Author's Note: I'm back finally after a very long break from the Marauders Four. I've been still writing. As a matter of fact, I've already had written two chapters after this one. If it's possible, I'd had a chapter for Christmas treat. Loads of thanks to my beta, Erica!
Chapter Seven
Taking Flight
Watching them as they enter the Great Hall, Remus picked up his books again, his knees still trembling and his face was still pale. He could not believe his ears; someone who he actually thought was friend went and read up on the monster he ever feared.
A notice had been posted up on the Gryffindor Notice Board. The Gryffindor Notice Board was somewhere where all the announcements were made. There was a list of banned items from Argus Filch, the caretaker who roam around the castle spookily, frightening students out of wits with his quiet and slow voice with his cat, Mrs. Norris. Wherever Mrs. Norris went, Filch would always be around the area. If you ever commit anything wrong inside this castle caught by the sneaky cat, Filch would come whizzing round taunting you with detentions.
Then below it was the Gryffindor Quidditch Team tryouts; there was a group of three boys staring up at the notice.
"Wish I'm a second year," said James, staring up at the notice.
"C'mon, you're only a first year," said Sirius.
On the right side was what the trio was looking for – flying lessons. James groaned.
"What?" said Sirius.
"Look," said James, pointing his finger at the lower part of the parchment, which state that the Gryffindors were going to have their flying lessons with the Slytherins.
"Another chance to see Snivellus?" asked Sirius.
"Snivellus?" said James, raising a brow and frowning at Sirius.
"That kid, who knocked you down to the back of the train, remember?" said Sirius.
"Snape," corrected James.
"Snivellus fits him perfectly," said Sirius, "nosing git messing around."
James gave out a harsh laugh, which he ceased almost immediately. The muggle-born with red hair was talking and giggling with her Gryffindor friends and she smiled at James when he looked at her.
He couldn't believe it.
Lily Evans smiled to him.
He watched a boy entered the common room and went to Lily Evans, together; they sat down at the armchairs by the fireplace, took out their homework and started scribbling on parchments with their quills.
"You know how to do this question, Remus?" asked Lily.
"Oh this," said Remus. "The strategy is to break the grip."
"Oh," said Lily.
James sighed. How he wished he were the one sitting beside Lily, doing homework with her like a loving couple. The Slytherins were already at the grounds when the Gryffindors came, chatting excitedly. On the ground were about twenty old brooms. A woman was already there.
This woman looked she was in her forties. She had yellow eyes that made her look like a sharp-eyed hawk. The talking immediately ceased when she gave a little cough for attention.
"My name is Madam Hooch, good afternoon class," the woman greeted.
"Good afternoon Madam Hooch," chanted the class.
"Welcome to the flying –" but before she could continue her talk, a hand rose up into the air from the crowd of Gryffindors and Slytherin.
It was James.
"Was it true that you played for Ireland?" asked James excitedly.
Madam Hooch nodded. James' eyes brightened up and there were murmurings of eager and excitement going on at the same time. "Attention class!" she roared and the chattering died away. "For muggle-borns, you may have not heard about the word 'Quidditch'. Quidditch is a sport played on broomsticks and each one of you stands a chance to enter your house's Quidditch team. There is the Quidditch season when houses compete with each other. At the end of the season, a Quidditch Cup is being awarded to whichever house that scored the highest. Now no more talking, each of you, stand to the left side of the broom."
The students obeyed her instructions, all of them were eager to take their first flight.
"Hold out your hand and say 'up'!" instructed Madam Hooch.
"UP!" James' broom flew up to his hand at once at his command and he gripped the old school broom tightly in his hand. Remus looked at the broom longingly, which was out of his reach. "With feelings," Madam Hooch added.
"Up," said Remus disappointedly. Surprisingly, the broom flew up to his palm at once but he didn't grip it, he stared at it. Peter's broom rolled over the grass; Sirius was clutching the broom in his hand.
While Madam Hooch was not looking, Peter bent down quickly and picked up his broom. Seeing that everybody had his broom in hands, she continued to the next step.
One by one, Madam Hooch witnessed them ordering the brooms to their hands, she smiled, satisfied, when James' broom rose up to his hand so quickly.
Beads of sweat began to drip down Peter's forehead. How? That old fraud was coming now! What if he couldn't even summon his broom to him? How would his parents be ashamed of him when he couldn't even do the simplest thing?
"UP!" Peter yelled when Madam Hooch came over to look at his progress. The broom rolled over yet again, Peter stared at his broom and slowly turned his attention to Madam Hooch.
"Honesty, Mr Pettigrew," said Madam Hooch. "That's one of the Gryffindor Traits. See me later after class."
Peter gulped and watched Madam Hooch strode away. She taught them how to mount their brooms and corrected their grips of holding the broomstick.
"Now," she began, when they were already mounted on their brooms. "Kick off hard from the ground at the count of three. One, two, three!"
BEEP! The whistle sounded and everybody rose up to the blue sky. James flew higher and higher, feeling the cool wind whizzed past him, his hair flying in the air. Sirius was following close behind him. James halt to a stop on the mid air, he was fifty feet away from the earth.
"Showing off as if he's a Quidditch player?" someone yelled. James turned and found the source of the noise.
It was Snivellus.
"So what does it got to do with you, Snivellus?" sneered James, descending to Snivellus' side.
"Don't make me hex you," said Snivellus threatening, taking out his wand.
"So? Want to scare me off, Snivellus?" said James. "I'm so scared!" he mocked.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Snivellus shouted. James spun off course as a strong power forced him to fly uncontrollably. He hit the castle before he came to a rest below the Whomping Willow when he discovered a tunnel beneath. It looked like a tunnel large enough for a person to crawl into it.
"What the – " said James, before he realised he was under a very aggressive tree. He dodged the tree's attacks narrowly and quickly got to his feet, running twelve feet away from the plant before he stopped and gaze at the Whomping Willow.
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