The lazy days of summer have ended and we are all back in our beloved Hogwarts. For most of you, this will be the return to the regular school routine and a return “home” to your friends and familiar dormitories. If you have started your First Year at Hogwarts however, this is the beginning of a whole new life. Since not all of you will know us, let us introduce ourselves. We are Archie Colquhoun, Slytherin, and Aisling Jones, Hufflepuff. We are greatly honored that we were selected to be your head students for this year. Whether you are already accustomed to Magic at home or not, joining Hogwarts is one of the most daunting, mesmerizing, confusing, and wonderful events you will experience in your life. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the new atmosphere, the hundreds of unfamiliar faces, the hefty class textbooks, and the labyrinth of passageways. Please do remember, even if it feels otherwise at times, that everybody remembers how you feel. Everybody wants to help you settle into this wonderful new world. Hogwarts will be your home and your inspiration. You’ll soon discover that this is a once in a lifetime chance to make lifelong friends in one of the most beautiful locations in the world. More than that, you will be learning how to develop your magical abilities surrounded by like-minded students and taught by some of the most intelligent and helpful experts in every branch of magic. This amazing school will provide you not only with skills for the future but also with a set of dazzling memories and experiences which you will take with you for the rest of your lives.
As it is known to most, unlike Head students in the recent past, the two of us are a long term couple. What this means for you all is it will translate to us working as a team in our duties more so than others may have done. We are in constant communication with one another and will talk over all decisions we may make. And we hope to work with the prefects of all the houses to extend the sense of teamwork we share to them. In a non romantic way of course. We hope to get the prefects of all houses to work together with each other and not just focus only on their own house. We believe that if the student leaders of the school show interhouse teamwork and cooperation that will extend to the student body as well. Remember that ourselves and the Prefects are their to help you through the year and voice your concerns. We do have to enforce rules but we are not an unapproachable authority.
A new year is always exciting but it is important that we don’t allow it to be overshadowed by the past. Last year’s events won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Most of us were affected in some way and some of our fellow students will now live forever with the legacy of these tough times. The accounts reaching our first year students are not likely to be helpful, often riddled with biases of personal experiences and distorted by fancified rumours. It should be emphasised both that (i) last year was not a typical year at Hogwarts and (ii) that the school administration will do everything it can to ensure that you are safe and welcome. To our existing students, we need to emphasise a sense of reconciliation and gladness that we have pulled through these tough times together. Our role as your Head Students is to represent everybody in the school no matter what House, age, ability, race, opinion, or personal attributes. There is no reason why anybody should feel excluded or endangered by past events and even greater reason for us to pull together as one school to learn from our experiences and apply them to a better future.
To further emphasise this point, we are wanting this to be the year that bullies realise it does not pay to be one. We have already asked the prefects to not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment. This will be for any reason, house, blood status, background, skill level, age, or race, and anything else that may come up. We will also not tolerate people antagonising the ones that have been known bullies in the past to try to provoke them. Bullying the bullies just makes you a bully.
On the more positive side, we are hoping to create a more cooperative atmosphere in the castle. With houses helping each other in and out of classes. We want to encourage everyone to break out of sticking to their house or their small friends group and get to know other people. You might find that help with potions or transfigurations you need by looking further than you normally do. We believe this will help create a more productive and positive school atmosphere. Last year was far too thick with the drama and hate and we feel everyone needs a break from that. We are looking forward to leading you all into a productive, peaceful, and fulfilling year. Hogwarts offers an amazing range of extracurricular activities from Quidditch to the Owl Post to student clubs, all fantastic ways to improve your skills and learn more about you fellow students. We want to help you in reaching your full potential however we can. Weather you need advice on how to organise something, have a serious problem you need resolved, or would just a friendly chat to keep your spirits up.
Both of us are accessible to anyone from any house and any year. Please feel more then free to come to us with issues you may have. Also please go to your prefects and Heads of Houses. All of us are there to help you. Don’t be shy or fear getting in trouble for coming to us. If you can’t find us in person just send an owl or magical memo. Any problem large or small … we’ll even bring you a cuppa if you need it. And if we can’t help we know who can! For now then, here’s to a happy and fruitful 2025-26!