Chapter err. . . 22?
The Hogwarts staff piled into the professor's lounge.
"Alright," Albus said to quiet the chatter down. "We're here to do the bi-annual problem child review." The rest of the professors quieted.
"Any comments about the first years?"
Professor McGonagall was the first to speak.
"Albus, I've been talking with some of the teachers," she glanced at Professor Flitwick before continuing. "It seems that young Potter is having an enormous amount of difficulty with even the simplest spell." All of the first year professors excepting Professors Snape and Sprout nodded and made noises of agreement.
"And what do you two think?" Albus directed his question to Professors Snape and Sprout.
"He's not gifted, but he's also not having any undue problems with Herbology." Professor Sprout spoke when it was obvious Professor Snape was happy with glowering for the moment and wasn't speaking up.
"Aside from his total lack of respect, superior attitude and disregard for the rules he has an" the professor sneered the next two words "adequate talent for potions."
"Is there any way we could get him help?"
"Albus." McGonagall's voice was tense. "His problems are unlike anything I've seen in a student before. He has magic, otherwise all of his projects wouldn't be blowing up all the time." There was a round of affirmative noises while Snape's lips twitched ever so slightly. "But to figure out how to teach him without blowing up the school, I'm stumped."
"We can't help him until we figure out what's wrong with him." Professor Flitwick's voice continued. "And until that happens, we can't let him practice."
"Has anyone ever wondered if it's because of his language?" Madame Hooch piped in. All eyes turned to her. "The first day of flying, he had no trouble getting his broom to move, but he didn't use English." She stopped as if just saying something really stupid.
"Do go on Madame," Albus said "I think you might have something here."
"Well, Look at what he's having trouble with. All the magic that requires incantations, but he isn't having trouble with flying, herbology or potions. None of those require him to speak."
There was a long pause.
"Albus, If she's right, then he shouldn't be here. We can't teach him when he can't pronounce the words." Professor McGonagall spoke.
"I agree." Professor Flitwick entered, "He should be going to a school in the east. Where they speak the language and can teach him properly."
Anything else they were going to say was interrupted by the sound of crashing coming from the corridor. It was getting louder.
"YOOOOOOSH"
They piled out of the room wondering just what that shout was where it came from. They made it into the hallway just in time to be buzzed by a flying figure that was merrily dodging statues and suits of armor. It was laughing triumphantly.
"PEEVES" Professor McGonagall shouted and jumped when the poltergeist's voice came from right next to her.
"What?"
"That's not. . ." her voice drifted into silence as the figure made it to the stairwell.
"YATTA" another shout and yells from the stairwell took her attention back to the problem at hand. Namely whatever it was that just zipped through the corridor. All of the professors spared a quick glance between themselves before running at full speed after whatever it was.
When they reached the stairwell the blur paused for a moment revealing Harry Potter. He had paused for a moment in the middle of the air to get his bearings before zipping around some more.
"HARRY POTTER GET OFF THAT BROOM THIS INSTANT." professor McGonagall shouted. He ignored her.
Madame Hooch gasped. "He's not on a broom." Her voice was quiet but all of the professors caught what she said.
A moment of stunned silence followed and was quickly broken by a squeal of a Ravenclaw first year as Harry jetted by her and out a window.
"Well it's obvious he's not a squib." Professor Snape deadpanned.
Boy-Who-Lived is Boy-Who-Can-Fly?
Recent reports state that the Boy-Who-Lived was sighted flying without the aid of a broom. While this skill is not uncommon in Leprechauns it is unheard of for a Wizard to do so without the assistance of a broom or other charmed object. Harry Potter is the son of James Potter. A wizard of clean bloodline and his mother, Lily Potter was a muggleborn. According to genealogist Haziam Feneral, it is impossible for him to have blood history to be able to fly. Has the Boy-Who-Lived managed to preform another impossible feat? Or is the reported sighting by multiple Hogwarts students a sham.
When asked, the Boy-Who-Lived responded that he did in-fact fly. When asked how he did it he replied with "Go ride a broom and figure it out yourself." This is ambiguous answer led to the questioning of the Hogwarts staff and students. Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy a member on the school board, stated that Potter probably snuck in an illegal broom and had someone glamour it. Cho Chang, a 2nd year Ravenclaw stated that she saw the boy as he buzzed her when leaving out a window and it didn't look like he was ridding a broom. The staff had no comment to make but we have it from a reliable source that the Boy-Who-Lived is not doing well in his classes and cannot preform even the simplest charm. More page C6.
The long manicured fingers of Lucius Malfoy slammed the paper down and glared at the headline. A slight growl escaped his lips as the paper started to smoulder a little.
AN
Yeah I took a while. Beat me. But anywhoo I'd like to thank dearlyangle and Ahadowf120 (on Yahoo) for giving me helpful do it to myself type hints.
And now for answers to the most asked question, "What's with the metallic taste / What did the unicorn do to him?"
I was hoping for deductive reasoning on the part of the reader here, so I'm not saying much other than the full implications of having ingested willingly given unicorn blood will be explained later if I ever get to 3rd year.
Alagon, I changed it :-)
Rachel Sedai, Yes he will get the hang of magic once he figures out that it's not the words that matter but the intention and weave.
So thanks to everyone who reviewed :-)