Ella wasn't in the habit of sneaking into people's backyards per se, but this one didn't have a very good fence and she only had a week or so until Hogwarts so she needed one last good adventure. Plus she was ready to bet her pocket money that man had just pulled a flying carpet out of his... wherever. Ella hadn't seen where it had come from but when it was unfurled it looked like every picture of a flying carpet she'd ever seen.

He disappeared and she crept across the grass, Flopsy whisper-hollering her displeasure and wringing her ears, which Ella politely asked her to stop, so she went to scratching at her arms. "Flopsy, it's fine! I just want to take a quick look." But of course she underestimated how quickly the man would be back.

She wasn't sure she was more surprised she knew who he was or by the fact that he had a carpet like this. "Mr. Pettigrew? You play for the Howlers!" Ella knew most of the local players. Their family quidditch roots ran a little too deep for her not to. "Is this a flying carpet?" She asked from her perch on the rug.

"Ella Grimm!" She beamed. "My mum is, or was, Grace Gallagher, now Grimm obviously, she used to play professionally too!" What a stroke of luck this was! Ella had met a fair few quidditch players in the past, but none who had a flying carpet!

"Does this actually fly?" She said as she looked down at the carpet beneath her, mesmerized by the patterns and the possibilities. Gently she ran her fingers along the edge and grinned back at Mr. Pettigrew.

Adventure was alight in her eyes now. "Can I try it?" Her eyes were wide, smile somewhat contained in an effort to show she wasn't too eager, but before she could get a reply it lifted off the ground.

"Oh!" She cheered, grabbing into the edge as it hovered a few feet off the ground. "Is it as fast as a broom?" Ella was full of questions now.

Ella was unphased by the curse words. Even though her Papa tried not to, he didn't always keep it under his breath. Neither did Mama most of the time... especially when it was directed at her father.

"I bet it's a little more comfortable though," Ella hadn't expected it to be as fast as a broom, it didn't exactly look like it was built for speed, but she thought it might be almost as fun. At his question of coming back down, Ella shrugged. "How?" Did it work like a broom? Just shift her weight around?

Oh, so just like a broom, use your grip and your weight to change direction. Ella could handle that. She scooted her body more toward the front of the rub, surprised when it didn't really shift much beneath her, nor lean downwards, just hovered a few feet from the ground.

"Not legal? That's no fun!" There were entirely far too many bans on fun, harmless things. "Like this?" Ella wrapped her fingers around the front of the flying carpet, but leaned a little too far and in her effort to over correct, leaned back, causing the rug to go higher. "Oh no!" She squeaked.

Ella squeaked again, this time less in amusement and more in fear. Nothing Mr. Pettigrew was saying was making her feel any better about her chances at the moment, but he grabbed the carpet and was suddenly dangling from it.

"Oo-kay!" She managed, doing as instructed, leaning forward, probably a little dramatically. Unexpectedly, the carpet, instead of going down, moved forward, dragging Mr. Pettigrew with it. "Oh! Oh!" It would be fun, if she wasn't starting to worry just a little bit!

Ella forced herself to take a deep breath and focus. She could do this. It really wasn't that different from a broom. Following the previous instructions, she gripped the front of the carpet and leaned the appropriate ways, both back downward a little bit and toward the aforementioned bushes.

It seemed to respond enough for her to collide with the bush, the carpet getting caught on the branches abruptly, sending Ella spilling from the carpet with a thud back onto solid ground. After the initial shock of landing on her bottom rather roughly, Ella started to laugh hysterically. "Your carpet has very poor manners, Mr. Pettigrew." She gasped finally as she peered around at him to see where he had landed.

"Brooms are better." She agreed, trying to catch her breath still. Mr. Pettigrew was covered in leaves from the bush, but also seemed unhurt. "I think I'll have some bruises, but yes, I am alright." Ella wiggled around, testing her limbs. Her bottom would certainly be a little sore for a while, but that didn't need mentioning.

"I shall stick to brooms from here on out." Ella announced as she pulled herself to her feet, dusting herself off.