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Kaycee - Reluctant to Return
Author: Lee Sickleby
Date: 09-14-18 09:25
Kaycee almost didn't go down to the Pitch for the Quidditch Trials. After her embarrassing display during the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Slytherin last year, Kaycee worried about showing her face there because she had failed her house team and because she didn't want to be teased and taunted by everyone else. She decided at the very last minute to try out for her old position of chaser, because the truth was, she really wanted to be on the team again. Also, Madam Pomfrey had diagnosed last year's incident as an ailment, so it wasn't as if she'd intentionally scored for the other team or done so because she was a bad player.
Still, she was nervous, but she tried not to show how she truly felt. She also tried not to think about last year's debacle, because it might psych her out enough to perform badly during today's tryouts. Kaycee didn't want to give anyone another reason to give her a hard time or make fun of her. Anyway, if she made the team again, then she certainly deserved to be there. They wouldn't select her because they felt sorry for her or because they felt obligated to give her back her former position.
Armed with that knowledge, Kaycee gripped her new broomstick. It was last year's model Mountaineer, which suited her just fine because she'd never had a broom of her own before, and it was new and nice, even if it wasn't the latest broomstick on the market. Her aunt and uncle had purchased it for her as a surprise. They knew how much she loved Quidditch and didn't want her to feel discouraged after what happened last year. The new broom and lovely gift was another reason Kaycee forced herself to participate in tryouts.
After arriving at the Pitch and after Coach Krum made some initial announcements and passed out numbers to all the participants, Kaycee, also known as #11, found herself in a group led by Drake Bennett, assistant coach for Pride of Portree. Coach Bennett led her group, which included a mix of students of different houses and years, through warm-ups and drills, such as passing the quaffle around and sprinting from one side of the Pitch to the other and back again. After every group finished its initial activities, everyone was sent to the sidelines.
Kaycee's name was not called up for the first scrimmage match, but she found herself playing chaser while wearing a white vest in the second scrimmage match. At tipoff, Kaycee was not the first to get the quaffle, but one of her white-clad teammates did. He passed the quaffle to her when she indicated she was open. With bated breath, she caught it easily, and after that, everything seemed to come back naturally. Kaycee drove the quaffle all the way to the black-vested team's hoops and fired away, but the keeper in the black vest managed to knock the quaffle right back into her arms. Kaycee ended up passing the ball to a teammate to avoid a bludger and getting hemmed in by the black-clad chasers. That teammate also didn't score, and eventually the quaffle changed possession.
Kaycee sat out the next two scrimmage matches. The next time she was called up, she wore a black vest. As chaser was the only position she wanted to play, she again found herself in that role. This time, she did get the quaffle first at tipoff. She pulled it securely to her body and attempted to navigate through the other players surrounding her, but it proved difficult this time, because there were a lot of veteran players on the other team. Kaycee ended up passing to a teammate, who nearly fumbled the ball. While the white-clad chasers focused their attention elsewhere, Kaycee, now ignored, shot passed them. She breathed a sigh of relief when the other black-vested chaser took hold of the quaffle. He saw that she was ready to receive it and threw it at her. Kaycee caught it and drove with haste to the goals guarded by a keeper in white.
She charged dead center, but at the last moment, she arced and threw the quaffle at one of the outer hoops rather than the one in the middle. The white-clad keeper was quick to react to the change, but not quick enough to stop Kaycee's goal. He retrieved the quaffle and handed it off to one of his teammates. Kaycee, meanwhile, was starting to feel a lot better about being at the Pitch again. It helped that she was making a decent, if not strong showing during the Quidditch Trials.
(Chloe) Liberating
Author: Mildred
Date: 09-14-18 13:51
"Campbell, Chloe! Campbell, Chloe, you are next! Is she around?"
Chloe felt terrified when Coach Krum started to call out her name from the pitch. She had come to support her friend and housemate Ruth Lynman in today's Quidditch trials. Both girls had been seated at the stands, while Ruth was preparing herself to enter the pitch. She had placed a hair band on her short hair, to avoid it to spoil her view. Chloe was about to tell Krum that it was a mistake, she did not sign up for the trials, when Ruth pinched her bottom and shouted:
"She is here Coach Krum! She's coming!"
Chloe sent Ruth an offended glance, but all Ruth did was to lightly push her into the pitch. She was assigned the number 19. Coach Krum kept calling a few more names, for some warmup exercises. Ruth was called as well carrying two old school broomsticks. She handed one to Chloe.
"Why?" Chloe asked her. It was obvious it had been Ruth who signed her up for the trials.
"Because it will be fun. It's a new experience. We don't lose anything if we try."
"You might lose a tooth, or a leg!" An older Slytherin student said, teasing them.
Chloe ignored her, but she lowered her voice.
"You know my father does not allow me to play..."
"He doesn't have to know. You said it yourself that he didn't care much about what happens here. And I promise not to tell him," Ruth joked. "Now let's play some Quidditch! You remember the rules, right?"
Chloe nodded. A few evenings ago, both Ruth and Franklin Ellis had taught her, in theory, how Quidditch worked, at the Ravenclaw common room. She had only flown in her life during Coach Krum's flying lessons. A witch named Flora Lynch gave some warm up indications. Everyone mounted their brooms and went up in the air. The first exercises were simple such as flying in circles or up and down. Chloe managed well in these. After several other warm-ups, they were divided by positions. Those who wanted to try out for beaters had to do some warm ups with the bats and bludgers, while chasers lined up to try and score goals to rotating keepers. Seekers had to catch small golf balls, that a witch named Marjani Batuti made fly at a fast speed using her wand. Ruth had signed both herself and Chloe for chasers.
After the warm-ups came the scrimmages. Chloe did not have the time to be nervous because her name was one of the first to be called. She was given a black vest, and quickly met her new teammates. Theodosia Batuti was the scrimmage referee. They were up in the air, the balls were set free and a whistle blew. It had started.
At first Chloe had no idea what was going on. It all started too fast, as a chaser from her own team, a boy with brown hair, caught the quaffle. However his grip was not very strong and it got stolen by a girl from the white team. She passed the quaffle to her teammate, another girl. They seemed to know each other well because they smiled at each other. Soon they were exchanging the quaffle between the two, leaving the third chaser calling them out, requesting the quaffle. Then a bludger sent from a black team beater broke the harmony between the two friends. It didn't hit any of the two chasers, but they realized they had another team member to pass the quaffle to.
"What are you doing? Wake up!" the brown-haired chaser told her. Chloe then realized she almost didn't move or contributed to the scrimmage. She had been so focused watching the other players she forgot she was part of this game as well.
She started thinking about what Ruth and Franklin have told her. Her job as a chaser was to hold possession of the red ball, score goals, and not get hit by a bludger. The quaffle was now in the hands of the brown-haired black team chaser. He had managed to intercept the quaffle when one of the female white chasers tried to pass it to their male companion. He passed the quaffle to Chloe.
She held it tight, knowing she had to fly as fast as she could towards the white team's hoops. She did so, but not as fast as she wished – the school broom she was using was old and its speed was somewhat limited. Soon she was caught up by one of the white team's chasers. The chaser pressured Chloe to drop the quaffle, by using her hand to try and grab it. Chloe didn't let go. Instead her eyes searched for a way out. The other black team chaser, a girl with a ponytail, was free. She passed her the quaffle, with success. The white chaser abandoned Chloe, now that she no longer had the quaffle. It was clear to Chloe that the next step was to get even closer to the hoops. She did so. The black team chasers were able to exchange the quaffle between the three a few times. Chloe then found herself in a good position to score. She tried to do so, but the keeper made a good defense.
The keeper passed the quaffle to a white chaser. Chloe decided she was going to try and steal it right away, so her team was still close enough to the hoops to try and score again. But then she heard it: the heavy whistle behind her approaching fast. She only had time to duck, as a bludger passed right by the position her head had just been a moment later. The white chaser escaped with the quaffle.
The white team ended up winning the scrimmage even if Chloe's team had scored more goals 40 to 30. Chloe had contributed to the toll with two goals. She was astonished by such deed.
"You're a natural Chloe!" Ruth exclaimed astonished.
She just shrugged her shoulders. It had been liberating to play. At home she had lived under such discipline, and even here at Hogwarts, during the first weeks, she tried to live according to her father's code. She tried to be quiet, hardworking, and as he told her, not get involved too much in the wizarding world. She was at Hogwarts only to control her magic, and nothing else. But now here she was playing quidditch! It was fun!
She was called back to the pitch two scrimmages later. Once again, she was given a black vest. This time she was paying attention when the match started. She tried to grab the quaffle first but failed, and a white chaser got it first. Chloe chased him, even if he was twice her size. Feeling bugged, he elbowed her. It hurt but she insisted. Her effort did not compensate because the white chasers swapped the quaffle very fast between the three of them. Chloe could tell some had experience in the sport.
It didn't take long for them to score. One of the white chasers throw the quaffle to the central hoop in a way that it seemed that the quaffle would go one way, but then it went another. Chloe couldn't help feeling admiration. She hoped one day to have such technique. The scrimmage continued after the goal. The keeper passed the quaffle to a black team chaser. She handed it to Chloe. She did a zig zagged flight, avoiding the two seekers who were battling for the snitch possession, right in the middle of the pitch. She wished her broom was faster! Unfortunately, a white team chaser caught up with her and she had to throw the quaffle to another teammate before it got stolen. The black team chasers worked together but the quaffle was stolen in mid air by a white chaser, when they tried to make room for scoring.
Once again Chloe's team lost the scrimmage. Yet, once again she managed to score. She went to fetch some water with a smile on her face. It would be amazing if she made the Ravenclaw quidditch team, so she could be able to be part of real matches. But even if she didn't she knew that she would continue playing as much as she could.
(Tessa) Beating with Boys
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 09-14-18 18:11
Tessa had come down to the Pitch with Blakeney, Will, and Gerry. Blakeney, as usual, had no intention of trying out for Quidditch, but Gerry and Will were planning on it. Once inside the Pitch, Blakeney went up into the stands, and the other three went to sign in and receive the numbers they would be wearing for the duration of the Quidditch Trials.
Tessa was once again trying out for beater. She'd joined the Hufflepuff team just last year and felt like her chances were good at earning a spot again, though she supposed it possible to get upset by a first year or someone else with heretofore unknown talent. Gerry was a veteran player, but Will wasn't, and Tessa teased him mercifully for his inexperience. Will soaked up the attention and suggested she give him some hands-on training. Chip, who was also participating in the tryouts and by now knew all about Tessa and Will, looked positively murderous.
The flirtatious banter was cut short when they were placed into different groups for warm-ups and drills. Tessa joined Flora Lynch's group. She flew in circles, dove and climbed, enjoying the feel of the wind against her face. After several other exercises, including beater-specific ones, Tessa touched down to the ground and awaited her first scrimmage match.
She was called up for the first one. So was Gerry, but not Will. Neither was Chip. Tessa and Gerry were on opposite teams, as they had been all last year and would be this year again if they both made their respective house teams. Tessa donned a vest for team white, while Gerry put on a black vest.
Gerry caught the quaffle as soon as it was released but got a shock when someone from Tessa's team stole the quaffle right away. Tessa didn't grin at Gerry's sudden misfortune and instead concentrated all her efforts on protecting the chasers on her team, who were rapidly moving the quaffle across the Pitch. Unfortunately, a beater on Gerry's team managed to break up the party, and Tessa wasn't fast enough to stop it from happening.
She switched tactics and used the same bludger that had disrupted the white-clad chasers to attempt another turnover. Unfortunately, Gerry passed the quaffle to one of his fellow chasers, a first year girl, before Tessa's bludger could do anything detrimental. He even managed to avoid getting hit. Before the scrimmage ended though, Tessa caused a major fumble that resulted in white getting possession of the quaffle and helped propel the team to victory.
A few scrimmages later, Tessa and Chip were on team black, which was awkward but Tessa tried not to show it. To make matters worse, Will was on team white. Both of the boys were playing chaser. At tipoff, Kaycee of the white team caught the quaffle. She passed to Chip, who very nearly fumbled the ball. Tessa groaned on the inside and immediately launched a bludger at the three black-clad chasers, who were converging on Chip and his precarious hold on the quaffle.
Will scrambled to get to it, but the third black-vested chaser rescued Chip and the quaffle and launched it at Kaycee. Tessa zoomed after them to put herself between them and the bludger attacks surely coming their way. She intercepted one and aimed it at one of Will's teammates. It struck the little girl in the collar bone and caused tears to spring out of her eyes. Tessa only felt a tiny bit bad about it. Quidditch was a dangerous sport, and if you wanted to play, then you had to be willing to get hurt.
Scrimmage (Cornington)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 09-14-18 19:10
Hoping to get back his chaser position on the Hufflepuff team Cornington has put in as much practice as he could. That practice included many of the same warm-ups and drills Coach Krum and the assistants used today prior to the beginning of the scrimmages. Arriving at the pitch this morning Cornington felt ready, felt confident but not overly so.
When the warm-ups and drill ended fourteen names were called to play in the first scrimmage. The first match for which Cornington was called ended within two minutes when the other team's seeker caught the snitch. While that was great for the seeker, it meant the other players had little chance to show their skills.
When he's called for another scrimmage, he hopes it will go the entire time allotted for the short match. Cornington snags the quaffle right away, zooming toward the end of the pitch where the keeper is a first year nervously watching as the action comes straight towards her.
With one of the other chasers edging in closer and closer in an effort to steal the quaffle Cornington hurls the red ball at one of his teammates, someone who played his opponent in that other scrimmage he'd been in.
His teammate sends the quaffle along to their team's other chaser. The three of them work the quaffle ever closer to the hoops. They were within scoring range when a pass to Cornington is intercepted. Wheeling his broom around to go after the opposing chaser who now has possession, he doesn't miss the look of relief on the keeper's face, causing Cornington to grin.
About halfway down the pitch, harassing the current quaffle holder, Cornington is able to reach over and pluck the ball away. Whipping his broom around as fast as he can, he darts back the other way, charging straight at the keeper. He does his best to be aware of where his team's other two chasers are in case he needs to pass but can't see either of them even peripherally.
What he does see peripherally is a bludger coming for him. Going lower over his broom and pouring on the speed, he manages to avoid the hard black ball only to have the other one thump one calf. Thankfully it's not enough to slow him or screw up his momentum. Reaching the hoops, Cornington lets the quaffle fly. The first year keeper makes an excellent effort to block the ball, throwing herself at it but it gets by her. Cornington can't help but grin at her again. First goal of the scrimmage and, quite possibly the way these scrimmages go, the only one.
The quaffle is put back into play, Cornington shadowing one of the other team's chasers hoping to find another steal opportunity before the other team can get the quaffle all the way to the other end of the pitch and try for a goal.
Conrad, Daphne and Emily at the Trials
Author: Ellis
Date: 09-15-18 06:31
The other hopefully returning beater for the Hufflepuff team was Conrad. Over the summer, he and his sportiest siblings, which included twins Daphne and Emily, had played numerous pick-up Quidditch games at home. The twins were also trying out today. Conrad had a feeling that Emily was more interested in joining the Gryffindor team than Daphne, but Daphne wasn't afraid to try new things. She was also generally good at anything she tried her hand at, whether her heart was truly in it or not.
The girls had signed up for all positions, but Conrad was only interested in playing beater. His first scrimmage match did not involve his sisters, but his second one did. All three of the Ellis siblings were on the same team, which made things easy because they had played so much together over the summer and knew each other's techniques. In the scrimmage match, Conrad played beater, Daphne played chaser, and Emily played keeper.
One of the other chasers on their team was the first to gain possession of the quaffle. He drew it quickly to his body and attempted to break away from the converging players from the opposing team. Conrad fired off a bludger at one of the opposing chasers and frowned when a beater on the opposite team knocked it away. The chaser with the quaffle somehow managed to navigate through the mass of bodies, limbs and broomsticks and shot free. He was immediately targeted by a bludger, which Conrad rushed to intercept.
The chaser tossed the quaffle at Daphne, who caught the ball easily and continued on the path to the goal hoops. She rolled to avoid one of the opposing chasers, who charged right at her, and then launched the quaffle at her teammate. He hurdled to the goal hoops and scored just moments after Conrad aimed a bludger at the keeper.
The keeper managed to avoid getting hit by Conrad's bludger and retrieved the quaffle, handing it off to a chaser on his team. Conrad caught up to one of the bludgers and launched it at the chaser in possession of the quaffle, but it was intercept and redirected at Daphne. Emily, meanwhile, got ready to guard her hoops. The pack got closer and closer, and Conrad did all he could to stop the advance, but it was no good. Fortunately, Emily managed to block the goal attempt that followed, and she got the ball outright, too.
The Chaser, the Keeper and the Sad Spectator
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 09-15-18 09:42
Belinda entered the pitch alongside with Eileen. While Belinda had made a sloppy ponytail to keep her hair away from her face, Eileen had made a perfect braid. Their broomsticks were also different: Belinda's was faster and lighter, while Eileen's was more robust. Belinda was trying out for chaser, while Eileen had signed up for the keeper position. They had very different playing styles: Belinda was abrasive and played using her instincts. Eileen's type of game was cold and mental. She often calculated the quaffle's trajectory in her mind in order to make a defense. The only thing the sisters had in common today was their desire to regain their last year positions in their house's Quidditch teams.
They did their warmups separately, in different parts of the pitch. Belinda wished she could skip part of these basic warmups exercises. She was impatient to get started on the scrimmages. Eileen on the other had was using this precious type to prepare her body and mind to what was coming next.
Eileen's name was called first for the third scrimmage and she was given a white vest. She placed herself at one of the sets of hoops, ready for the game to start. Pyhrrus Fine made the signal and the scrimmage started. Eileen watched as a chaser from her team caught the quaffle first. She passed it on to another chaser, but unfortunately he got hit by a bludger on his arm and dropped the quaffle. The red ball dropped a few meters but was finally caught by a black team chaser. The chaser quickly advanced towards Eileen's hoops. His fellow black team chasers went after his companion, backing him up. The white team chasers followed right behind. Unfortunately they were not able to stop a series of passes made between the black team chasers. Things got worse for the white team when one of its beaters hit one of his team members by mistake.
Eileen watched the quaffle with her eyes. One of the black team chasers hesitated between scoring and throwing the ball back to one of his teammates. She finally decided to try and score. The quaffle was sent to the left hoop. Eileen had been near the central hoop. She dived to the left. She was not able to grab the quaffle but she deviated it from the hoop with a dry punch. The quaffle was then held by a white team chaser, who quickly flew away from Eileen. She watched as her team made the first goal of the scrimmage. However, the black team made a quick counterattack once again aided by the same untalented beater who bumped against two of the incoming white chasers as he was trying to get to a bludger. Now Eileen had three black chasers in front of her and only one white chaser to help her. She was able to make a defense, similar to the one she did earlier. However this time who got the quaffle was a black team chaser. He shot towards the opposite hoop and Eileen didn't reach the quaffle on time to avoid a goal.
The scrimmage continued. Overall Eileen was happy with her performance, as she was able to make some solid defenses. She was told to take a break, while Belinda's name was called. She too received a white vest.
The scrimmage began. A black team chaser caught the quaffle. Belinda went after him. She got close enough but he detected her and he passed the red ball to another team mate. She kept covering the black chaser, as he approached her team's hoops. Belinda then pretended she got tired of covering him, and flew away. The trick worked because once he found himself free the chaser called out for the quaffle. It was promptly sent to him. However Belinda speeded up and stole the quaffle in the air, right under the black chaser's nose. She grinned with satisfaction and turned her broom around. She held the quaffle tight, on her way to the black team's hoops. She threw the quaffle to one of her team's chasers who was closer to the hoops. Instead of scoring the girl passed the quaffle back to Belinda. Before she could do something about it the scrimmage was interrupted: one of the black team's chasers had been hit by a bludger. It was most likely a first year who never felt the sting of a bludger. The boy cried, declaring to Drake Bennet that he wanted to give up. Belinda rolled her eyes. This was Quidditch! What was he expecting? The boy was sent to the Hospital Wing, crying. He didn't get hit too hard, but the surprise of the pain had been enough to scare him. The scrimmage resumed, another chaser assuming his place, this time a much older student. Belinda still holding the quaffle decided not to waste any time. She aimed at the right hoop and shot. The quaffle entered the hoop, the keeper not able to defend it. Belinda celebrated and the scrimmage continued.
Meanwhile at the stands Sophie watched both her sisters playing with regret. She wished she could be on the pitch as well. Several friends and colleagues including Hufflepuff's last Quidditch team members had asked her to tryout. They tried to change her mind about leaving the team. She looked at her engagement ring. Jasper had made her promise she would not try out. He was caring for her wellbeing, she thought. She did not want to go against her future husband and so she remained on the stands, a sad spectator.
Belinda was called for another scrimmage. As she had been seated she had recognized some past players trying out such as Kaycee Sicklebee, Tessa Filby, and Cornington Marchbanks.
Once again she was given a white vest. The game started and this time she got to the quaffle first. She speeded up, avoiding a bludger who came right in her direction. She exchanged a few passes with her white team companions. However the quaffle was stolen by a black team member when one of the other white chasers tried to score. It had been such a weak attempt that it barely reached the hoops and the black team chaser did the keeper's job, by securing the red ball. Belinda went after the chaser. She bumped against her left flank. The quaffle got unstable in the black chaser's hands. Belinda took some balanced with her broom and bumped against her another time. This time the chaser dropped the quaffle. Belinda caught it, holding it tight. As she turned her broom around she felt a bludger hitting her shoulder. She made a grimace due to the pain but she stubbornly kept possession of the red ball. With success the white team chasers reached the black team's hoops once again. One of the other white chasers had the quaffle. He missed the goal area by only a few inches. The quaffle hit the metal hoop. Before the keeper could get the red ball Belinda went ahead. She grabbed the quaffle after the rebound and scored.
Sadly the scrimmage did not last very long as the snitch was caught earlier. On the contrary the next scrimmage took a while to end. Eileen was now playing for the black team on that scrimmage. She watched as the black team chasers passed the quaffle and how the passing sequence was interrupted when a white chaser stole the quaffle. He dodged a bludger sent by a black team beater, and kept flying at high speed. His broom must be quite good because he was unstoppable. And then he did something quite familiar to Eileen. Just like Malden McGonagall in a past match, the chaser tried to hit Eileen's face in order to get his goal break. However she had learned her lesson in the past and now her gloved hands moved and anticipating the move she went to the quaffle's encounter and held it. The chaser seemed disappointed. She quickly threw the quaffle back to a fellow black chaser, resuming the scrimmage. Sadly she quickly lost the ball when another white chaser stole it, taking advantage of her not so firm grip. Eileen waited for the white chaser to score. He simulated a throw to the left. She believed him and balanced herself in that direction. Happy she was mislead the white chaser then threw the quaffle towards the central hoop. Eileen knew she couldn't shift her body fast enough to stop the goal. So instead she defended with her leg, kicking the quaffle away! It was a very unorthodox move but it worked.
Finally when the scrimmage was over she went to have some refreshments. Belinda was there as well. Eileen spotted both Patricia and Sophie at the stands. Sophie was smiling but she seemed a bit sad.
"Where is Elmer?"
"I have no idea," Belinda asked. She could sense Eileen was already worried about their brother's whereabouts. But Belinda didn't really care. She had to focus on the try outs. Quidditch was all she had. She was not nice or kind like Sophie, possessed charm and beauty like Patricia, or was friendly and clever like Eileen. She obviously wasn't the healthy son her father coveted. None of her siblings had become chasers. And this was how she stood out.
Chaser & Beater (Duncan & Doug)
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 09-15-18 14:46
Duncan had thought to try for both chaser and seeker this time around but ended up only putting his name in for chaser. As his name is called for another scrimmage he wonders if those who do tryout for seeker wish the scrimmages were longer, giving more time to possibly catch the snitch. He isn't sure that more time would matter. There are matches that last most of a day before the snitch is caught.
Taking to the air, Duncan double then triple checks who his teammates are this match. He doesn't want to make a mistake when passing the quaffle, sending it to someone who was on his team in another scrimmage or is someone he knows is a Hufflepuff. Scrimmages during the trials have nothing to do with who's in what house.
There is a flurry of motion when the quaffle is put into play. Duncan lunges for it but misses. A chaser on the other team gets it, for a second tussling with his own teammate for control. He takes off with the other five chasers practically on top of him. As they fly towards one set of hoops the space between everyone increases. The same teammate the boy tussled with is calling out to him, trying to tell him he's going the wrong way. It's only when he's almost to the hoops that he finally listens, or perhaps its because he sees the keeper wearing the same colors he is that the boy executes a wide, sloppy turn to go back the other direction.
It's also only then that the boy considers help from one of the other two chasers on her team. He passes but the pass is as sloppy as his turn was. One of Duncan's teammates intercepts the pass only to immediately lose the quaffle when hit by a bludger. This time when Duncan lunges for the ball, he gets his hand on it.
Pulling the quaffle in close, Duncan pivots his broom around to sprint back the other direction. Drawing in close to the hoops he sees he won't have a clear shot so passes to one of his teammates. She catches the quaffle just before a beater passes right by her, grazing her shoulder. She quickly shakes off the sting and throws the quaffle. The keeper bats the quaffle back with little effort. It comes straight towards Duncan and a chaser from the other team. They grapple for it and just about the time Duncan is sure a whistle will blow he wrests the ball from the other chaser's hands.
Duncan lobs the quaffle at the nearest hoop but again the keeper is able to block the shot. This time the chaser who had just lost the quaffle to him gets the rebound but before she gets very far with it they are surprised by the whistle blowing. Her team's seeker has just caught the snitch. Deflated at not having more chances to score, and that his team lost this scrimmage, Duncan lands to go sit and wait, hoping to be called for another match.
Douglas is in the match that follows the one Duncan has just played. Gripping his bat, he wishes he could play every scrimmage. He nods at the other beater on his team this match, roommate Kearney Powell.
The balls are released with Douglas heading for the far bludger. Kearney and the other two beaters went after the nearer one so for Doug it makes sense to get the other one. Reaching the bludger Doug gives it a might whack, sending the ball screaming towards the person currently in possession of the quaffle. He waits a beat then follows the bludger, which clips the chaser's broom.
Reaching the bludger again this time Doug bats it in the direction of the other team's seeker who seems to be onto the snitch. He leaves that bludger for another beater to get because the other bludger is now only an arm's length away from him. The other team's chasers have made quick work of getting the quaffle to the hoops so stopping them from scoring is now his mission.
The bludger smacks into the chaser who was on the verge of throwing the quaffle. The red ball pops from the chaser's hand, allowing one of Doug's chaser teammates to steal. Speeding towards that same bludger, he has to back off when Kearney reaches it first. Doug follows the path Kearney sent the bludger on, watching as it slips by one chaser's thigh, enough to be felt but not enough to get the chaser to back off from trying to grab the quaffle away from Kearney's and Doug's teammate.
Doug is right there to hit that same bludger, aiming for the same chaser. This time the bludger hits right between the shoulder blades. The chaser lurches forward, bumping into the person with the quaffle. A whistle blows and a foul is called. Smiling, Doug tracks that bludger with his eyes until the game is in motion once more, eager to do his part to help his team win.
Weasley Brothers Trying Out
Author: Blossom
Date: 09-15-18 18:31
Seth and Gideon feel lucky that for the second time they are in a scrimmage together. The first time they played on opposite teams but this time they are teammates. As soon as the scrimmage ahead of them ends those playing in the next one are on the pitch and ready to go. Seth and Gideon take to the air, Seth clustering with the chasers to vie for the quaffle, Gideon moving off a little to be in a good position for a bludger.
Within seconds the game is on, Seth charging forward to grab the quaffle only to lose it to a teammate. He's fine with that. Better than someone from the other team. The two bludgers are about equal distance from Gideon so he goes after the one nearer to the current action, batting the bludger into the path of a chaser. The chaser is forced to slow, giving the chaser teammate with the quaffle a good opening to pass.
Seth catches the quaffle, another of the other team's chasers trying to get to it for an interception but thankfully missing. Seth zigs around another player, driving towards the hoops. Just out of goal range he passes. His teammate shoots forward at the same time sending the quaffle to the rightmost hoop. The keeper pops it back, straight into the chaser's arms. She throws for goal again. Gideon's gotten a bludger off that gets to the keeper just in time to stop another block. The quaffle gets by the keeper, passing cleanly through the hoop.
Just after the other team takes control of the quaffle, Gideon gets another good shot of the bludger off. It thumps into the chaser with the quaffle, causing him to lose hold of the red ball. Seth dives for it, nearly bumping heads with the chaser who just lost the ball. With a firm grip on the quaffle, Seth arcs around, accelerating back to the hoops and keeper they'd just left.
He fakes a throw to one of the other chasers only to let the quaffle loose towards one of the hoops. Thinking the quaffle was going to one of the other chasers the keeper isn't quite prepared. Only minutes into the scrimmage and Seth's, and Gideon's, team already has two goals. Not that goals truly matter in the scrimmages but it still feels nice to be "winning" for the moment.
Halfway along the length of the pitch Seth almost has an intercepted pass but he's stymied by a bludger. The timing of it is such that he grabs for the bludger instead of the passing quaffle. He's expecting a foul to be called but maybe the referees are letting it go since he didn't actually catch the bludger. He only grabbed for it.
As the rival team draws near the hoops, Gideon smashes his bat against a bludger, sending it straight at the chaser with the quaffle. She avoids it but is slowed just enough that Gideon's team's keeper is able to better position himself to block the quaffle when it comes. Seth tries to grab the quaffle as it comes back to the pack but the girl who'd just thrown for goal snatches it up again.
She again throws for goal, Gideon once more sending a bludger her way only to have an opposing beater turn the bludger away. The shot is good so now the scrimmage score stands at one goal to two. For the next several minutes there's a lot of back and forth with the quaffle, neither team making much headway, neither team giving ground. Next thing they know time is called for the scrimmage. The two seekers look disgruntled, neither having caught sight of the snitch since it was released.
The Weasley brothers grab something to drink and sit together to watch the next match getting underway, each wondering if and when he'll be called to play again.
(Charlotte & Noah) At Quidditch Trials
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 09-16-18 07:12
Charlotte, playing chaser, accepted the quaffle from her black-clad teammate and pulled it closer to her body while simultaneously darting past a beater on the opposing team. She threw a quick look over her shoulder to verify that the same beater had just targeted her back with a bludger. Charlotte hastily glanced around, saw that one of her teammates was open, and launched the quaffle at him. Then, she dove suddenly to avoid the bludger chasing behind her. It flew over her head and was intercepted by her cousin Noah, who was playing beater on the same team.
Noah directed the bludger at a chaser on the opposing team, who was currently harassing the chaser in possession of the quaffle. Noah's bludger struck his target in the thigh, which caught the chaser by surprise but wasn't enough to completely count her out. She tried her best to distract the chaser with the quaffle, and frustrated, he threw it overhand to Charlotte. The quaffle was almost intercepted, but Charlotte snatched the ball out of the air and charged for the hoops. She attempted a goal, but the quaffle hit the rim of a goal hoop and bounced back into her arms. She tried again, and this time the defending keeper knocked the red ball away from the hoops.
Charlotte again snatched up the ball, but then a bludger caught her in the shoulder and drove her unexpectedly forward. She very nearly crashed into the keeper, but somehow managed to pull back, though the space was tight now since everyone had converged in front of the hoops. Arms and broomstick noses and bristles were everywhere, making it difficult to navigate and keep hold of the quaffle. Charlotte held on for dear life, though.
Noah whacked a bludger at the crowd. It struck a white-clad chaser square in the back. Noah sped up to reclaim the bludger before another beater could get to it and again whacked it at the group converged around the goals. He struck another white-clad chaser, this time in the upper arm. Charlotte found an opening and pulled out and around before attempting a goal from a higher angle. The quaffle was in flight when a whistle was blown, signaling the end of the scrimmage match.
In the stands, Sophia watched her brother and cousin touch down and get water from the refreshments table. She was not interested in sports herself, but the Quidditch tryouts seemed to be the place to be at the moment. Her roommate, Cecilia Youngblood, was seated next to her. Cecilia ran nonstop commentary about what she thought about the various players, from their skills in the air, to how they looked and what they wore.
In the first scrimmage match Noah played in, which actually resulted in a tie by the time the whistle was blown, Cecilia had remarked that he seemed like one of the better beaters. Then again, that match had consisted of one veteran beater, Noah, and three who had never played the position for a house team. When Charlotte first took to the skies, Cecilia had watched with admiration. Charlotte was swift and calculating and showed no mercy. She wasn't above trickery, either. Sophia had to admit that she'd been impressed, too.
"Why didn't you try out?" Sophia asked Cecilia. "You seem to really understand and like the sport, and you're definitely more outdoorsy than I am."
Cecilia shrugged. "First years aren't allowed their own broomsticks, and though I heard the school brooms aren't old or slow nowadays, it's not the same as having your own, you know? Besides, I heard it's pretty rare for first years to get on the team. Not that it doesn't happen, mind you."
Sophia nodded, knowing that her cousin had joined the Slytherin team as a first year.
"Another scrimmage is about to start," Cecilia suddenly remarked. "Let's see…" And her commentary began.