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Quidditch Cup 2007-2008
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 07-22-14 09:55
Wanda Carmody has returned to help referee once more, eager to get more experience under her belt as she will join the ranks as a professional referee come fall. Also returning to assist is Karl Broadmoor. This being the all important championship match for the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup, Viktor decided three calling the match today was a good idea.
With no apparition lesson or anything else taking place before the match, with students needing a break from the increased pressure of studying as OWLs and NEWTs are only a handful of days away with final exams following right behind, and with the weather excellent today, the stands began filling early. There is already a loud buzz of noise that will only get louder the closer the tip-off of the quaffle gets. Once the match begins the noise level will reach such a level that it will be difficult to hear. The whistles he, and the other refs, wear still somehow manage to cut piercingly through the din for the players to hear over both the crowd and the wind rushing past their ears as they speed around the pitch.
Balls ready, a never before used snitch twitching to take to the air, Viktor notes the time. No sooner has he done so than the day's announcer enthusiastically welcomes everyone to the 2007-2007 Hogwarts Quidditch Cup Championship Match. The referees are introduces, each waving from ground level then the teams though by this point in the school year there's actually little need to reel off the names of each team member along with their respective positions. It adds to the growing excitement though so along with everyone else Viktor claps as each player emerges from the locker rooms, zooming a circle around the pitch before coming to join Carmody, Broadmoor, and him at the mid-point line.
"For Ravenclaw... Seeker Bran Hyland! Chaser Alastor Jenkins! Beater Aderyn Carter! Beater Jade Green! Chaser Franciscus Vanderbilt! Keeper Beatrix Vanderbilt! Chaser Ramona Mickle!"
The announcer waits few beats then cheerfully exclaims, "For Hufflepuff... Chaser Marlow MacDougal! Chaser Jasper Jenkins! Beater Augustus Hodfuffer! Beater Caerwyn Valentine! Keeper Gloriaspasiana Hodfuffer! Chaser Sadie Mickle! Seeker Aleydis Vanderbilt!"
Team captains Alastor Jenkins and Aleydis Vanderbilt shake hands after Viktor gives a variation of the same little speech given before practically every Quidditch match everywhere. Players take to their brooms, the snitch and bludgers are released and then the quaffle. There's a collective hush over the stadium as all eyes look to see who takes first possession.
Need To Stay Focused (Glori)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 07-22-14 14:29
Taking her place in front of the three hoops at one end of the pitch Glori fervently hopes that thoughts of the upcoming Ordinary Wizarding Levels don't intrude during this all important match. Today is the seventh. Exams start on the sixteenth. Her time to prepare is rapidly running out but Glori thinks if she had another year she would never feel fully ready.
The quaffle being put into play by Coach Krum gets Glori's full attention. The six chasers converge, some grappling to be the first to get the red ball, others attempting to aid a teammate in taking possession. Glori finds herself holding her breath, watching to see who comes up victorious. She lets it out in a rush when it's Ravenclaw's Franciscus Vanderbilt. Like all the Vanderbilts he's nice looking. She has no doubt that if he doesn't already have girls fancying him he soon will.
That makes her think about her own teammate Caerwyn Valentine. Glori's not sure when it happened but she's recently developed a little crush on him. She doesn't think she's been obvious about it and very much hopes she hasn't, not even telling close friend and cousin Hydrangea about it.
Franciscus had almost immediately found himself target of a bludger sent by that very beater, Caerwyn. He dodged it only to nearly ram into opposing chaser Sadie Mickle, who happens to also be Franciscus's cousin. He jerks his broom to the side while climbing at the same time, narrowly missing Sadie. Spotting another cousin, Sadie's sister, Ramona Mickle open, Franciscus passes off the quaffle.
Glori's glad that for this match her only relative playing is on the same team. In the past, she's had some who played on other house teams. In this match, including her cousin Gus and she, there are ten players who are related in some way. Jasper and Alastor are brothers on opposite teams. They are Marlow's cousin, who's on Hufflepuff with Jasper. Sadie and Ramona are sisters, also on opposite teams. Three of their Vanderbilt cousins play with Ramona for Ravenclaw. If you stretch it just a little Gus and Caerwyn are like brothers, so much so she's heard them described more than once as Siamese twins born separated.
Ramona races towards Glori, her mouth in a determined smile pulling her lips into a tight line. Jasper forces her to slow when he gets directly in front of her. She goes to swerve around him but Marlow pulls up on that very same side. Ramona's eyes narrow slightly but she keeps going, looking for an opening to take the first goal shot of the game.
Her other side currently unblocked, as they near the hoops Ramona darts that way, quaffle ready to throw. Glori's ready for it, a bludger smashing into one arm as she rebuff's Ramona's attempt. Sadie snatches up the quaffle and as the action starts the other direction, Glori grimaces, rubbing her arm. It hurts enough that in addition to trying not to crush overly much on Caerwyn during the match or dwell on the OWLs she has an extremely painful arm now threatening to screw up her focus on the match.
I Love You
Author: Alaia Rothstein
Date: 07-22-14 14:55
Alaia lay in bed and glanced over at Lee who was still asleep next to her. She smiled a warm smile and then moved over in the bed and wrapped an arm around him and kissed him lightly on the lips. His eyes fluttered and then opened and he smiled at her.
"I am so glad you came away with me." Lee said with a smile on his face.
"I am glad I did too." Alaia kissed Lee again as she moved closer to him. "I love you, Lee." She said without hesitation or reservation. The words were out and there was only a half a second pause before Lee replied in kind to her sentiment.
Alaia squealed happily and wrapped both of her arms around Lee and rolled over pulling him on top of her. She smiled up at him and he down at her and she sighed happily…contently.
******
Time passed and the two finally disentangled from each other and after showering together they dressed and headed out to breakfast in London. Even though they had not gone far from home they were not at home and it was nice. Alaia also liked that Lee spoiled her when they were out.
They walked into a store with a jewelry counter and Alaia was drawn to the pretty jewelry. The shoppe manager came to the counter and began asking Alaia if she would like to look at anything. At first Alaia said no and then Lee joined her and said why don't you try this on. He handed her a large velvet box and Alaia opened it. Her face brightened when she saw the diamond and emerald tennis bracelet.
"Oh, Lee! You didn't have to." She said with a gush of emotion in her voice. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Love." He said and pulled back and took the bracelet out of the box and slipped it around her wrist and fastened the clasp. Alaia admired the bracelet and smiled again.
The two continued to look around the shoppe buying a few things they wanted to remember their first weekend away together and then they left for a park and a nice walk together.
Bored
Author: Valeria Mockridge
Date: 07-22-14 17:22
Valeria frowned and pushed her book aside. She was bored. The Quidditch Cup match was today, but she didn't really care who was competing. It's not like it was Slytherin in the match or anything. She was beyond ready for term to be over, especially since her uncle and her aunts had all referenced some happening, as had her grandmother, and none of them would tell her what it was. Cloris had shuffled her off to the Parkinsons with Petula for Easter break, but no one had yet to tell her why, only that they would tell her when she got home.
Which told her something was definitely up. As a pureblooded heiress presumptive, at least until her uncle, Kirley, had a son or he designated a son of Nephele's, which was currently a non-issue as well, she knew why they weren't giving her the information in a letter. Everyone who grew up in the Wizarding World knew that the walls of Hogwarts have ears. Whether it's a professor or another student listening, a house elf, a ghost or a painting, secrets don't last in the ancient castle. Owls aren't fool-proof either, they could always be intercepted. And even then, there's always the chance of a Legilimens prying the information away. It was no great secret that her own Head of House had some skill in that arena, and growing up with a paranoid family, Valeria had been taught the basics quite young. She wouldn't say she had mastered the subject, but she certainly had some resistance to it. But there were still the other security concerns.
Anton looked up at Val from where he'd sprawled near her feet. He'd planned on going to the Quidditch match, at least until he'd seen that somewhat malicious twinkle appear in Valeria's eye over breakfast. That look meant the blonde was up for mischief, even if she wouldn't admit it yet. "You look bored, Mockridge," he drawled. "Should I go find a cowering Firstie to torment for you?"
"Only if they aren't in our own house. Ours aren't too bad, although Howell baffles me," Valeria responded. "I met her a few times, before she went to live with her uncle. She was a timid little thing, and she still is, but now, she seems less so. It might be a good thing, even if she does wear those awful muggle fashions."
"It's disgusting," Anton muttered.
"Yes, but honestly, I can't blame her. They do look more comfortable. And even proper wizarding robes are leaning toward muggle styles these days. Which, I have to admit, is a huge improvement from those horrid things we see in the history books," Valeria answered. "I don't have a problem with the muggles or the muggleborn, Avery. I have a problem with them not bothering to learn our traditions and just assuming it should be the same way as things are in their world."
Anton studied her a moment before he nodded. "Alright, fair enough. You aren't going expect me to be nice to the mudbloods though, are you?"
"Perish the thought, An. I'm just not that nice," Val said with a grin. "Maybe we should go to the match after all, we could see what opportunities arise," she suggested. His grin was wicked and malicious as he got to his feet before holding out a hand to help her up.
"As the lady wishes," he answered.
Stuffed Up (Gus)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 07-22-14 18:32
Gus weaves around two of the chasers on his way to one of the bludgers, getting annoyed as he yawns. He's not tired but has congestion from a mild cold. Since becoming so stuffed up he keeps yawning, he guesses because unless he's breathing fully through his mouth he's not getting in the air he usually does. Being in the air and moving so much he tries not to do too much mouth breathing because it dries out his mouth something awful. The only time he can get a drink when that happens is if there's a time out. He's got some hard candy tucked away along with practically an entire box of tissues.
Reaching the bludger he aims for Alastor, who's working hard to get the quaffle away from Jasper, now in possession. He wonders if he had a sibling, particularly a younger one, playing on another team if he'd try to convince the sibling to hand over the ball or else. He doesn't think he would but having no siblings whatsoever Gus has only ever observed the older-younger sibling dynamic. From what he's seen, the older ones do tend to bully the younger ones, even if only a tiny bit.
Alastor avoids the bludger, though only just. It doesn't slow the Ravenclaw chaser down in the slightest as he continues trying to steal the quaffle. Another bludger cuts across where Alastor and Jasper are flying, only this one is aimed at Jasper and was sent by Jade. Gus pauses just long enough from going after the one he'd just hit to see if Jasper's able to avoid the black ball while wishing he were near enough to be able to do something about it.
The bludger clips Jasper but he's able to hang onto the quaffle though does soon after pass to Marlow. Marlow speeds away, tucking over the quaffle and rolling to one side as Ramona tries to get in close to grab the ball away. By that time Gus has reached the bludger and sends it in Ramona's direction.
With Gus and Caerwyn helping as they can with the bludgers, Marlow with Sadie and Jasper soon have the quaffle near enough to Beatrix's vicinity to make a goal attempt. Marlow acts as if she's throwing towards one of the hoops but hands off to Sadie. Sadie, in turn, hurls the quaffle at the hoop furthest from the one Marlow had acted like she was making for. Beatrix is able to see through the ploy, enabling her to get to the Sadie thrown quaffle, knocking it back with a fist, Jasper grabbing up the rebound.
As much as Gus would love to sit on his broom with this excellent view of the activity, he can only watch so much of it as he once again goes after a bludger, only to be forced to back off when Aderyn reaches it first. He turns and flies in the direction she'll be sending it, unless for some reason she goes for one of the seekers, neither of whom are on the snitch's trail at the moment.
Intercepting the bludger, most likely targeting Sadie who once more has the quaffle, Gus targets Beatrix. He's a smidge late with getting it there, however, as she's not only made another block but now Ramona has the quaffle on the rebound.
Hustling to get to a bludger before either Jade or Aderyn, yawning yet again, Gus swipes at his nose with one of his tissues and wonders, as many others are, who will score first?
Mickle vs Mickle
Author: Griet
Date: 07-23-14 18:13
Ramona rushed away from the Ravenclaw goals, eager to put as much distance between them and the quaffle as possible. She had very mixed feelings about today's match. She felt excited to know she was up against her older sister, but at the same time she worried that Hufflepuff would win and Sadie would rub it in her face, even though that wouldn't be Sadie's style at all.
There was also the fact that her boyfriend was on the other team. Ramona couldn't picture Gus torturing her over a potential loss, but she could see him tease her a little bit. At least Ravenclaw had beaten Hufflepuff during their last match-up, so Ramona probably didn't need to worry much. All she knew for sure was that she wanted to win.
She felt a presence pull up beside her and flicked her gaze to her right to see whether it was friend or foe. It turned out to be Alastor, putting himself between her and Jasper and also shielding her from possible bludgers coming from that direction. Ramona's left side remained unprotected, though, and soon Sadie was there, acting like a real pest. She flew in close, but not too close to foul, and reached out her arm, waving it this way and that in an effort to both distract her sister and steal the quaffle.
Ramona looked down to see Franciscus flying beneath her. The cousins made eye contact quickly, and then Ramona released the quaffle, dropping it into Franciscus' open arms. Sadie and Jasper both tried to catch the ball before it could reach Franciscus and nearly collided into each other for their efforts.
Franciscus flattened himself on his broom and blitzed ahead, quickly reaching the Hufflepuff goal hoops. He was, however, far too low to have any chance at scoring, though Glori wasn't entirely sure what he would try to do. In the end, Franciscus glanced back up, pitched the ball straight up, and breathed a sigh of relief when Ramona caught it before anyone else could. Ramona barely had it in her hands when she let it fly. Glori lunged for the block, but she was a hair too slow.
"Mickle––that's Ramona Mickle––scores for Ravenclaw!" the announcer cried out.
Glori retrieved the quaffle and passed it to Sadie. Sadie dashed off, but didn't get very far before Franciscus, Ramona and Alastor crowded in on her. She clutched the quaffle tightly in her arms and weighed her options, while simultaneously looking out for the bludgers. She relaxed only a tiny bit when she saw that both of the Hufflepuff beaters had control of the black balls for the moment.
Marlow flew ahead and looked over her shoulder, indicating she was open to accept a pass if Sadie felt she could safely throw it. Sadie waited for both bludgers to near their Ravenclaw chaser targets and threw long, watching the red ball soar in a perfect arc towards Marlow's waiting arms. Marlow caught the ball easily and surged onwards, having a headstart on just about everyone else.
Sadie hurried to catch up and saw Marlow get within scoring range. For a few seconds, it was only Marlow and Beatrix up against each other. Marlow threw, Beatrix blocked, Marlow caught the rebound and threw again. Beatrix caught the ball outright this time and handed the quaffle to Franciscus, but a bludger via Gus cut his possession of the quaffle short. Marlow reclaimed the ball but rather than aim for the goals, she threw the ball to Jasper. He threw the ball to Sadie.
Sadie tried to score, but the ball hit the rim and bounced back into her arms. She started to attempt another score when she changed her mind suddenly and threw the quaffle back to Jasper. He tried for a goal, but Beatrix knocked the ball back into the fray. A mad scramble followed, during which a bludger caught Marlow in the lower leg and bounced into Jasper's thigh. Sadie managed to get her hands firmest on the quaffle and lobbed it at the goals. Fortunately, the same bludger that had hit Marlow and ricocheted onto Jasper popped Beatrix in the kneecap. A look of pain marred her face, and she was simply too distracted and too slow to stop Sadie's goal.
Family Business
Author: Jefferson
Date: 07-23-14 19:03
"Working hard on a Saturday?" Lawson questioned as she walked up behind her elder brother. Jefferson was studying a stack of paperwork, but was not startled by his sister's approach. Lawson was rarely able to conceal her presence, something the hit wizard found odd. Maybe Lawson never cared if she was discovered, which seemed to be the situation in the case he was reviewing.
"I was going over some old files, to see if something triggered an idea for a current case." The lie easily hidden as he tapped his wand on the desk, the various papers to slid back into a folder. Then he turned to look at his sister, who had been trying to see what he was up to. "Honestly, Laws,."
Lawson folded her arms, "Those papers looked like old news, Jeff, from your old job in Louisiana. That means it most likely does concern me."
"Look," Jefferson said with sigh before adding, "this is a rough memory, Laws. The entire reason we ran is because of this case, because of your actions."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Lawson held up her hands and took a step back, "That ain't all my fault! You went digging, and I just helped."
"You did more than that." He shook his head, not really in the mood to have this conversation with his sister right now.
"Alright, but we need to talk about this again. I don't want the past dredged up and pull the family apart again."
Jefferson thought this over for a moment. He wanted to tell his little sister everything, but it wasn't safe for her to know just what he was investigating. That did bring up another issue. "I'm gonna be going back to New Orleans for a while this summer."
"What? Jeff, you can't just go back, what about Remedy?" There was a slight flash of panic across the brunette's face.
"She'll be staying here, of course."
"Uhh, not with me! Rem hates me, you know she'll bolt and go stay with our neighbor Apollo, or whatever his name is." She said as she waved a hand at the door.
"Orion."
"What?"
"Our neighbor is Orion, not Apollo." Jeff couldn't help the slight smile before he continued, "I've already spoken to him, Rem will be staying with him and his niece while I'm out of town. They will have access to our apartment, so I expect you to mind your manners. Before you even say it, I've already asked Fallon and Fletcher Morgan to check in on you, and make sure the place is still suitable for human habitation." The tone in Jeff's voice was somewhere between humor and serious, but Lawson go the picture. "You've no more chances Laws."
She sighed and nodded, "I know, I'll behave."
"Thank you, sis." He hugged her, before picking up the file. "I have to run for a few hours, I'll be back before you head to work." Jefferson still wasn't sure what Lawson did for employment, but at the moment he didn't care, she was actually paying him rent for the first time in her life. This coming summer would be interesting, he could only hope he would be able to spend some quality time with his daughter when she returned from her first year at Hogwarts.
Another Goal Made (Alastor & Jasper)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 07-24-14 16:38
The quaffle again in Ravenclaw hands Alastor wedges himself between Franciscus and Marlow after the she kept getting in close enough to touch the quaffle in Franciscus's hand. A bludger comes in on Franciscus's other side but with warning from both Alastor and Sadie, he's slows while also handing off the quaffle to Alastor.
Alastor too slowed because once Franciscus moved, he was in the path of the bludger. Once he's got the quaffle secure and the bludger is no longer a threat he accelerates in a slightly curving line, taking him further away from Marlow who'd shadowed both the boys, partially in hope of getting the quaffle but also because she too was in the path of that bludger.
Darting around Sadie, Alastor passes the quaffle along to Ramona. Jasper nearly has it on an interception but thanks to a quaffle from Caerwyn, he's not able to take possession of the ball. Just then a bludger smashes into Alastor's broom an inch or so above the start of the bristles. A few splinters fly prompting referee Wanda Carmody to blow her whistle. She and Coach Krum come over to inspect the broom as everyone else hovers in place.
Alastor breathes a sigh of relief when the broom is deemed still worthy. This is his last official Hogwarts match and not only that, it's for the coveted Quidditch Cup. He would not want to spend the rest of the match sidelined because his broom is no longer safe to fly.
The players are given the go ahead to resume. Of course by now, Glori has had plenty of time to assess Ramona's position and most likely direction she'll throw the quaffle. This doesn't faze Ramona in the slightest. She lets the quaffle go, throwing hard to her right. Glori, wincing a little from the arm that took a pretty good knocking earlier in the match, bats the quaffle away.
Alastor's there for the rebound. He aims and throws but once more Glori turns it back. Jasper snatches the ball before anyone else is able. Pivoting his broom to go the other direction, he ducks a foot when Aderyn shoots up at a sharp angle going after a bludger.
Jasper, Marlow, and Sadie make quick work of moving the quaffle back down the pitch. Alastor, Franciscus, and Ramona hinder them the entire way and both bludgers are whizzing around so much there are moments Jasper wonders if someone threw a few more bludgers into the mix.
Jasper has the ball once more when they reach Beatrix. He makes as if to throw towards a hoop but changes his mind and sends it to Sadie instead. Beatrix stops the quaffle, using the flat of one hand much like slapping one of those volleyballs they've learned about from Coach Krum and cousin Aaron. It comes straight at Jasper. He catches it then makes as if to throw again, this time actually sending it towards one of the hoops.
He's sure Beatrix has the block but one of the bludgers appears as if it's apparated there. Beatrix flinches as it passes near her nose, letting the quaffle get by her in the process.
With the score now Hufflepuff 20 to Ravenclaw's 10 Beatrix gives the quaffle to Franciscus. He moves only a short way from her when he throws to Ramona. She speeds off with Jasper doing his best to keep up. Gus sends a bludger her way. Ramona dodges it but in the process she fumbles her grip on the quaffle.
Seizing the opportunity Jasper darts in, grabs the quaffle, and immediately tosses it to Marlow. She races back towards Beatrix only to have the Ravenclaw keeper stop another goal affort. Sadie and Alastor grapple for the rebound, Sadie wresting it from him to throw again.
Beatrix smacks the quaffle away. Franciscus looks to have it this time but Jasper hurls himself between Franciscus and the red ball, nearly unseating himself from his broom in the process. Lining up for another goal attempt, Jasper lets the quaffle fly.