Chapter 85: Chapter 85
A notice alerting the students to the upcoming flying class scheduled for Thursday was displayed a few days ago inside the boundaries of the Gryffindor common room. They waited three weeks to fly class this year, for whatever reason. This year, flying had become popular among the freshmen, with discussions centred on the alluring idea of flying on broomsticks. The news caused a commotion of excitement, and eager conversations about the art of flying reverberated throughout the corridors.
There wasn't much of a stir among the freshmen in Gryffindor about this incident. They were well aware of the extraordinary skills that Fred, George, and Angelina, the backup players on the Quidditch team, possessed. They practised with the team's official players, getting ready for a future in which they might be included. Albert and Lee Jordan occasionally took part in these training sessions, displaying their exceptional flying abilities. For Alicia, a witch descended from a long line of wizards, flying was something she had grown up around and developed a strong interest in.
The Gryffindor students didn't react unusually when the flying lesson was announced. Even before they arrived at Hogwarts, they had long discussions about flying, though their enthusiasm for the subject was not as great as that of the other houses. Shannon was the sole exception to this casualness. She was the most uneasy of the Gryffindor freshmen because she was from a Muggle family and had never felt like she was flying on a broomstick.
Shannon checked out a copy of "Quidditch Through the Ages" from the library, hoping to learn something about flying from its pages to allay her fears. Unfortunately, she could not directly practise the manoeuvres detailed in the book because she didn't have a broomstick of her own.
"Don't worry, riding a broomstick is not as daunting as it may seem. Have you ever ridden a bicycle?" Albert empathetically understood the source of Shannon's anxiety. Like someone embarking on their maiden flight, it was only natural to feel a sense of nervousness.
He clarified that confidence was the crucial element. Albert drew on his own experiences, and his confidence in his skills was unwavering. He set out to explain the basics and tell her about the common mistakes by drawing on his wealth of experience. He had a vast storehouse of information and abilities, which was the source of his self-assurance.
Albert reassured her, "Riding a flying broomstick is like riding a bicycle. Someone will walk you through the procedure. I'm confident you will understand it if you practise it a few times."
"Really?" Shannon asked with scepticism.
Albert replied, "Indeed. You ought to have some faith in yourself," was the advice.
Lee Jordan couldn't express himself. Despite never having ridden a bicycle, Lee was certain that Albert was only trying to trick people with untrue assurances.
"Albert may be extraordinary, but she's not," Lee thought.
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On the day of the flying lesson, Albert and the Gryffindor students hurried to the classroom location where the flying lesson was held with the Slytherin students a few minutes before the scheduled time.
"Why don't they teach flying on the Quidditch pitch?" Fred once more expressed his perplexity. Outside the castle, on a level lawn, was where flying class would be conducted.
"Who knows?" Lee Jordan answered. "Does it make much of a difference?"
Angelina urged them to hurry because they didn't want to be late for the start of their first flying lesson.
"We still have five minutes, so don't worry. There is plenty of time to get there." As he examined the situation, Albert reassured them.
The Slytherin students had already gathered and were helping Madam Hooch set up the broomsticks.
When Madam Hooch rode a broomstick, she had the aura of a majestic bird poised to swoop down and seize its prey. She had short hair, a hooked nose, and eyes like those of a keen-eared eagle.
The instructions given during their previous encounter with Charlie Weasley were mirrored in the flying lessons. The students were instructed on how to summon the broomstick into their hands. Except for Shannon, most of the Gryffindor students were successful after a few tries. Shannon, however, had some trouble. The fact that her broomstick was still there made her peers, mostly Slytherin, laugh. When Madam Hooch saw this spectacle, she shook her head disapprovingly.
"Not everyone finds it simple at first, so don't worry. Even I didn't succeed the first time." Angelina comforted Shannon while her face was flushed. She motioned for Shannon to look over at the Slytherin students across from them. Some of their development was comparable to Shannon's. People who had earlier laughed at her now had difficulty using their own broomsticks.
The broomstick riding and perfecting the proper hand grip lessons came next. Madam Hooch moved gracefully through the students, precisely correcting their errant grips. To the dismay of the reprimanded Slytherin students standing across the pitch, she was impressed by the Gryffindor students' proficiency and awarded their house an additional five points.
The students then started practising takeoffs while on the ground. Shannon's situation became more and more clear. She was riding a broomstick, which made one wonder if the trembling was coming from her own shaking or from the broomstick itself. Madam Hooch allowed the more experienced flyers the freedom to practise their newly gained skills after they had finished the foundational exercises. She quickly noticed that Albert, a first generation wizard, had mastered the skill of riding a broomstick thanks to her keen eyesight. This sight impressed her.
A Slytherin student who was still receiving instructions took flight behind George, soaring through the air with the grace of a fish out of water, as Fred watched with delight. Without exception, Albert shook his head. He knew that Fred delighted in mocking the Slytherin students and revelled because they outperformed them.
Unquestionably, the freshmen in Gryffindor had an advantage over those in Slytherin. The students from Gryffindor had superior flight abilities. The only exception was Shannon, who had lagged while being watched by Madam Hooch. Most of the Gryffindor students had already taken to the air and were flying high above.
As they performed graceful spirals in the sky, to the cheers of onlookers, George said to Fred, "Some of us hardly need flying lessons."
Lee Jordan praised them as "quite the flyers." He didn't practise Quidditch as frequently as the Weasley twins, but he did like to ride a broomstick and play competitive games with Quidditch with his friends.
However, Slytherin students are incomparable. The Slytherin students' glares became more intense as Lee Jordan landed and boasted in front of them, immediately fanning the flames of their rage.
"You're 100% correct," one twin said as they flew by.
Without hesitating, Albert plunged a metaphorical dagger into the hearts of the Slytherin students: "Sometimes blood status doesn't equate to good skills."
"Warrington, hurry and pass Weasley!" A Slytherin shouted.
Among the cacophony of cries and cheers from their fellow students below, a skilled Slytherin flyer pursued George and Fred in a thrilling chase in the air. They outpaced their contemporaries in flight with unmatched dexterity and steady stability.
Warrington showed amazing prowess, but ultimately lost by a narrow margin. Much like the twins, who spent countless hours honing their flight abilities around the Quidditch pitch, he did the same.
All three of them received additional instruction from Madam Hooch after the spectacle. It was clear, though, that Fred and George didn't exalt of their 'further education'. The Slytherin student who had outperformed the others, Warrington, was the centre of their focus.
"We emerged victorious," Fred proudly declared.
"Was there ever any doubt?" Albert regarded the twins with a contemplative gaze. It was clear from the outset that their victory was inevitable.
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