As they made their way up to the Main Hall, Albus was amazed at the turn-around in Scorpius' fortunes. Those who had turned away from him in complete disdain the day before, were actually bordering on toleranting him now. Albus was greeted with the usual warmth, then the other students would glance off to the side, so as not to be obvious, and add, "Malfoy" under their breath.

"Just think," Albus said gleefully nudging Scorpius in the ribs. "By this time in a couple of months, they might actually glance at you!"

Scorpius rolled his eyes, adding, "And a couple months after that, they might actually say my first name too. Before they run off in shame, of course."

Albus grinned. "That's the spirit. Be positive!"

Scorpius favoured him with a wry smile.

At breakfast, Rose was her normal, cheerful morning self, rating somewhere between a rampaging Hippogriff, and a Troll with a toothache. She had empty seats in a wide berth around her, indicating that she had caused some carnage already. They all got some pointed looks from some Slytherins as they settled in, but Teddy's protection had apparently been taken seriously. They all immediately found other things to do.

Another Howler arrived for Scorpius with the owls. This time, however, Rose was able to cast a Muffliato in time. The only one who heard what was being bellowed was Scorpius. Even with the spell, Albus heard a word or two leak through. Never play Quidditch, and Not while I'm alive, seemed to sum up the message Lucius Malfoy was bombarding his grandson with.

Albus and Rose tried to eat their breakfast like nothing was happening, until the explosion of red paper. Scorpius was a little less shell-shocked from this Howler than he was the one the day before. His hand trembled as he took a swallow of his juice.

Sorry," he explained sheepishly. Until yesterday, I'd never gotten one of those in person. Still not used to it."

"Not to be nosey," Rose began.

"That's never stopped you before," Scorpius quipped.

She stuck out her tongue at him, before continuing, "What was this morning's Howler about?"

Scorpius calmly swept the ash off of the table, "It seems that paper work for all students involved in Quidditch, are registered with the Ministry. Grandfather still has friends there. He is not amused."

Albus tried not to pry, but he had to know. "What do you mean, not amused?"

Scorpius calmly stared off into space his face flushed in anger. "Grandfather let it be known to me, that will have no access to my racing broom at home, and that no one in anyway related to the Potters are going to help me acquire one." He turned to Albus, his eyes were cold, "If anyone directly connected with the Potters helps me, Grandfather will bring interference charges before the Intramural Quidditch Counsel, and have me suspended."

Albus considered that for a moment, stomach clenched with nerves. The plan was brilliantly diabolical. Lucius couldn't stop his grandson from playing Quidditch for Hufflepuff by withholding permission, so now he was handicapping his grandson from being able to compete adequately.

Albus was beginning to see why Slytherins made such formidable enemies.

Rose was blustering, muttering vile threats under her breath, "Somebody should go and find that old man and..."

Albus interrupted her before she could finish the thought, "So you can't be helped by anyone having to do with the Potters. What about Professor Pharrel? Dad got his first broom from his Head of House."

A grin dawned on Scorpius' face, "They allowed him to use it?"

Albus nodded.

They went off to find Professor Pharrel's office before class. They were told by Roxanne that it was located in the back of the DADA room. They followed her up instructions and ran up the main stair two flights and ran down the right side corridor and arrived out of breath to the spacious classroom.

The professor answered the door, and graciously waved them inside. It turned out to be opulent, trimmed in oak, and lined with shelves of dark art detection devices and duelling trophies. Albus quickly explained the situation too him as the professor fidgeted with a foe glass, arranging and rearranging on the shelf.

"So what is it you want me to do, exactly? Be specific dear boy, I'm not extremely bright you know," he inquired with a self deprecating chuckle.

"My dad's Head of House got him a broom to use. I was hoping you might do the same," Albus replied.

Pharrel thought about it as he checked his reflection in the newly straighted apparatus. He turned and nodded at the trio. "I don't see why not. However, you three need to get to your first class."

Scorpius' face was flushed with excitement. "Thank you, sir!" he gushed as he held out his hand. Professor Pharrel looked at his hand with a strange little smile, "I'm sorry, son, I don't shake hands. I'm happy to help out. So get going you have a class to attend. I'll let you know when I've got it ready."

Even though they flew down the hallway, they arrived at Charms a little later than the other students.

As they reached the spacious airy room, all the happiness they had felt earlier abated. They were greeted with the sight of angry, disgruntled first-year Gryffindors, already seated, collected in the back tables in a united block. It seemed as though Albus' heroics the day before did not earn him fans in that tower. A group of Hufflepuffs saving them was an extreme embarrassment to a House known for bravery and boldness. Upperclassmen most likely did not let that pass.

"Hail, the conquering hero comes," spat the taller of the blond duo from the day before with venom dripping.

"Hail, the cowering jerk doth sit," Rose spit back. Albus rolled his eyes.

Any impending violence was cut short by the arrival of Professor Patil. Her calm gaze took in the obvious separation in the two houses, "Class, eyes to the front, we have a lot to cover today, if you want to keep up, pay attention, I never repeat myself."

She launched into the lesson quickly with no preamble. She obviously wasn't one to make speeches and ease anyone in.

Soon, only the sound of her voice and scribbling on parchment was heard as she taught about the use of Charms, particularly how wand movement and intent played a part. Rose and Scorpius seemed able to keep up, whole the rest of the class looked shell-shocked like Albus, who caught himself drooling twice. Rose was copying word for word, while Scorpius was using a relaxed occasional notation style. Albus' brain just felt like it was frying.

Finally, Professor Patil assigned practical work on the charm, Wingardium Leviosa, levitating feathers.

Scorpius managed to get his feather up off of the desktop rather quickly, ahead of a red-faced Rose. While she was a bookworm and a fount of theory, she was having trouble with the application.

Albus saw a sly smile as Scorpius watched her struggle. Scorpius finally leaned over and murmured, "Your wrist is too stiff."

Rose glared at him, but the moment she loosened up her wrist, her feather left the table surface.

"Don't you dare say ‘I told you so'!" she hissed. Scorpius looked affronted that she would think he would stoop to such depths, but as soon as she looked away, he mouthed it. Albus had to snigger.

Rose turned on him. "Well, funny boy, are you going to levitate that feather or just fan it with your wand," she demanded.

Albus grimly raised his wand, noticing the silence in the room around him, except for a few chairs backing away. He had been watching Rose and Scorpius, and he thought he had the motion and the pronunciation down. He ignored the tingling in his wand arm and closed his eyes waving the wand in the correct manner.

"Wingardium Leviosa," he declared. He heard some gasps and sounds of students leaving their seats behind him. He opened one eye.

The entire hard wood table, with everything on it, was levitating off the floor and floating passed his nose. He lost concentration in his shock, and it started to fall until Professor Patil caught it with her own Charm and lowered it gently to the floor.

"Class dismissed. Please work on that Charm for our next time together, but keep to small, light objects please," Professor Patil remarked stoically.

There was a scramble for the door as Albus stowed his wand, red-faced.

"Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, professor?"

"Make sure you always keep your eyes open at all times when you're casting a spell," she instructed. "Especially with your wand."

Her eyes were kind as she gave them the go-ahead to leave.