A Spectacle Spectator - Gryff v Slyth Finished

Katrina made her way down to the first Quidditch game of the season. Now, it wasn’t actually the first, but it was her first. Although the 12-year-old had been at Hogwarts for almost two years now, she never found the time to come to a game. Each time she would debate it, but come to the conclusion that she still needed to study for the upcoming test or edit her essays more.
Katrina wore a red hoodie and black leggings. Her fiery hair was loose, framing her face. The lioness wore a pair of black slip-on shoes over thin black socks. It was still quite cold outside, but the girl had finally acclimated to the climate.
By the time that Katrina had made her way to the Quidditch game, the sport was already full force. She followed a trail of loud Gryffindor boys who were headed to the stands. Her breath caught in her throat as Katrina saw someone wiz past on a broom. Soon enough, she was seated far above the ground, eyes darting back and forth watching the players.
First, Katrina tried to make out the speeding red blurs. With a jot of surprise, Katrina recognized Lamik. They had been in a summer camp cabin together this last summer. He darts across the pitch and her eyes hardly catch that he begins to fall.
Her attention is drawn to Rafeal. She is somewhat shocked to see that he was on the team. Sure, she should have assumed, he defiantly seemed to have the Gryffindor pride aura around him.
Then, she spots Piérre. The stupid part of her heart flips and Katrina watches him. He is on the sidelines, with his mouth open in cheer. He had a red and gold jersey with a large number 13 on it that Katrina could read, even from up there.
Following suit, Katrina smiles and lets out a (quiet) “Let’s go Gryffindor!”
She immediately shuts her mouth. What was she thinking? There was no reason that she cheered. What was wrong with her? Katrina sat down on the bench and found herself watching the bench, and the sky of course.
Soon enough, Katrina found herself cheering (inside her head, this time) for her team. Who knew? Even the quiet, lonely girl she was enjoyed watching her team.

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Pleasantries exchanged and Lark being sure to make it a point to snag some Whisbees at some point, she sat with her two friends and settled into the crowd's energy.

"Pastries?!" She turned to the boy hungrily. One of her weaknesses. Baked goods! A flurry of crimson and gold rushed by on the pitch as more cheers for Gryffindor rang out, stealing her attention as her eyes scanned for a friend. Ruthie was already on it, what a fantastic wing woman. Lark would forever be grateful of their friendship.. and not just for instances such as these. "I see him!" Cupping her hands close to her rosey tinted lips she yelled out a cheer alongside the other spectators. "GO AJ!!!" Another flash of color as Lark's eyes set on her Scottish friend admiring how the uniform set on his frame. Or at least from what she could tell from this distance. Clearing her throat she tried not to make her intent stares so obvious.

"Sorry! Yeah if ya don't mind sharin'!" She gave Alan a wide grin and took one of the strawberry tarts making her mouth water even more. She hadn't had anything like this since being home... winter break.. Taking a small bite after a quiet thank you to Alan, she tried to dig her way out of memories of home that were starting to dull the roar of the crowd around her.

"Ah yeah! Congrats on the spot! The three of us should do some trainin'for sure. Ru really knows how ta prepare."If it hadn't been for all the practice she was sure she wouldn't be in the position she was for tomorrow's game. Giving a nod to Alan's comment about Quidditch, Lark couldnt help but agree. The team had really been a good thing for her as well and taken her mind off of many things she had started to dwell on too often throughout her days after the Ball. "Football?" She asked curiously. No doubt a Muggle thing. Her voice was lost with a loud roar of cheering and Ruthie shouting. Knowing all too well how quickly a match can shift in a manner of seconds, Lark quickly turned back to the pitch.

That familiar, gut clenching sickening crack split through the air. "Gris..." The prefect's name rushed out of her with a short breath that had squeezed itself free from her chest. Lark had to forcefully peel her eyes off of the game to look at both Ruthie and Alan. It was more of a gut reaction and she wasn't sure how the boy would take it but Lark's hand gripped Alan's trying to comfort him. "She'll be okay." It never got easy seeing someone hit with a bludger... but boy was it a thousand times worse when you knew the person so well. She couldn't imagine how he or Ruthie felt as she hadn't gotten a chance to get that close with Gris yet but judging from the look on his face....


"We'll go to the hospital wing-"

Giving a light squeeze of reassurance to Alan before letting go of his hand, Lark grimaced at Ruthie. She didn't want to say much more in front of him and make him worry. What a way to start the game.... Lark swallowed the massive lump in her throat and set the pastry down on her thigh unable to bring herself to eat anymore with Alan looking the way he did. Trying to refocus on the game once more, Lark scanned the players again for AJ. He had saved Lamik it appeared as the two boys were together on AJ's broom. Giving another cheer for the Lions as a round of clapping swept through the Gryffindor crowd, Lark felt her stomach settle but her thoughts still on Gris. The moment of relief however was quickly replaced with another nasty reminder of how intense these games could be.

She had only taken her eyes off him for a second just a second. Shooting up from her seat, Lark snatched at Ruthie's shoulder as her mouth hung open. Any air that had taken space in her lungs was instantly flushed from existence making the young Ravenclaw lightheaded. Unable to look away, her golden eyes burned as they followed her friend's body flying towards the earth. Letting go of Ruthie she pushed a handful of spectators aside and forced her way through the crowd to the edge of the seating, her hands white knuckle gripping the railing. In horror Lark watched helplessly as her friend's body made contact with the ground, the sight making her freeze in place and bile rise up into her throat, a hand quickly covering her mouth. Sure she had seen people fall from their brooms in games. It was part of the game. The logical side of her brain knew this but... What if.. Shauna.. what if he was. As soon as the darker side of her mind dredged up the awful memories the poor girl couldn't hold it in anymore. More than memories spilled out from Lark as she hung her head over the side of the railing and retched. Feeling like she was underwater, the crowd behind her still celebrating or shouting... dull drone of voices.. her stomach feeling twisted and a bitter taste in her mouth.. Lark wiped her mouth on her sleeve as a couple Gyffindor girls gave her a worried look trying to hold back a giggle or two. How embarrassing...

Interacting with: @ Ruthie Greer | @ Lark Flaer
Mentioning: @ Griseldis Edelhardt

Before the loud crack of the bludger, Alan was engaged with what was happening around him. When Ruthie reassured him that he will do just fine with the offer to practice one afternoon. Alan smiled at the offer and opening the box of desserts a little wider for his two fellow Ravenclaws to pick at to their heart's content "I'd like that but come have some more, Nan would be mad that nobody emptied the box now" The boy chuckled.
Alan noticed the somewhat curious to what he assumed was also confused look across Larks face as he said: "Well it's a muggle sport instead of brooms people kick the ball around into large nets, it can be fun." All the chatter had grounded into a staggering halt the moment the loud crack, having gone from outgoing and excited for once to grim. All eyes were on the pitch as several players were knocked from their broom, Griseldis in particular just unable to be saved in time from the fall made the young lad shake and go silent.

Alan still quite shaken from the recent turn of events sat motionless at his seat watching as people quickly try to get his best friend Gris off the pitch. The young lad was mostly stuck in his world in the depths of his mind as his thoughts lingered on saying "She'll be fine Al, she's tough to remember r-right?". The Ravenclaw shook his head realising Ruthie was talking to him offering a worried glare towards the first year "I-It all h-happened so fast Ruthie and y-yeah I might go s-see if she's ok." Alan hadn't felt this way in a long time remembering the days of his time at a muggle school feeling awful from not having jumped in for a friend being bullied at the time like him, it ate at him in particular with Gris as he felt really close compared to his previous.

Looking back down seeing that Gris was gone he kept repeatedly muttering "She'll be ok Al." Alan would have kept thumping his foot until a large hole was made had it not been for Lark suddenly taking his hand gripping it tightly he looked over towards her "T-thanks I-I know s-she will m-my best friends been through w-w-worse heh." Alan began to calm down due to Lark's efforts as well as Ruthie with the thought of going to the hospital wing lurking in his mind. The young lad squeezed back in return feeling guilt in the back of his mind, everywhere he went disaster happened from the ball to the tea party and finally right up until now just something always happening. At least for once, Alan could rationalise that these happen all the time in Quidditch as it was part of the game though it did not stop him frowning upon the Slytherin teams tactics as he weakly "We'll get them in the next match right?" Alan questioned the two girls "because...payback would be nice" It was apparent the young lad was quite heated at the moment and probably wasn't thinking clearly.

Before he could get an answer though suddenly Lark was now watching intensely, watching her weave through the crowd to get a closer look the boy couldn't help but grin trying to cover it up as it was severe to her it appeared. Wanting to return the favour for comforting him, Alan waited for a little to calm himself down. The young lad asked himself in his mind"What would Gris do in this situation before standing up to approach Lark, placing his hand on her shoulder "Come, it'll be ok right? Come we'll go to the hospital wing together then if you want, come we can get through this" Alan took the girls hand squeezing it gently as the way she did. Attempting to guide Lark back towards her seat next to Ruthie he said to her "Ru I might head off to the Hospital Wing now, want to come or want to stay, what about you Lark was it?" Alan had no clue what came over him feeling his chance to actually help someone in need not wanting a repeat of his time back in muggle school. Alan began to clear his way out of the pitch saying to the girls "Keep the box my Nan made it for my friends"

Attempting to Leave thread unless stopped

Interacting with @Xailah Alptraum.
Open to interactions.

The world around seemed more of a dull thrum of sound prickling at the skin making goosebumps rush up her arms. He would be okay... right..? Magic could heal things. Right? For some reason any rational part of her brain refused to show itself. Unaware of Alan coming up from behind her, Lark jolted back to reality at the boy's gentle touch on her shoulder. She turned to look up at him, tears welling in the corner of her eyes as more images of Shauna's body laying limp in front of her assaulted her thoughts. She couldn't shake the feeling in her gut being so similar to what she experienced the night she and Ruthie had followed after the Ravenclaw girl... The cold... stiff way that the girl had rested before them on the ground.

"Come, it'll be ok right? Come we'll go to the hospital wing together then if you want, come we can get through this"

As he took her hand and squeezed, Lark thought to return the motion but again was unable. Her hand lay limp in his as a couple of stray tears fell from her eyes and gathered in between her lips. "Y...ya..ya." Stuttering, Lark gave a small nod. Hospital wing. Right... Hospital... wing.. Like a drone she followed behind Alan back through the crowd to where Ruthie was. Hospital wing.... The thought repeated itself in her mind as if she was trying to recall what that even was. A good place.. was it? After the ball. Images of James and Dale's visit to her after she had been knocked out cold only to wake up feeling like a completely different person. Peeling her gaze up from her feet she realized they were standing by Ruthie. Had she been standing here long?

"I.. uh.. wait I'll come." Suddenly wishing her father was there with her, she would reach out again for Alan's hand as she hurried after him. Something inside of her was still clinging to the more innocent, sheltered side of life that she realized now she had become to accustomed to. As brave as she felt she had become at Hogwarts.. for some reason seeing her friend fall from the sky had made her feel very small. It was more of an instinctual move, reaching out for comfort and guidance of some kind. Something. Something stable to hold onto while she tried to quell the inner turmoil crashing against her chest.

This was not going well. As hopeful as she was for Gryffindor--she was wearing a damn lion hat!--the reality was they were losing people and fast. They would need a lot of luck if they were going to turn this around. Thankfully, Alan still had his nan's box of sweets and the girls were going through them steadily. Knowing Alan might leave to (rightly) check on Gris, Ru snuck one underneath the top of her lion hat for safe keeping.

But she could feel her cheeks growing red at hearing Lark's compliment. She was glad, of course, that Lark felt better prepared, but the compliment seemed to catch her off guard in any case. "It helps when you've played a few games," she said curtly. But upon reflecting better of it, she thought, "You'll be great though, Alan. We wouldn't have picked you otherwise. And Lark and I are happy to help!" She put a supportive arm on his shoulder for a second just for some extra reassurance.

But there was no level of reassurance that could prepare the trio for what came next. Lark's grimace shut her up momentarily, which was for the best. Ru had a habit of saying exactly what was on her mind, no matter how tactless it might be. She was reeling from seeing her hero Griseldis fall, but it was an event that seemed to hit Alan the hardest.

Ruthie tried to focus on the skies when she felt someone scratch at her shoulder. "Oi!" she said instinctively only to look over and realize it was Lark. And she looked in shock. There were more and more people falling. Maybe you could chalk it up to the Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry, but this match was bloody. Probably the bloodiest one all year. Was one of them one the people Lark had come for? Thinking this might be the case, she let Lark scratch.

Meanwhile Alan's speech began to slur--not a good sign. Gris would be okay, Ru was sure of that. The Gryffindor was one of the strongest people she knew--she was a hero for Merlin's sake! But Ruthie understood Alan's call to go to the hospital wing. A bludger from Erin was bound to be damaging even for someone as strong of character as Gris. Lark was surprisingly quick to follow his suggestion, but then one of her friends must have also fallen--probably AJ as he had been the one she had been asking after earlier.

"I'll catch you two up," Ruthie said knowing that Alan now had someone to look after him. She too cared dearly for Gris, but there was still a match to play and she knew two people who would continue to wave the banner for Gryffindor. But as they left, she had a final word for Alan: "We'll get them next time. That's a promise, Alan." And she gave a look as if to remind her to look after him. Ravenclaw already needed to get back at Slytherin for their earlier loss, but now there was even more reason.

Following their exit, she took Alan's box of pastries and looked for a new companion, confident she'd chase up her friends soon. She didn't really want to relocate, but she also didn't want to be alone. A lost girl in a flamboyant lion hat was not a good look. But there wasn't anyone she really knew. Squinting she eventually spied Katrina, the girl she'd helped plant trees, and walked over to her. "Hey, do you mind if I sit with you? I'm on your side," she asked gesturing to the ridiculous lion hat on top of her head. Holding up the box of pastries to sweeten the offer, she looked up at the field. Charlie had lobbed the quaffle into an unattended goal while that girl, the lake girl--Marla was her name!--blatched Dan. Ru watched her fly so skillfully. It was perfect--her body position, her speed, her angle. But somehow, as if by a miracle, Dan and his saver skirted narrowly out of the way.

"Darn," Ru muttered under her breath. Gryffindor needed some help. So standing next to Katrina, holding out her box, she cheered: "WELL DONE CHARLIE! NICE TRY MARLA!! GOOOO GRYFFINDOR!!!" Perhaps this would be obnoxious to her new companion, who she didn't know very well. But she had to live up to her reputation as a random screaming girl.

Interacting with @Lark Flaer, @Alan Noble & @Katrina Walker | Mentioning @Charlie Woodward, @Marla Quinlan & @Griseldis Edelhardt

Interacting with @Xailah Alptraum.

Thread left with @Xailah Alptraum.