(Who's Ravenclaws house leader? I know Gryffindors' is Prof. McGonagall
Who's Ravenclaw's?)
A Year in the Life of the Ravenclaw House
Chapter 1: "Anger Management"
The next day started with an amusing Charms period with involved Professor Flitwick almost falling over his booster box when he first addressed the class and a review of what they learned from the 4th year. But he didn't fail to warn about the dire consequences if you take the OWLs absent- mindedly in which Chandler and Chrysant can be quoted in two different occasions during the day saying, 'Whatever!'
But the light, playful tone was bout to be crushed by a period of Defense against the Dark Arts. While the walk from Flitwick's class to the usual venue for Defense against the Dark Arts, most of the students didn't care who thought them this lesson after the short reigns of Quirell, Lockhart, Lupin, and Moody before this Umbridge woman that's apparently "sent from the Ministry of Magic". All they hope is that the subject would return to the calculated left-of-center approach of Professor Lupin...oh how wrong they were...
After they filled the room with the other group of students from the Hufflepuff and sat down on their seats Professor Umbridge said, 'Good afternoon students!'
'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge,' replied the class in near- unison.
'Much better reply then I got yesterday from those Gryffindor kids,' commented Professor Umbridge which actually peppered the day for some in the room that are more academically-inclined like Emily but even she was shocked of what Umbridge wanted from them afterwards, 'Wands away, please.'
At the back row...
'What did she say?' asked Chandler to Thom not believing his ears.
'"Wands away, please",' replied Thom in a flat tone.
'New teacher, new methods I guess,' said Chandler reluctantly putting away his wand but willing to play along...just to she what she has planned.
2 rows in front of them...
'No wand defense, this should be interesting' said Emily getting exited.
'Yeah, like a day in my uncle's house, for the record, he's very dull', commented Chrysant.
'Now we won't know that now would we?' challenged Sarah.
'Sorry, I'm used to dishing out the witty comments to not attempt one.'
'Now that was actually good,' approved Emily.
'Yeah, it was,' concurred Sarah who suddenly became suspicious, 'Did you set up for that one?'
'...yes I did!'
[======]
'Hey, looks like it won't be that interesting after all...just read the board an you'll know what I mean,' said Sarah.
It read...
"Defense against the Dark Arts, a Return to Basic Principals"
Professor Umbridge recited the next few words like it was rehearsed about a hundred times, 'The teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?' she paused a few seconds to observe the class and continued talking, 'The constant changing in teachers, many of whom I pointed out do not seem to follow any Ministry-approved curriculum that will sink you when you're taking you OWLs at the end of the year.'
But to you will be happy to know that these problems have been rectified, for the next months to come you'll be experiencing a more focused, theory-central, and Ministry-approved course of defensive magic. Now please copy the board now.
The board erased the prior message and was replaced with...
1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic 2. Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used. 3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context of practical use
After everybody had copied the course aim, Professor Umbridge said, 'Does everyone have a copy of "Defensive Magical Theory" by Wilbert Slinkhard?'
In unison the class mumbled, 'Yes, Professor Umbridge'
'Now, turn to page 5 and read the first chapter in its entirety', then Professor Umbridge sat down in her chair and observed the class reading the tedious chapter.
Then Emily who seemed uncharacteristically restless during the reading put up her hand way up in high hopes of getting Professor Umbridge's attention. After a good 10 minutes of letting Emily just hang there, Professor Umbridge finally can't take the annoyance any longer and finally responded.
'Do you have a question, Ms...?'
'Waltham, Emily Waltham. Yes, I do have a question' said Emily as the whole class was somewhat woken up by this occurrence, 'In what point will you teach us or let us practice these theories?'
'Well the Defense against the Dark Arts OWL examination does not include a practical examination, now does it? I think you'll be better off knowing the theory rather than have some misguided and ineffective practical session,' answered Professor Umbridge in a, patronizing tone.
'But what's the point in learning...'
'I didn't say that you could ask another question now did I?' triumphed Professor Umbridge.
'No you didn't,' said Emily defeated and she quickly buried her head in the books again even though she had read it twice over during the summer.
After Emily was shut down, Chrysant stood up and exclaimed, 'How rude of you! I mean she was about to ask a reasonable question when you so inappropriately stopped her!'
'One more outburst like that would cost you detention and 10 points from your house, what's your name, miss?' Professor Umbridge said with a painfully sweet voice that aggravated Chrysant.
'Chrysant Cavanaugh.'
'Consider yourself warned, Ms. Cavanaugh.'
'What do you mean...' yelled Chrysant but she was interrupted...
Sarah clutched her wrist and whispered, 'Don't do it, Chrysant. Don't let "The Lockhart Incident" happen again, please.'
'10 points from Ravenclaw. Now sit down, Ms. Cavanaugh.' ordered Professor Umbridge firmly.
'...', Chrysant gritted her teeth and grudgingly sat back down, 'Yes, Professor. '
'Now, continue reading class.'
2 rows back...
'Wow, your sister almost lost the plot again, Chandler,' whispered Thom thirteen minutes after Chrysant's defiant interruption.
'Yeah, I guess that trip to Bali didn't do anything for her anger problems...'
[=====]
'Never let that happen again, OK,' advised Sarah outside the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom, 'Next time try and count to ten and if it's not enough count to one-hundred, I actually saw you transform quite a little bit.'
'You did huh?' said a newly calm Chrysant.
'Yes, I did, I actually did.' chuckled Sarah seeing a friendlier Chrysant.
And in a weird sense of humor that can only be nurtured within a tight circle of caring friends Chrysant also chuckled a bit and said, 'I think I'm actually gonna remember to do that counting thing you told me, a muggle method?'
'Yeah, mum uses it all the time every time he reads my dad's name in the tabloids...'
Then Emily stormed out of the classroom looking very pissed and pacing around Chrysant and Sarah who were confused at Emily's behavior and was made even more confused by the word Emily screamed next...
'Fuck!!! Arrgh...1, 2, 3, 4...10' then she pants...
'Well at least you remembered to count...' Chrysant back to her wise- cracking antics.
'Oh, look who's talking...' retorted Emily.
'Ok, that's a little bit close to home, Emily.' said Sarah signaling with her eyes that were moving to Chrysant.
'Sorry...I'm sorry...'
'What happened?' asked Chrysant who put on a more sympathetic face.
'That...foul...'
'Ok let's talk somewhere else but here, Emily' advised Sarah.
After they walked for a while they arrived to the Great Hall which was already packed with students and was perfect for a conversation that involved the potential insult of a teacher -a patronizing, demeaning teacher but a teacher nonetheless.
'She said that I was never gonna be an Auror!' exclaimed Emily after she stuffed a spoonful of mashed potatoes down her throat.
'Ok, you lost us there,' stopped Chrysant.
'How did you questioning the course plan led into, "You're never gonna be an Auror"' asked Sarah who only ate half of what was on her plate like usual.
'...' Emily thinks for a while, obviously very confused on which part of Professor Umbridge's offending speech...'umm...umm...'
'Take your time,' comforted Emily.
'Ok...first she said that it wasn't polite that I interrupted the class when it was obvious that she was gonna teach us stuff we've learned in the first year and it was obvious I was addressing it the most polite way possible and...pants'
'Breathe, Em, Breathe,' interrupted Emily.
Emily took the time to breathe...then continued her raving, 'umm...so then I asked, if I wanted to be an Auror, wouldn't I need practical practice of the defensive spells needed of the practice of being an Auror...'
After Emily was about to hyperventilate, Sarah halted her, 'Ok stop right there, you just repeated the word "practice" about 3 times in one sentence and not all of them was even used correctly. So we get it.'
'Umbridge's a bitch! A downright no good...'
'Not so loud, Chrysant! I agree but not so loud ok,' said Emily. 'I feel much better anyways,' then Emily eats her mashed potatoes in relief after letting go so much, an experience the reclusive and introverted Emily is not used too...
After a while they moved on to the next lesson putting their first Defense against the Dark Arts lesson with Professor Umbridge behind them...knowing they'll have to face her in a bi-weekly basis...
To be continued...
If anybody has crucial Ravenclaw or Hogwarts facts and anecdotes to tell, please send them to , I really don't wanna forget to include a big, obvious bit about the world that J.K. built, your help would really be appreciated!
A Year in the Life of the Ravenclaw House
Chapter 1: "Anger Management"
The next day started with an amusing Charms period with involved Professor Flitwick almost falling over his booster box when he first addressed the class and a review of what they learned from the 4th year. But he didn't fail to warn about the dire consequences if you take the OWLs absent- mindedly in which Chandler and Chrysant can be quoted in two different occasions during the day saying, 'Whatever!'
But the light, playful tone was bout to be crushed by a period of Defense against the Dark Arts. While the walk from Flitwick's class to the usual venue for Defense against the Dark Arts, most of the students didn't care who thought them this lesson after the short reigns of Quirell, Lockhart, Lupin, and Moody before this Umbridge woman that's apparently "sent from the Ministry of Magic". All they hope is that the subject would return to the calculated left-of-center approach of Professor Lupin...oh how wrong they were...
After they filled the room with the other group of students from the Hufflepuff and sat down on their seats Professor Umbridge said, 'Good afternoon students!'
'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge,' replied the class in near- unison.
'Much better reply then I got yesterday from those Gryffindor kids,' commented Professor Umbridge which actually peppered the day for some in the room that are more academically-inclined like Emily but even she was shocked of what Umbridge wanted from them afterwards, 'Wands away, please.'
At the back row...
'What did she say?' asked Chandler to Thom not believing his ears.
'"Wands away, please",' replied Thom in a flat tone.
'New teacher, new methods I guess,' said Chandler reluctantly putting away his wand but willing to play along...just to she what she has planned.
2 rows in front of them...
'No wand defense, this should be interesting' said Emily getting exited.
'Yeah, like a day in my uncle's house, for the record, he's very dull', commented Chrysant.
'Now we won't know that now would we?' challenged Sarah.
'Sorry, I'm used to dishing out the witty comments to not attempt one.'
'Now that was actually good,' approved Emily.
'Yeah, it was,' concurred Sarah who suddenly became suspicious, 'Did you set up for that one?'
'...yes I did!'
[======]
'Hey, looks like it won't be that interesting after all...just read the board an you'll know what I mean,' said Sarah.
It read...
"Defense against the Dark Arts, a Return to Basic Principals"
Professor Umbridge recited the next few words like it was rehearsed about a hundred times, 'The teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?' she paused a few seconds to observe the class and continued talking, 'The constant changing in teachers, many of whom I pointed out do not seem to follow any Ministry-approved curriculum that will sink you when you're taking you OWLs at the end of the year.'
But to you will be happy to know that these problems have been rectified, for the next months to come you'll be experiencing a more focused, theory-central, and Ministry-approved course of defensive magic. Now please copy the board now.
The board erased the prior message and was replaced with...
1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic 2. Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used. 3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context of practical use
After everybody had copied the course aim, Professor Umbridge said, 'Does everyone have a copy of "Defensive Magical Theory" by Wilbert Slinkhard?'
In unison the class mumbled, 'Yes, Professor Umbridge'
'Now, turn to page 5 and read the first chapter in its entirety', then Professor Umbridge sat down in her chair and observed the class reading the tedious chapter.
Then Emily who seemed uncharacteristically restless during the reading put up her hand way up in high hopes of getting Professor Umbridge's attention. After a good 10 minutes of letting Emily just hang there, Professor Umbridge finally can't take the annoyance any longer and finally responded.
'Do you have a question, Ms...?'
'Waltham, Emily Waltham. Yes, I do have a question' said Emily as the whole class was somewhat woken up by this occurrence, 'In what point will you teach us or let us practice these theories?'
'Well the Defense against the Dark Arts OWL examination does not include a practical examination, now does it? I think you'll be better off knowing the theory rather than have some misguided and ineffective practical session,' answered Professor Umbridge in a, patronizing tone.
'But what's the point in learning...'
'I didn't say that you could ask another question now did I?' triumphed Professor Umbridge.
'No you didn't,' said Emily defeated and she quickly buried her head in the books again even though she had read it twice over during the summer.
After Emily was shut down, Chrysant stood up and exclaimed, 'How rude of you! I mean she was about to ask a reasonable question when you so inappropriately stopped her!'
'One more outburst like that would cost you detention and 10 points from your house, what's your name, miss?' Professor Umbridge said with a painfully sweet voice that aggravated Chrysant.
'Chrysant Cavanaugh.'
'Consider yourself warned, Ms. Cavanaugh.'
'What do you mean...' yelled Chrysant but she was interrupted...
Sarah clutched her wrist and whispered, 'Don't do it, Chrysant. Don't let "The Lockhart Incident" happen again, please.'
'10 points from Ravenclaw. Now sit down, Ms. Cavanaugh.' ordered Professor Umbridge firmly.
'...', Chrysant gritted her teeth and grudgingly sat back down, 'Yes, Professor. '
'Now, continue reading class.'
2 rows back...
'Wow, your sister almost lost the plot again, Chandler,' whispered Thom thirteen minutes after Chrysant's defiant interruption.
'Yeah, I guess that trip to Bali didn't do anything for her anger problems...'
[=====]
'Never let that happen again, OK,' advised Sarah outside the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom, 'Next time try and count to ten and if it's not enough count to one-hundred, I actually saw you transform quite a little bit.'
'You did huh?' said a newly calm Chrysant.
'Yes, I did, I actually did.' chuckled Sarah seeing a friendlier Chrysant.
And in a weird sense of humor that can only be nurtured within a tight circle of caring friends Chrysant also chuckled a bit and said, 'I think I'm actually gonna remember to do that counting thing you told me, a muggle method?'
'Yeah, mum uses it all the time every time he reads my dad's name in the tabloids...'
Then Emily stormed out of the classroom looking very pissed and pacing around Chrysant and Sarah who were confused at Emily's behavior and was made even more confused by the word Emily screamed next...
'Fuck!!! Arrgh...1, 2, 3, 4...10' then she pants...
'Well at least you remembered to count...' Chrysant back to her wise- cracking antics.
'Oh, look who's talking...' retorted Emily.
'Ok, that's a little bit close to home, Emily.' said Sarah signaling with her eyes that were moving to Chrysant.
'Sorry...I'm sorry...'
'What happened?' asked Chrysant who put on a more sympathetic face.
'That...foul...'
'Ok let's talk somewhere else but here, Emily' advised Sarah.
After they walked for a while they arrived to the Great Hall which was already packed with students and was perfect for a conversation that involved the potential insult of a teacher -a patronizing, demeaning teacher but a teacher nonetheless.
'She said that I was never gonna be an Auror!' exclaimed Emily after she stuffed a spoonful of mashed potatoes down her throat.
'Ok, you lost us there,' stopped Chrysant.
'How did you questioning the course plan led into, "You're never gonna be an Auror"' asked Sarah who only ate half of what was on her plate like usual.
'...' Emily thinks for a while, obviously very confused on which part of Professor Umbridge's offending speech...'umm...umm...'
'Take your time,' comforted Emily.
'Ok...first she said that it wasn't polite that I interrupted the class when it was obvious that she was gonna teach us stuff we've learned in the first year and it was obvious I was addressing it the most polite way possible and...pants'
'Breathe, Em, Breathe,' interrupted Emily.
Emily took the time to breathe...then continued her raving, 'umm...so then I asked, if I wanted to be an Auror, wouldn't I need practical practice of the defensive spells needed of the practice of being an Auror...'
After Emily was about to hyperventilate, Sarah halted her, 'Ok stop right there, you just repeated the word "practice" about 3 times in one sentence and not all of them was even used correctly. So we get it.'
'Umbridge's a bitch! A downright no good...'
'Not so loud, Chrysant! I agree but not so loud ok,' said Emily. 'I feel much better anyways,' then Emily eats her mashed potatoes in relief after letting go so much, an experience the reclusive and introverted Emily is not used too...
After a while they moved on to the next lesson putting their first Defense against the Dark Arts lesson with Professor Umbridge behind them...knowing they'll have to face her in a bi-weekly basis...
To be continued...
If anybody has crucial Ravenclaw or Hogwarts facts and anecdotes to tell, please send them to , I really don't wanna forget to include a big, obvious bit about the world that J.K. built, your help would really be appreciated!