Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

First Year // Chapter 5

It is now Halloween, which is strangely one of my favourite holidays. I woke up looking forward to the Halloween feast that night after a long day of classes. I had been spending a lot of time with Harry and Ron, talking about Quidditch and such, but nothing really groundbreaking.

I was sitting in the Library with Neville and Hermione when the bell rang to tell us to head to our next class. We packed up our books and started heading off to Charms class. 

"Do you think we are finally going to get to practical work, today?" Neville asked.

"Most likely," Hermione replied. "I mean, we have all done our bookwork and gotten high enough marks."

"Who knows though, to be honest," I said as we walked into the room. There were only three seats open in the room. Two above Ron, and one next to Ron. I promised to sit next to Neville and flashed Hermione an apologetic look. 

"You're lucky I tolerate you, Lori." She said taking the seat next to Ron. Ron glared at me as I sat down behind him. We were twins after all we should be more willing to work together, but alas, I had a good friendship forming with Neville. Nothing was going to make me ruin that.

"He didn't look too happy," Neville smirked as we sat down.

"He isn't. I have a feeling he doesn't like Hermione just yet." I said as Professor Flitwick came around to hand us our feathers. I giggled with excitement as he placed the feathers in front of us.

"Someone is excited." He chuckled out. I nodded vigorously and smiled bigger than I did when I got my letter. "Fantastic!" He exclaimed as he handed the last two feathers to Ron and Hermione. 

"One of the wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation the ability to make objects fly," Flitwick spoke as he took his place on top of books. "Do you all have feathers?"

We all nodded our heads, and Hermione waved her feather in the air. I smiled at how focused she was on her studies. 

"Good. Now, uh, don't forget the nice wrist movement. The swish and flick. Good. And enunciate. Wingardium Leviosa. Off you go then." He waved his hand and allowed us to start practising.  

Neville gripped his wand nice and tight and started saying the spell. 

"Wingardium LeviosaaaaAa" 

Nothing happened. He tried again, and again with no success. I saw he was getting frustrated and I tried the spell a few times with the same result. We tried a few more times before we heard and saw Ron and Hermione start to argue. 

"Stop, stop, stop. You're going to take someone's eye out. Besides, you're saying it wrong. It's Leviosa, not Leviosar." 

"You do it then if you're so clever. Go on, go on!" Ron said with irritation. Hermione just straighten up in her chair and spoke the spell.

"Wingardium Leviosa." 

She smiled as her feather began to float up in the air. Ron slouched down in his chair and I started clapping for Hermione. 

"Oh, well done! See here, everyone! Miss Granger's done it! Oh, splendid!" We all cheered for Hermione as Ron continued to slouch and frown. I raised my wand to attempt the spell again when a loud BANG distracts me. 

I gaze down at Seamus covered in soot and what remains of his feather in front of him. Harry, who was beside him, had a little bit of soot on his face as well.  

"I think we're going to need another feather over here, Professor," Harry spoke. I choked back laughter as Seamus attempted to wipe off some of the soot with no success.