Prof. Sky Alton

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Thank you all for springing into action with us during April! Ivey and I have had tons of fun seeing what you've all been up to. All rubies should have been awarded now but if you notice anything missing, just drop me a line and I'll investigate. :D

You line up outside the Room of Requirement, trying to crane around people to get a first glimpse of what’s behind the door. Everyone is chattering excitedly though a few people look a little nervous too. The line finally starts moving and very soon you find yourself in a vast chamber full of thousands upon thousands of strange objects, piled high to the ceiling… The Situation The staff are leading an expedition into The Room of Hidden Things in an attempt to stop people sneaking in there to explore unsupervised. There are a few rules: travel in groups, note down anything interesting you find and under no circumstances are you allowed to move (or remove) anything. Location You may roleplay anywhere inside The Room of Requirement, which is currently in the form of the Room of Hidden things (the room where Harry hid the Half Blood Prince’s book which is full of strange objects that castle residents have wanted to hide over the years). Read the guidelines before diving in and have fun!

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Remember you have until 11:59 PM HOL-time on the 30th (Friday) to turn in tasks for Spring Into Action! :D There was a mix-up with task 3 so if you need more time for that particular task, please talk to me. Any other work that comes in after the deadline will not be counted.

Innocent. I mostly wear doc martens. Has sung karaoke when nobody was around to hear.

Joke

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Great to have you here, Kendyll. :D

Hi Kaissa! Glad to see you in The Den. Say hi to your sister from us as well.

Sometimes it can help us to relax and gain a better sense of perspective if we look at familiar things in a new light. That’s why, for this activity, we’re using found objects (things you happen to have in your home already) in new and creative ways. You can pick from 2 options to complete this task: Option 1: Collect items from around your home and use them to recreate a thing, scene or even a character from the Harry Potter universe. Try to be creative and put some effort in - a picture of your sock draw captioned ‘Dobby’s Idea of Heaven’ won’t quite cut it. Take a photo and share it below, along with a couple lines of explanation of what it is and how you made it. Option 2: Find five objects you have lying around and work them into a story or poem of at least 80 words. Alternatively, you could just describe them in detail as though you’re experiencing them for the first time (again, at least 80 words, please). Remember to keep all the objects featured HOL appropriate and not to include anything that might reveal any private information about you (like your hometown). You’ll earn 10 rubies if you post below by April 30th, 11:59 PM HOL-time.

We're over half way through the term and the end of the school year is steadily creeping up on us already, so make sure you grab those points while you can! We did incredibly well to come third last year (after years of coming last) but can we improve on that this year? Of course we can! Let's go, Gryffindor, let's go. First up, you have around a week left to contribute to this months department projects. Art are decorating eggs and kites while the library are talking about prophesies and taking a sneaky squint at some ministry memos. There are plenty of points up for grabs. Deadline: 30th April The Wizarding Times are asking for your submissions on the theme of summer at Hogwarts! Whether you'll be teasing the giant squid or relaxing in the shade with some iced pumpkin juice, make sure you head over to the Great Hall subforum on the main HOL Forum for more details. There are 90 points for the earning. Deadline: 23rd May The Slytherin SerpenTimes is getting all judicial with a theme of 'verdict'. Whether you'll be holding court in a review or nominating some fellow HOLers for superlative awards, make sure you stop by the Dungeons to read up on proceedings. There's another 90 points for the gathering here. Deadline: 15th June

Wings

Guilty. I've met quite a few while out walking my Labrador. Have you ever looked up what happens at the end of a book you're reading?

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Going for a walk can really help if you’re struggling to focus or need a break. Taking time to appreciate the natural world, enjoying a change of scene and just getting moving are all immensely valuable if you need to recharge or step away from something for a bit. Even just taking a wander around your home might give you the change of pace you need. For this task, we’d like you to take a real or figurative walk. If you choose to go for an actual walk, then we’d like you to document it in 3 photographs; alternatively, you could describe three scenes or things you encountered on your walk (your descriptions combined together should be at least 80 words in total). If you’d like to go the figurative route, then tell us about a particularly memorable walk you’ve taken; alternatively, you could let your mind wander and take us on a fictional walk through your imagination. Whichever you choose, your response should be at least 80 words. You’ll earn 10 rubies if you post below by April 30th, 11:59 PM HOL-time. (Many apologies for the late post. I obviously came down with a bad case of spring fever and failed to notice that the page hadn't updated so it hadn't actually submitted :O. If anyone needs an extra 48 hours for this task at the end of the month, please chat to me about it.)

Guilty. Not particularly enjoyable or something I'd recommend but it's happened on occasion. Have you ever watched a TV show you didn't really want to watch because you were too tired to find something better?

I slap Hannah for being a great help with our Cornish pixy problem.

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The latest issue of our house newspaper is now available for your reading pleasure! Claim an armchair by the fire and cosy up with tales of gardening, nostalgia and hidden fashion gems. https://gryff.net/pawprint/issue/april-2021

It’s possible to take a break and prioritise wellbeing without even having to leave your chair. Mindfulness techniques are designed to help us re-centre ourselves, calm down and focus on the present. There are many, many different techniques you can use. These include breathing exercises, harnessing your senses, meditating, visualising something or even just sitting quietly. You probably also have tasks or things you do that relax you and help you feel calmer that are unique to you. For this task, we’d like you to try out a mindfulness technique and tell us about how you got on in 80 words or more. How did you do it? Did it work? (It’s absolutely fine if it didn’t - any responses are valid even if your attempt was a total bust). Here are some suggestions for simple techniques to try out: https://psychcentral.com/blog/1-minute-mindfulness-exercises#6 https://www.pocketmindfulness.com/6-mindfulness-exercises-you-can-try-today/ Alternatively, you could tell us about something you do to relax and unwind in 80 words or more. Even better if you actually go do that thing before reporting back. You’ll earn 10 rubies if you post below by April 30th, 11:59 PM HOL-time.

Spring is springing in some parts of the world and it got us thinking about ways we can put a spring back in our step. This April, Gryffindor is inviting you to take a break from the computer to go reset with some relaxing fun. Every 5 days, we’ll release a new task themed around activities you could be doing at home or outside. You’ll be able to complete the task in one of several ways: either by doing something practical (like taking a walk) and telling us about the results or by using your imagination. If for accessibility reasons you need another option for a particular task, just let us know. Each of the 6 tasks will be worth 10 rubies, with a 20 ruby bonus at the end if you complete them all. The deadline for everything is 11:59 PM HOL-time on April 30th.

The spring sunshine is warm on the back of your neck as you lean over to examine a tray of plants. A cool breeze blows through the open greenhouse door, rustling the many leaves around you. The Situation: It’s spring and that means there’s plenty of work to be done in the greenhouses. The herbology professor has asked for volunteers to help plant seeds and repot the rapidly growing seedlings in greenhouse 1. Watch out for the fanged geraniums! Location: You may roleplay anywhere within greenhouse 1 (that’s the one with safer plants, so no mandrakes or venomous tentaculars here). You may also roleplay in the grounds and vegetable patches around it. Remember to read the guidelines before diving in. Have fun!