Hermione’s Advice to a First Year

If you are reading this, it probably means that you have gotten your letter for The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and are getting the supplies for your first year there. First of all, congratulations and best of luck for the wonderful years ahead.

Are you nervous about your first day at the school or anxious about how you would adjust to a big school like Hogwarts? Or how will the studies be? It is normal for a young kid to be worried about the first day at school. I, Hermione Granger, a prefect and a sixth-year student at Hogwarts, provide some advice that will help you in this magical journey of yours.

 

Comprehensively read Hogwarts: A History

 

Written by Bathilda Bagshot, this book will help you visualize Hogwarts before you step into it. You can read about the avenues and paths to your classrooms (so you are not late for your first lecture like my friends).

 

When in doubt, go to the library

 

 

The library will be a temple and a guiding lamp for you in Hogwarts. If you have any questions or problems, it will have a solution. Books often harbor the answers we look for outside. Some of the books may talk or some may walk or some have nothing written in them. The Library comprises a wide range of subjects and magic.

 

Swish and Flick

 

 

While learning your first spell in Charms, remember to move your wand in the “swish and flick” movement to levitate the feather in front of you. Take your classes with open eyes, ears, and mind. Study hard and thoroughly in all your classes. Ask your professors for their guidance and do not hesitate to raise your hand if you know the answer to the question asked by your teacher.

 

Your House is your family

 

 

Take it from a Hogwarts student, your Hogwarts house will be like your family in the upcoming seven years. There are four houses in Hogwarts which are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your good actions will earn house points and similarly, your mistakes will lead to the loss of house points. The house with the most points at the end wins The House Cup. You must study and work hard to earn more house points for your house.

 

Do not forget the password

 

The door to Gryffindor’s hole is guarded by The Fat Lady who opens the doors to only those who tell the password. As a Gryffindor, you must remember the password unless you wish to sleep outside the Gryffindor tower like Neville Longbottom. The Slytherin Tower is also guarded by a password that changes every fortnight.

 

Slide under the wings of your teachers

 

Most of the teachers at Hogwarts are quite kind and loving. Your teachers will guide and advise you on every step in your academics. Having a cordial and respectful relationship with your teachers will help you in the long run at Hogwarts

 

Beware of the moving staircases

 

 

The staircases at Hogwarts not only move but sometimes they also change shape or simply vanish in the middle. As a Hogwarts student who has seen many students trip over, I advise you to move carefully over the steps to avoid accidents.

 

Look out for Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris

 

 

The caretaker of Hogwarts, Argus Filch is always eager to punish students even on slight misdemeanors. Having a keen interest in disciplining students, he will always be on your back trying to find your smallest mistake. Even if you evade Filch, you will never run out from the eyes of his beloved scrawny and furry pet, Mrs. Norris.

 

You are on your own in DADA

 

I have had six different Defence Against Dark Arts professors in six years. Due to the curse on the position, no DADA professor has stayed for more than a year at Hogwarts. Your seniors may be as or even more clueless than you in this subject, so I hope you have a competent DADA professor for your first year. If not, there is always the library.

 

Stay away from Peeves the Poltergeist

 

Peeves should be another name in your ‘Not to be Bothered List’. The poltergeist will cause trouble and havoc in your paths which may lead to bigger dustructions or even detentions with Filch.

 

Heads up! Professor Severus Snape is severely strict

 

 

The Slytherin Head and the potions teacher at Hogwarts, Professor Snape is not just textbook strict but highly harsh and rigorous. If you are Gryffindor, he will be extra grim with you.

 

Enjoy and have fun

 

 

You are going to Hogwarts, the school of magic! You will make friends, create memories with them, have laughs and fights with them, and later, reconciliations with them. My biggest advice would be to make mistakes and learn from them. Enjoy your time while learning at Hogwarts.

Hogwarts is extremely proud to gain you as little wizards and witches this year. While walking through the doors of the Great Hall, remember you are here because Hogwarts is your home.