Ongoing illegal magical creature breeding causes increased visibility of the Ministry of Magic in Hogsmeade and the surrounding villages. 

The 24th May turned out to be a very busy day as The Ministry of Magic descended again on Hogsmeade to investigate the travellers camp which appeared to have been abandoned by its former residents. Whispers through the village hinted at mutated magical creatures of various amounts of eyes and limbs, and strange skeletons left lying around. Last Friday saw even more activity in Hogsmeade village as a mass clear out of the strange crossbreeds were collected in cages by The Ministry and taken away to an unconfirmed location for testing and investigation.

The Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures have declined to provide a comment, and the travellers camp remains cordoned off. 

International Confederation of Wizards Outshone by Gossip?

Preparations remain ongoing for the International Confederation of Wizards which will be hosted by Switzerland this Summer.

The Bernese Alps will play host to the International Confederation of Wizards this summer. In a recent diplomatic shift Marc-Adrien Leuenberger has just been announced as the new President of the Swiss Magical Council, and will be chairing the summit.

Newly-elected Leuenberger has been unable to shake the gossip and intrigue that has surrounded him, despite his political prowess, having recently been connected to one of the world famous Va-Va-Veelas – though which of the three has not been confirmed. Leuenberger urged for focus to be upon the International Confederation, rather than his extravagant social life, when announcing the key points of discussion for the upcoming meeting.

Concerns surrounding illegal magical creature breeding are no longer confined to the British shores and appear to have spread across Europe and most of North America, and is a key discussion point for the Ministers who will descend upon Switzerland. The fall of the ‘New Kalmar’ Nation is also expected to take precedence after the sanctions upon it have curtailed efforts to expand, and previously annexed lands have begun to be restored.

This reporter, however, is most eager to see which Va-Va-Veela Leuenberger has on his arm for the highly anticipated pre-Confederation gala!

Oh Merlin – The O’Keeffe Report

An independent review into historical claims surrounding Merlin’s involvement in the Mirror Incident of 2030 is to be launched following a Wizengamot debate on the legacy of the famed wizard.

The review will examine the circumstances surrounding the events, the authenticity of historical accounts, and the aftermath of the incident.

A packed chamber greeted this reporter when the Wizengamot met to discuss the renaming of the ‘Order of Merlin’ last month, following an open letter to The Daily Prophet. The 2030 incident at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been kept largely under wraps with only the school newspaper reporting, and the hasty exit of the Head and Deputy Head of the school being glossed over with the smooth installation of Richard Crozier, magical historian, and Archimedes Fetherstonhaugh, formerly of the Department of Magical Education, in their places.

The allegations outline a mirror, allegedly created by Merlin, using dark magic to form duplicates of students, whilst retaining their original forms in a world within the mirror. Present in the courtroom, in the capacity of Youth Representative to the Wizengamot, was a student who found themselves trapped in this cursed state. They explained that a portrait of Merlin, and letters from Merlin, told them the mirror-existence was created to protect an artefact. 

Madame Aoife O’Keeffe, Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes and former Hogwarts Headmistress, addressed the court, highlighting the indisputable fact that a portrait of Merlin would have had to have been painted in the 10th Century. Despite the alleged portrait being magical in nature, it is expected to have decayed over time and therefore O’Keeffe questioned the authenticity of the portrait, and the knowledge it may have provided.

Chief Warlock Alistair Colquhoun suggested to the Wizengamot that the court appoint Madame O’Keeffe to lead an independent review into the incident, citing her experience as a former Hogwarts Headmistress and her current role within the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. The review is expected to draw upon expertise from across the Ministry, Hogwarts, and the wider magical community, however the terms of reference and the panel are yet to be announced.

A subsequent vote on the proposal to rename the Order of Merlin failed to gain sufficient support, with a number of members choosing to abstain pending the findings of any future investigation. The Wizengamot also indicated its support for temporarily withholding any further awards of the Order until the review has concluded.

The Daily Prophet understands that interested parties may be invited to assist with interviews, evidence gathering, and the establishment of the review’s terms of reference. Further details are expected in the coming weeks. Readers wishing to follow developments are encouraged to continue reading The Daily Prophet for updates as the investigation progresses.

The Daily Prophet will continue to follow developments closely as the review begins its work and seeks to answer some of the many questions that remain surrounding the Mirror Incident of 2030. 

By Violette Twiggs, Fifth-Year Correspondent and soon-to-be OWL Victim

There are certain signs that summer is approaching at Hogwarts.

The weather grows warmer. The grounds become crowded. Students begin talking excitedly about holidays, family visits, and not having to write essays for two whole months.

And then there are the darker signs.

The library becomes impossible to navigate. Entire study groups begin migrating between tables carrying enough parchment to bankrupt Flourish and Blotts. Sleep-deprived fifth-years wander the corridors muttering potion ingredients to themselves. Somewhere, inevitably, a first-year discovers that exams are real and experiences what experts call a “complete and utter breakdown.”

Yes, dear readers. Exam season has once again descended upon Hogwarts.

As I write this, I am currently preparing for my own OWLs, which means I am simultaneously revising, panicking, denying that I am panicking, and writing this article instead of revising. It is called time management. You wouldn’t understand.

The first thing students should know is that no matter how prepared you think you are, the moment you sit down in an examination hall, your brain will betray you. Facts that have lived comfortably inside your head for months will suddenly vanish without warning. You will stare at a question you absolutely knew yesterday and briefly wonder whether you’ve ever attended Hogwarts at all.

This is normal.

In fact, after interviewing several older students, I have concluded that every single one experiences this phenomenon. One sixth-year described it as “temporary academic possession.” Another simply stared into the distance for thirty seconds before whispering, “The Astronomy exam changed me.”

Particularly concerning are the conditions currently affecting Hogwarts’ fifth-year population. OWLs have a fearsome reputation that seems to grow larger with every passing year. By the time a student reaches fifth year, they have heard so many horror stories that you’d think the examinations involved escaping from a nest of Hungarian Horntails while simultaneously brewing Polyjuice Potion.

The reality is somewhat less dramatic. Only somewhat.

For weeks now, I have witnessed fellow fifth-years carrying revision notes everywhere. During breakfast. During lunch. Between classes. On staircases. One Ravenclaw was reportedly reading Defence Against the Dark Arts notes while walkign and collided directly with a suit of armour. Witnesses claim neither party apologised.

The atmosphere in the library has become particularly fascinating. Tables are packed from morning until night with students attempting to absorb entire textbooks through sheer determination. Some create elaborate revision charts. Others produce colour-coded notes that resemble Ministry documents. A few appear to have entered a trance-like state from which they may never fully recover.

Then there are the first-years. 

To our youngest students: please stop convincing yourselves that every exam determines the fate of your future. Several first-years have already been spotted behaving as though their Charms paper will decide whether they are allowed to remain in wizarding society. IT WILL NOT. You are not taking your NEWTs. You are not applying for a Ministry position. You are not negotiating international dragon treaties. You are answering questiosn about things your professors have already taught you.

The professors generally want you to succeed. Most of them spend the entire year helping you learn. It would be rather inefficient for them to suddenly decide they wanted everybody to fail.

One particularly dangerous Hogwarts tradition emerges after every examination. Readers are strongly advised to avoid it.

Do not discuss your answers. Do not compare parchments. Do not gather in a circle afterwards and attempt to determine who was correct. Nothing good has ever resulted from this activity. Within minutes, someone becomes convinced they answered Question Three incorrectly. Somebody else realises they forgot a definition. A third person starts questioning every response they wrote over the previous two hours. Before long, an entire group is spiralling into collective despair despite having no idea how they actually performed. The exam is over. The parchment is gone. The examiner has it now. Accept your fate and go eat a biscuit.

As for practical examinations, remember that mistakes happen to everyone. A wand movement goes wrong. A prediction misses the mark. A potion bubbles in a direction nature never intended. Panicking about a mistake usually creates three additional mistakes immediately afterwards. Trust me on this. I have researched the matter extensively. By which I mean I have lived it.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember, however, is that exams measure knowledge, not value. An OWL result, for example, cannot determine whether you are clever, kind, talented, funny, hardworking, or destined for great things. It is merely a snapshot of what you know on one particular day. If exam scores determined success, the wizarding world would look very different indeed. Some of the brightest witches and wizards in history made mistakes. Some struggled in school. Some discovered their talents much later.

Even so, Hogwarts students somehow survive this annual ritual year after year. Every professor standing at the front of a classroom survived exams. Every Head Student survived exams. Every seventh-year survived exams. 

So as examination week approaches, try to remember that you have already done the difficult part. You attended lessons. You completed assignments. You listened to lectures. You suffered through revision. The exams themselves are simply the final chapter.

Good luck, Hogwarts. May your quills remain unbroken, your memories remain intact, and your panic remain below catastrophic levels. And if you happen to spot a fifth-year journalist frantically revising while pretending to look calm, kindly mind your own business.

Some of us are holding on by a thread.

– Violette Twiggs, who definitely has everything under control and would appreciate it if nobody questioned that statement.

Hi Hogwarts,

It has been far too long!

My name is Saffron Macauley, Senior Editor at The Daily Prophet for Current Events, Columnist for Witch Weekly, and – most importantly – I was formerly the Editor of The Owl Post before my graduation.

In the summer of my 6th year I was lucky enough to organise work experience with the indomitable Philomena Pest at The Daily Prophet, which mainly consisted of getting her drinks, sharpening her quills, and making sure her fur coats were properly dry cleaned. It was one pointy heeled toe in the door, however, securing a job for me on graduation in 2024 and I’ve been here ever since!

Work Experience was eye opening, as well as door opening, so I endeavoured to establish it for all 6th year students at Hogwarts and it has met with success every summer for the last eight years!

So what can you gain from opting in to Work Experience with The Daily Prophet? Lots! Successful students will be allocated to work with the Editors and to join them on their assignments. Assignments will include day to day reporting around the UK as well as trips to report on the International Confederation of Wizards, and the British and Irish League Quidditch Cup Final – both of these will include transportation, accommodation, and meals! Access all area passes, meeting famous wixen, and also the opportunity to write your own article for publishing in either The Daily Prophet or Witch Weekly!

So if you haven’t already, meet with your Head of House and let them know you want to have your work experience with the Prophet and Witch Weekly reporters!

• Saffron Macauley

Current Events

Confessions are something entirely different. Got something you want off your chest? Need to scream it from the Astronomy Tower but can’t? The Owl Post is here to be your metaphorical Astronomy Tower

Confessions, rumours or Questions can be given to our friendly messenger owl that loiters outside The Great Hall, he takes any messages to The Owl Post, just have a few owl nuts handy!

No, I don’t speak Gobbledygook, I never have, and I have never claimed to. So you don’t need to ask me about it, all right? I speak Welsh, not Gobbledygook. And anyone who knows me knows that I don’t mumble it, either. Cymru am byth!

I was disappointed when none of the Apparition Exam takers came back with blood on their clothing or missing limbs. Good for them I guess, but such a let down! 

So I couldn’t solve the riddle. I didn’t want to just sleep outside the door. So I went for a walk. Woke up on the fifth floor and a vampire was kneeling over me trying to suck my blood! Turns out it was just Timmy standing over me. Somehow I don’t think she was impressed by my screaming.

I swear I saw a ghost pick its nose and put the booger on a student. 

We unleashed two fire chickens into the forbidden forest, and it wasn’t burnt down. Hmmm.

The professors know, gang. Evacuation plan E! EVASION! 

Next year is easier… Unless its your last year. 

On second thought, I wish it had been a vampire 

(( Oocly you can use Discord to send  Rumours and Confessions for The Owl Post via Picsy! Just open a DM with her, select “commands” and choose either Rumour or Confession! or hit / then enter and pick which one))

Confessions, rumours or Questions can be given to our friendly messenger owl that loiters outside The Great Hall, he takes any messages to The Owl Post, just have a few owl nuts handy!

Who are the Children of Golovin?

Professor Osmund is a ghost! I heard it from the ghosts!

Rumor has it that we got more love matches at Hogwarts! Osmund dropped that his partner is a vampire. There’s one nearby right in the castle. Anyone else going to check for secret glances between our ghoulish dreamboy and the caretaker? 

Tarrowwood ninja training camp opening soon? 

There is a mystical frog at the summer camp! If you find it, it will grant you one wish! 

I hear that a super study group is forming in the library for exam preparations! Catch up, slackers! 

I hear Professor Pria only threw three students out a window this year! A record low for her. 

I hear that they’re putting in anger management for the fire chickens and have rehomed them! Good job! 

(( Oocly you can use Discord to send  Rumours and Confessions for The Owl Post via Picsy! Just open a DM with her, select “commands” and choose either Rumour or Confession! or hit / then enter and pick which one. ))

Confessions, rumours or Questions can be given to our friendly messenger owl that loiters outside The Great Hall, he takes any messages to The Owl Post, just have a few owl nuts handy!

What was up with the pointy-eared runt at Transfigurations? She looked terrified or something.

Birds are in fact not of a feather it seems. A poor eaglet seemed to have been looking to seen leaving the ground keeper’s hut with some freshly singed robe sleeves!

It was a sight to see! The Headmaster and our youth rep were looking fit in their matching pink dresses this weekend! 

Cats have so much charm that even the wailing ones are planned to be smuggled home this summer. 

All we heard all Sunday afternoon was how great Merlin was or how wonderful Merlin did this or that! Merlin, Merlin, Merlin! 

I heard all the wet cats crawled out of the black lake to go for the chickens. That’s why they are all void cats.

Rumor has it that the violin-playing lioness invited her crush to see her play, and he didn’t show. He’d better hope he doesn’t become her next muse. 

Yall, when did Jace become so buff?

I saw way more adults go into that wagon then should be able to fit.  Magic is great I guess. But WHY?

The camp thing in Hogsmeade was mostly gone!  Anyone find out what happened?

Rumor has it the fashionable lioness has a crush on the ginger drummer. How do I know? She gave him fudge, then ran away.

Rumor has it you can get a discount at Goode’s Potions Supplies if you go on a date with one of the Ashworths.

(( Oocly you can use Discord to send  Rumours and Confessions for The Owl Post via Picsy! Just open a DM with her, select “commands” and choose either Rumour or Confession! or hit / then enter and pick which one. ))

Hufflepuff V Slytherin – 690 – 660

Right…

Who asked this year to go by so quickly? 

It seemed like it was just yesterday when we were reporting on the first game of the season, and now… Look at this! 

Two more games, and the season is done -and some of us graduate too, why, oh, cruel world, why? Actually, this might be alright. Freedom?

Anyway, back to where it matters now!

After the last four games, and despite their last loss, things are looking well for Slytherin. If they manage to win this game, they might even be able to hold onto the cup for another year. However, Hufflepuff is not far behind, and if they win, we could be seeing them taking the crown and exchanging it for snacks -unless Gryffindor decides it is their time to shine, or Ravenclaw performs a miracle during their next game. 

For now, let’s take a look at both teams’ formations! 

HUFFLEPUFF TEAM ROSTER FOR THIS GAME: 

1 – Leilani ‘Alley-Oop’ Tamriel: The first Chaser position and the role of captain is for Leilani Tamriel this season. She’s fierce inside and outside of the pitch, and everybody knows to stay away from her very well trained wand. Confident in her team, this Badger is ready to bring the cup for her house -at least the Quidditch Cup. For now, she has delivered us a good pre-game statement: “Well it’s been a pretty good season so far I would think. My chasers are doing fantastic and my beaters are on point, and even though it’s Kayla’s first time keeping, she has shown promise. Tybalt is one of the best seekers in the school. I’m super proud of my team. I don’t put a lot of pressure on winning, I just want them to enjoy themselves, and play to the best of their abilities. I think this game is gonna be another great game. No matter who wins. Though I still hope it’s us.” Confidence! 

2 – Lachlan Stewart: Usually portraying a chill and calm -even shy- demeanour, Stewart seems to radically switch his personality when he’s on the pitch. A cocky side that speaks volumes backed up by his results. Although a reserve for many years, this fifth year chaser is finally making a name for himself -even if it is a copy of the Real Lachlan Stewart, a professional Quidditch Beater playing for the Falmouth Falcons. Speaking of the Falcons, aren’t they playing the semi-finals against the Wigtown Wanderers…? Anyway! Back to the Not Real Lachlan Stewart! When asked how he felt about facing Slytherin’s Golden Boy Jasper Hawksworth, this is what he mentioned: “Let me tell you something about Jasper Hawksworth. He’s been raiding Argyle Demoray’s ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ shampoo kit. Apparently that dweeb from Ravenclaw had some go missing, and suddenly Jasper’s hair is gleaming? Naw, naw.” Interesting, very interesting. Someone is definitely having hair envy. 

2 – James “Twinkle-Toes” Matthews: Second Chaser of the Hufflepuff team, as well as the Vice-Captain. With a quiet personality -at least most of the time-, James seems to be a player who truly enjoys simply playing Quidditch. However, said quietness can be easily agitated when the game is not entirely clean, as we’ve seen through the past years. A veteran on the pitch, this Badger does not seem to be afraid to switch his wand for a fist when the situation requires it. Although he didn’t seem to punch anyone last year. And this year, so far -after all, his team is doing beautifully for now. “I’m just glad they got someone to cover for me in the last match, and I got to watch my own team from the stands which was a change of pace even if I still got dizzy just watching.” Truly, a great team player. 

4 – Muriel ‘The Sweet’ Maple: With a shared passion between cooking and quidditch, this fourth year Hufflepuff is the second beater of this roster. Will she be cooking with bludgers too? One thing is for certain, she’ll probably cook trying. Or try cooking? Is the pitch a kitchen? This is getting confusing. But she has a bat, beats and cooks. And bites? Or so one of our non-confirmed sources tells us. Did she truly bite someone to win a game once? When confronted, this is what she told us. “Honey, you might feel my bludgers faster knocking your teeth out before feeling my pearly whites sink into your flesh.” At this point, she made a theatrical chomp chomp with her indeed perfect teeth. “All I need is my broom, a bat, and a flying iron ball.” Bat away, girl! Or Bite? Bat, definitely bat.  

5 – Jenny ‘The Sting’ Reader: A last minute sub for the Hufflepuff team! Jenny ‘The Sting’ Reader has done some amateur Beating in the past, but never has truly committed to the team -schedule conflicts, we’ve heard. She might look like a quiet girl, but what we also have heard is that she knows her way around her bat and a bludger. Slytherin should probably keep an eye on her!    

6 – Kayla ‘Stonhenge’ Jaxson: The Hufflepuff Keeper for this game is yet another reserve. Kayla Jaxson is a young Badger that seems to be definitely shy and nervous, but -as some unconfirmed sources have told us- when the time comes to enter into the pitch, she transforms into some sort of ‘You shall not pass’ situation. We’ve managed to get her to tell us about her feelings before the match: “Well… I’m just a reserve Keeper for this game only… It’s my first time playing, so I’m kinda nervous… but we’ve got a solid team!” Ah, youngsters nowadays! Always thinking positively! Beautiful! 

7 – Tybalt Tarrowwood: The male part of the Hufflepuff Mini-Veela Duo is Seeking for the Badgers this match. Not a stranger to the Golden Snitch, Tarrowwood was out of the first Hufflepuff game of the season, leaving spectators wondering whether he’d be too rusty to seek or not. We know from last year that he’s truly someone to be aware of. 

Will he keep terrifying his opponents as some sort of ‘secret weapon’ this season too? So far, when facing Gryffindor, things did not go his way. But perhaps Slytherin is another animal -actually, it is, you know a snake, rather than a lion? Heh.

SLYTHERIN TEAM ROSTER FOR THIS GAME: 

1 – Jasper Hawksworth: With yet another game where Troy Mercer is out of the picture -the excuses are now the N.E.W.T.s-, the pressure of being the first chaser falls once again in our favourite Golden Silent Boy. Last match without Mercer looked as if Hawksworth was missing ‘something’ -definitely not hydration for his golden locks, have you actually seen his hair? 

Whatever was missing last match, we certainly hope he has the time to find it on this one, as we know he is more than capable to lead the Chasers -or else, a certain Head Boy will find yet another alleged reason to confront him. Did you hear about that fight…? Oh, we’re not talking about that, apologies. Only Quidditch! When asked if he’d consider Lachlan Stewart his nemesis for the match, he gave us such a typical Hawksworth flat answer: “Can’t exactly be my nemesis if I have no idea who he is.” The thing is, considering Golden Silent Boy, he probably has no idea who the Hufflepuff is. After all, he only has time for books and scoring angle sided quaffles. 

2 – Noelle ‘Sweetest Penguin’ O’Brien: Our lovely Darkhorse of the team returns to shine as a Second Chaser. To fall for her demure demeanour and soft ways would be the biggest mistake anyone in an opposing team could do. When she chases, she does so to win; there is no doubt she will slither in through those hoops.

When asked if she was ready for the match, this is what she told us:

“My dear, do I look like I eat hay? I eat badgers for breakfast.” ME-OW! She’s certainly ready for battle! After a moment of reflection, she added: “I just plan to do the best I can do. I have a badger and a lion cheering me on. I can’t let them down.”  Noelle O’Brien and how to be a Sweet and Sour Penguin.  

3 – Noxira ‘Accio’ Briarley: Whilst Briarley hasn’t been on the team ‘officially’, she certainly has been ‘unofficially’. Our unconfirmed sources tell us that she definitely was practicing with the rest of the team at the start of the season, and then, somewhere before Slytherin’s second match, she dropped from the team, blaming a certain half-bird’s bludgers. Was there trouble in paradise? Or perhaps Briarley was buried in textbooks, preparing herself for her O.W.L.s? Whatever it was, it certainly got sorted for this game! 

As per her game style, do not let her quiet and reserved looks fool you. She might actually be one of Slytherin’s secret weapons. 

4 – Zenith ‘Firebird’ Kovalainen: Co-Captain and the seasoned -just for one year- beater of the team. When Kovalainen goes up in the sky, she has only one thing in mind: violence. Violence that she needs to control in order to prevent the pitch ends up in flames. This is perhaps the reason why the Half-veela tends to play on the defensive side, allowing her chasers to score easily. Will we be seeing a more ‘uncontrolled’ fire this year? So far, during her last games, she has definitely shown a tactical side to her bat and bludgers -perhaps she’s imagining a certain dark haired Slytherin after an alleged messy break-up? Whatever the case, Hufflepuff might want to keep an eye on her last match of the season! 

5 – Phoebe ‘Cry About it’ Peyroux: Peyroux certainly proved her worth during her last two games. She might speak bluntly, but her bat speaks even louder. If you’re in the way, she’ll beat you down. And she will enjoy seeing you cry about it, all whilst she checks her fit is still on point. Simply as that. Her progression has been noticed, and she seems to make a really good duo with Kovalainen. 

And as per her decision and attitude? 

Only winning mindset, as she told us before the game. “We’re winning yeah, none of that lose mumbo jumbo.” 

6 – Alara ‘Dainty Hands’ Ravenhurst: Captain of the Slytherin team, and the young woman responsible for keeping those defenses up for her players. Her icy gaze shows her cold and precise demeanour. She’s all about hard work, statistics and results. 

As the last game of the season approaches for her, these are her insights about her team: 

“I have the utmost confidence in my team.” She assured us. “Win or lose, we are going to go out there and give it our all.” 

7 – Echo ‘The Pirate King’ Solidad: Last season, Solidad managed to consolidate himself as a confident Seeker towards the end. It was a great progression that gave the Snakes the cup last year -alongside with the amazing effort of Hawksworth and Mercer as Chasers. 

This year, ‘The Pirate King’ had been in the shadows, probably prepping for his N.E.W.T.s, but as Slytherin’s previous seeker had mysteriously stepped down, Solidad was more than ready to go back to his old spot: “I’m what confidence feels when it wants to feel empowered.” 

And this concludes our players’ stalking insight.

How did the actual game go? 

This game was expected to be tense, dramatic, and mildly dangerous -have you seen those Bludgers?

Somehow, it exceeded expectations on all three fronts. 

By the end of the match, the final score hardly mattered to most students in the stands. What did matter was the fact that Slytherin was delusional enough to allow the Hufflepuff Keeper to play.

Even with the poor badger battling her First-Quidditch-Game-Experience-Demons on the field, Quaffles were flying at speeds that were usually reserved for the Ministry’s Owls carrying tax notices. The Slytherin Chasers attacked the hoops with the determination of someone who is trying to give a Keeper whiplash -or when someone whispers “extra credit” near a Ravenclaw.

And yet.

Save after save, after save.

It seemed Hufflepuff wasn’t going to make it easier. 

At one point, the Badgers’ Keeper Kayla Jaxson blocked three consecutive shots while upside down, half-spinning, and very clearly screaming something unprintable about Slytherin’s bloodline, or so we’ve heard from an unconfirmed source.

A fourth-year in the crowd was allegedly overheard, “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone from Slytherin put a hex out on her after this.”

Honestly, fair assessment. 

The Slytherin team grew increasingly irritated as the match went on. One Chaser we shall not name cough, cough, Golden Boy Jasper Hawksworth stole right out of his endzone, with referees forcing him to sit out for five minutes, as well as conceding a penalty for Hufflepuff. This was a bad outcome for the Snakes, as Lachlan Stewart was selected by his team to shoot… And scored, making the Slytherin team probably lose their cool -even if they do live in a Dungeon most of the time.  

Unfortunately, this was not the end of the troubles for the Snakes. Another of their Chasers that won’t be named, cough, cough, Noxira Briarley was seen aggressively arguing with a Quaffle as though it had personally betrayed her. This altercation ended up in yet another time out -five minutes for the girl- and another penalty for Hufflepuff. This time, the responsibility fell on James Matthews, who also scored against the hoops of Slytherin’s Captain and Keeper Alara Ravenhurst. 

While the Hufflepuff’s Keeper was already busy turning into a living brick wall, both teams’ Beaters apparently decided that subtlety was for Ravenclaws. Bludgers were flying with enough force to qualify as bullying –why you bully? 

One of these Beaters decided to go the extra mile, and rather than just beating Badgers the entire game, Slytherin’s Zenith Kovalainen appeared to spend half the game tactically guarding her Chasers, specially Jasper Hawksworth -coincidence? Whenever bludgers got remotely close to him, she seemed to intercept them frequently, making others question whether Golden Boy had an extra charm on him that made him ‘Bludger untouchable’. 

At one point, an exhausted and very exasperating Hufflepuff fan was reportedly heard yelling “He hasn’t been hit ONCE. They have to be using Hexes!” Full disclosure, he was beaten, eventually.

As the match progressed -despite the numerous time outs, complaints, and penalties-, it was clear that both Lachlan Stewart and Jasper Hawksworth were carrying their teams with their Quaffle-Charming-Abilities. And whilst in Hufflepuff Leilani Tamriel and James Matthews followed suit on scoring as per usual; on the Slytherin side Noelle O’Brien and Noxira Briarley shared their Darkhorse title. The Snake girls impressed their team with their achievements. 

However, the true final nail in the coffin came from Slytherin’s Seeker Echo Solidad. At exactly one hour and forty-three minutes of game -and with a score of 690 to 510 for Hufflepuff-, the shine from the Golden Snitch was caught in the Slytherin’s seeker, who was always one step ahead of Hufflepuff’s Tybalt Tarrowwood. 

A bitter-sweet moment that ended a match with a final score of 690-660 for Hufflepuff.

There is always next season, Slytherin!