alt_draco | Entries tagged with quidditch

Anyone catch who started up the "Take to the Sky" chant? We Take To the Sky and Never Say Die! Oi Oi Oi! - if you listen to any of the old Falcons matches from the 1970s, you'll hear it. And Professor Dolohov's definitely got the quidditcher's patter down, which is dead impressive, considering he's never walked the Pitch. Anyway, it all makes me wish I'd been born earlier so I could have seen the Razzer in a real professional match, especially that one against the Tornados when--

Oh, looks like they're putting up the final set of wards. ~~Why do they need stupid Crouch for it~~ I think it'll be starting soon!

Just a reminder to all the quidditchers I got in touch with: we're meeting at 09:00 at Malfoy Manor tomorrow morning for our first Quidditch Club meeting. Bring your gear and your brooms - after Harry goes through the agenda we'll have a scrimmage and then, just after 13:00, we'll break for a light luncheon.

If anyone can make it to New London on Friday afternoon, we'll be having our first meeting of the Junior Society for the Improvement of New London. It'll be a picnic lunch on Hampstead Heath, and then we'll walk around the Heath and pick up rubbish and mend loose fence posts. Let Harry know if you can make it, and which sandwich you would prefer: cheese and cress, cold chicken, or potted shrimps.

On Saturday afternoon the Culinary Appreciation Club will be meeting to try out a new Burmese restaurant that's just opened near Hyde Park. Let Harry know if you're interested - he'll need to know by Thursday to make the reservation. Also, the restaurant owner wanted to be sure that everyone is well aware that Burmese food is on the spicy side and that no, it's not "just like curry."

On Sunday afternoon the Avid Art-Goers are catching a matinee performance of Hex and Dodge! at the Lyceum. The theatre manager can only reserve eight seats, so let Harry known straight away if you would like to attend and ~~Daphs wil~~ he will be sure to add you to the list.

Let's see... I know there will be some other events going on next week, too, but I'll be on the YPL trip and won't be able to attend. But yeah, the Investigators of Ghostly Phenomenon might hold a seance at 50 Berkeley Street, and the History Club will be checking out the new Protectorate Collection (if not next week then likely the week after). Just let Harry know what you're interested in and he'll take care of the rest.

Went for a fly this morning for the first time in some weeks. I must say that while this year has been packed with new and interesting activities, I really do miss quidditch. I especially feel for the 7th years who were looking forward to playing out their final season, only to discover that they'd already played it back in 6th year. Bit rubbish, that. But I suppose it can't be helped.

Seems a few folks are still feeling a bit low that they've not been invited to that Beauxbatons soiree. All I can say to that is: really? It's just a bit of faculty-supervised tea and mingling, not the second coming of the Yule Ball. I can't speak for other Houses, but there's usually more interesting things than that going on in the Slytherin common room on Saturday nights. Dancing in the music alcove, or even just listening to the wireless, along with snap and portkey at the game tables. So if you're feeling left out, just grab a mate and make something happen.

Off to the YPL/CCF Planning meeting in a bit. See the rest of you lot there.

Current Location: en route to Lunch

We were thinking of having a bit of a lad's night tonight, just to celebrate the end of exams and get in some good male bonding before taking to the dance floor tomorrow. Seems most of the girls will be together making adjustments to their dress robes and experimenting with hair charms, so why not?

Gamp and Vaisey are in, which means ~~refreshmen~~ butterbeer. I have the latest issue of Quidditch Weekley Deluxe, which has full-colour photographs from Sunday's Appleby v. Wimbourne match (what a cob-up that was - epic use of porskoff ploy for Wimbourne, though). Might bring along some other reading material, too. Cards a must.

Meet up at the usual place, 'round eight or so. Anyone interested can show - even you, Smith.

It's been a full week back, that's to be said. Along with all the talk about the Triwizard announcement, a lot of people have been asking me if I can teach them to speak French. All I can say to that is that if I had that kind of free time, I'd be some kind of professor or something. But for those of you that already have SOME kind of conversational knowledge of the language, I was thinking of forming a weekend afternoon group where we can just practise talking to each other while drinking tea or something. I'm a bit rusty myself, but when she was here I spoke to my Aunt Amanda almost entirely in French, so I've already gotten some good practise in in the last few weeks.

Along those lines, me and the lads on the Slytherin quidditch team have agreed that it'll be important to keep up with our flying, even with quidditch cancelled for the year. If any of the other house teams want to arrange some impromptu pick-up matches, talk to me or Harry or anyone else on the Slytherin team.

Has anyone else noticed how much nicer the food is at school, compared to last year? The elves must have stepped up their efforts, now that we'll be hosting guests. Or maybe they're getting better food and ingredients - anyway, something's definitely different.

Current Location: Slytherin common room

It's hard to believe that something so good can end in a way that's so bad.

Up until the explosion, yesterday was one of the snitchest days I've ever had. I was with my family and friends, we were watching the Quidditch World Cup, which I didn't think I'd ever get to see here in England, and to top it all off, everyone else was invited, too. Who would want to ruin that? My Father was hurt. He should be alright, but he was lucky. Not everyone was.

Aunt Bellatrix was one of the ones leading the demonstration. I sort of wish I could have joined her and all the rest of them, but I'm not of age, so I couldn't.

As I flip through the pages of my book for the last day or so, it's interesting to note that the majority of other people's entries (and my own) consist of Private Messages. As much as I use and value the PM system, I have to admit that I do miss the days when people would simply log their schedules, comment on recent events, or just say something utterly daft and laughable. People still do that, mind; just seems as if it all gets overwhelmed by the surplus of PMs.

So, in light of this observation, I am planning a return to more public postings, and I hope that some of you lot reading will do the same.

Getting closer to the end of the term is always an odd time. Everyone can feel the hols building in the air, and that, along with the pleasant weather, makes it really tempting to just faff about and play portkey, or go for a fly around the lake. But then there's all this building pressure too, with more revising, upcoming exams, and the summer YPL stuff.

So, if anyone wants to come to a combined study-and-games/music-after session, let me know and I'll see if I can organise something snitch.

Mother: I hope you received my package and that it found you in good spirits.

Crabbe: Where's my France-Bulgaria quidditch programme? If you've sopped up your juice with it or something then we will have problems, you and I. I hope you're not hanging onto it because you're actually trying to read it, because it's written in French, genius. Goyle was convinced for a while that it was just really strange handwriting.

Harry: Has your Father said yet what you'll be doing this summer? You'll get to stay with us for a while, right?

Current Location: the great hall

Having my own owl has made Christmas shopping loads easier this year. I've already sent Freyja out with several orders to deliver to Harrod's, Dervish and Banges, and some other New London shops, and by the time I'm back home all of the gifts should be taken care of. Except for yours, Mother - since it's the best, it'll take a little longer.

A few notes, just because sometimes it's easier to get them down here than to chase everyone down in person...

Pansy: I think the song sounds really smashing, but I've been playing around with a new tune that I'd like to get your opinion on. I just keep thinking about how Mr Tenebridge might ask if we have any other songs besides "Hey Merlin." It's not very likely, I realise, but what if he does?

Patil: If you're not busy with Page one of these days, I've something to follow up with you on.

Baddock: I've found that magazine you've been asking about. It's yours to keep, if you still want it. I was getting bored of it, anyway.

Dinner's just ended and I can't believe how hungry I still am. When the quidditch season started I was trying to eat as much as I could so that I could make up for how much taller I've got. Weedy doesn't work so well when you're playing chaser, but it's better to be light when you're seeker, so now I'm trying to eat less. Seems like all it's done is make me think about food, constantly - even the transfigured kind. I don't know how girls get by on one poached egg and a half-slice of toast. It's probably less food than my owl eats.

Oh, and before I forget, when we get back from hols I'll try to speak with Professor Slughorn about organising more potions workshops in the dungeon classrooms, since everyone liked the one we did last month so much. Teddy, Blaise, let me know if you want to be in on it. You too, Harry.

Current Mood: busy
Current Location: empty classroom

So I know I've already asked you, but are you sure you're not hacked about Sunday's meeting? Because everyone would much rather have you as seeker, you know. No question about it. And I know you've told me it's fine but... well, you don't have your broom and you don't have your spot on the team and I know it's not fine, don't I? I know it's not. But look, things won't stay this way forever. They can't. Snape and MacNair can't hide out that much longer, I'm sure of it. And once they've caught them everything will go back to the way it was before.

I think we should work on that spell together, see if either of us can get any closer to casting it. I know the Raz is helping you during your lessons, but I'd like to learn to cast it too, just in case. I just really want to know what my patronus will look like too. That giant leopard is just so brilliant! I hope mine's a dragon or something equally wicked. It's just so hard to concentrate and think of something happy at the same time. The Raz sure is good at it, though, and he said it's like second nature by now so there's no reason why it can't be that way for us eventually, too. What do you reckon his happy thought is? I bet he thinks about all the girls he's snogged, past, present and future. Speaking of - are people still asking you about what's going on between him and Professor Sinistra? Daphs made some kind of probing comment about it when we were walking back from Creatures. I bet she fancies him like all the other girls do.

Now everyone's asking me about Hydra. What do they expect us to say? When it comes to what goes on between Hydra and Auntie Bella, it's just better to stay out of it.

Current Location: the library

Some people have seen Harry and I coming back from practice with our brooms lately and rightly put two and two together, asking what was ever determined about that mad bludger. It is true that Harry and I have been allowed to fly again, and it's because my Uncle analysed the bludger and figured out that whoever hexed it did it through the box that the bludgers are kept in, and also that it was a hex meant to injure, not to kill anyway. So I guess it really was just about helping Gryffindor to win the match. Bit mental to think that the Slytherin team is seen as such a threat, but also a bit understandable, too, seeing as we won anyway despite the bludger.

Beyond that it seems the only thing to be done these days is revising. I'm getting bored of it all, even if it is a necessity, but at least there's duelling to think about.

Current Location: the great hall

I've just left the Hospital Wing. Harry's resting there now, and he'll have to stay all night because ~~stupid Lock~~ the bones in his arm have to be re-grown. The mad bludger broke them, and then when Professor Lockhart was trying to fix the break he accidentally got rid of the bones altogether. Harry said it didn't hurt but from what Madam Pomfrey was saying it sounds like growing them back will hurt. That bludger could have done a lot worse, though, so if someone enchanted it for a laugh, they've no idea what's in store for them when they're found out. But it's nothing good, I can tell you that.

The Hospital Wing was packed with people trying to get in to see if Harry was alive or not. Even Professor Carrow's mudblood was all worried for some reason, and that must have been the last straw for Harry because he told him to bugger off. So we all decided we should probably leave, even though Hydra didn't want to.

Weasley, I saw what you were writing about me during the match. You can keep your fat, ugly grubs, bait man, because I'm not taking them. I'll only say that if my Father's purchase of the broomsticks bothers you so much, I suggest you take it up with him and see how much you like where that gets you.

Pansy, I think that's the foulest language I've seen anyone from our year use in the journals so far! Brilliantly done. ~~Thanks~~

Current Location: outside the Hospital Wing

Quidditch tryouts for Slytherin are on Friday, and I'm going for chaser, even though Blaise keeps telling me I have a "seeker's build," whatever that means.

What I think it means is that he wants to go for chaser and knows that I'll definitely beat him. I bet nobody will even try out for seeker because there's no way they would be better at it than Harry. So why bother?

I can't believe that someone brought lice into the school. I wonder who that could be. Not that it's their fault, I guess. I mean, the prefects said that anyone can get it, and I looked it up in a book and it said that girls get it more because they have longer hair to cling too, and also that lice prefer clean hair, which was surprising to me. I would have guessed they liked dirty, greasy hair, and Teddy told me he would have guessed the same thing. It's funny how sometimes something that isn't true can become what everyone thinks. Still, it would be completely disgusting to have lice and I'm glad that I don't.

Ugh, now I'm sorry I wrote about it. I feel all crawly.

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Location: waiting for the moving staircase

I haven't decided if I like camping or not. For one the tent is pretty cramped and I think we have more people in our tent than anyone else for some reason. The tent also smells a little off and isn't very nice, but we've really only been in it at night, so I guess it doesn't matter that much. I rather wish I'd been able to bring one of Father's tents, though. They're really posh, with full kitchens inside and everything.

Teddy definitely seems to know the most about being outdoors, probably since he's from Wales. He shared his insect-repelling potion with me yesterday, since the bugs were really bad and kept biting me more than anyone else, even though I was using the charm they showed us on Tuesday. I counted later and I have over thirty bug bites, ugh!

Seeing the Falcons again was pretty wiz-nift. Auggie Orville remembered me from Harry's birthday last year, and asked what position I play at Hogwarts. I told him I'll probably go for chaser. He has the same broom as I do, ha! He seemed surprised that I'd got mine before he even got his.

I tried to talk with Harry about what happened on his Birthday and how I was sorry I had to miss it, and then I asked him why he never writes in his book anymore, either. I'm not sure he was listening to me very closely, though. He didn't say much about it.

Did anyone else hear anything dodgy last night? We all heard something tromping about in the underbrush. Percy Weasley told us it was probably just an animal that was further away than it sounded, and reminded us that there were likely wards cast around the campsite. Still, we all heard it. Vince was so petrified I think he might've been crying! Whatever it was, it made noise for about twenty minutes between midnight and one, and then it stopped.

Current Location: outside

I didn't really expect to miss France but in the weeks since we've been back it's been a complete bore. Father is off doing important political business and Mother has been with Auntie Bella a lot in case the baby comes, which it hasn't yet, even though it was supposed to have come on Sunday.

Mostly, though I don't know where Harry's been keeping himself. He only responded to one of my Owls while I was in France, and he never seems to write in his book anymore, either. Father says that the Lord just has a lot of plans for Harry right now and to be patient, and then he took me to Buckingham so I could see him, and the whole time I was there I just sat alone in a drawing room with Dennis, Harry never came round and neither did Granger. I thought I heard his voice in one of the corridors, but when I went out to look all I could see was a big group of adults talking about the muggle camps.

The reason it matters is because Harry's birthday is in a few days and I haven't heard yet what we'll be doing to celebrate. Last year we played quidditch with the Magpies, and then later at the Magpies-Falcons match they let Harry release the snitch. It was dead wiz-nift. Maybe we can do something with more people this time, though, like a party at Buckingham. What do you think, Harry? I hope you'll read this. I got your present in France but I've been waiting to give it to you. Seamus came over to the manor yesterday and I showed it to him and he was mad impressed and had never seen anything like it, of course. We had a pretty good time, though, wish you could have been there.

Current Mood: curious
Current Location: the manor library

Why are all the girls are going around the castle with their hair in ridiculous curls? Well, mostly ridiculous, I supose it suits some people. Others are better off with blue ears. Actually, I overheard some Hufflepuff at supper yesterday, claiming that I won AK by cheating. I can't believe anyone still cares enough to complain, but if they do I'll only say that its not cheating to ask for an experts advice on a subject. My aunt was an expert hit-wizard and its not cheating to ask her about it, its called strategy. Just like if I needed to make a good potion I'd go to Professor Slughorn and if I wanted to be saved or save someone from dying I would go to Madam Pomphrey. Or, I might go to my Mother first. And even in quidditch, sometimes teams will bring in retired players for a bit of coaching.

Mother, did you and Father get my Owl on friday? No ones written me yet this week ~~and I don't understand what's goi~~

We've got a load of charms to work on this week, and me and Blaise and Teddy are going to work together. I guess Vince and Greg will be there too, because they're in the same dorm and whatnot, but I don't see them doing much of the actual work. Harry, you can join us if you want. If you can tear yourself away from the library for once, that is.

Current Location: a staircase somewhere

I don't think I like Christmas much anymore. There's too many people, and this year there was even more people than usual. Nanella kept bringing her friend from Brazil along and he was much younger than her and I couldn't understand anything he said. And the Razzer kept trying to do a spell that would make me smile and it made my face stick that way for hours and afterwards my cheeks ached. Ned was being friendly and talking to me about quidditch, but I guess he forgot that whenever I see him in the Great Hall with his chums he'll barely give me a nod. I ate too many chocolate frogs, too, and was sick in the night.

But at least everyone gave me a present. That made me feel better. ~~Except I didn't get my BRO~~

The best night was Christmas Eve because it was just me and Harry at Buckingham Palace. And the Lord was there too of course but we didn't see him after dinner. ~~Harry showed~~ We played green ghost but I don't know how much I like that game anymore. I might be too old for it. Or maybe it's just not such a brilliant idea to play it in a place that's as big as Buckingham. Mostly, I wish that things and people would just let Harry alone! He's never done a bad thing to anyone and he's a much pleasanter person than me, so, I wish that... they would just let him be.

I have to go now. Father's taking me to the Ministry today.

Current Location: the pantries

Its become colder out so I'm drinking more tea than usual, at every meal most times, and today I discovered a surprise in my chest of tea leaves when I went to the other end of the Slytherin table at breakfast to get some milk. I don't know why our jug was empty, but it must have been Goyle since he had a foul milk moustache for most of today. When I came back with the milk a Hufflepuff was shouting and his hand was swollen nearly to quaffle-size. Harry told me that he was fairly certain that the Hufflepuff had been trying to nick some of my tea when the tea chest got him. Mother must have put a hex on it. Mother, if you're reading this, thank you and thank you also for the extra chocolate you sent last week.

I think that Herbert Fleet plays keeper for Hufflepuff. I wonder if he'll be able to catch the quaffle with quaffle sized hands?

Is there anything to do tonight? I'm becoming tired of exploding snap and its hurting my ears beside.

Current Mood: bored
Current Location: the common room