Seeing Double

~~~~~L~~~~~~~

After I left Dumbledore's office, I ran into Nearly Headless Nick, who kindly pointed me in the right direction to my class. I got there just in time, sliding in a seat in between Sam and Nell that they had saved for me.

"Hey," Sam whispered. "That seat was for someone else."

Nell looked at my Gryffindor badge curiously.

"For who?" I asked.

"Her name's Elizabeth."

"Wha-" Oh crap. This was going to take some major explaining. I had forgotten I looked different now.

Nell whispered, "I don't remember you from last night. Uh, have we met?"

"Yes, of course, um... Let me explain."

Sam and Nell looked confused but before I could say anything, the teacher glared in our direction and we quickly hushed up.

After the class was over, I explained everything that happened in the meeting with Dumbledore. They had a hard time believing me (I couldn't blame them. I did too), but I told them that the dolls back in our dormitory were real people, and only Sam, Nell and I knew that. Then they had to believe me.

Soon, we found out to watch out for Mrs. Norris, a scrawny dust-colored cat with huge bulging eyes, who was the caretaker, Filch's cat. If anyone broke a rule in front of her, she'd run off for Filch, who would appear just a few seconds later. Every student hated the two of them.

There were 142 staircases in the castle. Some were wide, sweeping ones, others narrow and rickety, some that led somewhere different on a Friday, and some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. I'd forgotten a few times. Let me tell you, it's quite frightening.

Everything seemed to move. The people in the portraits that hung on the walls kept going to visit each other and the coasts of armor seemed to be able to walk.

The doors were tricky too. Some wouldn't open unless you asked politely or tickled them in exactly the right place. Then there were the doors that weren't really doors at all; they were just walls pretending. Ghosts would glide through doors we were trying to open.

Nearly Headless Nick would help Gryffindors in the right direction like he had to me on my first day. However, Peeves the Poltergeist would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!" He did this to me as I tried to get to History of Magic, easily the most boring taught class, taught by a ghost, Professor Binns. He droned on and on while we scribbled down dates and names.

Every Wednesday at midnight, we had to study the night skies through different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week, we went down to the greenhouses behind the castle with Professor Sprout to study Herbology, where we learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for. In Charms, as Professor Flitwick (who was so tiny he had to stand on a pile of books just to see over his desk) was taking the roll call, he said Harry Potter's name, squeaked, and fell off his book stack.

Professor McGonagall was the Transfiguration teacher. She was strict and clever. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned," she said. Then she turned her desk into a pig and back again. But I soon realized we wouldn't be doing that sort of thing for a while. We took a lot of complicated notes and then were given a match. We were supposed to try and turn it into a needle. Hermione had been the only one to do this.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a bit of a joke with Professor Quirrell teaching. He seemed too nervous to teach anything, and it was hard to understand what he was saying with all his stuttering.

Potions took place in one of the dungeons. It was cold and creepy, especially with the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. The teacher was Professor Snape. First he gave a little speech and then proceeded to give Harry a very hard time and did not seem fair at all. I disliked him already.

He then put us in pairs. We had to mix a simple potion to cure boils. He criticized almost everyone except that boy, Draco, that we had met on the Hogwarts Express. A boy named Neville somehow managed to melt Seamus Finnigan's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor. With a shock, I noticed it had burned a hole in my shoe. People all across the room were jumping up, shocked, noticing what I had just noticed.

Poor Neville moaned as red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs. Snape yelled at him and then told Seamus to bring Neville to the hospital wing. Then he blamed Harry for it and took off a point for Gryffindor.

One day there was a sign notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday with the Slytherins. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. It sounded fun.

Hermione and Neville were very nervous. Hermione had checked a book, Quidditch Through the Ages, out from the library and bored us all with stupid flying tips. The mail arrived by owl, interrupting Hermione. I wasn't the only one who was pleased by this.

Neville received something called a Remembrall, which told you if you'd forgotten something. Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Malfoy grabbed it and Harry and Ron immediately jumped to their feet. Professor McGonagall was there in a flash. Malfoy scowled and dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

At 3:30, the Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for our first flying lesson. The Slytherins were already there. Maddam Hooch, our teacher, arrived.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up. Stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'Up!'"

"Up!" I commanded along with everyone else.

Right away, the broomstick flew into my hand. I looked up to see Harry Potter's broom had risen at the same time as mine. Next, Draco Malfoy's rose. The rest had trouble. Hermione's rolled over on the ground and Neville's hadn't moved at all.

After everyone eventually was holding a broom, Madam Hooch showed us how to mount our brooms without sliding off the end and walked up and down the rows, correcting our grips.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two -"

Neville was so nervous, jumpy and frightened, he pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

I had a sudden urge to blink, and when I did, I saw images flash before me: Neville face down on the ground; Madam Hooch walking a white faced Neville towards the castle, clutching his wrist; Malfoy and Harry flying up in the air; Professor McGonagall running out onto the grounds, furious...

When I blinked again, Neville was falling from 20 feet in the air. With a thud and a crack, Neville was face down on the grass. But... What had just happened? That hadn't happened twice... Had it?

"Again?" I whispered, wincing at the crack of Neville's wrist breaking.

"What do you mean, again?" Sam stared at me.

"Well, that just happened a few seconds before... the second time," I stated. Hadn't they seen it too? "Right?" I asked.

"Nooo..." Nell said, seeming to question my sanity.

Madam Hooch helped Neville get up and then turned to us. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You will leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

They walked back towards the castle again.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Malfoy laughed.

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said a Slytherin girl whose name was Pansy Parkinson. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"You shut your mouth!" I hissed.

Before Pansy could come back at me or for me to realize what I'd just done, Malfoy darted forward and snatched something out of the grass saying, "Look! It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." He held it up.

"Give it here, Malfoy," Harry Potter said quietly.

Everyone stopped talking to watch. They were going to fly again, I was sure of it.

Malfoy smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up in a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off.

He hovered level with the highest branches of an oak tree and called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"Knew it," I muttered.

"What?" Nell asked.

"Nothing," I said, knowing what she would say if I told her I'd seen his happen twice, too.

"No!" Hermione shouted. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all in trouble."

But Harry ignored her and soared up. I had a feeling McGonagall would show up again. I thought maybe I could get them down before it happened again. Remembering her furious face, I mounted my broom and kicked off the ground.

"Not you too!" Hermione moaned.

I chased Harry up as he flew up to Malfoy. With a surprising feeling of joy, I realized how fun this was. It was easy. I could do this without being taught! Apparently, Harry could too. He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy. When they saw me, they both looked confused.

"You're acting like idiots, both of you. You should get down before someone catches you," I said, somewhat calmly.

Harry looked annoyed at me and both looked like they could care less if they got caught at the moment.

Malfoy smirked at me, ready to say something, but Harry called to Malfoy, "Give it here or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh yeah?" Malfoy was trying to sneer. He looked worried though.

Harry leaned forward and shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only got out of the way just in time. Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people clapped below. I was watching both of them closely.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

"Catch it if you can, then!" Malfoy yelled, and tried to throw the Remembrall at the tree trunk, but I was too quick.

I blocked it with a gentle turn so the Remembrall hit the end of my broom lightly and started to fall towards the ground. Malfoy had already landed safely on the ground.

"Catch it, Harry!" I yelled, but he was already chasing after it.

He stretched out his hand. A foot from the ground he caught it just in time to straighten his broom. He toppled gently on the grass.

"Damn," I stared wide eyed, flying faster now. "I'm an idiot."

"HARRY POTTER!" Professor McGonagall was running towards the class on the ground below. He got to his feet. "Never - in all my time at Hogwarts - how dare you - might have broken your neck -"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor -" I heard this as I got closer to them.

"Be quiet, Miss Patil -"

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now. You too, Mertonna," she added as I landed smoothly on the ground.

Neither Harry or I looked at each other as we followed Professor McGonagall towards the castle. What was going to happen? Would I really be expelled already? So much had happened in less than two weeks. I hadn't even lasted two weeks...

We followed McGonagall up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, but she still hadn't spoken. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry and I trailing miserably behind her. Maybe she would be taking us to Dumbledore... Maybe he would understand! No, probably not... I had disobeyed a teacher.

I had the urge to blink again and a fifth year boy stood before me. In the background, McGonagall was no longer looking furious. I blinked again and he was gone.

Professor McGonagall and Harry had stopped outside a classroom. I had stopped walking when I saw the boy. What was going on with me? But I put that thought aside as she opened the door and poked her head inside. I hurried over.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

Seconds later, the boy I had just seen came out of Flitwick's class, looking confused.

"Follow me, all of you," Professor said, and we marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry and me. "In here."

She pointed us into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on a blackboard.

"Out Peeves!" Professor McGonagall barked.

Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out, cursing. She slammed the door behind him and turned to face us.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight. "Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said McGonagall. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?" Harry nodded. "He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty foot dive," she continued. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood looked like all his dreams suddenly came true. "Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in the last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..." She peered sternly over her glasses at Harry. "I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you." Then she suddenly smiled. "Your father would have been proud. He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

After Harry left, she finally addressed me. "Your flying was excellent as well. No doubt your father taught you?"

"What?" I asked, bewildered. "No, I've never been on a broomstick before. I'm muggle born," I added.

For a second, she looked confused, but then she said, "I must've mistaken you for someone else." Then her tone of voice changed. "Wood, this is Mertonna. You should've seen her fly too. A natural, as well, I suppose. She would've made a great Keeper."

Wood examined me too. "Hmm... not exactly built for a Keeper..."

"Oh, Wood! It wouldn't matter. She blocked the Remembrall from hitting the tree and shot it away so Potter could catch it." He looked excited again. "Just someone to keep in mind for after you leave Hogwarts," she suggested. Then she smiled. "Great flying, Mertonna."

Hope you like it! I know it has a lot of stuff from the original book in this chapter, and I was going to add something else to the end of it, but it was too long, so I decided to cut it off here. The next chapter is almost ready and should be up in a day or two! :)