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Trials and Broken Bones
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 09-11-10 08:05
Adina had decided at the last minute to tryout, she knew she had permission - and would at least go as a spectator. Sliding a hand through her hair, as she settled into the warm ups in the group she'd been put in with one of the Humbatas players. She ran through the warm up exercises, and excelled in those that required manuverability and agility. She did have the patience for Seeker, but it wasn't theh position that she wanted - she wanted something like Keeper or even Chaser where she could use her manuverability and her agility. Seeker was too boring for her in truth.
In her first scrimmage she was playing Chaser, and was along side Deak, and helped him with his flanking of Francis Yao, and managed to help him score again for their scrimmage team. That was her first, she'd loved playing chaser and getting her hands on that big red quaffle, passing it back and forth and had managed to avoid almost every bludger that was hit in her direction. However, she would have a bruise on her right thigh just above her knee from one bludger that she couldn't avoid.
Her second scrimmage she was put in the position of Keeper, and managed to keep about seventy percent of the goals from going through from the Chasers on the other team, and had only dropped the quaffle once in the handoff, but that wasn't too bad compared to some of the others who had been up there. It was in her second scrimmage that had ended when the snitch had been caught, unlike others that had ended because time had run out before the fluttering golden ball had been caught by those trying out for Seeker.
She'd gotten called for a third scrimmage, and she played Chaser again in this scrimmage, but ultimately was out when a bludger hit by Basil connected with her wrist and there was a sickening crunch. A curse slid from her lips as the red quaffle fell from her now useless hand. A whistle came and she flew over to Coach Batuti and was ultimately sent to the Hospital Wing and Madame Pomfrey. With her good hand she quickly shoved tears from her cheeks, because she figured that this injury would ruin her chances of actually making the team. Why did he have to be such a bloody bastard? They were in the same house, just because they were on opposite teams for the scrimmage didn't mean that he had to be so bloody brutal? She would be pissed if he cost her a spot on the team, she really would.
She wouldn't be making it back to the pitch, instead she'd be spending the rest of the afternoon in the Hospital Wing with a skele-grow potion - which tasts horrid.
(Gus) At The Tryouts
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 09-12-10 09:21
Gus entered in the pitch with confidence. He observed the stands and noticed that Johanna and Felicia weren’t the only ones cheering up for him. There was a group of other girls that couldn’t take their eyes of him and once he waved at them they all clapped their hands and giggled. He couldn’t understand what was really happening with the Hogwarts’ female students lately but they were all acting weird towards him. It wasn’t bad; in fact he liked to be the center of the attentions.
Last year Gus had also participated in the tryouts, but he didn’t win a place in the Slytherin’s team. Maybe this year he would get better lucky. Gus had signed up for keeper and also for chaser. He wanted the Keeper position but he wouldn’t mind being chaser, because that meant he would at least be in the team.
His name was called out and he joined a group for the drills. Gus looked to the members of his group and for some reason he felt like laughing because of the tiny but determinate first years who were also trying out. Their brooms were almost from their own size. Finally instructions were given and Gus was up in the air with his broom. At the end of the drills he considered he had done a good job, showing he dominated well the basics of flying.
Then it was time for the first scrimmage match where he played as a keeper. Gus spotted Mark with a bat far away, and also the girls at the stands. But as he heard a whistle he started to focus on the match. He was the guardian of the three hoops and he was determinate to not let any quaffle pass by him. His eyes where always in the chasers and he make his first defense a minute later. It had been easy.
With an exaggerated confidence Gus didn’t notice Griet Vanderbilt who had approached the left hoop and scored. Annoyed he concentrated himself on the match again. Someone was hit by a bludger but the match moved on. Then two chasers flew in his direction and he made a good defense when he predicted where the blond chaser who had the quaffle intended to score. Gus made a good pass to Julietta Wynbourne during another scrimmage match who flew fast to the other side of the pitch.
More than once he couldn’t grab the quaffle because of the velocity the chasers threw it, but he managed to make it change its route so it couldn’t enter in the hoops. Once that strategy had failed because the quaffle was then grabbed by an opponent chaser and he scored, taking advantage of the unguarded hoop of the center.
In general he did well as a keeper, he didn’t suffered many goals and he made good passes to his team mates after he grabbed the quaffle.
As a chaser he didn’t have a brilliant performance. Although fast, Gus seemed to forget to pass the quaffle to his team mates from time to time. A lot of times the quaffle was intercepted from his hands. He scored once, but that was it. The only thing he proved to be good at was avoiding the bludgers. Not once he was hit by them.
Gus wanted to play again as keeper in which would be his fourth scrimmage match but Coach Battuti checked her notes and told him he had played enough. He had no idea if that was a good or a bad sign.
Checklist
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 09-12-10 11:54
When Hermione came to the Burrow with a wedding binder in her arms, Molly was only a little surprised by its thickness. Hermione set the binder down onto the kitchen table with a loud thump and then opened it to the first plastic sleeve, in which she placed a very lengthy checklist that continued onto the next three pages.
The first item on the list was "Start a wedding folder", next to which Hermione had already placed a red check mark.
Next came, "Work out your budget", with a page number notation where Hermione had already done some rough math regarding how much she and Ron could and wanted to spend on their springtime wedding.
Other things on the list included "Pick your wedding party", "Start the guest list", "Reserve your date and venues", "Book your officiant", and so on. Some of the items were already checked off, but many weren't.
Hermione ran her finger along the list and then thumbed through the binder to a certain page.
"Here are some of the photographers I researched," Hermione told Molly. "I know that Ginny said she could take some pictures, but I don't think the responsibility should rest entirely upon her since she's already a member of the wedding party and would otherwise be a guest."
"We also need to think about a band, florists, caterers..." Hermione ticked them off on her fingers as she named them.
She paged to the respective pages in the binder, pointing out newspaper and magazine clippings of different possibilities.
"Has Ron said what he wants?" Molly asked.
"He says everything looks good and I should pick whatever I want, which isn't always very helpful," Hermione replied. "I'm torn between some, though in other instances I already know what I want and don't mind if he doesn't have a strong opinion one way or the other."
"Get used to it," Molly replied with a smile. "Often times when I ask Arthur his opinion about something, he will tell me to do whatever I want."
"Is it a Weasley thing?"
"I think it's just a male thing," Molly responded with a laugh. "Would you like my opinion on some things? Daughter-in-laws don't always want to get advice from their mother-in-laws, but if you are willing, I would be happy to put in my two knuts worth."
"Of course," Hermione said. With her own mother not around anymore, it felt only natural to come to Molly, whom she loved and respected.
The two women put their heads together over the notebook and talked about different ideas. Hermione, of course, took notes that she would share with Ron later to see what he thought about everything.
New Job
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 09-12-10 12:42
Last night, Bronwyn had worked her very last shift as announcer for the WWN's "Night Owl" program. It had been bittersweet calling it quits, for although she had never been a fan of heavy metal music, she had formed an appreciation for it over the course of her job. She still didn't love it, but she didn't quite despise it as she'd once had.
Better than no longer having to listen to heavy metal music all night long was the fact that she could now sleep at night. She had interviewed for and earned the position of sportscaster for a morning show on the WWN. Her experience commentating Quidditch matches at Hogwarts, not to mention the fact that her husband played professionally, had helped her land the position. It still wasn't her ideal job, but it was a marked improvement over the last one.
She would have to get up extra early in the mornings, but at least she was more or less working days rather than nights. Her first day would be Monday. Bronwyn couldn't wait to start!
In the meantime, she found herself at Cleansweep Arena in Cornwall, where the professional Quidditch match between the Appleby Arrows and the Falmouth Falcons was currently underway. The Arrows were leading by fifty points, which didn't bode well for the Falcons, but it was still early yet into the match, and if the seeker for the Falcons caught the snitch, they would win it anyway.
Bronwyn sat in the stands with the other wives and family members of the Falmouth players. Every time Toby flew near her, she cheered loudly and jumped up and down on her feet. Occasionally, she scribbed notes into a notepad she'd stuck into the back pocket of her jeans, in case she wanted to say something more about the match on Monday than just the final score. She wanted to make a good impression at work, not only for her new coworkers but also the fans who would be listening. She also hoped that she could say that her husband's team won!
The Mickle Sisters
Author: Griet
Date: 09-12-10 13:18
The Mickle sisters had always been spectators to Quidditch matches but had never played on their respective house teams. They'd watched their cousins, the Vanderbilts, play, however, and wondered if a talent for the sport ran in the family. Griet was a really good chaser and the girls would be very shocked if she didn't make the school team. Likewise, Cornelia and Aleydis were excellent seekers, though they wondered if there would be enough seeker slots for both of them to be on the team. They supposed it was good that Aleydis had opened herself up to playing chaser as well.
Like their cousin Beatrix, this was their first time trying out for Quidditch. Also like Beatrix, both girls had signed up for every position, not knowing which one they preferred or even played in best. During the warm-ups, Sadie had done decently with basic flying, such as picking up speed and being agile for any obstacles that came her way. Ramona had an arm for beating, not only for hitting strongly but for hitting targets with some margin of accuracy.
In the scrimmages, both girls played in consecutive matches in a different role. When it came Sadie's turn to play seeker, she came no where near close to catching the winged ball. Ramona didn't necessarily fare any better. As keeper, Sadie blocked half of the goals that came her way, while Ramona blocked just under half. Sadie didn't have good hand eye coordination and either misjudged the bludgers when they came her way or just couldn't aim properly. Although she could fly quickly, she dropped the quaffle a lot or just couldn't catch it. Ramona wasn't very fast at all.
Having played so many matches, one after the other, tired them out and warmed them up. Both girls had felt somewhat cold when they'd first stepped outside, but now they were warm enough that their hair was plastered to their faces and they were awfully parched. Sadie sucked down two cups of water in a row.
As the day wore on, the end of the Quidditch trials neared. Sadie and Ramona wondered if they would learn whether or not they made the team right away, or if they would find out at a late date how they'd fared. They also wondered if there would be a team captain and who it might be. Of last year's captains, only one remained, and that was their cousin Griet. They supposed it all hinged on whether or not she even made the new team, but it would definitely be a big shock if she didn't!
Hoping For Spots On The Team (Marjani & Zuberi)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 09-12-10 20:29
Zuberi hadn't been sure if he was going to try out for the team today or not, though he never mentioned this to either of his sisters. His uncertainty stems from the fact that he made such a muck of things last year. He still has no idea why Griet didn't kick him off the Slytherin team and hold try-outs to replace him.
Ultimately, Zuberi showed up this morning because he dearly loves Quidditch and the only thing better than watching it is playing it. He keeps telling himself that he'll do any position without complaint or attitude - even keeper - if he makes the team. When he puts his name on the sign-in sheet, Zuberi does as requested and writes down what positions he's trying for in order of preference. Beater is first, followed by Chaser, Seeker, then Keeper. He nearly doesn't write down Keeper but then thought, "Oh, what the hell," then wrote it down and passed the clipboard on before he could change his mind.
Marjani had no such qualms about trying out for the Hogwarts all school team. She'd done well for Gryffindor and plans on doing well for the Hogwarts team. She knows she's a good Chaser and worked all summer on becoming an even better one. The only doubt Marjani's ever had and one she would share with Zuberi if in her presence he'd wondered aloud why he'd not been kicked off the Slytherin team last year she would have told him, "It's probably because the coach is your sister." Marjani has wondered many a time if she was only chosen for Gryffindor's team only because Dosie is in charge of Quidditch. Whenever she has this thought, Marjani almost immediately tells herself it's silly to think it because Theodosia is not the sort for nepotism, a term Marjani learned when still in school at Okapi and doing research for a paper.
Marjani only puts down Chaser. She knows that descreases her chances of making the team but if she doesn't make it, then so be it. With OWLs this year. she's going to be busy enough as it is and not making the team means not having to devote a huge chunk of time each week to practice.
Zuberi and Marjani are in different groups, with both groups starting out doing warm-up exercises. Zuberi's group then went through a series of increasingly difficult flying drills, then worked with the Quaffle. With the red ball they did passing, one exercise where the whole point is trying to steal the Quaffle, and blocking Quaffles as if blocking goal attempts. These were followed by Zuberi's favorite, drills using Bludgers. His group finished off with a couple of exercises involving the Snitch. Marjani's group did many of the same drills that Zuberi's had done but in a completely different order, and hers did a few his didn't, such as flat out sprints.
In the scrimmage portion of the trials, Marjani was in two scrimmages and Zuberi played in three matches. In one of those matches, they were on the same squad, something that hasn't happened often even in pick-up matches. They are almost always playing on opposite teams in such matches and last year, being in different houses, they were definitely opponents. Marjani was chaser in both the matches she was in and was slated to play the position in a third match but ended up sidelined. After her second scrimmage had ended, Marjani tripped and fell. She hurt her hand in the process and by the time her name was called for the third time, Marjani's left hand had ballooned up in such a way that she couldn't bend three of her fingers at any joint even a little and the other two she could barely bend. After being assured that her inability to play that match would not ruin her chances of making the team, Marjani reluctenly made her way from the pitch to the castle to pay Madam Pomfrey a visit, stopping every few feet to turn and wistfully watch the squad she would have been on.
Zuberi did play three scrimmages, each in a different position. In the first he was put in as Beater. Marjani was a Chaser on the same squad and a couple of times Zuberi started to send a Bludger at her only to have to stop himself with the reminder that this time around they were on the same side. He did well, assisting his squad to prevent the other squad from scoring three different times, keeping the oppoising Seeker from grabbing the snitch, and just general help all around. Second match for Zuberi saw him as Keeper. He still doesn't think much of the position but played his best, wanting to prove to himself and to others that he's not the same bastard as who played last term. Zuberi blocked several goal attempts, only had one shot get by him, and called out encouragement to his teammates when they were within hearing range. In his last scrimmage, Zuberi is Chaser. He does his best to work well with the other two Chasers on his squad, wanting to show yet again that he can be a team player. He scored a goal that match and when the match ends, Zuberi landed on the ground, knowing he did well in all three matches and wishing he could play more. He also had his fingers crossed that he'd get Beater this year.
After grabbing some food and a drink, Zuberi dropped down to the ground on the sidelines to eat and watch the rest of the matches, also ready to take flight again should he be called to play in a fourth. At day's end, returning to the castle he has a lof of kids asking if he knows when Coach Batuti is announcing the team roster. He tells them all the same thing, "I'm sorry. I wish I did." Once back at the castle, Zuberi gets in a shower and gets in some homework time before going to the Great Hall for supper. After that, it's more homework. He's going early to do his volunteer work and promised Professor Dumbledore that for letting Zuberi go tomorrow, he'd have most of his homework done tonight.