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Ravenclaw vs Slytherin 2007
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 05-01-13 13:21
Viktor runs a hand through hair overly damp from the misting rain and sleet. If not for the gloves he's wearing, his hand would be slick with water. This mist, which seems to be at the moment more droplets of water than it is tiny pebbles of ice, replaced a slightly heavier rain that was more ice than rain. Hard, stinging pellets of ice at that. At least the match isn't under white out conditions, something highly possible this time of year where Hogwarts is located.
Before the start of the match, Viktor personally inspected each player's broom and charmed the brooms so that if the ice were to become the sticking variety, the brooms wouldn't get laden down with the stuff. Normally, Quidditch isn't to be played with any sort of magic beyond the magic that makes the balls do what they do and the magic built into each broom to make brooms fly but as this is an intraschool match, both teams being from Hogwarts, Viktor sees no reason to make the student players labor under increasingly heavy brooms, and thus increasing the danger in a game that can already be dangerous enough as it is, should the ice start sticking. If the match were with another school, he's certain he and the other school's coach would come to a similar agreement. There's no reason to burden players at this level with added risk.
The players braving the elements today are Ravenclaw's Aderyn Carter, Christopher Chant, Jack Emerson, Jade Green, Alastor Jenkins, Ramona Mickle, and Beatrix Vanderbilt, and Slytherin's Mark Farnon, Mason Jeffers, Olive Green, Rylee Marks, Gus van Tassel, Alexa Wenlock, and Basil Wynbourne. Viktor is refereeing and had thought to do it alone, not wanting to subject someone else to the brutal weather, which is even worse when in the air flying around the pitch. After some consideration, knowing that the weather could potentially make it difficult for one person to referee the match, Viktor had accepted Pyrrhus Fine's offer to assist. Though Pyrrhus's brother, Mason, is playing he's demonstrated in the past the ability to be completely unbiased when serving as an official referee.
The match had begun with Slytherin's Alexa Wenlock taking possession of the quaffle. That had quickly changed with a turnover to Ramona Mickle, a Ravenclaw chaser. From there the match has been a series of one turnover after another, neither team making much headway to the hoops at either end of the pitch. Viktor has lost count exactly how many times so far each team has had possession and it's only about twenty minutes into the match.
Glancing at the clock Viktor blows his whistle to signal the end of the timeout. The quaffle goes once more to Slytherin, who had been in possession when the timeout was called. Olive
Green makes a throw to Mason Jeffers, both of them looking determined to get the ball closer this time to where Beatrix Vanderbilt, Ravenclaw's keeper, awaits.
(Beatrix) Brrrr!
Author: Griet
Date: 05-01-13 17:59
Beatrix sat on her broomstick and shivered from the wet and the cold. The icy rain stung as it struck her body, especially the few places where her skin was exposed to the elements. She didn't expect the weather to improve during the course of the match, but she fervently hoped it wouldn't get any worse.
Just as she was starting to imagine herself taking a long, hot bath, Slytherin started making an earnest effort in her direction. Beatrix pushed all thoughts unrelated to the match from her mind and focused on the red ball as it moved nearer and nearer. Mason had his arm wrapped around it and held it protectively, both from the Ravenclaw chasers eager to snatch it away and from the rain threatening to make the quaffle slick and unmanageable.
When he got within scoring range, Mason quickly sized up his possibilities and then let the quaffle fly, at the last second deciding to pass it to Olive with the hopes that Beatrix would be too slow to catch on. She dove for the quaffle as it left Olive's hand for the left hoop and batted it away with her fingertips. Olive scooped it up almost immediately and tried another shot, which Beatrix unfortunately missed, but which hit the rim of the hoop and bounced back into the group of chasers congregated in front of Beatrix and the Ravenclaw hoops.
Jack somehow soared over the heads of everyone else to snatch the quaffle out of the air. He made a swift turn on his broomstick and hightailed it away, though the other chasers were right behind him.
Beatrix remained tense as long as the group remained on her side of the Pitch, but she gradually relaxed when it seemed that Gus would have to deal with the quaffle for the time-being. It was then that she realized that she felt uncomfortably cold all over again, and that she hadn't given the terrible weather conditions or how chilled to the bone she felt any thought while busily guarding her goal hoops.
(Gus) Boys and Girls
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 05-02-13 01:56
The weather was very unpleasant and Gus could not help to wish that the match would have been cancelled and they would all go to their respective common rooms and rest by the fireplace. However, Coach Krum seemed to believe there were still enough conditions to play Quidditch and as a precaution he charmed every player's broomsticks and soon every was up in the air.
Gus' cursed the bad weather as he watched the Slytherin team attacking first. However after Olive's goal attempt the Ravenclaw chasers had won the quaffle's possession and getting himself in position, Gus forgot all about the cold and the ice and focused on the match.
Jack passed the red ball to Ramona who after a few seconds was forced to drop it when a bludger thrown by Basil came in her direction. Jade went in Ramona's defense pushing the bludger away while the quaffle had been caught by Alastor who was now surrounded by Olive and Alexa, waiting for his next move, ready to intercept a possible pass to another one of the Ravenclaw chasers. Alastor was still at a some considerable distance from Gus' hoops but he risked and tried to score. It was an easy defense and after catching the quaffle Gus passed it to Mason, watching him fly as fast as he could to the other side of the pitch.
Now that the Slytherin hoops were out of danger, Gus allowed his mind to drift of the match for a few moments. He looked around trying to locate the seekers, hoping it wouldn't take an eternity for Rylee to find and catch the snitch. An intense cold wind started to blow and Gus thought that maybe it didn't matter if it was Rylee or Christopher who catch the snitch, as long as someone did so and fast, so he could go just leave the pitch.
But then suddenly Gus thought he was thinking like a girl. Girls were the ones who would complain about bad weather and how a little wind and rain could ruin their hair. Kate had told him once that in the Muggle world, in schools, most sports had boys and girls playing separately. There were times Gus thought that it would be a good solution when it came to Quidditch, to have two teams per house but he would always change his mind whenever he was at pitch practicing or playing. Girls were as fearless as boys, some could be even worse, like it had been the case of Cornelia.
Mason worked together with Olive and Alexa and there wasn't much the Ravenclaw chasers could do. Aderyn aimed a bludger in Olive's direction but Mark used his bat to change the bludger's course. Olive passed the quaffle to Mason, while Beatrix was getting herself in a defense position. Mason offered the quaffle to Alexa. Ramona tried to block the pass, but she couldn't.
Alexa shot the ball in the central hoop's direction and Beatrix moved in the same trajectory as it. However the quaffle was faster and her gloved hand missed the ball by only a few centimeters.
The Slytherin supporters cheered from the stands and Gus couldn't help to smile. Slytherin was on the lead by 10 points.
The Ring
Author: Phyllida
Date: 05-02-13 14:05
He breathed heavily as he ran along the garden, his sneakers crunching along the gravel floor. His presence disturbed the birds, who took off from their leafy hiding places and tree-borne crannies the moment he passed by. Dark clouds had covered the sun, and it was about to rain. Despite the chill air, he was sweating. He felt tired, but he could not stop. Not until he caught the one he was chasing. Or they caught him. Was he the hunter or the prey?
Tiberius woke up from his dream and sat up on the bed, as the pale sunlight entered the window. In the past, when he was healthy, he used to sleep like a stone, so immobile that his colleagues at Hogwarts would tease him, saying he looked like he was dead. Ironically, now that he was approaching death with ever-longer steps, his sleep was restless, as he tossed and turned in the bed.
Tiberius stood up and went to the bathroom in order to take a shower and get dressed for the day. Once ready, he went downstairs. Phyllida was already in the kitchen, moving cheerfully along the stove, although he knew that there was something fake in the song she was humming. The joy was just a false lure to hide her state of mind. More than once he had tried to reach out for her and ask her how could he help her, but she would always give him a smile and tell him there was nothing wrong with her. Tiberius felt like a child whose mother would offer him sweets so he would not ask questions about the world.
"Good morning," she greeted, using her wand to pour coffee into his mug.
"How many times have I told you that you don't need to cook? That is a job for a house-elf, not you."
She smiled at him wryly. "Oh? Where is this house-elf of whom you speak?"
"He is dead. But I am trying to purchase another one."
The red-haired witch sat on the table opposite him. "It's not the same as having one elf serve your family for generations, is it? You should spend your energy on more pressing matters."
"The more I think of it the more I believe maybe we should just accept what is going to happen. Death is after all the only certain thing in life. So if not soon, I will die anyhow."
"I told you, Tiberius, you can't think like that." Phyllida pushed a plate of toast towards him. "Now, eat."
"We are just wasting time with all this. Instead we should work on concrete things. Like freeing your father, for example."
"Wasting time in keeping you alive?" she asked, dodging the topic. Her pace looked pale and pained. "How long do you think you have to live? Ten years? Five?"
"What I am saying is, maybe there is no cure for this. It is known most curses are fatal."
Phyllida frowned. "We don't know if that is the case." Silence descended upon the kitchen. It was broken only by her heavy sigh, and his attempts to eat the breakfast laid before him. When he gazed up again, a ring was placed in the tablecloth between them.
"I found this in the garden yesterday. Is it yours?"
He looked at the small ring without really seeing it. He didn't need to, because he could just close his eyes and see its delicate shape, with a single, fake emerald nestled in a setting of silver metal, the Slytherin colors.
"No, it is not mine. It belongs to you."
Her brows knitted. "It's not mine, Tiberius, I assure you. I've never seen it before."
"Maybe you don't remember then."
The ring was small. It would not fit on a woman's finger, but in a little girl's.
It dawned on her slowly, as she turned the tiny thing over in her hands. "It seems much smaller than it used to be. When did I lose it?"
"I'm not sure. I found it among my Hogwarts belongings, at the bottom of my trunk."
She looked at him suspiciously, but did not say a word. The ring was so narrow now that it would only fit her smallest finger, but she slipped it on anyway. The tiny green gem glittered, seemingly with a light of its own. "Thank you," she said, though it was grave as any apology.
"A late Christmas gift," he excused himself, with the same embarrassment.
"If you've had it so many years," she said, "then why was it late?"
"Maybe I didn't want to depart from it. Reminds me of the old times, when we were good friends."
"We are good friends, Tiberius. We're family." She sighed. "Even if you don't want to let anybody be close to you."
He took her hand in his, looking at the minuscule ring. Then, he raised his head, and looked at Phyllida in the eyes.
"Thank you. But it is better this way, believe me."
She clasped her hands around his. "Don't," she whispered. "You aren't going to be happier if you shut everyone out of your life. Titus loves you. And I...love you."
He held Phyllida tightly, reciprocating her feelings wordlessly. Since they were children, they had shared a unique bond. As he was some years older, he offered her protection when she most needed it, and she offered him comfort. He knew that was one of the reasons that he could not see himself married to her, like their parents had wanted in the past. He loved as part of his family, like a close sister. He had never had romantic feelings associated with Phyllida, and Tiberius doubted there would ever be. She was family.
Is A Covered Pitch Asking Too Much? (Jade & Olive)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 05-02-13 17:46
Glad for the extra layer, good old fashioned thermal underwear, Jade still can't help but wish she'd had another set to add or knew of some charm that she could have done before the game began and would be allowed during match play. Though she's played in snow and ice before that doesn't mean she enjoys it. On a day like today she sort of wishes that Hogwarts had a covered stadium or something like the cavern used by that Canadian school Danal de Magie Academy.
Coming up on a bludger Jade's in a position to easily see the scoreboard. Though she knows what's displayed there without having it glaring her in the face she frowns at the 10 showing up the Slytherin name and the 0 under Ravenclaw's. In the time since the first goal of the match was made, there has been a great deal more back and forth. Ravenclaw did get within scoring range, Jack Emerson driving in to take the shot. Gus had blocked it though only just, his fingers sliding over the wet surface of the quaffle, the slick ball making it difficult for his fingers to make the contact needed to repel the ball.
Her bat cracks against the bludger, heading for Jade's target of Mason Jeffers. She watches it fly along the trajectory to intercept Mason, lips pulled into a tight line when he slows for a moment, screwing up the timing of the bludger hit. He soon speeds up though, accelerating enough to make up the difference from the slowdown. He never sees the bludger and it connects with his side. It's not enough to make him lose his grip on the quaffle but it is enough to allow Ramona to get close enough to use the distraction of Jade's bludger hit to steal the red ball from his grasp.
Olive frowns in the direction of her sister, Jade oblivious to it as the Ravenclaw beater takes off after one of the two bludgers. Ramona Mickle speeds away from Mason, tucking the quaffle in close to her body, Olive sprinting along closely behind. Ramona goes to pass the quaffle to Alastor Jenkins but is forced to pull up short on the throw because of Olive buzzing in close, harassing her, and being in an excellent position to intercept the quaffle.
Olive stays on top of Ramona until a bludger, from Jade or Aderyn Carter she doesn't know, hits her square between the shoulders, severely winding her. It's enough for Ramona to pull away and finally make that pass. As Jack is more open than Alastor, that's who Ramona passes to. In a better position to pass off to Alastor, who is now much closer to the hoops and Gus van Tassel, Jack passes just as a bludger from Basil hits his arm.
Though still a little winded, Olive hurries to rejoin the fray. Jack's aim was slightly off because of that bludger but Alastor was still able to catch the quaffle. Olive goes low over her broom, increasing her pace. Alastor is taking a shot as Olive finally arrives, a smile quirking up her lips when Gus rebuffs the goal effort. She dives for the quaffle but it's Mason who gets it. As that means the quaffle is one more in Slytherin possession, Olive is fine with that. Wheeling her broom around, she races with the others back the other direction, her thoughts mirroring her sister's somewhat as she wishes that some sort of covering were erected over the pitch for weather conditions such as today's rain and ice mix. Would that really be so difficult with the magic some of these adults around here are capable of?
(Mark) Icy Conditions
Author: Isolde
Date: 05-02-13 18:04
The icy rain began to fall a bit heavier, making it feel as if little pieces of glass were stinging Mark's face. He tried to keep his head down or turned away from the wind that carried the pelting ice this way and that, but his job as beater required him to keep his eyes open. He would be of absolutely no use to his team if he missed every opportunity to hit a bludger at or away from somebody.
Instead, Mark sucked it up. It wasn't really that painful, anyway––more of an uncomfortable nuisance, if anything. With any luck, Rylee would catch the snitch and end the match sooner rather than later so that everybody could return indoors where it was cozy and warm.
Because Mason currently had possession of the quaffle, Mark focused his efforts on either defending him from any bludger attacks or using one of the black balls against whichever Ravenclaw chaser tried to steal the red ball away from Mason. Mark quickly assessed the situation and noticed that both Ravenclaw beaters were much closer to the bludgers than either him or Basil, and therefore hurried to Mason's defense.
Jade aimed the first bludger at Mason, but it was Basil and not Mark who deflected it away. Basil sent it to Ramona, who had been inching closer and closer to Mason with the hopes of snatching the quaffle from his arms. Mark didn't see if the bludger struck true or not, because he was too busy eyeing the other one as it careened in his direction.
Before it could reach Mason or Mark, who had already put himself between it and its target, Mason passed the quaffle to Olive. Olive passed to Alexa, who quickly threw it overhand back to Olive. The ball nearly slipped from her fingers, have grown somewhat slick from the wet conditions, but somehow she managed to keep ahold of it.
Mark, meanwhile, struck the incoming bludger so hard, he felt his entire arm vibrate. It soared away in a clean arc, but unfortunately was easily retrievable by Aderyn.
Olive threw the ball to Alexa again, who tossed it to Mason. Mason attempted a goal, but Beatrix slapped it away with the palm of her hand. For half a second, Jack had the ball in his hand, but Alexa lifted it from his grasp before he could keep a firm hold on it and attempted another goal. Beatrix knocked it away, too. The third time, she was not as lucky. The bludger sent via Aderyn to Alexa fell short. Mark quickly diverted it so that it would hit Beatrix. It struck her in the collar bone. She did her best to block Slytherin's goal attempt, but the timing of the bludger hit prevented her from stopping the quaffle from entering the hoop.
Now Slytherin led by twenty points.
(Aderyn Carter) Ice and Rain? Pick One Please?
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 05-03-13 06:51
Sitting on her broom, she was soon beyond thankful for the charms that had been added to keep extra weight from being added thanks to the hideous conditions that they were playing in.
As of right now, she was focusing on staying warm. She'd all but given up on staying dry thanks to the current round of heavier icy rain that had fallen. She shifted her bat constantly from hand to hand trying to not lose feeling in her fingers, switching back to her batting arm when she needed to hit a bludger which was more often than not.
At the moment the quaffle was in the possession of Ravenclaw chaser Ramona, who was in the process of passing to Jack who was closer to the hoops guarded by Gus Van Tassel, and hopefully he would be able to cut the current lead by Slytherin in half, which would be delightful, and hopefully one of the seekers, at this point Aderyn couldn't really care which one, would catch the snitch and the match would be over so they could all go in and get warm.
She shifted, moving in to intercept the bludger that had been hit to disrupt the pass from Ramona to Jack by Mark. Her bat connected with a crack as she sent the hard, black ball off in the direction of keeper Gus Van Tassel, hoping to distract him enough that the quaffle, now in the hands of Jack Emerson would fly through one of the three goal hoops.
Unfortunately, Basil got to the bludger before it got to where Aderyn wanted it, and he sent it back with somewhat better aim and it hit the quaffle sending it into a freefall for a few moments before Slytherin chaser Mason Jeffers grabbed it and the action began moving toward the other end of the pitch.
Aderyn flicked her gaze up for a few moments, trying to see if she could find Christopher or Rylee as they were searching for the snitch. She saw them, but they didn't look like they were coming close to finding the little golden ball.
Hands Numb Even With Gloves (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 05-03-13 10:44
Mason passes the quaffle to Alexa then takes a couple of seconds to shove frigid hands into his armpits. He puts his broom back into motion, hands still shoved under his arms, not wanting to consider just how frozen and numb his fingers would be if he'd forgotten his gloves. Even with gloves on, gloves with a thermal type insulation at that, because of the wet conditions the damp has seeped in, not helped by droplets of water that get on his wrists then run down his hands, under the layering of the gloves. He'd thought the gloves fit snugly enough not to allow that because during practices his hands had stayed much more dry. He'll have to figure out what's changed and much as he'd like to take the time out to do that right now and to get his gloves entirely dried out, hands warmed up, Mason doesn't think the rest of the Slytherin team would appreciate him doing that, not to mention the all sorts of fouls that would get called on him if he were to fly down to the locker room to use his wand.
In the short time that Mason paused to warm his hands and steer using his legs, Alexa has handed off to Olive, who in turn has made a dash towards the hoops where Beatrix has been in constant motion in her own effort to stay warm. Olive is cut off by a bludger from Jade. She avoids the hit but in the process Alastor's able to steal the quaffle.
Reluctantly pulling his hands out from the warmth of his armpits Mason pulls his broom into a one-eighty, moving to get ahead of Alastor. The Ravenclaw chaser zigs around Mason, accelerating as he goes. Mason accelerates as well, watching for an opening to steal, be it straight from Alastor or by intercepting a pass.
Jack gets in between Mason and Alastor while Ramona comes up on Alastor's other side. The three Slytherin chasers make every effort to get in closer to Alastor but without intentionally fouling one of the opposing chasers, they aren't able to. A break finally comes when Mark gets in a bludger hit on Alastor and Basil, beating Aderyn to the second bludger, gets Jack.
Ramona takes the quaffle from Alastor and surges forward, closely flanked by Olive and Alexa. Ramona's able to get in near to Gus for a goal attempt but the Slytherin keeper is able to catch the quaffle. He hands it off to Olive who throws to Alexa. She, in turn, throws long to Mason. Quaffle once more tucked in close to his body, which helps him keep better track of it what with his hands somewhat numb, Mason starts back towards Beatrix once again, the score still at 20 Slytherin, 0 Ravenclaw.
Poor Visibility At Times (Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 05-03-13 15:01
Angry with himself, Basil can do nothing but look on as Ravenclaw's Ramona Mickle takes a foul shot. A foul shot because of him. Basil's grip on the bat was good. He had a target lined up. Just as he went to hit the bludger, the wind shifted, blowing stinging pellets of ice right into his eyes. Visibility with the rain and sleet blowing in the players faces was already reduced. Unexpectedly getting that much in his face affect Basil's follow through on the bludger hit. It didn't go off course by much but it was enough to send the bludger into the nearby stands.
Gus turns Ramona's quaffle shot aside and there is s chaser scramble to get to the ball. Relieved that Ravenclaw's first points of the match didn't come because of that foul shot, Basil doesn't entirely loose the rigidness in his back and shoulders that had been there while Ramona made the foul shot. Jack is the one who's broken free of that mad scramble, quaffle in hand. There could still be points made off his screw up.
Jack has to literally shoulder his way past Olive to line up his shot. Basil sends a bludger that direction but not only is he, and the bludger, too far out, but Ravenclaw beater Aderyn gets between the chasers and the bludger he's just hit. Gus is able to rebuff the quaffle again, but again a Ravenclaw gets it. Ramona catches the rebound then immediately lets the ball fly again. This time Gus is able to bat it away with his broom, sending the quaffle straight into the arms of Alexa Wenlock.
With Slytherin again in possession of the quaffle, and with any direct link to his mishit bludger and the foul out of the way and as no one in the stands was injured, Basil no longer feels guilty. Going after one of the bludgers, his eyes scan the stands for Aleydis. With the bad weather, he'd said if he were her, he'd stay at the castle. She'd laughed at that and called him liar, knowing that he might have still put in an appearance today if Slytherin weren't involved. However, when last he saw her, she wasn't sure if she would in fact come. Aleydis talked about being able to sit bundled up in the stands, maybe with a blanket charmed for heat, and an umbrella but the thought of being able to sit inside in the warmth was appealing.
Coming up on the bludger, aware that Jade Green is drawing near as well so being careful not to wallop her with his bat, Basil thinks someone should have warm drinks for the teams during time outs. And a sauna they could fly into while they have those hot drinks during the time out. Of course, that would just make the cold seem worse when the time out was over.
Trying to take his mind off the cold, eyes tracking the bludger he just hit because he knows full well Jade is going to interfere with it and he, in turn, will do likewise after she's had a go at it, Basil turns his mind to Valentine's. He's already asked Aleydis to be his date. He just needs to get her corsage ordered and, more importantly, a gift. The obvious choice is the standard heart shaped box of chocolates but he's not sure he wants to go the obvious route.
Make a face at Jade, who has indeed intercepted that bludger, Basil breezes past her to return the favor, his mind running through a list of possible Valentine gifts for Aleydis.