The wind in my hair, my robes whipping behind me, the sense of freedom,
there was no better feeling in the world. I loved it! I was at Quidditch
try-outs, just as I told Hermione that I would. As luck would have it, I
was the only one trying out for seeker. I guess the Gryffindor Keeper and
Captain, Oliver Wood, was very picky about his team.
"Fred, George, stop playing with the bludgers! You'll lose them one day!" shouted Wood.
Fred and George are Ron's older twin brothers. They're the team Beaters and by just watching them, I can see that they're good.
"Aletta, let's see you as Seeker." yelled Oliver.
"OK!" I yelled back. Since I was a first year and a muggle born, he gave me a short riding lesson, and then let me to fly around on my own.
Oliver flew over with a bucket of golf balls and started tossing them to me. After I got used to that, he backed up a bit and threw them as hard as he could in all different directions. I missed one, just one, and that was all. At the end of the try-out, Oliver gave a little speech about how great we were going to be this year and that he was looking forward to playing with us.
"Positions will be posted in the commons in about a week," he said, ending his speech. "Aletta, can I see you for a moment?"
I walked over to where Wood was standing, a little nervous.
"You are the only first year to try out this year. Usually I don't take first years because they have yet to have flying lessons with Madam Hooch. But, you were the only one to try out for Seeker, and you were very good at that. I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of you in the season." He said smiling.
I just nodded and walked to the broom storage to put the Shooting Star the school had lent me away.
As soon as I stepped off of the Quidditch field, Hermione ran up to me, "So how did it go?" she asked excitedly.
"Well, I was the only first year." I stared.
"Figures," Hermione interrupted.
".and, the only one that tried for Seeker!" I said.
"What did Oliver say?"
"He said that he's sure he'll be seeing me a lot this season!"
"Wonderful! Now we have to get to flying class. I'm so nervous that I'll fall or my broom won't cooperate."
"Just don't get stuck with a Shooting Star. it hurts your bum when you turn." I said.
"Did you just say bum?" Hermione asked.
I stopped in my tracks. "I guess you Brits are growing on me!" I said.
"Next you'll be calling people "love". Oh Ron love." she said.
"You will die a slow and painful death, Hermione Granger."
"Oh no." groaned Hermione.
"Oh ye. no!" I said.
As we got to the flying field, we recognized some Slytherins. Flying with Slytherins would be as bad as cleaning the Great Hall with your tongue.
"Flying with Mudbloods. how charming."
Hermione and I spun around only to see Draco Malfoy. With him was a Slytherin girl. Her name was Laura Emerald-Charmed.
"At least he found someone to worship him," whispered Hermione.
Just then, most of the first year boys marched onto the field. They all looked confident and excited. All except Neville who was running down from the castle. He had his rememberall, which his Grandmother had sent him at breakfast, and it was toning down from a bright red.
"I knew I had forgotten something," he muttered.
Just then, Madam Hooch, the teacher, arrived.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone by a broomstick. Hurry up!"
Everyone rushed to get a broom. Hermione and I were sure to get old Comets rather then the Shooting Stars.
"Now, stick your right hand out over your broom and say 'UP!'" she commanded.
"Up!" everyone shouted.
My broom flew into my hand just as it did when I practiced earlier with Oliver, but it was one of the few that did. Harry, Ron, Draco, Mina, and I were the only ones with our brooms in our hands on the first try. After a few more "Up!"'s, the whole class had a broom in their hand. We all mounted and Madam Hooch gave the signal to gently push off the ground and to only go a few feet up. Neville shot up into the air. He went about twenty feet when he fell off.
"Broken wrist," I heard her mutter. "Come on boy - it's alright. Get up!"
She turned to the rest of the class.
"None of you move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch!'"
Neville hobbled off clutching his wrist with Madam Hooch. He had tried to hied his tear-streaked face, but Hermione and I saw it.
"Poor thing," whispered Hermione.
"I feel so bad, I could have gone up after him." I started.
The Slytherins, especially Draco, found it all quite amusing and started making comments about Neville, "the great lump."
"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.
"Ooo, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl.
"Never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Parvati," said Laura, the girl who was with Draco.
"Look!" said Draco, picking something up out of the grass. "It's that thing that Longbottom's gran sent him!"
"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find it, like say, up a tree?" Draco said, smiling nastily.
"Give it here!" Harry yelled. At that, Draco took off on his broom, flying incredibly well.
"Come and get it, Potter," he yelled, sniggering.
Harry grabbed his broom and started to mount. Hermione, Mina, and I darted forward. Hermione didn't want us to get in trouble, her preferably. Mina didn't want Harry to get hurt. the traitor. I, I didn't think it was a good idea for Harry to chase Malfoy around on a broom. I mean, he had never flown before. He ignored us all and took off. Once he got up, I'd say that he was a better flyer than Malfoy even. We could all tell that they were saying something, but they were too high up for us to hear.
Everyone, even the Slytherins were watching, fearing that one of the two would fall. Suddenly, Malfoy tossed the ball up into the air. Harry dove for the ball, or in other words, dove straight at the ground. He flew incredably well, but that wouldn't save him from the hard ground below. He was gaining on the ball every second. Ten feet, five feet, two feet, until he would reach the ball. To everyone's relief, he caught the ball only about a foot from the ground and pulled up hard, landing gently on the ground. Hermione and Mina sighed then gasped for air. They had been holding their breath, and to my surprise, I did too.
Just then, I gasped, and not for breath. I tapped Hermione and pointed towards the castle. Running at us from across the grounds was a very angry Professor McGonagall.
"HARRY POTTER! Never - in all my time at Hogwarts - you could have broken your neck!" All the glory from Harry's face vanished and turned into a look of pure terror.
"It wasn't his fault Professor."
"Be quiet Miss Patil. Potter, follow me, now."
We all watched as Professor McGonagall marched Harry back up to the castle.
"Oh, no," whispered Mina. "I hope he doesn't get expelled."
"I shouldn't have let him go." Hermione said quietly.
I really felt sorry for him, "He got what he deserved, I mean, if he didn't go up there Malfoy would have been the one in trouble. I mean it's our word against theirs," I said looking at the Slytherins. They were now in a bunch laughing hysterically at Malfoy's imitations of Harry's face.
"No! Professor! You don't understand! I was trying to impress my followers! No harm in that," cried Malfoy.
Right then, I decided to forgive Harry, not entirely, but enough to stand up for him now and then.
"Look at me!" I shouted. Everyone turned and stared at me curiously. I started to strut around, making sure that I looked like I owned the place. "My name is Draco and I'm jealous of Harry Potter. I have to make fun of him so that people notice me! Why can't I be the "boy that lived?" Why can't I have the scar on my head? Why can't I be the one that everyone likes?" I turned and smiled a cold smile at Malfoy, who, looked like he was ready to kill. The Gryffindors however, couldn't be laughing harder.
Dean Thomas, a Gryffindor first year, put on a puzzled look and let his arms hang down. He walked, or should I say waddled, over by me and grunted. Everyone knew he was imitating one of Malfoy's best friends, Goyle, and the Gryffindors started laughing again. Even a few Slytherin's sniggered.
"That will be enough non-sense," said Madam Hooch, who had just arrived from the castle, luckily not in time to catch mine and Dean's performance. "I am glad to inform you that Mr. Longbottom will be at dinner tonight and that we will continue our lesson."
"Fred, George, stop playing with the bludgers! You'll lose them one day!" shouted Wood.
Fred and George are Ron's older twin brothers. They're the team Beaters and by just watching them, I can see that they're good.
"Aletta, let's see you as Seeker." yelled Oliver.
"OK!" I yelled back. Since I was a first year and a muggle born, he gave me a short riding lesson, and then let me to fly around on my own.
Oliver flew over with a bucket of golf balls and started tossing them to me. After I got used to that, he backed up a bit and threw them as hard as he could in all different directions. I missed one, just one, and that was all. At the end of the try-out, Oliver gave a little speech about how great we were going to be this year and that he was looking forward to playing with us.
"Positions will be posted in the commons in about a week," he said, ending his speech. "Aletta, can I see you for a moment?"
I walked over to where Wood was standing, a little nervous.
"You are the only first year to try out this year. Usually I don't take first years because they have yet to have flying lessons with Madam Hooch. But, you were the only one to try out for Seeker, and you were very good at that. I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of you in the season." He said smiling.
I just nodded and walked to the broom storage to put the Shooting Star the school had lent me away.
As soon as I stepped off of the Quidditch field, Hermione ran up to me, "So how did it go?" she asked excitedly.
"Well, I was the only first year." I stared.
"Figures," Hermione interrupted.
".and, the only one that tried for Seeker!" I said.
"What did Oliver say?"
"He said that he's sure he'll be seeing me a lot this season!"
"Wonderful! Now we have to get to flying class. I'm so nervous that I'll fall or my broom won't cooperate."
"Just don't get stuck with a Shooting Star. it hurts your bum when you turn." I said.
"Did you just say bum?" Hermione asked.
I stopped in my tracks. "I guess you Brits are growing on me!" I said.
"Next you'll be calling people "love". Oh Ron love." she said.
"You will die a slow and painful death, Hermione Granger."
"Oh no." groaned Hermione.
"Oh ye. no!" I said.
As we got to the flying field, we recognized some Slytherins. Flying with Slytherins would be as bad as cleaning the Great Hall with your tongue.
"Flying with Mudbloods. how charming."
Hermione and I spun around only to see Draco Malfoy. With him was a Slytherin girl. Her name was Laura Emerald-Charmed.
"At least he found someone to worship him," whispered Hermione.
Just then, most of the first year boys marched onto the field. They all looked confident and excited. All except Neville who was running down from the castle. He had his rememberall, which his Grandmother had sent him at breakfast, and it was toning down from a bright red.
"I knew I had forgotten something," he muttered.
Just then, Madam Hooch, the teacher, arrived.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone by a broomstick. Hurry up!"
Everyone rushed to get a broom. Hermione and I were sure to get old Comets rather then the Shooting Stars.
"Now, stick your right hand out over your broom and say 'UP!'" she commanded.
"Up!" everyone shouted.
My broom flew into my hand just as it did when I practiced earlier with Oliver, but it was one of the few that did. Harry, Ron, Draco, Mina, and I were the only ones with our brooms in our hands on the first try. After a few more "Up!"'s, the whole class had a broom in their hand. We all mounted and Madam Hooch gave the signal to gently push off the ground and to only go a few feet up. Neville shot up into the air. He went about twenty feet when he fell off.
"Broken wrist," I heard her mutter. "Come on boy - it's alright. Get up!"
She turned to the rest of the class.
"None of you move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch!'"
Neville hobbled off clutching his wrist with Madam Hooch. He had tried to hied his tear-streaked face, but Hermione and I saw it.
"Poor thing," whispered Hermione.
"I feel so bad, I could have gone up after him." I started.
The Slytherins, especially Draco, found it all quite amusing and started making comments about Neville, "the great lump."
"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.
"Ooo, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl.
"Never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Parvati," said Laura, the girl who was with Draco.
"Look!" said Draco, picking something up out of the grass. "It's that thing that Longbottom's gran sent him!"
"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find it, like say, up a tree?" Draco said, smiling nastily.
"Give it here!" Harry yelled. At that, Draco took off on his broom, flying incredibly well.
"Come and get it, Potter," he yelled, sniggering.
Harry grabbed his broom and started to mount. Hermione, Mina, and I darted forward. Hermione didn't want us to get in trouble, her preferably. Mina didn't want Harry to get hurt. the traitor. I, I didn't think it was a good idea for Harry to chase Malfoy around on a broom. I mean, he had never flown before. He ignored us all and took off. Once he got up, I'd say that he was a better flyer than Malfoy even. We could all tell that they were saying something, but they were too high up for us to hear.
Everyone, even the Slytherins were watching, fearing that one of the two would fall. Suddenly, Malfoy tossed the ball up into the air. Harry dove for the ball, or in other words, dove straight at the ground. He flew incredably well, but that wouldn't save him from the hard ground below. He was gaining on the ball every second. Ten feet, five feet, two feet, until he would reach the ball. To everyone's relief, he caught the ball only about a foot from the ground and pulled up hard, landing gently on the ground. Hermione and Mina sighed then gasped for air. They had been holding their breath, and to my surprise, I did too.
Just then, I gasped, and not for breath. I tapped Hermione and pointed towards the castle. Running at us from across the grounds was a very angry Professor McGonagall.
"HARRY POTTER! Never - in all my time at Hogwarts - you could have broken your neck!" All the glory from Harry's face vanished and turned into a look of pure terror.
"It wasn't his fault Professor."
"Be quiet Miss Patil. Potter, follow me, now."
We all watched as Professor McGonagall marched Harry back up to the castle.
"Oh, no," whispered Mina. "I hope he doesn't get expelled."
"I shouldn't have let him go." Hermione said quietly.
I really felt sorry for him, "He got what he deserved, I mean, if he didn't go up there Malfoy would have been the one in trouble. I mean it's our word against theirs," I said looking at the Slytherins. They were now in a bunch laughing hysterically at Malfoy's imitations of Harry's face.
"No! Professor! You don't understand! I was trying to impress my followers! No harm in that," cried Malfoy.
Right then, I decided to forgive Harry, not entirely, but enough to stand up for him now and then.
"Look at me!" I shouted. Everyone turned and stared at me curiously. I started to strut around, making sure that I looked like I owned the place. "My name is Draco and I'm jealous of Harry Potter. I have to make fun of him so that people notice me! Why can't I be the "boy that lived?" Why can't I have the scar on my head? Why can't I be the one that everyone likes?" I turned and smiled a cold smile at Malfoy, who, looked like he was ready to kill. The Gryffindors however, couldn't be laughing harder.
Dean Thomas, a Gryffindor first year, put on a puzzled look and let his arms hang down. He walked, or should I say waddled, over by me and grunted. Everyone knew he was imitating one of Malfoy's best friends, Goyle, and the Gryffindors started laughing again. Even a few Slytherin's sniggered.
"That will be enough non-sense," said Madam Hooch, who had just arrived from the castle, luckily not in time to catch mine and Dean's performance. "I am glad to inform you that Mr. Longbottom will be at dinner tonight and that we will continue our lesson."
