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Violet Vainglory's Valentine Victory

Travelling Tales

Rain is something nice when you need water for your flowers. It’s not so nice when you are on a holiday. However, there are always museums to visit – except on Mondays, that is. Then again, we managed to find a museum which said “opened daily”. “Daily”, in our humble opinion, included Mondays. So we took the time to go there, finding our way through villages and fields. We arrived safely at the museum, walked bravely and determinedly up to the door – and found it locked. But we have to admit that we aren’t really sure that it was closed or opened because there was no sign indicating wither of these options. Neither were we the only ones running into closed doors. Maybe they should consider having a sign telling potential visitors if they are allowed to enter or not. Luckily, there were many shops around and we at least found some

small items for the friends we left at home. We used the remaining time of the day to travel to another city which is famous for its cathedral. Since we had already seen so many churches, we decided not to enter it. Instead, we visited another museum – luckily, museums have the advantage of being fairly different from each other. The first show-case at which we stopped contained souvenirs. We were wondering why the items in it were priced, but then we realised the museum had not really begun. So we ventured forth and met the history of the archbishopric and town. Among our favourites were the personal possession of a man convicted and executed in the 14th century. Somehow even the cloth items had been preserved. Fascinating, but rather scary, if you ask us. Funnier was a helmet made of iron with a

very thin, beaklike nose. Come to think of it, that would have looked marvellous on our old potions master – no offence, sir! The really fashionable knight or emperor of the past wore spurs while the really fashionable pleaseman of today wears tight short uniforms and a bike. These styles make innocent passers-by burst into helpless, unstoppable laughter. To gather new strength, we had something to eat and discovered a secret passage to… We don’t know where. But funny enough it ends in a restaurant, so our guess is that the archbishop likes to drop by every now and then without being seen on the way. Unfortunately, we learned only afterwards that there was also a chocolate-museum. However, this gives us a reason to go there again – we’re looking forward to it! Yours, Brian and Mike

A Nice Cuppa

broom's Best Bad Boy Board

Last time our investigation made us familiar with the family of Hunter Preston. Our hero, um, well, perhaps not-so-heroic hero, was just about to enter school life at Hogwarts, where his sister and brother were already snugly settled in Slytherin. Now, please transport yourselves backwards in memory (use a Pensieve, if necessary) to the Sorting ceremony. Preferably you own. Everyone expects you to be sorted, and you have no idea what that means. The same of course applied to little Hunter. Everyone expected the Sorting Hat to virtually shout ‘Slytherin’ as soon as the name ‘Preston, Hunter’ was called. But somehow events do not always follow the expected way. Well, Hunter was certainly feeling just as nervous as generations of students before and after when Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat upon his head. And the Sorting Hat certainly expected an easy task. After all, hadn’t he sorted Persephone and Leonard into Slytherin without so much as a wink? However, the Hat did not quite have such an easy time that day. It pondered and pondered, and the silence in the Great Hall was like a wall of expectation. Then finally the Hat shouted

“Hufflepuff!” and everybody clapped happily. Alright, perhaps Hunter’s siblings were not so happy, but for them there could have been worse choices (Editors’ note: Gryffindor). So little Hunter Preston was sorted into Hufflepuff, where those who love to work, who have enough patience to bear all insults, and not much brains, go. Sorry, but the old – and false – prejudices held true for our soon-to-become Best Bad Boy. Predictably, he excelled in Herbology and was a failure at Potions. Which was taught not by the master of disaster Severus Snape (young Severus was himself a student in Hunter Preston’s year, but he did manage to get into Slytherin), no, the potions master was Horace Slughorn. The biggest surprise for everyone, including Professor Wingfield, was the considerable talent Hunter displayed at Flying. After Persephone and Leonard had proved themselves to be the world’s worst flyers, Hunter really did well. And we’ll leave him and you suspended in midair until next month when we learn about the adventures and misadventures of young Hunter at school! (BC&MF)

A Little Valentine for YOU

Quidditch Rules broom proudly presents Your Own Quidditch Tool Kit. Around Christmas broom’s own Brian and Mike came up with the idea of Quidditch mobile. However, any ordinary mobile would not have been good enough for the two and besides, where would have been the fun in it? Exactly, so we decided to turn it into a game! This is easily done if you add a straw, some paper balls and innumerable rules. The players act as the beaters trying to shoot the other Quidditch players. The first tool kit consists of one Gryffindor, three Slytherins and one snitch. At this point we have to admit a fault. We gave the first two prototypes to Patience and Anne for Christmas, well, sort of. Anne being somehow involved in the production decided to give her prototype to professor Snape for Christmas and together they came up with a set of rules: 1. If you hit the snitch, you lose all your points. 2. If you hit the snitch last, you lose all your points and end the game. 3. If you hit one of the Slytherins,

you get 10 points. 4. If you hit the Gryffindor player, you get 140 points. 5. Whoever has the most points at the end wins. Sorry for that, now, if you want to play this new game you first of all have to build your mobile. For this mobile you need: 3 wooden kebab picks (like tooth picks, just longer) 8 pieces of thread 1 needle 1 pair of scissors 1 bottle of glue (well, you won’t need all of it…) First you print out the pictures below, put two on one page, but don’t make them overlap each other! You cut the pieces of paper in two so that you have one figure on each part. Note: Each figure consists of two parts and your not supposed to separate them! Then you glue the two parts of the figure together so that the front looks like the back. You cut the figure out. You do the same with the other figures. You make a hole into each figure with the needle.

Next you cut five pieces of thread which all have the same length. You attach them to the figures. You need two kebab picks. You cut of the pointy end and make a crack at each end of the picks so that the thread won’t fall down but is locked in there. Now you attach the threads first to the figures then to the picks. The snitch is attached to the middle of the third pick. You cut three more pieces of thread all having the same length. These you attach to one pick each. One end of the thread to one end of the pick and the other end of the thread to the other end of the pick. Finally you hang the pick with the snitch on a hook. You hang the two other picks on each end of the pick. You should check if it is straight! You need the straw and the paper balls now and you can start practicing. Enjoy! Please note that this is not a game to increase violence against Quidditch players but one that supports violence against mobiles. And Hermione, no need for a MOLIFR, Mobile Liberation Front, no one can pronounce it anyway! (BC&MF)

Birds’ Flu Threatens Wizarding World

(The World) As the Muggle population is freaking out at the thought of birds’ flu infecting their canaries and children, Healers of St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Secretary of Health Belinda Howenstowe have worked out an emergency plan for the Wizarding World. Birds’ flu, or scientifically H5N1, so far has only been lethal to everything with beaks and feathers and those persons living in extremely close contact with the birds. Muggles of course have experienced the contagious disease to break out in chickens, wild birds, and turkeys. Humans have only been infected rarely, and there is no evidence for interhuman transmission. Still, birds’ flu would not be the first animal disease to develop into a threat for humans. Just think of the plague, or dragon pox! (Note: The disease widely known as chicken pox does not come from chickens, whereas the mildly contagious cow pox do come from cows.) The Muggle paranoia and a stern request from the WHO (World Health Organisation) have led to Ms Howenstowe’s initial idea to work together with the Healers. “You know, Muggles have to worry much less than we do,” said Howenstowe. When asked to give reasons for her opinion, she explained that there were many more potentially dangerous animals in the Wizarding World. “And we do live closely together. Just think of all the owls

delivering the post!” Howenstowe reminded the magical community. She also added Hippogriffs, griffins, certain kinds of gargoyles and phoenixes to the list of species likely to catch H5N1. Luckily, most of the listed species are classified as dangerous and are usually no pets. People who do keep a Hippogriff, for example, should beware and keep to the rules for precaution Howenstowe and her team of Healers set up. “You should keep the potentially infectious animals out of your house, wear dragonhide gloves and a protective balaclava when you tend to them and try to use as much magic as possible to avoid physical contact,” said Howenstowe, making it clear that in a disease with virtually no known medicine working against it precaution is the most important thing. Since the transmission of the virus is still a bit of a mystery, rumours have come up that birds’ flu is actually a poisonous powder spread by the Death Eaters to kill Muggles and wizards alike. However, since birds’ flu appeared first in Asia, where no Death Eater activity is recorded, this is little likely. So far, Lord Voldemort’s terror is confined to the UK only. As long as no case of birds’ flu can be undoubtedly linked to Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, we must assume that the flu is a genuine disease and not a poison. Unfortunately, there is no really official list of potentially infectious creatures since the healers are not sure yet if every magical species is able to catch and

transmit H5N1. Since it has always been broom’s aim to enlighten its readers, we are proud to attach a list of potentially dangerous creatures: 1. Owls. Since they are living closest to us all, you must really beware of owls – and especially their droppings. Clean your owl’s cage at least twice a day – you know, a single wave with your wand does the trick. 2. Phoenixes. There are few phoenixes living among us, but if they do, take care. 3. Augurey (also known as Irish phoenix). 4. Jobberknoll. This cute little bird could be the means of your death, so watch out. And potions brewers should cleanse the feathers they want to use before they put them into any potion. 5. Fwooper. A Fwooper is even without birds’ flu not easy to handle, since its song drives the listener insane. However, sell your African playmate as soon as you can – there’s a big black market, we were told. 6. Diricawl. It’s hard to spot a Diricawl since it can vanish at will. There is no telling where a Diricawl will appear, so keep a protective balaclava with you at all times. 7. Hippogriff. Technically, a Hippogriff is but half a bird, so it is not proved if it can catch H5N1. But precaution can’t hurt. 8. Griffin. Definitely a bird, and definitely not a bird you want to meet in any case. 9. Thestrals. No birds, but they have wings. It is not known if H5N1 affects them.

Horticultural Horrors

This year, Leslie Pagana Greenacre agreed to help all cupids and lovers. She will present possible presents for your significant others! Visionary Valentine Vagaries My dearest gardening gaffers and outdoor occupants this month will see you creating a gift to your loved one. The first thing, you will know, you need is a red rose! They as symbols of love itself are the best proof of your feelings. The colour red itself is not so frequently found in gardens at this time of the year. Consequently, you will have to make the best of the things you got. These namely are: sticks. Lucky are those who find a heart-shaped stick! And lucky still are

those who can do magic. The others will have to make do with what they find. A bundle of sticks even if they are heart-shaped is not much and will not help you to win anyone. But if you add a red ribbon to it and a card saying that the fire of your love will never stop burning and still if these were the last sticks in the world they could be burned right away without endangering the continuity of your flame, you shall be hugged and kissed. This was the one thing you can supply from your garden for anything else you will have to go and buy it. A flower shop is always a good place to stop and shop! Make sure that the present is chosen according to the taste of your loved one. Never give anything pink to a man! And

never select something black for a woman! Apart of that there can be hardly any mistakes – if you stick to the seasonal offer that is. Complete no-nos are things you could put on a grave and nobody would note it was for Valentine. Don’t make it that big that it can be confused with an arrangement you put on a car, then again don’t make it so small that it can be mixed with a bride’s bunch of flowers. One last piece of advice, if you buy anything make sure to add a personal note assuring your loved one that he/she/it is the only one for you or any of that standard nonsense! Have a valuable Valentine’s Day, (LPG)

Crossword

1 
 II
 





2 
3 
 







4 
 I
 
 
 



5 
 
 

6 





7 XVI
 
 
 


8 

9 
 
 

10 
 
11 



12 
 
 
 
 
 

13 
 
 XII

 
 
14 

15 
16 


 
 
 
 

17 
 XIII
 
 


18 
 
 

 III
 


 IV
 

19 
 XIV
 
 


20 
 XV
 
 
 XVII
 

 



 
 
 
 
21 

22 

 
 
 
 
23 

24 
 



 

 

 
 
 
 
25 

 


26 
 






 

 
 V


 

27 
 
 
 







 
 VI
 
 
28 

29 
30 
 
 










31 
 
32 
 VII
 VIII
 IX
 X
 
 











33 

 
34 
 
 















35 
 
 
















36 
 
 

















 

Across 1 muggle way of transport 2 muggle intelligence 4 sounding like nothing but being everything 5 quality of water in general 7 place where Anne spent one holiday 9 friend 10 nickname of Lockhart 12 friend of 25 Across after an operation 13 answer to the one question 14 something you can do with everything, spelled backwards 15 subordinating conjunction giving a condition 17 paradise garden 18 flying animal 19 many make 20 Across 20 might be forbidden 21 your significant other if you're male and heterosexual or female and homosexual 23 our most loved teacher, spelled backwards 24 short for Alfred Weasley 25 prototypical lover, spelled backwards 26 preposition or adverb 27 thought 28 married to Emerson Dicket, spelled backwards 29 God of...love (physical) 31 lover's day 35 accidentally poisoned on 31 Across 36 Anne's favourite drink

Down 1 quality of the end of the year 2 feast 3 animal or thing 4 you'll find many of these in Hogwarts 6 informal greeting 7 23 Across will be this now 8 organ of perception 10 what you do now 11 23 Across being 7 Down will curl this 12 name and feeling 16 American season in which 33 Down is celebrated 20 genes of a small animal of the weasel family 22 after midday 24 made up to make it fit in our crossword 26 degree 28 can get lost sometimes 30 Adam gave it away 32 what 31 Across is all about, spelled backwards 33 highest magical holiday, spelled backwards 34 text with a certain structure

The looked for phrase:

____ ____ ____ ____ ____    ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____'____    ____ ____ ____

I    II   III  III  IV      V    II    VI  VII  VIII IX   X    VIII VII   XII     XIII II  IV

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____    ____ ____ ____ ____ ____!

III  XIV  XV   XVI  VII  XII  XII  XV   XIV     XII  VIII II   III  VII

Disclaimer: All names, characters and places are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner bros., except of those not found in the "Harry Potter" books and movies which belong to Ulrike Friedrich and Kirsten Seelbach. No financial and/or commercial gain is intended.