Horses
Name: Rachel
Age: 31
1.Why would you like to join Hogwarts Home? Will you participate in both the process of sorting new applicants and the sub-communities one you have been sorted?
I've heard a little about sorting communities, but know very little of how they work beyond the actual sorting. I noticed a pimp post on my f-list and since it is just starting up and seems open to newbies like me, I thought it would be something I would enjoy and it's people to talk about HP with! I'm online several hours a day and at all different times so I can't see anything that would prevent me from joining in with any activities, so yes I would gladly help sort and participate in the point challenges.
2. Have you read all 6 of the Harry Potter books? Which book was your favorite and why?
I have read all the books and am eagerly waiting for seven. If I had to pick just one, it would be POA. It has a well developed and thought out plot with lots of twists and turns. I think JKR did an excellent job of keeping the ending a surprise, much more then the other books. Really with the exception of seeing Pettigrew on the map, the most hints we did get seemed to apply more to Lupin's character then the storyline of Sirius. Did I forget to mention that this one also gave us two of my favorite characters in Sirius and Remus?
3. What character do you most relate to? Why?
This would probably have to be Luna Lovegood. Other then the strange dress and spouting off unbelieveable oddities, I was a lot like Luna in school. I never really fit in with one type or group either. Any close friends I had were, like Luna, developed though either shared classes or clubs. But usually once those were finished, drifted off to our seperate ways. I also tend to live in a dreamworld sometimes, it's very easy for me to space out and ingore what is happening around me or find myself yapping off on some tangent that has no bearing on anything that was being discussed.
4. Who is your least favorite character? Why?
Peter Pettigrew. For me Peter is the most 2-dimensional of the main charaters. He has done the most horrifing thing in the books and for no reason. I just can not work up any sympathy for the fat little rat. So his "gang" wasn't always nice to him - then LEAVE I say. Just for putting up with being made fun of so openly I say he deserved every bit of it. But nothing can justify turning over whom is suppose to be one of your best friends and a woman and child that never did anything to you. At least the Slytherin's can claim greed or their twisted idealism for their actions.
5. What part of the series would you change if you were J.K Rowling? Why?
Although I can understand the reasons J.K. needed to have Harry lose his ties to his protectors like Sirius and Dumbledore, I wouldn't have killed Sirius - for my own purely selfish reasons of course. Or I would have at least given him a better death, one he deserved for all the awful things that he had survived. It was so empty and maybe that was what J.K. was going for, the meaninglessness of it, and the cocky attitude Sirius was putting on did fit him to a tee. But it still just sets wrong in my book, such a complex character deserved better then to be eaten by mothy curtains.
6. If you were Headmaster/Mistress at Hogwarts, what changes would you make? Why?
Well it has thrived for over a thousand years, so something must be working. But I guess I would try and promote more understanding within the Houses. A competitive rivalry is one thing and a good thing, but from the time the sorting hat shouts your House you are judged solely based on the extreme, and most derogatory traits of that house and nothing else. Slytherin= the evil schemers; Gryffindor= the brash fools; Hufflepuff= the weak and pasive; Ravenclaw= the brainy snobs.
So I would try and force the students to see past the color of their robes and judge based on the merits of the person wearing them. Which would only service to help prepare them for life after Hogwarts, were often you have to find some common ground with people you wouldn't ordinarily find yourself with.
7. If you were faced with a boggart what would you see?
A rat or mouse. I am deathly afraid of rodents in all forms.
8. What are your top 3 positive traits that you feel define you? Why?
I have a good sense of humor, more often then not when faced with the bad I can find something to laugh about reguarding the situtation. My thinking being, better to laugh then cry, especially when there is nothing you can do to change it.
I like to thing I am a creative person and have a very vivid imagination. My mind is always spinning with ideas, now whether they get implemented is another story entirely.
I'm fairly intellegent. Not a genius by anymeans, but I can usually reason through most things, I pick up on new skills and activities fairly quickly and without a lot of explaination. A talent that has helped me BS my way out of serveral sticky situations and college papers. I was always one of the top people to copy off of in high school, too, but I think that was more that I didn't care if people cheated off me. I was brains of the "what did you get? Here is what I got" operation.
9. What are 3 negative traits that you feel hinder you?
I can be pretty scatterbrained at times. I tend to get overwhelmed and in over my head with things, then drop the ball. I always have too many projects going on and when it becomes too much I just retreat and hide from life, hopeing it all just goes away for a while.
I'm too laidback when I should stand up for myself more. I have a real hard time saying no, because I don't want someone to be mad at me. I call this my "Remus Complex". I like to be liked and hate being in the middle of a confrontation.
I'm not always the most sensitive of people and sometimes I can be down right mean to someone for no reason other then I am in a bad mood, want to be left alone or just don't like something about the person I'm snickering at. When someone falls, first thing I do is laugh instead of seeing if they are ok, for example.
10. Please tell us why you should or should not be placed in each of the four houses.
Hufflepuff = I'm lazy pure and simple. Why work hard when you can work smart I say. But I am pretty loyal to my friends, and I will defend them to others even if they are in the wrong.
Gryffindor = I'm not very brave at all, I'm scared of mice for pete's sake. I tend to jump before looking a lot of the time, then find myself in a mess of trouble like a certain messy haired boy and his friends.
Ravenclaw = I hated school, and never did homework if I could help it, so would have probably been tared and feathered in the common room first day of term. I do love to read though, even if it's more a form of entertainment then a learning aspect. I can very easily get lost in a book for hours or even days and have ever since I learned to read.
Slytherin = I lack the ambitious drive of a true Snake. I'm too busy dreaming and waiting for things to just happen for me to think about actually putting effort into making them happen. I have a pretty quick wit and can be cunning when I need to and I am pretty good at being sneaky too.
11. Which of the four houses do you feel you are least suited for? Why?
Hufflepuff, they are too busy working for me. And I'm not really nice enough to fit in I think. I would be spending all my time making fun of them instead of being one of them, as I sat on the common room couch like a slob stuffing my face with potato chips.
12. If you could place one memory in a pensieve, what would it be? Why?
Since the idea of a pensieve is to remove a memory, I would rid myself of the day my father died. I carry a lot of issues over that day and those images are never too far from my mind. It was without a doubt the worse time of my life and I would relish a day without the guilt, anger, resentment and pain just thinking about it causes.
13. Many say our choices are what make us unique. How easily do you make choices? Do you often regret those choices later?
I go one of two ways when making decisions, either I over think something or don't think at all, just react. I've made some bad ones both ways, with my schooling, jobs, relationships... I usually make more bad then good actually. Some of them yes I do regret, I think that's only normal. But most of the smaller things I just try and shrug off, there is nothing you can do to fix it once done - you can't go back in time after all, so best you can do is try to learn from the mistakes and move on.
14. Which of the four Hogwarts Founders (Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff) which would you be most interested to meet and why?
Interesting question. I'm honestly not sure which I would like to meet up with. Salazar would be interesting, I can see him as a one with a dry wit and biting tongue so he might be fun to take a stoll down Diagon Alley and people watch with. Godric would most likely get my dander up, I can see him as the arrogant Knight sort, loud, crude and "little ladying" all over the place. I know less about the witches so more then likely I would pick one of them. Rowena perhaps as I get the feeling Helga was one of those giggling, everything is all sunshine and daisy types. Yes I would choose Rowena just to discover the enigma she presents to me.
15. What do you feel makes Hogwarts so magical?
The sheer history of it. A thousand years of people have left their mark in every stone, all the events in time that it has withstood its just boggling to thing about. You asked before about which founder I want to meet? I think instead of a founder I would rather just hear the tales within the walls of that castle.
16. The Second war between Light and Dark is taking place; who do you think will win the final battle? Why do you feel this way?
The light of course will win. Or rather that's what I hope will happen. In the end good always prevails over evil. Too we have seen Voldemort is scared of Harry, of that prophesy. That will be his undoing, I believe. When he and Harry do face off again, Voldemort will have that underlaying fear to trip him up where as I see Harry being of the mindset of not carring what happens to him, so long as Voldemort is finished. When you have nothing to lose, you free yourself in a way - your mind is clear just to be and react. Where as Voldemort has everything to lose and that could cause him to pause in a fatal moment.
17. What is your favorite spell in the Potter Universe? Why?
And and all of the housekeeping spells. I hate to clean with a passion and anything that makes it effortless, minus the swish and flick of a wand has my vote.
18. If you were given the oppertunity to own and run one shop in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, what would it be? Why?
Flourish & Blotts, the bookstore. Just the thought of getting to hang around in a bookstore all day and get paid for it just has me drooling. I normally hate to shop, but I can hit a bookstore and not suface for hours on end.
19. From reading the first book, we know Harry was almost placed in Slytherin. If you were the Sorting Hat which of the four houses would you have placed him?
Gryfindor without doubt. Yes he has qualilities of the others, I think everyone does, but he should be the posterboy for Gryfindor. Brave, self-sacrficing, impetuious... you name it Harry has it in spades.
20. There are many wonderful sorting communities on Livejournal; Why would you like to be a part of Hogwarts Home? Have you read and understood all the rules?
As I said before, Hogwarts Home is just starting out, so I think it would a good way for me to learn more about how a sorting community works without feeling lost as everyone else is working in full steam. Yes I have read all the rules and it all seems pretty straight forward.
21. How did you hear about Hogwarts Home? If it was a member please give their name so they can earn points.
I found this in a post by childofares on a fanfic LJ.
22. Would you like to tell us anything else about yourself?
Well I'm not too sure what else to put. Too if I start yapping I might never stop. :D
I will say I no one else from my RL is very interested in the things I am, like HP or any fantasy/sci-fi fandoms, so for me it's just a treat to be able to discuss ideas and happenings without getting a bored eyeroll in return. Oh and it's my birthday in a few days... hey for getting even older.