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Blocks Of Ice (Gus & Glori)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 04-29-14 17:57
For the moment, Glori sits back on her broom, for all appearances relaxing. She is actually anything but. She's watching the rapidly receding figures of the chasers and beaters but is on as much of a high alert as she would be if they were converging on her.
Mildred, Max, and Hunter Rabnott had gotten the quaffle all the way to Glori after Sadie's foul shot put Hufflepuff in the lead once more. Hunter had the ball, ready to lob it in a goal attempt only to be hit with a bludger. Mildred had snatched it up, making the shot instead but Glori turned the quaffle back with Jasper grabbing it before Max could.
Though still looking she's not all that engaged in the match now that the action doesn't involve her, Glori avidly watches as Marlow, now in possession of the quaffle, narrowly avoids a steal by Mildred when in the process of avoiding a bludger. Quickly recovering, Marlow passes to Sadie. Sadie jets away with Hunter chasing after her. Glori can't help but wonder if she were to have a boyfriend who played on a Quidditch team other than Hufflepuff if the two of them would be able to keep the competitiveness from ruining things between them.
Sadie throws the quaffle to Jasper but in one of those quirks of timing, instead hitting Sadie, the angle of the bludger allows it to connect with the quaffle. Knocked off course there's a melee for it with Hunter Rabnott emerging from the fray with quaffle in hand.
Augustus thinks he's making some sort of grimacing scowl but his face has gone numb enough from the frigid air that he's not exactly sure. It's possible he's grinning like the devil. He'd reach up to feel his face but he's coming up on a bludger. Directing his attention to it he tightens his grip on his bat, thankful he remembered to put them, especially now that it's raining. Giving the bludger a solid whack, sending it after Hunter Rabnott, Gus follows it with the thought of hitting it again once it's smacked into Hunter Rabnott and is clear of him.
Hunter passes the quaffle to Mildred a second before the bludger gets him. Gus ends up having to change plans when Edgar gets to it before him, batting the bludger in Jasper's direction. Gus hastens to get to it before it reaches Jasper, able to both keep it from hitting Jasper and to redirect it at Mildred.
When the quaffle reaches Glori again Mildred still has the ball, the bludger from Gus having only brushing by her. Caerwyn's sent another bludger at her with Madoc able to stop it before it reaches her. Mildred takes an unimpeded shot, sending the quaffle towards the hoop to her right. Glori blocks, with Marlow catching it only to lose it from a bludger when Gus can't get to it fast enough. He is able to hit it after the fact at Max, who got the quaffle when Marlow took that hit.
Max throws but Glori again stops it. A bludger from Edgar is a tad late to keep Glori from the block but this time Gus is able to help his teammate. With Sadie now in possession, Gus hits the bludger, targeting Sadie's paramour Hunter Rabnott. He dashes away, in pursuit of that bludger once it's done its job, hustling to get to it before Edgar does. Racing along in the freezing air, Gus hopes the snitch is caught soon or they will all turn into such blocks of ice they'll fall from the sky along with the rain.
Experimental Potion
Author: Majandra
Date: 04-29-14 20:06
Shaking off her coat Majandra uses her wand to give her hair a warm blast of air. She could have conjured an umbrella or cast an impervious charm but when she'd left her family at the Quidditch pitch with two umbrellas she'd gotten damp in the short time it took her to move away from them and out of the way of others attempting to view the match. She decided to just make the dash to the castle.
Hair taken care of she checks her clothes to see if any dampness leaked through from her coat. She's wearing boots to the knees so her lower legs were well protected from both the cold and wet. Quick assessment done, Maj turns her attention to a cauldron hanging from a hook in the small hearth in her office. Just as rapidly as she'd dried her hair, she has a fire crackling.
Peering into the cauldron, Maj uses a ladle to inspect the color and viscosity. Unable to decide if she's pleased with the potion at this stage or not, she nudges the hook to swing over to the edge of the fire.
While waiting for it to come to a full, rolling boil Maj studies the St. John's Wort leaves she's retrieved from the storage cabinet she keeps in her office for personal use. "Shred, finely chop, coarsely chop. What's going to be best, hmmm?" she muses aloud.
"Majandra?" a voice comes from the doorway.
"Hello, Severus," she greets as her current colleague and former professors steps inside.
"I heard noises and thought we might have some mischief makers. Has the match ended?"
"Not when I left. I needed to take care of the next step on this potion. With the icy rain I have to say I won't mind overly much if the match is over when I return. Did you not go?"
"I was there but when the rain began, with Slytherin not in the match, I saw no point in staying." Severus holds up a hand to stay Maj's next words. "I am aware that regardless of who is playing, I should be in full support of all our students."
"I said nothing."
"You would have."
"True, but with that rain I fully understand not wanting to stay when your team isn't playing."
Maj turns to check the status of the potion. It's starting to bubble but that rolling boil isn't there yet. Severus moves closer to see for himself asking as he does, "What are you brewing?"
"I'm experimenting. Something I hope will help Hendrika's recovery. I'm adding St. John's Wort but can't decide the best way to prepare the leaves for this."
Severus asks a few pointed questions to get a better idea of what she's already added to the potion and what specifically Majandra is trying to achieve with it. He nods as she speaks, mulling over the problem before offering his opinion. "I would add do a combination of shredded and finely chopped."
Maj is the one nodding now. "Yes, I can see the sense in that. Thank you."
She makes short work of prepping the leaves. She adds them to the cauldron, stirring fourteen times counter clockwise. Lowering the heat under the cauldron, she allows the potion to simmer for five minutes before removing it from the heat. After banking the fire, she cleans up then reaches for her coat. The entire time she's been working, Severus and Maj have been discussing the next few steps for the potion. He even walks from the dungeons with her to the door so that they might discuss the pros and cons of adding more comfrey to the brew. He bids her goodbye at the door, he returning to the dungeons and she taking a moment this time to give herself a little protection from elements.
(Nichole Fisher) Worry
Author: Araxie Loren
Date: 04-30-14 02:01
I -should- be out at the pitch, cheering on Hufflepuff against Gryffindor, but I had no desire to catch cold thanks to the freezing rain that was currently falling in torrential amounts. Fingers sliding through my hair, as I stared down at the parchment in front of me. It was a letter I was writing to Araxie's aunt - I knew I shouldn't but I was worried about my best friend.
I know her nightmares are getting worse, and I know it is having an impact on her studies and I don't want to see this be something that could hold her back, something that could jeopardize her time here at Hogwarts.
I looked at the sketchbook that was currently sitting next to the letter - it was one that she hadn't shown me but had accidentally left on the table when we were at lunch earlier. I would be lying if I said I hadn't looked through it, and the images within were somewhat of a shock. Chewing on my bottom lip I dipped my quill back into the inkwell, and quickly added another line or two to the letter I was working on.
I wanted it to get it sent, and ultimately I hoped that Araxie would forgive me for what I was going to do because I was doing it with her best interest in mind. Even as I wrote the letter, I wondered if there wasn't another reason she was stalling - given that what was in the sketchbook could ultimately be what could potentially free her father from Azkaban.
Without another moment's hesitation I quickly fold the letter, and put it in the envelope and seal it. The sketchbook is slipped into my backpack, because I will see Araxie later - until then I slip from the Common Commons and head to the owlry so I can post the letter to Araxie's aunt.
(Edgar) Numb
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 04-30-14 02:28
Edgar races against Gus, in the pursuit of the bludger. Sadie is the one with the quaffle now and he wants to stop the Hufflepuff team's attack as soon as possible. Gryffindor needs to score again, and soon. Unfortunately it's Gus who first reaches to the bludger. He uses his bat to aim it against Max, who is trying to snatch the quaffle from Marlow. Max is able to dodge the bludger by changing course, which allows Marlow to fly freely to the other side of the pitch. The bludger is now flying away from the pack of chasers. Edgar increases his speed and goes in its direction. Madoc, meanwhile, is protecting the Gryffindor chasers.
Edgar holds his bat tight, feeling his fingers getting numb with the cold, even under the gloves he's wearing. For a moment he wonders if he might loose any finger if he keeps tham in these conditions for too long, but he puts those thoughts aside as he reaches for the bludger, trying to decide what to do with it. Marlow still has the quaffle, but Edgar doesn't have a good aiming angle, so it would be hard to actually hit her with the heavy ball. Instead, he throws the bludger at Sadie who manages to get rid of Hunter and is now asking Marlow for the quaffle. Edgar watches as the bludger hits Sadie on the leg, forcing the Hufflepuff chaser to drop the red ball that Marlow had passed her. Mildred seizes the opportunity by grabbing it the game shifted. Gryffindor had starts a new attack.
Edgar works with Madoc and together the two beaters protect their team's chasers from the bludgers sent by Gus and Caerwyn. Edgar doesn't really bother to try and aim at any the Hufflepuff's players: he is only preoccupied with clearing the way for Gryffindor. Caerwyn throws a bludger at Mildred. Madoc manages to change its course and Edgar seizes it, hitting it hard with his bat, sending the ball even far away from the gaming area. It would buy sometime to the chasers, as Caerwyn or Gus would now have to fly to a far distance to bring it back.
Mildred, Max and Hunter, pass the quaffle between them. Sadie, Jasper and Marlow are not able to get the red ball back and soon Max is near Glori's hoops. Edgar targets the Hufflepuff keeper, but he isn't able to hit the bludger with his bat due to the numb sensation of his hand. Instead he makes a clumsy gesture, trying to gain sensibility in his hand and Gus seized the opportunity to recover the bludger, throwing it at Max. As the bludger moves, Max passes the quaffle at Hunter who quickly shoots it to the right, hoping to catch Glori in surprise.
Edgar holds his breath for a moment, wishing the quaffle would pass over the hoop, before Glori could reach it so that the match can become tied once more.
It Helps To Keep Moving (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 04-30-14 16:43
Positioning his broom to bat a bludger Caerwyn looks up to make sure of his target's location just in time to see Hunter Rabnott scoring for Gryffindor. The goal means he might need to rethink where to send this bludger.
As the updated score of 20 to 20 is announced Sadie's gotten the quaffle from Glori, throwing it to Marlow. Max is Merlin on the spot trying to grab the quaffle from Marlow before she's got the ball secured. With no further hesitation, Caerwyn sends the bludger at Max.
The bludger connects, Max slows every so slightly but it's enough. Marlow has the breathing room to better position the quaffle to make it difficult for someone to steal it from her without fouling. Max catches up to her but now he's looking more to intercept should she pass or for an opening to steal if and when Marlow moves the quaffle to where he could get at it without chancing that foul.
Caerwyn's gone after that very same bludger he's just hit but is forced to wait because Madoc gets to it first. Chasers might converge on the quaffle to grapple over it, risking knocking heads and getting elbowed or kneed. Beaters can't do that over a bludger because of the bats they wield. Coming up on a beater as that bat is swinging and the beater doesn't know you're there or realizes it but it's too late and the result can be particularly nasty, particularly if it's the face that takes the blunt of the swing. In theory, bludgers to the head could hit just right to kill the player but that's far more likely to happen with a forceful beater's bat to the head. Good thing it happens so very rarely.
Madoc hits the bludger, unsurprisingly, at Marlow. Caerwyn's put himself in a position to both block it and redirect with one swing of the bat. He sends it not at Max again but at Hunter, whose shadowing Jasper, the person Marlow's looking to pass the quaffle to.
He should have directed the bludger at Mildred as she shoots in as the quaffle is in transit from Marlow to Jasper. She nearly intercepts but luckily for Hufflepuff, Gus had control of the second bludger. It doesn't hit Mildred but it does force her to pull back, allowing the quaffle to reach Jasper.
Jasper almost immediately sends the quaffle to Sadie. With neither bludger nearby for him to get, Caerwyn hurries to cover Sadie, who will undoubtedly be a target for one from either Edgar or Madoc. Seconds later, he's keeping a bludger from her, sending it towards Max once again.
Caerwyn slows to get a bead on where both bludgers are now located. He'd stop altogether but with the icy rain, it helps blood flow to keep moving and active.
Instant Headache (Hunter)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 04-30-14 20:07
Hufflepuff gets the quaffle all the way to Hunter and his hoops, with Marlow trying for goal. Hunter catches the quaffle, smiling a little at the looks of disappointment Marlow, Sadie, and Jasper have at not getting the quaffle through the hoop and there not being a rebounding ball to scramble for.
He hands the ball to the other Hunter, who takes off with it quick as a blink. There are times, like now, when Hunter thinks he'll go out for a different position next time. He's been doing doing what he can to warm up more, glad for the thermal layer underneath his uniform. Flying at the speeds chasers and beaters, and even the seekers at times, do can be chilling but they're also moving their arms, flexing and twisting their torsos. Many use the footrests but they can let their legs dangle or move about. Hunter can do those things but, as Uncle Woody puts it, it looks like he's gesticulating wildly, having a fit in the air. He still does what he can without getting so distracted with it that he isn't paying attention to what everyone else involved in the match is doing.
For the next while Hunter has to make due with the limited movement back and forth keepers get to make, while trying not to look like he's having a spasm on his broom in his effort to keep the blood flowing. Neither team makes much headway, going back and forth between the ends but never reaching near enough to the hoops to attempt any scoring.
Things heat up, if it could be called that in this weather, when Mildred is able to finally break away from the constant back and forth, getting near enough to where Glori is probably also doing her best to keep her circulation in order to drive in for a goal attempt. Glori's smacked by a bludger from Edgar, nearly allowing Mildred success with her effort. Somehow, despite the bad hit, Glori is able to get enough of her hand on the quaffle to push it away from the center hoop.
The quaffle goes straight into Jasper's arms. He rockets away, pouring on the speed. Jasper only begins to deccelerate when he's halfway down the pitch. He's clipped by a bludger but maintains possession of the ball. He's soon passing to Marlow who rapidly sends it on to Sadie.
Sadie's still in possession when she reaches Hunter. She goes to the right, lofting the quaffle towards the hoop. He stops it with a swat of his hand. Marlow and Max both rush for it with Max getting it. He just as quickly loses it when he loses his grip on the ball. Marlow grabs it up before he can recover the fumble.
Marlow throws across her body. Hunter's certain he's got it and then he doesn't. It takes him a moment but from the pain in his head he was hit in the side of his head with a bludger. He knows neither Gus nor Caerwyn would deliberately go for the head shot but that doesn't make the pain any less. He rubs his head, everyone else hovering in place while Coach Krum makes sure he's not so concussed as to need to go immediately to Madam Pomfrey.
Hunter's ruled okay enough to stay though he's warned he'll be monitored the rest of the match for signs he'd need to be pulled. With the quaffle back in play again, chasers and beaters heading the other direction giving him however long a respite until there's another turnover, Hunter hopes he can remain in the game till it ends. Much as his head's hurting now, things would tilt heavily in Hufflepuff's favor if Gryffindor is without a keeper, possibly so much so that it wouldn't matter if Cai caught the snitch or not.
(Aleydis) Cold and Gold
Author: Griet
Date: 05-01-14 17:38
Aleydis scanned the Pitch for the golden, winged ball she had only seen a few times but had never gotten very close to throughout the course of the match. She was tired of playing, especially in the miserable cold. Her lips felt chapped, and her knuckles felt raw. She looked forward to a long soak in the tub in the prefects bathroom, but hopefully after a celebratory win in Hufflepuff's favor.
She drifted forward a bit and then turned her head when something glinted out of the corner of her eye. At first, she thought it was just the frozen rain falling from the sky and reflecting off of something––not the sun, since it was hidden behind the thick, gray clouds. But then Aleydis realized that the snitch was hovering motionless in the air.
The moment she edged closer to it, thinking that going slow wouldn't spook it into taking flight, it did exactly what she feared and took off like a shot. Aleydis darted after it, pressing her body over the shaft of her broomstick to make herself more like an arrow than a person on a broom. Cai quickly took note and fell into pursuit. The announcer got very excited, which drew the attention of the beaters.
Aleydis started to catch up to the snitch, but it was flying very swiftly. She saw something else out of the corner of her eye and turned to see a bludger headed straight for her head. Aleydis dove, feeling it soar over the top of her hair. One of the Hufflepuff beaters intercepted the bludger and targeted Cai with it. Aleydis didn't pay any of that any attention, though. Her focus was on the snitch, only.
Her dive caused her to lose a little ground on it, but then it turned. Aleydis turned to meet it and grimaced when a bludger finally caught her on the thigh. It didn't prevent her from staying on course, and soon Aleydis and the golden snitch intersected. She swept out her hand and captured it in her palm. Hufflepuff won, 180 to 20!