Captain Alistair Johnson
May 05, 2016 1:43 PM
Quidditch sign-ups! Crotalus is relying on you... by Captain Alistair Johnson
Along with the well thought out training plan he had spent a lot of time creating, Alistair had also made the team sign-up sheet before returning back to Sonora. It wasn’t because he was so keen to get it done as trying to find his inner creativity to produce an eye-catching sheet of paper that no one would probably write on was quite possibly the dullest of his tasks as Quidditch Captain. Nonetheless he had to try and be positive. After reviewing his coaching methods over the summer he was even more aware of the importance of positivity for success.Getting the sign-ups done in advance had meant he had plenty of time to come up with a good design, something that didn’t actually come that easily to him, and put it onto paper. A part of him had wanted to leave it and ask Caelia for help again as he had last year, just for an excuse to hang out with her even more, but Alistair’s pride and independence prevented him from doing so. The fourth year didn’t want his yearmate thinking he was a useless Captain, incapable of carrying out his duties unaided.
Written at the top of the sheet in bold red lettering were the simple words:
Below this was a fairly small drawing of three Chasers in the Hawkshead Attacking Formation (not Ali’s own handiwork but that of his sister-in-law) which he had then charmed to fly across the page repeatedly. The little figures travelled in between two goal hoops, one at each side of the paper, before turning around. Alistair thought movement was probably the best way to draw attention to the sign-up sheet.
Under this he’d given more detail in black ink:
He didn’t think ‘further details or questions’ would be necessary but he couldn’t afford to discount the potential for new muggleborn players who didn’t know the sport.
The rest of the parchment was dedicated to space for people to write their names, etc. Only the bottom right hand corner being taken up by the drawing of a Quidditch player (again Denelle’s artwork because Ali “didn’t have the time” for such a thing), much larger than the Chaser trio near the top, crouching over his broom with his red robes charmed to flutter behind him as though by the wind.
Having put his own details down purely as an example - Captain Alistair Johnson, 4th year, Chaser - he took the sign-up sheet down to the common room before he went to bed so that no one could possibly miss it the next morning. Pinning it to the noticeboard, he stepped back briefly and scowled before trudging back up to his lonely dormitory.
Subthreads: ...So it owes me? Excellent! by Isaac Douglas
Yep, this is really happening. by Makenzie Newell
Well, if I'm needed... by Sébastien Évreux
Surprised, to say the least. by Daniel Fintoc
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Quidditch sign-ups! Crotalus is relying on you...
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Isaac Douglas
May 11, 2016 4:38 PM
...So it owes me? Excellent! by Isaac Douglas
There was officially, with the Head Boy elections over, no reason to remain on the Crotalus Quidditch team, and Isaac had debated for a long time about whether or not he was going to do so. On one hand, RATS were a perfectly respectable reason to leave, but on the other hand, he had to consider that two of his sisters had been Head Girl during their RATS, one under special circumstances, and the third had been both a prefect and a Quidditch captain. Since he was just a prefect and possibly only that on a technicality, he really needed something to flesh out his extracurricular profile so all three of his sisters couldn’t look down their noses at him at the usual awful family Christmas get-together.And for university, of course. There was that. It wasn’t hugely important – he would have to do something truly bizarre and improper in public to change the future from one where his father found him something to do at Douglas until he became his father’s primary heir and Thad and Rachel got just enough to be thorns in his side and Kate enough to ensure she could retire someday – but he still had to do it, preferably as successfully as possible. It would make dealing with people a lot easier if he had some credentials that inspired respect. His family wasn’t outrageously wealthy enough and hadn’t been part of polite society quite long enough to be respected on name alone. Even if Alicia didn’t eventually reach Medea-like levels of disloyalty to her own flesh and blood and make an effort to steal everything but Isaac’s eyes for Thad’s birthday present, Isaac would have problems if he made no attempt to look like he deserved what he got. His father often reminded him of this.
It was part of why he decided to stay on the Quidditch team, along with the fact that, aside from finding Alistair somewhat annoying and not being too crazy about the Bludgers, he sort of liked it and also just didn’t want it to be his fault if Crotalus was the only House that couldn’t make its own team this year. He doubted they would, but if he signed up, it wasn’t his fault, and that was all that mattered. With that in mind, he added himself as Isaac Douglas, 7th, Chaser on his way down to breakfast one morning.
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...So it owes me? Excellent!
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Makenzie Newell
May 12, 2016 3:13 AM
Yep, this is really happening. by Makenzie Newell
Makenzie was not so silly as to fall into the perfectly available trap of pretentious arrogance. She had a very strategic outlook on things, herself in particular, and could size up situations with fairly resolute objectiveness. So, through clear eyes, she had found something interesting about her reputation at Sonora: effectively, she was perfect.Too perfect.
All her life, she had prepared for this, worked towards this, but now that she had it, the notion bothered her. Makenzie Newell, the perfect lady, was the person she was supposed to be, according to all standards that society set for someone like her. She was polite, talkative but not too rambly, smart but not too outspoken, a pinnacle for Pureblood breeding. Her parents were so proud of her. She had succeeded.
But somehow, it didn’t feel right. Part of it was, admittedly, a stupid intrusive thought probably egged on by hormones and the teenage impulse to rebel; after all, Makenzie was fifteen years old now and had never even really broken a rule. But the majority of this discontent was situated in a different cause: she had found something more important than these standards.
Araceli.
As best friends and roommates, whether they liked it or not, the two girls were destined to be compared, and look at how that had gone so far. Makenzie won things like “Class Lady” and "Best Representative of House" in the yearbook with Araceli getting “Most Bashful” despite Delphine’s hard work to change her presentation. Makenzie was Prefect. Makenzie was this, Makenzie was that. But Araceli was, in this regard, nothing.
So, with the goal of perhaps evening the playing field a little, the redhead began to seek out… something, a way to rebel ever so slightly, just enough to make her not seem quite so damn perfect and give her friend a social opportunity, a contrast in some area where Makenzie was the wrong one and Araceli the right. She needed a rebellion that would only harm her slightly, something that would raise eyebrows but not bring down her family.
When Alistair Johnston posted the Quidditch sign up sheet, Makenzie knew she had found it. Most nice little ladies did not play sports. Newell girls certainly didn’t.
Makenzie Newell, she penned in her neatest handwriting, examining the names above hers--just two so far--and the positions they had selected. She knew Shino would be along for Seeker, as well. Makenzie knew what position to take. 5th year, Keeper.
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Yep, this is really happening.
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Sébastien Évreux
May 13, 2016 6:12 AM
Well, if I'm needed... by Sébastien Évreux
Sébastien originally hadn't had any intention of playing Quidditch. True, he could ride a broom – what self-respecting wizard couldn't? But the idea of practices and matches in cold and rain really didn’t appeal to him. Besides, his childhood memories of playing Quidditch were tainted by the times he’d been forced to play with Louis Valois. The other pureblood heir would always be sure to perform more daring tricks than Bastien could, a fussy mother meaning that his flying had at times been limited. No, Sébastien could do without Louis Valois trying to one-up him again.However, talking to Alistair Johnson had changed his mind. When the fourth year Quidditch captain had approached him in the common room, Bastien had felt quite important. None of the other first years had older students asking them for help. The idea of the Crotalus team being in need of him had suitably flattered Bastien, and once he realised that there was a chance of his new house having no Quidditch team the decision was made for him!
Sébastien read through the signup sheet briefly, wanting to be quite sure of what he was committing to. He wasn't sure he had the desired interest in Quidditch, or really a sense of team spirit, but he was definitely competitive and already felt some measure of house pride. He had thought long and hard about the position he wanted to play. Obviously seeker was ideal, as the most important position, but Alistair had mentioned that the team already had a very good seeker. Bastien didn’t want to be made to look inadequate. Keeper was too boring a role, and there were three chasers (he preferred a little more individuality). Beater it was, then.
With a sigh, he put his quill to the paper, making sure to keep his handwriting legible but important-looking (Bastien especially liked a flourish on the ‘E’ of his surname).
Sébastien Évreux, 1st Year, Beater
[OOC: mention of the conversation with Alistair Johnson approved by his author. Opinions of the Quidditch position belong to Sébastien, and are not shared by the author.]
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Well, if I'm needed...
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Daniel Fintoc
May 13, 2016 1:42 PM
Surprised, to say the least. by Daniel Fintoc
Daniel wasn’t yet super keen on Quidditch the way some people he knew were, not having really tried it before Sonora and he’d still not played a match yet. Back home Dan had always enjoyed indulging in light games of Quodpot with friends and family. As odd as it was, no one played Quodpot at Sonora so he had settled for Quidditch. Daniel liked physical activity and the idea of being part of a team appealed to him. He had also gained a good sense of house pride during his first year at the boarding school. Last term he had got a place on the team by default, just for turning up to try-outs. Although, because of the challenges they hadn’t got to play any matches - which was probably just as well because Crotalus hadn’t managed to form a full team.The way the Crotalus captain had been talking, things weren’t looking too bright for a seven-player team this year either, but by the time Daniel got around to checking out the sign-up sheet he was pleasantly surprised by two new names. One of the names was Bastien Évreux, apparently a first year hence the name was unfamiliar. The other on the other hand was one that Daniel knew very well and caused him to do a double-take before staring wide-eyed at the name Makenzie Newell. Was this a joke? Had someone else put her name down for a laugh? Daniel didn’t know what the older girl's handwriting looked like but what he saw did look so lovely and neat that he thought it had to be her. But why was she joining the Quidditch team all of a sudden? Makenzie was so… so perfect, he couldn’t imagine what would make her want to do something like this. Not that he thought it made her unperfect, especially since he was fairly sure her signing up was the only reason Crotalus might have a shot at playing this term (something he realised with a rush of gratitude), but he knew that a lot of people frowned upon girls like Makenzie playing Quidditch. He didn’t like the idea of people frowning upon Makenzie.
Once mostly over the initial surprise, but still very confused, Daniel took out his quill and wrote down his own name.
Daniel Fintoc, 2nd year, Chaser
With that he tucked his quill back in his bag and walked away, feeling quite excited for the Quidditch term to begin. He was now certain that Crotalus would make a full team and that he wouldn’t have to broach the subject of playing Quidditch to Artemis Leithan, whose name he had let slip to Alistair Johnson when the older boy was pressuring him to think of people they might be able to recruit. Artemis had definitely proved herself competent on a broom in flying lessons last year but Dan had not wanted to have to ask her to join the team because he knew she’d say no and he didn’t want to offend her by implying that he thought she was the type of girl to play Quidditch.
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Surprised, to say the least.
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