Chapter 28: Flying Lesson (Part 2)
Flight was probably humanity's oldest dream. Warren, who hadn't been particularly enthusiastic about flying, couldn't help but whoop with joy when he actually took to the sky on a broom. Leaving the ground behind and cutting through the air with robes snapping in the wind was exhilarating. It made you forget all your troubles.
After receiving permission from Madam Hooch, Warren and Harry circled the pitch for a while. By the time they returned, Ron, Malfoy, and the others had managed to get airborne as well. A few students were still stuck on the ground. One of them was Neville.
Madam Hooch was patiently guiding him, correcting his posture and grip, but Neville kept forgetting. The Remembrall hanging around his neck was flashing furiously.
Malfoy and his cronies were laughing loudly at him. Ron and Seamus were squaring off against them. Harry quickly flew over.
Just then, Neville, who had barely managed to get a few feet off the ground, seemed to forget what he was doing again. His face went pale. He wobbled dangerously, and then he fell.
Madam Hooch was reaching for her wand, but she saw two spells hit Neville before she could cast anything.
"Impedimenta."
"Wingardium Leviosa."
Neville froze in mid-air five feet off the ground, his limbs splayed out. Tears and snot shaken loose by the fall covered his face. But at least he had not hit the ground.
"Well done, Mr. Warren Weasley. Five points to Slytherin."
Madam Hooch let out a sigh of relief and cancelled the spells, lowering Neville gently to the ground. Neville was clearly in shock.
Worried about him, Madam Hooch gave a few hurried instructions and escorted Neville to see Madam Pomfrey.
With Madam Hooch gone, Malfoy's arrogance knew no bounds. He looped around Harry, taunting him without mercy.
"Did you see Longbottom, Potter? Boo hoo, Mummy, I'm scared!" He sneered. "Oh, sorry, I forgot. Longbottom's got no mummy or daddy."
That was the last straw for Harry.
Even Warren was amazed at Malfoy's talent for self-destruction. How did his brain manage to spew such venom without a single thought?
Harry slammed into Malfoy. Ron cheered him on from below.
They had been itching for a fight with Malfoy for ages. Now they were in the air with no professors in sight, and Crabbe and Goyle, those two little trolls, were cowering on their brooms like frightened quail. The timing was perfect.
Malfoy realized he was cornered. Panic seized him, and he bolted. Harry gave chase, and the two of them raced toward Hogwarts castle.
"Harry! Harry!" Hermione shouted frantically. She glared at Ron, then turned to Warren. "Warren, please go get them. If a professor sees them, Gryffindor and Slytherin are both doomed."
Warren, planning to watch the spectacle anyway, simply nodded and took off after them. By the time he caught up, Harry and Malfoy had already begun weaving through the castle's many towers. Even now, Malfoy refused to back down.
"Come and get me, Potter. What's the matter, run out of steam?" He called over his shoulder. "You and Longbottom must have a lot in common. Neither of you has parents."
Warren sighed. Honestly, for a moment, he wanted to curse Malfoy himself. Malfoy had a vicious tongue. Sure enough, Harry roared with rage. All restraint gone, he suddenly accelerated and knocked Malfoy clean off his broom.
Regret washed over him instantly. Furious though he was, he had no actual desire to kill Malfoy. Harry banked sharply and dived, snatching Malfoy out of the air just before impact. The ancient, decrepit school broom groaned in protest under the sudden double weight. With a sputter of black smoke, it began to plummet.
The two boys were still clinging to each other, screaming as the ground rushed up to meet them from just ten feet below. At that critical moment, two spells cracked through the air simultaneously. One came from Warren, who was chasing behind them, and the other from a window that had just flown open in a nearby tower.
"Impedimenta."
"Arresto Momentum."
They froze in midair, still locked in their desperate embrace. Warren flicked his wand, casting another Levitation Charm to guide them toward the open window. He brought his broom to a halt and bowed to the figure inside.
"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall."
Professor McGonagall's face was stark white. Her stern, imposing expression was positively murderous. "This is not a good afternoon, Mr. Weasley. Had you not been here, had this not occurred right outside my office..." She gripped her wand so tightly that her hand shook. She took a deep breath. "Those two foolish boys would be spending a month in the hospital wing."
"Merlin, in all my years of teaching, I have never seen such disgraceful behavior. Two first-years ignoring classroom rules to duel on broomsticks, nearly causing a serious accident." She glowered furiously at Harry and Malfoy. They had landed at her feet and, thanks to the lingering spell effects, were still clinging to one another. Then she turned to Warren.
"Mr. Weasley, while you also disregarded classroom rules, your actions have earned twenty points for Slytherin."
"Now, return to your lesson and inform Madam Hooch of what has happened."
"Yes, Professor."
Warren turned his broom and flew off. Even from a distance, he could still hear Professor McGonagall shouting.
It was the first time he had ever seen her so angry.
The reality was far more intense than the books had suggested. He wondered if McGonagall would still let Harry join the Quidditch team.
Warren hadn't tried to interfere with Harry's destiny. He preferred to let things unfold naturally, trusting his own judgment.
Like today, when he saved Neville. He hadn't let Neville get hurt because he genuinely liked the boy.
On the other hand, the conflict between Harry and Malfoy was unavoidable. They were natural-born enemies. Malfoy's venomous tongue was even worse than Warren had expected.
Unless Warren was willing to babysit Harry and constantly keep Malfoy in check, their clash was bound to erupt sooner or later.
Back at the Quidditch pitch, Warren shook his head at Hermione, who was watching him anxiously.
He recounted what had happened.
Hermione's face went pale.
Once she saw that Harry was unharmed, she started shaking. "I knew it. They were bound to cause trouble."
Ron was terrified too. He rushed over to Warren. "Warren, is Harry going to get expelled?"
Hermione rounded on him. "Now you're scared? Then why did you egg him on? Even if he isn't expelled, Gryffindor's house points are ruined."
For once, Ron didn't argue back.
When the flying lesson ended, they dragged Warren over to check the hourglasses.
Gryffindor had lost sixty points. Slytherin had lost forty, but Warren had earned twenty back.
The official ruling was that although Malfoy had provoked Harry, the first blow came from him. Harry was the one who made the reckless move that nearly caused an accident.
The point gap instantly widened by forty. Hermione looked close to despair.
Later, Harry was finally released by Professor McGonagall. He brought back the good news that he'd been allowed to join the Quidditch team.
However, Hermione had no desire to hear it, and Harry wasn't particularly happy either. There was bad news as well.
He and Malfoy were going to serve detention together.