Chapter 6-Flying

Hogwarts , Unplottable location, Scotland, Great Britain.

Sunday the 8th of September 1991

14:00 PM

The boys and Aurora after finishing their homework had gathered around in their study room. After hours and hours of vigorous cleaning it was now up to Aurora's standards and sparkly clean. After living with a neat freak like her aunt Petunia and then under the firm watch of her house elves Aurora had grown to like things nice and tidy, though she wasn't obsessive like her aunt.

Aurora took a piece of parchment and enlarged it and stuck it on the wall with the sticking charm she learned the other day. She took her quill and started writing.

GOALS:

The boys looked at her in interest.

'Ok what do you want to learn?' she asked.

Theodore the most studious of the two replied first 'Well we need to self-study in defense, learn how to duel and definitely learn some rare spells'.

Aurora nodded and wrote that down.

'But no matter how much I like the idea of reading about forgotten spells, we really should put more emphasis on dueling. Else we won't survive the forming of the rankings next year', Blaise pointed out.

That was logical thought Aurora. He was talking about the duels that happened between Slytherins from the second year and on to form the house rankings. First years were excluded from this as they were the youngest and most of them didn't have the right amount of spell repertoires. Though that didn't mean there wasn't a hierarchy between them either. It was just based on the power of their houses and popularity. Therefore, even though the other first years would deny it Aurora as the heiress of two Most Ancient and Noble Houses was on the top, a place where Malfoy would have been if he was the Black Heir, but much to his dismay and her amusement he wasn't. As for the total rankings of Slytherin duels and politics were how things were decided. Someone without a ranking or with a low one could challenge a person of only a station above them. Though a person of a much higher ranking could challenge one of many stations below if they felt threatened. If they lost they lost their station and the winner took their place. As for the King or Queen the person to challenge them didn't only have to duel them but had to have a lot of political power too inside and outside the house. Aurora knew that she would be a target for sure next year, she was believed after all to be the reason that some of their parents are in prison. So, Blaise was right, she and by their connection to her the boys had to be prepared.

'Ok then emphasis to duelling and then the others. But if anyone of us has a problem with another lesson we help them ok?' she asked. They both agreed and with that and they started working.


Hogwarts , Unplottable location, Scotland, Great Britain.

Sunday the 8th of September 1991

01:00 AM

Theo stared into the fire. He had woken up again because of nightmares. It wasn't anything new he was numb to them by now. It was the same again and again his father killing his mother in front of him and the beatings he has received from him over the last years. He really really hated that man. He killed the only person that ever gave a fuck about him and then proceeded to make his life a living hell. Though that wouldn't matter for much longer he thought with a sadistic smirk he was after all going to kill him hopefully by the end of the year.

'Theodore' he heard someone say. He looked up startled to see Aurora in a white nightdress. He didn't hear her descending the stairs. She looked at him worryingly 'Are you ok?' she asked.

He looked at her in surprise. How long has it been since someone had actually cared about how he was? He felt a rush of warm for the show of caring by the petite red head. Aurora Potter was an unexpected. Befriending her wasn't in his plans. Befriending anyone for that matter wasn't in his plans at all. He was supposed to lay low, follow the status quo from a far and plan his revenge. But with one look at her eyes and one cart ride with the red head he found someone in her that was worthy of befriending. She was interesting, not at all the savior that everyone him included had expected. She was smart and cunning but she was also fiercely loyal to those she befriended and caring. The look in her eyes though. There was loneliness there that reflected in his own and a certain vulnerability that made him to want to be strong enough to protect her.

And that was how he found himself a part of a trio with Blaise Zabini and Aurora Potter. Blaise he knew since he was young from formal gatherings and while they were friendly with each other he hadn't really known the Italian. Now that he took the time to connect with him he found out that he liked him quite much. He didn't trust them yet, they were after all Slytherins but he thought that with time he would. With that he shook himself out of his reverie and looked at Aurora's anxious face. He smiled a small smile 'I am fine.'

She gave him a firm look full of doubt.

They continued trying to outstare the other until…

'Fine! Nightmares. I have nightmares but I am used to them. Don't worry, ok?'

She might have seen something on his face because she didn't ask him to elaborate. She gave him a look full of compassion and meaning and sat next to him.

After sometime she said in a whispery voice 'You too huh. What a fine pair we make.'

He looked at her surprised by the revelation but she was looking in the fire. He didn't say anything back and they just sat in companionable silence next to each other till the early hours of the morning. It was a routine they would keep with each other for a very long time.


Hogwarts , Unplottable location, Scotland, Great Britain.

Friday the 13th of September 1991

16:00 PM

A week had passed and the trio had fallen into the school routine. Snape continued to try to make Aurora make a mistake, the other teachers had fallen under Aurora's charm even though she was a Slytherin, the school still thought she was a Dark Lady in the making and Dumbledore continued to look at her creepily.

Today was their first flying lesson. Aurora was excited this was the first time she would ride a broom as the paintings in her home could teach her many things but not how to fly. She was vibrating from excitement and not even Malfoy's constant bragging about his skills could dampen her mood.

They were down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Gryffindors had just arrived. They had arrived earlier to pick the most ok looking brooms. Though even those looked like they were ready to break.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Aurora glanced down at her broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Aurora's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Blaise's was floating really slowly up to his hand and Theo's only came to his hands after the third try.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Aurora was delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years. It was good to see the stuck up blond embarrassed after all the headaches he'd caused her with his bragging and his nagging at her for his superiority as the rightful Black heir.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two-"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. Aurora saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and started falling. After she realized that to her disbelief nobody was doing anything to help him (not even the teacher) she took out her wand quickly and shouted 'wingardium leviosa'.

Slowly he started descending until he reached the ground. Aurora almost sagged in relief, a little longer and she wouldn't have been able to keep it up. It took a lot out of her. She looked around and was surprised to see everyone looking at her. The Slytherins in silent awe and suspicion while the lions were looking at her with surprised faces. Blaise had his amused default facade while Theo was looking at her in interest. Nobody spoke. She huffed in annoyance and walked up to Neville and offered him her hand. He took it after a while with an expression of disbelief.

'Are you ok?', she asked kindly.

'Yes. Thank you.' he stuttered. 'Why did you help me?' he asked in a timid voice 'you didn't have to'.

'Well you are family after all'.

He looked at her surprised 'I am?'

'Well of course god brother of mine. Be careful next time.', and with that she winked at him and went to stand next to Theo.

He raised an eyebrow at her. She was instantly jealous of how well he pulled that off. She still couldn't do it very well no matter how much she tried. 'Longbottom? Your god brother?'

'Problem Theo?'

If he was surprised by the nickname he didn't show it neither did he object. He raised his hands 'None at all.'

Madam Hooch seemed to have worked herself out of her stupor by then.

'Twenty points to Slytherin for quick thinking and for helping others in need Miss. Potter. Now all of you get to your brooms and let's hit the sky'. She said in a booming voice.

The rest of the lesson was uneventful though Aurora did learn that she was a natural at flying something that was commented by Madam Hooch with 'Of course you are a natural at this you are the daughter of James Potter after all.' She really enjoyed flying it made her feel as nothing could touch her. She would have to look into buying a broom she thought.

When the news of the rescue of a lion by a snake went around the school and that snake was Aurora Potter everyone's interest in her that had started to dim was reawakened. The rest of the school was looking at her in consideration. In his office a certain lemon drop addict headmaster that was by then despairing over her sorting was cheered considerably by her act of chivalry and decided to finally put his plans in motion.


Finally I updated. Hope you like it.

PS) Lots of thanks to every single one of you that has reviewed or liked this story. It's the first I've ever written so your support and comments are great.

Edited: 17/6/18

xoxo