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Another Goal (Hunter)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 01-27-12 09:28
Hunter gets what he figures is a ten to fifteen minute respite for his shoulder. It's easy to lose track of time during a match and unlike many of the sports he knew in Muggle America that are timed such as football, soccer, and basketball - baseball being one of the exceptions - Quidditch isn't like that, at least not at this level. The pee wee or little league or whatever it's call is timed but that's something fairly new in the history of the sport from what Hunter knows. Hunter has never been in the habit of wearing a wrist watch but maybe he'll start, or at least wear one the next match Gryffindor plays so he has a better sense of the time.
In those ten to fifteen minutes Gryffindor has gotten close to the Slytherin goals a couple of times but not close enough to score. in that same period, Slytherin has been unable to retain possession of the quaffle long enough to move it past the mid-pitch point. That changes though when both Basil and Mark are able to simultaneously send the two bludgers at Etta and Marjani just as one is passing the ball to the other. Hunter Rabnott can't get in close enough in time assist his teammates. Mason ends up with the quaffle but immediately passes, throwing long to Alexa.
Unimpeded, Alexa zips towards Hunter. His shoulder aches something fierce and the muscles are still extremely tight but being able to sit and massage them for ten to fifteen minutes did help. Still, his reflex in that arm is slower and he fervently hopes that Slytherin does not spend the bulk of whatever remains of the match down at this end of the pitch, making one goal attempt after another. If that happens, he knows his performace will be really bad, getting progressively worse with each goal he has to try and block. And then, by the end of the game, he could very well picture Ella coming to him and telling him that Gryffindor will be holding tryouts for a new keeper.
Alexa cocks her arm back and lets the quaffle go. Hunter reaches to block, his shoulder straining as he does so, fingers brushing the ball enough to bat it away. Alexa catches it and with the other plays rapidly closing in on them, the three Gryffindor chasers and two Gryffindor beaters determined to harry Alexis and regain the quaffle, she immediately throws the quaffle for goal again. Hunter again has fingers on it but not as well and this time the quaffle keeps going, slipping past to add ten more points to Slytherin's score.
Hard Headed (Marjani)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 01-27-12 16:45
Frustration, not quidditch, is the name of the game. It's been a long awhile since Slytherin made the goal that brought that team's total points to 30. Too long, in Marjani's opinion for Gryffindor not to have scored again, though it's not been for lack of trying. Both teams have made attempt after attempt but Hunter G and Gus have been able to stop the quaffle each time. The last couple that Hunter G blocked a Slytherin attempt, Marjani could tell one of his shoulders is bothering him. She hopes it's nothing that will end up taking him from the match. Playing without a keeper is damn difficult.
Hunter G has just stopped the quaffle again, one handedly batting it away. Marjani jerks her broom to the left, leaning over hard to grab the ball before Mason does. They end up bumping heads but both keep reaching for the quaffle, Marjani laughing through the flare of pain at her temple, "You have the hardest head, Mason."
"Yep, so go nurse that bump and let me have the quaffle," he counters as Marjani snatches it first.
"You wish." She laughs again, guiding her broom away before Mason can jerk the ball from her grip.
She senses movement of another kind and ducks, narrowly avoiding another head hit, this time from a bludger, though whether it was meant for her or for Mason she's not sure. She veers around Olive then straightens out. Hunter R movies into view, in a good position to accept the quaffle so Marjani passes.
Hunter R catches the quaffle then accelerates, Alexa coming up right behind him. Hunter R passes to Etta who then passes right back to Marjani. The three Gryffindor chasers work the quaffle down the pitch passing it back and forth among them as needed, Ella and Blake doing their best to assist with bludgers. Mark gets to one just before Ella does as Marjani once again accepts a pass, this time from Hunter R. The bludger conks her on the head, though not dead on and she guesses Mark hit it badly because there's not as much force behind it as she was expected when she realized she couldn't dodge it in time. Still, with a headache now from knocking into Mason, the hit doesn't exactly help. She says under her breath, "If this keeps up, I'll be in hospital with a concussion."
At least she retained the ball. That's something and Etta is open again. Marjani passes off the quaffle to Etta who pitches it forward to Hunter R. He drives in the last few feet to be in the optimum goal range and lets the quaffle go in a forceful overhand throw.
Marjani is sure Gus has the block again but to her shock, and delight to her and everyone rooting for Gryffindor, his fingers only graze the quaffle. The shot is good, the goal adding ten more points to Gryffindor's score.
Tied Again (Hunter & Alexa)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 01-27-12 18:43
The score being 20 to 30 is slightly better but Hunter won't be satisfied until Gryffindor wins the match. While he'd love for Gryffindor to score several more goals, he'd be content if the only other points they get this game are the 150 from catching the snitch. It would be bloody wicked, though, if Gryffindor could run up the score in goals alone so that even if Slytherin catches the snitch, Gryffindor still wins the match. He doesn't think there's been a run away like that played here at Hogwarts in years.
Much at Hunter loves being a Gryffindor chaser along with Etta and Marjani, he keeps expecting Wiggy to announce he's going to play for their house anyway and since Hunter is pretty much in Wiggy's old position, he'd be the one leaving the team. He knows it's silly to ever imagine that; after all, Wiggy plays professionally now. Must be strange though, sitting in the stands here at Hogwarts, instead of being in the midst of a heated Gryffindor-Slytherin match-up. Is that how it would feel to be an alumnus viewing a post graduation match for the first time? Luckily for him, as a fifth year, Hunter won't find that out anytime soon and when he does, hopefully he'll be playing at university if he attends or maybe even professionally.
Just ahead of him Mason has the quaffle but is looking to pass. Hunter moves in closer, putting himself between Mason and his intended target of Olive. He scowls, deaccelerates and passes anyway. Hunter wasn't expecting the slow down in speed and can't reduce his quickly enough. Olive cleanly catches the quaffle, making a kissy face at Hunter as she zooms past him. So like Olive to be cheeky like that.
Hunter increases speed to catch her up, rolling to avoid a bludger from Mark. Seconds later, Olive is doing much the same when Blake sends that same black ball her way. Seeing an opening, Hunter darts in, steals the ball from her clutches, and angles his broom around in an arcing curve to head back the other way.
Etta passes just underneath Hunter, calling up to him. He drops the quaffle into her waiting arms and none too soon because the same moment the quaffle leaves Hunter's hand, Basil gets him with a bludger that would have surely made him lose the ball.
Marjani moves in close to Etta with Hunter soon joining on Etta's other side. They fly a version of the wedge formation, fending off efforts by Slytherin to steal and Hunter and Marjani serving as side shields ot Etta and the quaffle. They peel off as Etta gets into position to shoot the ball, only to have Gus rebuff it. Olive catches the rebound, throws to Alexa only to have Marjani intercept.
Marjani shoots...
Grunting with the effort to dive to the opposite side quickly enough to reach the ball, Gus stretches out on his broom...
And misses! The quaffle catches the hoop's rim but makes it all the way through the hoop, bring the score to a tie of 30 to 30.
The quaffle goes back into play with Alexa taking possession. It would be grand to have had a total Gryffindor shut out but maybe Slytherin can do that in the next match, which should be against Ravenclaw but won't be until February or March. Alexa can't remember which date it is off the top of her head. That irks her somewhat because usually she can spout off the match schedule without having to think about it. It also irks her that with the way the Hogwarts matches get spread out over the entire school term, and with four teams to even schedule matches among, getting to play in an actual match is few and far between. Having the Homecoming exhibition matches helps and there are always for fun pick-up matches. There's also practice, when it's not all that unusual for seven other Slytherins to assist with a scrimmage by playing the opposing team, but that's really not the same.
She throws to Olive who darts between Hunter and Etta only to have Ella get her with a bludger, allowing Etta to scoop the quaffle from her hands. So near to Gus and his three hoops, Etta takes another shot but Gus easily stops the ball, catching it then waiting for Alexa to move in close so he can give it over to her. Alexa steers around the three Gryffindor chasers before they can get her too hemmed in to do anything, then accelerates once clear of their attempted roadblock.
Mason is open so Alexa passes to him, then swerves back around to try and slow Etta down. Olive is hampering Hunter's movement but there's still Marjani to deal with. Basil slows her with a bludger but Marjani doesn't slow. She catches up with Mason, flying right along side him, looking for any opening to steal directly from him or to intercept any pass he might make.
Marjani can only fly on one side of Mason at a time. Etta gets around Alexa but before he can come in on Mason's other side, she gets in his way again. When Mason looks to pass, it's to her he sends the quaffle. Seconds later she hands off to Olive but Alexa has it back in her possession before a full half minute has elapses.
With assistance from Mason, Olive, Mark, and Basil, Alexa reaches the Gryffindor kept hoops. She makes the throw but the team's other Hunter, blocks it. Mason catches it, throwing again for a goal but even though he's made the shot to Hunter Green's bad side, the younger boy still manages to block. Etta has the rebound this time so once more the main action begins making another pass down the length of the pitch, Alexa searching for the slightest opening to take the quaffle right back.
(Isma & Blake) Beaters and Seekers and Still No Snitch
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 01-28-12 07:36
The game was a whirlwind of back and forth, constant movement and motion as was expected and Blake adored every minute of it, despite the cold weather. He was going straight for a mug of cocoa when he got done with the match and he knew that Isma would be wanting one as well - as her time was spent a bit higher up than the rest of them and no where near as active as the chasers and beaters were being - though still not stationary.
Taking a moment he shifted, swinging his bat at the bludger that was coming at him, and directing it to intercept the pass from Mason to Alexa as they were getting dangerously close to the Gryffindor hoops - which of course was unacceptable. The bludger connected with the bigger red ball and it plummeted for a few moments before Marjani was there to grab it and race toward the Slytherin hoops.
Quickly the direction of the play shifted, instead of everyone gathering near the Gryffindor keeper they were rocketing toward the Slytherin Keeper, Gus Van Tassel, whom had a bevy of fangirls cheering him on and mooning over him - ugh. Blake turned his attention back to the game at hand, and quickly moved up with Ella to bring the bludgers in the way of the Slytherin chasers who were trying to once again get possession of the quaffle.
Mark had just sent a bludger in Etta's direction trying to block her path so she couldn't take a shot at the goal hoops, and Blake called out a warning before she could get hit with it, pulling back a bit she nodded thanks to him before quickly rocketing out of the way of the bludger's trajectory. I quickly hit it back toward Slytherin Chaser Mason Jeffers who was attempting to get between Etta and her shot.
The quaffle left Etta's hands, but a well placed bludger from Basil sent the quaffle plummeting with a groan from the gryffindor spectators who had thought that the goal would have made it past keeper Gus van Tassel if it had been given a chance. Either way the six chasers dove for the loose quaffle, each trying to regain possession of it before the whistle was blown and the match ended when either Cornelia or Charisma caught the snitch.
Isma remained hovering over the expanse of the pitch, moving systematically to try and find the glimmering ball before Cornelia Vanderblit did, Gryffindor needed to win this match, that was just the opinion shared by her teammates because this was one of the biggest house rivalries since the beginning of Hogwarts. Isma spotted Cornelia diving for the snitch a few yards off and quickly shifted into the chase, wondering who would manage to get their hands on the golden ball first.
(Gus) The Insect
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 01-28-12 14:35
Gus was getting tired. When he played as a keeper for the IQT he wasn't used to stand on the pitch for so long. He could use some time on the bench to drink some water, and sit for a bit. Of course he had trained hard and was prepared to stand hours of flight, Cornelia and Mark had made sure of that, and he liked to be one of the team's exclusive members. But a little break would be good.
The six chasers moved back and forth and Gus defended all the goals' attempts from the Gryffindor chasers. Three goals had been enough. He wasn't going to allow anymore. He watched as Olive and Manson worked together passing the quaffle between each other. When it seemed that Marjani would intercept the quaffle Olive passed it to Alexa. Gus smiled praying to Merlin for her to score. But it seemed that Merlin was with the Gryffindor team on this one because Hunter defended the shot throwing the quaffle to the other Hunter.
Hunter Rabnott quickly left the Gryffindor's side of the pitch, flying in the opposite direction. A bludger from Mark didn't stop him but he still passed the quaffle to Etta who was right next to him. Gus had his eyes on the red ball all the time until he heard an annoying buzz in his hear. He tried to shove it away thinking it was an insect only to realize a moment later it was the snitch. He looked at it surprised, not sure if he should ignore it or warn Cornelia about it.
But it seemed there was no need because she was flying in his direction as well as Charisma, right behind her.
"Move!" he heard her yelling and Gus did so.
For a moment the area near the Slytherin hoops turned into a big mess as the two seekers invaded it. Marjani bumped into Alexa and Manson and Olive were still, cheering for Cornelia hoping she would catch the snitch. The beaters on the other hand were working hard to stop the rival's seeker. Gus caught a movement by the corner of his eye and he spotted Etta passing the quaffle to Hunter.
"You wish!" he muttered, diving to the right and trying to make a defense. After the quaffle was safe in his hands he took a quick look away towards the seekers. It was enough to realize that they had lost the snitch's sight. He delivered the quaffle to Alexa and the match proceeded.
(Cornelia) The Chase
Author: Griet
Date: 01-28-12 17:06
The chase had started with Cornelia finally catching a glimpse of gold, after ages of seeing nothing at all. She'd immediately darted after it, with Charisma quick on the uptake and following closely behind. The snitch seemed to delight in leading the two seekers on a wild journey all over the Quidditch Pitch.
Cornelia did her best to tune out the announcer, who had soon stopped following the action of the chasers and the quaffle in favor of the seekers and the elusive, golden snitch. The announcements were rich with enthusiasm, though, and weren't that easy to ignore.
The snitch led Cornelia and Charisma over to the Slytherin goal hoops seconds before the pack of chasers reached that part of the Pitch. The Gryffindors had possession of the quaffle, and the Slytherins were desperately trying to steal the red ball and bring it back to the other end of the Pitch.
Gus suddenly found himself the center of attention for reasons other than guarding the towering goal hoops when he wound up in the way of the seekers in their quest to catch the snitch.
"Move!" Cornelia shouted.
Gus, trying to keep his eye on the quaffle, obliged without hesitation. Good thing to, or Cornelia and Charisma would have crashed into him. No doubt the snitch would have darted around him.
Despite no longer having Gus as an obstacle, Cornelia still had to do some fancy flying between the goal hoops. What a scene it would make if she flew straight into one! She'd probably knock herself out, and then Charisma would definitely catch the snitch. Unless she konked her head on one of the goal posts, too. What would happen if the match lost both of its seekers? Would Viktor end the match at some point, or would it just continue on until one or both regained consciousness and could play again? Probably the former, as this was just a Hogwarts match and not the pros.
The snitch figure-eighted the goal posts. Charisma, meanwhile, stopped following Cornelia and veered off in an attempt to intercept the snitch. Cornelia kept going on the same path. As soon as all three––the snitch and the two seekers––cleared the goal hoops, Gus caught Hunter R.'s quaffle and delivered it into the hands of Alexa.
Cornelia and Charisma kept chasing the snitch, this time shoulder-to-shoulder. The snitch always seemed that much faster to stay out of reach. Cornelia really wanted to bump Charisma hard, but she didn't want to cause a foul and have Viktor stop the match. Then the snitch would probably disappear all over again.
Suddenly, a bludger streaked right in front of their noses. Both girls pulled back, but Cornelia was slightly quicker on the recovery. She urged her broomstick onwards, stretched out her arm, and raised herself as far forward as possible without tipping over the front of her broomstick. She felt the thin wings flutter against her fingers, but she didn't yet have a good grasp on the snitch. Then, with another burst of speed, she swept the snitch up in her hand.
She beamed and slowed down, raising the snitch high for all to see.
Slytherin had won this round, 180-30.