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!