By Lynexe Couronne
So apparently, here's another one of my fair updates of my oh-so-joyful life. But I might as well admit that I can definitely turn these into journal entries. Since I am much too lazy to even open up a journal and start writing, it is therefore my pleasure to give my monthly opinion on something, or rather, various things.
One Quidditch game down, another to go. However, this one had seemed to pass fairly quickly as Gryffindor had won the match, and I must admit I'm pretty content with the outcome as I'll give a small shout out to my cousin now. But back to the point, the third match commenced and has rolled along quickly as I arrived there and started to watch the game, more than the fact to cheer for Slytherin. There, I said it.
But I still don't get the house rivalries. Thankfully enough though, Penshires don't seem to have any rival houses that I know of, as Gryffindor seems to have Slytherin out of the most important, while the others might have little quarrels.
For one thing that I must mention now is, couples. Or more vaguely, relationships. Maybe it's just the fact that yours truly has found someone who actually understands her words and such in a way where words do not have to be said, and no, to clearify, I do not have a 'boyfriend'. Hopefully, that will be all the description for now, and that will be enough. I suppose the holidays will be a "cheery" one as those around me say it, and maybe for once, you'll see me at the dance.
By Kiley Blaire
Trim the tree and light the menorah, it�s Chrismahanukwanzika! Time to
learn about our favorite December holidays (whether you want to or not)!
Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrated on December 25th, the
much-debated date of Jesus�s birth. It has many aspects, both religious and
secular, including the exchange of gifts, Santa Claus, and decorations and
Christmas trees, and religious ceremonies. The word Christmas is derived
from the Old English Cristes m�sse, and is a contraction meaning �Christ�s
mass.� The idea of December 25th being Jesus�s birthday was popularized by
Sextus Julius Africanus in 221 AD in an early reference book for Christians
called Chronographiai. There were Christmas celebrations in Rome as early
as 336 AD, and December 25th was added to the calendar as a feast day in 350
AD. In modern times, Christmas is celebrated in various different ways in
different countries. In Poland, for example, Santa Claus gives gifts on two
occasions: on the night of December 5th, and on Christmas Eve. And in
Germany, children put their shoes on their window sills on the night of
December 5th and find them filled with candy and small gifts the next
morning. And even during times of war, Christmas is celebrated: In the
midst of World War I, there was a Christmas truce between German and British
troops in France in 1914, where soldiers on both sides spontaneously began
to sing Christmas carols and stopped fighting.
Yule is the Pagan celebration of the winter solstice in the northern
hemisphere. The shortest day of the year, this is the celebration of the
death and rebirth of the sun. The celebration is traditionally marked with
anything that symbolizes or encourages life. Decorations of evergreens,
bright objects and lights; singing songs, giving gifts, feasting and
romantic events can all be included. �Yule� and �Yuletide� are archaic
terms for Christmas; as such, people unfamiliar with ancient pagan
traditions will not distinguish between the two holidays. Many symbols
associated with the modern holiday Christmas, such as the burning of the
Yule log, the eating of ham, and the hanging of boughs, holly, and
mistletoe, are derived from traditional northern European Yule celebrations.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight day Jewish
holiday that starts on the 25th of Kislev, which may be in December, late
November, or, very rarely, early January. The festival is celebrate in
Jewish homes by the kindling of lights on each of the festival�s eight
nights. Spiritually, Hanukkah commemorates the Miracle of the Oil.
According to the Talmud (a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to
Jewish law, ethics, customs and history), at the re-dedication of the Temple
in Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid
Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal
flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days
- which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate new
oil.
There are various other holidays that are celebrated during the month of
December. Kwanzaa is held from December 26th to January 1st to celebrate
African American heritage, primarily in the United States. St. Stephen�s
Day and Boxing Day, both celebrated on December 26th, are considered to be
the Second Day of Christmas in many European and Commonwealth countries,
respectively.
By Jess Dark Wing
If I lived in a gingerbread house I�d be very happy yes indeed, I�d have many candies for breakfast, lunch and tea,
And if a little Huffie should happen to tap upon my door,
I�d hit them with a quick 'Stupefy' and then they�d hit the floor!
If I Lived In A Gingerbread House
Saya Erikson
If I lived in a ginger bread house it would have chocolate icing holding it together and the door would be made of graham crackers. I would dine on my favorite sweets twenty-four hours a day. If anyone decided to stop by, I'd gladly share my house with them.
Saya Erikson
I thought long and hard about what to get Professor Snape, who teaches Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, The Slytherin Head of house and a Deputy Head-Master. I came to the conclusion the only thing to get this wonderful man is a trophy case to hold the House Cup, and Quidditch Cup and a lot of specialty trophy cleaner, and perhaps, a good case of butter beer and scones.
By MoD
Have you ever met that one Queen with purple hair? The one Queen known as Queen Purpy? I�ve had the pleasure to get to know her two days ago and she scared me.
I was on my usual duties, taking a look at the BB, when I came across her. Let alone the fact that I have heard some things about her in the first place, her appearance made me step back. Not bow down but step back. This girl is not just known to be a Slytherin, and as such a potential trouble maker, but also the very person who is known to be leader of the Hyde Fan Club.
Kiley Blaire, the girls real name, goes around the school and nicknames everyone she is able to get a hold on. Her current list is so long I am sure the members of her group have already lost track of things, but the list is still increasing. This purple-haired girl is able to gather such a large group around her, that I am willing to bet that we have another Fan Club in no time: The Queen Purpy Fan Club.
However, I have noticed another girl being member of her little group, who is called Queen Feather. At first I thought that I got wrong information about her, but this girl is indeed a Gryffindor. At the moment it seems as though Queen Purpy was trying to convince her fellow Queen to switch sides and come to hers: the best, dark, green, and cookie-possessing side Slytherin. Whatever Queen Purpy is planning, I hope she won�t use any potion to reach her goal, like she was suspected to use on her current boyfriend.
No matter what this girl, Kiley Blaire, wants to reach, she seems to get everything she wants. Sooner or later. So have a look at her fellow Queen. I am almost sure we will see her being a Slytherin in no time.
By Adrianna La Cerva
Inside Hogwarts, the castle is decorated in all the festive trimmings that one could hope for during the holiday season. Christmas trees are ornately adorned in the Great Hall and even students have dug out their holiday attire. But down in the dungeons, it's not so holly jolly. There are no twinkle lights, no red ribbons, no illuminated evergreen trees and certainly no mistletoe. In fact, it looks the same as it does on any other given day.
I'm meeting Professor Snape in the Potions classroom, though much to my surprise, I find that he is not there. It's only when I investigate the sounds of clinking glass coming from inside his personal storeroom, that I find the Potions-master. Clad in black robes as usual, his dark eyes glance in my direction momentarily as he nods at me and then turns back to his vials, taking inventory and marking something down on parchment as he goes. For a moment, I wonder if he has remembered about the interview, but as I'm not told to leave, I figure he hasn't.
Deciding to make the most of his silence, I dive right into the interview.
"Professor Snape, the readers want to know about your favorite books and novels," I say as I dig out my quill.
His eyes do not leave the parchment as he makes another note and then transfers a jar of what looks to be rabbit ears, onto a high shelf. He continues his work as he launches into my first question.
"My earliest recollection of books was being read Hugh Lofting's Dr. Dolittle books by my mother," he says in that slow and somber voice. "You lot settle for the movies, I would suggest actually cracking open one of these and reading them."
A little embarrassed that I've only seen the Eddy Murphy classics, I press him further about his earliest memories of books.
"What other authors did you read as a child?" I ask him.
"As a child, I learned my alphabet by memorizing The Gashlycrumb Tinies," he says, moving a glass vial with a bluish gel from a crate to the shelf. "It goes something like this�A is for Annie who fell down the stairs, B is for Basil assaulted by bears, C is for Clara who wasted away, D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh."
For a brief moment, I think that the Professor is joking. But there is no sign of a smile or even a smirk on his face when he continues.
"Oh it goes on with these tiny tots being done in by the most gruesome ways like by leeches, thugs, drowning, and swallowing various things and such, all very clever. Another childhood favorite was The Doubtful Guest, both found in Edward Gorey's Amphigorey book."
Professor Snape pauses for a moment only to scribble something on one of the bottle's labels before he continues to tell me about this Gorey fellow.
"Gorey also had Amphigorey Too, and Amphigorey Also, Dancing Cats & Neglected Murderesses, The Water Flowers, The Sopping Thursday and others", he says. "He was also known for illustrating other's works, like the book Gorey X3 and if you watch PBS's Mystery series, it is his work that starts the program with the grave marker and the heavy coated gentlemen playing croquette with a piece of the building crumbling down on the ball. If you have an interest in the macabre, he is the man for you."
Macabre�it's a word that I have recently read has 'disappeared for everyone except scholars'. Its very meaning involves tales which suggest horror or death in a subtle and/or humorous manner.
"What drew you to such dark subject matter during your youth, do you suppose?" I ask him curiously.
"You may find them dark", he says. "I on the other hand, find them a natural choice. You need understand, without those who like the darker forms of literature, there would not be the lighter side now would there? Yin/Yang Miss La Cerva, and I am not alone in finding this type of literature interesting, mind you, I am sure it is the minority."
"And what about now? What can one find in Professor Snape's personal library? "
He carries the now empty crate outside the doorway before he answers.
"Once in a while, I like some poetry, I read 'the lives & times of archy & mehitabel' by don marquis � all small caps as the cockroach cannot reach the shift key. That would make sense if you are familiar with the book."
He refers to the 1920's satire of a cockroach who uses all his body weight to jump on each individual key of a typewriter, and therefore is unable to hit the shift key along with another key to form a capital letter.
"Of course one of my treasured books", he offers, "is The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe, filled with his stories and poems. Ah�The Raven�"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary�" many have no idea the man is mourning a loss...also Annabel Lee."
Ah, now this is more of what I'd come to expect from Professor Snape. Poe is perhaps one of the darkest poets of the nineteenth century. Though Poe is known for his bleak imagery, reading his work is quite a difference from learning the alphabet by reading about the 26 kids who meet their demise in one grim feat or another. Annabel Lee is a sad but powerful poem of loss, which many believe is Poe mourning the loss of his wife and ironically was the last poem he had ever written.
"Have you, yourself, ever "loved with a love that was more than love", as Poe claimed he once did in the infamous "Annabel Lee"?"
This time Professor Snape looks up from his inventory list and directly at me.
"This is of no importance to anyone that I can see", he states simply through pursed lips. "Though I will say, I understand his point of view. When the written word touches you somehow, then it has done its job, that is what makes some like one thing, and others another...Like a song, not every one appreciates all of them, but picks and chooses those that touch their heart, or ones they can relate to."
His answer prompts me to ask my last question.
"Professor, in your opinion, what distinguishes a great piece of literature from ordinary writing?"
He responds, "I cannot speak for everyone, but for me, those that describe something so clearly that you feel part of the story or while reading it, you seem to disappear and time itself does not exist. A good piece of literature is something you wish your wrote or were a character in, it is something that you feel more then see....and...you wish would never end."