A Harry Potter Love Story: Annie's Way

Chapter 15

The next day, I was still incredibly happy that my friends had accepted me. I was happy enough at the prospect of being to go to Hogwarts despite my condition but the fact that I also made friends that accept me excluding Ron, I felt like I was on cloud nine. I kept asking them if they really thought I wasn't a monster and the answer was always the same: "No we don't."

"Annie? Come back to earth!" Hermione said whilst poking my cheek. I had no idea how long I had been 'out of it' but by the looks on their faces it must have been a while.

"Sorry, just thinking things over," I replied, lifting my fork to my mouth to discover that I had dropped all of the pasta onto the floor. All well.

"Anyway, are you excited for flying class later?" Ron asked sarcastically. He absolutely hates quidditch, he's not bad though it's just the twins always aim the bludgers at him.

"Definitely. I'm annoyed that no first years can be on the team though," I said and Harry continued to look confused.

"What's quidditch?" He asked.

"Are you being serious? It's only the best and most popular wizarding sport out there!" I exclaimed and he chuckled at my enthusiasm.

"Played on actual brooms?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"What other way would you play it?" I chirped back and he chuckled. I tried to salvage as must pasta as I could that wasn't already on the floor. I soon gave up and just took a muffin. Ohhh, fluffy deliciousness.

"I'm guessing you've never flown either, Mione?" I asked and she shook her head frantically. This was the only class that she couldn't excel at as there were no books to learn the sport from. Well, there is but it's mostly talent being able to fly on a broom.

"Let's just hope you're not afraid of heights," Ron smirked at her and she squeaked in fear. That answers that question then.

We ate as quickly as we could so that we could get down to the pitch before anybody else. We collected our brooms from the shed and I cringed at their condition. All of their bristles were bent in opposite directions and all of the varnish had been scraped off of the handle. They also veered slightly to the left every time. No wonder Fred and George always complain about them.

I ran as fast as I could out onto the pitch so that I could warm up before the rest of the class arrived. The others followed behind me and laughed at my excitement. I hadn't flown since the summer and it was now November and I still never left the ground. I had never went so long without flying.

Every summer, I would go over to the Weasley's and we would set up a few hoops and we'd play a few games of Quidditch. I would always be a chaser but if Fred and George aren't there, Ginny and I gang up on the guys. Chaser is definitely my favourite position though. I have quite a good arm which shows why I love playing beater as well and Ginny and I would pair up in this position as well. There's no escape from us.

As soon as we were almost at the entrance to the pitch, I hopped onto my broom and Soared as high as I could into the air before feinting and doing laps around the pitch. Ron soon joined me but Hermione kept her feet firmly planted on the ground and I doubted Harry was trying it without a teacher there as it was his first go after all. The rest of the class soon arrived on the pitch and I made sure to land before the teacher arrived just in case I would have to sit out. No way was I missing a flying class.

"Good Afternoon everybody! I am Madam Hooch and I will be teaching you the art of flying this year. Nobody is to leave the ground unless I instruct them to and when I tell you to land again I mean it! No trying to show off by ignoring my instructions and continuing on. Right then!" Madam Hooch said and I raised my eyebrows at Ron. The twins probably put that last rule into action when they were in first year. I wouldn't put it past them. "Everybody, step up on the left side of your broom and, holding your right hand over it, give it the command 'Up' and it should come flying up into your hand!"