That intention works! ...For a little bit. And then one of the Slytherins apparently gets in an argument and then a chase with one of the Ravenclaws (despite the coach yelling at them to stop), which leads to him falling off his broom and breaking something. Madam Hooch sighs, tells them all to land and not take off until she's back, and goes to escort him to the Hospital Wing, leaving behind a knot of uneasy first years.

Sigh. Idiots. This is why they can't have nice things.

There seems to be general agreement about that. Anathema starts gossiping with Lisa and Mandy a bit, laughing some.

A bit after Madam Hooch leaves, though - one of the Slytherin boys, a lanky kid and the tallest in their year, comes over to Anathema's knot of friends - apparently objecting to them 'laughing at Crabbe' - and when Anathema tells him to shove off, he shoves her, then grabs a fidget toy she has hanging off her bag, breaking the string and darting away.

"Hey! Give that back!"

Anathema howls, lunging for him, but he darts out of her way, hopping onto his broom and rising quickly into the air. Anathema's hand goes to her wand, her expression furious, and she glances over at where she'd left her broom lying.

He hovers out of their reach. "Yeah?" he demands, "You gonna make me?"

Ellie sticks out her hand and her broomstick flies eagerly into it. She swings a leg over as she hops up and into the air, heading for the thief.

He flies away from her, scowling - rising more and more into the air.

Ellie pursues.

He gets up pretty high - then glances down, looks unsure - tosses Anathema's toy up in the air and hits it with a spell, sending it rocketing toward the castle before diving for the ground.

Ellie crouches low over her broom and zooms after the spinner. Or- after is the wrong word, really, because she's not aiming for where it was or where it is, but where it's going to be by the time she catches up.

She catches it just before it would have hit a window.

She does a fancy spin to kill the last of her momentum before she crashes through the window herself, then sets off back toward Anathema.

The Slytherin she'd been chasing's on the ground, a bit away from Anathema - and it looks like Professor Flitwick saw what happened and is heading out the nearest door toward the group.

Ah. That... may be a problem.

She lands and give Anathema the spinner back.

Anathema takes it, biting her lip, and murmuring, "Thanks."

Professor Flitwick hurries over. "Ah! Miss Potter!" he calls. "Where is Madam Hooch - ?"

"She left with Crabbe, Professor, after he broke something. She told us not to fly without her," one of the Slytherins says.

"Except that jerk stole something from me," Anathema says, in a rush, pointing. "Ellie was just getting it back, Professor, she shouldn't get in trouble - "

"Ah, quite the excitement," Professor Flitwick says, faltering a little. "Well, Miss Potter?"

"I was just trying to get Anathema's spinner back, Professor."

"Mister Nott, are they telling the truth that you stole from Miss Canta?" he asks, then.

The Slytherin shakes his head, but most of the Ravenclaws - and several of the Slytherins - say some variant on "Yes," and Lisa helpfully adds, "He shoved Canta, too, Professor."

Professor Flitwick sighs. "That was inappropriate, young man - and rather risky, for the both of you. Miss Potter, you should have gotten a professor or assistant, rather than breaking the rules. Ten points from Slytherin for stealing, shoving a classmate, and disobeying Madam Hooch, and three points from Ravenclaw for disobeying Madam Hooch, and I expect you both to behave better in the future."

Nott grumbles, but reluctantly nods when Professor Flitwick gives him a hard stare.

Nod. "Yes, Professor."

He nods. "Now, I don't have a class right now, so I'll stay with you all until Madam Hooch gets back - which I do believe should be shortly - just so nothing else happens."

Not the worst possible outcome.

Madam Hooch does indeed return within a few minutes. Professor Flitwick explains what happened to her, making her lips go thin, but assures her he's already taken points away - "Though of course it would be entirely appropriate to remind them of safety procedures."

She sighs and thanks him, which he waves off.

Then, Professor Flitwick turns to Ellie. "Now, Miss Potter - do you mind coming to my office after your class today? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Uh-oh.

"All right."

He nods cheerfully, before turning to leave.

The class resumes, a bit more subdued after Madam Hooch's lecture.

Yyyyep.

After class: "Want me to head up with you?"