Timocleia Gwilym
First Year
Gryffindor
This is my first interview for the new year. I am sorry it is so late! It is getting harder to find these Professors. But this week, I found Professor Fujioka. She is our Divinations Professor. She is new to Hogwarts. I did not use Wobble to find her this time, because I have been sending Wobble home to Caermynydd with letters because of the problems with the Owl Post Office in Hogsmeade. But I found her in the Great Hall. She asked me to sit with her at the Professors’ table, so I did. It was just like with Professor Norfulthing, but on the other side of the table, near the Slytherin table. So I got to see the room from a completely different place again. It was interesting. It smells different by the Slytherin table than it does by the Gryffindor table. I do not know why that should be true.
Sitting at the Professors’ table is very difficult, like I wrote last time. The chairs are very tall. When I first saw Professor Fujioka, she was having lunch, and I tried to say hello to her. But the table is so tall, and I am so small, that I could not see her. I could only see the bottom of the table. I have to climb up the chair to sit in it. But I did and so I got to see the room again from up there. And I asked her questions. And here is what she said.
What is your first name, Professor?
She said her first name is Colette. So her full name is Colette Fujioka.
Her name sounds French, but she does not look at all French. So I asked her, your first name sounds like a French name? But you are not French?
Professor Fujioka is not French, she says. She is from Scotland. She does not look Scottish either, but I did not say that because some people are sensitive about things like that. But she said that one of her parents is from Japan. And she does look like someone from Japan, so that makes sense. But I did not say that either, because some people are sensitive about things like that. She said that her Mum liked the name and thought it was pretty.
Of course, my name is Timocleia, which is not Welsh, even though I am Welsh. But someone thought it was pretty? Anyway everyone calls me Timmy, of course, so I asked her
Do people call you Collie?
I do not think anyone has ever called her Collie. But she said that when she was a student, people called her Coco.
Where in Scotland did you grow up?
She said she grew up in Edinburgh, and that it is a lovely place. But she did not say anything else. Now, I could talk about Caermynydd forever. But she did not say anything more about Edinburgh, so maybe she does not like it that much? But I did not ask because some people are sensitive about things like that.
Did you have Muggle parents? Magical parents?
Professor Fujioka says that both her parents are magical. She said that her mothers people are Half-Blood. But she also said that most all Pureblood families are not really Pureblood at all, but must have a Muggle-born or Half-Blood somewhere in the past. I suppose that must be true, but I do not really know. The Gwilyms are a very old Welsh Pureblood family.
Do you speak the language in Japan?
She said she speaks Japanese. That is the name of the language in Japan. I suppose that makes sense. But she did not say anything more about Japan. Maybe she does not like it. I did not ask because some people are sensitive about things like that.
What do you like about Divinations?
She said she likes that it diverges a subject, and that it has health and to work properly. I think. I am not sure. She said many long words, and said them very fast. But it is also heavy. Or something.
Where were you before you were a Professor here at Hogwarts?
The Professor travelled for years. She was in faraway places like Europe, Russia and China. And she went to Japan, and to islands and North and South America. She said it took several years. So I suppose she did not travel very fast. Maybe she walked. But I forgot to ask her about that. If she went to islands maybe she swam. I asked if it was dangerous, but she did not say. I did not ask more, because some people are sensitive about that sort of thing. So maybe it was dangerous. It was probably dangerous. It was very dangerous. Probably.
You have been many places. Which place is your favourite?
She said she could not pick. This probably means they were all very dangerous and bad. Probably.
What House were you in at Hogwarts?
Professor Fujioka was in Ravenclaw. But she did not say anything about that either. So maybe Hogwarts was dangerous for her too. But then she came back. Maybe she likes dangerous places, which is why she went all those places that she can not chose from now. She was wearing blue, so I asked her,
Is that why you like blue? Is blue your favourite colour?
She said she likes blue. She said blue makes you calm, and that blue walls causes less crime. Maybe red walls cause more crime? But then Gryffindor would have a lot of crime. Maybe we do. But I do not think so. I wonder what colors cause more crime. But I forgot to ask her. I should do that the next time I see her. Maybe one of the people reading this could ask her.
What is your favourite sweet?
The Professor said she likes Cauldron Cakes. She said it right away.
How ago were you a student here? Are you very old?
She she was a student ten years ago. But she said later that she was twenty six years old. Which is less than ten years older than a Seventh-Year student. It is eight years. Still, that is a very long time. She said that she is one of the youngest Professors at Hogwarts, but 26 means she is still very old of course.
What do you like most about Hogwarts?
She said she likes the history of the castle, but did not say anything else about it. So I did not ask any more, because sometimes people are sensitive about things like that, like Flutterby being raised by wolves.
Do you have a pet?
Professor said yes she does. She has an owl called Peppermint. But then I had to go to Magic Theory class with Professor Reuter who I also need to ask questions for Owl Club. Anyway, after Magic Theory with Professor Reuter who I have to ask questions for Owl Club, I was going back by the Great Hall, and Professor Fujioka was still there. So I started asking her questions again. And I asked her,
Detentions! What do you think of them? Do you give a lot of them?
The Professor was the first one to actually she has given detentions! Most other Professors I have talked to have not given detentions yet. So she does more with detentions than others. Be careful with her! But she said she only gives detentions when people are being really bad. But she takes House Points that are effective. Or something like that. She takes lots of House Points, anyway. So maybe do not misbehave in Divinations. It might be bad.
Do you have anything you want to say to all the students of Hogwarts?
She said to keep your wits with you, which I suppose means do not leave them in your dormitory or in other places. And she said not to do anything stupid, because she will take House Points if you do.
What would you change about Hogwarts?
Professor Fujioka said she would change the sorting system. She said it is arched and has no value. At least, I think she said arched. She maybe said something not the same as that. But close.
You do not like the Sorting Hat? What would you do instead?
She said she does not like the Sorting Hat. She said the Sorting Hat tells us how to be. And that we have to line up. And there was something about a chamber with echoes and confirming things that are harmful. I maybe did not understand it all. She talks very fast sometimes, and uses long words. But she said if you get sorted in Gryffindor, then you want to prove that you are brave. So you will do dangerous things. I do not know about that, because I think Gryffindors just do dangerous things because it is fun, like Brianna and I sledding down the hill and ending up in the Black Lake because the ice was not thick enough. It was very very cold, of course. But I did not care about being brave. I like sledding, and the hills at Hogwarts are very good except that they go to the Black Lake which is very cold in winter when the ice has not frozen yet. I did not think I was being brave. I do not think Brianna did either.
What would you do instead?
She said she was not sure. But she would just give people assignments. Maybe she would just say ‘you are in this House, and you are in this House.’ But then people would still be Gryffindors, so I do not know if that would be any better. Anyway, she said students would be healthier. Maybe that is true if people do not go sledding into the Black Lake when it is almost frozen.
I have a camera from Owl Club. Can I make a picture of you?
The Professor said yes so here is the picture. I saw when I took her picture that Professor Fujioka looks very very young, like Flutterby, but eve more. She looks like a student. Maybe a Sixth Year. So I asked her,
You do not look old at all. Do you take potions?
This is when Professor Fujioka said she was 26 years old. But that is very old, so I think she probably takes potions. But do not ask her about that, because sometimes people are sensitive about things like that. I think Fujioka might be very sensitive about that. She did not seem very happy when I asked her about the potions.
Professor Colette Fujioka has French and Japanese names, and she speaks Japanese, but she is from Scotland. Do not call her Collie. I think she would not like that. She is 26 years old, but looks much younger, even though she is old. But she says she does not take potions to look so young. She likes Divinations, but does not like the Sorting Hat. She has a pet owl named Peppermint, and she likes Cauldron Cakes. She comes from Magical parents, but wants us all to know that most Magical families have Muggle-borns somewhere, so everyone is really Half-Blood. Professor Fujioka actually does give detentions, so be careful in her class. Do not call her Collie, and definitely do not ask her if she takes potions to look young even though she is old. Good luck in Divinations.