To Begin Anew
Chapter 5
It was not very interesting for the first few days. Reviewing the basics for me, but teaching new things to most people. What caught my attention, however, was an elegant noticed hung upon the wall. It said we'd be starting Flying lessons on Thursday, and that we would be learning with Gryffindor.
I smile was brought upon my face, and it didn't go away the whole day.
Creeped out a lot of people though, so it made my day even better.
I really am a sadistic one sometimes, aren't I?
"I don't see why you're so happy about it, Dio. From what I knew, you hate not being able to touch the ground. Now, me on the other hand… I love to fly, and I'm so bloody good at it that if they didn't let me on the team-"
"Shut up Draco. You know perfectly well that I just can't stand not touching the ground. You found that out when you took me up on a broom when I was 7. Last time you ever did that, at least." Draco looked a bit pale, and I smirked.
Well, I did dig my fingernails in enough to draw blood. It took 4 people to pry me off of him. And that was after two ours.
"Fine. Now, let's get to going. I'm hungry." Draco said bossily, and left in a flourish, robes billowing around him in a very Snape like fashion. I snorted in amusement and followed, my nose up in the air, mocking.
Oh I love being a Slytherin.
We arrived at the meal and sat down quickly, eager to eat. I started eating everything in sight again, and though it had been nearly a week, people were still amazed at how much I ate. I ignored them though, and finished off what I had.
Soon, the mail came. I had a letter from my parents, a letter from my… uh… other father - the darker one, anyway – while Draco got some sweets from home. He opened them eagerly, internally (I'm sure) happy that he had a source of sugar other then dessert at dinner.He slowly ate them – gloating all the while, though he did give me one – but saved some for later so that they could last longer then just one meal. The usual time period.
We got up and started to walk out the door, but Draco decided to take a detour. He had seen Neville get his Remembrall. It had just glowed scarlet when Draco snatched it out of his hands. I sighed as I stopped behind him and his two goons. I really had to tell him to get rid of them. They were as stupid as a snail was slow. That alone should tell you of there intelligence.
Harry and Ron had jumped to their feet, and when I was about to intervene, Professor McGonagall was there lightning quick.
"What's going on?"
Hell, did she have a pair of eyes on her.
"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."
Scowling, Draco quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.
"Just looking," he said, and started off with Crabe and Goyle behind him. I paused for a moment and nodded to Ron and Neville, while I caught Harry's eye and held it for a moment. A small smile appeared on my face.
"See you later," I mouthed to him, and he smiled back.
I jogged after Draco and his goons, and contently walked behind them. I was looking forward to this afternoon. Not for the flying, but to see my friends I hadn't seen in a couple days.
At three-twenty-five that afternoon, us Slytherin's lazily walked down to the grounds for our first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under our feet as we walked (or glided) to the pristine lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest. Such pretty trees the forest had.
We had only wait five minutes before the Gryffindors to show up. A moment later, Madam Hooch, the flying instructor showed up.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."
I sighed and reluctantly stood near a broom. I could feel the magically living twigs and handle calling to me, but I kept a tight reign on it. It would not get out of my control again.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"
"UP!" everyone shouted.
My broom, due to sheer luck I bet, shot into my hand. It gave a small shiver as it connected to my skin, and I internally groaned. I didn't want to use it! I want to stay connected to the ground, damnation! I'm not supposed to be in the air!
I looked around me, panicked, and caught Harry's eye. He was smiling at me, grinning really, as if he accomplished the greatest thing in the world. I gave him a small smile back.
Madam Hooch then showed us how to mount our brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting our grips. She closed her hand around mine, steadying it, and gave me a small smile to attempt to calm me. I found her doing the same to some of the other students, and relaxed slightly. She walked to Draco beside me and corrected his grip, telling him he's been doing it wrong for years. Most of the Gryffindors looked ecstatic.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle – three – two –"
But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground – much like myself – pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.
I sighed and shook my head. I might have been nervous – not scared – but I wasn't that skittish. Thank Zeus. God forbid any Slytherin do that, for they'd be branded for life as a coward, and you didn't want that for the next 6 years.
"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle – twelve feet – twenty feet. Neville was slipping off of the broom…
WHAM – a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight. I snorted in amusement.
Fly my broom, be free!
Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.
"Broken wrist," she murmured. "Come on, boy – it's all right, up you get."
She turned to the class.
"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."
Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
No sooner were they out of earshot than Draco burst into laughter.
"Did you see his face, the great lump?"
The other Slytherins joined in, while I huffed and walked away from them. I didn't want to take part of this. I sat off to the side and propped my head on my hand, leaning on my knee. I silently enforced the feeling of Dionysos Prom of the Slytherins not being there. Harry glanced at me for a moment before he returned his attention to Draco.
Hmmm.
"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."
"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
The Remembrall sparkled dazzlingly in the sun as he held it up.
"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.
Draco half smiled, half barred his teeth at him.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find – how about – up a tree?"
I groaned and flopped back onto the grass, gazing up at the sky.
Why me? Why must my two best friends decide to be enemies/rivals? Is this some kind of divine punishment that carried over from my previous life that I somehow forgot about?
"Come and get it, Potter!"
I glanced to where the voice came from, only to see Draco on a broom, in the air with a smirk on his face. Harry grabbed his broom.
"No!" shouted Hermione. "Madam Hooch told us not to move – you'll get us all into trouble."
Harry ignored her, while I said distantly from my spot on the ground, "Actually, it'd only be him. He is the one who would take off, not you guys." I continued staring into the clouds.
Hermione gave an offended gasp, and I smiled. Harry was now in the air, and I could see the pure joy on his face. So much like when I am with my plants. Elation. Rapture.
Harry turned his broomstick sharply to face Draco in midair. Draco looked stunned.
"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"
"Oh, yeah?" said Draco trying to sneer, but ended up looking worried instead.
Harry, I'm sure, wasn't taught what to do. But when he leaned forward, he shot toward Draco like a bullet. The Dragon barely got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people down below them – Gryffindors – clapped.
"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy." Harry called.
I blinked. He left out my name. I wasn't sure whether to be offended of thankful.
The same thought – about them saving him, not leaving out my name - seemed to have struck Draco.
"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back to the ground.
While Harry flew through the air after the Remembrall, I suddenly appeared behind Draco and smacked him upside the head. He flinched and let out a quiet 'Ow!'.
"Idiot. What did I tell you about antagonizing my friends from different houses?" I hissed into his ear.
"Well it's not like I can be nice to our rival house, it would be suspicious. So even if I wanted to-"
"HARRY POTTER!"
I turned around to see a safe Harry sprawled on the grass, the Remembrall clutched in his hand. He turned pale, and got to his feet, trembling.
"Never – in all my time at Hogwarts-"
Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "- how dare you – might have broken your neck –"
"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"
"Be quiet, Miss Patil –"
"But Malfoy –"
"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."
Harry glanced at me standing next to the triumphant Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle as he left, and I gazed worriedly at him. He numbly walked behind Professor McGonagall as she strode purposefully toward the castle.
I sharply turned toward Draco, who was smirking at Harry's back.
I leaned toward him and whispered for his ears only, "If I find out that he's expelled, you will wish you never pissed me off, wanker."
I leaned back from him, and turned around, walking back to my broom. Draco was pale as a ghost, and shaking ever so slightly. I was frowning and emitting an aura of frosty indifference as we continued the lesson. I took off in the air, and barely reacted, which, I think, frightened Draco even more. After the lesson
At dinner, I walked briskly ahead of Draco, who followed quickly, and sat down to eat. Spotting Harry at his table, my mood brightened considerably. Draco noticed and followed my eyes to Harry. He frowned, and headed off to the Gryffindor table, flanked by once again, Crabbe and Goyle. I shrugged to myself and sat down to eat, pretty sure that he couldn't do anything to Harry now since not only was there a full room of people, but the teachers were also eating at there table as well, and some were staring at the students.
By the time I was done eating, Malfoy had come back with a smug expression on his face.
I raised an eyebrow at him and nudged him. He stiffened, and looked at me our of the corner of his eye. Seeing that I wasn't mad at him anymore, he relaxed.
"Why are you so chipper, mate?" I asked contentedly.
Malfoy gave me a small grin. "Well, since he wasn't expelled, I thought that I'd just get him in trouble."
He sat down and started to eat, more cheerful then before. I sighed and shook my head. I doubt I'd ever get those two to stop fighting.
Later that night, however, instead of getting in trouble, Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione all had an adventure, and met a three headed dog named Fluffy. Of course, I didn't know this till later. But I'll get to that later. All I did was sleep, and have strange dreams of a strange young man with wild spiky hair, floating upon what appeared to be a broom, his outline shrouded by the moon in the background.
As for that dream, I'll tell you someday what it means.
-
A.N. – Err… how was that? - laughs nervously - Well, my friends, hope you'll enjoy that. Twas fun to write, even if I did end up not doing my pre-cal homework. I can always do it tomorrow morning, luckily. –sighs– Thanks everyone for the review, btw. Much appreciated, and knowing that people read this actually makes me want to get out another chapter. Even if that takes awhile.
R&R
Laters, all.