GRYFFINDOR, HUFFLEPUFF, RAVENCLAW & SLYTHERIN

Today, The Fosters and The Grandma have visited Hogwarts guided by Professor Albus Dumbledore, its Headmaster and Professor Rubeus Hagrid, its Guard. 

 

They have been talking about its four Houses, their history, members, values and rooms. It has been an amazing interesting day.

 

Before, the family has been preparing their Cambridge Exam studying some vocabulary about  Inside the House and Food and Drink.

 

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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was divided into four houses: Gryffindor, founded by Godric Gryffindor; Hufflepuff, founded by Helga Hufflepuff; Ravenclaw, founded by Rowena Ravenclaw; and Slytherin, founded by Salazar Slytherin.

More information: Albus Dumbledore. Wisdom and Intelligence

More information: Rubeus Hagrid. Stong Honesty and Loyalty

Gryffindor is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was founded by Godric Gryffindor.

Gryffindor instructed the Sorting Hat to choose students possessing characteristics he most valued, such as courage, chivalry, and determination, to be sorted into his house. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, also known as Nearly Headless Nick is the House ghost.

Gryffindor corresponds roughly to the element of fire, and it is for this reason that the colours scarlet and gold were chosen to represent the house. The colour of fire corresponds to that of a lion as well, with scarlet representing the mane and tail and gold representing the coat.

The emblematic animal is a lion, and its colours are scarlet and gold.

 

More information: Wizarding World

Gryffindors and Slytherins have shared a fierce house rivalry since their founders, Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin, respectively, had a severe falling out over Slytherin's emphasis on blood purity. There might also be an element of feeling wronged, as Harry and his fellow Gryffindors tend to win in a lot of circumstances which, when viewed from a neutral point of view, may be considered unfair.

The Gryffindor Common Room is located in one of the castle's towers (Gryffindor Tower), the entrance to which is located on the seventh floor and is guarded by an oil painting of the Fat Lady, who is garbed in a pink silk dress. She permits entry only after being given the correct (regularly changing) password. Behind her painting is a large common room, with a fireplace, and two staircases leading up to the girls' and boys' dormitories. There is a spell on the girls' staircase that prevents boys from using it; however, there is no such enchantment on the staircase to the boys' dormitory, allowing girls to use it whenever they wish, due to the founders' belief that girls were more trustworthy. The common room is very comfortable, and members of the Gryffindor house meet there for study groups, celebrations, or relaxation. The walls are lined with portraits, each one depicting a previous or current Head of Gryffindor.

The head of house before and during Harry Potter's time was Minerva McGonagall. Minerva became the head of house possibly in 1956, when she was appointed Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, taking over Albus Dumbledore's previous teaching position when he became Headmaster. It is unknown who later became the head of house when she was made Headmistress in 1998 following the end of the Second Wizarding War.

More information: Wizarding World

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart...
 

Hufflepuff is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its founder was the medieval witch Helga Hufflepuff.

Hufflepuff is the most inclusive among the four houses; valuing hard work, dedication, patience, loyalty, and fair play rather than a particular aptitude in its members. Students in Hufflepuff are known to value everyone and treat them as equal.

Hufflepuff corresponds roughly to the element of earth, and it is for that reason that the House colours were chosen: yellow represented wheat, while black was emblematic of soil. The Hufflepuff point hourglass contains yellow diamonds. Students sorted into Hufflepuff often demonstrate exceptional abilities in Herbology, owing to their correspondence to earth.

The emblematic animal is a badger, and yellow and black are its colours.

Hufflepuff appears to have the least rivalry with the other houses, except in Quidditch, although the Triwizard Tournament did temporarily put a great deal of strain on the relationship between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, due to unusual circumstances of the selection of both Gryffindor student Harry Potter and Hufflepuff student Cedric Diggory as Champions. This was mended by 1998, where a majority of Hufflepuffs rose to defend Harry from Pansy Parkinson and later helped to defend Hogwarts.

Hufflepuff is the house that produced the fewest dark wizards through out its history. Their cheerful and friendly demeanor can probably account for this property of the House. Hufflepuff firmly demonstrated its loyalty during the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998, when they were second only to Harry Potter's own house of Gryffindor in the number of students willing to stay and fight against Voldemort and his forces in the defence of their school. The Hufflepuff dormitories and common room have never been seen by outsiders and is the only house with repelling devices in case of intruders. They are accessed through a pile of large barrels, found stacked in a shadowy stone recess on a right-hand side corridor near the kitchens. The barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, will open if tapped in the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff.
 

The Hufflepuff's head of house before and during Harry Potter's time was Pomona Sprout. She was the Herbology professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

More information: Wizarding World

 

 

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil...
 

Ravenclaw is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its founder was the medieval witch Rowena Ravenclaw.

Members of this house are characterised by their wit, learning, and wisdom. Ravenclaw House prizes learning, wisdom, wit, and intellect in its members. Thus, many Ravenclaws tend to be academically motivated and talented students. They also pride themselves on being original in their ideas, and methods. It's not unusual to find Ravenclaw students practising especially different types of magic that other houses might shun. Ravenclaws tend to be curious about the world and pay attention to the world around them. Ravenclaws are known to be logical and rational.

Ravenclaw corresponds roughly to the element of air, and it is for that reason that the House colours were chosen; blue and bronze represent the sky and eagle feathers respectively, both having much to do with air. The Ravenclaw points hourglass contains blue sapphires.

The emblematic animal symbol is an eagle, and blue and bronze are its colours.

Ravenclaw House appears to have little rivalry with the other houses, except in Quidditch. Harry Potter believed that they tended to side with Gryffindor in its rivalry with Slytherin, as did Hufflepuff house.

The Ravenclaw common room is in one of the castle's towers and is wide and circular. You have to climb a tight spiral staircase to get there. It has graceful arched windows, and the walls are hung with blue and bronze silks. The domed ceiling is painted with stars, which are echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. Tables, chairs, and bookcases cover the expanse of the floor, and a white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw sits next to the door that leads to the dormitories above. Harry Potter entered the common room in 1998 while searching for clues to the location of one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Unlike the other common rooms in the school, a logical riddle given by a bronze eagle-shaped knocker must be answered to enter.

The Head of Ravenclaw is Filius Flitwick and the house ghost is the Grey Lady, otherwise known as the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, Helena Ravenclaw.

More information: Wizarding World

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind...
 

Slytherin is one of the four Houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded by Salazar Slytherin.

In establishing the house, Salazar instructed the Sorting Hat to pick students who had a few particular characteristics he most valued. Slytherins tend to be ambitious, shrewd, cunning, strong leaders, and achievement-oriented. They also have highly developed senses of self-preservation. This means that Slytherins tend to hesitate before acting, so as to weigh all possible outcomes before deciding exactly what should be done.

Slytherin corresponds roughly with the element of water due to serpents being commonly associated with the sea and lochs in western European mythology, as well as serpents being physically fluid and flexible animals. Similarly, in Celtic mythology, water is seen as a portal to another world, leading some to speculate that the element was chosen to symbolise many Slytherins' hope for a pure-blood only community. The colours also correspond with waters around lakes and lochs often being green, and silver being often associated with grey rainwater.

The emblematic animal of the house is a snake and its colours are green and silver.

Slytherin and Gryffindor are generally rivals in Quidditch and for the House Cup, of which the former had won seven years in a row prior to Harry Potter's arrival at Hogwarts in 1991. It is also rare for Slytherin and Gryffindor students to be friendly with one another, and is also quite common for them to share animosity. There are exceptions, such as Slytherin Merlin who had a friendship with Gryffindor Sir Cadogan and Slytherin Severus Snape and Gryffindor Lily Evans, who were best friends until Snape's use of the slur Mudblood as well as his aspirations to be a Death Eater caused Lily to sever their ties. 

The Slytherin common room is in the dungeons of Hogwarts Castle and underneath the Black Lake. Because of this, the light in the common room is green. Harry Potter along with Ron Weasley entered the common room in his second year to find out if Draco Malfoy was the one opening the Chamber of Secrets. To enter the Slytherin common room one must merely speak aloud the current password in front of a stretch of a damp stone wall; once the word is uttered a concealed stone door will slide aside leaving a rectangular hole in the wall leading to the Slytherin common room.

Slytherin's head of house for Harry's first six years of school was Severus Snape; however, as he fled with the Death Eaters at the end of Harry's sixth year, Potions Master Horace Slughorn became the head of Slytherin House.

More information: Wizarding World

 

Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
These cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

CEDRIC DIGGORY, RISKS & DANGERS PRACTISING SPORT

Today, The Weasleys have discovered the sad story of Cedric Diggory, the prefect and captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.

Cedric Diggory is a British wizard who was the son of Amos Diggory and his wife. He started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and was sorted into the Hufflepuff House.

During his time at school he was a prefect and captained the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, playing as Seeker. In his sixth year Cedric put his name forward to compete in the Triwizard Tournament.

He was selected as the Hogwarts Triwizard Champion and, although overshadowed in the press by the entry of Harry Potter, Cedric enjoyed almost overwhelming support from the student body, and after the first two tasks, tied with Harry for first place.

Cedric and Harry completed the Third Task together. Both took hold of the Triwizard Cup, which transported them to the Little Hangleton graveyard. In the graveyard, Cedric was murdered by Peter Pettigrew with the Killing Curse, on the order of Lord Voldemort.

More information: Wizarding World

During the following duel between Harry and Lord Voldemort, Cedric's echo reappeared during Priori Incantatem, and helped the echoes of Harry's parents, Bertha Jorkins, and Frank Bryce hold off Voldemort long enough for him to escape. His only request was for Harry to take his body back to his parents, which Harry honoured.

Diggory's participation in the Triwizard Tournament and subsequent death was the subject of Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy's time-travel antics at the request of Amos.

They sought to save Cedric and created an alternate timeline where Cedric survived and became part of the Death Eaters, because of the humiliation they caused him when they tried to save his life. Cedric's original and heroic life and death was later restored.

Cedric was born to Amos Diggory and his wife. He grew up near Ottery St Catchpole, a small town located in Devon, England. When he was seven years old, his father enjoyed bragging about him.

Cedric started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was Sorted into Hufflepuff House. Soon after starting Hogwarts, Cedric became a popular student at the school, and people talked about him constantly.

He was present when Madam Poppy Pomfrey was petrified, and recounted the event to Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Jacob's sibling, and Penny Haywood.

After the Circle of Khanna was founded, Cedric's friend Ben Copper, one of the founders of the group, invited him to join. Cedric spent much of his time in the group training duelling with Ben and Diego Caplan. One time during training, his arm was broken as a result of Ben casting a spell Cedric was not expecting, and he had to be sent to the Hospital Wing. He was soon healed by Chiara Lobosca.

He distinguished himself as both an academic and athletic student. At some point, he became Seeker of his house's Quidditch team.

More information: Screent Rant

Cedric became a Prefect and Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Cedric attended the Quidditch World Cup with his father, travelling to the game with The Weasleys, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger as he and his father lived close to the Burrow.

Cedric started his sixth year, the same year that the Triwizard Tournament was reinstated. Being of age, Cedric submitted his name to The Goblet of Fire for the chance to become the Hogwarts Champion.

The Goblet chose the champions to represent the three schools; Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons, Viktor Krum for Durmstrang, and Cedric himself for Hogwarts.

During the Third Task, Peter Pettigrew emerged from the darkness carrying the small form of Lord Voldemort. At this point Harry's scar hurt with intense pain, upon him being in close proximity to Voldemort.

Voldemort ordered Pettigrew to Kill the spare, and he used Voldemort's own wand to murder Cedric with the Killing Curse. Harry heard Cedric's body hit the ground. Cedric's body was returned to the grounds, and Harry clung to it, refusing to let it go until Albus Dumbledore pulled him away. The crowd that had gathered for the Third Task erupted into screams when they realised what had happened, and Cedric's parents were grief-stricken by the fate that had been befallen their son.

More information: Mugglenet

The Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge refused to accept Harry Potter's claims that Lord Voldemort had returned, and tried to hush up Cedric's death, claiming that it was a freak accident during the Tournament that killed him. He also slandered Harry Potter as a liar and questioned Albus Dumbledore's sanity.

In death, Cedric proved to be an inspiration to many students at Hogwarts. His death was heartfelt and was tragic enough to cause even those who disliked Harry Potter to believe his claims of Lord Voldemort's return.

Later on that year, only when incontrovertible proof of the Dark Lord's return was presented, did Fudge believe Voldemort had indeed returned and that Cedric was actually murdered.

Cedric was thereafter remembered as someone who had not strayed across the dark path and whom had stood up to Lord Voldemort.

The name Cedric was unintentionally created by Sir Walter Scott in his Ivanhoe character Cedric the Saxon when he misspelt the name Cerdic. Cerdic was a sixth-century Saxon leader and the first king of Wessex.

More information: Visually

 

  

Remember, if the time should come,

when you have to make a choice between

what is right and what is easy,

remember what happened to a boy who was good,

and kind, and brave,

because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort.

We'll celebrate a boy who was, kind and honest, and brave,

and true right to the very end.

Remember Cedric Diggory.

Albus Dumbledore

POMONA SPROUT, THE NATURAL POWER OF MANDRAKES

Today, The Weasleys & The Grandma have attended an exciting new class. They have met Professor Pomona Sprout and her fabulous techniques with mandrakes (aka mandragoras).

Professor Pomona Sprout is the Head of the Herbology department at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Because of The Weasleys are working a little more every day, The Grandma has posted another Cambridge Key English Test A2 Example.

Professor Pomona Sprout (born 15 May) is a British witch who worked as Head of Hufflepuff House and Head of the Herbology department at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She attended the school in her youth, where she was Sorted into Hufflepuff and excelled at Herbology. Some time after her graduation, Sprout returned to Hogwarts to teach.

Professor Sprout opposed Lord Voldemort during the Second Wizarding War. She grew the Mandrakes that would later be used in the Mandrake Restorative Draught to cure those who were petrified by Slytherin's Monster.

She also opposed Dolores Umbridge and her tyranny over the school, which the rest of the staff were happy to join her in doing, voted for the school to remain open after the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and assisted in ousting Severus Snape.

Sprout took a group of students to the battlements during the Battle of Hogwarts and threw Devil's Snare and various other dangerous plants onto the invading Death Eaters.

More information: Wizarding World I, II & III

She ultimately survived the War. Neville Longbottom taught Herbology, either alongside her or as a replacement.

Pomona Sprout was born into a wizarding family of unknown degree on 15 May in Britain or Ireland. She presumably purchased her wand from Diagon Alley at the age of eleven, prior to attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She was Sorted into Hufflepuff House upon her arrival at Hogwarts and excelled at Herbology, which may have been taught by Professor Herbert Beery at the time, and likely achieved a high-graded O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. in the subject.

Pomona and Minerva McGonagall's student time at Hogwarts overlapped by two years. The two students enjoyed an excellent relationship both then and in later years. During her time at Hogwarts, she liked attending Quidditch matches.

As the Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout was in charge of doctoring the damaged Whomping Willow by wrapping bandages around the broken branches after Harry Potter and Ron Weasley drove a bewitched car into it.

On the first day of term, Gilderoy Lockhart, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, gave her useless pointers and arrogantly made out that he was a better Herbologist than her, which made her look distinctly cross and not at all her usual cheerful self.

At the end of the year, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower took place, with the Death Eaters invading Hogwarts and fighting against the students, teachers, Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Sprout likely participated, as did Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, and Rubeus Hagrid.

More information: Atlas Obscura

Professor Sprout was described as being a squat little witch with short, grey, wavy hair. She usually wore a patched and battered hat. Her clothes were noted to almost always be covered in dirt and earth, and her fingernails were noted to be so filthy they would have made prim and proper Petunia Dursley faint in horror. Sprout also almost always had a smile on her face.

Professor Sprout was noted to be very cheerful, positive, and loyal, but was also very professional and just and would chide her students if necessary.

In Roman mythology, Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees, gardens and orchards. Sprout is a verb meaning to begin to grow, shoot forth, as a plant from a seed.

 

A Mandrake, also known as Mandragora, is a magical and sentient plant which has a root that looks like a human, like a baby when the plant is young, but maturing as the plant grows. When matured, its cry can be fatal to any person who hears it.

Mandragora autumnalis, known as mandrake or autumn mandrake, is recognized by some sources as a separate species from Mandragora officinarum, although with different circumscriptions. Others regard it as merely part of this very variable species.

Plants given the name Mandragora autumnalis consist of a rosette of leaves up to 60 cm across, close to the ground, with a central group of usually purplish flowers followed by yellow or orange berries. The large tap-roots as well as the leaves contain alkaloids and are toxic. They have traditional uses as herbal medicines.

The boundary between the two species Mandragora autumnalis and Mandragora officinarum varies among authors, with some regarding them as the same species. Whatever distinction is used, plants of M. autumnalis are herbaceous perennials, with a large upright tap-root, often branched and sometimes shaped somewhat like a person.

There is little or no stem, the leaves being borne in a basal rosette up to 60 cm across. The flowers are clustered at the centre of the rosette, each with five sepals, five petals and five stamens. Both the sepals and petals are fused at the base forming two five-lobed bell-shaped cups. The ovary has two chambers, locules, and a long style. The fruit is a fleshy berry with many seeds.

For those authors who regard Mandragora autumnalis as the main species found around the Mediterranean, it has flowers varying in colour but typically violet or purple, 30–40 mm long, and berries that are yellow or orange and egg-shaped, while the much less widespread Mandragora officinarum has somewhat smaller flowers, greenish-white in colour, and berries that are yellow and globe-shaped.

More information: BBC

Those who regard M. officinarum as the main species found around the Mediterranean, with M. autumnalis being found only in the Levant, use the size of the seeds as one of the distinguishing factors, those of M. autumnalis being more than twice the size of those of M. officinarum. In Israel, where the native taxon is M. autumnalis in both approaches, it flowers between December and February.

Mandragora species have a long use in traditional medicine, an extract being used for its real or supposed aphrodisiac, hypnotic, emetic, purgative, sedative and pain-killing effects. Tropane alkaloids are known to be effective as analgesics and anaesthetics, and can be used to increase circulation and dilate pupils, among other effects.

The European Mandrake plant has been used since ancient times as a medicinal plant and has a tradition associated with magical activities and witchcraft.

It is a member of the nightshade family. It contains hyoscyamine, scopolamine, and mandragorin. Medically, it has been used as a pain killer and a sedative. It was used in ancient times for surgery. An overdose, though, can be fatal.

More information: Wired

 

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I cured all the petrified students with my mandrakes.

That includes your precious Hermione!

Pomona Sprout

GRYFFINDOR, HUFFLEPUFF, RAVENCLAW & SLYTHERIN

Today, The Weasleys and The Grandma have visited Hogwarts guided by Professor Albus Dumbledore, its Headmaster and Professor Rubeus Hagrid, its Guard. 

They have been talking about its four Houses, their history, members, values and rooms. It has been an amazing interesting day.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was divided into four houses: Gryffindor, founded by Godric Gryffindor; Hufflepuff, founded by Helga Hufflepuff; Ravenclaw, founded by Rowena Ravenclaw; and Slytherin, founded by Salazar Slytherin.

More information: Wizarding World

Gryffindor is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was founded by Godric Gryffindor.

Gryffindor instructed the Sorting Hat to choose students possessing characteristics he most valued, such as courage, chivalry, and determination, to be sorted into his house. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, also known as Nearly Headless Nick is the House ghost.

Gryffindor corresponds roughly to the element of fire, and it is for this reason that the colours scarlet and gold were chosen to represent the house. The colour of fire corresponds to that of a lion as well, with scarlet representing the mane and tail and gold representing the coat.

The emblematic animal is a lion, and its colours are scarlet and gold.

Gryffindors and Slytherins have shared a fierce house rivalry since their founders, Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin, respectively, had a severe falling out over Slytherin's emphasis on blood purity. There might also be an element of feeling wronged, as Harry and his fellow Gryffindors tend to win in a lot of circumstances which, when viewed from a neutral point of view, may be considered unfair.

The Gryffindor Common Room is located in one of the castle's towers (Gryffindor Tower), the entrance to which is located on the seventh floor and is guarded by an oil painting of the Fat Lady, who is garbed in a pink silk dress. She permits entry only after being given the correct (regularly changing) password. Behind her painting is a large common room, with a fireplace, and two staircases leading up to the girls' and boys' dormitories. There is a spell on the girls' staircase that prevents boys from using it; however, there is no such enchantment on the staircase to the boys' dormitory, allowing girls to use it whenever they wish, due to the founders' belief that girls were more trustworthy. The common room is very comfortable, and members of the Gryffindor house meet there for study groups, celebrations, or relaxation. The walls are lined with portraits, each one depicting a previous or current Head of Gryffindor.

The head of house before and during Harry Potter's time was Minerva McGonagall. Minerva became the head of house possibly in 1956, when she was appointed Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, taking over Albus Dumbledore's previous teaching position when he became Headmaster. It is unknown who later became the head of house when she was made Headmistress in 1998 following the end of the Second Wizarding War.

More information: Wizarding World

 

 

 You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart...
 

Hufflepuff is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its founder was the medieval witch Helga Hufflepuff.

Hufflepuff is the most inclusive among the four houses; valuing hard work, dedication, patience, loyalty, and fair play rather than a particular aptitude in its members. Students in Hufflepuff are known to value everyone and treat them as equal.

Hufflepuff corresponds roughly to the element of earth, and it is for that reason that the House colours were chosen: yellow represented wheat, while black was emblematic of soil. The Hufflepuff point hourglass contains yellow diamonds. Students sorted into Hufflepuff often demonstrate exceptional abilities in Herbology, owing to their correspondence to earth.

The emblematic animal is a badger, and yellow and black are its colours.

Hufflepuff appears to have the least rivalry with the other houses, except in Quidditch, although the Triwizard Tournament did temporarily put a great deal of strain on the relationship between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, due to unusual circumstances of the selection of both Gryffindor student Harry Potter and Hufflepuff student Cedric Diggory as Champions. This was mended by 1998, where a majority of Hufflepuffs rose to defend Harry from Pansy Parkinson and later helped to defend Hogwarts.

Hufflepuff is the house that produced the fewest dark wizards through out its history. Their cheerful and friendly demeanor can probably account for this property of the House. Hufflepuff firmly demonstrated its loyalty during the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998, when they were second only to Harry Potter's own house of Gryffindor in the number of students willing to stay and fight against Voldemort and his forces in the defence of their school. The Hufflepuff dormitories and common room have never been seen by outsiders and is the only house with repelling devices in case of intruders. They are accessed through a pile of large barrels, found stacked in a shadowy stone recess on a right-hand side corridor near the kitchens. The barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, will open if tapped in the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff.
 

The Hufflepuff's head of house before and during Harry Potter's time was Pomona Sprout. She was the Herbology professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

More information: Wizarding World

 

 

 You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil...
 

Ravenclaw is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its founder was the medieval witch Rowena Ravenclaw.

Members of this house are characterised by their wit, learning, and wisdom. Ravenclaw House prizes learning, wisdom, wit, and intellect in its members. Thus, many Ravenclaws tend to be academically motivated and talented students. They also pride themselves on being original in their ideas, and methods. It's not unusual to find Ravenclaw students practising especially different types of magic that other houses might shun. Ravenclaws tend to be curious about the world and pay attention to the world around them. Ravenclaws are known to be logical and rational.

Ravenclaw corresponds roughly to the element of air, and it is for that reason that the House colours were chosen; blue and bronze represent the sky and eagle feathers respectively, both having much to do with air. The Ravenclaw points hourglass contains blue sapphires.

The emblematic animal symbol is an eagle, and blue and bronze are its colours.

Ravenclaw House appears to have little rivalry with the other houses, except in Quidditch. Harry Potter believed that they tended to side with Gryffindor in its rivalry with Slytherin, as did Hufflepuff house.

The Ravenclaw common room is in one of the castle's towers and is wide and circular. You have to climb a tight spiral staircase to get there. It has graceful arched windows, and the walls are hung with blue and bronze silks. The domed ceiling is painted with stars, which are echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. Tables, chairs, and bookcases cover the expanse of the floor, and a white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw sits next to the door that leads to the dormitories above. Harry Potter entered the common room in 1998 while searching for clues to the location of one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Unlike the other common rooms in the school, a logical riddle given by a bronze eagle-shaped knocker must be answered to enter.

The Head of Ravenclaw is Filius Flitwick and the house ghost is the Grey Lady, otherwise known as the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, Helena Ravenclaw.

More information: Wizarding World

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind...
 

Slytherin is one of the four Houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded by Salazar Slytherin.

In establishing the house, Salazar instructed the Sorting Hat to pick students who had a few particular characteristics he most valued. Slytherins tend to be ambitious, shrewd, cunning, strong leaders, and achievement-oriented. They also have highly developed senses of self-preservation. This means that Slytherins tend to hesitate before acting, so as to weigh all possible outcomes before deciding exactly what should be done.

Slytherin corresponds roughly with the element of water due to serpents being commonly associated with the sea and lochs in western European mythology, as well as serpents being physically fluid and flexible animals. Similarly, in Celtic mythology, water is seen as a portal to another world, leading some to speculate that the element was chosen to symbolise many Slytherins' hope for a pure-blood only community. The colours also correspond with waters around lakes and lochs often being green, and silver being often associated with grey rainwater.

The emblematic animal of the house is a snake and its colours are green and silver.

Slytherin and Gryffindor are generally rivals in Quidditch and for the House Cup, of which the former had won seven years in a row prior to Harry Potter's arrival at Hogwarts in 1991. It is also rare for Slytherin and Gryffindor students to be friendly with one another, and is also quite common for them to share animosity. There are exceptions, such as Slytherin Merlin who had a friendship with Gryffindor Sir Cadogan and Slytherin Severus Snape and Gryffindor Lily Evans, who were best friends until Snape's use of the slur Mudblood as well as his aspirations to be a Death Eater caused Lily to sever their ties. 

The Slytherin common room is in the dungeons of Hogwarts Castle and underneath the Black Lake. Because of this, the light in the common room is green. Harry Potter along with Ron Weasley entered the common room in his second year to find out if Draco Malfoy was the one opening the Chamber of Secrets. To enter the Slytherin common room one must merely speak aloud the current password in front of a stretch of a damp stone wall; once the word is uttered a concealed stone door will slide aside leaving a rectangular hole in the wall leading to the Slytherin common room.

Slytherin's head of house for Harry's first six years of school was Severus Snape; however, as he fled with the Death Eaters at the end of Harry's sixth year, Potions Master Horace Slughorn became the head of Slytherin House.

More information: Wizarding World

Download Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw & Slytherin (Exercise 3)

Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
These cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

CEDRIC DIGGORY, RISKS & DANGERS PRACTISING SPORT

Cedric Diggory

Today, The Stones have received the wonderful visit of DR, their Occupational Hazards' teacher who has been talking about labour risks in sports. The Stones have discovered the sad story of Cedric Diggory, the prefect and captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.

Cedric Diggory is a British wizard who was the son of Amos Diggory and his wife. He started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and was sorted into the Hufflepuff House.

During his time at school he was a prefect and captained the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, playing as Seeker. In his sixth year Cedric put his name forward to compete in the Triwizard Tournament.

He was selected as the Hogwarts Triwizard Champion and, although overshadowed in the press by the entry of Harry Potter, Cedric enjoyed almost overwhelming support from the student body, and after the first two tasks, tied with Harry for first place.

Cedric and Harry completed the Third Task together. Both took hold of the Triwizard Cup, which transported them to the Little Hangleton graveyard. In the graveyard, Cedric was murdered by Peter Pettigrew with the Killing Curse, on the order of Lord Voldemort.

More information: Wizarding World

During the following duel between Harry and Lord Voldemort, Cedric's echo reappeared during Priori Incantatem, and helped the echoes of Harry's parents, Bertha Jorkins, and Frank Bryce hold off Voldemort long enough for him to escape. His only request was for Harry to take his body back to his parents, which Harry honoured.

Diggory's participation in the Triwizard Tournament and subsequent death was the subject of Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy's time-travel antics at the request of Amos.

They sought to save Cedric and created an alternate timeline where Cedric survived and became part of the Death Eaters, because of the humiliation they caused him when they tried to save his life. Cedric's original and heroic life and death was later restored.

Cedric Diggory

Cedric was born to Amos Diggory and his wife. He grew up near Ottery St Catchpole, a small town located in Devon, England. When he was seven years old, his father enjoyed bragging about him.

Cedric started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was Sorted into Hufflepuff House. Soon after starting Hogwarts, Cedric became a popular student at the school, and people talked about him constantly.

He was present when Madam Poppy Pomfrey was petrified, and recounted the event to Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Jacob's sibling, and Penny Haywood.

After the Circle of Khanna was founded, Cedric's friend Ben Copper, one of the founders of the group, invited him to join. Cedric spent much of his time in the group training duelling with Ben and Diego Caplan. One time during training, his arm was broken as a result of Ben casting a spell Cedric was not expecting, and he had to be sent to the Hospital Wing. He was soon healed by Chiara Lobosca.

He distinguished himself as both an academic and athletic student. At some point, he became Seeker of his house's Quidditch team.

More information: Screent Rant

Cedric became a Prefect and Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Cedric attended the Quidditch World Cup with his father, travelling to the game with The Weasleys, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger as he and his father lived close to the Burrow.

Cedric started his sixth year, the same year that the Triwizard Tournament was reinstated. Being of age, Cedric submitted his name to The Goblet of Fire for the chance to become the Hogwarts Champion.

Cedric Diggory & The Goblet of Fire

The Goblet chose the champions to represent the three schools; Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons, Viktor Krum for Durmstrang, and Cedric himself for Hogwarts.

Harry Potter & Cedric Diggory

During the Third Task, Peter Pettigrew emerged from the darkness carrying the small form of Lord Voldemort. At this point Harry's scar hurt with intense pain, upon him being in close proximity to Voldemort.

Voldemort ordered Pettigrew to Kill the spare, and he used Voldemort's own wand to murder Cedric with the Killing Curse. Harry heard Cedric's body hit the ground. Cedric's body was returned to the grounds, and Harry clung to it, refusing to let it go until Albus Dumbledore pulled him away. The crowd that had gathered for the Third Task erupted into screams when they realised what had happened, and Cedric's parents were grief-stricken by the fate that had been befallen their son.

More information: Mugglenet

The Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge refused to accept Harry Potter's claims that Lord Voldemort had returned, and tried to hush up Cedric's death, claiming that it was a freak accident during the Tournament that killed him. He also slandered Harry Potter as a liar and questioned Albus Dumbledore's sanity.

In death, Cedric proved to be an inspiration to many students at Hogwarts. His death was heartfelt and was tragic enough to cause even those who disliked Harry Potter to believe his claims of Lord Voldemort's return.

Later on that year, only when incontrovertible proof of the Dark Lord's return was presented, did Fudge believe Voldemort had indeed returned and that Cedric was actually murdered.

Cedric was thereafter remembered as someone who had not strayed across the dark path and whom had stood up to Lord Voldemort.

The name Cedric was unintentionally created by Sir Walter Scott in his Ivanhoe character Cedric the Saxon when he misspelt the name Cerdic. Cerdic was a sixth-century Saxon leader and the first king of Wessex.

More information: Visually

 

Remember, if the time should come,

when you have to make a choice between

what is right and what is easy,

remember what happened to a boy who was good,

and kind, and brave,

because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort.

We'll celebrate a boy who was, kind and honest, and brave,

and true right to the very end.

Remember Cedric Diggory.

Albus Dumbledore

POMONA SPROUT, THE NATURAL POWER OF MANDRAKES

Professor Pomona Sprout

Today, The Stones & The Grandma have attended an exciting new class. They have met Professor Pomona Sprout and her fabulous techniques with mandrakes (aka mandragoras).

Professor Pomona Sprout is the Head of the Herbology department at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Because of The Stones are working a little more every day, The Grandma has posted another Cambridge Key English Test A2 Example.

Professor Pomona Sprout (born 15 May) is a British witch who worked as Head of Hufflepuff House and Head of the Herbology department at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She attended the school in her youth, where she was Sorted into Hufflepuff and excelled at Herbology. Some time after her graduation, Sprout returned to Hogwarts to teach.

Professor Sprout opposed Lord Voldemort during the Second Wizarding War. She grew the Mandrakes that would later be used in the Mandrake Restorative Draught to cure those who were petrified by Slytherin's Monster.

She also opposed Dolores Umbridge and her tyranny over the school, which the rest of the staff were happy to join her in doing, voted for the school to remain open after the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and assisted in ousting Severus Snape.

Sprout took a group of students to the battlements during the Battle of Hogwarts and threw Devil's Snare and various other dangerous plants onto the invading Death Eaters.

More information: Wizarding World I, II & III

She ultimately survived the War. Neville Longbottom taught Herbology, either alongside her or as a replacement.

Pomona Sprout was born into a wizarding family of unknown degree on 15 May in Britain or Ireland. She presumably purchased her wand from Diagon Alley at the age of eleven, prior to attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She was Sorted into Hufflepuff House upon her arrival at Hogwarts and excelled at Herbology, which may have been taught by Professor Herbert Beery at the time, and likely achieved a high-graded O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. in the subject.

Professor Pomona Sprout

Pomona and Minerva McGonagall's student time at Hogwarts overlapped by two years. The two students enjoyed an excellent relationship both then and in later years. During her time at Hogwarts, she liked attending Quidditch matches.

As the Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout was in charge of doctoring the damaged Whomping Willow by wrapping bandages around the broken branches after Harry Potter and Ron Weasley drove a bewitched car into it.

On the first day of term, Gilderoy Lockhart, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, gave her useless pointers and arrogantly made out that he was a better Herbologist than her, which made her look distinctly cross and not at all her usual cheerful self.

At the end of the year, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower took place, with the Death Eaters invading Hogwarts and fighting against the students, teachers, Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Sprout likely participated, as did Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, and Rubeus Hagrid.

More information: Atlas Obscura

Professor Sprout was described as being a squat little witch with short, grey, wavy hair. She usually wore a patched and battered hat. Her clothes were noted to almost always be covered in dirt and earth, and her fingernails were noted to be so filthy they would have made prim and proper Petunia Dursley faint in horror. Sprout also almost always had a smile on her face.

Professor Sprout was noted to be very cheerful, positive, and loyal, but was also very professional and just and would chide her students if necessary.

In Roman mythology, Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees, gardens and orchards. Sprout is a verb meaning to begin to grow, shoot forth, as a plant from a seed.

A Mandrake, also known as Mandragora, is a magical and sentient plant which has a root that looks like a human, like a baby when the plant is young, but maturing as the plant grows. When matured, its cry can be fatal to any person who hears it.

Mandragora autumnalis, known as mandrake or autumn mandrake, is recognized by some sources as a separate species from Mandragora officinarum, although with different circumscriptions. Others regard it as merely part of this very variable species.

The Stones attend Professor Pomona Sprout

Plants given the name Mandragora autumnalis consist of a rosette of leaves up to 60 cm across, close to the ground, with a central group of usually purplish flowers followed by yellow or orange berries. The large tap-roots as well as the leaves contain alkaloids and are toxic. They have traditional uses as herbal medicines.

The boundary between the two species Mandragora autumnalis and Mandragora officinarum varies among authors, with some regarding them as the same species. Whatever distinction is used, plants of M. autumnalis are herbaceous perennials, with a large upright tap-root, often branched and sometimes shaped somewhat like a person.

There is little or no stem, the leaves being borne in a basal rosette up to 60 cm across. The flowers are clustered at the centre of the rosette, each with five sepals, five petals and five stamens. Both the sepals and petals are fused at the base forming two five-lobed bell-shaped cups. The ovary has two chambers, locules, and a long style. The fruit is a fleshy berry with many seeds.

For those authors who regard Mandragora autumnalis as the main species found around the Mediterranean, it has flowers varying in colour but typically violet or purple, 30–40 mm long, and berries that are yellow or orange and egg-shaped, while the much less widespread Mandragora officinarum has somewhat smaller flowers, greenish-white in colour, and berries that are yellow and globe-shaped.

More information: BBC

Those who regard M. officinarum as the main species found around the Mediterranean, with M. autumnalis being found only in the Levant, use the size of the seeds as one of the distinguishing factors, those of M. autumnalis being more than twice the size of those of M. officinarum. In Israel, where the native taxon is M. autumnalis in both approaches, it flowers between December and February.

Mandragora species have a long use in traditional medicine, an extract being used for its real or supposed aphrodisiac, hypnotic, emetic, purgative, sedative and pain-killing effects. Tropane alkaloids are known to be effective as analgesics and anaesthetics, and can be used to increase circulation and dilate pupils, among other effects.

The European Mandrake plant has been used since ancient times as a medicinal plant and has a tradition associated with magical activities and witchcraft.

It is a member of the nightshade family. It contains hyoscyamine, scopolamine, and mandragorin. Medically, it has been used as a pain killer and a sedative. It was used in ancient times for surgery. An overdose, though, can be fatal.

More information: Wired

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I cured all the petrified students with my mandrakes.

That includes your precious Hermione!

Pomona Sprout