I yawned as I sat there a week later, stretching as the sun shined through my window

I yawned as I sat there a week later, stretching as the sun shined through my window. There hadn't been one incident with Tom since the first night, and I had convinced Willow to cast a protection charm on my room. Accordingly, I slept quite soundly.

I smiled as I grabbed a towel, running into my bathroom and turning on the shower. Without a second thought, I started to strip my clothing before I heard, "Whoa!"

I screamed at the sound and jumped into the shower, which was still quite cold, "WHAT THE HELL?"
"Uh, I think I'll wait to use the shower," a deep voice responded.

"Tom," I asked angrily, though the accent was all wrong.

"No, no, I'll just-" I heard a door close, and I peaked out of my shower to notice, for the first time, a second doorway, just passed the shower.

"Well, that's odd," I thought to myself; I had been sure that I got my OWN bathroom as Head Girl. And it was even more odd that I was sharing my bathroom with a boy.

Willow laughed as I recited the incident as our group sat under a tree outside of Hogwarts. "So, there is a dude, whom you don't know, who saw you naked this morning?"

"I was not NAKED, I was just lacking a shirt," I defended.

"And a bra," Susan giggled.

"I had a bra," I laughed, taking a bite out of the toast I had swiped from the Great Hall.

The conversation continued, but I was distracted by a letter that had just been dropped into my lap. No one took notice as I slipped my finger under the seal, taking another bite of my bread before reading over the note.

Dear Miss Darling,

Please report to my office immediately.

Headmistress McGonagall

I rolled my eyes; Professor McGonagall wasn't one for long, drawn-out letters. She preferred the suspense of 'Am I in trouble?' "Hey, guys, I gotta jet." I stood, grabbing my messenger bag off of the ground and brushing off my bum as I stretched.

"What's up," Willow questioned, looking slightly bored at the conversation that Penny and Susan were still carrying on.
"Head Girl stuff, I suppose," I shrugged.

"Oh, you're so special," Siren said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, I'll walk you to her office."

"Thank you kindly," I said, smiling as we hooked arms and started up to the castle.

"So, what has been up? How are your classes? Tell me everything that has happened this week," I said, grinning at her. She wasn't in many of my classes with me, and I wanted to know EVERYTHING.

"Well, I've been talking to a boy," she admitted, blushing a little.

I grinned at her, "A boy?"

"Yeah," she said, giggling as we started through the Entrance Hall, suits of armor standing at attention before us.

"Do I get to know who this boy is," I questioned, smirking as we started up the stairways and the killer-climb to the seventh floor.

"Not yet, not until I'm sure that it's going to be something," she smiled.

I pouted, "Secrets, secrets, are no fun, unless you tell them to ME," I joked.

Siren laughed, "No, seriously, no use getting your hopes up." She mumbled something under her breath, but I chose to ignore it and let Siren have her secret-fun.

"Okay," I said as we arrived at the third floor and rounded the steps for the fourth, "But the moment that this becomes ANYTHING I want to know."

"Deal," Siren said, smiling, "What about you? Any new boy news in your life?"

I thought for a moment about telling her about Tom's threat, which I still hadn't told her about. But I shook my head, not wanting to spoil her fun.

"Nope."

"Oh, still hung up on the Flying teacher," she teased, "Professor WOOD?"

"Ew, God, will you never give that up?" I questioned, laughing in spite of myself.

"Probably not," she admitted as we finally reached the seventh floor.

"Fine. I'll come back and meet you guys at the tree when I'm done, okay?"

"Okay," Siren said, giving me a hug and turning to descend the stairs as I started down the hallway.

"Iguana," I said confidently as I reached the statue, timing it perfectly so that I stepped on the first step as it started to rise. I've done this so many times I could do it with my eyes closed. I waited for a moment or two until the wooden door to McGonagall's office stood in front of me, and then I knocked.

"Come in, Aletta," I heard McGonagall call, and I stepped inside the office.

"Good morning, Professor," I said, taking a seat in one of the many chairs that sat in front of her desk.
"Good morning, Aletta," she responded briskly, clapping her hands together and sitting behind her desk. She shuffled through papers for a moment before she found the one she was looking for, "I'm sorry to say that your visit is not of the happiest nature."

"What's wrong," I asked, my nose wrinkling and my hand went up to tug at the ends of my hair. "Is my family okay?"

"Yes, yes, your family is fine. But it seems that when you were in your First Year, you did not take your Flying Lessons."

"No, Dumbledore said that I wouldn't have to since I could already fly," I said, not quite clear on what this had to do with anything.

"Yes, well, as wise as Dumbledore was, I feel that it is necessary for you to know how to use a broom. The Flying Lessons are mandatory to graduation, whether you need them or not."

"Oh," I said, my eyes falling to the ground.

"Now, I know you have a rather busy schedule-"

"I don't have a free class, that's right."

"Yes, and I hope that you'd spend most of your after school time getting done homework and fulfilling your Head Girl duties."

I gulped under McGonagall's stare, squirming a little. My last-minute homework habit was well known, but usually no one called me on it since my work was always decent-quality anyway. At least, when it needs to be it is.

"Therefore, I've set up a special time for you to have your lessons, privately." McGonagall then handed me the slip of paper she had found earlier, now folded in half, "Your first lesson is tonight. You are to meet Professor Wood by the Quidditch Pitch."

I nodded as I took the slip of paper in my hands, "Thank you, Professor... Am I dismissed?"

"Yes, go," McGonagall sighed and I didn't waste any time in running off, wondering how I'd slip away from my friends.

I pulled my cloak tighter around myself as I looked around; night had fallen, but I could still tell that the clouds were heavy with rain. A cold wind blew around me, and I knew that I wouldn't be flying tonight.

None the less, I was still standing here, outside of a locked Quidditch Pitch, shivering and angry at my new teacher; Professor Wood fellow was ten minutes late! I groaned as I started to feel rain drizzle down, wishing that the Quidditch Pitch had, I don't know, a handy-dandy umbrella, or something. Maybe a roof outside; that's probably more likely to happen than a community umbrella.

Suddenly, far down the path, I could make out a silhouette, and I yelled to it, "PROFESSOR WOOD?"

The wind carried my voice away, but he must've heard me since he looked up, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"WHAT?"

"COME INSIDE," he yelled, pulling a ring of keys out of his pocket as he joined me at the door.

A moment later and we were safely hidden in the twisting hallways underneath the Quidditch stands, both of us shivering as Professor Wood looked at me. I stuck out my hand, "Aletta Darling."

He shook it, "Oliver Wood. And what, may I ask, are you doing here?"
"Uh," I said, feeling suddenly awkward. Didn't they tell him my name? "You're supposed to be teaching me how to fly."

Professor Wood stared at me for a moment, almost unbelievingly, before he started to do something I feel is both out of character for him and stupid...

He started to laugh.

I let out a 'calming' breath before asking, "What's so funny?"

He sucked in a breath, trying to calm himself down enough to speak, "I was just expecting... something a little... different."

And suddenly, I felt very mocked and I was angry with him. "What, like, a scared fat little second year who could barely make it down the lawn without a Chocolate Frog for energy?"

"Well, not exactly-"

"Well, I'll tell you something, Mr. Quidditch hot shot." I'm not sure what I'm angrier with him for; getting me that detention in my second year or the fact that he was laughing that I can't use a broomstick. "While you've been flying around on your little piece of stick with COW-FEED on the back, I've been, I don't know, actually DOING something with my life!"

"Now wait a minute-"

"I have more OWLS than you do brain cells and I can fly circles around you withOUT the man-made materials, so I would appreciate it if-"

"Oh, you've been doing something with your life?" His face was turning a little red and I could tell I had offended him, "Tell me, does getting into trouble TWICE on the train ride alone and doing your Potions Essay less than fifteen minutes before your first class count as doing something with your life? And I don't know what your insinuating about my intelligence, you stuck-up, dog-nosed little... wait, I remember you now." My face drained of a little color as he continued, "You're that little priss who got me in trouble in my seventh year! No wonder you despise Quidditch, you can't even ride a broom!"

"I never said I couldn't ride a broom!"

"You never said it, McGonagall did!"

I scowled, "I don't even know why I came down here, I knew you hadn't changed in five years and there is no way I can work with you."

"Why should I change? I enjoy a laugh and you're blowing up about it. You don't even know what I wa-"

But I slammed the door to the Pitch and cut off what he was going to say. I stated to run away, angry, but I didn't waste any time in starting to flap my arms, no doubt looking like an idiot but who was there to see me? I was off the ground in seconds and off to the cover of the trees.

And once I reached the trees, I sat there for a moment, my eyes taking in everything there was around me, including how Professor Wood was now running for what might be his life as the light drizzle became a torrential downpour. I sighed as I tried to think of what to do, wondering if I had any other option than to take these stupid flying lessons.

Making up my mind all too quickly, I'm sure, I started to flap madly, fighting the wind with every muscle in my body. I circled the castle three times before I finally found McGonagall's window. I pecked at it incessantly, not bothering to look to see if she was in a meeting or even there.

When McGonagall finally slipped the window open enough for me to fit inside, I fell onto the ground, changing back and breathing deeply. "Miss Darling?"
"Professor McGonagall, I can't take the lessons," I panted as the last of my feathers faded into hair on my arms.

"I should say so, it's pouring outside," McGonagall exclaimed, closing the window and flicking her wand expertly. Within moments I was greeted with a warm, fluffy towel.

"No, I mean I can't ever. Professor Wood and I, we don't mix well. It's like a bad potion, we explode or give people warts or something."

Professor McGonagall sighed, "I'm quite aware of your explosion, as you so kindly put it. Professor Wood just left, claiming that you were intolerable."

"I'm intolerable," I thundered, "Why the little-"

"Enough, I don't want to hear it. I've been doing some thinking, and I've come to a decision about your... situation." Professor McGonagall leaned down to help me off the floor, grabbing her towel from around my shoulders and throwing it into her back room. "There is going to be a flying test in one month; it is required to pass for graduation. So if you don't pass it, you can't graduate."

"But the lessons aren't required?" I questioned immediately. Professor McGonagall shook her head. "And I have to use a broom?" I continued, my voice falling at the end. But Professor McGonagall nodded, and I rolled my eyes, standing and making my way to the door, "Goodnight, then, Professor."

"Goodnight, Aletta," she said as she closed the door behind me.

"Okay, first thing's first. Up," Susan shouted the next afternoon.

We were in an empty classroom right now and it was still raining outside, but when I confessed my problem to Susan she insisted that, should she train me, we start immediately. Apparently there is never any time to waste.

I looked at her like she was crazy as the broom flew up into her hand, but she smiled at me, "Okay, now you try."

"Uh, what did you do," I questioned, feeling stupid. I just don't see any point in brooms! They freaking hover and don't know how to go with the wind.

"Just say in a clear, powerful voice 'up.'"

"Up?"
"Up."

"Okay, here goes nothing," I said, sticking my hand out like Susan had done and playing the role of the idiot. "Up!"

"No, don't shout it. Shouting does nothing," Susan said, "Shouting just messes up how you say it."

"Okay," I said, "Second try. Up." The broom twitched a little, but still did not fly up into my hand.

Susan groaned, "More power! Come on, it's a stupid piece of wood, make it listen to you! "
"Yeah, it's a stupid piece of wood, and I'm acting like it can hear me," I said, sighing as I sat back on a desk, "I'll never get this right." I don't do well faced with adversity if I don't want to do what is challenging me in the first place.

"Don't say that! Just keep trying," Susan said, smiling at me.

I bit my lip as I stood again, for the final time, "Up!"
"What did I say about shouting?"

"Sorry," I sighed. "Okay, once more, up." The broom twitched again, but still did not move off of the ground.

"One more time."