“The Hogwarts Hearsay”: The Top Back-to-School Items You Forget About Needing Until a Month Into Classes

Hello, fellow witches and wizards. I, Sherri O’Malley, am ecstatic to welcome you back to the third volume of the Hogwarts Hearsay – a multi-installment school newspaper that keeps everyone up to date on the happenings at Hogwarts. While we have all been getting back into the groove of the academic year, I noticed quite a few of us, myself included, have been putting in order forms via owls. Now, my mother can attest to the fact that we took a trip to Diagon Alley this summer to pick up some school supplies, but there always appear to be a few things that are forgotten. Therefore, I have decided to concoct a list of the top items you forget about needing until a month into classes. Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder to us for next year, so we will not be in this predicament again!
 

Ink, Parchments, and Quills

Though this is technically a group of supplies rather than a singular object, I felt as though they go together nicely. I mean, who has not been in a predicament where their ink bottle is dwindling, their pieces of parchment are scarce, and their quills are altogether missing? The worst is when Professor Binns gets on a tangent about the Goblin Rebellion of 1612 and you have no way to take notes. 
 

New Robes

I always think my robes from the term prior are going to fit me, but of course, they are too small. While it takes some time to get sized for a new pair at Madam Malkin’s, I would advise to just suck it up and do it. I hate the high water robes look, and I am sure you all do as well. 
 

Potions Ingredients

This is another thing that gets me. Several times I have failed to look inside of my potions kit until my first class down in the dungeons. While no one ever wants to think about school while on holiday, it is best to just check and see what could use a little restocking. One time, I had to brew the Alihotsy Draught when I was completely out of Alihotsy… Just imagine how that went.
 

Protective Gloves

Though no one usually needs a new pair of dragon hide gloves, people do tend to forget them at home every year. Just leave them in your trunk until next term; it is as simple as that. You do not want to show up to Herbology without them.
 

Winter Cloak

While it is easy to lose sight of the fact that the first term of the school year lasts until Christmas, you best not be leaving your winter cloak off of your packing list. It gets cold very quickly around here and our makeshift, bluebell lanterns only provide so much heat. The school matron already has enough to deal with during the winter time, from colds to quidditch accidents, so why don’t we save them from some cases of hypothermia?

Although I am sure there are plenty of other items I have forgotten to add to this list, I feel as though these are the essentials. Let me know of any future article ideas by sending an owl. 

Signing off, 

Sherri O’Malley