AN: Nope, still got boy parts… so it is highly improbable that I am the owner of Harry Potter. I am however, very grateful said owner allows us to build our sandcastles from her sand. Thank You JKR. (Even though I think you totally missed the boat when you shipped Harry and Ginny…. ;) )

Chapter Ten

Flying Tiger

Harry was spending more and more time in front of Merlin's portrait. At first it was only an hour or so per day. Between curfew, classes and studying, there was not enough time. He had found his juggling improving. Merlin would demonstrate a new technique and then practice it while Harry tried to master it. Until the new technique was mastered, Merlin would not show anything else. It was extremely frustrating, but likewise an interesting challenge. It was also paying off during his evenings in the common room, garnering even more attention… especially since Professor Flitwick explained many master duelers used eye-hand hobbies to improve their dueling skills.

Now the upper years were looking at Harry as if they were gauging just how dangerous he would be when he learned to duel. It was kind of creepy! All the time Dudley had forced him to spend in the park had helped Harry 'get over' being the center of attention. But when upper year students looked at him as if evaluating whether they should establish their reputations by beating him now, while they still could… Yep… definitely creepy!

Add to all that, being the youngest seeker in a century, and Harry had all the attention he could handle and then some.

And of course, his additional elevation into the limelight could be laid firmly at Draco's feet…

Ravenclaw and Gryffindor had the first flying class. Things did not go as Madame Hooch had planned. After the various stories had been sorted out, it seemed three Gryffs had engaged in some horseplay. While the official reports did not indicate which students were directly involved, the infirmary did admit Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, and Ronald Weasley for various broken bits.

Rumor had it, Ron used a high speed pass (which was definitely against the rules for the class) to swipe Hermione's hat. While Hermione attempted to get Madame Hooch's attention, Ron had recruited Seamus and Dean into a game of keep-away. They got frustrated that Hermione refused to chase them, so they began trying to strip it from each other before flying off with it. Just as Madame Hooch started to yell at them for ignoring the rules, they managed to collide and exceeded the tolerances of the old brooms causing all three to plummet to earth on their way to some quality time with Madame Pomfrey.

Hooch had tried to get Ron expelled and the other two suspended; and failing that settled for all three getting a week's suspension. Unfortunately, although the Gryffindor Head of House agreed to the suspensions, the Headmaster did not, commuting the suspensions to time served in the infirmary and the pain of their injuries as sufficient punishment. His, "Boys will be boys" did nothing to sooth the furious flying instructor.

When Slytherin and Hufflepuff had their first flying lesson the next day, Madame Hooch spent the first thirty minutes of the allotted instruction time explaining exactly what was expected of every student and her intention to punish any transgressions harshly BEFORE mentioning any incident to the Headmaster. Filch stood to the side with a wide grin and what looked like thumbscrews attached to several feet of sturdy chain. Filch's grin slowly faded and eventually becoming a grimace of disgust: the students' behavior was exemplary under this obvious threat.

Each student achieved the required proficiency, minimal though it was: stand, call your broom, lift off and hover. Madame Hooch was smiling again. Since they had been so attentive and performed so well, there was additional class time remaining. As Filch stomped off, rattling his chains as he went, Madame Hooch decided to reward the class.

Madame Hooch took a deep breath before calling loudly, "Your lesson is complete. Those wishing to gain more experience flying may stay. The rest may return to the castle."

"Those wishing to fly, please mount your broom and do exactly as I do. Those choosing to act out will be grounded and given detention with Mr. Filch. Very well, follow me."

Madame Hooch led them around the Quidditch field several times, satisfied with the behavior before calling out, "Free play! Nothing dangerous. If you have to wonder if it might be dangerous, Don't Do It! Enjoy!" Madame Hooch hovered above centerpitch, watching the students with only mild trepidation.

Draco decided this would be a good time to assert his leadership without stepping on Harry's toes. After all, Harry had grown up without magic, and this was his first time on a broom, so expectations were low.

"Follow the leader!" Draco shouted as he raced off (well, as fast as a school broom older than his father could manage) toward the other end of the Quidditch pitch.

Crabbe and Goyle knew Draco well and had pointed their brooms in the same direction as his, even before he called out the game. This allowed them to be just barely behind Draco, fanning out to form a simple wedge formation.

Several 'Puffs had already noted Draco's skill and sincerely doubted they could keep up with whatever he would try. These wise Puffs retired from the field as others, including Harry, chased Draco.

Draco stopped at the far rings, waiting for everyone to arrive before waggling his eyebrows, "I will attempt a trick. Everyone else will then try it. If I fail the trick, then I am no longer leader. If anyone else can successfully pull of that same trick, they become the leader. Anyone who cannot perform the trick, or doesn't want to try, is grounded for the rest of the game. Any questions?"

No one had any.

"Very well. First trick. Two handed sloth roll." Draco said as he demonstrated the technique flawlessly. A relatively simple trick in Draco's mind, yet Longbottom and Smith drifted away to watch from the sidelines. Everyone else did ok. A few didn't quite throw themselves hard enough to completely rotate, but a hard jerk brought the broom back under them. 'Close enough for first years,' Draco thought condescendingly.

"Next trick. Fly through a hoop."

Draco noted the smirk on Nott's face. He obviously knew what was going to happen.

Draco flew through at his broom's fastest speed, leaning low on his broom and his head almost brushing the top of the hoop.

Nott followed quickly, barrel rolling through the exact center at half speed.

Blaise was not so lucky. Flying through at half speed, he suddenly dove straight at the ground, recovering just enough not to slam into the ground.

"Out" Draco jeered.

Macmillan made his run. Ernie decided speed was the issue; too slow and you crash. So, he made his run dead center at speed, but he still ended up hitting the ground, just not at as steep an angle as Blaise had.

"Out!" Draco laughed.

After the ring, only Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Draco, Harry and Hopkins were still playing.

Draco pulled out two galleons, flew to a spot 50 feet from the hoops and laid them down shoulder length apart.

"Next trick, we are combining moves. Through a hoop, two handed sloth roll, landing on the galleons here. Your feet must cover both galleons completely for it to count."

Draco immediately mounted his broom, flew high behind the goals, turned and dived straight through, immediately sloth rolling, before slamming into the ground on both feet. Inwardly groaning at the stress on his knees, he checked both feet to assure he had covered the galleons completely. He had.

Only Draco, Harry, Crabbe, and Goyle completed this trick. Nott had half a galleon visible on his left and Hopkins managed to miss the right galleon entirely.

The Malfoy heir was becoming increasingly wary of Harry. No one is that good on their very first day of lessons!

So far Harry had managed all the tricks with an effortless grace that made Draco slightly envious. Harry claimed today was his first time on a broom. If true, then Harry was a natural.

Draco's first flying lesson had been at age 4 and he had flown daily since. He decided it was time to push and see if Harry was a novice with aptitude or something else.

"One handed sloth roll, just above the pitch. If your hair doesn't touch the grass, you didn't do it right!" Draco laughed as he dove toward the pitch, performing the roll while waving at Harry with his free hand.

Crabbe and Goyle looked nervous, but tried. Neither succeeded. Crabbe's hair didn't touch the grass and Goyle's hair touch… a little too much. As Goyle started his roll it became immediately apparent he did not have enough height. Instead of pulling tight to his broom, he tried to prevent his head hitting the ground by pushing against the ground with his free hand. Bad move! His had provided a pivot for his momentum, placing the broom in a flat spin as it plummeted the remaining inches to the ground. Even the intended purpose of sacrificing his hand (everyone heard the wrist snap!) was not achieved as the side of his head was snapped back in the process of providing the pitch with a new divot.

Madame Hooch was moving as soon as the accident was inevitable, before the damage was actually done.

"HOLD!" She cried as her broom rocketed to Goyle.

Jumping off her broom she knelt beside Goyle, checking his vital signs with her wand and breathing a sigh of relief as she verified he was still alive. Levitating him, she ran toward the castle, yelling behind her, "Ground your brooms now!"

Draco was in a quandary. He really wanted to know if Harry could do that trick, but not badly enough to try to get him into trouble. He was not to be in disappointed long.

Harry dropped his broom above the pitch, heading for the other students already grounded. With a mighty "WOOHOO" he threw his weight to the side, performing one, two, three perfect one handed sloth rolls, before pulling back hard on his broom. The poor broom shuddered as its momentum was dissipated by the maneuver, dropping Harry lightly to his feet beside the other students. Picking grass from his hair, he looked around at the students who stood there gaping at him in silence.

"What?" Harry asked innocently. "I landed immediately. Just like Madame Hooch said."

Draco shook his head in disbelief. "You are certain this is your first time on a broom?"

Harry just nodded enthusiastically, as though Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and his birthday had all come at once.

It was definitely time for Draco to write another letter to his father.

AN: Short chapter, but I hate cliffies and adding to this would cause one. I will try to get another chapter out in a couple of days to make up for the shortness of this one.
Also: I am aware the students rarely wear hats. I needed Hermione to have something easily stolen for a game of keep away. Assume she was making a 'muggle-joke' about witches, tall hats and brooms. :D