The Gryffindor Paw Print

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How to Make a Willow Hut

By Gail Allen

Have you always wanted to have a hut in your garden?

If you follow these easy instructions, you can.

You will need some fresh willow. It is important that it is fresh or it won't bend. If you cannot get it fresh, you must soak it in water for at least a day before using it. How much and how long your willow needs to be will depend on how large you want your hut to be.

You will also need something to tie the willow together with. Any type of strong yarn or rope will work.

Depending on what you want to cover your hut with, you might need more willow, or sheets, or maybe even seeds. But more about that later.

First you need to draw up a circle on the ground where you would like your hut to be. This should give you some idea of size, too. Then you have to determine how high you want your hut to be at the side and at the centre.

To calculate how long your willow should be you must know the following:

r: The radius of your circle a: The height of side of the hut b: The height of the centre of the hut measured from the ground 

Now for the calculation itself:

r2+(b-a)2=c2 √c2=c b+c+40cm=The length of willow needed

The last 40 cm are used both to make the rounding in the roof, as well as a little excess to stick into the ground to anchor your hut and a little excess at the top to tie the willows together.

Depending on how big your hut is, you will need more willows to reach around. You should calculate to place one every 30-50 cm. At the door you can leave a little more space, depending on how wide you would like it to be.

Once you have placed the willows into the ground, you need other willows to create rings around the hut. These don't have to be in one piece. They only have to reach between the willows you have already put up. Weave these in and tie them to your original willows.

Again, it depends on how big your hut is how many of these rounds you will need. But you should at least plan to have three for stability's sake.

When you reach the height at the side you want, bend the willows inward until they all meet in the middle. Have someone else tie them together while you hold them. It might be necessary to get a chair or something else to stand on to do this.

Congratulations! You have created the frame for your very own willow hut. Now all you have to do is decide what to cover it with. You could cover it with sheets or tarp, or how about weaving in more willow for a more natural feel. Or if you are more patient, planting climbing plants around the hut will give it a lovely living appearance as well as giving your climbing plants great support to grow on.

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Six Summer Ideas to Stay Cool

By Gail Allen

Summer is almost upon us and for most of us, that means sun and warmth. At least, I am hoping for lots of sun. But that also means that we'll all need some ways of cooling down and maybe dealing with the odd sunburn if we're not careful enough with the sunscreen.

So, without further ado, here are a few icy tips and tricks on how to stay cool this coming summer.

1.) Aloe Vera Ice Cubes It's happened to me more often than I care to think about: I've been out all day and I thought I'd put on enough sunscreen, but it turns out I manage to get burned anyway. So what to do? I like to have some aloe vera ice cubes on hand. They both soothe the skin, but also cool it down which feels wonderful. It's extremely simple to make these. You simply cut the aloe vera open if the one you have is fresh and scrape out the inside into an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer. If your aloe vera is not fresh all you have to do is squeeze some from a bottle into the tray and freeze that instead.

2.) Iced Bottle Another thing I often struggle with is warm water. I cannot stand to drink warm water and even lukewarm water bothers me. I've tried putting ice cubes into my bottle, but they're too big to go past the opening. So how do I keep water cold all day when I'm out in the sun? I freeze water in a bottle, but not a full bottle. If you fill it completely, you will probably crack the bottle because water expands when it freezes. But if you fill the bottle half way with water and then freeze it, then when you're ready to go, you get your bottle out of the freezer and top it off with water. Now you have lovely cold water. And when you've drunk what's already in it, you can just top it off again. I like to have two bottles on rotation, so when I go and get one in the freezer in the morning, I place a new one in. That way, there's always a fresh frozen bottle waiting for me.

3.) Tasty Ice Cubes For years I've kept my drinks cold with ice cubes in the summer. Unfortunately, they always watered down my drinks and made them less tasty. Then, I started making ice cubes from liquids other than water. If you use ice cubes made with the same drink you are drinking, it won't water down the taste. But sometimes it's also interesting to use ice cubes made with different flavours than what you are drinking. I especially enjoy ice cubes made with orange juice for coke, but I use other combinations, also. I highly encourage you to try this. Just be aware that if you freeze fizzy drinks they will no longer be fizzy, so juices and lemonades tend to work better. Freezing things with a sharper taste in mixes with water is also great. Particularly lemon juice ice cubes can get overwhelming if they're not watered down. Try around with different mixes until you find the one you like.

4.) Frozen Grapes Another way to avoid watering down your drinks is by freezing grapes or other fruits instead. These will cool down your drink without changing the original flavour. And you have the added bonus of being able to eat the cold fruit once you've finished your drink. There are a couple of different ways to accomplish this. Either in an ice cube tray, potentially with juice of lemonade around it, or simply on a plate that you put into the fridge with the fruits on it. With grapes or other things not likely to stick together, a plastic bag will even work. Just make sure there is no moisture in it or the grapes will stick together.

5.) Icy Fan If you're stuck one day and it's just too hot to be inside and even a fan cannot manage to cool you down because you just feel like it's blowing hot air at you and you might as well be standing in front of a blow drier, there is a trick you might want to try. It requires you to prepare a little bit in advance though, for you will need bottles of frozen water. Remember not to fill them entirely or they will break. Once you have them, place the frozen bottles in front of the fan and turn it up. The ice will cool the air down as it passes and cool you down much more effectively. Remember to place a towel under the bottles or place them on something that will hold the water: these things will create condensation as they melt, and surprisingly much of it.

6.) Gummi Bear Popsicles On hot days, popsicles are the perfect way to cool down. And why not make it a little more interesting by adding some gummi bears?

First you need to soak some gummi bears in sprite or some other form of lemonade for about half an hour. The bears should have soaked up some of the liquid, but they shouldn't be soggy. If they need more time, leave them in until they feel right. Then put them into popsicle molds and add liquid until the mold is filled. Freeze the treats and enjoy. If you don't have any popsicle molds, you can use an ice cube tray and make ice bonbons. Just put a bear or two in each and fill half way with your liquid of choice to give it a good size for a single bite.

I hope some of these suggestions will help you stay cool all through summer.

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Hashi Puzzle

Hosted by Gail Allen

Send the solution to Gail Allen (ga942) for 10 beans! 

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My Experience Running an HOL Activity

By Sky Alton

 When Professors Amy and Tarma asked me if I’d help out with the HOL Book Club last term, one of the main activities we talked about was HOL Writing Month (HolWriMo). This is a mini version of National Novel Writing Month which challenges people to write a certain amount of a book in a month. As a NaNoWriMo aficionado and a great believer in getting people to start writing, the idea more than excited me. But this wasn’t just a fun project, it was also my first time organizing an HOL Activity. I’ve been here for 4 years and watched on in awe as staff and prefects have run all kinds of amazing challenges, games, and contests. I could only begin to imagine how much planning, creativity, and dedication must go into them.

 My first few months assisting on Book Club was enough to give me a taste. But there was so much I didn’t pick up on just helping to mull over ideas and write posts. Bringing HOLWriMo to fruition gave me a crash course in how activities are proposed, voted on, and approved by staff. What truly took my breath away, though, was the level of strategic thinking that goes into even the things you’d assume were pretty simple (like deciding when to put up the HOL blog post). We began planning in December for an activity that didn’t properly begin until May and even when it came to an end, there were still decisions to make. It took over 140 forum posts to plan and run HOLWriMo and I think I probably wrote about twice the word requirement just in posts, advice, and encouragement.

 And you know something? It was worth every single letter. Although the forum was pretty quiet, seven people (representing all houses) saw the challenge through and explored their creative potential. They benefited from the chance to write, and enjoyed the activities and advice that HOLWriMo generated. What meant the most was that I was able to watch people’s progress in person as they excitedly updated me on IRC. Even when I was feeling tired or struggling to find another idea for a post, I had that to spur me on. It felt amazing to finally be giving something back to the HOL community.

 As well as the warm fuzzies at watching people succeed, doing this also really brought home to me the commitment and teamwork that goes into HOL.  The concept only came about because Professors Cassie and Zoki had run it twice before. They not only gave us their blessing to do it again, but even contributed pep-talks for this year’s writers. Though I was sort of ‘in charge,’ it wouldn’t have happened without the Book Club team: Amy, Tarma, and (later on) Maxim. They contributed ideas, helped make decisions, explained how things worked and offered to take over tasks if I was struggling. When things started to go wrong (oh yeah, news flash: things can go wrong) and I felt like the first person to have screwed up EVER, Amy was there with a gentle reminder that no one can anticipate everything. Knowing people had my back helped me to keep calm and carry on.

   I went into this telling everyone that writing was a rollercoaster. Turns out Activity Running can be much of the same. But it’s one of the best rides imaginable. I’ve come away from this experience with a real sense of accomplishment and redoubled respect for the people who make HOL the incredible place it is. My only question now is: when can I do it again?

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Virtual Races

By Arianna Stonewater

I hate running. In a life or death situation, I would rather take my chances and fight than run. But I LOVE walking around my neighborhood and discovering new places downtown. I also like any form of recognition for my achievements. But how can I combine these things, AND support great causes? Virtual Races!

These have the same premise as marathons, but you do them on your own time in your own space! Most virtual races cost you about $25, which pays for your medal (some races also have a shirt or other merchandise) and  whatever is left (around $21 or so) goes to whatever charity/non-profit your race is supporting! Since they are virtual, you do not need to live near a major city to run the race, you do not have to be available on a certain day, nor do you have to be able to do all the miles in one shot.

I started out with a company called Yes.Fit which does a lot of themed races. My favorite part of their races is that as you upload proof of your miles (either by connecting a fitbit/garmin watch or manually uploading your miles like I do since I just keep track with my phone's motion sensor) they send you pictures of the areas you would be in at that particular mile. The first race I did with them was the Wizarding World Half Marathon (the cauldron-shaped medal). This was 13.1 miles and it featured a tour with pictures of where Harry Potter was filmed. I then did two Lord of the Rings themed ones that were much MUCH longer (one was 52.6 miles and the other was 49.8 miles). I took a break after this, as I got really busy with my job.

Recently, I've joined something called Hogwarts Running Club. They use an app called Charity Miles which logs yours miles, and you get to pick whatever charities you support! They also do races between the houses, in addition to virtual races for medals. The only race I've done with them so far is the Unmasked 2017 race, in which I received the really cool Death Eater medal! My favorite part of this group though is the support you get from everyone! They have a Facebook page for the Great Hall and each House has their own page, too! Everyone is so encouraging and helpful; I highly recommend it!

In my eighth month of pregnancy, I'm a lot less active than I used to be and everyone has been sending me messages of support as well as helping me get at least a mile day, even if it's just from walking to the corner store and back. If anyone wants more information, let me know! Virtual races are a great way to help you be active and fit while supporting charity on your own time!

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A Fantasmic* Review of the Disney Minecraft Server

By Zachary Jameson

Other than Harry Potter, I have always had a place in my heart for Disney. With several theme parks, a cruise line, a huge brand of merchandise, and more, Disney is one of the biggest companies in entertainment. But what happens when you take Disney and mix it together with the biggest console games of all times: Minecraft? You get a place called Palace Network!

So, first off, what is Palace Network? Palace Network is a collection of servers on Minecraft that bring the magic of Disney alive.  They have all four of the Walt Disney World Resort parks and one of the water parks already created on Minecraft with more to come later on. It’s a family-friendly server for people of all ages to experience Disney magic in the comfort of your own home. The staff are very friendly and helpful with any questions you may have.

How do you play Palace Network? Palace Network can be played on Minecraft with any version above 1.8. When you first arrive, your rank is known as a Settler. If you want, you can donate money to get higher in the ranks. The higher rank you have, the more permissions you earn. For example, those who have the rank of Noble or higher may preview their building process of Disneyland Resort. Each rank can be earned through competitions as well. Donations start at $15 and can go up from there for each rank.

Why should you play Palace Network? Why not? It is Disney! You can go to the parks, ride the rides, and watch shows like Wishes or Fantasmic. You even earn “money” that can spend on getting items like lightsabers, outfits, and more! Every once in awhile, you may be able to meet a character like Mickey or Goofy online.  Shows are daily at 11 am , 4 pm, and 9 pm Eastern, with each show switching between a choice of Wishes, Illuminations, or Symphony in the Stars. However, Saturday can have a special event like Fantasmic or Finding Nemo the Musical at 4 pm Eastern. The servers are on Eastern time, but you can always use the clock given to you in inventory to check the times.

What is the history of Palace Network? Actually, Palace Network is somewhat a new name for these servers. When it first started, the servers were known as McDisney and had separate IPs for each park. Later on, the name changed over to McMagic. In November of 2016, McMagic was taken over by Palace Network. With the takeover, things were changed. Instead of just one person in charge, it was now several “Emperors” or “Empresses.”   Though most of the time, the servers are taken care of by those who are called “Paladins,” “Wizards,” and “Knights.” If you have any questions or issues on the server, they are always there to help. But most guest also do help, so keep an eye on chat.

What are the rules of Palace Network? Anyone can play Palace Network (if you are young, please get your parent’s permission first). But there are a few rules to keep in mind. Again, the main focus is to be a family-friendly server. So don’t curse or say anything inappropriate. Second, don’t give out any personal information. This is for your safety, of course. Thirdly, no politics or religious issues are allowed. This is supposed to be a place to get away from it all.  Any rule breaking will result in being muted, kicked, or banned from the server.

Few things to note:

They have a audio server on Palace using the command /audio. If you want to hear the music from the rides, shows, and the parks, that is the place.

Asking questions is a great thing to do if you are unsure or confused about things. Palace does have a Discord for those who want to talk to the others who are in Palace. Most common question is when do characters come on. Character meet and greets are arranged by the staff and characters at random times. So you never know who may come on!

Can we roleplay on the server? It is not welcome on the main servers but if you want to have a party, use the /pchat command. Roleplays are allowed in the Creative server and Roleplay server (only open to those who are Majestic or higher) respectfully. The main issue with roleplays is family roleplays, which are NOT allowed at all!

How about group rides? Ask around and you may be able to start a group ride or join one already in progress!

What are the special events and what day? Special events are Fantasmic, Beauty and the Beast On Stage, Finding Nemo the Musical, and Frozen! Live at the Hyperion (again, open to those who are Noble or higher) usually on Saturdays at 4 pm EST.

  My review: OUTSTANDING! Palace Network brings the magic of Disney to those who just can’t be there. From watching shows to riding rides, you are truly immersed in the Disney magic. So what are you waiting for? Join in the fun at Palace Network! For more info, go to https://palace.network/! See you on Palace!

* Fantasmic! - This is no typo! Zachary made a pun referring to the epic nighttime show Fantasmic! which can be found at both Disneyland Resort in California and at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Disney World, Florida.

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Recipe: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

By Arianna Stonewater

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins (makes about 24 muffins, give or take) 

  Things you need:

- 1/2 cup butter - 1 cup sugar - 2 eggs (beaten) - 4 smooshed bananas (the riper the better) - 1 1/2 cups flour - 1 tsp baking soda - 1/2 tsp salt - 1/2 tsp vanilla - As much or as little chocolate chips as you want! I usually use about 2 cups.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Mix butter and sugar together.

Add in bananas.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture.

Add vanilla and mix everything together.

Mix in 3/4 of your chocolate chips.

Spoon the mixture into your muffin cups until they are mostly full.

Take the remaining chocolate chips and sprinkle some on top!

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (we have a tiny apartment oven so we usually have to bake them for about 55 minutes since they are so dense).

Enjoy!

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Fallen Letters

Hosted by Prof. Tarma Amelia Black

Solve this Fallen Letters puzzle and send me your solution in a HOL Message (pr_tar).

People who send correct solutions will receive 20 Beans from me (Prof. Tarma Amelia Black).

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Jigsaw Puzzle

Hosted by Arianna Stonewater

Complete the jigsaw puzzle and send to me, Arianna Stonewater (ar1227), a screenshot of the picture for 10 beans!

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Connect the Dots!

Hosted by Arianna Stonewater

Connect the dots and send the finished picture to me, Arianna Stonewater (ar1227), for 10 beans! For an extra 5 beans color it in!

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Talons and Tea Leaves

By Prof. Hailey Potter

Parvati: We’re baaaack!!! Lavender: Yes, it’s time for another round of Talons and Tea Leaves! Parvati: Yaaayy!!!! We can find out our horoscopes! Lavender: What the future has in store for you. Parvati: Let’s get started! I can hardly contain my excitement. 

Aries *swish*

Lavender: Do you have somewhere to get to? Parvati: What do you mean? Lavender: You didn’t let me talk. Parvati: No one wants to hear you talk. They want their horoscope. Lavender: HEY! Parvati: It’s... 

A Mountain

Lavender: You’re going to be sturdy this month! Parvati: Things are just going to stay the same. Lavender: Nothing amazing will happen, but nothing bad will happen, either. Parvati: Lucky Aries! 

Taurus *swish* 

Lavender: I think this month will be good. Parvati: Why?  Lavender: Because school is ending! Parvati: Oh yeah! Lavender: I’m going to the beach! Parvati: You didn’t invite me… It’s... 

An Alphabet

Parvati: Aww, school must not be over for you. Lavender: You’re gonna learn a lot this month, Taurus. Parvati: Like the alphabet! Lavender: Definitely! And other things. Who knew? 

Gemini *swish* 

Lavender: What are you doing for vacation? Parvati: Staying at home. Lavender: That’s boring. Parvati: Why are you always so mean? It’s...

A Goatherd

Parvati: Huh? Lavender: You’re herding some situations this month. Parvati: Like goats? Lavender: It could really be anything. They’ll figure it out. Eventually. Parvati: Good luck, Gemini!

Cancer *swish* 

Lavender: Eww, I am not going to be seeing any crabs at the beach this summer! Parvati: Although they’re pretty yummy to eat. Lavender: They ruin the beach though. I would rather have them on my plate… It’s... 

A Zipper

Lavender: Things will be put back together for Cancer this month. Parvati: Zip, zip, zip! Lavender: Yeah, something like that. Parvati: Just wait and let it come together! 

Leo *swish* 

Parvati: Maybe I’ll go to the zoo this summer and see some animals. Lavender: Maybe… Parvati: Some super cute animals! Lavender: You do that… it’s... 

A Puddle

Parvati: Oh, no!!! Lavender: Sorry, Leos. You’re gonna be in a mess this month. Parvati: Maybe wear some rain boots. Lavender: That might help...

Virgo *swish* 

Parvati: Lav, I’m hungry. Lavender: We can go to the Great Hall after this. Parvati: Yay!! Food would be good!!! Lavender: We’ll feed you, I promise. Parvati: Too bad we can’t take a visit down to Hogsmeade. I’d kill for a butterbeer about now. It’s... 

A Dog

Parvati: Cute! Lavender: You’ll have great friends to spend time with this summer. Parvati: Friends are awesome. Lavender: You know, Parv, you kinda remind me of a dog. Parvati: What are you trying to say? 

Libra *swish* 

Lavender: That you’re loyal and are easily distracted. Parvati: No, I’m… hey, what’s that? Lavender: It’s... 

An Elephant

Parvati: Don’t get stomped on! Lavender: You’ll be big and majestic this month, Libra. Parvati: What does that even mean? Lavender: People will look up to them. Parvati: Oh, that’s pretty cool!

 Scorpio *swish*

Lavender: And… moving along. Parvati: You know what else would be good right about now? Butterbeer ice cream. Lavender: You just want butterbeer. Parvati: But it’s soooo nice and yummy… Lavender: I can’t disagree there. It’s...

A Kite 

Lavender: What a great month you’ll have! Parvati: Everything is looking good for you! Lavender: You’ll have a great month. For sure. Parvati: Just don’t let the wind ruin it and get you stuck! Lavender: Is it just me, or are we having good predictions this month? 

Sagittarius *swish* 

Parvati: My, my. Almost done already. Lavender: Yep. Parvati: The better for me get food! Lavender: That’s really enough, Parvati. You’re making me hungry. Parvati: It’s... 

A Bike

Lavender: You’re riding to new places this month! Parvati: Vroom, vroom!! Lavender: Are you five? Parvati: No… are you? Lavender: Ughhh…. 

Capricorn *swish* 

Lavender: I don’t know why I’m still friends with you. Parvati: I make you laugh! Lavender: You make something, that’s for sure. Parvati: You’d be lost without me! Lavender: I don’t think so. It’s... 

A Rascal

Parvati: A rascal? Lavender: Oh, no, Capricorn, you lost the horoscope  this month. Parvati: They did? Lavender: You’re going to be tormented by a rascal this month. Watch your money. Parvati: Watch yourselves! Lavender: So true.   

Aquarius *swish*

Parvati: Fishies!! Lavender: See? You’re like a dog. Parvati: That’s not really nice, you know. Lavender: Have I ever been nice? It’s... 

A Tiger

Parvati: You’re like an Aquarius. Lavender: Aquariuses will have a lot of energy this month. Parvati: Okay. Lavender: And don’t make your Aquarius friends angry! Parvati: They’ll roar at you! (Like I currently want to do to Lavender.) 

Pisces *swish* 

Lavender: Last, but not least. Parvati: I can finally get food!!! Lavender: Yes, you can. Parvati: So…. hungry. Lavender: It’s... 

A Juice 

Parvati: You’ll be refreshed this month! Lavender: You’ll certainly be enjoying yourself. Parvati: Can I have a juice? Lavender: We’ll see. Parvati: Yay! 

Lavender: Well, I’ve got to go feed Parvati. Parvati: Thanks for coming! We’ll see you next time! Lavender: Have a great month!

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Slate

By Sky Alton

 I watched the soft flakes slowly sifting down as I ground the slate. I’d been at it for an hour or more and the rough shard was already gaining a gratifying leaf shape. A slight noise behind me had me swinging round, the stone clutched in my hand, ready to slash. He stepped out of the gap between the two copper beach trees and silently flopped down beside me.

 I watched him for a moment. Ink spotted the sleeves of his green shirt and his hair looked as though the only comb it had seen for days was his fingers. I looked back to my stone. He’d speak when he wasgood and ready. “I’m leaving tonight.”

 I jerked and nearly dropped the stone. The sharpened edge bit into my finger and blood welled up in the tiny slit. I stared at it, as though it didn’t belong to me. Fingers closed on my wrist and he drew my hand towards him. Before he could start chanting to heal it, I yanked my hand away and pressed it protectively against my sternum, stone and all.

 I stared at a mossy boulder a few feet away, ignoring the sting in my finger. “I have to,” he said at last, “The order came in yesterday. I’m to report to the citadel.” I didn’t even flinch, though usually the thought of the citadel got my back up. I’d never been, of course.  But my dad’s old war stories were enough to convince me I’d rather jump into the whirlpool with its jagged rocks.

 I heard him slump down again. I knew he’d be looking up at the sky, screwing up his eyes. I’d asked why when we were ten, though he’d done it for years before that. He told me that he liked to create those wriggling, gold shapes that swim across your eyes when the light gets too bright. I closed my own. The dim sunlight was already too much for me. It made me want to grab his hand, run and hide where it was dark, damp and quiet. But we’d outgrown running and staying out all night.

 I heard him let out a long breath and knew he was going to speak. I wanted to get up and walk away. But I forced myself to stay. “The king will send men to escort me if I don’t take my chance to go now,” he said, offering the reasons I hadn’t asked for. “I’ll leave at half-light, as if I’m heading for the star rock.” He always said it like that, ‘The Star Rock’, as if it were a name that meant something to everyone. As far as I knew, only he used it as a vantage point to watch the stars. My throat was dry and scratchy but I didn’t clear it or even swallow. “I’ll head for the border.”

 And after that? But I didn’t ask. Nor did I ask him to take me with him. I wouldn’t be the coward who fled in the night. I would stay and bear witness to the devastation he’d leave behind. I should have told him so. Furiously demanded to know what he thought would become of us, of the village and of his family when the king learned he’d lost such an asset. But I said nothing. I said nothing and after a while, I heard his footsteps receding. After what might have been an hour, I let the stone fall from my hand. In wonder, I watched blood slowly seeping from the hairline cracks it had left in the skin of my palm.

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Permeable

By Sky Alton

When I think about it space feels heavy, tingling. like I’m passing through steel wool. Why do we take surroundings as though there is nothing between us? the sky is never the same it’s a churning mass of molecules we’re always fighting our way through hail those particles beat down on us, spiking their way through gaps, breaching cell walls and driving our own molecules apart but we never remark the intrusion we look through it. we continue on the street continue boarding buses, crushing leaves and skirting puddles only glancing up to note the colour as though that tells us anything nothing more than the neon sign tells us even less, really.

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Super Bowl LI - Atlanta Falcons vs. New England Patriots

By Zach Jameson

It’s the biggest Muggle sporting event in America. Super Bowl is the clash of the NFC and AFC Champions to bring home the trophy. The Super Bowl is the grand finale of the NFL football season in America, after several games of touchdowns and more. Each team works hard over the months (starting in August) to try to get to the final game. Now, it’s down to two: Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots.

Let me clear up some thermology: NFL is the National Football League. It has 32 teams all spread out though the United States. The NFC and AFC are the two conferences of the NFL. Each side has 16 teams each. The two conferences are then split up into groups of 4 teams each. Starting in late August/early September, the teams battle other teams to try to get to the playoffs. Whoever is the two highest ranking teams at the end of regular season get a bye week. The other teams must face against each other to move on to Round 2. Round 2 is considered the Divisional battles, where the winner from Round 1 meets up with the team that got a bye. Whoever wins goes to the Conference battle game, or Round 3. Lastly, whoever wins Round 3 will go to the Super Bowl.

The Teams: Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots Atlanta Falcons is the NFC team based in Atlanta, Georgia. Sadly, many did not see this team doing well this year. Predictions had a 5-11 season after their horrible 8-8 season last year. However, the Falcons rose up. The Offense has literally been on fire this year, with almost no turnovers and great coverage for the quarterback. The Defense also stepped up this year, causing turnovers and several problems for quarterbacks. If Atlanta can work the ball, pressure Tom Brady, cause turnovers and control the clock, they can win the Super Bowl for their first time.

New England is no surprise. This team is one of the most talked about thanks to the deflating conspiracy. Tom Brady, the main quarterback, was benched for 3 games due to that. Even with the star quarterback benched, New England did well. Tom Brady is gonna have a lot on his hands with a hot Atlanta offense and defense. However, he has weapons that could help him win this game… and his fifth ring. It’s going to take great offense moves and defense moves to win it, but they are favored at the moment.

My predictions I pick my team, Atlanta Falcons, to win over New England Patriots with a score of 35 to 28.

[gryffindorpawprint]

My Experience at the 2017 US Figure Skating Championships

By Aurelia West

           This past weekend, on the 21st of January, I had the immense privilege of attending the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships’ Senior Ladies Free Skate. It was my first time attending the national competition, and I’m so happy that I was able to go. This year, nationals took place in Kansas City, MO from January 14 to 22, but the Senior Ladies Free Skate was the only event I was able to attend, as classes were starting back up again for me.

           The event lasted a good 4+ hours and there were 4 groups of skaters with a total of 19 skaters competing. After two of the groups had finished skating, there was a break in between.

           Something that really surprised me was how many skaters there were. Usually, as an audience we only really hear about the medal winners and maybe some standout programs that the audience enjoyed. It was really cool for me to be able to see all of the competitors and listen to their scores given in real time.

           Additionally, something about just watching skating videos on YouTube doesn’t account for the unpredictability of watching someone doing something live. In a live setting, the experience was way more intense, and I had no idea what would happen next.

           The audience was incredibly receptive, and was constantly trying to offer the skaters support through applause whenever something happened, both good and bad, and I really liked the atmosphere. Unlike other sports, there was no booing for anyone, and the audience and the skaters were all tied together due to a love for the sport. Everyone around me was pleasantly well-behaved, something which isn’t always the case at such large scale events, and though we had all been sitting there for over four hours, there was still such a thrum of excitement in the crowd.

           Before the first skater of each group took the ice, there was a period where all of the skaters in that group got to warm up and get a feel for the ice at the same time. There have been stories about skaters colliding during these warm ups, and I can see why, as a couple times I got worried when two girls would pass super close to each other.

As is fairly well known, often audience members throw stuffed animals and flowers onto the ice following each skater’s performance, and the sweepers, typically younger girls, skate onto the ice and pick it all up. There was a pretty good chunk of time in between each of the programs because the judging was done on the spot, and was given to the skater who had just performed before the next skater took the ice. While this was happening, usually the next skater was warming up already. If judging was taking longer than usual, the cameras then turned to the audience, and it was fun to watch people get so excited about seeing themselves on the large screen.

           Unsurprisingly, 2016 Worlds Silver Medalist, Ashley Wagner, was on the podium, but there were a couple standout skaters whose names I hadn’t really heard before joining her: Karen Chen, our lovely new Champion whose U.S. record-breaking short program made waves, and Mariah Bell, whose grace was completely unparalleled, and I’m saying this as a dancer. I also especially enjoyed the free skate programs of Amber Glenn, who brought a nice energy with her, and Caroline Zhang, who had really solid landings from her jumps.

           The entire experience was amazing, and though I was there for a pretty good amount of time, I never felt bored because there was always something happening, even if it was just searching for my own face in the crowd. It also made me reminisce back to the days when I used to figure skate, and the friend I went with and I walked around afterwards looking at the sparkling figure skating dresses and skates on display.

          I would highly recommend the experience to anyone who has the chance to go out and see it, and would also recommend to bring some snacks since you will be there for a long time, and the food sold there, predictably, is expensive!

From left to right: Ashley Wagner, second place, Karen Chen, first place, Mariah Bell, third place.

[gryffindorpawprint]

Seeing Things Differently: My Experiences as a Blind Student

By Sky Alton

‘Heart of a Lion, eyes of a mole’

 That’s my signature on the Gryffindor Common Room...and my funny way of quietly announcing the fact that I can’t see. I’ve been blind since I was three; I even have a prosthetic eye (no, they don’t make them out of glass anymore, neither do they spin or allow us to see things we shouldn’t!). Before I go further, I should point out that there are many, many different types of sight problems and my experience will be very different to that of any other person.

 Personally, I access HOL with a Screen Reader: software that turns the text on the screen into synthesised speech. Yeah, you all sound like robots to me, I’m afraid! Unfortunately that also means that even though I’m a fourth year, I still have no idea what the homepage looks like. I don’t know what your awesome signatures or avatars are. I tend to steer clear of activities which might have picture based elements or chat because it’s hard to keep up. But to me, those are very minor things.

 When I heard about HOL from a friend, my first question was ‘but is it accessible?’. Having been burnt by Pottermore (which is an absolute nightmare to use with my software), I was wary. She assured me that it

was, if I put thought into it.

 And she’s right. Being a blind HOL student does take a bit more thought. When choosing classes, I have to check all of the assignments to make sure that I can get the requisite number of points with what I can do. Obviously, puzzles, image based tasks, word searches or even just picture heavy lessons are out. A few times, I’ve epic failed at my research and found myself floundering to complete an assignment. Thankfully, our professors are very understanding and accommodating!

 But there are other less obvious problems. A lot of the free websites people use format their links in a way that means they’re invisible to a screen reader. And that’s when I really have to get clever. I’ve googled lessons and assignments, spent twenty minutes guessing all the URLs to the parts of a website and sometimes asked for help. But why not do that last one all the time? It’s a totally fair question and I guess my answer is that I don’t like being a nuisance. I spend a lot of my non-HOL life reminding people and explaining these things- it’s nice to come somewhere where I don’t constantly have to rely on someone else.

 But if I’m not a nuisance, how are people going to know how to help? Well, here are a few tips:

Google screen reader accessibility when coding something,

Try to include a short description every time you use an image (Alt text is a marvellous thing),

Use text where possible

And if you’re teaching a class or organising an activity, written alternatives to puzzles or drawing tasks are greatly, greatly appreciated.

 But does being blind really detract from my experience as a HOL student? Absolutely not. Not being able to see people’s signatures, house badges or what colours things are doesn’t make me feel any less part of our amazing community. Being careful about my class choices doesn’t make me any less proud to learn and bring points home for the lions. It hasn’t prevented me having fun in my Common Room or helping out in my new home away from home, the HOL Book Club. So while there may be a few things I have to do differently, HOL is still the same fabulous, friendly and magical place for me that it is for you (albeit through the dulcet tones of a Dalek)

Oh, if anyone has any questions about accessibility or visual impairment (no matter how silly you think they are), please don’t hesitate to drop me a PM on Hol or the forums!

[gryffindorpawprint]

Talons and Tea Leaves

By Prof. Hailey Potter

Parvati: Ohhhh, Lavenderrrrr!!! It’s time! Lavender: No, it isn’t, it’s time when I say it’s time. Parvati: Is it time? Lavender: Yes, it’s time! Jeez. You sometimes…. Parvati: YAY!! Let’s get started. Lavender: Can’t you let me finish a sentence? Parvati: No, I’m ready to get started!! Lavender: Ugh…. all right.

Aries *swish*

Parvati: Yay! I’m so excited!! Lavender: I really need a new partner. Parvati: Uh! Don’t you love me? Lavender: Sure, Parv… it’s…

A sofa

Parvati: You’re gonna sit a lot this month! Lavender: Oh, no. You’ll be stuck spending this Valentine’s Day on the couch, Aries. Sorry! Parvati: Ooooh…. It’s Valentine’s Day? I need to find a date! Lavender: Don’t you ever look at a calendar? *scoffs*

Taurus *swish*

Parvati: You know what, I think I need a new friend. You’re really mean sometimes. Lavender: Aww, you know I don’t mean it. I’m just being mean because I’m your friend. If anyone said anything mean about you, I’d go off on them. I’m only allowed to do that. Parvati: Aww, you’re the best friend! Lavender: Of course. It’s…

A carrot

Lavender: You’re on a diet this month, Taurus! Parvati: Drink up that carrot juice! Lavender: If you don’t, you’re gonna look like a whale. Parvati: Lavender! That’s so mean to say! Lavender: Hey, I’m just doing them a favor.

Gemini *swish*

Parvati: I need to start my list of potential suitors. Lavender: That can wait, Parvati… Parvati: There’s that fourth year Hufflepuff… Lavender: NO!! He’s MINE!!! Parvati: It’s…

A leaf

Lavender: You’ve got growing potential this month! Parvati: Into a tree? Lavender: No, of course not, silly. They’re going to become a better person! Parvati: Oh! That’s cool! They can become as awesome as us! Lavender: Psh. No one’s as awesome as us.

Cancer *swish*

Parvati: That’s very true. It’s hard to be as cool as us. Lavender: That’s why we read the leaves. People look to us for our advice. Parvati: Our insight, you mean. Lavender: Exactly. It’s…

Dawn Parvati: Like that weird muggle soap? Lavender: No, silly. Like the sun coming up. New horizons are coming for you, Cancer. Parvati: New things to try! Lavender: Just be careful not to look straight into the light. You might miss out on something! Parvati: That’s true. It can hurt to look into the sun!

Leo *swish*

Parvati: I want chocolate for Valentine’s Day. Lavender. Um, I’m on a diet. I want flowers and jewelry. Parvati: You need a rich date then. Go see a Slytherin. Lavender: EW! NO! Parvati: It’s…

A firecracker

Parvati: Ooooh, your love life is sizzling! Lavender: Yes, indeed, she is right. Parvati: Lucky to be you this month. Lavender: Yeah, it’s better than being crushed.

Virgo *swish*

Parvati: Speaking of crush, so I told Padma I had a crush on this guy and she’s supposed to go see if he likes me. Lavender: Good luck with that. Parvati: Yeah… I’m afraid he isn’t going to like me. He seems pretty picky. Lavender: What’s his name? (Parvati whispers into her ear after looking at the crowd) Lavender: *Snorts* Yeah. He shouldn’t be picky or he’s going to be single forever.

A hairbrush

Parvati: You’re Rapunzel! Lavender: You’re so wrapped up in your looks, that time will pass you by this month. Parvati: Ick. Lavender: Do yourself a favor. Put the hairbrush down and go meet some people! Parvati: ‘Cause there’s only so much you can do all by yourself.

Libra

*swish*

Parvati: Speaking of hair, I’d like to get my done before Valentine’s Day. Lavender: You think we’re obsessing over this a little too much? *beat* Parvati and Lavender: Nope. Lavender: Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…

A song

Parvati: Awwww!!! Someone will serenade you with a song!!! Lavender: That’s so romantic!!!! Parvati: You lucky Libra, you!!! Lavender: So not fair!!!

Scorpio *swish*

Parvati: Ugh why can’t that be me? Lavender: Probably because you clam up when a guy comes along. Parvati: Hush. Lavender: Hey, you asked. Parvati: Do you think any of our classes will throw a party? Lavender: I sure hope so. It’s…

A duck

Lavender: Oh no, it’s a terrible omen! Parvati: OH NO!! Lavender: The duck is the Ugly Duckling omen. You’ve been cursed! Parvati: Poor Scorpio! Lavender: Don’t look at any mirrors. It will ONLY make it worse.

Sagittarius *swish*

Parvati: I should go get sage and clear the air from that awful omen. Lavender: That’s a good idea. Go get it. It’s…

A car

Lavender: You’re going places this month! Parvati: Pretty fast, too! That’s a fast car! Lavender: A flying car! Parvati: You’re pulling all the stops out apparently.

Capricorn *swish*

Lavender: I don’t know how those muggles travel in cars that don’t fly. Parvati: I don’t know why we just don’t use brooms. Lavender: Because there’s floo powder and apparating and they’re so much quicker. Parvati: Oh, yeah! True. Lavender: AND because you CAN’T fly on a broom. Parvati: Neither can you! It’s...

A rake

Lavender: You’re sweeping up your bad energy this month! Parvati: Sweep it all goodbye! Lavender: Maybe that will get you ready for something great in March. Parvati: You’ll just have to see!

Aquarius *swish*

Parvati: Almost done, almost done! Lavender: I know you love doing this. Parvati: I REALLY love it.  Lavender: Even though I do all of the predicting. Parvati: HEY! That’s because you won’t shut up! It’s…

A snake

Parvati: Oh, dear. Lavender: Something’s gonna come to bite you this month, Aquarius, so watch your back! Parvati: What did you do to deserve that? You need to be more careful! Lavender: That’s true. Very true. Don’t do something that can bite you later.

Pisces *swish*

Lavender: I’m getting too old for doing these. I should be using my Inner Eye for more important things. Parvati: I’M the one with the Inner Eye! That’s why you do all these stupid readings! Lavender: Stupid? Why I oughta- Parvati: It’s…

Diamonds

Lavender and Parvati: Oooooh….. Lavender: The Valentine’s Day trifecta. Parvati: Trifecta? Lavender: Yeah, it means… …. …. Never mind. Parvati: ... Lavender: You’re gonna have a GREAT Valentine’s Day, Pisces. The BEST of EVERYONE. You’re getting…. Parvati: DIAMONDS! Lavender: Yes diamonds, you lucky sign, you.

Lavender: Well, that’s it! Parvati: I can’t wait to see you next time! Where I will make all the predictions! Lavender: As if I’ll ever let you do that. Parvati: Why do you always have to be so mean? Lavender: Anyways…. Good bye!