(1941-07-22) Quidditch Camp 1941: Pick-Pocket Event
Details for Quidditch Camp 1941: Pick-Pocket Event
Summary: The first Pick-Pocket event happens after the sun goes down.
Date: July 22nd, 1941
Location: Quidditch Pitch
Plot: Quidditch Summer Camp
Related: Event Page
Characters
HoochElleryFelixAsmundJosieLissie

A bit of a treat for anyone with a curfew, it's summer so it doesn't get dark out until pretty late. So this event happens around the time most curfews begin. "Patty the Dummy" has levitated 10 feet off of the ground at the center of the Pitch after dark. With minimal braziers lit to create a dingy back alley feel. Covering the Dummies body is a whole bunch of pockets. Within every pocket is a wallet, coin purse or pouch. Within each wallet is a prize, of some degree. The trick is every wallet has a bell attached to it, the bells are enchanted to make a whole bunch of different noises from loud flatulence, to a goose honking, to an awesome sax solo, lots of variety to keep things interesting. If the bell rings in any way shape or form the wallet is left in the pocket and the thief goes to the back of the line. No one goes away empty handed unless they quit. Quitters don't get a thing. Depending on the turn out and enthusiasm will determine if the game will be played until everyone gets at least 1 prize, or has had 3 prize rounds of vary degrees of success, or until Patty is dead broke without a wallet on him. People with prizes go off to the side until everyone has gotten a prize and then everyone can line up again. While on the side line trading and showing off of prizes is encouraged!

Hooch is patrolling in circles below the dummy, in the spirit of the game she is wearing a costume similar to a member of the M.L.E. but with the costume hat of a muggle police officer. A beater's bat is tapped in her palm like a billy club as she organizes people into a line and explains the rules. "Is this event to encourage hoodlum activities? No! It is to help sharpen the reflexes of both Chasers and Seekers and to improve the awareness of Keepers. The only thing missing is something for the beaters. But I assure you if there is any rule breaking, poor sportsmanship or the like, there will be." Another smack of her palm with the beaters bat comes pointedly. She must really be in character!

Josie is practically grinning ear to ear, as she stands in the crowd of other kids, as she sees Hooch's costume. She has her new broom in hand, nodding to the instructions even as she fidgets a bit. She's having even more trouble than usual standing still now, in her part-squirrel-ness.

Ellery stowed her personal effects after dinner and now returns in her trousers and blouse, hair back and ready to go. Still lingering on the after effects of the Palancer smile, she rolls her sleeves back slowly, up over her elbow with something like trained precision. A shake of her head sends her braid to moving before she rolls her shoulders and stills to listen to Madam Hooch.

Asmund makes it to the front of the line purely due to Hooch's herding. He circles the dummy three times, selecting which pocket he is going for and then he comes swooping in and manages to dip his fingers in and then he begins to pull free a fact purse and then a little bit of decoration snags and it's then that it sounds like an entire building exploded and he goes pale and blinks at the dummy.

Just behind Asmund, Ellery is up next, wincing as the sound cries out in explosions. She gives him a sympathetic look and steps forward, giving the dummy a look as she gets closer and then tilts her head, reaching up into the sleeve of the thing to pull at a small chain slowly, working it out between her fingers. It starts to fall out into her hand and she misses it, is slaps the inside of the sleeve and the loud sound of a flock of geese honking fills the air. She swallows and makes a face, stepping to the back of the line again, letting out a breath.

Felix goes to the back of the line before his turn, just so he can stand by Ellery. He leans in to whisper in her ear, "You gonna use that bat in Quidditch? You might rub your boyfriend's kisses off of it." Again come the kissy sounds, followed by a playful giggle.

Lissie is happy to be on her broom, and the girl is grinning from ear to ear. She follows after Ellery, and manages to snag one of the wallets. It seems a success…. until she compensates the pitch of her broom — still used to the less-responsive school brooms — and all of a sudden, the 'bell' goes off. It sounds like a flock of sheep. "Oi! No sheep, no sheep!" she exclaims.

Giving Felix a narrowed eye look, Ellery studies him. "Don't be jealous…Palancher blessed my beater bat, means I have better chances this year," she muses, folding her arms over her chest. "Good look out there, Felix, seems no one has succeeded yet. She gives him a rueful look with a lift of her nose. "Saw you got a little tongue tied around Linc too."

When she gets to the front of the line, Josie mounts up, staring at the pocketed figure while the person ahead of her takes their turn. Her grin is gone now, as she's suddenly taking things very seriously. As soon as she's given the go-ahead, she launches up, circling around the figure and then coming back down, examining a silver charm on a matching bracelet. "Puddlemere, nice!" She's quite good, but the sharp eyed might've seen her snatch the bracelet.

Felix scoffs at Ellery. "Lor' luv a duck! I wasn't tongue-tied! I just lost my place in my book, is all, didn't I? And you trying to distract me, too." He grins, nudging her with his elbow. "You got all red-faced just cuz 'e smiled at you."

Asmund is perhaps a little gun shy right now, because he's trying to wiggle the ringing out of his ears with one hand while trying to pilfer with the other. His finger strikes the bell of a different pocket as he was reaching and his eyes go wide but there is some relief when it's merely a cacophony of cowbells that signals this failure.

As Felix goads her, Ellery is starting to darken a little around the cheeks. "You were rightly head over heels yourself..besides Palancher is..a great player. Who would not get a little squiggy around him," she states before realizing that it is her turn again. A bit flustered, she lifts her chin and harumphs at Felix. "Come on now," she says but likely due to the conversation moments before, she is not quite in the right mind. As she moves forward she grasps at a piece of cloth sticking out of a pocket and with too swift a pull it catches and a large air horn sounds, echoing around the clearing. She ducks a little, wincing and dropping the cloth in favor of covering her ears. She's joining Asmund in not being able to hear for a minute. She trudges back to the end of the line, cheeks darker than they were before.

Lissie swings around for another try, and this time she is crouched low to the broom. She reaches up, up, and then tugs to hard. There is a shrieking sound which must be something like what a banshee sounds like, only more obnoxious. Lissie yelps and wheels away, shaking.

"Awww, tough break, Ell!" Felix says, oblivious that he might have contributed to said break. He kicks off on his own broom, zipping up toward the dummy, eyes on the prize. He's an agile little thing, surely he can-…PTTHHPPTTHTPPHTHPPT! The sound of a giant letting one rip is thankfully not accompanied by the smell. By the time Felix's feet touch the ground, his face is red with laughter!

Asmund is still wiggling fingers in his ears. "MAYBE THEY SHOULD RENAME THIS THE DEAFENING EVENT!?" He speaks with a smile to thos around him in line with a smile on his face however. When there's a Giant Fart he squints, "Did I just hear that right?" Pinching his lips together his face starts to go red and his cheeks puff out some and then he can't contain it and barks out several laughs. "Only Felix am I right!?" Leave it to Felix to be the one that gets a fart noise.

Asmund realizes it's his turn again and it makes him fast, too fast and the sound of a CooCoo Clock Alarm mocks him as he flies away back to the end of the line. Looking frustrated with himself.

Nodding at Felix for the moment as she passes him back in line, she waits for him to go through. Making a face at his mistake, she can not help but grin to herself, watching him walk back in line. Ellery turns around and gives him a thump on the shoulder. "Good luck next time," she says and shuffles forward with with everyone else. Asmund once more which means she is next and with the alarm sounding again, her lips firm a line. "This does not look promising," she says and kicks off, this time coming from a higher angle to try to pull something off the 'ear' of the dummy. The screech of a barn owl greets her magnified several times and she lowers to the ground, unsuccessful. She is looking a little brow beat and then says to Asmund, "We can do this…right?"

Felix grins and chuckles at the thump from Ellery, taking it all in stride. He frowns a bit when the screech sounds, but claps and shouts encouragement all the same. Moments later he is off on his second attempt. As if to outwit the dummy, he lurches sideways at the last moment, and is suddenly dangling upside-down on his broom. With an outstretched hand, he snatches a wallet…with no awful sound! Giggling, he zips off toward the prize box. When presented with his spoils, he whoops loudly. "Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start No-Heat Fireworks!" A whole assortment of them. Mr. Pringle will be so pleased.

"I think it's a matter of trying impossible things," Lissie says, shaking her head. She's still mounted on her broom, rubbing her ears with one hand and then the other. She swoops, sort of, then reaches once more for a wallet. This time… there is cackling. "Oh, bother, bother, bother," she grumbles.

Asmund straightens when Ellery looks to him for support and confidence, he smiles to her and gives a sured nod. Captain Mode Activate! "We can, we aren't exactly Seeker or Criminals. So we should take our Honks and Horns with pride. So did my ear ring… earlier before this all happened. That you're going to try for Keeper or Beater this year at try-outs?" He takes a deep breath and takes flight and then heads for the dummy. "Look here sir." He confides in hushed-ish tones towards the floating dummy. "You're making me look a bit bad in front of my team." It's whispered as he tries to reach into one of the many breast pockets and *SPROING* it sounds like the coocoo clock from last attempt has been struck by a sledge hammer and coils and springs and poor little coocoos erupt everywhere, at least audibly. "Well you're no help at all. Some wing man you are not!"

Another whirl around, and then lissie squeals happily. She snags a wallet soundlessly, and then heads to ground, doing a slow, fairly respectable broom-roll as she does so. Once on the ground, she takes her place with others and looks at her prize. "Oooh! A poster! She bounces a couple of times.

Cheering for Felix as he is successful, she jumps up and down. Her hands clap together loudly before she looks to Asmund. Giving Felix a thumbs up she nods to him, "I am, I hope to be.." she says, moving up the line with the rest of them until Asmund heads up to the front. "Good luck!" she calls out to her fellow Huffle. Asmund fails once more and she gives him a look, trying to reassure him. Ellery is next and she lifts off, taking towards the dummy more in stubbornness than any confidence. She manages to pull from a back pocket this time without getting anything - a little sloppy but a full deck of Star Player cards with Team logos. This makes her grin and she lifts off higher, shooting for the rest that got prizes to land next to them.

Felix peers over at Ellery's prize when she lands. "Oh, wicked! Bet there's some rare ones in there. Even a Linc Palaaancher," he giggles, nudging her with his elbow. "Don't get lipstick all over it."

Josie watches each of the others as they make their attempts, clapping (as best she can with her clawed hands) and cheering for each success, and louder for Felix. "Great going! Never seen you so subtle," she adds with a grin. Then she looks up again, watching as Asmund continues his attempts.

Asmund is embarrassed by the sound of a hundred people laughing for his next failure bell. "Seriously? Rude." When he realizes that there's no line to go back to and that he's th last one to not have gotten a prize yet he sets his jaw and takes a deep breath. "Well I know what I'll be practicing all week…" He points to behind the Dummy. "Look! It's Joscelind Wadcock!" Then while the Dummy is supposed to be looking away Asmund goes for the same breast pocket and no one is more shocked then he is when he comes up with a red leather wallet. After he lands in the winners area he opens up the wallet and pulls out of it's enchanted depths a Puddlemere United Team Spirit Clanker. "Sure, it just had to be a noise maker." He gestures about with the clanker to the other. "Anyone wish to trade?"

Shuffling through the cards to get a look at all of them, Ellery hesitates and gives Felix a long look, "You are just jealous again, Felix. Did you want to borrow my lipstick so you can kiss it too?" she asks him aloud despite the blush that creeps back over her features. Looking at Asmund's clanker she gives him a grin, "Great job…and no, I like mind thanks!" she does find a Palancher in there and no one may be the wiser when she shuffles it to the top of the deck to find it for later.

"Okay!" Felix giggles and leans in toward Ellery, puckering his lips out like a duck. "Puth the liphtick on. I'll kith it."

Nose wrinkles, brows furrow and the older Huffle stars at that puckering lips. "Yeesh, who needs lipstick at Quidditch Camp?" she asks without need for an answer. She reaches out, placing her hand on his shoulder to give him a push to the side, hoping his lean forward will carry him with it. "Palancher would never kiss you…besides, its my card," answer enough as she smirks some despite her ealier dislike.

"Is he always like this, do you think?" Lissie asks the Hufflepuff captain. "Oh. I'm Lissie, by the way. Hullo." She grins at Asmund, and then kicks off again. A little too vigorously, true, to get away from Felix. She nearly impales the dummy with her broom, and the wallet makes a hideously juicy farting sound. "Eeeuuuuuaagh!"

Madam Hooch with those hawk eyes of hers are all the more intimidating as she represents not one, but two factions of law enforcement has been watching. The playfulness and banter was all fine and well. Until Felix gets rather blatantly smoochie and leaning towards Ellery and with a pat pat of the billy club in her hand she clears her throat. "Mr. Flitwick."

Asmund smiles and nods to Lissie. "He is. This is actually rather tame. I would say give his tent a wide berth with that prize of his. He's actually quite good on a broom, but beware when his feet are on terra firma. They often don't stay there, up ended or tripped or whatever other trouble he's gotten himself into. I do not envy Gryffindor's next Captain." He chuckles and nods, "I know you Lissie. I'm very glad you were able to make it, when you didn't take me up on my offer I was worried that you'd not be here." He oops a bit when it comes his time to try again, "Excuse me, I'll probably be right back with my luck." Sure enough after a choir of kazoos buzzing annoyingly he's flying back to the end of the line. "Practice, Practice, Practice."

Felix giggles all the way to the ground as the push causes him to lose his balance. For someone so graceful and agile when the heat is on, he can certainly be a klutz every other moment of the day. He gazes up at Madam Hooch, grinning and giving her a pleasant wave. "'Ello, Madam 'Ooch!"

Ellery actually snorts when she laughs upon Felix' ungraceful plummet. Her hand covers her mouth, trying to hide her grin, biting her lips to keep it muted while Madam Hooch warns Felix. Clearing her throat Ellery pipes up, "He just wanted to kiss my Linc Palancer card!" Having it handy at the top of the deck she pulls it out and waves it for everyone to see. She watches the others try again, whistling sharply in support for her Hufflemates.

Even Josie frowns a bit at Felix, though luckily she's not a prefect here so she's not tested on choosing between that and Pirates quite get. But then, the game is on again, and she smiles as she flies forward. Though not as good as Felix was a moment ago, she again slips a prize out with incredible subtlety as she circles around. Which is kind of surprising given that it's a book this time. She makes it back in time to hear Ellery's explanation, and giggles.

Madam Hooch hmms shrewdly, "Yes, well lips should be kept unpuckered under my supervision. Yes? Yes."

"Someone paid my whole fee. And gave me a broom." Lissie beams. "It's unbelievable being here, though. Usually I work all summer….." Lissie darts towards the dummy again, then unfortunately thinks about what Ellery said. She tries not to laugh, then flubs the grab yet again. This time, the wallet makes extremely sickening kissie-kissie sounds. The young Hufflepuff nearly falls off her broom, laughing so hard.

Felix climbs to his feet and gives Madam Hooch a salute. "Aye, aye, cap'n! I mean, Madam! I'll not be laying me 'eavenly bliss on 'er cards today." He offers Ellery a little nod of thanks for her backup.

Asmund nods still smiling in an encouraging way towards Lissie, "Well I was going to pay your way too, but I couldn't get you a broom, so sounds like you got the better deal." He chuckles and begs for, "Wish me luck." This time he manages to sneak a small little pouch the size of a golf ball out of a pocket the width of a foot. He pulls a Copper Beater's Bat Charm on a Bracelet out from the pouch. After he settles down on his own two feet in the winners area he waits for Ellery to join them. "Here. For luck. I won't kiss it, but I hope it does good for you."

"You stay here, Linc lover, I got another prize to nab!" Slipping herself into line once more, Ellery stows her cards away in the front pocket of her blouse. Pushing up after Asmund she sails forward with a grin, the different sounds from those before her leaving her with a nervous grin. "I can do this, yes I can," she muses and reaches her hand out for a shoulder strip and pulls, feeling it come free of the jacket she whirls her broom around and barely gets it out without a sound. She lets out a sound and then a whoop. "Improving, Captain!" she cries out to Asmund, beaming from ear to ear as she flies back around to rejoin the winners. She shows her own small charm to Asmund that has Appleby Arrows upon it then looks at his. She colors at his comment and coughs, "I…yeah, right." she reaches out to take it. "I will never hear the end of it.." She places the two charms next to each other. "Thank you, Captain." But then Lissie can be seen succeeding without sounding an alarm. A cheer goes up for her.

Lissie sighs softly as she is the only one left this time. "Still…. if Asmund, last time…." She closes her eyes a moment, then sneaks towards the dummy. She studies it a moment, then shrugs. "Wall, maybe I'll just do the dumblest move possible. Style counts, maybe?" It's a deft little move she makes, waiting to reach out as she slows her broom, then lets it almost drift. She blinks in surprise when she understands that she has the pouch in her hands. "Ooooh!"

Asmund grins cheshire wide at Ellery while shaking his head, no, she won't be living this down for quite some time. The Captain joins in cheering for Lissie when it's her turn and the cheer turns into a wooping fists in the air celebration when there is no bell or alarm.

Asmund leads the charge of another round. Trying to lead by good example he puts on a brave face and lifts off into the air and tries to challenge himself more for some reason and he aims for a small pocket sewn into Patty and sure enough. *ARROOOOOOGA!* A freight ship steam horn reminds Asmund why this event is becomes his ears' least favorite one. He chucks his broomstick with his fist in a disappointed little gesture as he flies to the back of the line.

Blushing brightly, Ellery is glad for Lissie's success and distraction from the topic of her talk with Linc Palancher. Though as Asmund flies forward and she takes her place in line, she has to cover her ears to drown out the sound. "Next time!" She calls out and speeds forward, her braid bobbing behind her as she circles looking for an opening. She chews the inside of her cheek as many of the items have been knicked. Finally she slips in slowly, sideways so that her broom is not in the way to capture an item off the lapel. She inches it out and then with some length flies upwards and pulls the pouch free without a sound. She grins from ear to ear and wings around goes to take a place waiting for others. Opening the pouch, she empties out five knuts, pleased with herself.

Lissie lets herself relax a little, grinning at Asmund until he fails. "Bad luck, that!" she calls, then cheers as Ellery grabs a prize. "She's good," she says. Then a frown tugs off the smile, and she bites her lip. "Better than me. What am I doing here?" Shakern by the sudden self-doubt, it's no surprise that her attempt at the grab results in the sound of a 12-part Mermish choir…. above water.

Asmund reaches over to give Lissie an encouraging pat to the shoulder. "You're here to learn and have fun. So let's have both, right? We'll get this." Despite his own encouraging words he is very startled when he thought for sure he had this pouch he saw nearly dangling out of the cuff of the Dummy's pants. Someone must have dropped it in their own startlement. Should be easy as pie, right? NOPE! Asmund looks down to the ground with a leap in his skin sure that there were really a pack of rabid dogs truly below him, snapping and snarling and barking. "Yeeah…." He looks like he's not going to be able to take much more of this. "Need to practice. One more try." That fails and he'll be good with being the one with two prizes that went all three rounds.

Josie covers her ears against the mermish choir, but she's laughing. It's her turned again soon, however, so she flies up again. This time she's a little more clumsy, but still manages to successfully pull something from a pocket. A Wimborune Wasps clanker. She uses it to make some sound again, grinning, as she flies down. Perhaps having enough, or assuming it's the last round, she lands to start examining her prizes.

As the two go around, the mermish choir has Ellery dropping her knuts as her hands go to her ears. Eyes close and she cringes, most likely along with everyone else. "Agggh," she growls and finally opens her eyes again once the sound fades. "What …man, rough one," she says and watches Asmund go in and unable to get another, she shakes her head and claps, "Come on, Asmund,' shes says.

"Stop oh please make it stop make it stop make it stop," groans Lissie, letting go with her hands completly. She only looks up when Asmund pats her shoulder, and she watches him miss again, probably to make her feel better. She darts forwards, muttering to herself. "Please no more screeching, sheep, or whateverinell that last thing was…." And then the pouch is in her hand and she gives an incredulous squeal. Still doesn't sound Mermish. She lands and tumbles off her broom, patting it fondly. "Ooooh! Perfect prize!" she giggles, holding up the cleaning kit. "Go Asmund! Go!

Asmund looks about like a cat in cream when he is finally successful. He's a very well put together lad, but this game was starting to frazzle his nerves and pride. But ironically it's a clanker that he pulls out of a used Chocolate Frog Card box that has him beaming. "It's a Pride of Portree one!" The fact that it's his favorite team ever makes up for the noise factor."

The last prize pilfered Madam Hooch waves her wand and the dim lighting flares bright enough that the way back to camp is safely lit. "Well done. What fun! After dusk evey night of Camp we'll be having this little game. I hope to see everyone and more back here every night. Good night Campers. May Quaffles and Snitches dance in your dreams."

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