Quiddich! (or whatever that wizarding game is...)

Dear Diary, We are to complete a quiz of 10 questions and find an post some pictures for this week's quidditch match.



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

Tibbles

2. Which is NOT one of Albus Dumbledore's middle names?

Ignatius

3. Which educational decree indroduced a high inquisitor to Horgwarts?

#23

4. Apart from Harry, Ron and Hermione, who was the first peron to enter the Hog's head that showed an interest in Harry's Defense agaisnt the Dark Arts classes?

Neville Longbottom

5. In the first Qui9dditch match of the year which player attempted to score first?

Angelina

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

hydrangea

7. Why is Mundungus Fletcher disguised as a woman when he witnesses the DA's meeting in the Hog's Head Pub?

he was banned from the Hog's Head 20 years ago

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

Golden cherubs and pink confetti

9. How old is Sturgis Podmore and where does he live?

38 and #2 Laburnum Gardens, Clapham

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

Pushed him head first into a Vanishing Cabinet on the fifth floor

Why I knit

Dear Diary, when I knit in public people sometimes ask me why I knit? Wizarding folk raise their brows and ask why I do it the muggle way instead of just charming the needles to do the work. Muggles say they wouldn't have the time or patience to knit. Phooey on them all. Knitting is a soothing, relaxing thing to do and when I am done I have (hopefully) a useful item.

I learned to knit for two reasons: one, because I had learned to spin and had to do *something* with all that yarn, and two, because I thought hand knit socks were the best. I understand Professor Dumbledore thought so too. My first pair of socks that I ever tried to knit were... interesting. Not sure to this day how it happened, but one of the socks turned out perfect. The other... How could I make a gussett and decrease stitches on one side of the ankle but not the other? It is a mystery that haunts me to this day. I was in the Great Hall where Emma Gorodek (is that the right spelling?) was showing off a gorgeous bag she had knitted from pattern she designed herself. It the the first time she had combined so many different techniques in one project and everyone was talking about how their first attempts at something turned out. I think most people did better than me on the first try at socks.


I don't have a picture of those socks, but here's a picture of my first attempt at felting. I had put off doing any felting for years because I wondered why on earth anyone would want to take the time to knit something and felt it when they could just felt it. I still feel that way to an extent. But I admit that for larger projects throwing thigns into a washing machine instead of pounding soapy hot fiber is a lot less physical labor.

yarn!

Dear Diary, I finished up spinning, plying, washing, drying and skeining that blue/purple/lavender/black romney roving. The cats are always fond of helping with fiber arts. These muggle photos are terrible, not as color-true as wizarding photographs.

I'm afraid the smell of wet wool in our dorm room was a bit much for poor Emma. But it wasn't just me. After all, Elanor is busy dying some yarn, so her fiber stuff stunk too. I'm not sure that Elanor's odorbegone charm is quite working as we thought it would. Must do more research into Charms...

Can you keep a secret?

OK, I sat down with this tonight and tried to figure out the cryptogram. I figured the flag sign had to be either an A or an I because it was by itself. That helped me to crack it.

"do you want to know a secret? The headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is at no. 12 Grimmauld place."

I was thrown off at first because I thought there was only one cross sign. But actually there are two, one for H and another, with a darker, thicker line on one side, for E.

Homework

Ok, we Ravenclaws have homework this week, a cryptogram that we need to deciper and post to our blogs. Oy! I need a couple hours alone with a pencil and a barrel of butterbeer to get this. maybe Emma and Elanor and I can brainstorm tonight in the dorm and figure it out.

Dorm assignments

Dorm assignments have been posted in the Ravenclaw common room. It will be me, Elanor Cadogan and Emma Diggory. Wonder if she's a relation on Dad's side of the family? I hope she doesn't have a rat. My cat Masuku LOVES to chase rats. And I hope she doesn't mind the spinning wheel and all the yarn...

A Little Bit About Myself

Dad and Mum



Dear Diary, I want my school mates to get to know me so I'm going to say a little bit about myself. There's nothing terribly exciting, you know. I have absolutely no idea why I am called "the Cursed". Everybody wants to know that right off. It's true that I tend to have streaks of horribly bad luck. But then, doesn't everyone? Mum is Celestina Black. She and nearly her whole
family were Slytherins. She was pretty disappointed when I was sorted into Ravenclaw. Dad is Aldo Diggory, a Gryffindor who works as an auror. My roommate is Elanor Cadogan. She's lovely and seems fond of my cat Masuku.

My favorite hobbies are spinning wool and silk into yarn and knitting it into socks and hats. Spinning is a muggle sort of thing, but it is surprisingly soothing to the temper. I also love to read. Ta for now. Off to Herbology!

All Set for the Term

I think I'm all set for the school term. I have a wonderful rommate, my class list, a swap partner to spoil and now a wand!

Wood type: rosewood Length: 11½ inches Core: Gryffon Feather get your own wand!

Sheep & Wool Festival

Dear Diary, I had a wonderful weekend at the Shepherd's Wool Festival in Lake Elmo. My roommate (Elanor Cadogan) and I met up with some muggle friends and went shopping for fiber stuff. That's Elanor in the dark blue sweater, and I have the darker hair. Since we were with muggles we travelled in a car. It was great fun! I bought sparkly wool, a new niddy noddy, a new spindle, five ounces of a nice romney roving dyed in varying shades of blue and part of a very nice clean fleece with really nice crimp. In the car I realized that I had not bought any yarn! So we went to a shop called the Sheepy yarn Shop and later Borealis Yarns. My, that was fun!

But now I'm exhausted and here it is the beginning of the term. Hope I can stay awake!

The term starts soon!

Dear Diary, I'm very excited to be going to Hogwarts. Term starts after this weekend. Hope I do well. I'm not very good in school, but I want to do everything I can to help my House, Ravenclaw, to win the the House Cup. Luckily, my roommate, Elanor Cadogan, is an old hand around Hogwarts. I'm sure she'll steer me right. We're going to spend the weekend together at a Sheep and Wool festival. I'll be sure to report everything to you when we get back.