A Familiar Sport

[Benson Thacker]

Benson left his new house where his family were busy unpacking. They had just moved from Ireland, his father got a new job in New Zealand so he dragged the whole family there, Benson didn't mind so much, he was accepted to Hogwarts New Zealand which was supposed to be a highly recommended school. In a way Benson was looking forward to attending and in other ways he was simply dreading it. The Irish boy was never good at meeting new people and didn't think many people would like him here. He walked along the footpath, with his worn soccer ball tucked under his arm. He carefully followed the signposts saying in clear bold writing: "Brightstone Village". He had to get out of his house. Unpacking was the worst thing about moving, well so far anyway.

He walked slowly through the crowded streets of the village where old and young people chatted and shopped. He looked at some of the groups of teenagers, he guessed they were from Hogwarts. That will be me next year he thought to himself and he felt a pang of excitement hit him. He would be attending Hogwarts next year it was actually going to happen. It never really hit him like it just had at that moment. He pulled his eyes away from the teenagers and continued to walk up the street. Soon enough Benson found himself at the outskirts of the shopping area and spotted a large grassy area. Benson smiled to himself, it was somewhere were he could play soccer, something he loved to do.

Coming closer to the grassy area he realized that it was a park. There was a few people sitting on benches reading newspapers but other than that the place was quite deserted. Benson dropped the worn ball from under his arm and it fell silently onto the grass. He began to kick it between his feet and then began to dribble it up the empty park.

 

[Clarice Herrington]

Clarice was relieved to leave her mother's tyranical hold in her new home, long enough to run out with her rugby ball. Unfortunately for her she was wearing a white dress because she was with her Mum. She always made the eleven year old dress poshly, something she really couldn't stand. With anxiety she ran into a busy village. There were children much older then her around, and they all seemed to look at her, and notice her disturbingly bushy hair.

Clara simply rolled her coffee coloured eyes and walked on, tossing the ball up in the air and catching it again. She was not paying much attention to where she was walking, so as she threw the ball into the air she bumped into someone, and the ball hit the top of her head. The eleven year old reached up and rubbed her head frustratedly, and searched for the ball, but it was lost in the crowds of feet.

Clarice sighed, and took off her uncomfortable shoes, and walked along the outskirts of the shopping center, hoping that she would find someone to play a game with, even though she didn't think many people would like her here in New Zealand. Why would it be any different to England? She walked onto a stretch of green grass and smiled as she felt the blades graze between her toes, it was a feeling she would always love. As she walked threw the park, she spotted a boy playing football, and she grinned slyly.

Would he mind if she just started to play against him without warning? Did she really care? Probably not. The sandy blonde girl dropped her shoes and began walking towards him, and she slyly intercepted the football from the boy's dribbling and laughed slightly. "Hope you don't mind me joining you," she called out as she dribbled the ball between her bare feet, ignoring the stinging it was giving her as she quickly moved in the opposite direction the boy had been going.

 

[Benson Thacker]

Benson continued to dribble the worn ball up the park. People back in his old school used to question why he wouldn't just get a new ball though Benson would just ignore them. It was his lucky ball, he won many matches with that soccer ball, he had no intention of throwing it out anytime soon. All of a sudden his lucky ball was taken from him by none other than a girl. Benson was never all that great at social intereaction and especially with girls. He scratched the top of his head, "Hope you don't mind losing." That wasn't so bad.

Benson quickly ran up after the bushy haired girl, in shock by all of this. For one she was wearing quite a fancy dress, secondly she was bare footed. Is this what they do in New Zealand? The eleven year old boy asked himself. Benson didn't want to hurt the girls foot by intercepting her dribbling although he was very competitive when it came to sports. He quickly slipped in his foot and kicked the ball lightly up the park. Benson didn't say a thing to the girl and he didn't look at her. He quickly caught up with the ball and began to dribble it more closely to himself, now prepared for the girl to intercept.

 

[Clarice Herrington]

Clarice laughed harmoniously at the red headed boy's response. She stopped sharply as the stranger kicked the ball away from her legs. She began running in his direction as quickly as her body would let her, which was really quite fast. Her older brother, Arthur, had taught her how to use ones body to its advantages during sports, and she thanked him for this each time she was playing a sport.

Clara's brown eyes flicked down to the soccer ball as the boy dribbled it closely between his feet. She calculated when she should kick the ball between his legs just as he had, and she kicked the white and black soccer ball with much force. "I'm Clara," she introduced (while running towards the ball), letting her English accent play on her words.

Once more, Clarice caught up with the ball, she smirked and kicked it again with the inert blade of her foot as hard as she could and continued running, trying her hardest not to slip on the grass. Her Mum would have a fit if she ruined her dress and she just wasn't in the mood to hear that nagging today.

 

[Benson Thacker]

Soon enough the girl was right next to him, she's fast he thought to himself. Just as he thought this she had kicked the ball away from him yet again. Let your guard down again! he continued to think angrily to himself. She then slipped him an introduction before running after his soccer ball once more. Benson picked up that she was English, it was quite an obvious accent to decipher.

Benson ran after Clara, no way was he going to be beaten by a girl. He had never been beaten by a girl before and had no plans on starting now. He had to admit to himself, the girl had a good kick though he wasn't going to let that stop him from showing her what he could do. Benson passed Clara out and reached the ball first, he turned to the side swiftly and kicked it as hard as he could down the park.

The ball soared in the air - not too high - and then landed halfway down the park. "Benson, or Ben. Whatever." He said, his Irish accent thick, he still didn't take a glance at her. Benson wasn't too bothered what people called him, back in Ireland people even called him by his surname: Thacker. Benson ran down the park as fast as he could to get to the ball before Clara could.

 

[Clarice Herrington]

Clara sighed frustratedly as the boy caught up to the ball before she had, and not exactly looking where he had kicked the ball she began running in the opposite direction, panting only slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you Benson," she smiled, as she ran towards the ball, now neck and neck with the boy.

It seemed that the two eleven year olds were equal in ability, but she did not like being equal. She liked to go over and above, so she began pumping her arms and legs faster and faster towards the ball then side sweeped it, and turned sharply. Too sharply in fact. Clarice slide right on her back. "Oouf," she said as her spine hit the ground, that wasn't exactly as soft as one would expect.

Mum is going to murder me, Clarice thought just laying there for a moment, before standing up slowly, almost knowing that Benson had gotten the ball once more.

 

[Benson Thacker]

At the corner of his eye Benson saw Clara run right up beside him, as she began to push harder to get to the ball so did he. Clara got to the ball before him and kicked it although fell on her back. Benson quickly threw his foot out to stop the ball and it did. He then turned around to Clara who was now standing. "You alright?" He asked her as he placed his foot on top of the ball triumphantly,

Benson had gotten many injuries from playing soccer, more when he was younger than now. He had twisted his ankle more than once, broke a couple of fingers and even sprained his arm. But the bushy haired girl's fall wasn't that bad, he doubted it would even bruise. Though Benson still had to make sure. He ruffled his flaming red hair so it was out of his face, his hair always used to get in the way of playing soccer, but he was begginning to get used to it.

 

[Clarice Herrington]

Clara looked over at Benson as he asked if she was alright. She nodded lightly, and pushed back her bushy hair. "Yes," she answered, as she rubbed her back lightly. She had gotten many injuries from sports before, she had just never been wearing a dress while doing it. Yes, I'm in trouble. Unless.. I can get Sebastian to clean it with his magic, she thought as she tapped her index finger to her bottom lip, as she usually did.

"I take it you're a student of Hogwarts?" she asked the red headed boy curiously. Sebastian attended Durmstrang and Arthur was a squib, so she didn't know what Hogwarts was like at all. She brushed her hand over the back of her sandy blonde hair and took out several blades of grass. "Want to continue or are you scared to loose?" she asked playfully, giving the boy a smug smile, but really not meaning it.

 

[Benson Thacker]

Benson shook his head, his shaggy hair moving with it. "No, but soon." He said to Clara, "I'll be attending in September." He smiled though not a very wide smile, a small one that had almost a sense of pride to it. "Are you going then..?" He asked her, she looked about his age so either she was in her first year or she was going in the new year.

"Me, scared? Hardly!" He scoffed playfully. "I just don't want you to fall over again." Benson rolled his eyes still playing. He kicked the ball up from under his foot impressively. He then kicked the ball to Clara, he wanted to see if Clara was as good at passing as she was dribbling. He stared at the worn soccer ball beside her then looked up at Clara ready for her next move.

 

[Clarice Herrington]

Clara's smile widened slightly as Benson said that he would be attending come next September. "Next year I will," she said with pride in her tone of voice. She wondered if she would have to attend Oxford University after Hogwarts like her family all did. She probably wouldn't and would go onto a wizarding career as a Professor.

Clarice glared playfully at Benson as he said that he didn't want her to fall over again. "Excuse me, my clumsyness has nothing to do with how much better I am at football then yourself," she said with an overly confident hue to her colourfull English accent, as she watched Benson kick up the worn and torn football. As it was kicked up to her, she kept the tips of her toes on the grass, letting the ball roll up her foot. Once resting there she tilted her foot up and raised her knee, then raised it into the air and began playing hackie-sack with it impressivly.

 

[Benson Thacker]

Benson watched as Clara impressively played hackie sack with the ball. He rolled his eyes at her confidence. Shortly he quickly bent down and caught the ball as it bounced of her bare foot. "Impressive." He said with a slight nod of approval. He then let the ball drop to the grass and he showed her his own impressive trick. Once the ball dropped to the ground again he stamped his foot on it, "Lets play some proper soccer." He said with one of his excited smiles. Usually most of his smiles would be awkward and he would be saying silly things, but because he was doing what he loved that vibe didn't come off him, at least he hoped not. Benson kicked the ball up the park once more and ran up towards it.

 

[Clarice Herrington]

Clarice watched as Benson did the Hop the World trick, and she - like he - nodded in approval. "Great," she chirped as he said that they should play some proper football. She followed him down the park with a gleeful grin spread onto her features, illuminating her brown eyes as she ran beside him. "Are you new to New Zealand?" she asked as they ran beside each other, but still not looking up at the red headed boy she now considered to be her friend, in fact he was one of her closest ones which was pathetic.

Clara let out a breath from her lips that were curled upwards to get her bangs out of her eyes. They were irritating her quite a bit at the moment considering she usually has her hair up in a pony tail during sports. Becoming focused on the little game they were having once more, and running to her fullest speed. She smirked as she passed him and caught up towards the ball that was now trailing to a slow roll. She turned around towards it and began kicking it in the opposite direction they had just been going.

>>I think that we should pull a Ron/Hermione with these two <<

 

[Benson Thacker]

Benson cotinued to run as fast as he could to get the ball and Clara was running beside him. "Yeah. Really new. I moved here yesterday." He told her before she ran up further ahead and then kicked the ball down the park. "What about you?" He asked her slyly as he intercepted her dribbling with an accomplished smile.

He turned away from Clara to block her from taking the ball of him, he kicked it gently up the park so the ball didn't escape to far away from him. That'd just be an opening for Clara he thought to himself about the girl that he was considering a friend yet he only just met her. Maybe it was the fact that she liked soccer too and she was as good and seemed to be as competitivie as him. That was already one thing they had in common, he wondered if the had anything else in common, while keeping his eye on the ball of coarse.

It'd be a crime not to

 

[Clarice Herrington]

Clarice grinned as Benson told her that he moved to New Zealand yesterday. "Me too," she said, as she frowned frustratedly once she noticed that she was no longer dribbling the football. She ran side by side with the red headed boy, her poufy hair bouncing along with each stride. "Do you have any siblings?" Clara asked curiously, although it was more to make conversation and distract him so she could get the ball.

>>sorry for disappearing, and the bad post
and I thought so too<<

 

[Benson Thacker]

[Its not a problem ]

Benson was shocked that she had only moved to New Zealand yesterday, the same amount of time as he had. "Thats insane." He said as he continued to dribble the ball beteen his feet making sure Clara couldn't get the ball off him. As she moved on the subject to family he nodded, "Yeah I have one brother. His name is Seamus." Benson told her still concentrating on keeping the ball, "He is a lot older than me though..." Benson continued but began to think about what age his brother was, losing concentration on the ball.