So You Think You Can Fly?
The sun was out bright and the sky was clear. Around the school grounds many students were outside enjoying the nice fall weather before it was too cold.
Wes made his way to the grounds where the class was located and saw the brooms lined up the grass. It was exciting to him, to learn to fly, but also scared him a little. Well scared was not the right emotion, it was that he was more wary than anything. How would it work? Were the brooms magic? Was he supposed to do anything special to make them work? Those thoughts quickly faded as he imagined himself flying through the air like he had seen so many of the older students already doing.
There were a few students gathered around in a circle that Wes joined and were chatting, but the chatting slowly cut off as they all looked up and noticed someone flying around. A few hushed wows came from the circle as it slowly broke apart while they watched. The Gryffindor boy stood away from it now, not too far, but the other kids started chatting and instead he just watched the flyers do their thing. Once again he imagined the freedom that would come from it.
@Aria Atchison
Wes made his way to the grounds where the class was located and saw the brooms lined up the grass. It was exciting to him, to learn to fly, but also scared him a little. Well scared was not the right emotion, it was that he was more wary than anything. How would it work? Were the brooms magic? Was he supposed to do anything special to make them work? Those thoughts quickly faded as he imagined himself flying through the air like he had seen so many of the older students already doing.
There were a few students gathered around in a circle that Wes joined and were chatting, but the chatting slowly cut off as they all looked up and noticed someone flying around. A few hushed wows came from the circle as it slowly broke apart while they watched. The Gryffindor boy stood away from it now, not too far, but the other kids started chatting and instead he just watched the flyers do their thing. Once again he imagined the freedom that would come from it.
@Aria Atchison
So You Think You Can Fly?
Aria shaded her eyes as she walked over to the training grounds with one hand and peered at the bright autumn sun. The grass underneath her boots was crisp, the kind of soft that was chilly and told that winter was coming soon. She saw Wes almost right away—he was standing a little apart from the rest of the group, looking up at the sky and with that face which he always made when his wild idea was just about to take off without him.
On his own, Wes looked up into the bright sky and Aria came and stood next to him, nudging him lightly with her elbow. She said, “You look like you’re trying to will yourself into the air.” “If that helps, I’m sure you’ll be the first to tell. I’d much rather fly quietly than scream ‘Up!’ at a stick in front of everyone,” he responded.
She looked at the row of brooms and wrinkled her nose. "They seem…like they could easily break…and somewhat arrogant," she said.
That’s when a third-year flew right over them, cutting the air with a clean, rapid turn. Aria’s lips parted in a small laugh, almost admiring, and half nervous. “If I can keep the first five minutes on the broom without throwing myself off, then I will have accomplished a personal goal.,” she said, and looked at Wes pretending to be very serious. “Most probably you will do more than me. You have that Gryffindor bravado thing. Hero mode on or something.”
She came closer to him and tapped him again, only a little this time. “However, if I find your flying so exhilarating that I have to feign calm,”
“Alright… maybe panic a little. But don’t show it.”
She was moving toward the brooms when a slight grin appeared on her lips as she looked at him. “Come on, Wes. Face-planting in the grass might be the worst case scenario and we could then pretend it was some coordinated Hufflepuff--Gryffindor bonding ritual,”
Her eyes of purple color were sparkling with mischief. “Best case? We don’t get killed. I’d say that’s a very doable objective,” she said.
On his own, Wes looked up into the bright sky and Aria came and stood next to him, nudging him lightly with her elbow. She said, “You look like you’re trying to will yourself into the air.” “If that helps, I’m sure you’ll be the first to tell. I’d much rather fly quietly than scream ‘Up!’ at a stick in front of everyone,” he responded.
She looked at the row of brooms and wrinkled her nose. "They seem…like they could easily break…and somewhat arrogant," she said.
That’s when a third-year flew right over them, cutting the air with a clean, rapid turn. Aria’s lips parted in a small laugh, almost admiring, and half nervous. “If I can keep the first five minutes on the broom without throwing myself off, then I will have accomplished a personal goal.,” she said, and looked at Wes pretending to be very serious. “Most probably you will do more than me. You have that Gryffindor bravado thing. Hero mode on or something.”
She came closer to him and tapped him again, only a little this time. “However, if I find your flying so exhilarating that I have to feign calm,”
“Alright… maybe panic a little. But don’t show it.”
She was moving toward the brooms when a slight grin appeared on her lips as she looked at him. “Come on, Wes. Face-planting in the grass might be the worst case scenario and we could then pretend it was some coordinated Hufflepuff--Gryffindor bonding ritual,”
Her eyes of purple color were sparkling with mischief. “Best case? We don’t get killed. I’d say that’s a very doable objective,” she said.
Aria Rune Atchison | First Year | Hufflepuff
Normality is a paved road: it’s comfortable to walk but no flowers grow.
Stamina: 4 Evasion: 5 Strength: 5 Wisdom: 7 ArcPower: 9 Accuracy: 5
So You Think You Can Fly?
The boy turned after hearing a voice call his name. Wes looked to see a very blonde girl speaking to him. Did he know her? She did look familiar. For a few seconds as he pondered it one would be able to see his dirty blonde hair lighten quite a bit. Then it clicked, his hair turning back to its original color and he realized who she was.
“Ah you’re Aria right?” Wes asked as he stepped toward her. Then turning to the brooms he tilted his head. Up? Is that how we get them to fly?, he thought before looking back at the girl.
“Well it’s more that I never thought this was real. I’ve seen cartoons and read stories on witches and broomsticks.” Then Wes huffed out a laugh. “I would’ve never thought this is actually how we get around. It’s kind of crazy right? Plus, no seat or anything?”
More students were coming now and it seemed that class was getting closer to its starting point. It was a great day for flying, at least Wes would think. “So have you ever flown a broom before?” He asked Aria, not knowing really much about her life before Hogwarts.
@Aria Atchison
“Ah you’re Aria right?” Wes asked as he stepped toward her. Then turning to the brooms he tilted his head. Up? Is that how we get them to fly?, he thought before looking back at the girl.
“Well it’s more that I never thought this was real. I’ve seen cartoons and read stories on witches and broomsticks.” Then Wes huffed out a laugh. “I would’ve never thought this is actually how we get around. It’s kind of crazy right? Plus, no seat or anything?”
More students were coming now and it seemed that class was getting closer to its starting point. It was a great day for flying, at least Wes would think. “So have you ever flown a broom before?” He asked Aria, not knowing really much about her life before Hogwarts.
@Aria Atchison
So You Think You Can Fly?
Aria was surprised when Wes spun around and his hair went through a series of rapid changes before finally getting back to the original color. She didn’t say anything—she still wasn’t quite sure if she saw it or not—but the fact did make her smile.
“Yeah, I am Aria,” she agreed, moving a lock of her light hair away from her face. “I guess we could be called acquaintances in Charms… or maybe the fact that you just took the seat I was looking for is the better explanation.” Her lips moved slightly in a sarcastic way, which was her way of gently breaking the silence and indirectly letting him know that she was only joking and trying to throw some humor into the nervous energy that was between them.
She looked at the brooms through his eyes and quietly laughed. “Right? Honestly, the way I imagined a ‘flying lesson’ was with, you know… actual seats. Or at least something comfortable.” She made a slight gesture toward the broom with her foot as if to explain what she meant. “Under the sofa is where I’m pretty sure these things belong, and my mum is the one who will be doing the cleaning.”
Wes’s reference to cartoons as something funny made her more energetic. “The same thing would have been said by my parents as well! My dad wondered if Hogwarts would become the school of the common pointy hat and that I would have to wear it all the time. He was not amused when I said no,” she informed him, lowering her tone and creating an atmosphere of secrecy, “In addition, he questioned if I had to bring my own cauldron which can also work as a cooking pot.”
More and more students came by, their voices blending with the scent of fresh autumn air and recently cut grass. Aria moved a bit closer to Wes, so that they could still hear each other over the rising volume of the crowd.
“Have I ever flown?” she repeated with a grimace. “Oh—no, of course not. The only time I could almost say that I’ve flown is when my cousin was pushing me on a swing and I thought that I was going to become the next comet.” She was laughing at herself when she said it, and then she went on, “To be honest, I’m… a little bit scared. But also a little bit excited? Like the kind of scared that is good. Like when you are at the highest point of a roller coaster and can’t make up your mind whether to scream or pretend that you are very brave.”
She stopped for a moment and looked at him.
“What about you?” she asked. “You didn’t seem to be scared but rather very eager while watching the older kids flying.” Her smile was like a sunbeam, teasing. “Are you going to be the one who on the very first try does a loop to show off? If you happen to come off the bike, I will be the one who pretends it was on purpose.”
The students who were part of the group started to prepare for their turn at the brooms. Aria stood next to hers but leaned towards Wes and whispered, “If I’m only one inch away from the ground… that has to be flying, right?” Her smile was full of nervousness and excitement.
@Wes Morrow
“Yeah, I am Aria,” she agreed, moving a lock of her light hair away from her face. “I guess we could be called acquaintances in Charms… or maybe the fact that you just took the seat I was looking for is the better explanation.” Her lips moved slightly in a sarcastic way, which was her way of gently breaking the silence and indirectly letting him know that she was only joking and trying to throw some humor into the nervous energy that was between them.
She looked at the brooms through his eyes and quietly laughed. “Right? Honestly, the way I imagined a ‘flying lesson’ was with, you know… actual seats. Or at least something comfortable.” She made a slight gesture toward the broom with her foot as if to explain what she meant. “Under the sofa is where I’m pretty sure these things belong, and my mum is the one who will be doing the cleaning.”
Wes’s reference to cartoons as something funny made her more energetic. “The same thing would have been said by my parents as well! My dad wondered if Hogwarts would become the school of the common pointy hat and that I would have to wear it all the time. He was not amused when I said no,” she informed him, lowering her tone and creating an atmosphere of secrecy, “In addition, he questioned if I had to bring my own cauldron which can also work as a cooking pot.”
More and more students came by, their voices blending with the scent of fresh autumn air and recently cut grass. Aria moved a bit closer to Wes, so that they could still hear each other over the rising volume of the crowd.
“Have I ever flown?” she repeated with a grimace. “Oh—no, of course not. The only time I could almost say that I’ve flown is when my cousin was pushing me on a swing and I thought that I was going to become the next comet.” She was laughing at herself when she said it, and then she went on, “To be honest, I’m… a little bit scared. But also a little bit excited? Like the kind of scared that is good. Like when you are at the highest point of a roller coaster and can’t make up your mind whether to scream or pretend that you are very brave.”
She stopped for a moment and looked at him.
“What about you?” she asked. “You didn’t seem to be scared but rather very eager while watching the older kids flying.” Her smile was like a sunbeam, teasing. “Are you going to be the one who on the very first try does a loop to show off? If you happen to come off the bike, I will be the one who pretends it was on purpose.”
The students who were part of the group started to prepare for their turn at the brooms. Aria stood next to hers but leaned towards Wes and whispered, “If I’m only one inch away from the ground… that has to be flying, right?” Her smile was full of nervousness and excitement.
@Wes Morrow
Aria Rune Atchison | First Year | Hufflepuff
Normality is a paved road: it’s comfortable to walk but no flowers grow.
Stamina: 4 Evasion: 5 Strength: 5 Wisdom: 7 ArcPower: 9 Accuracy: 5