First Flying Lesson

Dear Diary,

Today I went down to the Great Hall for breakfast and my owl Sadie arrived with letter from my father. He says all is well, but I have a feeling that it's not... I can't explain it, but he only just sent me a package yesterday. His handwriting is hurried, less neat than usual. I wonder what has happened. I was just in the Owlry sending him a follow up letter. I hope he will tell me the truth. I asked Hermione Granger about it, as she is the smartest girl in my year. She told me everything was probably fine, but I could tell from her face as she read it aloud in the common room a moment ago, she sensed something was amiss as well.

I didn't have much time to think about that earlier, however, as today was my first Broom Flight Class with Madame Hooch. I was a little afraid of her at first, as she acted very stern towards us all.
"No Neville, not like that!"
"I would have expected better from you Hermione."
"Come on, its easy!"
The only people who really seemed to catch on fast were Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. I don't like Draco. He's cruel, especially towards Neville Longbottom. I know Neville's not the brightest, but he is caring and kind. I don't see what he's ever done to Draco, not that he could do much anyway.

 Eventually we all got our brooms to fly into our hands and we mounted them. Poor Neville accidentally lifted off the ground and couldn't get back down! He fell off and broke his arm. He had to go to the Hospital Wing straight away. I was worried that this would set Draco off, and boy was I right. We all turned around from where Neville had been to find Draco, an ugly smirk on his face, holding Neville's remembrall. A remembrall is a little sphere that reminds you of things you've forgotten. I wouldn't mind having one myself honestly. People just laugh because his crazy old grandmother gave it to him.

Draco then sped off into the air on his broom, laughing as he went. We weren't supposed to be in the air without Madame Hooch, and really hoped she was right around the next corner so he would be caught. But then Harry mounted his broom. "NO Harry, you can't!" Hermione said incredulously. I told Hermione it was okay. I knew Harry was the first to make the broom fly into his hand. He had the best chance of stopping Draco, and he needed to be stopped. Hermione still looked livid when he flew off into the air. We all watched tensely as they threw insults at each other, Harry trying to steal the remembrall from Draco. Draco pulled away suddenly and with an awful smile on his face, and threw the remembrall with all of his might. "Catch that, Potter!" he sneered. Harry sped off at full sped, heading straight for the wall of the castle. We all held our breaths as he came nearer and nearer. He caught the remembrall right before it was going to smash through a window. It was really quite amazing. He held it up for us to see, and we all cheered. I think a little bit of my worry about Harry from the previous day has dissipated.

Later we found out that window had been one in Professor McGonagol's office. She is the head of our house. She saw his brilliant save through the window, and recruited him as seeker for Griffindor's Quidditch team! He is the youngest seeker in half a century! I'm looking forward to our first tournament. I'm going to try out for the team, but I know they don't often accept first years.

Until tomorrow.

Trials and Tribulations

Dear Diary,
I have been waiting for this moment all day. I received this journal by owl today from my father in Stone-on-the-Would. His letter said he wished that I would write down my experiences here so that I may never forget them. I find it quite funny that he sent me a fountain pen along as well. Since I received my acceptance letter last summer, he has become quite obsessed with magic and has immersed himself in the culture quite readily. I would think, despite the fact that he is a muggle, that he would have picked up that we use quills by now.

It was quite a shock to him at first of course, as it was for me. But, it did explain a lot of things. When I was younger strange things always seemed to happen around me. When I would jump off the swing at the play ground, I was always in the air a little longer than what was natural. When I got really angry at that one boy at my school, a branch snapped right over his head...

It's October now, two months into my first term, and so much has happened. The first of which, was the Welcoming Feast, which I still recall quite vividly. From the first moments I entered Hogwarts I was in awe. Its vast grandeur stunned me, and the Great Hall was lit with a magnificent glow, and the ceiling was twinkling with stars. I only became afraid when it was my turn to put on the Sorting Hat. I had been told on the Hogwarts Express by a friendly second year that there are four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. The Sorting Hat decides which house you belong in by reading your mind and assessing your personality and virtues. I was surprised at how old and tattered the Sorting Hat was. It talked through a tear through its middle. It felt like ages I had the hat on my head as it mumbled and whispered in my ear.

"Hmmm. I see a great determination, yes. A little timid, perhaps."

I jumped when it screamed, "Gryffindor!" I found my way to the Gryffindor table in a stupor amidst cheers from my fellow classmates. I am sitting in the Gryffindor common room now, alone with the few stragglers who haven't made their way to bed yet. I normally play wizard chess with the Weasley boys and a few others around this time, but tonight I don't really feel like it. They're playing animatedly in a corner now, arguing amiably amongst themselves. Hannah Abbot is practicing Wingardium Leviosa for Charms class now. I got the hang of it relatively quickly, but I know my classes will get harder as the year goes on. I absolutely love my wand. Its cedar, 10 and 3/4 inches unbending, with a phoenix feather core. I always have to have it with me now. I feel bare without it. Its like an extension of myself.

The one class I'm doing dreadfully in is potions. I've only just succeeded in preparing a Cure for Boils, but only just yesterday I blew up my cauldron attempting  the Wideye, or Awakening potion. Professor Snape gave me such a look I could have gone running for my life. The Weasleys loathe Professor Snape. Fred Weasley tells me that he absolutely tortures Ron and Harry during their potions class. Harry Potter is the only wizard known to have survived the killing curse. I don't like him much. I get this ominous feeling when I talk to him...

Well, I better get some rest now, as it is quite late and I have my first flying lesson tomorrow. I can hardly wait!