Keelan Walsh wears, for once, plain black robes with no hint of team affliation. This is rare enough at a game against Ravenclaw, but it seems she’s either had a talking-to or a rethink over the summer break about bias in Quidditch. Maybe her red robes were just dirty. At any rate, she’s standing underneath her umbrella in the center of the pitch, squinting out toward the locker rooms of each team, trying to spot red or blue robes coming through the downpour.

Riley Markham makes his way on to the pitch with a soft yawn, his pale skin sizably more alabaster than tanned under the chilling effect of all the rain. Broom draped avross his shoulders, he waits to kick off anxiously. Growing more nervous by the minute.

Nervously Andy walks onto the pitch, his broom in hand and his robes getting soaking wet in seconds. Looking up to the dark clouds he mutters to Keira “Hm, great.” Then his hands slip into his gloves as he lines up with his teammates, waiting for Keelan’s initial whistle blow.

Boyce Gardener follows behind Riley quietly, trying to hold on to the excitement he felt in the changeroom, and dismiss the nervousness that was trying creep up in to his belly. He carries his broom much more traditionally, though the damp air keeps causing the broomhandle to slip from his fingers.

Quincy Matthias lumbers out onto the pitch, making some crack about the weather to his teammates and hoisting his broom over his shoulder for now. The rain doesn’t otherwise seem to bother him, though he uses his spare hand (beater bat tucked under an arm) to push hair off his forehead.

Rhian says, “Good afternoon everyone, students and faculty alike. Today is a lovely autumn day, if you are a duck perfect for the first Quidditch game of the 1927-28 year. I am Rhian Brecon, your announcer for this year, and for those of you unable to see, I’ll make sure to tell you everything that’s happening. Today’s game is Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw and as this is their first game of the year, I will give you a quick listing of the roster. For Gryffindor, the Chasers are 3rd year Andy Carver, 5th years Keira Sanguine and Tobias Raleigh, their Beaters are 4th years Kelly Pantall and Quincy Mattias, with the Keeper the 3rd year Briony Wexler and their Seeker and Captain, 4th year Gabriel Goden. For Ravenclaw, who this year comes to try and hold onto the Quidditch Cup they won last year, their Chasers are 4th year David Mildren, 5th year Prefect Bailey Williams and 3rd year Boyce Gardner, the Beaters are 5th year Prefect Tegan Madison and 3rd year Riley Markham, their Keeper being 5th year Laney Abbott and their Seeker and Captain, leading them once again, 6th year Prefect Noémie Ribouet. The official for today’s game is Professor of Herbology, Professor Walsh. We now wait for both teams to come brave the weather as we are now, so let’s get this game underway.”

Making her way out into the pouring rain, Noémie appears to be in quite a mood today. Her face is set seriously, and her eyes squinted, though this could likely be caused by the amount of water cascading down into her face. Coming to stop near Keelan, she does not look at the captain, instead looking in the direction of where the Gryffindor team is to join them. The rain does make it difficult to see what, exactly, is going on, and Noémie finds herself biting her lip while she looks around, rather hoping that the snitch won’t be quite so hard to see when it comes time to begin.

David follows the other members of his team, muttering against the rain and how it might affect the game. He carries his broom under his arm, hoping that it won’t behave as it did during that practice, when it suddenly stopped midair for no reason. That should not happen, though, since he had it looked over by the flying instructor, who reassured him that it should fly fine from now on. A bit nervous about the match, David stays silent and waits for the game to begin.

Laney Abbott is more nervous than anything, and keeps pushing her glasses up her nose with her free hand. Her broom is clutched hard in the other, and more than once she redoubles her stride to stay with the rest of the team, lips pressed into a thin line. Still, a “Lovely, I’ll just divine where the Quaffle is in the mess and block it that way.” escapes her lips in a sour sort of mumble.

“N– I’m su– no, Bri — c’mon, you–” Gabe starts as he walks out to the pitch, trying to sneak words in while Briony chatters at him quietly on their way out to the pitch. “You’ll be fine, I’m sure,” he tells his friend and then falls silent as the two of them come out, their red robes easily dampened by the sheer volume of water falling upon him. Squaring off in front of Noémie, his nervousness is not easily hidden, especially as he turns away from Briony a bit, perhaps to hide this very fact from her.

Trailing behind Keira and Andy, Tobias nestles on his broom a last time. It’s his first match in the main team and now it comes to a close against last season’s champions Ravenclaw. Quiet as usual he hides his excitement quite well, except of a trembling left eyelid.

Not to be left out of the intial comments, Kelly Pantall holds onto her broom, bat, and, like everyone, gets very wet.

Following Gabriel out to the pitch, once she is finally coaxed into silence by him, Briony starts to fidget. Her broom in one hand, and the other hand shoved deep into her pocket, she shifts from foot to foot while glancing around at the rest of her team.

David Mildred is about as grumpy as the other teammates about the foul weather, and doesn’t mince her words about it. She is rather in a foul mood today, for no apparent reason, and twirls her bat around, ready to play with the bludgers and send them over to the opponents.

Keira Sanguine looks almost annoyed at the water as she makes her way out to the pitch, though the smirk on her lips seems to say that she might know a bit more than she’s letting on. Glancing behind her, the smirk fades as she realizes who is following her. She’s got to do well this game. She just has to.

“Doesn’t seem all that bad to me,” Riley murmurs, sincerely, as he drives his hands in to his pockets. Both of which are wrapped in suede gloves, so that the scars of his left hand don’t catch on the fabric of his robe pocket. “Could be worse. And they have ter play in the same muck.”

Usually easy-spirited, Bailey does not look quite so easy today. The conditions are not the best for Quidditch, especially not for the first game of the season, and, with only a glance to Tegan, he goes to stand next to David, holding his broom with a rather tight grip.

“Alright, let’s keep our formation close and I…ahm…want to see clean passes. Don’t give away quaffle possession to easily. Just like in the practices. We can do that!” Andy tries to encourage his fellow chasers, finishing with a weak clap and wrings out his robe for the first time. The match hasn’t even started yet and he’s wet to the bones already.

Keelan Walsh smiles, though the gesture is merely polite. “Well, it can’t be lovely weather all the time. Okay, Captains, lets get the handshake through so you can start this game, shall we?” She watches them, gives a small nod, and turns to open the box of Quidditch balls, folding up her umbrella and setting it down. A click releases the Snitch from it’s special holder, and away it flies into the rain. Then Keelan takes hold of the Quaffle and calls, “On your brooms?” before blowing the whistle and tossing it into the air to get the game started. A few moments later, the bludgers are released, and Keelan mounts her broom to watch for fouls.

Laney Abbott is in the air and traveling toward the Ravenclaw hoops at the sound of the whistle, and soon hovers before them, waiting for Chasers to come her way with a Quaffle to, hopefully, block.

Swing his broom from his shoulders and mounting it in one easy motion, Riley turns and nods to Tegan — communicating that he understood their practiced tactic of knight at dragon. He was the knight who defended his teammates, she was going to start off being the one who grabbed a bludger and attacked.,

Quincy Matthias and Kelly rise into the air and spread out a bit, wielding the bats and watching (or at least attemping to) for bludgers to hit at the Ravenclaw team.

Reaching out to shake Gabriel’s hand, Noémie doesn’t wait long before getting herself onto her broom afterward. “Alright, keep it clean, and play hard. Remember what we practiced, everyone,” Noémie tells her team and as soon as she hears the whistle, she flies upward, though not too high. She wants to see where the snitch goes, after all, so that she has more chance of catching it.

Biting his lower lip, Boyce takes off in to the air after mounting his broom — almost slipping off it from the rain. He seens to grow a bit more confident once in the air. He’s ready.

Gabe Goden shakes Noémie’s hand as she offers it and then turns to his team. “Er –” he pauses as Andy begins to tell the team a quick last minute pep talk. “What he said,” Gabe tacks on and hops onto his broom, keeping a close eye on Noémie, though his attempts to keep up with her are rather obvious.

Following his teammates, David kicks off the ground starts to take some speed, making a direct flight towards the quaffle, which he grabs deftly before flying towards the Gryffindor goals. He makes a silent nod at the other Ravenclaw chasers to indicate them to be ready for a pass should the need arise.

Flying upward, Keira makes an attempt at the quaffle which has been released. Reaching close to David, Keira‘s face is set and she reaches out with intent to blatantly steal the Quaffle from David, though this does cause her to lose balance a bit and she has to slow down in order to gain control over her broom again.

Andy mounts his broom and sets up to shoot for the quaffle once it’s tossed up into the air. He sees the ball flying upwards and accelerates, but doesn’t reach it, since David has been more agile this time. Andy orientates again and chases the Ravenclaw.

Making her way up to the goals, it is not long before there is a small crowd headed toward her, and Briony looks almost fearful as she rubs her left wrist carefully, biting her lips while she gets situated more carefully in front of the goals, at a slight slant rather than straight on.

Nodding in silent agreement with Riley, Tegan pushes her broom forward and flies directly towards the nearest bludger, which she sends towards the pack of Chasers going after David, notably Andy.

Tobias gets into the air and hesitates a bit to go for the quaffle, since Andy and Keira are already racing for it. He stays back, turns around and is flying in front of David now, trying to guess where he is going.

Rising up quickly, Bailey is too slow to even be in contention to get the quaffle. This time, however, it appears as if a Ravenclaw has gotten it, and this bolsters Bailey a bit. Making his way down the pitch in an attempt to catch up, he swerves wide around Keira as she slows down and reaches out with an arm to let David know that he is currently open.

Kelly swoops in and knocks a bludger toward a streak of blue that will probably turn out to be Boyce, while Quincy takes flight, however slowly, toward the sound of another bat cracking, in order to attempt to intercept the other bludger, though he doesn’t yet.

Boyce Gardener moves notices Bailey postion himself and moves further up field to provide Bailey a passing lane ad possibly an attempt a a score., moving at a moderately quick speed but holding a fair amount of control. He is completely ignorant of the bludger sailing at him.

Feeling that the Gryffindor chasers are getting a bit too close to him, David makes a pass at Bailey, before continuing towards the goals to prepare the field for another pass.

Not being aware of Bailey, Andy stays behind David, coming nearer inch by inch he is now at his heels, but still not able to reach for the quaffle. As David passes, Andy notices that he’ll only be able to cover the Ravenclaw now. Bailey is too far away already.

Reaching out with his hands wide, Bailey makes a clean catch and begins to fly forward in an effort to catch up to Boyce. The older boy swerves a bit and then flies in to toss the quaffle to the younger chaser as he crosses in front, making his way diagonally away for a moment before coming back behind David and making his way around to hover behind a bit, in case the quaffle needs to be passed out again.

Riley, however, is very aware of the bludger that has been hurtled toward Bailey. Laying low on his broom in an attempt to keep the rain from blinding him, he darts foreward. Reaching out with his bat, he bunts the bludger away from Boyce almost at the last moment, before wheeling back and hitting it toward Keira. Though his aim isn’t dead on, exactly, it’s a right sight more sharp than last year, and definately sail in the general direction of his hopefully distracted target,

Seeing David’s pass, Tobias tries to intercept the ball, but it’s too well thrown, so that his finger just get the quaffle’s gust. He dashes down to hassle Bailey now, but too late, another pass he could not reach. “Keira, watch out!” Tobias points at the bludger and keeps flying next to Bailey, to cover him.

Shrieking a bit, Keira turns her broom and tries to get out of the way of the bludger, finding this difficult as her broom hasn’t quite calmed down yet, and her broom is stuttering a bit as she tries to out-fly the metal orb. “You bloody beaters! Get over here and hit this confounded thing at those bloody Ravenclaw!” Several more sentences, riddled with obscenities follow and the girl’s face gets quite red while she tries to get control of her broom still.

Quincy Matthias is in the path of the bludger at last and aims it with a powerful crack of bat-on-ball back toward the Ravenclaw Chasers with a grunt. Kelly flies for the other bludger, a bit peeved that Riley redirected it.

Freed of the bludger he’d not realized he had, Boyce catches the quaffle on the tips of his fingers, nearly dropping it a few times because of his slick it was, and making his flight briefly jerky. He manages to get himself relatively under control, however, arching up as he comes at the hoops, before diving and trying to shoot over Briony’s head, hoping for a quick score.

Deciding to let her role as the dragon aside for a while, Tegan flies towards the chasers to prevent the bludger from hitting them. She is still a bit away from it, so she does not reach it immediately, but flies there the best she can.

Rhian says, “The captains come into the center of the pitch and shake hands before both teams are called to their brooms. Professor Walsh waits until they are ready before releasing the Quaffle, the two Bludgers and the Snitch. With the toss of the Quafle, Mildred is quick on his broom and manages to catch it. Ravenclaw has first possesion this game as they head down toward Wexler who waits at the goals she is guarding. Pantall manages to get to one of the Bludgers and hits it over at Gardner, who seems totally oblivious to it. The Ravenclaw Chasers seem in good form as Mildren passes the Quaffle to Williams and Williams in turn tosses it to Gardner.”

Kelly takes care of the bludger again, calling something out to Keira that is lost in the sound of the rain and noise of Quidditch, while Quincy tries (poorly) to keep pace with Tegan and prevent her hitting the other.

Reaching up with both hands as the Quaffle is tossed at her, Briony manages, for once, an easy block. The block is easy, but the catch is not, and she fumbles with it for a moment before getting a good grip on it. Tossing it outward, she aims it to Andy without a word, though a grunt does ensue.

David Mildred groans as well, but for another reason, as he sees that the quaffle has been blocked. He immediately starts to chase Andy, hoping to get the quaffle from his hands.

Rhian says, “Markham manages to notice the Bludger flying after Gardner and hits it away back over to Sanguine. However, Gardner is having a slight issue with the Quaffle while he flies. Mattias takes the other Bludger and hits it in general at the Ravenclaw Chasers, though Tegan is attempting to protect her team’s Chasers. Pantall goes after the Bludger that is chasing Sanguine, attempting to keep it away from the Chaser. Gardner, now in the clear, attempts to score… But is stopped by Wexler, but it is only batted to Carver to head down back the other way.”

A short smile brightens on Andy‘s face, as Briony saves the first shot and gets a hold of the Quaffle. Flying for a second, then seeking one of his fellow chasers, Andy finds Keira at his side and instantly flings the Quaffle to the girl, noticing David behind him. Andy then performs a hard turn, to force David to slow down and get Keira an advantage.

Finally reaching the iron ball which was flying towards the Ravenclaw chasers, Tegan swings her bat and sends the bludger towards Keira. “Take that!”

Tobias slows down and lets his broom drop a bit to avoid the crowded field. He shoots forward and heaves up again, so that he finds himself in front of Keira now.

For a moment, Noémie thinks she’s spotted the snitch. While she begins to fly toward the gold fleck that she thinks she has seen, it is a moment before she realizes that she has a bludger following her, and her course is altered in order to avoid the orb that is hot on her tail. “Riley, Tegan! Someone” she shrieks in a rather undignified fashion, flying downward through the action in hopes of losing it.

Rhian says, “Pantall finally got the bludger that was after Sanguine away, and now it heads off to Ribouet, give the Seeker something to do until the Snitch is spotted. Meanwhile, Mattias is trying to stop Madison from getting at the other Bludger, but she manages to get it away over at Sanguine, who just recently got the Quaffle from Carver. Carver is trying a nice move though of attempting to block Mildred from persuing Sanguine as she barrels her way to Abbott.”

David Mildred narrowly escapes a collision with Andy Carver as the Gryffindor does a reckless turn right in front of him, and dives to avoid him. He lets out a shout of rage as he does so. Keira is already far from her, but noticing the bludger flying towards her, he decides to anticipate her (very likely) pass to Tobias and flies directly towards him instead.

It takes Riley a few moments to divine the location the bludger, having heard the sound of a bat striking it, but unable to see it for all the rain. Sailing upward quickly, he chases after Noémie — not quite able to keep up with her in all the rain and wind (he did have more wind resistance, naturally). But he could get close enough to send that bludger away. His aim is off, though, for the angle he had to strike it. It sails off in no particular direction toward friend or foe.

Keelan Walsh pulls up short on his broom to change direction, sweating a bit even with the rain coming down. He and his broom are not the fastest on the field, and it’s likely that the bludger will inflitrate the Chasers before he makes it. Kelly remains, for the moment, on the lookout rather than the offense, thanks to the rain unable to see the result of her last hit.

Quincy Matthias pulls up short on his broom to change direction, sweating a bit even with the rain coming down. He and his broom are not the fastest on the field, and it’s likely that the bludger will inflitrate the Chasers before he makes it. Kelly remains, for the moment, on the lookout rather than the offense, thanks to the rain unable to see the result of her last hit.

Laney Abbott starts to get a bit more nervous as she squints through the rain and detects scarlet blurrs moving toward the Ravenclaw end of the pitch. She begins to bob vaguely in place on her broom and her grip tightens around the handle.

What has she done to get the bludgers flying toward her today? Keira Sanguine has only barely managed to get the Quaffle secured under her arm and started on her way to the Ravenclaw goals before another bludger is directed at her. Looking over her shoulder, she checks to see if there are any other Chasers available, before she notices Tobias in front of her. Chucking the Quaffle quickly, with a shout of “HERE!” Keira swears a little more and veers away so as not to direct the bludger to Tobias.

Beginning to grin as his bet has paid off, David begins to chase Tobias, closing in to him as every second goes by. Had he gone for Keira after his near-miss with Andy, he wouldn’t be so close to the Gryffindor chaser as he is now… David has good hopes to at least bother him a good bit if he tries to throw the quaffle.

Tobias looks over his shoulder and receives Keira’s well-metered pass. He zooms up into the zone, heading for the left hoop and attempts a score. He dekes to puzzle the keeper, but notes David then and flies out of the zone again, throwing the Quaffle to Andy.

Making his way down the pitch, Bailey seems to think it a good idea to stay close to Andy now that David has gone after Keira, leaving Boyce to follow Tobias. As the Quaffle is tossed to Andy, Bailey sees his opportunity, and flies forward a bit, as well as his broom will let him. This is just in time, as he manages to get a grip onto the red orb, turning quickly and flying as fast as his broom will take him in the other direction. He is headed straight for the Gryffindor hoops with the slick ball.

Quincy Matthias is belatedly in the fray and with a very wet smack, sends the Bludger flying in the opposite direction, hopefully scattering at least some of the Ravenclaw Chasers, now that they’ve recovered the Quaffle. Kelly scans the skies for the other and zips toward it, sending the Bludger toward the Ravenclaws as well.

Seeing Bailey crossing in front of him, Andy‘s flying becomes unstable and he can’t avoid him stealing the ball from Gryffindor. Changing into defensive mode again, he shoots away to follow Bailey and gets a hand on the Quaffle, pulling at it.

Noticing the smooth work done by Bailey, Boyce does his best to tag Tobias and prevent him to follow the Ravenclaw chaser and intercept the quaffle.

Rhian says, “Markham manages to get the Bludger away from Ribouet with ease, but where it went, I don’t know… Matthias has also managed to get the other bludger away from the Gryffindor Chasers while Sanguine tosses the Quaffle to Raleigh. Raleigh now takes a chance to pass it to Carver, but wait… Williams has managed to intercept the Quaffle and the field now turns around to head to the Gryffindor goals.”

Gabe curses loudly as Ravenclaw gets hold of the Quaffle again, and the Gryffindor pulls her broom around, making a hard turn to try to follow down to the other end of the pitch in an attempt to retrieve the quaffle for her own team and scoring.

Keira curses loudly as Ravenclaw gets hold of the Quaffle again, and the Gryffindor pulls her broom around, making a hard turn to try to follow down to the other end of the pitch in an attempt to retrieve the quaffle for her own team and scoring.

A second later, David turns his broom and flies in Andy’s direction, attempting to hinder him and prevent him from catching up with Bailey.

Tobias slows down and ponders if he should go and dive into the bunch of chasers, threatened by both bludgers or wait where he is to receive a pass, should Andy really get the quaffle from Bailey.

The situation is a bit dire for the Ravenclaw chasers, since the two bludgers are directed towards them. Noding to Tegan, Riley Markham decides to take the bludger, which he reaches easily enough. The bludger is sent away from the pack of chasers in a matter of seconds. On her side, Tegan has more difficulties to catch the other bludger, and reaches it just as it was going to hit David, but as she does so, she prevents him from tagging Andy correctly and nearly collides into the Ravenclaw boy.

Tugging back at the Quaffle as Andy attempts to grab it back from him, Bailey growls a little and says something rather unintelligible as he tries to fly over a bit, pulling both the quaffle and his broom at once while he yanks again, finding this difficult due to the wetness of the Quaffle.

Andy pulls and turns the Quaffle in Bailey’s arms and hands. A tough opponent, as Andy isn’t the strongest of boys after all. But then his arms slips through and prises the ball out of the Ravenclaw’s grasp. A quick look and the Quaffle is on it’s way to Tobias again, who seems to have been sleeping at the zoneline.

Back and forth, back and forth! Keira turns around again and makes a rather sour comment under her breath before yelling, “Make up your confounded minds!” The chaser makes her way back down the pitch and pushes her auburn hair out of her face, looking quite irritated.

Rhian says, “The two Gryffindor Beaters seemt o have a vengence for the Ravenclaws as both Bludgers are sent to the Ravenclaw Chasers. Gardner attempts to block Raleigh from following while Mildred tries the same thing with Carver, but it fails as Carver tries to steal the Quaffle away from Willaims. With this rain, it seems overly difficult to keep a good grip, and it seems that it succeeded as Carver pulls the Quaffle from Williams and tosses it to Raleigh, the closest to the goal.”

The Quaffle is pried away from him as just as a bludger connects with the Ravenclaw’s leg. “AUGH!” he shouts loudly and grabs his leg. This prevents Bailey, at least for the moment, from following the group of chasers who have turned and headed toward his goals while he — rather babyishly — rubs his leg, his eyes pricking with tears, though he’s not about to show them.

A bit surprised Tobias prepares for the catch, does well and whirls around towards the Ravenclaw hoops. Maybe his first goal for Gryffindor, today? With a small groan he tosses the Quaffle towards an empty ring, hoping that the keeper won’t get it at that speed.

Quincy Matthias gives momentary chase to the Bludger, hitting it neatly toward Noémie, while Kelly guards of her own group of Chasers, intentionally or not, in case a Bludger heads their way.

Laney Abbott‘s lips have been moving at a nervous under-toned mumble for the last few moments, as if the rain weren’t distracting enough, and so she doesn’t move fast enough, and the Quaffle soars past her outstretched hands through the hoop, bringing bright red splotches to the Keeper’s cheeks.

Letting out a loud “WHOOP!” as she hears the clang from the other end of the pitch, Briony seems to be ready to jump up and off of her broom. The game, however, is not over, as the Seekers are both still prowling about, flying this way and that, and Briony does not move off of her broom, instead, getting situated to prepare for another shot, should it come.

Rhian says, “Raleign manages to get the Quaffle, and before anyone can stop him, he turns around and tosses it to the goals. Abbott can’t seem to get there fast enough and Gryffindor scores… It is now Gryffindor-10, Ravenclaw-0. Though the game isn’t over yet… Williams has gotten in the leg with one of the Bludgers while the other one seems to be going after Ribouet once more.”

Riley Markham glances a few differant ways, trying to make out shapes in the rain that had long since gave up trying to sting his eyes in a more worthwhile pursuit of hoping to freeze them. The bludger, however, can hardly be missed as it sails past his head directly toward Noémie. Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Riley grabs his broom, pulls up, and gives the cannonball chase.

Unclenching his teeth again after the loud scoring sound, Andy throws his hands into the air. “Yes! Great shot, Raleigh!” He backs up again to be ready for more chasing and scoring.

“I scored.” Tobias looks into his empty hands and to the score board. Then he flies back again to set up for defending.

Boyce Gardener swoops in behind the Gryffindor hoops, snatching up quaffle (much more easily than the last time) and looping back hard — Bailey and David both seemed rather close, but he didn’t reckon he could he bank hard enough in the rain without falling off his broom to give himself a good go at it. Chosing between the two, Bailey and David — Boyce tosses the quaffle to David, trying to put himself in the airway enough to set up a pick for David to have a clear shot if he catches the red ball.

Having fully recovered now from his pain — or at least put it aside — Bailey makes his way around just in time to see a score go through for Gryffindor. A sour look crosses his face at this and he turns, flying toward the middle of the pitch and pausing as Boyce comes down. At the pass, he flies forward more, making his way toward the other hoops. They’ve got to even up!

Approaching Bailey again, Andy tries to cover the zone between him and David to prevent a pass to this Ravenclaw chaser.

Catching the quaffle, David quickly assesses the situation and the position of the chasers –both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. And then, he darts towards the Gryffindor goals, choosing not the direct path (which would probably sent him straight towards the Gryffindors) but choosing the right side of the pitch instead.

Heading for Bailey first, then trailing off towards David, Tobias tries to reach the Ravenclaw, but it’s still a long way to go. He didn’t see Andy on Bailey’s other side and lost a good amount of time, now.

Keira Sanguine flies down, a grin on her face. Sure, she doesn’t like her teammates, but it’s still her team, and a win for Gryffindor is a win for her. She tries to catch up to David, but her broom appears to have a bit of a stuttering problem, likely due to the rain, or perhaps her issues at the start just persisting on, and she has trouble catching up, especially as he swerves out to an alternative path.

It takes Riley a fair bit of effort to catch up to the bludger chasing Noémie — especially considering how graceful and fast Noémie could fly, even in adverse conditions. He was no slouch in the flying department, it was his best strength. But in this weather, it was killing him. Swinging, aming as best he can, he tries to arch the bludger at Keira. His bat begins to slip out of his hand, though, as he swings — and the bludger takes off in Gabe’s direction, instead.

The golden snitch has come into Gabe‘s view! He flies downward in pursuit of the little golden ball which e has only barely been able to see. The rain seems to have let up some and he makes his way downward, downward, making it only slightly closer to the little orb as it continues to stay just out of reach while he begins his chase.

Deciding to give the Gryffindors something else to think about than the quaffle, and cursing herself for having allowed a bludger to hit one of the Ravenclaw chasers, Tegan goes after the other bludger, which she intends to send after Andy. At the last minute, though, she notices Gabe’s dive and sends it against him instead.

Rhian says, “Ravenclaw heads back to the other end of the Quidditch Pitch with the Gryffindors chasing them. Markham manages to intercept a Bludger that was going after Ribouet, but turns and sends it toward Sanguine… What is this, seems that Goden has caught sight of the Snitch and has begun the chase. Madison has spotted this and sends the Bludger near her his way to try and change his attention and to loose the Snitch.”

The bludger, this time, doesn’t even register to Noémie as she spots Gabriel beginning to fly quickly downward. Flying before she even begins looking for it, it doesn’t take Noémie long to catch up to the younger boy, and she is flying neck-and-neck with him, her hand outstretched as if she is to be able to reach the little ball before he will. The snitch swerves this way and that, up and down, and it appears as if this chase is not about to stop soon.

Noticing that Bailey was totally covered by Andy, David has no option but doing the job himself. He approaches to the Gryffindor hoops the best he can, pretends throwing the quaffle towards the rightmost hoop but sends it to the middle hoop instead…

Bumping into Noémie a little — on accident, he promises! — Gabe makes a sharp turn as the snitch does, and overshoots it a bit in his excitement at being so close to possibly winning. His broom does not turn quite as well as he would like back, though he tries to catch up to the snitch and Noémie.

Keelan Walsh and Kelly almost simultaneously spot the double bludgers heading toward their Seeker and take off through the rain to try and stop them. Kelly, faster, arrives first and manages to deflect the Bludger, but Quincy is trailing behind.

Quincy Matthias and Kelly almost simultaneously spot the double bludgers heading toward their Seeker and take off through the rain to try and stop them. Kelly, faster, arrives first and manages to deflect the Bludger, but Quincy is trailing behind.

Reaching up as the Quaffle comes her way, Briony makes an attempt to catch it, but the Quaffle’s slickness does not help, and it flies through the hoop behind her. Briony does not look pleased at this, and scowls a bit as she retrieves the Quaffle, tossing it out to Tobias harshly.

Rhian says, “After some jostling, the Ravenclaw Chasers make their way down the pitch and right in front of Wexler. Mildred attempts to score, faking to one hoop and trying for the other. Wexler misses and Ravenclaw scores! It is now tied at 10 a piece. Bludgers are still flying around though as both Goden and Ribouet fly after the Snitch. Goben almost had it there, but seems to have missed.”"

Noémie hears the clang, but she doesn’t even know who it’s for as she reaches out, despite the jostling, and closes her fingers around the golden snitch. The little ball goes limp in her hands and its wings fold up again as Noémie holds it above her head triumphantly. The sixth year pushes her water saturated hair out of her face and flies down to the pitch quickly, hopping off of her broom and then holding both broom and snitch in the air in celebration. They’d won!

So close, and yet, so far. Gabe Goden flies down to the pitch, having nearly managed to get his hand around it before Noémie but not quite making it. He flies down to the pitch and looks up at his team, a bit disappointedly, before sighing. The captain doesn’t even wait for his team to come down before he makes his way off of the pitch, bound for the locker rooms. A nice warm shower sounds about right for the fourth year captain.

Rhian says, “Ribouet has caught the Snitch. Ravenclaw has won the first game of the year, and are on their way to a wonderful streak to trying to keep the Quidditch Cup. Final score is Ravenclaw-160, Gryffindor-10. Now what do you say to getting out of the rain everyone?”

Keelan Walsh blows her whistle signifying the end of play, and with less terseness then usual congratulates anyone who goes by as she collects the balls and returns them to their box.

Feeling quite disappointed, Briony flies down and lands soon after Gabriel has. She waits just a moment, intent to see how Kelly had done — after all, Briony couldn’t be watching the Beaters the whole game, could she? — and see if perhaps they had at least bruised up some of the Ravenclaws well enough. After she has caught up to Kelly, the girl makes her way slowly off of the pitch, whether Kelly is following her or not.

Riley cheers from his place Noémie lands, throwing his arms in to the air and whooping. “Yeah, Raaaveeenclaaaw!” Drifting down toward ground, pleased as hell to be done zipping around a too-cold sky in too-wet rain, Rilet leaps off his broom and cheers. Those practices had paid off. “YES!”

David cheers loudly, both for the ten points he managed to score than for the victory of the team, and quickly lands to celebrate with the other members of his team.

Boyce Gardener lands not from Riley, grinning and cheering “Yeth! Yeth!” Clapping Riley hard on the back, he walks over to congratulate Noémie on her catching the snitch. His first victory with the team.

Catching the quaffle as it is thrown to him, Tobias has only a moment to fly toward Ravenclaw goal before he hears that the snitch has been caught, and not even by his team. His disappointment is apparent as he flies down and hands the Quaffle over to Keelan, making his way inward. Perhaps he can talk shop with Gabe in the lockers.

Tegan Madison shakes her fist in the air. “YESSS!” she squeals, happy that Ravenclaw has won, and lands near Riley, David and Boyce. “Congratulations, everyone!”

Letting out a stream of obscenities, Keira Sanguine makes her way down to the pitch, looking sourly at the Ravenclaws, and then stomping towards the lockers. That no good Wexler, and that confounded Goden and Raleigh and Carver and Matthias, all of them were worthless. Yes, even Raleigh. The girl doesn’t head to the lockers with the rest of them, instead deciding to head into the commonroom and the girls’ bathrooms.

Cheering with the rest of his team for a moment, Bailey grins widely. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to go get dried off and head to the commons! I heard there’s going to be a wild party!” Without another word, the boy trots inside, waving a fist joyously above his head.

Quincy Matthias rather dejectedly, and with a good deal of squelching, dismounts and heads off to shower(as if being wetter was at all useful) or at the very least to dry off and sulk in the Common Room with everyone else.

Laney Abbott feels some of the good spirit at winning, though her only role in this sodden game was to let Gryffindor score. As such, her jubilation at her first Quidditch game being a win is tinged with self-mockery, evident with the rather closed expression of her eyes as she avoids the team and stalks off of the pitch, murmuring vague pleasantries that sound rather forced if anyone addresses her.

Grinning at her team, her demeanor much improved from the start of the match, Noémie looks quite pleased now. “Good work, everybody! We played beautifully!” Hearing Bailey’s comment, though, her attention strays toward the castle. “A party sounds about right, don’t you think?” the girl tells her team. “Come on, let’s celebrate!” Striding over to hand the snitch over to Keelan, Noémie turns, then, and runs inside. She doesn’t even stop along the way, instead going to the commonroom dripping wet. What’s a little detention in light of this cause for celebration?

Rhian Brecon is off to the side of the library, having managed to get permission to hold this here. She has a couple of tables set up that she can use, chairs on one side of a table, with a large space between the two, and a few on the opposite side of the second table. The Seventh Year is sitting at the table with the less amount of chairs, a few parchments and a quill in front of her. On the other table, in front of each of the chairs is a piece of parchment as well, some writing on them, but turned face down so that they can’t be read.

Skipping down the hall, Briony Wexler stops just before the entrance to the library and pauses, glancing around as several others make their way in. The third year gryffindor pulls on the ends of her sleeves which appear to have become too short for her in some way — perhaps a growth spurt? — recently, and she makes her way into the area of tables and sitting down in front of one of the bits of parchment. Now what could this be? Briony doesn’t say a word, however, though she wiggles a bit in her seat while looking around at those filtering in.

Rhian Brecon notices people come in and settle down at the table. When a few people start to pick up the parchment to read it, she speaks up. “Not yet, that’s for later. Just leave it alone and you’ll get your chance to read it. Wait for everyone to arrive so I can give instructions all at once.” Once it seems that most people have arrived that signed up, she starts to go through her list of sign-ups to make sure everyone is there and ready to go on the Saturday afternoon. “Before we start, are there any questions that any of you wish to ask? Other than how this will work?”

Glancing around with a bit of a smirk at those who have started to fuss with their parchment, Briony turns her attention forward as Rhian begins speaking. Without saying a word, she merely shakes her head in response to the statement inquiring about any questions the group of them might have, and she sits up a bit, though there is really no need for the girl to appear any taller, and folds her hands in front of her, looking as alert as she can.

Just as Rhian begins addressing the students, James Addams walks in from the hallway. James mutters noisily and looks around the square room. He finds the group of students and strides over to sit with them. Just as he sits, James mutters, “Snotty little first years, you know I don’t think we were ever ” He sighs. “Sorry, continue on,” he says with an exsasperated look on his face.

Rhian Brecon nods when James comes in. “Welcome Mr. Addams. We were just about to start, so don’t worry too much. Anyway, welcome everyone to the auditions for Quidditch Announcer for at least next year, and hopefully all the years after until you graduate. I will not gaurentee only one of you will be picked today, and training will continue through the year. Now the way this will work is the parchment in front of you has a sequence of events in Quidditch that can happen in a game. You will be given a few moments to read the sequence a couple of times and then you are to verbal tell those events as if it was a Quidditch match. No shouting as we’re in the library, but a regular voice will do just fine, though with whatever enthusaism you wish to use. Each one is different for each person, and we’ll just go down the line. Any questions?”

“Ooooh,” Briony emits quietly and leans forward a bit. While Rhian speaks, she appears rapt, glancing only a moment at James as he makes his way in. The girl bites her lip and then shoots her hand up into the air and picking one leg up and sitting on it while she waves her hand up in the air, trying to catch attention without saying anything out loud.

James sits forward, and stares at Rhian as she speaks. He glanced at the parchment for a moment and sat still after she ceased talking, where he turned his attention rather on Briony, with her hand straight in the air.

Rhian Brecon can’t help but smile at Briony as she seems eager to ask her question. “Yes Miss Wexler?” she leans against the table as she was standing in the middle of the two tables.

“Are we going alphabetical, or randomly?” Briony asks, her hand still in the air. It is while she waits for her answer that she finally pulls her arm down and leans on the table in front of her with both elbows, propping her chin up on her hand.

Rhian Brecon shakes her head. “No, we’re going to go down the table. Starting…. there,” she points to her left, the edge closest to Briony. “Let’s get started.” She goes around her table and sits down, quill ready to take notes as she listens to the applicants.

Nodding as Rhian informs her of this and sits down fully on her rear, looking as a few people go before her, feeling incredibly thankful that she doesn’t have to go first, so that she can at least see how others are doing before she goes for her own turn, standing up and looking down at the parchment for a moment before she picks it up and looks it over. Taking a deep breath, apparently to calm her nerves, Briony looks up at Rhian, and then back down at her parchment. “Okay.” Another breath. “Smithy makes a throw to Hamner, but what’s this? Townes has intercepted it! He promptly tosses it to Pritches, who catches is and begins to fly toward his team’s goal. Tigera has hit a bludger at Townes and it connects! Townes appears to have been injured, but is still on his broom! Kitties has hit a bludger at Smithy in the meantime, but it misses and Smithy is unharmed! Pritches hands off to Guardia and they make their way to the hoops. Oh, it looks like Knockes has spotted the snitch! Knockes continues to chase the snitch around the pitch while Guardia attempts to score on the hoops. Dartan manages a block, preventing a score!” Pausing as she finishes, Briony looks at Rhian for a moment, and then flops back into her seat, rather red-faced as she looks back down at her parchment.

Rhian Brecon listens to everyone as she goes down the table, always telling them they did very nicely. As she listens, she takes notes on the person, mainly her opinions, and perhaps where they can improve. When Briony goes, she does the same as she listens to them. Each of the parchments are indeed different so that the ones later on cannot practice the same routine and try to outdo the last ones. When the young Gryffindor is done, she nods. “Very good Miss Wexler,” she says with an encouraging smile before moving onto the next one. When everyone is done, she finishes her notes and nods. “Alright. Thank you everyone for coming. I will be sending personal notes in the next few days to each of you to tell you if you have made it or not. Again, thank you all for coming, enjoy the rest of the day.”

Nodding as Rhian dismisses them, Briony waits a moment and then hops up quickly, pulling at her sleeves again and slowly making her way out of the library. She giggles as a girl behind her starts to whine about her own set of plays to announce was poorly written as she had stumbled over them, but the gryffindor says nothing, skipping a bit as she makes her way back to her commonroom to tell her friends the news.

Keelan Walsh is standing on the platform, covered in robes that seem impervious to the rain that falls thickly from the sky. “First year students, please, this way!” She swings about a lantern, held high over her already considerably tall head, to emphasize her location. “Everyone else, the carriages are–over there!” Indeed, the carriages are lit rather warmly, as though they’ve been fitted with heating for the particularly blustery weather this Sorting day. “Come on, first years! We’ve got a lovely trip planned for you.” If being drowned from above while floating across an icy lake in the dark could possibly be considered fun.

Kara Raine hopes off the train, turning back to wave towards Rhyne. “Good luck! See you at the feast.” Glancing around, the second year tries to stay up with her fellow Ravenclaws, trying to see where they need to go next. No boat for her this year.

Alden Wexler hardly seems to notice the rain as Keelan calls out for the first years — quite despite the fact that in a little under a few moments, the poor boy in new school robes is throughly soaked, head to foot. Without a word, he does as instructed, following Keelan along the way.

Ugh, rain. Olivia sighs and pulls her hood up carefully, tucking her hair back into the hood as best she can, though the water has not done nice things to it. “I’m glad we’re finally here,” she comments to Evan, making her way to the carriage and stepping into one several down.

Exiting the train, Evan pauses after a few steps to hear Keelan’s familiar voice and watch the first years begin to separate. He looks in particular for one first year boy; upon spotting the child confidently walking off toward Keelan with a few others, he hurries to follow Olivia into the carriage.

Riley Markham throws a somewhat cold look up at the Faculty table as he enters the Great Hall — wine red hair soaking wet despite his brief exposure to the rain. His expression is nothing short of rageful as it falls upon the Headmistress, before he flops down at the Ravenclaw table with a dark, dark hiss.

(Ravenclaw) Interested in every single student, that enters the hall, Kassandra sits down at the Ravenclaw table, greeting her housemates she has not met in the train and waving here and there to her entering acquaintances.

(Ravenclaw) “Hello everyone!” Bubbling with excitement, Kara Raine dances in and takes a seat at her house table, calling out greetings to various friends. She sits down amid a group of second years, immersing herself in tales of trips taken on holidays and the differences between being a first and second year.

(Ravenclaw) With a remarkably sour look on his face, Riley flops down across from Noémie and next to Saphia, immediately pouring himself a pumpkin juice with enough force that cracks his goblet. His waist-length hair clings to his face and cloak, and his wrinkled robes drip with almost casual disdain. Naturally, drying himself would be a simple feat, but he seems to cling to the cold water, almost as if making a point to the Headmistress sitting at the faculty table, who is waggling her fingers at Riley with an amused grin.

(Ravenclaw) Rhian Brecon took care of how wet she was as soon as she entered the school, really quickly. She sits down with the other Ravenclaws and smiles. This is it… her last year here… Last sorting she’ll get to see, among the last feasts she’ll go to, and the start of the last nine months to hang out with her fellow Ravenclaws… Unfortunately, two of her best friends are no longer here, graduated at the start of the summer, among them, her boyfriend. This is going to be a long year.

Entering later than the other faculty, Astra wipes her hands nervously on her robes. Hurrying up to the table, she doesn’t greet anyone or even Arriving at the faculty table; she walks around behind it and takes her seat.

Keelan Walsh leads the firt years out of the Waiting Room, most of them still soaking wet, Keelan herself strangely dry as she removes a ridiculously large cloak. Up she goes toward the head of the room, darting a glance at the other faculty with a ‘And why do I have to do this?’ look on her face. Then there’s a brief smile as she disappears off to the side. Returning, she carries with her the age-old stool (although it’s sturdy) with an ages-older rumbled bit of hat. This is set down in front of the Faculty table and she steps aside, clasping her hands silently in front of herself.

Fern Featherstone follows after Keelan. Her upper teeth press gently against her thin lower lip as she attempts to control her nerves, while looking over the room from beneath the curtain of her sparse lashes. She then tilts her narrow chin and looks up toward the ceiling. A gasp is heard, but Fern stubbornly and with much pride tries to control her vocal and trembling reaction. When the hat begins to sing, she looks upon it with a nervous kind of suspicion. She then looks toward the other first years, waiting to see what how they respond before stepping into a line.

Alden Wexler widens his eyes at that last line — no matter how composed a young boy appears about the process of Sorting — the notion of possibly being bitten by a old, dirty hat raises a hint of alarm as regards the patched bit of leather on the stool from the end of the line of first years. Still, he remains quiet, hands clasped in front of him, regaining his composure with a small shake of his head that sends droplets raining in a meager arch around him.

Keelan Walsh unclasps her hands and produces from a pocket a thick role of parchment. Unfurling it a bit, she repeats the instructions, “When I call your name, step up and place the hat upon your head, please. Peering through her spectacles at the first name, her voice comes, a bit unsteady, truth be told. “Castle, Rhyne!”

“I’m going to be in Slytherin, I know it,” Satinka tells Seker in a quiet whisper as she crosses her arms. Her voice is stronger and more certain than the look on her face would have one believe, but the girl appears rather focussed on the old-looking hat that sits nearby and then glances to Keelan. “Oh, I wonder where he’ll be sorted,” she comments and watches with interest as the first name is called.

Rhyne Castle makes his way to the Sorting Hat and settles it firmly on his head, doing his best to project more confidence than he actually feels. He waits in silent anticipation for the hat’s verdict.

(Ravenclaw) Kara Raine waves as Dolly joins the table, turning back quickly to listen to the sorting hat. She cheers loudly as the song finishes, quieting quickly as she waits for the sorting, trying to watch for the first year who shared a train compartment with her earlier.

Rhyne Castle blinks, owlishly, as he removes the hat, looking just a little bit bewildered. Although the bemused expression doesn’t fade entirely, it is joined by something at least resembles pleasure, and he puts on a more-or-less convincing smile as he goes to join his new housemates.

Falling into line behind Satinka, Seker only nods and watches nervously as Rhyne is sorted. “I met him in Hogsmeade,” comments Seker after a moment, clapping as the boy is declared a Ravenclaw. “Well, it looks easy,” Seker notes, sighing.

Fern Featherstone shifts her slight weight from one narrow foot to another as she stands in the line. She watches as Rhyne is sorted, seemingly slightly less nervous now. Her thin lips curve into the ghost of a smile. She then glances between Satinka and Seeker, clearly listening to their words.

“It didn’t hurt him, it looks like. Looks kind of easy. All you have to do is wear it. I wonder what it does. Do you suppose it just randomly picks, or if it really does decide based on, well, how you are?” Satinka whispers back, watching for the next name to be called while Rhyne makes his way to Ravenclaw table.

Keelan Walsh calls out, “Cowper, Jason,” who takes approximately four seconds before the hat calls, “Gryffindor!” and then Keelan calls another Ravenclaw, then a Slytherin and “Featherstone, Fern!”

Alden Wexler applaudes politely as Rhyne Castle is sorted in to Ravenclaw, squinting a little as the newly sorted student removes the hat as if he might actually be able to see if the leathery bit of rag actually had teeth or not to carry out the threatened biting.

Fern Featherstone approaches the hat with tentative steps, suggesting that the slender girl is rather shy. Still she throws back her narrow shoulders and lifts her dainty chin, as if trying to display a bit of pride. She reaches for the hat, while frowning with distaste in response to its ragged appearance. She then places it upon her head, leaving her lank ragged dark locks to cascade against her shoulders. Her breath quivers in the hollow of her pale slender throat, as she awaits the sorting and her small form is tense, as she sits still, silent and statue like.

(Ravenclaw) Dolly Faeden gives out a heavily-accented cheer as not one but two Ravenclaws are Sorted early on. “Good job!” calls the redhead down the table at Rhyne and the other new student, just as her stomach gives a bit of a gurgle. Ahem. “Hush,” she tells it, blushing a bit. At least she’s not still throwing her underpants about and accusing people of being transgendered.

Keelan Walsh claps a bit awkwardly and briefly and then continues on with two Hufflepuffs, another Gryffindor, “Linwood, Patricia!” who goes to Gryffindor as well, a Ravenclaw followed by a Slytherin and two Gryffindors and then, with a smirk, Keelan announces, “Rathe, Satinka!”

“There’s no way it’s random, are you joking me?” Seker whispers in an incredulous tone to his sister. “Haven’t you heard of the families who all get into one house, no fail?” Seker questions, crossing his arms. “No, it’s got to read your mind or something,” he says with determination, though clapping idly. “We’ll be joining her in a few minutes, hopefully,” Seker says, watching the girl go to sit down. “Go!” Seker says suddenly.

Looking startled, Satinka lets out a gasp as her name is called, and glances back at her brother, walking to the stool with unusual caution. Hesitating a moment, she looks at the hat, and then picks it up, simultaneously plopping it on her head while sitting quickly onto the stool. She bites her lip and closes her eyes up tight, seeming to be in deep conversation, or else in deep pain while she wears the illustrious hat.

With very little pause, Keelan announces, “Rathe, Seker!” as if she really needed to emphasize that he was next in line.

Still taking deep breaths, Seker does smile as his sister is sorted, nodding in her direction. One down! Now the other Rathe needed to be placed rightfully as a son of Slytherin. Hearing his name called, Seker feels like choking and fainting (life is so hard), but instead nods and steps up to the hat, sitting down and putting it on.

“It isn’t random,” Alden assures them, finally, as Satinka’s name is called. Though he chooses not to elaborate on anything else he might have gleaned from his summer reading. He draws a deep breath the closer it gets to his name being called, idly wondering if it were better that his last name was poised at the end of the alphabet, or if it might have been more simple to be at the beginning and get it over with. Indeed, despite all appearances, he is nervous. Though largely, it’s more rooted in the fact that his mother is watching from the faculty table, and seemingly a half dozen relatives are all scattered in the audience, eagerly awaiting another Wexler in their house, and sure to give him guff should he fail to share it.

Stunned, it is a few seconds before Seker comprehends the word emitted from the hat. “What?” he asks, standing up and turning around to look at his mother, his face a mask of surprise and horror. He can’t bring himself to try and look at Satinka, not after she made it and he didn’t. What is this. What it this?? Seker is in a stunned reverie as he stumbles to the Hufflepuff table, not thinking, yet, to look for Rafe or any of the other Hufflepuffs he’s acquainted with. It was probably a prank or something. Well, Seker would play along for now. “Hello!” Seker greets his ‘housemates’ with a put-on genial demeanor. “What are we having?” he asks, pointing to his empty plate with a perked brow.

Keelan Walsh chokes a bit on the next name, though Sheldon, Galen sorts to Slytherin all the same. Three Ravenclaws, a Gryffindor, and yet another Hufflepuff later, she calls, “Wexler, Alden!” who is second to last in the world of Sorting unless someone has been missing from the list or Keelan‘s recitation of names.

Alden Wexler swallow a breath, Alden steps forward, moving toward the stool and the old, patched hat with an even stride. He pauses briefly to glance up at the faculty table toward Sibyl, then to the Gryffindor table toward Briony and Felicity, before exhaling a long sigh and lifting up the Sorting Hat. With a grave expression, he climbs on to the stool and places the hat on his head.

His eyes somewhat wide, caught a little off guard by the insight of the hat, Alden quietly removes the cap after it’s shout and slides off the old, solid stool. “Thank you,” he says, politely, to the ragged bit of leather, before turning toward the cheering table to take his seat. He was certain he could feel Briony gaping at him from behind.

Keelan Walsh calls out, “Wexler, Kyler!” who takes a seat and sits there for so long Keelan is actually startled to hear, “Slytherin!” call forth from the hat. With one last look over the assembled students, she rolls up the parchment, claps briefly, and takes the stool and hat away. When she returns, it is to her seat at the faculty table, where she relaxes, duties done.

Melvina Prichard rises from the faculty table purposefully once the ritual of Sorting has concluded, lifting her nimble, long-fingered hands in a suggestive way as she beckons the student audience for silence. “Excuse me, quiet please — yes, that includes you, Mister Alcot.” Her voice is thick and strong, but laced with an ever-present hint of amusement. An almost coy half-grin touches her lips, looks over the heart of her school.

“Greetings, everyone,” Melvina calls, her voice dancing across the Great Hall at a comfortable volume. “Welcome to your school year nineteen hundred and twenty seven! I trust that all of you enjoyed your summer vacations! As I’m sure most you of you are now aware, my name is Melvina Prichard and I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts school. Last year, all of you helped give this blustering, frugal old woman a home and a purpose. This year, I hope to reward and repay each of you for that wonderful gift. Now, pressing on, I’ve some beginning of term announcements to make.” Clearing her throat, the Headmistress pulls a pair of spectacles from her emerald robe pocket and resting them on the bridge of her nose, before gathering up a tightly-bound scroll sitting next to her empty plate.

“All the usual suspects, of course. Our caretaker has asked me to remind you check the updated list of prohibited items and punishable offenses that have been thoughtfully posted in each of your common rooms–” Drawing in a deep breath, the Headmistress begins to unroll the wound parchment, “Spellwork outside of the classroom, rough play, pranks, hijinxs, dungbombs, Whimple’s Pimple Powder..” Demonstratively, she allows the end of the scroll to slip from her fingers, clatter to the table, spill over the edge, and roll across the floor Great Hall until it exhausts itself somewhere near the door of the waiting room across the entrance hall. A somewhat playful glint sparkling in her eyes, Melvina sets her end of the very long list down and vanishes it with a flick of a wand which she withdraws from the sleeve of her robes. “As you can see, the list goes on. Be sure to check it.”

After a small bubble of laughter, Melvina takes up a blessedly smaller sheet of parchment. “Hogwarts tradition demands that I remind you the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students. As seems to happen every year since antiquity, some of you will most certainly forget that pesky little rule. It just slips out, squeezed away from the building pressure of knowledge our fine professor work so hard to fill your head with over the year.” A rueful chuckle escapes her as she shares a knowing smile with the hall. “Know then that detention is the minimum punishment for entering the Forbidden Forest without a member of staff or faculty beside you, and that such acts will usually will result in a substantial loss of house points as well.” With a small, meaningful glance around and a pause to clear her throat and savor a sip of pumpkin juice, Melvina continues. “Naturally, we ask that you respect and defer to your Prefects. Also, I’d like to congratulate our new Head Boy and Head Girl, Andrew Larson and Margaret Cresterton. Mister Larson and Miss Cresterton, please stand.” She applauds once the two have risen, leading those who care to join her in a modest round of congratulations, before continuing on.

“Well done, Head Boy, Head Girl,” the Headmistress says, sincerely. “On to faculty. There are many exciting changes in Hogwarts staff this year, so to begin I hope you all with help me in welcoming Professor Phoebe Helit whom will be heading up our Muggle Studies department, and Professor Addison Williamson whom will helm our History of Magic class.” Melvina holds for a pleasant-enough round of applause before plowing on. “Also, though she has been with us a great while, I hope you’ll all help congratulate and welcome Professor Rathe in to her new role as Deputy Headmistress. Naturally, she’ll continue to provide you all with excellent lessons in your Defense Against the Dark Arts courses as well.” Another pause for applause, and quietly surprised murmurs — it was hardly a secret that last year Professor Rathe could hardly stand Professor Prichard. Now she was Deputy Headmistress? “Sadly, I must inform you that Professors Calwern and Ashcroft have chosen to step down. Professor Fallon will properly replace Professor Calwern as Gryffindor head of house.”

Following a deep, relieved breath and Melvina finally sets down the parchment and removes her glasses. “That said, I have only one more announcement to mention before we start in on the delicious feast I know you’re all patiently waiting to savor. This is my second year as Headmistress of Hogwarts school — last year was a daring step on to the path of the uncertainty for all of us. A maiden voyage, where bold choices were made, some rising to shimmering brilliance, others not so much. But in this second year, the fright of the unknown fades as well all walk in a comfortable security. Each sure we know, or at suspect, of what to expect It is in this peaceful repetition that we as a family forge traditions. Thus, I announce to you all our first of many traditions, the second annual Barefoot Social.” A sly, almost devillish grin dances over the lips of the Headmistress. “A celebration of the new term, greeting those whom are just joining us, and welcoming home those of us returning for another year. This dance will semi-formal, open to all years, and include an… outdoor feast.” The too-clever look on her face almost seems to gloat, briefly, as she looks out at her young crowd. Obviously, she is terribly proud of herself. “As this is the mother of tradition, we shall follow the precident set by last year’s grandmother event — the ladies will need ask the gentlemen for the honor of an afternoon’s courtship.” She waits, eagerly, for the reaction to that before at last finishing up. “I will be resuming the Student Events Committee, made up of students from all years to help me prepare for the Barefoot Social, Governor’s Ball, and a handful of other special events I have planned through out the school year; if you’d like to be on said Committee, you may contact me through any of the usual means. Exact details regarding date and time of the Barefoot Social shall follow shortly. Let’s eat.” And with small nod and a sly, lingering grin, she slips casually back in to her seat.

(Ravenclaw) “Oh, bloody effin’ ‘ell,” Riley hisses, allowing his head to collide with the table uncerimoniously. “She did it again — that’s what the hell she’s been smirkin’ about all these weeks. Another damned Barefoot Social. Kill me now.”

(Ravenclaw) “Ah, food,” Noémie comments, grinning to the new folks with a bit of a stretch. She grins to a certain other sixth year at her side and then winks, perhaps a bit more playfully than would be her norm otherwise. “Looks like a good little crowd, all of you,” she comments to the new firsties briefly before putting more food into her mouth. It is Riley’s luck that she has done this, too, for she does gift him with a rather stern look while she clears her throat. “Riley, you fuddent say fings ‘ike vat.” Ah, ever the graceful, polite young lady.

(Ravenclaw) Kassandra peers over to Riley. “Be careful, before I ask you out.” she grins and moves nearer to the table to begin loading small portions of various kinds of food onto her plate. She finally sees the variety in front of her and shrugs grinning. “Hm, seems like I can’t decide this year.”

(Ravenclaw) Dolly Faeden is a girl, and last year made a face at dancing with boys. Dangerously, though, she gives a look over the table at the announcement and says to Riley, “It’s not so bad, or are ye afraid ye won’t get asked?” A bit of roast turkey is chewed and swallowed before, “Or are ye afraid ye will?” comes out in her standard arrangement of impossible to understand accents. A giggle is all Noémie affords, as again the boys get eyed before there’s a shrug that seems to say ‘Meh, boys’ and she reapplies herself to the buisness of eating.

(Ravenclaw) Rhian Brecon smiles at Riley. “It wasn’t that bad last year, and it was fun planning it. Just relax Riley, just six more years and you don’t have to deal with her as Headmistress because you will have graduated. Focus on your studies and you’ll totally forget about her.”

(Ravenclaw) “Turf it,” Riley mutters, under his breath. Hopefully soft enough that he isn’t heard, seeing as that he doesn’t genuinely want to irritate Noémie. Still, he meets her stern gaze with one of his own, laced thickly with annoyance that only a summer held hostage with elderly arrogance can inspire. “And you shouldn’t talk with yer mouth full.” Dolly’s trite little questions are answered with a foul expression. “Nice bit o’ double talking there, eh? Right or wrong no matter how I answer.” Rhian’s reassurance is rewarded with the most positive reception — a gruff grunt and nod before he tables his forehead again, not bothering to fill up his plate, which is a white color almost as pasty as his pale skin seems to be at the moment.

(Ravenclaw) “I guess it’ll be nice to have some detention, don’t you think, Riley? I’ll let your grandmother know you’ll be coming Friday night for your first detention of the year.” Noémie doesn’t grin or wink or even blink as she tells him this, her face stony and plain before she turns her face to the boy next to her with a sly look and then beginning to eat. Her elbow darts out into the boy’s side briefly, but she doesn’t say anything further while she continues to work on the mound of food she’s put onto her plate — no small feat for a girl of her build!

(Ravenclaw) Riley Markham lifts his gaze, slowly. His expression — somewhere beteen incredulous and dangerous. “You can’t be serious.” His tone is tenative, however — on the edge of potential laughter he didn’t feel if it proved to be a joke, and torrential rage if it proved not to be. His hands remain at his sides, and his chin brushes against the plate as he stares up at the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain and Prefect. “Noémie..”

(Ravenclaw) “Well, you’re the one who said those things. I’m completely serious.” She shrugs at him. “You know how things go, and that was pretty foul language, and in front of the new students, no less.” Noémie shakes her head and shrugs. “You’ll know better next time, won’t you? I’m sure your grandmother won’t mind, anyway. She likes seeing you.” The girl takes another bite of food, looking rather nonplussed about Riley’s apparent near-emotional-explosion that is on the brink of being set off.

(Ravenclaw) It takes almost every ounce of reserve that Riley has not to do something physically rash. Such as taking one of his suddenly balled fists and shattering the plate his chin had just touched a moment before, or drawing his wand. Sitting up, slowly, his teeth grate together as he struggles to keep from saying anything at all — which proves largely to be a losing battle. “Take it. Back. Now.” His left fist, wrinkled with hideous scars as if his whole had had been soaked in acid, actually trembles. “I had a summer with her. A whole. Damn. Summer. Isn’t that enough?” His voice is only just barely contained in hisses. “Here, her flat, doing her chores. The whole summer. One effin’ afternoon I had away from her.. one. Don’t you dare do this to me. If it were you, you’d be muffed too — besides, isn’t all that snogging and whatever else you did last term punishable — don’t you deserve a detention or two for all the disgusting load you did with that git last year.. or whatever it is you did over the summer?” There’s a moment, after the words fall from Riley, that he realizes he has gone to far. Way to far. And it shows in his eyes. The immediate regret for the stupidness his anger summoned. But being a his grandmother’s grandson, his stubborness holds his fast to his words. And with force of will he didn’t know he had, he stands by them.

(Ravenclaw) Dolly Faeden blinks slowly and calmly with the air of someone observing as if completely unaffected. “Riley-sir, do ye hate your grandma? I love both of mine, and one of them is a muggle, so if ye could explain why ye don’t seem to like her–it is because she’s old? Grandmothers are supposed to be old. An’ they’re supposed to have you help around the house, too.” Her tone is very weird and curious, the exact way someone might ask a question and provide a hypothesis in class. She’s apprently not too observant that she might get smacked for her behavior, though.

(Ravenclaw) Peering at Riley, Noémie looks as if she has not taken this quite as calmly as his previous transgression. “Two detentions then, Riley. And don’t you ever talk to me that way again. Family or no, I’m still older than you and a prefect besides. You can be sure I’ll tell Melvina about that, and whatever your summer was like, that’s not my fault, so don’t you dare take it out on me, Riley Everett Markham. That is not my fault.” Standing and tossing her napkin onto the table before her, Noémie gets out from the table. “Now, first years, feel free to follow me, I’ll take you to the commonroom. The girl does not look at Riley again, though her annoyance is etched into her face. “I’ll see you up at the commonroom, Joseph,” she tells her comrade and waits to see if any of the first years come to follow her.

Rhian Brecon settles in her seat at the announcer’s booth and after a quick test she starts of. “Good afternoon Hogwarts! It may be cold out here, but we’re all warming up for a good match today. Today we have my own house, Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. As a reminder, Ravenclaw is led by Noémie Ribouet, Fifth year Prefect and Seeker for the Ravenclaws, while the Slytherins are led by Martin Foster, this year’s Head Boy and one of Slytherin’s Chasers. Today’s match is being officiated by our Professor of Herbology, Professor Walsh. Well, now that the boring part is over, we now wait to welcome the two teams to the pitch.”

Keelan Walsh waits, as usual, at the center point of the Pitch for the teams to arrive, sitting somewhat comfortably on the box containing the balls, her broom propped up against it as well. Today, with Slytherin on the field, she wears robes of a rich green, and has threaded silver through her braid today. As the announcements begin, Keelan looks up from a small book, and then toward the entrances. With a small smirk, she rises, and clasps her hands together, waiting.

Ah, a beautiful sunny day awaits Noémie as she steps out onto the pitch in the cold, late-winter air. Walking quickly to the center of the pitch where Keelan stands. Perhaps it is Noémie‘s imagination, but she does seem to see a few extra signs rooting specifically against her in the stands today. Shaking her head quickly, she gives a smile to Keelan and looks behind her as the rest of her team follows onto the pitch.

Making there way onto the pitch together in Slytherin’s last match of the year Louis and Martin both looked primed and ready to go. Louis comments to his captain after looking around the stands of the pitch and spotting a large sign with “Go Martin! Go Louis! Slytherin’s Dream Team!” written on it in large glowing green letters. “Looks like we have fans Martin, …. wait is that … it is! It’s the sign girl.” Louis shakes his head and Martin chuckles softly and gives his seeker a pat on the shoulder. Both boy’s waste no time climbing onto there respective brooms and getting into position in the air.

The seventh-year Ravenclaw keeper makes her way onto the pitch with the rest of her team. Feeling very sentimental, the idea that it’s the last time she’ll ever play Slytherin team seems to cause her to tear up a bit, and Van takes a deep breath. The Slytherin team is rather boisterous for her own taste (though Ravenclaw team is rather comparable, it’s different when they do it, of course), but she says nothing, instead coming to stand near Noémie and wait for the usual opening formalities.

Following the other members of the Ravenclaw team on the field, David and Clavicle are trailing behind. David is clutching his own tightly, and observes the Slytherin team, while Clavicle adjusts his gloves. “I wonder how the match is going to go…” whispers David to the other Chaser. “But this time, we’ve trained a lot more than last year, haven’t we?” he says, trying to sound confident. Yes, they are going to fly against Slytherin, but this is not David‘s first match anymore, and eagerness has replaced apprehension.

Bouncing excitedly, one would think that Bailey ate half of the sweets at Honeydukes before coming out to the pitch for the match. “Whooo, Ravenclaw!” he calls, waving his arms up in the air before coming to stand near Van, and rather distancing himself from Tegan, though a furtive glance is given in her direction. The chaser doesn’t say another word, though there is a large grin spread over his face.

Ashton Merck walks onto the field following his captain. With a confident smile he waves over to the Slytherin bleachers, raising his broom into the air and enjoying the atmosphere which seems to pervade him totally. “They look frightened, don’t they?” he chuckles, adressing Adalynn, the Slytherin keeper, who is walking a few steps behind him and seems to be more concentrated on the match than on the opponent’s feelings. Both of them stand in line with their teammates, nestling on their brooms and adjusting their gear, waiting for the game to begin.

Tegan Madison takes short but fast strides along the pitch, not very formiddable on the ground. She shifts her broom to one hand and tucks her bat under one arm in order to adjust her scarf and rub her nose. She comes up alongside her teammates, face set in determination. Her nostrils flare a bit as she overlooks the Slytherin team, and if her face softens as she looks nearly from the other end of the Ravenclaw lineup at Bailey, it’s hardly noticeable.

Sage Cloverwood and Tahiri Sol are following Ashton, their own broom over their shoulders, and sporting a set of matching confident smiles as they appear on the pitch. “Ah… the ickle Ravenclaws… I’ve heard they’ve trained quite a bit. But that’s because they couldn’t stomach their defeat, last year. I’m not afraid of them.” says Sage, and she readjusts her hair as she waits for the team to take off. Tahiri, in the meantime, just nods and observes the pitch, already concentrated on the match to come.

Clavicle Gravely nods to David as he walks in. The boy seems a lot more confident this game then last. His nevous step is gone and he grins up at the stands. “Come on David, we have to do the noble cry of the Ravenclaw.” He chuckles. He steps out from the line a bit and wavs to the stads. “AUK AUK!”

Keelan Walsh smiles back at Noémie, but mostly because it’s polite to do so. “Alright, teams. I don’t want to see any funny buisness,” she looks more harshly at the Ravenclaws than the Slytherin, of course, “I won’t hesistate to award penalties.” A grim sort of smile surfaces momentarily and then visably softens into a grin, “Captains?” She waits expectantly for the hand shake, and then opens up the ball box and lets the snitch fly. Taking hold of the Quaffle, Keelan lofts it into the air with one hand and blows the start-of-match whistle with the other. A minute or so after the teams are in the air, Keelan releases the bludgers, which whistle into the air after the players. Shortly, the referee mounts her broom and flys up to circle around the perimeter, eyes on the players.

Noémie‘s hand darts out for a quick-but-firm handshake with the Slytherin Captain, and then withdraws it nearly as quickly, taking her broom and mounting it. Soon, she is flying very quickly up, up, up above the stands and into the air far above the hoops and all the action. “Let’s do it, Ravenclaw!” she calls down to her team, though whether they hear her or not is debatable. She begins to fly in large ovals above the pitch, her eyes scanning the sky quickly.

Kicking off the ground, Van flies at a moderate pace towards the Ravenclaw hoops. She doesn’t appear to be in much of a hurry, though her face is set, and she takes her place in front of the goals, turning to survey the action, and find out who gets the quaffle. After all, if it’s her own team, she has reason to relax a bit for the start. The seventh year’s attention seems to become distracted to the stands for a moment, as a hastily waving Gryffindor stands out among a sea of blue scarves and banners, causing the seventh year to shake her head with a bit of a grin.

“All right, let’s go!” shouts David, mounting his broom and taking off, positioning himself near the center of the pitch at a low altitude, near the other Chasers. As soon as the Quaffle is thrown in the air, David steers his broom towards it. By pure luck, it was thrown somewhat in his direction and David catches it without difficulties, and he immediately flies towards the Slytherin goals. A quick look is given to his teammates, to assess the situation. “Clavicle, Bailey! Cover me!” he shouts as he tries to fly his way through the Slytherin line.

Rhian says, “And here they come, both teams coming out into the field, and after a type of acknowledgement from the captains, I think… the two teams take to the air. Now we wait for Professor Keelan to release all four of the balls so that the game can actually begin. There goes the Snitch, and the Quaffle is in the air! And it is Ravenclaw that claims the Quaffle, by David Mildred at the start of the match. The bludgers are now released. This game is now underway!”

Rising in the air Louis is already peering around the pitch with eyes squinted looking for the snitch. Obviously the best time to catch it is before any side score right? Martin, having shaken Noémie’s just as quickly gets a steely expression on his face and begins flying toward the quaffle trying to be the first to get it. Louis grins a bit to himself before yelling out. “Don’t worry Ravenclaw! We’ll try not to beat you too badly!” Nothing wrong with a little competitive ribbing right?

Following David sharply, Bailey makes his way down the pitch, ducking to avoid a bludger which flies a little too close to him for comfort. “Wide!” Bailey calls to Clavicle as Bailey himself widens the berth between David and himself, flying near the edge of the pitch. He glances behind him and scowls a bit at the Slytherin chasers. “Someone take care of them!” he calls, the annoyed tone in his voice rather apparent as he directs his gaze to Tegan and then to Riley, before turning it forward again.

“Let’s go and hunt some Ravens down!” says Sage, swinging her bat in the air as she mounts her own broom and takes off, following her teammates. Tahiri calmly follows suit, without Sage‘s vulgar and simplistic display of house spirit. As the Bludgers begin to be dispatched in the air, Sage nods to Tahiri. The communication between the two Beaters is going on smoothly. Understanding what is to be done, Tahiri flies toward the Bludger which is flying over the Ravenclaws stands. On the other side, Sage tackles the other Bludger, which she reaches quickly and sends towards the Ravenclaw chasers with a quick and precise swing of her bat.

Ashton Merck briskly mounts his broom as the referee’s whistle is about to be blown. His eyes focussed on the quaffle, his hands clinged to the neatly polished broomstick and his legs ready to perform a mighty kickoff. At least that’s what he’s thinking. “Let’s tear them into pieces!” he calls, not too loud, so that Keelan won’t hear it through the crowd’s buzz. Then he lifts off and heads for the quaffle, paying attention to Martin and Evan, not to interfere with them on their way to the red ball. As David catches it, Ashton slaps his broom and turns to chase David. Adalynn flies up in front of the hoops and watches the events on the pitch rather relaxed, until the quaffle is taken by the Ravenclaw. Now she is sweeping to and fro to be in the most appropriate position to intercept a scoring attempt.

Clavicle Gravely races up after Louis and tries to edge him away from David, and block the other boy’s approach. he pours on the speed with the Sandsweeper 25, the egyptian broom is elegant, and fast. His goggles reflect the light as he zips on up and towards David. “Where’s the bludgers?” he asks aloud as he zips on.

Tegan Madison is in the air before the sound of the whistle can die out, though she’s well used to Professor Walsh’s tendency to give the teams a small grace period before releasing the bludgers. Parting with Riley, the female beater grips her bat and suddenly looks a lot fiercer than she does, say, in class. As it is released, Tegan moves toward the bludger with a good deal of speed and with the crack of her Beater’s bat, sends it on a dead aim for the Slytherin Chasers, to break them up and away from her own team. Riley, on the other hand, moves himself toward the other, racing to get it before the Slytherin do–and he doesn’t, so now it’s a race to meat the bludger before it hits his teammates.

“Oh, we’ll see how things go, Harper,” Noémie comments to him, grinning, before she flies away quickly, only glancing over her shoulder for a moment at him, an amused expression on her face, before turning and flying downwards a bit, to better hear the action at least. After all, it would do her well to see what their mistakes are before they commence practicing for the Hufflepuff match.

Rhian says, “The Ravenclaw Chasers head down toward the Slythering Keeper, flying in formation to keep the Quaffle away from the Slytherins. The Slytherin Beaters have seem to have found the Bludgers, as they go chasing after them to send them after the Ravenclaws to try and knock them out of the air. The Ravenclaw Beaters have now moved after the Bludgers in order to intercept them from the Slytherins.”

“Don’t mind them!” shouts David out loud, hoping that his teammates would do their job and cover them from the threat of the bludgers. He is not aware, yet, of the bludger flying in his direction, and concentrates on trying to escape from the Slytherins. Ashton, in particular, is coming dangerously close behind. “Go ahead, you’re faster!” David shouts to Clavicle. If things are going the bad way –which would surely happen– David would then have an opportunity to make a forward pass to Clavicle. “Where’s Bailey?” he wonders to himself.

As Martin watches as bludger quickly approaches and swerves quickly out of the way while still keeping in hot pursued of David and the quaffle. Louis hovers nearby the Slytherin goalpost grinning like an opossum. “That we will Ribouet!” Not really much of a comeback, but in the heat of a match there is no real room for cheesy one-liners. Louis vaults down the pitch high above the game keeping his eyes peeled.

Rhian says, “Mildred passes the Quaffle to Gravely who continues forward toward Walker who seems to be getting ready to defend the Slytherin goals. The Bludgers narrow in on the Ravenclaw Chasers, which cased Mildred to pass the Quaffle before he possibly get hit. Harper takes a position up above the pitch, the usual position for a Seeker while Ribouet takes a lower position, seems the Captain wants to keep an eye on her team.”

Ashton Merck is still approaching David, not really knowing how to recover the quaffle from his opponent. “Come on, let’s get’m” he conjures his broom to race faster. A few seconds later he notices Martin on David’s other side. “Let’s go, captain!” Ashton shouts over, maybe trying to unsettle the Ravenclaw chaser a bit. Adalynn however is still prepared to engage in the events for the first time.

Of course, Bailey cannot hear what David says, and continues to fly wide, throwing his arm up in the air, and then swerving inward as they make their way closer to the Slytherin hoops. “Do something!” he calls to his teammate helpfully, before swerving out a bit more, looking from David to Clavicle, back again, and then forward at the slytherin keeper.

Rhian says, “The Ravenclaw Chasers continue to make their way to the Slytherin goals, closer to Walker who seems to be getting ready to defend her house’s goals. One of the bludgers narrow in on the Ravenclaw Chasers while the other one heads for the Slytherins in order to keep them from catching the Ravenclaws. Harper takes a position up above the pitch, the usual position for a Seeker while Ribouet takes a lower position, seems the Captain wants to keep an eye on her team.”

Clavicle Gravely suddenly bursts forward. There are advantages to being little more then skin and bones, you don’t weigh down your broom much. He zooms ahead from below and to the right of David, crossing in front of the boy so he can catch the forward pass that David hurled up. It’s just like practice, right over the shoulder. He pours on the speed as much as he can. “You go to the lower hoop. I’ll go to the middle. If I can’t make the shot, I’ll pass!”

Tegan Madison hovers for a moment, waiting to see if anyone will hit her bludger away from the Slytherin Chasers. Riley, on the other hand, swerves up on the bludger and sends it with all his considerable force flying in the other direction. True to form, it doesn’t exactly head toward, say, the Slytherin Chasers, but it might head up toward Louis. Or the bleachers. With an exclaimation, Tegan heads down toward the bludger to hit it toward Louis and not the crowd of specators. “Righ’, Markham, it really helps to take out portions of the crowd!” she calls somewhat irritably; Having had to bail out the mis-aimed ball, she’s lost track of the second bludger.

“Lower hoop!” David shouts to acknowledge the move, and the boy adjusts his heading slightly to go straight to the lower hoop, while still keeping an eye on Clavicle. A frontal pass… David would have only a split second to catch the ball, throw it, and break away, if he didn’t want to collide with the goal. But this is just like during the practices, isn’t it?

High above the game by now Louis turns as he hears the screech of the bludger coming at him full speed. Luckily for him he’s got quite a bit of breathing room. Louis does a sort of corkscrew on his broom and the bludger goes flying past him off into the air. “Yeah those bludger intensive practices really worked Sage!” Louis calls out to the youngest beater. Martin is now switching targets and flying for Clavicle at top speed coming up on him as fast he can until he is close enough to literally touch the bristles on Clavicle’s broom. Martin tries swipeing for the quaffle in an attempt to steal it away.

Ashton Merck is still following David, decreasing the distance rapidly and now flying at his very side, touching the Ravenclaw, trying to push him away from the lower hoop with a steady pressure, so that it would not look like a rough action and for the relief of Adalynn, who is getting ready, moisturing her lips nervously and with a determined look, covering the middle hoop, but always being alert to be able to change her position instantly. “Cover the lower!” she calls, adressing Ashton.

“Ah…” So that Ravenclaw beater got the bludger before her. Darting a somber look to Tegan, Tahiri pushes her broom forward in an attempt to catch the bludger before it could do any real harm. On the other side of the pitch, Sage is doing the same thing, and flies towards their chasers the fastest she can, confident that while the bludger would disperse the Ravenclaw chasers, she would only have to worry about the other one. A terrible mistake: she doesn’t notice Riley’s move immediately. Fortunately, Louis is capable enough to fend for himself. This give her the time to regain her bearings, change her direction, and go after the bludger, once again.

Clavicle Gravely makes a feint to the upper hoop from the middle, It would be a lousy shot. This is probably why he air brakes and sends a side pass to David, letting him go one into the scoring zone if he catches the pass. he hopes the sudden braking throws Martin off his tail. “Take the shot David!”

Stopping just outside the scoring zone, Bailey hovers, looking at his fellow chasers as they’re both covered by Slytherin chasers, and glances around. “Open?” he calls, waving his arms a bit and then looking down the field at the action. He does little else for the moment, save to fly around a bit, outside the scoring zone in his distance from the other chasers, though not out of scoring range, by any means.

Turning his waist slightly, David catches the Quaffle and pushes his broom forward, concentrating on the hoops. Entering in the scoring zone, he aims directly towards the lower hoop, and waits until the last moment to throw it. He hasn’t much time left, after that, to watch it fly and see if he has scored, and does a sharp turn instead to avoid any collision with the goal hoops or the goalkeeper.

Could that be, possibly, a glimmer of gold in the sky! Shocked that she’s spotted it so soon, Noémie tears her attention away from the pitch, though she does make mental notes as to what she has seen, zooming upward, moving quicker and quicker towards that little gold dot in the sky. The sun doesn’t help her vision as she works her way up into the sky, soon flying past Louis and still farther up, until from the stands, she is little more than a blue dot in the sky.

Spotting the snitch just as Noémie begins her ascension into the sky Louis is right behind her laterally inches away rising speedily into the air with the opposing seeker gritting his teeth trying with all his might to pass her. He only manages to get neck and neck as they both rocket toward the same object. Stretching one arm off of his broom Louis gets ready as they draw closer.

Clavicle Gravely air braking lead to a full stall. His broom drops, with him spiralling and flipping out of control. He turns the maneuver into a dive to regain direction, then he stops the barrel rolling, but the ground is racing up towards him. He pulls back. Heaving back on the broom to level out mere inches before the the ground makes a sudden stop to all his quidditch scoring dreams. “CRUMPLED HORN SNORCACKS!” he exclaims, but he manages not to ground plant himself. He tries to race back up towards the other hoops.

Stretching herself as well as the two of them make their speedy ascent still upward towards the small golden orb, Noémie‘s speed picks up to its top notch and she manages to speed just slightly forward, out-flying Louis by a bit and then reaching higher, her rear rising off of the broom itself. “Augh!” Noémie calls as she reaches just a bit too far over her broom and loses her balance. This, however, has not stopped her from capturing the tiny golden ball in her hand as she rights herself on her broom. A loud whoop is let out and she soon begins to zoom downard towards the pitch, her hand up in the air with the tiny ball clamped within it. It is several moments before she is close enough to be visible to those in the stands. Letting out another whoop, Noémie comes to a stop and dismounts her broom, still holding the snitch up. A second win for Ravenclaw!

As David isn’t really affected by Ashton‘s physical interference the Ravenclaw shoots at the lower hoop as he enters the zone and Ashton has to turn around hard not to break into it and cause a penalty. With a fierce expression on his face, he watches Adalynn zooming towards the quaffle. It seems senseless because the hoop is still far away and the quaffle sails through the ring as Adalynn is still approaching.

Missing the snitch only by a few inches Louis leans against his broom as it is all over looking terribly dejected. “We lost….. we lost……” Images dance in his head of the Quidditch cup going snitch wings and flying away. Louis shakes his head and descends to the ground. “Good job Noémie….. it was pretty close…”

Keelan Walsh curses under her breath, so that she can barely hear hereself, as she watches Adalynn miss the Quaffle. A whoop above her deepens the frown, and Keelan raises the whistle to her lips. “Game to Ravenclaw! 160 to 0.” That’s all she announces, spiraling down in a quick, frustrated way. As she waits for the balls to be returned (the bludgers tending to come directly), she smiles, weakly, at the players and murmurs something about a good game.

Rhian says, “What is this? Ravenclaw seems ready to score. The Chasers get in position to score, Walker moves to defend the goals and Gravely makes an attempt to score, but then stops just before entering the scoring zone, passing the Quaffle to Mildred. Foster is on Gravely’s trail and so Mildren catches it, entering the zone, he takes a shot to the lower hoop and Walker doesn’t manage to stop it. Ravenclaw scores! The score is now Ravenclaw – 10, Slytherin – 0. Of course, Gravely tried to plant himself in the ground because his broom stalled, but did just fine. Just a second, the Seekers seem to have found the Snitch! The two are neck and neck, getting closer and… it’s Ribouet that catches the Snitch. Ravenclaw wins! Final score is Ravenclaw – 160, Slytherin – 0. Now let’s get back to the castle where it’s warm.”

Clavicle Gravely manages a landing. After his powerdive, he looks a bit shaky. He’s nowwhere near as good at Airbraking as David is. He shivvers a bit. “I don’t think I will be trying THAT again without practice.” he grins a bit and waves “Good job Noémie!”

Putting her hand out to Louis, Noémie smiles widely at him. “Dashing chase,” she tells him. “It was really close. Thanks for keeping me on my toes, Louis,” the prefect tells him, her accent sliding just slightly into a french one, though her accent is usually delightfully English. “Good job, team! Practice, first thing tomorrow!” She strides over to Keelan and returns the snitch to the referee with a beaming smile, but not another word. Without another word, the captain makes her way to the Prefects bathroom to have a nice, long, relaxing bath.

“I scored?” says David, disbelief clearly displayed on his face, after his turn. He lands after the others, and runs to Clavicle with joy. “I really thought I wouldn’t be able to make it. I scored! I did score it.” he says. “Whoo! We only need to win against the Hufflepuffs, and the cup is ours!”

Tegan Madison gives a gleeful shout as David manages a score, and then actually zooms up a bit on her broom when she realizes Noémie caught the snitch. Her path to the ground is erratic, first a zoom toward Bailey and then a zoom far away, with a bit of a loop. They won again! “One more match to the win!” She’s in high enough spirits as she lands and dismounts, grinning ear to ear at the Captain. All the practice really paid off after all. Oh, she’ll be herself again later, but for now, Tegan is elated.

Clavicle Gravely grins at David and nods. “Excellent work Mildred. Good job. You have to show me how you do that brake maneuver though. I stalled it badly. Good thing she caught the snitch or I’d have been useless for the next score.” he grins a bit and looks at the stands “AUK AUK!” he grins then gives a salute to the Slytherin players.

Louis Harper shakes Noémie’s hand and tries very hard to be sporting about the loss. “You were a bit faster Ribouet.” He grins a little and comments in a sly tone. “I hope Alexandra is even faster in the next game.” What’s this? Louis seems dead set against Ravenclaw winning the Quidditch cup for some reason. “And she’s faster than me…. that’s a fact. Good luck Ribouet.” With that Louis turns strideing with his teammates back to the castle.

Frowning at the cheering going on at the Ravenclaw side, Sage shakes her head and lands, following the other members of her team. Tahiri is following closely, disappointment clearly visible on her face. “That’s too bad. Pure luck, I reckon.” says Sage, looking one last time at the Ravenclaws before walking away to the locker rooms.

Ashton Merck swoops down to the pitch in rage about the lost game, ploughing through the lawn considerably while breaking with his heel before jumping off his broom. His head glowing red and headshaking he smashes it down and kicks it away a few yards. “Good game.” he grumbles at Clavicle. Adaylnn has also landed and is walking up to her teammates, not accusing herself of a mistake.

Flying down to the ground, Bailey is oddly stolid. His face is steady as he makes his way down and then having gotten to the ground, inward to the school. No, Bailey‘s not much in a mood to celebrate at the moment. Well, mostly. A wide grin is given to Tegan, and then it is gone as soon as he realizes what he’s doing. Instead of hanging out, Bailey runs, quickly, into school. His destination is unknown to others, but for Bailey‘s part, there’s a secret nook, hidden away where he will soon be meeting someone special in that same nook.

Clavicle Gravely nods to Ashton. “Actually .. you guys looked on spectacular form.:” he nods. “I think if your broom was a touch faster, We’d not have scored at all. Your moves were superb. And your teamwork, excellent.” he admits to Ashton. “Better luck next time.”

With a loud cheer, Van flies down to the groud, beaming at all of her teammates. “Good game, everyone!” she calls to all the Slytherin, who may or may not even care that she says this. She trots off to put her broom away quickly, and then retreats into the castle, likely either looking for a certain Gryffindor seventh year, or on her way to her own commons for a party in celebration of their win.

Rhian Brecon settles into her announcing chair and does a quick test to make sure that everything is working properly and she can be heard. “Good afternoon boys and girls, Professors and staff. Today is a wonderful and beautiful day, perfect for the last Quidditch match of the 1926-27 school year. Today, we have a battle against two excellent houses, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. These two teams have managed to win both of their previous games this year and so making them tied, point for point for the Quidditch Cup, and so this match will determine which House walks away with the Quidditch Cup this year. This match is being refereed by Professor Walsh, our Herbology Professor. And now we merely wait for the two teams to take the field and to get this match underway.”

For the last week, the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team has been in constant motion, bouncing from practice to practice in a blur of manic energy. Today, Eliza Marlowe is wearing the same grin that she has worn throughout the period leading up to the big game, but her eyes are serious as she looks around at her team for the last time. “Right,” she says, her strident voice as firm as ever, but with a low quiver of intensity behind it. “This is it. This is for the Cup.” Eliza looks slowly around the circle of faces. “This is what we’ve been working for this all term. We’re going to go out there and play a good game. If we win, we win cleanly. If we lose, we lose cleanly.” A different kind of quiver enters Eliza‘s voice as she mentions the possibility of losing, but she pushes ahead. “You’ve been a good team. You’ve worked hard. Now get out there and play your best.” Eliza gives her team one last crooked grin. “Good luck,” she says, and slings her broom over her shoulder to head out for the handshake that will start the match.

Alexandra Leong looks distracted as she strolls onto the pitch, broom in hand, canary yellow Quidditch robes hanging loosely, her straight black hair contained in a rough ponytail. She nods at her Captain’s little speech, making very little eye contact with her teammates. This is it, and for the Hufflepuff Seeker, the pressures are nearly overwhelming. She shifts her grip on her broom, then starts to twirl a stray strand of hair between her fingers, a nervous gesture she’s had since before her Hogwarts and Quidditch days.

Striding out to the center of the pitch, Noémie‘s face is set in a serious expression as she looks around. The stands seem to be buzzing even louder than usual on this occasion of the Quidditch Cup. The captain and seeker holds her broom down in her hand and glances around, standing off from where the Hufflepuffs are to line up before she turns to look at her teammates. “Gather ’round here,” she calls to them, clearly ready to give them a talking-to, though how harsh she will be today is a matter of some uncertainty. The cool air seems to be causing goosebumps along her arms as she waits for her team to join her.

Contrary to Noémie’s stony expression, Tegan stomps onto the pitch, looking almost angry as she settles herself near to Noémie. Riley follows just behind her, not looking quite as angry, and Tegan almost yanks him to stand next to her. “Don’t screw up today,” she hisses at the younger student, her eyes staring into his face as she says this, until he nods affirmative. The girl stands next to Noémie and crosses her arms over one another with her broom in hand and waits to see what the captain will have to say.

Rooted to the place she’s standing while listening to Eliza’s speech, Carrie stares straight at her captain with something of a determined expression having descended upon her face after Eliza finishes up. Nodding definitively as the captain goes to shake hands, Carrie, somewhat nervously, switches her broom from her right hand to her left as she takes a few tense steps ahead. She makes a point of not looking at Marybeth, but glances down to Alexandra shortly before looking to Eldric, nodding once more.

Leaning in close with the rest of her team Marybeth has her broom clutched tightly in one hand listening intently to Eliza’s pep-talk. When the captain finishes Marybeth grins and adds. “This is for all the marbles! …. No really I’ve got a big bag of marbles I’ll split them up if we win.” Yes it was a lame stab at humor but it was lighthearted and isn’t that just the Hufflepuff way? The chaser grins a final time with a small laugh bolstering her courage before she begins doing her stretches. You always want to be nice and limber for when you are playing the most exciting game ever!

Standing a little apart from his fellow Chasers, Albert Bryce listens to the captain’s speech with rapt attention…or, perhaps, nervously glazed eyes…or, perhaps, an extremely determined effort not to look at Eldric. At any rate, he’s staring straight at Eliza through the whole thing, nodding every so often, his hand wrapped so tightly around his broom that his knuckles show white.

Charlie Linwood stands, in freshly laundered robes, with a freshly polished broom, in front of Eliza, listening seriously to her speech. This is it. “For the Cup.” he croaks back, voice belying the nerves that have settled in at the last moment. It is, after all, true. If they win this the Quidditch Cup belongs to Hufflepuff… for the first time in how long? Charlie stands unnaturally firm, though he seems to force his face into a sick grin. Today of all days it is important he not accidentally hit his team instead of the other.

Bailey Williams walks out to the pitch, broom in hand, smiling and ready to retrieve the best performance of the year from himself. Stopping at the group of teammates, he addresses Tegan with a short grin and leans on his broom, waiting for his captain’s speech.

Clavicle Gravely trots out. Sort of the clown of the team, he stops in front of the Ravenclaw stands and flaps his arms, “GO RAVENCLAW!” he slings the broom, the sandsweeper 25 over his shoulder and trots over to Noémie. His robes ripple around him in the wind as he looks to the captain.

A feeling of nostalgia sweeps over Van as she makes her way out to the pitch, standing in group with her team and glancing only momentarily at the Hufflepuff team making their shouts before turning her attention forward again. It is her last match at Hogwarts, and Van seems to have to wipe a tear away as she thinks of this, taking a deep breath of the cool air and looking up into the sky. A nice clear day, perfect weather for the determinative match for the Quidditch Cup.

Eldric Carver still has a bandaged up neck, and as possibly the largest member of the team and thus the biggest target, also sports two furry purple horns like a goat’s and, barely visible under his robes, an abundance of bright pink arm hair. “I’ll get it fixed after, doesn’t change how I play!” was his reponse when he turned up to the changing rooms with these anamolies, and now he stands trying to look serious while marked by some clever but, fortunately for the casters, anonymous hexes. For a moment, he glowers over at the blue-clad players, but then nods (and grunts a bit) to his Captain’s speech and tightens his grip on both his broom and bat without a word.

“I’ve been nice this season before matches. I’ve not demanded that we win, and yet we managed to pull out wins against Gryffindor and Slytherin. Let’s keep this up and manage a win today. Let’s get that cup, because we deserve it.” Noémie‘s face is focussed and set, and her expression as she glances to Hufflepuff is almost annoyed. “We’re not going to do any stupid chanting or pep talks, because I think we have the technical skill to manage this. So, let’s pull it off. I know we can do it.” With a nod, she offers a rather strained smile to her team and turns to face the Hufflepuff team, walking forward to prepare for the handshake. Her face is stony and set as she does this, as if showing emotion to the Hufflepuff captain during the handshake will put her at a disadvantage.

Clavicle Gravely looks over to David, as David comes out as well. Today David is in serious mode. His broom is clipped and polished and he comes up to Noémie as well.

Keelan Walsh looks absolutlely disgusting in yellow, so her robes are black instead. It could almost be called unbiased, except for the yellow ribbon she’s laced around the end of her broom (Which lies next to the box of Quidditch balls). A closed expression surfaces as she watches, in a strange, detatched way, the teams chat a bit. She straightens her shoulders when it seems they’ve had enough time, clears her throat and says, “Captains? Shake hands, everyone else? You might want to get in place to start if you’re not.” Her voices rises, though still likely inaudible to the watchers. “While this game may determine which team has the glory of the Quidditch Cup,” a smirk, soft, “I want it clean. If I have to call any fouls for roughness or underhanded tactics,” she seems to look at the Ravenclaws more, though they haven’t any more record of the behavior than the Hufflepuffs, “I will not hesistate to award as many penalty shots as possible or to ground the off ending players.” Serious as stone, now, she turns to gather up the Quaffle, but doesn’t throw it yet.

At the center of the pitch, Eliza reaches a steady hand out to Noémie, and gives her Ravenclaw counterpart a firm nod. “Good luck,” she says, with complete sincerity, and even a fainter version of the crooked smile that she gave to her own team.

Noémie‘s face barely breaks its expression as Keelan makes these comments, seemingly entirely in the direction of her own team, and then nods at Eliza, giving her a stiff handshake and withdrawing her hand as quickly as she has offered it for the traditional handshake. Noémie does not say anything in response, merely nodding again and making her way back to the line of her team to make way for the chasers to vie for the Quaffle.

Readying herself to take off into the air, Carrie takes a few cleansing breaths as she looks to her feet and prepares to play a hard game. She is only vaguely aware, somehow, when she looks up to see the two captains shaking hands. Looking avidly to Keelan and the Quaffle, Carrie takes a firm grasp on her broom and waits.

Nodding firmly after the speech, Bailey looks and walks over to Clavicle and David. Clapping into his hands he urges them on. “Let’s go guys, I want to drink a good amount of butterbeer out of that cup, when this is finished.” Then he steps into position and readies himself to shoot up for the quaffle.

Making her way to get into position as the captains shake hands Marybeth is primed and ready…. if not completely nervous. She flashes a friendly smile Eldric’s way despite his shocking appearance while Professor Walsh makes her statement. She takes a deep breath and readies herself mounting her broom waiting for word to start.

Charlie Linwood moves rather mechanically to his proper spot, bringing down his broom and lifting one leg over it to stand like a muggle child with a broom for a pony, feet still on the ground. Holding his broom one-handed as he has learned to, he holds his bat-hand in the air at what could be a menancing angle if only he didn’t look so ridiculous standing and waiting. Perhaps if he didn’t look as though he might be sick it would help as well.

Tegan uncrosses her arms and crosses them again, doing this over and over until Riley finally reaches over and snatches at her arms, forcing them to hang at her sides for the time being. Tegan glares in his direction as she stands this way, and stands on her tiptoes to see what Bailey is doing, and whether he even notices her. No, Tegan! Now is not the time to get distracted. The girl manages to shake the thought out of her head and she watches for the whistle, putting her broom in a position to be able to take off for the bludgers as soon as she can.

Alexandra Leong hops onto her broom and stands ready to take off. Her gloved hands fiddle nervously with the polished handle of her broom, rubbing at none existent smudges and scratches. “We have to win we have to win we have to win…” she mutters to herself, her face scrunched with with anxiety.

Van seems to still be trying to stifle the tears that want to fall from her eyes, and she waves rather discreetly towards the Gryffindor bleachers, a smile spreading over her face. Then she seems to realize the gravity of the situation, and she rolls her shoulders a bit, rotating her arms as if to limber herself up for the shots that might come her way over the course of what promises to be a very exciting match.

Clavicle Gravely straddles the Sandsweeper and gets ready to take flight. The Egyptian broom is ready, polished and trimmed. He looks determinedly to Bailey. “Lets hope the pratices paid off then. ” he grins, having spent quite a few days in practices with Bailey getting passes down and all. David is ready as well. He looks to Noémie and Tegan and gives a thumbs up, then turns to watch the release of the quaffle.

Eldric Carver tries a smile at Marybeth, but it seems the final Quidditch match of the season, one which is so important, has drained most of his flirtatious spirit. Moving into position, his eyes fix on Professor Walsh expectantly, legs already pushing down a bit in anticipation of take-off. Unlike Charlie, he manages to look somewhat imposing with his bat lofted, as long as nobody notices, in the slip of his robes, the arm hair, or that his horns have a bit of sparkle to them. Really.

Keelan Walsh pauses, still holding the Quaffle, to release the latch that holds the Snitch in it’s own compartment. The golden ball flies out, hovers for a second, and then soars upward erratically, as if unsure how it will fly today. Turning, now, the Herbology professor straightens. With one last look at the teams (is that the tinyest of smiles toward both?), she brings the whistle to her lips, lofts the Quaffle skyward with a strange amount of force, considering it’s one handed, and blows. With one shrill note, the Cup game has begun.

As the whistle blows, Noémie pushes off the ground and flies high up into the air as fast as she can manage. If she is high up where she can see the action, she figures she will be better suited towards catching the snitch quickly. At this point, the little gold ball is out of sight, unable to be seen from where she is high above the pitch. However, as the match has just begun, Noémie does not appear nervous at this.

Glancing momentarily at Riley, Tegan kicks off the ground and flies up, brandishing her bat in her right hand. Her arm is reared back, as if there is a bludger to be hit already, despite that the bludgers have not yet been released. “Remember, Riley! AIM!” She calls to her very sullen-looking teammate as she flies to the other side of the pitch as he is at. Riley, for his own part, makes his way towards the center, watching Keelan carefully for the release of the bludgers.

With all her speed Marybeth is up in the air gunning toward the quaffle, her expression determined losing it’s usual carefree expression. With an outstretched hand she hopes to grab it before any of the Ravenclaw chasers do. As she draws closer Marybeth pushes herself to go faster and faster until she is close enough to try and make a grab for the quaffle plucking it out of the air like so much ripe melon! The girl begins flying with all her speed down pitch ready to play he heart out in this one.

In a flash, Eliza is in the air and soaring swiftly towards the goalposts, taking up her position as Keeper. Her eyes narrow, keeping close watch on the Quaffle as she edges from side to side, covering as much space as she can. “Good luck!” Eliza shouts. “Go for it, Campbell! You’ve got it!”

Rhian says, “The two teams have come out of their respective lockers, words are exchanged among them, obviously encouraging words from the Captains to their own teams. The two Captains, Seeker Noémie Ribouet for Ravenclaw and Keeper Eliza Marlowe for Hufflepuff, come to the center were Professor Walsh waits for them, which they give their starting handshakes before the two teams take their starting positions. Professor Walsh releases the Snitch before it goes zooming off, then one last look at the teams, she blows the whistle and tosses the Quaffle into the air. The game has started. Cambell manages to get a hold of the Quaffle off the toss-up for Hufflepuff as the bludgers are also released. The Hufflepuff Chasers take the Quaffle and head down to the Ravenclaw goals, the Ravenclaws working on keeping up with them.”

Van is already up in the air when the quaffle is caught by a Hufflepuff chaser, and this causes the Keeper to fly even quicker towards the hoops, readying herself quickly. Perhaps she ought to have spent less time in practice goofing off. The seventh year is stationed in front of the hoops, however, and she holds her arms up, balancing carefully on the broom as she looks out at the clump in the middle of the field, keeping her eye mostly on the chaser with the quaffle.

Bolting into the air as the professor tosses the quaffle up and blows the whistle, Carrie is off with quick reflexes. The girl notes Marybeth’s better positioning to snatch the thing and veers left, out of her way. Seeing her catch out of the corner of her eye, Carrie flits towards the Ravenclaw goalposts, turning around after having gotten a bit closer to them, her arms outstretched. “Marybeth!”

Alexandra Leong kicks off hard and scrambles towards the snitch, but it vanishes within seconds. Grumbling, the small Hufflepuff climbs rapidly, stopping a dozen feet above the rest of the players, scanning the entire pitch for signs of the erratic little golden ball that is her query. “Come to Hufflepuff…” she says in a small voice… “I’m wearing yellow, see? We could be friends, little snitch…” This recent bout of talking to objects (inanimate or otherwise) appeared last week, after speaking with a teacup resulted in a successful transfiguration of said teacup into a skittering spider-like creature. She pays almost no attention to Noémie, at least for the moment.

Clavicle Gravely shoots for the sky in the swarm of chasers shooting up after the Quaffle. His robes wip around him and he looks determined, but he is not in the lead today, as he had a bad shove off at the get go. He sees Marybeth get the quaffle to begin with and instead tries to get into a better position to harry the Hufflepuff on the way to the rings. David shoots up as well to prepare to try to steal the Quaffle as well. The two split to try to come at the Hufflepuff girl from both sides to force her away from the rings if successful.

Keelan Walsh watches for a minute and then, quickly, frees the bludgers, ducking under them as they move at first of their own speed, with the seeming joy these inanimate objects always seem able to express at freedom. One bludger heads up at almost a straight line, detouring at last toward Bailey, though the course is random. Of course, a bludger doesn’t focus on one person. The other bludger moves skyward toward Alexandra, as if aware(though of course it is not) that the other went for a Ravenclaw. For her part, Keelan mounts her broom and begins the slow, careful circling of the pitch, eyes darting here and there with a strange intensity, alert for fouls.

Seeing Marybeth moving forward to catch the Quaffle, Albert moves to take up a supporting position. One hand out to catch the ball if Marybeth decides to pass, Albert starts to maneuver himself carefully between David and Marybeth, trying to prevent the opposing Chaser from intercepting any passes. Albert aims a quick, wary glance over his shoulder at David, keeping a careful eye on his Ravenclaw counterpart.

With the sound of the whistle Bailey kicks off and rushes towards the quaffle. Seeing that Marybeth has an advantage, he accelarates even harder, trying to tip it out of her hand. But as the Hufflepuff grabs the ball, Bailey zooms up, performing a hard turn to chase the carrier. He notices his fellow chasers approaching her from both sides and keeps follow her closely.

Spying that one bludger is headed toward one of her own chasers, Tegan begins to fly toward it quickly, her bat brandished. “Heads up, Bailey!” she calls to him, to warn him of the danger he’s in in case she should be too slow to get to it. Thankfully, Tegan catches up to the bludger fast enough to be able to give it a whack, sending it directly toward Marybeth in hopes of dislodging the Quaffle from Hufflepuff posession. Riley watches for the moment, as he is not entirely motivated to go save the other team’s seeker from being hit by a quaffle.

Charlie Linwood is in the sky as soon as the whistle blows, though he sort of hovers below the rest of the teams, waiting for the release of the bludgers. As they are, he notes the one that hurtles toward Alexandra, and makes pace to stop it, bat brandished two-handed like the club it is. Coming level, he looks, briefly, for a flash of blue, and smacks the ball away from his team and toward–it looks like Tegan. Oops. Never hit a bludger at the opposite beater, Charlie.

Flying as fast as her broom will take her Marybeth is well aware of the three Ravenclaws on either side of her and looks hastily down the pitch while maneuvering a bit snakily to avoid them. A great smile comes to her face as her savior Carrie is spotted and with a great heave Marybeth sends the quaffle hurtling toward her fellow chaser down the pitch with a yell of excitement “Carrie!” It is unfortunate however that the moment the quaffle left her hand Marybeth was struck in the side by bludger hit by Tegan and nearly slips off of her broom before catching herself. Well she seems alright for now.

Eldric Carver is off toward the bludger Charlie hits before he spots Charlie doing so as well and makes a wide, banking turn to avoid redundancy. The redirected bludger is spotted, but of course he’s farther from it than he should be and doesn’t make it in time to save Marybeth. “Sorry!” escapes as he zips past to redirect it from his own Chasers–toward Clavicle goes the bludger, at the sound of Eldric‘s bat. The horns seem to quiver, but of course they can’t be. Too small.

Wincing as Marybeth takes a rather nasty-looking blow from a bludger, Carrie has only a split second in which to compose herself. Doing so, the girl lunges down to receive Marybeth’s pass, managing to catch it using two hands. “Okay!” she exclaims, turning and bolting off in the direction of the Ravenclaw hoops, hoping to make it there before the Ravenclaw chasers can catch her.

Rhian says, “With the bludgers released, a new danger is in the game. One of the bludgers goes after Williams, though Madison manages it to deflect it before it got too close to the Ravenclaw Chaser, hitting it towards Campbell in hoping to get Ravenclaw the Quaffle. The second Bludger has gone after Leong, the Hufflepuff Seeker. Linwood manages to get that Bludger away from Leong, though now it heads toward Madison, possibly a bad move. Campbell notices she’s surrounded by blue and passes the Quaffle to Whittier, just before she gets hit by the Bludger sent by Madison. Carver gets the last of that Bludger and sends it off toward Gravely.”

Wincing at the impact of the Bludger with his teammate’s side, Albert still keeps his focus, and moves ahead to position himself for a pass forward from Carrie. They’ve practiced this dozens of times – Albert keeps his eyes on Carrie, ready for one of her fancy flying tricks. And he keeps on the Quaffle, ready for another pass so that he can bring the ball one step closer to the goal.

Startled that for once a bludger is headed directly towards her, Tegan‘s head seems to quirk a bit, but not for long as she sends the bludger flying to the group of chasers, hoping to hit Carrie this time, as she has already managed to shake up the quaffle’s posession from Hufflepuff a little bit. Riley spots the other bludger flying towards one of the Ravenclaw chasers, and starts flying speedily down toward the group of chasers in hopes of intercepting it before it hits someone. “Look out!” he calls and brandishes his bat out as far as he can manage to try to keep the bludger from hitting. He only barely manages to whack it back in the other direction, at nobody in particular before he has to pull out of the way rather than run into his own teammate.

Clavicle Gravely turns and sees the pass and whips the sandsweeper 25 around. He pours on the speed. The Egyptian broom is built for speed and soon he’s catching up to the hufflepuff, The broom catches up to the other and Clavicle sees David’s broom didn’t quite have the speed to be close enough, so he tries for a steal, He shoves at the Quaffle, and sends it off towards Bailey instead!

Charlie Linwood seems to have taken up protecting Alex, somewhat out of his head at the fact that this leaves Eldric to deal with both bludgers most of the time. He doesn’t get too close to her, but neither does he swoop in to join the main fray. Charlie‘s face has gone about as pale as it is able, though he swings his bat around in a somewhat lunatic way.

Rubbing her side furiously and just hovering in place for a moment Marybeth shakes her head to get over the pain of the blow and get her head back in the game. Again she quickly begins to fly down the pitch this time trailing a bit behind Carrie as a bit of a safety net incase the quaffle needs to be passed backward. This time Marybeth is quite careful to be on the look out for bludgers as well as Ravenclaws…. those things really do hurt. Letting out a cry of frustration as Ravenclaw steals the quaffle, she moves into position flying toward Bailey with aggressive speed.

Eldric Carver does notice Charlie’s abscense as he flies to meet the bludger with his bat. Carrie of all people on the team is under his particular protection (plus he was already right there), and so off the ball goes, this time toward Bailey, given that the Ravenclaw Chaser seems to be in line to take the stolen Quaffle. “Go!” he calls to the Hufflepuff Chasers, not waiting for the ball to get closer.

“Aughhh!” the girl shrieks in aggravation, in echo to Marybeth, as Carrie loses possession of the quaffle. Attempting to trail Marybeth without competing with her, Carrie flies a fair distance behind her. Spotting Albert, Carrie moves to compensate, trying to maximize Hufflepuff’s position for opportunities on the pitch.

Either Alexandra is exceptionally brave, or she just didn’t see the fact that she was quite close to getting creamed by a bludger. Either way, she carries on zooming about the pitch, looking for any sign of the snitch, while starting to keep an eye on Noémie. Her flying is quite solid, although her turns are wide and occasionally wobbly.

Stolen! “Blast!” Albert exclaims. He leans down over the handle of his broom, pushing himself faster to chase after the stolen Quaffle that is now heading towards his own goal. Faster – faster – he zips ahead of first Carrie and then Marybeth. Albert‘s eyes are fixed firmly on the Quaffle in Clavicle’s hand as he speeds forward, his breath quickening as he spurs his broom ever faster.

Hearing Noémie’s call, Bailey ducks on instinct as the bludger passes him and knocks Marybeth in the side. He races towards Carrie now, catching up to her and letting himself drop a bit beneath her, using her as a protection from the approaching bludger. “Watch out, Clavicle.” Bailey calls. But too late, Clavicle has been fast enough to hustle the quaffle out of Carrie’s possession. Swooping down to finally catch it, then forming up with Clavicle and David to initiate the offence, Bailey calls “David! Left!” and dashes the quaffle over his shoulder towards David at a good speed and just manages to avoid the bludger in time, hoping that he’ll get knocked away soon.

Riley has stayed near his teammates and is ready to meet the bludger, rearing his bat back and giving it a hard whack up towards Alexandra, despite the fact that Charlie appears to be guarding her closely. The bludger flies off and gratefully Riley turns his attention back to his chasers. The other bludger seems to have veered off its course that Tegan sent it off on, and the girl flies towards it to try and prevent it from hitting her own seeker, catching up to it quickly. Soon, Tegan has whacked the bludger back towards the group of chasers, aimed right towards Albert.

Clavicle Gravely races to the side and calls out “YES!” He grins then blanches as a bludger races at him “NO!” He dives trying to get away from the thing but banks…trying to lead it over to the ravenclaw beaters “Assistance!” David hears the call and takes the Quaffle, He chuckles a bit. “That boy is cursed by bludgers. ” he races back towards his scoring hoop!

Faster, faster – Albert flies in a perfect, smooth arc, his hand out to intercept the Quaffle at the peak of its flight – and then with a cry of alarm, he abruptly jerks out of the way as a bludger comes hurtling directly at him. “Aaaaahhh!” Albert manages to escape the bludger, but he is too far away from the Quaffle to even make another try for it. “Blast!” he mutters again, and speeds forward again in a desperate attempt to protect his own goal.

Charlie Linwood snorts. “Hah!” he calls. “That’s not ruddy well going to work!” Really, he’s much too close to Alex (without, you know, being so close as to crowd her) for a bludger to get through. Even in his somewhat panicked state (with a distinct sort of green tinge about the edges), he can at least smack the bludger back toward the Ravenclaws–this time, actually, toward their own Seeker and Captain.

Rhian says, “The Bludgers are getting a beating as Madison now hits one of the Bludgers to the Hufflepuff Chasers in general, while Markham manages to protect his own Chasers and sends that Bludger off to nowhere it seems. Gravely attempts to interfere with the pass to Whittier and knocks the Quaffle off toward Williams in Ravenclaw’s attempts to steal the Quaffle from Hufflepuff. With the Ravenclaw steal, the players move back the other way, though Williams now has a Bludger after him thanks to Carver. Williams tosses the Quaffle back over his shoulder to Mildred as Bryce attempted and failed to steal the Quaffle from the Ravenclaws due to one of the Bludgers getting in the way thanks to Madison. The other Bludger is sent off to Leong by a hit from Markham. Ravenclaw still has the Quaffle and getting awefully close to Marlowe and the goalposts she’s guarding. Linwood manages to intercept the Bludger heading towards Leong and sends it after Ribouet who is seeking the Snitch as well.”

Watching as Albert tries to take the quaffle and fails Marybeth hurries to try and make up for it racing at top speed around Albert and his bludger to make her way behind David. She is a bit behind though and catching up is going to take some doing but that’s what Hufflepuff is good for, trying hard. Marybeth bites down on her lip and really lays into her broom.

Eldric Carver again fails to keep the bludger from one of his Chasers, though mostly because there is only so much flying space, and over half of both teams appear to be attempting to use the same amount. Still, once Albert misses the bludger(or rather, it misses him), it’s an easy enough hit back toward David, nostrils dialated in annoyance. Well, at least continually deflecting the same bludger from and to the same people is something to do. And he does enjoy hitting them. The bludgers, not the people.

Clavicle Gravely recovers and races towards the goal. David is doing well as well, and coming in to the edge of the scoring zone. he suddenly banks right at the scoring zone edge and makes a hand off to Clavicle as the boy races by, Clavicle uses the move he and Bailey practiced a lot. suddenly braking fast and hard, he feints high and shoots at the lower hoop, It’s his first in game scoring attempt.

As David catches safely, Bailey swerves to the left hoop and waves to him, signalling that he’s unguarded. Hovering inches before the zone, he is ready to shoot into it and attempt a score. One fine pass and Ravenclaw would lead in that deciding game. But then the quaffle is tossed to Clavicle, who performed the known manouver. “Come on, Clav…” Bailey mutters and zooms lower to be set up to catch a dropped quaffle or so, watching his teammate attempting the score at the right hoop.

Tegan is ready to leave her seeker to the job she has before her, and then seeing that the bludger has been whacked in her direction, Tegan backtracks a bit, quickly hitting the bludger in the direction of the hoops, hoping that she’ll maybe get it to the Keeper, now that the quaffle is in scoring range so that her team has a chance at scoring. Riley, for his own part, makes his way towards the bludger which is headed toward David, and tries to get a hold on it. Within seconds, he has managed to catch up to it, and whacks it in a direction that he thinks will make it head toward Marybeth, but which instead seems to head down the other direction on the pitch, headed directly toward his own keeper. In a resigned fashion, he begins to fly down to retrieve it an hopefully manage to hit it actually toward a Hufflepuff.

Eldric Carver has banked back somewhat to escape the crowding of Chasers and to keep from entering the scoring zone, a glance sent toward Keelan, but now sees the bludger on it’s way to help and quickly darts into line. There is a massive CRACK as the pink-arm-haired, purple-horn bearing Beater swings back and then forward, this bludger sent chasing after Riley as well. After all, if Riley gets taken out and doesn’t save Van from his own bludger, well, that might be a penalty shot, right?

Throughout the match, Eliza has been hovering a few yards in front of the goalposts, watching the interchange of Quaffle and bludgers, shouting encouragement to her team. “Good! Right, keep it up! Good save, Bryce!” And then, suddenly, the Quaffle is heading towards Eliza, and she is speaking to herself. “Right! Here it comes!” With a little upwards skip, she takes off towards the right-hand goalpost, keeping her eye fixed on the ball. Aiming…aiming…and then WHACK! she spins swiftly to block, hitting the Quaffle away from the goal with a firm smack of the bristles of her broom.

Clavicle Gravely flies stright through the zone and out of the other side. He begins circling back, unlike what some may think, he is not dissapointed he was blocked. Quite the contrary, he looks exstatic he got to try. “I’ll get it next time!” he calls out to Eliza as he circles around laughing, he looks to see where the quaffle is. David never entered the zone, he’s all business, and zips down to assist Bailey to attempt to get the Quaffle.

“Where are you, little snitch?” Alexandra continues to mutter to herself. “Don’t you like me anymore? Come on little snitch… I’ll be gentle…” She’s flying in faster and faster circles now, a sense of desperation and panic raising in her chest. “Snitch snitch snitch… snitch… SNITCH!” A glitter of gold catches the small girl’s eye, and immediate she starts to zoom towards the stands.

Sighing a breath of relief when the Quaffle is deflect Marybeth hurries a bit faster trying desperately to catch up and catch it. She is nearly next to Clavicle and begins racing with him giving him a bit of a glare…. well as much of a glare as a Hufflepuff will muster that is. Her eyes quickly dart forward though onto Bailey.

Tegan flies quickly down the pitch toward the bludger, as she certainly doesn’t want to give Hufflepuff free penalty shots, especially if Van is taken out by it. She manages to get to the bludger in enough time to block it from Riley, and she sends it flying toward Marybeth this time, rather than back toward the keeper. The crowd around the goals causes Tegan to fly back toward it quickly so as to save her own teammates from the bludger if necessary.

“Argh.” Bailey hits his broom and dives for the bounced off quaffle, which just passed him by a few yards. He picks it up, hoping that David and Clavicle got out of the zone quickly enough and rushes towards the left hoop, trying to catch Eliza off guard. “Hewk!” Bailey strikes out and fires the quaffle at the hoop, leaning hard into the shot to give it an enourmous boost. Then he performs a curve and watches the ball rushing for ten points.

Rhian says, “Carver manages to protect his Chasers by sending the Bludger off toward Mildred is passing the Quaffle off toward Gravely to make a scoring attempt. Madison sends one of the Bludgers off to Marlowe, who is intercepted by Carver, which is now going after Marcham, who in turn just sent a Bludger down at his own Keeper, Douglass and is now attempting to intercept it once more. Marlowe protects the goal by knocking the Quaffle away with her broom and while Gravely and Mildred get out of the way, Williams manages to recover the Quaffle to try and score again.”

Riley Markham curses, quiet loudly, as he darts across the pitch after the bludger he sent sailing toward Van. He wasn’t having a terribly good game so far, he thought. Trailing through the sky as fast or faster than the safety regulations for a Windwalker would suggest, he demonstrates a hint of his only real talent, it would seem, on the quidditch pitch — trick flying. Out-running the by fractions, he does his best to position himself between it and the keeper.. only to find Tegan having taken it out from under him. He can’t help but shoot the girl a somewhat angered, narrowed expression. Floating there for a moment with no real purpose, he watches the cluster of people at the other end of the pitch for a long moment before drifting that direction, until he’s lingering around mid-pitch.

Eliza‘s relief at protecting her goal lasts for barely a second before the Quaffle is back in action again. Speeding across the length of the goalposts, Eliza leans down, kicking her heels back as if by doing so, she could make her broom go faster. Closer, closer – Eliza turns outwards, trying to intercept the ball before it can reach the goal It’s to no avail, though – the Quaffle gets to the goalpost a fraction of a second before Eliza does, and it goes through. “Blast it!” she cries, her face crumpling with frustration as the opposing team scores.

Clavicle Gravely does something very odd to Marybeth. he waggles his eyebrows and winks. Clavicle is having the time of his life. He comes up neck and neck with the Hufflepuff girl and pours on the speed, trying to outclass her broom with the egyptian sport model he’s using. He’s racing her. What a cheeky bugger. “Nice hair.” he comments as he pulls ahead a bit. David is racing around back as well. Heading towards the : Quaffle, waiting for it to hit play again!

Spotting that Alexandra has started flying quickly toward something that she herself can’t see, Noémie turns quickly and starts on Alexandra’s path, trying to catch up to the other seeker to hopefully overtake her and snatch the snitch out of the air before her. After several moments, Noémie manages to come up to full speed and comes neck-and-neck with Alexandra, flying perilously close to the girl on her left, trying to keep up as well with the tiny gold ball.

“Aww nuts!” Cries out Marybeth as the Quaffle is scored and Ravenclaw gets in the lead. Worse still that little ravenclaw twig is _hitting_ on her distracting her badly and eliciting another glare. As she turns Marybeth is indeed so distracted that she has no idea that there is a bludger coming right at her until it is far too late. Again poor Marybeth is pummeled this time right in her stomach taking the wind right out of her and probably her lunch too, though wether from the bludger or from the younger boy’s advances is anyone’s guess.

Bailey raises a fist into the air as the quaffle sails through the hoop with a loud “CLONK!” Not saying anything, as the game isn’t decided at all yet, Bailey nods over to his fellow chasers and gets back into formation, peering for a cheer or any other reaction from Tegan, until the game is continued.

Eldric Carver throws Eliza a look, whether sympathetic or annoyed, it’s hard to tell, but either way, he’s distracted from his duties–and then there’s bits of lunch in the air and Eldric swerves hard to the right to avoid being splattered, and misses. Now he’s got purple-and-sandwich colored horns, and bits of partially digested something in his hair. Behold the Hufflepuff’s elder beater’s panic. “Disgusting! Campbell!” Far be it for him to feel sympathy or responsbility, he’s got bits of regurgitated food in his hair. Apparently, far be it for him to remember the closeness of the bludger until it’s almost too late again. Flying erratically, he hits it away-up, really, just far, and continues doing weird circles to get the vomit off without, you know, touching it.

Clavicle Gravely nods to Marybeth. “I had the pea’s for lunch too. by the by…there’s a bludger coming.” he zips off having a laugh. He gives a hands up victory fist to Bailey. “Good show!” He sighs, maybe he can score next time. “I’d stay away from the ham before a game next time though.” David can’t help but go, “Ewh, Gravely…that’s just…gross!”

Gulping back her frustration and anger, Eliza zips behind the goalposts, dipping down to retrieve the fallen Quaffle before it can descend any further. “Blast, blast, _blast_!” she mutters, her expressive face still crinkled in a frown of discontent as she soars back up to the level of the other players, the Quaffle held securely in one hand. Up goes Eliza‘s arm, drawing back to wind up, and then she sends the Quaffle flying in a high, graceful arc over the cluster of people crowded around the Hufflepuff goal with a forceful overhand throw. “Campbell, are you all right?” she calls, a different sort of frown coming to her face as she watches her Chaser’s plight. “Carver! Focus!”

Riley Markham curses, quiet loudly, as he darts across the pitch after the bludger he sent sailing toward Van. He wasn’t having a terribly good game so far, he thought. Trailing through the sky as fast or faster than the safety regulations for a Windwalker would suggest, he demonstrates a hint of his only real talent, it would seem, on the quidditch pitch — trick flying. Out-running the by fractions, he does his best to position himself between it and the keeper. Ultimately, it’s a narrow victory on Riley‘s part. Inching out ahead of his clobbered bludger, he has very little bat-room to swing and his deflection away from Van sents it up high and above the grouped crowd on the end of the pitch, angling up toward the sky. Still, the power he puts behind the hit rather substantial. The sound of the bat cracking against the leather cannonball is echoing. “At least I can do something right!”

Charlie Linwood is startled when Alex begins moving in earnest toward the stands, and looks wildly about himself for signs of the bludgers. Down, he goes, as the bludgers soar upward–”Hey, Carver, what are you playing at?” Charlie missed any Quaffle and/or Gravely induced vomiting, and instead hits the first bludger back down at the group of Ravenclaw Chasers, and turns tail to get to the bludger and aim it again at Noémie. Just a little bit further–CRACK! Well, hopefully it won’t get too near Alex, who he watches with no small amount of trepidition.

Pulling hastily away from the distressed Marybeth – and giving Eldric’s filth-covered form a look that is decidedly less romantic and admiring than any she has given him before – Carrie keeps her focus on the game and races up towards the Quaffle. Looping neatly around Clavicle’s back, Carrie reaches out to snatch up the Quaffle in one hand, holding on to her broom with the other as she speeds towards the Ravenclaw goal. Albert circles around the other way, giving his other teammates a wide berth, and starts flying ahead of Carrie, positioning himself for a forward pass.

Rhian says, “Williams gets back into position and Ravenclaw scores! Ravenclaw has made the first score of the game as it is now Ravenclaw-10, Huffelpuff-0. Marlowe takes the Quaffle and tosses it to one of her own Chasers, Whittier , who with the others heads down the other side of the pitch to try and answer the Ravenclaw swore. The Bludgers come flying back around, one heading towards Campbell which her, once more. See’s she’s having some bad luck today with those Bludgers. The other one Markham manages to deflect from Douglass, sending it off into the sky with quite an amount of force. Linwood manages to get one of the Bludgers, sending it after the Ravenclaw Chasers. What is this? It seems the Seekers have found the Snitch. First it was Leong and Ribouet is after it as well. They are neck and neck as they chase after the Snitch. The match and the cup rely solely on these two ladies as they go after it. Linwood has now sent the second Bludger after Ribouet to try and get her off the chase of the Snitch.”

Both bludgers go flying at once, and Tegan is alarmed to see her seeker targeted once again. She flies quickly toward the bludger in hopes of catching up to it. The seekers are moving very quickly and the girl is having a tough time catching up to the bludger, but she does finally manage to do so, hitting it toward another Hufflepuff chaser with an echoing crack.

Wobbling badly on her broom as the bludger is smacked away by Charlie Marybeth can’t seem to get her broom to go forward even though she is leaning hunched over cursing the sarcastic ravenclaw’s name (which she wished she knew… so she could actually curse at it you know.) she begins sinking toward the ground slowly until she is safely on the grass before collapsing on her side.

Alexandra Leong clenches her teeth as she zooms straight for the stands. Noémie’s presence is not lost on Alexandra. She urges her broom on, gaining a bit of speed, but the quickly upcoming stands forces her to abandon speed for manuverability. The snitch is quite clearly in front of her, a fluttering golden ball, extremely speedy, and extremely erratic. The Hufflepuff Seeker almost slams into a supporting beam holding up the stands as she follows the snitch. Weaving between the various beams, supports, and struts, she tries to keep up, and almost succeeds… until she grazes a beam with her left arm, causing her robes to rip, revealing a deep, argry looking scratch.

Clavicle Gravely was going for the Quaffle as well but Linwood’s well aimed blow sends a bludger at him, His face blanches and he dodges to the side as the cannonball like bludger slams right by him, “Great bones… that thing gave me a shave as it went by… and I don’t have whiskers yet! Markham! A hand!” he zips around to head towards a beater to get the bludger off of him. David banks swiftly and takes off after Carrie to try to Harry her Scary scoring attempt!

Noémie manages to avoid the beam, but is forced to dive a bit and pull back up as she tries to avoid getting hit, pulling forward ever so slightly from Alexandra, but she is still unable to grab onto the tiny gold ball. While they zoom about, avoiding the supports and the beams, and then soon they’re out of the bleachers again, flying now behind them, out of view of the pitch, and thankfully, out of range of the bludgers. The girl’s balance seems off, and her broom begins to veer of its own accord, separating her distance with Alex until she is a full two feet away, though she tries to guide the broom back closer to where the snitch flies. Soon, there is a swift right turn and she follows the snitch back into the stadium, barely missing a beam to the head as she closes the distance between Alex and herself again.

“Campbell!” Eliza shouts. “Get to the nurse! Whittier! Bryce! Spread out! Cover that ground! Only two of you now! Good work, Alex! Keep going!” Either Eliza is no longer feeling the pain of letting the shot go through, or she has gotten too busy with her teammates’ plight to pay much attention to her own emotions. “Come on! Carver, focus! Whittier, watch out behind you! Come on, Alex!”

Charlie Linwood is totally distracted by the disappearance of the Seekers underneath the stands, eyes trying to follow them as he catches glimpses of yellow and blue through the beams–and then there’s Noémie again, and Alex with a cut. “Oi!” Then Charlie seems to remember his duties as a Beater, and spins around to look for the bludgers. Quickly he zooms, rather faster than normal, and the bludger is this time aimed for the Ravenclaw Chasers. He isn’t about to risk putting Alex off track by aiming at Noémie, that’s for certain.

Eldric Carver is very, very distracted by his state of disgustingness, but at the reappearance of Charlie where he belongs there’s a” Took you long enough, Linwood!” and a redoubling of efforts in order to look better. The bludger that missed Clavicle is zoomed toward, now, Eldric‘s expression determined that he get to it before one of the Ravenclaw Beaters can.

Alexandra Leong can’t hear anything but the whistling of the wind past her ears. She’s struggling with her control of her broom; with one arm injured, her turns are becoming less and less controlled. She’s slowing down, little by little, as the pain of her arm starts to register. The snitch is gaining a larger and larger lead on both Seekers, and it threatens to disappear into the sky once more. “Come on come on come on…” Alexandra mutters as she flattens herself further on her broom, hoping to gain speed and control.

Following their captain’s instructions, Carrie and Albert split off, veering sharply towards opposite sides of the field while Carrie accelerates, struggling to move past Clavicle. Albert, too, tries to maintain his speed as he spins off from Carrie – but a bludger is whistling towards him, and he lets out a yelp and wheels even further to the side, sending himself spinning into a barrel roll. Charlie saves him from the bludger, but vertigo is another story – Albert shakes his head quickly to clear it. From far ahead of him, Carrie still has time to laugh, “Leave the fancy flying to me, Albert!” as she speeds ever faster.

“Argh!” Tegan hollers as Clavicle shouts about the bludger, doing her best to go and intercept the one headed toward her chasers now. “Let’s pull close!” she suggests to Riley, flying in toward her team as fast as she can manage and rearing her bat back. The girl is soon amidst the thick of things, her bat held high as she whacks the bludger quickly toward Albert this time, trying to knock out as many opposing chasers as she can manage. “Get the other, would you?” she calls to Riley and bites her lip, following in the direction that she has hit the bludger in case of a quick return.

Riley Markham lofts his brows and dashes forward from having been more or less waiting at mid-pitch, sparing a somewhat side-long look toward Clavicle before pulling up high enough to collect the bludger, somewhat above the rest of the tightly knit group of chasers mingling below. A small bunt to hold the bludger more or less stationary is followed by a hard whack — supposedly in the direction of the approaching Eldric, in an attempt to de-bat him. Instead, however, the bludger archs upward toward Leong, quite by accident, in a startling burst of speed and power.

Rhian says, “Tegan has managed to get the Bludger away from Ribouet and Leong as the two Seekers now disappear among the stands… but there… Leong seems slightly hurt, loosing some ground on the Snitch. Gravely almost got hit by one of the other Bludgers, quite a close call as help is called for the Ravenclaw Chasers. There’s the Snitch, as it and the Seekers come back out onto the pitch. Ribouet seems to have lost a bit of ground on Leong but is working hard to gain it back. Campbell seems too hurt from the two Bludger blows in order to continue as she leaves the pitch to be seen by the Nurse. Linwood has learned his lesson and now sends one of the Bludgers back to the Ravenclaw Chasers who outnumber the Hufflepuffs 3 to 2 in their Chasers. Let’s see how long the Hufflepuffs can hold onto the Quaffle. The Bludgers are going everywhere, Bryce has had to dodge one, the beaters are going insane trying to keep the Ravenclaws off the Hufflepuffs or the Hufflepuffs from scoring.”

Going after Albert and getting between him and Carrie, Bailey watches the quaffle and Albert, trying to guard him as close as he the speed allows it.

Resisting the urge to shove her shoulder into Alexandra, Noémie flies straight for a moment, and then as the snitch ascends, she makes her way into the sky, flying up higher and higher, trying to get her fingers around it. Having the other seeker right neck-and-neck with her makes it more difficult, as well as the snitch staying just out of reach. Noémie‘s face is red from exertion as well as frustration at not having caught the snitch yet, despite the chase it has been. Grunts emit as she reaches out for it, trying to wrap her fingers around it, but only tapping it with them instead, and the snitch begins to descend again at a very steep angle. Noémie follows, however precariously diving as she has practiced so hard. The improvement is apparent, though she is still not all that great at it.

The situation among the Hufflepuff Chasers remains the same: Carrie is still in possession of the Quaffle, and the same bludger is still chasing after Albert. “It’s like that thing has it in for me!” Albert mutters, as he glances apprehensively behind him at the bludger, searching for his team’s Beaters. And then Bailey closes in on his other side, and Albert is caught weaving back and forth, frantically trying to avoid colliding with the bludger on one side and the Ravenclaw Chaser on the other. Carrie attempts to evade with a sharp curve that sends her into a sideways loop, holding on precariously with one hand while still trying to maintain her grasp on the Quaffle.

Charlie Linwood gives out a strangled yell as the bludger moves toward Alex, “This is why I was watching her!” He shoots off to intercept, while being mindful of not getting in the way. Difficult buisness this, as Charlie circles round behind them (sharp! thanks to a lot of practice at it) and manages, barely, to hit the bludger straight diagonally down the other way–more toward the ground than any particular group of people. His face is pale again, but furious.

Alexandra Leong‘s heart almost stops when Noémie grabs at the snitch and makes contact. Luckily, it’s not over yet, and as Noémie pulls into a steep dive Alexandra follows effortlessly. The dive ends only several feet from the ground. The Snitch flattens out it’s trajectory suddenly, and the Hufflepuff Seeker pulls up to follow. The trio – Noémie, Alex, and the snitch – continue straight at breakneck speeds, with neither Seeker within reach, until the snitch makes a sudden left turn. Alexandra pulls left hard, but her arm throbs, and her turn isn’t as sharp as it needed to be. She starts to lose speed as pain shoots up her arm.

Rhian says, “The Snitch flies high into the sky, the girls now neck and neck as they case after it. Ribouet seems to almost have it… but no, it dives to the ground, the two Seekers going after it. It seems one of the Bludgers likes Bryce as it continues to chase him around and away from Whittier who still goes for Douglass and a goal. However, Bryce comes back around and causes Whittier to go into a loop, trying to desperately hang onto the Quaffle. Bludgers flight back toward the Seekers once more though Linwood manages to protect them once more. A hard turn by the Snitch causes Leong to lose ground once more as it seems her arm is bothering her again.”

The flight to the groun causes Noémie to go breathless and she is perhaps just a bit slower than Alex in pulling out of it, and it takes several feet before she has managed to right herself and even up with the Hufflpeuff chaser. As the snitch turns left, Noémie follows suit, turning as hard as she can manage and thrusting her arm out, closing her fingers around the tiny ball with a shout of victory. She had managed to catch the snitch! Ravenclaw wins! She flies down to the center of the pitch and holds up the snitch, her face joyful, and are those tears on the Ravenclaw seeker’s face as she laughs for joy, thrusting her fist into the air again and again jubilantly. “We did it!” She shouts.

Eldric Carver is having a hard time keeping up with the bludger and the Hufflepuff Chasers, given that he had to completely change course to do so. Finally, he joins the fray, grip on his bat so tight his that the whitness in his knuckles seems to spread, he slams into the bludger full force, sending it arcing skyward, as much toward the Seeker-Snitch train as he can from here, hoping Alex will dodge and–there is a very, very loud string of curses here, as the vomit-and-hex covered Beater deflates, quite literally sinking down at a slow, defeated pace.

Rhian says, “Ribouet is still on the Snitch though and manages to catch the Snitch! Ravenclaw wins the match and the Cup! Final score is Ravenclaw – 160, Hufflepuff, 0. A marvelous game by both teams indeed with an excellent chase provided by our Seekers. A wonderful end to a wonderful season for Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff did a wonderful job as well. That is it for Quidditch this year, the next match not starting until November of this year. Well, I am Rhian Brecon of Ravenclaw and I’m signing off for the last time this year. Good luck with your end of term exams everyone.”

Alexandra Leong sinks dejectedly to the ground (luckily not too far up), holding her left arm with her right hand, and grimacing. She is clearly in pain – not surprising, as there is a rather large slither embedded in the poor arm. Tears are falling down her cheeks. She nearly falls off her broom as physical and emotional exhaustion catches up with her.

“Bloody — ” Tegan calls, pulling out of the chase she has been in, she makes her way down to the groun. “Bloody brilliant!” she calls gleefully and throws her arms around Noémie. “Champions!” Her voice rings out loud and echoes as she laughs with Noémie, her joy having overcome her previously serious attitude. “We did it!” The Ravenclaw bleachers seem to have erupted with incredibule noise at this and the girl is hopping up and down with sheer energy, though lord knows how she could have any left.

Keelan Walsh is watching, and has been, and several times she’s had the whistle up and had to drop it at the last moment. Now, however, as the Ravenclaw Seeker closes her hand around the snitch and announces the win, Keelan blows-hard-on the whistle and then, without looking much, zips down to the box. Amid the celebrating Ravenclaws (and the noise from the stands ringing in her ears), she shoves out her open hand. “Snitch please.” Pause, “So I can put it away.” From accross the pitch, some students, jubilant, carry the silver Quidditch cup. A very terse “Congratulations.” is all Keelan has besides a demand for things to be cleaned up. Poor Ravenclaws, a lot of them will have to go to Herbology this week.

Clavicle Gravely almost falls off the broom! “We won? WE WON! ALRIGHT! Great catch Noémie!” He does a prouette in the sky, a spin on the broom and zips off towards the ground where he will try to lift noémie up in a victory dance!

The fight goes out of the bludger – and out of Albert and Carrie, too, as the thunderous cheer erupts from the Ravenclaw bleachers. With one last look at each other, their energy fading swiftly into disappointment, the Chasers drift down to the ground, starting to cluster towards Alexandra and the fallen Marybeth.

Was that…? No, it couldn’t…or really? Noémie has caught the snitch and Ravenclaw has won the cup. It’s like a huge stone falling from Bailey‘s head and a wave of joy filling him up. “We won it! Wooohoooo!” he shouts, raising his fist and cheering wholeheartedly. Bailey performs a huge turn over the Ravenclaw bleachers and then lands on the pitch. He runs towards his teammates and helps Clavicle to lift up Noémie to celebrate their captain.

Looking quite green Marybeth stares up at Clavicle as if willing him to fall off of his broom when the game is won. “Well…” she croaks out rubbing her stomach. “Im still splitting up my bag of marbles so the joke is on you Ravenclaw.” Yes even with possibly broken ribs, a defunct stomach and scars of ravenclaw flirtation Marybeth is still a joker.

“Bravo!” Van calls as she has finally made her way to the ground, coming in to hug her captain and the other female beater. “Good on everyone!” she says, the tears that have been threatening to fall finally coming streaming down her face. “What a way to go out!” she comments, but her comments are drowned by the noise on the pitch as she celebrates with her teammates excitedly.

For the briefest of moments, Eliza‘s face crumples, her eyes closing against the sight and sound of the other team’s victory. But she opens them again, and swallows hard, and brings her broom down to earth in a smooth, controlled arc. Eliza steps lightly off of it, runs a hand backwards through her dark hair, and begins to stride, shoulders straight and posture upright, towards the center of the pitch for the closing handshake.

Charlie Linwood bites his lip and lets himself go limp. It was over. They hadn’t won, but they put up a good fight. Not typical behavior, this time when he flies down to the pitch he stays with the team, giving Alex a–well it’s almost kind look. “Want to go to the nurse, Leong?” That’s about as many words as he’s said to her in a row for a long time. Eliza, he doesn’t look at. Actually he’s mostly muttering things to his chest rather than looking up at people’s eyes or anything.

“Oh, right, sorry Professor,” Noémie tells Keelan and wipes her eyes from their tears as she hands over the snitch to the referee, detatching herself from her excited teammates. “No, no, guys,” she tells the boys who seem to be bent on picking her up in celebration, and she strides over to Eliza, putting her hand out much more cheerfully. The girl’s face cannot hide her obvious joy at being the winners of the match. “Well matched,” she tells Eliza with a mighty grin. Looking to the stands, there appears to be a Ravenclaw fifth year who looks to be trying to garner her attention, and she waves excitedly. “I’ll see you all in the commonroom later, there’s sure to be a party!” she tells her team and trots off, looking at the stands, where the boy has disappeared, and makes her way off the pitch very quickly, broom still in hand.

Clavicle Gravely then does something differen’t After hopping around with the team, he crosses the field to the hufflebuff side and offers first, Charlie a hand. “Good show.” he says stoically.

Keelan Walsh closes her hand on the snitch and turns to put it in the box. The bludgers have moved in and are strapped down, still somewhat wiggly from getting used. With a click, all balls in need of restraint are returned, and now the Quaffle is placed in as well. Noémie runs off without the cup and so it is presented to the rest of the team, though it seems that as Keeper and oldest, it is shoved closer to Van. Keelan, for her part, moves away from the students (especially as those in the stands trickle down) and out.

“Good match,” Eliza replies, with a firm nod and a sincere tone, giving Noémie’s hand a strong shake, with a true, honest smile that even lingers for a moment after the handshake has finished. And then Eliza is off towards the edge of the pitch, reaching Alexandra’s side in a few long, swift strides. “Come on,” she says softly, stretching her hand down to touch Alexandra’s shoulder gently. “Let’s get you up to the nurse.”

Alexandra Leongshakes her head at Charlie, although her arm is turning an interesting shade of purple. She is trying very hard not to burst into tears, but her efforts are less than successful. In a few seconds, she completely loses control and flings herself into Charlie, sobbing into his shoulder.

Does Charlie look like a crying post? Still, he’s in such a subdued mood that he merely pats her back a bit awkwardly and lets her cry. “It’s okay, it isn’t your fault the Snitch went under there. You’d've had it otherwise, really.” Clavicle’s offer of a handshake is just stared at–he does, after all, have a girl sobbing on him. He still won’t look at Eliza, and probably won’t for at least a week or so after this.

Clavicle Gravely lets his hand drop awkwardly. “Right then.” he nods and looks to the other Hufflepuffs, “Good match.” but feeling more awkward then anything he heads back to his side’s locker room.

There is no anger in Eliza‘s expression as she looks down at her teammates – just sympathy, and a little of her own sorrow. “Come on,” she says again, still softly, with a gentle but strong tug at Alexandra’s shoulder, transferring the weeping girl from poor bewildered Charlie to herself. “Let’s go.” Eliza swallows hard, and starts to walk her sobbing Seeker off the field.

Donovan Harrison stands in the center of the Quidditch Pitch, not in his usual robes but in more appropriate referee robes for the game. With a broom in one hand, he also has the box full of those well-known Quidditch balls that are needed. He waits patiently for the two teams to arrive and the captains to come over to him to do the usual pre-game ‘meeting’ with the referee of the game.

Rhian Brecon settles into the announcer’s seat and clears her throught. “Good afternoong everyone, what a wonderfully white day to have a quidditch game, isn’t it? I hope everyone is nice and bundled up like I am, though I’m sure the two teams today won’t need it. Today’s game we have Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, two excellent teams so this should ideally be a good game, despite the weather. Today we have, for the first time this year Professor Harrison of Transfiguration refereeing this game. Let’s just hope that we will be able to see this game, as well as the Quidditch players.”

Marie-Anna Greyton steps out onto the pitch in the colours of Gryffindor House. Broom in hand the captain makes her way over towards the referee of todays match. “Professor,” the teen gives with a slight nod of her head as she looks towards the rest of her team, and towards the Hufflepuff team.

Wandering out to the pitch, Briony seems to be feeling almost ill as she steps onto the pitch for the third and last time during the season. Granted, the girl has practiced all she could manage for this last and final match, but while she is quite adept at blocking the shots of her own team, her confidence is still lacking when it comes to blocking shots from those whose movements she cannot predict.

As it is his first match for the Gryffindor team, Sebastian Praw is more than nervous. He is trying to hide his excitement behind short smiles and because he’ll be the seeker today, he’ll be watched especially hard by everyone. Of course dressed in Gryffindor colors, his nearly mint broom in hand, Sebastian is standing on the pitch next to his teammates, waiting for the game to begin. Agitated, he rubs his short blonde hair with his free hand, wondering if he’ll be successful today.

Eliza Marlow strides onto the pitch with a confident gait, her broom on one shoulder. She gives her team a wide smile, projecting her confidence at them, hoping to calm their nerves. “We will do just fine,” she said to them as she motioned for all the members to gather around for a quick huddle. “We’ve worked hard, and we’ve really improved, even after our last game. We won against the Slytherins, and we will win here. Now let’s go out and play hard. Chasers, remember to work together, and keep an eye out for the bludgers. Beaters, you need to know where everyone on the pitch is, on our teams and theirs. Alex, don’t let your nerves take over your flying.” She paused in her impromptu little speech, and flashed a grin at her team. “You are all great flyers, now let get out there and win this for Hufflepuff!”

Donovan Harrison gives a nod to Marie-Anna and then looks to Eliza as they both stand on either side. “Well, I’m sure I don’t have to tell either of you that we should have a good, clean game. Just be careful of course, with this weather. Now, shake hands, get in position and let’s get this game started then.” He lets the captains do such and turns to the box with the Quidditch balls and opens it up to get ready to release the four different balls into the air.

Following the team captain, Eldric Carver walks on the pitch, sporting his trademark confident smile. The boy walks with his chest sticking out proud, his broom is swung over his left shoulder. As he walks forward, he toys with his heavy bat in the right hand, and he occasionally waves to a few people he knows and who are sitting on the bleachers. “We’ll smite them!” he replies with a broad grin to the captain’s little speech.

Marybeth Campbell wanders out to the Pitch, this time with her very own scarf on, near Carrie as usual. Her own broom is held carefully, and she keeps brushing snowflakes off of her robes with her free hand, if just to keep them from melting and soaking through before the game has even properly started. Listening to the speech, she punctuates the end with a bit of an excited yelping noise and “Right! We’ll win!” but then she gets into position for kicking off.

Charlie Linwood is practically bouncing on his feet as he comes out, not even half as ridiculously bundled as he has been for the last several …dozen… practices. No, he’s still got on a full set of clothes under his Quidditch robes, gloves, scarf, hat, and cloak, but that’s about a layer less than usual. After all, it’s a game and if he’s used to being weighed down, this should help. The other Hufflepuffs get a grey-eyed glance, but any turn of the mouth up or down is concealed, as usual, with the thick black and yellow stripes of his scarf. Clutching his broom, it seems that Charlie is not about to display any nerves. Just don’t mind the way his eyebrows are kind of twitchy. Even with Eliza’s characteristic enthusiasm, he’s Charlie.

Marie-Anna Greyton nods towards the Professor and turns to offer Eliza her hand. Once the formalities are done she offers a smile at the Gryffindor team. “You guys’ll do fine, you’ve worked hard for this match, just like all the others,” she gives in a calm voice before she takes her position on the pitch. Her stance is that of someone ready to play the game.

Feeling remarkably dizzy, while stepping onto the field, Andy Carver clings to his broom. Today he does not care about its tousled looking tailtwigs. He positions himself next to Briony and glances over to her, while tying up his hair to a ponytail, so that they won’t bother him during the match. As acclimates slowly, the spectators seem to come out of reach. ‘You’re playing here. Don’t care about them. Don’t-care-about-them’ he says to himself under his breath and puts on his father’s old quidditch gloves. Finally he puts his head back and breathes in deeply, looking up to the sky.

Alexandra Leong titters nervously, bouncing on her toes, toying with the handle of her broom. She gulps as Eliza mentions her nerves, but nods in response, bobbing her head up and down vigorously. “I won’t let you down, Captain,” she blurts, and turns a bright red. She looks at the rest of her team, then, in a small voice, adds. “Good luck, everyone.”

These words to not soothe Briony‘s nerves, and she looks to her fellow second-year with a bit of a gulp, then readies her broom for when the whistle is given to fly up to the hoops. The only thing Briony can hope is that there is a large tussle for the quaffle and she won’t have to see it for a good long time.

“Yes… we’ll smite them.” Carrie Whittier repeats after Eldric, clutching her own broom firmly with her right hand and smiling back, for the briefest moment, at the sixth year boy. “We’ve trained a lot and I’m sure this will pay off eventually” she goes on, mostly for herself. She wonders how she’ll fare in this match and if she would be able to do justice to her team, but now is not really the time to doubt about such things, is it?

Eliza Marlow steps forward and shakes Marie-Anna’s hand firmly. “Good luck,” she said to the opposing captain, with a friendly smile. “Alright team! Let’s get started!” She mounts her own broom with an almost careless grace, like something she’s done a thousand times (and perhaps have), and could do in her sleep. There is a certain edge to her movements, however, as soon as she is on the broom. Poised and ready to take off, her grips her broom firmly, adjusting her grip until it is perfect, flexing her gloved hands.

Donovan Harrison looks up at the two teams and waits for them to be in the proper position as he takes the Quaffle out of the box into his hand. His wand is in his hand to be quickly used though. Once everyone was relatively settled despite the weather, he points to the box and has the Golden Snitch released, which flitters in place for a while and then goes zooming off into the snow. Following that the two bludgers were let go, which he dodges one while they go to create mayhem. Once that is done, he waves the box off the field and then tosses the Quaffle up into the air between the Chasers, letting them argue over it as he moves to his broom and kicks off to keep an eye on the game.

Charlie Linwood is not in the habit of mounting his broom until the referee has signaled the start of game. With a “Why do they always release them before we’re even airborne?” under his breath, Charlie pulls out his beater’s bat, mounts, and zooms upward. He watches as the other members of both teams begin to play. He looks, as always, a strange combination of menacing and ridiculous, holding the bat and moving rather quickly from here to there, but thin and all bundled up against the cold.

Marie-Anna Greyton makes her way up into the air, with Landon no ttoo far behind. Both beaters have bats in hand as they prepare to keep their teams from getting knocked out cold from the flying monsters that are bludgers.

Andy Carver sets up as the game is about to start. His toes seem to dig themselves into the ground to perform a proper kick off the ground. Since the quaffle is taken out of the box his eyes only know one direction. As it gets thrown into the air he shoots up into the air, trying to reach it earlier than the Hufflepuff chasers.

“I don’t know, but we’d better take off quickly” Carrie Whittier says to Charlie. Mounting her own broom, Carrie quickly takes off and takes her own position with the other Chasers of the Hufflepuff team, and starts manoeuvering so as to get closer to the red ball.

Marybeth Campbell moves with her team-within-a-team toward the quaffle as well, racing with the set of Gryffindor Chasers to gain hold of the ever-important red leather ball. “Oi!” she calls briefly, moving suddenly to the left, “Mind the wind!” Down, toward Andy, then, expression set rather seriously, for Marybeth.

Eldric Carver follows suit, and jumps on his own broom, bat firmly held in his right hand. He kicks off the ground, flying directly towards the nearest bludger, which is, however, still a bit too far away to be hit directly. Eldric mutters something under his breath as he presses his broom forward towards the heavy iron ball. The beginning of the game is the best moment to shoot a Bludger against the opponents and wreak confusion amid their ranks, he thinks.

Alexandra Leong kicks off hastily. Once in the air, her hair black hair flying, she lost some of her nerve, and began to fly a search pattern above the game, her eyes scanning the pitch for any sign of the snitch. So far… nothing. She does a fancy little turn, to change directions, more to calm her own nerves than anything.

Sebastian Praw decided to always keep an eye on Alexandra, as she is the opponent seeker and he really isn’t experienced. Of course he already caught a Snitch in his life, but this was a real Hogwarts quidditch match and not a fluffy training session. He whisks off some snowflakes from his broomstick, to make it more handy and looks up again. Where is Alexandra? Apparently gone. “Argh.” Sebastian curses himself and kicks off, following the Hufflepuff seeker and glimpsing out for the nasty bludger he has heard of.

Marie-Anna Greyton flies towards a bludger and takes a heavy swing at it, doing her best to aim for the Hufflepuff seeker. Meanwhile, Landon’s on his way towards the other bludger.

Seeing that he has a small lead in the race for the quaffle, Andy reaches out for it and plucks it out of the air. A bit surprised that he made it again to catch the first quaffle, he zooms upwards, trying to get out of the trajectory of the Hufflepuff chasers and starts looking for Josh and Gabe, who were flying next to him a second ago.

Rhian says, “And the two teams have come out. The captains, Eliza Marlow and Marie-Anna Greyton come to the center, getting last minute advice from Professor Harrison, shake hands and go to get their teams into position. Once everyone is settled, Professor Harrison releases first the Golden Snitch, good luck in this weather Seekers, then the Bludgers, which one attempts to hit Professor Harrison, and now the Quaffle is tossed into the air, with… Gryffindor taking it, Carver managing to get a hold of it. Greyton manages to get a hold of one of the bludgers and sends it off toward someone else.”

Too late for Landon. As he reaches the bludger, Eldric Carver swings his bat and sends it towards Andy, who seems to have caught the quaffle. This would give him something else to think about, he smirks.

Eliza Marlow launches herself with a firm kickoff, and within seconds she was bobbing about her goal posts. Her eyes narrow as she watches her team and the trying to keep an eye on the play, but so far, everything seems to be fine. “HUFFLEPUFFS! Communicate!” She yells out, sounding a bit short, although her tone of voice is usually like this during a game or a practice. Short and to the point, although not unkind or angry. Hopefully the team remembers that what “communicate” means in Eliza terms.

Charlie Linwood watches Eldric go for for the bludger and so heads in the direction of the other ball, rerouting when Marie-Anna hits it, with a bit of a glower. Actually, the ball is now closer and becomming rapidly more so. Quickly applying the breaks he glances very briefly around the pitch and barely has the time to swing and hit the bludger back toward Andy and the Gryffindor Chasers, with a bit of a shout.

Pushing her own broom forward, Carrie begins to chase Andy, trying to get the quaffle, exactly as her role requires. As she hears the sound of the bludgers drawing nearer, she breaks off the pursuit. It wouldn’t do much good to be targeted by the bludgers. Better leave them all for Andy to taste.

Marie-Anna Greyton flies upward a bit to have a better view of the players below, and the bludgers. Just as she’s about to head off towards the bludger Landon beats her to it. A swift hit of his bat sends the bludger in the general direction of the Hufflepuff end of the field.

For the very first time in her life, Alexandra felt complete at ease with her direct competition. After a few minutes of flying, she felt completely comfortable with her broom, and actually started enjoying the flight, although her muscles are still tense and she still overreacted to every sound or shout. She could tell that the Gryffindor seeker was following her, and that gave her an idea. Suddenly she zooms in the opposite direction as she was flying before, hoping to distract the other seeker and maybe lose him with a bit of fancy flying.

Marybeth Campbell frowns as Andy gains the quaffle, but follows Carrie out of the path of danger, swooping rather unexpectedly sideways (hopefully not into anybody else’s airspace). “Linwood! We’re down here too!” she calls in a surprisingly good-spirited tone, not that it’s likely to reach his ears. For all she knows, Eldric hit the ball in this direction, but it’s more fun to blame Charlie, for one reason or another.

Sebastian does not really search for the snitch, he’s more trying to keep track of Alexandra and avoiding bludgers. As Alexandra performs a hard turn, Sebastian wonders if she is trying to trick him, but then he just decides to stay behind or at least near her.

Andy hears the sounds of the bludger rushing towards him and hectically passes the quaffle to Gabriel, who caught up and swooped down to his left side. An adequate toss and Gabriel catches the quaffle. A grin escapes from Andy‘s lips and then he the bludger slams into his chest. “Ugh.” Andy moans and fights back onto his broom. Sitting on it again holding his side, he watches Gabriel engaging the Hufflepuff hoops.

Rhian says, “Ooo, the Hufflepuff chasers have to break off their attack following the Gryffindors due to the bludgers coming in from their own beaters, not a good thing. Leong seems to behave that she’s found the Snitch every now and then, but keeps changing direction, Praw following her almost like a lost puppy. Carver tosses the Quaffle to Goden, just before Carver is hit straight on by a bludger, that had to hurt. Carver tries to get air back into his lungs while the other two chasers head off toward the hoops.”

Marie-Anna Greyton looks towards Andy. “Come on, keep it going, Carver!” she shouts as she flies overhead, still, taking on the bludger that hit Andy. With an oomph she winds up and hits said bludger, intent on getting it towards the Hufflepuff chasers.

Charlie Linwood hit someone who isn’t a team member! Far from feeling bad that Andy took the quaffle to his stomach, he gives a bit of a whoop, grinning a bit (still obscured by his scarf) and waving about his bat. Andy isn’t Leong, who is the only person (or broom) he’s managed to hit yet (it was Louis’s fault, really!). As Marie hits the offending bludger toward his own chasers, however, Charlie urges his broom forward, eyebrows set. “Not if I can help it!”

Eliza Marlow watches calmly as a bludger heads towards her end of the field. The other bludger is hit towards the her chasesrs, which is a bit of a relief, as two quaffles might be a bit dangerous to deal with, if the Gryffindors get towards her end quickly enough. “Hufflepuff chasers! Watch for the bludgers!” she warns her team.

Alexandra Leong rights herself from her turn, just in time to see a glimpse of something glittering gold in the falling snow. For a moment the small Seeker shocked into a kind of trance, but the moment passes and a plan quickly forms. She still closer to the snitch than Sebastian, but not by much. Quickly she pulls into a sharp dive for about 10 feet, then she shoots straight up again (something she’s learned how to do from losing control of her broom way to many times), pulling up hard, then righting herself. She makes another swerve, then heads straight for the snitch, her body pressed against the handle of her broom as she urges it faster, everything around to beginning to blur as she gains speed.

Rhian says, “Gryffindor heads for the Hufflepuff hoops, but what is this? Leong has suddenly picked up speed. Has she actually spotted the Golden Snitch? And where is Praw?”

Marybeth Campbell pushes snow flakes away from her face, but it seems they’re coming down thicker than before, or maybe she’s just looking at them instead of through them. “What?” She urges her broom toward a blur of red that must be a Gryffindor chaser, as they haven’t been much far apart, and finds herself flying ridiculously close to Josh. “Ugh, you haven’t got the quaffle at all!” is her statement, as the whistle of a bludger reaches her ears and she leans sideways to increase the distance between herself, the ball, and Josh.

Sebastian suddenly sees Alexandra swooping down, but has no idea where the snitch could be. His new broom giving him a faint boost, Sebastian catches up to Alexandra slightly but still is a few yards behind her. Then he focusses something glimmering in front of the snow covered scene. It the snitch. Come on, broom. Sebastian leans forward to hide from the wind. The opponent’s seeker coming nearer in front of him, just in form of a fluttering robe.

Andy tries to catch up to Gabriel and Josh, who is also trying to maneuver into a good position. As Marybeth let’s go Josh, Gabriel tries to throw the quaffle to him, fooling the Hufflepuff chaser, who is heading for the other direction. Josh gets a hold of the quaffle, but then he gets entangled in his cape and drops the red ball. The three Gryffindor chasers seem to sigh simultaneously and discontentedly steer downwards to recover the quaffle.

Charlie Linwood finally notices the bludger heading toward Eliza and, figuring that the Chasers are, for starters, not in possession of the quaffle, and for seconds, much more able to avoid the hurting ball of metal, changes course. He isn’t about to let his Captain and Keeper have to deal with the bludger, even if it’s unlikely she’ll be his. Away, and then CRACK!, with an awful lot of force, he sends the bludger in the opposite direction, toward Gryffindor’s end of the field.

She’s close now. Only feet away, Alexandra raises one arm, reaching forwards, but she’s not close enough. She mutters to herself, pushing for her broom to go faster, and it obliges, although the increase in speed is only slight. With the golden ball so tantalizating close, she is aware of nothing else, not even the other seeker.

The race goes on and Sebastian is getting nearer inch by inch. He’s approaching a bit faster now, that he is right behind her, but there its still a long way, if he is going to overtake her. The Hufflepuff’s cloak whips into his face, but he won’t concede. Sebastian swerves to the left, as it seems to be a good moment and perceives, that Alexandra’s fingers are only inches away from the fluttering golden ball. He reaches out and tries to catch it with a single strike. He misses and tumbles, doing a awkward roll in the air and falling back immediately, losing several yards in a second.

Sebastian’s sudden appearance (and disappearance) startles Alexandra, and she nearly falters, but as she turns to check on the other seeker, her outstretched hand brushes against something fluttering. Instinctively, she closes her fist. A second later she is slowing down, and in a few moments she is stopped, right dead center of the pitch, looking a bit confused, her hand closed on something. She opens in hand a little, taking a peek, and suddenly she breaks starts to laugh. Finally, she raises her arm into the air, holding the snitch, now visible in her hand, it’s wings protruding from between her fingers. “I catch it!” she says intelligently.

Rhian says, “The Seekers are so close it seems in catching the Snitch, Praw makes a grab for it but fails in getting it, quickly loosing ground on Leong. Leong has stopped and… she has the Snitch! Hufflepuff wins! The final score is Hufflepuff 150, Gryffindor 0 as they failed to get a score before the Snitch was caught. That’s it for the game and lets all get back to the castle and warm up.”

Marie-Anna Greyton screeches to a halt as she hears the words from Alexandra. “Oy, good try guys,” she gives to her teammates as she looks around and offers a nod towars Alexandra. “Yeh did good,” with that she lets her broom make it’s way to the ground. Once having touched down she offers her congratulations to the Hufflepuff team before heading back to the castle.

Donovan Harrison gives a whistle as he sees that Alexandra has caught the Snitch. He flies up to her and nods. “Good job Miss Leong. I’ll take the snitch now. Go ahead and get cleaned up and celebrate with your House.” He also goes around and gathers up the bludgers and quaffle, putting them away as he also makes sure the pitch is cleared of players before he goes to get warm himself.

Silver lettering on invitations throughout the castle fades, to be replaced by the tell-tale seven-pointed star. Beneath it, ‘Come, masked adventurers, to the gardens where the tall oak grows, for soon tolls the hour of a feast.’

Bengale Tiger stands just inside the gate, her open-mouthed tiger mask protruding from underneath her tightly wrapped hooded cloak. As people arrive, the mask itself forms a sort of grotesque smile, and the tall woman bows. “Welcome, welcome.” Some of the fairies in their rose bushes giggle and flutter their wings, but otherwise the rose gardens on this winter evening are currently quite silent. Once it appears everyone has assembled, she beckons to the long table, “I do hope a feast will make up for my long silence in matters of the S.E.A.”

Stalking Lioness comes through the southern gate from the School and gives a smile and nod to Bengale as she arrives. “This is absolutely beautiful,” she looks around, her blue eyes darting around to take in everything, though keeps her big heavy cloak kept tightly around her, and her hood over her head, which will help keep the heat in.

Fitzcordia comes quickly towards the Rose Gardens, almost dancing as she makes her way inward. “Hullo, Bengale,” the girl giggles and pauses just inside the entrance, waiting for Gabriel — or, well, Flicker — to catch up with her. Her mask has been remade since the first meeting, and now appears more as a kitten than a mask made of whiskers as it was before. Even still, the mask is heavy on whiskers, with a bright, smiling mouth below its pink nose. “Not many people here yet,” she comments, looking about. “Oh, look at the table Ga–Flicker!”

Nodding to ‘Fitzcordia’ in his dog-like mask, Flicker himself looks to the table with a grin. It was fantastic! Flicker couldn’t wait to find out what this meeting would entail, as he’d been excited for it ever since the last one, so long ago. “I wonder what we’re doing,” muses Gabe as he places a finger to his chin.

Juggle sneaks towards the gate of the garden, of course wearing his hooded black winter cloak and his bizarre monkey’s mask. He is one of the first to arrive, carefully looks for the setting of the feast and gives a faint nod to Bengale and the others. With his hands in his pockets, he keeps quiet and stands still next to his comrades.

Sophocles shyly follows a couple of other masked students, seemingly hesitating a bit before actually passing through the gate. What does he fear? The boy takes a big breath, and with both his hands, readjusts his mask on his face. Sophocles wasn’t there for the first S.E.A. meeting, though he had received the invitation parchment as well. He wasn’t keen on participating in anything suspicious after his adventures in the Library last year, but after he heard the rumours, he decided that it was just a game, and that he would give it a try. Following the instructions, he made a mask out of cardboard –a particularly impressive mask of tragedy, with a face expressing a mix of weeping and anger, something he saw in one of his father’s encyclopedias. And now, here he is. Sophocles walks forward, and nods to the other people already here, without saying a word, and waiting for someone to talk to him first.

The mask Turquoise wears has been altered since the previous meeting, such that he may not even be recognized unless the full name is remembered. For it now looks much, much more like a Sphinx, and a turqoise one at that, different shades of color forming the details around eyes and face. Along with this change, it has also been altered to leave his mouth free, covering his face from nose and up and curving down lower at the sides. From under this face Turqoise looks around the garden in surprise, turning to the masked face next to him to comment, “They’ve done a lot with this!”

Stalking Lioness finds a place to sit down at the table, but doesn’t touch anything yet. She reaches up and readjusts her mask, which covers her her forehead, eyes, most of her nose and comes down to either side of her mouth, leaving her mouth and chin open to eat. Out of the sides come whispers that belong to a lioness. She smiles at everyone who arrives and just takes in the beauty of the gardens, even at this evening hour and the cold of the winter.

Jack Harlequin stands off to the side, his mask still covering his face completely. Although the food looks delicious, he dares not show even an inch of skin, for fear of giving away his identity. This fear isn’t entirely unfounded, because he hasn’t met anyone in the school that fits his description. Besides, having a decent disguise is part of the experience.

“It’s a lot different than when we had tea here,” the girl admits, smiling from behind her yellow feathered mask. Persephone‘s mask has been improved as well, with perhaps a bit of help, and now looks very much like a canary’s mask. The top comes up over her forehead, and the feathers plume up above the hood of her cloak. An orange beak covers her nose, and the feathers fan out over her cheeks. This time, her mask even has room for eyes, though it doesn’t need a mouth hole, given that it stops at her nose, save for the feathers covering her cheeks. “I wonder what we’ll be doing tonight,” she asks, her voice even sounding excited as she makes her way towards the set table, taking a seat across from Stalking Lioness.

“Please, do take a seat, so that we may begin.” Again, the mask itself smiles, although her own lips are visible within that wooden expression. Bengale herself takes a seat not at the end but rather near the middle (but not precisely), and begins to look over the food. “They’ve really outdone themselves, I fear. Poor things, I wonder what they’ve got to eat up at the castle tonight.” A soft chuckle escapes. It isn’t a Feast night, of course, and it’s likely what they have here is a merely a precursor to what those who stay over the holidays will be dining upon. “I believe if you just tell your goblet what you’d like to drink it should fill, but of course the selection isn’t endless. Nothing we wouldn’t normally have, though perhaps–” she lifts hers and speaks to it–and it does, in fact, fill. “Ah, yes. Butterbeer is available.” What, letting children have mildly alcoholic drinks? Her? Possibly. “Well, my follow members of S.E.A, shall we dine?”

Stifling a yawn behind her generic white mask – which is, admittedly, a little less generic than last meeting, now possessed of a few sketches across the cheeks and hand-drawn decorations of that sort, a woman holding a knife featuring prominently across the cheeks and nose – Marie Jeanette makes her way into the garden. She looks about, hands on her hips – not defiantly, merely in apparent confusion – and offers to no one in particular, “Uh, someone changed it since last time I was here. That’s weird. Why would you put a feast in a rose garden?” Of course, she seems to forget about this point entirely as she approaches the table, standing awkwardly alongside it and waiting for someone to direct conversation to her.

As the others are beginning to take place at the table, which has been set up under the oak’s branches, Juggle also steps towards it and sits down. There is a good amount of distance between him and Stalking Lioness, which is sitting on the same side. Juggle looks over the bowls and plates and finally gets stuck at what seems to be a tiny corner of parchment under his plate. But he does not dare to examine it any longer as Bengale starts to speak. As he realises that he should also try to fill his goblet, lifts it and requests under his breath. “Uhm…water?”

“Eating of course!” Fitzcordia responds to Flicker’s comment with a bit of a giggle, bounding over to the table and taking a seat near the top end of it, near to where Bengale has taken her seat. No, Fitzcordia isn’t a suck-up, not at all. “Oh, what should I drink?” Fitzcordia asks her friend, and almost as if she had commanded it, her goblet fills with pumpkin juice. “Pumpkin juice it is,” she agrees happily, sipping from it, looking quite cheerful. “I do hope it’s something exciting. I’m in the mood for an adventure.”

“Yes!” Flicker replies cheerfully to Bengale as he sits down beside Briony and grabs his fork and knife, only to set them down again. He grabs his goblet, tipping it towards him and checking inside. Grinning, he sets the thing right again, instructing, “butterbeer!” to the cup. As it fills up, Gabe looks to Bri– to Fitzcordia and points to the goblet. “She wasn’t lying,” he points out with a laugh.

Turquoise slips into a seat beside Persephone, taking a moment to look not at the decorations but at some of the other objects added to the garden. “There’re games set up, look.” He waves his hand toward an archway, then the brooms, completely ignoring the ladder and tree. “But it looks like dinner first..” Hearing Bengale, he smiles, quickly directing his own glass to fill with butterbeer. Shouldn’t ever pass up a good oportunity after all.

Stalking Lioness takes the goblet at the seat she is at and has it fill with butterbeer as she loves the drink actually. When Bengale allows them all to eat, she does indeed, enjoying the meal that is provided for them by the house elves of the castle. Hearing about games, she smiles as she looks at the table. “Ooo, some of them look like fun. But alas, food!” she begins to eat, basicaly ham with mashed potatoes, rolls and some of the fresh vegetables that is provided.

Persephone does this, too, for, really, who would pass up the opportunity for Butterbeer, especially on a non-Hogsmeade weekend. “I wonder what kinds of games they’ll be,” she muses, taking a slow sip of her butterbeer while glancing around at the filling table. The spread was really lovely, and Persephone was thoroughly enjoying the enchantment that the Rose Gardens now held for her. “I’m so glad I remade my mask,” she comments quietly. “It would have been very out of place now, with all these wonderful new masks. It looks like a lot of people worked hard on them.” She giggles a bit, as she spots Marie Jeannette’s.

Sophocles takes a seat at the table, near another student wearing a monkey mask. He takes some time looking at the people surrounding him, trying to guess who is hiding behind the masks. His attention shifts towards Bengale, who seems to be the person in charge tonight. When she mentions Butterbeer, he lets out a small laugh. “Butterbeer, uh? I must have that.” he says, not wanting to miss that occasion. He laughs quietly at the boy with the monkey mask who ordered “water”, before muttering the name of the drink –and instantly, the glass starts filling itself. “A dinner… it’s better than a tea, isn’t it?” he says to the people surrounding him, before looking at the games pointed out by Stalking Lioness. “Impressive…”

No one’s talking to Marie Jeanette. Is that possible? Well, she can’t have that, now can she? Folding her arms across her chest – and here her defiance comes in, a little – she sits herself down next to someone, anyone. And for the record, it is a very nicely drawn girl with a big knife on her mask, amidst other sketches. At least, in her mind. Sighing a little, she turns to whoever she happens to now be sitting with, offering, “It’s lovely in here, isn’t it? Do you think it’s true that usually people only come to the rose garden to do sweetheartly things? I mean, everyone talks about it, but I know I don’t do things like that.” Of course, last time she was here, she was kicking the tree.

Bengale Tiger takes for herself one of the pot-pies with a little pastry turkey atop it, and then calls down the line, “Juggle, could you pass that squash in front of you, please? I’d love to try some of it.” While she waits, she takes a good swig–yes, a swig– of her drink, careful not to get any of it on her mask. It might start to smell. Bengale seems relatively at ease eating a feast amongst a bunch of, well, children, for all that she’s not the most social of professors. “After dinner there will be games, of course, although I may need to sneak you one by one back into the castle if we’re out here late enough.” She says this casually, looking up and down the table.

Juggle begins to load carrots, potatoes and cabbage onto his plate and takes a sip of water before starting his meal. “Mhm.” is the only comment he would give about the mentioned games with a mouthful of vegetables. Turning his head further than normally to be able to see properly through the eyeholes he faces Sophocles and greets him with a short wave. Having cleared his mouth again, he turns to Marie Jeanette and answers. “Yes, you just have to look at the tree. The brutes have carved their initials into it.” As Bengale asks for the squash in front of him, Juggle instantly grabs it and hands it over. “Sure.” he adds with a smile, feeling a bit more comfortable right now.

Giggling as Bengale says this, Fitzcordia can’t help but choke a bit on her pumpkin juice. “Imagine, being snuck into school so we won’t get into trouble!” The excitement in her voice is ill hidden and she starts piling food onto her plate. Always glad for suppertime, this one. “Look at that, oooh, that looks good,” she comments as the squash is passed past her. She reaches out and takes two croissants, as well as some of the various meats that are on the table. Soon Fitzcordia‘s plate is piled high, and she is starting to eat through it happily. “S’good, innit, Ga– er, Flicker.”

Gaping a little at Bengale, Flicker raises an eyebrow (even if it’s not visible behind his mask) and looks away quickly, unsure as to whether or not she’s kidding. Peering around the table, Gabe wonders who, exactly, else is here. Likely Rafe was behind one of those masks. Were his sisters here? The anonymity was rather fun, but a bit unsettling, too. Well, at least he had Briony. “So good,” Flicker agrees. “Will the games be played in teams?” Flicker asks no one in particular, though he is looking in Bengale’s direction.

Riamh wears a mask that is vageuly human shaped, but also rather covered in clocks. All of them tell something, but time is not it. On her left cheek, there is a clock with a hand pointing to ‘dinner time’, and on her right, one that points to ‘possibility of trouble’. A miniature cuckoo bird hands from somewhere under her hood, and what is visible of the forehead is a rotating image of the sky–including the phase of the moon. The mask parts are a polished maghoney in color, and the bottom (with a border of roman numerals and clock hands) opens up to reveal her mouth. Despite the black cape, much of Riamh‘s hair is visible.

Stalking Lioness smiles at Marie Jeanette at her speaking. “Yes, it is very lovely. I don’t know, I’ve been too busy to contemplate sweetheartly things.” Okay, actually she does, but her love is also busy as much as her, and isn’t here, so it isn’t fair to speak of him there. “But when everything is bloom I would probably come here just to sit and think, and study. It’s beautiful here when everything is in bloom.”

Reaching first for some ham, then scalloped potatoes, and so on through the different types of dishes, Turquoise offers each to Persephone and after that, to the others around him, answering as he does so, “I don’t know.. I’m sure it will be a lot of fun, though.” Pausing as he reaches the vegetables, he leans over to address Marie Jeanette, “I don’t know, miss.. I only come here to teach my owl tricks.” Of course, he glances at Persephone after saying this, though his expression is lost behind the mask except for the less-than-serious smile.

“I kicked that tree once,” Marie Jeanette observes, piling her own plate high with foodstuffs of various sorts, apparently not paying much attention to precisely what she is putting on her plate. “Not because of the initials on it,” she clarifies after a moment. “Just because I was in a bad mood and thought the universe needed a good kicking.” Precisely why that tree in particular needed kicking remains unknown as she concludes that the food on her plate is sufficient and begins to eat – well, sort of begins to eat, apparently only now taking note that the mouth of her mask is too small for any but the tiniest bites, so she is reduced to eating like a bird. What a dilemma. A pause, and she turns to Stalking Lioness. “Really? I have a sweetheart too. I never even thought of that. Not that I’m going to start now!” The last sentence is added at a rush, like almost an afterthought, and then she devotes her attention back to cutting up her food into really small bites.

“Owl tricks, yes, of course,” Persephone echoes, stifling a bit of a giggle, as she gives a toothy smile, despite her crooked teeth. These are rare, and it’s very possible that the mood of the evening has just set her into a very pleasant mood, ignoring her usual hesitations. She takes bits of this, some of that, a role here, a croissant as well, nodding as Stalking Lioness comments about it being in bloom. “There’s this yellow and white one just over the way that I really like, and it’s even more in bloom now than when I was here the other da–” Persephone stops herself short. “Well, it’s more in bloom than it was before, which is unusual. It’s all very lovely.” The blush is hidden by the yellow feathers on her cheeks, but Persephone looks down at her plate taking a bite of food, shaking her head at her own chattery mouth.

Bengale Tiger takes the squash and piles some of it on her plate before passing it along. “Well, I’m sure,” as she ought to know, “that a lot of care is taken to make sure there’s something in bloom year round. Except of course for the roses, which always are. Special variety.” Oh dear. Lucky for the students, Bengale is hungrier than she is eager to divuldge information about the various plants, and begins cutting into her pot pie. “Most of the games are at least for teams, yes.” She’s so chatty, it must be weird for the students to think of her as the same person she is in class… and the halls… and if they accidentally run into her at the Leaky Cauldron over the summer.

Of course, Fitzcordia doesn’t recognize who Bengale is, though she ought to have by now. “Oh, team games. You’ll have to be on my team, Flicker,” Fitzcordia demands. No, she doesn’t ask, but when has she ever actually asked if he wanted to do something? “I’m sure we’ll win,” she comments, before starting to eat her second croissant, still looking very cheerful. The whiskers on her mask seem to twitch constantly as she eats and giggles.

Turning to Persephone with what could be a skeptical expression if her mask wasn’t concealing it so, Marie Jeanette looks her over and then turns back to her plate. “Don’t sound so suspicious,” she instructs the other girl pompously. “You should either say something or say nothing.” And she’s not a hypocrite for her part, either, is she? She takes another few tiny bites of her dinner, spearing potato on the end of her fork and nibbling at it awkwardly. Stupid masks and mouths.

Riamh has taken an awful lot of vegetables, but also several thick slices of what appears to be duck, and is busy munching along on it. She looks down the line at Jack and raises, invisibly, one of her eyebrows, as a clock hand moves from ‘dinner time’ to ‘butting in on other people’s business’ (in very tiny script). “Why didn’t you make a mouth-hole in your mask, Harlequin?” Nosy nosy.

Stalking Lioness nods to Marie. “Yes, well my sweetheart isn’t here, so I won’t really be talking much about it. It isn’t fair really… Why did you kick the tree? that wasn’t very nice to the tree.” She continues to eat a few more bites. “This is all really wonderful. So what are you going to do for the holidays? Going home to see your parents?”

“We’ll win if it involves running,” Flicker notes. “You think I’m fast on my broom, I’m an even faster runner. Like remember when I told you I ended up in Ireland once?” he inquires, tilting his head, “Well one time I ran to Africa and back in order to pick a violet for my mum,” he says with a boyish laugh. “Anyways, yes, we’ll be on the same team,” he agrees, taking another drink of Butterbeer. If only his mother knew!

Grinding her teeth together, Marie Jeanette does not look up at Stalking Lioness for a long moment, distracting herself by cutting her dinner up until really tiny pieces. “I’m trying to avoid it.” She eventually replies. “I was angry because my mother wants me to come home for Winter Break, and I don’t want to go so I need a really good reason not to. I don’t like spending time with her anymore, not since my father left.” And she looks up again, glaring at Stalking Lioness as if daring her to continue the line of questioning. “I’m not hungry anymore, never mind.”

“Hmph,” is all Persephone says in response to Marie Jeanette, taking a bite of potatoes. “Oh, I’m going to visit — er, well — someone very important.” It appears to be more difficult than she had originally thought for Persephone to keep her identity a secret. “It’s going to be a very good holiday for me, I think.” The girl chats to her companion, in his Sphinx-esque mask as she finishes up her supper, looking rather cheerful, despite Marie Jeanette’s comments to her.

Juggle leans back, after he has finished his meal with one of the delicious pies offered for dessert. As he bends forward again, he nudges his plate accidentally and a small piece of parchment pops up. His eyes shoot towards Bengale, not knowing what to do. “Ahm…sorry.” is the only thing he could think of. He remains pondering if he should hide it under the plate again or hold it up and decides to leave it as it is, eyeing the others.

Stalking Lioness is now silent. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to open old wounds.” She turns her attention to finishing her meal, not wanting to ask Marie Jeanette any other questions in order to make her more upset. She now her food is the most interesting thing that she can pay attention to, but soon her plate is empty and she doesn’t want to have anything else, minus desert, if there is any.

All lonely and unloved-like, – or, y’know, not – there’s another hooded figure edging towards the food table. Her mask? A disgustingly feminine butterfly-based creation. That’ll trick them all, definitely. “Do rose bushes have feelings?” Psyche pipes up after a moment, catching Lioness’ comment. Her brows furrow behind her mask, thoughtfully, but otherwise just picks at the plate she’s gathered food on. “Holidays are coming, aren’t they? This term has gone on forever.”

“Sure you did, Flicker,” Fitzcordia responds almost absent-mindedly to his claims and finishes off her supper. Ah, time for dessert! Fantastic! “I can run faster than you, and you know it,” the girl retorts to her friend, pushing her plate away from her a bit, as if to say ‘I’m finished here’. She grins at Flicker and glances around at the others at the table, many of whom seem to be finishing up. “Feelings? I never… er, I never thought they would.” Fitzcordia actually looks perplexed at the idea of this.

For once in his life, Flicker doesn’t really even want dessert. He just wants to start the games! “You can’t run faster, B-augh! These names are too hard! Fitz,” he catches himself, with a laugh. “We’ll race one day, I’ll show you,” he continues, grabbing a clean fork and awaiting the final course, planning to bolt it down when it comes.

As the group finishes the main course, the remaining food (what little there is) disappears with a quiet ‘pop’! in much the fashion in tends to in the Great Hall. Then appears the varitey of deserts, as well as the bags, one for each place setting. Bengale smiles down the table at Juggle while selecting a particularly tall slice of really, really chocolate cake. “Don’t mind that, it’s for after the feast.” She doesn’t seem to mind, continuing on-”Some rose bushes do have feelings, but they’re all alive and should be treated as such.” Ahem.

“I’m frankly glad,” Marie Jeanette informs Psyche, pushing her chair back from the table and folding her arms. “I don’t want to go home for Winter Break – or Easter Break – and I intend to find somewhere else to be over the summer, too, if possible. I don’t know what I’m going to do for Break, though. I was going to stay here at Hogwarts, but I’m going to be all alone.” Sulky, grumpy Marie Jeanette.

Stalking Lioness smiles as she sees all the deserts show up. It takes her a moment for her to decide what to take, and so she first decides to take the chocolate mousse wit the strawberries, eyeing the chocolate cake if she still wants it after the mousse. Taking the first bite, she closes her eyes and gives a soft, content sigh at the taste and begins to eat the rest, and the strawberries as well.

“You’re on,” Fitzcordia agrees, looking with bright eyes down at the desserts that adorn the table now. “Ooooh, look at that,” she comments, unsure of where to start. Finally, she decides on the ice cream, piling on almost more toppings than she has gotten ice cream, and begins eating it, quite cheerfully. Indeed, the whiskers seem to twitch even harder as she eats this than they have already, though it could just be from the cold. “Oh, this is so good,” she comments aloud as she finishes her ice cream, rather quickly, and leans back in her seat, looking quite comfortably full, though she eyes the chocolate cake very carefully.

Psyche plucks a piece of fruit from a dish with a contented little smile, at least until Marie mentions going home. “Would your mother really let you do that?” she asks, head tilted to one side, “I’d think mine would go ballistic. Well, gently ballistic, anyway.” The irony is unbearable. As for rose bushes, the girl nodnods in Bengale’s direction. “I think out loud sometimes,” she comments, nibbling at her fruit. “But most of the plants around here are more or less normal, right? No biting or sentient-ish stuff?”

Marie Jeanette offers a small, humourless laugh in response to Psyche, glancing at the younger girl (and apparently entirely not realising that they are talking about the same woman). She doesn’t make any move to eat dessert, her appetite apparently entirely gone. “Of course my mother wouldn’t let me. That’s why I have to make up some good reason. I’ll tell her that, that, that someone invited me to spend Christmas with them ’cause they like me so much. Or that a prefect asked me to stay at Hogwarts over Break so we could have a special party. Or something. I’ll work it out.”

Flicker has already finished his chocolate cake, despite its having been in front of him only one or two minutes. “Yeah, good,” he says, wanting to stand up and get things started. “But we can’t race now, because I’m too full,” he warns. Such a race would need to capture him at his peak, obviously. “When are the games starting?” he asks Bengale. Boy, one-track mind or what?

“I should hope none of the plants around here bite!” Persephone comments, putting her hand over her mouth in a bit of shock at the thought. No, it had not before occurred to her that some of the plants in the rose garden could be dangerous. For her own, Persephone has taken a bit of spice cake, as well as a baked apple and a bit of candy, and is slowly working her way through the cake as she listens to the conversation going on around her. For her part, she had never expected that when she was invited to join the S.E.A that she’d be treated to a feast and some games, rather she assumed that more adventures would be had, dangerous things that she wouldn’t actually want to do.

Bengale Tiger chuckles, and it comes out sort of low and rumbly, which is odd. “No, in these gardens the plants just sit around and grow. With a bit of magical help, of course, or I imagine they would all be dead by now.” She finishes up her cake and her butterbeer, and then leans back. “I imagine that once everyone has had their fill, we can begin the games, Flicker.” Hah. If you had told Bengale when she was a first year dreaming of becoming a teacher that she would address anyone by the name of Flicker, she would have called you a loony. To the general populace, “Those bags are so that you can take some of these treats back with you. After all, there’s a bit much to eat at this moment.”

Stalking Lioness looks over at Bengale when she speaks, having had her mousse and enjoyed greatly. Hearing the bags were to be used to take what she wants away from the feast, she smiles and opens it to take a few items that she will want later on up at her dorms. There are several items she takes, but then closes the bag so she can take it later, hoping she’ll remember.

“Best idea ever,” Psyche informs Bengale, happily beaming behind her mask. “I suppose the Hogwarts staffpeople would all get in trouble if some of the plants out here were dangerous and someone got hurt.” Still, Marie’s words catch her attention again, and she claps softly. “Good for you, as long as it works. I hope it does? Oooh, games.” Attention span… where?

Although apparently in a rather bad mood, Marie Jeanette has enough sense to fill a bag for herself with considerable amounts of transportable desserts, on the assumption that she would rather regret it if she let her annoyance get in the way of eating her fill of lovely sweet things that most people are not permitted. When full, she twists the top of the bag closed and slips it into her robes. Then, she turns her attention back to Psyche, shrugging her shoulders lightly. “I don’t see why it shouldn’t work – I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? I’m not there when she picks up Cass and Lenore from the station, and I get a Howler in the morning?” Oh, good one, kid. Nice anonymity there.

While not particularly looking forward to the games for her part, Persephone knows Evan likes games, and she does start to eat a bit more quickly, tucking the baked apple discreetly into the bag for nibbling on later. She chuckles a bit as she hears the boy nearby wax poetic about how excited he is about the games. The girl says little, though she has finished her bit of spice cake now, and sits back neatly in her chair, not really caring that the hood of her sweater has fallen off and her blonde hair is now visible behind the fanned feathers.

Oh wow the shock! Cas– Psyche‘s eyes widen significantly, and her mouth is open to announce this revelation when something absolutely brilliant occurs to her instead. “You should bribe your sisters into helping you,” she suggests sagely, “get them to cover for you and lend credibility to your story. Well, maybe not Lenore – I’ve met her, I think. The other one, though.” She considers her words for effect and then nods thoughtfully. “You should give them candy, or something. Kids love that.” Evidence to this statement? The way she’s carefully arranging stuff in her bag so as to fit the maximum possible food in.

“I wonder what the games are going to be,” Fitzcordia asks Flicker, chewing quite contentedly on a bit of caramel she has left from her ice cream, and finally finishing her dish of dessert. Hearing Marie Jeanette speak, however, Fitzcordia‘s attention is brought to the person sharply. No, it couldn’t be. But it had to be. Yes, Fitzcordia has a very strong idea who that person must be. The girl, spotting that others are now stuffing their little bags full of goodies, follows in suit and begins to fill the bag with as much sweets as will fit inside it. After all, she’s a growing girl, and she does like her sweets.

Bengale Tiger just lets the students talk for awhile while she mumurs a few preservative spells over some of the deserts to place in her own bag. It’s a bit disturbing how many domestic spells the woman knows. This done, however, she announces, “Alright, as Juggle discovered, there is a bit of parchement underneath your plates. On it are instructions for a scanvenger hunt. You should work in groups.” The mask has a bit of a sinister look, although it still smiles, and Bengale‘s own lips form a mild smirk. “If you don’t wish to participate, there are a few other games to play, although I’m quite willing to stay up until an incredibly improper hour while you all enjoy yourselves. It is, after all, very nearly Christmas.”

“I dunno. Cass’s a bit… eh, I dunno if any amount of bribery would actually make her lie to our mother.” Well, for all that Marie Jeanette has a practically encyclopedic knowledge of things that she wants to know about, she is painfully thick about certain things, up to and including recognising her own sister. Of course, she isn’t actually paying very much attention, her attention flickering back to Bengale’s words, shoving her plate aside and locating the indicated parchment. “Ooh…. who wants to be with me? Huh?!”

Stalking Lioness listens to Bengale when she speaks, and so lifts up her plate in order to see what the parchment said. “Groups?” she looks around to see who might want to be in her group to go find things. Some of them she already has ideas for what these riddles might be talking about.

“Oh, you can be with me and Flicker, if you want,” Fitzcordia volunteers, hearing Marie’s exclaimation. the girl stands and yanks at Flicker to stand with her, giggling a bit. Yes, Fitzcordia appears to be very excited as she picks up her parchment from under the plate and looks it over. “Oh, a scavenger hunt. We’ll win this one!” She holds her copy of it up, standing near to Flicker as she looks around to see if anyone is joining her group.

About to protest Marie’s dismissal of her sister’s ability to lie for fun and candy, Psyche is momentarily distracted by Bengale’s announcement. “I need a team, too,” she offers, then perks up. Must convince Marie. “I’ll go with you?” she offers. “Anyway, I think you should give it a try. If you don’t, and it turns out she would have helped, you could regret it if things fall through somehow.” But looklookparchment! “I’ll go with anyone who wants me tagging along, really.”

“But, look, it says ‘pairs or trios’…” Marie Jeanette points out, gesturing to the piece of parchment. “So if I go with Flicker and Fitzcordia, I can’t go with you as well, kid..” Evidently, her inability to recognise her own sister spreads as far as her own housemates, too, apparently entirely unable to recognise the nice couple that offered to let her in on their group – and perhaps, if she did recognise them, she’d be all the more eager to join Psyche instead. “Um. Um, um, um. Are you any good at riddles? I’m not.”

Riamh‘s bag is somewhat riduclously bulgy, although as she collected the girl murmured things about “Da’ll love that, hope it doesn’t go bad fast.” and such. She pulls the parchement from under the plate and unfolds it carefully, as one of the hands on her mask points toward ‘Insatiably curious’ (which, for this girl, is often the case). Surveying the group, she spies out Psyche, “Hmm, she seems to have a group, how about me?” Since the person with the mouthless mask hadn’t ever replied. “I’m D– I’m Riamh. Means something about time, I think, which I thought was good because I’ve all the clocks. My grandfather, who is a muggle, makes them.” Which, as she sleeps in the same dorms as Psyche and likely has a lot of clock things, sort of gives her a bit away.

At this announcement, Persephone stands, taking her parcment with her and looking it over. Oh, riddles. Persephone isn’t all that good at them. However, she is in exceptionally good spirits, so she seems to set off straight away, poking around at some of the flowers as if trying to find things without even discussing things with her teammate, who, presumably is Evan, though he hasn’t exactly caught up with her yet.

Psyche examines the parchment for a moment, then wrinkles her nose. “Well, I’m going to give it a good try. Just going to have to hope that’s enough.” she replies to Kelly, although perhaps just from sheer lack of familiarity she’s a little lost for most of the answers. Recognising Riamh, though, she flashes the girl a smile. “It’s a pretty name, too. I’m Psyche.” Well, she is for the moment. “It’s a reference to a Muggle goddess, I think. I just chose it because it matched the mask.” She beams, though. “I’ll go with you, though, as long as you don’t mind or anything?”

Riamh smiles, mouth completely visible (smudge round her lips from some mousse and all). “Well I asked you, so of course I don’t mind–how about the first one — ‘all in gold?’ She looks about, “I’d say our plates but they don’t seem very flighty. Do you think we could throw one on the air or use a hovering charm on it?”

“I’m alright at them. I do love them. Let’s see… Flighty item, all in gold.” Fitzcordia puts her hand to her chin in thought. Indeed, this is the same pose which she would often strike while they were on hunts to solve mysteries. “What do you think it is, Marie Jeanette?” Fitzcordia asks, looking down the list. “Silvery circle, scarlet plume, hmmm. This is hard!” The girl looks about. “Maybe the plume is one of the flowers? Do you think it might be its name?”

“Well, a plume is a feather, o’course.” Marie Jeanette replies knowingly, planting her hands on her hips, apparently content to believe that she can lead the adventuring. “Well, uuuusually. Usually, I think it refers to a feather sticking out of someone’s hat. Does anyone we know wear a stupid hat? Maybe they took the stupid feathered hat and put it somewhere to find. Or, I don’t know, maybe not.” A pause, and she looks around. “Well, a circle for telling time has to be like, a silver pocketwatch or something. The problem’ll be finding it – it has to be outside somewhere, right, so it has to be a little pocket watch, not something big…” She kicks at the ground idly, unsure of where to start looking.

Stalking Lioness finds herself a partner and they head off to go find the items that are on the parchment. “Bengale, are all the items here in the garden?” she pauses before the tiger to see if they have to leave the area just to find the items.

Bengale Tiger has taken position on the swing to watch and answer questions. “Well, they should be.” Another rumbly chuckle. “I don’t think they’re liable to have taken off.” Hint, hint. She kicks off a bit, actually making use of the swing. “For some items, you might look around at what we’ve got in order for an idea of how to find them.” Yes, her mask seems frozen in a mischevious, tigery grin.

Psyche beams at Riamh, and apparently just figures that the other girl has x-ray vision and can see the expression. “I dunno. If it’s in the air and it’s gold, even if it’s not the right object it fits the description, right?” She pauses a long moment, then, eying her piece of parchment some more. “So are you Muggleborn, or is it just your grandfather? Only, only, do you have a pence?” Yes, she’s clueless.

Riamh wrinkles her nose, “Oh, no, my parents were both magic, but my mother’s parents… and my Aunt, at that, are Muggles. Didn’t have to explain to them about Hogwarts though, since my mother went. My other grandparents are magical but I think I have some great grandparents or great great ones that were muggles or muggle born… or half bloods… or maybe it was pure.” She frowns a bit. Actually it’s a combination of them all, “Anyway, I’ve known about magic my whole life and I haven’t got a pence, though I know they’re sort of small round coins–different colors and sizes depending on how many pence the piece is worth-fifty or ten or somesuch.” She kneels, rooting about. “Seems a shame to throw it on the ground, though.”

At this announcement, Persephone stands, taking her parcment with her and looking it over. Oh, riddles. Persephone isn’t all that good at them. However, she is in exceptionally good spirits, so starts nosing around, peeking under tablecloth and chair, in hopes of stumbling across something that fits the clues. “Have you found anything?” she asks a person nearby while looking down into a daisy curiously.

“Oh, a feather, that makes sense,” Fitzcordia admits, nodding and glancing around through the garden, where many people are already starting to look for the things listed in the riddles. “Flighty item, all in gold…” Fitzcordia comes back to, resting her hand on the back of her hood, on top of her head. “Could that be — oh, I’m sure I know — that has to be a snitch!” she decides with sudden inspiration. “Help me look for it! Flicker, you go that way! And I’ll go this way, and you, Marie Jeanette, you can go that way.” Fitzcordia sprints off, skirting around a duo to rustle about near the flowers.

For her part, Marie Jeanette dives straight into a rosebush, peering about for something sparkly. What happens, of course, is that her robes get caught on thorns and her skin gets a bit scratched up, and her hood eventually just falls off her head – <3 KP & RD <3, indeed, the things people write on their masks – so her copper hair gets tangled as well, but she’s quite certain that there’s something to find in here, somewhere. Somewhere. Come on, sparkly things…

Psyche nods thoughtfully, then also goes to ground to search for one of these coins. “So we’re looking for money, then. Hmm. Do you think we get to keep them if we find them?” She considers this a moment, then industriously turns to her search. So much for prissy and feminine, which was the impression she was trying to go for with that mask. “In the meantime, I’m not sure about the pearl part but the thorn-kepy beauty absolutely has to be a rose. A white one, maybe? Are Muggle relatives fun to have?” She’s just curious.

Not noticing Marie Jeanette’s adornment on her forehead, Fitzcordia crawls about, looking for a snitch. Where-oh-where could it be hiding? Then — she sees it! Up in the air, hovering just above a plant nearby, she reaches out to grab it, but it is too quick for her. Picking up her hand, she is amused to find a pence on it. “Hey, Marie Jeanette, is this one of the things on the list?” She asks, running back to her groupmate and holding the pense in her extended hand. “Do you think that’s the muggle pence?”

Marie Jeanette extracts herself from the shrubbery, peering at the extended coin. “It’s called a penny, stupid. Two of them bought you an interlude with a prostitute in Whitechapel. Well, not you personally.” Without offering any further explanation, she shrugs her shoulders lightly and gets lost in the greenery again. “Ow! Stupid plant things! It’s eating my hair, I swear.”

Riamh picks up — “…Has someone lost a marble?” She pockets that, on second thought, and crawls underneath one of the chairs set up by a chess table, hopefully with nobody on it, and then back out again. Pulling herself up, she seeks out Psyche, “I didn’t find anything but a marble, and I’m pretty sure that’s not anything.” She wanders a bit, “It’s regular, I guess. I do love to watch my grandfather tinker with clocks, but sometimes my other grandfather comes back with stories about his job where he’s had to undo really amazing spells that went bad, and that’s good too–say, isn’t one of the clues to climb? There’s a ladder against the tree.”

Psyche tilts her head thoughtfully, looking up from her search. “A marble? What colour is it? Is it white? Tell me it’s white. That’d make it pearl-like, and it’s in the rose garden, which has thorns!” It’s worth a try, anyway. “So you get the best of both worlds, right? I dunno – your clocks are nice.” Ooh, and she’s full of ideas right now. “Are any of them silver–ladder? Where? Ooooh. You want to climb and search, or should I?”

Yes, there is no doubting with whom Fitzcordia is trying to work. Fitzcordia doesn’t deign to respond to the comments about hookers or calling her stupid. No, instead, Fitzcordia slips the pence into her pocket and stands up straight. Now, for the snitch! She glances up at the sky, not seeing it to start, but she does recall the brooms. Yes, Flicker had pointed them out in the start! She glances around. No, nobody else at the brooms just now. She quickly runs over to the line of brooms and demands that one of them come UP! Her voice is so forceful that more than one rises, and she gets onto it, bucking a little uncertainly as she flies on an unfamiliar broom.

Stalking Lioness tries searching for a bit, but sighs as she enjoys watching the others hunt through the gardens. She just doesn’t feel like hunting for everything right now. She finds her seat back at the table and watches everyone participate. At one point she gets up to check out the other games set out, but then returns to her seat to continue watching and see who wins.

Bengale Tiger swings so slightly it’s more like rocking back and forth, waiting for people to come forth with their finds. A genuine smile surfaces as Fitzcordia takes to the skies and the partnership of Psyche/Riamh explores the possiblity of climbing. That was more like it, doing things in a trickier way. “Poor Marie, I hope she finds it for her trouble,” murmurs the woman aloud, which like as not sets several more people digging through the thorn-laden busehs. The fairies within them squeal in their high pitched voices, and some seek shelter in the branches of the oak or atop arches.

“AHA!” Marie Jeanette‘s voice can be heard from amidst the shrubbery, and she eventually removes herself from the bushes, a pearl held between her fingers. Admittedly, her hands are all scratched up and her hair looks like a bird’s next, but she has the pearl. “I found it, Fitz!” She cries out, seeking the girl with wide eyes. “Oh, right. Oh, well, what else can I find?” She relocates her parchment, peering at each item in turn. “A silver circle… who would be stupid enough to leave one of those in the garden?” She offers out loud, almost in horror. “What happens if no one finds it? It’d get ruined?! I better find it quick.”

Riamh is halfway up the ladder before Psyche has the full question out, and calls, “I think I will! I’ve practice.” This is said in a very self-assured voice as she clambers out onto the branch. “None of my clocks are silver, no!” she shouts back down, carefully pulling herself up to height–”What does the parchment say is up here? It’s really dark, there’s no lamps or anything.”

Psyche unrolls her sheet, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. “Dark? Hm. It’s ‘one missing Queen’ you’re looking for. Which makes absolutely no sense to me, I’m afraid. Umm… maybe just feel around and see what you touch?” This is called loudly enough, but having caught one of the other people getting on a broom, her sister in some bushes, and such she figures secrecy isn’t worth it. Instead, then, she returns to searching for a penny, though now around the base of the tree. And, eventually… “I found a coin, Riamh! When you get down you’ve gotta tell me if it’s right?”

Fitzcordia is not a seeker, and she isn’t used to being in the air trying to spot the little golden thing, especially on a broom that she isn’t used to flying. The flight is a bit rough and she bucks around a bit, having apparently gotten an ornery broom. “That’s goooood, Marie!” she calls, and holds onto the broom tightly, crossing her ankles, in hopes that it will better keep her on the broom. “C’mon, broom, c’mon,” she says to the bucking broom, trying to steady herself so that she can spot the flying golden orb, which she has only spotted once, and not yet since.

Eyes downturned, Marie Jeanette inspects the ground for some hint of a pocketwatch on the ground, any kind of hint of where it could be, and as a result she doesn’t notice where she’s going and actually walks right into the gate. Oh. Handy. This is the first time she looks up, and she seems entirely surprised for a moment – then, victorious, she grabs at the feather and jumps up eagerly, clapping her hands together joyfully. “I found another one! Aren’t I excellent!”

Riamh fishes about, sticking her hand in a spider web, which she shakes off nonchalantly, a squirrel hole (there’s a bit of angry chittering and shouting as Riamh pulls herself to a different branch), and finally a bird’s nest. It being December, however, the nest is empty–except for a few shells and a white marble queen, who says, “Oh, good show my dear, but shouldn’t you have gotten a Knight to climb this tree for you?” Silly chess pieces and their one-track minds. Knowing better, Riamh still responds, “I’m Knight enough, thank you.” which gets no return response. Down she clambers, holding the little Queen aloft. “Look, Psyche!–oh, that is one. I think it’s a 10.”

“Good show!” Fitzcordia calls, spotting the snitch again as it hovers near an outer branch. She flies gently towards it, coaxing the broom slowly, slowly, until she’s within arm’s reach, and she snatches at it, missing the first time, but throwing her other hand out and grabbing it, closing her fist around it while throwing her chest at the front of her broom, which bucks a little more and flies down to the ground. She jumps off of it, unsteadily landing and sumbling a bit, but managing to stay on her feet. The stubborn broom flies over to where the other brooms are lined up, and Fitzcordia doesn’t let go of her grip on the snitch. “Look, I got it!” she calls to Marie, beaming.

Psyche whoops loudly, applauding Riamh. “That’s two! Three if we can make the plate fly and convince Bengale that it counts.” She bounces a little on the balls of her feet, and in her enthusiasm her hood falls back most of the way. Oh, well. As long as her sister remains oblivious, she doesn’t mind. “We’re a pretty good team, aren’t we?” And then she spots Fitzcordia, and pouts a little. “A snitch – of course. Ahh, well. A plate it is, for us. Unless you’re good at flying and there’s another one somewhere?” It’s worth a try; somehow she doubts it, though.

“Only two more things left to find, I think!” Marie Jeanette calls out in response, peering down at the ground again and inspecting it for any sign of a pocketwatch. Here, watchy watchy watchy… here, watchy watchy watchy… “Hey,” she calls out after a while, peering about. “How come I have to find everything?” Because two items on the list is now ‘everything’, of course. “Can’t Flicker find something, huh?”

Bengale Tiger bites her lip, holding in a laugh as the searches continue, even as snow begins to fall. It isn’t too late as of yet, though dinner time in the castle is surely long since past.

Riamh hops a bit, “Oh, well, we’ll just have to get a plate to fly, I don’t think there would be more than one of those.” One of her clocks now points to ‘Barely Escaped Mortal Danger’ and the other to ‘Nearing Curfew’. The cuckoo bird hangs a bit forlorn. “We got two, though, and maybe there’s another… is that a feather? Somewhere.”

“I’m looking, too, Marie!” Fitzcordia calls, looking around, still gripping the snitch in her hand. She puts her hand to her nose to scratch it, and is reminded very suddenly of the mask as the whiskers start twitching again. “Oops,” she mutters and smoothes them out, glancing around some more. Silver circle, and missing queen. Hmmm. Just as she stoops to look for something shimmery nearby, which turns out to just be another muggle coin, Flicker begins to shout that he’s found it. “Found what? Oh, look, Marie! Flicker’s found the pocketwatch! What do we need? The missing queen?” Fitzcordia pulls out the parchment and looks over it to see all the riddles.

Still beaming at Riamh, Psyche nodnods. “Got to be worth a try. Umm. Getting the plate to just hover for judging might be good enough? What do you think?” Meanwhile, brushing her dirty hands happily on her robe, she returns to the table to steal a plate, placing the penny on top of it and holding it out to her teammate. “I think the others have more than us…ahh, well. Maybe offer that marble you found, too? Just in case we can get points for effort?”

Bengale Tiger is paying remarkably good attention, and stands up as Flicker finds the pocketwatch. “Okay, everyone, that’s every item that there was only one of accounted for–bring your items to me then, and we’ll announce the winner.” This is largely a formality; she’s been paying enough attention that she knows who has won without checking.

Looking up at the sound of Fitzcordia’s words, Marie Jeanette claps her hands and grins widely – not that it can be seen behind her mask, but she is virtually overflowing with glee. “Oh, oh, Flicker, I could kiss you!” Exactly why such exhuberance is being attached to the finding of a pocket watch is uncertain, but can you name any time this girl has been logical? Glancing over at Bengale, she nods, rifling through her pockets for the items she found. “This is the pearl in the thorns or whatever the clue was, and this is the plume…”

Kiss him? Oh no, that doesn’t make Fitzcordia happy. However, she says nothing, and just makes her way over to Bengale. “Here, I’ve got a snitch and a muggle coin right here.” She pauses a moment, digging deep into her pocket before she locates the object, presenting it for observation as Flicker makes his way back over. “And he’s got a pocket watch.” Fitzcordia looks quite pleased that the five of them had managed to find so many of the needed objects for the scavenger hunt. And imagine, five galleons to split between them! What fun.

Psyche, meanwhile, fairly bounds over to Bengale, proffering coin and…plate. “It flies if you throw it. Not quite as good as their snitch,” she admits, but oh look she’s so hopeful, “but it’s gold. And Riamh has the Queen chess piece. So that’s..two, really. Maybe three.” Or four. Maybe she should put a rose or some dirt on the plate, too, just in case it matches a clue somehow?

Riamh frowns now, but pulls the marble out of her pocket (it’s blue) and presents it with the queen. “Well, here’s the missing queen and a marble is sort of like a pearl.” So is a really round rock. She doesn’t look very hopeful at being a winner, though, what with the others having found five of the six items.

There are a lot of people that would not be happy about Marie Jeanette kissing Flicker, and as such she seems to realise this and does not in fact make any attempt to do it, tempted as she may be. “So, do we win? Huh? How are we going to divide up five galleons? Is it two to me an’ Fitzcordia and one to Flicker, ’cause he only found one and we found too? Or…?”

Bengale Tiger nods, “Well done everyone–although I’m afraid that plate and the marble don’t count. So it’s Fitzcordia, Flicker, and Marie who have earned the prize. Given it’s dividing between three, I’ll thrown in an extra knut, and that 1 Galleon, 11 Sickles, and 10 Knuts a pieces.” This amount is fished out of her robes and held out. “Mind you, I can’t do that in my head, so I’d figured what it was for a duo and for a trio earlier.” What? She’s equal here. Or mostly equal, really. “Now, if Riamh and Psyche would return the missing Queen to her chess set–it’s that one,” Bengale indicates, “You may either play or we can return to the safety of the indoors.”

On notes throughout the castle, eight pointed stars suddenly flash and then darken to a dull grey. If watched, a rather intricate script begins to spell out, “The hour is almost at hand for cloaked figures to seek the stars.”

The text on notes everywhere fades out again, the eight pointed star with it. The papers remain blank a moment, and as clocks and pocket watches throughout the castle read eight fifty-five in the evening, words appear again: Come, or be forever lost to SEA.

Deep as night at the nine oh clock hour is this Hall of the Stars. The tapestries provide the only light, and even then many of the stars are dimmer than usual. Although curfew has not yet been called, something is unnaturally silent, footsteps muted against the floor, any voices reduced to a hush. In the darkness, forms are shadowy, the light cast from faux stars not brilliant enough to reveal detailed shapes and faces.

Keelan Walsh is nestled against a corner of the wall, cloak drawn close about her, hood already up. She practically blends directly into the wall, merely more darkness. Watchful, she waits for more figures to arrive, barely moving save to breathe. No, Professor Walsh won’t say a word for now, but will wait. Yes, she shall wait.

Rhian Brecon comes the stairwell. She had every right to be out and about at this hour, even after curfew, as a Prefect. While she didn’t wish to get anyone in trouble, she was still curious about this whole thing. In her regular school robes, her wand hidden in her robe and the darkest cloak she had, a nice midnight blue around her shoulders, and her hood up, but hiding her face, she comes into the Hall of Stars, seeing if there was anyone else that had arrived before her.

The usually boisterous second year Briony Wexler almost tip-toes into the Hall of the Stars, ready to bolt for the Picture Room should this turn out to be a hoax. She doesn’t dare say anything, but seems to be trying to disappear altogether in her robes as she makes her way into the Hall of Stars, lurking far back from any other people already queued up in the hall. After all, she doesn’t want to get into trouble if this ends up being a bad situation.

Clavicle Gravely comes in wearing a brownish grayish cloak, of deep earth tones. He steps in quietly and looks about with a curious gaze. His near skeletal frame is hard to recognize beneath the fabric.

Marie-Anna Greyton quietly walks in, making little sound or, for that, hardly any appearance as her black, hooded cloak is drawn up her. It is with care that this prefect makes her way into the room. Eyes dart about to see if she can disern who else may have been invited to thise most secret meeting.

Yeegads! It is a dementor! -Not. It is just Landon in an extreme large robe with his good up. The excess fabric hangs like curtains off of his thin frame and some drags behind him as he walks. He seems to have magically altered the front, though so he won’t trip. Who knew the tailor genes would come in handy!? Presently, he is leaning against the wall in his usual nonchalant manner. Or, at least, that’s all one can assume. With his hood pulled as it is, he could be smiling from ear to ear and nobody would know. That would never happen, though.

Walking almost on tiptoe, Aisling O‘Cormac endevours to make no sound as she enters the room, her ploy somewhat ruined by the slight rustling her robes and cloak make. Glancing around, she drifts over to one of the walls, trying to make herself even smaller than she already is, and attempting to fade into the wall itself.

Scurrying through the hallway and pushing into the shadows, a small form in school robes and a plain hooded cloak catches its breath. Stealing as silently as possible to the meeting place, Astra is dressed like every other student, her hood pulled over her hair to hide her face. Grinning to herself in a mischievous fashion, she’s out for a bit of fun tonight and hopefully no one will recognize her immediately for who she really is.

A lofty form sheltered in a thick black cloak that is just barely too small for her, Clementine Duncan enters the Hall of Stars. The almost deafening silence of the place and the girl’s incredibly desire not to disturb it forces out a raspy little cough. “Sorry.” She excuses herself in a whisper, moving against the wall as well. The tall third year smiles nervously, but no one can see that ideally.

Cloak on, hood up and hanging over his face, Evan Geroff is in that way a copy of every other person showing up tonight. He says nothing, arriving as silently as possible, curious excitement hidden by the same dark that hides his eyes and the hood under which a grin might just be made out, if the dim light managed to hit it. Upon spotting the collection of shadowed shapes, he turns back partway, one hand spread out toward the group as bobs his head to a second figure with him.

“We’ll get into trouble,” the girl hisses quietly, instantly regretting having said anything, given the silence that is resounding in the area. She instantly silences herself, hanging just outside of the group that is gathering, though not so far as to stand against the wall as some people appear to be doing. While she doesn’t voice this, Olivia finds herself wondering very strongly what it is that she’s been dragged here for.

Lyre King purposefully flows into the room. His raven black robes curl behind him on the barest of breezes, showing how fine the silky material is. He adjusts his hood to hide his dark eyes, which he scans the room with. He takes note that there are two adults in the room. He breathes a sigh of relief, assured that he will not get in trouble for being here.

Cloaked and hooded, Martin Foster pads into the room–each step purposefully silent. He peers about the room in continued silence at the students in attendance–all dressed like himself. He raises his index finger to his lips as if to prevent himself (or somebody else?) from speaking. Curiously, the Head Boy’s eyebrows furrow as he crosses his arms comfortably over his chest.

Keelan Walsh steps forward from her corner, not lowering her hood. Eyes well adjusted to the dim light of the room, but she is no better at discerning hooded faces in nearly complete darkness than most are. “I suppose,” she begins quietly, “I should first explain why you have all been invited.” It’s not really a question, and Keelan pushes her glasses up her nose. “It is to teach, yes, but not a subject commonly taught within the walls of our fine school. Not, in my opinion, studied enough either. No, not lectures or in all liklihood books, although they make have their place. I wish also to learn.” She stops, and her tone changes, “How many of you know of the secret passage ways of our school? How many have been into the Forbidden Forest or dared dream of the secrets concealed within these very walls?” Her voice hushes, though she still sounds very grave, “How many of you are aware of the world outside this school? How many… have even read a novel? Fiction, not facts, dates, figures.” Her tone brightens by a small degree, “I mean to teach the art of adventure, as I myself learned it right here in Hogwarts.”

Rhian Brecon turns as she notices someone moving other than the students who showed up, and starts speaking. She knows that voice… and it’s not the voice of a child either. One of the professors? Teaching them the art of adventure? This will be interesting. She says nothing though, not invited to speak, nor apparently the desire to reveal herself since the purpose of all this was to remain hidden from the others, and professor.

Listening quietly to the Professor, Aisling brightens a bit at the mention of adventure, and at the query regarding books. Having read anything she could get her hands on, she has read a few novels in her time, often wishing that her life could be adventurous as that of those in the novels. Still silent, she turns so that she has a good view of the speaking figure, and also of many of the others in the room. Well – as good as a view as the dim light provides.

Clavicle Gravely tilts his head and listens. His eyes narrow a touch as he tries to place the voice. He’s not sure if it’s a seventh year or a teacher. But he nods. Beneath his hood he had the forethought to wear a mask, a carnival mask of a Coyote. As his head raises, the snout emerges from the shadow.He answers “Laughing Coyote Agrees.”

Evan Geroff shakes his head at Olivia, exaggerated a bit so she has some hope of seeing it. Leaning over, in a whisper to barely reach his own ears, he whispers, “We won’t. We’ll just take a look..” Even the whisper stops as Keelan begins to speak. He has moved no closer to the group than Olivia, staying at her side, but he looks over toward the center once before looking back at her and grinning. “See?” Despite the whisper his voice remains in, the word comes out too quickly to be anything but pleased with the beginnings of the night. Keelan may not completely have to teach him adventure, but that’s no reason not to remain and enjoy some of it. And he hasn’t been in some of those places.

Not daring to speak for fear of blowing her cover, Astra hunkers down in her cloak and makes sure the hood is well pulled up to obscure her features. Standing on tiptoes, she hangs back far enough to scamper off again if she doesn’t feel comfortable, but right now, she’s just grinning from ear to ear. Excited and amused, she raises a hand to her mouth and lowers her head to suppress a laugh, whether from nervousness or something else she does not share.

“Adventure!” Briony hisses, noticably excited at the idea. Somoene who sounds like an adult is telling her that she’s going to learn to embrace adventures. The girl claps her hand over her mouth quickly, though, noticing how quiet the hall still is. Learn to keep your mouth shut, Briony! Looking around finally at the group happily, Briony‘s face, were it more visible to her peers, would be a bright and excited one. She can hardly wait. And she who always loved finding adventures!

Marie-Anna Greyton ponders the questions quietly, but she dares not break the silence. Therefore the prefect stands stationary, hidden by cloak and hood.

Eyebrows still furrowed, Martin Foster shifts slightly as Keelan speaks. The professor’s voice is familiar, but the Head Boy can’t place it. He continues to have his arms crossed. Adventure? A little unconventional, but interesting none the less. Biting his lower lip, he continues to stare at the speaking hooded figure, skeptical about the whole affair.

“Adventures?” Olivia whispers dubiously, trying to see over a particularly tall person in front of her, trying to find out why it is she recognizes that voice. She is certain that it will become clear soon, who it is exactly, and that it will make her feel more at ease. The silence which all of those gathered are employign unnerves her a bit and she takes a step behind Evan, just a bit, not feeling entirely at ease.

Thankfully, her own hood is large enough to keep Clementine‘s large snout concealed. She stays quiet as Keelan begins her introduction and continues through it, unconsciously taking a few nervous steps back towards the wall. She doesn’t pay much attention to whether or not there is anyone there already.

The person speaks and Landon doesn’t move an inch. As those who know him probably know, his eyes moved toward the person but nothing else. If anyone was low enough to see up his hood, they would see his eyebrow arch upwards, but he doesn’t speak. When a few people around him start to close in, Landon pushes off of the wall with the foot he was leaning on, and he slides towards everyone else in one, silent, fluid motion.

Lyre‘s grin looks almost like a sneer, though it isn’t his fault. He is practically shaking with excitement at the idea of knowing all of the secrets of the castle.

Clavicle says, “Laughing Coyote wants these secrets you speak of. What must we do to earn them?” he asks…speaking in a gruff voice in an attempt to disguise himself. “We’re quite interested indeed.”"

Keelan Walsh responds with what is if not delight than a tremor of excitement(a quality which her students are not likely to recognize when not raving about plants), “Laughing Coyote, I see you have chosen a name… you must, however, have patience.” Her lips tug into a smile, “Nothing we will have to do, of course.” She moves her hand a bit and the stars subtly begin to brighten, though they do not cast much light even when they are at full force. Her full height is visible, rare enough in a female, “However, yes, adventure. After all, you were invited to the Society for Exploration and Adventure. It will be, I assure you, more than a simple title. However… to become a true member, you must all swear to secrecy. It would not do for certain individuals to discover what we will be up to.” She pronounces this as though she has people in mind as the enemies of adventure. As the room reaches it’s normal level of light, Keelan observes, at the least, the sizes of the people here. “First we have to decide–do we see each other, or do we not?” Her hood remains up, although it’s unlikely that there are any other five-foot-eleven glasses wearing persons with that particular tone of voice. “There is a certain appeal to some amount of anonymity, but this is a society, not a classroom. Come on, I want to hear opinions–and why!” Another smile, just barely visible.

Aisling O‘Cormac looks towards the voice. “Anonymity ensures that no one can tell on us, because they don’t know who we are.” She offers quietly. “But on the other hand, for a society, especially for adventure, we need to have at least a degree of trust in each other – and would we, not knowing anything about the next person?” Having said this, the young girl looks at her feet, turning over the options in her mind, wondering what the others think.

Rhian Brecon clears her throat a bit then speaks up, but changing her voice slightly so it might not be recongized. “I say we do, so that if messages must be passed, we know who we can give them to, and who we cannot. But what if we each know about two others in the society, then we cannot reveal everyone.”

Clavicle says, “Laughing Coyote says there is truth in anonymity. In that truth, one is allowed freedom behind a mask one is not allowed face to face. It allows one to be free of the consequences of that truth. Laughing Coyote advises secrecy. ” the Coyote snout bobs as it’s wearer speaks in the gruff voice. “Laughing Coyote thinks we should take on names. So we have a life of two faces, one here and one the teachers know. Laughing Coyote sees truth in this, and hopes you do as well.”"

Marie-Anna Greyton nods quietly. “Perhaps we each only know one or two people, no two people knowing the same person. For example Person A knows Person B and C, person B knows A and D, C knows B and E…” she offers in a quiet manner. “Or, perhaps, we stick with the method in which we where invited here… only the host know who the members are…” is given in a quiet tone.

Speaking is not something Astra is willing to do and so she keeps her mouth firmly shut, lifting her head as she listens to the students and their opinions about secrecy. Tugging at her hood, she then drops her hand away and slips back a step to stand off to one side.

“Don’t worry,” Evan whispers back to Olivia, one hand moving in the darkness to fold behind his back instead of hang at his side, though he does no more with it. “It’ll be fun.. and you won’t be forced into anything, I promise.” At the question, he glances back toward the center, calling out quietly yet much above the whisper he’s been using, “See. After swearing the oath. At least,” he picks up on Marie-Anna’s idea, “some other people, for safety.”

Like Astra, Martin says nothing. He’s still not entirely sure what to think of this entire affair, and feels no need to offer an opinion at this time. Shrugging his shoulders, the Head Boy sinks further into his hood. He frowns at Clavicle’s alternative name suggestion, and after clearing his throat, breaks his own silence, “Knowing only a few other people adds to the mystery.”

Clavicle says, “Laughing Coyote Sees the wisdom in that one’s way. She advises what is known as a insurgent cell structure. If captured no one can reveal the entire cell membership. Laughing Coyote thinks that person is wise.” He smiles “An enchanted scroll could be made…that by putting our mark, the maker would be hexed for revealing secrets.” ”

Eyes dart from person to person as they speak. Landon, however says nothing. It isn’t that he’s worried about remaining anonymous, he just doesn’t feel like talking, which is frequently the case. He straightens up, slightly, though, as he peers around at the other occupants of the room. The large robes will conceal his identity, though, standing straight up, or crouched down, he still won’t look like much more than an heap of fabric.

Clavicle Gravely points to the hooded figure who spoke of knowing only one or two names

Clementine Duncan continues to stay quiet, nodding along with those whom she agrees with and not with those she doesn’t. Of course, it isn’t very clear whether or not she is for or against secrecy. She keeps speaking to a minimum, as she would in class, really. The idea of picking names does appeal to her, even a little more then the idea of adventuring. She’s torn, and so, can’t speak out for herself. Secrecy is important. Someone should know who the members are, though. After Marie-Anna’s explanation and Laughing Coyote’s agreement, Clementine points to the hooded figure as well.

Gingerly, Olivia spies Evan’s hand and grasps onto it, feeling a bit of relief as she gives his hand a tight squeeze, perhaps a little harder than necessary. “Shouldn’t we know one another. Aren’t societies for comradery as well as their function?” Olivia speaks up, an unusual demonstration for the Hufflepuff girl. She steps back out from behind Evan and glance around, trying to discern the faces of those around her. All the hoods up make it difficult, as well as her own limited peripheral vision due to her own hood. “But we don’t have to–” she adds slowly, as if stating the desire for a bit less secrecy within would oust her from the group before she even found out just what kinds of things they would be finding out.

“Maybe we should have code names, like what he’s got!” Briony pipes up, perhaps a bit loudly. “And then we only call each other by them when we’re talking about matters here.” The girl beams at the idea and tries to make her way forward a bit, though she can’t make out anybody’s face at all, regardless of how she tries. It is simply too dark in the hall. The quiet atmosphere seems to have subsided just a bit as many of the folks present voice their opinions.

“Excellent points, one and all. Although…” Keelan pauses, musing it over for herself. “There is merit to taking on alter egos, though I would rather, I admit, it be knowing everyone or knowing noone. I… doubt there will be any matter of danger, as far as that is involved.” She looks at the figure in the mask, easier to pick out now than before, “I assure you that I have every intention of keeping this quite seperate from schoolwork.” Another twitchy smile, and she adjusts her glasses again, “Perhaps masks for us all, and code names? Then,” she smiles warmly, if only dimly visible, toward Olivia, “we may have a semblence of the comraderie so vital to a society, and retain our daily identities as well.” It doesn’t sound like a descision, and she looks about the room again. Somewhat accusatory comes, “Not all of you have spoken.”

Rhian Brecon has already spoken her opinion of what could be done, so now remains silent to see what others think of.

Marie-Anna Greyton remains silent, along with Rhian, seeing as she has already had her say.

Martin Foster is quite proud of his speaking now (he would have rather not spoken altogether). His lips curl into a small smirk behind his cloak. Oh the excitement!

Evan Geroff sqeezes back, only gently, as Olivia takes his hand, then holds on gently as well. “If it’s everything or none,” Evan pauses, voice pitched to address the group again, clarifying his opinion though he did speak before, “I’d rather know people. Names will be put to every-day faces eventually anyway, as we get to know each other here.”

Backing up another step, the would-be student looks to her right and then to her left, as if seeking out some sort of support from the few others who have said nothing. Shrugging her shoulders, Astra then chooses someone taller and close by, settling on one of the many hooded students. The person’s she’s randomly chosen is Martin, but she still is not aware of that fact and so tries to slink behind him or at least closer to him.

Clavicle Gravely watches Astra now…as the ‘student’ begins slinking about. “Laughing Coyote thinks some are frightened now. And before anything else is said, those who have had second thoughts should be allowed to leave. After they have left, Laughing Coyote thinks we should move as well, before the head mistress comes.”

Clementine Duncan retracted her pointing hand soon after jutting it out, but takes a hesitant step away from the wall, “I think it’ad be be’er if we all started off on an equal playin’ feild persay. If we were to know who eachother truly were. It might ruin that. Biases ..such ‘s class rankings… prefects and whatnot.” She thinks sadly to herself that she’s going to end up having to have some type of bird-mask, what with her nose. Her long arms cross tightly under her cloak. Behind her hood, she blushes hard, not having really paid enough attention to what she just said.

Stepping even closer, looking about as people begin to pipe up even more. “Doesn’t being here obliterate the biases? We were all of us invited, after all,” Olivia states in response to her classmate, though she doesn’t realise that she knows the female voice speaking. She pays little attention to those inching about, as if trying to get out, more interested in hearing what everyone has to say and how the gathering will form.

Clementine Duncan turns to Olivia, “Not entirely.” She motions to the hooded figure who is obviously the leader of this outfit to them at least, “But there are other biases, then that…” Her voice implies that she’s almost hurt that anyone disagreed with her, “You and I could hate eachother, you know, and right now we have no idea.”

Lyre King speaks up against Olivia’s statement. “Some people are unable to rise above their faults. These people will find something to pick at in their fellows, regardless of what honors have been placed on them. I say anonymity is key. Not knowing who could counter you also makes the misuse of whatever we learn here.. Dangerous.”

Clavicle says, “Hoka-Hey. Laughing Coyote sees truth in Anonymity.”"

“They should learn to overcome that,” Briony retorts, shaking her head. “But can’t we still have secret names? It would be so brilliant. And if we’re going to go on adventures with one another, I would certainly want to know who with so we can talk about it later,” she giggles a bit, then stifles herself. “Well, in private, of course. When you’re sure nobody else can discover the conversation. After all, secrecy.”

Clementine Duncan claps, hissing excitedly, “Oh! Oh, I do want a secret name. And a mask!”

Keelan Walsh waves a hand, “She won’t bother us, I’m sure.” Either by request or distraction, Keelan certainly had to the foresight to secure the area, “Even if she did, I am here. I’m sure you have all realized by now that I am a Professor?” A soft smirk, and then a softer sigh, “If anyone cares to leave, they should do so. Should you wish to return to us at a later date, you need just arrive.” Keelan waits, then, before continuing, “For now, as some of you seem concerned, let us don masks. A bit of a spell ought to do the trick–hmm, though it may be tricky for some of you. Think of something… interesting, and if you can’t make a mask, have someone help. You can all trust each other enough to help with this?” Her wand is flourished and the spell, “Cero personatus!” said. For Keelan, it is a crude wooden thing in the vague shape of a tiger, black paint striping across it. The mask materializes in the air in front of her and she has to catch it before it falls. Putting it on carefully so as to not disturb her hood, she still has to tie it on over the hood. This looks a touch silly, but oh well.

Clavicle Gravely pulls out his wand. And he attempts the spell. But not being an expert yet, His crude wooden thing looks like half spider, half coyote, half raven, and an odd resemblance to Astra Rathe in the chin. Now how did that happen. “Err.. Laughing Coyote…says Oops.”

Marie-Anna Greyton nods a little bit before pulling her wand out from her cloak. The same words used by Keelan are used by her as well, resulting in her own crude wooden mask. This mask is rather simple, in manner, simply that of a lioness.

Rhian Brecon nods as she listens to this and she casts herself a mask on her face. It’s an elegant thing, one that she wore years ago to a Holloween festival that was designed by her boyfriend when they first met. It displays a lioness’s face, but with appropriate eyeholes and doesn’t have a lower job so they could see Rhian‘s jaw move as she speaks. With the mask, she lowers her hood, glad to get that off her head.

“Cero personatus,” Olivia chants with her wand in hand, and a bland, rounded mask appears in her hand, with no eyeholes. “Hmm. That can’t be quite right. What did I do wrong?” she whispers to Evan, releasing her hand from his to examine the mask more closely. “Can we do it again if it doesn’t work quite right?” Olivia asks, disgust becoming more apparent with her failed first attempt at the mask. Charms are not her forte.

Clementine Duncan pulls out her wand, motioing with it but stopping short of attempting the spell. She hesitates before actually going through with it, “Cero personatus.” She squeaks, summoning up a puff of thin yellow feathers that fall right through her fingers, which were expecting a mask to fall into them. A bird mask, preferably. “I’m afraid I’m not very good at things like this…” She admits sheepishly, gulping, “Could someone maybe just make one for me?”

Evan Geroff slips his wand out of his pocket, pausing before raising what would usually be his off hand. Just as if in class, he practices the motion he saw Keelan use once, and the second time through repeats the spell. The mask he catches doesn’t quite resemble any animal in particular. It has ears that stick up, large round eyes, some sort of tuft over the chin, possibly a whisker or two unless those are just freckles, and the color in spots varies from yellow to orange to dark brown and green. “Hmm.” He looks at it for a moment, then over to Olivia. “I’ll be re-doing mine when this is over tonight. But you might want to see still. Don’t worry about the look for now, just concentrate on the eyes…?” It’s a possibility, anyway. And they can sit around together redoing both until they look right. Fun, neh? Olivia having released his hand does allow him to tie his mask on as he whispers to her, which he does.

With a flip of his wand, Landon breathes the spell out almost without speaking at all. IN his hand appears a simple, black mask. Rounded on top, but it covers the nose and cheek bones. Only the chin, mouth, and lower jaw are visible. Landon then proceeds to reach up his hood and fix the mask over his face. Once it is in place he pulls the hood back just enough so he can peer about properly, but not even so much as a blonde hair is visible.

Clavicle Gravely goes to grab the mask…but it scurries off to a corner. “Er… Double oops?”

Hovering behind the student she’s decided to stand behind, the ‘student’ heaves a very soft sigh at not having to speak. Listening quietly, she turns and draws out her wand, casting under her breath as murmurs the words. An additional spell ripples its power within the inner part that would cover her face. Slowly and methodically she works. While not as fast as some of the students, eventually Astra turns around donning her mask. Her chosen form is that of a mongoose.

Lyre King lifts his wand and calls out the spell in a clear voice. “Cero Personatus!” a thin, smooth mask settles in his hand, the barest shape of a face visible, like a half carved statue. In yellow paint, a broad four pointed star is painted on his left eye, while a huge red gash is painted across the mouth area, like an ancient greek comedy mask. Lyre slips the mask easily under his hood, and it hangs there as if by magic.

Keelan Walsh actually laughs slightly, “Yes, you can of course try it again if it is…” here she puts out down a foot to stop Clavicle’s oddly mobile mask. Crunch. “Unsatifactory. Just make sure to tap the old one with your wand to destroy it.” She bends, briefly, to scoop up the mess Clavicle made, and gives it a sharp rap, and it vanishes. “Laughing Coyote, you have a mask already,” she reminds him gently. Surveying the group through her tiger-mask eyes, she says, almost to herself, “We’ll need names.”

Marie-Anna Greyton ponders potential names, looking at the now masked students through the slitted lion eyes. The girl waits for inspiration to strike her as she glances around.

Performing the spell with surprising success — well, it at least resembles a mask shape, eye holes, stopping over the nose, plenty of space for her mouth to move, something very important for Briony. The mask she has conjured is a dark gray, and has whisker-like hairs pointing up all over it and ears rather shaped like a cat’s. Perhaps the mask is a bit heavy on the whiskers and light on any other resemblance for a cat. The odd mask suits Briony just fine, however, and she fixes the mask to her face and stands for a moment, attempting to think of a name for herself.

Clavicle says, “Laughing Coyote’s mask wants a mask too.” he settles back against the wall and grins a touch. The trickster part a role he is adopting far too well.”

Clementine Duncan wrinkles up her nose, trying the spell again deciding that her originaly vision was far too complicated. It’s after her third attempt that she gets her mask. As she slips it over her face, it’s no animal that she slides over her face, but a plant. A long wooden branch stems out for her nose with smaller twigs, knots, and knobs here and there. Clementine is now… a tree. She doesn’t push back her hood all the way, for fear that her wild hair might just really give her away.

Olivia Baxtor taps her first attempts at a mask and it vanishes quickly. She repeats the incantation and this time, the mask more closely resembles an actual mask. It is a half mask in an emerald green color, and this time has eye holes. She smiles a bit and holds it out, “Much better.” It is a decree rather than a statement and she fixes the mask to her face, glancing around as everyone else manages masks. “What name are you going to use?” she asks Evan quietly, being careful not to use his name, lest she give his identity away.

Rhian Brecon thinks to herself and tries to come up with a name. She knows that she is wearing a lioness’s face and so thinks she might use that to start a name. “Stalking Lioness?” she looks to the person next to her to see if that would be an appropriate name.

Clavicle Gravely does a small turn and walks about looking at the different masks. His mask is a rather realistic looking Coyote mask, Bought at a Carnival most likely. “Laughing Coyote is how I am known. ”

Landon thinks. . . He will have to think of something later. Right this very moment, he just stands, looking snazzy in his mask. He’s bad with thinking up things on the spot, and he doesn’t want to have to live with some stupid name because he just up and spit one out without putting any thought into it.

“Preferable to my rainbow colored cat-owl, I’m sure.” Evan smiles at Olivia, then glances down for a moment in thought. “I don’t know; something to do with a sphinx, perhaps. Do you have a name in mind?”

Clavicle says, “Think thank thunk, A coyote in a trunk, he runs around, adventure bound, until his tail is sunk.”"

“I think I’ll be … Fitzcordia,” the girl announces, rather proud at thinking of such a name. Briony beams as others finish their masks and fix them to their faces. “I wonder if we’ll be able to go on any adventures tonight. What happens if we’re late for curfew?” She doesn’t sound overly concerned as she voices these statements, but rather admires the few masks she is able to see. The girl is forced to push back her hood just a bit, to allow the whiskers on her mask to protrude up as they are wont to do.

“I haven’t thought of one yet,” Olivia responds, looking over Evan’s mask curiously and thinking of what names she could pick. “Maybe… maybe I could use…” Her voice trails off and she puts a finger to her chin thoughtfully. “How does Nanaea sound? I think I read it in a History book sometime. It’s kind of pretty, don’t you think?” The girl looks to her friend, pondering on her name suggestion and then voicing another. “No, Persephone. That’s very regal.” She gives a closed-mouth smile, having more or less decided on this name.

Sifting through her memory, Astra latches upon a name from her childhood. Speaking through her mask, her voice is warped and fractured, but still clearly understandable. Either the spell that created her mask is broken in some way or she’s added something to it to do precisely this, hide her voice as well as her face. “Rawhead and Bloody Bones,” scouring the legends and nightmares of childish boogeymen, “Rawhead am I.”

Clavicle Gravely ‘s attention suddenly turns at the Bloody Bones reference. His hand rubs at the snout a bit thoughtfully. A cousin here? Impossible.

Clementine Duncan looks to Rhian, nodding to the other girl’s choice of codename, “I can’t think of anything good…” She peers around through the eye-holes of her mask at the others, “I suppose… Hmm.” She turns back to the other girl, “I’m the Wand Tree.” She giggles a little.

Keelan Walsh ponders for a long moment, seemingly oblivous to the relative chaos as people chose masks and names. “Alright! Does everyone have a mask on, then?” Waiting for the murmur of assent, she presents a simple spell-”Lumos!” However, this seems to be the key to getting a proper amount of lighting, as the light flickers from the end of her wand to an overhead setting of the moon. Odd, that’s not a normal feature of this room. Still, suddenly the shadowy students take a more solid form, and masks are thrown into compartively bright moonlight. “I do believe it’s time to introduce ourselves. I am known as Bengale.” No kidding.

Evan Geroff nods once to her decision. “Persephone. I like it.” He stops, back to his own thoughts, whispering to her off and on as he goes. “I just don’t know what to place with ‘Sphinx..’” “Towering, Mighty.. Orange.. Turquiose?..” His whispering trails off as Keelan draws the group together again, with a final murmur to Olivia, “Perhaps that will be good enough.” He’ll wait to actually introduce himself, give him another minute at least to be sure.

Rhian Brecon nods as she finally sees everyone in full light as much as she can at least witht he masks. Her’s is starting to get annoying, but she’ll live with it. “I am Stalking Lioness, or Lioness for short…” She looks around when it comes to her turn to introducing herself.

Keelan Walsh adds, “If we’re late for curfew, I expect you’ll do your best to avoid detection,” with a smirk.

“What about just Turquoise?” the girl suggests quickly before Keelan speaks. She watches with interest, and before very long, it’s her own turn. “I’m Persephone,” she states rather quietly, then glances around at others as they begin to share their names. Almost as if it’s a reaction, she reaches towards Evan’s hand, still slightly nervous as she hears someone’s voice, which has clearly been altered, and which sounds rather frightening. Or perhaps it is just that Olivia is easily frightened.

Clavicle says, “And that would be a secret passage?” he asks. As he tilts his head out, and aer pokes out to listen toward the woman. “Is that something we see tonight?”

Lyre King thinks quietly for a moment, pondering the image presented by his mask. “I suppose… The Harlequin Jack will do. I am Jack Harlequin.” His mask has an eerie, puppetlike smile, and strangely fits this title.

Landon decides that he doesn’t want just eh plain black mask so he taps the side of it and the sides instantly flair out, becoming leaf-like, and the mask turns a vibrant shade of leaf-green. His forehead, nose, and the upper part of his cheeks are covered, but his mouth is free for speaking. The bright green tones of the mask seem to be reflected in Landon‘s pale skin, though because his chin, lower cheeks, and jaw pick it up, disguising his skin tone. A slight smile graces his features. A slightly mischievous one, too. It is gone as quickly as it appeared, though. He has decided on the name Puck! After the adventurous forest spirit! When it is his turn to speak, he does for the first time, but he doesn’t say much. He points to himself and says “Puck.”

Now that there is enough light to see by, Astra takes in the sight of the students. She too is dressed in the plain black school robes of a student and a hooded cloak of the same shade. Poking out from under the hood, her mongoose mask is quite visible and she turns her head to look over those assembled. “I am Rawhead.” As before, her voice is warped by magic but the words are unmistakable.

Clementine Duncan toys with the rims of her hood, as if torn still on whether or not to remove it. “I’m the Wand Tree.” She introduces herself with a light curtsey. She crosses her arms once more, keeping her hood up over her massive hair.

Marie-Anna Greyton is of the same thought as Landon is about her mask. Before the light comes out she quietly disperses of her current mask before repeating the motion to create a new mask, which turns out to be similar in appearance to that of a mermaid, with feathers for hair floating in water. “I am Aquarius,” she introduces, hood still slightly pulled over her head, covering her hair.

Evan Geroff hesitates, taking one last second to think before announcing his name after Olivia does hers. “I’m Turquiose the Sphinx,” he states, not quite willing to give that up and just be a color, “but will response simply to Turquoise.” And he’s prepared for everyone to just forget the Sphinx part. It’s for his own benefit only. As Olivia reaches he slips his hand back around hers, offering another quick squeeze simply to say “hello again” as any smile at her would be effectively hidden by his rainbow cat-owl mask. He will have to redo it.

“Call me Fitzcordia, please,” Briony announces with a giggle and then stifles herself with a cough, attempting to appear serious as many of the others are. She watches with interest as the others announce their chosen ‘code names’. Briony is having a very difficult time disguising her sheer excitement at the whole thing. Secret names, masks and adventures? It pretty much has made the Gryffindor’s year.

Kelly Pantall seems to be quietly dwelling near the fringes of the group, expression hidden behind her generic mask – her emotions, however, are clearly expressed by her abrupt movements, turning often to peer over her shoulder with an uncharacteristic edginess. Of course, if they’re endeavoring to be anonymous, being uncharacteristic is probably a good start. When she speaks, however, it is with a loud and clear tone. “…I’m Marie Jeanette.” Something seems to be nagging at her for a moment, and she can’t help but offer further explanation. “You know, like that Ripper victim. She was the most interesting.” Because talking about Jack the Ripper is really anonymous. Yay, she wins.

Bengale nods as each of the masked figures speaks, a smile just barely visible through the mouth of her mask. “Tonight we shall not discover any secret passage ways… first I need to know that I can trust you, one and all. In my past,” she gestures with her hands, “a grand secret was lost forever because formarly trustworthy persons let it out to too many people…” It almost seems as if the mask itself grimaces. “A secret is no longer a secret if the world finds out.” She shakes her head, suddenly grim again.

Marie Jeanette widens her eyes noticeably behind the thin slits offered by her generic pale mask before looking down at the ground, slipping back even further, trying to avoid notice. She gently nudges whoever happens to be closest to her, leaning across and whispering quietly, “So, that means we can tell a couple of people, right? I mean, what if someone asks? It doesn’t count as me telling if someone asks, right?”

Aquarius happens to be not too far from Marie Jeanette. “No,” she hisses. “You tell no one, even if someone asks. Not even if you suspect them to be a member,” is stated before she turns to Bengale and nods a little, listening again.

“Should we take an oath?” the girl suggests, looking around with slowly adjusting eyes at all the masks. She has ideas that she might recognize a few of the people present, but lest she break secrecy, she doesn’t mention anything, standing close to Evan, and trying to stay away from the person with the rather sounding voice. “Maybe one of those promises that you can’t break?” Persephone looks to the person in charge, Bengale, hopefully.

Bengale raises her eyebrows behind her mask, “Aquarius is right, Marie, the S.E.A,” Bengale is not about to be saying ‘sea’ all of the time as though they were marine oriented, “is a secret society. If inquiries are made by anyone–even Professors– make up a story about a knitting club, Gobstones club, study group… something everyday.” She looks at Persephone, “Ah… an unbreakable vow is a bit steep–” not to mention rather over Keelan’s head, “However, an oath?” She looks around, and this time her mask does change expression. Can a tiger look inquisitive? It certainly tries, “What does everyone think?” She’s trying very hard not to be in charge.

“Not an Unbreakable Vow!” Marie Jeanette shrieks, eyes widening even further, jumping back from Persephone in whichever direction she can. “What happens if you try real hard to keep it a secret, but you just can’t, and you die? That would be horrible. I don’t want to die.” Her eyes seek out someone who will comfort her, assure her that she’s not going to die, though her panic is considerable and she doesn’t look like she can easily be reassured. “Well… well, I just don’t want to die. That would be awful. And what if it’s someone real important that asks you, not important like a Professor, important like…” she appears to be trying to think of anyone in Hogwarts more important than a professor. “You know, someone real, real important?”

Aquarius eyes Marie, again. “It’s a secret, Marie. Secrets don’t get told, particullarly one of such importance as this,” she notes. “A group is only as strong as it’s weakest link, will you be that link?” she enquires in a challenging voice. Indeed, will Marie Jeanette be the weakest link? No matter the answer to that question her attention is turned to Bengale, again. “I think an oath is a good idea.”

Biting her tongue over what she’s thinking about an oath, Rawhead mulls the situation over until there is the yell from Marie Jeanette. “Oh don’t be silly,” the so-called student speaks. Gathering up her own words, what she really is doing is trying to recall how she spoke as a younger student, “No one is going to make us recite an Unbreakable Vow in a group like this. We aren’t a bunch of dark wizards.”

For the first time all night, Turquoise actually is a bit hesitant. He promised this wouldn’t get them in trouble, coming.. so how strong an oath are they about to take, and what could be the future consequences? He hadn’t even known anything about the group before tonight. “An oath certainly ought to keep it secret,” he replies to Keelan. It is being led by a professor after all – she’d know what was OK. “If what we do is of that importance, then yes.”

“An oath is perfectly fine by me,” spoke the one with the fox mask. Leon Fox peered through the narrow slits in his mask, gazing at the rest of the gathering. “And we can always use…what’re they called? Those memory charms to make those we suspect of being too weak…simply forget about the S.E.A. Couldn’t we?”

Although someone calmed by the words, Marie Jeanette seems to still be rather suspicious. “If I was a Dark Wizard, I’d tell people I wasn’t too.” The logic seems perfectly evident to her, even if no one else can comprehend it, and she folds her arms across her chest grumpily. “Okay, I’ll try to keep it secret, but if someone real, real, REAL important asks me about it, I might accidentally tell. But only if they’re real, real, REAL important. Like, more important than a professor. More important than the Head Boy, even.”

Clavicle says, “I suspect a charm could be made to hex an oathbreaker with a terrible case of the Bat Bogey Hex.” He loves that hex. “I can devise an alteration, if you trust me to try?”"

“I don’t know that I’d like to take one of those anyway. You never know what’s going to happen,” Fitzcordia responds to the suggestion of the unbreakable vow. “Maybe just a really stern promise will do the job.” She hopes so, anyway, and looks around as eveyrone puts in their choices. “I, for one, am willing to keep it entirely secret.” She nods decisively, her whiskers swaying as she does so.

Aquarius nods a little bit. “I’m with Fitz,” she states. “I’ll take whatever oath is asked of me, and I’ll keep it a secret, in it’s entirety…” her tone is low as she speaks, but all the same, she says it.

Bengale snorts, rather tigerishly, “There will be no obliviating of S.E.A members who wish to discontinue their enrollment in the society.” Her head shakes, “No, a spoken oath at the most. Should it be broken… oh for goodness sake.” The woman is getting a bit irritated, and it’s obvious, “When I say that a secret is to remain a secret I am not suggesting hexing, cursing, charming, or otherwise harming someone who can’t keep it. I merely wished to impress upon all of you the importance of not blabbing around the school the location of any secret passage ways or rooms. Lest you wish to suddenly find our adventures turned into necking rooms.” Another shake of her head, “That’s not the spirit at all. Your word is all I require. I’m sure that simply revoking the right to join in our adventures and restricting access to former secrets would suffice.” Goodness.

“We’ll just have to promise really hard to keep it secret.” The girl nods as she looks from person to person, many of whom seem to be voicing the same opinion. “I hope everyone wants to have the same fun. It wouldn’t be as fun if someone told the secret,” she comments, looking up at Evan with a grin. “You’ll have to make sure I keep the secret, E– Turquoise,” she tells him giving his hand a ginger squeeze again. Persephone smiles closed-mouthed at everyone.

Marie Jeanette seems positively mortified at the idea that telling would turn the secret passages into necking rooms, and she puts her hands on her hips and stands up all the straighter as evidence of how affronted she is. “I wouldn’t tell anyone who would do something GROSS in there.” The pitch of her voice as well as the volume is raised considerably at this point. “I said I’d only tell someone REAL, REAL, REAL important. More important than, than the Head Boy.” And the unspoken point here is that there are so few people more important than the Head Boy of a school that it is pretty much impossible that any of them would be asking Marie about the secret places. “And none of them would tell. Or… or do yicky things.”

Turquoise nods slightly at Bengale. It sounds much less worrisome the way she describes it than with all the students jumping to ‘we’ll kill you if you tell’ level conclusions. And the way she described it works for him. “I don’t mind giving my word, I have no intention of telling.” Turning, he grins back at Olivia, and perhaps part of the movement could even be seen through the mouth-hole. “Of course. We’ll watch each other, Persephone.”

Rocking up on her toes again, Rawhead sighs greatly and then drop back onto her heels. “I’m quite happy just giving my word not to purposely reveal the secret. I don’t want to have to worry about hexes and spells and charms.” Smiling behind her mask, she again looks around to those assembled before adding a nod to Bengale.

Clavicle says, “Upon my word I swear this secret shall be safe with me.” he states with a formal bow. ”

Bengale smiles again, and relaxes visibily. “I, too, give my solemn vow,” she can’t help but make it sound flashier that it is, “to hold the secret of S.E.A’s adventures and discoveries in my heart of hearts and not to tell a soul outside the confines of our meetings.” She puts her hand up to her chest and nods her head, but seems content to let everyone make the promise in their own way.

“I’ll keep the secret, I promise,” Persephone ventures, looking as many people seem to be volunteering their word in their own ways. “If we happen to know of someone here, can we chat with them about it at all outside?” she asks, just to make sure how far she must go to keep this secret concealed.

Aquarius speaks up now. “I swear to hold the secret of the S.E.A close and let no one know of our adventures,” she notes in a voice clear enough to be heard by all. With that she looks around at the rest of the gathered masks.

Clavicle says, “I ask for one Caveat to this oath….”

Fitzcordia nods, popping her right hand up and waving it a bit. “The secret is safe with me!” She looks around, crossing her arms and smiles brilliantly at those around her. “I can’t wait to begin adventuring, can you?” she comments to the person to her left, a quiet giggle escaping from her lips as the second year can hardly stand still.

Clavicle says, “In the event our adventures lead to something dangerous, or a life is in danger, I ask permission to bring the appropriate professor in for assistance.”"

Bengale blinks, but sounds slightly amused, “Is that so, Laughing Coyote? After you have made it, you look for a way out?” As he explains, she frowns, “You think I would allow such a situation to arise? You think I would not be able to handle it?” Actually, she sounds rather offended and angry.

“I vow not to share any of the secrets of the S.E.A., or tell a soul of our adventures. Unless they’re real, real, REAL important. The soul, not the secrets. And, you know, if they ask me. I won’t just randomly tell people. Well, not on purpose.” Guess who. Marie Jeanette looks around, seeking approval from someone, spying someone who has a prefectly or professorly vibe to approve of her vow.

Leon ,who from his last speaking had since gone quiet, speaks up again. “I vow to keep the secret of the S.E.A.” The boy then proceeds to visibly bite his tongue and fade back into the group of people–though he did pass a glance towards Clavicle just prior to his receeding.

Turquoise bows slightly as he begins his own vow of secrecy. “I solemnly promise not to break the secret of..” hearing Clavicle, he pauses in the middle with an attempted reassurance. “It isn’t that you are doubted, by anyone, I’m sure. It’s just.. isn’t it better to have it in there, knowing it won’t ever be needed, just for safety?”

Clavicle says, “Adventure sometimes leads to the unexpected My dear Bengale. Especially in the forest. ”

Startled into surprise, Rawhead doesn’t say anything more until Bengale speaks. “I think we’re going to be okay. Adventure is fun, but I don’t think that we’d do anything stupidly dangerous.” Tapping her foot nervously, she looks over her shoulder to look out for anyone who might be coming. “I think Bengale will take measures to make sure we’re okay. Why else have the club?” The mongoose-masked person tries to express her support with her tone alone, not having facial expressions to fall back on.

Bengale is beyond cross, “I am a Professor and I damn well know that adventure leads to the unexpected. Especially in the forest. I listened to a girl’s dying screams in that forest, boy.” The sneer on her face is audible in her tone, “Do not lecture me, any of you, on that prospect. Should it come to the matter of safety, I am sure we are all able to tell the difference between keeping an adventure and saving a life.” She’s a bit venemous, fists clenched. Rather a harsh reaction to a twelve year old’s innocent query.

Persephone gasps, clenching Evan’s hand rather hard as she watches Bengale lays into Coyote boy a bit, looking up at Turquoise in shock. Now she is nearly certain she knows who it is, though she wouldn’t dare to state out loud just who. Secrecy, after all. “Oh, my, I imagine it’s a bad idea to get her angry. I can’t imagine why he chose to speak to a professor that way!” Persephone whispers to Evan, unable to conceal the shock on her face, though part of it is hidden by the mask.

Quivering from head to toe, Rawhead stands there and listens to Bengale’s lecturing words. Struggling at hearing what the woman has seen, she stands there helplessly and decides the better course of action is to keep silent. Shivering under her plain woolen cloak she pulls it tightly around herself.

Clavicle Gravely shrugs and just shuts up.

Leon winces outwardly, his head turning quickly to pass a constricted gaze around the group again before he snuck around people, worming his way behind the people closest Bengale–the tiger mask suited her greatly. Vicious. Ultimately, the boy wound up behind Rawhead, peering out just over her shoulder.

Turquoise takes a careful step back, his hand tightening also, regretting having spoken up in his attempt to smoothe things over. “Does seem that way,” he whispers to Olivia, looking first at her and then back down the hall, away from the group, in the direction the two had originally walked in from. His expression, of course, is completely unreadable due to the mask. “But I..” he pauses, to make sure his voice will NOT carry anywhere beyond his companion, “I think.. especially seeing this.. he may be right. Even though we don’t expect anything to happen here. We’re not a tiny group.. harder to keep track of perhaps.. and I’ve heard stories..” He shrugs, pausing, not daring to say anything louder and mostly just curious as to Olivia’s reaction. Will she she his point, or has he begun to take this far too seriously?

What an anticlimactic end to what could have been an interesting show. Student versus Professor. Fitzcordia had never seen anything like that before, but finding that the confrontation is now over, she returns to the idea of why she is here to begin with — adventures! “So, will we be able to go on an adventure tonight? Or do we have to wait until we get — er, well — the sign?”

Bengale just breathes for a moment, struggling to regain her composure. It isn’t often that she explodes as such, and much more rarely that she does so in the sight of people she does not know very well. So it’s a long moment in which her breathing slows and she shuts her eyes. When she speaks again, her voice is thin, “Suffice to say that I am prepared.” Her expression, what little of it is visible, is closed. “And that before any of us were to take a journey in which there would be a slightest chance of such danger, we would also be prepated. I am not stupid,” her voice is even, hollow, and she addressed the assembled students, “I know some of you are young yet. I assure you I will not be placing you in harms way just for the sake of adventure. If you are to be members, you must trust me to know what I am doing.” A small pause, “I don’t know, Fitzcordia, whether you are ready for adventure tonight.” Or, her tone suggests, whether she is currently up to it.

“What have you heard?” Persephone asks, her voice raising a bit as she leans away from him a small bit, trying to get a good look at his face. “We’ll be alright, of course, with the teacher there.” She says this almost as if to calm herself down, though her grip on his hand could hardly get much harder, signifying that she doesn’t entirely feel at ease. Hasn’t she been told to lighten up a bit, though? Persephone is trying, at the very least.

“Oh, alright,” Fitzcordia answers, the disappointment in her voice very apparent, but she says nothing to question the decision otherwise. After all, Fitzcordia had seen what Bengale was capable of, and she certainly did not want to be subjected to it. “I’m so excited to see what our first adventure will be,” she mentions to the person on her right, though none of the people around her seem very interested in responding to her comments, however excited she may be.

Turquoise shakes his head faintly – that, at least, can be seen, more than just his eyes and part of his mouth. He looks straight at Olivia, so she can see at least that much of his face, though at the same time raising a finger to his lips. “Things happen, that’s all..” he whispers back. “Nothing I’ve seen.. nothing about the professor. Of course she does know what she’s doing. It was just such a harmless request, no reason not to grant it once it had been asked, common sense says we’d better be doing it either way.” He turns his masked face away for just a moment, looking back down the hall one more time, and shrugs. It wasn’t so important yet that he wants to turn and leave, certainly not after getting Olivia here. So he simply turns back and tightens his fingers around her hand quickly. “If I ever think there’s real danger, I’ll let you know, and I’ll take care of you. Until then, let’s enjoy it.”

“Every teacher here is quite capable, otherwise they wouldn’t be teaching here at all!” Rawhead speaks more to herself and her immediate companions, that being Leon Fox and she gives a little shrug. “Don’t worry,” she speaks to Leon, “We’re going to be okay. No one is in any danger and I doubt that we will be. The teachers are here to take care of us, not kill us.”

Clavicle Gravely moves back against the wall and lets the hood come over him again. He doesn’t exactly know what he said this time, but apparently it was bad enough to scare him something fierce. “I apologize.” he murmurs. “I didn’t mean to offend or imply any inability on your part. More, I was merely… making an admission that sometimes we don’t know. Something I am sure you are aware, founding this club as you are. Rather, i was attempting to assure you, that pride and hubris would not stay my tongue should others need to be made informed for the safety of the founder and the memebers in the event of an unforseen emergency. Last semester…I witnessed the effects of such an act. It endangered friends of mine. I will follow your lead…of course.” he tries to find a shadowed recess, to slink back into.

“I’m not worried about the adventures at all. I’m gonna be asking Professor Rathe about extra Defense tutoring–so I can get ahead in her class. I plan to do well.” Leon pauses in his whispering, finally moving from babble to his point, “I’m just… …afraid the tiger’ll act like a real one and start biting people’s faces off.” The fox-masked boy dipped more behind his ‘shield’ for a moment, his feet tired of keeping his heels elevated.

Lifting a hand to the mouth of her mask, Rawhead suppresses a laugh as Leon Fox speaks to her. “Oh I doubt that Bengale will do that. She just wants us all to know that she can take care of us and that we won’t get into anything too sticky.” “It seems like it will be a grand time, don’t you think?”

“Well, alright,” Persephone concedes and smiles a bit at Evan and looks up. What time is it? Likely later than curfew, but Persephone finds it hard to be worried with a Professor present. After all, couldn’t she get a hall pass if she truly needed one? The girl says nothing, rather hesitant to ask for such a thing when she’s supposed to be adventurous and let her curiosity be her guide rather than rules.

Bengale sets her shoulders back, suddenly resolute to be cheerful (which is a horrible condition for Keelan). The Professor says in a rather falsely steady voice(but it does the trick), “You know, I have just remembered a semi-secret. Some of you may know.” A forced smile and the mask looks rather.. grimacey still. “However, with our merry attire.” Later, it will occur to Keelan that she has never before said anything remotely as stupid as ‘merry attire’, but for now she just doesn’t want all her precious