Chapter 15
Flying
The majority of first-year students were looking forward to their first flying lesson. It wouldn't be long before it took place. Raoul had been looking forward to it ever since he learned he was a wizard, but now he wasn't sure if he wanted to make a fool out of himself in front of Buquet. Gilles assured him that he wouldn't since Buquet had probably just told tales about being so great at Quidditch. Christine wasn't looking forward to it as much as them, though. She was upset that you couldn't learn how to fly by just reading a book like most subjects.
On the second Monday of the term, Gryffindor and Slytherin students gathered on the Quidditch field with Madam Hoot. They all stood by a broom, some of which were not in the best condition.
"First of all, you will need to get your broom to come up to you. So yell up while putting your hand over it!" Madam Hoot told them.
"Up!" everyone yelled, but the brooms wouldn't come up to them. Over and over, they yelled the word until most gave up.
"Ha! You thought it would be that easy? Actually, you have to say the name of your favorite song!"
Everyone began yelling the names of different songs. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams!" "All I Ask of You!"
"Hello Dolly!" "I Am the Captain of the Pinafore!" "Crocodile Rock!" "Sweet Caroline!"
No one could get the broom up on the first shot, though. No one, that is, except Raoul who yelled, "If I Were A Rich Man!" Everyone else took many tries, and many minutes later, everyone had their brooms.
"Now, let's mount our brooms and hover a few feet in the air. Just hover, now. One, two, three, go!"
Everyone mounted their brooms, but unfortunately, Derek Shortbottom's broom began to zoom around. Madam Hoot yelled at him to stop, but he had completely lost control. After a few minutes, though, Derek landed face first onto the ground. Madam Hoot rushed over to him.
"Ouch, a broken hand! Come on, let's get to the Hospital Wing. Nobody get on their brooms, or you'll be expelled quicker than you can say, 'I like fried rice!'
As soon of the two were back in the castle, Buquet walked up to a small globe near Derek's broken broom. "Look! It's Derek's Forgetball!" He picked it up and began tossing Derek's grandmother's gift. This ball told you when you remembered something. Pretty useless. Still, Raoul wanted to get it back.
"Put it down, Buquet!"
"Standing up for poor, forgetful Derek?" Buquet asked in a mimicking tone.
"Put it down!"
"Buquet hopped onto the nearest broom. "Come get it then!" He rose up and sped around the field. Raoul got onto one of the brooms as well, although Christine and Gilles tried to stop him. Buquet and Raoul chased each other for minutes, taunting, as the others watched in awe. The chase stopped when Buquet threw the forgetball in the air and Raoul sped forward and caught it. Gryffindors cheered, but Madam Hoot, unfortunately, was also watching. She wasn't cheering.
