Soar Ravens! ((Ravenclaw Quidditch Team))

[Jasmine Anderson]

((I would like Adrian to be the first one to post here. Sorry this was a day behind guys.

BTW: This post takes place a few weeks after the start of term. Remember to keep that in mind in your posts!))

Quidditch was the only sport that Jasmine could really play. She wasn’t the kind of girl who could excel well in anything that was any type of athletics. Jasmine was more of a side line kind of girl who cheered on her favored team. If it wasn’t for Vanessa, then Jasmine would still be sitting in the stands. Her best friend had made her play, and then encouraged her to join the team. Jasmine was skeptical at first. She wasn’t exactly the best, but when she auctioned, she had made it as chaser in her fifth year. It took years for Jasmine to finally get the hang of playing the sport. She did sit on the bench a lot, but also played quite a lot too. Now Jasmine was seeker and Quidditch captain for her second year. Adrian Maigny was the co-captain as well, but Jasmine never really thought she had the talent to become captain. Smiling slightly at her thoughts, Jasmine stuffed her dragon hide gloves neatly into her bag, zipping up the zipper as everything was inside. She was already wearing her tan breeches with her navy blue Ravenclaw sweater. All Jasmine had to put on was her boots, practice robes, and the rest of the Quidditch gear. Taking the scarf off from her mattress, Jasmine wrapped it around her neck before pulling the small blue beanie over her dark hair. Setting the shoulder strap on her shoulder, Jasmine turned around stopping as she noticed Adrian and Reaegyn sitting on one of the beds. A lot of the Ravenclaws knew that the two were going out, and some didn’t quite agree with it. Jasmine could hardly care less. They were her dorm mates, and somewhat friends. Actually, a lot of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team was gay, but none of the members really cared. At least, that’s what Jasmine assumed. “Remember practice starts in an hour. It’s pretty cold outside so dress warm,” she told the two stopping in front of their bed. Jasmine was sounding more like a mother every passing day.

Smiling, she left the room, pulling the strap more secure onto her shoulder. Heading down the steps into the main common room, Jasmine darted out of the portrait hole down to the Great Hall. She hadn’t eaten anything since earlier that morning for Breakfast. Course work had been piling down upon the students and you add Head Girl duties, and Quidditch captain, Jasmine was pretty much a busy girl. She hadn’t seen Brantley in a while. Jasmine missed him and felt horrible for not making any stronger effort to see him. Brantley understood though. He really didn’t hold that against her, which was one of the many reasons why she loved him. Entering the Great Hall, Jasmine headed toward the Ravenclaw table, noticing a variety of different snacks upon the stable. Sighing, Jasmine grabbed a napkin from the table, setting to warm biscuits onto the paper while also taking an apple from the fruit basket. Biting into the shinny red coating of the fruit, Jasmine turned on her heels and left the hall. As Jasmine headed back down the long isle, she reminded some of her team mates about the practice time. Taking another bite of the apple, Jasmine made her way outside, the cold winter wind pulling at her. Shivering at the temperature change, she quickened her steps toward the Quidditch pitch. Her shoes crunched against the iced grass as she entered the small pitch. Setting her bag down on the floor, Jasmine sat down on the bench pulling on the rest of the gear. Tying the end of the practice robe on her she rubbed her cold hands together as she waited for the rest of the team.

One by one, everyone started showing up. Smiling at them, Jasmine quickly headed into the locker rooms where she found the chest containing the quaffles, bludgers, and even snitch. Dragging it outside, she stopped in front of her team sighing as she kept it locked. “Make sure you keep your fingers and toes moving, guys,” Jasmine reminded, wiggling her own fingers underneath the dragon hide gloves. “Adrian will be explaining what were doing today.” Glancing over at the girl she nodded stepping aside.

[Adrian Maigny R7]

Adrian opened her eyes and looked around the dorm room groggily. She wasn’t laying in her bed; she knew that because on a bed a few feet away lay a pair of uniform pants and shirt, Adrian’s uniform on Adrian’s bed. The fact that Reaegyn was sitting next to her, running her fingers through her hair, was only slightly an indication that she wasn’t in her own bed, seeing as Reaegyn would have been there either way. Well, now she would at least. They had only been back in school for about a week or so if Adrian had been counting correctly, though it was highly likely that she wasn’t. But anyways, the point was that Adrian and Reaegyn were officially a couple at school now. The kind of couple that could walk down the halls together and hold hands, be cute together, hug, kiss, and (as “inappropriate as some might have seen it to be”) they had taken to sleeping in the same bed at night. Usually they pulled back the curtains of both beds and then waited to get up in the morning till all of their dorm mates were gone, so that those who wished to turn a blind eye for comfortability’s sake could, but today Reaegyn must have found a good reason to get up earlier then usual. It took Adrian a few minutes before she sat up in the bed and smiled brightly at Reaegyn, leaning in to kiss her softly before moving to lean back against her on the bed. Then she noticed that the two weren’t alone in the room, but she didn’t worry about it, it was just Jasmine. Jasmine had always been one of the ones who were more accepting about Adrian, and now she seemed perfectly comfortable with Adrian and Reaegyn being a couple. Adrian looked up at Reaegyn and smiled brightly at her, just looking at her lovingly until Jasmine moved over and told them not to forget the practice. Once she had left the room Adrian sighed and stood, kissing Reaegyn softly and slowly. “Alright Reae love, I’m off to shower. I guess I’ll meet you at practice right hon?”

Adrian stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, drying her hair and then the rest of her before wrapping the towel around her and making her way to a bench a few feet away where her quidditch clothes were lying. She got dressed slowly, not in any rush, Adrian was never in any rush, pulling on her pants and then her shirt, then a grey turtleneck over that, and at last her blue sweater before realizing her boots were still out in her dorm. She sighed and hung up her towel before leaving the bathroom and re-entering her now empty dorm room. There were her boots, lying on the floor next to a duffle bag that contained the rest of her gear. She pulled them on and then looked at the clock, smiling as she noted that she still had at least twenty minutes to be down at the pitch, but Adrian liked to be at quidditch practices early so that she could get her mind straight on everything that was going on. Adrian ran her fingers through her hair once more and then shook her head, taking a note from Jasmine’s book and grabbing a beanie off her nightstand, pulling it on her head and then grabbing her scarf as well, wrapping it around her neck. She grabbed her duffle back from the floor and then left the room, heading down the stairs, and out of the common room.

She always hated how the common room was up in the top of the tower. She wasn’t really a fan of heights, and climbing up and back down those steps every day wore her out. Though that was probably a good thing, it kept her in shape, if quidditch didn’t do that on its own. But Adrian didn’t relish the exercise that quidditch brought. Adrian loved quidditch with a passion; she could say honestly that the only thing she loved more was Reaegyn, but that was a given, a sport could never mean more to her then Reaegyn, no matter how absolutely amazing that sport might be. And quidditch was pretty darn amazing if you asked Adrian. Adrian left the school and made her way down to the quidditch pitch, smiling seeing that it was still empty. She headed down into the locker room where she set her duffle bag on a bench and proceeded to finish putting on her uniform. When all of her gear was on she moved to her locker, opened it, and then pulled her robe from it (she liked to keep her robe separate in the locker) and then grabbed her broom out of the locker as well. She smiled brightly and turned on her heel, heading up to the pitch where she stood in the centre and waited. By the time Adrian made it out on the pitch she found Jasmine there, suiting up for practice. Adrian smiled and then the both of them waited for the rest of the team to show up, which didn’t take long. One by one, well on occasion maybe in groups, the whole team appeared, and stood in front of Adrian. Jasmine had gone off to get the chest so that they could practice, and in the meanwhile Adrian let everyone to themselves to socialize or whatnot. She was busy smiling over at Reaegyn. She still couldn’t believe her girlfriend had actually joined the team, especially since it was at Jasmine’s request and not her own. Adrian hadn’t even known about it until Jasmine mentioned it, and Reaegyn had thought it was mighty hilarious when Adrian went back to her totally confused. Finally Adrian tore her eyes away from Reaegyn when she heard Jasmine’s voice next to her, announcing that they should all keep their toes and fingers moving, and Adrian did just that, she wiggled them both.

Then she looked up at the team with a bright smile. “Alright everyone, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to split you into two even teams. Each team will have one chaser, one beater, and one keeper. I’ll be playing keeper for one of the teams so that it will be even.” After speaking Adrian divided the team up evenly. One team consisted of Sicilia, Reaegyn, and August; and the other of Celia, Jamison, and herself. She wanted to keep the teams with two girls and one boy, just to split it completely evenly. “Now, Jasmine will be playing seeker, but the seeker points will not be relevant in our little mock quidditch game, she’s just going to be practicing on her own. So you all know how this works, either sides of the pitch, but first let’s have…well, come here August, you’ll play the role of the captain for today, as will I. But first, I’d like you all to remember to be on your best behaviour today, because Jasmine and I have asked Madam Hooch to come referee our game.” Adrian looked around at her team. “So if there aren’t any questions, let’s get into place.”

[August Reid R7]

August could barely taste the apple that he was chewing. It was just food for his stomach. His brain told his stomach that unless his body had proper nutrition that the day was not going to be a good one. But did anyone tell the butterflies in his stomach that? They seemed especially upset today and would not settle down. Therefore August was forcing himself to eat and when he did that, food generally had no taste. Someone could have come up and switched his meal of an apple and porridge with gyros and haggis and he would not have known. Today was the first Quidditch practice that he had ever involved him. Sure, his brothers and he had played Quidditch every now and again (it was usually Jack against August and Bronsen, and they usually lost), but this was not just a friendly family game. This was the real thing. He had made the House team and they expected him to show up to practise today. He was the newest member of the team and he was very anxious. Suppose they didn't like him? Suppose they just put him on the team as a good lark? Suppose Jasmine seemed to be this nice girl on the outside but at practise she turned into something completely different, like a Ms. Jekyll/Ms. Hyde sorta thing? August had a million more thoughts like this which was not helping him to enjoy the modest meal before him.

Just then, August noticed Jasmine passing by him. She caught his eye and reminded him of practise. He nodded his acknowledgment but couldn't say anything. The words would not come. Luckily she didn't stay because she moved on looking for other players. Where was Belle when he needed her? They had become really good friends in a short amount of time and he really needed her to be with him right now. To console him and make him feel better about himself. Why did he have to try out for the team? Because you wanted to, a small voice told him. No, no. It was because Jasmine had asked several different Ravens that he had tried out. He just wanted to help. That's just an excuse, the small voice retorted. You wanted to be part of something. You wanted to feel needed somehow. That was true. August had observed how the Quidditch players interacted with one another and there seemed to be a sort of solidarity between them. Something that August had always wanted. He wanted solidarity with his brothers but that a fruitless hope. His elder brother Jack, although he truly seemed to care for his younger brothers, was off in a world of his own. August's younger brother Bronsen, was well, Bronsen. There was nothing left to be said. August hoped that he would become close to his teammates and would form a bond with them.

August made his way to the pitch where some of his teammates had already gathered. He saw Jasmine and recognised Adrian, the vice captain of the team. What a funny term, vice captain. Not co-captain or less-than-captain but vice captain. Language could be a funny thing sometimes. When everyone arrived, Jasmine explained to them all that Adrian was going to be explaining today's practise. Eyes turned expectantly to Adrian as she started telling them what they would be doing for the day. She split everyone into two teams telling them that they would be playing a mock game. August was put on a team with Sicilia and Reaegyn and the other team consisted of Celia, Jamison, and Adrian; they were told that Jasmine would be doing her own thing. Then Adrian did the most unexpected thing that could have happened that day. She asked August to stand next to her and told him that he would be acting as the captain of that team. August blinked in surprise but stood beside her like she wanted him to do. They were told to take their places so that it was they did. August waited patiently and would do what Madam Hooch asked him to do. Remember those millions of thoughts that were running through his head? This wasn't one of them!

[Celia Richmond]

Today was the day of the Celia's first quidditch practice. She'd only just joined the team and hadn't played in any games yet, but she was looking forward to this year's season. Their first match would be against Slytherin in a couple of weeks, and Celia was feeling hopeful. She'd always enjoyed flying, she just hadn't really had the inclination to join the quidditch team. She'd been too busy, and this year, despite doing 6 NEWTS, prefect duties and BBBS (which had slowed down recently after the hype of trying to track everyone down for application forms and pairing...there was a big sense of relief once all that had been done, and now it was up to the pairs to meet up with each other themselves), she felt that it was her time to at least audition for the team. Her view was that it was now or never-if she left it till her 7th year, she'd consider herself too busy, but this way she'd end up staying for the 2 years (most likely) and overall play more quidditch. In this match she believed she'd be playing as a chaser, despite not minding too much if she ended up being Keeper.

Having got up, washed, dressed and packed her quidditch gear ready to take down to the changing rooms, she made her way down to breakfast, meeting Jasmine, who promtly remided her that the practice would start in an hour, leaving the great hall as she was entering. Sitting down with some team mates she poured herself a cup of coffee, took some hot buttered toast and some bacon, with a fried egg. She ate it all, and finished off with an apple in an attempt to make herself feel better about her rather unhealthy breakfast so far by eating something healthy. and left the building. The biting cold hit her as soon as she opened the main doors, so she put on her navy blue hat and matching scarf, wrapping her robes tightly round herself with a sports bag with her quiddich gear over her shoulder.

As she entered the changing room, she took off her hat and scarf and made her way over to her locker, where she placed these and took out her blue quidditch robes and broomstick. She quickly got changed, and went back to her locker to put her bag in-now full of her standard clothes, as she was now wearind her blue quidditch sweater and brown trousers. She waited for the others to get ready, and then came Adrian's talk. The team would be split into 2, with Celia, Adrian and Jamison in one team, and Reaeagy, August and Sicilia in the other. Celia and Sicilia were the chasers, Jamison and Reaeagy and Jamison the beaters and August and Adrian the keepers, though Adrian was normally a chaser. Jasmine would be practicing alone as a seeker. Everyone agreed with the plans, and they went out onto the pitch.

[cdc]

Jamison sealed the letter to his grandparents and gave it to Shea. “There you go girl.” He said gently. Shea made a little noise and then flew out of the window. The letter said the usual stuff about school. Of course it also mentioned how Meyghan had left Hogwarts and moved away. Jamison wasn’t over it. He was far from over it. He loved Meyghan. He really did. Now what? They would talk through letters? That just wasn’t the same. Jamison wanted it to work so badly, but he just wasn’t sure if it would. Jamsion watched Shea as she flew around. Jamison had already written Meyghan a letter for the day. He sent one everyday. Well, he just couldn’t help it. It wasn’t the same with her away. He felt alone except for Wendi of course. Jamison sighed as he continued to stare out of the window. Everything happened for a reason really. So there had to be one for this. There just had to. Jamison just didn’t know what it was yet. Jamison shook his head. Well, he had to keep going really. He had to keep his grades up and he had to keep doing his Head Boy duties. At least the year was half way over. Jamison loved Hogwarts, but at this point, he was just ready to graduate and leave for good.

Jamison grabbed his broom from the corner of his room. There was a Ravenclaw Practice that day. He sighed. Really, Quidditch hadn’t been his main focus lately. No, Jamison had only been studying, patrolling the corridors, and writing Meyghan. The only other thing he would make time for was to hang out with Wendi, but she seemed to be busy. Jamison did like Quidditch but it had taken a back seat for weeks really. Jamison reached for his Ravenclaw scarf and then left his dorm. It seemed quite quiet lately, but Jamison was sure that his dorm mates were busy running around with there girlfriends. This usually made Jamison think of Meyghan, but he tried not to. Jamison really just needed to focus on everything else. Maybe that would help. Well he had to try at least.

Jamison walked over to Jasmine and all the players when he stepped on the field. He had already changed into his Quidditch Robes. He stuffed them into his room after the last game. He couldn’t remember why though. Jamison took a place besides Celia and listened to what Jasmine and then Adrian had to say. Jamison felt the cold on his skin, but he tried not to think about it. He just had to focus on practice. Jamison nodded as Adrian explained what they would be doing in practice for the day. It made sense and it would be helpful for the team. His fellow teammates were Adrian and Celia. Jamison nodded slightly. Jamison then took his place, waiting for Madam Hooch to appear and the mock-game to begin.

((Everything that was said about Meyghan was approved by Sadie. )

[Reaegyn Eschen-Brenner R7]

Reaegyn woke up slowly, her eyelids still closed as the sounds of the world started to drift into her ears. She smiled sleepily and ran her fingers through Adrian's short hair, focusing on her breathing as she slept soundly in her arms. Reaegyn and Adrian had been a couple for awhile now and Reaegyn felt completely exhilarated when she thought about it. Sure, they got some crap for it, but honestly? Reaegyn was happy and the people she cared about most were happy for them, so who needed other peoples' approvals? She turned her head slightly and kissed the side of Adrian's, letting her lips linger for a bit before breathing in her scent and turning her head away again. The curtains were closed for now, but about five minutes later, Reaegyn sat up –barely moving Adrian in her arms – and opened the curtains slightly to see the last of their dorm mates leaving. She was sitting back with Adrian in her arms still, her fingers running through her hair again, as Adrian woke up from the comfortable sleep she was in. Reaegyn smiled lovingly down at her as she opened her eyes and looked around the room with that groggy daze she always got when she woke up. She took a moment to fully wake and then she sat up and looked around before leaning and kissing Reaegyn who kissed her back happily, "Good morning, my love," she whispered before jumping slightly and turning her head to see Jasmine Anderson about to take her leave. Reaegyn smiled and nodded at Jasmine's reminder and when she left, she kissed Adrian back again before Adrian stood and went to shower. Reaegyn watched her leave and then collapsed back on the bed, stretching before she stood and dressed.

"Now, flick your wand and at the same time wave it…. Like so…" Reaegyn did the movement for the charm, muttering the spell, and a bright purple line of magic shot from her wand and circled an apple and shrunk it. She grinned and looked over at the second year she was tutoring. The little boy screwed his face up in concentration and then mimicked her – getting the same result. Reaegyn smiled broadly and clapped, "Great! N-…" "Reaegyn? Don't you have Quidditch practice?" the second year asked with a confused look on his face. Reaegyn looked at the time and gasped, "Yes! Oh, thanks Henry!" she patted the boy on the head and then hurried from the classroom she tutored in out into the Quidditch pitch. As she ran, she accio'd her Quidditch things to her and pulled them on awkwardly as she ran down the hill toward the pitch. Her broom hovered behind her as she hopped on one foot, pulling her boot on her other. Her brown hair kept falling in her eyes, but she wouldn't brush it out until she reached where everyone else was standing. Then she pulled a pony tail holder out of a pocket and wrapped it around her hair. The elastic snapped and Reaegyn dropped her hands, smiling apologetically at Jasmine and her girlfriend, "Sorry! Tutoring session ran late." A pathetic chuckle escaped her as she grabbed her broom and stood at an attentive stance. Adrian then slipped into her co-captain role and she started explaining what their training session would be like today. Reaegyn grinned to herself, feeling a satisfied glow at the prospect of a mock Quidditch game. Her father had been elated to hear that Reaegyn had joined the Quidditch team, she knew that when she and Adrian returned home there was bound to be a party; that was just how Benny was.

The fact that Madam Hooch was to be refereeing the game wasn't surprising to Reaegyn, considering Adrian had talked about it quite a bit the night before with Jasmine. For someone who wasn't a captain, Reaegyn did have the pleasure of listening in considering she shared a dorm with the captain and co-captain. She hardly ever made any input, though, because she didn't feel like she was experienced enough; and besides, Adrian was better than her at Quidditch anyway. Adrian and Jasmine knew what they were doing without Reaegyn's "helpful" input. Reaegyn smiled as the teams were split up and she headed over to her team, her eyes still on Adrian though. It was probably smart to split them up, but Reaegyn couldn’t help but smirk at the fact that she would be sending bludgers toward her girlfriend. Reaegyn turned to August and grinned, "So cap'n, you ready?" she asked in a warm tone of voice.

((I have a question! An OOC one! Considering Amber's left us… what do we do about Sicilia?))