Spectator: Slytherin V Hufflepuff Finished

It was when Andrew's gaze was fixated elsewhere in the sky, overlooking the pitch, that the inquisitive gray rat emerged from the cocoon of her hidey-hole within Andrew's scarf, and then scuttled her way down from the boy's shoulder, the featherlight weight of her body practically invisible to Andrew as he continued to watch the game, oblivious to Penelope's wandering. Her tiny feet nimbly picked their way down the cloth of his Slytherin uniform and then darted her across the wooden floorboards of the stands, beneath the unsuspecting gaze of spectators, as the rat nosed her way along, picking up remnants and crumbs of food that might have been dropped.

Following her nose, undaunted by the noise and people around, she eventually worked her way to the front of the stands. For a rat, she was actually quite brave, comfortable in approaching other species, whether it be it human, animal or other. She meant no harm or trouble. Rather it was everyone else that seemed to be petrified of her. Inside the Hogwarts castle, she was no stranger to running and hiding from owls, cats, and other students, whose first instincts were to scream in fright and/or give chase after her.. those that would wish her dead. But that didn't deter Penelope from being the one to initiate friendly contact. Was she brave or was she foolish? Or perhaps even the rat had a sense of humor, amused by the reactions she caused…

So what about this one? Penelope glanced up at [Emerly Pine]. Having reached the other end of the stand, she sought to climb her way out of "the box", and so she hopped her way up, climbing onto [Emerly's] shoulder. What a nice, cozy scarf and-- Was that bacon? She snuggled up right next it, sniffing the scarf intently for traces of breakfast food that she would often scrounge for at the Great Hall... And found herself clinging onto the fabric for dear life when an emerald green streak blew a gust of wind into her face, nearly startling her backwards!

In the brief second her eyes met [Emerly's], Penelope stared back at the boy with a quizzical expression. Would he scream? Would he attack? Or was he friendly?... She was prepared to bolt and scurry away at a moment's notice, if the human showed any sign of fear or aggression towards her. But if not, then she was perfectly content on enjoying the view from here.

Interacting (via pet rat) with @Emerly Pine

An expression, a mix between embarrassment, mild fear, and disgust appeared on Emerly's face. He instinctively craned his neck back out of the way of the animal. Thankfully he recalled that some students were known to have pets, rats were one of them- but he couldn't shake the possibility it might be a wild one. He didn't want to chance being bitten by one of the latter, thank you very much.
Seemingly frightened by the creature, a surprisingly burly Slytherin next to him moved to swipe up Emerly's discarded umbrella and smack the poor creature across the stands. Emerly was quicker, fortunately. He turned his back, and thankfully the student stopped as he realized he was going to miss his tiny target.
"Oh, sorry, that yer pet?"
"No..." He looked to see if... did he catch it in his scarf? He took it off, hands shaking, hoping it would was somewhere in there, unable make another distraction from the game. If it did turn out to be a pet, he'd ask around after... If it wasn't... well... he just about almost took an umbrella for a field mouse. Emerly stared at the somewhat hole-strewn collection of yarn in his lap. It wasn't that he hated rats. They were actually quite, well, cute. It was the tails he couldn't stand.
Emerly emitted an uncertain, stressed noise, trying his best to distract himself with the game. It worked, and soon he was clapping aloud again, but he kept an eye out for the owner. For all he knew it had scurried back, but if it was still in his scarf (a concept Emerly wasn't entirely comfortable with, to be honest), hopefully they would come retrieve it.

@Andrew Vance

Elliot’s polite applause turned to a hearty clapping as the students in black and yellow Quidditch uniforms began to take the pitch.  Standing from his seat he reached into his robes and withdrew his Omnioculars. Peering through the lenses he would spot some familiar Hufflepuff faces and repress the urge to shout out in encouragement. Much as he wanted to see his old house win, donning his yellow scarf was as far as he would allow his favoritism to go. 

Elliot was not the only one eager for today’s match as the stands began to fill up around him. A smirk crossed his face as an especially excited Gryffindor took a seat nearby. The boy left no mystery as to which house he belonged. The older man simply chuckled to himself as the boy called out in jest to one of his friends below. He was much more boisterous than Elliot had been as a youth, but he still couldn’t help but to reminisce about his past. The Quidditch season always brought out the passion in people. 

As he turned his attention back to the pitch his eye caught a young lad waving in his direction, a mop of amber hair sprouting from his head. The older mans hand rose from his side as a polite smile crossed his face. The boy addressed him first, “Happy Sunday, sir. Hope this match ain’t goin’ to be boring.”

His eyes widened as a look of shock crossed his face. “Merlin’s beard, laddie! Boring?! It’s the first match of the season. We must give Huffle...I mean the teams our support.” He turned and gestured towards the pitch as the students began to take to the air and man their positions. “Come now lad. How could this be anything but exciting?!” Elliot called out in a deep and rich voice. The boy would turn to the pitch, letting out a cheer. “That-a-boy!” 

More students began to fill in the seats around him. A dark haired boy came up the steps, a look of fear in his gray eyes. Elliot’s eyebrows furrowed as he wondered what was the matter. However, it was not but a moment later that whatever fear had gripped him was replaced with a smile, although a bit of a creepy one. Elliot simply shrugged as the youth buried his face in a book and made his way to the back of the stands.

“SERENA TOWERS, YOU’RE GONNA KICK ASS!” A dark blonde haired boy called out from nearby. Elliot quickly raised his Omnioculars again and faked a quick cough to cover up the laugh that erupted from his belly. He let the offense of shouting profanities go. It was a Quidditch match after all! Rules will be broken in the air and the stands alike. “PROUD OF YOU!” The boy shouted but a moment later. The lines around the older mans eyes deepened as a smile took to his lips. 

“Bite us, we’ll bite you back. Better be scared when we attack. Feel the fear we’re maniacs. Go Slytherin!” Elliot lowered his Omnioculars as he peered over his shoulder to see a blonde haired boy cupping his mouth as he gave his chant. Again it reminded him of of his own youth. It seemed then that every new match came with a new taunt or cheer. “Nice one lad!” He shouted over the noise before turning back to the pitch.

It was just then Elliot felt something scurry past his feet. Looking down he swore he saw the tail of a rat slink away under the seats. He remembered the shock when he had first came to Hogwarts. As a Muggleborn it took him quite sometime to become accustomed to the idea of keeping a pest as a pet, but much like all the other oddities that came with the Wizarding world, he got used to it.

“THAT’S WHAT YOU GET FOR LIKING THOR, KOVACS.” Elliot turned to see a red headed girl shouting down to the Hufflepuff bench before breaking out in laughter. Many of his colleagues might not get her reference, but Elliot’s love of Muggle movies had not faded upon finding out he was a wizard. During his summers as a youth he would always go the the theater will his parents, and to this day he still did whenever he was away from Hogwarts. Raising his voice he called out over the crowd. “Surely young Kovacs is worthy of wielding the mighty Mjolnir!” He chuckled to himself. Keeping up with the youth, Elliot mused to himself. Proud that he both knew the reference and that Kovacs was a second string beater. 

With a smile on his face, the older man looked back to the pitch. The match would start any moment now. “C’mon Hufflepuff, give em hell.” He whispered only to himself.

Mentions: Not by name, but reacts to Kyle DeRook, Ayden White, Max Avery, and Andrew Vance’s rat.

Interactions: Keenan Kingsmen, Erik Tharaldson, and Eris Fawley.

Open to further interactions if anyone would like.

It was a cool , grey day and Oswald made himself ready to go and watch the Quidditch game. He wore an oversized honey coloured sweater and a pair of yellow boots , which he bought during the summer vacation - to show his Hufflepride for events like these! The House-Teams of Hufflepuff and Slytherin would compete with each other and he was sure that it will be a hard fight for both of them. Although a Hufflepuff student , Oswald was not sure who he actually rooted for. On one hand , he was a Hufflepuff student and proud for his house and it's members. On the other hand , he really liked Dan , even enough that he attended a game which he would normally not do. Oswald was never interested in Quidditch as much as his peers but he gave it a try.

He made his way to the spectator stands , wearing a yellow and black Hufflepuff scarf that would be way too long for him. Many students attended and the stands were filled in no time. Oswald was not great in shouting cheers , but he could clap if Hufflepuff would score. He also planned to cheer for Dan , although silently ; he did not want to feel the wrath of his fellow badgers. He munched on a cookie as the game would unfold and the crowds of fans chant and cheer for their players. "A cup o' tea would come in handy now" , he thought.

Quidditch could be a dangerous sport. If she was being honest with herself, that was one of the most exhilarating things about it - competition aside. Dymphna found a spot in the stands, hyperfocused as the game started. Of course, the school bully Erin made the team. With all that protective gear, she had to be a Keeper. Then she spotted Alexx who she considered a friend. It was hard to have friends on both teams - knowing that Serena and Reid might be considered to play instead.

Eris yelled something to Reid that the blonde couldn't understand. It was likely something muggle, perhaps those comic books they both seemed to like. Dymphna could appreciate their love for it but she didn't quite understand it herself. Then again, she always liked those fancy art books that were made for showing off - the kind that sat on the coffee table in the lounge to use as a conversation starter. Another voice, one that she was sure she'd heard before spoke up.

The Gryffindor was cheering her friend on so they already had that in common. Dymphna figured it would be nice to try and make another friend. She had plenty but what was one more? Besides, hadn't she seem him before on the pitch? It was hard to remember as their Quidditch game happened so quickly, reds and blues blurring through the sky until she could hardly recognize anyone. He was only a few rows down so she made her way over. "D'you mind if I sit with you?"

Content with himself and his chant to liven up the Slytherin Quidditch players Erik turned around to move back to his seat untill he noticed Professor Price complementing him. "Nice one lad!" A smile curled on his face. Erik was always happy if people complemented him. It stroked his ego. Something he needed whilst others would say his ego was already massive enough. Thank you, Professor Price!, Erik told his Potions teacher. The Slytherin boy noticed a seat next to the Professor was empty. Would you mind if I took a the seat next to you? Are you ready for the game? I myself am very excited for it. To watch the game live like this is so exhilirating don't you think? I was wondering though...

Before Erik could say anything more the game had started. Faster then he had anticipated the Huffles were tearing through the Slytherin Chasers and clearing the area to an almost unconstested goal. That was if you hadn't taken note of Slytherin's keeper. One of his fellow Housemembers blocked the Quaffle and sent it flying over the field again causing Erik to yell a heartfelt YEAH!!!

Erik sheepishly looked over at Professor Price before saying Sorry, Professor. Then the game changed again once more in the advantage of house Slytherin as one massively tall looking Beater from the Huffles got knocked off his broom. The blond haired boy jumped up not able to contain his excitement as he took off his scarf and held it in the air with both hands whilst chanting:

Who are we sorry for?
Hufflepuff, there's no way that you are rough
Who are we flying by?
Hufflepuff, all you are is talk and fluff
Who are we sorry for?
Hufflepuff, don't you think you've lost enough

When the proud Slytherin sat back on his seat he didn't make eye contact with the Professor right away. Trying to avert his gaze as he probably wouldn't like him booing the Hufflepuffs Quidditch players.

Interacting with @Elliot Price

Ruthie was late--late for her favourite thing in the whole world: Quidditch. Well, at least it was one of her favourite things. But she had a good excuse. In the days leading up to the match, she had learned that her friend, Julie Shaw, had been chosen as Hufflepuff Seeker just as Ruthie had made Chaser on the Ravenclaw team herself. Naturally, after the debacle in the greenhouses, Ruthie felt she ought to show up and support the girl who'd come to her rescue and who she was now privileged to consider her friend. In the excitement, Julie had thrust a large banner in her arms, saying, “If’n ye wanna cheer fer me, take this Banner so’s I can see ye in the crowd! Hope I don’ think yer hair is the snitch!” They laughed and grinned in anticipation of the day. But now that it was hear, Ruthie hadn't realized exactly how large this banner was. Rolled up, it had seemed smaller, but open it was a different story.

She carried it curled up under her arm as she approved the spectator seats. Amongst the group, she saw Slytherins, Hufflepuffs and the occasional Gryffindor. She even thought she saw a rat's tail running around the stands, but in a blink it was gone. As she walked up the benches, careful not to poke anyone with the banner, she noticed the Potions Professor in the stands. Potions had turned out to be one of her favourite subjects so far so she waved and greeted him in passing, "Good day, Professor."

Turning her head around, she looked for a place to sit. She noticed Dymph, a fellow player on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. She didn't know the older girl very well, but figured she should get to know her. Plus if practice was anything to go by, Dymph not only seemed cool, but an excellent Quidditch player--someone to learn from. "Hey Dymph! Fancy seeing you here!" she called out as she made her way over to her and a boy, she didn't know, who was close by. She came over close enough to be in ear-shoot, but with enough distance that she could unravel the banner she'd been carrying around without disturbing anyone. "Hiya," she addressed the boy she didn't know, "I'm Ruthie. I play on the team with Dymphna." Unrolling the banner, the badger emerged on the crest of the yellow striped background:

Reducio

As she held it up, she looked back out to the pitch, where things seemed to be heating up fast. Hufflepuff had unfortunately lost a player due to some bad luck from a bludger so early on. But before getting into play, Ruthie wanted to find her friend. It took a little while, but she eventually spotted Julie, the brunette whiz-with-herbs Seeker. "LET'S GO, JULIE!!" she yelled while waving the banner, which looked disproportionally large compared to her small frame. It was hard to tell, but if she squinted, she'd say her friend had a determined look on her face. As such, she added in an additional cheer, "FIND THAT SNITCH!" It was relatively early, and Ruthie had already missed most of the play, but if Julie could get on the snitch early, that would be to Hufflepuff's advantage.

NB: Permission to godmode in the past by @Julie Shaw.
Mentions: @Andrew Vance 's rat.
Interacting with: @Elliot Price, @Max Avery & @Dymphna Teague. Open to other interaction.

Somewhere in the stands, there was a little Badger.

As the Quidditch players zoomed on their brooms, the badger slowly walked across the bleachers - looking quite too small to be a Hogwarts student, and looking very shy.

Of course it was not a true badger - it was just a costume - and inside it was Jake Morris.

He didn't even know how it had happened. One moment he'd been drawing at the breakfast table, the next he'd had a bunch of Hufflepuffs prodding him, and the next thing he knew he was inside the costume. The costume had been a bit dusty and he had sneezed a few times - but once that had passed it'd been off to the stands to support a team in a game that Jake had no idea how to play.

He had been embarrassed at first - thinking for sure he was going to get laughed at. He'd had to be coaxed just to go into the stands, preferring to hide on the side of them. At first he'd just sat down and tried to not be seen. But he knew that wasn't really what he was supposed to be doing...it sounded like he'd been given a very important job. Once he started walking around it began to sink in...nobody knew who he was. With the mask on, he wasn't cowardly Jake Morris, he was just the Badger - Hufflepuff mascot. And while at first his cheeks had flushed at the grins on the other students' faces, he had come to learn that they weren't laughing AT him - they were laughing WITH him (plus, Oswald had promised him unlimited cookies if he was to do it).

Jake walked the stands, wiggling his claws around and doing what he thought mascots were supposed to do - which was a little bit hard because he didn't even known what a mascot was. As somebody in Hufflepuff colors flew around and threw a red ball through a hoop thingy, everybody in yellow in the stands began to cheer. Did that mean something good had happened...? The badger raised his claws in the air and jumped 3 times. Go Hufflepuff!

As he did he saw everybody cheer too and clap their hands. They seemed really happy...had he done that? Maybe being the mascot wasn't gonna be so bad after all....

@Dymphna Teague | @Ruthie Greer

Eris appeared a few moments after Max to loudly cheer on Reid and Serena, and the Gryffindor boy grinned as he looked up a few rows to see her sticking her tongue out and rubbing her eyes. He almost got up to go sit with her, but before he could a girl he somewhat recognized from around the school approached and cut off his plans with a question. He stared at her for a few moments to place her, immediately wanting to know who she was and what her purpose in interacting with him was. She was a Quidditch player, right? He vaguely recognized her from Ravenclaw.

She was also undeniably beautiful. It came as an afterthought, almost as if dragged from his subconscious, and his eyes twitched the slightest bit as he forced himself not to narrow them. He usually wasn't one to consciously consider someone very attractive, which meant there was something different about her. A potion? A special perfume? Or... a Veela? He'd seen a full one of those once in his life, and that had been terrifying. This effect wasn't nearly as strong as that one, so he wasn't sure what to think, but he filed it away to ponder later. For now, he had to be polite.

"Sure, of course," he said, scooting over to give her more room. It was Teague something, he realized as he moved, trying to bring up her first name. They'd had classes together from what he could recall, so she must've been a third year. He would've introduced himself had there not been a murmur through the crowd, and his eyes snapped to the game to watch a massive student go plummeting to the ground. Max winced as he crashed, the scene reminiscent of his own team captain just a game prior. It was Kovacs's turn now, and Max would have to watch with interest to see what the Hufflepuff boy could do.

Turning back, he was about to introduce himself when he was interrupted yet again, this time by a totally unfamiliar girl with a Hufflepuff banner. Talk about school spirit. Shaking off the distractions, he made a third attempt that included both girls in the conversation.

"Max Avery," he greeted with a nod since trying to decide whose hand to shake first would be awkward. "Nice to meet you Dymphna - " Lucky thing Ruthie had said the name. " - and Ruthie. Anyone in particular the two of you are cheering for besides this Julie girl? I'm here for Serena Towers, though she's on the bench. Possibly Alexx Séverin as well."

”Thank you.” Dymphna took a seat, wondering the best way to introduce herself. She still preferred her nickname but was growing accustomed to her full name. It wasn’t that hard to pronounce - if folks could learn how to say Tchaikovsky then they could learn her name too.

Her eyes on the game, Dymphna tensed when she saw that Reid was getting to play. She was proud of him for making the team of course, but she couldn’t help but to worry for him. In the previous years, he was in the hospital wing more times than anyone else she knew. However, he was also the strongest player and most committed to the sport so he would be alright, wouldn’t he?

Another blonde made her way over, one that Dymphna recognized. Ruthie was only a first year but even before they were on the Quidditch team together, she was used to seeing her around the Common Room. “Hey, how’s it going?” She turned back to the boy who introduced himself as Max.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Formalities out of the way - her mother would be proud - they were free to talk about other things. Quidditch was the easiest conversation starter and it seemed that she and Max already had a few friends in common. She didn’t know Ruthie’s friend but would cheer for her all the same.

“Reid.” Dymphna told herself she was there for the sport itself but what would Quidditch be without friends to root for? “I’m friends with Serena and Alexx too.” It seemed that many of her friends enjoyed playing Quidditch and in Eris’ case currently, howling at their friends like a banshee. “You’re Gryffindors Keeper, right? I hope DeRook’s doing alright. Nasty fall.” In the heat of the moment, she didn’t care much but now she hoped that the injured players during their own match were doing well.