After the retirement of Professor Gus Rainwater, speculation stirred as everyone wondered who would take over the mantle of Herbology Professor. Turns out, it was none other than Professor June Flamsteed. Yes, you read that right. Our new Herbology professor is cousin to former Astronomy professor Airey Flamsteed. She had big shoes to fill, but also managed to bring her own personality and flair to the position to make her own name here at Hogwarts.
Lessons this term covered a variety of different topics, including a very famous herb that many witches and wizards have heard of - wolfsbane. Notorious for being part of the Wolfsbane potion, she demonstrated how the plant was extremely deadly despite it's healing reputation. Students were then sent on a hunt to identify the wolfsbane plant themselves. The task seemed easier enough, but naturally, things spiraled out of control fast. Aboli Song came face to face (or, erm, ear to...scream?) with a mandrake. So did Phoebe James, but she wasn't quick enough to protect her ears before she found herself face first unconscious on the greenhouse floor. First Year Ashley Fox was left to wander in the darkness in her search for the wolfsbane. As always, there was a method to the madness, and students learned more about the environment that wolfsbane plants thrive in while they stumbled about the challenges in the greenhouses. The chaos wasn't over yet - even the simple act of harvesting the plant was sabotaged by some unwelcome visitors. GNOMES! Never a dull moment, right?
Later in the term lessons were overshadowed by the various student possessions and construction issues caused by certain salty spirits, but some lessons - like the one Professor Flamsteed taught on vines - still stood out. Students learned that vines were more than just fancy decorative accessories that some plants had - as Claudine Blaze pointed out, some can actually STRANGLE you, Avalon Sinclair reminded us that some can grow fruit or flowers, and Heath Jones pointed out that some can grow in spiral shapes along supports. These vines in the Herbology greenhouses were a bit feisty, and students were tasked with untangling them from the damage the greenhouses had sustained. The main activity was to help guide the vines to more appropriate locations, and we're sure Professor Flamsteed was thankful for all the help she received making the greenhouses look a little bit better after a few hectic terms!
Now that the greenhouses are (hopefully) not going to be messed with for a bit, we're all excited to see what Professor Flamsteed does next. Fingers crossed that future lessons don't involve any more gnomes or sassy vines!
History of Magic
Alright! So, I’m already coming clean to say that I am not very good in History of Magic. I like magic a big lot because it makes us capable of doing super cool things or make things super easy, but its history is a whole other complex idea in its own. All the dates, the names, the specific details are intimidating. But if there was any factor that made the class bearable, outside of having friends who are smarter than me, it would be because the professor was reassuring. Professor Gabriela Recard has been teaching History of Magic to the students of Hogwarts for three terms, including the one now. Thanks to her, the class no longer seemed too intimidating!
This term, we talked about families! it’s very nice, but it really made me miss my own family at home. I mean, I do have lots of cousins here and all, and having them helped me adjust to being so far away, but you know! Specifically, we discussed the Weasley family and their contributions to the wizarding population. I’m pleased to inform that I was not entirely useless during that class, because at least I knew the stuff people were talking about! They’re a respected and well known family, the Weasleys. We talk about them loads in primary school! It was all fun and insightful until big drama things happened! In class! That was MORE FUN, I guess? I thought this didn’t happen in big formal schools like Hogwarts! I think it all started when sorta friend Kizzy James’ best friend—I know her name’s Cambridge! I’m not very good with names too, sorry—shared her thoughts and then the Slytherin prefect (Aboli Song) snapped and then another older student, a Gryffindor girl (Cecelia Summers) snapped right back and oH MY!!!
Fairly certain Mama Molly Weasley would have snapped back harder, but that was quite a sight. Although, I also felt super bad. And also super confused that Kizzy James didn’t say more than usual. We made clocks and stuff, but that was pretty mellow compared to the Drama™ right before our own eyes.
And then in another lesson, we discussed the Triwizard Tournament! Another significant event in our history, but also super info-loaded with all the names and dates and yada yada! There was a flaming Triwizard Cup too, which was awesome and hopefully not a hazard to such an old structure like Hogwarts! The activity included having to design our own Triward tasks and dropping our names in the fake Goblet of Fire! It spewed out names too, like the real one, and chose four "champions". Congrats to Cecelia Summers, Heathcliff Jones, Serena Anders, and Fiona Jenovick! The idea of glory and fame was probably tempting to many, I can see why, and it would such a flex too. At least those lucky four get to flex their ~championship~! However, there was not as much Drama™ as that class about the Weasleys, but it was just as interesting. I think.
That being said, manifesting more Drama™ classes with you, Professor Recard! Hehe!
Muggle Studies
Early on Monday morning (well, nine-ish) was not the time to be taking on environmental issues. Alas, no one had bothered to inform Professor Schmoe of this fact, since that was exactly what we walked into one particular Monday morning. Complete with ‘The Earth is Dying’ written in giant black letters that were apparently supposed to be intimidating. Those of us with muggle parents have been hearing this for literal years, guys. But the words seemed to shock the purebloods in the room, Kale Trent in particular, who’s eyes seemed watery all of a sudden (crybaby).
So, for the (still) ignorant, pollution can be caused by cars, factories, plastic and garbage in general. Also, inappropriately dealt with chemicals. But as professor Schmoe pointed out, it affects everyone on the planet. Anyway, just where was this lesson heading? Well, first was creating anti-pollution posters, which provided some……creative artwork. Second was a game, of sorts. Team Pollutant had to dash around placing garbage all-around and Team Ozone had to pick up all of the garbage, placing each item in the appropriate bag labeled ‘rubbish’ or ‘recycle’. A game that ultimately descended into chaos, as Emmerson Cambridge, Joshua Miller, Bernadette Grantham and Aboli Song ended up in a shouting and magic using match. One that not only caused Professor Schmoe to end the game early, but also to bust his butt in front of everyone. Sigh.
Boxes. That was what met us at the beginning of another memorable Muggle Studies class on a February Friday, with nary an explanation of what they were for. As well as a bunch of brushes and makeup on Professor Schmoe’s desk. OOOk. There was even more confusion when the professor started the lesson by yelling out ‘The Daily Prophet’. When he went on to ask how muggles kept up with the Kardashians the news, some of the confusion cleared up, at least for the muggleborns in the room. The answer, basically, is various different sources from newspapers to the television to internet and so on. But the one Professor Schmoe was focusing on was television, specifically news anchors which made the brushes and makeup suddenly make much more sense. See, it is important to look good and presentable when delivering the news on television.
Anyway, the task for the day was to use the cardboard boxes sitting around the classroom to make a ‘television’, then fix our hair and makeup to do our own newscast. One that got done without much yelling this time, thankfully. And that was it for memorable Muggle Studies lessons for the term.
potions seminars
What can I say about Professor Dalton Jones and his scintillating Potions classes? Not much. There’s a man, a plan, a dungeon – ladies, start your cauldrons! The more interesting story from this term was the appearance of three good spirits… I mean visiting Potions experts. If you’re one of the unenlightened who thinks that no one ever uses Potions in the real world, I hope you made it to these practical sessions.
First, we were visited by Healer Adelon Ryder-Jones, a genuine Healer from St. Mungo’s. She walked the class through the process of making Pepper-up Potion, with every student taking a phial with them at the end of class. Handy potion to have as we head into cold and flu season, although I wouldn’t personally take something brewed by a first year.
Next, Dr. Gurmeet Sharma led a delicious course on chocolate frogs. We didn’t learn the long lost secret of the original frogs, but we did get to make our own amphibian treats. Take that, naysayers… Potions can be tasty!
Last, the extremely attractive David Truebridge taught us how to magically make cheese. I’m starting to really feel a food theme here, like maybe you can only appeal to youth through their stomachs (and eyeballs, did you SEE those cheekbones?), but I personally need all the help I can get. OWLs wait for no girl.
Transfiguration
Transfiguration seems like a difficult class. Like Charms times three to me, at least! I sometimes can't even get the spells right, but our professor Carwyn Eris is very patient and very understanding even when I look completely lost in class a lot of times. He has been the school's Transfiguration professor AND librarian for three terms now! It's sad to see him go after this term ended, really, as there's not a lot we know about him other than he's from caw caw Ravenclaw and that he's also the sponsor for three other clubs. One of them is my own club for Wizard Card Collectors! But yes, as I've said, everything else about dear Professor Eris is a mystery. If you're interested, read on to see what my sorta friend, Kinsay James of Gryffindor, had to say and speculate about Professor Eris' age.
Hi, Kizzy James! Is it okay if I interview you about Transfiguration? Hi, Henry Hembree. I’m supposed to be doing homework, but I don’t really feel like it. So, sure!
Okay, thanks! How do you find the subject? Hard? Easy peasy? I personally have to practice a spell a few times before getting it right! It’s okay. I like other subjects better though especially Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures. Those are two of my favorites. (But don’t tell Professor Eris I said that because it might hurt his feelings).
Do you have a favourite Transfiguration spell already? What is it? Piscifors! We haven’t learned that one yet, but my sister used it to make a fish for me. Her name was Sweetpea (Phoebe named her!). She’s dead now.
I'm sorry about Sweetpea! Considering we're first years, what would you wanna learn more about in Transfiguration? This is a silly question, Henry. I want to learn about everything, especially super impressive spells so that I can show my dad. He always asks about what I learned in school. (I think it’s because he’s a teacher and they’re supposed to ask that stuff).
That must hurt your head, though! If you could transfigure yourself into anything, what would it be and why? Mmm… That’s easy! I’d choose a shark because I like to swim and I want to meet other sharks. Most people are scared of them and think they eat people, but they’re actually not that dangerous and just misunderstood. People are only scared because they don’t know these things.
Sharkbait, hoo ha ha! What do you think of Professor Eris? He kinda looks intimidating from afar, but I believe that’s just all looks! He’s sooooo old! I think he’s even older than Professor Williamson. He’s pretty nice and sometimes I see him when I go to the library with Matty. He always waves at us.
REALLY? How did you....wait, no. That's not the question! Do you think he’ll try transfiguring us into giant squids, Kizzy? ...I’m joking! Hehe. But did you know the giant squid’s name is Henry? Just like yours! Is that where your name came from? ....... You should ask your parents.
I don't know what to feel about this!! I don't think so... I mean!!! Nevermind!!! You won’t transfigure me into a giant squid though, right??? Probably not! I don’t think there’s a spell for that. Besides, it’d be too confusing if there was a second giant squid named Henry. We’d have to call you Henry 1 and Henry 2.
Why? …. Do you want to be transfigured into a giant squid? I never replied to her because she left me appalled but hi again, Kizzy James, if you're reading this...no, I really don’t!