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Spinning (Deak)
Author: Kody
Date: 10-17-09 13:05
Deak isn't overly perturbed that Hufflepuff now has ten points. He would much have preferred Ravenclaw getting on the board first but it's early yet. Deak very much wants a Ravenclaw win but win or lose, his main goal today is just to enjoy playing a match that has no pureblood restrictions with teammates and opponents that had, for a time, thought never to be able to play at Hogwarts again, or anywhere for that matter.
Part of Ravenclaw team captain's locker room speech resonates with Deak. Play to win but, more importantly, play a great game and have fun.
Deak knows that playing with the main objective of just having a good time while playing well flies in the face of his competitive nature but after the last couple of years, Deak is finding it easy to think more about the just having a good time with the game aspect of the match. Not that winning wouldn't make the fun he's having all that much better.
Jack, who'd taken the quaffle after Hufflepuff's score, has been passing back and forth with Hadrian to work the red ball down the pitch. Deak's mainly been flying interference, helping Jack and Hadrian stave off efforts by the three Hufflepuff chasers - Emerald, Milo, and Timothy - to steal the quaffle. Hadrian's in the process of passing off again to Jack when a bludger from Gus Hodfuffer hits his arm at the same time Timothy swoops in to make a grab at the quaffle.
Fritz counters with a bludger at Timothy and Deak zips by Timothy before the Hufflepuff has a good hold on the ball he's just nicked. Deak's own hold of the quaffle isn't all that great so as he leans over his broom to put on speed, he pulls the quaffle in close to his torso, wedging it there so that he's able to make progress along the pitch while strengthening his hold on the ball.
It's all for naught though because a bludger hits his broom on the tail along the right side while at the same time the other hits the handle along the left. The force of the blows along with the locations they hit at practically the same moment puts Deak into a momentary spin. As he struggles to stop the rotation, he ends up with both hands on the broom's handle, which means at some point Deak lost the quaffle.
When the spin is fully under control, Deak still needs a few seconds to get his equilibrium back. When he does, he's out of the action, with the other chasers all back down near the Ravenclaw end. Pouring on the speed to reach them and rejoin the match, Deak scans to see which Hufflepuff ended up with the quaffle after he lost it.
Bludger War (Gus)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 10-17-09 13:59
Augustus and Caerwyn had not planned on simultaneously hitting Deak Bennett's broom as they had, putting Deak in a spin. Gus is pretty certain that if they had tried to actually coordinate such a thing in a fast moving Quiddtch match such as this one, they wouldn't have been able to successfully pull it off. That makes the spin they put Deak even more cool than if they had planned it.
Gus is glad that Deak wasn't injured from it but he's more glad that the Ravenclaw lost the quaffle as a result. Timothy had snatched it up so quickly after Deak dropped it, that if Gus hadn't been looking right at them, he'd have missed seeing it. He was looking right at them because one of the bludgers was arcing around as if to hit Deak again.
Gus sped past where Deak was dizzily spinning around and around, intent on intercepting the bludger. He didn't see the point in letting it hit Deak again. At the moment, that would be something of overkill. No, Gus wanted to get to the bludger and send it after Hadrian Rabnott who is dogging Tim.
That was his intention but Coco Nutt foiled the plan.
She reaches it a fraction before Gus, sending it at Tim. Gus takes off after the bludger, hoping to catch up to it and send it elsewhere, like at Hadrian. Reaching it as he'd wanted, Gus alters its path, sending it on a course to connect with Hadrian. Coco has other plans, racing to intercept it much as he'd intercepted it when she'd hit the black ball.
While Coco and Gus are going back and forth with the one bludger, Tim passes off to Emerald who swerves around those in her path, working the quaffle closer to where Daniel Gelson is hovering, an intent, purposeful look on his face. Gus gets to the bludger again, hitting it not at Hadrian this time but at Daniel. Emerald is now within a good distance to try for a goal so Gus wants to help her as much as he can.
Coco flies like lightening to reach the bludger to once more mess up what Guss is attempting to do. This time, though, she's not able to get it this time before the bludger reaches its target. The bludger smacks into Daniel's shoulder but to Gus's chagrin it's only a glancing blow and doesn't throw the Ravenclaw keeper off kilter enough to stop him from doing his job.
The throw Emerald's made is a pretty shot and would have gone cleanly through the center hoop if Daniel hadn't easily stopped it. The quaffle goes to Jack Emerson as Gus hunts for the same bludger he'd just hit, hoping he can get a clear shot off without Coco stopping it before he has a chance to do some good.
A Sticky Wicket
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 10-17-09 20:48
Just after Jack takes the quaffle, there is a minute to a minute and a half when the slight breeze picks up to a strong gust. When the wind speed first increases, Coco is facing into. Next thing she knew her eyes were watering and something was causing her nose to itch. This resulted in her sneezing for a good half a minute, which just made her eyes even more watery. Because of this, she momentarily lost sight of the bludger she'd been racing against Gus Hodfuffer for a portion of the match.
When Coco finally stops sneezing, during which time she'd been fumbling with her non-bat hand for a tissue, thankful she'd thought to tuck a few into her uniform this morning, the quaffle has changed hands. Hadrian has it now but is trying to pass to Deak. He's trying but Emerald keeps blocking a clear shot. Coco shoves the tissue back to where she'd had it, grips her bat tightly and accelerates rapidly. One of the bludgers is just ahead and she's only got to change her broom trajectory slightly to knock the bludger straight into Emerald.
Coco doesn't stop to see if the bludger finds its mark. She's seen the other bludger and is darting after it as soon as the first bludger is sent on its way, the ball making that odd, screaming noise bludgers make. About halfway to the second bludger, Coco slows. Caerwyn's almost upon it but Fritz is closer still. She swivels her broom around to chase down that first bludger, leaving Fritz to the other.
The other is hanging, literally, in the middle of a clump of chasers. Both Gus and she have to wait for the bludger to move or for the chasers to move because trying to hit the bludger where it is would mean swinging the bat into a player or two or three. The charms on the bludgers do keep them from constantly falling towards the ground but they also mean that every now and then, something like this happens. If Coco were the impatient or easily annoyed sort, she'd be both at the moment but since she's not, she takes the time to enjoy watching the passing work between Deak, Hadrian, and Jack. If she weren't a beater, Coco isn't sure whether she'd want more to be a chaser or a seeker. She thinks she'd be good at both but loves wielding a bat and being able to smash a bludger further than many of the guys. Maybe she likes working with the bat so much because Papa Wal was always something of a cricket fancier and taught her the finer aspects of that sport.
Hadrian accepts the quaffle from Deak as Coco wonders what a wizarding version of cricket would be like and if it would involve brooms. She'll have to find out if there is such a thing and can't imagine why it never occurred to her before.
The tightly packed clutch of chasers starts breaking apart somewhat. If a bludger could think, the one hanging in their midst would be deciding that it was tired of doing nothing and that it was time for action. It bangs into Hadrian, giving Milo an opening to steal the quaffle, putting it back into Hufflepuff's possession for the first time in several minutes. The bludger is clear enough for it to be hit without worry of smashing a bat into another player. This galvanizaes both Gus and Coco into action. She flashes the younger boy a grin as their battle for the bludger stats up once again. Reaching it first, Coco wastes no time hitting it at Milo with the hopes of assisting her team in regain possession of the quaffle.
Watching And Waiting
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 10-18-09 09:47
Coco's bludger has the desire effect, allowing Deak to snatch the quaffle away and take off where Daniel Gelson's keeper counterpart tends three identical rings. From his end of the pitch, it looks like Sophia Hall's already tensed and ready for another Ravenclaw onslaught even though the chasers are only at center pitch. Daniel can't blame Sophia for being at the ready even though they're nowhere near. He does the same himself as do many keepers. He thinks it comes from a wish to be more quickly in the action when sometimes long periods go by when a keeper sits there alone with nothing more to do than watch what's taking place clear across the pitch and envying the other keeper for being in the midst of it.
Daniel loves being the Ravenclaw keeper, or has so far in practices as this is his first match in the position. Daniel just wishes there were some way that keepers got to me more active during matches because it can be difficult to be far removed from one's teammates, only being able to help if the oppositing team gets the quaffle near enough to try for a goal.
Deak, Jack, and Hadrian have worked together flying in a series of formations they'd practiced over and over to get the quaffle near enough for a goal attempt to be practical. The Hufflepuff chasers are in the thick of it, the four beaters are blurs on their brooms, and even from this end of the pitch Daniel can hear the distinct sounds the bludgers make. Hufflepuff seeker Aleydis looks so intent on searching for the snitch that Daniel isn't sure she's even aware of what the others are doing. Christopher, Ravenclaw's seeker, is just as busily searching for the winged ball but as he was right where the chasers were heading, Daniel guesses he was much more aware in that moment what else was going on in the game. Daniel has spotted the snitch once but Aleydis was nearby and would have noticed if Daniel had started trying to get Christopher's attention so Daniel had done nothing. That's sort of too bad since at this juncture with the score what it is, Ravenclaw would have won and they'd already be back in the common room celebrating.
The chasers are far enough away and tightly enough bunched that Daniel can't tell which of his teammates has the quaffle. Timothy suddenly darts away, heading straight at Daniel, moving at a very fast clip. Everyone else is somewhat delayed in reacting to Timothy's break away and sprint in Daniel's direction so he surmises that something happened with the quaffle that had Timothy grabbing it without anyone else immediately knowing who's got possession.
Timothy comes in hard and fast, the others finally realizing what's up and giving chase. Timothy's too far ahead though so it's up to Daniel. He sits his broom in a way that will allow him to dart to his left or right should either of those hoops be Timothy's target. As Timothy closes in, he doesn't brake as Daniel would have expected. Daniel finds himself tensing, and even cringing a little, in case Timothy ends up colliding with him. Daniel's not going to move though until he knows which way the quaffle is going. At the last possible moment, Tim jerks hard to his right, veering away from Daniel while letting the quaffle go. At such a close range it's harder for Daniel to guage which way the ball is going to go because it looks at first as though it's coming straight at him.
Much to Daniel's chagrin, just about the time he decides to stay put and block a shot to the center hoop, some sort of spin Timothy put on the quaffle has it breaking towards another of the hoops. Daniel reacts a shade too late, his fingers brushing the quaffle but not enough to alter its course much less block it.
Hufflepuff now leads 20 to 0.
Momentum
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 10-18-09 10:18
Hadrian scowls as the updated score is announced. He's still not sure what happened that allowed Timothy to not only take possession of the quaffle but to have it and no one else realize it until he was halfway to the hoops. Moving into position to accept the quaffle to get it back into the match, Hadrian tries not to dwell on what just happened. It doesn't help to have his head in the game if it's the game that's already been played and not what's going on right now or is yet to come.
Hadrian passes off to Jack then Jack, Deak, and he move into one of the formations they'd been over so many times he's sure they could do it blindfolded or in their sleep. They change up their pattern regularly to help keep Hufflepuff guessing what they'll do next and which will have the quaffle. Their strategy is effective to a point because Emerald, Milo, and Timothy are doing their best to interfere in any way possible that is consider fair and not foul. There are also bludgers to contend with, the four beaters to have to work around, and the two seekers who aren't always fully aware of the fast moving chasers because they are too busy trying to spot that elusive snitch.
The quaffle stays in Ravenclaw hands but they can't get it into scoring range. About the time they finally do Emerald somewho sneaks up on Jack and steals the qwuaffle. The ball exchanges hands and teams a number of times over the next while, with Hadrian losing track of time. It's not until the announcer mentions that just over a half hour has passed since that last goal that knows just how long the latest back and forth has gone on. He doesn't mind a bit. He's enjoying every second of it and if he were a spectator, he'd probably think the show so far has been fun to see.
Milo has the quaffle now but is moving to pass to Emerald. The wind, which has gusted only one other time this match, suddenly kicks up. Between the unexpected, and very strong, blast of frigid air and a bludger sent by Fritz, Milo's pass is off kilter. Deak is able to grab the ball and with a quick, underhand throw has it to Hadrian.
Hadrian isn't all that far from Sophia Hall, the Hufflepuff keeper. He turns and without overly thinking about the shot, he lets the quaffle fly. Sophia has her fingers on it to block but somehow fumbles, letting the quaffle continue on even though it's now going slower thanks to her very brief intervention. The momentum is off enough now that Hadrian finds himself holding his breath and willing the quaffle to make it though the hoop.
A roar of approval goes through the stadium as the Ravenclaws and their supporters cheer on the teams first goal of the match, bringing the score 10 for Ravenclaw with Hufflepuff in the lead with 20.
I Really Hate Mornings
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 10-18-09 11:23
“Victor, Was machst Du hier?” I mumbled
“Who’s Victor?”
Bronwyn? What was she doing in Berlin? A moment passed and I realized I wasn’t in some Berlin fashion show. I was lying on my bed with something on top of me. I just let out a groggy moan in response to the question. Bronwyn was lying across my bed, not caring that I was under her.
“Well? Who’s Victor?”
“Was?” I mumbled, still speaking in German.
“I asked, who is Victor, not who was Victor,” Bron said, not realizing we were not speaking the same language.
“Niemand*,” I responded.
Bronwyn paused before responding, “What? Is it German Day or something?”
“Ja,” I mumbled.
“Well, whatever. Get up, we’re going somewhere.”
“Nein” I mumbled, and tried to turn over. Bron took the movement as her queue and got off me. She reached under the blankets and grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the bed. She didn’t stop until I was standing on my own.
“Ich hasse dich**,” I mumbled at her.
“Good for you, now get dressed.” She walked out of the room and I dropped on my bed. Bron came out of nowhere and yanked me up. “Get dressed, not sleep,” She said.
I sighed and did what she ordered. Not without taking my time of course. After finally getting ready, she led me out of the apartment, and down the stairs into the ally. Before apparating to her parents place, where I found Toby waiting.
“Hey,” he said as he gave me a hug.
“Hallo,” I said, “Ich hasse deine Frau***,” I grumbled at him. He just looked at me confused before looking at Bron.
“I have no idea what she said, and she’s been speaking German all morning.” Bron told him.
“Uhh, ok,” he said, “We’re already late.”
“She took forever getting ready,” Bron told him, “Which is weird…” She looked at me. I just stood there with a blank, tired, expression. “I also heard her mention something about a guy named Victor…”
“Who’s Victor?” Toby asked. I just sighed in response. “We’d better get moving,” He said. With that, we made our way to Hogwarts, to watch what was left of the game.
*No one
** I hate you.
*** I hate your wife.
Defense Mechanism
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 10-18-09 11:48
From the alley outside Desi's place, Toby apparated to Hogsmeade and Bronwyn performed a side-along apparition with Desi, since it seemed clear that Desi wasn't awake yet and more like to splinch herself than making it to the Scottish village in one piece. They appeared in Hogsmeade with two loud cracks that sounded similar to cars backfiring.
From there, they crossed onto the Hogwarts Grounds and made their way to the Quidditch Pitch, where the game between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw was already underway.
"Why does she keep talking German?" Toby asked Bronwyn.
"I think it's a defense mechanism," Bronwyn said. "It's too early for her to be out and about, and she doesn't know how to cope other than to spew what sounds like nonsense to me. That or she's trying to get on my nerves."
Toby looked at the watch on his wrist. "It's well after eleven," he remarked. "This is too early to be out and about?"
"I told you Desi's not a morning person," Bronwyn said, tugging Desi along to the Pitch. "Anytime before noon is too early, and sometimes noon's not late enough! I don't know how she ever makes it to work on time."
By now, they'd reached the stadium and were making their way up to the guest stands.
"Anthony said he might show up with Plum and Alex, so keep an eye out for them," Toby said. "Same goes for Alanna and Jared."
"Will do."
Getting Desi up the stairs proved a bit difficult, but eventually they reached vacant seats. Although it wasn't particularly windy outside, it was breezier in the stands, which were high off the ground. The cool fresh air gradually woke Desi up.
"Ugh. I can't remember. Does the concession stand have coffee?" Desi moaned.
Toby shot Bron a bemused look. "I'll go check."
He got up and disappeared down the steps.
Bronwyn turned to Desi. "So, who's Victor?"
Desi waved off the question. "Coffee."
"What were you saying back there in your flat?"
"Coffee."
"Are you dating some guy named Victor? Is he German?"
Desi sighed. "Can't a girl keep some of her secrets?"
Bronwyn folded her arms across her chest. "Um, no! Tell me!"
"Coffee."
"Tell me tell me tell me!!!!"
Toby reappeared quickly, bearing three cups. Two were coffee for himself and Desi, one was hot chocolate with marshmallows for Bronwyn.
"Oooh, coffee!" Desi exclaimed, seizing the cup. She kept her mouth busy drinking instead of providing Bronwyn with any sort of explanation about who this Victor guy was or a translation of what she'd said earlier that morning.