Chapter 2
When the Grifyndor quiditch team started practice, it was short two chasers and a beater. Tryouts were held, and Dakota easily made the cut to become a chaser. Ranulf took the other chaser position, and a seventh year became the beater. Their team complete, their captain, the other chaser, began drilling them hard under the watchful eye of Professor Wood, who was the head of Grifyndor house.
Their first game would actually be the second of the season. Ravenclaw played Slytherin, and a week later, Grifnydor played Ravenclaw. Slytherin would then play Hufflepuff a while later, followed by Grifnydor vs. Hufflepuff, and then Ravenclaw would play Hufflepuff. The last match to decide who would win the quiditch house cup would be between Slytherin and Grifyndor.
Dakota found himself hanging out with Ranulf and Scott more than anyone else as their "chaser bond" took effect. Or at least that was what Ranulf called it. He did remarkably well in most of his classes, Divination being a possible exception because Professor Trelawney had this absolute positive feeling that half of the class would be dead by the end of the year. Care of Magical Creatures went beyond scary straight into deadly sometimes, but other than that, Dakota was having a great time at Hogwarts.
Ranulf, Dakota, Scott, and the rest of the Grifnydor quiditch team decked themselves out in their own quiditch robes for the first game of the season. Dakota felt odd wearing his robes but not having his broom, a trusty Nimbus 2002, in hand. He had his heart set on obtaining the new Jupiter 3000, the ultimate chaser's broom.
The game kicked off when Madam Hooch tossed up the quaffle, admonishing Slytherin to play fair. And Slytherin grabbed the quaffle and took off, somehow remaining inside the rules while being absolutely brutal. As their chasers took off, the beaters bashed the keeper with both bludgers, effectively removing him from the game. From there the game went downhill for Ravenclaw, and Scott swore, muttering to himself about their own beaters and chasers. Ravenclaw never got to score even once. They found themselves beaten 240-0. Which basically erased all hope for the quiditch cup from their minds. * * *
The next week flew by, filled with grueling practices. Even though Ravenclaw would be basically pushovers, Scott was panicked, insisting on several late-night practices to keep Grifyndor in the running. Their chasers became a seamless, flawless unit that couldn't seem to be beaten.
The game day started and Ranulf and Dakota made their way to the locker- rooms and changed into their quiditch robes and grabbed their brooms. When the rest of the team had caught up, they made their way out onto the field and zoomed around the stadium. The stands were packed with scarlet wearing fans and Grifyndor banners. Only one was blue. Even Slytherin was supporting Grifyndor in this match.
As they took their positions, Madam Hooch stepped out onto the field and released the bludgers and the snitch. Dakota watched intently as she picked up the quaffle and tossed it up-into Dakota's hands, practically. He zoomed up and over the Ravenclaw's head in front of him and lay down on his broom to gain speed. He looped around the hoops, drawing the keeper to the right, and chucked the quaffle to Ranulf who caught it and put it in almost immediately. The crowed roared.
Ravenclaw, in possession, ran awy down the field, sliding around the crowd stands. Dakota fell onto one's tail, Scott and Ranulf on the others. On a gut instinct Dakota shot forward just as the chaser passed it-to him. Looping downwards, Dakota passed up to Scott, who had hung back, and Scott was gone. He faked out the keeper and scored again.
Ravenclaw, back in possession, formed a tight triangle and the beaters fell in to flank them. The beaters held the bludgers back, but couldn't the chasers as they nudged in shoulder-to-shoulder. The crowd roared as Ranulf wrestled the quaffle away, passed it out to Scott, who took off with Dakota close on his tail, and Scott feignted right, the keeper swallowed the bait, he dumped the quaffle to Dakota, who put it through the hoops again.
The game lasted for several minutes like this, until the score was 140-0. Then the Seekers went whizzing by, a small golden speck in front of them. Kaylie, the Grifnydor Seeker, suddenly slipped. She slid off of the broom and fell the last ten feet to the earth. When she rolled over, she had the snitch.
"SHE'S GOT THE SNITCH! GRIYNDOR RECIEVES 150 POINTS AND WINS, 290-0!!!!" the announcer was screaming.
Dakota couldn't believe it. They were in first place for the quiditch cup, and they had the most new players on their team. The celebration lasted long into the night. Very long.
When the Grifyndor quiditch team started practice, it was short two chasers and a beater. Tryouts were held, and Dakota easily made the cut to become a chaser. Ranulf took the other chaser position, and a seventh year became the beater. Their team complete, their captain, the other chaser, began drilling them hard under the watchful eye of Professor Wood, who was the head of Grifyndor house.
Their first game would actually be the second of the season. Ravenclaw played Slytherin, and a week later, Grifnydor played Ravenclaw. Slytherin would then play Hufflepuff a while later, followed by Grifnydor vs. Hufflepuff, and then Ravenclaw would play Hufflepuff. The last match to decide who would win the quiditch house cup would be between Slytherin and Grifyndor.
Dakota found himself hanging out with Ranulf and Scott more than anyone else as their "chaser bond" took effect. Or at least that was what Ranulf called it. He did remarkably well in most of his classes, Divination being a possible exception because Professor Trelawney had this absolute positive feeling that half of the class would be dead by the end of the year. Care of Magical Creatures went beyond scary straight into deadly sometimes, but other than that, Dakota was having a great time at Hogwarts.
Ranulf, Dakota, Scott, and the rest of the Grifnydor quiditch team decked themselves out in their own quiditch robes for the first game of the season. Dakota felt odd wearing his robes but not having his broom, a trusty Nimbus 2002, in hand. He had his heart set on obtaining the new Jupiter 3000, the ultimate chaser's broom.
The game kicked off when Madam Hooch tossed up the quaffle, admonishing Slytherin to play fair. And Slytherin grabbed the quaffle and took off, somehow remaining inside the rules while being absolutely brutal. As their chasers took off, the beaters bashed the keeper with both bludgers, effectively removing him from the game. From there the game went downhill for Ravenclaw, and Scott swore, muttering to himself about their own beaters and chasers. Ravenclaw never got to score even once. They found themselves beaten 240-0. Which basically erased all hope for the quiditch cup from their minds. * * *
The next week flew by, filled with grueling practices. Even though Ravenclaw would be basically pushovers, Scott was panicked, insisting on several late-night practices to keep Grifyndor in the running. Their chasers became a seamless, flawless unit that couldn't seem to be beaten.
The game day started and Ranulf and Dakota made their way to the locker- rooms and changed into their quiditch robes and grabbed their brooms. When the rest of the team had caught up, they made their way out onto the field and zoomed around the stadium. The stands were packed with scarlet wearing fans and Grifyndor banners. Only one was blue. Even Slytherin was supporting Grifyndor in this match.
As they took their positions, Madam Hooch stepped out onto the field and released the bludgers and the snitch. Dakota watched intently as she picked up the quaffle and tossed it up-into Dakota's hands, practically. He zoomed up and over the Ravenclaw's head in front of him and lay down on his broom to gain speed. He looped around the hoops, drawing the keeper to the right, and chucked the quaffle to Ranulf who caught it and put it in almost immediately. The crowed roared.
Ravenclaw, in possession, ran awy down the field, sliding around the crowd stands. Dakota fell onto one's tail, Scott and Ranulf on the others. On a gut instinct Dakota shot forward just as the chaser passed it-to him. Looping downwards, Dakota passed up to Scott, who had hung back, and Scott was gone. He faked out the keeper and scored again.
Ravenclaw, back in possession, formed a tight triangle and the beaters fell in to flank them. The beaters held the bludgers back, but couldn't the chasers as they nudged in shoulder-to-shoulder. The crowd roared as Ranulf wrestled the quaffle away, passed it out to Scott, who took off with Dakota close on his tail, and Scott feignted right, the keeper swallowed the bait, he dumped the quaffle to Dakota, who put it through the hoops again.
The game lasted for several minutes like this, until the score was 140-0. Then the Seekers went whizzing by, a small golden speck in front of them. Kaylie, the Grifnydor Seeker, suddenly slipped. She slid off of the broom and fell the last ten feet to the earth. When she rolled over, she had the snitch.
"SHE'S GOT THE SNITCH! GRIYNDOR RECIEVES 150 POINTS AND WINS, 290-0!!!!" the announcer was screaming.
Dakota couldn't believe it. They were in first place for the quiditch cup, and they had the most new players on their team. The celebration lasted long into the night. Very long.