Nina's Destiny

Flying Lessons

It was Thursday, and school had been in session for a week and a half now. I was with Parvati and Lavender, heading down to our first flying lesson. I was terrified.

I had never been flying before, not even on a plane. And now, my first ever flying experience would be on a broomstick. What if I fell off? What if I couldn't get back down?

"Are you okay, Nina?" Parvati asked, looking at me worriedly.

"I've never had my feet off the ground before," I admitted, staring down at the ground. "I'm a little nervous."

"I've never flown either," Lavender said. "I'm scared of heights." We stopped in a field near the Forbidden Forest. Most of the other students were already there.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" our teacher, Madam Hooch, barked. She had yellow eyes, and short, spikey gray hair. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up!"

We all moved to a broom. I stood on Parvati's left with Lavender to her right. Neville was to my left. Across from me was Draco Malfoy. He was smirking maliciously at me.

"Stick out your right hand over the broom and say UP," Madam Hooch instructed. I did as told.

"Up!" I said. My broom didn't move. Malfoy's and Harry's went straight into their hands. Malfoy looked gloatingly at me. "Up," I said again, this time more forcefully. My broom made it half way up before falling back down. I sighed. "Up," I demanded, glaring heavily at my broom. It jumped up into my hand. Madame Hooch came around showing us how to grip the broom. It made my day when she corrected Malfoy, saying he had been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," Madame Hooch said. She brought the whistle to her lips and started counting down from three. When she said, "One!" Neville kicked off from the ground and flew up into the air. "Come back, boy!" Madame Hooch called up to him.

"I can't" Neville shouted back. He was up a good twelve feet at least before he fell to the earth, a sickening crunch signaling the snapping of one of his bones.

Madame Hooch rushed over to him, the rest of us trailing behind her. "Broken wrist," I heard her mutter before she turned to us. "You!" she demanded, pointing at me. "Jackson, come help me get Longbottom to the hospital wing." I rushed forwards and hooked my arm around Neville's waist, letting him lean against me. Madame Hooch took his other side.

What couldn't have been more than a five minute walk felt like an hour in the dead silence. When we finally reached the hospital wing, Madame Hooch quickly informed Madame Pomphrey what had happened. She ordered me to stay in with Neville before rushing back down to the other students.

I sat down on the bed next to Neville's and started to write a letter to Morgan and Diane. I had written to my mom and Percy a couple days ago.

Dear Morgie and Di,

I miss you guys so much. At first I thought it was going to be torture without you guys, Percy, and my mom, but it's not all that bad. I've made some really good friends. My three best friends here are Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Lilly Moon. They're all in Gryffindor House with me. Each year is sorted into four houses depending on the student's main characteristics. Gryffindor is the home of the brave and the chivalrous. Lav, Vati, and Lilly are absolutely amazing. Another friend is Neville Longbottom. And guess what, he's an Earth Mage! How insane is that? Fred and George Weasley are my other friends. They're two years ahead and the pranksters of Hogwarts. Then, there's Harry and Ron. They're best friends. Harry's okay but Ron is really lacking tact. Hermione Granger is okay, and we get along well enough. Then, there's Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. They're alright but I don't know them too well. Those are the Gryffindors. I'm also kind of friends with Vati's twin Padma, but she's in another house so we don't see each other too often.

I love most of my teachers. Professor Snape, the one who took me to Diagon Alley, is my favorite. He pretends to be all snarky because it gives his students more motivation. They just don't realize that. He teaches Potions. I also like Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall because the magic is so complex. Professor Flitwick teaches charms which is fun because of the ridiculous things charms do. I also like History of Magic with Professor Binns, he's a ghost. It's so cool how we can learn about our present and the future by looking back into the past. It helps having a teacher who has experienced some of these things. It's really cool. Herbology with Professor Sprout is cool too. It's Neville's best subject, obviously. I missed the flying lesson with Madam Hooch because Neville broke his wrist, and I had to take him to the Hospital Wing. I'm here now.

I love you guys, and I miss you!

Love,

Nina