(1940-11-22) Hogwarts Quidditch 1940-41, Game 02 - Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw
Details for Hogwarts Quidditch 1940-41, Game 02 - Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw
Summary: Second game of the 1940-1941 Season. Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw. Final Score: Hufflepuff - 40, Ravenclaw - 260.
Date: November 22nd, 1940
Location: Hogwarts - Quidditch Pitch
Related:
Characters

Faculty

Hooch

Hufflepuff Team

AliciaEricaSierra

Ravenclaw Team

BrodyElspeth

In the Stands

AbraxasAkilinaDruellaEutheriaLissieLucretiaOliverOrionSusanWalburga

Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch


It is a fall night. The weather is warm and stormy.


The wide wooden slats of the stands form a nice geometric patterns that plays in the lights and makes all sorts of amazing shapes. It looks to have enough seating in it's five tiered sections that go up almost as tall as Hogwart's itself, could hold the whole school and then some. During matches, pennants and all manner of decorations could be seen flowing in the wind and snapping about. The cheers of the patrons of the pitch rise and fall in volume from soft whispers to roars to wake those all in London.


Plonking himself down in the Gryffindor stands is the young first-year known as Oliver. With his scarf and hand-me-down robes secured tightly about his body, the lad sits there like a lump - trying to protect himself from the sharp breezes that whip through the stands. "So cold." He mutters aloud, eyes glancing forward and onto the pitch, ready for the players to make their arrival. Arms are folded tightly across his chest, holding no banner or flags. It wasn't his team playing today, but so rapt is he in this sport that he wouldn't miss it!

The wavy-haired Ravenclaw prefect Susan is snugly ensconced in their part of the stands, wrapped in a thick wool blanket or two as well as the numerous sweaters and scarves and mittens she has seen fit to wear down to the pitch today. Although it definitely -is- her team playing, and she's sporting a very jaunty blue-and-bronze bow in her hair in token of the festivities, she still cuts a relatively somber figure as she sips on a mug of hot tea that she keeps rewarming every so often with a subtly muttered spell.

Akilina has settled down with the rest of the eagles. She and Hephaesta are passing out umbrella's to the other Ravenclaws. This game will prove the fans from the chaff with it being so stormy out. When the umbrellas are unfurled a fabric Eagle pops up like some pop-up book. With presses of a few buttons on the handle causes the eagle to flap it's wings, raise it's head and let out an eagles cry.

Only the storm outside had convinced Eutheria to bundle up in her cloak, and gather her umbrella, and make her way to the Entrance Hall to meet Oliver. She walks in nervous silence towards the stands - and is quietly dismayed when she's directed to sit with her own house, instead of her friend. Drawing her cloak more tightly around her form, she makes her way up into the Ravenclaw section, finding herself a seat at the edge of the slowly gathering crowd of students, to watch her first Quidditch game. She hopes it'll be interesting.

Making his way toward the Quidditch Pitch, Orion Black climbs into the Slytherin stands and seats himself in the uppermost row. His feet are slid casually onto the bench in front of him, one foot crossing the other as he sits, casually waiting for the game to start.

Oliver remains sitting, all bundled up and braving the fiercely low temperatures. While some Gryffindor students sit around him, the stand naturally isn't quite as full as it would be had his team be actually playing. His attention is drawn to the sky amid a crackle of thunder, the youngster swallowing hard. "What happens if they get struck by lightning?" He asks a nearby student, only to be told that they will 'will probably fall off their broom'. How comforting.
He looks back to the pitch and beyond.

Abraxas takes a place in the Slytherin stands, decked out with his house-colored hat and scarf, and settling in to watch with the newly-discerning eye of the House Captain. He sits with some of the other knights, though there's plenty of room for his fellow Slytherins - well, maybe except one, and anyone foolish enough to associate with him.

Green and silver, black and grey. Lucretia ascends the last few steps into the stands and adjusts her scarf for better warmth against the cool November air. Brown eyes cooly peruse the available seats before she heads in the direction of Abraxas and the Knights. "Room for another?" she asks, a smile finally touching her lips.

Eutheria wraps her Ravenclaw scarf more tightly around herself, and huddles down into her cloak, an umbrella still lifted up to keep her dry. She glances around at her fellow students, then down towards the pitch. When does the game start, she wonders? And will they be able to see anything?

Orion watches as Abraxas comes in and settles with the others of his posse. His brown eyes watch the older students idly until his sister enters the stands and inquires of Abraxas if there is room for her. Leaning forward, he calls out, "There's room up here Lucretia!" Even going so far as to pat the empty stretch of bench beside him.

Hooch swoops about the storming weather like it was a bright and sunny day. Goggles on and whistle at the ready. "Welcome to the Second Game of the 1940 - 1941 Hogwarts Quidditch Tournament! Today, come rain or shine we will have a good fair game. Thank you one and all for braving the weather to show support for our teams! Teams, take your positions!" A brief little blow of her whistle manages to pierce the rolling thunder in the distance. The wand is lowered from her throat and she waits to set the balls free from the box set center pitch on the grassy if muddy ground.

Sierra exits with her team - proudly wearing her Hufflepuff yellow and black - and with a pair of goggles covering her own eyes to protect her vision from the rain. She wears a determined grin as she parades around the stand with her team, racing and swooping, waving one hand cheerfully. The first game of her last year - and she intends to make it a very good season. "We've got this!" She cheers on her team, taking a moment to give Erica a reassuring high-five. Their little Seeker always was a rather nervous one - even if her position does keep her out of most of the scuffle.

Seventh year. Five years of being on the team, two and a half years captain, Elspeth takes in a deep breath as she walks out on the pitch. Her rain charm is on Evelyn, somewhere up in the stands, so that she doesn't have any advantage, and the rain quickly plasters her hair to her head, turning it more of a dark brown. When they reach the middle, she turns to her teammates, and fellow seventh year, and gives a nod. "This is being it. First game of the season. Stick to what we were practicing, and be careful out there!" She puts out her forearm to bump bracers with each teammate as they pass to take off up to their positions. Then she mounts her broom and gives a kick to lift her from the ground.

As the Ravenclaw team begins to enter the pitch, Brody marches along at the back of the line. The rain has already soaked through his robes and they cling heavily to his body, his shoes squelching in the mud with every step. A gloved hand runs over his forehead, wiping his hair back away from his eyes. Brody nods his head to Elspeth and says, "We will do good. Be safe up there!" Tossing a leg over his broom, he kicks off with the rest and circles close enough to get a look at Alicia and gives her a menacing look, before laughing and zooming off toward the Ravenclaw goal posts.

It is not thunder that rumbles from the stands. It's displeasure and a bunch of grumbling and shouting of shocked, "What!? What is she doing on the team again? And SEEKER?!?" Erica Stainwright has never wanted an invisibility cloak so much in her entire life. She's happy that it's raining because it's hard to tell tears from rain drops. Despite her reception she stretches a tense smile and waves to the crowd as she takes position floating rather high above everything. The circles cut out of her gloves at the knuckles show the pale skin beneath as she grips her broomstick white knuckle style. She knows she's on the team for a lack of anyone better stepping up and that's all. Meek and curled up on her broom stick she really looks to be doing her best lump on a log impression praying the game starts soon and end sooner so she can curl up in her warm bed.

Walburga heads towards the Slytherin benches, her face awash with being unimpressed. The rain seems to be falling but thankfully she's wearing her hooded cloak with the wetness just beading off.

Alicia was rather nervous, wearing her Hufflepuff keeper uniform. It was her first real match, and it was getting hard to keep her usual, calmly stoic look about everything. When Brody made his face, Alicia flinched a little. "Oh dear lord why didn't I stick with the violin," Alicia murmured to herself as she mounted her broom and kicked off, but not before giving the other members of her team a quick "Break a leg, everybody!"

"Of course there's room, Black." Abraxas says, shooing one of the younger members back a row to make a bit more room. He pulls up the hood of his cloak and says, "We're going to have to play both these teams later in the year, so maybe we'll pick something interesting up. I hope so. We can't lose to teams full of muggleborns and half-bloods."

Akilina rustles her specially made Team Spirit umbrella, a blue and bronze striped canopy with a kite like eagle figure tethered to the point. The wings flap in the wind, with a few presses of buttons on the handle the eagle raises its head and gives a victorious eagle's cry.

When the players make their arrival out and onto the pitch, then beginning to take off and into the sky, Oliver licks his lips in anticipation. Some of the players he knew, but most of them he didn't. "Come on, Ravenclaw." He mutters, before thinking. "Or come on Hufflepuff." The lad shrugs to himself, before leaning forward, trying to get a better view through the harsh weather.

Hooch flicks her wand down at the box and releases the Balls, the Quaffle pops straight up before it starts toa arch towards the Ravenclaw side and it's caught up there by one of their chasers and a bee-line is made for the Hoops guarded by Alicia. The Snitch is hard enough to see in fair weather, it's barely a glint before it disappears into the horrid weather. The Bludgers seem to be out for blood and they clang together three times in some sort of iron team 'handshake' before the spiral off to find victims.

As he makes his way toward the goalposts, Brody flies low over the Ravenclaw stands, pumping his fist at them in attempt to get them into the game. Darting quickly for the goalposts, Brody weaves in and out of them twice before settling into a ready position in front. As the balls are turned loose, the Ravenclaw Keeper narrows his eyes in concentration as well as to keep the rain from running down and blinding him. "Come on guys," he growls under his breath.

Sierra narrows her eyes as the quaffle is caught by one of the Ravenclaw chasers. That can't be allowed to stand! She dives up and into the fray, heading towards one of the bludgers, as the Ravenclaw chasers toss the ball back and forth between themselves. She bats a bludger brutally towards the chasers - and it's poor Gabriel that takes the hit, fumbling the ball and letting Hufflepuff take control of the ball. She hoots in success - raising her bat high - and abruptly pulling it in closer to herself as she has to duck the other bludger, which makes an attempt at braining her. No such luck today, bludger!

Unseen by those in the stands, Elspeth frowns as she hears the talk about Erica. She doesn't even try to follow the patch of the snitch when it leaves the box, knowing that the rain will obscure it. Finding the snitch will be a thing of luck today, and being in the right place at the right time. Instead, as soon as the motion starts, she angles her broom to come up alongside the Hufflepuff Seeker. "Do not be listening to them," she calls towards the girl's ear. "If they are thinking that they can be doing better, than they should be out here. But they are not. They are not having the courage. They are being cowards, you are being strong." Then, with a smile, she peels off to the side, skimming around the field at hoop level.

Alicia is doing her best to defend and, to her credit, the second year girl is keeping up somewhat decently. There are some good saves… and at least one failure on her behalf that leads to the enemy team getting points, and Alicia smacking her forehead and chastising herself beneath her breath!

A fond and indulgent smile is spared Orion as Lucretia's eyes twinkle. She gives him a little wave but instead points for him to go join Walburga. "Later," she calls promisingly. She then settles in beside Abe and deftly flicks up the hood of her cloak. "Has anyone ever told you that you have a knack for stating the obvious, Malfoy?" she easily teases her team's captain. "Though, I feel certain that's we'll do just fine. I mean, they've got Stainwright on the team again, for Merlin's sake." Her gaze follows the play of the quaffle, sharp and evaluating… In particular, she's paying attention to the two Keepers.

One wonders why.

On the pitch, Erica sits up some more and puts on a good brave smile when Elspeth comes over to give her a pep talk. "Thank you. Good game, yeah? Lovely weather we are having!" She even manages a genuine giggle. "Good luck!" Erica's style of Seeker play seems to be, stay in one place and keep an eye on as much as she can. So she claps for Alicia, "It's okay Alicia! You've got this!" She remembers her first game, only three games ago really. "Come on Hufflepuff!" She's a bit more focuse on cheerleading than seeking. Thankfully Asmund gives a gentle and friendly call using his Captain Voice. His reminder to be a Seeker is taken with a sheepish smile and she lifts a hand to wipe at her face and then shield it from future rain.

Hooch places her wand against her throat and announces the score as it is at the moment. "Hufflepuff 20 points, Ravenclaw 20 points."

After wiping her eyes and momentarily managing to be dry, Erica blinks owlishly. "OH OH! I see it! I see it!" She squeals gleefully and loudly and after a moment of pointing at the snitch and waving her hands about she seems to remember, "Oh!" And her hands go back to the broomstick and finally she's off and away to try to actually catch the thing!

Walburga sits down after having another Slytherin move over, it means she's on a nice warm and dry seat at the bench. She looks at the players on the Ravenclaw and then the Hufflepuffs as they play. "Maybe we should start calling them Half-elpuff. I only see one good witch out of the whole team!" says Walburga loudly. "I heard that the reason why there are flags over the goals is to attract and keep the attention of Hufflepuffs, so they don't wander off during quidditch."
On the pitch, Alicia nods her head. The encouragement seems to be working, as Alicia is getting in a good rhythm, performing well without much effort. There isn't anything showy about it; technical and by the book, just like Alicia herself.

Brody is doing fairly well in front of the Ravenclaw goalposts. He swoops back and forth before them, allowing one to get past. The next assault his way he is a bit too far off center and as he lunges to knock the Quaffle away, his gloved hand slips on the wet broomstick and his fingertips just graze the ball without enough force to stop it. Growling in frustration, Brody wheels about in front of the goals, his eyes determined and his face set as he comes alive. He moves left and right, slapping, punching, and kicking the Quaffle any time it heads his way. Each block is met with a yell as he tries to knock the ball away back to the Ravenclaw Chasers.

Abraxas snorts at Walburga, "I admit, I find the Ravenclaws the less objectionable of the two. So I suppose I'll pull for them, even if they never need the house points, those goodie-goodies." He looks over his shoulder and shoots a meaningful look at Orion. To Lucretia, he notes, "What's obvious? That we play them both? And we have me this year, so that's a good thing." A wry smirk.

Sierra doesn't even see it when her own chaser, holding the quaffle she helped him secure, throws it through the hoop to score, but she hears the crowd roar. "Yes," she lets out quietly in satisfaction. She's focused on the bludger that just tried to nail her, and she swats it away, sending it sailing in Elspeth's general direction. What she misses is the other bludger coming up behind her, and glancing off her shoulder. She calls out something in Shelta - but surely the school is used to hearing such unintelligible statements from her brother's turn as Gryffindor seeker.

Oli's eyes dart every which way when the action starts, the youngster taking a short breath when they begin to really get going. He had almost forgotten how fast they go! Following every player was difficult, though he did find himself looking to both Alicia and Brody more, considering he knew of them personally. Both Keepers, but one during their debut game. A soft smile forms across his face, before he hardens as another chilly bit of wind sweeps through. "Brrr!" He chitters. "I need some sort of transportable hearth and fireplace."

After her words to the other Seeker, Elspeth sets a high, roaming circle to start her way down. She ducks when she hears the familiar growl of the bludger, and lets out her breath when it sails over her head. It's when she's ducking low to her broom that she turns her head to the side and sees Erica waving excitedly. Her heart sinks and she pulls about hard to go towards the direction the other indicates and then follows, but she can't see anything. She blinks against the rain, scanning through the heavy drops.

Hooch has coached and referee'd enough Higgins and Quinnland Clan besides to clear her throat at Sierra, "Clean game Miss Higgins."

Nodding to Lucretia as she slides in beside Abraxas, though he is obviously a bit crestfallen, Orion slips down the stands and slides in next to Walburga. He watches the two teams with a bit more interest than he would prefer any of the others to notice, though as the bludger hits Sierra and his following clap, it would appear that the youngest Black is most likely just waiting for someone to have their head knocked off.

"It just means 'ouch,' ma'am!" Sierra calls back. Fibs are allowed, aren't they? She rubs her shoulder, keeping a wary eye out for anymore approaching bludgers. They really do have a vicious streak today.

Susan joins in some cheering as the Ravenclaw Keeper beats the Quaffle back away from the goal several times over. Shivering slightly, she re-warms her tea and sips it, letting her gaze wander the stands nearby for a moment. A couple of flaxen heads capture her attention for a moment, but she wrests her attention away after a minute just in time to focus on the game.

Hooch places the wand to her throat shortly after her chiding of Sierra. A narrowing of those hawk eyes of hers toward Sierra are sure sign that she's not buying her fib for a second. At least no house points are deducted, yet. "Hufflepuff has 30 points, with Ravenclaw in the lead at 40 points!"

Being her first game, Eutheria watches intently, looking from one player to another. There are so many balls in play, so many players zipping around, and such poor visibility that she's having trouble making much sense of it. She winces when she sees one of the players hit by a ball - and claps politely when the quaffle passes through the hoop. "How does anyone keep it straight?" she asks softly.

Alicia was starting to slip, the competition was getting tough and and a shot sailed right past her. The young redhead gripped her broom and grit her teeth in frustration, trying her best to stay focused and remember her training!
On the pitch, Brody grits his teeth as he picks up the pace even more. Whether he is just getting lucky, or it is actual skill, the Ravenclaw Keeper manages to knock away or catch everything that comes his way. When the Quaffle is caught, he throws it back into play to one of the Ravenclaw Chasers. The rain is still splattering him and he has a tight grip on his broomstick with his knees to keep from slipping off.

"Well those things of course," Lucretia says with a low laugh. "Also the disgrace of loosing to a team of halfbloods." She shivers, perhaps at the thought or perhaps at the wind that tugs at her cloak. "I'm of half a mind," she mutters aside to Abe, "to cast a fur spell on myself. Too bad fur isn't my best look." She shakes her head a bit and peers at the pitch. "Hrm. Perhaps this will be a short game after all. Do remind me to tell our beaters to focus on the crybaby… She's probably sobbing right now."

Sierra is not paying much attention to those hawk eyes, as she dives back into the fray, swinging at another bludger - but it manages to dodge around her swing, to knock her in the elbow. Perhaps best for the sake of her house's points, the sound she lets out this time is wordless. "Argh!" That hurt. She swings wildly at the bludger again, diving down and out of the way - and managing to bump into one of her team's chasers. "Sorry! Sorry!"

Remarkably Erica did fairly well at keeping her eye on the snitch! Her tunnel vision on the snitch however created blinders off to the side and she flew herself right through a rush of Chasers and Bludgers and she whimpers with her arms around her head for protection for a good long moments before she peeks around to see if it's safe. She's safe alright, about 3 yards from where she intended to be and without the snitch to be found. "Horklumps!" She 'curses' and smacks her broom with an angry shake of her head at herself. The rise in grumbling from the crowd has her mopping at her face again.

"Why /is/ she crying?" Abraxas asks, "Do I know her? Should I?" He looks to Lucretia to explain this particular social dynamic to him, then glances back out at the pitch. "We won't get lucky enough to have a short game while we're out here in the rain. We'll all be at Madame Spleen for pneumonia."

Elspeth has to pull up to avoid that flurry of chasers and bludgers, and so she doesn't catch sight of the snitch at all. She turns her head to watch the play develop, and then she lifts a fist in the air and cheers as she watches the Chasers weave and pass in the plays she encouraged from reading professional quidditch manuals. Smiling to herself, she rises up around the Ravenclaw hoops and gives Brody a thumbs up. Then she's off and looking for the snitch once more.

"Oh, who knows," Lulu answers Abe with a bored shrug of a shoulder. "She's a first generation half-blood. Muggle father I'm told. Anyway, she cries at the drop of a hat. Should be fairly easy to manage her if you don't mind the smell of muggle on her clothing. In either case…" She trails off as Erica cowers atop her broom. Wordlessly, the elder Black merely extends a hand as if to see 'See?' "Hmm. Well, the Higgins girl is also distract-able; also useful information. Their keeper is new and uninventive… Brody, on the other hand, makes up in grit for what he lacks in finesse."

Hooch calls the score once more at, "Hufflepuff - 30 points. Ravenclaw - 60 points!"

Alicia decided it was time to get aggressive. She started to go off the books, and started to aggressively twirl from post to post, but in the end it is in vain… another one gets by her! It just gets worse and worse for the youngest player. She doesn't quite look like she's about to burst into tears, but she is quite upset at having let so many past her!

Oh, for the love of… the score is not going in the favor. "Com'on, Rowle! You've got this!" Sierra calls towards her keeper. "Think back to last prac-" The statement isn't finished as another bludger nails her - having risen up from below and struck her in the knee. She lets out another cry in Shelta and dives recklessly after the bludger that nailed her, sending it sailing away with a solid hit - but unfortunately not managing to aim it at any useful targets.

Brody wheels around and his blocking streak seems to be ended as one makes its way past him. He smacks his hand against his leg and redoubles his efforts, managing to block the next few attempts. As Elspeth swivels above the goalposts, he flashes her a savage grin in response to her thumbs up. Having a few moments respite as the Quaffle is on the other end of the pitch, Brody's eyes scan the Ravenclaw faces in the stands and spotting Eutheria he grins and points his finger at her and then fists pumps toward the Ravenclaw stands.

"Her mother married a muggle? What an unfortunate lapse of taste for her. I hope her family put her out directly." Abraxas says, piously, and with all the conviction of a pure-blood of suitably impeccable lineage. "Higgins is likely to throw fists at any insult, which is a rather muggle-ish way of dealing with things."

Akilina momentarily mistakes the point from Brody as being aimed at her, flustered and eye fluttering she peeks about around her and sure enough realizes embarrassingly late that the gesture wasn't meant for her. She lowers the umbrella some to hide under it, but whispers out a 'Sorry!' when the person behind her, 'Heys' cause they can't see the game with her eagle fluttering in their face. The umbrella is put back to rights and she mashes on the buttons to try to draw attention to it and not to her.

Eutheria, on her part, has no idea the gesture was meant for her at all. Why would anyone point at her and fist pump? She bites her lip and watches - her eyes widening at Sierra gets hit with a bludger again. "…wow. That games looks like it hurts," She murmurs.

Half an eye on the play developing below her, half an eye scanning for the snitch, Elspeth calls out encouragement as she flies along towards the Hufflepuff posts, to loop around that area and weave around looking for the snitch. There's nothing, but she keeps flying, criss crossing around the chase for the quaffle and ducking a bludger here and there as one finger crosses over the other on the handle of her broom, hoping to be in the right place to see the snitch.

Hooch's voice calls out, "Hufflepuff - 40 points! Ravenclaw - 70 points!"

If someone had said that Brody makes up for in grit what he lacks in finesse, they would have been completely right. Brody darts between the three Ravenclaw goal posts, punching and whacking the Quaffle away any time it comes within reach. Nothing gets past him as Brody wheels and whirls on his broom. He even manages to knock one particularly well aimed throw away with a well aimed head butt. Judging by the fierce grin on his face and the growl with every impact, one would almost think he is working himself up into some kind of frenzy the better he and his team does.

Alicia is doing everything she can get to get back on track, and although things getter better she still lets two past her. She hasn't given up, and is doing everything she can to stop the gap between teams from widening!

Lulu smirks a bit and then looks over Abe's shoulder towards Orion. "Hrm." Her eyes turn to the boy on her opposite side and gives him a smile. "Goyle, go trade places with Orion." She motions with a finger. "There's a good lad." Goyle looks at Lucretia and starts to protest, but an arched eyebrow has him lumbering upwards and over to where Orion sits. "Oi, go an' sit with your sister," he tells the younger Black.

There's not really been a Queen Bee Slytherin since Medusa… Apparently Lulu has risen to fill the vacancy. Her attention returns to Abraxas. "Now, your thoughts about Rosen…?"

Having sent the bludger that hit her sailing off, Sierra turns to try to find the other. It's across the pitch, and she takes her eye off it long enough to seek out the quaffle.
This turns out to have been a bad decision, as a Ravenclaw beater fires one bludger towards her side of the pitch, and the bludger she had knocked away arcs around to come right back towards her. The one she'd hit strikes her first, hitting her solidly in the back and knocking her off balance. This leaves her vulnerable to the second bludger that strikes a moment later, glancing off her head and leaving her dazed, clutching to her broom with both hands as she drops her bat.

Lucretia arches an eyebrow and leans forward a bit, attention suddenly on Sierra.

Erica has finally gotten her stuff together. A frown and focus is mostly on Sierra, who's getting really bad luck when it comes to bludgers! "Sierra! Be careful! Watch ouwww-" Too late! She winces and seems to be growingly upset about this game in its entirity. "Want the game to end Erica, you have to get the Snitch!" It's a pep talk for herself and she takes a deep breath, swipes the rain out of her face and she starts a path towards Sierra, hoping her presence will get a bludgers attention. "Sierra, fly lower, come on. Get out of the hot zone! Please!" She waves her arms about, "Hey, look at me! I'm a seeker! Come and get ME!" She's cut off there with a scream as she barely ducks out of the way when a bludger takes up her offer. "How do you do this!?" She gasps at Sierra, "You okay?"

Orion looks up to Goyle as he makes his command. The younger Black narrows his eyes and seems as if he is about to say something nasty to the older kid before smiling and saying, "Thanks for the seat." Orion pushes himself up to his feet and slips further down to slide in next to Lucretia. "Hey!" he says happily. "Some game, huh? Did you see that girl get hit in the head with the bludger?! That was great!"

Circling around again, Elspeth notes Sierra getting blasted in a double whammy and winces, knowing that feeling when one gets hit in the head. She circles lower, and scans the stands, knowing the snitch likes to hide in front of the chaos of people at times. She looks back towards Sierra, seeing if the girl is still on her broom, then scans the Slytherin stands a little more closely, and continues on her way.

"Best part of the game." Abraxas says, to Orion, as he sits down next to the older pair. "What happened the other day, by the way, young Black?" He tilts his head a bit as there is another bludger hit. "Nicely played…" he observes.

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine," Sierra claims - but judging by the way she's willingly drifting away from the action, and clinging desperately to her broom, she's clearly not. Sierra has never willingly left the action before. "Get the snitch, we're losing!" Her gaze stays locked on her broom and the ground - until she seems to realize that may not be a good idea, and looks up to try to spot the bludgers. Moving her head hurts, though. "Uugh…" she groans softly.

"Quite well played," Lucretia murmurs as she reclines in her seat again. Orion is given an amused smirk. "Well, it's partially skill and luck on th part of the beaters and partially Higgens' own inability to split her focus. Getting rid of the other team's beaters is a good way to create a serious distraction on the pitch." She nods and then does a double take, fixing the younger Slytherin with an apprasing look. "Something happened?" she asks Abe, gaze eventually pulled back to the pitch.

Alicia goes wide eyed at the sight of Sierra being hurt. "I-Is she going to be alright?!" Alicia calls out in concern, torn between focusing and making sure that Sierra is going to be tended to.

Orion turns his head to regard Abraxas and asks innocently, "What do you mean, 'What happened the other day?' Have you heard something?" Though he may be feigning innocence, it is clear by the growing smile on Orion's young face that he has a feeling, at least, of what Abraxas may be speaking of.

Brody winces as the bludger thunks into Sierra's head. He keeps his eyes trained on her as she drifts, obviously willing to go to her aid if needed. Brody remains in front of the goalposts for now, anyways, his eyes returning to the action as play has not been stopped yet.

Alicia did her best to stop the gap from widening, but she just didn't have the training and experience that Brody has. Two more goals get past her, despite her best efforts. Alicia is cursing herself under her breath — she sure hopes she didn't disappoint the other members of her House too much!

Brody continues to whip the quaffle away from the posts anytime it gets close. As he sends the ball back to the Ravenclaw Chasers, his attention inevitably drifts back to the stunned Sierra as she drifts about. "Come on, Hooch! Someone help the poor girl!" he yells from the goalposts.

"Yes, well, there are rumors that you had something to do with a certain Gryffindor of questionable parentage." Abraxas says, as he shakes a bit of rain from his cloak and sits back, watching as the game continues, "I'm sure that you wouldn't cause any trouble that could be attributed to our house, of course, Black. At least, I hope not. I had enough of that last year, and I want a shot at the House Cup this year."

At Sierra's urging, Erica starts to back away, while the sky continues the ominous rumblings it's been letting off all day. The ominous rumblings finally have a bit payoff - for those that consider such things a 'payoff' - as a bolt of lightning bursts into the middle of the game, striking Sierra and her broom, and sending the girl tumbling off with a startled and pained cry. Both the girl and her broom are now in a freefall.

Lucretia's eyes narrow at Orion as Abraxas speaks, but it is a subtle thing. Perhaps it means something, perhaps not. In either case, she says nothing. She just looks back at the pitch before remarking to Abraxas. "The way those teams are carrying one, you'd think that the staff here at school was in the habit of ignoring injuries. They— Merlin's beard!" The lightning bolt seems to have interrupted whatever she was going to say and she's on her feet. Slytherin or not… lightning is nothing to laugh about.

Orion nods his head, still smiling to Abraxas as he says, "Yes, Prefect Malfoy. And though you may have heard the rumors, no points have been docked from our house on my account. The only witness to the event was Oberon Lestrange and…" He trails away as he catches Lucretia's look and then before he can say anything, the lightning bolt splits the darkness and strikes Sierra. Orion's eyes widen and he leans forward, his hands even finding the railing of the box as he watches her fall, his mouth open.

"Ah, well, Oberon knows what's required. I'm sure he will do what is expected." Abraxas says, with a wry smile. He reaches into his robe for his wand as if by instinct as the lighting flash comes down, coming to his feet. "Merlin's beard! You don't see that coming down the road from Hogsmeade on Sunday."

Hearing Brody's call, Elspeth turns to look towards Sierra, hovering uncertainly as she watches the other team's beater drift. She turns her broom, scanning for the quaffle, Then there's that flash of lightning, and Sierra is unseated, and there's not more hesitation. She leans low over her broom, streaking straight towards the falling girl, then bracing herself for impact as she gets underneath her. The initcial grab throws her into a spin, but she's got her underon shoulder, and then Erica is there, too, her face white. "Get her legs!" Elspeth calls out as she hangs onto the groggy Hufflepuff. "Pull her legs over your broom and put your arms over them in case I slip, that is it, well done," she tells the younger seeker as she works to pull Sierra's shoulders over her own broom. "Just fly next to me, keep it steady. We will go straight to the healer tent there."
The two seekers manage to keep it steady, with a couple of slips and white knuckle moments when the gusty wind tries to blow them apart. "Do not get off your broom," she warms Erica as they get closer. "Let the healers take her from you, that is safer." The Hufflepuff looks over, wide-eyed, but gives a nod as she keeps a hold of her housemate, and grips her broom tighter, leaning her weight across Sierra's legs, making sure she doesn't fall.

Susan gasps audibly, springing to her feet as a lightning bolt appears to send one of the players into freefall. All around her other Ravenclaws are doing likewise, gesturing futilely at the sudden unexpected catastrophe.

Lu's wand is in hand and beginning to extend towards the falling Hufflepuff, but she lets it fall again as the two Seekers arrest Sierra's inevitable crunch. Quickly, she pockets the ebony wand and exhales. "Well," she says airily. "That was interesting." She now crosses her arms over her chest and waits to see what will happen next.

Brody groans as Sierra is struck by lighting and points at her as she falls. He nods proudly as Elspeth swoops beneath her, and then grins as Erica joins her. As the two make their way toward the ground, Brody almost lets a quaffle get past him as a Hufflepuff tries to sneak in a goal, despite his electrocuted teammate. But Brody wheels, knocking it away with a backhand and narrowing his eyes at the opposing Chaser.

Lissie screams. Her eyes, though, are wide open, and she shakes her head. "Don't die don't die don't die don't die," she murmurs fervently. As the two seekers catch Sierra, she lets out a shaky sigh, though she is still shivering and she wraps her arms around herself. "Will she be all right?" she squeaks, her voice trembling as well.

Erica is a mess, she was checking on Sierra from her short distance away just as the lighting struck. The rather immediate thunder has her screaming again and the tears are flowing as she leans into her broom to try to quickly save her housemate from possible death. "Is she dead!?" Even in a crying panic Erica at least follows direction well and is careful and keen with Sierra until she's given over to the nurse. She's about to fully land so she can go after Sierra and the Nurse. But it's Elspeth's warning that keeps her on her broom. Then she sees it over her shoulder, the tricky little snitch. It's hovering so low it's nearly in the muddy grass. "OH!" But at least she doesn't go so far as to point it out this time. She looks at Elspeth and then she looks back to the Snitch, thank fully it's still there. Like a hummingbird perched on a long blade of grass. She licks her lips and does a poor job of not being conspicuous as all get out. "Good luck." She tells Elspeth sincerely again and it's a race to the snitch!

"Oh… wow," Eutheria breathes as lightning hits one of the players. She rises to her feet, watching intently as the girl is helped to the ground, then turns to look at the nearest Ravenclaw. "Is she alive? Gosh - I hope she's alive…"

Shortly after this interesting development, Druella shows up in the stands, carrying an enormous over-sized umbrella as well as several layers of wool and wet-wear. "Hello everyone!" she waves a greeting to the other Slytherins in her section as she acquires a seat next to a sullen-looking fourth year. "How are things going? What's the score?" The rain is pelting her umbrella, and the field seems chaotic, but that's quidditch for you.
On the pitch,
Sierra is limp as she's helped off the brooms and into the healers' tent so she can be helped with charms and potions after her harrowing experience - her current condition left momentarily unclear.

"No, she is not being dead," Elspeth assures Erica. She starts to turn, then notes Erica's shifty gaze, and looks over her shoulder just as the younger girl takes off. She pulls her broom around, one toe on the ground serving as a pivot point for the move, and then she's skimming the wet grass and puddles. The snitch takes a turn, skipping off a puddle and splashing Erica in the face, momentarily blurring her vision. Elspeth leans out, and slips, hanging on underneath her broom she slides along the pitch, legs wrapped around her broom, careening into Erica, her hand still outstretched for the snitch. Then she and Erica are tumbling in the mud, holding onto their brooms. In the confusion of slipping and sliding, the two girls wiggle, Erica grabbing for the snitch, but getting something else. When they finally come to a skidding halt, spitting mud and trying to toss wet hair from their faces, Elspeth opens her clenched fist… to reveal the snitch within.

Alicia is in a state of pure shock at everything that's happened. It's a good thing the weather is bad, or else everyone would see that she's shedding tears. /Everything/ has gone wrong! But at least, with Elspeth having caught the snitch, it's all over for now!

Brody watches from on high as the two Seekers pelt after the Snitch. He holds his breath as they begin to tumble and their hands wrestle to grab the elusive golden ball. When Elspeth stands and reveals the golden ball in hand, Brody throws both his hands in the air in victory and yells out, "YEAH!" Replacing his hands, he swoops over to the Ravenclaw stands flying low enough to them that he can reach down to tag a few hands before he makes his way elsewhere. He circles the stands and comes to a halt a few meters away from the Slytherin stands. Brody is looking right at Abraxas Malfoy and Lucretia Black as he points a finger in challenge to them, his eyebrow lifting and a somewhat cocky grin on his face as if to say, 'you're next.' With that, the Ravenclaw Keeper spins about and rushes down to the ground to join Elspeth and the rest of the Ravenclaw team as they cheer.

Erica was doing so so well! She was fighting hard, wrestling with all her might to get the snitch, for Sierra!! But then she gets a face and mouthful of mud and she coughs and sputters and pulls up short.

Hooch, herself is actually distracted by the horror that played out before her eyes. She was across the pitch when it happened and the seekers both get a proud gaze when they both come to save the day. House points will be awarded to them both after the game is done. Which seems to be soon! When Elspeth reveals the snitch she blows her whistle and announces "Ravenclaw WINS! Hufflepuff with a good showing of 40 points. Ravenclaw ends with an outstanding 260 points! I would like to ask that everyone in a calm and orderly fashion please head to the lower areas of the stands and wait for Miss Higgins and Nurse Spleens team to make their way to the castle. Refrain from crowding the way forward and the infirmary afterwards. She knows the whole school is pulling for her. Thank you."

Susan says, ""Yes!" Even reserved Susan is on her feet clapping at the Ravenclaw win, the rain and bad weather forgotten as she raises her hands in the air to cheer the victorious team. "Well played, everyone!""

"How droll," Luretia murmurs to Abraxas, watching in cool amusement as Brody pays them a visit. The Slytherin chaser merely inclines her head in exquisite politic before looking at Abe with a smirk. "He delivered a challenge to us. What an adorable thing to do."

Abraxas sees Brody point at him, and smirks as he puts his wand away. He raises his hand and makes a little 'come at me, bro' gesture before blowing a mocking kiss. "Let's get out of here, hrm?"

"…we won?" Eutheria asks. She stays in the stands, staring down at the pitch. "But what about the girl who fell?" She looks towards the Gryffindor stands, and then back to her own housemates.

"Oh." Lissie shakes her head, looking down. "Oh. That's…. oh." The tiny girl shakes her head, then folds her hands in her lap. She wraps her scarf closer about herself, then waits for everyone to file out ahead of her.

"Let's. Orion, come on." Lulu gathers her cloak about herself as she turns for the stairs with Abe at her side. "Common room?"

Orion nods his head and stands alongside the older students and falls into step beside them. He offers a nod to Druella as he passes and tilts his head in a way that tells her to come along if she wants.

Brody splashes down into the mud, slipping quickly off his broom and wrapping an arm around Elspeth in a hug. "Great job!" he yells over the rumbling thunder and the crashing lightning. "Celebrate in the common room?" he asks. Turning his head back around to look at Alicia, he lifts a hand toward the other Keeper and flashes her an encouraging smile before turning back to Elspeth and the rest of the Ravenclaw team.

Druella seems amused that she showed up just before the game wraps, but with a laugh, she abandons her dour 4th-year companion to traipse back to the indoors, where it is warm. And dry.

Alicia had landed and looked very forlorn. She did make a smile and wave at Brody. "You were fantastic out there!" Alicia called out, "Quite splendid!"

Elspeth congratulates the Hufflepuffs still standing, then turns to smile as Brody comes over to hug her, and gives him a one arm hug in return. Then she turns to the rest of the their teammates, lifting her forarm to tap bracers with them again. "I would say celebration is being in order," she agrees. "A great start to the year, everyone played well, and we kept our heads together despite the weather. You are all being brilliant!" Her hazel eyes glance over to the stands, and gives Brody a pat on the shoulder. "I will be along in a couple minutes. You go ahead and get started.

Brody nods his head, following Elspeth's eyes over to the Slytherin stands and smirking lightly as he looks to his team Captain. "Don't be too long," he says teasingly. "And if he says anything about me calling out Malfoy, it was all in good fun." Turning, Brody splashes through the mud and claps Alicia on the shoulder, probably a bit harder than intended. "You did great!" he says excitedly to the younger Keeper. "I am seriously impressed!"

Alicia smiled shakily when she was clapped on the shoulder. "Well… I let in more than I would have liked," Alicia said in a matter-of-fact tone as she wiped her face, "I'm quite worried about Sierra, though! Do you think she'll be alright?"

Brody nods to Alicia and says, "They will have her fixed up in no time. She'll be back in the common room to talk to you tonight, I'm sure. Though…" he trails away and then adds with a chuckle, "She may be in a foul mood. I know I would be if I had taken that many Bludger hits and then been struck by lightning to boot. Anyways, good job. Not bad at all for your first game. If you ever want to practice, let me know, okay?" He seems pretty genuine, making it seem that most likely his menacing look at the start of the game had been in fun. He reaches out and shoves the smaller Keeper playfully and then turns and begins to head back toward the castle and Ravenclaw common room with the rest of the Quidditch team. Looking toward Elspeth he calls out, "Hurry up, El! Don't keep us waiting all night!"

Alicia nods her head. "I would like that," Alicia said after being shoved! She lifted a hand and waved at them, "Congratulations again, it was a great match!" And then Alicia to follow after her own housemates to lick her wounds /and/ finish her homework!

Elspeth raises a hand to Brody as he leaves, and pushes her hair out of her face. She makes her way to the Slytherin who was being ignored by the Malfoy and gives him a grin. Even with her little growth spurt, she's still a little shorter than him, so she has to stand on her toes a little to give him a hug, before they turn towards the castle to walk back through the rain and wind, not seeming to mind it too much as they walk with occasional bits of chatter between them.

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