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Can't I Play The Whole Match? (Olive)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 11-19-10 11:11
Olive had been thrilled to be named a starter for this first Hogwarts ICT match. Too bad the team is so large. She's pretty sure that Coach Batuti means to play all of them at some point, though not necessarily all in the same match. Still, it means less time for Olive in the game and less time for her to rack up some goals.
Racking up a goal is exactly what she's got in mind at the moment. Since Griet scored the first Hogwarts goal the quaffle had been going back and forth with little progress made by the teams in either direction of the pitch. Olive is not at all happy about the situation and is more fired up than ever to shift the match in Hogwarts favor.
Sydney's has possession and the chasers Vostokovic, Wolowitz, and Karuvila are trying to move the quaffle with a fast passing game. Deak, Griet, and Olive aren't giving them any ground though and, on top of that, all four beaters are working feverishly to aid their respective teams. Karuvila's elbow catches Olive in the ribs when Olive moves in close to block Wolowitz from getting the quaffle to the girl. Lakshmi Karuvila has the sharpest elbow Olive has ever encountered and she can't help but think it would be nice if the elbowing had been ruled a foul. In what seems like only a blink though Karuvila and her sharp elbows aren't a problem any longer, or at least for awhile. Another face takes the girl's place in the air. Olive overhears the announcer identifying the sub as Guiseppe Favazza. Now his elbows Olive wouldn't mind getting closer to. If she recalls him correctly he's got a nicely broad chest, well muscled arms, thick black hair, and fine fine features. Olive sincerely hopes he's a good loser because if he's a poor sport that will seriously detract from his hotness factor.
Favassa quickly gets into the flow of the match as does the other subsitution that was just made, beater Vincent Kimmerly in for Katandra Dingo. Thinking that Coach Batuti might be getting ideas to do more subbing on the Hogwarts team, Olive really kicks into high gear, the extra adrenaline giving her an added boost. It's just what she needs because Olive shoots forward as Wolowitz tries for another pass. She reaches out a hand and stops the forward movement of the quaffle, halting it from reaching Favazza. Then, to be able to actually grab the quaffle and take it the other direction, Olive quickly whirls her broom around in a one-eighty, making a scooping motion to draw the quaffle towards her chest.
Griet and Deak get themselves into positions to help keep the path clear for Olive or to be ready to accept a pass if she needs to hand off the ball. Blake and Alastor rush to use the bludgers against the Sydney's chasers before the other team's beaters can use them against Hogwarts. She races onward, pulling away from the mid-pitch area, energized at having been able to end the back and forth with no progress made that the teams had been doing.
The way is clear so Olive keeps going, arm already readying the shot. She does that quick, instinctual calculation that chasers have to be able to do that involves where they are versus where they will be when actually releasing the quaffle towards a hoop. Gyngell, the Sydney's keeper, is ready for her. He blocks the shot with one hand with Deak catching it on the rebound. He's position and angle for a goal attempt is poor so he sends it back to Olive. She shoots again and this time, much to Olive's great joy, Gyngell misses. The quaffle goes in low, bumping the rim of the hoop but still passing all the way through.
Hogwarts now leads with 20 to Sydney's 10!
Less than five minutes later, Olive's leaving the match with Jack Emerson coming in.
Going In (Jade & Hunter)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 11-19-10 16:36
Among those on the Hogwarts sidelines are the Green twins, Hunter and Jade. Just after their sister Olive brings Hogwarts' score to 20 Jade is sent in as beater in place of Alastor and Hunter goes in as keeper, replacing Gus. Jade immediately jumps into action by reaching a bludger before either of the opposing team's beaters. She squarely hits the bludger, aiming for Vostokovic to help also new to the match Jack in his effort to steal the quaffle. The bludger hits Vostokovic in the shoulder and arm with the desire effect of him dropping his guard for a second, leaving him vulnerable to Jack.
Jade sees this only because she's followed the bludger, wanting to be in position to hit it again before either Kimmerly or Ostojic get to it. Ostojic is having none of that, beating Jade to the mark and sending the bludger towards Jack. Jade curves around Ostojic, low on her broom, pouring on the speed, trying to get in front of the bludger to stop it. She can't get there in time so it smacks Jack, allowing Vostokovic to steal the quaffle right back.
The three Sydney chasers get into what's probably a well practice formation, forming a wedge shape, holding the Hogwarts chasers at bay as they move the quaffle down the pitch. They bear down on Hunter who is determined not to let them score on him when he's been in the match less than five minutes. It's Favassa with the quaffle, shooting the red ball. It's a blur veering to Hunter's right. He dives for it, unable to grab it but able to deflect it away. Vostokovic has the rebound, handing off to Wolowitz, who throws the quaffle, aiming for center.
Hunter blocks again, this time catching the quaffle and bringing it in to his chest. He hangs onto it, eyes searching for the best opening among the Hogwarts chasers. Hunter sends it to Deak who immediately becomes the target of the Sydney's beaters. Jade gets between Deak and a bludger sent by Kimmerly, batting it with the intention of hitting Favassa. Kimmerly bats it right back. Jade lines up to hit it yet again, shifting her angle to compensate for Favassa's changed position. Jade isn't exactly sure what happened next. All she knows is that instead of slamming her bat into the bludger, somehow it's her wrist connecting with the hard black ball. Instead of the crack of the bat, there's the crack of her wrist.
Jade cries out in pain and try as she might to hold on to her bat, she can no longer support its weight. It falls before she can bring it in to lie across her lap. Referee Paolina Mondriani is nearby and comes to check on Jade. In accented English - Jade thinks she is Italian - Referee Mondriani makes sympathetic tsks and says, "I am thinking your wrist is broken."
By now Jade is holding her wrist protectively against her chest in a hand up, elbow down angle. She's fighting back tears, lower lip trembling from the effort as she guides her broom to the sidelines, upset with herself a making such a stupid error, effectively removing herself from the game so soon after getting to go in.
Threatened
Author: Ella
Date: 11-19-10 19:03
Although Ella hoped to get some game time in during the match between Hogwarts and Sydney's School of Wizardry, she was just glad to be there. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement, and Ella could hardly contain her own joy at being in a foreign country, participating in a Quidditch match against another school of magic.
It was right around the time that Olive scored for Hogwarts, bringing the British school on top for the first time in the match, that Ella heard someone call her name. She stood near the wall, next to the outline of a door. Ella didn't realize it, but the door led to the landing of one of the wooden staircases that opened up into the stands. Normally, the door was kept locked so that spectators couldn't enter the field.
At first, Ella looked around for the source of the voice, thinking that it had come from one of her teammates. When she heard it a second time, now practically in her ear, she realized that it belonged to someone else entirely and felt a chill run down her spine.
The action above her head had served as a good distraction not only for her but for everyone else on her side of the door. No one had noticed it crack open, nor that it had revealed a small sliver of Zane's head and body.
Ella sucked in a sharp breath when she finally saw him. "What are you doing here?" she hissed. He was absolutely the last person she wanted to see, the last person she even expected to see. Her mother had been unable to come, because of work, and Ella had no idea where her father was. The only person she knew to be watching her play was Francis.
"I saw your name in The Daily Prophet," Zane replied so quietly, that Ella was sure that only she could hear him. "The whole roster got a mention. I would congratulate you for making the team, but..." He let the sentence hang and gazed at her darkly.
"You shouldn't be here," she said, flicking her gaze quickly away from him to see if anyone else had noticed him. She didn't look away for very long because she didn't trust him and feared that he might do something out of anger, not that she blamed him for hating her. She had lied to him and deserved his dislike.
"Why not?" he asked. "Other than the exhibition matches at Homecoming, I've never seen you play Quidditch before. By the way, how is your mum doing? She didn't seem very happy after our talk."
Ella could tell that he was goading her into reacting, but she wouldn't bite. Instead, she kept her mouth shut.
Although the crack in the door didn't get any wider, somehow Zane seemed to be even closer to her. Ella wanted to inch away from the door but she couldn't seem to force herself to move.
"Just think," Zane breathed, "If you had actually graduated any of those times you pretended to be a seventh year, you wouldn't be here right now. You wouldn't be playing Quidditch for Hogwarts against another school in another country. Though maybe you'll just be sidelined the whole match?"
He chuckled softly. "I think it's almost fitting. You're nothing but a lying, two-faced, little girl who doesn't deserve to have any fun."
Ella found her legs and started to push away from the wall, but Zane was lightning quick and shot out one of his arms. His hand wrapped itself tightly around Ella's wrist and held her fast against the small opening in the doorway.
"If you don't let me go..." she started in a quiet, angry tone, but Zane wouldn't let her finish her sentence.
"You'll what? Scream?" Zane chuckled again, softly and evilly. Another chill ran down the length of Ella's spine.
And suddenly his lips brushed across her ear. Ella wanted to scream, but she couldn't, not even when she'd tried. Zane had cast a silencing charm upon her.
"Do you know what happens to school girls who put themselves in very grown-up situations?" he whispered into her ear. "They face very grown-up consequences."
"Ella. You're going in."
In a flash, Zane released her and the spell forbidding her to speak. He was gone, the sliver of open doorway no more.
"Ella, right now," Professor Batuti stated, somewhat bothered by Ella's dawdling.
Ella mounted her broom and gripped her bat. She kicked off and joined her teammates in the sky. It was next to impossible keeping her head on straight, though. All Ella could think about was Zane's presence and how he seemed determined to make her life hell.
The Hogwarts chasers had possession of the quaffle, and while Ella did her best to both protect them from the opposing beaters and deter the Australian chasers from stealing the quaffle back, she was definitely off her game. At one point, she very nearly hit Deak square in the face with a bludger. Luckily, his quick flying and Blake's immediate interference prevented Ella from severely injuring one of her own.
Not only did she worry about what Zane insinuated on the sidelines, she also wondered if he would try to jinx her broom or something while she played. The duration of her time on the field, he didn't do anything though, other than effectively mess with her mind so much that she seemingly couldn't do anything right.
Hogwarts Starting Seeker
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 11-19-10 20:14
Christopher doesn't know how Coach Batuti arrived at the Hogwarts starting line-up, not when there are so many talented players and so many different levels of experience. Christopher's done decently well in his matches but so have the others in the Seeker position. He'd never say it aloud but of the four on the current team, he thinks Cornelia Vanderbilt has the most fire and drive. Then again, she is a Slytherin and maybe it's just some of the old animosity that was so prevalent at times in the past between Slytherin and the other three houses.
Since the match began Christopher has spotted that gold ball once but it was far across the pitch and by the time he was able to get over there, it was gone again. He was both let down and relieved at the same time. Christopher was let down because he had seen the snitch and moved in on it without the Sydney's School of Wizardry Seeker Kimberly Prince having noticed. He was relieved because at time he saw it, the match had only been underway a quarter of an hour. This match being what it is, he can't imagine having ended it in under twenty minutes, disappointing so many from Hogwarts who are here as much to see another school of magic as they are to see the match itself.
He's been flying on a methodical grid pattern for the most part, going back and forth over the pitch at one altitude then when finished going over the entire pitch, changing altitude slightly and starting the pattern all over again. Kimberly's approach seems to be more haphazard, flying wherever fancy takes her. The snitch being what it is, there really is no method that can be said to be better than another, or at least that's what Christopher thinks. There have been numerous books written over the years debating the topic.
Reaching the end of the pitch, Christopher pivots his broom around to start a line back the other way. As he turns he spots Catriona in the stands and feels a momentary pang of loneliness. Though cordial to him Cat hasn't ever really explained why she got so mad at him about her mum's and sister's wish for her to see other boys and him trying to be understanding of her predicament. He's tried talking with her but she leaves when he brings it up. Christopher has come to think of Fiona as one of his best friends, possibly even THE best, and he really misses her company.
Christopher can't dwell on Cat and sort of wishes he hadn't seen her because she is a distraction even if she doesn't know if. He continues his search for the snitch, not allowing himself to keep looking at the stand where Cat's sitting with Bianca and Polly. Good thing too because only about a minute later he spots the snitch again. Unlike that first time, this time Kimberly Prince spots at too. They both accelerate after the small winged ball, each trying to outfly the other, each trying to watch the snitch AND see where the other is.
The snitch moves in close to the stands. Kimberly and Christopher jockey for the better position, not wanting to end up boxed in near the wall. That's exactly what happens though when the snitch suddenly shoots away from the wall, whips past both of them, then closes in on the wall again. Christopher had been on the outside but in turning to follow the snitch Kimberly had pulled away from the wall then when the snitch shot back the opposite direction, the girl manuevered around on the outside. In the process, Kimberly overcompensates and knocks into Christopher who in turn bumps into the wall. At the speed they are flying this results in him being bounced back, fighting to maintain control of his broom. Kimberly and he bump again and then in a blink they are both crashing into the wall.
Their brooms and limbs tangled together, they have to work together to not go tumbling down to the ground. They do land hard with a painful jolt but at least it's not seriously bone shattering. With both Seekers on the ground and needing time to assess their conditions, the coach of each team has the same thought of sending in another seeker.
For Sydney's Dillane Darling takes to the air and for Hogwarts it's Charisma Stone. Meanwhile, Christopher has found his footing and is pushing off the ground, aware of a twinge in one ankle. It's not bad but it hurts nonetheless. He's definitely going to have some nice bruises but nothing feels broken and he doesn't think he hit his head. He had no idea yet if his broom is still flyable but for the moment his attention is on Kimberly. She's groaning and holding one of her knees and she's got a nasty gash on her forehead that's streaming blood. Kneeling beside her, Christopher uses part of his shirt to awkwardly press on the gash but then they are joined by some of the adults. After being reassured that Christopher had not hit his head, he's allowed to join his teammates on the sidelines as Kimberly is taken to the school's nurse or healer, Christopher doesn't know which. Above him the game continues with the two new Seekers.
(Blake Holloway) Hogwarts Still in the Lead
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 11-20-10 12:06
The action was getting thick, already there was one injured, he would stop by when he was switched out for another beater to see if Jade was alright. However, he was focusing on getting the bludger in line to distract the current Sydney Chaser Ostojic. The black ball was known to be a viscious thing, and if you aimed wrong, or your target shifted just an inch or so to the left, right, forward or backward you could seriously do some damage (case in point Jade’s hand).
Blake swung his bat, launching it directly at the quaffle that Blackstone had just passed to Kimmerly, he heard the cheer when the quaffle soon landed in the hands of Deak. Deak quickly passed the quaffle to Jack, and then a second handoff to Griet who was closer to the Sydney hoops than the two boys had been. Ella was the other beater currently in the game, and quickly moving to get the bludger and do something to keep the trio of Sydney chasers occupied, and slightly distracted so that Griet or one of the other chasers for Hogwarts could score and keep the lead in Hogwart’s favor.
They couldn’t actually afford another injury, but there were enough on the team that it wouldn’t matter too much if someone got injured again, however, that is one thing that they were trying to avoid. However, within moments, the Seekers were being replaced as both Christopher Chat and Karuvila are both switched out for Stone and Darling from Hogwarts and Sydney respectively. His attention however was on keeping the bludger from slamming into one of the Hogwarts chasers. Blake and Kimmerly both went for a bludger at the same time, and Blake’s bat collided with it, but it would be Kimmerly’s bat that collided with Blake’s arm and he drew in a hiss of pain. The bat didn’t hurt as much as the bludger, but there had been some force to it and there would be a bruise there. After a brief check with one of the Referees Blake wasn’t pulled from the game yet, however, if he had any trouble with the arm he would be pulled from the game and seen by the medic.
The bludger that Blake had hit successfully knocked the quaffle from Sydney Chaser Favazza in the middle of a pass to him from Wolowitz. The dislodged quaffle would be artfully and skillfully caught by a quick on the ball Jack Emerson who quickly moved toward the Sydney hoops guarded by keeper Earl Gyngell. A quick pass to Deak and then another pass back to Jack and with a well aimed bludger from Ella, Gyngell was distracted as Jack took a shot and sent the quaffle flying through the right-most hoop.
A cheer rose up from the Hogwarts crowd as the score was now 30-10 in favor of Hogwarts. Pennants were waved wildly, and before the quaffle was put back into play Gyngell was replaced with one of the other Keepers on the Sydney team, Layla McKenna. McKenna threw the quaffle toward Favazza who immediately raced toward the Hogwarts hoops guarded currently by Hunter Green.
More Substitutions (Gus & Glori)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 11-20-10 18:35
Shortly after Jack Emerson scored Hogwarts's third goal of the match, Coach Batuti calls out, "Augustus, go in for Blake. Wiggy, Griet's coming out."
The two cousins, eagerly enter the match as their teammates come out. One Hodfuffer is still on the sidelines and most likely will be for the duraction of the match. As much as she'd been looking forward to this game and to playing in her first official match, Glori isn't minding so much the sideline sitting now. When others were having trouble sleeping from anticipation of the match Glori had been in the loo throwing up several times during the night. Those who were aware of it at first thought Glori was just suffering from an extreme case of nerves but this morning she had a slight fever. Caerwyn's dad had taken Glori to see the Sydney's school nurse who said she didn't think Glori had anything catching. She'd offered to let Glori stay in hospital but Glori didn't want to miss at least seeing the match if possible. Because Glori isn't contagious and by then was feeling slightly better the nurse had relented. She'd given Glori a draught to help further settle and Glori's stomach, another for the slight fever, and sent Glori and Mr. Valentine on their way.
Watching the match from a seated position, though jumping up occassionally when wildly cheering, Glori feels almost back to herself. She wouldn't be very good on a broom and trying to block quaffles though but with Daniel Gelson fit and eager to get a turn in the match and with Gus Van Tassel perfectly capable of going back in if Hunter comes out, there's no reason for Coach Batuti to have to use Glori. That would only happen if all three of the other keepers were injured between now and the end of the match. Glori would go in then and be happy to help her team even if she isn't exactly at 100% yet.
In the air, Gus grips his bat tightly, wishing Caerwyn were coming in right now as well but with Ella having just recently gone in and with Ella not injured or playing bad or anything, there's no reason to pull her right now. For that matter, Caerwyn might not even get to play. Gus reaches the bludger he'd had his eyes on from even before he entered the game. Drawing back his arm, he bats the bludger hard, putting all his energy into the swing which in turn transfers to the bludger. The ball, with that scream-like sound bludgers sometimes make, soars across the pitch. It doesn't hit Gus's intended target but it does take Walter Wolowitz on the leg.
The other bludger is closer to Gus's current position so he chooses to make for that one instead of following the one he's just hit. The other team's Vincent Kimmerly wants that one as well. He races Gus for it but Gus is faster and reaches it just ahead of Vincent, coming around on it to hit the desired direction without also smashing it close quarters into Vincent.
Vincent's already changing directions, flying in an arc, ready to intercept Gus's bludger as soon as it's clear of Gus. Gus doesn't let himself be bothered that Vincent is getting to the bludger and redirecting it before it has gotten very far. Sydney's beater is just doing his job. Instead, Gus channels his energy into getting to a bludger, that one or the other, doesn't matter to him, and using it to impede a Sydney's player.
Gus ends up swinging his bat at the bludger he'd hit just a moment before and that Vincent had gotten to right after. Vincent was slowed down when his team's seeker went zipping by and then by some of the chasers. This allowed Gus to get to the bludger, which had come within a hair of hitting Deak, and aim it at the Sydney's keeper, Layla, who entered the match only a very short time before Gus had.
Deak has gained possession of the quaffle in those scant minutes that Gus had entered the match and is probably why Vincent was aiming for Deak. When he bat connects with the bludger, Gus knows it's not the best hit and he's right. It has a downward arc to it so that while it does hit Layla it's on the foot. It's not enough of a hit to distract her from blocking Deak's shot. She easily stops the quaffle then puts it back into play.
Gus is already moving down the pitch, intent now on getting to the other bludger. The Sydney's chasers are making quick work of getting the quaffle across the length of the pitch, hoping to get more points on the scoreboard.
Bloody Hell! (Wiggy)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 11-20-10 19:15
The three Sydney's chasers are able to get the quaffle all the way to the other end of the pitch without too many complications, though Deak, Jack, and Wiggy try their best, along with the aid of Ella and Gus. Walter is the one with the quaffle when they are within a good range for attempting a goal. Walter throws the quaffle but it's blocked by Hunter, bouncing off Hunter's hands. Wiggy scrabbles to be the quaffle but Guiseppe beats him to it. Guiseppe sends the quaffle towards the hoops, putting a spin on the ball that has it curving. Hunter miscalculates how much of a curve and misses even getting his fingers on it a little. The quaffle makes it through a hoop, bringing the score to 30-20, with Hogwarts still leading.
The quaffle goes back into play with Jack. He hasn't gotten very far with it when he's hit with a bludger and loses his grip entirely on the quaffle. Wiggy again scrabbles for it, diving for the ball, this time beating out Gillian for it. Wiggy pulls up, climbing back to the level where much of the action tends to take place, though really, over a Quidditch pitch, action takes place all over. Gillian gets a little close, nearly kicking him in the head. Wiggy wouldn't mind that so much, except for how it probably wouldn't feel all that great, because it could mean a foul being called and Hogwarts getting to move the quaffle further down the pitch, maybe even getting to make a goal attempt.
Deak is further along and open so Wiggy prepares to pass the quaffle. As his arm goes up for the throw, he's bumped by a bludger. This puts his aim off, making the throw a bad one, but it's too late to stop it. Walter intercepts only to immediately hand off to Guiseppe who in turn throws to Gillian. Gillian has the quaffle for all of half a second, just long enough to get the necessary grip on it to throw for a goal. She throws the red ball and Hunter moves to block, throwing himself at the quaffle but it gets past him.
Just like that the score is tied at 30-30.