If I were in Ravenclaw...

by Elementary98

Disclaimer: For the disclaimer, check out Chapter 1 - An introduction to magic

Chapter 10 - Should Have Been In Slytherin

Dumbledore soon enough held a speech in the Great Hall.

As I had predicted, school was cancelled for the next day. "I told you!", I said smugly, "That's Ravenclaw's curse, we are always right."

"However", Dumbledore continued, "Mrs. Hooch has offered that all First years may take their flying class tomorrow, so as not to disturb their education more than necessary." Collected groan, with Malfoy gazing at me superiorly. Did he have something to do with it? Probably.
"Students are asked to remain on the school grounds and return to the castle for lunch, dinner and their official bedtimes. That should be it, have a nice evening!" Dumbledore sat down at the teacher's table, pushing a bowl of... lemon drops around, asking if any of the others would like some. Professor Snape didn't need any, he had a sour expression on his face already, I thought.
"So Harry, what are you going to do tomorrow? Let's go to the library! Or to Professor Snape, I want to ask him some questions!" Harry hesitated. Professor Snape had left a big impression on him. Not only did the professor seem fair, no, he also seemed to know a lot. "I don't think he likes us...", the Boy Who Lived said, frowning and looking over at the hook-nosed professor, who only sneered as Dumbledore offered him sweets.
"Who cares? He's a teacher, he needs to answer any questions we might have. So, anyway, I wanted to ask..." I leaned forward, whispering into his ear. "Do you know someone called Lily? She should be connected to you somehow."
Harry frowned. "What? My mum? Why are you asking?"
I pushed my hair back behind my ear. "Oh, no particular reason, no reason at all, actually. Let's go play Exploding Snap!"

The next day found all of us firsties being commanded around by an intimidating woman with hawk-like eyes. She demanded we line up. Okay, so far, so good. But really, telling the broom it had to move? Was it a sentient being? Ehm, nooo? I did so anyway, feeling stupid, even though the broom immediately flew into my hand. Oh well. Deeply annoyed, I stared around, not listening at all when Professor Hooch explained some more. I was pulled out of my thoughts by screams. Irritated, I looked up. A somewhat big guy had flown up to the sky, and now didn't know how to control it. And BAM! Why did I know this? BAM! Okay, that was a bit overkill. Falling two times in a row, from the sky to a statue to the ground? I watched with calculating eyes how Professor Hooch brought the boy into the hospital wing. We were not to touch the brooms, the question was just, who would be able to resist the urge.
Ah. Draco Malfoy had noticed something shiny nearby. He picked it up and gloated.
"Hey, Malfoy, it belongs to Neville, give it back!" Harry walked up to Malfoy, holding out his hand.
Said boy just sneered. "Make me, Potter!" He grabbed his broom and off he was, soaring through the sky and grinning down at the shocked students. Without thinking, Harry followed. I watched them, shrugged... And grabbed my own broom. Might as well join in, right?
"Go catch it, Potter!" Malfoy threw the shiny thing away, it dove down quickly, with Harry on its heals. 3 meters to the ground, 2, 1... Harry caught it! Malfoy was close and sped after him, clearly intending to steal it back. Harry looked over at me, hesitated... and then threw it.

It had happened without thinking. I had caught it seemingly without trouble (God knows how) and sped towards the castle entrance, willing my broom to fly faster. Through the door, left, left, right... I had no idea where I was going. Malfoy tried to intercept me, I blocked him by taking a dive, followed by letting myself fall back. This irritated him, so he stopped his broom to look at me. Wrong decision! Speeding past him, I reached the Great Hall. Leaning myself forward on the broom, I grabbed the door handle and forcefully pushed the door open.
All teacher were there, including the prefects.

Professor Flitwick clapped softly. "Ms. Brandtstetter, excellent performance. May I ask where you learned how to fly a broom?" I frowned. "Ehm... Never? I learned how to mount it, that's it. The rest just... came by surivival instinct. I didn't want to end like this Neville-fellow, you know?"
Professor Flitwick wrung his hands. "Ms. Brandtstetter, I know it might strike you as a surprise, but... We are in need of a Chaser, and your skills -"

"What would I get in return?" Flitwick blinked. Professor Snape, who stood nearby, snickered. "Should have been in Slytherin", I heard him murmur.
"Well, Ms. Brandstetter-"
"Julia", I corrected.

"Well, Julia..." He lowered his voice. "A permanent note for the restricted section?"
I grinned. "Sounds cool. Okay, I'm in!"