chapter 11: Flight

The afternoon sun shone from a cloudless sky as the first-years assembled on the lawn and Harry looked round at the assembled throng.

"There he is!"

"A Raven? But his parents were both lions…"

"Perhaps he isn't brave like they were..."

"Hah! The chosen one, a coward!"

Harry tuned out the comments, most of which seemed to be coming from the clump of Slytherins, and turned to look at the two lines of broomsticks lying on the grass. Even at a distance, he could see that many of them had misaligned bristles or small cracks in the handles, quite unlike the broomsticks he had briefly seen on display in Diagon Alley.

"Good morning, class. Now hurry up and get to a broom." The sharp-eyed grey-haired witch waiting by the brooms snapped. "Line up and get ready."

Harry paused long enough to place a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder, causing her to pause her near-silent recitation of the books she had read about broomsticks, then he gave Neville a reassuring nod. Making his way to the brooms, he looked up as Draco took position opposite him, Crabbe and Goyle flanking him like always.

"So, I heard you were raised by muggles." Draco sneered. "That means that this will be the first time you've ever seen a proper broomstick. Don't worry, I'll show you what to do, I'm a superior flyer. Why, I once out-flew a muggle helicopter!"

"Really?" Harry queried with a raised brow. "How much did your father have to pay for you breaking the Statute of Secrecy like that?"

Malfoy sputtered and stammered at the unexpected question, but his planned reply was halted as the witch spoke up again.

"My name is Rolanda Hooch. I am the Flying Instructor and Quidditch Referee of Hogwarts and I also run the weekend flying lessons for those who wish to improve themselves. Today will be the first time on a Broomstick for many of you. Just remember to stay calm as you ride it since Broomsticks respond to your thoughts and motions. You simply need to concentrate on where you wish to go. To accelerate, you concentrate, same for braking. To maneuver, turn the broomstick to where you need to go. Now, hold your dominant hand over the broomstick and tell it up. Firmly, mind you."

Harry held out his hand and looked at the scraped broomstick. "Up."

The broom lifted smoothly from the ground and slapped into his hand, as did quite a few other brooms up and down the lines.

"Up…?"

"Neville, you need to be firm." Harry whispered to him. "You can do this."

Neville gave him a grateful look before repeating his command in a voice no longer filled with nervousness. The broom lifted up and gently settled into his hand.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Harry grinned, then he looked to his other side to see Hermione looking proudly at the broomstick in her grasp.

"Now, swing your leg over to mount the broomstick." Hooch continued and Harry saw the slight aura around Neville's broom start to flicker. Quickly, he tapped Neville's shoulder and shook his head before raising his hand.

"Professor? Neville's broom was jolting slightly, I think it's broken!"

Rolanda bustled down to the broom in question and waved her wand at it, frowning at the runes that briefly flashed into view around it.

"Well spotted. Five points to Ravenclaw. This broom seems to have a flaw in the secondary control arrays… someone must have been taking it out for unsanctioned rides and crashed into something. Give it here."

Neville let Hooch take the broom and a moment later she presented him with a replacement. Under her gaze, he carefully climbed aboard and she nodded in satisfaction as she readied her own broomstick.

"Now, let's take it carefully. Push off, then lower yourself back down. You! What sort of grip is that?"

Draco stared in shock as Rolanda seemed to loom over him.

"I… this is how I always…"

"You're doing it wrong!" Rolanda exclaimed. "You started on a Falconwing Gamma, didn't you? Expensive and recalled because the control arrays were misaligned. No, move your hands to here and here. Good. Now keep them that way!"

Several snickers were heard as Draco followed the instructions he had been given, glaring around him in frustrated embarrassment.

"Okay, now… gently push upwards!"

Harry rose into the air and frowned slightly. Although the feeling of being in the air seemed to be somehow right, the feeling of the broomstick between his legs seemed subtly wrong somehow.

Shaking off the feeling, Harry looked around him, seeing that most of the students were already touching down again, many of them with looks of relief and triumph. Harry let himself sink back down until the springy turf pressed against his toes and Madam Hooch looked around with approval.

"Good." She smiled. "Now, repeat it twice more, then we can move on to actual flight."

.

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"I can fly!" Neville laughed as they walked into the main entrance hall of Hogwarts.

"You've said that six times already." Harry chuckled, then he turned to Hermione who was smiling. "Did you enjoy it?"

"It was alright." Hermione demurred, then she giggled. "Flying on a broomstick… how stereotypical!"

"I'm definitely going to attend the extra flying classes." Harry stated. "Being in the air like that... I've read quite a bit about aerial combat… I wonder if you can do an Immelmann Turn on a broomstick?"

"I read about several maneuvers in the History of Quidditch." Hermione offered. "Although the Wronski Feint sounds rather risky. And what Draco tried to do before Madam Hooch dragged him off… What was he trying to do? Prove he could be a Seeker or something?"

"I… I've never played Quidditch." Neville admitted. "My gran wouldn't even let me go to see any of the games."

"Well, there's plenty of time for that." Harry shrugged, then he smiled. "You know, I think I'll buy myself a broomstick… and maybe a couple of spares."

"Harry, first-years aren't allowed broomsticks!" Hermione protested.

"At Hogwarts." Harry confirmed. "When did I say I would be bringing a Broomstick to Hogwarts?"

Hermione paused, one finger still pointing accusingly at Harry while Neville used his hand to muffle his chuckle at her expression.

"Point." She finally admitted. "So just what are you planning?"

"Well, I've asked for a sunken Quidditch field to be installed behind my house… about as deep as the pitch here is tall so that there's no real risk of non-magicals seeing what's going on and I can practise flying... along with any friends I invite over… actually, thinking about it, maybe I should see if I could arrange for new broomsticks for here. I really didn't like the way that some of those brooms looked."

"Speaking as someone who almost ended up with a bad one, I think I'll try to persuade gran to help." Neville agreed. "Do you have an Account Manager?"

"Yep." Harry confirmed. "I assume the Longbottoms have one as well?"

"We do, but Gran normally deals with things like that." Neville said. "If you write to your Manager I'll send a message to Gran suggesting that it would raise the Longbottom's prestige if she helps out as well."

"It'll certainly put one in the eye of the Malfoys." Harry chuckled. "I wonder what they'll do to regain face? Nev, do you want to borrow Grace to send your letter? She seems to be getting fidgety since I don't have anyone other than Axefist to write to and I try not to waste his time with unnecessary communications."

"I'll write the letter to gran tonight." Neville decided.

"Which broom would be best?" Harry wondered and Hermione perked up.

"Ooh! I know this one! According to Quidditch Through The Ages, the broom regarded as the best starter broom is…"

.

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-o+o-

Lord Potter

As per your request, I have placed an order for a sufficient number of Comet 260 Broomsticks to replace the current stock of Shooting Star Broomsticks that Hogwarts uses.

The Longbottom Family has taken on half of the costs for this transaction and the costs have been further reduced by using your name to make the purchase with, as well as your pre-signed agreement to the Comet Trading Company that they can use your name in their press release.

The total cost is only one-fifth of the original expected price. This can be reduced further by agreeing to participate in the public hand-over of the brooms to Hogwarts and giving an interview. Should you wish to do so, please contact the Comet Trading Company to indicate your willingness and arrange the details required.

May you reap great profit.

Axefist.

Potter Family Accounts Manager.

Gringotts Bank.

-o+o-

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Harry handed the letter over to Neville for him to read before picking up his cup of tea and sipping it, using the action to help him focus his throughts.

"Hmmm." Neville handed the letter across to Hermione, who was almost bouncing with curiosity. "So, will you give the interview?"

"I think Axefist would be very sarcastic at our next meeting if I didn't." Harry sighed. "Shame, I don't like being famous… Nev?"

"Yes?" Neville replied as he picked up his pumpkin juice.

"I think you or your gran should give an interview too."

The spray of pumpkin juice was quite impressive.

"Can we have a towel please? Thank you."

Neville accepted the towel and used it to wipe his face, then start mopping up the puddle on the table that was threatening to drip onto him.

"He has a point." Hermione said, handing the letter back to Harry. "I mean, it wasn't just Harry's idea…"

"And you should as well." Harry continued.

"You told him how to go about it and… what?! Me? Harry, I… All I did was… No."

Both boys looked at her and Hermione screwed her eyes shut. "No, Harry. No, don't you use those puppy-dog eyes on me! No! No, I'm not doing it! No!"

.

.

"…and that was how we made the decision." Harry finished as the Sunday morning sun shone down on the celebrating students surrounding the conjured table on which no less than sixty new brooms were displayed underneath the hawk-eyed gazes of Rolanda Hooch and Madam Longbottom. "It was a team effort, one turned into reality by the generosity of Mr Horton, co-founder and owner of Comet Trading Company."

The wizard in question seemed to inflate slightly with pride as he stood in line with Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger while the Daily Prophet photographer took photo after photo and the Wireless Wizarding Network reporter moved in to ensure that every word was caught and transmitted.

"I was amazed by Lord Potter's request, one made not for himself but for the whole of Hogwarts School." Mr Horton stated with a broad grin. "Lord Potter, Heir Longbottom and Miss Granger could have simply asked for brooms for themselves or for their own House, but they decided to invest their money in brooms for all the Houses of Hogwarts and the Comet Trading Company is honored that they chose to approach us to help them realize their dream..."

.

"Urgh." Harry managed as he fell into the armchair. Neville, looking almost as exhausted, followed suit as Hermione half-glared at them. "The sacrifices I have to make."

"One week in and you're already making headlines?" Hermione shook her head as she sat down on the settee facing the two boys, then she blinked as Filius Flitwick clambered up onto the settee beside her.

"Well done, you three!" He chirped. "Just a full week here and you have done more to raise the profile of Ravenclaw than anyone else in the last decade. I've discussed this with Albus and for your efforts and financial sacrifices, I'm awarding you, Miss Granger, ten points while you two get twenty points each. Madam Hooch has also awarded you points, meaning that between you, you've earned Ravenclaw eighty points today!"

The other students in the common room applauded and Harry flung an arm over his face. "I didn't do it for the fame, Uncle Fil."

"We know." Filius grinned, ignoring the shocked looks that the other students were giving him and Harry. "And that's why people are paying so much attention. Why, I hear that the Board of Governors is meeting soon to discuss the ramifications of the gift you three made."

"Now that's a meeting I'd like to attend." Neville said with a suddenly-predatorial grin. "I wonder how Malfoy will react?"

"Indeed." Filius mused with a similar grin. "The richest man in Wizarding Britain really should have been the first in line to donate to the school, shouldn't he?"