Open Power Behind the Punch

[Édelie de la Mora]

Open after @Amelie Derouin for Beauxbatons students

Édelie was still surprised they had quickly beaten the American team during their last match. While she hadn't personally scored any goals, Gaby and she worked well together, and hopefully with a little extra work, they would be unstoppable at their next match. Or at least next year. Édelie had grabbed her broom and a quaffle as she made her way down to the pitch. What she really needed to focus on was power behind her score attempts. If she could throw them harder, it would be more difficult for keepers to catch. She also hoped to center her attempts or at least be able to focus the throw more. Quaffles were a lot harder to aim with one hand on your broom than things like a baseball. Thankfully, she had the pitch to herself at the moment and took out her wand to send the quaffle a bit aways before jumping on her broom after it.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie wasn't going to let her failure to get on the quidditch team stop her. She loved the game, and she wanted to play with Jamie someday. She made her way down to the pitch, wanting to practice, but she paused as she saw someone already there. She paused, biting her lip. Deciding to take a chance, she jumped on her broom and flew up to the girl. "Hi,"

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie had just tossed the quaffle through the hoops when she heard a noise beside her. Surprised to see another student, she gave her a smile as she readjusted her ponytail. "Hi," she said with a slight laugh. Édelie didn't know the girl and wondered if maybe she wanted to practice on her own. "Accio," she said, pointing her wand at the quaffle and then looked back at the girl. "If you're wanting to practice, we can split the field in half," she said, unsure how she could help as she caught the quaffle with one hand and then placed her wand in her shin guards.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie nodded, smiling shyly. "Sure, that works," she agreed, nodding and holding her own ball a bit more under her arm. "I'm Amelie, by the way. You're the other chaser, aren't you?" She asked, remembering seeing the girl at tryouts and thinking she might be the one that made the team.

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie gave the younger girl a smile. "Yeah, I just started playing for the team this year. I'm Édelie," she said with a nod, adjusting her quaffle under arm. She vaguely recognized girl but wasn't sure from where. "Are you wanting to try out for the team?" she asked curiously.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie smiled. She was glad she was right. She paused as Edelie asked about the team, blushing and rubbing the back of her neck. "Oh, I already did," she laughed nervously. "I didn't make it. But I'm going to keep practicing and try again next year," she spoke with a bit of determination, giving the other girl a cheeky grin.

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie put her hand over her mouth and profously apologized. "Oh my! I didn't realize. That's why I must recognize you. My apologies," she said, moving her hand to her heart as her grandmother so often did. "What position did you try out for? Maybe I can help you practice. I'm still learning myself, to be honest." Some students just had natural atheltic ability, which seemed to be Édelie's saving grace.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie laughed lightly, smiling and shaking her head. "No, no, it's alright. I tried out for Chaser, but you and Gabri did very well," she smiled. "I'm just going to train for all of it," She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Really I just want to play with everyone." She tossed the ball from one hand to another.

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie felt her cheeks flush when she realized she had beaten out this girl for chaser. "Oh, well, in that case, maybe we can play against each other?" she asked curiously, trying to lighten the air. "If we send the quaffle flying down the field, we could race after it and then head back this way to try and score?" she asked, trying to think of the most fun way to play with only two people.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie laughed lightly, considering the other girls words. "Sure! We can do that for a bit, then practice passing, then if you want I can play keeper for a bit," she offered, smiling at Edelie. "I'm thinking of being more diverse next year, seeing what openings are on the team and going for those," she mused, smiling brightly. "Just because my cousin is a chaser doesn't mean I have to be, really," she nodded to herself, determined now to just do her best and have fun with it.

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie thought the girl's approach to the sport seemed reasonable and more mature than other students. She had heard many kids only want to be seeker while never giving another position a chance which then to them never actually playing for the school. "That sounds good," she said with a smile. "Are you from a large quidditch family?"

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie shook her head. "No, my cousin plays for the nationals but he's really the only one." She smiled. "I was feeling lonely so I thought if I took up quidditch, too, it would kinda be my way of being close to him even though I can't see him," she smiled softly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "We put together a friendly match a while back, that went really well," she mused, proud that it had been a success.

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie was surprised to hear the girl had a cousin playing professionally. That would never be considered an actual career for someone in her family. Even so, she had already been disappointing some of the members with the highest standards. Maybe a career in quidditch wouldn't knock her down too many more pegs. Then again, she wasn't very good and had just started playing. She could barely score once within a game. "That's really neat that your family is supportive and plays games together. I only got into playing for fun once I started at school," she added, noticing the clouds moving to the cover the sun, allowing for her to squint less across the pitch.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie smiled. "It's a game, and I think a lot of people forget that," she laughed lightly. "It's supposed to bring people together, let them enjoy themselves and bond with others," she tossed her ball between her hands. She shot Edelie an impish grin. "Ready to practice?" She winked playfully, dropping her own ball in favor of the one Edelie had and moving in position.

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie thought about what Amelie said and had to agree to some extent. It was true that it was just a game, but some took it too far, at least for her. She nodded when Amelie asked to actually begin practicing, levitating the quaffle with her wand and sending it towards the opposite end of the field, quickly shooting after it. She wondered if the younger girl would keep up.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie smiled and shot off after Edelie; she was a little slower, but Amelie thought she did alright, staying fairly close behind the other girl. She smiled widely. It was obvious Edelie was better, but that was alright, really. Amelie would have been very disappointed if Edelie wasn't better at this than she was.

 

[Édelie de la Mora]

Édelie caught the quaffle first and headed back towards the other end of the field, hoping to score before Amelie attempted stealing from her. "Hope I'm not going too fast for you," she called out.

 

[Amelie Derouin]

Amelie laughed loudly, staying close on Edelie's tail. "You wish," she winked playfully, watching for an opening to either steal or catch a pass.