By G. O. Fish
In past years at Hogwarts this section of the Owl Gazette was filled with predictions of who would win the next game and who had the best chance of winning the coveted Quidditch Cup. This year, however... there have been hardly any at all.
So I'm here to make a prediction. Our next matchup is the Slytherin Serpents versus the Hufflepuff Badgers... the Snakes, though they've always played a tough game, have yet to win one this season, while the Badgers managed to pull out a win over Gryffindor last month. I think that the Hufflepuff team may very well be on a winning streak-- and fully expect them to pull out another victory in their last face-off of the season.
By Billy Raven
With the latest win over Ravenclaw, the Penshires are closer to their dream to take the Quidditch Cup for a second year in a row. We know that everyone hates a winner, but you have to admit the Shirelings are a good, tight team. The best of all is the support in the stands with banners flying and cheers from our house and from some in other houses. This past game seemed to last a long time but that was due to the Ravenclaw spirit of not giving an inch and working hard to intercept and shoot for the goal. The beaters could not hit any given target due to both teams� apt players. Just as a Bludger was hit, and block was made with freed the Chasers on both side more freedom to do their jobs. The Chasers were so strong that intercepting was hardly an issue once the game got intense. I do hope everyone enjoyed watching two tough teams battle it out and the Shirelings are going to be ready for the next house they meet as will the Ravenclaw team.
By Fiona Chauvet
This Quidditch season has sure been an exciting one. Two games have been played since our last issue. The first was the match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. I was honored to be apart of it, and I must say it was the best I�ve ever seen the Hufflepuff team play. Gryffindor was sadly defeated in this match, but the Lions played one of their best games regardless. Congratulations on your win, Hufflepuff, but don�t think we�ll let you win as easily next year.
The second match was against Ravenclaw and Penshire. It was probably one of the most anticipated matches of the season. There was a big crowd of Ravenclaw supporters, and I think the cheers helped the Ravens some to play even better. The Ravens had a rocky start at first, and it took them awhile to find their groove. The Cranes, however, were in sync most of the game and that played to their advantage as they clenched their third straight win. The only thing standing in Penshire�s way of keeping the Quidditch cup now is Gryffindor and the Lions are eagerly awaiting the match.
By Moaning Myrtle
I recently ventured out of my comfy toilet stall and the Penshire common room to experience something quite out of my normal routine� a Hogwarts Quidditch match. I must say, the match was one to remember, and after actually� dare I say it� enjoying myself, I plan on attending all such matches in the future.
The game I saw was Ravenclaw versus Penshire, and everything I�ve been told was that it was a game that was comparable to no other� the chasers on both sides were lightning-quick, as soon as a beater hit a bludger it was immediately re-directed, and both Summer and Ava saved multiple goal attempts. I had no idea it was possible to move that quickly and perform the way those players did on a broom.
The crowd also was surprisingly opinionated, loud, rowdy, dis�I suppose it�s better if I don�t go on, actually. Everyone had come out to pick a side and cheer, and I�ve never seen so many banners in one place in my entire� since the day I died, rather.
I, of course, was cheering for my Penshire Cranes, and what a spectacular job they did! I could barely contain myself when I saw Sapphire and Arya in the chase over the snitch� it was close, but my undead heart soared when Miss Lyze captured the tiny, invaluable ball.
Well played to both teams, and thank you for an experience like no other. This match was quite enjoyable, and I look forward to many more such battles in the future.
By Fiona Chauvet
The GCT has been relatively quiet for a few months, but it seems like it finally found its spark again. Our co-captain, Lily Duncan, has been helping a lot to schedule some practices for the team. One has been started, and we even attracted some new members with it. We welcomed Kaylee Keigwin, Trysti Radek and Karine Frontenac to cheer team, and I have a feeling they�re great additions. Trysti did some mad cheering at the last Quidditch game, and she even helped to introduce some new cheers to us.
With a little practice and some organizing we�re going to do some crazy cheering at Gryffindor�s last Quidditch match. Everyone better be ready!
By the Penshire Quidditch Team
Quidditch has been an integral part of PAD's Hogwarts for many years now-- every house has a team that works hard and long to learn the rules and participate in matches throughout term, competing to win the Quidditch Cup, an honor almost on par with the House Cup.
The Penshire Quidditch team has, over months of grueling practice and countless matches against the other houses, compiled a list of "things we have learned" about playing Quidditch. Some of them could be quite useful to remember at times... others are things that should probably be common sense, but for some reason are often overlooked. Enjoy!
We have learned...
> To make things more interesting when you play, because it makes the game a whole lot more fun.
> That it wouldn't be much fun to play dodgeball with bludgers.
> If you want to succeed, you have to be committed!
> Not to hex Hufflepuffs in the middle of a match.
> To remember that it's all just a game and played for fun, no matter how ruthless things may seem at times.
> That it's impossible to get through a game without at least two roster changes.
> Timing is key. Period.
> To be prepared for anything, from thunderstorms and wind to dementors and fist-fights.
> Never to transfer houses and play for their quidditch team... because Bry would hex you.
> To cheer for other teams, because sometimes they'll cheer for you in return!
> Teamwork really pays off!
Looking over them, I think we've come pretty far since our first year as a team together. We've certainly learned a lot... have you?
By Ava Black
Penshire had another great win this month during the match against Ravenclaw. Both teams fought hard to win the game and it was one of the hardest matches I have ever participated in. In the end though Seeker Sapphire Lyze managed to catch the snitch allowing Penshire to win the game.
By: Zoey Taylor
After a hard battle against Gryffindor led by our quidditch captain Eki Rasko, the Huffs have been partying it up in the common room for the past couple weeks. Happy that after really struggling our first game and having to play with only four players our second game that we finally managed to get it together and win one. Since a little luck has finally come to find us we are getting geared up for our last game of the season which will be on March 28 against the Silver Serpents� we hope you guys are ready for a brawl!
By An Avid Quidditch Fan
Quidditch; it's a sport we all know and love. However, one can't deny that there is a certain amount of danger that goes along with the sport. I'm sure the majority of us probably don't know how to protect ourselves from these dangers, or at least don't care (I can't blame you for the latter, seeing as I'm an act first think second kind of person myself). But, even I feel that the time has come for a few safety tips. So, without further ado, I present to you the best ways to not die during a Quidditch match:
1. Don't get a Slytherin chaser's way. They aren't afraid to do whatever it takes to get the Quaffle.
2. Do NOT fly anywhere near the Snitch. That little ball decides the game, and most seekers won't consider stopping when they have it in sight...no matter what.
3. Play beater. Though it may sound weird, beater is the safest position to play in the whole game. Think about it. They only send Bludgers away from themselves, and they have bats to protect them.
4. Don't assume that the Hufflepuffs will play nice because of their stereotypical behavior. Those guys are brutal.
5. Gryffindors show no mercy, that's all I'm saying.
By Beonca Aims
Seriously sitting around the common room the other day, the subject of the moon came up and without supplying names, here is how it went and as you will see, we didn�t stay on subject!
� The moon is actually our source of cheese, cows are just a cover up.
� The moon is really cream cheese that got crusty.
� Not cheese but tofu.
� The moon is a sponge.
� Micky Mouse was a Slytherin.
� Goofy is a Ravenclaw
� Minnie was a Hufflepuff.
� Daisy Duck is a squib.
� Ravens are really Slytherins turned nerd.
� Middle of no where has a beginning and an end.
� Middle of no where is the middle of Houston, south of main street.
� Actually the middle of no where is located in the mountains in the east, somewhere near my house.
� Sounds right. (Many agreed)
� Eltanin is a Gryffindor disguised as a Hufflepuff hiding out in Slytherin.
� Gred is really a Slytherin spy from Hufflepuff trained to call all the Slytherin spies Slytherins to throw everyone off his trail.
� All Slytherins are spies from other houses.
By Ybab Yawdaorb
Rumor has it that the musical bug has hit Slytherin House! Starting on 1 April, the Slytherins will do a four-week run of that classic hit, Cats, under its new title, Revenge of the Edit. The lead in the production, that of the narrator, Munkustrap, is being played by Eltanin Wemyss; Beonca Aims is Jellylorum; Viktor is the Rum Tum Tugger and also plays double bass in the orchestra. Even Professors Snape and Dumbledore are getting in the "act"--Professor Snape will be playing second violin, while PAD will be playing first flute. The conductor, of course, will be Professor Lockhart, who has decorated the stage with pixie lights, although rumor has it that someone has switched his wand out with a fake wand from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Rubeus Hagrid is rumoured to be playing Grizabella the Glamour Cat, and his rendition of "Memory" as accompanied by Blast-Ended Skrewt promises to be an unforgettable event!
Following this initial success, the house will be performing Lerner & Lowe's immortal Camelot, with a varied cast including Beonca Aims as Sir Dinadan, Sukiro Aki as King Pellinore, Eltanin Wemyss as Lancelot du Lac, Rayne Hallowell as Modred, and Professor Snape as Merlin. Auditions are still being held for the part of Excalibur. Some Slytherins have started spreading the rumor that the name will be changed to Camelittle, but that seems a little too far-fetched even for Slytherin! Aims has been having difficulty remembering her lines; while singing the duet "Take Me to the Fair" with Riley Jake, who is playing Guenevere, she forgot her words and instead started singing "The Lusty Month of May". Still, with nearly two months to go before the curtain goes up, we are all confident that she will overcome this and become the best Sir Dinadan Hogwarts has ever seen.
By N.E.W.
Could it possibly be so? Well, this reporter can exclusively reveal that the house of Gryffindor is going pink! Why you say? Why, it all started on one warm summer's day, when two young lionesses crept up to the boys dorms and found several pairs of pink polka dotted rain boots. There were eight in total, some having bows, others with glitter, and some with rainbows and unicorns. And whose bed were they at? None other than Mr. Gaywn Crossguard's. There was also an incident when the house's very own Professor Opal dyed her hair bright pink! Her students did eventually talk her back to her senses, and she took it out, but the streaks still remain. And now, my highly reliable resources tell me that the house will no longer be a tasteful red and gold, but pink and silver. I am guessing this drastic action could be to match the new house whose colors will include purple. But does pink really signify the house of daring, nerve and chivalry? I'll let you young ones decide that yourselves! This is N.E.W, signing off for now! (Watch out for next month's reactions!)
DISCLAIMER: "I, Gawyn Crossguard do not possess, and never have possessed any pink polka-dotted rain boots."
Whether you choose to believe this or not is your choice though! Personally, I think he's trying to cover it up, now the truth is out.
By: Zoey Taylor
I've done a lot of talking with my HOH Professor Lockhart lately, including asking him if he has a thing for Professor Dickinson� to which he answered no. However I have recently come up with some substantial evidence that him and another professor here at Hogwarts do have something going on. For one, they are both HOH's and it's recently been found out that they each sleep with pictures of the other under their pillows. Secondly, I've found out that they have been doing special favors for each other. And lastly, they were seen taking moonlit walks upon the astronomy tower and one student even said that they caught them snogging! I don't feel the need to mention which professor I'm talking about as it should be evident�. But Professors please let us know the moment you get a wedding date set.
By Fiona Chauvet
Some people absolutely love April Fool's Day. Some people hate it. If you're the latter you'll be doing everything in your power to avoid getting pranked on April 1st. I've drawn up some helpful tips for those of you who were born without your funny bone. I hope these will help some.
Make sure you have someone taste test all your meals, and never accept any type of food from someone, no matter how delicious it may look. Next, be extremely careful getting ready in the morning. This is the prime time to set up a prank. Check all your clothing and bathroom supplies before you use them. Also, when you're walking down the halls be careful rounding corners. It's best to stay as far away from a corner in case someone jumps out to scare you.
Those are the basic tips. The rest is up to you, so be extra vigilant on that day!
By Fiona Chauvet
It seems like Spring is just beyond our reach, but we're not of the woods yet! The end of Winter is the worse time for getting sick, and to avoid spending most of your days in the Hospital Wing, it's best to take some of my advice. You don't want to be cooped up in your dorm room while the sun is shining do you? I didn't think so.
The most important thing to remember is to wear your cloak when you go outside during this semi-cold weather. Just because it's not freezing doesn't mean you shouldn't wear your cloak. That's a perfect opportunity to catch a cold! I may sound like a nagging mother, but it's true! Next, be careful when touching surfaces other people have been touching. Like I said it's a prime time for germs to spread, so the less contact you have with door handles or staircase banisters the better! Finally, be sure to drink plenty of juices to help your immune system!
By Ariene Callahan
As winter still lingers, many muggles and wizards alike, suffer from colds. Throughout the winter months, as the bitter winds blow, and the temperature drops, our bodies begin a battle of the germs. So what can you do to prepare, or prevent a cold? Keep warm, make sure you cover your head any time you are outdoors. Heat escapes the fastest from your head, and protection from the harsh winter elements, will boost your immunity. Another way to keep up your defenses, vitamins. Luckily in today�s age, there are many types of vitamins, and many forms of taking them. They can be mixed in your favorite drink, or taken in a pill form. Lots of vitamin C and B, helps to jump start that immune system of yours. Rest, your body is amazing, but it can only do so much. When you are tired, it�s your body�s way of saying, �Hey, rest!�. Keeping yourself healthy is important.
Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. Perhaps the best way to fight off that cold, and keep yourself in shape. Exercising releases endorphins, the feel good natural chemicals your brain produces. Daily activities, even as small as walking briskly through the halls at school, work or the grocery store, can help boost morale, and work off a few calories. So there are a few tips on how to stay healthy in the cold months. Spring is right around the corner. But as we battle the ever changing temperature, we become impatient and long to feel the warmth again. Just be safe, and cover your mouth and nose!
By G. O. Fish
There�s a new game on the BB�and it�s whole purpose is to help you learn about those strange, distant, sometimes scary Hogwarts residents known as� The Professors. I encourage everyone to take a look; perhaps after reading it you will be more inclined to see your professors as people just like you, not the alien-like creatures so many people have thought they really were.
So far in the topic Professor Lockhart has admitted he keeps a picture of Professor Opal under his pillow, Professor Ripley shared with us that she actually used to be head of Slytherin house, Professor O�Connell used to be a Penshire student, and Professor Snape has a soft-spot for none other than the Ravenclaw Head of House Professor Fairydust.
And that�s just the start of it! If you have any questions you�d like to ask your professors then don�t hesitate to post, and even if you don�t have one of your own, make sure to check in and you�re sure to learn something you didn�t know before
By Billy Raven
So the question was asked �what would you do if you won the Muggle lottery�, many of the answers were about giving the money to family and friends. Another popular one was going to a huge theme park or even owning it! Here are some other answers I thought were interesting.
Bry - If I won the lottery... I'd fly to California and meet Mark Burnett!
Also... if I won the lottery I would buy a house on the beach.
Emmalee - If I won the lottery, I'd give my family a bunch of mansions!
Faith - if I won a lottery.... I�ll spend it on.... CUTE STUFFED ANIMALS!!!!
And if I won the lottery I would donate some to the poor
Billy - If I won a lottery....I would buy land in Scotland and build a huge castle and make it a magical school!
Thomasina - If I won the lottery� I would buy as much land as I could and take in all the strays I could afford and try to figure out a way to be able to keep more.
Samuel - If I won the lottery...I'd go to Orlando, Florida for a vacation.
Rose - If I won the lottery I would travel all over Europe, also if I won the lottery, I would go meet the harry potter cast. The other thing I would do if I won the lottery I would donate most of it to the American Diabetes Association, and buy tons of art supplies and books.
Amanda: I would give PAD money for the site!
Another thing I would do if I won the lottery....well... I probably wouldn't be sitting here.
Avery - If I won the lottery I would go to Hawaii again with my family and surf, plus I would donate a lot of my money to the Breast cancer foundation in Texas.
Toby - If I won the lottery I would buy all the things I didn't get for Christmas and then with the rest of the money I have, I'd split it evenly with my best friends and family.
Ava - If I won the lottery I would take a really long trip, by car, seeing tons of sights.
By Erica Lovegood
The house colors are one thing that helps distinguish who we are. It helps define what house we are in and they probably have a symbolic meaning to it. These colors were not chosen at random, yet the movie that portrays the books decides to switch it up. In both the books and the movies the colors as follows: Gryffindor-maroon and gold, Hufflepuff-yellow and black, and Slytherin-green and silver. Our original house at PAD's, Penshire has teal and gold, and the one to come has purple and silver. But I left one out didn't I? My own house. It seems to be some confusion on what the colors are.
In the books, it clearly states that the Ravenclaw's house colors as blue and bronze, nothing more nothing less nothing that complicated! In the movie, for some odd reason, the Ravenclaw house colors are blue and silver. Why? Was it harder to find a tie with the color bronze? Did they think fans would not notice? Did they not care about the little mistakes they made? Did they want the Ravenclaw to intrude on the Slytherin colors? Did they see some similarities between the two houses of some sort? It honestly makes no sense. There is no logic to why they changed the colors. However, I know I'm a true blue and bronze.
By A Concerned Hufflepuff
During the last few weeks, I've seen various things disappear in the Hufflepuff Common Room - a quill here, a chocolate frog there, however what was most notable was the disappearence of Ronald Weasley's set of rather valuable comic books. When asked about the incident he blamed it on the existence of Zoey Taylor's goats. Zoey denied that her goats had anything to do with the incident, and Ronald continues to presist with his accusations that the prefect fed his comics to her goats. Which might be partially true. However, I have heard that December Ravencroft Lovegood might be behind the incident. So go ask Decie, Ronald. She might have your comics, if she hasn't fed them to Zoey's goats yet.