The Daily Diviner - Issue 32

[The Daily Diviner]

Interviewing Potterworld’s Women!
Feature
Written by Silquer
Edited by chail3y​

Hello readers, and welcome to the Daily Diviner! March is National Women’s Month, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate all of the amazing women in our lives. From our moms, to our teachers, to our own staff members here on Potterworld, women are an important part of everything we do. To commemorate this month, I had the great pleasure of interviewing three outstanding female staff members. I hope this gives insight into who they are and what they do for the server!

The first interview is with our very own Daily Diviner Producer, MamaDuckie!

What's your favorite part of being a Daily Diviner Producer?
Duckie: I suppose my favorite part about being a DDP is the management - as weird as that sounds for someone who loves to write. I've always been quite into keeping things neat and organized, doing documentation, and the like. But I also enjoy being one of the people who can help the team grow and flourish into something even more wonderful and dare I say it, magical.

Why did you want to join the staff team?
Duckie: Potterworld has been part of my life since mid 2016. As someone who's a big fan of the HP franchise - and someone who likes to roleplay, it became an even better escape here than just a normal Minecraft server. So when the opportunity came up for a position that would allow me to help the server I love greatly grow, I couldn't pass up the shot to apply. And here I am.

What would you like to accomplish in the future?
Duckie: I'd love to help the Daily Diviner grow more. I've come to love the team very much. I'd also love to give a shot at some of the more daunting - at least to my not so tech savvy mind - roles on Potterworld that requires you to learn a bit of tech or even to another area that I haven't dabbled in much. I've always believed in trying new things and things that aren't exactly within your strengths to improve yourself. If that means having to step outside my comfort zone or try to wrap my head around tech, then I'll give it my all.

Next is the lovely Alexis Carstairs, the current Head of Technology and Development. Here is what she had to say!

How long have you been working as a Potterworld staff member?
Alexis: I first joined the staff team around the end of November in 2015. I did leave staff twice, however, I was back both times within 2 or 3 months.

Who in Potterworld inspired you the most?
Alexis: That's a difficult question. A lot of people have been really inspiring. There are so many creative and hardworking and talented people within the community who all inspire me in different ways. It's very difficult to pick one person, but I think I would go with Maria, who has been a mentor to me ever since I first joined staff.

Best part of being a female head staff member?
Alexis: I cannot say what the best part of being specifically a female head staff member is, as I have always felt that I was on equal grounds with everyone. But to talk about the best part of being Head Staff specifically, I would say it is probably the opportunity it provides to help others improve their skills and gain experience. Seeing my team, and more specifically the team members, succeed is one of the best feelings.

Last, but certainly not least, is the wonderful Head of Media, Sunnya!

Who do you admire the most in Potterworld?
Sunnya: I think that if I had to pick one person I'd say abcdefgwynn. She was someone who I could always go to when I was Staff in 2016 & 2017. She taught me a lot of the skills that I use as a Head Staff member and shaped how I view different things. She set the standard of what type of Head Staff I want to strive to be like. Someone who is respectful, knowledgeable, and values communication above all.

What do you think is your greatest accomplishment on the server so far?
Sunnya: My greatest accomplishment would honestly be getting Head of Media. It was something that took me quite some time to achieve and the road to it was not easy by any means. There were a lot of ups and downs and either way I learned a lot along the way. I have a lot of pride in what I do and getting this far shows me that I can do anything I set my mind to.

Any words of encouragement for current and future female staff members?
Sunnya: Honestly, my best advice is to be strong and firm. It is easy to get swept under the rug sometimes and so as a woman it is especially important to stand firmly and be confident in all you do. But while doing so it is important to always be kind and fair. The energy you put out into the world will come back towards you in ways you may not think.

That concludes the interview portion, and I hope you learned something new about these inspiring staff members. While current staff members are very important for our future, let’s not forget to take a step backwards and revisit some of the older staff. The interviewees currently do a lot for our server, and as some mentioned, they were highly impacted by those that preceded them. After all, without them, Potterworld wouldn’t be what it is today!

Starting off, one of the most memorable staff members of the past is abcdefgwynn. Not only was she the first Secretary to the Headmaster, she was also the Head of Media and Potterwatch. It’s no wonder that the media team is the best in Potterworld! There’s also Raindelia and Magatha, the first Heads of Ravens and Serpents respectively. These two set the standard of excellence within the Heads of Houses. Of course, we can’t forget EllietheMoose, the previous head of the Department of Muggle Affairs. Those are only a few mentions, but there are many more! All of these past staff have shaped Potterworld as a whole, and they continue to inspire and impact the server, despite having left their positions.

Thanks to all of these outstanding Head Staff members, Potterworld is the amazing server it is today. They inspire female students to get involved in the community and change it for the better! Thank you to MamaDuckie, Alexis Carstairs, and Sunnya for their heartfelt responses. I hope you will join me in spending this month celebrating them and their accomplishments.

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Valentine's Event: Community Opinions
Editorial
Written by chail3y
Edited by kvmw​

Welcome back to the Daily Diviner! As many of you know, Valentines in the Enchanted Valley was an event that was open for a month and ended on March 13th. Now that it is over, I want to share the community’s opinions!

On February 6th, the Poltergeists released the feedback form for this event. The due date for this form is the 20th of March, at 12 PM PST. You will receive 15 AC for filling out this form. You may choose to remain anonymous, but you will not get AC if you do so. You can access this post here. Since this form was released, I wanted to share a few player’s opinions to encourage filling it out. In order to do this, I interviewed iSpitLikeALlama, tqrpiar, and Danyreu and this is what I have to share!

What was your favorite thing about the event?

“My favorite official part of the event was the builds. The whole map is very incredible. The build and event team did a great job revamping the old Valentines map and making it look so much better. I also loved the easter egg hidden on the map at 236 55 535 :slight_smile: (Thx Miss Strudel)” - iSpitLikeALlama

“honestly i think the nice get together with friends that many people had, even though its a valentines event and its a cheesy thing with couples, i saw a lot of people hang around and do things in groups and it was so heartwarming to see in my eyes, it's always fun to see people do things together! asides from that i really love the disney related quests and the music during the beauty and the beast quest” - tqrpiar

“My favorite thing about the event was the quests, they were extremely fun to do, i really enjoyed doing them with my friends and other members of the potterworld community” - Danyreu

What was your least favorite thing about the event?

“My least favorite thing about the event was the difficulty. Normally, you have to grind much more in events, but in this event you could complete all the quests and get all the items in a week or two without grinding at all. It was definitely a great event, it just felt like it was fairly easy to complete.” - iSpitLikeALlama

“hmm I don't have one like thing I really really hated but I’m not all too fond on the storybook pages? I’m someone who really likes grinding quests all in one go and the storybook pages all like broke that up and made you do minigames which I mean- is understandable- but it’s also just not my favourite thing? I like grinding the minigames when they don't feel obligatory in my personal eyes, and the constant war on the market for them like the fact that they were getting sold for insane amounts of money wasn't my favourite thing but I guess that's business” - tqrpiar

“There's nothing to dislike about the event! I loved it too much” - Danyreu

What was your opinion on the changes/differences from past events to this?

“Most of the updates were definitely improvements. Like I mentioned above, I don't love that the event is easier than past events, but I love all of the new collectibles, quests, and builds in this update. I am looking forward to future events!” - iSpitLikeALlama

“honestly really really cute, for me personally it's not sticking above the winter waltz or Halloween event but it's really been adorable, there aren't things that are insanely sticking out so I don't particularly have a say on this?” - tqrpiar

“This is my first valentines event, I haven't been to the others” - Danyreu

What was your favorite mini-game?

“My favorite minigame was the down the rabbit hole dropper. I loved that it had 3 stages but was also easy enough to grind. A lot of people were doing other droppers thinking they were faster, so this one was efficient and you weren’t getting obstructed by other people, which is always great.” - iSpitLikeALlama

“the dropper, rabbit hole I’m pretty sure that was the one, for a while I did the beanstalk parkour but it got pretty repetitive, the rabbit dropper was pretty fun once you got the hang of it and was really useful for the storybook pages :] I didn't really do many of the others because I just got set on those two do to repeatedly so I have nothing to say on the others” - tqrpiar

“The down the Rabbit Hole dropper, I loved that there was 3 levels to it” - Danyreu

Do you have any additional comments about this event?

“This was a great event created and run by great people, and I can’t wait to see future events produced by them in the future!” - iSpitLikeALlama

“not really! I really loved the event and all the rewards and just want to send another props to the staff team for creating it and building it!” - tqrpiar

“Nope! I just hope theres more events like these in the future c:” - Danyreu

I want to give a huge thank you to iSpitLikeALlama, tqrpiar, and Danyreu for taking the time to answer these questions. I hope this was interesting to read and that you learned more about the community’s perspective on Valentines in the Enchanted Valley. Don’t forget to fill out the feedback form and share your thoughts with us! Thank you for taking the time to read this article. This was Chailey reporting for the Daily Diviner and I hope you enjoy the rest of this issue!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

February’s Tournaments
Games and Sports
Written by MakkChi
Edited by bluecherub​

Greetings, readers, and welcome back to the Games and Sports column of the Daily Diviner! Tournaments are an integral part of the Potterworld community. They bring about opportunities for players to network, connect, and improve their dueling, flying, and other miscellaneous skills on a more competitive level than minigames or the occasional hangout in the Dueling Halls.

With recent changes to Arena operations, there is now more incentive for players to attend and compete in tournaments and challenges. If you’d like more information on these changes, I suggest going back to Issue #31 and reading “Arena Updates,” written by Becaologies!

In February, the Potterworld community had the chance to participate in two tournaments: 2v2 Flying and 2v2 Dueling. These were hosted by Tangular123 and Sametric, respectively. Though there were only two tournaments this month, they were still action-packed and filled with excitement.

The 2v2 Dueling tournament, hosted on February 20th at noon PST, was filled with familiar faces. The winners were Tilllyy and Expiroces. Several returning champions also made an appearance, including MagmaC4, kryiinq, Expiroces, Salmandingo, JacquesFrost, Tilllyy, creeperoct13, and Bastaii.

I had the chance to interview one member from each winning team in these two tournaments (Expiroces and Tilllyy), along with two other participants in the tournaments (sraalol and Doritomandingo) to get their perspectives on the competitions!
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You’ve won tournaments in the past, both team and individual. Was there anything different about this one? Did you prepare any differently than usual? Lastly, do you have any recommendations for aspiring dueling champions?
This tournament had a strong competition like none other, both Tilly and I knew going into this it would have been hard to win. Although at the same time we both knew that we have great team chemistry, so we were dedicated and determined to do well and have fun. We briefly talked about a couple of strategies and tactics against the teams we knew would be hard to beat, and our plan went as expected. As far as how the preparation went, it was pretty much the same as how we practiced in the past; attending challenges, and doing team duels. Practise makes perfect; participating in challenges and doing team duels with your teammate is the best way to improve at dueling. Dueling might seem difficult at first, but with determination and practice, you can become a dueling champion too! - Expiroces

You didn’t win this particular tournament but still attended it. Is there anything you’ll do differently next time to work towards the win? How did you feel about the competition going in?
I think that by the next tournament, I would have gotten hopefully a little bit better at dueling. I've attended a few tournaments now and I think that there has obviously been a very intense competition going into each of them. Personally the 2v2 dueling challenges and tournaments are my favourite, whether you win or not. It is all just a bunch of great fun, and it is a great time going, even though you may not win. I have gotten into dueling more recently, and since then I do know the competition and who is super good so I always look out for those specific people aha. - sraalol
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As I mentioned before, the 2v2 Dueling Tournament was not the only tournament presented this month. Players also had the chance to sign up for the 2v2 Flying Tournament, hosted on February 13 at noon PST. The winners were Tilllyy and MagmaC4. In this tournament, our returning champs were Tilllyy, MagmaC4, Frebii, Maxwheell, TallBlondeDude, Expiroces, and MattyPoltergeist. Like I mentioned before, I had the opportunity to talk with one of the winners from its flying counterpart, Tilllyy, and one of the participants, Doritomandingo.
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You’ve won tournaments in the past, both team and individual. Was there anything different about this one? Did you prepare any differently than usual? Lastly, do you have any recommendations for aspiring dueling champions?
This tournament had a lot of really strong competition, and there were a few maps used that I didn’t have as much experience on as others. I had a lot of big goals for this tournament so I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well for myself and for my teammate, Magma. I prepared the same I’ve done in the past by participating in challenges with my teammate and doing my best to have fun! Definitely try to get as much experience as you can! Participating in challenges and tournaments is the best way to get better at flying, and learning the maps better. Flying can seem kind of scary at first, but with a little determination and hard work you can become a flying champion too. - Tilllyy

You didn’t win this particular tournament but still attended it. Is there anything you’ll do differently next time to work towards the win? How did you feel about the competition going in?
Even though I didn't win the tournament I had a lot of fun, because of that I've started doing flying minigames to practice and practice. My biggest problem is [definitely] the tournament maps, even though I go to every flying challenge I don't really know the maps THAT well. As for something I could try to do differently, maybe I could try looking at the livestreams during tournaments so I can maybe anticipate the turns and obstacles in my way instead of flying blindly and hoping it works. The competition in flying is always really good, obviously some of the best flyers [attended] including Tilly and [M]agma as I know they were a team as well as I think Tonk and Max were a team together and also Nick and Bastaii were a team as well. So going into the tournament I didn't feel like was going to win and I knew it'd be really hard to even qualify. However, even though I knew about all these challenging [opponents] I still decided to attend and challenge myself because I both knew it would be fun to do with a friend and also because I need the practice if [I’m] ever going to get better. In the end I had a lot of fun even though we didn't win and I'd like to believe it's the competition that keeps me from stopping. - Doritomandingo
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I want to thank Expiroces, sraalol, Tilllyy, and Doritomandingo for taking time out of their days to answer these questions!

These two tournaments were not the first Potterworld’s ever seen, and they sure won’t be the last. Some matches are streamed on the PotterworldMC Youtube channel, so please check those out if you have a chance. Keep an eye out for announcements about upcoming tournaments and opportunities to stay competitive! Maybe we could even team up at one!

Thank you for reading, have a great rest of your day, and see you next time!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Are You a Hider or Seeker?
Games and Sports
Written by MamaDuckie
Edited by MaggieChi​

Hello and welcome to my first Games and Sports article! I am your friendly neighborhood MamaDuckie, and today we will take a peek into the wonderful world of minigames! Specifically, the Hide and Seek minigame here on Potterworld. From insight into a few of the maps we offer to tips on playing the game, this article will be jam-packed with Hide and Seek fun that everyone can enjoy! So sit back, relax, and join me in checking out this much-loved minigame.

Hide and Seek is a beloved game on and off of Potterworld. Similar to how you play in real life, you start the game with one Seeker and multiple Hiders. Everyone who was hiding that gets found turns into a Seeker until they have uncovered every last person. Unlike real life, however, in the magical world - or at least here on Potterworld, Hiders all are various blocks. The most commonly used blocks for hiding are hay bales, cauldrons, leaves, emerald blocks, crafting tables and bookshelves. Also unlike real life, instead of tagging with your hand, Seekers use the Bruiser’s Bat to catch the Hiders, which can sometimes take a few swings to do!

Speaking of swings, I’ve recruited the help of the Potterworld community to gain more insight into Hide and Seek! We will find out how to both avoid and swing the Seeker Bat in order to win the game, and some players’ all-time favorite maps! iSpitLikeALlama and Frebii were both kind enough to sit for a small interview to give me their insight and opinions on the game and the maps.

What are your strategies when playing the game, as both a Hider and a Seeker, in order to win?

iSpitLikeALlama: So, as hider, I normally just run around to different spots every 30 seconds. Most people stay in one spot, but when you move around it’s harder for the seeker to find me. As Seeker, I go to the spots I know are used most and search there, then I go everywhere else.

Frebii: As Hider I usually have my own personal hiding spot on each map, so basically you’ll have to try out by playing a lot. What you can also do is predict the Seekers pathing and change your hiding spot midgame. As Seeker I keep in mind to take a look at the last slot of my hotbar to see what blocks are still left and I usually click very fast through each morphable block.

What is your favorite map and why?

iSpitLikeALlama: My favorite map is the Dark Followers’ Camp because there’s so many places to hide such as behind the trees and in the tents, but it’s also super small and easy for me as a seeker because I know all the classic spots people go to.

Frebii: Probably School Library because it’s pretty easy to predict the pathing of the seeker, the map being indoor. I also like Shade Alley because I like the design and it has many interesting indoor as well as outdoor hiding spots.

While I do play, I don’t think my ‘running around like a wild chicken’ strategy would be of any use to any newcomers in Hide and Seek, even if it might be funny to read about. Instead, I’ll be talking about two of the maps - one old map and a far more recent one.

To start us off, let’s take a leap back in time to October 2017, when the Luna Hovel map was first released just before Halloween. Built by former Build Team members Riverrrr and SlySnivy, this map is modeled after the childhood home of one of the most beloved Ravens. From the magical Lunaplums scattered around the property, to the curiously shaped house, and of course, the tents filled with what is sure to be random oddities the family has collected, it really shows the eccentrically quirky traits of those who live there.

In early 2020 we saw the release of the Grimlotts map, built by PotatoEmma, Domieno, Trashdotcom, Zis_Craft, JustMaxHell and former members Aoshimason and YuckitsEmma. Built in the image of the famous Wizarding Bank, the map features multiple vaults. Each vault seems to have a personality of its own and appears to be an ideal hiding spot for players. If you haven’t played this map, I do highly suggest it. A little fun fact about it is that there was a small yet hilarious incident during its creation. PotatoEmma had this to say on the subject, “While working on the Grimlotts Hide and Seek map, we copied the original Grimlotts build into my world to use as an example. However, as you might know, there’s a dragon in Grimlotts, and we accidentally copied her over as well! After pasting the build, the dragon flew off into my world. The other builders and I quickly chased after it, trying to kill her. We were in a voice chat while this was happening and we were all laughing very hard. Eventually we did manage to defeat the dragon and actually got to building. Partly thanks to this memory, it was a very fun project to work on!”

Each map in our Hide and Seek mini-game is tailored to its own specific theme, all of which are just as wonderful as the next and beautifully built. Other maps include Dark Followers’ Camp, Phoenix Base, School Library, Green Houses, Griffin’s Hollow, Butterbrew Festival, and my personal favorite Shade Alley. While it is my current favorite, there’s always the chance it could change at the drop of a wizarding hat. Rumor has it that there are some new maps on the horizon, one of which just may be themed after a certain gizmo and gadget-loving family, and it may give me a new one to call my favorite.

And with that, this article has come to an end. Looking back, we’ve learned a great deal about Hide and Seek here on Potterworld. From strategies and tips to adventurous accidents and wizarding hats, it has been quite the article! A huge shoutout to those I interviewed and PotatoEmma for spending time with me to bring this article to you all! Stay safe, everyone!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day
Lifestyle
Written by chail3y
Edited by MakkChi​

Welcome back to the Lifestyle Column of the Daily Diviner! My name is Chailey, and I am thrilled to be bringing some festive fashion advice to this edition! For any fabulous member of this wizarding community out there dreading the upcoming holiday, never fear because I am here!

Do you find yourself wondering, “How am I supposed to dress up for St Patrick’s Day”? It is okay because you are not alone. This day is associated with leprechauns, luck, and pots of gold, and it is a drastic feat to show your spirit. The first tip I will give you is to switch up your hat or wand for the occasion. If you are an older player, search through your collections because you might recognize these March exclusive store items.

First up is the Leprechaun Hat. This deep green hat with a shamrock decoration is the perfect hat to pull an outfit together. Look in your closet for an outfit with matching shades of green, and the hat will make that old-school chic blouse look ah-mazing. Those of you with green eyes may also find that it will bring out your eyes in the right light.

Now don’t worry, I know hats are not everyone’s style. If this applies to you, I would recommend spicing up your outfit by swapping the appearance of your most used item- your wand! Every sensible witch or wizard carries this on them at all times, and maybe this will be your lucky trick to showing off your style.

Both the Staff of Luck and the Lucky Wand are unique and may add a sprinkle of luck to your day. The Staff of Luck is advertised using the statement, “With a stylish handle and a 4-leaf clover at the head, it’ll bring you good luck forever!” This is a bold staff that is sparkly gold and green to match the holiday. For those of you looking for a more subtle touch, I recommend the Lucky Wand! It is said that “This wand is sleek and elegant. Show off your St. Patty’s pride with the winding, green vines with a sophisticated wooden frame”. Pair this with a more neutral outfit and green accents to win over anyone who glances your way.

If accessories are not your thing, don’t fret because even the simplest outfit changes can show your love of this luck-filled Holiday! Limitations are only what you let them be, so reach for the stars when designing your skin for this month. Accent your sleeve or the back of a jacket with the most well-known symbol of St. Patrick’s Day: a Shamrock. If you are more ambitious, switch up your whole skin and become a leprechaun for the day by wearing a green suit with gold and black details.

Regardless of what you choose, do not forget to wear green! It is tradition to wear green because, supposedly, it makes you invisible to leprechauns. If you aren’t wearing green, the leprechauns will pinch you as soon as you cross their radar. Over the years, this has become a tradition worldwide, so you never know who might pinch you if you forget to put on your lucky green garments.

On March 17th, I will be watching out to see all of your fashionable outfits, and I can’t wait to see if any of my advice is taken. Remember that the items referenced are available on the PotterworldMC Store until the end of March, so be sure to check those out. I hope a bit o’ Irish luck and a bit o’ Irish cheer will make it inside your heart to stay throughout the year! This was Chailey reporting for the Daily Diviner, and I am lucky to be writing for such an amazing community. Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day, and I hope you enjoy the rest of this issue!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Saving St. Patrick’s Day
Original Works
Written by Silquer
Edited by bluecherub​

Aisling’s friends didn’t know what to make of the scene in front of them. One moment, the four friends had been joking around in the empty Great Hall, enjoying the unusual silence that came with a holiday. The next, Aisling was reading a letter dropped to her by an owl, her face turning more dejected each second.

Simon was the first to speak up. “Are you okay?”

Aisling shook her head sadly. “My parents aren’t going to be home for the weekend.” She smiled weakly. “Looks like I’m at Hogsworth for St. Patrick’s Day.”

Her three friends shared uncomfortable looks. They all knew how much Aisling loved going home for St. Patrick’s Day.

Alice patted Aisling’s shoulder sympathetically, breaking the sad student out of her thoughts. “It’s alright. There’s always next year, you know?”

“Shush, Alice!” hissed Josh, adding more loudly, “You can celebrate with us this year.”

“Yeah,” Aisling nodded, turning her face away. “Thanks, guys.” She sighed again, standing up from the table. “I’m going to take a walk.” The three friends watched as she left the Hall, letter in hand.

“We’re going to fix this,” Alice said, determined.

Simon and Josh nodded in unison. “Of course.”

Alice turned back to her friends, leaning in close to whisper her new idea. “Let’s prepare a little surprise party. Simon, you go and talk to the Charms professor. Ask for some decoration charms.” Simon gave a thumbs up. “Josh, go downstairs and ask the house elves for Aisling’s favorite foods.”

Josh nodded, already standing up, before realizing something. “Wait, what about you?”

Alice grinned and stood, dropping the whisper with the need for discretion gone. “I’ll be in the library waiting for you,” she pointed to Simon before continuing, “so we can practice the spells.”

Josh raised his hand to protest, but barely spoke a word before Simon took his arm. Together, they sprinted out of the Great Hall, all three on a mission.
---
Simon peeked around the corner, having sprinted up the Grand Staircase. It had taken only five minutes to reach the Charm’s professors office after the three of them had conceived the plan to save Aisling’s St. Patrick’s Day, and now he stood at the door of the classroom, spying on the teacher inside. After a quick scan of his surroundings, he darted inside.

The professor looked up. “What can I do for you?”

“I need some charms…”

Just as Simon finished writing down the last incantation and wand wave, he saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. Aisling. Uh-oh.

“What was my test grade again?” Simon interrupted, just as Aisling walked by the room. The professor looked at him questioningly, but Simon said nothing, only speaking again when Aisling was clearly out of earshot.

“So, about those spells…”
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Alice waited patiently for Simon to finish speaking to the Charms professor. She had strolled through the halls, taking her time on the way to the library, yet was still waiting for him to finish writing down the simple spells.

Alice rolled her eyes as Simon appeared in front of her, clutching a piece of paper covered in scribbles.

“Took you long enough,” she said, grabbing the paper and laying it on a table. “At this rate, the food will be going cold downstairs.”

“Sorry.”

After practicing the spells for a few minutes, Alice looked up, alarmed.
“Do you hear that?” she whispered. Footsteps echoed nearby, growing louder every moment. Simon nodded, crumpling the paper into a ball and shoving it into his pocket.

Not a moment after, Aisling walked by and, upon noticing her two friends, waved and walked over.

“Hey guys. Want to get a snack at the kitchens?”

Simon cut in before she could say anything else. “No, thanks.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Out she walked, leaving Simon and Alice to hope their cover wasn’t blown.
---
It had been ten minutes since Josh had come down from the Great Hall, and already the elves were hard at work preparing a small feast for him and his friends.

Suddenly, he heard someone coming down the stairs. Could it be Aisling? In a panic, he sprinted into a room that looked suspiciously similar to the elf dorms, and waited as he heard Aisling's voice drift in from the kitchens.

It didn’t take long for the voice to disappear, and Josh peeked out of the room. Phew. That was close.
---
Aisling sighed as she walked back to the Great Hall, a newly-gained snack in hand. As she rounded the corner and entered the Hall with her head down, she tried to cheer herself up. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Surprise!”

Aisling looked up, shocked to see her friends gathered around a few sloppily charmed decorations and a pile of her favorite foods.

Alice smiled at her stunned face. “We thought you needed a way to celebrate your favorite holiday.”

Aisling smiled, all her sadness leaving as quickly as it had come. “Thank you.” She couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day.

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Bippidy, Boppity, Dot!
Original Works
Written by MakkChi
Edited by kvmw​

It was another uneventful morning, the only sound being the shuffling of my shoes against the weather-worn cobblestone that lined the courtyard. Rain pattered down quickly around me, soaking my hair and the wooly, brown cloak that I wore.

March seemed to be going by slower than usual. I felt as if I was in some kind of limbo, waiting for the next exciting thing to hit me.

After arriving in class, I went around, tidying up little spots that only my eye could see. I walked over to my succulent, who I’d dubbed Sydney, and smiled. Sydney was the one possession I’d brought from London after leaving to teach at Hogsworth. It was a morning tradition to look at her and take in her perpetual positive vibes.

After cleaning up, I sat down to wait for the students to enter with their annoying energy. The 7th Years seemed to get more rambunctious by the day.

They came in, laughing, shoving each other as children do. All of the students sat down at their desks. All the students except for one sat down at their desks. The student who remained loomed in the doorway, and I glanced towards Sydney to shake my chills.


The student took out their wand and fiddled with it a bit, pointing it in my direction. He whispered a series of words, but I couldn’t hear what he had said. I gestured for them to sit, and they listened after returning their wand to a bag.

I heard a girl sitting towards the front of the class begin to speak, but one of her peers shot her an indiscernible look, and she quieted down quickly.

I began class, asking a few students to describe one of the spells we’d discussed in the last lesson. As the demonstration went on, whispers and snickers echoed around the room, and my eyes were continuously drawn to the pitying look that the girl at the front of the classroom wore.

After the students were dismissed to lunch, I made my way through the Hogsworth hallways. Some students lingered, and as I walked, the girl from earlier came up to me. She was quickly pulled away by two of my other students, unable to utter anything that I could hear. Before she disappeared around the corner, she gestured at her face and then pointed at me.

I peered at her oddly but thought nothing of it. There wasn’t anything on her face. Besides the students from my class, the hallways were surprisingly empty, with no professors or other students to be found.

When I eventually arrived in the Great Hall, I moved towards the staff table and took in the delicious smell of the food that had been prepared for us today. Once again, there weren’t any other professors around, which aroused my suspicion. Something was up. The weird looks, the silent student, the lack of professors? I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

I would have talked to the students to try to figure out what was wrong, but most of them seem too involved in personal discussions and the consumption of their meals for me to have the heart to bother them. I finally picked up my fork and began to eat, only to stop dead in my tracks.

In the reflection of my silver plate, I could see that my face seemed to be covered in something. I leaned in a bit more. What was that? I didn’t have my glasses on, so perhaps that was why I was having such a hard time distinguishing what was wrong. I pulled them from my pocket and slipped them on.

They soon dropped to the ground as a scream escaped from my mouth. I was covered in green polka dots from my hairline to the top of my cloak. The spots didn’t seem to be on my hands, but after a quick peek at my ankles, I saw that the marks were on my legs and underneath my wool socks. I screamed again and covered my face with both hands.

Panic began to settle in, and I could feel my breath quicken as I scrambled to pull up the sleeves of my robes. There were more polka dots on my arms as well.

I was wailing at this point, beginning to draw attention as I wept and cried. I couldn’t tell if the students were concerned for me or just embarrassed. Their faces all looked the same through my tear-soaked hands.

As I sat there, considering whether my resignation letter should be one paragraph or one page, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was the student who’d stood at the door earlier, shaking his head.

“You know why I did this, right?” he questioned.

I dried my eyes and looked at him.

“I don’t appreciate this little- this little prank. We’ll see what the Headmaster will have to say about this.”

That wiped the smile off his face. “At least I didn’t pinch you,” he mumbled before walking away.

I couldn’t think of any reason why someone would have done this to me. As I pondered it, I also began to look around, taking in my surroundings. The green clothes, the shamrocks, and the corned beef and cabbage dishes lining the House tables caught my eye. Everyone around me was wearing some kind of green. I stumbled to my feet and sprinted back to my classroom.

Pulling out my calendar from my bag, I flipped through the months quickly. When I got to March, I let my finger skim over the dates until they landed on one in particular. There, inside the box that held the number 17, read the words I was looking for: “Saint Patrick’s Day.”

My breath hitched, and I sat down, exhausted. So that’s what it’d been about. That’s what all the weird stares and the pranks were about. I’d somehow forgotten to wear green on the one day it mattered the most.

Regardless, they’d still be receiving some kind of detention from Drumeldore. I chuckled a little bit and looked over at Sydney.

“Well, they got us this year, my friend. You should have told me! Even you got the memo. Don’t worry about it, though. We’ll get them back next year, just you wait…”

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Aurorlock Analysis
Faction Fanatics
Written by chail3y
Edited by MakkChi​

Welcome back to the Daily Diviner! As many of you have noticed, this is not a regularly scheduled article. This is the second installment of Faction Fanatics, a temporary column consisting of 5 articles that will give insight to members of the Roleplay community. Each piece will cover one of the five main groups within Potterworld.

For those of you who are new to Roleplay, here are some important things to know. There are three main allegiances, The Phoenixes, The Dark Followers, and The Aurorlocks. Additionally, there are two clubs, The Vampires and The Werewolves. Within each of these groups, there is a leader and an inner circle. These positions are held by members of the Potterworld Staff Team called Seers. They work to create the official Roleplay storyline through videos, articles, events, and more. In addition to the staff members, there is an Unofficial Higher Up Position that any player can apply for. These positions are not affiliated directly with Potterworld Staff or Team members, and the process is done on an unofficial discord called The Roleplay Hub. If you have any questions regarding Roleplay, unofficial or official, feel free to message any Seer on discord. They love to see everyone involved in Roleplay regardless of how long they have been on the server, how often they participate, or whether they are apart of a group!

So far, I have interviewed The Dark Followers and The Phoenixes, which allowed me to share a lot about them! Today I am excited to present The Aurorlocks! Moving forward, I have interviewed the Chief Aurorlock, the Deputy Aurorlock, and the Aurorlock Official.

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Matt Griffiths // Chief Aurorlock // 34

SLGMatt - Matt_Griffiths
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Favorite Colour: Purple

Favorite Food: British Sunday Roast

Personal Motto: “Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves.”

Background: “Being from Unmagical blood, I didn’t know about the magical world growing up. After a few traumatising events at school, as well as early adulthood, I chose to take my future into my own hands and work to help protect those who need it.”

What are his goals and views for the Aurorlocks? “To protect the people and the Wizarding World from exposure and Resulting War with the unmagical world. To help those in need. To allow the ministry to be a safe place for all.”

~~~​

Moving into Matt’s right-hand lady, the Deputy Aurorlock gave me some insightful information to share with you all today.

~~~

Rani // Deputy Aurorlock // 21

Melioraa - Rani_Lightwood
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Favorite Colour: Purple

Favorite Food: Homemade spaghetti

Personal Motto: “No darkness lies forever. No matter how long it takes, the light will shine again.”

Background: “I originally grew up in the Unmagical world with both of my parents and my siblings, well aware of our magical heritage. Attended Hogsworth and graduated near the top of my class, and then joined the Aurorlocks straight after. I’ve been an Aurorlock for 3 years at this point. ”

Why does she stay with the Aurorlocks? “The Aurorlocks are the defenders of the law, the peacekeepers if you will. I stay with them because I want to contribute to a better world, one where people do not have to live in fear, and I believe that the Aurorlocks are the best chance of me achieving that dream.”

~~~​

Outside of the Inner Circle are the Aurorlock Officials. This is the next layer of the higher-up members. Currently, there is only one member; however, she is not to be underestimated, and her responses to my questions should explain why.

~~~

Courtney Griffiths // Aurorlock Official

epic_cool_mcgee - Courtney_Griffiths​

Background: “My parents died when I was young, so I was adopted by Matt Griffiths, who raised me as his own daughter. I went to Hogsworth at age eleven and was placed in Serpent. I was very antisocial at school and managed to go through the whole ordeal without making a single friend. After graduating school, I applied to be an Aurorlock and finished my training within three years. I rose through the ranks with a nearly perfect capture record, and now my duties mostly entail conducting trials within the Ministry.”

Why does she stay with the Aurorlocks? “My loyalties lie with the Aurorlocks because I believe someone needs to uphold the law of our fine establishment. No one is above the law, not even the Aurorlocks, and the best way to make sure this ideal is upheld is by leading the law enforcement.”

~~~​

There are many other influential people within the Aurorlock Allegiance, and I highly recommend getting into Roleplay if you haven’t yet. It is a wonderful community, and there is always something new going on, whether Official or Unofficial. I want to thank SLGMatt, Melioraa, and epic_cool_mcgee for their interviews. Lastly, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you learned something new about the higher-up members of The Aurorlocks. This was Chailey reporting for the Daily Diviner, and I hope you have a magical day!