Chapter 15

Morning arrived and William woke with a sigh of relief. He was glad he hadn't had any nightmares like the ones that plagued him the previous week. The sunlight streamed through the narrow windows of his dormitory, casting a warm glow that seemed to promise a good day ahead. As always, he quickly dressed in his exercise clothes and went outside for his daily exercises.

The crisp morning air was invigorating as he jogged towards the owlery. His owl, a sleek barn owl named Astra, was waiting for him. He handed her a letter addressed to his family, and she nibbled his finger affectionately before taking off into the sky. He watched her fly until she was just a speck in the distance, feeling a sense of contentment. After an hour of exercises that left him pleasantly tired, William returned to his room for a shower. The hot water felt wonderful against his skin, washing away the sweat and fatigue.

Clean and refreshed, he made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast. The hall was already buzzing with activity. He spotted Minny at the Ravenclaw table, deeply engrossed in a book on herbology. "Good morning, Minny," William greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning, William," Minny replied, looking up from her book and returning his smile.

William scanned the hall for Chris but couldn't find him. Just as he sat down and started filling his plate with scrambled eggs and toast, Chris appeared, rubbing his eyes and yawning widely.

"Morning, guys," Chris mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Good morning," Minny greeted him cheerfully.

William just nodded, his mouth full of food. He swallowed and asked, "So, excited for the flying class today?"

"Of course! Who wouldn't be?" Chris exclaimed, suddenly wide awake. "Flying in the air, feeling the breeze on your skin, and letting yourself loose… man, I am excited!"

Minny giggled, covering her face with her hand, while William grinned at his friend's antics.

Today's classes were Charms, Transfiguration, Flight, and Potions. In Charms class, the students practiced the Lumos Duo spell. This charm caused extremely bright and intense light to emanate from the tip of the wand, used to fend off ghouls and hinkypunks, and attract chizpurfles. William easily mastered the spell, earning his house ten points and an exclamation of praise from Professor Flitwick.

Next was Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall instructed the class to transfigure matches into needles, adding more details like colors and designs. William once again drew attention as he was the first to finish the task. McGonagall, though usually stern, seemed taken aback and impressed. She awarded ten points to his house and gave him a nod of approval.

The most anticipated class for William was Flight. Professor Rolanda Hooch, the main referee for Hogwarts' Quidditch matches, would be teaching them. After a hearty lunch at the Great Hall, the students went outside to the schoolyard. Broomsticks lay on the ground in neat rows, ready for the lesson. The presence of the Slytherin students, however, dampened William's mood slightly. He couldn't help but sigh loudly at their sight.

"Good afternoon, students," Professor Hooch greeted them as she descended gracefully on her broomstick. She provided basic instructions on summoning the broom without touching it, mounting it, liftoff, and landing.

When it was time to summon the broom, everyone managed to do it. Next, they mounted the broomsticks. The real challenge came with the liftoff. William concentrated, imagining himself slowly rising into the air. When he opened his eyes, he found himself hovering above the ground on his broomstick. The other students gasped, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Encouraged by his initial success, William decided to push his limits. He picked up speed, flying higher and faster. His movements were fluid and confident, as if he were a professional. Even Madam Hooch was stunned, her eyes wide and mouth agape.

William savored every moment in the air, feeling the wind rush past him. He went too high and too far, though, and Madam Hooch snapped out of her daze to call him back. William obeyed, landing perfectly and completing the final step of the class.

Everyone was speechless. Madam Hooch first scolded him for going too far but quickly followed with a compliment on his success. Even the Slytherins, who were glaring at him, had to admit it was remarkable. Snape's grip tightened on his broom, a rare sign of his grudging admiration.

After the class, Chris and Minny pulled William aside. "Dude, are you alright? What's wrong with you?" they asked, checking his temperature and eyes.

"Whoa, whoa, what's wrong, guys?" William asked, shoving them away gently.

"What's wrong? You're literally on a roll, man. You never show off like this. What's happened?" Chris demanded.

"First Charms, then Transfiguration, and now Flight. You're a genius William," Minny said, stars in her eyes.

William smirked at their comments, feeling a warm glow of pride. Sometimes it felt good to be praised.

The last class of the day was Potions, shared with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students. Professor Slughorn waved his hand, and the instructions for the Cure for Boils potion appeared on the blackboard. "Now, begin," he said.

Everyone started making the potion, following the instructions meticulously. Professor Slughorn watched everyone keenly, but his eyes lingered on William. William worked methodically, his mind focused. He finished the potion and Slughorn came over to inspect it. After a moment of scrutiny, Slughorn smiled and said, "Good job," before moving on. Chris let out a relieved sigh.

As the class ended and students started to leave, Professor Slughorn called, "William, a minute, my boy."

"I'll be right back," William said to Minny and Chris before approaching the potions master.

This is it. This is the moment I've been waiting for, William thought as he walked towards Slughorn.

William stood in his room, reflecting on the day's events. He had finally achieved one of his goals. Slughorn had invited him to join the Slug Club. The Slug Club was more than just a social gathering; it was a network of connections that could provide invaluable information and opportunities. William knew this was a significant step towards his future aspirations. With a sense of accomplishment, he drifted off to sleep, eager for what tomorrow would bring.