Daisy's Delivery

Wow, today was an exciting day for all of us. A thumping at the door proved to be a delivery from Daisy, Amethyst Aurag's owl.

Much to everyone's surprise, there were two packages. The dogs always get excited when there's Post, because they like the company. They were even more excited to discover that one of the packages was addressed to them. (You can't see it very well here, but the package actually says "Bad Dogs.")


Oscar's excitement was somewhat misplaced. He kept trying to investigate the packaging, rather than the contents of the package.


But he was excited when he finally figured it out. And Max was really excited, because Pepper and Rascal, who are cats, decided to get in on the goody-exchange business and send some doggy treats. Oh, happy doggy day!


Daisy and her helper had a package for me, too. When I took off the paper, I saw this nifty small trunk....


..and opened it up to see all sorts of goodies waiting inside.

This is where the dog treats proved to be a gift for me. With the dogs content and busy, I had time to go through the box, and enjoy everything.


Just look at what was inside! There's a handmade knitting-needle holder, that can roll up or hang on a wall. There are two Christmas ornaments - one for Syracuse University (I wonder if any Hogwarts students wind up there?), and one that looks like a basket of yarn. There are handmade stitch markers and wine charms, some people treats, and a sandalwood-scented bar of soap with a raven on the label (Amethyst is in Ravenclaw). There's some beautiful blue fiber for spinning. And don't forget the YARN!!!! Sock yarn, in the "Half-Blood Prince" colorway, and some handsome ebony needles for knitting with it. I hear there may be a Hufflepuff Sock Knitalong between terms - I know what I'll be knitting.


Thank you so much, Amethyst! And the doggies thank you, too!

Crackers

I had an interesting package delivery yesterday.

Lavender Ackerly sent me a package for our Hufflepuff Cracker Exchange. I don't know if her owl was busy, or if she lives someplace very cold - but this package was delivered by PENGUINS! How neat is that?

I thought it was a big package for a cracker, but it turned out to be a really big cracker - with a Hufflepuff wrapper, no less!

And while our wizard crackers don't bang when they're opened, this one was still pretty exciting. I got the traditional hat, but with a twist - I'll be knitting it myself! Then there was this really pretty knit bag, which looks like it will hold a lot of yarn. And some candies, which you don't see here because I hid them from the dogs right away.

Thanks Lav! I can't wait to start knitting!

More Magical Knitting

Wow, it looks like Hufflepuff had an exciting Quidditch match! I'm so sorry I missed it - and so glad that Lavender caught the Snitch for us. She's a great Head Girl.

I couldn't hunt because I was visiting my boyfriend, and picking up the dogs. So now Zero gets to hang out with them again. Isn't it funny how dogs always notice each other? That seems to be true even when one of them is a ghost.

While I was there, I started on a new knitting project. Like the Moebius Scarf, it has its own touch of magic. This looks like an ordinary scarf, but it's going to be a very versatile garment - a quick incantation will transform it into a sweater, or a shrug, or a hood, or all sorts of other useful things. I think it will be great for traveling - my Undetectable Extension Charms aren't what they should be, so I just can't fit as much as I'd like to in a suitcase. Magical clothes may be a good solution to that problem.

I also pulled together a package for my Gryffindor friend, Elanya, this weekend. I hope the owls find her soon!

Quidditch, Round 3

It's time for the last round of Quidditch! Wow, this term has gone by fast!

1. Who was Tom Riddle Sr.'s girlfriend before Merope gave him the love potion?
b. Cecilia
2. What does Luna say floated into Harry's ear when he was in the train car that supposedly caused him to lose focus?
c. Wrackspurt
3. How much do the primary Apparition lessons cost?
d. 12 galleons
4. What is Professor Merrythought's first name?
b. Galatec
5. What Hogwarts club was Eileen Prince captain of?
b. Gobstones Club
6. Who is head of the Goblin Liaison office?
b. Dirk Cresswell
7. Mrs. Weasley offers Fleur a goblin-made tiara for the wedding with Bill. What family member is currently in possession of the tiara?
a. Aunt Muriel
8. How many points does Snape take from Gryffindor for Harry's late arrival and muggle attire?
b. 70
9. When Profressory Slughorn first meets Hermione, he asks her whether she is related to Hector Dagworth-Granger. What society did Dgworth-Granger found?
d. The Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers
10. Which of these describes Golpalott's Third Law?
d. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components

Quiz #7

Looks like I've missed a few quizzes. But at least I can get this one in - just before the deadline!

1. If this was your first HSKS, have you enjoyed yourself. If you are alumni, was this term better than other terms (if so how)? I'm not sure that it was better, but it's been fun. Last term, we seemed to be a more lively House and interact more. I miss that.

2. Will you be returning for HSKS7? Yes!

3. What is your favorite part of HSKS? Getting to know all the other knitters in my House, as well as my spoiler and spoilee. Someday, I'd love to meet everyone in person!

4. If you had the chance to switch houses next term would you? What house would you be in? Nope! I'm a Hufflepuff through-and-through, now.

5. Are there any problems that you need to talk to the Head Girl or Prefects about? No problems.

6. Has your Spoiler been in contact with you about your package? We've been in contact, and I know I'm getting a package. She hasn't told me what to expect or anything!

7. Have you been in contact with your Spoilee to let them know you are still with us? ;) Yep - not as much as I should have, but she knows I'm still alive. Sometime I'll even send the postcard I'm carrying around - maybe for Christmas.

More with Muggles

My finger is healing nicely. I had the "stitches" out today, and they seem to have worked. There's something to these Muggle techniques, after all - although it's kind of strange to see holes in my skin!

Once the Healer took the stitches out, he used some sort of ReSkin Remedy to finish the job. While I should be happy to get back to potions and spells instead of the weird Muggle stuff, the Remedy is turning my finger purple. I hope the new skin doesn't stay that way! Things always seem to go faster for other people who visit Madame Pomfrey, but maybe some ailments are just more complicated than others.

I hope the new skin turns out to be healthy and strong (and not purple). I'm going to try it out tonight, and see if I can get some knitting done. I have a project I want to finish for my Gryffindor friend Elanya, so I'd like to have that delivered to her soon. Then I'm going to visit my boyfriend, and since he's a Muggle I'm not sure what he'll think of purple skin. I guess he's just going to have to get used to that sort of thing.

Minister of Muggles

I haven't been very good about paying attention to school lately. I've been caught up in all the excitement about the election - there's a new Minister of Muggles. I know some people in our world don't like to pay attention to such things, but I think it's really important - many of us have Muggle relatives, and Wizard-Muggle relations is something that concerns us all. Did you know that one of the candidates actually spoke against witches? I don't know what's scarier - that she doesn't like us, or that she knows about us at all! I wonder how the Statute of Secrecy was violated? This is a good reminder of how important it is - I know I'll be a lot more careful about practicing Quidditch when I'm home for the summer! I don't know what their new Minister thinks of us - perhaps someone will lead a delegation to ask.

But enough about Muggles. I finished a pair of socks! And I've started knitting a new scarf - a magical scarf.

I know it doesn't look like much here, but that's because it's all bunched up on the needles. There's only so much that can be done for knitting in progress, even if you're willing to use a bit of magic from time to time. But wait until you see it finished - it will look like a normal, two-sided, loop-shaped scarf, but if you run your fingers along it you'll see it has only one side.

I'm making the scarf with some handspun that Morgana Black gave me in last term's swap. The colorway is called "Perfect Storm," and it's knitting up to be just lovely - it looks like I'm knitting a cloudy sky. We've been lucky with the sunshine lately, but once winter sets in I'll be glad to have something to remind me that gray and cloudy can be very pretty.

If you'd like to knit a magical scarf yourself, the spell is described here. I hope you'll share pictures if you do!

Halloween

It was a very quiet Halloween.

I left Hogwarts to visit my boyfriend at his Muggle school, and they don't do much to celebrate. But I brought all three dogs with me, and Zero had fun getting to hang out with my live dogs. So I think he had a really good time.

I'm feeling kind of funny. I had something wrong with my finger, and the Healer I saw used stitches when treating it. Now I know why Mrs. Weasley doesn't approve of these alternative therapies! I'm also not doing so well with the Pain Relieving Spells - I don't know if I'm missing, or what, but they make my head feel woozy and don't do much for the finger pain. But Madame Pomfrey thinks I just need to be patient and rest, and I'll be better soon.

It's going to be a busy few days. The Muggle election is coming up, and it's important to work for that. The Minister of Magic is going to want a good Muggle partner for the next four years, so I'm going to do what I can to help him get one!

Quiz #4 Complete

Our last quiz was a "Mad Libs" type story. I posted my answers this week, and now we get to see how they fit into Lavender's story:

Professor Moody was having a terrible morning, and it wasn't even breakfast yet. Someone broke into the Herbology classroom the night before, hid a Boggart in the closet, and set loose 733 doxies. How did he know there were 733 doxies? Because each one took a bite out of his hand as he tried to capture it, and Madame Pomfrey had to run each wound separately. And comment annoyingly about how Professor McGonagall would've had the room cleared out with 2 waves of a wand.

It took forever to get out of the infirmary, and by then Professor Moody was in a foul mood. Luckily, he knew how to improve it: by finding the culprits and making him, her or them pay. Moody had overheard some students giggling in the hallways the other day about Selena's stash of doxy eggs, so he had a good idea of who to interrogate first. Unfortunately for him, but rather fortunately for Selena, the common room password had recently been changed to "Chudley Cannons", so Moody couldn't enter. Sir Cadogan looked up from his portrait and laughed at the cursing, frustrated Professor.

The old Professor Moody would have thrown a hissy fit at being taunted by a mere portrait, and blasted the thing all the way into the 9th floor girl's bathroom. The new Professor Moody went to 11 weeks of Anger Management classes, punched a lot of pillows, and took up needlepoint. And started subscribing to the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes catalogue.

Professor Moody's first class off the day was Herbology with the 3rd year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw. It took them 2 hours to clean up after the entire carton of Fanged Frisbees that went off and clung to their robes, schoolbooks, and any exposed flesh. The students all knew that Selena was planning to do something in Herbology to get Professor Moody, so everyone blamed her for the prank and gave her the cold shoulder for 17 days, until Ophelia Hopkirk blew up the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom with a misplaced charm and became the new pariah-of-the-hour.

Hogwarts Ghosts

I was sitting by the window in our common room today, when a new ghost flew in. He's not like the other ghosts here at Hogwarts.

His name is Zero. He's very friendly, and he's been following me around all day. Most of the Hogwarts ghosts are quite nice - our own Fat Friar is always jolly, Nearly Headless Nick is unfailingly polite, and even Peeves can be quite funny sometimes. But Zero's unusual - he really likes to be around people, all the time, and he's very warm and cuddly for a ghost.


I've been trying to pet him a bit, and I think he likes that. It's hard to pet a ghost, but he's so cute that I can't help but try. Sometimes he gets in a playful mood, but he was content to spend most of the day in my lap, or hovering just over my shoulder while I was reading.


He reminds me a lot of one of my Muggle dogs, Oscar. But I don't think Oscar could be part ghost, since I'm already pretty sure he's part Niffler. But maybe Zero is a distant relative of Oscar's - that might explain the resemblance. Since I can't have Oscar or Max with me when I'm in class, I'm glad Zero's here. It's nice to have doggie company - and I think this ghostly dog likes having company, too. I'm happy to snuggle with Zero!

The Hufflepuff Wizard Cracker Exchange

I'm about to announce the Hufflepuff Wizard Cracker Exchange, so here's a short tutorial on how to make your own Cracker.

If this were a real Wizard Cracker, the lucky recipient would pull on the ends and it would explode with a bang, revealing all sorts of goodies. Since mailing something that explodes is probably a Really Bad Idea, we're going to go for the look - and the goodies.

Supplies: You'll need a cardboard tube, some tissue paper, tape (or glue), scissors, goodies to put in the cracker, and stuff to decorate the cracker. The dog is optional and not recommended, but my EvenWorseDog really likes to steal and chew up paper towel tubes.


Step 1: Cut the tube to the length needed for your goodies, and roll it up in tissue paper that's a few inches wider than your tube is long.


Step 2: Twist the paper on one end of the tube to close it, and fill it with goodies through the other end.


Step 3: With both ends twisted shut and tucked in, pick your paper for the outside of the cracker. I've had to tape two 12" sheets of scrapbook paper together here, but the seam will be hidden by my decorations. You want something that will wrap around the tube with a bit of an overlap, and leave 4-5" at each end of the tube.


Step 4: The decorative paper is taped around the outside of the tube. Pinch the ends shut - you'll want them to be fairly snug.


Step 5: Fasten the ends shut with yarn, ribbon, or tape, and decorate as you see fit. Your cracker is ready to mail!


Possible embellishments - you could always add some curling ribbon, to simulate an explosion. Or confetti - if you warn the recipient to be careful about opening it. Here are some examples of Muggle Crackers, for inspiration.

I am most like...

Which HP Kid Are You?

Quiz #4

More homework, and today it's Mad Libs. This should be fun! Today I'll post a list of words, and at the end of the week, we'll see what sort of story they've created....

1. Alastor Moody
2. Herbology
3. 733
4. Professor McGonagall
5. Hand
6. to run
7. Selena
8. Chudley Cannons
9. Sir Cadogan
10. 9
11. 11
12. Needlepoint
13. Ravenclaw
14. Fanged Frisbees
15. Ophelia Hopkirk
16. Defense Against the Dark Arts

Quidditch, Round Two

It's time for the next round of Quidditch! I hope I'll be able to help hunt the Snitch this time, and maybe bring victory back to our fine House. Huzzah Hufflepuff!

No scavenger hunt this round, but here are my trivia answers:

What animal does the portrait in the Muggle Prime Minster’s office resemble?
b. Frog


2. What drink does Romilda Vane try to give Harry?
a. Gillywater


3. What is the name of the person who heads the Holyhead Harpies?
b. Gwenog Jones


4. How many ‘Exceeds Expectation’ grades does Harry receive in his O.W.L’s?
c. 5


5. What is Professor Slughorn’s favorite candy?
d. Crystallized Pineapple


6. What tattoo is Harry reported to have on his chest?
c. Hippogriff


7. What color robes do the staff at the Weasley’s shop wear?
b. Magenta


8. What is the man outside Flourish and Blotts selling?
a. Amulets


9. How much is the skull, which Hermione enquires about at Borgin and Burkes, worth?
c. 16 Galleons


10. What are Professor Slughorn’s initials?
b. H.E.F.

Yikes! A Quiz!

I'm no better at my Hogwarts homework than I am with Muggle projects. I just now found out about the quiz - which is exactly the sort of thing I get on students for doing! How bad is that?

But here it is - the best I can do, without the book:

1. On what day does Harry run into Draco and Narcissa in Diagon Alley?
August 3, when they're buying school supplies before the beginning of the term.

2. How does Harry get detention in DADA?
He annoys Professor Snape, especially when he says "There's no need to call me 'Professor,' sir."

3. How does Ron get his spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team?
He wins it in tryouts! It may help that Hermione Confunded Cormac McLaggen, but Ron's probably the better Keeper, anyway.

4. When is the first Apparition lesson?
February 1.

5. When do Ron and Ginny breakup with Lavender and Dean?
April 21.

6. What Horcrux is hidden in the cave?
The Locket

7. Who does Filch have a romance with?
The Librarian

8. When is Voldemort’s birthday and birth place?
He was born in London, December 31, around 1926.

9. What is Dumbledore’s favorite flavor of jam?
Raspberry.

10. Who is “Mollywobbles” and who uses the name?
It's Mr. Weasley's pet nickname for Mrs. Weasley.

Pictures:

Snape

Draco

Kreacher

Madam Pince

Rufus Scrimgeour

My Patronus

What Patronus Charm would you create?

Terrier You would create a Terrier Patronus charm just like Ron. Your personality must be loyal, slightly clueless, fun-loving, and clumsy.

How do you compare? Take this test! | Tests from Testriffic

Homework Again

1 Which is your favorite book in the series (and why)?
#5, because I really like seeing Umbridge go down.

2 If you were taking Owls, which class would you get an E in? Would you get any Ts?
I hope I'd be good at History of Magic. I'd be most likely to get a T in Herbology. This is what my fiance's garden looked like after he left it to me. The only plant I took good care of was the goldenrod.

3 Who is your favorite character (or characters) in the Harry Potter series?
I think the Weasley twins are pretty nifty. I also feel a certain kinship with Hagrid, and his views on interesting creatures.

4 If you had to pick 1 character for a roomate, who would you pick and why? Who'd be your least-favorite to have as a roomate?
Hermione would be a great roommate, because she'd help with homework and we could stay up all night knitting. I wouldn't want to live anywhere near Percy Weasley, and if I had Pansy Parkinson as a roommate I'd probably rub poison ivy on her sheets.

5 Hufflepuffs are a hardworking bunch, but also a bit mischevious. Which Hogwarts professor would you most like to prank, and how would you do it?
I'd like to play a prank on Professor Flitwick. I think he'd be the biggest challenge - and he'd probably appreciate a well-done prank, once it was over.

6 Favorite DADA professor? (from the books, Lucius does NOT count :)
Professor Lupin. And I'd like to take some classes from the real Professor Moody.

7 Favorite magical creatures? (Also, if for example you like a certain creature in general, but not how they are represented in the HP canon, feel free to elaborate :)
Isn't it strange that dogs are never listed as being magical? Is it just because they're so wonderful that they don't need magic?
There's something cool about the Thestrals. It would be hard to get used to having a creature around that I couldn't see, but they seem to be pretty friendly in their own way.

8 What is your favorite food in the HP universe? Which food or foods would you like to try in real life? Do you have any recipes to share with us ;)?
Mmm...butterbeer. I'd love to try butterbeer. I'm pretty sure I'd like the Pumpkin Pasties too - maybe I should come up with a recipe for my own. And anything by Mrs. Weasley would be wonderful to try.

9 Broom, floo powder, portkey, or magic carpet?
Magic carpet - more room for the dogs.

10 Since we're Hufflepuffs... Yellow or Black?
Black! Except for knitting yarn...I'm learning that's not much fun.

The Dating Game

I've heard that, a few years ago, one of the Professors went kind of nuts on Valentine's day and filled Hogwarts with glitter and angry cupids. Maybe some things are safer done the Muggle way, with a computer dating quiz.

I took the test to find my ideal mate at Hogwarts, and got:

Your result for The Harry Potter Husband Test...

Mrs. Weasley Twin

Your perfect HP man is Fred and/or George Weasley.

Laughter is important to you. You want a guy who's never boring, who can always put a smile on your face, and who can pull the best of pranks and never get caught. Or possibly two such guys. Because let's face it, they're pretty much a two-fer. You get one, you get both. Even if one of them's only a friend, he'll still be around so much you'll feel like you're married to him, too. Sure, they may not seem like the most mature guys in the world, in a traditional sense, but just ask them about their business plan. When they drive you nuts by relentlessly testing their latest inventions on you, you can console youself with that huge stack of cash and dragon-leather jacket. Besides, you know you're powerless against those stereo smiles.

Take The Harry Potter Husband Test at HelloQuizzy

That's not what I expected, but I think the Weasley twins are pretty cool. I'll bet my mother would be happy if I brought home a redhead - although two might be a bit much for her! But I think a girl would get awful worn out, living with one of those boys.

Besides, I already have a Muggle boyfriend. For someone who can't do magic or knit, he's pretty satisfactory. And I never have to worry about "accidentally" getting Canary Creams for Valentine's Day!

Quidditch, Round One

This school term is going fast! Can you believe it's already time for the first Quidditch match? We've barely had a chance to get the team together and practice.

I'm not going to be able to hunt for the Snitch this time, so I'd better get my answers posted!

1. At the beginning of the book, Cornelius Fudge is talking to the Muggle Prime Minister. Which member of the Order of the Phoenix has recently been found dead?
c. Emmeline Vance

2. What animal does Bellatrix Lestrange kill when she and her sister, Narcissa, are going to see Professor Snape?
b. Fox

3. What time does Professor Dumbledore collect Harry from Privet Drive?
b. 11 p.m.

4. What did Professor Slughorn transform into when he was trying to hide from Harry and Professor Dumbledore?
a. An armchair

5. What grade did Harry get for Herbology?
a. E – Exceeds Expectation

6. Herbert Chorley, the Prime Minister’s Junior Minster, has been entertaining the public by impersonating which animal?
b. A duck

7. What is Professor Sprout’s first name?
d. Pomona

8. What is Dumbledore’s idea of ‘a few words’?
d. nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak

9. Who is Marcus Belby’s famous uncle?
b. Damocles

10. What is Snape’s mother’s name?
b. Eileen Prince

Photos:

Narcissa

Snape

Bellatrix

Professor Sprout

Professor Dumbledore



HUZZAH HUFFLEPUFF!!!!!

Picture Day

It's picture day at Hogwarts!

Since the Meez on the side already shows me in my Hogwarts uniform, I'll share this - the last school picture I had taken. Do you miss the '80s?

No magic spell in the world would do much for my thin hair (especially after I had a Hair-Destroying Curse put on me by my Evil Second Grade Teacher), but I was determined to try. Perm after perm, and this was the best it got - I really wanted something curlier!

Fortunately for the next generation, I'm marrying a man with naturally curly hair. So any future children should have hair with body without having to resort to Hoosier Hair, or any of its more-unfortunately-named counterparts.

Potions Practice

It's hard to remember how much fun Potions can be when your teacher is Snape - sorry, Professor Snape. With him, it's all about things you can do to people - Swelling Solution, Confusing Concoction, Veritaserum, Draught of Living Death. I think the only reason he teaches antidotes at all is so he'll have an excuse to poison students. After his class, you're left thinking Potions are mostly a Dark Art - so why would you ever want to study them?

But Potions can be fun, too. My friend from last term, Calliope, invited me to join her and a bunch of the witches in her town for a Potions Day in the park. We spent the whole day working on Potions that change the color of things - mostly yarn and stuff, but I got a bit too eager to work on mine, and wound up turning my hands blue. I think somebody else accidentally colored her hair, but the more experienced witches assured her that the color wouldn't stay unless she'd also spilled Mordantum Mixture on her hair first.


We learned that you can use some ingredients that are easy to find - like Pokeberry, and even Walnuts for your potions - although having some Dragon's Blood and Beetle Scale helps make the really nice colors.

I'm sorry Calliope couldn't come back to Hogwarts for this term, but she says she'll be back next year. She's still practicing her Potions work almost every week, so I know she'll have all sorts of exciting things to show off when she gets back!

Dueling with the Muggles

I've just finished a hat for Hat Attack, which is sort of like Dueling Club for Muggles. The structure is a bit different - instead of a one-to-one matchup, everyone's in a chain, trying to do in the next person down. Imagine being in a Quiddtich match where there aren't any teams, and everyone's looking for the Snitch!

My hat is in the mail now, on its way to "kill" my Muggle victim. Muggle knitters can be a pretty violent bunch. I wonder if it's because they only get to wave around knitting needles, and never wands?

Quiz #1

1. Do you knit and/or crochet?
- Mostly I knit. I'm crocheting a project right now, though.
2. How long have you been at your craft?
- 30 years, off and on. More seriously, for the past 5 or so.
3. Do you spin? If yes do you use drop spindle or wheel.
- Some, on a drop spindle.
4. What is your favorite color?
- Blue, and I like cool colors in general.
5. Do you have any other hobbies?
- Lots! Reading, cooking, wine drinking, lampworking, medieval re-creation
6. What are your favorite yarns/fibers?
- Merino wool is my favorite overall, and seems to be the most versatile and practical. I like natural fibers in general.
7. What are your LEAST favorite yarns/fibers?
- Acrylic and mohair. I really don't like mohair in garments - I try to be more open-minded about synthetics.
8. Are there any yarns that you’ve been eyeing and wanting to try?
- I keep hearing about this Wollmeise, and want to try it. I love my skein of Fleece Artist sock yarn, and would like to try more of theirs. Tofutsies and Therapi are the only SWTC yarns I've tried, so I'd like to try some of the others.
9. What are you currently working on?
- My Hat Attack weapon, Zero the Ghost Dog, and my "Audacity" yarn socks.
10. What is your favorite Finished Object? (Pictures are welcome.)
- That's a tough call. I reach for my Monkey socks pretty regularly. And I was quite proud of Nautie, and want to knit more of him.
11. Are their any knitting/crochet techniques that you would like to learn?
- I want to learn to knit two socks at once, and I want to try double knitting.
12. What is you favorite type of book or movie?
- Historical fiction for books - probably comedies for movies.
13. Who is your favorite person at Hogwarts?
- Madam Hooch is totally cool. I want to fly like she does.
14. Favorite class and/or subject at Hogwarts?
- Care of Magical Creatures. Someday I'd like to a niffler.
15. How many family members do you have?
- There's me, my fiance (who's away at another school), and the two dogs.
16. What is your favorite Fall activity?
- Roasting marshmallows
17. How many projects do you have on your needles/hook?
- I have 13 projects in progress, 4 that I've actively worked on in the last week or two
18. What is your favorite type of footwear?
- Birkenstock sandals. They show off handmade socks so well!
19. What is your favorite beverage of choice?
- I drink Pepsi most of the time, but I like white or rose wine the best.
20. What is your favorite park of Half-blood Prince?
- The Quiddtich match where Harry tricks Ron into thinking he's taken the Felix Felicis.

Questions from the Headmistress

Here's my first homework assignment!

Potter Name: Selena Starfire

Rav ID: VeryBadDogs

I am allergic to: Cats, black olives

Pets that I have: 2 bad dogs

My favorite yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport, or Cherry Tree Hill

My favorite flavor: It's a tough choice - mocha, mint, or berry?

My favorite holiday: Christmas, but the others are fun, too

I would like to receive a: surprise!

List your favorite brand of needles or hooks, including size and length: Crystal Palace bamboo needles - I go through a lot of 1s and 2s (thanks to the dogs). I learned that I don't do so well with really short needles.

Is there a brand that you are dying to try?: Of needles? Sooner or later I'll try the Addis, and the Sock Stix.

I've participated in HSKS: Once

Do you have a birthday during this swap? If so which day? No

My Wand

Last term, I didn't worry too much about my wand - I just borrowed one for learning the basic spells. Some people thought it was funny that, when I bought my spindle, I paid more attention to it than I did to a wand. But it makes sense - you have to find the right combination of wood and whorl (just like a wand and its core), and you want something that fits your hand. If you spend a lot of time around Muggles, a spindle is a bit - only a bit, I'm afraid - easier to explain than a wand.

But this year I have my own wand, selected by Mr. Ollivander just for me!

Wood type: olive Length: 11 inches Core: Phoenix Feather get your own wand!

Mr. Ollivander says this about Olive wands:

Olive wands tend to choose the witch or wizard who possess above average intelligence, not to mention often an overactive imagination. Olive wands are also a favorite of healers and are especially good not only for healing but also for protective spells. Many believe the bearers of Olive wands to be good at decision making - but this is not necessarily so. The owner of an olive wand may be decisive but that does not mean their decisions are the right ones. On the other side of the coin they may be so busy worrying about what is right that they are unable to ever reach a conclusion.
Olive's personality is peaceful

And this about the Phoenix feather core:

The Phoenix Feather comes from the tail feathers of a Phoenix, and is especially good with fire or defensive magic, as well as healing magic. This may be due largely to the healing properties Phoenixes have.

I tend to burn myself a lot, when I'm baking or making glass beads, so I hope this wand will be good for healing those burns!

P.S. There was a lovely surprise in my mailbox today, a leftover from HSKS5! Read all about it on my Muggle Blog.

Back to School

It's almost time for the fall term to begin at Hogwarts, and I can't wait to get back!

I'm only in my second year, so I'm glad I was able to do the summer term and get started. Being at Hogwarts is so much fun that I liked going to school in the summer. Even the homework was interesting - we hardly ever had that at my Muggle school.

I was surprised to find out how much I liked playing Quidditch. I've never been very athletic, but I certainly had some good luck as a Seeker. I hope that carries over into this term, because I'd really like to see Hufflepuff repeat our Quidditch and House Cup victories!

I never thought I'd be a Hufflepuff. I'd always thought of myself as a Ravenclaw type, and the Sorting Hat seemed to be trying to decide between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. But like Professor Dumbledore says, the Hat can take your thoughts into account. I guess not many people wanted to be Hufflepuffs last year, but I thought it would be just fine. I'm glad the Hat did too, because I loved my House - we had all kinds of fun together. I'm looking forward to seeing who's back, and getting to know the new students.

Of course, one of the best things about Hogwarts is meeting other witches and wizards who like to knit. I'm sure we'll get a lot of knitting done as we chat in our common room. I wonder what sort of projects I'll do this year?