58a

September

Due to waiting until the Start of Term Speech, this issue was held up, thanks for your patients!

START OF TERM SPEECH
by Professor Alba Dumbledore

The Start of Term Feast was about to begin & there was a buzz of excitement in the air. This would be the 7th one that Headmistress Alba Dumbledore (PAD) kicked off, something she felt was a great accomplishment! She couldn't believe it had been 7 years already. Where had the time gone? It seemed like only yesterday she had opened the doors to the school, & now look how far they've come! She couldn't help but smile to herself as she fussed with a pendant hanging around her neck.

Everyone was in the Great Hall anxiously awaiting the start of the feast. They were all chattering happily with each other, students & staff alike, & the hall was filled with excitement. Feeling it was time to get things started, PAD stood from behind the staff table & walked to a podium set up in front of the house tables. Clearing her throat a little, she smiled at all the faces looking up at her & said, "Good evening, everyone! It's great to see you here tonight! Is everyone as excited about this as I am?" The hall burst with cheers in response & PAD continued, "I'm happy to hear it!"

Clapping her hands together she continued, "There are a few things to go over with all of you before the feast starts, so let me get those announcements out of the way." She pulled a few note cards from her robe pocket & began flipping through them. Shuffling a card from the back to the front, she read it & then looked up. "The first thing I'd like to announce is that a few of our beloved staff members resigned over the summer to pursue other endeavors. We wish a fond farewell to Professors Dickinson & Haddington. Merlin's speed to you both!"

Murmurs could be heard throughout the hall as PAD read another card beneath that one. Looking up once more, she smiled & held up her hands to quiet the crowd. She continued, "As we bid a few teachers goodbye, we will be welcoming a few more! Please give a warm welcome to Professors Montgomery & Lunar, & please welcome back Professor Greenleaf!" She stood to one side of the podium so the students could see them at the staff tables. They each stood & bowed & everyone applauded. After the applause died down, PAD returned behind the podium once more.

Looking down at yet another card, she announced, "Because of the changes in staff, I have some class changes to announce. They are as follows:

Prof. Montgomery will be taking over Creative Writing
Prof. Lunar will be teaching Animal Mythology
Prof. Greenleaf will bring back Elvish
Prof. Riddle will now be teaching Flying Lessons, Charms, & Paranormal Phenomenon
Prof. Simbi will now be teaching Mythology & Care of Magical Creatures
Prof. Bliss will now be teaching Herbology & DADA 101
Prof. O'Connell will now be teaching Wizarding Occupations, DADA 102, & Transfiguration
and Prof. Guildhall will now be teaching Arithmancy, Divination, & Ancient Runes."

Everyone clapped but PAD could see there were some confused looks on some of the students' faces in regards to a few of the classes mentioned. She cleared her throat to quiet everyone & went on to say, "For those of you who picked up on this, it's true...Prof. Snape is giving up DADA to spend more time with his Potions & Magical Myths students. Also, Prof. Lockhart will be doing some traveling very soon & has decided to give up COMC & Transfiguration this term so that the classes don't go unattended in his absence." Everyone seemed to be a bit more relieved so PAD concluded the class discussion with, "Let's give all our professors a big round of applause, shall we?" She clapped while everyone cheered.

After the crowd quieted down, PAD said, "As you all know, last term we introduced Assistant HOHs to each CR. Due to a few of our AHOHs resigning over the summer & the new arrivals taking their places, the AHOH program has been revised & we have new house assignments to announce. Please hold your applause until I'm done." She smiled at the students & began, "Taking over the AHOH position in Slytherin is Prof. Macintosh, formerly the AHOH of Penshire. In Ravenclaw, Prof. Simbi is moving up to HOH & Prof. Greenleaf is taking over as AHOH. In Hufflepuff Prof. Bliss, the former AHOH in Slytherin, is taking the AHOH spot there. In Gryffindor, there are no changes to announce at this time. Penshire's new AHOH is now going to be Prof. Lunar. Finally, in Paddington the new AHOH will be Prof. Montgomery. Let's give all these professors a warm welcome in our CRs!" Everyone clapped & cheered & all the HOHs & AHOHs stood & bowed & shook hands with one another.

With all that said, PAD concluded with, "As you all know class registration has begun. I ask that you all be patient with our Head Boy & Girl as they filter through the registrations as quickly as they can. It's a semi-lengthy process for them. First they collect all the registrations, then they have to ask the Prefects in each house to check students' lockers to make sure they have all the supplies necessary for the classes they've signed up for. Once they get that information, they have to not only notify you but also the teachers so everyone knows who has been approved to start lessons. It takes time to process all the requests they get so please keep that in mind as you await your approval letters." She winked at the students & then added, "And that's all I have for tonight. It's been a great 6 years we've shared together so far, & this being our 7th year I feel is going to be even better! I hope you're all as excited about this term as I & the rest of the staff are." She paused for a moment & then said, "Now, tuck in!"

She raised her glass to everyone, took a drink, & went back to her seat behind the staff table.

The Start of Term For Dummies (Or Just Newbies)
By Yaxley Chambers
In my time at PAD's, I've seen three Starts of Terms, the recent one to be my fourth. The Start of Term is one of my favorite parts of the year, no doubt about it, it's exciting and it really opens the doors to the more literal side (classes, clubs, monthly contests), but also the feeling of more House unity as the race for both the Quidditch Cup and the House Cup begin to really heat up. For those who are looking forward to the Start of Term as much as I am, here's a short guide on how to's and where to's.

The Start of Term features a mad rush to the Administrative Office, on the school's First Floor, to apply for classes. While you may want to do that instantly there are a number of things you must first accomplish. You must check out the classes you are interested in by stopping in to their classrooms that are located throughout the castle (the Available Classes and Locations List in the Admin Office is helpful here) when you are there, you will most likely find a list of necessary supplies for whichever class. You must then go out to our three shopping malls (the Express outside of the school can take you, and Hogwarts is only a click away from the grounds) and purchase these School Supplies. Once you've accomplished that you place them in your locker. Now, you're ready to apply, making sure to follow the application rules in the Office. Shortly after applying, a Prefect will check your locker and you will get a confirmation letter stating that you
may begin classes.

Another exciting part of the Start of Term is the introduction of the Quidditch Season. At PAD's, Quidditch is played in a way unlike anything you'll find at any other Harry Potter site, it's fully RP and fully awesome. To play, you must go to the Quidditch Section of your common room and learn the rules for whichever positions you'd like, then there may be a thread to apply for the team, or you may contact your Captain which should be stated somewhere in that area. Your Captain may send you a quiz to assure your knowledge of the rules and how to play, then you will most likely be added to a list of reserves if the team is full, but don't worry the Captains will rotate their players in and out of their positions throughout the season. If you are not on the team, or if your house isn't playing, you may RP sitting in the stands and cheering on a side which is always a nice time.

As I said in my introduction, the start of term really unites a House unlike any other time of year, the House Cup race heats up instantly and the Quidditch Season begins, so make sure to check around your common room as often as possible for announcements and ways to help boost your house to the top. It's the prime time for House Activities as Summer Vacations are ending and the House Staff is likely to unveil some plans that they've had for a full house like Posting Wars, Point Wars, and other exciting events. Not to mention, that on the BB similar events and contests may be offered so be ever aware.

Everything going on may seem overwhelming, and it can be for us old lags as well, but there is always somebody willing to help if you have a question or a concern, and it's worth the little hectic-ness for a really exciting boost to a great new year. Enjoy.

It's Coming...
by: Riley Jake
Every single day that passes brings us closer to the point of no return.
That's right. Start of term.
On September first the doors of the classes will be unlocked, and classes will start, and students will begin attending them. That's when anxiety will kick in, after all, grades and such are at stake. I, personally, am planning on taking Defense Against the Dark Arts 102, Potions 101, Flying, Astronomy and History of Magic. However, school is the furthest thing from my mind. I haven't even gotten my supplies yet. Even so, classes are a great way to earn points, and I'll most definitely be ready to attend them by the start of term.

Summer Club Now Closed!
by: Mildmannered Slytherin
Now that the Summer Club is closed until next term, it is clear that the beginning of the academic term has begun. However, did you make good use of the club while it was around or just try to help your friend with some of the brain teasers and cheer them on when they were solved instead of attempting some yourself? Either way, it's too late now, and the club's closed until next summer.

Summer Club - A SUCCESS!
by Professor Ripley
This was my first year to put together and run the Summer Club and I had fun! Many professors and students supplied things to make it interesting, like Jess DarkWing's 'Mega HP Word Find', and Bryony's 'HP Triva', Professor Snape's and Professor Simbi's puzzles and word finds, and our new Professor Lunar's Mythical Creatures class (which now is part of the term's offerings), and of course my contributions. I had fun with those BrainTeasers and by the answers I got, so did you all! Also The Poet in You was a blast to come up with and get your poems. I am thinking of submitting some of them later to the paper cause some were really funny or interesting! All those who joined, thanks! You made it a success!

A Little Start of Term Advice
by: The Slytherin Reporter
While I was previously a first year student, I gathered quite a bit of information during the class-enrolling frenzy at the beginning of September last year. First off, make sure that you do your shopping in a quick and timely manner, and make sure that you don't forget to buy anything, because then you can't be okayed for classes until you have everything that's required. Also, make sure that you get your lessons done in a timely manner so that your house gets points, and so you can take your O.W.Ls before long as well. Don't leave anything to the last minute, because if you finish your lessons early, then you can enroll in even more classes and get lots of points for your house.

Co-House Quidditch: Has it Caught On?
by: The Slytherin Reporter
Since the term ended, there has been nothing in the way of Quidditch games or any of the excitement that has to do with attending a Quidditch game. However, during last term, co-house Quidditch was introduced, with a couple of teams composed of students from all the different houses, and they are having a few games before the start of the Quidditch season. I believe that the co-house Quidditch has caught on, and will be a good way to unite the six houses, and make Hogwarts a whole school.

Arcade Tournament - Semi Finals
by: Riley Jake
After a week of students rushing to the arcade to compete in the annual Arcade Tournament, it's done to four students - Joe Nworb from Paddington, Gwen Tatham of Ravenclaw, Kristin Johnson of Gryffindor and Adrianna Lunar of Penshire. The four of them are going head to head to see who be able to move on to the final round of the competition through playing Collapse and Zuma, two of the arcade games available in the Arcade. Results pending for the finalists.

Without Dickinson
By Yaxley Chambers
Term is right around the corner and we've been told that our Charms and Creative Writing Professor, not to mention the head of our most-popular Writing and Poetry Club, Elora Dickinson has left Hogwarts. Professor Dickinson may have been one of the best at the classes she taught, and one wonders who will fill her shoes come September First. Charms, after all, is a Cannon class and must be taken over, and nobody would be happy with the dismissal of Creative Writing which allows students to advance their skills which is not only useful in RP's, but in everyday life.

Will it be like in the case of Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures where the position was filled by current members of the Hogwarts staff? In which case, will the replacement take both of the courses on top of their current class or classes? Perhaps in the waning weeks of the summer, our Headmistress has pulled in one, or maybe two Professor to fill the void, in which case when will they be revealed? And what of the Writing and Poetry Club? Will the newest Creative Writing Professor also fill that void in the staff, or will one of the most active clubs in the school fall to the loss of Professor Dickinson?

One can only hope, though, that whoever replaces the well respected and kind Professor can step up to the challenge and make us at Hogwarts as proud as possible.

Defense Against the Dark Arts?
A Concerned Paddington
On a trip around the vast pages of PAD's, I stumbled upon the Administrative office and went further in and found the contact page, it lists the dozen or so Professor's of Hogwarts (along with House Staff) and what they so teach and how to contact them. I noticed that it had been updated as well, the recent-most class changes adjusted to fit standard. Another notice of mine, however, was the exclusion of Defense Against the Dark Arts class from Professor Snape's list of classes. Surprised that I had missed an announcement about such, I looked around at our other Professor's classes, but found the class nowhere to be found. I, while uncertain, came tot he conclusion that the class is not cut off, but in the midst of a change that will be released on Hogwarts soon. If I am correct, I sure hope that the changes makes the already fantastic class, just as good or better, if possible.

Paranormal Phenomenon's New Professor!
by: Lika Classes (S)
Since I've arrived at Hogwarts, Paranormal Phenomenon's had two different professors: Professor Rosehill and Professor Haddington. However, recently, it was announced that the Assistant Head of House of Paddington was handing over her duties as the instructor of Paranormal Phenomenon to the other half of the Paddington HoH team - Professor Riddle. I anticipate the changes that he will bring to the post come the fall academic term.

Changes Made to Flying Lessons!
by: Mildmannered Slytherin
Professor Riddle announced this month that Flying classes would have a few changes come the start of term. Some of the lessons are going to be written, instead of practical�s, and there are going to be a few changes regarding the practical lessons and the final exam as well. So, if you're taking Flying this fall and have heard about it from your friends, don't expect it to be exactly like what you've heard!

Diary Sales Double: Writing Club Blamed
by: Imogene Arlownay (S)
As many are well aware of, the Writing and Poetry Club has been closed for several months now. However, that is not stopping any students at the school from preparing for the day that the club will reopen. Diary sales have doubled - students are also stocking up on journals, so that they can fill them with stories when the club reopens. One student said, "I'm hoping that the club can reopen soon, because my dorm mates are getting rather annoyed by all the paper that's crowding our dorm room." Hopefully the club will reopen soon; Hogwarts students are ready to flood the place with their new writings, but will the club's supervisors be ready? Only time will tell.

Note from the Editor: Prior to the above student's entrance into Hogwarts, there was one other teacher who taught this class, actually he created it...Professor Robert Weasley! So, like DADA, this class also certainly has changed many hands! Cursed by some spirit? YOU be the judge and good luck Professor Riddle!.

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Hogwarts Choice Awards!!!
Since August 12 the members of Hogwarts have been voting in the famous Hogwarts Choice Awards. We've been waiting all year for the chance to decide the true favorites of Professor Alba Dumbledore's Hogwarts and finally the chance has has come. Although voting was scheduled to end on August 19, at midnight it was postponed for a unknown amount of time. Many of the options were tied when the voting was supposed to end, which is the reason why Professor Cecilia Opal decided to end it a few days later. There are twenty different categories to vote in, and be sure to place your vote in each. Never pass up the chance to have your voice heard, especially when you're voting over something so important!
By Julia Rose Antea