Cricket

[Reuben Pendleton]

The Hogwarts dungeons did not provide the ideal space required for a game of cricket, but such minor specifics had never been said to stop the Lagowskis. Outside, the autumnal weather had reached its maximum potential for misery. Raindrops marched from the sky like soldiers, turning the earthen grounds into a sodden mud slide. Whilst Reuben and Rudolf weren't afraid of a little dirt, they thought better than to risk the arrival of their third howler that year. Their robes were perhaps the last of the boys' remaining possessions they hadn't completely destroyed with their antics.

"That was the worst bowl I've ever seen," said Reuben as he retrieved the tennis ball from several meters away. According to Mom, a real cricket ball was much too dangerous an object to let the children take to school - though with persuasion and persistence she'd eventually permitted them a genuine wooden bat. "Try over arm, this time."

The boys played for the better part of an hour. When Rudolf's whines finally got the better of him, Reuben agreed to switch and do the bowling. Rudolf had a lousy arm anyway. "Hey," he said after a while, "do you remember that time Dad woke us up wearing a mask and a chainsaw?" Reuben gave the ball a toss in his hand before lunging into a bowl.

 

[Rudolf Lagowski]

By the time the twins finally switched positions, Rudolf's arm ached like he'd been lifting weights for a week. Great, he thought glumly, now I'm going to be rubbish at batting, too. As it turned out, the Gryffindor was still as handy with a cricket bat as he'd been three years ago. Those had been the days. Just Rudolf, Reuben, Dad, and a second hand cricket set they'd picked up at a garage sale for two dollars. There weren't many wizards that practised Muggle sports, but it had been too good a bargain to miss. They'd played until their dinner lay cold on the table and the light had dropped well below what a proper game demanded. It hadn't mattered.

In the end, Dad had injured his back, and the carefree games of crickets had ceased. The years of absence separating their previous game from the present had done little to Rudolf's precision. He was a lousy bowler, but he couldn't half swing a bat. Every now and then the tennis ball was hit with a little too much enthusiasm, and the low ceiling and narrow walls of the dungeon turned the space into a human pinball machine, but this didn't put a damper on the Gryffindor's high spirits.

"Yeah," replied Rudolf, grinning as he reminisced over the memory. "You fell out of bed and tore the curtain down with you." At that moment, Rudolf swung at the ball. Credit where it was due, it was an incredible shot. Unfortunately, it was a head shot. The ball had ricocheted off the stone wall and flown straight into the head of a student he'd never even seen approaching. Rudolf froze wide-eyed, blushing fiercely to his roots. "Accio tennis ball?" he suggested hopefully.

 

[Kayleigh Zhefarovich]

Even though she was once a First Year, Kayleigh Hunter didn't think she was ever that immature and childish. Two years older than them, and she felt like throttling them. The Common Room, she decided, was not a place where she wanted to hang out at the beginning of the year. The blonde was sure that they'd calm down eventually, but for now, she wanted to escape their madness and maybe find Desislav, or work on finding the secret room that he had mentioned.
Already feeling quite grumpy, Kayleigh couldn't really believe that she saw two kids playing in the dungeons. Yeah it was a miserable day outside, but you don't just play in the dungeons. And they were hitting the ball with a bat! It was ludicrous. The blonde was in a debate with herself as she approached them whether she was going to scold them, or just try to slip away unnoticed. However, the choice was quickly made for her with a loud crack sound and she was quickly thrown on her bottom, completely surprised by what had just happened. Kayleigh groaned as a sharp pain made it's way to her head, and she grimaced, bringing her hand up to her head. Her eyes opened and she found the two boys looking at her. "Are you insane? Like, actually messed in the head?" Kayleigh exclaimed.
​

 

[Reuben Pendleton]

Reuben's expression so closely resembled his brother's that had it not been for the house badges pinned to their robes, it would have been impossible to tell them apart. Then the Hufflepuff's features turned thoughtful as he gave serious consideration to the girl's remark. "Well," he began, oblivious to the concept of a rhetorical question, "we did fall out of a tree once when we were nine. But the healer said there was no permanent damage." Proud of his reply, Reuben beamed triumphantly and waited for Rudolf to back him up.

 

[Rudolf Lagowski]

Rudolf should have known better than to give his twin the opportunity to speak first. He scowled indignantly, momentarily forgetting they'd just hit someone in the head with a ball, and turned to face him. "No, you fell out of a tree," he corrected, pointing at him with the bat. "I jumped out after you, and just... happened to land on my head."

 

[Kayleigh Zhefarovich]

The pain still pounding in her head was only made worse by the two boys' replies. A look of astonishment grew on her face at what they both said, and she shook her head - slowly as to not hurt it any more - Kayleigh couldn't believe that the two had barely even glanced at her. If the blonde had to have guessed, she would assume they wouldn't even notice if she left. But they didn't even apologize! They didn't seem to have any remorse. "You two are insane. Accio ball!" Kayleigh said, pointing her wand to the ball. She caught it in her hand, before pointing her wand to it again. She had recently learned a new trick, something that she knew would eventually come in handy. "Engorgio." Kayleigh said, her wand still pointing to the green ball. The ball grew and grew, hopefully enough to knock both of them down. The Slytherin put it down on the ground. "Oi! Jerks!" Kayleigh shouted, though wanting to use more foul language, she thought against it. With all her strength, the blonde kicked the large green ball in their direction, hoping to Merlin it knocked them over.
​

Out of Character:

I didn't know if Rudolf caught the ball when he accio'd it, so forgive the gm if he did!