OoUWP Safety Announcement

[alt_poppy]

The Office of Underage Wizard Protection have asked me to allow them to tell you in more detail about the pamphlets they have provided for your edification. The following notes come from the quill of Prunella Post, Assistant for Educational Outreach and Issues Advocacy:

Children of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hello! I shall be addressing you each day to raise your awareness of the many hazards that threaten your well-being and to alert you to the simple steps all children should take to protect themselves from harm.

We will begin today with basic matters of Safety Awareness because Self-Protection begins with Self-Awareness!

1. Take Stock of Your Surroundings: If you are by a lake, notice the water line so you do not fall in accidentally. If you are in a corridor, make a mental note of all doorways and stairs; ask yourself, 'If something were to happen, what routes would I take to get safely and quickly away?' If you are in a classroom, assemble a mental inventory of items that could be used in an emergency--draperies that could be used to smother a fire, for instance, or stools that could be used to smash the windows should you need to flee the building and be unable to exit via the doorway.
2. Notice WHO Is in Your Vicinity: Are you surrounded by familiar faces? If so, calculate which of them may be counted upon for help should the need arise and which cannot. Are there any strangers nearby? If so, quickly assess what harm they might be capable of doing you.
3. Consider Your Habits: Do you often walk alone to lessons or to meals? Do you sit apart in the library? Do you dash off to the toilets by yourself before a lesson? Do you habitually follow the same routes about the castle at predictable times of the day? Do you leave your timetable lying about where others may view it? Do you reveal information about your habits and private behaviours in your public journal?
4. Reconsider Your Habits: it is always safer to keep one or two friends close about you; it is wise to vary the routes you travel from place to place; it is important to keep personal information private from prying eyes.
5. Evaluate Your Friendships: Have you chosen your friends well? Do they watch out for you? Do they ask after you if you seem out of sorts? Do they insist on going with you whenever you are thinking of wandering off alone? Do you look out for them? Do you notice if a friend behaves oddly? Do you warn your friends to give over risky enterprises and hare-brained schemes?

If you make these five simple Self-Awareness Procedures part of your daily life, you will find that your life improves immeasurably. To learn more about these important basic safety measures, ask Madam Pomfrey or a Prefect for copies of the following pamphlets:

* Look Sharp (Be Aware of Your Surroundings)
* Have a Care, Beware! (How To Know a Dodgy Sort When You See One)
* Friends Keep Friends Safe
* How To Tell When Your Friend Needs Help
* Two Is Safer Than One
* Safe As Houses (Your Housemates Depend on You)

I look forward to sharing more with you about these crucial matters of personal safety. In the meantime, Keep Your Wits About You and Be Safe!

Ms Prunella Post, AEOIA
Office of Underage Wizard Protection

Comments

Order Only

[alt_poppy]

I had a very snippish owl from the Director of this department today, deploring the half-hearted job I'd made of alerting students to the information they'd provided. I was informed that Director Selwyn's office had directed them to direct me to print in MY journal a series of essays this deputy assistant quill sharpener intends write for the edification of 'all those young minds at Hogwarts'.

In MY journal!

Re: Order Only

[alt_sirius]

Director Selwyn's office directed the Director of Underage Wizard Protection to direct you to reprint that codswallop? That's a lot of directing.

Anything more in the papers today, Poppy?

I did Apparate again last night, and took more tea when I got there. Feeling less heroic, but still fairly fit.

Re: Order Only

[alt_poppy]

I presume that Director Selwyn was in no way involved in this chain of directing. It's worse than ridiculous.

As for the papers, I hardly expect your brother has perpetrated any dire crimes in the past day. There really wasn't anything that remarkable at all. Not even any claims of fresh reports about you.

Did you try chewing ginger whilst in transit?

Re: Order Only

[alt_sirius]

No, I don't expect there was anything other than the fact that Mother actually made an appearance outside the house. I was thinking about the two missing girls, though. The Patil boy's body was found mid-week after his murder; by the same timing, we're overdue for them, assuming they met the same nasty end.

And yes, I did chew some, in fact. It ... helped, though I have to say it tingled like mad.

Re: Order Only

[alt_poppy]

Yes, your Mother did make rather a stir with her visit to St Mungo's. The press seem much more interested in covering things like that; there's been no official word at all about the missing girls. Either they made their way home and that wasn't deemed newsworthy, or something terrible's befallen them and the world is turning a blind eye.

I should think it did tingle. Ginger is rather famous for that property, and I gather that some folks find it appealing for just that reason. To each their own.

[alt_pansy]

sounds like it was written just for me.

[alt_pansy]

only they forgot about reminding us not to drink from any bottles labeled "poison."

[alt_poppy]

Oh, never fear, Miss Parkinson. I feel sure that we will read that warning in the days ahead. There is a pamphlet for nearly every danger one could imagine.

You're welcome to stop in and look through them yourself. Of course, you are always welcome to come to me for other reasons, as needed.

[alt_pansy]

I just might. thanks.

[alt_pansy]

and I did find the poison one. Did you know you're supposed to always carry a bezoar in your pocket, just in case? Because you never know when you might get poisoned!

Well, I certainly learned something very valuable. Thank you for letting Sally-Anne and me read through some of them.

We might have to come back later. To learn some more valuable tips about safety. Because safety is important!!

[alt_poppy]

Safety is undoubtedly important, Miss Parkinson, and your visit was a pleasure.

I wouldn't count too heavily on bezoars, however. They are very difficult to come by these days. It would be better altogether to avoid poisonous substances than to find yourself in need of a universal antidote.

[alt_sally_anne]

Are we actually allowed to break windows?

What if we're in Slytherin? We're under the lake, if we broke out our windows it would be awfully damp. (Luckily I think everyone in Slytherin is clever enough not to set the furniture on fire.)

[alt_poppy]

I choose to believe that Ms Post intended window smashing as an example of an action of last resort for a most unlikely imaginary situation. I certainly agree that she was not advocating breaking any windows in Slytherin House. I suspect that she would be very pleased with your ability to evaluate which actions would not be good options in some parts of the castle.

[alt_pansy]

I wouldn't put Crabbe and Goyle out of the running on that one.

[alt_pansy]

we should totally see how many check marks they get on that one list they have about firebugs.

After all, it's for our safety!!

[alt_pansy]

which is important!!

[alt_sally_anne]

Yes!

Actually as far as firebugs I think the one we should be keeping an eye on is Teddy, he got almost three quarters of the check marks. But almost any boy would get at least half. And who DOESN'T like to stare into the fire in the common room sometimes?

[alt_pansy]

But it's staring obsessively. I'd imagine if he was dribbling a little down his front while he did it, or twirling his invisible mustache and giggling a lot, that'd be worth worrying about.