A few days after I got out of the hospital wing, I received a reply from my family. While I was doing my homework Malaya flew through the window. She landed on the table next to my notebook. I looked at her. She was holding a letter in her mouth. I gently took it from her and looked at it. But before I could open it, she started to nudge me with her head. "What do you want?" I asked her. She only pushed on me more. I broke off a piece of bread from the sandwich I was eating and put my hand out. She ate it thankful and then she flew on top of a shelf. I looked at the envelope again. It was from my family. I took out the letter and read it.
Dear Stephanie,
This is DJ. Dad told us about you leaving to a school of magic. Don't worry we haven't told anyone yet. Dad isn't writing because he is trying to make the house "owl proof." You're lucky he did kill your owl.
Anyways everything here is fine. School started. Nothing has changed much. Our school seems so boring compared to yours! Well how are classes? Did you make any friends? I heard you are learning how to fly a broom. Sounds like fun! Dad was nervous when you mentioned about flying on a broom. He says it's no safe and you get seriously hurt.
Everyone else says hi. Wish you luck with school. Wish me luck too. This year is much harder. Write back as soon as you can!
Love,
DJ
I smiled and stuck the letter in my book bag. I then looked up at Malaya. She gave a hoot and then swooped down towards me. I stuck out my arm for her to land and then we walked to the bedroom.
I sat on the windowsill looking out into the night sky thinking about what my family was doing. Malaya joined me. For some seconds she just sat there. She then flew out the window and went into a dove near the ground. I gasped and looked down to check if she was all right. But then she just came up to she was nearly to my face. Then she then flew off to do her hunting.
I sighed. With having nothing else to do, I took one last look at the star light sky and then went off to bed.
That morning during Transfiguration I was having some difficulties. I was hopelessly trying to change a block of wood into a flowerpot. "Come on," I whined, "Potrangus." The wood then turned into a lopsided pot. "Well it's a start," I said. I tried once more but this time I used more force in my voice. This time I succeed. I smiled.
Professor McGonall had just left the room for a moment to go to a meeting with the headmaster. While I was trying to get my pot to turn back into a wooden box Draco walked over. "What is this?" he said pulling my letter out of the pocket of my book bag.
"Give me that back," I said trying to get it back. But he pulled it back before I could reach it. He paused and read it.
He laughed. "Miss your family Tanner?" he asked in a mocking voice. I tried again to get it back. Some other people stopped to watch. "What's wrong does little baby want her letter back," he said taunting me. Some other Sltherins join in laughing. My face turned beet red.
"Leave her alone Malfoy," Harry ordered him. Before Draco could respond to him, Professor McGonall came in.
"What is going on?" she asked with tension in her voice. Malfoy handed me back my letter and everyone returned to their seats. And class continued.
When it ended I slung my red book bag over my shoulder and stomped out. I was still mad at what had happened. "Stupid Malfoy. Why does he think he can push me around," I muttered through the hall. "Wait up Stephanie!" someone yelled from the crowd in the hall.
I stopped and waited for them. Hermoine was the pushed into me. "Sorry," she apologized, "These halls are so crowded." We silently walked to the doors at the entrance of Hogwarts. When we opened the door and stepped out into the warm sun.
"You know," I said looking at Hermoine, "It's not that cold out yet for November." She nodded.
We were one of the first people at the flying grounds. Madame Hooch wasn't even there yet. I was chatting with Hermoine for sometime when I saw Harry and Ron coming. I waved to them to signal I was over here. They jogged over. They didn't seem to feel uncomfortable with Hermoine around. "So you guys are all friends now?" I asked them. The nodded.
"Yeah we kind of became friends when you were out in the hospital wing," Ron said.
"Wow I must have missed a lot then," I said in a somewhat cheerful voice. Madame Hooch then walked onto the field. We took our regular places. "Today," she said, "Now, that you know the basics of flying, I will allow you to have a free flying class. This is a privilege. We will not do it again if any of these rules are broken. One there will be no fighting on the brooms. That means no knocking each other off. You will not come in close contact with any person at all."
She finished calling off the rules. 'This is going to be fun,' I thought to myself half sarcastically. I waited for a few people to take off before I mounded my broom. I took off and joined Harry in the air.
The air felt cold against my face. It felt good. "Hey Harry," I said. I sped over to him, trying to be careful not to run into anyone. "Too bad you couldn't use your nimbus," I said regretfully to him.
He shrugged, 'It's ok. Do you want to race?"
"I don't know," I said, "I'm not that good."
"We can make it a short race," he said with pleading eyes.
I smiled. "Ok we both need the practice. Especially you since it is almost time for your first match."
He frowned, "Don't remind me," he said. I laughed a little. We lined up ext to each other. "Ready, set, go!" we said together. We sped off. I was going so fast I had trouble keeping my eyes open. I went under someone. They yelled at me. "Sorry!" I yelled back. I zigged and zagged through the many people in the air. I was neck to neck with Harry, but suddenly he went up. I was to busy watching him, I failed to notice that we were heading into the school. I gasped and made my broom go up at a 90 degrees angle.
I have no idea why but then my broom flew up side down. It stopped in mid air around six feet above the rest of the students. I felt one of my hands slip. My heat skipped a beat. "Oh no," I said quietly. I was going to yell for help, but the wind was blowing harder up here, and it took my breath away. I tried to reach up and grab my broom handle but I missed. I took a deep breath and tried again.
This time I felt the cold, hard wood in my hand. 'Ow that's cold,' I thought. The stick was so cold I almost let go. I sighed as I turned myself back up to a sitting position. I slowly lowered myself to the ground. I took a few steps after I hit ground. But I felt my knees start to knock and I collapsed. A few people ran over to me to see if I was ok.
I sat on the grown for some seconds. I felt light headed and my world seemed to be spinning before me. "Do you need to go to the hospital wing?" Madame Hooch asked me. I looked up from the ground and shook my head. "No I'm just a little dizzy. I'll be fine," I said. She nodded and left to help some other student that needed her assistance.
"You ok?" Harry asked me. I reached out my hand for him to help pull me up. He yanked me off the ground.
"Could you be more careful next time," I said rubbing my arm. He knew I wasn't mad because I was smiling.
"What happened up there anyways?" he asked as we walked back to the castle.
I sighed. "I guess I just lost control."
Potions were unbearable today. It was like Snape had it out for me and the rest of the Gryfindors. "Ms. Tanner," I heard him say. I jumped not noticing that he was behind me.
"Yes," I tried to sound polite. Even though he was getting on my nerves, I know that my dad wouldn't want me to disrespect my teachers.
"You forgot to add the frog eyes," he said. He scowled down at me. I looked up at the board. I didn't notice that step.
"I'll add them right away," I said.
"It's too late for that Ms. Tanner," he scoffed, "you will have to start over again." Before I could protest, he took out his wand and said some spell. I looked into my empty cauldron. 'No way. It took me forever to get that far. Now I have to start over again!' I thought.
I paused and looked up him. I gave a fake smile. "Thank you professor. I will try to get it right this time," I said in a fake happy voice.
"You better Ms. Tanner," he said. He turned on his heel and went to criticize another student. I sighed and started over again. I hate potions.
I picked at my food during lunch. "What's wrong?" Hermoine asked me looking up from her book. I sighed and put my fork down. "Nothing. I'm just tired and I miss my family."
"Well when the holidays come you can go back and visit them," she said returning to her book.
"Do you ever stop reading? It's lunch for crying out loud!" Ron said to Hermoine. She just rolled her eyes at his comment.
"And I wish they could see where I'm at school," I said, "Dad is freaking out since I'm on the other side of the world and he isn't sure that this school is safe. Besides I want Michele to see this. She always wanted to see a castle."
Hermoine stopped to think. "You know," she started off, "You could ask Professor Dumbledore if you could video tape some of the school. And then you could send it to your family, and they can see what it's like here."
"Yeah that's a great idea! Let's go ask now!" I said. I pulled her up from where she was sitting and started running while holding her sleeve.
"But I haven't finished reading yet," she said.
"Do that later. Come on," I said trying to get her to walk faster. We walked to Dumbledore office and knocked on the door. "Come in," a voice said from behind the door. We looked at each other nervously. Hesitantly I opened the door. We stepped in.
It took awhile for our eyes to adjust to the dark room. I looked around. He had a lot of weird things in his room. I saw I red bird sitting on its perch. I walked over to it and patted the top of its head. It rubbed against my hand. "Stephanie come back," Hermoine whispered harshly to me. I looked back at her.
"In a second," I whispered back. I petted it a few more times. "Ahem," I head someone clear their throats. I whirled around.
"Oh sorry professor," I said turning red with embarrassment. I walked over to him and Hermoine.
"Uh Stephanie wants to ask for your permission for something," Hermoine said. I spaced out. Hermoine nudged me.
"Well you see professor, I miss my family a lot. And they don't really like that I'm far away from them at a strange school," I stared off. He nodded as I talked. "And I was wondering if I could ask them to send me a video camera so I can make a small movie of the school. Just so…you know… that they know that I'm going to be ok." I looked to the ground not wanting to look into his eyes. I wasn't sure if he was mad of not. I waited for an answer. "Well," he said. He then paused. I held my breath. "Of course you can."
I looked up. I saw that he was smiling. I smile cracked across my face. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I said esthetically, "I'll go send them a letter now!"
I rushed out the door leaving Hermoine trying to catch up with me. I ran all the way to the dormitory. "What is the password," the Fat Lady asked me.
I said the password so fast she could hardly understand me. I climbed quickly inside. I ran to my bed and took out a roll of parchment from underneath it. In settled down in the living quarters and started to write.
Dear Family,
I'm happy I got your letter. And I'm glad that everything is fine. Things are all right here. I have been keeping up in my schoolwork. And I am trying to get good grades.
More importantly, can you send me a video camera? I got permission to tape some of the school. So now I can show you where I am living at and my new friends. I'll send you back the tape when I'm done finishing the movie. So can you send me one?
Well I hope everything is fine at home. Please write back as soon as possible. And think about that video idea.
Love,
Stephanie
I put the letter in an envelope and addressed it to my family. I took Malaya out of her cage and let her rest on my arm. "Here," I said handing her some bread. "You will need it. You have a long way ahead of you." She nuzzled the side of her head against my cheek. "Hm. Bye Malaya please be careful." I took her to the window and I watched her fly away. "Be careful," I called out to her.
Ok it took me awhile to write more. But I had other things to do. So read, review, what ever.
