20

Oct

Writer of the Week

Posted by Lorinda Swansong  Published in October 20, 2009

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For the week of October 12th, 2009

This week’s WOTW is the newest Ravenclaw student, Fayte von Luxemburg. Here’s her responses to the questions you all know and love.

My name is Fayte Esmeralda von Luxembourg
I am in Ravenclaw house
I am 11 years old
An interesting fact about me is that I was orphaned at a young age, even though I do have relatives that are capable of taking care of me.
My favorite subject at Hogwarts is Household Charms
My worst subject at Hogwarts is NONE!
Outside of class, my favorite pastime is to read a book near the entrance of Hogwarts.
Three words I would use to describe myself are quiet, cautious, and thoughtful.
Three words my friends would use to describe me are klutz, new girl, and possibly shirmp.
When I was announced WOTW, I felt crazy happy! I didn’t expect something like this to happen to me!

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20

Oct

School Pride Article – Part 1

Posted by Nick Shwimmer  Published in October 20, 2009
 

Hi, in light of recent events I’m writing this article on School Pride for everyone of HO. After all that has been going on, I think that everyone could use a little something to pick up their spirits and make everyone feel better about this site. So, that’s where this idea came from. In this Article you’ll find a lot of stuff ranging from Site History to Responses I got from those of whom I asked. Meanwhile, you may have noticed that this is Part 1. This part will be slightly different from Part 2 in a few ways such as the Responses and what they talk about as a main topic.

Hogwarts Online has come a long way in the past four years, probably much farther than people think. As many people know, Professor Chauncey Clemenceau – Once known as Felix Felicius – Created Hogwarts Online and really started to get things going. What people don’t know is what happened before that.
On July 26th, 2005, Armoise Academy was founded and opened with an original Headmaster of Professor Oliver Biggerstaff (Felix/Chauncey was Deputy at the time). Just a month after that, in August of the same year Professor Oliver was gone and Professor Felix Felicius became the Headmaster of Armoise Academy.
After a few months, the original Armoise Academy (on Proboards) was shut down and everyone was moved over to Invisionfree (the current board) and Hogwarts Online was opened for it’s first term on Halloween 2005!

So as you can tell, Hogwarts Online had an interesting beginning. Throughout the years it has seen 7 different Headmasters/Headmistresses and a total of 29 different Governors. Over the many years many things have changed, recent examples being the separation between HO and the Ministry of Magic, change of Governors, this very newspaper (The HO Pensieve) being reinstated, and the Daily Prophet coming to HO. So clearly there are many things to be proud of here at HO. So, what do the staff think about it? To help clear this up I asked various staff the following questions.

QUOTE
1. What are we proud of?
2. What should we be proud of?
3. What do we want to be proud of in the future?
4. What does HO Mean to you?
5. Anything Else?

Of the people I asked, the ones that I will show come from 3 well-known Professors. Naturally the whole site knows who they are as they are Governors! So, let’s start with….

QUOTE
Prof. Sorcha MacSween
-Governor
-Department Chair of Charms
-Head of Junior Wizengamot
1. What are we proud of?
I think we are all proud of different things when we think of HO, but share a common pride in how strong the unity of this site is. I have been a member of too many forums to count, and Hogwarts Online is the only forum that has not only survived for so many years, but also has adapted around influxes of new faces and returning old ones. It is survival of the fittest, and HO is fittest.
Fun Fact (for those who do not know): “Survival of the fittest” is a theory developed by George Darwin stating that mutations can occur either for the better or for the worse. A creature may be born a mutation and the others may die off as a disadvantage, that mutation then becomes the “fittest” and it survives.
2. What should we be proud of?
We should be proud of all the hard work every member puts in to HO to make it the site it is today. Despite all of our differences, we generally manage to work as a team and keep this forum booming in [my opinion] the best Harry Potter role play there is.
3. What do we want to be proud of in the future?
Be proud of our stability and friendships. Beyond HO I have witnessed some of the strongest relationships possible. From best friends actually meeting in person, to couples wedding and procreating… HO has moved far beyond a simple forum and it will continue to do that if we hold our bonds of trust.
4. What does HO Mean to you?
HO is an emotional and mental escape for me at the end of the day. It has become such a second nature for me to come onto the forum and browse everything that I don’t even consider it an addiction. Is breathing an addiction? HO is like a steady stream of air mixed with love and friendship that no one can destroy.
5. Anything Else?
There will always be light at the end of any tunnel.

The Next one comes from a person who was arguable hit the hardest in the recent attacks, I present…

QUOTE
Prof. Elizabeth Peevison
-Former Governor
-Head of Hufflepuff
1. What are we proud of?
The ability to bounce back from the attacks, stronger than ever.
Which was shown considerably in the recent months.
2. What should we be proud of?
We should be proud of everybody on the site. Its amazing to see the growth of the members, watching the new members arrive, unsure of how to RP and then seeing them grow and learn how with the help of those of us who started where they were.
3. What do we want to be proud of in the future?
Our ability to grow and help the new members that have helped to keep the site around for so long.
4. What does HO Mean to you?
HO means so many things to me. It started as a place to escape, where I could get away from all the stress and just have fun. Then it became this tool that introduced me to amazing people around the world that without the site I would never have come into contact with. I owe so much to HO, I have found amazing friends and true love. I have learned so much about myself through the site and through the people on the site.
5. Anything Else?
I want to strongly remind all the “advanced” and “seasoned” members that you all had to start somewhere, most of you here around the same time I started. So instead of slamming and dissing the “newbs” and just complaining about them, send them a PM, offer to help them, explain how it works. And deal with it when they only post a sentence or two and you post long paragraphs. This is a site for everybody and as I have always tried to remind people, if it weren’t for the new members HO would die and if you nurture them and help them, it will go so much better than if slam them and complain and refuse to post with them because they are still learning and aren’t as “good” as you are.

AND Last but not least, the one who made it all happen!

QUOTE
Prof. Chauncey Clemenceau
-Governor
-Former Headmaster
-Original Creator of HO
-Pensieve Publisher
1. What are we proud of?
I am proud that a small dream that my neighborhood friends and I had would eventually grow into this gigantic Hogwarts simulation. I am proud that it has become a home away from home for many people.
2. What should we be proud of?
We should be proud of not only our strengths but also our weaknesses for it is through weaknesses that we grow.
3. What do we want to be proud of in the future?
I will always be proud of HO for the same reason I have been proud in the past, the members are what make this site great and the members are what continue to bring this site to new heights.
4. What does HO Mean to you?
HO means friendships that span states, countries, and even continents. HO connects Harry Potter fans across the entire world.

So, that’s that. That’s Part 1 of the Hogwarts Online School Pride Article. As to when the next one comes out… you’ll just have to wait and see. In other words, I don’t know.

Special Thanks to Professors Chauncey Clemenceau, Sorcha MacSween, and Elizabeth Peevison!

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