After Neville landed safely, Gryffindor erupted in chaos.
"My God! They actually saved them!"
" Hermione and Harry are flying so fast! They don't look like beginners at all!"
"That was terrifying... thankfully everyone's alright."
Their friends swarmed around the three of them, their eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and delight, as well as lingering fear and admiration.
The Slytherin students had mixed expressions.
Some people scoffed, saying, "It's just good luck."
Some remained silent, while others had to admit that the series of coordinated actions they had just witnessed were indeed swift and courageous.
No one dared to laugh at Draco's flying ability anymore.
Madam Hooch stepped forward quickly, first checking Neville for injuries, then her face hardened, and she said sternly:
" Neville Longbottom, I repeatedly warned the nervous person not to take off, but you insisted on doing so. Gryffindor, deduct 5 points."
She turned to Draco and the other two, her tone still serious:
"The three of you have each lost 5 points for taking off without permission, disrupting the class, and ignoring instructions."
The room erupted in murmurs, with some whispering, "Isn't that too strict?" while others in Slytherin secretly rejoiced.
But the next second, Madam Hooch changed the subject, her voice filled with obvious approval:
"However, you acted without hesitation, cooperated seamlessly, and bravely rescued your classmate in that critical moment, so each of you gets an extra 10 points."
After the points were deducted and added, the three players each gained a net of 5 points, while Neville lost 5 points, remaining unchanged.
Gryffindor erupted in cheers, almost shouting with excitement.
Slytherin's face fell completely; he was both angry and helpless, never expecting that the points deducted could be offset by the points added.
Everyone's gaze towards the three changed; they were no longer seen as mischievous freshmen, but as people with real courage and ability.
Professor McGonagall stood to the side, having read the entire document. A slight sigh of relief appeared on her serious face. She nodded gently and looked at Madam Hooch: "Very well handled, Madam Hooch."
She didn't say anything more, but her eyes said it all: she acknowledged their courage and the three students' courage.
After his initial shock subsided, Neville was deathly pale, his legs trembling. He instinctively shrank back at the sight of the broom on the ground, his eyes filled with lingering fear.
The sight of him losing control and about to crash at any moment had terrified him so much that he was completely afraid to touch a broom again.
Seeing his extremely poor condition, Madam Hooch said gently, " Longbottom, you don't need to practice today. Just observe quietly from the sidelines until you've calmed down."
Neville breathed a sigh of relief, nodded quickly, and shrank to the very edge of the line.
He was even a little intimidated when he looked up at others flying, completely losing his previous bravado.
The class resumed.
Madam Hooch's gaze returned to Draco, and she continued to correct him sternly:
" Malfoy, lower your center of gravity further, don't stiffen your wrists, relax your shoulders, or your opponent will just knock you off the field with that posture."
She corrected him again and again, personally adjusting his movements with meticulous care, almost to the point of being demanding.
The surrounding Slytherin students had initially wanted to take the opportunity to sneer, but this time no one dared to speak up.
"Look carefully," Madam Hooch stepped back and called out loudly, "Try to take off again. Remember the key points I mentioned: stability is paramount, don't rush."
Everyone jumped onto their brooms.
Draco sat firmly in his seat and, under everyone's watchful eyes, gently lifted his wrist.
The broom didn't rush forward or shake; instead, it rose steadily and precisely vertically into the air, its height, posture, and balance so perfect that there wasn't a single flaw.
He made a slight turn in the air, hovered, made minor adjustments, and glided at low speed. Every movement was precisely in accordance with the professor's requirements, as standard as a textbook demonstration.
The entire room fell silent instantly!
The Slytherin students who had just mocked him fell silent, their eyes now filled with disbelief.
There was a chorus of quiet gasps of amazement from the Gryffindor side!
"He... he actually flew so perfectly?"
"I was getting corrected just now, but once it took flight, it was perfect!"
Hermione looked up at Draco, who was moving nimbly in mid-air, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
Draco hovered in mid-air, glanced down at his dumbfounded classmates, and repeated the explanation for why he had been corrected:
"I told you, the more guidance you receive, the more steadily you'll fly."
Madam Hooch looked at him, a faint hint of approval finally appearing on her stern face. "Very good, Malfoy, hold on, that's the proper takeoff posture."
In short, this completely confirmed his strength.
Those who had just been questioning and mocking were now speechless.
Neville watched in a daze, feeling a mix of fear and a strange sense of relief.
It turns out that as long as you're steady and follow the proper procedures, flying really doesn't have to be so scary.
Madam Hooch nodded in satisfaction as she watched Draco fly with perfect form and stability. Her gaze then swept across the room and landed on Harry and Hermione.
" Potter, Granger, you two flew very steadily when you rescued people. Come up here and demonstrate the standard posture once more."
The surroundings fell silent instantly, and everyone looked up.
Harry took a deep breath, hopped on his broom, and, following the professor's instructions, slightly raised his wrists and lowered his center of gravity.
He then took off cleanly and smoothly, with almost no noticeable shaking.
He has a natural intuition for flying, and combined with the practical experience of the emergency rescue just now, his demonstration was extremely smooth.
The Gryffindor students couldn't help but exclaim in quiet amazement, "Wow... Harry flies so well!"
Next up is Hermione.
She took a deep breath, without the slightest panic, and strictly followed the professor's instructions regarding her posture and center of gravity while holding the broom.
It takes off smoothly and steadily, turns precisely and with restraint, and hovers motionless.
This doesn't seem like a freshman taking his first formal Flying Class at all; it's more like a seasoned veteran who has practiced for a long time.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd below.
" Hermione's amazing too?"
"Isn't she just a book lover? How come she flies so steadily?"
Draco, Harry, and Hermione hovered side by side in mid-air, instantly becoming the three most eye-catching figures in the entire arena.
Madam Hooch's face rarely showed such obvious approval. "Very good! All three of you are excellent, the most standard example of this lesson."
Not far away, Professor McGonagall was still standing on the sidelines watching, a slight smile playing on her lips as she nodded gently.
She was very satisfied with Gryffindor and with these three students.
The students' reactions changed completely.
The Gryffindor students were mostly proud, excited, and filled with admiration, believing that the three were simply the pinnacle of freshman talent.
Slytherin wanted to find fault but couldn't, so they could only accept it in silence.
Neville stood to the side, watching the three people flying steadily in mid-air. Fear was still there, but a faint sense of anticipation had also quietly crept into his heart.
Maybe... when I'm not so afraid anymore, I can fly just like them, safely and beautifully.
Madam Hooch gestured for the three to land, then said to them:
"Flying is not just about courage, but also about control and responsibility."
"You both made the mistake of acting without authorization today, and you also fulfilled your responsibility to save lives; your merits and demerits are clear."
"Remember today's lesson, and remember today's courage."
The three nodded in unison. "Yes, Professor."