Flying

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Unable to wait any longer now that everyone had agreed to go flying with him, Adam sent owls to Nny, Susan, River, Kaylee, Teatime, Harry, Ginny, and Devi to let them know that he'd gone down to the Quidditch pitch and to meet him there. He snatched his broom and practically ran down to the field, excited to meet new people and get into the air once again.

Comments

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"Oh gods," Susan moaned. There was very little in life that frightened her, but aerobatics on magical cleaning equipment was definitely cause for alarm. Still, she didn't want to be seen as chickening out -- oh, there's the pride again -- so she leaned into the curve and went over ..

It happened so quickly that she was upright again by the time she started to panic. Her hands were clammy and she was not entirely sure that her seat on the thing was as secure as it had been, but she was all right; she hadn't fallen off, and she was still speeding along at Adam's heels.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam pulled up sharply in a loop that ended with him just behind Susan.

"That was great!" he called out. "You're pickin' this up real fast. Now go through the goal post, turn around and come back through the other one and I'll follow you."

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"Thanks!" Susan zipped through the goalpost turned, and headed back. She glanced over her shoulder and out of the corner of her eye, saw Teatime talking to Johnny.

Her hands went clammy again. Gods damn it, she thought, and damn Johnny. He did this on purpose, didn't he?

Well, there was nothing to be done about that, not at this point, and anyway flying needed her full attention. She swallowed her anxiety and pushed on across the pitch.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Noticing where she was looking, Adam spoke to distract her.

"Good. The only other thing you've gotta realize when you're flyin' is that you're not just workin' in a flat plane here. There's up and down, too. If you wanna be real good, you gotta think in three dimensions. So, if you'd like, we could try climbin' and dives."

He thought it would be interesting to see which she preferred as Nny tended to like to climb while Mr. Teatime seemed to like dives better.

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"All right," she answered, glad to have something else to think about. "Lead on."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam nodded and pulled his broom up sharply, climbing to the sky. Once he'd got about a hundred feet up, he tipped into a dive. Then he pulled up short about a dozen feet off the ground and looked at Susan.

"Now you try. Don't worry, I'll be right here keepin' an eye on you."

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

Up was easy: straight and smooth and exhilarating. Down, on the other hand ... Susan realised how high up she'd gone, and her stomach lurched. Far below she could see Adam, smiling reassuringly -- at least it looked like he was smiling -- and she took a deep breath, pointed the broom down, and dropped. She had to remember not to close her eyes. The ground came rushing up far too fast, and when she pulled up, she could swear she felt the hem of her dress brush the ground.

"Well, that was ... something," she said, when she'd gotten her breath back.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam was beaming. It's quite possible that he was glowing ever so slightly.

"That was wonderful, Susan! Just keep in mind that you're the one in control and with a little more practice, you'll be a flyin' ace!"

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," she said, a little abashed. "You're a good coach, Adam."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"You think so?" blushed Adam. "Thanks! I just like sharin' fun stuff with people."

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"That's part of what makes a coach or teacher good." Susan smiled at Adam with a warmth that would have been surprising to most people who knew her. "Trust me, I've been a schoolteacher. It makes all the difference when it's something you love to do."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"Did you love teachin', then?" he asked interestedly. Adam always liked to hear people's stories.

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"Well ... yes, actually. I really do." It was a little surprising to actually say it out loud, but she realised of course it was true, had always been true. "Not everyone agrees with my methods, mind you, but the children turn out well, and so ... I started as a governess because it was something a ... a lady could do and be respectable and useful, but then I discovered I was quite good at it." She shrugged. "I like to treat children with respect, I suppose. They aren't, often, but they respond to it when they are."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"I'll bet they do," said Adam. "Lots of kids get spoiled these days, it seems. But with respect and discipline and a good teacher like you who knows when to use which, I bet they turn out great."

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"Well, some parents did object to my making them read General Tacticus's Campaigns. I think they were disturbed that their ten-year-olds could use the world 'disembowelled' correctly in a sentence. But they do so much better when they're challenged, I find. I'm rather proud of many of them, to tell you the truth." She looked a little embarrased, but pleased.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam laughed. "I'm sure they do appreciate a challenge. And kids love anythin' that's bloody and violent. I should know, I had a gang. Sort of. We were always playin' games like cowboys and indians or torturin' witches and stuff, but it was mostly just dunking Pep's little sister in the lake. She had a good time. Are you considerin' teachin' here, too?"

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

Susan glanced at Teatime again, remembering that Hogswatch. Funny how he didn't realise that she thought, but then, it's not like he had a normal childhood, is it? Whereas Adam here -- "I know what you mean. To some adults it all seems rather horrifying, but for the most part, children don't really mean much harm by it. I've learned to tell parents that it's part of exploring boundaries and defining behaviour and identity and that they should only worry if little Gawain starts taking apart small animals, and they usually nod and shut up.

"Teaching here? It hadn't occurred to me, but perhaps. If there was an opening, which I don't think there is at the moment."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"Seems weird how people forget when they get older."

Adam nodded.

"I think you'd be brilliant at it. And you don't hafta have an official job to do it. Professor McGonagall isn't really a professor any more, but she's givin' animagus lessons. You could just teach whatever you like best. Or become a teachin' assistant while you learn about magic and stuff."

He shrugged. "It's just an idea."

[sensiblesusan.livejournal.com]

"It's an interesting idea," she said. "I'll have to think about it." She smiled at Adam. "Thank you." For a lot of things. For teaching her about flying. For distracting her from Teatime. For simply being kind.

She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something very odd about him indeed, but she was pretty sure that whatever it was, it couldn't be bad.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," said Adam dismissively, like he didn't need or expect any thanks.

"Well, I don't want to monopolize all your flyin' time. You're ready now to keep up with anyone else, if you like."