1.1 Wand loaded at both ends
1.2 Chapter 4
"There's one!" screamed Malfoy. "After it!"
Crabbe and Goyle had no chance. Their brooms were twisted and broken in the middle, bending dangerously every time they changed direction. Their progress was slow and clumsy. Draco's broom was certainly too long for him, and was very badly pieced together, but the staff stolen from Neville was sound and strong. Even though the whole ensemble made for a bad broom, he still turned far faster than the other two, and accelerated after the small bird.
In their pursuit they passed over the Gryffindor camp, and Crabbe and Goyle dutifully kicked out at the tops of the trees, raining debris onto the people below. Ahead, Malfoy cheered himself along as he swerved after the small bird, getting closer and closer.
After one final, desperate turn, he caught it in one hand.
Crabbe and Goyle cheered loudly, clapping quickly before grabbing hold of their brooms before they could fall off.
Malfoy led his small group back towards the small encampment, and stepped to the ground. With his broom in one hand, he casually walked past Harry and dropped the dead bird into Ginny's lap. She screamed.
"Just pluck it and cook it," he ordered.
Ginny jumped to her feet and the dead animal fell to the ground.
"Malfoy, I think you should leave."
As Malfoy turned to face Harry, Crabbe and Goyle settled to either side of Neville and pushed him off his seat, which they then tried to fight over.
"Why on earth would I want to leave, Potter?" asked Malfoy.
There was a yelp from Neville as Goyle kicked him.
Ron moved round to help Neville, but Malfoy stepped into his path, sneered at Ron, and took a piece of fruit from a basket.
"This looks like a lovely arrangement you all have here," said Malfoy, casually spitting pips over Ron and Ginny. "Very comfortable."
"You are not welcome here, Malfoy," repeated Harry.
"Well, you'd better move me along, then!" Malfoy stood in front of Harry and folded his arms, his legs apart and his shoulders squared. Behind Draco, Crabbe was throwing pieces of the chair at Neville. Hermione had tried to step in, but she was being held at bay by Goyle who was swinging his broom at her.
"Stop them, Malfoy!" she shouted. Malfoy just laughed at her. Ron tried to push past Malfoy, but he pushed him back. At the same time, Hermione jumped towards Goyle, who hit her with his broom. Neville saw his chance.
He leapt to his feet and charged at Crabbe, knocking him to the ground. Neville kept running, snatching the broom from Malfoy and holding on tight as he lost balance. The broom spun and lifted, rising quickly as Neville hung on underneath.
On the ground below, Draco Malfoy shouted at Neville
"Longbottom, you'll pay for that!"
"It's my flagpole, Malfoy!" shouted Neville.
Malfoy spat, stole Goyle's broom, and jumped onto it to give chase.
Neville struggled to hang on to the broom as it quickly rose out of the canopy of trees. Slowly Malfoy rose behind him, watching as Neville finally managed to lift his leg over the broom.
The broom was wide and strong, making it easy for Neville get into a comfortable position, and he managed to lie flat on top of the staff and rest for a moment.
On the ground below, Crabbe was running away from the Gryffindor camp, dragging his own broom behind him. He looked quickly over his shoulder, but he was not being chased. Pausing, he caught his breath, and then mounted his broom to rise above the canopy.
"Longbottom!" shouted Malfoy.
"It's my flagpole," shouted Neville, hanging on.
Ahead of him, Crabbe could see Neville and Malfoy high above on their brooms, Neville in the lead, turning slowly towards Crabbe.
Crabbe saw Malfoy nod once, and leaned forward on his broom to climb and accelerate. He was heading directly for Neville.
Neville looked up, saw the figure approach him, and swerved upwards and away from him. Malfoy was behind him, so that left him one way to go: out over the sward. Fine, thought Neville, and drove his broom higher. He could hear Malfoy laughing behind him.
Higher and higher Neville climbed, not realising that Malfoy and Crabbe were hanging back, not until it was too late.
As Neville past over the last of the trees it was as if the magic of his broom expired. He made a graceful parabolic arc over the sward, never once letting go of his useless flagpole as he fell to the ground.
*****
Malfoy watched Neville's fall with a sneer on his lips, and then slowly rose to join Crabbe.
"We need food," he said, and sped off away from the Gryffindor camp.
*****
On the ground, at the edge of the forest, Ginny was crying, with Harry comforting her. Ron was with Hermione, who was being violently sick behind a shrub.
Even Goyle, who was standing ahead of them on the wet grass, was pale and shivering; that could have been the cold.
Goyle turned and face the four remaining Gryffindors.
"Malfoy is his own worst enemy, not just ours," spat Hermione. Goyle just looked at her, and turned and ran.
Ron nodded to Hermione, and gently wiped her face with his sleeve.
"Do you think you can help me, Ron?" asked Harry.
Ron nodded, queasily.
The two wizards crossed the sward to find the body as the two witches returned to the camp. Ginny was still crying when they returned, and Hermione lay her down on a nest of ferns inside their shelter. Within a moment Ginny was asleep.
Hermione examined the debris in their camp, listening to the sound of Ginny's breathing underscoring the birdsong. All around there were fragments of the chairs and baskets that Harry had been so busy making, and that Crabbe and Goyle had used to torment Neville.
Hermione's eyes dried, and she slowly straightened up, her breathing becoming more shallow and economical.
She knew what she had to do, and she knew that Harry and Ron would try to stop her, so she had to go quickly.
The path to the sward was becoming quite obvious now as it had been used so many times, so that would be the way that Harry and Ron would come with Neville's body. She took her wand, and gracefully flicked it.
"Ego leviosa" she said, and floated gently over the undergrowth, quickly disappearing into the canopy.
Moments later Harry and Ron returned, carrying Neville's broken body between them. Harry quickly looked into the witches' tent, and saw Ginny's sleeping shape. Quickly gesturing to Ron to remain quiet, they took up a piece of broken chair each, and transfigured them into small spades. Finding a suitable spot to the side of their camp, they silently began to dig.
*****
Malfoy and Crabbe were racing again across the treetops, chasing birds. Crabbe had neither the talent nor the equipment, but was serving as an excellent gillie, scaring the birds from their nests and into Malfoy's path.
Crabbe would circle quickly over Malfoy, who would slowly cross the treetops until he heard birdsong nearby. Then, with a quick pirouette on his broken broom he would signal to Crabbe who would dive into the canopy, chanting "Sly-the-rin! Sly-the-rin! Sly-the-rin!"
As the canopy was disturbed, a small flock of birds would break out of their nests.
The Slytherin Seeker was catching the small birds expertly in one hand, breaking their necks, and dropping them onto Goyle below.
Goyle was catching the dying creatures with shrieks of "Syltherin HOUSE!" and dancing around a fire as he plucked them.
After an hour or so they returned to the ground for their feast. Malfoy and Goyle were both covered in blood, and Crabbe was tending a fire that gently roasted a rack of a dozen or so small fowl. Solemnly, Malfoy raised a gory finger and painted a stripe across Crabbe's face.
Crabbe smiled widely and gave Goyle his broom.
"Go and catch us a bird," he suggested.
Goyle sniggered at Malfoy, and the two of them mounted their brooms and rose into the trees. This time, they were hunting with a different tactic, slowly stalking through the treetops in search of bigger prey. What they found was far more exciting than a bird.
Below Goyle, Hermione was floating slowly across the forest, below the canopy but above the undergrowth.
*****
"That should be deep enough," said Harry. The ground was shoulder height, and he had to give Ron a leg up to get out. Ron gave Harry a hand up.
Covered in soil, they slowly walked to Neville's body, and stood looking at it.
"We really should let the girls be here for this," said Ron.
"Yes," answered Harry. He was standing stiffly, his face screwed up in pain.
Ron and Harry stood together for a few moments, not looking at each other. Finally, Ron spoke again.
"We should let them sleep first."
*****
The screeches were getting closer again, and Hermione was convinced that they could hear her heavy breathing, even over their own noise.
"Slytherin!" screamed Goyle as he flashed past her. This time she managed to dodge his outstretched leg, escaping another painful blow. She didn't see that it was a feint, forcing her into the path of Malfoy. His foot caught her on the back of her right shoulder, sending her spinning into a tree.
As she blacked out for a moment, her levitation spell broke, and she fell to the ground heavily.
"Slytherin HOUSE!" called Goyle as he watched her fall. He wiped sweat from his brow with his bloodstained hand, and laughed loudly as Malfoy moved into position at his side.
Hermione staggered to her feet, and turned to see the two riders lean forward into their brooms. She found it difficult to focus on them. Her hands were empty – she had dropped her wand. There was nothing she could do.
She stood and faced them.
1.2 Chapter 4
"There's one!" screamed Malfoy. "After it!"
Crabbe and Goyle had no chance. Their brooms were twisted and broken in the middle, bending dangerously every time they changed direction. Their progress was slow and clumsy. Draco's broom was certainly too long for him, and was very badly pieced together, but the staff stolen from Neville was sound and strong. Even though the whole ensemble made for a bad broom, he still turned far faster than the other two, and accelerated after the small bird.
In their pursuit they passed over the Gryffindor camp, and Crabbe and Goyle dutifully kicked out at the tops of the trees, raining debris onto the people below. Ahead, Malfoy cheered himself along as he swerved after the small bird, getting closer and closer.
After one final, desperate turn, he caught it in one hand.
Crabbe and Goyle cheered loudly, clapping quickly before grabbing hold of their brooms before they could fall off.
Malfoy led his small group back towards the small encampment, and stepped to the ground. With his broom in one hand, he casually walked past Harry and dropped the dead bird into Ginny's lap. She screamed.
"Just pluck it and cook it," he ordered.
Ginny jumped to her feet and the dead animal fell to the ground.
"Malfoy, I think you should leave."
As Malfoy turned to face Harry, Crabbe and Goyle settled to either side of Neville and pushed him off his seat, which they then tried to fight over.
"Why on earth would I want to leave, Potter?" asked Malfoy.
There was a yelp from Neville as Goyle kicked him.
Ron moved round to help Neville, but Malfoy stepped into his path, sneered at Ron, and took a piece of fruit from a basket.
"This looks like a lovely arrangement you all have here," said Malfoy, casually spitting pips over Ron and Ginny. "Very comfortable."
"You are not welcome here, Malfoy," repeated Harry.
"Well, you'd better move me along, then!" Malfoy stood in front of Harry and folded his arms, his legs apart and his shoulders squared. Behind Draco, Crabbe was throwing pieces of the chair at Neville. Hermione had tried to step in, but she was being held at bay by Goyle who was swinging his broom at her.
"Stop them, Malfoy!" she shouted. Malfoy just laughed at her. Ron tried to push past Malfoy, but he pushed him back. At the same time, Hermione jumped towards Goyle, who hit her with his broom. Neville saw his chance.
He leapt to his feet and charged at Crabbe, knocking him to the ground. Neville kept running, snatching the broom from Malfoy and holding on tight as he lost balance. The broom spun and lifted, rising quickly as Neville hung on underneath.
On the ground below, Draco Malfoy shouted at Neville
"Longbottom, you'll pay for that!"
"It's my flagpole, Malfoy!" shouted Neville.
Malfoy spat, stole Goyle's broom, and jumped onto it to give chase.
Neville struggled to hang on to the broom as it quickly rose out of the canopy of trees. Slowly Malfoy rose behind him, watching as Neville finally managed to lift his leg over the broom.
The broom was wide and strong, making it easy for Neville get into a comfortable position, and he managed to lie flat on top of the staff and rest for a moment.
On the ground below, Crabbe was running away from the Gryffindor camp, dragging his own broom behind him. He looked quickly over his shoulder, but he was not being chased. Pausing, he caught his breath, and then mounted his broom to rise above the canopy.
"Longbottom!" shouted Malfoy.
"It's my flagpole," shouted Neville, hanging on.
Ahead of him, Crabbe could see Neville and Malfoy high above on their brooms, Neville in the lead, turning slowly towards Crabbe.
Crabbe saw Malfoy nod once, and leaned forward on his broom to climb and accelerate. He was heading directly for Neville.
Neville looked up, saw the figure approach him, and swerved upwards and away from him. Malfoy was behind him, so that left him one way to go: out over the sward. Fine, thought Neville, and drove his broom higher. He could hear Malfoy laughing behind him.
Higher and higher Neville climbed, not realising that Malfoy and Crabbe were hanging back, not until it was too late.
As Neville past over the last of the trees it was as if the magic of his broom expired. He made a graceful parabolic arc over the sward, never once letting go of his useless flagpole as he fell to the ground.
*****
Malfoy watched Neville's fall with a sneer on his lips, and then slowly rose to join Crabbe.
"We need food," he said, and sped off away from the Gryffindor camp.
*****
On the ground, at the edge of the forest, Ginny was crying, with Harry comforting her. Ron was with Hermione, who was being violently sick behind a shrub.
Even Goyle, who was standing ahead of them on the wet grass, was pale and shivering; that could have been the cold.
Goyle turned and face the four remaining Gryffindors.
"Malfoy is his own worst enemy, not just ours," spat Hermione. Goyle just looked at her, and turned and ran.
Ron nodded to Hermione, and gently wiped her face with his sleeve.
"Do you think you can help me, Ron?" asked Harry.
Ron nodded, queasily.
The two wizards crossed the sward to find the body as the two witches returned to the camp. Ginny was still crying when they returned, and Hermione lay her down on a nest of ferns inside their shelter. Within a moment Ginny was asleep.
Hermione examined the debris in their camp, listening to the sound of Ginny's breathing underscoring the birdsong. All around there were fragments of the chairs and baskets that Harry had been so busy making, and that Crabbe and Goyle had used to torment Neville.
Hermione's eyes dried, and she slowly straightened up, her breathing becoming more shallow and economical.
She knew what she had to do, and she knew that Harry and Ron would try to stop her, so she had to go quickly.
The path to the sward was becoming quite obvious now as it had been used so many times, so that would be the way that Harry and Ron would come with Neville's body. She took her wand, and gracefully flicked it.
"Ego leviosa" she said, and floated gently over the undergrowth, quickly disappearing into the canopy.
Moments later Harry and Ron returned, carrying Neville's broken body between them. Harry quickly looked into the witches' tent, and saw Ginny's sleeping shape. Quickly gesturing to Ron to remain quiet, they took up a piece of broken chair each, and transfigured them into small spades. Finding a suitable spot to the side of their camp, they silently began to dig.
*****
Malfoy and Crabbe were racing again across the treetops, chasing birds. Crabbe had neither the talent nor the equipment, but was serving as an excellent gillie, scaring the birds from their nests and into Malfoy's path.
Crabbe would circle quickly over Malfoy, who would slowly cross the treetops until he heard birdsong nearby. Then, with a quick pirouette on his broken broom he would signal to Crabbe who would dive into the canopy, chanting "Sly-the-rin! Sly-the-rin! Sly-the-rin!"
As the canopy was disturbed, a small flock of birds would break out of their nests.
The Slytherin Seeker was catching the small birds expertly in one hand, breaking their necks, and dropping them onto Goyle below.
Goyle was catching the dying creatures with shrieks of "Syltherin HOUSE!" and dancing around a fire as he plucked them.
After an hour or so they returned to the ground for their feast. Malfoy and Goyle were both covered in blood, and Crabbe was tending a fire that gently roasted a rack of a dozen or so small fowl. Solemnly, Malfoy raised a gory finger and painted a stripe across Crabbe's face.
Crabbe smiled widely and gave Goyle his broom.
"Go and catch us a bird," he suggested.
Goyle sniggered at Malfoy, and the two of them mounted their brooms and rose into the trees. This time, they were hunting with a different tactic, slowly stalking through the treetops in search of bigger prey. What they found was far more exciting than a bird.
Below Goyle, Hermione was floating slowly across the forest, below the canopy but above the undergrowth.
*****
"That should be deep enough," said Harry. The ground was shoulder height, and he had to give Ron a leg up to get out. Ron gave Harry a hand up.
Covered in soil, they slowly walked to Neville's body, and stood looking at it.
"We really should let the girls be here for this," said Ron.
"Yes," answered Harry. He was standing stiffly, his face screwed up in pain.
Ron and Harry stood together for a few moments, not looking at each other. Finally, Ron spoke again.
"We should let them sleep first."
*****
The screeches were getting closer again, and Hermione was convinced that they could hear her heavy breathing, even over their own noise.
"Slytherin!" screamed Goyle as he flashed past her. This time she managed to dodge his outstretched leg, escaping another painful blow. She didn't see that it was a feint, forcing her into the path of Malfoy. His foot caught her on the back of her right shoulder, sending her spinning into a tree.
As she blacked out for a moment, her levitation spell broke, and she fell to the ground heavily.
"Slytherin HOUSE!" called Goyle as he watched her fall. He wiped sweat from his brow with his bloodstained hand, and laughed loudly as Malfoy moved into position at his side.
Hermione staggered to her feet, and turned to see the two riders lean forward into their brooms. She found it difficult to focus on them. Her hands were empty – she had dropped her wand. There was nothing she could do.
She stood and faced them.