Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw!

[Madam Xiomara Hooch]

It was as grey a day as could be, but the resplendent robes of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams brightened up the pitch just a little bit as they lined up ready for the start of play. Xiomara ushered the two captains together to shake hands. Ravenclaw’s captain was the same as last year, and she was pleased to see him playing in the Chaser position today – he had showed promise there in the past, while he was of more moderate ability in the Keeper position from what she remembered. There was little glory to be earnt as a Keeper anyway, of course – if you saved the goal nothing much was made of it, if you let one in you were a failure. It was very unfair, many talented players didn’t get the recognition they deserved simply because they were Keepers. Gryffindor had a new captain – last year’s captain, Oscar Flynn, had graduated now. The new captain came from a good Pureblood family for Quidditch talent, Xiomara noted approvingly. The Gryffindor team was in need of some good management this year. They had a number of new recruits – a young girl with extremely long hair amongst the new faces – and they would need guidance.

Well, here was the start of the new Quidditch season, the first test of the teams that would be competing this year. Xiomara would be watching with interest, as well as doing her bit to ensure that there was no foul play, of course. She blew hard on her whistle to signal the start of the game, and rose into the air as she did so, a black dot amongst the sudden flurry of scarlet and blue robed players.

((The current line-ups are...

Position - Player - Rolls: Dex, Str, Con, HP

Gryffindor

Chaser - Rhoswen O’Shaughnessy G5 – 4, 6, 2, (8-3=)5
Chaser - Zak Wallich G3 – (5-1=)4, (4-1=)3, (5-2=)3, (6-5=)1 *
Chaser - Raina Miles G5 – 4, 3, 3, 6
Beater - Stephanie Donaldson G6 - 2, 3, 4, 6 *
Beater - Edward Shaw G7 – 1, (3-1=)2, (4-1=)3, (7-4=)3
Seeker - Melody Bang Bala G5 – 6, (5+1=)6, 6, (7+4-1=)10
Keeper – Dahlia Rain Keo G3 – 4, 5, 2, 6

Reserve
Rosaliz Hernandez G6 – 4, 5, 6, 8

Ravenclaw

Chaser - Matthew Dorm R3 – 5, 3, 3, 7 (+1XP)
Chaser - Anna Monkshood R5 – 4, 2, 4, 8
Chaser - August Reid R7 – (4+2=)6, 6, (2+2=)4, 8
Beater - Ali Hawkins R5 – 4, 5, 3, 6
Beater - Celes Sorrenson R6 – 2, 3, 5, 6
Keeper - Naomi Russell R4 – 4, 2, 5, 7 *
Seeker – Peter Gales R6 – 4, 3, 5, 6 *

Reserve
Woodrow Winchester R3 – 2, 4, 5, 7
Williard Thoth R3 – 6, 3, 5, 6 (+1XP)

*Naomi, Peter, Stephanie and Zak are temporary players and will not earn XP points this match.

Gryffindor 160
Ravenclaw 30))

[August Reid R7]

Nausea. That was the right word. Nausea. As if all the butterflies in his stomach decided today was the day they were going to escape. This would be the first game of the season and August could not be more nervous. The Ravenclaw team had suffered under his leadership much to his dismay. He kept recalling the last Quidditch game where he had thrown his gloves off and stormed out of the stadium. Nausea and Embarrassment. This would also be the first time that much of the school would see him on a broom again and he did not want to know their thoughts. He sat next to Bella as he ate breakfast. She was in a cheerful mood as always but nothing could really persuade him to give up his brooding. His taste buds barely registered the toast and pumpkin juice. The only thing he could think of was the game. This was his last year. He wanted things to go well. I wish Dylan was here, he thought to himself.

In the locker room it was time for him to give a good uplifting speech. He found he was never as good as Jasmine had been or even Theo. After all, Jasmine was the reason he was standing here today. If she had not approached him, he would have never auditioned for the team and thus never have been elected its captain. August had to beg and plead to find some players. He wished that Woodrow and Williard would be on the starting lineup but the new recruits would play just fine. "All right chaps, this is it. The first game of the season. Whoever wins today will set the mood for the rest of the season. I want to win. I really really want to win. Some of you might not know this but, I hate Gryffindors. I think they are worse than Slytherins. I don't want to lose to them and have to hear about it all year long. Their heads are big enough. I have put myself as a Chaser today," here he looked toward Matt and Anna, "I want to score at least 150 points so even if Melody does catch the Snitch it won't matter. That means we have to work as a team. Don't be afraid to mark the other Chasers and pass at every opportunity. Beaters," he looked at Ali and Celes here, "I want you to use your feminine wiles to keep Edward at bay so Peter can do his job." He smirked at Celes knowing this would irk her. "Naomi and Peter, stay diligent. You might not always be in the fray but your job is just as important." He took a moment to breathe after his talk. Even though these were his friends it was still hard to talk in front of them.

On the pitch, August shook hands with Raina. He had no doubt that this game would be a fair one. Gryffindors were known to be valiant. They made sure the whole bloody school knew. Taking his position he quickly rushed into the fray at Hooch's whistle. "Ravens Soar!"

((Catching the Quaffle))

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

It was strange to be back on the Quidditch pitch, after the summer 'holidays' she'd had. Tiring of the tense atmosphere and lack of support at home, Melody had taken off and joined a travelling Muggle music festival, where she'd been appreciated for her musical talent and she wasn't prejudged in the same way as in the wizarding world where she was still infamous. She'd returned home to collect her things for the new school year, but that was all. Perhaps her mother had sensed that there was no point in arguing with her daughter. Melody was sixteen now, almost seventeen, and she'd had sufficient experience of prison that she would never again remain cooped up somewhere that she didn't wish to be.

The Quidditch pitch was like a reminder of her old life, the one where she could happily and innocently mount her broom and win games for her team, everyone cheering her on. Some of the crowd booed this time as her name was announced, of course. But Melody blocked them out, kicking off from the ground high into the sky as Madam Hooch blew her whistle, her search for the Snitch beginning.

((Searching for the Snitch.))

[Anna Monkshood R5]

The last time she'd stood in this locker room listening to the muffled roar of the crowd outside, she'd been a scared temporary player, a last-minute recruit to fill in a gap on the team, worried that she would make a fool of herself by revealing her fear of heights in front of the whole school. This time she was just as scared of heights, but at least a proper member of her team. Anna smiled a little at the thought.

She stared at August with a certain amount of antipathy as he progressed through his speech, which was unusual, because she generally had quite a lot of respect for him, despite his undignified exit from the last game. He'd already annoyed her by referring to them as 'chaps' - last time she'd counted the starting lineup had been female in the slight majority, and she objected to being subjected to the undemocratic French style of grammarian logic, whereby 'she plural' became 'he plural' even in a group of 1 male to 100 females. She was more irritated still by his encouraging the team to share his hatred of Gryffindors. She didn't much care whether he liked them or not, but she disagreed with him spreading his intolerance. She knew one of the players on the Gryffindor team, had shared a compartment with her on the train, and she hadn't seemed too bad really.

Oh well, never mind. Anna focused on the game at hand as she went onto the pitch and mounted her broom. August was a good Quidditch player at least and hardly an awful person, even if he clearly had his faults. And the other Ravenclaws could make up their own minds. Anna felt that she would play competitively without feeling hatred for her opposition. She still wanted to win!

((Marking Rhoswen.))

[Rhoswen O'Shaughnessy G5]

The first game of the season...what a frightening thought. Rhoswen O'Shaughnessy was playing Chaser once again. Really she was a much better Seeker, but then so was Melody. Chasers were in more of the action and that was something that Rhoswen did enjoy. She liked adventure and pulling ridiculous stunts, which Chasers seemed more often to be allowed to do. So maybe it wouldn't be all bad. Even though the sky was grey and lifeless the pitch was warm and the cheering crowds gave a bit more life to the place. This was one of the reasons she enjoyed Quidditch so much. The need to please a crowd, to have something to look forward to, to be able to compete against Slytherin. There wasn't a house she despised more...really it was the only house she despised. She'd had to many run-ins with the sods and after her grandparents treated her like scum for being sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin it was enough to make her blood boil.

The new Gryffindor captain gave them the same speech that all captains seem to have and they headed out to the greens. The roaring of the crowd grew steadily as each one of them stepped onto the pitch. Rhoswen was holding her Firebolt, a present from her mother this last summer. It was an older broom, but it was still faster than the Nimbus 2000 she had been riding on. This model was four years old and several newer brooms had hit the market after it was made. Rhoswen didn't much care for having the newest broom...it was the rider that made the broom better, not the other way around. She was a good rider and she knew that she wasn't in need of the best model of broom to beat Ravenclaw today. Quidditch was her talent and she was good at it. She didn't fear the game to come and knew that she would most likely get a few good bruises on her pale flesh before the match was over. She actually thrilled at the idea.

Taking to the air, the crowd fell away, and all that she could focus on was Madam Hooch and the Quaffle that lay in her hands. This was going to be the moment that she'd been waiting for all summer. She was going to get that Quaffle before anyone else. It was her duty to do so. So when the whistle sounded and the Quaffle was released Rhoswen shot off to grab it, along with the blue flash in the corner of her eye. The Ravenclaw Chaser was already going to make her laugh...he wasn't getting this Quaffle from her. She was determined, far more determined than he was and no one was going to stop her.

((Avoiding Mark, Catching Quaffle))

[Edward Shaw G7]

Edward swung the bat around a couple of times in the locker room. This was the first time he was actually going to be on the field in a real game. It was his last year and he'd auditioned for the Quidditch team. There wasn't a moment he actually thought he'd get on the team. Sure he was a Pureblood and he had played Quidditch with his brother at home before, but he had never imagined that he would actually be playing on the Gryffindor team. He wasn't nearly good enough for that sort of thing. He swung the bat again, hardly paying attention to what the Captain was going on about. Why did it matter if they had plans or not? He was a Beater...he didn't have to worry about that. All he had to do was keep the Bludgers away from his team mates and try to distract the Ravenclaw Seeker. That's what mattered to him. Truth was he knew he was going to suck at the task, but he was going to try to do it anyway. That's what mattered right? Doing your best...trying your best. So that's what he was going to do. Try his best.

As the captain finally quieted they walked out to the field. The crowd was ecstatic to see them. He could see the wave of red coming from the stands and he felt his heart jump into his mouth. It was exciting to know that they were screaming for him, cheering for him. Quidditch had just become ten times more thrilling than he thought it would be. He just had to make sure he didn't make a fool of himself. That's what mattered right? With a wave to the crowd he got on his broom. It wasn't the best broom...rather old and borrowed from the school. The thing about living on your own was that you just couldn't afford such trivial things as new brooms, especially when you weren't really a Quidditch player and you were licensed to Apparate. Brooms were sort of obsolete these days, but still it didn't matter what broom he was on. He didn't have to do that much moving around. It wasn't like he had to fly between people and toward the goals. He was able to lounge and just bat away bludgers. It seemed simple enough.

The whistle blew and Edward immediately went to action. A Bludger was already streaming through the sky and he felt a rush as he spotted a blue robed figure with Monkshood written in letters on the back of the robe. She looked an easy enough target and Edward smirked as he batted a bludger in her direction. "Take that blue bloods," he muttered to himself, pleased...even if the Bludger didn't hit her he was still impressed that he had at least sent it in the right direction. Hopefully the Gryffindor that was near her wouldn't get hit if it missed. Now that would be bad and suddenly a wave of panic went through him. That wasn't going to happen...she would move. It was O'Shaughnessy...she knew what she was doing. At least he hoped she did.

((Hitting bludger at Monkshood))

[Ali Hawkins R5]

The captain didn’t look so good, Ali noted idly before shrugging and immediately forgetting about it. Some people got nervous before Quidditch games, she guessed. Just because she never had didn’t mean that it didn’t happen to anyone else. Oh sure, there was the adrenaline thrill that had her clutching her broom more tightly and maybe even a demanding urge to simply move that had her rocking up and down on her toes during August’s speech but she wouldn’t describe that as being nervous. She was just…getting ready. She was a Beater; she needed to be ready to dive in, her muscles needed to be warmed up enough before she started swinging her bat. No one on the team could afford to be lazy if they wanted to win; if there was one truth that Ali lived by, it was that one.

Once in the air, Ali’s arms instantly tensed, fingers locked around her bat and eyes roving to catch sight of either of the two Bludgers. Whichever one she didn’t see, Celes would take care of, Ali knew. They might be more acquaintances than friends, as indeed all of the team were to her oddly enough, but the older Beater knew how to do her job just as well as Ali did. For supposedly being of the weaker gender, they were amazing Beaters. At least, Ali thought so anyway. There was, of course, the possibility that she was entirely biased.

Ah, there was the Bludger! Ali’s eyes brightened triumphantly, not dimming in their intensity even when she saw that it was headed towards Anna. If she could stop it, it wouldn’t hit her teammate, she reasoned as she flew in, bat at the ready to deflect the ball towards the Gryffindor Seeker. The Chasers weren’t an immediate threat just yet; they still had to pass before they could score so Ali focused on distracting Melody from catching sight of the Snitch.

((Defending Anna and deflecting to Melody.))

[Stephanie Donaldson G6]

((Sending a bludger at August))

[Madam Xiomara Hooch]

((I would just like to let players know that I will have class Monday and Wednesday nights through this game. This means that my posts may be an hour or so late those nights but will still be on time on Tuesday and Thursday. I am sorry for any inconveniences this may cause.

Edward hits a bludger at Anna, Ali attempts to defend.
Edward = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 5 + 3 = 8
Ali = Defend (D8 + Str) = 6 + 5 = 11
Ali successfully defends Anna and deflects the bludger toward Melody. There is a bludger flying toward Melody!

Stephanie hits a bludger at August. There is a bludger flying at August!

Anna attempts to mark Rhoswen.
Anna = Mark (D4 + Dex) = 1 + 4 = 5
Rhoswen = Avoid (D8 + Dex) = 7 + 4 = 11
Rhoswen successfully avoids being marked.

August and Rhoswen attempt to catch the quaffle.
August = Catch (D6 + Dex) = 6 + 6 = 12
Rhoswen = Catch (D6 + Dex) = 4 + 4 = 8
August catches the quaffle. August has the quaffle!

Melody searches for the Snitch. Her Concentration score is high enough that her search rolls will automatically be successful, so I will not bother rolling them this game.

Melody = Search = 5
5 is not the Snitch number. Melody does not see the Snitch.))

[Celes Sorrenson R6]

Feeling more than a little irritated with her captain, Celes left the pitch below her. There was one night when she might have let it slip to August that she had a crush. On a certain someone. A certain someone a year older and in Gryffindor. He was on the pitch right now. Playing Beater. August would never let her forget it. She wasn't weak. She didn't need a man. To open herself up and admit that she maybe had feelings for someone just to be betrayed. If it was allowed she felt August deserved a good Bludger to the head.

((Defending August and Deflecting to Melody))

[Peter Gales R6]

His eyes followed a fly in the locker room as he idly listened to what August was saying. How he became the captain, Peter could only guess. August was gay at least, that was the rumor, he and Theo probably had a very close relationship. He sauntered out to the pitch with the rest of the team. He was the most important player on the team and everyone knew it. Without the Seekers, the game would never end. What was the rush?

((Searching for the Snitch))

[August Reid R7]

The Quaffle seemed to fall into his hands. As soon as he felt the pressure of the ball he turned his broom toward the goal. He was serious when he told Anna and Matt he wanted to score at least 150 points. There was no way he was going to lose this match. Not this time. He tried to fly in an unorganised pattern in an effort to throw off any Chasers and confuse the poor Keeper.

((Defending Quaffle, Avoiding Bludgers and Chasers, Scoring!!))

[Anna Monkshood R5]

Well, that had fallen flat on its face - she didn't force Rhoswen to alter her course of flight one little bit. And she might have to rethink that policy of non-hatred towards the Gryffindors... since when had she become their prime target?! Oh well, if they wanted to hit Bludgers at her they were welcome, she supposed; perhaps she even ought to be flattered. And every Bludger hit at Anna was a Bludger not hit at the Ravenclaw Seeker, or either of the two other, more talented Chasers. Anna would bear any bruises with pride. She was still grateful that Ali had come to her rescue, though, and shouted her thanks to her fellow fifth year.

Her personal failure was of no importance, as it turned out. August's superior skill as a Chaser had still allowed him to get hold of the Quaffle first, and that was all that mattered. Now it was time to see if Dahlia had been putting in sufficient practice at the hoops; Anna was interested to see how well her acquaintance played, but couldn't spare the time to watch August's goal attempt - she was too busy trying to mark the same Gryffindor Chaser again. Rhoswen had already proved herself to be quick off the mark, and Anna was keen to hinder the Gryffindor's reaction to finding Ravenclaw in possession.

((Marking Rhoswen again.

Madam Hooch, Ali's Str score is 5 (marked as 3 in last round's rolls). But thanks once again for doing the rolls, it's a huge help!!! )

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

The day was muggy and still, but as Melody rose up higher into the sky she could sense more of a breeze whipping through her hair, tickling her eyes, and she immediately felt refreshed and alert. In a game the tensions prevalent in practice at times (some people still resented her being on the team, they made it clear enough) fell away as the team focused on winning, and she was too high up to hear the chants of the crowd - some people still felt it was good sport to taunt her and see whether it had any effect on her ability. It was liberating to get away from it all, to cast off the stigma of guilt that she herself still found it difficult to dispense with.

Already a Bludger was heading her way. That was hardly anything personal, it was perfectly usual for Seekers to be the main focus of Bludger attacks. She'd be pursuing the same policy if she was playing Beater in this game. In fact, she thought it was rather a shame that she wasn't allowed to carry a bat to defend herself with - she would be perfectly capable of multi-tasking. But for the time being she continued scanning the air for any sign of the Snitch; she would just have to hope that her team's Beaters would defend her as well as she would have done, had their roles been reversed...

((Searching for the Snitch.))

[Ali Hawkins R5]

Both Bludgers were in action since Ali had successfully sent one hurtling in Melody’s direction and Celes, she could see after a quick check, was taking care of the one that had been sent towards August. Left with nothing to do, Ali hovered near Anna long enough to shrug helplessly at the other girl’s appreciation (she was just doing her job as a Beater after all so she hardly required any notice of her actions though it was, actually, quite nice to be appreciated anyway) before flying higher in readiness for one of the Bludgers to necessitate her interference once more.

A Chaser would be her next target, Ali knew as she scanned the pitch with sharp eyes. August would either score and Gryffindor would gain the Quaffle that way or they would steal the ball from him but either way, a Gryffindor Chaser was going to be her next target.

((Just watching and thinking ahead.))

[Edward Shaw G7]

Edward cursed under his breath as his bludger was deflected and sent back at his own seeker. Melody was probably unaware that there was a bludger headed at her, which meant that Edward was going to have to defend again. It was obvious he was still new at this whole thing. Sure he knew how to hit a bludger and all that stuff, but it was still quite a different thing from playing in the backyard with his brother. He gripped the bat tight as he zoomed to meet the bludger halfway, attempting to hit it as he moved, and deflecting toward the Ravenclaw seeker.

((defending Melody and deflecting to Peter))

[Rhoswen O'Shaughnessy G5]

Rhoswen muttered in annoyance at the redhead that attempted to mark her. She'd barely avoided it, but she did it successfully, just not in enough time to get the quaffle before Reid did. The seventh year Ravenclaw was good...she knew that having played against him before, and at having watched him from her days before actually being on the Gryffindor team. There was only so much she could do against someone that had been playing longer than she had, the nice thing though was that she was quick. That meant she was ready to go the moment he had caught the quaffle and had headed off to the Gryffindor goals. She sped after him attempting to pop the quaffle out from under his arms.

((avoiding mark and focus stealing from August))

[Zak Wallich G3]

((Marking August))

[Dahlia Rain Keo G3]

Dahlia rose on her broom, quickly shooting to the goal post as her keeper position. Dahlia was small and young compared to the others, but didn't take notice. This was her first official qudditch game, her hear beat very abnormally, but she couldn't let that distract her. Others seemed as if it was a mistake that Dahlia, a small third year, was in front of the three goal post. People in the crowd acted as if it was a mistake like she had gotten nervous and forgotten were she was supposed to be. But no, She was right.

Her hands tight on the front of her broom, ready for a quaffle to come.

(Blocking the goal)

[Madam Xiomara Hooch]

((Edward attempts to defend Melody from Ali's bludger.
Ali = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 4 + 5 = 9
Edward = Defend (D8 + Str) = 6 + 3 = 9

Tie! Re-roll!

Ali = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 6 + 5 = 11
Edward = Defend (D8 + Str) = 2 + 3 = 5
Ali's bludger continues at Melody!

Melody attempts to dodge Ali's Bludger.
Ali = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 6 + 5 = 11
Melody = Avoid (D8 + Dex) = 3 + 6 = 9
Ali’s Bludger hits Melody! Melody suffers a Minor Hit and loses 1HP!
Melody must concentrate in order to maintain her action for this round.
Ali = Bludger (D8 + Str) = 5 + 5 = 10
Melody = Concentrate (D4 + Con) = 2 + 6 = 8
Melody is unable to concentrate and will not be able to search for the Snitch this round.

Celes attempts to defend August from Stephanie's bludger.
Stephanie = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 3 + 3 = 6
Celes = Defend (D8 + Str) = 1 + 3 = 4
Stephanie's bludger continues at August!

August attempts to dodge Stephanie's Bludger.
Stephanie = Bludger (D6 + Str) = 4 + 3 = 7
August = Avoid (D8 + Dex) = 4 + 6 - 2 = 8
August avoids Stephanie's bludger!

Zak attempts to mark August.
Zak = Mark (D4 + Dex) = 4 + 5 = 9
August = Avoid (D8 + Dex) = 1 + 6 = 7
Zak successfully marks August, August will have a -2 penalty on all actions this round.

Rhoswen focuses on stealing the Quaffle from August.
Rhoswen = Focus Steal = (D4 + Str + 2) = 4 + 6 + 2 = 12
August = Defend = (D8 + Str - 2) = 6 + 6 - 2 = 10
Rhoswen successfully steals the quaffle. Rhoswen has the quaffle.

Peter searches for the Snitch.
Peter = Search = 18
18 is not the Snitch number. Peter does not see the Snitch.))