Gosh, Slytherin was putting up a fight, weren't they? Well, it DID make sense since this was the Championship match. Adi tried not to think of the fact that he was playing his FINAL EVER Gobstones match at Hogwarts. Nope, not happening now, brain. He needed to focus as much as he could to try to keep the Cup in Hufflepuff's possession, the way it had been over the past few terms. And no, he wasn't going to be modest about it... that Cup was in their possession mainly because of him. He knew it very well.

Adi focused in taking another shot as another round of the game got started. He always appreciated a good fight from the opposing team. He swung his shooter after another Hufflepuff player retired for the time being. Annnnd he let the stone fly! A HIT! WOOT! Too bad for the Snakes though... they didn't smell so good once gob oozed onto them.

His eyes briefly swung up to the Viewing Area, looking for his better half, Benny, or anyone of his other friends like Ava who had come to cheer him on during Hufflpuff's previous match but his eyes caught sight of a strange man. Adi arched his eyebrow slightly, wondering who the sad stranger was. But no time to dwell on it! Time to get back into the game!

Varek began to watch as the match started. Soon knowing exactly who he was there to see. Yes this was the one he had been owled about and he realized quickly why. Taking more notees as the match continued Varek soon forgot about his note taking from the excitement of the game. The players were very good and he was impressed by the amount of talent that this school truly had in Gobstones. Why was this not advertised more he couldn't help but wonder. He was going to have to take some more names by the end of the school year.

As the match ended Varek stayed in the seating area and went back to his notes. He jotted down things he needed to remember and things he needed to say. Looking up he wondered which adult was the best to ask about the other talent and in speaking to the boy he had come to see. Standing up he stretched and made his way down to the ring. Not many people were left and he had a badge on who he was, so it should be fine to speak to the students. He did have permission to be in the school.

"Excuse me, Mr. Rehman?"

Annnd the match was over

Adi could now let it sink in fully that his time playing Gobstones for the Hufflepuff team was over. He was hit with a mega dose of the feels. He stood there, hands stuffed in his pockets, watching the other players depart and Kitridge and Tanner do whatever it was they did after each match.

Was it possible that he could go back in time right this instant to re-play every match he had ever taken part in? Even those times when he had been a TERRIBLE player? Sigh. Adi's thoughts were interrupted by someone calling for him. Turning, he came face to face with the guy he had seen up in the Viewing Area. He also noticed the badge.

"Hi! Yep, that's me! Can I help you, Mr...'' Adi squinted at the badge. "Varek?''

"It's Gray, but you can call me Varek. Do you have a moment Mr. Rehman? I'd like to speak to you about your match today." He was trying to look over his notes for a moment and waiting to make sure it was alright that they spoke.

"I'm the manager for the Hippogriffs. You are a great player. Any thought to what you are going to do after you graduate here?" He couldn't sign him for this season, but that didn't mean he couldn't get an idea of what he was doing after this and if next season was a possibility. Uni had some great leagues if he could get him to play there and then pick him up that would be great, but he tried not to get ahead of himself.

"Varek it is then! And you can call me Adi.'' First name basis for everyone! A moment? Adi nodded, welcoming the distraction from what was going on around him. He looked curiously at Varek. What about his match? It was one of those rare moments when he lacked the ability to speak. This time it was because he was wondering what on earth Varek was talking about. Sure, some of his throws had been off but this wasn't the only match to judge him on.

But then...



NO WAY!

This guy was the manager for the Hippogriff team? Okay, so admittedly Adi hadn't followed professional Gobstones much but he did know of the teams. "I... uh thank you! I plan to study Magizoology at the Edinburgh campus. I had never thought of playing professional Gobstones.'' Yep, Adi had figured it out now.

He was being recruited for that team

Varek listened and nodded. He wasn't surprised Adi hadn't thought about Gobstones for his future. Not many school kids did until they started playing in Uni leagues, but he was determined to get some before they entered that stage so he could train and mold them to be the best professionals.

"Well our seasons will be starting here int he next month so it wouldn't be for this year. You would start Uni and play for the league there. If you are interested we would sign a letter of intent and we can help you train and work with the Uni league so that you are ready for the draft this time next year."

They could get into more specifics if he was really interested.

Oh, man!

Adi had thought his days for playing Gobstones were over but they obviously would not be if he agreed to what Varek was saying to him. He nodded after the man was done, considering all that had been said. Yeah, he could train for that year and hopefully be drafted next year...

The ambitious guy was ready to snap this offer up!

"This sounds like a plan to me,'' Adi told Varek. He was all grins again. "I'll train as best as I can.'' Mhmm. He would. He was going to be a Professional Gobstones player He could hardly wait to tell Benny. "So, what are the other details I need to be aware of, if any?" He wanted to know everything! After all, he was on the path to being famous as he always wanted to be.

Varek waited for him to think about it figuring the boy wouldn't miss an opportunity to be a professional, but he would wait to hear it from the kid. Grinning as Adi agreed he moved toward the seating area and opened up his shoulder bag, "Good to hear." He pulled out his files and had placed in if this would happen.

"I'll need you to sign an intent to our team so that you can't just go sign with another. Then you will finish out school. You can come to a few of our matches get to know the players. Once school starts you will play on the leagues there to keep practicing and training. Around this time next year the draft starts and you will be given a full contract to sign with the Hippogriffs."

He handed him the papers, "Look these over and owl them to the office in the next week to show your intent for the team."

Look at that! Varek was just as pleased to have him agree to all of this as much as Adi himself was. He followed the man to the seating area, a small spring in each of his steps. Bouncing on his feet, the Hufflepuff watched the files and stuff that came out of the bag.

Adi listened, nodding happily ever so often then took the papers when they were handed over to him. "I sure will but you don't have to worry about me signing with another team.'' The name of said team had the name HIPPOGRIFFS in it for Merlin's sake. Everyone knew how obsessed he was with those. Plus, Varek had been the first to seek him out for a team and if there's one trait Adi knew well, it was loyalty. "I'd like to meet the other players, too. I'll owl you when it's not to hectic so we can set aside some time for that.'' But gosh! A full contract this time next year! All the more reason for him to train as best as he could. Adi grinned at Varek. "Thanks for the opportunity. It means a lot.'' It did!

Well all that seemed to go over smoothly, something that Varek liked to happen. He gathered his papers that had been pulled out with the papers he gave to Adi and placed them back into his bag. Standing he placed the bag over his shoulder and looked towards the seventh year.

"It was very nice meeting with you today and watching you play. I will anticipate hearing from you in the future and seeing these back to me signed with in the week. Unless you feel you need a parent or someone to look over them as well. You can just let me know and I can give an extension." He figured a younger child even if of age might need to talk with others to make sure the deals and wording were correct.

Sticking out his hand, "We will be in contact soon. Good luck the rest of your term."

"I'm glad you enjoyed the match, Varek.'' It may not necessarily be one of his best performances but hey, everyone had their good and bad days. "There's just about three persons I need to talk to about this so you bet I'll be getting a response back to you soon.'' Yep, he just needed to talk to Benny and his parents. There was no way they were going to stop him from signing because he knew they would want this as much as he did. But he did know his mother would want to go over the papers. Indira Rehman was that type of woman- strict, cautious and sometimes too protective of her son.

The Hufflepuff grasped the hand offered to him to give it a hearty shake. "Thanks for taking the time off for coming here. And for everything else!'' He was still excited as ever. Had everything that just happened really did happen? x3: