All Is Fair In Love And War
"HELLO MY PEOPLE! I'm Nicholas Olney, your announcer for the final year!"
The collective sounds of sadness and disappointment rose from the crowd and that definitely wasn't the good vibes.
"Now buck up ya pansies!"
"Nick!"
"Sorry professor!"
"Because today we got something real special. The first match of the season! Gryffindor vs Slytherin!"
The stands lose their fucking minds as the teams fly out of their respective tunnels. I'm their regular box the Wick brothers, Abby, and the Piltovans wait with baited breath.
"Today's match is the debut of Captain Violet Wick!"
The cheers intensify and the gang join in. Vi and her co-captain Daphney make a loop around the pitch, high fiving some folks in the Gryffindor stands as they passed.
"The excitement doesn't stop there, folks! The two newest members in Slytherin hit close to home. New Chaser, Ekko Iterum and new Seeker, Powder Wick!"
The stomping and bellowing cheers of the Slytherin house, and supporters, intensify. Powder and Ekko perform a few tricks and salute the gang in their private box.
"Quidditch really is in Zaunite blood. Professor Vander, what do you think of your two daughters facing off?"
Nicholas turned to Vander who was sitting in the announcers booth along with a few others.
"Those two are competitive to a fault. Vi might have a soft spot for her sister-"
Everyone swore they could hear a faint- "HEY!" -from Vi.
"-but on the pitch all bets are off. Same with Ekko really. They won't be pulling any punches so keep your eyes open everyone."
Vander leaned back, away from the mic and smiled at the cheerings crowd. Back in the private box the gang talk amongst themselves.
"Does Vi really not hold back?" Sky asked with a tinge of concern.
"Nope. Girl coaches us like Grayson taught her. Sees it as a disrespect if she doesn't treat us seriously." Mylo replied, Claggor nodding along behind him.
"I can attest. Drill sergeant Vi is terrifying." Caitlyn attested from her experience in Zaun. -'and hot' goes unsaid.-
"You heard it folks! Captain Wick and Captain Abberley shake hands. Coach Grayson steps on the field…" Nicholas goes through the starting game commentary.
"AND THEY'RE OFF! EKKO'S IN POSSESSION OF THE QUAFFLE! Passes it to Abberley-"
"Vi's not the only one who knows your tricks!" Daphney yells with a shit eating grin as she snatches the quaffle mid pass.
"Solid intercept by Miller! Gryffindor's really showing their stuff- KATIE SCORES! 10 Points to Gryffindo- Hold on! Powder's going into a dive."
The crowd watches Powder chase what could be the Snitch; the new Gryffindor seeker, William Claverdon, at her heels. Until Vi whacks a bludger straight up. Causing Claverdon to pull away and ignore the Slytherin Seeker in favour of scanning the skies for the Snitch.
'Will. Listen to me. I trust your skill and I trust Powder's eyes. If she spots something, chase her, but if I hit a bludger into the sky then she's fucking with you. Go back to looking for the Snitch. Got it?'
Vi remembers her briefing with their new recruit during practice. Powder was good at that. Catching your attention and diverting you from the true goal while she uses that ever active mind to keep looking for the target. Lucky Vi is able to tell from the way she flew when she was bluffing.
The game continued with Ekko switching up tactics on the fly allowing Slytherin to get a good few goals in. Powder had seen the Snitch multiple times but she was intercepted every time. That was until-
"Maldon intercepts Powder with a bludger! CLAVERDON HAS CAUGHT THE GOLDEN SNITCH! 150 POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR! The winner of the match is Gryffindor with 190 to 30!"
The people cheer for the red and gold students. The team flew around together in celebration. Daphney, Vi, and Zakir- their new Keeper- shared forceful highfives. Vi pulls Powder and Ekko into a hug mid air and the trio fly towards their group's private box. Powder and Ekko get tackled into a hug by Claggor and Abby while Mylo gave them fistbumps and a noogie for Powder. Vi smiled at the exchange, still on her broom.
"Impressed, Captain Talis?" Vi teased Jayce who rolled his eyes.
"Savor your victory now, Captain Wick, because someone else on my side knows your tricks." Jayce glances at their youngest Ravenclaw.
Caitlyn grins. "I'm Co-captain now, Vi. Don't think I'll make this easy for you."
Oh how Vi shivered at the look Caitlyn shot her way. The same look she had seconds before pulling the trigger of a rifle.
"You're on, Cupcake." She answered her intensity with a predatory gaze before turning and meeting her team on the ground.
"Our final match before the winter break has arrived and it's one that many have been waiting for! After their crushing victory against Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw now faces Gryffindor!"
In the private box Powder, Ekko, Abby, Mylo, Claggor, Victor, Sky and Mel, were animatedly tossing predictions about the game over the roar of the crowd.
"Captain Talis and Co-Captain Kiramman meet with Captain Wick and Co-Captain Miller."
"Hey, pretty boy. Cupcake." Vi levels them with a challenging aura.
"Let's see how long you can keep your composure, Vi." Caitlyn answered, meeting her silent challenge head on.
"The Captains shake hands… AND THE GAME BEGINS! RAVENCLAW IMMEDIATELY IN POSSESSION OF THE QUAFFLE!"
Vi was not prepared for the first half of their match. It seemed like Jayce was Captain by title alone because she noticed the subtle signals Caitlyn gave her teammates while Jayce focused on blocking their goals.Vi was prepared for Jayce's tactics, not Caitlyn's 5D game of sky chess.
The game was currently 0 - 50 in favour of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor morale was dropping. Vi doesn't have the time to make counter plays. 'You fucking got me this time, Cupcake.'
"Captain Wick calls for a time out!"
The Gryffindors gather around Vi on the pitch, all of them tired and more than a little miffed.
"Quick change in tactics, we're going from aggression to delay. Jo, Katie, both of you stay by Zakir. Do everything you can to defend the goals. Daphney, Stewart, keep trying to make goals, I'll watch your backs but treat me like a third Chaser. Just trust me. Will, objectively you're a better Seeker than Ethan. Get us that Snitch, we're with you. Each of you are fucking great but remember, a lion can down an gazelle but a pride can down a herd."
The motto Vander made in his time, switching wolves and packs for lions and prides. Trust each player to hold their own but remember that you are still part of a team.
They take to the skies.
---
While the Gryffindors had their talk, Ravenclaw had smiles on their faces.
"Don't celebrate yet." Jayce scolds them as he looks at Caitlyn. The bluenette was watching Vi and her team.
"You've really got her on the ropes." Jayce observed.
"No, I've pushed too hard." Caitlyn bit her lip in thought.
That had Jayce a little shaken. "What do you mean?"
"A cornered wolf is unpredictable."
"And we're back in the game! Let's see what Captain Wick has… a strange turn of events! Gryffindor is on the defensive? Wait! Is Wick playing Beater and Chaser?! What the fuck is she thinking?!"
"Nicholas!"
"Sorry professor!"
Daphney and Stewart pass the Quaffle back and forth while Vi is a one woman army. She circles around her teammates, hitting bludgers, intercepting the Ravenclaw chasers, and catching the quaffle when her Chasers have nowhere else to throw the ball. She couldn't make a shot to save her life so she left it to those two. Watching the match was like taking a shot of adrenalin. Your every nerve was on fire trying to keep up with the chaos. It took three players to block 1 of 3 Kiramman shots and Vi looked like a wolf unhinged, doing everything to protect her pack.
"CLAVERDON HAS THE SNITCH! THAT'S 150 POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR! THAT'S 180 TO 100! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"
Several students in the crowd had to cover their ears from the sheer intensity of their collective voices. It was pure vitality and adrenaline in sound. Gryffindor cheered and gathered on the field to hug and celebrate. It may not be the finals but it was the closest, most intense, game they've ever had. Vi took a single step away from her team only to collapse in a soft. Oof. Her back on the grass and her body laid out spread eagle.
"Violet!" The Gryffindors parted to let Caitlyn run to a heavily panting and incredibly exhausted Vi.
"Vi?!" Caitlyn knelt down next to her. "What's wrong?!"
Vi groaned "Shit. I'm not doing that again if I can help it. You got me good, Cupcake. Fuck. Made me go all out."
Exhaustion. Vi worked herself to the point of not even being able to move. This dumb bitch.
"You're a mad woman, that's what you are." Caitlyn huffs much to the amusement of the gathered Ravenclaws and Gryffindors.
"Hey this mad woman is meeting you in the fucking finals." Vi forced a chuckle.
---
They would eventually get Vi to the medical wing where the gang and the Gryffindor team would scold her for doing this to herself. Then again Caitlyn was just that formidable of a shot and a tactician.