Closed Scared Flying

[Eoin Armati]

Eoin had been thinking incredibly carefully thinking about what he wanted to say the whole trip up from the Quidditch pitch after his last flying lesson. It had been a quick decision to make that nothing was going to make him get on that awful broomstick again. But then the problem came with his grade for the subject, he had never failed a class in his life and he didn't really want to start now. There had to be some work of workaround, something which didn't require him literally risking his neck on some rickety looking stick feet up in the air. "Thanks for seeing me, Professor," he first started once they were through the door of her office, offering a smile despite how nervous about things he was. "I... uh... don't really know how to put this..." he swallowed, trying to compose himself again as he anxiously pushed his glasses up his nose with a finger, "But I don't think I can continue with flying this year. I'm not really all that great with heights, just standing on a bridge makes me want to throw up. And just hovering made me freak out." He felt really pathetic admitting it, but he couldn't help how he was feeling. "But I really don't want to fail your class. I've never failed a class in my life. There has to be something I can do not to fail which doesn't actually involve me flying."

 

[Professor Grace Holland]

Grace usually had a few students in flying class who struggled a bit, and this year was no exception. She had asked Eoin to see her in her office, where she would have more time to focus on what the specific problem was, as well as speak away from any nosy classmates, which might make it easier for the boy to talk. He spoke upa s soon as they entered her office, and Grace took a seat while she listened carefully. She let him finish speaking and considered his words for a moment. "I'm glad you came to me for help, Mr. Armati." she told him gently. "But I'm afraid that flying is a mandatory class. It is a skill wizards and witches should have at least a basic understanding of." She told him. "It doesn't have to be your best subject, but it is something you can't just drop out of." She admitted. "And perhaps I can help you. I know that with a fear of heights you'll likely never be a Quidditch player, but that isn't important. What matters is that you are cabable of using the broom for transport if necessary." She told him. "I could give you extra lessons. I've found that without scrutiny of classmates, it is often already a lot easier." She said with a slight smile. "And I could use cushioning charms which would make falling off a lot less scary."

 

[Eoin Armati]

That was not the news he wanted to hear. That was not the news he wanted to hear in the slightest. What did she mean that flying was mandatory and not something he could just drop out of? Didn't these ridiculous wizards with their ridiculous flying broomsticks not care about people like him? "No... no," he repeated the word, shaking his head just a little. "I can't... no... I won't get back on one of those ridiculous broomsticks. It's a death trap waiting to happen and I am not going to trust some weird spell to save my neck, either." He didn't exactly trust magic when it wasn't going to be used to save his limbs from breaking. "There is nothing on earth that can convince me to get back on a broom. Nothing." Not even a failing grade, which would be a first for him, but Eoin valued his own life and not breaking his neck far more than he did failing a class. And he could imagine his parents would understand if he explained. Knowing how his mother could get, she might even write Hogwarts an angry letter about these ridiculous flying classes he was supposed to take. "So there is absolutely no other option?" He asked a little quieter, more hopeful this time that maybe there was and she just didn't want to tell him in the hopes he would give it another go, "I either have to risk my life and just get over my height problem or fail? Well, that's just stupid." And completely unfair. That was like making someone who was scared of water go swimming in the lake.

 

[Professor Grace Holland]

Grace always tried to be patient and kind with the kids that were scared of flying. She understood it, she really did. Her cousin Rose had been the same way and was still scared of heights. But Grace also couldn't help the fact that flying was a class at Hogwarts, and that in order to pass it you had to, well, actually fly. The boy started to argue, and Grace frowned a bit at the way he spoke to her. "Broomsticks are not a death trap. I just explained to you I could give you extra practice in a more secure and safe environment. I could also stay near you during classes in case something happens if that makes you feel at ease." She told him, but then she frowned a bit. "But you do have to watch your tone with me. I understand you're scared and upset, but I'm trying everything within my power to help you. And I'm your teacher." She told him, her voice a little stern. He said it was stupid that he had to risk his life or get over his height problem or fail, and Grace felt her sympathy for the boy slip away a bit. "Personally, I don't think it's very stupid that you have to at least attempt to fly in order to get a passing grade for flying." She told him dryly. "There's no theoretical option with worksheets, I'm afraid. But I can give you the help I offered." She told him plainly. "And if that is not to your satisfaction, I suggest going to Professor Alicastell. She has more power over the curriculum than I do."

 

[Eoin Armati]

The more and more the Professor told him that there was no way out of this, the more and more that Eoi was convinced this school really didn't care about him. "Broomsticks are a death trap," he confirmed with a small, confident nod of his head, "someone could fall off and break their neck or something. Bet someone has died or seriously hurt themselves from falling off a broomstick before," it really wouldn't surprise him to find out there was someone out there who had been seriously injured from a fall like that. And he was simply not willing to risk his own neck just to pass some stupid class which didn't even matter. But he already knew that even having the Professor nearby was not going to make him feel any better about having nothing but some hovering stick between him and the ground. "I did make an attempt, I hovered, which is basically the same thing," sure hovering didn't involve any moving and he hadn't gone very high and he had only hovered for about a second before landing again, but it was good enough in his book. "But this really isn't very fair forcing people to take this class. I feel a bit sick standing near the window in my common room, and that's with a stable floor and brick wall protecting me from falling. Some people have a much worse problem with heights than me and you're not even giving them an option to sit out or come up with some other way to pass your class. And I'm not trying to be disrespectful or anything, but it's like you don't even care."

 

[Professor Grace Holland]

Grace was slowly losing patience with this boy, who was clearly very stubborn. She had tried to let him know that she had no power to change the fact that he'd need to fly to pass flying class, but he was arguing with her as if she did. "No one has been seriously injured or died during any of my lessons, if that helps ease your mind." She told him, still trying to be friendly. "And the fact that you hovered is a great step in the right direction. In order to pass, you won't have to race around the pitch or fly up high, you just have to show me you're capable of moving from point A to point B on a broom." She told him. "And if you do not want to do this, I suggest accepting you failed one of your classes, one that won't count towards anything because it is only taken in the first year." She added, crossing her arms in front of her. "As I said, you're welcome to talk to the Headmistress if you feel like you need an alternative. I'm not the person who can approve that for you. Please talk to her if you feel the need." She told him. "I do care, I have given you several options and suggestions, but you ignore all of them because it's not what you have in mind." She told him. "But I cannot give you an O in flying class if you haven't shown me you're capable of flying. That would be unfair." She said. Her voice remained calm, but her expression grew more serious. "I have given you all the options I have to offer you." She told him.