Disclaimer: Nothing's mine. All J.K.Rowling's. No profit here, too, so please don't sue.
A/N: Beta-read (as always) by Luinthoron and Puzzler.
Dear Diary...
We had our first flying lessons today. I had NEVER been that nervous before. You see, you can't learn flying from a book. I did get some very useful tips, though. I even shared them with Neville. He was even more nervous than I and he's from a wizarding family! But he's a little clumsy and tends to forget things and his Gran NEVER let him even touch a broomstick at home. Or so he says. But I really believe him. He has no reason for lying to me. I mean, he's the only student in school I consider as a friend. Ever since the school began I have the feeling that the whole school just hates me. I know my housemates do. Everyone except Neville does. I really try so hard, but they don't even talk to me except for in classes. Well, except Percy, but that's not the same. He's not in my year and- face it!- he's BORING! Oh, sometimes I wish I was more like the twins, having their courage to pull all the pranks I'd like. They are twins, by the way. Their names are George and Fred Weasley. And they ARE Little Ronnie's older brothers. Percy is, too. That's why they all look almost the same with their red hair and freckles. Oh... wait... I trailed off now. Where was I again? Ah... our first flying lesson. Well, before I get to it, I have to make some things clear first. It could get really confusing otherwise. That's why I have to begin at breakfast today. Neville recieved a package. He got that cute Rememberall-thing. It looks like a smoke-filled crystal ball. And it tells you when you've forgotten something. It turns red then. This Rememberall was the cause of the trouble today. You see, Malfoy, the pale prat from Slytherin who is always trying to annoy us, Gryffindors, noticed Neville's Rememberall and I think he figured he could get us into trouble by taking it. I mean, it was obvious the boys would fight with him to get it back! Well, luckily Professor McGonagall showed up before a fight occured and got it back from him. But I was sure that Malfoy would try and get back at them somehow. And so he did. In the flying lesson. The Slytherins were there first. The teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived just a little after us (the Gryffindors). She told us to stand next to a broomstick. I got all nervous, since I've never used a broomstick for flying before. Well, I've been flying before. With my parents. In the summer holidays. On an airplane. But NEVER on a broomstick. So I guess I was panicking a little. Did I say a little? I mean, a LOT. Well, whatever. There I was, standing, a broomstick lying on the ground beside me. Then she told us to stick our right hand out over the broom and say "Up!". Well, I did shout "UP!" along with all the others but my broomstick merely rolled over on the ground. I can't say that it was a very encouraging experience. No. Especially when Wonder Boy's broom just jumped into his hand when called. He grew up with Muggles. I'm pretty sure he hadn't got a clue what to do with a broomstick before this class! And I had read Quidditch through the Ages! I knew what to do. And he still was better than me! I cannot believe this. But this had been only the first exercise. We had actually to FLY on the broomsticks, too. We were preparing for flying as Neville suddenly kicked himself off the ground too fast. He kept on rising. Suddenly he fell off his broom. The broom kept on rising while Neville started falling. He landed facedown in the grass, breaking his wrist. Poor Neville. Madam Hooch then told us to stay on the ground while she was helping Neville to the Hospital Wing. But as soon as she got out of sight the Bad Blonde Boy noticed Neville's Rememberall. It must have fallen out of his pocket while falling. Neville's. Not Malfoy's. He then picked it up and took off saying something like leaving it up a tree for Neville to find it. I thought I could pick it up from the tree later while flying... But it seems I forgot that we have Great Harry Potter, Defender Of Gryffindor Students in out year. He flew right after Blondie and it seemed they had a fight up there. They were too high up for me to hear what they said to each other but suddenly the Snowman (well, he IS pale, his hair is almost white and he seems so cold- a perfect snowman) threw the Rememberall higher into the air while flying down and landing. Champion Flyer Harry, however, tried to get the Rememberall. God, I was afraid he'd break his neck! He dived with such a speed as I had never seen before. And then, just a feet above the ground he cought it AND he managed to land without a scratch! That's so unfair! Why does he have to fly so damn well? But that wasn't all. He had just landed as we heard someone shouting his name and as we turned to see who it was we saw Professor McGonagall running towards us. I grinned inwardly- He was going to get what he deserved! The Professor took him with her, while we remained there, waiting for our teacher. She turned up five minutes later assuring us that Neville's going to be OK. She was also told about the incident by Slyterins. Then we, Gryffindors, told her our side of the story which lead to Pale Prat loosing twenty house points from Slytherin. I didn't know you could loose more than ten points in one go. The Slytherins were outraged. Madam Hooch didn't bother taking points from Gryffindor, seeing that Master Flyer was being punished by Professor McGonagall. In the little time I've been here I have learned at least one thing about this school- when it comes up to punishing students, only Professor Snape can keep up with her. But seems like he wasn't expelled from school. Harry. Not Snape. When I arrived for dinner I saw him (Potter) chatting with Carrothead. I went to the table, sitting down at a free space. It happened to be near them. Then I noticed Mr. Arrogant walking up to them, his little two-man private army trotting behind him. I was sure he was searching for trouble once again. That's why I tried to listen into their conversation. I was right. He was telling Scar Head to challenge him (Malfoy) to a wizard's duel. Midnight. Trophy room. God, they could be banned from school! (Too dangerous.) He was going to get them all expelled. Malfoy, that is. But not before losing plenty of house points. So I went up to The Potter Brothers and told them not to go. I told them how selfish it was. To go rule-breaking at night. They are bound to get caught! And Scarecrow Potter (have you ever looked at his HAIR?!) told me very rudely that it was none of my business.
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I cannot believe they did it! They really snuck out for the duel! And I was trapped outside the Gryffindor Tower so I went with them! Oh, God, I hate them for getting me into this! We could have been killed there! Oh, I'm rushing too much again, right?. Well, I'll try again. I was sitting in the common room to see if they really would try and go through with it. It was about half past eleven when I heard footsteps coming from the boys' dormitories. I almost reported them to Percy. But only almost. The other half of me desperately wanted to be the one to duel The Evil Thing From Slytherin. I mean, come on, I know a lot more hexes than Harry-Boy there. And some of them are really good! OK, where was I? Oh... good, they were sneaking to the portrait hole and I was interrupting them. They didn't even bother to look like they were listening to me, they just kept on going. Well, I'm stubborn, so I climbed out, too, trying to talk some sense into their heads. Well, that was no help. They didn't listen. Being aware that they didn't want me with them and the fact that they were going to be caught anyway I wanted to go back to the common room but I noticed that the Fat Lady (That Looks Really Horrible In Pink) was nowhere to be found. I cursed to myself and ran after the boys. They didn't want to take me with them but I didn't exactly give them a choice. We were arguing with Scarlet Boy when Harry "I Must Jump When Malfoy Orders" Potter told us to shut up because he had heard something. We thought it was Mrs Norris, but it really was Neville, sleeping on the ground. He hadn't remembered the new password and was locked out from the tower, too. I felt so sorry for him. He didn't deserve this. He was by far too nice for this. Anyway, as he was awake now, he didn't want to be left alone there. But he also couldn't get back to the tower, considering that the portrait was empty. So he went along with us, too. Little Weasel threatened to learn the Curse of the Bogies and use it on Neville and I, should we get them caught. I was about to tell him that it was really a simple curse and how it was performed, but I thought the better of it. After all, he told me he wanted to learn it to use it on me! Soon enough we reached the Trophy room. It was then that I realized it was a setup. The little prat who was responsible for us being there never showed up in first place. No, but Filch did. And he seemed to know exactly what to look for and where. We escaped the Trophy room (which was an extremely narrow escape) and just ran for dear life. We didn't come to a halt until just before the Charms corridor. We were about to make our way back to the Gryffindor tower when we ran into Peeves. And he, being... well... Peeves, gave the alarm. We ran down the corridore once more, not daring to look back. And suddenly we bumped into a door. It was locked. Poor Little Ron was panicking by now. I still can't believe they don't even know a simple Opening Charm! Well, I grabbed Harry's wand and unlocked the door. We had just enough time to close the door behind us before we could hear Filch. He was questioning Peeves about our whereabouts. Thank God he was fooling him. Peeves. Filch. He didn't tell Filch where we were. But this encounter wasn't the worst this night. As soon as we looked around in the room we just had entered, we knew it. Because we weren't in a room. We were in a corridor. In the FORBIDDEN corridor. And I think we just found out WHY it's forbidden. There is this monstrous dog with three heads. I'm surprised we all got out of there without a scratch. Maybe it was as surprised to see us as we were when we spotted it. What ever it was, we're still alive. All four of us. Good. But there was something else that got my attention while in the room with the dog. The dog was standing on a trapdoor. Could that be the REAL reason why? They are hiding something behind the trapdoor and the dog is guarding it? Well, that would explain it. Well, after we managed to get back to the common room without further little adventures Freclle Face made some remark about having such a beast in a school. It seemed that neither one of them had spotted the trapdoor so I told them about it. After that I came up to the dorm. Well, I really should get some sleep now. I just wonder what the dog might be guarding... Ah, never mind.
Good night!
Hermione
A/N: Good god, it's over 4 AM already. I think I shoud get some sleep, too. As for you... please, review.