Inside the Hogwarts Castle live students with widely varying personalities and an array of interesting traits and coping mechanisms. People from all over the world come together within these cosy walls to celebrate the very essence of magic. Hogwarts, for its part, welcomes every student with an open heart. The enchanted hat of Godric Gryffindor, which we better know as the Sorting Hat, makes an initial judgement on one's personality whenever they walk through the doors of the Entrance Hall and find themselves greeted with the fun Sorting Ceremony. The famous Sorting Hat, for centuries, has been placing everyone that puts it on their head into one of the following four houses:

Hufflepuff - for the badgers who are tolerant, honourable, dedicated, and warm-hearted. 

Slytherin - where ambitious, devious, and cunning snakes belong.

Gryffindor - for the lions who live for the principles of chivalry, courageousness, and bravery.

Ravenclaw - the one we cannot miss out, because herein the eagles who are curious, wise, and always seeking to learn more find refuge.

These four houses embody the personalities of the four wise founders - Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, and Rowena Ravenclaw. 

If you would like your house to make a name for itself by winning some shiny medals for your house, go ahead and earn some house points. The time has come to make your house proud yet again. At the moment, the only way to bag house points is by completing assignments, so study hard. Every 10 marks you get is 1 house point, meaning if you obtain full marks (100%) on an assignment, then you will be awarded 10 house points. To perform well in your assignments, obviously you will have to pay attention to the lessons.

Would you like to show off your house points, and tell everyone how hard you work? If so, join the "House Point Competition Group" and enter the monthly "House Point Competition" hosted by Professor Robert Plumb, who is also the Astronomy Professor at Hogwarts. Win bronze, silver and gold medals; you’re able to join any day of the month, but be sure not to join too late because only the house points that you earn after you join will be counted. To join, you must have at least 30 house points in your repertoire.

Where can you find it? You may find it in the "Groups & Clubs" section, if you search for the "House Point Competition Group". If you want a helping hand, I’ve got a portkey ready for you:

https://www.hogwartsishere.com/groups/13729/

Now, it’s time to congratulate the winners this month! The first position was taken by Martha Desurra, a 2nd year witch of Ravenclaw House, who earned 205 house points. The second position was snatched by Evony Senoj, a 2nd year witch of Slytherin House, for earning 146 house points. The third position went to Marina I. Soriano, a 1st year witch of Ravenclaw House, who earned 26 house points. There were 3 entrants this month, out of whom all 3 were qualified by collecting more than the bare minimum of 30 house points.

Martha Desurra is also a Charms, Potions, and Flying Professor Assistant at Hogwarts, while Evony Senoj is also a Charms, Transfiguration, and Flying Professor Assistant at Hogwarts.

Professor Plumb has awarded well-deserved medals to all the winners. Let's put our hands together and applaud them hard. Congratulations to the winners!

You may be the next in line. Gear up and head to class.

- Kyra, Journalist, Hogwarts Monthly Magazine.