The Lions' Den

[Roxy Black]

Welcome to the Lions' Den, where you can find all of the information you could ever want to know about Gryffindor.

This thread includes a history of the house along with comments and memories from it's current members.

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart.

[SnowyHedwig112]

Hello, newbies! I am SnowyHedwig112 but you can call me Kathy.

Haha, first post in this thread! Anyways, to the point.

I've been in Gryffindor since roughly late September/early October last year, I think. I'm not exactly sure how long, too much stuff runs in my brain for me to keep detailed track.

My reaction to being in Gryffindor? Well, I must admit, I was a little dissapointed. I had thought for sure I would be in Ravenclaw, and wanted to be there too, so when I got the reply to my Sorting Quiz results from songbook99 (Karin), I have to admit I was a little sad.

But that's totally changed now. I love my house, and wouldn't change it for any other, no matter how many strange faults the Gryffindors have (e.g. being entirely too goal set, being entirely to party-like, all having a very mild mental illness that renders them not a little insane).

And I have reasons to love Gryffindor, too. There are some of the nicest, sweetest, funniest people I know in that house. We're excessively random, as you can see our mascot is a Toaster, but compared to Ravenclaw's Turnip, it's on equal footing in the level of random/weird-ness. And, though I must admit we have problems with it, when our insanity level goes a little beyond, and we are a bit too party centered, we tend to have spam problems, especially if we win the house cup for a term. Aaah...-remembers- good times...

Anyways, that's probably the same thing you've heard about the Gryffies so many times, it may bore you, but, I'm participating, and just following what Roxy told us to write!

~Kathy

[sayiansirius]

Ah, yes. The Almighty Gryffindor.

I actually joined this site when it first started and was sorted in Gryffindor, whenever that was. My biggest mistake then was not being active, because evidently I didn't know what I was missing. After the site went through contruction, I came back on May 7th, 2006 and joined again and since then, I've been an active member and I've loved every second that I spend on here.

I had actually expected to be in Gryffindor. Every online test that I've ever taken, which is alot, have sorted me in Gryffindor so I kind of expected to be a Gryffindor here also.

I love everything about Gryffindor. This house is really full of ALOT of amazing people (including the modlies who are Gryffindor). The lions are a really crazy bunch, but in a good way of course. We love to have fun but at the same time when it's time to get down to business, that is exactly what we do and maybe that's why we've won the house cup twice in a row and going for a third time.

At first, Gryffindor might seem like a hard place to fit into because of the chaos. *sniggers* Yes, we can get out of hand sometimes but this is all part of being a Gryffindor. Everyone knows each other and the unity in our house is amazing.

These are all part of being a Gryffindor and I wouldn't trade it for anything!!

~KC

NikkiSue's edit: This is one of my favorite posts by KC. It embraces his fun loving nature so nicely. Many of you probably don't know that we lost him a while back (in real life - he passed away) and so out of my respect and simply in his memory, I am leaving this post up for good.

[tc015]

Hi! I am tc015, though you can just calll me Teresa. I have an extremely long story about how I got into Gryffindor, so sorry in advance if I may bore you.

I joined the forums in August 2006. After finally figuring out who PM for the sorting quiz, I took the test. I thought I would be a shoe-in Ravenclaw. In almost every sorting quiz, I was a Ravenclaw. I didn't expect to be in Gryffindor. In fact, that was the last house I wanted to be in.

In the books, Gryffindor was made out to be some great house for all the heroes in the book. Everyone wanted to be Gryffindor because Harry was. I hated how Gryffindor got all this publicity while the other houses were left in the dark. I wanted to be a member of one of the other houses. I knew that I would be a Ravenclaw, if not a Ravenclaw then a Hufflepuff or Slytherin. I was a loyal friend so Hufflepuff made sense, and was ambitious enough to be a Slytherin. I wasn't some brave person with extraordinary abilities, so the idea that I would be sorted into Gryffindor didn't even cross my mind.

Then I got the PM with my results. I eagerly read it, and discovered that I was sorted into Gryffindor. I could not believe it. I was not brave or courageous. I did not fit the idea of a perfect Gryffindor. It amazed me that I was somehow sorted into this house. I decided to accept my fate, and have an open mind to the house.

I never realized how wrong I was. As soon as I entered the crazy hub that is Gryffindor, my opinions soon changed. I met amazing people with great personalties. I loved being part of the Lion's Den. Gryffindor was the perfect place for me. I never realized how amazing the house was.

Before I thought Gryffindor were a group of people who fought against evil. Now I now that Gryffindors are actually people who put their moral values before everything else in their life. Their courage comes not from how many battles they fought, but for how hard they stand up for their values.

Your proud lion,
Teresa

[hansolohpfrk]

I was sorted into Gryffindor as a complete surprise. I expected Ravenclaw. But I was in Gryffndor, surprisingly. And I was welcomed by everyone with open arms!

Everyone in Gryffindor is absolutely nice and happy. We are all one tight-knit family.

I have been a Gryff for EVER. About two years, to be exact.

--Hanni

[tc015]

Hi! I am Teresa, and I am back to tell you a bit about the contests on MNFF.

Gryffindor is full of amazing writers, and we showcase that talent in the various contests MNFF offers to its members. The major ones can found in the Great Hall - you have to be sorted to see them. The mod in charge is Magical Maeve(Jan). The link to the Great Hall is here: Great Hall.

The bi-monthly challenges are posted every two months. They are run by Magical Maeve(Jan). You have to write a fic based around the prompts. There are usually around six prompts, plus an extra prompt. To write something for the extra credit prompt, you must have a validated entry for one of the other prompts. The Summer Challenge is open. Here is a link to it: TriWizard Championship.

Every month, there is a one-shot challenge. These are run by Ravensgryff(Andrea). You have a one-shot based on the given prompt. They might have to do with a character, place, etc. Sumbit your one-shot to the main site. See this link for the June One-Shot: Best Patronus

In the Poetry Anyone Section of the Great Hall, you can find poetry challenges. They are run by Magical Maeve(Jan). You do not have to be a member of Poetry Anyone? user group. In these challenges, you will have to write a certain type of poem on a certain subject. The poem must be sumbitted to the main site. The newest challenge is the Rodeau Challenge. To learn more, follow this link: Rodeau

You can also find drabble challenges in the Three Broomsticks. This section of the forums is run by MithrilQuill. To see the Three Broomsticks, see here: Three Broomsticks. All drabble must be under 500 words, as they are short pieces. They are posted in the appropriate threads.

Every month, there is a drabble challenge for a certain character. The characters have been everyone from Andromeda Black to Remus Lupin. The current challenge is for Blaise Zabini. To see the June Drabble Challenge - Blaise Zabini, follow this link: Blaise

Most weeks, there is a weekly drabble challenge. The prompts range from Christmas themed to Desicions. The Weekly Drabble Challenges are taking a brief hiatus due to the Gauntlet.

The Gauntlet is one of the subforums of the Three Broomsticks. To participate in the Gauntlet, you must first pick a character. Choose any character you like and feel comfortable writing, as you will be following this character through a series of obstacles. Each Gauntlet has a specific theme. Some are dark, while others are more light-hearted. Gauntlet Round 4 has ended. To learn more about this round, click here: Gauntlet 4 Has Started.

There is also another subforum of the Three Broomstick, the Quidditch Pitch, home to the Quidditch World Cup or QWC. To view the Quidditch Pitch, follow this link: Quidditch Pitch. The QWC, run by MithrilQuill and the referees - kumydabookworm, Masked One, and Gonz. Each house team is made up of a coach and three players. The four write a Round Robin about a Quidditch match, using the prompt given. The May Challenge has begun. Sign up in your house's specific thread. The next challenge will be in September.

To learn more about other challenges, you can send the person in charge of the challenge a PM. They do not mind answering any of you questions. Feel free to ask me or any other member of Dumbledore's Navy any questions you have. We are here to help you. I'll keep this post updated with the lastest challenges and results. Best wishes, and welcome to the forums.

~ Teresa

[kehribar]

*smiles at Kumy's post above* Our cheerleader strikes again

Hello newbies, and welcome to Gryffindor. I'm Ayse, and I've been active since August 2006. What can be said after Kumy's post above I don't know, but I just wanted to let you all know that you can ALWAYS PM me about anything about the forums and our house. I'm around the forums pretty often so I'll hopefully return to you quickly.

One thing I can suggest you is this: if you're planning to be active on the forums, I strongly suggest you to be open to criticism. Do not fear; NO ONE will be rude or make snide remarks about your writing/picture/banner/etc. That is taken care of by our mods. BUT, creating a Hospital Wing thread to get help, posting your drabbles in the Three Broomsticks, displaying your drawings in Dean's Corner, or anything else in this sense, means that you're opening your work to criticism. Whether you use the critique or not is completely up to you, but please know that the forums are the best place to help people promote their work. If you personally participate in giving out constructive criticism it's all the better

For a little bit of advice; I'd suggest you to drop by the Three Broomsticks for a little warming up to the writing we do around here. You can drop by people's threads and have an idea as to how they write. The first thing I had done on the forums was to enter a Weekly drabble challenge (Oh dear, Kumy had welcomed me so warmly that I was stunned - "OMG YAY FOR NEW GRYFFIE WHO ENTERED DRABBLE CHALLENGE!!!"). It's a rather nice place to "stretch your fingers", and you can get comments on your writing from other people, too.

Lastly, I'll promote my favourite corner around the forums; Dean's Corner. If you're an artist, or want to be an artist, or wish you were an artist, or have some sort of handicraft about Harry Potter world you'd like to share, you must drop by Dean's Corner. With the newly added sub-forums, it's the best-est Fan Art Corner in the fandom. Yep, I really think that. Besides, Dean's Corner's mommy (mod) is none other than Ravensgryff/Andrea, our lovely House Prefect. CONTACT ME IF YOU'RE AN ARTIST! I'll be sure to drop by your thread and leave some earnest critique to the best of my ability.

That's all from me for now, and welcome again!

~ Ayse

[honeydukes_10]

Sheesh, I have no idea what to write now that Ayse AND Kumy have written in here. Thanks a lot, guys, you ruined my post. I am just joking. I love those two very much; it goes to show how close members of the houses get. These two I have known about since I first came here, in August of last year. I only started talking to Ayse a few months ago, and Kumy is always so kind to drop me a line, and tell me when homeworks are due, etc., etc.

To tell you the truth, I am very fortunate to have made it into this house. I seriously did not think that I would make it into this house; I thought songbook99 was going to PM me and tell me that I did not make it into any houses, and that is the honest truth. Now that I have been here for a while, I have discovered how crazy moments can be, but don't be alarmed; someone will always be there to help you back on you feet, and give you advice.

Not only that, but they will help you with whatever you may need. If I don't understand something in a class, I know, from the many times she has told me, that Kumy will always be there to help me. Even though she is busy working on eight classes of work.

But, enough of work; let's talk about the fun side of being in Gryffindor House! I don't know how active other houses are, but in the Gryffindor Tower; be ready to laugh! I guarantee that you will have a good laugh before you exit the "Tower" Thread! There are so many giggley/crazy/random people in our house, and when they get together, they have a blast! And other members have a blast laughing at them, and with them.

Now, away with the party scene. On to the other threads, outside the House. So, after Kumy's awesome post, there is not much else I can add. However, like Ayse said, be prepared to have your work critiqued if you post it in the Hospital Wing threads, Dean's Corner Thread, or the Three Broomsticks thread. There are so many helpful, kindhearted people zooming around in those threads. Their only intention is to help you with whatever you need; not attack your work. I remember the first time I posted in the Excerpts of Murtlap thread, I got mad because someone completely tore apart something I had written. I got so mad, I ignored their post. I saved the changes, just in case I calmed down later. But now that I look back, I see that what they put was indeed very useful, and I edited my story with the person's corrections. Don't be afraid to post in these threads. If you want help with something, you had better believe that you will get help with it. I have not seen a single thread in my whole time of being here ignored.

Lastly, don't be afraid to PM someone if you have a quesiton about getting around! I am sure the person you PM will not tell you off if you ask where something is. My PM box is empty, if you ever want to learn more about my experiences on here, or if you just want to become friends. I look forward to hearing from you!

~Andrea

[MaraudersWolf]

*pokes head out of cave*

Well, I may as well speak up . . . I still feel relatively new here and am still trying to feel my way around . . . ugh! Is anyone else out there as petrified as I am for being here?

Sorting . . . I really had no clue where I would end up - I could see bits & pieces of myself in each house (yes, even Slytherin . . . must be from my father), so when the results came back for Gryffindor, it was okay. I will admit, I lurked around quite a bit before taking the plunge and joining . . . but lurking is one thing I'm good at. (What else am I good at? Um . . . not sure.)

Miss Kumy Cheerleader here gave a rousing welcome - I think I still have that PM somewhere - which did help, but there's a big part of me that is just plain petrified. You'll usually find me in my little cave, cautiously watching everyone else, but not really having the courage to participate.

Otherwise, I've been writing for a number of years (I just realized that number is in double digits, ugh!) - well before I knew fanfiction even existed. However, it's only been within the last couple of months that I've allowed my writing to be posted for others to read - it still frightens me that I have a one-shot on MNFF that people can read!

So, that's me . . . *slinks back to hide in cave*

[stareyed_in_LA]

H'allo new Gryffies.

My name is Erica and I have been here for at least a year and ten months. And yeah, I am one of the few "old Gryffs" still hanging around here. I kind of expected to be in Gryffindor if not Ravenclaw because I have a tendency to be both brave and smart.

I am probably going to tell you about a thread that I am really well aquainted with and its called the Three Word Story. Back in the day, several Gryffindor girls (namely Euprhates, HPluver365, Disappearance_26, and Hansolophrk) got together to start a thread called the Three Word Story, where contributors post three words to a story and then the next person would post another three words. I joined several pages later and have regularly contributed to it. It is more than just a silly game. The posters like to add in a little bit about their day or their lives or just about themselves. I have learned more about my friends here that I have on anyother place on MNFF.

*Makes sure Kumy isn't around*. By the way, this is just a warning for all new Gryffs. Kumy has a tendency to get a little psycho around the deadline for challenge entries. So don't be suprised to find a frantic PM in your box one day from Kumy telling all Gryffs that they should submitt something.


Cheers!
-Erica