The First Flight

The next day, Felix woke up early and began his usual morning routine. However, he decided to incorporate a new addition to his routine—he listened to classical music for about 30 minutes in the common room while meditating. This practice was part of Felix's Occlumency training plan, which he had created the previous night after studying and comprehending the Occlumency book. The purpose of this addition was to help him cultivate focus, clarity, and control over his thoughts and emotions, all of which were crucial for Occlumency. Felix intended to start slow and gradually increase the complexity and difficulty of his Occlumency training, but the most important aspect of his plan was consistency. He dedicated a portion of his regular time to practicing Occlumency techniques on a daily basis.

As Felix stepped out of his room, Xeno greeted him, saying, "Good morning, Felix."

Felix, who had just finished his meditation session, looked up and noticed a slight trace of resentment in his eyes as he remembered what had happened the previous night. Nonetheless, he replied, "Good morning," and returned to reading his book.

"Don't hold a grudge too much. I apologize—I didn't know you were training. Next time, leave a note on the door," Xeno said, noticing that Felix was still upset about the previous night.

"Holding grudges is a waste of time, so don't worry about that. Let's go get breakfast now," Felix responded, trying to let go of his emotions as much as possible during his training. He had forgotten about the incident, and he still found Xeno useful as a source of information due to his pure-blood wizard background. Felix put his book away and headed outside.

"Well, that was easy. He sees me as a friend after all," Xeno thought for a moment before following Felix to the dining hall.

After breakfast, they headed outside for their first flying lesson. When they arrived, they found the professor already waiting for the rest of the class. The professor was a woman with short white hair and green eyes. Once all the students had gathered, she introduced herself.

"Good morning, students. I'm Rolanda Hooch, your Flying instructor. You can call me Madam Hooch."

Madam Hooch began the lesson by distributing protective gear such as gloves and goggles to all the students, emphasizing the importance of safety in her class.

"Before even touching the broomstick, you should wear your protective gear. Safety is the most important aspect of my class," she warned.

She then provided each student with a broomstick since first-year students didn't have their own. Madam Hooch proceeded to explain the basic theory of broomstick flight, covering topics such as mounting and dismounting, balance, steering, and control of altitude. She also described the different parts of the broomstick, such as the handle and bristles.

"Now, every student, stand next to your broomstick and command it to come to you like this, 'UP,'" Madam Hooch demonstrated while instructing.

Felix looked at the broomstick on the ground, placed his hand above it, and tried to empty his mind. Focusing solely on lifting the broomstick, he said, "UP." Miraculously, the broomstick rose and came to his hand the moment he uttered the word. Madam Hooch was surprised by how quickly Felix accomplished the first step.

"Good job, Mr. Scarletwound. You can move forward to the next step—practice mounting the broomstick and try to find your balance," Madam Hooch said before turning her attention to the other students.

"Balance, like a bicycle? A flying bicycle?" Felix had a peculiar thought in his mind. He decided to try riding the broomstick as if he were riding a bicycle, using his legs to propel himself forward. Once he mounted the broomstick, he began figuring out how to control it. After gaining a sense of moving up and down, he gradually increased his speed. Noticing something unusual happening, Madam Hooch turned around to see Felix soaring at high speeds, ascending rapidly.

"Mr. Scarletwound, come back here!" Madam Hooch yelled.

Felix, who was starting to enjoy the sensation of flying, felt like a bird breaking free from its cage. Ignoring everything around him, he focused solely on the exhilarating feeling of freedom.

"Oh no, I think he lost control. Wait here, nobody move," Madam Hooch instructed as she mounted her broomstick and began chasing after Felix, her expression filled with worry.

Within seconds, Madam Hooch, being one of the best flying experts in the magical world, easily caught up with Felix. However, she was taken aback when she realized that Felix hadn't lost control; in fact, he was in complete control of the broomstick, with a relaxed expression on his face.

"Mr. Scarletwound!!!" Madam Hooch shouted at the top of her lungs, ensuring that Felix could hear her.

"Professor?" Felix turned to see Madam Hooch beside him, gesturing for him to come down.

"Oh, no! What about my house points?" Felix panicked, thinking he was in deep trouble.

As they landed back on the ground, Madam Hooch started questioning Felix. "What were you thinking, doing something like that?"

"I'm sorry, Professor. I just lost myself in the feeling of freedom I experienced while flying," Felix apologized, hoping to avoid further trouble.

Seeing Felix's sincere apology, Madam Hooch regarded him with a bit of understanding. She, too, loved speed and flying. She said, "I was considering awarding points since you were the first one to successfully ride the broomstick. However, given what you did, I won't give or deduct any points this time. Consider yourself lucky."

"Thank you, Professor," Felix said, feeling relieved that he hadn't lost any points.

"Call me Madam Hooch," she replied.

After the class was over, Felix approached Madam Hooch and made a request. "Madam Hooch, I have a request."

"What is it, Mr. Scarletwound?" Madam Hooch asked.

"I want to fly more often. Can I use the Quidditch stadium?" Felix inquired.

"To use the stadium, you should be a part of the Quidditch team. However, first-year students cannot join. You'll have to wait until your second year," Madam Hooch explained.

"But I don't want to join the Quidditch team," Felix said.

"Why don't you want to join? You have great talent in flying," Madam Hooch replied, surprised by Felix's words.

"I don't enjoy group activities. Have a good day, Madam Hooch," Felix explained and began to leave. To him, riding a broomstick was akin to riding a bicycle. Just because he was skilled at it didn't mean he had to join the Quidditch team. He had two reasons for requesting more flying time: he genuinely enjoyed it, and he discovered that flying helped him with his Occlumency training, similar to the effect of music.