Learning to fly (Anyone)

[dana]

Dana didn’t actually like running. It was bad for one’s knees on the long run and Dana preferred other types of activity to stay in shape. Definitely not running. Dana smirked to herself, thinking how ironic it was, that even though she hated running, she was out doing just that. Dana had just felt the need to get off some energy and didn’t feel like dancing and the water in the lake was way to cold to be swimming gin it, so she had to resort to running.

Dana had to admit hat Hogwarts had some rather nice jogging tracks. It was surprising that they were almost over-grown with grass once again, as the view was absolutely enchanting.
Dana was still rather glad when the path she was jogging on turned towards the castle once again as her legs were starting to tire. She enjoyed the feel of the wind pulling on her pony-tail and cheerily red green running-outfit with a snow-white top and white sneakers to finish the outfit as well as a warming charm.

Deciding she wasn’t really ready to get inside already, Dana turned towards the quidditch pitch and entered the empty pitch. Dana wasn’t a big fan of quidditch – maybe because she didn’t know how to fly. But she liked the pitch right now – it’s calmness and the how quiet it was at the moment – it wasn’t comparable to what was going on here during the matches between house-teams.
Dana wandered towards the centre of the pitch glancing up towards the goal-hoops and wondering, if she should maybe try to learn flying on a broomstick. She had heard from many people it was liberating, so maybe Dana should try it for herself.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass headed toward the pitch with her Nimbus 2000 in her hand. She was wearing her shirt and pants from her Quidditch uniform and some of her padding. She was going to attempt to see if she could get used to wearing all of the equipment while on the broom. Not having worn it before the match, she was a little ackward with it on the broom.

As she approached the field, she recognized someone there. It was Dana. " Hey, Sweetie. I didn't think you liked Quidditch. What are you doing here?"

[dana]

Dana smiled but didn’t turn around as she recognized the voice talking to her.
“Hey, Cass, and you are right – I’m not really very fond of Quidditch. Guess I just ended up here and got thinking,” Dana finally looked at Cass and smiled seeing the broom in her hands, “I have heard so many good things about flying so I was thinking if I had the guts to try for myself or not.”<br>
Dana glanced at the goal-hoops and shuddered lightly: “But it all just seems so high and far away. I have no problems with flying in a plane or climbing trees or anything like that, but I’m death-scared of heights otherwise. And flying on a small piece of broom that might break at any moment – I’m just scared of it. Never even got off the ground in my first flying lesson.”<br>
Dana shook her head trying to rid herself of all the mind-pictures of falling and broking bones to breaking her neck. She had seen people fall from their brooms often enough at the Quidditch games. Noticing that Cass was wearing her Quidditch equipment Dana smiled briefly: “You came out here for some practice?”<br>

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass looked at her friend. " Never flown, you?! If you wouldn't have just told me that I never would of believed you. Yes, I was coming out here to get used to the wind resistance on the broom with this padding, but I think your need is much greater."

She lovingly held out her Nimbus 2000 to her friend. " Wanna give it a go? It's just the two of us so you don't have to worry about making a fool out of yourself. Well, only in front of me at least."

[dana]

Dana laughed and shook her head: “Believe it. I’ve never sat on a broom and actually flown with it. Always been to scared of it – remember that you are the brave one here!” Dana teased friendlily, knowing that Cass wouldn’t get insulted. Dana let out a breath and brushed a long strand of hair, that had came loose because of the wind, back. Reaching over Dana gently slid her finger over the smooth surface of Cass’s Nimbus 2000. The offer was charming and Dana was glad that her friend would be the one here just in case. But Dana still hesitated. Flying would still mean that she would have to get off the ground and trust her life to one little piece of wood. And this was the part Dana was scared off.

“No, don’t let me get in the way with your practicing. I could get a school’s broom – they are opened for anyone above first years to fly at the Quidditch pitch. But I’m not really sure – thanks for the offer, but flying a broom would actually mean that me – ME – would have to get in the air on a broom! It’s not so much about fear of making a fool out of myself, but the fear of getting hurt, when I fall down from the broom,” Dana tried to explain her feelings with a little shudder.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass smiled at her friend. "You know, I was the same way. I was horrified to even get on a broomstick till about a year ago. I finally forced myself onto one, and I loved it."

Cass mounted her broom and commanded it to fly. She zipped around the pitch, did a bit of acrobatics, and flew back down to her friend. " It's easy. You should really grab one and join me. Besides, flying alone isn't fun!"

[dana]

Dana sighed as she went into a trot towards the broom-shed. Entering the shed Dana groaned looking at the different school-brooms there. How on earth could she find a nice and stable broom form here, when she didn’t know the least bit about flying? After a bit of hesitation, Dana sighed once again, closed her eyes, twirled one and then blindly grabbed one of the brooms. A Silverarrow as the broom handle proudly stated. Dana decided that she liked the broom’s name. Could it be called a broom name? But Dana still decided she liked the name, even though she was still hesitating about actually pushing off ground.

Moving back to the quidditch pitch Dana looked at Cass and sighed, debating in her head, whether to do this or not. “You know, I’m holding you responsible if I fall and get a concussion!” Dana shouted to Cass with a small grin, “Although it wouldn’t hurt if there was some cute guy here to catch me in his arms, should I fall.” Dana groanedas she placed the broom between her legs and closed her eyes as she tried to breath deeply. Dana hopped a little and howered about 10 cm above the ground for a moment, before the shock of no solid ground under her feet hit Dana and she crashed back down, miraculously managing to keep her balance.

“Are you sure about this?” Dana asked with hesitation as she moved to the center of the pitch and after numerous efforts finally managed to hower about 20 cm. off ground, “I’m feeling high enough right now, to tell you the truth.”

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass flew back down to her friend quickly. " You'll be fine. Just remember to keep your balance, and to not angle down to hard. If you do, you might fall of the back of the broom. Trust me, neither your body or your ego will survive that bruising."

Cass smiled and tried to keep in her giggle. It was a bit funny watching Dana being afraid of something so....wizard like. I mean, she was horrified of brooms and flying when she first came to Hogwarts, but as soon as she got on a broom it felt like second nature to her. She loved every minute of it.

She flew up about four feet in the air. " C'mon. Just follow me. We'll take it in stages."

((Sorry it took me so long to post. I've been really sick with something and haven't been able to get out of bed for the life of me.))

[dana]

“I think my ego would manage it quite nicely even if I stopped now or fell later. It’s my body and my sanity I fear for,” Dana told Cass while poking her tongue out towards her friend, before grinning. Noticing that Cass was trying to keep her laughter in, Dana rolled her eyes: “Oh,. Go ahead and laugh. I have been raised in the magical world all my love and I’m afraid of brooms. A bit ironic actually.”
Sighing deeply Dana took hold of her broom handle so strongly, that her knuckles were white, and jerked the broom upwards a bit, almost loosing balance and falling to the ground with the broom at the sudden movement.
Regaining her balance somehow and finding herself above Cassandra by a good 10 feet, Dana had to stifle a yelp of fear.

“Was this supposed to happen?” Dana asked a bit fearfully, gripping the broom even more tightly as she looked down and felt a wave of dizziness trying to overcome here, “And is now a bad time to tell that I’m actually a bit afraid of heights? It’s the same with climbing trees – I can get up them without any problems and surprisingly quickly. But when it came to getting down to the ground once again Kris always had to come and carry me back down on his back.”<br>
Dana looked downwards again and cringed. She felt surprisingly unsecure for her otherwise open friendly and not cowardly character, but this… This was enough to make Dana’s stomach turn in a nervous knot.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass shot up to meet her friend. " Your way to nervous. The broom can sense that and will react to it. If your jumpy, it will be jumpy. If your calm, it will be calm. Just relax and follow me."

She flew backwards a few feet. " C'mon Dana. I'm horrified of heights, but if you trust in what your doing you won't have to worry. See, no hands!" Cass sat up on her broom and wiggled her hands in the air.

[dana]

“Relax? I’m 15 feet off the ground on a completely unstable broomstick from what I could fall off any given moment and you want me to relax?” Dana asked loudly, not releasing her nervous grip on the broom-handle the slightest bit, “And I would relax and be calm if I trusted myself to know what I’m doing here like you.” Dana yelped as the broom-stick jerked again and fell silent until the broom had settled down again.
“But unlike you I really don’t have much of a clue what I’m doing here or what I should be doing exactly,” Dana muttered and grabbed the handle of his broom more tightly as Cass released her hands: “DON’T do that! You could fall down!!!!”<br>
Wanting to make sure her hold on the broom was even better Dana leaned forward and grasped the broomstick and let out a small scream as the broom suddenly rushed forward. Dana hadn’t really thought about that leaning forward to get a better grasp would influence the brooms speed and was now berating herself for not thinking before.
“Where the hell is the brake on this thing?” Dana yelled at Cassandra as she somehow managed to half-turn at the end of the pitch, so she didn’t fly out of it. Holding the broom as strongly as she could Dana tried to breath deeply to relax herself, not really daring to move a muscle as her mind was completely blank of any knowledge she might have about quidditch.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass flew after Dana and met her at the end of the pitch. As she caught up with her, she faced her friend. She put her hand on the end of the broom stick, and made it steady itself.

" Dana, its okay. As long as you let it know who is in control, you'll be fine. Remember the first time you road a bike? You were probably completely petrified that you would tip over, but after you had confidence you were fine. Maybe we should get you down. Just lower the end of your broom slowly, and gently. Don't jerk down I don't want you to really fall off. If Kris ever found out I let you fall from a broom, I would never be forgiven or whole again for that matter."

She let her friend steady herself. " I'm going to come down with you. I promise, I will not let you fall. Really, its just a matter of control. Just focus on what you have to do."

Waiting for Dana to make her decent, she steadyed herself on her broom for anything.

[dana]

Dana couldn’t express in words how glad she was when Cass stopped her broom herself. Gingerly Dana sat up on the broom once again and grimaced towards Cass: “Bad example. I can’t ride a bike. I tried to learn once and got on one once. I took of Kris’s bike which was too big for me anyway, so I was alone. The first time I fell and got a little hurt, so I climbed back up in the saddle and tried again.”<br>Dana let out a small giggle recalling the event now: “And the second time I fell and got a concussion. Didn’t try again after that.”<br>
Dana shook her head stubbornly: “Kris would be mad, if I hurt myself, but I won’t give up so easily, without really even trying to do it.” Dana was friendly, outgoing and loved to laugh. But in times she could be even more stubborn than a Slytherin or a Gryffindor in a starting contest. And she didn’t want to give up so easily, without even trying properly.

Dana closed her eyes and breathed in and out evenly for some time, before finally opening her eyes and edging her broom forward a little. The broom was moving slowly and was still a bit jumpy, but it moved, so Dana let out a long breath, she hadn’t known she was holding and shouted back to Cass, who she didn’t see, as Dana didn’t dare to turn her eyes from straight ahead, “So how exactly am I supposed to fly nicely and smoothly?”<br>

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass continued to hold on to the end of the broom. " It's just like using a wand. You have to exert your power over it. I'm going to hold on till you say to let go okay."

Cass smiled warily at her friend. " First, we are going to come down a little. Just move your hand down slightly, not a lot though. If you do, you will plummet down like a Seeker trying to get the Snitch."

Cass prepared herself in case she had to rescue Dana. " Now, I"m ready whenever you are."

[cairodeeplake]

Cairo watched quietly from the side at the 2 girls having fun with a broom. He sighed at the thought of being a great beater, soaring through the clouds bashing bludgers away. In the end he couldnt stand waiting any longer and he walked towards them. "Hi im Cairo I....I was wondering if you could teach me how to be a beater?"

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cassandra turned her head to the new arrival. She assumed he was talking to her since 1) she was the only one in a Qudidicth uniform, and 2) she was the only beater in the vicinity. She turned to look at Dana and shrugged her shoulder. Awckward, thought Cassandra.

" Sure, whatever. But not right now. We need to get her steady on this broom first. By the way, I'm Cass and this is Dana. We might as well get the niceties out of the way."

[dana]

Dana was a bit startled and jerked as some younger guy approached them. Noticing Cassandra’s shrug of shoulder, Dana answered with the surprise.
“Hi,” Dana shouted over her shoulder towards the boy and nodded to Cassandra, “I think I’ll manage floating and moving on.. inch by inch… not faster.”<br>
Dana groaned suddenly: “Why exactly am I doing this once again?” Shaking her head Dana concentrated on moving forward a bit.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass smiled at Dana. " Because you wanted to learn how to fly, remember? Now, are we done being mortally petrified of being off the ground?"

Cass sent the broom into reverse and she backed up about 10 feet. " Come on fly out to me. Just remember, stay in control. It's just mind over matter."

[dana]

“Wanted to fly? Next time I get a crazy idea like that, don’t encourage me, but rather make me come to my right mind again. First running, now flying – oh, I’m going to need so much pampering after this,” Dana grumbled but inched slowly towards Cass none the less, “Think they have some spa’s in Hogsmeade? I could certainly use one. And a nice long massage as well.”<br>
Dana didn’t really care how weird she must have looked or sounded – muttering and talking like that helped to keep her mind away from her fear.
“Mind over matter? If the broom decided to break right now, then however much I reason with my mind that I don’t want to smash into a little wet spot on the ground, it won’t help me at all!”<br>
With all the grumbling she did, Dana finally reached Cassandra still and grinned triumphantly: “MY legs are probably paralyzed by fear, so they won’t carry me later, but I think I’ll try to make a circle around the pitch. Sorry to keep you from practicing though. You can teach Cairo a bit now – I’ll try to handle myself.”<br>

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass looked at Dana, and then at Cairo. " You don't want me to do that. We would know you off your broom not counting the sickness you'll probably experience from trying to keep up with us."

She wispered to Dana, " Trust me. If I teach him anything, I'm going to give him the workout of his life." Cass smile mischeaviously.

" Besides, I want to see you handle going around the pitch by yourself."