"Not very good at it?"
When William honestly admitted that he hadn't had much experience with flying on a broomstick, Professor Kettleburn's surprised reaction was almost theatrical.
What followed was a thorough experience of being the center of attention. Surrounded by professors, all of whom shared the same fondness for giving instructions.
"Professor William, no need to feel nervous. The broom is very obedient. All you have to do is stand in front of it."
"Exactly, exactly. Stretch out your right hand, place it next to the broom, and then just say 'Up'!" chimed in another professor, enthusiastically interjecting.
Why do you all seem like you're just here to have fun? Like those overly eager online commentators during live streams…
Surrounded by a group of professors, William was effectively receiving the most prestigious coaching the British magical world had to offer. If only they weren't teaching him how to fly, he might have been moved to tears of gratitude.
But now, faced with the unspoken pressure of their collective expectation, William had no choice but to obediently follow their advice as they critiqued every detail of his posture.
"Alright, got all the key points down, me boy?"
Professor Kettleburn's excitement made William feel like he was about to take a decisive penalty shot in a Quidditch World Cup final. It's just flying—this isn't life or death, Professor!
Unbothered by William's silent complaints, Kettleburn cheerfully clapped his remaining hand against his half-limb. "Ready? Counting down now—three, two, one, go!"
"Up!"
Suppressing his embarrassment, William shouted the command in front of all the professors.
The broomstick responded by rolling on the ground, spinning half a turn, and transforming from an upright "I" to a horizontal "—."
"…"
"Hahahaha!"
The surrounding professors paused for a moment before bursting into unanimous laughter.
"Well, looks like it's gone on strike," William shrugged, spreading his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture. In moments like this, if he didn't feel awkward, then there was no awkwardness to be had.
"Madam Hooch, should I grab another broom, or should I keep trying to get this one to cooperate?"
Madam Hooch was one of the few who didn't laugh. As the flying instructor, she had witnessed countless first-timers fail.
"Professor William, just keep trying. Very few people succeed on their first attempt."
It took William about ten minutes to get the hang of flying—or rather, to barely reach the level of grasping the basics. By then, he had managed to hover two meters off the ground.
****
"Alright, it seems Professor William won't be able to join our game for now. Madam Hooch, why don't you take the role of Chaser instead?"
After observing William's valiant efforts for ten full minutes, Professor Kettleburn solemnly extended the invitation to Madam Hooch.
All the professors who decided to participate in the game ascended to a height of ten meters, even the onlookers flew to the same altitude on their brooms. William had initially thought that the professors might find riding broomsticks embarrassing, but judging by their ease, it seemed they regarded brooms no differently than bicycles.
"Professor William, make sure you have your wand ready. If the broomstick gets out of control, you'll need to protect yourself; and also ensure the broom doesn't fly off and hurt any students. Two meters is the best height for beginners; anything higher would make an out-of-control broom much harder to manage," Professor Singed advised earnestly before soaring up to the ten-meter height.
"…"
What? Beginners don't have rights?
Watching the group disappear into the sky, William silently grumbled to himself.
Soon after, he began experimenting with his broomstick in the air, trying out straightforward flying, speeding up, braking, and turning. Alone, he enjoyed himself immensely.
If they don't want to include me, so be it. Flying was fun enough on its own.
After a while, William grew dissatisfied with the mere two-meter altitude. Standing on a bus gives me a better view than this!
He called out to the group above him. "Professor Singed! Professor Singed! How much progress do I need before I can fly higher?"
Professor Singed didn't respond right away, but Madam Hooch was quick to answer. "When you can freely control acceleration and turning, you can give it a try. Professor William, you know the Bubble-Head Charm, right? In that case, you can practice flying a bit higher over the Black Lake. If you lose control, just dive into the water with the broom. As long as you've prepared the Bubble-Head Charm, you'll be fine."
As expected of the Flying Professor; she came up with a flawless training plan almost instantly.
William strongly suspected that Madam Hooch had previously considered this method for training students but abandoned it because first-years couldn't yet master the Bubble-Head Charm.
However, the charm posed no problem for William. Many potions released fumes during brewing that smelled worse than microwaved durian pits, making the Bubble-Head Charm an essential part of potion-making safety measures.
***
Anyone learning a new mode of transportation always had an irresistible urge to use it everywhere, even for the smallest tasks. William was no exception. Since most students were in class, he decided to ride his broomstick, half-flying and half-hovering two meters off the ground, all the way to the Black Lake.
The Black Lake was the largest body of water on campus, and because it was class time, there weren't any students nearby.
Every year, first-years arrived at Hogwarts by rowing across the Black Lake. Occasionally, someone would fall into the water, only to be rescued by the lake's creatures. Some said it was the giant squid, others claimed it was an octopus.
From Hagrid, however, William had heard it was the latter.
'That creature may look big, but it's quite gentle. Every few years, it rescues a first-year student and even pulls up quite a few so-called 'adventurers' who try to dive to the bottom of the Black Lake in search of treasure.' Hagrid had added extra emphasis on the last part, clearly referring to students like the Weasley twins, who believed there were secrets hidden at the lake's bottom.
Should've thought about coming to the Black Lake to stargaze on Saturday; what a missed opportunity, William thought as he stared at the shimmering water, silently criticizing himself.
A sky full of stars reflected on the lake's surface, with magical protections ensuring no mosquitoes to worry about. Wasn't that far more pleasant than wandering around the lawn catching couples sneaking out for a midnight rendezvous?
Still, as much as he teased himself, William hadn't forgotten why he was there.
First, cast the Bubble-Head Charm on myself. Just in case something unexpected happens, it'll be too late to cast it otherwise.
Keep the flying altitude low. If the broomstick goes out of control, I'll have to steer it into the water. That means colliding with the lake surface. If I fly too high, it'll be asking for trouble.
Prepare an offensive spell. The lake's surface is too calm. Entering it directly could cause injury. Using an Obstacle Spell to create some impact on the water will help.
"…"
Before attempting a higher-level flight, William hovered over the Black Lake on his broomstick, meticulously crafting the safest possible plan.
If he ended up breaking an arm or leg because of a flying lesson, those fifth-year students, stressed out of their minds over exams, would probably die laughing.
Resolute in avoiding such an embarrassing fate, William adjusted his plan one more time.
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