By Luna Lovegood
If you look around the Castle, you'll notice that things are slowly starting to change. For one, the Paddington Common Room has been added. If you go up to their area, you'll notice the beautiful entrance picture that they have. When I first saw it, I looked at it for the longest time. It's just lovely! It has Another of the changed paintings was the Ravenclaw Common Room's. It's just as gorgeous. And, being the nerd I am, I love the huge library that we have now. (Well, we've been RPing there being one, but now we get to see it. You don't know our surprise. =D), Also, in each of the houses, there are now new badge on the entrance pages which look amazing. If you look at the first page of the forum of your common room as well, you'll notice that the forum icons have changed as well. I know that the ones in the Ravenclaw Common Room are showing our house spirit even more than they had before, if that is even possible. Then, if you look around the BB (Bulletin Board) Forum and take a look at the badges for the different houses, you'll notice new ones. On behalf of all of Hogwarts, we thank you, Professor Opal, for all the time that you are putting in to the school and how great everything is turning out!
By Lynn Jennings
For the very first time, Hogwarts will be offering a Herbology RP style class over the summer. It will be held in the dueling club forum and be taught by Professor Kelina Bliss- the normal Herbology professor and AHOH of Slytherin. Everyone is extremely excited for this opportunity and can't wait for it to start on July 1st. There are even rumors that Professor ThreatsPimp, Professor Bliss's pet squid and teacher of all things squiddish, will even teach a few classes. I know I can't wait!
Cedric: Head Boy For Another Term
By Sir Hugo Tien
When I came to Hogwarts, he was Head Boy. And now, he's still Head Boy, even as another term appears. He has definitely deserved it, being a temporary Head of House and Assistant Head of House when he was needed. Who's this Head Boy? It's Cedric, of course! He's been helpful in every way and Ravenclaw is happy to say that he is once again Head Boy. Congrats, Ced! Again, you completely deserve it! *claps ghostly hands*
Bryony's Head Girl!
By Arya Drottningu
Congratulations, Bry! It's no surprise to me - and I'm sure not to anyone else - that she received this position. Just last term, Bryony was a prefect, and now, as a fourth year, she's moved up to Head Girl! I'm sure she'll do a great job with this new position, and I'm sure everyone else thinks so as well. Have fun being a Head Girl this term, Bry!
By Ttyl
At the End of Term, it was announced that some changes would be taking place at Gringotts. There was a new section added for Paddington, and all the staff members, right down to the humble Prefect Assistants in each of the houses were recognized. This is only one of the many changes taking place during the summer term. A Paddington section is being added to each club as well as the owlery in order to compensate for the new house. One can only assume that these changes will continue, and make the school and surrounding villages even better than they already are.
Congrats New and Returning Staff Members!
By Bryony Casten
With the End of Term Banquet came the long-awaited deputies speeches� including our own Headmistress�s speech announcing all the new staff members and those returning for another term. All houses had at least one current prefect staying with them, although we saw many new people welcomed to the staff as well and quite a bit of shuffling around�some people switched positions while others even switched houses!
Now everyone will have the summer to get used to the job and ease into things before the hard work called �start of term� begins again. To all the professors, prefects, prefect assistants, and every other staff- job out there�congratulations and the best of luck to you all!
Author Name Withheld
Recently, Hogwarts opened its arms to a new house- the house of Paddington. Many people are excited about this new house and what it has to offer. However, I take on a different view. I think that the new house causes more problems than good things.
Houses separate students based on personality and interest. They then are forced to fight against each other for points and glory. Don't get me wrong, I like the House Cup, I'm just stating facts. However, I did manage to find one flaw in the housing system that even I can't ignore.
In order to get into a certain house, you must fulfill certain personality requirements. Back in the time of four houses, the personality differences were very general- brave, loyal, smart, and cunning. It wouldn't be uncommon to see people that bared traits that perhaps defined a certain house in a different one. You could have all kinds of people in each house ranging drastically in their personality and interests- so long as they had that main one. However with the addition of Paddington, and even with Penshire, the requirements for each house became more specific, and people were more finely sorted. Because of this, the houses are slowly becoming more like cliques, and everyone in the houses are becoming more alike. This, in turn, leads to more rivalry between the houses because it will be harder to find people you can relate to outside your house.
I am in no way suggesting we get rid of the houses. I am simply asking students and faculty alike to look towards the future. It seems we add new houses every few years or so. What will happen if the pattern continues?
Loss of Professor Lockhart's Classes
By Yaxley Chambers
As we were all having a blast at the End of Term Banquet, filled with good food, good company, good news, and important speeches, we got a piece of not so great news. The fact that our lovely hair stylist of a teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, is dropping his two famous(our infamous- Just Kidding!) classes while he is studying during the fall and winter months. The two classes he is dropping are Care of Magical Creatures, a favorite among students, and Transfiguration, another very popular class. Luckily, we will maintain our Deputy Headmaster and Head of Hufflepuff throughout his trip whenever he can find the time on.
Upon hearing the sad news and grieving over the loss of two classes that are part of the defining factor of PAD's Hogwarts, we all wondered who would take the place as the head of these classes. We were told the information would be released soon, but chatter broke out fast, would it be a Deputy? A non-Administrative Professor? Two Professors or one? PAD herself? One rumor going around was that through his expertise in Transfiguration, Lockhart would clone himself to teach the class, Professor Snape can barely deal with one Hairspraying Professor, so we reasoned that out quickly. Only Time will tell the fate of these two classes.
By Jolie Taylor
When I first came to Hogwarts, I was unsure of what my experience would be here. I was a very shy person, so shy I could barely talk to anyone. My parents were hoping that I would come and make friends, but I just wanted to learn. And I started out the year doing just that, ignoring everyone and minding my own business, throwing myself in my studies. However, as time passed, I began to realize that there was more to school that books and classes. If I was going to have the full school experience, I would need to branch out a little.
As months went by, I began to step out of my shell more and more and open myself to the world. I joined clubs, actually talked to people, and made some real good friends- especially the SPAMers of my own house of Ravenclaw and Ciria of Hufflepuff. I actually went to Quidditch matches and even had fun there. It�s weird, back home, I always felt like there was a wall between me and everyone else. But, ever since I came here, it�s like that wall�s be beaten down by a sledge hammer.
With any hope, I hope to spend my second year making some more friends, and actually not being afraid to do things. I also hope to finish all my classes next term. Well, not matter what may come next term, I just know that I�ll be prepared for it�I hope.
By A Penshire Writer
On behalf of the House of Penshire, I would like to Congratulate The Entire House of Ravenclaw. I am not sure how you did it but you guys really knocked out the points!! All your hard work through the term really paid off. Congratulations on Winning the House Cup for the 2008 school term!!
Add a Little More??
By Luna Lovegood
While reading last month's Owl Gazette, I noticed something in a lot of the articles. People are writing short articles with little quality. Now, this doesn't apply to all of the articles, but it does apply to a fair few. Isn't it at all about how well the articles are written anymore, or is it all about the points? I know that for some people, short articles are very few and they write a lot of articles of quantity. Those people are great and deserve praise, in my opinion! Articles with few sentences are boring to read. The point that I am getting to is: lets all try to write more!
A paper with a lot of articles is great, but its only great if the articles have some quantity to them. Lets take it back to first and second grade. You don't want the sandwich with the thin bread and a small layer of peanut butter when you could have the thick, delicious bread with a lot of meat inside, right? So lets all try to write more with a great quality! It could be like a new term resolution or something. lol