By the time dinner started in the Great Hall, my endeavour in Charms had become common word. I could hear my name mentioned in conversations all around me. I didn't want Voldemort to start wondering about how powerful I was and make preparations for me accordingly that would differ from canon. I would lose the upper hand that I had. I needed to shift conversations about me to something else, and I knew just what it would be.
I had previously decided to not be on the Quidditch team this year so I don't put myself in a vulnerable position with Voldemort but now that would have to change. Becoming the youngest seeker should be enough to draw attention away from an overpowered Lumos charm and the flying class was tomorrow, so it would be perfect. Although, this time I would make it on the team for saving Neville of his broken hand than saving his Remembrall. I would stop him from taking the broken broom but I didn't remember which it was. It may not even be Neville who takes that broom so I had to be prepared for that as well.
After dinner I had Neville and Hermione follow me outside so I could talk to them alone without anybody else overhearing. I could tell that they too were curious about the magic strength I had shown in class. Apart from the elves they were the only people I was close with so I felt it necessary to explain a little to them.
"So do you guys have any questions you would like to ask me?" I asked them as soon as we sat down in a comfortable place. Instead of asking me any questions right away, they made it a point to tell me that I didn't have to explain anything. I could tell they had talked about this between themselves already, as they were quite in sync with each other. I thanked them for their sincerity but still decided to tell them at least a little about myself. In all of our conversations before I had avoided talking about myself as much as possible.
"I'm grateful that you guys feel that way but I want to tell you guys more about me. You've both been very understanding about my past since the first day so I don't have any mixed emotions about telling you guys." I proceeded to tell them a shortened version of my life before Hogwarts. I skipped out on the "care" the Dursleys gave me and being able to use magic as a baby but I did tell them about living with the elves, practising magic everyday since I was 4 and my love of flying. They also ended up telling me quite a bit about themselves; Hermione told us about her bullying and Neville about his parents. I of course, knew about it already but it felt good that they trusted me enough to tell me.
By the time curfew rolled around, we had moved past personal conversations and started talking more about our hobbies. Hermione and I spent some time telling Neville of the various board games that we played back home after I told them that I played them with the elves every evening. Towards the end of that conversation though, something beautiful had blossomed, a business idea.
Neville was a genius, though he didn't know it. He had thoughtlessly commented how those would be amazing games to play combined with some magic and a light bulb immediately went up in my head. I got the perfect side project for the summer…I was going to make so much money I thought, Neville would get some too for giving me the idea and Hermione too if she wanted in.
The next morning all the first years were very excited, it was the first day we would be learning to fly. The Gryffindors were taking the class with the Slytherins as expected, and Madam Hooch was as curt and decisive as described. She had longer hair than but otherwise looked just like her movie persona.
The first part of the lesson went without a hitch, everyone able to call the broom to their hands…eventually, in some cases. The biggest change in canon yet occurred when the next phase of the lesson started. Instead of Neville, it was Hermione's broom that went berserk.
As soon as she took off, I took off after her. The broom didn't go towards the tower but instead towards the Forbidden Forest. Hermione was screaming the entire time; I could see her desperately trying to hold onto the broom. I was flying just behind her, mirroring the movements of her broom as it weaved around the trees. It eventually flew back in the direction we had started, but by now Hermione grip strength was weakening. The broom was moving too fast for her to hold onto and was was slipping off the broom. Her screams intensified when she realized this as well, meanwhile I shifted my body so I was essentially lying on the broom to pick up my speed.
Just as Hermione slipped off the broom, I flew right below her and used one arm to bring her on top of my broom. Because of her added weight and the speed I was flying at, we dipped downward and headed straight for the ground. I pulled up hard on the broom to slow our descent with Hermione screaming right into my ear as she proceeded to hold onto to me for dear life.
I was able to slow the broom enough to glide down to the students and Madam Hooch standing below. I could tell she was furious with me or I thought so until she came up to Hermione and me. "Mr. Potter, that was some unbelievable flying! I should give you detention for taking off without permission but you just saved Ms. Granger from a most serious injury because of your fast response. And for that I award you 15 house points, and I will talk to Prof. McGonagall about putting you on the Quidditch team. Gryffindor could use a player with your capabilities." she said with curtailed excitment.
Just as planned, by the time classes were done for the day, everybody was talking about my skill on the broom. McGonagall had even come to take me out of Herbology to take me to Oliver Wood and get me on the team. That had spread the talk of my skill on the broom even faster than I had expected. Oliver had told me this weekend he would judge my skills himself and see what position to have me play me as. I wanted to play the Seeker position like in canon because I knew I would be great at it. With my magic enhanced eye sight and all the training I did over the years, I would be a skilled Seeker.
