A/N Er...sorry, no A/N! Keep reading! Six more reviews on four stories, and then I'll have a total of 100!
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Thursday afternoon
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Today was the first time that the teachers had been able to get together for planing about the game. They all looked rather disgruntled. They, after all, hadn't volunteered for this.
"Why don't we just hand Potter the snitch and get it over with?" Snape spat after a minute of silence.
"We're going to lose anyway," Flitwick sighed, "Why not?"
"No," McGonagall said softly, a funny gleam in her eye, "Sure, we didn't ask to do this, and we haven't played quidditch in years, but, with the right strategy, we may be able to pull this off three-hundred to nothing," McGonagall received amazed looks from her colleagues.
"But, Minerva," Snape said, "We don't even know which positions the students are playing!"
"Let's think about it," McGonagall said, smiling, "We know they're regular house positions. MacMillan is the new Hufflepuff keeper, Pappas, Richards and Rizk will be the chasers. Potter was obviously chosen specifically for seeker, and those Slytherins are the strongest beaters this school has. There you have it, the positions." Snape looked impressed.
"Now, we need to figure out our own positions." Sprout said, a note of awe in her voice.
"And," McGonagall interrupted, "that's where we have an advantage. We may know their positions on the team, but it would take time and research for them to figure out ours. Time that they don't have." The rest of the team seemed to understand her reasoning, as they all nodded, impressed.
"I hereby appoint Minerva McGonagall captain of the Hogwarts Faculty Quidditch Team," Flitwick declared. The others laughed and joked their agreement.
"All right then," McGonagall smiled, "We've all seen each other play at one point or another,"
"Some more frequently than others," Lupin pointed out.
"Yes," said McGonagall, "but I still think we all have a basic idea where we'd be strongest. Remus, Aurora," Lupin and Madame Hooch turned to face McGonagall, "You're the strongest physically, would you be our beaters?"
"Certainly, Minerva" Lupin said as Madame Hooch nodded avidly.
"Thank you. Filius," Flitwick sat up taller in his chair, "You're the smallest and by far the lightest. Seeker?"
"Of course," Flitwick squeaked.
"Good! Severus?"
"Yes, Minerva," Snape interrupted, "I was keeper in my school years. I'd be pleased to play it again"
"Severus, pleased. Now there's something I thought I'd never see!" Sprout exclaimed.
"You were a darned good keeper if I remember correctly," McGonagall said, "Poppy, Roseanne, chasers with me?" Madame Pomfrey and Sprout nodded fervently.
"It would be an honor," Sprout said.
"Wonderful," McGonagall sighed, "Now all we need is a game plan."
"I'll give you a game plan, Minerva," Snape snarled in an amused way, "You, Poppy, and Roseanne hog the quaffle, while the rest of us keep the snitch away from Potter," Everyone laughed except McGonagall who actually looked as though she was considering Snape's suggestion.
"Crude," She said after a minute, "but simple enough to work. For detail, Roseanne, Poppy, be on the lookout and keep your eyes wide open. Score whenever possible. MacMillan's the newest player on the team. He should be rather easy to score on. Pull stunts. He'll miss every one. Filius, pull every feint known to wizard kind. Be 'the man who cried snitch'. Potter will stop watching you, so you won't have any competition if you actually see the snitch. Severus, hopefully, you won't have very much to do, but keep on your toes. If you see any way to help, please do. You weren't put on this team for nothing. Finally," McGonagall paused, as though she wasn't quite sure how to transfer her thought into words, "Remus, Aurora, any free bludgers you get, hit directly at Potter, keep him on his toes. If anything, prolong the game. We're going to need all the time that we can get. Oh, and pull stunts often. The students are probably expecting an easy game. Stunts and tricks will keep their eyes on us instead of on the balls."
"How," Flitwick asked incredulously, "did a mind like yours ever escape Ravenclaw?"
"Or Slytherin, for that matter," Snape chucked menacingly. McGonagall shrugged her shoulders lightheartedly.
"Luck, perhaps?" she smiled, "Anyhow, there's our plan. Oh, and we ought to get in at least one practice a piece, even if it is at separate times. We all have relatively good brooms, right?" Everyone nodded, their spirits much higher than before, "May the best team win." After that, everyone began to leave the room. Soon, only Snape and McGonagall were left.
"Who do you think is going to win, Minerva?" Snape asked spontaneously. McGonagall thought about her answer before giving Snape an entirely truthful answer.
"Us"
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Next Chapter is the game! It WILL be up before Friday. After that, I'll work hard on The Later Years, which is also nearing completion! There will be two more chapters of this! GIVE ME REVIEWS! Thanxs!
^-^ (meow!)
******************************************************
Thursday afternoon
******************************************************
Today was the first time that the teachers had been able to get together for planing about the game. They all looked rather disgruntled. They, after all, hadn't volunteered for this.
"Why don't we just hand Potter the snitch and get it over with?" Snape spat after a minute of silence.
"We're going to lose anyway," Flitwick sighed, "Why not?"
"No," McGonagall said softly, a funny gleam in her eye, "Sure, we didn't ask to do this, and we haven't played quidditch in years, but, with the right strategy, we may be able to pull this off three-hundred to nothing," McGonagall received amazed looks from her colleagues.
"But, Minerva," Snape said, "We don't even know which positions the students are playing!"
"Let's think about it," McGonagall said, smiling, "We know they're regular house positions. MacMillan is the new Hufflepuff keeper, Pappas, Richards and Rizk will be the chasers. Potter was obviously chosen specifically for seeker, and those Slytherins are the strongest beaters this school has. There you have it, the positions." Snape looked impressed.
"Now, we need to figure out our own positions." Sprout said, a note of awe in her voice.
"And," McGonagall interrupted, "that's where we have an advantage. We may know their positions on the team, but it would take time and research for them to figure out ours. Time that they don't have." The rest of the team seemed to understand her reasoning, as they all nodded, impressed.
"I hereby appoint Minerva McGonagall captain of the Hogwarts Faculty Quidditch Team," Flitwick declared. The others laughed and joked their agreement.
"All right then," McGonagall smiled, "We've all seen each other play at one point or another,"
"Some more frequently than others," Lupin pointed out.
"Yes," said McGonagall, "but I still think we all have a basic idea where we'd be strongest. Remus, Aurora," Lupin and Madame Hooch turned to face McGonagall, "You're the strongest physically, would you be our beaters?"
"Certainly, Minerva" Lupin said as Madame Hooch nodded avidly.
"Thank you. Filius," Flitwick sat up taller in his chair, "You're the smallest and by far the lightest. Seeker?"
"Of course," Flitwick squeaked.
"Good! Severus?"
"Yes, Minerva," Snape interrupted, "I was keeper in my school years. I'd be pleased to play it again"
"Severus, pleased. Now there's something I thought I'd never see!" Sprout exclaimed.
"You were a darned good keeper if I remember correctly," McGonagall said, "Poppy, Roseanne, chasers with me?" Madame Pomfrey and Sprout nodded fervently.
"It would be an honor," Sprout said.
"Wonderful," McGonagall sighed, "Now all we need is a game plan."
"I'll give you a game plan, Minerva," Snape snarled in an amused way, "You, Poppy, and Roseanne hog the quaffle, while the rest of us keep the snitch away from Potter," Everyone laughed except McGonagall who actually looked as though she was considering Snape's suggestion.
"Crude," She said after a minute, "but simple enough to work. For detail, Roseanne, Poppy, be on the lookout and keep your eyes wide open. Score whenever possible. MacMillan's the newest player on the team. He should be rather easy to score on. Pull stunts. He'll miss every one. Filius, pull every feint known to wizard kind. Be 'the man who cried snitch'. Potter will stop watching you, so you won't have any competition if you actually see the snitch. Severus, hopefully, you won't have very much to do, but keep on your toes. If you see any way to help, please do. You weren't put on this team for nothing. Finally," McGonagall paused, as though she wasn't quite sure how to transfer her thought into words, "Remus, Aurora, any free bludgers you get, hit directly at Potter, keep him on his toes. If anything, prolong the game. We're going to need all the time that we can get. Oh, and pull stunts often. The students are probably expecting an easy game. Stunts and tricks will keep their eyes on us instead of on the balls."
"How," Flitwick asked incredulously, "did a mind like yours ever escape Ravenclaw?"
"Or Slytherin, for that matter," Snape chucked menacingly. McGonagall shrugged her shoulders lightheartedly.
"Luck, perhaps?" she smiled, "Anyhow, there's our plan. Oh, and we ought to get in at least one practice a piece, even if it is at separate times. We all have relatively good brooms, right?" Everyone nodded, their spirits much higher than before, "May the best team win." After that, everyone began to leave the room. Soon, only Snape and McGonagall were left.
"Who do you think is going to win, Minerva?" Snape asked spontaneously. McGonagall thought about her answer before giving Snape an entirely truthful answer.
"Us"
*************************************************
Next Chapter is the game! It WILL be up before Friday. After that, I'll work hard on The Later Years, which is also nearing completion! There will be two more chapters of this! GIVE ME REVIEWS! Thanxs!
^-^ (meow!)