(1941-07-22) Quidditch Camp 1941: Meet and Greet

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Details for Quidditch Camp 1941: Meet and Greet
Summary: Quidditch Camp 1941 begins with a mixer that allows fans to get autographs and chat time with some of their favorite Quidditch Professionals.
Date: July 22nd, 1941
Location: Hogsmeade - Camp Grounds
Plot: Quidditch Summer Camp
Related:
Characters
AsmundBowenBrodyColtonElleryFelixHoochJosieLincLissieQuentin

After everyone has checked in and been assigned a tent space or chaperoned pavilion tent for the unsupervised minors. There is the opportunity for everyone to get to meet each other before, during and after Lunch. A ring of long tables circles around the large central bonfire. Any damp weather or overbearing sun is kept at bay by colorful canvases floating high above the tables. Many logos and team colors are found in these canopies and it's not surprising to find members or fans of those teams collecting under their coordinating canvased area.

It costs a small fee of 10 sickles to sit at the center ring of tables, while other tables here and there spread out in more random order are for free. But it's at the ring of tables where the Professional Players and Management all sit within the inner most ring. The outer ring has a speed dating like organization to it. Everyone takes a seat across from a professional and they have five minutes to chat and or get things signed by the Professional. A pleasant chime sounds and the enchanted benches and place settings along the outside of the ring slide like a conveyor belt to the next spot over in a clockwise movement.

Quentin Palancher has been making lengthy speeches all day about safety and organization. Thankfully it seems like he understands that he's close to wearing out his welcome and to begin this event he simply sweeps out his arms and says, "Again let me welcome you all to the Quidditch Summer Camp of 1941. I hope we all will be the best of friends by weeks end. Now let the feast begin!" The lunch spread appears down the center of the tables and the meadow is full of murmuring as people begin to introduce themselves to the people around them.

Felix has scrimped and saved to make sure he could sit at those privileged inner tables. Ten sickles isn't easy to part with, but the coins are soon forgotten as the lad is greeted with the faces of his heroes: Jocunda Sykes, Benjy Zabini, Linc Palancher, just to name a few!

Perched at the edge of her seat, Ellery is leaning into her position at the inner tables to try to absorb every bit of conversation she can. Green eyes flit across those around her, albeit briefly as she smooths the pair of trousers chosen for the exciting event. Her cursory study of the others finds Felix and she grins, waiting a moment to lift her hand and give him a wave if he looks her way.

Lissie seems utterly gobsmacked that she has a seat at the center table, though all she has to be signed is a leather-bound journal. It is rather battered, but the girl's face is alight with excitement, contentment, and she doesn't seem to care. She swings her legs back and forth, chatting amiably, albeit shyly, with the pros. She seems to garner a fair bit of laughter, too, every time the tiny girl mentions that she'll be trying out for Beater.

Asmund Fawley scrimps and saves for this event all year long. Not just for himself, but for his entire Hufflepuff Team and Team Hopefuls! So that everyone without the means can be here. Before the meal really begins he collects said team underneath the Hufflepuff colored canvas. He might have paid entrance, but he isn't made of Galleons enough to arrange for everyone to be able to participate at the central table. So doing as he feels a good Captain must, he is hanging out with the others who are unable to pay the piper for the center table.

Looking a bit strange today, Josie is also at those inner tables, of course. Josie looks a lot like her normal self, except her fingers are ending in claws and she has a large, fluffy squirrel tail. Of course, she's likely not the only one with animal features here today, given the number of people who have caught this outbreak, but she doesn't seem shy about them at all.

Colton just discovered some loot in the "basement" of King Lot's Castle Ruins. So cha-ching, bonus for the Curse-Breaker! That means central ring for him. Big cartoony hearts could almost be seen above his head as he does his best to squirm his way into a spot across from Jocunda Sykes. After the go-ahead has been given every little bit of Jocunda Sykes memorabilia he has is ker-thumped on the table before her. It isn't until he's out of sight and earshot of Jocunda that he remembers he's got friends and family here too. "Hey Squeaker." He greets Josie, who seems to have earned a new nickname from the Traveller.

Felix clutches a battered little book, its pages stuffed with various Quidditch cards he has collected over the years. He is fairly well absorbed with getting autographed and speaking mostly incoherently to his idols. He does, however, catch another familiar face. Giving Ellery and excited smile, he waves back to her, and lifts up his newly-signed Benjy Zabini card.

The tumult of conversation going on around keeps her excitement at a slow burn as Ellery shifts in her seat, pulling up the bag at her side to return Felix show with her own - a beater bat. Her grin grows further with a flash of teeth before she waits her turn with another of the quidditch pros. When she gets around to Linc however, there is a brief jitter about her movements, nearly ending in her dropping the bat itself. Cheeks flush with color to show off the pattern of brown freckles.

Bowen merrily paid the 10 sickles he begged his mother for to get view of Hadrian Higgs. He doesn't have Higgs' posters plastered on his bedroom walls to cover holes, after all. Now he anxiously waits, clutching a poster showing Higgs zooming across a Quidditch Pitch and stopping to give a large smile with a big thumbs up. All Bowen can do now is hope he doesn't make a fool of himself in front of this great man.

Linc's famous trademark smile, The Palancher Grin (tm) is plastered genuinely across his face. Being in the same general location as the man that sired him isn't enough to ruin this! "Hello there." The girl fumbling with a bat gets a further widening of his smile. "Is that for me to sign?" He offers his hand over to take up the bat if that is the case. "Your name is? Mine is Linc. It's very nice to meet you."

Felix blinks at Ellery. A bat? He can't contain himself, and he stands up and hollers at her. "You're a beater?!" That means she's going to be trying to pummel him with bludgers come next fall. Wonderful.

Pausing on her way between stops of the table, Josie grins to Colton, giggling at the new nickname, and says, "Hi. I thought you'd be behind these tables by now. I haven't been able to come close to you as a seeker yet.

"El..el Ellery Starkey," she says quickly, mouthing something to herself after her introduction. She blinks rapdily and clears her throat as the heat in her cheeks rises further before she lifts the bat, giving Linc a nervous smile. "Please, if you would not mind?" she manages to get upwards and over to him without dropping again. "I am hoping to make Hufflepuff Keeper or Beater…" Pause. "You are amazing," her hands press together, "Could you give me some tips?" The cry out from Felix has her head turning and she lifts an arm to flex and wink at him - distraction makes her a little less overwhelmed by the ladies man in front of her.

Asmund's attention is only distracted from planning out plays for the Hufflepuff team when he overhears discussion about positions being filled. Ellery wants to be Keeper or Beater. It's clear he's filing that away into his memory. It's only a momentary distraction before he is back to using the closest Salad Platter Quidditch Pitch as a model to use to continue to explain and show the team members not at the central ring a few plays he's got in mind.

Bowen had just psyched himself up to asking Higgs for his autograph when an obnoxious boy nearby said something loudly and caused the people nearby to look at him. Bowen drew himself back feeling a little peeved. Who does he that baffooon think he is?

Felix tilts his head at Ellery, his eyes darting between her and Linc. Is that…is she…no way. He points to Linc, lifting his brow in query at Ellery, then wrinkling his nose at her in a silent, Ewwww.

Colton seems forlorn after he's slid away from Jocunda, only a fraction of the stuff he brought got signed. Maybe next round. "You'll get the hang of it Squeak. I heard you won last game. That's something! I'm sorry I couldn't make that game. Up to my eyeballs in damp and dark lately. What have you been up to besides saving nuts for winter?" Now that Jocunda Sykes has been flirted with and never one to be very mindful of rules and etiquette he picks up his things and walks them over to cut in line as it were so he can sit beside Josie.

Linc takes the bat with a wink and then with an extremely practiced flourish he signs the offered bat. "It's all about focus, dedication, good sportsmanship and loyalty to your team. Try not to do anything that gets you in Pringle's Office. Missing a game because you're there is more painful than usual." *Ting* there's the Palancher Grin (tm) again. "Go to every practice, if there's no practice and the Pitch isn't reserved, be there. Just don't muck about with your classes too much either. Only thing that is worse than missing a game because of Pringle is missing a game because of grades." He hmms, "I think that about covers it, what about you?"

Lissie straightens her dress as she is switched to sit before yet another Quidditch player. "No," she says, "I haven't played before. I'll be second-year Hufflepuff this fall. But I'll be trying for Beater—" She sighs as there is another burst of laughter. "I'm stronger than I look. Can hold down a sheep myself, I can." She rubs the back of her neck, then nudges forward her journal to sign.

Linc is talking to her, Felix miming of her obvious like of Palancher gets a wave off of her hand and a brief wrinkling of her nose at him. Red touched freckles once more focus on the smile. She stares for a moment, transfixed and then leans forward to watch him sign. Talking. It seems to take her by surprise and the lanky girl listens intently, tilting her head as she holds her back against her side. "No one wants to be there," she agrees. "You want tips from me?" is that what he just asked her. Ears start to go red as she gives him a crooked smile.

Felix continues his pantomime behind Linc's back. He clasps his hands and bats his eyelashes in a mockery of fluttery love. Then come the kissy-face and noises. As all of this goes on, the player from the Chudley Cannons seated across from Felix just sighs. Even at Quidditch Camp, he can't win.

Josie shrugs to Colton, grinning, and answers rather nonchalantly, "Well, I went into the dark forest, helped rescue Camilla from some trolls, found the missing artifact that started the centaur civil war, and we came back with a huge treasure. Of course, I'm grounded to Hogsmeade for the summer, I thought I wouldn't be allowed to come to this but Camilla decided I could come at the last minute. Maybe because of this," and she points to her tail. "And she got me a new broom, a CleanSweep Three."

Linc's smile is toned down to a little smirk, he doesn't want to absolutely torture the young lady. "I more meant that I thought I about covered it in the advice department. But if you have advice for me, I would love to hear it." The signed bat is given a quick kiss, "For Luck." And is then passed back to Ellery.

Bowen repeatedly tries to bring it up, only to be struck down by another distraction. "Uh…" he begins, but is mostly drowned out by the chatter down the center ring.

Felix holds up his fist like his forearm is a beater's bat, and kisses it, mimicking Linc kissing Ellery's bat. Then his "bat" suddenly knocks him in the head, over and over, as Felix pretends to be flailing under the mimed assault, all the while making kissy faces. Now he's just being ridiculous.

Maybe later Ellery will thank Felix for keeping her from being overly goo goo eyed over Palancher but at the moment, he gets a stare just over the players head. "Right, yes of course, I…well don't miss the bludger," the statement renews a smile on her face before its lost in opened mouthed surprise. She reaches out for the bat and takes it carefully. "Thank you.." she says and lingers a moment or two but is caught staring at Felix now, lips parting as she watches the mess dissolving into chaos.

Colton gawks at Josie and is annoyed by the annoyed grumbling of the person he cut in front of. "Shhh. Can't hear my friend." Then he looks back at Josie and gawks some more. "What did yee do this summer Colton? Oh hung by my bollox in a dark cavern, found a couple pieces of silver booty…" He playfully gripes that Josie's Summer Story puts his to shame. "Shite Squeaker. That's brilliant! What was the Artifact then?" Of course he's most interested about the artifact and loot, he always has been, Curse-Breaker since birth this one.

Entering into the area and moving at a casual pace sometime after the rest comes Brody Iolar. He is dressed in the colors of Puddlemere United and his feet carry him on down toward the center tables where the rest of the professional players have found their places. His eyes scan those in attendance, nodding his head to those he knows from Hogwarts. Spotting Lissie, his feet pivot and carry him toward her. "Lissie! Glad to see you made it!" he calls out.

Josie giggles, nodding to Colton. Her big squirrels tail twitches a little as she talks, "A ceremonial bow, it's used in the choosing of a new grand Chief. The trolls started the whole war, so I think they might have been put up to it by someone, but anyway. I hope now that it's been found, they'll stop fighting each other."

The Chudley Cannon seems more than happy to see Felix go after that little display. Felix even forgot to get the man's autograph. What was his name again? But before he knows it, Felix finds himself in front of…Linc Palancher. He stares in awe at the famous beater. "Uh…the, um…I have…stuff."

"Brody!" Lissie pipes, grinning. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she calls. "It's so unbelievable to be here!" she adds." She hugs herself, then flings herself out of her chair and darts towards him. "I keep pinching myself. I just…."

Bowen seems flustered as he moves to the next player. He mumbles low, "But my 10 sickles…" Then, he slowly rolls up his parchment and leaves towards the campsite, suddenly not very hungry.

There is eyeing and murmuring among the veteran Puddlemeres in attendence. Among the murmuring there's bits of evidence here and there that the team is not exactly impressed by Brody's tardiness.

The inner circle is a thing of beauty and Ellery is left with a permanent color to her cheeks after speaking with Linc. But each new figure is offered her bat if they have not signed it before. She glances over at Felix with Linc and can't help but smirk to herself.

Brody smiles to Lissie as she thanks him and then leaps from her seat to come rushing toward him. He extends his arms to either side to give the girl a friendly hug. "You are very welcome," he says to her in a discrete voice. "How are you liking the broomstick?" Glancing around to the rest his team, Brody offers a smile and says, "Sorry I am late guys. I was getting a last minute surprise in line for everyone back at the tent," he says to them with a wink. Pulling Lissie around toward them, he introduces her, "Lissie, meet the Puddlemere United Squad! Lissie is going out for the Hufflepuff team back at Hogwarts. Any of you guys have any advice to give her?"

Linc gives Ellery another wink. "I promise you, cross my heart, I will try not to miss." He does even make a cross over his chest. Felix gets his trademark grin, "Hey stuff is good. Let me have it. You want it signed? Rubbed for good luck? Blessed by pumpkin juice?" Those are only a few of the things he has been asked to do in his many many autographing sessions.

"Huh?" The offer of a pumpkin juice blessing is just weird enough to snap Felix out of his starstruck state. "Oh, uh…um…" He starts flipping through his autograph book until he finds a page with a Linc Palancher card tucked into it. He exhuberantly thrusts the whole thing toward Linc.

Most of the Puddlemere Team are busy with the people that are in front of them on the other side of the table. While Lissie is given brief warm smiles from most, the general answer is aimed at Brody, "Don't be late." Before their attention swings back to the people across from them so they get their 10 sickles worth before time runs out.

Linc chuckles and he signs the cover over the card. "You wouldn't believe the things people ask me to do to their items… Did you want me to sign the card too?"

That bat is handled with care and as she waits for her turn amongst the rest of the attendees, Ellery is equally excited with many of the players. Though she is glancing over at Felix while he has his moment with Linc, she sticks her tongue out at him.

Lissie is alternately elated and mortified, but she draws herself up straight. She is wearing a faded old dress, though the darker swatch of cloth at the bottom shows that the hem has recently been let down. As it's still too long, the hem may be more wishful thinking than anything else. She smiles at the Puddlemere team, her lips twitching at the answer. "I'll try. Thank you!" She looks up at Brody, then. "I think that empty chair there is for you." She winks at him, then whispers, "The broom is great. Everything… thank you so very much."

Brody's smile falters a bit at the reaction from his team and then glances toward Lissie and shrugs his shoulders. "Still good enough advice, I suppose, even if it was for me." He slips around the table and into the empty chair alongside the rest of his team and looks across to Lissie. "I put in a good word for you with Oscar. I know he wasn't the Hufflepuff Captain, but maybe that will go somewhere."

Colton has been thinking and thinking hard. It's why he's been so quiet. "So…uhhh… what does this bow thing look like?" There is something in his manner. Like a criminal probing someone from the M.L.E. about case facts to see if they are onto them. Colton might as well be sitting on the bench facing Josie, because right now, all the famous quidditch people are not there as far as he's concerned and behaving.

Felix gives Linc a bobble-headed nod. "Awright! Yeah, what would be great. Sorted mate." He catches Ellery out of the corner of his eye, and gives her a giggle. He returns the expression, sticking his tongue back at her.

Distracted by the fact that she does have things she wants signed, and she does this while she's chatting with Colton, it's only then that Josie seems to remember, "Oh! Yeah, there's three parts. We only found the one. The handle, it was made of something dark, obsidian I think, and wrapped in leather. I didn't get too good a look at it, I only saw it from a distance."

Colton's attempt at cool nonchalance evaporates when the thing is describe to him. He leans forward and his head drops for a moment so his forehead rests on Josie's shoulder. "Bugger me." He then gives that sort of strained 'I'm a dead man' giggle he would do when he'd get caught by Pringle at Hogwarts. "I uhhh… I need to go Squeak. Yee have a good time. I'll see yee soon enough. Promise. Yeah…uhh..take care." He leans forward again as he stands up to place a brotherly kiss on the top of Josie's head and then with little time given for any sort of reply he's making a dash. He does return quickly once to reclaim the satchel of Jocunda Worship where he forgot it. Another awkward chitter and then he's off again. "See ya Squeak. Fee take care!" He didn't get to catch up with his favorite albatross but he does plan on coming back. If he's not in Azkaban, that is.

Lissie grins. "Thanks, Brody." Her voice is filled with warmth. "I'll do my best tae not mess it up. Be terrible if I end up terrible after all your work. Though… everyone seems tae think that me an' being a beater's a crazy thing." Then she winks. "But maybe I can take an extra class in crazy."

Brody leans forward across the table and says, "Well, I will tell you one thing. Whether you are to end up a Beater or not, that's up to you. But what is most important is that you believe in yourself. If you want to make the team, you practice hard and you give it your all and you'll make it. If you want to be the best beater there is, you practice harder than everyone else and you will be a great one. It doesn't matter if you are smaller than all the rest, you just have to be smarter than them. I mean look at me… I was just a school Keeper for Ravenclaw, and now here I am on Puddlemere United with my new best friends!" His grin widens and he sticks out an elbow to nudge the Puddlemere player beside him, his eyes twinkling across the table to Lissie. Leaning forward, he extends a hand for Lissie's book that he assumes is what she has brought for autographs. "Secondly… don't be afraid to accept help. We all need help every now and then."

Josie blinks, looking surprised's reaction. She does that sound, that look. "Did you…" But she doesn't have time to finish the question, and she watches him go with a somewhat suspicious look. But she has to look back, as she gets her stuff signed, smiling at whichever*she finds herself in front of, "Thanks. Brilliant."

Grinning, less shy than she was before, Lissie pushes her book over. "Last year this time I was helping to shear sheep," she chirps. "Whatever I end up doing, it's not the sheep, y'know?" She grins. "Still. Thank you so much." She shakes back her hair, then looks at Brody's teammates. "They're going tae give you such a hard time…"

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