Quidditch Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor - Spring 2024

𝓢he'd spent the previous afternoon on what truly should have been a fool's errand. She wasn't even all that superstitious, not in any way that mattered. But she didn't like feeling powerless, like nothing she could say or do would have any effect at all on fate, or the universe, or whatever other relentless force governed everything. So, a four-leaf clover. An easy, nigh-unattainable task to set herself to. And though it had taken hours, she had finally managed to find one, a wilted little thing with a caterpillar bite out of one of the aforementioned quartet of leaves. None of the stories had ever specified whether the good luck charm needed to remain whole and undefiled in order to work its pseudo-magic, but she liked to think that its imperfections gave it character. It had weathered the storm and made it out, bruised but so gloriously alive, the perfect little plant for a beater.

Before they'd made their way down to the pitch, she'd quietly tried to sneak it into Jorah's bag. Twice was coincidence, but the third time made a pattern. She was hoping to cut it off early at the knees. Jorah, up to you if this was successful.

It wasn't that she didn't want to play. She loved Quidditch; her veneration of the sport bordered on idoltry, with the soothing ebb and flow of it having buried itself somewhere deep inside the marrow of her. But the frenetic joy she'd felt for most of the year whacking bludgers at her opponents had waned significantly after the ball. While the superficial, relatively easy to heal injuries of Quidditch were little more than crude fetches when compared to what someone with real means and intention could do to a person, it was harder to summon the same simple, animal pleasure she'd felt at the beginning of the year as she slammed bludgers into her peers.

Glancing over across the pitch, she watched as Finnegan mounted his broom and flew up to join his teammates. It didn't feel right that he looked the same as he always had, mussy and lax. Did he still have the scar? Did it keep him up at night the way it did her, chasing her from her bed with bloody hands and fearful, empty eyes? She had been so excited to get the chance to play together, but now that the day had arrived, she found herself desperately hoping to finally spend a game on the bench.

She just didn't want to hit him. That was the crux of it, the end all be all. It was easier to look at him without thinking about it than it was to do the same with Pericles, as she wasn't reminded of what had happened to Finn every time she looked in his- She shut that thought down so hard that there was an audible bang in her thoughts as she closed and locked the box, pushing it down somewhere deep, deep in the recesses of her mind. Those kinds of thoughts weren't good for Quidditch.

She was just going to have to get over it. Finnegan certainly wouldn't have anything kind to say about her babying him like this, and she was of no use to her team if she was having doubts about being able to accomplish the one thing she was responsible for during the match. Finn would be fine. Nobody ever died from Quidditch, and her friend could probably use a good bludger to the head to knock some sense into him. A win-win for everybody.

She forced her eyes away from him and onto less maudlin things. Evelynn, sitting as elegant and stately as always on the Gryffindor bench, was a pleasant surprise; she hadn't been aware that she was on their roster. Her apparent role as second-string seeker certainly tracked with what little she knew about the other girl. She had a sort of relentless quality about her, a dogged dedication and attention to detail that would serve a seeker well. The nepo baby from the broom race back in November was on the Gryffindor team as well. Maybe Finnegan should be more concerned about friendly fire than any Ravenclaw bludgers coming his way.

Taking her seat on the bench, she couldn't help but miss Aly's company. She was happy for her having not only been moved up to first string, but in an entirely different position than what she'd played in the first two games of the year, but Aly's presence was soothing to her in a way that she selfishly wanted to keep close. Despite the warmth of spring around them, the bench felt colder without her there.

She settled in, eyes on the skies. With any luck, she'd get to watch as Ravenclaw took their first win of her Quidditch career.

Mentioning @Jorah Moussa, @Finnegan Connor, @Pericles Dralt, @Evelyn Decipio, @Elsian Cox, and @Aly Salinger

Reducio

[STATS] sta: 8 9 | eva: 3 4 | str: 7 | wis: 4 | ap: 6 | acc: 7 9

[ABILITIES] Perfectionist

[BROOM] Comet 180

[ACTION] Benched

The sun cast its golden rays onto the Quidditch Pitch as Ebony mounted her broom, the bright sunlight causing her to temporarily squint. As she soared through the air, her dark locks cascaded behind her, blown backwards by the slight breeze that rendered the weather perfect. She took a breath of the crisp air while scanning the pitch. Here it is, the last game of the year. The cheers that arose from the stands as the two teams gathered in the air caused Ebony's heart to beat wildly and uncontrollably, a plethora of insects buzzing around in her stomach. Even the sweet chirping of birds couldn't calm her nerves -- their team hadn't been winning much lately. Nevertheless, she intended to try her best today.

action: as strategised

Reducio This is me

Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor - 11th of May 2024

Reducio Outfit of the day

Today was her first match ever. And though this had always been a dream to her, Lithaen Galathynius was very nervous. She was afraid she would suddenly forget how to sit on a broom. Or maybe she'd fall and make a fool out of herself. She even dreamt she would! The team, however, was ready and she would start on the bench. That couldn't go wrong and she knew she was ready.

Her father taught her how to fly many years ago and she knew deep down she wouldn't forget how to fly. Nervously she walked onto the pitch, staring at all the people who were staring at her. Or her team. She waved awkwardly and then looked at the Quidditch captain, Pax. They gave a speech and Lithaen smiled. It was good to know they believed in their team. "Go lions!" she shouted, before sitting down at the bench.

Action:
Benched

Ability:
Seer

It was practically a crime having weather this nice when a game was about to go off. Forget about playing, today was perfect for a lazy day of flying and finding a spot to relax. Maybe have a picnic if you were feeling fancy.

Alas, the match was today. And with game day came another day of a bludger just waiting to take you out! There would be no picnics.

Elsian internally mourned the thought as both teams got into position, half listening to the chatter and pep talks and wondered about the likelihood of getting through this particular match unscathed. For the most part that is. Was this team particularly ruthless? Known for cheating? Or was that a different team; he couldn’t remember.

…

He suddenly regretted dozing off part way through the strategy talks.

Swinging the bat casually in his hand, he walked through the pitch. The spring breeze gently blew across his face, he idly brushed his finger through it like a playful kitten swatting a ball of yarn. Without a word, he put his arms up, stretching a bit before leaning back to his teammates.

Ethan put a hand up to shield his eyes from the sunlight as he nodded along to Pax's speech, trying to look tall and proud but ending up looking more like a puppy tilting its head in curiosity. “Pride should be high with the effort you're all putting forth,” he quipped with a cheeky grin, glancing at them individually.

“But,” he continued with a chuckle, “the main goal is to have fun. So let's put our sweat and tears aside for a bit, and just enjoy the game.” He gave his teammates a proud thumbs up before mounting to his broom, waiting for the game to start.

Action
Doing as strategized

Reducio

Broom: Firebolt (+4 to accuracy)

• 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.

Stats:
STA 10 | EVA 7 | STR 10 | WIS 2 | ARC 2 | ACC (10+4) 14

Abilities:
1. Broken Broomshaft

• Bludger attacks that knock a player off a broom (KOB) made by players with this ability have a 25% chance to also break said player's broom. Bludgering, bludger backbeats, and richochets apply.

2. Calming Presence (Gryffindor team)

• Allies gain a 10% chance to auto-hit on all actions needing an accuracy vs evasion roll. This does not stack.

Banner made by Winnie Harper, Stats not correct

May 11th, 2024

Quidditch was everything to Lavinia. She knew the Hogwarts field like the back of her hand and knew how to hold a quaffle better than a quill. Lavinia had dedicated all of her spare time to practicing and was fully determined to become a star professional chaser. This match against Gryffindor was a marker for how much her practice helped. Lavinia knew she had the skills, but had to ensure she could dodge and weave enough to be able to avoid inevitable attacks from the lions. Additionally, this match was one of her closest friends Cecily’s final one. Her captain buddy, day one quidditch buddy, and so much more. Lavinia wanted to preform at her highest to give Cecily the best final match of her Hogwarts career. This game was for the two of them and walking onto the field Lavinia grasped her broom was a sense of determination to win this game quickly.

Action: Doing as strategized
Health: 1300/1300
Broom: Varápidos, +3 to all stats, Enganação ability
Abilities: Foulplay, Chaser’s Interception, Evasive Maneuvers, Keen Eye, Muggle Condition, and Statistically Relevant
| Sta: 10 (13) | Eva: 16 (19) | Str: 7 (10) | Wis: 8 (11) | Arcp: 6 (9) | Acc: 22 (25) |

Five years! Where had the time gone?Already the last game of the season had arrived and soon with it, the end of Jorah's fifth year. So much had changed since that 11 year old boy first stepped off the Hogwarts Express. Friends and enemies had come and gone with the changing of the seasons. They existed now only in his memory. The one constant in Jorah's life was his love for Quidditch. In the calm solitutde of his locker room, Joran suited up for the match to come. Resolved to win, Jorah rummaged through his bag for his protective gear. Curiously, a four leaf was discovered. "Hello beautiful
how did you get here?" It was a good omen indeed. Jorah strapped on his leather bracers and tucked the clover underneath his left arm padding for good luck. Ravenclaw was not about to send off @Cecily Quinn without a win for her final year. Game time!
@Rebecca Lark

Reducio

Stats
Stamina: 10 || Evasion: 11 || Strength: 15 || Wisdom: 5 || Arcane Power: 1 || Accuracy: 17

Abilities
Broken Broomshaft
Evasive Maneuvers
The Muggle Condition
Obnoxiously Strong

Broom
Nimbus 1500:
if you hit an opponent with a bludger the bludger will then ricochet off that user and target a second opponent of choice

Doing as strategized

This was really not turning out to be Ravenclaw’s year, was it? The year had brought upon two matches so far, and in both cases, the Eagles had been defeated by a landslide. Seriously, what were they even doing? She seriously hoped that history would not repeat itself once more. Everyone knew the Gryffindors were like, the lamest house!

The lovely weather almost felt like it was mocking Renelle as she walked out onto the field with the rest of her team. She, as always, sat down on the bench by the sidelines, where she would presumably stay for the rest of the game, watching her house get slaughtered out there. At least she was going to have a great view.

Action: Benched

Stamina: 7 | Evasion: 5 6 | Strength: 3 5 | Wisdom: 5 7 | Arcane power: 2 | Accuracy: 8

Abilities: N/A | Broom: Nimbus 1001 (+ 2 wisdom, +2 strength, + 1 evasion)

. . .

❦ Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw ❦

. . .

Slouching onto the field, Odi screwed up his face against the harsh light as the Gryffindor team emerged from the changing rooms. It had been some time since he had last been to a match as part of the team, but the roar of thunderous cheering from his classmates and peers sent a jolt of electricity shooting through his body.
He glanced over at the opposing team. The swarm of blue robes was a formidable sight for any of the houses, but counting out the Gryffindor team’s prowess before the game had even begun would’ve been a foolish move indeed.

Odi shook his head. You’re benched. He reminded himself. And that’s what you get.
He turned his gaze over his other reserve teammates, some of whom he knew from first year, some of whom were new students themselves. “Come on.” He said to none of them in particular. “Let’s get to the sidelines.”

Word count: 153

Reducio

Action: Benched

Broom: Nimbus 1500
Broom effect: 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).

Stats:
Stamina: 5, Evasion: 5, Strength: 6, Wisdom: 4, ArcPower: 5, Accuracy: 5
Action: Benched

Abilities:
Part-Veela
Effect: Alluring: If a Part-Veela is being attacked there will be an urge to assist or protect them. Each round there is a 10% chance that an opponent in a duel or a moderated situation will decide to ally with the Part-Veela even against their own allies and attempt to protect them. This is not necessarily a romantic thing, but rather could be roleplayed as a fascination, a desire to not let something pretty be ruined, etc. This has nothing to do with sexual attraction unless as an RP'er that is what the user wishes to RP it as. This ability does not affect other Veela or Part-Veela. It will not stack if multiple Veela or Part-Veela are present.
Broken Broomshaft
Effect: In Quidditch, on a full hit with a bludger, if the user is knocked off their broom there is a 25% chance that the broom is shattered as well. In Broom Racing, successful hits on improvised projectiles and critical hits on [Attack] spells made by racers with this ability have a 25% chance to also break a rider's broom. If the broom is shattered, the opponent will not be able to use the broom for the duration of the match (they do not loose their broom permanently, they would repair it off-screen later). If they are caught by an ally, they would have no broom to return to and would have to ride with an ally or remain on the ground for the duration of the game. There are some two-player moves where a player can share a broom but this is still a devastating loss for a team.

Banner credit to @Winnie Harper

Seven years was a long time. At least, it was to a girl who was only 17 years old. It was almost half of her lifetime, and it was almost surreal how short it had felt. The gravity of the moment hadn't quite struck Cecily yet as she put herself through the motions in the locker room-- lacing her boots, inspecting her broom, tying back her hair, pulling on her gloves. It was just another match, she'd told herself, enough times that she'd started to forget that it wasn't.

She looked down at her Silver Arrow and the worn wooden handle that had molded to her palm. It had flown her through highs and lows, through thick and thin. She'd spent hundreds of hours on her broom over the past seven years, out on the pitch with her team and her friends and this game which had given her a purpose, a reason to show up every day. It was a loyal friend and a trusty companion, and although beaten and battered and overdue for some much-needed TLC, it had never let her down before. All she needed out of it was one more glorious victory.

Entering the pitch as she heard her name, head held high, the warm spring weather was a welcome change from the cold or rain that seemed to plague her every match. It felt as though the universe was on her side today, ushering her through this final match. And yet-- it all still refused to feel real. Like there would be nothing after this. Who was she if not a part of her team? She'd held the title for so long that it seemed to be a part of her, a natural extension of her own name. Cecily Quinn, Chaser, Captain of Ravenclaw Quidditch. Now she'd simply be Cecily Quinn, Hogwarts Graduate. At least she wouldn't be a Hogwarts dropout. Or a Hogwarts casualty.

As she kicked into the air, she took just a moment to take it all in, one last time. The crowds in the stands, who had come out to support their house. Her team, who would do anything for the game and for each other in these all-important moments and who had worked and trained and practiced for this. The calm before the storm. She thought of the teammates who had come and gone since her first year-- Sylvain, River, Emma, Bloom-- and those who had been a steady presence through it all. Friends who played by her side for years, or rookies who stuck around for just a few months. The second-strings who put their heart into every practice without even knowing if they'd get their moment in a match. Every player who had chosen to dedicate their time and talent every day had left a mark on this team, and she'd learned something new from each and every one of them. And this, here, today, was the culmination of it all: seven years of late night practices and early morning matches, of knock-outs and scores and fouls, of conditioning and training and drills and sheer experience. This was the day. Ravenclaw would bring home a victory, a dramatic finale to Cecily's seven-year career and her reign as captain.

It all came down to this.

ACTION: as strategised
HEALTH: 1100/1000 (Aly's Paragon of Health)

BROOM: silver arrow (+3 to all stats)

| sta: 7 (10) | eva: 9 (12) | str: 10 (13) | wis: 8 (11) | arcp: 4 (7) | acc: 20 (23) |
metamorphmagus | sixth sense | skilled transfigurer | foul play