Quidditch Round 1

1. What was Harry dreaming about the first time he woke up with his scar on fire?
a. Voldemort and Wormtail plotting to kill Dumbledore
b. Voldemort and Wormtail plotting to kill him
c. Voldemort and Wormtail plotting to kill Sirius
d. Voldemort and Wormtail plotting to kill Cornelius Fudge

2. What is the problem with leprechaun gold?
a. It vanishes after a few hours
b. It vanishes after a few weeks
c. It's only good in Ireland
d. It enchants you and makes you forget everything else

3. Why did Mad-Eye Moody turn Malfoy into a ferret?
a. Malfoy had said something rude about Mad-Eye
b. He was teaching him 'constant vigilance'
c. Malfoy attacked Harry when Harry's back was turned
d. He hated Malfoy's father

4. Sirius warns Harry to be careful around Karkaroff because he had been a Death Eater. Which one of the professors at Hogwarts, who also used to be a Death Eater, is frequently bothered by Karkaroff?
Snape

5. Voldemort could have used the blood from any foe to make the potion that revived him work, but he held out for Harry's blood. Why?
a. To show that Dumbledore could not protect Harry
b. To prove that Harry could not apparate
c. The special protection Harry received from his mother would also pass to Voldemort
d. Simply because he hated Harry that much

6. How old would Frank have been on his next birthday?
a. 76
b. 73
c. 70
d. 77

7. Amos Diggory works for?
a. The Department of Mysteries
b. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures
c. The Goblin Liaison Office
d. The Committee of Experimental Charms

8. Who shared a carriage with the three friends on the way from the train to Hogwarts?
Answer:Neville

9. What date in October did the delegates from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang arrive?
a. 30th
b. 31st
c. 1st
d. 2nd

10. What color were Percy's dress robes at the Yule Ball?
a. Navy Blue
b. Maroon
c. Emerald Green
d. Claret


Picture Scavenger Hunt
Please either post the pictures to your blog or link to where the pictures can be found.

Mr. Ollivander
Mad-Eye Moody
Cedric
World Cup Tournament
Dark Mark

Back from Hogsmeade

I'm back from Hogsmeade and I must say I'm a bit relieved! Not much goes on in that town, but what does go on is a bit bizarre. I guess that's why it's offlimits until 3rd year so we're a little more prepared for the strange sightings!

Stewart swore me to secrecy so I can't tell how we got there, but I will say that there are several ways to get there from Hogwart's, you just need to know the right people! If the headmistress or the teachers find out I ventured in to Hogwart's as a first year I'm bound to be expelled and Stewart too!

Honeydukes Sweetshop was by far my favorite shop. There were shelves and shelves of the most magnificent candy and their homemade fudge is to die for! We had a nice lunch and a delightful herbal tea at Madam Puddifoots tea shop. I thought the place was rather quaint, but Stewart seemed bored out of his mind. He was much more interested in visiting Zonko's Joke Shop. He purchased some Dungbombs so I'd be on the lookout around Hogwart's if I was you. He said they were for a "friend", but you never know. I swear I think he's part Weasley!

I tried butterbeer....Madam Rosmerta swears there is no alcohol in it. All the boys love to go to The Three Broomsticks and sit and stare at Madam Rosmerta. She is a pretty woman, but on a date it's enough to give a girl a complex.

Well I've got to get a good night sleep tonight. Tomorrow's the first big Quidditch match and I plan on helping the Hufflepuff House to become VICTORIOUS!

My Patronus

Stewart said that if we are going to sneak away to Hogsmeade that I need to learn the Patronus Charm, just in case...

I practiced today and was so surprise to see a beautiful eagle emerge. I thought for sure I'd be a badger.

What's your Patronus?

Head Girl

This semester is becoming much more than I expected. There was a notice on the Common Room bulletin board about needing a Hufflepuff Head Girl. I inquired and the duties seemed like ones I'd be able to handle so I said I would do it. Our Prefect and the Headmistress accepted my offer. So I'm now the Hufflepuff Headgirl. I think I have my cheerleading costume around here somewhere. I'm going to go dig that out of my trunk. We've got another quiz due this week and it looks like my housemates could use some encouragement. We're number one right now in House Cup points and I want us to stay on top!

Other exciting news. I received an OWL from Stewart today. It seems that he is planning to go to Hogsmeade this weekend and has invited me to go with. I'm really excited, and nervous at the same time. It will be a great time I'm sure. Hogsmeade is a great city with plenty of things to see and do. Stewart is a great friend. He's really helped me to feel at home here at Hogwarts.

Hufflepuff House Quiz - Week #2

1. What does Mrs. Weasley do when she is angry? She becomes very overbearing and loud!
2. Who picks up Harry for his visit to the Burrow? Fred, George, Mr. Weasley and Ron
3. What did Moody give Neville? A book where Neville discovered gillyweed.
4. When is Hermione’s Birthday? 19 Sept 1979
5. Who does Snape have pickling rats brains for detention? Ron and Harry
6. Are Dobby and Winky at Hogwarts at the beginning of term? No, when Harry's sees Dobby for the first time he tells Harry that they've only been there for a week.
7. Where do Harry, Ron and Hermione pick up sock for Dobby? Gladrags Wizardwear in Hogsmeade.
8. Who helps Harry figure out the egg? Cedric and Moaning Myrtle
9. Where does Harry have his first meeting with Sirius? By the fire in Gryffindor Tower's Common room
10. Who interrupts the above mentioned meeting with Sirius? Ron

Wizarding Tutor

For those of you who need a little extra help fitting in to the wizarding world (as I do), you might enjoy a couple of sessions with the Wizarding Tutor. The tutor is located at the bottom of this page. Good luck.

Busy Week

This first week of classes sure has been interesting. I've made lots of new friends, a potential love interest, taken a quiz, learned a few spells and potions and best of all learned to ride a broomstick.

The broomstick lesson Stewart gave me really helped a lot. It gave me the confidence to just do it. It's all in the voice.

The Hufflepuff Common room has been really quiet, not much goes on in there so it's a great place to get out of my room to study and knit. I've seen a few games of Gobstones and Exploding Snap going on around Hogwarts. I think I'm going to take a walk to see if I can find Stewart and his friends. They may be interested in playing a few rounds of Gobstones!

Major Distraction

As if I wasn't having a hard enough time in Potions class, Snape paired me up with a 4th year named Stewart Trelawney. We shared a cauldron with a couple of his Ravenclaw housemates. I was the only Hufflepuff. I think Stewart likes me. He invited me to come with him after school today to practice on the broomstick. I really should go study but I found myself saying yes.

There's something about this guy, I can't put my finger on it. It might be his fascination with Muggle transportation. He says he has a 79' Volkswagon Beetle at home. He showed me pictures, they were really nice. It's red! He also loves airplanes. He doesn't know if wants to live in the Muggle world or the Wizard world yet. His mother is a Muggle and his father is 1/2 Muggle. They let him decided about coming to Hogwart's and he chose to, but now is rethinking things. With only two years to go, I hope he sticks with it. I'd hate to see him go (especially because he is so cute).

Hufflepuff House Quiz - Week 1

1. How many members of Dumbledore’s Army are from Hufflepuff house? 5

2. Which famous member of Hufflepuff is related to Sirius Black? Bonus points for tell me how. Nymphadora Tonks is related to Sirius Black. They are second cousins. Sirius and Nymphadora’s mother (Andromeda) were first cousins.

3. What is the name of the Hufflepuff house member sorted before Harry in PS? Justin Finch-Fletchley

4. Who shared a recipe for Yule Logs? Helga Lovegood

5. List the 3 Hufflepuffs that have listed in their blogs about their wands and what wood they are made of? Cliodna Trelawney - maple, Bella the Beautiful - apple, Antonia Marie dela Weasley – mahogany

6. Who was locked out after forgetting the password? Petunia Acromantula

Tough Day in Potions

Today was the first day of classes and I must say, it is a lot more difficult than I anticipated. Potions is extremely challenging. That is where I'm going to need to focus my attention. The right blend of ingredients, in the correct proportions. This stuff is tricky. I'm hoping someone will be able to tutor me. Professor Snape definitely favors the Slytherin students, so the rest of us have to work very hard for good marks. I could feel him glaring at me when I accidently bumped in to the supply cart. I thought for sure he was going to deduct house points. Luckily nothing was broken or wasted. WHEW! Potions practice is on my agenda for the rest of the day!

I still haven't been able to catch up with any of my fellow Hufflepuff students in the Great Hall or the Common Room. They sure are an elusive bunch. I guess since we are such a small group and the Hufflepuff House is so large there is plenty of space for everyone to claim his/her own territory.

Quidditch will be starting soon so at some point I'm going to need some broomstick lessons. I'm hoping to be able to get Madam Hooch to give me some private lessons. First years aren't allowed to bring brooms to Hogwarts so I'll need to borrow one from the school's supply room. With permission of course.

My secret pal is a Ravenclaw! I didn't realize before I came to Hogwarts that there is a lot of debate over the Ravenclaw colors recently. Some students prefer blue with bronze and others blue with gold. The students are allowed to choose which color combination they prefer which I think is a wonderful idea. I'm not going to say which combination my Ravenclaw prefers because that might just give too much away!

Well, it's back to the books for me.

Big Day Tomorrow

Well, classes start tomorrow and Hufflepuff is getting started on the right foot. We are currently leading in points for the House Cup! Way to go Hufflepuff!

It is very quiet here at Hufflepuff. I hope things get a little more active once classes start. It gets pretty lonely wandering the halls by myself, not to mention scary...that Filch gives me the creeps.

I'm going to call it a night. I'm going to hang out in my room and read a few chapter of Hogwarts a History.

Hufflepuff Reporting for Classes

Well I made it to Hogwarts with no trouble. I'm really excited to meet some of my fellow Hufflepuff's. Our common room was deserted when I first arrived. I decided to unpack and then get some practice with my wand. I'm not very skilled in the wand department. I'm going to need a lot of practice. It's a beautiful day, so I'm going to take a walk and work on my technique.

Mr. Ollivander said that the perfect wand for me was made from Apple!

Wood type: apple Length: 11½ inches Core: Kelpie Hair get your own wand!

I can't imagine that anyone still needs a wand, but if you do I highly recommend Mr. Ollivander's shop. Very personal and speedy service.

Heading to Hogwarts

Apparently there was a error on the invitation and classes actually start next week! I'm all packed and ready to go. I should arrive at Hogwarts in the morning. I'm so looking forward to meeting my Hufflepuff housemates. I won't have as much time to explore and get acquainted as I'd hoped, but I'm definitely ready to get started.

Off I go!

Busy Day for Owls

Last night I was sitting in my living room knitting a pair of socks and I kept hearing a faint tapping sound. I thought maybe it was a tree limb brushing up against the roof so I ignored it. About 2 hours later I could still hear this sound and it was really starting to bother me, you know, like nails on a chalkboard.

About that time my father came in to the room and exclaimed, "Bella, are you going to let that poor owl stay out there all night?" "Let the poor thing in so we can see what she brought for us?!".

I turned around and right behind me at the window was a beautiful tawny! Don't get me wrong, I think Snowy is the most beautiful owl I've ever seen, but this tawny was special. She was delivering the identify of my Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap pal. I hurriedly paid her 5 knuts and then just held the parchment in my hand, I was afraid to look. I've been waiting for this for weeks and here it was and I couldn't open it.

Finally, my father took the parchment from my hand and read the letter to me...

"Hello! The time has come!!! Are you excited to find out who your partner is??? Well, without further ado . . . "

Signed,
Ms. Winifred Wartbobble
HSKS4 Headmistress

So there it was, my secret pal (the one I get to spoil). The next few hours were spent getting to know my secret pal by reading her online blog and her profile on Ravelry. I have a lot of ideas. I jotted a quick note and off Snowy went, on her first mission...to deliver my introductory letter to my HSKS4 secret pal.

I just know this is going to be a great semester. This was quickly confirmed by another knocking owl, this one was from MY secret pal. WoW! I have a secret pal. Someone is going to spoil me.

I don't know how much we are supposed to say right now, so I'm just going to say that I am very excited about this day and these owls!

My father has promised me a return visit to Diagon Alley this weekend to do some secret pal shopping!

The List

Well, we got a lot accomplished at Diagon Alley yesterday. We managed to find almost all of my school supplies with the exception of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection"by Quentin Trimble. Flourish & Blotts says they just can't seem to keep them in stock these past few years. I guess I'll have to use the library's copy or share with my housemates.

I bought a new cage for Snowy, my owl at Eeylops Owl Emporium. Snowy was a gift from my father when I received my invitation to Hogwarts. I think my favorite part of the day was our visit to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Mr. Florean and dad talked for almost TWO hours. I didn't mind though, Mr. Florean makes a great ice cream sundae!

I had a chance to do some window shopping while we were waiting for Madam Malkin to finish my new robes, complete with name tags I might add! This secret pal package has me so excited. I can't wait to get started shopping for some special items for my pal like nice yarn for socks, knitting needles and stitch markers. I wonder what house she's in? Oooh, I hope she knits! I enjoy knitting so much I just assume everyone does!

I hope there is a nice big comfy chair in our common room! I hope there's a fireplace! I'm sure there's got to be a fireplace right? I can just picture myself and all my housemates sitting around the fire, in big comfy chairs knitting and talking about our day. It will be so nice to have girls my own age to talk to!

I plan to leave for Hogwarts on Monday! That will give me plenty of time to get unpacked, meet my housemates and maybe do some exploring around the school before classes begin on the 21st.

Anticipation

Wow! I can't believe I finally made it to Hogwart's. It seems like I've been wanting this for so long. Is that possible? I mean every first year starts at the same age, but it just seems like I should have been here before now...I was ready before, but I'm even more ready now!

I'm excited to be in the house of Hufflepuff! I know we will be victorious this year! I can just feel it.

I'm can't wait for classes to begin on the 21st. My father and I are visiting Diagon Alley today to do some preliminary shopping, you know "the list". All first years have "the list".

I'm especially excited that this year at Hogwart's they've decided to let the Houses get to know each other a little better. We're all being assigned a secret pal from another house and we will be creating very special packages for that special witch or wizard which will be delivered by Owl sometime in April.

I must admit I am nervous about playing Quidditch! I don't have much practice on a broomstick, but I'm willing to give it a try.

Well that's it for today, it's time to visit Diagon Alley. I hope to find everything on my list there!