Flying Endlessly

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Their last match was a killer and Elly had tried her best to keep. Somehow the older chasers got through her defense and had scored in the last game. She wasn't going to let that happen for another game so she decided to practise some keeping techniques. Elly was wearing her full Quidditch keeper attire and walked out of the castle. People didn't even look oddly at her, she was the keeper of the Ravenclaw team anyway. She had make it as the team official keeper in the last try-outs which she was pretty proud of. Elizabeth made it to the pitch and set down her broom. She adjusted some of her gear and looked around. Luckily for her it was quiet, she knew Slytherin had booked the pitch for the afternoon, but it was still morning. She had at least four hours to practise and perfect her flying skills.

She thought about her friends and how much time went into Quidditch. She heard that Gryffindor held a victory party for winning last game, she hoped they would win the next game. Elly liked parties, she loved to hang out with her friends and make them happy. Unfortunately for her, her friends were scattered across almost all houses. There was Geo and Min in Hufflepuff, Phoebe, Veronica, Elijah and Sophie in Ravenclaw and Jessica and Leila in Gryffindor. It was hard to get everyone together all at once. With Quidditch on the side she had even less time, the homework got harder and lessons had way more matter. Elly sighed and mounted her broom. She flew off and the wind immediately hit her hair. Making her ponytail going from left to right. Elly smiled and flew to her familiar hoops.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

After breakfast, Geo had left Jess and Leila to their usual girlish chatter and made her way outside. It was a beautiful morning, and for the Hufflepuff it was a favourite time of day. Taking a stroll along in the grass, he slipped off her shoes to walk barefoot, enjoying the feeling of the earth under her toes. No matter how much work she had to do, she would always make time for being outside. As the sun shone brightly down on the castle grounds, Geo checked out her surroundings, admiring the students that had begun their daily activities.

A smile formed on her lips as she spotted a familiar face, dressed from head to toe in her new Quidditch gear. Elizabeth had always been passionate about the sport, and as such had managed to make it onto the team already. Geo hoped one day she'd follow suit, but as there were an abundance of Hufflepuffs on the waiting list, she couldn't be sure if it would happen. As quickly as she'd spotted her best friend, she was straight into a run. Heading for the broom cupboard, she pulled out a relatively new looking ride, and slipping her shoes back onto her feet she proceeded to catch up with the Ravenclaw. Helmet under her arm, she approached the Quidditch Pitch and watched as Elly was already up in the air, practising her laps. She looked alone, and clearly would need some help if she were to practise keeping the quaffle out those hoops. Strapping the clasp of the helmet under her chin, Geo mounted her broom and kicked off from the ground.

She paused in the air a little way from the Ravenclaw. "You might find it easier if you don't have to try and score yourself" She called out, balancing on her broom with her legs, as she readjusted her blonde hair under her headwear.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

A keeper from football only had one goal to protect, she had three. Elly was thinking of a way how she could predict where the quaffle would go. She needed to use her smarts, she was too short to protect all three hoops at once. Not that there was any keeper that could reach all three at once, but still it would be handier if she had longer arms. The fresh air made her head clear and she needed to figure out a way to make her better at keeping. The others on the team said she had done a good job last game, but Elly wanted to be better. Good wasn't making it, she wanted to be perfect.

When Elly looked down she saw a blondine on the field. She was sure she was blond locks of hair, but she had no clue who the person was. Elly could only hope the person didn't want to ruin her keeper practise. Soon she would know who the girl was, since it looked like she was flying right at her.

When the person got close Elly clearly spotted her friend Geo. She had missed her since they hadn't spoken to each other a lot like they in their first year.Hmhmh, that is the best advice i've gotten so far.'' Elly winked and smiled. She was glad Geo wanted to join her. Somehow Geo was that type of friend that would be there when you needed her. She needed someone to throw quaffles and then suddenly there was Geo, it was funny. ''Do you have some odd magical sense to check if your friends need your help?'' Elizabeth said while looking at Geo. Geo had told her she wanted to join the team too, she wondered what held her back. Elly still holding her quaffle threw the quaffle to Geo. She was here now anyway, lets make use out of her friend.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo laughed when Elly asked if she had a magical sense. "I wish I did, that would be amazing" She replied, glad that she could be of help. Geo loved to help; help and protect. She had always had an urge to look after others, perhaps because of her birth. She'd managed to keep her birth and childhood a secret from everyone at the school, and planned to do so for as long as possible. Occasionally Geo would be hit with a bout of guilt for keeping secrets, but ultimately she wasn't ready to face the truth of her upbringing, and the shame that came with it. Instead she'd avoided the topic altogether, and was pleased that so far no one had queried too much about her family.

The second year threw her hands up in the air, catching the Quaffle between both hands as her opponent got ready to play. Geo may not have been a chaser, but she certainly felt like it as she came up against the real Ravenclaw keeper. She smiled, tucking the ball under one arm and lowering her back against the body of the broom, allowing herself to become more streamline as she set forward, darting from side to side in order to try and fool the keeper. "Catch" she suddenly shouted, lifting her weight up and the ball above her head, throwing it as hard as she could into the centre hoop. She wasn't necessarily going to go "easy" on Elly, but she would gradually try to make it more difficult for her actions to be followed.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Which one quick move on her broom Elly manoeuvred herself from the lowest to the highest hoop. Being a keeper was something Elly loved and she wouldn't want it any other way. With her friend Geo around this practise got one thousand times more interesting. Geo had some mean Quidditch skills and she had a good aim. It made Elly be on her toes and trying to stay focussed so she could keep the quaffle from hitting her hoops.

Elly wondered which position Geo would play in a team. Elly envisioned her as a beater or seeker. Both were very important roles in the team. When Geo threw the quaffle Elly was still at the highest hoop. She quickly flew to the center hoop and barely caught the quaffle. It was probably eighty percent luck and only twenty percent skill. Elly grinned ''You hid some mean Quidditch skills from me, Geo'' Elly knew Geo was good at the sport, but she actually kept Elly busy.

Geo was a good friend of Elly and they had barely spoken in the last semester. Elly seriously wanted to catch up, so if that meant Quidditch and talking were made into a pair. Then that was how it was going to be. ''How have you been?'' Elly shouted, while throwing the quaffle back into Geo her possession.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo watched as her friend swooped down to collect the ball before it flew through the hoop, cheering as they made contact. She was surprised when Elly mentioned she'd been hiding some Quidditch skills, given that ultimately all she'd had was her flying lessons. If anyone had skills it would be Elly, she had made it onto the team afterall. She was glad that no one else was out here and they had the pitch to themselves. They wouldn't have to worry about getting into anyone else's way. "Did you practise this before you joined Hogwarts?" She asked, catching the ball as it was thrown back out to her. "You're a natural!" She added, tucking the ball under her arm once more and backing up to get into a good position.

This time she was going to fly high, and throw the ball down into one of the hoops to see if Elizabeth could grab one from above her. Upon hearing her question, Geo paused in mid-flight, playing with the Quaffle in her hands, throwing it a little and catching it. She wasn't sure how to respond. So much had happened in the last few weeks she wasn't sure where to begin, but she wanted to open up to a friend. "Well," she began, "Classes are harder than I ever imagined, I didn't make the team, and I can't decide who to ask to go to the Yule Ball with me" She finished. The ball was over a month away, but she still wanted to be plenty ready. Her second year at Hogwarts was likely to be more stressful than her first, and she wasn't sure if she was going to handle it well. "And you?" She smiled at her friend, eventually taking the strike towards the goal to give her time to think.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Elly was liking this game, Geo gave her quite the challenge in catching all the quaffles she threw at her. ''No my mom never allowed me to fly and my dad is a muggle'' Elly smiled, she probably was a natural. Somehow with all the bad luck in her life, she was finally good at something. With the potion she could fly without getting sick and then she finally noticed how good she was. She made the team and that also made up for something. ''Thanks you aren't so bad yourself'' Elly was honest, Geo had some mad skills up her blond hair. She hadn't even put much thought in it, but Geo's hair used to be pink. This showed how much attention Elly was putting in the game. ''I love the new hair colour'' Elly muttered, it looked natural on her. The pink was amazing and she rocked it, but this was more quiet and didn't scream as much at you.

With a close eye Elly was trying to focus on Geo her flying patterns and waiting for her to throw the quaffle. Suddenly Geo flew up high and Elly started to prepare for impact. She tried to focus on the high hoop and waited for Geo to throw. Elly felt a bit of guilt, she found the classes easy and she did make the team. Which wasn't easy, but the classes weren't overly difficult for her. Elly had asked Elijah for the yule ball last year, which wasn't bad and she would totally do it this year again. But Geo needed her and if she liked she would go with Geo. ''You can go to the Yule ball with me?'' Elly said more as a question. Elijah shouldn't care that much, he knew how much Elly cared about her friends. Elizabeth would figure herself away if it meant helping her friends. It could be her fatal flaw, but it was also a nice trait she possessed. ''And with this talent you will definitely make the team next year'' She didn't lie, she really meant it. With all the talking she completely forgot about the quaffle and now she was as vulnerable as a baby bird away from mother.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo was amazed that Elly hadn't even practised at all before coming to Hogwarts. Geo had been able to a little, and she still wasn't quite as quick in the air as her. Elly commented on her hair, and she was glad that so far everyone seemed to like it. "Thanks, just felt like a change, you know?" She said, throwing the quaffle as hard as she could through one of the hoops from above. She was already flying back into a new position when Elly said she could attend the Yule ball with her. "I thought you were going with Elijah?" She asked, knowing the pair had done so last year, and thinking that it was the more likely choice. "I'm not going to deprive you" She said with a hint of laughter in her voice. The Ravenclaw boy was handsome, and she'd had her chance to speak to him early on in the year previously, but she wasn't going to admit that to best friend. It was obvious she too liked the boy, and besides, there were a few other people she had in her mind. Geo waited to be thown the ball again, pausing in the air. "Maybe." She contemplated. She had spoken to Ares; the Captain of the team, but she didn't want to make him feel like she were only talking to him to increase her chances. "Will you stay on the team until Graduation?" She called out. By the time seventh year came around, Elly would be unstoppable.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Elly was trying to catch the quaffle that was aimed for the highest hoop. Although she was close the quaffle flew straight through the hole. ''Nice shot, blondie'' Elly giggled and looked at Geo. With one quick swoop she retried the quaffle and threw it back to Geo. Elly listened to what Geo was saying about the yule ball and it almost felt Like Geo didn't want to go with her. Somehow Elly didn't want Geo to know that she felt that way so she looked as neutral as she could. ''I don't want to do the same every year.'' Elly muttered, she wanted variety and not stick herself to one thing for all her years. What if they got in a fight and then she had left all of her friends for a stupid boy. ''Well the offer is there, and I won't force you if you don't want'' Elly shrugged and took her attention back to the game. She didn't want to make Geo feel bad in any way.

''Nah, I am sure you will make it, just say you completely obliterated the Ravenclaw keeper'' Elly smiled broadly, she really meant it. It would be hard to play against her friend, but she knew how badly Geo wanted to be on the team. ''I don't know, seven years is a long time." Elly paused ''Maybe I get bored already after playing for three'' It wasn't that she didn't like Quidditch, but people changed and interests shifted. Seeing the future was hard, what if she got sick or injured. Elly didn't want to have her hopes up for anything. She had the worst luck out of anyone really. ''Do you know already what you want to do for your full length at Hogwarts?''Of course Elly had hopes and dreams as well, but she didn't want to hold too much on to them.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo smiled at her friends offer, not that she would be able to see it from the distance she was at. She appreciated the offer, but she was keen to ask someone to be her date on this occasion. Geo flew and caught the quaffle after Elly saved it. She hoped that if she did ever get on the Hufflepuff team, she wouldn't come to regret helping Elly be a better keeper for her shots. On the other hand, try as she might, she may never make it, and so the risk was worth taking for now for her friends behalf.

If Geo was ever on the team, she wasn't sure she'd ever voluntarily leave. Putting so much work into something would take a lot out of her, and besides she wanted Hufflepuff to win as much as they could, despite what houses her best friends were in. If she had the skill she would be sure to use it when she could. Geo swooped low and aimed for the right hoop, chucking the ball as hard as she could while Elly spoke, hoping to catch her distracted and off guard. Once the ball had left her hands, she regripped her broom, flying around the hoops as she enjoyed the feeling of the wind in her air. "Kind of" she replied as she returned to be position in front of the Ravenclaw. "I know what I want to achieve by being here" she said confidently. She'd known for years. "I need to graduate well enough to become an Auror. If I can do that then I'm happy" she said truthfully. She had a few other goals in mind too, including Quidditch and making life long friends, but it would seem she'd managed to complete the latter in faster time than expected. "What will you do after all this?" Her arms were outstretched, ready to receive another throw from the second year.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Her hair was flowing wildly in the wind and the wind didn't make keeping easier. Elly didn't care about winning so if Geo got on the Hufflepuff team and they won she would be happy for her and for the team. She wasn't competitive, winning was fun, but she played Quidditch for the sport not for winning the games. Quidditch was way bigger in the other houses, the Ravenclaws barely got a full team together. Elly smiled and waited for Geo to hurl the quaffle towards her hoops. Although Geo ignored her Yule ball comment, she wasn't that disappointed. ''An Auror huh?" Elly looked shocked, she knew Geo was more of the adventurous type, but she hadn't expected auror as a job for her.

Elly still didn't know herself, she had thought about becoming an auror too, but nothing was set in stone. ''I am sure you can achieve that dream Geo'' Elly smiled and focussed on the quaffle. Geo had scored once again and she wasn't going to make it twice. In the end she barely caught the incoming quaffle. With all the talking she was off guard and forgot to pay attention to the lowest hoop. Elly threw the quaffle back to Geo and thought about her question. ''I really don't know, I wanted to see which kinds of grades I can manage in the end first.'' Elly paused ''I don't want to be let down, because I raised the bar too high.'' some jobs did require very high marks and although she was managing fine know no one knew how hard it is going to get.

Quidditch was fun at least, but she was sure not going to be a professional quidditch player. She was too smart for that no sense, not that Quidditch players were dumb idiots, but she could use her skills for better things. ''It is hard to see in the future.'' Elly paused and inhaled deeply ''What if my mom decides to hurl me back to England and enroll me at Hogwarts Scotland'' Elly wouldn't want that, but her mom could be very persistent.