11:40 p.m.

It was around 11:30 when Nina began setting up for the card game, unoriginally titled 7 Card Spectacular, that would take place in half an hour. She had carried an armload of supplies down with her to the Common Room, careful not to make too much noise, and relaxed in an over-stuffed armchair when she had thrown her loot onto the table she planned to commandeer for the night. Thankfully, there was no one down there, and she trusted there wouldn't be, as most people retired to their rooms around this hour. Yesterday morning she had sent out a casual invitation to the upper years, asking if anyone was interested in playing 7 Card Spectacular (aka 7CS). She probably should have checked to see if anyone would show up, but she was taking for granted that they would. Especially because they were playing for cash.

The game was similar to the Muggle version of Poker, which on its own was challenging to play at times. This variation, however, was nearly impossible to play and even harder to master. It was one of those games that was incredibly difficult to learn, because the dealer was always different and had their own set of rules. Nina had learnt how to play during one particularly boring family dinner with her three older brothers and two older female cousins. She had been 15 at the time, and thought the game was the best thing ever. Her brother Andres always had the worst luck though - it always seemed his shirt was catching on fire or his shoes were melting. 

Those fun trick cards and decks, of sorts, was the way Nina played. One of her decks was a universal Muggle deck, another featured cards with numbers (such as Pi and fractions) and letters of the alphabet, and the last was a trick deck, of sorts, that had been given to her by her favorite older brother, Ramon. That deck was the one that made the game fun. The two of them had collaborated on it after the first time Nina played. The deck had been completed this past Christmas, and Nina was definitely itching to try it out. The cards in that deck looked like all the others, except some burst into flames, some would float into the air and be difficult to catch, and others would cut themselves up and make you put the pieces back together in 60 seconds (they would melt if you didn't finish said task). Some of them were chance cards, with things such as- bet 2 sickles of fold, take a knut form the person across from you, etc - on them; between the decks, there was 162 cards, total.

After sitting for a minute, Nina continued to set up for the evening. She shuffled the three decks into one, then split that into four mini-decks. She set those in the middle along with some Fizzing Whizbees (her favorite) and chocolate frogs. She also pushed eight chairs around the table, noting the tight fit but hoping it would suffice. From her pocket she removed a small and worn leather pouch, containing numerous coins that she would hopefully see after the games end.

She took a Fizzing Whizbee and enjoyed its' strong strawberry flavor, giggling like a fool when she rose out of her chair. Yawning softly, she glanced at the clock that was over the fireplace. 11:40. She looked to the opening of where the portrait hole was, hoping someone would enter soon.

---

Some Notes on the Game (from what I wrote in the Magical Compendium thread):
[Name:] 7 Card Spectacular

[Type of Game/Sport:]  Card Game

[Number of Players and Positions:] Anywhere from 3 - 15 is an ideal number.

[How to Play:] It's similar to Wizard's Poker but is entirely different. It's almost a combination of the Muggle games Pig, Mao, and Poker. The goal, so to speak, is to have 7 cards somehow connect. This rarely occurs though, and games go on for hours until someone gets frustrated and quits. This can be by letter, number, color, etc.

There are 5 decks. (1) There are the standard 26 English letters, (2) the regular 52 count deck of cards, (3) and fractions going from 1/100 to 2/3, (4) as well as magical items (wands, broomsticks, cauldrons, and dragons). (5*)The Chance cards either do something or have you do something. For example, some of them burst into flames. Some of them cut themselves up. Some turn into a puddle and make you discard your cards. Basically, anything goes.

[Rules:] The rules vary by dealer. For instance, when Nina plays, anyone whose socks match their outfit loses a turn. Cards can be taken away for obscure things, such as chewing gum, talking too long, being annoying, etc. 

Yesterday morning, when Fauna had quietly been eating breakfast, an owl had dropped a small note into her lap. The note was an invitation to a game of 7 Card Spectacular, which was set to take place at midnight in the Gryffindor common room. At first, Fauna had thought it might be a joke, until she took a peek at Nina’s Charms notes and mentally compared the handwriting. Nina had a very distinctive scrawl. Fauna knew that she’d never send out fake invitations, and felt grateful to be included.

So, as strange as it might be for her to do, she’d decided to participate. She knew that she’d regret it if she went to bed early Thursday evening, as was usual, and got a good night’s sleep while the other sixth years sneaked out. At least, that was what Ollie had insisted, cheerily pushing her out of the Hufflepuff common room at 11:50 p.m.

Fauna whirled around to face the closed door, a sense of foreboding creeping up within her. She could just imagine something, be it a prefect, professor, or her own ineptitude, would prevent her from returning to her dorm tonight. Fauna felt it. She tried to shake off her nerves and began tiptoeing down the dimly lit corridors, wand held in front of her and slippers flopping against the stone floor.

It was obvious that she had never sneaked out of her dorm before. Her neon orange pajama pants swished together with every step she took.

Swish, flop, swish, flop, said her slippers and pants, all the way up to the Gryffindor portrait.

“Excuse me,” she said nervously to the fat lady, who had just let out an enormous snore.

Fauna cleared her throat and smoothed down her flannel shirt.

“Horse radish?” she said very timidly. The rat on her shoulder gave a helpful squeak. Nothing. With a look of pure dread, Fauna crept close to the portrait, and whispered in the lady’s ear.

“Horse radish!” The lady’s eyes and mouth opened very wide, and she let out a screech.

Fauna muttered desperate apologies and rushed inside the common room, backpack almost getting caught in the door on her way in. She thought she heard the lady question her House status, but she ignored it, plastered on a smile, and walked over to Nina.

From her bag she pulled out a container of crushed treats, specially made by the kitchen house elves. Fauna removed the lid and stood there awkwardly.

“Pumpkin pasty?” She offered, popping one in her mouth.

Perhaps Slytherins hadn't been on the agenda. Afterall, Ava hadn't actually been invited. Her knowing of this little meeting had come by chance. A Hufflepuff boy who had apparently received an invitation had sat at the breakfast table reading the invitation with incredulous eyes, which turned into a devilish grin. Ava knew something was happening, and counted her lucky stars that the very same boy [who obviously had bubertubers growing inbetween his ears] got up from the table smugly and walked away, leaving the very note in question lying open on the table. Before she even had time to think, Ava was up on her feet and at the Hufflepuff table, snatching the note up before anyone else had the chance to notice what she was doing - and more to the point, before the hufflepuff boy came back to retrieve what was missing.

Ava stuffed the note into her pocket and made a quick beeline to the Slytherin dungeons in order to study the evidence before classes began. Once in the dungeons, Ava was surprised to find that it was an invitation. An invitation to a game of 7 Card Spectacular. She had so far been at Hogwarts for six years, and had not as of yet came across anyone other than her older brother and his friends who could play this game. A grin swept across her face as she tucked a lock of hair behind one ear. Of course, people had different rules when playing, but the general idea was always the same. She carried on reading the note, letting her eyes skim the scrawled words for the important information - the Who, the Where and the When.

"Aha!" She breathed with delight as she finally stumbled across the desired words. "Gryffindor. Midnight." She nodded, but stopped short as a younger girl, perhaps a fourth year tried to peer over her shoulder, and asked inquisitively 'What about midnight?' Ava snatched the note from the air, scrumpled it up and put it in her pocket. "None of your business." She replied with a scowl. "Anyway, shouldn't you be heading to class?" The girl whipped her long blonde hair behind her shoulder nonchalontly. "I've got a free period." she paused slightly and looked at Ava defiantly. "Shouldn't you be going to class?" Ava looked over to the clock. Two minutes to 8.30. Dammit! She hated it when annoyingly rude kids were right! She rolled her eyes as she flew from the common room and slammed the door.

Later that night, Ava waited until 11.30 pm, before pulling a hooded sweat-top over her vest, and slipping her feet into some fluffy slippers. She made sure she wore her slippers that were more like a shoe, just in case she had to make a run from a prefect; however she had the upper hand of having been a prefect last year - she knew that getting to the Gryffindor common room would not be a problem. The problem would arise when she eventually got there. Ava made her way cautiously but quickly to the Gryffindor tower. On a couple of occasions she saw some tired fifth years patrolling, but this year they weren't the cream of the crop. None of them seemed to be paying any attention, and so Ava managed to sneak passed unnoticed.

Ava eventually reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, which famously hid the Gryffindor common room. She hid behind a suit of armour and waited. Surely it wouldn't be long before someone would show up and say the password. Sure enough, a gawky looking girl around the same age, who's slippers made the most annoyingly loud swishing noise, approached the portrait timidly. She said something, but it was almost inaudible to Ava who was straining to hear the words. The fat Lady snored on without even fluttering an eyelash. "Horse Radish!" The Fat Lady snorted awake, and looked horrified, as though the girl had just paid her the deepest insult. Nevertheless, the portrait swung open, and the delighter girl climbed through the hole.

Ava grinned. This was easier than she had anticipated. She waited until the portrait closed, and for a further minute after that. Peering from round the side of the armour, to make sure no one was watching, she crept  out of her hiding place and made her way up to the portrait. The Fat Lady was wide awake now, and looked thoroughly bored as she drummed her fingers on the table in front of her. "Horse Radish." Ava said confidently. The Fat Lady rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded rather like 'Come inside the portrait, and I'll give you ruddy horse radish!' Ava ignored the Fat Lady and proceeded inside the common room.

This wasn't her first time inside the Gryffindor common room. On another occasion in her third year, she and a group of friends had trooped up there as a stupid first year had let out the password over the dinner table. They all got inside, and there were ructions on as the head of house had found them all wreaking havoc, and sent them to their own head of house. For that, they had all received detentions for a month.

Ava opened the door that lead to the main room slowly. She let her head peer round the side of the frame, and saw the girl who had entered only a moment before offering another girl a pumpkin pasty. "Mind if I have one?" Ava kept a straight fac, and made her way confidently over to the other girls, one of whom she now recognised as Fauna Blake, the rather gawky Hufflepuff, and the other was Nina something-or-other from Gryffindor. Obviously she was the dictator in all of this.

[I am so sorry it took like, a year to reply. I hurt my arm and typing was incredibly painful  It's all better now though!]

Nina was slightly dismayed as the minutes ticked by on her small silver watch and no one entered the portrait hole. She was back in her chair as the effects from her Fizzing Whizbees had worn off, and was currently eating a chocolate frog. When she was little she wouldn't eat them because Andres said they were real frogs, but Ramon had consoled her and said that they were simply magicked chocolate. She didn't notice the card, but slipped it in her back pocket. While she wasn't very close with her younger siblings, she knew Jorge liked the cards and always sent them to him. She knew the year was almost over when she started to miss everyone at home, and that was starting to happen as the days progressed.

She looked at her watch again. 11:49. Where the hell was everyone? She glanced over the pile of sweets - she had hardly made a dent in it - and indulged in another Fizzing Whizbee. So at 11:51 when the portrait swung open, Nina was slightly airborne.

“Pumpkin pasty?”

Well, wasn't this awkward. Not that Nina disliked Fauna (she seemed really sweet), she just didn't know her all that well. Technically she did, as they had had classes together for six years or so, but the two had never really hung out outside of class.

"Yeah, sure," Nina said, flashing her pearly white teeth. She flailed her arms a bit to get over to the girl and landed gracefully on the floor. She finished the pastry quickly, not wanting an awkward silence to surround the two.

"So have you ever played before? It's really fun, but very frustrating," she said while rubbing the bridge of her nose. Just then the portrait swung open again, and for a second Nina was relieved to see the figure emerging. Until she realized who it was.

Unlike Fauna who Nina liked because of her sweet demeanor, she wasn't too sure how she felt about the Slytherin entering the Common Room. Actually, Ava Grosvenor seemed like just the sort of person Nina would associate herself with, as she seemed like she could disregard the rules for a bit of some fun. But there was something about her that had always made Nina pause. She wouldn't say the two were on good or bad terms - just weird ones.

Nina had invited nearly every Sixth and Seventh Year to this little event, leaving out those that she was annoyed by or disliked. Ava had fallen into that category, only because she wasn't sure she would fit in with the lot she assumed would come.

When she asked for a pumpkin pastry, she graciously swept her arms to the loot on the table. "Help yourself," she said with an awkward smile on her lips.

She glanced at Fauna and raised her eyebrows in a perplexed way.

"So," she began, making her way back to her seat, perching on the arm rest. "Ever play before?"

Nina certainly hoped she had, as teaching two new people to play was incredibly infuriating as the game never seemed to end, or even begin for that matter. And with Ava here, well, Nina just felt a bit edgy. Regardless though, this was proving to be a very interesting evening.

Fauna felt a bit surprised that the common room was so empty. Perhaps the rest of the group intended to make a late entrance. She thought about asking Nina who else she’d invited, but she didn’t want to seem rude.

She swallowed the treat in her mouth quickly. “Uh, I think I played once before. It involves cards exploding, doesn’t it,” she frowned, remembering the one and only time she’d played 7 Card Spectacular as a second year. A few third years had invited her, and all of her cards ended up exploding, melting, or burning Fauna’s fingers. At the time she had no idea why she kept getting all the nasty cards and the third years kept getting the nice and normal ones, but now she had an inkling it was because of the spells fired under the table.

Fauna suddenly looked very skeptical and wary. This time, she’d watch out for hidden wands.

The portrait door flew open and she looked up to see Ava walk in as if she owned the place. Fauna shot Nina an incredulous look. Why’d she have to invite her? She was exactly the type of person who would purposefully give Fauna all the exploding cards.

Fauna tried to mask the distaste on her face and set the container of pastries down for everyone to enjoy. Then she took her seat with some reluctance and nodded at Nina’s question, ready to begin the game.

Michael sat over in his chair by the fireplace and watched as 2 girls came into the room.  One he thought was a Hufflepuff and the other he hadn't really had much to do with, as she was a Slytherin.  "She invited one of them" He thought to himself.  He hadn't planned on participating in the game but as he wasn't getting any reading done and he was up, maybe he should join in.

He stands up and sets his book over on a table next to the entrance to the boy's dormitory and walked over to where Nina was.

"Do you mind if I join you, is this game like Poker perhaps, I've never played but I think I know the basics."

Ava wasn't at all surprised by the confused looks as she stood, arms folded across her chest as though she owned the place. She saw Nina and Fauna exchange incredulous looks.

"Help yourself,"

Nina motioned towards the treats that were scattered over the table in no particular order. Much as though she had asked if she could have a pumpkin pasty, now that she saw a pile of chocolate frogs she decided they were much more suited to her own taste.

"Do you mind if I join you, is this game like Poker perhaps, I've never played but I think I know the basics."

Ava turned from the table and snorted. "You will never have played a game of poker that is remotely like this. Have your poker cards ever blown up in your face?" She asked as she bit off the head of the wriggling frog. She and Finn had played this game many times when she was younger, by the pond in the grounds out the back of the house, or next to the stream in the fields that the hosue overlooked.

Ava noticed Fauna was being extremely quiet - or rather she had been since Ava had arrived on the scene. "You're being awfully quiet. I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to accept people for who they are, rather than what clothes they wear on their back?" she shot at Fauna with a look that screamed 'hypocrite'!

“Hi Michael,” Fauna greeted him with more enthusiasm than Ava had. She’d wondered how he would get any reading done if this game was as explosive as it was supposed to be. He might become annoyed  with their noise and tell a prefect or someone. Luckily, he just decided to join in. Fauna smiled, nudging the pumpkin pasty container in his direction for good measure.

Fauna grew uneasy as she waited for Nina to deal the cards. Ava’s snotty attitude made her nervous. She’d probably laugh if Fauna forgot the rules or made a mistake, which she knew was inevitable.

She let her rat run over her arms and avoided Ava’s stare, hoping that Nina wouldn’t think she was being rude.

"You're being awfully quiet.”

Fauna glanced at her. Oh hell.

“I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to accept people for who they are, rather than what clothes they wear on their back?"

She scooped her rat up before it could run over the treats and sighed, her brows crinkling in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” She asked, taking her comment literally. “We’re both wearing fuzzy slippers, you know.”

Fauna rolled her eyes at Ava and wondered what the girl wanted from her. A parade? Streamers? Confetti? If she’d felt like being unwelcoming and petty she could have put her treats back in her bag. Fauna eyed the pumpkin pasties, considering it now.

"You will never have played a game of poker that is remotely like this. Have your poker cards ever blown up in your face?"

"No I'm pretty sure that the muggle version of poker dosen't do that, I believe it's all about bluffing."

Michael took a pastie off of the offered plate.  He had been looking around the table at everybody who seemed to be trying to ignore Ava.  He thought this strange as she would have had to have been invited to get in here, she would have needed the password.  He decided that some conversation would be best at this point.


"Ava, I've always wondered somthing, how does Slytheryin secure their common room, we have a password, and  Ravenclaw requires that a question be answered.  I've  always wondered how Slytheryin and Hufflepuff secured their common rooms.

Michael thought that he had remembered Ava being one of the slytheryins involved in the trashing of the Gryffendor common room a few years ago but he wasn't sure and that probably wouldn't have been a subject to get everyong talking together.  He took a bit of his pastie, and conjured up a goblet for some pumpkin juice.  He could have probably transfigured the juice as well but he never seemed to get it quite right, and as there was already some on the table he would just drink some of that.  He looked over at Nina who was readying the cards to be played. 

“We’re both wearing fuzzy slippers, you know.”

Fauna gave Ava an incredulous look. Was she being serious? Was she honestly being completely serious? Ava stared at her for a few seconds, mouth open. Catching flies wasn't becoming, and Ava sharp shut her mouth and shook her head. "Are you kidding me? I was talking about not judging me by what house I'm in. The fact that I actually bothered myself to come and play this game with you must say something about my personality!" Ava rolled her eyes. Not least the fact that she was practically addicted to gambling, and would try and oozle a galleon or two out of any willing being.

Ava sat down on the floor cross-legged. Things were awkwardly silent again.

"Ava, I've always wondered somthing, how does Slytheryin secure their common room, we have a password, and  Ravenclaw requires that a question be answered.  I've  always wondered how Slytheryin and Hufflepuff secured their common rooms."

"Don't be so bloody nosy!" Ava couldn't help herself. Her eyes widened slightly. "I..." She sighed. "It's the same as you - password." She put her elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand, and began to drum the fingers of her left hand on her left thigh. "So are many more going to come? Or are you not that popular?"

"Don't be so bloody nosy!" Ava couldn't help herself. Her eyes widened slightly. "I..." She sighed. "It's the same as you - password.

Michael nodded his head, he wasn't sure he would have answered her if the roles had been reversed.  Looking around the table everyone seemed to be looking some place other than at Ava, he did think that was a little rude, if they didn't want her here they should not have invited her, but since she was here she should be treated as a guest, like in his own home, and he did feel like this was his home away from home. 

Looking directly at Ava and attempting to look pleasant, which may have been difficult as he had just eaten a very tart candy of some sort, may have been some sort of every flavor bean, he said.  "So have you played 7 card Spectacular much?"

Pulling a light jacket on, George ran his fingers through his hair to make sure it was still styled all right. A comfortably pair of dark gray sweats that hung below his hips, a black shirt, and a pair of trainers were all he needed for down stairs. And he was planning on being comfortable... Then it was down to the common room. Nina had been going on about organizing this card game, as if she didn’t pull enough honeydukes money off of all the Gryffindors who would play with her all ready. But, he was going to be the supportive best friend and at least hang out and partake in the (hopeful) festivities.

Jogging down the stairs, he was surprised to see the two others outside of Gryffindor there all ready. Raising an eyebrow at them, he gave the group a big grin and put his arms out. “Welcome to the Gryffindor tower!” He didn’t really know (or care) if he was interrupting something, but moved over towards Nina. Fauna… glancing her over, he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. She was fairly quiet and—was that a rat?! Forcing himself not to make a face, he glanced at Ava next, smirking a bit. A Slytherin showing up in the Gryffindor common room…

Nodding a greeting to Michael, he finally settled to leaning against the back of Nina’s arm chair and glancing lazily out over the few there. He could feel a bit of tension in the air, and as he didn’t really know who was stirring the pot, he decided to be bold and try and disrupt some of it. Maybe a little chaos would help. Ava on the floor… Pushing his thoughts aside, he moved from behind Nina, messing her hair up as he did with a nice rub of his hand, finally sitting down next to Ava.

Maybe Slytherins sat on the floor in the dungeons, he wasn’t going to judge. Grinning with what he wanted to say, he nodded to her in greeting. “I’m dreadful at this game. We should make the stakes more interest…ing…” Glancing to Nina, he realized he didn’t know if stakes were all ready discussed or not. Putting his hands behind his head, leaning back against the wall, George decided to keep his thoughts on the game to himself.

“So how about that rain? I think it’d be good for a mud fight later.” Small talk could be fun if done with the right sort of people and the right topic. Until they got either more students or Nina decided this was enough. Tapping the back of his head, he glanced at each one in turn, crossing his legs at the ankles that shot out straight in front of him under the table. Glancing at Ava’s feet, George raised an eyebrow in question at the slippers. Then he made the mistake of looking around, and after seeing Fauna had some, he decided to do the absolutely (completely) normal thing and question it. “Was there a dress code I was unaware of? Because… you know… I just don’t own any… girly slippers. Unless you ladies want to loan me yours.”

Marni plodded up to the Gryffindor tower keeping a wary eye out for the Prefects and wandering ghosts.  She was extremely happy to hear Peeves cackle in the opposite direction from the one she was headed, but he did have an uncanny way of popping up when least desired.  Gladly tonight was not her turn, perhaps some other unlucky student crossed his path. 

Safely making it to the Fat Lady she coughed politely and tried not to make eye contact with the glare she was receiving.  "'Scuse me ma'am but I'm here under invitation.  I believe the password be 'Horse Radish.'"  All Marni heard was a huge sigh and some muttering about, "Well if she has some manners. . . "  The portrait swung open and Marni stepped into the Gryffindor Common Room.  She caught sight of Nina, Fauna, several boys. . and. . .  Ava.   Marni's nose twitched slightly in distaste as if she smelled something not quite right. 

Stepping into the light she bade everyone a good evening, "Evening everyone.  Has tha game started already? I do hope I'm not too late.  Thanks for the invite Nina, this looks to be fun even if there is some . . .opposition."   The last word came out with a direct look at Ava.  There was no love between these two girls, but possibly a strained civility at best. 

Ava received a few odd looks as she sat herself on the floor. She ignored them - who was she to judge if their house elves let them live in so much squalor that they didn't even dare sit on their own common room floor? The dungeon floor was spick and span! Ava settled herself comfortably, letting her back stretch a little against a chair.

“Welcome to the Gryffindor tower!”

Ava rolled her eyes. George Carter. He was one of those boys. The type who, much as though they are relatively good looking - well, good looking enough to touch without a barge pole - and can sometimes crack a joke that doesn't warrant a hard smack across the head for sheer stupidity, he would just never be as popular as the boys in Slytherin. Ava felt the sides of her mouth turn up at this thought.

"Wannabe." She muttered to herself under her breath. Ava felt her heart sink down to somewhere near her toes as he made a beeline for her. He looked down at her, then plopped himself next to her.

"So have you played 7 card Spectacular much?"

It was Michael again. He certainly wasn't going to give up on his hospitality, no matter how rude Ava was to him. She paused slightly and looked up at him. "Enough." She replied simply.

“I’m dreadful at this game. We should make the stakes more interest…ing…So how about that rain? I think it’d be good for a mud fight later.”

Trust Carter to say something like that. Ava knew exactly how his mind worked - the same as Gav, Alex and Devlin. "Only if I get the first shot at you." Ava retorted quickly and smoothly, looking up at him with an expression which left a lot to be desired. She had no patience with the raging hormones of boys her age.

“Was there a dress code I was unaware of? Because… you know… I just don’t own any… girly slippers. Unless you ladies want to loan me yours.”

Ava rolled her eyes and looked away. "I don't like the idea of contracting a horrible disease..." she muttered under her breath. This was starting to get boring.

"Evening everyone.  Has tha game started already? I do hope I'm not too late.  Thanks for the invite Nina, this looks to be fun even if there is some . . .opposition."

That last comment was obviously directed at Ava - not least the look of distaste on Marni's face. "What's the matter Thistle? Just caught a whiff of your own body odour?" She pinned her nose with her thumb and forefinger in mock of Marni's own expression. "It is quite pungent - its a wonder you haven't smelled it before now!" She took her fingers from her nose and rolled her eyes at Marni. "Get off your high horse Queen of the Thistles. I never quite had you down as the type to be as prickly as your name suggests."

Ava turned to the rest of the group. "Are we going to start this anytime soon? Only I have other important things that need tending, even if you lot have nothing better to do in your seemingly boring lives. And for the record, I'm not here to make life-long friends. I'm here to win money. That's it. Got it?"

Michael saw George Carter come down from his common room.  "Hey George, you can't sleep up there either, they are a bit loud"  Michael was referring to the other's in their common room who, when he came down here had been snoring so loud that he could actually hear it through the common room door after he had closed it.  He had assumed that when he came down here George had been snoring along with them, but George must have been driven out the same as he.

Michael decided to give up on the hospitality to Ava, she obviously wasn't appreciating it, the girl could at least sit in a chair though, he thought, he wasn't sure he would want to sit on the floor, than he new what had been going on over here earlier in the nite, a second year had been attempting some kind of foul smelling potion, and was careless in the clean up, and the house elves hadn't been by to clean the common room yet.

Michael leaned his chair back on the rear two legs, it was a habit of his, one that had almost gotten his head cracked open a couple of times, and sat back to take in everyone, this was one of those memorable times that you can never have too many of.