Nov. 5: Heights: Ravenclaws

[Arnie Peasegood]

▶︎ These heights are playin' tricks on my eyes
I can see the ground through the sky
I'm up as high as I can climb
And love is losin' your balance...

Whatever you do, don't look down

Posting Order: Arnie + Em + Xeno + Sylvia + Mal + Pandora + Helena + Greta + Leon + Elliott + ...
[open to Ravenclaws and guests!]

"Sorry, er - what'd you say?" Abashed, Arnie grinned over at his yearmates quickly before sliding his eyes to the door to the Tower. Their House was flooding in to celebrate their Quidditch team's narrow victory - four hours out in the autumn drizzle, 210-200 with Regulus capturing the Snitch and Arnie never wanting less to trade lives with the Slytherin who had to be hearing it all in the locker room right now - and there was no way he was missing Emmeline's entrance. The sixth year leaned an elbow to the railing of the loft, still utterly in his head about what could only be counted as moment of flirting with the Chaser during the match. Hooch's whistle had blown and paused the action to settle some sort of tiff among the Beaters, and Emmeline? Flies over to their stands to wait it out and, cool as can be, asks him if he comes there often?

Him. Arnie Peasegood. Chatted up by Emmeline Vance. Right in the middle of the damn match.

He'd squinted up at her through the drizzle, grin stretching as he realized she was looking right back and must've meant her words for him. He'd called back something to the effect of "Gonna make a habit of it!" before the next whistle broke their little moment apart. And maybe the stunner was just looking to kill the time with a laugh, and maybe she did something like this every match and he just hadn't caught on before, and maybe he had been waiting too long for someone to come along who lit a spark in him...You've gotta talk to her, you've just gotta talk to her.

It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed her before - anyone with eyes would notice a girl like her, anyone with a brain would know how witty she was, anyone with a heart could tell how passionate she was about those she cared about and what she was involved in if they tuned in even half-way. But after the total embarrassment that was his longtime unrequited crush on his best mate's sister, Arnie thought that maybe there wouldn't be anyone at Hogwarts who would notice him back. A rather dramatic conclusion, he knew, but a few years back it'd felt highly logical. He'd talk to girls, flirt as long as they'd let him, but as long as he treated it like a laugh - they would too, and everybody could walk away without getting hurt, right?

But Em called you out...

"Oi, Captain!" His call was lost in the roar that overtook the Tower as the team entered, but he grinned her way, whooping with the rest.

[Emmeline Vance]

Today was a great f*cking day.

Any day that she got to play Quidditch was a good one, she loved being in the air, doing tricks on the broom to impress the stands, and weave around other players with the Quaffle in her arms. Didn’t they all feel like that on game day, like they were at their absolute best? Not even four hours in the rain could dampen her spirit, not when they’d won. Against Slytherin, which was a victory she would take. Anything for those blood purist snakes to feel even a moment like a loser, everyone felt that they were a winner when Slytherin lost. Tonight’s party would be grand, surely there would be Badgers and Lions finding a moment to come and celebrate in the Tower. She’d have to kick Potter’s arse if he didn’t show for at least a few minutes, no matter what shenanigans the Marauders had planned for a Sunday night.

When she’d turned to find that Regulus had caught the snitch, her mind not fast enough to do the math, she had panicked that they’d scored 210 points and lost. It was only the deafening roar from the Ravenclaw side of the stands that had made her realize she’d been holding her breath. They’d beaten Slytherin in February under the same close conditions under her as Captain, and she was glad that whatever she was doing was working in her team's favor. Their next match was a few months off, but it was against Gryffindor, and as much as she hated to admit it James was a good chaser and gave her a run for her galleons. But they had beat them last season, so surely they could do it again.

“Greta!” she called, skipping a few steps to catch up to the Seeker, “You know Nott is probably tearing into Black right now, I mean, the second time he’s miscalculated like that against us? Glad my co-captain is good at math.” Nott tended to get over-emotional about the sport, which Emmeline understood. In fact, it had been Nott today who got into it with Bridgette, and Hooch had to sort them out. It had given her time to fly about, finding herself in the Ravenclaw stands. Where something good had happened, which is where her mind had finally started to wander to now that the match is over. It wasn’t a regular thing for her to flirt with people in the stands, she generally saved that for flirting with boys on other teams to confuse them. Maybe it had been the confidence from the fact they were so far ahead in points, or just because she liked his smile, but she had flirted with Arnie Peasegood.

Cassidy was answering the riddle at the entrance to their tower, and Em hadn’t even realized that they’d climbed all the way up. Stepping into the common room, she grinned at the cheers, laughing as they were swarmed by eager Ravenclaws wanting to ask questions and talk about the match, but after four hours in the cold and rain, she wanted something warm to drink. “I’ll catch you in a bit, yeah?” she left Greta with a squeeze to her friend’s hand, scanning the crowd for Helena when her eyes found Arnie instead. She switched directions, nodding to people as politely as she could while still not sticking around for a chat with them. She wasn’t sure what she was going to say to him, but her confidence from the game was still strong, so she hoped the words that came out of her mouth as she stopped in front of him were good ones. “Do you also make a habit of looking suave leaning against railings?”

[Helena Goldstein]

Helena bounced anxiously up and down on the balls of her feet, still outfitted in full Quidditch fan gear, two blue stripes of paint across her face and all. She was waiting, as everyone else was, for their heroes to arrive and she didn’t have to wait too long. The cheers of celebration were nearly crushing as the team made their arrival and Helena was forced to close her eyes. Because for her, it was twofold. She heard the deafening roar of the room as everyone else did but also inside her mind, where the jumbled mess of voices left her disoriented for a moment. But she was well practiced in this, she had been doing it for approximately six and half years to be exact, and within that moment she had sorted it out. With ease, she slammed up the glass wall inside her mind and the roar became a dull buzz. The room was still boisterously loud but she was used to that too and found herself smiling instead of cringing away at the enthusiasm of her housemates. They had beat Slytherin. Again! There was cause for celebration.

She began pushing her way forward gently, eager to congratulate the team and her roommates in particular. Everyone else seemed to have the same idea and so she found herself temporarily lost in the swirl of people, unable to reach neither Grets nor Em. Her own name sprung into her mind and immediately she recognized it as a thought of Emmeline’s, the Captain was looking for her too. This made her smile brilliantly, still surprised sometimes that her friends were really her friends and liked her as much as she liked them. That Em was looking for her after a big win made her ecstatic with happiness. Helena reached her hand up, trying to catch her attention but Em hadn’t seen her. Then quicker than you could say Quidditch Em’s thoughts shifted, she had spotted someone else: Arnie. Another smile tugged at her lips, a secret one, and she yanked her hand down, pinning it to her side. She would catch up with her roommate later, right now she was busy.

“Greta?” she shouted instead, turning this way and that to try spotting the shorter girl in the crowd. It wasn’t hard, she was surrounded by people, all vying to congratulate her, and when Helena focused she could pick out the unique thoughts of one of her best friends easily. Greta was excited as they all were for the win and eager to get to celebrating but her thoughts were also tinged with frustration and the blonde wanted to wipe those away as soon as possible. Uncharacteristically, Helena shoved a little harder to get near, squeezing herself between people until she suddenly broke through the throng. “Greta!” Helena threw her arms around her friend’s neck in a fierce hug before she could be shuffled aside. “Congratulations!” she said in her ear, smiling exuberantly. “And don’t worry about the snitch, you’ll beat him next time, I have all the faith in you, love. Come on, let's get you a drink, you've earned it!”

[Greta Catchlove]

You have to have words with Regulus. He and Bronwyn are not going to last if he keeps messing up like this!

    Sure, you're only concerned about his relationship -

Fine - and he's got to stop beating me to the Snitch! When the points don't make sense! It's just embarrassing for us both!

Two out of their three matches last year, she'd caught the Snitch and secured their victories, including the final against Gryffindor. Although she did regret not allowing the match to continue, seeing as they lost the Cup by a mere twenty-five points...But when you've played a ten-hour game and the Snitch is in sight, and it's either in your hands or your rival's in a matter of moments - you take action, own it, and deal with the fallout. A certain responsibility came with being a Seeker, seeing that you or your opponent would end the game, and you had to weigh your moments, your choices, so so carefully! For someone like herself who preferred to let whims decide her day, the position was a lesson in restraint as much as it was a lesson in athletics. But to have last year's Ravenclaw-Slytherin match end just as this one had? With Regulus either misdoing his calculations or misreading signals from his team or deciding to act independently for a moment of glory?

Ridiculous.

    And yes. You wanted to beat him to it this time. Might be your only shot, and now what?

Watch him against Hufflepuff, see if he plays the same...You've got the Gryffindor match to worry about more...

The Seeker was pulled from thought at the call of her name, and she turned on the stair to see Em jogging her way. Determined to put the negativity out of her mind, she grinned at the greeting, glad to see her Captain - right, endearingly, co-Captain - still psyched from the match. And why shouldn't she be? They had won, and their House could throw more than study parties, after all. "I'm concerned about him, honestly," Greta laughed, going arm-in-arm with her roommate. "Who makes that mistake twice? Glad it didn't cost us the match, but I can't believe I let him beat me again! But you were fantastic, babe!"

Cass led the team in, and Greta entered with a determined pride, shortly finding it impossible to be sour among such splendid company. She was glad to have Em at her side in the initial rush, to not be lost in the sea of towering Housemates, but it was not to last long. Their devoted fans needed her! She waved her away and began looking for a friend, smile stretching as the shouts of this and that finally dulled with the eruption of Helena from the mix! Greta hugged her tightly, even more as her dear friend spoke to her unsaid thoughts, and took her hand. "You're the greatest, you know that? I mean it! But I do want something to warm me up, let's go! The boys supervising the punch tonight?"

[Leon Scamander]

“Really was some superb flying today, there's a lot of potential in the team this year, course with Em and Greta you know it's going to be a good match, ” he said to Elliot, handing out a cup of punch to the young Ravenclaw in front of him. Emmeline, Greta, and Helena were dear friends to him, ones he was glad to have. It had been intimidating, coming to the school his father had been expelled from. He had worried people would judge him based on his father, in any capacity. He had known Helena would always be on his side, and it had been thrilling to be sorted into the same house as his cousin. Sure, some people at school did judge him, but his friends never once considered him different from them.

This win was a big one for them all, even those in their house that cared little for Quidditch. They weren’t the house known for their parties, not like Gryffindor one. Even the Hufflepuffs were known to throw a good bash, assuming you were special enough to actually get an invitation. In the years that he and Viola had been together, he’d been lucky enough to see the inside of the Hufflepuff Common room. Scanning above the heads of the students in the study area, chairs and tables were pushed to the side to make room on the lower level for the crowd of people that would surely be here tonight. He didn’t see his girlfriend in the crowd, but he’d told her she’d be able to find him serving punch. Until the littles were all ushered off by the Prefects, they were doing their best to keep the punch booze-free. Besides, they had plenty of butterbeer, and surely they could get some more later if they ran low.

The cheers from above meant the team had arrived, and Leon gave Elliot a nudge with his shoulder, “Sounds like our victors are here. You planning on sticking around the party tonight?” Elliot was quieter than the rest of them tended to be, but Leon did hope his fellow eagle would stick around for a while. He spotted Helena and Greta heading down the stairs, and he raised a hand in the air to wave, calling to his cousin with his thoughts. He wanted to congratulate the Captain and Seeker on the success of the game, but Emmeline didn’t seem to be with them. “Fantastic game ladies, don’t tell me the two of you ditched our dear Quidditch Captain. We’ve got celebratory shots to do!”

[Elliott Thomas]

He was going to come down with a cold, or worse, from being out in the rain all afternoon. He just knew it. Half the school would, without a doubt, but no one seemed terribly concerned. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey was, spending her day preparing Pepper-Up Potion by the cauldron while the school engaged in forced rivalry, but he could only hope that was the case. Elliott was distracted from his thoughts - and wondering if he really did feel a tickle in the back of his throat - at his roommate's words, and belatedly nodded along. He was grateful to have Leon as company, especially on days like today where he was out of his depth. He didn't mind Quidditch, not really - the mechanics of the sport were incredible - and did want to support their friends. But being up in the stands, crowded in by people who were far more invested in the event than he was...It was tempting to leave, it was, but Leon and Helena could direct his focus. 

"I was concerned at how it would be without Charles," Elliott added, the graduate a fierce Beater who took his role incredibly seriously. Without him to keep their housemates out of the Hospital Wing, and to land the opponents in it, Elliott had wondered how the team would fare. But they had held their own, the opposing Beaters even getting into an argument even without Charles's input. "Emmeline has a strong handle on the team, though. Should have known." The crowd erupted and Elliott cringed at the noise before nudging his fellow back. As resolute as he could, he emphasized, "Yes. I promised my brothers I'd stay through at least one party this year. Might as well be this one."

He brightened as Helena and Greta joined them, relieved to see the Seeker was indeed in one piece. Why anyone would willingly put themselves into the sport was beyond him, and he never could quite relax until affirming that the team was alright. Even if Greta had to be as frustrated as any invested fan by the final moments of the match - above all, Black's miscalculations. Had he caught the Snitch just to snub her, to prove that he could? When it wasn't for the good of the team, when Elliott thought that was the entire purpose of having a team? To put individual glory and losses aside and work together towards something bigger than the individual? "Yes, well - er - well fought, Greta, congratulations on the victory."

Elliott laid out cups for them - much preferring to have a duty at an event like this - after Greta assured them that the Captain was indeed somewhere in the Tower, and took the firewhisky bottle out from under the table. The alcohol would warm them all up, even if it wasn't the best idea to consume when one was coming down with something - but Elliott conceded that that was an inevitability at this point. He might as well try this once, while around those who knew him. "Someone else had better pour, I don't trust myself with the measurement."

[Arnie Peasegood]

Was he kidding himself, or was Emmeline actually coming over to talk with him? When the party was for her? The team, the whole team, naturally - but as Captain, she held a special place and responsibility, and deserved to celebrate more than anyone. As it became more evident that yes, the latter was actually true, the sixth year's excitement hit a new peak-of-the-day. Arnie's grin stretched in surprise at her words, and he would have happily cemented his elbow to the railing. Suave was a new one for him - something more in line with gangling was his usual descriptor - and it seemed like she'd meant it. Right? Keep it going, only way to find out without embarrassing yourself. "You caught me," he admitted, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Trying a few out, I'm glad I settled on this one before you got here."

Unwilling to straighten up just yet, Arnie continued in excitement, "Hell of a match, you were brilliant. How do you keep everything straight? I mean, I bet you're used to working with the other Chasers, but now keeping your eye on the whole match? Don't know how you can do that, and score, and not get knocked off your broom. Pretty impressive, Vance." He shook his head in wonder, in part because of how impressive she was - and this was just scratching the surface - and in part because...and now you're coming to talk to me? "Inspiring my whole new suave thing so I can try and keep up," he joked, trying and failing to keep a straight face. When in doubt, poke fun at yourself, eh? "Don't want to get too ahead of myself, but I think it's - ahh - I think it's gonna be big." 

He let out a bursting laugh and stood tall, relenting on both fronts. Stop talking, Peasegood. Merlin's beard, just stop talking. "Seriously though - from my very informed opinion, you killed it out there. Do you want to get a drink?"

[Emmeline Vance]

Emmeline wasn’t a flirt. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, but she didn’t flirt without purpose. She flirted because she had a genuine interest in the person she was flirting with. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t noticed Arnie before, he was cute and she wasn’t blind. She’d just not had much luck in dating if she was being honest. She’d dated before, the times she dated boys far more public than any time she’d dated a girl. But they hadn’t been successful relationships, obviously, given as she’d started her 7th year single for the seventh time. Plus from the few times she’d spoken to him, she felt that Arnie was really sweet, and she didn’t want to be the one that fucked that up for him. But flirting after a victory this big, well that was okay, wasn’t it? He hadn’t ignored her chatting him up during the match, and that made her hopeful.

Merlin, he’s too cute for his own good. He took her question with ease, joking with her, voice lowered under the crowd causing her to close some more of the distance between them to hear him better, grinning as he spoke. Was he always funny, or was it just because he was flirting back with her? There wasn’t much time to overanalyze anything though, as he was talking about the match and complimenting her and Emmeline beamed at him. When she had been appointed as Captain last year, it had sort of been a surprise. Everyone had known that she wanted the position, or wanted Greta to have it, but she never expected it would actually be given to her. She’d taken it seriously from day one, having in-depth conversations about Quidditch strategy and reading books about Quidditch history. She was the face of the team and she was responsible for them, and she tried not to let it all go to her head. But it was hard not to when he was telling her she was impressive.

There was something very endearing about his nerdiness, and she liked it. If you could laugh at yourself, well that was a quality she admired. “Thank you,” she said to him, very happy to think that she did indeed kill it on the field today. They’d had such a huge lead on Slytherin, and Emmeline would be riding that high for a while. It was always satisfying watching Nott throw a fit because they were losing. “I would love to get a drink,” she answered with a grin, reaching out to take his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers. They’d have to fight the crowd to get downstairs, but surely her friends wouldn’t mind another joining their celebratory shots. “I do think the suave thing is working for you. Leaning on railings could be the next big trend at Hogwarts and it’ll be because of you, that I’m sure of,” she teased with a smile as she moved through the crowd. “By this time next week, you’ll be the talk of the school. “ We could be the talk of the school, if there’s more here than just a spark.

[Helena Goldstein]

“Yes, helps to have friends manning the drinks, doesn’t it? Let’s go, Leon’s calling me.” Of course, Greta couldn’t hear it as she could but she was sure after so many years that the other girl knew exactly what she meant. “Oh, and Elliot Thomas is with him. At a party, that’s new.” She commented, mostly to herself as she poked around a bit further into her dear cousin's mind, nearly skipping down the stairs in her excitement. It wasn’t too hard getting to the boys, harder than if she were making the trip alone, but she couldn’t be annoyed at all the well-wishers for her friend. Greta had been amazing and deserved all the praise. Soon enough though she was releasing the others hand to take up Leon’s, leaning in to kiss his cheek swiftly, as always, smiling knowingly at his words. “Em will be here shortly,” Helena promised, reaching out to look for said Captain and catching the end of a thought. ‘...more here than just a spark.’ She laughed, confident that there would be much more than just the one little spark between her roommate and Arnie. Sparks lit flames after all. Mutual attraction was key to these things and she thought the two were ace in that department. Now all there was was getting to know one another better, which they both seemed keen to do. It may not last forever, as these things were tend to die out at some point or another, it would be something, she was sure.

Helena saddled up next to Elliot behind the table, patting his shoulder with one hand and taking the bottle of Firewhiskey from him with the other. “It’s not exact, you know.” She said as she began to dole out pours. “It doesn’t have to be perfect.” But she knew that what she said wouldn’t matter so much to him. Elliot was a bit of a perfectionist and too much of a worry-wort. She wanted to assure him that he needn’t be so concerned over catching a cold from the match but she felt he would not appreciate her comments on unsaid things. Helena place another cup in line with the others, for the guest none of the others knew was coming, filling it up in another uneven amount. The blonde picked up a cup with a finger more liquid than the others and handed it to her friend. "Grets, this ones for you. For being our hero, well, one of them at least."

[Greta Catchlove]

Chuckling at her friend's words, Greta was happily towed along with Helena towards their yearmates, relieved to simply follow and have a decision-making break. Getting out of the mindset of the match and into one of celebration took a minute, but the spirit of their Tower was brighter than it'd been all term, and with a little separation she could dissect the finer points of the last few hours without getting tangled. She grinned, exchanging wordless cheers with housemates as they trotted down the stairs, and while she hadn't secured the victory herself... Not a crime to like being noticed. The team won, who can complain? You're allowed to enjoy this. While she understood Helena's anonymity with her column, as someone who wanted to see her own name in lights one day, Greta felt her spirits buoy with the enveloping attention. She may not have had the moment of triumph to close the match, but she'd flown well and tried her best. A little boost to the ego wouldn't hurt.

They came upon their fellows, and Greta's grin stretched at the warm welcome. "Thanks! More like she was swallowed up by all this, she'll resurface," she laughed to Leon, nodding at Helena's words - Em would be with them! Soon! She exchanged a look with her friend at the other's belated laugh, however, wondering just what she'd heard. "Oh, er - thank you, Elliott!" she exclaimed, surprised at the address, but pleasantly so. Helena was right - he was staying?! The severe formality with which the bloke commonly conducted himself, were they about to see another side of him? In their seventh year of togetherness? "Helena's right," she grinned, "no fancy recipes tonight, and it's nothing like Potions, where a mis-measurement spells disaster. We'll take care of each other, promise."

She had to giggle, eyeing the overfilled cup presented to her and wondering if she could find a fun new snogging partner tonight to make the most out of her intended inhibition...or perhaps make the November party an annual Fenwick-Catchlove event? One could hope, the bloke had returned for sixth year in fine form. "Thank you, my love - Em! Here!" Greta called, waving her teammate over with...Arnie Peasegood? Attached to her? That was new... "Enough to go around, thanks to this lot," she grinned, waiting to lead off the count until their crowd had shuffled together and cups were in hands. "And three...two...one - go!" Her cup knocked to the table, lifted to her lips, the drink downed - she enjoyed tasting her food and drink, but firewhisky just needed to disappear down the hatch - and she gasped at the sudden heat. "Who needs punch?" she choked out, dissolving to laughs as she ladled out the hopefully booze-free chaser to any offered cup.

[Leon Scamander]

Most of the time, it was hard to get Elliot. He was sort of the odd one out of the odd ones out, but he was still an important part of their friend group. Nights around the fire cooking with Greta and chatting wouldn’t be the same with Elliot’s humor and thoughts. Getting him to attend a party like this was a whole ordeal, and most of the time Leon let him be. As the child of the Newt Scamander, he understood the urge to want to isolate and be left alone. But it would be a lie to say that Leon wasn’t thrilled that Elliot had decided to join them on such a victorious night. It would probably be the only party of the year that his friend made an appearance. “Charles was fierce, but Emmeline did a good job selecting players this year. Think we have a real chance at winning the cup,” he said, handing out drinks to another gaggle of younger students. It wasn’t long before Helena and Greta appeared, and he greeted Helena with their usual cheek kiss as she answered his question about their Captain’s whereabouts, laughing at Greta’s words. It wasn’t surprising that Em had been swallowed by the crowd.

Elliot, bless him, was trying to get their shots ready, and Leon shot him a goofy grin as Helena took over, raising an eyebrow at the extra cup she added to the bunch. What did she know that the rest of them didn’t? Sometimes he was quite jealous of his cousin’s ability. He knew he allowed Helena access to his thoughts, he didn’t quite care if she knew what he was thinking. If she didn’t, they were bound to talk about it anyway. But she had such a special connection with the others, where he often felt he was on the outside of all the inside jokes between the girls. There wasn’t too much time to question things though, because as he took a cup Emmeline was arriving with a boy in tow. A boy whose name was escaping him, but he smiled and gave the lad a nod as everyone took their cups. He tapped his cup on the table and downed the shot after Greta counted them down, and he laughed at her words. “Punches coming right up, but I guess the next question is who wants a little bit of whiskey in their punch?

That was one hell of a game Em, think Potter will be taking pointers from your excellent captain skills for Gryffindor’s next game?”

[Elliott Thomas]

"You're right," Elliott grinned fondly, "Em knew what she was doing." Today's match was a test of the team as much as it was a test of their friend's leadership, and he hoped she knew just how much he admired her for what she'd already accomplished. Bringing people together how she had, it was something he would have no clue on how to even start, and while he was certain that she would have critiques for the team - from what he could make out, they had all done their duties and played fairly. Yes, even Edgecombe, who had rightly been cleared of the foul. He wondered if he should not have been so honest - You could have simply said you were staying. - in his reasons for remaining. But for the goodness of their hearts, as they arrived, his yearmates did their best to put him at ease.

Because they can tell you're not.

    Because they're good people.

He moved to the side at Helena's gentle guidance, unable to stop a matching grin of his own at the look on Leon's face, even if he felt his cheeks growing uncomfortably warm. "There's a time and place for perfect," he nodded. She could have said much more to steer him, if she'd heard what was going on inside, but he appreciated the understated use of her abilities. He shuddered to think of what someone with abilities like hers, without a steady conscience guiding them, would do, but counted himself lucky that they needn't worry about such things. For now, at least. He watched the cups as she took over, brows furrowing as Greta added on - "We're going to need taking care of?" - and furrowing further as Helena's pours grew uneven. He was about to interject when she offered the largest pour to the Seeker, and his question answered itself.

Hearing the call for Em, Elliott looked up with renewed assurance - She's here, no harm done. With...what's-his-name? - and took up one of the remaining cups. He gave it a whiff, and as the mere scent of the concentrated alcohol burned his nose, summoned courage of another kind to imbibe the liquid version. But he followed along resolutely, resulting in a coughing fit into his elbow, holding his empty cup out for punch at the offers, hoping it would be remedy enough. "That is foul," Elliott laughed as he could, "but he should - Potter, take pointers, you were masterful. What did you think of the match?"

[Arnie Peasegood]

Before Arnie quite knew what was happening - well, Emmeline had moved in closer and started grinning, and what an absolutely splendid sparkly grin it was, happy little crinkle of her nose and everything, that's how you knew it was real - she'd taken his hand. In full-interlocking-fingers fashion. Not only agreeing to a drink, but asserting that she'd love to, and getting them on their merry way. He shook his head in a laugh as she continued the tease, because the only way he'd be the talk of the school was if she kept holding his hand like this. "This time next week?" Arnie asked, eyeing her playfully. "Alright, you're on. But you've got to keep me grounded, I'd get funny looking if I got a big head all of a sudden."

He would've careened down the stairs with her had it not been for the adoring public - in reality, it was more of a plod, but Arnie didn't mind. Emmeline and the team deserved every ounce of praise poured their way, and being on her arm, he got to soak it in a little too. Not that he needed to be buoyed up, but he absolutely was - the only thing missing, to make the moment perfect, were his usual fellows. But they'd believe him on this, that it'd all happened, and at least Leon was manning the drinks table. Not that he didn't get on with the others in the group of older students, except for Elliott who rarely seemed to get on with anyone, and he'd not spent much time with Greta since her and Benji's fling had flung. The Seeker simply seemed surprised to see him with Emmeline more than anything else, at least, and he'd take that.

If there was a suave way to take a shot of firewhisky, the sixth year didn't know it, but hoped Emmeline wouldn't regret bringing him along so soon. He reached out to grab a pair of cups, handing one off to her and, with a wink, knocked it lightly with his own. "Champions!" he called out at the go!, drinking it down best he could, but not shy about getting in line for punch after. Along for the ride, eh? "Dunno about Potter, but Regulus sure needs some help," he commented, knowingly, so knowingly. What? You watch the matches. You know what's going on. Well enough. "Not everybody can rally the troops like you two can," he grinned between the teammates. "What's the best part of it? Being Cap- co-Captains?"

[Emmeline Vance]

Getting down the stairs to her group of friends wasn’t going to be an easy task, with how many people wanted to congratulate the team on their victory. Thankfully, the post-game shot with her friends was a well-known activity, so most of the people crowding around the stairs knew exactly where she was headed. Still, it wasn’t surprising that as she pushed through the crowd with Arnie, she heard shouts from her housemates and cheers. Bridgette and Cassidy were also trying to make their way downstairs, and thankfully were clearing a path for her and Arnie to follow. Still, it was a slow pace, but that was fine - it gave her more of a chance to talk to him before they got swept up in the excitement of the win. “I’ll do my best to keep you grounded. It’s my duty as a Quidditch co-captain of course,” she told him with a laugh, “But if your head does inflate, I’m sure Flitwick knows a charm to shrink it down.”

There was a pause in a downward movement, both Cassidy and Bridgette were suddenly swarmed by people walking to talk plays, and she smirked before looking to Arnie. “It is hard, to keep everything straight on the pitch. But they know I’ve got their backs, and they’ve all got mine. It’s hard to explain, knowing where everyone on the team is. A lot of it is trust,” she said, hoping it was an acceptable answer to the earlier question he had posed to her. She didn’t have to look around the field to know their beaters were covering them all, making sure no one took a bludger to the body - or the face. How she knew exactly where Greta was, and how adrenaline soared when you realized the Seeker was going for the snitch. She certainly wouldn’t have been able to keep up with it all when she first made the team,

They made it down the stairs, and Em caught sight of Greta waving her over. She dropped Arnie’s hand only once she had reached her group of friends, taking the offered cup with a grin. The gang was all here, even Elliot, and she was pleased to see he had a cup of his own. Was their resident quiet and shy type going to let lose tonight? Squeezing into the group around the table, she was more than ready by the time Greta counted down. After all these years, one would hope the burn of firewhiskey got easier, but truthfully she had simply learned how to not pull a face at it. She followed the group, holding her cup out for the punch that Leon was dutifully putting into cups, ignoring his quip about adding whiskey. They’d do that later when there weren't youngsters still mingling about. “I think the match was wicked, even in the rain. And Potter better have been taking notes,” she teased, laughter soon following Arnie’s commentary. Regulus Black would be lucky if he didn’t end up in the hospital wing tonight, that was for sure. “The best part? That’s a tough decision to make, but probably knowing we’re the best co-captains the Ravenclaw team has seen. That cup is ours this year, I can just feel it. Although knowing Greta would prevent my murder by a teammate is also high up there.”

[Xeno Lovegood]

Xeno trailed behind his teammates as they trekked up to their common room, feeling coming back into his stiff joints as they climbed higher and higher. Perched on a broomstick for four hours with November rain bucketing down on him hadn't exactly been what he'd envisioned during try-out's last year, but playing through any weather was part of the deal, and as his father would say, something like this was "good for him." A hot shower in the locker room didn't turn out to have much effect on the chill in his bones, unfortunately, as they were so quickly back outside - but surely some time by the fire would help. He was a bit knackered from the match, admittedly, in his mind and his body, but was looking forward to hearing more about what had happened in the last few hours from the others. He'd caught some of the commentator's words, had heard the resounding bell and cheers marking successful shots at the opposite end of the pitch, but the cloud cover and rain made it more difficult than usual to track the players.

They were successful, though - he'd only let five goals through, and was glad to feel like he'd pulled his weight - and while the noise was muffled, he was chuffed that their House was celebrating by the time they arrived. They believed in the team and had made preparations, and that was rather considerate of them, wasn't it? 

He pushed through the wall of noise that greeted the team, losing track of the lot as they dispersed - he made a point to be friendly with them all, but they did have their own circles outside of the team - and meandered downstairs, buffeted along by the crowd. He smiled at catching sight of Pandora and diverted towards her on the way. "Are we certain these people are all our current housemates? It's like they come out of the walls on match days, swear I haven't seen them before." Whether they were some sophisticated sorts of ghosts that they didn't learn about in school, or truly their fellow students, Xeno wasn't quite sure. "I'm heading to the fire, do you want to go warm up?"

Coming across a gathered group he did recognize wholly - a jolly group of friends and role models and teammates - Xeno laid a light hand on Pandora's arm to pause them, and for good reason. What was this about someone being after Emmeline?

"But you're president of the dueling club," Xeno remarked, perplexed and concerned. He did not like someone having it out for his cousin, as well as the fact that he'd heard nothing of the sort. He could envision a plot against her starting through a rival team, however, especially now that they had shown their worth this term - but was there someone here who she didn't trust? He scanned for the rest of their team, continuing on, "I think that's a good group to use for your defense. No offense intended, Greta." Their Seeker looked close to laughing by this point, so he was assured that she wasn't thinking ill of him, and perhaps Em had been exaggerating - but he lowered his voice to confer with her regardless. "What gave you reason to worry? Who do you have your eye on?" She had to mean one of the Beaters, or her fellow Chasers, as neither Greta nor he would ever bring her harm. "I wish you would have told me - I haven't heard anything, but I will be listening closely from here on."