William awoke to the loud blast of a quodpot horn one Saturday morning in mid October. The sun had just started to creep through the dorm window creating an orange light over the whole room. Per usual for quodpot Chris was decked out in his full Salem garb, cat-hat, horn, and foam number one finger. William had a vain hope after Chris hadn't made the quodpot team that his enthusiasm for the school's team might have abated somewhat but he was as big of a fan as ever and he was still determined to make the team next year. William had skipped the first game because he had been trying to study for a Charms exam, however this time he had no excuse. Chris blasted the horn again and tugged at William's comforter, "C'mon man, it's quodpot time!"
William sat up, and replied, "Yeah, I'm coming Chris."
"Awesome," Chris shouted as he moved toward the door, "I still can't believe you missed the first game against the Eagles, it was crazy."
William shrugged into a set of black robes, and grabbed his horn as he followed Chris outside. The hall was once again in an uproar, most students were in full quodpot cheering gear, and people were letting out whoops of excitement. William even spotted one guy from a few doors down wearing face paint.
"I guess," William responded, "Did we win it?"
"Barely," Chris responded, "A shame we hadn't played that way during the play offs last year." He let loose another blast from his horn and the sparkling words 'Go Salem!' burst out of it. This resulted in a full horn blast from several other students, each shooting out a random phrase.
As they moved through the crowd William once more felt the pounding in his heart that only a quodpot crowd seemed to be able to bring on. If someone had told him in elementary school that he'd actually be excited to go to a game like this when he got to middle school, William definitely would not have believed them. "Who are we up against this time?"
"The Gators," Chris responded as the crowd rounded the corner and joined the sixth grade crowd.
Most of the sixth graders were not as decked out as the seventh graders, William could even spot a few students who looked simply confused as they were pushed along with the crowd out of Corey Hall.
"Where are they from?" William called back as they came out into the light of the early morning.
"Louisiana I think? Maybe Mississippi," Chris called back, "Somewhere around there. The school's called the Academy I think, I don't know much except it's real name is French."
William nodded, even though there were only a few magical schools in the country William couldn't find much information about them outside of their sports records since that was the only reason students paid much attention to other schools. He shook his head, he'd probably have to find someone who knew a person who went there if he wanted to know anything about the school.
The crowd was now making their way toward the stadium which per usual had a large crowd around it, as they walked up to the stadium, Sarah fell into step beside them wearing a stylized blue and black scarf around her neck. She smiled at them and said, "I figured I'd find you guys heading to the game."
Chris smirked at her and then said, "Going to a quodpot game, finally ready to admit that this is the greatest sport?"
Sarah let out a short 'pfft', "No, but these games shut down the whole school, and I'm ahead on my homework so what else is there to do."
Chris shook his head, and then his eyes went wide as he locked onto the scarf around Sarah's neck, "Are you wearing a Quidditch Scarf?"
"Of course," Sarah responded as she touched the scarf. "What do you not wear scarves for this barbaric game?"
Chris began a rant on quodpot that William believed somehow had to do with why a scarf was inappropriate attire but William began to zone out. He was looking around for Nick but he quickly realized that the other boy was not in the crowd. While Chris was still talking, mostly to himself at this point, William asked, "Did Nick say he was going to come?"
"Huh?" Chris stuttered being broken out of his long-winded lecture, "Oh he said he had work to do or something."
"Oh," William replied. It was not like Nick was a huge fan of quodpot or anything, but still William had expected to see him here as most of the school was apparently turning out for the event.
William, Chris, and Sarah had all ascended up to the stadium seating and quickly squeezed into a random row. William looked around, the stadium was packed, "So what exactly is the deal with this game?"
"What do you mean?" Chris asked as he looked around.
Sarah replied, "The Gators were the national champions last year."
"You didn't know that?" Chris said as he turned to look at William.
William shrugged, "The end of last year was..."
"Right," Chris answered, "But this is quodpot we're talking about." Sarah burst out laughing and William couldn't help but crack a smile as Chris continued to keep an entirely straight face.
The crowd was starting to become their tense selves as the stadium began to settle in for what was supposed to be one of the first big and important games of the season. William quickly learned from word that had circulated around the crowd that Salem's last game was a strong start, and that if they could beat the Gators here it'd be the start to an amazing season. The Gators appeared to the standard cheering from the small visitors section on the opposite side of the field from the massive Salem student contingent. William noticed that their team were all very big, none of the smaller players that he remembered teams sporting last year. The Salem team arrived to the standard deafening shouts of the crowd William had grown used to, feeling his own voice become a little strained as he cheered.
Just before the game was about to start though, Sarah untied her scarf and held it above her head as she stood up. William then noticed that a whole grouping of students around them did the same thing. The whole group of students started singing a song that William had heard a few times at the Quidditch games last year. William looked around, most of the Salem crowd was groaning or laughing, a few people were even booing the Salem students singing. William turned to see that Chris had a death glare on aimed directly at Sarah. A few people threw pieces of paper as the song came to an end, and William heard one person shout, "Get out of here you damn Quidditch fans!"
Sarah fell back down into her seat giggling her head off while Chris just shouted, "What are you doing this is Quodpot!"
Sarah shook her head, and said, "We all thought it'd be a good idea to add a little culture to this horrid game."
Chris just shouted incomprehensible phrases, but was cut short by the quod being launched into the air and the standard wince-inducing crash of players. Out of the scramble burst a massive Gators player, who was rushing for the pot. Just as he was about to toss it out though, a Salem player came crashing directly down past him, and shoved him aside. The ball banged against the pot instead of falling in and exploded harmlessly in the air. Another ball shot out on the Salem side, and the Salem player that had just blocked the goal had it in his hand. As he made it a little bit past the halfway mark of the field, covered by two players, a huge mass of four Gators players crashed right into them. The quod went flying and there was another resounding crash of athletes.
The game continued in the same fashion for the entirety of it. By the end of the game, both teams were playing at an equal half strength, and the score was deadlocked at a tie of one-one. The crowd was tense, it would be impressive to stop the current champion team at this score. Of course, it would have been even better to beat them. As the clock was coming down to the last minute, the Salem team had made their move.
They captured the quod from one of the partial advances made by the Gators clearly designed to hold the game in the current stalemate. The whole team then formed up on their largest player who held the quod and they rushed toward the pot on the other side of the field. The Gator who had made an attempt at the goal moved up behind them but one Salem player stopped suddenly and smashed into him as he kept advancing. The Gators had formed up a little bit past the half way point and came crashing directly into the Salem team, and the large player holding the quod had dipped down below.
As the scramble broke apart, one of the Gators zoomed off after the low flying player. The Salem player was zig zagging and practically skimming the field, the Gator was able to make the tight turn to avoid crashing directly into the ground and started gaining on the Salem player as he started his ascent. Just as he was reaching back to toss it into the pot, the Gator player made his move and crashed up into the Salem player from below. He lost his balance, clutched the quod close to his chest to avoid losing it to the other team, and it then exploded in his hands as the clock sounded out. While it wasn't a clear win, it showed a very strong start for the Salem quodpot team and the whole crowd went wild. Horns were blasted, foam fingers waved, and no one booed as the Quidditch fans once more broke into song and swung their scarves above their heads.
The school was celebrating the game into the mid-afternoon, with people singing and dancing in the dining hall throughout the entirety of lunch being served. While people had initially booed the Quidditch song the fans had sung at the game, someone had during the course of lunch realized that a faster tempo could be applied and now it had gained a sort of chanting rhythm to it as the quodpot team partially jigged to the tune and the clapping of the student crowds.
Sarah had already left when the song was adopted by the quodpot team, muttering something about how there was just no hope for the sport of quodpot. Chris had been up and dancing with a few seventh grade girls that William didn't recognize. William gave his roommate a wave and made his way out of the dining hall.
While William had had no excuse for skipping the quodpot game he couldn't stay and party the tie score all day. The History paper was due in the middle of the week and he still barely knew what he was actually writing about. William casually walked through the falling amber colored leaves toward Corey Hall. Plenty of students were out and laughing now that the quodpot game was over, the air was crisp but not exactly cold, and everything just seemed nice as he made his way back to the dormitory building.
As he rounded the bushes leading up to Corey Hall, he suddenly heard someone shout an incantation he had never heard before. William leaped a few feet in the air as he suddenly felt a tight pinch on his chest like someone had squeezed and twisted it. Wand in hand he spun around toward the bush and quickly rounded on it, remembering that this was where Henry and Theodore had waylaid him a few times. He realized they weren't there and as he looked around, he spotted the pair on the far corner of the building. Henry slinked out and called the spell again. This time William noticed the faint purple light burst from the bully's wand and threw up a shield charm.
Even with the dozens of yards between them William could hear Henry's grunt of frustrations, he then shouted back, "Best watch your back Fraser!" The pair then ran off.
William sighed he was hoping that after the night outside the library that Henry would lay off entirely if not for more than a few days, at least a week. William rubbed his chest as he kept walking in to Corey Hall. When he was getting changed to take a shower, William caught sight of himself in the mirror. On his upper chest around his nipple there was a light purple bruise. William sighed, suddenly remembering a month when Eric Grossman had continuously given him 'purple nurples'. He sighed, apparently Henry was familiar with the bullying technique and had literally discovered a spell to do it. William shook his head wondering just what Henry would think of next.