Wizarding Times
June/July 2004



Orders of Helga
Hufflepuff Reflections
Through Lion's Eyes
Through Eagle Eyes
Through Snake Eyes
My Roman Holiday - The Spanish Steps
Interview with an Editor
Real Muggle Magic?
Carnival Fun!
Fashion Horoscopes
One Year On
Hufflepuff Philosophy
About Us

Wizarding Times

Through Lion's Eyes....

by Jessie Barren

It's that time of the year again, when the finals begin looming around the corner and students begin dozing off at study tables, when Gryffindor rears up for the nomination of its traditional fun awards, and when secretive plans are laid and hatched for the upcoming summer-breaks. It's time for the session to end... it's the end of the school year.

HOL School year 2003-04 was a whirlwind of a year for Gryffindor House. There were a lot of changes, activities, ups and downs, friendship and fun for all, and it was a great period, a fulfilling time. First year Tawny Tonks agrees: "I made a lot of great friends and had a lot of fun... I love being in Gryffindor!"

There were quite a few administrative changes including house appointments and resignations. Professor Crystal Blue resigned from the Head of House position and was succeeded by her deputy Professor Portsea S. Black. Prefect in Charge Rob Black became Professor Black and the Deputy Head of Gryffindor House. Prefect in Charge Margaraeta Kexholm ascended to Prefect Emeritus status and accepted the noble Emeritus hat, while Moiraine Lee was recently made the Prefect in Charge. Professor Makila and Professor Angela Amaunet joined the house and still oversee the nightly butterbeer bashes.

This year in Gryffindor the horde of house activities saw relatively better mass participation than before. Besides the Prefect Den Challenges, there were the Snow Wars during winter and the Egg Hunt for Easter, in which the Crimson Den and the Scarlet Den won respectively. Humfrey B., the house boggart, who had been hibernating, made a stupendous comeback during the hunt and the Anti-Humfrey Society was immediately formed.

The Gryffindor Common Room also underwent a lot of changes for the better. The Obnoxious Vegetables Garden returned bigger than ever, swarming over the entire place. Gryffmart, the common room store, and Gryffingotts, the bank, were built. Manes came into circulation and the students turned rich overnight. On the other hand, the dorms were condemned due to massive doxy infestations, structural difficulties and further reasons known only to the house Aurors. Work is in progress to replace the present dorms with a better place equipped with dueling arenas, games and shops.

Gryffindor won the shiny Quidditch Cup again; and the stomp syndrome is still prevalent in the common room corridors as much as amidst the diligent Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Tonks believes that winning the Quidditch Cup was the biggest success of the house in the year since it showed how dedicated and hardworking the Gryffindor Quidditch Team is. Her fondest memories of the school year as a Gryffindor include her prefect den's victory in the Snow Wars, and she hopes that Gryffindor wins both the House and the Quidditch Cup in the coming year.

For first year Arianna Diamith, it was her "first real year as a student" and a rewarding experience. She believes that amongst Gryffindor's biggest feats, the students have learnt to work together more, and although there were the inevitable downs, the year was full of great memories. She thanks "everyone who has helped make [her] year so great" and hopes to have an "active, friendly house that's a lot of fun" in the future.