Margaret was more than happy that the teacher had not noticed her kicking away the stupid broom. It did give her a little something to grin internally about when one of the other hufflepuff girls (Hester Frey) also seemed reluctant to do this. Maggie could ride a bike, she didn't need to ride a broom like some witch. Admittedly she didn't own a bicycle of her own, but then she was never likely to own a broom either.

She begrudgingly walked over and picked up the broom again before rejoining her line. "up" she said with a sigh. Again the broom ignored her. She should probably have got the teacher's attention in order to get help, she would not have wanted to be punished for failing to do this task, but she just wanted to be back in her room, the one in irvingly which had all the pretty things in it that she might not see again. A long sigh this time before holding out her hand. "up" The wooden broom snapped up to her hand, making her squeek with suprise and pull her hand back in causing the broom to drop back down to the floor where it bobbed low a few inches off the ground. She looked at Georgianna Shacklebolt who stood nearby still and gave a nervous grin to ask for approval of the one person who had been nice to her since she arrived.

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Reuben Crouch

  

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Culpurnia's broom had lifted off the ground, but only long enough for her to delight in her temporary progress. It clattered back to the ground and refused to move the second, then the third, and even the fourth time she tried to summon it. Every subsequent "Up," came out a little firmer, a little louder, a little more frustrated. It wasn't like she had grand ideals of being a star flyer, but she hated the idea of not being good at something that everyone else excelled at. Just watching the first few students take to the air was enough to fill her with a newfound sense of urgency.

"Up," she demanded again, her fingers wiggling in anticipation.

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Some of the others had made it into the air, which meant that Kaatjie really ought to start trying a bit more — she didn't want to be a failure. "Up," she said. Nothing. "Up." This time, the broom shot into her hand, and she gripped it tight. She attempted to mimic Stella Pendergast and did manage to clamber on, but did not dare kick off more than a few inches away from the ground.

  

Rorie noticed that others seemed to be having more trouble, and wondered what in the world she’d done right to be one of the people hovering in the air right now. She looked to Miss Spaans and gave her an encouraging nod. “You can do it!” She said firmly. She gave a little clap when the Gryffindor girl ended up on her broomstick and hovered, but realized belatedly that she had let go of the broomstick. With a tiny cry of alarm she seized the broomstick once more, holding on for dear life in case it shot off with her on it.

  

The fresh air was lovely and Chloe didn't mind going outside. But she eyed the broom with a bit of trepidation as she stood next it to. Her friends all seemed fine with the idea of flying so Chloe determined she would be to. Even if she didn't have experience.

Following directions she held out her hand and used her most stern (note, bossy) voice as she commanded it to "Up."

(Chloe volunteers for tribute)

  

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By this point almost everyone had managed to get their broom off the ground and into the air. Some of them were hovering steadily in place; some were wavering so severely it almost made you dizzy to watch them. In any case, they were airborne, and ready to move on.

"Alright, now we're going to go forward. Slight tilt — not yet, Mr. Pettigrew, let me finish the directions, if you please — slight tilt forward, but not so much to lose balance. Keep a steady hand — your broom will move in the direction it's pointed, so if you let it drift you'll end up drifting with it. We'll go three at a time, from that end," he said, gesturing. Hopefully three at a time was enough deconfliction that the first errant broom wouldn't cause a complete pileup up the entire first year; he didn't expect many, if any, had the skills required to slow themselves down or steer to avoid a crash. "At the whistle you'll stop. Pull back on the broom handle to slow — opposite of what you did to go forward — and then feet down to land. Are we clear? Alright, then — first group." He gestured to the first triad to start their progress forward.

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(if you want your kid to be ~remedial~ and still dealing with trying to get the broom off the ground, feel free to tag me for some personal coaching! otherwise we'll assume everyone got there by this point)

  

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MJ made this <3

Maggie had lifted her broom back up off of its low floating position close to the ground and wedged it between her thighs in a manner that she felt she was half sitting on it and half holding it aloft herself. As Reuben Crouch gave instructions she tried follow his words but found the broom to be a distraction. She began leaning forward and feeling the broom try to pull away. Instinctively she leaned backwards causing the broom to immediately reverse just beyond her starting position at its over correction.

More gently she leaned forwards this time and walked her feet gingerly on the soft ground to keep up with the slow forward movement of the cursed implement. Her forward movement was not smooth at all as her footsteps rocked her body just enough to cause variations in the speed of the broom each time her hips twisted. Her hands held tightly as she fought the feeling that it might escape. This was the most unannatural feeling for the little muggle girl but she forced herself to endure it so she wouldn't be singled out by the teacher.

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Reuben Crouch

Maggie is most definately remedial in this class but won't ask for any additional attention if she can avoid it.

  

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It was harder than Caspian realized to keep himself in check. He was doing his best though, not wanting to alienate the professor. Besides, he was a big believer in refreshers being good for even people much more advanced at flying than he was. He grouped up with the two kids who had been next to him and did as Coach Crouch had instructed.