Alright everybody! I have a proposition to make this week!
As everyone who has reviewed or has tried to review knows, I don't accept anonymous reviews.
However...!
The next chapter I post? Anonymous reviewers will be able to comment for one week ONLY! So be ready by next Friday to review, everyone!
Harry and Hermione were the focus that week. The Slytherins weren't so impressive as the Boy-Who-Lived (Aileen hated that name) saving the bookworm from a troll. As rumor tends to do, the tales got taller with each telling, until the Gryffindor first years were convinced that Harry had faced off with the troll in a girl's bathroom and single-handedly defeated it, with Hermione as the Damsel-in-Distress behind him. Aileen just snorted when she heard that tale.
It didn't help that Ronald Weasley kept saying that he was the one who had brought down the troll and that he had seen the whole thing. Harry finally cornered him and set him straight, using a bit of Slytherin shrewdness to clearly tell him that if he wanted to be Harry's friend he would have to knock off the false rumors first.
The dates for flying lessons were finally posted. Harry was thrilled; Hermione, not so much. All the first years in Hogwarts would be sharing a lesson, to the chagrin of Gryffindor and Slytherin.
"Look at it this way," Harry said reasonibly when Draco complained, "it could be worse. It could be Slytherin and Gryffindor first years in their own class..." Draco shuddered and shut up after that.
Harry and Hermione walked down to the Quidditch pitch together. Hermione was nervously babbling on and on about all sorts of Quidditch related stuff, until Harry stopped her and turned her around to face him.
"Hermione," he said quietly, eyes calmly looking into her own, "you'll be fine."
"But- how can you know? You haven't read ANY books on the subject, you haven't studied-"
Harry cut her off with a gentle touch of his hand on hers. Aileen smiled a bit as he said gently, "Hermione, I hate to break it to you but you can't study for Quidditch. You can't read how to fly a broom. It's instinct; either you can fly or you can't. If you can't fly, then don't worry about it."
Hermione paused for a moment, seemingly crestfallen at the revelation. Then, slowly, she nodded, and her hand slunk up to meet Harry's. He took it shyly and together they walked to the Quidditch pitch.
Aileen felt like she was on top of the world.
All the first years were lined up next to the brooms when Harry and Hermione left the building. They reluctantly released hands and stood next to each other. Aileen landed on the grass to watch.
Madam Hooch, a woman with short, wispy grey hair and a harsh nose, was a no-nonsense kind of woman. Aileen watched as she told the first years to say up, and she watched delightedly as Harry's broom sprang into his hand. Ron Weasley's broom hit him in the face, to the snickers of a few. Aileen watched Harry closely to see his reaction, but he gave a non-descript glance at Ron and returned to helping the people around him.
Eventually everyone held their brooms in their hands. Madam Hooch ordered them to get off the ground on her whistle. "Three, two-"
A scream echoed across the courtyard. Aileen whirled around and watched in horror as Hannah Abbott slowly rose upwards. She looked about ready to faint as she hovered about 10 feet off the ground.
"Come back down here, girl!" Madam Hooch shouted worriedly.
"Harry, don't-"
Could angels get whiplash? They certainly could get headaches, Aileen thought, as she watched Harry push off the ground to join Hannah.
She took off, floating close to him, ready to halt any incidents. As it turned out, she needn't have worried. Harry was a pro.
He hovered next to Hannah, calmly. "Calm down Hannah, you're not going to fall. Just listen."
"But Harry-" Hannah whimpered.
"Hush," Harry said, a bit sharply, but Aileen understood. "You aren't going to fall. Got that?"
"I... I think so," Hannah said. Her voice sounded stronger.
"Good. Now, this will be scary, but I want you to gently- gently now!- tilt your broom towards the ground. Just a little." Harry slowly demonstrated and smiled as Hannah nodded, gulped, and took the leap of faith.
Slowly, she tilted her broom down. The reliable old Cleansweep Seven- one of the only such ones in the school- responded, and without further ado, Hannah and Harry landed.
The tightly held breath of the grounded viewers was let out. Hermione exploded in cheers and ran to hug her best friend as Aileen showered invisible golden sparks on him, laughing.
Hannah wobbled, relieved, as Neville ran forward to help her to her housemates. One girl from Hufflepuff ventured forward slowly.
"Thanks, Harry. I'm Susan Bones." Susan put her hand out, exuding confidence. Harry shook it.
"It's okay, no need to thank me. I just did what any friend would have done," he said calmly.
Save the date: Anonymous reviews allowed next week!