Ancient Runes
Arguably one of the oldest types of magic known to wizardkind, Ancient Runes is the elective taught to Hogwarts students brave enough to delve into the often theoretical but endlessly fascinating world of the very very old. The years Professor Botros has spent teaching here have turned the study of Ancient Runes from a seemingly dull subject into lively lessons filled with gripping tales and captivating methods of teaching. Back again this year and as our Headmaster no less, Professor Botros sure did not disappoint. Keeping up with the tradition, the lessons this year have been academically challenging, infinitely interesting and, as usual, downright unexpected.
Let’s talk about what was definitely the most exciting lesson of the year, when Professor Botros planned an hour of entertainment that rivaled all other lessons of the term. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that the lesson had very little Runes in it? No, we love Runes, that can’t be it. Walking in the warm Runes classroom that morning, the students were greeted with an exceedingly lively Botros who explained that during the lesson they’ll be discussing the most interesting topic the school had to offer - the students of Hogwarts school themselves.
At first, the students were tasked with describing the person sitting next to them, which turned out to show that we don’t know each other quite as well as we thought we did. Ever the problem solver, Professor Botros split the students into pairs and gave them their assignment for the lesson: spend the rest of the hour with their respective partner, who in most cases a complete stranger. He then gave out a list of five questions which the students were to answer, revealing facts about themselves that their partner wouldn’t necessarily know.
Just when the Ancient Runes enthusiasts thought all hope had been lost, during the end of the lesson Professor Botros gathered up the students to explain a little about the rune of harmony and friendship, Wunjo. He stressed that positive, supportive human connections can be made stronger and more long lasting with the help of this rune. The lesson ended on a very positive note and off the students went with their new friends.
Let’s talk about what was definitely the most exciting lesson of the year, when Professor Botros planned an hour of entertainment that rivaled all other lessons of the term. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that the lesson had very little Runes in it? No, we love Runes, that can’t be it. Walking in the warm Runes classroom that morning, the students were greeted with an exceedingly lively Botros who explained that during the lesson they’ll be discussing the most interesting topic the school had to offer - the students of Hogwarts school themselves.
At first, the students were tasked with describing the person sitting next to them, which turned out to show that we don’t know each other quite as well as we thought we did. Ever the problem solver, Professor Botros split the students into pairs and gave them their assignment for the lesson: spend the rest of the hour with their respective partner, who in most cases a complete stranger. He then gave out a list of five questions which the students were to answer, revealing facts about themselves that their partner wouldn’t necessarily know.
Just when the Ancient Runes enthusiasts thought all hope had been lost, during the end of the lesson Professor Botros gathered up the students to explain a little about the rune of harmony and friendship, Wunjo. He stressed that positive, supportive human connections can be made stronger and more long lasting with the help of this rune. The lesson ended on a very positive note and off the students went with their new friends.
Arithmancy
It’s an arguable fact that numbers will never be anyone’s bestfriend—not anyone but Hogwarts’ very own Arithmancy Professor. Tiara Tanner swooped in to save the school from its Arithmancy slump and has really made a name for it amongst the students once again. It’s not easy getting a bunch of teenagers to care about their numbers but that’s never stopped her from bringing in her back of tricks to keep them hooked.
This term, of course, was no exception. Walking into the classroom, the first thing the students noticed was a giant square that took up the entire centre of the room. It left several students curious with Gryffindor First Year, Blaise Bellaire enquiring of the game ‘hopscotch’ and earning himself a subsequent challenge from the Professor. The outlandish guesses as to what they might have been doing that lesson didn’t end there as the Professor made a note of asking their opinions on the matter. As it turns out, they were not playing a game of nine squares as Ravenclaw First Year Milo Vogel suggested or a rousing game of ‘sudoku’ as hoped for by yet another First Year, Gryffindor Ava Burton. It took a while—and an impressive amount of inaccurate guesses before the before they were finally set straight; the Arrows of Pythagoras. As a reward for putting themselves out there in a subject most likely hadn’t bothered to do any reading ahead on, the Professor allowed the students to partner up for a quick game of Noughts and Crosses (tic-tac-toe). Things went off without a hitch and it created the perfect introduction to the arrow reading they would be moving into. Tanner explained the mechanics behind the practice, it being the circling of the numbers in your birthday then seeing which create a straight line going across in any direction. Took no time at all for the students to get the knack of it and soon they were finding their own negative and positive arrows in the grid. The Professor did make the point that negative and positive arrows didn’t necessarily mean what their names connoted, leaving many of them noticeably more relaxed. No one wants to be the villain.
Excited by the events of the previous lesson, many students entered the Arithmancy classroom with a pep in their step that replaced the usual doom and gloom that saw many dragging themselves to the lesson. Even with the knowledge that the Professor’s unconventional ways had a tendency to make the once thought to be painful subject fun, it’s a certainty that many of them weren’t prepared for what they saw when they entered. Had the Professor suddenly teleported them halfway around the world? It sure looked that way with the setup of the classroom; incense burning, a bright garden and a few oriental touches. This time the students weren’t given the option of guessing before the Professor presented them with the topic of the day; Kau Cim as luck would have it, otherwise known as Chinese Fortune Sticks. It was a bit strange having something that dealt more with fortune within a subject as precise and calculative as Arithmancy but the students had no problems falling into it, grabbing partners and eager to learn of their futures.
The ritual itself was important. They were instructed to circle the cim bucket around the incense three times before going to their partner, kneeling and shaking the bucket til one of 72 sticks fell out. In order to get this done, everyone was required to have a question in mind; some chose to say them aloud while others kept them to themselves. By the end of the lesson, there were a few students who left feeling better about their future and a few reminding themselves it wasn’t set in stone. All in all, an interesting way to end the term.
This term, of course, was no exception. Walking into the classroom, the first thing the students noticed was a giant square that took up the entire centre of the room. It left several students curious with Gryffindor First Year, Blaise Bellaire enquiring of the game ‘hopscotch’ and earning himself a subsequent challenge from the Professor. The outlandish guesses as to what they might have been doing that lesson didn’t end there as the Professor made a note of asking their opinions on the matter. As it turns out, they were not playing a game of nine squares as Ravenclaw First Year Milo Vogel suggested or a rousing game of ‘sudoku’ as hoped for by yet another First Year, Gryffindor Ava Burton. It took a while—and an impressive amount of inaccurate guesses before the before they were finally set straight; the Arrows of Pythagoras. As a reward for putting themselves out there in a subject most likely hadn’t bothered to do any reading ahead on, the Professor allowed the students to partner up for a quick game of Noughts and Crosses (tic-tac-toe). Things went off without a hitch and it created the perfect introduction to the arrow reading they would be moving into. Tanner explained the mechanics behind the practice, it being the circling of the numbers in your birthday then seeing which create a straight line going across in any direction. Took no time at all for the students to get the knack of it and soon they were finding their own negative and positive arrows in the grid. The Professor did make the point that negative and positive arrows didn’t necessarily mean what their names connoted, leaving many of them noticeably more relaxed. No one wants to be the villain.
Excited by the events of the previous lesson, many students entered the Arithmancy classroom with a pep in their step that replaced the usual doom and gloom that saw many dragging themselves to the lesson. Even with the knowledge that the Professor’s unconventional ways had a tendency to make the once thought to be painful subject fun, it’s a certainty that many of them weren’t prepared for what they saw when they entered. Had the Professor suddenly teleported them halfway around the world? It sure looked that way with the setup of the classroom; incense burning, a bright garden and a few oriental touches. This time the students weren’t given the option of guessing before the Professor presented them with the topic of the day; Kau Cim as luck would have it, otherwise known as Chinese Fortune Sticks. It was a bit strange having something that dealt more with fortune within a subject as precise and calculative as Arithmancy but the students had no problems falling into it, grabbing partners and eager to learn of their futures.
The ritual itself was important. They were instructed to circle the cim bucket around the incense three times before going to their partner, kneeling and shaking the bucket til one of 72 sticks fell out. In order to get this done, everyone was required to have a question in mind; some chose to say them aloud while others kept them to themselves. By the end of the lesson, there were a few students who left feeling better about their future and a few reminding themselves it wasn’t set in stone. All in all, an interesting way to end the term.
Astronomy
The study of celestial phenomena, Astronomy is a subject available to practically anyone on Earth, be they muggle or be they magic. This ancient branch of science serves as a link between worlds, and the appeal is undeniable. Astronomy classes at Hogwarts are ruled over by resident astronut Airey Flamsteed, who this term, in line with various bizarre rules put in place all over the school, demanded he instead be referred to as 'Admiral Flamsteed'. And it did not end there; Astronomy attendees were also to wear pips on their uniforms according to rank, and greet the 'Admiral' with the 'vulcan salute'. You would be forgiven for thinking that such absurdities were only the precursor for more in-lesson strangeness, because you would be correct in thinking so. But this is nothing new for 'Admiral' Airey Flamsteed, and Astronomy classes this term nevertheless did not fail to deliver insight and learning where it mattered most.
The first Astronomy lesson of the term was set to be a memorable one, which became instantly clear as soon as each student stepped through the door. Each was greeted by the sight of what looked to be a giant sandbox, before being quite literally swept off their feet. Airey Flamsteed had charmed the chairs and desks to float way up high, and upon entering the room, each student floated up to join them as well; this lesson was to take place up by the ceiling. Once everyone had swam through the air to a seat and the initial greetings and pleasantries had passed, the topic of the lesson was revealed. Rocks. Space rocks, to be specific. And to be even more specific: asteroids, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites. Airey Flamsteed provided a practical example of meteorites hitting a celestial body and the resulting impact craters, using the sandbox and some of his own pet rocks up for adoption, and gave a series of lengthy lectures, before at long last it was time for the activity. After clearing the air of desks so that everyone was floating unobstructed around the room, each student was provided with a bag of magically enhanced marbles that were colour-coded according to their house. With the use of a new spell - Tikalas - the task at hand was to fire these marbles (serving as 'meteors', 'meteoroids', and 'meteorites') at three large 'planets' conjured from the sand below. The aim of the game was for each house to try and 'claim' these planets with their marbles by making craters in their house colour. Gryffindor dominated the activity, with the first red-claimed planet turning into a giant Gryffindor crest, before Slytherin claimed a planet for themselves, swiftly followed by another planet for Gryffindor. With all three planets gone, that meant an overall win for Gryffindor, and so class was dismissed, and the students were left to swim their way back to the ground before going on their way once more.
The month of January brought with it a special occasion for Hogwarts' Astronomy students, in the form of a field trip to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Professors Sabel Dakest, Paul Myers, and, of course, Airey Flamsteed, came along to supervise. Before leaving for the Observatory via portkey, Airey Flamsteed passed out bum bags (the height of fashion, said no-one ever) to everyone in attendance, along with envelopes containing money and information on the Observatory, and a warning against using any magic while among non-magical people. After a brief discussion on the significance of the prime meridian (incidentally the line on which the Royal Observatory lies), the students and professors travelled by portkey to their destination, and were then free to go about and explore and 'enjoy their day of scientific inquiry and discovery. The Royal Observatory had many features on offer, and students spent their day venturing between the Planetarium and the Star Artist Workshop, or stopping in at the Astronomy Inspires gallery to touch the 4,500,000,000 year old meteorite. Flamsteed House drew in many visitors, as did the Meridian Courtyard, wherein lay the option to walk the Meridian Line, and of course there was the cafe and ever-enticing gift shop. Both students and professors had plenty of opportunity to make the most of their time before the portkeys transported every last Hogwarts inhabitant back to the castle at the end of the day.
Between archaic nerd references, lessons consisting of projectile marbles and planet invasion, and field trips off to the non-magical world to learn more about the subject, Astronomy is certainly never dull. One might argue that his methods are zany and, quite frankly, as strange as he is, but one thing is certain; Airey Flamsteed does not fail to keep his students well and truly engaged.
The first Astronomy lesson of the term was set to be a memorable one, which became instantly clear as soon as each student stepped through the door. Each was greeted by the sight of what looked to be a giant sandbox, before being quite literally swept off their feet. Airey Flamsteed had charmed the chairs and desks to float way up high, and upon entering the room, each student floated up to join them as well; this lesson was to take place up by the ceiling. Once everyone had swam through the air to a seat and the initial greetings and pleasantries had passed, the topic of the lesson was revealed. Rocks. Space rocks, to be specific. And to be even more specific: asteroids, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites. Airey Flamsteed provided a practical example of meteorites hitting a celestial body and the resulting impact craters, using the sandbox and some of his own pet rocks up for adoption, and gave a series of lengthy lectures, before at long last it was time for the activity. After clearing the air of desks so that everyone was floating unobstructed around the room, each student was provided with a bag of magically enhanced marbles that were colour-coded according to their house. With the use of a new spell - Tikalas - the task at hand was to fire these marbles (serving as 'meteors', 'meteoroids', and 'meteorites') at three large 'planets' conjured from the sand below. The aim of the game was for each house to try and 'claim' these planets with their marbles by making craters in their house colour. Gryffindor dominated the activity, with the first red-claimed planet turning into a giant Gryffindor crest, before Slytherin claimed a planet for themselves, swiftly followed by another planet for Gryffindor. With all three planets gone, that meant an overall win for Gryffindor, and so class was dismissed, and the students were left to swim their way back to the ground before going on their way once more.
The month of January brought with it a special occasion for Hogwarts' Astronomy students, in the form of a field trip to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Professors Sabel Dakest, Paul Myers, and, of course, Airey Flamsteed, came along to supervise. Before leaving for the Observatory via portkey, Airey Flamsteed passed out bum bags (the height of fashion, said no-one ever) to everyone in attendance, along with envelopes containing money and information on the Observatory, and a warning against using any magic while among non-magical people. After a brief discussion on the significance of the prime meridian (incidentally the line on which the Royal Observatory lies), the students and professors travelled by portkey to their destination, and were then free to go about and explore and 'enjoy their day of scientific inquiry and discovery. The Royal Observatory had many features on offer, and students spent their day venturing between the Planetarium and the Star Artist Workshop, or stopping in at the Astronomy Inspires gallery to touch the 4,500,000,000 year old meteorite. Flamsteed House drew in many visitors, as did the Meridian Courtyard, wherein lay the option to walk the Meridian Line, and of course there was the cafe and ever-enticing gift shop. Both students and professors had plenty of opportunity to make the most of their time before the portkeys transported every last Hogwarts inhabitant back to the castle at the end of the day.
Between archaic nerd references, lessons consisting of projectile marbles and planet invasion, and field trips off to the non-magical world to learn more about the subject, Astronomy is certainly never dull. One might argue that his methods are zany and, quite frankly, as strange as he is, but one thing is certain; Airey Flamsteed does not fail to keep his students well and truly engaged.
Care of Magical Creatures
At every start of term feast you are always guaranteed to see new faces sitting at the staff table. It's just something you've come to accept during your years at Hogwarts. However, this wasn't the case with the Care of Magical Creatures position. Not only did we not see Professor Thompson sitting in his seat, but we did not see anyone sitting in this seat. Even Headmaster Botros wasn't able to tell us who the new professor would be during his speech. So what did this mean for our beloved Creatures class? Would they be able to find someone to teach it, and if so would this person be able to fill the shoes of Professor Thompson who taught us about creatures for the past five years? Well let me tell you, not only was his replacement able to fill his shoes, times two, he was none other than a creature himself. That's right, it was none other than Thereos the Centaur who had taken over the role of Care of Magical Creatures professor.
Following the announcement that there would be a centaurian seminar, students and even a few professors found themselves near the edge of the forest waiting for the lesson to start. When Thereos finally trotted out from the forest he made it very clear that this lesson would not be about how to care for his kind, but rather how to respect his kind. The lesson started out a little slow with questions like "What do you know about centaurs?", "What is centauromachy?", and "What do you know about wand woods?". These questions didn't seem to have anything to do with respecting his kind, but they did lead up to a pretty fun activity. The task... make a bow using the materials provided, then get yourself transfigured into a centaur so you could perform a centaur 'coming of age' ritual. The students found that it wasn't as easy as it looked to walk around on four legs, let alone run an obstacle course while shooting arrows at targets while in centaur form. Some of them did a fairly good job at it, but not one student was able to get a bulls eye on all the targets. Of course no one got to keep the bow they made since they didn't pass the ritual. However, first year Gryffindor Blaise Bellaire had this to say about the lesson. "That centaur taught me a very valuable lesson during that class, gave me hope and showed me that even though I don't have a future in magic, I've got quite a knack for bow making...just...maybe not...the actual shooting yet."
Overall the lesson appeared to be a successful one, even if Thereos didn't make it really clear where the respecting his kind came into the lesson. Now we wait and see who will lead the class next term. Will it be the centaur again or will the headmaster be able to find a human to take over?
Following the announcement that there would be a centaurian seminar, students and even a few professors found themselves near the edge of the forest waiting for the lesson to start. When Thereos finally trotted out from the forest he made it very clear that this lesson would not be about how to care for his kind, but rather how to respect his kind. The lesson started out a little slow with questions like "What do you know about centaurs?", "What is centauromachy?", and "What do you know about wand woods?". These questions didn't seem to have anything to do with respecting his kind, but they did lead up to a pretty fun activity. The task... make a bow using the materials provided, then get yourself transfigured into a centaur so you could perform a centaur 'coming of age' ritual. The students found that it wasn't as easy as it looked to walk around on four legs, let alone run an obstacle course while shooting arrows at targets while in centaur form. Some of them did a fairly good job at it, but not one student was able to get a bulls eye on all the targets. Of course no one got to keep the bow they made since they didn't pass the ritual. However, first year Gryffindor Blaise Bellaire had this to say about the lesson. "That centaur taught me a very valuable lesson during that class, gave me hope and showed me that even though I don't have a future in magic, I've got quite a knack for bow making...just...maybe not...the actual shooting yet."
Overall the lesson appeared to be a successful one, even if Thereos didn't make it really clear where the respecting his kind came into the lesson. Now we wait and see who will lead the class next term. Will it be the centaur again or will the headmaster be able to find a human to take over?
Charms
An accomplished witch or wizard will likely use several charms in the course of just one day; Charms are important, they are useful, and when one lives a magical life, they are necessary. Astrid Baxter, a brand new addition to Hogwarts staff, was the one to take up the post of Charms professor this term. With classes on some of the more basic yet vital charms, and active, practical lessons, her classroom proved quite a popular one this term, with the students of Hogwarts apparently keen to benefit from Baxter's tutelage.
The very first lesson of the term was something of a surprise for many involved. Despite the pre-established Charms guidelines, those who showed up to class were met with more surprise rules which included a garishly yellow Positive Wall upon which each student was to write something they appreciated, the wearing of stickers on foreheads, and the swapping of school ties with someone of a different house. Neither of these rules had any bearing on the topic of that day's lesson, however, which including learning about the charms 'Arresto Momentum', used to slow or stop the progress of a falling object, and the Banishing Charm, 'Depulso'. After a brief introduction to the theory of these spells, and a short amount of practice, the class activity vegan. House-coloured foam balls dropped down from the ceiling, and the students were to use the spells taught to get the balls into the appropriate house bin. First through third years worked on 'Arresto Momentum', whilst fourth to seventh years used the Banishing Charm, though sixth and seventh years were to do so non-verbally. A classroom full of eleven to seventeen year olds, with dozens of foam balls released from the ceiling to become potential projectiles: what could possibly go wrong? Certainly, some students' wands outright failed them, plenty of heads got smacked by the foam balls, but the real point of interest was seventh year Evangeline Shacklebolt nailing fellow Ravenclaw and Head Girl Sophie Brown right in the head with a foam blue ball. The back and forth banter that ensued disappointingly did not result in a fight, and only first year Ravenclaw Sabbath Gimenez's wand backfiring provided any real source of entertainment after such an interesting interation. At the end of the lesson, Professor Baxter declared Slytherin to be the winners, depositing most foam balls into their bin, and dismissed the rest of the class while awarding each Slytherin student with a self-inking quill as a prize.
Later in the term, students arrived to the Charms classroom to find the room empty of chairs and desks, and multicoloured mats to sit on instead - apparently a requirement to becoming a Hogwarts professor is 'make your students spend a lesson sat on the floor at last once'. The topic of the day's lesson was ultimately quite useful, however - charms that would come in useful during a duel. Professor Baxter presented the class with an image of a short, old wizard, whom the students collectively declared was one Filius Flitwick, former Charms professor at Hogwarts as well as Master Duellist, and one of the protectors of the castle during the Battle of Hogwarts, which led on to the spells on the agenda: the Disarming Charm and the Shield Charm. After a short discussion exercise on the logistics of these defensive charms, the best ways to use them, and what environmental and contextual factors to keep in mind, the lesson progressed on to the main activity. Each House had a fort assigned to them, colour-coded, along with dummies marching forth to attack the other Houses' forts on their behalf. The students' task was to defend their fort from the dummies, using the spell and the logic discussed earlier in the lesson. Sparks began flying, quite literally, as the dummies attacked forts and students. Members from each house worked to disarm and disable the dummies, but none quite like Gryffindor first year, Blaise Bellaire, who took to manually disarming the oncoming attackers by outright stealing their 'wands'. No winning house was declared at the end of the activity, and the lesson was dismissed only when the last of the dummies was finally an incapacitated heap on the floor; surprisingly every single student had managed to avoid a similar fate. After handing out prizes consisting of sweets, stickers, and Quidditch team badges, Professor Baxter sent the students on their way.
As it happens, Professor Baxter is one of this year's members of staff who will not be returning to the Hogwarts to teach next September. She did, however, have a few parting words and some advice for her students before she left: "Teaching at Hogwarts was a one in a lifetime blessing. Not only did the castle captivate me, but the students' creativity as well. Life happens though, and even if it is yet another blessing, I am sad to leave. I do hope the students keep a quote that's helped me in the toughest of times: 'Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use.' Keep striving for better and never settle for less. Take risks and jump out of your bubble every once in a while. It'll be worth it."
The very first lesson of the term was something of a surprise for many involved. Despite the pre-established Charms guidelines, those who showed up to class were met with more surprise rules which included a garishly yellow Positive Wall upon which each student was to write something they appreciated, the wearing of stickers on foreheads, and the swapping of school ties with someone of a different house. Neither of these rules had any bearing on the topic of that day's lesson, however, which including learning about the charms 'Arresto Momentum', used to slow or stop the progress of a falling object, and the Banishing Charm, 'Depulso'. After a brief introduction to the theory of these spells, and a short amount of practice, the class activity vegan. House-coloured foam balls dropped down from the ceiling, and the students were to use the spells taught to get the balls into the appropriate house bin. First through third years worked on 'Arresto Momentum', whilst fourth to seventh years used the Banishing Charm, though sixth and seventh years were to do so non-verbally. A classroom full of eleven to seventeen year olds, with dozens of foam balls released from the ceiling to become potential projectiles: what could possibly go wrong? Certainly, some students' wands outright failed them, plenty of heads got smacked by the foam balls, but the real point of interest was seventh year Evangeline Shacklebolt nailing fellow Ravenclaw and Head Girl Sophie Brown right in the head with a foam blue ball. The back and forth banter that ensued disappointingly did not result in a fight, and only first year Ravenclaw Sabbath Gimenez's wand backfiring provided any real source of entertainment after such an interesting interation. At the end of the lesson, Professor Baxter declared Slytherin to be the winners, depositing most foam balls into their bin, and dismissed the rest of the class while awarding each Slytherin student with a self-inking quill as a prize.
Later in the term, students arrived to the Charms classroom to find the room empty of chairs and desks, and multicoloured mats to sit on instead - apparently a requirement to becoming a Hogwarts professor is 'make your students spend a lesson sat on the floor at last once'. The topic of the day's lesson was ultimately quite useful, however - charms that would come in useful during a duel. Professor Baxter presented the class with an image of a short, old wizard, whom the students collectively declared was one Filius Flitwick, former Charms professor at Hogwarts as well as Master Duellist, and one of the protectors of the castle during the Battle of Hogwarts, which led on to the spells on the agenda: the Disarming Charm and the Shield Charm. After a short discussion exercise on the logistics of these defensive charms, the best ways to use them, and what environmental and contextual factors to keep in mind, the lesson progressed on to the main activity. Each House had a fort assigned to them, colour-coded, along with dummies marching forth to attack the other Houses' forts on their behalf. The students' task was to defend their fort from the dummies, using the spell and the logic discussed earlier in the lesson. Sparks began flying, quite literally, as the dummies attacked forts and students. Members from each house worked to disarm and disable the dummies, but none quite like Gryffindor first year, Blaise Bellaire, who took to manually disarming the oncoming attackers by outright stealing their 'wands'. No winning house was declared at the end of the activity, and the lesson was dismissed only when the last of the dummies was finally an incapacitated heap on the floor; surprisingly every single student had managed to avoid a similar fate. After handing out prizes consisting of sweets, stickers, and Quidditch team badges, Professor Baxter sent the students on their way.
As it happens, Professor Baxter is one of this year's members of staff who will not be returning to the Hogwarts to teach next September. She did, however, have a few parting words and some advice for her students before she left: "Teaching at Hogwarts was a one in a lifetime blessing. Not only did the castle captivate me, but the students' creativity as well. Life happens though, and even if it is yet another blessing, I am sad to leave. I do hope the students keep a quote that's helped me in the toughest of times: 'Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use.' Keep striving for better and never settle for less. Take risks and jump out of your bubble every once in a while. It'll be worth it."
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Arguably the most important subject taught at Hogwarts is Defense Against the Dark Arts, readying students for the dangers of the real world. Tasked with preparing students for such a world is Professor Sabel Dakest, ex-Auror and back for his second year teaching the subject of Defense. As an added feature to Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, Dakest introduced the school-wide Duelling Club, open to professors as well as students from all years to participate in meetings, challenges, and a tournament. Even for those who did not participate in the Duelling Club, this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts classes provided those in attendance with an arsenal of tools that would likely be useful against potential threats, whether they be Dark in nature or otherwise.
One Defense Against the Dark Arts had students arriving to find Professor Dakest waiting for them - though it would be more accurate to say they found just half of him. No, the classroom was not arriving at the scene of a horrible accident, the professor has merely had a completely invisible lower half. Dakest was very much fully in the room, and the 'missing' half of him was simply disillusioned, which led on to the topic for the day: how to disillusion oneself, and how to detect disillusionment. After brief instructions on the Disillusionment Charm (Disillusio) and the revealing spell (Revelio) and other options such as how to use other spells as well as the environment to your advantage, Dakest led the class on a field trip to none other than that exciting location... the broom closet. The magically enlarged broom closet at that, because the first activity involved all the students entering the room, concealing themselves and revealing other concealed students. Letting loose a bunch of mostly-invisible students into a broom cupboard probably sounds like a recipe for one disaster or another, but the activity passed mostly without incident. That is, of course, until the lights were all mysteriously extinguished. At least one student managed to faceplant the floor in the dark before Professor Dakest called the proceedings to a halt and moved everyone on to the final activity, held outside in an area of the forest complete with stone ruins. The remainder of the lesson consisted of a giant game of hide and seek, complete with house-coloured sashes to claim from one another during the tagging process. Some students opted for simply hiding, others did not try to hide at all, but most did in fact disillusion themselves. Head Boy Zander Adair not-so-mysteriously ended up face-planting the ground and probably eating dirt, and overall Slytherin and Ravenclaw ended up tying for first place, with Hufflepuff and Gryffindor also tying for number of sashes just behind them.
But it was not all fun and games in Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. Later in the term, students arrived to one class to find an intriguing set up to the classroom. Specifically, a new wall (with a door) separating one half of the room from the other, hundreds of golden snitches flying up by the ceiling, and strange bowl full of an almost iridescent blue liquid, soon revealed to be a pensieve. But what could all of these things possibly have in common for a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson? The answer, to be frank, is 'nothing'. Shortly after class started, Dakest taught the class all about a homing spell (Persequoris) used to ensure one's spells hit their target, which to the more nimble-minded students in the class instantly explained the presence of the golden snitches. Indeed, one of the class activities was for the younger students - first to third years - to make their way into the cordoned off section of the room and practice the homing spell on the attacking golden snitches. But the pensieve? Dakest informed the class that all those students in fourth year and above had the option of viewing a memory of the Killing Curse in action. This inspired some outrage from some of the indignant younger students, who were abjectly forbidden from taking part in such an activity, and proceeded to take frustrations out on the snitches, and occasionally each other. As for what happened in the pensieve? You would have to ask an older student, if you are not one yourself. Some of us were not 'allowed' to look. Some defensive action - albeit it minimal - against the Killing Curse was, however, discussed amongst the older students - and only the older students - before the class was ultimately called to an end.
The introduction of the Duelling Club drew a great deal of student and staff interest this term. The meetings were predictably serious; every student was provided with body armour, shoes were declared to be 'mandatory', challenges were administered and an overall tournament also took place. The meetings included discussion of defence and useful defensive techniques, including protecting someone else as well as yourself, and the challenges were based upon relevant skills that might come in useful in a survival scenario, sometimes not even involving magic. For the tournament, students were pitted against each other in one-against-one magical combat. For those that competed, it was a chance to fight their way to the top, otherwise it was a golden opportunity to study the competitors and learn their defence strategies. Something for everyone. Ultimately, it was Slytherin third year Colt Winchester who won the 'Jinx Duel' duelling group, while Zeke Browne, Gryffindor fourth year, came first in the 'Hex Duel' group, and Benzi Rider, seventh year Ravenclaw prefect, took first place in the 'Curse Duel' group.
Despite the success and popularity of both the Duelling Club and Sabel Dakest himself, this professor has made the decision that Hogwarts is no longer the place for him. After a two year run teaching at Hogwarts, Dakest is abandoning his post, presumably moving on to bigger and better things. It is an incontrovertible fact that he will be missed by many of his DADA-devoted students, if not for his presence around the school then for the practical skills he has taught over the past two years. "There are a lot of bright, young witches and wizards. A lot of blossoming and untapped potential. There is chance for both greatness and terror. It is important they know this to be a choice. It is imperative we trust them with that choice," were the parting words from Professor Dakest himself. Upon being asked about his experience teaching at Hogwarts, he also said, "I'll probably have some grey hairs after the past few years working at Hogwarts, but I would not trade them for the world. I will wear them like a badge of honour, and find fond memories every time I look in the mirror."
One Defense Against the Dark Arts had students arriving to find Professor Dakest waiting for them - though it would be more accurate to say they found just half of him. No, the classroom was not arriving at the scene of a horrible accident, the professor has merely had a completely invisible lower half. Dakest was very much fully in the room, and the 'missing' half of him was simply disillusioned, which led on to the topic for the day: how to disillusion oneself, and how to detect disillusionment. After brief instructions on the Disillusionment Charm (Disillusio) and the revealing spell (Revelio) and other options such as how to use other spells as well as the environment to your advantage, Dakest led the class on a field trip to none other than that exciting location... the broom closet. The magically enlarged broom closet at that, because the first activity involved all the students entering the room, concealing themselves and revealing other concealed students. Letting loose a bunch of mostly-invisible students into a broom cupboard probably sounds like a recipe for one disaster or another, but the activity passed mostly without incident. That is, of course, until the lights were all mysteriously extinguished. At least one student managed to faceplant the floor in the dark before Professor Dakest called the proceedings to a halt and moved everyone on to the final activity, held outside in an area of the forest complete with stone ruins. The remainder of the lesson consisted of a giant game of hide and seek, complete with house-coloured sashes to claim from one another during the tagging process. Some students opted for simply hiding, others did not try to hide at all, but most did in fact disillusion themselves. Head Boy Zander Adair not-so-mysteriously ended up face-planting the ground and probably eating dirt, and overall Slytherin and Ravenclaw ended up tying for first place, with Hufflepuff and Gryffindor also tying for number of sashes just behind them.
But it was not all fun and games in Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. Later in the term, students arrived to one class to find an intriguing set up to the classroom. Specifically, a new wall (with a door) separating one half of the room from the other, hundreds of golden snitches flying up by the ceiling, and strange bowl full of an almost iridescent blue liquid, soon revealed to be a pensieve. But what could all of these things possibly have in common for a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson? The answer, to be frank, is 'nothing'. Shortly after class started, Dakest taught the class all about a homing spell (Persequoris) used to ensure one's spells hit their target, which to the more nimble-minded students in the class instantly explained the presence of the golden snitches. Indeed, one of the class activities was for the younger students - first to third years - to make their way into the cordoned off section of the room and practice the homing spell on the attacking golden snitches. But the pensieve? Dakest informed the class that all those students in fourth year and above had the option of viewing a memory of the Killing Curse in action. This inspired some outrage from some of the indignant younger students, who were abjectly forbidden from taking part in such an activity, and proceeded to take frustrations out on the snitches, and occasionally each other. As for what happened in the pensieve? You would have to ask an older student, if you are not one yourself. Some of us were not 'allowed' to look. Some defensive action - albeit it minimal - against the Killing Curse was, however, discussed amongst the older students - and only the older students - before the class was ultimately called to an end.
The introduction of the Duelling Club drew a great deal of student and staff interest this term. The meetings were predictably serious; every student was provided with body armour, shoes were declared to be 'mandatory', challenges were administered and an overall tournament also took place. The meetings included discussion of defence and useful defensive techniques, including protecting someone else as well as yourself, and the challenges were based upon relevant skills that might come in useful in a survival scenario, sometimes not even involving magic. For the tournament, students were pitted against each other in one-against-one magical combat. For those that competed, it was a chance to fight their way to the top, otherwise it was a golden opportunity to study the competitors and learn their defence strategies. Something for everyone. Ultimately, it was Slytherin third year Colt Winchester who won the 'Jinx Duel' duelling group, while Zeke Browne, Gryffindor fourth year, came first in the 'Hex Duel' group, and Benzi Rider, seventh year Ravenclaw prefect, took first place in the 'Curse Duel' group.
Despite the success and popularity of both the Duelling Club and Sabel Dakest himself, this professor has made the decision that Hogwarts is no longer the place for him. After a two year run teaching at Hogwarts, Dakest is abandoning his post, presumably moving on to bigger and better things. It is an incontrovertible fact that he will be missed by many of his DADA-devoted students, if not for his presence around the school then for the practical skills he has taught over the past two years. "There are a lot of bright, young witches and wizards. A lot of blossoming and untapped potential. There is chance for both greatness and terror. It is important they know this to be a choice. It is imperative we trust them with that choice," were the parting words from Professor Dakest himself. Upon being asked about his experience teaching at Hogwarts, he also said, "I'll probably have some grey hairs after the past few years working at Hogwarts, but I would not trade them for the world. I will wear them like a badge of honour, and find fond memories every time I look in the mirror."
Divination
After five terms full of positive and supportive teaching, Professor Cassiopeia Morgan will be missed by all the students lucky enough to have her as a professor. Even the treats she brought for her students couldn’t match the unbounded sweetness she showed at every lesson. The Divination classroom, easily one of the most relaxing spaces at Hogwarts, was home to a number of continuing traditions as well as some new ones introduced for an especially positive term as Professor Morgan guided students through another year of Divination.
Everyone’s favorite pajama-themed lesson came early in November, as students were greeted with the sight of fluffy clouds and bed chairs upon entering the Divination classroom. Along with Professor Morgan’s prized snap cup and peppermint tea, the front of the room held buttons with a knack for positive compliments for students to wear while getting comfy in preparation for the lesson. The discussion began with speculation about the purpose for the cozy atmosphere, punctuated by increasingly outrageous compliments by students’ buttons as they answered. Once dreams were established as the focus of the lesson, students were able to do more than just snap along to the new information by trying out interpretations for themselves. The relaxing atmosphere of the room (and Professor Morgan’s never-ending positive energy, of course!) allowed students to think back to their own dreams before analyzing their meanings. Even Slytherin first year Oliver Thomas-Borzekowski’s dramatic dream of head-eating hats could be decoded with the help of the textbook, and students left the lesson with a newfound understanding of the subconscious mind—as well as some of Professor Morgan’s cookies.
Despite the cheery instructions to come to class wearing pink, it was hard to ignore Professor Morgan’s glumness during one lesson at the start of April. Even so, the sharing of proud moments proceeded per usual before the professor jumped right into the lesson with a question looking for divination potential in a bizarre collection of food items. Although Gryffindor Zeke Browne’s suggestion for ‘Sucromancy’ did not become a reality, the class had their work cut out for them with Ichthyomancy and Cromnimancy, using fish entrails and onions respectively. The particular smells did not deter students (for the most part, anyways) from first cutting open the fish to inspect its intestines, then doing the same with the onions, whose cross-sections were etched with the names of those upon students wished to focus their inner eyes. The mysteries of Cromnimancy could not be discovered fully until the onions had a chance to sprout, but there was no shortage of curiosity as students cleaned up their desks and rediscovered their appetites with some of Professor Cassie’s always-delicious cake.
Professor Cassie’s admirable zest for life and teaching has undoubtedly left an impact on five terms’ worth of students who have passed through her class. Along with the opportunity to sharpen their inner eyes, students had the chance to appreciate their accomplishments time after time with positive affirmation and extra special treats, ensuring that the many lessons learned in Divination will not be easily forgotten.
Everyone’s favorite pajama-themed lesson came early in November, as students were greeted with the sight of fluffy clouds and bed chairs upon entering the Divination classroom. Along with Professor Morgan’s prized snap cup and peppermint tea, the front of the room held buttons with a knack for positive compliments for students to wear while getting comfy in preparation for the lesson. The discussion began with speculation about the purpose for the cozy atmosphere, punctuated by increasingly outrageous compliments by students’ buttons as they answered. Once dreams were established as the focus of the lesson, students were able to do more than just snap along to the new information by trying out interpretations for themselves. The relaxing atmosphere of the room (and Professor Morgan’s never-ending positive energy, of course!) allowed students to think back to their own dreams before analyzing their meanings. Even Slytherin first year Oliver Thomas-Borzekowski’s dramatic dream of head-eating hats could be decoded with the help of the textbook, and students left the lesson with a newfound understanding of the subconscious mind—as well as some of Professor Morgan’s cookies.
Despite the cheery instructions to come to class wearing pink, it was hard to ignore Professor Morgan’s glumness during one lesson at the start of April. Even so, the sharing of proud moments proceeded per usual before the professor jumped right into the lesson with a question looking for divination potential in a bizarre collection of food items. Although Gryffindor Zeke Browne’s suggestion for ‘Sucromancy’ did not become a reality, the class had their work cut out for them with Ichthyomancy and Cromnimancy, using fish entrails and onions respectively. The particular smells did not deter students (for the most part, anyways) from first cutting open the fish to inspect its intestines, then doing the same with the onions, whose cross-sections were etched with the names of those upon students wished to focus their inner eyes. The mysteries of Cromnimancy could not be discovered fully until the onions had a chance to sprout, but there was no shortage of curiosity as students cleaned up their desks and rediscovered their appetites with some of Professor Cassie’s always-delicious cake.
Professor Cassie’s admirable zest for life and teaching has undoubtedly left an impact on five terms’ worth of students who have passed through her class. Along with the opportunity to sharpen their inner eyes, students had the chance to appreciate their accomplishments time after time with positive affirmation and extra special treats, ensuring that the many lessons learned in Divination will not be easily forgotten.