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First Apparition Lesson
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 01-17-20 12:11
Fritz stands off to the side in the Great Hall and watches the first apparition lesson of the school year unfold. This is his first time being present for a lesson not as a student but as one of the staff monitors who might have to help unsplinch someone. Fritz normally would have no reason to be at the lesson and is only there today after receiving a last minute request.
Professor Flitwick has come down with a bad case of the flu. He started feeling the effects last night ahead of supper and checked into the Hospital Wing in the middle of the night.
Professor Kent, the Deputy-Head of Ravenclaw and the usual back-up monitor for Flitwick at the apparition lessons, is unable to fill in because he has a long-standing appointment at Azkaban for this very morning. Since he doesn't get to see his son very often and visitation is sometimes limited to certain days and times, he understandably doesn't want to cancel.
Professor Goode, who was once Deputy-Head of Ravenclaw herself, woke up with an upset stomach and is also unable to fill in as one of the monitors at the lesson. It's not clear if she is also suffering flu symptoms or if she caught something else.
Fritz just so happened to stop by the castle before the lesson started to take care of some business he couldn't attend to during the week. Anyway, he had planned on attending the Quidditch match later in the day. Professor McGonagall ran into him in the entrance hall and asked if he might be willing to fill in for Professor Flitwick. It was somewhat fitting, since Fritz is a former Ravenclaw himself.
Professor Plaskitt is certainly different from Professor Twycross, who had been Fritz's own apparition instructor. Fritz remembers Professor Twycross being dreadfully dull. Professor Plaskitt seems much more engaging, though she has a very soothing voice that could lull someone into a peaceful sleep. That wouldn't be a good idea in the middle of an apparition lesson, especially for a teacher!
Since it's only the first apparition lesson, Fritz doubts very much that anybody will manage to apparate or even risk a splinching, but he tries to stay alert just in case.
(Magnus) Advertisement
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 01-18-20 09:51
"There," Magnus said, taking a step back and watching the result of his work on the announcement board at the Common Commons.
"You are crazy," Ned commented.
Right between an add offering to trade several chocolate frog cards for a single rare Agrippa one, and a lost and found note stating a pair of mittens had been found in the grounds, by the greenhouses, now rested Magnus' own add:
Attention Hogwarts girls: Do you want to go the Sweethearts Dance but you don't have a date yet? Third year Slytherin Magnus McCourt is looking for someone to take to the dance. This is your chance to spend a pleasant evening with one of the writers of the school newspaper, the Hogwarts Herald. If you are interested contact Magnus at the Great Hall, at the Slytherin table, or wherever you find him first. No house or year preference - any girl is eligible!"
"This is foolish! What if an ugly girl comes to you? You're going to take her to the dance? Or a hysterical first year?" Ned asked, as they left the Common Commons, on their way to the Quidditch pitch to watch the match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
"It doesn't matter. I need a date."
Magnus didn't really want to go the the Sweethearts Dance. The idea of dressing up and having to dance with a girl didn't sound very tempting. He was sure he was going to look like a fool. Magnus was already convinced he was going to spend a quiet evening on an almost empty Slytherin common room, where he would have access to the most comfortable armchairs by the fireplace. However Professor Hodfuffer decided he should be the one writing an article about the dance for the school newspaper, and in order to do so Magnus had to attend it. He could go on his own, but he was too proud to do so and so he knew he needed a date.
Most of the boys from his year wanted to take Mira Eternal-Black to the dance. Mira looked like the type of girl who could take anyone she liked to the dance, including an older student. Magnus knew she was out of his league, so he didn't even try to talk to her. He had asked two other girls to go with him, but they refused. Not wanting to be rejected a third time he decided to be bold and put up the add asking any girl interested to come to him. He was speaking the truth to Ned when he said that he didn't really care what type of girl appeared, but of course he was hoping for the better.
They heard some giggles behind them.
"I think your add has just been read," Ned teased.
Magnus fought the temptation to look behind as he kept walking. The idea of the advertisement seemed genius at first but now he was a little bit afraid that no one would take it serious and he would be completely ignored.
Disturbed
Author: Saffron
Date: 01-18-20 14:40
"Ingrid." Rex has called her name repeatedly in the past fifteen minutes or so without a response. Partway through the apparition lesson he'd reached a decision but so far Ingrid has ignored his effort to get her to answer a question he'd asked after the first time he'd said her name.
"Stop distracting me."
"If you'd tell me then I would."
"I think I could have apparated if you didn't keep talking to me."
"You're not going to apparate the first lesson."
"It happens. Now shhhhhh."
Rex stifles what would have otherwise been a sigh so loud Professor Plaskett would have stopped her repetitious guidance to ask what was the matter. He shuffles ever so slightly closer to Ingrid. "Does Margaret have a date or not?"
"You couldn't wait until this is over?"
"Not if I want to know if she's got a date or not and then catch her before she leaves. What if she's not going to the match?"
Ingrid shoots Rex a glare. He could have asked her back when they'd returned from Christmas holiday and learned about the dance. They are, afterall, best friends. But no. He said going with her would be like going with his sister. She might as well suggest he ask his cousin Jaclyn. While it is true what he said, that them going together would be like going with a sibling, going together would also be easy. No squidgy expectations of the other because it's Valentine's. Just go, eat, dance, have fun. Why does Rex have to make everything so complicated?
Ingrid is the one sighing now. The exhalation of air is enough for those around her to hear but not any of the professors. Other than Rex, those who do hear think she's just vocalizing her frustration at having made no progress apparating. Sotto voice she says with another sigh behind her words, "I don't think Margaret has a date yet."
"Thanks!" Rex enthusiastically tells her, somehow keeping to a whisper.
In that moment Ingrid believes that though she cannot yet apparate she could have literally removed her eyeballs and rolled them at Rex. Repositioning her hoop Ingrid thinks that in the event Margaret says yes to Rex then during next week's lesson she'll work as far from Rex as she's able so as not to be peppered with a million questions about whether he should get Augusta a pin-on corsage or a wrist corsage.
Two Weeks Till Valentine's
Author: Ellis
Date: 01-18-20 15:36
Blakeney stared transfixed at the wooden hoop in front of her. She was in the Great Hall, attending the very first apparition lesson. Participants had to either be 17 or turn 17 on or before August 31st of the same year. Blakeney's 17th birthday was actually tomorrow.
She felt very grown up and looked forward to turning of age and the things that came with it, such as learning how to properly apparate. Alys had quietly taken the course and earned her license last year. Blakeney thought it lucky that Alys had an April birthday and had therefore been eligible to take the exam when it was offered at school. If she'd had to wait until summer, then she either wouldn't have taken it or quite possibly failed, since summer is when Alys fell into her depression.
Blakeney was a bit worried that she might fall into a depression very soon. Nobody had asked her to the Sweethearts Dance yet! Valentine's was two weeks away! It would be JUST AWFUL if nobody asked her. Blakeney didn't want to go stag, even if it meant going with Tessa, who as far as Blakeney knew also didn't have a date lined up yet.
Blakeney looked over at Tessa, who was also concentrating on her hoop. So far nobody had managed to apparate. Nobody had even splinched themselves. Blakeney was kind of glad about that, because she wasn't sure she wanted to see someone lose an arm or whatever.
She focused on her own hoop again, listened to Professor Plaskitt's instruction, and tried to will herself to apparate, but it was no use. Apparating perfectly or even at all just wasn't going to happen, especially with time running out.
(Chloe) Brilliant Defense
Author: Mildred
Date: 01-19-20 03:35
"It's match day here at Hogwarts! My name is Barbie Bones and today Ravenclaw and Slytherin will fave each other in what I predict is going to be a very intense match. Both teams lost their first match and cannot afford to loose this one if they still want to have a chance to advance to the Championship match!"
Chloe waited alongside her teammates, ready to make their entrance into the pitch.
"We got this," Kurt told the team.
Barbie presented the referee and the assistants in charge of overseeing the match and then she started to present the teams. First she called the Ravenclaws. Chloe mounted her broom and gained altitude feeling the cold winter air against her warm cheeks.
"For Ravenclaw, Captain and beater Kurt Blackwell, and his partner Noah Stratford. Chasers Seth Weasley, Jordan Blackthorn and Chloe Campbell. Defending the hoops is Eileen McCourt and in charge of catching the snitch, Co-Captain and seeker Bran Hyland!"
The Ravenclaw supporters started to cheer while the Slytherins didn't miss the chance to boo them.
"And playing for Slytherin we have Captain and seeker Sylvestor Trainer, Beaters Douglas Dippet and Fitzwiliiam Bates, the all girl chaser trio with Mira Eternal-Black, Charlotte Stratford and co-captain Belinda McCourt. And last but not least, keeper Wallace Rex."
The Slytherin supporters applauded their team. Kurt and Sylvestor shook hands, as the referee recommended them to play a fair game. The keepers went into their positions by the hoops, and the seekers flied a few meters up. The beaters too flied away, leaving the six chasers forming a circle in the middle of the pitch, around the referee. The whistle blowed, the balls were released and the match started.
Mira was the first to grab the quaffle, and put it under her arm. She was already turned into the Ravenclaw side of the pitch, so all she had to do was to keep flying ahead. Chloe went after her, and soon she was flying next to her. She used her hand to tap the red ball, trying to steal it. Mira quickly picked the quaffle and passed it to Belinda, who passed it to Charlotte. However, Charlotte was not able to grab the quaffle, because Jordan tried to catch it in the air, the ball only brushing the tip of his hands. But the contact was enough to chance its trajectory and after its initial balance from Belinda's pass the red ball started to slowly drop down. Jordan and Charlotte went after it, but Seth got there first.
The quaffle was now in Ravenclaw hands. Seth shifted his broom, and Chloe abandoned Mira, making herself free in case he needed some support. Seth ducked, dodging a bludger sent by Douglas who was meant to hit his head. He lost a little bit of speed but kept going, offering the quaffle to Jordan a few meters later. Jordan then passed the quaffle to Chloe, and she gave it back to him. The Ravenclaw chasers started to swap the quaffle between the three of them, not giving the chance for the Slytherin opponents to get their hands in the ball. Whenever one of them felt a Slytherin chaser approaching they would quickly get rid of the quaffle as if it was burning their hands.
They got closer enough to the hoops and it was now Jordan who had the ball. Wallace was looking straight at him. Jordan waved his arm to the left, pretending he was going to shoot on that direction but instead he only released the quaffle when his arm shifted to the right. Wallace wasn't tricked and he turned right to where the quaffle was being thrown, ready to catch it. Knowing he was going to defend, Chloe decided to intervene. She advanced at top speed, grabbed the quaffle and threw it to the left again. In a very quick and brilliant reaction Wallace used his feet to kick the quaffle away, avoiding the goal. Charlotte recovered the ball before Seth could reach it and try another goal attempt.
"Wallace Rex makes the first defense of the match!" Barbie exclaims. "The match is still tied, with no points to each team yet."
Charlotte quickly started flying away from her team's side of the pitch. Chloe and the other chasers followed her.
As she flied Chloe couldn't help thinking about the Sweethearts Dance. Ruth really wanted to go to the dance, and Alectrona seemed to be on board as well. Chloe wasn't sure if she should go. She had committed the mistake of mentioning the dance in one of her letters home. Her father quickly wrote to her saying it was immoral to attend such gathering of witches and wizards. He reminded her she was only at Hogwarts to learn to control her magic and nothing else. The dance seemed to be a waste of time as he saw it as a frivolous pastime. He condemned the event, also adding he did not want his thirteen year old daughter all dressed up and dancing with a boy. There wasn't any boy at Hogwarts Chloe really wanted to go to the dance with. Things would be different if Argyll was a Hogwarts student. More than once Chloe had pictured them together at the dance, and she was always betrayed by those thoughts because her cheeks turned red making both Ruth and Alectrona raising her some questions. If not going with any boy, she was still nevertheless curious about how the dance room would look like and what the girls would be wearing.
Her mind went back to the match, as Charlotte continued her flight still holding the quaffle.
Watching the Match
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 01-19-20 06:51
Bill, Fleur, Victoire, Dominique, and Louis filed into the stands at the Quidditch Pitch for the match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. It had been a long time since the whole family had attended a Quidditch match at Hogwarts. Often, Bill had to work or one of the children was sick or had an engagement of some sort.
With Gryffindor not playing, the family was all decked out in blue in support of Seth, who was playing for Ravenclaw. Victoire and Dominique both had blue and bronze pom poms in their hands.
"If I don't become a Gryffindor, then I suppose I will want to be in Ravenclaw," Victoire said. "That way, Seth won't be all alone."
"That's really thoughtful," Bill said. "I'm sure that would make Seth happy."
Bill could hardly believe that Victoire would be starting at Hogwarts in the fall. It seemed not all that long ago that he and Fleur struggled to have children, and now they had three, including one nearly old enough to attend Hogwarts. Bill felt certain that Victoire would end up in Gryffindor, but perhaps the Sorting Hat would surprise them all.
Seeing Geoffrey Blackwell patrol by put to mind events from a few weeks ago. After the Smetanas showed up unexpectedly at Gringotts, Bill contacted Quentin Arnold and Nicholas Hastings, the two from the Ministry who were investigating the family. Both dropped everything and arrived at the bank straightaway.
Bill was advised not to enclose himself in his office with Smetanas and instead to invite them up to the conference room in the staff area upstairs. Quentin posed as a bank employee, while Nicholas loitered in the stairwell and listened to the conversation with an Extendable Ear.
When the Smetanas arrived, Bill saw them upstairs, fixed them coffee, and sat with his back to the conference room door, which was also open and another recommendation from Quentin. The Smetanas remained calm and nonthreatening, though they were dismayed to learn that their vault had been accessed without their knowledge or permission. Bill listened patiently, expressed his apologies, and explained that he had be presented with a search warrant and had no choice but to comply. Certainly, as a matter of customer service, he could have contacted the Smetanas afterwards, but he also didn't want to interfere with the Ministry's investigation. Bill had nearly said "criminal" investigation, but had caught himself at the last moment.
Bill had asked if the couple wished to check the vault to see if anything was missing. He knew that law enforcement had removed some things––parchments, mainly––but the Smetanas didn't seem interested in conducting an inventory. They were, however, interested to know what Bill knew about the investigation. Other than them being suspected as having ties to the Death Eaters, Bill didn't know much, and he didn't tell them anything.
They left shortly thereafter. Bill conferred with Quentin and Nicholas, who advised him to contact him if they showed up again for any reason, even if only to access their vault. Bill hadn't seen the Smetanas or Quentin or Nicholas since that day.
"Oooh! So close!" Victoire exclaimed, after two of the Ravenclaw chasers attempted goals.
Bill pulled out of his reverie and watched as Charlotte Stratford tore away with the quaffle locked tightly in her arms.
(Belinda & Eileen) Attacking Waves
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 01-19-20 09:23
Charlotte continued to fly with the quaffle. Noah sent a bludger in her direction, which she avoided by stirring her broomstick to the left, getting too close to the audience at the stands. Belinda called Charlotte's name, declaring she was free and Charlotte offered her the quaffle. Belinda continued the flight towards the Ravenclaw's side of the pitch, her eyes already locked on the blonde and blue figure that was Eileen.
She was so focused on moving forward she didn't see Kurt who placed part of his arm in her flying course, in order to access a bludger. Belinda tried to avoid the collision but it was too late. She felt her shoulder going against Kurt's bat. The impact was pretty strong but she didn't heard any cracking sound, so there was nothing broken. Unfortunately she couldn't keep the quaffle on her hands but the red ball was caught by Mira after a dispute with Chloe. The match was interrupted for a moment as Sylvestor addressed himself to the referee accusing Kurt of trying to hit Belinda with his bat on purpose. His complaints were dismissed by the referee, who agreed it had been a fair play on Kurt's behalf, without any malice, as he tried to reach the bludger.
The match continued with Mira still having the quaffle at her hands. She approached the Ravenclaw hoops with velocity. Seth went after her and tried to block her pass back to Belinda without success. Belinda was sure her shoulder was starting to swell but she ignored it and she got closer to Eileen's position. She was guarding the central hoop, while Jordan and Chloe were at her left and right side respectively, making it impossible for her to try to score. Seth was still near Mira so that made Charlotte free. Belinda passed her the quaffle and as she did so, Jordan was forced to leave his position thanks to a bludger sent by Douglas. That gave Charlotte a scoring window and she shot the quaffle, aiming for the left hoop.
Eileen moved in that direction and grabbed the quaffle, avoiding Slytherin's first goal. She kept the quaffle in her hands for a few seconds giving the chasers time to reposition themselves and then made a long throw, shooting the quaffle as far as she could from her hoops. Seth went for it and grabbed the red ball. It had been a risky move because one of the Slytherin chasers could have gotten the quaffle first, but the truth was that Eileen wanted them as far away as she could from her hoops. During practice both Kurt and Bran had warned them about the all female Slytherin trio of chasers. Those girls, including her sister Belinda, could be sneaky and Eileen didn't doubt they could pull some crazy move if they wanted. It was better to keep them as far away as possible from the hoops.
Seth zig zagged a little bit, and passed the quaffle to Chloe when he felt Charlotte putting some pressure on his flank. Chloe tried to catch it but Mira got there first, once again. She turned around, ready for a counterattack. Eileen held her broom tight, ready for another Slytherin attacking wave.
(Noah & Charlotte) First Points of the Match
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 01-20-20 08:04
Noah practically flung himself off the seat of his broomstick to hit a bludger soaring high overheard. He did manage to tap it but was unable to gain control over it. Fortunately, Kurt was within range and paying attention. Kurt sprinted over, gave the same bludger a proper whack, and momentarily watched as it hurtled dead center for Mira's back.
At the very last second, Fitzwilliam swooped in and deflected the bludger. The suddenness of his approach and the desperation to protect Mira meant he also didn't gain control over the bludger. He merely managed to knock it away, and it just so happened to go straight for Noah again.
Mira, meanwhile, passed the ball to Charlotte, who passed it quickly to Belinda. Belinda held onto the quaffle for a few seconds and then launched it back at Charlotte. She almost overshot, and the red ball seemed to dance on Charlotte's fingertips before she managed to get a solid grip on it and pull it tightly to her body. Her timing was lucky, because Seth was on her in an instant.
Concurrently, the bludger sailed straight at Noah. He saw Douglas coming at him out of the corner of his eye, so Noah surged forward to meet the black ball. The impact against his bat was jarring and even pushed him backwards a tiny bit, but Noah nevertheless managed to direct the bludger at his cousin Charlotte.
With Seth locked on one side of her and too much activity on her other side to safely pass the quaffle to either Mira or Belinda, Charlotte was momentarily stuck. She found her opening, however, when Fitz was once again on the spot to offer protection from an enemy bludger. Fitz had a little more control this time and tapped the bludger at Doug, who walloped the same bludger at Eileen as she prepared for a certain goal attempt.
Charlotte used the opportunity to pass the quaffle to Mira. Mira looked as if she might throw for one of the hoops but then she threw the ball back at Charlotte. Charlotte somehow managed to lose Seth and arced around in front of the hoops the same time Doug's bludger went straight for Eileen's head. Noah put on as much speed as his broomstick would allow, but it wasn't enough to protect Eileen. Kurt was not in a position to do so either.
Eileen ducked to avoid Douglas' bludger and then popped back up to stop Charlotte's goal attempt but to no avail. Charlotte managed to get the quaffle through while Eileen's head was still down.
"Stratford scores the first points of the match. Slytherin leads, 10-0!" Barbie shouted.
Charlotte was pleased but didn't let it show on her face. Instead, she wore a look of determination. Eileen handed the quaffle to Jordan, who threw long to Chloe. Charlotte accelerated, hoping to put herself into a position to intercept, but Chloe was too far ahead. The best Charlotte could hope for was for Chloe to miss the catch entirely.
If broomsticks made a sound the way tires do when suddenly forced to the stop, then Charlotte's broom would have screeched to a halt. A bludger courtesy of Noah rushed across her path, disrupting her pursuit of Chloe and also nearly causing her to fly off her broomstick. Charlotte was glad she had donned new gloves before the match. They were a Christmas gift from her father and were anti-slip. She partially credited them with keeping her upright after the hard brake.
Suppressing a swear word, Charlotte brushed the hair that had escaped from her ponytail out of her face, flicked a few snowflakes off her eyelashes, and then leaned over her broomstick, resuming her pursuit of the quaffle.
No Hard Feeling (Kurt)
Author: Saffron
Date: 01-20-20 14:39
When Chloe passes to Seth the quaffle is knocked off course by a bludger. Kurt isn't sure who'd hit the bludger other than it wasn't he who'd batted it. It was most likely either Doug or Fitz but with the chaos that sometimes goes hand-in-hand with this game who knows? A timeout is called while the quaffle is retrieved and inspected to make sure it's still game worthy. Kurt finds himself hovering in place near Sylvestor. The Slytherin seeker grins over at him. "No hard feelings on me trying to get a foul called on you?"
"Nah," Kurt responds with a shake of his head. "All part of the game and you are, afterall, a Slytherin. It's to be expected." His own grin takes any bite or sting out of his words. Sylvestor's chuckle lets him know though there is a grain of truth in the comment it's taken for the humorous remark it's meant to be.
They fill the short time until the game restarts discussing a professional match between the Caerphilly Catapult and the Tutshill Tornados they both want to listen to this evening. When the match resumes Sylvestor glides away in search of the snitch. Kurt goes straight for a bludger he'd been tracking during the timeout, reaching it before Doug to send it after Mira, who's harassing Seth, the current possessor of the quaffle.
As he passes one set of stands he catches sight of Estella. Kurt still isn't sure exactly how it came about but Estella and he are going to the Sweethearts Dance together. He's never thought of Estella in a romantic way until lately. Now, he can't stop wondering if they'll kiss at their dance date.
Zipping around Bran to get to a bludger Kurt ends up slowing because Fitz is there before him. Seth has just passed to Jordan and Jordan seems like he's readying to pass to Chloe so Kurt surmises that Fitz is targeting either Jordan or Chloe. He zooms after the bludger, which appears to be on track for Chloe. Getting around it to set up for the hit, Kurt bats it at Charlotte.
Chloe with the quaffle now draws near Wallace. Noah's just sent a bludger towards the Slytherin keeper but Wallace ducks it and still manages to easily deflect Chloe's throw. The quaffle goes to Belinda who tucks the ball in close while wheeling her broom around. Kurt has reached the bludger Noah had hit seconds ago. He gives the black ball a solid smack, sending it after Belinda, turning to go after the other bludger even before the first one is halfway to Belinda.
Distracted (Jordan & Wallace)
Author: Saffron
Date: 01-21-20 19:17
Jordan stretches out an arm to grab the quaffle as it's passed from Belinda to Mira. His interception is successful but as he caught the ball two of his fingers suddenly shot pain down into his hand. Even his wrist hurts. He can't think of why. The catch was just a regular catch. Nothing odd and Belinda hadn't thrown the pass so hard as to sting.
Pulling the quaffle to his chest, holding it there more with the flat of his palm instead of gripping it with his fingers, Jordan tightly circles his broom around to shoot back the other direction. Shifting the quaffle to grip it for a pass, he winces. After hurling the ball to Seth he looks down at his hand, expecting to see the two fingers swollen or at least visibly bruised. Other than some redness though nothing for the moment is obviously wrong. Shaking his hand, Jordan returns attention to the game.
They'd not been all that far from the hoops and with Seth's position when Jordan sent him the quaffle, Ravenclaw is already in position for another attempt at goal. Seth readies the ball to throw, Wallace trying to read Seth's body language for a hint on which hoop he'll send the ball, moving more to his left based on the angle Seth's arm and how he's holding the quaffle. Only Chloe comes beside Seth and in a move Seth, Jordan, and she have practice, Chloe plucks the ball from Seth's hand and in a rapid, smooth transition throws to Wallace's far right.
Wallace hurls himself towards the quaffle, in such a hurry to get to the ball in time to stop it he nearly forgets to take his broom along with him. Swearing under his breath when the quaffle passes by still out of reach, Wallace would like to blame the Ravenclaw chasers entirely with their fake out move on allowing the other team to score. He'd like to blame a bludger's interference. He'd like to but can't on either account. There was no bludger right then and through the goal move was a good one, Wallace knows he has to partly blame himself. He's let his mind wander several times already this match.
Wallace keeps thinking about at breakfast when Amethyst Hodfuffer had unexpectedly asked, "Wallace, you taking a date to the dance?"
He'd had a half-chewed mouthful of eggs around which he'd stammered, "The dddance? Uh, no."
"Are you going?"
Trying now to reply after hastily swallowing the eggs he'd shaken his head then nodded. "Maybe. I don't know. The food might be good."
"Let's go together then. You can get me a corsage and I'll get you some candy."
"Er, uh, yeah. Okay. All right. Sure." At that point Wallace felt he'd said yes in enough different ways without having actually uttered the word yes.
Here he is hours later and still befuddled as to why Amethyst picked him and why he wasn't able to carry on a real conversation with her about it. Blinking his eyes a few times and giving his head a good, hard shake, Wallace hands the quaffle to action Charlotte even as Barbie Bones's announcement of Chloe's goal and the score, now at 10 to 10, rings through the pitch.
Charlotte puts the quaffle back into action with a pass to Mira. Charlotte then flanks Mira with Belinda flanking Mira's other side. They rapidly put distance between themselves with the quaffle and Wallace with his hoops. Jordan tries to get between Belinda and Mira but the girls are flying closely enough together that from Wallace's perspective it looks like Jordan would have to purposely commit a foul to force Belinda to make some room. On Mira's other side, Charlotte is flying nearly as close, making it difficult for Chloe to try to get in close for a steal.
Noah breaks things up with a bludger to Belinda. Kurt tries to hit Charlotte with the other bludger but Doug intervenes, redirecting it to Chloe. She drops back momentarily with Seth zooming in where she'd been, searching for an opening to get between Charlotte and Mira. Chloe accelerates to go around the pack at the same time Belinda accepts a hand off from Mira and also accelerates, pulling away slightly as they approach her sister Eileen. Though all the way at the opposite end of the pitch, Wallace can see Eileen's posture change slightly as she tenses in anticipation of stopping Belinda's, or Charlotte's or Mira's, goal attempt.
Goal (Mira)
Author: Sirius Padfoot Black
Date: 01-22-20 10:41
Just before letting the quaffle go towards one of the hoops Belinda hands off to Charlotte who flies parallel with the hoops. Charlotte tosses the quaffle when she's almost past the middle ring. Fitz has sent a bludger at Eileen and even though it arrives around the same time as the quaffle is reaching the hoop, the Ravenclaw chaser is able to stop the red ball while ducking the black one.
Eileen not only stopped the quaffle from passing through the hoop's ring but had caught it outright. As she's passing the ball to Seth the second bludger, which Doug had sent and Noah tried to stop but couldn't, smacks Eileen's hand, causing the ball she's already let go of, to veer from heading towards Seth. Mira snatches up the quaffle only to immediately release it. This all happens so quickly Eileen is unable to maneuver her broom to reposition for another block. Barbie Bones excitedly announces, "Eternal-Black scores! Slytherin leads 20 to 10!"
Seth gets the quaffle going again with a pass to Jordan. Watching the only Weasley not in Gryffindor, Mira can't help but think of one who is, Seth's cousin Schuyler. Upon returning to school from Christmas holiday and learning of the Sweethearts Dance, Mira rightly anticipated a lot of hemming and hawing and boys acting even more foolish around her, both wanting to ask her to the dance but also fumbling and stumbling over invitations to attend. Then there would be the ones who would want to ask but wouldn't, certain that she would say no because of already having a date or, worse, saying no because she didn't fancy him.
In order to be able to say no because she was already going with someone else and in order to attend with someone she could see herself dancing with for most of the dances, she hinted around to Schuyler. To her brother's amusement, she'd nearly had to out and out ask Schuyler herself but he'd finally done the asking. Later, James told her Schuyler's slowness was due to being surprised she was showing interest in him over some of the others in their year or even some of the fourth years James has no doubt that even though she's thirteen, if Mira had wanted she could have gotten any male from fifth year through seventh to ask her, even some of them who already have girlfriends. Mira might have the Veela charm for it and she's pretty but she knows her parents wouldn't have let her attend if her date was fifteen or sixteen and definitely not one who is seventeen. Best to stick with those closer to her own age. For now at least.
Jordan's gotten the quaffle almost to midpitch when Doug clips on the elbow with a bludger. The hit doesn't seem bad but did have the effect of causing his arm to weirdly pop up. That, in turn, lets Charlotte seize the ball. She flies enough forward to whip her broom around without worry of smashing it into Jordan. Going low over her broom she takes off back down the pitch. Mira has come around on a wider arc so trails Charlotte and Jordan who'd sharply whirled his broom around to race after her. Belinda had been behind but with the direction of action reversed she's not ahead. Charlotte throws long to Belinda who then races back towards Eileen, looking to add another goal to Slytherin's score.
In the stands, James has been cheering for Slytherin because his twin is on the team. There's also Charlotte who he's known his whole life. Charlotte who he's trying to work up the courage to ask to the Valentine's dance, hoping she's not already been asked or that she's not already asked someone. When a bludger from Kurt allows Chloe to steal the quaffle before Charlotte's able to try for a goal, James cheers. He's also for Ravenclaw because he's known Seth pretty much as long as he's known Charlotte.
Where Did The Quaffle Go? (Doug)
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 01-22-20 18:09
Belinda doesn't make it close enough to the rings to try for another goal. Just when Belinda looks like she's going to hand off the quaffle to Mira who's come up beside her, a bludger hit by Kurt connects with Mira's side. That sends her swerving at Belinda who jerks her broom in an effort to avoid a collision. In the process she drops the quaffle. Chloe races to get the red ball but in her haste she misses catching it. The quaffle bounces off her broom handle and out of bounds.
Oddly, no one can see where the quaffle went. Professor Krum attempts to summon it to him. When that doesn't work he calls a time out. Doug isn't sure what the others are thinking but he's wondering if the quaffle's sudden disappearance has anything to do with other times balls have been interfered with. While they wait for Krum to either find the quaffle or get another Doug hovers near enough to where teammates Fitzwilliam and Sylvestor are talking about girls and the Valentine's dance that he can them.
Initially, Doug hadn't given much thought to asking anyone to the dance. He likes a few girls but none enough to attend something called a Sweethearts Dance. A girl might get the wrong idea about a relationship or going steady or whatever if asked on a date specifically for Valentine's. As the actual date approaches, however, he's starting to rethink his stance. He could go stag to a thing like that but it being a Valentine's event would being there alone be uncomfortable compared to just a regular dance? Doug glances towards the stands where he's seen Selma Szyslak. Maybe he'll ask her this evening if she wants to go to the dance with him.
Doug can't devote much more thought right then on whether to ask Selma to the dance or not because Coach Krum has the quaffle. It had somehow gotten stuck, which is why he'd been unable to summon it. Slytherin had been the last to clearly have possession of the quaffle before it was knocked out of bounds so Belinda accepts the quaffle, passing it to Mira. Mira takes off down the pitch, passing to Charlotte. The trio set up a formation that has them working the quaffle from one to the other to the third and back again while moving the ball down the pitch.
A bludger from Noah allows Seth to disrupt the passing rhythm the girls have gotten into. He misses the interception but on the next pass, which is from Charlotte to Belinda, Jordan steals then hastily sends the ball forward to Chloe. Doug rushes to get to the other bludger to help Wallace prevent Chloe from scoring only to have to pull back when Kurt gets there first. Doug changes tactics to redirect the bludger. He ends up sending it to Fitz who then sends the black ball on a trajectory to hit Chloe directly between her shoulder blades.
Jordan calls a warning in time for Chloe to duck but doing so screws up her angle to throw the quaffle. She ends up tossing it to Jordan who hurls the quaffle at the center of one of the hoops. Wallace is able to do a full body block that sends the quaffle into Mira's grasp. Doug tries to keep one eye on who has the quaffle and one on the bludger he's approaching so he'll better know how to angle his bat for the hit.
Drifting [Sylvestor]
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 01-23-20 10:36
During the timeout while the quaffle was being retrieved part of the conversation Sylvestor had with Fitz was about who Fitz had asked to the Sweethearts Dance. To Sylvestor's surprise just before their first apparition lesson this morning Fitz had asked Susan Fricks. His reaction is because he can't remember Fitz ever showing an interest in Susan before yet Fitz says he's always sort of fancied her. Sylvestor can't really say much to that. He's not always fancied the girl he's asked but lately she has gotten his attention. With her in another house and year, Sylvestor wonders if he'd have given Jaclyn Rex much notice if she weren't his teammate Wallace's sister.
All talk of girls and the dance and an essay for Snape Fitz and he both need to finish writing is put on hold once the game restarts. With Fitz back to hunting and hitting bludgers and the chasers in the thick of the action with the quaffle, Sylvestor flies to one corner of the pitch to start a new search pattern in his effort to locate the snitch. To Sylvestor's amazement when he reaches the other side of the pitch and is curving around to start another pass, the snitch is hovering right there as if waiting for him.
Sylvestor has lost track of where Bran is. He forces himself not to swivel in search of the other seeker's location. Making an obvious show might draw attention to him, and the snitch, too soon. He does his best to locate Bran with small movements of the sort he makes looking for the snitch. Doing this while keeping the snitch in view is a lot more difficult than he would have thought though he knows he shouldn't think it hard when compared to the fact that one can be looking straight at the snitch and have it there one heartbeat and vanished from sight the next.
Still unable to get a good idea of where Bran is other than he's not right there in easy view, Sylvestor risks a glance upward and then another downward. No Bran above or below his position. The snitch, meanwhile, still hovers in the same spot. That spot is unfortunately just out of Sylvestor's reach, even if he stretches as far as he can. He eases his broom forward and a little to the left in an effort to creep up on the snitch.
He's being so careful and moving so slowly that to him it seems to take minutes rather than the few seconds that pass in reality. Sylvestor is so focused on getting to the snitch, which doesn't seem to be any closer, that he doesn't hear Barbie Bones announcing, "Trainor has spotted the snitch!"
Frustrated that the gap between the snitch and him is, if anything, a little wider, Sylvestor speeds up a tiny bit. The snitch and he are moving at such a snail's pace that he feels as though he's drifting on the slight breeze rather than actually flying. Muttering an oath under his breath at realizing the snitch is ever so slowly pulling away Sylvestor lunges his broom at the winged ball. Just as his fingers brush the snitch a bludger smashes into his side right at the shoulder, causing his arm to swing wide of the ball.
In that fraction of a second the snitch is gone. Sylvestor sits up straight, rubbing his shoulder and sees Bran less than a yard away, his body language clearly that of someone searching for a small, lost object. Sighing, Sylvestor resumes his search, irritated at having been so close to winning the match but also glad that Bran wasn't able to do so either.
Mad Scramble
Author: Blossom
Date: 01-23-20 14:31
Rubbing a knee that had just been clobbered by a bludger Seth steers his broom in a wide arc around Belinda, Mira, and Chloe. Belinda has the quaffle but is looking to pass to Mira with Chloe doing her best to interfere with the pass. Seth zooms by but once past he slows. He's now behind the group but if Chloe is successful in stealing the ball he's now in position for her to pass to him if needed.
Seth sees Kurt batting a bludger and off past where Jordan is on the other side of Belinda he can see Fitz also approaching a bludger. Charlotte's just ahead of the Belinda, Mira, and Chloe and that's to whom Belinda ends up passing, the bludger from Kurt reaching Belinda after she's let the quaffle go. That puts the quaffle closer to Eileen and a good distance now from where Seth still trails the three girls so he leans over his broom and accelerates, zipping around them.
The bludger from Fitz nearly hits Chloe but when it was clear to her that Belinda was passing to Charlotte and not Mira, Chloe had sped up. The bludger's trajectory would have been spot on had she kept to the same speed.
Charlotte charges in closer to Eileen, Jordan now dogging her from one side. Seth is on her other side, doing his best to keep her from passing to either Belinda or Mira. Charlotte attempts to position herself for a goal, Jordan and Seth doing their best to harass her without intentionally fouling. A bludger from Noah helps but Charlotte perseveres, letting the quaffle fly to the hoop farthest from them. Eileen has to hustle to get there, avoiding a bludger from Doug in the process, but she's able to get to the quaffle, swatting it away from the hoop.
There's a mad scramble with Chloe getting to the quaffle first but Mira's able to pop it loose from her grip before Chloe can secure the ball. The way the quaffle pops up Mira doesn't so much grab it as bat it towards Belinda who grabs the quaffle. She immediately launches the quaffle at the nearest hoop. Eileen reaches for the ball, ready to send it away but a bludger smacks her at the same moment resulting in her sending the black ball back out towards the chasers while the red ball sails by.
The stands erupt and Barbie informs the assembled, "Goal by McCourt! Slytherin leads Ravenclaw 30 to 10!"
The Most Boring End (Bran)
Author: Saffron
Date: 01-23-20 19:09
Five minutes give or take after Slytherin's third goal Bran spies the snitch. It's moving away from him at a fairly fast clip so he has no choice but to increase speed to follow and to try and catch up. His taking off so suddenly must have drawn the attention of either Fitz or Doug because next thing Bran knows he's bent over at the waist trying to catch his breath, simultaneously bringing his broom to a halt, the bludger moving away after bouncing off him and the snitch nowhere to be seen.
Bran takes a moment to catch his breath. Wheezing, he watches as Jordan races into goal range, quaffle flying from his hand. Wallace pushes the ball back, Chloe throwing herself to one side to snatch the quaffle just as Mira's hand is closing on it. Though somewhat off-balance from the way she got the quaffle, Chloe is able to shoot the ball but Wallace again makes the block. This time Mira is successful in taking possession, wheeling her broom around to start racing away from Wallace.
Mira makes it a third of the way down the pitch before handing off to Charlotte. Just then a bludger from Noah gets Charlotte across one arm causing her to fumble her hold on the quaffle. Seth darts in and steals the quaffle away before she can firm up her hold. Racing straight for Wallace without slowing Seth only veers at the last moment, throwing the quaffle when he does. Bran can see the frustration on Seth's face when Wallace not only blocks the shot but the quaffle goes straight to Belinda.
Slowly taking a deep breath and then just as slowly exhaling, Bran puts his broom back into motion. He still feels a little winded but at least he's able to breathe somewhat normally again. Going the other direction, Sylvestor passes him at roughly the same altitude. When Bran reaches the boundary of the pitch he makes a slow, climbing turn.
Leveling off he turns his head for a moment to watch Seth and Mira grappling for the quaffle. When a few seconds go by and neither is able to take full possession a whistle blows. Coach Krum takes the quaffle with Mira and Seth facing off. Seth is a fraction of a second quicker at grabbing the toss up than Mira. As Seth takes off, Jordan and Chloe setting up a formation to work the quaffle to the Slytherin tended hoops Bran turns his head back to give full attention back to searching for the snitch.
Rapid movement suddenly right in his face has Bran flinching. He raises his hand to bat away the bug or leaf or whatever it is, his eyes coming to focus on the whatever just as his hand closes around it. Opening his hand in wonderment Bran stares at the snitch resting docilely in his palm. When no one else notices, when there's no boisterous announcement from Barbie, Bran holds the snitch up between thumb and forefinger, loudly calling out, "I've got the snitch!"
It still takes half a minute for anyone to pay attention and that's only because he's flown over to where Barbie's complimenting Charlotte for a slick quaffle interception. Seeing Bran with the snitch held up for her to see Barbie says, "Well, folks, in the most boring end of a match ever, Hyland has caught the snitch. Final score Ravenclaw 160, Slytherin 30!"
All around Bran can hear people questioning what Barbie's just told them. Coach Krum approaches to affirm that Bran does indeed have the snitch, blowing his whistle to officially end the match. When Sylvestor flies up next to Bran and quips, "You could have at least pretended you were chasing it. Put on a show so I could think I had a chance," all Bran can do is laugh and reply, "I'll keep that in mind for next time."
Once on the ground, Bran slowly walks to the locker room, watching for a certain person. If he doesn't see Blakeney Ellis here at the pitch or on the way back to the castle, he'll look for her in the Commons or the Great Hall. He's been chicken long enough about asking her to the Sweethearts Dance and won't be at all surprised if she turns him down because she's already got a date but if he doesn't ask then he'll definitely never have a chance.