The House of Gryffindor - Hogwarts' Bravest

The House of Gryffindor is the place where most Harry Potter fans would love to be sorted into by the venerable Sorting Hat. Not only is it the house where the hero, Harry Potter, and his friends belong, this is also the house where the wizards and witches are known for their great courage. Founded by Godric Gryffindor, this house proudly displays its strength and courage with its golden and scarlet blazon, featuring a mighty lion on a red-colored background.

The House of Gryffindor is located on the seventh floor of the Hogwarts castle, the entrance to which is slyly hidden behind a painting of a fat woman in a pink silk dress. Though she is not one to refuse entry if told the right password, the Gryffindor students had better be careful if disturbing her precious sleep.

Behind this painting is the Gryffindor commons room, which remains busy and full of students during most of the daylight hours. It has a common bulletin board, where one can find all kinds of news: from the news about the latest rules and regulations of the school, to the news about the next date of the Hogwarts trip, to advertisements for second-hand books. There is also a fire place, through which one can connect with the outside world, using the "floo network". Besides these, there are the usual tables and chairs, where the students get together for studying and chatting with their friends.

This common room of the House of Gryffindor leads to two staircases, one leading to the boys' dormitory and the other leading to the girls' dormitory. The girls' staircase feature an enchantment that prevents boys from entering the girls' dormitory. However, as the girls are considered more trustworthy, no such enchantment guards the boys' staircase.

The head of Gryffindor house during Harry Potter's schooling is the stern but trustworthy teacher, Professor Minerva McGonagall. The house ghost is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, better known as "Nearly Headless Nick" because of his partially beheaded neck.

The House of Gryffindor (just like the other houses of the Hogwarts School) also has been the place where some of the most famous and successful wizards and witches have belonged. For instance, this house was the one to which the very head of the Hogwarts School, Sir Albus Dumbledore, once belonged.

Other well-known figures from Harry Potter's world who have belonged to this house include Harry Potter's parents (James Potter and Lily Evans), and his godfather, Sirius Black. Gryffindor had also housed all the members of the Weasley family (the "Redheads"), without exception.

The House of Gryffindor, like any other aspect of the Hogwarts castle, closely guards its secrets, and much remains hidden that may yet be unfolded. Full of great mysteries of the past and great aspirations for the future, this house is where courage and loyalty are treasured above all.

Amy Koelle is a self-confessed Harry Potter enthusiast (some would say "addict"), and is the principal content creator for HarryGear.com. She also publishes a monthly Harry Potter newsletter, available at: ==> http://www.harrygear.com

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Harry Potter Movie Actor - Why Only British Actors For The Movie Series?

J.K. Rowling and the Boy Wizard, both share a very humble beginning. The author was unemployed and living on state benefits as she completed her first novel. So also, the first book was rejected by many publishers before Bloomsbury finally published it by reportedly paying a mere £10,000 for the rights to Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone.

When Scholastic published the first book in The US, it changed the name of the first book from The Philosopher's Stone to The Sorcerer's stone ostensibly to better suit the taste of the American readers. The change was done much against the wishes of J.K. Rowling who lacked the muscle to oppose the change being a virtual nobody at the time.

But by the time the first book was adapted into a movie, the books had already become an international phenomena and Rowling now had the clout to control her creation. She very effectively used this clout to demand a strictly British Cast for the movies and she has been successful so far, thus giving employment to most of the British Screen Actors Guild.

She nonetheless allowed the inclusion of many Irish actors such as the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire according to the nationalities of the characters from the book.

Her fierce opinions about keeping Americans out of her films has caused a lot of heart burn among the Americans as reflected in the views and opinions expressed on websites and blogs across the net.

One school of thought is that the Americans would never be able to perfect the accent needed for the very British children's adventure stories set around the boarding schools. In this respect, the movies get the essence of the quintessential British boarding school genre with its elderly school masters, vast dining halls, competing sports houses, dormitories, train stations and children's fascination with sweets. The films even stage the broomstick-bound equivalent of a soccer game. Followers of this school of thought argue that the Americans would never sound English and make for the critics to have a field day.

Another school of thought is that the exclusion of American actors from the cast smacks of Euro-Racist attitude as well as hypocrisy - a direct result of the pompous attitude of the haughty British.

If an American can never sound truly English then by the same rationale, should Brits never play Americans then? Because not every Brit can pull off a straightforward American accent either.

The argument may soon be put to an end.

Warner Bros have invited Madonna's daughter Lourdes (nicknamed Lola), an American to play a role in the next Harry Potter movie - The Half-Blood Prince. Lourdes is only 11 but she might just be able to break the stranglehold of the British actors on the Harry Potter Movies.

Zulekha Alam is an enthusiastic Harry Potter fan and the webmaster of the Harry Potter Fansite http://www.harrypotterandthedeathlyhallowsstore.com Visit the website for comprehensive information on the Harry Potter phenomena including Harry Potter Books, Movies, DVDs and other Harry potter Products. In particular please visit http://www.harrypotterandthedeathlyhallowsstore.com/harrypottermovie5.html for information regarding the latest Movie and its DVD version to be released shortly.

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Use Harry Potter Trivia in Effective Reading Lesson Plans

Why not change the format of your comprehension questioning in your reading lesson plans for each Harry Potter novel? This will in fact work with any novel study.

After each chapter or section of the book is completed, ask your students to submit a trivia question about what they have just read. The questions can be both simple and complex. The teacher will also strategically add his/her own questions, making sure to cover the comprehension and/or grammar questions that are important. Spelling questions can also be added using new words learned from that chapter. Trivia can also include questions on other lessons such as science and math which relate to the passages that have been read.

After all the questions have been received, divide your class into the 4 Hogwarts house teams: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. These four teams can be changed from time to time for each new book or they may be kept constant. The competition among the children in each house will further increase their desire to read effectively so they can help their teams. Children with more advanced reading and comprehension skills will want to help out those in their teams who may be struggling, thus offering some peer coaching.

Children will look forward to reading the assigned chapters and learn to enjoy reading and to comprehend the written content much more effectively when Harry Potter Trivia is used in your classroom.

Valerie Giles owns and operates Cyber-Prof: Teacher Resource Site an educational web site that specializes in resources for school and teacher supplies . Free stuff for teachers, teaching strategies, K-8, educational toys and games, back to school, classroom technology and home school curriculum. http://www.cyber-prof.com The accompanying article is copyrighted. It may be reproduced only if the hyperlinks here are left intact.

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The Pope Hates Potter - Both of Them

This month a court in Burlington, Kentucky issued the largest settlement to date against the Catholic Church in the “Priestofeelya” scandal.

Judge John Potter ruled in favor of the victims against the church to the tune of $120 million dollars (place pinky to corner of mouth.)

On such an infamous and history making day, there was little doubt the Vatican would issue a statement. That’s why no one was particularly surprised when Pope Benedict came out using the strongest language from the Vatican in some time denouncing Potter.

Harry Potter.

OK, in his defense, the guy with the Big White Hat is rather aged. Already beat the “three score and ten” often quoted from the Psalms. Possibly he meant to denounce JOHN Potter and simply had a senior moment. Certainly the Vatican did not allow this precedent setting commentary on their policies go without comment.

I guess the “Holy See” just doesn’t “see” it. (Clever pun quota met for today.)

According to Ratzinger, reading about some four-eyed-son-of-a-witch is much more harmful than a confessional fondling by Father Nutsinhander. Surely these youngsters were asking to be fondled, what with their bambi-like eyes, impish naiveté and round buttocks, playfully hidden beneath the folds of an alter-boy dress.

What sexually repressed, hard on in a penguin suit could resist asking them to visit his Rectory?

Catholics should begin addressing the real source of the sexual abuse scandal—stop reporting abuse. It worked for 50 years, it will work for 50 more.

Kevin Scott is the owner of http://www.WhoreChurch.com exposing the luncacy going on in the name of Christ. Visit now for a whole new perspective on your faith. You might get mad, but it will surely make you think.

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Intriguing Dream Images

The first three installments of the Harry Potter series have shown us flashbacks, hallucinations, magic mirrors, time travel, and other altered states of consciousness as Harry drifts in and out of reality. Haunted by ghosts of his past, a demonic wizard hell-bent on destroying him, and soul-sucking dementors who want to tap into his misery, Harry’s state of mind is a constant concern for his friends and adopted family at Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” however, for the first time we are invited into Harry’s tortured dreams as he enters his fourth year at the school.

Director Mike Newell includes three dream sequences taken from the book by J.K. Rowling. Although all the dreams take place in the same location with the same characters and have the same theme (i.e., let’s kill Harry Potter), their presentations differ greatly and therefore produce different emotions in the viewer.

The first dream sequence begins the movie. We see an old caretaker notice a light in an abandoned house that he’s watching. He angrily marches over to the house expecting to find some unruly teenagers. Instead he finds Lord Voldemort, Wormtail, and another mysterious man talking about the ultimate demise of Harry. A huge snake slithers by the caretaker as he listens outside the door. Suddenly his presence becomes known and as the caretaker is attacked, Harry awakens in a terrified state from the dream.

Unlike dream sequences that use black and white or distorted color, garbled sound, and illogical images to indicate an altered state of consciousness or specifically a dream, this first dream sequence has no visual or aural cues. The dream occurs in real-time; we feel what Harry feels and we assume that it’s really happening. Until we see Harry awaken, we believe (and are supposed to believe) that the scene is actually taking place. This director’s trick (and in this case also the author’s trick) hooks us immediately into the action, and then shocks us by revealing that it was all just a dream.

The second dream sequence happens in real-time also. We know it’s a dream, however, because we see Harry sleeping fitfully in bed before it starts. Throughout the sequence, we see scenes of Harry sleeping. The dream is similar to before, but we learn a little more this time. Because it’s not a surprise, this dream looks like a typical movie dream with slow motion, blurring, and an unreal quality. Harry awakens in a frightened sweat again. We don’t feel quite as threatened this time because we’re led to believe that Harry suffers from recurring nightmares (and with his troubled past who could blame him?)

The third time we see Harry’s dream is through a flashback as he recalls the dream out loud in Albus Dumbledore’s office. We’re still confused about the relevance of these dreams. Because the dream is not happening in real-time, but is a brief flashback – a mere memory of what Harry thought he dreamed, the dream’s importance may be lessened. After recounting the dream, he asks Dumbledore if the dreams could possibly be something other than random and meaningless. Could they be telepathic scenes currently taking place or possibly prophetic dreams that predict Harry’s future? The final thirty minutes of the film answer this question.

The reason why filmmakers (and authors) use dream sequences is to increase audience involvement and connectedness to the character. Getting inside of Harry’s head allows us to feel his horror and share his sense of dread.

By keeping us off-guard as to whether or not these dreams are true events, real-time dreams, or memories of dreams, the director confuses us as to what is real and what is an illusion. It’s cinematic sorcery that bewitches us into reading the book, going to the multiplex, and buying the DVD.

Copyright 2006 Leslie Halpern

Central Florida-based entertainment writer Leslie Halpern is the author of “Dreams on Film. The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science” (McFarland & Company), a book that analyzes representations of sleeping and dreaming in the movies. She also wrote “Reel Romance. The Lovers’ Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies” (Taylor Trade Publishing), a book that reviews date movies for couples, and suggests romantic ideas inspired by these films. Her articles have appeared in hundreds of entertainment trade and consumer magazines. Visit Leslie’s website at http://home.cfl.rr.com/lesliehalpern/leslie_halpern.htm

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Do The Potter

It seems like inspiration is everywhere when you look for it. Consider my latest source of joy, Harry Potter. I haven't even seen the new movie, only the previews, and was moved to tears. My six year old daughter Emily thought this was rather amusing, as I passed the popcorn.

What struck me as so awesome while watching the preview of Harry Potter, was a line that might not impress a lot of people, but I felt like he was speaking so brilliantly, and clearly, that I had to share it. In the trailer, Harry is trying to rally the other witch and wizard students to help him fight the newest dark enemy. Everyone is afraid. Protesting that they can't. Impossible to do it. And Harry, in all of his Hollywood glory says, "All truly great wizards started as nothing more than we are now. If they can do it, why not US?!" ( Or something very similar. I was so knocked over that I could be hallucinating.)

Meaning, that everyone who is accomplished, enlightened, famous, notorious, self made, etc...all started somewhere. And more often than not, they started on their quest against major obstacles. As a coach, I try encourage clients to imagine, "What if?" What if I COULD go back to college and become a teacher. What if I did take a risk and open my own business? What would it be like to try and run a marathon? As humans, we come up with all sorts of interesting excuses as to why what we profess to be our greatest wish, is impossible. I can't go back to school because I don't have the money. Who am I to think that I could open my own business? Running a marathon would be too hard. My answers: student loan, who are you NOT to open your own business, and so what? I realize that I am simplifying, but you get the picture. You have to start saying SO WHAT to welcome what might be so. (Someone really cool said that I can't remember who.)

Personally, I am working on two books. Occasionally, I'll fall into the trap of listening to some self limiting thoughts like, "Who do you think YOU are to write a book?" But, you know, who am I not to? I have a lot to say. haha And, I am going to "Practice the Potter" and realize that all great authors, before their first book, sat in front of a blank paper or computer screen, and took it one word at a time.

So, over the next week, try and notice when you are putting up your own road blocks. Observe your thoughts and challenge them. They are only thoughts, and you can choose them. Ask yourself, "Who would I be without that thought?" If Harry Potter used his magic wand to eliminate the thought, "I will never be a writer," how would your day/week/year/life be different?

I'd be slaying chapters, dude!

Have a great day!

Susan

Copyright (c) 2007 Susan Hyatt

Susan Hyatt is a dynamic life coach, author, speaker, and owner of Ideal Life Design. She is passionate about helping clients create work/life balance, and design their ideal lives. http://www.ideallifedesign.com

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Movie Review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

As a long-time fan of the Harry Potter book series, it is always with trepidation that I approach a new Harry Potter movie. With the recent release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I felt even more uneasy than usual. As the longest book in the series to date, it was almost painful thinking of all the potential cuts that would be made to package an 800+ page book into a two-and-a-half hour movie. After my relative disappointment with the movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I admit I was quite worried about the new Harry Potter movie.

Thankfully, though, the movie met nearly every expectation I had. Everything in the book had been culled except for the main thrust of the plot and all of the action, but this resulted in the most action-packed, breathless Harry Potter movie thus far, from the dementor attack, to Harry's first kiss with Cho, to the final battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort. The only drawback to this approach is that major themes were presented as simple one-time occurrences and some of the continuity of the book was lost in the movie.

One main theme where this was apparent was Harry's detention punishments by Professor Umbridge. The book focused much more on the physical torture being inflicted on Harry and his resilience in the face of the unfair, brutal detention sentence. Another theme only briefly mentioned in the movie is the interaction of the adult members of the Order of the Phoenix and their desire to shield the children from its meetings and actions. The students, on the other hand, do their best to penetrate the secrets and learn what they can about the Order. The movie only glosses over these interactions, which make up significant portions of the book.

However, in such a short movie, it was amazing that so many themes were hit upon. Although it is in more of a "Greatest Hits" type of format, there are really only a few scenes or themes that did not make it into the movie. One of the more powerful scenes in the book that I found missing from the movie was the students' visit to Ron Weasley in the hospital after the snake attack, where they were also introduced to Neville Longbottom's parents, who had been tortured into madness by the Death Eater, Voldemort follower Bellatrix Lestrange. This visit provided some valuable insight into both the main characters as well as Neville, in an emotionally powerful scene. Although it was not central to the book, it was a scene well worth seeing in the movie.

Arguably, the character of Dolores Umbridge is the most irritating professor to have graced the halls of Hogwarts during Harry's years there. The movie does a remarkable job of bringing out the most unlikeable traits of the Professor Umbridge. From her irritating cough, "Hem, hem," to the use of Ministry of Magic Educational Decrees to take away the students' rights and privileges and take over control of Hogwarts, to the arrogant attitude that results in her eventual downfall late in the story, it is hard to imagine a more grating character. The actress who plays Umbridge does so masterfully.

The special effects in the movie, as in all of the Harry Potter movies, are great, and the acting is believable. While it could not have been easy paring down a book of this size into a more manageable movie, the end result is a wonderful visit to Harry's world and the best summary of the book that could be expected. For anyone who has not read the books or seen any of the other movies, all this talk of "He Who Must Not Be Named," Muggles, and wizards wearing black masks of death will seem absurd and confusing, but for those of us Harry Potter fans, the movie only makes the week-long wait for Book 7 that much slower. In fact, in my case, the movie did exactly what I am sure it was designed to do: when I got home, I pre-ordered the book on Amazon.com and will be eagerly reading in when it gets here on Saturday.

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Harry Potter and The Game Of Quidditch

The game Of Quidditch was invented by the famed author of the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling in her first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

The game is played by wizards and witches, and is first seen on the grounds of Hogwarts's school. The viewer is first introduced to it when Harry Potter is invited to join the team after he's been seen disobeying orders, flying his broom with wild abandon and mastery, by one of his Professors.

On broomsticks, the players attempt to take the ball through one of three small hoops at each end of the field, measuring 500 feet in length. Opposing players are allowed to do almost anything to stop the ball from it's goal, as well as to intercept it and take it to their own goal. Just like other ball-focused games, there are goals at each end and players have specific jobs to perform.

Chaser - This team member is assigned the task of removing the Quaffle from the other team and scoring, just as the name implies. There are three chasers per team.

Beater - A beater is a member who uses a separate ball, a Bludger, to propel toward the other team in an effort to stop them from scoring. There are two beaters on each team.

Keeper - The position of keeper is much like the goalie. His job is to stop the other team's ball from scoring. There is one keeper on each Quidditch team.

Seeker - The seeker is charged with catching the Golden Snitch. This feat ends the game, and awards 150 points to the team who is able to perform this amazing task. Harry Potter plays the position of Seeker.

There are four balls in a quidditch set, and each are magical balls. The seeker has to catch the Golden Snitch, which is worth one hundred fifty points and ends the Quidditch game. This ball is gold, obviously, and sprouts wings upon its release. It's very fast, very nimble and is somehow quite easy for Harry Potter to obtain. He's a natural seeker.

The bludger is used as a projectile. Each of the two Beaters throws a bludger to unseat or, at least, to cause a fumble, in order to prevent a successful carry of the Quaffle.

The Quaffle is the game ball, per se. The ball is larger and is designed to be carried, much like a football, under the arm. If a Chaser is successful in scoring, he's taken the Quaffle and gotten it through the two-foot wide goal (hoop). A successful goal is worth ten points in a game of Quidditch.

While the reader/viewer sees Quidditch often at Hogwarts, you soon learn it's a worldwide phenomenon when you see, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth Harry Potter book, that there is a Quidditch World Cup.

Since the books' worldwide success, real 'Muggle' teams have sprung up all over the globe, especially in England. The mystique of the game is that it's not only fantastical but it also makes normal, game-like sense, so the popularity will not likely die out soon. Quidditch, while made invented and made popular by Rowling, has captured the hearts of millions of young people.

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