InsaneJournal

Quidditch: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin
Who: Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch
What: Game
Where: Pitch
When: Saturday


The air was chill, but a soft cold rather than the bitter cold that had characterized most of the last few weeks. It gave the players a special jaunt to their steps as they moved onto the field, and kept the roars below at a loud rumble while they took positions and Madam Hooch began the game.

There would be many challenges to face this game. For Gryffindor, the disappearance of not one but two of their starting and most valuable players. For Slytheirn, the change only yesterday to a new captain that had taken many on the team by surprise. The two captains seemed to be trying to stare each other down for a moment, Vaisey uncomfortable and Weasley likely confused that she was not meeting Malfoy's eyes across the small space, and then both moved as if they were driven by hordes to their positions, yelling to their respective teammates and each trying to take control of the Pitch to set the tone of the game. Weasley seemed to be driven with a hunger to win that was formidable, while Vaisey seemed a bit disconcerted with his one day old role as Slytherin Captain, perhaps even a bit preoccupied.

That drive got Weasley the first goal of the game, and then another, and Gryfindor was able to jump the score to a quick 30-0 before the Slytherin Chasers moved into action, scoring a quick succession of goals against the untried reserve Keeper Blenkinsop for Gryffindor. It was obvious that Gryffindor was feeling the loss of its starting Keeper.

Gryffindor Chasers fought their hardest to make up the loss, however. Thomas's graceless but powerful playing and Robins' aggressive flying reminded more people of Beater's playing than a Chaser's, but matched with Frobisher's speed the three quickly tied up the score.

With the score below steadily rising for both sides, injuries began piling up as well. A well placed shot from Gryffindor's Sloper resulted in a hard shot to Captain Vaisey's ankle, but as he struggled to keep from spinning out Beater Goyle managed a shot too that luckily - or unluckily, depending on your side - spun straight to Gryffindor's reserve Keeper Blenkinsop's shoulder with a resounding crack of bludger against bone that sent him falling through his own hoops and to the ground, leaving the Gryffindor hoops open for a Slytherin onslaught that ran the score to Slytherin's favour.

In contrast, Keeper Urquhart seemed completely on his game now that the shock of those first few getting past him was over, however with their own hoops undefended the Gryffindor Chaser team went on the offensive to the highest degree, triple teaming the Slytherin hoops every time they had hands on a Quaffle and making it so that Urquhart was hardly able to keep up with the barrage of Quaffles. Chasers Zabini and Harper managed a handful of intercepts though, moving as a well practiced team to take advantage of the open Gryffindor hoops.

The final battle, however, came down - as it usually does - to two Seekers sitting high above the field, waiting for a speck of gold in the graying sky. Weasley was a good Seeker on all accounts, for someone who didn't play the position as often, but her attention was focused on her team as well. A good Captain, she sat rigid and ready as she watched the game and searched for the Snitch. Malfoy, however, seemed uncharacteristically relaxed on his broom. Turning over the Captaincy seemed to have relieved him also of whatever he felt was his responsbility in this game. Until he saw that flap of wings, that speck of gold. A momentary look to see that yes, Weasley had seen it too, and then they were both off in the chase.

Slytherin has never been known to play fair, and Quidditch has never been a characteristically fair sport, so when Malfoy sideswiped Weasley, pushing her into the path of a stray bludger, it wasn't particularly unexpected. The bludger went too far, though, and missed her completely, and all the maneuver earned him was a few extra seconds. He had no doubt the fiery redhead would return the favour in kind, save that at that moment the Snitch changed directions, and so did they.

Until the last moments, it was anyone's guess who would catch the Snitch. The game continued around them (In a particularly Slytherin movie, Harper took advantage of the crowds attention being on the Seekers to take the Beater's bat from Crabbe and knock a bluger straight for an unsuspecting Sloper's head, sending him tumbling. Watching that show rather than where he was headed, a moment later a crash was heard as Goyle collided with Vaisey, the bull-like larger boy sending his new Captain off his broom.) but Malfoy and Weasley were shoulder to shoulder chasing that speck of gold. Suddenly it dove, and they followed, and in the fast dive they nearly collided as both reached for the Snitch at nearly the same time.

Only one could catch it, however.

Final score after one hour and fifteen minutes of game play: Slytherin 220, Gryffindor 110.