An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Even for those who'd risen earlier that day, in anticipation for the first Quidditch match of the season, the Great Hall was a bustle of excited activity and chatter. Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were especially mingled, either in a show of support for their preferred house to win or in eagerness to huddle with friends to share the general hype.
The weather wasn't especially warm, but the sun shone bright overhead. While Professors pretended not to notice or hear of it, students were well aware that 5th year Lucas Mardling accepted bets for today's match. He'd be by the main doors all throughout breakfast, and anyone was allowed to place a bet if willing to part with their Galleons for potential profit.
Quidditch players themselves were awake an hour earlier than the rest of the school, so have already had breakfast - owl post will also be delivered to the pitch thread. It was one of the changes Headmaster Rickard implemented this year, though not even the Captains were informed of it until this morning. While they were already down by the pitch, everyone else were free to discuss the possible outcomes that awaited Gryffindor or Slytherin after breakfast.
This is a Quidditch day.
Breakfast and dinner will be as per usual, but lunch is skipped and the entire morning / afternoon period is dedicated to Quidditch. RPG time progresses at the pace of the match, making it a faster # to finish.
No NPC characters (Professors, beasts, ghosts, etc) or other non-Quidditch modding will be available while a match is taking place. Attending isn't mandatory, but you likely won't have time to do much else unless you're just chilling with friends. Pets are also unavailable to interact with. There are no Prefect duties tonight. The winning team receives party snacks in their common room later to celebrate.
The only other event scheduled is that @elara and @sinead must meet Filch at his office after dinner, as per their consequences for losing a Charms class competition on #8. Although it may feel like one, this is not a detention.
Post by Lucas Mardling on Mar 12, 2021 1:02:21 GMT 10
Lucas was up almost as early as Amara and the rest of the Slytherin team, though he holed up in the common room to finish preparations of his own. Finally pleased with his revised betting system, he headed off to the Great Hall and speedily ate some eggs to get him through the day.
Content, though disappointed he didn't get the chance to wish Amara good luck even though she probably didn't believe in luck when it came to winning, he decided to get a start on the betting. Lucas stood by the main doors, just outside the Great Hall so students could find him but he wasn't in direct sight of any staff. He had his betting rules and instructions on hand, holding it out for anyone who wasn't sure how it worked.
'Betting on today's match is open,' he said as a group of students arrived. 'Who's going to win? Slytherin or Gryffindor? Place your bets now.' He grinned with all his charm and professionalism. It was easy to play nice when he was about to get rich. Lucas wasn't especially well-liked by his classmates, but he was always a man of his word.
[OOC: betting information and progress are found at the bottom of my Plotter. If you're only betting on which house wins (no outcome bet as well) you can just talk to Lucas, hand over the money, make your bet, etc in one post without waiting on me to reply - unless you want to chat or hang out too.]
Last Edit: Mar 12, 2021 1:09:23 GMT 10 by Lucas Mardling
Post by Reena Ashworth on Mar 12, 2021 4:58:24 GMT 10
Yesterday Reena had thought she would not be able to sleep again but after the Frivolity had ended she had been pretty much knocked out. She had fallen asleep almost the second she had laid down. That was a nice change but she was not much looking forward to the game. She could think of better things to occupy herself with but since most of her dormmates were on the team, she figured she would make an appearance.
Upon arriving at the Great Hall, Reena overheard Mardling calling out to the group of students ahead of her and she decided she would use the bet as an excuse to talk to him. She had wanted to yesterday but had not found the time as he had been absent from dinner and then she had to attend the Frivolity.
"Morning", she greeted. "Five galleons on Slytherin." She offered him the money on her open left hand and offered him a smile. Reena was not at all certain this was a smart investment although in the spirit of comradery she had to bet on her own House team.
She rubbed her thumb over her index finger where the blue band-aid had shielded the small wound before. Feeling the slight disturbance on her skin and the slight sting she was reminded of the kindness he had shown her. Eventhough she had messed that up later at the potions classroom, but the purple shade thankfully had worn off by now. "I have been thinking about what you said on the bridge yesterday. That I had to take the band-aid or people would think you had been mean to me?"
Merlin's beard, she felt awkward and nervous bringing it up. But it had to be said, Mardling had surely been treated as if he was awful when he really was not all that bad. No matter the company he preferred to keep. And after everything she had learned yesterday she was not even sure if her impression of Seabrook herself was correct anymore. She had not been given the name of "Slytherin Queen" for nothing after all. Perhaps she needed to be more open minded about them and not let Jaxen dictate who was worth her time and trouble.
"If you said that because of that Gryffindor girl, I wouldn't pay her any mind. I ran into her again and I think she's rather rude." Reena made a face when she remembered how the red haired girl had not even attempted to wait her turn in the kitchens. With a shrug she added: "Anyway, thanks again for your help."
Last Edit: Mar 12, 2021 5:02:16 GMT 10 by Reena Ashworth
Post by Luckett Langford on Mar 12, 2021 6:14:05 GMT 10
Lucky rolled out of bed and walked over to the dresser in his dorm, his bare feet pressing down against the hardwood. It was moments like these he wished he had a window to look out of. It must've been real nice for Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. He remembered Kaspian talking about them before and feeling the same tinge of jealousy he felt then, now. Instead of waking up to morning light spilling onto his sheets, he had to rely on his internal body clock to wake up, and that wasn't always the most reliable. He'd been late to class way too many times to count.
He retrieved a yellow sweater from the dresser and shrugged it over his bare torso. As he did, a frown crossed his face. It was gone by the time his head emerged from the neckline. He wasn't going to let his lack of a window get to him this morning. There was too much to be excited over. It was a day free of classes, but more so, it was a day dedicated to Quidditch.
After freshening up some, he made his way to breakfast. The castle was chock full of chatter about the upcoming Quidditch match. Which captain would lead their team to success, would anyone catch the Golden Snitch and ultimately, who would win the first match of the season? These were the kinds of questions being asked and some that Lucky wanted answered too.
'I was hoping you'd take bets this season, Mardling.' He stopped just outside the hall and pulled a handful of galleons from his pocket. 'I'll bet 30 on Slytherin beating Gryffindor.' Lucky dropped the money into Lucas' hand, including an extra five for the fee. He didn't want Slytherin to win, but anticipated them doing whatever it took to win. They were known to be dirty, especially Amara. And that wasn't about her being physically unclean, but.. you know.
'I'm telling you now, if Seabrook loses me money today, it'll just be another reason for me to dislike her.' Lucky mused up his golden brown hair with a laugh and continued on his way, but not before flashing a nearby fourth year girl a smirk. He didn't have time to chat, as breakfast was to be had. The quicker they all ate, the quicker they could get to the match.
Post by Arthur Hocking on Mar 12, 2021 7:57:51 GMT 10
Arthur woke up excited to watch Quidditch. He glanced at Mardling, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to make bets just yet. He didn't know enough about either team to guess who would win, but if he was going to bet on anything, he would've bet that one of the Slytherin players would make a foul at some point during the game.
He noticed that Lucky had made a bet, though, as he put some food on his plate and began to eat. Arthur wasn't particularly biased either way, though he did find that he wanted to hope both teams wouldn't do as well as the Hufflepuff team, though of course there was no way to know that until he saw everyone playing.
Despite being awful on a broom, or at least, not as good as the rest of his housemates, Arthur was capable of knowing the rules of Quidditch. He prided himself on it, mostly because he was Muggleborn.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Mar 12, 2021 8:10:36 GMT 10
Elizabeth despised Quidditch days. Sure, there was time for her to read or study what she wished, but most people were busy watching the match, and that included professors, so she couldn't even ask if she had a question. Honestly, why a school would want to waste so much time on a sport that barely involved using knowledge when they could be having class was beyond Elizabeth.
She was much more focused on receiving a letter back from her parents, who she had written last night after Amara had turned away. Elizabeth had not been bothered, because she did enjoy having a proper sleep schedule. It was one of the best things to do, in her opinion.
She was concerned that her parents would send her just one name, or forbid her from going to the Founders' Ball, or even tell her she would wear her school uniform instead of dress robes. She did enjoy looking a little nice. She was glad she had neglected to mention the Quidditch game. She was certain they agreed with her, that it was a waste of time, and she didn't want to waste parchment writing about it.
Despite a later evening than usual, Anjay was still up early. If yesterday was a slow, meandering, unfocused day, today threatened to be more of the same. He picked at the few pieces of cantaloupe on the plate in front of him and sipped leisurely on a cup of coffee. The Gryffindor table was emptier than usual, their Quidditch team having already eaten and made their way to the pitch. Those that remained were more talkative and excited than Anjay himself seemed.
Would he go to the match or go back to the common room and take a day to himself? The decision seemed monumental. Anjay suffered extensively from the fear of missing out. It was almost a guilty feeling, like something could happen that he needed to be a part of, and if he wasn't there because of selfish reasons like just wanting to relax, he would blame himself and feel bad. It was a messed up and unhealthy way to think, but it's how he looked at the world.
He ate his fruit and nursed his coffee, looking around the table. Thankfully Thatcher was nowhere to be seen, the bloody weirdo. Anjay still wasn't over their row from last night. He'd meant to bring it up to Kettles- the two of them knew each other, Anjay was pretty sure- but neither he nor the Ravenclaw prefect had been very talkative last night. It was their first shift, and Anjay hadn't been particularly chatty.
He sat in silence, ignoring those around him, and reached for a banana nut muffin. He might even indulge in another cup of coffee in a few minutes. This morning, he was in no rush.
Harris was thrilled. He loved Quidditch just about more than he loved anything else in the world. Harris often told his Muggle family members that he came to Hogwarts for the magic but stays for the Quidditch. It was the best sport ever, and the only thing better than playing it was being in the stands and watching it live. The first match of the year was always like Christmas morning to Harris. Five years in the castle hadn't diminished his excitement.
"I say we go bare chested to the game and paint our chests red for Gryffindor," Harris was shouting at Lucky, not sure if the other boy was able to hear him. His plate was an explosion of syrup and bacon, beneath which were buried two large and fluffy pancakes. It was Harris' second plate, and he wasn't sure it would be enough to fill him up- especially on a day like today that would require extra amounts of energy. He shoveled the food into his mouth at impressive speeds.
He kept his eyes open for Seb, hoping to see the other boy come to breakfast soon. Harris really wanted the Slytherin boy to sit by him at the match and watch the game with him. He wasn't sure why, but something told Harris that having Seb there would be more fun. He felt a funny tingling in his stomach, an almost nervous anticipation as he waited for the other boy to show his face. What was that? Maybe Harris needed to slow down on the syrup.
After eating, he did get up and make his way over to Mardling. Part of the fun of the game was making bets, and Harris was happy to throw down some galleons to back up all the smack talk he planned to throw against Slytherin today. Harris had never been to America, but he had plans to visit Las Vegas and do some good old fashioned Muggle gambling when he turned 21. Until then this was the closest thing he could get.
"I've got 50 on Gryffindor wiping the table with Slytherin," Harris said to the boy as he handed him the money, not forgetting to include Mardling's fees and taxes. They were steep, and normally Harris would haggle, but he figured the Deal Kid wouldn't be in any mood to entertain his shenanigans this morning. "And I bet Gryffindor scores twice as many goals as Slytherin does."
Post by Jade Arwell on Mar 12, 2021 16:18:36 GMT 10
Jade was in a sour mood as she arrived to breakfast, having been awoken much earlier by Tiana and Amy moving around the dorm and getting ready for their match. Stupid Rickard for his new and unfair rule... like, seriously, did he not consider all those poor and unrested students who had to share a dormitory with a Quidditch player? It was a nightmare and she deserved better.
Sure, she'd tried to reclaim that extra hour of sleep robbed from her, but it was a futile effort. Jade dragged herself out of bed and got ready for the day. At least she got to make use of her new fiery makeup set, which gave her eyes and lips a flare of bright colours in support of Gryffindor.
On her way to the Great Hall, she paused to give Mardling an annoyed look. Fine. May as well. This better be bloody worth it. She still had a bit of her Quidditch fund leftover after having bought Amy a broom, so surely this counted as Quidditch-related... right?
'Twenty Galleons on Gryffindor,' Jade said, offering Mardling her money with a look of contempt. 'And I bet Gryffindor scores the first goal.' She waited for him to confirm, curiously looking around at who else was offering up bets.
Post by Mathias Sallow on Mar 12, 2021 16:27:50 GMT 10
Matt had slept well, having dreamed of climbing his favourite tree back home. Feeling warm and well-rested, he cheerfully greeted the new day. It wasn't until he arrived for breakfast that the noisy crowd acted as a reminder of what day it was. Quidditch? Nice. He wondered if he could join Nyx in the stands so they could watch together.
Should he place a bet, though? Matt eyed Mardling and considered his options. On one hand, it was a waste of Galleons, and he didn't even know which team he thought had the best chances let alone who he wanted to win. But having something riding on the match might make it more fun to watch, considering Quidditch was entertaining but not necessarily one of his interests. His girlfriend was a Quidditch captain though, so maybe this year he would throw away some Galleons in her honour.
'Good morning. I'll put ten Galleons on....' Matt frowned, thinking for a moment while he held out the money. 'Slytherin.' He nodded, figuring Seabrook was most out for blood and he did have stronger ties to Slytherin than Gryffindor.
He hoped Nyx didn't mind, since her cousin was Gryffindor.
Not caring much for anything else, Matt completed his bet and headed into the hall itself. Owl post hadn't arrived yet so he was in good time. Keeping an eye out for Nyx, Freya, or Jaxen, Matt picked a spot around the middle of he Ravenclaw table - his back to the wall so he could see everything and be easier to spot himself.
'Pass the marmalade?' He kindly asked a younger student while grabbing some toast. He took a big gulp of his juice, sighing in content. It was looking to be a really great day.
Post by Sophia Rhynhart on Mar 12, 2021 16:43:38 GMT 10
'Oi, it's Quiddy day - why are you still snoozing?' Sophia kicked Phe's bed as soon as she'd struggled out of her own, tangled in sheets. 'Move your lazy butt, Phe,' she joked, giggling in excitement even while doing battle with her sheets.
Once freeing herself, she hurried to get dressed and brush her teeth. Sophia could hardly sit still and it wasn't even her team who'd be playing today. Quidditch was her life. She was so hyped, not bothering to wait for her best friend as she ran from the common room. Good thing the Great Hall wasn't too far away, though it would have ben good for cardio.
'Twenty-five on Gryffindor,' Sophia practically shouted at Mardling, still running to reach him. She thrust money to his hand, face wide with a grin as her hair turned scarlet. 'I also bet Seabrook will knock out at least two players.' She rolled her eyes.
Sure, Twiggs were great at Quidditch but Sophia knew Seabrook and considered it a safe bet to make. She'd have bet higher but again, Twiggs were good. She hopped on foot to foot, waiting for Lucas to accept her bet so she could zoom into the Great Hall for food.
Post by Jacob Thatcher on Mar 12, 2021 16:50:53 GMT 10
Jake almost crashed into Sophia as they arrived at the same time. Still fumbling with his shirt buttons, having completely forgotten his tie and not bothering with robes, Jake waited his turn with utmost impatience and whining for everyone to hurry up.
'I'm betting you fifty Galleons that Gryffindor beats Slytherin,' he said with arrogant confidence, fishing out his money as if he had plenty to spare. He didn't, but was certain his bet was foolproof and he could beg his parents for more money if needed. They'd give it just to shut him up.
'No way we're losing to those vile snakes.' Jake smirked, then his brain caught up with him and he shot a glare to Mardling. Oh yeah. Well, in his defence, his arm didn't hurt too much today and his words weren't exactly a lie.
'Take my money. Gryffindor's got this.' He nodded, a little less eager to be near Mardling now. It wasn't all about points though, when it came to winning... 'Oh, also I reckon... I mean, I bet that little Twiggs boy will catch the snitch. Never bet against a Twiggs, folks,' he joked with those around him.
Not all of them were amused, but whatever - that was their problem and lack of a sense of humour. Only cool people laughed at his jokes anyway.
Killed by Devin Kudosen by act of the Killing Curse. June #24, RPG year 1 -- he was a 5th year Gryffindor. Jacob died to save his best friend, Luckett Langford.
Post by Lucas Mardling on Mar 12, 2021 17:07:50 GMT 10
Lucas was a bit giddy as all the bet started coming in. Ravenclaws were formidable players, but leas often did any of hem place bets. Probably wrapped up in odds vs risk or something geeky like that. He was delightfully surprised to see Sallow placing a be though, which he was sure was a first. Then again, he supposed that came with the territory of dating a captain.
Crap. He hadn't thought of that. Not that he and Amara were dating, of course but... a boy could dream.
'Thank you. Thank you...' he said each time, accepting money from various students. He shot Thatcher an angry look, but quickly refocused on others. Lucas smirked, taking meticulous records of everything and counting up every coin. It took a moment to get to everyone by too bad, he wasn't slacking on this no matter how many shouted at him.
Literally. He winced, having startled when Rhynhart yelled above the general chatter. He should have been expecting that, if he were honest with himself.
It was interesting to note that, so far, anyone who bet for a Gryffindor win also placed an outcome guess. Those betting for Slytherin win were being smarter about their risks. It wasn't especially confidence-inducing for Slytherin's odds, but Lucas had faith in Amara. The rest of the team however, who knows? He didn't particularly care, apart from valuing his continued existence if Slytherin lost, so long as he was making money. So far, his profit margin was higher if Slytherin won.
'Only the one goal?' Lucas considered Arwell's bet. 'That first goal, though? Yeah, I'll accept it.' He nodded, taking her money. If he were honest, he was apprehensive as it was likely she'd win that but still - that first goal was a big deal and it could go either way.
He snorted at Rhynhart's bet, nodding as he accepted it. Lucas almost ignored Thatcher entirely, if not for the fact the Gryffindor was as foolish as Langford for offering up a significant amount of Galleons. He accepted the bet as well, as who caught the snitch was always an interesting claim to make.
All caught up on the bets, Lucas checked his records. He wasn't surprised, actually, as he read everything over. If anyone asked, he could easily claim he'd fully expected that this was how things would go. And if the idiots wanted to bet big against Amara's bloodlust, Lucas was more than happy to get rich off it.
'So far, odds are on Gryffindor for winning,' Lucas rose his voice, appealing to some new arrivals to breakfast. 'Do you agree, disagree? Place your bets.'
Oops. Lucas turned to Reena. He'd accepted her bet, but hadn't given it much thought or what she'd said. He'd been surprised someone just wanted to talk to him, not just place bets. Her words had a weird effect on him though, and he didn't know why or how to respond at first.
He stared at his notes and the Galleons she'd handed him. Ugh. What was this? Why did he care?
'You know, betting five Galleons isn't a profit. Five for fee, five for bet... that's ten you paid me,' Lucas reasoned, though waited for a lull of activity so he wouldn't likely be overheard. Her ears only. 'If you win, you'd just make your money back. No gains. You need to bet at least six Galleons for profit. Do you want to add one?'
What a load of crap. Not his logic, which was perfect and calculations true, but his own stupidly of letting people know this. He didn't want them to make smart betting choices, understand the odds, or maximise their winnings. What was wrong with him? But Reena's words and overall interactions made him feel weird. She'd talked like she was on his side, which could very easily be a trick but...
'You're, er... welcome?' He winced, hoping he convinced her of his apprehensive gratitude more than he'd failed to convince himself. What was happening right now? At leastt she was a Slytherin though. If he was helping any other house, he'd have to check himself into the Hospital Wing.
Last Edit: Mar 12, 2021 17:31:24 GMT 10 by Lucas Mardling
Post by Reena Ashworth on Mar 12, 2021 18:25:25 GMT 10
Before Lucas had the chance to answer there were a bunch of people approaching him to place their respective bets. She recognized Langford, Mathias and that annoying fifth year prankster and was thinking about just leaving without a response when Lucas seemed to remember her presence.
The look her gave her was somewhat weird but she could not exactly place why. He seemed surprised somehow but it was her turn to be surprised when he adviced her on the bet. She had taken him for a profit-first kind of business person and nodded in agreement. She had mainly placed the bet as an excuse to get the words off her chest and had not thought much about it. Getting her money back was good enough for her but she figured she'd have one more galleon to spare.
Handing him the galleon, now that they had established a kind of familiarity, she added: "Better hope our sneak wins then."
She smiled when he told her she was welcome and mumbled a good bye before entering the Great Hall for breakfast. He had appeared apprehensive to accept her gratitude and that to her prove her point that Slytherins got met with hostility too much.
Reena sat down at the Slytherin table by herself. The people she usually sat with where all on the team and had been up an hour before everyone else- meaning they had woken Reena aswell but that was okay.
Alone with her thoughts for once, she did not feel much like eating and she flicked the egg she had filled onto her plate around with a fork for the most part. Why was it that she was feeling empty whenever she was unoccupied?
It was safe to say that Elara wasn't feeling the competitive spirit that morning, usually on a Quidditch day she would be just as excited as anyone else- even if it wasn't her team playing. However, after the initial buzz of excitement, she'd remembered her plans for that evening. An evening that was to be spent with Filch... Ugh, the man made her skin crawl.
At least she wouldn't have to face that specific brand of torture alone, Sinead had also received the same sentence- but Elara didn't really know the Slytherin girl too much, maybe they would bond over their shared sense of desperation and misery.
Slipping into the Great Hall, she approached the Hufflepuff table and upon seeing Arthur was already there, took a seat next to him. She began to spread some butter on a slice of toast before greeting her friend curtly.
"Arthur"
She didn't know if the boy knew that she was mad with him- surely he should know, it wasn't difficult to figure out. He must've known that she wouldn't be pleased that he'd chosen to pair Reena Ashworth, forcing Elara to pair up with some random Gryffindor boy who'd obviously spilled his dinner down his robes and hadn't been bothered to change before attending.
Did he like Ashworth? Really like her? What did he like about her? There must be a reason why he hadn't just paired up with her and saved them both the trouble of having to dance with someone they didn't even know or were comfortable with. What was it about Reena Ashworth that everybody seemed to love? It was infuriating.
Last Edit: Mar 12, 2021 18:59:47 GMT 10 by Deleted
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