12/20/2001

 

Quidditch Pitch

 

The Quidditch Pitch at Hogwarts is quite impressive; it looks as if it could seat the whole school, and more.

 

Hundreds of seats are raised in stands around the stadium, which are positioned very high so that the spectators may view the game at its full potential.  At both ends of the field are tall, golden poles; three to each end, with hoops attached to the ends of them.  Usually the field is empty, except for the case when the houses of Hogwarts may be playing against each other, or a team may be practisting.  Below the airborne pitch is a well kept field of green grass.  A distance away from here lies the Forbidden Forest and the castle, which is more easily accessible.

 

 

Harry is out in the broomshed just off the quidditch pitch, towards the locker rooms. He's left the door wide open as he putters around inside. He came down here thinking about whacking a bludger around for the fun of it. You know when you walk into a room with an agenda, then it just flies right out of your head and you're left standing there like an idiot? That's what we've got right here.

 

Cho actually doesn't have that happen to her very often. Sometimes, but not often. After having been out practicing a few days ago, she's decided that she needs to do so more often. Especially now that she has something she needs to get her mind off of. Yule Ball. One thing she was hoping would conveniently get passed over this year. Or at least that her friends in her House would be thoughtful enough not to gossip excitedly over around her. Alas, she's kind of made a commitment to go now, so chasing around imaginary Snitches is just what she needs to forget. But as she moves into the broomshed to get her Comet, she finds she isn't the only one there. "Harry?"

 

Maybe it's a good thing Harry was too chicken to ask you to the ball huh? He thought about it, hoping to do something to cheer you up. But it's probably best that he went on and asked Ron's sister instead. Sighing a bit, he was in the process of lifting the trunk containing the quidditch balls when he hears his name. Catching wind of the familiar voice, the corner of the trunk is promptly dropped, narrowly missing his foot. "AH! Cho! Hey!" Fancy meeting you here.. ehehee.

 

That would probably be for the best. She's only going because... well... she's not going /with/ anyone. Let's just leave it at that. "Sorry." Cho says in apology, "Didn't mean to startle you." Her smile is not quite as distant as it was the other day in the Hospital Wing, but not that old glowing smile by any means. "Out here to practice?"

 

Harry shakes his head, "no, not at all.. uh.. I actually forgot what I came out here for." He is glad that you look to be in a better mood at any rate. There's a bit of embarrassment at forgetting why he came out here. "I could probably practice while I'm out here." Oh hey, he DID bring his broom with him. If he doesn't get his head straightened out, McGonagall will have him locked in the infirmary while Pomfrey forces medicines down his throat or something.

 

Cho looks at the younger Seeker for a moment, still smiling. She doesn't giggle or mock him for being silly. She only says, "We could both practice if you don't mind some company. I know we're on different teams and we don't traditionally practice together, but it's not like we've never faced each other on brooms before." That smile is still freely offered, almost touching her eyes now.

 

Harry isn't trying to be silly, he's just.. confused. Horribly confused and flustered which makes him want to kick things as girls are still from another universe to him so why should he feel awkward around a few in particular? "Sure, I don't mind, it's a .. I mean, it's not like we'll be sharing top secret moves or anything."

 

"Well, I won't if you won't." Cho says, the smile finally touching her eyes. Practice really is the one thing that completely removes her mind and can make her smile no matter what's happened. It's just one of those things. She moves closer, looking around the room, "So do you want to try throwing golf balls for each other to catch or would you rather just break out the Snitch?"

 

Harry laughs at that, "Deal." Not that he's been the freak that Oliver Wood is when it comes to maneuvers. He's been using the moves from before, but hasn't really worked on improving on them. He should probably get around to doing that. "Let's just break out the Snitch. It's more fun to try and chase than golf balls." Plus it will help him see if he can cease with being distracted by a girl opponent.

 

Distracted by a girl opponent, hmm? Well, let's hope that can be remedied. Cho certainly isn't distracted by male opponents after all. At the bit about breaking out the Snitch, she nods and smiles just a bit more. For a second, it's almost like before, when they first faced each other in a game. "It is much better to chase than a golf ball. Golf balls just don't move fast enough, no matter how well they're thrown."

 

Harry is too much of a gentleman, sigh. "Nothing's a substitute for using the snitch. When I get to stay with the Ron's family, we use pine cones and other items. It's just not the same. It's still fun when we improvise tho." The Weasley's could make ANYTHING fun. "Want me to hand you your brom?"

 

Sakura came out here to get some fresh clean air!   But there are people on the pitch, and she doesn't want to interrupt.  Older kids should get priority, right?  So she keeps near the stands, resting her staff on her shoulder, sighing a little.  She can't tell who they are from way over here.  "I guess I'll have to come back later," she says, to herself.   But doesn't mean she can't watch.

 

Cho grins and nods, "I'm sure." She starts to straighten her robes, removing a few things from the folds and laying them aside so they won't fall out while they're up there flying around. Mainly there's a couple of folded notes and a pendant, but little else. She trusts they won't get taken, or at least is more willing to let them take their chances down here than up there. "Please." She says about her Comet, reaching a hand out to accept it.

 

Harry will valiantly beat down whoever dares to touch your possessions. Or he'll darn near try at any rate. He adjusts his glasses and looks at the brooms in the shed for a few moments before finding yours and handing it over, "Ah.. here.." Then he heads back to the trunk, opening it up. The snitch is taken out, and then the lid is promptly shut as the bludgers are starting to get excited. He keeps the snitch firm in hand until we head out of the shed. He really doesn't have much to say as his grabs his Firebolt, ready to head onto the pitch.

 

Sakura climbs up onto the stands.  Are people playing?  It looks like it.  And is that Harry-kun?  She squints to see if it is, but can't really tell.  All the wizard robes look the same.   Just like school uniforms.

 

Cho takes her broom, offers a smile, and says, "Good luck." Yes, against her and she still wishes him luck. It's not like this is an actual game after all. She moves out into the pitch ahead of him, looking around to see if they are going to have much of an audience. She takes note of a few. She mounts her broom, but doesn't take off until the Snitch is released and he's ready to as well. She's all for playing fair, even though with the vast difference between their two brooms, it might be fairer if she did take a head start.

 

Harry would not mind ONE bit if you got a headstart. He might even remain on the ground watching, dumbstruck until he realizes he's being a prat and you've already caught the snitch. See, he's already being a prat thinking about this as he walks onto the pitch. Sorry Sakura, he's only paying attention to one person at the moment. He stops next to Cho, turning to face her as he mounts his broom, "On the count of three.. 1.. 2... 3!" The snitch is released and it takes off, flitting up into the air. He /does/ wait for you to kick off first before he follows suit.

 

Sakura waiiis to herself, eyes lighting up as the snitch is released into the air.  "It's like a duel!"  Sort of.   She makes her way across the stands towards the broomshed, eyes up towards the dancing flicker, rather than in front of her.

 

What a gentleman. Cho kicks off at the exact instant he says three, ducking low onto her broom and flying up into the air in the direction the Snitch went first. Her acceleration isn't enough to end this little practice match before it even begins though. The smile is fully on her face as her hair whips behind her, wind pulling on her school robes. She keeps her eyes on the little speck of gold, squinting just enough to keep the wind from stinging her eyes too badly.

 

Once Cho's up in the air, Harry wastes no time in kicking off after her, easily catching up in mere seconds. He's distracted for a few moments, trying to get a glimpse of Cho's face. You have no idea how badly he feels about, well everything. Shaking his head, he leans low against the broomhandle, keeping both hands tight around it. His speed even slows so he can race alongside the Ravenclaw student.

 

Sakura is really curious who the other player is, having decided that the Gryffindor flier -has- to be Harry-kun.   She looks down just a moment, away from the action in the air.  "Hoe?  What's this?", she asks herself quietly, noticing the pieces of paper and pendant that have been set down.   Curiosity gets the better of her.  She stoops down to pick them up and look at them.  o.o

 

Cho's mind is limited to one thing right now, and that's on this little game they have going. When she senses the presence closer in the air, she glances over just a second, still smiling, hair whipping around to in the air. It isn't enough to distract her though, because she ends up veering towards him, as if to cut him off and try to force him behind her as she continues to follow the Snitch, which just happens to make a sharp turn the same direction that she's veering. The notes seem to be a few lists of potions and their ingredients (seem to be sleeping potions) and the pendant is a small blue-stone (Azurite) carved bird on a silver necklace. Probably a gift.

 

Harry can't really make good on that mental promise to beat down anyone messing with Cho's possessions at the moment as he's kinda.. busy. As Cho looks his way with a grin, he darn near lets go of the broom handle. Chastising himself for being an idiot, he keeps his grip on the handle of the Firebolt. The grin is enough to distract /him/. As Cho makes that move to cut him off, he has to shoot upwards three feet instead of veering out of the way. If this were an actual game, people would be throwing things at him. ._.

 

Sakura skims over the ingredients, scratching her head.  o.o  Too advanced for her!   She folds them neatly back up and puts it back.  The pendant, however, Sakura comments aloud on.  "It's so pretty!"  she turns the stone about in her fingers, admiring the color.   But it doesn't tell her who the player is.   She looks back upwards towards the game, still clutching the jewelry.  "Wow, they both move so fast..."

 

And I guess since Wood isn't here to yell and keep your mind on the target... well... it certainly gives Cho an unfair advantage, even /with/ a Comet Two-Sixty. She continues to fly straight at the Snitch, which again seems to want to make sharp turns, this time zigging upwards quickly. Hands gripping her broom tightly as she follows after it. As Sakura looks more closely at the pendant, she'll see two letters carved on the back, CC. Still, not much help, but besides the dark blue, semi-translucent carving and the chain, there's not much to go on. Though the other flier is /obviously/ a girl. Or a guy with long hair, I guess.

 

Harry is left to chastise himself. It seems to be working now. As he flies just a few feet above you, the snitch is spotted in its ascent. His eyes widen a bit as he urges the Firebolt to put on a bit of speed as he races after the golden object. It really is unfair that he's on the fastest broom in the school isn't it? o.o; It is obvious that he's holding back in this practice session. So it could get him hollered at for being easy on a girl..

 

Sakura's eyes similarly widen.  It's exciting!  She wants to try it for real too, now!  The girl, whoever it is, is really graceful, and Sakura admires that a lot!    "CC.   I wonder who that could be..?"  Looks like Ravenclaw robes.  "Maybe oniichan would know."

 

At least the broom isn't the only reason that you're good, so there's that. Cho still smiles, but her teeth are shown for an instant as she tries to cut in front of him again. That's her usual technique, since most people have better brooms than she does. Force them to change direction as much as possible and hope they get bumped around enough to lose sight before she does. And most likely he'd know of her. Cho's pretty popular. Only one Seeker per House, after all.

 

Of course, fast brooms do not make a person a good player. Take Malfoy for example. As Cho tries to cut in front of him again, he puts on another burst of speed, shooting forward towards the snitch, and closing in on it a bit more. The Firebolt still isn't going at the speed it’s capable of reaching. He knows that technique of yours! It's not going to work again!

 

Sakura watches in earnest, and sits, unconsciously slipping the pendant into her robe when she does so.   How do they go so fast?   Hoeeeeee.   @.@  And she thought she was getting pretty good at flying herself.

 

And considering the fact that one of them is actually holding back on his speed, this could be a lot faster, Sakura-chan. Cho doesn't seem to be upset that he's able to get around her maneuver, so instead she just leans in and barrels after him. It's not going to be enough though, unless he pulls back at the last second, she won't be able to reach out a hand before he gets to it.

 

Harry blocks Cho's presence out of his mind for the moment as he puts in a final burst of speed. It's enough to spur him close enough to the snitch. Keeping one hand tight on the handle of his broom, the other is reached out to grab the snitch. Ha ha! This could have been over with a lot sooner if he hadn't of been giving Cho a chance to get ahead. The girl's right tho, that Comet just isn't fast enough.

 

Sakura clapclaps!   "Waiiii!", she exclaims, her eyes sparkling a bit as she applauds for the show.   That was great!   Oh, she wants to try it so much now!   But everyone is always too busy to show a first year transfer things.   She bites her lip, thinking about that isn't as fun.

 

Seeing the Snitch get snatched, Cho slows down and pulls into a hover, still smiling with the exhilaration. It was worth it even if she did lose. Not that she much expected to beat him. The only time he's lost, well... rain, dementors, badness. "Good job." She calls out. Now, if she can get her parents to buy her something along the lines of a Nimbus, she might actually pose a threat to him later on. Or at least enough of one to make it last longer. She starts to lower down towards the ground.

 

Harry raises a hand, showing off his catch. He shrugs a bit self consciously as Cho compliments him. As she lowers herself to the ground, he follows suit. Now on the ground, he's aware that Sakura's watching. We've been spied upon! "Ah.. hey Sakura." He keeps the snitch in hand, lest we have to try and catch the bugger all over again. Not that he'd complain about that mind you.

 

Sakura wavies!  "That was so exciting!   That's what you guys do in a Quidditch game?"  With all the other insanity flying about to, of course.  She clapclapclaps for both of you!   "Waii, you two are both really good!"  she say, mostly to Harry, since she doesn't know the other girl yet.

 

Once she's touched down, Cho completely dismounts and spies the person who Harry addresses. Sakura? Why is that name... familiar...? She shakes it off. Probably just heard someone say the name once in passing (not unlikely if her brother's in Ravenclaw). "Hello." She says to the girl, reaching her hands up to straighten her windblown hair. She smiles at the compliment, though she stays silent after her greeting.

 

Harry flushes a bit at Sakura's enthusiasm. "... Yeah, that's what we do in the matches.. Oh, sorry.. This is Cho Chang, she's the Ravenclaw Seeker. Cho, this is Sakura, she's a new first year." He does loathe mentioning the house as Cho seems to be in a good mood. He'd kick himself repeatedly ala Dobby if he upset that mood.

 

Sakura wavies.  "Hai!   Nice to meet you, Cho--"  she doesn't put a -chan suffix on it, because she thinks it will sound a little weird.  "-san!"  she bows slightly.  "I'm Sakura Kinomoto!   I'm in Hufflepuff."  Since she's not wearing the robes right now, she figured she should say.   .. And doesn't realize that might upset her.

 

Cho is indeed in a good mood, and continues to smile at the first year. Even after she announces her house. The only sign that it bothers her is a sudden tightening around the eyes and a brief distant look. It's impossible to go a day without running into at least one Hufflepuff, so it's something she can deal with. "Nice to meet you, Sakura. Are you enjoying Hogwarts?"

 

Harry phews to himself as Cho seems fine with this. True, she'd have to be able to cope. He's not even sure how he's been able to stay as adjusted as he has. Granted the summer was rough having no one to talk to, but once he was back on the train and in the company of friends, he just felt better. Stay busy, that's the key. Maybe some of this can rub off on Cho. He then edges into the shed to put the snitch up. Once it's secure in the trunk, he comes back out.

 

Sakura nodnods to Cho.  "Hai!  It's really nice here, and most of the people are really friendly!"  Most.  Not all.   Some are scary, like Snape-sensei. ;_;  "Are you Chinese?  Your name sounds like it."

 

Cho has learned to cope with certain things more than others. Though there are some issues that still remain. The smile stays on, though fading in brightness now that she's on the ground. She nods to Sakura's answer about the school, tending to agree. (And on the unspoken words as well.) "Half. My father. I even lived there for a few years until we all moved back here."

 

Harry shoulders his broom, listening quietly to you two for a few minutes. He doesn't add much to this part of the conversation. He busies himself with wiping at his broom handle with his robes. Must be nice to have been able to live in another country for a bit. He's never left England, then again there's a world of difference between the wizaring realm and living with the Dursley's. Does that count for something? (I was sent to live with the Dursley's and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.)

 

Sakura nodnods!  "I went to Hong Kong once, but never actual China!   It was really nice, I stayed with a friend of mine named Li-kun, and..  well, it's a long boring story."  She cuts herself off, fiddling with her staff and glancing over at Harry-kun.  o.o  "Uhmm, I'd better be going."  n.n

 

"I don't really remember it. I was only three when we moved here." Cho says with a smile, explaining why she doesn't have an accent of a person who spent a long time there. "It was nice to meet you, Sakura. And if you enjoyed our little practice, I hope you'll come to the next Quidditch match." She glances over at Harry, still smiling, though more she's making sure he's still there. He's being so quiet.

 

Harry doesn't have much to say! Err.. Sakura's leaving? "Sure.. later Sakura.." Was it something he did or didn't do? Sorry he went a bit spacey there for a moment. "A little practice like that doesn't compare to an actual game." For the fastest paced and dirtiest game of Quidditch, watch Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Erp! Cho's smiling at him! His ears go a bit red.

 

Sakura smiles cheerfully at Cho.   "Hai!  It was nice to meet you, and I'll be sure to try and watch the next Quidditch match!"  she must play on a team,"  she holds back a giggle towards Mr. Potter.  Girls notice little things sometimes.  "Bye, Harry-kun.

 

Bah. Slytherin is only good because they play dirty. Now if you want a game based on skill... Okay, she's biased. Though even Cho will admit that Slytherin versus Gryffindor is the best match of the year to watch. Her smile returns to the departing exchange student, waving a free hand in farewell, before she starts towards the shed to put her broom away.

 

Harry erks. Not the dreaded giggle. He still insists giggling should be an outlawed and punishable offense. What is Sakura giggling at anyway? >.< He clears his throat and nods at the departing first year, "Later.." He should probably head back up into the castle soon himself. He doesn't quite feel like it tho. "So. err... if you want practice again.. just say so. I'll be happy to practice.."

 

Sakura wavies!  "Haii!"  Even if you weren't talking to her, Harry-kun. She'll answer anyway.  She can't hold back anymore!  And giggles as she hurries off!

 

Cho gets inside and puts away her broomstick before she responds to Harry's invitation, "I'd enjoy that." It certainly is the best way to take her mind off recent events. Of course as soon as she goes back to the castle she'll hear excited jabber about the Yule Ball again, and.. well.. At least her friends now have the benefit of knowing that she will be attending, though she insists she's going alone. She goes over to get her notes and pendant and notices... her pendant is gone. Her brows lower, smile fading for a moment, but instead of getting upset just yet, she kneels down to check the floor. It could have fallen off.

 

Harry wishes he could do something to take away the sting over the ball and festivities for Cho. He grins over your acceptance of the practice offer. About to head back to the castle, he blinks a bit at you searching the floor, "Is something wrong?"

 

Cho frowns a moment, then straightens. It's not on the floor. "My pendant is missing." She checks her folded notes, making sure it didn't get suck between some pages somehow. "Its a little bird carved out of azurite on a silver chain." Just incase he somehow sees something she missed. She starts to go through the folds of her robes, though she knows that search is futile. She remembers taking it out along with the notes.

 

Harry nods, "You check in here, I'll check outside the shed." His broom is placed against the wall as he exits the shed, checking the grass around the door. There wasn't anyone else over here was there? He scratches at the back of his neck, as he continues checking the ground.

 

Cho searches the shed, but to no avail. After about a minute or two, she heads outside and closes the door behind her, the notes replaced in her pocket. "I'll make sure that my team knows that it's missing, and I'll talk to Madam Hooch. I'm sure someone will turn it in." Though, despite her words, she isn't smiling anymore. She's starting to think leaving her things down here was a bad idea.

 

Harry nods, "Hey, I'll see if Sakura saw it too.. She's the only other person I saw over here. Hey... we'll find it, okay?" So don't look so down. It makes him want to kick things. "I'll go find her now." Without even waiting for Cho's response, he hops onto his broom and races off in the direction Sakura went.

 

Sakura has been making a slow jaunty walk back to Hogwarts.  It's nice out. But she gets a funny feeling she's being followed, so she spins about to see a Firebolt coming her way.  "Hoeeeeeee!" @_@  So fast.   She freezes, hoping she doesn't get run over.

 

Cho doesn't have time to really respond when Potter suddenly flies off like that. She just stares at the place her left, then the smile slowly reforms and she shakes her head. There's no giggling though, even if she is amused. Though she won't be able to catch up in time to see anything, she does start that direction too. On foot. Which is why he'll probably be on his way back before she reaches him.

 

If brooms made noise, Harry would be screeching to a halt in midair as he easily catches up to Sakura and lowers himself to the ground, "Oi, Sakura, Cho lost her pendant back there at the broomshed, did you possibly see it by any chance?" He hasn't run over anyone yet, don't worry!

 

Sakura pikus.  "Oh!  Hai!"  Duh, Cho's pendant.   She patpats her robes and yup, the little bird is still nestled inside.  "I must've walked off with it."  she giggles, holding the jewelry out for Harry.  "Tell her I'm sorry, ne?"   she says, cheerfully, though something tightens in her throat.  o.o

 

Cho is still walking towards the direction that Harry sped off in. Again, she's on foot. Not a chance of making it there a tenth as quickly as he did.

 

Harry reaches his hand out to take the pendant back. Okay, he can't give you a beating or anything cause you're a girl and it would severely tick off several people if he even raised a hand to you. (IF that was his style and it's not, so that's not going to happen.) He does give the girl a very disappointed and stern look at any rate. Shame on you. He didn't think you were this sort. :P As he's not overly suspicious, unless you're a shady character and you don't strike him as that type, he'll assume you were merely looking at it. "Alright. Thanks, she looked really worried about it being missing."

 

Sakura nods, quietly.  "She'll be happy to get it back then, ne?"  She says, a bit quietly.   She forces a smile to Harry.  "Well, ja!"  she exclaims quickly, reaching into her robe and pulling out a card, throwing it up in the air.  "FLY!"   And she hops on her staff and zooms off towards the school.  Stupid frog in her throat.  What's it doing there anyway?

 

Cho is still on foot, and can't quite catch up yet, not that she'll need to. He's on a Firebolt after all.

 

Harry didn't look THAT upset did he? Wow.. He impresses himself sometimes! "Yeah, she will.. Later!" The pendant is retrieved, no harm done. As Sakura takes off, he mounts his broom, flying out to meet Cho on her way up. In just a few seconds, he's making a little turn around, floating alongside the girl before touching down, "Got it!"

 

Cho offers a slight smile as soon as her returns, even before he says that he has it. When he does, for a moment, he actually gets as close to the glowing smile as he's ever gotten, even if it settles down after the inital gratefulness. She rather likes that pendant. "Thank you. You do know you didn't have to fly off like that, though." She holds out a hand to accept the pendant back. "I guess Sakura had it?" She doesn't sound suspicious. She might have picked it up thinking someone lost it and was going to turn it in.

 

Harry hands over the pendant, blushing bright red. Guh. "..Err.. I wanted to.. Yeah, she said she was sorry about it." That's probably it. He's not suspicious over the girl either. Sakura seems to be an incredibly honest individual. "Well.. you got it back. I should probably get back in. Thanks for the practice.. again.. Bye!" Before he starts prattling again. Oh thank the maker that Ron's not here to make fun of him! Shouldering his broom, he takes off towards the castle.