History of Magic: First Year: Week 5: Friday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Friday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 10:00
Hufflepuff Time: 11:00
Slytherin Time: 10:00

I hope that you enjoyed the guest lecture last class. We will be having more of them in the future.

Today we will study two famous wizards and their accomplishments.

Gregory the Smarmy was unliked during his school days for being over bearing and a know-it-all. He later seemed to find this depressing as he invented Gregory's Unctuous Unction which causes the drinker to think that the one who gave the unction to them is their best friend. He died with an exclusive society surrounding him. Those who were in it couldn't believe their good luck at getting in it while those who weren't thought that all those who were in it were a bit desperate. You can find a statue of Gregory the Smarmy with in this castle.

Fulbert the Fearful lived from 1014 - 1092. He was, as his name suggests, afraid of everything. He died when his roof collapsed from a defective Defensive Charm. It is thought that he developed such fear at a very young age when he was forced to go through a magical haunted house by his older brother. Fulbert only just made it out alive due to the lack of safety spells on several of the creatures. For the rest of his life he would check behind his shoulder every minute just to make sure that no one was sneaking up on him. This led to his classmates teasing him and booby-trapping his book bag with stink bombs.

Your homework is to read through all your past work. Class is dismissed.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 5: Monday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Monday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 11:00
Hufflepuff Time: 9:00
Slytherin Time: 9:00

Today I have a guest speaker who will tell you a bit of the history of Hogwarts Castle and the world of the time when it was built. Please follow me to Classroom 11. Your homework when you are dismissed will be to write a brief essay on the lecture. Thank you and follow me.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 4: Friday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Friday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 10:00
Hufflepuff Time: 11:00
Slytherin Time: 10:00

For the past few classes, we have been comparing photos of 'traditional' roles that witches and wizards take in the imagination of the Muggle mind. I have asked you to write about these historical translations and what you think they mean. For the last exercise, I ask you to compare how they are alike and how they are different in their meaning. Imagine that you were a muggle, coming across them. How would you feel? What would they mean to you?

Thank you class, that will do. Please put your quills away. Class is dismissed.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 4: Monday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Monday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 11:00
Hufflepuff Time: 9:00
Slytherin Time: 9:00

Today I want you to describe this picture. It is a picture of a man muggles call a magician. His traditional role is pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I want you to explain why you think that he uses a rabbit. That is all class. Homework is to research magicians and write a report on a famous one. Go on to your next class now.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 3: Friday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Friday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 10:00
Hufflepuff Time: 11:00
Slytherin Time: 10:00

We will be continuing on the exersise of taking a picture drawn by a muggle of a witch or wizard and trying to descibe what is happening. Today I also want you to describe why this is an impossible photo and why you think that the muggle drew it in this way.


Your Homework is to compare this drawing's description with last class's and see how they are alike.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 3: Monday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Monday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 11:00
Hufflepuff Time: 9:00
Slytherin Time: 9:00

Magicians, witches and wizards have been portrayed as bevolent and malevolent, practitioners of true magic and false trickery. You will be shown a picture that was made by a muggle showing a magical act. Your job will be to look at the picture and write what you think is happening, if you think it ever happened, and if you think it is shown accurately. Here is the first image:

Quills away, please. If you haven't finished, your Homework is to complete your description. Class is dismissed.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 2: Friday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Friday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 10:00
Hufflepuff Time: 11:00
Slytherin Time: 10:00
Because I do not know if all of you know the history of Hogwarts, that is what we will be studying next, starting with the four founders.

Godric Gryffindor was one of the most accomplished dueller of his time and the original owner of the Sorting Hat. He supported letting muggles into Hogwarts. He had a famous enemity with Salazar Slytherin. His house is championed as brave.
Salazar Slytherin, who was a parselmouth. Salazar did not like the idea of letting muggles learn with the magical students. His house is cunning and persistant.
Rowena Ravenclaw was the wisest witch of her time. She chose the students who had a ready wit and loved learning.
Helga Hufflepuff was accepting of anyone, and treated them equally. She prized the traits of loyalty and being unafraid of toil.

Homework: Go to JK Rowling's site and find the pictures of each founder. Also, write a report on the founder of your house.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 2: Monday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Monday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 11:00
Hufflepuff Time: 9:00
Slytherin Time: 9:00
Although the Werewolf has no sense of obeying laws, there are rules stating when and how werewolves can be restrained. Created in 1637, the Werewolf Code of Conduct addresses not the werewolf, but the witch or wizard who encounters them. For instance, if a witch or wizard comes across a werewolf who threatens to bite, the witch or wizard is allowed to constrain the werewolf in any possible way, but is not allowed to kill the offending beast. Also, no one is allow to constrain an untranformed werewolf who is in their human form in any way or for any reason that they wouldn't use on a ordinary person.
The Werewolf Code of Conduct also contains a clause stating rules that a person who is a werewolf but untransformed must obey. These include having to carry identification on hand at all times so that if they ever bite or injure another, the bites can be properly treated.
A current version of the Code of Conduct is being reviewed.

Homework: Write 5 inches on what you think should or shouldn't be include in the Werewolf Code of Conduct

History of Magic: First Year: Week 1: Friday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Friday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 10:00
Hufflepuff Time: 11:00
Slytherin Time: 10:00

Gaspard Shingleton was born in 1959 and is still living. He invented the Self-Stirring Cauldon after losing patience with his wife, who notoriously forgot to stir his many potions while he was away. As he had a potion-making business , this was disastrous to business and profit. The Self-Stirring Cauldron has ten long spoons that rotate continually.

Ignatia Wildsmith, 1227-1320, was a witch that got air-sick very easily and, as the cushioning charm was not invented until 1820, she preferred to walk, rather than ride a broom. Also, she was claustrophobic and "would not Apperate to save my life, no I wouldn't!". So after a very long walk from her home to London, which was 142 mile away, she declared that she would stay until she had come up with a better way to travel. So Floo Powder was invented.

Homework is to find Gaspard Shingleton and Ignatia Wildsmith on JKRowling.com (Hint: try Wizard of the Month Archives). Class is dismissed.

History of Magic: First Year: Week 1: Monday

Professor Cuthbert Binns
Monday
Gryffindor Time: 1:00
Ravenclaw Time: 11:00
Hufflepuff Time: 9:00
Slytherin Time: 9:00

The Wizengamot was formed in 1044 by Judge Bagshot. At first it was like the muggle jury with 25 wizards that decide who was right. The judge, attorneys, etc. were not part of the organization. Later the group decide to include the judge and became the official wizarding court group. Witches were not allowed onto it until 1912 when their protesting took some effect. Even then it was another 6 months before a woman was voted onto the Wizengamot. Since then the Wizengamot has grown to 200 in number.

The way a witch or wizard get accepted to the wizengamot is by first being nominated for the position by three members in good standing. To be nominated, you need to have done something out standing for the wizarding society or something equally as great. You then will need to be voted in by a majority of the Wizengamot.

Homework: Write a paragraph on the Wizengamot.

Useful and Recommended Books

Useful and Recommended Books
I recommend these book highly. They have been a main stay in my education and I couldn't have done this without them.

A Muggle's Guide to Harry Potter's World by Fionna Boyle
The Sorcerer's Companion by Allan and Elizabeth Kronzek
The Wizardology Handbook by Merlin
Wizardology by Merlin
The Idiot's Guide to Numerology Kay Lagerquist and Lisa Lenard