centerChapter 5 - Flying for Gryffindor/center
Liz woke up to the sunlight streaming through the window into her face. She had forgotten to close the hangings on her bed. She got up, changed, and left the dorm full of the four other girls sleeping. As she climbed through the portrait hole, the Fat Lady gave a royal wave to her, and she waved back. Then she made her way to the Great Hall.
There weren't many people there, but Liz did see Winnie Chen and one of her friends, another Slytherin girl by the name of Patsy Casarez. Both of them leered at her. Trying to ignore them, Liz picked up a piece of toast and began breakfast.
It was a while before Rachel came down, and even longer before Michael followed. The three of them ate breakfast, speculating over what classes would be like.
"Here are your schedules, first-years," Professor Weasley said, handing out papers to all the first-years that weren't still asleep. Michael looked at it and groaned.
"What?" Rachel inquired.
"There's too many classes," he moaned.
Throughout their first week, Liz began to think the same thing. Charms was taught by a man twice as small as Liz named Professor Flitwick. He had a squeaky little voice and an awfully large nose, and he had to stand on a stack of books while he taught. Professor Longbottom was their Herbology teacher, and he had a round face and a good nature. He looked doleful, however, when he called out Liz's name on the roster on the first day. Liz's least favorite class was History of Magic, their only class taught by a ghost. Professor Binns was boring and had a monotonous voice that could put even Liz, who had a knack for paying attention, asleep. Transfiguration was a lot of fun, especially with Professor Weasley teaching. Liz was the only one to turn her toothpick into a needle. Defense Against the Dark Arts was great, but Professor Theseus Garb wasn't. He went on and on about his accomplishments, his strength, his bravery, and his (arguable) good looks. A few of the girls agreed with him, but Rachel and Liz made faces every time Desiree sighed loudly.
Liz didn't like History of Magic because it was boring, but she hated Potions for a whole different reason. Professor Snape, with his dried and crackly white hair and horribly mean disposition, was the worst teacher Liz ever had. He sneered at them all, but he especially hated Liz for absolutely no reason at all. He took points off of her potion because the gas it was emitting was supposed to be shimmering silver, not shining silver. Liz didn't argue. She didn't want to give him a reason to be mean.
By the end of the week, Liz, Rachel, and Michael were worn out. On Saturday, Liz received a letter at breakfast from Chris. She opened it excitedly.
Dear Liz, Rachel, and Michael, How was your first week at school? I hope it was great. I had a good week. Mostly I watched Hagrid teach the Care of Magical Creatures classes. If you'd like, you could come down to visit us and really meet Hagrid today. I'll be waiting!
Chris
"Wanna go?" Liz asked them. Michael nodded at once and Rachel consented eventually. So thy finished breakfast and set off across the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.
Upon arrival, Liz knocked on the door. Chris threw it open and grinned. "Hi!" he said. "Come on in, come on in! Hagrid, my friends are here!"
The sound of thunderous footfalls reached them before Hagrid did. "Good, Chris. Hello, kids. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds here at Hogwarts. I also teach Care of Magical Creatures."
"I'm Michael."
"I'm Rachel."
"I'm Liz."
Hagrid's eyes widened when they fell on Liz. "Golly!" he cried, clutching at his heart. "It's.it's.blimey, I never thought.Elizabeth Potter! Chris, you never said anything about meeting her!"
"Must have slipped my mind," Chris said simply. Liz felt an instant rush of gratitude, though she didn't know why.
"D'you know my mum?" Michael asked hopefully.
"Are you a Weasley? Yeah, your mum and your dad," Hagrid answered, sitting down.
The conversation turned to the week's events. Liz's, Rachel's, and Michael's accounts were very similar to each other. Mostly, they contained complaints about Snape, Binns, or Garb. So they found themselves listening to Chris' week.
"And then, last night, a man knocked on the door. Hagrid was out in the forest, checking on something for his sixth-year class. So I let him in-"
"You what?" Hagrid said. "You can't just let any strangers running loose on the grounds into my cabin!"
"Sorry," Chris apologized. "Well, anyway, I let him in. He was wearing a hood and complained of cold. He asked for some food, so I gave him some."
"Now you can' do that!" Hagrid protested. "It's my food, not yours, to give away!"
"I'm sorry."
"Let's change the subject. So, Chris, how're your chores coming?"
Chris went very red and muttered something that vaguely sounded like, "I forgot." Liz quickly got up and excused her and her friends, having seen the look on Hagrid's face previously on Mrs. Smith's face when she was about to punish her or Emma for something. "We'll visit later," she promised quickly, closing the door.
"Hurry, hurry, it's Mum's presentation today!" Michael said excitedly, racing down the corridor. Liz and Rachel followed hopelessly behind.
"Just in time," Professor Weasley announced when they finally reached her classroom. "I was going to start without you."
"We're here," Rachel panted, out of breath.
"Good." Professor Weasley, standing behind her desk, began to sink downwards. It was as if her feet and legs and lower body and upper body were melting away until they could no longer see her at all.
"Professor Weasley?" Robert Sorenson asked cautiously.
"Mrow," came the reply. A tabby cat appeared from behind the desk. This only served to make the first-years, save Michael, more confused and distressed.
"Professor Weasley?" Robert repeated.
"Mrow," said the cat, and it began to change form. Almost in a flash, there was an otter where the cat had been.
Michael couldn't contain himself. He burst out laughing. As soon as the otter changed back into Professor Weasley, she smiled too. "Yes, Michael knows my secret. I am an Animagus, someone who can change into an animal at will." A few people scribbled this down in their notes. "The one thing that is unique about my talent is that I can change into two different animals and one into the other. I knew only one other person who could do that." Her eyes turned wistful, like she was remembering something. Then they snapped back to attention. "Your homework is an essay on Animagi, the process of registry.everything you can think of concerning the subject. Due Monday."
"That'll take all weekend, it will," Rachel complained as they headed out.
"At least we have our first flying lesson next," Michael said excitedly. "Wasn't your father a good Quidditch player, Liz?"
"According to McGonagall."
"Maybe you'll take after him."
Liz certainly hoped so. She loved the way flying sounded, so exhilarating and exciting.
"We're here!" Michael announced. A man on the field was beckoning to the approaching first-years.
"Come on. All right. My name is Mr.-Just call me Oliver Wood. I went to Hogwarts a really long time ago. All right, stick your hand over a broom and say, 'Up!'"
At first, Rachel accidentally stuck her hand over Michael's broom, making Liz laugh. Then Liz proudly flourished her hand from her robes and declared, "UP!"
Nothing happened.
"UP!"
Still nothing.
"UP! Up, up, up, up.wha-?"
Her broom hadn't moved at al, and Michael's had flown to his hand on his first try. Making sure Oliver Wood, their flying teacher, wasn't looking, Liz quickly snatched her broom from the ground.
"All right, does everyone have their broom? Here you are," he said to Winnie, handing her unmovable broom to her. "Now mount it."
Michael mounted easily, and Rachel did the same. Liz struggled to get her leg over correctly, and when she had succeeded in that, she tried to grip the handle as Michael did. Oliver Wood had to help her, and took a good fifteen minutes out of class time trying to show her the correct grip.
"All right, now," he said. Liz tightened her grip, determined not to lose it, until her knuckles turned white. "When I blow this whistle, kick off slightly, and then come back down again. All right?" ITweet!/I
Michael and Rachel hovered on Liz's left side and Desiree floated at her right. Liz kicked off a lot harder than need be. She was horizontal in the air for a second, and then she fell flat on her face. She barely wanted to lift her head for the giggles that rang out across the field. Winnie was laughing the loudest.
"Come on, get up," Oliver Wood told her. Liz got to her knees and stopped at a collective gasp. Touching her lip, she gulped and looked at two of her fingertips covered in blood.
"Nasty cut you got there," their teacher remarked, referring to the fact that Liz's lip had a slash almost all the way across it and was bleeding profusely. "I'll go up to the hospital wing and get on of those nifty Instant-Heal Bandages Madame Lesille has up there. Stay put."
As soon as he was out of sight, a Slytherin boy named Martin Stewart said loudly, "Well, he's gone. Let's fly!"
Several of the Hufflepuffs trembled and some of the Ravenclaws wisely shook their heads. But Michael piped up with, "Is that a challenge?"
"Call it what you will," Martin replied, "but I bet I can beat you to the tree and back."
"You're on!" Michael said.
"I'm the referee!" Rachel volunteered. "Racers, mount your brooms! On your mark, get set, GO!"
Michael and Martin took off. Liz stood up, looking very much like she had two bottom lips. The Gryffindors took up a chant of "Michael! Michael!" and some of the Ravenclaws joined in. They were neck-in-neck halfway back from the tree, but Michael slowly started to pull away. Right before he crossed the line, he turned backwards, so he was flying backwards and saw Martin's face when he lost.
The Gryffindors all cheered, but Liz couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She didn't have much time to feel it, however, because Oliver Wood's cheering joined them.
"Well done, you two!" he said. "Couldn't have done it better myself, Michael. Maybe I should refer you to Celeste Weaver. She's the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, and they're looking for a Seeker."
"Seeker? Me? Wow!" cried Michael.
"What about me?" Martin whined.
"Slytherin team is full. And besides, I don't know if you'd be quite up to it."
Liz grinned as Michael did a strange victory dance.
Liz woke up to the sunlight streaming through the window into her face. She had forgotten to close the hangings on her bed. She got up, changed, and left the dorm full of the four other girls sleeping. As she climbed through the portrait hole, the Fat Lady gave a royal wave to her, and she waved back. Then she made her way to the Great Hall.
There weren't many people there, but Liz did see Winnie Chen and one of her friends, another Slytherin girl by the name of Patsy Casarez. Both of them leered at her. Trying to ignore them, Liz picked up a piece of toast and began breakfast.
It was a while before Rachel came down, and even longer before Michael followed. The three of them ate breakfast, speculating over what classes would be like.
"Here are your schedules, first-years," Professor Weasley said, handing out papers to all the first-years that weren't still asleep. Michael looked at it and groaned.
"What?" Rachel inquired.
"There's too many classes," he moaned.
Throughout their first week, Liz began to think the same thing. Charms was taught by a man twice as small as Liz named Professor Flitwick. He had a squeaky little voice and an awfully large nose, and he had to stand on a stack of books while he taught. Professor Longbottom was their Herbology teacher, and he had a round face and a good nature. He looked doleful, however, when he called out Liz's name on the roster on the first day. Liz's least favorite class was History of Magic, their only class taught by a ghost. Professor Binns was boring and had a monotonous voice that could put even Liz, who had a knack for paying attention, asleep. Transfiguration was a lot of fun, especially with Professor Weasley teaching. Liz was the only one to turn her toothpick into a needle. Defense Against the Dark Arts was great, but Professor Theseus Garb wasn't. He went on and on about his accomplishments, his strength, his bravery, and his (arguable) good looks. A few of the girls agreed with him, but Rachel and Liz made faces every time Desiree sighed loudly.
Liz didn't like History of Magic because it was boring, but she hated Potions for a whole different reason. Professor Snape, with his dried and crackly white hair and horribly mean disposition, was the worst teacher Liz ever had. He sneered at them all, but he especially hated Liz for absolutely no reason at all. He took points off of her potion because the gas it was emitting was supposed to be shimmering silver, not shining silver. Liz didn't argue. She didn't want to give him a reason to be mean.
By the end of the week, Liz, Rachel, and Michael were worn out. On Saturday, Liz received a letter at breakfast from Chris. She opened it excitedly.
Dear Liz, Rachel, and Michael, How was your first week at school? I hope it was great. I had a good week. Mostly I watched Hagrid teach the Care of Magical Creatures classes. If you'd like, you could come down to visit us and really meet Hagrid today. I'll be waiting!
Chris
"Wanna go?" Liz asked them. Michael nodded at once and Rachel consented eventually. So thy finished breakfast and set off across the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.
Upon arrival, Liz knocked on the door. Chris threw it open and grinned. "Hi!" he said. "Come on in, come on in! Hagrid, my friends are here!"
The sound of thunderous footfalls reached them before Hagrid did. "Good, Chris. Hello, kids. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds here at Hogwarts. I also teach Care of Magical Creatures."
"I'm Michael."
"I'm Rachel."
"I'm Liz."
Hagrid's eyes widened when they fell on Liz. "Golly!" he cried, clutching at his heart. "It's.it's.blimey, I never thought.Elizabeth Potter! Chris, you never said anything about meeting her!"
"Must have slipped my mind," Chris said simply. Liz felt an instant rush of gratitude, though she didn't know why.
"D'you know my mum?" Michael asked hopefully.
"Are you a Weasley? Yeah, your mum and your dad," Hagrid answered, sitting down.
The conversation turned to the week's events. Liz's, Rachel's, and Michael's accounts were very similar to each other. Mostly, they contained complaints about Snape, Binns, or Garb. So they found themselves listening to Chris' week.
"And then, last night, a man knocked on the door. Hagrid was out in the forest, checking on something for his sixth-year class. So I let him in-"
"You what?" Hagrid said. "You can't just let any strangers running loose on the grounds into my cabin!"
"Sorry," Chris apologized. "Well, anyway, I let him in. He was wearing a hood and complained of cold. He asked for some food, so I gave him some."
"Now you can' do that!" Hagrid protested. "It's my food, not yours, to give away!"
"I'm sorry."
"Let's change the subject. So, Chris, how're your chores coming?"
Chris went very red and muttered something that vaguely sounded like, "I forgot." Liz quickly got up and excused her and her friends, having seen the look on Hagrid's face previously on Mrs. Smith's face when she was about to punish her or Emma for something. "We'll visit later," she promised quickly, closing the door.
"Hurry, hurry, it's Mum's presentation today!" Michael said excitedly, racing down the corridor. Liz and Rachel followed hopelessly behind.
"Just in time," Professor Weasley announced when they finally reached her classroom. "I was going to start without you."
"We're here," Rachel panted, out of breath.
"Good." Professor Weasley, standing behind her desk, began to sink downwards. It was as if her feet and legs and lower body and upper body were melting away until they could no longer see her at all.
"Professor Weasley?" Robert Sorenson asked cautiously.
"Mrow," came the reply. A tabby cat appeared from behind the desk. This only served to make the first-years, save Michael, more confused and distressed.
"Professor Weasley?" Robert repeated.
"Mrow," said the cat, and it began to change form. Almost in a flash, there was an otter where the cat had been.
Michael couldn't contain himself. He burst out laughing. As soon as the otter changed back into Professor Weasley, she smiled too. "Yes, Michael knows my secret. I am an Animagus, someone who can change into an animal at will." A few people scribbled this down in their notes. "The one thing that is unique about my talent is that I can change into two different animals and one into the other. I knew only one other person who could do that." Her eyes turned wistful, like she was remembering something. Then they snapped back to attention. "Your homework is an essay on Animagi, the process of registry.everything you can think of concerning the subject. Due Monday."
"That'll take all weekend, it will," Rachel complained as they headed out.
"At least we have our first flying lesson next," Michael said excitedly. "Wasn't your father a good Quidditch player, Liz?"
"According to McGonagall."
"Maybe you'll take after him."
Liz certainly hoped so. She loved the way flying sounded, so exhilarating and exciting.
"We're here!" Michael announced. A man on the field was beckoning to the approaching first-years.
"Come on. All right. My name is Mr.-Just call me Oliver Wood. I went to Hogwarts a really long time ago. All right, stick your hand over a broom and say, 'Up!'"
At first, Rachel accidentally stuck her hand over Michael's broom, making Liz laugh. Then Liz proudly flourished her hand from her robes and declared, "UP!"
Nothing happened.
"UP!"
Still nothing.
"UP! Up, up, up, up.wha-?"
Her broom hadn't moved at al, and Michael's had flown to his hand on his first try. Making sure Oliver Wood, their flying teacher, wasn't looking, Liz quickly snatched her broom from the ground.
"All right, does everyone have their broom? Here you are," he said to Winnie, handing her unmovable broom to her. "Now mount it."
Michael mounted easily, and Rachel did the same. Liz struggled to get her leg over correctly, and when she had succeeded in that, she tried to grip the handle as Michael did. Oliver Wood had to help her, and took a good fifteen minutes out of class time trying to show her the correct grip.
"All right, now," he said. Liz tightened her grip, determined not to lose it, until her knuckles turned white. "When I blow this whistle, kick off slightly, and then come back down again. All right?" ITweet!/I
Michael and Rachel hovered on Liz's left side and Desiree floated at her right. Liz kicked off a lot harder than need be. She was horizontal in the air for a second, and then she fell flat on her face. She barely wanted to lift her head for the giggles that rang out across the field. Winnie was laughing the loudest.
"Come on, get up," Oliver Wood told her. Liz got to her knees and stopped at a collective gasp. Touching her lip, she gulped and looked at two of her fingertips covered in blood.
"Nasty cut you got there," their teacher remarked, referring to the fact that Liz's lip had a slash almost all the way across it and was bleeding profusely. "I'll go up to the hospital wing and get on of those nifty Instant-Heal Bandages Madame Lesille has up there. Stay put."
As soon as he was out of sight, a Slytherin boy named Martin Stewart said loudly, "Well, he's gone. Let's fly!"
Several of the Hufflepuffs trembled and some of the Ravenclaws wisely shook their heads. But Michael piped up with, "Is that a challenge?"
"Call it what you will," Martin replied, "but I bet I can beat you to the tree and back."
"You're on!" Michael said.
"I'm the referee!" Rachel volunteered. "Racers, mount your brooms! On your mark, get set, GO!"
Michael and Martin took off. Liz stood up, looking very much like she had two bottom lips. The Gryffindors took up a chant of "Michael! Michael!" and some of the Ravenclaws joined in. They were neck-in-neck halfway back from the tree, but Michael slowly started to pull away. Right before he crossed the line, he turned backwards, so he was flying backwards and saw Martin's face when he lost.
The Gryffindors all cheered, but Liz couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She didn't have much time to feel it, however, because Oliver Wood's cheering joined them.
"Well done, you two!" he said. "Couldn't have done it better myself, Michael. Maybe I should refer you to Celeste Weaver. She's the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, and they're looking for a Seeker."
"Seeker? Me? Wow!" cried Michael.
"What about me?" Martin whined.
"Slytherin team is full. And besides, I don't know if you'd be quite up to it."
Liz grinned as Michael did a strange victory dance.