Slytherin Head of House
Cunning. Ambitious. Driven. Those are words that should be used to describe Slytherins, so it makes sense to have those very words be used to additionally describe their Head of House, Cecelia Murdoch. Seven years with the snakes haven't driven this one crazy and she's managed to keep them well in line--if you forget the participation of some in the food fight at the start of term of course. We managed to grab her for a quick interview and this is what she had to say.
1. First of all, let me say wow, seven years of Head of House-ness. How do you feel about that? D’you think it’s been too long? Professor Airey’s been at it way long and now he has veins sticking up all over!
I feel great about it. It's been a wonderful experience leading Slytherin house. I don't think it's been too long at all. As for Professor Airey and his veins, I'm sure I could find a cure for that. How about you send him my way.
2. Let’s say I have a friend…who decided he wanted to come stay in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin, what would you say to him—hypothetically speaking of course. Ahem.
I would ask him if he had fallen and hit his head, because that is the only reason I can think of that a true Slytherin student would ever want to stay in Gryffindor, or any other house.
3. I heard you lot have a pet snake and I hope it’s been true because I’ve been telling people the same. What made you decide it was okay to give your house a living creature to be responsible for?
You heard right. We do have a snake in our common room. He is a four foot long rat snake from Italy whose name is Rumplesnakeskin. Being the house of snakes, I thought it only appropriate they should have a snake as a pet. It represents our house well, and he's very easy to care for. Only have to feed him once a week. Sometimes he can even go two weeks between feedings. Can you say that about a lion, eagle, or badger? Now those are animals you couldn't even keep as a pet. That's right other houses, be jealous of us.
4. Do you really have a painting of Salazar Slytherin in the Common Room that demands to be hissed at twice a day?
Why yes, we do have a painting of the Great Salalzar Slytherin. As for hissing at him, you'll never know.
5. What are your plans for Head of House now that you’re becoming a new mom?
As much as I love being the Head of Slytherin House, I sadly will be stepping down from my post. I want to be able to devote as much time as possible to my family. Now this isn't to say I don't care about Slytherin and the students of the house, because I do. They will always have a place in my heart and I will be here for them if they should need me. I just need to step away from being their leader for now so I can focus more on my family.
1. First of all, let me say wow, seven years of Head of House-ness. How do you feel about that? D’you think it’s been too long? Professor Airey’s been at it way long and now he has veins sticking up all over!
I feel great about it. It's been a wonderful experience leading Slytherin house. I don't think it's been too long at all. As for Professor Airey and his veins, I'm sure I could find a cure for that. How about you send him my way.
2. Let’s say I have a friend…who decided he wanted to come stay in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin, what would you say to him—hypothetically speaking of course. Ahem.
I would ask him if he had fallen and hit his head, because that is the only reason I can think of that a true Slytherin student would ever want to stay in Gryffindor, or any other house.
3. I heard you lot have a pet snake and I hope it’s been true because I’ve been telling people the same. What made you decide it was okay to give your house a living creature to be responsible for?
You heard right. We do have a snake in our common room. He is a four foot long rat snake from Italy whose name is Rumplesnakeskin. Being the house of snakes, I thought it only appropriate they should have a snake as a pet. It represents our house well, and he's very easy to care for. Only have to feed him once a week. Sometimes he can even go two weeks between feedings. Can you say that about a lion, eagle, or badger? Now those are animals you couldn't even keep as a pet. That's right other houses, be jealous of us.
4. Do you really have a painting of Salazar Slytherin in the Common Room that demands to be hissed at twice a day?
Why yes, we do have a painting of the Great Salalzar Slytherin. As for hissing at him, you'll never know.
5. What are your plans for Head of House now that you’re becoming a new mom?
As much as I love being the Head of Slytherin House, I sadly will be stepping down from my post. I want to be able to devote as much time as possible to my family. Now this isn't to say I don't care about Slytherin and the students of the house, because I do. They will always have a place in my heart and I will be here for them if they should need me. I just need to step away from being their leader for now so I can focus more on my family.
Slytherin Prefects
If you are wondering where the best place to take a nap in the school grounds are, there is nobody better to ask than Slytherin’s very own male prefect, Hugo Foster. Along with a love for sour worms and dogs, he manages to help the students in his house and across the school with ease while still managing to shuffle his hectic fifth year workload. He gave up some of his time so that I could talk to him about this past year at school and to see just what he is really like.
1. Congratulations on being picked for prefect, Hugo! Did you think you would be selected? How does it feel following someone like Caleb, who held the position for three years? WHAT’S UP, YEARBOOK STAFF? And thank you, I actually didn’t think I was going to be selected but it feels...weird, I guess? Cool too, I don’t know. I try not to compare myself to previous prefects ‘cause everyone is different but they all have done a good job and I know I can keep up with that. Yes? Yes. And Caleb, well, he was a great prefect even though we didn’t talk much and I hope he’s doing good. |
2. Good philosophy there! Dot was a prefect last year? Did you learn something about her that you didn’t know before working with her this year?
Dot is an amazing co-prefect and I didn’t know she was really fun to be with ‘cause we used to talk once in a while but she is very supportive of her friends which is very nice. I also learned - but this was before I became prefect - that she does ballet and gymnastics or one of them... I don’t remember, she has great balance because last year we did an activity in class were she had to stand up on my shoulders and we did great.
3. Definitely ballet, I think. I’ve been wondering, if you lost most of your magical abilities but could still do one piece of magic… what would you want to be able to do?
Non verbals spells or apparation. Probably non-verbals because I feel it would be more useful.
4. I’ve been told by a little birdy, that you are really rather good at defense against the dark arts. Is it a natural talent or have you had to work at it over your years at Hogwarts?
It is natural, of course. Nah, kidding. I have always liked DADA, Dakest was a great professor... too bad he isn’t here anymore, but Hirsch did an awesome job this term. I like dueling, but I have been practicing every day to get better and I’m still practicing, especially non verbals. Maybe next year I’ll use them for dueling club.
5.That's very impressive. What do you think you will go on to do after Hogwarts? Will it be related to defense and its practice, or something else entirely?
I still don’t know but most probably. To be honest I wanted to be an animagi but it’s a lot of hard work, but I still haven’t ruled out that option. We’ll see.
6. I've been told that things that are hard are generally worth the time and practice. We had a disappearing doll and a perdu poltergeist appear this term. Did you get caught in any of the pranks or see that creepy doll moving on its own?
I saw that doll when I was taking a nap and I know lots of weird stuff tends to happen at school but that doll...just no, she was giggling and no one was around. It was creepy. And as for the poltergeist, yes I got caught in one of his pranks but between the doll and the poltergeist I prefer the latter.
7. Though that hag was also awful at many points over this term… even trying to make stew out of one of the Hufflepuffs. Were you worried about her and your fellow students at all, or was it easy to ignore her and focus on your responsibilities?
I had my doubts whether she could actually tell the future, she was crazy. Thankfully that student stew didn’t happen and she left. I hope she doesn’t come back. After her “cooking” class I was kind of worried she could come back and do something else so I had to keep an eye on everything that was happening and also school responsibilities.
8. Good... though, speaking of cooking, when you go down to the kitchen, what do you like to ask the house elves to make you?
I ask for EVERYTHING. But probably I would ask them for fries or a sandwich.
9. Sandwiches are amazing! We had a lot of new Professor’s this term, more than even last year… Do you think this is the start of a new trend for all of the teaching positions, rather than just the groundskeeper? Although Mr. McLeod has been here for two terms now, so perhaps he has broken the curse…
I hope it doesn’t become a trend because I like the professors and I wanna get to know them better. Hopefully they all stay for next term.
10. And finally, do you have any words of wisdom for the students at Hogwarts? Anyone who has spent any length of time at school here knows it can be slightly crazy, how do you survive the insanity but still manage to get the grades you do and have fun with your friends?
NAPS! That’s the way to go, and food, of course. I would tell them that they shouldn’t take things too serious because there’s no fun in that, so all you need to do is find a balance between school and social life which can be hard but not impossible and also, go and ask the professors TONS of questions, or just go and talk with them because the conversations can get pretty interesting.
Dot is an amazing co-prefect and I didn’t know she was really fun to be with ‘cause we used to talk once in a while but she is very supportive of her friends which is very nice. I also learned - but this was before I became prefect - that she does ballet and gymnastics or one of them... I don’t remember, she has great balance because last year we did an activity in class were she had to stand up on my shoulders and we did great.
3. Definitely ballet, I think. I’ve been wondering, if you lost most of your magical abilities but could still do one piece of magic… what would you want to be able to do?
Non verbals spells or apparation. Probably non-verbals because I feel it would be more useful.
4. I’ve been told by a little birdy, that you are really rather good at defense against the dark arts. Is it a natural talent or have you had to work at it over your years at Hogwarts?
It is natural, of course. Nah, kidding. I have always liked DADA, Dakest was a great professor... too bad he isn’t here anymore, but Hirsch did an awesome job this term. I like dueling, but I have been practicing every day to get better and I’m still practicing, especially non verbals. Maybe next year I’ll use them for dueling club.
5.That's very impressive. What do you think you will go on to do after Hogwarts? Will it be related to defense and its practice, or something else entirely?
I still don’t know but most probably. To be honest I wanted to be an animagi but it’s a lot of hard work, but I still haven’t ruled out that option. We’ll see.
6. I've been told that things that are hard are generally worth the time and practice. We had a disappearing doll and a perdu poltergeist appear this term. Did you get caught in any of the pranks or see that creepy doll moving on its own?
I saw that doll when I was taking a nap and I know lots of weird stuff tends to happen at school but that doll...just no, she was giggling and no one was around. It was creepy. And as for the poltergeist, yes I got caught in one of his pranks but between the doll and the poltergeist I prefer the latter.
7. Though that hag was also awful at many points over this term… even trying to make stew out of one of the Hufflepuffs. Were you worried about her and your fellow students at all, or was it easy to ignore her and focus on your responsibilities?
I had my doubts whether she could actually tell the future, she was crazy. Thankfully that student stew didn’t happen and she left. I hope she doesn’t come back. After her “cooking” class I was kind of worried she could come back and do something else so I had to keep an eye on everything that was happening and also school responsibilities.
8. Good... though, speaking of cooking, when you go down to the kitchen, what do you like to ask the house elves to make you?
I ask for EVERYTHING. But probably I would ask them for fries or a sandwich.
9. Sandwiches are amazing! We had a lot of new Professor’s this term, more than even last year… Do you think this is the start of a new trend for all of the teaching positions, rather than just the groundskeeper? Although Mr. McLeod has been here for two terms now, so perhaps he has broken the curse…
I hope it doesn’t become a trend because I like the professors and I wanna get to know them better. Hopefully they all stay for next term.
10. And finally, do you have any words of wisdom for the students at Hogwarts? Anyone who has spent any length of time at school here knows it can be slightly crazy, how do you survive the insanity but still manage to get the grades you do and have fun with your friends?
NAPS! That’s the way to go, and food, of course. I would tell them that they shouldn’t take things too serious because there’s no fun in that, so all you need to do is find a balance between school and social life which can be hard but not impossible and also, go and ask the professors TONS of questions, or just go and talk with them because the conversations can get pretty interesting.
With a love of charms and an affinity for being kind to anyone who needs help - myself included in my first year - Dot Wojack-Gusey is one of the nicest people to ever grace the halls of Hogwarts. I’m not sure how she managed to balance her studies with her passions of ballet, charms, potions, fashion and generally being amazing but it seemed easy for the Slytherin Prefect, as she handled it with her ever present calm and determination. However I’m glad she managed to give me some of her time so that I could ask her a few questions.
1.Thank you for talking to me today, Dot. It’s your second term as Prefect, did you find it easier this term? What is your favourite thing about holding the badge for Slytherin? |
It isn’t harder, at least. Slytherins are so self contained and stoic that it’s hard to know how to help or lead them sometimes. I just try to be an open ear for the younger ones and a friendly face for the older ones, and I enforce the rules as they’re in the best interest of my house mates.
2. Have you enjoyed working with Hugo? Did you learn anything interesting about him that you didn’t know before?
Hugo is the best! He’s so good at rolling with some of my dumb plans, like when I made him a ginger to match me, and we got along really well.
3. I'm glad! Where do you think you will be in five years? Do you have any plans?
Honestly, I just look forward to being an adult and independent and happy, and surrounded by the people that I love. I hope to study classical and modern ballet at WADA, or maybe fashion design at Wizarding U, but mostly I just want to be happy in whatever I do.
4. Happiness is so important! I’ve been told you are really good at potions and dancing. If you could drink and experiment with any type of potion, what would you like to try and why?
I’d love to try Felix Felicis, just to see what happens when you live a few hours of extremely good luck. It would be so interesting to try good luck against cursed objects that bring bad luck, just to see how they net against each other.
5.Are you planning on spending your Summer doing anything other than dancing?
I hope to see my friends and visit the beach, but MOSTLY I’m going to be doing a lot of dancing.
6. Did you find the disappearing delirious doll or the playful perdu poltergeist worse to help deal with this term?
So the doll was really creepy. There’s something very unsettling about an inanimate object doing things that it should not be able to do, especially when it has a face. But to be fair, the doll didn’t create much drama for people, while that darn poltergeist made messes, created fights, and had people super stressed.
7. That hideous hag made a prediction for you early in the term, did it come true? Were you worried about it at all, or was it easy to ignore her words and focus on your responsibilities?
That hag! She’s the reason that I made Hugo a ginger, just to confuse the curse she put on me. But yes, in spite of the fact that I didn’t want to believe any of her crazy predictions, I experienced a lot of destruction and distress this term! It was a hard one for me, and I can’t help but feel like she knew it was coming.
8. I'm sure Hugo loved being ginger, it's the best! You mentioned last term, that you thought your biography would be titled ‘The Beautiful Mess’. Do you think this is still true? Afterall, we all change and grow daily, especially when faced with that creepy doll…
When I picked that title last term, I was really thinking about all the ways that my life doesn’t always make sense but seems to come together for good. The title still applies, but now I think the mess is me. I mean, most of the distress I experienced this term came from my own faults and frailties. I don’t know if beautiful is the word for it, but mess certainly is!
9.It is hard to concentrate for your exams, especially when we have core subjects that we have to take even if we don’t like them. What is your favourite subject and why do you like it so much?
I love Charms! I’ve always been interested in Charms as a sort of building block magic. If you can master easy Charms, you can move onto more complicated ones, or Transfiguration spells. They’re a good way to hone your magical abilities, whether you’re trying to develop non-verbal skills or just develop intent and range. Plus you can do amazing things that make your life easier and your world more beautiful.
10. And finally, do you have any words of wisdom for the students at Hogwarts? Anyone who has spent any length of time at school here knows it can be slightly crazy. How do you survive the insanity but still manage to get the grades you do and have fun with your friends?
I know it’s the most trite and awful answer, but you have to learn to be comfortable in your own skin and be kinder to yourself. Everyone who is interesting or special just wants to fit in and be more boring, but the people who ‘fit in’... they just want to be special and seen for who they really are. I think if you give yourself space to be yourself, you can find subjects and hobbies you love and people who really care about you. Those are the things you take from Hogwarts.
2. Have you enjoyed working with Hugo? Did you learn anything interesting about him that you didn’t know before?
Hugo is the best! He’s so good at rolling with some of my dumb plans, like when I made him a ginger to match me, and we got along really well.
3. I'm glad! Where do you think you will be in five years? Do you have any plans?
Honestly, I just look forward to being an adult and independent and happy, and surrounded by the people that I love. I hope to study classical and modern ballet at WADA, or maybe fashion design at Wizarding U, but mostly I just want to be happy in whatever I do.
4. Happiness is so important! I’ve been told you are really good at potions and dancing. If you could drink and experiment with any type of potion, what would you like to try and why?
I’d love to try Felix Felicis, just to see what happens when you live a few hours of extremely good luck. It would be so interesting to try good luck against cursed objects that bring bad luck, just to see how they net against each other.
5.Are you planning on spending your Summer doing anything other than dancing?
I hope to see my friends and visit the beach, but MOSTLY I’m going to be doing a lot of dancing.
6. Did you find the disappearing delirious doll or the playful perdu poltergeist worse to help deal with this term?
So the doll was really creepy. There’s something very unsettling about an inanimate object doing things that it should not be able to do, especially when it has a face. But to be fair, the doll didn’t create much drama for people, while that darn poltergeist made messes, created fights, and had people super stressed.
7. That hideous hag made a prediction for you early in the term, did it come true? Were you worried about it at all, or was it easy to ignore her words and focus on your responsibilities?
That hag! She’s the reason that I made Hugo a ginger, just to confuse the curse she put on me. But yes, in spite of the fact that I didn’t want to believe any of her crazy predictions, I experienced a lot of destruction and distress this term! It was a hard one for me, and I can’t help but feel like she knew it was coming.
8. I'm sure Hugo loved being ginger, it's the best! You mentioned last term, that you thought your biography would be titled ‘The Beautiful Mess’. Do you think this is still true? Afterall, we all change and grow daily, especially when faced with that creepy doll…
When I picked that title last term, I was really thinking about all the ways that my life doesn’t always make sense but seems to come together for good. The title still applies, but now I think the mess is me. I mean, most of the distress I experienced this term came from my own faults and frailties. I don’t know if beautiful is the word for it, but mess certainly is!
9.It is hard to concentrate for your exams, especially when we have core subjects that we have to take even if we don’t like them. What is your favourite subject and why do you like it so much?
I love Charms! I’ve always been interested in Charms as a sort of building block magic. If you can master easy Charms, you can move onto more complicated ones, or Transfiguration spells. They’re a good way to hone your magical abilities, whether you’re trying to develop non-verbal skills or just develop intent and range. Plus you can do amazing things that make your life easier and your world more beautiful.
10. And finally, do you have any words of wisdom for the students at Hogwarts? Anyone who has spent any length of time at school here knows it can be slightly crazy. How do you survive the insanity but still manage to get the grades you do and have fun with your friends?
I know it’s the most trite and awful answer, but you have to learn to be comfortable in your own skin and be kinder to yourself. Everyone who is interesting or special just wants to fit in and be more boring, but the people who ‘fit in’... they just want to be special and seen for who they really are. I think if you give yourself space to be yourself, you can find subjects and hobbies you love and people who really care about you. Those are the things you take from Hogwarts.