Simple and precise.

Thats what it took to start flying and while he noticed a few first years in the class, Gideon thankfully didn't have that wide-eyed worry anymore. He put out his right hand over the broom resting on the ground and took a deep breath before speaking with a clear strong voice.

"UP!" he said, the broom responding in kind, lifting up off the ground until Gideon to take a grip of its handle ready to move on to the next step. The fourth year letting his gaze flow over the rest of the class absently.

Did he just say Loss of life??? Minerva's mouth flew open as she looked at the professor. Focus Minnie, Focus.. Now what did he say. She put her hand above the broom and whispered "Up"

Tori wasn't a first year but she DID want to see THE Maximus Orion Vindictus. And she also wanted to be in tip-top shape for the first match of the yearrrrrr, now that she was a Quidditch player and all.

"UP!" the ginger commanded, sticking her hand out over one of the infamous school brooms. The thing rolled over and there was a brief lag before it leaped up into her hand. YAY!

Oh goodness, she was going to fly! Faven had a hard time wrapping her mind around such a concept....crazy!!! Oh goodness, she looked down at the broom she stood next too. This was going to rise into her open palm...really??? What if it didn't? Was it possible for a witch or wizard to be unable to fly? Faven didn't want to be the first....that was for sure. She firmly planted her feet and outstetched her right hand over the broom with her palm open. With all the courage she could muster, which really was a patheticly small amount, she called, "Up!" Instinctely, Faven's eyes closed and she cringed, waiting for the impact of the broom against her hand. Waited...waited...waiting....no thump! Cautiously Faven opened her eyes. The darn broom was still on the ground!!!!! What?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

"Professor, the broom....my hand....not together!!! I said up and nothing happened! Is it possible for a witch to be unable to fly? I'm such a total failure, a waste of space, hardly worthy of air to breathe!" Faven melodramatically wailed. What was she going to do if she couldn't fly???? Was she really not a true witch??? Would she get kicked out of Hogwarts??? Oh no!!!! Faven's head dropped and tears fell from her eyes to the grass below her feet. She was in the lowest of all lows.

Kaiya was happy to be back flying, though she missed the just-for-fun quidditch games her and her brothers had.
Kaiya placed her right hand over her broom like her brothers tought her to do and said clearly, but loudly, "Up!"
The broom came up straight into her hands, just like her broom at home, even if hers was a tad bit nicer than the schools.
Kaiya grasped her broom firmly in her hand and waited for the next instructions.

Angelina looked down at her broom. She took a deep breath and said loudly, "Up!" The broom came and flew into her hand and she grabbed it fermly to make sure it did not fall. Angelina was happy so far at how much process she was getting.

Kurumi blinked in confusion. She was sure that the man would have told her there was no eating on the pitch. Crumbs getting into the grass and what not. Wouldn't that cause an ant infestation? "Oh, um...I do have some in my bag...but I thought it wouldn't be a good idea to bring them onto the pitch," she mumbled. They were going to be a study snack and pick me up after what she was sure would be an intense flying lesson - even if it was flying basics. "Might...do bad things to the pitch."

She could give him some after class if he really wanted...or now...

"Gideon," Kurumi smiled back. Always nice to see one of her fellow Quidditch players. Really, everyone from the team should be here, right? One could never get enough basic training in.

Merlin, Selina was rubbing off on her too much.

Kurumi shuffled over to the nearest broom and stood beside it. She had to admit that she was missing the broom that Simon gave her. She felt more confident on that one than any old school broom...

They weren't cursed this term, were they?

o________________________O
Nice pep talk Professor....the hair on the back of Kurumi's neck stood on end as the man once again seemed to be a bit too chipper about the whole 'without loss of life or limb' aspect. As long as he didn't have giant spiders floating around in the air or man eating plants wandering the pitch, she was happy.

Probably.

Kurumi's right have hovered over the school broom she stood beside and she looked directly at it. Her broom had a rather nice disposition. Didn't need to be shouted at or anything. School brooms always seemed to be in rebellion against students for whatever reason.

"Up," she commanded. But nothing happened. Fantastic. She rolled her shoulders and wiggled her fingers. "I said...UP!" This time she had more force in her tone and the broom flew upwards and into her hand.

"Try it again," replied Vindictus who was now pacing up and down the 'aisle'.

Toni set her self comfortably next to the broom, and listened to the Professor the Professors instructions. Sure they didn't bite, but he said nothing about splinters and Toni didn't like splinters, not one bit. What was the point of this, to call a broom? Couldn't they just pick it up off the ground?

Loss of life an Limb? Did it happen before?... Probably because of splinters. Large splinters.

But Toni saw no place for her to argue about calling the broom, and it's splinters, so she simply did as instructed, as she always did.

"Up" he squeaked softly, and then flinched... but nothing hit her hand. She opened her eyes and looked down. It hadn't even turned over. Stupid Broom. Toni frowned slightly at the broom, then at the Professor. The Broom didn't like her. Everyone else was already getting it... why couldn't Toni?

Failure Toni, was failing! And The Professor would mark her down for it... 'Quickly, get it before he take points for not getting it.'

"Up." she said weakly, and yet again, nothing. "Up" this time beginning to whine. "Up. Up. Up!" Saying the last with more force than anything she had before. She leaned over at bit to see what was going wron--

"Owww." she whined and the broom missed her displaced hand and went straight for her face.

Sarah bounced all the way to the pitch. It wasn't like that wasn't normal for her, but on the inside she was bouncing A LOT more than usual. Why? Because flying was pretty much the only sport in the school and she would've gone insane if she hadn't got some exercise soon.

Now all she had to do was wait, very, very painstakingly.

Try it again....was that all the Professor could tell her??? Faven's head snapped up, she was going to try and try and try. She WOULD NOT be bested by a mere broom. She looked determinedly down at the broom and took a firm position with her hand thrust out over the broom. This time for sure it would work!

"Up" Faven said, with wishes and prayers behind her voice. Work, work, work!!! Faven peered down at the broom..was it moving...maybe possibly???? Yes! It was wiggling! That was all the encouragement she needed. With greater furvor, Faven called out "Up" and all of a sudden felt a sharp pain pounding in her head, focused on her forehead. Faven's eyes opened, the broom had hitten her in the face!

Wait....it hit her face! That means it rose up!!! Faven had done it!!! A little untraditional...what with the face beating and all...but still! Before it could fall to the ground, Faven grasped it in her hand and held it the way she saw the older students doing. Faven's face was engulfed by a bright, happy smile.

"Thanks Professor, see?? See??? I did it!!" Faven squealed enthusiastically. She was so ready for real learning to begin!

The broom didn't move the first time she whispered up. She watched the other students. Louder. Professor said show it who's boss right.. Ok Minerva she raised her voice "UP" the broom jumped a little and fell back down. Well at least it moved. "UP"the broom went to her hand. YES, YES, YES Minerva was super excited it finally worked.

Jesifur looked down at the broom, it looked harmless enough. She inhaled deeply, thought of the broom flying into her hand and firmly said "UP!" The broom jostled off the ground and settled back down. Frowning Jesifur tried again, "I. Said. UP!" on the last word the broom flew into her waiting hand.

Vindictus walked over to the Slytherin girl. "Well?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "We're waiting."

The rest of the class was following his directions. Did he have to repeat them?

They could lose a limb? What kind of class was this? A dangerous one, of course. Kennedy glanced around and stepped closer to the broom.

No one step into his bubble. 'K?

Kennedy extended his right arm out and allowed his hand to roam above the broom. Holding it steady above it he said, "Up!" He wrapped his fingers around the wood and grinned. He wouldn't be able to accomplish this without Fee's help during the summer.

So I wasn't a first year. And neither was I a good flyer.

Apparently, it was super important to be a good flyer in Britain. I wasn't an athlete! I was a...dramatic pause, please...I'm a thespian. I know, I know. No applause please, I'll be signing autographs later. Yeah right. Anyway, it was a little embarrassing being here in the first place. It looked like I was the oldest one.

Well, this part was easy.

"UP." And so it flew up. Slowly, nicely. Good. Wait...wait...was the broom supposed to get stuck to my hand? I shook my hand a little. Uh oh. Um. I wasn't gonna say anything.

That'd be embarrassing.

Vindictus turned and continued his pacing. "Now mount your broom and place both hands firmly on the handle but not so tight that you strangle the helpless broom," he instructed. "If your knuckles are white, then your grip is too tight."

Harvey took a deep breath.

"Up!" He commanded, the broom just bounced on the ground and rolled over.

"Up!!" He commanded again with a firmer voice, the broom came half-way between the ground and his hand before falling back down again.

"Up!!!" He commanded with a much firmer voice. This time the broom reached his hand.

He looked over at Minnie and saw that she had the broom in her hand and she looked pleased.

"See? you can do it!" He said to her in a voice that was a bit louder than a whisper.

Pam mounted her broom, and felt herself smile. She grabbed onto her broom, gently but hard enough so she wouldn't fall off.

All rightttttttt time to straddle!

Tori slung one leg over the broom handle and rested there, hands lightly gripping the polished wood handle. This shouldn't be too hard. She had aced tryouts after all, right?

Nate stepped his right leg cautiously over the broom, and grabbed firmly onto the handle. He checked his knuckles on each and every individual finger for whiteness before deciding that his grip was... humane.

Mount the broom, he is kidding right? "Ummm Professor you want us to get on this thing, already?" What happened to note taking and safety talks first. Minerva thought they would get on their brooms like maybe the third class.

Angelina listen to the professior and mount her broom and placed her hads firmly on the handle. She didn't grip to hard or to light, just right for her.

Isabelle said "Up," very firmly and the broom flew into her hand. Kicking one leg over she mounted the broom. Holding on very lightly she smiled before taking a hand off the broom to push her hair out of her face.

Wait...Isabelle quickly took both hands off and pulled her hair up into a high pony. Perfect. Now it hopefully wouldn't bother her much by flying into her face.

Vindictus stopped his pacing and spun around on his heel so that he was facing the young Ravenclaw. He frowned. "Tsk, tsk, tsk," he clicked with his tongue. "Focus on my directions and save the positive affirmations for when you're up in the air."