The Hogwarts Headliner, Issue #43

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Hogwarts, How Many Languages Do You Speak? (Part II)
by Archer Duncan
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Welcome back to part two of our analysis of the multilingual community of Hogwarts.
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Picking up where we left off, we continue in the British Isles. Siobhan, a native Irish speaker, described how she loved the way the language flowed, “almost in a way that is secretive because of its complexity and confusing nature to those who don’t speak it.” She also commented on how she wished it was taught more and shared her favourite expression: “Tá ceann ort a chuirfeadh oinniún ag caoineadh”, meaning “You’ve a head on you that'd ─────────────────

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❝ ─ ──────────┓ x ─. The more one interacts with a language, the easier it gets. ── x┗────────── xx❞

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make an onion cry!” ─Brookline, on the other hand, is a Welsh speaker and expressed how, despite once holding mixed opinions on the language, she hopes it will be taught to family, friends, and next generations to increase recognition, especially since she feels most comfortable expressing her emotions in the language. To manifest this, she taught me a new and quite wholesome word in the language: “cwtch”, which means hug. ─────────────────

	x	We are again back in familiar territories with Germanic and Romance languages. Ara Villa, the polyglot she is, described to me how she, instead of “bedtime stories”, had “bedtime tutors”, living in a household where fluency in multiple languages was as much survival as it was academia. She first started with German, the language infamous for its absurdly	x	long vocabulary. Ara, however, adores them, saying they are like “puzzles hiding stories”. “Waldeinsamkeit”, for example, means the feeling of solitude in a forest. Ara believes in the discipline of the language’s rhythm and that its initial harshness is worth it when a learner gets to poetry like that. Such words, as she proved, are not tedium but art.
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Next is the ever-popular French, always an endearing pain. Mandatory in Scottish Muggle primary schools and often taught in pureblood society, it’s no wonder it is so widely spoken. According to Ara, conjugation was the worst, but consistency and consumption of French media was the cure. Violeta Roux agreed that practice makes perfect, and at a young age, she had already read and listened to music in the language, “practically drowning	x	[herself] in it”. Koko Riddle concurred, saying that the more one interacts with the language, the easier it gets, a valuable lesson that applies to more than just French. ─While Violeta, Koko, and Eugenia Karageorgiadi spoke negatively regarding French being a romantic language, Ara was more insightful, saying that it can be very romantic when used effortlessly. One example she gave was the phrase “tu me manques”, which translates	x	literally to “you lack me” but means “I miss you”, carrying a sadness unparalleled in English. This also brings me to the many French idioms. Having been given an extensive list to choose from by my interviewees, my favourite would have to be Eugenia’s: “le serpent qui se mord la queue”, or a snake biting its own tail. What might be referred to as “ouroboros” in English means vicious cycles, which Eugenia comments on as a predicament of hers.
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Violeta, who is also learning Italian, commented on how it drew her in because of its similarity to English and French, thanks to their shared Latin roots. She also remarked that although she is a non-native speaker, she had learnt its famous hand gestures and her favourite one is tapping the side of one’s head to signal someone is crazy. Her choice seems to be a particularly useful one.	x
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And that is a wrap on this month. Tune in next month for our final instalment, featuring two much lesser-known languages and even two magical ones.
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BEST BOSSES PG. 03

SUMMER CAMP PG. 08

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PREFECTS PG. 10

MEALS PG. 13

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	xx	┏ ┓ Muggle Perceptions of Vampires by Tristan Theramin ┗ ┛

The macabre and the beautiful intertwine in the modern Muggle’s perception of vampires. Though the stories of vampires began by showing them as villainous enemies of humankind, deserving a death by a stake in the heart or to be warded off with garlic and crosses, their imagination began to evolve into something more. Dracula is the first of these new imaginations. He is a monster, yet he is intelligent and rescues the main character.	x	Following Dracula, the vampire becomes a symbol of a tragic character, representing the Muggle and human fight between good and evil, within society and within oneself. The twentieth-century vampire is a creature that must do what they are born to do, yet are conflicted and horrified with themselves. They are a villain, but a villain who watches in melancholy and disgust at what they do. x──────────────────────────────x
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	x	─────────────────── Stories such as the Interview with the Vampire, Forever Knight, and Dark Shadows are all about characters who do villainous deeds yet are in essence human. They feel the deepest of tragedies, the highest of pleasures, and the worst regret. Vampires are both the worst of the worst and the best of the best. They make choices that make them angels and the next moment demons. They love. They hate. They cry. They laugh. They murder. They heal. Yet they are in their very nature monstrous, trapped forever in the fickleness of predatory nature. Then the vampire becomes a romantic figure, losing its monstrous identity, transforming into a suave and beautiful creature, ───────────────────	x	the subject of romance. Stories such as Twilight, the Argeneau series, and the Dark Hunter series show vampires through a veil of goodness and virtue. They are figures imagined in the mind of teen girls and boys, the perfect human, charming, loving, caring, beautiful, one’s true love. This transformation from monster to love interest shows a reinvention that is also visible in the perception of other creatures in Muggle fiction. We were seen as threats, but now they see us as just as human as any other person in their fiction: people who make choices that are evil or good. The werewolf, which was once seen as a monstrous creature to be put to death, now is written either as a sympathetic creature unable to control its violence, or as a protector of humanity.
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Perhaps the most interesting striking feature of these perceptions is the thematic tendency for these creatures to be the representation of the oppressed, the minority, and the outcast. Especially with vampires in the twentieth century, there has often been a queer subtext. Many stories with these creatures address societal wrongs, comment on injustice, and speak of racial tensions. It seems instead of a monster, the vampire in Muggle perception has become the symbol of all of humanity itself. The vampire is a fantastical creature written to	x	express grief, tragedy, romance, loneliness, and fear. The enemy has become a tool for good in the Muggle mind. This is all fantasy—however, there are magical beings out there. We have half-breeds among us, yet we still treat these magical beings as our enemies at times. Do these stories mean something to us? Should we learn from our Muggle counterparts? Please, tell us your thoughts. x─────────────────────────x
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BEST BOSSES PG. 03

SUMMER CAMP PG. 08

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PREFECTS PG. 10

MEALS PG. 13

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Magical & Muggle Meals: Marinated Mandrake Soufflé
by Aly Salinger

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As recently as less than 10 years ago, the Leaky Cauldron added stewed mandrake quiche to their menu as what was supposed to be a new, inventive, and groundbreaking dish. Unfortunately, it was met with nearly universal condemnation as critics and normal customers alike called the meal “disruptive” to their digestive systems and “utterly nausea-inducing”. While some blamed it on the mandrake ingredient itself, I disagreed, and thought that perhaps it was the combination of the chewy mandrake and the denser texture of the egg that might have caused the ubiquitous dislike of the dish. A different way of cooking the mandrake and a lighter, fluffier egg mixture was deemed to potentially be the solution, and after several different recipe variations, we at the Headliner are proud to present to you our vastly improved version of the Leaky Cauldron’s disastrous fare. Delicate, airy eggs combine perfectly with crunchy puff pastry and salty marinated mandrake, rather than stewed, in this brand-new technique—and, best of all, they’re miniature and individually cooked, so there’s no slicing or dicing required! ─────────────────────────────────────────

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Marinated Mandrake Soufflés
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Serves: 12
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: ▫ 1 cup dragon milk (*cow milk) ▫ ½ cup + a little extra dragon butter (*cow butter) ▫ 2 tablespoons Wizarding Wheat Self-Charmed Flour (*all-purpose flour) ▫ 2 sheets puff pastry** ▫ ½ cup spinach dip** ▫ 1 mandrake, marinated in oil (*3-4 marinated artichoke hearts) ▫ 5 Occamy eggs (*chicken eggs) ▫ ½ cup shredded charmed cheese (*cheddar cheese) ▫ Salt and pepper, to taste

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* Muggle alternative.
** Can be purchased in Hogsmeade, or at your local corner shoppe.

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Directions
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𝟭| If your puff pastry is frozen, defrost it with a quick Hot-Air Charm (*leaving it out for 30 minutes before use). 𝟮| Preheat your oven to 205°C (400°F) and, with the little extra butter, coat 12 small ramekins or all of the cups in a metal cupcake tin. 𝟯| In a medium-sized cauldron over a medium flame, melt the ½ cup butter, then add flour and milk and stir until thick (about 3-5 minutes). This mixture is called a roux. When properly thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature; this process can be sped up with a properly placed Freezing Spell, but be careful that you don’t freeze the roux. 𝟰| Cut your puff pastry sheets into squares roughly the size of the ramekin/tins, or slightly bigger; stretch them to fit and carefully line the cups with the pastry. Allow for some overflow around the edges. 𝟱| On a large cutting board, finely chop marinated mandrake into small pieces with your wand (*sharp ──────────────────────────

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knife). Be careful to not get your fingers in the way of your Severing Charm! 𝟲| In a large cauldron away from heat, beat 4 of the eggs with salt and pepper to your liking, then add spinach dip, chopped mandrake, and cooled roux to them and mix thoroughly. 𝟳| Add cheese to this mixture and stir to combine, then divide the mixture equally between the 12 ramekins/tins. This process can get quite messy—make sure you have some cleaning charms on hand! 𝟴| Fold the excess puff pastry over top of the egg mixture within each tin, without fully covering the egg. 𝟵| Beat the last egg in a small tin and brush it on top of the puff pastry; this will help the pastry to attain a lovely golden-brown hue while baking. 𝟭𝟬| Put the soufflés in the oven and allow to bake for 20-30 minutes; remove from heat when the egg and pastry are puffy and the latter is a lovely golden-brown. Serve warm and enjoy! ──────────────────────────

Note: Do not tell the proprietors of the Leaky Cauldron about this. They might sue us.

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BEST BOSSES PG. 03

SUMMER CAMP PG. 08

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PREFECTS PG. 10

MEALS PG. 13

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Lullabies & Other Sleepy Traditions
by Alyss Gilmour

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───────────────── Human babies are rather high-maintenance—just ask your parents. They lie awake for hours, wailing and screaming until given the familiar embrace that they so crave. Thus, one of the first inventions is believed to be a baby sling, to better hold the young children close in their first months of growth. Although many animals, such as horses, come out of the womb ready to walk and run alongside their companions, humans are… less ready for this aspect of life. However, one thing that we do have is strong, resilient, and burnt-out parental figures. ─────────────────

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❝ ─ ───────────┓ x ─. However, one thing that we do have is strong, resilient, and burnt-out parental figures. ── x┗─────────── x❞

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───────────────── Lullabies are fairly straightforward and can be found in nearly every culture across the planet. The majestic melody and slow notes sung aloud are for the mere purpose of comfort and peace from loud children. This is why the sung tones were adopted by so many cultures, and as for the reason they work? Why, because they are predictable. Soothing notes combined with repetition are simply a pattern that provides comfort and safety in the constantly shifting life of a newborn. ─────────────────

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❝ ─ ───────────┓ x ─. When I was little, my mother would tell me a short fantasy story she'd make up as she went. ── x┗─────────── x❞

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However, as children grow, some soft and gentle noises won’t lull them to sleep the way they used to, so parents instead read them little stories, many times fairy tales. One student, Lillian McMason, says, “When I was little, my mother would tell me a short fantasy story she'd make up as she went.”

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These tales are often steeped in a fantastical world, likely to allow for an escape from reality and to let one’s mind relax and focus on the outrageous world being explained and experienced through one's imagination. Whether they originate from the Brothers Grimm or straight from someone’s mind, they allow children to stop thinking so much. Turning my brain off is something I have personally struggled with many times, which is why fun stories can be so helpful.

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❝ ─ ───────────┓ x ─. They allow children to stop thinking so much. ── x┗─────────── x❞

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One of the many problems with our world is the fact that a way of comfort and routine is looked at as simply being childish. As you grow, your mind doesn’t suddenly decide it hates the soft and sweet songs sung as you fall into a deep sleep. You don’t simply begin to hate the stories that are told to you while you enter the confines of the sleep cycle. Instead, many are told to “get over it” or to “grow up”. I find this to be insulting. If someone is judged for enjoying their method of achieving one of the most important tasks for their health, then our community needs to reconsider our priorities. “When I was about six, my sister helped them decide that I was too old for stories,” Lillian continued, when asked whether or not she maintained an attachment to her mother’s stories. I find this to be disappointing. No one is ever too old for the joy of the storybooks, no matter how childish the world believes them to be.

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If sleep is one of the most important things for your health, physical, mental and emotional, then why are our techniques for doing so under such scrutiny? Whether you’re a seventh year or a first year, how you get to sleep is your own business, and the process shouldn’t matter, so long as you’re getting those eight hours of shut-eye. Whether lullabies, white noise, or fairy tales and fantasies, we hope you use whatever system is at your disposal to get the amount of sleep you need.

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BEST BOSSES PG. 03

SUMMER CAMP PG. 08

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PREFECTS PG. 10

MEALS PG. 13

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A Personal Confession Through the Poetic Art

by Tristan Theramin

Today, I offer you something a little different than what you would usually expect from me as a writer for the Headliner. Today, I offer you a poem of my own, as I seek to honour the great Muggle and wizarding poets of old. Perhaps this is the first time you have ever read a poem. Perhaps you think that poetry is something inaccessible to you. However, I argue that poetry is just an expression and a confession of the heart, intertwined in the very nature of humanity.

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Silence flickers through my very soul It lingers and lengthens Tendrils snaking and slithering down my throat Bottomless yet firmly finite. Silence echoes in a cold, bright room. It tightens and tears Drops falling and feeding the shame stuck in groans Forgiveness fathomed alone Silence aches in dewdropped grass It follows and falters Memory urges and unknits the threads of life Time turns sorrow to anger Silence begs in wretched wakes It seethes and screams Wounds fester and fracture the heart and soul Is it just a moment, nothing more.

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Poetry is the deepest groans of humanity bursting through in word. It’s the depiction of a child laughing and a mother crying. It reflects both the greatest of sorrows and the greatest of joys. Many a poet and many an author have asked whether their art has to come from sorrow. It is a valid question, one I myself have asked. Poets have always struggled in life, often the outcast or the pained. Perhaps that is why they are poets: they are the most human of us all. They are willing to feel the deepest of pains and greatest of joys, while the rest of us protect ourselves from the pain even if we do not get to feel as great a joy.

─ ❝ ─ ──────────┓ x ─. “Poetry is the language of the soul.” – Rumi ── x┗────────── x❞

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I, Tristan Theramin, can only hope to write as well as the greatest writers of them all. But I wonder—if art has to come from pain, what purpose does it serve at all? I propose that it is not that art comes from pain, but that art is created despite the pain. It is the rebellion of the human soul against the despair that threatens us all. It is the soothing hug in a mother’s bosom. Yes, pain might be conducive to art, but we cannot condone pain for the beauty that comes out of it. The better way indeed to view the world is that beauty and art are a rebellion against sorrow and pain. They are hoped for and longed for in those deep dark nights when everything is silent and all you can hear are your own thoughts. Poetry is an art that rebels against despair and darkness and I believe it can be written by all. It is very human to rebel against sorrow and despair. Yet it is also human for them to overcome us. Furthermore, it is human to be ecstatic beyond anything else in the world. Poetry is, thus, a representation of the best of us and the worst of us, of every emotion that a human has considered. So if you have not looked into it, I urge you to begin.

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BEST BOSSES PG. 03

SUMMER CAMP PG. 08

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PREFECTS PG. 10

MEALS PG. 13