Week Three - Task #10. - "A Question Of Quidditch"

[Lex Green]

You step up to the next painting, a portrait of Brutus Scrimgeour. You vaguely recognise the man from being mentioned briefly in a History of Magic class, and seem to remember that he was an ex-headmaster of Hogwarts, and a big Quidditch fan.

As you are searching your memory for any other scraps of information about Brutus Scrimgeour, you once again find yourself being transported out of the corridor. This time, you end up in one of the stands around the Quidditch pitch, which seems to be mostly as you know it, but still has the faded colors and ghostly atmosphere of all the scenes you have visited so far. You look around and see a few other figures in the stands, but decide not to approach any of them, as you have no idea whether they would even see you, and if that could end in disaster. You look up at the skies, and see that a match is currently in progress. You can't see an obvious way out of this area, so you decide to hang around for a little and watch the match, hoping you'll be sent back to the corridor when it is over.

Task:
In at least 100 words, describe the Quidditch match you see being played. You could mention the way the game differs from our own version of Quidditch, or give commentary as the match goes on.

Post your descriptions below to earn 15 beans. For 15 additional bonus beans, be sure to submit all the Week Three tasks by the deadline, Saturday September 30th at 11:59pm (HOL time).

[Penelope Friar]

I took a step back and looked around. The many red and blue flags indicated a match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. After just a few seconds, the game had me hooked.

The Gryffindor chasers were showing off their speed and throwing the Quaffle with great precision, but the Ravenclaw Keeper was just as skilled, parrying the balls with flying colors. Meanwhile, beater from both teams were trying to dodge the bludgers with their sticks, while also trying to knock their opponents off their broomsticks.

But the climax of the match came when the golden snitch appeared. The two seekers from each team flew through the air at breathtaking speed to catch the snitch. It was a race against time as each seeker tried to make the decisive catch. I found myself holding my breath each time the Ravenclaw Seeker was about to catch the Snitch.

[Prof. Will Lestrange]

When I saw the Quidditch pitch, the first thing I noticed was that it was played using a traditional style format, with each player having a definted position instead of the modern free for all where everyone races to the target at the same time. More interestingly, though, the Beaters had an entirely different role than I was used to; instead of being "Keepers, but further from the scoring area", they directly attacked all players of the opposing team with Bludgers (it took me a few seconds to recognize what the Bludgers were; after all the years of playing Quidditch with red Bludgers, I 'knew' Bludgers were supposed to be black, but seeing a black Bludger for the first time still shocked me!)

The final thing that shocked me was how hard it was to score. I'm used to high scoring Quidditch games where Chasers can easily rack up 20 or 30 goals; however, in the hour that I watched the match, only three goals were scored, combined, between the two teams playing! Whoever caught the Snitch would win the game for their team; however, I had to leave before that moment.

[Dawn Diya]

I looked around the Quidditch pitch. I could feel the excitement of the players and the people waiting for the match to start. I walked over to the stands decorated with blue banners and flags, indicating that this is where my fellow Ravenclaws would be seated. Seeing everyone geared up in blue and silver accessories, I felt underdressed.

My insecurities disappeared at the start of the game. After the players got into position, the Quaffle was thrown into the air and the game began. It was hard to keep up, the players were so fast and precise with their movements. Within ten minutes of the game started, a goal was scored! The people around me screamed with joy, and I joined in.

Both teams seemed extremely skilled, and the synchronized plays were impressive. I found myself on the edge of my seat every time a bludger got close to someone, every time one team took the Quaffle from the other team, and every time a Keeper stopped the Quaffle from going through one of their goalposts.

I was mesmerized by the game, and I wished it could last forever! After about four hours, the snitch was caught, ending the game.

[Janne Halla]

I could barely see anything of the match through the commotion on the field. It wasn't the fast-paced match that I had a problem with but all the spells and their effects that seemed to be blasting about on the field.

It seemed that I went back in time when wands were still allowed during a Quidditch match and nearly all spells but a select few were allowed. Players looked to be more preoccupied with knocking their opponents off the broomsticks than putting a Quaffle through the hoops.

The score was pretty even and both teams were quite aggressive. Luckily, I managed to escape the memory of the past before one of the spells hit me.

[Dibyarup James Potter]

When I looked around me, the colours were enough to make me understand that this was a match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Everything around me had this magical glow to it, but I ignored that and looked at the people around me, I didn’t want to interact with them because I was not sure whether that was safe, since there was a possibility that my interacting with them might change the story of the painting and trap me in it.

The beaters kept hitting the bludgers towards their opponents, while the chasers continuously raced towards their opponent’s goal. 10 minutes into the game, the first goal was scored by Hufflepuff, and being a Gryffindor, I was rooting for my team. Then 8 minutes later, a Gryffindor chaser managed to score a goal.

At this point the golden snitch appeared, the Hufflepuff seeker spotted it first and the Gryffindor seeker followed suit, and then the two seekers began their race towards the snitch.

While the seekers began racing, Hufflepuff scored another goal and 5 minutes after that another goal. At this point, the score was Gryffindor 10 – Hufflepuff 30. The two seekers continued racing towards the snitch, then they seemed to go all the way around the pitch and down towards the ground and then straight up towards the skies when Gryffindor managed to score another goal.

Now both the seekers were head-to-head and chasing the snitch, and both were so close to the snitch with their hands pointed out towards it, ready to catch it as soon as possible, it seemed like anybody’s game because whoever catches the snitch wins the game for their team. Just when it seemed the Gryffindor seeker was about to catch the snitch, I was suddenly transported back into the haunted corridor, leaving me confused about who won, making me ask myself—A Question of Quidditch.

[Uma Daurka]

A blur of gold flashes past my eyes. A blur of green flashes past my eyes. But no red follows.

I look down, trying to find where the gryffindor seeker might be. The snitch was so close to the slytherin seeker‘s grasp, but no red came to stop him. I look to where the emerald green player was flying around, chasing after the sneaky golden ball, and no ruby cladden players followed. It was a guaranteed victory for slytherin.

But as if on cue, a cheer rippled through the Gryffindor side of the stadium. The seeker appeared, slicing through the sky, riding through the clouds, diving towards the golden streak. He was about to catch the snitch. Gryffindor would prevail, winning both the match and the Quidditch cup.

But no. As the seeker's hand reached for the ball, he began to tumble to the ground. A bludger had violently slammed into the 4th year, causing him to fall. The slytherin seeker seized this opportunity gifted to him by his fellow teammates, the beaters, and flew through the air grabbing the mischievous snitch and bringing victory to our house. All around me, people began to cheer, and the shock passed as I realised that we had done it. Finally, Slytherin had won the Quidditch Cup after so many years. Hurrah!

[Alexandra Rosier]

As I settled into the stands around the Quidditch pitch, the surreal atmosphere created by the overlapping scenes from various parts of the wizarding world hung in the air. The colors of the pitch seemed to have faded, and an eerie, ghostly ambiance surrounded me. I observed a few other indistinct figures in the stands, but I hesitated to approach them, uncertain if they could even perceive my presence in this surreal realm.

Turning my gaze skyward, I was immediately captivated by the Quidditch match that was in full swing. The game bore similarities to the Quidditch I knew, yet there were intriguing differences. The broomsticks used by the players appeared sleeker, and the bludgers seemed to exhibit a livelier, more erratic behavior.
The commentary was a mix of familiar and exotic terminology. The Chasers deftly maneuvered through the air, passing the Quaffle with extraordinary precision. The Beaters swatted Bludgers with incredible accuracy, sending them hurtling towards their targets. The Seeker's quest for the elusive Golden Snitch was a mesmerizing display of agility and strategy.

The most striking distinction, however, was the Quidditch pitch itself. It transformed as the game progressed, with sections of the pitch shifting and reshaping, adding an unpredictable element to the match. It was as if the very ground beneath the players was a living, sentient entity.
As I watched this extraordinary Quidditch match, I couldn't help but marvel at the unique blend of tradition and innovation that defined the wizarding world. The game was both familiar and refreshingly different, a testament to the ever-evolving nature of magic. In this surreal moment, I hoped that once the match concluded, I would find my way back to the corridor of scenes, my journey through this magical tapestry continuing.

[Scarlet Robloutain]

In the otherworldly Quidditch pitch, a spectral match unfolds between Slytherin and Ravenclaw. The ghostly teams, their colors muted yet distinct, soar on misty broomsticks. The Quaffle passes in elegant patterns, leaving ethereal trails in the twilight atmosphere. Slytherin's Chasers, crafty and elusive, maneuver through the mist, while Ravenclaw's clever tactics make the pitch seem like a strategic chessboard.

The Bludgers, with an almost eerie precision, dart and weave, creating a dance of evasion and pursuit. The Seekers, transparent against the dim light, engage in a subtle duel for the elusive Snitch.

Unseen voices narrate the plays, recounting the rivalry of these ancient houses. Muted cheers echo, embodying the spirits of long-gone supporters. The match, a blend of competition and spectral beauty, captures the essence of Slytherin and Ravenclaw's timeless rivalry in this enchanted realm.

[Ellie Vernez]

As I entered the Quidditch pitch I could immediately feel the excitement in the crowd. The atmosphere was buzzing and I couldn't wait to find a seat.
Looking up to the sky a flash of gold passes my eyes follwed quickly by a flash of green.

A Gryffindor chaser currently held the quaffle as they soared through the sky toward the poles to score but she was closely followed by a Slytherin.
Not being able to catch her the Gryffindor threw the quaffle and she scored it went flying through the hoop and the crowd erupted in cheers and applauds.
Punching the air the Gryffindor flew towards a team member who gave her a high five.

But the excitement continued the Slytherin now held the quaffle passing back and forth between team members when a Gryffindor strategically managed to capture the quaffle.

It went like this for about 30 minutes both teams scoring as the quaffle was passed back and forth until finally the golden snith came on sight.
Both seekers immediately chasing after it, banging into each other when one got too close.

But after a fierce battle for the snitch Gryffindor was victorious, capturing the snitch the game was over. The crowd roared, Gryffindor had one.