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Narrowing the Gap
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 10-18-09 12:25
Fritz is glad that Hadrian has narrowed the gap and hopes that Ravenclaw can put more points on the board so that they are no longer trailing behind Hufflepuff. He won't be very upset if Ravenclaw loses, but he will be a little disappointed. After all, everybody likes to win.
Emerald has the quaffle now and bounds off, trailing the other chasers. It's only short-lived, however, and soon she's flanked by fellow Hufflepuffs Tim and Milo and likewise surrounded by Deak, Jack and Hadrian.
Fritz reaches one of the bludgers well before Caerwyn is even near it. Emerald is so well protected that Fritz doesn't even try to hit her with the black ball. Instead he aims for Timothy, hoping to knock him out of the way and give Deak the opportunity to slide in beside Emerald.
The same time he does this, Coco aims for Milo. For a moment, there is absolute chaos as the Hufflepuff beaters try to dive into the fray to protect their teammates. At the same time, the targets try to avoid the bludgers. Everyone is so on top of everyone else that the players seemingly become one tangled mess. Miraculously, no one is hit by either bludger, but there is enough confusion for the quaffle to change hands and wind up in Ravenclaw possession.
Deak turns abruptly and flees the mass of bodies, with Jack and Hadrian pulling in beside him. Deak pretends to hand the ball off to Jack, who makes a crevice with his arm and hotfoots it at a slight angle away from the others. At first, the Hufflepuff chasers and beaters direct all their attention on Jack until they realize they've been fooled and redirect their efforts to Deak.
Luckily for him, he's close enough to the Hufflepuff goal hoops that he can attempt a goal. Fritz times a bludger perfectly so that it distracts Sophia long enough for Deak's attempt to be successfully.
Now the match is tied.
Detention
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 10-18-09 13:22
Cleaning all the cups and trophies wasn’t a very unpleasant detention. Every one of them contained a part of the Hogwarts’ history and Johanna felt like a real historian, touching in dusty artifacts that were older than her.
Of course she would have more fun being outside in the stands watching the quidditch match, but sincerely it felt good being on the warm wide room feeling the glory of the place, learning more about her school.
Johanna worked under Mrs. Noris supervision. The old cat didn’t take the eyes from her since she had entered in the room waiting for some mistake to call her owner, Filch. Johanna toughs went to Gus. She had no idea what his detention was since McGonagall had separated them. She had the feeling his task wasn’t going to be so tolerable like hers since it was Gus who jinxed the Gryffindor.
Concentrating on what she was doing, Johanna recognized Isolde Farnon’s name on a plaque. Mark’s cousin wasn’t the only name she recalled; there were other famous wizards’ names like Harry Potter or the Weasleys. She wondered if there was any Steele among the shiny trophies. So far she didn’t have found any.
She heard the crowd noise outside. Someone had scored, or maybe the snitch had been caught by one of the seekers. It must be a great feeling having that golden snitch in the hand, finishing the game and have all the glory for herself. But Johanna and quidditch didn’t work very well together. Not that she didn’t like flying. The problem was the perspective of doing it having heavy bludgers after her and flying at a high speed which sounded really uncomfortable. She preferred being on the stands watching others risking their skin.
Johanna moved to another shelf and was now on a section dedicated to the perfects and head boys and girls. ‘Now here is something I can be on the future!’ She thinks with enthusiasm. Much easier than playing quidditch and go to the weekly practices. As a perfect she would have some power among the students, conquer a place at the trophy room, turning herself a symbol of responsibility. Johanna pictures herself on the corridors with the perfect badge on her robes. People would admire her, respect her, envy her… ‘The only boring part is I have to be in fact perfect…I can’t laugh when someone is jinxed. Not even if he or she is from Gryffindor.’
The regret had finally come…she now wished more than ever not to be in detention. Furious with herself and cursing professor McGonagall (who for sure thought she would feel like this) Johanna continues cleaning.
Try And Try Again
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 10-18-09 14:30
After the second Ravenclaw goal, Emerald accepts the quaffle and once more works with Milo and Timothy to get it down the length of the pitch to, throw it for a goal, and get it past Daniel in the process. It would be helpful if Coco, Fritz, Deak, Hadrian, and Jack wouldn't work so hard to hinder their progress. But then, if that happened, she doubts few would stick around to watch the game. It would be far too boring and predictable.
Just after making a pass to Tim, Emerald flies a wide curve to get around both seekers and two of the beaters. In doing so she passes close enough to the stand where Hunter, Jade, Aunt Blythe, Uncle Woody, and Phin sit cheering her on. Emerald doesn't see Olive or any of Olive's friends, which means they are sitting elsewhere. Emerald would have thought Olive would have had them sit near the family since they don't get to see them often. Maybe Olive has decided that Jade's wearing of an American style cheerleading outfit is too embarassing though she didn't complain when Jade was wearing Slytherin colors during the first match of the Hogwarts season. Emerald has got to remember to ask her youngest sister what her outfit will look like the day Hufflepuff takes on Slytherin. She also wants to ask what sort of thermal underwear Jade has on for her not to look the least bit cold in her short cheerleading skirt.
Hunter is also dressed for the occassion, though he's wearing a replica of a Quidditch uniform. Emerald knows her brother has been hard at work petitioning for a Quidditch league for kids his age. Part of his argument for it is the perfectly logical one that if there is a Little League for the toddler and slightly older set, then there is no reason why there shouldn't be one for those whose ages fall between that one's and the school age set.
Emerald waves at them, happy to have them here. She's happy Phin's here too. He's just finished his first semester at St. Emrys and Emerald knows he's tried from the hard work, strain of taking exams this past week, and lack of sleep.
Past that set of stands now, Emerald angles back around, accepting the quaffle from Milo just after Milo's taken it from Tim. They pass back and forth, playing keep away with the Ravenclaw chasers, doing their best to avoid bludgers, and working the quaffle ever nearer to where Daniel Gelson waits, a look of concentration causing his forehead to crinkle as he keeps his eyes focused on the quaffle.
It's Milo who's got the quaffle when the first shot is made. Daniel gets his fingers on it, sending the quaffle on a wobbling course then bouncing off the rim of one of the hoops without passing through. Deak pounces on it only to have a bludger smack his hand hard enough they all wince. None would be surprised if it turns out Deak's got some cracked or broken bones in his hand. For now though he doesn't act as though it's much of a bother, which could just be the adrenaline coursing through his system, helping to mask just how badly his hand is probably hurt.
The bludger hit to Deak's hand has let Emerald pluck it away from him. With Jack and Hadrian closing in and a bludger sent her way by Coco, Emerald promptly cocks her arms back and lets the quaffle fly. It's not a great shot what with not having time to truly set up for it but it's too late now to regret that. The quaffle hurtles towards the right hand hoop, which for Daniel is to the left. He body blocks it, sending the quaffle bouncing away much like it had when it glanced off the rim of that other hoop.
All six chasers make a dive for it. With six people on brooms trying to grab the same not overly large ball, things can get chaotic. Emerald can't even see where the quaffle is but can feel it or what seems to be it anyway. Surprisingly, when they break apart, it is Emerald with the quaffle again and miraculously, not a single chaser is called for a foul. It's even more miraculous when you consider that there are something like 700 fouls possible in the game.
With quaffle firmly in hand, Emerald tries to steer away from those impeeding her so that she can do a better job of attempting to score this time or get a pass off to one of the guys to he can.
Mini-Break
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 10-18-09 16:48
Christopher had thought he might be nervous for this Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match and he was, only not nearly as nervous as he thought he might be. He'd played on teams before here at Hogwarts but that was last year when the teams didn't actually mean anything beyond being this group is taking on that group. Points were at stake but all in all, many felt that those games weren't much more than glorified pick-up matches with the exception being one person chose who went on what team.
Today's match is not only for points but those points go towards who plays for, and wins, the Quidditch Cup. Those points go towards who wins the House Cup. There's house honor at stake. Christopher has done well in practices and played well in the exhibition matches early this school year but that didn't stop him from wondering if he'd choke once a real, actual match that matters began.
It helps a great deal having to give so much attention to the task of finding the snitch. Christopher is too busy flying his search pattern while also scanning the rest of the pitch for any sign of the small winged ball as well as giving just enough attention to what else is going on with the match so as not to forever be getting in the way of others. There's also Aleydis to keep watch of though it's darned bloody difficult to see what's she's doing, watch for bludgers, beaters, and chasers, watch for the snitch outside of the area he's searching, and fly a set search pattern while scouring the area within the search grid for the snitch.
Come to think of it, all this should be more nerve wracking, not less. Somehow it isn't though, for which Christopher is glad.
Movement out the corner of his eye has Christopher backing up his broom. The bludger whizzes past the end of his broom handle, grazing it ever so slightly but not enough for jar the handle so much that Christopher feels a vibration. The bludger doesn't wobble or go off kilter or do anything else to indicate it had grazed his broom, so light was the grazing. He starts to move forward again but just as suddenly stops. Caerwyn from the Hufflepuff team is in hot pursuit of that bludger and doesn't act as though he sees Christopher there. Even with human sized figures on brooms Christopher knows all too well how easy it is to get a tunnel vision focus on a bludger or a snitch or the quaffle or something else in a match to the point that you don't see someone even when right on them. Since he does see Caerwyn, he's fine with being the one to give way even if it means Caerwyn's going to turn around and hit that bludger straight back at Christopher. Christopher doesn't think that's Caerwyn's intent because at the moment Ravenclaw has the quaffle again and is within scoring range. Also, it's better to give away even if it were to mean getting hit with that bludger than it would be to keep going when he knows there'd be a collision and you just never know what's going to happen in a collision. Brooms can crack. Players can fall. Bones can break. There can be concussions. Not every collision but some. You just never know which one is going to be bad and which isn't so why not avoid them in the first place if you can?
Another advantage to remaining stationary for a little longer is that it provides Christopher a good opportunity to have a good look around, get out of his own tunnel vision so to speak. He has a general idea of where Aleydis is so takes a second to pinpoint where specifically she is and if it looks like she's spotted the snitch. Christopher also takes a moment to watch as Jack shoots the quaffle, Sophia blocks it, Emerald gets it on the rebound and takes off the other way.
The bludger Caerwyn had been after goes streaking past, from the looks of it on a course to hit Deak. Caerwyn gives chase after it to hit it again once it's found its target. Christopher grins at the same time Caerwyn frowns when Coco moves to block the bludger, batting it at Emerald and her hold on the quaffle.
His mini-break over and no apparent collisions immiment, Christopher resumes his search pattern, wonder for the billionth time where the snitch gets off to that it often seems to be somewhere other than the pitch.
Discovery
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 10-19-09 07:16
Varus Ingram had taken over management at Scrivenshafts relatively recently, after leaving a similar position at a hole-in-the-wall shop in Bath. He'd met Astrid Thomason in a café in that city, and they'd been inseparable ever since. Their relationship had become serious enough that Varus had contemplated asking Astrid to marry him. He'd even gone so far to purchase a ring, which he carried around in his pocket in case the impulse ever struck him.
After they'd said their goodbyes that morning, Varus watched Astrid go through the great window of the stationary shop. Although the ring didn't weigh very much, it suddenly felt very heavy in his pocket. He pressed his fingers against it through the fabric of his pants and realized then and there that he wanted to ask Astrid to marry him that very moment.
He hurried out of the door, shouting to his employee that he would only be gone a minute, and rushed down High Street. Varus knew Astrid hadn't disapparated from the village yet, because she always liked to walk to the very end before she left town. By chance, he happened to catch a glimpse of her inside the used bookstore Twice Told Tales. She was talking to Lysander Stratford.
Varus flinched as Lysander took Astrid's hand. When they started to kiss, Varus felt both devasted and angry. He marched to the front door, yanked it open, and found Astrid on the counter with Lysander's lips still attached to hers. They broke apart immediately and stared at Varus.
Astrid's expression was a mixture of sorrow and relief. Lysander looked calm.
"What the hell is this?" Varus asked, looking from one to the other.
"Varus, I can explain," Astrid said, sliding off the counter and walking toward him.
He backed up several steps. Astrid frowned but stopped going to him.
"How long has this been going on?" Varus asked Astrid.
"This is the second time that we've kissed. Varus, I'm so sorry."
"Sorry? You're sorry? Do you have feelings for him?"
Astrid nodded her head slowly. "I do."
"And what about me? Do you still care about me?"
"You know I do."
Varus shook his head. "You can't have it both ways. It's one or the other."
Astrid bit her lips. "I'm sorry, Varus."
"So, you choose him."
Varus's dark gaze swept to Lysander. For a moment, the men stared at each other. Varus itched to break open Lysander's face but instead he fished the ring out of his pocket and threw it at Astrid's feet.
"Have a nice life, Astrid," Varus spat. He spun on his heels, pushed open the door, and stalked all the way back to Scrivenshafts.
Cheering on Hufflepuff
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 10-19-09 10:04
Lawrence and Ariella were both at the pitch, dressed in Hufflepuff colors cheering on their form house. A hand was raised when he saw Bronwyn, Toby and Desi, inviting them over to join them. He couldn't help but laugh, knowing well that Desi was no where near coherant and conscious, and was not surprised that after a brief disappearance Toby came back with coffee which Desi busied herself with.
He'd missed the attempted third degree by Bronwyn, and Desi speaking German which perhaps was a good thing. He slid an arm around Ariella holding her close to him against the chill of the day. At least it wasn't snowing.
"Bron, you'll have a package waiting for you when you get home. A graduation gift." Lawrence said, knowing that she'd finished her studies at St. Emry's just recently.
The match was action packed already, the score tied at twenty, and both teams doing wonderously on the pitch. They really had put together some top notch teams this season - now that Quidditch was back to normal that is.
A loud cheer went up as a Hufflepuff Chaser, Milo Martin, just barely outmanuvered a bludger shot at him by Coco and continued his flight toward the trio of rings that marked the goals being kept by Ravenclaw Keeper Daniel Gelson. A quick pass of the quaffle nearly had it falling in the hands of Ravenclaw Chaser Hadrien Rabnott, but Emerald's hands were just a bit quicker to wrap around the large ball. Closer and closer the trio of Hufflepuff chasers went, beaters defending them, or trying to from the sailing bludgers meant to distract and disengage the quaffle from tight grasp.
For a few moments, Lawrence left the mass flight of students heading toward the Ravenclaw hoops, to settle his gaze on the seekers of both teams who were taking their time hunting for that ever ellusive glimmering gold ball that would ultimately bring about the end of the game.
By the time his gaze shifted back to the mass of players, they had began heading toward the opposite end of the field and Hufflepuff Keeper Sophia Hall.
Braving the Cold
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 10-19-09 10:12
Isma, Blake and Eric had decided to brave the cold and watch the match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Each sat with a mug of hot chocolate, fluffy marshmellows floating on the frothy surface - surrounded by blankets and attempting to keep their teeth from chattering.
"They are both really, really good. We will have to be in excellent shape to beat them when we play them both in March and April." Isma said, watching the quaffle volley between the chasers of both teams up and down the pitch. The keepers were stellar also, Sohpia Hall of Hufflepuff and Daniel Gelson of Ravenclaw. So far each keeper had only let by two goals, the score tied at twenty all at the moment.
Isma was watching the pair of Seekers - for those truly would be the two individuals that -she- was compeating with in the Quidditch match. She studied how they moved throughout the game, attempting to gain an edge upon the competition so to speak. She knew what she was doing, and so the win over Slytherin had been happenchance, and had the snitch not flown right in front of her face and hovered there long enough to be snatched Slytherin would have won the match...she would be working just as hard in the remaining matches that Gryffindor had left this year.
Blake kept his gaze on the Beaters - Gus Hodfuffer and Caerwyn Valentine for Hufflepuff and Coco and Fritz for Ravenclaw. He'd heard that Coco and Fritz were two of the best Beaters and had held the positions for almost their entire career at Hogwarts. They would be tough to beat when Gryffindor played Ravenclaw...however, he was studying them just as Isma was studying the keepers.
They'd missed an annoucement by the announcer, because what ever had been said produced an uproariously loud cheer from the Hufflepuff section.
Limited Vision (Jack)
Author: Kody
Date: 10-19-09 15:56
Jack swears softly under his breath and grimaces, not because Sophia Hall just blocked another scoring attempt by Ravenclaw but because in the melee occurred just before Hadrian had made the shot, Jack got an elbow to the left eye. He doesn't know whose elbow it was and it doesn't even really matter. No foul was called and could be there wasn't any reason to. Jack just couldn't see what all was taking place to know for certain. The quaffle had been knocked free and there was a scuffle to claim it with several hands on it. When brooms with players clawing for a ball converge on the same spot, the chance of injury greatly increases. It's always amazing that there are far fewer that do occur beyond a few scrapes and bruises after an insane scramble like that.
Tim has the quaffle now but can't get it moved very far. Deak has him effectively blocked off, unable to manuever much or have any room to fly to speak of. Jack's right eye blinks as a little bit of wind causes it to tear up but his left eye doesn't. He knows it's swollen some but hadn't thought it was that far gone, at least so soon after the elbow. Gingerly touching it he winces and thinks that probably wasn't a good idea. At least it's not so bad - yet - that neither Batuti or Krum has decided it's impairing his vision too much to safely continue playing and at least it's not also bleeding.
Gus gets a solid bludger hit on Deak, allowing Tim to break away. Once in the clear he promptly passes to Emerald, rolling to the right to avoid a bludger sent by Coco. Jack has been flying somewhat at a snails pace and with no apparent purpose but now he accelerates to his right, putting Emerald on that side so he can better see her. His left eye is puffy enough now that his peripheral vision isn't 100%. Angling in close to Emerald, Jack starts reaching for the quaffle, jerking back when a bludger comes streaking between them. He doesn't know who it was meant for but if sent their way by either Caerwyn or Gus it achieved its goal for a few seconds
Undaunted, Jack moves in again, this time snatching the quaffle right out of Emerald's hand. Jack brakes, jerks his broom around sharply, then accelerates full tilt. He dodges around Caerwyn then Fritz, swerves to avoid Christopher Chant, then drops the quaffle into Deak's arms when his teammate comes up from behind and beneath.
Deak picks angles slightly upward, banks right and passes off to Hadrian. The three Ravenclaw chasers pull together a tight knit formation, working the quaffle back to the Hufflepuff tended hoops. The Hufflepuff chasers close ranks as well coming around to try and create a wedge between the Ravenclaws but Hadrian, Deak, and Jack are able to get within scoring range again. When they do, Jack has the quaffle. He really hopes that the limited vision in his swollen eye doesn't skew his aim.
Jack lets the quaffle go, pleased with how smooth the throw felt. The quaffle soars high then drops down just past the spot where Sophia had thought it would go. The quaffle passes cleanly through the hoop. The goal puts Ravenclaw in the lead for the first time this match, bringing the score to 30 for Ravenclaw, 20 for Hufflepuff.