The Diary of a Witch, Volume III

THE DIARY OF A WITCH, VOLUME III

CHAPTER 8: APRIL

Friday, April 1, Great Hall, After Classes,

            FREEDOM!!!!

            NO CLASSES FOR ONE WHOLE WEEK!

            At least Easter is good for something because I seriously need this break. Last night I had a dream where I was locked in class for the rest of my life. There were all these skeletons sitting in desks next to me. It was freaky. If that isn’t a signal to take a break from classes I don’t know what is.

            Looks like the teachers still haven’t cleaned up the streamers from Fred and George’s April Fools Day prank. They set it up so when everyone uncovered the platters of lunch meat the house-elves always serve they exploded and streamers and fireworks exploded around the room. It was fun except for the part where the fireworks startled Rowena and she accidently clawed me when she jumped.

Saturday, April 2, Great Hall,

            Vacation my ass. Look at all the work I have to do:

FOR

TRANSFIGURATION: equations at the end of chapter eight. Perfect chapter eight spells for quiz on Tuesday.

CHARMS: Essay on Cheering Charms, one and a half feet of parchment. Read chapter nine and answer questions at the end.

DADA: Non Magical Defense Techniques essay, ten inches long. Read chapter ten and summarize.

POTIONS: Do potion recipe number 213 in book and have ready for class time. Read chapter 38 and answer questions in book. Remember to update potions log.

HOM: New World Magic Laws essay, two feet of parchment.

ASTRONOMY: read the myth of the Sagittarius constellation and summarize. Keep up to date on star movement record.

HERBOLOGY: Go down to Greenhouse and feed assigned plant. Essay on it’s growth process, ten inches long.

LATIN: Read beginners Latin book given in class and summarize story in Latin.

DIVINATION: History of the Crystal Ball essay, one roll of parchment.

ANCIENT RUNES: Rune translation tablet and write one paragraph about yourself using Scandinavian runes.

            HELLO. It’s called a vacation for a reason: YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORK! Somebody apparently forgot to tell this to the professors.

Sunday, April 3, Library,

PLANS FOR THIS WEEK:

Monday: finish Transfiguration and Charms homework. Hopefully finish Slyvia Plath’s Journals. Get ingredients for potion and set up cauldron for it.

Tuesday: finish DADA and Potions written work. Start potion.

Wednesday: Finish Astronomy and Latin homework. Feed plant in greenhouse.

Thursday: Finish Divination and Runes homework.

Friday: Free day! Have some fun at least. Maybe a mock game of Quidditch?

Thursday, April 7, Library Notes,

Crystalomancy: the art of gazing into the crystal ball.

-form of scrying, a method involving gazing into a crystal until images begin to form.

-Roman wizards were the ones to come up with crystalomancy and perfected its art. Usually used polished crystals of quartz or beryl since they have the most magical properties.

Saturday, April 9, Dorm Room,

THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK:

            Absolutely nothing of interest. Got my homework done early but none of my friends had time to play a round of Quidditch so I ended up finishing The Unabridged Journals of Slyvia Plath. So, what do I think of Slyvia Plath? Well, she was a pretty good writer. Lot of anger issues though. But considering her life, it’s understandable. I’d be concerned if she HADN’T had anger issues. But reading this sort of helps me see where she got all the ideas for Ariel which is her book of poems.

            I got letters from home earlier today along with chocolate eggs (yum) and a basket filled with jelly beans, regular dyed eggs, and stuffed rabbit that is so cute! I shared the eggs with my friends but I didn’t give up my jelly beans. I LOVE those things.

            I’m so glad the Quidditch final is next Saturday, we need some excitement around here.

Monday, April 11, Great Hall, Breakfast,

            Okay, THAT’S a little excessive.

            I know the Slytherin v.s. Gryffindor rivalry is way more intense then other house rivalries but does Potter need ten people surrounding him at all times? I mean, geez Wood, protective much? But them Marcus Flint is in charge of the Slytherin team so I wouldn’t put anything past them.

            But still. Ten people? I hope they at least let Potter go to the bathroom on his own for crying out loud.

Tuesday, April 12, Ancient Runes Notes,

-Padma, did you hear?

            -Hear what?

-There was a fight in the hallway right before the last class!

            -No! Seriously?

-No lie.

            -Who was it?

-Multiple people apparently. Mainly a group of Slytherins versus a group of Gryffindors. One fourth year Gryffindor and one Slytherin sixth year had to go to the infirmary afterwards thanks to having leaks in their ears due to a spell.

            -Wow.

-What are you two gossiping about? We’re in class! Pay attention!

-Mandy, chill out. The Professor is just going over the homework we did last night.

            -Yeah, you really need to relax. Did you hear about the fight?

-Yes, I heard. I think both houses are being completely stupid. It’s just QUIDDITCH for crying out loud.

-JUST QUIDDITCH! Did she just write that?

            -I think she did.

-BLASPHEMY!

            -Get over it, J. And PAY ATTENTION!

Wednesday, April 13, Library (I don’t live here, I SWEAR),

            Evidently I underestimated house rivalry. Those bodyguards Potter had? COMPLETELY necessary. There have been about three fights that I know of between Gryffindor and Slytherin students and the Slytherins are always trying to trip Potter when he walks into a classroom according to Blaise who doesn’t really care about Quidditch but finds watching Quidditch enthused people very amusing.

            How Blaise cannot be interested in Quidditch is beyond me but she says it’s just not her thing. She’s more concerned about her studies instead of a stupid house rivalry. For good reason too because she’s decided she wants to be a healer when she graduates and you need top grades to be one.

            Glad someone knows what they want to do when they graduate.

Friday, April 15, Library,

            There have now been five fights between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Bet the teachers are going to be happy when Quidditch season is over.

Saturday, April 16, Common Room, After Quidditch Final,

            GRYFFINDOR WON! SOMEONE FINALLY TOOK THE QUIDDITCH CUP AWAY FROM THE SLYTHERINS! ABOUT DAMN TIME.

            Anyway, here’s the play by play:

            The teams came out when they were called. Flint and Wood shook hands when Madam Hooch told them too (each looking like they were trying to kill each other by grip alone) and then Madam Hooch blew the whistle.

            Gryffindor scored first, thanks to Angelina Johnson. Then when she took her victory lap around the stadium Flint smashed into her! He tried to pretend like he didn’t see her and Fred threw his Beaters club and the back of Flints head earning both Slytherin and Gryffindor penalty shots. Personally, I say go Fred.

            Alicia Spinnet scored the penalty shot for Gryffindor while Flint completely missed his penalty shot (ha, serves him right). Didn’t see her my foot. Anyway, Katie Bell caught the Quaffle next after Slytherin missed another shot and would have scored had Montague not GRABBED HER HEAD. His excuse? “I thought it was the Quaffle.” Needless to say Gryffindor got another penalty shot which they got making the score thirty to zero.

            Slytherin finally scored and there was funny moment when Lee Jordan swore very impressively and Professor McGonagall tried to take away his magic megaphone. I got a picture of it that I’m going to spellotape in here when it’s developed. The game started to get downright dirty after that thanks to the Slytherins who were no doubt pissed because their cheating wasn’t working. But Gryffindor managed to get the score up to eighty to twenty with them in the lead.

            Then it happened: Potter saw the Snitch! He started to race after it but Malfoy stopped him from catching it by PULLING ON THE BROOMSTICKS TAIL! Of all the lowest tactics I’ve seen him use, this has been the worst. Madam Hooch was pissed at him and gave him the riot act. Professor McGonagal didn’t bother telling off Lee for calling Malfoy a Bastard because she was too busy telling the blonde off herself. Yes, I got a picture of that too.

            But Malfoys underhanded trick was in vain because the next time the Snitch was spotted Potter managed to knock his hand out of the way and catch it before he did making the final score two hundred and thirty to twenty.

            Which just goes to show you cheating never pays off.

Sunday, April 17, Great Hall, Breakfast,

THINGS TO DO:

1) Finish HoM, Herbology, and Astronomy essay.

2) Potion for class

3) Start studying for finals (no, really)

4) Write letter home

5) Start reading The Land of Oz.

6) Take a break sometime.

Monday, April 18, Outside By the Lake,

            Everyone is still talking about the Quidditch final. Malfoy has been sulking because of it.

            Ha.

Tuesday, April 19, Divination Notes,

-I’m sorry Owen, when did Trelawney make the prediction that Gryffindor would win the Quidditch Cup?

            -Never.

-Just checking.

Wednesday, April 20, Great Hall, Lunch,

            How can these teachers make us go to class when it’s so nice and warm outside!?

            I’m beginning to wish I had taken Care of Magical Creatures. Though from what Owen’s told me it’s gotten kind of boring. All they’ve been doing is taking care of Flobberworms, whatever those are. Remind me to look them up...

Thursday, April 21, Ancient Runes Notes,

-Mandy, what did the Professor say was going to be on the final again?

            -Weren’t you paying attention?

-I tried. But it’s so PRETTY outside! Hogwarts needs to have more outdoor classes.

            -You wouldn’t be saying that if it were snowing right now.

-I would if the professors would let us play in the snow.

            -I’m sorry, how old are you again?

-Thirteen. You need to work on your memory, Mandy. Now, about the final?

-Fine. He said we’d have to know all of the basic Scandenavian runes and all the materials that we covered. There will be an oral and a written exam and he’ll give us each a tablet to translate.

-Geez, not asking for much, is he? Why does there have to be an oral? My pronunciation abilities in other languages suck.

            -Just practice and you’ll be fine.

-That’s what they ALL say.

Friday, April 22, Library,

FLOBBERWORMS:

Worm that lives in damp valley like places. Produce mucus that is sometimes used to thicken potions. Eat lettuce and vegetation.

            I’m sorry, WHY is Hagrid bothering with these creatures?

Sunday, April 24, Great Hall, Breakfast,

THINGS TO DO:

1) Finish HoM, Charms, and Transfiguration essay.

2) Read DADA chapter and summarize.

3) Rune and Latin translations

4) Practice on crystal ball in room and do three “seeings” for three people.

5) Update Potions record book

6) Memorize recipe number 215 for practical this week.

7) REALLY start to study for finals.

8) DO NOT stress about oral in Latin or Runes.

9) Send an owl to Firenze asking for advice on how to make an owl and kitten get along.

Monday, April 25, Dorm Room,

            Using my powers on Gandalf and Rowena to make them get along wouldn’t be COMPLETELY unethical would it? I mean it’s for a good cause: I’ll keep my sanity.

Tuesday, April 26, Dorm Room,

LETTER FROM FIRENZE:

Dear Jubilee,

            I’m sorry but your powers cannot make animals get along with force. You can use it to persuade them not eat one another but changing their personalities is like how humans change their personalities: it is completely voluntary and only happens through experience.

            Perhaps you should try getting them to talk to one another?

                        Firenze

One word: DAMN.

Wednesday, April 27, Hallway Bench, Break,

            Well EXCUSE ME Percy Weasley for running into you but guess what? Maybe you shouldn’t be walking and reading at the same time! You ever think about that, Mr. Smarty pants?

            MEN.

Thursday, April 28, History of Magic,

SOME OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“I believe that whenever we destroy beauty, or subsitute something man-made and artificial for a natural feature of the earth, we have retarded some part of man’s spiritual growth.”-Rachel Carson.

“If you create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.”-Marc Chagall.

“I prefer drawing to talking. Drawing is faster and allows less room for error.”-Le Corbusier