I_began_writing_this_chapter_all_hyped_because_it_featured_a_Quidditch_scene._Turns_out_that_I_really_don't_know_how_to_write_a_Quidditch_match.
But,_as_usual,_I_leave_the_decision_of_whether_I_can_write_well_or_not_up_to_you.
"It seems that news of our match has spread like wildfire, Master," said Padraig, noting that the stands were filling at a quite rapid rate. A few groups of students actually crafted banners bearing slogans like 'Go, Assassins, Go!' and 'Assassins for the Win!' much to the surprise of the other Assassins stationed around the pitch. "We seem well received."
Altaїr smirked before leading his team to the Ravenclaw team, stopping a few feet away.
"Safety and peace, Roger Davies," said Altaїr, nodding at the assembled Ravenclaw team. "A fine day for a match, wouldn't you agree?"
"Greetings, Master Altaїr. It is a perfect day," said Davies, looking up at the sky.
Altaїr noticed the Ravenclaw Seeker, a young woman of Asian heritage by the name of Cho Chang, staring at them with a confused look on her face. "Where's your brooms?"
The Assassins all chuckled as one, exchanging glances with each other. "We do not need brooms."
"How are you supposed to play, then?" asked one of the beaters, swinging his club by the strap. "You can't fly."
With a grin on each of their faces, the seven assembled Assassins scattered, each charging from the center of the pitch for one of the many towers along the perimeter of the field. Instead of slowing down so they could stop in front of the towers, they stepped up them, transforming most of their forward momentum in to vertical thrust before using their magic to carry themselves to the top.
"We are Assassins," said Altaїr, standing on the guard rail at the top of the tower, a two-inch piece of wood, with apparent ease. His voice did not boom through the pitch, as many would do with a powerful sonorus charm, but merely sounded as if he were conversing from a distance of a few feet. "We do not fear death… we welcome it… and the rewards it brings."
By this time, the rest of the team had reached the top of their own towers, all crouched or standing as Altaїr was. Raphael was doing his best to look like a gargoyle, crouching atop his tower, while Padraig was emulating King Kong at the top of his, hanging onto the flag atop the pointed roof while pounding his chest with the other. Alyssandra was already shaking her head at his antics.
"Let us show these Ravenclaws what it means to have no fear," said Altaїr, using his hood's runes to speak directly to the other Assassins. All nodded in unison to the Master Assassin, ready to follow his lead.
"Go to God." With that command being heard by all, Altaїr dove off the tower, falling headfirst towards the pitch far below. Without hesitation, the rest launched themselves from the rooftops a mere second after him.
The Ravenclaws and the assembled spectators gasped, not because the Assassins had jumped off the Quidditch pitch towers, but because they were falling no longer.
Trails of blue and red came from their hands and feet, twisting and winding as the Assassins streaked through the air. They flew in a stylized pattern, briefly creating the symbol of the Assassin Order in the sky before scattering to practice some maneuvers.
Altaїr came to float in front of them, arms folded across his chest, completely at ease. The red glow emanating from the soles of his boots dimmed, allowing him to slowly lose altitude until he was a foot of the ground. "Impressed?"
"…h-how do you do that?" asked Davies, finding his voice. The others nodded mutely, each trying to understand how they were flying without brooms.
Altaїr held up his hands, displaying a metal ring in the palms of his gloves. A quick pulse of magic had him sliding backwards, as if he had pushed himself off something solid while on an ice rink. Putting his arms behind him, he did the same and returned to his position in front of them. "Magical foci implanted in special gloves. We can fly."
Altaїr thought it best not to tell them that the some Assassins could fly without the gloves, at an expense of slightly slower speeds and control, should they chose to get the necessary runes. Gotta keep those mysteries…
All the Ravenclaws were stunned, mouths hanging open, some of them dropping their brooms.
"Shall we shake?" asked Altaїr, holding out his hand to Davies. "I am under the impression that captains are to shake hands before the game begins."
Shaken out of his shock, Davies clasped Altaїr's hand and shook; noting the Assassin did not go further than a firm squeeze, knowing the Master Assassin could probably pulverize all the bones in his hand should he exert his full strength. "Good luck, Master Altaїr"
"To you as well, Roger Davies," replied Altaїr.
With a pulse of his magic, Altaїr soared into the sky to position himself above the rest of his team, the traditional place for seekers to start off at. His position allowed him to see the entire pitch, allowing him to track the elusive snitch. Not that it was a particularly hard thing to do, seeing how all Assassins had eagle-like vision.
Talal took his place at the centermost point of the arc on their side of the pitch, positioning himself in a straight line with the Ravenclaw goal posts. It was a favored tactic of his to immediately snatch the quaffle and beeline for the goalposts.
Alyssandra streaked over to hover at the centerline dividing the pitch, floating a few feet away from the Ravenclaw beater. She swung her club idly, waiting for Madam Hooch to release the quaffle and the bludgers. As a dhampir, her strength would easily knock a bludger off its intended path and onto whatever path she chose.
Raphael sped to the goalposts, prepared for any attempt on the hoops. He preferred the position of the keeper rather than any other, as it allowed him to watch almost every player, which, after a few shots on goal, gave him the ability to predict their movements. It usually took a few shots on goal before he figured out everyone's patterns, but he enjoyed the thrill.
Padraig took up his position to the right of Talal. His job was to support the Master Assassin in scoring points as the right-wing chaser. A favorite technique the two played was for him to circle the hoops while Talal shot down the center. He would throw the quaffle to Padraig and position himself so that, when Padraig threw it back, he could score easily.
Piotr was at the opposite side of the circle to Alyssandra, idly checking the bindings on his cesti he used in the place of a beater bat. He dislikes the club, preferring to punch the charmed iron balls, saying that it gave him much more control over its path. Many an overconfident Assassin found a bludger in their path when they thought the large Assassin had no aim.
Ronan, a Grand Assassin who wore robes with red and black veins running along them, stood in midair next to Talal, prepared for his part of the scoring. He used deceptive techniques, making it difficult to determine which way the quaffle would be going. His favorite trick was to corkscrew as he approached the rings before throwing the quaffle at one of the three. Usually it was the one furthest from where the keeper thought it would go. His techniques did not always work, so improvisation was his second option.
Madam Hooch watched the Assassins with a pair of raised eyebrows, astonished at the sight of several people hovering in midair under their own power. She shook her head to bring herself back to the present before putting on a stern glare. She looked each one of the players in the eyes and enunciated clearly, "I want a nice, clean game… from all of you."
Much to her surprise, each Assassin placed their hands to their heads in salute, conveying the message that they understood and would comply. Most of the time, she merely received a bored look from the players or, on a rare occasion, a nod. She shook her head, choosing to not even try to understand the mysterious order.
With a kick to the heavy trunk beside her, she let loose the golden snitch, which streaked off to hide, and the bludgers, which rocketed to a random position before hovering un-aggressively. This failsafe kept the players safe until the math actually started.
The golden snitch, however, had no such compulsions and flew off as fast as its wings could take it. Altaїr kept track of it for a moment before shifting his gaze back to referee below. He could make no move before the quaffle was released and rather enjoyed actually hunting the
"The bludgers are loose, quickly followed by the golden snitch!" came the voice of Lee Jordan, happily commentating from one of the towers, glad to be commentating once again. "The Assassins and the Ravenclaws are ready to play!"
Madam Hooch then lifted the quaffle and tossed it skyward before mounting her own broom. She took to the air, looping wide to reach a point where she could easily see everything.
As soon as the quaffle reached the same level as the players, both teams launched into action.
Altaїr and Cho immediately went higher, gaining altitude to make it easier to see the snitch, as the chasers scrambled for the quaffle. The Ravenclaw chaser, fast on the release, who had captured the quaffle flew directly towards the goal posts, flying as fast as his broom could take him.
Raphael floated in front of the hoops, arms crossed over his chest as the chaser neared his position, harried by the combined forces of Ronan and Talal while Padraig ran interference with the other two chasers. With a grin and a pulse of power at the last second, Raphael propelled himself directly in front of the left most ring as the chaser released the quaffle.
The quaffle landed in Raphael's hands with a smack of leather as the chaser zoomed past the goal posts, looking over his shoulder at the Master Assassin with a missed look of both annoyance and amazement.
Raphael tossed the quaffle in the air and launched it back towards the center with a kick, made much more powerful by a well timed burst from his right boot. The quaffle was, more or less, a red blur to the Ravenclaw chasers who were desperately braking in midair, attempting to get back to their end of the pitch before any of the Assassin chasers could begin their own offensive.
The pair scattered, however, when a bludger came careening through the air, courtesy of Piotr's fists. One rolled to the left, hanging on for dear life, as the other dove out of the way, leaving the quaffle's path unaffected.
Talal threw a quick salute to Piotr as he snagged the quaffle and started passing it between him and Padraig, both of them holding the quaffle for no longer than two seconds. This had the keeper's head bouncing back and forth between the two, much like an observer of a tennis match.
Altaїr tilted his head to the left, avoiding the bludger the Ravenclaw beater had sent at the back of his head. He sent out a whistle, starting low but ending high, which Alyssandra's advanced hearing picked up.
The favor was returned by the female damphir, making the Ravenclaw beater go into evasive maneuvers to avoid being hit, nearly colliding with one of the towers.
Altaїr grinned at Alyssandra while keeping an eye on Cho, who was hovering a few meters to the left of his position. Instead of flying around and actively searching for the snitch, she hung around the Master Assassin, waiting for the moment that he found the snitch, confident that her broom was as fast and maneuverable as she needed to out fly the Assassin.
Knowing her plan, Altaїr put his hands behind him and channeled some power into his hand foci, accelerating from zero to a hundred and fifty miles per hour in the span of seven point one seconds, an acceleration that is a few seconds faster than the newly released Firebolt and much faster than the Cleansweep model Cho was riding.
So focused was she, on the Assassin outrunning her, she forgot to keep her head on a swivel.
For seekers to actively search for the golden snitch, one must also be aware of the dangers of the merciless bludgers that randomly attack any of the fourteen players on the field.
As Altaїr came to a halt by his team's goal posts, Raphael grinned at him, chuckling under his breath. As he swung idly from one goalpost with one hand, he pointed back to the middle of the pitch, back the way Altaїr had just rocketed from.
"Well done, Altaїr," said Raphael, his eyes glowing red while flashing a well known smile.
The red striped Master Assassin looked back to find Cho being carried to the ground by one of the Ravenclaw chasers. "She take a bludger to the head?"
"Si," replied the Shadow, having just relocated to the top of the goal post. "Ding, dong, the witch is dead."
"Ms. Chang was struck along the jaw line, rendering her unconscious upon impact," said Alyssandra, coming to hover alongside the crouching Raphael and the floating Altaїr. "The replacement seeker will have to be called while she is taken to the hospital wing."
Raphael nodded, watching the young women carried off the field. "All that is left is for you to catch that snitch, Altaїr."
Altaїr grinned as he unfolded his arms, displaying the fluttering golden ball firmly grasped between two of his fingers. "You mean this snitch?"
Alyssandra fell off her perch at the sight of the winged golden marble. Raphael held his palm out to Alyssandra, chuckling at the flabbergasted look on her face. "I told you he'd catch it without anyone noticing. Pay up."
With a scowl in the direction of both Master Assassins, Alyssandra produced two ingots of gold and placed them in Raphael's hands. With a quick flutter of his fingers, the gold disappeared from view to one of his many hidden pockets.
"How long do you think it will take everyone to notice that the snitch has been caught?" asked Alyssandra, watching the reserve Ravenclaw seeker take to the air and have play resumed as she batted a bludger with twitch of her arm. Without even looking in their direction, she had placed the bludger in the path of the lead chaser, knocking the quaffle from his grasp as he scrambled to dodge.
"I'll let us gain another twenty points or so before I tell Madam Hooch," said Altaїr, folding his arms to hide the snitch once again.
Ten minutes of high speed play later, Altaїr, flew over to Madam Hooch and displayed the golden ball, causing her to call the match.
Final score was two hundred and thirty to twenty in the Assassin's favor.
October 30, 1994
Altaїr and the rest of the Assassins stood along the walls of the Great Hall, each atop a cube of black marble two feet in length. The color was gone from their faces and uniforms, replaced with the white on black of the stone beneath their feet. To an observer who had never been to Hogwarts before this night, the sixteen Assassins looked like solid statues, eight on either side of the hall evenly spaced from the entrance to the staff table.
Their stances were identical; their left leg forward, right leg at ninety degrees to the other, arms loose, positioned same as their feet. Unlike most of the statues in Masyaf, the sixteen did not have their blades displayed openly, as all weapons were tucked away in their respective sheaths and the hidden blades where not unsheathed.
~When do the other schools arrive, Master Altaїr?~ appeared on his visor, asked by one of the novices, stationed second from the entrance on the right side of the hall.
~The wards have been raised again, so the defenses are back on,~ said Raphael from the opposite side of the hall, near the head table. ~I assume they have a little show for the masses.~
~I sense forty-two magical signatures within the Entrance Hall.~ said Altaїr, pulling up his personal database on his cowls HUD. ~Several persons are familiar to me.~
~Templars?~ asked Ronan, the growl in his voice evident over the HUD. ~Could they have found us already?~
~No. I would sense the residual magic the Templars use to track their agents, as would several of the other Masters… these signatures are familiar to me.~
~From one of your missions, perhaps?~ said Alyssandra, intentionally vague, watching the formerly red-streaked Assassins out of the corner of her eye.
~Perhaps…~
~Movement: Dumbledore is approaching the podium.~
~Thank you, Kieran. I believe he intends to announce our guests.~
"Ladies and gentlemen!" At Dumbledore's call, the hundreds of individual conversation immediately petered out as everyone turned and faced their headmaster. "Please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress, Madam Maxime!"
As Dumbledore finished, the doors opened with a groan and twenty-one of the forty-two magical signatures approached.
Twenty young women entered, nineteen of them wearing a dress of blue silk, a small mantle of the same color and a hat shaped almost like a teardrop, but with a slanted bottom as the brim was turned up on one side.
They walked in wedge formation, stopping twice to lean back, reach out a hand and sigh musically, once in each direction, before running to the front, where the released a small number of conjured birds from beneath the mantle about heir shoulders. When they reached the end of the school tables, they broke formation and lined up in front of the staff table, facing the way they had come from.
One girl dressed in a leotard of silver and orange performed a series of back handsprings while the last girl, dressed like the others, performed a series of pirouettes. When they had reached the end of the student tables as well, all twenty of them bowed to their headmistress.
Dumbledore stepped down from the podium and kissed Madam Maxime's hand, welcoming her in a low tone that was lost to the thunderous applause caused by the student body of Hogwarts.
When Dumbledore was done talking with the half-giant headmistress, the visitors from Beauxbatons stepped to the side as to allow the visitors of Durmstrang perform their own entrance.
Dumbledore raised his hands for silence, which was amazingly effective once again. "And now… our friends from the North. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their Highmaster, Igor Karkaroff!"
The sons of Durmstrang entered in single file, slamming the butt of their walking sticks into the ground in time, sparks flying from each strike. After a few repetitions of the bang, bang-bang beat; the first few dropped their staves, leaving them for the others to pick up, and ran forward to the end of the student tables. Two started performing some breakdance moves while the others lined up in front of the staff table, much like the Beauxbatons students before them.
As the two breakdancers finished, Igor Karkaroff and Victor Krum walked down the aisle, heading for Dumbledore. When they arrived, the two dancers breathed fire into the form of two serpents which joined to create a bird with outstretched wings before fading.
Igor greeted Dumbledore with a smile and a hug before leading his students to the side opposite of the Beauxbatons students.
Dumbledore then walked to stand between the house tables and said, "Hogwarts! Let us entertain our guests in the best way we can! All stand! Maestro, please!"
As one, the entire student body, give or take a few, began singing the school song, which resulted in a lot of weird looks being tossed their way from both schools as well as the immobile Assassins around them.
~That was… you know what? I got nothing.~ Raphael said, speaking for all of the others.
~Dibs on the first obliviation from one of the Masters later.~ said the other novice.
Raphael opened a private channel with Altaїr, isolating the conversation from the others. ~That girl… is she the one who-~
~Yes.~ said Altaїr, watching Beauxbatons students through his cowl. Fleur Delacour… we meet again…
~She's the one who's seen my face…~
A/N Since this is my most read story, I think I'll tell everyone what I have planned for my other stories:
Shihai no Chikara is giving me headaches, so I'm gonna finish it until I have more ideas on how to produce it. One more update is guaranteed before I call it complete. Probably a first in a series of NarutoStarWars crossovers, but we'll see.
Naruto of the Dunedain is not going anywhere. I'll work on it when I care to, but don't expect regular updates. Posts will be sporadic at best, if at all.
Despite the large amount of people saying I should continue my BladeXNaruto X-over, I have decided to scrap it. I may release a new version some time in the future, but don't get your hopes up.
Heroes Never Die: Ronin Mahariel and Harry Potter and the Brotherhood are becoming my number one and two priorities, so I'll be focusing on them for now on.
If you have any questions, comments or a random string of profanity you would like to share, hit the review button.