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(Aleydis) Sighting
Author: Griet
Date: 02-14-11 18:14
When Cornelia had touched down, looking furious and a bit crazy-eyed, Aleydis immediately got ready to mount her broom, even though Professor Batuti hadn't yet made a decision about who to substitute in Cornelia's place. It was a big shock that Cornelia would even willingly take herself out of the game. Everybody knew what a fanatic she was about playing seeker and that she believed she surpassed everyone else in skill.
Perhaps Batuti saw Aleydis's readiness, or maybe it had been her plan all along to send her in after her older sister. At any rate, Aleydis soon found herself flying in the sky, keeping an eye out for the golden snitch.
Aleydis wasn't happy over the fact that Okapi had scored three times and Hogwarts hadn't scored once, but she wasn't so upset that she couldn't do what was expected of her. Besides, if she caught the snitch, then Hogwarts would win, no contest. The game wasn't over until it was over.
She looked over her shoulder to locate the other seeker, Mobutu Kabango, and witnessed a bludger strike a blow to the side of his head. The momentum of the hit caused him to swing over the side of his broom a bit, but he righted himself before he could fall off completely. A stream of blood cascaded down his hair and cheek.
Aleydis was certain that the hit hadn't been intentional because as far as she could tell, he hadn't spotted the snitch. He'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A whistle sounded shrilly very close to her ear and she turned to see one of the referees, Fatima Santos, hovering nearby.
Game play ceased while Mobutu was helped off of the field. Mashako Omalanga stepped in to replace him. A moment later, the whistle sounded again.
Aleydis resumed searching for the snitch, and just like that, she saw it, darting several yards ahead. The moment she took off after it, it picked up speed and sped away, sending her on a chase that wound between the other players. Mashako caught on quickly and somehow closed in on Aleydis, but before either one could catch it, a pair of bludgers crisscrossed in front of them, causing Mashako to dive out of the way and Aleydis to swerve suddenly.
When they both regained control of their flying, the snitch was gone.
Another Beater In The Match (Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 02-14-11 18:59
In a pretty short space of time, Glori Hodfuffer had come out of the match with Daniel Gelson going in, Cornelia Vanderbilt had left the game with Aleydis taking over as seeker, and both the Wynbournes went in, Basil for Caerwyn Valentine and Etta in place of Jill Prewitt. The only drawback in Basil's eyes over this is that since it's a real game, he can't "accidently" hit Etta with a bludger as he does in practice when scrimmaging and playing on the same team or on purpose when playing opposites sides in a practice scrimmage. No, here he has to be sportsmanlike unless he wants to be immediately yanked from the match and probably lose house points over it. Or, unless he can find a way to send a bludger or two Etta's way but not make it look as though he meant to.
Basil doubts he'll ever like his cousin even a little. She's irksome and annoying in his opinion. As far as her continuing to date Deak Bennett goes, Basil has to think Etta must really put out because otherwise why would Bennett bother with such an irritating mousy girl when he can have his pick of some real Hogwarts lookers?
Disgusted with the thought of what Etta does to keep Deak's attention, Basil firmly grips his bat as he comes up on his bludger of the match. Anka Van Roekel - now there's a looker for you, and her sister Elke too - has gained possession of the quaffle so there's no need to think about who to target for this first hit. Basil checks her current position and speed, and with the practiced eye of someone who's played beater for a few years, gauges how hard he needs to hit the bludger and where he needs to aim the it to time it getting where she'll be in order for the bludger to actually connect. He's so sure of himself that after he's watched his follow through on his swing, he's speeding up to fly to where he can see the other bludger. If he'd watching the bludger soaring towards Anka, Basil would have seen it hit her on the upper left arm and that with the hit, Anka loses her grip on the quaffle.
With his back to the currrent fray going on for the now free bludger, Basil doesn't see Etta is the one coming victorious in getting it nor does he see her pass intercepted. All Basil sees is that when he arcs around to hit this other bludger back in the direction from which he's come is that Luzolo Galati now has the quaffle and is accelerating down the pitch with a determined expression on his face. With an equally determined grin, Basil relishes smacking his bat into the bludger to send it screaming towards Luzolo.
Joining The Game (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 02-14-11 20:26
While standing on the platform with the rest of the team watching the match, Mason thinks again how great it's been being on the IQT team. He's so glad he decided to go out for the team and even happier to have made it. Because of being on the team, Mason has now gotten to visit the Sydney area of Australia, been on an Amazon river cruise and jungle trek, and now been on a photographic safari in Africa and a hike to see highland gorillas. Being on the IQT team is awesome!
Making this trip even better is that Mason is now in the match instead of on the sidelines watching. Coach Batuti had Alexa come out of the match and put Mason in her place. This was just after Luzolo Galata intercepted a pass by Etta. When Luzolo took off with the quaffle, Alexa was signaled to come out. Mason couldn't get onto his broom and off the platform fast enough. Alexa gave him a thumbs up as they pass with Mason shooting her a grin in exchange. He had to sprint at full speed to catch up with the pack but with it was a clear shot and he was unhampered by other players and bludgers so he was able to mostly catch in time to see Etta stealing the quaffle back from Luzolo.
Spotting Mason, Etta hurls the quaffle hard at him. The throw was hard enough that he catches it with an oomph. Mason hurriedly jerks his broom around to rocket at full speed the other direction, knowing that the gap between him and the other players wasn't so big that none would be able to catch him. Still, Mason is really flying, literally and figuratively, over the pitch, rapidly crossing the distance to where Dieudonné Labilo awaits.
Mason catches movement to the side and instinctively slows, narrowly avoiding being hit with a bludger. Increasing speed again, Mason chances a look back to see the Okapi chasers as well as his fellow Hogwarts chasers are much much closer than he'd hoped. Mason nearly flattens himself over his broom to cut wind resistance and thus increase his speed even more. He's forced to slow again though as he approaches Dieudonné. In hopes of making it more difficult for Dieudonné to successfully block, Mason sharply angles his broom as he draws in closer so that he can fly a line from side to side in front of Dieudonné. Mason has the quaffle ready to throw, trying not to telegraph to Dieudonné exactly when he's going to let it go or in what direction for a hoop he'll throw it.
Mason is flying at a fairly fast clip still for where he is, hoping the speed will also throw the Okapi keeper off. Mason lets the quaffle go, throwing with a spin on it that should take it back to the hoop he's now fully past. That's exactly what happens and as he'd hoped Dieudonné wasn't expecting that. Unfortunately, the quaffle hits the rim of the hoop and that hit causes it to bounce wrong, resulting in no goal this time.
Mason makes a face and swings back around. By now the others have reached this end of the pitch and Dieudonné passes the quaffle off to Jeannette Batumike. Still making the face, Mason joins in heading back the other way, manuevering to try and get in close to Jeannette to try and get the quaffle back before they get too far down the pitch.
In The Action (Daniel & Hadrian)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 02-15-11 10:49
Daniel closely watches the movement of the quaffle. The Okapi chasers are doing some rapid passing, working the red ball ever closer to his position. Etta intercepts one pass and throws to Hadrian, who'd come in for Deak several minutes ago. Hadrian grips the quaffle tightly while turning to fly back the way they'd just come.
Basil and Ella , who's only seconds into the match, vie for the two bludgers against Okapi beaters Kawanda and Elke with Ella edging out Kawanda for one of them. She bats the black ball at Luzolo to force the chaser to back off from Hadrian. Elke reaches the other bludger before Basil and she smacks it a good one at Hadrian. Hadrian dodges only to nearly collied with another of the Okapi chaser, Jeannette. To Hadrian's chagrin a foul is called on him. He turns the quaffle over to referee Hiroyuki Sasaki who puts it back into play with Jeannette. At least the foul wasn't one that both gave Okapi the ball AND let them have a scoring attempt.
The Okapi chasers get into a classice wedge flying formation, barreling down the pitch with every intention of scoring again. Daniel hunkers over his broom, ready to dart left or right if needed when the time comes to block the quaffle shot. Though he'd love to get into the action, Daniel also wouldn't mind the least little bit of Mason, Etta, and Hadrian were to get the quaffle before the opposing chasers reached him and run it back the other direction.
Try as they might though, the Hogwarts chasers aren't able to retake possession of the quaffle before Okapi gets within a good goal attempt range again. It's Luzolo moving in fast, quaffle in hand, when the shot is taken. The ball comes straight at Daniel, who then easily catches it for the block. As he's about to toss the quaffle to Mason, there's an unexpected disruption when in one of those weird accidents that sometimes happen in Quidditch, Luzolo somehow manages to clip one of the rings of the hoops. Daniel didn't actually see it but later is told that Luzolo was doing a sharp arc back around after that goal shot pass and it looked as though he just misjudged how close he was to hoop. Luzolo must have been flying really fast or hit the hoop just right or a combination of the two because his shoulder is dislocated. Coming into the match in his place is one of the play any position Okapi team members Célestin Wa Tumba. Then, apparently as long as a change to the line-up was being made the Okapi coach Pippa Kruger decided to have Anka leave the game as well, putting in Gervais Mwangu Mutangiji.
With all that settled, Daniel's given the go ahead to put the quaffle back into play. He passes off to Mason has originally planned with Mason immediately shooting off in the opposite direction, the other five chasers right there along with him. Watching them now, Daniel has a thought he sometimes gets: maybe next time he'll try out specifically for a chaser or beater position. He does like being a keeper. It's important and challenging but the drawback is that much of a match is spent watching the rest of the action. Of course, some would see that as an adventage in that not only does he get to play in the match but he gets to actually see much of it as well. When in close quarters to the action, one can't really see everything going on.
As Daniel's having these thoughts Hadrian is taking a handoff from Etta who'd just gotten the quaffle from Mason. Just then a bludger shoots right across the top of Hadrian's hand gripping the quaffle. It's so close that he instinctively flinches from it. Problem is, when he flinches he inadvertently jerks his broom harder than needed. This causes Hadrian to sharply veer to one side, which in turn brings him in closer proximity to Okapi beater Elke Van Roekel than she was expecting. Elke in turn jerks to avoid a collision but in doing so her bat ends up smacking Hadrian hard on one hand.
Hadrian is pretty sure at least one finger is broken and maybe more bones in his hand. He'll be shocked at least one bone isn't. The way his hand looks and the jaw grinding pain indicates to him it's more than just a nasty bruise forming. One of the refs is at his side within seconds and Elke is profusely apologizing, which isn't necessarily really because in the game of Quidditch, accidents do happen but it's nice that she thought to do so. If this were a regular game, Hadrian would grit his teeth and do his best to finish out the match because leaving would mean his team would be a chaser down. This isn't a regular match though. It's a special tournament game with substitution rules. With the pain in his hand and the swelling that's already making his difficult to use the hand, Hadrian is grateful to get to exit the match even though he's only been playing for maybe ten minutes or so.
So that he doesn't have to climb down the platform stairs on his way to be checked out by whomever Okapi has for injuries, after handing off the quaffle to the same ref who came to check him over, Hadrian flies down to the ground. Coach Batuti has come down to the sidelines there as well. She has him give her his broom so he doesn't have to carry it with him then sends him on his way to get his hand taken care of.
In the air over the pitch, the game begins again with Hogwarts in possession of the quaffle and the score still 30-0, Okapi's favor.
Giant Dragon Egg
Author: Ella
Date: 02-15-11 18:43
The one exciting thing about being on the IQT team this year was the fact that Ella had gotten to visit different continents. Already, she'd gone to Australia, South America, and now Africa. Each continent had distinctly different geographical features, but what each had in common was its extremely welcoming people.
Ella hoped that when Hogwarts hosted a school, its guests would be as fond of them as she'd been of everyone she'd gotten to meet so far.
One thing Ella didn't worry about at this game was the presence of Zane. She hadn't seen him since the last match in December and doubted very much he would show up today. She didn't know for sure if he knew her professors were looking out for her, but maybe he had caught on to the idea. Whatever the reason, Zane had been keeping his distance from Ella lately.
One person who was at the match was her father Dunstan. He was there without his other half, which surprised Ella since they often seemed inseparable. Personally, she didn't want to see him today, with or without Delilah. His words from Career Day still stung.
Luckily, she'd been too busy before the match to talk to him. He'd tried catching her eye throughout the game, but Ella avoided looking his way. Now she was actually playing and really couldn't afford to give him a second glance.
Because Okapi currently had possession of the quaffle, she devoted all her attention to stopping their chasers from getting closer to where Daniel guarded his hoops. The opposing beaters worked just as hard to prevent the Hogwarts chasers from stealing the ball or intercepting a pass.
Unfortunately, Okapi was either that much quicker or better. Célestin, with the quaffle in hand, swerved quickly in front of the three goal hoops. As she arced, she let the quaffle fly from her hand. It spun on a curved trajectory, which caused Daniel to adjust his dive. Although he might have been quick enough to stop the quaffle from entering its hoop, it passed straight through his arms over his head.
Ella shook her head. Once again, Okapi had managed to rack up another ten points, while Hogwarts still had a giant dragon egg on the scoreboard.
Goal (Etta)
Author: Jared
Date: 02-15-11 19:29
Etta takes a deep, calming breath, reminding herself that just because the Congolese team has scored four goals so far and Hogwarts has scored none, the match is far from being won. At least the Hogwarts team is playing well overall. That's some comfort. Too bad that the Okapi team is having the better day, so far anyway.
Hogwarts has the quaffle again with Mason in possession. Etta zips around Aleydis, who's so focused on finding the snitch that Etta isn't even sure the other girl truly sees Etta go by. Etta does a gently curving arc once past Aleydis, better positioning herself to take a pass from Mason. The third chaser in the game for Hogwarts, coming in after Hadrian left with a hand injury, is Olive.
Olive is more or less parallel with Mason but that changes in a blink when she has to go around beater Jean–Baptiste Mapon who's just come into the match with Elke Van Roekel going out. Olive accelerates once around Jean-Baptiste, climbing to clear a bludger sent by the other opposing beater Kawanda Kalumbi. Etta meanwhile is in the clear for the time being so Mason throws the quaffle to her.
Etta swerves around Gervais Mwangu Mutangiji, pulling the quaffle closer in to her body in case Gervais has thoughts of trying get within arm's reach to steal. Célestin Wa Tumba appears on Etta's other side, inching in closer and closer. Etta picks up speed but Célestin sticks with her. Ella momentarily slows the girl with a bludger while Basil's just hit the second bludger on target for Jeannette Batumike who's now ahead of Etta and could possibly cause a problem.
Even with the Hogwarts beaters giving great support, finding an opening to pass the quaffle to either Olive or Mason is difficult to Etta's still got the ball as they near the three hoops now guarded by Antoinette Etsu coming in for Dieudonné Labilo during that short time when Hadrian's hand was being checked over.
Mason and Olive both are in good goal shot positions but all three Okapi chasers are in the way plus the bludgers are zooming back and forth like mad, making it even more difficult to get off a successful pass. Etta sets her jaw and drives forward, determined to get into a position that will allow her to pass or, barring that, to try for a goal attempt herself.
As the distance closes, Etta continues the drive, ducking as one bludger comes sickeningly near the crown of her head. Still with no clear shot to her teammates, Etta decides to go for the goal shot. She halts without warning, so abruptly she almost feels like her forward momentum was going to carry her over the end of her broom. She eyeballs one of the hoops and lets the quaffle soar.
Antoinette dives for it, having to lean sharply to her left. She comes close but is still shy of the ball. The quaffle sails past and right through the hoop. Etta can't believe it! She's gotten Hogwarts on the board!
(Gus) In The Game
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 02-16-11 08:11
Finally Hogwarts had scored! Gus celebrated with the rest of his teammates at the sidelines. People on the stands that were supporting Hogwarts also cheered up and clapped when Etta had scored. They were still losing of course, but maybe this would be the right motivation for the Hogwarts’ chasers to beat the Okapi’s.
As Coach Batuti checked some notes and looked at the available players she had, Gus decided to keep humble and not say a word, praying in silence to Merlin to be picked. He wasn’t going to put himself in the coach’s place like he did before during the other match against Brasil, where because of that he did not play.
“Van Tassel you’re up.”Coach Batuti called. Gus smiled, happy to finally get his chance on the match. He traded his position with Daniel, ready to guard the hoops and determinate not to let the quaffle enter anymore inside them.
The game started again and Jeannette Batumike had been the one who won the quaffle’s possession. She managed to escape from a bludger that came to her direction, with Ella’s signature. But Jeannette didn’t had the same success as she threw the ball to her teammate Gervais Mwangu Mutangiji, because Olive blocked the pass.
The quaffle was once again in the possession of the Hogwarts’ team. Olive, Manson and Etta worked well together in order to reach to the Okapi’s hoops guarded by Antoinette Etsu. Manson shot to the left sided hoop, but Antoinette was prepared and so the goal attempt failed.
Gus took a look at Aleydis who was not at a far distance from him, but she didn’t seem to be chasing the snitch. He sighed, knowing that this could be a pretty good thing if she grabbed the snitch and ended with this, giving the victory to Hogwarts.
Gus focused on playing his part of the game as a keeper and ignored Aleydis. Soon he had Jeannette, Gervais and Célestin in front of him as well as the others Hogwarts’ chasers. Gus kept his eyes on the quaffle, only focusing in the red ball.
Suddendly Gervais was out of the picture because of a bludger from Basil. Jeannette ignored her wounded teammate and tried to score. But Gus held the quaffle without any problems in his gloved hands. With a fast look he noticed Olive was free and immediately he passed the quaffle to her.
Soon all the chasers were moving to the other side of the field. Gus watched attentively, hoping this would be another chance for Hogwarts to score.
Fine Just A Few Minutes Ago (Olive)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 02-16-11 10:12
There's a lot of back and forthing with the quaffle for a good ten minutes now. Hogwarts will have it only to have Okapi steal or intercept a pass then Hogwarts will get it back using the same tactics. Kasweshi Omalanga, who'd come in for Gervais Mwangu Mutangiji a little earlier after Gervais received an injury, has just taken a pass from Célestin Wa Tumba. Kasweshei, who is very friendly, pleasant and full of smiles off the pitch, is a very agressive player, face a frown set with determination on the pitch. The Okapi chaser pivots around Hogwarts beater Ella Harville and attempts to pull away from the pack. Even in close quarters though, Ella somehow manages to successfully get off a bludger hit that smacks Kasweshei in the back.
The quaffle drops and there's chaos as Kasweshei and the other five chasers scramble to be the one to retreive it. Olive is right there diving alongside everyone else even though in the past two or three minutes she's become inceasingly nauseous. She has no idea why as she was feeling fine right up until then. Now, as she's pointed nose down dived for the quaffle, a pain flares in her head. Inwardly sighing she thinks it must be some sort of stomach bug though no one else seems afflicted.
With everyone after the quaffle this way, there's a great clashing about of brooms, elbows everyone, knees knocking, shoulders banging into each other. It always amazes Olive that such scrambles for a falling quaffle don't result in far more serious injuries or a ton of fouls being called. As it is, Olive gets jabbing in one eye so adding to the growing nausea and headache, her eye now stings something fierce and is so watery her vision is clouded. She pulls out of the mad grab when Mason emerges triumphant, shooting out and up in a dash for the other school's hoops.
As she changes her own course, as she was pointing more to one of the long sides of the pitch, Olive squints with that one eye and backhandedly swipes at it to clear some of the tears leaking from where it's still stinging. It puts her in mind of how when she was small her mother would joking call her Olive Oyl and would call Emerald Popeye when trying to get them to eat cooked spinach and Emerald would squint up one eye like Popeye.
Olive can't believe that memory popped into her head just now.
Olive also can't believe how much warmer she suddenly feels.
Mason has now passed to Etta and Olive belatedly realizes she's lagging behind when Basil shoots by in pursuit of a bludger, calls out, "You don't look so good. Keep away from me if you're sick."
Jeannette Batumike tries to steal the quaffle from Etta but Ella gets a bludger in between the two girls, forcing Jeannette to pull back. Basil meanwhile has reached the bludger he was after and has targeted Célestin. Ette shoots the quaffle but Antoinette Etsu blocks. Mason grabs it on the rebound and throws it again, only to have Antoinette stop it once more. This time Kasweshi gets it and throws to Jeannette. It's a really bad pass though and it comes more to Olive.
Olive registers that the quaffle is coming right at her. She catches it, brings it close to her chest them promptly hangs over the side of her broom to throw up. She feels so wretched right then that she's not a bit embarrassed at hurling in front of a stadium packed with people.
Getting A Turn (Wiggy)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 02-16-11 12:55
While eager to get into the Quidditch match, replacing someone who only moments ago was vomiting from her broom is not how Wiggy pictured his entrance into the game. At least one huge advantage of magic is that the refs have the mess on the pitch cleaned up withing seconds and the quaffle is spotless, though Wiggy doesn't know if it had gotten anything on it or not. He mentally shrugs off that particular thought since it doesn't matter now.
As Olive had been in possession of the quaffle at the time of her unfortunate stomach upset, when the game resumes Hogwarts is given the quaffle with Etta putting it into play. She quickly passes to Mason who in turn makes a good throw to Wiggy. Wiggy grips the ball as he increases speed, zagging around one Okapi chaser then swerving around that team's seeker.
The Hogwarts chasers continue passing the quaffle to better work it down field. Célestin intercepts a pass from Mason to Etta only to have Wiggy intercept her pass to Kasweshi. He's within range to try for a goal so Wiggy does just that. The quaffle flies true but Antoinette is ready for him. She bats the quaffle away and it's Jeannette who catches it. She goes to throw to Célestin but Mason literally grabs it from her hand. He turns and hurls the quaffle back towards Antoinette. A bludger, though whether from Basil or Ella Wiggy doesn't know, grazes Antoinette's shoulder but it's not enough to prevent her from once more stopping Hogwarts from scoring.
Antoinette had caught this quaffle this time and now does a handoff to Jeannette who in turn passes to Kashweshi. The action starts the other direction with Wiggy hot on Kashweshi's heels.