Hogwarts Express--Car 1. Welcome aboard--Car 2. Get to Hogwarts--Car 3. FAQs & Info

starjam25

Car 1. All aboard

Term 27 will be a 5-week term themed around the holidays at Hogwarts.

The term will run from Friday, November 15th (with starting weigh-in beginning that Friday and the full activities beginning on Monday) through Sunday, December 22nd.

First thing to do is be sure you're friends with both Prefects, @bdbchick and @starjam25, then make friends with your fellow Snakes, introduce yourself at our nice warm cozy "Fireplace" and in the Entrance Hall in the castle (that's a nice easy point), hug a Huffle, be wary of the Gryffs (they're not all bad though, and if we work together, great things can happen), don't mess with the Ravens' books or Madame Pince will throw you in detention, and try not to play too many pranks on the first years (after all, part of being a Slytherin is knowing when to stay out of trouble).

Car 2. Here is the link to Hogwarts Castle!! Be sure and join so you get all the rest of the challenge info!

Hogwarts Castle: TBA

Don't forget to join the castle and say you're a Slytherin in the join request!

Newbies: Take your time, look around, the best place to start is the Great Hall and then introduce yourself in the Entrance Hall. It's the first and easiest points you'll make here at Hogwarts. Also, ask for help if you need it. The staff and all your fellow snakes want to see you succeed.

Car 3. Frequently Asked Questions and other good info

Here's some basic FAQs:

What does "UTD" mean?
You may see staff members making posts in challenge threads that read, for example, "Slytherin UTD." UTD stands for Up To Date - it is a way of keeping track of how many students' scores have been inserted into our spreadsheets. It is just to help us, and students do not need to worry about it!

Why put Potions, Quidditch, and DADA in one thread? And why use Google Forms?
Our staff dedicate a lot of their personal time to this challenge. In an attempt to alleviate some of the stress that comes with the job, we have made some changes. It takes a lot of time and energy to tally up points through thread posts, but it is much easier when those posts are combined, or replaced with a Google Form. If you have any problems with Google Forms, or questions/concerns, please do not hesitate to contact a staff member.

*Please understand that for some of us it is easier to count the points up in one sitting once the threads are closed vs updating the spreadsheet everyday or every other day.*

Why are there staff members in our common room?
In order to address concerns about our prefects, houses, and student behavior in general, the head girls, deputy headmistress, and headmistress will be a part of each common room. Be aware, we do not actively read the posts, so please PM a staff member if you have concerns. We are in every house and it is simply a precaution. We will not share your secrets or judge you in any way. The headgirls will also be managing the rosters and adding new students to each Common Room. The deputy headmistress may also be making threads in each Common Room as needed as well.

I'm having issues getting into the castle. What should I do?
Sometimes there is a glitch with MFP where if you try to join via a cell you can't see a "Join" button. Try on a computer. If you are still having issues let us know so we can invite you to the castle group.

Where should I hand in my assignments?
To get credit for all assignments you must post what you did in the correct thread (Classroom A, Hogsmeade Weekend, Room of Requirement, etc) in the castle. This includes answering DADA correct.

When are assignments due?
Assignments are due 11:59 EST every Sunday night.

Oh no! I forgot to post an assignment/Submit quidditch points/ weigh-in! Can I still get credit?
Yes! If you still have a tardy pass you may use that to get credit for your assignments, quidditch points or weigh-in. You must PM either @bdbchick or @starjam25 to get credit WITHIN 48 HOURS of the missed assignment.


Basics about Expulsions:
The following are grounds for expulsion:
● 2 consecutive missed weigh-ins.
● 3 missed weigh-ins overall (i.e. missing weigh-in week 1, 3, and 5).
● 6 missed individual Classroom A challenges (i.e. missing Quidditch weeks 1, 3, and 4, as well as Potions week 3, and DADA weeks 1 & 5).
● Not submitting a starting weight or participating in any activities by Wednesday (11:59 pm ET) of Week 1. So you must do something by that deadline or you will be expelled. Please notify your prefect asap if you need an excused absence during Week 1!

Also NOT participating in Finals will get you auto wait listed for the following term UNLESS EXCUSED BY A PREFECT.

All of these are UNEXCUSED absences, so if you are sick or you will be on vacation and PM a prefect, then it does not count against you as a missed task/weigh-in.

This policy only applies to the following Hogwarts challenges: DADA, Quidditch, Potions, and Weigh-Ins. Any extracurricular house challenges will remain optional, as do inter-house Quidditch matches. This policy may be updated as future challenges are created.

What are the main assignments? When are assignments due?

- Important Note: ET = Eastern Time (I recommend googling "current time ET" when you are wondering about your time compared to ET). Most challenges will run in ET.
- Classroom A [required] runs from Monday through Sunday at 11:59 pm ET each week. Classroom A includes a dietary challenge (Potions), an exercise-related challenge (Quidditch), and Harry Potter trivia (Defense Against the Dark Arts).
-Hospital Wing [required weekly weigh-in] is posted on Friday and runs from Friday through Sunday at 11:59 pm ET each week. You will submit your weigh-in to a typeform each week. If you are concerned about whether your entry was received, please feel free to send me a PM!
-Arithmancy [optional] runs from Monday through Sunday each week. You have until the Monday after each week at 5 pm ET to post for your points. Arithmancy is an optional challenge to stay under your calorie goal for 4 days, 7 days, or under for the week. It can be a huge point earned, so I encourage everyone to try for at least 4 points each week if you can!
-Hogsmeade weekends [optional] will typically run from Friday through Sunday at 11:59 pm ET. These are random weekend challenges and they may not run every weekend.
-Room of Requirement (RoR) [optional] will typically run for 1-2 days and end at 11:59 pm ET. These are random challenges that pop up whenever to encourage students to check out Hogwarts somewhat regularly!
-Quidditch Matches [optional] will run during the week in your time zone - you have until the Monday after each week at 5 pm ET to post for your points. I highly encourage everyone to participate to help Slytherin win the Quidditch Cup!


If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask

Please ask anything that may be bothering you. This thread is for both students and prefects to answer questions posted. @bdbchick and @starjam25 will try to confirm any questions posted for clarification.

We also suggest checking the Entrance Hall or the Great Hall for answers as well. If you don't feel comfortable asking a question or expressing a concern in this thread please PM @bdbchick or @starjam25 and we can answer your concern or answer your question that way.