Mina giggled as she craned her head. She could see more cake but she did need to pass the item. Item first, cake and then some surfing after. Yes, that was the plan!

"Yes, Captain." she smiled as she covertly handed over the item and glanced around. Mission one was accomplished! Time for CAKE! Well, more cake that was.

Smiling, he knows how much she did care, just wished she cared more then that. Sighing, he shakes his head mentally. Looking up as he realizes Nia was trying to round up the group again, he nudges Ellie slightly.

Standing up he joins Nia and Mina.

"Hey. Say it. Say you won't die." Ellie told him sternly. Smiling? Did he really think he could 'smile' it away? Well, he couldn't. Otherwise, who knows? He might just go and die anyway. And that would NOT be cool.

Her eyes drifted around the common room at all the partying people, and came to rest on the mattress surfing. Haha. They all looked silly doing that. But it was fun, she supposed.

Then the eyes shot back at JD. He nudged her! And what for? What did she do? Ooooh he was walking to Nia. Who was already with Mina. Maybe they were getting ready to do the 'thing'. Okay.

She followed close behind JD and smiled up at the rest of her team mates. Now? Were they doing it now? So exciting!

Abby walked into the common room and-

WHOA. Another partay? Abby looked around. Where were the blue!!cupcakes? I mean, woot! Go Ravenclaw!

Nia smiled as JD and Ellie joined her and Mina. Letting the three of them shield her from Becca's gaze, Nia added the finishing touch to the thing before turning back to the others. Now was the time to well, present it and all that. Which meant another speech type thing from her as Captain.

Passing the item to JD to hold momentarily, Nia turned down the WWN and then clapped her hands together loudly. "Excuse me!" she said over the general noise, before deciding that she just didn't have a voice loud enough to shout after the match. Pulling out her wand, she cast a quick Sonorus.

"The team has got a bit of a presentation to make..." She looked round the room for her other teamies, before beckoning them to join her. Becca included. Seeing as the girl had appeared almost oblivious to their sneaky goings on, they could make it an extra big surprise.

Becca shoved another bite of cake in her mouth and turned around when the music was turned down. A team presentation? Was... she supposed to have come prepared with something? Aw shoot. WHY DIDN'T SHE KNOW ABOUT THIS?

Before heading over to stand with the team, Becca shoved the rest of the cake in her mouth, swallowed quickly, and wiped her mouth with a napkin. On her way over to the group, she set her empty plate down on the table and nonchalantly brushed her hands off on her robes. She scooted into the place next to Nia. Hey, even if she didn't know exactly what they were going to do, she still wanted to be up front and center. "We do...?" Becca whispered to Nia out of the corner of her mouth. "Why'd I miss the memo? Or... are you improvising?"

Taking the item from Nia, he grins at her. Nodding with encouragement, he holds the item carefully, just out of Becca's view.

Watching as Becca walks over to them, he shakes with laughter as she looks completely baffled. His eyes twinkling in laughter he waits for Nia to continue as more teammates come over.

Nia forced herself to keep a staight face as Becca whispered in her ear. "Yes, we do," she replied softly (after casting quietus), a serious poker face on. Had they really hidden it that well between them that Becca didn't have a clue? Awww. She leant in to the seventh year. "I wouldn't worry about it. Trust your Captain, I've got it all sussed. And you'll find out what it's all about soon enough." She gave a small nod, before winking to JD and the others.

Standing up to address everyone, Nia amplified her voice once more. She smiled at Becca, who had managed to place herself right where she needed to be, and at the other members of the Quidditch Team. Nia took a moment to collect her thoughts, before starting to speak.

"The Ravenclaw Quidditch team was a young one this year, and is looking very promising for future terms. I, for one, am very excited about our prospects for next year. There is however one player who won't be returning to the side. And I think after the year they've had on the team, their enthusiasm and their whole approach to practice and matches, they will be missed by me as Captain and by all those 'Claws that looked up to them on the pitch." Nia gave a knowing smile, and glanced across to Becca to see if she'd had realised who the Captain was talking about. Nia had very carefully not given away a gender or anything just to hold off the reveal that little bit longer. She carried on.

"The player of which I speak showed her flexibility in the air this year - taking on Chaser, Seeker and discovering a new talent of Keeping. She trusted my instincts as Captain, worked hard (though often turned up half asleep and managed to be alert from nowhere) - " Nia chuckled " - and we had good a time. I speak for everyone when I say she'll be very difficult to replace after her graduation at the end of the term." Nia glanced at the team, and then to Becca.

"Of course I am talking about Miss Becca Parker...and we've got a little something for you," Nia finished with a wink and a smile at the Keeper. Oh yes. "JD, if you'd do the honours?" She gestured for him to come forward with the card and package, wrapped in Ravenclaw blue, of course.

Ohh, that was their cue, wasn't it? Because only that could make Vashti dropped this delicious piece of yummy cake without finishing it off. Seeing the others already joining together, she set her plate down quickly, hoping she hadn't placed it on the edge of the table for it to be knocked off, and dashed up to where her teammates were, just in time for Nia's speech and the presentation. Whee! This was exciting!

Ellie stayed in her place beside JD. Her face changed from a smile to a half smile/frown thing as Nia spoke. And poor Becca there...without a clue. She was excited! She loved surprises, so this was all great fun for her. But she realized just how much she'd miss Becca on the team. Although they didn't hang out off the pitch very often, she was an amazing team mate.

Then she took a few steps to the side- away from JD- to give him plenty of space to present the thingy.

Becca shrugged and dug her hands deep into her robe pockets. "Whatever you say, CaptCapt." She would just sit there and look pretty while Nia did her thing. No big deal.

As Nia began her speech, Becca scanned the room to note all who were present. Yep. Still no Lainey. There were still a few over at the mattress surfing, but they were paying attention now that Nia was making some kind of big announcement.

Quote:

...There is however one player who won't be returning to the side. And I think after the year they've had on the team, their enthusiasm and their whole approach to practice and matches, they will be missed by me as Captain and by all those 'Claws that looked up to them on the pitch...

Becca's ears perked up upon the mentioning of 'one player' who would not be returning. She looked around at the rest of the team, double checking to see if any of them were fellow seventh years(even though she knew none of them were) or would be leaving for any reason, to find that... they were all looking at her.

"Wha-...?" Her eyebrows shot up in the air and she turned back to look at Nia, giving her a horrified look that said, This speech is about ME?

Quote:

"The player of which I speak showed her flexibility in the air this year - taking on Chaser, Seeker and discovering a new talent of Keeping. She trusted my instincts as Captain, worked hard (though often turned up half asleep and managed to be alert from nowhere) - " Nia chuckled " - and we had good a time. I speak for everyone when I say she'll be very difficult to replace after her graduation at the end of the term." Nia glanced at the team, and then to Becca.

"Of course I am talking about Miss Becca Parker...and we've got a little something for you," Nia finished with a wink and a smile at the Keeper. Oh yes. "JD, if you'd do the honours?" She gestured for him to come forward with the card and package, wrapped in Ravenclaw blue, of course.

Becca shuddered at the memory of playing Seeker and shot a snub glance at JD, but followed that look with a brief wink. She was joking, of course. Kind of. Luckily she was the all-star KEEPER! She raised a hand as if to defend herself when Nia mentioned her sleepy ways of practicing Quidditch, but laughed softly and gave a casual shrug. Hey, at least she ended up snapping out of it and dominating, right?

Aww. She'll be very difficult to replace after her graduation. Becca wanted to just wrap Nia up in a massive hug. She was cute. But then... a little something? "Uhh?" was all she managed to say before eyeing Nia and turning to look at JD.

For the record, Becca didn't like surprises.

Biting his lip a bit, Nia's speech had been very touching he thought. His eyes shining, he was proud of his team, every one of them. Stepping forward to his teammate that he would miss dearly, he faces her.

"Becca. We as a team." turning to all his teammates and those in the room with them. "As well as the rest of this house, will miss you dearly after this term." Pulling out the package and the card everyone had signed, he hands it to her.



ooc: so everyone gets this, not to break rules everyone who would like to is welcome to use this siggy ~ Nymphadoraliz

"Aw shucks, you didn't have to..." But it sure was cool that they did! Becca gingerly took the card and package from JD's hands. She figured... she would probably open them now, right? It was only common courtesy. Card first, then present. She knew the drill.

As awkward as it was to open a present with the whole world watching, Becca first read the card with a silly grin on her face. "You guys are cute," she told them with a gentle nudge to JD's side. And then... there was the present. Hopefully nothing was going to pop out at her. That was TOTALLY something the team would do - try to prank her while they still could or something. "Lovely blue packaging," she commented nonchalantly as she began to tear off the wrapping paper. Her statement was mostly towards Nia, who she assumed was the master behind the surprise.

Becca's eyes sparkled as she flipped the object over to find that it was a lovely framed portrait of the team. The ENTIRE team. Every personality nearly jumped out of the picture - Jacob had a goofy expression on his face, JD just looked happy to be there with Ellie close by, Becca was looking very proud, Mina looked darling, Vashti was as precious as ever, Cela looked like some sort of beauty queen, and Nia... appeared as though she was the happiest Qudditch Captain ever to be surrounded by such a great team.

Aw.

Becca looked up from the picture and moved to the center of the room, facing the team. "You guys... are the greatest. The best Quidditch team any kid could ask for." Well, the absence of Ryan Lee was a downer, but... "This term has been... unbelievable. Many of us started out not knowing each other or thinking others were extremely odd," she shot a broad grin in the direction of Jacob, "but we soon learned that we're not so different after all. Maybe our personalities vary, but when it comes down to what really matters... we all share the same heart.

"Upon becoming a member of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, we all shared the desire to represent our House by being hardcore on a broomstick. Each of us knew it would require some hard work, endurance, but most of all sportsmanship. And I've NEVER seen a team come together and bond the way we have this term... and I think the spirit behind this incredible team really came from our good friend Nia here." Becca gestured towards the Captain and began to casually turn as she spoke, making her intended audience the whole room now.

"Nia Newtington was our sixth year Captain this term, as you all know. She was an all-star on the pitch and the motivator to us all. During practices, she would give us support and advice to keep us going, and death threats if we slacked off." Okay, maybe the majority of those death threats were directed to Becca, but that was beside the point. "Nia taught us to work as a team. When we needed reserves to step in, she set the tone by welcoming them with open arms. She helped pick up the young ones when they were discouraged. She kicked the older ones into shape when they weren't taking the game seriously enough because they thought they didn't need to practice as hard as the younger ones. She challenged us, put us out of our comfort zones, and tested our limits to bring EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US to our greatest potential."

Becca no longer surveyed the entire room and faced her teammates. "And because of Nia, we became a family. That is something that few teams ever get the privilege to say." She paused to make eye contact with each and every one of them, then a gentle smile appeared on her face. "The memories we have made this term will forever live in our hearts." My heart. "Thank you for making my last term such a joy."

And then, because she didn't know what else to do and saying any more would probably make her cry, she stepped out of the center of the room and simply went to hug Nia and the team.

Namitha was enjoying herself,but she was feeling quite lonely.She felt a little shy to go and talk to anyone..

Nia felt both a sense of excitement and of nerves as Becca proceeded to open the card and present. Perhaps pride too, as Captain and the fact she'd organised this.

Before long the wrapping paper - the lovely blue wrapping paper - was torn off, and Nia smiled as she looked at the picture Becca was holding. It was an awesome picture, and totally summed them up as a team. One of those pictures that would start a different flow of memories each time you looked at it. A certain funny moment in practice like the quaffle exploding, or the feeling when JD held that snitch aloft, or when Becca suddening jumped into action afterall arriving at the pitch like an utter zombie. Nia thought it was a perfect choice as a leaving present from the team.

She'd miss Becca. A lot.

Nia came from her thoughts and memories of her year as Captain, to hear Becca start talking. It made a change from Nia always doing the speeches. Though she did think she was good at motivational pre-match speeches. You had to be, as Captain, really. If you wanted the team to perform their best.

She chuckled as Becca grinned at Jacob on the odd bit, sending him a wink too. She could still spy cake remnants around his face, but resisted the urge to be all motherly and tell him to wipe them off. Instead, she listened to Becca. Whose speech was really rather heart warming. It was true, how well everyone had gelled together from just wanted to be totally hardcore on a broomstick - and oh, how they were 'hardcore' - and they had all worked tirelessly. And done everything Nia had asked of them in practice and in the matches. She was a proud Captain, and grinned and nodded along to what Becca was saying. Cos it was all so totally true.

And then Becca turned it on to her, Nia. She started to wave it off with a smile. A 'thanks but it's not all me, I'm the captain and organiser, but everyone is key' type answer was forming ready in her head. Cos it was totally true. Becca hadn't given her a chance to just wave it off though. Oh no.

...because the Seventh Year had totally carried on talking. About the Captain. About Nia. About her.

She blinked. And blushed. A lot. Well, it felt like her cheeks would be a lovely dark red by now. And very warm. She wasn't used to public something - grattitude, support - she wasn't sure. Just that usually the cheering and rewards all came on the pitch and in the cake at the after party. Not someone speaking about you when you were standing in centre stage. And such lovely words. Nia bit her lip, glancing between Becca, the team and the rest of the Common Room.

Had she really done all that? With that she smiled, because that's all she'd ever set out to do as Captain - to get her team to play the best Quidditch they possibly could. And they had. They'd got the highest ever losing score. They'd unlocked inner confidence that had been surrounded by doubt. They'd developed strategies that only this particular team would ever be able to play. They. Not just her. They.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thank you ALL." Nia finally said, a tear threatening to escape her eye and run down her cheek. Was that Becca getting her own back? Cos she'd just totally outdone Nia's speech. Probably purposely, the Captain decided. So that KeepKeep wouldn't be the only teary one by the end of the night.

And then, before Nia could contemplate saying anything else, the girl of the moment came for a team hug. Nia hugged back, and hoped that in the midst of it all, no one would see the tear that had now escaped. She was a proud Captain. And apparently an emotional one too. Who knew what she'd be like next term, with facing graduation herself?

Listening as Becca made her speech after opening her gift, JD's eyes turn even more shiny. Seeing the look she gave him about when he wasn't there to be seeker the second half of their first game that term, he snorts quietly.

He did that on purpose...of course, he thinks with a smirk. Yep, made sure he got sick and all, definitely. Seeing as Becca was starting to tear up, he put his hand on her shoulder. After the speech was over her turning to Nia, he looks over at Nia as well.

He notices she was teary too. Awww! Blinking his eyes, he wasn't teary...nope! Those were ummm, tears of joy, yepyep, he was glad the speeches were over that's all. Biting the inside of his cheek, he wasn't gonna let no tears escape not at all, cause they were just tears of joy of course, but he didn't want that mistaken.

Stepping over to where Nia and Becca were, he wraps his arms around both of them, in a big hug.

Ellie was ssooo excited. And she was very happy to see Becca liked their gift! She would miss her! She was rocking back and forth on her feet as Becca hugged her other two team mates. Then when it was her turn, she wrapped the most awesome quidditch playing seventh year in an enourmous SQQUUUEEEEEEEEEEZZEE!!!!!!

"MASSIVE RAVENCLAW GROUP HUG!" Becca declared, expecting the whole world to now come forth in a hug. She waited about ten seconds for a fairly large group to gather and squish in before she dropped to the floor and crawled through the mob of people to get to the food table.

Now let's look at this situation for a moment here. There's hugging, teary eyes, and unity. It's like one of those really, really cheesy moments at the end of a movie.

And it had gone on much too long for Becca's liking. TOO MANY SAPPY FEELINGS.

She set down her present on the table and picked up two plates of fairly large cake. Without making a scene, she crawled back into the middle of the group hug carefully so she would not attract attention to herself, somehow managing to carry the plates all the while. Then, upon finding Nia's shoes, Becca slipped up behind the girl, shoved one plate in her face, shortly followed by one in Ellie's face, then got the heck out of there. "Cake fiiiight...!?"

And she ran.

Suddenly being tackled by like everyone in the room, JD nearly falls over from the pressure of everyone up and around him. Laughing harder, he looks over just in time to see Becca coming in with two large pieces of cake. Wait...when did sh...

GIGGLESNORT! Collapsing on the floor in laughter, he watches as Nia and Ellie look stunned with cake hanging from their faces. Gasping for air as laughter consumes him, he dodges feet as the stampede for the cake table.

"Now that's a party!" he cries, tears of laughter go running down his face as he watches Ellie and Nia.

Suddenly Mina was surrounded and there was A LOT of hugging going down and she giggled. Yes, that was just how they all were and yet another reason why she did love her house so! Holding her stomach slightly from all her giggling, she finally noticed Becca return and then cake....face.

Giggling a little harder, she bend over. "RAVENCLAW CAKE FIGHT!!!!!!" she laughed as she made a dash for the cake again. Okay, she wasn't going to fight with it. No, she was so going to eat more of it.


SUGAR!!!!!!!!!

Hugs, hugs, hugs. Ellie was actually enjoying the giddyness of the group hug. She loved their house. And their team. And Becca always cracked her up during practice and in the locker room and stuff.

And then.... WHAM! She closed her eyes instinctively, as her tongue (not too cleverly) licked her lips. It was okay, though. Cuz the tongue tasted CAKE! But cake... is something that doesn't belong on the face. It belongs IN the mouth. And stomach and all those other digestive organs.

So, naturally, she wheeled around. And there was a flash of Becca running. What?! How in Merlin's name did she get cake?! She was HUGGING her two seconds ago!

She was in stunned, shocked, silence. And her cake plastered face looked up and saw that Nia was ALSO covered in frosting. Alright then. Lifting her hand up, Ellie wiped the excess guckiness from her face.

And she ran to catch up to Becca, raised the messy hand. And wiped it on her. On her face. On her hair. On her robes.

Then, quite appropriately, she followed her attacker's lead and yelled, FOOOOD FIIIIGGGHHHTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!" And she dashed back to the cake table. Clever of Becca to have pre-cut all those pieces. Probably part of her master plan, but now it could be used against her.

She took two plates, one for each hand, and threw one in Becca's face again. Whether it made it or not, she'd never know. And the other....

Seeing a small boy on the floor, shaking with laughter. Her perfect opportunity. She walked over to him and bent down. "What's so funny?" she asked with an eyebrow raised. And WHAM went cake in JD's face too. HA!

Cheering Ellie on as she went after Becca, JD starts to get up so he can get some cake to stuff in someone's face as well. As he lifts himself, he gets pushed over with cake right in his face. Laying back on the floor, he giggles once again. "Ellie!"

With the cake dripping from his eyebrows, he grins at her. "I'm gonna get you for that, as soon as I get Becca."

Nia was enjoying the big group hug. All her teamies. Another tear threatened to roll down her cheek, as she thought about Becca's speech, but it wasn't given a chance. As speak of the devil, the girl was right in front of her, cake in hand.

Oooooor cake NOT in hand. Cake on Nia's face.

Nia unhooked herself from the group hug. Standing up to her full height, Nia wiped a chunk of cake from under her eye and flicked it off. Looking stern, she put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. "Miss Rebecca Parker..." she started seriously, eying the girl's retreating back and doing her best to look totally unimpressed.

Her lips flickered into a smile. "I'm totally gonna come and get you back." With that, she ran to the cake and armed herself. Becca had got herself a tough opponent. Oh yes. She would not be able to escape Nia with cake in hand. Bahahaha.

As Becca darted out of the crowd, she felt a hand slide from her hair all the way down to her lower back. That was Ellie and her cake, without a doubt, but Becca immediately sped up upon clearing the mob of people. She dodged chairs and tables like it was NOTHING!

Rebecca Parker would personally like to thank her soccer program from the past thirteen years for supplying her with skills that will carry her through the most pivotal points in her life.

Like now, for instance.

On the opposite side of the room from the rest of the team, Becca stopped behind a couch as if it would protect her - just in time to see Nia's devilish grin. "Wanna bet?" Yeeep. That was a CHALLENGE. Which was probably a bad idea, because next thing she knew cake was flying at her from elsewhere. She ducked with plenty of time to spare and smirked at Ellie. "It was a valiant attempt, my young warrior." Then she watched as the first year shoved cake in JD's face and Becca declared it LOVE. Cute ickle love between two baby Ravenclaws. How precious.

But then JD, for some reason, seemed to throw Becca a look that told her she was likely to be his next target.

Cool beans.

"Ganging up on one person NEVER works," she lied in a hopefully convincing tone, subtly eyeing the staircase leading up to the dorm next to her. That was her best choice of escape. From there, she would have to wing it. But maybe her team would take her advice and attack each other instead...? But because she knew better than to put her guard down, Becca locked eyes with Nia, knowing she would be the one to keep an eye on. She would have a trap planned and orders given in no time, so the seventh year was ready for anything.

"JD!" Ellie mocked him, raising an eyebrow. Silly boys. "Oh, you are are you?" Not if she could help it! Aaand she was back at the cake table. Taking two plates, once again. Only this time...BOTH were for Becca.



"Here's another 'attempt'." she said. Only it wasn't gonna be an 'attempt'. Oh no. It was gonna be a 'success'. All three of 'em out to get her!

Ellie began to run through the crowd, both plates in hand. No idea how'd she manage through it all, but she will. Her eyes were FOCUSED on Becca. That kid was going DOWN!