Chapter 6
Omigod! I forgot to thank my reviewers last chapter! I'm sooo sorry! Ok, I'd like to thank everyone (MusicalHermione and… I think there was someone else, sorry, I can't remember and I can't get online to check) who reviewed last chapter and Hazel Witch for reviewing this chapter. Now, I think that's all, so on with the story!
Ginny and Harry sat in their shared lounge room.
"The first years start flying lessons on Friday." Harry commented idly.
"Mm hmm?" Ginny murmured absently, busy correcting the first years Charms Essays (Wingardium Leviosa was first discovered 300 years ago. What caused them to discover it, and how has the spell helped us since? Discuss.) Before realising the implications of her husband's words. "What? But Gwynny's too little!" She exclaimed.
"Ginny, Honey, I was shorter the first time I ever flew on a broomstick." Harry reminded her.
"I don't care! Gwynny's delicate!" Ginny said frantically. "I must go talk to Xiomara. Maybe I can get her to exclude Gwynny." Harry shook is head, as Ginny hurried out.
***
"Please, Xiomara! Gwynny's not fit for this type of thing!" Ginny pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Ginny, but flying lessons are an important part of the first year curriculum." Xiomara refused to be moved.
"Well, at least inform Madam Pomfrey that my baby will probably need medical attention." Ginny said. Xiomara sighed, Ginny looked absolutely pathetic.
"I will." She promised.
~*~
"Cool beans! We have flying on Friday!" A Gryffindor exclaimed. Gwynny looked up from Guide To Transfiguration; Intermediate, and listened intently.
"With the Slytherins!" Another groaned.
"You always do." Kati remarked to the two young Gryffindors.
"What do you mean?" The boy one asked, blushing terribly.
"It's like some kind of tradition. I dunno who makes it up, but they're sadistic bastards." Ron explained. The girl blushed just as brightly as the guy had a moment before. Gwynny rolled her eyes, and turned the page of her book. Then, she got an idea. She was feeling sort of tense.
"Kati?" She called, blushing as everyone looked at her.
"Yes, Gwyn-Elf?" Her older sister asked.
"May I borrow your you-know-what?"
"Sure. C'mon up and get it." Kati and Gwynny left the room, leaving everyone looking puzzled.
***
"Thanks, Kati-Bee." Gwynny said, grabbing what she wanted from Kati's trunk." Kati smiled.
"You're welcome." She ruffled Gwynny's hair. "It's the least I can do, considering you get up early every morning to do my hair. I'm never late to my classes now, something all of the teachers have noticed, even Snape!" Kati screwed up her face, and mimicked his voice. "'Ah, I see, Miss Potter, that you've finally learnt what a clock is for. To tell time.'" Gwynny giggled.
"Poor you." She sympathised. "Snape pretty much leaves me alone. I'm efficient in Potions, so there's no reason for him to insult me, and I'm quiet, so I don't think he even notices me half of the time."
"Oh he notices you." Kati said, "He notices all the Potters. I dunno why he doesn't bother you, but it might have something to do with your resemblance to Grandmother Lily." She frowned, rubbing her forehead, half over her left eye, and half in the middle. "Damn, I've got a headache." She muttered. Gwynny touched her arm, and she felt cool reassurance hit her.
"It's one of your special ones, I think. I'll get you a potion." She slipped out, and came back a moment later, with a painless sleep potion. "Sleep it off, and write down what you dream." Gwynny said, as she had millions of times before.
"Thanks Gwynny. You know, you don't have to do this. I'm perfectly capable of living with it."
"Why not? It stops you from being in pain, and seeing as I've got all the ingredients bar one in my potions kit, it seems the logical thing to do. And I've got plenty of belladonna left."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Now drink your potion. I'll bring this," She held up the coveted item, "Back later."
***
Gwynny trudged outside, to the Quidditch Pitch. She might not be allowed to play Quidditch as a first year, nor did she ever really want to, it was too hard for her to see the balls, and she didn't see the point in either chasing, or running away from the damned things anyway, but she loved to fly. That was one thing she'd inherited off of her father, a love of flying. Actually, she'd inherited many things off Dad, but that was the one she liked the most. Most people didn't know about all the things she'd inherited off her Dad, nor did she want them to.
She sat down on the broom, and pushed off. Once in the air, she took off her glasses. She didn't like them, and in the air, she had no need of them. Here, everything was about balance. She couldn't see very well anyway, so why bother, when it didn't help any? Besides, being up here, and being unable to see helped improve her sense of balance. She began to fly; simple things at first, like loop the loops, and diving. Nothing hard, then she began the really hard stuff. First, she rose onto her knees, and flew quickly, letting the wind rush over her, pushing her hair back from her face, and exposing the odd birthmark beneath her fringe.
It was a pale, red Chinese character. Her Aunt Hermione had studied it, and said that it was most definitely the Chinese character for truth, love and hope. This had made her feel very special, because that mark was on her for eternity.
Finally, she judged that she was well enough acquainted with the difference in the atmosphere; she stood up on the broom. She just flew around, getting the feel for it again. Suddenly, she remembered where she was. She sat back down on the broom, pulled on hr glasses, and landed. Just in time too. She thought, as she noticed the Slytherin team coming out to practice. A small smile flitted over her face, and she flew into the stands, hiding beneath a seat.
"Inviserbilutas Arncanatum." She shimmered, and turned invisible. "Accio, camera." She whispered next. Moments later, she was taking pictures from every conceivable angle of the team.
***
"Today is the first day of the Flying Lessons that you will have all year." Madam Hooch said. "In a moment, I will blow my whistle. When you hear it, I want you all to hold your hands over your brooms, and shout up." She put the whistle into her mouth and blew. Gwynny held her hand out over her broom confidently.
"Up!" She commanded. Hers was the only broom that came up on the first go. Gabrielle's hit her in the face on her second try, then fell back down, and refused to jump up again. Lorelei's didn't even twitch. She smiled, and then blushed at the stares. Madam Hooch gave her a rare smile.
"Excellent, Miss Potter." She turned to everyone else, "Try again." They tried, "Put a little feeling into it!" Finally, everyone had his or her brooms. "Right. Now, I want you to mount your brooms." Everyone did, and she walked around, correcting people's grip, and so forth. When she reached Gwynny, her eyebrows rose considerably. "Have you ever been on a broom before, Miss Potter?"
Gwynny was in a dilemma. She wasn't sure what Mum had told Madam Hooch, and she didn't want to say the wrong thing. Luckily, a girl accidentally rose into the air, and then fell off, bruising her tailbone, and causing a distraction. Gwynny breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Now that that little problem is taken care of, on my whistle, I want you all to push off from the ground. Hover for a moment, then point your broom downwards slightly, so as you will land." She blew her whistle, and everyone did as they were told. Gwynny had to restrain herself from sweeping off, and enjoying flying. She landed easily, and watched in scorn as some of the other people had trouble. "Very good. Now, for the rest of the lesson you may fly freely." Gwynny rose up again, but found she couldn't fly more than five feet from the ground. She landed , and walked over to Madam Hooch.
"Excuse me, Madam Hooch," She said, blushing slightly. "But there seems to be a problem with my broom. It won't rise more than five feet off the ground." Madam Hooch kept her eyes on the other students.
"No, Miss Potter, there's no problem with the broom. Your mother asked me to make sure you wouldn't get hurt, and I thought that the best way to do so."
"You did, huh." She muttered, then smiled sweetly. "Thank you. May I go back to the castle, please? There's not much point in my being here if I can't fly more than five feet off the ground."
"Yes, Miss Potter, you may go. Please go to your Common Room, though. No wandering around the school."
"Yes, Madam." Gwynny said, and walked away, calmly.
~Preview of Chapter 7~
Gwynny took off her glasses, swiping away the tears angrily. She walked right into the Forbidden Forest. She leant against a tree, breathing hard. The last thing she knew was a thump on the back of her head.