Chapter 29: The Flying Lesson, Verification, and Hypothesis

The commotion in the hall lasted for more than half an hour, not because Malfoy had finished speaking, but because it was time for class.

9:00 AM, outside the castle.

Madam Hooch appeared right on time, riding her broomstick.

After circling the students once, she landed steadily on the lawn.

"Before we start the lesson, I need to emphasize one thing. When we begin flying, you must follow my instructions."

"Of course, if you want to fall from dozens of feet in the air and spend the rest of the term in the hospital wing, then by all means, do as you please..."

Like all professors, Madam Hooch highlighted the risks in the first lesson.

"Everyone, come over here! I will only demonstrate this once!"

Madam Hooch walked in front of the group and began demonstrating the correct flying posture.

Just as everyone was about to practice commanding their brooms to rise, a voice from the crowd called out.

"Professor, I have a question!" Ino raised his hand and looked at Madam Hooch.

His action successfully attracted everyone's attention, especially Hermione, who widened her eyes with a curious expression.

"This is good! If you have questions, ask them now. The same goes for all of you. Don't wait until you're in the air to have problems."

Madam Hooch looked at everyone seriously, then walked over to Ino.

"Alright, child! What's your question?"

"Professor, I don't understand why brooms can carry us in the air. If it's purely magic, then why are there different brands and models, leading to different speeds and performances?"

"What I mean is, if it's just magic, shouldn't their speeds be consistent?"

Ino asked his long-hidden question in one breath.

He was curious about the working principle of flying brooms. If they only carried people in the air, it wouldn't be surprising and could simply be categorized as magic. But they were like machines, with different brands and models, and even different specializations, which was difficult to explain with just magic.

"Sorry, child! Your question is beyond my knowledge, so I can't answer it. But if it's about flying issues, techniques, or even safety knowledge, feel free to come to me anytime."

Madam Hooch candidly admitted her limitations.

She didn't feel embarrassed about not being able to answer a student's question as a professor, nor did she make up an explanation to brush off the student.

"But I suggest you take Alchemy in your sixth year, or find the answer in the library."

"Thank you for your valuable advice, Professor."

Facing the candid Madam Hooch, Ino did not forget his basic manners as a student.

A friendly exchange between teacher and student. Neither Madam Hooch nor Ino found it inappropriate.

But they forgot about the surrounding young wizards watching, especially the Slytherin girls, many of whom showed expressions of admiration.

After all, as a student, stumping a professor with a question was a remarkable achievement, even if it was just the flying instructor.

Compared to Slytherin, Gryffindor's reactions were more complex—there were looks of approval, silence, and disdain...

But Hermione Granger, in particular, looked thoughtfully at Ino, and no one knew what was on her mind.

After this small episode, Madam Hooch resumed her teaching.

"Listen up, when I blow the whistle, you need to kick off from the ground hard. Remember to hold on tightly to your brooms and try to rise a few feet..."

Finally hearing that they could fly, the young wizards showed excited expressions, including Malfoy.

However, Ino remained unmoved. Perhaps pretending to be a Seer for so long made him want to verify the inertia of fate.

Just like during the Sorting Ceremony when Hermione didn't boast about Hogwarts: A History, preventing her first conflict with Ron.

But unlike previous trivial matters, the upcoming event was crucial.

It directly concerned whether Harry would join the Quidditch team.

Only by joining the team would the trio suspect Snape during the matches, driving the subsequent developments.

What he had to do now was simply be a spectator and see if Neville's broom would still go out of control as in the original story.

...

Fifteen minutes later.

Fate's inertia prevailed, and what was meant to happen still happened.

"Ahhh~ Help me!"

In mid-air, Neville's desperate cries for help echoed.

The old broomstick, like a wild horse, quickly soared dozens of feet into the sky.

On the ground, all the young wizards were in chaos.

But Ino remained unmoved. He didn't try to show off his mediocre magic or attempt to save or earn points.

After all, this was Hogwarts. A student dying in broad daylight? That was a joke!

If Neville was really in danger, Ino would turn and leave without hesitation!

There were plenty of schools in Europe besides Hogwarts.

...

In mid-air.

Neville clung desperately to his broomstick, struggling precariously.

Judging by the distance, he was at least sixty feet above the ground, about eighteen meters, roughly the height of a seven or eight-story building.

Don't underestimate this height. Given Neville's round figure, a fall could be fatal.

However, events always had a touch of drama.

Neville did fall but only injured his arm.

After Madam Hooch personally escorted Neville for treatment, the situation unfolded as in the original story.

To retrieve Neville's Remembrall, Malfoy and Harry engaged in a thrilling aerial chase.

For the other young wizards, the contest between the two in the sky was a rare spectacle.

Ino, however, didn't bother to look up. His mind kept replaying the recent event: Neville's broom still went out of control.

Was it fate's inertia, or something else?

At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder if predetermined events were truly unchangeable.

If not, why had some minor things already changed?

What was the purpose of Divination, after all?

...

Meanwhile, in the sky.

Malfoy and Harry's competition had reached a fever pitch.

As Malfoy threw the Remembrall with all his might, Harry shot like an arrow.

In full flight, he caught the falling Remembrall just two feet from the castle.

Harry not only executed an extreme maneuver but also made a smooth turn, stopping steadily in mid-air.

No one noticed the shocked and furious expression of Professor McGonagall behind a window.

The flying lesson ended hastily.

Due to the earlier accident, Madam Hooch didn't allow the students to fly collectively upon her return. Instead, she opted for the clumsy method of one-on-one instruction.

The process was somewhat tedious and convoluted, but it successfully taught everyone how to control their brooms.

It was like learning to ride a bike; once you mastered the balance, the rest was up to time.

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