Speed of sound Open for 2 Finished

Since being accepted as a Second-String Keeper on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, Willow tried to get as much practice time as possible. Which was hard since she had to use a school broom and those were usually locked up when practices or classes weren't happening. Sometimes though she would walk down to the training pitch, just to see if there was anyone she knew practicing because she liked to support her friends and cheer them on even if there was no game happening. Or just to lay in the middle of the training area and soak in the sun if it was a nice day, usually there was no one around so she would do the latter activity. This day was beautiful, so she would be fine with either activity occurring.

From a decent distance away she saw someone flying through the sky, and it seemed like they were doing some pretty intense maneuvers. They must've been a couple years older at least, and definitely not someone she knew. She hesitated, wondering if the person would be okay with spectators. But then she rationalized continuing since someone who is on the training pitch can't really argue about spectators, it was an open part of campus. Her mouth went agape as the person started doing a backwards loop, something she couldn't have even fathomed doing. But they were heading towards the ground. Fast. She burst into a sprint, to try and make it to the pitch in case they crashed so she could help them go to the Hospital Wing if necessary. She wasn't someone that did a ton of exercise, especially cardio so her legs started to scream in pain but she pushed through to continue going

Then at the last minute, they pulled up. She came to a halt at the edge of the training pitch. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, and also trying to catch her breath. She bent over, putting her hands on her knees and trying to take deep breaths. She saw that the person had paused in the air. She tried her best to shout up at him, she didn't know whether to be amazed or terrified that they did that without anyone around. "That was amazing! But you could've died!" She walked closer to them, hoping he would come down so she didn't have to yell. As she approached she realized it was a boy on the broom. "That would explain the recklessness." She thought to herself.

Interacting with @Willow Anderson

"That was amazing! But you could've died!" shouted someone from below, forcing Percy to look down and see who was catching his attention. It was a girl, probably around the same age he was on the pitch below him. He started to slowly hover downwards towards the ground and smirked slightly, knowing a student was bound to question his activities "I know the risks, so dont worry about me..." he said to her as his feet gracefully touched the floor. Percy grabbed the training broom in one hand and slowly made his way to her, his formerly well kept hair all over the place as well as his sweater that looked unneat. The boy slowly came to a halt in front of her and tried to make the effort of fixing his sweater while he talked "I can tell you now, I was no where near dying from that..." he grunted as his hand tried to fix his collar "That wasn't the first time I've done that, only a fool would attempt such a move without experience" he said before carefully dropping his broom to the floor to help himself clean up.

While he tidied himself his eyes examined the girl in front of him, he hadn't seen her around hogwarts before nor did he see her enter when he was flying around. He could see she was out of breath for some reason, was she really that afraid he was going to kill himself from a backflip? "Say, what are you doing here anyway, it's normally deserted down here around this time" questioned the boy, who was curious to hear her reasoning "You dont look like the kind of person to practice or play quidditch..."

Interacting with @Percival Gray

She continued to catch her breath as the boy descended from his play in the sky. Slowly she was able to straighten back out as continued his approach. He seemed cocky for someone that seemed like they were about to have a crash landing. She scoffed at him when he said that only a fool would try that move without experience. "Only a fool would practice flying without someone else nearby. It's literally one of the first things they teach us in flying class. Don't fly alone, so I guess that still makes you a fool." She crossed her arms in front of her, trying to match his cocky attitude as he spoke. In the back of her mind, she kind of wished he had crashed just to wipe the smugness off of his face.

Her temper flared when he implied that she wasn't even one to play Quidditch. She figured maybe it was time for an introduction. She reached out her hand to him to be polite, "You don't seem like the kind of person to think before he speaks. Willow Anderson, second-string keeper for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, thank you very much." She had just bolted to make sure this guy didn't end up needing an emergency trip to the hospital wing, but now she was regretting it just a little bit, or a lottle bit. She hadn't decided yet. She was the queen of meeting someone on the wrong foot so maybe that would be another one of those situations.

"Only a fool would practice flying without someone else nearby. It's literally one of the first things they teach us in flying class. Don't fly alone, so I guess that still makes you a fool." she shot back with a cross of her arms in front of him, almost in a cocky tone to show off the ability he didn't think she possessed. Percy stopped cleaning after hearing the comments and sighed, almost disappointed that she would say such words. For now, he stayed silent, only nonchalantly putting his hand into the pocket of his sweater. Being called a fool for doing something that he had done many times before was something a fool would say themselves, maybe it was the fact she was blindly assuming his flying experience...

He could see from her face that one of his comments had struck a cord, and the way she was starting to talk to him in a more impolite and cocky manner "You don't seem like the kind of person to think before he speaks. Willow Anderson, second-string keeper for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, thank you very much." the girl said while she extended a hand, which Percival thought to be more sarcastic then anything. Percy shook his head and sighed, his eyes looking at the hand for a few seconds before his eyes gazed into hers "Well miss Willow, the same could be said for you if that's the case. You say i'm a fool for flying and doing those moves alone, yet I've done them many a times with someone with me." Percy answered back as he slowly took his hands away from his pockets "And you say you're a second string keeper? Wow, i'm surprised with that. Its a shame you're not good enough to be the first string..." added on the boy with a bit more venom in his voice this time, looking to squash her show off comment "Maybe you should think yourself before assuming what I can and cant do, because all it does is make you look stupid" ends Percy as he reaches out and shakes her hand if it's still extended "Percival Gray, keen flyer and enthusiast of the broom"

Interacting with @Percival Gray

So much for a peaceful day down at the Quidditch Training Pitch.

Their attitudes only seemed to rise and clash with each other, which wasn't something she expected from a fellow flying fan. She expected immediate bonding over the love of the thrill of flying, she really had to lower her expectations for people. Her hand slowly retracted as he looked at it but didn't shake it, instead spewing out counters to everything that she had said. When he ended up calling her stupid, her nose crinkled up as a physical recoil to the comment. She was quite intelligent, though some people tended to argue that with her since she could easily get lost in her own head.

"Well Percival, you must be older than me to have had more experience on the broom than I have, since I am simply so stupid. Unless you're someone that had the privilege of growing up knowing that flying exists." Her eyes narrowed, she had really never given thought to the fact that some kids may have grown up knowing about flying and learning how, a pang of jealous in her heart grew once more at another disadvantage of being muggle born. "And just because you've done the trick so many times doesn't mean the one time it goes wrong you'll end up unscathed. I still think you're just as stupid for practicing alone, no matter how much practice with someone else you have." She paused and shrugged, "But whatever, what does this dumb badger know, hm?

Interacting with @Willow Anderson

"Well Percival, you must be older than me to have had more experience on the broom than I have, since I am simply so stupid. Unless you're someone that had the privilege of growing up knowing that flying exists. answered the girl before narrowing her eyes at him. From that sentence alone he could already tell what background she came from, and it certainly wasn't one of wizard or pure blood lineage. She seemed to be jealous of the fact that he knew flying before her, it wasn't his fault that she was born to a lesser family "And just because you've done the trick so many times doesn't mean the one time it goes wrong you'll end up unscathed. I still think you're just as stupid for practicing alone, no matter how much practice with someone else you have." she added on, almost making Percy twitch in annoyance from her shady comment "But whatever, what does this dumb badger know, hm?

Percy slowly lowered his broom to the floor and dusted his hands, before folding his arms in an unimpressed motion "Well, that dumb badger seems to know nothing it seems" he says with a sigh, his eyes still fixed on hers "Just because you've had a inferior upbringing doesn't mean you have to be sour. After all, most of you brats take our world for granted" he said with a slight bit of aggression, not caring about what the badger thought of him "You're even dumb enough to think that practising alone doesn't help. You really think someone is going to be out there to help you at all times? No, I don't think so. While the rules may be in place to help people, it doesn't mean they can be bent once in a while" Percy said as he got closer to the girl, wanting to make sure his final point got across clearly "So before you call me stupid again, think with what little brain you have inside that head of yours. Hell, it might even help you stop being a bench warmer for the Hufflepuffs" the boy finished as he took a step away from the girl and waited for a expedited reply, daring her to speak up to him once more.

Qudditch to him was somewhat of a waste of time in his eyes, he had no interest whatsoever to watch or even take part in one. This was mostly due to his father insisting not to get involved in such a barbaric sport, but his mother wouldn't have the same ideals. Everyone who saw him fly a broom agreed he would be a prefect seeker, exactly the same thing they thought of his father when he came to Hogwarts. However, Percy would always have none of it and dismiss the complements as if they were nothing.

Interacting with @Percival Gray

An anger took over her eyes as he continued to talk. This was the first time her upbringing and house had been so blatantly insulted, she didn't know how to deal with it. She had been told to be careful because there were people like Percival that would strike. But, until now she had avoided it. To think she was running to possibly save the boy from a quidditch accident to get roasted like this.

Once he finished talking, she took a moment to examine the boy. Was he even worth the argument? He obviously had a set opinion about her upbringing and her house, and in turn with that an opinion about her. But there was something that bubbled in her that she couldn't let go. Not to say she was terribly prideful, but he just had insulted to many of her proudest aspects. "Inferior? It's not my fault that it took until my existence to bring magi into my family. Besides, magic starts somewhere. Doesn't that make your great great ancestors muggles? I don't take it for granted. I know that I'm lucky to have this ability and to be here. At least I haven't had all this experience just handed to me. I'd say you're the one that takes it for granted. You've never known a life without magic. You wouldn't know gratitude for wizardry if it hit you in the face." This was bold, especially for her. She didn't normally fight back like this or at all. Her faux confidence would have to carry her through this interaction.

With another sigh considering the last part of his reply regarding her quidditch ability she spoke up again after a few moments. "There's already a keeper in play. There's only one of them after all. She has seniority over me, that's why I'm a bench warmer for now. But, I work just as hard as everyone else on that team. At least I'm not out on death missions in my personal flying practice. You may be right about someone not always being there, but I'm here? Aren't I? I mean, unfortunately. I didn't think trying to help someone would lead to this." She shrugged, "I suppose that's what makes me a badger, and you a vicious snake, hm?" Ugh, insulting someone's house was her least favorite thing but he had started it. If he was going to play mean, she'd match it to try and get out of this interaction with the least amount of scorch possible.

Interacting with @Willow Anderson

Once he had finished his words to the rude Hufflepuff he turned around and began to walk away. However, the girl would once again speak up to his comments "Inferior? It's not my fault that it took until my existence to bring magi into my family. Besides, magic starts somewhere. Doesn't that make your great great ancestors muggles? I don't take it for granted. I know that I'm lucky to have this ability and to be here. At least I haven't had all this experience just handed to me. I'd say you're the one that takes it for granted. You've never known a life without magic. You wouldn't know gratitude for wizardry if it hit you in the face." she finally ended, forcing him to turn his head back to her and eventually turn to face the pesky girl. Percy was starting to get sick of the girls backchat, especially if it was full of rubbish.

"There's already a keeper in play. There's only one of them after all. She has seniority over me, that's why I'm a bench warmer for now. But, I work just as hard as everyone else on that team. At least I'm not out on death missions in my personal flying practice. You may be right about someone not always being there, but I'm here? Aren't I? I mean, unfortunately. I didn't think trying to help someone would lead to this." She shrugged, "I suppose that's what makes me a badger, and you a vicious snake, hm?" Willow added on, this time about qudditch itself. Even though she "apparently" works as hard as everyone else, she clearly wasn't working hard enough. If he actually had a bit interest in playing the game he would of been constantly proving himself to the captain that he was more worthy to play than the others.

Percy yet again didn't show any emotion to her claims but inside was quite annoyed by her ignorance "Firstly, my ancestors are not of your concern, and secondly you don't know how grateful I am to be living in a world of magic. Living in the muggle world would of been like living in hell..." he said almost in a sarcastic tone, not caring on what the girl in front of him thought of his comments "And you still don't get my style do you? compared to you I actually take risks to get better. You may think it's stupid now, but in the future you'll see that i'm right. I suppose that's the difference between me and you, you're the scared badger who is too afraid to admit or do anything while i'm the "vicious" snake that pushes himself and does what is right." says Percy who has a small grin at the corner of his lips now "Hell, with that sewage attitude you'll never get to my level" Percy ended while putting a hand through his hair nonchalantly and turning his head to the side, looking to see if anyone was watching this argument from the stands "Cailín dúr..." he muttered to himself as his eyes gazed around the training pitch

Interacting with @Percival Gray

He seriously didn't emote at all. Did this guy even have a heart? A conscious? A soul? Honestly, she didn't know and the snake was leaving the most bitter taste in her mouth. She was quite ready to leave him too. It didn't seem like either of them wanted to be here talking to this conversation and her parents frequently told her there was no use in fighting an uphill battle that ended with a giant wall. He obviously had already decided what he thought about muggles, and she wasn't going to change that by continuing to insult and provoke him.

But sewage attitude? "My attitude is brighter than yours that is apparently stuck in a black hole. I just don't like you very much, but I'm sure you don't even like me either. Which is great! Mutual dislikeness." She was making up words, this was definitely a battle that she was losing. She huffed and stomped like a child. "Ugh! You're just kind of the worst! I'm not inferior, and you're not any better than me for being a pureblood!" She hated this, she hated being mad and angry. But this was the first time anyone had insulted her for being a muggle and she absolutely hated it. As if she didn't feel isolated enough from those who had experienced magic before. "You know what? You go ahead and take those risks and if you get yourself killed doing it please haunt me so I can say I told you so. Stupid snake." With venom dripping from her voice and a quick turn on her heel she started walking off the pitch. Her seemingly great day, ruined.

Willow has left the thread unless stopped.