Heads of Houses Retrospective: The Class of 1998
In light of the recent 2023 Hogwarts commencement, many of us were reminded of the past generations of students. While several stand out, such as the 1978 graduates, none compare to the class of ’98, some of whom played instrumental roles in the downfall of Lord Voldemort. With that being said, we have spoken to the then Heads of Houses to receive an inside look at their teenage years.
In general, how did the class behave?
McGonagall: Well, they were troublemakers, that’s for sure.
Flitwick: Yes, I do suppose they caused a bit of unrest, especially in combination with Peves’ erratic behavior.
Sprout: I don’t think there has ever been a class with as many out-of-bed infringements as them.
McGonagall: Oh, especially the Gryffindors. Potter, Weasley, and Granger were out at least once a week it seemed. They thought they were sneaky with that invisibility cloak, but Dumbledore always knew when they left the tower.
Sprout: The Hufflepuffs were caught often as well, though they usually just went down to the kitchens. I guess the house-elves didn’t mind the company.
Why do you think they were so rebellious?
Flitwick: Not to pin the blame on anyone, but I think Mr. Potter’s presence had a large impact on the school.
McGonagall: His history as well as all that happened to him while at Hogwarts only served to create an atmosphere of mystery and wonder… All of a sudden, everyone thought they were detectives.
Sprout: Yeah, and his celebrity status caused much drama. Remember when Rita Skeeter’s article claimed he and Ms. Granger were dating? Oh, the whole school went crazy.
Flitwick: I remember hearing about that from one of my classes. Again though, no blame on Harry; he didn’t purposefully do anything.
Speaking of Harry, what was it like having him at school?
Sprout: We knew from the beginning that we were going to have to be careful.
McGonagall: We wanted to make sure he was treated like every other student, though of course that was difficult considering his circumstances.
Flitwick: I remember speaking with Professor Binns about his unit on the First Wizarding War. He mentioned that it was difficult to cover the topic when Harry was in school because he felt wrong in speaking about the events that led to his parents’ death.
With many of the students’ parents having taken part in the First Wizarding War, were there any problems between those whose families fought for the Dark Lord and those who did not?
McGonagall: Of course. Definitely between the Gryffindors and Slytherins.
Flitwick: I think it was really important for all of us teachers to respect each student regardless of which side their parents’ had supported, though it did become difficult from time to time.
McGonagall: Certainly if they were fed ideological lies. As a half-blood, when students would discuss blood status superiority, I always struggled not to give them my two cents.
Sprout: I guess there was a large group of Voldemort supporters in Hogwarts at the time. It really was not my place to say anything, but I made certain to keep an eye on them.
Did you share any positive memories with the class?
Sprout: When we repotted Mandrakes. Oh, it was hilarious seeing their reactions to the cries. Poor Longbottom did pass out, though. Ha… Who would have thought he would later become the Hogwarts Herbology professor?
Flitwick: When I got knocked over by a cushion while the class practiced the Summoning Charm. The fall did happen to leave a bruise, but the laughter it got really did bring a smile to my face.
McGonagall: When we broke our seven-year losing streak and won the Quidditch Cup.
Any parting remarks to the class of ’98?
McGonagall: Stay out of trouble.
Flitwick: Thank you for your amazing impact on the Wizarding community.
Sprout: We went through a lot together and I will never forget that.
There you are folks, the Hogwarts class of 1998 scoop. Did anything surprise you? Let us know in the comments.