|
|
(Chloe) First Match and First Goal
Author: Mildred
Date: 12-03-18 11:09
Chloe wasn't as nervous as she had imaged she would be. Playing in a Quidditch match was probably the craziest and boldest thing she had ever done in her life. Her mother would be horrified and her father would condemned it. Obviously they were not here today to watch their daughter's premiere as a chaser for the Ravenclaw team. Chloe wished there was someone at the stands supporting her.
The match begun. Kaycee Sickleby was the first to grab the quaffle. She moved to the left side of the pitch, away from the central area. Seth went after her while Jordan and Chloe went to cover the other Hufflepuff chasers, Duncan and Cornington. The Hufflepuff chasers were older and experienced. Both Jordan and Chloe were first years, playing an official match for the very first time. Seth, who had been used to play alongside other chasers had to adjust to them.
Kurt sent a bludger into Kaycee's direction. She was able to dodge it but she loosed the grip on the quaffle. Seth attacked, and stole her the quaffle. He passed it to Chloe. She turned her broomstick around knowing she had to approach Hufflepuff's hoops, guarded by Rex. She tried to fly as fast as she could but she was mounting a school broomstick which didn't have the same performance as other brooms. She felt a presence behind her. It was Cornington. He was getting closer. Chloe wanted to avoid a physical confrontation because Cornington was a fifth year, and he was three times her size. She wouldn't have a chance.
She spotted Jordan by the corner of her eye. She called hia name and threw the red ball in his direction. Jordan grabbed the quaffle, and continued towards Hufflepuff's side of the pitch. Chloe sighed in relief as she felt Cornington moving away from her. Jordan did a great job, flying in a zig zagging trajectory. Kaycee followed him, but she was not able to get near him. Jordan too dodged a bludger, this one sent by Conrad. His zig zagged flight led him only a meter or so from the hoops. He simulated a shot but instead he passed the quaffle to Seth. Seth tried to scored, but Rex wasn't fooled and made a good defense, grabbing the quaffle with both hands.
The match quickly resumed, Rx passing the quaffle to Duncan. Duncan gained some altitude, and he flew away from his team's side of the pitch. The other chasers also went up a bit, in order to level up with Duncan. He exchanged a few passes with Kaycee and Cornington. Jordan, Chloe and Seth were unable to stop them for a while. But then, Seth saw a window and stole the quaffle in the air, when Cornington tried to give the quaffle back at Duncan. The Ravenclaw chasers were attacking again, they too swapping the quaffle between the three.
When Chloe received the quaffle she felt once again Cornington's presence. However this time she was so close to the hoops that she thought she could try and score. She raised her arm, one hand holding the quaffle. Her other hand was holding the broomstick tight. Cornington used his body to bump against Chloe. She lost her equilibrium for a short moment. However before the impact she had already released the quaffle. The red ball flied, and although Rex guessed the direction of the ball, he was not able to make a defense.
"Campbell scores! Ravenclaw opens the score, 10 to nothing."
Chloe regained her position in the broom, smiling, as in the stands, the Ravenclaw supporters cheered for the team. She knew her Secret Santa would not be one of them. Professor Miller was the Head of the Hufflepuff House. He also taught a subject called Muggle Studies, which Ruth explained to Chloe was all about the Muggle world. Ruth was eager to go into such class because she didn't know much about the Muggle world.
A few days after learning about who her Secret Santa was, Chloe realized she had no money of her own to buy Professor Miller his gift. Her father didn't give her any money before she departed to Hogwarts, neither in Muggle or wizarding currency and she didn't feel comfortable writing home and ask for money. How was she supposed to buy a present to Professor Miller? Ruth offered to lend Chloe some money, but she refused. It was Alectrona who in an indirect way provided Chloe with a solution. Alectrona was very talented with her needlework. Chloe admired how her hands moved so fast and created such wonderful things, without the aid of magic. Chloe realized that she didn't need to buy anything for Professor Miller, she could produce something for him, just like Alectrona did. However, unlike Alectrona, Chloe was no good with a needle. But she knew a thing or two about cooking and baking.
She and Ruth made an exploratory trip to the school kitchens. Chloe saw house elves for the very first time, and while Ruth accepted all sort of sweets, she tried to explain one of the house elves that she wanted to bake some cookies for Professor Miller. It was hard to convince the house elf to allow her to use their working space for a couple of hours, but she was finally able to convince him. Ruth wanted Chloe to use magic while cooking, but Chloe felt more comfortable without using a wand for such task. She agreed with the house elf she would comeback right before the term ended, in order for her to bake the cookies for Professor Miller. She hoped he would enjoy her gift.
Meanwhile, at the stands there was someone who applauded Chloe's goal. Mildred had gone to Hogwarts to watch her cousin playing Quidditch. Hercules Sims had written to her, telling her Chloe had made the team, as a chaser, no less! Mildred had asked Achilles' brother to keep an eye on Chloe for her. She did not want to introduce herself to her cousin just yet, for she didn't want to cause any troubles between Chloe and her father. Mildred could see Chloe had talent, and with some experience she would make a great chaser. She wished she could teach her a trick or two to improve her flying and chaser skills. Since she couldn't do that she decided she would do something else for her cousin: buy her a new broomstick. Chloe was playing with a school broomstick and Mildred was sure she would do even better with a faster broom. Chloe was going to have an unexpected Christmas surprise.
She continued to watch the match, as Rex passed the quaffle to Kaycee.
(Tessa) Games
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 12-03-18 18:44
Tessa cast a glance at the gray sky. It was overcast and extremely cold, but the weather forecast suggested it might get worse before the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw ended––unless Bertie caught the snitch lickety-split. She really didn't want to be outside if and when the freezing rain started.
She glanced down at her hands, on which she wore fingerless gloves. Her fingernails, painted alternating yellow and black thanks to Blakeney, were probably purple underneath the shellac. Tessa could hardly feel them and was simultaneously wondering if her one hand was frozen to the bat she held.
Her gaze turned next to the stands. Blakeney was there, dressed in all her Hufflepuff gear. Beside her sat Will and Gerry. They weren't wearing Hufflepuff colors since they were both Gryffindors, but Tessa knew that Will, at least, was cheering her team on to victory.
The cast a final glance into the staff box before returning her attention to the match in progress. This year, Tessa had gotten Professor Schnackenpfefferhausen for her Secret Santa recipient. She'd heard that he had an elderly kneazle named Domino, which he had adopted from Hagrid as a kitten. That had been while the professor had been a student (in Ravenclaw, where he played beater for the house team).
Thinking about Domino put the game to mind, so Tessa got Professor Schnackenpfefferhausen a set of colored dominoes.
Kaycee currently had possession of the quaffle. She passed it to Duncan, who threw it long to Cornington. The ball bounced on the tip of Cornington's fingers, threatening to fall, but then he somehow managed to secure his hold on it. Tessa wanted to make sure he kept hold on it, so when she saw Kurt aim a bludger his way, she maneuvered herself in position to deflect it elsewhere.
This she did towards Seth, who had already intercepted the quaffle twice since the start of the match and didn't need to be doing it again. Seth ducked to avoid getting hit, and Noah was on the other side to retrieve the black ball.
Cornington, meanwhile, passed the ball back to Kaycee. Kaycee held onto it for half a second before tossing it at Duncan. Duncan tore for the Ravenclaw hoops, threw the quaffle hard, and made a face when a gust of wind knocked it into the rim instead of through the hoop.
Jordan seemed to have come out of no where and quickly scooped up the ball. He got as far as just beyond the pack when Tessa materialized in front of him and knocked the bludger straight at him. He swerved to avoid getting hit and fumbled the quaffle, which Seth collected before Hufflepuff could reclaim possession of it.
Tessa didn't have another bludger at her disposal, so all she could do was follow him and look out for the next available one so she could hopefully get the quaffle back into Hufflepuff hands.
Foul
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 12-03-18 20:55
Doug had given serious consideration to not attending today's match. Much as he loves Quidditch, even when his house isn't playing, he got up feeling as though he'd hardly slept. All he wanted to do was crawl back under the covers.
If he stayed in bed he'd have to get food in the commons. Doug likes the food in the commons but what's available in the mornings is not the same as the full on meal he'd get in the Great Hall. Almost as ravenous as he was sleepy, he'd dragged himself out of bed and gotten dressed.
Remembering to grab the Secret Santa present for Estella Finch, he staggered to the commons much as he imagined an Inferius would walk. After leaving the gift, a carousel music box that plays twenty songs, and checking to see anyone's left him a gift or thirty (his own Secret Santa, Douglas Hyland, had already left that gift but Doug hopes friends will lavish him with a pile of presents), Doug went to the Great Hall, his stomach grumbling along the way.
By the time he finished eating, though still sleepy, Doug decided he might as well go to the match and cheer his brother on. If needed, he can leave early and catch a nap when Slytherin House surely would be far quieter than on a non-game Saturday.
Unlike her cousin, Grace slept well and awoke eager for the morning to pass quickly until time for Ravenclaw to take on Hufflepuff in a Quidditch match. Also unlike her cousin Doug, Grace had left a Secret Santa gift earlier in the week. She'd gotten Titus Nott's name.
Being a seventh year and in Slytherin House Titus is not a student with whom Grace is overly familiar. She'd seen him around, particularly in the Great Hall at meals and knows he is brother to lower years Transfiguration professor Tiberius Nott. The Nott family is well known in the British Wizarding World and the multiple branches of the family have a long history. Knowing a little something about the family was of no help in determining a gift for Titus.
Eventually, Grace selected a nice, and she thinks stylish, pair of sturdy shoes for Titus. Whether he goes on to university, goes straight into the work force, or decides to pass his post-Hogwarts years pursuing leisure activities, she thinks the shoes will serve him well. If Titus doesn't care for the shoes Grace hopes he likes the second part of his gift. When he wants it, there is a form enclosed with the shoes to send to Briar's Bakery. Grace's mother will send Titus a Slytherin inspired snake cake in whatever flavor or flavors he wishes.
Duncan would have loved to sleep in on a Saturday but with Hufflepuff's first Quidditch match of the school year today he'd been up as early as he would have for a regular school day. He's found that for him it's better to eat breakfast early enough that by the time a match begins he's still satisfied from having had a good meal but not sluggish from it.
Before heading to the locker room at the pitch Duncan had finally taken Eirene McLaggen's Secret Santa gift to place under the massive decorated Christmas tree in the Common Commons. With a little advice from Devon, Duncan picked out an interesting and colorful purse with cats from Clutch's & Trinkitt's in Hogsmeade. He was told by the clerk that the designer is an American Muggle called Laurel Birch. The name meant nothing to him but Devon apparently had not only heard of the woman but has some jewelry by her. He just hopes Eirene likes it.
Though actually not all that long ago, now in the thick of the Quidditch match the visit to the commons to place the present wrapped in metallic purple paper with a silver ribbon and bow seems like days past.
Duncan moves up on the current holder of the quaffle, Seth Weasley. Trying to keep close watch on Seth for an opening to steal the ball while also accelerating to match Weasley's, Duncan misses noticing the bludger hit his way by Noah Stratford. The bludger is almost to Duncan when he finally sees it and reacts. Unfortunately, his reaction of ducking and jerking his broom has him tilting into Seth. Unsurprisingly, a foul is called. The only good thing is that it's not a foul giving Ravenclaw a goal attempt though on a bad note the foul does allow Ravenclaw into a position nearer to the Hufflepuff kept hoops.
With the game in motion again, Seth has the quaffle tucked against his torso. He weaves around Kurt Blackwell then dodges a bludger from Conrad Ellis. Duncan is once again moving in closer in an effort to steal when Seth passes to Jordan Blackthorn. Duncan frowns at being on the wrong side of the pass but the frown soon turns to a smile. Kaycee Sickleby suddenly shoots between Seth and Jordan to snatch up the quaffle just as Jordan's about to catch it.
Kaycee shoots away, Jordan hot on her heels. She darts between Conrad and Kurt Blackwell as the two beaters race for the same bludger. About the time Jordan manages to get close enough to her that he's stretching out a hand in an effort to take back the quaffle, Kaycee shifts her hold on it then sends it to Cornington Marchbanks.
Cornington accelerates away before he's even got a good hold on the ball, quickly reaching Eileen McCourt and her hoops. Cornington lets the ball fly towards the center. No sooner has he released the ball then a bludger sent by Kurt smacks into his shoulder. At the same time Eileen is avoiding a bludger courtesy of Tessa. She still manages to reach the quaffle. It pings onto the rim of the hoop them bounces straight into Duncan's arms.
He gets a good grip on it to throw but again Eileen's able to deflect the quaffle, this time towards Chloe Campbell. Duncan whips his broom around to give chase as the action starts back down the pitch in the direction of Hufflepuff keeper Rex Applewhite, the score still 10 points Ravenclaw, 0 Hufflepuff.
(Eileen) Another Goal
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 12-04-18 13:13
Eileen watches Chloe departing away from her hoops with the quaffle. The Ravenclaw chasers held possession of the quaffle, exchanging fast passes between the three of them. The more they played the more they seemed to be getting to know each others. Eileen had only been part of the Quidditch team since last year, but she had seen the way Franciscus, Paton and Seth worked so well together, and so she was a bit fearful things would be different now with Chloe and Jordan in the team.
Her thoughts seemed to have jinxed the chasers, because there was a miscommunication between Chloe and Seth, when Chloe threw the quaffle thinking he wanted her to do so, when he was actually requesting her to keep it for a while. Kaycee took advantage of this flaw and stole the quaffle before either Seth or Chloe could retrieve it.
Kaycee ducked, avoiding a bludger sent by Noah, that would have hit her head if she didn't have a fast reflex. She continued towards the Ravenclaw hoops, but her way was blocked by Jordan who stood right in front of her. Kaycee offered the quaffle to Duncan who was free. He got a few meters closer to the hoops, before Seth approached him. Seth tried to steal him the quaffle, but Duncan held it firmly under his arm. He then threw the quaffle to the sky, Cornington flying right above him and grabbing the quaffle in the right moment. Chloe was after him, but she hasn't been fast enough.
Eileen had her eyes locked on the red ball. Cornington gained some speed, and then he shot, aiming to the left hoop. She dived to the left, but she wasn't fast enough to hold the quaffle. Instead she just managed to punch it away. She hoped it would be one of her teammates to hold the quaffle but unfortunately it had been Duncan. He quickly shot towards the central hoop. Eileen still tried to go for it, but she wasn't able to.
"Hufflepuff's Captain, Duncan Dippet scores! The game is now tied by 10 points!"
Eileen frowned. She passed the quaffle to Jordan and the match continued.
As the chasers moved away once again from her hoops she glanced at Kurt, her Secret Santa. For one side she was happy she got Kurt's name because she knew Kurt. On the other side she was a little concerned because he was a sixth year and a boy. Eileen had no idea what sixteen year old boys liked. Kurt was also Ravenclaw's Quidditch Captain and Eileen didn't want to end up giving him something he might find ridiculous. She had asked all her siblings for advice, as well as her parents, stepmother and grandfather. She also asked her friends Bernice , Cheyenne, and Magnus. After collecting all sort of suggestions she ended up buying Kurt two things: a mug with a funny saying and T-shirt from a Muggle famous comics character named Superman. But instead of an 'S' for Superman, the T-shirt had a 'K' for Kurt. She knew Kurt had Muggle Studies, so there was a good chance he would understand the joke.
Score (Jordan)
Author: Saffron
Date: 12-04-18 18:33
Jordan scrubs a hand across his face, wiping sweat that had dripped down the sides and also had somehow accumulated under his eyes. How the weather can be this chilly, downright cold even, and him be sweating like he's in a sauna is beyond him. Maybe part of it's due to first game nerves though he's never sweated this much before when nervous about something.
Seth has the quaffle, zagging here, zigging there, avoiding both Duncan's and Kaycee's attempts to steal. Chloe is currently free and slightly ahead so he lobs the ball to her. She catches it then simultaneously pulls it in close while urging her broom to great speeds, rapidly taking her closer to Rex, who as Hufflepuff keeper looks so alert at the moment Jordan wonders if he's had about fifty cups of strong coffee.
Chloe decelerates just as rapidly as she'd accelerated, avoiding a bludger from Tessa coming at her from one direction and Conrad almost directly ahead as he moves in on the other bludger. Swerving around the Hufflepuff beater she spots Jordan hurling a pass his way.
Jordan catches it, though not without Cornington trying to interfere with the pass. Nearly to the area around Rex and the hoops that Jordan knows he could make a throw of the quaffle with enough force to reach one of the hoops he chooses to move in closer.
Kaycee is suddenly there, appearing so quickly Jordon has the silly thought that she's not only learned how to apparate but learned how to get around the spell preventing apparition on Hogwarts grounds. She lunges for the quaffle in his hand as his arm goes back readying to throw it. He jerks a bit in reaction, which in turn puts a wobble on the ball. The wobble affects its flight path but not enough to take it off course from the hoop. Rex is set for the block but a bludger hit by Noah knocks his outstretched hand just enough to allow the quaffle to zip by. It's wonky wobble has it dinging on the hoop but, as Jordan holds his breath and wills the red orb through the hoop, it continues on rather than bouncing back.
Goal!
The score now stands at 20 Ravenclaw, 10 Hufflepuff.
Nervous [Bertie]
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 12-05-18 14:40
Bertie's stomach has been in knots all morning. He felt all right enough last night, a bit nervous to be sure, but come morning the nerves were ratcheted up and his stomach a tight, queasy tangle. His first real match was only a few hours away and Bertie was starting to feel the weight of both stress and pressure of at least making a decent showing even if not managing to catch the snitch.
At the start of the game his main thoughts were of not falling off his broom and not getting so confused as to not fly out of the stadium area entirely. He hoped that once in the air and focused on locating the snitch his stomach would untangle and his overall shakiness would subside. For the most part, Bertie is better but his stomach still has a roil to it that has him wondering if there isn't something else going on. Something as in a stomach bug.
He's searching along the edge of the pitch, not sure at the moment exactly where Bran is other than more towards the pitch end where keeper Eileen McCourt vigilently follows the quaffle action. The acid burn of bile down his throat, into his stomach is not helped by the chill, dry air. A flash of gold just off to his right pushes thoughts of indigestion and nausea away.
Another flash of gold and then the snitch is in front of him, just out of arm's reach. Bertie eases his broom forward, arm slowly stretching out, fingers extended. The snitch darts away, Bertie pushing his broom to increase speed as well.
The snitch loops back off to the right, Bertie losing ground, or would that be air? Increasing his speed even more, he closes the gap, aware now that the announcer - he can't even remember who it is today, Ollie Choate maybe? Yes, that's who. Ollie Choate. Ollie Choate is who now telling the world that Bertie is on the trail of the snitch.
That means Bran will be joining in soon if Bertie can't hurry and catch the blasted winged ball. Bertie ups his speed more, leaning out along the length of his broom, reaching for the ball.
Next thing Bertie knows he's been shoved into the front side of one of the stands. Pain along his side from the slam into the stand and pain where his other shoulder normally is.
Bloody bludger!
Waving at Coach Krum to indicate he's fine, Bertie hopes he doesn't look as frantic as he feels as his eyes search for the snitch. Rubbing the shoulder that took the bludger, he takes little consolation in the fact that Bran, now looking about the area where Bertie was when the bludger got him, hasn't spotted the snitch. At least the pain in his shoulder and the sting in his side from mashing against the stand took his mind off his stomach, even if only for a moment.
Conrad and Franklin
Author: Ellis
Date: 12-05-18 18:13
Conrad listened to Ollie's chatter about Bertie's pursuit of the snitch, but he didn't allow it to distract him from his own task. Duncan had possession of the quaffle and was making a fast drive for the Ravenclaw goal hoops, but Seth and Chloe were hovering closely on either side and were attempting to cause trouble for Duncan. Conrad drove at the nearest available bludger and gave it a hard whack in Chloe's direction. Jordan called out a warning to her, so she missed getting hit, but that opened up an opportunity for Duncan to pass the quaffle to Cornington.
For Secret Santa, Conrad had drawn the name of fellow Hufflepuff student Margaret Kegg, who was in the same year as teammates Tessa and Cornington and a year ahead of Conrad himself. It probably wouldn't have been hard for him to find out what Margaret might like, but Conrad tended to have good instincts on his own, though he wasn't the expert shopper his sister Blakeney was.
Nevertheless, Conrad felt he had done quite well. He had gotten Margaret a nice handbag in a bold yellow color. Blakeney had given it her seal of approval, too.
In a different section of the stands from where she was, Franklin sat and watched the match. Although his brother was playing, Franklin was supporting his own house team, Ravenclaw. He was glad that his team was ahead, though Hufflepuff looked about ready to even up the score.
Franklin, in his first year at Hogwarts and first year participating in Secret Santa, had gotten the name of his own Potions professor, Majandra Weasley. He'd gone straight to classmate Miranda for advice and learned that Professor Weasley was an avid knitter. Armed with that information, Franklin found a case with different knitting supplies, including yarn and knitting needles.
He suddenly found himself watching the match intently. Cornington was nearly upon the Ravenclaw hoops. He lobbed the ball back at Duncan, while Conrad fell into place with timing that couldn't have been more perfect. As if the trick had been practiced until mastered, Duncan let the quaffle fly the same time Conrad hit a bludger. The black ball struck the red ball and propelled it faster and harder along its intended trajectory, sending it through the hoop before Eileen could lay even a finger on it.
"Dippet… and Ellis?… score! The Match is tied, 20-20."
Conrad grinned. Whether that move had been planned or accidental would end up being debated for a long time after the match.
Kaycee - Top of Her Game
Author: Lee Sickleby
Date: 12-05-18 18:44
After Hufflepuff's impressive goal, Eileen handed the quaffle to Seth. Seth passed it to Chloe, who started to throw to Jordan but changed her mind when Duncan got in her way. For a moment, Chloe held on to the quaffle, but then she threw it back to Seth. Kaycee anticipated the possibility and threw herself between Seth and the quaffle, catching it squarely in her arms.
She was so very close to the Ravenclaw hoops still that she quickly eyeballed whether she had a chance of scoring or if it would be better to pass to either Duncan or Cornington. Duncan was still hovering around Chloe, so Kaycee threw the ball to Cornington. He attempted a quick goal himself, but the quaffle hit rim and ricocheted at an angle away from him. Kaycee threw herself towards it, didn't even wince when it smacked into her chest, and immediately lobbed it at a different hoop.
Eileen lunged for it, but she drew back quickly when someone, either Conrad or Tessa, shot a bludger straight for her outstretched arm. The ball struck rim a tiny bit, but it wasn't enough to send it back. The quaffle went through the hoop, putting Hufflepuff ahead for the first time since the match began.
Kaycee knew that she was playing her very best that day. Like Seth, she had intercepted the quaffle a number of times. She'd just scored and put Hufflepuff ahead, 30-20. Kaycee felt like nothing could go wrong for her.
Just thinking it had her head swiveling to look for her tormentors. She spotted them in the Hufflepuff stands, even though they were Gryffindors. Just seated beyond them though was Chip. She shot him a smile and then turned back to the match, just as the first frozen raindrops started to fall from the gray sky.
Eileen was a bit delayed in retrieving the quaffle. Somehow in between Kaycee's score and putting the ball back into play, it appeared to vanish, but then Eileen found it and handed it to Jordan. The game play picked up quickly, despite the rain, which grew from annoyingly cold to pelting daggers of ice. The Ravenclaw chasers worked the ball across the Pitch and tried to score, but didn't. Then the Hufflepuffs got their turn at moving the ball back to the other side of the Pitch.
It went on and on, backwards and forwards, with a few goal attempts, several bludger hits, but no goals or snitch sightings. Kaycee was starting to think her luck had run out. She felt wet and cold, and the ice rain was making the match a miserable experience.
And then something excitingly bad happened. Ravenclaw had the quaffle. Seth lobbed the ball at Chloe. Kaycee darted to get between them to get in another interception, but somehow Tessa got in the way in her attempt to get to a bludger. The quaffle simultaneously struck Tessa in the shoulder and exploded.
Long Time-Out (Seth)
Author: Blossom
Date: 12-06-18 18:59
Play was suspended for the longest time-out Seth has been part of or knows of from professional matches he's listened to and attended or has read about. Or maybe it's not. He's heard about a Hogwarts match during which Uncle Harry broke his arm and some barmy professor tried to fix it on the spot only to make the arm bones vanish. And there was a time when Uncle Harry's broom had a run-in with the Whomping Willow. The stories make it sound as though the time-outs were long but come to think of it, maybe they weren't as long as this one.
There are even more stories of Uncle Harry and Quidditch. Seth is glad that so far he hasn't taken after his uncle when it comes to Quidditch. In fairness, though, Seth has also heard Uncle Harry was rather fantastic as a seeker. A natural.
After Tessa had been checked out for injury from the exploding quaffle Coach Krum and several professors, notably Professor McGonagall, had an intense discussion on the ground out of earshot of players and spectators alike. There was some wild gesticulations from a few of them. A dramatic moment came when Professor Flitwick abruptly pulled his wand and though Seth and others couldn't actually hear him it was soon obvious he'd done a summoning spell because a quaffle suddenly came zooming at him and the other professors clustered together. What's more, the quaffle hadn't come from the locker room and equipment storage area. Seth couldn't tell exactly from where the ball came because he only saw it when it was halfway to the petite professor.
The fact that all this was taking place in freezing rain did not help anyone's patience or tempers.
At long last the match began again. By that point Seth was freezing so he was hoping Coach Krum would announce a postponement until tomorrow. But, no. Probably the only way a postponement would have taken place is if there was lightening, making it too dangerous to allow students to be up in the air.
Ravenclaw had had what was somehow either a rigged quaffle or something else such as a quod, the ball used in quodpot. No matter what it was, Coach Krum gave possession of a real quaffle back to Ravenclaw. Jordan puts the ball back into play with a pass to Chloe. She races away with it, narrowly avoiding a bludger from Conrad.
She pushes in towards Rex, sending the quaffle to the hoop off to Rex's right. Rex bats it away with one hand. Duncan throws himself sideways to catch it but Seth gets there's first. He shifts his grip on it slightly to make for easier throwing then lets the quaffle fly as far from Rex as he can get it and still have the ball aimed at a hoop. Rex zips that direction, throwing himself at the quaffle when he gets closer but he's not close enough.
The game is tied again at 30 points per team. As the Hufflepuff chasers begin moving the ball in the direction where the other set of hoops and Eileen are, Seth suddenly thinks about Secret Santa. He has Eileen's sister Belinda, who is both a year ahead of him and in Slytherin. During the last Hogsmeade Saturday Seth had gotten Larkin's opinion on a few items then narrowed down himself what to get as a gift.
One of Slytherin's colors is silver. One of the items Seth had shown Larkin was a shimmery lacey silver top. Larkin liked it because she said it could be dressed up with a skirt or nice slacks or worn a little more dressed down with a pair of jeans. Seth has little idea about fashion sense but with Larkin's stamp of approval, he'd gone with the silver top, wrapping it in equally shimmery silver paper and matching ribbon.
Kaycee, looking like she too would rather be out of the icy rain, nears Eileen, quaffle in hand, ready to throw for another goal attempt.
Back And Forth (Cornington)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 12-07-18 10:05
An extremely well timed bludger from Noah collides with the quaffle just as it leaves Kaycee's hand. Cornington's able to swoop in and sweep the quaffle into the crook of one arm before Chloe gets to it. He shifts the ball to his hand as quickly as he can then tosses it to Duncan, who's fairly close to one of the hoops.
Jordan tries to interfere with the pass but Duncan catches the quaffle then immediately lets it go again. Kurt slows Eileen with a bludger but not enough to prevent her from keeing Duncan's shot from going through the hoop. She catches the quaffle outright and hands it to Seth who, in turn, passes long to Chloe.
Chloe rockets away, Cornington swooping in right beside her. She flies a swerving path in an effort to gain some distance from Cornington, hoping her erractic pattern will throw him off pace. Jordan, flying a straight line, gets ahead of Chloe's position. Duncan is shadowing him but a bludger to the side leaves Jordan open long enough for Chloe to pass.
Seeing she's thinking of giving up possession, Cornington dives his broom under her to shoot up the other side at a steep angle. Cutting Jordan off, the quaffle comes straight to Cornington. With Hufflepuff in possession once again he whips his broom around to zoom back the other direction.
He's barely gained ground when a bludger connects with the elbow of the arm holding the quaffle. The hit is just right, catching that spot often called the funny bone. Cornington's arm reflexes without conscious thought, shooting straight out to his side. Though he's still gripping the quaffle and just as quickly yanks his arm back in tight to his body, that half second, maybe even just a quarter of a second, is enough for Seth to lift the ball from Cornington's hand.
Whirling his broom tightly around to once more fly in keeper Rex's direction, Cornington grins at seeing Kaycee managing to sneak up on Jordan and pluck the quaffle right back. As he brings his broom back around to head for Eileen yet again he thinks it's a good think he doesn't get ill easily because all this whipping about in a short time could definitely make a person queasy.
(Noah) Dangerous Game
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 12-07-18 12:47
Noah had never seen a quaffle explode before and he didn't know what to make of it. Had it simply been defective, or was there more to it? Was Tessa its intended target if the latter were the case, or had she simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Witnessing the accident had Noah wondering if bludgers could explode. Seeing as how it was his job to hit them, he felt like he was at great risk of causing one to blow up, assuming it could even happen. He supposed one benefit about the biting cold, made all the worse with the icy rain, was that he couldn't feel anything, so losing a limb in an explosion might not be quite as painful as it normally would be.
He sighed deeply when Kaycee plucked the quaffle out of Jordan's arms. She and Seth were intercepting and stealing left and right today. Noah was okay with Seth doing those things because Seth was on his team, but Kaycee was the opposition! She needed to be stopped.
Noah spied a bludger up ahead and raced after it, but Tessa was there first. She was in surprisingly good shape after what happened. Apparently her hearing wasn't great at the moment, and there was a rather large burn mark on the upper sleeve of her uniform. She probably couldn't feel much pain, since it was so blasted cold outside.
Tessa nudged the bludger at Conrad, who gave it a mighty whack at Seth, who was doing that attempted-stealing thing again. Watching Seth put Gideon to mind. Gideon was Noah's Secret Santa recipient this year, and he also played Quidditch, only for the Gryffindor team. The gift Noah got him was a Gryffindor Quidditch hoodie.
Kaycee managed to keep hold of the quaffle and then launched it at Cornington, who came at the Ravenclaw goal hoops swiftly and at a slight angle. Eileen anticipated that he would try something tricky, but she didn't expect him to turn around abruptly after passing her by and then shooting the ball with a massive amount of spin. She dove to get her fingers on it, but his throw was so powerful and her touch so slight that he managed to get the quaffle past her nonetheless.
Now Hufflepuff leading 40-30.
Bringing The Match To An End
Author: Saffron
Date: 12-07-18 19:24
Rex swipes at his face, wishing now he had goggles on. He really should wear them because of having quaffles and bludgers coming his way on a regular basis. He could wear a pair charmed not to fog up and to automatically wipe off water. That would definitely beat constantly clearing his eyes. He also wants a cap or some other headgear that would keep his hair dry and therefore free of water dripping onto his face.
For around ten minutes after Hufflepuff's fourth goal the chasers were unable to move the quaffle to either end of the pitch. One team would get almost near enough for a goal attempt but not near enough before losing possession. Now, Ravenclaw is just about to that point again with Rex thinking that once more Hufflepuff will retake the quaffle and charge back Eileen's way.
He's wrong.
In a blink, Chloe has made it to within a few feet of Rex, quaffle at the ready to throw. He's able to bat away her effort with the flat of one hand, trying to send it in Duncan's direction but Seth gets in front of Duncan. Seth hurls the ball towards the center of one of the hoops but again Rex deflects it away. Cornington has the quaffle now but then a bludger from Kurt has him losing his grip on the red ball.
Kurt shoots away after the bludger he's just hit, pleased that Jordan now has the quaffle. As Kurt slows to avoid Tessa's bat as she swings for the same black ball he's after, Noah's targeted Rex with the other bludger. Conrad tries to get there in time to divert the hard black ball but doesn't make it. The bludger clips Rex, throwing him just off kilter enough that he's unable to stop Jordan's throw. The quaffle sails through one of the hoops for another Ravenclaw goal, a goal that once more ties the score, which now stands at 40 to 40.
Kurt hustles after the Tessa hit bludger, wanting to try and keep Hufflepuff from making it very far down the pitch. He intercepts the bludger, which seems to be on a course to hit Seth. Batting it at an angle to send it Duncan's way, Kurt is already off after the second bludger. Again he's forced to slow because once more Tessa is there before him. Meanwhile, the one he just hit is intercepted, to Kurt's annoyance, by Conrad, who sends it right back Seth's way. Just in time too as Seth was on the verge of stealing the quaffle from Duncan.
As soon as he's able, Kurt sends a bludger Duncan's way right about the same time that Noah does as well. The Noah batted bludger reaches Duncan first, connecting with the chaser's leg. The one from Kurt then smacks into him, taking him in the side, more to his back. Chloe swoops in to steal the quaffle from him but he's able to get a pass off to Cornington first. In turn, Cornington throws to Kaycee.
Kurt is charging after a bludger again when Bran spots the snitch. Unfortunately, Bertie sees it more or less at the same time. The two seekers converge on the tiny ball, which reacts by popping straight up between them as if fired upwards like a projectile. Bertie and Bran climb, their brooms steeply angled to better match the snitch's trajectory.
The snitch stops its upward climb to dart forward horizontally. Bran levels off as does Bertie. They'd not started out all that close but now, somehow, find they are flying so closely side-by-side their sodden uniforms are brushing against each other.
Not only is Bran more experienced than Bertie but he thinks from having watched the Hufflepuff seeker that his broom has more manueverability and that he's more dexterous overall. Upping Bran's confidence is how green Bertie looks. Bran wouldn't be at all surprised if at any moment Bertie lost whatever he's eaten today. If that happens Bran fervently hopes none of it gets on him.
When they'd leveled off they were also fairly level with each other but Bran's steadily edging out Bertie. He's pulled ahead and is closing in on the snitch. Bran stretches for it, getting even closer. His fingertips brush the snitch. Bran's about to curl his fingers around the winged ball.
ATCHOO!
The force of his sneeze is so great that Bran's hand shoots right by the snitch. He fumbles for it, his hand, his entire body now lined up all wrong to easily grab it. Swiveling and fumbling more Bran's heart sinks as he locates the snitch again just in time to watch as Bertie Nutcombe closes his own hand around it, ending the match.
Defeated by a sneeze, Ravenclaw loses to Hufflepuff 40 to 190.