Amy Fox
July 19, 2006 8:55 PM
Flying Lessons: Lesson 1 by Amy Fox
Although the sky was overcast with clouds, the day was still disgustingly hot, even for the deserts of Arizona. A hot, muggy film had seemed to settle over the school causing Amy’s robes to feel stiflingly hot. The fact that it wasn’t even noon didn’t help matters either.Giving a frustrated sigh, Amy cast yet another cooling charm upon herself as she waited for the students to arrive. Beads of perspiration began to form on her nose and around her hairline only furthering her frustration. Finally giving in to the need for cool air, she jumped astride her broom and ascended into the air.
A quirk of a smile formed on her face as the cool air rushed through her hair and over her face. She attempted a few barrel rolls, dives and feints before realizing that the students were streaming onto the pitch. Slowly lowering to the ground, Amy watched the anxious first years with a mixture of amusement and derision. Dropping to her feet, she lazily placed her broom upon the ground before motioning for the students to come closer.
“Alright,” she finally bellowed, “I need all of y’all to come closer. Now. Move in, move in. I don’t bite. Well, at least not hard.” Pausing for a couple of moments, Amy wondered if any of the other students had decided to join the lesson as well.
Convinced that the students were close enough, Amy stepped back a few feet. “Before we start with the first flying lesson, I have a few rules to go over. They’re pretty straight forward, so if you follow them we’ll get along fine.
“First rule: I expect all of you to listen to my instructions. If you are talking to your buddy or staring at the sky that means you aren’t listening. If you aren’t listening then you’re going to miss something important and will most likely get hurt. If you get hurt because you were fooling around, I won’t care,” she said, taking a particular measure of enunciating the final three words.
“Second rule: I want you to do what I teach you to do, not what I do personally. If I catch you trying to pull off one of my stunts that I used during my games and you get hurt I will not feel sorry for you. And I definitely don’t want to hear, ‘But I just saw you doing that barrel roll or feint a moment ago. Why can’t I do it if you can?’ The answer is: you can’t because I said so.” Taking a moment, she looked out over the sea of faces making sure that each was paying attention. Finally convinced, she returned to her speech.
“Three,” she started, not realizing that she had changed the format of her speech, “you will be on time for my class. I don’t want to see you here early and I definitely don’t want you to come in here late. I will not feel bad about penalizing your grade or giving you a detention if you fail to arrive on time.
“Four: I expect you to fully participate in every lesson that I teach. I don’t care if you’re scared of heights, we’ll help cure you of that fear. And I definitely don’t care if your parents think that you shouldn’t fly, I’ll fail you if you don’t participate. All first years are required to take this class so you better get used to seeing my face every week. If you don’t show up or don’t do as I say, you will reap the consequences.” Hands akimbo, Amy paused as she let her words sink into the group.
“Okay, I think that’s about…oh wait,” she said, remembering one final rule, “one last thing: don’t argue with me. Ever. I don’t like it.
“That being said, if you have any questions, now would be the time to ask, although I can’t guarantee that you’ll like the answer you get.” Stepping back, she waited as she allowed the students to ask any questions that may be lingering on their minds. When the question and answer section was finished, she continued on with the lesson.
“Alright,” she said, motioning toward the large pile of brooms situated a few feet behind her. “I need each of you to go and collect a broom for yourself. Once you have finished, please come back here and wait for my next instruction. For those of you who are a bit more...frightened about your flying I'd suggest the Cleansweeps, as they're a bit slower and a bit more maneuverable than your WarpSpeeds and your Firebolts. Although we don’t have any newer versions of the brooms, we have about every brand currently available on the market. And, don’t be worried that they don’t work cause I tested them all myself. They all work fine.”
Stepping aside, she watched with mild amusement as the group of students flocked around the pile of brooms, reaching and grabbing for one while at the same time trying to choose one that impressed their new friends. When the group was once again stationed in front of her, she noticed that there were excited murmurs. Placing her finger and her thumb to the corners of her lips, she let out a shrill whistle in order to gain their undivided attention once more.
“Now that you’re all back here, I need each of you to spread apart. Be sure that you stand a least an arm’s length apart from the person next to you and a few feet away from the person in front or behind you. When you have situated yourself, I want you to place your brooms on the ground and wait.”
Amy waited as they moved into their places, only a few problems here and there. As soon as they were all in place, she motioned for them to all watch her. “Now I need each of you to pay attention as I demonstrate what you’re to do. In order to start your broom, you have to use your wand arm and a firm command of Up! This,” she said, waving her right arm in the air, “is my wand arm. It is the arm which I use my wand. Place your wand arm directly over your broom, as I am doing now, and command it to come to you by saying, ‘Up!’” As though to prove her point, the broom quickly began to rise in the air and into her awaiting hand as she said the command.
“Make sure that you give it a good, firm command. If you are too forceful or too scared, the broom will sense those emotions and either jump quickly into the air (and potentially cause an injury or get away from you) or not move at all. Since you are all in your positions, I want you each to try and get your broom to rise into your hand. It is likely that it won’t work the first time but just keep on trying. It takes a couple of times here and there before it works sometimes.
“If you have any questions, be sure to ask. If you don’t ask questions then you won’t learn anything,” she said, her voice slightly condescending. Finally, if there are any older students who have come to the class, please come up front and I will give you separate instructions. That’s it, so get working.”
\n\n
Subthreads: Firstie Tepps with me! For now... by Pepper with Saul Pierce, Eavan Valentine
Re: Flying Lessons: Lesson 1 by Echo Elms with Gil Idoya, Caedence Redoak
It's me again by Zack Dill
Ready to get started by Meredith Lail
Better late than never! by Elly Eriksson
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Amy Fox
Flying Lessons: Lesson 1
0
Amy Fox
1
5
Pepper
July 23, 2006 2:37 PM
Firstie Tepps with me! For now... by Pepper
The Breakfast Brigade, as she had dubbed it, had become a regular thing. Until the first years were sure of the way to the Cascade Hall, she would escort them. She hoped that, even after they knew the way, they could still all have breakfast together, as she enjoyed it being a sociable event. She had warned them all the previous night to double check everything they'd need until lunch for today, because there wouldn't be time to go rushing back to the dorm. Over breakfast, she had briefed them."I don't want to scare you, but Coach Fox is tough. She's very strict, and will essentially make you shut up or ship out. If you just do what she says - no more, no less - she won't go off at you. I don't think she means it personally, so if she yells at you, just take it on the chin and carry on - it's not the end of the world, and she's like it to most people. It's just an hour, and I'll be there so you can come to me straight after the lesson." She had made the decision to go to the lesson, even though it wasn't compulsory for her, because she wanted to be able to keep an eye on her first years, and because she welcomed every chance she got to practise. Even if it was under Coach Fox's instruction.
Now she was leading them down to the pitch, unable to shake the feeling that she was taking her trusting little flock to the gallows. She stood in the middle of them whilst Coach Fox spoke, wishing she could whisper reassurances, or even turn to give them encouraging smiles, but she dared not.
She hadn't got the nerve up to ask her parents for something as flashy as a broom over summer, so she made her way over to the pile with the first years. She darted in, grabbing a Cleansweep like the one she'd used last year. Slow, steady and reliable suited her fine for now.
She'd known she wouldn't be able to stay with her first year friends repeating the training from last year, but she still felt a pang of regret as she was called up to the front. She gave the nearest one to her a quick squeeze on the shoulder before slipping out of line and making her way up to Coach Fox, hoping she wasn't the only upper year (it felt strange, still, to think of herself as such) to volunteer herself for extra torture. \n\n
0
Pepper
Firstie Tepps with me! For now...
0
Pepper
0
5
Echo Elms
July 27, 2006 11:39 AM
Re: Flying Lessons: Lesson 1 by Echo Elms
Professor Fox -- or was it Coach Fox? -- was not a likeable lady. She claimed to think questions were necessary, but then discouraged you from asking them. Echo had a ton of questions. How about this one: "What is a cleansweep?" Or this one: "Which way do we put the brooms on the ground?"He went to the pile of brooms with the other students and picked on out. He had no idea if it was a Cleansweep or a Firebolt or what. It looked like there might have once been a label on the handle, but it was worn off. Anyway, it was the one with the most branch-like handle with none of that fiberglassy finish (or whatever the wizarding world uses). It was probably also the oldest model in the pile.
Lining up with the others, Echo carefully placed his broom the the bristles were facing behind him. That seemed to be how the other kids did it. He waited until a couple others started saying, "Up!" before trying it himself. It did nothing.
He tried to think of a time when he had instructed something before. His cousin had a dog and had showed Echo how to give the dog commands like "Sit" and "Roll Over" so that the dog listened to him. He imagined that the broom was the aging golden retriever -- aging was no stretch -- and gave him a forceful but encouraging, "Up!"
The broom jumped off the ground. Echo gasped and jumped away, guarding his face with his hands and bending up his knee to protect his midsection. He knocked into the kid next to him, and bounced away from him too, freezing somewhere in the middle of the two dangers.
He opened one eye at a time. The broom was waiting patiently for him at chest height and the kid was looking at him. Echo winced. He pushed the broom down to waist level and held onto it.
"Sorry," he sort of grinned and hoped he wasn't flushing red, "I didn't expect it to, you know, like, work."\n\n
21
Echo Elms
Re: Flying Lessons: Lesson 1
93
Echo Elms
0
5
Gil Idoya
July 27, 2006 9:26 PM
Flying! Yes! by Gil Idoya
This, Gil thought as he trouped out with the rest of the first-year Teppenpaws, was exactly the sort of class they should have more often. Really; only one year of flying? But there was so much to learn other than the basics! They could have Quidditch tutorials! That way Muggleborns - like his new friend Echo, who he spotted now dragging an ancient Cleansweep out of the pile - would have some idea what they were getting themselves into.While the coach lectured on and on about how to start off, giving directions that Gil had first heard when he was about seven or eight, the younger Idoya twin gazed blankly at his own Nimbus 2001, which lay in the grass by his feet. Inside, though, he was trying to determine just how easy it would be to actually have a permanent flying class. Maybe only once a week, and every two months they could cover a new position, with mock games sprinkled throughout... it really was very necessary, he thought. Almost as necessary as bringing his own beloved Thunderbolt 3000 back to Sonora after the Christmas holiday.
Finally, he heard Coach Fox direct them to begin. "Up!" he called, grinning; the broom leapt into his hand. The motion was a little uneven, but not bad on the whole. He steadied it with one hand and then left it there, crossing his arms over his chest to wait until they'd be allowed to actually mount up.
He'd only just begun an impatient sigh when something smashed into him from the right. He yelped and grabbed onto the arm of the kid who'd knocked into him - Echo, he dimly registered - and when the Pecari leapt away, Gil wobbled back into balance. "Whoa! Watch yourself there, Echo!" he said with a shaky grin, looking over to make sure the other boy was okay. "You all right?"
"Sorry, I didn't expect it to, you know, like, work."
Gil's smile widened, and he laughed a little. "Man, Echo, I'll never get used to hearing people say stuff like that. But it's pretty awesome that you got it to rise on your first try; it took me three tries, and Leo a whole day. Have you really never flown before?"\n\n
0
Gil Idoya
Flying! Yes!
0
Gil Idoya
0
5
Echo Elms
July 28, 2006 3:50 PM
I'm good at something? by Echo Elms
"Man, Echo, I'll never get used to hearing people say stuff like that," Gil said, a bit of excitement gleaming off him. Echo remembered he was really into Quidditch. "But it's pretty awesome that you got it to rise on your first try; it took me three tries, and Leo a whole day. Have you really never flown before?""I, uh, never," Echo pulled the broom closer. If he'd flown before the broom wouldn't have scared the living weirdness out of him. By the tickling in the back of his throat, he had a feeling he might even have screamed. He didn't remember screaming. Jumping, though, jumping he remembered. He still wondered if the whole thing had really happened or not.
The last thing Gil said had a nice smooth flavor running through his mind. But it's pretty awesome that you got it to rise on your first try; it took me three tries, and Leo a whole day. It was his second try, technically, but, man, this was the first lesson he did right all week. Forget that he completely freaked out when it worked, forget that he ran into someone. He, Echo Elms, did something right around here for a change.
Shawnessy was the best broom in the whole world. Yes, he already named it after the old dog. They were a team now, he and Shawnessy.
He glanced around to make sure he wouldn't ruin it by drawing dirty looks from Coach Fox for talking. "That was crazy cool," he whispered, "Freaky. But cool."\n\n
21
Echo Elms
I'm good at something?
93
Echo Elms
0
5
Zack Dill
July 29, 2006 11:01 AM
It's me again by Zack Dill
Zack Dill was in his fourth year. In his first, he had completely sucked at flying, but that was fine because there hadn't been any House Quidditch Competition that year. In his second, he still sucked, so he went to flying lessons again in hopes that a new teacher might instruct better. That year it wasn't so good that he sucked because Anne had drafted him into the Aladren team, but fortunately the weather went all kooky before he had to actually play any games. That was particularly fortuitous for him because he was pretty sure he'd been drafted into the empty Beater position.Third year, he had accepted that Alderaan just couldn't produce a full team without him, so he'd been sure to put his name as the Seeker on the try-out list right away before anyone else thought to try-out for it. This back fired sorely when he was actually appointed the team Seeker. Fortunately, he had again attended flying lessons that year and Coach Fox had made the mightly useful suggestion of trying a WarpSpeed broom instead of his ancient Cleansweep. That had helped a lot. Enterprise was infinitely faster at Warp One than Bones had ever gotten.
In fact, he'd done so well on Enterprise that he had actually caught the snitch in his first game last year. He almost thought that meant he was good enough to not take Flying Lessons again for the fourth time, but eventually decided the extra practice certainly wouldn't hurt. He didn't own a broom of his own, and he lived in Detroit anyway, so it wasn't like he could get any flying in over the summer. (Unless playing a gnome with a flying machine in D&D counted, but that was entirely different from Quidditch.)
So he'd come back to Flying Lessons, feeling far more confident about his skills than he ever had before. Admittedly, though, that wasn't saying a lot. He still counted himself as far more a geek than a Quidditch jock. It was not beneath his pride to take a first year class on flying, again, for the fourth time. He'd continue to take it until he stopped seeing an increase in his abilities, and he knew he had plenty of room for improvement still.
So he arrived on the Pitch, found Enterprise and claimed her for himself before any of the new kids were told to find brooms, and took a spot at the back. Sadly, the three years difference in years did not make him tall enough to see over their heads (the summer had only given him another quarter inch so he was now 4'9.25"), but there wasn't going to be a lot to see anyway.
He was surprised when she ended her lecture and instructions with an invitation for older students to come forward for a different set of instructions. She hadn't done that last year. So he grabbed Enterprise so nobody else would steal her, and moved toward the coach.
"You asked for older students? I'm a fourth year."\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1
Zack Dill
It's me again
40
Zack Dill
0
5
Saul Pierce
July 29, 2006 11:45 AM
Tour Guides Unite! by Saul Pierce
It had been a last minute decision. He'd signed up for Quidditch again despite his rather spectacular fall during last year's game, and had thought about going to flying lessons again then, so he'd lessen his chances of taking another broomless dive toward the ground, but then he'd promptly forgotten about it.It wasn't until breakfast the day of the first lesson that he thought about it again. He hadn't been sitting too far away from the Teppenpaws, and he'd heard Pepper talking about Fox to her first years. Not to be outdone, he walked up and down the Pecari territory, reminding his own younger House members about their flying lesson and that he'd lead them out to it.
As he watched Pepper leave with the new Teppenpaws, he gathered what Pecari first years he could find and also led them out toward the pitch, telling them that Pecari had won the Quidditch championship last year, but none of the other houses were pushovers either, not even Aladren, so they should really try hard in flying lessons.
He didn't bother warning them about Fox because he figured as soon as she opened her mouth, they'd understand better than if he'd told them. Instead, he showed them how to get to the pitch from the Cascade Hall, and explained the best route from the Common Room, in case they wanted to go to the Pitch direct from Pecari sometime.
As they drew nearer, he added a few more quick stories about the two Sonoran games last year, including suggestions for how to survive if you happened to find yourself falling to your death ('Scream like crazy, try not to fall head first, and hope really hard that somebody catches you before you hit ground'), as well as the basics of how Coach Fox got thrown out of the Quidditch League.
When they got to the field, he was still only to the part about the bludgers hitting the press box, and hadn't even mentioned the victimized refs yet, so he tried to hurry up and conclude the story before she started the lesson. It was a more abbreviated telling than the tale deserved, but he finished just in time.
He didn't really listen to most of her rules because he figured they hadn't really changed much from last year. He used the time instead to try to streamline the story for a better telling next time. He thought he had a pretty good version ready when everybody else went to collect a broom, so he followed them.
Picking a random one which turned out to be an older Nimbus model, he returned to his previous spot to listen to what they'd be actually doing today. He was just getting ready to put the Nimbus on the ground and prove that he was now capable of saying "Up!" and having it jump to his hand rather than outer space, when Coach Fox told the older students to come forward.
Half bent over already with his broom about six inches over the ground, Saul straightened up again and moved forward, finding himself next to Pepper. He propped his broom up against his shoulder like it was a gun and saluted the Coach, "Saul Pierce, 2nd Year, ready and reporting for duty, Ma'am!"\n\n
1
Saul Pierce
Tour Guides Unite!
82
Saul Pierce
0
5
Caedence Redoak
August 04, 2006 1:47 PM
A firstiewho knows her stuff right here! by Caedence Redoak
Caedence half zoned during instructions. They were all the usual stupid things any ways. 'Dont do hard tricks. Dont talk when I am.' Uselss things, really. Yet there was an undertow of a threat. Like a river, calm on top, but a deep tugging below the surface. Step into it, and you'll see how dangerous it realy is.Her own trusty broom at her side, she set it on the ground next to her. She was surprised, to tell the truith, that she had to say 'up'. After all, she had not trouble placing it mid-air next to her and mounting it. Yet she had to do this the fancy way. "Up"she commanded. She used the deadly voice she often used with people annoying her. A voice that said, 'Dont you dare even try messing with me'. Her broom fairly quivered, but rose slowly into the air. It was acting like a kicked dog that you yell to come."dont even try that act, Nimbus! Just cool down, and hover there!"she barked.
The word "echo" came to her ears. Looking around, she tried to find the speaker. Her broom, as if it sensed an escape chance, creeped off to one side. She glared fiercely at it, and it stopped moving. Finally she caught the speaker. She didn't know which one was Echo, but she boldly spoke up anyways. "Hello there. Are you Echo? Elly mentioned you when we talked. She seemed to consider you a friend." caedence hoped the boy was Echo. He didnt seem like much, after spazing when his broom did what he wanted it to. She half admired the other student for forgiving him. She would have glared him down until he was nothing.\n\n
0
Caedence Redoak
A firstiewho knows her stuff right here!
94
Caedence Redoak
0
5
Meredith Lail
August 07, 2006 7:58 PM
Ready to get started by Meredith Lail
Meredith was quick to get down to the Quidditch Pitch with a short sleeved top, capris pants, and her blonde hair pulled back in a small ponytail. It was hot that day, but she hoped it’d be better when she got in the air. If there was any class she could handle with ease, it would be flying. It was one of her favorite things to do. When she arrived at the Pitch the instructor was up in the air doing a few moves. Meredith’s brothers taught her some tricks on her broom at home. Her father bought her brothers Firebolts, but promised her one when she was a little older. For now she had a Nimbus 2001.Coach Fox landed and gathered the students by her. She started with the rules. Meredith shifted her weight from one foot to the other as Coach Fox spoke. The first rule made sense. The second rule was a downer. Meredith wanted to fly like she flew at home. She had a feeling quite a few first years felt that way. The third rule sounded strange but it was probably just the wording. That was probably the first time she’d ever been told not to arrive early. And the fourth rule was just plain weird to Meredith. Who wouldn’t want to fly?
Finally Meredith was able to get a broom. She wanted a firebolt like her brothers, but settled for a Nimbus 2001 like her own. No need to get a broom that might just buck her off if she wasn’t used to it. Meredith brought her broom back and put it on the ground as the coach instructed. It was funny how clear the coach made it about which arm to use to call it. Meredith wasn’t sure if she was trying to be funny, but it got a smothered laugh out of her. She half expected to hear Elly cracking up somewhere. She had become lost in a sea of first years, but she was so excited to start flying that the people around her didn’t concern her much. No matter how long she had been flying, it was always amazing, except when she fell and broke something which she had done more than once. Those times weren’t so amazing. Finally the students were told to get working. Meredith stuck out her arm over her broom and gave the command.
“Up!” and the broom rose. It gave a little wobble before reaching her hand, probably because it wasn’t the broom she was accustomed to. It was the same type, but it wasn’t her broom.
Meredith almost jumped on it and kicked off, but she stopped herself, not wanting to get her broom taken for not listening or thinking she could go ahead without instruction. She held her broom vertically and leaned on it, watching some people get the broom up right away and others struggle a bit. She saw Echo knock into someone when his got up in the air. She grinned. At least he got it. The boy next to him got the broom up too, but without the jumping. She recognized Caedence over by Echo and the boy she didn’t know. She looked to be in total control of her broom. A little harsh looking, but it seemed to listen to her anyway. Meredith looked to the person next to her.
“I hope we get to do some real flying soon, don’t you?” She could barely hold back the excitement in her grin. Real flying could mean one thing to her and something totally different to someone else. She meant rolls and dives and feints and such. The things coach Fox told them not to do. Someone else might mean just having the broom move at all while in the air.\n\n
0
Meredith Lail
Ready to get started
0
Meredith Lail
0
5
Eavan Valentine
August 08, 2006 1:03 AM
I'll guess I'm part of the Breakfast Brigade by Eavan Valentine
Eavan had been sitting at breakfast with a group of fellow Teppenpaw first years. She sat silently, staring at everyone talking around her as she ate a bowl of cereal. It was par for the course for breakfast, but today, at the end of the meal, that girl: Pepper, had Eavan's entire group follow her to the Quidditch field.How could she forget! The first ever flying class. If Eavan wanted to get on the team, and event hough she had practiced with her cousin's old brooms, there was nothing like a real lesson from a former Quidditch star. The only bad thing was the thick, hot air that turned Eavan's nervousness into beads of sweat on the back of her neck and upper lip.
Soon enough, Eavan found herself on the Quidditch field staring up at the legendary Amy Fox. At first sight, she could tell this was not a womam to double-cross; Peper was right. Eavan swallowed hard as Coach Fox began her 'welcoming' speech. Eavan shook herself out of the initial intimidation and ran to the pile of brooms to get the best one she could. After tossing aside five or six brooms, she came across a battered Firebolt. The sheen was gone and the twigs looked as though they had been electricuted: frayed and slightly charred. But it was still a Firebolt, and Coach Fox said they all worked.
Eavan got back to attention just in time to hear what she was supposed to do and where Pepper was going. Eavan scooted back a few feet and dropped her broom on the ground at her side. After a deep breath, she called out "Up!" The broom shuddered, but remained motionless. Eavan bit her lower lip and tried again, this time with a lot more force.
"UP!...OW!" The broom jumped of the grass and shot into Eavan's open palm, smacking it quite hard, but she was still able to close her hand around the broom.\n\n
0
Eavan Valentine
I'll guess I'm part of the Breakfast Brigade
86
Eavan Valentine
0
5
Echo Elms
August 22, 2006 3:31 PM
Uh, right? by Echo Elms
If Echo'd got this right, Caedence was the other pecari firs year girl. Which was to say that she was the one that wasn't Meredith and wasn't Elly. He'd seen her around, sort of, and she seemed to be scarey.Amend that. Girls were always scarey. Even Elly was scarey, and he kinda sorta maybe was friends with her. Elly seemed to to think so, anyway, even in front of Caedence. That was a good sign and yet another mark on the "Elly is okay even though she is a girl" tally. Caedence didn't have any such marks. But there she was right in front of him anyway so marks or no marks, he was going to have to say something to her.
"Uh, yeah," he said, "I'm Echo and I, uh, seem to consider Elly my friend too." That was an awful weird thing to say, but it was an awful weird question, or statement or whatever it was. He turned to include the friendly Idoya, "And he's Gil. And, I think, you're Caedence, right?"\n\n
21
Echo Elms
Uh, right?
93
Echo Elms
0
5
Caedence
August 22, 2006 5:26 PM
*nodnod* by Caedence
"well, pleasure then. Gil, Echo. As you said I am Caedence. So, know anything about flight? I'm half blood, so I know a bit. I mean, I can't do anything special, but I do do a bit of beating. Its fun." Caedence said.This guy seemed uncomfortable. Caedence smirked, but it wasnt big or all that happy. She was pretending to be pleasent. However, she'd rather be in her dorm or in the air training. To keep herself out of serious trouble, she decided to be as nice as possible. Unfortunately, she couldn't stop her bad vibes from being sent out.\n\n
0
Caedence
*nodnod*
94
Caedence
0
5
Echo Elms
August 23, 2006 9:30 AM
just don't beat me by Echo Elms
It was lucky Echo recognized "beating" as being one of the Quidditch positions Gil mentioned at breakfast. He almost didn't, and since he had no concept of the game at all, he wasn't sure what to picture besides a ferotious spike braided attacker clubbing unsuspecting baseball gloved and broom flying snitch catchers.It sounded like a bad horror movie. The kind he made a point of avoiding.
"Uh, right. I, uh," he said. He stepped a little more towards Gil, but that put him too close to Gil -- if they both stuck their elbows out, they might bump -- so he chose a third direction. Shawnessy the broom followed along, imagined tail wagging. He wished she really was a dog. A dog was a little more conforting in these situations than a broom.
"I've never even been on a plane," he was going to stop there, but he realized it wasn't true. He flew to New England with his dad two years ago. "Not recently I mean. And I don't, uh," he waved the broom, "you know."\n\n
21
Echo Elms
just don't beat me
93
Echo Elms
0
5
Elly Eriksson
September 29, 2006 3:38 AM
Better late than never! by Elly Eriksson
Elly had hurried down to flying lesson with the other first years, and, by the look of it, some older years, too. She was still a bit worried about broomsticks. Surely they were intended to stay on the ground? And why couldn’t it be flying in armchairs or something? That would surely be a lot more comfortable. Either way, Elly liked the way her friends, particularly Meredith and Caedence, talked about Quidditch with such enthusiasm, and it was something she would like to be a part of. Having been hockey captain at her old school, Elly missed playing in a sports team, and felt particularly alienated by Quidditch – a sport she had never played. Therefore, even though the idea of playing sports on a broom was a bit scary and downright weird, Elly was more than willing to give it a go.She’d heard that the Quidditch coach could be a bit mean, but in Elly’s opinion, all coaches had to be strict to be able to maintain their teams. The ones who used to play professionally (as she’d heard that Coach Fox did) were usually also bitter at not being able to play themselves. That was often the case in Elly’s experience, anyway. As it turned out, Elly quite liked Coach Fox. Sure, she was strict, but you could understand how she had to be. After all, a load of eleven year olds on brooms, mostly for the first time, was undoubtedly a hazardous situation. But the coach obviously had a sense of humour, too.
Determined not to be nervous, Elly followed the others to the school brooms and, not knowing anything about the different makes, picked up the nearest one that looked sturdy enough; it had the word Bluebottle in fading letters on the side.
Now standing with her broom on the floor, Elly was faced with the dilemma of getting it to do what she wanted it to. She guessed it was a bit like giving commands to a dog or some other pet, but Elly had never had a pet in her life, so she wasn’t sure how to do that. Coach Fox had said to be determined, so mustering all her determination, Elly instructed, “Up!” To her delight, the broom rose quickly but steadily and Elly caught it in her outstretched hand. She grinned at her practically insignificant progress. If when flying a broom all you needed was determination to get it to do what you wanted, this wasn’t going to be so much of a problem after all.
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Elly Eriksson
Better late than never!
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Elly Eriksson
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