'Spooks and Spectres hmm?' Katie_slytherin thought to herself as she read the SOUP Office bulletin board. 'Spooky, scary, haunting....that sounds like me.' Katie_slytherin could certainly work with this theme.
Making her way back to her office, with her black robes billowing behind her, Katie pondered on who she would interview this month. However, a delighted voice from the hallways answered her question. It seemed another innocent SOUP department member was about to be victimized by the totally bad, evil scary Katie Bean.
Hi there friends, it's Katie_slytherin here once again bringing you another edition of 'Chatting With . . . '! Today I have paranormal enthusiast Aria here with me today. We will be delving into the world of the spooky this month and learning about the things lingering beyond life. So buckle your seatbelts, hold onto your butts, and prepare to delve into the twilight zone!
Katie: Hi there, Aria; it's spooktacular to have you here with us; thank you so much for meeting with me today to talk about the chilling world of the paranormal! Let's start off in the entertainment area. There are so many horror movies out there, but one of the most notable collections in the horror franchise is the Conjuring Series. What makes this particular series so chilling is its deep roots in real-world history. Many factors of this franchise, such as the characters, stories, and artefacts, have been highly researched and documented. Have you ever seen the Conjuring Series?
Aria: I have seen the whole series multiple times! I'm actually doing a rewatch of them. I love these kinds of movies even though I do jump and get scared. I think these are a bit over the top story-wise, but they're absolutely entertaining.
Katie: I can agree with you on that, I wish it was a little more focussed on the paranormal itself and perhaps a tad more educational in certain elements, but it is an enjoyable series. Now shifting into the real-life world of this topic, how long have you been interested in the paranormal? What spiked your interest in learning about it?
Aria: I don't know how long I've been interested. It has to be at least ten years. I had an experience one summer at my aunt's house. It's a really large house. It was about 4 am, and I was up for some reason. There was no one on my side of the house, and it was only me, my aunt, and my cousin Sarah. I swear I heard two men arguing, like loudly. But there were no men in the house. I went to investigate, and I thought I saw orbs of light and couldn't tell if it was real or my eyes. So I started looking into the paranormal and never stopped.
Katie: Wow, that's scary but also incredible. Well, I suppose my next question is a bit useless now, but I shall ask anyway. Have you ever had any supernatural experiences?
Aria: Aside from the one mentioned above, yes. My most recent big one was about two years ago. A friend of mine and I went to the Old Charleston Jail. I saw orbs of light in places the guide said people saw them. I felt like my body was being pulled in different directions, and I had scratches form on my legs, as well as a handprint on my arm. That jail is definitely haunted.
Katie: Again, wow, that's scary. I'm too scared to visit haunted places like that. I think it's really cool that you're brave enough to do that. Onto our next question, what is your opinion on mediums? Have you ever been to one?
Aria: I'm actually really intrigued by them. I like the idea of it, but I've never met one, so I don't fully know what I believe. I want to because I want to see if they really do have a connection to the paranormal world.
Katie: I haven't been to one myself, but I really want to. I have family who has gone to a few different ones. Some were obviously faux, but some were very accurate and knew information a fake couldn't possibly know. Now, you mentioned to me in the SOUP office that you enjoyed watching shows about this kind of stuff. What is your favourite paranormal show? How accurate do you think they are?
Aria: I absolutely adore Ghost Adventures. I watch it every week and will often put it on in the background. I like to believe in it just because the evidence they receive does correlate with what I've felt before. And they do show episodes where things can be faked, too, to show that their investigations are real.
Katie: Ooo, interesting; I'll have to check it out then! Speaking of accuracy, when delving into the paranormal, how can you tell a reliable source from a faux?
Aria: I feel like you need to do your own research on the topic. Talk to the people, investigate yourself, look back into the history, and see if you can feel anything. Because generally, when a place is haunted, even if you're not super susceptible, you still feel off. If it's a faux, you wouldn't really have a vibe that it's haunted, at least, I don't think.
Katie: It can definitely be tricky, but I agree, sometimes you can just tell. You also mentioned back at the office that you wanted to go investigating yourself; where is your dream destination?
Aria: Oh gosh, there are so many good locations! I would love to visit haunted schools or hospitals. I've heard so many things about them, or perhaps more jails. There are a bunch of really good places in Savannah that I'd love to travel to!
Katie: I hope you get to travel to some amazing places. Perhaps one day, I will find the courage to make my way to one. Once I learn how to protect myself, of course. While I do have many positive aspects associated with the paranormal, I also have nerves about it. Are you afraid of the paranormal?
Aria: Not really. It intrigues me, but that doesn't mean that if I hear a noise or have an experience, I won't be scared in the moment. Because even if you're prepared, you never know what will happen.
Katie: Hmm, maybe you can be my paranormal mentor. Well, if you couldn't tell by now, I am definitely a believer in the paranormal beyond life. What words do you have for those who don't believe?
Aria: Take it one step at a time. If you're interested, go on a ghost tour, like the ones that are just about the history. See what you feel and ask as many questions as possible! Find local ghost hunters and see what their experiences are because you never know what you'll learn!
Katie: Thanks for the advice! Well, that was the last of my questions. Do you have any last words you would like to say to our readers?
Aria: I just really like ghosts, okay?
Katie: Okay!
All right, folks, that wraps up this issue's Chatting With...! Thanks for reading, and thank you, ARIA, for agreeing to chat with me!
Until I reemerge from my cave again, this is goodbye from your favourite socktastically pureblooded Slytherin!
- Katie_slytherin