5

Chapter 5

Flying

We had flying right after lunch. I'd always loved flying. When I was about two, my dad got me a little broomstick that I would fly around the house.

"Good afternoon class."

"Good afternoon Madam Hooch."

She had yellow eyes, almost like a hawk.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson. Now I want you to hold your right hand over your broom and say 'up.'"

We did as she said and Harry's broom flew straight to his hand. I smiled and then mine did the same along with Draco's. Ron's flew up and hit him in the face. I laughed along with Harry. Madam Hooch gave us instructions and we mounted the brooms.

"On my whistle, I want you to kick off from the ground and hover above it. On my whistle, three, two, one.."

Neville's broom took off on its own, and it didn't stop.

"Mr. Longbottom!"

He was in trouble. I knew I would get in trouble, but Neville needed help. I flew after him.

"Miss Snape get back here this instant!" Madam Hooch said.

I ignored her and flew after Neville.

"Neville!"

He fell off the broom and got caught on a statue. I flew down and grabbed his hand. His broom shook again and it pulled me off my own broom. I screamed but caught on to a brick.

"Hold on Neville." I said.

I grabbed his wrist but my hand was slipping.

"Just hold on miss Snape!" said Madam Hooch.

What else was I going to do? Neville's hand was slipping from mine.

"Please hurry!"

My hand slipped and I started to fall. I managed to grab another one. I heard a rip and Neville fell. The brick came lose and I fell too. I hit my shoulder hard and cried out. I looked over at Neville, he'd landed on his arm.

"Everyone out of the way!"

I sat up and held onto my shoulder.

"Dislocated shoulder and broken wrist. Everyone is to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom and Miss Snape to the hospital wing. If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say Quidditch."

She took Neville and I away. I really hoped my dad didn't find out about this. But of course, he probably would. I sat down on a hospital bed and waited. Madam Pomfrey fixed my shoulder and Neville's wrist. Just before I could leave, the door flew open. I was almost afraid to turn around.

"Lillian Rose Snape."

I sighed and turned. Dad looked at Neville and he started shaking.

"Professor it wasn't his fault. There was something wrong with his broom."

"You could have been seriously hurt! I know you can fly but this one obviously can't."

Neville ran from the room and I sighed.

"I'm sorry, dad. But I don't regret my decision."

I took a deep breath and walked past him.

"Just like her mother."

I smiled to myself and kept walking.

Harry's POV

I found Lily a little later with Ron and of course, Hermione.

"Lily! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"Harry was made seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" Ron said.

Her eyes went wide and she smiled.

"Harry that's amazing!"

I smiled a bit and shrugged.

"Turns out my dad was a seeker too."

She smiled more and then the staircase moved.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"The staircases change! Remember?" Hermione said.

Lily rolled her eyes. I tapped Ron on the shoulder.

"Let's go this way." I said.

"Before the staircase moves again." He said.

Lily's POV

I followed Harry and we opened a door. The room was covered in dust and cobwebs. It looked like no one had been there in years.

"Does anyone else feel like we shouldn't be here?" Ron asked.

"We're not supposed to be here, this is the third floor!" Hermione hissed.

One of the braziers lit itself, it didn't surprise me like it did the others.

"Let's go!" Harry said.

I heard a cat and turned. I' expected to see Gypsy but it was Mrs. Norris.

"It's Filch's cat!"

"Run!"

I always kept a few cat treats on me. I put one on the ground for her before running. We came to a locked door.

"It's locked!" Harry said.

"That's it, we're done for!"

"Oh move over! Alohamora!"

The door unlocked itself and we all ran inside. I stopped dead when I saw what was in there.

I reached back and tugged on someone's robe.

"I think I'd rather take my chances with Filch." I whispered.

They all turned. There was a three headed dog in front of us.

"Oh my god."

It started barking and we screamed. We got away, but barely. I noticed the car treat was gone as we passed, that made me smile a bit. When we got back to the common room we were all out of breath.

"What do they think they're doing?! Keeping a thing like that locked up in a school!" Ron said.

"You don't use your eyes do you? Didn't you see what it was standing on?" Hermione said.

"I wasn't looking at it's feet! I was a bit preoccupied with its head! Or maybe you didn't notice, there are three!"

"I think she's talking about the trap door."

"Exactly. Which means it wasn't there by accident. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. Before any of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed or worse expelled."

She turned on her heel and disappeared into the other room.

"She needs to sort out her priorities." Ron said.

Harry and I just nodded. But I really was curious as to why they had a three-headed dog in the castle. Now I knew what Filch meant by 'a painful death'.