"Good morning, students."
Madam Hooch strode onto the training field in her black robes, stopping between the assembled Gryffindor and Slytherin first-years.
"Good morning, Madam Hooch."
The students greeted her politely.
"Welcome to your first flying lesson."
Her sharp yellow eyes swept across the crowd.
"Now then, place your right hand over your broomstick and say 'Up!'"
"Up!"
Dozens of voices echoed across the field.
The moment the command was spoken, three broomsticks instantly leapt into waiting hands.
Harry Potter's.
Cassandra's.
And Liam Hale's.
The rest of the students stared enviously as they continued trying.
"Up!"
"Up!"
"Come on!"
A few moments later, Draco finally managed to grab his own broom.
Madam Hooch smiled.
Three natural fliers in the first lesson.
That was rare.
As Hogwarts' Flying instructor and a devoted Quidditch enthusiast, she couldn't help feeling excited.
Perhaps in a few years, Hogwarts would gain some exceptional players.
"Up!"
"Get up!"
"Up!"
Hermione's voice gradually became more frustrated.
Around her, most students had already succeeded.
Meanwhile, her broom stubbornly refused to cooperate.
Then, with a loud crack, Ron Weasley's broom jumped up and smacked him directly in the forehead.
Hermione immediately felt slightly better.
After all, Ron spent a considerable amount of time insulting her.
Perhaps karma existed after all.
A few seconds later, her own broom finally slapped into her hand.
"Excellent."
Madam Hooch nodded.
"Now mount your broomsticks."
"Hold on tightly."
"If you fall, it will hurt."
The students eagerly climbed onto their brooms.
Most sat awkwardly astride the wooden handles.
Only Liam looked different.
Instead of straddling the broom, he sat casually on it as though relaxing in a comfortable chair.
Madam Hooch immediately noticed.
"Mr. Hale."
Liam looked up from his book.
"Yes, Professor?"
"I strongly recommend following instructions."
She crossed her arms.
"If you fall because of that posture, I won't be carrying you to the Hospital Wing."
Liam considered this.
"Isn't flying the important part?"
He shifted slightly.
"This position is more comfortable."
Before Madam Hooch could reply, the broom beneath him rose smoothly into the air.
The movement was perfectly stable.
Not even a slight wobble.
The broom simply floated upward as though it were part of his body.
Madam Hooch stared.
Then stared some more.
Her years of experience immediately recognized what she was seeing.
That level of balance was absurd.
Even she couldn't sit on a broom that casually without sacrificing control.
Meanwhile, Liam calmly opened his book.
"Professor."
"Hm?"
"I attended because attendance is mandatory."
He turned a page.
"But I have no intention of joining the Quidditch team."
Madam Hooch blinked.
"So?"
"So I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I spent the lesson reading."
He raised the forbidden magic book slightly.
The Flying instructor stood speechless.
Around them, several girls from both Gryffindor and Slytherin stared at Liam with sparkling eyes.
Reading a book while sitting elegantly on a floating broom looked impossibly cool.
Madam Hooch immediately caught the dangerous expressions spreading through the class.
"Ahem!"
She pointed at the students.
"None of you copy him."
The girls immediately looked disappointed.
"Mr. Hale can do that because his balance is exceptional."
Her gaze sharpened.
"If any of you attempt it, you'll fall off immediately."
The students reluctantly gave up the idea.
At that moment—
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
A scream echoed across the field.
Everyone turned.
Neville Longbottom was rising rapidly into the sky.
His broom had launched upward without warning.
"Mr. Longbottom!"
Madam Hooch immediately shouted.
"Lean forward!"
"Control your broom!"
"Come back down!"
Unfortunately, Neville was completely panicked.
He simply screamed louder.
The broom continued climbing.
Higher.
And higher.
Within moments he had become a tiny dot against the clouds.
Many students turned pale.
Flying lessons suddenly seemed far more dangerous than expected.
"What a disaster."
Madam Hooch cursed under her breath.
She immediately summoned a school broom.
The moment it reached her hand, she mounted it and shot into the air.
As Flying instructor, her skills were naturally excellent.
She quickly caught up with Neville.
"Mr. Longbottom!"
"Stay calm!"
"I've got you!"
Neville finally looked relieved.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
The broom beneath him suddenly spun violently.
Then it bucked like a wild horse.
Neville was thrown off.
Madam Hooch reacted instantly.
Her hand shot forward and grabbed his robes.
For a brief moment, it seemed she had succeeded.
Then—
RIP!
The fabric tore apart.
Neville dropped.
Straight down.
Madam Hooch froze.
The torn robe remained in her hand.
Below, students screamed in horror.
Neville plummeted toward the ground like a cannonball.
Only then did Madam Hooch recover.
She immediately dove after him.
But it was too late.
The old training broom wasn't fast enough.
She could already see the outcome.
A dead student.
The thought turned her face white.
Then a calm voice sounded from below.
"Slow."
Liam never looked up from his book.
He simply raised one hand.
Invisible magic surged outward.
Neville's descent abruptly slowed.
Fast.
Slower.
Slower.
Until finally he came to a complete stop less than a foot above the ground.
The terrified boy waved his arms wildly.
Then his feet touched solid earth.
The invisible force vanished.
Neville immediately collapsed onto the grass, gasping for breath.
The entire field fell silent.
Madam Hooch landed moments later.
For several seconds she simply stared at Liam.
She understood exactly how difficult what he had just done was.
In that situation, most wizards would have reached for their wand.
Liam hadn't.
Most wizards would have struggled to accurately target a rapidly falling object.
Liam hadn't.
Most wizards would have required several seconds.
Liam had acted instantly.
The level of magical control was frightening.
Even more terrifying was the realization that he appeared to have cast the spell wandlessly.
Looking at the boy calmly reading forbidden magic while floating on a broom high above the field, Madam Hooch felt a strange sense of awe.
This child truly possessed limitless potential.
....
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