Amid late nights, assignments, assessments, incessant marching, saluting, and ironing, I've been unable to shake a dramatic realisation which has steadily crept upon me.
Somehow, completely unintentionally, I've actually achieved my childhood dream of attending Hogwarts. Here's why:
Lee Shield v House Cup
At RMC we live in companies, not unlike Hogwarts houses. Each company has about 100 people to it and each have their own colour, mascot and war cry. The Lee Shield is an event between companies where, based off sporting events and academics, points are awarded and the company which finishes the session with the most points are awarded the title of 'Sovereigns Company'. This means a whole manner of things. Sovs get to march onto parade first, eat meals first, wear a red lanyard instead of the funky 'biscuit' coloured one. Most importantly they get bragging rights.
The fight to be sovereigns is a bloody one and here are the contenders.
Slytherin: Kokoda. Kokoda wear the colour green and their mascot is a gross slobbering bulldog. They have the reputation for being the party company, full of loud, consistently crazy people. They're dangerous, impressive, and ambitious. They went from LAST in Sovs order to Sovereigns Company in a single session and daringly stole the bell from Drill Wing last year, also putting a 'Dogs for Sovs' poster in the Drill Wing window along with a stuffed dog on the roof. You can't turn your back on a Kokoda.
Griffindor: Long Tan. And that's NOT just because this is my company either although, what can I say? I'm a little biased. Our colour is yellow and our mascot is a tiger. Long Tan is full of brave, sexy, competitive, well rounded people who pretty much want to win the Lee Shield more than anyone else. We get on well with all the other companies, except Alamein. But...that's nothing special because everyone hates Alamein. We have an alliance with Kokoda called the Long Kok alliance and yet, despite that, we still probably want to beat them more than anyone else in the Lee Shield.
Ravenclaw: Kapyong. Their colour is black and their mascot is a rat. They're intelligent, I'll give them that. The last two BSMs (head cadet of the college) has been from Kapyong. Not only that but they give up their Saturdays to have guest speakers coming in to educate them. They have a weekly newsletter that discusses world events and how it relates to the Defence force. They train hard, with most of their personal admin periods being consumed with company fitness sessions. They have a deep hated and rivalry with Kokoda, are completely dismissive of Alamein and have a reputation for stealing other company's belongings (flags, memorabilia, what have you) and hoarding them in their little rat den...er... I mean, common room.
HufflePuff: Alamein. Last in Sovs order this year they are unaffectionately known as 'Anti sovs'. I don't know exactly why they've earned everyone's ire but...somehow they have.
Known as Failamein, Lameamein and Alalosers. Their mascot is some wrinkly old man. They mostly just walk around in their maroon shirts looking lost.
There's another company called Galipoli, but honestly? They're an enigma. They keept to themselves and they don't really have ties or alliances with anyone else. All I know about them is that they have big bedrooms.
The Room of requirement:
Duntroon equivalent: The Room within a Room.
Read about it here
They say it wasn't built to have a place where they could secretly drink booze or bring girlfriends...but it totally was. An entire room dug beneath the bed of a cadet into the very foundations of the building, kept a secret for a long time. I've been down there. It's creepy, a little dungeon-y, a little seedy...but if you needed somewhere secret and discreet to hide, ohhh, let's say, Dumbledores army, I'm sure this room could cram them all in here if it had to.
The Grand Staircase:
Duntroon equivalent: The stairs that leads to nowhere.
The only difference between the two is that with the Grand Staircase you're never sure if they'll lead you to nowhere. At Duntroon at least you know there's nothing there.
Superstitiously avoided by all Cadets.
The Grand Hall:
Duntroon equivalent: The Mess
Think high roof, tall windows, massive oak wooden beams,. It's beautiful.
Peeves:
Duntroon equivalent: Staff Cadet Casey
Legend has it that years ago, Staff Cadet Casey was SKYLARKING and locked in a broom cupboard. He was left there over Christmas leave and when they came back all they found was a skeleton and scratch marks on the inside of the cupboard.
Now he haunts the corridors of RMC. His skeleton hangs in the Mess and Cadets are obliged to excuse themselves to him whenever they sit down at a table to eat.
So there you have it. Duntroon practically IS Hogwarts.
