2-June
Hi Diary.
We (the first years) just finished our end of term exams. (the older kids have exams still next week!) I think I did ok. We won't learn til later, though. Professor Longbottom told me that my parents will be owled the results of my final exams sometime later this month, after school is over for the summer.
Amythest and I are relaxing by the lake right now. I don't know where any of my friends are, but thats ok. It's nice to have a little quiet to myself! We have been very busy!
I should note that King Charles was crowned king on the 6th. Apparently his being crowned was an even bigger thing in the wizarding world than his mother's death. There was a special feast in his honor and even the Wizarding Wireless broadcasted the ceremonies. It wasn't the same as watching it on TV, since there is no image to see with a radio, but still it was a unique experience to sit in the Great Hall with everyone and listen in.
I also got to experience my first wizarding holiday! Beltane was an exciting thing! I am used to May Day, with flowers and maypoles and the like, but this was very different. There WAS a maypole, though! There were no classes monday, Tuesday or Wednesday that week. Monday afternoon, the big May pole was set up. The Professors worked together to set up several large bonfires as well as an extra large bonfire in the middle of the rest of them. House elves brought us all sorts of foods and cooking gear. Everyone cooked their own meals throughout the festivities. I think my favorite food i made was a cake in a cast iron pot that Katherine helped me with. She said her father made sure she learned how to make lots of special traditional foods for each of the wizarding holidays. Something about neither of her parents learning about the traditions until long after they had graduated from Hogwarts. I am glad she knew them well enough to teach me! The Beltane Cake was soft, fruity and delicious! The bonfires stayed lit the whole time and everyone camped out under the stars. The MAypole dance happened several times, too. I only knew one dance, but several different dances were done. you could tell because the ribbons made very different patterns on the pole! There was a special ritual done at midnight, as the day went from April 30th into May 1st. That ritual was done only by those who knew what to do, something about how doingit wrong could be dangerous. Those of us who didn't know what to do sat in a circle, hand in hand, around the big bonfire, facing out. Those who knew what to do were standing in a circle around the bonfire, faceing us. They stretched outasfaras they could while still holding hands and looked up to the sky. As one, they chanted something I could not understand (but Katherine later told me that it was a chant asking Lady Magic and the fae folk for their blessings) and swayed back and forth. The magic in the air was almost tangible and strong enough that everything glowed a bright blue! It made my hair stand on end! Later, we did other, smaller, rituals. I was permitted to join any of those i wanted. I joined in with one that was for blessing the fruit of the gardens. (Professor Longbottom assured me that this included the green houses and all the plants in the gardens and green houses, not just the fruit trees.) While we did the ritual, the grass below our feet grew a few inches! IT tickled! (i think it tickled more because we were barefoot than it would have if we had been wearing shoes!) when we were done, everyone who had participated had a small flower design on thier skin someplace. It sort of looked like muggle face paintings, though they were most often on an arm, and no one had any paint out. They faded away a few days later. In the evening, on the 1st, a lot of older students were jumping over the smaller bonfires with their girl and boy friends! I over heard Professor Malfoy telling Professor Cauldwell that watching the students jumping told him who to keep an eye out for over night. I don't understand, but when I asked, I was told I would understand when i was older. Hmpf. Finally, on the second, before all of the bonfires were put out and everyone went to bed, a few of the 7th years took some foods we (the students) had cooked and some flowers and other gifts to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Then Professor Prince walked up, hands outstretched, while we all watched silently. He must have said something,but i couldn't tell what; I couldn't really hear him. After a few minutes, a golden glow seemed to reach out to him. Finally, he bowed. Then everyone called out "Blessed Beltane!"(I rushed to say it with everyone!) and we all packed up and went in with the prefects leading the way with torches lit from the big bonfire. I only assume that the same thing happened in the other common rooms, but Lydia, the Hufflepuff prefect with a torch, placed it in the common room fire place and used the torch to start a brand new fire for our common room. I went to bed after that, exhausted.
Other than classes, really i didn't miss telling you too much, Diary. Tomorrow, there's a special picnic for all of the first years by the lake. I am looking forward to in. I'm told there will be a special presentation by some of the 7th years where they'll have a mock duel to show us some of the more advanced spells we will learn throughout our years at Hogwarts.
THATS WHAT I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT! The Dueling Club! We had a Dueling Competition! OF course, we were competing based on year and skills. I was in a group of seven first years. Two Ravenclaws, Lestor Gooding and Marianne McClane, A Gryffindor I don't know well named Yvonne Hunter, and Elizabeth, then from Slytherin Georgia and finally from Huffle puff, Lyra and myself. Lyra and I got to the second to last round! But she won against me, managing to use a tripping jynx that i couldn't dodge, andgot to compete against Lestor. I thought Lestor was going to win, he is very skilled, but he got too confident and she used that against him. She won the match! Professor Prince said that the three of us would probably be able to hold our own against some of the third years! I can't believe it! And Katherine told us that her dad would never say such a thing if he didn't truly believe it!
Oh! it's almost time for dinner; I can see Geoff and Lyra heading my way. I better cleanup. Night, Diary!
Ava