Memories & the Stone
By harryginnyfan91
First Time Flying
September 13th, 1991
Over the next week Harry and his friends developed a routine. On Monday morning there was a posting that this Thursday Flying Lessons would begin. Harry couldn't begin to express how excited he was about being on a broom.
He thought back to his very first and last time on a broom. He was only a year old at the time but there was no greater pleasure than chasing Snitch the Potter family cat around the house on the little broom he had received for Christmas his first year of life. He found himself wondering what had ever happened to the animal after his parents' death.
Standing out on the pitch on Thursday afternoon he listened as Draco Malfoy bragged about how he's been flying for years and how Hermione had read every book she could find on the subject.
"Hermione," Harry said looking over at the girl who although she had every book she could get her hands on was shaking in her shoes. "Flying isn't about know everything there is to know about the subject. It's more about feeling than understanding."
Hermione gave Harry what he could only describe as a hateful look and Harry was surprised to see it on a future friends face. He was worried about the potential friendship. Had he somehow ruined the chance of being her friend? Was there a chance anymore? What had he done?"
"How would you know?" She asked snidely to Harry. "You were raised the same as I by muggles."
"I know because unlike you the first year of my life I lived with my parents. For my first Christmas I received a broomstick. A child broomstick, it didn't do much than hover a few feet off the ground but I remember fly along the floor chasing my family cat while my father chased after me and my mother laughed. I believe I knocked over a vase once, my mother didn't bother repairing it because she didn't like it. That is how I know." Harry turned away from Hermione and Ron and Neville looked at him in shock.
"Do you really remember that far back?" Ron asked quietly.
Harry nodded and then sighed before he shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not one hundred percent positive but I like to believe that it did happen because I have so few memories of my family. I'd like to think that we were happy."
After that Harry was quiet as Madam Hooch approached the field. She didn't introduce herself or anything of the sort just jumped right into the subject.
"What are you all waiting for?" she said, "step up to a broom and hold your hand out over it and say in a firm strong voice, up."
Harry did as he was told and the broom jump right into his hand. It was one of the few that did. Neville's broom didn't move at all, Ron's had swung up and smacked him in the nose, and Hermione's broom merely rolled over as if it was tired and lazy.
Madam Hooch show them all how to grip their brooms without them sliding right of the end. Harry, Ron, and Neville all shared a laugh when she informed Malfoy that he had in fact been doing it wrong for years.
Before they were to take off Harry put a hand on Neville's shoulder and said, "Relax, the brooms can smell fear." Ron snorted at that. Neville did seem to relax a bit and gave a shaky laugh.
"On my whistle kick off the ground, hoover for a bit, and then lean forward a bit to land." Madam Hooch said and then she blew her whistle.
Harry was only about five feet off the ground but the feeling was amazing. His instincts were screaming for him to go higher and truly experience the wonder of flying. He closed his eyes and he pictured himself up high in the sky, flying with the clouds.
"James Potter!" Harry heard and when he opened his eyes he was flying with someone behind him. He looked back and it was his dad. "James Ignotus Potter!" Harry heard the voice call out again and he looked down and there was his mother scowling up at them.
"Don't worry buddy, Daddy's got you." James said and went into a steep dive and Harry gave a little giggle.
Harry was knocked out of his memory when he heard, "Mr. Longbottom get back down here!"
He looked over and seen that Neville had down what everyone else had and kicked off but instead of just hoovering he continued to rise high into the sky. Harry took off after him and flew up next to him as Madam Hooch yelled for him to come back down.
Neville started to slide off his broom when Harry got up next to him. Harry took his hand off his own broom and reached over and steadied Neville's. "Correct your grip!" Harry called out over the wind and Neville quickly corrected the grip to what he had been taught.
Harry gave Neville's broom and slight shove in a downward direction told Neville to lean forward slightly. Neville did as he was told and the broom that Harry was still controlling made its way down to the ground.
"You okay, mate?" Harry asked once they reached the ground and Neville fell to the ground. Neville shook his head as Madam Hooch rushed over to them white faced.
"I don't feel too well," Neville said before he passed out hitting his head on a nearby rock.
Madam Hooch gave Harry a bit of a funny look before she addressed the rest of the class. "I am going to take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. You all are to stay with your feet planted firmly on the ground or you'll find yourselves out of Hogwarts before you can say quiddich." Harry nodded along with most of the class and she promptly pointed her wand at the unconscious Neville and he lifted into the air floated in front of the professor.
When they were out of sight Draco Malfoy bent down and pick up the remembrall Neville had received in the post that morning from his grandmother.
"Give it to me, Draco." Harry said looking at the young Slytherin. "I will give it back to Neville."
Malfoy pulled the remembrall closer to him and looked at Harry. "Didn't know we were on a first name basis Potter. About this I don't think so. I think I'll leave it for Longbottom to find. How about in a tree?" Malfoy hopped onto his broom and took to the sky.
Harry took off right behind him. "Give it here Malfoy!" Harry screamed but Malfoy gave Harry a disgusted look and threw Neville's remembrall with all his might right towards the sleeping willow tree. Harry didn't even think as he took off in the direction of the Willow. Harry had to admit that Malfoy had quite an arm on him because the remembrall flew within the willows reach.
The willow came to life and Harry didn't even think as he dodged the branches and caught the little ball. Harry swerved in between the snapping branches of the tree before he finally managed his way out and back to the field. Everyone cheered when Harry landed and held up the little ball.
"Harry James Potter!" A voice Harry recognized as Professor McGonagall's bellowed from behind him. He froze in fear before Hermione grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around by force. "Never in all my years at Hogwarts!" She screeched as she reached the class. "You will follow me." When Harry didn't immediately follow her she turned back for a moment and said in a voice that for some reason invoked a sense of fear in him. "Now!"
Harry followed Professor McGonagall as she flew through the halls all the way to the Charms classroom.
"Excuse me Professor Flitwick but could I borrow Wood for a minute?" She asked through the door. Wood turned out to be a person, a fifth year Gryffindor to be exact. "Both of you, follow me," she said to the two confused students.
She reached an unoccupied classroom where Peeves, the schools poltergeist was busy writing rude words on the blackboard. "Out!" Professor McGonagall sternly told the poltergeist. Peeves cursed and threw the chalk he was holding into the bin and swooped out of the room. McGonagall closed the door behind him and turned to the boys.
"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. He is the Captain of the Gryffindor quiddich team." She explained to Harry before she turned to Wood. "Wood, this is Harry Potter, your new seeker."
Oliver's face went from one of confusion to delight.
"The boy's a natural." McGonagall continued. "Was that your first time on a broom Mr. Potter?"
Harry gave a small nod. "Well, sort of," he explained. "I remember my dad used to take me up, drove mom absolutely bonkers. I also had a small broom when I was little. It didn't go very high or fast but it was fun chasing the cat around."
McGonagall and a look of nostalgia on her face as she smiled sadly down at Harry. "Its sound like something James Potter would do." She said quietly before shaking her head and saying, "I expect to hear that you are training hard or I may rethink punishing you." Harry nodded.
Oliver and Harry made a time to meet that night after dinner so he could learn the basics of the game.
That night at dinner, Malfoy approached the Gryffindor table and snidely asked if Harry was having a last meal. Harry told him that he was a lot braver on the ground with his 'little' friend beside him.
Malfoy challenged Harry to a Wizard's duel. Before Harry could ask what it was Ron had opened his mouth and told Malfoy that he was Harry second. Harry was is a daze as Malfoy sized up his two friends before deciding upon Crabbe. He set a time of midnight in the trophy room and left before Harry could say anything.
"I can't believe you two," Hermione said across from them. "You can't go wondering around the school at night. You'll get into so much trouble."
Harry looked at her and shook his head before saying, "Not that it's any of your business but we're not going. I know people like Malfoy, they are all talk. He'll probably tell a teacher hoping to get us in trouble. I would appreciate if you would let me say something. The both of you really need to let me speak for myself."
Harry got up from the table and left them both sitting there as he headed down to the pitch to meet Wood.
