Hogwarts This Month

Chapter 1

‘Tis the season, dearest readers! Hello, and welcome back to Hogwarts Monthly News! Today, we’re here with Issue 10: HMN’s Winter Edition! It’s quite an exciting month as our beloved newsletter is just about to reach its one-year anniversary—tomorrow, on the 1st of January! Let me give a quick shout-out to Sienna Lockwood for founding our news group, and Hazel Emory Antler, our current owner and head. Thank you both for your hard work and dedication. I, for one, am excited for the many more months yet to come!

Now, let’s talk about what’s in store this month. There are so many festivities to celebrate, including the ever-popular Christmas and Hanukkah. I hope you’ve all had an amazing time with family and friends, but don’t forget—the New Year is just around the corner. It’s the perfect time to set some goals and resolutions for yourself; let’s all strive to make the best of 2025!

But hold on! Don’t worry about jumping into those resolutions just yet. It’s still December, after all, and I certainly won’t be starting my resolution to go on more runs anytime soon. For now, let’s settle in and take an adventure through the pages of this new issue.

Inside, you’ll find fascinating articles, captivating stories, and the latest news, along with recommendations, advice, and so much more. With such a variety to choose from, it might be hard to decide where to begin… but don’t worry—I have the perfect solution!

If you’re feeling adventurous, try the interactive story below to pick a chapter at random. Or, if you prefer, simply dive straight into the chapters that catch your eye. The choice is yours! Goodbye for now, and happy reading!

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Welcome to A Journey Through Hogwarts, a quick interactive story to help all indecisive readers pick a chapter to start with at complete random! I guarantee that your decisions here will give you an amazing chapter to start with, completely tailored to your personality. As you make your way through the story, you may even see some familiar faces around Hogwarts… who knows?

First things first, pick which house you’re in!
a) Gryffindor
b) Hufflepuff
c) Ravenclaw
d) Slytherin

If you picked Gryffindor, go to Option 1. If you picked Hufflepuff, head to Option 2. If you picked Ravenclaw, scroll down to Option 3. And lastly, if you picked Slytherin, you’re going over to Option 4!

Option 1 - Gryffindor
It’s a frigid afternoon at Hogwarts, and you find yourself outside in the Transfiguration Courtyard, walking around on the crunchy snow. Despite the chill, you enjoy the apricity as you approach a large willow tree, seeking something to lean against. From where you stand, you spot Marlee, deeply concentrated on transfiguring her sneakers into boots. Figures, you think– she had always been very studious. Behind her, a flurry of red and gold walk past, and you can hear Lily and Ellie laughing as they rush past with their brooms. Nearby, more students bustle into the castle to prepare for dinner, while others head off in their own directions down mysteriously empty corridors. As the courtyard begins to clear out, you find yourself torn on who to follow.

Should you:
a) Grab your broom and head down to the Quidditch Pitch? (Go to ☆)
b) Turn left into the Great Hall for a delicious dinner? (Go to ❤)
c) Wander up the castle to explore the Room of Requirement? (Go to ✿)

☆- You decide it’s not too late for some fun in the sky, so you jog over to the magnificent quidditch pitch. Unexpectedly, quite a crowd had gathered there to watch a heated match between your house and the Slytherins. You’re barely able to make it through the crowd before everyone goes silent, and you hear the words “unbelievable!” and “that’s insane!” being thrown around. You push through the crowd, desperate to find out what’s happened until finally, a friend approaches you. “Didn’t you hear about what happened?” they whisper. Would you like to know, dear reader? Flip to Shocking News.

❤ - Your stomach grumbles, reminding you it’s time for dinner. As you step into the Great Hall, you’re greeted by the enchanting sight of snowflakes drifting softly from the bewitched ceiling. Taking a seat at your house table, you’re just about to dig in when—thump! An owl swoops down, dropping a stack of papers right in front of you. Odd. Owls don’t usually deliver at night... Something must have happened! Flip to Magical Criminal Law 4 - The Trial of Emile Kiara.

✿ - The excitement of mystery overtakes you, so you decide to venture up to the Room of Requirement. Upon entering, you see stacks of foreign objects and magic hums in the air. You’re most intrigued by a shallow, stone bowl, shining brightly with swirls of blue inside. Hypnotized, you reach out to touch it, and find yourself suddenly sucked into a completely different world. Oh no, where have you gone? Flip to Magical Artefacts.

Option 2 - Hufflepuff
It was a surprisingly warm day for December, and you were wearing a large knit sweater as you took a stroll along the grounds. Many students had chosen to head to Hogsmeade on the weekend, but you wanted to take some time to enjoy the solitude of being at Hogwarts. It seemed like you weren’t the only one though. Near the black lake, you could see Michael jotting down ideas in his notebook, most likely for another book. He had a chocolate frog in his hand, and you noticed your stomach start to grumble. However, you continued with your stroll. Dry, dead scenery surrounded you, but the cool, pure smell of the air kept you outside. Your feet led you near Hagrid's hut next. Vines lazily covered the garden, and despite the time of year, plants remained thriving, all rich in colour and swaying gently. A woosh from the Forbidden Forest startles you, and you begin to notice the chill in dropping temperatures as the sun begins to set.
You pause for a moment, unsure of where to go next.

Should you:
a) Go down to the greenhouses and plant something? (Go to ✿)
b) Sneak over to the kitchens for a quick midday snack? (Go to ❤)
c) Face your fears and explore the Forbidden Forest? (Go to ☆)

✿ - As you step into Greenhouse 7, you notice small groups of fellow Huffies checking in on their plants. Ivy Dewdrop was in a corner, humming quietly as she planted a couple of pink orchids. Marietta was with her, watering a plot of her own plants. You were about to say go over to them before something violet caught your eye. Approaching the very back corner of the greenhouse, you see a peculiar looking plant. You could instantly tell what it was—wolfsbane. The question lingered in your mind: who was growing wolfsbane at Hogwarts… and why? Flip to Lycanthropy & Wolfsbane Potion.

❤ - The gurgling sound in your stomach didn’t stop, and you decided that it was best to go find a snack. Luckily, every Hufflepuff knew where the kitchens were, and you were familiar with the route. The room contained a soft yellow light and dishes piled high into the air. Little house elves ran around preparing dinner, and the smells were delightful. However, one thing caught your eye: a fresh, warm plate of snickerdoodle cookies. You felt your body melt as you took a bite, suddenly wishing that you had the ability to bake the sweet treat as well. Flip to Recipe Of The Month.

☆ - A split second decision led to you walking towards the Forbidden Forest. The ominous atmosphere only made it seem scarier, and distant noises of unknown beasts made you begin to regret this decision. Despite this, the forest was quiet, and all that could be heard was the sound of your footsteps. But suddenly, you stopped. You had a terrible gut feeling that you weren’t alone. Mustering up all of the courage in your body, you turned around to confront
whoever was following you, and your stomach dropped. Flip to Eyes In The Dark.

Option 3 - Ravenclaw
It had been a long day of classes, and you took a big yawn as you climbed up to the common room. You approached the bronze knocker shaped like an eagle on the door and knocked. The eagle seemed to be sleeping, but he slowly woke up with a groan. “What has hands but cannot clap?” the eagle asked, annoyed from the stream of students who came and went late at night. “A clock,” you reply effortlessly, and the door to the common room swings open. As you enter the cosy atmosphere, you see many people quietly talking amongst themselves. Sara and her little sister Hazel were tucked away in a corner. Sara seemed to be scrawling with determination on a long sheet of parchment, and Hazel—well, she had fallen asleep on top of her book. Keeper Of The Lost Cities, you think to yourself. I need to keep that in mind for the next time I’m going on a book haul. You also saw some others laying near the fire, and you glimpsed Charlie and Autumn playing a fiercely competitive game of wizards chess while Lena watched it unfold. An illumination of light from the window attracts you, and you notice the bright stars scattered across the sky. Rubbing your eyes, you wonder what you should do next.

Should you:
a) Head to the library to check out a few books and be productive? (Go to ✿)
b) Climb up to the Astronomy tower for a better view of the stars? (Go to ☆)
c) Shuffle along to your dorm for a good night of rest? (Go to ❤)

✿ - Despite your aching body, you decide to toughen up and go to the library. You nearly fall asleep walking there, but the sight of beautifully bound books wakes you up. You skip across the shelves, taking in the comforting smell of parchment and wood. At last, you stop when you notice a pale purple book on one of the very bottom shelves. Flip to The Library.

☆ - With a squeal, you run out of the common room and up the spiral stairs, excited to go stargazing. The view was even better than you could’ve imagined. Grabbing an enchanted telescope, you zoom in closely on the planets you could see. Venus seemed to be entering Aquarius. What did that mean? You couldn’t help your curiosity, so you continued to read the stars. Flip to Horoscopes.

❤ - You enter your deserted dorm with a sigh, craving the warmth of your bed. Desperate for sleep, you change out of your heavy robes and finish up your night routine with haste. At last, you turn off all of the lights and pull back the curtains to your four-poster bed. You cringe at the messy state and disorganised look of your bed from the morning. With a loud groan, you fall into bed anyways, too tired to care. Flip to Don’t Make Your Bed Day.

Option 4 - Slytherin
It was a slow evening at Hogwarts, and no one had much to do. You were sitting at a table in the Great Hall with your fellow Slytherins, finishing off a letter to your parents that had been sitting in your bag for far too long. Beside you, Sam was fidgeting around with a deck of tarot cards, and you noticed Ross’ hair turning red as he finished up a DADA essay. All around, students chatted in low voices or flipped textbooks, cramming in study for their upcoming
exams. There has to be something more to do, you thought to yourself as you started to fold up your letter. Everyone was in their own worlds, and you could feel your boredom increasing. You couldn’t decide if you wanted to do something fun or continue with this quiet evening.

Should you:
a) Climb up to the Owlery to deliver your letter? (Go to ✿)
b) Have some fun and take a secret passageway to Zonko’s? (Go to ☆)
c) Head towards the Slytherin common room for an evening of relaxation? (Go to ❤)

✿ - It seemed pointless to wait any longer to send your letter, so you decided to quickly run to the Owlery before curfew. Just as you climbed the ladder and hoisted yourself to the top of the tower, your owl came flying along. You handed him your letter and watched him take off into the night. As he was leaving, you stayed to admire the view of the mountains in the distance and the serene landscape. Flip to Magic Around The World.

☆ - The walk was long, but eventually you emerged from the dingy passageway and into the large crowds gathered inside of Zonko’s Joke Shop. Children ran around with excitement, eyes bulging out of their heads from the different products. Small fireworks went off in the air, and you could even see someone walking up the wall. The sight of it all made you laugh out loud. Flip to Top 10 Memes Of The Month.

❤ - With a shrug, you decide there isn’t anything worth doing, and the allure of the Slytherin common room was too tempting to resist. The fire flickered against the darkness, and the squashy brown armchairs were calling your name. With a flick of your wand, you conjured a steaming mug of butterbeer and settled in for a quiet, relaxing evening of reading. Flip to What’s The Story This Month?

If you’re still reading, I hope this was fun! Did you notice the members of HMN being mentioned in the story? It was a small interpretation of what I imagine life at Hogwarts to be like! Anyways, I won’t keep you any longer. Enjoy the rest of Issue 10—Merry Christmas, and a happy new year!

Written by Daphne Clarke.
Edited by Hazel Antler.
Proofread by Lena Hunt.