HEADMISTRESS
After nearly a decade of spirited leadership by the fiery red head we've all grown to love and fear with equal fervor, Hogwarts will unfortunately have to bid its final goodbyes to Headmistress Anastasia Truebridge. We've all got our favourite memories of the intimidating but caring woman who was willing to come back every year no matter what got thrown our way. It's only natural she'll be missed and most of us still can't imagine what the rest of our Hogwarts careers will be like without her around to whip us into shape. We were lucky enough to catch up with her for a final chat. Here's what she had to say:
1. Thanks for taking the time out to have this interview Miss Headmistress Ma’am, you’re probably busy so we’ll make this quick I promise! Let’s start with something simple, what’s your favourite thing about coming back to Hogwarts each term? Why do I always get asked this? I supposed having all the House Elves this castle has is the best thing about coming back.... and, uh, seeing how much our students have grown over the summer... yes, that's a nice answ--- I mean, that's a nice thing to see. 2. Have you ever been nervous right before giving one of your famous speeches? Not since my first-ever feast back when I was a Herbology professor, and I didn't even have to speak then! No, I've never been nervous since. 3. How come we have to wait til the WHOLE thing’s over before we eat? It's polite and shows you have manners! Plus we do have to wait for all the first years to get Sorted, so we can eat WITH them instead of making them watch us eat. 4. Did you lose anything to the spider webs that were showing up all over the castle? Pet? Favourite Brush? Your sanity? Certainly my sanity... actually, and this is a big loss Hogwarts is going to have to replace--- MANDRAKES! This school lost several dozen highly valuable mandrakes! I am SO PROUD of my Herbology class though, for thinking to use them as a weapon against those stupid spiders! |
5. It was a right awful shock hearing you were taken by spiders—and in your own lesson too! What was that like?
It was a living nightmare. I still dream about it sometimes, and wake up screaming.
6. Did you ever at any point doubt that the rescue teams would get to you in time?
No. I didn't know we even had rescue teams in place, but I was not going to go down without a fight. So I had loosened our spider web bindings right before the team got to us, thank Merlin.
7. What’d you think made the spiders so mad in the first place?
I hate to blame a dead boy, but we wouldn't have had this trouble without his intrusion into the Forbidden Forest a few terms back. It's because of students who will not follow OUT OF BOUNDS rules that the Mother Spider's mate died, and then acromantula-human relations just went downhill from there. Still, kidnapping the school's Head? And then trying to take over the rest of the castle? Seems like a bit much for retribution, don't you think? I still want legislation kicking those spiders OUT of here. A school staffer brought them in, so now we should be able to kick them out.
8. My Gryffindor friend told me she heard you really enslaved the house elves and subject your Professors to harsh working conditions, how much truth is in this?
...none. Who is your source? You'd think the yearbook would have better journalists than that trash rag Aparecium... honestly!
9. Now that it’s all over, what’s your general view of spiders?
I HATE THEM, I never EVER want to see one again, I can't BELIEVE I allowed my son to dress up as one back at Halloween time, and I SWEAR TO MERLIN I am going to be writing to the Department for the Regulation & Control of Magical Creatures EVERY DAY if I have to. Hogwarts should NOT have to deal with another spider pest problem EVER on the grounds! EVER! NEVER AGAIN!
10. Excited for the summer, ma’am?
Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. This was my last term, as you know, and I have to say... it will be weird not coming back to Hogwarts in the fall, but I'm looking forward to sending my son to school there because I know you all are in great hands. Take care, Hogwartians!
It was a living nightmare. I still dream about it sometimes, and wake up screaming.
6. Did you ever at any point doubt that the rescue teams would get to you in time?
No. I didn't know we even had rescue teams in place, but I was not going to go down without a fight. So I had loosened our spider web bindings right before the team got to us, thank Merlin.
7. What’d you think made the spiders so mad in the first place?
I hate to blame a dead boy, but we wouldn't have had this trouble without his intrusion into the Forbidden Forest a few terms back. It's because of students who will not follow OUT OF BOUNDS rules that the Mother Spider's mate died, and then acromantula-human relations just went downhill from there. Still, kidnapping the school's Head? And then trying to take over the rest of the castle? Seems like a bit much for retribution, don't you think? I still want legislation kicking those spiders OUT of here. A school staffer brought them in, so now we should be able to kick them out.
8. My Gryffindor friend told me she heard you really enslaved the house elves and subject your Professors to harsh working conditions, how much truth is in this?
...none. Who is your source? You'd think the yearbook would have better journalists than that trash rag Aparecium... honestly!
9. Now that it’s all over, what’s your general view of spiders?
I HATE THEM, I never EVER want to see one again, I can't BELIEVE I allowed my son to dress up as one back at Halloween time, and I SWEAR TO MERLIN I am going to be writing to the Department for the Regulation & Control of Magical Creatures EVERY DAY if I have to. Hogwarts should NOT have to deal with another spider pest problem EVER on the grounds! EVER! NEVER AGAIN!
10. Excited for the summer, ma’am?
Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. This was my last term, as you know, and I have to say... it will be weird not coming back to Hogwarts in the fall, but I'm looking forward to sending my son to school there because I know you all are in great hands. Take care, Hogwartians!
ANCIENT RUNES
Term after term, we lament in the closing of lessons; growing ever more wary of ending another fantastic year of Runes study beneath the enjoyable mentorship of Professor Botros. But what more can be said about this gentleman and the Ancient Runes subject that hasn't been recapitulated several times over? His brilliance and natural magnanimous nature have kept him firmly in place as one of Hogwarts' "most beloved"; a fact that's only been further validated in the excitement of his lessons. Ancient Runes has clearly become something much more beneath his watchful, wise eyes. So, let's recap!
Starting the year with an unexpected, yet DRAMATIC, approach (quite literally), the class gathered, first confused by the lack of desks. Of course, no notes could be taken without DESKS! How were they to prepare for future quizzes and tests...and OWLs/NEWTs?! Fifth and Seventh Years were clearly in a panic by this development. However, the ever clever Botros had something more thought-provoking in mind. Written neatly on the board were the words 'Dramatic Arts of the Runic Era'. DRAMATIC arts...meaning the THEATRE; only further confirmed by a few ominous boxes containing strange clothing, innocently placed by the Professor's desk. An excited buzz settled over those gathered, as they awaited an explanation, which came only moments later. Runic backstory spiel completed, Botros began assigning scenes in their amateur rendition of "How Thor Found His Hammer". The gist of the mythology is that Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, was stolen from Asgard by Frost Giants, who were dissatisfied with their lack of power and standing. Once the theft was discovered, Thor and Loki (with the help of Freyja's falcon cloak) rode into Jotunheim under the guise of a marriage between Freyja and Thrym; king of the frost giants. Thor (disguised at Freyja) and Loki (as her handmaiden) attended the lavish celebration feast, where the hammer was ultimately recovered. After revealing themselves, Thor made the frost giants pay for their deceit...So, ends the tale. The Rune students, of course, were more than eager to get into character and bring this myth to life...and did so in a way that was both entertaining and educational. |
Keeping in the vein of practicality, Rune lessons continued in much the same fashion. The next of note had to do with Runic charms, which is not to be mistaken for those performed with a wand or gandr. No, these particular runic charms were more geared towards healing and were meant to bo worn by whoever needed the extra healing magic the runes could provide. The trick to making them successfully is to make sure all the carved runes in the charm share at least one line; a firm merger of runic magic, essentially. As far as actual runes go, three were at the forefront of this project; Sowilo, Jera, and Uruz; all synonymous with the sun, patience, and strength. After carving them into small wooden planks, the class crafted bracelets, necklaces, etc to house the 'charms'...so they could be worn and then invoked. Whether these tokens were meant to be kept by their makers or given as gifts, one thing remains true: runic magic can be both FUN and necessary! To best sum up the experience of attending a Runes lesson with this beloved professor, Seventh Year Tobias Fuller-Thompson had this to say: "I've been going to Professor Botros' Ancient Runes classes for seven years now, and every single year his classes are always wicked interesting and super engaging! Basically, I just think Professor Botros is an absolute pro; he makes his subject even more interesting and awesome than it already is!"
ARITHMANCY
Whether you're one of those students who understands the theory in seconds, or a kid who just can't seem to get their head around the subject of Arithmancy, it is impossible to deny that Professor Tiara Tanner makes her lessons engaging and interesting. Professor Tanner has just completed her third term as Hogwarts Arithmancy professor, and continues to bring a creative edge and a whole bunch positive energies to her classes, making each lesson as memorable as the last.
One memorable Arithmancy lesson this term had Professor Tanner teaming up with Muggle Studies head honcho, Professor Moxley. A great deal of students were surprised at this particular merging of subjects, and curious to see what would be on the agenda. Professor Tanner was quick to reassure the assembled students that the lesson would NOT be on muggle mathematics, as some may have feared. She did, however, get the class to work reducing a twelve digit number she had written on the board, still not revealing what the link between the two subjects was. Using the result of this reduction, the number eight, Professor Tanner asked the class what type of place they thought would be represented by this number. Ravenclaw Prefect Sophie Brown earned herself a handful of points with her almost spot-on guess of Buckingham Palace, using the correct logic that the number eight represents success, wealth, and authority. Professor Tanner revealed that the original twelve digit number was in FACT the PHONE NUMBER of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland. This, of course, meant that the link between the Arithmancy and Muggle Studies portions of the lesson was revealed; PHONES. Professor Tanner set the class one last task to complete. After being directed to a list of karmic numbers (also known as karmic debts), as well as a list of three more phone numbers, everyone got to work reducing those numbers down and interpreting the results, whilst keeping an eye open for those karmic debts. With the Arithmancy section done, Professor Moxley then took over, sticking with the topic of cellular phones and ending the lesson with a giant real-time version of a popular smartphone game. |
Later in the term, Arithmancy students arrived at Professor Tanner's classroom to continue studying the topic of karma and karmic numbers. The lesson started off with a simple discussion on the origins of karma; what it means and where it comes from, in particular. Turns out, karma basically means that a person reaps what they sow, and the idea of karma was born in the seventh century BC in India. With all the history recap and discussion portions out of the way, Professor Tanner then did the BIG REVEAL for the lesson's main activity. And WHAT an activity it was. To the delight of the students, a giant life-size game board was soon revealed, taking up the entire floor space of the classroom. And the aim of the game was simple. Students were to start at the beginning and take turns at rolling a ten-sided dice to tell them how many spaces to move forward. Littered around the board were colour-coded squares that responded to Karma Cards, with a yellow card allowing a player forward ten spaces, as the number ten is the one GOOD karmic number, while the other coloured squares would send the player BACK thirteen (orange card), fourteen (purple card), sixteen (blue card), or nineteen (red card) spaces, as these numbers are all the 'bad karma' numbers. The class immediately got stuck in, enthusiastically rolling those dice and moving forwards and backwards around the board. By the time the lesson was over (with many eager students staying as long as they could even after the lunch bell in an attempt to finish the game) no student managed to reached the end. However, Prefect Aditya Rehman got closest to the final square; that's a Hufflepuff with some good karma on his side!
There's only one REAL problem with having such successful and engaging lessons this year, and that is that Professor Tanner has set herself another tough standard to beat in the new term. But I'm sure I speak for everyone when I saw that we, the students, have absolute faith in her abilities. Hogwarts looks forward to having Professor Tanner back in the Arithmancy classroom for another term!
There's only one REAL problem with having such successful and engaging lessons this year, and that is that Professor Tanner has set herself another tough standard to beat in the new term. But I'm sure I speak for everyone when I saw that we, the students, have absolute faith in her abilities. Hogwarts looks forward to having Professor Tanner back in the Arithmancy classroom for another term!
ASTRONOMY
Astronomy has to be one of those subjects that has taken on a new meaning ever since the hiring of one Airey Flamsteed. Now, eight terms later, the Professor still finds the inspiration to reach the often distracted minds of the teens and pre-teens around the castle with his often eccentric lessons that prove this subject is more than a telescope and two constellations. We’ve all had a chance to sit through his lessons—save the sad souls who never opted in and those sneaky enough to skip classes—and we can all agree it’s never one to be missed.
This term was no exception to that even with the professor seeming to be a little MIA himself. The students walked into the lesson, greeted by nothing but a note on the board instructing them to attach their names to themselves; a nifty little trick that went a LONG way with the little firsties still so new to the castle and each other. It can be a little overwhelming, especially when you’ve got large rocks suddenly crashing into each other before your very eyes. It’s enough to have you questioning your life choices and how much you really want to learn from this subject that has the potential to get you killed in the name of science. No Professor, we don’t know what that was all about. After much guessing and talks of baby pet rocks it was revealed that the moon would be the topic of the hour—not just any moon, but moons of their own. Who said you couldn’t have it all? It’s almost enough to have one excusing the professor for that moon period joke he ruined for everyone. Every. One. Once the lesson progressed with talks of tides and gravitational pulling, the students were introduced to the spell ‘Aquatraxi Gravita’, a spell that can be used to manipulate water if you can get pass the mouthful that it was. By now a few students were wondering what galoshes and water balloons had to do with the moon and tides, even if most wouldn’t say it but it was all revealed later when the students were taken out to the lake where the Professor had obviously been busy with the infrastructure, adding to further questions about WHAT this HONESTLY had to do with the moon. That would come soon enough. In true Airey Flamsteed fashion, the lesson was going to be entirely out of the box, keeping in line with his method of learning in the middle of a spot of fun. The students were encouraged to destroy the sandcastles of each other’s houses by being the moon and influencing the tide with their own bit of magic. By the end of the lesson (where the lions reigned victorious) everyone had a little taste of what it was like in the life of the moon. Fascinating really. |
With a lesson like that, it was no wonder there were so many eager faces entering the room off the Great Hall…until they got to the lighting arrangements of course and then it was back to guessing. It seemed like one could just never be too sure when it came to this professor and having a joint with Professors Culloden and Dakest did little to change this. Sixth Year, Ravenclaw Prefect Sophie Brown had the right idea when she called it a ‘weird combination but interesting’. There was only so much those three subjects had in common, which left the big question of what they would be doing in the eerily dark room. The large WEREWOLVES did happen to clear that up nicely before they got into a little demonstration surrounding their faces, a moon on a stick and the wonder that was the bluebell flame. With a big reveal like that, it was only natural that Slytherin Third Year Dot Wojack add a little dramatics; it heightened the mood.
Not everyone was as taken with the little exercise that once again had the students stepping into the shoes of celestial bodies. Fourth Year, Gryffindor Aubrey Valentine can best attest to that after losing what might have been a late lunch all over the floor and the astronomer. It’s arguable the kid had it coming with all that rapid spinning but how was SHE to know there was a reason the moon spun so slowly up there in the big ‘ole starry sky? This put the professor in such a mood that not even Sophie and Tobias were exempt from his wrath. Just goes to show you, don’t flirt when a man’s got stomach refuse all over his shoes. It’s probably a rule. One the students wouldn’t forget even as they moved into the rest of the lesson taken over by Professor Culloden then Professor Dakest.
By the time the students returned for another lesson in Astronomy, the room and most of them for that matter were covered in cobwebs—a trend that had been going on around the castle but once again the Professor had the right idea. What better way to distract students from the woes of a rundown castle than a box no one was allowed to open? It’s a wonder no one made any stronger attempts to find out, especially with the dramatic way in which Airey reacted when the box toppled over. You’d think he’d left Pebbles in there or expected it to explode; both equally terrifying ideas we’re sure. For a box they weren’t meant to open, the class sure had a lot revolving around it, like the question of what might have been inside. Answers ranged from bunnies to oreo cookies, magical moons to Pebbles herself. Perhaps Slytherin Prefect Beverly Wayne had the right idea when she suggested it must have been something delicate enough and important to have the man dive the way he did. Rock imprisonment, it may have been a thing and no one had any idea.
Without revealing what was in the box, the lesson was quickly moved on to talks of a computer, a television, and a Tupperware container, leaving it a mystery; true torture for the most curious of minds. Somehow the students manage to settle down enough to give their own suggestions on what improvements might have resulted from the study and exploration of space. Just when it started to look like the Professor only brought that box to class to taunt the students, it all began making sense. Their over fascination was proven to be a direct result of not knowing what was inside in the first place which was similar to space and the reason for its exploration. It was the unknown that made them both more appealing than they possibly were. A deeper lesson than what they’d come to learn that day. It all tied in perfectly with another word left on the board, that word being ‘potential’. The biggest surprise came at the end when they were finally allowed to look inside the box were they found……homework. An interesting way to wrap things up, despite the look on many faces as they exited the lesson. We caught up with one Gryffindor who had this to say about the lesson: “Reckon I liked it. At first I didn’t really get what th’ professor was tryn’a say and I was lookin’ at th’ box a whole lot, but then it all made sense. Now I understan’ that even with all th’ hype abou’ space there’s probably nothin’ up there and we’re wasting valuable time that could’a been spent on other research. Interesting, innit??”
Not everyone was as taken with the little exercise that once again had the students stepping into the shoes of celestial bodies. Fourth Year, Gryffindor Aubrey Valentine can best attest to that after losing what might have been a late lunch all over the floor and the astronomer. It’s arguable the kid had it coming with all that rapid spinning but how was SHE to know there was a reason the moon spun so slowly up there in the big ‘ole starry sky? This put the professor in such a mood that not even Sophie and Tobias were exempt from his wrath. Just goes to show you, don’t flirt when a man’s got stomach refuse all over his shoes. It’s probably a rule. One the students wouldn’t forget even as they moved into the rest of the lesson taken over by Professor Culloden then Professor Dakest.
By the time the students returned for another lesson in Astronomy, the room and most of them for that matter were covered in cobwebs—a trend that had been going on around the castle but once again the Professor had the right idea. What better way to distract students from the woes of a rundown castle than a box no one was allowed to open? It’s a wonder no one made any stronger attempts to find out, especially with the dramatic way in which Airey reacted when the box toppled over. You’d think he’d left Pebbles in there or expected it to explode; both equally terrifying ideas we’re sure. For a box they weren’t meant to open, the class sure had a lot revolving around it, like the question of what might have been inside. Answers ranged from bunnies to oreo cookies, magical moons to Pebbles herself. Perhaps Slytherin Prefect Beverly Wayne had the right idea when she suggested it must have been something delicate enough and important to have the man dive the way he did. Rock imprisonment, it may have been a thing and no one had any idea.
Without revealing what was in the box, the lesson was quickly moved on to talks of a computer, a television, and a Tupperware container, leaving it a mystery; true torture for the most curious of minds. Somehow the students manage to settle down enough to give their own suggestions on what improvements might have resulted from the study and exploration of space. Just when it started to look like the Professor only brought that box to class to taunt the students, it all began making sense. Their over fascination was proven to be a direct result of not knowing what was inside in the first place which was similar to space and the reason for its exploration. It was the unknown that made them both more appealing than they possibly were. A deeper lesson than what they’d come to learn that day. It all tied in perfectly with another word left on the board, that word being ‘potential’. The biggest surprise came at the end when they were finally allowed to look inside the box were they found……homework. An interesting way to wrap things up, despite the look on many faces as they exited the lesson. We caught up with one Gryffindor who had this to say about the lesson: “Reckon I liked it. At first I didn’t really get what th’ professor was tryn’a say and I was lookin’ at th’ box a whole lot, but then it all made sense. Now I understan’ that even with all th’ hype abou’ space there’s probably nothin’ up there and we’re wasting valuable time that could’a been spent on other research. Interesting, innit??”
CARE OF MAGICAL CREATURES
Anyone who has attended one of Professor Javier Thompson's Care of Magical Creatures classes are always in for a thrilling experience. Time and time again, Professor Thompson has provided unique once-in-a-lifetime chances to see incredible creatures up close. From Puffskeins to Hippogriffs to Unicorns and beyond, Care of Magical Creatures is the place to be if you have even the slightest passing interest in creatures of the magical world.
One of Professor Thompson's lessons in particular this term practically melted the hearts of everyone in the immediate vicinity. After the barnyard filled up with students eager to learn, Professor Thompson revealed that the objective of the day's lesson would be for some HANDS ON work, caring for creatures. Pretty standard, right? WRONG. Because, as it turned out, Professor Thompson had managed to procure a huge selection of BABY GRIFFINS, each of which without parents and needing to be properly cared for by the students. Professor Thompson showed how to swaddle the baby griffins in blankets to keep them warm, then scoop up some meat into a baby bottle and melt it all down to make a tasty griffin meal. The rest of the lesson was spent looking after the little baby griffins, feeding them, cuddling them, talking them, getting them to sleep. And if THAT wasn't enough, for homework, Professor Thompson set the task of looking after the griffins for a short while on a daily basis, giving every student and griffin a chance to make the most of the love and affection each provided for one another. Adorable! It would be fair to assume that after a lesson on such an amazing and majestic creature as the Griffin (and BABY ones, no less), the rest of the animals brought in by Professor Thompson this term would be much more run of the mill by comparison, right? WRONG AGAIN. When the class turned up for another Care of Magical Creatures lesson much later in the term, they might have suspected something a little out of the ordinary - or... even more out of the ordinary than usual for a Hogwarts class - as they arrived to find the professor waiting in the dark barnyard by an indoor campfire, with all the other creatures' pens covered up. |
It didn't take long for Professor Thompson to reveal, to the delight of practically everyone assembled, that the lesson would be focusing on DRAGONS. Those gigantic, fire-breathing, and frankly adorable reptiles are rated XXXXX and are therefore considered one of the most dangerous creatures in the magical world, depending on who you ask, but that didn't stop Professor Thompson from producing a tiny horde of young Norwegian Ridgebacks. Generously provided by a dragon sanctuary and shrunk down specifically for students to handle them, these dragons were just about ready to learn to fly. AND, after coaxing them into roasting marshmallows for s'mores, that's what the students were to help the dragons do. Using Incendio to emulate the fire-breathing encouragement of the dragons' parents, each student took part in a race to get their teeny tiny dragon to fly through fifteen hoops around the barnyard; the first three to successfully get their dragons through the hoops and into the tanks at the end received a bunch of house points for their troubles. The three students to win this prize were Benjamin Atreyu, sixth year Gryffindor, Freya Valke, a fourth year from Slytherin house, and Hufflepuff Prefect Aditya Rehman. Might be worth these three considering careers in dragon handling.
This term in Care of Magical Creatures really has been incredibly fulfilling and exciting, despite issues with certain forest creatures causing a stir around the castle outside of lessons, and even a few Hogwarts creatures going missing over the course of the year. But many of you may be surprised to hear that Professor Thompson will not be returning to his Care of Magical Creatures post next term, instead preferring to remain home with his family. I think it goes without saying that Hogwarts is definitely going to miss this professor and his awesome classes. On the subject of leaving, Professor Thompson had these final words to say; "Teaching here at Hogwarts the last five years has been an experience unprecedented with the positive relationships and outcomes that have enriched me as I move on from here with my family. I wish everyone of my soon-to-be former students as bright as they are a safe journey and a fulfilling future with all their endeavors."
This term in Care of Magical Creatures really has been incredibly fulfilling and exciting, despite issues with certain forest creatures causing a stir around the castle outside of lessons, and even a few Hogwarts creatures going missing over the course of the year. But many of you may be surprised to hear that Professor Thompson will not be returning to his Care of Magical Creatures post next term, instead preferring to remain home with his family. I think it goes without saying that Hogwarts is definitely going to miss this professor and his awesome classes. On the subject of leaving, Professor Thompson had these final words to say; "Teaching here at Hogwarts the last five years has been an experience unprecedented with the positive relationships and outcomes that have enriched me as I move on from here with my family. I wish everyone of my soon-to-be former students as bright as they are a safe journey and a fulfilling future with all their endeavors."
CHARMS
With the unconventional and highly enjoyable Charms educations Hogwarts students received during the last term, everyone came into school expecting the most of Maddox Quigley in just his second year of teaching. Not only did the renowned cat-man live up to the hopes of his pupils, but he also managed to provide them with challenges they would never forget.
Quigley started out the lesson by having students fill out their name tags while he educated them on elevator lifts. He explained that the Muggle versions of the contraptions only went up and down, but the Ministry’s magical adaption traveled in all directions. The reason, Quigley revealed, that he had brought up elevators was that they had something in common with the charm the children would be learning. Alarte Ascendare makes things go upwards, albeit more dangerously and at a greater speed than what might be considered desirable or safe. It launches an object into the air and how heavy the object is and how much power you apply determines how far and how fast it moves. The movement for the spell is a simple brandish of one’s wand at the target. After going over real-life applications in which the students may need to use the charm, Quigley allowed his students to crumple up a sheet of parchment and practice the spell on it. The kids did as told for a little while, and then the professor told everyone to partner up so he could unveil the big activity of the lesson— the children were going to cast the spell on each other! There were hoops in which one partner would stand while the other tried to get them at least waist-high through the hoop, which would cause the hoop to light up. The ceiling of the room had been padded with with extra soft, plushy material for just this occasion. At the end of the lesson, some students left dizzy and a little disoriented, but each one still had a big smile plastered across their face. |
The second Charms lesson was met with interesting responses from students, as the students were all corralled and marched outside to the rickety wooden bridge that leads to the grounds rather than working in their usual classroom. Quigley started out with a thought-provoking question— how did the students react when gifted something they found horrendous, and what were their reasons for finding the gift horrendous in the first place? The students’ answers about what they would do ranged from learning to love the present to giving it to someone else. But after considering Quigley’s second question, the class stumbled upon the real topic of the lesson: the gift’s color was often the thing that made it so hideous.
Luckily, this problem was one that could be quickly solved with the charm that Maddox brought up next. Colovaria, a spell whose movement is a simple point at the intended target, is known as the color-changing charm, because it does precisely that. To make it work, one must keep the color they want in mind while casting. For practice, the cat-man had the students take off their ties and change the colors to those of every other Hogwarts house before returning them to normal. Afterwards, he led the students off the bridge and down into the ravine which it spanned to play a game of Capture the Fort. The rules were simple; divided into two teams (Gryffindor and Slytherin versus Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw), students were meant to change the colors of other house’s banners to the shade of their own and restore their own flags to their original color if they had been altered. At the end of the lesson, Gryffindor and Slytherin received 15 points apiece for being the winning team, with Slytherin receiving an extra 5 for capturing the most flags. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw both received 10. With their own adequately colored gifts of gems for their house point hourglasses from the professor, everyone left the lesson feeling exhausted but pleased.
For the third lesson of the term, much to the students’ relief, the class was held in its usual classroom. To wake the students up, Quigley had them line up and run a lap around the room weaving in and out of the rows while he posed his first question: what makes spider webs so effective at what they do? The answer, of course, was their stickiness. The children learned of the relevance of this question to the lesson when Maddox quickly reviewed the spell Adhaero, the sticking charm, with them. The movement for the spell is simply tracing or outlining the object one wants to stick. The spell of the day, though, turned out to be Adhaero’s countercharm, Avexis. The movement for the unsticking charm is an uncomplicated point at the target. For practice, Quigley announced that each of the children had already been stuck to their chairs. Their task? Get their bottoms moving again, of course.
Post-practice, Quigley provided the students with directions for their main activity. After partnering up, one of the pair would hop on a mini-trampoline set beside the wall and jump at it. The wall, which had the sticking charm cast on it before hand, wouldn’t allow the first partner to descend again until their companion unstuck them using Avexis. The results of the activity must have pleased Quigley, because, as a treat for the students not getting themselves inexplicably and unnecessarily injured, he let them off without homework.
Although the students didn’t know it at the time, these lessons were some of Quigley’s last at Hogwarts. The cat-man withdrew from his position at the end of the school year, leaving some of his pupils distraught that the snarky yet fun-filled man would not be returning to teach the next term. While the man could be strict and straightforward at times, he always managed to provide activities that made learning pleasurable— exactly what Hogwarts students need. The two years during which he has taught have had a great impact on the children, and they can only hope that their next Charms professor will be equally amazing.
Luckily, this problem was one that could be quickly solved with the charm that Maddox brought up next. Colovaria, a spell whose movement is a simple point at the intended target, is known as the color-changing charm, because it does precisely that. To make it work, one must keep the color they want in mind while casting. For practice, the cat-man had the students take off their ties and change the colors to those of every other Hogwarts house before returning them to normal. Afterwards, he led the students off the bridge and down into the ravine which it spanned to play a game of Capture the Fort. The rules were simple; divided into two teams (Gryffindor and Slytherin versus Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw), students were meant to change the colors of other house’s banners to the shade of their own and restore their own flags to their original color if they had been altered. At the end of the lesson, Gryffindor and Slytherin received 15 points apiece for being the winning team, with Slytherin receiving an extra 5 for capturing the most flags. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw both received 10. With their own adequately colored gifts of gems for their house point hourglasses from the professor, everyone left the lesson feeling exhausted but pleased.
For the third lesson of the term, much to the students’ relief, the class was held in its usual classroom. To wake the students up, Quigley had them line up and run a lap around the room weaving in and out of the rows while he posed his first question: what makes spider webs so effective at what they do? The answer, of course, was their stickiness. The children learned of the relevance of this question to the lesson when Maddox quickly reviewed the spell Adhaero, the sticking charm, with them. The movement for the spell is simply tracing or outlining the object one wants to stick. The spell of the day, though, turned out to be Adhaero’s countercharm, Avexis. The movement for the unsticking charm is an uncomplicated point at the target. For practice, Quigley announced that each of the children had already been stuck to their chairs. Their task? Get their bottoms moving again, of course.
Post-practice, Quigley provided the students with directions for their main activity. After partnering up, one of the pair would hop on a mini-trampoline set beside the wall and jump at it. The wall, which had the sticking charm cast on it before hand, wouldn’t allow the first partner to descend again until their companion unstuck them using Avexis. The results of the activity must have pleased Quigley, because, as a treat for the students not getting themselves inexplicably and unnecessarily injured, he let them off without homework.
Although the students didn’t know it at the time, these lessons were some of Quigley’s last at Hogwarts. The cat-man withdrew from his position at the end of the school year, leaving some of his pupils distraught that the snarky yet fun-filled man would not be returning to teach the next term. While the man could be strict and straightforward at times, he always managed to provide activities that made learning pleasurable— exactly what Hogwarts students need. The two years during which he has taught have had a great impact on the children, and they can only hope that their next Charms professor will be equally amazing.
DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS
With the departure of Professor Romanos, long time Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, came yet another new professor to the school. This wasn't any ordinary professor, though, this was none other than Sabel Dakest, former Hogwarts student and Ministry of Magic Auror. Had the death of a student last term frightened the Headmistress so much that she felt the need to hire an Auror to teach the defense class, or was this something the Board of Governors forced her to do? Whatever the reasoning was for hiring this man, it wasn't long before students were affectionately referring to Dakest as "DaBest," making it clear that his reception with the students made him a mighty fine choice to fill such big shoes.
His first full month of teaching under his belt, Professor Dakest was not shy about tackling big topics in his class. Come one October morning, the students entered their classroom to find the arrangement of the room quite unusual. Walls and crates created a blockade of sorts in the center of the room, which the students would soon learn was a labyrinth with various obstacles to defeat within its confinements. The topic of the class was alluded to by the professor as he sat perched on a crate at the entrance to the maze with an otter patronus skittering around the room, and many students went right on to infer that they would be learning about patronuses. Though they were quite correct, Professor Dakest left their curious minds hanging as he first led the class in a discussion on just what made the Dark Arts, Dark Magic, and Dark Wizards so fascinating to study. Answers ranged from curiosity about the unfamiliar, a hope for understanding what drives Dark Wizards, and knowing about Dark things to be able to defend oneself from such dangers. Seventh year Slytherin Ruby Banner, however, just about made the poor professor choke when she proudly declared that "bad boys were hot," much to the amusement of her classmates. Regardless, Dakest praised everyone's honest answers and made them wait no longer to dive right into the topic of patronuses. |
The incantation, wand movement, effects, and uses of the Patronus Charm were all discussed in heavy detail, as were features of corporeal patronus forms. There was a great deal of apprehension in the room as many students were visibly unnerved by the mere thought of tackling this charm, but with Dakest's encouragement, he reassured them that they could take their time to find their happy memory, move at their own pace, then set them to work. Very few found success, though a ferret, bear, and sea lion patronus joined the professor's own otter before the end of the practice time. Moving the class along, Dakest turned the attention to the labyrinth and described the dementor-like and lethifold-like creatures that they would face inside the maze. They were not real creatures, but the students were to attempt the Patronus Charm to defeat these creatures and light their way through a dark passage to reach the end of the maze. Many students went ahead and attempted this task without hesitation, even if they had not successfully conjured a patronus yet, while others opted to continue practicing their patronuses outside of the maze. Though there was some typical teenage angst, the class came to an end without disaster or excessive tears, and though it was clear that many students left disheartened by their day's work, not one student could deny that it had been a very insightful, useful lesson for personal growth.
For a change of pace shortly after the new year, Professor Dakest teamed up with Professors Culloden and Flamsteed to lead a joint Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, and Astronomy class in the room off the Great Hall. The Astronomy portion came first and Professor Flamsteed introduced werewolves as the grand topic of the lesson with the students learning the phases of the moon, and then Culloden taught about the Wolfsbane Potion in the Potions section of class. When it came time for Dakest to take over the class to teach more about werewolves, it seemed that everyone anticipated a basic analysis of werewolves and perhaps a defense lesson against them, too. The lesson did indeed proceed as anticipated at first, in fact, as Dakest covered the ways to identify a werewolf from a wild wolf, then asked for ideas on how to trap a werewolf safely. Cages, binding spells, and other defensive spells were listed as useful for this cause, then Professor Dakest taught the class a new spell: Manus Invisibilis! This spell is a binding curse that causes only intended portions of the target's body to become paralyzed instead of the whole body. It can also bind a target to an object or surface. As the class began to practice the incantation and wand movement on their desks-turned-dummies, the majority of the students began to grow an excessive amount of hair and canine teeth with the exception of Tobias Fuller-Thompson, Sophie Brown, Benjamin Atreyu, Angel Valentine, and Ilia Valke, none of whom consumed the potion-spiked cookies that Professor Flamsteed had distributed during his portion of the lesson. The class had been poisoned by the very professors they were meant to trust with their lives, so way to encourage trust issues in your students, gentlemen. One can be sure that those turning into werewolves weren't the least bit happy and probably felt pretty betrayed, but the non-"werewolves" would have had a hard time differentiating between their classmates' legitimate anger and the new potion-induced aggression that was building rapidly within all of the cookie-eaters. This resulted in the final activity of the class: humans versus "werewolves," where the werewolves heavily outnumbered the few professors and five students who did not consume the potion-induced cookies, but the humans, or "trappers," had the advantage of putting the new Manus Invisibilis spell to good use to administer a candy cure! After plenty of dramatics - with some trappers being converted into werewolves along the way, namely a very hairy Dakest - soon enough the potion's effects faded away and all werewolves reverted back to their proper human state. Tears had been shed, trust had been broken, and it was just another typical class of high emotions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Despite these two noteworthy, high-intensity classes taught by our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Dakest has still managed to work his way into the hearts and the lists of favorite professors of many students, and there's no doubt that the Hogwarts student body at large is better off having him around for many terms to come. You're "da best," sir!
For a change of pace shortly after the new year, Professor Dakest teamed up with Professors Culloden and Flamsteed to lead a joint Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, and Astronomy class in the room off the Great Hall. The Astronomy portion came first and Professor Flamsteed introduced werewolves as the grand topic of the lesson with the students learning the phases of the moon, and then Culloden taught about the Wolfsbane Potion in the Potions section of class. When it came time for Dakest to take over the class to teach more about werewolves, it seemed that everyone anticipated a basic analysis of werewolves and perhaps a defense lesson against them, too. The lesson did indeed proceed as anticipated at first, in fact, as Dakest covered the ways to identify a werewolf from a wild wolf, then asked for ideas on how to trap a werewolf safely. Cages, binding spells, and other defensive spells were listed as useful for this cause, then Professor Dakest taught the class a new spell: Manus Invisibilis! This spell is a binding curse that causes only intended portions of the target's body to become paralyzed instead of the whole body. It can also bind a target to an object or surface. As the class began to practice the incantation and wand movement on their desks-turned-dummies, the majority of the students began to grow an excessive amount of hair and canine teeth with the exception of Tobias Fuller-Thompson, Sophie Brown, Benjamin Atreyu, Angel Valentine, and Ilia Valke, none of whom consumed the potion-spiked cookies that Professor Flamsteed had distributed during his portion of the lesson. The class had been poisoned by the very professors they were meant to trust with their lives, so way to encourage trust issues in your students, gentlemen. One can be sure that those turning into werewolves weren't the least bit happy and probably felt pretty betrayed, but the non-"werewolves" would have had a hard time differentiating between their classmates' legitimate anger and the new potion-induced aggression that was building rapidly within all of the cookie-eaters. This resulted in the final activity of the class: humans versus "werewolves," where the werewolves heavily outnumbered the few professors and five students who did not consume the potion-induced cookies, but the humans, or "trappers," had the advantage of putting the new Manus Invisibilis spell to good use to administer a candy cure! After plenty of dramatics - with some trappers being converted into werewolves along the way, namely a very hairy Dakest - soon enough the potion's effects faded away and all werewolves reverted back to their proper human state. Tears had been shed, trust had been broken, and it was just another typical class of high emotions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Despite these two noteworthy, high-intensity classes taught by our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Dakest has still managed to work his way into the hearts and the lists of favorite professors of many students, and there's no doubt that the Hogwarts student body at large is better off having him around for many terms to come. You're "da best," sir!
DIVINATION
Fancy foreseeing the future? If so, Professor Morgan’s Divination lessons are the can’t-miss classes for you. The enthusiastic blonde returned to Hogwarts this term with a collection of curious topics, her snap cup, and a positive attitude to top it off. Even those students not in touch with their inner eye can admit that that is a winning combination.
For the first lesson of the term, Hogwartians found themselves in a banquet hall-type room, a selection of food set out for their dining pleasure. What exactly did this food have to do with Divination, you ask? Well, all of it is known to cause gas. Yes, gas, and not the type you fill up a muggle automobile with. Bodily sounds were good for more than a laugh, according to Professor Morgan, and Gastromancy is a perfect example of this. The sounds of the stomach, while slightly embarrassing, can also be used to communicate, even with the dead. Probably why not long after introducing the topic, the Divination Professor changed her room so that the students were now in a cemetery. Cheery, yes? Also informative, as Gastromancy was believed to help a person know how they’d fair without the dead. The sonorous charm and stethoscopes helped students amplify the sounds as they moved into the practical portion of class, having partnered up to listen to each other’s rumbles and grumbles and take note of their meanings. Guess that’s one way to make friends. Divination, bringing students together through bodily noises since 2086. Arriving at the second lesson for the term, students walked into a lab-type set up. Curious vials were situated at each station, some yellow and some red. Any questions about those were left unanswered for the moment as class started with the usual greetings and, well, a turtle. Bob was his name and chasing exercise balls was his game, though his presence served a greater purpose. He was a very important clue, leading up to the introduction of Plastromancy. This branch of Divination, one of the oldest forms and originating in China, had to do with reading turtle shells. One simply needed to carve the name of the person they wanted to do a prediction for on the shell, and then perform a ritual, one which the students would be able to perform in class thanks to the mysterious vials on their tables. |
After using their wands to carve their own names onto shells (not taken forcibly from innocent turtles, mind you), they were to use either dragons blood or oil and pour it over the shell to help bring out the cracks. These cracks appearing after the students touched hot pokers to their shells. The look of the cracks indicated what the students might have in store for them in the future and as in life, some experienced better outcomes than others.
The final lesson of the term was met with a cobweb filled classroom, a familiar occurrence around the castle these days. Still, the sight of a smiling Professor Morgan and her turtle friend, Bob, was enough to elicit some smiles from those arriving. Yes, it was business as usual, a refresher on Plastromancy being first on the agenda, though the discussion was cut short when the lights in the room inexplicably went out and one Bob the turtle was taken. Never a dull moment at Hogwarts, surely the students knew this by now. After a who-done-it type discussion, the Divination Professor took things in a different direction. They’d use Coscinomancy to find Bob, a seventeenth century form of Divination used to find out if a person was guilty with the use of a sieve. After partnering up, the students using the spell damnare ostendere to test whether or not their partner was guilty of turtle-napping. Tensions were high, and four students were singled out. Aditya Rehman, Janelle Guidry, Zhenya Burton, and Cinnamon Bayless were the focus of a questioning session and mini trial by their peers, though it was revealed that Cinnamon was the one who took Bob. Yes, the whole thing had been staged, a revelation that was met with mixed emotions from the group. Still, it was quite a way to wrap up the final Divination lesson. Way to pull one over on your class, Cass.
The final lesson of the term was met with a cobweb filled classroom, a familiar occurrence around the castle these days. Still, the sight of a smiling Professor Morgan and her turtle friend, Bob, was enough to elicit some smiles from those arriving. Yes, it was business as usual, a refresher on Plastromancy being first on the agenda, though the discussion was cut short when the lights in the room inexplicably went out and one Bob the turtle was taken. Never a dull moment at Hogwarts, surely the students knew this by now. After a who-done-it type discussion, the Divination Professor took things in a different direction. They’d use Coscinomancy to find Bob, a seventeenth century form of Divination used to find out if a person was guilty with the use of a sieve. After partnering up, the students using the spell damnare ostendere to test whether or not their partner was guilty of turtle-napping. Tensions were high, and four students were singled out. Aditya Rehman, Janelle Guidry, Zhenya Burton, and Cinnamon Bayless were the focus of a questioning session and mini trial by their peers, though it was revealed that Cinnamon was the one who took Bob. Yes, the whole thing had been staged, a revelation that was met with mixed emotions from the group. Still, it was quite a way to wrap up the final Divination lesson. Way to pull one over on your class, Cass.
GROUNDSKEEPER
With the departure of Achibald Millard comes the entrance of yet another groundskeeper to Hogwarts. Scott Maclaren is the eighth man to take on this role since longtime groundskeeper Constantine Masterson left thirteen years ago. Does Mr. Maclaren really think he has what it takes to break the curse that seems to haunt this position? Well...just read for yourself:
1) It's a well known fact around here that the groundskeeper position is cursed. In the past thirteen terms we have had seven different groundskeepers. Were you aware of this before accepting the job? If so, what made you want to take a position that is known to scare people away? ‘A did know th’ school was havin’ a bit ‘o trouble wi’ their Groundskeepers bu’ I didn’t know i’ was as bad as yer makin’ it seem. Didn’t think i’ was goin’ ter be so bad so I figured I could make a few extra galleons t’ put toward my own brand o’ hair care products. 2) Now that you are aware of this alleged curse, what are your thoughts on the subject? Do you think you have what it takes to beat the curse and last longer than the past seven groundskeepers? Absolut’ly not. Don’t know if ye realise this or no’, lass bu’ I'm one o’ those lads tha’ was meant t’ live a long an’ prosperous life. Tha’ can’t happen if ‘m dead, ye see the Problem? I have no doubts I’ll be walkin’ out o’ here alive, i’s whether or no’ I’ll be comin’ back tha’ we need t’be figurin’ out. 3) What kind of work did you do before you came to work at Hogwarts? Befor’ this place, I was a brilliant Tour Guide. I’s how they foun’ me in th’ firs’ place; while I was helpin’ ‘em across the loch t’ find that ‘monster’ everyone’s been ravin’ abou’. |
4) What do you think will be the worst job about being a groundskeeper at a wizarding school?
I reckon the wors’ will be everythin’ tha’ can go wrong when ye pu’ a bunch ‘o magically charged teenagers in one castle tha’ isn’t necessarily big enough fer the whole ‘o them. I gather they don’ like stayin’ inside if they don’ have t’ which means I’ll be out o’ my hut more often than I’d like t’be an’ it isn’t entirely safe ou’ here. I been hearin’ noises.
5) What do you think will be your favorite thing about the grounds?
I’s kinda hard pickin’ a favourite thin’ bu’ I guess I’d have t’ say the fresh air. In moderation, i’ does wonders fer yer hair. Jus’ look at mine, since I’ve been here, I think i’s gotten a bit thicker—bu’ tha’ might be th’ new shampoo I switched t’ after comin’ here so I guess I don’ know.
6) What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't working? Do you have any hobbies?
Aye, I do, i’s called extensive hair care. Full time business tha’ one. Do ye think it’s easy gettin’ it t’ look like this? No lass, it takes dedication and hours infront o’ the mirror t’ achieve this level o’ perfection.
7) What is your biggest pet peeve?
Ugly hair. If i’ bothered t’ grow on yer head, th’ least y’can do is take care o’ it; spare th’ rest o’ the population from havin’ t’ see it at its wors’.
8) One more question for now then I will leave you alone. What kind of plans do you have for the grounds this term? Can we expect to see any new and exciting changes popping up?
If I tol’ you tha’ then i’ wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it? Reckon I’ll leave ye an’ th’ rest o’ the students t’ figure tha’ out on yer own.
Just four short months after that interview it seems our newest groundskeeper fell victim to the dreaded curse. He was last seen running into the forbidden forest chasing Henry the hippogriff who had been spooked by an unknown presence in the walkway to the creature playpen. Despite the efforts of a search party, Mr. Maclaren and Henry were not found. Once again Hogwarts was left without a groundskeeper.
It wasn't until the end of term prefect event when Maclaren suddenly appeared leaving everyone to wonder, just where exactly had the man disappeared to for all those months? There was only one way to find out. Ask him. Right after he had some food and drink to help gain back his strength.
9) Mr. Maclaren, first let me just say how happy everyone is to see you alive and safe after all these months, but can you tell us where exactly it is you've been?
I’s been horrible!! Th’ bloody thin’ took me far into th’ fores’—further than my job requires me t’be mind ye. I don’t think I even know fer sure where i’ took me, bu’ I know it was dark an’ there were eyes starin’ at me from all directions like they were fixin’ t’ make me dinner. Built a fire, tha’ I did, an’ pu’ up a bunch o’ shield charms. Mus’ have been clear on the’ other side o’ the fores’ when I think abou’ i’. Didn’t recognize an inch o’ th’ place bu’ knew I couldn’t stay there so I walked an’ walked an’ walked until I foun’ my way back. Survived on berries and magicked water, tha’ I did.
10) Finally, what advice would you give to any upcoming Groundskeepers here at Hogwarts? Unless of course you plan on returning next term.
DON’ DO IT! Th’ galleons ain’t worth a lick o’ the trouble this thin’ comes with! Run while ye can an’ if ye see a redhead wi’ a propositionin’ smile turn th’ other way an’ run like yer life depends on i’ because i’ probably does!
Well there you have it Hogwartians. It looks like the curse of the groundskeeper has scared away yet another one. The only question that remains now... Who will victim number 9 be?
I reckon the wors’ will be everythin’ tha’ can go wrong when ye pu’ a bunch ‘o magically charged teenagers in one castle tha’ isn’t necessarily big enough fer the whole ‘o them. I gather they don’ like stayin’ inside if they don’ have t’ which means I’ll be out o’ my hut more often than I’d like t’be an’ it isn’t entirely safe ou’ here. I been hearin’ noises.
5) What do you think will be your favorite thing about the grounds?
I’s kinda hard pickin’ a favourite thin’ bu’ I guess I’d have t’ say the fresh air. In moderation, i’ does wonders fer yer hair. Jus’ look at mine, since I’ve been here, I think i’s gotten a bit thicker—bu’ tha’ might be th’ new shampoo I switched t’ after comin’ here so I guess I don’ know.
6) What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't working? Do you have any hobbies?
Aye, I do, i’s called extensive hair care. Full time business tha’ one. Do ye think it’s easy gettin’ it t’ look like this? No lass, it takes dedication and hours infront o’ the mirror t’ achieve this level o’ perfection.
7) What is your biggest pet peeve?
Ugly hair. If i’ bothered t’ grow on yer head, th’ least y’can do is take care o’ it; spare th’ rest o’ the population from havin’ t’ see it at its wors’.
8) One more question for now then I will leave you alone. What kind of plans do you have for the grounds this term? Can we expect to see any new and exciting changes popping up?
If I tol’ you tha’ then i’ wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it? Reckon I’ll leave ye an’ th’ rest o’ the students t’ figure tha’ out on yer own.
Just four short months after that interview it seems our newest groundskeeper fell victim to the dreaded curse. He was last seen running into the forbidden forest chasing Henry the hippogriff who had been spooked by an unknown presence in the walkway to the creature playpen. Despite the efforts of a search party, Mr. Maclaren and Henry were not found. Once again Hogwarts was left without a groundskeeper.
It wasn't until the end of term prefect event when Maclaren suddenly appeared leaving everyone to wonder, just where exactly had the man disappeared to for all those months? There was only one way to find out. Ask him. Right after he had some food and drink to help gain back his strength.
9) Mr. Maclaren, first let me just say how happy everyone is to see you alive and safe after all these months, but can you tell us where exactly it is you've been?
I’s been horrible!! Th’ bloody thin’ took me far into th’ fores’—further than my job requires me t’be mind ye. I don’t think I even know fer sure where i’ took me, bu’ I know it was dark an’ there were eyes starin’ at me from all directions like they were fixin’ t’ make me dinner. Built a fire, tha’ I did, an’ pu’ up a bunch o’ shield charms. Mus’ have been clear on the’ other side o’ the fores’ when I think abou’ i’. Didn’t recognize an inch o’ th’ place bu’ knew I couldn’t stay there so I walked an’ walked an’ walked until I foun’ my way back. Survived on berries and magicked water, tha’ I did.
10) Finally, what advice would you give to any upcoming Groundskeepers here at Hogwarts? Unless of course you plan on returning next term.
DON’ DO IT! Th’ galleons ain’t worth a lick o’ the trouble this thin’ comes with! Run while ye can an’ if ye see a redhead wi’ a propositionin’ smile turn th’ other way an’ run like yer life depends on i’ because i’ probably does!
Well there you have it Hogwartians. It looks like the curse of the groundskeeper has scared away yet another one. The only question that remains now... Who will victim number 9 be?
HEALER
We've all had the occasional bumps and bruises on our adventures through the castle, whether they be a deadly parchment cut from too many hours in the library or a twisted ankle from landing wrong when the moving staircases threw you. Whatever the case, Healer Murdoch is always there to fix the ouchies us students acquire while we try to survive the roller coaster that is Hogwarts. With the proven decrease in the amount of Hospital Wing visits, we'll all hope it's us taking a page from her shining book of wisdom and not simply fear that forces the student population into safer courses of action, after all, I heard she's always good for a hug when you miss your mum. Don't believe us? Here's what Healer Murdoch had to say:
1. Hiya Healer Murdoch! Oh man have I been trying to get to you! So glad they gave me this interview, I just have a few questions if you’ve got time, ma’am. People have called you scary and there’s tradition of spooking firsties out of getting injuries resulting in them having to see you. What do you have to say to that? If being afraid of me means students won't do stupid things to get themselves hurt, then all I can say is... BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID! 2. I understand you’re a huge fan of safety and that’s understandable considering you have to fix the broken bones after. What would you say is the most common reason for children coming to the Hospital Wing? Well now that we don't have that dreaded game of quidditch anymore, there really haven't been many injuries of late. The most common thing I was seeing this term were those dreaded spider bites everyone seemed to be getting. |
3. If a kid were to be sick at the exact same time on a specific day when they HAPPEN to have Arithmancy, would they be allowed to sleep there for the hour til they got better? Juuuust curious.
Well that would depend on several factors. Like was there an exam that day? Did this certain student come to see me at the same exact time every day? Did the student actually have any REAL symptoms of being sick? Just coming to me and saying you don't feel well isn't going to get you out of class. You have to be able to prove to me that you really are sick.
4. What made you decide to be a Healer?
My father is a healer and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.
5. What’d you like to do when you aren’t managing the snakes or the Hospital Wing?
Spend time with my husband. Of course that isn't always an option so on my rare time off I like to relax by myself and read a book.
6. Which is worse for you, salty snacks or sugary treats?
They are both horrible for you. They will make you fat and give you pimples and eventually rot your teeth. My advice to you, stay away from these disgusting foods. Eat healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Those are acceptable snacks for anyone.
7. Heard you’re in the business of offering hugs these days, d’you think I could have one? Just 5 seconds, you can count ‘em if you want.
I don't know who you heard that from but you heard wrong.
8. What do you think was your favourite thing about this term?
No one died!
9. D’you see any children of your own in the future?
Sorry but personal questions like this are off limits to students.
10. The summer’s upon us! Now that we’re all headed off on break, d’you have any special plans?
Yes.
Well that would depend on several factors. Like was there an exam that day? Did this certain student come to see me at the same exact time every day? Did the student actually have any REAL symptoms of being sick? Just coming to me and saying you don't feel well isn't going to get you out of class. You have to be able to prove to me that you really are sick.
4. What made you decide to be a Healer?
My father is a healer and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.
5. What’d you like to do when you aren’t managing the snakes or the Hospital Wing?
Spend time with my husband. Of course that isn't always an option so on my rare time off I like to relax by myself and read a book.
6. Which is worse for you, salty snacks or sugary treats?
They are both horrible for you. They will make you fat and give you pimples and eventually rot your teeth. My advice to you, stay away from these disgusting foods. Eat healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Those are acceptable snacks for anyone.
7. Heard you’re in the business of offering hugs these days, d’you think I could have one? Just 5 seconds, you can count ‘em if you want.
I don't know who you heard that from but you heard wrong.
8. What do you think was your favourite thing about this term?
No one died!
9. D’you see any children of your own in the future?
Sorry but personal questions like this are off limits to students.
10. The summer’s upon us! Now that we’re all headed off on break, d’you have any special plans?
Yes.
HERBOLOGY
Herbology has had something of a checkered past when it's come to professors these last few years. After three Herbology professors commanding the greenhouses in as many terms, Hogwarts' own Headmistress Truebridge stepped up to the flowerpots in order to share her expertise in the subject. You may have been unaware, but Headmistress Truebridge was, in fact, Hogwarts Herbology professor back in the day, so she's no stranger to this hands-on teaching position, something that was quickly obvious to all of her students.
A key theme in Herbology this term was that of the lovable screaming plant, the mandrake. One lesson in December had students showing up to Greenhouse Three to be greeted by Headmistress Truebridge and a large selection of plants. Students quickly deduced that what the professor was showing them was the non-screaming version of the mandrake. After a brief recap of these plants and their properties, the focus moved from the mundane to the magical version. The task of the day was to re-pot the mandrakes, which required basic knowledge of the plants, from the way they look to the way they like to BITE to the way they can scream any nearby living being into a dead faint (or a dead death, if the mandrakes are mature). Headmistress Truebridge provided the students with a fun array of earmuffs so that everyone could protect themselves from such an outcome, and then everyone clamped on the muffs and got to work, tugging the baby mandrakes out of their old pots and moving them into a newer and bigger homes, then reburying them with soil. The class passed largely without incident; not a single death nor fainting student to be had, which left the Headmistress in high spirits. After this class, Truebridge set the three-month-long task for every student to care for and observe their mandrake as it matured, filling in a journal and preparing for when the mandrakes were fully grown. |
When the time for this project had come to an end, the Headmistress held another practical lesson on those magical mandrakes, but this class ended up being extra eventful in a most unwelcome way. In fact, it was arguably the most thrilling and unpredictable lesson of the term. The class started off normally enough, with Headmistress Truebridge prompting a discussion on how to know whether or not a mandrake has reached its mature stage and, therefore, is ready to be harvested. After reviewing some important information about mandrakes, it was time to don those earmuffs and remove the mandrakes from the pots, a feat achieved by holding the plants by the leaves right at the tops of their 'heads', pull sharply up, and stun. But no sooner had the class done this than things in Greenhouse Three started to take an unpleasant and horrific turn. Because everything changed when the Acromantulas attacked, busting through the glass of the greenhouse like big hairy harbingers of doom. Hufflepuff fifth year Noel Wallace was the first to use the mandrakes as a weapon, hurtling his screaming plant at the creatures, an action that the Headmistress was quick to condone. The result was pandemonium and utter confusion, the still earmuffed students attempting to make sense of the situation and defeat the giant arachnids, which in the meantime were savaging the mandrakes when the plants proved to be effective weapons. In spite of the efforts of the students, who did in fact manage to take down some of the spiders, the Acromantulas soon had hold of both Noel and the Headmistress and carried them off to the forest. In the wake of disaster and having heard the chaos, Charms Professor Maddox Quigley showed up and, after assessing the situation, quickly evacuated everyone to the Great Hall, as per emergency protocol, calling an abrupt end to the lesson.
Of course, as we all now know, both Noel Wallace and Headmistress Truebridge were thankfully rescued, among various other students who had also been taken by the spiders, and everyone is now safe and sound. But with the Headmistress' resignation, this means she will of course not be returning to teach Herbology next term. And so we say goodbye not only to yet another Herbology professor, but a long-standing member of staff and our very own Headmistress. But I always like to look on the positive side: Headmistress Truebridge may be leaving, but at least she's still alive!
Of course, as we all now know, both Noel Wallace and Headmistress Truebridge were thankfully rescued, among various other students who had also been taken by the spiders, and everyone is now safe and sound. But with the Headmistress' resignation, this means she will of course not be returning to teach Herbology next term. And so we say goodbye not only to yet another Herbology professor, but a long-standing member of staff and our very own Headmistress. But I always like to look on the positive side: Headmistress Truebridge may be leaving, but at least she's still alive!
HISTORY OF MAGIC
We all love routine to a certain extent and with a castle full of mystery, danger, and just crazy things comfort may come with the little things that are routine. Make an entrance is one of those things. Since Professor Glendower had started teaching at Hogwarts there was something all students knew they would need to do. Make the best move they possibly could into her room. Students have danced, slid, and made the best entrances Hogwarts has ever seen the past few years and this term wasn’t any different.
What is History? This was the first question Professor Glendower asked her students as they walked into the very first lesson this school term. It made the students think about what they really thought History of Magic was and what it really meant to them. Some looked as if they never really thought about this before. They just sat down and learned because it’s what students did. The answers ranged from different thoughts, some being like seventh year Hufflepuff Kace Lecium who said “I think history means to me is a way of unraveling the past.” While others were like sixth year Gryffindor Emmylou Dutchess, “I mean, it is about learning past mistakes but it can also be a window to the past in a different way. In the past life was different and there were different ways people did magic. For example, history in the muggle world can be about how their technology had advanced." Professor Glendower listened to everyone before saying that history was many documentations and studying past events. She discussed how everything in history has been told by someone so even though they try to stay unbiased, it can happen. She then asked if they knew anything about Illuminated Manuscripts, which perked the interest of many in the class. After listening to the students and letting them know the answers, she passed around examples of the manuscript for each student to get to see. Once they were ready, Professor Glendower got them started on making their own books. The creativity began to fly around the room as students got to work. Third year Slytherin Hadleigh Lynch had a python slithering across her pages. As class began to come to a close, Professor Glendower announced a term long project that involved students making their own history books about themselves. Students left the room abuzz about what they could possibly write about. |
Things started getting a bit whiter as the cobwebs seemed to be taking over the castle and there wasn’t a safe place in the History of Magic classroom. Though Professor Glendower made sure to clean up the room so the students didn’t have to worry. It was a good thing she did, because the topic of the day seemed like they might get some moving going on later in class. As she started the lesson and brought up sports the students got excited to discuss which ones they liked. An interesting question came up about why some games like quiddtich stay popular while others die out. The class seemed to have thoughts about this and were eager to answer. Soon the class was getting to try games such as wizard skittles and exploding snaps before they got to make up their own games. The excitement in the room was obvious as the class starting working on their games, Seventh year Beverly Wayne made a starving dragon game. Too soon it was time for class to end, but the students had brand new games to go off and play with.
The last and final class came when the spiders had been defeated and everyone was trying to get back into the routine of classes once more. Cobwebs were finally being swept away and the normal make an entrance sign was hanging up. Once the class was settled and it was time to start Professor Glendower spoke of her favorite historical story, Wendelin the Weird and then asked that others talked about their favorite figure or event. Students took turn speaking about their favorites. Next she asked them who their inspirational person was. As students talked about their parents, friends, teachers, and other inspirational people, Professor Glendower got out her supplies and told them they would be making cards and other thank you items for these people. The creative vibes started going as the class got started on their activity. Once it was time to leave class Professor Glendower said her goodbyes and good lucks to the seventh years and she closed up her classroom for the last time of her Hogwarts career.
The last and final class came when the spiders had been defeated and everyone was trying to get back into the routine of classes once more. Cobwebs were finally being swept away and the normal make an entrance sign was hanging up. Once the class was settled and it was time to start Professor Glendower spoke of her favorite historical story, Wendelin the Weird and then asked that others talked about their favorite figure or event. Students took turn speaking about their favorites. Next she asked them who their inspirational person was. As students talked about their parents, friends, teachers, and other inspirational people, Professor Glendower got out her supplies and told them they would be making cards and other thank you items for these people. The creative vibes started going as the class got started on their activity. Once it was time to leave class Professor Glendower said her goodbyes and good lucks to the seventh years and she closed up her classroom for the last time of her Hogwarts career.
LIBRARIAN
Our beloved librarian, Mr. Leobald Kitridge, has been utterly devoted to Hogwarts school for the past nine years; almost the age that is required to begin one's education. As it stands, he's seen many students come and go over that period of time, but still remains positive and hopeful looking towards the future. Amidst the mayhem that was the 2086/2087 term, he was able to spare a few moments to answer several very in-depth questions.
1. You've been the Librarian at this institution for NINE years now. How does that feel? What's kept you coming back? Nine years...You make me sound old, but in all actuality, it doesn't make me feel old, at all. I found a second home in Hogwarts; the place I've wanted to work for many years before even gaining employment. What keeps me returning are the students I get to meet, as well as my wonderful colleagues. Together, with the students and my fellow staff members, I've created many fond and joyful memories...and those luckily outweigh all of the bad experiences. It allows me to keep coming back each year as your resident librarian. 2. You've been Ravenclaw Head of House for FOUR of those nine years. Is there ever a conflict of interest between the two roles? No, never. Thankfully, these two jobs are quite easy to combine since I don't always have to be present in the library, which (in turn) allows me to devote additional time to my Head of House duties. It also helps that the majority of the Hogwarts population are responsible and caring with their books! |
3. Considering the student death last term, and the acromantula attack just a couple of weeks ago, do you feel this has made both jobs more stressful?
It has definitely made my job as Ravenclaw Head of House more nerve-racking since I, first and foremost, always want to be there for my Eagles! Also, I believe it's safe to say last term's death, as well as the attack, has (and will continue to) affected students from all houses for many years to come. But it's also my hope that the Eagles know they can come to me and talk if they so desire. As for my librarian job, I only despair that no books were able to aid us during the onslaught.
4. Do you feel a sense of pride that no Ravenclaw students were snatched? As the Claw Head of House, I mean.
I always have an accelerated sense of pride for my Ravenclaws, but I think the fact that no Eagles were taken came down to sheer luck and coincidence. That's not to say that I'm not relieved and happy that all my students were able to survive the battle mostly unscathed and safe. They are all competent, young witches and wizards, who can defend themselves if need be. My Eagles, including those that are graduating and leaving this term, all have the utmost potential.
5. Moving onto a less grave topic, have you been able to add any new pieces of literature to the Hogwarts' library?
Well, I always try to salvage new (yet rare) texts to add to our collection here at Hogwarts. The good news is that I HAVE managed to uncover a few very interesting reads, which will be available next term for students to check out and peruse. Who wouldn't want to stick their teeth into a new dragon tamer adventure?
6. Are there any special places within the castle (or on the grounds) that you like to visit when you aren't busy with your various duties?
I've always enjoyed the great outdoors! So, when I have time, I venture down to the lake and sit beneath the shade of a tree; for relaxation. Inside the castle, I'd have to say the kitchens are my go-to since I can test my baking skills.
7. What about meals? Do you have a favorite meal that the house elves prepare here at Hogwarts?
I've always liked home cooked meals; especially lasagne, which is a favourite that the house elves prepare for me occasionally. If I find I can't make it to dinner, that is.
8. If you were a professor instead of our faithful librarian, what subject would you most want to try your hand at?
I'd have to say Care of Magical Creatures, or cooking/baking lessons if we provided those lessons.
9. Just a fun one, if you were stripped of all magic save for ONE spell/charm, which would you choose to keep?
That's difficult since I find many spells useful, but I'd have to say Accio! It eliminates always having to fetch things (high or low) and is pretty effective if you've forgotten something. With an easy flick of your wand, you can summon whatever the object is right to wherever you are.
10. Final question! What is your favorite memory from this year?
Most definitely the prefect's event. Even if it did possess a touch a sorrow, due to the many graduating students and it marking the end of Headmistress Truebridge reign, there was also so much joy, fun, and festivity. Something much needed in the face of our defeat over the acromantula. Personally, I most enjoyed going on the big water slide and getting a tattoo, as well as relaxing.
It has definitely made my job as Ravenclaw Head of House more nerve-racking since I, first and foremost, always want to be there for my Eagles! Also, I believe it's safe to say last term's death, as well as the attack, has (and will continue to) affected students from all houses for many years to come. But it's also my hope that the Eagles know they can come to me and talk if they so desire. As for my librarian job, I only despair that no books were able to aid us during the onslaught.
4. Do you feel a sense of pride that no Ravenclaw students were snatched? As the Claw Head of House, I mean.
I always have an accelerated sense of pride for my Ravenclaws, but I think the fact that no Eagles were taken came down to sheer luck and coincidence. That's not to say that I'm not relieved and happy that all my students were able to survive the battle mostly unscathed and safe. They are all competent, young witches and wizards, who can defend themselves if need be. My Eagles, including those that are graduating and leaving this term, all have the utmost potential.
5. Moving onto a less grave topic, have you been able to add any new pieces of literature to the Hogwarts' library?
Well, I always try to salvage new (yet rare) texts to add to our collection here at Hogwarts. The good news is that I HAVE managed to uncover a few very interesting reads, which will be available next term for students to check out and peruse. Who wouldn't want to stick their teeth into a new dragon tamer adventure?
6. Are there any special places within the castle (or on the grounds) that you like to visit when you aren't busy with your various duties?
I've always enjoyed the great outdoors! So, when I have time, I venture down to the lake and sit beneath the shade of a tree; for relaxation. Inside the castle, I'd have to say the kitchens are my go-to since I can test my baking skills.
7. What about meals? Do you have a favorite meal that the house elves prepare here at Hogwarts?
I've always liked home cooked meals; especially lasagne, which is a favourite that the house elves prepare for me occasionally. If I find I can't make it to dinner, that is.
8. If you were a professor instead of our faithful librarian, what subject would you most want to try your hand at?
I'd have to say Care of Magical Creatures, or cooking/baking lessons if we provided those lessons.
9. Just a fun one, if you were stripped of all magic save for ONE spell/charm, which would you choose to keep?
That's difficult since I find many spells useful, but I'd have to say Accio! It eliminates always having to fetch things (high or low) and is pretty effective if you've forgotten something. With an easy flick of your wand, you can summon whatever the object is right to wherever you are.
10. Final question! What is your favorite memory from this year?
Most definitely the prefect's event. Even if it did possess a touch a sorrow, due to the many graduating students and it marking the end of Headmistress Truebridge reign, there was also so much joy, fun, and festivity. Something much needed in the face of our defeat over the acromantula. Personally, I most enjoyed going on the big water slide and getting a tattoo, as well as relaxing.
MUGGLE STUDIES
Returning for her second term as a Hogwarts instructor, Muggle Studies aficionado Professor Moxley sought to maintain the momentum from the first. When you start on such a high-note, it's difficult to top ones self...but the exuberant Moxley had zero troubles in this department. Quickly establishing herself as a staff-favorite, she approached her classes as she did her students; compassionate, understanding, and with an enormous heart. It's no wonder that such an animated lady held such entertaining lessons.
For instance, though it wasn't immediately apparent, the first Muggle Studies lesson of the term was about a popular topic amongst the muggleborn teens...and even halfblood teens with ties to muggle culture. Phones. Faster communication than owls, and more efficient in that you can leave a message if the party you are trying to reach isn't available. The discussion opened with a Q/A about the man responsible for their initial invention; Alexander Graham Bell. For background story's sake, Bell was an accomplished scientist, engineer, and inventor, whose wife and mother were hearing-impaired. Because of this fact, he worked tiresomely to product "electronic speech", as a way to communicate with his own loved ones. A noble pursuit in the eyes of...Well, everyone. Moving forward, Professor Moxley put it to the class, "How did these telephones enrich day to day lives for muggle-kind"? Sixth Year Sophie Brown brought up the point of them mimicking two-way mirrors, and also how they assist in emergency situations while others mentioned their more economic applications; for businesses and international companies. Not to mention how phone lines have spawned and advanced inventions like the internet, according to Seventh Year Hufflepuff, Tobias Fuller-Thompson. After a brief breakdown of Pros and Cons, it was time to move onto ACTIVITY time; crafting a style of phone that was truly taking it back to the medieval era. You know the ones, with two tin cups connected by a string. Despite the nature of the task, everyone quickly got on board with it, finding genuine enjoyment in making their own 'can phones'. After their construction (which was met with some issues as purebloods aren't familiar with 'hammers'), the idea was to pair up and communicate through them. Lots of fun to be had all around! As an end-of-class treat, Professor Moxley allowed everyone to keep their 'can phones' as a cute token from an educational and exciting lesson. |
Another Muggle Studies class of note, which was not JUST Muggle Studies but also Arithmancy, was wholly focused on muggle mathematics! Held in the Arithmancy classroom on the second floor, it opened with four three-digit numbers and instructions to use the reduction method; a technique more than a few students struggled with. After surmising that the reduced sum of the four numbers came to be eight, a general Q and A began. What meanings did the number eight possess? And according to those 'meanings', what type of place would it represent? Answers ranged from a Quidditch stadium, Buckingham Palace, Gringotts, the Ministry of Magic, and our very own Hogwarts school, but it was Buckingham Place that earned Ravenclaw five points. Way to go, Sophie Brown. Further discussions involved Karmic numbers and the reduction of the phone number of the castle...all very complicated stuff. Within the next few moments, the time for Arithmancy had ended and Professor Moxley stepped front and center to finish up the lesson, Muggle Studies style! Luckily, it was a continuation of her very first class in regards to PHONES, but focusing on cellphones this go. The explanation was that our voices are transferred via RF waves that are received by a cell tower, and then broken down and sent to whatever cellphone you're trying to contact. Of course, over a long period of time, cellphones have become so much more, including apps for games, texting, music, internet; all things that are not necessarily the best for the youngest muggle generation. Slytherin Ethan Mordaunt pointed out an intriguing fact, as well, lamenting how distracting these devices can be. Others mentioned additional negatives to owning these cell phones, like spending the money only to have them break, or not having reception when people are desperate to get in touch, only to have them panic, and the expensive services; just to list a few. After everyone sketched a cell phone to the best of their ability, it was time for the students to face off; Ravenpuffs against Slytherdors, if you would, in a magical rendition of ANGRY BIRDS (a popular muggle game). It involved slingshots, balls, and targets that were to be hit. Self explanatory, right? It was a JOYOUS game where much fun was had by all parties involved; including both teams and instructors. The ultimate goal, really. Of course, there had to be a winner, and it was the Ravenpuffs that took the day.
POTIONS
Returning strong for his fifth year of teaching, Professor Culloden has been a favorite of many students since his very first term as Potions Master here at Hogwarts and his fan club continues to grow each year as new students join his class. As Slytherin Dot Wojack told us, "Potions is hard and can be super confusing, plus if you get it wrong you can die in about eighteen creative and new ways. Thankfully, Culloden could explain Arithmancy to a lawn gnome, so even I have managed to pass his class." That's quite the compliment, Miss Wojack! One would think Culloden's strong, positive reputation would put pressure on him to live up to these extremely high expectations with each of his students, but if he's under any pressure at all, it doesn't show as he continues to gain admirers and bring exciting, interesting lessons to the table lesson after lesson with ease as demonstrated this term!
The first lesson of the term started out as usual with a simple introduction from the beloved professor before the class jumped right into a discussion on dark potions, or more specifically, a half-dark potion invented by Culloden himself. He explained that this potion would drastically change the consumer's emotions depending upon what ingredient was added to the potion's base and posed a question to the class: why would this potion be considered "half-dark"? The answer was, of course, because the potion manipulates the drinker and changes how they are feeling, perhaps against their own will, and it is ONLY half dark because the drinker still has full control of their own actions. This particular potion, called the Emotional Change Potion, is wicked cool in that one will brew the base potion that can be stored for up to one year, and the potion's final effect will depend on which of six ingredients are added to the base: alihotsy leaves to induce happiness, glumbumble treacle for sadness, ferret fur for excitement, black flies for fear, dog saliva for tenderness, and hippogriff feathers for anger. Before the brewing process began, the students learned a new spell: Apto Pressura. |
This spell applies pressure on the water to keep it from boiling when the temperature reaches 100 degrees Celsius. All things were going well in the brewing process until Gryffindor Zahra Kettleburn's potion puffed into a huge mushroom cloud right before Slytherin Dante Barrington's EXPLODED all over the classroom. The formerly good mood of the Potions Master vanished, and once the class was informed that the base of the potion was the completed potion's antidote, class was dismissed, leaving Kettleburn and Barrington in the hands of a simmering Culloden.
Further into the term, an unexpected change came along as Professor Culloden teamed up with Professors Flamsteed and Dakest to teach a hybrid class, combining Potions, Astronomy, and Defense Against the Dark Arts into one big lesson in the room off the Great Hall. Professor Flamsteed started off the lesson with the Astronomy portion, revealing the grand topic of the lesson: werewolves! While the Astronomy portion of the class focused on the moon cycles, Professor Culloden led the class in the discussion and brewing of the Wolfsbane Potion, which eases the symptoms of lycanthropy. He really set the tone for his portion by reassuring the class that it was insanely difficult to brew and he didn't expect anyone to get it right, which really boosted everyone's morale moving forward, obviously. Their confidence shot, students offered up facts about the Wolfsbane Potion at the professor's prompting, identifying various ingredients, effects, and properties of the potion. The professor stressed the fact that the ingredient of aconite was very poisonous, so an incorrectly-brewed potion would be toxic as well and the students needed to take great care in being precise with every step of the brewing process to prevent disaster. Fortunately for this class, there were only six fairly simple steps to complete before the potion required maturation for exactly seven days, so there were no tragic explosions or significant mishaps despite how difficult of a potion Professor Culloden claimed it would be. The class was assigned to complete their Wolfsbane Potion for their homework, and Professor Dakest then finished out the lesson with his Defense Against the Dark Arts portion of class!
For the potions final, Professor Culloden began by ignoring the ever-growing problem of cobwebs taking over his classroom and charged head-first into the first conversation topic of the lesson: protecting oneself against dark potions and potions that have gone bad. In this discussion of safety, the class noted ways to counteract poisons and considered preventative measures one should take to keep people from extracting one's hair or another body part for malicious use in a potion. Suggestions to keep one's hair to oneself included protective clothing, protective enchantments, and the Capillum Lotion, which makes hair stick to skin and become resistant to pulling. Scarpin's Revelaspell, the Bubble-Head Charm, and the Vanishing Charm were all also contributed as ways to be safe while experimenting with potions, and Professor Culloden taught the class some new spells to use when experimenting, Vitare Crepitus and Congregrabit, which stop small explosions when cast before the experimenting process and clear the air of poisonous gas respectively. All of this discussion on safety measures to take became quite relevant when Culloden announced the task for their final: separate into three different groups and within the groups, complete an assigned experiment and put the discussed safety measures to use to successfully prevent chaos and bodily harm from any disastrous results during this experimentation process. Naturally, chaos did ensue as Culloden's assigned experiment was meant to doom them from the start, but the students in all three groups succeeded in counteracting the problematic potions and not one person died. All things considering, it was another outstanding class at Hogwarts, and we owe Professor Culloden a big "thank you!" for giving us the experience of having our lives in danger and getting ourselves out of it. Those are valuable life skills, sir, and we're all the better for being under your direction! Thanks for another great term!
Further into the term, an unexpected change came along as Professor Culloden teamed up with Professors Flamsteed and Dakest to teach a hybrid class, combining Potions, Astronomy, and Defense Against the Dark Arts into one big lesson in the room off the Great Hall. Professor Flamsteed started off the lesson with the Astronomy portion, revealing the grand topic of the lesson: werewolves! While the Astronomy portion of the class focused on the moon cycles, Professor Culloden led the class in the discussion and brewing of the Wolfsbane Potion, which eases the symptoms of lycanthropy. He really set the tone for his portion by reassuring the class that it was insanely difficult to brew and he didn't expect anyone to get it right, which really boosted everyone's morale moving forward, obviously. Their confidence shot, students offered up facts about the Wolfsbane Potion at the professor's prompting, identifying various ingredients, effects, and properties of the potion. The professor stressed the fact that the ingredient of aconite was very poisonous, so an incorrectly-brewed potion would be toxic as well and the students needed to take great care in being precise with every step of the brewing process to prevent disaster. Fortunately for this class, there were only six fairly simple steps to complete before the potion required maturation for exactly seven days, so there were no tragic explosions or significant mishaps despite how difficult of a potion Professor Culloden claimed it would be. The class was assigned to complete their Wolfsbane Potion for their homework, and Professor Dakest then finished out the lesson with his Defense Against the Dark Arts portion of class!
For the potions final, Professor Culloden began by ignoring the ever-growing problem of cobwebs taking over his classroom and charged head-first into the first conversation topic of the lesson: protecting oneself against dark potions and potions that have gone bad. In this discussion of safety, the class noted ways to counteract poisons and considered preventative measures one should take to keep people from extracting one's hair or another body part for malicious use in a potion. Suggestions to keep one's hair to oneself included protective clothing, protective enchantments, and the Capillum Lotion, which makes hair stick to skin and become resistant to pulling. Scarpin's Revelaspell, the Bubble-Head Charm, and the Vanishing Charm were all also contributed as ways to be safe while experimenting with potions, and Professor Culloden taught the class some new spells to use when experimenting, Vitare Crepitus and Congregrabit, which stop small explosions when cast before the experimenting process and clear the air of poisonous gas respectively. All of this discussion on safety measures to take became quite relevant when Culloden announced the task for their final: separate into three different groups and within the groups, complete an assigned experiment and put the discussed safety measures to use to successfully prevent chaos and bodily harm from any disastrous results during this experimentation process. Naturally, chaos did ensue as Culloden's assigned experiment was meant to doom them from the start, but the students in all three groups succeeded in counteracting the problematic potions and not one person died. All things considering, it was another outstanding class at Hogwarts, and we owe Professor Culloden a big "thank you!" for giving us the experience of having our lives in danger and getting ourselves out of it. Those are valuable life skills, sir, and we're all the better for being under your direction! Thanks for another great term!
TRANSFIGURATION
The term for Professor Bellaire started out slightly chaotic with three rescheduled lessons for unknown reasons. Well into the term, Bellaire arrived with a flare to her first and final lesson of the term and BOY did she bring the heat when she came with an elaborate obstacle course to test her students in the field. With a list of spells students were allowed to use and an outline of five phases for them to complete the students were off using only their smarts and their wands to make it to the end. A brilliant learning tactic whipped up by Bellaire.
At eight AM all of the students showed up bleary-eyed and unprepared before they were thrust into the lesson. Each student reacted to the posted sign differently as it was their only clue, Bellaire was nowhere to be seen. When they were all settled the ominous voice of their professor boomed above them telling each of the students to get through the course in a team or solo. Whoever go to the end the smartest-- no the fastest or by cheating-- would win. Many students chose to team up while other brave students went solo. The course began with phase one. The task? Get out of a swarm of locusts and mosquitos. The next wave, phase two, was battling a pond of piranhas. This task ended well for some students, others not so much. Phase three was met with a broken bridge. Each of the students had to figure out how to cross the bridge and repair it at the same time. As the tasks went on Bellaire awarded each student a break and some essence of murlap to soothe bug bites. When time resumed and phase four began the students were all asked to outrun or face a giant spider. Some students met the idea of facing the spider with some resistance but those who got to the end only had to complete the final phase. Phase five was unlike any of the four tasks before it. With spiders completed students were at the edge of a cliff and had to get to the other side. Wizards can't fly. No happy thoughts here, but with some brain power and some guts the students made it to the end of the course where Bellaire was relaxing and tanning. With a few encouraging words about them not being as wimpy as she thought, Bellaire ended the lesson and the year with a bang. Or gigantic spiders. |