Timocleia Gwilym
First Year
Gryffindor
Hogwarts’ newest Professor teaches one of the most fun subjects: Dragonology! Professor Clarke has only been here at Hogwarts some weeks, but has already impressed students with her illusions of dragons to help teach about them. Because we can not have actual dragons here at Hogwarts, which is too bad. We met in Classroom 22b after the Dragonology quiz game. That was very fun. Anyway, this is what we talked about.
What is your first name?
She said that her full name is Pamtseo Harper Clarke, even though I only asked her for her first name. And she said that her first name is unusual, which of course it is. It does not sound English to me at all, but I did not say that because some people are sensitive about things like that. Anyway, she said she does not know if it means anything. People call her Pam. But not us. We call her Professor Clarke.
Where did you grow up?
Professor Clarke grew up in a small village near Bristol. That is in England, of course. She said she does not know where she really comes from, because she was in an orphanage and was adopted when she was five. She said her name Pamtseo was in a letter that the orphanage found with her.
You were adopted by Muggles or by Wixen?
The Professor said her parents were Muggles. They were surprised by the letter from Hogwarts, and they went with it somewhere, but the Professor did not say where. Maybe that was an English thing. Maybe an expression. Anyway, they still like her, which is good, but she says her father does not believe her about dragons. He does not think they are real dragons.
What do your parents do? Did you grow up in the village? On a farm?
She said her father works at a bank. I suppose maybe that means he is a Goblin, except that he is a Muggle and Muggles do not have Goblins running their banks. And anyway, Professor Clarke does not have pointy ears or anything else like a Goblin, and she is not short either. So I suppose Muggle bank people are just regular Muggles probably. Maybe do not talk to her about her father being a Goblin, because she might be sensitive about things like that. The Professor’s mother is a nanny. They do not have a farm, but they do have a garden, with chickens and a cat.
When were you at Hogwarts, and what House were you in?
Professor Clarke was a Gryffindor. She said she was not the best student, but she was good in Care of Magical Creatures. So it is good that she teaches Care of Magical Creatures and not Charms or Transfigurations or Defense Against the Dark Arts or something like that.
What did you do before you came to Hogwarts? You worked with Dragons? Where were you?
The Professor said that she lived in Norway for two years in a Sanctuary, and then went to Romania. Romania has the biggest Dragon Sanctuary in the world! She lived there for seven years at the Sanctuary. She was in charge of the nursery where the dragons are born. She says that the Dragonologists could teach the young dragons not to eat people quite so much, which is good. Professor Clarke says that the very young dragons are actually very nice and we maybe can hold them! She wants to show us all what a Hatching is like. If she can get the Ministry to approve it, she will bring eggs here and we will have our own Hatching! Otherwise she will have to do something else. Anyway, she said that the reason she came to Hogwarts was that she got hurt at the Sanctuary and was in hospital. She could not go back to the Sanctuary right away, so she maybe decided that students are less dangerous than Dragons when she is getting better. Anyway, she heard about the Dragonology position and applied right away. She has never taught before. But do not say anything about that because sometimes people are sensitive about things like that.
How did you get hurt? What happened?
She said that there was a dragon, a Hungarian Horntail, that escaped from the Sanctuary and flew off to a village in Romania. So all the people at the Sanctuary went off to get it back because they are very large and dangerous dragons. Anyway, she was working with the others, and one of the spells that someone cast to hold the dragon did not work, and so it burned a lot of people up. She was burned badly, but she is getting better now. She has many scars, but she says she does not mind because they remind her that dragons are very dangerous. I think that the teeth and the claws and the hot deadly burning fires of their breaths would remind me just find, but she likes having the scars too to make absolutely sure she remembers when the other things do not work. Maybe it is better for when the dragons are not there and she can not see the teeth, claws and deadly fiery breath. Anyway, she said that some of her friends will not be able to get reminders anymore.
You mean they died?
Yes, they died, she said. And she said that if I think it is very sad that I should not put it into the interview, but even though I think it is very sad I think it should still go in the interview that those people died because of the Hungarian Horntail. Dragons are not safe. They have big claws and teeth and very dangerous fiery breath. And if that is not enough to remind you that they are not safe, then they can give you big horrible scars that maybe will do a better job.
Will you go back to Romania when you have recovered, or will you stay here?
The Professor said she is here now. Of course she is, I could not leave Hogwarts for the interview. But she said she likes being a teacher. That is good, because if she did not like being a teacher she could be very mean and no good. But I like Dragonology. Anyway, she also likes being able to write about things. She wants to write about what she was doing with the baby dragons. She says she might go back to visit, but maybe she will go for good. She said she wants to teach about dragons being more than just very large and dangerous creatures that are kept in Sanctuaries. But I think maybe that is the most important lesson to learn about them when if one gets out it can kill lots of people. She says there is more to them. That is good! I like dragons too.
What is your favorite color?
Professor Clarke says her favorite color is purple, or maybe red. She was wearing a lot of blue, but says she does not do that very often. She likes hats, though, and she has a bunch of hats. So she picks a hat to wear and then she picks the clothes she wears because of the hat. She was wearing a very large blue hat. I could probably use the hat as a sleeping bag. But I am very small.
Do you have a favorite dragon?
She likes lots of dragons, but she likes the Swedish Short-Snout most. She thinks they are very cute and they are not very aggressive. She also likes Chinese Fireballs, because they have amazing colors in the scales and they are good fliers. I did not ask how she liked Hungarian Horntails after all those people died. I am glad I did not do that. People can be sensitive about things like that.
What do you like most about Hogwarts?
She likes all the memories she has of Hogwarts from when she was a student here, and now that she is back the memories come back very much. She likes the landscape too because it does not change. She is very excited about doing class, and now Hogwarts feels very different because she is not a student her, but is a Professor instead. Her favorite place in the school is the library. But she also likes the grounds, because she likes to be outside when it is sunny.
What is your favorite sweet?
She likes Bertie Botts’ Every Flavour Beans most. She even likes the weird flavors. I do not like the weird flavors. I think she is very brave for having that as her favorite sweet.
What do you think about detentions? Do you give a lot of detentions?
Professor Clarke has not given any detentions so far. But she says it is because she has not been here long at all, because it is so near the end of the year. So be careful of her next year! She says she might not like it that much, but that they are necessary, so do not do bad things in Dragonology. I do not know what a detention in Dragonology might be, but it could be very dangerous!
Is there anything you want to say to the students of Hogwarts?
She says good luck with exams. And she will see us next year for more dragons.
Is there anything you would change about Hogwarts?
The Professor said no! She thinks this is the best school in the world. Except that she would like Hogwarts to have our very own Dragon Sanctuary. I think that would be wonderful. We should talk to the Headmistress about doing that!
Do you have a pet? Do you have a pet… DRAGON?
Unfortunately, the Professor does not have a pet dragon. She wants one, but she thinks the Headmistress would not like seeing a dragon on the grounds. That makes sense. We already have trolls and a giant squid (though I like the giant squid) and who knows what else on the grounds. Maybe that is enough danger without adding fire-breathing dragons here. Besides, it is illegal to have a pet dragon. She does have a pet, though: a half-Kneazle cat called Malacoda.
I have a camera. Can I make a picture of you for Owl Club?
She said yes so here it is. She asked if she should stand but I said no because I did not want the picture of her to be me looking up her nose. I look up a lot of noses and nobody wants to see that. So instead I got on a bench in the classroom and took a picture and here she is. She cast an illusion of a baby Common Welsh Green dragon in its eggshell. It is very cute! It is definitely not a real dragon. That would be illegal and dangerous. But it would be wonderful!
Professor Pamtseo Clarke is a nice woman with a strange name who comes from Bristol but she was adopted so she does not know who both her birth parents were. She got burned up by a dragon in Romania so now she is here teaching us about dragons and how dangerous they are. But she still loves dragons anyway and wants to have a Sanctuary here where she can raise dragons from eggs and have Hatchings for Hogwarts students. However, she also gives detentions so be very good in class or she may give you a detention in the Sanctuary with dragons that have deadly fiery breath. And that could be dangerous.
