The Final
Match
Author: Draco Malfoy
Date: 08-30-03 08:13
The day of the championship match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin had finally arrived. Draco had gathered his teammates together bright and early on Saturday morning and after a hearty breakfast, they all went to the locker rooms to review a few plays and maneuvers in anticipation of the big game.
A thunderous crowd was already in the stadium, cheering loudly for the teams. The voices in support for Slytherin were nearly as loud as those for Ravenclaw, despite the fact that there were certainly less Slytherin fans in the stands.
Draco swept his gray eyes around the locker room, moving from one face to the next as he delivered his final peptalk of the season. "This is it. The championship game. We've worked long and hard, and our efforts have shown in every match we've played this year. We're unstoppable. We're unbeatable. We deserve to win this game. We will win this game."
A round of cheers erupted from his fellow team members, and Draco lifted a hand to quiet them down. "Don't get too confident out there. There's no room for mistakes. It'll be a low blow should Ravenclaw steal the Quidditch cup from under our noses. Keep your eyes and ears alert. Play hard and play well. This is Slytherin's year."
He pumped his fist in the air to signal the end of his speech and followed the gesture with, "Go Slytherin!"
His teammates followed suit and then they lined up outside the doors to the locker room and prepared to storm the Pitch...
Ravenclaw!
Author: Cho Chang
Date: 08-30-03 21:07
Cho awoke right on time this lovely Saturday morning. She went down to breakfast with merely her Hogwarts robe over her pajamas, hair streaked with bright blue to get others in the spirit of the Championship Quidditch match.
After breakfast, she went to the Ravenclaw locker rooms to change, humming as she did so. Sykra entered, rubbing a rabbit's foot, "Oh c'mon...do something!"
Cho turns the corner, leaning slightly against the wall and raising an eyebrow as she investigates, "Aww...is the dead foot not working?"
Sykra rolls her eyes, tossing it into her locker, "How would I know, nothing ever works," she hastily changes into her quidditch gear. "You nervous?"
Cho shrugs, setting her broom against the wall and doing some juggling warm up exercises to increase the blood flow to her hands, "A little. But I'm ready."
Fynn seemed to materialize from the boys' side of the locker rooms, "Morning girls. Ready to go snake hunting?" His broom was leaning casually on his shoulder, his beater bat held lazily in one hand.
Cho smiles a little and nods, Sykra replying, "Can we kill 'em when we catch 'em?"
Cho laughs, as Fynn shakes his head, Cho responding, "Bugger. I've always wondered what snake tastes like."
Su wandered out of the changing room, giggling, "Like chicken!" At that the four laughed and headed into the Ravenclaw meeting room. Cho leaned on her broom in the center of the room, waiting for everyone to assemble.
After the team had come together, Cho began, "Well ladies and gentlemen, this is it. The Quidditch Championships. The only thing between us and that cup is some nasty little devils dressed in green. So...Let's go hunting!" The cheer for Ravenclaw was chanted loud and proud before the team strode out onto the field, mounting their brooms and lifting off into the air in unison, circling around the field and pumping their fists with the calling for Ravenclaw.
Here snakey snakey....
A
Meeting of Minds
Author: Albus Dumbledore
Date: 08-30-03 12:48
Saturday morning, and everyone in the Castle is preparing for the final Quidditch match of the year. Everyone, that is but me. I am preparing for a meeting which I do not even want to think about. Because of an excessive workload, Dierna could not make it last weekend. The meeting, therefore, was postponed until today. A glance at the water clock tells me it is almost the hour of nine. My two guests should be here any minute. I look around the little conversation nook by the low windows in my office. Everything seems to be in order. Pensieve on the table, protective wards set at the four quarters, ready to be activated. Refreshments set on the side table. I hear a muted creak as the magical stairway begins to revolve. I stroll to the door to greet them.
With a flick of my wand, I open the door for them. "Good Morning, ladies. Please come in and make yourselves comfortable," I say as I direct them toward the alcove. I close the door and place a strong seal upon it. Now, if approached, the gargoyle downstairs will merely shake his head and refuse admittance to anyone. Dierna leads the way across the office with confidence. Christina follows with an apprehensive look, first at Dierna, then at me. I do not know which side of her is stronger, but I will find out in the next little while.
We take our seats around the low table and I activate the wards. We are surrounded by a pearlescent sphere. Christina glances around with a start. "Just a little precaution, ladies. My office is supposed to be "snoop-proof", but for this meeting, I would prefer that even our past headmasters are left in the dark. This also has the advantage that nothing we say will get outside, either." I lean back and take a long sip of pumpkin juice. "Christina. Perhaps you should begin by repeating what you told me the other night."
Let the Games
Begin!
Author: Mary
Date: 08-30-03 17:58
Mary felt cocky as she strolled with her teammates onto the pitch, and she showed it. As she arranged her broom in the usual circle, Mary couldn't help but grin evilly at the Ravenclaws across from her.
The whistle, the balls, the start of the game.
Tempest seized the quaffle right away and took off toward the Ravenclaw end of the pitch. Mary, Isolde and Tempest skillfully tossed the quaffle between them, the ball only a red haze in the air.
Mary, quaffle in hand, ducked a Ravenclaw and zoomed toward the goalposts. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the fateful black blur. In the split-second chaos that ensued, Mary managed to dodge the bludger but dropped the quaffle. The blue-clad chaser who caught it shouted a sarcastic "thanks!" in Mary's direction.
Seething, she wished she was a beater so she could kill him with the bat.
And it was only just the beginning, too.
Focused
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 08-30-03 18:52
Even before Py is in place before the goals, the action is in full swing. Everything else in the world seems to fall away as Pyrrhus focuses his attention on the game. All that exists right now is here on this pitch and the only thing that matters is winning the championship.
As his eyes follow the movement of the quaffle, Pyrrhus experiences one of those rare moments when he fervently wishes he played another position. The excitement of a chaser zooming at top speeds, quaffle in hand to make a goal. The glee of a beater slamming a bludger towards an opponent. The glory of a seeker catching the elusive, all important snitch. Py shakes his head to cast off such thoughts, reminding himself that while the position of keeper does involve alot of sitting and waiting, it is as important as other positions on the team.
Py's resolve to block every Ravenclaw goal attempt deepens and he takes a vigilant stance on his broom, his eyes still keeping close watch on where the quaffle is at any given moment and who is in possession of it.
High Spirits
and Stooging
Author: Gabriel Baine
Date: 08-31-03 09:23
"WOOOP! WOOOP! WOOOP!"
Gabriel and Cho Chang thrust their fists in the air while shouting as loud as they can at each other's face. With his broomstick handy Gabriel swings it around his back hitting Fynn Greenleaf, on the other side of Cho, square in the rear. A laughing Gabriel lunges ahead next to Skyra Sawyer as Fynn takes a failed swipe at him with his beater's bat. Antics such as these overtake the proud stride of the Ravenclaw team before they mount on their brooms. Little anxiety was visible among the team and with the upbeat atmosphere Gabriel was completely taken with foolishness in the changing rooms. Fynn and Gabe had already knocked each other around after Gabriel tackled Fynn and tried wrestle him out into the meeting room in his underwear. To Gabriel, the Championships brought the least concern. No matter if they won or lost, they had reached the top.
He followed Isolde's path through Ravenclaw chasers and bludgers toward the outer goal to his right. With Tempest nearing opposite Isolde, Gabriel found himself unable to come forward and meet Isolde who was approaching without trying to feign movements as was her usual. Rather that risk Gabriel intercepting the quaffle during a last second past to Tempest, Isolde sent it to her teammate early. Gabriel swung out to meet Tempest, but instead watched the quaffle fly straight through his center goal as he flattened out on the ground with Isolde beneath him.
While he could hear both Hooch's whistle and Cho's frenzied shouts far above, Gabriel looked directly into Isolde's face which was wrinkled with the pain of both the fall and Gabriel landing on her. With a playful grin on his face he shouted in her face: "How you doing girly girl!?"
"Ger-of!" Isolde both wheezed and growled. Gabriel's grin wided as he knew there was some time before Hooch would be down following a scolding of Tempest above. He decided to go for the kill.
"I just want you to know," said Gabriel, leaning down next to her ear and rubbing her side with one of his hands, "I find naughty little moves like that very arousing. I wonder if you do it dirty like that for Pyrrhus?"
Isolde sent a blow with her fist into Gabe's side while she wriggled to get him off. He rolled over to meet Hooch's outstretched arm which he used to get up. Gabe let his arm down to Isolde in turn who knocked it away and picked herself up. Before grabbing his broom he winked at her, "You can stooge me whenever you like!" While Madam Hooch warned him of his mouth he mounted.
stooging - a tactic where a chaser rams a keeper aside while a fellow chaser scores the goal. It became a foul in 1884.
Bugger
Author: Cho Chang
Date: 08-31-03 11:09
Cho watched as Gabriel hurtled to the ground, landing with a thud on top of Isolde. Immediately she begins shouting, "Sykra, hold up! Terry, watch it!" The players swerved to avoid colliding as they pulled up at the sound of Hooch's whistle. Cho was of a mind to circle down around Gabe and chide him for his misdemeanor, however, they were playing Slytherin so who gave a care?
Once the game has resumed, Terry gains the quaffle, whistling to Sykra. "'Oy Sykra! Let's shove 'em through the gauntlet!" Sykra cackles, weaving in and out of the beaters and chasers of Slytherin, catching the quaffle as Terry launches it to her. She makes a bit of headway until the Slytherins surround her and she tosses it back to Terry, the two weaving in and out until finally Terry attacks the goal.
Sykra lets out a holler, "SCORE FOR RAVENCLAW!!" Cho lets out a jubilant holler, lowering to Sykra to give her a high five, as the players take position to start the game again.
Cho again circles above the pitch as Sykra gains control of the quaffle, whistling. The seeker's eyes zoom to Sykra, estimating her path and seeing a particularly burly beater waiting for her.
Pretending to see the snitch, she dives toward the beater, really intending just to confuse him by flying by him. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of moving. The players collide, Cho's body knocked off her broom by his, merely causing him to spin out of control. Her world goes black as her form thuds onto the ground of the pitch awkwardly, the broom falling beside her. Madame Hooch's whistle sounds shrilly, the players suddenly realizing that Cho has not gotten up. The Ravenclaw team lands around her, Sykra, Fynn, and Gabe dropping their brooms and running to her side. The Slytherins lurk sadistically in the air. Hooch lands and parts Fynn and Gabe, "If you'll excuse me boys," carefully she rolls Cho over, shaking her shoulder. Cho suddenly awakes, shrieking. Hooch turns her head from the sound and waits, "Are you fit to go on Miss Chang?"
Cho glances up, hiding the pain from her face, looking over the faces of the three standing closest to her, while they were worried for her, they also needed her to continue. She looks up to Hooch and nods, "Yes ma'am. Terribly sorry."
Hooch nods, satisfied, "Very good then. I'm afraid that's a foul Miss Chang. Carry on." Hooch strides away to mount her broom and resume floating in the air, waiting for the rest of Ravenclaw to mount up as well.
Cho winces as she sits up, Fynn immediately offering a hand, "You're not well, are you?"
She shakes her head, lifting her blue overshirt to reveal her tank top, her rib protruding oddly. It hadn't broken the surface of the skin, but it was definitely broken. Seeing the immediate looks of 'about to tell Hooch', she shakes her head, "No...Please don't... I have to finish this game."
Fynn looked about to dishonor the request, but Gabe spoke up, "If we let you finish, then you have to go to Madame Pomfrey's as soon as the game's over or if it breaks the skin, whichever happens first."
Cho smiles a little, "Deal." With Fynn's help, she stands, carefully picking up her broom and mounting as they do, "Come along dearies, we've got a game to win." With that, they lift back up into the air, resuming their respective places on the field, Cho being sure to be extra careful and restricted in her movements.
It's a Crime
Author: Brett Kingston
Date: 08-31-03 11:25
Sitting with his sister on one side and Orie on the other, mutters under his breath about "those damn, cheating Slytherins."
Aussie good naturedly elbows him, "Spoken like a true Gryffindor."
Orie leans forward a little to look over at Aussie, "I've always wondered why exactly the Slytherins are so awful. They could be successful and achieve so much without having to resort to violence and cheating. Do you think Salazar Slytherin was like that or if this is something that has devolved among the Slytherins over the years."
Aussie shrugs, "You know, I'm not sure. Maybe Professor Binns has covered that in History of Magic but who pays attention on those classes?"
The three laugh at that comment then cheer as Cho gets up and back in the air. For a moment there it appeared she might be out of the game altogether. All the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws are ecstatic to see she's on her broom again. With no substitute players on the teams, if Cho was to be injured badly enough to be out of the game, Slytherin would win the cup. A crime as far as the other houses are concerned but for Slytherins, crimes are right up their alley.
As the game resumes, Brett pats Orie on the knee. "You should think about trying out for Aussie's spot on our team next year. Or if you don't want to play, maybe you could do the American thing and get a group of cheerleaders together. Though, on second though, cheering down on the pitch sidelines when people sit so high up in these stands might not be an easy thing. So, try out for the team. Or at least consider. Please?"
Summing Up
& Some Progress
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 08-31-03 12:45
Like last year's championship match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, this year's was already off to an exciting start. This time Ravenclaw and Slytherin were playing, which meant that all sorts of devious tricks were in the mix by way of the latter team. Early on, Slytherin seemed to take the lead with Tempest gaining the first possession of the quaffle. While it wasn't in Slytherin hands for long, Ravenclaw lost it just as quickly.
With Slytherin once again in possession by way of Isolde, the action rapidly drifted to the goal area of the Pitch. She passed the ball to Tempest and suddenly found herself sandwiched between the ground and Ravenclaw keeper Gabriel's body. Despite the apparent goal, Hooch blew on her whistle and announced the foul. The 10 points were retracted from Slytherin and the score was once again zero to zero.
But not for long. Ravenclaw was so full of energy, and Terry quickly found the opposing end of the field where he scored 10 points for his team. It was a mere moment later that Cho collided with a Slytherin beater and fell to the ground. Silence enveloped the stadium as all eyes watched the lack of movement below. With her teammates around her and Madam Hooch checking the situation, Cho finally stirred and rose to her feet. A round of applause and cheers erupted from the fans, and the Slytherins booed and hissed venomously.
Bronwyn clicked on the magical microphone and exclaimed, "And it's Aisling for the penalty shot."
The Slytherin chaser readied herself in front of Gabriel's goal hoops. She arched back her arm and sent the quaffle flying, but Gabriel stopped it easily. He smirked, and Tempest scowled and Bronwyn shouted, "No goal!"
The match continued with Ravenclaw in possession, but slippery fingers during a forceful barrel roll lost the quaffle to Slytherin. Tempest held the ball again and zoomed off towards Gabriel with every intention of scoring and having this goal count.
"It's Aisling at the hoops again!" Bronwyn yelled, eyeing the activity carefully. "She fakes left and throws right! Score for Slytherin!"
Murmurs of disappointment ran through the crowds, but the Slytherin fans were shouting enthusiastically. Brownyn pushed down on the brassy button on the scoreboard, which now read, Ravenclaw 10, Slytherin 10.
One Foggy
Night
Author: Remus Lupin
Date: 08-31-03 18:49
Drifting in a place between pain and consciousness, Lupin was only vaguely aware of voices surrounding him. His wand was out. He could feel it in his hand, but it was such a effort to try to raise it.
Fragments floated in and out of his mind...Lou....werewolf, yes, but...Dierna was speaking to him, but he couldn't hear....a flash...he remembered...something? someone?...coming out of a mist....not his quarry....darker...so much...hate...and then pain...
His head spun. When, and if, he could drag himself up, he was going to have the mother of all headaches, but right now....
More fragments....too much pain....more than one...not the wolf....no....and then reaching...taking a stone...making...what?....the closest place...safe...where was he?....
Slowly he forced his eyes open...saw the familiar flashing sign of Weasley's...tried to chuckle but it became a burble...voices around him...hands gently tocuhing, lifting...voices speaking of St. Mungo's...safe....yes........
The world flashed black again, and he fell into its depths.
Paranoia
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 08-31-03 21:08
The game had been long and for the Bulgarians, it had been extremely tense. After an hour and a half of play, the Bulgarians were down thirty points to the Greek national team when the Bulgarian keeper had been fouled by a Greek chaser. The injured man had fallen to the pitch before anyone could catch him or soften the fall. In the resulting confusion of getting the unconscious man off the field and the referee waiting for the Bulgarians to name who would take a foul shot for their keeper, the Greeks made five untended goals in quick succession.
Things went from bad to worse when the substitute keeper let two more goals past within one minute of taking his place before the hoops. Two more hours passed with the score stuck at 100 to 0 and no sign of that pesky snitch. The match went from worse to awful when the substitute Bulgarian keeper was hit so hard by a bludger one arm and shoulder hung at an odd angle. He desperately tried to stop the Greeks from scoring and the other Bulgarian team members were doing their best to assist but with one arm useless, the Greeks got the quaffle past him and in the process of it all, the already injured keeper managed to break three fingers on his good hand, including his thumb.
The Bulgarian coach had taken the man out of the game but with the score standing at 110 to nothing and no other keeper to send in, the Greeks seemed assured of victory. One Bulgarian beater and one of their chasers made a show of guarding the hoops but over the course of the next twenty minutes, the Greeks scored three more times bringing their tally to 140 points.
Then the game came to an end. Before anyone in the stadium realized it, the snitch sighted and caught. The Bulgarians and Greeks both stared in disbelief at the winged ball of gold clutched in Viktor's hand. The home team crowed had roared with pleasure and the Greek team stomped off in anger. Viktor's jubilant teammates carried Viktor on their shoulders off the pitch and into the team's locker room.
After the partying had died down, Viktor had showered and put on fresh clothes. As he dressed the ever present ominous feeling grew to the point Viktor began searching for its source. As the locker emptied, Viktor was looking in every nook and cranny in the locker room, equipment room, offices, and showers for something - anything - out of the ordinary. Not finding a thing, Viktor sat back down in front of his locker, head in hands, thinking that what he'd been told recently was correct. He's suffering from some form of paranoia brought on by the post traumatic stress of the events surrounding Kendra Beck's death and by the escape of Koyla and his followers.
When no move was ever made against Viktor by the fugitive cultists, the Bulgarian ministry had recently pulled off their security guards and Viktor was encouraged to seek medical help, his coach being one of the most vocal. The healer, the wizarding equivalent of a Muggle psychiatrist, had had Viktor in sessions every other day since Viktor's first appointment. Although Viktor readily agreed that yes, he was suffering from post traumatic stress, he refused to accept that he was also paranoid.
Until now.
All the rooms are empty, everyone's left, and Viktor found nothing that seemed out of place or odd. For the first time Viktor understands what the healer had explained to him about paranoia and its manifestations and how it was natural for Viktor to be in denial.
The opening and closing of a door intrudes on Viktor's thoughts. He throws his sweaty, dirty game robes into a corner hamper, puts his locker in order then ponders whether to see if the healer was available to talk or whether to apparate to Hogsmeade for the walk up to the school. With the time difference he should be able to make at least part of the championship game. Even though Gryffindor isn't playing, Viktor thinks it would be nice to sit with his friends and push his worries into a far corner of his mind for now.
Movement from the direction of the doorway and then the sound of someone at the lockers on the next aisle catches his attention. Figuring it's the janitor coming to direct a contingent of house elves to clean the place up, Viktor calls out in Bulgarian, "Don't mind me. I'm just leaving. Sorry if I am in your way."
A familiar voice says from almost directly behind Viktor, "Oh, you aren't in the way at all. In fact, we've been waiting to get you totally alone."
Viktor moves to grab his wand but another very familiar voice says sweetly, "Looking for this? I took the liberty of taking it from your locker while the game was going on."
Viktor spins around to face Stefka and Grigori, shocked to realize they don't look as he expects. She passes Viktor's wand to her brother then steps in to give Viktor a peck on the cheek. He takes a step back, a look of utter contempt on his face and inwardly cringing at where Stefka's lips touched him.
Stefka smiles as if happy to see her dearest, oldest friend after a long separation. "Hello, Viktor. It's so wonderful to finally get to see you face to face again. We were quickly running out of patience for the Ministry idiots to stop sending you everywhere with babysitters."
Grigori grins. "We've been working here for a few months now. I do believe we're hurt you didn't figure us out. Oh, but we don't look quite the same do we? The Muggles call it plastic surgery. A little tweak here and there along with a change of hair color is almost like actual magic."
Stefka taps a wrist watch. "We can chit chat more later, dear Viktor. Now it's time to go. Koyla is so looking forward to the reunion."
Grigori's wand was already raised even before she finished her last sentence, Viktor is hit with a spell and the world drops away.
Memphis, Egypt:
Target Located
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 08-31-03 21:54
A warm Egyptian sun touched down on the city of Memphis as Ethan exited a sandy-colored, box-shaped building and crossed a dusty road to meet his comrades on the other side. Kep-Tian, Chichang, Yilan and Meilan were hovering around a covered stand on the sidewalk, pretending to be inspecting various wares and other interesting products. They were disguised as citizens of Egypt, the men having ingested draughts of polyjuice potion earlier and Meilan completely covered from head to toe in the traditional garb of women from this part of the world.
Ethan, too, pretended to be browsing the various objects on display. He spoke quietly, but distinctly from the corner of his mouth as Kep-Tian drew near. "She's inside with seven others. We're outnumbered by three."
"That does not matter," Kep-Tian replied. "What did you tell her?"
Ethan picked up an ornate mirror and thought it would make a nice gift for his mother. He flipped it over to examine the finely carved back and said, "I told her that I've heard of her from a confidential source, and I explained my interest in joining her organization. She seemed interested in me and asked if I knew of others who would be willing to join as well. Surely, I must have a circle of friends who share the same interests..." Ethan cast a quick, amused look at the disguised Kep-Tian.
"How did you respond?"
"I explained that I did happen to have a small group of friends who are just dying to meet with her." Ethan flashed the Taiwanese man a grin.
"Perfect," Kep-Tian said. "Let's go."
He signaled for the others to follow him, and Ethan placed the ornate mirror back on the table making a mental note to remember to purchase it after his business with Taz-Marah was complete, if time and the intensity of the situation would permit it.
Crossing the old, well-worn road, Ethan led the others to the square-shaped building and ducked inside the doorway into the shade, allowing his blue eyes to adjust to the drastic change of light within the room. He gestured to the staircase and at Kep-Tian's instruction, led the way up the stairs to the second floor landing where Taz-Marah's hideout was located. With a sharp knock on the wooden door, Ethan entered at the witch's command and smiled his greeting to her.
"Ethan, you have returned so early!" she said, rising from a chair in the corner of the room. "You haven't left anything behind. What can I do for you?"
"I'd like to introduce you to my friends," Ethan said, and as he gestured to the others with one hand, his other snaked behind his back and grabbed hold of his wand. He made introductions, all the while keeping his eyes alert on Taz-Marah and her seven comrades. They were all lounging around the room, some seated in chairs, some lounging on carpets on the floor and one perched on the edge of a desk.
"Nice to meet all of you," Taz-Marah said, as she looked them all over. Her eyes passed briefly over the faces of the men, but lingered momentarily on the slit over Meilan's eyes. Did she recognize the familiar gaze?
Perhaps not. Her facial expression never faltered. She resumed her gaze on Ethan and asked, "You must tell me who your source was. How did you find out about me?"
Ethan paused briefly before responding to her question. When he finally spoke, he looked her straight in the eye and stated, "I learned about you from a great wizard. His name is Kep-Tian."
The Pressure
Mounts
Author: Australia Kingston
Date: 08-31-03 22:30
Aussie cheers for Ravenclaw just as all the Gryffindors were doing but in the back of her mind is the sad thought that this is the last Quidditch match at Hogwarts she'll ever watch as a student. Such thoughts bring on a wave of nostalgia, something Australia's been experiencing more and more lately. The day of the NEWTs will be here in a blink and graduation in the heartbeat after that.
At least with graduation comes the bulk of the Kingston's money. With it Aussie will be able to find a place to live for both Brett and her and it's enough money that if they are careful, they can live comfortably for a long while. The only real concern Australia has is getting hired in something she has an interest in. She knows she'll be able to find a job but it's important to Aussie to find one she likes. That means she MUST score well on each category of the NEWTs. No pressure there. None at all.
