Quidditch Hogwarts v Durmstrang & Koldovstoretz Summer 2022

Approximately 16 hours until the deadline for player posts and team actions.

Charles slicked back his blonde hair as it streamed with rainwater, sending a smile towards Rosella on the bench. Sure, it was annoying that he’d gotten sidetracked on the way to his blatch, but as birds fell all around him, he couldn’t help but laugh. Valentin came up alongside him with reassurances, a half-hug and a clap on the back, but it was the look in the captain’s eyes that told him– he was proud of Charles anyway for having come so far and doing so much for his team.

Doing as strategized.

Roleplaying as Durmstrang iNPC Arjan Oberoi

Clenching his fist tightly, Arjan hit the bench beneath him in frustration. He wanted to play. If he was playing, this would have been over by now. People were getting knocked left, right and centre and none of them were because of him! This was just irritating to watch. He wanted to be out there and playing, not watching others do a terrible job. He was clearly the best player so why was he benched? Everyone must have been jealous of his skills. That was what it was! They were jealous and in that jealousy, none of them wanted him to play. So he was benched.

Arjan grumbled some more, mostly annoyed that he did not get a chance to show off his amazingness. There were some cute girls out there and in the stands and yet, none of them got to watch the awesomeness that was Arjan Oberoi! What a shame it was - for them, of course - to miss out on his epicness.

ACTION: Benched

For Moderation --

Reducio

Arjan Oberoi - Second-String Beater

STATS:

Stamina: 15
Evasion: 9 + 4 = 13
Strength: 17 + 15% [2.55]* = 19.55 (20 Rounded up)
Wisdom: 4
Arcane Power: 8
Accuracy: 12 + 4 = 16

* From Obnoxiously Strong

BROOM:

Oakshaft 79
Stats: +4 to two stats (Evasion and Accuracy)
Abilities:

In the role of Beater, if you hit an opponent with a bludger the bludger will then ricochet off that user and target a second opponent of choice (must be declared, if not declared the target will be random and can be an ally but not yourself).

In the role of Beater, if an ALLY dodges a bludger during the round, there is a 20% chance that you catch that bludger with your bat and you send it at a RANDOM enemy target.

Note: For the rules lawyers out there: you are not considered your own ally.

In the role of Beater, if you critically hit with a bludger, instead of doing double-damage you do 2.5x damage. If you critically fail with your bludger attempt to hit, rather than having your bludger randomly target another user (including yourself or an ally) the bludger cannot target you on a critical fail (but it can still target your allies). On a re-target, there is a random roll for target and then a fresh accuracy roll.

ABILITIES:

1. Obnoxiously Strong: Extra 15% Strength
2. The Martial Artist: N/A
3. Spell Spread: N/A
4. Charmer: -1 accuracy to all opponents (Team classed as allies, everyone else is an opponent)

all dialogue in russian unless specified otherwise
interactions [--]
mentions Headmaster Lazarus Plott, Edward Smith(@Noah Jupe), Valentin Schnell (@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood), Romeo Marchonné (@Piérre Marchonné), @Winnie Harper, all

A frankly intimidating crack of wood against iron, the fall of somewhere around six enemy players all at once, the rabbit's run of an adrenaline-hopped pulse--

A sudden, vehement curse.

Johannes sent a sharp look of surprised disbelief at the Koldolv beater before shooting off to shadow Cupid's flight, hands twitchy and head craning upwards in some futile attempt at tracking the other through the stormclouds. Johann trusted in Valentin's fantastic skill in snitch tracking and the team's ability to protect the albino through strategic opponent destruction as much as any teammate but- If their shrimpy foreign thrower didn't sound confident when executing what was essentially a human slingshot, then Johannes could have his work cut out for him.

But it seemed that his concerns were for nought, as Valya descended back down safely - without a snitch in hand but in high spirits nonetheless. He grinned delightedly at the dorkily charming finger guns thrown his way, currently too low to fly face-to-face, expression faltering slightly at the character read. So his chaser's disdain had been transparent enough that their ever-occupied white seeker had picked up on it, even from the sky! If only Hogwash were smart enough to do the same... Weren't the birds meant to be the clever ones? All they really seemed to do was get hunted down and make targets for themselves.

"Tch! They've got so much nerve that I look forward to it." Rolling his eyes through his goggles, he worked to infuse his voice with as much dramatised annoyance as possible to make up for his inability to make hand motions that would actually be seen by his conversational target. Blame it on his blossoming keeper position, but the sense of fierce defensiveness over the innocuous goalposts was a difficult one to shake after it set in. He hadn't needed periphery vision to know that Whinney had scored thrice more in his temporary mission to act as a human safety net, not with Plott so helpfully narrating the game with just as much mild disgust at the quaffle grabs as he felt.

He could cope with the completely non-personal offence when it came to his teammates but that sentiment didn't extend to these struggling strangers. He'd be an idiot to let himself get needlessly butthurt over friendly practice instead of properly enjoying and bettering himself.

Dealing with the hoops was the whole point of his purpose on the team. It was his big contribution act in a sport far more dangerous than any school activity ought to be and, though he had never liked conforming to tradition, it was what Keepers were supposed to do. He could enjoy inconveniencing others all he wanted, but he liked to be useful sometimes too - no matter how many useless affirmations soaked into his skin, his sense of convenient value had always been the one point of internal comfort.

As their co-captain flew off to lavish some more attention on their gathered company between the pitch and crowd, Johann cupped his outrageously gloved hands over his mouth and shouted forth his own bit of praise. "Great flight up there, Cupid!" He steadied both hands on the broom again just in time for a proud thump against his back from Romeo, the congratulatory mood of his teammates infectious.

Action: As Strategised.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	xx	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	xx	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Interacts. Valentin Schnell ═══════════════════	xx	EN #664d00, GR, RU #A57865 06/08/2022 | In uniform [x] ═══════════════════	xx	Mentions. - ═══════════════════

Lysander swore to finish his penalty lap as quickly as possible. Easing up on his broom handle, he slowed so that he could reach out and return Valentin's high-five in a flashy fly-by. «“Yeah, alright! There's more where that came from.”» From the look of things, Ravenclaw's numbers had severely dwindled in just his brief absence. It was almost sad, but he he was fairly certain that they would have done the same.

BROOM: Oakshaft 79 | Three chosen abilities under reducio STATS: STA 12; EVA 19 (23); STR 13; WIS 5; ARC 0; ACC 15 (19) ABILITIES: Evasive Maneuvers I, Evasive Maneuvers II, Charmer, Fearless

ACTIONS: As strategised

M O D E R A T I O N — R O U N D 4

Y I L B E G Ä N

FIRST STRING‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ Keeper: Johannes Ambroży(@Astrea Soleil Neptune) Chasers: - - - Lysander-Blaine Stavrou(@Phaedra Stavrou) Madhup Hexum(@Pericles Dralt) Charles Alluring(@Henry Knight) Beaters: - Edward Smith(@Noah Jupe) Romeo Marchonné(@Piérre Marchonné) Seeker: Valentin "Niffler" Schnell(@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood)

SECOND STRING Keeper: NPC Evgeny Petrov(@Logan Baird) Chaser: Rosella Sokolov(@Logan Baird) Beater: Arjan Oberoi(@Serena Towers) Seeker: Astrid Théa Olsen(@Anastasia Varney) "The power to make people fear is the only power you need."

B U F F S
Calming Presence: 10% chance to auto-hit their chosen target [Madhup, Evgany(benched)]

D E B U F F S
Terrible Presence: 10% automiss for scoring, bludgers, and blatching. Bludger damage is reduced by 10%. This is countered with the ability fearless. [Aurora, Ebony, Charles]

R A V E N C L A W

FIRST STRING Keeper: @Aly Salinger Chasers: - - - @Cecily Quinn @Lavinia Cloven @Sylvain Wyllt Beaters: - @Jorah Moussa @Damion White Seeker: @River Dewlight

SECOND STRING Keeper: @Edme Achillian Chaser: @Winnie Harper Beater: @Ebony Vetra Seeker: @Aurora Ranvier "Knowledge is a weapon with which we are formidably armed"

D E B U F F S
Charmer: -1 accuracy for all actions [Valentin, Lysander, Johannes, Arjan(benched)]
Lovely Creature: Increases the snitch-finding/catching DC by +2 [Charles]
Terrible Presence: 10% automiss for scoring, bludgers, and blatching. Bludger damage is reduced by 10%. This is countered with the ability fearless. [Aurora, Ebony, Charles]

C H A S E R S | | K E E P E R S

───── Yilbegän ───── Lysander: Blatch Aurora Madhup: Quaffle grab and score Charles: Penalty lap Johannes: Blatch Winnie

───── Ravenclaw ───── Winnie: Quaffle grab and score

Grab Attempt #1

───── Yilbegän ───── Madhup: Grab QG[17] + 18(acc) = 35

───── Ravenclaw ───── Winnie: Grab QG[13] + 10(acc) + 3(MC) - 1(C) = 25

Madhup grabs the quaffle and scores 10 points for Yilbegän!

Grab Attempt #2

───── Yilbegän ───── Madhup: Grab QG[10] + 18(acc) = 28

───── Ravenclaw ───── Winnie: Grab QG[1] + 10(acc) + 3(MC) - 1(C) = 13

Madhup grabs and scores the quaffle again! 10 points for Yilbegän!

Grab Attempt #3

───── Yilbegän ───── Madhup: Grab QG[7] + 18(acc) = 25

───── Ravenclaw ───── Winnie: Grab QG[9] + 10(acc) + 3(MC) - 1(C) = 21

Madhup grabs the quaffle and scores another 10 points for Yilbegän!

Grab Attempt #4

───── Yilbegän ───── Madhup: Grab QG[12] + 18(acc) = 30

───── Ravenclaw ───── Winnie: Grab QG[6] + 10(acc) + 3(MC) - 1(C) = 18

Madhup grabs the quaffle and scores in the empty hoops! 10 points for Yilbegän!

Grab Attempt #5

───── Yilbegän ───── Madhup: Grab QG[19] + 18(acc) = 37

───── Ravenclaw ───── Winnie: Grab QG[3] + 10(acc) + 3(MC) - 1(C) = 15

Madhup snatches the quaffle for the 5th time and scores his last 10 points for Yilbegän!

───────────── Results ─────────────

The ‘Durmstrangians’ must have taken Plott’s words to heart, because they were after the quaffle this round. Madhup, fresh off a penalty lap was sent to grab and score with the quaffle, as well as Winnie from Ravenclaw. It was Winnie’s third time in a row and it was certain that she was aiming to score more points. However, it would be Madhup who had the quicker reaction time out of the two of them, for he grabbed the quaffle all five times. With no one stopping him at the hoops it was an easy 50 points for him. Perhaps Winnie would grab the quaffle next round, if she still remained on her broom.

“It looks as though Madhup and Winnie are going for the quaffle this round! It’s obvious who’s going to win, but let’s give Winnie the benefit of the doubt. The quaffle is up — AND ITS MADHUP WITH THE GRAB! Hogwarts doesn’t have enough remaining members to have one guard the rings so it’s an open shot! He scores 10 points!”

“Madhup grabs the quaffle again, not even giving Whinny a chance, and races towards the hoops. He throws the quaffle — AND IT SCORES AGAIN, WE ARE NOW TIED UP AT 50 POINTS!! The quaffle is back in play and it’s back into Madhup’s hands, has he installed the gripping charm or something onto the quaffle because it keeps falling back into his hands! HE SCORES AGAIN, PULLING THE INTERNATIONAL TEAM INTO THE LEAD!”

“Another chance for a quaffle grab, another disappointed Winnie as Madhup grabs the quaffle and flies past her to the rings once more. It seems like muscle memory as he throws the quaffle to score 10 more points! The quaffle game is about to end, and Madhup has grabbed and scored it for a fifth time in a row! He is an absolute legend, people should already be recruiting him for his immense skills. Durmstrang and Koldovstoretz currently have 80 points, thanks to Madhup, while Ravenclaw is still only at 50.”

B E A T E R S || B L A T C H E R S
Order of operations: Edward > Lysander > Johannes > Romeo

───── Yilbegän ───── Edward: Bludger @ Ebony CP[46] | TP[67] B[1] + 6(acc) = 7 Ebony: Evades E[17] + 8(eva) = 25 Ebony dodges the bludger ───── Lysander: Blatch @ Aurora CP[77] Bl[5] + 19(acc) = 24 Aurora: Evades EM[40] E[3] + 18(eva) = 21 Aurora is KOB ───── Johannes: Blatch @ Winnie FP[29] CP[100] auto-success Winnie is KOB ───── Romeo: Chokehold @ Winnie CP[40] | TP[49] CH[17] + 18(acc) = 35 Winnie: Evades E[6] + 11 = 17 Romeo chokeholds Winnie

───── Ravenclaw ───── Ebony: Snitch Find Lysander, penalty lap! Johannes, penalty lap! Romeo, penalty lap! Romeo, detention after the game!

───────────── Results ─────────────

It was apparent at this stage in the game that Yilbegän was planning on winning by knocking every single Ravenclaw player off their broom, and currently only three second string players remained. The rest of the team was either conscious or unconscious on the grass of the quidditch pitch. In short, Ravenclaw was getting completely destroyed by the international team, and it was not doing wonders to their reputation.

The first Yilbegän player to attempt and add to the pile of bodies was Edward. The beater’s bat struck the bludger right at Ebony. It must have been a bad hit because the bludger came no where Ebony. Edward was young so he may need a little more practice to manipulate the bludger in the way that Romeo could. “Edward readies his bat to hit the bludger at I believe Ebony — HE HITS THE BLUDGER and oh Ebony dodged it. You’ll get it next time champ!”

Lysander was fresh off his penalty lap seemed to ready to take another one. He was attempting to blatch the one and only Aurora of Ravenclaw. She was the last hope for Ravenclaw to catch the snitch and she just got on the field. Lysander would come up to the side of her and blatch her straight off her broom. It was a quick and easy move, but unfortunately it was in the sight of the referee who would whistle to send him on another penalty lap. “Is that Lysander coming to the side of Aurora? It must be. What in the world is he doi — AND HE HAS BLATCHED AURORA OFF HER BROOM! TAKE A PENALTY LAP LYSANDER, EVEN I SAW THAT!”

The next Ravenclaw player to be targeted was the one who was unable to grab any quaffles, Winnie Harper. Johannes was attempting to do exactly what Lysander had just done to Winnie. Blatch her off her broom. It prove to be a simple task for Johannes with the calming presence of his team backing him up. Quickly he would blatch her off her broom. “Johannes appears to be flying right next to Whinny. Oh I hope he’s not doing what I think he’s doing. Johannes has closed in, AND KNOCKED WINNIE OFF HER BROOM! JOHANNES, JOIN LYSANDER WITH A PENALTY LAP! I want Hogwarts to lose, but this is not the way to do it! Stop cheating!”

Even in the middle of falling off her broom, Winnie was not safe from another attack. Romeo would be attempting the most horrific quidditch foul to date. He was going to engage his martial artist side and attempt to place Winnie in a chokehold. It was spelled out in the quidditch rule book that this action would not only give him a penalty lap, but also force him to serve a detention after the game. Why Romeo was doing this was for him and his team to know, but there would most definitely be consequences for his action. When it happened, it looked to be the scene out of a horror movie. A thirteen year old girl falling of her broom only to be stopped on her way down by a hand wrapping around her neck. The downward motion of Winnie would not allow Romeo to hold on for long, but the damage was already done. It was obvious that he had placed her in a chokehold.

“Winnie is falling slowly off her broom, about to join her teammates on the ground. This will be one to put in the record books — wait, is that Romeo flying over to Winnie? It might be. Is he reaching out an arm? WHAT IN THE, HE JUST PLACED HER IN A CHOKEHOLD! THATS INSANE! I WANT HIM OFF THE FIELD, HE IS MADMAN! THIS IS THE WORST SPORTSMANSHIP IVE EVER SEEN! DETENTION AFTER THE GAME ROMEO! TAKE A PENALTY LAP NOW!”

It was a rough day for Winnie and the rest of the Ravenclaw team. Currently only one of them remained in the sky, Ebony.

S E E K E R S

───── Yilbegän ───── Catch DC: 15 + 13(LA) = 28 Valentin: Spiral Dive SC[14] + 18(acc) + 1 = 33 SC[4] + 18(acc) + 1 = 23 Valentin catches the snitch! 150 points to Yilbegän!

───── Ravenclaw ‏‏‎───── Find DC: 15 + 11(LW) + 2(LC) = 28 Aurora: Snitch Find SF[15] + 11(wis) = 26 Ebony: Snitch Find SF[18] + 9(wis) = 27 Aurora and Ebony did not find the snitch.

───────────── Results ─────────────

Ravenclaw was running out of time. They had just been forced to send Aurora out on the field, but she had no real game experience finding the snitch. To make matters worse for Ravenclaw, Valentin had already spotted the snitch and made a move to grab it. In order to make up for lost time, Ravenclaw pulled an old strategy and sent both Ebony and Aurora on the snitch hunt. However, both of them would be unable to spot it this time around. Perhaps it was the rain that was getting increasingly heavier or the bubbles that the audience kept making, but they could not spot the little golden snitch.

While energy was low for Ravenclaw, Yilbegän was prepared to take victory. Valentin had spotted the snitch and “completed” his chase phase, the only step left was the catch the snitch. Taking a risky shot at the win, Valentin decided to spiral dive for the snitch. It looked almost too easy for him as he dived for the snitch, reached out, and grabbed it. The snitch was caught, the game was over, and Yilbegän gained another 150 points! That increased their total score immensely and allowed them take the victory! Thanks to the entire team, Yilbegän wins the game!

“I’m certain at this point there is no snitch in the sky. I can’t see it whatsoever. Ravenclaw just sent up a new seeker, hopefully she can’t see it either. Valentin is uhh spiral diving?! WAIT. VALENTIN IS SPIRAL DIVING FOR THE SNITCH! GO VALENTIN, YOU GOT THIS!! HE JUST CAUGHT SOMETHING WITH HIS HAND! THAT HAS TO BE THE SNITCH! 150 POINTS TO DURMSTRANG AND KOLDOVSTORETZ, THIS GAME IS OVER! DURMSTRANG AND KOLDOVSTORETZ HAVE WON!!”

S C O R E B O A R D

YILBEGÄN 230

RAVENCLAW 50

YILBEGÄN WINS!

* * *

A C R O N Y M S Reducio —B = Bludger [d20 +acc] —Bl = Blatch [d20 +acc] —BB = Bludger Backbeat [d20 +5 +acc] —C = Charmer [-1 to opponents' accuarcy] —CH = Chokehold [d20 + acc] —Cob = Cob [d20 +2 +acc] —CP = Calming Presence [d100: 91 – 100 = automatic success of hit/score] —D = Defending [d100: 76 – 100 = successfully redirect incoming bludger back at attacker] —E = Evasion [d20 +eva] —EM = Evasive Maneuvers [d100: 91 – 100 = automatic dodge] —FP = Foulplay [d100: 76 – 100 = avoid detection for cheating] —GS = Giant Strength [increases damage by 30%] —KC = Keeper's Catch [d100: 91 – 100 = automatic block, roll rng target (quaffle dmg like bludger)] —KE = Keen Eye [d100: 91 – 100 = automatic snitch find] —KOB = Knocked Off Broom —LA = Lowest Accuracy [lowest accuracy between opposing seekers] —LC = Lovely Creature [increases opposing team's Snitch Seek/Catch DC by 2] —LW = Lowest Wisdom [lowest wisdom between opposing seekers] —MC = Muggle Condition [+2 to non-magical accuracy checks] —MT = Moontrimmer [d100: 91 – 100 = automatic dodge] —OS = Obnoxiously Strong [increases base strength by 10%] —QG = Quaffle Grab [d20 +acc] —S = Score attempt [d20 +acc] —SC = Snitch Catch [d20 +acc] —SF = Snitch Find [d20 +wis] —SI = Seer's Intuition [d100: 91 – 100 = automatic success of hit/score] —SFS = Starfish & Stick [+3 to block attempt | disadvantage on dodging] —TB = Tinderblast [Chaser: +3 to pass recipient's attempt to score] —TP = Terrible Presence [d100: 91 - 100 = automatic failure of action] —UA = Unsettling Aura [d100: 91 - 100 = automatic failure of action] —VA = Veela's Allure [d100: 91 – 100 = attack is redirected/forces score automiss]

H E A L T H Reducio Yilbegän Valentin [1100 / 1100] Johannes [1200 / 1200] Lysander [1000 / 1000] Madhup [1100 / 1100] Charles [1000 / 1000] Edward [260 / 800] Romeo [900 / 900] Astrid [benched] Evgeny [benched] Rosella [benched] Arjan [benched] Ravenclaw Aly [1200 / 1200] KOB Cecily [-47 / 1000] KOB Lavinia [1200 / 1200] KOB Sylvain [1 / 1000] KOB Jorah [1430 / 1300] KOB Damion [1320 / 1200] KOB River [-47 / 1000] KOB Edme [-447/700] KOB Winnie [153 / 1300] KOB Ebony [800/800] Aurora [800/800] KOB

Romeo (@Piérre Marchonné) be on the lookout for an owl with farther information regarding your detention in the coming days.

Formatting is from Evelynn Decipio

Eligible for Rewards:
(To be eligible for rewards, you must have posted in every round you can and be on the winning team)

Astrea Soleil Neptune
Phaedra Stavrou
Pericles Dralt
Henry Knight
Noah Jupe
Piérre Marchonné
Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood
Logan Baird
Serena Towers
Anastasia Varney


(List written in moderation format order, no other order).

Please link to this post in the trunk updates if you are eligible for rewards and wish to claim your +1 stat point from this game.

House points will be rewarded shortly to those eligible on the winning team.

Yilbegän, the Siberian Hydra, was free. The captains did not ask their crew to follow a pre-determined strategy this round. After all the toil of those Durmstrang who attended the Schnell-Marchonné Boot Camp and those who trained in their own ways, Valentin wanted to set his whole team free to live out the dream of playing in the grand stadium of London however their hearts bade. Valya loved his team and wanted for them to be truly, even madly, happy, and Val couldn’t think of any better way to make this happen than to empower them with choice. Hopefully each person knew their own best way to live out this brief, glorious moment to the fullest.

For Valya, his team’s happiness was part of his own ideal. Still, there was more. There were things Valentin wanted for himself, too. What surprised Val now was that, two years after the disaster that tore his life apart, the snitch had become hollow, like a beloved vessel. The snitch welcomed him, like a capsule to space beckoned a well-trained astronaut. Yet, despite the beauty and thrill of the metal orb, the snitch was now a vehicle pointed towards a greater goal. No longer was Valentin’s ambition just to revel in the orchestra of battle, nor even in sweet victory nor making fond memories. The boy would be living it up with every minute that passed, certainly, but beyond the rumbling thunderclouds glinted a sacred star, calling to Valya.

Surely the boy’s dream was naïve. Anything pure was likely to be, to some degree, naïve. The thing about Valya was that he had more courage than rationalizations could shut down. Valentin frankly didn’t give a damn if his dream was silly, childish, and sure to lead to inevitable pain and disappointment. The only way his dream could have a chance was to shut down his internal naysaying and give everything he was to it.

Like many sportsmen, Valentin visualized his victory often. The boy’s imagination knew the sounds and movements and scent of the snitch by rote, even if he hadn’t expected the slick of rain on its surface nor the fate of any given play today. Having played the scenario of a spiral dive out ten thousand times in his mind, as well as what would follow, Valentin gave himself over to this moment so wholly that the past, present, and future no longer felt like segments of a continuum, but instead felt whole and all-at-once.

For all the pain of the last two years, losing his parents and the devastation of his team and the daily struggle to piece life back together, Valentin could only feel peace in this moment. If salvation was defined by suffering, Valya didn’t believe it. The days of curling up shattered in a hospital bed were just as sacred to him as the laughter of his team mates in late evening. He loved it all, so long as it wasn’t because he screwed up. His own failure was the one thing he couldn’t savor. Now, grasping his Silver Arrow beneath, Valya longed to make up for all the hurt his weaknesses brought upon others.


On Plott’s mark, Valentin pulled away from his co-captain and shot directly at the snitch. While the devastation of the enemy ranks seemed to guarantee eventual victory, Valya wished for his every action to flow perfectly now. Much as Valentin would have liked for his team to have this moment linger on for the sake of joyful, childlike play, the white seeker was still a gentleman. Valya cared more about how they won than winning by any means necessary. After all, this was a beautiful game he not only cherished, but wanted to elevate into something greater than the world knew it today. It wouldn’t do to draw this match out any longer than it needed to go. Stribog had granted the Yilbegän a great blessing which Valentin would not fail to honor.

Valentin sped towards the snitch while leaning forward onto his broom, tucking himself into the Arrow’s geometry as best he could. He didn’t fit like he used to. Longer by several inches now, and heavier, Valya wondered where his child body had gone. Had his fingers always been so wirey, his forearms so defined? As intentional as any of this was, Valentin could only chuckle with how surreal it felt, realizing how his body was different at a time like this.

As he entered the airspace directly over the snitch, Valya’s figure shifted for him automatically into a spiral dive. This too, made him laugh at what could have been the most dramatic moment of his life. A grin crackling over his mouth, Valentin extended his arm, feeling instead like the snitch was extending him towards it. Just as everything seemed to be ending, Valentin grew certain a new world was unfurling around him now. The boy’s lithe fingers extended but no longer wove as he had practiced time and time again. It made no sense to him. He’d refined that technique over the course of years of trial and error, but now he just held out his palm as if the snitch would just fly into it by itself… and then it did.

Of course the mountainous crowds were watching, and their roars and banging rumbled like children imitating Stribog’s laughter. Valentin wrapped his fingers around the snitch and squeezed it, suddenly wanting to send what warmth his body still had into its metal shell– as if in so doing, the pulse in his silver-scarred palm might grant its now passive gilt ribcage a heart.

After all the repetition of practice, this moment still awoke in Valentin’s mind new and lucid. The fluttering golden wings slowed like the motions of a hypnotized animal surrendering to his touch, and they wrapped around his hands. Rainwater swept the little wings’ tendrils over his veins in parallel to the streaming wet hair rippling over Val’s face. It was time for his real mission now.

Pulling out of the dive, Valentin soared over the ground with a whoosh. Dueling crosswinds batted his red cloak around behind him as Valya headed directly towards #4, his beater and co-captain, Romeo Marchonné. Valentin flew up to the other boy, neither raising the snitch up for all to see, nor making an effort to conceal it. The seeker simply held it in his gentle hand as he approached. While the eyes of the world may have been upon them both, Valentin made no acknowledgment of it.

“Can I go to detention with you?” asked Valya. With his even tone and calm eyes, the boy was serious, if cheerful as usual. He hadn’t needed to watch to know how Romeo played this round. Such was the benefit of playing under the spotlight with a loud and clear announcer. Valentin smiled with a tilt of his head. He bet it was fun to be Romeo.

“Oh hey, I have something for you,” remarked the seeker, looking down at his own right hand. White fingers unwrapped to reveal the golden snitch in Valentin’s palm, and the animated bauble began to pull its damp wings back towards itself, streaking them across the boy’s wet, gloveless hands. Rolling his wrist forward, Valya slid the snitch into the triangle of his fingertips and he held it up for a moment to admire its form. Exhaling, Valentin pulled the glittering golden orb to his lips, pausing as his kiss pressed against the metal and its scent wafted into his nose with that of the rain drops on its surface. Then, as the boy languidly brought the snitch back down, its spindly wings stretched out as if waking from a nap. Valentin then extended this hand out to Romeo as the snitch seemed to gaze back up at him with its eyeless curvature. “This is for you.”

Val - Winnie - Romeo

There was something different to Val when he was on the hunt for the snitch: even at a distance, Madhup could recognize the edge of intensity to his flight. The game would soon come to an end. Hogwarts students were dropping like flies in an absolute massacre, the brutality of it so unrelenting that they were reduced to a single flier at one juncture. The Chaser's bloodlust had been slaked. He had personally toppled four from their brooms, so rather than rejoin the assault, he decided to satisfy his craving for something else: actually laying hands on the quaffle for a change.

The first time he scooped it into an arm, he didn't turn his head to acknowledge the Ravenclaw keeper hot on the tail of his broom. His eyes were narrow and expression tight with concentration as he rocketed across the pitch like a bolt of lightning. After the second score, he became a bit bolder, winking at his opponent in the wake of earning another goal. By the third he was jeering "Keep up, Hog girl!" While the teenage dirtbag soared off for a fourth, he cockily held the quaffle out to his side, whistling and waggling it temptingly. It was all over in the wake of the fifth goal. Madhup snarled as he wound back his arm and launched it forward for a fifth, and final, score for his team.

The match was over. He dove down to snatch it from the air once more anyways, pointedly seeking to make eye contact with Winnie, give the ball a smooch (germy), and chuck it towards her before coasting off to celebrate. Between cheating, cheating and getting away with it, and aggressively scoring? The buzz of hearing the announcer declare his name in victory for once (as opposed to telling him to take a lap like usual)? He was flying high. Mad made a point to bump in between Val and Romeo, narrowly balancing on his broom as he sought to toss both arms around them and holler obnoxiously:
"Are we going to detention together then? Win together, suffer together!"

Being a terror Celebrating

STA: 8 11 | EVA: 12 15 | STR: 12 15 | WIS: 3 6 | ARC: 3 6 | ACC: 15 18
Foulplay, Interception, Fearless, Calming Presence
CP Allies: Durmstrang & Koldovstoretz students
Silver Arrow broom (+3 to all stats)