Chapter 42: Wash your mouth for your dad

However, Irina's talent with the Levitation Charm was not as strong as her mastery of freezing spells. Although she slowed Neville's descent, it was not enough to prevent him from injury. 

Neville hit the grass with a sickening "thump", his face drained of color from the pain.

Madam Hooch rushed over, her expression matching Neville's pallor after a quick examination. 

"Just a broken wrist," she grunted, hauling Neville upright. Glaring at the remaining first-years, she barked, "I'm taking this lad to the hospital wing. Nobody move a muscle while I'm gone! Anyone caught flying will be expelled from Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'!"

As soon as Madam Hooch departed with Neville, Draco Malfoy swaggered forward, snatching up Neville's dropped Remembrall with a smirk.

"Look! That grand thing Longbottom's grandmother sent him."

"Give it here, Malfoy," Harry said warningly, hand inching toward his wand.

Irina facepalmed, recognizing the famous scene about to unfold.

Malfoy's grin widened maliciously. "I think I'll hide it somewhere for the great lump to find - like a tree!"

"Give it back!" Harry shouted furiously. 

Before he could move, Malfoy leapt onto a broom and kicked off, soaring away. Being a skilled Seeker, he hovered tauntingly at treetop level.

Glaring, Harry seized his own broom to give chase. 

"No!" Hermione cried, horrified. "You'll be expelled!"

Who did this foolhardy boy think would look after Hermione if he got himself thrown out? 

"Don't fret, Hermione," Irina murmured soothingly, raising her wand.

Though eager to witness Harry and Draco's legendary animosity firsthand, even she found Malfoy's bullying distasteful. Twirling her wand elegantly, she cast a silent Freezing Charm.

An azure beam of icy magic streaked through the air towards Malfoy's broom. The stunning display of wordless spellcasting went unnoticed by the enraptured crowd fixated on the aerial chase.

There was a crystalline cracking sound as the broom froze solid, shattering and dumping a startled Malfoy unceremoniously to the ground with a pained yelp.

Not one to accept defeat gracefully, Malfoy hurled the Remembrall away while falling, using his wand to jinx it skyward. 

As the sphere soared off erratically, Harry shot after it in hot pursuit, executing dizzying loops and dives over the castle battlements before snatching it mere feet from the grass in a stupendous plummet.

Harry's spectacular catch sparked raucous Gryffindor cheers and a mobbing crowd of admirers. But their jubilation was cut short by an incensed shout.

"Harry Potter!"

There stood Professor McGonagall, nostrils flared, utterly aghast at the first-year's death-defying antics.

"Never, in all my years at Hogwarts..." Her glasses flashed with fury as words failed her momentarily. "How dare you risk your life in such a foolhardy way? You might have broken your neck!"

As she hauled the quaking Harry away, Hermione fretted anxiously until Irina comforted her.

"Don't worry, I already know Harry won't be expelled - this was a blessing in disguise for him joining the Gryffindor Quidditch team!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're the one Professor McGonagall didn't notice!"

Overhearing them, Malfoy swaggered over clutching his bruised backside, sneering triumphantly.

"Hah! Your precious Potter is about to be thrown out in disgrace! You lot will be expelled sooner or later too!"

Rounding on Irina, he spat, "And you, you filthy Mudblood, attacking me like that! Just wait till I tell my father, the school governor, about your vicious assault!"

Unruffled, Irina merely aimed her wand, silently summoning a jet of water that doused Malfoy's ranting face.

Her casual display of advanced nonverbal magic stunned the crowd, even Hermione.

"Glub! My father...glub...the governor! You...glub...this isn't over...glub...Stop...stop..."

As the stream mercilessly rinsed out Malfoy's foul mouth, his indignant bellows subsided into garbled pleas until, eyes rolling back, he slumped over.

Cancelling the spell with a flick, Irina called out haughtily, "Keep a civil tongue, unless you want me to rinse it out for your father's sake!"

Spluttering and wild-eyed, Malfoy looked fit to retort furiously until catching Irina's warning wand gesture. Thinking better of it, he stalked off muttering darkly.

The defiant display left the watching Gryffindors regarding Irina with worshipful awe, a veritable avenging Valkyrie.

"Irina, will you get in trouble for hexing Malfoy?" Hermione fretted, Harry's near-expulsion fresh in mind.

Catching her concern, Irina reverted to her usual nonchalant grin, draping an arm around Hermione's shoulders consolingly. 

"It'll be alright. At worst, I'll just get another detention! After being put in for a week by McGonagall over that catnip nonsense, what's one more going to hurt?"

Hermione simply shook her head, rolling her eyes again. Her friend had an odd way with words sometimes.

(end of chapter)