AUTOPHOBIA - G. WEASLEY

First Year: War

The rest of the Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Parvati Patil, a Gryffindor girl who Estella shared her dorm with.

"Oooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" asked stupid pug face Parkinson, and just at the sound of her voice Estella felt a very strong need to punch her again. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Parvati."

"Oh, shut up, you idiot," Estella snarled, totally angry that people were being so cruel. "Do you really think I won't punch you again, Pugface? I'm not scared."

"You definitely are," spat Parkinson. "Don't think I didn't see your stupid little face when McGonagall asked what happened to me -- you were terrified that that giant beast Hagrid or whatever his name is was going to tell her what you'd done. Lucky he didn't, right?"

At this, Estella had had enough. How dare Pansy accuse her of being scared? She walked closer to her, picked up her fist, and punched her straight in the nose once again, causing thick layers of blood to come gushing out of it.

Parkinson looked at a loss for words as Estella turned around feeling extremely proud of herself. It seemed not many people had noticed the confrontation though, as Draco Malfoy was now in the air, waving a present that Neville had received from his grandmother around.

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy didn't seem to care.

"Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom. Almost instinctively, Estella did the same. She needed to help Harry.

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

They both ignored her. Harry mounted his broom and kicked hard off the ground, Estella copied, and they both went soaring up and up high into the air until they were level with Malfoy, who looked stunned.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" asked Malfoy. It was clear to Estella that he was trying to look threatening, but really he just looked terrified.

It was so easy to chase him -- Estella didn't even understand how. Loads of Gryffindors clapped as her and Harry went flying towards Malfoy, almost managing to knock him off before he got away in time.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Estella called. She knew that he was thinking the same thing.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw Neville's glass ball into the air and streaked back towards the ground.

Estella saw the ball rise up in the air and start to fall. She leant forward on her broom and started to fly, quickly, towards it, the air hitting harshly off her face. She stretched out her hand, grabbed the ball, and threw it in Harry's direction -- hoping that he would perhaps have a better grip.

He caught it, Estella could have screamed out of happiness. Together they both flew safely to the ground and hopped off their brooms, Neville's gift -- which was something called a remembrall -- clutched unharmed in Harry's fist.

"ESTELLA LUPIN! HARRY POTTER!"

Estella felt her heart sink so deep into her stomach that she thought it might explode. Professor McGonagall was running towards them. She had seen everything.

"Never -- in all my time at Hogwarts --"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "-- how dare you both -- might have broken your necks --"