Lennon Cohen-Knight
quiet in person loud on paper | anti-quidditch
- Messages
- 558
- OOC First Name
- Abby
- Blood Status
- Mixed Blood
- Relationship Status
- Single
- Sexual Orientation
- Straight
- Wand
- Straight 14" Flexible Larch Wand with Phoenix Tail Feather Core
- Age
- 6/2029 (24)
T H E H O G W A R T S M O N T H L Y: Y E A R 3 1 I S S U E 1 
W E L C O M E , W E L C O M E Another year has started at Hogwarts. First years have stepped into the school, been judged by the hat and sorted into one of the four houses. Lessons have started, and students have fought to stay awake during them. In other words, the school year is underway. Perhaps this will be a year like no other, one full of excitement and adventure. Probably not, though. Realistically, it will probably look a lot like every other school year. Some firsties may still be in awe of the castle and new lessons, but for most students it's just everyday life now. Two new professors have joined us this year. One if you're reasonable enough to see 'flying' doesn't need a 'professor' to teach it. The new flying instructor is Grace Holland. Sound familiar? She's related to quite a few students at the school, so be on the lookout for preferential treatment. For Care of Magical Creatures we have Professor Jack Kaster. Will he last longer than the last one? Place your bets. Like every year, the club fair was held at the beginning of the semester to draw people to the various clubs. Nothing particularly interesting happened, so if you didn't go you didn't miss much. Perhaps club leaders should try to make it a bit more of a spectacle, draw in more first years? Assuming any club want a bunch of first years, which is doubtful. There's also some new prefects, picked by the heads of houses. Anyone paying attention knows who the prefects in their houses are, but I'll list the new ones anyway for those that didn't pay attention. In Ravenclaw we have October Alcott and Jerara Tapsell, who both seem to be typical Ravenclaws. Slytherin head of house Professor Kalif Styx made the baffling choice to pick Hayley Elridge and Asmodeus Snow, while Professor Pratt picked Tristan Collins and Signy Forstrom. Professor Kingsley decided not to stick with the traditional boy/girl pair, picking Corrine Lagos and Rose Holland for the job. The head boy and girl were both picked from Gryffindor house, so congratulations to Bethany Zanders and Leo Benivieni for beating the odds. Now you know who to bother with questions and problems. They have that badge for a reason, after all.</FONT></SIZE></COLOR> Author: Sophie Wilson <i></i> |
C A N D I D A T E S' K I N If you have been following the campaigns for the next minister of magic like I have, at this point you should be familiar with each of the candidates from having seen them in newspapers, listening in on the different debates, or even reading about them in the last issue of the Hogwarts Monthly! In the process of learning about them, becoming interested in the election (hopefully) and forming your own opinions about their perspectives, you might have also found a few of their surnames familiar, because many of the candidates have relatives attending our very school! To follow my previous politically related interview with the Kingsley boys and in my plight to create interest and show that students here at Hogwarts can be involved in the election regardless of whether they can vote, I thought it could be useful to seek out the students related to a few of the candidates for an interview. It seems logical to ask their opinions on the candidates they're related to, and see if there was a side to the candidates and their families that other interviews might have missed. It wasn't easy running around the school in search of these different students, but I eventually found Gryffindor prefect Rose Holland, First year Gryffindor Lidiya Kozlova, and First year Slytherin Luna Urquhart-Cade. Warning, not everyone was pleased to see their relative running for minister. But if this this doesn't drum up your interest in the election, I don't know what will! 
Rose: Oh! Sure! Claudia Holland is my mother. I'm very close to her, and she's a wonderful mum to me and my sisters. N: What is your opinion on politics generally? R: Generally I honestly feel like I don't really know enough about it to really comment on it, you know? It's so complicated and difficult. But I do know it's very important too! N: How do you feel about Claudia campaigning for minister? R: It makes me very happy and proud. She's doing a great job and the entire family definitely supports her. N: Do you think she makes a good candidate? R: I do! She's very smart and good at talking about the changes she wants to make, but I think she's also willing to listen to others. N: Why do you think people should vote for Claudia? R: Because she's very caring and really wants the best for everyone. My mum works very hard on her campaign, and as minister she would work even harder! My mum wants a better world for everyone, and I know she would listen very well to other people and help as much as she can. 
Lidiya: He is my dad's nephew, so that makes him my first cousin. N: What is your opinion on politics generally? L: Eh, I'm twelve years old. My dad says most politicians lies. They're never true to their words. Except Ioan, my dad thinks Ioan will beat my cousin. N: How do you feel about Dymetris campaigning for minister? L: It's a waste of time. My cousin Dymetris doesn't seem to know what he is doing. N: Do you think he makes a good candidate? L: No. N: Why do you think people should vote for Dymetris? L: They shouldn't. Vote for Ioan, he not a waste of time. My cousin is clueless. 
Luna: He is my uncle on my dads side. We have a great relationship, he's great to hang out with and he's always around when I need him. N: What is your opinion on politics generally? L: I don't think much about it. I've listened to the debates because of uncle Alex but I don't understand a lot of what they talk about. N: How do you feel about Alexander campaigning for minister? L: Its great to see someone I love doing something so big, its amazing. N: Do you think he makes a good candidate? L: I think he'd make a better minister. He might not always get his point across but as minister his actions would speak louder than his words. N: Why do you think people should vote for Alexander? L: Because he cares and genuinely wants to make people's lives better and punish bad guys. Author: Nixon Mercury <i></i> | Q U I D D I T C H B E A T I N G S The oldest, and possibly only sport in the Hogwarts calendar is once again underway. This quidditch season is turning out to be a really interesting one, but first we have a few new captains to look out for. In Slytherin, Odette Harper, a young fifth year student took over from Charlotte Owens. In Ravenclaw, Flavio Morales, a sixth year took over from Tholomyes Fontaine and Isabelle Marie. Finally in Gryffindor, Marisol Woods and Merrill Piper took over from James Cade. All of these new captains have large shoes to fill. As well as all of those new players in the team filling in for those who've now left. The first game of the season was between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, a largely exciting game. There was only one goal from Flavio Morales of the Ravenclaw team, and that, teamed with the October Alcott's snitch capture pushed the Ravenclaws to a neat victory over the opposing team. The beaters within this game were less successful, only hitting the Slytherin seeker twice and the Ravenclaw keeper once. Overall, it was an enjoyable game to both play in and watch. I'd say that star player of that game was Flavio Morales with his perfect example of how to score. The second game was between the reigning champions Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. This was a largely uneventful game, where Gryffindor coasted easily to victory. It didn't have much in it. The game was short, there were a few bludger hits but nothing too exciting or note-worthy came about during this game. Our star player of that game is the Gryffindor seeker Tomas Wode, filling the shoes of James Cade would be no easy feat but he has shown his skills as a player in his first game grabbing that victory from under the Hufflepuff's noses. The game which followed saw old rivals Gryffindor and Slytherin match up. This game was longer than the two before but it felt as quick as those. The pace at which these two teams play at is largely unrivaled, at least with the two current teams they have. The game did not start off well for the Slytherin as the unmatched for her sheer strength and skill, Lizzie Taylor, hit the Slytherin's seeker at the beginning of the game, putting the wheels in motion for the team's eventual failure, and more specifically put the wheels in motion to have Leda Layton forced out of the game. However, the Slytherin team did not back down easily, unleashing a series of three bludgers, two from their captain and one from a new player which also took out the new star Gryffindor seeker, Tomas Wode. The two teams have exceedingly good beaters, but that's not the most important role. A superb goal from one of the Gryffindor's captain pushed Gryffindor into an early lead which was then followed by the team's catch of the snitch, by clearly another star seeker, Syrus Stilinski. Really, where are Gryffindor getting all of these seekers from? Our star player from that match is the Slytherin captain Odette Harper, who played excellently and managed her team with true skill, proving that she was the right choice by Charlotte to take over. The last game of this first semester just wrapped up and was possibly the most exciting game this semester. It was also a very goal heavy game, for the first time in this tournament the beaters almost took second position in the game. But it was an unpredictable game. It started off strong for Hufflepuff, with the captain gaining them an early lead, which was followed by another goal from a second chaser on the Hufflepuff team and then a third goal by the captain once more. It was only when Hufflepuff were three up that Ravenclaw began to make a push back, but inevitably it was nothing compared to the strength of the Hufflepuff chasers who despite not winning had fifty points and were thirty points clear of Ravenclaw before the snitch was caught. Following a slow start from the beaters of the game, a switch in the Ravenclaw line up certainly changed that, and all of the beaters upped their game, and the two beaters of the Ravenclaw team took out the young Hufflepuff seeker, a girl with certainly a magnetism to the bludgers. This meant the almost entirety of the Hufflepuff line up changed, but it did not help the team secure a victory and the excellent Ravenclaw seeker caught the snitch. It was perhaps the most action packed game of the season thus far. This reporter believes there's too strong a reliance upon beaters, and chasers role are as important especially in building the morale of the wider team and house. Thus, this Ravenclaw who played in that very game - and did manage to score - declares that there are two star players of that game, April Ward the seeker who got taken out, who's never once backed down from a game despite the bludger damage, and the Hufflepuff captain who scored a hatrick and still was managing his team as well as he could. Honorable mention should go to October Alcott, the outstanding Ravenclaw seeker. The games have left the league looking good, in joint first place with both 310 points apiece are Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, in second place is Hufflepuff with 50 points and in last place is Slytherin who do not yet have any points. With the first semester of games over, it is certainly clear that either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw will snatch the cup and I for one am hopeful that it is Ravenclaw. Author: Noemie Vanity <i></i> |
H A L L O W E E N F E S T I V I T I E S Halloween is a strange time, especially at Hogwarts. Most students seem to think that dressing up in weird outfits is enough of a reason to act weird as well, which can end badly. At least it always makes for an eventful Halloween Feast that isn't boring. It's also always funny to see the kind of things people dress up as. Some really seem desperate to scramble some sort of costume together at the last minute, while some others put a a little too much thought and effort into it. Throwing some flowers in your hair and calling it a day is kind of lazy, but I can't tell if it's better or worse than spending literal days on your costume. The ideal is probably somewhere in the middle: looking good while making it look effortless. That's just my opinion though, and I didn't pick the winners of the costume contest. Those winners were: Best Overall: Eleanor Pratt as Professor Kennedy Pratt Best Magically Enhanced: Xena Dragonslayer as a Butterfly Queen Most Scary: Analei Louw as a Monster Best Group/Couple: Leda Layton as a Chainsaw Wielding Lunatic with Mervyn Strangewayes as Leda's Victim Most Ridiculous: Gideon Zelinsky as Lady Helena the Brave Most Traditional Halloween: Simon Vanity as Spiderman It seems like dressing up like a professor (preferably one you're related to) is the most succesful move. And I have to admit Analei Louw looked prett scary. I feel like Gideon Zelinsky was a strange choice, considering he didn't put any effort into it. But at least he won most ridiculous, which is kind of a strange category anyway. For anyone who may have missed the feast, here's some tidbits: - Second years Sapphire and Onyx Michaels seemed to have upset other second year Arvel Ayers. I'm not sure what happened, but the boy was seen storming out of the great hall. - Mazikeen Roe, dressed as an old lady, seemed to really enjoy hitting people with her cane. Next year, I would avoid her if possible. She'll probably be armed with something again. - Returning to the subject of try-hard costumes, anyone get stabbed by Ivory Phillips' star? That thing was a hazard and should not have been allowed in a crowded room. - On the opposite end of the complicated Halloween costuem scale is Vader Hume. A color is not a costume. - The Westwick twins scared Professor Pendleton, and that when their faces weren't even visible. - Fourth year Slytherin Lucia Orbon reminded us all how anything on wheels just isn't very practical for any kind of party - Second year Diana Holland needed a reminder that cat ears are no excuse to act catty. It was a surprise no Professors had to come to break up the argument between her and a few older students. - Professor Kingsley's presence at the feast cast a dark shadow over the festivities (literally, because she was dressed as a cloud) All in all, it was about the same as the previous years. Drama, costumes, copious amounts of glitter, creative costumes and a few accidents. I'm curious to see how many of the current costume contest winners will be copied next year. Author: Sophie Wilson <i></i> |
W I L D P A T C H C L U B U N S U N G H E R O E S 
Though we are usually used to the Wild Patch Club hosting an event in the second semester of school with its annual Pride event, club leader Eleanor Hope decided to shake things up and host a school-wide event for everyone to enjoy this semester. While everyone loves to receive and deliver roses to express their love for each other during the annual Valentine's Day rose deliveries, whether platonic or not, or anonymous or not, people often forget about the planning that is involved in prepping all these roses for the event. The Wild Patch Club are truly the unsung heroes of this well known tradition here at Hogwarts. The Wild Patch Club has always graciously offered their services in providing the roses, and this year Eleanor Hope decided to make the planting of these roses an open event for everyone to enjoy. Since the number of deliveries for Valentine's roses keeps growing every year, more and more roses are needed to be planted, so it's no shock the Club decided to recruit some help through this fun event. The rose delivery specifically uses red, pink, and yellow roses to symbolize love, crushes, and friendship, respectively, so plenty of each color rose was needed to be planted ahead of time. Eleanor Hope went all out in organizing the event, decorating the already beautiful garden even more with lanterns that really accentuated the ambience of the event, as well as campfires others could gather around and socialize. The event also had various stalls for people to enjoy such as the familiar flower crown station which the Wild Patch Club is well known for. Though the modest event was mostly of interest to students who were already members of the club, hopefully others were able to see some of the hard work that goes into prepping for one of the most beloved traditions at this school and gain a new appreciation for the Wild Patch Club. Author: Lennon Cohen-Knight <i></i> | J O B S W E W A N T S H O P K E E P E R While some jobs may be all about fulfilling dreams and chasing goals, it's easy to write off more seemingly mundane careers as boring. Running a shop, while necessary for society to function, doesn't seem like the most exciting or amusing of jobs. That isn't the case however for Amy Ward, who rather than following her brother Professor Matt Ward into a boring career like teaching History of Magic, runs Gambol and Jape's, Brightstone's local paradise for pranksters. I caught up with her to see what really goes into running a business and what led her to this career. Caro: Hi Ms. Ward, do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your career for the Hogwarts Monthly? Amy: Not at all! Ask away. C: Cool. Can you tell me a bit about what led you to running a business? A: It was never really a dream of mine or anything, I kind of stumbled into it. I was looking for a job and noticed the store was empty and in need of running. I took a leap, and here I am now! C: Sounds exciting. What were the biggest challenges starting out? A: Everything! I knew nothing about running a business and I had to learn fast. Thankfully, a lot of the other shopkeepers at Brightstone are very friendly and happy to help out. C: What are some aspects of your job that people might not be aware of? A: That it's not all fun and games. Sure, prank items are hilarious and I love selling them to creative and innovative minds, but there's a lot more that comes with the job. Negotiating with suppliers, balancing finances, and a ton of paperwork. C: That must get exhausting. On the other side, what's your favourite part of your job? A: Spreading fun! That's the entire purpose of the store, in my opinion. Seeing a customer delighted with any of my products makes me very happy, and I love seeing how creative people get with them too. If students want to share stories of pranks gone right (or horribly wrong), I'm always eager to hear it. C: I'm sure they'll have plenty to share after reading this. Finally, is there any advice you would give to someone aspiring to someday own their own business? A: Go for it! Believe in what you stand for and show it to the world. But don't forget that it is also a lot of work and responsibility. Make sure you have a good support system and can ask advice on aspects you might not know a lot about. C: Thank you so much for your time Ms. Ward, I hope you've inspired the future shopkeepers of Brightstone to pursue their goals wholeheartedly. A: Thank you! And readers be aware any prank items used to prank Professor Ward might result in a slight discount! Well, there you have it. Whether your dream shop sells prank gear, baked goods, or books, there's a difficult, tedious side to any business. It's well worth it though, if you find joy in the joy you provide to customers, and have people around you to help you learn the ropes. If owning a business is your dream career stay focused and maybe one day you'll be running the shop next to Ms. Ward's. (That is, if you manage to dodge detention for pranking Professor Ward...) Author: Caro Taylor <i></i> | S P O T L I G H T I N T E R V I E W P R O F E S S O R M I S H A H A D E N 
This is an interview with one of the nicest professors around the school. It's Professor Misha Haden from Charms! Evelyn: Hello Misha! I'm here for the Hogwarts Monthly. I've thought it would be a nice idea to get to know our Professors a little bit better. Like we all know you teach Charms, which is the best subject ever of course. But we are curious who Misha Haden is more than a Professor. Would you mind answering a few questions? I promise I won't be too curious. Misha: That's alright Evelyn, ask your questions! Evelyn: Great! Well first where are you from? Misha: Originally America, but my mother's Polish. Evelyn: When you were younger, which school did you go to and in which house where you placed? Misha: I attended Durmstrang, which doesn't have any houses, but I think if I had gone to Hogwarts, I would've been a Hufflepuff. Evelyn: What were your talents as a student? Misha: Mostly charms, I always had a passion and flair for it, that's really all, I was a bit of a loner as a kid so I just stuck to my charms Evelyn: When did you know you wanted to become a Charms teacher? Misha: I knew I wanted to teach from a young age, charms was what I was naturally good at it. Evelyn: What are other hobbies or things do you like to do in your free time? Misha: With all the marking I have, I don't have much free time, but I like going out for drinks. Evelyn: Who is your favorite student? Okay just kidding. Misha: Hahaha, well you are certainly one of my favourite's. But of course I don't have a singular favourite, you're all good kids. Evelyn: What are you afraid of? Misha: Wow, right for the heart there Evelyn, I'm afraid of letting down you kids. Evelyn: What is your favorite part about Hogwarts? Misha: Hmmm, I like teaching aspect of it. Evelyn: What is your favorite food? Misha: I've always loved pasta. Evelyn: Is there anything else you want us to know? Misha: I know when you don't do the reading, no matter how much you hide behind others Evelyn: Thank you for your time Misha! It was nice getting to know you a little better. Author: Evelyn Manning <i></i> |
G E T T I N G O N A P R O F E S S O R ' S G O O D S I D E W I T H F O O D Have you ever wondered what a Professor's favourite food is so you could get out of that detention? Have you been caught by a Professor while doing naughty things, but still want to have good grades? Well for the years one to four this list is for you. I have asked every Professor what their favourite food is so you don't have to do it. The first one I asked is especially important for the Slytherins among us. Professor Styx said his favourite food is a Bulgarian tripe soup named Shkembe chorba. I dare you to say that name a couple of times. So, if you made him angry you might want to search for the recipe for that soup. Next is our flying Professor, Grace Holland. Although she only teaches first years I know how hard flying can be. If you totally suck at flying and your grades are flying towards a troll, then you might want to bake some French macarons for her. You didn't hear this from me, but you can also buy these cookies in Hogsmeade. The next Professor I've asked is Professor Carter. When you have accidentally harmed a plant or dropped your pumpkin you can make him eggs and bacon on toast. A typical breakfast for this Professor. Although you could make him this lovely breakfast he also accepts help in the greenhouse with all of his murderous plants. I don't think he wants help if you have dropped or harmed plants in the past. The fourth Professor is our beloved Charms Professor Misha Haden. When I asked what his favourite food was he answered with Tiramisu. After some searching I found out that this is an Italian desert which usually has a coffee taste. If you still can't produce a Lumos like me, you might want to go into this route. The love of a Professor goes through his stomach right. Although Professor Pendleton is hard to make angry and he usually tries to make your grades good enough to pass, he can always bust your illegal practises of potion brewing. So, if you decided to go naughty this is what he likes to eat. Professor Pendleton's favourite food is fruitcake and maybe if you make that for him he will let you brew illegal potions for ten minutes longer. One Professor's choice that shocked me was Professor Summers. We all know how hard Transfiguration is and that makes this one very important. Not only is Transfiguration very hard, Professor Summers is also a very good spotter of illegal activities. If you don't want to suffer a most severe punishment I suggest making him some deep-fried duck with a side of fried rice. The last Professor I asked was our beloved Astronomy Professor. Although she isn't known for being very strict I wouldn't suggest breaking a telescope here and there. Coming late to an evening class and giving oversleeping as an excuse is also not done. If you are late or break stuff I suggest that you bring some tea biscuits along. These were the favourite foods of Professors that teach the first to fourth years. The food of our History of Magic Professor is unfortunately missing, she wasn't available to give a respond in time. Next time we will look at the Professors teaching electives. If these things don't work for you I can't be held responsible for any damage or more severe punishment. Author: Jacob Finley <i></i> | T O P T E N S U B J E C T S A T H N Z 10. Flying Flying is useful for those who enjoy being active. It is important to be active, especially at a young age, as it is proven that doing so can lower stress levels which is important for students at Hogwarts. 9. Transfiguration Much like charms, Transfiguration is a crucial subject for one who likes to use their wand. However, it is lower on the list as learning how to transfigure objects into other objects is not entirely neccessary and one can survive without it. Despite this, learning about the history of Transfiguration and how it was used in the past helps students understand more about the past and how magic has evolved. 8. Herbology What's potions without the ingredients? Herbology supplies potioneers with plants that contain the right magical properties which make the potions work. Not only that, but Herbology looks deeper into the plants, giving students an insight on the plant's own magical effects. 7. Potions Every stereotypical wizard and witch has their cauldron, but potions can do more than just make you look like an accomplished magical student. Potions have the ability to heal, and one who is exceptionally skilled at brewing magnificent concoctions are able to potentially save one's life, hence making it quite an important skill to learn if one would ever want to do good in the world. 6. Divination Being a seer may not be the most important thing about the wizarding world, but it surely has its perks. The ability to see into one's future can change one's mindset, and without it, one has no idea why things could be occurring the way they are. 5. Charms If it weren't for Charms, the wizarding world wouldn't get very far. Charms teach wizards and witches basic spells that they can use in their everyday life, even if some of it may only be used for if one is lazy (For example, the summoning charm) 4. DADA Learning how to defend oneself from dangerous creatures and spells that the wizarding world contains is an essential part to being apart of the wizarding world and is very much needed in one's everyday life, even if they may not ever come across the dark arts. This subject enables students to understand the reality of the real world and can greatly help one in the future. 3. History of Magic Learning about history is not always fun for most people, but it is really important to understand how the magical world came to be and the important events that occurred that made the wizarding world like it is today. It may not have as much practical work, but understanding the past can have a significant impact on the present. 2. Astronomy Astronomy steps away from the stereotypical magical subjects that are taught at Hogwarts and gives students the opportunity to relax as they explore the significance of the universe and see how big it really is. This subject is also taught at muggle schools, making it a familiar topic for the muggle borns that decide to come to Hogwarts. 1. Muggle Studies Muggle Studies is a very important subject that is taught at Hogwarts as it gives witches and wizards the opportunity to explore a different way of living and how muggles survive without the use of magic. In a way, it allows magical folk to realise how insignificant magic can really be when there are other ways to survive.</FONT></SIZE> Author: Lilyanna Hope <i></i> |
H O W T O H A V E F U N A T A S C H O O L F E S T I V A L Festivals at Hogwarts are meant to be fun and inclusive for many to enjoy. But, if you're someone who is not used to going to fests or, being out in such an active environment, then don't worry. You're not alone. Being social can be overwhelming sometimes, and it's okay. Here are some ways to make it less taxing and delightful for anyone. 1. Plan ahead. If you're someone who's not used to partaking in festival or parties, plan ahead. As in take someone, a friend or even a family member to accompany you. By going with someone you're comfortable with, you're more than likely to have fun. You will be more relaxed and encouraged by the person who knows you a bit more than other festival goers. 2. Volunteer. Another way to know if going to a festival is right for you, is simply by volunteering. You will have an advantage and help create something that everybody will enjoy. By simply giving your time and making the fest eventful, many will appreciate the work others put in to make it appealing. Also, you will meet and get to know other volunteers. That may give you a chance to plan ahead. 3. Food and drinks. By simply going and appreciate the treats house elves set out for the fest, its guaranteed someone will come up to you and start a random conversation. Don't be shy. Keep the conversation on the sweets or the festival theme. Small chats can be a start to something new or you becoming familiar with your peers. 4. Activities. There always something to do in festivals. Some that are hosted by clubs will have activity booths. Not all of them may interest you, but there ought to be one that you may like and there's no harm in giving it a try. 5. Contests. Much like the activity booths, some festivals have contests. Halloween fest host a yearly one based on costumes and different categories. Indulge and take your chances in winning house points. 6. Dancing and music. For the most part, music and dancing is something very common in most festivals and dances. You don't have to have the best moves to bust a move. Listening or singing along to the music is another way to enjoy these types of atmospheres. These are some ways to have a good time. The rest is up to you really to make it for what it is. If festivals or dances aren't for you, that's okay too. The professors and staff at Hogwarts set these up for students to partake in and make memories. Nothing more and nothing less. Author: Joshua Toubia <i></i> | P R O F E S S O R S I N A C T I O N D U E L I N G T O U R N A M E N T After watching students duel it out in the annual dueling tournament hosted by the Student Defense Association at Hogwarts, Professor Alicastell decided to show the students how it's done by running her own dueling tournament with the professors and staff of Hogwarts New Zealand! Various different professors signed up, many of which made us scratch our heads trying to imagine then dueling. Only 2 of the 4 Head of Houses signed up to participate, which is ironic considering they are constantly hounding students to sign up and join events around the castle. But what is even more confusing is Professor Styx not signing up despite teaching DADA himself. Though perhaps it was for the safety of his colleagues, as he looks scary enough to kill with looks alone. Professor Pendleton is also a beloved professor at school, but it was hard to picture him dueling. Though surprisingly, he easily defeated the Hufflepuff Head of House within the first round until he was defeated in the second round. Most duels ended swiftly without much fanfare, no doubt many professors are rather rusty, or just not used to dueling, like Professors Pratt, Layton, Holland, and even the librarian Irene Meredith. None of the subjects they teach have or professions they hold have much to do with wands after all, so it's no surprise they were eliminated right away. The most entertaining duel was definitely between Professor Summers and Professor Josephs, the upper level Ancient Runes professor. Who would've thought she could hold her own against the Transfiguration professor, who ultimately won by turning her into a toad! What a cool way to go out. Though Professor Kingsley was clearly favored to win, Professor Summers also managed to eliminate her by transfiguring the platform on which she stood to swallow her whole, yikes! Surprisingly, History of Magic professor, Professor Ward made it all the way to the finals, where he ultimately met his demise against the talented Professor Summers with yet another Transfiguration spell. Members of the Student Defense Association showed up to support the professors and probably gain a few pointers for their own duels. They made posters and signs cheering on the professors that were in full view from the spectator's stands, though there was a clear fan favorite, Professor Kingsley of Gryffindor House. Often times shouts of encouragement towards Professor Kingsley could be heard echoing throughout the chamber, and one does have to wonder whether that distraction played a factor into her ultimate defeat. Overall, Professor Summers showed all students that dueling doesn't have to simply rely on defensive spells and curses, but creativity with transfiguration spells can actually be used to defeat your opponents as well! After seeing the pros in action, we'll see whether the students will get more creative with their own spell casting in the upcoming student dueling tournament. <SIZE size="50"><FONT font="verdana">Author: Mia Mendoza <i></i> |
S T U D E N T P O L L </COLOR><FONT font="verdana">Photographer: Caro Taylor <i></i> |
| 
| 
| 
|
| </COLOR> Kendrick Warlock <i></i>Ravenclaw First Year "Finch. Dominant." | Anastasie Vernier <i></i>Slytherin Second Year "I'm not very good with politics, especially in New Zealand, but I feel as though Carter Kaster knows what he's doing the most out of all of them. He's had some experience that the other's haven't within the pubic eye, and I believe he could do a good job in handling and sustaining the law." | <COLOR color="#000">Jocelynn Moors <i></i>Gryffindor Third Year "I would probably vote for the Cat lady, cause animals are cool and she has a logo with a cat right? I love my Bengal cat," | Jessica Matthews Slytherin Fourth Year "Oh, I hadn't really thought about it! I'm too young to vote, and I wouldn't want to say anyone's name without being properly informed. But thank you for asking!" |
| 
| 
| 
|
Austin Branning Hufflepuff Fifth Year "I would vote for Claudia Holland. She seems to actually care about effecting real change and improving the lives of all people and creatures within the magical community," | Thaddeus Miller Gryffindor Sixth Year "Oh, eh, I haven't given it much thought, to be honest. I guess either Mrs Holland or Mr Finch? I like what both said about certain topics?" | <COLOR color="#000">Ares Jeffreys <i></i>Hufflepuff Seventh Year "Erm... maybe that Holland woman, I don't know. I'm not particularly interested in the election." | Professor Maurice Welch Herbology Years 5-7 "I don't know yet if I'm being honest with you. I really like Mrs Holland's view on Muggle-borns and that we should do more to help them feel at home after basically being thrown in at deep end." |
Editor's Note: This is my last year as an editor for the Hogwarts Monthly and I am so proud of the work we have been doing all these years. As Hogwarts grows, I hope the paper can continue to grow and improve as well, and everyone can enjoy it! <COLOR color="#000"><SIZE size="50">Editor: Lennon Cohen-Knight <i></i> |
