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(Sagitta) Too Cold to Watch Quidditch
Author: Orion Howell
Date: 04-14-15 17:48
Sagitta rubbed her fingers together, looking over at Crew and Remedy. "So why are we out here again? It's cold," she whinged.
"Because, Ita, it's important to know how the other teams are playing," Crew answered, trying to sound as assured and confident as a first-year could.
Remedy eyed them both. "Ita's got a point, Crew. It's not exactly warm, and you've seen some of how they play. Besides, we both know you're always ready for Quidditch, regardless of who you're playing against," the blonde cajoled and Crew caved.
The three headed inside and to the Common Commons, Ita gratefully grabbing a cup of hot chocolate, quickly followed by the other two, and a particularly large fairy cake. "Sharesies?" the redhead asked, with a slight grin that only widened when her two friends agreed. The three found a quiet spot with a table and a couple of chairs and made themselves comfortable. Later would be time for homework and to split up so Rem could go back to the Ravenclaw tower and Ita and Crew to the Slytherin dungeons, but for now, it was a good time to get caught up and start talking about plans for the upcoming Easter break, as well as possible ideas for summer.
"Uncle Orion said we can probably go to Emrys' Fest this year," Ita said with a grin. "Rem, will your dad be able to come? Or shall Uncle Orion and I just kidnap you?"
The blonde laughed. "Dad won't know until closer, a lot depends on his cases," she answered. "What about you, Crewbie?"
"Please, like we'd miss it. If Mum or Dad can't take me, then I'll just beg Orion to take me too," he said with a cheeky grin. The girls laughed, knowing he was right. Orion would probably take all three if they asked, there was little he could deny his niece or her friends.
Suddenly Sleepy (Hunter)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 04-14-15 18:08
When the match began Hunter was wide awake, alert, charged and ready for action. For some reason, he's now starting to feel a little droopy. Maybe he was up a little too late last night. He knows better than to do that the night before a match. Some captain he is, setting a bad example, not that most of his teammates are aware of just how late it was when he crawled under the covers. Hunter blames Jade. All her fault. Typical Ravenclaw, his twin sister has been harping at him to buckle under and get serious about studying for the OWLs. This past week he's done just that. He hadn't meant to stay up so late but lost track of time going through a study guide's DADA section and practice written portions.
Yawning, Hunter tracks the quaffle. Mildred has it, weaving around others to get closer to where Glori is. A pass has the quaffle heading towards Gerry. Hunter involuntarily cringes as a bludger passes near the other Gryffindor's head. Neither Gus nor Caerwyn, nor Madoc nor Edgar for that matter, are the type to purposely send a bludger to smash into an opponent's head but it does happen. Not only has Jade complained of that very thing but Hunter has played beater during some for fun matches.
Gerry drives in toward the hoops, lobbing the quaffle not in the direction of one of the three but to Finley. She rapidly fires off the ball, hoping to get it by Glori before the Hufflepuff keeper has time to process the change in possession and the direction from which the quaffle would be coming. No luck though for his team to pull ahead right then as Glori stretches, getting enough of her fingers on the ball to shove it away.
Mildred catches the quaffle, jerking back when a bludger flies across her path. Clear of the bludger threat she throws but Glori again blocks. The ball is back to Finley but she's jostled badly enough she loses her grip. Luckily, Gerry grabs it up before Marlow is able. He sets up to throw, letting the quaffle fly. Glori yet again rebuffs the attempt. Three more times the Gryffindor chasers are able to gain the quaffle on the rebound only to have Glori turn it back twice. The third time the throw was screwed up by a bludger sent by Edgar.
Duncan now has the quaffle, weaving his way around others, putting distance between Glori and him. Of course that means he's getting close to Hunter, who finds himself yawning hugely. Again. He wonders if he would be yawning quite as much if he was constantly active as a chaser or a beater. He thinks he'd be just as sleepy as a seeker because of the monotony that can go hand in hand with that position. Seeker can be exciting but like with keeper, the excitement mostly comes in spurts.
Duncan passes to Marlow who passes to Jasper who passes back to Duncan. In this manner the Hufflepuff chasers work the quaffle closer and closer to Hunter. A break comes when a bludger from Madoc puts the quaffle into Gerry's hands. He does a sharp turnabout with his broom and shoots back towards Glori. A bludger from Caerwyn slows him slightly and then he passes off to Mildred. The pass ends up being no good when Jasper's able to thrust himself into its path for a steal.
With the quaffle coming his direction once more, though still sleepy and yawning now and again, Hunter is far more alert. Hufflepuff has gotten the quaffle by him three times now. He's not about to let his this recent onset of sleepiness be the excuse for the other team score off him again this match.
A Day Interrupted by Sadness
Author: Chance Morgan Lovell
Date: 04-14-15 18:54
Chance had not been feeling well the last few days but she was avoiding the healer because she did not want to be put on bed rest. Though she knew with her past and having had a miscarriage that she should go to the healer and get checked out.
Bron and Chance had just finished eating when Chance had a stabbing pain in her belly. She groaned out loud and Bronwyn looked at her. "Are you alright?"
"I don't know. I just had a stabbing pain." She moaned again having another one. "I think I need to go to the healer."
"Okay, I will take you." She said. The two paid for their food and headed out.
Arriving at St. Mungo's they checked in and then sat down. Chance held her belly and began crying. "I'm afraid I am losing this baby..." she said. "What if I am in labor?"
"Do you want me to get Jonathan?" Bron asked resting her hand on her friend's hand.
"No, not yet. Let's wait to see what the healer has to say and then if I need him I'll have to go to the house and get him."
The healer came and got Chance and she had Bron go back with her.
"What is going on?" The healer asked.
"I am having sharp pains. They feel like when I lost my other baby." She said and the tears started to flow once again and Chance became hysterical. "I don't know what I am going to do if I lose this baby too."
"Well then let's check you out. Get into this gown and lay down on the table and we will check everything out."
The healer stepped out of the room and Bron helped Chance off the table and then Chance undressed and got into the gown, with Bron tying the ties in the back for her. Getting back up on the table she looked at her leg and noticed a small trickle of blood running down her leg.
"Bron!" Chance cried out and pointed to the blood. Bronwyn gasped and ran to get the healer. The healer came in with Bron and began checking Chance out. Bron held Chance's hand and tried to comfort her while the healer examined her.
"The placenta is detaching from the wall of the uterus." The healer said. "I am sorry but there is nothing we can do but deliver the baby. At this point it is not viable and you will...."
Chance burst into tears again at hearing what the healer was saying. Bron tried to comfort her and reassure her that everything was going to be okay but she knew that it wasn't.
"We will get you into a room Ms. Lovell and then I think you should get your husband and have him come." Chance didn't say anything but Bronwyn said she would go and get Jonathan while she was being moved into her room.
*****
Twenty minutes passed and Bronwyn returned with Jonathan and the two were ushered to Chance's room.
"You will only be able to have one person with you while we do the procedure." The healer said. Bronwyn made to speak but Chance quickly said, "no, I want them both here with me." Bron looked at her but didn't argue with her and the healer relented. Taking her place Bronwyn held Chance's hand and Jonathan held her other one.
The healer waved her wand and said, "the baby's heart stopped beating and we are ready to do the procedure." She said and she gave Chance a potion to make her sleep and then began the procedure.
*****
Several hours passed and Chance finally woke up and the realization hit her of where she was and the tears started flooding her eyes.
Moving in Slow Motion
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 04-14-15 19:26
Ever since Parents Weekend when Katherine had come into the greenhouses, his life had come to a crawl. He'd been speaking with the parents of one of his seventh year students, discussing current N.E.W.T preparations when he'd had to excuse himself.
He'd left word with Marzipan who was in the greenhouse over, and put a sign on the door saying he was no longer available for meetings and gone to the village to be with his wife. It was a day that no parent ever wanted to deal with, the only thing that could be worse than Karina being missing is if they...he'd stopped that thought nearly a hundred times in the time that had passed since that day.
The staff knew what was going on, and there had been days where Lawrence had considered taking some time off, allowing someone to takeover the teaching of his class for the remainder of the term. However, he needed the distraction, needed something to keep him from losing his mind, or spending hours upon hours scouring the village, and anywhere else he could think of to try and find his daughter.
Normally, he would be out watching the Quidditch match, but today he'd rather spend the day inside, where it was warm. There had been nothing new on Karina's kidnapping and Lawrence was trying very, very hard not to pester and bother Ethan for as much information as he could get. Right now, he was currently attempting to grade quizzes and essays that had been turned in during the last week from his classes. In the next couple of days he would be running his fifth and seventh years through O.W.L and N.E.W.T trials and they would continue at least once or twice a week until closer to the actual exams.
It wasn't long before the words started to blur together, that he pushed the parchmentwork away and pushed up from the table.
"I think I might take some time off, talk to McGonagall in the morning. We could do something, anything but sit here and drive ourselves insane with worry about where our daughter is..." He said, moving to wrap his arms around his wife's waist and pull her to him.
"I can't even go into the village without wanting to search every alleyway, every shop for some small sign that might have been missed that day..." He said softly, brushing a kiss against her cheek, holding her closer.
This was the last thing that the family needed, with everything going on with Anthony...and now this? An infant kidnapped in broad daylight in the village...it was surreal, and even now, days and days later the true reality of it hadn't hit him, not with the crushing weight it had already hit his wife.
The Golden Snitch
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 04-15-15 01:40
Sophie kept circling the pitch, in search for the snitch. From the corner of her eye she kept an eye on Leo, the Gryffindor seeker. Earlier, she had been so busy trying to find the golden little ball, that for a few minutes she completely forgot about his existence. He might as well have caught the snitch, if not for Gus who had stopped him with a bludger. Now, Sophie kept checking Leo and she also made sure she was at an accessible distance from him, in case he would spot the snitch first.
She didn't dare to pass by the area the chasers were playing, but she flew pretty close to both Hunter and Glori's hoops when the chasers weren't around. She also scanned the stands, and she confused the snitch's glint with a watch's reflection twice. There has been a moment of thrill when she thought she had seen the snitch, but once she realized it was a false alarm she became disappointed and tried to act as if nothing happened, in the hopes no one had noticed her mistake.
Sophie made a pause in her flight. Going on in circles wasn't taking her anywhere. She thought about other strategies she could adopt; maybe going after Leo, could work. She could follow his lead, and cause some pressure. Before she could think of something else, a bludger hit her shoulder. She couldn't help to squeak, not really because of the pain but how she had been caught in surprise by it. She rubbed her shoulder and started to move around the pitch again, knowing that standing still up in the air just made her an easy target.
She looked around, trying to figure out which of the Gryffindor's beaters had hurt her. She couldn't really tell if it had been Madoc or Edgar. Edgar seemed to be near the chasers, while Madoc wasn't far from her. He was looking at his bat, there seemed to be a fly hovering around it.
That was when Sophie realized it wasn't a fly but the snitch! She flew as fast as she could towards Madoc, ignoring the pain on her shoulder. Madoc had seen the snitch too and he warned Leo with a shout. Almost as if it was able to hear Madoc, and it got scared, the golden ball moved away from the beater.
Sophie had her eyes on it and initiated her pursuit. She could feel Leo, getting closer and closer to her. She ignored him, as the distance between herself and the snitch was getting smaller. Feeling ready, she pulled her arm out, but all she felt was hair escaping her right hand when she closed it. Focusing, she gave it another try, feeling Leo's hand right next to hers.
This time there were no doubts: she could feel the cold metal ball inside her hand, its wings tickling her skin. She smiled, and let go a loud exclamation of happiness, as Willow announced:
"Sophie McCourt had caught the golden snitch! Hufflpefuff wins!"
Earlier in the Match (Jasper and Marlow)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 04-15-15 14:16
Earlier in the match...
Speeding after Finley, who stole the quaffle from her, Marlow frowns in frustration. She'd been throwing for a goal. Hunter was hit with a bludger, causing him to be slightly unsteady on his broom. She just knows the quaffle would have gotten past him. The second bludger not only saw Marlow flubbing her throw but Finley gaining the quaffle.
Marlow lunges for the ball when Finley passes to Mildred. She's short, the quaffle gliding past to Mildred, who pulls the ball to her then accelerates away. Duncan shadows Mildred, pulling up so abruptly if they'd been on the ground would have expected to hear some sort of screeching sound.
The cause of Duncan's stopping is Madoc zooming by after a bludger. Madoc seems so intent on the bludger Marlow isn't sure he even noticed Duncan until almost too late. Duncan reacted with stopping on a knut braking. Marlow thinks she might have chosen diving and rolling at the same time but as she wasn't the one it happened to, she can't be sure. She just hopes Duncan didn't give himself whiplash with that stop.
In the half second it took for Duncan to stop so abruptly Mildred has passed to Gerry. Gus gets him with a bludger but Gerry doesn't fumble the quaffle much less out and out drop it. Jasper on hand and ready for the steal but now has to wait for an opening elsewhere.
Marlow flies around Leo, noticing that Sophie is clear at the other end of the pitch, both showing great patience in their respective hunts for the snitch. Marlow has played seeker a few times here and there but she finds it incredibly frustrating and had decided she does not have the required patience. Then again, she can think of a few who are rather good as seekers when playing for fun who are not known for being the patient type.
Gerry's gotten in close to Glori now. He aims for one of the hoops and throws, Glori making her block appear effortless. She's caught the quaffle, putting the ball squarely back in Hufflepuff's hands. Jasper takes it from her, jetting away while looking for an opening to pass.
Marlow takes that pass when it comes, wincing at a flare of pain in her shoulder, only realizing it's a tap from a bludger when the black ball bounces into her side vision. Gritting her teeth until the uncomfortable sensation subsides, quaffle pulled in close to her body, Marlow swerves left around Finley only to swerve right about Gerry. Seeing an opening, she throws to Duncan then without slowing rotates her arm several times, working out the kink from that tap.
Jasper climbs slightly to go over Gus, who's in the process of lining up a bludger hit. He stays where he is, cruising at a steady pace, clear of any obstacles, or people, should Duncan pass. Duncan does just that, with Mildred attempting to intercept. Her timing is a hair too slow, the quaffle soaring away from her, coming straight to Jasper.
He catches the quaffle then increases his speed, ducking a bludger in the process. It doesn't take him long to reach Hunter but Mildred and Gerry both are practically on top of him, forcing him to pull back from throwing for a goal. With some jostling and jockeying for a better position, he gets off the quaffle to Marlow. Marlow hurls the quaffle in the direction of the nearest hoop only to have Hunter bat it away with the tail of his broom.
Duncan and Finley scuffle over the rebounding quaffle to the point that Jasper expects to hear the whistle. Finley wrests the ball from Duncan before that happens only to lose it when a bludger smacks her in the elbow. From her reaction Jasper takes it that the bludger got her in the not so funny funny bone. Her reaction and recovery from it allows Duncan to snatch the quaffle.
He lets the ball go, sending it towards the hoop to his right. Hunter lunges and gets fingertips on the quaffle but can't get enough traction to do much of anything with it. The quaffle goes on through the hoop, giving Hufflepuff four goals at this point to Gryffindor's three.
Finley puts the quaffle back into play with a pass to Gerry. He takes off with Finley to one side and Mildred to the other and slightly in front. Jasper goes after, wedging himself between Gerry and Finley while Marlow gets close to Mildred. Duncan trails behind for the moment, ready to take a pass and scurry back in Hunter's direction should either Jasper or Marlow get hands on the quaffle.
When Gerry tries to pass to Mildred, assisted by a bludger from Edgar, Jasper tries for the steal, thinking it's too bad Hufflepuff hasn't been able to score goal after goal after goal against Gryffindor, making the catching of the snitch somewhat moot.
(Willow) After the Match
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 04-15-15 18:17
The Pitch started to empty out, with those happy for Hufflepuff talking excitedly about the match, and those disappointed with the outcome looking a bit downhearted. Willow didn't notice anybody looking outright unhappy, however, nor did she witness any ugly talk about Hufflepuffs win over Gryffindor. She herself felt rather neutral, since Slytherin hadn't been one of the contenders, and neither had Ravenclaw, where Rowan belonged.
She said goodbye to the staff and started to make her way down the wooden staircase. About half way down she lost her footing when she sort of dragged her foot instead of picking it up off the ground and tripped, tumbling down to the nearest landing. At least she didn't go far, but the fall did enough damage.
Willow sat up and leaned against the wall of the stairwell, cradling her wrist, which really hurt. Professor Flitwick was there in an instant, standing only a little bit taller than she was sitting.
"Oh, dear! Miss Westwick, are you all right?"
Willow held on to her aching wrist and said, "I tripped, and I fell onto my wrist. I think it might be sprained."
"Let's have a look," Professor Flitwick said. He gingerly took her arm and touched lightly around her wrist before nodding and saying, "I think you ought to see Madam Pomfrey. She will fix you right up, but first!" he continued, producing his wand from an inner pocket of his robes, "allow me to put a splint on it so you don't aggravate your injury."
He did just that, setting her wrist and then conjuring a sling, which he helped slip over Willow's shoulder. She got to her feet and said, "Thanks."
"Can you manage, Miss Westwick, or would you like an escort?"
"I can manage," Willow replied.
Professor Flitwick seemed satisfied with her answer, though he walked with her the rest of the way down the stairs. He even walked with her from the bottom landing to the castle doors. Because he had a much smaller stride, Willow had to adjust her pace.
They parted ways once inside the castle. Willow went straight to the Hospital Wing and was not surprised to see some of the Quidditch players there, receiving tonics from Madam Pomfrey for the various bruises they sustained during the match. At least no one had been severely injured.
Willow sat down on an empty bed and waited for her turn to be seen by the school nurse.
Before Game's End (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 04-15-15 19:07
Reaching a bludger, Caerwyn changes his mind on where to send it. Slightly changing the angle of his bat he hits the ball in the direction of Finley. Before sprinting off he turns to wave at his family in the nearby stands. Today is his dad's birthday and though they celebrated early the previous Saturday, which was a Hogsmeade trip, Caerwyn will spend a little time after the match with him and the rest, before walking them down to the gate into the village. He hopes that there's an extra jubilance from a Hufflepuff win.
Reaching the same bludger he'd hit only a moment ago, which Finley managed to avoid, Caerwyn now sends it towards Gerry who's just taken control of the quaffle. Madoc intercepts the bludger, turning into in Jasper's direction. Caerwyn speeds to get there in time to do his own interception but Jasper ends up being able to avoid the hit on his own. As he's already going after that particular bludger, Caerwyn slows his speed but continues after it.
By now Gerry has the quaffle within the best range of the hoops for goal attempts. Caerwyn once again hits the bludger at Gerry, this time with Madoc (or Edgar) able to do anything about it. Gerry is in the process of throwing the quaffle, Glori on high alert as to which direction to actually go to stop it, when the bludger catches him on the shoulder. The throw is off but still heading for a hoop. Glori catches quaffle, handing it off to the closest of the Hufflepuff chasers, Duncan.
Duncan passes off to Marlow, who takes off down the pitch. Caerwyn starts forward to get ahead of a bludger sent after her by Edgar but changes direction when he sees Gus is rapidly closing the distance to it. Caerwyn locates the other bludger then waits as Madoc connects with it, giving the ball a hard hit with his bat, sending it after Jasper. Caerwyn races towards Jasper, spins his broom a quarter way around to be able to knock the bludger in Mildred's direction.
Down near Hunter and the Gryffindor hoops, Caerwyn ends up getting scraped by Madoc's bat when he and Madoc converge on a bludger. They knew they were near each other but neither realized they were flying that closely together. Madoc went to raise his bat, readying for the hit if he got there first, when it connected with Caerwyn. It wasn't bad. Just a scrape across Caerwyn's uniform.
Later, though, after the match, which ended with Sophie's catching of the snitch and a final score of Hufflepuff 190, Gryffindor 30, Caerwyn felt a twinge. Doing a quick change in the locker room showed a bruised forming in that same spot of the scrape. If not for the clothing between him and the bat, he'd have an oblong dark purple patch there by this evening or maybe the morning. As it is, he doubts it will get much worse than it already is. Shrugging it off, he exits the locker room to his awaiting family, a small gift in one hand for his father even though he'd given him something the week before.