by Ava Black
It has always been amazing to me that there are so many of us here at Pad's from all different locations. While it might be sunny at your house it could be snowy at anothers. So I set out to do a little comparison and below is the result! I asked a few different people where they are from and what the weather is like. I included the holiday just for fun. For the record I think Americans are the only ones that call our trips vacations. Everyone else calls them Holidays ~ just one of the things I learned! ;) Thanks to everyone that participated!
Name - Professor Yalva M. Pendragon
House- Slytherin Alumni
RL - Oklahoma, United States of America
what is the weather like there? Right now it's cold. But it ranges form really cold to really hot especially during the months of May to September like this last year.
What is your favorite holiday?
Since my little girl came along I'd have to say my favorite holidays is everyday since for her it's always exciting. But I do like Halloween for the creepy scary movies that come on TV, and Christmas for the Christmas songs and my favorite movie/song 'White Christmas' with Bing Crosby. It's a classic.
Name: Imogen Riddle
House: Penshire (and proud of it! )
RL - country/state: England
What is the weather like there? At the moment, freezing and dull, with slight sunshine.
What is your favorite holiday? 'Halloween; the official Fright Night'
Name - Cedric
House- Ravenclaw
RL - Denmark
What is the weather like there? - Cold, but not too bad.
What is your favorite holiday? Summer Holiday...because of the great weather
Name - Prof. Fairydust
House- Ravenclaw
RL - Israel
what is the weather like there? Well it is usually very warm in the summer and very moist. Now it is fall in here so it starting to get colder every day.
What is your favorite holiday? Well my favorite holiday is Purim, where we have adult and children dress up for a day and party.
It is similar to Halloween.
Name - Lynexe Couronne
House- Penshire
RL - Near Paris, a higher ground in France.
What is the weather like there? Mostly nice weather... It is like spring around the year. Even when it is winter, the weather is considerably nice and calm and serene. In the summer, it is comfortable and nice.
What is your favorite holiday? I would say New Years. Its always a fun holiday to work with and the winter vacations are just casual and relaxed
Name - Roger Davies
House- Penshire
RL -- Mexico City, Mexico.
What is the weather like there? Most of the year template, but now its a little cold.
What is your favorite holiday? Roger Davies National Birthday
Name: Kayla Milandra West
House: The best one. Oh, a name? Oopsie! Slytherin
Country/State: Cork City, Ireland.
Weather: We're not THAT far into winter, but so far it's bright but chilly. No cloud cover. It's like 5-6 degrees celsius.
Favorite Holiday: That would actually be one I don't think ya know, it's Bonfire Night, 23rd June. I know all the English students will beg to differ, since theirs is on the 5th November or something, and they call it Guy Fawkes Night as well, but we're in Ireland now, baby! Each separate road/street/terrace/avenue/park/estate or whatever you wanna call it spends DAYS collecting stuff to burn in a big bonfire. Everyone gathers around and just...well...watches the thing really, buts it's like a night for all the community to just come out and chill and enjoy each others company...and there's the occasional 'BBQ' cooked (on the bonfire)
Name - Kamron
House - Hufflepuff duh..?
RL - Canada
what is the weather like there? Cold and snowy
what is your favorite holiday? My Birthday
Name - London Tipton
House-Hufflepuff
RL - U.K./England
what is the weather like there? Depends on the month, usually rainy. Getting warmer due to global warming.
what is your favorite holiday? Christmas
Name: Ava Black
House: Penshire
RL location: New Jersey
What's the weather like: It is typically cold this time of year.
What's your favorite holiday? Christmas!!
Name: Cho Chang
House: Ravenclaw
RL location: Malta
What is the weather like there? It's usually sunny. We have long sunny months
What is your favorite holiday? Summer Holidays - because I'm off school!
I got kicked out of my GT class because of health problems and my friends in my old class wont talk to me. The poeple in my new class make fun of me althought I try to make new friends. I told my parents this an they already sent an angry letter to the school because I sit at lunch alone all the time. I cry myself to sleep all the time--oh, please help me!
Signed,
Friend-in-need
Dear Friend-in-need,
Sorry to hear that others seem to be against you right now because of a health issue. Often times when people don't understand something fully, they avoid the situation all together which only makes the person it involves feel isolated.
My son has a disorder that is "invisible" in appearance but affects his social skills. From kindergarten thru 4th grade we made all his teachers aware of the problem & they did the best they could to handle it in the classrooom but the kids he attended school with didn't understand why he was so different from him & would either avoid him or pick on him. When he entered 5th grade, the councellor & I decided to explain to the kids about his disorder so we set up a time where I would go to each of my son's classes & speak about it & take questions from the kids. After the talk, almost everyone in the room asked me things & after that my son was treated much differently because they understood better what set him apart from everyone else.
I would suggest that if the problem doesn't rectify itself within a reasonable amount of time you make the suggestion to your parents to do the same thing I did if they're comfortable with it. If not, possibly you can go to your counsellor on your own & discuss the idea of you doing it instead if you feel comfortable with it. More than likely once your classmates can understand what's going on with you they will be more accepting of it.
Good luck!
Signed,
Alba
By Megan Miller
For many of us, Christmas is a time for getting presents and having fun. We can come home to freshly baked Christmas cookies, hot chocolate and a warm fire after being outside in the snow having snow ball fights, building snow men and going sledding. We can wake up Christmas morning and be almost guaranteed that there will be no disappointed faces once the Christmas tree is in sight, there will always be presents there. We can keep warm on the those cold winter nights and read stories and watch movies about the holidays. These are all things we take for granted.
What we fail to realize is that there is a whole other world right outside our window living in anxiety and fear. We complain because we may not have gotten a gift we wanted, but in that other world, the greatest gift anyone will get is life. Childrens' eyes fill with disappointment when they see even a small pile of presents for them under the tree, but for the children in these poor countries where money is scarce and fear and starvation are the things that haunts every doorstep, that is exactly what they expect when they wake up Christmas morning.
What these poor people wouldn't give to spend a day living the way many of us are used to. What they wouldn't give to be able to have a Christmas like the ones we have every year. What they wouldn't give to come home to a warm fire and a home that won't fall apart or be destroyed by war. What they wouldn't give to feel safe and secure and not live in constant fear. What they would give to have a hot meal every day instead of just barely making it through another day.
It is at this time of year especially that we all need to realize that life isn't so bad and that the whole world won't fall apart because we didn't get that new computer or that new digital camera or that new iPod. It's not about how many presents we get or if we got everything we asked for. Those small, material things are not important, what's important is spending time with the ones you love. Not enough people in our world realize that the true meaning of Christmas is not to recieve, but to give.
By Kiley Blaire
No one can say that there aren�t injuries at a Quidditch match; after all,
Bludgers aren�t the only things knocking players off their brooms. But how
often is it that the audience gets hurt? Professor Yalva Pendragon was one
such victim in the recent Slytherin-Hufflepuff match, and she�er�agreed to
sit down for an interview about her unique reaction to Slytherin�s victory.
Kiley Blaire: So, Professor, please explain to the readers what exactly
happened to you after the Quidditch match.
Yalva Pendragon: *clears throat* I have no idea what you are talking about.
KB: Come on Professor, there are witnesses.
YP: *holds wand tightly* really and their names would be?
KB: I�m sorry, I can�t give you their names. But they said something about
you falling over a railing. Is this true?
YP: *glares* if someone had read the recent update to the safety codes for
the standard Quidditch pitch stands they would have made that railing higher
then what it was. I blame the builder of the stands for my ... tumble.
KB: Of course. But what were you doing so close to these short railings?
YP: What I can't cheer on my old team? I mean they did win the game so I
was excited.
KB: And we greatly appreciate your cheers, Professor! What do you think
could be done to prevent such falls in the future?
YP: Fix the dang railings for starters.
KB: Of course. And what of those in the audience who are in danger because
of they�re own�er�ineptitude due to over-excitement?
YP: *locks eyes with Kiley* and just what are you implying?
KB: Nothing at all, Professor! Just asking a general question.
YP: Well people should be more careful but I still blame the short
railings. *hopes no one remembers last year when she fell over the railing
with a broken arm.*
KB: *with a grin* Yes, someone should really go to PAD about those
railings. Any last comments?
YP: yes GET THE RAILINGS FIXED! before the next game
Well, there you have it. To all of you who were worried about our dear
Professor Pendragon, she is just fine now. Hopefully, those of you who read
this article will make as much noise as you can about these �railings,� so
that no audience members get hurt at our next Quidditch match. Of course,
we can�t guarantee anything for the players.
By Araceli Mendoza
This month we saw a very competitive well played Quidditch Match between the Gryffindor Lions and the Ravenclaw Ravens. Both teams played amazing. The chasers were definitely passing and intercepting the quaffle; most of the time all I saw was a red blur! The beaters were really causing damage, with many injuries. The keepers both had good games, blocking many tough shots. In the end, Gryffindor caught the Snitch, and that ended the game, of course. But both did admirably!
Muggle Sport of the Month
by Araceli Mendoza
Sorry for the lack of this column for the last couple of months. But we are back, and this time we will be featuring Soccer, or in the UK, football. Soccer is an easy sport to understand, and it is played all over the world. There are two goals, protected by a goalie. The other players kick a soccer ball, or a football around with their feet, trying to kick into the other team�s goal. They are not allowed to use their hands, only the goalie is allowed to use their hands. Soccer/Football is a very interesting sport!
By MoD
It is true: the students at Hogwarts DO use Love Potion. Although it's not confirmed by the female students of certain Houses that they actually use it, the strong suspicion, however, still exists, that the conquering of a boys heart by these girls isn't only based on true Love. But: Do only the students use Love Potion?
Have you seen the reactions on Professor Snape lately? The female students seem to love the Head of House of Slytherin, although his appearance usually scared every student of other Houses away. But this has changed! Although his harsh and � at times � mean appearance stayed the same.
Since Professor Snape is known to be the local Potions Hero, he is familiar with the brewing and the correct use of this potion, so it wouldn't be a problem for him to produce enough of said potion to distribute it to all the female students, lately being attracted to him. His Private Store is not allowed to be entered by any other person than himself, so no one but him is aware of the fact, how many of this precious potion he still has on his stock.
I call out at the Slytherin students to have a look on their Master to bring this to a halt. I am sure you don't want every love-crazy student switching houses only to be near their object of desire. We don't want another love-crazy group of girls clinging to a certain Most-Charming-Smile Professor, just because Snape is given more attention here. I hope I speak for all the students when I say: We do not need a repetition because Professor Snape, we love you. Even without you using that potion.