Hogwarts '06/7

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Dinas raised an eyebrow when Misty left the tent for a second time, followed swiftly by each and every one of her remaining teammates. "What exactly did you do?" he asked her, and signalled for the rest of the team to follow him toward the gigantic stadium before them.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Misty inwardly giggled when she walked next to Dinas, he saw him shaking his head at her way of getting the team outside.

She hoped their practise would go well.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"Well you got everyone out, whatever you did... good work." Dinas led the team to the gate outside the stadium. When he approached, he raised his wand and the gate opened, letting the team inside. They stared up in amazement at the massive hulk of metal before them.

He led them inside, to the very centre of the stadium. As they all stepped on to the crisp green grass, they felt a surge of excitement. The inside of the stadium was spectacular, gigantic stands all around the inner pitch. This was where their heroes played the game. Now they had their chance.

"You may want to get out your brooms," Dinas suggested.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Misty looked around the stadium, it was huge!

Dinas told the team to get out their brooms, some of the team, in their rush to get dressed had forgotten them and looked about in embarassment.

"For any of you who have forgotten said brooms, should go get them" Dinas said. "The rest of you, up!" He pointed into the air.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Within five minutes, the team was in the air. Mortin, wanting to assert his captaincy, started some tough drills. It went on and on. From the ground, Dinas saw the team deterioriating as the practice went on.

They had a game tomorrow! The practice was for the team to get the feel of the air and the size of the stadium, not to run them to the ground.

He called Mortin down, and gave him a brief talking to. He then called the rest of the team down. They appeared dead on their feet.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Mortin, it seemed was trying to 'be more like a Captain,' instead he succeeded in making the rest of the team dislike him more.

By halfway through their alotted practise time, they were exhausted.

Dinas, Misty noted, was eyeing up Mortin throughout the practise.

[GodrictheGriffon]

McKay chucked a half hearted throw of the quaffle in Lily's direction. She could tell that it would be to short. She raced forward as fast as she could to catch it.
She didn't make it. Lily plumetted toward the ground to recover it. As she returned to the goal posts, she could hear Mortin yelling at McKay. They rolled their eyes at eachother. Even the Slytherins were getting sick him.
"And you too, MacGranstan! Start Playing"
She threw the Quaffle back to McKay with a disgusted look on her face.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"Okay, that's enough everyone!" Dinas called out. He was disappointed in Mortin for tiring them out so much the day before their first game. The team hit the ground. As you know, there's a bit of an opening ceremony in the morning, for about half an hour. Afterward at 9.00 is our first game, against the Italians. We'll have a chat about that this evening, but I want you all to take it easy today, okay?"

The group nodded, indicating that that wouldn't be a problem at all.

"Supporters have arrived from the school, and every other school too, so the forest will be packed with students from all over the place. Just remember to take it easy, and focus on the game tomorrow. We don't need any silly business." The team nodded again, and Dinas turned and pointed toward the north end of the stadium. "I believe that that tunnel leads to the Home team's changing rooms and facilities. You'll be bringing your gear there before each match, including tomorrow, so remember to put your things there before tomorrow's festivities. I'm Apparating back to Hogwarts now to check up on a few things, so make sure that you look after yourselves. You're a team now, and teams need to stick together. There are showers in the changing rooms for whoever wants one, as well as at the campsite. Just ask one of the Tournament Officials if you have any problems with anything during the day, and I'm sure everything will be fine. I'll see you this evening."

With that, Dinas turned on his heel and disappeared with a loud crack!

[Scarlet Lioness]

Misty grabbed her things and headed back to the campsite, her limbs ached,especially her arms. She shook her head when Mortin walked past, he knew he'd gone too far.

Lily came up beside her, "Hey, that was a little rough of Mortin wasn't it?" she said.

"Yeah, it was. Dinas gave him an earful though." Misty answered. "I don't hink he'll do it again. Are you going to have a shower, i think I might?"

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

When Dinas got to his office, he slammed the door shut behind him and magically sealed the door. He then picked up a two-way mirror, and called into it: "Minister?"

"Right here," the Minister for Magic replied. "You're late."

"I know, I got held up with the team. The captain was going to kill them all by overworking them the day before the game."

"I hope your idiot Quidditch head isn't going to ruin our plan? Everything is perfect, and success hinges on your sticking to our scheme."

"I'm well aware of that, but there should still be a few matches played."

"Why do you care?" Bruno shot at him. "Why on earth do you care?"

"Bruno, I spent a lot of time organising this Tournament. I'd like to get a little something out of it, at least." Terrin paused, realising what he had said.

"Professor, you know very well what you will be getting out of this arrangement. See to it that you continue with our operations, and things will go as smoothly as they have done so far. I will see you tomorrow."

Terrin Dinas, ex-Quidditch star, placed his two-way mirror carefully back in his desk. "My operations," he said, "are going perfectly."

[Scarlet Lioness]

After a long, hot shower, Misty conjured a comfy armchair and relaxed outside the tent with some unfinished homework, Reading.

It was a lovely day, and she intended to enjoy it. Lily lay beside the chair on her front, with Rowena, reading TeenWitch.

It was a very good day indeed.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

When Dinas returned to the group, it was 7.00 in the evening, and the Sun was dipping once more beneath the horizon.

"Good to see that you've all been taking my advice and taking it easy," he said to the group, who were all lying down scattered inside or outside the tent, reading from a variety of texts, mostly magazines. For about an hour, Dinas got the team together and talked about some of the tactics that he had heard that Istituto De Roma employed. At the conclusion of this, he conjured a long dining table and some food, and the team sat down to eat. Then, one by one, the team went off to bed, to try and sleep through the anxiousness that they were feeling.

[Q.Araignee]

It had been a nice day, all in all. Ignoring the fact that she was now just plain scared of Professor Dinas, Rowena was happy. Okay, so Mortin didn't exactly care for their abilities of endurance- but he was a Slytherin, she hadn't expected him to be.

A quick shower, a day chilling- finding out about a cool magazine and reading it mainly- a nice simple tea followed by bed. Pleasantly tired, it didn't take long for her to get to sleep- and at least she didn't have to worry about playing tomorrow. Rowena was a Reserve, and Sharpe was in perfect health- all was going well for her and the team.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

The stadium roared with excitement. Dinas was on a stage in the middle, surrounded by performers from all corners of the Earth. The Quidditch teams were all in attendance, scattered in their respective areas in the arena. The north end was cheering the wildest, with over a hundred Hogwarts supporters turning up for the opening ceremony.

"Ladies and gentlemen, supporters, management and teams, welcome to the 2007 Interschool Quidditch Cup!" The crowd roared. "I'll pass you over now to the British Minister for Magic, Bruno Archibald, to introduce the teams!" More roaring.

"Thank you, Mr Dinas, for organising this wonderful tournament!" Applause followed. "It's a real pleasure to see so many teams from such diverse cultures gathered together, united by the greatest game on Earth! And it is our real privilege to host the very first IQC! Without further ado, I introduce to you the schools that will compete over the next two weeks for the honour of calling themselves the world's greatest Quidditch school!"

"Durmstrang!" The team, in full Quidditch dress, marched out into the centre of the stadium and took their place next to the stage.
"Beauxbatons!"
"Schicksal von Magie!"
"Hogwarts!"
"Roma!"
"Cook's College!"
"Durban!"
"Melbourne!"
"East Coast!"
"Washington House!"
"Bestia del Cielo!"
"Tokyo!"

As each team took their place by the stage, a corner of the stadium seemed to shout louder than any other. Minister Archibald passed the control of the proceedings back to Professor Dinas.

"In five minutes our first match of the Cup, the Pool B clash between Hogwarts and Roma, will begin! I hope you all stay and enjoy this first taste of action. To the teams, good luck!"

[Scarlet Lioness]

Misty gathered her thoughts and stood next to Lily, who was shaking either with nerves or excitement,, she wasn't sure which.

The whistle blew for them to enter the stadium, the crowd errupted into Applause as the Hogwarts Team came onto the field. Roma then came out to a quieter applause.

"Please shake hands, Captains" said the Referee.

"Mount your Brooms teams."

"Good Luck Lily, play hard." Misty whispered.

The whistle blew.