Lesson 1: Back to Basics

Eponine stood in out on the Quidditch Pitch, in front of a row of brooms lying on the ground. She firmly believed it was important for her students to master the basics before even mounting their brooms. She waited until the majority of her class arrived, then began her introductions.

“Hello, class. My name is Professor Fortescue, and I've taken over for Professor Clark, as he only has time to teach one class this term. I'm the newly appointed Hufflepuff Head of House, and I also teach Astronomy this term.”

She flashed a friendly grin before continuing. “I'm qualified though, guys. I was Hufflepuff Chaser and Quidditch Captain in my student days, and I spent a majority of my twenties playing first-string Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies.”

Once she finished with her introduction, she began the lesson. “All right, if you could all stand by a broomstick- there's enough for all of you. Now can someone tell me the importance of learning Flying as a mode of transportation? What's different about using a broom to get around than, say, the Floo Network or Apparation?”

Her eyes swept over the class eagerly as she hoped one of them would be able to give the right answer- though she conceded that there could be more than one right answer.

When she had heard that flying lessons were on the schedule for today, which would involve flying on a broom, Aurelia let out a quiet little laugh. Sure, she'd pored through the book Quidditch through the Ages before, in an attempt to understood the general design and implementation of the rules for the subject, yet she still found it difficult to believe that the entire sport had been designed to be played in the air. Wonderful, a chance to be airborne. As soon as she stepped out into broad daylight, the gentle breeze of the wind that swept through Hogwarts whipped around her face, leaving the young girl with a strange sense of serenity and peace.

The rays of sunshine that streamed down from the heavens above obstructed her vision, making it hard for her to see ahead of her. Squinting, she could barely make out the dotted figures of various other students standing around the pitch, all of whom seemed to be about the same age as her. Her face devoid of any emotion, she rushed forwards towards a crowd of people that had gathered for the first Flying Lesson of the year, pleased that the first lesson would have a more theoretical approach.

As she wandered into the crowd, she tilted her head in acknowledgement at Professor Fortescue, followed by a quick nod of her head. "Hello Professor Fortescue," she murmured, before turning towards her fellow classmates, assessing them quickly. After listening intently to every word that the Professor had said, she raised her hand hesitantly to answer the question. "Well..." she began, uncertain as to how she ought to answer, "The broomstick is a good method of physical magical transportation, when you're not necessarily certain as to how you ought to arrive at your destination. They're charmed, so it's easy to conceal from Muggles and move in stealth, but the user must have great skill and care. As for the other modes of transportation, such as Apparition or Portkey, the user has to have a very good knowledge of where their final destination is, or else they may have the misfortune of ending up somewhere else." Upon concluding her statement, Aurelia's cheeks flushed deeply, and she hoped that her answer had been correct.

As Spencer showed up on the Quidditch pitch, he saw a pretty woman that he would've pegged as in her late twenties or early thirties stand in front of a bunch of brooms spread out across the field. Professor Fortescue, he assumed. A woman was going to be teaching them Flying?

He was skeptical at first, but his doubts disappeared as he heard about her first-string Chaser background with the Holyhead Harpies. For a former Hufflepuff, she was pretty darn cool! Maybe he'd interview her about her Quidditch life.... after he interviewed Professor Baxt about his predecessor and what he knew about what was happening.

He tuned back in as Professor Fortescue gave them their first instructions. After following them, he considered her first question. He had an inkling of what Professor Fortescue was getting at, but he wanted to see what others would say first, if he was stuck with a bunch of amateurs or not.

The Slytherin girl gave a good answer, but he decided to hold his tongue. He knew he was better. No need to show off that knowledge- yet.

Would it be bad to actually mention that the only reason she had signed up for flying was because it was her head of house teaching the subject? That was one thing Emmalynne wasn’t sure of, and she wasn’t about to actually consider mentioning that fact out loud to anyone, even with her tendency to babble when she was able to. It was a challenge, but she knew she could manage it. Just as focusing on the lesson was going to be a challenge, since she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the thought of actually getting on one of the school brooms and leaving the ground behind her. That was the main reason she hadn’t chosen to try out for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, even though she knew they needed members. It was a matter of choosing her fear over that need, and she had enough else to think about this term. Classes, working for the school paper and just getting to know as many people and as much about everything as possible. Just not Quidditch.

She still had a smile for Professor Fortescue as she had arrived at the Quidditch Pitch, and listened patiently as the woman started off with introductions. She was curious if they were all going to need to introduce themselves as well, but as the first question of the lesson was posed, she merely placed herself slightly behind the row of brooms and thought about if she could answer. Being mostly based in the Muggle world did have its disadvantages, but she wasn’t entirely ignorant of the basics of flying even if it was something she was afraid to do, and finally she raised her hand after she’d heard Aurelia’s answer. “Professor Fortescue, flying isn’t that much different than most Muggle forms of transportation, as it’s a matter of pointing the broom in the right direction and then guiding it to get wherever you want to go. Floo powder and Apparation are more dangerous because they depend on you needing to actually know exactly where you want to go, and if you aren’t clear on your destination, things can go very wrong. The worst that can happen with flying is that you crash and get injured, but with Floo powder you can end up lost, and with Apparation there is the risk of splinching if you aren’t successful,” she replied, going back to convincing herself that getting onto a broom eventually wasn’t going to be that bad at the same time as she answered the question.

Daisee thought about the question Professor Fortescue posed, then called out, "Like Emmalynne pointed out, it's kind of like Muggle vehicles, like cars or planes. If it malfunctions, all it does is crash and burn. Which", she added, "is not good at all, but the only magic involved is the flying broom part. With all the rest of wizarding transportation, there are magical consequences for any malfunction."

As a Muggleborn, she didn't know much about the other magical transportations, but from what she's heard about them so far, Daisee figured she was right about that. Then something else clicked in her mind.

"Plus, flying brooms are easier for Muggles to spot if the riders aren't careful, right? Unlike the other transportations mentioned." She hoped she was right.

Eponine smiled encouragingly as three of her students gave thoughtful, intelligent answers to her question. "You are all correct in a way, so 5 points each to Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor." Eponine declared generously.

"However, there was another answer I was looking for. And that answer is, broomsticks are the only mode of magical transportation that cannot be tracked by the Ministry of Magic. Both the Floo Network and Apparation are closely monitored by the Ministry. But as long as you're not spotted by Muggles, you can fly a broom to get to your destination, and the Ministry would neither know or care in most cases."

She fixed all her students with a determined look. "That's why it's crucial for you guys to learn how to fly. For the next 6 to 7 years, this will be the only mode of magical transportation you guys will be capable of by yourselves."

She smiled in amusement at her next words. "But first, you guys need to learn how to fly them safely. And before you can fly them safely, you need to learn how to command them into obedience. Think of them as inanimate horses or dogs, if you will. They can sense if you're not altogether uncomfortable with them, and will act accordingly with you."

"So everyone get next to a broom, hold your hand above them with your palms open and down ready to catch them, and command them loudly and firmly with this word: UP!"

OOC: RP your characters doing this (think of Harry's first Flying class). Make it realistic to your character's personality; you won't get docked points for your character failing the first couple of times.

Daisee nodded in understanding as Professor Fortescue explained. It made sense, as magic had to be watched carefully so that it didn't go awry. She smiled at the horse/dog comparison to the brooms, then stood beside the broom next to Shah and yelled firmly, "UP!" She smiled in satisfaction as the broom flew immediately into her hand, even before Shah's did.

Flying was a subject and a talent that came extraordinarily easy to her. As a Muggleborn, she wouldn't have guessed it, but Daisee knew she had a gift. She beamed at the professor, flushed with her victory.

Zoran ran to the Quidditch Pitch. He was definitely late. He panted as he reached the pitch. He noticed that the class had already begun. He went over to the teacher and said, "Sorry, I'm late professor." After listening to the teacher's reply, he did what everyone was doing. When he spot Shah, he grinned widely at her. This was probably the only class he would be taking with her. He was a born flyer. He didn't actually need this class, but he registered anyway.

Standing beside the broom, looking and feeling nonchalant, he said, "Up." The broom immediately flew into his hands. He looked over at his sister and smirked at her.

Brooms could sense if you weren’t comfortable with them. Now that was the part that really worried Emmalynne. She was most definitely not comfortable with the idea of actually getting on one of the school brooms and actually having her feet leave the ground, and the fact that it was highly possible that meant she wasn’t going to be able to travel by herself really didn’t bother her. She’d be able to get back and forth between Hogwarts and home easily enough, and she could walk to Hogsmeade once she was allowed to visit the town. She didn’t need to travel anywhere else, and if she did, she’d just find someone older that could take her. Except for that nasty little fact that she was in a class taught by her awesome head of house, plus the class was required, and all that meant she couldn’t let her down by running away and hiding. She’d just have to suck it up and hopefully not fail miserably.

She glanced down at the broom next to her as she took her place in the line, however, as if she was pleading with it to be gentle with her. Some animals understood that, as far as she knew, so maybe this broom would too. Maybe it would be nice to her, especially as it seemed like everyone else was getting their brooms to come to them without too much trouble. Shah’s had apparently needed a bit of convincing, but she had still gotten the broom to listen. Okay. I can do this. We aren’t flying yet anyway, so I can hold a broom. Holding it isn’t the scary part, she thought to herself, trying to work up the courage to do what they’d been asked. “Up!,” she said loudly, her hand held out as demonstrated even as she refused to look at the broom. It should know she was talking to it, but nothing happened. Glancing down, she saw the broom still lying there on the ground taunting her, and she huffed a little. This was not fair. Stupid broom, she thought, holding her hand out again even as she continued glaring at the object. “Up!”

Half the broomstick rose a foot or two, but then it dropped to the ground again. She was about to cry at how unfair it was being. “Okay. I know I don’t want to actually fly on you, but all you have to do is just come up and let me hold you. I won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt me,” she said quietly, resorting to pleading with the broom as if that would help. Either way, she held her hand back out. “Up!,” she said, inwardly pleading still, then she looked over with wide hazel eyes as she felt wood hit the palm of her hand and instinctively curled her fingers around it. Maybe pleading with the broom actually did help, but she still worried that it wouldn’t keep its promise not to be mean to her later. She really didn’t want to have to take a trip to the hospital wing because she’d fallen off a broom.

Taison listened to the professor before attempting to grab his broom. He was a pureblood and knew how to fly ever since he was 4. He loved being on the broom but then when he was 9 he had a near fatal accident. Since then he hasn't even looked at a broom and now here he was, having to take Flying.

Taison stood there, gazing at the broom for what seemed like forever. He looked to Daisee, pure fear in his eyes. There was no way he could do this.

Auden ran to the pitch. She was so late. Auden had a habit of being late unfortunately. "Sorry Professor." Auden said with practically no breathe. She grabbed a broom and set it on the ground. Auden knew already how to fly a broom. She just didn't really like quiddich. She loved how the wind flows through her hair. Like the library, it is the few places the Auden feels relaxed. "Up." Auden said. The broom went into her hands.

Eponine smiled as she watched everyone try and command their brooms. Half amused and half proud, she called out encouragement to everyone there. She noticed the Delacour boy having a particularly difficult time, but she trusted that if he had a problem, he would come to her with it. She wouldn't embarrass him by mentioning it in front of the class, though. She remembered how fragile an eleven-year-old boy's ego could be.

She blew the whistle to signal the end of class. "Nice job, you guys!" She called above the chatting. "Next class, we'll be learning how to fly the brooms and the different types of brooms. Your Exam will consist of a pickup game of Quidditch on the Quidditch Pitch. See you later!"

As she gathered up all the brooms and put them back in the shed, she walked back up to the castle with the last of her students, hoping that she was doing a fair job at this teaching thing.

OOC: Because we will most likely not have enough time to get through all the material (my fault), Lesson 2 will be held in a topic here like usual, and the exam will be held in the Qudditch Pitch. Although these will take place at the same time in RL, please RP like the exam is taking place AFTER Lesson 2 as much as possible, please.