Biggest Fan

Exhilarated from Slytherin's overwhelming win against Ravenclaw, Jack left the bench on the pitch in high spirits. He was about to turn to discuss the game with his fellow second-string teammates, but he felt a double tap on his shoulder and whirled around, surprised. A lovely girl with brown-rooted blonde hair and deep blue eyes stood there. His mouth fell open slightly, wondering what on Earth she might have wanted of him as he was certain he'd never met her before.

When she greeted him and told him why she was there, however, his face grew ruddy and warm until it was nearly as red as his hair. She was a fan of his? Surely there had to be some mistake. She seemed a younger student than him, so perhaps she just wasn't as familiar with Slytherin's quidditch team yet.

Still blushing, Jack smiled at her bashfully and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Hello, there," he began, trying to think of how to say what needed to be said. "Are you sure you mean me? I'm only a second string Keeper. I haven't yet played a game." He gestured to Koko Riddle, the first string Keeper, who was blonde-haired and blue-eyed like Daphne. Humiliation stung his cheeks like the cool air as he admitted, "That's the Keeper who helped win today's game. Perhaps it was her you wanted to talk to?"

@Daphne Sapphirus

Mentioning : @Jack Burnett Interacting with : Jack Burnett Word Count : 207

October 14th, 2022 : Date 2pm : Time Casual : Outfit

The fourth year was astonished at Daphne's declaration that she was definitely a fan of his rather than Koko Riddle's, especially when she said she knew he hadn't played a game yet. His complexion grew even darker as his blush deepend when she told him she thought he was 'just so cool', but he didn't think he'd done anything to deserve such praise.

Daphne went on to mention his hair and how he reminded her of a dragon and that she loved dragons. Jack blinked, but considered her notion that a dragon would make the best Keeper. He hadn't ever thought of that.

"Thank you, Sapphirus, but I think you're giving me more credit than I deserve. You're way too kind," he told her, unable to stop the heat from rising to his face or the uncontrollable blush that spread across it to his ears and neck. "I really appreciate your faith in me, though. It really means a lot."

It was then that Daphne pulled out a school broom from behind her back and offered it to him and for what, at first, he wasn't sure. But then she went on to explain she was going to be on the Quidditch team for Hufflepuff and that she planned to be one of the best chasers at Hogwarts no matter how long it took. Jack had to smile at that, in admiration of her dedication and passion for her dream.

He looked at the school broom offered to him as she asked him if he would mind autographing it and he hesitated, thinking. Then he looked back up at her and said, "The school brooms are okay, but if you're going to be a future chaser star, you're going to need a better broom than that. How about we get you one and I'll autograph that?" Jack was pretty sure he had enough pocket money saved up to buy another broom and if anyone deserved it, he thought it was this girl. "I can't offer much, but I can definitely do you better than a Shooting Star."

@Daphne Sapphirus

Mentioning : @Jack Burnett Interacting with : Jack Burnett Word Count : 201

October 14th, 2022 : Date 2pm : Time Casual : Outfit

"It's not trouble, really!" Jack assured her, grinning, though was startled to see what he thought might have been tears in her eyes. Had he said the wrong thing? Though he was worried for a moment, his concerns were quickly wiped away when she dropped her broom and stepped forward to give him a tight hug.

He stumbled backward a little at first, caught somewhat off balance and by surprise, but then he smiled and, a bit awkwardly, hugged her back. "No problem. And I'm sure you will," he said when she told him she would take good care of the broom he planned to buy her. "Do you know what kind you'd like? If you already know, I can send an owl to order it from Quality Quidditch Supplies. If you don't, though, we can discuss what kind of broom you're looking for and what features you want it to have as a chaser."

He beckoned her over to the Quidditch Pitch stands where they could talk out of the way of other people and sit if they wanted to. "What makes you want to be a quidditch player? It's a pretty dangerous sport; you're really brave to want to play. And why a chaser, specifically?"

@Daphne Sapphirus

Mentioning : @Jack Burnett Interacting with : Jack Burnett Word Count : 229

October 14th, 2022 : Date 2pm : Time Casual : Outfit

Daphne's cheerful mood, evident in her skipping as she followed him to the stands, only caused Jack to grin more broadly. She really seemed like a very enthusiastic first year. He hoped she wouldn't lose that enthusiasm as time went on for her at Hogwarts.

"Have you played Quidditch before?" Jack asked her, wondering if her family knew of the sport when she started talking about her brother. "Like outside of school or anything?"

She certainly seemed like a team player, this one, so he could understand why she would want to be a chaser once she brought up that chasers worked together, especially for a team sport like Quidditch. "Yeah, if you like the teamwork aspect of the game, I can see how being a seeker would be less appealing due to the pressure and being more of a loner." He beamed at her. "I'm glad you want to play less for the competition and more to have fun. I think that's what these games are really meant for and I think a lot of people lose sight of that."

Chuckling when she commented on their having a great nurse, he nodded. "That's right. And hopefully your teammates will be reliable enough to try to protect you and keep you from getting hurt when they can. But it really takes a brave soul to get out there and play like you mean it. Like it seems you want to. I admire that."

Jack scratched his head, thinking. "Yeah, second string is pretty nice if you want to get a good seat watching and seeing how others do it before you play the game yourself. The only thing is you never know when you'll get called in to play since I hear players get switched out pretty often."

He groaned in frustration, pushing his hands into his hair as he gripped at it. "I wish I had brought my Quidditch book so we could look at the different kinds of brooms and see what pros and cons each have! So you were thinking of choosing between a Nimbus 1700 and a Comet 260, is that right?"

@Daphne Sapphirus

OOC Note: apologies for the late reply

Mentioning : @Jack Burnett Interacting with : Jack Burnett Word Count : 229

October 14th, 2022 : Date 2pm : Time Casual : Outfit

Chuckling when Daphne mentioned she got distracted watching birds while she played, he nodded in agreement at her thoughts on broom racing. "Quidditch definitely requires its own share of attention and focus, especially when you're trying to avoid getting hit by those bludgers. Glad you're more focused now."

He couldn't help but smile a little more broadly when she seemed to sit up straighter, his amusement plain on his face. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Hufflepuffs seem like they would be better team players than pretty much any other house thanks to the traits they're most known and valued for."

When Daphne mentioned a Nimbus 1700 and that she believed it - a broom's performance, probably - depended on the rider first and foremost, he nodded yet again in more agreement. Part of what she said really made him think, however, and he got a distant look in his eye for a few moments as he pondered her words. "Huh. I guess I never really thought about brooms in that way before," he admitted.

"Oh, I'm sure you can put all sorts of things," the fourth year commented when the subject of decorating brooms came up. "Streamers, paint, stickers, glitter - whatever you want. The possibilities are endless." Cocking his head at her, he asked, "So you're certain, then? You want a Nimbus 1700?"

@Daphne Sapphirus