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It's the time of the year when we take a moment to celebrate the heroes amongst us! Please join your hands in applause as I present the winners of this term's Gryffindor Awards. In the category of house points... With an amazing 1,780 House Points earned for Gryffindor, the Platinum Quill Award goes to @Sky Alton. Moving on to our house's internal points, we have... The Phoenix Award, which is presented to the Gryffindor with most Rubies: @Iverian Gnash with an incredible 693 Rubies! Similarly to the Phoenix Award, we offer the Lionheart Award to a non-Gryffindor friend, who managed to earn the most rubies overall. Let's hear it for @Maxim Trevelyan of Ravenclaw with a jaw-dropping 984 Rubies! Now, shifting focus to awards to which I like to refer as Staff Choice Awards... I present the Curious Kitten Award to @Iverian Gnash, who helps make Gryffindor's presence felt all around Hogwarts and who is constantly leaving us in awe with her enthusiasm and eagerness. For her omnipresence, reliability, willfulness... The person who is definitely one of the main backbones of Gryffindor, @Sky Alton is presented with the Consistent Cub Award. Last, but not least, @Prof. Zenix James, for her immense pride in the things she does for our House and the brave and bold spirit, is awarded the Lively Lionet Award. Congratulations to all, I am very proud of you!

I know the End of Year Feast is behind us, but we are not quite done until we take a moment to acknowledge the people who have contributed to our proud House. With the most House Points earned we have @Iverian Gnash, who collected 1,963 House Points for our House in the previous term. To her we present the Platinum Quill Award. Not only has she collected the most House Points, she’s also the Gryffindor who managed to collect the most Rubies, which earns her the Phoenix Award! Well done! Speaking of Rubies, one of our non-Gryffindor friends managed to collect a total 411 Rubies for the term. Well done @Maxim Trevelyan for earning the Lionheart Award. Thank you for hanging out in our Common Room. The Gryffindor House values hard work. On that note, I would like to present the Studious Simba Award to @Lizzi Long for her school and class-related efforts. Next on is the Exploding Snap Award, which coincidentally goes to one of the main backers of the Exploding Snap activity, @Iverian Gnash. Iverian has contributed a lot to Gryffindor even outside of her duties as member of staff. Having said that, I would also like to congratulate her on being promoted to a Prefect. Well deserved! Last, but definitely not least, I am delighted to present an award which is a true honour here in Gryffindor: The Pride of the Pride. For her immeasurable effort and contributions, for her positive attitude, true Gryffindor spirit and unquestionable loyalty to the House, the Pride of the Pride Award is presented to our @Sky Alton. Thank you!

The Chocolate Factory doors have just opened! Join us for a tour of the famed factory while watching out for oompa loompas and eating an inordinate amount of candy :D

He went out of the house to go to the healer on the doorstep there was a mouse who made the lad a squealer.

Who's excited for the new school year? :D

I've never actually had a surprise party thrown for me. Do you still have to act surprised even though you kno it's coming? And I totally agree, Kalina, you are never to old to pretend to delicately sip tea while eating far too much cake.

Mine is on the 16th of March. It's usually pretty cold, so I don't get to go do any fun outdoor type parties. This year I am having a tea party. Never too old for one.

*wicked laugh* Sky, you have to like three of my posts (or until my reputation score reaches 15) :D Duck!

Welcome to the Chocolate Factory! Before we begin our tour of this magnificent palace filled with every sweet you can dream up, there are a few announcements to be made. Each Monday, tasks will be posted relating to certain rooms in the chocolate factory. For each task completed, you will earn a number of candies from the factory and 10 rubies. Each candy is worth a certain number of points which will not be revealed until the end of the activity at which time they are tallied up and a winner is announced. If we end with a tie, a tie breaker is in place to break it. Records of everyone's ruby and candy counts will be kept track of separately :) First place winner receives the Chocolate Factory award (and of course becomes owner of the factory) as well as 75 beans. Second place wins 50 beans and third place wins 25 beans. If there are any accessibility issues with a task, let us know and an alternative task will be available. Everything is due on the 22nd of December at 11.59 PM HOL-time. There are perks to doing tasks the week they are posted though so be sure to stop by the golden ticket thread for details. With that, let our chocolate factory tour begin!

Buried in the pile of things to repair is what appears to be a black rose, made of metal. On a short stem, of twelve inches, and with stubs of leaves coming out from the stem but jagged and broken off, the rose itself looks like it had been denuded of some of the petals. Not just taken off, but like the petals had been ripped off, much like the leaves on the stem. It needs to have the leaves replaced and some of the petals of the rose. It's still lovely, though, that rose -- and looks like it could be lovely again. The rose might have been damaged in the mass exodus from the Floating Market, after Door, Richard, Hunter and the Lamia leave it. Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar caused quite the stir ... Idea comes from Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, and Hammersmith, who created that rose for a customer. Gold Awarded!

You might have noticed a ripple of excitement and anticipation around The Den recently. The portraits are whispering amongst themselves, several huge boxes have arrived for the Prefect in Charge and the Head of House has got everyone polishing butterbeer flagons. This can mean only one thing… Gryfftoberfest is coming! For those of you who’ve never experienced the wonder of Gryfftoberfest before, it is a massive, month long party. We play games, drink lion’s shares of butterbeer and make so much noise that Gryffindor tower has been known to shake quite alarmingly. It’s a time to celebrate all the best and silliest aspects of Gryffindor and what it stands for. While this month is all about the scarlet and gold, as ever our doors are wide open to anyone from HOL who wants to stop by The Den to join in. Come right in! In order to enjoy and send-up the most fun and ridiculous aspects of being a house known for bravery and chivalry, we’re all taking a trip to a magical Renaissance fair this year. The gates will open on October 1st but before they do, we need your help. Gryfftoberfest traditionally begins with the quest for that years Motto: a slogan to set the tone for the rest of the month’s festivities and give us something to yell at random intervals (try not to spill your drinks when that happens!). We’re looking for something short and bold that people can include in their signature designs once the activity gets started. It could talk about our traditional characteristics, like last year’s fabulous motto: ‘Roaring with pride’ by Vanessa Tilley. Alternatively, it could follow this year’s theme of the Renaissance Fair. It can be as funny or as OTT as you like – taking ourselves seriously is one thing we struggle with in The Den. Rules: - The deadline is 11.59 PM Hol-time on Saturday 28th September. -Keep your Mottos to 15 words or less and entirely HOL appropriate -You must be happy for people to reuse your motto on signatures and the like. -You’ll earn 5 rubies per Motto for the first 5 you submit (25 in all). You can submit more for consideration but you won’t earn rubies for them. -Third place will win an extra 10 rubies, second place an extra 15 and first place an extra 20 -The Gryffindor staff will decide winners Send all Mottos to me (Sky Alton) via a Common Room PM titled ‘Mottos 2019’ and include your Hol Name and house. Please try to gather them all together into one message – I don’t want my inbox cracking under the strain if you send a new one every time you think up another incredible motto!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to introduce myself! My name is Anna and I am a first year and a part of Ravenclaw house. I can't wait to see what new stuff Gryffindor has to offer!

Goose

We all know that there’s no safer place than Hogwarts. But even in the safest place in the world, it pays to be prepared. The Head of House has instructed me to come up with an Emergency Kit for the Gryffindor Common Room so that we are perfectly prepared for any crisis (house elf strike, rampaging hippocampi, spell gone wrong) that almost certainly, probably, hopefully won’t happen. Unfortunately, I’ve been far too busy to gather the items we’ll need so I’ve decided to crowd source the kit from our wonderful students, staff and visitors. I call it the Cleverly Collaborative Crisis Coping Collection Initiative. Now I know that you don’t all have access to top of the range emergency gear with the first Hogsmeade visit so far away so we may have to improvise a bit with stuff we already have lying around the place… Please contribute items that you think would be useful to the emergency kit and explain why you’re adding them. The reasons can be silly or serious. The catch is, they must be items that you already own: it would be particularly fun if they were items that you can see from wherever you are when you respond but just something you own is fine too. As this is an icebreaker, it would also be good if the items gave us a hint about your interests or personality. You may post as many times as you like, though not back to back. I’ll begin… I’ll donate my fluffy flamingo as we might be able to use it as a decoy or distraction in an emergency.

I would add in the Quintuple-C Initiative (I hope I used the right word) my knitting wool and needles! The wool can be used as a distraction and sometimes even be used to set up traps if needed, and knitting can be a good stress reliever, to get your mind off things, and you'd get a scarf or whatever you build out of it to stay warm and comforted too! Maybe even the softness of the material can help deter danger, maybe if you were chased by someone, and all they needed was a soft, warm sweater to be happy, you'd be ready to both save yourself and make someone happy. (Did I make sense?)

Rubies are Gryffindor’s internal points: you’ll earn them for taking part in activities and generally being active around the den. For each Ruby you add to your personal hourglass, you’ll earn yourself a bean over on the main HOL site. In addition, you’ll also have the chance to vie for our very shiny termly awards for highest ruby count. Both Gryffindors and visitors can earn Rubies through activities. Gryffindors will also have the chance to earn them through actions that support the House, such as Quidditch practice and the like. Only Gryffindor staff have the power to award Rubies. The number of Rubies you’ve earned during the current term will be displayed beneath your name on the Common Room and also on your profile. In addition, you’ll also be able to check the Ruby standings on the main page where the top earners are displayed. The Ruby count will reset every term: any Rubies you earn over the summer will be added to your total for the next term. At the end of each term (autumn and spring), the prestigious awards I mentioned earlier will be awarded: the Phoenix Award for the Gryffindor with the highest number of rubies and The Lionheart Award for our top earning visitor. To be in with a chance of scooping one, you’ll need to have your ear to the ground for Gryffindor goings-on and be as active as possible around the Common Room. Good luck!

I slap Ivey because her reputation has now changed to 9 (having been on 8 forever) and now I have to get used to a new number near her name.

I slap Emily for earning the Summer Reading Challenge award!

Welcome to Madam Pince’s board! The formidable Hogwarts librarian has stepped away from her desk for a moment so I can be as loud as I like while running through the purpose of this forum with you. That purpose is points, precious, precious points. How to get them and how to get more of them. Jokes aside, this board is the place to come for all matters relating to HOL classes, HOL assignments and extra house point earning opportunities. Whether you're after information or a helping hand, hopefully we can provide. If you’re excited about class sign-ups, want to get opinions on an idea for a class you might want to teach, need support balancing your work load, are struggling with an assignment or are looking for an activity to fill your time, this is the place. Every term, I will post a thread to help you keep track of all the ways you can earn points for our house and pin it to the top of the board. I’ll update it every time something new pops up so make sure you check back regularly. I’ll also be posting reminders for important things like deadlines and the start of class signups. There may be the odd inspirational speech or expertly choreographed cheerleading routine thrown in as well to help you along. In short: watch this space! If you have any questions, suggestions or frantic cries for help that you need to get off your chest, my inbox is always open. (I mean, you could ask Madam Pince… if you think you’re brave enough.)

Mmm, that sounds great, Lora A lot of our family's made up recipes are the 'I have this, this and this in the cupboard, can I make a meal out of them?' variety. Through that though we've found some really good pasta dishes (the one with tuna and olives springs to mind and yes, I can hear lots of you gagging - seriously, it's good!). When I was at university with limited supplies, I did a lot of the 'stick it in the microwave and see what happens' style of experiments: the cake with extra chocolate worked, the frozen bread roll that caught fire? Not so much. Speaking of university, a flatmate once asked me if she could make cheesecake out of milk, icing sugar and the wrong kind of biscuit. I seem to recall I managed to convince her just to make a bowl of icing to dip her biscuits in but that might be wishful thinking.

Sorry I'm late, but Happy Birthday! I hope you had a great day, even though you had an exam :)

just chilling in the common room :)

Popping in for a second to add that I love cream cheese icing Lora :D It's sooo much better than regular icing. When I'm eating cake, cupcakes, or anything with icing on it, I hate it when they put way too much on and you're basically eating icing with a bit of cake XD At the same time though, I wouldn't be able to eat it without icing, so there's a perfect amount for me that decides whether or not I like it LOL

Lora, that pizza sounds utterly incredible. And I totally agree about the pasta, Nessa. Given a choice I will nearly always have pasta; besides, when I'm out (providing it's not ribbon pasta) it's easiest to eat without worrying about making a mess and embarrassing myself.

Every time I took a quiz, I ended being sorted mostly in Slytherin than Gryffindor. I didn't really mind being in Slytherine earlier but I always wanted to be in Gryffindor tho I didn't have much hope being sorted into it. I was always a 65% Slytherine and 35% Gryffindor person. And when I was finally joined HOL, I was sorted into Gryffindor which is cracking. Even when I finally tried my house in Pottermore, I was sorted to Gryffindor !!!. Maybe I am a more Gryffindor than a Slytherine after all...

I totally agree. It's always so important to remember that the only person who knows how to live your life is you. It's the only one you've got and you can't waste it on worrying what other people think you should be doing with it. Although, if anyone finds themselves having problems on HOL you can always come to me or Iverian as your prefects. We don't stand for any malicious behaviour around here and we will get to the bottom of it. This is a safe space, free from rumours and spite and we work hard to keep it that way. You're all free to be you around here :)

*sips on a cool Pumpkin juice under that infamous tree by the Black Lake* Hello, my beautiful people! I am coming to you from the edge of the Black Lake with a curious question for you all. I hope you will honor me by letting me know what you think and what your ideas are. At Hogwarts, this lovely school where we attend and/or teach, where do you love to hang out and relax when you're not in classes or doing homework (or avoiding taking O.W.L.S)? Let's say it's Saturday and you have the whole day ahead of you: what are you doing? Where are you going? Maybe, even, who are you going with? Do you have a secret spot? As a professor, I cherish the free time I have when I'm not working on The Gryffindor Paw Print or teaching classes. Or when I'm not in my Hobbit-hole of a dungeon hiding from the world. Personally, I really enjoy catching some sun by the Black Lake under a beech tree. I'll take a good novel out and read for a bit or watch the students throw food into the lake for the Giant Squid. I'll also secretly hope that no one gets picked up by a tentacle by the ankle. While it was rather funny last year, the paperwork and notifying parents was an absolute nightmare. So, tell me, where are your favorite spots?

Here goes , Even one of my friends had this problem. Rumours really hurt when you somehow got to know them coz rumours gets into you emotionally . They just spread around so fast, making others to look at you in a really misunderstanding way. Somehow, I hate it for they put most of the people in to a total meltdown. People will say you names, they will try to put you down in all sorts of ways and tease you to your own behaviour. You can also be called a wierdo, an oddball, a looser, a pathetic but don't put yourself down because the others don't know you, they haven't seen you. You always know who you are and don't go being others but only your true self. Being yourself makes you really confidence and the other people will get to notice you. Rumours misjudge people but speak up to yourself when rumours spread about you (you don't have to be afraid ) and keep close to your friends who will stick with you in every way. "Don't let someone dim your light simply because it's shining in their eyes" :)

Big thank you to GQT for the fun season, we'll come back stronger for the next one! If anyone wants to join, just message Prof. Jenny Lupin or myself!

Hi, I'm Marlena, and I'm a Hufflepuff. Nice to meet all of you!

Hey, Ravenclaw here. Hope all is well and nice to meet you all!!!

Ah, yes, last year was hilarious. So, you're welcome for the laugh. *thinks of those students she lured to the black lake to help her feed the Giant Squid* Hey, I'm not the one who let the Giant Squid grab ME, so... *looks rather prideful in escaping capture, although Sky wasn't very happy afterwards* So, now that I am banned from being anywhere near the black lake (well, that's according to Sky *walks off to go ask Zee if I can swim in it*), I spend a lot of my time in the library (reading of course, not switching books around on the shelves) and in this very nice little abandoned room - Room of Requirement - that is filled with tons of prank objects (which gives me a good place to think about... my homework and classes, not my next big prank *cough*). When I just want to relax a bit, I... go to the quidditch pitch and taunt members of opposing teams while they're practicing... I mean, I lay on the pitch and stare at the sky while thinking of all the homework I need to do. :D

The best of birthdays to the most over the top, excitable and passionate Gryff out there, Prof Zenix James! Have a wonderful day, Zee and I promise no jokes about how ancient you are. At least not until I've woken up a bit and can come up with good ones....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZEE!!!!!

Happy Birthday Zenix!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy birthday!!

Lea Salonga. She is a musical star and is an all-around wonderful person.

I really like chips. I also really like pizza! I voted for chips though, because when I have the munchies, I go for something salted like potato chips or a cracker like Ritz. As for ice cream ... nom. I most like the Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie or the Cheesecake Brownie. As for Chocolate vs Vanilla -- in addition to what Sky says, I think it depends on who makes it? Real vanilla tastes a lot different from real chocolate. By the time so much sugar is added, though, maybe they are pretty much the same? Re: Chocolate and Vanilla (and Strawberry)- Quote from Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Hello everyone! Thank you Sky for starting this off :) Now, it has come to my attention that many of you have been rather careless about their property. *pulls cool pen and box out of pile* I was wondering where this got to! What's this? Also my old DADA book?! I had to borrow Sky's when I lost, I mean someone TOOK my book! I would like this stuff to be returned to everyone since the cupboard seems like a great place to store all the things that I have stolen *cough* I mean BORROWED for fellow classmates. Alright, so here goes. Clue #1 - Item 1. This item of clothing was banned in OWL examinations Clue #1 - Person 1. The owner of this item posted about birthdays in the Fat Lady's Portrait Like Sky mentioned, PM the clue answers to her since she's the one administering those shiny awesome things referred to as RUBIES!!!! If you've got questions, I mean you COULD PM me, but I don't know anything, so I would say your best bet is to talk to our awesome Gryffindor prefect *points at Sky*

That is incredible! Major kudos to your grandmother. Make sure you have a sturdy walking stick on hand just in case the book gets a little bit over excited though. Be the eater, not the eaten. ;)

I am pretty excited about this birthday1 My grandma makes me a cake every year, and this year it's going to be The Monster Book of Monsters! I will try to share a picture if I can!

That sounds amazing. Someone made me a book themed cake once (complete with a bookmark)

i actually act surprised. last birthday i got a gryffindor-themed cake cuz im a PROUD GRYFFINDOR

Hey there guys. My name is Marie. I'm 27 years old. I have ALWAYS wanted to be able to actually do some sort of school work based off of this marvelous and magical world that has been created for us. This website gives me the opportunity to do that and I could not be happier :)

Hi there, I'm Sadie and I'm a first-year Hufflepuff on HOL, but IRL, I'm 18 years old from England. I'm new to the common room and hope to make tons of new friends on here.

My siblings and I made these adorable snowmen. My little sister decided to go all out with a hat which will keep hers very warm. I added lots of color to mine (mine is the one with the eyebrows that went terribly wrong LOL). My brother added a Gryffindor scarf to his and my youngest bro gave his big black eyes so he could see everything that was going on :D

I started in 2015 and should be on my fourth year right now. Way after the battle and the construction was all finished.