CL SPECTATOR BROOM RACING - HUFFLEPUFF vs RAVENCLAW - SPRING 2023

───────────────────────────────────

These big, spur of the moment decisions were really starting to get out of hand. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of activity and the specific chain of events that landed the first year here were all but lost in the hustle. Bundled up against the slight chill that still permeated the morning air, Avery couldn't keep still for more than a few seconds at a time. Rocking on her heels, hands fidgeting every which way, head on a swivel. There was almost constant motion as the anticipation finally, fully settled in.

Avery would readily admit she hadn't fully understood what exactly it was she was getting herself into when she stepped in to serve as Hufflepuff's newest racing minion. The experience was humbling to say the least. The practice and strategizing that went into preparing for this matchup also served to instill both a healthy fear and respect for broom racers. Some of these obstacles were no joke. Though George Henry could perhaps rival most of them on his own. She'd thought her first run in with him was intimidating. That was only the tip of the iceberg it seems.

Shuffling in place and shoving both hands into her pockets to at least try and keep from fidgeting further, Avery takes one final survey of the course. Yup, still slightly horrifying. But she had faith in the badgers and the work that went into preparing. Turning her attention back to the racers at the start of the race, she frees one hand to cup around the side of her mouth. "You've got this, Hufflepuff!" The first year briefly considers tossing out some good natured trash talk for added effect, but immediately blanks upon the attempt. Nope. Definitely not her forte. Simple sideline support it was.

────────────────────────────────
𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈: @George Henry
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

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

It was a gorgeous morning for most of the broom racers, but it was sunny and not overcast at all. Not the best flying conditions for her dapper dhampir, but she knew Simon would have taken every conceivable precaution he could to keep himself safe. It had taken her a couple of his broom races to get over her PTSD from having to witness his very scary, and dramatic, fall from his broom AFTER bringing home the win against the very team he would be racing against today.

If memory served... and well it did... he was hit by not one, but three projectiles in the back of the head when he was clearly on the winning side of the FINISH line. And again, if memory served... and well it did... one of the culprits responsible for his dangerous fall that January day was none other than Clair Fernandez herself - Simon's best friend and the girlfriend of her own best friend (who looked to now be chasing some poor critter into the brush). "Boys!" Or should she more precisely say, "That boy!" Anyone who signs up for a Hogwarts sport is well aware that danger and pain awaits them, even if they come out of their competitions the winner, so there was never any hard feelings about Simon's near death experience. Magic did a lot of healing on him that day, but so did a repentant heart, and Clair had definitely had that in the aftermath.

Looking up to the skies and breathing in the fresh, crisp air, she looked over to Colin who was racing around her in circles and lazy eights as they walked to the Outdoor Club Area to watch the match. She rolled her eyes for about the hundreth time at him as the boy was physically, and she was convinced, mentally, incapable of ever just being still. He simply vibrated with energy. He looked at her, questioning with his eyes only why she insisted on walking, and she just held out her hands which were carrying the large bucket of popcorn as her silent reply. She did grace him with a tolerantly sweet smile before popping a few buttery kernels into her mouth.

"Colin, you know this has the possibility to be a bit of a grudge match between our two loves, right?" she asked him as she continued to walk on, knowing he would catch up and more than likely pass her before doubling back to rinse and repeat depending on what scent he picked up on the air currents or what movement happened to catch his eye.

Most instances when they found themselves out and about together, AngelFyre ran right along with him. Colin was like a fond memory of home for her. With him she climbed trees or better still, sometimes they climbed the side of the castle walls. They would swing from some precarious looking vines over streams and one deep ravine. They caught toads together, but here they diverged in their collection methodology. AngelFyre was a strict catch and release sort while Colin often put the poor critters in his pocket. What he did with them later she simply did not want to know, but she knew his heart. Even if they came to an "end", cruelty and malice was not part of it.

The most fun for her, with Colin, was always battling pretend legions out to attack Hogwarts or Colin's ancestral home. The first time such an occurrence took place, they were in the fourth floor Corridors and made the suits of armor dance. It was one of her very favorite, non-Simon memories at Hogwarts. She had taken on her childhood warrior persona, that of Shandra the Wise, and Colin had been her Field General. Since learning more about her wolf brother, their roles had definitely reversed over time as their "play" had taken on a flavor of real life training and combat readiness, which both knew could have real life implications for Colin and his family. It is all play with a side of seriousness, thankyouverymuch, until someone loses a fang... or their life.

Arriving at the seating, AngelFyre was thrilled to see that she and Colin were early. There was plenty of seating, so they got a couple of great spots that allowed them to cheer on their rival "other halves". AngelFyre knew Simon had been looking forward to this day. He loved practicing, and he had been practicing hard. She could see such a huge difference in his technique over what it was just a year ago. He had even started taking her up more often and they practiced together. She would have liked being on the same broom, and sometimes they did that, too, but it was important to him that she knew how to fly and fly well, probably because he was so good at it and to be bad at it could be dangerous.

She and Colin had been seated for about 10 minutes before the racers made their way out onto the field. Looking up, she saw her boy almost immediately. More people had begun to make their way over to the match and it was getting loud, but as she always had, she stood and cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled up to him as if her life depended on him hearing her. In a way, it did. If something were to happen to him from which there was no magical recovery, she wanted him to have heard her and known that she had been there for him.

She could not tell if he had scanned the bleachers for her or not. It was so much more crowded than it had been on her first spectating event. He clearly saw her and waved to her at that one. But that was then and this was not then ... but wait! He was doing something with his compass. She knew it was set to precisely where it needed to be and was never moved, so she was curious what he was doing with it exactly. She smiled remembering that the day she gave it to him was the day he first told her he loved her. That was a great day.

As she and Colin were looking for other friends in the stands, and cheering on their loves, the race finally began. AngelFyre held her breath as the start of the race always had potential to be dicey since everyone was gathered together at the start. In a flash, Simon shot off and she could tell he was going full speed. Before he got too far away, she quick-shot to her feet and cheered her Top Gun on!

SHOW THOSE BIRDS HOW TO FLY, SIMON!!!
YOU GOT THIS!!!

And she laughed good naturedly as she looked over at Colin, her eyes just sparkling. It was looking very good right at the outset for the Hufflepuffs. Her boy was in the lead, but the birds were slow moving off of the START line. What most got her attention was seeing him fall from his broom when flying through the waterfall. Her heart hit her stomach faster than his back hit the water. Her smile was immediately wiped from her face and she instinctively reached for Colin's hand, holding her breath. When he popped up out of the water, she began to breathe again.

Still keeping her eyes glued to him as he looked for his broom, she spoke to Colin, her voice quivering only slightly. "I am glad you are here, Woofy. I do not think I will ever get over the fear and trauma of seeing him fall from his broom."

Attire: Usual weekend kit: Slytherin pride, kilt, no shoes, wolf fang necklace, feathers in his braid.

Reducio

Colin darted ahead as fast as his bare feet could carry him! His long pale blond hair, done up today in a messy braid, bounced in time with his kilts and unbuttoned shirt. He exulted in the run! In fact he ran nearly every day! Today was broom racing day, and that was no excuse not to run. He'd already been down early to check on his gear for his own race against the Gryffindorks later that afternoon; and then he ran all the way back up to the castle to grab a bite of sausage and egg (his favourite!) and collect his best friend friend in the whole world, Fyre Angel, so they could head back down to the grounds where the stands for the broom racing course had been set up.

He pivoted suddenly as he noticed a slight movement in the heather. He smirked. He knew exactly who it was, and had a pretty good guess what he was up to! Colin made a soft chittering sound and bounded over towards the bush before making a graceful leap! All that was visible were two pale and skinny legs and two bare feet, currently stained green, and waggling about as if Colin had found the greatest treasure in the entire world right there under the heather!

And in a sense he had. Now wasn't the time for philosophy --- that would wait until later this evening when he would run up to the grey stone outcropping in the meadows high above Hogwarts. But it was true whether he waxed philosophical or not: Clair, his own best girl, the heart of his own heart, he was certain, would be racing this morning, and he'd be cheering her on at the side of AngelFyre, his best friend and, he liked to think, personal seer.

With a quick movement Colin wiggled out from under the heather and sprang up, looking around. "Honetly," he said with a slight shake of his head. "That lassie is soooooo slow today! Ye'd think she kenned ne grammarye at all! ⁽¹⁾" He put his hands on his hips and gave her distant form a look that meant why aren't you running at my side? Welp! There was nothing for it but to run back in the direction of the castle where Fyre Angel was taking her sweet time!

She answered his unspoken query by showing him the bucket of pop corn that she'd brought for a snack. Colin danced around her merrily. He caught sight of her rolling her eyes once, and this made him laugh and caper, sticking his tongue out like a goofball! She said that the race could be the cause of a bit of grudge between their loves. Colin only smiled. He well knew that AngelFyre was desperately in love with Simon the Hufflepuff racer, just as he himself was with Clair the Ravenclaw racer!

"Pfft! Sorry lassie but the only one who'll be having any grudges is yer Simon --- from a hospital bed!" Colin laughed as got out his wand. He'd managed to get his chest and belly all stained green from his exploration of the heather. "Scourgify," he said with a very practiced wand motion. "Ach! One of the best spells ever!" he said as he examined himself. "No residual blades of grass or bits of leaf! Just clean skin!" He left his shirt undone just in case he spotted something else of immediate interest that required chasing. "No sense in tattering up me favourite shirt when a quick scourgify solves most problems! Oniewey, ye're a right muggle lassie, carrying that luggie aboot! ⁽²⁾"

"Yoink!" Colin nipped the bucket of popcorn out of AngelFyre's hands and, with a similarly deft swish and flick, said: "Wingardium leviosa!" And up the bucket floated, following along with his wand as they continued down to the stands. Fortunately they were early to the stands, and Colin at last relinquished the popcorn bucket. He had plenty of time to to get out a small blue and bronze paint set which, with AngelFyre's help, they painted a rather decent simulacrum of his beloved's team crest on his chest and belly.. That done, Colin sat for a minute, just happy to be with AngelFyre. Then as suddenly as nox dousing the light, Colin was up on his feet again, standing up on the seat! "WHOA! I can see the squid, Fyre Angel! This is gonna go rough for yer laddie! Yon squiddockie's got Ravenclaw banners in his tentacles!" Colin laughed and sat back down, taking notice of all the other kids and professors who had been streaming into the stands.

Before long the race was underway! His own racing captain, June Selwyn, was announcing the teams! "OWOOOOOOOO!!!!! CLLLLAAAIIIRRR!!! KNOCK THOSE BADGERS OUT OF THE SKY!!!!" he called up to his beloved as she readied to zoom off! And then June called for the race to start! And all the racers took off like wee golden snidgets!

"SHOW THOSE BIRDS HOW TO FLY, SIMON!!! YOU GOT THIS!!!" AngelFyre shouted!

Colin would not be outdone --- wait.

WAIT.

WAIT!

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

With a dramatic moan Colin collapsed into AngelFyre's side! He closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again, hoping that he had misseen! But NOO!! He had not! The entire Ravenclaw team just sat as if petrified at the starting line! What were they thinking!? Had one of the Hufflepuffs deafened them before the race even started? Colin well knew that the Badgers were a tough racing team, and he had the scars to prove it.

At last he stood up again! "CLLLAAAIIIRRR!!!! SGEITH MO CHRIDHE!!! ⁽³⁾ FLY ALL YOU RAVENS!!!"

Colin closed his eyes again!

And when he opened them, the birbs had all shot forward! Well, all except Clair! Brave girl, she grabbed hold of Silverton, flung her around and sent her shooting forward!

"OWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

"CORBIECLOOK!! CORBIECLOOK!! ⁽⁴⁾" Colin shouted with abandon! Colin was proud of his lassie, even when he was racing against her team. But this time, he could howl out to her as often as he wanted, because it wasn't him getting blasted with spells and stones and tree limbs. The only thing better than racing against Clair was cheering for Clair! And this he began to do as the Ravenclaws charged forward against the umbrella charmed Badgers!

Suddenly, AngelFyre grabbed Colin's hand and held it really tight! She wouldn't let go! He looked down at her and for a moment, she really seemed scared! He knew there was only thing that could ever terrify his dear Hufflepuff, and was something bad happening to Simon! He sat back down next to her and followed her line of sight. Hah! The waterfall! Colin loved flying through the waterfall!

He saw that one of the Badgers was plunging downwards --- Simon --- right into the water! As soon he bobbed up again, AngelFyre seemed relieved. Clearly she worried about him so very much. It brought to mind the memory of Clair lecturing him about trying to swim in the deep parts of the lake. She'd asked him what she would do without him. Colin smiled. He understood what both girls meant. Yet even so, Colin felt little worry for either Simon or himself! "Ach lassie! He'll be right as rain, you'll see!" he said to AngelFyre, giving her a reassuring hug.

As soon as he could see Simon again, he shouted down to him: "Oi Hechlepech!! ⁽⁵⁾ This is no time to go fer a swim!!" Soon enough, though, and just as Colin had predicted, Simon was indeed right as rain and got himself onto his broom and flying again.

And in that moment, it was Colin's turn to grab AngelFyre's hand! He knew she'd be needing it! This was far worse than landing at the foot of the waterfall --- Colin saw that two Ravenclaws and one Hufflepuff had been caught by the squid!!

"SIIIIIMMMMOOOONNNN!!!"

...kenned ne grammarye: knew no magic
Oniewey...: Anyway, you're such a muggle girl, lugging that pail around!
Sgeith mo chridhe: fly my heart!
Corbieclook!: Ravenclaw!
Hechlepech: Hufflepuff

@Angelfyre McCubbin | @Clair Fernandez | @Simon Kincaid

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

It was just as exciting to be a spectator and watch the grudge match with the ever excitable Colin McCoire. She could not help but giggle as he had his own series of elevated highs and knuckle dragging lows throughout, just as she did, but through it all, they chided each other mercilessly and always in fun. Neither wished bad for anyone flying up there, and most especially not for their significant others or their significant others' best friend.

Still, after holding her breath when Herman got his tentacle around Simon, she had to smile a bit when she got a view of it through her omnioculars. The smile turned into a laugh as she could so plainly see that Simon was not in the least bit nervous. Nope. He looked rather excited to not only see Herman, but to see him up close and personal. He was smiling and talking , and the look on his face was what she had come to recognize as his I-am-going-to-try-and-convince-you-of-x,y,z. Herman must have been persuaded because Simon was out of the cephalopod's grip in almost no time flat. She smirked as she bet he wished she was so easily persuaded at times.

From that point forward, it was her guy and Ravenclaw's Ari Gwild who were neck and neck to the very end. Spells were cast, fliers were Alley-Ooped, object were thrown, and people were knocked off their brooms. AngelFyre nudged Colin in the side and handed him the omnioculars to get a grand look at Serena Towers growing to epic proportions. "Looks like some birb successfully cast an Engorgio. I wonder if she likes it or hates it? I wonder if she had ever thought about being larger before... maybe not THAT large, but who knows? It looks good on her, but I am fond of her petite size personally."

AngelFyre left the omnioculars with Colin for a bit so he could lay eyes on his heart's desire. She kept her eyes on her own handsome hunk who was now pulling far ahead of everyone but Ari. This is going to be a real nail biter to the very end it looks like. She saw a flash of light headed Simon's way, and from such a distance it looked like he had been hit, but to her enormous relief, he did not fall from his broom. She was not certain in that moment if it meant more danger lay ahead for him from the casting, but for the moment he was safe and that was all that mattered to her.

What she knew mattered to him in those moments was the FINISH line and crossing it first. It was definitely within his reach, but it was also within Ari's. In a very quick move, she saw him attempt a blatch on Ari, but the Ravenclaw evaded at just the last moment. It gave Ari a slight edge on their bid to cross the FINISH line first, and it was at this time that AngelFyre unceremoniously grabbed the omnioculars back from Colin to see the last few seconds of the race. Ari was ahead... then Simon. Back and forth it went but at the last second, experience prevailed and Simon timed his final surge at just the precise moment to secure a victory for team Hufflepuff!

Many Hufflepuffs were in the crowd, cheering their team on just as there were many Ravenclaws, but no one, she was certain, cheered more loudly... or more proudly... than she did the second her fellow crossed over that FINISH line. In her exuberant joy, the large bucket of popcorn was tossed up in the air, snowing buttery white kernels down upon the heads of nearby bystanders, herself and Colin included.

"WAY TO GO, MAV! YOU REALLY ARE THE TOP GUN!!!"WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

And then thinking about it... she quickly added, just as loudly, hoping he would hear.

"Brilliant flying, Ari! Well done, lad!"

Turning to Colin she was beside herself with excitement and pride. Shaking him by the shoulders and jumping up and down, she spurted out, "Did you see that, Woofy? Did you see it? He was magnificent! And the best part is that this time he was conscious and gets to enjoy the victory," and she hugged her friend tightly, completely unaware that a couple of random kernels of popcorn clung to her hair in her excitement.

Her heart was beating a million meters a minute. She grabbed Colin's hand and deftly maneuvered a path for them around all of the dawdlers who stood between her and her man of the hour. If Colin thought she moved s l o o o o o w l y getting to the seating area less than an hour earlier, his head just had to be spinning at how fast AngelFyre was moving now.

"Come on, Woofy. I bet we can catch up to both Simon and Clair as they leave their respective locker rooms. There shall be celebrations and commiserations and cheers all around for a race well flown, but right now, you and I shall run like the wind!

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