The next three days followed the same routine. They would wake up, have breakfast and then go to class. They ate all of their meals with Mike, sometimes at the Hufflepuff table, but mostly he would join them at the Slytherin table, and spent as much of their free time as they could exploring the castle. They were now confident enough to not need guides to all of their classes. Sebastian became one of their close friends very quickly. He was the only Slytherin first year Santana actually enjoyed being around besides Quinn, so they spent all of the time they weren't in their bedroom with him.
For the first time since Monday, Santana was actually excited for a lesson. They had flying today, and she was anxious for it. She'd thought she'd be excited for defence against the dark arts, but when it rolled around on Tuesday morning, she just hadn't been. She figured they wouldn't be doing anything fun in that class at least until second year, so for now there wasn't anything to be excited about.
It hadn't been boring, not by a long shot. They'd learned about Imps, which Santana had found highly amusing after Quinn had joked about how alike they seemed to Leon. It was better than Transfiguration and Astronomy, miles better than history of magic, but nowhere near as exciting as potions or charms. Professor Lupin was fun though. He seemed to be the only professor so far who actually enjoyed teaching. Still, Santana was holding judgement on defence against the dark arts, despite Quinn nagging her to admit that it was the best class.
Flying, was sure to be the best class in her opinion. Much as she enjoyed potions. There was no way flying could be hard. No way it could be boring. No way you couldn't understand it. Flying was in her blood, and she'd missed it. She hadn't been able to fly much in the summer, because her dad had been too busy and her mum said she didn't want to watch over her and Quinn, and then in the last few weeks, when her dad had been available, she'd been stuck serving time at St Mungo's.
As they walked over to the Quidditch pitch from the greenhouses, they spotted the Gryffindors coming down from the castle.
"Urgh" Sebastian groaned, as Quinn rolled her eyes. "We have too many classes with them if you ask me."
"Definitely." Santana agreed. This put a little bit of a damper on her excitement, but not much. As they would be flying, she could put as much distance between her and any other Gryffindor as she wanted.
"Herbology wasn't as boring as I thought it would be." Quinn said, glancing back at greenhouse three. "It's pretty hands on stuff. If it was sitting in a class taking notes, that would be a different story."
"Yeah" Santana greed. "I didn't think it would have any magic honestly. But that fire making spell is bound to be useful."
"Do you really think she's going to let us shoot it at the spiky bushes tomorrow?" Sebastian asked. Santana twirled her wand, turning to walk down to the Quidditch pitch.
"Hope so." She turned to grin at them. "We should practice, just in case."
*****
Madam Hooch was waiting for them on the pitch when they walked on, standing in the middle of two rows of broom sticks.
"Those look pathetic." Quinn sneered, eyeing the brooms as they approached. Santana and Sebastian nodded.
"Maybe we should have packed our flying gloves" Santana said. "So we don't catch anything."
They all laughed.
"Everyone line up, next to a broom that's it."
All the Slytherins stood next to brooms on the left, the Gryffindor's to the right.
Santana had never seen brooms this old. They looked like they were falling apart.
"I can't use these." Sugar called from down the Slytherin line. Santana looked up as Quinn and Sebastian snorted, her eyes finding Brittany grinning at her. She cringed when Brittany waved excitedly, nodding awkwardly and looking away.
"I can write to daddy and he'll have new brooms here in a flash."
"Mrs Motta" Madam Hooch said tiredly. "These are the brooms we will use."
"But why? They don't look safe. What model are these even?"
"Clean sweep-"
"Old." Sugar interrupted Rachel. Santana and Quinn sniggered. Sugar crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "I'm not touching it. These are poor people brooms, and my daddy wouldn't want me touching them."
"Of course this isn't good enough for the spoilt princess." Azimio called loudly. All the Slytherins stopped laughing. "Your daddy's not here Motta. So you're going to have to put up with school brooms just like the rest of us. No special treatment here."
"Are you talking to us again Azimio?" Santana yelled. "Can't shut your mouth can you? I'd be happy to shut it for you."
"I'm not scared of a little girl" Azimio sneered, balling up his fists.
"Stop." Sam said, pushing on Azimio's chest. Santana didn't hear what he said after that, but Azimio glanced at Madam Hooch, who was frowning at him, and faced forward.
"These are the only brooms available Mrs Motta. If you don't want to use them that's fine, but you will fail this class as a result."
Sugar huffed, stomping her foot but retaking her position beside the brooms.
"Good. Now I want you all to listen very closely. You will go at the pace I set, and do only what I instruct you to do. I don't care if you have experience on a broom, I will not tolerate any showing off, foolish tricks, or general misbehaviour do you understand?"
"Yes Madam Hooch" they all called.
"Good. Now hold your hand up over your broom, steady now…" the class followed her instructions. "And then say clearly, 'up'."
"Up" Santana said. Her broom rose instantly to her palm, allowing her to grasp its handle. She looked up to see Madam Hooch nod approvingly at her.
"Very good Mrs Lopez, though of course this will be child's play to you. How is your father?"
"He's well." Santana nodded. "Always says good things about you."
Madam Hooch smiled happily, and then walked down the line to help the students whose brooms hadn't moved.
"Well done as well Mrs Fabray."
Quinn stood beside her, gripping her own broom.
"He says good things about her does he?" She asked, smirking.
"I'm sure he would." Santana grinned cheekily. "If I asked."
Quinn shook her head as she laughed.
It took Sebastian four tries to get his broom up. It kept fluttering around on the ground, raising slightly before dropping back down until finally floating unsteadily into his hand. He had to bend to catch it before it dropped again. Santana and Quinn laughed the entire time.
"Shut up" he laughed when he finally had it securely in his grip.
Santana pointedly refused to look at how Sam was doing, but Brittany, she couldn't help it. She was right in front of her after all, and it wasn't even funny how badly she was doing. Her broom didn't move at all. It didn't shake, wobble or float even an inch off the grass. Hers was the only one left on the ground a good ten minutes later.
"Are we even sure she's a witch?" The boy Santana remembered was called Puck said to a tall lanky boy beside him. All the other Gryffindors except the tiny boy who'd refused to get into the boats at the lake laughed. When Sam's eyes caught hers Santana was shaking her head, wondering if Sam had always been like this. He turned away from her, though his laughter died slowly.
"That's okay Mrs Pierce, you'll get it." Madam Hooch said. "Pick it up."
Blushing from embarrassment, Brittany bent and picked up the broom.
A few students laughed.
"That's enough!" Madam Hooch said sharply. "Alright, now mount your broom." They all did. "Good. Grasp your broom tightly with both hands, and when I blow my whistle, I want you to kick off the ground, hard, hover a foot in the air, and then touch back down."
They all nodded.
"Just a foot. I don't want any of you going higher than that understand?"
"Yes Madam Hooch."
"Alright. Three, two, one." She blew the whistle.
Lazily, Santana rose what she assumed was a foot and stopped. Quinn rose a few seconds after her, though not as smoothly, and the two of them proceeded to watch everyone else struggle to get their brooms off the ground.
"Ten points each Mrs Lopez, Mrs Fabray. For being the first off the ground."
Quinn and Santana high fived.
"I hate you both" Sebastian groaned from the ground, looking up at them.
"Maybe if you jumped" Quinn called down.
"Let your broom know what it feels like to fly Smythe" Santana laughed.
"Okay, you're both not funny" Sebastian yelled, as his broom began to buck.
"Don't fall off!" Quinn laughed.
"Shut up I'm trying to think."
"Flying doesn't require thinking that's the entire mistake you're making." Santana told him, leaning back but keeping her arm steady so the broom didn't move. "It's a feeling."
"What does that mean exactly?" Rachel asked, walking towards them. Santana and Quinn frowned at each other.
"What are you doing?" Quinn asked.
"Well, I heard you giving Smythe some advice, and since you are the only two in the air I decided to come hear it as well."
A Slytherin boy, who Santana hadn't yet spoken to came to stand next to Rachel, looking expectantly at her and Quinn.
"And what do you want?" Santana asked.
"Rachel said you're helping us."
"Rachel has a big mouth." Santana whispered harshly.
"Look why don't you ask the actual professor for help."
"She's over there helping the Gryffindors." The boy said. True enough, Madam Hooch was showing two Gryffindor girls the correct way to hold the broom handle.
"Come on don't you want us to beat them?" Sebastian asked.
Santana turned to Quinn, raising an eyebrow. They stared silently at each other, both thinking.
"What are they doing?" Rachel asked. "Santana, Quinn?" she called loudly, making them both roll their eyes.
"Alright fine!" Quinn yelled.
"Dibs on not Rachel" Santana said, quickly touching her nose. Quinn glared at her.
"That's not fair."
"Dibs is fair." Santana laughed, gently touching back down on the grass. "Dibs is the most fair."
Quinn landed beside her.
"Whatever. Let's get this over with."
"Okay everyone." As Santana got off her broom she noticed Brittany hovering close to their group, listening in. "Listen carefully" She raised her voice.
Quinn frowned at her, but Santana was glad when she spoke at the same volume.
"A broom isn't like a wand" Quinn said. "You're not using it to channel your magic or anything like that."
"You're working together, with it, okay? Imagine trying to ride a dragon…trying to force it to do anything wouldn't work would it?"
"If your goal was to get eaten." Sebastian laughed
"Right. Well if your goal is to fall of your broom, keep messing around." Quinn snapped.
Sebastian raised his hand apologetically.
"Okay everyone mount." Santana said. Once everyone was positioned on their brooms, Santana climbed onto her own. "The broom wants to fly, okay? The only thing keeping it down, is your desire to stay on the ground. Not your weight, not weak magic or some bullshit." Her eyes connected momentarily with Brittany's before she looked back at the group. "Hold the handle like this" she demonstrated, "firmly but not too tight. Not like you're scared." She turned to Quinn. "Check them will you?"
Quinn walked around, making sure all the Slytherins were gripping their brooms correctly.
"Alright" she joined Santana's side again and mounted her own broom. "They're good."
"Count us in?"
"Sure" Quinn nodded.
"Okay. On Quinn's count, you're going to kick off the ground, and imagine staying in the air. You're letting the broom do what it already wants to do. Lose all thoughts of hitting the ground again, of gravity, of falling, all of it. Just hold your broom tight and give it permission to carry you."
A few of the Slytherins nodded. Rachel looked apprehensive and Lauren down right scared, but Sebastian and the other Slytherins seemed a bit more confident.
"Alright." Quinn said. "Let's do this before the Gryffindors."
"Yeah!" they called back.
"Three, two, one!"
Everyone kicked off. Santana and Quinn were the first in the air, followed quickly by two other Slytherin boys. Sebastian had to try twice before he got in the air, and then to Santana's surprise, Brittany floated shakily up into the air.
"WELL DONE MRS PIERCE" Madam Hooch exclaimed, walking over to Brittany. "Very well done indeed. Ten points to Gryffindor."
Santana caught her smile before it showed, shaking her head at herself.
"Nicely done Sebastian." She called instead. She could see that Sebastian was gripping the broom too tightly, practically choking it, and he was wobbling unsteadily, as was Lauren, but they were in the air. Everyone except Rachel was floating at varying heights off the ground. Santana wasn't surprised.
Quinn drifted to Santana's side and leaned into her.
"If I was a broom I wouldn't fly for her either" she whispered. Santana snorted.
"Yeah I'd rather be used to sweep floors."
By the end of the lesson, only one other Gryffindor had been able to get in the air. The tall lanky one who had been standing near Puck. Madam Hooch blew her whistle, calling them all back to the ground.
"Good first lesson." She said, smiling at all of them. "Good job to the Slytherins for all getting up. Next lesson we can progress to steering. Gryffindors…" she paused and smiled encouragingly at them. "Keep practicing."
Sebastian, Santana and Quinn laughed into their hands as Azimio scowled at them.
"Class dismissed. Head back up to the school."
Santana was in a good mood the entire rest of the day.
****
"Incendio!" Quinn yelled, pointing her wand at the piece of paper on the table. Smoke rose from the tip of her wand, but no flames.
Santana and Leon clapped enthusiastically as Sebastian laughed.
"That was really hot smoke." Leon said. Santana nodded along.
"Smells like something's burning." She agreed.
Quinn lowered her wand, glaring at them.
"Ignore them." Willow said. "It's not an easy spell. First time Leon tried-"
Leon hastily clamped his hand over Willow's mouth.
"They don't need to know that."
Willow pushed him off her, laughing.
"Then stop teasing her."
Grumbling, Leon nodded. He took a seat on the armchair and crossed his arms.
"Good." Willow smiled at him. Santana frowned at the two of them. "Now try again Quinn."
Quinn once again raised her wand, pointed it at the paper and yelled.
"Incendio"
This time the smoke shot out of her wand with enough force to jerk her hand back, but there was still no fire.
"You're not flicking your wrist" Santana said, sitting on the arm of the chair Leon had sat on.
"I didn't give you any direction when it was your turn." Quinn snapped. Santana raised her hands, backing off, and leaned down to Leon's ear.
"What was that?"
"What?"
"She tells you to be nice and you listen?"
"I didn't want her telling you guys how my first time went. You'd never let me live it down."
Santana narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure that's it?"
"What else could it be?" Leon shrugged.
"You like her"
Leon chocked, staring wide eyed at Santana as he coughed.
"You okay?" Willow asked, turning away from instructing Quinn. Santana raised an eyebrow at her brother.
"Fine." Leon said, banging his chest. "Just choked."
"So that's a yes" Santana whispered.
"Shut up!" Leon said loudly. Willow, Quinn and Sebastian looked curiously at them. "Santana why don't you give Quinn another demonstration."
"She'd doesn't wan-"
Leon shoved her off the arm chair, making her stumble as she nearly fell. When she steadied herself she saw him smirking at her.
"Alright." She took out her wand from her robes and pointed them at him. "In-"
He jumped up, scrambling over the back of the armchair and ducking behind it.
"Santana!" Quinn and Willow both called out, alarmed.
"ARE YOU CRAZY" Leon bellowed.
Santana laughed, shaking her head.
"Not that crazy, but I will if you push me again."
*****
On Friday they had double potions in the morning, herbology after lunch, and then astronomy at midnight. When Santana had realised that they would be learning in the middle of the night, she'd first been angry, then excited, but now she was just tired. It made sense that they would need to go out at night to be able to see the stars, but it felt a bit like overkill. She was sure they could learn the constellations just as well by looking at them in a book. She also didn't understand why it had to be midnight. The sky was just as dark at nine pm.
They crossed paths with Mrs Norris, Filch the caretaker's cat, as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. She was sitting on the banister, her red eyes fixed suspiciously on them.
"Before you go looking for Filch," Rachel spoke loudly. "We have Astronomy."
"Yeah we aren't breaking any rules Mrs Norris, so get out of here!" Sugar clapped her hands loudly, trying to shoo the cat away. Mrs Norris didn't even flinch. "I said GO"
"Stop it" Quinn hissed, grabbing Sugar's hands. "You're going to wake up the whole castle."
"Let's just go" Santana droned, struggling to keep her body upright. "Before I fall asleep right here."
The Slytherins got to the astronomy tower before the Hufflepuffs and found the door locked. Santana dropped her bag onto the floor and sat down next to it, resting her head on the wall. Her eyes closed instantly.
"I told you not to sleep" Quinn said, kicking her leg. "Told you it would just make you more tired."
"I was too tired to stay awake." Santana yawned. "Just like I am now."
"So nothing's changed" Sebastian laughed.
"Guys, can you believe this!" Mike asked, jogging up the last few stairs to them. Santana cringed.
"Too loud Mikey."
"What's wrong with you?"
"She's just tired." Quinn chuckled.
"How can you be tired?" Mike gaped at Santana. "We're roaming the castle at midnight. I thought you'd be excited."
"I was, before I realised I would have to give up my sleep."
"You should have stayed awake with us in the common room."
"I took a power nap."
"Oh yeah?" Sebastian laughed. "And where's all that power gone to?"
"It's still charging up." Santana yawned again. "Give it a minute."
Quinn and Mike shook their heads in amusement.
At last, Professor Sinistra came strolling up the stairs.
"Oh yeah no need to hurry or anything" Santana mumbled as she got to her feet. "It's only midnight after all."
"Good evening everyone." She greeted happily as she unlocked the door. "It is a beautiful night to watch the stars."
Santana rolled her eyes. She was sure she would rather have double history of magic than this middle of the night class that basically boiled down to an art lesson. Leon had told her that Professor Sinistra used this time to get them to identify constellations and mark what colour the planets were to the naked eye. Things that in Santana's opinion, though not as boring as Professor Binns, were not worth losing sleep over.
Yawning once again, she dragged herself after her classmates, swearing to drop astronomy as soon as possible.