If there was any ability that represented all of humanity's longing for supernatural powers, flying definitely held an important place among them.
Thursday brought both good news and bad news for the Gryffindor students.
The good news was that they would finally have their first flying lesson since arriving at Hogwarts.
The bad news was that they would be sharing the class with Slytherin.
The young Wizards' anticipation for flying class was through the roof. Malfoy bragged about how superb his flying skills were, claiming that as a child, he had narrowly avoided a Muggle helicopter while riding a broomstick.
Seamus Finnigan said he had spent most of his childhood flying around the wilderness on a Flying Broomstick.
Ron said that once, while riding Charlie's broken broomstick, he had nearly crashed into a hang glider.
Horatio said that although he had never tried flying himself, the flying broomsticks he made had once run French Aurors ragged.
Though they all thought the others were bragging, sometimes the most outrageous story was the true one.
Neville was very nervous about flying class. He said he had never tried flying because his grandmother would not allow it.
While helping Horatio take care of the Bouncing Bulbs, he asked, "Horatio, do you have any way to keep me from embarrassing myself in flying class?"
Horatio, who was applying Jin Ke La to a Venomous Tentacula, rolled his eyes at him. "I could make you a Flying Broomstick that even your grandmother could fly like a pro, but didn't Madam Hooch say we could only use the brooms provided by the school?"
He patted Neville on the shoulder. "Relax. Even if you fall, Madam Pomfrey can save you as long as you still have a breath left. And even if you croak, I can pull you back."
Neville became even more frightened after hearing that. He kept muttering to himself until Horatio's head began to ache, so he could only hand him a belt and explain how to use it.
For this, Neville signed a series of unequal treaties with Horatio.
At noon on Thursday, while everyone was having lunch, Neville received a package containing a glass ball filled with white smoke.
"This is a Remembrall!" he explained. "My grandmother knows I'm always forgetful. It tells you whether you've forgotten to do something. If you have, it turns red."
Then the Remembrall in Neville's hand turned red. Startled, Neville hurriedly checked his equipment.
"Horatio's belt? Brought it.
Instructions? Written on my palm.
Horatio's Herbology homework? Oh no, I forgot to do it."
The Remembrall in Neville's hand instantly turned white, and so did Neville's face. Looking at Horatio, who was flirting with Hermione, Neville immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
At three in the afternoon, the long-awaited flying lesson finally began.
"Everyone, stand beside a Flying Broomstick," Madam Hooch, the flying instructor, told the young Wizards present.
"Then hold out your right hand above the broom handle and say, 'Up!'"
"Up!" everyone shouted.
The broom beside Harry instantly flew into his hand, but only a few had that kind of success. Horatio was not among them.
"Up!" Horatio shouted a second time, but the broom still did not budge.
"Damn it, get up!!!" Horatio shouted for the third time, golden Fiendfyre blazing in his left hand.
The broom immediately flew obediently into Horatio's hand, rubbing against his palm like a dog begging to be petted.
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Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit.
Once all the young Wizards had successfully summoned their brooms to their hands, Madam Hooch said, "Now mount your brooms. When I blow my whistle, push off with both legs and leave the ground. Push hard."
Neville was so nervous that he left the ground before Madam Hooch blew her whistle.
As he flew higher and higher, the broom went faster and faster. The faster it went, the more nervous Neville became, and the more nervous he became, the less control he had over it.
In the end, it spun out of control. The broom began carrying Neville wildly through the air, and just as he was about to slip off, he finally remembered Horatio's belt.
He pressed the button in the middle of the belt and shouted, "Transform!!!"
As golden and red metal spread and clung across Neville's entire body, an alchemical suit of armor identical to Iron Man's appeared on him.
Inside the armor, Neville shouted, "Activate automatic flight."
Flames burst from the armor's hands and feet. It flew one lap around the Hogwarts grounds, then landed steadily among the young Wizards in a cool superhero pose.
The Gryffindor students instantly erupted into excited cheers. "So cool!! Neville!" Even Madam Hooch applauded for him.
Inside the armor, Neville said, "End transformation." The armor then slowly contracted until it finally turned back into a belt.
The Gryffindor young Wizards kept chanting Neville's name.
Neville removed the belt, walked over to Horatio, and returned it to him. "Horatio, thank you for helping me. Without this belt, I wouldn't have known what to do today."
Horatio put away the belt. "It's fine. Just remember to fulfill what you promised me."
"Um, sorry, but I forgot to do your Herbology homework."
The entire field instantly fell silent. The young Wizards looked at Neville sympathetically. Even Malfoy, who had been unhappy about Neville stealing the spotlight, looked at him with pity.
"It's fine." Horatio patted Neville on the shoulder, then turned to Madam Hooch. "Professor, Neville's broom is broken. May I sponsor him a new one?"
Before Madam Hooch could say anything, Horatio took a modified turbojet broomstick out of his bag.
Seeing the huge turbojet device at the back of the broom, Neville swallowed. "Horatio, I was wrong. Can you give me another chance?"
"No problem, no problem. I added protective magic to it. It won't let you melt from air friction when flying at supersonic speed. And didn't I say it? Even your grandmother could fly it well. Don't worry, I guarantee you won't fall."
"Supersonic?"
Horatio ignored Neville and directly pulled him onto the turbo broomstick. "Ready? Here we go."
The turbo broomstick instantly broke the sound barrier with Neville on it and shot toward the atmosphere. Neville's scream did not drift back from the horizon until much later.
Horatio watched his watch and counted. Before long, the turbo broomstick carried Neville back to the Hogwarts grounds.
"Not bad, not bad. One lap around Europe in 18.05 seconds."
Neville, still on the turbo broomstick, was foaming at the mouth and rolling his eyes. He had fainted.
Madam Hooch hurried over to check on him. Finding that Neville had merely fainted from fright, she glared fiercely at Horatio. "I'm taking this child to the hospital wing. None of you move! Put the Flying Broomsticks back where they were, or you'll be expelled! And Gryffindor loses five points." Horatio looked utterly unconcerned.
Malfoy ultimately still picked up Neville's Remembrall, and Harry got his wish of showing Professor McGonagall his talent as a Seeker.
Professor McGonagall came to the grounds and took Harry and Horatio away. She first introduced Harry to Wood, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, then led Horatio into her office.
Horatio sat impatiently on the sofa in Professor McGonagall's office. "Are we getting straight to it, or are we following procedure? We know each other so well, so I think we should get straight to it."
Professor McGonagall was truly helpless before this little Demon King. Her head hurt.
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