Professor Cassiopeia Kitridge was seen wearing vibrant yellow robes at the start-of-term feast, perhaps to let everyone know — that she is the new Hufflepuff Head of House! Even if you do not study Divination, you would know her as the fun-loving witch who likes to share happy vibes by snapping her fingers. Some students love the gesture, some find it annoying, and I heard that her children (who currently attend Hogwarts) are mostly just embarrassed. To give her Hufflepuffs a special start to the year, Professor Kitridge organised a game night in the common room, where they played board games and had an indoor snowball fight while munching on snacks and getting to know one another. Though I have no talent in Divination, I can predict that the badgers will have a great time under Professor Kitridge’s leadership.
Hufflepuff prefects
With her last year almost all but over and her days at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry limited, Carys Rose really does have the world at her fingertips whether that be surrounded by plants or 100ft up in the air on a broom. One thing is for sure, Hufflepuff’s next prefect will have big boots to fill. We were lucky enough to sit down with her before she escapes to better pastures.
Hi Carys! Thank you so much for agreeing to this. I just want to start off with some quickfire questions to warm you up. I don’t want to jump into the deep end too quickly. What’s your favourite colour? Do you have a favourite magical creature? Do you prefer the start of term feast or the end of term feast? Hi! Sometimes jumping into the deep end can actually be interesting, though… But to answer, my favourite colour is kind of a light green. Magical creature is probably a tossup between unicorns and mooncalves. Their big eyes. I’ve tried to paint them but I can’t quite seem to get them quite right… I think I prefer the end of term feast, just because it seems less tense? Well, and technically one of those did sort of lead to my dating Eron.
Okay, now that we’ve got those out of the way, time to really begin. Being a prefect must be such a fantastic job to have. Our readers clearly want to know, what’s the coolest part of it? My money’s on being able to roam the castle at night. It can definitely be a fantastic job, even if it can be awfully stressful as well. Especially this term, but that wasn’t really what you asked, was it? That can definitely be a plus side, but for me I think it’s knowing I have the trust of the staff that I can do the job.
And leading on from that, are there any parts that maybe you’d rather not have to do? I’m not sure how I’d feel about patrolling the trains all of the time. Personally, I didn’t mind the patrolling, but sometimes it’s difficult for me to actually punish people when they’re doing something wrong. I don’t know how the professors do it. Oversee detentions and all that.
Going into your last year at Hogwarts and as a prefect, how do you think this year shaped out in comparison to your previous years as prefect? Has it gotten easier to manage over time? This year was absolutely different from the past terms. It was much more tense, and there were NEWTs to study for and everything. This term was just confusing, to be honest, but yes, I do think it’s gotten easier over time to handle prefect duties.
Have you decided what you want to do when you leave Hogwarts? What does Carys Rose have instore for the wizarding world when she leaves the Great Hall of Hogwarts for the last time to brighter and broader horizons? Officially, I haven’t decided on my ultimate career, but I do have a few things to look forward to. University, for one. I’m planning on studying Herbology, but there are other things I’m planning on continuing with as well.
From reading your interview in last year’s edition, you’re a dab hand at Quidditch, is that something you’d like to do professionally or is it more of a hobby? Thank you. I am still a little disappointed I wasn’t able to play for Hufflepuff, but I know there are reasons we didn’t have Quidditch too. Besides, I’d still have had U-17 to keep my skills strong, and I was scouted for Puddlemere as well. But I don’t want to give up my art or Herbology studies either, so I guess I’m going to be busy.
Hogwarts is always such an interesting place to go to school at but this year, it really did out do itself. What’s it like being a position of importance in a time of need? Do you feel the pressure anymore or are you someone that revels in it? I absolutely feel the pressure to make sure the younger students know I’m there for them, because I absolutely was. Whether they knew it or not. I don’t revel in it, exactly, but I feel responsible if I feel I’m failing at it? I feel like my sister might have done so a little, reveled, that is, but that’s okay too. Plus, she had a lot going on this term. Maybe more than I did.
The Hogwarts first years really had a tough year this year, what with being possessed. Do you have any advice for them? Any words of wisdom for when they return for their second year? I think the only advice I really can give is to know that it wasn’t their fault. They should learn from it and use it to become better people, or at least become whoever they were meant to be, but it’s no more their fault than it was mine that I spent my first year terrified of Headmaster Scrimgeour. First year me would probably never have expected to grow into who I am now.
Is there anything you’re going to miss when you leave apart from the amazing food? Sure, it may have rotted mid feast but that was just a one off. Hopefully. There’s a lot I’m going to miss, honestly. Visiting the elves in the kitchens, painting in the art room. Even if I know I can still paint at home or at my mum’s gallery, there’s just something about Hogwarts. I missed the castle when we had to go to Beauxbatons for that term, and I know I’ll miss it after I leave.
With your final year coming to a close, what advice would you give to a budding Hogwarts student who has aspirations of becoming a prefect or making the most of their time at Hogwarts? Aspiring to be a prefect and making the most of their time at Hogwarts are two different things. Entirely. I didn’t expect to be a prefect, even if my mum was one way back when she was here. Really, all I can say is that they should do their best. The professors notice that, and maybe it’ll lead to being asked to be a prefect. Maybe it won’t, but at least if they do their best, they can be proud of their time here. They can be proud of the people they become. I know I am. Mostly.
[MALE hufflepuf PREFECT ROLE WAS FILLED BY NPC CHARACTER, jason lewis, THIS TERM]