Flying Class (1)

On the first Sunday of the semester, Eliana sat in the library, organizing her to-do list.

Subject One: Transfiguration:

School Course Assignments:

① Turn a matchstick into a needle within five seconds (plus incantation time) √

② Create patterned reliefs on the needle √

③ Successfully transform three matchsticks consecutively √

④ Six-inch essay required by Professor McGonagall √

Outline: Three inches √

Draft: Twelve inches √

First Draft: Ten inches √

Final Draft: Eight inches √

Final Draft (1): Six inches √

With a string of checkmarks, Eliana sighed deeply. Compressing a twelve-inch essay to six inches was no easy feat. To achieve this, she had to ensure her language was concise, her logic clear, and any discussion not closely related to the core argument was deleted. She also tried to write as small as possible.

However, during this process, she gained a much deeper understanding of the essay topic. She dared to guarantee that her current essay was more than three times better than the first version.

It was perfect.

No, there was still one problem. Because she had made revisions to this version, there were scattered black marks, and some of the writing wasn't very neat. Perhaps for this minor flaw, her grade would drop from 'O' to 'E'!

She couldn't tolerate such a terrible thing happening!

Eliana swiftly pulled out a blank piece of parchment, first checking Final Draft (1) for any typos, and then began to re-copy Final Draft (2).

Fortunately, the library provided free parchment for her to use as much as she wanted, otherwise, she would have gone bankrupt buying parchment sooner or later.

Overall, Eliana's life at Hogwarts was very fulfilling. Especially after the homework was assigned, all subjects were 'O' as she had predicted, which further fueled her motivation to study.

Well, there was also something that wasn't very ethical, but she still enjoyed reminiscing about it sometimes – Professor Snape holding her essay and mocking Harry and Ron's nonsensical ramblings during Potions Class. If the parchment knew it would be written on like that, it would regret not rotting in the paper mill. He told them to learn from her.

Although she looked embarrassed with her head down at the time, she was actually smiling so hard her teeth were showing behind her hand.

"I'm sorry, Harry and Ron, you two suffered, but hohohoho, I'm so happy."

Yes, she was just that kind of vain little girl.

If she couldn't show off the high scores she worked so hard for, wouldn't that be like wearing fine clothes at night?

This day, Eliana, as usual, sat in the library until the sun began to set outside before returning to the Gryffindor common room.

Put away her bag, go eat, rest after eating, then go exercise. She couldn't just die before achieving anything, or even her tombstone would be nameless... That was absolutely unacceptable, she had to take care of her body.

Perhaps she could add another item to her morning routine, like running two laps around Hogwarts Castle after waking up... Running around the Black Lake would work too.

"Ouch!" She was so lost in thought that she bumped into the person in front of her and asked irritably, "Who's blocking the doorway?!"

"Oh, sorry Eliana," Harry apologized, then said excitedly, "Did you see the notice board? We have Flying Class this Thursday!"

Ron walked over with a gloomy expression. "Mate, did you not finish reading? We're with Slytherin."

Harry's expression looked like someone had stuffed a turd into his mouth while he was laughing with his mouth wide open.

"No!" he cried in pain. "Them again? I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of Malfoy on a broomstick!"

Ron, feeling very unhappy, now attacked everyone equally. Especially seeing Eliana, whose expression remained calm, he became even more displeased.

"Oh, this isn't a problem for our clever Miss Eliana, is it? After all, she sits with Malfoy every Potions Class, right?" he said sarcastically. "Malfoy definitely won't laugh at her."

Ron, Harry, and Malfoy were like natural enemies. Well, perhaps the traditional animosity between Gryffindor and Slytherin should be added. Therefore, Eliana, who was forced to sit with Malfoy as her deskmate in Potions Class, was seen by them as a traitor to the house, and they would whisper about it whenever they had the chance.

Of course, Malfoy wasn't happy either.

But who cared about their attitudes when they were just a bunch of weaklings who couldn't beat her?

"Do you know why Malfoy won't laugh at me?" Eliana asked with a smile. "If he dares to say another word, I'll make him shut up by force."

"You'll do the same if you keep yapping, Ron."

She suddenly drew her wand and cast a Confringo at a wooden tissue box on the common room table. Amidst the flying dust, she smiled sweetly, "A pretty little firework, isn't it?"

She threw her bag onto a chair and, without looking back, crawled out of the common room again.

Ron swallowed hard in the silence.

After a moment, he trembled and asked Harry, "If I accidentally got into a fight with her, what do you think the odds of winning would be?"

Harry replied blankly, "One-nine."

Ron was flattered. "I still have a ten percent chance?"

"No, she wins in one move, and you go to hell for nine layers."

Ron was a little unconvinced and continued to ask, "What about if we both go at her?"

"Huh? Me too?" Harry exclaimed, pointing at his nose in shock, his glasses sliding down to the tip.

"Aren't you going to help me? We're brothers!" Ron looked hurt.

Kind Harry couldn't bear to see his friend upset, so after careful consideration, he cautiously offered, "I can help you collect the body."

"Hey!"

But the news about Flying Class still undoubtedly excited all the young wizards. Right up until Thursday's breakfast, everyone was talking incessantly about riding broomsticks.

The main speakers were primarily among the students born into wizarding families.

Malfoy said he almost crashed into an airplane while riding his broomstick; Ron said he almost crashed into an airplane while riding his broomstick—what, were airplanes part of their wizarding flying play?

Eliana knew they were bragging the moment she heard it and didn't believe them at all. Her fingers slid over Quidditch Through the Ages, Make a Flying Broomstick, Flying with the Cannons, Broomstick Care Manual, and Autobiography of a Quidditch Beater in her schoolbag... With "flying," "broomstick," and "Quidditch" as keywords, she had borrowed the most popular books from the library.

If only she had more time, she could have read a few more books!

Eliana regretfully stuffed the fried egg into her mouth.

Hermione was enthusiastically sharing the flying guidance she had read from books with Neville beside her—she was another student who looked up relevant books before class, and Eliana admired her.

Various bird calls rang out; the mail had arrived.

Damn it.

Eliana hurriedly took the last gulp of Pumpkin Juice. Why did these owls always choose meal times to deliver mail? Had no one considered the dust pollution their flapping wings might cause to the food?

Eliana irritably slung her schoolbag over her shoulder—the heavy bag felt like a counterweight, spinning her around half a circle.

She immediately looked around left and right. Thankfully, no one had seen.

Let's go, let's go, time for review. Today is a big day. In the morning, there's Transfiguration and Charms, and in the afternoon, Herbology and Flying. But it's all okay; among the four classes, only Flying makes her a little uncertain.

But not too much. After all, she had theoretically learned almost everything. Yesterday, she even found a long tree branch by the edge of the Forbidden Forest to simulate the feeling of riding a broomstick—although she didn't fly, she had already mastered the technique of holding the broomstick.

She swore her broomstick-holding technique was exactly the same as what was written in the books.

She felt she had no problems.

Confident Eliana absolutely couldn't imagine that she, who had been invincible in all her classes for the past month since enrolling, was about to stumble badly in this Flying Class.