Breathing in and out to try and calm himself down as well as keep himself from just turning around and walking away, Gaspard found his eyes darting around at the other Ravenclaws. While he knew that he didn't have to do this, it was something he had now come to want to do. It was something he would have scoffed at years prior before he'd become friends with not one but three others whom were on their house teams. Just the thought of having friends would have been foreign to him.
Mimosa had been insufferable when he'd made the quidditch team as Keeper. She had to remind him it was a good idea she had written his name down. Just the thought caused a small smile to grace his face before it was wiped off when he heard, "Teams up in the air!"
Their captain was having the reserve team scrimmage against the starting players. Thankfully, whatever the outcome of the practice, he was sure that it wouldn't be held against him if he failed to block a few goals. Everyone had their off days; bonus that it was a practice and not an actual game.
Stepping forwards, Gaspard mounted his broom and kicked into the air. He still wasn't comfortable on a broom, but he felt a lot safer than he would if he were to actively engage with the other players. Much safer for him to be in one general spot. His eyes found the other Keeper whom had been on the reserves last year as well. Gaspard had watched the other as he kept in motion between the three goal posts. As the game commenced, Gaspard gnawed on his lip in thought. Hopefully, this would go well and would be short so he could return to the warmth and comfort of the castle.
Glancing up towards the sky, he felt his shoulders tense a little at the build up of grey clouds which heralded rain. Maybe if his luck held he would be able to skim by without the heavens opening up and dumping its contents on him while he was astride a piece of wood hundreds of feet in the air. Preoccupied as he was, it took a second shouting of, "KYLAR!" to get the teenager's attention. Jerking to attention, he narrowly missed a bludger that had been belted his way. That of course left two of the three rings he was to guard wide open.
The wind caused a slight chill that he hadn't accounted for, having forgone his jacket for the school uniform which he hadn't changed out of yet. When the team captain had rounded evreyone up for an impromptu practice, the last thing Gaspard wanted was to wreck his clothing.
He tried to calm his racing heart, pulling up all the lessons he'd had from Karan, Mimosa, Mercy, and the numerous team practices as he angled his broom down and to the edge of his space. The Chaser came right to the very boundary before tossing the quaffle behind to her fellow Chaser. It was a fake out maneuver he'd seen countless time and waited before speeding towards the far hoop. The second Chaser had tried a double feint as if he were going for the central goal. The quaffle hurtled toward the hoop and Gaspard was able to bat at the ball knocking it off course and slowing it's momentum. Having not been ready as he'd not been paying attention, Gaspard still fumbled and nearly lost the quaffle as the tips of his fingers couldn't quite grasp the ball.
Annoyance and guilt flared and settled as he finally got a good hold on the red ball. It was at times like this he wondered why he allowed himself to be subjected to something he wasn't fond of and only had a passing interest in. Naturally that was when the clouds opened up and let loose their storage of rain.
"Perfect," Gaspard groused before giving a sigh. Looks like he would be spending money on ingredients and his time brewing potions. He and the other Ravenclaws getting soaked to the bone from the downpour were bound to end up with colds. Of course, some had grabbed jackets while others had charms cast to warm them and repel the rain.
Knowing better but still allowing it to escape his mouth, he uttered, "This can't possibly get any worse."
And of course it had to because at the edge of the pitch, was one of last people he wanted to see at the moment.
by 
