Chapter 18

Xxblondehermionexx-Thanks for pointing out my error. It has now been corrected

"What are the three basic uses of the Cimpercilius plant?" Patricia asked Meredith as they sat around the table at breakfast.

"Removing warts, healing dry skin, and soothing sunburns," Meredith said, without pause.

"That's right," Patricia said pulling her Herbology essay out her bag and writing frantically.

"Don't you have that done yet," Percy said taking a bite of toast. "It's due today."

"Well I would have had it done last week if you'd have just let me take a peek at yours."

"You mean if I let you copy mine," Percy said stiffly. "You'll never learn anything if people keep giving you the answers." Meredith ducked her head at the accusing look Percy shot her. She probably shouldn't have given Patricia the answer, but she couldn't help it. Herbology was one of her favorite subjects, along with Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. The one subject she truly loathed was Potions. Snape had taken points from Gryffindor again yesterday which had lost them the lead in the running for House Cup. Slytherin was now in the lead.

"Great news," Oliver said coming in and sitting down. "We have our first flying lesson today."

"Finally," Patricia said. "We've been waiting two weeks."

"Well there's some bad news," Oliver said. "We're having our lessons with Slytherin." All four of them groaned.

"Aw, why so glum little first years?" Charlie said as he plopped down next to them and helped himself to some bacon.

"Flying lessons with Slytherin," Meredith said. Tonks and Bill joined them at that moment.

"Ooh," Tonks said. "I hate those Slytherins. I can't believe there in first place for house cup again."

"Now now, Dora," Bill said. "I'm sure you'll all do fine. There's nothing to flying really."

"Sure," Charlie said. "So long as you don't fall off." This earned him a terrified look from Patricia and a swat on the back of the head by Bill.

"It'll be fine all, really. Once you get past the initial nerves, it's the most spectacular feeling in the world."

"I'm gonna be the best flyer in the whole school," Oliver said with determination. "And I'm gonna play Keeper for Gryffindor next year, when Daniel Heathe graduates."

"Keeper's a tough position Oliver," Charlie said. "You gotta be quick, and have lightning reflexes to keep those Quaffles from going in the goal."

"I have great reflexes," Oliver said promptly knocking over his goblet of pumpkin juice. Percy busted out laughing and Meredith elbowed him in the stomach.

"You've got a bit of learning till you're ready to be on the team," Charlie said. "But you'll learn quick enough." The bell rang at that moment and they all jumped up to get to the day's lessons.

After lunch they went down to the quidditch field for their first flying lesson. There were brooms laid out on the ground and the Slytherins were already assembled.

"Oh looky here boys," Flint said to his friends. "We get to have lesson with Woody and the Weasel. Don't fall of your broom Woody."

"Stuff it, Flint," Oliver said. "I'll be flying circles around you while your eating my dust."

"Oh is that so," Flint said getting in Oliver's face.

"What is going on here?" the scratchy voice of Madam Hooch snapped. Meredith and Percy grabbed Oliver and Flint's friend's grabbed him and they managed to pull the two boys apart.

"I'll have no horseplay in my flying class," Madam Hooch said. "Any one goofing off will be out of here before they can say Nimbus 95. Am I understood?"

"Yes Madam Hooch," the class said.

"All right then. Every one stand by a broom." They all scurried to pick a broom.

"Now place you hand over your broom, and in a firm clear voice say "UP!"

"UP!" they all shouted. Some like Oliver's and Flint's flew into their hands while other like Patricia's just bounced on the ground and lay still.

"You have to be firm," Madam Hooch said. "Flying is a delicate art. It can only be learned by practice. You won't learn to fly by reading books." Meredith noted the scared look in Percy's eye. She might have laughed if she weren't having so much difficulty getting her broom to get off the ground. Finally, once everyone had their brooms in their hand they were told to mount their brooms.

"Now I want you to kick off of the ground. Hover in the air for five seconds and then come back down. On my whistle." They successfully managed to hover five times without anyone falling off.

"All right," Madam hooch said. "Now that we've mastered hovering, we're going to take a little practice lap. One at a time, each of you will fly once around the circle." She waved her wand and a big red circle appeared. It was about a half mile around and was floating five feet in the air.

"All right everyone," Madam Hooch said. "Line up." They all pushed and shoved at each other. Oliver and Flint scuffled for the front of the line. Meredith wound up last in line. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

"All right Mr. Wood," Madam said. "On my whistle, take off, once around the circle. No rush, take your time. Ready?" Oliver nodded, his eyes eager with determination. Madam Hooch blew the whistle and Oliver soared into the air.

"Wow," Patricia whistled in front of her. Oliver was really good. He looped around the circle like he had been born on a broom. He landed smoothly and gracefully leapt from his broom. All the Gryffindors applauded while the Slytherins just glared.

"Very nice Mr. Wood. Very nice. Mr. Flint you're next." Flint gave Oliver a dirty look while Oliver just smirked. On the whistle Flint flew into the air. He was a good flyer but he was not nearly as smooth as Oliver. Everyone else took their turn. Some were rather shaky, and others had difficulty making it around the circle. Meredith held her breath as Patricia took her lap. She was moving very slowly, as though she were afraid she would lose control if she tried to gain too much speed. When at last she brought her broom to the ground she had a big smile on her face.

"I did it," she said grinning at Meredith. It was now Meredith's turn. Meredith gripped her broom tightly and stared up at the circle.

"On my whistle Miss Lupin," Madam Hooch said.

"Oh Merlin," Meredith whispered. The whistle blew and Meredith kicked up from the ground. She felt the familiar rush of the wind as she soared into the air. She leaned forward on the broom to make it move forward starting around the circle. She leaned further to pick up a little more speed. She turned the broom to move around the bend. But as she turned the handle she felt her grip slipping. She tried to grab harder onto the handle but it was too late. The broom slipped out from under her and suddenly she was falling. She could hear the class gasp as she fell through the air. Pain erupted through her body as she hit the ground with a thud. Pain exploded through her head as she tried to move.

"Meredith!" She opened her eyes and saw Patricia staring down at her in concern.

"Are you all right?" Meredith hung her head unable to look at the Slytherins who were making no attempt to stifle their laughter.

Meredith spent a few hours in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey treated her for a bump on the head and a sprained wrist. But the physical pain was nothing compared the humiliation she felt. Every where she went the Slytherins mocked her and taunted her. Oliver and Percy stood on either side of her when she walked down the hall but they could not protect her all the time.

"Just ignore them," Percy said. "By next week they'll be talking about something else.

"Yeah, sure," Meredith said. But she honestly didn't believe it. She was on edge as she entered the dungeons with her friends for her least favorite class. All through Snapes instruction on that days potion she could hear the whispered taunts. Her fists clenched around her quill till it nearly snapped. She didn't know how much more of this she could take.

"Miss Lupin!" Snape snapped at her causing her to nearly drop the powdered toadstool she was carefully measuring out.

"You are putting far too much toadstool in that potion. Do you want to blow us all up?"

"No sir," Meredith said through clenched teeth.

"Git," she whispered when Snape's back was turned.

"Don't provoke him," Percy said to her. "He'll use any excuse to take points from Gryffindor." Meredith took a deep breath and focused on measuring. She was just pouring her potion into a vial to take to Snapes desk Flint knocked into her causing the vial to slip from her fingers and smash. Meredith stared in shock at her ruined potion.

"Oops," Flint said snickering.

"You git," Oliver snapped coming up behind Meredith. "You did that on purpose."

"Did not," Flint said. "Can I help it if Loopy here is as clumsy with potions as she is on a broom."

"Shut up, Flint!" Meredith shouted, her nerves finally snapping.

"What is going on?" Snape said coming over. He looked down at the broken beaker and at Meredith.

"That will be a zero Miss Lupin. And ten points from Gryffindor for shouting."

"It's not fair," Meredith cried as she and Patricia made their way back to the common room.

"Snape knew perfectly well that Flint knocked that potion out of my hand. You never see him taking points away from Slytherin. He lets them get away with everything!"

"I know Mer," Patricia said. "We all know he's a prat."

"I just don't know how this day could get any worse," Meredith groaned. They arrived at the portrait hole. The Fat Lady stared at them expectantly.

"Apple Dumpling," Meredith said. The portrait did not move.

"Come on," Patricia said. "Apple Dumpling."

"I'm sorry," The Fat Lady said. "The password has changed. It was the last straw for Meredith. She sank to the floor and buried her face in her hands. Her body shook as she sobbed. Patricia sat beside her.

"Meredith?" Meredith looked up and saw Tonks, Charlie and Bill standing there. She ducked her head and let her hair spill over her tearstained face.

"What happened?" Tonks asked kneeling down and wrapping an arm around Meredith.

"She's had a very bad day," Patricia said helplessly. Meredith couldn't look at any of them as Patricia explained about the disastrous flying lesson, the taunts and jabs, the ruined potion and Snape taking points from them.

"And now this stupid fat cow," The Fat Lady looked insulted. "won't let us in because the password has changed."

"Well that's easy enough to remedy," Bill said. "Blueberry scone."

"At least some of you have manners," The Fat Lady said swinging open. Tonks pulled Meredith to her feet and helped her through the portrait hole.

"Don't let Snape get to you," Tonks said. "He's a prat to all the students except the Slytherins."

"Why do you think they've won the house cup for the last three years?" Charlie said. Meredith felt a little better with the older kids's words. But she knew it wasn't' going to get any easier. Tonks declared that Meredith needed some pepping up.

"I've got some chocolate cauldrons left over from the box Mum sent me," Tonks said.

"I've got some butterbeer I brought back from Hogsmeade." While the two fifth years went to get the food from their dorms Bill took Meredith over to the sofa and sat her down.

"Listen Meredith," he said sitting down across from her. "If you really want to get to Snape there's really only one way to do it." Both Meredith and Patricia sat up straight and stared at him.

"How?"

"Do well in Potions. Study hard. Do everything right. Give that prat no choice but to give you high marks. That'll drive him mad mark my words." Meredith thought about it for a moment. Bill was right. The only thing to do was to beat Snape at his own game. And by gum, she was gonna do it.