MAY 2012


| Reader Response…
…what readers said about last month's magazine

| Favourable…

"Why does Rita Skeeter even write any more? Thanks for pointing out her flawed writing. I hope that will keep people from believing everything she says."

"I'll definitely be there at Neither Can Live While the Other Survives. I lost a daughter and a son-in-law in that battle, and I'm hoping that maybe, just like you, Dennis, these memories can heal."

| And unfavourable…

"Discovering Diagon Alley last month was, I must admit, a trite disappointing. The humor and easygoing personality at the start of this column is nearly gone now, and the shops featured are getting more and more ordinary."

| Most provoking…

"Neither Can Live While the Other Survives" racked in 40.6% of response.

| Oops…

In last month's "The Month in Quidditch," we said that the final score was Harpies: 210, Arrows: 140. The actual score was Harpies: 210, Arrows: 160.


Best of Entertainment Reviews

Literature:

The aftermath of WWII is immortalized in Scarred Wounds, a collaboration between award-winning author Lily Moon and acclaimed photographer Oliver Rivers. Moon masterfully sculpts words into poetic portraits while Rivers captures a depth of emotions in his accompanying photographs.

Art:

Neither Can Live While the Other Survives was packed full on opening day, and plans to have another busy week at the Museum of Magical History in London later this month. The exhibition features ten rooms of memorabilia, photographs, and war-inspired artwork. The gift shop at the end includes coins similar to the ones belonging to members of Dumbledore's Army and miniatures of photos and art.


The Firebolt 2.0

This new and improved Firebolt will have Quidditch players drooling all over its diamond-hard ash handle. New features include:
*acceleration of 150mph in seven seconds, 30% faster than before
*super sensitive steering charms
*perfect balance hand-tuned by a professional, and guaranteed to last at least three years
*slim, aerodynamic birch tail twigs shaped for speed
*automatic Braking Charm

Get yours today at Quality Quidditch Supplies, Diagon Alley, North Side.


The Month in Quidditch

The Highlights

Puddlemere United and the Holyhead Harpies battled it out from noon on May 27th to early morning on May 28th. The Harpies came out victorious, with 240 points to Puddlemere's 80. All players, including those on the reserve team, were immediately sent to St. Mungo's following the match for over exhaustion.

Benjy Williams, Captain and Seeker of Puddlemere United, will be replaced by Oliver Wood, Keeper, when the former retires at the end of this season. Williams has played for Puddlemere United for twenty years, captaining the team for eight.

The final results are in! Teams indicated in bold in the standings below will be playing in the playoffs in June. The playoffs schedule is also below. Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 26th.

Current Standings

1. Puddlemere United {8470}

2. Appleby Arrows {8290}

3. Holyhead Harpies {8280}

4. Caerphilly Catapults {8020}

5. Montrose Magpies {7950}

6. Kenmare Kestrels {7910}

7. Wimbourne Wasps {7700}

8. Falmouth Falcons {7400}

9. Ballycastle Bats {7130}

10. Tutshill Tornados {7050}

11. Pride of Portree {6970}

12. Wigtown Wanderers {6800}

13. Chudley Cannons {6750}

What the Critics Say

"Who do I think will win the cup? Appleby Arrows, definitely. It's been a few years since they've even made it into the playoffs, but they show a lot of potential." ~ Brutus Scrimgeour, author of The Beater's Bible.

The Playoffs

First Round

Caerphilly Catapults (4) vs. Montrose Magpies (5)
June 2, at Ilkley Moor Quidditch Stadium

Holyhead Harpies (3) vs. Kenmare Kestrels (6)
June 3, at Bodmin Moor Quidditch Stadium

Appleby Arrows (2) vs. Wimbourne Wasps (7)
June 9, at Exmoor Quidditch Stadium

Puddlemere United (1) vs. Falmouth Falcons (8)
June 10, at Bodmin Moor Quidditch Stadium

Semifinals

Caerphily Catapults OR Montrose Magpies vs. Puddlemere United OR Falmouth Falcons
June 15, at Ellis Moor Quidditch Stadium

Holyheard Harpies OR Kenmare Kestrels vs. Appleby Arrows OR Wimbourne Wasps
June 22, at Ilkley Moor Quidditch Stadium

Finals

Caerphily Catapults OR Montrose Magpies OR Puddlemere United OR Falmouth Falcons
vs.
Holyheard Harpies OR Kenmare Kestrels OR Appleby Arrows OR Wimbourne Wasps
June 29, at Queerditch Quidditch Stadium


Growing Pains
by Mandy Brocklehurst

This coming school year, Hogwarts will do something never done before in all its years of educating young witches and wizards. They're getting more teachers.

"It's nothing to work up a huge fuss about," Headmistress McGonagall tells Pensieve, her expression stern. "Hogwarts has more students than ever, so we need more teachers. That's all."

Sources confirm that there will be nearly seven hundred students enrolled this year, up from five hundred ten years ago. Experts attribute this to an increase of children after WWII. 67% of parents in a recent poll agree that wars are awful times to have children, and most likely waited until it ended.

There has also been a noticeable decrease in homeschooled and privately tutored children. "With my mum being famous and all, she decided to hire tutors for me," says Meaghan McCormack, daughter of Chaser Catriona McCormack, "but I think I missed out on a lot that I could've learned at Hogwarts." She also cites the school's renowned safety. "The only place more protected is possibly Gringotts." McCormack's teenage daughter currently attends Hogwarts, and the Pride of Portree Chaser plans to send her son there next year.

So what happens now? With about a hundred young witches and wizards per year, there will be two Charms professors, two Transfiguration, two Potions, and three Defence Against the Dark Arts. It is still unknown who will be hired to fill these positions. The school's old dormitories have been reopened for use, meaning at least two rooms per gender per house per year. Students with family in Hogsmeade have been advised to seek room and board outside of school, where they can Floo in every morning for their classes.

There are some major changes on the way, but I'm sure Hogwarts will always hold that special place in everyone's hearts as their first home away from home and the best school they ever had.


~ Neither Can Live While the Other Survives ~
an unforgettable experience of the climactic Battle of Hogwarts

~ Now at the Museum of Magical History in London ~

Normal Admission = Eighteen Sickles
Junior Admission (under age 11) = Ten Sickles
Veteran Admission = Free


Words of Wisdom
by Clara Reid

May 2nd is the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, marking fourteen years after the end of the Second Wizarding War. I gathered wisdom from ten old and experienced veterans to see what they had to say about life's mysteries.

o POWER o

"It is a curious thing, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well."
-Albus Dumbledore, deceased

o LOVE o

"Always tell those you love how much they mean to you, because one day, you might lose them. Never let someone leave offended, so that the last thing you say will always be kind words. "
- Molly Weasley

o CHARACTER o

"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."
-Sirius Black, deceased

o DIGNITY o

"There's a difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people will say that there's little to choose between the two ways, but there's all the difference in the world."
-Harry Potter

o EQUALITY o

"I'd say that it's one short step from 'Wizards first' to 'Purebloods first,' then to 'Death Eaters. We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving."
-Kingsley Shacklebolt

o COURAGE o

"It's easy to stand up against your enemies. It's easy to fight against the obviously evil. But you know what takes real bravery? Standing up against your friends for what you believe is right. That's real courage."
-Neville Longbottom

o MOVING ON o

"When someone you love dies, everyone tells you to try to forget and to move on. Don't forget. You can't forget. I don't mean you should wallow in your misery, but don't try to shut out the pain. Understand it. Accept it. And when you do, you'll be able to go on."
-George Weasley

o DEATH o

"Nobody is dead. They're just out of sight. One day, we will meet again, to be reunited in eternity. Until then, make the most of your life."
-Luna Lovegood

o PERSEVERANCE o

"Don't give up, ever. Constant vigilance! Evil will always exist in the world, and there must always be people to fight it and keep it at bay. The day you give up, evil will overtake everything. It will be victorious. That can never happen. "
-Alastor Moody, deceased

o TRUST o

"In the face of crisis, the last thing you want is to doubt your friends and allies. Those seeds of suspicion will cloud your decisions. It is the height of dishonour to mistrust your friends."
-Remus Lupin, deceased


Ask… Minerva McGonagall, current headmistress of Hogwarts

What does most of your work consist of? Ned Wiggin, Appleby

Replying to letters from parents (mostly complaints) and resolving minor crisises brought to me by the staff. Every now and then, a misbehaving student is sent to me for a lecture, but such occasions are rare.

What was it like dealing with the Weasley twins, James Potter and Sirius Black, and just plain troublemakers in general? Anonymous, Godrics Hollow. [Proud Voracious Reader]

Oh, yes… The "Marauders," they called themselves. Peter Pettigrew merely followed the other boys around. Remus Lupin was polite and diligent. But James Potter and Sirus Black… my goodness, they were a handful. It wasn't that they were sloppy or lazy -they always achieved top marks on their exams and assignments- they were just so… mischevious. Always setting off dungbombs in class, provoking Peeves… I had two specially designated desks in my class for their regular detentions. When they left, the castle was quieter than a graveyard, or so it seemed to me. The Weasley twins brought back that orderly chaos, and I must admit I was sad to see them go. Since then, troublemakers have been few and far between at Hogwarts.

What do you like to do in your free time? Anonymous, Tinworth

I enjoy needlework, correcting articles in Transfiguration Today, watching Quidditch, and supporting the Montrose Magpies.

What are your favorite memories from your time as a professor? Dawn Mople, London

The school year of 1995 was definitely unforgettable. Dolores Umbridge was a cruel and oppressive High Inquisitor, but the students, I was proud to see, managed to fight back against her evil tactics. Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley started an organization to practice Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the Weasley twins kept her running with endless pranks. Their swamp was a surprisingly advanced piece of magic for their age.

What is your biggest pet peeve? Hannah Longbottom, London

It annoys me to no end when people are overly stupid. Occasionally misbehaving is fine, but being intentionally obtuse is not.


Do you have a question you would like to ask Devlin Whitehorn, founder of the Nimbus Racing Broom Company? Send us an owl at

Pensieve Headquarters
98a Diagon Alley, North Side

and we might publish it in next week's interview!

Cutoff date is June 27th. Please mark parchment as "Pensieve Interview Question" in clear, legible handwriting or print. Your entry will not be returned.


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