Magizoology 101
by Rae
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Hello everyone! Welcome to the first installment of what I’m calling Magizoology! I’m Rae, a magizoologist among other things. In these lessons, I’ll be covering aspects of my career. Our first lesson details what a magizoologist is, and what they do.
For those who may not know, a magizoologist is a person who studies magical creatures. You may be familiar with a rather famous colleague of mine and author of one of your textbooks, Newt Scamander.
Since magizoology is the studying of magical creatures, Memrah, the Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts, could also be counted as one
So if not educating others about magical creatures, what does a magizoologist do?
My main objective is working with the ministry and pets shops to look after animal welfare.
This includes helping to run the Pet Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, and Animal Attraction. Running the pet shops involves processing orders for pets, food, and additional supplies. It also means checking records to make sure no animals are being improperly cared for, and sending out reminders and warnings to purchase food or get the appropriate creature licenses. Occasionally, I have to remove pets from owners that are not able to care for them.
I also vaccinate pets against illness and can provide medication if your pet falls ill. If you have an unruly pet, I provide lessons in behavior therapy. Additionally, I am equipped to handle pest infestations.
When not handling pet issues, I think of ways to improve animal welfare. This may mean creating new food options, adding more toys, introducing pet play parks, creating adoption applications, and streamlining and standardizing policies.
Furthermore, I oversee the addition of new pets and magical creature schemes such as the Hippogriff Races and Phoenix Lottery Tears.
We are currently discussing adding pets such as otters and gerbils, and introducing Niffler Hunts, so keep an eye out for them in the coming years.
Be sure to stay tuned for the next installment of Magizoology where I’ll be discussing what it takes to become a Magizoologist!
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Theories of Things Episode 5: The HG is a Goddess
by Eowyn29
Hello readers! The time is near for another episode of Theories of Things! As we all (hopefully) know, our Head Girl, Kyla (Starlight) can be a bit... crazy, but in this article, I think we’ll find out why.
The object I’m going judge people on examine today is a “Mermaid Seafoam Mug”. This is one of several mermaid related items inside the vault in question, but it is the most significant in the theory I’m going to pose today. Are ya ready?! Kyla is a goddess. This is not a confession of my admiration of her, she is a literal goddess.
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty and love, and is often associated with mermaids; and the object is a mermaid mug. But there’s more to it than that! Aphrodite came to existence through sea foam. In the famous painting where she’s naked, she’s standing by the sea, and in the myths themselves, Greek and Roman, she’s portrayed similarly to mermaids, who lure sailors to their deaths because of their beauty. I’m not calling our glorious HG a mermaid though, because she would never lure someone to die in the middle of the sea (I think).
But why am I talking about Aphrodite? Because I think Kyla is a descendant of her. Her mug explains it all! It must’ve been given to her by some divine presence!
And that concludes our theory. Good day!
Muggles Explain Magic: Have a Magical Summer!
by Rose Jean
As the school year comes to a close, it is time to get ready for all the adventures we’ll enjoy at Summer Camp. While camp is all about fun and games, there are tricks that muggles use that we can learn to make our summer even better! As you pack your trunk and move from your common room to your camp cabin, make sure to pack these muggle summer essentials.
Lavender – After a year of attending classes and doing homework, we are all stressed students by the time we are hit by the last wave of anxiety known as exams. Before being able to enjoy summer to its fullest, we need to get rid of all that stress and relax! Muggles have used lavender for this reason because of its soothing scent. You can light a lavender scented candle or decorate your cabin with sprigs. Fun fact: lavender is even used in Sleeping Draughts! Of course, this means you shouldn’t take too much lavender, or you will be too tired to participate in the camp. Sipping lavender tea or even enjoying lavender ice cream should be enough to put you in a relaxed mood.
Glamchops Moisturizer – When you make the change from being inside in class all day to taking part in outdoor activities, you need to protect your skin from the sun. While getting a glowing suntan is part of the summer experience, too much can give you painful sunburns. Muggles protect their skin by using sunscreen, or any lotion with a labeled sun protection factor (SPF). One popular Muggle sunscreen is Glamchops Moisturizer, famously used by Hermione Granger. Keep in mind though that it only has SPF 15 so you will need to reapply multiple times a day. If you want a stronger sunscreen, check Muggle stores for ones with higher SPF!
Water – Being out in the heat can leave you dehydrated if you don’t drink enough water, so make sure to pack a water bottle before heading off to summer camp. It’s nothing new to wizards to drink water, but Muggles also have ways to play with it! If playing in Magnolia Park Pool isn’t enough water for you, try these Muggle contraptions that allow you to hurl water at your opponents – without wands, of course. Muggles fill up water balloons and throw them to make a big splash when the balloon explodes. They also use water guns or water launchers to fire a stream of water in the air, the former giving you more precision and the latter giving more power.
Ice – Along with dehydration comes the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke from being out in the sun all day. A simple way that Muggles keep themselves cool is by using ice! Put ice in your drinks or make a cold pack by placing ice in a plastic bag. Remember that aside from duels, you can’t use your own magic when not in Hogwarts. If you desperately need ice but can’t get to a freezer, ask a friendly of-age to conjure some for you.
While Muggles think of summer as a magical time of fun and relaxation, they also use many ways to enjoy it that we can adopt when getting ready for summer camp. As you finish your exams and start packing, don’t forget to bring these items with you and enjoy this camping sea-sun!
