The Pitch.
The place where the magic happened. It all comes together between the roar of the crowd and the wind whistling in your ears. Ah it was more than just an arena for a game tourney. Nah, the Pitch was a special place. Didn't matter which Pitch it was. A simple school pitch like this one or the Grand Stadium itself. There was a vibe, an energized feeling that dwelled between the goal posts. It was in the ground, in the stands, and in the very air itself. So much excitement, so many hopes and dreams, so much life went into the game and those feelings stayed behind once the game was won and the crowd dispersed. Even the smell was the same. The smell of airborne combat and a test of wills. It was a good place to be.
Mordecai breathed in deeply, expanding his chest as he closed his eyes. He stood in the center of the vast empty pitch, a lone figure dwarfed by the colossal towers that loomed on all sides of the oval arena. The usual buzz of a pre-game adrenaline rush coursed through his veins and a shiver coursed up his spine, setting the hairs on the back of his neck on end. Just standing in that place brought an injection of life into his battered body and Mordecai allowed himself to smile.
It felt good to be home.
Out of pure habit Mordecai kneeled and pulled out a small clump of grass with his fingers. Using both of his hands he rolled the soil clumped roots together until he formed a tight ball of earth in between his palms. He placed his mouth on his cupped hands and inhaled sharply before he lifted his head and exhaled. Instead of spitting out a clog of earth a golden vapor curled out of his mouth and was carried away by a gust of wind that blew in from the south. The wind had accepted his offering and would be with him this day. Which was a great thing because in a moment the four house teams would be down at the Pitch to meet him for the first time. And Mordecai was not one to disappoint.
Chuckling to himself he undid the band that held his hair together and allowed the wind to play with the long strands. He would wait for the teams to gather before he showed himself. He wanted to see just what sort of chemistry these kids had with one another before they got down to Quidditch business. Without a sound, Mordecai turned and headed toward the stands, vanishing into the shadows of one of the towers before the first player arrived.