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sweetpinkpixie · 08-20-2014, 05:20 PM

Nestled comfortably between the stairwells to the boys' dormitory away from the hustle and bustle of the central part of the common room is the reading room - complete with a long bending book case that takes up the entire back wall. You'll find several desks and chairs arranged comfortably to assist you with your homework and studying. For those that are looking for a quiet place to read and unwind, there are a few beanbag chairs strung about. Whether you're working on a project, completing some homework or simply want to relax and read, you've come to the right place.

As you enter, however, your eye is not drawn to the inviting looking study tables or bean bag chairs, but rather a large boulder that is situated off to the right of the entrance. If you go around to the back of it, you will see a gigantic pair of googly eyes glued on as well as a smiley face painted with white paint. Lions, say hello to the Gryffindor common room pet - Pride. He is large enough for any lions looking to climb upon and is especially useful for those wanting to brush up on looking down or working on their ROARS. Just be sure to treat Pride with respect and the occasional pat every now and again.

All in all, it is the perfect place to sit with friends and tackle any homework that comes your way. The most important thing to remember is not to stress. Remember, help is always given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. So if you need advice, ask a peer or a professor, or even a portrait, who knows where you will find your answers! The portraits in this part of the common room may be especially helpful to you as they are all former Heads of Gryffindor House. From Godric Gryffindor to Uric Oapley to Minerva McGonagall to Seren Bentley... they are all here! Even this one stern looking woman whose portrait is just off to the right of the bookcase.

Gryffindor Common Room design is based on the drawings by Whisperwings

Stormdancer · 06-12-2015, 05:03 PM

Sighing for the umpteenth time, Marsha read her Charms textbook over again. ….. AGAIN again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miranda Goshawk

"From lighting a warm hearth to igniting a Christmas pudding, the Fire-Making Spell is always useful around the wizarding household. However, the ability to produce fire with the flick of a wand can be dangerous to your fellow students (and worse, your books)."

Okay, she knew that already. She had read it four times already. The charm was incendio, and you had kind of draw a flame with your wand. See, all of that made sense. What didn’t make sense was that she had been trying for a few weeks now, and she couldn’t get it to work. Fair enough, she had been at home in that month celebrating Christmas… but really why was it that her charm and spell work never seemed to work properly or strongly to start with? She always had to practise.

SIGH!!

It least studying for magical classes was much much MUCH more fun than studying maths or science or english… though maybe not as much fun as it had been when her dad and Great Aunt Echo had been teaching her judo. Hehehe. That had been fun - though it had also given her sore muscles for a few days. Oh well, they had told her then that repetition was important.

So, with that in mind, she started again. ”En-CEN-di-o” She said pointing at the mortar she had taken with her from her potions kit. Nothing. Nada. ZIP. SIGHHHH.

DaniDiNardo · 06-12-2015, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiro MacMhuirich

Sighing for the umpteenth time, Marsha read her Charms textbook over again. ….. AGAIN again.

Okay, she knew that already. She had read it four times already. The charm was incendio, and you had kind of draw a flame with your wand. See, all of that made sense. What didn’t make sense was that she had been trying for a few weeks now, and she couldn’t get it to work. Fair enough, she had been at home in that month celebrating Christmas… but really why was it that her charm and spell work never seemed to work properly or strongly to start with? She always had to practise.

SIGH!!

It least studying for magical classes was much much MUCH more fun than studying maths or science or english… though maybe not as much fun as it had been when her dad and Great Aunt Echo had been teaching her judo. Hehehe. That had been fun - though it had also given her sore muscles for a few days. Oh well, they had told her then that repetition was important.

So, with that in mind, she started again. ”En-CEN-di-o” She said pointing at the mortar she had taken with her from her potions kit. Nothing. Nada. ZIP. SIGHHHH.

It hadn't been his intention, but somehow, in all the hustle and bustle of doing absolutely nothing, Maddox Quigley had fallen asleep on one of several comfy couches in the Gryffindor Common Room . Maybe he'd been doing something productive now but all he could remember was being a cat sprawled out then having a bunch of students surround him with insisting they brush his fur.

Naturally he'd wanted to protest but it felt quite nice and in no time he'd been out like a light. Now he was awake and figuring the best way to wake from a nap was with an apple. That meant the kitchen, which meant getting up.

The black cat rose lazily, stretching elaborately before hopping from the couch. That was when he heard it. The distant sound of someone butchering a spell's pronunciation.

The apple could wait ~~and how often did he say that?~~.

Maddox sauntered into the reading room, tail swishing this way and that. It was there he found the little First Year hard at her book and getting it terribly wrong. Okay not terribly. He hopped up into the chair opposite hers where he stretched back into the form of a man and leaned over to get a better look. "I do believe you've got the pronunciation out of sorts." Also. "Hello, Miss Hanover."

Stormdancer · 06-12-2015, 07:29 PM

”Oh!” Marsha said, shocked to see her Charms Professor suddenly appear before her. How had he gotten there? Was she really that focused on her book and studying that she had completely get her guard down. Whooops. However, on the upside, maybe she could get some pointers since this obviously wasn’t working for her.

Hi Professor.” She smiled at Quiggley across the table. ”The pronunciation? Incendio… In looks so simple on the page… why is the pronunciation always so difficult?” She sighed slightly, fingering the edges of her page again. She tilted her head to the side some more and then looked at the Professor. With a small smile, she picked up the apple that was sitting beside her study books (along with a banana and a bunch of grapes), and held it out.

”How do you say it properly?” She asked as she picked out a grape for herself.

DaniDiNardo · 06-12-2015, 08:38 PM

Had he startled her?

The man gave an apologetic smile as he nicked the apple he hoped she'd been offering to him. Why else would she have taken it up in his presence? Best not to think about it too much. He'd just...bite into it and hope she wasn't the type to insist she wanted it back anyway. Children were afraid of other people germs, yeah, or was that just him?

Eh. Crunch.

"I don't find the pronunciation that difficult but that might be because I've been at this Charms business for so long." Maddox shrugged, taking another bite of his apple. "Just gotta keep at it. Try it this was: 'IN-cen-di-o'."

Under the assumption she already had the wand movement and intent in check. Should work like a charm--no pun intended.

Stormdancer · 06-12-2015, 11:11 PM

Marsha gave him a WIDE BEAMING smile as he accepted the apple happily. Yay. She continued to pick at the grapes as she listened to her Professor, looking between him and the textbook in front of her. Though, as much as she liked grapes, she liked banana’s more. They reminded her of home, and of her mum. The sole thought, brought a smile to her face.

”Oh… it’s IN-cen-di-o … not en-SEN-di-o…” She repeated, looking away from the book at at Quiggley. Yeah, that was quite a difference. She offered him a ‘sorry!’ look, apologising for butchering his subject. ”Incendio.” She repeated, together but still slow letting it roll over her tongue to see how it felt and how it sounded.

She looked at the older man in front of her, as if waiting for him to tell her that she was still saying it wrong. She thought she was saying it like he had - but that meant nothing… not really. Not when you added her Welsh accent into the mix. Sometimes sounds just didn’t come out as they would for others. Annoying, that’s what it was at times. Incendio.

DaniDiNardo · 06-13-2015, 04:10 AM

A few bites into the apple and there were no protests. It could only mean one of three things and he was hoping it was the second. Not that he couldn't summon an elf and have it fetch her a new one--fetch a couple because he'd obviously be needing some for himself.

Maddox listened keenly as the First Year tried her tongue at pronunciation again. There was obvious improvement this time around but perhaps, "Just a little softer on the 'c' and it should be good."

The Charms Professor reached for her book, duplicated it then ripped a page from the duplicated copy. "Here." He said sliding it across to her. "Try setting this one fire. I'll be sitting right here in case something goes horribly wrong." Like...say....setting all the furniture on fire instead. You just never knew with Firsties; their magic was still getting used to being tamed by the constraints of a wand.

"Just have to work at it til it happens, kinda like turtles how they have to keep working at that paddling thing til they hit the water." You know how those baby turtles do.

Stormdancer · 06-15-2015, 10:09 AM

Softer c… right. She could do that, she could totally do that. Incendio. Incendio. She thought, before trying to say it again, ”Incendio.” She said, thinking about it as she went. ”Incendio. Incendio.” She tried to say it softly, without saying the whole thing softly. That wouldn’t work, not if she didn’t mean it anyway.

She watched curiously, as she watched him take her book and duplicate it. Awesome - two bo- WHAT. She stared at him, wondering how he could just rip a book up like that… even if it was just made. ”Poor book.” She said, even though she picked up her wand and tried to centre herself. This time, at least she had a chance of success.

So this time, pointing her wand at the paper that Quiggley had just given her, she grinned slightly as she figured out the intention behind the charm. One deep breath and she said ”Incendio,”, as she flickered her wand towards the paper.

And then her eyes went wide. REALLY wide. There were a few sparks from her wand, and a small flame. Although the flame wasn’t powerful, it cut through the paper, turning it to ash on the table. ”Woah.” She said with a grin. So it wasn’t the best - but she had managed!

BUT. Back to the turtles for a minute. ”Do we have turtles at Hogwarts?”

DaniDiNardo · 06-15-2015, 01:40 PM

As he sat listening to the young Gryffindor, there was something that became glaringly obvious. He...was done his apple. It was gone, that was it, there was no more and the man deflated internally. Now he would definitely be needing another but he couldn't just abandon the First Year mid-advice giving. Airey would never forgive him if Miss Hanover burnt the Common Room down.

So in the end it was best he stay and simply watch her. The incantation was coming along nicely. The pronunciation was becoming less of the issue.

Maddox raised a brow at her sympathies expressed toward the book. "It would begin to tarnish and break away on it's own eventually. Hardly the life for a book." Which was why he'd be completely vanishing it after they were done with whatever was left of it. Who knew, might need a few more pages ripped out first.

The Charms Professor watched the paper carefully once she tried casting again, noticeably pleased with the results. "Good work Miss Hanover! I knew you had it in you." He ripped another page and handed it to her as well while he considered her question of turtles on the grounds.

"I suspect there could be. Last I saw, there was a pond somewhere on the grounds and if it has ducks on the odd occasion why not turtles too? Diverse little things they are. Bet there's even some in the lake swimming around with the squid." A tad far fetched but this was Hogwarts. Anything could happen. "My youngest sons want one but I fear too much for the creature's life to give them one." His boys meant well....most times, but that was going to have to be a no.

Stormdancer · 06-19-2015, 12:54 PM

Marsha frowned slightly, she knew that books began to break eventually - especially their spine… but the book would have lasted for longer than half an hour with her… or Kitridge… Poor book. She thought silently, but she had to admit, it was easier practising with fire when there was something to set ON fire.

Marsha’s own wide BEAM seemed to be reflected on the Professor’s proud face. Wheeee. That was awesome. ”Thank you, Professor!” She bounced a little in her seat, proud of managing fire. Now she wouldn’t need Professor Culloden to light the fire under her cauldron for her. YAY! One annoying charm out of the way. Hehe.

As she crumbled the paper up slightly so that she could once again rest it on the mortar that was sitting in front of her. She didn’t want to set the whole common room on fire after all - that would be horrific. Though, at least Professor Maddox was her. He would be able to help her put it out at least, so there was that… not that she ever wanted to damage any of the School’s property.

Marsha giggled, loving the idea of ducks, turtles and possibly even swans on the lakes and ponds of Hogwarts. How cool and pretty would that be? Silently she wondered if she could get some bread from the kitchens or leftover toast from breakfast and see if she could find the ducks with it. Hmmm. Idea for later, when she wasn’t playing with fire. Literally.

[b]”You have kids, Professor? How old are they?”{/b] She asked before she took another deep breath. Okay, concentration time. Using her wand to form the right shape, she said ”Incendio!”, picturing the piece of paper catching fire. This time, the fire spread instantly, slow but insistent. YAY! With a wide smile, she looked up at Maddox, listening to him telling her about his family.

DaniDiNardo · 06-19-2015, 11:18 PM

It was always curious seeing the reaction of students when they were told about creatures along the grounds. With the exception of those especially rotten kitten kickers it was the same reaction typically.

"I take it you're a fan of turtles then?" Why else would she seem so tickled pink by the idea they could be somewhere out there on the grounds. Had to be.

The concentration on the First Year's part, had him pausing. He would respond to her question in a moment but right now she needed focus in order to get the spell right and he hardly wanted to distract her. His own smile widened to match hers the moment the paper got fire. A second success was promising. Made it less likely the first one was a coincidence or just luck. "They'll be asking you to light the candles at Christmas soon enough." Assuming Hogwarts let the students help. He'd never really paid much attention.

But back to his little band of ankle biters. "As it happens, I do have children, 5 of them, 2 sets of twins. Christopher and Demetria are 7, Sophie's 4 and the ones itching for a turtle, Daniel and Conner, are 3." Merlin did he miss them.

"What'd you think? Should I cave and let them have it?"

*Holmesian Feline* · 06-21-2015, 08:36 PM

Ben had given a lot of thought on what he was going to do for the most recent History of Magic homework. There was the option of adding some more artwork into his illuminated manuscripts or writing out an entry. Though while he wanted to edit his drawings a little and maybe animate them, he didn't have any more really free pages to do something entirely new so he felt what he would do wouldn't exactly count for what the professor wanted.

So that left him to do some writing and after looking over the list of topic options, decided to start at the very beginning. The sixth year picking up a new quill once he had settled a quiet work area in the reading nook. The boy dipping it in ink and began writing all about his names once he felt ready.

Quote:

January 19th 2083

My full name is Benjamin Finnegan Atreyu. The Finnegan comes from my family connection to another the family that bore Seamus Finnegan explosions expert and classmate of Harry Potter. It was teased that this was why I had my less than stellar experiences in my potions lessons my first year at Hogwarts. Benjamin is mine and mine alone. As for how I feel about the name,

I do have several nicknames, two given to me by my...my best friend.

Benny had to pause there in memory of the fact that he and Adi were back on good terms. Not the best....but they were working on it. And it certainly felt good to be able to around him or think about him without pain and sadness. Pushing it momentarily away, the Gryffindor went back to finishing his entry.

Quote:

The first is one I hated when it was first used, and that is Benny. Oh how I prefered Benjamin or even Ben, but nope, it was Benny. Though now it has grown on me over the years. So Benny I am. Then there is Dragon, which stemmed from a Potions lesson. We were brewing fire breathing potion and Adi and I took turns testing our samples. They both worked but with mine...not only did I breathe fire but I also coughed and sneezed smoke. The third is a term of endearment from my girlfriend and a little private. Let's just say ts a bit girly but then that's Angel to a T.

Stormdancer · 06-21-2015, 10:45 PM

”Oh no… Well, yes.. but not just turtles. I love almost every animal I have come across. Even the ones that make me wonder or that make me take a step back, I can admire what they give to the circle of animals and nature… but in general I love animals.” She grinned wide, nodding her head. Especially the Griffins that Professor Thompson had introduced them too. SO CUTE.

Marsha giggled at Quiggley, her smile wide as he told her she would no doubt be helping to light the castles Christmas candles. That was funny. ”That must take a long time…” She hadn’t considered how long it took to light all of the candles in the castle even just on a daily basis…. hmmmm. Silently she wondered if she could find some of the elves as they were lighting them just so she could see how they did it.

Marsha’s eyes lit up as the Professor told her about his kids. So cute! That’s awesome, Professor. I have an uncle called Daniel.” She giggled, grinning. Okay, so it was her Mam’s cousin’s husband that was called Daniel but with as close a ridiculous family as she was part of, that was an Uncle. ”My little sister Alis, is about nineteen months old right now. She might know your youngest sons at school, when they grow up and end up at Hogwarts.” ‘cause where else would they go to learn magic? Hehe.

”I don’t know… I don’t know if three is old enough to look after them properly… though Turtle’s, especially if they aren’t magical, hibernate for half of the year and when they are awake their cage only really needs a heat lamp and somewhere to get water and some fresh fruit and veg to eat.” She paused and nodded… okay, so she knew random animal facts. Sue her. Hehe. ”So, maybe turtle’s are the perfect first pet?”

DaniDiNardo · 06-22-2015, 05:05 PM

Wow. No really wow. Spoken like a true Hufflepuff. Maddox stared at the First Year, not sure how well something like that would be received and in the end decided to simply smile. "That's good. One less kitten kicker we have to worry about around here." Kid loved animals, nothing tremendously wrong with that.

On the matter of lighting up for Christmas, there was little more he could do than agree. Had anyone SEEN the size of this castle? Seen all the lights in the Great Hall alone. "You'd be right in that assumption. All the more reason to offer help if you can." Though he did suspect the elves used their brand of magic to get it done with minimal effort. Efficient little buggers they were. Bloody useful when he needed an apple too.

And wasn't that just interesting? Not only did she have an Uncle named Daniel but her little sister might go to school with his own--would, not 'might'. Maddox had no plans to send his children anywhere else. "They may end up the best of friends, it's always funny how things like that work." Daniel was easily befriended, it was his brother the Charms Professor often worried about.

The man never intended for the conversation to take such an informative turn but he wasn't complaining either. Miss Hanover...knew...a lot about turtles, didn't she? Kid wasn't joking when she said she loved animals. He would agree it sounded like easy work for the boys though, with the right supervision. "Thank you for that. Think it's helped me decide a little more." He rose then with a lazy stretch. "And if you think you've got that charm down I think I'll take my leave." He had a date with the apples in the kitchen and was currently running late.

Stormdancer · 06-22-2015, 06:42 PM

Marsha smiled at Maddox as he told her it that she would be safe around animals. Giggling, she nodded her head. Of course she would be, she loved them all, especially if she could get her hands on them too. Hehehe. Like the Grifffffin’s.

Marsha grinned, nodding her head. Maybe she would offer some assistance come Christmas to light all of the candles in the castle - or at least some of the corridors and Gryffindor Common Room. Hehehe. Wheeeee. Something that could come in useful! Weee, learning magic was fun. Hehehe.

”That would be cute. I bet your songs would get on well with Alis.” Not that she really knew that, after all she didn’t know the boys and Alis wasn’t even two yet - she was just a whole bundle of trouble but it was cool to think that her little sister could be best friends with one of her favourite Professor’s kiddies. Hehehe.

Looking up at the Professor as he stood up, stretching, Marsha grinned wide at him. ”I do, thank you so much for helping Professor, I think it would have taken me much much longer to get that charm anywhere close to working for me.” At least hard work didn’t phase her… she liked having to work for something… to have anything to show for the outcome and the hard work. Hehe. With a smile on her face, she grinned at him once again. ”Have a good night Professor.” And with that, Marsha turned back to the second book he had made, ripped out another page and once again cast the charm, watching it light up and turn to ash.

MudInMyBlood · 06-26-2015, 02:00 PM

Getting to make their own books was pretty cool. The writing assignment wasn't too bad either. At least it wouldn't involve tons of research because it was about her. Easy homework assignment right here. Plus, she would be able to have some fun with it as well.

Now, AJ had no intentions of getting to her writing just yet. Oh no. She still had some drawings to do. Now she had completely covered one page with doodles, but she had one more that she had to add. Then her drawings would be complete and she could focus all of her energy on her writing her entries.

She needed something with the group. All of her favorite people. AJ had tons of supplies with her so anything that she could possibly need was at her fingertips. How to put them all together and still have room to write?

An idea popping into her mind, she picked up a brown colored pencil and began to draw herself, Adi, Benny and Angel. They were all sitting down at a table filled with all of their favorite foods. There were definitely more tacos and chocolate frogs than the other items because... well, this was HER drawing after all.

All set. Now she needed a nap and that writing thing would be happening.

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