“"And we're about the begin the new season of Bloodbowl! Coach Eagle is really fired up about the team we've assembled this year--true, they're all rookies who were second-stringers last year, but when the entire team is made up of seniors who graduate at the same time, what else can you do but start fresh?"

"That's right, Mike, though they came close to retaining the services of a couple of players, right up until they agreed to attend summer school to make up the credits lost while playing..."

"We'll sure miss them, Fritz, but hey, let's not take these new guys for granted just yet! They might surprise us!"

"Let's see how this first drive goes, as the dwarves have opted to receive the ball. They're not much into the flashy magics like transfiguration and illusion, but simply prefer to use geomancy to get things done. And rather efficiently, too...the rats seem shocked that a dwarf team can start a drive to the left, then reverse field to the right and run around the corner to paydirt. And in only 4 turns, too!"

"Looks like it's not just the new Ratwarts team which is going to surprise us today, Fritz. Our boys receive the kick, and there goes Shagrid! A half ton of magical fury bearing down on the poor, defenseless dwarf who dared score the previous turn..."

"Oof! Do you still call that dwarf "poor and defenseless" anymore, Mike? I sure don't, not after that stun-charm he magicked up in an instant!"

"Indeed, the entire Ratwarts squad seems a bit taken aback, with even the Professor taking a few steps back to assess the situation. But look! Pretty-boy Draco is trying to win the Professor's favor by rushing forward, ready to score...he must be trying to earn extra credit!"

"Ooooooooooh, looks like all he'll earn is detention, if he doesn't pay attention to opposing clubbers..."

"This leaves the Professor having to use Percy, a student with more guts than skill...but he caught the bloodball! Racing along the left side of the pitch, easily outgaining the slower dwarves! Ratwarts ties the score at the half!"

"And with us receiving the ball, we've a very good chance at taking the lead for the first time today! The coach has made his plans, the students are in position...oh, oh, looks like the opposing coach has either given his students teleportation lessons or they had used some divination to determine where we would be, then masked their true location with a powerful illusion. Either way, our boys are staring at dwarves everywhere they're not supposed to be, a perfect defense against our plans! The sheer unfairness of the situation causes Shagrid to cry out in frustration!"

"It's not over yet, Mike. Even though we got caught off-guard, this duel is just getting going! Looks like Shagrid was only faking being knocked to the ground, as he has blasted one of the opposing slayers clean off the pitch with a wave of magical force! The way the other students react as one to change directions and once again give the ball to Percy to race down the left, the Professor must've been practicing telepathy with his class at halftime!"

"Indeed, Fritz, the dwarven students are caught so far out of position that it only takes a couple of Ratwarts students to screen Percy from any unwanted attention for virtually the entire half, stepping across the magical curtain to score just seconds before time expired."

"Wait, Mike, what's all this commotion on the pitch? Why is there a big green cloud on the right side, and come to think of it, where is Shagrid?"

"Let's consult the crystal ball, see what happened there in the last few moments...ahh, there he is, Fritz! Surrounded by dwarven students, eager to have him demonstrate his disappearing trick!"

"Trick it sure is! Shagrid never can resist showing off that little spell, even in the middle of a game! He waves his wand, and poof! Where he was standing is only a green cloud...where he's standing now, nobody knows! Seems it's time to start taking donations of chocolate bunnies again...he always seems to appear whenever there's enough of them in one spot. It's almost...magic!"

"Right you are, Fritz! Guess in the meantime the team will be forced to play a couple games short a player or two, but this victory over the dwarven students, despite the loss of one of our own, seems to have spurred the board of directors to agree to increased seating capacity in the stadium! If we can fill those seats every game, chocolate bunny donations won't take any time at all!"

"Until the next game, Mike, it's been fun. Good night out there, please come back for our next match, and remember to bring a friend and a couple extra bunnies!"”