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For The Love Of Flying
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 08-23-07 17:11
Coco slams her bat into one of the Bludgers, sending it straight between two of the opposing chasers in the midst of passing the Quaffle. The one throwing the Quaffle jerks back while the Quaffle is still in contact with his hands, sending the red ball off the intended path. The girl reaching out to catch, Coco thinks her name is Olive could have her mixed up with another of the younger set, moves her hand enough to avoid the Bludger hit that the Quaffle on its new course, goes far wide of the target. Jack Emerson swoops in to scoop up the Quaffle, yelling a thanks to Coco for the assist.
Coco smiles but doubts Jack sees it. He's already off at top speed, Quaffle clutched to him, in one direction and Coco's already darting after the other Bludger. For some reason Coco suddenly wonders if the new band The Bludgers playing in the PO common room is any good. She'll not be finding out other than by word of mouth until the WWN plays something by the band, if it ever does.
Coco has put up with some prejudices since being born but she never let such things bother her for longer than it takes to snap her fingers. Although kids born out of wedlock aren't the stigma it was many years ago, Coco has come across people all her life who think lesser of her for having no idea who her father is. People like that Coco has no time for and never thinks twice about.
Living now in the glaring light of another type of prejudice is harder for Coco to ignore. She still hasn't let it get to her much. Her little outburst of calling Snider a beastly bitch has been the extent of what she's openly shown. It's not that Coco isn't bothered by it all. She is. Coco's personality is simply such that she doesn't dwell on the negative. Snider's making that harder and harder and Coco doesn't like at all how it's making her feel.
Slamming the Bludger she's caught up with, Coco expells some of the frustration that's built up again just within the last few minutes. Following through with the solid hit, Coco watches as it hits Jet Obsidian's broom hard enough to keep him from getting to the other Bludger.
Coco catches a glimpse of Daria as she flies by the stand from where Daria has been watching the trials. She hasn't looked at all happy about being here since being named the new captain. Even though it's Daria's seventh year, it's very plain that she didn't want the captain's badge at Fritz's expense. Coco casts around, looking for him. She has no plans to tell him that she's going to tell Daria soon as she's able that if it comes down to either Fritz on the team or Coco on the team, Daria should choose Fritz. Much as Coco loves the game, a good part of the joy comes from flying at breakneck speeds. All Coco has to do for that thrill is turn into her bird form or get her winged horse Hazel or one of the Thestrals to take her flying.
Swinging her bat back to make another satisfying connection with a Bludger, Coco sighs ever so slightly. One of the drawbacks of not being on the team is the satisfaction of knocking the hell out of Bludgers. Coco supposes there's always coming down to the pitch to do just that even if she's not on a team.
Spotting again the Bludger she'd just hit, Coco zooms after it in hopes of getting in another few really good, hard hits before this round of scrimmage ends.
Adenius Aegyptus
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 08-23-07 17:12
Like at the previous two oases, Siwah and Al-Fayyum, Hermione, Harry and Ron split up much of the work, scoping out various areas individually to cover more ground in less time. Every once in a while, they would apparate back to the same spot to eat a snack and rest. Sometimes when Hermione and Ron found themselves alone, they took advantage of their time together by kissing or cuddling. Hermione was usually so distracted by her efforts to find the Adenius Aegyptus, that whenever Harry joined them, she was more than eager to discover if he'd found anything and never noticed Ron's frustration that their alone-time had been interrupted.
Currently, they'd separated to do more reconnaissance work. Hermione knew that they had only been looking for three days now and that she really shouldn't give up hope that they would never find the plant they needed to help Bill, but at the same time, each remaining oasis had had less rainfall amounts than the last and the flower required an abundance of water to grow.
Hermione just happened to run into an Egyptian wizard who was out for a jaunt with a cat in a basket on his arm. It was a sphynx, and its rosy, hairless skin looked like it might burn under the sun.
"Hello!" the wizard greeted, as he briskly walked past Hermione.
"Hello!" Hermione replied, with a smile. Truly, sphynxes were odd-looking creatures.
The wizard slowed to a stop and asked wonderingly, "Not many tourists venture out to this part of Bahariya. What brings you here?" His English was very good, though strongly accented.
"Actually, I'm looking for a plant, the Adenius Aegyptus. Do you know it?"
"Of course. It's very rare to see one in bloom, but if you want to see one, you are in luck!"
"I am?!" Hermione asked excitedly.
"Oh, yes. Rain hasn't been much in a long time, but there was a recent problem with the Muggle irrigation system. It was just the right amount for the plant to grow."
"Where is it?" Hermione asked, hardly able to contain her energy.
"Two kilometers that way," the wizard said, pointing with his free hand off to Hermione's right. "You can't miss it."
"Thank you!" Hermione exclaimed.
The wizard saluted and then continued off in another direction, with his cat basket hooked on his arm.
She went off in the direction he'd indicated and eventually came to a small clearing, where there was not one, but dozens of the plants, all clustered together. The earth was soft where she walked but not oversaturated. Hermione grinned and sank down to her knees next to one of the flowers. Its petals were golden and white and smelled just divine. She knew that she needed at least seven petals for the potion, but wanted to get at least twice the amount as a backup. She also knew that she needed to start the potion as soon as possible, meaning that she, Harry and Ron would need to travel home today so that she could immediately get to work.
Hermione cast her patronus to call Harry and Ron to her location. She couldn't wait to see their faces when they saw the flowers!
(Kate) Watching
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 08-23-07 17:44
Kate sat in the stands and watched the trials. She knew that if she'd been left alone in her dormitory room, she would have stayed in bed all day and cried. Her hand ached terribly from the detention she had to endure, and she had only suffered a few day's worth of it so far. Luckily, it only lasted a week, but she had a feeling it would feel like an eternity before the end.
She knew that she wasn't the only one to get Yaxley's detention. She'd seen other students around the school cradling injured hands and had heard murmurings from others about how so and so had had to write fifty lines in one night and had nearly passed out from the pain and the blood. What surprised Kate is that she'd heard that a pureblood student had also suffered the same punishment. It had been that boy Gus, who'd told on her to Professor Yaxley even though she'd felt in her mind that she'd done nothing wrong. Kate had honestly thought that only the so-called nons would suffer such heinous punishments, but she was at least gratified to know that there didn't seem to be much segregation in terms of physical torture at Hogwarts.
She watched Sophia flying around the Pitch and sort of hoped the Hufflepuff fourth year would make the team. Maybe then Sophia would forget about how much she loathed sharing a dorm room with a first year. Kate herself hadn't given one thought to trying out herself. One, she was a first year and first years rarely made the team (or so she'd heard, anyway). Two, she just wasn't that sporty. It seemed she took after her cousin Bronwyn in that respect. Bronwyn hadn't played for Hufflepuff when she'd been at Hogwarts, but she had commented at the matches for a few years. Kate couldn't picture herself doing that either, though.
She supposed she was feeling very antisocial, and it didn't help that she still felt like she didn't have many friends. True, she wasn't really trying, and she spent most of her time outside of class holed up in her four-poster bed.
Kate felt a presence sit down behind her. She turned around and saw Mark sitting behind her. He was, to her surprise, alone.
"Hand hurt?" he asked casually.
Kate turned back around to face the front and didn't reply for a long moment. Then she said, "Maybe."
"You might try to put an icepack on it," Mark suggested, "after your next detention."
"Why are you giving me advice?" Kate asked, still facing the field. "I thought you wouldn't care whether a non like me is suffering."
Mark shrugged, though Kate couldn't see. "Just thought I'd make the suggestion."
"Where are your friends?" Kate asked, wondering especially about Gus.
"Around," Mark replied vaguely. "Where are yours?"
Kate didn't answer. What could she say? She finally decided to ask something else. "Why aren't you trying out?"
"Not sure I want to be in my cousin's shadow," Mark replied.
"Your cousin?"
"Isolde Farnon. She played for Slytherin for years, and then she went on to play for the Salisbury Snakes before she got injured. She'd coaching Little League now."
"Why do you think you'd be in her shadow? Maybe Quidditch is in your blood. Maybe you're just as good, or better even." Kate didn't know why she was making conversation with someone who might as well be her enemy.
"Some people here would still remember her," Mark replied, shrugging again. "She graduated a couple of years ago."
"What does it matter if they do or don't? You won't know what type of player you are until you try."
"Well, maybe I'll try next year. Why aren't you trying out?"
"I don't want to play, and I don't think I'd make the team anyway." She added quietly, "Or be wanted," as she remembered Snider's pronouncement.
"You never know," Mark said, "but if you don't want to, that's your thing."
Kate opened her mouth to speak, but she felt another presence behind her and heard Gus say, "How's it, mate?" as he clapped Mark on the back.
She debated getting up and leaving, feeling like Gus might start in on her being there, but then decided she would just steel herself. She didn't think Mark would stand up for her, but maybe she could stand up for herself without getting in trouble with Yaxley again.
Plymouth vs London
Author: Isolde
Date: 08-23-07 18:21
All around Britain, the first matches of the inaugural Quidditch Little League were underway or had already taken place that morning. At Plymouth Pitch, the cream-clad London Lambs and the olive green-clad Polliwogs met for the very first time in their own very first matches. Currently, the score was 20-10, with the Lambs leading. Unlike professional and Hogwarts Quidditch matches, Little League matches were timed, and the clock was already ticking down to just fifteen minutes remaining.
Isolde was a sore loser, but she didn't want to show her disappointment in front of the kids, who ought to learn that it was okay not to win sometimes. Still, she would hate to lose her very first match as coach.
She stood on the sidelines, using her cane as support since standing for long periods of time wasn't easy on her. She shouted out instructions to her kids, hoping they could hear her from so far below them. The other coach, Alban Bracewell, dressed in a cream-colored tracksuit, had a clipboard in his hand and also shotued up at his kids.
Jamie Henderson had the quaffle and zipped towards the opposing team's goals, though the two beaters for the Lambs were eager to unseat her. Little League bludgers were much softer than real bludgers though and really couldn't do much physical damage. They could serve as major distractions though. She managed to dodge most of them, but lost the quaffle to a chaser from the opposing team when she neared the hoops.
Isolde had really hoped that Jamie could tie the match, so that the game would go into overtime, but then she noticed that Daphne Runnels, one of the seekers for the Polliwogs, had her eye on the snitch. If she caught the snitch in the next ten minutes, the Polliwogs would win. The seeker for the Lambs caught on quickly and chased after Daphne. All the parents and other fans were already on their feet, cheering for one or the other to grab the snitch. Isolde tried to keep her eyes on all portions of the match but found herself mainly drawn to the chase for the golden ball.
Daphne urged her broomstick forwards, dipped just in time with the snitch, and then snatched it with a sweep of her palm.
Isolde jumped up, dropping her cane to the ground and cried out, "Yes!!!!!!"
She'd done it. She'd coached her Plymouth Polliwogs to their very first victory.
Tryouts (Alastor and Alexa)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 08-23-07 19:31
Of all the Wenlock cousins only Alastor Jenkins and Alexa decided to try out for their house Quidditch teams, Alastor's being Ravenclaw and Alexa's being Slytherin. Alastor had tried to talk Daniel and Hadrian into trying out, even wheedled Hunter a little even though Hunter's only a first year. Alexa had tried to get Jill and Cora to tryout, even going so far as to point out that their friends Etta and Olive are trying for the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams.
Alastor really wants to be a beater. Until just before the tryouts began, he'd thought he'd be trying out for a chaser spot or keeper. With Coco Nutt and Fritz Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen having to vacate the two beater spots and with both being Nons, Alastor feels he's got a real chance now for beater.
Alastor had felt bad at first. During the drills he kept telling himself he should drop out, make it easier for Coco and Fritz to get their spots back. Now though, Alastor is thinking he's as deserving. Okay, so he's not got the experience they do. He's got no idea if with that experience they are either one of them any good. With the SAT held his first year, all Alastor has to go on is Deak, Jack, Sage, and others who've seem them play.
Alastor would never admit aloud that he thinks he's just as deserving, if not more so, than they are. He is, afterall, just a second year. They are sixth years. But... but they aren't Pures. He is. Alastor really likes his cousin Cora. Loves her even. But lately he's been telling himself things like he loves her in spite of her being a Non. Deep down he knows that's wrong. The segregation is wrong and the treatment of the Nons is horrible. Alastor can't help how he feels though. He just can't ever let any of the Wenlock relations know the direction his thoughts and feelings have taken.
The tryouts are winding down but there's to be one or two more scrimmages. Alastor, to his delight, gets selected and better yet, he gets tapped to be a beater. Alastor takes to the air, bat clutched firmly in hand, eyes already searching for one of the two bludgers.
Alastor sees one and heads to intercept it. Out of the corner of his eye he sees someone else aiming for the same bludger. Urging his broom faster, Alastor pulls slightly ahead, his arm swinging back to ready the bat. He makes contact with the bludger but doesn't catch it squarely. Doesn't matter. He's hit it and beaten the other person, whom he nows sees to be Alexa, to the bludger.
Shooting his cousin a grin, Alastor takes off to locate another bludger to hit. Alexa grins back, going the opposite direction in her own search for a bludger. She's a little surprised at herself being out here. Alexa really likes Quidditch but she never thought much of playing on a team herself. Not until over the summer when she played Quidditch a great deal with her cousins, including Deak and Drake. And Sage. Can't forget Sage. Alexa hasn't quite worked out what he is to her because it's a little confusing. Cousin Aaron's wife's brother. Not a blood relation but what would he be called when trying to explain him to someone else?
Alexa had arrived to the pitch this morning eager to get going. Snider's announcement had taken the wind out of her sails a little but mainly because it means Olive is less likely to make the team. Part of Alexa's excitement had been centered on Olive and she both possibly making the team. Slytherin need a lot of new players and after the announcements, even the one for certain person on the team, Griet, isn't so certain anymore. Olive's a half-blood so that automatically puts her behind anyone else wanting a chaser spot. Alexa wants keeper so at least she's got the comfort of knowing that she wouldn't be the reason Olive doesn't make the cut no matter how good Olive is.
Alexa slows her broom, hefting the bat, getting a better grip on it. She really doesn't like being a beater. Flying around carrying a heavy bat does not seem like a fun time to her and she's only done it a few times when playing at home and in the current scrimmage. Maybe if she built up her arm muscles it wouldn't be so bad. Keeper is much better. Still get to play, it's an important job for the team, but while everyone else is flying around being frazzled, the keeper gets to watch the game until the action comes to that set of goals.
Alexa is still a little short for a keeper but she's growing, plus she's quick on a broom. During one scrimmage she got to play keeper she made five saves!
Swinging the bat, Alexa squarely hits the bludger spot on. It hits a chaser reaching for the quaffle. Alexa sees Alastor grinning at her and mouthing, "Good job," even though it's one of his scrimmage team members she hit. Alexa grins in response the goes after Alastor, hot on his tail to beat im to the other bludger that he's just spotted.
Friends and Rivals, Part 2
Author: Eithne ni Domhnaill
Date: 08-23-07 20:13
Eithne was perched on her broom at the top of the pitch searching the sky below her for the tiny yellow ball. She'd much preferred her position in the first two scrimmages: Chaser for the first one and Beater for the second. She was a good steady flyer now - thanks to the extra lessons she had taken on last year, but she was far from having the exceptional acrobatic skill that a superb Seeker would need. Still, Quidditch didn't need players who were exceptional at every position, so she would do her best and hope her earlier performances held her in higher stead. And there was always the chance that she would capture the Snitch first.
Being Seeker, there was a lot of sitting around on the broom or making slow sweeps to scan the area. She found herself going over the earlier games in her mind. There had been only a short respite from the drills where Eithne had any time to search the pitch from her place on the sidelines to check up on Francis' progress. She'd barely spotted him before the Coach blew her whistle and assembled all the students together to divide up into teams. Eithne had thought they would have done the scrimmages by house just as they had done the drills, but it looked like the teams were going to be a mix-match of houses.
For her first scrimmage she was on a team that was at least half made up of Gryffindor students. Herself and two others were from other houses. Eithne was one of the Chasers and she was determined to do her cousin proud. Early in the match, Eithne was passed the Quaffle from the other Chaser who had secured it during the toss-up. Eithne tucked the ball close under her elbow close in to her side and began the run for the goal. As her cousin had taught her, she made sure to keep on eye on the whereabouts of her fellow Chaser in case she got in trouble and needed to pass. She noted appreciatively that her partner was shadowing her not far away. Unfortunately, so were the Chasers from the other team and she lost the ball when one of them passed close to the back of her broom and slammed his hand on the tail. It upset her balance just enough to loosen her grip which he took advantage of, grabbing the Quaffle out from under her arm.
She slammed her broom into a tight turn - one that would have been welcome earlier during the sprint trials - and chased after him as he made his way back across the pitch towards her team's goal. He had made her mad and that was to her advantage. Her Da always told her that her temper was her best asset - when she got angry she got very very focussed. The other Chaser from her team flew up beside her and offered some conciliatory words - something like, "It happens. Don't worry" or some such nonsense. As she recalls, she merely snarled and leaned forward for more speed.
The effort was lost for the boy made the score. But soon the Quaffle was back in play. Eithne took possession of it twice more. Each time she made it to the goal, guarding to not let the other team get that close to her again. The next run at the goal, she caught sight of the pair approaching in time to pass the Quaffle to her teammate who flew on in for a score.
The next run, she made the goal herself. It was a feint her cousin had told her about in stories from her matches with the Ballycastle Bats. She flew a wide arc towards the side as if she were going to try to score from in behind the Keeper. Instead, at the last moment she headed straight in and threw the ball - the Keeper lunged but he was too far off center and the score was made. Just as her teammates were cheering, however, Madeline caught the Snitch and the uproar that followed was for the winning of the match.
They had cleared the field and let another match play before Eithne was assigned to a team again. This time she was a Beater together with Cornelia Vanderbilt. Eithne glanced over at her "partner" and found the Slytherin glaring at her. Come to think of it, as she reviewed the game in her mind, that "set-up" Cornellia batted her way had come a bit close. Eithne frowned and wondered if the girl had been trying to hit her or maybe just scare her a bit. She'd have to think about that more.
Playing Beater had been fun. It was hilarious trying to aim the Bludger at the other players. Eithne never actually hit anyone, but Cornellia came close to unseating a girl on the opposite team when the Bludger smacked her in the right arm. The girl recovered in time to prevent a fall, but she missed the Quaffle she had been reaching for with her left arm. Eithne silently conceded that Cornellia would probably make a most excellent Beater. Then she remembered she wanted to be a Chaser and in the real matches, the Slytherin girl would not be on her side and started fervently hoping that wasn't the position Cornellia was after.
A chorus of shouts awoke her from her reverie and she saw that the other team's Seeker was diving for the ground. Eithne couldn't see the Snitch but she assumed that was what he was after and pushed her broom into a dive as well. She had just caught up to him, when he pulled up, holding the Snitch aloft and the match was over. She hadn't played with or against Francis once.
Harsh Reality
Author: Bellatrix Lestrange
Date: 08-23-07 20:34
“I don’t trust her,” Bellatrix crossed her arms and glared at Lucius. Only a few seconds before she had sitting at the table in the BOO, having a scotch with Lucius and Rodolphus. Now she was standing, the glass forgotten on the table.
She pushed back her chair and began to pace up and down. Rodolphus glanced at Lucius as if to say here she goes once more. He took a small sip from the crystal tumbler, and then thought better of it and threw most of the contents back in one go. Lucius gave him a wintry smile in return.
“What I’m simply saying, Bellatrix, is think it through,” drawled Lucius. “Euphemia, if she is indeed being honest, could offer you a return to the life you crave.”
Bellatrix froze on the spot. “What makes you think I crave a return to that life? I have done what I’ve done proudly, with no regret and no remorse. It was what had to be done. Some of it still has to be done.”
Rodolphus stood up and grabbed his wife’s arm. “Don’t be so bloody minded, Bellatrix. You are disagreeing just because you feel it’s your place to argue. If this Euphemia is all that she says, and let’s face it with the current climate wholly geared towards Purebloods, we can finally stand free in the open and proclaim what we are.”
“Within reason of course,” added Lucius. “We still have to make allowances you realize?”
“What you are saying is that should I choose to act I would have to be..circumspect. Like yourself.”
“Of course.” Lucius drained his glass and poured another.
Bellatrix shook off Rodolphus’ hand and sat back down again. “But she needs me to admit I was under some sort of Imperius curse and operating against my will?” she asked pointedly. “You know that’s going to make the words stick in my throat, if I can even get them out without trying to use a killing curse on someone? It’s entirely degrading.”
Rodolphus sat down, his jaw line set. “Don’t be absurd. We have a golden opportunity to get off scott free here. Don’t ruin it for me, Bellatrix. If this woman has decided its worth sticking her neck on the line against what will be public opinion you should at least listen to her. Swallow your fecking Black family pride and accept the offer. Meet with her. See what she has to say. I will not be gainsaid on this, I will not throw the rest of my life away because you are so bloody-minded.”
Bellatrix bit her lip on the words she wanted to throw back at Rodolphus. “Very well, Lucius,” she said, “you will see to a meeting? You are sure that she is being honest and it’s not a well laid trap? Because if it is, you have also just put your neck in the noose as well.”