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Freeze Tag In A Literal Sense (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 01-17-10 10:06
Mason sits on his broom, inches from a spinning ring obstacle, unable to move. When Mr. Krum had said one element of this game was like freeze tag Mason hadn't realized he meant that nearly literally. At least there's no actual freezing as in cold, for which Mason supposes he should be grateful.
One of the questions asked before the two teams were divided was whether every single person on the opposite team could freeze the player with the flag or if there was an It as in the actual game of freeze tag. Mr. Krum and the other adults did a quick consult and decided that two players per team would be the Its. They were all given colored tunics to wear to indicate whether they were on the purple or the orange team - Mason is wearing an orange one - and the two Its tunics were marked with black borders. If this were a Muggle game, the marking of the Its tunics wouldn't have been so easily and speedily handled. Then again, if this were a Muggle game, Mason would not be hovering fifty feet off the ground, unable to move because of some charm that kicked in the second one of the purple Its tagged him.
The purple flag in his hand flutters enough that Mason wonders how it is that the entire thing isn't immobilized. It doesn't matter, not really, but with nothing else to do at the moment, not even able to turn his head to see if a teammate is close enough to grab the flag from him or if one of them has the ball to come touch him with to unfreeze him, Mason has nothing much else to do but think. He thinks he likes this game a great deal. It's been very challenged what with all the elements to it but it's also helping him with his coordination and speed of flying and multitasking while on a broom just as would be required playing Quidditch.
Mason feels something on his back then, at last!, he's able to move again. Someone in an orange tunic flashes past with two purple clad players right behind, attempting to get the ball away from the orange player. It's so quick that all Mason can tell about his teammate is that it's a girl. He doesn't sit and watch to figure out who it was who just unfroze him. He has no idea where either of the purple Its are and needs to clear this obstacle that he was so near to doing when frozen.
Mason zooms through the spinning ring, looking back at it just long enough to make sure the orange tag on it has gone clear. Eyes darting ahead and to the sides now, he both looks for another obstacle to clear and for someone else to hand the flag off to if needed. That's what turns out to happen when one of the purple Its gets on his tail again. Mason flys an erratic pattern, his goal a cluster of teammates. He's slightly above them so leaning low over the handle of his broom. Mason drops the purple flag into Pablo Carioca's hand, trying hard to cover up which of them he's passing off to so that the purple It won't know to immediately target Pablo. Of course, the purple It on his tail could just tag them all, all he can catch that is, and not worry about which of them specifically has the purple flag.
Mason spots a purple player with the ball now so peels away from Pablo to see if he can help those orange teammates attempting to reclaim the ball. Racing forward to cut off the ball carrier's flight path, Mason senses someone on his tail and chances a look back. He grins at seeing the same purple It tailing him. Good! That will hopefully give Pablo time to clear another obstacle or two before the purple It trailing Mason or the other purple It are aware of who exactly now has the purple flag.
Cake Conversation
Author: Sage Porter
Date: 01-17-10 14:16
"Since you aren't going to eat that, I'll just finish it off for you."
"Hey! How do you know I'm done with it?"
"Because you've just beek poking at it with your fork for the past ten minutes. It's perfectly good, make that scrumptious, cake. I refuse to see you commit the sin of having it go to waste."
Sage reaches across the table, fork at the ready, to take a bite of the half cake slice left on Savannah Gilbreath's plate. Savannah uses her own fork to bar his progress. Sage starts to withdraw but then shifts the fork to the left to go around but Savannah counters, batting his fork away. "Don't you have a girlfriend to go meet?"
"Not for another half hour."
Savannah eyes the cake on her plate then fixes her step-brother with a knowing grin, winking at him when she says, "You want my cake because you need the added energy for the long session of, what do you call it? Snogging."
Sage gives her a cheeky smile and ribs, "Envious that you haven't had a good snog in awhile? That Randal chap in my Potions class has a fancy for you. Want me to arrange a date?"
"That Randal chap always smells like he took a dip in a vat of something noxious and he's got really bad teeth and he seems like he'd be the stalker sort of he ever did have a girlfriend and she broke up with him."
"Craig from Charms."
"He's hardly charming with that tissue always wadded against his face."
"He's got bad sinuses."
"Would you want to kiss a girl who always had a hanky shoved under her nose while making horrendous, sucking all the oxygen out of the room sniffling sounds?"
"Good point."
"I'm not desperate you know and if I do want someone to kiss, I'm perfectly capable of getting him on my own. Or her if I decide I swing that way."
Sage nearly chokes on the bite of cake he'd managed to nick off Savannah's plate. After he's done coughing Savannah asks, "What? You don't think I could snag a nice girl?"
"Why? Are you interested in one in particular?"
"Well, now that you mention it, there's this lovely if somewhat loony, or as you say over here, daft, girl named Georgia."
Sage pulls a face at Savannah. "Ha ha."
"I like those of the male persuasion far too much to think about dating women though it was totally worth it to see the look on your face at me suggesting I might be bisexual."
"You make it sound like I'd be against it."
"No, I don't think that. I think you'd be very accepting."
"I hope I would be."
"Well, I won't be putting you to the test but I can ask Ezra if he'd be willing to have a boyfriend just so you can see if you are as tolerant as you think you are?"
Sage laughs. "Ezra who can tell you who a girl is just by looking at one certain portion of the anatomy? Or perhaps, given which part of the anatomy it is, should I say he can tell by looking at two certain parts? Yeah, good luck with that."
"That is spot on," Savnnah says, laughing as well even though she's forever berating her brother that when speaking to a girl he should look at her face, not at her chest.
"If either if you did tell your dad that you were bisexual or gay, what would Abram's reaction be?"
Savannah shrugs. "I think he'd be okay with it. He's got a brother who's gay and one of his best friends is."
"I didn't know that. About Abram's brother."
"Uncle Jacob."
"Seriously? I wouldn't have guessed."
"Hardly fits the stereotype, does he?"
"Not at all," Sage says shaking his head and eyeing again the cake left on Savannah's plate. "Sure you're going to eat that?"
Savannah studies the half cake slice that's a checkerboard of banana and chocolate cake with both chocolate frosting. "A little more but I'm so full I don't think I can eat all of it. Go on. Have some."
Sage grins again, helping himself to a large forkful. "Thanks!"
"What would your family's reaction be?"
"To what? Oh. Sorry. Had my mind back on the cake again. Mum would be okay I'm pretty sure. Saffron and Sasafrass even more all right with it. Da. Not so much. He'd disown me, which actually wouldn't be all bad. If I were still in his house and underage, I'm pretty sure he'd beat me."
"Did he do that a lot?"
"I tried not to give him reason but when he had what he thought was a reason, he could be quick to spank or smack first and ask questions later."
"None of you seemed to have inherited his temperment or personality."
"For which the three of us are very thankful. I can see Georgia and her friends on the High Street." Sage shoves another forkful of cake in his mouth as he stands up. Fishing some coins from his pocket he gives them to Savannah. "For a tip and for eating your food."
Savannah chuckles, "Take this back. As you pointed out, I wasn't going to eat all the cake and it would have gone to waste."
"So for a tip then," Sage says, refusing to take the money.
"Thanks for the history notes," she replies, patting a stack of parchment Sage had given her just after he'd come into the bakery and joined her.
"Glad I could help. See you at school Monday, or did you want to get together and study tomorrow?"
"Studying tomorrow would be good. Come to my dorm around noon and we can get lunch and go from there."
"See you tomorrow then!"
Sage exits the bakery, his long legs quickly covering the distance down the street to where Georgia and her friends are walking his direction.
Change of Plans
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 01-17-10 14:48
Beaten to a bloody pulp and as good as dead, Bill had thought he wouldn't live to see another day, but just as Ezikial Wardle had reared back his fist to land Bill with what might have been a death blow, an owl had crashed into the window. The owl, enormous and pitch black, had drawn the attention of the Wardle cousins, who'd obviously recognized it. It had carried a missive that had changed everything for Bill.
After conferring with each other over the note for a long moment, Ezikial and Burrell had turned to Bill and wordlessly hauled him back to the closet. There, he'd passed the week like he'd passed the beginning of his kidnapping, utterly alone and without a word from any of his captors. The only difference was that whereas before Bill only felt cramped and uncomfortable in the small space of the closet, now he felt cramped, uncomfortable and in pain from his injuries.
He wondered what had been in the letter, and what impact it had made on Ezikial and Burrell to cease their plan to murder him on the spot. Why was he still alive, when they'd clearly indicated that he would die by their hands that day? Bill wasn't even sure when that had been, since time had no meaning for him in the dark closet. He tried to guess, based on bathroom breaks and meals, but he really wasn't sure at all what day it was, or what day it had been when he'd gotten those beatings.
Without a doubt, Bill needed the care of a healer, but his body seemed to be doing some healing on its own. Perhaps it helped that he didn't do anything all day and night but rest as best he could. His sleeping conditions weren't the best, of course, but his inactivity allowed his body to gradually recover. Still, even after a week, he was in terrible shape and hardly had the energy to even get up to use the loo.
Bill heard footsteps outside the closet door and wondered if it was time for another bathroom break. He didn't really had to go, but he might as well try since he didn't always get the opportunity.
He heard the door unlock with a loud click and then it opened, bringing in bright light that hurt his sensitive eyes.
It was Ezikial, who'd hardly looked at him twice in the last week, but today was different. Ezikial knelt down so that he was at eye level with Bill and smiled.
"There's been a change in plans."
"I think I noticed," Bill couldn't help but say, hoping the cheeky remark wouldn't land him a fist in the face.
"Yes, well, now it's really gone into effect. Shouldn't be long before something happens."
Bill wondered why Ezikial even bothered talking to him now, when he couldn't be anything but vague about what was going on.
"Is that it?" Bill asked, after a long pause.
"For the moment," Ezikial replied, still grinning as he stood up tall again. He slammed the closet door closed, shutting out all light and leaving Bill with even more questions than he had before.
Relapse
Author: Isolde
Date: 01-17-10 15:39
The Plymouth Polliwogs were having a great game against the Belfast Beetles. So far, Isolde's chasers had scored seven times, while fellow coach Edan Collier's chasers had only scored three times. The Polliwog seeker had spotted the snitch one more time over the Beetles', too, though she hadn't been able to catch it yet. Unless a miracle happened, neither team was likely to since the timed match was nearing its end.
Isolde glanced up at the clock over the scoreboard. It ticked down silently, moving into the single digits until it read zero. The referee blew on his whistle, the shrill sound marking the absolute end of the game.
The Polliwogs cried out jubilantly, since the score was 70-30 in their favor. They touched down to meet their happy coach, who congratulated them all and then sent them off to shake hands with the losing team. She did her own part to show good sportsmanship and shook hands with Edan, whom Isolde genuinely liked. Afterwards, she talked to some of the parents about future practices and then started to pack up the gear she'd brought to the match.
Pyrrhus, who'd been there for the entire game, came down from the stands to help her. "Congratulations," he said, pecking her on the cheek.
"Thanks," Isolde said, all smiles. It felt really, really good to win. It was just too bad that Isolde couldn't be up there playing too.
She shouldered a bag and reached for another one, but Py shook his head and took it and the one from her shoulder, slinging them both effortlessly over his well-toned upper arm.
"Home now, or brunch since we didn't really have breakfast this morning?"
The match had started at 8:30, which was one of the earlier times any of the LIttle League teams met. Isolde had left the bungalow extra early to arrive at the pitch before any of her kids and their parents.
"Home, and then brunch," Isolde decided.
She started to follow him out of Salisbury Stadium when she took in a sudden, sharp breath of cool air and then immediately started coughing. Pyrrhus stopped and turned to place a hand on Isolde's back, unsure whether he should hit it a few times or if she could manage on her own. When she raised her head, she showed him that she was a little red in the face but otherwise fine. His eyes, however, focused on a spot by the corner of her mouth.
Isolde brushed at it with the back of her hand and then looked at it, to see a bit of red smeared on it.
"That's not normal," Pyrrhus said, cupping her face with his hands to better see what else might be wrong with her.
"I feel fine," Isolde said, swallowing the coppery taste left in her mouth from the blood she'd coughed up.
"You're not fine," Pyrrhus countered. "I'm taking you to St. Mungo's to get you checked out." He put his arm around her shoulder to guide her out of the stadium, and Isolde could do nothing but let him.
Say What?
Author: Jolyon
Date: 01-17-10 16:20
Rather than lend a hand at the apparition lesson, Jolyon spent the morning in the barn, tending to the various magical creatures kept there. Although it was technically still winter, the different creatures were becoming more lively, probably since they sensed that they were on the heels of springtime. Frankly, Jolyon couldn't wait for warmer weather. He liked the barn quite a lot, but there was nothing better than the great outdoors.
He worked on mucking out the stalls, carrying the loaded, wide shovels of manure outside to fill into sacks or crates for the Herbology professors. Just as he stepped outside with another loaded shovel, a man Jolyon had never seen before came up the slope to the barn. Jolyon carefully dumped the muck into a wooden container and then lowered the shovel, using it as something to lean on.
"Can I help you?" he asked the stranger.
The man was older, probably his parents' generation, and had a pinched, worried look on his face. Jolyon briefly wondered if the man might be somewhat senile and had gotten his weekends confused. Parents Weekend, and by extension family weekend, had been last Saturday.
The man didn't answer Jolyon's question at first. Instead, he gazed up at the barn with great interest.
"There wasn't a barn at Hogwarts in my day," the older wizard finally said, turning back to Jolyon. He studied Jolyon with probing, blue eyes. He still looked concerned about something but at the same time he seemed very calm and friendly. "You're Jolyon Kent, aren't you?"
"I am," Jolyon said, moving to offer his hand to the man, but then he thought better of it. He held it up instead and said, "Probably not the most sanitary appendage at the moment."
The older wizard smiled. "I understand. So you teach Care of Magical Creatures, do you?"
"Yes, this is my second year teaching here."
"Do you find that you like it?"
Jolyon nodded. "On the whole yes. I used to be a veterinary healer, so I'm quite used to working with magical creatures. With students, on the other hand..." Jolyon laughed. "Well, I suppose I've gotten used to them too."
The older wizard smiled. "Seems like you've done well for yourself. I'm glad to see it."
"Thank you," Jolyon said. He furrowed his brow. He hadn't gotten the man's name and still didn't know what he was doing on the Hogwarts grounds.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."
"My apologies. I should have introduced myself earlier. My name is Charles Abbott."
Mr. Abbott started to offer his hand but then smiled and retracted it. "Another time maybe."
Jolyon smiled. "Sure. And what brings you to Hogwarts, Mr. Abbott?"
"Well," Mr. Abbott said, and he faltered, unsure how to continue. His gaze dropped to the ground for a moment, but then he looked back up at Jolyon. "I'm here to talk to my son."
"I'd be glad to take you to see him," Jolyon said, gesturing toward the castle, "though it is Hogsmeade weekend and you might find him in the village."
Mr. Abbott shook his head. "No, Jolyon. You are my son."