Count me in. on Crotalus Commons

Captain Topher Calhoun

January 13, 2013 1:43 PM

Crotalus Quidditch Sign-Ups by Captain Topher Calhoun

He had not, unlike some of the seventh years, made a big show out of it at the Feast, but Topher’s initial feeling, when he’d heard about the cancellation of the Quidditch tournament, had been anger. He had just gotten to be the captain of the Crotalus team, a year ahead of schedule, at the end of last year, and now he wasn’t going to get a chance to make his grand debut after all. That had been what was on his mind at the time, what had just come instinctively.

Since, he had calmed down. He wasn’t completely happy about being the senior captain next year, against a bunch of rookie captains since all the others were graduating at the end of this year, because then he’d be the guy who might be perceived as coming in with an advantage instead of as the hotshot kid beating everyone unexpectedly, but he was Crotalus enough to be able to put those scruples aside, so he was looking on the bright side of all the experienced captains leaving before he had to deal with them. Plus, the more he thought about it, the more he realized it would be completely and utterly dumb to have all these big challenges and the Quidditch games at the same time. Maybe some of the others could handle it, but he was starting his RATS classes this year, and was pretty sure that unless the challenges were a lot less impressive than they’d sort of sounded, he was going to be pretty tired by the end of the year even just having to run practices alongside all the rest of it.

It was a little disappointing, all this, but it was what would work best for him, so he was looking at it that way. He just hoped the rest of the Crotalus players would come to see it that way while the rest of the school’s Quidditch enthusiasts continued having nervous breakdowns or at worst became apathetic and slipped out of condition, so that next year, they could wipe them all out. He was only going to have one chance to win the Championship, and he would take any advantage toward doing that which he could get his hands on.

Crotalus Quidditch Team

Sign up here for the Crotalus Quidditch team by giving me your name, year, and your desired position(s). Try-outs will be as soon as Captain Calhoun can book the Pitch; the exact date will be posted by the weekend. Let’s get ready to win!

- Topher Calhoun, 6th Year, Captain and Beater

Beneath the message was plenty of room for anyone who wanted to, unless a number of people had handwriting with letters multiple inches high, to sign up with the information that he’d asked for from each of them. He had kept his message short for that exact reason, so no one would think of the team as full. He wanted every warm body he could stick in a red robe and have on a bench just in case when they did get back to playing games.

Subthreads:

Count me in. by Cepheus Princeton

This is something of a relief by Gareth Whitebriar

Signing up by Percival Everett Waterford II

Reporting for Duty by Linus Macaulay

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Cepheus Princeton

January 15, 2013 1:10 PM

Count me in. by Cepheus Princeton

This year was going to be odd, Cepheus just knew it. It had started off with his mind stuck in a funk, then the headmistress announced Quidditch was to be cancelled, and there was some sort of challenge course planned. Ceph wasn't sure what to make of it all, just that it would be a good break from all that he was used to. Sonora was good at that.

His surprise, then, was warranted when he saw a post for Quidditch sign-ups. Cepheus's goal here was to be the Quidditch captain in at the very least his last two years here. He hadn't made the 'Quidditch Obsessed' award, though he certainly thought he deserved it, but he did love the game and his role in the team. It was with no hesitation that he drew out his quill and signed his name with flourish. He wanted to win, but it was difficult getting his hopes up every year and losing.

Last year the loss had been more difficult than other years because his younger brother was on the opposing team. His pride had been damaged badly and he had been a child about the entire thing. He was better now, though still a little bitter about that particular loss. He'd been glad when Pecari had lost, though he was also peeved that Aladren had won yet again. This year he would just have to play it by ear and cross his fingers for a win.

He would miss Sam Bauer quite a lot. He had admired the former Head Boy and Quidditch captain very much though he had never really expressed his admiration for him to him. Now he aimed to live on Sam Bauer's legacy, hoping he could do a good enough job. This time, however, he was hoping to lead his team to victory, much of the responsibility weighing on his shoulders. He signed his name on the sheet, despite the uncertainty of there being any Quidditch matches, and left to go to breakfast.

Cepheus Princeton, 4th year, Seeker

40 Cepheus Princeton Count me in. 216 Cepheus Princeton 0 5

Gareth Whitebriar

January 15, 2013 8:09 PM

This is something of a relief by Gareth Whitebriar

Over the summer Gareth had come perilously close to killing his little brother. The demented boy made him fly nearly every dayof the summer to train him so that he could make the team this year instead of just being second string. Summer was Garth’s time to actually relax and not have to get on a broom for a while. But no, Enion had to drive him to distraction begging and pleading for more and more training. At this point the large boy had no idea how heights still managed to upset him so. Really, he’d spent more time in the air over the last few months than he had on the ground.

He’d become bloody good at hiding his fear over the years, and now it didn’t affect his flying at all. But the sick feeling had never really faded, and Gareth never could eat before or after flying. As a result the elder Whitebriar had lost some weight over the summer, making him look even ganglier than before since he’d grown another four inches in that time as well.

Gareth didn’t know whether he should thank the Head Mistress or curse her name. On the one hand, he wouldn’t have to fly much this year, just for try-outs and practices. So he’d actually be able to eat again without feeling like he’d be sick. On the other hand, Enion was going to be utterly impossible to live with. After all that work, the boy would likely lose his mind when he realized that without games it didn’t matter if he made the team or not. He wouldn’t be able to show his prowess on the field and help his team gain victory.

Oh well, he’d take what blessings he could get. At least Enion wasn’t a Crotalus and couldn’t bother him all hours of the day and night with his nonsense.

Passing the signup sheet, Garth paused long enough to add his name in his strong masculine text:

Gareth Whitebriar – Fourth Year – Beater

0 Gareth Whitebriar This is something of a relief 0 Gareth Whitebriar 0 5

Percival Everett Waterford II

January 15, 2013 9:34 PM

Signing up by Percival Everett Waterford II

This was the proper thing to do. He knew it. He was supposed to play Quidditch, or at least as close as the Headmistress would allow. It was expected of him, and he had to do it. He sighed and examined the sign up sheet again, he really wasn't all that interested in sports, but you had to do what you had to do. Since all well brought up heirs to the big families were expected to play Quidditch, so would he. It wouldn't be as bad as he thought. Ginny had actually made some good points at the opening feast. Without there actually being any games, he could see if he was even any good at the game without really risking anything. If he played and he was good, he'd be set for next year. If he was horrible, they wouldn't let him on the team next year and the team wouldn't ultimately suffer for it this year. Right?

Heck, that was even assuming he made the team, after all most of these people have probably been riding brooms and playing Quidditch since they were old enough to walk, he'd only been 'flying' for a few months now. The only problem was which position should he try out for? The captain was already one of the beaters, that's okay he didn't think he'd like that position anyway, or seeking. Seekers needed to be really good flyers. Chasers had to be pretty good flyers as well, but there were three of them so they had some back up. Keepers didn't have to fly around to much, maybe he should try for that position. Still a bit undecided he wrote on the sheet:

Percival Waterford II, 1st year, Keeper or Chaser

2 Percival Everett Waterford II Signing up 1502 Percival Everett Waterford II 0 5

Linus Macaulay

January 28, 2013 4:32 PM

Reporting for Duty by Linus Macaulay

The announcement concerning the cancellation of Quidditch was not so surprising to Linus as the reaction it had elicited. On balance, he decided that yes, he was disappointed to not be able to play this year. However, the Crotalus Team was not at its strongest, with Sam and Nic both having graduated, and nobody was really sure whether or not Renée would even be playing this year. Topher was the new Captain, and while Linus had been glad to receive the Assitant Captain position, he didn't necessarily want to flaunt his new authority in a year when his team was likely to perform less well than usual. In some ways it even presented a quiet relief; they could (almost certainly) continue to practise, and train up new players, without the pressure of a championship to warp perspectives. Linus and Paul would both be taking their CATS at the culmination of the year, and with the extra work the challenges may or may not present - the students would hopefully know more about them before too long - a year off from Quidditch games might be an exercise in success.

Evidently, not everyone had resigned so easily to the news and been able to identify the positive sides to the story so easily. Linus had been far too distracted at the time to give more thought to the outburst, but now that he'd had time to contemplate the outbursts, he thought that all those who might have made loud and undignified objections ought to be banned from the sport for a second year, just to prove a point (and no, he might not have been of that opinion if it didn't think it would benefit his team). He rarely approved of brash displays of personal emotion, particularly at such a formal event, and when a large proportion of those who had made a fuss were supposed to be in positions of relative authority, setting a good example to the new students. Inevitably, however, not everyone had such a good grasp of common sense and propriety as Linus did himself.

Regardless of whether there would be formal games or not, Linus was determined to keep in shape over the coming year, and so when Mr Calhoun posted the sign-up sheet, Linus did not hesitate to add his own details to the sign-up:

Linus Macaulay, 5th year, Chaser and Assistant Captain.

He particularly enjoyed writing the title which he had inherited at the close of the previous year. He knew that only being a year younger than Topher would only guarantee him the cpataincy for one year at Sonora, and that was the same as his graduating and final exam year, so he needed to complete all his preparation for the role as early as possible. It was a way off in the future yet, but Linus fully intended for Crotalus to win the Quidditch Championship during his reign as Captain.

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