dusty pitch, three solitary hoops on each end, two mud-caked
broomsticks; a Quaffle, some Bludgers and yes, the Snitch!
“Welcome, dear Muggles, to the second edition of Quidditch.
Ah, so you don’t know what that is, huh? You, madams and sirs,
have bludgeoned your childhood with a rough hewn club of
polished ignorance. *sigh*
Of course, we’ve had to tweak some rules to accommodate your
banal form (no flying, pfft), but here’s how it works. The three
Chasers must fire a Quaffle past the broomstick wielding Keeper
to score, while the Seeker must outmaneuver his
opponent and, without being touched even once,
score using the tiny Snitch; a feat he must repeat two
times consecutively to win the match. The lone
Beater uses Bludgers to paralyze opponents for
twenty seconds in this seven minute game!”
The tournament has witnessed
vicissitudes which would put the
Weird Sisters’ vocal range to shame,
with its own share of upsets and
moments of brilliance. At last, the
denouement beckons.
QUIDDITCH
“The final! Here comes team one
– famished BITSians with a
proclivity for strategic game play.
Look at those twinkling eyes, naïve
faces, animated gesticulation
and… hmm, what’s that, shaking
frames? Ah, an apt reaction,
considering their opponents are
burly uncouth men from Jatland
who’re practicing Bludger throws
with much aplomb. Some Felix
Felicis required, perhaps?
hoop. 10-0!
Meanwhile, the Seekers are playing a more or less balanced
game, with the Snitch flitting back and forth across the field,
much like Aragog’s thoughts regarding who to befriend and who
to eat. Neither Seeker has really been able to… oh, wait, here
come the Burlymen Chasers vrooming over the field with their
long precision passing (have they mastered the Accio charm, I
wonder) and score again! 20-0. Beaters of both the sides are busy
hurling Bludgers at their opponents, but the Chocolateboy ones
seem to have an upper hand; after all, precision must play over
brawns at some time, right? Or
not really, because the referee
seems to be held at the Burlymen
Keeper’s broom-point after
disallowing their goal right at the
end of the half. He reminds
them they’re still winning and
somehow gets out with his life.
Ah, disappointment.
The second half seems more
balanced, for a few fouls, many
Bludger hits and one failed goal
attempt later, Chocolateboy
Seeker finally manages to get a
Snitch shot. If they get another
one, they’d be kissing the
Quidditch Cup before long!
THROUGH THE PAGES
No time for that, though. The Quaffle is up, the Quidditch final
has begun! Burlymen Chasers are already showcasing a fervid
alacrity towards maintaining the Quaffle firmly in their grasp,
whether during counters or defense. They are jumping, sliding,
running, shoving, somersaulting, diving (basically, everything
short of disapparating) all over the field. Long pass, feign, short
pass, step back, shoot, past the keeper’s broom and through the
WHAT! Burlymen Chasers,
with their troll-like frames and
Merlinian pace, convert
another half chance into a goal,
the Quaffle gliding inches away
from the keeper’s broom. 30-0!
The Chocolateboy Seeker is
desperately trying to score a consecutive Snitch goal and win the
match… the whistle! Time’s up, the Burlymen cheer and jump,
waltzing towards the Quidditch Cup…”
And thus ends the Quidditch tournament organized by the Department of
Informalz during BOSM ’14.
8:17: IITD scores from the free throw. The match is very close now, the scales could tip in either team's favour. The score is at 3635.
8:17: The BITS team with a quick counter, that's the only way to go now, quickly. The ball is in IITD’s half, if there was a time to
do something, it is now.
8:18: Riddhi tries to drive in. She knows it's going to be tough, close to impossible, in fact. Maybe, she should pass.
8:19: Oh, but she doesn't. She's a devious woman, she. Knowing that all the IITD players have fouled out, she drives
in anyway, either they give her way and she scores or they foul her and she scores with free throws. To have that
kind of wit about herself during such high pressure moments, she has to be extraordinarily calm.
8:19: And she is absolutely right, clearly showing the marks of a seasoned player. She expertly draws
the foul and a free throw for Riddhi. She levels the scores, keeping her calm at all times. Man,
is she good or what?!
8:19: BITS is back in the game! “Jeetega bhayi jeetega, BITS Pilani jeetega,” chants
the crowd. After another set of missed free throws, Riddhi has taken a shot on
the rebound. 36-38!
8:20: Riddhi steals the ball and converts the fast break with a well
timed lay-up. You go, girl! 36-40! This game is ours now.
Barely! but ours.