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The Gryffindor-Ravenclaw Match Begins
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 03-24-08 13:43
Theodosia had had Viktor inspect the pitch on Friday. He'd taken the instructions without a word, leaving a note on her door that he was done even though she'd been inside her office at the time. She supposes she understands Viktor being even less talkative and avoiding her even more. The situation at Hogwarts, and the entire British Wizarding World, is worse than ever. Theodosia still clings to the belief in pureblooded superiority. It's the torture and cruelty she's having problems with. If purebloods are so superior, then why would they need to inflict pain just because they can?
With such issues weighing on Theodosia's mind, focusing on this Quidditch match will be difficult. She wonders if the players are also struggling to concentrate on a match, that while a nice break from all the woes and worries, now seems a little silly. Theodosia gives her head a shake, never in her wildest dreams ever thinking she'd find a Quidditch match to verge on the pointless.
Theodosia walks briskly to the middle of the pitch where the balls are already in place to be released. She stands, broom upright and firmly clutched in one hand, with Viktor just to the right and slightly behind. Freya Abbott, announcing today's game what with Gabrielle Delacour not returning from France after spring holiday, finishes with the pre-game chatter to announce Theodosia and Viktor before launching into the introduction of the teams.
"For Gryffindor, give a big hand to Ronan Eastwick! Bailey Gray! Wiggersmythe Hodfuffer! Julietta Wynbourne! Francis Yao! Oreileah McCoi! And team captain Jared Wynbourne! For Ravenclaw, let's welcome to the pitch Megara Flynn! Alastor Jenkins! Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen! Phinfilius Hodfeffer-Flefferfore! Jack Emerson! Deacon Bennett! And Ravenclaw captain Daria Matthews!"
The teams meet at center pitch. Freya's saying, "Jared and Daria are shaking hands. There go the bludgers and the snitch. There goes the quaffle and... the teams are in the air, chasers converging on the quaffle. Ravenclaw... no! Gryffindor with a steal a whole second into the game. Etta has the quaffle but can she hold onto it for long?"
Theodosia and Viktor are also in the air, whistles at the ready in case it's necessary to call a foul or stop the game for another reason.
In The Game In Body (Deak)
Author: Kody
Date: 03-24-08 16:54
Deak had had his hand on the Quaffle as had Jack only to have Etta do a snatch and dash. Neither Jack nor Deak really want to be here. For that matter, Deak's fairly sure Alastor doesn't either.
As he zips down the pitch in pursuit of Etta, Deak catches a glimpse of Wiggy. Wiggy's mother is one of the missing as is an uncle and a former aunt. Deak can't imagine that Wiggy's as excited about a match as he usually would be. Phin can't be too enthused at the moment either since those same relatives of Wiggy's are his as well.
Deak wonders about Fritz, Ronan and Megara who are Nons and the other players - Daria, Jared, Etta, Bailey, and Francis. How are they feeling about the game? No one's said anything that Deak knows of but the energy of the game this early into it just isn't what he's come to expect.
Deak reaches Etta, leaning into a partial roll to retrieve the Quaffle. Etta does her own partial roll, away from Deak but almost immediately pops back upright when a bludger sails by courtesy of Fritz. Deak plucks the quaffle away from Etta, turning tightly around and tossing the quaffle at the same time to Phin who's already facing the way they need to go.
Heading the other way now, Deak picks up speed to catch up with Phin to assist in moving the quaffle down to where Ronan awaits the pack.
Going Through The Motions (Alastor)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 03-24-08 17:37
Alastor swings the bat back to give a satisfyingly solid hit to a Bludger, sending it on course towards Francis. The Gryffindor Chaser avoids the hard ball but Alastor's purpose in sending it is served when in avoiding the Bludger Francis is unable to steal the Quaffle from Phin.
Alastor had considered quitting the team after whatever it was that happened to prevent Aaron from returning to Hogwarts for Jill and him. He reconsidered though because like when he used being a Beater to channel his anger upon learning he's considered to be a Non, Alastor is still finding that smashing the Bludger around the pitch makes him feel slightly better. That and he really doesn't want to let down the team. Afterall, when still deemed a Pure, Alastor had bumped a really good player, Coco Nutt, to take a spot on the team. If Deak can stick it out, then so can Alastor.
Wiggy and Francis are both moving in on Phin with Etta working back and forth in hopes of blocking any Bludger sent at her teammates. Bailey and Jared give similar assistance but Alastor is determined to get a Bludger by to stop either Wiggy or Francis.
Fritz is at this very moment knocking one of the Bludgers straight at the cluster of Gryffindors. Alastor locates the other Bludger and moves in to give it a good thump. He times hitting it with Deak's and Jack's flying into position to help Phin. The Bludger hit by Fritz is blocked by Jared, who sends that particular ball at Jack. Alastor's Bludger gets by Bailey to hit Wiggy.
Phin surges ahead as both Fritz and Alastor goes after the two Bludgers. It's a sprint between Bailey and Alastor to reach one of them with Bailey getting there half a second before Alastor. Changing course, Alastor speeds after the Bludger once it's been hit by Bailey, reaching it in time to stop it from screwing with a pass of the Quaffle from Phin to Jack.
Flipping around to chase a Bludger again, Alastor hopes it's a really short match.
Almost In Solitude
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 03-24-08 19:03
"Nice move," I tell Forest Woods.
His cell is at the end of the short corridor and mine is the last one on the left side of the corridor. We can see each other and with the placement of the cells, we can play cards or chess, which is what we're playing now. The chess board is one we've scratched into the floor and the pieces are varying sizes of stone chips from the crumbling walls of our cells.
As I contemplate my next move Forest tells me, "I've figured out why we're alone down here."
I was the first one along this cell block, followed soon after by Forest. Since then no other prisoners have been added to the block, which he and I have decided must be an older part of the prison. We think it's a part of the previous structure that was mostly destroyed years ago. The only time we see anyone else is at meals and right after. A couple or three times a week when meals are brought, we're also given a choice of books to read. The first week I was given a deck of cards. It's starting to look worn now but it does help break the tedium just as having a chess partner does.
"Why?" I ask, moving one of my knights.
Forest makes a face at the move, studying our so called board while saying, "We're Americans. You were arrested helping another American get to her American parents. I was arrested simply for not agreeing with the current policies of my employer. Neither of us were given a trial. I'm betting our families have yet to be told where we are."
I nod, picking up the thread of his reasoning, "The American government could raise a real stink if the full details were known. If the British Ministry denies knowledge of what has become of either of us and there are no records of either of us having been arrested much less tried and convicted, that makes it harder for the US to do much more than bluster a little."
"An official protest could be lodged but it wouldn't mean much without any shred of proof. No one saw you picked up, right?"
"Right and from what you've said I gather that the only witnesses to what happened to you are in Smythe-Jones's pocket."
Forest moves one of his pawns. "Good thing we both have people who won't stop pushing for answers."
I can only nod in agreement before telling him, "Check."
Forest studies the board. "That's one game each. Are we going best of three or best of five?"
"How about best of five? It's not as though we have anything pressing to attend to."
Chuckling dryly, Forest starts resetting his stone chips on the board for the next match.
Wynbournes in the Game
Author: Jared
Date: 03-25-08 09:15
Jack takes the pass from Phin, closing in on the goal posts. Ronan is ready to block whatever Jack sends at him but Jared helps out anyway. Jack cocks his arm back to throw the quaffle and just as he lets loose, a bludger hit by Jared grazes the top of the quaffle, giving it an ungainly wobble. Ronan easily intercepts, tossing the quaffle to Wiggy.
Wiggy shoots down the pitch, Etta and Francis sticking close to him. The Ravenclaw chasers are also practically on top of Wiggy, blocking his efforts to pass to either Francis or Etta.
Jared reaches one of the bludgers, swinging his bat back to hit it and narrowly avoiding hitting Fritz in the process. "Sorry!" he honestly calls to Fritz. Jared would not want to accidently hit anyone with one of these Quidditch bats during a match or in practice or even just standing around in the sidelines. The bats have a large, sort of flat surface that when swung full force as he'd just done, really pack a wallop. The potential to cause substantial pain and damage is great. Accidents do happen in the game of Quidditch but that doesn't mean Jared can't be sorry when he nearly causes one.
The bludger he hit reaches Phin, smacking the Ravenclaw on the shoulder with just enough force to momentarily slow Phin down. Wiggy takes the opening to hand off to Francis. Francis tucks the red ball firmly against his torso and rockets ahead.
Jared is already off in search of the other bludger to hit but can't locate it. He wheels around to go after the one that he'd just hit at Phin, this time reaching it just after Alastor. The younger boy gives it such a hard smack that Jared doesn't try to intercept right away. He lets the bludger travel a little ways, losing some of the energy behind Alastor's hit before swinging his own bat to send the bludger once more at Phin.
In the meantime Francis has passed back to Wiggy, who in turn has passed to Etta. Jared moves into a position to guard his sister as she approaches Megara. The Ravenclaw keeper looks like she's so focused that she's only watching Etta but the look is probably deceptive. Etta would be surprised if Megara did zone out everything else going on since that's a great way to get a bludger to the side of the head and face.
Etta zigs when Deak comes up on her left. Jared is to her right and is blocking Jack's attempts to get in close from that side. Deak reaches to grab the quaffle but yanks his hand back when a bludger from Bailey whizzes between them.
Wiggy appears in ths spot where Deak had been. Etta starts to pass the quaffle to him but see she's got the shot opening she needs. Etta firmly grasps the quaffle, aiming as she throws to the right. Megara's fingers slide across the surface of the quaffle but don't stop it.
Etta grins hugely at having been the first to score. Gryffindor has a ten to nothing lead over Ravenclaw.
A Little Back And Forth
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 03-25-08 16:07
Phin accepts the Quaffle from Megara then immediately throws it for a long pass to Jack. Leaning low over his broom, Phin flies at top speed down the pitch, weaving around first Bailey and then Fritz. He catches up to Jack, whose not made it very far thanks to a tight flying formation of the Gryffindor chasers. Jack ends up passing off to Deak who's just enough lower than the opposing chasers to get by them more easily.
A Bludger screams by Phin's ear, so close it ruffles his hair. The Bludger is angling down, taking Deak in the middle of his back. Francis has dipped down to fly more parallel with Deak. When Deak doubles over from the Bludger hit, Francis barrel rolls to pluck the Quaffle from Deak, shooting away while still canted to one side.
Francis passes to Etta but before Etta has a firm grip on the ball Alastor's hitting her with the other Bludger. Phin swoops in to snag the Quaffle as it drops from Etta's fingers. He arcs around to fly the other way but is himself hit with a Bludger. Phin doesn't lose the Quaffle but he is knocked off the course he was flying, ending up flying towards the sidelines and a set of stands.
Pulling hard to turn, Phin veers away from the stands but his shoulder still ends up hitting part of the wooden railing. Back on course, Phin passes to Deak then slows to give his shoulder a good roll, wincing at the bruise he's going to have. Doesn't feel like there are any splinters though so that's good at least.
Rejoining the action just as Francis steals from Deak, Phin takes off in pursuit, determined to get the Quaffle back.
Breathing Easy for Now
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 03-25-08 17:55
Whenever Ravenclaw had possession of the quaffle, Ronan tensed because he knew that the ball could wind up near him very shortly. Even when Gryffindor had it, Ronan didn't relax––he just wasn't as focused as when the quaffle was in enemy hands. Luckily, Francis had just stolen the quaffle from Deak. Therefore, Ronan allowed his body to slacken a little bit but stayed ever conscious of the fact that the situation could change drastically almost instantaneously.
Francis darted forward, attempting to put space between him and the opposing chasers, but finding it very difficult to do so, because at every turn, some obstacle seemed to bar his path. Jared and Bailey did good work of blocking bludgers and preventing the Ravenclaw chasers from snatching the quaffle away, but Francis didn't really seem to get any closer to the Ravenclaw hoops. When he found an opening, he passed the ball to Julietta.
Etta rushed ahead of the pack quite suddenly, using an extra burst of speed to propel her closer to the goal posts. She managed to narrow the distance between herself and Megara, who looked very determined to block Etta's goal attempt, having already let one through earlier in the match. From well across the Pitch, Ronan watched as the pack drew farther and farther away from him. He soon couldn't see very much anymore, since everyone appeared to be on top of everyone else. Only Freya Abbott's announcing clued him in to what was going on. Etta feigned a goal attempt, but quickly cast the ball to Francis, who rather than score himself, pitched the ball at Wiggy. Wiggy, throwing with all his might, heaved the ball into the right-most goal hoop, for another score for Gryffindor.
Ronan cheered aloud and pumped his arm into the air. He knew no one wanted to be at the game today, much less play in it, but somehow he felt that a victory against Ravenclaw would definitely lift his spirits.
Smashing Bludgers
Author: Bailey
Date: 03-25-08 18:27
Bailey sends a bludger hurdling through the air above the pitch, the ball making a distinctive whining sound. Gryffindor is ahead twenty to zero but Ravenclaw is in possession of the quaffle again. Bailey can't get to the bludgers fast enough to suit him. Unfortunately, there are three other beaters with the same idea, two of them doing their best to keep Bailey and Jared from doing any harm to Ravenclaw's game.
The stand where Jewel is sitting passes by in a blur but Bailey can still make out her face. If he weren't chasing down a bludger to hit at Jack Emerson, he'd slow enough to wave. Then again, maybe that's not the best of ideas. Who knows what Snider's, Yaxley's, and the Carrows's take would be on a Non in the stands getting attention from a Pure on the pitch. When he next goes past that set of stands, Bailey will have to content himself with a very general, could be aimed at anyone or at no one in particular smile.
Bailey beats Fritz to the bludger but Fritz has wisely positioned himself so that if Bailey takes a swing, he'll hit Fritz's broom in the process. The younger Ravenclaw flashes a grin at Bailey, swinging his own bat to connect solidly with the ball. The bludger sails off with Bailey going after and Fritz right behind.
Zagging to Fritz's zigging, Bailey reaches the bludger before it hits Francis. This allows Francis to successfully intercept the quaffle in a pass between Jack and Deak. Francis takes off back towards Megara but this time does get hit by the other bludger. He drops the quaffle and Phin takes it back into Ravenclaw possession.
Bailey reaches the bludger that just hit Francis and gives it a hard smack. Too hard. It flies right by Phin without so much as ruffling Phin's clothes. Phin's getting within scoring range so Bailey speeds up to reach that same bludger. This time his aim is good, knocking the quaffle off its path towards a hoop.
Off after a bludger again, Bailey can't see the chasers or the quaffle so relies on the game's announcer, Freya, for information until he can get turned around again.
Watching the game
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 03-26-08 15:56
Johanna follows the game with interest. Although she had knew Quidditch since she was little she only saw it for the first in Hogwarts. At home, in the muggle world she had to content herself with football.
After Wiggersmythe Hodfuffer scored for Gryffindor a group of Ravenclaws seated near Johanna start to push for their house: “ Go, Ravenclaw, go!”
Freya continues narrating the game.
Johanna looks around. Most of the stadium is Red or Blue. But she notices something different from the lasts games: There are some purple spots now and then: groups of pures students wearing ribbons. The majority Slytherin.
The Ravenclaws continue with their chants. Suddenly they stop: Francis Yao is approaching Megara Flynn’s hoops
Ravenclaw On The Board
Author: Kody
Date: 03-26-08 16:19
Jack comes up on Francis's broomtail, Phin on Francis's right, and Deak on his left. Wiggy and Etta jockey for positions to help Francis but the three Ravenclaw chasers are making their task difficult.
Phin takes a hard smash to the hand from a bludger. He ends up peeling off to check for any breaks to both his hand and to his broom handle. Etta moves in to take Phin's spot on Francis's right, preventing Jack from doing so.
Francis gets within range to try for a goal. He works his way a little closer then lets the quaffle fly. Using her broom tail, Megara blocks, hitting the quaffle to Deak. He takes it and rockets away, holding the ball tucked under one arm. It's not the best place for it but right now his objective is to get as much distance between himself and the Gryffindor chasers as he can.
Deak pulls into a climb to avoid one bludger then dives to miss the other. Etta catches up to him, coming in close to see if she can't pop the quaffle out from under his arm. Deak rolls away from her while still maintaining a course for Ronan but Etta climbs slightly and rolls, putting herself in a great position to reach down and pluck the quaffle away.
Deak abruptly puts on the brakes. Etta shoots past. Jack is coming up quickly on the level just below Deak. He drops the quaffle to Jack then speeds forward once more. Etta didn't see the pass but Francis and Wiggy did. They both go after Jack but stealing from him is going to be harder than it would have been from Deak because Jack's got the ball firmly against his belly, one arm guarding it there.
Phin comes around in a long, wide arc, using his broomtail to shield Jack from a bludger. He's holding his hand gingerly but while it's visibly swollen and turning blue, he's not acting as though anything's broken.
Jack doesn't slow down, barrelling in a straight line towards Ronan and the three hoops he's tending. Jack grabs the quaffle from its safe position and lets it fly. Ronan dives to block but thanks to a strong wind gust, the quaffle dances higher than Ronan expected and sails through a hoop for a goal.
The score's now Gryffindor twenty to Ravenclaw's ten.
Able to Focus
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 03-26-08 17:08
Delighted that Ravenclaw finally has some points on the board, Fritz immediately zooms off in search of the nearest bludger so that he can prevent Gryffindor from getting any further with the quaffle. If he can knock the ball into Ravenclaw arms, either by making actual contact with the quaffle or if need be, with the player holding it, then maybe Phin, Deak or Jack can quickly score again and even things up.
Surprisingly, Fritz is able to fully concentrate on the match. Gone from his mind are the prejudices he deals with everyday. He doesn't even notice the looks of superiority spectators like Professor Snider give him when he happens to fly past them. Fritz doesn't even stop to consider the latest matter to plague his thoughts. Although a wizard all these years, Fritz had never bothered to open up an account at Gringotts Bank. Anytime he needed money, he had the Muggle currency his parents sent him exchanged for galleons, sickles and knuts. Fritz hasn't heard anything from his family in well over a month and his cash flow as effectively ceased. True, he's a legal adult now and can effectively open his own bank account, but he doesn't have any money to his name. What he needs is a job, though hearing anything from his family is much more preferable. Fritz doesn't even think he can get work while he's at Hogwarts, so he'll just have to wait until summer...
He races after a bludger the same time Jared spots it, but reaches it first. Fritz whacks it at Wiggy, who currently has possession of the quaffle. Bailey is quick to block, though Alastor has already shot another bludger in Wiggy's direction. Finding himself boxed in by the black ball and the Ravenclaw chasers, Wiggy does the only thing he feels he can. He attempts to pass it to Francis, but a gust of wind buffets the ball away from Francis' open arms straight into Phin's grasp. Phin turns immediately, hoping to put another ten points onto the scoreboard for Ravenclaw. Fritz, meanwhile, does everything in his power to make sure Phin is successful.