Prof. Sky Alton

You crunch through a thick, fluffy blanket of snow on your way to the lake. Colourful stalls and booths have been set out on the ice and students and teachers are already milling around them, discovering what’s on offer. You rub your gloved hands together to try to stave off the chill and hope they’re serving something that’ll warm you up! The Situation: Welcome to the Hogwarts Frost Fair! The lake has frozen over and the professors have decided to take inspiration from the ancient frost fairs in London and set up a cosy little market on the ice. There are warm drinks, games and wintery activities to try your hand at. Join your friends and celebrate the snowy weather. The Situation: You can roleplay anywhere on the frozen lake and in the surrounding area of the grounds. Feel free to invent your own stalls or games but try to keep it on theme! Give the guidelines a read before diving in. Have fun! (Remember that you can earn 20 rubies if you make at least 4 posts!)

Welcome to the Hogwarts Frost Fair! As happens most years, the Hogwarts grounds are blanketed in snow and the lake has frozen solid. So, the professors have decided that as an end of term treat, the school should hold its very own Frost Fair on the surface of the lake. Frost Fairs used to be held in London in centuries gone by, when the river Thames around the historic London Bridge froze solid. People set up stalls, games and other entertainments on the ice and the public flocked to the unusual event. So, that’s exactly what we’ve done too! We’ve made the most of the chilly weather and set up a series of cosy stalls and activities for you to enjoy on and around the lake. Grab yourself some ice skates and a mug of something warming, then get exploring. Watch out for flying snowballs! Each of the 12 stalls/areas has a fun, frosty task for you to complete. There’s a mixture of creative and puzzles on offer. Instructions for how to submit will be given in each task post. If you struggle with any of the tasks due to accessibility reasons, just let us know and we’ll find an alternative that suits you better. Each puzzle is worth 10 rubies (with 1 offering a bonus of 5 rubies) and each creative task is worth 15, so there’s 155 up for grabs in total. As a special Frost Fair bonus, we’ll also be offering the same number of beans for each task! Everything is due on the 8th of January at 11:59 PM HOL-time to give you plenty of time to explore and complete things at your own pace. Let the frosty fun commence!

If you have any questions about the activity, please post them here and we'll get back to you ASAP.

Tantalising smells waft from the hot drinks stall. Behind the counter, you can see a gleaming copper kettle, gently steaming jugs and shelves upon shelves of brightly coloured mugs. Whether you’re into coffee, tea, cocoa or something else altogether, there’s something tasty to warm you up here. We’d love to hear about your ideal hot drink! Feel free to tell us why you like it, how you prepare it, where you discovered it, what memories it holds and really anything else you can think of. You could even suggest a magical twist you’d like to add. If you’re not a fan of hot drinks, tell us about your favourite cold drink instead. Your reply should be at least 80 words for full credit. Post it below to earn 15 rubies and 15 beans. The deadline is 11:59 PM HOL-time on the 8th of January 2023!

Have a spectacular day, Lo! You deserve all the good things. <3

Happy, happy birthday to Prof. Maxim Trevelyan. I hope it’s a fabulous day full of cake.

Remember you have until 11:59 PM HOL-time on the 31st of October to help us in our quest to return the knights to Camelot!

Week 4 Progress Report: The good news is… we’ve worked out how to open the box. While we’ve not tested it (for obvious reasons - we don’t want anyone from Hogwarts ending up in Camelot by mistake), it does at least seem to be functioning as before. The less good news… Now the knights aren’t sure they want to leave. We think it’s a combination of having become attached to Hogwarts and the people here and having begun to lose their sense of identity due to the time travel. Whatever has caused it, it’s a huge problem. If we don’t get them back soon, who knows what could become of the timeline? We need to remind the knights of who they are and how much they love Camelot, stat! In task 12, you need to remind the knights of the beauty of their home through the medium of poetry. In task 13, we’re reminding the knights of their names and those of the friends and foes waiting for them back in Camelot. In task 14, we’re getting our first glimpse of the famed castle itself. Let’s do this!

King Arthur squares his broad shoulders and gestures to the knights arrayed around him. “Open the chest,” he orders. “It is plain that we are needed in our own land.” He turns to everyone and inclines his head. “Our thanks for your aid and your hospitality,” he says, “that such nobility of spirit should persist through the centuries gladdens my heart.” Someone lifts the lid of Merlin’s box and the silver light pours out. This time, it seems to cast a reflection on the walls of the great hall, showing an ancient castle. Peer back through the mists of time and catch a glimpse of Camelot via this jigsaw: https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=0a6223da9c4c Post your completed puzzle as a reply to this topic to earn 25 rubies. The deadline is the 31st of October at 11:59 PM HOL-time. With many thanks to the Jigsaw creator

The knights of Camelot are famous for the great quests they went on, the most well-known being their search for the holy grail. I think we should follow their example! For this game, we’ll be embarking on a quest. The twist is, you’ll have a choice of which direction to take. I’ll begin the story and present the next person with two options for how to continue it. They’ll pick one and explain what happens next, then present two choices for the next person to pick between. For example: Person 1: You ride out of the castle gates…. Do you turn left or right? Person 2: I turn right and continue along the road until I hear a shout Do you follow the shout or ride away? Guidelines: Explain a little of what happens next - don’t just include your choice and nothing more. Keep to a vaguely knight/fantasy theme Respect the story that everyone else is telling - you can put your own spin on it but don’t highjack the plot with something completely random. Don’t jump too far ahead - try to keep it to short stages of the plot (one decision to the next). You’ll earn 2 rubies per post for your first 5 posts (10 in total). The deadline is the 31st of October at 11:59 PM HOL-time. So, without further ado… You ride out of the castle gates…. Do you turn left or right?

The feast is getting livelier, and many knights are joking around the main hall. Some of them also told about the various wars they had been through, some of the awards they had achieved, and even about how many times they swore to themselves to always be loyal to King Arthur. In the meantime, let's fix Merlin's box which looks a little messy. There was an engraved inscription that was blurry and some parts were broken due to the riots made by the knights. Solve the cryptogram below to find out what the sentences are in this chest and re-engraving it so that the box can function as before. Cryptogram 1: https://i.postimg.cc/sg891v27/puzzlemaker-1.png Cryptogram 2: https://i.postimg.cc/DZ1tB9Np/puzzlemaker-2.png Each cryptogram is worth 10 rubies. Bonus 5 Ruby for successfully completing both. Send all answers to @Reyyan Azkendra before October 31 at 23:59 HOL Time. Post and puzzles by Reyyan Azkendra

Week 3 Progress Report: Phew! We finally tracked down all the knights and convinced them to join us in the great hall again. The house elves have laid out a tremendous feast and we’ve asked the knights to tell us tales of their adventures. That should keep them occupied for a little while, I hope. Problem is, we’re no closer to working out just how to send them home again… Who knows what disastrous damage might be done to wizarding history if they’re stuck here? In task 8, some of the knights tales have become muddled and you need to work out who did what. In task 9, you can join in by showing the knights some of the ways their stories have lived on in modern media. In task 10 (coming soon), you can try to mend a mysterious inscription on Merlin’s box in the hope that it can help us out. And in task 11, it’s time to put your thinking cap on as we brainstorm methods for convincing the box to open. Let’s get to it!

You sit back in your chair and stare at Merlin’s box. The light from the flaming torches is flickering over its shiny surface, the silver symbol and that mysterious inscription. Sir Kay is telling the story of how King Arthur proved himself fit to rule, his voice booming off the walls of the Great Hall. Merlin encased a sword in a stone and decreed that only someone worthy to be the true king could pull it out. Everyone failed, until Arthur…. You sit up straight. What if that’s the key? What if somehow, someone has to prove themselves worthy to open the box and return the knights to Camelot? But how? Time for a group brainstorm! If you were Merlin, what would you want someone to do to prove they were worthy enough to open his box? Perhaps if enough of us think of enough ideas, we’ll find one that works. Describe your method in 100 words. Alternatively, you could create a storyboard or comic strip showing your idea in practice. Post your idea below to earn 25 rubies and the trust of the knights. The deadline is 11:59 PM HOL-time on the 31st of October!

Well,you invited them to tell stories and boy did they deliver. It’s as Sir Gawain is telling the tale of his disastrous encounter with the Green Knight for what feels like the fifth time that you have an idea. You’re sure the knights would like to know how their legends have lived on throughout history. A mischievous part of you would also like to see their reactions to some of the sillier or more outlandish portrayal’s of them in modern media. You scurry off up to the library to do some research. For this task, we’d like you to find an adaptation of the Arthurian legends. It could be a movie, a TV series, a novel, a comic book or really any kind of media you can think of. Please keep in mind HOL appropriateness when you pick. You can either present a straightforward report on it (give us facts about it and also describe which parts of the legends it adapts and any changes it makes) or you can share your own thoughts about it in a review. Whichever you pick, your response should be 100 words or more. Post below to earn 25 rubies and the trust of the knights. The deadline is 11:59 PM HOL-time on the 31st of October!

Knocking off the wigs of visiting dignitaries should not be used as a form of target practice. Next person, please use the word trout.

Janne, please change your location to 'being chased by a rampaging murtlap. Knight

8802

In the various accounts of the Round Table and its knights, we learn about the chivalric rules that the knights had to uphold. Sir Thomas Mallory (who wrote one of the most famous works on Arthurian Legend, ‘Le Morte d'Arthur’), mentioned several, including: ‘always to flee treason’, ‘to give mercy unto him who asks for mercy’ and ‘not to take up battles in wrongful quarrels for love or worldly goods.’ All very noble rules, I’m sure you’ll agree. But what about those rules that didn’t quite make the cut? For this game, we’re asking you to come up with rules for the knights of the Round Table to follow, the sillier the better. The catch though is that you must include a word given to you by the person who posted before you. For instance: Player 1: No swords on the dinner table. Next person, include the word rain. Player 2: No turning your helmet upside down to gather rain, however thirsty you are. Next person, include the word fish. You get the idea! You’ll earn 2 rubies per post for your first 5 posts (10 in total) The deadline is 11:59 PM HOL-time on the 31st of October! So, next person: include the word dragon

Have a fabulous birthday, Dario!

How's your October going, lions? Remember to stop by the Gryfftoberfest forum to give us a hand with our surprise guests from Camelot! When you're not dashing around after missing knights, there are plenty of point earning opportunities to turn your hand to. Special event alert! Are you ready to venture Through the Trapdoor? Head over to the HOL forum for a thrilling quest to protect the Philosopher's stone. There are fun challenges to complete and 100 points to be earned! Deadline: 5th of November Read all about it... The school newspaper, The HOwLer, is still ready and waiting for your submissions. The theme of this issue is 'Unexpected Sunshine' and you still have plenty of time to turn something in. There are 60 points available in total to every budding reporter. Deadline: 31st of October There are new department projects to dive into as well. The Library are investigating a mysterious darkness and finding out all about a new ghost at Hogwarts. The Art Department are getting similarly spooky with a trip into the Forbidden Forest - they're also celebrating Professor McGonagall's birthday with some fabulous posters. Art Deadline: 31st of October Library deadline: 4th of November

Week 2 Progress Report: Action stations! The knights have scattered and now we can’t find them. We were trying to talk to them to find out what exactly happened before they were transported here. From what I can gather, they were having a meeting about a troublesome brigand when there was a blinding flash of light and they were here. Not very helpful. Anyway, that’s when Peeves showed up and started insulting their honour. Sir Kay challenged him and Peeves shot off, causing Sir Kay and a few of the others to chase him. The King tried to call his men back but it was no good. Then he got it into his head that the rest of them should form a search party and go and find them, so now they’ve all vanished into the depths of Hogwarts. We really, really need your help to track them down before there are any nasty misunderstandings. In task 4, we’re asking you to don a suitably medieval costume to set them at ease. In task 5, you need to chase them through the passageways of the castle. In task 6, you need to track down some gillyweed or brush up on your bubblehead charms as some of them have taken to the lake in the grounds and need guiding back before they upset the giant squid. In task 7, we’re asking you to uncover some lost history about the knights that might help us get through to them. Let's go!

The knights will bestow their friendship on people who prove their courage in our tasks this Gryfftoberfest. For every two of the main tasks you complete, you’ll earn the approval of one of our noble guests. Sir Geraint Aura Nightmoon Ellie Vernez Emily Spencer February Fortescue Janne Halla Kalgri Sacaria Prof. Will Lestrange Raevia Ward Rhaneyra Black Silvana Mandeville Sir Kay Ellie Vernez Emily Spencer February Fortescue Janne Halla Prof. Will Lestrange Raevia Ward Rhaneyra Black Silvana Mandeville Sir Percival February Fortescue Janne Halla Prof. Will Lestrange Raevia Ward Rhaneyra Black Sir Galahad Prof. Will Lestrange Raevia Ward Rhaneyra Black Sir Gawain Raevia Ward Sir Lancelot Raevia Ward King Arthur

Knight! You do, Janne, don't worry.

The Great Hall is full of piles of crates and boxes. There’s a massive stack of gigantic pumpkins at the far end, looking like a pile of bright orange boulders. Students are coming and going, their arms full of spooky decorations. The Situation: While the decorations for the Halloween feast are usually put up by magic, the staff have decided that it might be fun for everyone to get together and get the Great Hall ready by hand. Are you ready to start draping the rafters in fake cobwebs with your friends? Maybe you could even carve a pumpkin or two? Look out for the live bats! The Location: You can roleplay within The Great Hall, the small rooms off it and the Entrance Hall. Read the guidelines before diving in. Have fun!