Ravenclaw Head of House
I had the lovely privilege to sit down with our very own Professor Sissay - Ravenclaw Head of House, Arithmancy Professor, and Librarian. Not only was this Professor Sissay's first term heading the House for Ravenclaw, she didn't even get to do it in the actual Ravenclaw Tower. No, instead her first taste of Head of House was spent shared with Ombrelune.
Congratulations on being made Head of House for the eagles! How did you feel when offered the position?
Thank you, dear. I felt very grateful towards the Headmaster for trusting me with the prestigious house of Ravenclaw, but mostly excited to be closer to the students. My own path in life has taught me much and I was grateful to be able to pass on that knowledge.
It’s my understanding that you weren’t a Hogwarts graduate. Coming in as head of eagles, did you find it easy to settle into that role?
Not at all, I am a proud graduate of Uagadou. Nothing is ever easy when it comes to Hogwarts and its students, but I found myself slipping into the role with equal amount of eagerness as well as apprehension.
What qualities of Ravenclaw do you think you most embody?
Their want to learn, but not in the bookish sense. Ravenclaws see the world around them and want to discover more about it, each one in their own individual way. That is another thing I like to think I share with the Ravenclaws, is that sense of uniqueness, that individuality. You will not find a bigger variety of people than at the Ravenclaw Tower. Or in this term's case, the Ombrelune common room. I do believe we had a good fit between the houses, despite everything that happened.
Being at Hogwarts for a year, what was it like packing up and heading to teach at Beauxbatons?
Teaching at the famous European school was an experience just like any other. We had to move here under extremely unfortunate and tragic circumstances, and I do not want to make light of the move since that would dishonour those we lost.
What advice would you give your house as they either graduate or move forward a year?
Continue to be yourselves! Stretch and pull your brain in all the ways it will go, become more rounded human beings. Aspire to be better than your dreams, have multiple dreams, and never forget your roots and the earth you stand on. You will all do great things, I am sure of it. And as a personal note, since I will not be returning to Hogwarts next year due to personal reasons: thank you to Ravenclaw and to Hogwarts for welcoming me into the fold for these past two years. This was an experience of a lifetime, and I shall never forget you. Thank you, and by Hypatia remember to hydrate and put effort in your homework.
Congratulations on being made Head of House for the eagles! How did you feel when offered the position?
Thank you, dear. I felt very grateful towards the Headmaster for trusting me with the prestigious house of Ravenclaw, but mostly excited to be closer to the students. My own path in life has taught me much and I was grateful to be able to pass on that knowledge.
It’s my understanding that you weren’t a Hogwarts graduate. Coming in as head of eagles, did you find it easy to settle into that role?
Not at all, I am a proud graduate of Uagadou. Nothing is ever easy when it comes to Hogwarts and its students, but I found myself slipping into the role with equal amount of eagerness as well as apprehension.
What qualities of Ravenclaw do you think you most embody?
Their want to learn, but not in the bookish sense. Ravenclaws see the world around them and want to discover more about it, each one in their own individual way. That is another thing I like to think I share with the Ravenclaws, is that sense of uniqueness, that individuality. You will not find a bigger variety of people than at the Ravenclaw Tower. Or in this term's case, the Ombrelune common room. I do believe we had a good fit between the houses, despite everything that happened.
Being at Hogwarts for a year, what was it like packing up and heading to teach at Beauxbatons?
Teaching at the famous European school was an experience just like any other. We had to move here under extremely unfortunate and tragic circumstances, and I do not want to make light of the move since that would dishonour those we lost.
What advice would you give your house as they either graduate or move forward a year?
Continue to be yourselves! Stretch and pull your brain in all the ways it will go, become more rounded human beings. Aspire to be better than your dreams, have multiple dreams, and never forget your roots and the earth you stand on. You will all do great things, I am sure of it. And as a personal note, since I will not be returning to Hogwarts next year due to personal reasons: thank you to Ravenclaw and to Hogwarts for welcoming me into the fold for these past two years. This was an experience of a lifetime, and I shall never forget you. Thank you, and by Hypatia remember to hydrate and put effort in your homework.
Ravenclaw Prefects
Being made prefect always meant more responsibilities. However, this term, seventh year Dorian Katharos had even bigger shoes to fill not only by leading Ravenclaw house but also the entire student body as Head Boy. Despite his packed schedule, I had the opportunity to sit down with Dorian to catch up with how he’s doing.
Hey, Dorian. Congratulations on being head boy! What can you say about your experience?
Hey, Drew. Thank you very much. It’s an honor to have worn this badge. There is so much to say that I don't even know where to begin. Great start!
What did you feel when you got your badge? Were you excited or nervous?
Excited at first. I had been working my way up to become a student leader since day one so seeing that my hard work had paid off was a good feeling. Then of course I got a bit nervous. What if I didn’t do well? What if I made mistakes? Those kinds of questions went constantly through my head during the summer before school but after a good talk about it with my friend, Rylee Prichard, I gained more confidence.
What is your favourite thing about being not just a prefect, but also Head Boy?
Probably patrolling the corridors at later times in the evenings. I got to see Beauxbatons while most people were (hopefully) in their common rooms.... Or eh...broom closet..
What about your least favourite thing?
Students, especially first years asking me the way to classes when they got lost. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t the part of them asking that was my least favorite. It was because my sense of direction is so bad that I might have send them in the wrong direction. And it did not help either that we were in a completely different school as well.
ALSO I wanted to see the Prefects’ bathroom at Hogwarts but I couldn’t. Do you think I can come back next year to check it out? I’m sure the school will be open again.
Tell us an interesting experience during one of your patrol duties.
There is this corridor that leads to nowhere. It’s intriguing and it continues to spark my interest. Why is it leading to nowhere? Has there ever been something there? I went to investigate the hallway with Claudine Blaze but we didn’t get very far.
How did you handle being a student leader amid the Beauxbatons crowd?
I don’t know. I tried not to be biased toward Hogwarts students and simply gave out warnings to the ones who broke the rules. No matter which school they were from.
What can you say about working with your co-prefect, Trinetta?
Did you know that she is fluent in both English and French? That is very helpful considering which country Beauxbatons lies in. But I think it went alright. She’s hardworking, helpful and from what I’ve seen she’s very loyal towards her friends. I think she was the perfect choice as a prefect.
Prefecting is no joke, it's safe to assume. What do you do to unwind from prefect duties?
I meditate. I know, that sounds boring. But it’s true. I’ve been meditating for years now and I try to do it at least five minutes a day. It calms my mind and it keeps me focused. I also enjoy early morning runs. Who knew those horrible S.O.R.E. trainings from years back are now my favorite things to do. And I also enjoy fishing but I did not do that this year.
You recently sat your NEWTs. How did you manage your time?
I made a schedule in which I wrote down the days I had to patrol and I used color coded labels to write down which days and hours I wanted to spend time on a specific subject. I usually studied in the dormitory because that was the quietest place when no one was around.
Alright...for this part, I'm giving you a chance to make a shoutout here. For the next generation of Ravenclaws, for your favourite professor, for the Beauxbatons students, for a special someone. Whoever. Go for it.
I wished I had a girlfriend this year..... Wait, scratch that out!
To upcoming and current Ravenclaws: Work hard, stay out of trouble and most important thing of all: Have fun with learning new things. Help each other, even the other Houses and win that House Cup next year!
Hey, Dorian. Congratulations on being head boy! What can you say about your experience?
Hey, Drew. Thank you very much. It’s an honor to have worn this badge. There is so much to say that I don't even know where to begin. Great start!
What did you feel when you got your badge? Were you excited or nervous?
Excited at first. I had been working my way up to become a student leader since day one so seeing that my hard work had paid off was a good feeling. Then of course I got a bit nervous. What if I didn’t do well? What if I made mistakes? Those kinds of questions went constantly through my head during the summer before school but after a good talk about it with my friend, Rylee Prichard, I gained more confidence.
What is your favourite thing about being not just a prefect, but also Head Boy?
Probably patrolling the corridors at later times in the evenings. I got to see Beauxbatons while most people were (hopefully) in their common rooms.... Or eh...broom closet..
What about your least favourite thing?
Students, especially first years asking me the way to classes when they got lost. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t the part of them asking that was my least favorite. It was because my sense of direction is so bad that I might have send them in the wrong direction. And it did not help either that we were in a completely different school as well.
ALSO I wanted to see the Prefects’ bathroom at Hogwarts but I couldn’t. Do you think I can come back next year to check it out? I’m sure the school will be open again.
Tell us an interesting experience during one of your patrol duties.
There is this corridor that leads to nowhere. It’s intriguing and it continues to spark my interest. Why is it leading to nowhere? Has there ever been something there? I went to investigate the hallway with Claudine Blaze but we didn’t get very far.
How did you handle being a student leader amid the Beauxbatons crowd?
I don’t know. I tried not to be biased toward Hogwarts students and simply gave out warnings to the ones who broke the rules. No matter which school they were from.
What can you say about working with your co-prefect, Trinetta?
Did you know that she is fluent in both English and French? That is very helpful considering which country Beauxbatons lies in. But I think it went alright. She’s hardworking, helpful and from what I’ve seen she’s very loyal towards her friends. I think she was the perfect choice as a prefect.
Prefecting is no joke, it's safe to assume. What do you do to unwind from prefect duties?
I meditate. I know, that sounds boring. But it’s true. I’ve been meditating for years now and I try to do it at least five minutes a day. It calms my mind and it keeps me focused. I also enjoy early morning runs. Who knew those horrible S.O.R.E. trainings from years back are now my favorite things to do. And I also enjoy fishing but I did not do that this year.
You recently sat your NEWTs. How did you manage your time?
I made a schedule in which I wrote down the days I had to patrol and I used color coded labels to write down which days and hours I wanted to spend time on a specific subject. I usually studied in the dormitory because that was the quietest place when no one was around.
Alright...for this part, I'm giving you a chance to make a shoutout here. For the next generation of Ravenclaws, for your favourite professor, for the Beauxbatons students, for a special someone. Whoever. Go for it.
I wished I had a girlfriend this year..... Wait, scratch that out!
To upcoming and current Ravenclaws: Work hard, stay out of trouble and most important thing of all: Have fun with learning new things. Help each other, even the other Houses and win that House Cup next year!
Alongside Head Boy Dorian, fifth year Trinetta Gladin was chosen to lead the eagles this term. Nicknamed Nettie by many, myself included, she had just finished her first term as prefect and I was able to catch up with my friend while she wasn’t busy with OWLs and patrols.
Hey, Nettie. Congratulations on being prefect! What can you say about your experience so far?
Thank you! I thought it was very challenging taking on the badge this term. For one, it was rather unexpected, and it also was hard being at a completely different school this term. I was expected to roam the halls of Hogwarts on my prefect duties - not have to learn the layout of a new castle AND worry about duties on top of that! But overall, aside from some meddling Beauxbatons students, I didn't find it all too challenging. Luckily, all of us involved in the "trial" (if you could call it that) had the backing of our own Hogwarts staff members, making it less stressful than it needed to be.
What did you feel when you got your badge? Were you excited or nervous?
I was shocked! I honestly had been hoping for it during my fourth year, but when I didn't get it I had looked towards just focusing on my studies. I didn't think it would ever happen, but when it did I was extremely excited! I was confident in my ability to do a good job with the badge.
What is your favourite thing about being a prefect?
Honestly? I found prefect patrols to be very relaxing. Just me and my thoughts, and I got to explore Beauxbatons at night which was kind of fun!
What about your least favourite thing?
I really honestly enjoy all parts of being a prefect!
Tell us an interesting experience during one of your patrol duties.
I hate to be super boring here, but nothing really interesting ever happened? Busted a few kids for being out after curfew but that was it. I think it's because everyone was too scared of the Headmistress to really push the limits...
How did you handle being a student leader amid the Beauxbatons crowd?
It was definitely difficult, especially when I felt like no one believed me that they were doing something fishy and trying to pin everything on us. My main priority, though, was always making sure Hogwarts students remained safe, whether it was when they were being chased down by a dragon, or spontaneously turning in to ducks after drinking spiked punch.
What can you say about working with your co-prefect, Dorian?
I've always admired Dorian and the fact that he tends to keep his nose out of drama. I think it was a good balance for us, as I can sometimes get a bit dramatic or act rashly, especially when chaos is ensuing.
Prefecting is no joke, it's safe to assume. What do you do to unwind from prefect duties?
Same thing I did to unwind from OWLs studying! I immersed myself in my hobbies and allowed myself private time to just be alone with my thoughts and reconfigure my head space.
You recently sat your OWLs. How did you manage your time?
I began studying at the beginning of term and realized early on that I was not going to accomplish anything by working myself to death. Therefore, I made sure I allowed time to relax and unwind by going for runs, reading, playing my cello...anything to get my brain off of studying for a while. I also made sure I got plenty of sleep!
Okay, so...I'm giving you a chance to make a shout out here. For the Ravenclaws, for your favourite professor, for the Beauxbatons students, for a special someone. Whoever. Go for it.
For all my Ravenclaws - keep being amazing, you're all such great people that it was EASY being a prefect for you this term! And of course I want to give a shout out to Eiji, Missa, Ethan, Alex, Drew, and all my other friends! They know who they are!
Hey, Nettie. Congratulations on being prefect! What can you say about your experience so far?
Thank you! I thought it was very challenging taking on the badge this term. For one, it was rather unexpected, and it also was hard being at a completely different school this term. I was expected to roam the halls of Hogwarts on my prefect duties - not have to learn the layout of a new castle AND worry about duties on top of that! But overall, aside from some meddling Beauxbatons students, I didn't find it all too challenging. Luckily, all of us involved in the "trial" (if you could call it that) had the backing of our own Hogwarts staff members, making it less stressful than it needed to be.
What did you feel when you got your badge? Were you excited or nervous?
I was shocked! I honestly had been hoping for it during my fourth year, but when I didn't get it I had looked towards just focusing on my studies. I didn't think it would ever happen, but when it did I was extremely excited! I was confident in my ability to do a good job with the badge.
What is your favourite thing about being a prefect?
Honestly? I found prefect patrols to be very relaxing. Just me and my thoughts, and I got to explore Beauxbatons at night which was kind of fun!
What about your least favourite thing?
I really honestly enjoy all parts of being a prefect!
Tell us an interesting experience during one of your patrol duties.
I hate to be super boring here, but nothing really interesting ever happened? Busted a few kids for being out after curfew but that was it. I think it's because everyone was too scared of the Headmistress to really push the limits...
How did you handle being a student leader amid the Beauxbatons crowd?
It was definitely difficult, especially when I felt like no one believed me that they were doing something fishy and trying to pin everything on us. My main priority, though, was always making sure Hogwarts students remained safe, whether it was when they were being chased down by a dragon, or spontaneously turning in to ducks after drinking spiked punch.
What can you say about working with your co-prefect, Dorian?
I've always admired Dorian and the fact that he tends to keep his nose out of drama. I think it was a good balance for us, as I can sometimes get a bit dramatic or act rashly, especially when chaos is ensuing.
Prefecting is no joke, it's safe to assume. What do you do to unwind from prefect duties?
Same thing I did to unwind from OWLs studying! I immersed myself in my hobbies and allowed myself private time to just be alone with my thoughts and reconfigure my head space.
You recently sat your OWLs. How did you manage your time?
I began studying at the beginning of term and realized early on that I was not going to accomplish anything by working myself to death. Therefore, I made sure I allowed time to relax and unwind by going for runs, reading, playing my cello...anything to get my brain off of studying for a while. I also made sure I got plenty of sleep!
Okay, so...I'm giving you a chance to make a shout out here. For the Ravenclaws, for your favourite professor, for the Beauxbatons students, for a special someone. Whoever. Go for it.
For all my Ravenclaws - keep being amazing, you're all such great people that it was EASY being a prefect for you this term! And of course I want to give a shout out to Eiji, Missa, Ethan, Alex, Drew, and all my other friends! They know who they are!