An Accident in Flying Class

"Get ready for your test flight!"

Professor Prenton raised his right hand with a flourish, pointing his index finger at the sky.

Seeing the young wizards staring motionlessly at his pose, the professor realized that he had not explained the takeoff procedure.

He silently lowered his finger, coughed awkwardly, and said, "Ahem, occupational habit. First, you need to build rapport with your broomsticks."

"Face your broomsticks and say, 'Up.' Remember, put feeling into it and let them sense your sincerity!"

The young wizards quickly began calling "Up" all at once, each using what they considered the most emotional tone—some gentle, some dramatic, and some full of energy. Yet only a few received any response. Those "emotional" voices soon turned into roars and shrieks...

Xiwen noticed that Abu had easily summoned his broom into his hand after saying "Up" twice. Professor Prenton happily awarded him five points. Across from them, a Hufflepuff student also got his broom quickly.

He looked disdainfully at the old, worn broom lying before him and reluctantly said, "Up."

The flying broom seemed to sense his perfunctory attitude. It merely trembled on the ground before falling still again.

Xiwen's expression darkened. This time, he was more serious as he softly said, "Up," once more.

The flying broom began to move, but it seemed to lack momentum. It started dropping when it reached Xiwen's waist. Seeing that something was wrong, Xiwen swiftly grabbed it.

"Oh, this Slytherin student, you need to establish complete rapport with your broom." Professor Prenton walked over as he spoke. "You cannot simply reach down and grab it. You must let it fly willingly into your hand."

He had Xiwen put the broom down and try again.

Xiwen helplessly set it down, all the while comparing it to the Silver Arrow at home. The more he compared them, the more disgusted he felt...

Xiwen had actually already learned to fly a broom at home. The carefree Sandrine had never treated Xiwen like an ordinary child. She would let him learn anything dangerous. While other parents were still making sure their young wizards did not get hold of wands to play with, Sandrine had already started teaching Xiwen spells.

However, Xiwen used the finest Silver Arrow model at home. These brooms were exceptionally fast and responsive, and wizards with even a little flying talent could use them easily. It had made Xiwen terribly overconfident, leading him to believe that every broom would respond to his call. Today, this old school broom had thoroughly shattered that notion...

Taking a deep breath, Xiwen adjusted his mindset and firmly spoke the words that summoned a flying broom. "Up!"

It did not disappoint. The flying broom obligingly flew into Xiwen's hand, making him let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Not bad." Professor Prenton nodded, then turned to check on everyone else's progress.

Perhaps after seeing that Xiwen's incorrect move had drawn the professor's attention, several of Professor Prenton's fans had a bright idea. One after another, they deliberately made mistakes to attract him over for instruction. The trend even seemed to be spreading, keeping the professor endlessly busy.

While Professor Prenton was occupied correcting the young wizards' movements, Xiwen and Abu, who had already gotten their brooms, began chatting out of boredom.

"Xiwen, what kind of broom do you usually use?" Abu asked.

"I do not fly much. I have only ridden a Silver Arrow," Xiwen said.

Abu nodded. "I like Silver Arrows too. I think they are absolutely the best model of broom there is!"

Xiwen was not particularly interested in broomsticks as a means of transportation. He always felt that sitting on a stick was uncomfortable. It was nowhere near as good as the levitating cloak in the Sanctum Sanctorum. It could fly, looked cool, and could even serve as armor. It was simply useful in every way!

Too bad I did not manage to trick it into coming with me back then, he thought regretfully.

"It looks like Mobley still has not succeeded." Seeing that Abu wanted to continue discussing flying brooms, Xiwen smoothly changed the subject.

Abu immediately became interested. He turned to look at his roommate, who was currently battling wits with the flying broom in front of him, and said cheerfully, "I knew it! You guys never wanted to come to the Quidditch Pitch with me. I know you are always busy, and it is understandable that Gomez has never touched a broom, but Mobley must not like flying because he has no talent for it at all. Hahaha..."

"Shut up, Abu!" Mobley's face flushed bright red as he shouted angrily at Abu out of embarrassment.

Abraxas was not offended in the slightest. Instead, he laughed even harder.

Nearly half the chaotic flying lesson had passed before every young wizard finally got hold of a broom. Although Xiwen alone had spotted several secretly picking their brooms up from the ground with their hands...

Since class time was limited, Professor Prenton could not worry about that anymore. He directly told the young wizards to mount the brooms in their hands.

"Remember, you may only fly within the area I have marked out and no higher than two meters. Anyone who breaks the rules will be punished," he emphasized.

Having waited impatiently for this moment, Abu immediately mounted his broom, rapidly climbed higher, and began flying with practiced ease.

"Very good flying, Mr. Malfoy." Professor Prenton praised him first, then turned serious. "But I must remind you that you have exceeded the permitted height. One point from Slytherin!"

Though only a symbolic point had been deducted, Abu still became rather gloomy after lowering his altitude.

Xiwen also mounted his broom. He gently raised the handle in front of him, then steadily rose into the air.

Good thing I have not completely forgotten how to fly, or I would have made a fool of myself, he thought with relief.

By then, most of the young wizards had taken flight and were moving clumsily through the air. Even Gomez, who had never touched a flying broom before, was awkwardly airborne. Only Mobley remained on the ground.

Mobley stood with the broom clamped between his legs, veins bulging on his arms as he gripped the handle with all his strength. His face had turned red from the effort.

Seeing the ridiculous sight, the young wizards in the air burst into excited laughter, with Abu laughing loudest of all.

Mobley's face was so red that it looked ready to drip blood. Finally, unable to endure the mockery any longer, he shut his eyes, ignored everything else, and kicked hard off the ground.

"Wow, that is not bad!" Xiwen felt that Mobley deserved some encouragement, so he clapped for him.

But he quickly noticed that something was wrong. Mobley seemed completely unable to control his broom. He flew higher and higher, faster and faster, soon becoming a tiny black dot in the distance.

"Oh no, Mobley is in danger!" Xiwen suddenly realized the problem and quickly looked toward Professor Prenton. "Professor!"

Professor Prenton was no slower to act. He immediately pulled out his own flying broom and shot rapidly above Mobley, preparing to rescue him.

Seeing this, the young wizards no longer felt like laughing. They all looked worriedly at the black dot growing smaller and smaller in the sky, not even sparing a glance for Professor Prenton's dashing flying form.

"Xiwen, Mobley will not be hurt, will he?" Abu and Gomez flew over to Xiwen's side and asked anxiously.

Xiwen did not answer. He merely stared solemnly at the sky, his deep blue eyes gradually becoming crystalline and translucent.

"Oh no!" he cried.