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(Eileen & Magnus) Early Goal
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 04-29-18 01:40
Eileen wasn't so nervous for this Quidditch match as she had been in the past. Today she wouldn't be playing against any of her sisters. There was no Belinda to taunt her, and no Sophie to ruin things at the last minute by catching the snitch. The Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw teams entered the pitch and received an ovation from the stands. While the captains shook hands, Eileen flew towards the hoops she was guarding today, getting herself in position.
Th sound of a whistle announced the start of the match. The first player to touch the quaffle was Paton. He didn't hold the quaffle for long, offering it to Seth. Seth zig zagged across the pitch. Gerry, who had recovered since that brutal match against Hufflepuff, followed Seth. He guessed his moves and bumped against him on purpose. A bit shaken, and harassed by Gerry's hands which now tried to steal him the quaffle, Seth tried to pass the red ball to Franciscus. Unfortunately for the Ravenclew team, Mildred was faster and she grabbed the quaffle first.
That was the end of the Ravenclaw offensive. Now it were the Gryfffindors who had the quaffle, ready to attack. Mildred covered some distance on her own, but she was forced to let go of the red ball when a bludger sent by Kurt, hit her right shoulder. But Finley was nearby and she was able to safely maintain the quaffle in Gryffindor's possession. Finley swapped the quaffle a few times, between Gerry and Mildred. The Ravenclaw chasers did their best to gain the quaffle back but they weren't having much luck.
Gerry had quaffle now and he was face to face with Eileen. She felt her heart beating faster, the adrenaline pumping into her body. It would be terrible if Gryffindor scored right on the first minutes of the match. Gerry shot the quaffle to the left, and Eileen dived in that direction. She punched the red ball away from danger with her fist. The Ravenclaw clapped their hands, but not for long. Gerry was a stubborn player and he managed to get the quaffle back. He shot again, this time to the right hoop. There was nothing Eileen could do to be able to make a defense, because she still had her body turned to the left and she was not fast enough to change position on time to make another defense. The quaffle passed over the hoop and the Gryffindors cheered, with excitement. In the very early minutes of the match they were already winning, ten to nothing.
Magnus was on the stands watching the match. He frowned when Gerry scored. As a Slytherin he preferred to see Gryffindor loosing today. Besides, he knew more people from the Ravenclaw team like Eileen and Noah.
"You should tryout for Quidditch next year," Ned suggested. "You could take as many bludgers possible in your head, that your skull wouldn't crack."
"Very funny," Magnus replied.
Ned was teasing him. After falling from that ladder in the Easter Egg Hunt, Ned was forced to leave the owlery and call for help, leaving an unconscious Magnus behind. Ned told him some of the teachers come to his rescue and he was taken to the Hospital Wing. He only recovered his senses the next morning. Madam Pomfrey told him he had been very lucky, saying his skull had managed to protect him. He spent a few days at the Hospital Wing and his parents had been allowed to visit him, thanks to Headmistress McGonagall who summoned them to school.
Magnus and Ned were both questioned about the fall, and it was concluded it had been an accident. They lost five points each for their imprudence. Both boys tried to protest: since when climbing ladders was a crime? But McGonagall wanted to teach them a lesson. The saddest part in all this was that the little orange egg disappeared. Ned recalled seeing it rolling away when Magnus fell, but when they returned to the owlery to try and get the egg back, they were not able to find it.
Since his fall Ned kept teasing Magnus about his thick skull. At first the jokes had been funny but now he was getting a bit tired of them. He decided to ignore the joke and continued to watch the match, as Eileen passed the quaffle to Paton
(Noah) Accidental Foul
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 04-29-18 09:26
After Gerry's goal, Eileen passed the quaffle to Paton. Paton quickly found his path blocked and looked for a way out or someone friendly to relieve him of the red ball. Noah closed in on a bludger and turned it all the way around to use it against Mildred, who was being the most aggressive about trying to steal the quaffle for Gryffindor.
She spotted the bludger coming and instinctively dodged the black ball, not wanting to get hit in a shoulder that was still throbbing from a previous impact. Her shift, however slight, was all Paton needed to break free. He flung himself through the narrow opening and then launched the quaffle at Franciscus, who had pulled ahead enough to put a good amount of distance between himself and the rest of the pack.
Franciscus caught the quaffle and pulled it tight against his body. Noah, meanwhile, spotted Achilles dashing after one of the bludgers. He followed suit and dove into its path when Achilles batted it towards Franciscus. Noah redirected the bludger at Finley, who had made herself really small to reduce wind resistance and catch up to Franciscus. When Mildred called out a warning to her, Finley swerved to avoid getting hit by the black ball. Had she not, then the ball would have likely struck the tail of her broomstick and caused it to splinter, not to mention force her to fly out of control.
Noah started after the same bludger, which Gideon was trying to commandeer and use on Franciscus, who still had possession of the quaffle. Gideon was nearer and faster and swung at the black ball, but Franciscus passed the quaffle to Seth before the bludger collided with him. Seth drew closer and closer to the Gryffindor goal hoops, where Oliver watched and waited.
In the meantime, Noah managed to catch up to the bludger Gideon had used against Franciscus. His target this time was Gerry, who made it his mission to harass Seth. Just as Noah's beating arm pivoted towards the black ball, he was suddenly struck in the side by something hard. The impact caused him to turn and sent the bludger not after Gerry but into the stands.
The spectators in its path screamed and scattered. The next thing Noah heard was Coach Krum's shrill whistle and the announcement that he had committed a foul, bumphing.
(Paton & Franciscus) More Goals
Author: Griet
Date: 04-30-18 18:12
Paton tried to wedge himself between Seth and Gerry, but Coach Krum blew his whistle and everything came to a halt. In short order, Paton discovered that Noah had accidentally sent a bludger careening into the stands. None of the spectators had gotten hurt, even in the small stampede that followed.
It just so happened that Paton's mother had come to the match. She'd come with Flavius and Festus, who no doubt would have rather come to support Fulvia's house than Paton's own, even though she didn't play Quidditch herself. Paton's mother had insisted on the visit because this could be Paton's last ever Hogwarts match. A win against Gryffindor could send Ravenclaw to the championship match, though.
Coach Krum took the quaffle from Seth, who frowned at having to give it up so close to the Gryffindor hoops. Gryffindor now had the opportunity to take a foul shot.
Krum gave the quaffle to Mildred, after the Gryffindors decided among themselves that she should be the one to make the goal attempt. She flew into position. Paton hovered behind her with the other chasers. The Pitch wasn't quiet in the slightest, but Mildred heard nothing but her own breathing as she focused on Eileen and the Ravenclaw goal hoops.
In a flash, she let the quaffle loose. Eileen hesitated ever so slightly and then dove for the ball with both arms outstretched, but the quaffle passed between them and soared cleanly through the hoop.
"Campbell scores!" shouted the announcer. "Gryffindor leaves by twenty."
Eileen handed the quaffle to Franciscus. He had a sore spot on his back in a place he couldn't easily reach. It was from an earlier bludger hit courtesy of Gideon. The throbbing from the initial impact was more or less gone, but Franciscus still felt something and wanted to rub at it.
He put his mind right, however, and raced past Finley, swerved around Gerry, and ducked slightly to miss getting smashed in the face by Gideon's next bludger. Franciscus felt the bludger buzz across his hair. He kept going and then tossed the quaffle to Paton. Paton lobbed it at Seth. Seth didn't hold onto it for very long either. The ball passed from hand to hand until Franciscus had it again, just ahead of the Gryffindor goal hoops. Oliver sized him up and slapped the quaffle away when Franciscus attempted a goal.
Franciscus caught the rebound and tried again the same time Kurt got a bludger off at Oliver. Oliver started to reach out to block the goal again but quickly retracted his arm when it became obvious that it was about to get broken by a bludger. The quaffle sailed through the hoop without touching any rim.
"Vanderbilt scores!"
Franciscus let out a breath he'd been keeping. Ravenclaw no longer had a big dragon's egg on the scoreboard.
Brother Against Brother (Gideon & Seth)
Author: Blossom
Date: 04-30-18 19:20
Gideon scrubs a hand down his face when the match is halted so the quaffle can be retrieved.
After Ravenclaw scored its first goal, Mildred took possession of the quaffle, throwing it to Gerry to put the ball back into play. Mid-pitch, Gerry passed to Finley but Seth intercepted. Seth rapidly pulled his broom around, passing to Paton in the process. Inn one of those rare moments that happens in Quidditch, Achilles hit the quaffle rather than a player when batting a bludger at Paton in an effort to aid Finley in returning the interception favor. When the bludger hit it mid-flight the quaffle went careening out of bounds.
As Ravenclaw was in possession of the quaffle sent out of bounds by a Gryffindor, the red ball goes back to Ravenclaw. Coach Krum gives it to the last Ravenclaw to have touched it, Seth. In turn, Seth throws to Franciscus, who immediately takes off for the Gryffindor guarded goals.
As soon as the whistle blew putting the game back into motion, Gideon was off after a bludger. Once he arrives at it, well ahead of Kurt, he quickly scans the action to see where the quaffle currently is. Franciscus has just handed off to Paton, who is closing in on Oliver and his goals.
Gideon smashes the bludger to where he thinks Paton will be by the time the bludger gets there. He isn't off by much but enough that the hard black ball only connects with the side of Paton's upper arm. Still, it's enough to allow Gerry to move in for a steal.
Seth makes a face when the quaffle once again returns to Gryffindor hands. His brother's house is ahead 20 to 10. Seth is determined to see that lead fall by the wayside. He knows Gideon is just as determined to ensure the lead not only holds but increases.
Seth spots an opening when Gerry tosses the quaffle to Mildred. Her catch is poor and she has a little bit of a struggle to get a good hold on the ball. Seth swoops in and gets close. It doesn't go exactly as he'd hoped. Instead of stealing the quaffle from Mildred, Mildred loses her grip on the ball entirely and it falls away.
Seth goes after it but nearly bumps heads with Mildred when she too makes a dive for the quaffle. They both jump apart, wrenching their brooms in opposite directions when a bludger comes straight at them. This allows Franciscus to scoop up the quaffle. Seth is fine with that as it's now back in Ravenclaw hands.
Paton and Seth converge on the Gryffindor hoops right behind Franciscus. Oliver is watching closely, expecting Franciscus to throw for a goal attempt but Franciscus suddenly passes to Seth. Seth is nearest the goal on Oliver's left and lobs it at the center of the hoop.
Oliver jerks his broom that direction, extending his entire body to make the block but the quaffle slips by. The match is now tied 20-20.
Getting Annoyed
Author: Gerry
Date: 05-01-18 17:53
Gerry accepted the quaffle from Oliver with a frown. Things had been going so well for Gryffindor, but now the score was tied and Ravenclaw appeared to be having momentum. Gryffindor had lost its last Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. If Gryffindor lost this one, then it seemed unlikely that the team would advance to the championship match. Gerry didn't like to lose and could already feel himself growing annoyed with the possibility that things wouldn't go as planned.
He passed the quaffle to Finley, who quickly handed it off to Mildred. Mildred went a fair distance with the quaffle in her possession before tossing it back to Finley. She threw it to Gerry, who nearly fumbled the ball when it went slightly beyond his palm. Seth was on the spot and tried to steal it for Ravenclaw, but Gerry somehow managed to get a firmer grip on the ball. He pulled it to his other side, which was a bit more vulnerable, but at least it was away from Seth's grabby hands.
Mildred whooshed past him and scooped up the ball. She drove hard for the Ravenclaw hoops and launched the ball with a forceful forward motion of her arm. It hit rim and bounced back into the fray. Franciscus and Finley each wrestled for the ball, but Franciscus being both bigger and stronger managed to get the ball for Ravenclaw.
Achilles immediately targeted him with a bludger, however. It struck Franciscus in the sternum, knocking him back some, and caused his grip to loosen on the ball. Finley plucked it from his grasp and tried for a goal. Eileen punched it with her fist. Gerry caught the rebound and started to aim for one hoop, but he changed his mind at the last second and threw toward a different one. Eileen started in one direction and then immediately changed course, but she was too late.
"Martini-Blackwell scores!" shouted the Quidditch commentator. "Gryffindor leads once more, 30-20."
(Oliver) Pumped Up
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 05-01-18 18:24
Oliver pumped his fist in the air when Gerry scored. He saw Eileen hand the quaffle to Seth, who took off in a hurry to put some distance between himself and the Ravenclaw hoops. Although Seth and the other chasers were still well across the Pitch, Oliver focused hard on their approach. He'd already let two goals slip past him, and he didn't intend on allowing another one to go through the hoops.
Seth approached with Franciscus and Paton on either side of him. They flew slightly behind, forming a V. The Gryffindor chasers tried to wedge themselves into the formation, while the beaters on both sides tried offensive and defensive maneuvers. All the while, Seth maintained his possession of the quaffle. Oliver prepared for the onslaught and tried to figure out where Seth might throw. He also looked out for the bludgers, in case one was meant for him.
Seth came directly at Oliver. If he hadn't known better, then Oliver would have thought that Seth was playing chicken with him. Instead, Seth turned suddenly, and as if he knew the plan all along, Franciscus fell back to allow Seth to move unobstructed. Seth threw the quaffle at a bit of an angle and with a great deal of force. Oliver threw himself at it and managed to catch the ball against his chest.
He threw the ball to Finley. Like Seth before her, she raced away from the hoops with Gerry and Mildred protecting both flanks. Oliver waited until she was at mid-field before he allowed himself to relax, and though his gaze remained on the play-by-play, he let his mind wander.
The Rhône River cruise he'd gone on with his parents and little siblings had been a great deal of fun, though Oliver had noticed that the majority of travelers had been elderly or couples without children. There had been other children on board, but the number of youth to adults had been quite small.
Some of Oliver's favorite things to see had been the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, an ancient Roman arena in Arles that was still in use, and a windmill in Lyon. His parents seemed quite keen on taking another cruise and were talking about doing something in the summer.
"Interception!" shouted the announcer. Oliver saw that Finley no longer had the quaffle. Instead, Paton had it, and he was heading straight for Oliver.
Feeling Down
Author: Finley
Date: 05-02-18 18:08
Finley expelled a sigh when her pass, which was intended for Mildred, ended up getting intercepted by Paton. Although very little had gone wrong for her since the match began, Finley felt like nothing was going right at the moment. Her heart just wasn't in it, either.
Upon returning to Hogwarts after Easter break, Finley had asked Phoebus if he knew about the existence of squibs (he did), and if there wasn't the slightest possibility that she might be one who just happened to be gifted with magic ("Absolutely not!"). Finley also asked him about prophecies, but he had no good explanation as to why she wasn't supposed to have any magic.
After consulting her best friend, Finley turned to the person she knew would have all the answers. Perhaps she should have let sleeping dogs lie, because it was the little know-it-all who dampened her mood. Eirene said prophecies always came true, and something as direct as the one about Finley meant only one thing: Theo and Gemma Pride were not her parents.
Eirene went on to surmise that some other baby at the orphanage was the real Pride child and that they must have gotten inadvertently switched. That Finley turned out to be a witch was purely coincidental. There were new Muggle-born wizards all the time.
Finley really felt like all she'd gained over the past few years was getting taken away from her, like a rug being pulled out from underneath her feet. She didn't know what to do or what to think. Everything Eirene said made sense to her, and her own wild imagination made it all the more believable.
"Finley! Pay attention!"
She saw Mildred looking at her with a mixture of annoyance and concern on her face. Finley put her head back into the game and realized that Paton didn't have the quaffle anymore. Neither did Franciscus or Seth. It was actually in Gerry's possession and was moving in the direction of the Ravenclaw hoops.
She flew towards him to give him coverage or make herself available for a pass. Gerry took the opportunity to toss the quaffle to her. Finley caught it and pulled it close to her side. She put on an extra burst of speed and raced even closer to the hoops guarded by Eileen.
Eileen watched her coming and anticipated where she might throw. Finley aimed for one hoop but at the last second threw it back to Gerry. Eileen immediately shifted course, but then Gerry threw the quaffle back to Finley. Finley shot the ball forwards and felt relieve flood her when the ball sailed cleanly through the hoop.
Now Gryffindor was in the lead, 40-20.
Spectacular Move
Author: Mildred
Date: 05-03-18 11:41
Mildred smiled, glad that Finley got her focus back. Gryffindor had lost the past matches and she was starting to consider herself like a bad team captain. If they didn't win today she would feel very bad about herself. Thankfully, so far, things were going well for Gryffindor.
Eileen placed the quaffle back into the game, by passing it to Franciscus. He did not waste anytime and flew as fast as he could away from Eileen. Gerry went in his pursuit, but he was pushed back by a bludger sent by Noah, that did not hit his head because he managed to duck. Franciscus continued his flight, and he seemed unstoppable. Another bludger, this time coming from Gideon, hit his arm but he pressed on. Seth and Paton flew right after him. Mildred, Finley and Gerry followed behind. Paton asked his cousin for the quaffle but he ignored his request.
He was face to face with Oliver now. He shot, using the same arm that was hit. He made a grimace with pain, but nevertheless the shot was powerful. The quaffle went straight towards the right hoop, not giving Oliver a chance.
"Vanderbilt scores!"
Gryffindor was still on the lead but Franciscus' spectacular move had left the Ravenclaw supporters wild at the stands. Mildred asked Oliver for the quaffle. Finely was free and she quickly threw her the quaffle. But before she could grab it, Seth caught it in the air. He offered the red ball to Paton, who tried to score. This time Oliver defended, and once again he passed the quaffle to Mildred. She offered it to Gerry, after assuring none of the Ravenclaw chasers were around.
Here Snitch (Leo)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 05-03-18 18:11
Gryffindor needs this win. If Leo could just find the snitch right this second not only would his house win but they'd take a win twenty goal points over Ravenclaw. Every point helps. A few more goals would be outstanding but Leo would be fine with the four goals they have if he could just get the snitch now.
He has an absurd urge to call out, "Here snitch. Sni-iiiitch. Here. Over here."
That urge increases when Franciscus scores for Ravenclaw, closing the gap to ten points. A ten point lead combined with the snitch would be excellent. One hundred ninety points total. Nothing to turn one's nose up over.
Mildred has the quaffle now. She passes to Finley who passes to Gerry. Seth tries to intercept but he pulls up short thanks to a bludger from Gideon. At the same time Kurt sents the second bludger at Gerry. The interception wasn't a go but Paton's able to steal the quaffle from Gerry when the Gryffindor chaser is ducking and dodging that quaffle.
Paton wheels around to fly the other direction, at the same time passing to Franciscus. Franciscus tucks the red ball in tightly against this torso, leans low over his broom and rapidly accelerates slowingly only when he nears the vigilent Oliver.
Noah gets off a bludger he hopes is timed for his teammates efforts for another goal. The hard, black ball reaches Oliver a little early and Oliver is able to avoid getting smacked in the shoulder but the distraction is just enough that when Franciscus hands off to Paton who immediately hurls the quaffle at one of the hoops, Oliver isn't able to react that direction quickly enough.
Once again the score is tied, this time with a score of 40 to 40.
His lips drawing into a thin line, Leo thinks okay, so no lead on goals but the snitch right now is still a win and Gryffindor would still end the match with 190 to Ravenclaw's 40.
Casting about for signs of that tiny winged ball Leo actually verbalizes his earlier urge, though not very loudly. "Heeeeere snitch! Sni-iiiitch! Come to Leo."
Victory (Kurt & Bran)
Author: Saffron
Date: 05-03-18 19:54
Kurt loves Quidditch. He wouldn't have tried out for the Ravenclaw team and accepted a beater position if he didn't. Much as he loves Quiditch, though, and much as he's thrilled that Ravenclaw has again tied the score with Gryffindor, Kurt is beyond ready for this match to be over.
When he got up this morning his chest felt tight and he had a little bit of a cough. Now, hours later, it hurts to breathe, he has coughing fits - not as bad maybe because of a medicinal potion he took before the match - and not only do his sinuses hurt but he's developed a sinus headache. Once the match and he felt worse and worse, the only way to be able to take anything would be to leave the match. Kurt is not about to do that voluntarily.
Approaching one bludger, Kurt slows, double checking where the quaffle is. Finley. She's zigging and zagging with Paton shadowing her. Rather than direct the bludger towards Finley he bats the ball at Gerry who is in a good position to accept a pass.
Just as Kurt thought she might, Finley sends the quaffle to Gerry, who manages to avoid the bludger, if barely. Gerry closes in on Eileen, lobbing the ball straight at the center hoop. She counters by slapping the quaffle back. Gerry and Seth both throw themselves, and their brooms, at the quaffle, grappling for it.
Both bludgers have them jerking apart, one bludger sent by Noah and the other by Achilles. As the quaffle drops Mildred is on it. As rapidly as she's able she repositions her grip on the ball to throw. It goes to Mildred's left, Eileen's right. Again the Ravenclaw keeper rebuffs the goal effort, this time the rebound going directly to Franciscus.
Bran is listening to the play by play as he continues seeking any sign of the snitch. So far this match he's not seen it since it was released and if Leo has he lost sight of it again so quickly that no one else noticed, particularly the match announcer.
Seeking is both interesting and dull. Thrilling and boring. Searching, searching, searching for the golden snitch and doing nothing but means mainly watching the rest of the action peripherally, listening to the commentator for the details. Some commentators are better than others. Flying from one end of the pitch to the other, from one side to the other, constantly scanning for that small ball can get mind numbing. It's easy to zone out and see without truly seeing.
Conversely, it's exciting. Every little flicker or flutter might be the snitch. It might not be. There are bludgers to avoid and the other seeker to be constantly aware of in case the opponent spots the snitch first. There is the fact that a sighting may lead to a merry chase and that chase may end with the snitch seemingly winking out of sight. Bran is one of those seekers who has wondered more than once if snitches can apparate but the ability is an extremely well kept secret so avoid demands that snitches be spelled to not be able to do so.
A flash of something near the ground had Bran investigating but as far as he can tell it was most likely a butterfly he's spotted a few times.
His attention is momentarily drawn to the chasers when Seth, Paton, and Franciscus get the quaffle close enough to Oliver to try and score again. In some deft movements Franciscus passes to Seth who passes to Paton who passes to Franciscus who passes back to Paton who throws to Seth and so on as they near Oliver.
It's Paton who tries for 10 more points but Oliver catches the quaffle, handing it off to Gerry. Gerry flies away only to be hemmed in by Seth and Franciscus, with a bludger from Kurt screaming his way. As Gerry maneuvers around Seth and leans to avoid the bludger, Seth reaches over and plucks the ball straight out of Gerry's hand.
Still near the Gryffindor guarded hoops, Seth instantly throws the quaffle at the hoops. Oliver moves quickly, stretching his body for the block only to take a bludger, this one hit by Noah. He lets out an ooph as the quaffle slides past his fingers.
As the commentator announces, "Weasley scores! Ravenclaw leads for the first time with 50 points to Gryffindor's 40!"
At that same instance Bran gives his full attention back to his search. In an utterly anticlimactic moment the snitch is suddenly in his face, Bran reaching up as if to bat a pest away, simply closes his hand around it.
Just like that the match is over. No big chase. No face off against Leo. Bran is both ecstatic and let down all at the same moment. Moving his hand to catch the snitch, wrapping fingers around it, feeling the little wings fluttering against his hand as they slow to a stop, is thrilling but now, as others begin to realize the snitch is out of play, Bran wonders if he'd have acted so instinctively if he'd had another second to think. To think about the added thrill of the chase, the joy of victory of defeating Leo by out flying him while on the trail of the snitch.
Something to think more about later he supposes. Now that the snitch is caught and everyone's realized it, and the announcer is giving the end of match score of 200 to 40, Bran is suddenly famished and ready for a post-match snack.