Lost in Ravenclaw Tower

My package came!

2008-04-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

While I was out this morning, a very sweet little owl dropped off my package from my swap partner, DanAzrael Deamonova. (Yes, she of the fabulous blog.) What a treat--she has sent me some Louet yarn in beautiful colours. I've never tried Louet before and now I'm afraid I might be in love...I just want to pet it! She also sent me 4 set of needles: 2.25 and 2.5 DPNs, and two pairs of 2mm KnitPicks Harmony circs...which of course goes perfectly with the book she sent me, Cat Bordhi's Socks Soar on Two Circulars. (I've actually been eyeing up this book for a few months now, and I'm really excited to try!) She also sent me quite a bit in the way of yummies and treats, including a plethora of chocolate, peppermint tea (mmm!), some wool wash, a book mark, and even a Snitch!

Most interesting of all, though, is the bag she made me. It's the first picture down there, and I have to say that I am fascinated by it. The picture doesn't do the colours justice, and the yarn is super soft. Most of all, though, the shape is unique.

More pictures can be seen on my flickr page by clicking here.

Mission Accomplished!

2008-03-27T16:38:00.000-07:00

Upon opening my email today, I was quite excited to see a message from my swap partner, Cassandra Grubbly-Plank of Gryffindor. She receives her swap package today, and from the sounds of things, she's quite happy with it. She has some really lovely pictures on her blog, if you're into that sort of thing (I am, I find the pictures of the swap kits almost as fun as putting the kits together), and if you want more, I have some in my flickr stream (including a few "making of" ones for the bag).

Last Ravenclaw Quiz

2008-03-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

My last quiz!!

I love watching all of the bags come in...there are some exceptionally awesome and talented ladies here. I finally got mine sent out this morning, and it should be arriving (hopefully) by next Friday. In the end I was quite proud of what I managed to accomplish for my first big swap, and I'm really hopeful that I'll be able to come back for next term. The late spring/summer start can be a bit dodgy; mum's talking about moving and I might have to help her with that. She keeps looking for houses on Prince Edward Island...which, while a lovely and magical place...is quite far away from where we currently live, and moving will not be an easy task.

1. Who loves containers of all sorts?
Esmerelda Beanswallow (and me!)
2. Who dyed her fingers blue?
Lavender Ackerly
3. Who is related to William Shakespeare?
Celestina Cadogan (the lucky duck)
4. Who wants to own an alpaca farm?
Victoria Black (and me! they are such fun creatures!)
5. Who hates carrots?
Selina Starfire (not me--yum!)
6. Who is from the Muggle town of Bagshot in Surrey?
Patonga Pinkstone
7. Who was searching for radishes in the winter?
Madam Ferula McGonagall (now there's a veg worth hating, radishes)
8. Who got a gift certificate to a LYS from a Slytherin boy for Valentine's Day?
Cecilia Kettleburn
9. Who discovered ghosts and house elves drinking tea in the Great Hall at midnight?
Ophelia Hopkirk
10. Who took an extra credit class called Muggle Fantasy Literature?
Selina Starflame (I should ask her if she liked it; I think it's one I wouldn't mind taking)
11. Who attended a Muggle music convention?
Patonga Wigworthy
12. Who taught herself to purl backwards?
Serafina Starfire (I should really make a video of it since it confuses people when I try to explain it)
13. Who sports Ravenclaw Spirit socks?
Minerva Kwikspell (because she's awesome!!)
14. Who would like to work in Muggle Relations after graduation?
Allitrya Spelling
15. Whose Mum is named Henrietta?
Avada Finch-Fletchley

Quidditch!

2008-03-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

1. When Rita Skeeter prints a bad articles about Hagrid in the Daily Prophet, which Professor teaches Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class while he is away?
a. Professor Trisonikly
b. Professor Snape
c. Professor Grubbly-Plank
d. Professor Meshdeh

2. What was the article Rita Skeeter wrote about Hagrid called?
a. The son of Fridwolfa the Giantess
b. The Truth About Rubeus Hagrid
c. Dumbledore's Giant Mistake
d. Half Giant at Hogwarts

3. When the school champions were being chosen from the Goblet of Fire, whose name cam out first?
a. Fleur Delacour
b. Viktor Krumc. Cedric Diggory
d. Harry Potter

4. What is the spell Ludo bagman says to magically magnify his voice when he commentates?
a. Sonorus
b. Sonafy
c. Lumos
d. Sonatus

5. What kind of dragon did Cedirc have to face in the first task?
a. A Hungarian Horntail
b. A Swedish Short-Snout
c. A Welsh Green
d. A Chinese Fireball

6. Who raised the trophy after winning the world cup?
a. Troy and Moran
b. Troy and Quigley
c. Quigley and Moran
d. Lynch and Connolly

7. How many bedrooms did Mundungus Fletcher claim to have?
a. 4
b. 8
c. 10
d. 12

8. For what did Moody mistake his birthday gif of a carriage clock?
a. An intruder
b. A basilisk egg
c. A bomb
d. A Blast-ended Skrewt

9. What did Mr. Ollivander produce for the end of Cedric's wand?
a. A bunch of flowers
b. A fountain of wine
c. Twittering birds
d. Silver smoke rings

10. The dark mark is on Snape's left arm.
a. Yes
b. No

Picture Scavenger Hunt
Karkaroff

A Basilisk

Mundungus Fletcher

Amos Diggory

Snape

take me to my country home...

2008-03-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

I was doing so well this term. I was getting my work done, I was having fun with the other Ravvies, and my sock kit was coming along splendidly. Where would I ever have time to be homesick amidst all that?

And then, suddenly, almost everything was over. My kit is virtually done, I'm on top of (and, if I may brag, even ahead in) my homework, and now there's nothing on the horizon. All I can think about is what I'd be doing if I were home right now: the snowball fights with mum, the cancellation of the muggle schools because of the weather, all of that stuff.

I love it here, really I do. But right now I can't think of anything better than being home with mum, playing Sudoku puzzles while watching a bad episode of CSI on TV. Possibly with a cat on my lap. Last time mum sent an owl, she put in this picture of Jasper wanting to talk to me:

How could I not miss that?

Spell Spectacular!

2008-03-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

Serafina's Spell Spectacular

1. Do my homework for me.
Travaillus terminus!

2. Tidy up my bedroom.
Bomba atomica! (Just kidding!)

3. Make a delicious chocolate cake.
Laganum cocoa!

4. Make my professor stay in bed today.
Infirmus magister!

5. I would like breakfast in bed, please.
Colazione!

6. Stick all my Quidditch opponents' feet to the floor.
Pedis ferrum!

7. Give everyone the giggles.
Rigolo!

8. Dye some yarn in my favorite color.
Tinta lana!

9. Unravel the mess I've made with my yarn.
Extrico!

10. Knit my Prefect the perfect bag!
Pera perfecto!

House Quiz!

2008-02-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

1. What colorless and odorless potion forces the drinker to tell the truth?

Veritaserum (and I think we are all glad Neila does not have access to any) ;)

2. If the spell to Apparate goes wrong and leaves half of you behind, you have been what?

Splinched

3. Who wrote the Standard Books of Spells Grades 1 and 2?

Miranda Goshawk

4. What is it called when brother wands meet?

Priori Incantatem

5. Name the charm used by Ludo at the World Cup to amplify his voice.

Sonorus

6. For what is the charm Aparecium used?

To make invisible ink appear/become visible

7. What charm requires the use of a Secret-Keeper?

The Fidelius Charm

8. What color should the Strengthening Potion be?

Turquoise

9. What plants are used in preparing a confusing potion?

Scurvy-grass, lovage, and sneezewort

10. What condition is cured by Glumbumble?

Hysteria caused by eating Alihotsy leaves (melancholy treacle? that just sounds so...sad)

11. What potion makes a werewolf safe so he can keep his mind when he transforms, and what substance makes it useless?

Wolfsbane Potion, which is negated by Sugar

12. When does Fluxweed, an ingredient used in making Polyjuice Potion, have to be picked?

At the full moon

13. What color should a Shrinking Solution be?

Bright acid green

14. What potion is made from asphodel and wormwood?

Draught of Living Death

15. For what are Jobberknoll feathers used?

Memory Potions and Truth Serums

in which the young Starfire learns about posting to HER blog

2008-02-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

Wow, the upper year students who told me that the mountain of work I received at the beginning of the term was a molehill in relation to what was to come really weren't kidding. My days basically consist of getting up, eating breakfast while reading, going to class, walking from class to class while reading, having lunch while reading, more classes, and finally dinner while trying to write assignments. And then I sleep...sweet, glorious sleep

I'm doing well, though, so that should be reward enough...but I feel so terrible that I've had to neglect the other Ravvies and Knitting Club in favour of marathon sessions at the library. (Speaking of marathons, Olive is running in a real muggle one this weekend--what an inspiration!)

Loads of yarn has been flying my way via owl, which is always nice. Sometimes I like just to sit and touch it...for about fifteen seconds and then I remember all of the other things I should be doing! Arithmancy is particularly killer. I get there in the end, but my goodness does it ever take a long time.

Quidditch was especially bad this week. I am so bad at it that I can't help but feel that I let the whole house down. I really admire how well Ravenclaw worked together this time, though. I love being part of this house and having such a tremendous group of women for support.

You know what? I think that next week, I will let school slide and go to the knitting club. I deserve it--we all do.

life's not a track meet, it's a marathon

2008-02-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

Trivia Questions - Round 2

1. With whom does Ginny go to the Yule Ball?
a. Neville
b. Dean
c. Seamus
d. Harry

2. When Harry arrives at the Burrow and Mrs. Weasley makes them all dinner the night before they leave for the Quidditch World Cup, what does her wand turn into?
a. rubber mouseb. rubber chicken
c. rubber duck
d. rubber cat

3. Since some of the sixth-year girls didn't have any quills on them, what did they think Krum might sign their hats in?
a. nail polish
b. eyeliner
c. lipstick
d. lipliner

4. How old does the Quick Quotes Quill say that Rita Skeeter is?
a. 43
b. 44
c. 34
d. 33

5. What color cloak is wormtail wearing in the Riddle house?
a. Grey (Gray)
b. Black
c. Gold
d. Silver

6. What color is "Mad Eye" Moody's magical eye?
a. Green
b. Hazel
c. Brown
d. Blue

7. What color are the robes that Rita Skeeter was wearing when Harry meets her at the Weighing of the Wands ceremony?
a. Lilac
b. Magenta
c. Mauve
d. Cerise

8. What does Sirius Black tell Harry, Ron and Hermione to call him when speaking around anyone else?
a. Tibbles
b. Snuffles
c. Scruffy
d. Padfoot

9. Which team beat Wales, disqualifying them from competing for the Quidditch World Cup?
a. Hungary
b. Romania
c. Uganda
d. Luxembourg

10. What does Madame Maxime say is the only thing her steeds will drink?
a. cabernet sauvignon
b. bourbon
c. single-malt whiskey
d. gin and tonics

Picture Hunt
Goblet of Fire

Madam Maxime

Dragon from first challenge

Viktor Krum

Madam Pomfrey

Quiz!

2008-02-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

1. What is Professor McGonnagall's first name? Minerva
2. Who is the librarian of Hogwarts? Madame Irma Pince
3. What is Madam Rosmerta's job? Owner and barkeep at The Three Broomsticks
4. What is Rita Skeeter's secret? She is an unregistered animagus (beetle)
5. Madam Hooch is instructor of what subject? Flying. She also referees in Quidditch.
6. Who is Parvati Patil's best friend? Lavender Brown
7. What Quidditch position does Cho Chang play? Seeker
8. What is the name of Fleur Delacour's little sister? Gabrielle Delacour
9. Who is professor of Divination? Sybill Trelawney
10. Who wrote "A History of Magic"? Bathilda Bagshot

We're Not Gonna Stop!

2008-02-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

We're not gonna stop
until somebody calls the cops
and even then
we'll start again
and just pretend
that nothing ever happened!
< repeat x 6 million >

Poor, poor Neila! I bet that on days like today she really regrets having accepted that pretty Prefect pin from the Headmistress. All of us girls were just so excited to be going to Hogsmeade that we could hardly stop bouncing around...and shouting...and singing, as per the above.

When not behaving like a mad Pygmy Puff, I visited the Post Office to send an Owl to mum. What kind of owl goes to Canada, you ask? A snowy owl of course. I'm afraid I'm still a bit hyper, and if it's been snowing as much as I think it has back home, I bet mum is not going to appreciate that joke at all.

Honeydukes was just about everything I had hoped it would be..I was, quite literally, a child in a sweet shop. The Fizzing Whizbees are probably my favourite sweet of all, so I made sure to pick some up to send to my swap partner...assuming I don't eat them all myself before I send the parcel.

Gladrags was really neat too. I know we don't need anything aside from basic robes right now, but I definitely have some ideas for what I might get next year. Green is such a lovely colour, don't you think? Maybe my next pair of Fetching will be in a nice green colour...yes...lovely.

Zonko's was about what I expected. I didn't buy anything, though. I figure that after the big bad thing, I probably don't need any temptation to lead me astray for the rest of the year. I was able to keep mum from hearing about what happened, but I don't know that I could make such a convincing case for keeping her away the next time around. I'll definitely have to go back when I have to buy some birthday gifts for my cousins, though.

The Three Broomsticks was probably my favourite part of the whole trip. We actually got almost all of the Ravenclaws in the same room at the same time for once, which was quite the accomplishment given how driven we all are. I don't know that Madame Rosmerta was thrilled by how boisterous we were, though, and I felt so terrible for spilling my Butterbeer down my robes three times. I hate being clumsy sometimes!

As I went into the lav to survey the damage to my robes and attempt to dry them out, I'm pretty sure I saw Madame Rosmerta slide Neila a small glass of something, and I think she muttered something about "On the house, you poor soul," but I don't know why. Perhaps she knows Neila from somewhere? I do wonder what was in the glass, though. The fresh Butterbeer was ever so much nicer than the bottled stuff we get up at the castle--or maybe it was just all the fresh air.

We're not gonna stop...

10 Knittery Things and 10 Non Knittery Things

2008-02-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Well, I definitely don't think that I can come up with 100 things to say about me and my relationship to knitting, but I should be able to do 10 without a problem.

10 Knittery Things
1.) There is no LYS where I live. There's a couple of chains that sell mostly acrylics, and a store that sells some yarn, but it's really overpriced and the selection isn't that great. There is, however, a really great one about an hour and a half from me, so I'll often stop in when I'm travelling.
2.) My dad's mother taught me to knit the first time, and I can still remember the little rectangle of white yarn that I made, and how proud of myself I was. Of course, I forgot all about it right after.
3.) When I was teaching myself to knit the second time, about 15 years later, I taught myself kind of funny: I taught myself to purl backwards, so when I was holding my work, I never turned it, I would just knit back and forth, back and forth all the time. I still maintain that this is the most efficient way to knit, but I have stopped doing it because it made following patterns too difficult.
4.) I adore felting and felted products.
5.) My mother knits as well, but only cotton washclothes, so I find it really funny when everyone on Ravelry hates on the washclothes.
6.) I would love to make the Rogue sweater, but I'm terrified of making a sweater.
7.) I ordered from KnitPicks for the first time about 3 weeks ago, and was really pleasantly surprised by the quality of what I bought.
8.) I find Ravelry very enabling--it has encouraged me to try a lot of things, like cables and socks, that I was hesitant to try before I saw the wealth of what that community could offer in terms of support and pretty, pretty pictures.
9.) I am one of those weirdos who actually likes DPNS, so I have never tried Magic Loop or 2 Circs. I'd be interested to learn eventually, though.
10.) Alpaca is one of my favourite fibres, but I've made almost nothing with it

10 Non-Knittery Things
1.) I love to read and read very quickly--almost 600 words per minute.
2.) I play World of Warcraft.
3.) When I grow up, I want to be a writer.
4.) The only bone in my body I've broken is my skull.
5.) Sushi is one of my favourite treats.
6.) My other hobbies include needlefelting, scrapbooking, and shovelling the driveway.
7.) I love music but cannot sing nor play any instruments.
8.) I love sock monkeys.
9.) Winter is my favourite season.
10.) I speak French almost fluently.

Oooh! I finished just as it was time to leave for Hogsmeade! I'll report back later, but for now, I'm off to have some fun with the girls.

dreaming of Hogsmeade

2008-02-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

Wow, I'm glad I did my very bad thing last week and not this week--it was disappointing to miss out on Quidditch, but let's face it: I'm rubbish at it anyway, and Ravenclaw prolly did better without me. But if I'd missed the Hogsmeade visit! Now that would have been truly tragic.

Just being outside will be wonderful. The grounds here are wonderful of course, but the excitement of GOING SOMEWHERE, of DOING SOMETHING NEW! is intoxicating. (And no, Neila, not in a "Sera's been hitting the Firewhiskey" kind of way!)

I still need a few things for my swap kit: a few sweets, some things for stitch markers, and a couple of other surprises. I'm hoping to pick up a few things for myself, too, although the KnitPicks owl I received a few days ago seemed to think that the words "yarn diet" should be in my future...

I'm quite happy for the term break. I've been working really hard these last few weeks, and it's gotten to the point where I go to sleep and dream about all the work that I should be doing. How can you feel rested when you wake up from that? Hogsmeade should be exactly what I need--and hopefully my Raven friends and I can get up to a little mischief!

Pride In the Name of (Ravenclaw) Love

2008-02-02T17:42:00.001-08:00

Though I missed the Quidditch action due to having to serve a detention for something I'm not allowed to tell you about, I must say I am extremely proud of my housemates for their hard work and dedication on the hunt. Now that we've got the hang of it, I think that we will be a super efficient Snitch hunting team for the next round! I'm especially happy to know that our Quidditch efforts were sufficient to pull us out last place. Great work, girls!

I should also congratulate Cassandra Grubbly-Plank, as in addition to being a Snitch-catcher extraordinaire, is also my swap partner. Now I'll have to try extra hard to make sure my swap kit is worthy of such a tremendous competitor!

an Owl-tastic day

2008-01-31T14:24:00.000-08:00

Much to my surprise, I discovered two owls waiting for me when I returned from classes today.

The first contained the yarn I purchased for my swap partner. Wow, is it gorgeous! The colour is bright and rich, and it's unbelievably soft. I bet it's going to look wonderful all knit up. Here's a little teaser photo:

(I had debated on showing a photo, but I figure, hey, my partner knows that she's getting yarn, and she knows she's a Gryffindor, so nothing here should be too surprising.)

The second owl was a gift for me...containing an owl! How funny is that? One of my friends from home created a mixed media owl for me. He's adorable!

Quidditch Round One

2008-01-31T05:40:00.000-08:00

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 attached 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?(Answer is One Word, Last Name Only)
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: (One Word)
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

Mr. Ollivander

Mad-Eye Moody

Cedric

World Cup Tournament

Dark Mark

magpie mind strikes again

2008-01-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

I finally cast on for my partner's bag today. I'm combining elements of two different patterns to create something (relatively) unique for her. It was working up so quickly too, when I took a look at the second pattern and realized that in my infinite wisdom I managed to mix up the stitch counts for my vertical and horizontal axes, and had cast on about 20 extra stitches. Oops. No wonder it had begun to resemble a hat for Hagrid.

So I had to frog it (1.5 skeins in) and start over. The size seems much more realistic now, and I am confident I will be on track soon. Boy, do I feel dumb, though.

I think Fleur Lovegoods and I are going to sit down and have a look at some tarot cards soon, which should be really exciting! I wonder if any of the other girls would let me do practice readings on them.

I've just finished all my homework for the weekend, so I'm going to keep trucking on this bag and see what I can get finished for tonight!!

disappointed

2008-01-23T13:58:00.000-08:00

Oh! How disappointing! I really hope Ravenclaw House can pick up our collective socks and get back in the race for the cup in the next few days. It would be a shame if we couldn't improve our standings at least a little.

The crisp winter air has been a tremendous motivator for me on my sock. It just seems so slow! I think that's because I spend so much time knitting things to felt, which involve much larger needles. But once these socks are done, my feet will be so warm and happy. My next big project will be my partner's knitting bag. Every time I think I know what I'm doing, I change my mind a little. At least I have yarn now, and I think I finally have the best idea that I'm going to get. It involves a little bit of intarsia, but I think it will be worth it.

My favourite class so far is definitely Transfiguration, despite everyone's else extreme love for DADA and Potions. Sure, Transfiguration is not taught by either of the two dreamiest men in the history of dreamy wizards, but it's definitely easier to pay attention, and so much of what we are learning is interesting and applicable right away. I'm not quite sure what to make of Divination just yet, but Minerva and I got to talking about tarot cards the other night and I think that I could really learn to love it, if I'm able to consider a broader scope than just tea leaf reading.

I'm not sure what it is about tarot cards that appeals to me so much, but I definitely feel the connection when I look at them. My favourite card of all is this one:

finished! Quiz #2

2008-01-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

1. RWIDZTAIR UANONETRMT - Triwizard Tournament
2. NRNAGIHAU RAHNIOTL - Hungarian Horntail
3. AEEMDY ONYOME - Mad-Eye Mooney (shouldn't this be Moody?)
4. ARTI KEESTRE - Rita Skeeter
5. ELSAUAEPBNKS -Unspeakables (easily the hardest one for me)
6. ULSFENFS - Snuffles
7. NEPSVEIE - pensieve
8. RMUEIIPS - imperius
9. TREUEEBTBR - butterbeer
10. ROFELIBT - Firebolt

a surprise visitor

2008-01-20T18:34:00.000-08:00

My aunt Jane came up to see me yesterday! It was quite the surprise, since I haven't seen her in about two years. She took me into Hogsmeade for tea, and it was really wonderful to get a chance to explore the village a bit--and it certainly didn't hurt that I was able to pick up a few things for my swap partner. Jane treated me like a Queen! In addition to all of the wonderful food (I stuffed myself silly, almost!) she bought me two new knitting books, and I cannot wait to get started on some of the patterns in them. They will be beautiful!

Other than that I've been swamped with homework...thank goodness parchment is magical forest friendly, as I imagine I'd be responsible for deforesting a small country on my own this year if it wasn't.

I got an owl from mum, too. Apparently the weather back home has been dreadful. If it's not snowing buckets, the temperature has dropped down to -30. She's had an awful time keeping all the cats in doors from the sounds of things. I'd write back to her but I'm afraid to send a poor owl out into that kind of weather...maybe I'll wait a few days and hope that it warms up a bit more for the poor things.

the real reason I haven't been posting as much lately

2008-01-19T06:08:00.000-08:00

That is my first attempt at a sock. It's got a flap heel, and so far it's going okay. The pictures don't really capture the richness of the yarn, but you can ask anyone who was at Wednesday's knit club meeting--it really is lovely in person.

Ravenclaw Knitting Club #2

2008-01-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

In Attendance:
Neila, Deputy Headmistress Extraordinaire
Minerva Kwikspell
Elanor Cadogan
Enid Black
Cassandra Hopkirk
Fleur Crockford
Esmerelda Beanswallow
Cecilia Kettleburn

Notes on Discussion:
+The Ravenclaw room is now password protected to protect us from some very...colourful characters and language
+If you are a bit stuck on possible ways to communicate with your partner, Neila suggests putting some suggestions in your blog sidebar about things you like/want/covet
+We need to get some Ravenclaw t-shirts made with our "We study hard and party harder" slogan. Print your own and Cafepress are being considered, watch for more info on the main blog.
+DPNs vs. circs vs. magic loop: the discussion continues
+Knit vs. sewn bags - more people are looking at sewing bags for extra pockets and awesomeness.

pride goes before a...canary, actually

2008-01-16T16:25:00.000-08:00

*sigh* Oh, if my mummy could see me now.

I did something pretty colossally stupid today. Someone was passing 'round a tray of very yummy looking treats, so I did what any self-respecting eleven year old would do when lunch is still two hours away--I took one. Poof! I turned into a canary. Poof! I turned back again. No harm done, really, except to my pride. Thank heavens it wasn't a Puking Pastille or something awful like that.

The feeling of turning into a canary was one of the most bizarre things I've ever experienced. I wonder if it feels like that when you're an Animagus?

Classes are going well so far; I like the double classes that we share with the other Houses. Not that I don't love the Ravenclaws, but it's fun to meet other boys...er...people. Especially since a lot of the first year boys in this house are kind of...well...drips. Mum says they grow up wonderfully, but in the meantime...goodness, it's frightening. No one's really caught my eye yet, so I shall continue to have fun looking until someone does.

A lot of the girls are quite taken with both our Potions master, Professor Black, and Professor Humperdink, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Some even have elaborate plans to spend more time in their presence by asking for extra help. For my part, I can't help but think that simply being the best at everything is a much better way to get their attention...and it's probably less work than trying to pretend to be dismal at Potions.

Knitting club meeting tonight at 8:30; hope to see you there!!

Serafina's Ravenclaw House Quiz

2008-01-15T16:21:00.000-08:00

1. Name 4 housemates who have revealed their Patronuses and list the form their Patronuses take.
Cassandra Hopkirk - eagle
Patonga Pinkstone - Tiger
Fleur Crockford - Hydra
Avada Finch-Fletchley - Phoenix
2. Who attended the first meeting of the Ravenclaw Knitting Club?
Elanor Cadogan
Gabriella Clearwater
Fleur Lovegoods
Esmerelda Beanswallow
Cassandra Hopkirk
Millicent Brocklehurst
Minerva Kwikspell
Enid Black
Allitrya Spelling
Mafalda Ackerley
Serafina Starfire (me)
3. Name the housemate who likes to knit with peacock feathers.
Fleur Lovegoods
4. Name the Ravenclaw who spent the New Year at Hogwart's Costume Ball.
Emma Diggory
5. Which Ravenclaw got the first howler?
Lavender Ackerly
6. Name 5 different types of wood used in the wands of Ravenclaws and name the housemate having that wand.
Ebony - Fleur Lovegoods
Hawthorn - Elanor Cadogan
Maple - Esmerelda Beanswallow
Tulip - Emma Wigworthy
Holly - Patonga Pinkstone
7. Who accidentally ate a toenail flavored Every Flavor Bean?
Alas, that was me, Serafina Starfire. Not recommended for the faint of heart.
8. Who cast a noise dampening spell before going to bed and then overslept?
Esmerelda Beanswallow, poor snorer, er, soul.
9. Besides the HSKS4 blog, on what blog will you find the Ravenclaw Anthem?
Minerva Kwikspell's
10. Which housemate has a Muggle cellular phone?
Victoria Black (and I'm a bit jealous)

first day!!

2008-01-14T16:09:00.000-08:00

Well, the good news is that I only got a little lost today. Neila says that eventually we will get the hang of the moving staircases, but I'm not sure I believe her. I overheard a Slytherin girl trying to curse them into submission. Does that work on inanimate objects? Oh well, it's not like I'd expect a Slytherin to know any better.

I think I've picked my yarn for my swap buddy. I'm super excited about it, and I'll have to order it soon because it's going to come all the way over from the United States. Poor owls. Ah well. I am super excited about what I've chosen, too--maybe some day when I've got a little spare change, I'll buy myself some similar yarn. Assuming I like making socks, of course. Beanswallow's has got up a poll on how many of us have made socks before, and I'm afraid I must count myself in the 0-5 category. At present, I have made the cuff of one sock.

On that note, I'm off to the Great Hall to meet some more of the students. I hope there are some Pumpkin Pasties there--yum!

The last weekend of freedom

2008-01-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

As the school session begins on Monday, my fellow Ravenclaws and I are anxiously awaiting and dreading the first round of classes. It's in our natures to love the learning, of course; it's just the school part we're not always so sure about. It's a little different here, of course, especially for those of us who have done their time in Muggle schools, because for the first time we're learning not just how to do stuff, but also who we are. I, for one, can't wait.

That's actually not true--I am waiting, with varying degrees of patience. There's a forest around the school, commonly called The Forbidden Forest, which is largely self-explanatory. There's a rumour going around that some of the Gryffindors are going to try to sneak out there. Perhaps someone ought to explain to them that there's a difference between 'brave' and 'foolhardy'. But then, I have only had a wand for the last week, and I should very much like to be prepared for whatever I might face in the Forbidden Forest. For me, that means waiting until I've mastered at least a couple more spells so as to be able to defend myself if necessary.

If you're wondering why I haven't liked to anyone's blogs from here, it's actually because I'm using Google Reader to read them. It's so simple a Squib could do it--all you have to do is copy and paste all of the addresses in, and every time you log in it tells you which blogs have been updated. It's marvellous! I am greatly enjoying all of the reading you've provided me with--it's so interesting to know how other people think and feel as they are going through the same things that I am.

cold feet around the castle

2008-01-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

I'm going to have to get started on Minerva's slipper socks soon, as my poor little feet are just freezing. Being with everyone else is so much fun that I've hardly had any time for knitting, so I am quite happy that we'll keep going with the knitting club on Wednesdays--gabbing and crafting is my idea of a very good time.

I received an owl with the name of my swap partner yesterday. She's a Gryffindor. It would've been nice to have another Ravenclaw (mostly because I love our colours so much) but Gryffindor is a great second option. Now the only real question is what to buy! I had a rare moment of divine inspiration concerning the bag yesterday morning, as I lay half asleep on my bed, so that's taken care of...but I can't decide what I want to do for the socks, and there's no point in buying yarn until I know what's going on there.

I'm quite tempted to make my partner a thrummed sock kit, as I love thrummed mittens and I love the idea of thrummed socks--who doesn't want all of that lovely warm softness surrounding and caressing their feet? I think that scarlet socks with gold thrums would look so sharp, too. But I have to remember that thrummed goods aren't to everyone's taste, and I would really hate to give a kit to someone that they wouldn't enjoy making.

So we shall see. I have loads of time to decide.

what a long day!

2008-01-10T16:56:00.000-08:00

I must confess that I stayed up a little later last night than I should have. I was hanging out with Allitrya Spelling in the common room, and we just kept gabbing. It didn't help that I kept saying "one more row, one more row" and then not stopping. It's what I love and hate about knitting in the round: there's no natural pause to make you stop.

My mittens are coming along nicely. We had news of a big sale at the Ram Wool store today, and it took all my willpower to keep myself from sending an owl off right away. I just have to keep telling myself that I have enough, that I don't need any more, and that if I buy more, my Ravenclaw roommates are going to launch my poor tuckus out the door because there won't be room for anything else.

I can't wait for term to start--not only will I be able to get started on my swap package (I got my partner yesterday, hurray!), but I'll finally get to meet some more students...especially of the male variety. One of the other girls has a crush on a Slytherin, can you imagine? Oh, I hope some of the Ravenclaw boys are good looking.

Minutes from Ravenclaw Knitting Club: Meeting One

2008-01-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

In attendance:
Elanor Cadogan
Gabriella Clearwater
Fleur Lovegoods
Esmerelda
Cassandra Hopkirk
Millicent Brocklehurst
Minerva Kwikspell
Enid Black
Allitrya Spelling
Mafalda Ackerley
Serafina Starfire

Topics of Discussion:
+discussion of various techniques for sock knitting: magic loop vs. two circs vs. plain ol' DPNs
+Gabriella confesses plan to knit socks on 00000: her dedication is applauded by all
+Several of us confess that this will be our first attempt at socks
+Different interchangeable needle systems: who likes what and why. A few students are expecting owls bearing gifts in the next little bit--lucky them. They'll report back on their successes soon.
+Tea, cocoa, and cookies are the food items of the hour. The oatmeal chocolate chip and trail mix cookies are delicious, as are the Pumpkin Pasties--thanks Minerva!
+Ravenclaw’s new motto: We Study Hard and Party Harder. We're hoping that someone will figure out a fun and economical way to have tshirts made.
+People are starting to get their pairing assignments for the Sock Kit Swap. Everyone is very excited and can't wait to get started.
+The merits of knit bags vs. felted bags vs. sewn bags. It is suggested that you contact your swap partner for their preference.
+Minerva Kwikspell has offered to host a Knit-A-Long (KAL) during one of our meetings. The slipper socks currently featured on her blog have been suggested as a pattern for the KAL. If you're interested, keep an eye on the Daily Prophet for more details. You'll need circs/DPNs in a US8/5mm and a worsted weight yarn, preferably wool to keep out the drafts up here in the tower.

One major point of discussion was the timing of the meetings. It has been suggested that we accept that we will never be able to please everyone, and accordingly offer one fixed meeting each week (same time every week) and one floating meeting, in hopes that we'll be able to catch everyone at one point or another. Feel free to drop by the common room whenever, though--you never know what's going on!

water, water, everywhere?

2008-01-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

Before I left, my mum said to me, "Don't worry, hon, there's never a dull moment at Hogwarts."

I don't know quite why she thought I was worried about things being dull here, but regardless of that, she's certainly right! We woke up this morning to a mysteriously wet common room. The rumour is that it's an Aguamenti charm gone wrong. I wish I were a better witch so that I could magic it all away in time for tonight's meeting of the Ravenclaw knitting club. Deletrius, maybe? Evanesco? Tergeo? Oh, I just don't know!

Well, if nothing else, this means I'm guarateed to learn something today.

knitting club!

2008-01-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad I came up to Hogwarts early. Being something of a Muggle (it's a messy story, I'll explain it all some other time) it's nice to have a chance to get used to everything that's going on around here. It's almost like a dream--until you accidentally eat a toenail flavoured Bertie Botts Every Flavour Bean and then think, "there's no way my imagination could ever make something taste that bad." Blargh.

Classes start up on Monday - I do hope I don't embarass myself too badly. Here's the list of classes--I've bolded the ones I'm excited for:

Ancient Runes
Arithmancy (what is it, anyway?)
Astronomy
Care of Magical Creatures
Charms
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Divination
Flying
Enchanted Kit Planning
Herbology
History of Magic (the other kids say it's terrible, but I think it will be grand!)
Magic in Threadwork and Weaving
Muggle Studies
Potions
Transfiguration

The other big news is that Ravenclaw Tower will play host to a knitting group just for us Ravenclaws tomorrow night! I volunteered to be secretary and keep minutes so that those who are busy or haven't arrived yet can keep us with us. I thought it would be a good way to make some friends--I can't wait!

hazy shade of winter

2008-01-07T16:05:00.000-08:00

Well, the snoring seems to have calmed down now, or I'm getting more used to it. At least we don't have a sleepwalker in our class. One of the third year girls was telling me at tea today that one of the other third years was a sleepwalker for their first year. Only she was too embarassed to let them tell the prefect, so they spent the better part of the year trying to figure out spells and charms to make her stop. How funny is that? I wonder if we'll ever get to be friends like the third years.

The big surprise for me so far has been that almost everyone here knits (well, I'm not sure about the boys--they spend most of their time trying out hexes with slugs and bats. Gross!) Back in Canada, I was the only one of my friends who knew how--but everyone here does. Some people even know how to charm their needles to knit by themselves! It's really strange to see at first. I don't know if I'll try it. It seems like cheating, almost.

Home away from...

2008-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. My name isn't really Serafina. It's just Sara. But don't you think that Serafina is much a lovelier name? It sounds so beautiful when you say it with my last name, Starfire. Serafina Starfire, they'll say someday, now she was a witch as beautiful as she was smart. The pride of Ravenclaw, you know.

But before that happens, I have to survive the next seven years at Hogwarts. I know that mum thinks the British schools are better than the ones in Canada, but everything over here is so strange. I guess it's just good that she knows the headmistress personally, and that they were able to make an exception since mum was born in Fife. That McGonagall is scary, though. Even though I think she likes me (well, she likes mum, and that's halfway to liking me) I still don't want to get on her bad side. I bet she'd turn me into a newt!

Living here is really quite strange. I've never shared a room before! You wouldn't believe the noises the other girls make in their sleep...it's a wonder any of the rest of us can get any sleep at all given all of the snoring. Boy, am I spoiled to be an only child.