Let's rewind to the beginning of the flying lesson—
As long as he wasn't facing a weirdo like Quirrell, Tom maintained a basic level of respect for the professors. So, before Madam Hooch arrived, he obediently went to his spot.
However, the moment he heard the instruction to command the broom to "jump into your hand," Tom knew this was going to be tricky.
Leaving aside the fact that he had paws, not hands (can paws and hands really be compared?), the main issue was that brooms were just like spells: they only recognized human speech, not Cat! And since brooms are inanimate objects, writing the command down wouldn't work either.
So, no matter how hard he tried, the broom just lazily rolled over on the ground, giving off a "Who are you? I don't understand" vibe of total indifference.
Seeing the broom giving up on life, Tom waited for a moment when Madam Hooch wasn't looking, wrapped his tail around the handle, and forcibly yanked it into his paw. He'd never seen a rule saying you had to make the broom fly to you before you could ride it, anyway.
Hannah, watching from beside him, was stunned. She hesitated for a moment, then her eyes lit up. She waited for Madam Hooch to look away and kicked her broom up into her hand.
You are who you hang out with, after all. Hang out with Tom, become like Tom.
Once all the young wizards were ready, following Madam Hooch's command, they mounted their brooms and kicked off the ground to take flight—or at least, that's what a normal wizard would do.
But for Tom, the moment he kicked his legs, a memory surfaced—one that belonged to him, yet didn't. It was a memory from his time as a "Witch's Cat" in Tom and Jerry.
Even if Tom himself hadn't physically lived that life (or maybe it was just a fever dream), to God-Tom, it didn't matter. Experience is experience. Once you know a skill, it's yours forever.
And what was the use of this memory? Well, remember what the Witch's Cat could do in the cartoon? Exactly. Any broom he kicked would take off like a rocket!
So, before Madam Hooch could even give the signal, the Shooting Star broom beneath Tom went whoosh and shot straight into the clouds, moving far beyond its maximum speed limit!
A brand-new Shooting Star tops out at 50 mph, but Tom's kick had more than doubled that speed.
And that was just him being unfamiliar with it on his first try. If he really let loose... heaven knows what astronomical speed this poor, battered school broom would hit.
The craziest part came next. While other students were gripping their broom handles for dear life, terrified of falling, Tom was different.
As the flight went on, he started doing acrobatics: standing on one leg on the high-speed broom, spinning, jumping... eventually, he closed his eyes and started tap-dancing on the handle, his tail swishing to the beat.
And that rickety broom, which looked like it might fall apart at any moment, somehow withstood Tom's torture.
Madam Hooch stared at the blue figure defying the laws of physics in the sky, momentarily at a loss for words.
She had taught flying for years. She had seen talented Quidditch prospects, and she had seen terrified first-years shaking as they hugged their brooms. But a cat dancing on a broom? That was challenging her grasp on reality.
Tom didn't think that much of it. Feeling the wind rush past him and the warm sunshine on his fur, he stretched and decided to just lie down on the broom.
Gentle breeze, warm sun... if not now for a nap, then when?
This mood lasted until he dove down and swept past the ground. Only then did Tom notice that everyone on the ground, including Madam Hooch, was staring at him with their mouths hanging open.
"Uh oh, looks like I got carried away..."
He obediently lowered his altitude and hopped off lightly. As he landed, the broom obediently hopped along beside him, making the surrounding students green with envy!
Madam Hooch took a deep breath. "Mr. Lovegood, please stay after class. We need to have a private talk."
---
And so, here we are. Tom sat in front of Madam Hooch, listening to the noise outside the window, his tail boredly tapping against the chair.
Looking at the shocked, confused, and curious Madam Hooch opposite him, he sighed.
I knew I shouldn't have kicked it that hard.
"Mr. Lovegood," Madam Hooch looked at Tom, her eyes full of excitement. "Can you tell me how you did that?"
[How I did what?]
Tom, who thought he was about to get a lecture, was stunned. Did what? What did he do?
"How did you make that Shooting Star fly so fast!" Madam Hooch leaned forward. "Even a brand-new Shooting Star can't fly that fast, let alone that old relic! I was worried it was going to disintegrate while you were flying!"
[Oh, that. I don't know either. I just reckoned it could fly, so it flew.]
Tom looked innocent. How fast he flew had nothing to do with the broom! You could give him Filch's sweeping broom and he'd fly just as fast; it would just take a bit more effort.
If other wizards riding brooms is like driving a car, then what Tom just did was like carrying the car while running! It was a technique no one else could learn!
Madam Hooch stared into Tom's eyes, but no matter how hard she looked, she only saw "sincerity." Finally, she sighed. "Alright. Whether you're naturally gifted or have a special ability, there is one thing you must note: Next time, absolutely no standing on the broom, and no lying down!"
[Okay!]
Tom promised solemnly, while secretly thinking: Big deal, I'll just dance then~
Since this wasn't the Tom and Jerry world, where showing off guaranteed immediate bad karma, Tom was feeling pretty cocky.
"And no dancing either!"
Seeming to see right through Tom's thoughts, Madam Hooch glared at him. "What if you fall? It's too dangerous! And what if the other students try to imitate you?!"
She had heard about the incident in Charms class. If some idiot tried to copy Tom and stand up on their broom, it would be a disaster.
"Of course, if you behave, I will petition the Headmaster to allow you to fly your broom during free time. Also," she paused, "if you're interested, I can recommend you to Professor Sprout to join the first-year Quidditch team, just like Potter."
[Riding the broom is fine, but I'll pass on Quidditch~]
Tom flicked his tail. Unless Jerry was on the opposing team, that kind of competitive game was just too easy for him.