It was the fifteenth of November: just over two weeks before Leo and Marisa's shared birthdays. Marisa still wasn't speaking to Leo, and he was missing his closest friend.
He needed to do something to make her forgive him. If he could find a truly spectacular birthday present…
Then he had a brilliant idea. It was, of course, against the rules, but rules didn't bother Leo that much. He just needed a plan…
"Draco," he said, "can I borrow your copy of Which Broomstick?"
Draco glanced up from his Potions assignment. "What? Err – yeah, sure. It's in my trunk."
Leo smiled. His assumption that Draco wouldn't ask any awkward questions like "Why on earth would you want to do that when you hate flying?" had been correct.
He hurried upstairs to the boys' dormitory and began fishing around in Draco's trunk until he found the magazine. He jotted down a number on a piece of parchment and then put Draco's things neatly back in.
Leo stood up and headed to the seventh floor. He had an owl to send.
Two or three days later at breakfast, an owl arrived with a large, suspiciously broomstick-shaped parcel. Professor McGonagall was at the table the moment the owl had flown off.
"Mr Asriel, is that a broomstick?"
"Looks like it," replied Leo. "Not sure why I've got it, though. I definitely didn't order one."
"Then how – "
"I guess it's just an administrative error. You know I hate flying, Professor, there's no way I'd order a broomstick."
"I'm afraid I'll have to confiscate it and send it back," said Professor McGonagall sternly.
"There's no need to do that, Professor," said Leo, slightly nervously. This was the biggest flaw in his plan. "I'll send it back myself as soon as breakfast has finished."
She looked at him through her glasses for a long moment, clearly trying to perceive his intentions. Finally, she said, "Very well. But if I find that you have betrayed my trust, the consequences will be severe."