Chapter Nine

Friendships

The first lesson was on an open field in the middle of a courtyard in the western reach of the castle at three thirty in the afternoon. Most of the First Years were excited or in the case of some anxious to get started. When Harry, Ron and Qui-Gon made to the field the Slytherins were already there and there were twenty brooms there. Neville looked like he was about to be ill. Harry was squirming but not nearly as bad as he could've been. The Slytherins looked particularly pleased and excited about what was going to happen. One though look a little ill like Neville. Finally a tall woman with greying short hair walked into the courtyard with an air of no nonsense attitude. She quickly introduced herself as Madame Hooch their flying instructor.

"Well what are you waiting for?" She asked looking at them all once she'd finished tell them her name. "Stand by a broomstick."

Ron stood by the one nearest to his brother and Harry with Neville on his other side. Beside Qui-Gon Neville who'd already been picked on for the Remembrall looked positively green.

"Now, hold out your hand and say "up" to summon your broom," Madame Hooch continued.

"UP!" Everyone shouted.

Ron's didn't come immediately though he noticed that Malfoy's and Harry's did. Good on him. He looked down at his broom and said again: "UP!"

The broom complied this time. Qui-Gon's still remained down which kind of was understandable since at home he'd expressed not too keen liking for flying and while he didn't hate it he wasn't a big fan of it save for the times that they played Quidditch together. Neville's resolutely stayed on the ground even as he called long after most had gotten theirs although given how clumsy he was on the ground it was hard to imagine how he'd been off ground. Finally after a while everyone had a grasp of their broom and Madame Hooch demonstrated how to mount and helped those having issues like Hermione Granger and Neville. Ron did admit that he did have a bit vindictive pleasure when Madame Hooch when correcting grips told Malfoy that he had been doing wrong for years. It was gratifying to say the least.

"Now when I blow my whistle I want you to kick of the ground, hard," she said pulling a whistle. "Keep your brooms steady, raise a few feet, then come straight down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle..."

Ron felt something in the Prāhnac'i that made his hand shoot out and grabbed at Neville who immediately pushed off instead of waiting for the whistle. The broom sensing an extra weight drooped slightly before Neville's panicked flailing sent them shooting up into the sky far higher then suggested by Madame Hooch. Ron slipped on his grip on Neville just barely managed to grab the broom handle just before he plummeted to the ground.

Oh bugger, this is not good, Ron thought as he tried to pull himself onto the broom from the handle and tried to get around Neville so he could direct them down. Instead they shoot up high and higher as the broom pushed up with Neville's abysmal handling of the broom.

"NEVILLE!" Ron bellowed over the rushing wind. "LET ME ON YOU GIT, SO I CAN TAKE US DOWN!"

Neville whimpered in reply and instead of moving in the right direction he panicked. Soon he slide off of the broom too fast for Ron to grab him with him falling as well. He fell down from the height and landed on the ground with probably a big thud. Shaking his head at this he reversed his grip and with a pull he soon mounted the broomstick and with some rather rough handling because the bloody broom was being stubborn he headed down to the field where Madame Hooch was evidentially warning people of punishment if they tried to intervene. She waited until he'd landed before snatching the broom from his grasp making him stumble slightly.

"A noble endeavor if a foolish one," she said as she placed the broom down. "Ten points to Gryffindor for your attempt at stopping the accident."

Ron smiled softly at the praise even if it was a backhanded one. He sheepishly went back to his place next to Qui-Gon and Harry who looked thunderstruck at the exchange.

"Now I'm going to take Mr. Longbottom to the Hospital Wing, if anyone is in the air before I get back they'll be expelled from Hogwarts faster then they can say Quidditch. Come on dear," she coaxed a very teary eyed Neville out of the courtyard and into the castle. As second after she'd gone Malfoy started laughing.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Malfoy howled. Soon the other joined into the jeering.

"Shut up Malfoy," Parvati snapped.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati," Pansy Parkinson said with snort.

"Well I never pegged you for being a fool and yet here we are," Qui-Gon countered making everyone freeze in their tracks at the retort. Ron smirked. Oh yes Qui-Gon was in full blown snark mode. He tended to get this way when he pegged someone as a bully worthy of his attention. This would be good.

"Oi would you look at that," Malfoy said clear intent on stirring the conversation back to him. "It's that little thing his Gran sent him." He picked up the Remembrall from the ground that had miraculously survived intact.

"Give it here Malfoy," Harry said stepping forward.

"No," Malfoy smirked. "I think I'll leave this for him to find...like in a tree or something," he jumped onto his broom and took off in the air. Harry reacted before Hermione could even finish with her admonishment about what Madame Hooch had said Harry had pushed off. Soon the two were in the air.

"Oi," Ron's attention was called away from Harry and Malfoy's aerial joust as it were by a Slytherin...She was young and looked Asian to him with another girl who had darker skin like Hermione standing nearby looking cagily at them. The first quietly approached him and Qui-Gon as the others of both their houses watched the two boys above.

"How'd you do that?" She asked looked at him wide eyed her accent was harsh and sounded Glaswegian. "I saw ya you're hand shot out before he kicked off."

"Luck," Ron said cagily. "I just happened saw him twitch."

"Those were awfully fast reflexes let me say that."

"Who are you?" Qui-Gon asked friendly to a fault as per usual. Trust Qui-Gon to be the diplomat.

"Ji-hae Woodburn," she said. "And that's my mate Meg Symington," she pointed to the tanned girl whose attention was split between Malfoy's and Harry's joust and her friend. "So, you're Potter's friends yeah?"

"Yes we are, I'm Ron Weasley, and this my brother Quinn Jon," Ron said pointing to Qui-Gon who bowed to her in greetings. She looked stunned but nodded her head.

"Pleasure," she said. There was a sudden gasp which made all four look up and stare at the joust. Malfoy seemed to have thrown the Remembrall and Harry was in a dive to catch it. Ron gulped as he went into a sharper dive. Suddenly he masterfully pulled up and held up his hand with a grin on his face.

"Ron," Qui-Gon nudged him. Looking behind he saw Professor McGonagall standing at the entrance looking pale and stunned.

"Looks like your friend is a in a world of trouble," Ji-hae commented as the Professor walked past them breathless muttering things that Ron couldn't make out since he was too far off and too weirded out with a Slytherin that was having a civil conversation with them. Ron wanted to speak up for Harry only for Ji-hae to put a hand on his shoulder making him turn back to her.

"Don't," she warned them. "I get the impression she won't listen, Head of House or not."

Ron wanted to argue but in the Prāhnac'i she felt sincere so he held his tongue as did Qui-Gon even as others in his House argued the point. Harry was soon escorted off the the field with Malfoy giving him a smug look of satisfaction. It made Ron want to smack him. But no, he held his hand and temper and settled for a glaring instead.

"I...I think he'll be fine," Ji-hae assured him.

"Why do you think that?"

"Well he's Potter," her friend Meg meekly said with Inverness accent as she approached them brushing back her long brunet hair. "He's probably going to get out due to notoriety."

"What?!"

"Doubtful," Qui-Gon cut in before Ron could continue explode on her for that blatantly untrue remark. "Harry wouldn't do that."

"...Alright, he wouldn't but would Hogwarts?" Ji-hae amended seeing Ron's look. "I mean, it'd look bad on them expelling the Boy-Who-Lived."

"Imagine the bad publicity that would come from it," Meg pipped in.

"Possibly, but in truth I doubt they'd expel him over something as trivial as retrieving a Remembrall," Qui-Gon argued. "It seems...petty."

"True," Ji-hae nodded. As she did Madame Hooch came back out looking fluster and annoyed. Ron half listened to the instructions since he was familiar with flying. Harry had to be okay. He just had to be. As the lesson finished up and the two left to the Common Room he noticed that Ji-hae and Meg nodded to them as they walked away with their fellow housemates. Much to his surprise he found himself nodding back to them.

"Well that proves they're not all prats," Qui-Gon commented.

"Yeah," Ron reluctantly admitted. "Malfoy and his gang still are gits though."

"Oh absolutely," Qui-Gon said with a nod. "No denying that. So what are we going to do about Harry?"

"I suppose we can wait in the Great Hall during dinner. I mean it's not like they're going to send him away without food."

---

Qui-Gon was relieved to find that Harry came to the Great Hall for the feast. He assured that he wasn't being expelled and they in turn told him what had happened once he'd left.

"So wait...they thought I'd get off because of my fame?!" Harry bristled.

"Ron had the same reaction too," Qui-Gon assured him. "Of course she just could've heard it from others."

"Yeah," Ron said. "Those two honestly weren't that bad just..."

"Unusual for us," Qui-Gon said diplomatically. "So what did Professor McGonagall want with you?"

"Well um she made me a Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

"What?!"

"Well that was...fortunate. Didn't expect that at all."

"Neither did I, she said I was the youngest Seeker in a century so I guess it was unexpected for everyone including me," Harry said as he began eating. "Oliver Wood wants me to go down and practice with him before I practice with the team properly."

"Well Fred and George are the Beaters of the team so you shouldn't have too much of an issue fitting in..."

"Okay can I ask what that means exactly?" Harry asked looking confused. "Seriously I don't know a thing about it."

"Well there's seven positions in Quidditch for the players. There are three Chasers who toss the ball known as a Quaffle between each other and try to get past the Keeper to score a goal through three hoops. With me so far?" Ron asked. Qui-Gon was grateful that he was taking over for the explanation since he was a much more seasoned pro in Quidditch. And much more interested if he was honest. He liked seeing the Tornadoes but he wasn't dedicated to them like Ron was with the Chudley Cannons.

"Mostly, still not sure about what a Beater is."

"Beaters are two teammates with a bat that beat away a ball that's enchanted to hit players called a Bludger. Seeker is the one that...looks for the Snitch, it's a ball with wings that flies around the pitch. Once the Snitch is caught you get an automatic one hundred and fifty points and the game ends. Most of the time the one that caught the Snitch wins the game but not always."

"And if you can understand all that then you're a dork."

"Foolish brother," Ron teased in Sanshese. "I can't help it if you don't appreciate the sport of the Cannons."

"Tornadoes are better," Qui-Gon snarked back causing Ron to grasp his heart dramatically.

"Blasphemy."

"And now I'm really lost," Harry pipped in. Ron blinked before turning as red as his hair with embarrassment and Qui-Gon bowed his head in shame at excluding Harry from the conversation.

"Sorry," Qui-Gon said bowing his head. "It's just instinct at this point. We sort of just switch back and forth without thinking."

"No, no," Harry said hastily looking a bit flustered. "It's okay it's just I get lost when you lot do that."

"Well we can try to not to do that around..."

"I don't mind the language change, I just want to be in the loop that's all," Harry continued ignoring Ron's offer. "I mean I get it, it's yours and..." This phrase trailed off made but the slight longing tone made Qui-Gon think...Why not? I've taught Ron and Ginny. Harry already knows about it and cares about it's importance so why not?

"Well I could teach you," Qui-Gon offered. "I mean most if not all of my family knows of it even if they can't speak it properly."

"Really?" Harry looked touched at the inclusion. "You'd teach me?"

"Why not?" He looked at Ron whose face looked a little sadden at the offer. He could somewhat understand since it was something special two them like Fred and George's communications with each other. It was something Ron himself had outside of his brothers which made him stand out and it gave him a sense of community and fellowship with Qui-Gon in way that the others couldn't get aside Ginny. Only him wanting learn how to be a Jedi was another thing that connected them. But once Ron gazed at Harry's hopeful face he straightened up and said: "Yeah why not? You're going to hang around us so yeah we'll teach you so you can follow and then speak it."

"Thank you," Harry smiled at them looking supremely touched. Qui-Gon had to wonder what his home life was like if this gesture while grand was such a great comfort to him. "I mean it, thank you so much for that."

"Potter!" Malfoy called out interrupting their moment. Qui-Gon looked over as he approached at the Gryffindor table with Crabbe and Goyle in tow...Was he ever without them? "I see they didn't expel you."

"Mores the pity for you I think," Qui-Gon quipped not really in the mood for Malfoy's arrogance. He had enough of that for today. "But then again the foolish are the ones that don't seek a challenge."

"What did you call me you..." Malfoy's voice trailed off as the group including Malfoy and his gang noticed some of the elder students around them namely the Twins were giving him a rather dirty look that promised nothing but pain and misery. Malfoy calmed himself and began talking again only with a quieter voice. "You think you can get away with that Potter and you too Weasleys? I challenge you Potter to a Wizarding duel. You do know what is yes?"

"Pass," Qui-Gon interjected for Harry's sake who from his feeling indicated that he had no clue what that was. "I don't want to have a fireworks display. That's boring."

"Yeah, what does he have to prove to you?" Ron added in. "And yes he does know what it is. We've just got better things to do then that. Harry doesn't need that."

Like teaching a language for one, Qui-Gon thought to himself.

"So Potter can't speak for himself then?"

"I can and I agree with them," Harry said giving Malfoy an angry look. "I've got better things to do. So shove off Malfoy."

"Cowards the lot of you," Malfoy sneered. "And here I thought Gryffindors were brave."

"Bravery doesn't mean foolish just as much as cunning doesn't mean wise for Slytherins," Qui-Gon countered. "And I think you'd better leave now since you won't get what you came for. Think what you like but we're not agreeing to your terms of combat."

Qui-Gon felt in the Force that it took all of Ron's self control that he'd learn throughout the years he'd known him not to snort derisively as Malfoy and his posse slink off. Harry had no such control though.

"Well now, it seems that Mr. Malfoy has been rather naughty," Fred said leaning over looking in the direction in which Malfoy gone off to.

"Indeed we were coming over to welcome you into the fold since Wood was gushing about you but..."

"Guys," Qui-Gon sighed interrupting the Twins. "It's fine. The git tried to challenge us to a duel is all."

"What? Without the proper accoutrements. Oh no that will not do," George said looking at his twin brother.

"Indeed not dear brother, we must arm them for their next joust that will come knowing that git," Fred nodded. "It would be most unbecoming if Malfoy were to get the upper hand."

"And would otherwise allow for that most nefarious miscreant will get the better of Sir Jinn and the valiant Potter."

"Oi what am I?" Ron asked a little affronted at being left out not that Qui-Gon could blame him since that was a bit mean.

"Squire Ronniekins."

"Why you-...Yeah I guess that's fair," Ron said with slight shrug still a little miffed at the slight. They knew it was true that Ron learned from Qui-Gon so it wasn't too demeaning as the other nicknames they'd showered him with growing up. Still they could be a little kinder to him.

"Sir Ron the Polyglot," Qui-Gon said smiling at him. "For you helped with my language issues and stuck with me."

"Thanks Sir Jinn," Ron smiled back at him.

"Any time, brother. Well then what say you Treacherous Twins? What foulness do you have in store for us to aid us in our noble quest," Qui-Gon said. Harry had an extremely befuddled look on his face. Ron quickly leaned over and quietly explained the typical banter that the Twins and Qui-Gon had while Qui-Gon waited for Fred or George to answer.

"We could teach you a spell that'll knock the socks off of Malfoy," Fred said with a sly smile.

"Or disarm him," George finished. "Meet us the classroom beside the Charms classroom after dark and we shall show how to duel."

"Age appropriate of course. We wouldn't want to overwhelm them. So don't be late little Knight Errant and your entourage," Fred said patting him on the shoulder as he and George walked off.

"Well, I guess we're learning how to duel," Harry said a little overwhelmed at what happened.

"Yeah," Ron said. "Looks like."

"And since it's the Twins you can bet that'll be good or at least, creative," Qui-Gon said. "So I wonder what they're going to teach us."

"We'll see soon enough I suppose," Ron said.