The Tempest ↠ Fred Weasley

Chapter 6

Adrenaline

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Ever since hearing about quidditch from Dumbledore, (and a more detailed description from Ron), Aurora was chomping at the bit to get started with flying lessons. Harry and Ron kept complaining about how the lesson was with the Slytherins, but Aurora didn't see what all the fuss was about. They weren't all that vile from what she could tell, Pansy seemed decently nice.

This morning, Aurora could barely eat her breakfast or her lunch she was so excited. But Hermione being Hermione, she was forced to eat a little.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Aurora and the other Gryffindors hurried onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Their teacher, Madam Hooch, walked over to the two groups.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up. Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!"'

"UP" everyone shouted.

Aurora's broom flew up into her hand at once, a satisfied grin resting on her face. She looked around to see Harry and Draco's broom in their hands as well.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, making Harry and Ron snort when she told Malfoy his grip had been 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 pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising steadily -- twelve feet -- twenty feet. Slipping sideways off the broom and --

WHAM -- a thud and a nasty crack leaving Neville laying facedown on the grass in a heap.

"Broken wrist," They heard her mutter. "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."

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter. A scowl growing on Aurora's face.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Aurora.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Thought you knew better, Granger. Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

"Give it here, Malfoy," Snapped Aurora and Harry.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find -- how about -- up a tree?"

Aurora grabbed her broom along with Harry, sparing a glance at her twin.

"No! Rory! Harry!" shouted Hermione. "Madam Hooch told us not to move -- you'll get us all into trouble."

Aurora, ignoring her, mounted her broom and kicked hard against the ground.

They turned their broomsticks sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.