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IQT Match: Danal de Magie Académie vs Hogwarts
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 04-09-11 09:13
While both teams are still in the locker room, Theodosia walks to center pitch to shake hands with Danal de Magie Académie's Mara Demidov, her counterpart here at the Canadian school. The three match officials - Richard Herring from Australia, Gustav Richter from Switzerland, and Mahmood al Atrash from Egypt - join them and the two women and three men chitchat not about the upcoming match but about a scandal involving a professional Peruvian team that broke news this morning.
The stands are starting to fill with a mix of Danal de Magie Académie and Hogwarts students as well as other visitors. Theodosia excuses herself from the conversation for a couple of minutes when Zuberi waves to her from the sidelines.
"Do you know if Karamoh is here yet?" he asks her of his friend from Sierra Leon.
"His group is here. I spoke to them a little bit ago."
Joseph Koroma, who oversees the orphanage and school where Zuberi met Karamoh, has brought a group of around twenty at Theodosia's and Albus Dumbledore's invitation. Theodosia points to the set of stands they'd indicated to her they would be sitting in. "They said they would be there. You have some spending money?"
"What you gave me before you left Wednesday."
Theodosia reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small drawstring purse. From it she extracts additional coins and hands them to Zuberi. "In case you find something in one of the shoppes."
Zuberi flashes a grin, something at one point in time Theodosia never thought she'd see from her brother again. "Thanks!" He gives her a quick, brief hug - being a teen boy, he of course double checked to see who might be watching before he hugged his sister - and dashes off. Theodosia returns to the conversation still going on with the referees and Mara. A short time later the small group breaks apart as Mara and Theodosia rejoin their resepctive teams in the dressing rooms and the referees do a second inspection of the game balls in preparation of releasing them.
Theodosia gives her team a few words of encouragement before the entire team is introduced with the starting line-up announced by name. The starters head to the same part of the pitch where Theodosia had been a few moments before while everyone else, including Theodosia, makes for the team's platform off to one side of the pitch. The other team's platform is directly opposite across the pitch.
In the same manner as her team had been brought onto the pitch, the Danal de Magie Académie team is introduced with the starters announced by name. For Hogwarts Griet stands ready to shake hands with Danal de Magie Académie's Paulina Gerbajs. Head officiate Gustav Richter speaks to them then has the quaffle ready to put into play. The other balls are released and then Richter is tossing the quaffle up with a hard throw.
Let the Excitement Begin
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 04-09-11 11:16
Isma and Blake had spoken non-stop about the breaking news of the Peruvian Quidditch team that had broken this morning much like a few of the other Quidditch players on their team. She was certain it was also a topic of conversation between the opposing team as well.
At the moemnt the locker room was alive with pre-game chatter and the starting lineup was getting ready to go out on the pitch. Eventually, everyone would be out on the pitch, and the teams were introduced by the announcer and the officials were introduced - two Austrian men and an Egyptian man were the officials on this game and Isma was at least familiar with the names as they were like in all the other matches professional Quidditch players.
Isma was the starting Seeker for Hogwarts and Ciara Stanton was the starting Seeker for Danal de Magie Académie. They both watched as the snitch was released with the bludgers after the Quaffle was put into play. Both Seekers quickly moved into position above the hustle and bustle of beaters and chasers that would occupy the bulk of the pitch now that the match had officially started.
Blake watched and cheered from the seats that held the remainder of the Hogwarts team waiting for the change off of players that usually occured. At the moment, Danal de Magie Académie chaser, Paulina Gerbajs had the quaffle and artfully dodging a bludger aimed at her from Hogwarts beater Gus Hodfuffer. However, it would be the return bludger hit from Ella that would ultimately knock the quaffle from its pass from Paulina to Rick Everette and land it in the hands of Hogwarts chaser Jack Emerson.
The chasers instantly changed direction and went toward the hoops, hopefully one of the teams would score - well more importantly hopefully Hogwarts would score and ultimately win the match - that was the goal of course, however they would all be in a jovial mood win or loss because it was afterall about the fun.
Suddenly something sparkled at the edge of Isma's vision and she turned just in time to watch the snitch dart between a bludger and Roberta Fieri. Isma darted for it, going beneath Roberta in the process, however, within moments she'd lost sight of the glimmering, rapidly moving ball and ascended once more into a better vantage point.
There's Still Wind Resistance (Jack)
Author: Kody
Date: 04-09-11 15:46
Just before the match began, Jack kept yawning. He didn't understand why. Even if back home, it would be late afternoon/early evening there. He supposes it's because since arriving Wednesday night there's been the adjustment to a different schedule and it was starting to catch up with him. He shook off the drowsiness he felt even though he did yawn a few more times. Once on the pitch though, the adrenaline of the match beginning woke up him plenty. Being a starter probably helped speed up the process, charging him up even more than if he were on the sidelines for the first of the match.
Jack had flown up with Etta while Griet stayed on the ground for the shaking of the hands and being charged with playing a clean game that starts off just about every Quidditch match. Around him were two of the Danal chasers, the third on the ground with Griet, and all four beaters in the air. The keepers took up their positions and the seekers went wherever seekers think it best to start off a match.
As soon as the bludgers and snitch were in the air, head ref Gustav Richter put the quaffle into play. Any vestiges of sleepiness Jack had felt vanished in an instant. The first few minutes of the match passed in a blur with Jack getting his hands on the quaffle not that far along into the game. Ella had interfered with a pass between two of the Danal players, sending the quaffle right at Jack.
Jack hadn't held the quaffle long right then. He'd passed off to Griet who'd moved it along to Etta. Etta had taken a bludger just as she caught the quaffle resulting in Hortense LaPierre grabbing it from her. Hortense was able to get far enough down the pitch with it that she decided to try for a goal. It was a long shot - literally and figuratively - that fell short but if it hadn't, Hunter had plenty of time to set up for the block. The throw feel short enough that Hunter could't go retrieve the quaffle. The red ball went into free fall until Etta scooped it up.
Since then the quaffle has changed hands a few time, both teams driving it in close to the hoops but neither scoring. Jack has the quaffle again, having just taken a pass from Etta. He's got the ball in close, his body bent over his broom. The Danal de Magie Académie pitch is in a massive underground cavern. There is no sun to get into eyes, no wind or even slight breezes to affect game play, no threat of rain or snow or other outdoor elements. There is, however, wind resistance created from flying through the air so Jack's bent over to streamline himself more, allowing him to go a little fast.
Jack dodges, just barely, a bludger he thinks was hit by Danal beater Marcus Corning. Swerving to avoid that team's seeker Ciara, a cute girl who exchanges smiles with Jack as he zips by, Jack is now where Griet can accept a hand off from him. Griet works with Jack and Etta as well as Ella and Gus Hodfuffer to continue moving the quaffle towards Danal keeper Raymond Fieri. Though Jack wouldn't mind being the chaser to score first, it doesn't care really who makes that first goal as long as it's a Hogwarts chaser!
Cavernous Quidditch
Author: Ella
Date: 04-09-11 16:41
Playing Quidditch in a cavern was definitely something Ella had never, ever done. She couldn't decide if the rather closed-off stadium posed an advantage or disadvantage to game play. The meteorological elements one usually faced in the open air definitely weren't an issue here, so she supposed that was a plus. Besides, it was even more freezing cold in Canada than at home. She could very well imagine how frostbitten her extremities would become if she had to play outside in the frigid air.
Jack sped along with the quaffle in hand, and Ella did everything in her power to help him reach Danal's goals. She'd already disrupted one of the opposing team's passes; maybe she could muck up an attempt to steal the quaffle, too.
She caught sight of one of the bludgers as it made a return arc after being batted away by Gus, when he blocked Roberta's attempt to hit Jack. Ella advanced on the black ball, and aimed it right at Rick when he moved to swipe the quaffle from Jack's grip.
Neither Marcus nor Roberta were fast enough to block, though both barreled towards Rick in an attempt to protect him. Rick, having his back turned, never saw the bludger coming. It struck him in the shoulder and forced him to abandon his goal of stealing the quaffle back for Danal.
Jack was nearly upon the Danal goal hoops now. Raymond, the Canadian keeper, hunched down on his broomstick, ready to spring in whatever direction necessary. Jack closed in in an arc and then let the quaffle fly.
Unspoken Plan
Author: Griet
Date: 04-09-11 17:14
No one noticed the look that passed between Jack and Griet in the last seconds before he released the quaffle after arriving within scoring range. It consisted of only the slightest glance and a fraction of a nod.
Raymond Fieri, the Canadian keeper for Danal de Magie Académie, certainly didn't take note of the silent exchange, or he might have reacted very differently to Jack's apparent attempt to score. Oblivious to the plan his opponents had wordlessly agreed upon, Raymond sprang in the direction the quaffle took after it left Jack's fingers.
Before it got too close to the keeper's outstretched hands, Griet shot sideways, crossing between Jack and Raymond, and plucked the ball from the air. She held on to it for only a moment and then threw it through an unguarded hoop.
A grin flashed across her face, but Raymond, having attempted to correct the direction in which he'd been diving but obviously wasn't fast enough, scowled.
There was a mixture of cheers and groans in the stands.
Raymond retrieved the quaffle and still made a face.
Griet told him, "Cheer up! The game's only just begun!" but it did little to improve the Canadian keeper's spirits.
He handed the quaffle off to Paulina Gerbajs, who took off like a shot in the direction of the Hogwarts goals. Griet put Raymond behind her and raced after Paulina.
Estatic (Etta)
Author: Jared
Date: 04-09-11 18:44
Etta was excited that the IQT match against Canada had finally arrived. She was thrilled to see the school and to go on the two different trips. She was estactic when the game in which she was named a starter actually began. Now she's even more pumped up, truly stoked, that it's Hogwarts putting the first ten points on the scoreboard.
After Danal chaser Paulina accepted the quaffle from keeper Raymond the Canadian team began a fast paced power play to get the quaffle rapidly to the other end of the pitch. Etta loses count of how many times the quaffle is passed from one Danal chaser to another. Griet, Jack, and Etta work hard to find a chink in the other team's obviously well practiced play. Gus and Ella work just as hard, vying for the two bludgers with Danal's beaters Marcus and Roberta.
Danal gets the quaffle close to where Hunter is waiting to block whatever throws are made. It's Rick Everette who makes the shot. Hunter stops the quaffle with a full body block. He throws to Jack only to have Roberta get a bludger in between, causing Jack to miss the catch. Hortense snatches the quaffle and throws underhanded. Hunter has the block but the second bludger, courtesy of Marcus, knocks into the outstretched hand. His movement out of whack now, Hunter only manages to graze the quaffle instead of having the full block. The quaffle makes it through and just like that the score is tied 10-10.
Etta is still estatic to have the match taking place and to be in the middle of it though maybe not quite as stoked now that the Canadian team has managed to score so soon as Hogwarts.
(Blake) Waiting My Turn
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 04-09-11 19:25
Blake hadn't been named a starter in this match, but that didn't make this trip to Canada any less exciting, or the match any less extraordinary. It was different than every other quidditch match that they had ever played and that was because it was in a cavern. Underground made playing all the more interesting because there were no weather changes that influenced the game.
Blake, like the rest of the team had cheered when Greit had put the first ten points on the board for Hogwarts, and that had been followed quickly by a retaliation of ten points from Danal. Blake had winced when Hunter had gotten hit with a bludger before the points had been scored, but it seemed that he was doing alright and they wouldn't have to change out a team member just yet.
At the moment, the quaffle was effortlessly passed between Greit, Jack and Etta as they moved toward the Danal hoops after Jack had caught the hand off from Hunter after the score. Ella and Gus were managing to get the bludgers away from the Hogwarts Chasers, so far it looked like an arial ping-pong match as the bludgers zoomed between beaters.
A bludger from Marcus finally hits its mark, sending the quaffle from near perfect pass from Etta to Jack into a freefall that sent the ball plummeting to the ground only to be scooped up by Danal chaser Rick Everette. Unfortunately, Rick's time in the game would be drastically reduced as he tried to pass off to Paulina and his hand was hit by a bludger that had been hit as a distraction to keep the pass from being intercepted.
Within moments Rick's hand was being tended to and Clarence Mathis was on his broom and in the air for this portion of the match. Blake shifted and watched on the sidelines, studying the plays of the Danal players, itching to get on his broom and get in the game.
Quidditch Underground and Distracted
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 04-09-11 19:35
Adina currently sat between Whitney and Arthur, Kida sat on the otherside of Whitney and the four were watching the quidditch match - which was something all together different than the others that they'd seen and that Adina had played in before having to give up Quidditch this year.
"Those boys on the Danal team are absolutely gorgeous." Whitney said as she peered over the edge of the stands just as Danal Beater Marcus Corning flew by and his bat hit the bludger intended to disrupt a pass from Etta to Greit, the bludger missed.
"I know! Too bad you aren't playing any more Adina, you could have introduced us to a couple of those cuties." Kida said, and the comment got her an icy glare from her friend.
"Can we please not discuss the fact that I cannot adequately juggle a sport and my grades any longer." Adina said cooly, before settling her head on Arthur's shoulder and heaving a gentle sigh.
Adina let her gaze drift over the pitch, watching her former teammates play against the Canadian school, and she fought the urge to cry because she should be experiencing what they were - the thrill, the rush of playing a game, however her marks had faultered because she hadn't been able to keep up with the assignments while she'd been away for the games among other things.
As it was, she had been putting of meeting with Professor Black because truth be told she had no idea what to say to him. All in all this year was proving to be very, very frustrating. She didn't know how to tell her friends that she was an animagus, let alone tell her boyfriend that she was an animagus. However, she was going to have to, she really was.
There was a cheer that snapped her from her internal argument with herself, however, she had no idea why people were cheering. She looked up at the scoreboard and it still proclaimed the score tied at ten points each, and neither seeker had caught the snitch so what had caused the cheer to rise up from the Hogwarts side of the pitch?
"Are you alright?" Arthur whispered in her ear after she'd started after the cheer.
She offered him a poor excuse of a smile to reassure him. "I'm fine, just thinking is all." She said lightly, curling lightly on the bench as she turned her attention back to the game and attempting to shove the distractions into a locked box and fling away the key until after they were back at Hogwarts.
(Mark) My Dad and I
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-10-11 07:53
When Mark's father had mentioned that he would chaperone the Quidditch match against Danal de Magie Académie, Mark hadn't been pleased. He was quite satisfied with seeing his parents only a few times during the school year. It wasn't that he didn't care for his parents or that he wouldn't be going home for Easter hols. It was just that Meirchion Farnon would be the ONLY parent chaperoning the Quidditch players during their Canadian adventure. Mark feared that his father would embarrass him in some way or totally crimp his style.
Fortunately, the last few days hadn't been so bad. Gus, as charming as he had become over the last year, entertained both Mark and his dad with surprisingly intelligent conversation in between their sightseeing excursions and meals.
Now, both boys stood on their team's platform, whereas Mr. Farnon sat somewhere in the stands with the whole school. The match was tied, 10-10, and the first substitution had already occurred (for Danal, at any rate).
The cavern somehow seemed dark, even though there were plenty of lamps glowing in regular intervals in the massive, underground space. Mark supposed it had something to do with a lack of natural light. Sunlight always seemed brighter than artificial light.
Official Richard Herring blew on his whistle, the shrill sound echoing loudly off the cavern walls and causing Mark to grimace. Ella had miscalculated one of the bludgers on its return arc, and instead of hitting it with her bat, it struck her broom and caused it to splinter.
Theodosia looked around at her remaining beaters and said, "Mark. Go in for Ella."
Mark didn't need to be told twice. He mounted his broomstick and shot into the air.
The official blew his whistle again, and gameplay resumed. Mark swiftly searched for the nearest available bludger. Roberta had just batted it away from Clarence, who had possession of the quaffle.
Mark zipped towards it and batted it back, hoping to dislodge the red ball from Clarence's arm or unseat Clarence from his broomstick.
Roberta was on the spot again and batted it away, this time toward Griet as she zeroed in on Clarence and the quaffle. Griet dodged away from it, but just barely as it had been in fairly close range. It ruffled her hair but didn't cause her any injury.
Gus Hodfuffer went after that bludger, leaving Mark to pursue the other one. Clarence used an open opportunity to pass the quaffle to Hortense. She flicked it to Paulina, whose hands closed around it the same time as Jack's. For a moment, they struggled with the ball, but then a bludger courtesy of Roberta forced Jack away from Paulina.
The Canadian chasers were very close to the goal hoops now. Mark finally reached his bludger and aimed it for Paulina just seconds before she let the quaffle fly.