The Daily Diviner - Issue 14

[The Daily Diviner]

The Countdown to Revelius
Feature
Written by Silquer
Edited by ShaneChi​

Hello, and welcome to another issue of the Daily Diviner! Today, I’m going over the massive hour-and-twenty-minute Youtube video known as: the Revelius Update Q&A! Streamed live on May 23rd, the Q&A was released over a year after the first one they did last April, and many things have changed! Plus, with the recent release of the Revelius trailer about two months ago, people had a lot of questions.

The Q&A covered most of the changes we can expect from Revelius; an updated magic and spell system, a new and improved world map that is completely connected, different ways to travel, a major professions rework, and much more. But what does that mean?

Well, for the spell system, the Q&A revealed that you would no longer receive every spell, and some spells were removed as they were deemed unnecessary or just plain useless to the new update. The concept of a spell tree was also introduced, allowing for more player customization and unique playstyles. Regarding the world map, a severe change was announced to the travel system. Along with a change in the Fire Dust System and Warp Key Bags, pre-Revelius brooms were said to become collectables to make way for new, craftable brooms. All of these changes, from the aforementioned brooms to removed spells, are sure to bring new drive to players as we figure out our own unique playstyles.

One of the more important changes mentioned in the Q&A was the Professions revamp. Herbology, Cooking, and Potions were all detailed to be different from how they are now, naturally in the best way possible! It was also mentioned that the Profession Prefixes would be removed, even if you earned it prior to the update. Many more pre-Revelius systems are being changed in a vast number of ways, too many to mention in this article, so I suggest going to Youtube and watching it for yourself!

With so much changing, it’s no surprise that not every player was entirely happy with the direction some of the updates were going. Players ended up voicing these suggestions, concerns, or questions on multiple media platforms, including the Youtube comment section, the Potterworld website forums, and even the main Potterworld Discord.

Comments ranged from excited support to constructive criticism. Some players were concerned about the new spell tree system and how it will impact dueling and gameplay, and there was measurable disappointment from players concerning the large number of spells being taken out of the game because they were deemed useless. Others were upset at the idea that their old brooms would no longer be usable. Another concern brought up by players was that they would lose their hard-earned Profession Prefixes. After spending hours leveling up my own Potions skill, I can understand why! Despite these varying opinions, plenty of players are still excited for the new updates.

On the positive side, many players were optimistic about the spell trees and the variety it will bring to their playstyle, as well as general excitement for the Professions rework. There is a lot of support both in the Youtube comments and website forums, and reading each one adds to my own excitement knowing that we have such a strong community.

Thankfully, the Game Design team used the Q&A not only to release new, in-depth information and answer a deluge of questions, but also to change parts of the update after receiving all of the player feedback. To address all of the feedback, the team changed a few things they had planned, and posted a feedback response forum that went over the new changes players had requested. They even left comments on Youtube and in the forums, answering questions and pointing players to the feedback response forum.

As for what they changed, the team truly listened to player responses. Instead of losing the aforementioned sixty-six spells because of their lack of use, only eight spells are being removed. Furthermore, because players disliked the idea of their old brooms losing their practicality, the team made it so the brooms are still functional and tradable! The last of the major changes they made was to the Professions Prefix. Now, we can keep the prefixes we earned!

If you still have concerns, questions, or just general feedback, there are many ways to contact the development team! Feel free to submit a ticket on the Potterworld website by going to “Help and Support” and clicking on the “New Support Ticket” forum. There, you can submit a question about the update. If you have any feedback or concerns, the “Feedback and Suggestions” forum is the place to go! Just submit a thread and wait for a reply.

I highly encourage everyone to watch the Q&A and develop your own opinion on the updates. Every team is clearly working hard and tirelessly to make this update the best it can possibly be, so go give some support! A simple thank you in Potterworld Discord general channel or a supportive comment on the Revelius Update posts can go a long way. As for now, with less than a month away from the big day on July 4th, I hope you’ll get excited along with me for the largest Potterworld update yet!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Pride on Potterworld!
Editorial
Written by anderuwu
Edited by MaggieChi​

Hello witches and wizards, and welcome to the 1st editorial article of the 14th edition of the Daily Diviner! As many know, June is Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community. It is a wonderful opportunity for them to express who they are. Pride Month is a significant time of the year for many members of the Potterworld community, so it is only understandable that there is an event to celebrate the pride of the LGBTQ+ community. I am personally so excited to represent this group of people across the server!

The gameplay of the event ranges from scavenger hunts to brewing as we follow along with the story of Taylor’s date! The quests require you to pillage across the castle to supply the materials for Taylor’s date so it goes according to plan. In the Kitchens, you’ll find yourself searching for different ingredients to carefully craft the delicious meal for the date. Next, in the Greenhouses, you’ll be searching for different plants to create a bouquet of flowers. Lastly, in the Laundry Room, you are given a riddle that leads to the location of a picnic blanket for Taylor and her significant other. Once you have collected all of these items, you are given a Pride Scarf for your efforts!

In the Transfiguration Courtyard, you can buy multiple items for Pride Month including banners, food, beverages, and collectables. The event has very unique types of gameplay that get you to travel all across the castle to make Taylor’s date succeed.

As a player, the Pride Event stands out to me as a unique and fun experience! In my opinion, the low-stakes storyline represents the LGBTQ+ community in a casual and relatable way. Searching across the unique sceneries of Hogsworth gave me and possibly others lots of time to bond with friends. With certain items, I found myself looking through one specific location while a friend looked through another to find small items in a vast castle. During multiple other events, a new potions system was teased and it was great for that to be revisited during the Pride Event when crafting the bouquet of flowers. I found myself rushing through the Greenhouses as the clock ticked down, which was both exhilarating as well as painstaking. The Pride Event stood out to me as a small event with a variety of gameplay elements to wallow in joy over with friends.

Now it’s time to see how some of the fellow players of PotterworldMC feel about the newest event! I interviewed Thorlthunder (Kieran_Lestrange) and may2070 (May) and asked them about their thoughts on the Pride Event.

Kieran: “I think one of the reasons why potterworld is such a special server with a close-knit community is because of its inclusivity. The pride event brings joy to the server while encouraging others to be themselves and support other players in the PW community and their lifestyle choices. The event allows all players to get involved with the pride festival with the fun quests and colourful items/rewards that can be purchased. The amazingly built statue with a pride flag hung around is a big sign of the servers dedication and continued support the the LGBT+ community.”

May: "I honestly think the event is really cute and the staff team did a great job with it. I loved the builds, especially the magnificent statue the builders built. The banners are lovely and well made as well and I plan on buying most of them. The quest was also fun too!"

Many thanks to the both of them for sharing their opinions! I’m glad that they both greatly enjoyed the fast-paced, representative nature of the event. Thank you to everyone who dedicated their time into making this event so wonderful. Special thanks to the Build Team that created the beautiful statue! I hope all of you beautiful readers can have a happy Pride Month! This has been Andreu with another edition of the Daily Diviner. Stay safe and have a wonderful day!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Latest in Roleplay
Editorial
Written by Melioraa
Edited by MaggieChi​

Greetings Witches and Wizards and welcome to the second Editorial Article for this edition of the Daily Diviner! As many of you are probably already aware, there have been many recent events that have been affecting the Aurorlocks, Dark Followers, and Phoenixes. Over the last few months, there has been an increased amount of activity from these groups. Everyone waits to see who will make the next move, but for readers new and old, let this article serve as a recap for the most recent developments from every side. In this article, I will be bringing you all the relevant information on the most recent actions from both the Dark Followers and the Phoenixes, official, and non-official! Before we begin, I would like to thank xArabella, NSGaming, RoyaltyAlexander, and Crestilia for their assistance in helping me cover these recent events.

First, in most recent news, the bases of the Phoenixes and the Dark Followers were destroyed in the night by elite Aurorlock squads. Thankfully, no one was badly injured within the attack, but it’s left their many members without a stable base. More information in regards to the attack can be found in the Breaking News Section of the Daily Diviner. Both allegiances are requesting help from you, so if you can help, please do so!

Now, moving on to the Phoenixes. Since the reveal of the Lord of the Phoenixes, Joshua Pendragon, and his right-hand man Andreu a month ago, Phoenixes across the wizarding world have rejoiced and have become more active publicly. Originally, Joshua was taken captive by the Ministry, but inside sources told the Daily Diviner that he was able to escape thanks to his impressive Alchemy skills. I asked Arabella and Alexander, two members of the alliance, for an inside scoop on what’s been happening within the allegiance. This is what they had to say! Arabella and a range of other phoenixes have created a refuge at Arabella’s housing after coming to the conclusion that the base was not safe enough. Both revealed that there was a peace treaty between the Dark Followers and the Phoenixes, which according to my sources still holds true. Alexander expressed his wishes for the two parties to come together and support each other in this time of crisis.

As for the Dark Followers, it’s been quite a ride since the crowning of the Dark Lord Joel Crestello and the reveal of his inner-circle members, Noah Pendragon and Sara Crestello. Since the Dark Lord election, the allegiance has contributed to the break-in and raid of the Aurorlock Manor in Hogsend, and has seen the capture of Noah in the same event. Sara and Joel broke into the ministry to rescue their fellow Dark Follower, which resulted in the imprisonment of the Lord of The Phoenixes. I had the pleasure of asking Sara and Noah for updates within the allegiance. For the Dark Followers, meetings have been occurring to discuss these recent changes and events. There have even been meetings between the Phoenxies and the Dark Followers. In addition, similar to the Phoenixes, the Dark Followers have established their own refuge at Sara’s housing, known better as the Shadow Sanctuary.

In conclusion, both allegiances continue to strengthen their power in the midst of the current chaos. The wizarding world waits in both anticipation and fear as this war before the three powers unfolds. Who will come out of this battle victorious?

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Taking a Look at Melting Floor
Games and Sports
Written by GarrisonTM
Edited by ShaneChi​

Hello readers, and welcome to this issue of the Daily Diviner! In today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the strategies that are used in one of Potterworld’s most popular minigames: Melting Floor! Players are able to test their ability to stay on an ever-falling platform in order to be the last person standing. Later on, we’ll even interview a couple players who are ranked incredibly high on the Melting Floor leaderboard and see what strategies they use! Now, without further ado, let’s get into the article!

To begin, we’ll take a look at a couple well-known strategies that are often used in Melting Floor. One of the popular strategies is for players to jump down on the lower platforms to give them a time advantage, allowing them the chance to slowly remove the layer without worrying about a lot of attention from the others. On the other hand, there are players that prefer to stay closer to the top and work their way down the layers as they fall. Both types of players pay close attention to their competitors in hopes of causing someone to fall, and avoiding falling themselves.

Both types of strategies have their positives and negatives, either allowing their users to win or causing them to lose. By jumping all the way to the bottom at the beginning of the game, you could be setting yourself up for a tricky situation. The players above might not be the quickest to fall which would result in you running out of space and falling yourself. Well, that might not be the case at all! If you stay at the top and attempt to fall as you go, you might fall all the way through if the layers below have been destroyed by those who use the other strategy. However, that’s enough strategy information from me! Let’s see what a couple of the top Melting Floor players think about strategies!

I interviewed Lily (Liyl) and Evux on their current Melting Floor strategies and what they thought would be best for new players! Let’s take a look at their responses!

How often do you play Melting Floor?

L: I play probably around 2-3 games a day.
E: Well, I am pretty consistent with Melting Floor. I play at least three times a day to meet my daily activities, but I would say I likely end up playing it about 15 or so times a day.

What is your favorite strategy to use?

L: I prefer to “camp” on the first floor by single hopping on the blocks.
E: I have heard of people using the drop to the bottom strategy quite a lot so they can get better bombs and knock someone out the second they hit that floor. I generally focus on staying above everyone else, and sort of move my mouse consistently and changing my directions a lot so people can never really tell in which way I'm going to go next. This gives me the advantage in both making it harder for others to hit me with bombs as well as makes me aware of my surroundings and what blocks I should jump on next to be able to make the person I'm versing fall by removing a jump that would be possible. I also notice my pathways when no one else is left on my floor, remember them in my head and look down to try and avoid falling through more than one floor once I have cleared a floor. Same applies vice versa, it helps me to look up once knowing my path if the player is above me to make sure I can remove the blocks they jump on and also so they don't fall in front of me and make me fall. I also never stop running and connect my sprint key to my mouse button and continuously click the button to ensure my sprint doesn't stop, as hitting into the side of the walls while running can cause it to stop, the left control key is simply too far when trying to react as fast as you need to in melting floors.

Would you recommend your strategy to new players who are interested in checking out Melting Floor?

L: Definitely! It’s a pretty simple strategy and it counters aggressive gameplay.
E: Would I recommend my strategies to newer players? Absolutely not. My strategies have come with time and requires time to learn all of them and then connect them together. Trying to focus on all strategies at once would likely overwhelm a new player and make them more likely to hit the ground and lose. I would however recommend my strategies at small steps and once perfected one of the strategies. I would try and interconnect them to another one of the strategies I use and so on. My strategies are not fail proof either, so I would suggest as well as taking feedback from players who play a lot to work on making your own strategies.

Wow, those are some outstanding answers! Thank you to Lily and Evux for taking the time to answer my questions! Hopefully our readers can take a moment and learn from your strategies and experiences!

Personally, Melting Floor is my favorite game that’s offered on Potterworld. If you haven’t yet, hop in a game of Melting Floor and test your ability to stay on those falling platforms. Feel free to let me know how you did! Before we end the article today, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who contributed to this article, whether it be those who I interviewed, the developers who work on the minigame, etc. Thank you for taking the time to read this article, as well as all of my other ones; this is Garrison, signing off for the last time!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Bruiser Strategies to Beat Your Pre-Game Stress Away
Games and Sports
Written by Serpentella
Edited by PotatoEmma​

Hello lovely readers and welcome back to another edition of the Daily Diviner! In today’s article, we’ll be discussing one of Hogsworth’s favorite activities: Quabbleball! Have you noticed yourself falling behind while playing as a Bruiser? Are you interested in the position, but are unsure of where to begin? Don’t fret; the Daily Diviner is here with some amazing strategies to help YOU become a better Bruiser!

To begin, let’s discuss what exactly the Bruiser position is. Together with the Passers, searches and Defenders from their team, Bruisers try to get their team to score the most points. However, unlike the Passers and searchers, Bruisers don’t score goals. Instead, they use their trusty Bruiser’s bat and Bludgeon ball to attempt to knock their opponents off their brooms. Although it is a commonly overlooked position, Bruisers play an important role in the game as a whole. They might not try to score points by throwing the Quabble through one of the opposite team’s hoops, like the Passers, or try to win 30 points by catching the snidget, like the Seeker, but their role is very important. They can do anything from preventing goals to protecting their own players from the other team!

Quabbleball players, including Bruisers, must be aware of the ‘Quabbleball vocabulary’ in order to do their job. One common term used by players is main. This describes which roles a player is best at and what position they play the most. As a Bruiser, you must keep an eye out for players who ‘main’ as different positions and be aware of skilled players.
Another term to know as Bruiser is target. Although this one is slightly self-explanatory, it is important to know how and when to use this term! When someone- commonly a Bruiser- says target, they mean that they will bruise one single player throughout the entire game.
Next, we have the term carry. This is used when a single player- usually a Passer or Seeker- leads in points earned. A player who ‘carries’ is extremely good at their position and can be a threat to the opposing team. Finally, a word for Bruisers to look out for is ground. When a Bruiser ‘grounds’ someone, they keep the player from being able to fly by hitting them with the Bludgeon ball and knocking them off of their brooms.

Now that we’ve gone over our terms, let’s begin with the first strategy: Bruiser versus Passer! When using this strategy, the Bruiser targets one single Passer by following them and hitting them with the Bludgeon ball or knocking them off of their broom when the player gets the ball. Generally, the Bruiser versus Passer tactic is one of the most popular amongst Bruisers, and for a good reason, too! While targeting Passers, it gives their own team more opportunities to get the Quabble and score. Be sure to use this strategy when there is a Passer who seems to be scoring many points for their team!

A second strategy for Bruisers is the Bruiser versus Seeker strategy! This tactic is meant to prevent the opposing Seeker from catching the snidget by trying to distract and confuse them. This can be done by following the Seeker and knocking them off their broom. However, Bruisers must be careful while carrying out this strategy! If your own team has a Seeker, trying to knock the other team’s Seeker off of their broom and throwing Bludgeon balls at them increases the chance of hitting your own team’s Seeker! One would choose this strategy when the opposing team’s Seeker is catching the Snidget more than the Passers are scoring. Now you know what to do when this happens!

The third and final main tactic is the Bruiser versus Bruiser strategy! This is favored by seasoned Bruisers who find themselves against another well-rounded Bruiser. This strategy involves grounding the opposing Bruiser in an attempt to keep them from hitting your own teammates. While grounding the other Bruiser, it is important to pay attention to the entire game. While focusing on the Bruiser, you may fail to notice the other team scoring goals! Although this tactic is the hardest to master, it pays off in the long run!

There are also some lesser-known strategies that play a smaller role in the Bruiser’s position! One strategy in this category involves protecting one or two Passers on your team and preventing the other Passers from stealing the Quabble from them. Another similar scheme entails distracting the Defender of the opposing team. Although you cannot knock them off of their broom, simply flying around them can be enough to allow your Passers to score! Both of these strategies require you, the Bruiser, to be aware of all of the players in the game. Once you know who you’re playing against, you’re ready to make a decision about how you’d like to play.

Now, you may be asking, Do I have to use these strategies? The answer is NO! Your gameplay is entirely up to you! However, learning about different ways Bruisers may play can help you understand the position better and, in the end, helps you become a better Bruiser! Once you know the different tactics, you’ll be able to identify them being used in games by others.
Whether you use Bruiser vs Bruiser, -Seeker, -Passer, or none of these tactics: Quabbleball is all about having fun and enjoying the friendly competition. Naturally, victory feels good, but don’t let your urge to win get in the way of having a good time!

I’d like to thank you for reading this article of the Daily Diviner! I wish you all the best while playing Quabbleball, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Professions Items & When to Use Them!
Lifestyle
Written by Carolllyn
Edited by ShaneChi​

Hello my witch and wizard readers, and welcome to one of my awesome lifestyle articles! Today, we will be discussing the ever-important topic of professions items and when to use them! I have picked out some of my favorite items from Potions, Cooking, and Herbology that I tend to use on the daily. These can be acquired within each profession as one makes their way up the levels. However, one can also simply buy these products off the Vertick Alley Marketplace, with the second option naturally being my preferred method due to self-proclaimed laziness. Keep reading to get in on these uses for professions items!

Radical Concoction: I could never live without this potion item! Why? What makes it so radical? When under the influence of this potion, one’s spells can reach farther distances than usual, increasing the caster’s radius. I absolutely love drinking this before casting a mobility spell. For example, I despise climbing up all those flights of stairs in Hogsworth to get to class. In order to conquer as many floors as I can without using my legs, I would take a sip of my Radical Concoction and be more efficiently and comfortably on my way!

Lulling Lentils: This cooking item is to-die-for! Once consumed, the indulger’s sight is amplified in the dark. Yeah, yeah, I know. The spell, Lumen, is already a thing and probably less of a hassle to use. But, it’s clearly superior to eat food and get night vision effects with Lulling Lentils. Personally, I eat this food when I adventure out into the Wilderness and explore late at night. It can be quite helpful to see in the dark while navigating through the forests and villages.

Cena Flower: There is no way I can see through life to the end without this herbology item! Speaking of seeing through things, this flower does exactly that to it’s user. Once consumed, one disappears completely. And, like the prior item, there’s already a spell for this effect called Disappearus, but I enjoy the aesthetic of a beautiful flower instead of a boring spell. To be honest, I just use this flower to trick my friends! One minute I’m in front of them, holding my Cena Flower, and the next I’ve vanished from plain sight. I sure get a kick out of fun pranks, and this item is a truly perfect edition to what I have up my sleeve.

Alrighty, my readers, that is it for this article! I hope you guys enjoyed and took something away from these valuable suggestions. Will you use any of these profession items featured in this article? Let me know by messaging me in-game, dming me on discord, or sending me a book and quill in-game, as I love hearing back from you guys! This was Carolyn Lestrange reporting for the Daily Diviner.

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Helpful Housings
Lifestyle
Written by Spaghelle
Edited by ShaneChi​

Greetings my dear witches and wizards, and welcome to yet another edition of the lovely Lifestyle column by the Daily Diviner! I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy as we approach the upcoming summer months. We’re back this time with an article that highlights one of the most unique aspects of Potterworld and it’s playerbase; the housing system! First introduced in March 2016, housings were a drastic shift from the old rented-out Mundane Lane homes and Vertick Alley shops in the years prior. However, players quickly grew to enjoy the endless customization that housing plots allowed for, and this feature is still a prominent part of Potterworld today! Over the years, players have found countless ways to use their housing in different ways, including everything from beautiful structures to unofficial classes and roleplay.

To access your own housing, simply run /housing and search through the GUI on your screen. Through this, you can travel to your own plot, your friends’, or even any loaded housing open on the server! If you want to truly make your plot stand out against the others, there are multiple housing sceneries for sale that differ from the default setting. From Hogsworth to swampland, Star Wars to Phoenix tents, it’s easy to find one that compliments yours! Now that you’re fully committed to building up your housing, you’ll need blocks; and the Mine Depot is stocked full of decorations, materials, tools, and more!

In fact, due to the sheer amount of lovely builds that players constructed on their housings, the server hosted a special Housing Awards competition! There were multiple categories, ranging from the best large structure to the most wondrous terraforming. Despite the fact that only a few builds were showcased in the awards, many players on Potterworld build stunning creations every day! You don’t have to be amazing at building to give it a try; every creation is unique!

Aside from building, another majorly popular aspect of Potterworld is the roleplay! After all, roleplay has been a part of both official and unofficial lore for years. Players are able to host roleplay events, classes, and more at their own housings; but the most popular by far are weddings! Ever since the creation of the housing system, player weddings have been a massive part of the community and spark excitement in both friends and family within the server. Whether they’re serious occasions or just all in good fun, housing weddings continue to be a big source of enjoyment for everyone involved! Even though some may criticise the attention that weddings receive, these events bring so much positivity to the community and are a truly unique aspect of Potterworld.

However, sometimes both building endeavors and large roleplay events are too frivolous for a player who doesn’t have the gold to spend on materials. This is the perfect reason to have a shop at your housing! By running /house, you can access a set of commands to customize your housing; one of which, /house shopkeeper, spawns an NPC that will display your shop to everyone who visits your housing. It’s a perfect way to personalize your plot, and to gather some gold in the process!

No matter how you choose to specialize your housing plot, be creative! It’s all about having fun in the process, whether you’re setting up a minigame, planning a close friend’s wedding, or simply placing a home for your shop. I encourage you all to try something new with your housings; it’s truly an amazing experience, so bring along a friend to help you out. Once again, thank you all so much for tuning in to this week’s Lifestyle article! It’s the loyal readers like yourselves that keep the Daily Diviner team thriving each and every edition. Happy summer, everyone!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

As We Go On, We Remember
Original Works
Written by MamaDuckie
Edited by ShaneChi​

Seven years, that was how long Kaitlyn Banks had attended Hogsworth. As she made her way to the train that would take her back home with her fellow Ravens she couldn’t help, but remember all the good times she’d had at school and everything she’d learned. She also remembered all of the not so grand times she had, as well as the times when actually learning something had come at a hefty price either. However, over the last few days Kaitlyn really began thinking things over. The fact that she was heading home as a student of Hogsworth for the last time was rather jarring since she’d grown so used to wishing her friends a good Summer and that she’d see them in September.

As she stepped out the great oak doors at the front of the castle, she looked over to a particular bench where she used to watch people pass by as she chatted about the day's events with friends. On one particular day, she remembered fondly, two younger boys were chased by an older girl in their house who was yelling at them about her bright yellow and orange polkadot hair. That day hadn’t been that long ago, mere months even, since the Griffin girl’s face shouted at them, but she didn’t miss the smirk of entertainment that graced her lips either. Clearly the girl had been torn between being amused and angry at the pair.

Beside her, Kaitlyn’s friends chatted merrily about the upcoming train ride, about their summer plans, but she couldn’t bring herself to join in. Instead, her eyes caught a glimpse of the boathouse in the distance. The very same building that housed the boats they had once tried to ride in, only to capsize one somewhere off shore in their attempt to make it move faster. That had been the one and only time she’d been late to class and, though the Professor had changed the lesson plan to a drying spell due to the puddle that was forming on the floor under their feet, she’d still ended up with a bad cold.

It wasn’t as if everything had been about mischief though. The first time she helped a younger student was about a week into her third year was a very notable memory for Kaitlyn. A first year Griffin was so obviously lost and she kindly offered to walk the girl to her class, receiving both a hug and a teary eyed thank you in return for her effort. She didn’t think she’d ever feel so proud of herself again after that, however, the day she graduated from Hogsworth she was sure she was crying more than her mother was.

She remembered almost everything though. First failing grade - and only one, thankfully! The time she’d accidentally blown up her entire desk in Potions. Her first friend, whom she had actually met in detention after blowing up her desk. Being scared out of her wits by Venomous Vines in Herbology during her fifth year when she accidentally bumped into it causing it to violently attempt to grab her. Hanging out by the school lake under her favorite tree while her older brother Eric would play the violin while he was still a student there. Staying up all night with dorm mates, eating snacks they acquired from the kitchens, as they talked and joked well into the morning one Halloween.

Before she knew it, she stood on the station platform in Hogsend. Her friends were loading their trunks onto the train, but she instead turned to look up at the castle. She wondered where she and her classmates would go from there. Whether or not she’d see some of the seventh years that were making that same trip away from the castle that she was. Would she drift apart from her friends? Was Beth going to end up becoming the famous wizarding artist she dreamed to be? Could George and Abel make it through their Aurorlock training? What about herself? Was there any hope that she could make it in the Ministry as a Magizoologist?

The future was a mystery, but she knew that the memories of the school she called home for the better part of the last seven years and the people within its walls that touched her heart would forever live within her. That was enough for her. Even if they grew apart, even if she never saw some of them again, she knew that, without them, she would not be who she was today, nor would she grow to be who she’s meant to be. Everything would happen exactly as it was supposed to.

“Kaitlyn!” one of her friends called out to her seconds before the train horn sounded. “Hurry up or you’ll miss the train!”

Blushing slightly, the now former Raven turned to her friends who were waving at her to get onboard. “Coming!” she called back, gathering up her trunk and pushing it onto the train with their help. Then, with one last glance at the castle, she grinned and joined her friends on the train for their last trip back to King’s Cross from Hogsworth.

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Sunburn
Original Works
Written by kvmw
Edited by ShaneChi​

If it weren’t for the fact that summer break existed, Annabel would probably have never wanted summer to exist. She was unfortunate enough—at least, by her standards—to live next to the ocean, where crowds of Unmagicals would swarm to the nearby beach to play in the sea and sunbathe. Annabel never understood the appeal of sunbathing: you could get a sunburn, and sunburns were extremely painful.

Not that she’d ever had one—she’d read it in a book, somewhere.

Annabel was reading a book right now. Sitting in a window seat, she had been reading for the past few hours. However, feeling a little tired, Annabel sat her book next to her and took in the sun on her face. She liked the sun—it wasn’t so much summer’s heat as summer’s humidity that bothered her. It made her all sweaty and dirty, and she hated it. In the air-conditioned room of her house, however, the sun was quite nice.

Outside, the sound of children grew nearer and she frowned and opened her eyes. The wizarding community around her was quite small, mostly consisting of a large family by the name of Clermont. They were all half-bloods: their father was a witch, while their mother was an Unmagical-born. They were all a curious bunch and were very noisy and active. If they were coming here, it meant they wanted one thing—her.

Annabel normally would have said no, but she was itching to use magic. Annabel herself was an Unmagical-born, and couldn’t get away with using magic in the house. It was only by chance that a wizarding family lived near her at all.

So when the eldest of the Clermonts, a sixth-year girl by the name of Ella, showed up to her front door, Annabel put a large smile on her face and marched out the door with her.

. . .

She was regretting her decision already.

The Clermonts had decided to go to the beach—not the Unmagical-occupied part, but a place where you could only reach with magic. When they had arrived, she discovered their intention of having a picnic there. Annabel didn’t like picnics. They were messy, full of bugs, and never involved foods she liked.

But all those thoughts were put from her mind as several of the Clermont children and she drew out their wands. A jumble of spells spilled from their mouths as the blankets and foods they had brought with them neatly lay down on the grass—which, thankfully, was dry. In a moment, all the children were sat on the blanket, and Annabel hesitantly joined them.

The night passed better than Annabel would have expected. It didn’t grow dark, but the sun set far enough that she didn’t feel her skin was burning. She had turned to the boy sitting next to her—Felix, who was in her year at school—quite often to ask if her face was red. He usually had laughed her off. “It’s part of summer! Don’t worry about getting a sunburn, it’s okay.”

But after she asked him for the fifth time, he looked at her curiously. “Why are you so scared of getting a sunburn? Sure, it hurts, but you probably won’t get one.”

“Nearly half of Britons got a sunburn last summer,” Annabel sniffed.

Felix rolled his eyes and helped himself to another sandwich. “Yeah, but those are the ones that want a tan. Or just the ones enjoying the sun. Do you not like the sun?”

“It’s too hot,” she said stiffly.

“Yeah, but that’s summer.”

Annabel looked at Felix curiously. “You like summer?”

The boy hummed in agreement.

“Why do you like summer?”

He looked a little startled and thought a little. “Well—everything, really. My favorite fruits turn up in summer, the days get longer, there’s no school, more people are around, and it’s not cold! I get to run around a lot more, and all my siblings are home. Summer’s a time to kick back and relax—though,” he said, throwing a sideways smile at her, “I’ve heard you don’t relax.”

“Did my brother tell you that?”

Felix laughed. “Maybe.” He stood up and pulled her up with him. “Come on, Annabel. I’ll show you what real summer is—fun fact, it’s not reading a book indoors.”

“Hey!” she protested—though, in her heart, there was a thrill that rushed through her as she followed him down to the sea. Whatever real summer was—as Felix put it—she was, for once, curious to find out.

 

[The Daily Diviner]

The Switch Curse
Original Works - Web Exclusive
Written by Melioraa
Edited by AriaChi​

Aiden sat within the hidden room of his family’s estate with a bored expression. Light from the fireplace danced across the room as his two best friends, Jacob and Noah, sat on either side of him. Their attention was on each other as they discussed some recent news since Aiden had zoned out from their conversation. As if the two guys had the power to sense his boredom, they turned to him and spoke.

“Hey, Aiden. Did you hear? The members of the S.P.E.W are doing some sort of protest in a few days.” Noah pointed out. Aiden turned to Noah with an eyebrow raised.
“The S.P.E.W? Why does anyone even bother with those lot at this point? They’re just trying to help a bunch of self-centered elves who want what they can’t have.”
The room fell into silence for a short while before Jacob shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess that’s one way to put it. Not their biggest fan then, huh Aiden?”
With a frown on his face, Aiden turned his head away from his friends and sighed quietly. There was another moment of silence before Aiden spoke.“You can say that.”

At the same time, on the other side of the city sat a girl in a bed made of rags. Her attention was drawn to the sparkling stars outside her window. The soft snores and breaths of her brother, father, and mother could be heard from her left, but she paid no attention to them. The girl, Elisa, enjoyed watching the stars in the sky before she went to sleep. This time was one of the only peaceful moments she had, after all.

During the day she worked for her human owners who pushed her to her limit constantly, and not in a good way. Every night she would wait until she saw a shooting star fly past her window, and upon that star, she would wish a better life for her family. Her eyes watered at that fact. And just then, a star flew by. A symbol of hope. With a smile on her face, Elisa closed her eyes and wished once again, before she laid down and fell asleep.

Every night, Elisa wished for her family to be freed. She’d always been interested in the world outside her window. She’d seen people using magic outside, and dreamt about learning how to use a wand. She’d heard of Hogsworth and dreamt of being able to attend there one day. But for all of her life, her job was to attend to her ma’am and sir and to follow their every order. One of these days though, she’d be free. At least she hoped.

Aiden groaned to himself the next morning and sat up before he grabbed a hold of his head. The bed beneath him felt harder than it had the night before, but he didn’t pay any mind to it at first. That was until he heard a boy with a voice that he didn’t recognize.
“Wake up Elisa, we don’t have all day! Mum said you’re on laundry duty, and ma’am and sir won’t be happy if you’ve been slacking.”

A young boy with elf ears that sprouted from his head who looked to be about 10 stood at the small doorway, and just behind him were stairs that lead to the floor beneath them. His arms were crossed as he waited for an answer, but Aiden was shocked into silence. He didn’t know what was happening, but if he wanted to find out, he had to investigate.

“O-Okay, I’ll be right down then.”
“Good. I know I owe you after you took my chores yesterday, but I’m not taking the blame for this.”

Once the young boy had disappeared down the stairs, Aiden turned and looked towards the same window. He didn’t know where he was nor did he know what had happened, but as he looked down at his petite female hands, he knew something wasn’t right.

On the other hand, Elisa had never slept so well in her life. As she was finally beginning to wake up a little later that morning than usual, she began to notice that it was much brighter than normal, and she didn’t remember laying her head on something so soft. When her eyes finally fluttered open, she couldn’t help her surprise from coming out in a loud, boyish yell. “Where in the world am I?!”

Elisa had flung the covers off of her large body and moved to place her feet on the ground before she took off running. Eventually, after running for a short while, she’d ended up in a room that echoed with everything she did. On one of the walls was some sort of window that seemed to reflect the light coming in. As she approached it, she was shocked to see that she wasn’t herself, but instead, she was some human boy.

The next few hours were a real test of how quickly the human boy and the house-elf girl could adapt to their situations. Aiden, despite not knowing how to properly do the laundry, dishes, or how much to feed the pets, pretended that he did. He made mistakes, but thankfully the girl’s family helped him through without letting them know his secret. Elisa was in a similar situation. She’d taken such an interest in the lives of humans before this ordeal that she knew enough to keep her going, even if she failed every now and again. Her day was spent filling out paperwork she didn’t understand fully, coped up in a study, but she enjoyed a feast in the afternoon with some members of the Ministry.

By the time the two went to the bed the following night, they almost collapsed. Despite how they both believed they had it hard in their lives, they would have done anything to go back to normal. Thankfully, the gods above heard their prayers.
When they woke up the next morning, they’d returned to their own bodies. They never spoke a word to anyone else about what had happened, for they knew if they did they’d be considered insane.

From that point forward, they never heard or experienced anything like it. They’d never found or seen the person they’d switched with before or after it, so there wasn’t much they could have done. That was, until a few weeks later when Elisa’s father had taken her to the S.P.E.W Headquarters for a protest. Leaning against the wall beside the entrance to the building was Aiden, and both their eyes widened when they finally met.
“Hey… It’s you.”