Hermione Flies

Hermione Flies

September 19th

This is our second flying lesson. I hope it's better than last week's, which wasn't very useful. Flying on a broomstick is one of those cliche things that witches are supposed to do, but last week only three people flew. Neville was so nervous that he flew too early and broke his wrist falling, then Malfoy took his Remembrall and flew off with it, and no teacher even noticed that, and then Harry flew after him and got caught by Professor McGonagall. He didn't even get into trouble! Instead, he's on the Quidditch team, and doesn't have to take flying lessons any more, because he's a 'natural' and flew so well last week. Also, he's famous, and the son of a good Quidditch player.

I wish I could be a natural flyer. I bet I'm not though. Malfoy looks furious that he has to be in this lesson and Harry doesn't, just because he wasn't caught like Harry was. Neville's here, looking all scared. Ron's here too, but he just looks bored. He's flown at home, and he's got his own broom there.

I wish Madam Hooch would get here soon. We can't do anything without her. What's the time? Oh, the lesson doesn't even start for two more minutes.

Lavender and Parvati are just chatting to each other. I don't think they like me, even though we share a dormitory room. They go all quiet if I come into the room when they're talking, and then they start talking about something else, and it's very obvious they're doing it.

It's my eleventh birthday today. I got a birthday card from Mum and Dad, but I don't think anybody here noticed it. When I was in the library, Hannah saw that I had a letter written on paper and talked to me about being Muggle-born, but she didn't see the card. Nobody seems to know it's my birthday. When I got my letter and imagined what it would be like at a boarding school, one thing I thought would happen was that I'd be able to have my birthday with all my friends around all evening. If nobody noticed my card, that's not going to happen. This isn't like the boarding school books I used to read.

I've tried making friends. I was helping Neville look for his toad on the train, but I think he's a little bit scared of me. Then I met Harry and Ron, but maybe I gave them the wrong impression, and they think I just want to be friends with Harry because he's famous. I don't think that's why I like him. I hope it isn't, because it would make me the sort of person I don't like. I tried to stop him getting in trouble after last week's lesson when Malfoy tricked him with that duel idea, but he wouldn't even admit I was right about it. Then we found that big dog, but escaped from it -- and I don't even think Harry and Ron noticed that I stopped speaking to them.

I ought to talk to Hannah more. She's the only one who's even made an effort, and neither of us knew anything about magic before we got our letters, so we've got something in common.

Oh good, here's Madam Hooch. She's talking. 'Now, everyone mount their brooms. Wait until I blow my whistle, then kick off hard, keep steady, rise a few feet, then lean forwards slightly to come down.'

Oh good, the broom jumped into my hand this time. I think I can remember what she said -- it's the same thing we were supposed to do last week except Neville's accident meant we didn't. Neville managed to fly last week, so I'm sure I can too. I hope landing is easy, and I don't hurt my legs.

She's blown the whistle! A kick ... wow, I'm already two feet off the ground ... now I'm as high as the top of Madam Hooch's head ... back down ... good, I didn't hurt myself landing.

Neville's down OK too. Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins are still flying -- oh, no, so is Ron. Madam Hooch doesn't look happy. She's blowing her whistle again and ordering them down. Good, Ron obeyed. Malfoy and two other Slytherins, Crabbe and Goyle, aren't obeying. Madam Hooch is using her wand to force them down -- now she's taking three points from Slytherin. That's good.

'Spread out, about three times as far apart as you are now. Before you practise any more, you need to know how to turn.'

Now she's demonstrating by flying in a figure-of-eight. That doesn't look too hard. There's the whistle again ... kick and rise ... up to shoulder height ... steady ... do what she did ... clockwise, straighten, anti-clockwise ... straighten and land. Was this where I was before? Oh, no, she just said my name -- what did I do wrong? Oh, good, I just got two more points, for doing the most-controlled figure-of-eight. Malfoy looks livid, and Pansy doesn't look much happier. Even Ron doesn't look too pleased; he knows I've never flown before today.

Now she's talking to Neville, because he only flew a circle, which is easier. She's not telling him off though -- I'm glad. He doesn't need to be shouted at. Professor Snape shouts at him too much, and it isn't helping him.

'Now, one at a time when I call your name. You will rise to a height of ten feet, fly to that red post, turn, fly to that blue post, turn again and return to where you are now to show that you can control your broom satisfactorily.'

Ten feet, red then blue then back here. OK. Oh, no, she called my name first. Rise to ten feet ... OK, fly to the red post and turn ... OK, fly to the blue post and back ... did it. She's smiling and saying I passed. Now it's Lavender's turn ... and so on. Now everyone except Neville has been tested. Dean, Pansy and Millicent didn't pass. Malfoy was told off for trying to show off by looping-the-loop, but he hasn't lost more points, and he still passed. Why didn't Neville get a chance? She hasn't given up on him, has she?

Oh, I see now. Everyone who passed can now just practise for a while, up to twenty feet, while Madam Hooch gives more attention to the ones who didn't.

Oh, this is fun. We can't fly too close to the castle, she said, or over the Forbidden Forest. But that leaves the whole of the grassy area, and maybe the lake. I don't think I'll try flying over the lake yet, just in case. Ron's twin brothers were saying that these school brooms aren't very reliable.

Ron's flying over the lake though. He's very easy to recognise, with his red hair. Oh, Malfoy just had to ignore what Madam Hooch said, and fly over the Forest. What an idiot. What if the broom fails and he gets dropped on one of those dangerous beasts Percy told us about?

Dean must have passed now, because I can see him practising too. Madam Hooch is talking to Pansy ... oh, and she must have passed too. I hope she doesn't leave Neville until last ... oh, poor Neville. She has. Oh, and she's seen where Malfoy is, and is forcing him to land again with her wand. That must be very useful -- I wonder how she does it. She's taken the broom away from him, and he's been sent back to the castle! Good.

Now Millicent is flying, and Neville is getting Madam Hooch's attention. It looks as if she's going more slowly with him this time. I hope that works.

Ron's landed to pick something up, and now he and Seamus are flying together, throwing whatever it is to each other. That's a good practice idea, since you have to keep up with the other person.

Neville's flying very low now, but going through a figure-of-eight properly this time. I'm glad Madam Hooch was patient with him.

Now she's calling us all down again ... oh, the lesson's ended already. It didn't seem long enough. Back to the castle now, and dinner.

That was exactly the sort of thing I dreamt of when I got my Hogwarts letter, that and turning people into frogs. Now I can fly! I wonder if next week's lesson will be more practice, or if we'll learn how to loop-the-loop the way Malfoy was doing.

September 26th

I hope this flying lesson is a good one. Snape was awful again last Potions lesson, not just to me but all the Gryffindors. Harry got a brand-new broom last week, and started Quidditch practice. It's just as though he's being rewarded for breaking the rules and disobeying Madam Hooch! When I said that, he just reminded me that I'm not speaking to him and Ron. So he has noticed; he just doesn't care. Nobody cares. Why does it matter to me if they care anyway?

It matters. I've never been away from home this long before. It's almost four weeks now since I saw my parents. Having friends would make me feel less lonely. I've only seen Hannah in Herbology since my birthday, and haven't had a chance to speak to her, She's got friends anyway, like Ernie and the other Hufflepuffs. I really want friends in Gryffindor, because we'd be in the same common room, and at the same table in the Great Hall for meals. Lavender and Parvati sit next to each other in classes, spend all their free time together in the common room, and go to sleep in the same dormitory. They definitely don't want to be friends with me though.

Harry's broom is a Nimbus Two Thousand. This school broom is apparently a Shooting Star. Last week's was a Cleansweep Five. I don't suppose it matters.

If nobody cares about rules being broken, and you get a brand-new broom for breaking them, what's the point in bothering with the rules? In fact, what would happen if, instead of bothering with this lesson, I just flew home now to see Mum and Dad, and flew back tomorrow morning? Would it matter if I got back too late for Potions? I've tried hard to do Potions lessons properly, but all that happens is that Snape gets worse. He'd be glad if I didn't turn up. It shouldn't be too difficult -- I can fly south until I see London, then follow the train route we took to get home after going to Diagon Alley.

Here comes Madam Hooch now. I ought to pay attention, even if I do go home -- we might learn something that'll make going home easier. I wonder how long it'll take to fly home?

Oh, flying at speed and holding still in one place -- I definitely want to learn those. This is going to be good. After last week's lesson, I know I can do this!

'Now, watch carefully. Grip your broom tightly, lean forward like this, and your broom will fly faster. To gradually slow down, sit more upright. To stop faster, adjust your grip like this.'

That sounds simple. I remember Harry managed to do that almost instinctively the other week, so it can't be too hard when it's explained. Now she's demonstrating how you hover. She must have a special broom, because it didn't move when she showed us how to fly fast, it just hovered all the time.

Malfoy is looking as if he knows it all. I wonder if he'll be sent back to the castle before the end of the lesson again. I hope so, because then it'll show that the rules do mean something. They have to mean something; why else does the school have them?

'When I call your name, kick off from the ground, fly fast to the red post, turn -- without falling off! Then back to the blue post, turn again and back here. You've done that last week, but now you'll do it as fast as your broom can go.'

She's going in a different order this time, first pupil on her right, first on her left, second on her right and so on. I'm the fifth on her right, so that means I'll be the ninth to go. Ron is fifth, Malfoy is sixth. Ron's done it ... Malfoy's done it ... Dean's done it ... Pansy's done it ... my turn!

Kick off, grip and lean forward ... what's happening? This isn't much faster than I was flying last week! Lean forward more ... this is embarrassing. The posts are a lot further apart this week, too. It's taking ages to get to the red post. Turn and fly back -- the Slytherins are laughing at me. So is Lavender, but the other Gryffindors aren't -- that's something, I suppose. Ron is frowning at me though. He probably thinks I'm letting Gryffindor down. Turn again ... fly back too slowly ... land. Madam Hooch has told them to stop laughing, as I couldn't help it. My cheeks are hot; I must be blushing. Everybody else flew faster than they did last lesson, but Madam Hooch hasn't said anything to me about it. Almost everyone's done the exercise now ... Neville's going to be next ... even Neville flew faster than I did, though he looked really scared when he flew back past us.

Now she's telling us to do a hovering exercise. We have to hover at twenty feet. Ready ... kick off, fly up to twenty feet and hover ... yes, it works! No, I'm losing height ... I wasn't this bad at it last week! Have I forgotten everything? There can't be some sort of spell on the broom to stop pupils flying home, can there? I wouldn't be stealing it, I'd bring it right back tomorrow! Malfoy's sneering at me now. I hate him. I wish he had fallen into the Forest and been eaten by something. Ron is looking at me as if he pities me. I hate him too. I hate everybody.

More general practice -- at least it's keeping its height when I fly, as long as I don't try to hover. Try going fast again ... no, it still won't. I'll try hovering ... this is hopeless. Forward and up ... well, at least that works. Why did Madam Hooch say it wasn't my fault? Is there really an anti-stealing spell, and does she know what I was thinking? I'll try pointing it towards the castle and hovering again ... it's still sinking!

Now we're all having to land anyway. I managed to do that OK -- but I was nearer the ground than anyone else. Oh, the lesson's ended already. Was it really as long as last week's? Back to the castle and dinner. Back to a lonely meal in a crowd of other Gryffindors. Back to being laughed at again when Lavender tells the others how bad I was at flying. I can't even fly home now, not after the way I flew in that lesson. I don't want to cry in front of everyone. I'm not going to cry, I'm not.

Ron's calling my name, but I'm ignoring him. He only wants to tease me. He's calling my name again, and I can hear he's running to catch up. What's the point in avoiding him? He'll only tease me at the dinner table, in front of everyone, if he doesn't do it now.

I turn to face him. 'What?'

The red-headed rule-ignorer replies, 'Look, I know you're not talking to me, but I didn't like it when Malfoy and the rest were laughing at you. You're a Gryffindor, after all.'

Oh, I see. 'That's why you pity me, is it?'

'No -- you had a Shooting Star for this lesson, didn't you?'

Does it matter after all? 'Yes. Why?'

Ron's answering, 'I've got one like that at home. Old Shooting Stars can't fly fast. It wasn't your fault. They shouldn't even use a broom like that for that sort of lesson.'

So it wasn't me! I really can fly! 'Oh. Thank you for telling me. I feel better now.'

I do feel better now. For one thing, he bothered to tell me. Maybe I don't hate him -- not all the time. Maybe I will make friends here. I won't try flying home yet. They might just need more time to like me.

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