LION GAME NIGHT :: OPEN

26 October 1923
Friday
7:30pm

The Gryffindor common room had always been warm.

Tonight, it practically glowed.

The fire crackled happily in the enormous stone fireplace, filling the tower with warmth and the scent of burning wood. Outside, the evening sky had turned dark and gloomy. Clouds rolling in, rain in the forecast with thunder rolling in the distance.

It was the perfect weather for a House Party.

Wand out, Matilda was painstakingly attaching decorations all over the walls and beams. Colorful fall leaves, acorns strung on twine, decorative gourds and pumpkins and a few toy bats flapping around the eaves.

Standing on top of a step stool, the seventh year carefully draped strands of enchanted maple leaves across the mantle. Every so often one would drift lazily from the garland, twirling through the air before vanishing with a tiny pop and reappearing back where it belonged.

"There." She tilted her head. "Much better."

Hopping down, she brushed imaginary dust from her skirt before moving onto her next project. The long table near the fireplace was quickly disappearing beneath a mountain of treats. The house elves had been given a job and, as always, they delivered.

A kettle charmed to remain warm sat beside mismatched teacups and mugs. Several tins overflowed with biscuits, shortbread, pumpkin pasties, cinnamon scones and treacle tart. Platters of caramel apples and bowls of candied pecans filled the empty spaces, while an assortment of Chocolate Frogs, Pepper Imps and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans waited in neat little baskets.

She paused, looked over the spread, then decided to add a tiered platter with an assortment of tiny cakes to the arrangement. With a decisive nod she went on to the next thing on her list.

The finishing touch was a hand-painted sign, propped against a stack of books.

Gryffindor Autumn Game Night
Tea • Hot Cider • Treats • Games • Good Company
Everyone Welcome

Everything was ready, a smile tugging at her lips.
It had been a difficult few weeks.

The first Hogsmeade weekend had come and gone. Classes were in full swing. The first Quidditch match was the next day. First years were beginning to settle into castle life while the older students were realizing how quickly the year was slipping away.

It felt like everyone could use an evening where they just had fun as a house, as a family, and just enjoyed each other's company. Matilda stepped back, hands settling on her hips as she admired the room.

Cozy. Comfortable. Home. Now all she needed was for the Gryffindors to arrive.

---

As her fellow Lions walked into the common room they would see a large spread of snacks, drinks and treats. The room had been decorated and cleaned, looking warm and inviting. A record player played quietly in the corner, adding a bit of music to the scene.

A chalkboard greeted the lions as they walked up to the snack table with the rules for tonight's game:

Tonight's Challenge

Two Truths & a Lie
Tell us three things about yourself.
Two are true.
One is a lie.
Guess the lie correctly and win a Chocolate Frog!

---

OOC: HELLO! Welcome to game night! For the first post, come on in, eat some snacks, comment on the decor, be annoyed, whatever you'd like. Next post Tilly will introduce the game with her 2 truths and a lie. Then, when you respond, you will vote on which you think is a lie. Then I will pick someone to give theirs. LETS HAVE SOME FUN!

Morgan was dreading this night. The note on the bulletin board in the common room appeared a couple nights ago. And she loved her house, she truly did love being a Lion and she even loved Tilly. But there was something wrong with the situation: Rook wouldn’t be there. She was sure if he’d been in Gryffindor he’d be happy to be there, and then the problem wouldn’t exist.

But he was a stupid Ravenclaw, and now Morgan had to forego seeing her boyfriend for a whole night.

And it was not okay.

On one hand, this was why Morgan had knowingly stayed away from boys. After the heartache that she’d experience with Benji (yes, he’s her brother, but back then he wasn’t!), she had decided they were stupid and she didn’t want to become one of those girls who couldn’t go on without one.

On the other hand, look at her now. She was completely obsessed with being near Rook and it was not okay.

Morgan dragged herself up the steps to the common room anyway because she wasn’t going to be the person who skipped Tilly’s thing she’d spent time putting together. Not when she knew what kind of year Tilly was having. Not when she could see how much effort had gone into it the moment she pushed open the portrait hole and stepped inside.

The room was warm. Properly warm, the kind that hit you in the face when you came in from the corridor and made your shoulders drop without meaning to. Decorations everywhere, leaves and pumpkins and little bats flapping around the eaves, and a table that had been absolutely buried under food.

Morgan stood in the doorway for a moment.

She was still annoyed about Rook.

But…

“Tilly…” she said, making her way toward the food table because her priorities were what they were. She picked up a cinnamon scone and looked around the room properly. “You did all this?”

She already knew the answer. It had Tilly written all over it.

Something in her chest loosened, just slightly, in spite of herself. She’d been moping about missing one evening with her boyfriend while Tilly had spent Merlin knows how long making the common room look like this for everyone else.

Her redheaded friend had been through a lot the first couple months of term. The least Morgan could do was appreciate her effort.