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(Willow) Commentating the Championship Match
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 07-19-15 09:34
Willow cut across the grounds towards the Quidditch Pitch, which was starting to fill up in anticipation of the championship match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. She, like all her fellow Slytherin housemates, felt disappointed that Slytherin hadn't made it all the way to the end, but she nevertheless looked forward to today's game. Both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had won two out of the three matches each team had played thus far. The teams seemed evenly matched and would no doubt make today's final an exciting game.
As Willow made her way over to the wooden stairwell that led up to the staff box, she found her path cut off by Maurice. Every so often, he made snide comments about her parentage and their former affiliation with the Death Eaters. Most of his jibes were made in passing and under his breath and were relatively easy for Willow to ignore. This appeared to be the first time in a long time that Maurice confronted her outright.
"I've got it all figured out, you know," he sneered.
"Somehow I doubt that," Willow replied. She moved go to around him, but he stepped in front of her again to block her way to the stairwell.
"The only reason you made commentator is because your Death Eater parents put pressure on Professor McGonagall to make it so," Maurice declared.
Willow laughed out loud. "I can't see Professor McGonagall being forced to do anything by anyone. Move out of my way, Maurice."
"Make me," he retorted.
Willow started to move around him again, but he blocked her way once more and said, "I'm not letting you pass."
"Mr. Kilman," stated a smooth, stern voice behind Willow. "I suggest you let Miss Westwick pass."
Maurice's eyes went from Willow's to the professor standing behind her. He seemed to hesitate but then nodded and muttered, "Yes, sir," before walking away from the entrance to the stairwell.
Willow turned slightly to look over her shoulder and saw Professor Snape towering over her. She murmured, "Thanks, Professor," and then made her way over to the steps.
Once seated in the staff box, Willow waited for the official start of the match to begin introducing the players, which included for Gryffindor beaters Madoc McGonagall and Edgar Steele, keeper Hunter Green, chasers Mildred Campbell, Gerry Martini-Blackwell, and Finley Pride, and seeker Leo Marchbanks. She announced the Hufflepuff players next, who were beaters Gus Hodfuffer and Caerwyn Valentine, keeper Glori Hodfuffer, chasers Jasper Jenkins, Marlow MacDougal, and Duncan Dippet, and seeker Sophie McCourt.
Captains Hunter and Caerwyn met at center field and shook hands, promising to play fairly, and then they mounted their brooms again and fell into position in the sky around the trunk of balls on the turf. Professor Krum released the balls in order, with the quaffle being the last one to go up into the air.
Championship Match Gets Underway
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 07-19-15 11:12
Before the match for the Hogwarts championship began, Viktor showed assistant referees Wanda Carmody and Glen Jamiseson the snitch being used today. Stamped in small letters around the ball is Quidditch Championship 2008-2009. Once the snitch is caught, the name of the winning team will be added in equally small letters and the team's seeker will be able to keep the ball. In the past, while from time to time a seeker was allowed to keep the snitch, the snitch was either retired and put on display or recharmed to be used again, either as a practice snitch or for a new match or for students playing around just for fun.
Last weekend, on Saturday, Viktor had used a number of such snitches, some of them from the Hogwarts stock and some from the Humbatas, for the flying and Quidditch workshop. With good weather and students needing an outlet to expend energy or to take minds off approaching exams, the turnout was good. Most were there for the Quidditch aspect but a goodly number wanted to work on improving flying skills. Several of them mentioned that they want to try out for their respective house teams in the fall but knew they needed to get better at flying. Can't play Quidditch very well if a lousy or so-so flier.
Time to the start of a match always seems to go by quickly once the stands begin filling. Today is no different and though Viktor feels almost as if he'd just arrived to do his last check on the balls to be used and on brooms in case someone has a problem before or during the game - though not standard, Viktor has begun letting players with broom issues exchange them mid-game rather than removing them from the match - before he knows it, Willow is introducing the referees and then it's time for the teams to take the pitch.
Within minutes players are in the air, the balls are free, and the six chasers are converging on the quaffle. Gryffindor chasers Finley Pride and Gerry Martini-Blackwell look to be aiding Mildred Campbell in taking possession rather than trying to to gain the quaffle for either of themselves. For Hufflepuff, Marlow MacDougal and Jasper Jenkins are after the ball while Duncan Dippet appears to be shielding one of them from an early bludger from Malden McGonagall. In an odd twist, because of that bludger, it's Duncan who ends up with the quaffle.
Not two minutes into the match, Viktor is blowing his whistle as the quaffle gets knocked out of bounds near the goals tended by Hunter Green when Finley tries to intercept a pass between two of the Hufflepuff chasers and a bludger sent to interfere with her effort hits the quaffle, not Finley. Wanda retrieves the quaffle, handing it to Marlow to put back into play.
Marlow throws to Jasper who tosses it to Duncan who passes to Marlow once she's in better position. Marlow makes the first goal attempt of the match, trying to get Hunter to go to his right but throwing to the center. Hunter doesn't fall for it, easily batting the quaffle away and straight into the hands of his teammate Gerry.
First Goal of the Match
Author: Finley
Date: 07-19-15 13:09
Gerry spun around and rushed off, keeping his eyes open for the two black bludgers and his fellow Gryffindor chasers. Finley arced away to put a little more distance between herself and the others and made eye contact with Gerry to indicate she could accept his pass, if he needed to rid himself of the quaffle. He nearly did, but when Jasper got in between them, Gerry handed the red ball to Mildred.
Mildred shot forward with a boost of speed and swerved suddenly when Gus aimed a bludger right at her. Marlow and Duncan closed in on her during the distraction and swiped out their arms in an effort to get her to give up the quaffle. She nearly lost it to Duncan when he managed to get his hands on the ball, but when Gerry abruptly appeared underneath them, Mildred threw the ball straight down and into his open arms.
Finley flew closer and accepted Gerry's pass, which happened only seconds later. She drew the quaffle close to her side and advanced on the goals guarded by Glori. Finley came at them at an angle and threw the quaffle with a bit of a spin, but Glori easily swatted the ball away with the palm of her hand. Jasper managed to catch it before Finley could reclaim it. He turned around quickly to make it way across the Pitch, when he was forced to drop his shoulder to avoid Madoc's bludger. Finley saw her opening and pulled the ball out of his grasp. She tried for another goal, only this time the ball bounced off the rim of the hoop.
When the ball rebounded, both Finley and Jasper grappled for it. Jasper almost had a good hand on it, when the second bludger struck him from behind and allowed Finley to get the better grip. She threw the quaffle the same time Edgar used Jasper's bludger to distract Glori. Everything being so close together at that point, Glori had little wiggle room to move away from the black ball in the time it took to reach her. It hit her in the upper arm. Meanwhile, Finley's quaffle made it through the hoop.
"Pride scores the first ten points of the match!" cried out the announcer.
Glori retrieved the quaffle and handed it to Marlow. She waited to massage her throbbing arm until the pack well-enough moved away from the goals.
Finley, meanwhile, made a good effort at harassing Marlow. She hovered close and occasionally reached for the quaffle, but when Caerwyn aimed a bludger her way, Finley hastily drew back her arm.
Marlow used the opportunity to throw the quaffle to Jasper, who passed it to Duncan, who gave it back to Jasper only a moment later. Marlow eventually joined her fellow chasers in working the quaffle from one end of the Pitch to the other. Finley tried to intercept the ball, but the Hufflepuff chasers worked as a cohesive unit. It was Marlow with the quaffle when they eventually reached the goals. Finley held her breath as she watched the red ball fly through the air…
Another Goal
Author: Mildred
Date: 07-19-15 14:45
"…and Green catches the quaffle with both his hands, preventing MacDougal from scoring."
Mildred couldn't hide her satisfaction towards Marlow's failed attempt to score. This was the Championship Match, the most important match of the year, and she really wanted her house to win.
Hunter passed the quaffle to Gerry, and Mildred tried to get ahead, approaching the Hufflepuff's hoops, as he also moved away from the Gryffindor side of the pitch. Jasper was right behind Gerry and so he threw the quaffle to Mildred. She grabbed it tight under her arm, and continued to fly as fast as she could. She heard the already familiar hiss of a bludger, but she continued her route, stubbornly. Mildred felt an acute pain on her left shoulder blade, when the bludger, sent by Caerwyn, hit her body. She didn't drop the quaffle, but she knew she wouldn't hold it much longer if Duncan, who was flying right next to her, would start to pressure her flank.
Finley was free and Mildred passed her the quaffle. Unfortunately Jasper stole it in mid air. The failed pass frustrated Mildred and she started to go after the Hufflepuff chaser, turning her broom around. She got closer to him and she tried to steal the red ball directly from his hands, but Jasper had a good grip on it. Mildred continued to pressure him, without result. Jasper threw the quaffle to Marlow, and Finley did exactly the same thin he had done a moment ago, stealing the quaffle before Marlow could reach it.
She flew with at high speed, trying to get away from the other chasers. Duncan was on her route but a bludger from Madoc prevented him to keep going after Finley. The Gryffindor chasers approached Glori's hoops, with the Hufflepuff chasers close behind. Marlow placed herself in front of Finley, trying to prevent her from trying to score again.
Finley passed the quaffle to Mildred. She shot but the quaffle didn't pass the central hoop like she wanted to. Instead it hit its metal structure. The red ball rebounded. Glori tried to get it and so did Mildred. She almost collapsed with the Hufflepuff keeper when she did so. She was able to get the quaffle back and shot again. This time the red ball passed right into the hoop.
"Campbell scores! Gryffindor leads by 20."
The Gryffindors on the stands started to cheer. Mildred looked around, trying to spot her friends. There they were, wearing Gryffindor scarves and facial paintings. They roared with excitement like all the other Gryffindors. Achilles waved at her. During breakfast he had showed his support with one of his pecks on her lips. Mildred smiled, but the smile was not meant for Achilles, like he assumed. At his side there was Wesley, who winked at her. He had waited at the locker-room's door, to meet with her without the others. He had kissed her, just like he had done at Hogsmeade, wishing her good luck. Everyone thought she had a secret relationship with Achilles, but they couldn't be more wrong. It was with Wesley. Mildred had blushed when Hunter approached the door and told her it was time to change robes.
Glori passed the quaffle to Duncan and the match continued.
Getting Points On The Score Board (Jasper & Marlow)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 07-19-15 18:48
Jasper wipes grit from one bleary eye. One second last night it was just after 9 and the game he was playing with a few others seemed to be nearing its end. Next thing he knew the game was still going on and someone mentioned it was nearing 3 am. He'd jumped up, sputtering an apology, and rushed to bed, wondering why no one had said anything sooner. Wondering why he hadn't noticed sooner. Of course, he was then hyped up just enough he had trouble falling asleep. If not for Humbert and Lon practically had to drag him out of bed this morning. A shower helped a little as did eating breakfast but all in all, Jasper knows he's going to have a struggle keeping focused for this most important of matches.
For some reason Gryffindor leading by two goals makes Jasper feel all the more tired. It should have him charged up, eager to get points on the scoreboard, to pull ahead. At the moment, all it's making him want to do is take a nap.
That thought makes Jasper angry. He feels a surge of energy and that's when he realizes being angry with himself is a good thing for the moment. Seeing Duncan looking to pass spurs Jasper to accelerate, bringing himself into a good position to assist Marlow, staving off a steal attempt by Gerry as Marlow catches the quaffle from Duncan. Marlow still has to do a partial roll to avoid a bludger from Edgar but the quaffle is secure in her grip and that's what matters.
Marlow swerves around Finley, eyeing Hunter just ahead. She contemplates going ahead and throwing the quaffle towards one of the hoops but she's still a little far out so isn't sure she can get enough ooomph behind the throw to have it reach plus the further it has to go, the greater the chance of Gryffindor interference before it gets to the hoops. Instead, she tosses to Jasper who grabs up the quaffle, veering around Mildred in the process or risk a possible collision.
Getting in nearer to Hunter, Jasper hurls the quaffle, wincing in empathy for Hunter when a bludger takes him full in the chest. Unfortunately, it comes a half a beat after the Gryffindor keeper had slapped the quaffle away from the hoop. Duncan tries to catch it but Gerry cuts him off. Gerry can't maneuver well so he throws to Mildred only to have Marlow intercept.
Marlow drives in a little closer, careful to avoid a bludger from Gus meant for Mildred. She throws the quaffle, Hunter stretching to stop it. He's not had time to fully shake off that hard hit to the chest and stretching as he is isn't helping. His fingers fall just short of the ball, Jasper finally feeling that energy of elation as the score is announced to now be Hufflepuff 10, Gryffindor 20.
Mildred has the quaffle now, handing off to Finley. Finley throws forward to Gerry. He zips around Caerwyn who's setting up a bludger hit, probably to be aimed at Gerry, Marlow thinks. She's surprised yet not when Caerwyn sends it in Leo's direction. She didn't see Leo after the snitch nor hear Willow say anything but Caerwyn apparently saw something he wasn't pleased with. Marlow's just happy Caerwyn did see whatever it was because not only is it too early in the match, in her opinion, for it to end already, but she so does not want to only have ten points to show for the game if Gryffindor does get the snitch.
While Caerwyn was sending a bludger after Leo, Gerry passed to Finley. Duncan, getting in near enough to harass her but not to foul, at least not deliberately, keeps reaching for the quaffle. Finley is able to fend him off until Gus helps Duncan out with a bludger to Finley's other side. Duncan snatches the quaffle from her, twists his torso around to make what almost amounts to a backhanded throw to Marlow before sharply pivoting his broom around.
Quaffle once again in hand, Marlow speeds away, heading back towards Hunter and the Gryffindor kept hoops.
More Points
Author: Gerry
Date: 07-20-15 10:42
Marlow sprinted through the air, drawing ever nearer to the hoops guarded by Hunter. Madoc and Edgar both managed to round up the bludgers at the same time and aimed them in Marlow's direction. One fell short, and the other Gus managed to intercept and redirect at Gerry. Gerry ducked to avoid it and flattened himself along the shaft of his broomstick. He flew a bit quicker but not quick enough to reach Marlow before she got within scoring range.
She let go of the quaffle, but Hunter stopped the ball from entering the intended hoop with a slap of his hand. The ball fell back into Marlow's arms, and she tried for another goal, only this time Hunter stopped the ball outright. He held onto it until one of his chasers could accept the hand-off. That chaser turned out to be Gerry.
Gerry spun around and dashed away, only to find himself hemmed in by Jasper and Duncan. He chanced a pass to Mildred, and while he managed to throw it without Jasper or Duncan stealing it away, Jasper got a hand on it and therefore messed up the throw. Jasper fumbled to hang on to it, while Mildred tried her best to recover it for Gryffindor. They split when a bludger sent by an undetermined beater came right at them. Because neither had a firm grip on the ball, it fell.
Gerry immediately turned the nose of his broomstick down and went after the falling quaffle. Duncan was just as quick, with Jasper, Mildred, Marlow, and Finley just behind them. Just when Gerry thought he might crash to the ground, he managed to get the ball and hastily jerked his broom upwards. Duncan reached out to steal the ball away, but Finley was there on the spot to accept a hasty pass from Gerry. She lifted off and accelerated, albeit somewhat slowly. Jasper and Marlow had her boxed in almost immediately and did their best to force her into giving up the quaffle.
Finley held on, though, and eventually made it to the Hufflepuff goals. Mildred was there too, open to accept a pass if Finley wanted to throw it at her. Gerry also caught up and eyed Finley as well. Finley made quick work of weighing her options and seemed to want to throw for one of the hoops, but at the last second she passed to Mildred. The ball was barely in Mildred's hand before she shot it at Gerry. Gerry quickly aimed for a hoop and managed to get the ball through it before Glori could stop him.
"Martini-Blackwell scores!" Willow shouted. "Gryffindor leads, 30-10."
(Gillian) Search Warrant
Author: Beck
Date: 07-20-15 13:31
Gillian lived in a tiny flat in London. It put to mind the single dormitory room she used to live in at St. Emrys University, only she might swear that the on-campus housing had been bigger than her entire flat. It wasn't true, of course, but it was a joke she liked to tell. The flat consisted of an open living space that doubled as her bedroom, with a kitchenette off to one side and a small bathroom. It wasn't much, but it suited her needs just fine.
Gillian was in her fourth year reading forensic healing at the university, only now she worked clinical rotations at St. Mungo's Hospital instead of attending lectures in a classroom. She spent much of her time at the hospital––mainly in the morgue––or at the library. Home was a place she generally only went to for sleeping, hence the lack of need for a large living space.
In a change of pace, Gillian was actually home today. She had woken up with a small case of the sniffles, which wasn't something that usually kept her in bed or sucked away all her energy. Before she knew it, however, she had snoozed away the morning and had yet to change out of her pajamas. Her hair was still bed-head messy, and a bowl of half-eaten cereal sat on the arm of her sofa.
Just when she thought she could spend the entire day doing absolutely nothing, a harsh pounding erupted at her door. Gillian snapped to it and climbed to her feet, wishing now that she had changed clothes and combed her hair. She padded to the door and looked through the peephole, where saw a small crowd of stern-looking individuals gathered.
Before she could call out to ask the nature of their visit, the lead wizard exclaimed, "Ms. Colley, if you're in there, open up!"
Gillian started to feel heart palpitations. She didn't know who these wizards were or what they wanted, but she was almost too afraid not to do as they said. She opened the door as far as it would go with the chain attached and asked as politely as she could muster, "Who are you, and what do you want?"
In response, the wizard shoved a badge in her face. It was a Ministry badge and indicated that he worked for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. "We have a search warrant," he stated. "Are you going to cooperate, or do we need to blast open your door?"
Gillian murmured, "I'll open it," and promptly shut the door to remove the chain before opening it back up. She stepped out of the way to let the crowd pass. The lead wizard scanned the tiny flat and then turned to her with a quill and pad in his hand. The other wizards started touching all her things and using their wands to move items here and there.
"Why do you have a search warrant?" Gillian asked. "What do you think I have?"
"We found something!" said a wizard who was elbow-deep in the ice box in Gillian's kitchenette.
She looked over sharply and wondered just what he might have found in there. She always bought meat items when there was a good deal but rarely stayed home to cook, so not only was her ice box completely full, but there were products in there she didn't even remember purchasing because they were that old.
The wizard hauled out a plastic bag. Gillian let out an audible gasp. Inside were a dozen or so eyes––human eyes.
"What do you have to say to that, Ms. Colley?" the lead investigator asked.
Gillian shook her head. "Those aren't mine. What would I want with eyes?"
"We'll need you to come down to the Ministry to answer some questions," the wizard said.
"But!" Gillian started.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way."
Gillian, feeling a panic like she had never felt before, submitted to the wizard and went down to the Ministry of Magic in her pajamas.
Taking It On The Chin (Hunter)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 07-21-15 18:22
A bead of sweat drips from Hunter's nose. He wouldn't mind a stiff breeze kicking about right about now. It's not an exceptionally hot day but with his Quidditch uniform and periods of intense activity he's feeling on the warm side. He imagines the chasers and beaters are even warmer. Then again, zipping all over the pitch may offer more of a cooling effect than Hunter gets as a keeper. He's never noticed while playing other positions in pick-up type matches.
It's been awhile since either team scored, though not for lack of trying. Hunter's not exactly sure just how long but thinks it's been forty-five minutes to an hour. Maybe it only feels that long because he's warm and sweaty, and it's been more like ten or fifteen minutes.
He can't dwell on any of that now as Jasper comes barreling down the pitch with quaffle in hand, nearing Hunter's position. He's almost near enough consider throwing the ball in a goal attempt when bludger from Edgar knocks him in the side. Jasper fumbles his hold, giving Finley the opening to steal.
Hunter relaxes slightly as the Gryffindor chasers begin working the quaffle back towards Glori's direction. He won't fully relax, or as fully as he ever gets in a match, until the action is close to that other set of hoops.
Finley passes to Gerry who passes to Mildred. They have a good back and forth rhythm going as they approach Glori, a rhythm the Hufflepuff chasers and beaters try fervently to break but to no avail. It's Mildred with the quaffle when the next goal attempt is made.
Glori smacks it back, narrowly avoiding a bludger from Madoc. Finley and Marlow both get hands on the quaffle but Finley wrests it away. She doesn't have time to get the best of grips on the ball but with Marlow right there and Duncan pressing in from her other side, she lets the quaffle fly. Glori is able to outright catch the ball this time, putting it back into play with a toss to Marlow.
Marlow gets the quaffle to just past the middle of the pitch. A close call with a bludger from Edgar has her passing to Duncan. Duncan accelerates away but doesn't get far when he's handing off to Jasper.
It's still Jasper with the quaffle when the ball is again brought into scoring range. Hunter, in high alert, his warm stuffiness and sweatiness momentarily forgotten, tracks the ball as Jasper sends it off to his right, Hunter's left. Hunter has the block until a bludger, he doesn't know from Caerwyn or from Gus, clips him in the chin. The hit is just right to send intense pain through his jaw and into his neck. Hunter better understands now how a single blow to the chin can knock someone out.
The quaffle is a red blur as it gets by him, adding another ten points to Hufflepuff's score. As Gryffindor once more takes possession of the quaffle, Willow Westwick announces the updated score. "Jenkins scores! Gryffindor now leads 30 to Hufflepuff's 20!"
(Madoc) Tie
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 07-21-15 18:47
As soon as Hunter managed to hand the quaffle off to Mildred, Madoc set off after one of the bludgers. He didn't have far to go and quickly sent it after Duncan, who was gaining on Mildred. Mildred glanced behind her and saw as the bludger hit the bristles of Duncan's broomstick, causing him to jerk forward suddenly and then spin out.
When she turned back around, she saw the other bludger heading straight for her. Madoc was still too far behind to come to her rescue, but luckily Edgar dove in front of her to knock the ball elsewhere. Unfortunately for Mildred, she had to go around Edgar, which not only slowed her down a little bit, but it also allowed Marlow to swoop in and lift the quaffle straight from the crook of Mildred's arm.
Marlow executed a 180 turn and sped back towards the Gryffindor hoops, but Madoc stopped her about midway when his bludger struck the nose of her broomstick. She swerved out of control and very nearly collided into Sophie as she systematically searched for the snitch. Marlow regained control of her broomstick without losing the quaffle to one of the Gryffindor chasers, but they surrounded her and made it difficult for her to reach the goal hoops.
Madoc, meanwhile, used a bludger against Jasper, who was trying to get around Finley to get into place beside Marlow. Caerwyn intercepted it, though, and hit Finley in the arm with it. It didn't do much damage but it was distraction enough for Jasper to accept the quaffle from Marlow. He zoomed ahead and tossed the quaffle at the right hoop. Hunter, still a bit dazed from his earlier bludger hit, misjudged the flight path of the ball and couldn't stop it from entering the hoop.
"Jenkins scores again!" shouted Willow. "The match is tied!"
Madoc frowned. The game had started out so well but seemed to be going down hill fast.
He clutched his bat in his hand, determined to change things around for Gryffindor if he could manage it himself, and went after the nearest available bludger. Gus was after the same one and reached it first. He hit it at Gerry, so Madoc darted ahead of it and redirected it at Duncan. It flew past Duncan's nose and startled him, such that he slowed down a little.
Gerry, meanwhile, threw long to Finley. Unfortunately, she missed the catch and the ball started to fall to the ground.