The Underground Quidditch League

[Raphael Orion]

(Wall of text time.)

14. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 3 Gregory tried to score a goal but missed.
3. The Slytherin Beater 1 Raphael hit someone with a bludger!
4. The Slytherin Chaser 1 Neci scored a goal!
5. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 1 Kelly tried to score a goal but missed.
10. The Slytherin Chaser 3 Esa tried to score a goal but missed.
11. The Slytherin Beater 2 Antien hit someone with a bludger!
13. The Ravenpuffledor Beater 2 Jools hit someone with a bludger!

Raph had absolutely no idea why this girl was wearing a tree on her head. She had walked in the locker room only to throw a rock at Ana and make him uncomfortable. Rather than saying a word, however, he didn’t even want to know who this girl was and he assumed she was younger than him due to her petite frame. Although, Raph should have learned long ago that size was no way to predict age as his shoulders were broad enough to mistake him as a seventh year when he was, in fact, really only a fifth year.

In any case, it seemed that she was to get an earful, anyways, and so Raph turned back around to face his locker. Tonight, he had decided that he wouldn’t wear his gloves. Yes, they gave him extra grip but he always preferred feeling the leather bindings he had put on the bat himself. Without the gloves, with his bare skin on the bat, it became more of an extension. Besides, the weather was chilly, yes, but it wouldn’t prevent him from gripping it tightly. Just as he’d closed his locker, the castle’s clock chimed and he knew it was game time. Stooping down, Raph picked up his bat and broom and gave each a hard squeeze, ready for the game.

Walking out with his fellow Slytherins, Raph mounted his broom to get ready for the kick off as Antien and Ana shook hands with the other two captains of the other team. As soon as Hooch gave the word, Raph kicked off and felt the cool night air against his hot face. His bruise had been healing for quite some time and only a yellow circle was now around his eye with only a tinge of purple. Immediately, his eyes locked onto the dark figure of the boy that gave him the beautiful bruise. Raph fully well intended on getting the boy back- tenfold.

As soon as he was high in the air, he kneed his broom to go search for a bludger to hit Jools with. ”Raph!! and immediately he saw the bludger coming. In a split second, his target became clear and he changed the Bludger’s course and sent it after the Pooferdork’s Chaser who dropped the quaffle. Since his work there was finished, Raph’s attention went back to finding Jools.

It was impossible for Raph to know who was winning and who was losing due to the fact that there was no commentary- which was understandable. It had been difficult for Raph not to call out in triumph earlier when he had pegged the other team’s little Chaser boy… who, admittedly, wasn’t actually that little.

Looking over to the other side of the pitch, Raph saw the skinny Chaser of theirs score against Tiora- someone Raph had hoped he’d never see ever again. Satisfied at how the Slytherin chasers were performing, Raph began moving towards the other end of the pitch since Antien seemed to be covering the side he was on quite well. Zooming to the other side, Raph saw his next target but he was quite far away from where he needed to be to execute the move he wanted- but so was Jools. Just as Jools zoomed after the bludger, Raph kicked it into gear.

His own Firebolt was much faster than the boy’s second- no… fourth rate broom and Raph was much farther than Jools was. The boy swung back and hit the bludger at Ana and Raph redirected his course to block the bludger from hitting her. Being too late, he was lucky that Ana had made the save. ”Hey! Pay attention!” she snapped and Raph really had nothing to say because she was right. He needed to stop running after Jools and start actually hitting some bludgers.

Turning around, he flew after the bludger that just escaped Ana’s wrath and chased it down. Following it, the Ruffleroos were getting dangerously close to Ana and their hoops yet again. Swinging his arm, he hit a bludger full force back towards Kelly just as she was winding up to throw the Quaffle in. Halfway to her, however, popped up his own tree-clad Chaser. “What the-“ he said, angry that she was stupid enough to get in between his clear shot. It barely missed her but her mask flew off into the night. Not even bothering to see which stupid Slytherin was dumb enough to get in his way, he pulled a U-ey and accelerated to the other end where his own Chasers now had the Quaffle.

Flying low, he accelerated to catch up with the bludger and was head to head with Emma. She made it to the bludger before Raph but Raph saw Antien higher up and closer to the hoops. “Ant!!” he yelled right as Emma swung. Things were beyond him, now, as Antien intercepted Emma’s missed bludger and sent it rocketing at one of the Gryfflepuffle-whatever their damn name was and hit them hard so that the Quaffle dropped and Maija seized it.

Raph followed them but before he could even locate the next Bludger, a giant blow to his back told him he was just hit by what he was hunting. Coughing, he quickly looked back to see Jools’ smug face. Rage flashed through his eyes and his lip began twitching. Flipping around, Raph quickly caught up to Jools and, rather than finding some sort of thing to hit at Jools, he brought his bat back and swung at Jools striking him straight in the face. “I’ve remained calm,” Raph said through clenched teeth, tucking and rolling under Jools to his other side, “but you’ve pushed my limits, you filthy-“ Raph gave the boy another swing to the shoulder before Jools bat came up to block his third swing.

[Nylevet du Monte]

1. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 2 Nylevet tried to score a goal but missed.
2. The Slytherin Chaser 1 Neci scored a goal!
3. The Slytherin Beater 1 Raphael hit someone with a bludger!
4. The Slytherin Chaser 1 Neci scored a goal!
5. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 1 Kelly tried to score a goal but missed.


Nylevet du Monte, age 16, had never experienced this sort of thrill through normal Quidditch matches. There was something extremely dangerous about the dimly lit pitch, the random cast of players, and the secrecy of the thing. She could not help but think of the horrible things that could happen on the dark pitch: getting hit by an unseen Bludger, getting lost forever in the dark around the pitch, getting kidnapped by an angry hoard of Slytherins after they lost and being tossed, blindfolded into the Forbidden Forest. Yes, Nylevet thought, the opportunities are endless.

Every game Nylevet had experienced had gone underway quickly. The experienced teams had formations and tactics that were memorized through months of training. These teams did not have that advantage. The first fifteen minutes were clearly devoted to testing out passing, communication, and haphazard flying formations. The Quaffle had passed hands from team to team several times, but no one was able to make a clean get away.

That was until Nylevet found her chance. The Chasers were concentrated in the center of the pitch playing a furious game of keep away. Nylevet had a familiar grasp of the Quaffle, but her fellow Chasers, a rather quiet Ravenclaw first-year and Kelly, the co-captain of the team, who was younger than Nylevet, but still had some experience as a Chaser. Though their teams’ strategies were different, they had studied opposing team’s movements and were somewhat familiar. Nylevet easily passed the leather ball to Kelly and she easily passed it back to her.

During one such pass, Nylevet was able to duck under the throng of Chasers to make her getaway. With the pack behind her, she had very little in her way. Only two unaccounted for Bludgers, two angry Slytherin Beaters, and two unseen Seekers, who Nylevet hoped would not crash into her on accident, while focusing on catching the Snitch.

However, Nylevet did not meet any of these obstacles, and thanks to a well-placed Bludger by a Gryffindor, she met no competition from the Slytherin Chasers. She did, however, meet a lot of competition from their Keeper, a Slytherin Nylevet immediately recognized as a seventh year Prefect. Nylevet became very startled and lost her concentration. The Prefect was everywhere in front of the hoops. Nylevet knew the only way to get a goal was to try to trick her. A recent move, which came out of the United State, the Fitchburg Fumble, seemed her best hope. Nylevet arched back her arm and prepared to throw. But instead of throwing the Quaffle into the leftmost hoop, she let it fall off her hand. She grabbed it again and threw it as hard as she could into the right hoop. The Prefect, however, snatched it up with ease. Since the fellow Slytherin Chasers had not caught up yet, the Prefect took her time to give Nylevet a look, that said clearly, “The Fitchburg Fumble? Nice try, I learned that before you even knew what Quidditch was, Muggleborn filth”. Or perhaps Nylevet had invented that all in her head.

At any rate, the rest of the Chasers had caught up, and the game was now in full force. The Quaffle went straight to the Slytherin Chasers from the Keeper and the players were now rocketing down the pitch. It seemed as though everyone had a Firebolt and had no difficulty catching up with one another. Nylevet wondered how so many people were able to procure this expensive broom. The Slytherins, no doubt, had received it from their wealthy, pureblooded, ancient families. Nylevet remembered begging for hers after having to use the team’s old Nimbus 1700. Her father, who always believed in exercising the body, as well as the mind, was forced into giving his daughter the money for the broom, as it was the only exercise she would ever participate in. Nylevet didn’t think it was exercise.

The Slytherins had devised some method of communication between their Chasers and were having no problem aligning into formation and passing the Quaffle with less than a glance between them. Nylevet wondered if they had been teammates on the old team, although she did not immediately recognize any of them. The Chasers fast approached the hoops and the Slytherins lined up to score. Nylevet was ready to cry out “Stooging” if more than one of them entered the scoring-area. But, only one Slytherin advanced, and threw the Quaffle in, much to the dismay of the Keeper. The Non-Slytherin team’s Keeper was a tiny first year, with no Quidditch experience, it seemed. Nylevet resigned herself to a tough offense and an even toughed defense, so that the Slytherins would not be in a position to score.

The Keeper threw the Quaffle back to the Ravenclaw Chaser, who flew only to dodge the Slytherins. It seemed as though passing was not his strong suit, as he never once bothered to throw it to Nylevet. It was a significant weakness in their offense. It was made very apparent as soon as the first Bludger of the game hit the boy. The Quaffle dropped out of his hands, as he looked first pained, then horrified. It dropped slowly down through the air, as if moving through pudding, before a Slytherin Chaser scooped it up and moved back into scoring position. With one Chaser far behind, Nylevet and Kelly could hold no ground against the three Slytherin Chasers. Their Keeper tried desperately to block the shot, but there was no competition. The Slytherins had scored again.

”Oh, for the love of Cliodne!” Nylevet shouted, wringing the broom handle fiercely. She snatched the Quaffle from their Keeper and flew off in an angry haste. However, the Slytherin Chasers surrounded her before she made it to center pitch. She heard a brief cry of ”Down here!” and saw Kelly with her arms outstretched below. Nylevet dropped the Quaffle just as two of the Slytherin Chasers rammed her from both sides. She lost control of her broom as they pulled away, crashing as lightly as she could manage into her own team’s Beater, a Gryffindor in her same year, known by the name of Jools.

Nylevet cried out a quick, “Sorry!” as she straightened her broom out. The Gryffindor had his own problems. Advancing straight at him was a Slytherin Beater, with no Bludger in sight. Nylevet pointed and said, “Heads up!” before flying away to get back into the Chasing game. She did not make it to the Slytherin end of the pitch in time to assist Kelly, who still maintained control of the Quaffle. The girl looped around the Keeper to score, but had misjudged the Keeper’s skill. The Prefect knocked away the Quaffle with as much ease as Nylevet’s first attempt.

This was going to be a long game.

[Neci Jespersen]

(I hope the rp is alright... it is my first Quidditch one)


1.The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 2 Nylevet tried to score a goal but missed.
2. The Slytherin Chaser 1 Neci scored a goal!
3. The Slytherin Beater 1 Raphael hit someone with a bludger!
4. The Slytherin Chaser 1 Neci scored a goal!
8. The Slytherin Chaser 2 Maija scored a goal!
9. The Ravenpuffledor Beater 1 Emma tried to hit someone with a bludger but missed!
10. The Slytherin Chaser 3 Esa tried to score a goal but missed.

-----

On Madam Hooch’s word, Neci kicked off from the ground and swooped under the Quaffle, just missing it, snatched from her outstretched grasp by someone she was guessing was a
Puffledoor or whatever they were calling themselves.

She shakily turned around, her flying was alright, but her sharp turns had always been bad, and this broom just made it worse, set off hot on the tail of that very same chaser… she assumed, anyway. She flew underneath them, should they perchance drop it, and then, frustrating Neci very much, took a shot at the goal.

Gritting her teeth, she swore. Why hadn’t she done something earlier?

She braced herself to hear the clang of the goal being scored, and instead, heard nothing, and looked up to see Ana catch it just in time. Holding up her hands, she called out “Ana!” and the Quaffle came flying her way. Fumbling it into her grip, she turned widely and pressed her black robe clad body against the broom, sweeping herself up the pitch to take a wild shot at the goal with barely a thought as to where it was aimed.

“Girl!” she said to herself. “Concentrate! Focus!”

She heard the loud clang which signalled she had scored the goal, and, after allowing herself a moment of silent celebration for the first goal she had ever scored, and chased the Quaffle around the middle of the pitch again, somehow wrangling it back thanks to a well placed bludger from the younger beater, whose name she didn’t know.

She flew up and down the pitch trying to avoid the other Chasers, and suddenly dropped the Quaffle, the girl wearing a strange mask catching it, before she swopped down to get it off her again. Neci didn’t care what the girl thought of her taking the Quaffle again, she just cared about the goals, and she ended up on the side of the pitch and took a risky shot, which paid off when it hit the closest hoop.

She breathed a sigh of relief and tiredness. This game was far more full on and energy taking than she had thought! It didn’t help she was playing it at midnight either and was going to have to go to school tomorrow acting like she had had a good night’s sleep.

The Quaffle she had shot was retrieved by the Keeper and passed off, Neci chasing the Quaffle up and down, trying to; at least, even though she didn’t get the Quaffle, add some confusion so that a Slytherin could get it. After what she assumed was a few more goals for Puffledoor, she saw one of her own race up the pitch.

Not concentrating on the things around her enough, Neci suddenly saw a Bludger hurtling straight for her, and only just ducked out of the way in time. As she swerved out of the way, she nearly lost her grip, scaring her more than it should have.

Resolving to concentrate more, and yet knowing that she probably wouldn’t, she attempted to get her hands on the Quaffle. Not to any avail though, the girl on her team who had that stupid mask on got the Quaffle and took off up to their end of the pitch, and took a shot. She glanced up to see the opposing Keeper, grab the Quaffle, a small triumph for them.

“We will win!” She said fiercely to herself, and continued on her mission to get many, many points.

[Maija Guerrero]

1. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 2 Nylevet tried to score a goal but missed.
3. The Slytherin Beater 1 Raphael hit someone with a bludger!
8. The Slytherin Chaser 2 Maija scored a goal!
14. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 3 Gregory tried to score a goal but missed.
19. The Slytherin Chaser 3 Esa scored a goal!
28. The Slytherin Beater 1 Raphael hit someone with a bludger!
12. The Slytherin Chaser 2 Maija tried to score a goal but missed.

----------------------------------------------------

Maija was going to shout at the 'Tree Girl' who threw a rock at their Keeper, but the castle clock chimed that it was time to go play. She headed out to the Quidditch Pitch with the rest of her team, 'Tree Girl' included. She was impatient to get into the air and play, but she watched as the captains shook hands. Finally, it was time to play. Maija took to the air with her team and the Ravenpuffledor team, she was eager to get started.

In the air, Maija took a moment to feel the wind on her face and through her hair. She shook herself and turned her attention to the game. She saw, almost immediately, a Ravenpuffledor, Nylevet thought, tried to score. Ana, their Keeper, was still in top form, despite being hit with a rock, and prevented an opposing team score. Maija heard her House cheer, at least in her head she heard her House cheer from the stands.

Maija was as small as a first year, despite being a third year. With her size and on her Firebolt, Maija was able to move quickly, to get into the game. She joined the other Chaser to retrieve the Quaffle. As she followed a Chaser and the Quaffle, she saw that the Beaters were hard at work. Maija kept her eye on the Quaffle, which was a bit harder in the darkness of the night, but followed it's progress as she avoided a Bludger sent past her by Raphael. She heard it hit somebody, but didn't know who. She saw an opening and intercepted a pass between the Ravenpuffledor Chasers.

As she avoided a Bludger, the petite Slytherin flew into the path of a pass. Instead of getting knocked off course by the Quaffle, Maija followed it down it's slow descent. She caught the Quaffle and took off toward the Ravenpuffledor goalposts. She did what she usually did in a Quidditch match, she headed straight for the center goalpost. As she got closer, the Ravenpuffledor Keeper seemed to be protecting that goalpost. At the last moment, Maija veered off to the side post and flung the Quaffle. The Quaffle sailed, uninterrupted through the goalpost. Maija cheered as she heard the crowd cheer in her head. Since there were no spectators at this midnight game, Maija brought the one in her head, in her memories from past games.

The memory of a cheering crowd wasn't as good as the real thing, but it kept Maija going. She hoped the rest of her team had that, at least the ones who have played Quidditch before. Maija kept up with the Quaffle, as well as kept out of the way of Bludgers. Some of the team members had never played Quidditch, so Maija couldn't rely on them to know some of the group moves. She tried to intercept the Quaffle again, this time intentionally. This time, she missed the Quaffle, which was caught by Ravenpuffledor Gregory. It seemed either Gregory had played Quidditch before, or he had red his Quidditch Through The Ages. Gregory seemed to use the Woollongong Shimmy to keep away from pursuing Chasers. Maija tried to keep up, but the Ravenpuffledor got away, and made it to the goalpost. Ana tried to prevent a score, but wasn't able to stop Gregory.

Maija grumbled to herself as play for the Quaffle resumed. The Quaffle went back and forth as Chasers tried to score and Bludgers flew around as Beaters tried to hit other players. Neci managed to get a hold of the Quaffle, but was closely followed by two Ravenpuffledor Chasers. Neci passed the Quaffle on to Maija, who quickly passed it to 'Tree Girl'. She didn't know who the third Chaser was, but hoped she was able to make a goal.'Tree Girl' took off with the Quaffle. The Ravenpuffledor Chasers had been distracted with Neci, then Maija. 'Tree Girl' made it to the goalposts and managed to make a goal.

While the Quaffle passed hands, the Beaters were still hard at work. Maija wondered how the Beaters were keeping track of the Bludger. Maija had near missed with the Bludgers a couple of times. Once she had passed the Quaffle off to 'Tree Girl', Maija saw Raphael smack the Bludger. She kept her attention on the Quaffle, but heard the Bludger connect with somebody. Her imaginary crowd erupted in cheers, Maija was feeling good.

It was difficult to play at midnight, but not any harder than playing in heavy rain and high winds. Maija raced to keep up with the Quaffle. She wondered where the Snitch was and if the Seekers were having a hard time in the dark. Maija spotted 'Tree Girl' with the Quaffle, but somehow she became unmasked. She saw now, the third Chaser wasn't a Slytherin, but a Gryffindor. Maija knew her name, it was...Esabelle. It didn't matter now, Esabelle scored for Slytherin. It seemed like Esabelle knew she was being watched. She nodded to Maija and passed the Quaffle to her. Maija took off with speed, enjoying the wind and wishing for the cheers of a real crowd. She raced for the goalposts and tried to determine which goalpost to go for. It didn't seem to matter, Tiora was ready, and successfully stopped the Quaffle. Maija cursed under her breath and flew on. They couldn't let Ravenpuffledor win. She had to try harder next time.

[Kelly Boodhoo]

1. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 2 Nylevet tried to score a goal but missed.
2. The Slytherin Chaser 1 Neci scored a goal!
3. The Slytherin Beater 1 Raphael hit someone with a bludger
5. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 1 Kelly tried to score a goal but missed.
8. The Slytherin Chaser 2 Maija scored a goal!
11. The Slytherin Beater 2 Antien hit someone with a bludger!
14. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 3 Gregory tried to score a goal but missed.
10. The Slytherin Chaser 3 Esa tried to score a goal but missed.

~*~

Hearing the ground crunch as she walked further out onto the pitch, Kelly smiled. Even through the hard times that the school was going through, there was still this chance to be able to play a quick game of Quidditch. With classes continuing as if nothing had happened, and students just walking around, Kelly still did not see why Quidditch had to be taken away from the students, both players and fans. Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, as she was about to play the game she loved, Kelly took a deep breath and scanned the pitch for players. Kelly allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the night, though the moon provided just enough light; she still waited those few moments before she could really see before continuing her walk to the center of the Quidditch pitch, broom in hand.

Looking around, Kelly silently congratulated herself in being one of the first players out on the pitch. Usually, she was either one of the last or the last player to get into position, so this was a somewhat good change for her, as there was no one asking her why she was late or her having those awkward moments of rushing out onto the pitch and everyone watching her like hawks. Yes, it was a good feeling actually being one of the first players onto the pitch. Unfortunately, that good thought did not last long, as players came out of the Slytherin side of the pitch and started getting into position to begin the game. It was strange to her, though, that one of the players looked like they had something on their head but it only took a moment for Kelly to realize that the person was wearing a mask. Kelly began to wonder if the Slytherins were more afraid of getting caught out after hours on a quick Quidditch game then the rest of the players, as no one else was wearing a mask to hide their identity.

“You all could just slither back to the Dungeons of the school if you are really that terrified of being caught out here,” Kelly muttered to herself, not really caring if any of those Slytherins heard her.

Getting the last of the players out onto the pitch, the silhouette of Madam Hooch approached the center and Kelly listened to the teacher as she explained the rules of this game. Obediently, Kelly shook the hands of the other captains before mounting her broom and kicking off the ground just as the match began. As soon as the quaffle and other balls were released into the air, the area inside the pitch sprang to life. Players flying everywhere, trying to get to their assigned targets, Madam Hooch cleared the area to allow players to fly around, and excitement cut through the dark air.

Speeding off toward the Slytherin goal, Kelly kept a close eye on the Hufflepuff girl that had gotten first control of the quaffle and was just in front of her. Stopping just before the scoring area, Kelly did not want the first foul of the game to be called because she was stooging. Watching the quaffle, Kelly grimaced as the Slytherin keeper, Ana, grabbed the quaffle just before it went into the right hoop. Rushing back, Kelly attempted to grab the quaffle before it could reached the Slytherin that was starting to make her way toward the Ravenpuffledor goal hoops. Reaching up, the throw from Ana just barely skimmed her fingers as it flew past her and right into the Slytherin’s outstretched hands.

Trying to catch up, Kelly mentally cursed herself for not turning just a bit more and grabbing the quaffle as it was making its way past her. Flying after the Slytherin, Kelly had to dodge a few players and a bludger before making it back just in time to see the ball go sailing through the hoop.

“It’s alright, Tiora,” Kelly tried to encourage the girl. “You are doing great but just try to stay in the middle and anticipate their moves.”

Getting the quaffle from the keeper, Kelly shot past a few players and went straight for the golden hoops that would give the Ravenpuffledor’s team some points to catch up. She could see Slytherins and Ravenpuffledor’s moving around trying to gain control of the game, something that was not always easy but was necessary to win the game, as she dodged a few of the players that were either headed toward her or just moving in her path. Entering the scoring area, Kelly pulled the quaffle back and aimed to throw it past the keeper and into the hoops. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it that far as a bludger she had not seen or anticipated came rocketing at her from the side, colliding with her in its path. Giving out a loud cry, Kelly thought she heard a small crack in her arm but she chose to ignore the sound and pain as she still wanted the goal attempt.

Letting the quaffle go, she watched as it went right below the hoop that she was in front of. It was a blow that the quaffle had not gone into the hoop, but it was nothing compared to the pain that was shooting throughout her right throwing arm. Feeling herself drop in altitude, she was on a one way spiral toward the ground. Knowing that it would only hurt more if she did a face-plant as a land, Kelly forced herself to pull up on the broom and glide through the air at a the lowest level she would allow herself to be.

Taking a few moments, Kelly tried to make the pain go away but when that proved to be almost impossible, she simply decided to ignore it until after the game. No sense letting it get to her in the game she had been waiting so long to play, Kelly thought. Instead, she straightened herself up, made sure her arm was protected against her body, and used her right arm to steer herself upward back toward the ongoing game.

Hearing clapping, Kelly watched as a few of the Slytherins cheered at what looked like another Slytherin goal. Not letting it bother her, Kelly got right back into the game as a Ravenpuffledor got control of the quaffle. Making sure to keep a part of her eye out for that blasted bludger, Kelly followed the chaser, whom Kelly was sure was named Gregory, toward the Slytherin goal.

“Watch out!” she yelled as she saw the Slytherin beater, Antien, aim the bludger and sent it shooting right at Gregory. It seemed to be with luck that Gregory dodged it right in time before it collided with the front end of his broom. This is just how the game goes, Kelly had to keep reminding herself.

With the missed bludger, Gregory seemed to be a little off as he attempted to throw the quaffle into the center hoop. Hoping that the ball would go in, Kelly sped off as a Slytherin intercepted the quaffle and headed toward the Ravenpuffledor’s goal hoops. Not being able to catch up, Kelly smiled as Tiora caught the quaffle before it could go into any of the hoops.

“Great job, Tiora!” Kelly called over to the keeper, giving the girl one of her friendly smiles. Turning around, Kelly sped off as she watched another student grab the quaffle. Her arm and side still hurting, Kelly was just trying to do the best she could, though was a bit rusty from not being able to play in almost a year and the pain was not helping her at all. Instead, it seemed to be getting worse as the game continued, all because of that blasted bludger.

This is going to be a long game, Kelly thought as she raced back into the game.

[Emma A. Whiting]

((I am really, really sorry I held everyone up so long! I don't actually have a very good excuse, but I hope that maybe there's still a chace we can resurrect this, so I'll go ahead and post.))
1. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 2 Nylevet tried to score a goal but missed.
5. The Ravenpuffledor Chaser 1 Kelly tried to score a goal but missed.
6. The Ravenpuffledor Beater 2 Jools hit someone with a bludger!
7. The Ravenpuffledor Beater 2 Jools hit someone with a bludger!
9. The Ravenpuffledor Beater 1 Emma tried to hit someone with a bludger but missed!
15. The Slytherin Chaser 2 Maija scored a goal!
--------------------------------------------------------------------

All Emma wanted was to hit a Bludger. Or, barring that, at least SEE a bludger. But although the light of the full moon worked to cast an almost ghostly light on her fellow players, the blasted Bludgers were nowhere to be seen.

Of course, it wasn't as if the lack of visibility was only affecting her... It seemed that everyone on the pitch was having to adapt to their unique circumstances together. Not to say that the Slytherins and Ravenpuffledors were holding hands or anything, heaven forbid. But the dark was a definite equalizer; yes, you could still clearly tell who the experienced players were, but the night worked to lessen the gap between the older and younger players.

Much to her relief though, none of them were inclined to let a little thing like lack of visibility stop their match, and everything was proceeding as planned.

Except for the lack of Bludgers.

Oh yes, I'm probably setting a terrific example just sitting here, Captain Emma... Maybe if I fly around a bit to look busy...?

Emma sighed, casting her gaze across the darkened pitch yet again, hoping for a glimpse of promising movement. Well, at least the rest of the team seems to be adapting well, she thought, remembering the first moments of the game, where their team had managed to snag the Quaffle twice. Although neither Chaser had scored, Emma knew that there were worse ways to start a game...

She was distracted from her thoughts by the familiar (and, at this point, very welcome) crack of a Bludger meeting a Beater's bat. When the sound was followed by a muffled yelp, Emma turned to see a triumphant grin on the face of her fellow Ravenpuffledor Beater as a second Bludger materialized, and was promptly launched in the wake of the first.

Determined not to miss a chance to finally participate in the match, Emma sent what she hoped was an appropriately captain-y "good job" in Jool's direction, and went in pursuit of the now miraculously visible Bludgers.

The wind whipped around her as she flew, quickly destroying any semblance of order that she had wrestled her hair into, as if to make up for lost time. Emma had to laugh, even as the already limited visibility was made nonexistent as hair fell over her eyes. Even in the dark, the thrill of playing Quidditch, of actually flying through the air in the insane pursuit of an iron ball that could break every bone in your body with one unlucky hit, made Emma happier than she had been all term. Thank Merlin for rule-breaking, she thought giddily as the distance between her and the Bludger began to close, otherwise I could be sleeping now, and bored out of my mind!

As Maija scored the fourth goal of the evening for Slytherin, Emma finally caught up to the Bludger she had been chasing, and, hoping for the best, swung. There was a satisfying CRACK as wood met metal, and Emma watched as the Bludger sailed towards a cluster of Slytherins.

And missed them completely.

Well, it's a start, Emma thought, grinning as she returned to scanning the pitch, we certainly haven't lost yet.