April was looking forward to a nice day, that was for sure. She grabbed her broom out of her trunk and headed down the dorm stairs, out of the common room, and into the entrance hall. She flew over the stone steps and out the oak doors. Once outside, she hopped onto her broom and flew in the direction of the pitch.

April soared over the grounds and even the lake, watching the heads turn and look up as she passed overhead. She flew to ohigh for anyone to reach, but low enough to hear the murmers and snippets of conversation. Everyone was flocking to the grounds today, and even the lake to go swimming. It was a beautiful day.

She finally made it over to the pitch, and got down off the ground. She pulled a golden snitch, stolen from the quidditch supply closet sometime earlier, and released it. She wanted to give it some time before she caught it however, so she sat on the bleachers.

That's when she noticed she wasn't alone.

Melanie was sitting with her head in her hands. She had come down here to try and practise but her Quidditch skills were zero. She went too fast or too slow. To steep a dive or to steep a climb. No matter how Melanie tried to hide it, she was absolutely without question, hopeless at Quidditch. An old school broom lay by her side. Its twigs were sticking out rather a lot and bindings were old and loose. Melanie had been greatful to find the Quidditch pitch empty when she had come down. Now a girl had come down and released a snitch. It was obvious to Melanie that she was a much better flyer if she was trying to catch snitches for practice. Then it occured to her to say hello, maybe she could get a few tips. She scooted across the pitch to a girl she thought she reconised from her house.
"Hi," she said, "Are you a Slytherin?"

The girl who was here had decided to speak. She had looked distraught, which was upsetting because quidditch shouldn't be stressful but fun.

"Hi," she said, "Are you a Slytherin?" she asked. April smiled. She knew she had recognized the face from somewhere.

"Yes," she drawled back. "5th year. Slytherin Seeker. you're in slytherin, aren't you?" she asked in return. The girl was small, so perhaps she was younger than her, by a few years. Maybe even a first year. April's eyes strayed from the girl for a moment to the air, trying to catch a glint of gold.

She was a Slytherin then. But older than here by four years.
"I'm a Slytherin First-Year," Melanie said, "Oh and I'm Melanie." Melanie waited for whatever she was going to say. She was pretty sure she had seen the girl wandering around the corridors sometimes or once or twice in class. But not very often. Maybe in Potions and probably Flying lessons. Flying for her was so stressful she didn't know how anyone had fun. It was almost impossible!

Melanie. April liked that name, it was nice. She definatrly had seen the girl around a few times, no doubt in the common room or something. April smiled helpfully, absently straightening the twigs on her broom. Top of the line,, Firebolt. Very nice.

"I'm April Teagan. Seen you around I'm sure. You fly?" she asked, nodding to the broom laying next to the girl. It didn't seem like she was having much luck with it, however, or she would probably be in the air.

"Um, put it this way, I try extremely hard to fly, but I'm not really any good. In fact, i'm absolutely no good at all." Melanie said, "You look like a good flyer though, do you have any idea how the heck to pull off one of those Sloth Grip Rolls?"
Melanie prayed April knew an easy way to do it rather than relying on pure chance, and surely she must know how to get out of a upside down position.
Melanie touched Aprils broom, it was a Firebolt. Down to perfection. Straightened twigs glossy handle, it was glorious compared to the old school Silver arrow that she had been trying to fly.

April laughed. This one was a funny one. Melanie touched her Firebolt, looking amazed. April was proud of it, and she picked it up and hovered in midair.

"Sure do. Watch carefully," she adviced, and the performed the move by adding a bit of weight onto her right shoulder, and feeling through the motion with her grip on the handle. Simple, easy, done.

"Add weight onto my shoulder, and use your legs to sort of fly and roll in that direction. The offblanace of weight with flip your sort of, and keep your grip tight to pull back up straight. It's simple really."

April landed on the ground after doing the move one more time, and waited for Melanie to perform it. She wasn't sure how good of a flier she was, and wanted to make sure she had the proper skills before attempting it.

"Uh okay..." Melanie said.
She mounted her broom and leant on her right shoulder.
"Arggghhh" Melanie screamed as she got stuck at the bottom again.
"Help meeeee" she yelled at April while she accidently began another neat little curved dive to the ground. Panic. That was the only thing that crossed Melanie's mind as the ground rushed up towards her.
Melanie went into panic mode big time, she wriggled on the broom and tried in vain to turn it over. Unsuccesfully.
THUD
Melanie became unconscious.

"Damn it," April muttered, walking over to the girl. She seemed to be knocked out. Normally, April would laugh, but it wasn't a good situation to begin with. Luckily, April was pretty sure she knew the spell to revive people who were unconcious.

She searched in her robes and found her wand in her pocket. She leaned over the girl to make sure she hadn't woken up, and pointed her wand at her body.

"Rennervate," she muttered, and Melanie's eyes flickered open slowly. April laughed and put her wand away.

"You okay? Maybe we should teach you to fly a little better before you try that again, right? How's the head? Still working?"

soz, wrong charrie

"Huuuu?"
April's face was swimming before Melanie. There was like four of her. This wasn't good. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, April returned back to just one face.
"That wasn't goood," she murmered.
Melanie shakily stood up and regained her balance. After stopping feeling dizzy, Melanie picked up the dog-eared broom and mounted it again, determined.
"I think we should stick to the basics as well," Melanie told April.

"Okay... good." April mounted her broom and flew over to where Melanie was, on the ground.

"See, your grip is a little faulty... here." April changed the way the girls hands were positioned, to match hers. "Is that comfortable? If not, fix it a little and I'll tell you if it's okay."

April watched the girl adjust her grip, and it seemed good. She landed next to Melanie and stood beside her, ready to teach her.

"Okay, so we have the grip, and you're sitting good. Now, don't release the grip, you don't want to fall off. Now, when I say go, kick off hard from the ground. You'll hover a bit when that happens, so don't shift your weight, or you'll tumble again. After a few seconds, touch back down to the ground by slightly leaning forward. Don't lean straight! Lean forward and down, sort of. Try it."

"Thanks," Melanie said gratefully. She looked down at the grip her hands were in and smiled at them they felt perfect.
"They feel just right!" Melanie proclaimed happily. She felt quite nervous about what to do next.

Never-the-less she kicked off, gently at first but then harder. She rose into the air unsteadly despite the fact she was only hovering next. Just as April said at first it was a bit de-brooming but Melanie managed not to do her usual Hang-Upside-Down trick. Now the next bit.

She pointed the broom to the ground just slightly slanting just so she did a little lazy descent. She got off the broom a little bit dizzy, but otherwise flushed with success that she had managed not to fall off.

April clapped. "You got it! You look dizzy though. Here," she replied, handing over a peice of a chocolate frog. "It'll help, always does."

"Okay, so you've got hovering down, and you didn't fall. Let's try something else. Do the same as a I told you, but inside of leaning forward and down, gently lean straight. Sort of... shift your weight as if you were sort of... headbutting someone. I'm not sure how to describe it. I'll show you."

April got on her broom and hovered momentarily, then leaned forward and straight, not down. She edged forward very slowly, and then touched back down.

"Go a few feet and then touch back down. Don't want you to fall."

Melanie mounted the old school broom, this time more enthusiastic. She pushed off hard and wobbled violantly, but managed to cling on. Once she had established that she was safe and steady she began leaning forwards, ever so slightly.

The result was that she moved forward about a foot. She released a breath she hadn't realised she was holding and smiled weakly in relief. She wiped away a bead of sweat from her forehead, whoever kjnew flying could be so stressful?

April smiled.

"Good job! Okay... you can try and go a little faster if you want. Tightening your grip and pushing pressure on it will increase your speed, as well as leaning forward. Not too much, however. I don't want you to fall from that height."

April mounted her broom and demonstrated again this time staying in the air to watch and hopefully grab Mel in case she fell.

"Let's see it then."

Melanie went almost completely white but soon regained the posture of a arrogant Slytherin. She hovered for a second grimacing at the thought of falling off. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. It seemed to work alright.

Melanie's knuckles were white on the broomstick handle in the position April had given them. She leaned down determindly and shot through the air like a bullet. She suddenly realised something April had not taught her, how to stop.

Her knees grippedthe broomstick as she sat up in fear. This slowed her right down and bought her to the other side of the pitch. Using the same technique she crossed the pitch and slowly descended again. Alert and ready for more instruction.

April smiled and clapped. At least the girl got the hang out it now. And she had learned to stop all on her own. That was good news.

"Sorry, I didn't teach you to stop. But you seemed to have figured it out on your own. Good idea. That was well done."

April was unsure of what to teach next. The Sloth Grip Roll hadn't turned out too well at first, so she decided to start lighter.

"Alright, before we get to more difficult moves," April replied, coughing slightly, "I think we should work on turning. It's basic enough. Important key notes, however. Lean and shift with your weight for tough turns. Just using the broomstick to guide you will only give you wide turns. And during quidditch especially, you need to learn to turn sharply."

April demonstrated each type of turn, showing her the differences.

"Try wide turns first, and then use weight."

Melanie did as instructed and moved forwards slightly while leaning slightly to her left. She made a small curve and ended up facing April again. Melanie tried again and this time did a sharper turn which nearly threw her off the broom. She managed to hold on and regain her balance. After the initial shock of nearly being severly de-broomed a wide grin spread across her features. She was elated, and also quite relieved.

"Don't throw yourself off of the broom!" April screamed across the pitch, giggling a little. "Judge put your weight into the turn, that's all."

She seriously hoped that this girl wasn't going to get injured. they were a far ways away from the Hospital Wing and Apri ldidn't feel like getting blame for a student's head injury.

"Atleast she caught herself," April grumbled, flying closer to the girl. she demonstrated once again the proper way to do a sharp turn, and insutructed Melanie to try again.

"A bit easier this time," she advise, flying slightly away to give her some space.

Melanie flushed beetroot and watched as April flew over and told her how to do it properly. Melanie swallowed and turned a little less sharply. She breathed again and smiled in happy success.
"So, whats next?" She said, feeling optimistic about this whole darning flying thing. She had actually pulled off a turn! Without falling off, or even coming close to it!
Melanie grinned.

April grinned. Apparently, she was a good teacher. She had never taught anyone else before, except quidditch. But flying in general? Never.

"Well, we could try the Sloth Grip Roll again, if you think you're ready. But maybe we should get closer to the ground. I'm not so good with blood, you see." April smirked and led the girl back down to the ground, only hovering a few feet off. Ample space to roll effectively.

"The Sloth Grip Roll is effective when dodging bludgers in quidditch, or just for fun, I suppose. Remember to use your weight onto your shoulder, and lean that way with your legs. Try not to tighten your grip too much, I think that's what literally threw you off last time." She laughed. "Try it."

Melanie took a deep breath, which she didn't let out and relaxed. Then she let the breath out. She untensed her shoulders and put a bit of a smile on her face. She put all her weight on, what was this time her left shoulder. She swung round in a perfect 360 degree circle. The fact took a bit long to sink in. Melanie punched the air with her fist, falling onto her backside.
"Oof," Melanie said springing back up onto her feet. Nothing could of hurt her at that moment.

Melanie grabbed the hovering broomstick before it decided to wander over to the Womping Willow.

"Awesome! That was really good. At least you didn't fall while actually doing the Roll," she yelled, giving the girl a well deserved high five. She flew down to the ground.

"So, are you interested in playing quidditch at all? Because if you are, I could teach you some skills," she offered, not sure exactly wha tthe girl wanted to play, or if she wanted to at all.

"Sure! Thanks!" Melanie yelped, "That would be great! I've always tried to improve my game, my dad was brilliant, my mum was very good and I'm utterly hopeless. I tried classes but made a complete fool of myself. My goal is toeventually be good enough to try-out. Do you know the Slytherin Captian and are there any available places?" Melanie babbled. She went a bit red, she had gone on completely against her nature of shy.

April listened to Melanie's babble, and then attempted to answer each of her questions in a slow manner, so the girl could calm down and get her wits back about her.

"I don't think we have a captain, actually. I'd love to try out for the spot, though," she said in after thought, though it just occured to her now.

"As for available spots, you can check that out in the Slytherin Common Room. I believe we need a keeper, two chasers, and another beater. I'm the Seeker, Zane Hart is a Chaser, and there's some girl who is a beater, I believe."

"Which position are you interested in?"

"Yeah sorry about that babbling, well, I can sort this out by process of elimination. I'm way to weak and frail for a beater, keepers are almost as endangered as a seeker, plus you need to dive to save. So I think a chaser might be the best option for me. I mean you soar up the pitch passing the ball and shooting, how hard can it be?" Melanie thought aloud. She had calmed down a little now.

April knew that Melanie was in for quite a shock, but she didn't want to let her know that. Chaser was actually a difficult position, even though all positions were hard. April knew she had the hardest job on the team, but Chasers still had it tough. Well, at least Melanie would be trained from a young age. Getting Chasers young was great; to got them to learn to play as a team.

"Chaser it is. Stay here," she commanded, and flew across the pitch and over to the changing rooms. She used a spell to unlock the door, crept it, and grabbed a ball crate from where she had stole the snitch. She levitated it and sent it flying over to Melanie, and then followed on her broom.

"Okay. Got a ball crate. Here's the quaffle," she grabbed the red ball and threw it up in the air. "You know the rules well enough, yes?"

Melanie watched awed as the crate flew over to her feet. She caught the ball April tossed her without much difficulty.
"Oh I know the rules alright. I was taught as much as my parents could without actually flying at all. See I wasn't showing any promise at all really. The only physical practice I got was catching for seeker, keeper and chaser positions and my dad threw me a couple of balls which I hit with a makeshift bat." Melanie said.

April laughed, trying to imagine that. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and then got serious. she grabbed the ball from Melanie and tossed it up in the air, catching it easily.

"Alright, Chasing is pretty basic to learn, but it takes a lot of skill to get better. Since you know the rules well enough, I'm sure, you know that all you have to do is pass the ball back and forth, and get it through those three hoops." She pointed to the hoops, and then looked back at Melanie.

"The hardest part isn't catching the ball, but getting it past the other players. Blugers will obviously be trying to hit you, as well as other players trying to grab the ball out of your hands or midair. We Slytherins tend to play dirty, so there's always the chance of a cheap trick or two."

"Alright, mount your broom. Let's practice flying with one hand and no hands, since Chasers often have to do this in order to make particularly difficult catches."

April flew up into the air, and let go of her broom. It was harder to fly no hands, but April was used to it from catching the snitch. she demonstrated, then looked to Melanie.

"The trick is to keep your weight balanced evenly. Don't shift unless you have to, and if you must, use the other hand to keep balance."

Melanie mounted her broom and kicked off. As she flew up to April she realised just how slow this broom was and if she was going to try-out she definatly needed her own. She reached April where she was flying expertly no handed.

Melanie let go of one handand flew steadely backa and forth, now for the difficult bit. She took her other hand off and bought her knees under the broom to keep it from drooping. she leant forwards a litle bit nervously. She kept her weight right and manage d to fly a length of the pitch without having to many major bad stumbles.

Gradually, bit by bit she flew back towards April in the same way. Finishing triumphantly with a tiny little curve one-handed. At the last bit she grinned, she could finally fly.

April watched at Melanie slowly but steadily flew first one handed, and then no handed. She went slow and cautious, but April knew it would get better with time. The old school broom, also, wasn't very good, and it would help when she had a better broom of her own.

"Good job. Now, you'll probably need a much better broom. That Shooting Star isn't up to par at all. It's make you fly better as well," April commented, flying down to the ground to retrieve the quaffle.

"Alright, let's try some easy passes. I just want you to catch it with two hands, and pass it back. Don't try anything fancy. If you drop it, fly as fast as you can, two handed, and retrieve it."

April tossed the ball lightly to Melanie.

Melanie gently descended and mentally overjoiced when April said she needed a new broom. She hated the old Shooting Star. She caught the Quaffle and tossed it back easily.
"Don't forget I've had years catching practice," she reminded April, "One does eventuelly learn from these things however boring they may be," Melanie sighed and caught the ball again.

"that's a good point," April commented, throwing the ball back and forth. This was easy enough for Melanie, and April knew it was time for some real harder stuff now.

"Alright, you can throw and catch on the ground. Now let's mount your broom, fly up a few feet, and start catching. This will require two hands at first, until you learn to one hand catch. So you'll need to practice balancing as well."

"April grabbed her broom and flew about 10 feet into the air, balancing herself easily with no hands. She turned the broom around using her legs to face Melanie.

"Okay, here we go. Pass one. If you drop it, or miss. just fly and get it." April tossed the ball lightly through the air, to Melanie who was eagerly awaiting with open hands.

Melanie caught it at the expense of a small wobble. Though not to bad.
"This was mainly why I didn't opt for a keeper" Melanie said. She chest-passed the ball back to april with no stumbles or wobbles. She grinned. She could at least stay on her broom. A thing that this morning would have been far from possible. She was enjoying flying way more now.

April noticed that Melanie was smiling now, and definately not upset at all. April was happy that she was a good teacher, and that Melanie was a very quick learner. She passed the ball back and forth, starting to make Melanie have to move a little bit to catch it. She didn't want to make it too easy, now that they were making some progress.

"Alright, good job. You've really got the hang of that. Unfortunately, you're going to be moving, and pretty fast too. Let;s fly, side by side, and pass the ball back and forth. Eventually, I want you to start looping the ball to me."

April arced her arm and sort of looped the ball over her shoulder into Melanie's awaiting hands to demonstrate.

"Like that. But not just yet. Get the feel for passing while moving before you do that. Let's go."

April accelerated and threw the ball to Melanie.

Melanie shot forward quickly to catch the ball moving at the same speed as April threw over the ball. She just caught it without falling off or dropping the ball.
"Whew, this Quidditch buisness is easier than I originally thought," she said panting. She took the ball from her left arm and swung it round in a straight line. Perfect Aim.

"Much better," April commented, flying around in weird patterns all over the feild, and tossing the ball to Melanie.

They flew all over the pitch, swerving around each other and passing short quick passes to one other. It was easy enough for April, but Melanie dropped a few that went out of her way. April knew it happened to everyone, but Melanie didn't make the same mistake more than once. April smiled at they played.

"That was good," April said, stalling in midair with the ball tucked under her arm. "Try those loop passes I told you about."

April passed the ball gently to Melanie and began moving, getting ready for Melanie to attempt her first complicated pass style.

"Thanks," Melanie said gratefully.
April looped the ball to her which she caught without dropping. She had dropped quite a few but April didn't seem to mind, though Melanie was very frustrated with herself. She looped the ball like april. it was a bit like a first time cricket bowl, it went a little wide. Melanie was sure April wouldn't catch it, even with her expert catching skills. As the ball had somehow managed to go spinning off into the air.

April watched the ball fly way over her head to the left, and she zoomed after it. She let go of the broom, snatched the ball in midair, and landed back on the broom safely, spinning it in her hands.

"That was a bit wide... Try again," she suggested. Melanie was staring at her in awe, like something she had just done had surprised her.

"What?" she asked innocently. "Never seen anyone make a good catch before?"