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.
The match won't start until after breakfast. Only Ravenclaw or Slytherin players are permitted to arrive early to use the change room or hear a speech from their captain, which is done in this thread. They remain in their respective team rooms until told to queue for the match. No one else may post until breakfast ends.
During the waiting time, a Captain may change the following player lineup for this match specifically. This is done by speaking to Madam Hooch -- who is always nearby until it's time to start.
The current list of players:
* = playing outside their usual position. Unknown to others until the match starts.
Tom's stomach was a mess of nerves, but that was to be expected. Why would he be anything but nervous on a Quidditch day? He awoke earlier than usual and paced in his dorm for a bit before it was time to head to breakfast. He dressed quickly and quietly, moving with precision and efficiency, eager to not awaken his sleeping roommates.
Normally breakfast was Tom's favorite meal of the day, replete with sausages and breads and fruits, multiple plates towering with pancakes and french toast and all the sugary accouterments. Today, however, the ball in his stomach had prevented all that. He'd only nibbled a piece of buttered toast and sipped on a goblet of grapefruit juice. Somehow the sour, acidic tang made his stomach feel less likely to do somersaults. He'd rushed through his meager meal to head off to get ready for the match.
Now he found himself at the pitch, contemplatively changing into his Quidditch uniform. He tried to enjoy the silence, fully knowing that in a short time the stadium would be a cacophony of roars, cheers, jeers, and all other type of vocal expression. Tom could remember the excitement he felt watching matches before he'd joined the team earlier this year. Now, all he felt was pressure. It was a lot for a professional athlete, no less a 14 year old boy.
Still, in spite of his nerves, Tom was eager to play. He knew he stood little chance against Nyx Nordstrom, his rival Seeker for the day. She was well known around the castle for her flying prowess, not to mention her title as captain. One didn't come by the head position without a level of skill to back it up.
Tom briefly considered that, off the pitch, Nyx and Amara were close friends. Would Amara go easy on her now-opponent because of their off the pitch relationship? Tom seriously doubted it. Amara was as singularly focused as any Slytherin he'd ever met, and if her goal was truly to win, there was no friendship on Earth that would prompt her to take it easy.
Regardless of what happened, Tom was ready to give it his all. It was a privilege to be on the team and enjoy the ability to fly around, free as a bird, fulfilling a dream he'd had as a young boy that he never knew he would have the possibility to one day fulfill. When he got in the air, regardless of the outcome, he knew it would all be worth it.
Last Edit: Jun 20, 2022 22:40:46 GMT 10 by Deleted
Post by Amara Seabrook on Jun 20, 2022 22:38:09 GMT 10
Amara arrived in full uniform, muttering plays under her breath as she approached the changing room area. As expected, she was one of the first there though was surprised to find Tom had beaten her to it. She gave him an encouraging nod, but wasn't up for conversation just yet.
She smiled to herself as she sat at a bench by herself, thinking of having caught up to Nyx last night before curfew -- they were both anticipating this match, but also made a pact now they were friends.
They were in complete agreement that there would never be any hard feelings today, no matter the outcome. Whatever happened on the pitch, stayed on the pitch. They were not friends during this match, just captains and players. They would both do whatever it took to win; no holding back, and no friendship bias. It was a game they both took seriously, and that was a unifying thing not something that would separate them.
In fact, Amara would be greatly offended if Nyx went easy on her. They weren't wussy kids. They were her to win.
Adjusting her gloves, Amara went to find the referee. Thankfully, she was nearby.
'Madam Hooch?' she asked, trying to sound somewhat respectful. 'I'd like to change my lineup for today's match. I'll be playing as Chaser, instead of Beater. I would also like to take Lindsey Bryce off Chaser, and have her play as Keeper. That's all.'
She'd let Lindsey know when she arrived, but there were no words for how much Amara was not looking forward to playing as something other than Beater. She made a good Chaser and would work expertly alongside Vicky, but without her bat she was no different to anyone else to the Bludgers. And she had long since let her dodging instincts get rusty after years of playing as Beater.
But a good leader made sacrifices when necessary, and this was one she had to do. None of her team members knew yet, not even Vicky (though she'd probably seen Amara pouring over Quidditch plans before bed with more fervor than Amara had ever shown her OWL prep) -- so she'd have to tell them once they arrived.
They may be in the lead now, but everyone knew that winning against Ravenclaw was a good way to get close to that cup.
[OOC: Nyx mentioned with permission.]
Last Edit: Jun 20, 2022 22:41:34 GMT 10 by Amara Seabrook
Madam Hooch glanced over when one of the Captains playing today sought her out with some lineup changes. They didn't often occur, but always made a notable difference to the match and possible outcomes. She nodded at Amara, confirming the changes will be made.
She went to adjust the board, which would be seen by staff and the Commentator, Casey, when it was time to get started. It wasn't for viewing by anyone else, so not even the teams playing today will know about these changes until either Amara told them or it was revealed by Casey.
Post by Jonathan King on Jun 20, 2022 23:05:12 GMT 10
Pulling down his second glove with the help of his teeth, Joe clapped his gloved hands together two times, pumping himself up while getting adjusted to the feel of them. He then proceeded to stretch his arms and fingers, trying to appear confident.
He had succeeded to score, have fun and not be kicked off the team in his first match against Hufflepuff but with an opponent as scary as the team he had seen beat Gryffindor, he felt rather anxious. Joe had not forgotten how that mean beater had attempted to end Toby's Quidditch career prematurely and he felt that he had put a target on his back by beating everyone's expectation and performing well in his debut. He hoped he wouldn't be one to fall out of the sky today and give Ryan a panic attack watching helplessly.
He patted his stomach under his blue uniform, thinking of his rushed breakfast of yoghurt, cereal and fruit, that he had gulped down sooner than he had tasted it -- which he now regretted as his tummy was a little upset with him.
He figured it was good that Emjy was on the team now, took some of the pressure off him and he did not have to oversee everything the opposing team did, four eyes saw more than two after all.
Joe was somewhat nervously jumping around from stretch to stretch until he thought better of it and sat down, not wanting to annoy his Captain before the match had even started. He laid his Icebolt, which he had lovingly named 'Dorrin Ailbhe', onto his lap and waited for his team ti join him and the comradry help ease his nerves.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 21, 2022 0:27:21 GMT 10
MJ hadn't eaten much at breakfast, which was completely unlike her. Waking up an hour early had been easy enough but when it came down to filling her stomach? She managed three bites of toast and half a glass of milk. She could hear her Granny's voice in her head ("Have at least a glass of milk before you go, you need something in your stomach.")
Now she was entering the waiting area before they would go out on the pitch. She had changed into her quidditch robes on autopilot as well. At least Jonathan - Joe she reminds herself - was already here.
"Hey." She greets him quietly, sitting down and standing her broom between her legs. She double-checks her shin and arm guards, gloves in place, everything else fine. Would Misuk be sitting at the Ravenclaw table now, eating their own breakfast and socializing with others? Or would they be quietly wondering where MJ was and what she was doing.
MJ hoped they were making friends.
"I'm nervous." She admits in a quiet voice, still staring ahead. She was loud enough for Joe to hear and reply to if he wanted but MJ wouldn't mind if he didn't. She completely understood if he didn't want to talk right now. MJ wasn't even sure if she wanted to talk right now. It would certainly take her mind off things, about all the worries she had about what could go wrong today. This was her first match but why? Why did it have to be against Slytherin? Weren't they a brutal bunch, ready to take quaffles from cold dead hands and and and—
Ugh, she shook her head, clearing away her thoughts.
She couldn't let her worries cloud her focus now.
She had to make Nyx proud - speaking of which, she looked around for their captain, hoping to hear some words of inspiration (or just be acknowledged in some way by the older student, that would make MJ's day).
Post by Lindsey Bryce on Jun 21, 2022 0:35:09 GMT 10
Lindsey had left the dungeons early with a pack of parchment in hand to head to her early breakfast. During her breakfast, she was looking over her Herbology notes, making some tweaks to plant sketches and dictation any questions to ask at another time.
She was done eating before she realized and left for the pitch, gathering her things into her bag to store in a locker space. It was nice an early, spectators had yet to arrive, but she did glance around for any glimpse of her own mother.
Mrs. Bryce was known for supporting her daughter, but also known for laying down the law about things she didn't like. Lindsey would be sure to play it safe for that sake. As she entered their space, she looked over at Amara and Tom before she found her locker and put her things away.
It wasn't long before she was ready and she was fixing any padding to keep herself safe from arm. She removed her hair from it's braid to redo it tighter, her back to the others as she did so. Mind still focused on a few herbology notes...
Post by Jonathan King on Jun 21, 2022 1:05:05 GMT 10
"Hey," he greeted back with a soft smile when Emjy joined him in their room.
Joe imagined the cold wind on his face, and that with the snow covered ground he had seen on his way here, it would look like he was flying above the clouds once he got out there. Wasn't that just the greatest thing to imagine?
Riding his trusted broom above the clouds, catching Quaffles left and right and scoring against the meanies in green? He knew he shouldn't be thinking this black and white but it helped pump in up -- and they had been quite ruthless against Gryffindor.
He was subconsciously tapping the beat to 'Another one bites the dust', a song he had heard a lot at a mate's from before he had attended Hogwarts, with his feet, an outlet of nervous energy as he stared at the door, eager to get started. He promptly stopped his feet tapping however when Emjy admitted she was nervous.
Joe turned to her and smiled reassuringly.
"That's okay. Good even. Means you will give your best today."
He was freely citing something his mother had said to him before sending him off to this school a bundle of nerves.
For some reason he was feeling calmer now that he could concentrate on comforting his teammate. Was it because he was used to reassuring Ryan so this felt familiar to him? He wasn't sure, yet found it likely.
Joe leaned closer to her and whispered: "They might be bigger and meaner than us but they should never underestimate an Eagle, right Emjy? We've got each other's back!"
He offered her his fist to bump with a (hopefully) confident grin on his face.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 21, 2022 1:21:18 GMT 10
"I hope so. I don't want to let anyone down." MJ sighs but manages to smile at Joe. It was nice to have another first year on the team with her. "Your broom is really neat!"
When MJ had decided to join the team, she had to ask her Guardians to order a broom for her. It had taken a few owls back and forth but they had settled on a Swiftstar for her. It was supposed to be a decent starter broom, didn't cost too much and if MJ decided playing Quidditch wasn't for her, then it wouldn't be a big loss. Not that she planned to give up just yet. She would at least see how today's match went.
"I called my broom Peter, by the way! Do you have a name for yours?" Her smile turned into a slight grin and she wondered if Joe would make the connection. She didn't know if he knew a lot about Muggle things or was a fan of comics at all. If not she would explain the name anyway.
Joe's words washed over her and she found herself calming down a bit more, "You're right. Besides, we have an ace on our team."
She was talking about him of course. She knew how well he had done during his last match. Her demeanour brightened further when he offered her a first bump (which reminded her of her twin) and she eagerly bumped back. MJ was almost feeling like her normal self now.
Post by Nyx Nordstrom on Jun 21, 2022 6:31:56 GMT 10
With her hand held out in front of her as she made her way toward the changing rooms, Nyx felt a breeze stir wisps of snow from the ground, gentle, touching her skin much more softly than it would've if it'd been actively snowing—and a good thing it wasn't, as that would've made flying conditions worse. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her brow furrowing when there was nothing but a cloudy, overcast sky for her to see and rays of sunlight trying to burst free.
And in the apparent, fleeting darkness, she felt time stand still as she tried to reach for the clouds that clustered around the sun. It could've been just a fraction of a moment while she felt the rivulets of frigid air coil around her outstretched hand, or perhaps days that had come and gone much faster than she thought. She liked how, even as she strode to meet her team, she felt taller, almost invincible, and considerably stronger than the last time she'd played a match.
She had always told herself that she could be queen of the entire world if she wanted, and with a smirk that tugged at the corners of her lips, she opened her blue eyes, looking up at the sliver of light that peeked from behind the heavy clouds: she felt like the queen of the world because this time, everything she wished for was just within her grasp: an impressive victory over Slytherin.
It didn't matter if she was facing a friend. Nyx and Amara had vowed to play as if their lives depended on it. Everything that happened on the pitch, stayed on the pitch. And, after releasing a slow, soft sigh, she let her hand fall to her chest, her palm pressed flush against her uniform, feeling the constant, rhythmic movement of her heart. Her heartbeat strung through her chest, pulses of confidence and excitement at her fingertips. She was ready to give this match her all.
"King, Birdwhistle. Where is Kettles?" Nyx asked as she swung into the room in one graceful motion, glancing toward the first years on the bench. She exhaled in a quiet huff of air, doing her best to maintain her patience with her Keeper's absence and resorted to slowly counting to ten in her head. One of the worst things about being captain was having to try and stay diplomatic.
"I need hardly to tell you how important it is we win this match," she began, fastening her gloves tighter. "Slytherin has been in the lead for some time and rightfully so. They proved themselves formidable opponents against Gryffindor—but we're not Gryffindor, are we? No, we're Ravenclaw. And we must employ creativity, intelligence and strategy to overcome Slytherin at every turn, at any cost. There's absolutely no room for error."
"Birdwhistle, for you, everything rides on this match. I gave you a spot on a whim, but I can just as easily take it away. Understood?" Nyx threatened, all while tying her hair up with a silky blue ribbon. "King has already proven himself worthy and now it's your turn. Please don't make me regret my decision," she concluded, eying her newest little player.
The look Nyx gave the girl was flat and unimpressed. What did she do in a past life to be stuck with another first year and a fifth year that had yet to arrive? Despite her excitement to perform on the pitch, she had a half a mind to flail her arms at Hooch and tell her they weren't playing, that it wasn't worth it. But she kept her hands as they were instead, both of them curled around the firm handle of her Icebolt as a faint sneer of distaste crept across her pink pillowy lips.
Last Edit: Jun 21, 2022 6:37:24 GMT 10 by Nyx Nordstrom
It was not often that nervousness really clung to Kaspian. He wasn't excessively confident by any means, but it was more that he could roll with some punches, and carry on with a certain sense of stride. But his lengthy journey to the change room, where he would await to face the ever so dangerous Slytherin team and their infamous captain, brought about nerves. Really, it boiled down to the fact they hadn't faced them before. He also didn't want to let his captain down.
"Sorry if I'm a bit late, Nyx. I had to take a detour. The snow proved difficult to walk through on the route I usually take." He explained his reason for being late, broomstick in hand, as he walked to the side of the room. "I didn't miss anything important did I?"
Shaking his head, he pushed that thought away, doubtful. They were all still fairly early, weren't they? Instead, he looked at his younger teammates, realizing he hadn't met one of them yet. For a moment, while his fingers tapped against the wood of his broomstick, his eyes fixed on the girl, wondering if he should take the opportunity to introduce himself, but feared Nyx would find it disruptive. But there was no harm in trying to form a bond with a brand new teammate, right?
"Hey there, I don't think we've met. I'm Kaspian." He felt warmth spread across his cheeks as he extended a gloved hand for her to shake. "It's your first time playing a match, innit? Try not to let any nerves get the better of you. It's hard, but try your best. It's when you don't have nerves, when you feel at ease, that's when you should be worried."
He secured tanned protective gear over his chest, lest he take a redirected Bludger from Amara Seabrook, shatter all twelve of his ribs, and accidentally bleed all over his uniform. It was one of the many fears filling his mind, knowing he was facing a player as vicious as she. He'd seen what transpired in the Gryffindor and Slytherin match, and was going to make sure his body was well-protected should she remain her team's Beater. It was better to be safe than to be sorry.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 21, 2022 19:09:05 GMT 10
MJ jumped in her seat slightly when she was suddenly addressed by their Captain. How had she missed the older Ravenclaw coming in to the waiting area? MJ had no idea who 'Kettles' was so looked to Joe to answer. She then shifted her gaze back to Nyx.
Nyx Nordstrom - She was so cool! MJ barely knew her Captain but admired greatly already and didn't want to let her down.
Which was her biggest worry at the moment.
She tightened her grip on her broom and nodded, listening attentively to what her Captain had to say. It was more or less what she expected to hear. This game was important for her to prove herself like Joe had done before. MJ chewed on her bottom lip, praying the Quidditch Gods would be kind to her and give her a chance to prove her worth.
"Yes, of course Captain. I won't let you down." She replied, because it seemed rude not to acknowledge that she had been spoken to.
After the tense moment passed, she felt her shoulders deflate slightly and she let out a soft sigh, glancing at Joe. Had he got the same talk his first time too? MJ hoped so, at least then she would feel better and not like the only person who had got such a talk.
Another team member appeared and MJ quickly deduced this was the 'Kettles' that Nyx had asked about before. MJ gave him a bright smile when he introduced himself, shaking his hand and feeling a bit grown up for doing so.
"Hi, I'm MJ. And thanks, yeah, I'm pretty nervous. I just want to do my best and help us score some points and win this match." She answered, feeling a bit shy to be around older students like Nyx and Kaspian. She was used to her own first year crowd so this was new.
Post by Victoria Vargas on Jun 21, 2022 21:46:19 GMT 10
Quidditch. Finally. Running around the castle and doing tasks was one thing, but getting ready for a match, Victoria felt truly invigorated again. Not that her drive to achieve in the sport ever truly went away, but being busy with exam preparations didn't give her enough time to get out on a broomstick and stretch those muscles. She'd tried where she could though and believed one day she would fly better than her father because of it, which was something she'd be proud of.
This year, too, brought with it more determination than any of her previous, because Amara was captain. Which meant they had to win the cup because none of the other captains deserved it. Maybe Nyx, in a way, but Amara had given a lot of herself to the sport. Victoria knew because she'd seen her roommate pouring over plans before bed more times than she could count.
It was awful weather, cold and with a threat to snow in the air, and it would be amusing to see if anyone wasn't able to navigate the chilly winter conditions. It was likely, considering Ravenclaw had a load of children as their offense and Slytherin had its sulky fourth years. But the weather didn't concern Victoria at all. She was confident on her broom, knowing she could fulfill her role.
When she entered the change room, Victoria looked to Amara with determination, only to grin. She couldn't wait to get on the field and make some trouble, just like they'd done against the overzealous Gryffindor team. If Amara wanted a ruckus? Oh, they could cause some ruckus. There was no part of Victoria that wouldn't elbow, kick or punch her way to the goalposts. If a foul play was in order, she was more than happy to do it — but only if the timing was right.
Holding a hair band previously hung on her arm in her mouth, she bunched up her hair with both hands. Then, retrieving the hair band with one hand, she tied her hair up in a ponytail. Victoria wasn't going to deal with foggy goggles and hair in her face. It was one or the other — and since she had no control over the freezing temperature, she could only eliminate the hair problem.
Post by Nyx Nordstrom on Jun 23, 2022 22:22:04 GMT 10
Her hand tightened slightly as Kettles entered a little later than he usually did. It was, perhaps, somewhat unnerving, that he hadn't been there before the first years. Was he checked out, not as invested as before? Nyx couldn't have that, not when her only other players were first years. It was hard not to lash out, especially with tensions so high, but she bit her tongue. She couldn't start the day by damaging team morale, even if one or two of them may have deserved it.
"Well, If you'd been here earlier you wouldn't need to ask if you missed anything of importance," Nyx teased Kaspian, lifting her chin to regard him with a slight smirk. "But no, you haven't. I'm only stressing how important it is we win this match. If we want any chance of continuing the season strong, of knocking Slytherin from the top, we need to seize this victory," she added, thoughts of winning encouraging and lifting her spirits.
Nyx felt light and bubbly in the oddest way now, as if she'd had far too much pumpkin fizz and the rush of sugar was now threatening to float straight up into her brain. She bit her lower lip, suppressing a grin as she listened to MJ. It was strange to admit that, in some way, she hoped the girl would do well, not only for the sake of her own reputation as captain, but for the first year's benefit too. At the end of the day, her team's individual successes were her successes.
"Worrying, while natural, is ultimately useless," she chimed in, glancing towards the tunnel. "Nerves and butterflies are fine—they're a physical sign that you're mentally ready and eager. You just need to get those butterflies to fly in formation, that's the trick." She lifted her chin, turning back to her team with a smug smirk, pride on her face.
For just a moment, she felt invincible, hopeful, excited about the match that lay ahead of them. It was overwhelming to imagine it all, an outlook more positive than she was used to. Not that she tended toward pessimism, but Nyx Nordstrom considered herself something of a realist. The future, in general, had been a daunting question hanging over her head for so long that to just see a portion of it, even if for a second, in a light so simple and rewarding was nearly foreign.
"Passionately play your position no matter how bad things get," Nyx started, her broom switching hands. "Focus on strategy and approach situations with a tactical approach. If a teammate has better odds of scoring, let them. If passing looks like too much of a risk, don't do it. We're not here for primarily personal glory, we're here to help one another succeed as a team. We're here to see Ravenclaw win the Quidditch Cup."
Lost in the truth of it all, Nyx lowered her head, breathing out a short sigh as she hovered on the edge of action before a short, shuffling step forward brought her closer to her team, where she extended a hand. It hovered there, in the middle, for them to do the same. A team rally of sorts. It felt unnatural to do this, but if it's what her team needed before the match, she was willing.
Last Edit: Jun 23, 2022 22:22:38 GMT 10 by Nyx Nordstrom
Despite the cold, anticipation was high and mixed with idle chatter -- broken by the arrival of owls for anyone with a subscription to the Daily Prophet, or expecting any mail from home. They flew into the rooms as if in the Great Hall itself.
Once they'd done their job, the snow-dusted owls took flight and the changing rooms atmosphere returned to it was before -- with the addition of new conversation topics for those who read over the Prophet in the meantime.
No additional letters were delivered, as none were sent that required answering.
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