Menelve, that's pretty much the way I have thought of them, but it makes sense if you think about the Houses being associated with the four classic elements (which probably entered Rowling's mind at some point, though I doubt it was a major development point).

Gryffindor: Fire
Hufflepuff: Earth
Ravenclaw: Air
Slytherin: Water

It would be pretty interesting to see what sort of things one might pick up on in the books with this interpretive strategy.

DiGs, I tend to use Petrificus Totalus because it's consistently the highest-scoring spell I have used in the duels.

Gryffindor: Fire
Hufflepuff: Earth
Ravenclaw: Air
Slytherin: Water

It would be pretty interesting to see what sort of things one might pick up on in the books with this interpretive strategy.

Well you wouldn't find out too much about earth or air because of the book bias .

First off, welcome to the ranks, Kate! (feel free to add me, if you wish!)

Who knew that so many of us were brainy?

I don't know if it's so much "brainy" as a combination of brainy and eccentric.
I'm actually not that surprised about the amount of Nwebbers that are 'Claws.

What spells do you guys use in Wizard Dueling? Do you use the same ones, or do you try out different ones?

Yes.

I guess it's more like...
when I'm practicing, all of them are game
when I'm dueling, I stick to the same few (mainly Petrificus Totalus, because it gives you more points if you win)

.............
As for all this talk about Ravenclaw being "cold" or "less friendly" or "like Slytherin"... what?! I never saw it like that!

.............
Ok, I figure you guys would like to see the statistics.
(and none of these are counting my RL friends that are on pottermore)

Number of Nwebbers per house
Ravenclaw: 7 (including me)
Gryffindor: 3
Hufflepuff: 1
Slytherin: 3

Number of Nwebbers with an ebony wand- 4 (all of which have a unicorn core)

If you want more info, feel free to ask me!

Dueling is really frustrating because everyone just uses the full-body bind because it's the spell with the highest point value. Strangely enough, it's also one of the easiest, which makes no sense. As much as I'd like to try out the jelly legs or "mimble wimble," they just don't have the point clout that "Petrificus Totalus" does. So dueling is super boring.

Did everybody else get an email from Pottermore a few days ago? Apparently CoS is very close to being released!

What's everybody hoping to see (or find out) in CoS?

So glad it's finally coming out. It's been WAY too long of a wait. I've lost interest in the site because of it. One can do SS/PS only so many times... But I guess I can redo it again to 'prepare'. I want to learn more about the houses, and the chamber.

I loved the stuff on Minverva for SS/PS. My favorite by far.
(I'm Slytherin btw )

So, I am not the computer game sort of person...

...but I love Harry Potter and I am going to go get a Pottemore account right now!!!

How did I not hear about this until now? I need to get on NarniaWeb more frequently, apparently.

Just logged into Pottermore for the first time in ages and saw that SLYTHERIN WON THE HOUSE CUP!!!! BWAHahHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Congratulations to all you Slytherins out there. . . Although. . . if Ravenclaw had as many members as you Slytherins. . . we probably would've won.

I'm Slytherin. I've contributed maybe 15 points. But being from the House I get to share in the reward. We get to view the first few chapters of CoS before the other Houses. YES!

EDIT: It's only a 24hr advantage.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA! WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!! *dances*

Apparently my wand is very similar to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's wand. Both are made out of yew and have phoenix feather cores. Mine is 10 and 3/4 inches and resonably supple. Can anyone give me the dimensions for Voldemort's?

Tom Marvolo Riddle: Yew, Phoenix Core, 13 &1/2 inches

Source: http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Tom_Riddle%27s_wand

My guess is that it was probably "Unyielding" or "Brittle."

It's been twenty four hours since my last post, but:

CHAMBER OF SECRETS IS OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first four chapters at least

I loved the info on technology and Malfoy

I loved Gnome Tossing! I died laughing when one of mine fell in the puddle and (apparently) drowned . Overall, the first four chapters of CoS have been more interesting than ALL of book one (save for getting sorted and getting a wand. . . .which will be tops for a long time ).

I also thought that the information on the Malfoy family was intriguing. I speak fluent French, but never put together that Malfoy is similar to Mal Foi (the French for "Bad Faith"). Such an intriguing family!

So amped for new material, for the rest of CoS, and for the rest of the books!