"What are you all waiting for? Everyone stand next to a broom."
"Reach out with your right hand, place it over the broom, and say 'Up!'"
Madam Hooch's voice rang out loud and clear.
The students did as they were told.
Alice noticed that the moment she said "Up!", the broom obediently jumped into her hand.
But not every broom was so cooperative—at least the one next to her, Hermione's, wasn't listening at all.
Once everyone had a broom in hand, Madam Hooch started teaching them how to avoid falling off.
Alice saw that Harry, like her, was scanning the group. They both quickly noticed Madam Hooch constantly correcting Malfoy's form.
Harry and Ron, standing nearby, exchanged a look and smirked.
Alice figured Harry and Ron thought Malfoy had been bragging about being a pro flyer, and that's why he kept getting corrected.
But Alice didn't buy it. She figured Malfoy was experienced—that's why he wasn't bothering with the beginner rules.
You can't expect a veteran to act like a rookie, after all.
Alice leaned in and quietly shared some tips with Hermione.
"You can't be scared. You've gotta accept the broom instead of worrying it'll drop you, Miss Granger."
"Here's the thing—let me think how to put it—yeah, make the broom's spirit happy. Get it?"
"Picture the broom as a living thing. Respect it. Trust it."
Hermione started following Alice's advice, turning her fear into trust. The broom instantly became a little more cooperative.
Her eyes lit up as she looked at Alice. "It actually works, Alice!"
"Oh, and please—call me Hermione!"
Neville, standing nearby, overheard Alice's coaching. He looked thoughtful.
Trust, huh? Make the broom's spirit happy?
Madam Hooch stopped correcting everyone and shouted:
"Alright, when I say go, kick off hard from the ground—hard, got it?"
"Once you're up and steady, lean forward. Follow my whistle and land back on the ground. Clear?"
The students nodded. At Madam Hooch's signal, they all kicked off and shot into the air.
Alice heard a sharp whoosh behind her. She dodged to the side just in time to see Neville rocket past her left shoulder, straight up into the sky.
Madam Hooch's face went white. She only managed to yell "Come back!" before Neville kept climbing higher and higher.
Neville kept repeating to himself:
Trust the broom.
Trust the broom.
Trust the broom.
Slowly, he started to get control. But the higher he got, the harder it was to resist looking down.
Harry and the others were shrinking below him. Neville finally realized he was still climbing. He leaned forward gently and stopped the upward surge.
But before he could calm down, a huge eagle came swooping straight at him.
"AAAAAHHHH!"
Neville lost his grip and slipped off the broom.
Down below, Alice scanned the crowd. The first-years were frozen in panic, clueless.
Alice shouted, "Potter! Malfoy! With me!"
She rocketed upward on her broom. Harry was right behind her.
Malfoy hesitated. Why should I save that oaf?
But then he remembered Alice jabbing her wand at Pansy yesterday. Grumbling, he took off after them. He was kinda scared of Alice.
"You two—time it with me. We're gonna catch him from below and give him a boost. Just a nudge, okay? Don't try to grab him—that's dangerous. Got it?"
"We're slowing him down, that's all."
Harry and Malfoy nodded, locked eyes, and started competing like it was a race. They kept swooping under Neville, pushing him up again and again.
It was so fast that Alice could barely keep up. The kids on the ground were dizzy just watching the three of them weave through the air.
"Neville, don't panic! Face away from the ground—trust us!" Alice yelled.
Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic!
Neville kept repeating it in his head. Finally, he closed his eyes, blocking everything out. He did trust them—Alice and Harry.
Alice's efforts bought Madam Hooch some time.
Madam Hooch paused, thinking. She'd been about to fly up herself, but now… why not let this play out?
Wouldn't this leave a bigger impression on the kids?
As Neville got closer to the ground, Alice caught Madam Hooch's eye and instantly got it.
Her mind raced—how to land Neville safely. She could go all out; Madam Hooch would step in if needed.
Neville was dropping faster now, even with the constant nudges. Physics was taking over, and magic couldn't fix that.
Madam Hooch gripped her broom tighter, ready to jump in.
Alice's heart pounded. She had to do something to make him float—float!
She yelled, "Hermione! Malfoy! Anyone who knows the Levitation Charm—cast it on Neville!"
"If you don't know it, stay out!"
She added that last bit because she knew this group—someone might fake it and slam Neville into the ground.
Hermione's eyes lit up. The Levitation Charm!
"On my mark—NOW! Wingardium Leviosa!"
Every kid who knew the spell whipped out their wand and cast it at Neville.
Suddenly, more than a dozen silvery spells shot toward him. Alice was shocked—some Slytherins joined in!
The brightest, thickest spell came from the castle.
Madam Hooch's was second.
Alice couldn't believe she was ranking spell power mid-crisis, but then she saw the silvery-white head poking out of the headmaster's window.
Dumbledore himself had cast one. Neville was never in danger.
Neville drifted gently to the ground. He opened his eyes, stunned to be totally fine.
Ron bolted over and tackled him in a hug. "Thank God—I thought you were gonna splat!"
Madam Hooch checked Neville over. Even though he insisted he was okay, she dragged him off to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey.
"Oh, and—Alice Norton, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy—ten points each to your houses. And everyone who cast the charm? Ten points to your houses collectively!"
With that, she hauled Neville away.
Alice, Draco, and Harry stood in the middle of the crowd as the first-years swarmed them.
Alice hadn't expected it, but even some Slytherins had cast the charm.
Pansy, Millicent, and Theodore Nott had all helped save Neville.
The kids cheered wildly, chanting the trio's names. Up in the headmaster's office, Dumbledore watched with misty eyes, dabbing at them now and then.
"Severus, what a beautiful moment."
"Hmph. I certainly didn't expect you to follow Alice's orders and cast a Levitation Charm."
"Oh, Severus—are you scolding a hundred-year-old man?"
"Heh." Snape gave his signature smirk.
"I think you should worry less about me and more about Quidditch. Didn't you see Minerva pull Harry aside?"
Snape froze. "What does Professor McGonagall want with Harry and Quidditch?"
"Don't you think Harry looked like a natural Seeker out there?"
Snape snapped, "But he's a first-year! First-years can't—"
He stopped. Dumbledore's smile said it all.
"Damn it!" Snape cursed and stormed out of the office.