Having watched many Xianxia dramas before, Chu Yang had a deep impression of "sword-riding flight," so when he saw the broom at his feet, he instinctively stepped on it.
And then he actually took off!
Chu Yang enjoyed the feeling of the wind whistling past his ears, and as he ascended, the adrenaline in his body surged.
The thrill of flying was much more intense than driving at three hundred miles per hour!
"This feeling is quite exhilarating, it's just a bit awkward to be standing on a broom. When I have time later, I need to ask if I can customize it into other shapes," Chu Yang thought, feeling there was a slight imperfection.
As Chu Yang prepared to return, he saw two figures below rapidly approaching him.
An out-of-control Neville!
And a frantic Madam Hooch!
She rushed towards Neville, praying in her heart.
In previous years, there had been accidents with first-years, but never anything so outrageous, which even made the experienced Madam Hooch a bit flustered.
Seeing Neville in danger, Chu Yang immediately rushed over. One went up, and the other went down. In the instant they brushed past each other, Chu Yang quickly jumped to the opposite side.
Neville first felt the broom suddenly drop, and then a strong impact came from the broom beneath him, forcing open his tightly gripped hands.
That was because when Chu Yang's magic connected with the Flying Broom, he was essentially forcefully taking control of the broom from Neville!
Chu Yang's magic, in terms of both quality and quantity, was incomparable to Neville's, so when the two conflicted, Neville's hands were instantly flung open by the backflowing magic.
"Steady!"
Neville, flailing his hands wildly in the air, vaguely heard Chu Yang's voice and felt a hand firmly press on his shoulder.
Neville, squatting on the broom, turned around without thinking and hugged Chu Yang's thigh, taking a deep breath and straightening his body. As he gradually calmed down, the broom also became stable.
Only then did Chu Yang control the broom to descend towards the training grounds.
This maneuver left Madam Hooch, who was behind him, stunned!
Professor McGonagall, sitting in her office, was also stunned!
As a Quidditch enthusiast, Professor McGonagall swore she had never seen such a way of riding a Flying Broom!
Even more incredible was that she witnessed the entire process of Chu Yang forcefully taking control of the Flying Broom from Neville!
Is this something a human can do?
If she hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, Professor McGonagall would never have believed such a thing could happen!
Chu Yang, holding a still-shaken Neville, landed on the training grounds. The next second, an astonishing cheer erupted from the entire training grounds.
Even Madam Hooch couldn't help but applaud after landing, saying, "Mr. Chu Yang, what an imaginative way of flying. You saved your classmate. May I know how you did it?"
"By feeling, I'm not too sure…" Chu Yang scratched his head awkwardly. How could he explain this?
This wasn't a technical issue; it was a physical one, echoing the saying that people's physiques differ.
"Indeed, it's difficult to summarize any experience from a first flight. Most wizards rely on feeling."
Chu Yang's explanation seemed perfectly reasonable to Madam Hooch. She smiled and said, "However, the appearance of a brand new flying posture might just influence the sport of Quidditch."
At the mention of Quidditch, the atmosphere on the training grounds instantly became heated.
It was like football fans hearing about the World Cup, equally excited.
Madam Hooch looked down at Neville and asked, "Mr. Longbottom, are you alright? Can you continue with the lesson?"
Neville, still a bit weak in the knees, nodded.
"Then please, everyone, continue practicing what I just taught you. Wait for me for a moment; I'll be right back." With that, Madam Hooch turned and walked towards the school building.
After Madam Hooch left, the first-years no longer bothered with practice. They quickly gathered around Chu Yang, chattering and clamoring to learn how to fly standing up.
Chu Yang explained helplessly, "I already told you it's about feeling; I can't teach you!"
"Chu Yang has explained it so clearly; don't make it difficult for him anymore!" Hermione, with her golden fluffy hair, stood in front of Chu Yang like a ruffled kitten, her tone stern, blocking the other students one by one.
Ron and Harry also stepped forward, urging everyone to return to their positions to avoid being seen by Madam Hooch later and losing points.
Everyone returned to their original spots with disappointed looks, beginning to practice as Madam Hooch had instructed.
Hermione stealthily leaned close to Chu Yang and whispered:
"I helped you get rid of them; you remember to teach me."
Chapter 41: The Golden Snitch
Oh, I see, so that was her plan. No wonder she stood up for me.
Then Ron also gave Chu Yang a knowing look, and Harry just smiled shyly.
After everyone had left, Neville scurried over to Chu Yang, his chubby face still streaked with tears, "Chu Yang, you helped me again. I don't even know how to thank you anymore."
Just as Chu Yang was about to say some polite words, Neville said sheepishly, "If you could teach me how to fly, I'd be even more grateful."
Chu Yang: "…"
Madam Hooch, returning to the school building to retrieve something, happened to run into Professor McGonagall.
"Professor McGonagall, where are you off to?"
"I was just about to look for you, Madam Hooch."
Madam Hooch asked with surprise, "Is there something you need me for?"
Professor McGonagall asked impatiently, "Just now, I noticed the flying lesson on the training grounds. What was that strange flying posture of Chu Yang's all about? Is it your latest invention?"
Madam Hooch quickly waved her hand, denying, "That was an accident, something Chu Yang caused unintentionally."
Professor McGonagall shook her head and said, "I saw him flying quite well in the sky. He controlled the Flying Broom very skillfully. It doesn't seem like a mere accident."
Madam Hooch hesitated for a moment, then chuckled, "Perhaps it's because he's naturally gifted. Some people are just like that; the Flying Broom in their hands is like a part of their body. They can use it very naturally without needing to deliberately learn."
Professor McGonagall agreed with this explanation.
But she felt that Chu Yang was even more special than those examples, as Chu Yang had already displayed many unusual traits before.
After a while, Madam Hooch returned carrying a box, with Professor McGonagall following her. However, Professor McGonagall said nothing but stood aside, quietly observing Madam Hooch's teaching.
Madam Hooch enjoyed the initial atmosphere of the flying lesson; everyone was full of curiosity and desire, but as the lesson continued, many would give up and slack off.
Learning to fly has a threshold.
And to fly well requires even greater talent and a significant investment of time.
Wizards today don't waste too much energy on Flying Brooms, after all, it's neither as low-threshold to use as Floo Powder nor as quick and convenient as Apparition.
As a mode of transportation that has been phased out by the magical world, if not for the popularity of Quidditch matches, the Flying Broom would have long been swept into the dustbin of history by time.
Once everyone had gradually grasped some key points, Madam Hooch prepared to release the Golden Snitch, reminding the students that they could try to chase it back later.
On the field, except for those who hadn't seen a single match, like Chu Yang, Hermione, and Harry, the other students, including Ron and Neville, were exceptionally excited.
Who hasn't dreamed of being a Seeker in their childhood, influenced by their parents?
Although this wasn't a formal match, it was the closest young wizards had ever come to their dreams.
That's why everyone was so excited.
But then the scene became very strange…
A group of first-years stood on their respective Flying Brooms, their faces filled with eager anticipation, shouting, "Up! Up! Up!"
As a result, the Flying Brooms did go up, but they all threw their riders off, without exception, leaving them dazed and disoriented.
It was then that everyone realized how difficult it was to maintain balance while standing on a Flying Broom!
"You can actually fly standing on it; that's incredible!" Lavender Brown clutched her backside as she got up from the grass, looking at Chu Yang with a troubled expression, still muttering.
"Did you undergo some special training? Otherwise, you must have worked in a circus before!" Dean Thomas couldn't understand it at all, looking bewilderedly at the broom in his hand.
"Hey! I don't believe you can fly a second time. You'll fall off the broom just like us!" Pansy Parkinson, spoiled and willful, directly taunted Chu Yang.
The three notorious rule-breakers and Neville also fell heavily to the ground like everyone else. Ron even rolled all the way to Chu Yang's feet. In the instant their eyes met, an awkward silence filled the air.
Chu Yang coughed a few times, then stepped onto the broom. Everyone's gaze focused on him, while Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall stared at the Flying Broom beneath his feet, sensing the magical fluctuations emanating from it.
The broom slowly floated into the air, and Chu Yang stood steadily on it, showing no signs of falling.
"He did it!" Daphne exclaimed in surprise, then was quickly silenced by Pansy, who covered her mouth, the latter glaring at her angrily.
"Mr. Chu Yang, how exactly did you do that?" Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall walked forward, both shocked and very puzzled.
Chu Yang explained, "Perhaps it's because my sense of balance is naturally very good. I don't find it difficult to stand on the broom."
Madam Hooch looked at the Flying Broom Chu Yang was standing on with suspicion, then threw her own broom to her feet, intending to try it herself.
The next second, she stumbled and fell from the broom, decisively abandoning the idea. This was not a posture for an ordinary person to attempt.
Madam Hooch shook her head towards Professor McGonagall, who was equally curious, and a faint look of disappointment appeared on Professor McGonagall's face.
Madam Hooch reminded the students in a teasing tone, "It's better for everyone to choose the conventional posture. Flying while standing on a broom seems to have become Mr. Chu Yang's privilege."
After witnessing Chu Yang's unique flying posture, reverting to the conventional posture left the first-year students feeling somewhat discontent.
But there was no other way; only those who had tried it knew how difficult it was. You not only had to maintain balance but also had to constantly ensure your magic influenced the Flying Broom.
Magic is a part of the body; if the body cannot maintain a stable state, the magic will naturally be affected.
After switching to the conventional posture, Harry mounted his broom and immediately flew up, effortlessly circling in mid-air.
"Whoever catches this Golden Snitch, I will give it to them as a souvenir!" Madam Hooch took the opportunity to release the Golden Snitch and made a promise!
With a "whoosh," Harry shot out, moving so fast that he left a blur in the air.
At the same time, Chu Yang also shot out!
Following closely behind Harry, chasing the Golden Snitch!
Chu Yang didn't care too much about catching this little gadget; he just wanted to test how fast he could fly this way.
While other classmates were still struggling to stay afloat, the two had already begun a fierce chase for the Golden Snitch.
Both Harry and Chu Yang flew very skillfully over Hogwarts, not at all like beginners trying to fly for the first time.
Professor McGonagall, who had intended to leave, her eyes lit up, and she looked somewhat excited. As the Head of Gryffindor, her gaze was mostly on Harry.