A Time for Butterbeer and Relaxation
by Kadina Tigano

With the end of the year coming to a close, the staff decided it was high time for an article about the Gryffindor quidditch team and such. Of course, I got roped into such an article because I write a lot about sports. They’re really not bad articles.. but I digress. We chose to add an article about the winding down of the quidditch season.

So resigned to writing this really boring fascinating article for the Paw Print, I stayed late after a practice one night to get some answers from my teammates. Walking through the locker room, I saw Seven modeling one of his new skirts--and Rocky’s favorite. It was bright pink with yellow polka dots. I asked when he’d try on Missa’s favorite plaid skirt and he just glared at me. Strange... Anyways, I grabbed Derek James aside. As one of the newer members, I was anxious to get some of his opinions in.

At first, he really thought we meant Seven wore kilts when we really did mean skirts. Derek was a bit incredulous, but this is his first year on the team, and his favorite memory actually making the team. To get Derek back to the festivities of new skirts, I just asked him a quick question about his goals for next year. “Naturally, I’d like to play in every game I can and win an MVP award.” High goals indeed, I told him and wished good luck.

Heading over to my locker, I ran into Missa. We got to chatting about the season and how we hoped it would end. “I foresee it being close. I think we have a player who will surprise a few people,” she told me. I agreed and we decided a team goal for next year is definitely to win. Which got me to asking her whether she’d be doing her captain thing next year, too. And yes, she is. Why? Oh, don’t ask me, ask her. “Because I play every year. You can’t get rid of me!”

Well... there you have it.

I grabbed Rocky right before he was headed for the showers. (Ew, no. He was not undressed yet. Get your mind out of the gutter, my friend! It’s not sanitary!) I asked him all the basic mumbo jumbo and got a lot of the same mumbo jumbo answers. Okay, not really. I asked him about some of his favorite memories of his first year on the team. And I’d have to agree that this really was a fun night... “Reffing a GQT practice. Cause like, it was kinda like a break from all the hard training we had been doing before the SQT game. Everyone got to make jokes and have a laugh. At my expense.” I loved Rocky and all, but it was really funny making those jokes...

Oh, and before Rocky ran off to the showers, I wanted to get his official goal for next years season. His was an easy one... “Try and make at least half of the practices. I'll be a fireman hopefully by the next season, and most of it is night work.” Well that should be good news. He’s a great player and we need more of those!

On my way out the door, having quite enough material for one measly article, I ran into Joanne Grey. Oh you know, the crazy madwoman? Well, there was just no escaping her this time. And soon, I had enough material for three articles. At least I can’t be yelled at for having a short article.

Before I had even asked, Jo had told me her favorite, particularly long, preferred moment of the season. “I think my favorite memory of the season was a particular goal-saving done by Missa. She swinged her racket of d00m at the Quaffle, which flew very fast a looong way across the field (almost knocked me off my broom, that one, good thing I turned left just in time) and got caught in Seven's sleeves, which were hanging about 20 feet towards the ground. He lost his balance and flipped his broom 180 degrees to hang upside down to try and get the Quaffle out of his dress because it was tickling him. Just when the Quaffle was out, he flipped the broom again and hit the Quaffle, which happened to flew with deadly precision towards the enemy's goal posts and scored.” Well, I have to admit, that was a really good save.

I learned to deal with Jo though. Put on a magical recorder and stare out into space. Okay, that’s a lie. We had a particularly fierce discussion about our flying skills. (Yes, we’re nerds. Deal with it...) “I see a big difference between the way I fly now and the way I used to at the beginning. At that time, I couldn't properly keep my balance when I had to keep my hands off the broom. But now, I can hang upside down while holding on to the broom with my legs, ducking attacks, dodging bludgers (honestly, dunno why people call them dangerous, it's obviously the weapons who do the most harm), et cetera.” She’s got a point. They’re really not as bad as people think they are. I agreed with her though. My flying skills are much improved since the start of the season. I think I’ve improved tenfold...

I got just one last answer out of Jo before I decided it was time for a relaxing bubble bath. Of course, it was her goal for next year. “One of my dearest ambitions is to score more goals than Seven in one game. That's gonna take a lot of practice to achieve, but I think that next year I'll be up for the challenge.” I, for one, wish her a lot of luck. She’s going to need it.

I did forget one thing, didn’t I? Well, it’s an easy question to add here at the end. All the players I interviewed agreed that Slytherin was the most fun team to play. Jo liked them because “they seem to have grown so much in such a short amount of time.” and it is impressive how they’ve improved.

Rocky enjoys Slytherin because of his Slytherin roots. He botted with them before joining the team. And as for Missa? Well, she only sort of likes them. “They're normally a pretty cheery bunch. Recently though, I might have to go with Hufflepuff.” Hufflepuff is a better companion in the ref channel, she claims.

As for me? Well, I like Slytherin. They’re fun to play. And my goal for next year is to just have fun. Isn’t that why we join? Well, okay. For fun and to win.