Chapter 13-Dueling Mistakes: Bad starting the plan
With September gone, it was now October and it was now the start of the 1st year compulsory elective course: Flying, with many people looking forward to learning how to fly on a broomstick, but for some it hits a nerve and makes them nervous, others are just terrified of making themselves look like a fool infront of the class and allow their rivals to laugh at them. Also with September gone, so were Dumbledores plans after being stuck on idle, as Draco had just caused a confrontation that he was going to lead into the duel challenge.
It was morning on the second day of October and the Great Hall was awash with students and teachers serving themselves breakfast, when a screech from the open window that allows postal owls to enter the hall and it signed the owl's arrival in the hall, as they begin to drop their packages for several students. A small cube shaped package lands infront of Neville Longbottom and when he opens it their was a small crystal like ball within, which began to become smoky as Neville pick it up and then the smoke turned red.
Once the orbs smoke turned red, it was then lifted out of his hands and a drawling voice asks, "So Flat-Bottom, what did you get?" as Neville looked around he saw the unwelcome: Draco Malfoy, but before anymore dialog could be spoken: McGonagall sensing a fight was there in a flash and broke up the group, after making sure that Nevilles property was returned. After breakfast, the students that had assignments to complete headed for the library intent on using their free period to study and complete their work, while the first year Gryffindor students, with Harry head off to courtyard that their first Flying lesson with the Slytherin House.
Heading outside to Harry and his friends found that there was a line of brooms, with a literary eagle-eyed teacher, who had said, "Welcome to your first Flying lesson, my names is: Madam Rolanda Hooch," as she spots her new students for the day, as she then directs, "Now each of you line up next to a broom and await my further instructions," in the tone of command. The students followed the command and Harry found himself in between: Daphne Greengrass and Hermione Granger, while looking directly at Ronald Weasley, whom had looked as though he had eating an extreme sour lemon, at the idea of Harry being anywhere near the 2 girls in Hogwarts he hates, was a death sentences.
When the class was situated, Madam Hooch walked down the middle of the rows of student to her spot and turned to address them, "Now everyone, approach the right side of your broomstick," as the student followed her commands and then she says, "Right now, everybody hold your hand over the broomstick and say, 'Up,'" everyone bar Harry begin screaming, "Up," but nothing happened to most of the brooms, with the exception of: Draco Malfoy, though this was due to the fact that his father had taught him to fly (mainly as a lot of wars for pureblood rights were fought on broom 'back' and short burst flying was a must). But Harrys' broom however: jumped to his hand before he could say something or fully open his palm to retrieve it and this got an even more sour face from Ron as; his broom, whacks him in the face every time he calls, "Up!"
'Mr. Potter's affinity for flying must be high if his broom response before he says anything,' though Hooch, while observing the behavior of Harry's broom. Seeing the other students struggling and others just plainly given up, Madam Hooch said, "Come on people, with feeling and no frustration is not the feeling you're looking for," the girls besides Harry took that to heart and calm themselves down, before finding that they could call their brooms, as both of their brooms leaped into their hands. But Ron even with the hint by the teacher, still could not get it and the broom this time somehow hit him in the balls, causing him to fall over and everyone to giggle.
As the seconds in the class turned into minutes, several more people had achieved the broomstick call spell and were now waiting on the others. Finally the straggles had enough and discreetly picked up the broom by hand, when they thought Hooch was not looking and yeah she was looking, but since the lesson was almost over she let it go in favor of actually getting to the start of the next stage of the flying lesson before it was time for the next class.
With the time of the class dying fast, Madam Hooch simply showed the students how to hold on to the broom properly and dismissed the class, where they headed off to their other classes for the day. Watching from his spying globe, Dumbledore could not help but sigh in frustration, at the sight of Draco being unable to antagonize Harry and the sight of Harry trusting his new female friends, while ignoring both Ron and the established house boundaries, not caring that the boy was sorted into all houses with his 'brother'.
Draco was incensed, due to the length of time it took for the rest of the call their brooms and therefore unable to put his plan to distracted Madam Hooch and have her leave the field to care for a student, he was unable to start his plans that would lead him to challenge Potter to a duel. Though it was not like it was not a waste of time, seeing as some of the ones around him, had any experience in this form of magic and the result of: Weasley; smacking himself in the face and nut with his provided broom was amusing, a mental image that will stay forever.
After flying was a free, with many students that weren't members of the study group formed by the Potters, heading off to play a pickup game of: Gobstones or exploding snap, Ron however vanished into his room for bed and Draco went to speak with his Godfather: Severus, who was well enough to sit up. Harry, Daphne and Hermione headed to the library for some self study; as they have had all they theory work completed and was looking for something to read.
Around the time of: Harry's free period, John was now heading for his first flying lesson, from the snore fest of a History class and the group had a better grasp on the mechanics of flying and were able to perform a hover, before the lesson was over. Then after this was lunch and a free period for the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws after that, leaving Harry with a Herbology class and astronomy class after that, while the last class John had was: Charms.
The rest of the day was quiet and ended with the whole study group in the Potters quarters, just having fun and then it was time to head to bet.
The next morning was uneventful, not because Draco wasn't doing anything, he wanted to, but the present teachers weren't the type to turn a blind eye and ignore him, though they had been there, they could not get him out of trouble, so he was force to silently watch as the barriers made by the true leaders of the magical world, were shattered and think, 'Father must hear about this, we can not allow this change to happen, it will destroy the world,' with the last 2 bits thought by Dumbledore at the same time, as he to looked on from his chair.
After breakfast was another lesson of flying for Harry and his group, this time the students were a little more improved in the calling of the broom and after 2 tries were able to make the broom leap to their hands…. Well when I say improved, I did not mean that of: Ron Weasley, as his frustration of learning the broom calling charm; just led him to picking up the broom, after he was passed by Madam Hooch and then it was time to get into the air. Once the students had their brooms in hand, Hooch then said, "Okay students; mount the broom like I said yesterday," with them doing so and as they did so, Harry noticed something off with Nevilles' (who he had being in front of) broomstick, but before he could say a warning, the broom immediately rocketed off carrying Neville with it.
Neville was flung around the courtyard, non-stop before his grip was loosen and he felling to ground, his robes getting caught on a gargoyles lips on the way and landing in a heap. Being the most medically inclined, Harry dashed over to the down Neville with Madam Hooch and assessed the damage, "A small fracture to the Carpal bone," he mutters, as he feels the hand Neville said was injured, before taking bandage from a portable med. kit and wraps the offending limb.
After the job was completed, Harry then said, "Okay that should keep it supported, but I would also go to the medical wing and have Madam Pomfrey check it over," as he let go of Neville arm and with the help of Madam Hooch, pull up Neville. Once Neville was on his feet, Madam Hooch then took over and said, "Everyone is to keep their feet on the ground until I have returned from the Hospital wing, if I find anyone in the air you'll find yourself out of Hogwarts quicker than saying, 'Quidditch,'" as a threat, before turning to Harry and saying, "20 points to Mr. Potter for you administration of medical aid," before walking off carefully with Neville, for a fraction of a second, Harry noticed that for some reason: Neville had his Remembral on him and it had fallen out of his pocket, so Harry retrieves and pockets the orb, to later give to Neville.
Harry was not the only one to spot the orb though, but was unable to do anything as Harry had retrieved it already and so Draco could not use it for starting a conflict with Harry. After Hooch left with Neville, Harry picked out a spot under a tree and retrieved a shrunken book from his robes, re-sized it to normal and began reading the chapter: [Natures Magic: Battle or Support magic] which was reminding him of his: Druid Rider Potter, while Pavarti, Hermione, Tracey and Daphne had joined him, though just for the chance to relax against him (A.N. Hermione was looking over Harry's shoulder and reading the book too), as the rest of the class had found spots to rest, however one did not do this as he was excited at the chance of flying without getting in trouble (in his mind and the Fact that Dumbledore needed him), so Ron mounted his broomstick and kicked off the ground.
As soon as Ron kicked off though, there was an immediate problem as since he was unfamiliar with the brand of broom or its speed, rocketed off into air at high speeds and flew around uncontrolled from the start. Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Harry sighs and catches the attention of the girls with him, who look at him as he nods to the air where Ron was doing an impression of a ballistic missile, this is where Hermione commented, "Ron is going to hurt himself, isn't he?" in question, but the tone implied a statement and truer words were never spoken, as Ron barreled head first in to the grounds of the courtyard, knocking him unconscious.
"Here Hermione, you can finish reading the chapter while I'll head to the hospital wing with Ron," said Harry, while passing the book to and standing up, before saying, "Don't forget to mark where I had stopped, so I can continue later," as she nods and Harry then approaches Ron, executes a firemen lift, raising the downed boy to his shoulders and walk off to the hospital wing. After he left, Draco cursed himself for another chance lost.
With the hospital wing closer to the courtyard than the potions lab/classroom, Harry had made it to the open door of the Hospital wing and entered the ward. In the ward, Harry noted that Madam Hooch and Madam Pomfree were still attending to Neville, and calls they attention, "Madam Pomfree, we've got another one," making them jump slightly and turn towards Harry, seeing the injured Mr. Weasley on his shoulders Madam Hooch darted across the room and helped Harry place Ron onto a bed. Once Ron was on a bed, Hooch then asked, "What happened Mr. Potter?" though already having a good idea and it was confirmed with Harry saying, "Ron didn't listen to you and tried to fly on his broomstick, with immediately went out of his control and plowed him into the ground!" this caused Poppy to sniff in disapproval and after clearing Neville for release, she approached the bed and began her diagnostic charms, where she then sniff, "Mild concussion, but when he wakes up he'll have a headache," in disapproval and retrieved a headache cure potion from her store for when he woke up.