The Halloween Ball
Written By Sean Padraic ODonnell
It was the end of October 1953; the leaves outside the castle were beginning to turn the fabulous colors of autumn. Reds, gold, and browns, littered the open grounds leaving the trees bare, and exposed. Winter would be only a short month away, and then the trees would again come to life when spring graced the castle in the northern end of England. With the weight of classes, and extracurricular activities weighing the students down, the lovable band of Hufflepuff's decided to put together a ball, a themed costume ball. Of course any costume was welcome, but the main theme of the evening was Greek.
The Great Hall had been decorated with help from Professor Abbott, the Badgeress house head, and Transfiguration Professor. Everything was 'Greeked' out for the occasion, ivy covered columns, and a spell cast on the entrance so that if someone came without costume, they would be wearing a toga as soon as they stepped into the hall. For the beginning of the night, a maze blocked direct access to the hall, it wrapped around the walls encircling the events inside, once the student or Professor exited the maze, a Minotaur would greet them into the ball. Sean ODonnell, a first year Hufflepuff, had planed and plotted most of the major co-ordination for the event, and dawned the mask of the bull with large horns to greet everyone.
Other students were recruited to run some great activity booths such as: Fortune Telling Oracle, Bobbing for Golden Apples, The Strength Test, and a wide array of other fun things. There was a large buffet of food ranging from candy sweets, donated by Sean ODonnell from his golden ticket winnings at Honeydukes, to large platters of Greek foods and fruits. House elves scurried around in togas replenishing the food and drinks. The punch, of course, had a minor spike to it, only a small potion to make every ones mood happy all night. The main stage and Professor's Table was recreated as Mount Olympus, they would be the true Gods and Goddesses of the evening, and a few showed up to have a little fun.
Professor Abbott and Professor Darkmoon were swept up into a dance together on another one of the Halloween Balls' many amusing magical alterations. A section of the floor had an enchantment put onto it, one that made the ones who touched it dance uncontrollably. Accompanying the dance floor and its' induced dancing was a magical band of instruments that happened to play music to with whatever dance number was currently being forced. It was a fun time for all that ventured across the stone, from waltzes to swing, the music kept everyone entertained while dancing. About halfway through the night, the maze was removed and the rides opened up.
The dungeon had been transfigured into Cupid's domain, for the one night certain sections of the dank corridors were glinted red, and smelt of exotic perfumes. It was the Boat Ride of Love; originally designed with floating boats and house ghosts as chaperones, it was a huge success with the love birds around the school. The other ride wasn't so great, as most wizarding students were not as familiar with the swinging ship ride. Yes the young first year Badger, Sean, again used the connections he had made with his artwork, to acquire the enchanted Muggle thrill ride. It was altered to not cause the queasiness of the ride, and swing as many times as needed by the riders. No one in line would equal longer swings and more of them. The few students that did venture onto the boat, decorated like the Argonaut Jason's ship, had many thrill filled swings ahead of them. It was placed in the courtyard earlier in the day, and ran on magic instead of electricity. Many wide eyes caught sight of the ride during the day, and probably got scared off before they truly had a good experience with the ride.
The night wore on, and the dance floor kept a rockin', a few slow dances, but a whole lot of fun. When all was said and done, the boast of the Hufflepuff's was the excellent job done by their own for the ball. All the Badgers could take pride in the success of the event, one that everyone could remember for years to come. Of course more events would have the planning skill of the young first year, but time could only reveal what those magical events would be.
The Dragon Invasion
Written By Sean Padraic ODonnell
Dragons are known the world over as fascinating beasts of legend and dreams, but we're not talking about the Muggle world. In the wizarding world dragons are as real as you or I, except a whole lot larger. It's amazing that the Muggle's don't see these gigantic creatures, maybe they do and it's why they write so many stories about them still to this day. When one learns that Hogwarts was over run by a dragon infestation, some background information would probably best back up my statement.
It was a late fall of 1953; the school term was in full swing, students on time to their classes by some grace of Gods, and classes well into their lesson plans. Each class had four areas to study and ponder out in a full term, at this point in the year, Professors had moved onto the second part of their classes. In the core classes students were learning the basics, while in their electives, things were picking up all over the school. One particular elective Professor would be the sole reason why the castle became over run with dragons. Professor Samanus McStingy, the Care of Magical Creatures instructor, had, on loan from the Ministry's Bestiary, two dragons. Of course they both fit inside the additional class space made available for all the regular creatures in McStingy's care, both the dragons were dwarves of their species.
A Common Welsh Green, and an Antipodean Opaleye, gave the students hands on interaction commonly found in one of McStingy's classes. The Professor, ever the cunning man, had equipped each dragon with a charmed object, allowing human English to be communicated. The two creatures entertained the students and the questions, both tamed in comparison to their larger kin. The students would learn through their observation and questioning, that both creatures were intelligent, and had their own unique personalities. Some of the student of the class looked on in disbelief; others simply ignored the spectacle, and did the classroom assignment. There excitement, or boredom didn't end with the class, but was made to last over an entire week. Samanus, ever the Professor, wanted even more of a hands on feel to the care of such a creature. For his homework assignment, he handed out to each student, on miniature dragon figurine.
The scaled down representation could fit into the hand of a first year, and so, wasn't cause for too much alarm; that is, until they were everywhere. There was no sanctuary from the little beasts, all over the castle one student or another, was playing caretaker of their own dragon. Small grunts, even marble sized balls of flames, could be heard and seen during classes, lectures, heck, even in the library. If it wasn't bad enough that the small figurines moved, looked and felt like real dragons, but emulated the specific patterns of their counterparts. The Norwegian Ridgebacks had given a few punctures to a thumb or index finger from its sharp ridge on its back, and the Peruvian Vipertooths had given out their fair share of bites to the unwary caretaker. Not a corner of the castle was safe from the miniature invasion, everywhere there was talk of dragons, books checked out of the library at an alarming rate, the magic of the beasts were once again found in young hearts.
Things around the castle wound never feel the same way again, cushions were charred, parts of the maze and forest fell to the same small fates of singed leaves, or bare patches of Earth. Nothing a spell or two couldn't fix, but a spell couldn't give the students the same joy or boredom that the miniatures had given in just a short week. Who says homework assignments have to be boring and meaningless? The whole point of the COMC was just as its title said, Care of, it was an inventive way to demonstrate the sole purpose for the elective; the week Hogwarts was over run with dragons not a single student mistook the class title ever again.
Alihotsy Infestation
Written by Sean Padraic ODonnell
As winter reached its icy grip upon the land, Hogwarts was preparing for the first frost of the year, as well was the entire country side. Students dawned heavier clothing, fires that were lit in the evenings were now ablaze all through the day. Excitement ran through the halls in the form of young children's laughter, winter break would soon find the halls empty all save a few that would stay over the winter holidays. The school was becoming alive from a coma of too many classes, even the Professors showed signs of their glee. A few weeks without students giving them reason run for the medicine cabinet was enough of a thought to lighten even the strictest of Professor's moods.
Outside the stone walls the world was preparing itself for the soon to be blanketed landscape. Soon the snow would cover ever inch of exposed land, no one was safe from Mother Nature's fury in the open fields that surrounded the school. Squirrels gathered their nuts, insects and amphibians began to retreat to underground lairs for their hibernation, and everything seemed to be slowing down, falling asleep, and dieing to be reborn in the spring. All except a curious plant growing like and ivy vine on the outer wall of good old Hogwarts.
The ivy, well it looked like the common ivy one would see on the wall or chimneys on house, but on closer inspection found that one did not see what they thought they saw. The Alihotsy plant was a vigorous growing, parasitic plant; much like ivy, or mistletoe. The vines could grow anywhere and everywhere it so chose, and the castle was no exception. Over years of natural wear and tear on the buildings mortar, small spaces could be found upon real close inspection; an ant could safely travel through such a mortar break from inside to outer wall with plenty of antenna room. This is where life made a story of finding its way.
With very little time to spare, thin roots spread their way through various pin sized crack in the mortar holding stone to stone in place. Before long, those thin wisps of roots had broken through the castles defense, and infiltrated one of the inner corridors. With an immense heat source, and all the carbon dioxide a plant could desire, the Alihotsy plant began to thrive, soon spreading across the ceiling and onto the adjacent wall. Within a matter of unnoticeable days, the vine network has spread a good ten feet in either direction, covering the inner walls and portraits with its leaves.
Not a problem if it was normal ivy, find the source root, burn it, and your worries are over, not so with this plant. The Alihotsy is known for it properties in the wizarding world. If one gets too close, the toxic aroma alone will induce mild hallucinations, eating the leaves will cause complete hysteria. This was such a case in our beloved school, an Alihotsy outbreak was nothing to go unnoticed for too long. On one such chilly afternoon, a wide variety of students found them selves trapped in a world none of them could figure out. Each word spoken in the hallway twisted the views of their sick friends, until chaos began to form in their actions. Some thought they were hockey players, others pirates. If it wasn't for a Professor, the crazed students might've wandered about the castle spreading their mayhem until the effect wore out of their system.
Professor McStingy happened to be on his way to a meeting with the Headmaster when he saw the chaos. With a voice amplifying spell, Sonorus, he called out for his Care of Magical Creatures students to come to him. Giving directions, they filed in, setting their tasks aside, and going to the command of the Professor. Other students, who happened to run for the casual sport of spectatoring a dilemma, found themselves victims to the Alihotsy if they strayed too close. Most of them did. The Professor being ever ready for any circumstance had just informed his class on how to milk a glumbumble for its glumbile. Why? You ask. Well, the glumbumble produces glumbile, and any COMC student would know that glumbile is a cure for the Alihotsy. Since the glumbile causes melancholy, it is an affective antidote for the hysteria causing plant.
With a cage full of glumbumbles, the students began to fill provide vials full of the thick oozy glumbile. They, of course, knew how to milk the small furry little insects. Pinning the body with wings underneath, tickling the creatures caused them to secret the fluid from under the abdomen. With vials full of the liquid, the students first drank some of the goo after seeing their Professor down some and recommending they do the same. With the melancholy taking effect on there attitude, the COMC students tried their hardest to force the ooze down their fellow students, housemates, sweethearts' throats. In the end it came down to outwitting the hallucinating students. Using silly mind tricks and playing along to the outrageous personalities, the COMC students saved their classmates from causing too much trouble.
The Professor, of course being the thoughtful one, got rid of the Alihotsy problem using very gloomy caution. With house elves hard at work, the mortar was once again restored, no crack left unsealed. Hogwarts would be safe from crazy vines for a while longer� or would it?
COMC Campout
Written By Sean Padric ODonnell
Now each year, at the very beginning of term, there is an opening feast; at which time certain rules are given out, and expected to be maintained. One of which was that a certain section to the east of the castle strictly prohibited, and rightly named, the Forbidden Forest. Students were off limits to this ground except, of course, for Care of Magical Creature lessons, and sometimes detentions were held in the dark gloom of the woods canopy.
The forest is thick with trees ranging from pines, beech, sycamore, and yew. The way the trees grow so close together has caused the canopy to all but let very little light to the ground below, even at mid-day. The undergrowth reflecting the poor conditions, knotgrass and thorn bushes sprawl the forest floor, as the two hardiest plants know to survive in the darkness. There are paths, brooks, and a few clearings, but few are far between. Finding ones way off a path is nearly impossible, unless of course, you're a giant or an acromantulas.
The Forbidden Forest is home to a large and wide array of creatures; anything wild and dangerous that needs a place to live is put there. Creatures such as wolves, unicorns, acromantulas, centaurs, thestrals, and even trolls make their home among the shadows and dangers lurking every turn. Many of the creatures have never been seen or so rarely seen that it is more assumption that they do in fact inhabit the woods. One such discovery came during a COMC campout, the second to be exact in Professor McStingy's career as Care of Magical Creature Professor. The student would be in for a treat, well, those who trilled over adventure and danger; the others, would find the whole experience dangerously scary.
Samanus McStingy met his students at the edge of the forest, camping gear being a required necessity for the class that afternoon, had tents, and proper gear ready to go once all his students had arrived. They filed in, one after the other, like ants marching from the castle in a long drawn out row. Taking them inside the wood, with tents and equipment floating in front of the group, the class saw a few creatures on the path; that upon getting deeper into the wood became almost overgrown with wild knotgrass, resulting in the student using the wands to cast Lumos to even see anything at all. The summer nights would grace the students soon enough, but this was late spring of 1954 and the air was still warming up. Breaking into a clearing, divided east to west by a slow moving thin brook, they made their camp.
A fog had rolled in, a natural event in the forest, but was cleared away by a warm fire made in an existing pit. McStingy had brought his students to the same location as the first camp-out, and so certain measures were already taken care of. With a warning to not play with the fire, like most young boys did at that age, Samanus took off into a tree for his sentry post. The tents were magically propped up, one for the boy and one for the girls, and after everyone got settled, the students gathered round the fire to talk and hang out. Best part of this field trip, was no real work or assignment, just have a good time. And the COMC gang shared that good time as they watched two imps drink from the brook on its opposite shore, but as far as excitement went, that was the highlight of the evening, well that was before it got later.
The witching hour came and went with no other action revealed by the forest, or its inhabitants. Some of the students had retreated to the tents to find a nervous slept, while other thrill seekers stayed up well into the night. The fire was nowhere near dying, magically based, and Professor McStingy kept a keen eye on his students from high in a tree branch on the edge of the clearing. Another student, a young first-year lioness named Billie Dragomir, had taken into a tree as well; she was always one with nature, a natural tom- boy. She converse rather loudly with two male first years sitting by the fire in the middle of the clearing; a young Slytherin, Riordan McTiernan, and a young Badger, Sean ODonnell. A seventh year Prefect and niece to the school's Charms Professor, Labrusca Tibble, monitored the rather boisterous conversation, keeping her own eye out for any trouble. The students had no need to worry about their safety with such a strong and capable young woman there as well as the Professor, or so one could hope.
There was a rustle on the far bank of the brook, the bushes that ringed the clearing burst forth the two imps that the COMC gang had seen previously in the evening. The speed at which they ran was alarming, and the students, as well as Professor, took notice. The imps ran east to west across the opposite side of the clearing, and were followed almost immediately by a Dodo; yes a living breathing Dodo ran across the clearing at the same alarmed speed. What followed shook the Professor into action, a wolf, very large, sprinted from the bushes, anyone close enough could see panic in the animals face reflected in the fire light. With a sharp command, Professor McStingy ordered his still starring student into their tents, but as his command left his lips, the wolf left the clearing following the two other fleeing species. What would spook a wolf? A gytrash could, a spectral hound that was considered very rare, and very dangerous, but more specifically four of the beasts flowed from brush.
Three of them where white, accented by the green glowing ectoplasm that they drooled from their canine filled jowls, the fourth was black, and rounded on the camp with green glowing eyes to match its drool. Labrusca was shouting ignored orders to the two straying boys by the fire, and the girl in the tree. Professor McStingy didn't hesitate in his decision, jumping from his tree branch, clearing several yards from the edge of the clearing to land next to Sean and the fire. The man faltered as he landed, twisting his ankle, but finding support from the young badger. Sean had called out the battle cry over Labrusca's demand to return to the tents for safety. The young badger being a very accomplished Summoner and Duel Champion as a first year, took the lead as his Professor told them of what to fight the beasts with. The Lumos spell was the spectral hounds weakness, already the gytrashes were staying at bay due to the firelight, but the four beasts were surrounding the camp, crossing the brook, and making their advancement. Riordan and Billie cast loudly with the intent to drive the beasts further away along with McStingy. The young badger did something else, standing on a log by the fire; he stood and used the fire to his back as a source to create multiple fires in front of three of the beasts. His accomplishments in Summoning class had provided extra force the group desperately needed. The three white gytrashes backed off, as the waking students, coming out of their tents to help, filled in gaps within their line of defense. The leader, the black gytrash had taken notice of the Alpha party member, and figured the young badger had done enough for the night.
Out of animalistic rage, the black beast cleared the brook with ease and bounded towards the young boy. Upon hearing screams behind him, Sean turned to face the fire, and watched in horror as the wild beast leaped over the fire pit, mouth wide showing off all of it razor sharp teeth. Mid-way over the fire, the beast stopped in mid-air, beginning to dust away with the direct light under its belly. With one final snap, barely centimeters from the young boys face, the lead gytrash faded from existence, upon seeing their leader done in, the remaining beasts fled back over the brook and into the wood.
Sunrise broke over the clearing; the students looking around amazed gathered their things in a daze. The young badger put out his fire, and apologized to the Prefect for disobeying her, not a likely thing any student could get away with unless they had just proven themselves. It was huge risk that they all took, the three first years standing their ground to protect the rest of their class, heroes without any need of thanks, they just did what came naturally. Making their way back to the castle, each student would remember the run in, they might forget the courage displayed by the three first years, but none would forget the Gytrash. A memory that would only reinforce the rules, and give support for the reasons that the forest was rightfully named Forbidden.
It is uncertain what creatures will jump out, or why a creature would attack in the first place; what is certain is that students who ventured into the forest never come back out the same.
Quidditch
Written By Katrina Ithil
The 1953-1954 season was one marked by a surprising number of first years filling the rosters, frequent position-swapping in the middle of the air, and a lone graduating lioness.
During the first match of the year, Slytherin Seeker MacPherson inched out in front of Ravenclaw Seeker Dyne at the last minute to catch the snitch and make up for a lackluster performance on the part of the slated Slytherin Keeper. In the November match-up, Gryffindor Seeker Conway and the rest of the Gryffindor team would have shut-out the Hufflepuffs if it had not been for the passing prowess of Hufflepuff Chasers Crump, Murrel, and O�Donnell.
The snitch was not as cooperative when Gryffindor and Ravenclaw went head to head in December, remaining out of reach for so long that the match was eventually declared a draw. The Hufflepuff and Slytherin match in January was played in white-out conditions. Despite the poor visibility, a slew of fouls committed by the Badgers and MacPherson�s good luck cemented Slytherin�s resounding defeat of their opponents.
In what turned out to be Slytherin�s final challenge for the Quidditch Cup, Gryffindor Chasers Mcloyd, Robitaille, and Dragomir along with Keeper Finn successfully stalled the Slytherin Chasers Snidget, McTiernan and Darling from scoring throughout the game. With the snitch preferring to stay hidden, the game was once again ended while Seekers Sky and MacPherson were in pursuit of the snitch. During the final match of the year, Ravenclaw Chasers Arcturus and Stocker along with Keeper Watts racked up points on the scoreboard, but rookie Hufflepuff Seeker Thripp won the match for the Badgers.
In the end, Slytherin won the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup with 450 points. Gryffindor came in a close second with 260 points. Hufflepuff ended the term with a respectable 220 points, and Ravenclaw fought to the end with 150 points.
RAVENCLAW vs. SLYTHERIN GAME
Ravenclaw: 10
Slytherin: 170
GRYFFINDOR vs. HUFFLEPUFF GAME
Gryffindor: 150
Hufflepuff: 20
GRYFFINDOR vs. RAVENCLAW GAME
Gryffindor: 80
Ravenclaw: 80
HUFFLEPUFF vs SLYTHERIN GAME
Hufflepuff: 30
Slytherin: 280
GRYFFINDOR vs. SLYTHERIN GAME
Gryffindor: 40
Slytherin: 0
HUFFLEPUFF vs. RAVENCLAW GAME
Hufflepuff: 170
Ravenclaw: 60
Gryffindor Roster:
SERA MCLOYD � Chaser
JEAN LUC SEBASTIAN ROBITAILLE - Chaser
ARIES SKY � Chaser/Seeker
BILLIE DRAGOMIR � Beater/Chaser
ASHVIRA TYNIEN � Beater*Captain
ALICE KATRINA FINN - Keeper
JASON CONWAY � Seeker/Beater
Hufflepuff Roster:
LUCY CRUMP - Chaser
ABELLA MURREL � Chaser*Captain
SEAN PADRIC O�DONNELL � Chaser/Keeper
KALANIS TAYLOR - Beater
AMELIA ANDERSON � Beater
SIAGO THRIPP � Keeper/Seeker
ELIZABETH HALLOWAY � Seeker/Chaser
Ravenclaw Roster:
MICHAEL ARCTURUS � Chaser*Captain
HOLLY STOCKER -Chaser
JILLIAN WATTS � Chaser/Keeper
NILA ARIAN - Beater
TRISTIAN MALONE - Beater
ELIZABETH MCSHANE � Keeper
TRINITY DYNE - Seeker
Slytherin Roster:
KEARIA BLAIR � Chaser/Beater*Captain
FELIX SAYNOR � Chaser/Keeper
VERONICA SNIDGET � Chaser
RIORDAN MCTIERNAN - Chaser
CILLIAN DARLING � Beater/Chaser
RORY SHOLTO - Beater
MILES MACPHERSON - Seeker
FINN WILDE � Alternate Beater
GERTRUDE AGNES SWANCOTT � Alternate Keeper
Dueling
Quite a few students joined the Dueling Club this term, allowing for some of the best matches in Hogwarts history. Of all the people to join, however, only four made it to the final rounds.
In the first match of the semifinals, Gwenevere Dougherty (Slytherin 7th Year) faced off with Sean Padraic ODonnell (Hufflepuff 1st Year). It was a close match with Gwenevere calling a bird as her ally with the Avis spell and Sean conjuring a Boggart when he unlocked a cabinet with the Alohomora spell. In the end, Sean Padriac ODonnell succeeded in winning the ver close match advancing him to the finals.
In the second match of the semifinal rounds, Gertrude Agnes Swancott (Slytherin 7th Year) dueled with Jean Luc Sebastian Robitaille (Gryffindor 6th Year). Gertrude dominated the match in the beginning, inflciting much damage on the tired Jean Luc. But after a successful Expelliarmus spell, Jean Luc was able to disarm Gertrude and then eventually conquer the match, placing him against Sean in the final match.
To determine the third and fourth place champions, Gwenevere Dougherty and Gertrude Agnes Swancott faced off against each other. Gertrude easily dominated the match earning herself 3rd place overall in the Dueling Tournament.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Sean Padraic ODonnell and Jean Luc Sebastian Robitaille dueled against each other to see who the Dueling Champion of the 1953-1954 school term would prove to be. Sean was able to hold his own for a good part of the match, but Jean Luc's sheer power overwhelmed him eventually. Jean Luc walked out of the duel as the CHAMPION!
1953-1954 Dueling Champions
1. Jean Luc Sebastian Robitaille
2. Sean Padraic ODonnell
3. Gertrude Agnes Swancott
4. Gwenevere Dougherty
