Let the games begin[open]

[Suri Maddox]

Mud covered the Quidditch pitch, a result of the previous night's rain. Nonetheless, a lone figures boots squelched through the boggy ground, broom slung over one shoulder, a heavy trunk being dragged across the grass with the other arm. Suri's dark eyes peered upward, taking note of the darkening sky. She wouldn't have long to practice, but that didn't really matter. The sarcastic fifth year released her grip on the trunk, letting the suspended end fall to the ground with a thud.

Suri was vain, self-centered, a major brat. But Quidditch was one of her greatest passions. So today, instead of her usually classy attire, she was clad in her emerald practice robes and thick Quidditch boots. Her prized Firebolt was still leaning on her right shoulder. She placed the broom on the ground and turned to the trunk. She undid the latches to reveal the usual equipment. She pulled out her beater's bat and laid it beside her broom before reaching for a ball struggling for freedom. A Bludger. Suri pulled out her wand, and jinxed the ball, making it freeze momentarily. She unlatched it and gripped it tightly under her arm.

Suri grabbed her broom and swung her leg over it. She rose into the air, easily keeping her balance. When she reached a high enough spot, she threw the Bludger as high in the air as she could. Aiming her wand, she shot another jinx, unfreezing the ball. The next thing she knew, it was hurtling toward her. With a mighty heave, she swung her bat at it, sending the dark grey ball flying away.

Another thing that few knew about Suri was that she may be small, but she had wicked strength. Being selected as a Beater her third year was no fluke. In her opinion, no one could master the position better. Besides, being a Beater allowed her to sling Bludgers at the opposing teams, usually causing a great deal of pain with her superior aim, a fact that pleased her. The Bludger went at her again, and she easily swung it away. A smirk crossed her face. At least, until she looked into the stands and noticed someone watching her performance.

[julia]

Julia loved to fly, especially on days after it had just rained. Everything just seemed so fresh, like everything was new in the world. The perfect time to head to the Quidditch pitch and just spend some time zipping around. Julia wasn't on the team, but still had a broom at school. A broom she absolutely loved. Her second favorite possession, just after her crystal ball. And so she had pulled out that prized possession and made her way down to the pitch, dressed in the same designer clothes she wore everyday.

Only to find there was someone else there.

Wonderful. That was just fantastic. Julia shifted her broom on her shoulder, letting out a sigh as she made her way to the stands. She took a seat, looking down at the mud on her shoes and pant legs with disgust. Well, that would take a nice cleaning. She lay her broom down next to her, looking up at the small figure flying. Interesting, it wasn't a seeker. Usually beaters weren't that small. A Slytherin... Julia ticked off the Slytherin team in her mind, grimacing when she figured out who it must have been.

It seemed she was noticed as well. Julia grabbed her broom, got on, and rose into the air. Ah, it felt good to be flying again. she hadn't done it since summer break. There was quite a deal of land on the property at her home, and Julia and James played with some of James' friends every so often. But that usually ended in arguments of course, with Julia's extreme hate of the Dark Lord.

Pulling herself away from the thoughts of her brother, Julia made her way over to the other girl. "Trying to improve your so-called skills Suri?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Not that Julia could really talk. She was a horrid Beater, much better at being a Seeker. But playing for the school team never quite appealed to her, the rest of her house never appealed to her.

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[Suri Maddox]

Suri's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she recognized the the girl sitting in the stands. Joy. Little Miss Julia Porter. The Slytherin's mouth formed a thing line and her brow furrowed. Her attention caught on the broom that the other girl had with her. Now Suri's mouth drew back in a sneer. The bratty little Marvolio thought she could fly? The idea made a small chuckle escape Suri's lips. Then the girl spoke. "Trying to improve your so-called skills Suri?"

Just on time, the Bludger darted toward Suri once more. Instead of whacking it into open air, she slammed her bat against the dark grey ball and sent it flying toward Julia. "So-called? Let's see you outmatch my so-called skills. I very seriously doubt you're as coordinated in the air as a true flier." With her harsh words spoken, Suri jumped up on her broom so that both of her feet perched precariously on it. Showing off as usual. The witch had skills, and she knew it. But that wasn't enough. She wanted everyone to know that she was the best at everything. No uppity seer was gonna change that.

Still standing on the base of her broom, Suri pulled out her wand. The wand that chose her, knowing her before she even knew herself. She flicked it at the trunk that held the Quidditch equipment, causing the latches to unlock again. Flicking her wand a second time, she released the other Bludger. It cam hurtling at her with incredible speed. Without losing her footing, she swung her bat, sending the second Bludger flying at Julia. A smirk crossed her face as she waited for the witch to fall off her broom from the double attack. Or at least, be forced into a nose-dive.

"Making fun of my skills, my talents, is not very wise, you little Muggle-loving git. Let's see you outwit me, out-school me, out-talent me. You might as well be a Squib, you annoying poser." With each movement of Suri's mouth, her words got more heated and practically dripped disgust. A dirty little oddball, one who refused to join the Dark Lord, yet had the audacity to attend Hogwarts, dare offend a pure blood Dark Lord Supporter? The witch was lucky not to be hexed by Suri just for making her mad.

[julia]

Julia knew her words wouldn't go over well. She usually wasn't the one to instigate the fights, but oh, today just felt so nice. Maddox needed to be taken down a few pegs, as far as Julia was concerned. And Julia would just love to be the one to do it, no matter how it was done. For now, the verbal insults were enough.

As soon as Julia saw that bludger moving, so was she. She ensured her grip on her broom, both with hands and legs, and flipped herself over, dropping a few feet as well. Julia had her tricks as well, maybe not as fancy as Suri's, but they were good enough. Julia felt no need to mask anything with theatrics. She watched the ball fly where she had been just moments before. Righting herself, she smirked at Suri and raised an eyebrow. "Really, Maddox. Is that the best you have?" She chuckled, but found the answer moments later.

A second bludger was freed, and Julia knew this would be getting a bit more fun. Tipping her broom, Julia sped towards the ground at a rather precarious angle, looking like she should have fallen off of her broom. One hand left her broom, reaching into a pocket to grab her wand just in case. She looked behind, watching the bludger speeding towards her. Well, this would be interesting. At the last moment, Julia pulled out of the dive, rising slightly and flying parallel to the wall for a moment before heading back to Suri.

"Come on now, Suri. I thought we were friends. But you'll have to try harder than that to surprise me."

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[Suri Maddox]

Suri's sneer widened as she watched the Marvolio neatly dodge her bludger. Much to Suri's disdain, she had to admit, the girl knew how to fly. She snarled as the witch taunted her. "The best I have? Far from it, dearie. Just hide and watch," she hissed through gritted teeth, rearranging her grip on her bat. She may have dodged the first bludger but the second was timed so perfectly, there was no way she would escape. No way.

But sure enough, the git dodged the second bludger with some very tight maneuvers and twists. As much as she wished she wasn't true, she figured the girl would make an excellent seeker. Good thing she had no interest in being on her house's Quidditch team. Slytherin would lose their winning streak for sure--at least, if Little Miss Sunshine could dodge Suri's bludgers. Ha, fat chance. Not in a real game with people flying all over the place and a snitch on the loose.

...I thought we were friends. That did it. Suri snapped. Not only did she slam a bludger toward the witch again, but she also whipped out her wand, leveling it at the sarcastic little freak. "Friends? With you? I'll let my wand give you the answer to that. Diffindo!" she cried. Her wand slashed the air with amazing speed, sending the spell at the other witch. This spell would teach her to open her pretty little mouth again. Should the spell make contact, the girl would be left with cuts she wouldn't very soon forget. Suri could've easily cast the Cruciatus Curse, but the thought didn't occur to her. The Severing Charm would suffice for the purposes she needed it for.

[julia]

Suri's answer drew a sharp laugh from Julia as she flew, though it was mostly lost to the wind. Of course, egging on supporters of the Dark Lord wasn't a good idea. But getting under Suri's skin was just too fun to miss, not to mention it made her try more tricks than she normally would have in games. Too bad she didn't join the team... She would have loved to do this an entire match against the Slytherin team. And then to see the look on Suri's face when Marvolio won... But no, Julia couldn't stand the rest of her house, she wasn't about to join anything to make them think much differently. In general, Julia kept her disdain for the Dark Lord secret, but things slipped every once in a while.

It seemed she had touched a nerve. Another bludger flew towards her, sending Julia flying straight up this time, trying to both dodge the bludger and escape an attack from Suri. Julia finally leveled out, dodging the bludger. But she wasn't quite as lucky about the spell. She was hit in the back, and the reaction of arching her back from the pain caused her to fall partially off the broom. She managed to hold on by one hand holding and one foot hooked on the broom. Letting out a curse from the pain of the cut and the fact she almost fell, Julia started trying to pull herself up. After a few rather failed attempts, something rather embarrassing, she managed to get back on the broom.

"You... Little..." She managed, aiming her own wand towards the younger girl. "Rictusempra!" She shouted. Well, perhaps the uncontrollable laughter could do something to force the younger girl off her broom. Not wanting to risk it, Julia gripped her broom again, taking off towards Suri, aiming to knock her off.

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[Suri Maddox]

Damn youuuu she thought as Julia yet again dodged her bludger...and put her directly in the path of Suri's hex. Suri barked out a laugh of pure, uncontrollable delight. She watched the elder witch's back arch in pain, watching blood stream from the wound. Oh, the irony. A fifth year being able to so easily curse a seventh year. Had Suri done this when that Muggle-loving Dumbledore still ran the school, she would've been in deep trouble, probably expelled in the process. But that wasn't the case now. With Snape as Headmaster, Suri could easily get away with whatever she wanted. Goodie!

So wrapped up in her delight and pride, Suri failed to hear the other witch cast her spell. The next thing the Slytherin knew, a beam of light was racing toward her, along with the second bludger. Suri whipped her wand through the air, making the bludger freeze and plummet to the ground below. But by doing this, she was unable to defend against the spell. She braced herself, prepared to face excruciating pain.

Instead of screaming in agony, Suri found herself in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. A Giggling Charm, what the heck?! Suri couldn't stop laughing, and her balance was thrown off. She fell from her broom, but instead of falling to the ground like the bludger, she managed to hang on by one hand. Her grip was weak from her laughter, but being and experienced Quidditch player and flier, she managed to flip herself back onto her broom.

"You'll r-regret t-t-that," she growled through her giggles, making her threatening taunt lose its menace.

[julia]

Julia felt the blood soaking the back of her shirt, twisting her stomach into a knot. And Suri's delight in her pain was just making that feeling worse. The fact that the other witch was only a fifth year just made it all the more horrid. Julia just didn't duel most of the time. And the little brat would probably get away with it. Even if Julia reported her, would Snape do anything? She doubted it.

A smirk rose on her face when the spell hit. Served the jerk right. But it seemed a bit pathetic, she realized. A giggling charm? To come back after getting her back sliced? Well not everyone was the type to use the pain-inflicting spells. And Julia didn't like to cause physical pain when it could be avoided. Sure, giving someone an extra arm and then letting them sort out the emotional pain and blows to confidence that came with it

She watched the younger witch manage to stay on her broom and scowled, coming to a halt. Julia had been hoping she'd go down. Her eyebrow rose in a questioning arch the girl promised she'd regret what she'd done, smirking a bit. "Right. And how is that going to happen? You'll send your little gang of fifth years after me?"

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[Torii Damien]

Suri couldn't avoid the giggles that plagued her. Her entire broom shook from her uncontrolled laughing. Nonetheless, she held her grip on the Firebolt, watching the other witch writhe in silent pain. The older witch's designer clothing was soon soaked with blood, a fact that greatly pleased Suri. Oh, how she reveled in the pain of other. Soon the giggling charm that gripped her body was mixed with her own harsh laughter.

"My little f-fifth years? Oh, how droll. You're so amusing, Miz Julia-" The giggles stopped abruptly, and Suri's eyes narrowed offensively. "As if. I prefer a more practical term." With that said, the giggles started up again, and she leveled her wand. She slashed the air, and cried out, "Crucio!" A jet of angry red light burst from the tip, hurtling toward Julia faster than a rushing train. "Let's see you dodge this, git," she jeered.

ooc; It's short, I know. Dun kill me. I have to go catch the bus. xP

[julia]

The smirk on Julia's face eventually grew into a smile as she watched the younger girl shake with uncontrollable laughter. Sure, her back was still on fire with pain, but she still got great amusement out of watching Suri try to be intimidating while laughing. Well, Suri was rarely intimidating anyway. Julia had two years on the girl, and the knowledge that this was the last year they'd ever need to be anywhere near each other. The last year Julia would need to be anywhere near the majority of the school. Shooting a glare at Suri as the harsh laughter broke into the giggling, Julia tightened her grip on her own wand, getting ready for something rather nasty to happen.

She caught the narrowing of Suri's eyes, and was ready to speed away to escape a curse. As soon as the first three letters had escaped Suri's mouth, Julia was flying as fast as she could. The curse sped after her, and Julia barely had time to turn around, let alone time to try and put up a protection spell, before the jet of red light hit her square it the chest. The effect was felt immediately. While she had always feared her brother would use the curse on her, he never had.

It felt like her bones were being twisted, her muscles overstretched to the point of ripping. After a few moments of trying to stay on her broom, and actually managing to lower herself to a level where she wouldn't be too seriously injured if she fell. And then the pain was too much, her body went weak for a moment, dropping off of the broom. She fell for a moment, the pain still twisting her muscles in her mind, before landing on the ground with a thump. She brought her arm up, aiming her wand at Suri, but couldn't form the words to hex the other girl.

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[Suri Maddox]

Suri roared with hysterical laughter. Oh, if the Dark Lord could see her now. If only her mother could see. Pure ruthlessness radiated from the girl's very aura. Nothing could ruin the pleasure of this moment. Suri watched as the spell made contact, then watched as the seventh year lowered her broom before plummeting to the ground. Suri's excitement couldn't be contained. The laughter from the giggling charm was gone, replaced by true, uncontrolled laughter. It was almost more than the witch. could bare. To revel in her joy, Suri elevated higher into the air and did several somersaults through the air on her broom, still doubling over in laughter. If this was what working for the Dark Lord meant, she couldn't wait to graduate.

"I warned you. You'd regret it. You're lucky I haven't killed you yet. You're a pathetic excuse for a witch if you ask me. You should be tossed into the streets like the rest of those damn blood traitors," she jeered, still wheeling about in the sky. It was like a child getting a new toy after hours upon hours of begging. Pure entertainment. "I bet you wish Potter-" Suri hissed the word like a foul curse-" was still alive. He'd stick up for you, filthy little attention hog. But do you notice that? No one can see you. No one can hear you scream." Suri cupped her hand over her ear for effect.

Nothing could spoil this perfect moment. Nothing...except...THE BLUDGER! One of the dark grey orbs still zoomed around the field, aiming for anything still in the air. Suri turned and aimed her bat, but it was too late. Whumph! All the air exploded from the witch's lungs as she was cast backward off her broom. The bludger had hit her in the gut, forcing her to lose her balance. But she was at a much higher elevation than Julia had been would make a much harder impact. She groped for her wand, but it had been knocked from her hand much like she'd been knocked from her broom. It now fell beside her, out of her reach. Closer, closer, closer...THUD! Suri hit the ground with a sickening crunch, her eyes fluttering shut at once.

[julia]

As cliche as it sounded, the laughter coming from Suri only made the pain she was feeling worse. Julia lay on the ground, just watching the younger witch celebrate. Her arm had dropped to the ground, and she grimaced against the residual pain from the curse. There had to be some way to get back at Suri, if only it didn't hurt so much to move her arm or open her mouth.

She listened to the other girl taunt her, each word causing new pain to errupt in her head. Julia squinted against the light present, the pain from the curse starting to dissipate finally. And what was that? It looked like a bludger was racing towards Suri. And as much as she hated the other girl, she didn't deserve to fall to her death. Julia watched Suri get hit, watched her body plummet to the ground and slam into the ground. As soon as the scene set in, Julia moved, ignoring the pain.

Coming to a rest on her knees next to the younger girl, Julia bent to listen to her breathing. Well, she didn't seem to be dead. Julia slid her arms under Suri's form after pocketing the other girl's wand and lifted her up, showing a rather surprising strength and ignoring the screaming of her muscles. Why was she doing this? Why was she helping the girl who had just subjected her to the Cruciatus curse? Julia had learned to be a larger person, it seemed.

She made her way to the castle as quickly as possible, then assisted another student in getting Suri to the hospital wing. And what then? Julia wasn't quite sure. Staying at Hogwarts was looking less and less like an option every day. If she was upsetting another student to the point of being subjected to the Cruciatus curse, Julia was quite sure it was time to go and take the Order up on their offer.

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[Suri Maddox]

ooc; Now what? xD

[julia]

OOC: I was gonna go with the thread is over. If not, I can rewrite the post.

[Torii Damien]

ooc; That's fine with me. To the Hospital Wing! xD