On the pages of our magazine every month, we will be sharing our experience of interviewing two amazing Professors of Hogwarts. This month, we had the glorious opportunity for an astral meeting with Professor Oliver Adler and an admirable conclave with Professor Matthew Aspen.

As the first on our list, we have the intelligent, kind, friendly, and talented Ravenclaw, Professor Oliver Adler, Astronomy Co-Professor at Hogwarts. Astronomy is one of the most spectral core subjects at Hogwarts, and lots of students enjoy this class. We were so excited to interview the Professor.

This interview was conducted by Hiya, Journalist, Editor-in-Chief, Compiler, Publisher, Hogwarts Monthly Magazine.

Hiya - Hello, Professor Adler, Good Morning. I am Hiya, a 2nd year Gryffindor student, and a journalist for Hogwarts Monthly Magazine. I was hoping to interview you on behalf of the Hogwarts Monthly Magazine team for the Hogwarts Monthly Magazine January 2024 New Year's & Pre-Valentine's Special Issue. Is this a good time to talk?

Professor Adler - Good Morning. I would be happy to do it.

Hiya - Thank you so much for your time, Professor. May I start with the thousand Galleons question everybody has been waiting to see answered? What do you love about Astronomy, and why did you pick this subject to teach? What fueled your interest in the subject?

Professor Adler - I would say that I love how Astronomy is connected to all the different subjects, both mundane and magical. There is a lot of Maths and Physics in this subject, as well as Divination and much more. What drew me first to Astronomy was learning about something so huge and expanding my knowledge outside what we experience here on Earth. To answer your question as to why I picked this subject to teach, I would say that I wanted to pass on my passion and keep learning new ways to grow along the way. Being a teacher fuels my interest in this subject, and I love sharing this journey with all the students.

Hiya - Wow. That's interesting. Why did you decide to teach at Hogwarts and not at any other school?

Professor Adler - Before teaching at Hogwarts, I was tutoring kids in Maths and Astronomy as a part-time job, but I felt like I wanted it to be my everyday job. For that reason, I chose to teach at school, and Hogwarts gave me an opportunity to collaborate with other amazing Professors.

Hiya - We, as students of Hogwarts, are very, very happy to have you and your guidance here. What are your expectations from your students? Is there any standard of homework you would like your students to try to achieve?

Professor Adler - First and foremost, I would like for all the students to be eager to learn. If they have trouble with a part of the material, the Astronomy team is always happy to help. I don't expect the assignments to be perfect or the essays to be written without mistakes, but I like to see the effort behind every assignment. When it comes to standards, the only one I have is for all the homework to be done by the student and not copied from outside sources. Any other mistakes can be worked out together, and I am always happy to guide students, either by giving feedback to their assignments or by answering any owls coming my way.

Hiya - Thank you, Professor. Many students are afraid of not performing up to the mark. Are there any pointers you would like to give them?

Professor Adler - The advice I would give is to take time with every lesson. It is not an easy subject, and taking longer or reading the lesson one more time can improve the marks in the end.

Hiya - Thank you so much for the pointers, Professor. How has teaching at Hogwarts been so far? What is your favorite aspect of being an Astronomy teacher at Hogwarts? Are there any challenges associated with being a Hogwarts Professor?

Professor Adler - It is very satisfying work, especially seeing all the essays and quizzes coming in. If I had to choose one thing I like the most about being a Professor, it would be reading all the extra credit assignments. It brings me joy when students want to learn more. There were some challenges along the way, mostly connected with time management, but after working out my schedule, there weren't any big obstacles so far.

Hiya - Would you like to tell us why you think the Sorting Hat may have chosen to put you in Ravenclaw? I have an inkling that that will be an interesting story for the student readers.

Professor Adler - I would say that I am very well suited to Slytherin, since I am a very ambitious person, but the fact that I want to learn every bit of knowledge that interests me was the deciding factor in determining my house. I love doing research on my own and creating something unique, so the Ravenclaw house is the closest one that I feel like I belong to.

Hiya - That sounded amazing, Professor. We wouldn't like to pry into your personal background, but many Hogwarts students would agree that you have a very interesting backstory. Is there any specific incident from your life that fueled you into choosing this profession?

Professor Adler - My passion for Astronomy started in early childhood when my aunt gave me Astronomy books. She showed me constellations when they were visible and told me stories about them. As for teaching, I attended a Muggle university where I learned how to pass on my knowledge, and it was an amazing experience that fuelled my choice to become a teacher.

Hiya -  I find this very, very impactful, and I think that all the students will when they read this interview. Did you ever take the DISC personality profile test? What would you say your DISC personality profile would be? What are your motivations, fears, and emotions when it comes to teaching at Hogwarts?

Professor Adler - I actually did the DISC personality profile test. My profile mostly consists of traits such as being thoughtful and logical in thinking. From that assessment, I am suited for independent, creative work. I think I agree with it very much, but I also enjoy group projects and collaborations. What motivates me the most is definitely the students and the growing community here at HiH. I am proud to be a part of it, and I am grateful to be able to build it together with other Professors.

Hiya - That was so inspiring. Thank you so much again, Professor. Please deliver a general message to all your students.

Professor Adler - The message I would like to give all the students is to have fun and learn about all the wonders of magic with an open mind. The learning process doesn’t have to be boring, find new ways to enjoy gaining knowledge :)

Hiya - We are grateful and honored to have had this opportunity to interview you. I must admit that Astronomy is one of my favorite subjects. Thank you so much, Professor. Have a great day.

Professor Adler - Thank you, and have a good day as well.

Next on our list is the cheerful, dedicated, pleasing, and amusing Gryffindor, Professor Matthew Aspen, Herbology Professor at Hogwarts. Herbology is one of the most practical-oriented core subjects that Hogwarts students love and is also very, very closely associated with Potions. We were absolutely thrilled to interview the Professor.

This interview was conducted by Kyra, Journalist, Hogwarts Monthly Magazine.

Kyra - Hello, Professor Aspen, and Good Morning. I am Kyra, a 1st year Gryffindor student, and a journalist for Hogwarts Monthly Magazine. I was hoping to interview you on behalf of the Hogwarts Monthly Magazine team for the Hogwarts Monthly Magazine January 2024 New Year's & Pre-Valentine's Special Issue. Is this a good time to talk?

Professor Aspen - Good afternoon, Kyra.

I'm available now. I'll answer as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Professor Aspen.

Kyra - Thank you so much for your time, Professor. May I start with the thousand Galleons question everybody has been waiting to see answered? What do you love about Herbology, and why did you pick this subject to teach? What fuelled your interest in the subject?

Professor Aspen - Hello Kyra. What I love about Herbology the most is the wide array of plants that exist and how they can be used to help the wizarding world. It is for sure that when you are suffering from any ailment, there is a plant that can help. Herbology is often an underestimated subject, but people often forget how useful it is, especially to other magical areas such as Potions.

I picked Herbology because I love being in touch with nature. Plants are great company and they help build patience and accuracy. After all, we don't want to make a Gunpowder Gloriosa explode or let a Bouncing Bulb rampant around the greenhouses. Plants demand careful care and planning, skills that are incredibly useful for any witch or wizard.

As a child and teenager, I felt quite lonely. It was hard to make friends and socialize. So, I found comfort in plants. I could always talk to them and they heard. I'm not crazy, of course. But thanks to them, I met wonderful people who were also having the same problem as me and resorted to plants to make the feeling become less bad. So, that's what fuelled my interest in the subject.

Kyra - That's so interesting, Professor. Why did you decide to teach at Hogwarts and not any other school?

Professor Aspen - I chose Hogwarts because it was my home as a young wizard. I marvelled at its walls, secret places, and, of course, its greenhouses. I think the castle is filled with magic everywhere, so that's why I decided to teach in here. I was offered a position in Castelobruxo, given my herbological expertise, but decided to stay at Hogwarts because I couldn't stand leaving my students.

Kyra - That's amazing, Professor. We, as students of Hogwarts, are really very happy to have you and your guidance here. What are your expectations from your students? Is there any standard of homework you would like your students to try to achieve?

Professor Aspen - I always expect the best from my students. I always foster creativity, fair work, and honesty. If a student makes a mistake but learns from it, then my work is done. In terms of homework, I don't expect much as long as the piece the student puts forward is his/her own and shows the effort it demands depending on the grade he/she is attending to.

Kyra - Thank you, Professor. Many students are afraid of not performing up to the mark. Are there any pointers you would like to give them?

Professor Aspen - As a tip, it is paramount to read rubrics carefully and always check that you covered all the points in your work before submitting it. We receive hundreds of assignments that are incomplete or show no effort, and it makes us sad to give low marks, but it is something we must do if the work doesn't come up with our expectations. And, of course, ask any questions you may have before submitting your work. It's better to wait a few days for an answer or guidance than get a low mark and don't have the chance to resubmit your assignment.

Kyra - Thank you so much for the pointers, Professor. How has teaching at Hogwarts been so far? What is your favourite aspect of being a Herbology teacher at Hogwarts? Are there any challenges associated with being a Hogwarts Professor?

Professor Aspen - I really enjoy teaching here. Being in contact with students from all over the world makes me feel really happy. Being able to transmit a bit of my knowledge to them is an amazing experience, let alone see how they all grow along the way, he-he. There are several challenges that Professors face. It's important to be there for students when they need to (sometimes at off hours), explain concepts in different ways so all learners access the knowledge fairly, grade assignments to collaborate with PAs, check that all lessons are neat and tidy, plan the lessons, and many more. Our work is really demanding.

Kyra - That sounds really, really gruelling and interesting, Professor. Would you like to tell us why you think the Sorting Hat may have chosen to put you in Gryffindor? I have an inkling that that will be an interesting story for the student readers.

Professor Aspen - I think the Sorting Hat sent me to Gryffindor because I'm a very brave person and love helping other people in need. It's also true that I might be a little reckless sometimes, doing things without thinking on them too much, but I have learned to cope with that along the years.

Kyra - That sounded great, Professor. We wouldn't like to pry into your personal background, but many Hogwarts students would agree that you have a most interesting backstory. Is there any specific incident from your life that fuelled you into choosing this profession?

Professor Aspen - I've already made a comment about this, but when I was young, I was usually left alone and behind. It was hard for me to keep in contact with people, or to initiate a conversation, so plants helped me with that. It's funny because some of them even answered to my words with some movement or sound. However, there hasn't been any specific incident apart from that situation that fuelled my interest in the profession. Simply because I wanted to expand the joy of plants to the world, and the best way to do it was to teach at Hogwarts.

Kyra -  I find this very impactful, and think all students will when they read this interview. Did you ever take the DISC personality profile test? What would you say your DISC personality profile would be? What are your motivations, fears, and emotions, when it comes to teaching at Hogwarts?

Professor Aspen - Regarding the DISC personality test, I'm in between the compliant and steady sections. I'm a bit reckless as I mentioned, but I'm overly cautious sometimes, but keeping my supportive and sincere side up. My main motivation to be a Professor is to see my students grow and learn what I have to teach. My worst fear is to have a student who has not understood anything of my lessons and, after explaining them in different ways, he/she still doesn't get it. It's like being surrounded by people who don't speak your language. Communication is key, and when this fails, it's terrible! Finally, I feel at ease at Hogwarts. I've been warmly welcomed by my peers, and it's been a wonderful time since then.

Kyra - That was truly inspiring. Thank you so much again, Professor. Please deliver a general message for all your students.

Professor Aspen - My final message to students is, never give up. Keep trying and the reward will be there. You are responsible for your own work, no one else, so do your best and show the best you can be.

Kyra - We are grateful and much obliged to have had this opportunity to interview you. Thank you so much, Professor. Have a very good day.

Dearest Herbology lovers, if you've attended Professor Aspen's classes, you likely know how to book a plot for your plants in the Hogwarts greenhouse. Just in case you don't, here's a portkey to "The Greenhouse" where all herbology enthusiasts meet for groundwork and amazing stories begin: - https://www.hogwartsishere.com/groups/3549/

We had an absolutely exciting time interviewing the two Professors of this month.

- Kyra, Journalist, Hogwarts Monthly Magazine; Hiya Debnath, Journalist, Editor-in-Chief, Compiler, Publisher, Hogwarts Monthly Magazine.