Chapter 7: Flying Fiasco
Phoebe's POVBy the time the time the weekend rolled around, three days after our first day of classes, most first years where slightly down in the dumps. Their joy at being here slightly gone from all the hard work and effort needed to be put in, although the upper years kept saying the first couple weeks are the worst, and it looked up from there, I just couldn't believe them. Fred and George however took advantage of the situation and kept taunting Ron, I couldn't help but laugh whenever they did, causing Ron to glare at me. I had been spending about half of my time with Harry and Ron, and the other half with Hermione. Because of that fact I was torn down the middle whenever Ron decided to make fun of her, which was usually when we were doing our schoolwork.
Everyone was loaded down with homework the first weekend, although some people managed their time a lot better than others, namely Hermione, and did not have quite as much once Sunday rolled around. I was almost up there with her, just because the stuff we were learning I already knew, and decided to do the homework in other classes, unbeknownst to the professors of course. Since Hermione and me had more time than the boys did I started hanging out more with her than them, which I definitely wasn't complaining about. As much as I enjoyed hanging out with Ron and especially Harry, it was nice to have a friend that was a girl. I decided then that I'd more than likely spend more time with her than the two boys, plus that way I wouldn't have to spend as much time on homework.
It was Sunday, and lunch had finished nearly an hour ago, most first years were stuck inside, finishing the homework they had put off. I too had put some of it off, but not enough to make a difference. I was sitting by Ron and Harry, Hermione having finished hers the day before, which caused Ron to poke fun of her in-between writing sentences on one of his essays.
"I mean really, who does all their work on a Saturday?" Ron said slightly annoyed. "It's not human…"
I rolled my eyes as I started to tune his complaints out, noticing that I was almost done. Little bits of Ron's complaints were breaking through my barriers and it annoyed me to no end. I had always been able to tune out those around me if I really wanted to. Oh well I thought sighing, there's a first for everything. I finished up my essay quickly, knowing full well it was not my best effort, I was just getting incredibly sick of Ron's childish complaints, and from the look on Harry's face when I looked up from my completed work, he was too.
I slammed my book shut, startlingly Ron out of his train of thought.
"Finished," I said simply, shrugging slightly at his questioning gaze.
"You're finished?" Harry asked skeptically.
"Yep," I replied nodding, collecting my books and standing up.
Harry looked slightly annoyed that he'd be left alone to listen to Ron's complaints but did not say anything. I looked over at Ron and saw his doubtful expression.
"See you two later," I said smiling, walking toward the girls dormitory, a little skip in my step. I headed up the stairs and into the first year's girl's dormitories, dropping my books on my bed. I spotted Hermione on hers and decided to plop down on mine and start up a conversation.
"Hey Hermione," I greeted smiling widely, my voice cheerful.
She looked over and caught my eyes, returning the smile. "Hey Phoebe. I was just reading a book," she replied, holding it up for me to see. I didn't really pay attention to the cover, so I wasn't sure what it was. "Finished up have you?" she asked nicely.
"Yep," I replied. "All done, thankfully."
"Woulda guessed you'd stay down there with Harry and Ron," she said casually.
I shrugged slightly. "Na, what fun would that be?" I smiled at her and she started to laugh slightly. I joined in and then got serious. "No, really, I got sick of Ron's complaints, I feel sorry for Harry having to listen to them, luckily Ron only does it when we have to actually do work."
"Let me guess," Hermione said sighing. "He's complaining bout me?" I didn't say anything and she gave me a knowing smile. "Don't worry, you don't have to actually tell me. By the way did you see the bulletin board?"
"No, what about it?" I asked curiously raising an eyebrow.
"Flying lessons for first years start Tuesday. I'm kind of bummed about it, I don't want to learn to fly."
I tried not to laugh, a smile tugging at my mouth. "Sounds like a ton of fun to me Hermione. Why wouldn't you want to fly? I didn't even know we got to fly," I said excitedly, jumping up and heading over to my bag.
"I just don't think it's my type of thing," she said shrugging, standing up as well.
I started rummaging around in my bag, looking for a piece of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink so that I could send a letter to Piper, Prue, and Grams telling them that I was going to have a flying lesson on Tuesday. I found everything I needed and pulled it out, grabbing an extra of all three of them and laying it down on my bed. Hermione had come over to see what I was doing and now that she saw it she smiled slightly.
"Writing home?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah. I'm gonna tell my Grandma, and my two sisters about it."
Hermione smiled wider. "Hmm…I think I should write home too. Don't think I've done it since the first day of classes.
I grabbed the extra piece of parchment, the extra quill, and the extra bottle of ink and tossed it to her. She caught it at the last second, nearly dropping it all. "Sorry," I said smiling slightly. "We can both write home, then go down to the owlery and send um."
"Looks like we've got ourselves a plan," Hermione said smiling, and then started to laugh. I joined in and then we set to work on writing our letters home.
Gram's POVIt was Sunday night and we, the girls and I, had just sat down to dinner. I was asking them how their day had been when a brown barn owl flew in the window, dropping a letter in the middle of the table. I recognized Phoebe's writing on the exposed part and reached for it. My fingers grasped the parchment and I pulled it towards me, opening it up as I did so.
"Is it from Pheebs?" Piper asked hopefully.
"Yes," I replied looking up at her smiling.
"Read it aloud Grams," Prue said emotionlessly.
Piper looked over at her questioningly, but dismissed it once she realized she'd never get anything out of Pure.
"Grams, Piper, and Prue,
I really do miss you guys, more than you know. So far school's going great, although we have a lot of work that they expect us to do, I'm dealing with it fairly well. I'm so glad I got to come though. It's awesome, and tons of fun. Learning magic and its history, it's like a whole new world. Well anyway, you'll never guess what I get to do on Tuesday…I get to FLY! I can't wait I'm so excited. It's so cool here, yet I can't wait till Christmas cause I'll get to see you all again. I miss you all lots, take care, and be safe.
Phoebe"I finished reading and set it down. Well it's a good thing nothing is happening to her, let's hope it stays that way. God I hope this doesn't destroy the bind on their powers. I realized just how stupid of an idea this was when the realization that their powers just might in fact become unbound from this experience. Should Phoebe's powers become unbound through the use of the magic at Hogwarts, all three of their powers would. Maybe if I could convince Phoebe not to go back over Christmas I'll be ok. I just have to figure out how…
Phoebe's POVWhen Tuesday came rolling around the Slytherin and Gryffindor first years filed out, chatting excitedly amongst their house about the flying lesson they were about to receive. When we got out we saw a bunch of brooms set on the ground, and Madame Hooch standing in the middle of the two lanes. The two lanes were facing each other and the brooms ranged from ones that looked like they wouldn't be able to hold you, to ones that were in pretty decent shape.
"Stand on the left side of a broom," Madame Hooch instructed when the last first year had arrived.
We all obeyed and stood next to a broom. I ended up separated from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I was smooched between two Slytherins and I looking very uncomfortable because of it. I stood nervously next to the broom and looked over at Madame Hooch, waiting for the next set of instructions.
"Place your right hand over the broom and say up," Madame Hooch commanded.
A chorus of ups could be heard and about a fourth of the brooms flew into the hands of their users, two of them being Harry's and Hermione's. Mine however, stayed rooted firmly to the ground, as had the two Slytherins next to me.
"If you did not manage to get your broom up the first time, try again," Madame Hooch yelled out.
"Up," I said firmly, full confidence evident in my voice. Confidence is the key, as some would say. My broom flew up into my hand and I smiled. "Awesome."
I could see the two Slytherins glaring at me out of the corner of my eyes, and I tried to ignore them. I looked around and saw that most first years now had their brooms in their hand and they were waiting for those who hadn't to accomplish the task as well. I smiled over at Harry, mouthing good job. He smiled and nodded slightly, acknowledging my unspoken words. I looked over at Ron, saw that his broom was up and then looked over at Hermione who looked at me at the same moment. I mouthed a congratulation to her and she smiled and mouthed good job back to me.
After a minute or so those who had not been able to get their brooms up beforehand now had them firmly gripped in their hands, some looking a bit embarrassed that it had taken so long to get them into their hands. The Slytherins next to me were two of them.
"Now, swing your right leg over the broom and mount it. Do nothing else," Madame Hooch instructed strictly.
Everyone swung their legs over their respective broom and stood there waiting for the next instructions. Madame Hooch nodded slightly in approval.
"Alright, on my whistle you will kick off slightly and hover, not too far off the ground I might add," she said seriously, bringing the whistle up close to her mouth. "Remember, kick off slightly, not to hard, and do not ascend to far up. On my whistle, one…two…th…."
Before Madame Hooch could reach three Neville kicked off and started to ascend, causing those around him to gasp out and those who weren't to look toward him.
"Get down here this instant!" Madame Hooch screamed. "I have not blown the whistle yet."
Instead of obliging and coming down Neville took off, zooming away from all of us, towards the castle. He had lost absolutely all control over the broom. I gasped as everyone ran to catch up to him. Madame Hooch pulled out her wand, but it was too late. He hit the castle wall and started falling down, catching on a few things as he fell, his robes tearing in various places, scratches and bruises forming on his body. He hit the ground and I could hear the crack of bones from the front of the crowd. Concern entered my features and I looked around to find Hermione.
Madame Hooch fell to her knees next to Neville and gently grabbed the arm he was holding. "Let me have a look Mr. Longbottom," she said firmly when Neville tried to refuse her help. He hesitantly let her take his arm and winced as pain overtook him. "Seems broken, must get you up to the hospital wing. All in all I'd say you're pretty lucky Longbottom." She stood up, helping him as she did and headed toward the castle doors once they were both up and steadied. She turned around to address the rest of the first years when she got there. "You are to remain on the ground. Anyone who does not will be expelled before you can say quidditch." And with that she was off to take Neville to the hospital wing.
I looked around looking for Hermione. When I spotted her, concern also etched on her face I rushed over. She spotted me and tried to give me a slight smile, but failed miserably.
"Do you think Neville'll be ok?" I asked concerned.
"I'm sure he will," Hermione replied distractedly.
Hermione's gaze had wandered and I now followed it, only to have it come to rest on a group of Slytherins facing a group of Gryffindors. Draco Malfoy's and Harry Potters', gees, would have never guessed that I thought rolling my eyes. I found their bitter rivalry very childish most of the time, although occasionally I would have no choice but to join in. Malfoy was holding up Neville's remembrall and taunting Harry. I couldn't really hear anything they were saying so both Hermione and me made to move closer. Just when we got close enough to hear what was being said Malfoy mounted his broom and kicked off.
"Come and get it Potter," he snarled, rising higher and higher.
Harry mounted, as if getting ready to kick off himself.
"Harry, no," Hermione said trying to stop him. "You'll get in trouble."
"Yea," I said boldly. "Don't do it, let Malfoy be the one to get in trouble, not you." Harry chose to ignore us and took off anyway. "Harry!" I screamed up after him, but he didn't hear me, or chose not to.
I looked over at Hermione. "This is bad," she said quietly.
"Only if they get caught," I said chuckling nervously.
We both spun around to look as the scene unfolded. We couldn't understand anything they were saying, they were too far away, but we saw Draco throw the remembrall as far as he possibly could and we all gasped. Harry would never be able to catch that; I mean he'd never even flown before! However, surprising us all, including Malfoy and his cronies, he dove fast for the remembrall, picking up more and more speed by the second. Just as he was about to smack straight dab into the castle wall he pulled up, catching it with one hand, barely missing a collision with the wall.
I released the breath I didn't realize I had been holding as everyone, excluding the Slytherins of course, erupted into cheers. Harry descended, holding the remembrall in one hand and landed, as all the Gryffindors surrounded him, blocking him from view.
"Harry Potter!" we heard someone say loudly and we all turned to see Professor McGonagall, standing there looking slightly angry, but I could also see a hint of amusement present in her eyes.
I turned to Hermione, fear on my face. "Oh, It's bad," I said quietly gaining an agreeing nod from Hermione.
Harry was revealed to McGonagall and she signaled for him to follow her. "Come with me Potter," she said sternly.
Harry's head drooped down slightly as he followed McGonagall, still holding the broom.
I looked back at Hermione when they had entered the castle and we caught each other's eyes.
"Do you think he'll be expelled?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I sure as hell hope not," I said under my breath, just loud enough for Hermione to hear me.