Thursday, May 29, 2008

Quidditch: Round One

Yay! Quidditch is coming!
_____________________

1. Which of Arabella Figg's cats ran out from under the car?
a. Tibbles

2. Which of the following is NOT one of Albus Dumbledore's middle names?
a. Ignatius

3. Which educational decree introduced a High Inquisitor to Hogwarts?
a. 22

4. Apart from Harry, Ron and Hermione, who was the first person to enter the Hog's Head that showed an interest in Harry's Defence Against the Dark Arts classes?

b.Neville Longbottom

5. In the first Quidditch match of the year which player attempted to score first?

a. Angelina Johnson
6. What kind of bush does Harry hide behind to listen to the news?

b. A hydrangea bush
7. Why is Mundungus Fletcher disguised as a woman when he witnesses the DA (Dumbledore's Army) meeting in the Hog's Head pub?

b. He was banned from the Hog’s Head pub 20 years ago.

8. When Harry and Cho go on their first date to Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade, what is it decorated with for Valentine's Day?

c. Golden cherubs and pink confetti

9. How old is Sturgis Podmore and where does he live?
a. 38 and number 2 Laburnum Gardens Clapham

10. What did Fred and George Weasley do to Montague?

a. Forced him head-first into a Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor.

~PICTURE SCAVENGER HUNT~

Fred and George Together:







Hog's Head Pub:









Sirius Black:











Mr. Weasley and Harry (together)








Draco Malfoy


Monday, May 26, 2008

Entry for Contest: First time...

...knitting!


Here's my entry for Emma Gorodok's cool contest for her amazing bag pattern. As we are supposed to write about our first time trying a certain knitting technique, I chose the first time I learned to knit in general.


As a service project for a group, my friends and I decided that we would knit lap blankets for a children's hospital in Chicago named Shriners. One of my friends is in a wheelchair and heads down to this hospital almost monthly, so we figured she could take the blankets down and she and her family could help pass out the blankets to wheelchaired patients.


None of us knew anything about knitting at this time. My best friend's mom came in and taught each of us individually how to cast on, knit, and cast off. We all thought it was so hard in the beginning and so tedious. We had to cast on 160 stitches on size 10 needles, so it took a long time for any of our hard effort to show.


A few of us caught the knitting bug from this, though. We ignored the ugly garter-stitch, Red Heart lap blanket and moved on to projects that were more fun--hats, scarves, etc. At group meetings we bring out our other projects instead of the lap blankets we began with!


Now that it's been almost a year since that fateful day, a few more of us finally have those lap blankets finished. I finally sat down and finished mine. Though it's anything but perfect, I'm sure the patients at Shriner's will appreciate it.


Here's a work in progress pic of that lumpy lap blanket:


There you have it!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Meme Time!

Clidonia's tagged me to participate in this meme, so even though I really should be studying, I'm going to procrastinate and fill this out. Answers are about my muggle self, not my hogwarts-persona Daisy Finnigan.

Here we go!

1. What was I doing 10 years ago...

Um...I was in kindergarten. I'm not even joking--I'm think I'm the youngest person in this swap, and that's kind of embarrassing! What do I remember about being 6 years old? Not much, besides playing with my Barbie dolls in that huge dollhouse my dad built for me and having playdates with my friends. Ahh, those were the days...

2. 5 things to do on my To-Do List today:

1. Study for finals--which start Tuesday! GASP!
2. Work on my HSKS swap package ;)
3. Study for finals
4. Practice that piano duet with my sister and work on arranging another piece
5. Did I mention STUDY FOR MY FINALS? Not fun at all, but I really have to buckle down and just do it.

3. Snacks I enjoy:

*Popcorn--fatty movie theater popcorn, microwave popcorn, cheesy popcorn, you name it! I love it all.

*Dark chocolate--SOOOO good. And it's supposedly healthier than milk chocolate. That's a plus.

*M&Ms--my favorite candy! I collect M&M stuff--I have a calender, a cookiejar of the yellow M&M, an M&M lamp; it's all pretty awesome.

*DARK CHOCOLATE M&Ms: Enough said.

*Cheese: I live in Wisconsin, the dairy state. If I didn't love cheese I think all the other cheeseheads here would gang up and exile me.

4: If I were a billioniare, I would:

*Put lots of the money in the bank so the interest would go up and I wouldn't have to pay taxes on it--I know, I'm boring, but practical.
*Go traveling! My little sis and I would definitely go to Japan--she obsessed with Japanese culture and anime, and would love it.
*Buy the old, closed down yarn shop down the street and open it back up
*Go to Six Flags every day this summer. YAY ROLLERCOASTERS!
*Buy enough yarn that if an apocalypse occurred and I would have to stay in my basement cellar the rest of my life for fear of radiation poisoning or something, I would be able to knit my little heart out.

5: Places I've lived:

*Milwaukee, WI
*Oconomowoc, WI (aka a little town between Milwaukee and Madison)
*around Madison (specifically Middleton), WI

6: Jobs I've had:

*babysitting
*library assistant
*camp counselor

7: People I want to know more about...

Hmm, I am going to tag:

Cassandra Puddlemere, my spoilee
Morgana Kneen, my Ravenclaw roommate
Emma Wigworthy, my other roommate

Friday, May 23, 2008

Ravenclaw Homework #2

Our prefect gave us an interesting puzzle to figure out, but I managed to solve it in the end. The cryptogram goes like this:

"Can you keep a secret? The headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is at No. 12 Grimmauld Place."

********

Other than that, I'm having so much fun here at Hogwarts. Knitting with my fellow Claws has become a nightly activity, when I'm not busy doing my assignments. I'm in a hat mood lately, knitting hats of all colors, shapes and sizes. I don't know what I'll do with all of them! I also visit my Hufflepuff friend Clidonia (or Lidie, as her nickname is) often, to knit with her or just hear her frogs sing Queen songs repeatedly =). She is also my spoiler for the school-wide knitting swap, as I've mentioned before, and she owled me to say that something is coming my way. I'm so excited--I wonder what it could be!

Quidditch is also coming up soon. I've only heard about Quidditch--never seen it played, so that should be quite interesting. Ravenclaws for the world! We will win for sure!

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Busy Week

It's been so hectic here at school that I haven't found the time to write. Between getting through classes and knitting up a Ravenclaw scarf for the upcoming Quidditch games, I guess I haven't had a chance to catch up on my diary entries.

Classes have been great--well, at least some of them. Like Transfiguration and Charms. We've already learned to levitate things (Wingardium Leviosa!) and calling things to us (Accio!) Some of us first years have already learned to put the spells to good use. Like retrieving lost knitting needles--not that I would know or anything...

Astronomy has been keeping me up late, though. At home Mum would always tuck my sister and I in bed early before she ran off to work the night shift, so I guess we both are just used to early bedtimes. Now, however, staying up past midnight gazing in a telescope proves to be a challenge. I'm constantly nodding off, both in that class AND History of Magic.

Ugh. HoM proves to be the most BORING class of all time. A few other students and I have already determined that. I have no idea how I'll get through the term--I can barely keep my eyes open.

Let's see--what other classes are there? Potions, which isn't really as hard as some people say it is. You just have to pay attention really well, be very careful, and make sure the other people at your table know what they're doing =p

We've only had a few lessons in Herebology, but it is quite interesting how the different plants can be used as magical remedies. It's definitely more exciting than I thought it would be.

And, finally, Defense Against The Dark Arts. What can I say? Supposedly the professor is new here, Professor Cornelius Lufkin. Our prefect Wisteria Lovegoods has taken him around on tours of the school, and already seems to be spending a lot of time with him. Hmmm. All the other older students seem infatuated with him as well, but as for me? I don't know what to say. There's something wrong about him--he seems a little creepy.

Well, I have to be going off to another class soon. History of Magic, to be exact. Wish me luck, though I'll probably fall asleep again. I just have a hunch.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Ravenclaw Homework 1: Biography

Our Head Girl and Prefect have decided that all of us fellow 'Claws should write biographies of our lives in order to get to know each other better. I can assure you, my life isn't all that interesting, but here we go:

I was born in a London flat on December 22nd, only a week or so before Christmas. My mother insisted on having a midwife, while my father insisted that a Healer be present for the birth--needless to say, I came early on a day when the roads were blockaded by snow, and was born before the doctor could get to us. My mother, Susie, is a Muggle waitress while my father is the wizard in our family. He didn't tell my mother about his magical background until their engagement, and Mum says it took a while for her to believe him, no matter how many teacups he transfigured before her eyes. My father didn't stay around very long at all--he left us when I was four years old, wanting to return to the wizarding world and be with someone who could "understand him better". At least, that's what Mum says. I don't believe that Dad could have been so cruel, could have left us like that--but it's what happened.

Since there is only magical blood on my father's side, my family didn't know if I was magical or not. My little sister came two years after I did, and until this day she still hasn't shown any signs of magical powers. She's quite jealous, but I keep on telling her to cheer up. My powers didn't show up until only about a year ago, when I accidentally changed the fur color of my nextdoor neighbor's dog from black to pink. My mother took me out of the public school then for the next few days, not knowing what to do. I think she wanted to forget about magic forever, but now that I showed my abilities, she was reminded of my father again. So I went back to school until summer, acting like nothing was wrong in front of my friends, doing the same old Muggle homework that I knew was pointless. I knew--as well as my mother and sister--that the letter would come, that I would have to go to Hogwarts--which we couldn't afford--but until then, we'd forget about it.

Last summer dragged on like that, and then the letter finally came. Mum was forced to do something she swore she vowed never to do again--she took some powder called "Floo Powder", put it in the lit fireplace, and walked into the flames, soaring up to who-knows-where! My sister and I were petrified, until she came back and explained the Dad had showed her this, the proper way that wizards travel. She had gone to my dad's mother and father (not knowing where he is at the moment) and asked for the money, saying it was his fault I was "this way" anyway. They said it would all be arranged, and it was.

A few days before school started, I found an barn owl perched on my windowsill, along with all my school books and supplies and a letter from Gringotts bank explaining of a payment to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry made in my name. My father had gotten everything I needed, including Hogwarts, A History. I read the whole book by the time September 1st rolled around. My sister and mother were sad to see me leave, and waved goodbye to me as I rushed to Platform 9 3/4. However, my owl (Freya) allows me to send letters back to them whenever I want. Sometimes Mum even sends me things, such as leftover pie from the diner where she works, but it's always squished and stale by the time it gets here. Still, it's the thought that counts!

So here I am. Ravenclaw Daisy Finnigan, at your service!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Looking Up

The eternal, never-ending rain has stopped, and I'm writing this diary entry outside in the courtyard during passing time, near the Whomping Willow. I have so much to say...

I've started to know all my fellow 'Claws very well. Mum would be happy. Every night we knit in the common room when our assignments are complete (although it doesn't take us very long--we're Ravenclaws, remember?)

And I guess the other students respect me as well. I might be a bit of an oddball to them, as I was the only one who asked our herbology teacher, Prof. Longbottom, for his autograph (HELLO! He was one of the students who was with Harry Potter and fought against You-Know-Who! I was ecstatic to meet him). But they respect me for my weirdness, I suppose.

We've started a Hogwarts-wide knitting swap. I'm surprised how many Hogwarts students knit--almost a hundred joined the swap! Before the term ends, I have to give my swap partner (or spoilee, as it's called) a knitted parcel, sock yarn, handmade stitch markers, knitting patterns, and brand new needles.

I've been assigned to Cassandra Puddlemere, and she's a Slytherin Head Girl! I already have some ideas, but I think I might have to sneak into the Slytherin Common Room one night to get to know her better. It might even be fun knitting with the Slytherins!

My spoiler, on the other hand, is Clidonia Acromantula from Hufflepuff. She likes frogs--her two pet frogs even sing! I think I'm going to ask her if they know any songs by Queen. I would laugh at hearing them sing "We Are the Champions"!

Well, I think this term is going to be very interesting. I have to go, diary--class is beginning soon! I don't want to be late!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Rainy Days

It's raining outside already, and it's only September. Mum told me I would get soaked at this school, but I guess I didn't believe her. Or I didn't want to. I miss the sun already.

I don't have classes this morning, so I'm stuck inside my dormitory while all the other Ravenclaws are eating breakfast, taking my time getting ready. It's not that I don't want to socialize--I just--don't open up to people quickly. Don't mesh.

No, I'm NOT avoiding anyone! Why does my conscience immediately jump to that conclusion? No, I'm just...not hungry.

And I HAVE been socializing a lot lately--every night, the other Ravenclaws still pull out that knitting of theirs and I join them. I don't get how they can talk and count rows at the same time, so I'm mostly quiet while chanting my mantra: "Knit, purl, knit, purl..."

...okay, there is some room for improvement on the socializing thing. They are all very nice people. They weren't complete yarn snobs at all. So you know what? I'll go and eat breakfast with them--promise. I'll just finish my diary entry...get changed...

Okay, tomorrow, then. Tomorrow I'll be more outgoing. Tomorrow it will stop raining and things will start looking up. The last thing I want to do is feel sorry for myself.

Friday, May 2, 2008

First-Year Jitters

September 2nd

Well, here I am.
Daisy Finnigan, about to embark on the greatest adventure of her 11-year-old life.
Hogwarts.

See, it would be a bit more exciting if I wasn't so nervous. Mum says that it's okay to be nervous, that everyone is before heading off to school, but I wouldn't know. I was never this nervous back at the public schools in London. I knew everyone, my friends, my enemies, my teachers...

...and now I know no one.

Mum thought she could calm my jitters by handing me a diary. Said to write in it at least once a week, and it would make me feel better. Well, I don't believe her! The only thing to make me feel better would be to be back home in my flat with my mum and little sister. Freya, my owl, isn't even with me--she's in the owlery, in a whole other building. This upsets me--what if she gets cold, sad? What if she misses me?

Knock it off, Daisy. She's an owl. She's probably doing better than you, making other owl friends. You're just sitting here in the Ravenclaw common room, not talking to anyone.

Well, it's not my fault I'm being anti-social. After getting sorted into Ravenclaw last night, the prefects marched us up to the common room where a bunch of older girls were already sitting down, chatting up a storm and, get this--knitting! I haven't touched my needles since the train ride. I would love to go and join them, but they're all so much better than me! Look at them--that girl's making SOCKS! And that one over there--a sweater! They put my lumpy hat to shame.

Oh well. I'd better get this over with. If I don't join them now, I never will.
I'm going to go grab my knitting bag and join them. Who knows--maybe they'll even show me a few new tricks.

Or they'll laugh at pitiful hat. And if they do, I'm sure that girl's lace over there could use a mighty good frogging...