Ask anyone how to enter the Ravenclaw dormitories, and they’ll tell you that the eagle-shaped knocker asks you a riddle, a new one each time, and only giving it the correct answer grants you entry. These unique riddles are a permanent feature of every issue of our magazine.

This month, I, Raven Greengrass, a Ravenclaw journalist for Hogwarts Monthly Magazine, have chosen to bring you a past riddle asked by the door-knocker at the entrance to my common room.

So, without further ado, here's the fun and entertaining part of our magazine, the Ravenclaw Common Room Door-Knocker Riddles: -

"If you suffer from loss of memory,

This potion will only cause further injury.

May often be used by a prankster,

One of its ingredients is Lethe River water.

Store it somewhere dark and cool.

If you drink it on an important day, you'll be a fool.

Discovered in the 16th century,

Its history is shrouded in mystery,

As on herself, its Spanish maker tested,

Only to forget the process in which she was so highly invested."

What is it? Owl the answer to Compiler and Publisher Hiya Debnath, or simply drop it in "The Hogwarts Monthly Magazine Office" to receive five Knuts, a special mention in the next issue of our magazine, and a free advertising opportunity in the pages of our magazine as rewards.

Now, as it’s Christmas, I bring you an extra riddle as a holiday surprise! (Though do note that it’s not holiday-themed.)

"Guardians of wand wood,

Humanoid, though small,

Like wood-lice and fairy eggs for food,

Though undoubtedly fairy eggs best of all,

Dangerous creatures,

Guard your eyes,

Loyal to a single home tree,

Throughout their lives."

An intriguing riddle, though it might be a bit of a challenge if you haven't started taking electives. The first and second-to-last lines provide the biggest clues. Like the main riddle, you can drop the answer in "The Hogwarts Monthly Magazine Office" or owl it to Hiya Debnath, Compiler and Publisher, to receive five Knuts, a free advertising opportunity in the pages of our magazine, and a special mention in the next issue of our magazine.

Now, the answer to last month's riddle was "Transfiguration".

"Think in terms of atoms and molecules.

Of course, you will need your wand.

Precision and accuracy are its hallmarks.

Your attention and interest, this branch of magic will demand.

Visualization and willpower will carry you far.

Taking objects from one form to another,

Scattering particles or bringing them together

Five exceptions will always defy you, as decided by nature.

Living to apparently non-living, and non-living to apparently living,

Those slippers and that goblet were once moving.

Difficult to excel in, hard to master,

Recall the four Marauders if you still don't have an answer."

Explanation - Transfiguration is a precise branch of magic that works at the very basic level of atoms and molecules. You need your wand to cast Transfiguration spells, unless you are very good at wandless magic. Transfiguration relies on precise wand movements and accurate visualization of the required effect. It is a very interesting branch of magic but requires a lot of attention and practice to excel in. Visualization and willpower are very important components in Transfiguration spells. Transformation is a branch of Transfiguration that deals with altering the form of an object, that is, changing it from one form to another, for example, Smoke to Dagger or Matchstick to Needle. Vanishment is a branch of Transfiguration that works by scattering the particles of the object into its surroundings. Conjuration is a branch of Transfiguration that works by bringing together molecules from the environment to form the object desired. The Five Principal Exceptions to Gamp’s Law tell us what we are unable to do within the science of transfiguration, particularly conjuration. These five exceptions fall under the laws of magic (the natural laws of the universe that physically prevent us from being able to do certain things). Transformation itself is further broken down into three sub-branches: trans-species transformation, switching, and human transfiguration, not including a fourth sub-branch called general transformation. Under general transformation, there are four general categories that are inanimate to inanimate; inanimate to animate; animate to inanimate, e.g., mice to goblets and rabbits to slippers; and animate to animate transformation. Transfiguration is a branch of magic that is very difficult to excel at and hard to master. The four Marauders were Animagi. Animagi is a completely voluntary and learned skill and a specific type of human Transfiguration.

The above facts have been directly lifted from the first-year Transfiguration lessons. Rush to Professor Mitchell's class to learn more.

Here are the people who got it right last month!

Evony Senoj, 2nd-year Slytherin witch, Charms, Transfiguration, and Flying Professor Assistant at Hogwarts.

She bagged a prize of five Knuts, a free advertising opportunity in the pages of our magazine, and a special mention of her name in this issue of the magazine. Evony, here's a standing ovation for you from the Hogwarts Monthly Magazine Editorial and Publishing Team. Thank you for being our most enthusiastic reader.

- Raven Greengrass, Journalist, Proof-reader (temporarily volunteering proof-reader for this month), Hogwarts Monthly Magazine.