Lesson One

A sudden knock on the door broke the silence inside his room.

"Sir, your room is ready," a house-elf told him. "Alright, great job. And yes, another thing. Please put a notice on the room's door saying 'For Flying Lessons students, please proceed inside.' By the way, do not block any of my students from entering the room. Understood? Great. Do it now," Ashton instructed the elf, trying not to feel sorry about them being slaves for the rest of their lives. "Yes, maste.. uhm, Sir," the elf answered.

As soon as he was alone again, Ashton immediately cleared his table, leaving no trace of him doing work at dawn. He knew that for some moment in his life, he'll be a professor. 'First day of classes should be good,' he thought, expecting some events that might happen in his class.

Keith walked into the room, excited for his first day of classes, especially Flying Lessons, which he had been looking forward to the most. He looked around, noticing he was the first student in the classroom. Keith sighed, feeling dumb for being the first to arrive. Keith looked over at his Flying Professor, Professor Clark. He gave him a small smile, before glancing back at the door to see if anyone else was about to walk into the room.

Aurora pushed open the door that was marked with a sign reading: Flying Lessons - Professor Clark. She was glad that it was in a classroom and not on brooms yet, for, though she had grown up with her father's broom, she was not confident on it, and, truth be told, she was rather awful at flying. She hoped that there would be some others who needed help too. She also didn't want there to be too many Quidditch players, who, in her experience, could be rather stuck-up. But she kept these opinions to herself as she seated herself in a chair in the back of the room, near a sunny window.

Kim, carrying her bag and trying to get used to her long robe went on looking for the specified room for Flying-Lessons. "I thought that it would be flying? No one is in the field?"

She kept on searching for the right place, then, she saw one Ravenclaw entered a room on her right. Kim followed the said girl and saw the sign posted on its door. "For Flying Lessons students, please proceed inside." 'Great, this is the one.'

As Kim entered the room, she saw another Gryffindor boy, aside from the Ravenclaw student she followed. She sat near her and observed everything. "Hi. I'm Kim," she said to the girl, who was seem to be thinking deeply.

When he had heard that flying lessons would involve flying on a broom, James really had trouble believing it. However, after finding the book Quidditch through the Ages in the Library, he realized that it wasn't a joke, and that there was actually a whole sport designed to be played in the air. He pushed the door leading to the classroom, relieved that the first lesson will apparently have a more theoretical approach.

There already was a small group of students present, facing the professor. James headed towards the back of the room, briefly glancing at the professor on his way. He sat near two girls, one of which he instantly recognized. "Hi Aurora" James greeted the Ravenclaw with a smile, content to see a familiar face.

"Hi, James," Aurora whispered, seeing that the professor hadn't officially started class yet, but not knowing when he would. To the other girl. Kim, she said, "Hello, I'm Aurora."

Keith noticed that the three other students in the room had already started up a conversation, after a while of debating on whether or not he should introduce himself, he decided to go ahead. He walked up to the three students, the two girls were introducing themselves, while the the two students in Ravenclaw seemed to already know each other. Keith turned to the boy first. "Hey, I'm Keith. I'm in a few other classes with you, as well." He said smiling, and stretching out a hand for him to shake.

James was examining the inside of his school bag, unsure about what he will need for this class since they had no textbook, when he noticed that someone was approaching his desk. It was a Gryffindor boy with short brown hair whom James had already seen a couple of times in his other classes. "Hey, I'm Keith. I'm in a few other classes with you, as well." the boy said, extending his hand. "Hi, I'm James. Nice to meet you." he replied, shaking it.

"Nice to meet you, too." Keith replied. "So, I see you're in Ravenclaw?" He asked, smiling. Keith didn't know very many people in the House of Ravenclaw, so it was nice to know someone for a change. Most of his friends were in Gryffindor. He looked at the two girls who were chatting, he recognized them both from other classes, though he didn't know them very well, he hadn't even introduced himself to them.

Isabella walked into the classroom for Flying Lesson. She looked around, and saw four other students inside already. She thought,
"Am I that late already?" She hoped that she wasn't late, because she knew that Professor Clark was really strict and she didn't want to be scolded. "Um hello. I'm Isabella. May I ask what your names are?"

"Yes. And you are in ... Gryffindor, right?" he replied to Keith after glancing at the red crest on his chest, trying to remember the name from the sorting ceremony. At that moment, the door opened again and a girl rushed in. It was Isabella, whom James had met several days earlier at the Owlery. "Um hello. I'm Isabella. May I ask what your names are?" she said after approaching. "Hi" he replied, and waited for the others to introduce themselves.

"Since I think that you are all here now, let us start." Ashton walked some steps towards the middle aisle. Then, he continued. "This is the Flying Lessons class. Having our first day of classes, I don't think that all of you knows how to ride the broom. So, we will have two kinds of classes: a pre-lesson which is going to happen here, in this very room and obviously, it is what we are doing right now while the other one is the practicals. Practicals happen in the field where everyone should apply what they learned in pre-lesson to be able to ride your own respective brooms." He paused for a while, trying to remember all of the reminders that the class needs to know.

"And, I think as you have all been informed that first-years are not allowed to have brooms yet, the school will provide it for you. With the word provide, what I wanted to say is 'borrow'. If anyone of you is going to damage them, since I think the school doesn't want to buy a new one and these brooms are pretty old, specific galleons are needed for you to give."

"During practicals, anyone who has a plan on interfering the lesson, that is doing something that will make me deduct points from you precious house, please, you are welcome to do so. I will be more than willing to make your house points into negative ten." Ashton observed his students, who he thought that everyone already estimated what kind of professor he will be.

"As for the reference, Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp will be ideal for this subject. I would be getting your test questions from the said book but it is only applicable for pre-lesson."

Ashton seem to recognize that some of them are more eager to learn. He proceeded with the lesson by walking toward the board near his table and wrote the words "Flying Lessons".

"Let me proceed. For today, I will be teaching you some lessons that has something to do with History. We can't get away with the fact that History is somewhat important since it is where we can discover how the things, places, people or events became what they are right now. First, we'll talk about the 'Evolution of the Flying Broomstick' though we will not stretch this lesson much. Anyone who can tell me why wizards and witches love to keep broomsticks with them?"

Keith watched as the Professor began the lesson. He paid close attention, since this was the one class he had been looking forward to the most. "Let me proceed. For today, I will be teaching you some lessons that has something to do with History. We can't get away with the fact that History is somewhat important since it is where we can discover how the things, places, people or events became what they are right now. First, we'll talk about the 'Evolution of the Flying Broomstick' though we will not stretch this lesson much. Anyone who can tell me why wizards and witches love to keep broomsticks with them?" Professor Clark asked. Keith thought for a second, before raising his hand. "Broomsticks are also another form of transportation for wizards and witches." He answered, wondering whether or not he managed to get it right.

As the professor started the lesson, Kim listened carefully to almost every word he says. Knowing all of the key points in flying is the thing that she needs in order to succeed during their practical lessons. At the same time, Kim scribbled the important parts into her parchment, living no spaces between the sentences.

"First, we'll talk about the 'Evolution of the Flying Broomstick' though we will not stretch this lesson much. Anyone who can tell me why wizards and witches love to keep broomsticks with them?" Professor Clark asked.

'For transportation, of course,' she thought to herself. As she decided to answer the question, the boy from Gryffindor, unfortunately, did the same thing that was going on her mind. Kim didn't move her hand, which was supposed to hit the air, from her table to hide the things that she was thinking.

Aurora wasn't going to answer this one. She had never been exactly sure why her world loved Quidditch so much, and as for transportation, adults just Apparated. So what was the point, really? But she got out her respective notebook and sucked on the end of her pheasant feather quill, ready to take notes.

James was rapidly noting down everything that he thought important. When he heard that they would be using Quidditch Through the Ages as a reference, he congratulated himself of already borrowing one from the library a few days earlier, as everyone was probably going to rush there after the lesson in order to come by one copy. The professor then asked them why broomsticks were so important for wizards. In his world, brooms were only used to sweep floors. He had now discovered that wizards actually flew on them, but he didn't know much more about it. Remaining silent, he listened to what the others had to say, curious to find out more about the subject.

She watched as everyone introuduced themselves to each other; she wanted to join in but at the same time she didn't. Patiently, she waited for Professor Clark to start the lesson. At first she thought this was going to be an outside class, given it was flying and whatnot, but it was a regular classroom. When the professor finally started class, he asked why witches and wizards love to keep their broomsticks by their side.
Easy, she thought. Lucy raised her hand, "Witches and Wizards like to keep their broomsticks with them because it is far easier to travel by flying than to walk", she answered without actually being called on, accidentally interrupting a Gryffindor boy.

"Yes, Mr. Parker and Ms. Malfoy. It is used for transportation or for travelling but why is it broom sticks?" he asked again, trying to let them think on their own sense and knowledge.

Even if he knew very little about broomsticks, James thought of one logical advantage they could have as a transportation device. He raised his hand and waited for the professor to give him permission to speak. "Maybe because broomsticks are not heavy and are quite easy to carry around, as you can put them in a suitcase. Also, if someone doesn't want to get detected, flying on a broomstick is a good choice." he answered, thinking that it would be much harder to notice someone flying on a broomstick by night than for example in a flying car, if such a thing even existed in the wizarding world.

As Lucy was about to answer Professor Clark's question, in an attempt to change his impression of her, someone else raised their hand. It was the Ravenclaw boy she always interrupted. After hearing his answer, she was glad it had been him who had spoken. His answer was very good for a Muggle-born.

"Precisely. Five points for you house, Mr. Riddle. Yes, it is very convenient to have a broomstick as a way of transportation. Though, I am looking for more specific. At the time that wizards and witches use brooms, let's just say 962 A.D., magic is not yet banned in the muggle world due to its secrecy reasons but still, muggles are not that much of welcoming since they think that we are abnormally gifted. Don't worry, muggles are trying to cope with this reality and that's the reason why we have muggle-borns in this school. Wizards chose brooms since muggles are very familiar with it. It won't be that much of a suspicion when a family owns a broom, will it?" Ashton pointed some brooms at the back of the room for the students, especially the muggle-borns, to picture what kind of broom that was being talked about.

"So, when the International Statue of Wizarding Secrecy or the ISWS was established, hiding the broomstick isn't a total problem for them. A German wrote some manuscript about the said event where broomsticks are used for flying. He started to write 962 A.D. and it is very seen in the place of Europe. At that time, they were still adjusting on riding on it, let me quote it, 'having looks of exquisite discomfort in their faces'. In the year 1107, another man named Guthrie Lochrin shared his thought about riding on a broomstick. He spoke of the 'splinter-filled buttocks and bulging piles' after travelling from Montrose to Arbroath. If anyone is interested on seeing the broom that Guthrie rode, it is located at the Museum of Quidditch in London. Of course, as you all know, wizards got used to it at least when the twelfth century came. It is not just because of our riding system but also, experts made some variations about the broom itself."

"Surprisingly, that will be the first lesson. It is kind of short that is why I am going tackle another lesson for the remaining hour. Some of you may be excited in riding on the brooms. Fortunately, that is reserved for next meeting."

Not sure whether Professor Clark was dismissing class or starting a new lecture, Aurora decided to stay in her seat for now.

Ashton watched all of his students as they took notes about the lecture. He noticed some of them to be somewhat bored, hoping that they can fly using a broom right a way. "Since it is just the first day of classes, I would not maximize the time we have for now." Students gave him a small smile, not letting Ashton see the happiness they felt from being dismissed early.

"Though, there is going to be a homework assigned for all of you. We're going to skip a certain lesson so we can proceed to riding the brooms immediately. Further announcement will be made about the said homework. For now, enjoy the rest of the day. You are dismissed. Goodbye everyone." As Ashton was saying his farewell, he cleaned up the mess on his table and went back into his usual routine.