CHALLENGE #64: Winter Sports
Title: Snowball's Chance
Rating/Warnings: G/none
Characters/Pairing: Fred, George, Ron, Harry
Summary: School wide snowball fight over the Christmas holidays!
Word Count: 740
Author's Notes: CHALLENGE #64: Winter Sports
Registered purchases?: Both
December 26. The majority of the students were still at home with their families for Christmas break, but there were actually a pretty good number who had chosen to stay at Hogwarts this year. Of course Harry was one of them. Like he would ever willingly choose to leave Hogwarts to spend quality time with the Dursleys. As usual, Ron had stayed behind with him, and the rest of the Weasleys stayed this year too. Fred and George were thrilled to have the run of the common room for the first few days, but by the day after Christmas, they were getting antsy inside. “Who’s up for a snowball fight on the grounds?!” Fred asked cheerfully, standing up on the bench that morning at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. “Starting at noon! Gryffindor and Hufflepuff versus Slytherin and Ravenclaw! Winners get free samples of the latest Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes products! Top secret!” he announced to the cheers of his fellow students.
“You didn’t want to put Gryffindor and Slytherin together for some bonding time?” Harry joked when Fred returned to his seat at breakfast.
“Nah, I’d rather take the excuse to peg the gits with a snowball, you?”
“That’s just what I was thinking,” piped in George with a smirk. Ron and Harry grinned. Malfoy may have gone home for the holidays but there were other Slytherins they’d love to get a crack at. Even regardless of that factor, a big school wide snowball fight would still be something thrilling to take part in. After breakfast, they returned to the common room and relaxed until it was almost time to go down for the game. They dressed warmly, with a few years’ worth of Weasley sweaters with the top layer being the most recent edition. Ron’s was maroon again. Fred and George had convinced Mrs. Weasley to leave off their initials and instead this time they were each adorned with beater representations, a bat and a bludger. Harry remembered what Oliver Wood had told him in his first year - “they’re like a pair of human bludgers themselves” - and he couldn’t help smiling.
When they reached the grounds at ten minutes til noon, they found a fresh layer of snow and a hub of activity from students preparing fortifications for the battle. Harry saw Seamus and Dean working with Hannah Abbott and a few other younger Hufflepuff girls to build a big wall with a huge stockpile of snowballs in the armory. Farther away, students in green and blue were doing the same. It looked like the Slytherins and Ravenclaws had a slight advantage number wise. There were maybe twenty people behind the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff lines and upwards of around thirty students over by the Slytherin and Ravenclaw fort.
“Ready for this?” asked Fred as he scooped up a big handful of snow, packing it into a perfect snowball. He threw it at Ron, who wasn’t expecting it and shrieked.
“Hey! What are you playing at?”
“Just getting you prepared,” shrugged Fred mischievously.
As time before noon dwindled, the teams lined up facing each other, each with a snowball or two in hand. The Weasley twins stood opposite the two burly Slytherin beaters. Ron was across from Padma Patil in an awkward encounter. Harry stood across from a Slytherin sixth year girl he didn’t think he recognized. At least she wasn’t one of Malfoy’s gang. A few people separated Harry from Cho, who he tried not to look at though he wasn’t sure if he was successful.
George stood in the middle of the line up and started walking up and down the lines. “Alright we want a nice clean game! Oh my mark,” he called, raising his wand in the air. “And go!” A shot of gold sparks flew from George’s wand signaling the start of the game.
It was chaos. There were flying balls of white everywhere. Almost no one avoided getting hit at the initial show down. Ron took a big snowball in the face immediately from one of the Slytherin boys nearest to him. Harry saw him start the throw but was too late to stop it. He returned the favor swiftly though, laughing as he watched the boy go down as his Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes enhanced snowball knocked him out of commission for a good five minutes due to the transferable Stunning Jinx on them. This was going to be a great game.
Title: Snowball's Chance part 2
Rating/Warnings: G/none
Characters/Pairing: Harry, Ron, Angelina, Fred, George, Cho, Padma
Summary: The battle commences.
Word Count: 1138
Author's Notes: CHALLENGE #64: Winter Sports, I split it into to "chapters" due to the whole 30 minute limit thing, hope that's alright!
Registered purchases?: Both
After the initial fray was over and everyone had to regroup by getting new snowballs and recover from any unfortunate hits to the face or with a Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes Snowspell. The Weasleys and Harry sent the younger Hufflepuffs back to the fort to guard it. Together with the sixth and seventh years, they quickly summoned a flock of snowballs from their arsenal at the fort to reload.
“Forward, men!” Fred called.
“And women!” yelled Angelina, smiling, holding two snowballs in her hands. One was flaming - magical fire. Another Wizard Wheezes creation for sure. The group of older students advanced across the line of skirmish past three or four stunned Slytherin and Ravenclaw players. They would be awaking any time now, so it was now or never to cross into their territory. Angelina levitated the fiery snowball and then with another flick of her wand and an “Engorgio!” later, it was the size of a basketball. She launched it straight at the opposing team’s fort. It was a direct hit and the fiery ball burned a hole straight through the wall of their defenses.
Harry and Ron charged, followed by the twins, Angelina, Hannah, Ginny and some Hufflepuff seventh year boys and girls. They climbed easily through the hole the fire had created for them, but once they got inside, the Slytherins and Ravenclaws were ready for them. Derrick was holding two massive snowballs and aimed them perfectly right at each twin, who staggered backwards. Harry quickly dodged one of Milliscent Bulstrode’s and pulled Ron out of the way of another one flying towards him. “Fire!” they heard the twins call. Harry threw one of his Spellballs, hitting Bole in the shoulder, but it still was enough of a hit to activate the transferable spell. Bole grunted as the Tantellegra Jinx started working and his feet flailed uncontrollably, knocking him into a stockpile of snowballs. They were flattened instantly, leaving each team on more equal footing now that neither was in reach of immediate back up.
Harry scooped up more snow, balling it in his hands. It was chaos around him. Bole was still dancing, but everyone else was still in fighting form. Harry waited for Ron to reload and then the two chased after two Ravenclaw girls. One had long dark hair. Ron nudged Harry. It was Cho. Harry felt a knot in his stomach but continued running after them through the snow. It was just the game after all, nothing personal. The pair of girls took cover behind a cluster of trees, and prepared to pelt anyone who came near. Harry and Ron were forced to slow their approach. Harry aimed one of his snowballs at the other girl, who turned out to be Padma, but she ducked deftly behind her tree and it smashed into its trunk uselessly. They would have to get closer. Harry grabbed some more snow and he and Ron advanced. They came under Cho and Padma’s fire quickly. They dodged the first volley easily, but Padma hit Harry in the chest with her second shot. He had been focusing more on dodging Cho’s fire. But they had switched targets, he saw now. Cho hit Ron easily and Padma got Harry again in the arm before he could realize what was going on. “We need cover!” Harry yelled, and the boys changed course to a group of trees opposite the girls where they could regroup too. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Angelina running towards them, still a good distance away. Ron aimed a shot at Padma, and was successful this time. Only her face had been peeking out, and she took the snowball right in the mouth. She cried out in pain.
“Angelina, over here!” Ron called to her urgently. She scrambled over as fast as she could through the snow. They had been hoping she has some magic enhanced Snowspells with her, and she didn’t disappoint them. She passed Harry an Antler Jinx’ed ball and to Ron she gave another Stunning Snowspell. She saved the best for herself. “Fred and George have pretty much taken out Derrick and Bole is still dancing. I guess no one on their team cares - or maybe they’re just all too dim to know the counter jinx,” she explained. “They’re holding their own against a trio of younger Ravenclaw boys now. I figured you didn’t have any more of the Snowspells.” She smiled, “looks like I was right too. You can thank me later for saving your asses!” With that, she aimed her Snowspell at the tree Cho was hiding behind and it exploded. “An expulso charm, brilliant!” called Ron, and he wasted no timing aiming his snowball at Cho as she jumped out screaming from her hiding place. He hit her squarely in the stomach, and the Snowspell did the rest of the work. She was instantly stunned and fell down to the ground. Harry took care of Padma easily after that. They faked her out, making her believe Ron was closing in on the left so her concentration was focused there, while in reality Harry was sneaking up behind her with the last Snowspell. It felt wrong to hit her from behind though. “Hey Padma!” Harry called. She turned in surprise and Harry hit her in the arm with the Antler Jinx snowball. She suddenly sprouted antlers from her head, totally throwing off her balance and making it difficult for her to stand, let alone walk. She didn’t look too distressed, just annoyed. “All part of the game, right boys?” she said solemnly, realizing she was probably out of commission for the rest of the battle.
Harry and Ron made their way back to the epicenter of the battle, but it looked like things were pretty much dwindling down. With only about forty players and the introduction of the magical snowballs from Fred and George, people were taken out of the game pretty quickly. Harry could only see the youngest Slytherins remaining inside their fort. As they approached, one of them began waving a white flag. Surrender. Harry and Ron heard an eruption of cheers from the remaining players on their team, most noticeably Fred and George. “Great game,” called George to the Slytherins and Ravenclaws as Harry and Ron joined them. Ron whooped.
“Next game tomorrow afternoon?” suggested George. “This time on broomsticks maybe, and no other magic allowed. We’re practically out of Snowspells anyway. Brooms would keep it interesting though.” Everyone agreed enthusiastically that it would certainly make for one of the most interesting Christmas holidays Hogwarts had ever seen.
(740 words/30) + 10 bonus = 35 points
(1138 words/30) + 10 bonus = 48 points
83 POINTS FOR HUFFLEPUFF
Rating/Warnings: G/none
Characters/Pairing: Fred, George, Ron, Harry
Summary: School wide snowball fight over the Christmas holidays!
Word Count: 740
Author's Notes: CHALLENGE #64: Winter Sports
Registered purchases?: Both
December 26. The majority of the students were still at home with their families for Christmas break, but there were actually a pretty good number who had chosen to stay at Hogwarts this year. Of course Harry was one of them. Like he would ever willingly choose to leave Hogwarts to spend quality time with the Dursleys. As usual, Ron had stayed behind with him, and the rest of the Weasleys stayed this year too. Fred and George were thrilled to have the run of the common room for the first few days, but by the day after Christmas, they were getting antsy inside. “Who’s up for a snowball fight on the grounds?!” Fred asked cheerfully, standing up on the bench that morning at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. “Starting at noon! Gryffindor and Hufflepuff versus Slytherin and Ravenclaw! Winners get free samples of the latest Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes products! Top secret!” he announced to the cheers of his fellow students.
“You didn’t want to put Gryffindor and Slytherin together for some bonding time?” Harry joked when Fred returned to his seat at breakfast.
“Nah, I’d rather take the excuse to peg the gits with a snowball, you?”
“That’s just what I was thinking,” piped in George with a smirk. Ron and Harry grinned. Malfoy may have gone home for the holidays but there were other Slytherins they’d love to get a crack at. Even regardless of that factor, a big school wide snowball fight would still be something thrilling to take part in. After breakfast, they returned to the common room and relaxed until it was almost time to go down for the game. They dressed warmly, with a few years’ worth of Weasley sweaters with the top layer being the most recent edition. Ron’s was maroon again. Fred and George had convinced Mrs. Weasley to leave off their initials and instead this time they were each adorned with beater representations, a bat and a bludger. Harry remembered what Oliver Wood had told him in his first year - “they’re like a pair of human bludgers themselves” - and he couldn’t help smiling.
When they reached the grounds at ten minutes til noon, they found a fresh layer of snow and a hub of activity from students preparing fortifications for the battle. Harry saw Seamus and Dean working with Hannah Abbott and a few other younger Hufflepuff girls to build a big wall with a huge stockpile of snowballs in the armory. Farther away, students in green and blue were doing the same. It looked like the Slytherins and Ravenclaws had a slight advantage number wise. There were maybe twenty people behind the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff lines and upwards of around thirty students over by the Slytherin and Ravenclaw fort.
“Ready for this?” asked Fred as he scooped up a big handful of snow, packing it into a perfect snowball. He threw it at Ron, who wasn’t expecting it and shrieked.
“Hey! What are you playing at?”
“Just getting you prepared,” shrugged Fred mischievously.
As time before noon dwindled, the teams lined up facing each other, each with a snowball or two in hand. The Weasley twins stood opposite the two burly Slytherin beaters. Ron was across from Padma Patil in an awkward encounter. Harry stood across from a Slytherin sixth year girl he didn’t think he recognized. At least she wasn’t one of Malfoy’s gang. A few people separated Harry from Cho, who he tried not to look at though he wasn’t sure if he was successful.
George stood in the middle of the line up and started walking up and down the lines. “Alright we want a nice clean game! Oh my mark,” he called, raising his wand in the air. “And go!” A shot of gold sparks flew from George’s wand signaling the start of the game.
It was chaos. There were flying balls of white everywhere. Almost no one avoided getting hit at the initial show down. Ron took a big snowball in the face immediately from one of the Slytherin boys nearest to him. Harry saw him start the throw but was too late to stop it. He returned the favor swiftly though, laughing as he watched the boy go down as his Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes enhanced snowball knocked him out of commission for a good five minutes due to the transferable Stunning Jinx on them. This was going to be a great game.
Title: Snowball's Chance part 2
Rating/Warnings: G/none
Characters/Pairing: Harry, Ron, Angelina, Fred, George, Cho, Padma
Summary: The battle commences.
Word Count: 1138
Author's Notes: CHALLENGE #64: Winter Sports, I split it into to "chapters" due to the whole 30 minute limit thing, hope that's alright!
Registered purchases?: Both
After the initial fray was over and everyone had to regroup by getting new snowballs and recover from any unfortunate hits to the face or with a Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes Snowspell. The Weasleys and Harry sent the younger Hufflepuffs back to the fort to guard it. Together with the sixth and seventh years, they quickly summoned a flock of snowballs from their arsenal at the fort to reload.
“Forward, men!” Fred called.
“And women!” yelled Angelina, smiling, holding two snowballs in her hands. One was flaming - magical fire. Another Wizard Wheezes creation for sure. The group of older students advanced across the line of skirmish past three or four stunned Slytherin and Ravenclaw players. They would be awaking any time now, so it was now or never to cross into their territory. Angelina levitated the fiery snowball and then with another flick of her wand and an “Engorgio!” later, it was the size of a basketball. She launched it straight at the opposing team’s fort. It was a direct hit and the fiery ball burned a hole straight through the wall of their defenses.
Harry and Ron charged, followed by the twins, Angelina, Hannah, Ginny and some Hufflepuff seventh year boys and girls. They climbed easily through the hole the fire had created for them, but once they got inside, the Slytherins and Ravenclaws were ready for them. Derrick was holding two massive snowballs and aimed them perfectly right at each twin, who staggered backwards. Harry quickly dodged one of Milliscent Bulstrode’s and pulled Ron out of the way of another one flying towards him. “Fire!” they heard the twins call. Harry threw one of his Spellballs, hitting Bole in the shoulder, but it still was enough of a hit to activate the transferable spell. Bole grunted as the Tantellegra Jinx started working and his feet flailed uncontrollably, knocking him into a stockpile of snowballs. They were flattened instantly, leaving each team on more equal footing now that neither was in reach of immediate back up.
Harry scooped up more snow, balling it in his hands. It was chaos around him. Bole was still dancing, but everyone else was still in fighting form. Harry waited for Ron to reload and then the two chased after two Ravenclaw girls. One had long dark hair. Ron nudged Harry. It was Cho. Harry felt a knot in his stomach but continued running after them through the snow. It was just the game after all, nothing personal. The pair of girls took cover behind a cluster of trees, and prepared to pelt anyone who came near. Harry and Ron were forced to slow their approach. Harry aimed one of his snowballs at the other girl, who turned out to be Padma, but she ducked deftly behind her tree and it smashed into its trunk uselessly. They would have to get closer. Harry grabbed some more snow and he and Ron advanced. They came under Cho and Padma’s fire quickly. They dodged the first volley easily, but Padma hit Harry in the chest with her second shot. He had been focusing more on dodging Cho’s fire. But they had switched targets, he saw now. Cho hit Ron easily and Padma got Harry again in the arm before he could realize what was going on. “We need cover!” Harry yelled, and the boys changed course to a group of trees opposite the girls where they could regroup too. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Angelina running towards them, still a good distance away. Ron aimed a shot at Padma, and was successful this time. Only her face had been peeking out, and she took the snowball right in the mouth. She cried out in pain.
“Angelina, over here!” Ron called to her urgently. She scrambled over as fast as she could through the snow. They had been hoping she has some magic enhanced Snowspells with her, and she didn’t disappoint them. She passed Harry an Antler Jinx’ed ball and to Ron she gave another Stunning Snowspell. She saved the best for herself. “Fred and George have pretty much taken out Derrick and Bole is still dancing. I guess no one on their team cares - or maybe they’re just all too dim to know the counter jinx,” she explained. “They’re holding their own against a trio of younger Ravenclaw boys now. I figured you didn’t have any more of the Snowspells.” She smiled, “looks like I was right too. You can thank me later for saving your asses!” With that, she aimed her Snowspell at the tree Cho was hiding behind and it exploded. “An expulso charm, brilliant!” called Ron, and he wasted no timing aiming his snowball at Cho as she jumped out screaming from her hiding place. He hit her squarely in the stomach, and the Snowspell did the rest of the work. She was instantly stunned and fell down to the ground. Harry took care of Padma easily after that. They faked her out, making her believe Ron was closing in on the left so her concentration was focused there, while in reality Harry was sneaking up behind her with the last Snowspell. It felt wrong to hit her from behind though. “Hey Padma!” Harry called. She turned in surprise and Harry hit her in the arm with the Antler Jinx snowball. She suddenly sprouted antlers from her head, totally throwing off her balance and making it difficult for her to stand, let alone walk. She didn’t look too distressed, just annoyed. “All part of the game, right boys?” she said solemnly, realizing she was probably out of commission for the rest of the battle.
Harry and Ron made their way back to the epicenter of the battle, but it looked like things were pretty much dwindling down. With only about forty players and the introduction of the magical snowballs from Fred and George, people were taken out of the game pretty quickly. Harry could only see the youngest Slytherins remaining inside their fort. As they approached, one of them began waving a white flag. Surrender. Harry and Ron heard an eruption of cheers from the remaining players on their team, most noticeably Fred and George. “Great game,” called George to the Slytherins and Ravenclaws as Harry and Ron joined them. Ron whooped.
“Next game tomorrow afternoon?” suggested George. “This time on broomsticks maybe, and no other magic allowed. We’re practically out of Snowspells anyway. Brooms would keep it interesting though.” Everyone agreed enthusiastically that it would certainly make for one of the most interesting Christmas holidays Hogwarts had ever seen.
(740 words/30) + 10 bonus = 35 points
(1138 words/30) + 10 bonus = 48 points
83 POINTS FOR HUFFLEPUFF