Drop-Dive ((QSC Chasers))

[Wyatt Miles]

Ah, the fresh smell of... Quidditch. Ok, so maybe Quidditch didn't have a distinct scent, but Wyatt would have argued that he could sense it in the air. It only seemed right that this sense must be one of smell. Or, perhaps it was one of taste. Either way, the sense of Quidditch gave him goose-pimples, and it sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins.

He had been quite excited when Coach Chapman told him that the Wanderers would be visiting Hogwarts throughout the year to conduct a Quidditch Skills Cup. It was a new event, and Wyatt wished they'd have had something like that when he was a student. Still, it would be fun to be a part of it as a coordinator just as well. At the same time, he'd get to see his younger siblings who were at Hogwarts, and he was certain that Finn would be competing in the Cup. Though Finn wasn't a Chaser like Wyatt, it'd still be fun to watch how his younger brother fared against the other Beaters.

It was a bright day, a bit cold, but nice. Along with Li and Nick, Wyatt was in charge of the Chasers. They were the largest group, nine to be exact, but only four of them would join Coach Chapman in the summer to travel to the United States for the all-star tournament. Given that this was the prize for the winners of the Cup, Wyatt was surprised that there weren't more players interested in competing. He expected at least a dozen Chasers, assuming three from each house would come out. Nonetheless, the challenges would prove to be entertaining, and being able to train some of the younger players was something that Wyatt was looking forward to.

"Ay! Chasers over here!" he bellowed, hollering over the noise of the medium sized crowd of students and professors who had come to watch. It wasn't as large as the normal Quidditch crowd, but it was still a decent group of people. All over the pitch, there were huddles of students, since each of the four positions had a challenge going on at the same time. The Chaser bunch was easily the largest though.

"Alright, welcome to your first challenge. My name is Wyatt Miles, and I'll be helping to lead this particular event. You'll see Li Chien, captain of the Wanderers here to my right, and Nick Declan, fellow Chaser on my left." Wyatt pointed out his teammates. Though Li was the leader on the pitch, Wyatt was often the more vocal of the trio. "Today, you will be facing off in pairs, as the Quaffle will be dropped between you and an opposing Chaser. Similar to the beginning of a Quidditch match, you will then attempt to be the Chaser who first retrieves the Quaffle. However, we will be starting at an unusually high altitude, and you cannot go after the Quaffle until the whistle is blown. Thus, you'll be diving downward at top speeds as you chase after the Quaffle. The Chaser in each pair who gets the Quaffle first will move on to face another Chaser. The Chaser who fails to catch the Quaffle will be eliminated. This will continue until only one Chaser remains. Are there any questions?"

It was a simple concept, and Wyatt could sense the imminent wave of mixed competitiveness and anxiety that seemed to flood the nine Chasers standing in front of him. "When your name is called by either myself, Li, or Nick, fly to us and get ready to face off. All other Chasers should watch until they are called. Alright, let's go!

((Here is how this will work. Below, you will see a bracket of which Chasers will play which Chasers on their way to the final matchup. Since we have 9 players, it doesn't work out evenly. Thus, by random drawing, players were placed on the bracket. Wynd gets to sit out the first round as a result. Thus, all other players should post their character against the person who they are matched up against. Just like in Quidditch, don't specify whether or not you caught the Quaffle, just roleplay your character having been called to face off and then going after the Quaffle. You have 1 week to post. Seeing that one week from now is Christmas, I will give you until December 27 to post your first round attempt at this challenge. Unless you are on the vacation list, if you don't post, you automatically are eliminated from this challenge. Wynd, you can post if you want, just roleplaying that you are watching the match. The winner is determined in each matchup by the following numbers: Speed, Aggressiveness, and Handling + D6 + D6. (D6 = one six-sided dice roll). If you have any questions, please ask. Otherwise, you can make your first post! )

[Scott Ryder G7]

Today was the first day for the Quidditch Skills Cup, and Scott was a bit nervous. He was more excited though than anything, as he figured it was going to be a lot of fun. It seemed that only eight other Chasers had signed up, Riley being the only other Gryffindor. Theo had decided to sign up though, which Scott was grateful for. At least he'd have someone to talk to while the challenges were going on.

Before long, the few dozen players who had signed up to participate were gathered on the pitch. It was a chilly morning, but a nice one at that. Soon, Scott heard one of the Wigtown Wanderers calling the Chasers toward him. Scott made his way forward and listened to the elder Chaser.

Interesting, Scott though. They'd be facing off one on one. Now, he hoped he didn't have to face off against Riley or Theo. He didn't want Gryffindor to have a player eliminated so early, nor did he want to have Theo eliminated. And surely, Scott didn't want to be eliminated himself. He listened closely as names were called.

"Ryder and Tunstall!" Scott paused, looking over at the captain of Hufflepuff. He didn't know Ivy well, but she was definitely a formidable opponent. With all the years of experience under her belt, this wouldn't be easy. Lucky for Scott, this challenge was somewhat like diving after a Snitch. He had some practice in doing that. Perhaps that would give him an edge against Ivy.

As the two of them neared the Wigtown Chaser, Scott looked at Ivy. "Good luck," he said, grinning a sincere smile of best wishes. Deep down, he hoped to beat her to the Quaffle, but that wouldn't stop him from offering a kind word. He was perched anxiously on his broom, hundreds of metres in the air. Suddenly, the Quaffle was released, and Scott felt himself twitch ever so slightly as he waited for the whistle. At the sound of a shrill tweet, he pushed as quickly and forcefully on his broom handle as he could, shooting downward with his eyes on the falling Quaffle. Closer and closer he got, all the while feeling the equal force of Ivy as she darted toward the Quaffle just across from him. Who would get there first?

((Chasing after the falling Quaffle! ))

[Kailyn Valak S6]

Kailyn walked onto the Quidditch pitch, a bitterness having been left in her from the most previous match. She definitely hadn't done very well, and today would be her chance to make up for that. It was the first challenge of the Quidditch Skills Cup, and Kailyn was determined to do well. Slytherin had the most players sign up in general, and three of them had been trying out for the Chaser position. Kailyn would have to face off against Pyro and Wynd, as well as the Chasers from other houses. Only four of them would make the all-star team, meaning Kailyn's odds were less than fifty percent. Odds were simply numbers though. Kailyn had beaten the odds before, and she knew she could do it again.

After listening to the description of their first challenge, Kailyn knew it wasn't going to be easy. It'd take a good three or four wins against individual opponents to come out on top. She wasn't sure how she'd find it in herself to beat that many other Chasers, but she was surely going to try. Perhaps they'd underestimate her, seeing that she was a girl and one of the younger Chasers who were there. Part of her hoped she wouldn't have to face off against anybody with a lot of experience, at least not right away.

When the first round pairs were announced, Kailyn flashed Wynd an envious glare. He had automatically made it to the second round due to the odd number of players. How unfair was that. Then again, she didn't want anything handed to her. She was going to win this with flare if she were to win at all. It ended up that she was against an older Ravenclaw, Theo Darke. She knew little about him, aside from the fact that he was gay. It seemed to be the only distinguishing factor of Theo that she'd heard. It mattered little to her today though. All that she cared about was getting to the Quaffle before him.

Saying nothing as they hovered face to face. Kailyn eyed only the Quaffle watching as it flew downward to the ground upon release. If anything could win this for her, it might be her ability to concentrate. She wasn't outstanding in any area of flying, but she was at least average. A steady mind and a solid flight might just be enough. One round at a time was all she needed to worry about.

The whistle blew, and her eyes never left the Quaffle.

((Trying to beat Theo to the Quaffle.))

[Sydney Rawson H6]

A few days after Hufflepuff's loss to the Ravenclaw team in Qudditch, Syd had time to rest up for the Quidditch Skills Cup, which was being held today. She had her own match in the distance past in her mind, but the personal critiques at the tip of her tongue. Syd was always hard on herself after she lost a match. However, with something new to focus on she was thrilled to play her favorite position with a clean slate. During her match she was put in the beater position, to start the game. Normally, beater was her second position- but since Ivy switched up the roster she didn't mind the change in objectives.

Stepping out onto the pitch with her broom in hand, Syd felt the cold brisk breeze surround her. She adored the cold, so the weather was perfect for her; it kept her more alert. Congregation in the middle of the pitch. Syd watched as members from the Wanders approached the group. Her heart began to beat double time as one of the members called out the chasers to step aside. Walking out of the crowd of mixed players, Sydney found that only a handful of the group were chasers, nine members total. After this realization, Wyatt introduced himself.

After briefly going over what the challenge was going to be like, and what was expected Syd began to crack her knuckles. It was more of a nervous habit, but Syd rarely got nervous. She was focused on the challenge ahead of her, as she scoped out her fellow chasers. Ivy was joining the challenge, as the only other Hufflepuff chaser in the group. It astonished her that no other member of their house wanted to try out for the Chaser position. Syd was on good terms with Ivy, since she was captain of the Hufflepuff house team; however, she was not looking forward to playing against her, if they were put against each oher. Scanning the group again, she heard Wyatt shout for the next group, "Rawson and Blackfire!" Syd held her breath.

Stepping out of line, She met up with Pyro as she accented up into the air. She knew of him as being a very determined player. From watching the Slytherin games, she knew he was a good player- however, this didn't make Sydney think any less of herself. She knew what her capabilities were. She has been playing Quidditch since she could balance. Her sister was a member of the Magpies. Quiddtich was in her blood. Looking away from Pyro, Syd smiled to herself. She knew she had a fair chance in catching the quaffle, and wouldn't tell herself otherwise. She was too optimistic of a person to syke herself out right before a challenge. She never did it in matches, she wouldn't do it now.

Finally reaching the designated height, Syd rung her hangs out on the handle of her broom. Friction started building up between her and the wood, as well as her eyes and the red ball. Watching below her, she watched as the quaffle was let loose. Tapping her thumb on the broom handle "Wait for it..." she thought to herself, as she held herself steady and waited for the whistle. She clenched her jaw as the noise of the whistle burst into her ears. Sharply directing her broom down to the ground, mimicking her say stunt she pulled off during her last qudditch game to catch a falling bludger, her eyes were focused on the quaffle in front of her. She leaned in to her broom as she tried to gain more speed, not even thinking about Pyro and where he was in the challenge of who could catch the quaffle first.


(( Attempting to Catch the Quaffle before Pyro. ))

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro was a man that was always quite in control of his emotions, even when exciting events were going on around him he always stayed cool and calm, yet today he could barely contain his giddiness. He was excited, the event he had been long awaiting for had finally arrived, the Quidditch Skills Cup! Finally, a chance to really prove and show his skills. Pyro knew he was easily one of the best Quidditch players at the school, he had been training physically from the moment he could stand, no other wizard or witch was in the same shape as he, but it was hard to show off your skills during a game when six other players were all jockeying for position. Now though, they had a competition that would be a 1 on 1 challenge, Pyro could really shine.

After quickly dressing Pyro picked up his Firebolt and headed downstairs. As he walked he contemplated over his competition, not a lot of people had tried out. Pyro was surprised by this fact, he had expected several people to sign up, even those not on the house team hoping to prove that they deserved a spot, but instead only 9 Chasers had signed up, three from Slytherin, and two from the other houses. The turnout hadn’t been what it was expected, but this didn’t bother Pyro, all it meant was he didn’t have to defeat as many people in the competitions.

Pyro exited the castle and made his way to the Quidditch Pitch. He noticed quite a crowd flowing in the same direction, this wasn’t a required event, the whole school didn’t have to be there, so only those who were Quidditch enthusiasts but not skilled enough to play were coming to watch and cheer on their champion. Pyro smirked, he wondered how many people would be cheering for him, not many he supposed, but then again he hardly cared, he was in this tournament for the competition and the need to crush others. He entered the Pitch from the player’s entrance and looked around at the throng of contestants, he heard the call for Chasers and turned and joined the growing group. Chasers were by far the biggest group; still, with the small outcome that wasn’t really saying much.

Pyro joined the group and listened as Wyatt Miles of the Wanderers introduced himself and the other chasers of the team. He knew of the team, he was an avid follower of the Quidditch season, so the introduction was highly unnecessary. Pyro cocked his head, if he truly wanted to he probably could meet any Professional Quidditch player he wanted, a simple donation and the team would be scrambling to shake hands with him. Pyro listened as Wyatt explained what the challenge would be, he grinned, this was going to be easy. Pyro stood patiently by as all the other players were called up for their individual competitions. “Rawson and Blackfire!” Came the call and Pyro lifted his head and moved away from the group.

Pyro looked sideway’s at Sydney Rawson, he didn’t know her personally, but he had played against her on many occasions. She was a good player, she had the potential to be a great player, she had natural talent. Pyro smirked, natural talent wasn’t enough to beat him. Pyro mounted the broom and rose beside Sydney to the right height and waited. He watched as the Quaffle was dropped and watched it fly away. Pyro’s eyes never left the red ball, the whistle was unimportant, a simple noise and he would be off like a bullet, he watched the ball instead, studying its projectory and figuring out the best angle of pursuit. Suddenly the whistle blew and Pyro exploded into motion, dipping into a steep dive and pouring on the speed. The scenery around Pyro disappeared, all he saw the Quaffle in the distance growing steadily larger as he approached it.

((Trying to catch the Quaffle before Sydney))
((Also, why does my name have a red underline on it?))

[Celia Richmond]

Celia had been delighted when she'd heard about this oppurtunity to play quidditch against an internationally highly renowned team, and signed up to take part in the skills cup as soon as she possibly could. What made it especially great was that the first round started basically as soon as Ravenclaw's match against Hufflepuff had ended, after which Celia was on what could only be called a "Quidditch High". The early victory, thanks to Adriahna's amazing Seeking skills above all else, had made Celia even more confident than ever about her team's ability. So despite not doing so well last year, and having a small team, she had a good feeling about this season.

That day, Celia walked onto the quidditch pitch with a grin on her face, and looked around the crowd...she never expected so many people to turn up to watch! THe pairs were announced, and she watched as some of the others went head to head, before the dreaded "Richmond and Coxen" was called out. The challenge was basically diving to catch the quaffle before the other person...a skill that Celia was fairly confident about. As they took their positions, Celia gave a quick thumbs up to Riley, not really sure about the younger Gryffindor's abilities compared to her own.

Nontheless, Celia wasn't too nervous about it. and listened carefully for the whistle. Before long it was blown, and the quaffle was thrown into the air. She turned her broom towards the ground, closely following the quaffle, as was Riley. It was close, no doubt about it, and within seconds the sound of the crowd stopped registering in her brain, and she stopped thinking about anything other than the quaffle infront of her, and Riley by her side.

((Attempting to catch the quaffle before Riley))

[Riley Coxen G7]

Riley was incredibly excited for the big competition. Riley was very competitive by nature and then of course she loved Quidditch. Because of this, no one was surprised when Riley practically ran to be the first to sign up for the Quidditch Skills Cup competition. She was a huge fan of the Wigtown Wanderers, and Riley almost fainted when she was told they would be the ones visiting Hogwarts. Riley woke bright and early on the day of the first QSC challenge. She had trouble going to sleep the night before, since Veronica and Mia had been talking the entire night. Then of course there was the fact that she was incredibly nervous and excited about the next day. She showered and ate quickly. Jack would also be participating, as would be quite a few others Riley was close to. Of course, the girls weren’t in to Quidditch, but they had decided to show up and watch the events from the stands. Mia had mentioned something about not wanting to miss all the cute guys flying around on broomsticks. Riley smiled slightly, loving the feeling of being back on the pitch. She inhaled deeply, looking around. There weren’t many other chasers to compete with, which left more of a chance for walking away with a victory. There were of course a surprising amount of people in the stands watching the challenges take place, but they didn’t make Riley the least bit nervous. She’d never been one to be afraid of crowds or people watching her, so she was perfect for Quidditch.

Once she heard the call for the chasers to come forward, Riley walked up excitedly, noticing the seekers being called to order as well. Jack was competing as a seeker for the Quidditch Skills Cup, and Riley had already wished him the best of luck, adding in a little comment that he was lucky he wasn’t competing as a chaser with Riley. She listened to the speaker’s words intently. The challenge seemed easy enough. All she had to do was catch the Quaffle before the other chaser. Luckily, she had recently been practicing Drop Dives for this specific reason. She’d been practicing many different skills since she had heard that there would be a Quidditch Skills Cup at Hogwarts. However, when Riley heard who her opponent would be, her face fell just a bit. She wasn’t too fond about going up against one of the four Quidditch captains (of the Ravenclaw team) nor was she happy about the fact that the girl happened to be older. However, this didn’t discourage Riley. She was smaller than the seventh year in both height and weight, so the dive would probably be much easier. However, her speed wasn’t the best. Riley sighed when it was her and Richmond’s turn to try and get the Quaffle. This was one of Riley’s most practiced skills. She had to win this challenge. Riley braced herself, mentally switching herself into “Quidditch mode” as she called it as she took off in that deep dive to get the large red ball. Riley’s eyes focused on the Quaffle as it drew closer to her. Once she was within arm’s reach, Riley extended her arms to try and grab it before the Ravenclaw captain could.

((attempting to get the Quaffle before Celia))

[Theo Darke]

To say Theo wasn't excited for the Quidditch Skills Cup was a lie. He was very excited indeed. After all, thanks to a certain Gryffindor, he now loved flying on his broomstick, loved playing Quidditch; loved stealing and intercepting the Quaffle, loved winning against others, loved leading his team as the Vice Captain of Ravenclaw. A year ago Theo Darke wouldn't have been caught dead playing for Ravenclaw, never mind voluntarily participating in a tournament based on Quidditch. Theo didn't regret his change at all; he didn't regret meeting Scott Ryder and becoming close friends with him - not all the time anymore, anyway. There was a time he had been extremely concerned about his friendship with Scott Ryder, the Gryffindor standing beside him right now awaiting their instructions for their first task in the tournament; during that time Theo had questioned almost everything: his feelings, his motives, his very self. Theo had always been a self-assured, relaxed individual, but Scott had had him twisting and turning like a squirming, caught fish. But no more. Theo inclined his head towards Scott a little, enough to catch his eye, and smiled encouragingly. He could do that much without blushing or feeling stupid now.

Because Oscar had come along. Another certain Gryffindor had pushed his way quite brutally into Theo's life and shattered its tranquility. If Scott Ryder had been a nuisance, Oscar Flynn was a delinquent. Theo looked away from Scott and felt his brow furrow from a smile into a frown. A few weeks ago the thought of Oscar would've caused Theo's face to brighten like a light bulb, but things had changed - and rather drastically at that. Ever since that argument with Oscar on a rainy evening, Theo had felt every blow, every stab of his words to his heart. Theo liked to think of himself as a strong person, but Oscar had taught him differently: in fact, Theo Darke was a weak individual. Yes. Because if he wasn't so weak he would be able to guard his heart from the pain, the sorrow just one look from Oscar could inflict. Theo felt completely wide open with the other boy, as though a gentle push could send him rolling down a cliff towards his end. It sounded farfetched even to Theo's ears, but when he looked within himself he knew - and quite miserably had begun to acknowledge - that Oscar Flynn had a terrible hold over him. Not that Theo was a puppet on strings to be manipulated and used by the Gryffindor, as their relationship was - had been, at least - built on equal footing. No, Theo himself could never belong to anyone because he had a mind of his own, but it seemed his heart had long ago decided to give itself to Oscar Flynn, even if he did not consciously realise it until it was too late.

And now it was too late. Now that Theo and Oscar had argued, now that both of them had been hurt. It had been over something so small and seemingly insignificant, but to Theo it meant too much to let it go. And ever since it had plagued his mind - even his dreams - so much he had been avoiding Oscar as though he was the plague himself. Theo was adamant he would not pester Oscar about the issue, but at the same time he could not face him at all. What this meant about their relationship he wasn't sure, but one thing was for certain: Theo had not been in a good mood since that day and it was slowly showing. Lori had noticed; Scott had possibly seen it too. There were less smiles, less socialising, less of Theo in general. He kept to himself in his room or in the Library and focused on his work, trying to block out thoughts of Oscar. Sometimes he'd withdrawn outside where his friends could definitely not find him to practice his flying. Theo had signed up for the Quidditch Skills Cup immediately, and hoped Oscar would do the same. It seemed, though, that his boyfriend - could he still call him that? - had refrained from doing so. Theo felt bitterness churn in his throat and swallowed it down stubbornly. That was why, for two reasons, both relating to Oscar Flynn, Theo was so reluctant and unhappy to be standing here right now, awaiting his instructions: first, Oscar was not participating with him, and two, he and Oscar had yet to properly reconcile.

Theo planned on speaking to Oscar again... sometime. When, he didn't know, nor did he plan on doing it soon, but he convinced himself he would do it eventually... Anyway, it wasn't like Oscar had approached him, so why should he make the first move? It wasn't like Theo had anything to apologise for. Yes, he knew it was childish of him to take such a stance, but he couldn't help it; Oscar had hurt him so much, more than he ever thought he could, and it had damaged a pride in Theo that he never usually let control him. Still, however much he was hiding away from his companions, Theo was still extremely adept at disguising his emotions and pretending he was fine. He could still smile... just not as easily as before.

But, however much Oscar was dominating Theo's thoughts, they were forced to flee as the first task for the Chasers were highlighted. Theo gave little attention to his fellow competitors, most of whom he recognised: fellow prefect Wynd Lehane and Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain Celia Richmond, for example. He gave Scott a final brief smile before striding across to the Quidditch player who had called his name. Theo recognised the Wigtown Wanderers but was not particularly star-struck by them. Nodding at his 'referee', Theo looked across at his opponent and sized her up: she was thin and slight, with brunette hair and a fierce expression. Her name was Kailyn Valak; she was a Fifth Year in Slytherin and played on the house team as a Chaser. Besides those facts Theo knew little else about her. Nodding politely at her, he waited for the signal. The moment it reached his ears Theo dived, shooting downwards with outstretched hands towards the falling Quaffle.

((Chasing. Catching. Diving.))

[Ivy Tunstall]

((This is slightly late; my relatives have only just left and before they came I was ill which is the reason for my having had almost no time before now. I hope you don't mind and will take pity on me; I suppose that's up to Scott. I thought I'd cause a bit of drama in case Scott wants to win automatically.))

It was never pleasant to have your team lose a match, but Ivy knew that Hufflepuff hadn't had the time to prove just how good they were, thwarted by an extremely rare event. The Snitch was never usually caught before even one goal had been scored; in fact she couldn't think of one other game she'd followed, professional or amateur, where that had been the case. So she felt safe in concluding that Hufflepuff's loss was the result of bad luck. At the moment she felt unable to turn to Charlie for support - especially having just chucked him off the Quidditch team for his failure to show up first to the actual Quidditch match, then to the following team practice - so she was forced to take a not-our-failure approach in order to remain positive. They were going to have to keep on practising, and practising, and practising some more, to make sure that they were the best team out of the four, because they were going to need to be to get themselves out of their current position at the bottom of the Quidditch Cup.

She was busy enough, but she'd signed up for the Quidditch Skills Cup because she was hoping to glean some more ideas for team practices. She was slightly regretting it now, thinking that maybe she could do that from the spectator stands. But she was closer here, she would actually be experiencing it so that was good. She wasn't particularly set on winning as she didn't want to go pro, but it could only be good for Hufflepuff's games against the other Hogwarts houses that some of the team had spent extra time practising, and being coached by a professional rather than by a seventeen-year-old girl. Ivy saw that Sydney had also signed up and smiled over at her, glad that another one of her Chasers was taking the opportunity for some extra practice. Perhaps Sydney was more ambitious than her and really wanted to win; Ivy didn't know.

Well, it was time to actually do something. Ivy had listened carefully to Miles' instructions, but of course she had a good deal other than that on her mind. (Namely Charlie, and whether she'd be able to look him in the eye ever again). Nevertheless, she was alert enough to be able to eye up her opponent, Scott Ryder. Ivy knew that he was an excellent Chaser from having watched him in various games since he'd burst into prominence on the Gryffindor team by catching the Snitch. Then again, his claim to fame showed why she still had a chance against him - she was a pure Chaser, rather than having focused on two positions (she could play as a partially decent Keeper, but that was only because of all the time she'd spent catching and throwing as a Chaser). She had spent three-and-a-half years practising and playing the Chaser position, and she had put a lot of effort into it. So she wasn't bad herself.

Ivy mounted her broom, kicked off and zoomed joyfully in the normal way that she did when she first became airborne; even though they'd already warmed up earlier, it was nice to test her broom's acceleration. Hovering shoulder-to-shoulder with Scott, she tensed and relaxed again as they waited. Finally the whistle blew, and she hurtled downwards, slightly behind Scott to start with, but she drew level as she urged extra acceleration out of her broom. They were both closing in fast on the Quaffle. Unfortunately, Ivy's bearings were slightly off and as they both reached towards it, her broom, at a very slight angle, impacted with Scott's and jerked her towards him, their heads banging together with a nasty crack. Ivy felt like she'd got the worst of it - her skull must be less hard then Scott's - although, of course, she didn't know how Scott felt. Fortunately they weren't far off the ground. She slowed down in order to avoid another collision with something harder than she was and dismounted shakily, a moment later sitting down on the ground with very little control over her movements. Her head was spinning and she couldn't distinguish whether what she was clutching in her right hand was the Quaffle or thin air. "Sorry." she mumbled to whomever was causing the human-shaped-shadow that had just fallen over her. Feeling rather embarrassed at causing a fuss, she tried to scramble to her feet, but found that it was easier to remain sitting as she fell back down with a small bump. "I think I'll be all right again soon," she said, trying to look up to see who it was. How very embarrassing.

[Wyatt Miles]

As he helped to coordinated some of the match-ups, Wyatt also watched with intrigue when he had a free moment to observe the other players. Overall, he was vaguely impressed. They were young and had a lot to learn, but so was he whenever Chapman had taken him under his wing and trained him those few years ago. It was amazing what a young Quidditch player fresh out of school thought they were capable of. Then, when their eyes were opened, as his had been, to the complexity of the sport, they never look at it the same. Every movement counts. Every thought. Every second that is wasted. There's never a moment that one can spare, especially in the Chaser position.

Seeing some of the happy faces of those who won and the dejected faces of those who lost, Wyatt saw this as an opportunity to give some advice. "Good job to those who came away with the Quaffle. Obviously this challenge was similar to the task of snatching the Quaffle when a match first starts. As you know, momentum in the game can be key, and sometimes the team who is able to start with the Quaffle is able to grasp that first bit of momentum to help build a lead. Therefore, I'm sure you recognize the importance of this challenge and the skills needed to complete it." He really hoped that they were able to see his own dedication to the sport and take it as their own. "When you are diving for the Quaffle, there's obviously going to be some contact involved, as Tunstall and Ryder so graciously demonstrated for us." He laughed just slightly, now sure that the two of them were alright. "I find it useful to fend off the opposing Chaser with my dominant hand. You should be so used to catching the Quaffle with either hand that it's important to use your stronger arm as a defence when you are bumping and fighting for position. Thus, as I am right-handed, I would fend off the other Chaser with that hand as I swoop up the Quaffle with my left. Of course, it's always a good idea to change which hand you are holding it with once you fly away from the confusion. I don't recommend passing with your weaker hand until you have been able to fully train and practise with it." He recalled all the terrible drills that Chapman had made himself, Li, and Nick go through with their strong hands tied behind their backs. "At any rate, we have more match-ups to continue with."

"Coxen, Valak, Rawson, Tunstall, and Lehane hopefully the five of you will take my advice." He eyed up the quintet of remaining Chasers, realizing that only one male was left. Ironically, the only boy left in the competition had been given a pass into this round, meaning that the girls were obviously a force with which to be reckoned. He wondered if the solo male was capable of fending off all five. It sure would be interesting to watch and see!

---

((Here is the list of dice-rolls and points to show how each player won. The first number is the player's total Speed, Aggressiveness, and Handling, followed by their 3 dice rolls. Then, the final number is their total.

Celia 7+4+5+3=19
Riley 9+2+3+5=19

Tie! Re-roll 1 D6...

Celia 1
Riley 6

Riley wins!

Kailyn 8+4+6+5=23
Theo 9+2+6+4=21

Kailyn wins!

Pyro 9+3+3+1=16
Sydney 8+4+6+3=21

Sydney wins!

Scott 9+1+3+1=14
Ivy 8+1+5+1=15

Ivy wins!

You may now post for the second round. If you were eliminated, you can post your player's reactions to being eliminated and the other players winning. Note: Pyro, your name was red in the bracket picture because the program I used thought it was spelled wrong and I forgot to 'ignore' the spelling suggestion. I will fix it for this next bracket that you will see below.

Note: For this next round, there will only be 2 D6 rolls added to the players' skills. Your deadline to post is 4 January 09! Sydney, you have the pass for this round meaning that you don't have to post if you don't want. Feel free to post if you wish though. Good luck everyone!))

[Wynd Lehane]

Wynd woke with a start. He had just been having his recurring nightmare about the night his mother was arrested. In the dream he and Ruby are completely helpless and they just watch as people come to take their mother away. Wynd could feel the cold sweat run down his forehead. He shoved the covers off him and with his hand wiped some of the sweat off his chest. With his other hand he rubbed his eyes. When? When would he stop having that dream? He didn't have it as nearly as often as he used to but still too often for his liking. He secretly wondered what Professor Trelawney would say if he ever told her of it. Probably that he was going to die. She always said that when she had no clue. With just his eyes he looked around. The curtains of his four poster bed were closed but he could see that the oil lamps were still on their low setting. He knew this to mean that it was still dark outside. He drew open the curtains and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He could see that the curtains were closed on his roommates' beds. All except Dylan. Probably stayed out all night again. As a prefect he should really do something about it, but as Dylan's roommate, he could care less.

Wynd put his bare feet on the ground. It was cold compared to the warmth of his bed but he knew now that he was up he should get going. He reasoned that the sun would be up soon. That was one of the problems of living under the lake. You could never just look outside and see what time of day it was. Wynd didn't bother with a robe as he made his way to the bathroom. Most, if not all, of his roommates had seen everything there was to see. Plus it was so early that he might run into Dylan but it was unlikely to see anyone else. Wynd recalled the time that Val had tried to 'have a chat' with him when he was dating Ruby. Wynd had made Val suffer as he was trying to justify dating Wynd's twin. He was getting ready for bed and neglected to cover up when Val said he wanted to talk.

Once dressed he made his way toward the Great Hall. Looking out the first window that he could find, he saw that the sun had just barely breached the horizon. He sighed to himself. That meant that he would have to wait a while before everyone else got up. Today was the first day of the Quidditch Skills Cup. He along with several other Chasers would have to compete to be the best they could be. Eventually, three of them would be chosen to go to America to compete in a Quidditch game. Wynd was not too thrilled with working with Chasers from other houses but he would not miss this chance to go to America. He had wanted to go for a while now. Some of the rumours said that the wizards in America were more progressive than the wizards of England. Wynd had to find out for himself if that was true. At least Kailyn and Pyro were competing. Hopefully the three of them would be chosen and would be able to go to America together. He reached the Great Hall and saw that a few other early risers were there but not too many. He waited with them until the house elves served breakfast and then he headed toward the pitch.

Along with the other Chasers he listened to Wyatt explain the rules and what they would be doing for the day. Wynd was excited to finally do something. He was tired of waiting around, doing nothing and wished that he had gone back to sleep instead of getting up. They listened as Wyatt listed their names. Wynd was facing.... nobody! He was sitting this round out. Wynd felt his face flush with anger as he was asked to wait. He had been waiting all morning! Waiting for breakfast, waiting for the day to start, and now waiting for his turn! Wynd didn’t say anything but just walked away for a minute or two. He couldn’t let his emotions get the best of him. He would lose that way.

He watched in silence as he saw Pyro lose to Sydney. Tough break. He saw Kailyn beat Theo to the Quaffle. Serves the Ravenclaw right for being so moody during the prefect initiation ceremony. He paid attention to who won in the Scott versus Ivy battle as he would have to face the winner. Ivy beat him to the ball. All girls. He was the only male left. And that was only because he had to wait! When it was time for Round 2 he picked himself off the stands and mounted his broom and moved into position. Wynd half-listened to Miles as he said something about using their dominant hand to fend off the oncoming Chaser. Whatever. He was facing Ivy. She had experience but he could beat her. He only had to believe in himself. Wynd’s cold blue eyes looked deeply into hers searching for the answer to who would win. The ball was released and they were off.

((Catching. Diving. Beating Ivy))

[Ivy Tunstall]

The world came back into focus all of a sudden, which was a good sign. As Ivy realised that she was in fact holding the Quaffle, her face broke out into a smile and, giving her head a final rub, she pushed herself up. She still didn't feel one hundred percent, but the fact that she had the Quaffle meant that she had more Quidditch - well, something like Quidditch, anyway - to play. If Scott didn't complain that she'd fouled him, that was. She hadn't fouled him exactly, although there had been a collision. Scott might or might not be in a position to know that it had been a mistake, but if it had been in a real game, Ivy wouldn't think herself too hard done by if a referee cautioned her for it. There was a lot more going on in a Quidditch game for the one referee to keep their eye on, though, as opposed to one simple Quaffle-chase that these professionals were monitoring. No one was coming to tell her that she was disqualified, which was nice. Ivy smiled tentatively at Scott, since he was still standing there; they needed to make their way back over towards Wyatt Mills... no, Miles.

"Are you all right?" she asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't bump into you to..." - she showed the Quaffle in her palm. "It was a mistake - my mistake - I got my angling wrong. I think I came off worst anyway - not that I'm not sorry, you've probably got a headache too - but you're still standing up. Oh, stuff it." she said a tad irritably, really just from her embarrassment. "Your turn to say something before the hole I'm digging for myself gets any bigger." She started walking towards the referee/professional-Chaser-person and got herself mentally ready for the next challenge as he talked to them.

Wynd Lehane. Well. She was a year older than him; he had the confidence of someone five years older than her. She had been playing proper Quidditch for longer than him; he had probably been playing baby Quidditch since he was a toddler. She played on the basis of ability and competitiveness; he liked bullying people if they outplayed him, poor Bryce being an example. Wynd was a nasty piece of work, through and through, and Ivy was going to do her level best to beat him. He looked her straight in the eye and Ivy looked back coolly, unimpressed by his attempt to intimidate her. Had it been a number of other Slytherins, she probably would have been intimidated, but this one she just really didn't like.

The whistle blew and they were off. Ivy dived towards the Quaffle with every intention to get to it before Wynd.

[Kailyn Valak S6]

Kailyn couldn't help but smirk when she realized that she had come away with the Quaffle. Perhaps part of her hadn't expected to beat Theo, but she wasn't going to let on that she was so surprised. Then again, she also couldn't help but be a bit prideful. It seemed that she and Theo were two of the faster ones, at least for this particular round. She was certain that, had Theo been paired up with any of the others, he might have pulled off a win with the way he was flying. Lucky for Kailyn though, she had eliminated him from the challenge. If he was one of the faster flyers, that was one less person she had to worry about.

Along with Theo, Pyro, Celia, and Scott were all eliminated, which shocked Kailyn to some extent. Granted, the others who had moved on were good as well, but she hadn't expected so many of the boys to be eliminated so fast. Only Wynd remained, and Kailyn was happy she'd not have to face him. She didn't think he liked her much, and quite frankly she found him a bit annoying. Though, they were teammates, and so she kept her thoughts to herself around him. If he knew she didn't like him, that would only make it harder for her to fit in with the team and ultimately become the Chaser she so enviously desired to be. If her brother Kennedy could do it, so could she.

Her next match up was against Riley. Kailyn had heard lots about Riley and the fact that she was somehow involved with Jack, one of the many Slytherin Seekers. Either way, Kailyn was a bit more confident now that she had won the first round. Perhaps Riley would just be another stepping stone on her way to victory. Kailyn could only hope as she perched herself on her broom waiting for the whistle and then diving again with a burst of speed as she tried to mimic last round's results.

[Wyatt Miles]

Round two was quickly underway, and Wyatt watched as the match ups got a bit more aggressive. He could tell that people were starting to really taste the chance of victory as they knew that one mistake could take them out as quickly as they made it to this round. With just two pairs facing off, they were down to three players, and it seemed that Slytherin had been the team to do the best so far. "Good job Valak and Lehane. You both have advance another round." He flashed a look at the third player, now the lone Hufflepuff against two Sltherins. "Rawson, you're up against Lehane. The winner will face off against Valak to determine the overall winner." He took the Quaffle and flew between Sydney and Wynd. "Ready?" He dropped the Quaffle and seconds later, blew his whistle.

((Riley = 9+2+2 = 13
Kailyn = 8+5+4 = 17

Kailyn Wins!

Ivy = 8+2+4 = 14
Wynd = 10+5+6 = 21

Wynd Wins!

Kailyn now has the bye, meaning that she does not need to post. Riley didn't post last round, but was on the vacation list, so she was still able to get her stats added to her rolls. Riley and Ivy (as well as any previously eliminated players) are still free to post if they wish. Sydney and Wynd, you have until 12 January to get your posts up. Good luck!))

[Sydney Rawson H6]

Sitting out the second round, Syd watched as the last few players were cut. She was eyeing up her competition as she rubbed her hands together and cracked her knucles a bit. She has to keep her hands warm in the cold weather if she wanted her fingers to move as fast as her mind would when she was up to go again. Finally the second round came to a end as the two winners were announced, Kailyn and Wynd passed the second round. Both of them were from the Slytherin house. Sydney really didn't mind what house people were from, she wasn't judgmental. When it came to Qudditch she always watched each game she did not particiate in and eyed up each player for their strengths and weaknesses. The only thing Sydney wished was that more Hufflepuffs would have tried out for the Qudditch Skills Cup. It was an amazing opportunity even if you didn't make it to the end. Just pushing yourself and trying to make it was all that mattered. Syd smiled to herself. The thought of being so positive was a change fro her. She wasn't an optimistic person, but her last thought was entertaining to her, because she believed herself. So if she didn't make it to the end, she would still be pleasently content for the fact she tried. Or maybe she was just so used to lying to herself, she actually believed a lie.

Sydney's name was called as she was now called up to compete against Wynd to try to make the final two. Walking to the center of the pitch, she mounted her broom and pushed off. She accended to the designated height in the air and waiting for Wynd to join her. Having time to think in between rounds, she tried to think of how she could change her own style of catching the quaffle with Wyatt's advice. Of course, different techniques worked for different people. Not everyone reacted the same. However, playing defense might be a good idea for Syd to try-- and why not now. There really was nothing for her to lose. She wasn't gauranteed a place in the final round, she was doing this to challenge herself... why not? Looking down, Syd watched Wyatt throw the quaffle. Again, tapping her thumb she reminded herself to wait for the whistle. As she thought about the sound she wanted to hear, it appeared in her ear drum as she pointed her broom down and leanded into the handle to reduce pullback. As Syd got closer to the quaffle she extended her arm to the ball inches from her finger-tips, as she held out her opposite arm aiming for Wynd's chest to hold him back in defense, as he was trying to get the ball too.

(( Diving, Blocking, and Catching the quaffle ))

[Wynd Lehane]

He had won. The red ball was his. The older and more experienced Hufflepuff had lost to the erratic younger hot-headed Slytherin. Wynd found it hard to hold his tongue and not say something snide to Ivy as he pulled out of his dive with the ball. He was slowly learning to keep those comments and thoughts to himself. It would do no good to have the rest of the Chasers of the Quidditch Skills Cup mad at him because he had insulted their precious Ivy. He had to get along with this people for at least two more challenges and maybe even in America. His next opponent was Sydney (another Hufflepuff. What was with all these badgers?). At least she was in the same year as he so neither one would have the advantage of age. Still neither one would give up without a fight.

Wynd hoped he won. Not just because he wanted to be the best but if he won then it would mean that Slytherin held the top two positions. Wynd looked over and saw Pyro sitting in the sidelines. Too bad that he had lost right away. It would have been great for the top three positions to be Slytherin. Now, those positions would be tainted... Not tainted, that was a word he would have to stop using. Compromised? ...The top positions would be shared between Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Probably the houses that interacted the least. Sydney and Wynd took their positions they both waited for the whistle and were off. Wyatt's advice rang in his ears but Wynd was not a defensive player. He wanted the Quaffle but when the other girl used her arm to block his approach he had to react. He smacked her arm away and reached for the Quaffle with all his might. It would be his.

[Wyatt Miles]

The boy from Slytherin had seemed to be playing almost flawlessly today. His speed was just a bit quicker, his handling a bit sharper, and his ability to fight for the Quaffle a bit more apparent than the rest. Granted, his most recent success was bordering on the level of earning a foul. Wyatt let it go though, knowing that Quidditch was a physical sport. There was bumping, pushing, and all sorts of other interactions between players. If it became intentionally rough... that's when Wyatt would put a stop to it.

So, there they were, the two final players. Both Slytherin. Both very different from one another. Wyatt's bets lay on the boy to win, but he knew that the girl had just as good a chance with the grace she had been flying with. "Lehane and Valak. The two of you will compete in the final matchup to determine our winner. Rawson, good job in finishing third. There are still two more challenges. Keep up the good work and getting a spot on the team shouldn't be a problem. He flashed a kind smile before taking the air for the last time. Green vs. Green. Quaffle dropped. Whistle blew. The rest was a blur.

((Sydney = 8+3 = 11
Wynd = 10+5 = 15
Wynd wins!

The last round will also be just one D6 roll. Both players should post no later than 19 January. Good luck!))

[Kailyn Valak S6]

This was it. She had made it to the end. Kailyn was just one more win away from claiming the top Chaser spot after the first challenge. Despite wanting the win rather badly, there were at least two notable plusses if she did happen to lose. First, she would be losing to a fellow Slytherin. Even if she didn't like Wynd that much, it meant that she wouldn't walk away a loser to anyone from another house. Second, even if she lost, she was still in a secure spot to have a good chance of making the all-star team. The top four Chasers were guaranteed a spot on the team to travel to the United States, and Kailyn was bound and determined to have one of those four spots. Preferably the first spot, but any of the four would suffice in the end.

Hovering opposite of Wynd, Kailyn gave him one of her sweetly innocent smiles which she was sure he recognized to be anything but sweet. "Hold on to your pants, Lehane, or else you'll be flying away ashamed for more than one reason." Her words were entirely empty of any sort of threat, seeing that she did at least respect the older teammate of hers. At the same time, she would try with all of her power to beat him and walk away with the sweet taste of victory on her lips.

Her ears tuned out the sounds of the crowds and waited for that distinct shrill pitch. When she heard it, Kailyn pushed forward, making sure to contact Wynd in the process. She saw how quick he was to use physical efforts with Sydney, and Kailyn wasn't going to sit back and wait for that to happen with her. If he wanted a physical matchup, she wasn't afraid to give him one.

((Going for the win!))

[Wynd Lehane]

Wynd sighed a breath of relief as he pulled out of the dive with the Quaffle in hand. Now the top spots belonged to Slytherin regardless of who won this next round. Of course, he would be the winner but in case he wasn't, at least he would be losing to a fellow Slytherin. Wynd did his best not to gloat when he looked Sydney in the eyes but his face betrayed him. He was happy that he had caught the Quaffle over the Hufflepuff. He looked away quickly as he would have to think of his next opponent. Kailyn Valak. He got on with her just as well as most Slytherins get on with each other. They tolerated each other.

Hovering opposite Kailyn, she smiled at him. It was not a sweet smile. He returned her fake smile as she did her best to intimidate him. Really, it was sort of cute how she tried to be insulting. As if Wynd would be ashamed of losing his pants. Hearing the whistle, Wynd dove for the released ball. Kailyn gave no time in trying to push him off course with her body. He pushed back. If she wanted a fight he would give her one.

((Diving for the win!!))

[Wyatt Miles]

((Kailyn = 8+3 = 11
Wynd = 10+3= 13
Wynd wins!))

Despite both players having used a bit of their energy in two other matchups, the stakes of the final head to head dive for the Quaffle seemed to ignite a desire to win as the two Slytherins flew at top speeds. It seemed like it was a rather close attempt by both Lehane and Valak, but in the end it was Lehane who flew away with the Quaffle. Wyatt saw the disappointment on Valak's face, but rightfully so. She had done well, and to finish second is never an easy pill to swallow.

Wyatt flew over to the champion of the challenge and congratulated him. "Well done. Fly like that for the rest of the challenges and you're sure to get a spot on the championship team." The Chasers were all gathered once again, the first challenge having went rather smoothly. Only one major collision, and it seemed that both Tunstall and Ryder were good as far as Wyatt could tell. "Good start, ladies and gentlemen. Now you all know who to beat though. As it stands now, Mr. Lehane, Miss Valak, Miss Rawson, and Miss Tunstall are the four Chasers who would make the all-star team. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw participants, you have some work to do. Rankings can change, so don't give up. I'll see you all at the next challenge."

((Final rankings...

1- Wynd: 9 points
2- Kailyn: 8 points
3- Sydney: 7 points
4- Ivy: 6 points
5- Riley: 5 points
6- Theo: 4 points
7- Celia: 3 points
8- Pyro: 2 points
9- Scott: 1 point))