "What's with the red-face and creepy grin?"
"What you talkin 'bout, Ginger?" Liz retorted. Ron huffed.
"You know, the creepy smile you're wearing right now. The one that looks like Dracula's smile?"
"Oh, this smile? You mean the one I'm wearing now?" She pointed to her lips in a innocent way.
"Didn't I just say that?"
"Oh, I'm just wearing this smile because I found out something interesting about Nikki." The mischievous giggles escaping her mouth did nothing but cause bystanders to shiver in fear.
"Oh? And what's that?" asked Harry curiously.
Nikki made a noise that sounded much like a mouse being stepped on. Liz's eyes glinted in the light and she paused a moment on purpose to see her friend squirm. Eventually she crossed her arms, shrugged, and replied, "Oh nothing. Just that she's afraid of heights."
"What?" came the whispered voice of Nikki's shock.
Liz nodded sadly as she said, "She's afraid of falling and making a fool of herself in front of Malfoy."
Harry nodded sympathetically while saying, "I know the feeling."
He placed a friendly hand on Nikki's shoulder and smiled at her, "Don't worry though. Ron, Liz, and I won't let you fall."
"I know, but I just really don't like heights," Nikki sent Liz a glare when she said this.
"It's okay, Nikki. If you fall, we'll catch you," Liz says as she takes in the scene before her.
"Thanks," Nikki mumbles, a strained smile dancing on her lips.
...oOo...
The lesson itself seemed to be moving on smoothly. After their teaching instructor gave them directions on riding their brooms, every member of the quartet managed to get their own in their hands on only a few tries. Ron and Nikki climbed onto theirs confidently, while Liz and Harry followed at an unsure pace. Liz sent Nikki a teasing smile as she said, "Don't worry, Nikki. Everything is going to just fine."
"Right," Nikki grumbled bitterly.
"Right! On my whistle, you will all take to the sky. Ready? One, Two-"
A sharp yell was heard as a Gryffindor 1st year, Longbottom, rose into the air before the whistle was blown. Nikki gasped as she saw him lose his grip on his broom and fall. Liz cringed when she heard the sound of the snapping bones.
The instructor hurried to his side and helped him to his feet. She clicked her tongue and gave the class a sharp glare, "None of you are to move while I take this boy to the Hospital Wing to fix his broken wrist. You leave these brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts faster than you can say 'Quidditch'".
Liz raised an eyebrow at the instructor's back and muttered, "Quidditch."
Nikki's attention was on something else though. Once again her cousin, Malfoy, was trying to cause trouble. Her eyes narrowed as she saw him bend down and pick something up from the spot where Longbottom fell. His mocking voice made everyone else's attention fly towards him. "The big oaf was so scared he fell from his broom onto his bum. 'Broken wrist' she says, serves him right. He didn't even notice he dropped his remembrall when he fell."
"What's a Remembrall?" whispered Liz to Nikki.
Her friend didn't answer, much too angered with her cousin. She stepped up to comfort him, but Harry spoke out before her. He was glaring and his voice was cold when he demanded, "Give me that, Malfoy."
Malfoy smirked cooly at him and said, "You want this, Potter? Then why don't you come and get it?"
He climbed onto his broom and took to the sky, hovering a good two meters from the ground. Harry took his challenge and followed his movements. He rose in the air and hovered in front of him with a darker glare, "You're not the only one who can fly, Malfoy. Now, give it back!"
Malfoy flew higher in the air and Harry followed still, demanding from Longbottom's Remembrall to be returned from the Slytherin's hand to his.
"Oh no, Harry." Nikki said in a worried tone out loud. Ron was shouting out encouragements to his friend at her side. Liz, however, was busy thinking of something else.
"Nikki," Liz said not looking away from the scene above, "Dig your heel into the ground."
"What?"
"Just do it," Liz said and Nikki looked at her confused but did she was told. Soon, dirt flew from the ground where she dug and Liz stopped her.
The raven bent down and dug in the small hole, finding mud a few inches down. Balling up the mud, she stood and aimed at Malfoy's head, "Hey, Malfoy!"
He turned his broom with a sneer and Liz chucked the ball of mud, laughing when it landed square in his face.
Malfoy screamed in surprise and dropped the remembrall, furiously wiping the mud from his eyes. Liz felt intense pride at her skills, but it soon dropped to fear when she sees Harry dive after the Remembrall.
Nikki screams in fright and clings to Liz's arm. Ron's face goes pale as he shouts out Harry's name. The gathered first years around them all varied in these reactions.
It was a miracle that Harry managed to pull up at the last second and land safely on the ground. Ron, Nikki, and Liz surrounded him at once. They looked him over for wounds, before starting to speak all at once.
"How can you be so reckless, you-" Nikki was saying.
"Harry, that's was so amazing! You-" Ron was yelling.
"If you ever try to do the bloody crap again, Potter, I will personally beat-" Liz was threatening.
"I can only understand one person at a time," Harry tried to say. "Can you guys just calm down for a second?"
"MR.POTTER!" thundered the voice of Professor McGonagall, the instructor of Transfiguration.
"Oh boy." groaned Liz as she saw the one woman she really despised for allowing Malfoy and Parkinson to put her through their crap.
"With me, NOW," the Professor said in a dangerous tone.
The trio immediately jumped to their friend's defense.
"It wasn't Harry's fault, Professor!"
"Enough, Mr. Weasley."
"But Malfoy-"
"Quiet, Ms. Collins."
"Listen, teach-"
"Hush, Ms. Myers."
Harry stopped his friends before they could get in trouble too. He gave them a smile and said, "Go on ahead, I'll only be a minute."
His tone of voice could've passed for confident, but his shaking knees and eyes told a different story.
"I feel useless," Nikki muttered as she watched him disappear into school with the Professor.
"So do I," Liz agreed, shaking the mud from her hands.
...oOo...
When the trio saw Harry entering the Great Hall at dinner, they immediately sat him down and ordered him to give them the details. The tale of what happened between him and Professor McGonagall was enough to cause each of their jaws to drop.
"SHE MADE YOU SEEKER!" Ron exploded.
Harry practically leaped to cover his mouth, blushing as the eyes of many turned to them. He gave Ron a glare after the curious eyes turned away and said quietly, "Don't shout like that. It's supposed to be a secret."
"Oh, sorry," the redhead apologize.
"So, what's this Quidditch? And a seeker?" questioned Liz as she stole a slice of meat from Ron's plate.
"Quidditch is Wizard's game played on broomsticks and by two separate teams. The object of the game is getting more points than the opposite team. You achieve this by sending multiple balls through a couple of hoops. A boring sport if you ask me." Nikki explained with a shrug. She was once again filling Harry's plate.
"You know I can feed myself, right?" Harry asked jokingly.
Nikki sent him a glare and said in a bitter tone, "I'm still mad at you, Potter, so don't think you're forgiven."
"Nikki, you're the embodiment of forgiveness." said Liz in a dry tone.
Nikki crossed her arms with a pout, "I am not."
"Yes, you are," retorted Ron.
The gentle raven opened her mouth to argue again, but was cut off by a drawling voice saying, "Eating a last meal, Potter?"
Liz scowled when she saw Malfoy coming towards them with two beefy goons at his side. She set her chin on the palm of her hand and snorted, "Coming to try to get a few flying tips, Malfoy?"
Ron snickered.
Turning pink around his ears, Malfoy glowered at her and turned back to his rival. He asked, "So what's your verdict? Leaving Hogwarts tomorrow morning, are you?"
"Verdict?" questioned Liz. "Do you mean punishment? How old are you to use those words? Sixty?"
Harry, ignoring Liz's comment, gave Malfoy a radiant smile as he replied, "Actually Malfoy, I'm staying. The Professor only wanted to tell me that I did a good job taking a blonde prat, and that I should keep doing it. Thanks to you, I managed to get Gryffindor another ten points."
"Oh yes, cousin, you've helped Harry alot. Thank you for that." said Nikki bravely.
Malfoy glared at her darkly and said angrily, "Points?! You've gotten points for almost breaking your neck?"
"You've gotten into Hogwarts even though you perved on me. You...you really don't have room to talk, Malfoy."
"Liz." Nikki scolded.
"Just saying." Liz muttered in her goblet.
"-a Wizard's Duel, then!" Draco was saying with a wide smirk. "Wands only - no contact."
"Where the bloody hell did a Wizard's Duel come from?! I thought we talking about you perving on me!" Liz exclaimed in confusion.
"You missed alot..." Ron muttered next to her.
"What? Never heard a Wizard's Duel before?" Malfoy taunted.
"Of course he has." Ron snapped as he stood to his friend's defense. "I'm his second. Who's yours?"
Malfoy turned to his goons and looked them over. He smirked and replied, "Crabbbe. We'll meet in the Trophy Room. Collins, here, will be the Peacemaker."
"She is Peacemaker, idiot," Liz said while rolling her eyes.
Malfoy looked confused. "What?"
"Her nickname. It's Peacemaker," she explained.
"I thought it was Discordia."
"Too complicated. And she's a good guy, not bad."
"To your mind, she might be. But in reality, she's turning her back to tradition."
"Who cares about tradition? She's your cousin."
"What does our relation have to do with anything?"
Liz huffs and crosses her arms. "Tradition can only go so far. Blood of a family can stretch generations. Cousin or not, you have to love her for her flaws and truths. Your family."
"Of course you would bring up blood. Your blood is filthy."
"I rather have filthy blood than turn my back on family, tradition or not," Liz said simply, no sarcastic tone or sneer on her face.
Liz was serious.
A brief silence spread over them before the blonde-haired Slytherin left quietly. Liz stared at his back, frowning. Unseen by her eyes, Draco was frowning as well. His eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"...So are you going to eat that?" Ron asks as he reached for her plate. He yelped and pulled back as fast as he could when a fork came down with frightening accuracy.
"Try it and you die," Liz growled dangerously.
"Okay, okay! You want it, you want it! I was only asking because you always take mine!"
"Your wants are irrelevant to me. Take my food again, and I'll make the devil look like a saint."
Roses are red, violets are blue. Take Liz's food, and she'll end you ;-)
