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(Mark) Best Laid Plans
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-04-14 18:06
The plan hatched between Mark and Capri hadn't yet gone into effect. At first it had sounded like the perfect way to get Kate to realize what she'd lost, but then reality set in and Mark remembered that he had effectively ended their relationship by purposefully kissing someone else. He wasn't entirely convinced that Kate would get jealous if she saw him with Capri, especially if she was already making eyes at someone else.
Mark hadn't ruled out pretending to date Capri, though. Even if it wouldn't help him in the long run (though who really knew? Maybe Kate would eventually get jealous of Capri), he might be able to help Capri, who after weeks at Hogwarts still had only one friend and a sister determined to ruin her life.
There was more time to think about that later, but for now he had a Quidditch match with which to preoccupy himself. The good news was that Slytherin was currently ahead. The bad news was that Ravenclaw was only behind by ten points. The other bad news was that Ravenclaw was currently in possession of the quaffle and so-very-close to the Slytherin goal hoops.
Mark scowled and searched for a bludger to use against Franciscus. He found the easiest one to get to was the one Jade was about to hit at Gus. Although seeing Gus get hit by a bludger would have amused Mark on an ordinary day, it would not serve him well during a Quidditch match when they were on the same team. Mark sped up and put himself in the path of the bludger, turning and he hit it so that it targeted Franciscus.
Franciscus started to throw the quaffle, but the bludger struck him in the shoulder and caused his throw to go in an unplanned direction. Gus easily caught the quaffle and handed it to Mason. Mason tried to break free from the pack, and Mark did his best to assist him, but there were simply too many others directly around him for him to get far. Everyone jostled into one another, scraping hands, arms and legs, which hurt all the more in the cold weather.
Mark aimed a bludger at Ramona, but it ended up clipping Alastor instead. Better Alastor than one of the Slytherin chasers. Franciscus eventually popped the quaffle free from Mason's grasp, sending it straight into his cousin's arms. She turned back around and made a mad dash for Gus.
Mark swore under his breath and went after a bludger Jade also wanted. She got to it just seconds before he did and knocked it towards Gus. Mark held his breath, hoping Gus wouldn't let another quaffle get past him, but the bludger hit him in the collar bone, and sent him reeling backwards a little bit. Ramona's goal attempt was successful, tying the match 20-20.
Chilly (Alastor)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 04-05-14 15:55
Getting into a position near Mason Jeffers, Alastor wishes he'd put on another layer under his uniform. He'd thought about it when dressing this morning but decided he had enough on and another would make him feel bulky. Now, with the cold this high above the ground combined with the way the air feels even more frigid when speeding along from one end of the pitch to the other, a little extra bulk would be much better than the chill seeping through, especially since this match has gone on for a long while, neither team able to make a goal since Ravenclaw made its second of the match.
The quaffle had been knocked out of bounds when a Ravenclaw hit bludger hit the ball instead of the chaser who was the intended target. Slytherin retains possession, Olive Green throwing to Malden McGonagall to put the ball back into play. Malden takes off but only after he seems to consider passing to Mason. Alastor thinks seeing him in a good position to intercept had Malden rethinking.
The six chasers cluster up with Ramona Mickle, Franciscus Vanderbilt, and Alastor watching closely for any chance to regain possession of the quaffle. Olive, Mason, and Malden are working just as hard to move the red ball successfully into goal range without a turnover. The cluster breaks apart when both bludgers join the mix. One obviously sent by a Slytherin beater connects with Alastor's upper arm. The other had to be courtesy of either Aderyn Carter or Jade Green because it goes straight towards Malden.
When the quaffle is again in what's considered the optimal scoring zone, meaning that in this range, goal attempts are more likely to reach the hoops, even if then turned back by the keeper. The keeper in this case is Beatrix Vanderbilt. She's alert and ready when Malden, still with the quaffle, drives closer in. He sends the ball more to the right, which in turn has Beatrix hurling herself to her left. Turning the quaffle back, Ramona snatches it up as it literally brushes Olive's fingers.
Ramona throws long to Franciscus, who's further from the hoops than Alastor or she. The younger of the Ravenclaw chasers does a one-eighty, jetting away in the opposite direction. Alastor starts to pour on the speed to catch up to give any assists Franciscus needs only to have to slow first because of a beater, Jade Green, swinging her bat to connect with a bludger and then because of having to skirt around Slytherin seeker Rylee Marks.
Going low over his broom, Alastor rockets forward, eager to catch up with Franciscus and Ramona just as Franciscus is passing off to her. Mason goes for the interception but isn't able to grab the quaffle before it reaches Ramona. Alastor hastens his speed even more, bypassing Ramona, getting into a good position to take the quaffle should she decide on a forward pass.
Ramona does just that but as Alastor reaches for the catch, a bludger crashes into his shoulder. His arm jerks from the hit, causing him to miss the quaffle. Due to the motion of his broom, Alastor is forced to rapidly break and whirl all at the same time but quick as he is about it, Olive has already gotten to the quaffle.
Grimacing, both from the sting in his shoulder and Slytherin retaking the red ball, Alastor zips after Olive, right behind and ready to grab the quaffle back the second he's able.
Flutters Of Nothing Important (Bran)
Author: Saffron
Date: 04-06-14 07:27
Moving down near the ground to investigate glimpses of movement he keeps getting, Bran finds nothing more than a white handkerchief, slightly balled up, fluttering and tumbling over the snow whenever the wind is strong enough.
Since the match began, Bran has seen the snitch but only fleetingly. Two of those times were down here, close to ground level, the white of the ball blending with the snow, the golden wings glinting much like the sun off the crystalline powder covering the pitch. At no time when finding the winged ball has he been able to get on its trail longer than about two seconds.
Bran would love to go two for two. If Rylee gets the snitch instead he's certain he'll be in for another earful from roommate Brom von Roon. As part of Brom's support of Bran making the team when he did not and as Brom's jealousy over it, though he claims he has none, Brom has been looking up information about seekers throughout history, particularly those who played for Hogwarts. Last night Brom went into great detail about Harry Potter of Gryffindor and how well he did as a first year. He then contrasted that with Rylee Marks season last school year, something Brom spoke about with great authority even though he wasn't even a Hogwarts student at the time. Bran knows Rylee's lack of a win her first year playing doesn't necessarily reflect her skills or abilities. Sometimes the other seeker gets to the snitch first. It can be, though not always, that simple. Still, Bran is glad he won his first match so that he won't go down as the Ravenclaw first year who could only get the snitch in practice.
After looking around more well below the bulk of the game's action, Bran slowly climbs, eyes constantly moving back and forth for any indications of the snitch. Above, his teammates Ramona, Alastor, and Franciscus work the quaffle near to where opposing keeper Gus van Tassel intently watches for one of them to send the quaffle towards one of the hoops he tends.
Alastor has the quaffle but passes to Ramona. She draws in closer, readying for a goal shot only to have to pull back when a bludger from Mark crosses by closely enough that Bran can't tell at first if she was hit or not. Another flutter of movement grabs his attention so Bran listens to the match's announcer. Ramona resets for that throw but Gus knocks it back, almost straight into Ramona's arms. She makes another goal attempt but Gus catches the quaffle outright this time.
Olive has it now, handing off to Malden. The flutter turns out to be a golden leaf caught by the wind. Bran turns his broom to start a pass back the other way, eyes easily spotting Malden streaking along on his broom, Franciscus shadowing him. Malden ducks a bludger then passes to Mason. Alastor tries for an interception but is stymied by the second bludger. By the time Bran's made it to the end of his pass and is turning again, the Slytherin chasers have worked the quaffle to where Beatrix awaits.
Taking a break from the constant movement, Bran hovers in place, leaning back slightly on his broom to better look above to where Olive, now with the quaffle, is hoping to score a goal for her team.
(Aderyn) Ravenclaw Up By 10
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 04-06-14 08:37
The cold air blowing through the pitch was annoying to say the least, but it meant that she would be indulging in a mug of hot cocoa when she ultimately headed inside after the match.
Fingers tightened around the handle of her bat, her shoulder was sore from misjudging her aim earlier and got hit by a bludger. There would be a bruise there, and she'd be stiff for a day or so. But it would be worth it if Ravenclaw won this match - if Bran coul catch the snitch it would be fantastic.
At the moment she was working in tandum with Jade Green to disrupt any score or pass attempt by the Slytherin Chasers, while the Slytherin beaters were attempting to keep Ravenclaw from holding on to the quaffle for too long. It had been the team work by she and Jade that had kept Olive from scoring a few moments ago.
A bludger had just come Aderyn's way and she took a moment and with perfect aim, sent the quaffle to interrupt a pass from Olive to Mason, which allowed Ramona to grab the big red ball and head back toward the hoops guarded by Gus Van Tassel.
With the shift in directions again, Aderyn was back on the tail of a bludger, hoping to deflect the on being hit by Mark, trying to disrupt a pass from Ramona to Alastor. Aderyn managed to get to it without having a turn over with the quaffle, and that was good. It allowed Alastor to take a shot at the Slytherin hoops.
Gus however was watching and deflected the score attempt, for a brief moment before Ramona caught the quaffle and threw again - this time the goal attempt was good making the score 30-20 in favor of Ravenclaw!
(Beatrix) Jawbreaker
Author: Griet
Date: 04-06-14 10:59
Soon after Ramona got the quaffle past Gus, the Slytherin chasers were once again upon Beatrix. They raced quickly across the Pitch, passing the quaffle effortlessly and precisely from hand to hand. Even Malden, with his one good arm, seemed to have adjusted to his temporary handicap. He caught and threw with little difficulty.
Beatrix prepared for the onslaught by watching the ball as it flew from chaser to chaser. Then they were upon her, with Olive in possession of the red ball. Olive lobbed it at the right-most hoop. Beatrix lunged in that direction and slapped the ball away with the palm of her hand.
The ball rebounded into Olive's arms again. In the split second allowed of her, due to the threat of being hit by a bludger and the chance of an opposing chaser stealing the quaffle from her, Olive sized up her options and then threw again, this time to the left-most hoop.
Again, Olive launched herself in front of the hoop, knocking the ball back into the fray with both hands. For a third time, the ball landed straight into Olive's arms. She twisted to avoid Aderyn's bludger, which went straight to Mark. Beatrix glanced quickly at him and then back to Olive, knowing that unless Aderyn or Jade came to her aid, she would get hit. She might still stop the quaffle, though.
Olive had little opportunity to wait and fired the quaffle at the right hoop again. Beatrix dove with her arms outstretched and saw a black bludger headed straight for her face. She made quick movement to avoid breaking her nose, but instead the ball struck her in the jaw, knocking teeth from her mouth and spraying whoever was in front of her with bloody spittle.
Beatrix got her fingers on the quaffle, moving it slightly off course. Instead of seamlessly entering the hoop, however, the red ball hit the rim on the way in but still earned Slytherin another ten points. Beatrix was disappointed that Ravenclaw and Slytherin were tied again, but she was more concerned with the state of her mouth and what Ash would think if he saw her looking less than pretty.
Haunted
Author: Mildred
Date: 04-06-14 11:11
Mildred always enjoyed watching a Quidditch match but today she was with a light cold and she decided not to risk and go outside with her friends to the pitch. The Gryffindor common room was warm, and the witch watched the vivid flames at the fireplace. She was comfortably seated on an armchair and at the table in front of her laid her wand, which glistened with the light from the fire.
When she was not at classes, doing homework, at Quidditch practices or hanging out with her friends, her thoughts would automatically focus to the mystery around Erica Sims's death. The visit to St. Mungo's had awakened her memory about her mother's profession before her father was arrested and she had to quit her job. Mildred had confronted her grandmother about it and Regina had confirmed that in fact Sarah had been a healer at St. Mungo's, a very talented one she added. It had been a shame that she had left the hospital and stopped doing something that she adored.
According to her grandmother, Sarah tried to go back to work but she quit because she couldn't handle the way her colleagues and other staff looked at her. Her husband had murdered an innocent child in that place and she had stood at his side the whole time. It was like going back to the crime scene. Mildred couldn't help to notice that in her grandmother's words there were no doubts about her father's guilt about killing Erica.
But it seemed that her friends had another opinion on the matter.
"What if it has been your mother who did it?" Wesley proposed, aboard the Hogwarts Express. The three of them had managed to be alone for a while, when Achilles, Queenie and Amelia went to the corridor to buy some sweets from the trolley. "No offense Mildred, but why would the Sims want to kill her, if she hasn't done anything?"
Mildred didn't feel offended at all. She had thought about that same thing herself.
"Your father was trying to protect her and so he took the blame. Everyone knows being in prison can be hard. You were little, you needed your mother. Maybe they forged the whole thing to make it seem he was the one looking after Erica. Wasn't it written in The Daily Prophet, that no one really knew what had happened inside that room?" Melpomene asked.
"Yes. There is only one person who was there besides my father: Joseph Connell. And I have no idea where he is. It would be odd to try and contact him, I think."
Wesley and Melpomene nodded their heads in agreement. The name Joseph made Mildred think about the Salem Witches Institute's caretaker who was also named Joseph. She had sent him a postcard wishing him a Merry Christmas, but he hasn't replied. He had been her only friend during her brief stay in America but he probably saw her as just another other student because he had never replied to her letters.
"Melpomene was saying it made no sense they would kill your mother only years after their daughter's death. But then I was thinking that maybe they only found out about it recently. Perhaps they had their suspicions before and they spent those years investigating. Once they found out the truth, they acted…"
Wesley's theory made sense. And Mildred couldn't find any arguments to discard it. With classes starting again they haven't discussed the situation anymore and it has been like the case was closed.
The Fat Lady portrait opened and a couple of students entered the common room and headed upstairs to the dormitories. Mildred gazed at her wand and she couldn't help to feel some aversion towards it. What if all of this was right and her mother had been the one killing Erica? Even if it had been an accident that wand, her very first wand, that had chosen her some years ago at Ollivander's had been responsible for taken a life. The wand she used every day. She recalled that her grandmother had tried to sell it at any cost to the wand-maker. What if her intention was to get rid of a murder weapon? Erasing all the proofs that her daughter had been the real criminal while her husband sat in prison taking the blame?
The Sims had killed her mother, not her father. If they wanted to hurt him, they would have killed Mildred first, she was sure of that. You took our daughter so we will take yours. But the target had been Sarah. Mildred wasn't even with her mother when she was ran over by the car.
All these thoughts consumed her and the more she looked at her wand the less willingness she had to pick it up and use it again. She thought about throwing it to the fire and watch the flames consume it.
"A knut for your thoughts…"
Mildred raised her head and smiled at Achilles. He handed her a mug with some hot chocolate and he seated in front of her with his own mug.
"Who won the match?" she asked him, after saying thank you.
"It's not over yet. But it was so cold outside, my butt was getting frozen. So I decided to leave before it got attached to the stands. Feeling better?"
Mildred took a sip from her cup and gave him a short nod. At the table her mother's wand rested, still haunting her.
Slytherin Victory
Author: Rylee
Date: 04-06-14 15:19
The game was an active one, and ultimately the score had ended up being tied at thirty points at this point. Bran had already come across the snitch once but hadn't caught it, and she'd caught sight of the glimmering ball earlier in the game but the glimmering ball had spirited itself off to hide somewhere no doubt.
Sitting her broom, she let her gaze trail upward from the action below - currently Ravenclaw had possession of the quaffle, but the beaters were doing a fine job of trying to ensure that the quaffle soon changed hands - and with a good shot from Mark the quaffle ended up in the hands of Mason, who was racing back toward the hoops guarded by Beatrix Vanderbilt in an attempt to score once more and put Slytherin in the lead once more.
She'd just torn her gaze away from Mason's attempt to score, when the snitch dropped itself within arms reach of her. It couldn't be that easy could it?!
The moment her arm started moving, the winged ball (as if sensing her intention) darted off and within a split second she was in pursuit of the glimmering ball. She, at this point, did not care of Bran knew that she'd spotted the snitch - but at the moment, he was on the other side of the pitch and it would take him a bit to get to where she was. She was hoping that it would buy her enough time to grab the golden ball and give Slytherin a victory.
The world around her narrowed, into just focusing on catching the snitch. If she hadn't been paying attention she would have been rendered unconscious by a stray bludger that had flown in her path, but she was able to pull back before the hard, black ball could collide with her person.
Another quick moment, she was moving again. She was getting closer, and a quick glance over her shoulder confirmed what she thought she'd heard the announcer say - Bran had caught up with her.
He was almost level with her, but she somehow had managed to pull ahead of him and stay just a little bit ahead.
Both of Seekers had an arm outstretched, attempting to gain possession of the ever elusive glimmering ball, but only one could lay claim to it and score for their team the one hundred and fifty points and the victory for this match.
Stretching just a little bit further on her broom, she managed to touch, wrap her fingers around the expanse of the snitch mere moments before Bran could.
The announcer's voice cut through the stadium "Rylee Marks has caught the snitch. Slytherin has won 180-30!!"
Urania's Second Wedding
Author: Illyria
Date: 04-06-14 16:30
"I just don't know about this."
Illyria frowned up at Nathan and adjusted his tie. "You promised you would try. I know it's hard, but don't you think making amends is better than holding a grudge for the rest of your life? He's your best friend, Nathan."
"Was," Nathan replied, but then he sighed and nodded. "I want us all to move on, but I can't help but think about what he did."
Before Illyria could say anything, Nathan added, "I know I'm being a hypocrite, but I have the excuse of being male." He smiled crookedly at Illyria.
"Something you and Gustavo have in common. Are we ready?"
Nathan hesitated a moment and then nodded again. "Ready as I'll ever be."
A short while later they arrived outside a Tudor-era manor house, where they were met by Urania, Gustavo, and Andrew. Seeing Andrew always put Nathan in a muddled state, even though he had not seen the boy regularly for more than a year now. It was just the memory of thinking Andrew was his for however brief a time that affected him profoundly even after so many months.
At least Andrew didn't remember him as a father figure, or much at all. The one and a half year old looked sharp in trousers, a button-down shirt and a stylish woolen jumper. He was on his father's shoulder, while Gustavo talked with the officiant.
Urania, dressed in ivory dress robes, smiled at Illyria and Nathan and said, "I'm glad you both came."
"We're happy to be here," Illyria answered, giving Nathan's arm a squeeze lest his expression show otherwise. "Are you sure you want to do this without the rest of the family present? Our sisters, not to mention our mother, will kill you for excluding them."
Urania shrugged and didn't look worried. "It's not that I don't want them here, but I would rather keep things as simple as possible." She laughed suddenly. "Maybe inviting you both doesn't make this seem like a simple wedding, but it's what I want."
"It's what I want too," Illyria said.
Nathan, for his part, nodded his head.
"Are we ready to get started?" asked the officiant.
Urania turned to him and smiled radiantly. "Ready!"
They stepped inside the house and went into the great room, where Urania and Gustavo were wedded in front of a roaring fireplace, with their son, Illyria and Nathan as witnesses.
After the Quidditch Match
Author: Valeria Mockridge
Date: 04-06-14 19:29
Valeria looked at Petula. The two had taken over a quiet space in the common room after the match and were finishing up their homework. "Did I tell you what my uncle's done?" the blonde said.
"No, what?" Petula asked. Valeria had been kind of quiet the last few days, since Petula had found out about the contract and since a letter had come from her uncle.
"He's gotten married. He and Cassandra Catesby eloped. Grandmother is going to be livid and thrilled at the same time."
"I hope we get to see it, that might be amusing," Petula said, stifling a giggle. Val grinned and looked across the common room. Her eyes lingered on the two transfer students and she shook her head.
"It's so easy to tell those who weren't raised with real Slytherin values," the blonde said to her friend.
"Because they don't understand that problems stay in house, and family problems stay in family?"
"Exactly. I don't care how much you dislike someone in your family, you never let that show outside the family," Valeria said. She looked back at Petula. "I suppose that applies with you now too, with that contract."
"Zabini's not so bad. I would have preferred to make my own choice when I am older, but at least I can train him now," Petula said, looking bored. Valeria recognized the mask her cousin wore in public and nodded. Pet was right to not show how she felt, emotions were so easily to use against a person. Her eyes shot to Anton and narrowed slightly for a fraction of a second. In some ways, she wished her uncle had let her grandmother arrange that contract when they were younger, maybe then these stupid feelings wouldn't matter.
Love Birds
Author: Capri Brycin
Date: 04-06-14 19:45
Capri sat perched on the arm of Mark's chair and watched the other students talking and celebrating the Slytherin victory but neither Mark nor Capri had any friends and it was really starting to bug Capri. It wasn't helping that Andromeda went out of her way to make sure no one liked her.
She did like the idea of making Kate jealous but she also hated it because it meant that he was just using her to make some other girl jealous and that hurt a little because she was starting to like Mark.
"Oooh, look if it isn't the two love birds." Andromeda drawled as she walked with Cierra Beckett and Kirby Fort over to where Capri and Mark sat.
"Go away Andromeda!" Mark said in annoyance and he reached up as soon as he saw Capri moving but she pulled out of his grasp before he got a good hold on her and jumped on her sister knocking her to the floor.
"You know you are a real bitch!" She punched her sister in the face. "You have no right to talk you little slut! You're too busy making out with anyone you can get your hands on and now you have Kirby Fort over there – new flavor of the day!" She yelled.
Mark jumped from his chair as the other members of Sytherin house moved back and watched the fight. The two girls rolled on the floor yelling obscenities at each other and hitting each other. When Capri rolled to the top again Mark grabbed her and pulled her back.
"Capri stop!"
When someone entered the common room everyone looked to find Professor Snape standing there.
"Ten points each from Slytherin for fighting and you both will serve a weeks detention with me starting tonight." Professor Snape said and in a whirl he left for his office.
Capri stood there and shrugged out of Mark's hold on her and looked at the other students. Her face was red and she didn't know what to do with herself at the moment.
"What are you all staring at?" She yelled. "The show's over go back to what you were doing." She spun and looked at Mark and glared and then stomped off to her dorm.