The Twin Who Lived - The First Flight

Thursday afternoon arrived with a bright autumn sky stretched over the Hogwarts grounds. The air carried a crispness that hinted winter would eventually arrive, but the sun still shone warmly over the castle towers and wide green lawns.

Students gathered outside the castle where the flying lessons were held—an open clearing near the edge of the grounds. The grass stretched wide and smooth, and rows of old school broomsticks lay neatly arranged on the ground.

First years from Slytherin and Gryffindor stood in two long lines facing each other.

The atmosphere buzzed with excitement.

For many students, this would be their first time flying.

For others, especially those from old wizarding families, it was something they had tried before at home.

Mira Silverthorne stood calmly among her Slytherin classmates, her sanctuary suitcase resting neatly beside her feet.

Her silver-white hair was tied into its usual elegant hairbun, the delicate hairpin Draco had given her shimmering faintly in the sunlight. Her teal-colored eyes observed everything quietly—the broomsticks, the wind direction, the distance between students.

Beside her stood Draco Malfoy, who looked confident but still eager.

Blaise Zabini leaned casually against his broomstick with an amused expression.

Theodore Nott studied the brooms with analytical curiosity.

Daphne Greengrass stood perfectly poised, adjusting her gloves.

Across the field stood the Gryffindors—Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom among them.

Neville looked particularly nervous.

Madam Hooch strode toward the students from the castle, her sharp yellow eyes scanning the field like a hawk surveying prey. Her grey hair was tied tightly back, and she slipped on her leather flying gloves as she approached.

“Good afternoon, class.”

Her voice carried clearly across the clearing.

The students answered in near-unison.

“Good afternoon, Madam Hooch.”

She nodded once, satisfied. Then she turned and stopped in front of the two lines of students.

“Welcome to your first flying lesson.”

Her piercing, yellow, hawk-like eyes swept across the rows of broomsticks.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick.”

She clapped her gloved hands once.

“Come on now—hurry up!”

Students scrambled into place.

Mira stepped calmly beside her broomstick.

Draco stood beside his.

Theo, Blaise, and Daphne took their positions as well.

Across the line, Harry stepped beside his broom.

Ron stood next to his broom nervously, rubbing his hands together.

Neville swallowed.

Madam Hooch demonstrated clearly.

“Now,” she said, holding her hand out over a broomstick, “stick your right hand over the broom and say ‘Up!’”

Students repeated the motion.

“Up!” several voices called.

Mira’s broom immediately leapt gracefully into her palm.

She caught it smoothly without even looking.

Draco’s broom snapped neatly into his hand.

Daphne’s followed just as easily.

Theo’s lifted a moment later.

Blaise caught his with a satisfied grin.

Across the field—

Harry’s broom jumped instantly into his hand.

Ron’s did something less cooperative.

Instead of rising neatly, it flipped upward and smacked directly into his face.

“OW!”

Ron staggered backward, clutching his nose.

Several students snorted with laughter.

"Shut up, Harry." Ron grunted.

Blaise raised an eyebrow.

“Impressive.”

Theo murmured dryly, “A new variation of the summoning charm.”

Ron glared at his broom.

“Bloody stupid stick…”

Eventually, everyone managed to grab their broomsticks.

Madam Hooch nodded.

“Good. Now, once you’ve got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it.”

Students carefully swung a leg over their brooms.

“Grip it tight,” Hooch continued sternly, “you don’t want to be sliding off the end.”

Ron quickly adjusted his grip.

Neville held his broom so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Madam Hooch lifted a small whistle.

“When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard.”

She demonstrated slightly.

“Keep your broom steady. Hover for a moment… then lean forward slightly and touch back down.”

She raised the whistle to her lips.

“On my whistle…”

Students held their breath.

“Three…”

Mira’s eyes flicked toward Neville.

He looked pale.

“Two…”

Before Madam Hooch could say one, something happened.

Neville’s broom suddenly jerked upward.

“AHHH!”

He shot into the air like a rocket.

Completely out of control.

“Neville!” Hermione shouted.

Neville rose higher and higher, wobbling dangerously.

“I CAN’T STOP!”

Students gasped.

Madam Hooch shouted sharply.

“LEAN FORWARD! LEAN FORWARD!”

But Neville’s broom was already veering sideways.

Toward the castle wall.

Toward the stone statues.

Toward a painful collision.

Mira reacted instantly.

She dropped to one knee and opened her sanctuary suitcase.

Her voice rang out clearly.

“Accio Valion!”

A powerful shape burst upward from the suitcase in a flash of silver wings.

A magnificent Hippogriff soared into the open sky.

Valion.

His eagle head gleamed proudly, silver feathers catching sunlight while his powerful horse body glided through the air with breathtaking speed.

Gasps erupted across the field.

“A hippogriff!”

“Merlin—!”

“Where did that come from?!”

Valion reached Neville just as the boy began tumbling sideways off the broom.

With extraordinary precision, the hippogriff swooped beneath him.

His talons gently caught the back of Neville’s robes.

Neville yelped—

But instead of falling, he was lifted carefully.

Valion glided downward in a graceful arc and landed smoothly on the grass.

He released Neville gently.

Neville collapsed onto the ground, dizzy but unharmed.

The entire field stood frozen.

Then everyone exhaled.

Mira and Draco immediately ran forward.

“Neville!” Mira and Draco called.

“Are you alright?” Mira asked calmly, kneeling beside him.

Neville blinked rapidly.

“I—I think so…”

His legs trembled.

Before he could panic, a soft pink blur jumped out of Mira’s suitcase.

Sakari the Pastel Nymfox landed lightly on Neville’s shoulder.

The little fox curled around his neck like a scarf, her glowing fur radiating warmth and comfort.

Neville’s breathing slowly steadied.

“Th-thank you, Sakari.” he whispered.

Sakari made a soft chirping sound.

Draco smirked slightly.

“Well done, Sakari.”

Madam Hooch hurried over, clearly shaken but relieved.

“Mr. Longbottom!”

She examined him quickly.

“No broken bones?”

Neville shook his head weakly.

“I think I’m alright…”

She turned to Mira.

For a moment the strict flying instructor simply stared at the majestic hippogriff standing proudly behind them.

Then she spoke.

“Miss Silverthorne…”

Her voice carried deep respect.

“That was exceptional thinking.”

Valion lowered his eagle head politely toward her.

Madam Hooch nodded respectfully to the creature.

“And thank you as well, Valion.”

The hippogriff made a proud clicking sound.

Neville slowly sat up.

“Oh no…”

“What's wrong?” Hermione asked anxiously.

“My Remembrall!”

He looked around frantically.

“I lost it when I fell!”

Students searched the grass.

Then a tiny jingling sound echoed from Mira’s suitcase.

A small creature popped out.

Pip the Niffler.

His little paws clutched a shining glass sphere.

Neville gasped.

“My Remembrall!”

Pip waddled proudly toward him and held it up.

Neville accepted it gratefully.

“Thank you, Pip!”

Pip puffed up proudly.

Students laughed softly.

Madam Hooch finally addressed the class again.

“Everyone listen carefully.”

Her sharp gaze swept across them.

“That could have been a very serious accident.”

She looked at Mira.

“But Miss Silverthorne prevented it.”

She raised her voice.

“15 points to Slytherin for quick thinking and preventing an accident.”

The Slytherin students cheered.

Draco grinned proudly.

Neville looked at Mira with immense gratitude.

“Thank you, Mira… I really thought I was going to crash.”

Mira smiled gently.

“You’re safe, Neville. That’s what matters.”

She then turned back to Madam Hooch.

“Professor Hooch?”

“Yes, Miss Silverthorne?”

“Would it be alright if Valion stayed out during the lesson?” Mira gestured to the hippogriff, "Just in case someone else falls.”

Students exchanged surprised looks.

Valion lifted his wings slightly.

Madam Hooch considered the idea.

Then she nodded, “That would be… extremely helpful.”

She raised her voice again.

“Very well! Valion may supervise from the air.”

Valion launched gracefully into the sky.

The enormous hippogriff circled above the field like a silent guardian.

Students stared upward in amazement.

Draco leaned closer to Mira.

“Your creatures never disappoint.”

Mira smiled softly.

Hooch blew her whistle sharply.

“Alright! Back to your positions!”

The students hurried back to their brooms.

Mira returned to her broom beside Draco.

“Well,” Blaise murmured, “that was dramatic.”

Theo glanced at the sky where Valion circled.

“I think this might be the safest flying lesson Hogwarts has ever had.”

Daphne nodded.

“Agreed.”

Madam Hooch raised her whistle again.

“Alright, class. Let’s try this properly.”

She took a breath.

“On my whistle…”

She blew.

Students kicked off the ground.

Brooms rose slowly into the air.

Some hovered shakily.

Some rose too quickly.

Some wobbled dangerously.

But Mira lifted smoothly.

Her broom hovered with perfect balance.

She rose a few feet into the air and steadied herself.

Draco lifted beside her with equal skill.

They hovered calmly while others struggled to maintain control.

Ron wobbled wildly.

Hermione hovered cautiously.

Harry rose effortlessly, adjusting quickly.

Neville hovered a little more confidentially but cautiously.

Above them, Valion circled silently.

Watching.

Guarding.

The students began to grow more confident.

Soon, the clearing filled with hovering first-years learning the delicate art of flight.

And though it was only their first lesson, something had already become clear to everyone watching.

Mira Silverthorne wasn’t just talented.

She was the kind of witch who acted without hesitation when someone needed help.

Even Madam Hooch glanced upward once toward the circling Hippogriff and smiled faintly.

The lesson continued beneath the autumn sky.

And for the first time, many of the students felt what it meant to leave the ground behind.

To rise.

To balance.

To fly.

Under the watchful eyes of a silver guardian in the sky.

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