Flirting with the Quaffle

Minoas kept nodding to each single word she was saying. She had tottally got everything he had told her about the elements. "Yeah, you can pretty feel which elements are dominant in you. I for example love the sea and swimming so it's water. Obviously, I'm not afraid of hights and I like flying so it's air as well." he said pointing out the broom he was riding and the height between his hovering body and the ground. "And I'm quite interested in healing arts so maybe the next one would be quintessence. Earth and fire must be my bottom two. Usually you have one dominant, two more that are following and the last two." he added briefly. "So from just knowing you a bit, I would guess that you are fire, with next two being air and earth or maybe quintessence." he suggested, just guessing from Briar's personality and her likes.

His bubbly mood vanished immidiately when Briar referred to her broken shoulder caused in the past by a bludger.
He tried to swallow the lump that formed in his neck and concentrated on the rushing bludgers, zooming towards him. It was a powerful hit from Briar's bat. The nasty bludger was approaching faster than he though, as he was flying holding the quaffle tightly in his embrace. He leaned to his right to avoid the bludger that passed a few inches next to his embracing arm. He heard its mischievous squeals as it was passing by and Minoas sped up ready to face the next bludger before his attempt to score.
 
Briar smiled it seemed like she didn't need to do the ritual. she could just guess herself. full moons would be hard for her, to complete it anyway without trying to attack someone. "thats what i would have thought too". she said swooping around a little and passing him the ball for the last time.
she saw his expression change when she mentioned her shoulder. "I was basically asking for it i had set like 20 bluddgers loose so it would have been a surprise if i hadn't got hit a few times flying that much." she said, sort of twisting the truth slightly. she had done that but that wasn't when she had broken her shoulder, but it may have aided to it. She watched the bluddger she had hit fly towards Minoas fast. she hadn't meant to hit it that hard, or accurately to begin with, thankfully with her breath caught in her throat she saw him dodge it, "sorry i didn't meant to hit it that hard" she called. she was a good build for a beater. strong across the shoulders and arms (and pretty much anywhere else), but as much as she enjoyed hitting the bludgers, she preferred the chase, it had an urgent feel to it, almost like hunting. "good dodge" she shouted flying around chasing after one of the bluddgers. she found one and hit it at Minoas again aiming this time, just in front of him so that it would be passing his line of flight just when he reached the intersection.
 
Leaving behind him the first bludger he heard Briar apologising for her hard hit. "No apologies. This is a real game situation. Slytherin beaters wont send the bludgers to stroke me." he said as he continued flying towards the goal posts. He felt relieved when Briar made clear that the accident with the bludgers occured outside an actual game but during her free time practices. "Twenty bludgers?! Now that sounds like someone was realy angry and wanted burst out her nerves." he said just before Briar praised him for his dodge.

He saw her flying away from his goal posts, after the second bludger. Minoas sped up, it was an opportunity to score now that the golden hoops were left unguarded. But as he was approaching he listened again to the distinctive sound of a bludger. He didn't stop to find out if it was sent by Briar or it was the previous that it was after him and as soon as he was growing closer to the goal posts and the bludger was lineraly on him, he made short dive to avoid. As the bludger flew above him, ripping through the wind, he regained his last altitude.
Positioned straight in fron of the goal posts, without decreasing his speed, he attempted to score on the hoop that was farthest away from Briar.
 
briar nodded this simple motion caused her head the throb momentarily but she didn't react to it. she was to busy watching the balls. no opposite teams are known to be pretty ruthless with the bluddgers but they "you are right of corse. especially the slytherin team. i get the impression that they don't like us too much" she said swerving around to get at the ball. she flew alongside minoas towards the goals, he was almost there, she was slightly distracts from his movements for a moment by a bluddger which was just flying past one of the goals. she deviated towards it. unfortunately in the amount of time it took her to hit it in the right direction was enough time for minoas to enter the shooting range at the other end of the goals. she sped towards it her arms outstretched. however she was too late, she felt it briefly brush her hinger tips before sailing through the hoop. "well done, a clear goal for you, would would certainly make a good chaser and would work well on the claws team" she said flying over for a heigh five. i will tell you one thing if you thing 20 bluddgers is hard, try taking on 20 of them without a bat for protection. now that is a workout" she said smiling at the end.
 
Minoas launched his arms into the air to celebrate his second goal with a wide smile radiating on his face. "Thanks but in a real game the keeper won't be launching bludgers as well. He will be more focused on the task of guarding." he said as he was accepting a high-five from Briar. Still he was pretty proud for that goal and satisfied with his progress. It was then that his fatal flaw was triggered. When Minoas was getting confident from compliments and he was achieving a goal, he wanted to push his limits a little bit more.

He didn't know if Briar referred to the challenge of facing twenty bludgers without a bat, as a joke but his liked it now that he was feeling overconfident. "Let's try it..." he said with a daredevils smirk that was seeking for some kind of adrenaline rush.
 
briar watched him celebrate his goal. he was doing well but it was just him against her, he was doing one job and she was doing two. "how about another go" she said flicking her wand and another couple of bluddgers made their way into the air. "this time to make it fairer you must score in the centre hoop." she said flying to the other side of the pitch bat in hand ready to go.
at minoas' suggestion though she stopped. dead in her tracks almost being hit by a bluddger but dodging at the last moment. she slowly turned around. "no way. I don't want to get in trouble for making you do any more reckless things. and besides I was only joking about the bat and it only works when you are feeding of anger or stress. and today i don't feel either of them, just slightly tired." she said possibly a little sharply before, hitting the bluddger that had come towards her and the one that was following it towards Minoas and continuing to the other end of the pitch. maybe after this run for goals they should have a break or call it a day. her head was now starting to hurt, she may have to head to the hospital wing early for her potion and see if this was normal and see if she could get anything for it.
 
The gryffindor reminded the last time he was in trouble and the consequences of his acts. His friend was right. That was out of the question. Tha last thing that Minoas wanted was to pass the rest of his first week in Hogwarts at the hospital wing with several broken bones. "Sorry, you are right. I was exaggerating a bit." he admitted as he was taking his position at the center of the pitch. Briar was heading at the same time at her goal posts, launching two more bludgers.

Minoas knew that scoring now was going to be proved a much more difficult task. Briar was going to guard the goal posts like an eagle its nest. He had to come up with something clever to have a good shot for a second scoring in a row. As he was watching the bludgers zooming towards his from the goal posts, he came up with a smart idea. He waited long enough, holding the quaffle, until the bludgers were pretty close. Moments before they were going to crush on him, he flew higher, letting the noisy balls to pass underneath him. Then he lowered back to his position and looked over his shoulder for the bludgers. After they were avoided, they kept their course up to a certain point. When they 'realised' that they were fooled by their target, they starting zooming back to him.

Minoas with a smirk, starting flying on, at the beggining slowly, letting the raging bludgers to catch up with him. As soon as they were just inches away from his broom's end, he sped up. As he was expecting the bludgers sped up as well, following his course. As he was accelerating more and more, he was casting several looks behind him, making sure that the bludgers were still after him and at the same time he was checking out the distance between him and the goal posts. When he was just a few meters away, enough for his plan to bloom, he pulled abruptly the handle of his broom upwards and shot himself to the sky. His was swift enough for the bludgers to follow him. As he was flying in a vertical circle to come back to his previous level, he saw that the bludgers were heading straight towards the goal posts and the keeper. He smirked and he sped up to follow the bludgers and attempt to score. Now that Briar was going to be busy avoiding those bludgers, he was going to have a pretty decent shot. He built up some more speed and threw the quaffle straight to the middle, taller hoop.
 
was glad that he wasn't going to argue with her about the bluddgers. she didn't feel up for a fight, the last time she had played dodge had been the previous week when she had fallen out with her best friend. she now regretted her decision to leave the Margeras for the holiday but there was nothing much she could do about it. "thats alright. I shouldn't have brought it up" she said. when she reached the other goal she saw Minoas leading two of the bluddgers towards her however he wasn't paying attention to the other two. she took the bat and hit one that was near to her at Minoas hopeing to distract him.
she was surprised hat how well his trick had gone, it wouldn't work in a game of corse there were too many people but it was a clever plan. she watched as he rose into the air and let the black balls continue towards her. she was ready and hit one one way forehand, and the other in the opposite direction with a backhand hit. she then saw the quaffle heading towards the goal she had left unattended. and flew up just in time for it to hit her hard in the chest and for her to wrap her arm around it as she caught it. "smart plan, but i doubt that it will work in a game." she said a little winded. "how about another quick break" she said flicking her wand and watching the bludgers fly back to the box they had come from.
 
With a quick manuveur he turned to face the goal posts again and see if he had managed to score. He hit his palm with a punch as he saw Briar blocking his shot. "Nice catch!" he shouted as his attention turned on the two bludgers coming towards him. He started flying straight on them, he was still thirsty for something dangerous. He stooped to let the first one fly above his head and avoided the second one with a barrel roll, facing the sky as he was hanging from the broomstick, watching the last bludger shooting like a dark arrow. As he took back his proper position on his broom, Briar with a flick of her wand, commanded the bludgers to return back in their box.

He nodded for the break as he was getting thirsty again. He was feeling the working out on his body, especially on his arms. He was pretty sure that it would be pretty painful the next morning. He landed down on the grass and used some water to quench his thirst. "You learnt all this on your own?" he asked his friend before gulping several sips of cold water.
 
Briar saw Minoas dodge the bluddgers pretty effectively before she sent them back to the ground she leant forwards and landed half way across the pitch form where her bag lay. she walked across feeling her ankle starting to ache but ignoring it, she knew that that would happen as the moon approached. she sat down and sighed. before taking her water bottle and gulping some of its contents down. she nodded at his question. "some of it, i made up, some of it i learned during training and some of it i read in quidditch through the ages, as much as i hate reading that is an interesting book, well the bit about quidditch today, and the fouls and techniques. wherever i learned the skills from, i have spent a lot of time practising. most of the holidays except the ones last year, was on either the pitch or running." she said before reaching into her bag and pulling out a couple of plums. "do you want one?" she asked taking a large bite out of one of them.
 
He stopped drinking greedily to wipe away with his sleeve the drips on her mouth and take a breath.
"Thank you." he accepted the plum that Briar offered him. It seemed to him that the prefect's diet was mainly based on fruits which wasn't really strange thinking of her childhood in the outdoors. Minoas sut down on the grass and leaned his back on the foot of the stands. He cracked his nech and with a grimace of pleasure his took a bite of the fruit. "I see." he murmured after he swallowed. "I should check out that book before the actual try-outs." he stated as he had enough free time for that as the lesson hadn't started yet.

"Any idea when the try-outs will begin?" he asked and took another bite of the juicy flesh of the fruit. He might was hiding it well but he was pretty nervous about those try-outs. He knew that there was the possibility not to be accepted in the team. There were for sure, player far more better than him, like Briar and they were going to make it in the team easier. However, he wasn't learnt to give up even when a fight was already looking lost. He had his chances and he was going to make the best of them.
 
briar tossed Minoas one of the plums and took another bite of her own. they tasted perfect, she loved magic and being able to get whatever food she wanted without having to wait until it was in season. if she wanted strawberries, then she could have strawberries even if it was snowing outside. a couple of moments later she had finished the small fruit and put the stone in her pocket she would throw it in the forest later and hope it would grow. "not necessarily before tryouts, it is more of a theory book, it wont help tryouts that much, but it is still worth a read, and if i say it is then it is." she said, she watched a few birds fly between the stands and threw a few nuts for them before taking a couple for herself. she was feeling okay now she was on the ground and had some food inside herself.
at the question of the tryouts she smiled, "Its usually in the first few weeks so maybe next week. you just need to check the notice board in the common room and I'll let you know if i hear anything about them" she sad there may have been a notice on the board already. she just hand't seen it, she had had a lot going on over the last couple of weeks, she would remind herself to have a look this evening. but she was sure that she hadn't missed it Damian would have told her.
 
Minoas kept eating his plum, switched off as he was watching a few birds, pecking at the nuts that Briar offered them kindly. Regardless what she was stating, Minoas was going to read the book before the try-outs. He wanted to feel that he had done everything that would possibly award him with a post in the team. It wasn't like any kind of book. It was about quidditch so it would be an easy and quick read for him. "I can't wait for it. Even just the experience of the try-outs would be enough for me." he commented the case in which he wasn't going to be accepted. He would have more chances in the future and why not, he could even try as a pro player when he was going to graduate.

"There are so many things that I have in my mind for when I grow up. I can't pick what my profession will be but I'm counting playing quidditch professionally as a big option." he shared his ambition with her. "Let me guess. You are absolutely gonna play professionally?" he asked, knowing already the girl's answer.
 
OOCOut of Character:
in case you haven't seen the tryouts are up.

Briar could tell that Minoas wasn't going to listen to her, she was pretty sure that as soon as they had finished today he would head strait up to the library and take it out. "try outs are pretty fun, just turn up and fly your best and I am sure you will get on either as a player or an alternative. she said. it was rare that anyone who tried out didn't get a place on the team, but she didn't say that. briar nodded when he said that he didn't know what he wanted to do when he left school. "don't worry I hadn't a clue what i wanted at the start of second year. but you are right, right now i am planing to play quidditch for a professional team, i am sort of hopeing the Thundelarra Thunderers, if they have a position free, if not I am sure i can find a team" she said picking up her water bottle again. and taking a mouthfull. "what team do you support?" she asked she like the thunderers best but she didn't have anything against the other teams, she just liked how intense their games were especially against the wanderers.
 
Briar's words were comforting and reassuring when she told him that she was sure that he would either get in the team as a regular or as an alternative player. "See that's the problem. I have already so many options in my head. I like the idea of professional player but then the job of the auror is so invinting. At the same time I would like to create things, like spells or potions and I'm always dreaming travelling around, writing books about different magical cultures, about different creatures around the globe." he confessed all those things that he wanted to try later in his life. Of course they were to many to combine them but he wanted to try them anyway.

A wide smile beamed his features as Briar expressed her desire to play for Thundelarra Thunderers. Thunderers were his favourite quidditch team. He was a big fan of them. He was in constant fight with his mother for covering his room's walls with posters of the team's players and flags. "Then I'll be a huge fan of you because Thunderers rock and I'm an absolute supporter!" he said almost ecstatically those words of worshipping. "I long to watch a match of them or get an autograph." he said with the same enthusiasm. "Back in Greece, quidditch it's not that popular. There are other sports but not quidditch. As soon as me and my family arrived here, I really got into it. Thunderers are freaking cool, even their name. You are fan too, aren't you?" he asked although the question was unnecessary.

OOCOut of Character:
thnx for letting me know, I have already posted :)
 
Briar laughed as the boy listed all the things that he wanted to do. "well it looks like you have a busy life ahead of you. maybe play quiddtch travel and write whilst you can, and then once you are no longer up for the sport then become an auror and make up spells and potions" she suggested. she hoped that it would be a long time before she was seen as unfit to play her favourite sport. she didn't have any back up plan.
when she mentioned the thunderers she saw his face light up. she could tell that she was saying the right team for him. "I'm glad that you approve, otherwise you would have to redecorate you room." she said jokingly. she wasn't sure if she would get into the thunderers but she hoped sp, of not the wanderers seemed pretty intense, even if they were the rivals of her favourite team. "yep, i support the thunderers. they are certainly the most skilled team out there, but i heard it is hard to get in." she said so as not to get her hopes up. "I saw them play last summer, and it was like they were one person, they each knew exactly what the others were planning before they even made a move. now thats skill and can only be done with a tight team" she said. her excitement masking her illness for a while.
 
"Well as soon as you won't play for Wanderers, I might consider changing a bit my room's decoration." he chuckled, although he was meaning what he was saying. As a true fan of Thunderers, he was also sharing the team's rivarly with the Wanderers. "Macaws is another team to consider playing for. Is my second favourite." he suggested her another option. "I'm sure though that Thunderers are going to need your flying and chasing charisma." he added right after to tone up her confidence.

"That's the key of success. No wonder they owned Wanderers' brooms so many times." he said quite envious that she had the opportunity to watch a professional quidditch game. "Maybe we might manage to work that fluently during our first match. If I'm accepted, I'm hundrent percent sure that you are going to be joining the team again. You were the core of griffnpuffs team last time, no reason not to be included." he commented, believing in what he was saying. He finished his plum that he had ignored for a while in his hand, during their interesting onversation about Thunderers. "So what is left to try out?" he said and grabbed his streak.
 
"I'm making no promises. we will have to see who wants me, the Macaws seem pretty good too" she said. throwing a few more nuts for the birds. "thank you" she said in reply to his compliment about her chasing charisma. she wasn't exactly sure what he meant but she knew that it was a good thing. "tam spirit is certainly important. I cant wait until the next game, i love the competition of the games much more that training." she said. in games she was allowed to let loose and do what she felt was right, there were no technique practices. just fierce competition. "We were meant to be a team, so no one should be a star player. but i think i was mainly me and Dannii who held us all above water, with Damion doing his bit at the end with the snitch and the hufflepuff who was keepeing aiding as well" she said. the captain had been angry at the team at the ned of the match as he felt that they had won unfairly. she thought that he had been unfair. she had played her heart out during that game having several attempts at scoring, and being in position of the quaffle almost half of the game. "I am pretty sure i will get in, but you never know there may be some great new second years to take my spot" she said nudging minoas lightly in the ribs. "I cant think of anything else to try, what do you want to do?. oh and i have been meaning to ask you it is not a coincidence that we have a professor Stratis, is it, is he some relative of yours" she asked she had remembered the name from the start of year feast, one of the only things she could remember from the feast besides how nice the food was (especially the steaks)
 
"I know but still there was a positive result and the victory was yours, even though not all of the players contributed. Maybe sometimes victory is the work of a few talented people." he realised that sometimes numbers didn't matter but just the individual's effort. Of course in case of quidditch, team work was essential but still a team was a pyramid and the players the stones with which is made of.
He let a small grin form on his lips as she had asked him for his relation with the flying professor. "You noticed huh? Yeah, he's the cousin I was telling you that he taught me surfing. I was surprised that he was accepted for the professor's position. He just graduated from school. I haven't yet congratulate him, I should go and see him soon." he said for his older cousin. He had met so many cousins during his holidays but certainly Icarus was his favourite one.

"I don't have any more ideas to be honest. Anything else that a chaser should be familiar with?" he asked for additional tips or advices.
 
briar smiled and felt another wave of tiredness roll over her. "I guess your right, as long as we won it doesn't matter who played well and who didn't, but occasionally is should be noted of the few who took the team to victory." she said
she noticed his expression change when she mentioned the flying professor that was an answer to her. "yeah i noticed. bet its nice having a cousin around. especially a cousin who is a professor and possibly able to get you out of trouble." she said winking, she knew what Minoas was like. she hadn't any family any more. since professor Margera was killed and she had spent the holidays alone had had fallen out with Madlyn, and although she still sometimes thought of her a her sister she was sure the thought wasn't mutual.
"I cant think of anything else that needs to be covered before the tryouts. so I think that thats enough for today" she said putting an end to the training. they had been on the pitch for most of the morning and soon it would be lunch time.
 
"Yeah it's ok though I would prefer him teaching history of magic and give me some grades without having to do all those essays." he said unable to hide his mischievous smile. "But it's true he might bail me out of trouble, if he won't get his professor position too seriously." she agreed with that although he could imagine Icarus agreeing with professor Kingsley in case she was the first to caught him out of bed.

The truth was that Minoas was a bit tired and he wanted to relax a bit before tommorow's lectures. "Yeah that would be okay. I think I got everything you show me. Now I just have to rest a bit and wait for the actual tryouts. I won't disappoint you." he promised to her that her effort won't go in vain. "Maybe we meet again to visit you sister. I'm always up to meet a centaur." he recommended as he was standing up, leaning his broom in his shoulder. "Send me an owl when you are available, I know that you have a hectic shecdule with your prefect duties." he said as he didnt want to pressure her. "I'm going now. See you around and thanks again for your time." he said with a smile of appreciation before mounting his broom and flying towards gryffindor's tower.
 
Briar chuckled slightly although she felt a little like throwing up. "that would be better, I am so glad that I don't have to take that subject any more. It will not be missed i can promise you that" she said. she had been to see professor Kingsley about her classes as she had had an idea about a possible career for herself after quidditch, she wouldn't tell anyone as the reason for that career was still a secret but she was glad that she had been allowed to transfer into the necessary classes. "you wont disappoint me even if you fall of your broom as soon as you get on it. 'cus its you who you are trying out for, not me." she said. as it looked like they were done for the day she flicked her wand at the trunk sending it back to the store room.
when he said they should meet again to visit her sister she was unsure the last time they had both been in the forest they had almost been eaten, and the forest wasn't safe for them any more. but she knew that she would. Minoas had become a younger brother to her. so it only seemed fair. she would talk to Aspen first and then take him some other time. "yep i will send you an owl when i have time. See you around" she said. it wouldn't be for a few days as she didn't want to be responsible for someone in the forest when she herself felt rubbish, but maybe after the moon had passed she would feel a little better.
she watched the boy leave and waited a few minutes until he was almost in the caste before she left she didn't want to walk up with him as she needed to go to the hospital wing and she was sure that if she was with him he would follow and ether recognise or ask about the potion that she was to take. not the one she would ask for for her head ache, the wolfsbane potion.
 
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