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Anything But Seeker
Author: Bailey 
Date:   08-22-07 17:33

Bailey spirels around, dodging both a bludger and an attempt at taking the quaffle held tightly to his chest. The current scrimmage is nearly over. Maybe five minutes. Bailey, still spinning, keeps his broom moving forward. Plenty of time to reach the hoops and either make a scoring attempt of his own or pass it off to one of the other yellow team chasers. This is the second scrimmage that Bailey's played chaser, not that he minds. He'd also done beater and keeper. He'll gladly try seeker if asked though Bailey knows he'd not be all that good at that position. Bailey's not picky about what position he gets if on the team but there are others trying out much better at seeker than he's not worried he'll be picked for spot.

When arriving at the pitch this morning, Bailey had thought Jewel would be trying out as well. She changed her mind before students were put into groups for drills though Bailey wishes she hadn't. Even if on different teams they could have worked out some togther. Bailey fleetingly considered not tryout out either. He does have NEWTs to prepare for and his parents have put great emphasis on him doing extremely well in those tests. After they refused to protest the segregation policies now in effect at Hogwarts, Bailey decided to go out for the Gryffindor team because he knows how much that would annoy them.

After the group he was in had gone through each of the drills, they'd all gathered on the sidelines with those from the other groups, waiting to play in the scrimmages. Bailey could tell that many are angry about the newest of Snidely's rules but there are some faces that look extremely pleased. Bailey paid close attention to a couple of them during their various scrimmages and could understand why they'd be so happy about the rule about a Pureblood getting a place on a team over a Non because that is the only way those two would make their teams otherwise.

Bailey reaches the end of the pitch, avoiding a collision with one orange team member and passing off to yellow team chaser Coco. The blue haired, barefooted girl dives down then in a deft backhand toss returns the quaffle to Bailey. He aims for the center hoop but at the last second pushes to the right. The quaffle sails through the right hoop, grazing the hoop as it goes through, the keeper throws herself to her left to stop it but can't get there in time.

In the remaining time for the match, Bailey takes a bludger to the shoulder but also blocks a pass attempt between two of the orange chasers. The match ends with Bailey's team, the yellow, winning by one goal.

Going Out For A Hufflepuff Spot
Author: Jet 
Date:   08-22-07 18:43

Jet hands off the orange armband he'd been wearing in the last scrimmage to someone in this next scrimmage. Watching from the sidelines, Jet wonders for about the hundredth time today alone why he's even out here. Jet likes Quidditch well enough and even plays reasonable well. He's simply never been much for team sports. Not only that but he's got NEWTs at the end of the school term. They'll be hell to prepare for if OWLs were anything by which to judge.

Before and during breakfast Jet questioned the decision he'd made the middle of the first week of school to go out for the Hufflepuff team. Questing the decision is something he's done since making it. The only thing he can come up with is that it's a challenge to himself to stretch past the bounds of his comfort zone. Do something wholly different but not the sort of different the shadow person would like him to do. Jet doesn't remember specifics but he knows without doubt that he once listened to the voice, did some unacceptable things. Sometimes in dreams he'll get flashes of what exactly he did but upon waking he can't put those actions into words. Not yet anyway.

Jet winces in sympathy when one of the scrimmagers takes a bludger hard enough to the leg that even down on the pitch the crack of the impact is heard. Coach Batuti halts play to examine the boy's leg even though he's waving her off through his grimaces. She shakes her head and sends him offsides, calling out to another on the sideline to finish out scrimmage.

Jet sits down on the ground, his broom in front of him. During the drills he had tried to think of what position he might like were he to make the team. Even know, having played beater, chaser, and seeker in scrimmages so far, he''s not sure. Jet figures he'll take whatever they give him. If he makes the team. Being a Pureblood, he sort of figures he's a shoe in. He hates that idea. Shadow person loves it. Is cackling with glee even now.

Mentally telling it to shut the bloody hell up so he can concentrate, Jet gets a short time later to play in another scrimmage, this time for yellow and this time as keeper. Jet flies up to take position before the three hoops he's to tend. Two chasers, one from each team, do the tip off with the quaffle. Orange takes possession and immediately the chaser, Emerald Green from Jet's own house, comes charging down the pitch at him. A yellow chaser, a younger boy named Deak, swoops in and plucks the quaffle from Emerald's hand but another from orange takes it right back. Jet's not sure who the boy is other than he's wearinng Slytherin colors.

The boy comes to a halt in front of the hoops, the action so sudden that if vehicles had been involved there would have been a loud screeching and skidding to a stop. The boy shoots the quaffle, his eyes giving away where he's aiming even before his throwing arm does. Jet is in motion before the quaffle ever leaves the boy's hand, easily blocking the shot with one hand.

Jet tosses the quaffle to another of the orange chasers, Bailey Gray, and watches as the pack of chasers and beaters moves off in the oppposite direction. If Hufflepuff didn't have a keeper already in the form of Sage Porter, Jet thinks he could do this job as well as any of the others. He guesses he'll see what position he gets - if he gets one - when the tryouts are over and the captains, and he supposes Coaches Batuti and Krum, have discussed who should make it and who gets disappointed. Too bad they don't have total say. Some deserving people will be disappointed after today thanks to Harriet Snider's latest rules.

Moving On
Author: Sage Porter 
Date:   08-22-07 20:27

After helping by playing Keeper for the drills centering on scoring goals, Sage returned to the stands to sit with Ariella and Alanna. Unlike the other teams, Hufflepuff doesn't have anyone who was on the team last time Quidditch was held at Hogwarts. From that last team, Anthony Beck and Plum Lancaster graduated that year and then last year, the year of the SAT, the other two members, Owen Cauldwell and Siegfried Dewhurst, graduated as well.

Ariella had no plans to make Alanna and Sage try out again, though from what Sage has been told, some captains of past teams (of various houses) required everyone to try again or just certain ones. Sage doesn't even need to be here today but with nothing better to do, watching the trials seemed like a fun way to spend today. Snider took a good chunk of that joy away with her announcements. Doesn't she get that her rules could mean that the teams are second rate simply because the best players aren't allowed to be on them?

Sage is hating his purebloodedness more and more thanks to Snider. His father can be snotty enough about who's more deserving and what little time he's spent around his newest step-mother Birdy and Birdy's cousin Dolores, they were of that mindset as well. Umbridge though seems more nasty about it. Like Snider.

"Still miss her?" Alanna asks cutting into Sage's thoughts.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Still miss her?"

"Who?"

Alanna laughs lightly. "Guess not then."

Realization dawns. "Oh. Aubrey you mean." Sage shrugs. "Sometimes but mainly no."

Alanna, eyes on the players, softly says, "She wasn't always like that. Well, let me back that up. Aubrey was also a little bit self-centered but not in a really egotistical way. It wasn't until she started modeling and until after they moved down the coast."

"Gabby Delacour models and she's not stuck up and snotty," Sage observes.

"True. I don't know why Aubrey was affected that way."

Sage shrugs again. "She's gone now and like I said, mostly I don't miss her. Don't think about her."

"Have your eye on anyone else or going to stay solo for awhile?" Alanna laughs lightly again, this time looking away from the Quidditch scrimmage to Sage. "I'm being nosy. Sorry."

"No, it's all right. I could ask you the same. You're pretty much always solo."

Alanna blushes. Sage takes that to mean she's got her eye on someone but doesn't want to talk about it. Sage is more than happy to change the subject.

"Anyone from Hufflepuff jumping out at you as a good team player?"

Alanna, eyes back on the pitch, starts pointing out some candidates with potential.

Possible Conflict
Author: Griet 
Date:   08-22-07 20:34

When it came Cornelia's turn to participate in a scrimmage match, she found herself not opposite Eithne like she'd wanted but on the same team instead! She had great difficult wrapping her mind around the idea that she and Eithne had to cooperate, at least for the duration of the scrimmage. It really took all the strength Cornelia had not to use the beater's bat she was carrying on the Hufflepuff girl. Luckily, it was a quick match and Cornelia and Eithne were separated. Cornelia was placed in the next round as seeker, the position she most wanted to play for Slytherin. She kept an eye out for the golden snitch, which she spotted early on in the scrimmage and went after, as if her life depended on it.

Meanwhile, Griet played chaser in the same scrimmage match, having sat out Cornelia's first one. She and Cornelia were actually on the same team, which she hoped would lend itself over into reality as well. Funny how just a few years ago, Griet and Cornelia couldn't get along and now they were like the best of friends. It was unfortunate that it took Cornelia almost dying to get the sisters to bond, but at least they'd managed to become friends.

The more Griet played, the more confident she felt in her position. She caught the quaffle each time someone threw it at her and only got blocked at the goal line once. A bludger grazed her forehead at one point, but Griet felt that it probably wouldn't leave much of a mark.

Despite growing accustomed to playing Quidditch again, there was one dark cloud hanging over Griet's head. Two years ago, she didn't have to worry about the lunar cycle. A full moon and the days around it didn't affect her one way or the other. Now it was a different story. She hadn't even thought to compare the Quidditch schedule to the calendar. Hopefully there wouldn't be a major conflict.... assuming she'd even make the team, since she was a half-breed and all.

A job well done
Author: Alice Cullen 
Date:   08-23-07 08:55

There was a red silk scarf on top of a purple scarf, that adored a small round table were Alice sat. Alice wore an old fashion gown of red silk and she looked more like a gypsy from the renaissance time period, then a witch trying to tell a young man’s future. The young man’s future wasn’t very exciting and she half wondered if she should twist it for him a little. After all, nothing was ever set in stone when it came to the future. Things changed. They always did.

“ Will I get married?” The man asked Alice with wide expecting eyes.

“ Yes, to a nice young woman, who you will meet in a shop.” Alice answered as she squinted her eyes trying to concentrate.

“ What shop?”

“ I can’t tell. Some kind of coffee shop…” Alice trailed off. Wouldn’t that be something if this nice man meant his soon to be wife in Alice’s little tea shop?

“Will we have children?”

“ Five. Three girls and one boy.”

“ Will I get a nice job to support my family?”

Alice sighed, all the usual questions people ask. Just once she’d like to read and interesting future. “ You’ll get a fairly decent job to help support your family. You like to write? You should consider writing for a news paper or a book.”

The man seemed to think about that for a moment and smiled. “ I did just get an interview with the Daily Prophet. Maybe I will get a job there?” It was another question on the future.

“ It seems as if you just might.” Alice answered coming out of the daze she had gone into. She smiled at the man. “ Is there anything else you wish to know?”

“ No that is all.” The man said and laid a few coins into Alice’s hands. Alice plopped them into her jar. She smiled brightly and watched the man walk away.

Just as the man was about to step over the threshold of Alice’s shop, a woman walked through the door. Alice laughed at this. She did have a tea shop in her shop. The man turned to star at Alice with wide eyes. This made her laugh again. She motioned over to her shop and the man took the ladies hand and led her over there.

That was a job well done and I didn’t have to do much of anything. Alice thought happily.

Woolly
Author: Georgia Copperpot 
Date:   08-23-07 15:44

I was born to have a Quaffle in my hand. Anyone who knows me knows how vair, vair humble I am but the fact remains I am a bloody genius with the Quaffle. Now, with the rules laid down this morning by that snide hairy bugger I do believe I shall refer to as Furball from now on. Though, I suppose, that is an insult to cats everywhere. Hmmm, must think on that more.

Woolly. Woolly like a mammoth. Built sort of like one too.

I digress.

With the new rules Woolly announced this morning I don't think my geniusosity as a Chaser born to have a Quaffle in hand is going to be worth a hill of rare candied sloth tongues for the most unsual of potions but since when have I ever withered in the face of such jowly, hirsute adversity?

A lovely day to spend looking at Quidditch minded sex gods. Izzy says I gape but natural born Chasers with the geniusosity I possess do not gape. Nor oogle. Nor stare. Nor gawk. Nor any of the other words that walking dictionary Izzy threw at me. A regular plesaurus she is. Or is that thesaurus?

But I digress again.

This morning seemed regular enough. As regular is a morning is that starts off with getting kinks out from a too lumpy, too scratchy mattress then eating on the downward side of a purple line. How many without Muggle connections get the whole purplenosity thing I wonder.

Oops, starting to digress again.

Came down with my bestest chums Izzy, Edith, and Catherine to the pitch for Quidditch trials, me to try out, them to rally me on from the sidelines is bestest chums supportiveness. This is the first year I thought I stood a real chance of making the team. Didn't have one my third year. My second year I didn't have enough experience playing even for fun so definately wasn't qualified to tryout. This year though was to be my year.

Until Woolly Mammoth struck.

I can't say I'm vair shocked. Not with the rules and regulations she's already set forth. When nothing had been said by the time we left the Great Hall for the pitch, I did hope. Now, my hopes have been dashed by the giant, furry feet of Woolly. Stomped them to bloody bits.

But still I perservere. Even if I don't make the team today, someone could drop out later or be pulled or Dumbledore could return and restore order, calling for a Quidditch trial do over.

While warming up with the group I'd been put into when things first got started this morning, I kept thinking about how I might have a chance still. A slim one though one that's about as slim as Woolly is wide.

But at least some of the sex gods will notice me more. Vair big plus to trying out and if I don't make the team it's not for lack of skills. As mentioned, I'm geniusosity in motion with a Quaffle in my hand. In the scrimmage rounds, each time that I was able to play Chaser, I demonstrated just how vair, vair good I am at it. Surely a sex god or two saw and is impressed. I'm certain Sage Porter looked my way. Playing Quidditch around sex gods vair interested in the game is better for entrancing boys then boy entrancers are.

This scrimmage I am, sadly, a Beater. Not that thwacking the bloody hell out of a Bludger doesn't feel vair spectacular at the moment. It does. I just imagine the Bludger is good old Woolly's head. I picture where her two eyebrows meet to make it look like she's got just one, and WHAM I bat the hell out of the Bludger, as if I'm hitting Woolly square in her unibrow. Doesn't much matter to me if it hits an opponent or not.

Coach Batuti blows her whistle to end the match. Once on the ground again I hope to have to go right back up, as Chaser this time. But if not, I'll just look around to see what the various sex gods present are doing.

Translations:
vair = very
geniusosity = geniusness, genius
Quidditch minded sex gods = just as it implies, sex gods who love Quidditch
purplenosity = as used above it just means purple
boy entrancers = fake eyelashes

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