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Arithmancy Tutors Needed

If any of the older students feel like they might be able to dedicate an hour a week to help a lower school student with Arithmancy, please contact your Head of House as several younger students are struggling with the subject due to Professor Vector’s illness making her unable to attend all lessons. Your assistance will be much appreciated.

By Silkfur, Chief Editor

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QUIDDITCH: New Teams to Triumph or Tumble?

Ravenclaw

Ravenclaw was finally able to hold their try-outs on Sunday afternoon, three hours later than scheduled. Their Captain, Scorpius Malfoy (Sixth Year), was easily accepted as a leader despite their being two seniors students on the team. Malfoy’s ease with team members made the search for a new Beater and a new Seeker a far more relaxed ordeal than the previous Houses. That was, of course, until a girl with wild hair and shinning eyes stepped forward to try out for the Beater position.

Now that we have seen her, it seems impossible that we ever overlooked her but the shy Third Year has managed to go unnoticed until her bold entrance onto the Quidditch pitch. The moment she mounted her broom of Malfoy’s command, it was clear that she was a student with immense potential and raw talent. It was no surprise when she was announced at the new Beater. She does however have rather large boots to fill as she has taken the place of the formidable Arizona Greenwood, who has not only gone on to play professionally but is, in fact, the new Beater’s elder sister.

  Alaska Greenwood (Third Year), Ravenclaw’s new Beater and sister of Arizona Greenwood

Alaska Greenwood will no doubt be faced with a high expectations and more pressure than any other new player to achieve great things. When asked how she was feeling about the whole thing she stated: ‘I am not, and never will be, my sister and I am not trying to take her place. I want to play Quidditch, not because Arizona was so great, but because I love it. I just hope people will let me be me and not always expect me to be as good as Ari because, let’s face it, no one is as good as Ari!” While Alaska Greenwood may not think she will ever achieve her sister’s standards, from what she showed us at the try-outs, she certainly has the potential to get very close and we wish her the best of luck.

Also coming as somewhat of a surprise was the appointment of Lena Skeeter (Fifth Year) as the new Ravenclaw Seeker. Skeeter has never previously shown an interest in the sport but when asked to catch an elusive Snitch, her quick eye and sharp mind had her streaks ahead of the other potentials. The Ravenclaw team must simply hope that she develops the passion for the game that makes good players great.

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QUIDDITCH: New Teams to Triumph or Tumble?

Gryffindor

Gryffindors, led by Alexander Jordan (Seventh Year), were herded onto the pitch after the Hufflepuff try-outs at around midday. Jordan immediately set the hopefuls some basic training drills only to discover the vast majority of them could barely fly. Needless to say, his face was somewhat comical.

The team was in need to two Chasers and a Keeper. The latter vacancy had two strong candidates, William Rivers (Seventh Year) and Edward King (Sixth Year). In the end, Jordan was persuaded into choosing Rivers despite his best friend and teammate, Roxanne Weasley’s advice. It seems his friendship with Rivers overrode King’s marginally greater skill although Jordan denies that it has anything to do with it, stating that ‘Will is more suited to the team in general, he knows everyone and is easy to get on with, which is important in a team game.’ Clearly fellow Captain, Molly Weasley (Hufflepuff), was unaware of this with the feuds she appears to have caused in her own team.

The Chasers were far more clean cut, both exceeding the skills of the other candidates by a large margin. Owen Finnigan (Sixth Year) and Adriana Bell (Fifth Year) made a good duet in the try-out but it remains to be seen whether they can work well with Anna Thomas (Sixth Year) who has been on the team since her Third Year. This will be the first time Bell has played a game without the support of James Potter and Hannah Jones as Chasers and it will be interesting to see whether she can create the same ease with the two new players as she had with the two old.

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QUIDDITCH: New Teams to Triumph or Tumble?

Hufflepuff

Postponing their try-outs due to the weather, Hufflepuff was forced to begin try-outs at six o’clock on Sunday morning. Molly Weasley (Seventh Year), who was made Captain after Bethan Macmillan graduated last year, was far more relaxed than her cousin Louis Weasley had be the previous day. Hufflepuff was in need of three players: a Keeper, a Chaser and a Beater.

Molly Weasley held a three hour meeting with the team members that remained from last year to decide who would fill the spaces. There was clearly an issue of dispute as Chaser Matthew Hopkins (Seventh Year) stormed out to the meeting an hour in. Sources state that this was over the appointment of his brother, Jonathan Hopkins (Sixth Year), as their new Chaser, meaning the two brothers will have to work closely and effectively side by side if Hufflepuff stands a chance at winning the Quidditch Cup this year… Something they have not managed to achieve since Ted Lupin was their Captain in 2015.

Subsequent to his walk out, Matthew Hopkins was absent for discussions of the new Beater and was furious to discover that Ian Penthallow (Seventh Year), Hopkins’ dorm mate had been given the spot. The two have a long standing grudge after Penthallow dated Hopkins’ sister three years ago and while the couple broke up at the beginning of last year, the friendship the two boys shared never fully recovered. Penthallow’s skill is undeniable but the question remains whether it will be worth the cost of Hopkins’ anger.

Finally, Samuel Macmillan (Fifth Year) was appointed their new Keeper with far less debate than the other new members and it is hoped that his calm and collected nature will help the new team smooth over any grievances.

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QUIDDITCH: New Teams to Triumph or Tumble?

Slytherin

Slytherin held the first round of try-outs at eight o’clock on Saturday morning despite the torrential rain. Louis Weasley (Seventh Year), Slytherin’s reappointed Captain, found himself faced with more than he bargained for when a brawl broke out between two of his Chasers, Lysander Scamander (Sixth Year) and Sven Ottoman (Seventh Year), when the latter made an unknown comment to Meda Zabini (Sixth Year) who plays Beater on the team and has been rumoured to be dating Scamander. Weasley was forced to stop the try-outs for a new Keeper in order to get his team members under control.

When at last the Captain, who by this point was seething with barely constrained fury at the lack of discipline shown by his team, called an end to the try-outs, he refused to confer with his team when deciding on who would fill the spaces left by Duncan Smith (Keeper) and Ingrid O’Malley (Beater). No time was wasted in posting the names of the new players on the Slytherin notice board that same evening.

As Keeper, Weasley appointed Oliver Grey (Sixth Year) who certainly showed potential with a spectacular save of one of Ottoman’s trademark dipped Quaffles. Competition for this place on the team came from Grey’s own brother, Charles Grey (Fifth Year). The younger Grey showed the same potential as his elder brother but Weasley seems to have made his decision based on maturity.

For the place of Beater, Weasley has appointed Mensa Malfoy (Fifth Year), keeping the ratio of males and females the same as last year. Malfoy was perhaps the more surprising appointment but her talent is unquestionable as she rivals her partner, Meda Zabini, in both speed and accuracy. Malfoy appeared amongst a rather large group of hopefuls for the position which included Arianna Moon, the sister of Ravenclaw’s outstanding Keeper, Eileen Moon (Seventh Year).

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QUIDDITCH: New Teams to Triumph or Tumble?

THE MUCH AWAITED RESULTS OF LAST WEEKEND’S QUIDDITCH TRY-OUTS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED AND THE NEW PLAYERS NAMED. As expected, there have been a few unsuspected appointments which have resulted in much controversy within Houses.

Lists of the complete House Teams can be found later on in this issue and we wish all the new members as well as the old, good luck with the upcoming tournament and we hope to report on their progress in a few weeks’ time.

By Swifthoof

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Transfiguring In Transfiguration

Last year saw the appointment of Professor T. R. Lupin as Transfiguration Professor. Lupin appears to have made use of his Metamorphmagus abilities over the summer, confusing students into thinking they had a new Professor. Lupin’s humour was not appreciated by Sixth Year Hesper Hopkins (Hufflepuff), who burst into tears yesterday, thinking her beloved Professor had abandoned her. She continued to blubber that he was the only reason she had taken Transfiguration NEWT, a confession she now very much regrets considering she must face Lupin every day for the next two years. Her reaction however, caused much amusement amongst the staff as well as pupils.

By Swifthoof, Editor

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Suspicions Professor Severine Is Brewing Love Potions

Professor of Potions, I. M. Severine

Professor I. Severine has held sway over the hearts of Hogwarts boys since her arrival in 2019. Her unfaltering beauty and charisma make her possibly the most forbidden love most of Hogwarts’ male population will ever experience.

Severine’s skill as a Potions Professor, however, leads to doubt over how real both her beauty and their love really is. Suspicions were raised after Severine hinted that she could ‘make you mad with desire’ in her welcoming speech to this year’s new NEWTs class. Whilst at Hogwarts, Severine was a Slytherin, which makes the thought of her brewing beauty and charm all the more plausible as Slytherins do, after all, use any means to achieve their ends. Severine’s ends in this case remain, however, unclear.

By Silverwing, Editor

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New Professor of Charms Shows Off By Charming Students

Newly appointed Charms Professor, H. D. Malfoy

Professor H. Malfoy had the (figuratively) large shoes of the beloved Professor Flitwick to fill after Flitwick’s retirement last June. Inside sources state that ‘Hogwarts’ Governors were split down the middle about appointing a Professor with such a notorious name.’

While the Governors may have been divided, Hogwarts’ girls appear to be unanimously in favour of him. Malfoy has charmed his pupils from the moment they set foot in his new classroom and the girls’ bathroom have become a hive of desire for what Alice Longbottom described as ‘Merlin’s gift to hard working students’.

The 23 year old showed extreme talent for the subject whilst at Hogwarts himself (in Slytherin) and has stated that: ‘There is nothing I would rather do than teach what I love to people who want to learn.’ This seemingly innocent statement leads us to wonder what exactly he plans to do with the numerous students who are relatively uninterested in learning anything other than the exact distribution of muscles across his body.

It is interesting to note that the Professor’s younger brother, Scorpius Malfoy who is currently in his Sixth Year at Hogwarts, was unaware of his brother’s appointment until the Sorting Feast at the start of term. His face was described by his ex-girlfriend, Meredith MacDougal: ‘he looked like someone had unleashed a torrent of Blast Ended Skrewts into the Great Hall – his mouth was so wide he could have swallowed one of Hagrid’s pumpkins!’ In contrast, his sister Mensa Malfoy (FifthYear, Slytherin) did not appear the least bit surprised at her eldest brother’s arrival.

By Silkfur, Chief Editor

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A Legacy In The Making

Arizona Greenwood, Ravenclaw, Ex-Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain and Beater for Falmouth Falcons

Hogwarts very own Arizona Greenwood (Ravenclaw), who graduated last June with a below average score on her NEWT examinations considering her House, has taken the wizarding world by storm as she joins forces with the infamous Falmouth Falcons. Greenwood’s talent did not go unnoticed during her years at Hogwarts, earning her a spot on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team in her First Year the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain title in her Third Year.

Making her debut into the British and Irish Quidditch League during the summer, Greenwood has already proven herself the Falcons’ star player. The question remains: can her talent drag the Falcons from the bottom of the League table, a place they have held since they took it from the Cannons in 1999? The long suffering Falcon fans certainly hope so, with one eager fan stating that Greenwood was ‘Fatima Falcon (the founder of the team) reincarnate.’  

By Silverwing, Editor

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QUIDDITCH: a new generation of players

With a whole host of House Team Players graduating at the end of last year, Hogwarts’ students now have the chance to join their House Team. The new Captains have been named and try-out will be held this weekend.

Captains

Gryffindor – Alexander Jordan (Beater)

Hufflepuff – Molly Weasley (Seeker)

Ravenclaw – Scorpius Malfoy (Chaser)

Slytherin – Louis Weasley (Seeker) [reinstated]

Graduated Players

Gryffindor – James Potter (Chaser, Captain); Jenna Wood (Keeper); Hannah Jones (Chaser)

Hufflepuff – Bethan Macmillan (Chaser, Captain); Ethan McLaggen (Keeper); Tom Rivers (Beater)

Ravenclaw – Arizona Greenwood (Beater, Captain); Ophelia Night (Seeker)

Slytherin – Duncan Smith (Keeper); Ingrid O’Malley (Beater)

Good luck to all those trying out and remember that try-outs are for everyone, even if you are not there to try out for the team, Quidditch (even try-outs) are something that you can enjoy even from the stands. Hope to see you there.

By Swifthoof, Editor

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Broken Hearts

Owen Finnigan (Sixth Year, Gryffindor) and Annabel Avery (Fifth Year Hufflepuff) – broken up on mutual agreement [one year and six months]

Frank Longbottom (Fifth Year, Gryffindor) and Leah Jordan (Fifth Year, Gryffindor) – irreconcilable differences [two years and four months]

Scorpius Malfoy (Sixth Year, Ravenclaw) and Meredith MacDougal (Sixth Year, Ravenclaw) – the flame burnt out [nine months]

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Summer Romances or Long Term Item?

There have been a number of couples getting together over the summer that we thought you might like to know about. Whether they will survive life as a Hogwarts couple is down to them but here they are:

Lysander Scamander (Sixth Year, Slytherin) and Meda Zabini (Sixth Year, Slytherin) – spotted on a date in Rosa Lea Teabag, in Diagon Alley

Edward King (Sixth Year, Gryffindor) and Georgia Boot (Fifth Year, Ravenclaw) – spotted kissing in Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes

Blake Laybrooke (Fifth Year, Ravenclaw) and Isabella Hughes (Fourth Year, Slytherin) – spotted having dinner at the Leaky Cauldron twice

Hugo Weasley (Fourth Year, Gryffindor) and Violet Finnigan (Fourth Year, Gryffindor) – caught snogging in his bedroom by his disgusted cousin, Lily Potter

Samuel Macmillan (Fifth Year, Hufflepuff) and Annie Finch-Fletchley (Fourth Year, Hufflepuff) – spotted in the Three Broomsticks several times

Lorcan Scamander (Sixth Year, Ravenclaw) and Jesobel Nott (Sixth Year, Slytherin) – rumoured

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A summer in the sun… Or a tanning spell backfired?

Fourth Year, Violet Finnigan (Gryffindor) returned to school this September sporting a rather interesting tan. Reports say that the Finnigan family holidayed in Southern Spain during the summer but the hue of Finnigan’s skin suggests there was a disaster in the charming field. Fellow Gryffindor, Lily Potter, described her as: “something akin to an orange… One of the ones left at the bottom of the fruit bowl.”

By Silverwing, Editor

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On-Again-Off-Again: the couple that cannot make up their mind

Alexander Jordan (left), Gryffindor, Quidditch Captain, Beater and Molly Weasley (right), Hufflepuff, Quidditch Captain, Seeker

Last year saw the rise and fall of Molly Weasley (Hufflepuff) and Alexander Jordan (Gryffindor) who are now entering their Seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Their much anticipated relationship was short lived and left in shatters after rumours of unfaithfulness on Weasley’s part. This summer however, they seem to have rekindled that flame as they were spot my several students looking cosy around Diagon Alley.

Jordan, whose father is lined up to commentate on this year’s Quidditch World Cup, seems to have forgiven Weasley for the events that occurred last May. It is still unknown how Matthew Hopkins (Hufflepuff), who was the other guilty party in Weasley’s affair, is taking the news of their reunion over the summer as he appeared quite besotted with her when Hogwarts broke up for the summer.

However, whether Jordan and Weasley are back together remains a mystery as they have not been seen alone together since the beginning of this new school year.

While Weasley received a series of unpleasant mail subsequent to her infidelity, the general mood appears to be in favour of a reunion between the two. Roxanne Weasley (Gryffindor), Jordan’s closest friend, stated that: “Molly makes [Alex] happy and he deserves to be happy.” This suggests that even those who know the whole story are rooting for the two to get back together.

On the other hand, Patricia Skeeter (Hufflepuff), dorm mate of Weasley, has proclaimed the couple ‘unsuited’ and has suggested that Jordan find someone more ‘worthy’ of him. Skeeter’s long standing crush on Jordan may, however, have clouded her view of the situation.

By Swifthoof, Editor

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RAVEN LESTRANGE: A New Age for the House of Black

Raven Cassiopeia Lestrange, granddaughter of infamous Bellatrix Lestrange, Ravenclaw

ON THE 1ST SEPTEMBER 2022, RAVEN CASSIOPEIA LESTRANGE WAS SORTED INTO RAVENCLAW HOUSE. This decision by the Sorting Hat has shocked not only the entire populace of Hogwarts School but also the entire British Wizarding World. Raven Lestrange is the second daughter of Rothwell and Antoinette Lestrange. Her sister, Rhesa Antoinette Lestrange was predictably sorted into Slytherin House six years ago. The Lestrange sisters are the granddaughters of Bellatrix Lestrange, a former Death Eater, who died in Hogwarts Castle during the Battle of Hogwarts and was responsible for a vast array of crimes against muggle-borns, half-bloods and other magical creatures. Raven Lestrange, while not bearing the striking resemblance to her grandmother as her sister does, is clearly a member of the House of Black. Her pointed features and tumbling black hair betray her ancestry however her unusual hazel eyes set her apart from the customary black of her father’s family.

The full effects of the sorting remain to be seen but it can be safely said that her grandmother would have been ashamed of the outcome. It must come as a relief to her parents that she was sorted into Ravenclaw rather than Gryffindor or Hufflepuff which would have been view as an even worse disgrace by her pureblood, Slytherin family. Her sister however, has refused to speak to her since the sorting. “She is no sister of mine,” stated Rhesa Lestrange the evening after the sorting took place to a selection of her Slytherin ‘gang’. It is not certain how the younger sister is taking this estrangement but it is clear that Rhesa Lestrange is more like her grandmother that previously suspected. In a world were blood purity means very little, it would be assumed that a person’s House is not substantial weight to disassociate one’s self from their one sister but Rhesa Lestrange has managed, once again, to attempt to bring back the ‘old ways’. It is strongly suspected that she is currently designing a new ‘Dark Mark’ with which to brand her followers.

Inside sources tell us that Raven Lestrange is a shy and unobtrusive child, so unlike her sister that had it not been for the name, it would be hard to identify them as sisters. Susana Boot, Melissa MacDougal, Serena Nott and Lorena Scamander make up the other four new Ravenclaw girls. It is interesting to note that while Raven Lestrange is perhaps the biggest shock, Serena Nott is also the granddaughter of a notorious Death Eater. Serena Nott’s elder sister, Jesobel, is a member of Rhesa Lestrange’s ‘gang’ and it shall be interesting to see whether her leader shall be able to influence her to also distance herself from her Ravenclaw sister.

This event brings to light the possibility for a new future for the disreputable House of Black. Could it be that future generations shall not be so tarnished by their ancestors as they have been in this post-war world? Perhaps Raven Lestrange will be the first of a new cohort of ‘good’ Death Eater’s descendants.

It should however be noted that this is not the first occasion where a former Death Eater’s decedent has been sorted into a House other than Slytherin. In the same year that Rhesa Lestrange began Hogwarts, Scorpius Malfoy, grandson of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, was sorted into Ravenclaw and, perhaps more shockingly the following year, when Annabel Avery, whose great-grandfather was amongst the very first Death Eaters, was sorted into Hufflepuff. Perhaps these events do indeed signify a new beginning for those tainted families however, it must not be forgotten that even before Tom Riddle’s downfall, member of the Black family did not always submit to their family’s expectations, for example Sirius Black was sorted into Gryffindor House while his cousin, Andromeda Black, married a muggle-born.

So whether this startling event signifies a new age for the House of Black remains to be seen and Raven Lestrange will, no doubt, appear in future issues of this newspaper. We wish her the best of luck and will advise her not to take her sister’s actions to heart as Rhesa Lestrange is becoming ever more like her grandmother.

By Silkfur, Chief Editor