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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Anyone got a child starting at Hogwarts this September?

55 replies

MrsGPotter · 17/08/2011 19:55

I'm finding it all a bit of a nightmare. Obviously uniform has already been ordered from the school, the shoes I just got from Clarks. Wand we're getting next week and the books DS can buy when he gets there.

Now what are you all doing about pets? DS wanted an Owl but EVERYWHERE has sold out which is a shame as DH had an owl when he was a pupil there and he was kind of hoping it would become a family tradition. Will a Hamster be ok?

Also, is anyone else's DC worried about what house they'll be in? DS has his heart set on Gryffindor but it seems so difficult to get in? Would extra tutoring over the holidays help?

I'm just so worried about him being there on his own. It's such a huge school and so far from home. But then what exactly could go wrong at such a well regarded school? Smile I'm sure he'll be fine really.

So, any other Hogwarts mums out there?

OP posts:
TheMonster · 17/08/2011 20:54

sockpoppet, how does your dd feel about being a squib? My friend's dd was a squib and she got it into her head that she must have been adopted. She's in intensive counselling and is on some hefty anti-depressants.

sockpoppet · 17/08/2011 21:12

She's only 11, she has no idea about what its going to mean for her. We are a very wizarding family, so she's had full immersion in magic, now she's going to have to live as a muggle

TheMonster · 17/08/2011 21:28

Don't be prejudiced, sockpoppet. Non-magical folk can live fulfilling lives too.

EdithWeston · 17/08/2011 21:33

Try not to worry about your squib. St Mungos can do wonders these days to tease out any little magical disposition. Failing that, some of the items from Weasley's should help her pass muster, as long as no-one's looking too closely.

RepressedBodyOfEeyore · 17/08/2011 21:36
EggyAllenPoe · 17/08/2011 21:38

don't write her off yet. 11 is far too young to determine magical talent. and you know some families i know send their children to the entrance exams covered in hexes to guarantee success - natural ability is very far from the only thing measured!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/08/2011 21:40

I'm so glad that George carried on Weasley's Wizarding Wonders, without Fred.

Just caught dd2 talking to Teddy Lupin on SpellBook. That girl's imagination could take her too far. He's a good looking boy though, I'll give her that.

EggyAllenPoe · 17/08/2011 21:40

..and even if the world of magic is not for her, there are things like alchemy, magical studies and 'Magic in the community' that are perfectly legitimate courses gaining in repute that she could look into.

sockpoppet · 17/08/2011 21:42

What do muggles do all day?

AmazingBouncingFerret · 17/08/2011 21:43

Sockpoppet can you not do what Neville Longbottoms family did and push her out of a third storey window so that her magic will surface and save her?

EggyAllenPoe · 17/08/2011 21:44

Professor Snape may come across as ..somewhat unpleasant but they really learn in his class, no questioning his teaching ability even if it isn't what 'OffWiz' look for. Nothing wrong in a bit of good old-fashioned fear to get them studying. pure pantomime of course, you should have seen him after a few glasses at the PTA evening last summer...the very soul of the party.

EggyAllenPoe · 17/08/2011 21:46

I'm sure they don't spend all their time on Witchnet like us sock!

sockpoppet · 17/08/2011 22:24

All I wanted for her was a quiet time at hogwarts in Hufflepuff and an junior post at the Ministry of Magic. My in laws blame me, of course, because I let her watch muggles cbeebies when she was little. Fact is, her brother was brought up the same and he's in slytherin like they were. Draco is her godfather ffs.( have namechanged BTW)

carpwidow · 17/08/2011 22:32

DS is concussed (thirteenth time today). He keeps running at that bloody brick wall down the station, but seems to have lost the knack. House elf is no help. I just shouted "Dibby, will you bring some more Savlon antiseptic here at once", to which DH replied "stop calling me that, my name's Trevor". It's bedlum.

timetosmile · 17/08/2011 22:32

DS1 won't be back next term, sadly.
Mallory Towers have headhunted her for lacrosse following her outstanding quidditch season.
Such fun!
btw, what are you putting in tuck for them?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/08/2011 22:36

Waitrose were all out of chocolate frogs today - what IS the world coming to? Had to settle for a couple of bottles of ButterbeerShoots and some Gringots sausage rolls instead.

pamplemousserose · 17/08/2011 22:46

Didn't you see the special offer on bertie botts beans though?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/08/2011 22:48

None left - I heard some talk about a mass Dementor riot earlier in the week though, so there wasn't a lot on the shelves and some of the windows were boarded up. Apparently the Ministry are trying to blame the Muggles for it.

pamplemousserose · 17/08/2011 22:53

I did hear that they tried to storm gringotts. As if.
Azakban beckons I suspect.
Did you see that the muggles chancellor is trying some of HWSNBN's techniques?

PonceyMcPonce · 17/08/2011 23:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pamplemousserose · 17/08/2011 23:09

You either get the letter or you don't.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 18/08/2011 11:11

Absolutely no to tutoring. You're just likely to end up with a child who can perform basic exam spells to order but has no idea how to think for him/herself and if YouKnowWho's followers rise again, we need people with initiative and real talent, not people who can just spell to order. I hear that there are a couple of decent muggle schools, if you can afford a house in the right areas.

Sidheag · 18/08/2011 11:44

How can you people even think of sending your DC away to boarding school at 11? It's child abuse! It's nonsense to say it's the only way they can develop their magical skills - you can always afterschool magic. If you send them to Hogwarts they'll be emotionally scarred for life and they'll have no idea how to relate to non-magical people.

TheMonster · 18/08/2011 11:59

There's no need to relate to muggles, surely, if you are part of the magical world.

EternalPie · 18/08/2011 19:13

DS is moving into his 2nd year this September. He and his friends are all excited over some chamber or something they've been told resides under the school so they're planning to check it out next term. I think it's about time the school was modernised to be honest.