The Hogwarts motto that the more enthusiastic among us are well aware of is "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus", which means "never tickle a sleeping dragon". The Hogwarts Castle is full of magic and dangerous intricacies, and along with its inhabitants, it can rise to the occasion like a dragon if need be. The unity within the community of Hogwarts is one to be scared of; it is as impressive and intimidating as a dragon. 

Within the castle walls, daily life, however, seems to be normal and yet very magical from an outsider's point of view. But on closer look, to the students themselves, every day is a whole new story within a curious realm of magic. Each upcoming minute brings the unexpected and the unknown. Each student is pitched against unique struggles, showered with affection, blessed with little joys, sandwiched between academics and extracurriculars, and faced with formidable opponents on the Quidditch pitch. The days pass by, each with their own varied and unique flavors, as the students write new chapters into their lives.

The shortest month in the Gregorian calendar was as unique as any other for the inhabitants of Hogwarts Castle. The air smelled of love and beauty. Valentine's month was full of gossip, rumors, and little lovey-dovey dates. Flowers blossomed, and the Chinese New Year brought in the taste of spring as the festivities rolled all around the world.

Eleanor Raven brings to you an account of the events at Hogwarts in February:

February at Hogwarts was nothing close to dreary and colorless, but students continued to complete assignments, and, of course, graders carried on marking them. The snow had already melted beneath the ground, and rather quickly, which meant that all the inhabitants of Hogwarts Castle set their journals full of memories from the New Year celebration aside and began to focus on academics. However, longing for love got in the way for most students, as everyone was excited for Valentine's Day and love was in the air. Many a blush was seen on the faces of students and staff alike.

The weather was still not very pleasant, though, and the nights were bitterly cold, full of unwelcoming nightmares. The days were short and dark, but somehow, between the excitement for Valentine's Day and the quest for academic recognition, students still seemed to maintain the delight of their days, completely ignoring the weather outside. The first years tried their best to continue their valiant efforts at quickly getting familiar with Hogwarts Castle, and kept lingering around the passageways and corners, hoping to find hidden rooms and to find out if there really were any magical secrets waiting to be discovered in the castle.

Spells were practiced, and potions were brewed; the dungeons smelt distinctive and full of unusual scents, indicating the use of some of the rarest ingredients available in the Potions cabinet. The magical creatures were also taken care of, and the quirks they displayed amused the students all day. Plants in the greenhouses were subject to the loving attention of enthusiastic students under the guidance of the Herbology Professor. The Astronomy Tower received the usual traffic as well.

Even though the weather nearly spoiled half the month, Quidditch practices and matches still continued, and the games were played perspicaciously as usual. The cheers of the spectators during the matches were so tumultuous that everyone, including the spirits and Hogwarts ghosts, heard them from wherever they were lurking. They undeniably desired a victory for their house. All houses were determined to win the matches and practiced hard; they were not going to let anyone interfere with them.

I didn’t know a month could be so extremely busy and chaotic, but exciting and thrilling at the same time. It’s possible to say that it was the same magical and enthusiastic Hogwarts that it is every month, with a pinch more excitement in the air. Hogwarts was never going to have an ordinary month, and you can be sure of that.

- Eleanor Raven, Journalist, Hogwarts Monthly Magazine.