Are You Sure That's Legal?
by Missa Matz

The stands were packed as the first quidditch game of the HOL season was about to begin. The match was between the badgers of Hufflepuff and the lions of Gryffindor. When these two teams met, it was always an enjoyable show, and not just for the sport.

Both teams shook hands before mounting their brooms and taking flight. No one noticed at the time how a few of the Gryffindor's robes seemed rather large. They were too busy staring at Chaser Seven Ashitaka's new apparel for the game (a very sparkly red cocktail dress, with matching heels).

Apparently the crowd members weren't the only ones taken in by Ashitaka's daring dress, as upon the start of the game he managed to make it to the Hufflepuff goalie. However, Ron Diggory had faced Ashitaka many times while he was wearing a dress and managed a spectacular block in the few opening minutes.

A beater war took place in the middle of the field and it took a while for either team to get good possession. However, Hufflepuff was the first to recover and Lilly Stargazer went on goal against Gryffindor keeper Missa Matz. Apparently rumors had spread about Matz's obsession with the anime series Prince of Tennis, because posters were being waved around to distract her. Luckily, having just watched some PoT prior to coming onto the pitch, Matz managed to make a save against Stargazer and the game remained scoreless.

Directly after Matz's save, a bludger went careening across the pitch, causing many players to dodge or flail wildly on their brooms. With a resounding crack, Stargazer was hit with the bludger, as she still had not recovered from not being able to score the first points of the game.

The game recommenced with Gryffindor in possession of the quaffle. Ashitaka did a daring feint (which caused his dress to ride up higher on his thighs) and headed towards Diggory once again. Apparently the dress was enough a distraction this time (or it might have been the shoe flying towards him), because Diggory was unable to block as Ashitaka threw the quaffle through the left goal hoop. This brought the first points of the game, Gryffindor leading 10 to 0.

Quaffle play went back and forth for a while, with Hufflepuff losing possession to Gryffindor Beater Julie Garnet, multiple times. However, no one on GQT was having any luck scoring on Diggory.

During this time, Gryffindor seeker Cynthia Stout could be seen flying curly q's in the air, while looking for the very elusive snitch.

In a daring move, Stargazer was able to get past Matz which tied the score at 10 all. After some confusion on the pitch (apparently someone had placed a confundus charm on the referee), the game was resumed with Hufflepuff quickly taking possession of the quaffle. Matz, still not over the last goal scored on her, was no match for Tarma Black as the second goal of the game went in for Hufflepuff, bringing the score 20 to 10 in favor of Hufflepuff.

After a heated beater war near the Hufflepuff goal line (which included Rakes O’Doom, water balloons and whips), Gryffindor chaser Alentia Crystalis emerged with the quaffle and took a long range shot on goal against Diggory. Crystalis managed to score, which was her first HOL quidditch goal ever scored. Quite an accomplishment for a new player in her first game.

Amidst the cheering and celebration that the Gryffindor team members were having on their brooms, a bludger was released. So busy watching the Gryffindors and trying to figure out exactly what they were doing with water balloons, Stargazer was hit with the bludger again, knocking her off her broom.

Matz managed to make quite a few spectacular saves, however the Hufflepuff beaters weren't letting any of the Gryffindor chasers near their goal. That is, until Mirabella Nevlómë managed to sneak past Rictusempra's Rake O'Doom ™ and score a goal against Diggory, bringing the game to the score of 30 to 20 in Gryffindor's favor.

At this point, it was a keeper's war as neither Diggory or Matz would allow the quaffle to pass them. The game was deadlocked, the quaffle and players zooming from one end of the pitch to the other. Finally after a quick dress change (Ashitaka opted for a sparkly silver dress), Ashitaka managed to squeak the quaffle past Diggory and giving Gryffindor a 40 to 20 lead.

Hufflepuff seemed to go into a slump (or rather they were finally feeling the pain of the water balloons and whips that the Gryffindor beaters were using), because Gryffindor managed to score two more goals, extending their lead to 60 to 20. Directly after that, Stargazer had managed to grab the quaffle and hurl it past Matz in desperation, giving Hufflepuff a very much needed goal.

With the score 60 to 30, people in the stands began to yell loudly as Gryffindor seeker Stout, went into a dive. She had seen the snitch hovering about 15 feet off the ground. With plenty of space to maneuver, she easily caught the snitch, giving Gryffindor the victory with a score of 110 to 30.

Garnet of Gryffindor was awarded the Most Violent Player Most Valuable Player award for her daring use of her beater bat and whips, which were the strong point of Gryffindor's defense.