Open Post: Great Hall

[courageous_wit]

[When the students enter the Great Hall today, they will see it decked out in black and yellow banners, with the Hufflepuff badger in prominent display. There are also a few model badgers that are moving around

The house-elves went all out in the food, serving Hufflepuff lots of cakes and cookies and other delicious treats.

Although you are divided by your houses, it's such a great party that you can visit your friends and butt into other house conversations!]

[Gryffindor | Ravenclaw | Hufflepuff | Slytherin | staff table]

Comments

[indirectcause]

[He'll pick at the corners of the cookie, frowning down at it]

I'm less upset about winning and more upset that I hurt people. [Again]

[lucre]

[ She doesn't eat hers yet, pretending to be more interested in him. His thoughts. ]

But you won. Did that not bring you joy?

[indirectcause]

Does it really matter? It's just a game.

[He wouldn't have said that before the world went to hell. He was good at 'just game' and enjoyed it immensely. But in the grand scheme of existence, of survival, it meant nothing]

[lucre]

Everything is a game.

[ That's why the Slytherins would go through any means to win in everything. What's the point of playing, living, otherwise? ]

[indirectcause]

...Not everything.

[Not unless the game is called 'survival']

[lucre]

What isn't? School certainly is.

[indirectcause]

I always thought school was about learning.

[lucre]

School is about achieving the credentials needed to secure your life after it.

[indirectcause]

And you think that's a game?

[lucre]

If there are winners and losers, yes.

[indirectcause]

Depends on what you count as winning. Getting to college? Getting a good job?

[lucre]

The best college and the best job. Better than your peers.

[indirectcause]

[He's had THAT drummed into him over and over the months before the outbreak. needing to do well, to get into a good college, get a good education. And now?]

...It really doesn't matter in the end. None of that does.

[lucre]

Tell me then, what does matter?

[indirectcause]

[It takes him a moment to respond. Staring a hole into the wood of the table]

Family. Either blood or just the people you come to see that way. Trying to keep them safe. Alive. That's what matters.

[lucre]

There are worse things than death.

[indirectcause]

I know.

[That came out a lot harsher than he intended and he winces]

Sorry. I've- well, I've seen some nasty shit.

[lucre]

[ She just smiles, sweet as ever, and moves to stand back up. Her job here is almost done. ]

Nastier than all these badgers on the wall?

[indirectcause]

[He's not even going to look at the stupid badgers]

Way, way worse.

[lucre]

Have my half.

[ She giggles too, leaning in to place a peck on his cheek as if it means nothing, judging by how quickly she then makes her exit. ]

[indirectcause]

[He'll just have a moment to inwardly keysmash because he's not exactly used to that sort of thing]

...Thanks?

[lucre]

[ Yes, good. She likes inciting that response, waving back as she walks over to the Slytherin table. ]