Chapter 6
The Thrill of Flying
Harry and Hermione walked as quickly as they could underneath the invisibility cloak down the corridor towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. When they reached it they were pleased to see that the door was wide open, giving them a perfect opportunity to eavesdrop. The Professor was certainly different and they obviously didn't recognize many of the students. James sat towards the front, jotting down notes as the Professor lectured about reversal shrinking spell. "The countercurse of the shrinking spell is called Mineskota," the Professor began. "It is usually difficult to perform on oneself because you are normally about six inches tall."
Hermione stifled a giggle and the classroom went quiet. Harry gaped at Hermione in horror and pulled her away before they caused anymore of a disturbance.
"What are you doing?" he hissed when they were out of earshot.
"I couldn't help it," Hermione gasped once her laughter subsided. "It is usually difficult to perform on oneself because you are normally about six inches tall." She took a deep breath and managed to gain composure. "All right.I'm sorry."
"I wonder what is going on in Potions.remember.Snape isn't teaching now."
"I'd rather not go to Potions. How about Transfiguration?"
"Or how about."
"We don't go to anymore classes at all? It is too risky. Say! Maybe we could go and visit Hagrid."
"Forget it, Hermione. If he saw us then."
"But we've already been seen by the Gryffindors. He was a Gryffindor."
Their argument went back and forth for a little while before they decided to head back to the common room and talk. It was too annoying to visit the classes, as they could make no noise. They heaved a big sigh of relief when they reached the common room and sat down on the cushioned chairs. "What a crazy couple of days!" said Hermione. "To think that my invention actually worked."
Harry laughed. "Yeah."
"Hermione," Harry said thoughtfully, "I just remembered, wouldn't Hagrid be game keeper? He's older than my dad, I think, and he was expelled in his third year..." Harry said.
"That's right." Hermione said, "We'd probably be interrupting on his chores, so it wouldn't be a good idea to visit him." Harry gave her a surprised look.
"We never bothered him before. He's always gotten his game keeping stuff done, and his job." Harry replied in defensive of Hagrid.
"Yeah, but remember he's probably a lot younger now." Hermione reasoned. Harry said "oh", and dropped the subject. He sighed.
"I think that I'd like to go to the Library, and see if I can't find something out about what could have gone wrong." Harry groaned. He didn't feel like spending his time in the library. His eye lit up. He could practice Quidditch!
"Hermione why don't we swing past the Quidditch field? I can practice my flying and you can do research." Hermione gave a noise of agreement, and they guided their invisible path to the field. Hermione left Harry alone at the shed. It was locked, but not for long as Harry pulled out his wand and said, "Alohamora." He pulled out one of the brooms, a Silver Arrow, and began flying. It wasn't his Firebolt, but it was still a pretty decent broom. Besides, nothing gave him the feeling of freedom as flying did.
Hermione sat on the bleachers and watched as Harry zoomed around the field and heaved a sigh. In the back of her mind she wondered how her parents had reacted when they found that she and Harry were both missing. They were probably dreadfully upset and of course THEY didn't know about Hermione's time-turner. "Hermione!" Harry called as he did a summersault waving. She waved back smiling and stood up. "I'll take you for a ride!" Harry called as he zoomed over to the bleachers. Hermione's eyes widened.
"You'll WHAT?" she asked. "I won't be able to fit on that broomstick! And I'm.ahhhhhhh!" Harry pulled her on back of his broomstick and had her put her arms around his waist. "HARRY! LET ME DOWN!" Hermione begged as they did another lap.
"Relax, Hermione. There is nothing to be afraid of." Harry comforted as he slowed down a pace. He grinned when he felt her arms relax. "See? You won't fall off."
Hermione took a deep breath. "Just don't do one of those loop-de-loop things you guys do during Quidditch practice."
Harry laughed. "What? This?"
"HARRY! Upside down-bad thing."
Finally they came to a stop and Harry let her off at the bleachers while hopping down from the broomstick himself. She sat down, staring wide-eyed at him and then looked at the broomstick. "I just flew!" she gasped.
"What did you think?" he asked.
"I'm not sure.it's rather terrifying." She grinned. "But I love it." Then she paused. "NOW can we go to the library before you end up giving me a heart attack?" He sniggered.
"Sure.let me just put this away."
What they didn't know was that someone had seen them flying.and that someone was Snape.
Harry and Hermione walked as quickly as they could underneath the invisibility cloak down the corridor towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. When they reached it they were pleased to see that the door was wide open, giving them a perfect opportunity to eavesdrop. The Professor was certainly different and they obviously didn't recognize many of the students. James sat towards the front, jotting down notes as the Professor lectured about reversal shrinking spell. "The countercurse of the shrinking spell is called Mineskota," the Professor began. "It is usually difficult to perform on oneself because you are normally about six inches tall."
Hermione stifled a giggle and the classroom went quiet. Harry gaped at Hermione in horror and pulled her away before they caused anymore of a disturbance.
"What are you doing?" he hissed when they were out of earshot.
"I couldn't help it," Hermione gasped once her laughter subsided. "It is usually difficult to perform on oneself because you are normally about six inches tall." She took a deep breath and managed to gain composure. "All right.I'm sorry."
"I wonder what is going on in Potions.remember.Snape isn't teaching now."
"I'd rather not go to Potions. How about Transfiguration?"
"Or how about."
"We don't go to anymore classes at all? It is too risky. Say! Maybe we could go and visit Hagrid."
"Forget it, Hermione. If he saw us then."
"But we've already been seen by the Gryffindors. He was a Gryffindor."
Their argument went back and forth for a little while before they decided to head back to the common room and talk. It was too annoying to visit the classes, as they could make no noise. They heaved a big sigh of relief when they reached the common room and sat down on the cushioned chairs. "What a crazy couple of days!" said Hermione. "To think that my invention actually worked."
Harry laughed. "Yeah."
"Hermione," Harry said thoughtfully, "I just remembered, wouldn't Hagrid be game keeper? He's older than my dad, I think, and he was expelled in his third year..." Harry said.
"That's right." Hermione said, "We'd probably be interrupting on his chores, so it wouldn't be a good idea to visit him." Harry gave her a surprised look.
"We never bothered him before. He's always gotten his game keeping stuff done, and his job." Harry replied in defensive of Hagrid.
"Yeah, but remember he's probably a lot younger now." Hermione reasoned. Harry said "oh", and dropped the subject. He sighed.
"I think that I'd like to go to the Library, and see if I can't find something out about what could have gone wrong." Harry groaned. He didn't feel like spending his time in the library. His eye lit up. He could practice Quidditch!
"Hermione why don't we swing past the Quidditch field? I can practice my flying and you can do research." Hermione gave a noise of agreement, and they guided their invisible path to the field. Hermione left Harry alone at the shed. It was locked, but not for long as Harry pulled out his wand and said, "Alohamora." He pulled out one of the brooms, a Silver Arrow, and began flying. It wasn't his Firebolt, but it was still a pretty decent broom. Besides, nothing gave him the feeling of freedom as flying did.
Hermione sat on the bleachers and watched as Harry zoomed around the field and heaved a sigh. In the back of her mind she wondered how her parents had reacted when they found that she and Harry were both missing. They were probably dreadfully upset and of course THEY didn't know about Hermione's time-turner. "Hermione!" Harry called as he did a summersault waving. She waved back smiling and stood up. "I'll take you for a ride!" Harry called as he zoomed over to the bleachers. Hermione's eyes widened.
"You'll WHAT?" she asked. "I won't be able to fit on that broomstick! And I'm.ahhhhhhh!" Harry pulled her on back of his broomstick and had her put her arms around his waist. "HARRY! LET ME DOWN!" Hermione begged as they did another lap.
"Relax, Hermione. There is nothing to be afraid of." Harry comforted as he slowed down a pace. He grinned when he felt her arms relax. "See? You won't fall off."
Hermione took a deep breath. "Just don't do one of those loop-de-loop things you guys do during Quidditch practice."
Harry laughed. "What? This?"
"HARRY! Upside down-bad thing."
Finally they came to a stop and Harry let her off at the bleachers while hopping down from the broomstick himself. She sat down, staring wide-eyed at him and then looked at the broomstick. "I just flew!" she gasped.
"What did you think?" he asked.
"I'm not sure.it's rather terrifying." She grinned. "But I love it." Then she paused. "NOW can we go to the library before you end up giving me a heart attack?" He sniggered.
"Sure.let me just put this away."
What they didn't know was that someone had seen them flying.and that someone was Snape.