Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff!

[Madam Xiomara Hooch]

The whole school had the Wednesday afternoon off for the Quidditch match. Early March had proved to be a cold snap and although the sky was a beautiful shade of powder blue, the sky bright and the ground bathed in golden sunshine, a chill brisk wind was whipping up the hair of the Quidditch players and spectators and the air temperature was only a few degrees above freezing. It wasn’t, then, a surprise to see people wrapped up in woollen cloaks and layered to the hilt in fluffy scarves and bobble hats. The team players them did not have the privilege of making themselves so aerodynamically challenged and Xiomara, who herself had on a pair of thick dragon skin gloves with a woollen lining inside, noticed a number of them shivering as they waited to start play. She resolved to start the match as quickly as possible to take their mind off the cold.

She summoned the captains over to shake hands with each other. They were well-known faces and names to her by now, since they’d been playing for so long, and she was optimistic that this game would be relatively hassle-free compared to the one between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. No one stood out as an obvious brute on either team.
“I expect a clean game today,” Madam Hooch told the two captains sternly. “Make sure that you let your teams know that.” With a couple of pips on her whistle, she indicated that both teams should take their starting positions, and then, with the Bludgers and Snitch released, she rose into the air and gave a final blast on the whistle to signal the start of the game, the Quaffle free-falling towards the two Chasers racing to catch it first for their team.

((The current line-ups are…

Gryffindor

Position - Player: Dex/Str/Con
Chaser – Scott Ryder G6 ((4+2=)6, 6, (3+3=)6)
Chaser – Mikayla Moon G7 (2, 2, 5)
Chaser – Casey Allen G5 ((3+1=)4, 4, 4)
Beater – Julius Lionheart G7 (5, 1, 3)
Beater – Oscar Flynn G6 ((3+1=)4, 5, 2)
Keeper – Riley Coxen G5 (3, 4, 5)
Seeker – Melody Bang-Bala G3 ((5+1=)6, (1+5=)6, 6)

Reserve Team
Rosaliz Hernandez G5 (5, 6, 3)
Cassandra Fallon G7 ((3+2=)5, (5+1=)6, (4+2=)6)

Hufflepuff

Position - Player: Dex/Str/Con
Chaser - Chace Coxen H7 (4, 6, 5)
Chaser - Sophia Hallington H6 ((3+1=)4, (5+1=)6, 5)
Chaser - Ivy Tunstall H7 (6, (5+1=)6, (3+2=)5)
Beater - Billy Brady H5 (4, 6, 4)
Beater - Sydney Rawson H6 (2, 5, 1)
Seeker - Finn Miles H6 (5, 4, 4)
Keeper - Seth Wright H7 ((5+1=)6, 4, 3)

Reserve Team
Kael Collins H7 (3, 5, 5)
Sita Mehadi H5 (4, 3, 5)
Carson McGreggor H6 (6, 6, 6)

Gryffindor 10
Hufflepuff 180))

[Scott Ryder G7]

Scott had been looking forward to the day's Quidditch match for a while now. It had seemed like it was so long ago that they had played Slytherin. He was in the mood for Quidditch. On the other hand, the cruel wintery wind was enough to make anyone want to go straight back to bed and curl up with a warm blanket. But, Scott and the rest of the players and spectators would have to endure the wind and attempt to stay warm. He just hoped that the cold wouldn't affect his playing. Other than that, it was a great day. Clear and bright.

Without much hassle or wasted time, the players were gathered and Hooch was getting them ready to start the match. Scott mounted his broom, and hovered as he waited for the release of the Quaffle. He felt good today, and he was hope that good feelings could be carried over into his performance for the match.

When the whistle was blown, Scott focused his concentration on one thing and one thing only: the Quaffle. He hoped Rosaliz and Casey would notice this and prepare themselves to be ready for a pass. He wanted a quick and simple game, and Scott was going to do whatever he could to make sure Gryffindor came out with at least a few good goals.

((Going for the Quaffle.))

[Finn Miles H7]

Another Quidditch game, and Finn found himself in the Seeker position. He wondered if he should get used to the change. The last match hadn't ended well though, and Finn knew that the girl playing Seeker for Gryffindor was a rising star for being such a young age. He'd hate to start his Seeker career with two straight losses, but it seemed like it was very possible. He wanted to stay positive though, and so Finn was all smiles as he took the pitch with his teammates.

Madame Hooch gathered them around, and he watched the Golden Snitch flutter away as she freed it from the trunk. Then, his eye caught Meoldy's and he gave a kind nod. Perhaps it was her innocence that caused her opponents to underestimate her. Finn knew she was good though, so he wasn't going to let himself think that she'd be an easy opponent.

With as much energy as he could exert, Finn pulled up on the handle of his broom when the whistle was blown. He wanted to get a good aerial view of the pitch so that he might have a better chance to see the Snitch. If he was lucky, he might find it as quickly as last time. However, he hoped Melody wouldn't sneak in and take it from him just like Adriahna had.

((Snitch searching.))

[Casey Allen G5]

It was cold. Too cold. Casey shivered as she made her way into the middle of the pitch. She much preferred the games toward the end of the school year but this would have to do. Casey was bundled up in as much gear as possible which was good because she was both freezing and small. It didn’t take much to push Casey from her broom nor did she have too much physical strength, but Casey wasn’t afraid of the game. She pushed through the best she could despite her small size. Casey was a good player but only because she was determined to be that and nothing less. Casey gripped her broom in her hair as the wind blew her tight pony tail. This was a game Casey would actually enjoy. All the games were competitive, but the Slytherins never played around and tried to play dirty. Casey didn’t go along with their games, but she did try extra hard. This game was different as her boyfriend was playing against her, but that didn’t mean that she would cut him any slack now.

Casey made her way to her spot. She spotted her boyfriend and gave him a fake scowl. Casey and Carson usually didn’t interact much during the games, but they never knew what would happen. Still, it was just game. Casey soon busted out into a smile just for him and then focused her attention on the game. She wasn’t about to let her boyfriend throw her off task. Casey mounted her broom and hovered in place, waiting for the quaffle to drop it. It seriously seemed like time stood still as she waited. Finally the quaffle dropped and the game began. Casey sped off as fast as she could. Scott seemed to be going for it and Casey would stand by, able to accept a pass if needed.

((Go Gryffindor! And yea just posting.))

[Ivy Tunstall]

Another Quidditch game. For someone who’d been playing since third year, it was pretty routine by now, save for thoughts of tactics (which incidentally were going to need to be more offensive than defensive from Hufflepuff this game, because they had lost ground to make up on the other teams). However, Ivy really felt quite emotional about it, because in the back of her mind was the thought that this was her penultimate game. She was really proud of her team, but soon she would no longer have anything to do with it, and that thought was a bit disturbing. Mind you, much of this year’s team would be graduating with her. Her most important friends had already left the team – Noko to go and pursue a career in professional Quidditch as she deserved, and Charlie because Ivy had given him no choice. Ivy felt a pang in her heart as she thought of her dearest friend; she didn’t even know whether he would be up in the stands watching, and if he was she wondered with what sentiments he would support his house team that until recently, he had been a part of. Did he blame her for making the decision that had been fairest for the other team members, but quite harsh for her best friend? She didn’t even know that, because they just hadn’t talked much since. It was with quite some effort that Ivy forcibly cheered herself up in order to smile confidently at her friend Sophia next to her as she straightened up from tying her bootlaces and drew breath to give her pre-game speech.

“I’m not going to lie to you, guys…” Ivy said above the noise of her team, with the satisfying effect that they hushed down and started listening to her, “we have to make this game count. Chasers… we need to score as many goals as we can. Kael and Seth, the fewer Gryffindor get past you, the better. Finn… I know you’re still quite new at this, but I’ve seen what you can do in practice so just do the same now – we’re going to need you. Beaters – you’re up against some of the toughest opposition in the school, but I reckon you’re good enough to stop us from getting bashed around too much. We can’t afford to play anything less than our best game today. I hate looking at the rankings at the moment, but we all know that we’re better than they suggest. Hufflepuff can play Quidditch just as well as all those teams who’ve got 180 points more than us. Today, I just want you all to go out there and prove it to everyone. We’re going out there to win. Give it everything you’ve got. Okay? You’re all fantastic. Go for it!”

And out onto the pitch they went. Ivy shook hands with Cassandra with her normal mixed feelings (generally she had nothing against the Gryffindor. She respected her Quidditch skills and considered her quite likeable, but did feel a little shy and wary of her more outgoing personality) and mounted her broom, thinking about holding the Quaffle in her hands in order to focus against the noise of the crowd. Ivy had agreed with Chace and Sophia that she would be going for the Quaffle at the beginning of the game; she smiled as she saw that Scott was poised to race her to it. She’d been the one who’d come away with the Quaffle in their last encounter at the Quidditch Skills Cup, but she’d also been the one who’d come away with a bumped head, and it had been Ivy who had botched it up slightly. She hoped that this time she could prove to Scott that her mistake had been a fluke, and come away with the Quaffle all the same. She was certainly accelerating towards it at a fair lick, and with this first exhilaration of the game, she felt her sadness and anxiety fly away as competitiveness took over. Quidditch player Ivy was back.

((Trying to get to the Quaffle before Scott does!))

[Oscar Flynn G7]

He had surveyed the Gryffindor players just before the game, running his eyes over each one, confident in their abilities; he was proud to fly with them. He listened with a confident smile to Cassie’s talk, acknowledging the words. His spirits were up today – one glance outside that morning had informed Oscar that the weather would not be a problem at all. It was clear and dry and he was sure that the wind was an advantage; bitter though it was, the briskness refreshed and wakened Oscar and he knew it should do the same to the other Gryffindors. For him as a Beater it was also useful; it was much easier to hear a Bludger speeding alongside a whistling wind than to let it creep up behind you silently in a quiet sky. With this thought in mind Oscar didn’t say much after listening to his captain speak – he merely gave a few words of encouragement with a beaming smile, his eyes pleading with each player - be optimistic. Although things were not particularly great in Oscar’s head, heart and general life, the fact that he was about to be speeding through the sky and smacking a great ball at somebody’s head made him forget everything else.

Outside on the pitch he eyed the Hufflepuff beaters, taking a second while Cass and Ivy shook hands to stick his tongue out at Finn and throw a mock challenging glare at his friend. He hadn’t discussed the game with Finn yet – but Oscar knew that the Seeker would be one of his main targets this game. While it would be harsh in the sky, he was looking forward to the laughter and breathless accounts they might share later on after the results, comparing hits and bruises perhaps. That was one of Oscar’s favourite things about playing Hufflepuff – while they could be mighty aggressive and incredibly competitive like the Slytherins and Ravens, the fact that Oscar knew most of them to be great sports made him confident that whatever happened, relationships after the match would remain the same. ‘After the Gryffindors win’, he thought to himself with a grin.

There was not, however, much time left for thinking. The whistle was blown and in a rush of movement and with an almighty cheer from the crowd, the game began. Immediately Oscar urged his broom forwards and narrowed his eyes as the wind proved to be a little worse in force than he had expected initially. No matter – soon he was flying alongside one of the angry Bludgers. He gripped his wooden bat between both hands firmly, relishing in the familiar feel and weight before twisting suddenly to the side and slamming wood with Bludger.

((Attack on Ivy!))

[Sydney Rawson H6]

Syd stood in the locker room pepped up and ready to go. She loved Qudditch. Not only was it a game to her, she did it everyday as if it was a hobby. She mapped out game sceneries in her head instead of listening to the Professor in class. She thought of different ways to side swipe a chaser, without getting caught for a penalty. She was a brutal beater, but her team liked her that way. She was mouthy, fast, and was destined on one goal- to keep her players safe.

As she slipped on her leather gloves, she pulled them tight so they stuck on her hands as if it was her own skin. Gripping up her bat, she twisted her wrists while making mock- swings in the air in front of her. She was getting ready for the power house she's been trying to keep locked up until the match. After all of her work last game, it was done in a matter of seconds because of that dammed snitch. She didn't make more than two plays before the other team won. It took Syd weeks to get over that massive loss. And she knew this game meant a lot to the Hufflepuff team. Ivy caught the room's attention as she spoke up and addressed each player and their position. She came to the beaters, and Syd turned toward Carson. She looked at him with a serious look. They were a good pair together. Syd was just a bit more mouthy to the other team. She turned back to Ivy and nodded to her in recognition that she understood what this match meant to not only the Hufflepuff team but the entire house.

As the team started filing out of the locker room, Syd followed close behind. She mounter her broom and flew out into the bright day. But the sky was too beautiful for a mid winter's game-- it was blistering cold due to the wind. But maybe the wind would play in her favor today. As Madam Hook blew her whistle. Syd held back for a moment as she looked around for what was going to happen with the bludgers. She spotted Oscar from away aiming the large iron ball. Laying on her broom, she shot toward Ivy, which was where she saw the line of fire was, and swung as she tried to keep her first play of the game an important one.

(( Block the bludger from Ivy, and deflecting toward Scott! ))

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Inhaling deeply, Cassandra looked over her team with a smile on her face. It was a beautiful day! A perfect day for quidditch! It had been an evil keeled morning for Cass. She woke up, ate breakfast, and then headed to the pitch. There was no nervous energy, no butterflies in her stomach, and no nervousness. She was past that. Today, she would walk onto the pitch assured in her position and her playing skills. Winning the Quidditch Skills Cup had given her a big stroke to her ego. She was the best, and she had proven it. After the Gryffindor players settled down, she began her pre-game speech. "Gryffindors, don't let the weather conditions fool you. This will be a tough game! The Hufflepuffs have a formidable team this year, and we need to watch out. We need to take out there seeker early if at all possible." That statement struck a chord. How could she hurt Finn? "Oscar, try to keep their chasers busy. I will deal with Finn." And try not to hurt him, she thought to herself. "Melody, you did incredible last game. Try to catch that snitch as soon as you can. I think the Hufflepuffs can whip us on endurance. Let's try to make this game quick and clean."

The team soon made their way onto the pitch. Cass shook Ivy's hand, like she had done several times before, and took off into the sky.

((attack on Finn))

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

Melody had opted for a different hairstyle today, which must have come as some surprise to her team-mates - she was known for the bunches that always bobbed along beside her as she walked down corridors and as she kicked off from the ground on her broom. But Melody, who was old for her year after having had to repeat her first year, had turned fifteen in October and just occasionally she liked something a little less childish. She'd progressed onto leaving her hair loose sometimes; today a thick scarlet headband held back her long hair, the bright colour standing out against her dark hair. The deep brown locks flowed over the scarlet of Melody's Quidditch robes as she tossed her head back after standing up, having finished changing. Not beyond conceit, Melody had become quite a celebrity amongst the younger years after she'd caught the Snitch for Gryffindor, and she had even received a number of Valentine's cards. While she was by nature too shy to capitalise on her newly elevated social status (she had previously been considered an out-and-out weirdo), it had boosted her confidence and while her innocent features and slight scattering of freckles still made her look more like a child than a teenager, she was growing up, at her own pace. Everyone did.

Melody braced herself as, going out onto the pitch, she encountered the first blast of cold wind. She lagged a little way behind the rest of her team: it was a lonely business being the youngest member of the team, when your older peers talked and joked amongst themselves and, even though they didn’t mean to, forgot to include the least significant of their number. Melody had utmost confidence in her Captain and Vice Captain though; she watched their actions intently, all the while unconsciously treating them as role models and taking her cues from them. She was quite gratified to be playing as Seeker again today, although she wouldn’t have minded what was chosen for her now that she already knew she could pull off playing Seeker against the scariest team in the school. Melody was a fine tactician and Beater, able to calculate angles of Bludgers instinctively and decide where in the game they could cause the most chaos for the opposing team, but she needed these advantages because her muscles were quite puny compared to those of many other Beaters, and besides, there was nearly always some hesitation about her actions. Not as competitive as some of her team-mates, Melody shied away from the idea of hurting people; playing as Seeker was a less disturbing experience for her.

There was the whistle! Melody kicked off from the ground and quickly began climbing to a higher altitude, even a few metres gain in height seeming to increase the intensity of the wind blustering around her. Her scarlet robes blew up around her, filled with the wind and air whipping through them, so that they looked more like a superhero's cape than like Quidditch robes. Melody's gaze grazed over the Hufflepuff Chaser, Miles. He was quite new to the position, so she didn't feel particularly outdone in terms of experience this time like she had done against Josephine Bowman. She'd be keeping half an eye on him, though, in case he saw the Snitch before she did. Speaking of which... she had better start looking. Melody swept her eyes round the pitch, keeping a lookout for where the small gold ball might have found to hide from the Seekers.

((Searchin' fer t'Snitch!))

[Madam Xiomara Hooch]

((Oscar hits a Bludger at Ivy; Sydney attempts to deflect it towards Scott.
Oscar = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 2 + 5 = 7
Sydney = Defend (D8 + Str) = 2 + 5 = 7
Tie! Re-roll.

Oscar = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 6 + 5 = 11
Sydney = Defend (D8 + Str) = 5 + 5 = 10
Oscar’s Bludger continues at Ivy.

It is assumed that Sydney would warn Ivy to dodge the Bludger.
Oscar = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 4 + 5 = 9
Ivy = Avoid (D8 + Dex) = 5 + 6 = 11
Ivy dodges Oscar’s Bludger!

Cassandra hits a Bludger at Finn. There is a Bludger flying at Finn.
NB. Because you posted in the first twelve hours of the round, normally the Bludger would take effect this round, but having confirmed this with Adam, we’ve decided that because you won’t actually be writing your post this round, we’ll treat it as though it’s happening next round. Good luck, by the way!

Scott and Ivy chase after the Quaffle.
Scott = Catch (D6 + Dex) = 3 + 6 = 9
Ivy = Catch (D6 + Dex) = 1 + 6 = 7
Scott has the Quaffle.

Finn searches for the Snitch. Since he has a high enough Con score that he’ll always have a Search roll of 5 or more, I’m not going to bother with his Search rolls this game.

Finn = Search = 13
13 is not the Snitch number. Finn does not see the Snitch.

Melody searches for the Snitch. Since she has a high enough Con score that she’ll always have a Search roll of 5 or more, I’m not going to bother with her Search rolls this game.

Melody = Search = 17
17 is not the Snitch number. Melody does not see the Snitch.))

[Ivy Tunstall]

The Quaffle was so close, but Ivy hadn't been bargaining on encountering a Bludger so early on in the game. She glanced backwards at Sydney's shout, knowing that the Quidditch-keen girl wouldn't be disturbing her at such an important moment without good reason, and immediately tracking the Bludger with her eyes saw that she was going to have to take evasive action. She jerked away from the Bludger, over Scott's head and over to his other side, but by now it was too late: he got to the Quaffle first and started speeding away from her. Still, from a personal point of view, she didn't regret putting avoiding the Bludger first at this stage in the game - there was no point suffering a broken finger or something like that which could affect her concentration for the rest of the game.
"Sheesh," Ivy breathed out. Well, she had told her Beaters that their Gryffindor counterparts were good. "Thanks, Syd!" she called. "Go hit it at a Gryffindor now."

Scott was some way ahead of her now, and Ivy dipped down a little below the level he was flying at before accelerating after him. She urged more speed out of her Nimbus 2001 until she had placed herself in a strategic position where she could dip up in either direction if he were to pass to the fifth year Chasers flying with him, so long as she kept a close eye on what he was doing. She wasn't sure whether he would need to pass, but if he was going to she knew he'd need to do it soon, before they ran out of pitch or one of her team's Chasers came to reclaim the Quaffle off him. So she mirrored his movements, watched, and waited.

((Ready to intercept any pass Scott may make. ))

[Oscar Flynn G7]

Hmm. Oscar frowned just for a short moment as the Hufflepuff captain dodged his Bludger fairly swiftly. But the frown disappeared and was replaced with a playful grin – perseverance was definitely necessary. Oscar noted that the Bludger she had just dodged was still free in the air and sped towards it confidently. As he did so he flew over Scott on his way up the pitch and grinned to himself. Scott was certainly not a good friend, but Oscar valued him on the team as a brilliant Chaser and knew he was a great asset; the first Quaffle-catch outcome proving his skill so quick into the game. Oscar kept one careful eye on Ivy as he watched the movements below and approached the spinning iron Bludger while he anticipated the captain’s move – interception. With narrowed eyes he once again slung his bat at the Bludger, relishing in the solid jarring sensation that ran up his arm. It should have been uncomfortable but the familiarity served as a wake-up call and further refreshment, heightening Oscar’s determination and concentration.

((Bludger to Miss Tunstall.))

[Sophia Hallington H7]

Another month, another Quidditch game, and this time it was Sophia's turn to play. The Hufflepuffs would be playing against the Gryffindors in today's match, and Sophia was worried. Well, she had confidence in the team, but she also knew that the Gryffs were a good team too, and her Huffles couldn't afford to lose...they were lagging far behind the other 3 teams who were all on a par with each other. She was sure that the Huffles were capable of beating the Gryffs, but this was perhaps their most important game to date (at least since Sophia had joined the team). She went over to the quidditch pitch where she had spent quite a bit of time recently for practices, with a nervous look on her face, but she was encourgaed by the smile her friend, the team captain Ivy, smiled at her as she was tying her bootlaces.

The older girl also seemed to be somewhat confident, but like Sophia realised the importance of this game - they couldn't let themselves down and had to play at their very best. Nevertheless, she was very encouraging to all the team members, and they all seemed as ready as they ever could be as they lined up to fly out onto the pitch, Sophia taking a deep, calming breath. She prepared to embrace the challenge of playing against one of the best teams in the school as she flew out into the chilly air, taking up her usual position near the centre of the field as Ivy and Cassandra shook hands then took up their own positions.

The whistle blew, and the balls were released. Ivy and Scott went after the quaffle before the other chasers got the chance to, and straight away the seekers went off in pursuit of the snitch. Oscar had noticed Ivy's attempt to get the quaffle and was hitting a bludger towards her, but luckily Sydney was trying to defend her. The other bludger was being hit by Cassandra towards Finn, the seeker. Sophia then noticed that Scott had got the quaffle, and seemed to be deciding who to pass to. Ivy was trying to intercept any pass he might make, so Sophia decided to go and try to steal the quaffle from him first.

((stealing from Scott))

[kael]

Hufflepuff playing against Gryffindor. Always an adventure. Kael didn’t much like that the game was being played on a Wednesday though. If he got injured then he still had two more days of classes to get through which meant two days of Lynne, and probably Aurora, trying to annoy him into venturing into the Hospital Wing. It wasn’t Madame Pomfrey that he disliked, not exactly; it was more the fact that she would be fussing over him and prodding and poking and generally being annoying in her attempts to fix him. Not that Lynne even had plans of coming to this game. She was playing at being a good little Ravenclaw for once, which really just meant that she would be burying herself in work to make it easier to resist the urge to write to the fool she was still in love with. His twin felt too deeply, fell too easily. She practically asked for the heartbreak and that annoyed Kael almost as much as the fact that he couldn’t even take out his protective anger on the boy who deserved it.

After Ivy’s encouraging speech, which Kael listened to with an expression that suggested his mind was occupied by other things (and it wasn’t too far from the truth, if he had to be truthful), he hovered for a moment before taking his place in front of the goalposts. Playing Keeper was preferable to Chaser. It kept him distant enough and enabled him to observe without any hindrance, except for when the opposing team tried to shoot, of course. So Kael watched as both Bludgers ended up being directed at Hufflepuff players, instantly paying more attention to the game when the Quaffle was caught by a Gryffindor Chaser. Typical. So soon into the game and he was already needed. Didn’t Gryffindor possess any patience?


((Ready to defend.))

[Sydney Rawson H6]

Syd was getting caught up in the action as the game fell under full swing, literally for a beater. She was keeping eye on her Hufflepuff chasers as Carson flew in front of her and started to make a play. Holding back, Syd searched for the second bludger, wondering if it was out in the open or if it was being directed to someone out of her vision. Holding back from the pack, she searched over the plays of the Hufflepuff team, "Chasers, Keeper..." Syd looked up and was looking for Finn, their seeker. He seemed to be in the seeker mode, not worrying too much about the game below him. Of course, that wasn't his job- that was Syd's. "Finn!" she shouted as she shot toward him. Cass was the source of the force that was sending fury toward the Hufflepuff seeker. Catching up with him, Syd leveled off on her broom as she aimed to defend Finn from the bludger.

(( Defend Finn from attack, deflect toward Melody. ))

[Scott Ryder G7]

Scott smirked to himself as he flew away with the Quaffle. It wasn't an arrogant smirk, but one of amusement. The last Quidditch encounter with Ivy flashed through his mind momentarily, but he couldn't let the outcome of the first Skills Cup challenge weigh on his mind. Today was a new day, and Scott would play without dwelling on past performances.

The Hufflepuff Chasers were surrounding him, but he saw his strength as an opportunity to push through and try to put the first points on the board. With Sophia hot on his tail, Scott surged forward, both trying to prevent her from stealing and deciding the best hoop to go for first.

As he neared the end of the pitch, Scott pulled back, spinning out to his left and simultaneously whipping the Quaffle as hard as he could. He attempted to put a bit of spin on it, hoping that it might find it's way through both Sophia's grip and the Keeper's as well.

((Defending from Sophia, attempting to score.))

[Finn Miles H7]

Just seconds into the game and Finn realized that he was already a target of the Gryffindor Beaters. Lucky for him, Sydney seemed to notice this as well, and so he trusted his safety in her hands. While she tended to the Bludger that was after him, Finn kept a keen eye out for any hint of glimmering gold. Was there really any strategy at all to finding the fickle Snitch? If there was, Finn hadn't figured it out yet. It all seemed like a game of luck to him. Catching it was the part that required skill.

((Snitch searching.))

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

Melody listened to the commentary for a moment and glanced towards the Chasers, where she saw the scarlet streak that was Scott hurtling towards the Hufflepuff goals. She smiled at the sight, a little burst of pride giving her extra confidence as she reflected on the fact that Gryffindor had possession of the Quaffle first in the game. Hopefully they'd have first possession of the Snitch too, but that was no doubt some time and a gruelling search away. Melody glanced around and was pleased to find that there were no Bludgers heading towards her yet. No doubt there would be soon, but she intended to take full advantage of the peace and quiet. She rose steadily upward to an even higher altitude, so that even the spectators' heads looked no more than large blobs, and scanned the skies around her for any sign of a small golden ball.

((Searchin' fer t'Snitch.))

[Madam Xiomara Hooch]

((Sydney attempts to defend Finn from Cassandra’s Bludger and deflect it towards Melody.
Cassandra = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 1 + 6 = 7
Sydney = Defend (D8 + Str) = 4 + 5 = 9
Sydney deflects the Bludger successfully! There is a Bludger flying at Melody.

Oscar hits a Bludger at Ivy. Carson posted defending but there wasn’t an IC post with it so I don’t think I can roll that, unfortunately. Oscar posted in the first 12 hours of the round, so his Bludger takes effect this round.

It is assumed that Ivy would attempt to dodge Oscar’s Bludger.
Oscar = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 1 + 5 = 6
Ivy = Avoid (D8 + Dex) = 2 + 6 = 8
Ivy dodges Oscar’s Bludger!

Sophia tries to steal the Quaffle from Scott; he attempts to defend it.
Sophia = Steal (D4 + Str) = 1 + 6 = 7
Scott = Defend (D8 + Str) = 8 + 6 = 14
Scott retains the Quaffle.

Scott shoots; Kael defends the goal hoops.
Scott = Score (D6 + Str) = 3 + 6 = 9
Kael = Save (D6 + Dex) = 2 + 3 = 5
Scott scores! Kael has the Quaffle.

Gryffindor 10
Hufflepuff 0

Finn searches for the Snitch.

Finn = Search = 9
9 is not the Snitch number. Finn does not see the Snitch.

Melody searches for the Snitch.

Melody = Search = 8
8 is not the Snitch number. Melody does not see the Snitch.))

[Finn Miles H7]

"Thanks, Syd!" Finn shouted, seeing from his peripheral vision that his teammate had successfully sent the Bludger the other way. Without the constant worry of his safety, Finn would be able to better concentrate on finding the Snitch. In the short time that he had been searching, Gryffindor had scored the first goal, which made Finn a bit anxious. He hoped that it was just a stroke of luck and that Gryffindor wouldn't take a commanding lead. Hufflepuff needed as many points as they could get. Regardless of whether he caught the Snitch, Hufflepuff could use the extra goal points as well. Circling high above the pitch, Finn still had his eyes scanning from one end to another. Oh, Snitch... where art thou?

((Searching...))