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Quidditch Trials 2011
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 10-10-17 13:56
Viktor had closed all but one entrance point to the pitch. This ensured that he or anyone else covering the entry area could check in those who have already signed up to try out for their respective houses, to make any changes those who'd signed up wanted such as trying out for both keeper and seeker rather than just seeker, and signing up any latecomers. Those arriving to participate in the trials are directed to one side of the pitch to either sit or stand while waiting for things to get underway. Those arriving to merely spectate are directed to the stands.
When the cut-off time to show up if participating arrives, Viktor takes the sheets to put the list into some semblance of organization. As he does this, those helping today ensure the brooms brought by some of the participants are up to standards and pass out brooms to those who need them. They also pass out numbers that correspond to names on the master list. Viktor knows many of the students and has by now met with all the first years, some in his Fitness & Athletics class, some for the first time yesterday for the first years first flying lesson, but his assistants don't know the names as he does. The numbers will help track who's who.
Handing out clipboards to Pyrrhus Fine, Marmaduke Flowers, Flora Lynch, Theodosia Batuti, Marjani Batuti, and Drake Bennett, Viktor goes over with the students what to expect today. The participants are then split into six groups for drills and warm-ups, each group going with one of the assistants. For now, Viktor will observe, making notes, and offering further assistance to any of the six helpers if needed.
A little later, during the break between this portion of the trials and the scrimmages, Viktor and the others will put together a scrimmage list as quickly as they can based on the information given by each participant. For each scrimmage, players will wear both their assigned numbers and either a white vest or a black vest for visual determination of who's on which team. As all the students will play in multiple timed scrimmages, each will most likely have worn both vest colors by the end of the day.
Clipboard in hand, Viktor starts off on the ground, looking up at Drake's group doing a passing drill. He walks around on the pitch for a bit spending a few minutes watching each group then mounts his broom to take to the air for a different perspective to observe the action.
Conrad Tries Out
Author: Ellis
Date: 10-10-17 17:51
Conrad clutched the broomstick Professor Krum himself had given him for Secret Santa last school year. It was time for the Quidditch Trials, which had previously taken place the year before last since there was no Quidditch last year because of the Scholastic Aptitude Tournament.
Conrad planned on trying out for Beater, his old position on the Hufflepuff team. He thought he had a good chance of earning the spot back, but he sized up his competition nonetheless. There could be a dark horse among the first years, just like he had been during his own first year.
When the Quidditch Trials officially began, Conrad was put in a group led by Flora Lynch of the Hogsmeade Humbatas. She led her group through a series of warm-ups, which included sprinting this way and that. Then, the group practice drills, which involved tossing the quaffle around, hitting bludgers, and other Quidditch-related things.
Eventually, the warm-ups and drills came to an end and it was time for the scrimmages to begin. Conrad knew the warm-ups and drills had been important, but the scrimmages were what counted the most since they involved real-time play. Conrad was selected as beater for the white team and pulled a vest on over his T-shirt to go with the number he already wore.
The quaffle went up and immediately was claimed by someone on Team Black. Conrad quickly looked around and spotted a reachable bludger. He darted for it before a black beater could and whacked it hard at the black chaser in possession of the quaffle.
That chaser let the quaffle fly to a fellow chaser, but Conrad's aim was good. The bludger hit the chaser in the back of the shoulder and could have affected the throw, had it struck sooner.
Conrad hit the bludger two more times before the timed scrimmage match ended. One time he nearly got it away from an opposing beater. The other time he clipped the black keeper just as she was trying to stop a goal.
Conrad felt pretty good about his performance in the first scrimmage match. He sat out the next two, watching carefully as the beaters on Team White and Team Black did their thing. There were some good prospects out there, but then a few of them, like him, were veteran players.
When Conrad was called up again to play, he found himself on the black team. At the start of the scrimmage match, he made quick work of reaching a bludger. He hit it in the direction of the white chaser holding the quaffle. That chaser managed to dodge the bludger, and a white beater intercepted it and used it on a black chaser trying to move in for a steal.
Conrad wanted to try again with the other bludger. His fellow beater got to it first though, but he meshed well with Conrad and batted the ball towards him, since he was in a better position to do some damage. Conrad managed to not only hit the white chaser holding the quaffle, but the red ball popped loose and went into a free for all.
The match ended right after a chaser from Team Black scored a goal. Conrad felt pretty good about how he'd played in his second scrimmage and hoped that Professor Krum and the other helpers thought so too.
Cornington For Chaser
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 10-11-17 18:07
Until he arrived at the pitch this morning Cornington hadn't realized how much he'd missed house Quidditch. Playing for fun, which was the only Quidditch at Hogwarts last term, is, well, fun, but there's something different about playing for or rooting on a house team. Cornington hasn't played for his house yet but he has cheered them on. This year he hopes he's one of the ones being cheered on.
While those gathered are being placed in the groups for warm-ups and drills, Cornington's roommate Edmund Woodhouse says not for the first time, "I still don't know why you don't go by your middle name."
Cornington tells him, not for the first time, "I tried. Hardly anyone would call me Geoff or Geoffrey."
Edmund shrugs. "Maybe because Cornington's so different?"
"Yeah, maybe. I don't know."
"All of you have weird, I mean different names but sort of normal middle names, right?"
"Right. Leo's is Alexander. Baron's Nathaniel, and Hydrangea is Penelope."
"Penelope? Really? She doesn't seem like a Penelope."
"That's what Hydrangea says."
They have to put the conversation on hold as Cornington goes to Marmaduke Flowers's group and Edmund is in Theodosia Batuti's. When they've gone through the drills and are standing together again, waiting for the names to be announced for the first scrimmage talk goes to the trials.
Cornington says, "You never said what position you're trying for."
"I'm not particular. I just hope to make the team so it's wherever Krum wants to put me. You're only out for chaser, huh?"
"I thought about trying for beater too but decided to stick just with chaser." Cornington has played beater and likes the position but thinks he makes a better chaser.
The rest of the day when the two friends have time to talk, they go over plays made in their respective scrimmages and how others seem to be faring.
In one of Cornington's scrimmages, wearing a black vest, he and the other two Black Team chasers made an excellent push to the hoops where he assisted in scoring a goal.
Shortly after that goal, with only minutes left. He stole the quaffle from the White Team. He wove in and out of the other players, all whizzing along at what seems like drunken speeds - or what he imagines what a drunken speed would feel like but then again he's not sure what drunken speed even means, it's simply something he's heard - passing the quaffle to another chaser who then passed to the third Black Team chaser only for a White Team chaser to intercept. Cornington hastened to get it back but was slowed by a bludger. Before the White Team could get in close enough to the Black Team keeper to try for ten points, the Black Team seeker managed to catch the snitch. Turns out that at the point the snitch was caught there were only twelve seconds left on the clock. Still enough time for the White Team to score but also enough time for the Black Team to stop them. With the capturing of the snitch, they'll never know how those last twelve seconds would have played out.
In another scrimmage, again on the Black Team, Cornington took a bludger to the shoulder early on, the pain bad enough that at first he thought something might be fractured. He ignored the throbbing as best he could, catching a pass of the quaffle with his other hand, going low over his broom to shoot away from the brabby hands of a White Team chaser. When he handed off the quaffle a short time later the throbbing was every bit as intense but he'd decided nothing was broken, just bruised.
He came close to changing his mind back to there being something broken when a White Team chaser who'd intercepted a pass, threw the quaffle to a teammate. Cornington dove for it, using the injured arm, sending flares of pain through the shoulder again. With gritted teeth he grasped the quaffle and pulled it in close. He was quickly surrounded on each side by a White Team chaser and couldn't switch holding the red ball to his other hand. Rather than trying to pass it off with those two so close, he pushed forward to the hoops, dodging to avoid another bludger, which in turn forced one of the White Team chasers to swerve or have Cornington collide with her, which in turn caused her to thump into the other bludger.
This gave him an opening to pass. His teammate easily caught the quaffle then immediately shot for a goal but the White Team keeper knocked it away. As the chasers converged to scuffle over the quaffle rebound, the whistle blew ending this particular scrimmage. Once on the ground, Cornington checked his shoulder. While it hurt, it was not, afterall, broken or fractured or anything like that. He spent the time until called for another scrimmage with ice on the shoulder. It still hurt but the cold numbed the pain and seemed to help.
(Oliver) Maybe Keeper
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 10-11-17 18:08
Oliver hadn't tried out for Quidditch during his first year at Hogwarts, and last year there hadn't been any Quidditch to try out for. This year, he decided to give it a go, even though he wasn't entirely confident in his ability to play Quidditch well.
Because of his uncertainty, he limited himself to just one position: Keeper. Although the position was important and not necessarily an easy one, Oliver thought it would suit him best as a beginning player. Keepers had one major duty, and that was to guard their team's hoops. Keepers usually didn't have to do much flying or throwing, or simultaneously at that.
If Oliver did well today, then great. If not, then he wouldn't be too disappointed. He was content to watch the matches if he couldn't play in them.
Oliver was the White Keeper in the first scrimmage match. Playing first made him super nervous, but he hardly had time to dwell on his feelings. The game play was instant and following the quaffle as it flew from hand to hand kept Oliver busy.
He had several attempts to show what he could or perhaps couldn't do. When the first Black Chaser approached him with the quaffle, Oliver managed to knock it away with a slap of his hand. The second time, he missed because he saw a bludger coming and didn't want to get hurt. Oliver felt a bit wimpy for not taking the hit and letting the quaffle go through his hoop. It was hard not flinching away from bludgers, though.
Oliver sat out the next few scrimmage matches, but then he was called up to play keeper for the Black Team. Oliver donned his vest and flew into position on a school broom. Maybe if he did make the Gryffindor team, he could make a case for getting his own broomstick.
Oliver watched the quaffle as it moved away from him, but eventually it was intercepted by someone on the other team. The quaffle rapidly made its way in his direction via the three White Chasers, who were passing the ball to one another like experts. Oliver tried to remember if they were all veteran players or not.
The nearest chaser lobbed it in his direction. Oliver dove for it, attempting to catch it, but it bounced off of his chest and went back into that chaser's arms. The chaser tried again, this time with the assistance of a beater. Oliver was determined to stop the ball again, even though he could see the bludger heading right for him.
He caught the ball squarely in his chest, and then felt the impact of the bludger on his shoulder. Oliver could feel his arms loosen, but then he tightened them to keep his hold on the quaffle. The pain in his shoulder was incredible and he thought he might cry, though he didn't want to in front of anybody.
Oliver heard a whistle blow and saw Pyrrhus Fine fly over to him to check on his injury. Oliver handed over the quaffle with a wince. Py checked his shoulder and determined that nothing was broken, but Oliver would have one heck of a bruise.
(Tessa) Awkward Much
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 10-12-17 18:16
Scanning the sky for a bludger, Tessa was glad the skies were clear and blue. It made looking for things that much easier, and it wasn't too hot, too wet, or too cold. The weather often served as a distraction during Quidditch matches, but it seemed like it wouldn't be a problem during tryouts.
A member of Team Black, Tessa darted for the bludger she sighted and gave it a mighty whack at the White Keeper, who was trying to stop a Black Chaser from scoring. Unfortunately, a White Beater intercepted the quaffle and tried to turn it on the Black Chaser who was attempting a goal.
Tessa was quickly on hand to protect her chaser and attempt another hit on the White Keeper. She acted swiftly and managed to force the keeper away from the goals so that the Black Chaser could score.
Sadly, the White Seeker caught the snitch moments later. Even though it was only a scrimmage match, Tessa would have much preferred it if her team would have come out on top. Oh, well.
She touched down, took off her black vest, and went over to the refreshments table for a drink. While she was filling a cup full of water, she didn't realize that her ex-boyfriend had come up behind her. Chip was also trying out for Quidditch. Unlike Tessa, who wanted her old position of Beater, Chip was in for everything and anything.
Tessa turned around, not expecting anybody right behind her, and almost spilled her water on them both. "Oh!" she exclaimed. Then, "Sorry." She didn't want to talk to him and hurriedly side-stepped away from him.
Ever since their break-up, Chip had been in a foul mood. It was a bit uncharacteristic for the Hufflepuff fifth year, but Tessa dumping him had come up out of the blue. He was angry and hurt and wasn't sure when he'd get over it.
Tessa's next match found her on Team Black again. Awkwardly enough, Chip was to be her co-beater. Tessa feared that him being her teammate, which could certainly happen in real life, would be a problem, but she wasn't about to let him ruin her chances of getting back on the team.
At tip-off, she immediately went after one of the bludgers. As one of her own chasers had possession of the quaffle, she wanted to use the bludger on a White Chaser trying to steal. Her angle wasn't good, so she made eye-contact with Chip, hoping he would understand what she was wanting. The problem was, he wasn't paying any attention to her.
Scowling, Tessa batted the ball a little ways and sped after it, hoping she could keep up with it and aim it at the White Chaser as originally intended. Suddenly Chip was there, though, trying to do exactly what she wanted. She drew back to avoid getting hit by his bat and let him strike the bludger, which he managed, though it sailed over the White Chaser's shoulder.
Trying not to roll her eyes, Tessa flew past Chip and tried to intercept the bludger from the White Beater now controlling it.
Dippet Brothers Trying Out
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 10-12-17 18:57
A member of the White Team, hoping to regain his position as a Hufflepuff chaser, Duncan lines up the quaffle for a shot at the leftmost hoop. The Black Team keeper deflects the ball, sending it straight into the hands of a Black Team chaser. Duncan pivots his broom around to give chase, pouring on the speed until he's even with the other chaser.
The Black chaser goes to pass the quaffle on the side opposite Duncan but the throw is bad because Duncan presses in as closely as he can without causing a foul. One of Duncan's teammates, who also happens to be his brother, is able to snatch up the off-course quaffle before anyone else.
Pivoting again, Duncan shoots after Douglas and the third White Team chaser. They make short work of reaching the hoops where the opposing keeper is on high alert. She stops the first goal attempt, thrown by Douglas, but only just barely. Douglas's and Duncan's teammate catches the rebound but is forced to hand off to Duncan when a bludger catches him on his dominant arm and he needs a moment to shake off the hit.
Duncan lines up the throw, getting it off just before a bludger passes so closely to his hand it almost feels as though it brushed the skin. The other bludger is in flight towards the keeper, which is probably why she doesn't get a hand on the quaffle. The ball soars through one of the hoops, giving the White Team ten points. It also pumps Duncan up some as anything like a goal in these short, timed scrimmages is a plus for him in his quest for being named one of the three Hufflepuff chasers.
Douglas is slightly chagrined that his goal attempt was foiled but Duncan's latest made it through. He wants to make the Slytherin team, though unlike his brother he's not as particular about which position. This scrimmage he's a chaser but who knows what he'll be assigned to play next. Chaser again or possibly beater. He's not as keen for a keeper spot so didn't put that down when signing up. Seeker would be bloody excellent but while his hand-eye coordination is good Douglas doesn't think it's seeker level good for grabbing up that elusive, tiny snitch.
The Black Team puts the quaffle back into play, determined to make it this time to the hoops where the person playing keeper for the White Team is probably bored and wishing for some action to show off keeper skills that would give him good marks towards being the one chosen for his house's team.
Douglas darts in and out between two of the beaters, avoids a bludger, and zooms forward to try and intercept a pass but just misses; however, his interference causes the receiver to fumble the catch. Douglas and the other chaser bang heads diving for the falling quaffle.
Victorious, Douglas clutches the quaffle to him, ignoring the throbbing in his forehead, hoping the pain will dull quickly or go away all together. If not, at least he can take a headache potion once this scrimmage ends, or so he hopes if one is needed.
Taking his broom into a sharp turn then accelerating on the straightaway, Doug spots Duncan, open for a pass so throws the quaffle to more rapidly move the ball back down the pitch to where the Black Team keeper is once more on high alert.
When the scrimmage ends, neither seeker caught the snitch though both came close and were in a race for it when time was called. The White Team had scored the one goal while the Black Team had scored none. Both Duncan and Doug felt good about their respective performances, Duncan heading to grab a drink while Doug, his head no longer hurting, wants to see what there is to snack on.
When Doug is next called for a scrimmage, he's eaten several snacks and rehydrated. As he dons a black vest he guesses it's a good thing the scrimmages are timed and not all the long as he probably screwed up and drank too much so will need the loo soon. Grabbing one of the bats provided for those trying for beater, he takes to the air, waiting for the scrimmage start.
When the signal is given, three of the beaters go after the nearest bludger so Doug flies for the other. Reaching it, reminding himself he's on the Black Team this go around, he targets a White Team chaser who's attempting to pop the quaffle out of his teammate's grasp.
Tracking the bludger he follows it, thinking to hit it again once it's done the job he's sent it to do. This time, one of the White Team beaters is after it as well. Doug hangs back slightly, letting her hit the bludger then going after it to redirect it from the Black chaser she's sent it after to send it towards the White Team seeker who appears to be on the trail of the snitch.
Next he vies for the second bludger with the other White Team beater, getting their just ahead of him, batting the hard, black ball, expelling a mighty oomph in the process, at the White Team's keeper in hopes of helping his team score a goal.
The scrimmage passes quickly, Doug making a beeline for the nearest water closest once his feet hit the ground again.
When Duncan next plays he's once again on the White Team, taking possession of the quaffle at the scrimmage tip off. He passes to a girl from Ravenclaw whose face he recognizes but whose name he can't recall. In turn, she passes to Gryffindor Phoebus Yewbeam. The three of them rapidly pass the quaffle back and forth as they push towards hoops where the current Black Team keeper awaits.
Duncan grunts in frustration when a bludger catches his arm just before reaching a point from where he knows he could throw the quaffle and score if unimpeded. The bludger hit screws up his hold on the red ball, allowing a White Team chasers to pluck it away.
When the scrimmage ends, neither team has scored and Duncan has a small knot on his arm that's starting to darken where the quaffle hit him. It's not bad, at least not yet, so he doubts it will cause any problems for him during any other scrimmages he plays today.
Stratfords at Tryouts
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 10-13-17 07:00
When Professor McGonagall first mentioned the upcoming Quidditch Trials during the Start of Term Feast, Noah decided he wanted to try out for his house team. He didn't have his own broomstick, which was a shame, but perhaps he could get one if he earned a position on the Ravenclaw team.
At first, Noah thought he might try out for all spots, since he had never played Quidditch before and didn't know what position he might favor. The more he thought about it, though, the more he realized it might do to concentrate on one position. After weighing his options, Noah decided to try out for beater.
He got as much practice in as he could before the trials, and though he didn't think he was very good, he thought he was okay and could improve with more practice.
Noah was called up to play beater in the second scrimmage match of the morning. He was a member of the white team. Playing a scrimmage match was much different than just practicing on his own or with friends. It took Noah a little while to get used to all the action, but once acclimated, he no longer felt lost or clumsy.
He managed to hit the bludger at a keeper, and his aim was good, but the keeper dodged the black ball and still managed to stop a goal attempt by Noah's own team. The other times Noah had contact with the bludger, he used it to protect the chasers on his team. He had the feeling he was a bit better at acting defensively rather than offensively, but he felt he could improve with time.
The second scrimmage match Noah found himself in included his cousin Charlotte, who was trying out for a chaser position on the Slytherin team. First years usually didn't make it onto Quidditch teams, but there were exceptions, of course. Charlotte wanted to be one of those exceptions.
She didn't have her own broom, either, but that didn't matter to her. First years weren't supposed to have their own, anyway, though she'd heard there sometimes were exceptions to that rule as well.
Noah was beater on the white team again, while Charlotte played chaser on the same team. When the quaffle was released, Charlotte made a quick grab for it. She was fast and little and managed to get away from the fray, but she gave up the red ball when two chasers from the black team closed in on her. Fortunately, her throw to a teammate was spot on.
Noah, meanwhile, raced after one of the bludgers and attempted to hit it at one of those black chasers, who was now targeting the white chaser holding the quaffle. Noah missed his target, but he blamed the sudden shift in movement of the chasers rather than his aim.
Charlotte's teammate lobbed the quaffle back to her, and tucking it close to her body, the first year Slytherin sped to the hoops and attempted a goal, but the black keeper blocked. The scrimmage match ended suddenly, when the white seeker caught the snitch.
The second time Charlotte played in a scrimmage match, she was put on the other team. She was not the first to grab the quaffle this time. In fact, a chaser on the other team was faster. Charlotte wasn't discouraged, though. She flew as close as she could to the white chaser and tried to steal the ball. When she realized she was the target of a bludger, she swerved to avoid getting hit.
When the danger passed, she flew in close again and waited for the right time to intercept a pass. She reached out to catch the ball, and though her fingers got on it, her hold wasn't solid and the ball fell. She felt good about disrupting the pass, but she wished she would have pulled off a full interception. The ball fell, and the chasers dove down to converge on it. Charlotte, being closest, smallest, and quickest, managed to scoop it up, but being surrounded, she didn't get very far before the scrimmage ended.
(Asher) Crushed Fingers
Author: Jolyon
Date: 10-13-17 10:21
Asher wrapped up a couple of fingers on his right hand and watched the current scrimmage match underway. During the previous match, he'd played Beater for the Black Team. Beater was his preferred position, since that was what he used to play for the Slytherin team.
It was during that scrimmage match that he'd injured his fingers. He thought they were just badly bruised, but it was possible they might be fractured. They hurt badly, but Asher did his best to act as if nothing were the matter. He'd only played in the one scrimmage and didn't think it would help his chances of making the team if he had to go to the Hospital Wing right away.
The injury had happened when he had gone after a bludger. His intent was to hit it at one of the chasers on Team White, but one of the beaters on that team had also set his sights on the black ball. The two beaters had come upon the bludger at the same time, both swinging simultaneously. Asher managed to hit the ball, but the other beater's bat hit Asher's hand, crushing his fingers between the two pieces of wood.
Asher had let out a series of expletives, which had earned him stern looks from some of the referees, but at least Coach Krum hadn't docked any house points for the slip up. It wasn't like he'd cursed aloud on purpose.
When Asher was next called up to play, he was once again placed on Team Black. The bat felt a bit weird in his bandanged hand, but Asher had played with bruised fingers before and just had to adjust how he did things or simply deal with the pain.
One of the chasers on Team White grabbed the quaffle first. Asher immediately sought out a bludger and swung his arm back to strike the ball with all his might. That movement didn't cause him any pain, but the impact of bat to ball put pressure on his bandaged fingers and caused him to hiss between his teeth.
Fortunately, Asher's aim and the force behind the hit weren't affected. He struck the chaser from Team White in the shoulder, causing her to loosen her hold on the quaffle. A chaser from Team Black went in for the steal and turned around abruptly for the other goal hoops.
Asher changed tactics. He went after another bludger and used it to distract a chaser from Team White from harassing the chaser from Team Black who currently had the quaffle. The impact from the hit forced another hiss from his lips, but Asher ignored the pain and set off after the bludger again.
A Chaser with a bad knee
Author: Mildred
Date: 10-13-17 12:28
Mildred was going to try out for chaser. She was not the only one of her friends who decided to try out: Wesley, Achilles and Queenie also wanted to be part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
They did the warm ups together, testing their brooms, and flying around the pitch, but they were split when the drills started. One of the drills was to pass the quaffle around, to test people's control of it. There were some students, especially the youngest, who didn't have a good grip and let the red ball fall more than once. Mildred was able to receive and pass the quaffle with ease, because she was quite used to it, having played Quidditch before. Another drill was to try and score goals with and without a keeper. There were a pair of first years who laughed at the sight of the empty hoops, but then neither of them were able to score. To be a good chaser you must need a good aim. Things were extra hard when the keeper was there to block the way. Mildred thought she did a good scoring record, but she couldn't be sure, because one of the keepers who tried out wasn't very good at his job.
After the drills came the scrimmages. Mildred was called into one of the very first scrimmages, as a member of the white team. Achilles was on the opposite team, playing as a keeper. The ball was thrown into the air and Ravenclaw Abernathy Jones was the first to reach it. She passed the quaffle to Slytherin Belinda McCourt. Belinda flew a few meters towards the hoops guarded by Ellie Mae Chamberlain from Hufflepuff. Mildred went after her, and she made some pressure on Belinda's right flank. Mildred tried to steal her the quaffle, but Belinda passed it to Abernathy once again. Abernathy was now very close to Ellie's hoops and she tried to score. The shot was weak and Ellie was able to defend it. Ellie passed the quaffle to Mildred. She sprinted on her broom, and dodged a bludger that was mean for her forehead. Feeling an opposite chaser behind her, she passed the quaffle to Charlotte Strafford from Slyhterin.
Mildred worked with both Charlotte and Duncan Dippett. They exchange the quaffle between the three of them as they tried to get as closer as possible to Achilles' hoops. Mildred found herself in a good position. She exchanged a look with Achilles and she coulf tell he was ready for her. So, she simulated a throw and passed the quaffle at Charlotte. Charlotte shot to the right hoop and scored. Achilles was caught in surprise. It was a happy scrimmage for Team White, as they scored a goal each, and the seeker caught the snitch.
On the next scrimmage, Mildred played for the Team Black. The scrimmage soon became aggressive, as Maurice Kilman, also a seventh year, decided to use his massive body against everyone. Mildred was holding the quaffle and he went to her encounter, trying to snatch it from her. She was able to hold it tight, and used her speed to try and get rid of Maurice's pressure. However, as she tried an exit route, a bludger hit her left knee. It was a painful blow, and she lost the grip on the quaffle. Maurice happily stole it from her. He passed the quaffle to Queenie, and she tried to speed up with her broom.
Mildred, feeling her knee swelling, went after Queenie. Queenie ignored Maurice's plea to throw the quaffle back at him. He didn't seem happy that she wanted to go all the way to the hoops and score. Queenie failed her scoring attempt. The keeper from the Team White, Oliver Towneley, offered the quaffle to Edmund Woodhouse. Edmund was quite fast, and Mildred and the other chaser from Team Black, covered his flanks. However Edmund lost the quaffle to Maurice, when he tried a pass at Mildred. However Mildred was able to get her revenge on Maurice, when he passed the quaffle at Queenie and she stole the red ball in the air. She found herself in a good position, and shot, scoring.
Unfortunately Team Black lost the match because Sophie McCourt caught the snitch for Team White.
Once on land, Mildred realized she was limping, due to the bludger that hit her knee. She sat down, hoping her injury wouldn't stop her from playing any more scrimmages. A chaser with a bad knee wasn't good at all.
Quidditch Trials
Author: Finley
Date: 10-13-17 15:48
Three years ago, Finley had tried out for all positions on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She'd wound up earning a position as chaser, which was what she was trying out for today. In that original tryout, she'd used a school broom. A few months later, someone sent her a Cheetah Broomstick. To this day, Finley still didn't know who'd given it to her.
That broom had ended up getting smashed to bits by Charla at the orphanage. Someone had thought about Finley again and given her a new broom to replace the one she'd lost. That one had gotten badly damaged in a match, which had resulted in Finley becoming broom-less once more. She'd used a school broom during last year's Broom Racing SAT event.
And she was using a school broom again today. Finley didn't expect another anonymous gift, because she wasn't an orphan anymore. She had parents who could buy her a broom if they wanted. Finley was too proud to ask for one, though.
During her first scrimmage, she'd played for the white team. She'd not been the first to get her hands on the quaffle, but she'd managed a steal and gotten the red ball all the way to the goal hoops, only for the Black Keeper to block her attempt.
She'd narrowly avoided a bludger during her next try at stealing the quaffle from a Black Chaser. She'd only missed getting hit because a fellow White Chaser had warned her.
Before that match ended with the Black Seeker catching the snitch, Finley did get her hands on the ball again and was en route to the goals. Too bad she hadn't been close enough to let the quaffle fly, because it might have gone in, even after the whistle blew.
The next time Finley played, she was on the black team. Phoebus was playing chaser along with her, which was fun. She'd like it very much if he made the team this year, but the competition seemed pretty fierce. Finley figured she had a better chance of making the team than he did, but she didn't want to be overly confident, because that might lead to careless mistakes.
She accepted a pass from Phoebus and pulled the quaffle in close, switching arms when a chaser on the white team moved in for the steal. Finley swerved an on-coming bludger and then tossed the ball back to Phoebus. The ball danced on his fingers and almost fell, but he managed to secure his hold on it. He shot forward and tossed the ball to the other black chaser, who was close to the goals.
That chaser tried to score, but the ball hit rim and bounced back into the fray. Finley caught the rebound and threw it the same time a bludger headed for the keeper. The keeper tried to stop the ball and dodge the bludger, but she only managed to do one thing well. She avoided getting hit and didn't get enough of her fingers on the quaffle to prevent it from entering the hoop. Finley grinned. She had scored for the black team!
The Martini-Blackwell Boys
Author: Gerry
Date: 10-13-17 18:57
Gerry and Will were both at the Quidditch Trials. Gerry was trying out for chaser, his old position on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Will was trying out for all positions, since he figured that would garner him a better chance of making the team. Gerry's brother Gareth was also participating in the trials, and like Will, was trying out for absolutely anything.
Gerry, Will, and Gareth had all played in a scrimmage match together, as chasers on the same team (White). Gerry, being the only veteran player, outflew and outplayed the other two, though Will and Gareth had definitely held their own. Both boys had played enough pick-up games with Gerry to know how to play the game decently enough.
After a goal by the other team, Gerry accepted the quaffle from his keeper and sped away from the hoops. When there was an opening, he passed the ball to Will, who immediately launched it overhand to Gareth, who was flying ahead of the pack. Gareth looked backwards while flying forwards and almost didn't catch the pass. The quaffle bounced off his fingers, but then he clapped his hands around it and pulled it close.
Gerry, meanwhile, flattened himself across the shaft of his broomstick and rocketed forwards, surpassing the chasers on the black team in order to catch up to his brother, who had just taken a hit in the shoulder by a bludger. Gareth fumbled the ball, but Gerry was there to collect it. He didn't even check to make sure his brother was okay. Instead, Gerry pulled ahead and launched the quaffle at the left-most goal hoop. The keeper on the black team tried to block, but Gerry was just a little bit faster with his throw. The ball sailed straight through the hoop.
The black keeper passed the quaffle to a chaser on his team. That chaser lobbed the ball forwards. Will tried to intercept the pass, but he fell short. Gerry and Gareth both hurried after the chaser and the red ball, determined to get it back into their possession before the match ended. The black chaser got all the way to the hoops, but luckily, the white keeper blocked his goal attempt.
Gerry accepted the hand off again but didn't get very far before the whistle shrilly sounded, signaling the end of the scrimmage match.
He, Will, and Gareth touched down and went to the refreshments table for a breather. Of the three, Gerry was the first to get called back up, though. He was on the black team, next. Gerry was the first to get his hands on the quaffle. He secured the ball in the crook of his arm, but he was forced to give it up when a bludger clocked him in the same arm. His grip loosened, and a white chaser stole the ball away from him.
Scowling and wincing, Gerry tore after the chaser who had just lifted the ball from his arm. That chaser passed the ball to a co-chaser, who passed it on to the third one, and so on and so forth. They were like a well-oiled machine, doing everything smoothly. Gerry tried several times to steal, but every time he moved his arm it ached. He knew it wasn't broken. It was just throbbing from the recent bludger hit.
The white chasers managed to bring the quaffle all the way to the goals, where one of them scored. Gerry's teammate accepted the return from the keeper and threw long to Gerry, who almost wasn't ready for the catch. He adjusted quickly, though, and caught the ball without it bouncing around in his arms or falling to the ground. He pulled it tight to his body, ignoring the ache in his arm, and took off for the goals.
Nervous To Try Out (Jordan)
Author: Saffron
Date: 10-13-17 19:00
While waiting for the first part of the tryouts to start Drake Bennett came over to Jordan, asking him, "You ready for this?"
"Yeah. No. Maybe."
"Way to sound sure of yourself," Drake chuckled.
They talked for a few more minutes, Drake trying to bolster Jordan's confidence. When Drake had walked off Abraham Albright, a boy from Jordan's house but a different year, said, "You two sounded as though you know each other."
"We do."
"You know Drake Bennett?"
Jordan refrained from rolling his eyes as that had just been established. "Yeah, he's sort of like a cousin."
"Sort of like?"
"You know he's like Professor Miller's adopted son?"
"Yeah, right. Him and his brother."
"And Professor Miller is married to Professor Sacheverelle."
"Yeah, so?"
"So Professor Sacheverelle is my aunt. She and my mother are sisters."
"How'd I not know that until now?"
As Abraham is older and the only time the two have talked was when one night Abraham asked him if he was up for a game of chess and then the talk was mostly about chess, Jordan had no response to this. He simply shook his head then nodded in the direction of Coach Krum who had called everyone to attention in order to assign them to groups.
Jordan has had no illusions of actually being selected for the Ravenclaw team. He's played some Little League and he's played in matches with friends but this today is on an entirely different level, as would be any actual matches against another Hogwarts house. He thought was to participate, get an idea of what's what and have the experience of it. He'd started to sign up to try out for all position only to decide just on two of them: keeper and chaser.
In one scrimmage, as a member of the Black Team Jordan joined two others as chasers. One of his teammates got the quaffle first, tucking it in close and taking off for the hoops. To the annoyance of Jordan and his other chaser teammate soon became apparent that she was determined to play solo as much as possible. When Jordan or he could get the quaffle, they tended to pass it back and forth between the two of them, knowing if they handed it off to her, she'd charge toward the hoops and ignore them until she'd taken a goal shot.
One of the White chasers caught a rebound from one of her goal attempts. Jordan went after, getting in between the chaser in possession and another of the White chasers just as the quaffle is passed between them. He darts for it, grabbing it for the steal. He wheeled around and still being so near the hoops, he let the quaffle fly. He and the other male Black chaser fist bumped when the quaffle made it through the center hoop.
At scrimmage end, Jordan's was the only goal scored for his team while White had gotten two goals. Once on the ground the Black chaser who'd been such a ball hog came up and started yelling at him and their chaser teammate, accusing them of locking her out. Coach Krum put a stop to it, dressing her down for being the one who was shutting out Jordan and the other guy, reminding her she was part of a team, not an individual act.
In another scrimmage, once more playing for Black, Jordan played his first match as keeper. He found it somewhat slow, but he knew that going into it. When there is action, it's a lot and it's fast and it's furious. Everything can be something of a blur.
One such blur came when the White Team pressed in, the chasers in a tight enough formation they were able to rapidly pass the quaffle between them, making it difficult for Jordan to keep up with it. When one did try to score, the ball was thrown so quickly it was almost a blink and you'd miss it moment. Luckily, Jordan didn't blink and didn't miss seeing it. He had to dive to one side, an arm outstretched, hand extended, slapping the quaffle away with his palm.
A White chaser caught the rebound, sending the quaffle straight back to the hoops. Jordan had to dive again, while this time also avoiding a bludger. He got fingers on the ball, enough to send it off course. One on his team snatched it up then and took off for the other set of hoops.
That scrimmage was scoreless, though there was a moment when the quaffle did get by Jordan and he just know it would go through the hoop. Instead, it hit the hoop rim and bounced back in his direction, allowing him to bat it further away. Overall, he thinks he did okay playing keeper. Maybe better than he'd done as chaser. He's not sure. Later, after the scrimmages are over, he'll ask Drake for an honest critique.