| The Owl Gazette |
| Issue 48 November 2007 B |
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| PAD�s Turns Six
By Beonca Aims By now, you heard the news, PAD�s Hogwarts turned six! That�s right folks, six years old around October 17th. When I came to PAD�s, it wasn�t small by all means, but to see it now, zowie! I am talking about the place itself. We started with four common rooms and the bulletin board. The classes were all just web pages, and there weren�t any staff offices, not Annex Building, no clubs, we did have the library and I think there was a staff lounge, but I�m not sure. Look at us today, five houses, clubs, challenges, Great Hall, house magazines, classes and RPG classes, Dueling Club, Room of Requirement, the list goes on! I am looking forward to more great additions. Back then, Professor Opal, Professor Lily Fairydust and Professor Delia were all students! Most students who have stayed around, not only from those early days, but at least 2 months will tell you it�s the people here that keep them coming, that and the fun and a safe place to live a fantasy. This all just shows you, it�s up to you what you do here and what you make this place, if given a chance, as everyone says, you will be addicted! |
| Thanksgiving: A Vegetarian Vampire�s View
Darmean Volten Every time around this year there comes a little twang on the heart strings of this vampire. Surely drinking the potion I need to not crave blood makes this more and more possible, but there is just something about Thanksgiving that makes this vampire want to hide. That one thing is TURKEY! Those poor, poor creatures that don�t know any better and would drown in a rainstorm just from watching it. It�s a tradition that I�m sure I can avoid, as I have for almost two years now, but having a giant feast in front of you makes you second guess yourself. The house elves work themselves silly when preparing for the great Thanksgiving feast, and it's cause of this I feel badly for not partaking. Then again, the feast does happen around the time the sun is still up, so I can�t go anyway, but hey, if I could, I would feel bad for it. When the turkey comes to my room, I politely turn it away. Instead, I get extra sweet potatoes (yummy!) and some more carrots. This may not seem like a great substitute for turkey, but for me it works. Try it sometime. The feast is coming up. Make the elves have less work by demanding more potatoes and less turkey. They should like that! |
| To be a Turkey or not to be a Turkey
By Adam Crawford Jr. I'm sure your all aware of your American counter parts over across the big waters and how they celebrate one of their favorite holidays, the Thanksgiving. The main course is often a large roasted turkey. But my tale to you is about an Animagus Dale Thornbrooke. Dale was a great explorer and enjoyed adventuring with Muggles. While in the America's he wanted to learn more about the local wildlife as unobserved as possible. So he studied hard to become an Animagus his form being that of a wild turkey. The only other person to know was his friend Nessil Splintz. It was Nessil job to meet Dale and do the paper work end until Dale could pull all his work together to do the final report. Dale had managed to get in good with a small band of wild turkeys, and had learned much working with the turkeys and taking note of the other wild life around him. Nessil always showed up like clockwork. Though, his clothing had seemed nicer and more above his station Dale very little attention to this fact his concern only with his research. It was the last week of November and Dale was ready to wrap up his report and go home for the rest of the winter. Resting on a tree branch and fluffing his feathers to get more sun he felt at piece. But little did he know it might very well be the last. Unknown to Dale, his partner Nessil had gotten himself into debt. The debtor was named Cornilious Thumbscrew, who had two joys in life. One is making money the other hunting. One of his clients was unable to pay his debt after his employer had skipped town. In exchange for his dept he offered Cornilious the information on the where about of a large wild turkey. Sneaking in he started to take aim with his musket the whole time Dale was thinking on other issues and didn't know he was the target and the main course for dinner. Be it a twist of fate or just strange happenings the hunter took one step forward and howled in rage and pain. The hunter had stepped into a bear trap. The musket went off clearly missing Dale in Turkey form. Spending so much time with Turkeys the Animagus first response was to flee. But the curiosity of the explorer stopped him and forced him to turn around. He couldn't very well leave the man to die in the trap already he had lost much blood. However he couldn't exactly help the man as a turkey�. Or could he? Coming back to the hunter he waited until the hunter took notice of him. The fact he had a turkey watching him had helped him to forget the pain if only slightly. When the turkey pecked a spot on the trap the hunter realized it was the release button. With some work the hunter managed to get the trap off. The hunter was further amazed by the Turkey bringing pieces of wood that he could use as a splint around his leg. With the Turkeys help the hunter soon had a fire his wound bandaged and even a small tray of berries to eat. When the hunter awoke the turkey was gone and an elder man had found him in the woods to help him home. The whole while the hunter chatted away about how he heard about the turkey and yet though he went hunting for him it was the turkey they saved him. Now you may ask what happened to Nessil. No one is really sure though the story goes that the hunter though he could never eat turkey again had found himself taking care of a turkey that was said to act much like a human. |
| Dear Alba,
I wish I was over the rainbow where no problems lie. There's this guy I like but he says he's best friends with one of my best friends. Which they've known each other longer than I've known either of them. But I just want to know if they have something going on or not. Which she,my best friend, doesn't even know I like him. But he's real tall and dreamy. You know any girl's fantasy guy. But he's smart too. He's not one of the jock types that will go out with anybody but he's smart and funny. He's sensitive and sweet. He's just one of those guys that you want to faint when he says one word. You know. I've never really been in love before but I think this is my first love. I just want to know who he likes best. And in what way does he like me. Like one of his best friends or girlfriend material? Alba please help me!! I don't know what to do. Signed, Possibly in love Dear Possibly in Love, If the guy you like is good friends with your best friend, why not ask your friend about him? First of all, if she really is a good friend to you she won't mind talking about him with you. Secondly, you can find out from her what their relationship is so you won't have to guess on your own or always wonder about it. And finally, if they're not interested in each other the way you're interested in him, she may actually help set you up with him! It's worth a try, right? Good luck! Signed, Alba |
| Dear Alba,
My boyfriend and I have been together for about a year now. I'm starting to notice things about him..that are not good. He's always cursing, which, i mean, I curse, but not the way he does. Also, He has a really bad temper, never towards me, but he gets scary, to the point where i dont want to be aroung him. The final problem is that he's always saying things like "You're the only good thing in my life" and "I would be destroyed if we ever broke up." Its really scary. I'm afraid that he might do somthing to himself, or me, if I break up with him. I'm hoping i can get him to stop the cussing so I dont breka up with him..but I cant stand it! Signed, Torn Apart Dear Torn Apart, It's always hard to go on with a relationship when one of the people in it drastically changes for no apparent reason & the other is left to feel uncomfortable & confused by it. If he's told you that you're the only good thing in his life, then it sounds like his home life might suck right now or he may be struggling in school. I think the best thing you can do is air your feelings to him about what he says & how he acts otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy. Don't be afraid to tell him that you get scared around him when he's angry & you don't like the cussing. Also, you should be truthful & tell him when he says things like "If you break up with me I might do something to myself" you don't appreciate that because he shouldn't be putting that kind of pressure on you. If he really does feel that way, it sounds like he's making a cry for help. You might even consider talking to his parents about it when he's not around. They may be able to get him some counseling or help of some kind so he can sort his feelings out. The worst thing you can do, however, is stay with him even if you're unhappy because that just means you're letting him manipulate you. I've been in situations like that in the past & it's not fair to you when you settle with someone that really doesn't make you happy. You deserve much more than that! So, in conclusion, my advice is to talk to him about how you feel & see what happens. The worst thing that can happen is he might get angry at you & pout. The best thing that can happen is he can shape up & fly straight & you'll be a lot happier that way. Signed, Alba |