Quidditch 2
So after a traumatizing history class taught by binns, we all got ready and hurried down for our first flying class.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 Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. I have heard Fred's complaint about Hogwarts brooms condition but after seeing them I am not sure that if they are even mountable. Some of them have large cracks and looks like it can be easily broken in two pieces. I quickly chose the best broom that was there and made sure Hermione has a good one too.
Looking down at my broom, I felt if Fred's broom was an Audi then it is similar to being taught how to ride a car in the early 1800s steam-driven model.
Soon our 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." Some Slytherins were depressed being seen with such an old-fashioned broom.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"
"UP" everyone shouted.
Thanks to twin's lesson my broom immediately jumped into my hand. I can see Harry, Draco, and some other pureblood have no difficulty in this step while Hermione's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's just kept vibrating on the ground.
Madam Hooch then showed us how to mount our brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting our grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.
"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, who was still 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. Now, I am sure it was the problem with his broom as he has tried riding one at low altitude with me and it was not difficult for him at all.
He let go of the broom when he failed to steer it in the right direction and started falling. I took out my wand and before I can cast any spell I watched as Neville took out his own and pointed it at ground,
"Aresto Momentum" he cried while holding out his wand with both of his hands down at the ground. I nearly thought he had it but sadly it just slowed him down enough to get out from having a serious injury.
WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His wand was laying down just a few feet away broken in two while he sustained some scratches on his hands.
Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.
"Just some scratches" I heard her mutter while looking relieved.
"Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get." She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."
Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his broken wand, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.
"Did you see his face, the great lump?"
The other Slytherins joined in.
"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."
"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.
"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch the show.
Malfoy smiled nastily.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about —up a tree?"
"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!" Harry grabbed his broom but before he could even go up I was already near Malfoy and nearly snatched remembrall.
Soon Harry joined me up in the sky while Draco looked a little bit worried as none of his friends were up there.
He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.
"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"
"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but look very worried.
Harry leaned forward trying to snatch it away but failed. He made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping down looking at his performance.
"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called."But I have Jack here with me"
The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy. He looked at me. I tried to look as intimidating as I can with my handsome face just waiting for him to throw the ball before darting towards it.
"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.
Finally, I thought. All this high school drama was too much for me and I darted straight towards where I was supposing the ball would go. It was so close to me that I reached out to grab it before harry suddenly pulled into a dive and caught it before me.
'MCs and their protection" I couldn't help cursing as harry broomstick looked as if it was injected with NOS just for the extra speed boost in the end. I looked at my back and spotted McGonagall seeing both of us in action but her eyes were focused more on Potter than me.
'Maybe after Harry makes it into the team I can ask wood to place me in reserves.' I thought.