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Still A Tie (Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 07-19-13 12:16
Flying to join up with his teammates when Hufflepuff calls a time out, Basil does a slow roll of one shoulder. He's had a kink in it since getting up this morning and he really wishes it would work itself out. When he goes to bat a bludger the kink grabs and makes some of the muscles feel strained.
He spends the all too short time out period rolling the shoulder and massaging it while at the same time trying to sound enthusiastic and optimistic as he speaks with the other Slytherins, giving encouragement as the team captain.
Truth is, Basil doesn't feel very enthusiastic or encouraged. With the current standings even if they pull out a win today Slytherin is likely out of the running for Quidditch Cup, making this his last match at Hogwarts. He'd love to go out on a high note with a win but while he's seen in practice that Rylee is capable as a seeker, she's yet win a match for their house. Even the greatest seekers did not win every match they played but if Rylee could just get the snitch this match, even if not getting to play in the Quidditch Cup match, Basil would be satisfied to end his Slytherin Hogwarts career with a win.
Time out over, the quaffle goes back into Hufflepuff possession. Marlow throws it to Jasper to get things started. Basil hurtles towards one of the bludgers, keeping an eye out for both Gus Hodfuffer and Caerwyn. He slows when he spots Gus Hodfuffer honing in on the same bludger and waits for the Hufflepuff beater to hit it. Basil intercepts and redirects, targeting Jasper, trying not to tense as he goes to connect bat to bludger. Tensing in anticipation of the kink caused pain just makes it worse.
Jasper passes the quaffle a heartbeat before the bludger reaches him. It only grazes his knee but from his reaction Basil thinks it hit the knee's equivalent of the elbow funny bone so even though it wasn't a hard hit, it stings mightily nonetheless. Too bad he wasn't still holding the quaffle as that bludger knee graze may have given Alexa the opening she'd been looking for to steal.
Basil tracks the direction of the bludger he'd hit, flying around some of the other chasers to reach it. He passes Mark in the process, who's just sent the other bludger at Sadie, who's now in possession of the quaffle. Coming up on the bludger he'd been following, Basil prepares to hit it towards Marlow but when he spies Aleydis looking like she might have had a snitch sighting, he bats the bludger her direction instead. He hates to do it given Aleydis and he are dating but this is Quidditch and at least as a player herself, she understands he's only doing it for his team. There was a time he would have gladly targeted an opposing player with the intent of smacking them as hard as he could with a bludger. He's still very competitive but he's no longer angry all the time.
Basil turns his broom to trail after that bludger, ready to hit it again once it's done what he's intended. Caerwyn closes in on Aleydis so Basil slows somewhat then he sees the second bludger is coming his way so he heads for it instead. By now, Marlow has the quaffle and is getting close to Gus van Tassel. Caerwyn has sent that one bludger at Gus van Tassel to aid Marlow but Mark gets to it first, sending it not at Marlow but to Jasper who she seems interested in handing off to.
Basil sends the bludger he's reached at Marlow, aware that Gus Hodfuffer is going to zoom in and try to stop it before it reaches her. She ends up passing to Sadie. Jasper takes the bludger hit from Mark and Gus Hodfuffer does indeed stop the one rocketing towards Marlow. Sadie takes a shot but Gus van Tassel blocks. It bounces back into play and for a moment the red of the quaffle isn't visible as several chasers converge to grab it. Mason emerges from the pack with it, urging his broom faster and faster away from the Slytherin tended hoops while Basil comes upon one of the bludgers, eyes darting rapidly from one player to the next as he determines the best place to send it.
No Longer A Tie Game (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 07-19-13 14:53
Alternately glancing from the bludger he's approaching to the position of the quaffle, which is currently held by Olive, Caerwyn burps for about the millionth time today. Something he ate this morning may be causing all the burping but he can't imagine what as he didn't eat anything he doesn't normally. Maybe someone rooting for Slytherin tried something, though he'd think if that were the case the three chasers, or Aleydis, or Glori would be the target. Maybe they were but whatever the plan was went wrong and he's the only one showing any signs of whatever was supposed to happen. He did hear that one person got detention after a plan to make the entire Hufflepuff team ill was discovered. Maybe that student wasn't the only one trying.
Olive's passed the quaffle on to Alexa so that's who Caerwyn aims for when he hits the bludger, another burp erupting though it's so drowned out by the crack of his bat, to hear it someone would have had to be pressed up right next to his face. He doesn't mind burps most of the time but this constant belching and often rather loudly is bloody annoying. He really hopes that after the match when he goes to say hello to his family he doesn't end up belching so much that Grace gets ideas and thinks he's doing it on purpose. He can just see his little sister thinking it hilarious and wanting to copy him. Grace being Grace, she'd succeed too. Caerwyn has no problem imagining Grace regaling Dad and Briar with a burped rendition of her favorite songs on the walk back to Hogsmeade.
Alexa dodges his bludger but Gus gets her with the other one. Mark swooped in to stop that one from Gus but didn't make it in time. He takes advantage of being there, however, and sends that bludger at Marlow who keeps trying to get in too close to Alexa. Basil's reached the other bludger so Caerwyn heads that direction, watching to see where the Slytherin beater is going to send it.
Alexa passes to Mason with Jasper edging in to intercept. The bludger from Basil is nearly to Jasper when Caerwyn stops it and hits it towards Mason. It knocks against the tail of Mason's broom but not enough to do much of anything and doesn't damage the broom. Caerwyn's glad of that because he'd feel guilty about Mason possibly needing to buy a new broom.
The three Slytherin chasers have the quaffle close enough to Glori and her hoops to go for goal. Mason acts as though he's going to do just that but passes back to Alexa. In turn, she promptly lets the quaffle fly straight down the center. Glori has the block, no problem, until Mark strikes. The bludger knocks Glori just enough to the side that before she can recover the quaffle has passed through the hoop.
Slytherin takes the lead with 20 points to Hufflepuff's 10.
(Mark) Beating Hufflepuff
Author: Isolde
Date: 07-19-13 17:16
Mark made a dash for the nearest bludger, reaching it just before Gus H. could. The close proximity of the Hufflepuff beater made it difficult for him to get off the perfect shot. He did his best in the situation, aiming in the general direction of the fray, and immediately darted after the bludger. He knew he couldn't overtake it, but he would be close on hand in case it came back in his direction.
Quick to sight the trajectory of Mark's bludger, Basil swooped in and redirected it towards Sadie. She had gotten possession of the quaffle after Alexa's goal. The bludger caught the back of her leg and caused her to wobble a little. The distraction was enough for Mason to pluck the quaffle from her arms. Without delay, he turned in the opposite direction and made haste to the Hufflepuff goal hoops, where Glori was still recovering from an earlier bludger hit.
Mason let the quaffle fly, but Glori bunted the red ball away with her fist. It landed in Olive's arms, only to go into freefall when Caerwyn hit a bludger, striking Olive in the wrist. The six chasers converged on the red ball, with Alexa being the one to come up victorious.
Gus H. sent a bludger to Alexa, but Mark swept in and redirected the black ball at Glori. For the second time that match, Glori took a bludger hit courtesy of Mark, and Alexa managed to score.
Still Trailing (Glori & Gus)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 07-19-13 18:19
Marlow gets the action going again by passing the quaffle to Sadie. As the chasers and beaters fly away Glori rubs one of the spots now sore from bludger hits. If not for twice now getting hit just as a goal shot was being taken, she'd have held Slytherin to one goal. She supposes that overall she should be happy with how many she has blocked today, especially given how stuffed up she is. Glori thinks it's from something in bloom and, thankfully, not a cold or flu coming on.
Taking a moment to wipe her nose with one of the hankies she's got with her, Glori watches as Jasper catches a pass from Marlow who'd just taken a handoff from Sadie. Jasper goes low over his broom when he spots a bludger coming his way. Alexa maneuvers in close, looking to snatch the quaffle away but he shifts holding it on the other side. Spotting Sadie a little ahead, he shifts the quaffle back to throw it.
When the quaffle is halfway to Sadie, Mason darts in for the interception. It's a short lived victory as he's hit on the flat of his back by a bludger. The quaffle pops from his grasp with Marlow going for it only to have Olive wrest it away.
Slytherin retains possession for the next few minutes, though the chasers are slowed by the Hufflepuff chasers in getting back to Glori. When they do, it's Mason with the quaffle. He takes a shot but Glori's able to bat it back with the palm of her hand. It goes straight back to Mason who again takes a shot. Glori outright catches it this time, happy to hand it off to Jasper.
Gus was watching for any bludgers coming his cousin's way, determined to stop a third hit in a row from allowing the quaffle to get by. With Hufflepuff back in control of the red ball, he gets back into the action himself by shooting after the nearest bludger. He sents it at Olive who's pestering Jasper, who still has the quaffle.
The bludger reaches Olive but passes by with just a whiffle thanks to her changing speed, thus throwing off the timing of Gus's hit. Unperturbed as that's a common thing in Quidditch Gus speeds after that bludger only to decelerate when Basil gets there first. Figuring that Basil is hitting the bludger in Jasper's direction, Gus gets in close to Jasper, ready to block the bludger.
The bludger reaches him and Gus redirects it at Alexa as the seventh year dives for the quaffle as Jasper passes off to Sadie. The bludger connects, doing as Gus intended, which was to keep Alexa from intercepting but the other bludger hits Sadie. She loses hold of the quaffle but only for a millisecond, quickly grabbing it again and pulling the ball in close to her body.
Sadie works with Jasper and Marlow to get the quaffle down to where the other Gus in the match, Slytherin's Van Tassel, is on high alert. It's Marlow with the quaffle as they draw near and she makes as if to throw towards one of the hoops. Van Tassel begins shifting his broom that way only to have to pull up short when Marlow abruptly passes to Sadie who fires the quaffle off towards a different hoop. Van Tassel reacts quickly to hurl himself the other way but just not quickly enough. The shot is good, adding ten more points to Hufflepuff's score. They still trail but at least they've narrowed the gap.
The Millionth Time (Olive)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 07-20-13 08:22
With Slytherin's not so great year in Quidditch, having a chance to go out on a high note next year is about the only good thing Olive can see about not graduating this year. She really hopes Jill stays so that she's not here alone while the rest of her close group of friends moves on. At least if Jill does decide to go, Olive does have other friends. She has considered leaving herself but her parents would have wanted her to officially graduate if possible and not do some sort of equivalency. Back in the States, in the Muggle world that would be called getting a GED. Olive has no idea what such an equivalency is called over here and in the Wizarding world.
Her thoughts are pulled back to the game as Coach Krum gets things going again after calling a half to inspect someone's broom. The quaffle goes to Hufflepuff, Marlow tightening her grip on the ball and sprinting away from mid-pitch, Alexa shadowing her as closely as possible. Olive races along one sideline, curving around Hufflepuff seeker Aleydis and trying to cut Jasper off.
About the time she catches up to where Marlow and Alexa are, Marlow throws to Sadie. A bludger from Mark glides across the top of Marlow's arm just as she's releasing the quaffle, causing the ball to bobble. That's all Mason needs to get in there for the steal. He pivots his broom around to zoom back down the pitch.
Olive performs a tight turn, bringing her broom around to go back the other way, Jasper coming right up on her much as she'd done to him. Mason, Alexa, and Olive pull together, performing a series of quick passes to rapidly move the quaffle to Hufflepuff's end of the pitch where Glori sits avidly watching their approach.
Alexa has the quaffle as they get near enough for goal, sending the ball to the left most hoop. Glori blocks with a kick of her foot, sending the quaffle more Olive's direction. Jasper gets a hand on it but Olive's got the firmer hold. She throws, going for the right most hoop to make Glori work hard if she's going to successfully block. It's a near thing with the quaffle almost getting past Glori but the Hufflepuff keeper is able to deflect the quaffle. It's a weak block but it does that job. Marlow gets the rebound this time so for what feels to Olive like the millionth time this game, the action begins moving the opposite direction along the pitch.
No Gold for Slytherin
Author: Rylee
Date: 07-20-13 12:00
The past few days had been like a dunk in cold water, that has once more shocked my system. It was a good thing, and things had been turning up more positive for myself. The spoiled princess had returned, and mixed with the newly athletic part of me that has shown up this year.
Did I care that members of my house were threatening me with hexes, curses, and various other things if we did not win this match, making at least one Slytherin victory this year and a slim chance at competing in the House Cup match in a few weeks? Not likely.
I did not play to make others happy, I played to make myself happy and if we lost, we lost, it was no fault of my own more than it was the fault of any other player on the team. Only I was singled out because of my inexperience and previous attitude.
Right now, the score was thirty-twenty, with Slytherin having the lead. The quaffle was currently in Hufflepuff's possession, in the hands of chaser Sadie Mickle, who caught the pass from Marlow MacDougal mere moments ago.
The Hufflepuff seeker, Aleydis Vanderbilt was currently searching the pitch, much like I was for the glimmering golden ball that was worth one hundred and fifty points and ultimately brought about the end of the match. At the moment, I was searching as well, and hoping that it would be my hand that closed around the golden ball.
I turned my attention briefly to the conclave of chasers that had worked their way to the hoops guarded by Gus van Tassel, in hopes that Hufflepuff would score and close the distance between the teams. An attempted pass between Sadie to Jasper would be disrupted thanks to a bludger launched by Mark, and the quaffle would once again change possession.
Slytherin chaser Alexa quickly tucks the quaffle into her body and wheels around and launches herself toward the hoops guarded by Glori Hodfuffer. Quick passing between Alexa and Mason and Olive, keeping in tight formation while Mark and Basil do their best to keep the bludgers from disrupting the actions of the Chasers.
It would take a few moments, before Alexa would be lined up to attempt another score.
My attentions were not on the Chasers at the moment, but on that glimmer of the snitch that I thought I'd saw. Had Aleydis found it too? I hoped not.
Either way, I moved toward where I'd seen it, only to find that Aledydi was close to my right side - she'd seen it too. Would I catch it first, that was the question of the moment.
It took only a moment to distract me, a moment to lose my focus on the glimmering golden ball when the announcement was made that Slytherin had scored again - bringing the score up to forty for Slytherin and twenty for Hufflepuff.
Now, I cursed, before attempting to find the snitch again. Though, it seemed that Aleydis had lost sight of the ball too for the moment.
(Sadie & Aleydis) No More Goals, but Gold
Author: Griet
Date: 07-20-13 15:50
Sadie leaned over the shaft of her broomstick and picked up speed in an attempt to catch up with the Slytherin chasers, who were working the quaffle across the Pitch with expert precision. Somehow after Hufflepuff's last goal attempt, which had happened almost immediately after Alexa's successful goal, the three Slytherins had collectively made a mad dash to put distance between themselves and the rest of the players. The Hufflepuffs were managing to close in on them, but not quite quick enough.
Aleydis, meanwhile, kept searching for the snitch. She had seen it twice, the first time quite a while ago, when she had nearly gotten hit by a bludger courtesy of her boyfriend. She hadn't take it personally, though, since it was all part of the game. Aleydis and Basil might be a team off the field, but on the field they were competitors. The second snitch sighting had happened very recently but had been brief, thanks to the distraction caused by Alexa's last goal.
Sadie shot forward and stretched out her arm, hoping to either snatch the quaffle away from Alexa or to bump it loose from her grasp. She quickly pulled her arm back, however, when Mark directed one of the black bludgers at her. She slowed her flying somewhat to avoid hitting the ball with any other part of her body, feeling it whistle past with a gust of wind.
Aleydis suddenly spied something out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to see it properly. At first she caught a glimpse of the sun, then a black spot danced in front of her eyes. Finally, her gaze landed on the snitch, as it moved at a clip in the opposite direction. The light bounced off of its glittering wings, making it look even more glittery than usual.
Sadie heard the announcer cry out that her cousin had begun chasing the snitch. The pronouncement had the beaters converging on Aleydis and Rylee, who had quickly caught on to the chase herself. Sadie felt like she had an opportunity to get the quaffle with the beaters preoccupied at the moment. She reached out for the quaffle again, but Alexa changed hands and then handed the ball off to Mason.
Aleydis, meanwhile, rolled to avoid Basil's bludger. She would have stuck her tongue out at him, but she didn't want to lose focus of the task at hand. She wanted to catch the snitch and win it for Hufflepuff, even though she felt sorry for Rylee, who had been trying to prove herself all school year. She felt a little sorry for Basil, too.
Sadie hung back a little and then went around Alexa to catch up to Mason, but he threw the ball longhand to Olive. Before Olive could catch the ball, Marlow came out of no where to make an interception. She caught the red ball squarely at her chest and wheeled around to move the action away from the Hufflepuff goal hoops.
Aleydis had lost the lead she'd had on chasing after the snitch, but she wasn't far behind Rylee. Rylee leaned forward over her broomstick, farther and farther until it seemed like she might lose her balance and fall right over its nose, but then a bludger slammed into the bristles of her broom, causing her to spin out of control. Aleydis swerved to avoid Rylee and forced herself to go as fast as she could. When she felt close enough, she leaned forward like Rylee had done and swiped out her hand, capturing the golden snitch in her palm.