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The Daily Diviner - Issue 57

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS

Feature

Editorial


Student Spotlight

Lifestyle



Original Works









Reputations Galore!
Feature
Written by Silquer
Edited by bluecherub


Hello lovely readers, and welcome to the fifty-seventh issue of the Daily Diviner! In the aftermath of the most iconic events of the season (with more yet to come), there leaves plenty of time to explore Potterworld’s game mechanics. While exploring the vast map and utilizing the many gear items in-game, you might be asking yourself: what’s next? Well, there’s one more surprise on the horizon: the Reputations release.

The Reputations release is a new gameplay update that will add repeatable content to towns. This expansion will open up new ways to interact with the Potterworld map, as well as offer incentive for all players to continue traveling. Graduates, you can breathe a sigh of relief; there’s plenty of new content on the way for players of every level.

Now that we have a brief understanding of what this update is going to be about, let’s start delving into the details. Thankfully, I am not alone in this discussion. I had the pleasure of interviewing NSgaming (Noah), a Lead Unspeakable, about the expansion itself. Here’s what he had to say about the release:

Can you give a brief summary of the Reputations release?
Reputations will release in batches over the next few months as we begin to offer repeating content within our world, much like the repeatable quests that Events uses. Our goal heading into this project was to create a way so that players would never really get stuck, and could always have content on the world to be able to level up, and be able to reach the next quest.

How long has this update been in the works?
This update has been in the works for a really really long time, ever since the release of the Walden Expansion last year. Although the quests aren't as expansive as the world quests, we did still have to write, design, and build over 100 new quests, which takes quite a lot of effort from our team.

With that helpful insight, it seems that this update has been well-thought out. One-hundred new quests is quite a feat! With the addition of so many quests, the exploration of towns and locations will become the most important aspect of traveling across the map. Who knows where a new quest could be hiding? Noah elaborates on this:

What new features can we expect from this update? Is there anything in particular you’re excited to share with the playerbase?
Reputations is a new system where you'll find a taskboard within each town that will let you know of certain characters that may be needing help. Each town has six kinds of tasks- Cooking, Defense against the Dark Arts, Divination, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration. Each task is slightly different from one another, but all of the tasks will generally follow the same task outline. For example, all cooking tasks will see you gathering ingredients and cooking up a specific dish for each town.

What depth! There’s potential for all sorts of quest types, and players will be able to find new ways to interact with the world. Perhaps some students will focus on certain tasks in each town; some could strive to be the potions-master of all Potterworld, and conquer the quests of potions. Others yet could become a Diviniations master. The possibilities are endless!

With all of this speculation and knowing how long this update has been in the works, it is hard to imagine when it will be released. Once again, Noah clears the confusion:

How soon are we going to see this update? What can we do to prepare for it?
We have a lot on our plate at the moment, but we should see the first release of Reputations in the next few months. We can't wait to show everyone what's in store and what we've been cooking up for quite some time.

It looks like the update is still in the works, but it is now closer than ever. I can’t wait to see what the Game Design team has in store for us!

Now that we’ve covered several of the new features in the update, it’s time to switch focus to the player base itself. As I mentioned above, there are new opportunities for every player, especially the roleplay community. By using the new NPCs and mechanics in the update, players could focus on specific tasks and become “well-known” within certain towns, which could add depth to a player’s roleplay character and give roleplayers a new way to present their characters!

As for the player base as a whole, it seems as if all players will have a new experience on their hands! Graduates have much more content to explore now (combined with the above roleplay options, there is even more fun to be had), and new-to-mid-level players have a reliable source of XP and content, as well as more incentive to explore the map. Players, get excited! This update is going to be big.

How does the update look to you so far? I, for one, am excited to see which direction this update takes Potterworld in. The promise of nearly one hundred new quests, added depth to towns and villages, and new opportunities for players all spark an excitement not felt since the Revelius update. Finally, I want to offer sincere thanks to NSgaming for his time and answers! Make sure to keep an eye out for Potterworld’s next big gameplay release. Happy questing!
 

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The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#2

Monthly Art Madness
Editorial

Written by Creme_de_Creme
Edited by snotflower
Hello, lovely readers! Welcome back to the Editorial column of the Daily Diviner. For those of you not in Potterworld’s official Art Discord, some of its most exciting and unique features include the weekly sneak peeks and monthly giveaways. By being in the official Potterworld Art Discord, you get highlights of upcoming content and the ability to enter into a monthly raffle with the chance of winning impressive rewards. You might be wondering, “What is this raffle? How do I enter? What do I win?” If you want to learn more, then read on!

The monthly giveaway involves submitting an art piece following the prompt of the month into the #monthly-giveaway channel. It could take the form of a photograph, a drawing, a graphic, a render, a poem, a song, or another artwork made by you.

For February, the prompt was to share a piece that shows how you express love to others. Some people submitted drawings or graphics, others photos or renders. Each submission included a short explanation of who they loved, why they loved the object depicted, or even how they express love.

Wildsam won February’s giveaway, receiving 150 Potterpoints and 100 House Points for Serpents. Wildsam’s submission was a photo of a beautiful landscape with the caption, “Love is about making bonds with each other, showing loyalty and reaching a feeling of peacefulness when together.” I was able to inquire further about Wildsam’s recent submission.

I noticed that you included both a quote and a photo for your February submission. What inspires you to take a photograph?
I’d have to say that the emotion I felt when in front of this incredible place inspired me to do so. I felt incredibly peaceful and especially grateful as this was towards the end of my vacation with university friends. I’d say that I take photographs when I realize this is a memory I would cherish even without a picture.

As of right now, there is a new monthly giveaway that ends on March 29th! The prompt for this month is to submit an art piece that includes a meadow. So far, people have included photos, drawings, renders, and poems! Each submission is so unique and awe-inspiring. I wish each and every individual that enters good luck. The winner will receive 150 Potterpoints and 100 House points.

For those of you that have not joined Potterworld’s official Art Discord, I highly recommend that you do. You might find yourself inspired by the various pieces that people share, and you can receive tips and encouragement if you want to share your own work. I wish you all a wonderful day! This has been Creme_de_Creme reporting for the Daily Diviner.
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#3

Tournament Fanfare
Editorial

Written by SnowyKitty
Edited by kvmw
Our community on Potterworld is very competitive; challenges, games, and House points keep us competing head-to-head for the top spot. In minigames, first place is the ultimate sign of victory, while with every House Cup, each House works together to become number one… But what about challenges? Dueling and flying classes are dandy and all, but haven’t you wanted to prove you are the best of the best? This past February, our tournament winners did exactly that!

Tournaments are different from the normal challenges that usually take place, which are hosted twice a month by the Arena team. Tournaments are much more competitive, and in order to attend, you must sign up with a team. You can win Arena Tokens, cosmetics, and even Potter Points! Let’s get into it, shall we?

February’s flying tournament was hosted on the 12th in a 3v3 format, meaning that teams of three competed against one another. Each team member took their turn flying in a relay race, with four races in total. Teams could earn 7 to 15 points depending on when their last team member finished, with a maximum of 60 points possible.

I interviewed Cole (ColeTheCapybara), who helped with the tournament, about how it went! Cole has been on the team since mid-December as an Arena Squire and normally hosts around three challenges a week. When I asked him about the tournament and his thoughts on the winners, he told me, “DemetriDemarcus, Expiroces, and tilly are all very well-known in the competitive community and win a large number of tournaments and challenges. All of the teams have players that I have seen do very well before, though!”

Meanwhile, on the 19th, February’s dueling tournament was hosted in a 3v3 format as well! Set up in a round-robin-style, each team had to face every other team in the tournament. The teams earned a point for each win they attained. While first place was a decisive victory with a 5-0 win rate, there was a three-way tie for second place!

I interviewed Ariel (Creme_de_Creme), who hosted this tournament, on her thoughts on the dueling tournament. She is an Arena Master who has been on the Arena team for six months and has participated in 4 to 5 tournaments. With the three-way tie, this dueling tournament really stood out from others. She recalled: “I remember the most intense moment was when we had to create a round-robin within a round-robin in order to establish who would be in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place. Each duelist fought so hard for their place. The fact that we had to use differential statistics in order to figure out who placed where shows just how close it was.”

When I asked her about the competitors, she had a lot to say! “The duelists have spent a long time practicing and honing their skills. The fact that there were a handful of teams that tied shows that many of them worked really hard to get there and equally wanted to win,” she said. “The tournaments get more and more competitive each month. I hope to see the same people at future tournaments!”

She made sure to add: “I am proud of each and every one of those duelists for fighting their hardest. They are all amazing.” It is clear that the Arena team adores the competitive community! They all seem to have a big heart for every competing player.

To wrap this up, let’s give a huge congratulations to the winners of both tournaments! Congrats to DemetriDemarcus, Expiroces, and tillyrawr on winning the flying tournament and to DemetriDemarcus, EdenLovesMommy, and tillyrawr on winning the duelling tournament! Make sure to sign up for future tournaments when they’re posted on the forums. Special thanks to Ariel and Cole for interviewing, and thank you to the entirety of the Arena Team for hosting challenges and tournaments for the community!
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#4

Our Own Da Vinci: Arkarium
Student Spotlight

Written by IChloe__
Edited by bluecherub
Hello, lovely readers! Welcome back to the Daily Diviner’s Student Spotlight column. I had the pleasure of interviewing Arkarium this week, one of the many talented artists here on Potterworld. Arkarium has been an artist on Potterworld for a long time, and he is well known for his original Minecraft paintings and dazzling contest entries. Now, let's dive into the interview questions!

Why Potterworld and not somewhere else? What makes the Potterworld community stand out to you?
I think it's because the community has always been both extremely artistic and very supportive of artists. It's a great place for artists to find their feet and experiment with things like commissions, pricing, etc. I know my first commissions EVER were here back on the Enjin forums in 2016, and I still have the artwork of my very first commission!
The amount of time invested in these commissions is astounding, and I find it incredible how much effort was put into them!

When did you start painting on Potterworld, and how many paintings have you made thus far?
I first opened my art commissions around October 2016, and I have counted a total of 49 Potterworld related pieces up until now, including gold commissions, art trades, and contest entries.
That is quite a long time to be active in a community. It is an amazing achievement on Arkarium's part, and on top of that, the sheer number of pieces that they’ve made is absolutely mind-boggling!

What inspires you here on Potterworld? Where do your ideas come from?
To be honest, I usually open commissions when I'm low on gold. However, I do find myself being inspired by the fashion sense of players who commission me, as I get to observe a lot of different aesthetically pleasing outfits whenever I translate their pixelated skins into a painting!
Is making your art challenging? Adding on to that, do you have a process or system to help you plan everything out?
I mostly find my motivation to be the biggest challenge when creating art, which is why I have a lot of work-in-progress pieces. My process is always a decent loose sketch, then I define the most prominent features and paint from there. I don't have the patience to plan everything out if I'm being honest.
Does it take a long time to make a painting? If so, do you work alone or work with others?
Usually, I take anywhere between 4 to 6 hours on average for a headshot commission, and even longer than that for a bust or full-body. I rarely collaborate with anyone else when I draw.
I had no idea that it took that much time and effort to create such extraordinary pieces! The amount of dedication that Arkarium puts into his pieces is beyond impressive.

Do you have any tips or advice for young beginning artists? If so, what are they?
Use references; it is not cheating! I have to remind myself of that, too.
In my opinion, that is an incredible piece of advice! I appreciate the inspiration and encouragement Arkarium provides.

Who inspired you to do art, if anyone?
I had a friend who was already making mangas by the time we were in middle school, and I was definitely inspired by him to start drawing. Another person who was a large influence (and still is) is a YouTuber who goes by the name 'minusT'. He animates, illustrates, composes music, and creates amazing character models. I still find him to be my role model to this day!
What can we expect from you in the future? Will there be more paintings?
I'm currently working on a large commission right now so, yes! I hope to share it eventually!
I want to thank Arkarium for sharing so much of his creative process with us! We are fortunate to have such an accomplished artist in the Potterworld community. Be sure to check out more of his work in the official Potterworld Art Discord! This has been IChloe__ for the Daily Diviner.



Do you know anyone on the server that stands out (cool housing, a museum, active in RP, do something cool outside of PW, etc.)? Nominate them here for a chance to be our next Student Spotlight!
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#5

A Spring Green-ing
Lifestyle

Written by ohKeira
Edited by Calliequeen

Hello readers, and welcome back to this Lifestyle article! With spring rapidly coming to take the world by storm, everyone has been preparing for the beautiful warm weather. While spring clears up the cool weather and helps us transition into the boiling summer, one thing you can do to help yourself get prepared is some cleaning. I’m not talking about the ‘make your bed’ or ‘wash the dishes’ cleaning, but some deep spring cleaning! If you're looking for some ideas for those harder to clean areas- like your greenhouse, for example- you've come to the right place! Let’s get right into how you can spice up your own magical greenhouse!

Colovorio
One of the first things you can do is fix those flowers you bought from the plant shop last week. Did you just buy some random colors? Well, have no fear! There is an easy fix to this colorful problem with the spell Colovorio. You can fix those dull, musty red roses to a beautiful bright pink. Even something like a bud of purple lavender can be changed to a beautiful baby blue. This simple spell could be used in so many different ways!

Lumen
I know what you are thinking, ‘How can a spell as simple as Lumen be used to make my greenhouse all fresh and new?’ This beginner spell can be used for a lot more than lighting up the tip of your wand. You can take some fairy lights, string lights, or even fake glass plants and use lumen to instantly make the room shine.

Aquamento
Now you’ve fixed the mixed-up flowers and dingy lighting, so what’s next? Water is an essential part when taking care of various plants, but how about finding ways to make it look even more special? A simple charm can help with that. Aquamento can be used in a few ways. You can make small fountains for decoration, water streams to keep the soil in your plant boxes nice and moist, or even just move around some water in your stream to add more depth.

With lots of different ways to decorate and personalize your greenhouse, I hope you found something that fits what you were looking for. Even if you didn’t, what ideas do you have? Maybe try some Spring Green-ing for yourself. I hope you have a great rest of your day, and this is Keira, signing off!
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#6

A Guide to Pranking on Potterworld
Lifestyle

Written by bea_5OOOO
Edited by bluecherub

Hello lovely readers, and welcome back to the Daily Diviner! While pranking season usually starts around the first of April, it is never too early to get into the pranking spirit. There’s only one problem: to pull off a prank, you need to come up with one in the first place. Luckily, I came up with a few that can be done all across Potterworld.

Rabbits Galore
The first on the list is one I call “Rabbits Galore”. This one is rather simple and only requires two things: the spell Lapiformia and an unsuspecting friend. To complete this prank, find yourself a good hiding spot where you can still see your friend. From there, take your wand, cast Lapiformia, and watch as a group of rabbits swarms your friend! While this prank may seem like nothing major, it can cause quite a bit of confusion, so it is perfect for those just starting out with pranks. Try not to get caught in your hiding place from laughing too hard!

A Little Bit of Darkness
One of my all-time favorite pranks is “A Little Bit of Darkness”. In order to complete this prank, a D’lighter, which can be found at Wacky Wizarding Wonders Joke Shop in Diagonal Lane for a price of twenty-four gold, is needed. This particular prank requires an indoor setting, so you will have to choose your location carefully. Try to avoid largely populated areas, or you could be caught! Once you have lured your friend into the ideal prank-pen, whip out your D’lighter. As soon as the lights are out, you can add your own flourish. Whether you shut them in the room or poke them from behind only to disappear, I leave that up to you! This prank is a perfect way to scare a friend anywhere on the server.

A Rhythm of Annoyance
The next simultaneously annoying and amusing prank is a little something I like to call “A Rhythm of Annoyance”. Keep in mind, this prank can be a bit more expensive, as either a harp, ukulele or ocarina is needed to complete it, which all cost a thousand gold, besides the harp, which only costs twenty. I recommend that you find a number of hiding places wherever you plan to prank your victim for this one, as they will be necessary throughout the prank. To begin, you will have to wait for your victim to walk through the area where you have laid your trap. As they stroll through, you’ll run from hiding place to hiding place playing a few notes here and there while they try and find the source. This prank is a fun one, especially while you watch your friend get dizzy turning in circles out of confusion. As a bonus, it isn’t super hard to achieve, either.

Additional Prank Suggestions
Of course, there are tons of other pranks that can be done across the Potterworld server, and I encourage you to come up with one of your own! When you’re planning a prank though, make sure that while it causes some mischief and confusion, it does not cause any sort of mental or physical harm to the victim. For example, make sure to use spells that can confuse or surprise the victim, like Blizzix, but not ones that cause actual harm. A great place to start while you’re planning your pranks this season is trying some of the joke shop items, like dungbombs.

In the end, pranks are an adventure-filled and entertaining way to spend time on the server, and you should give them a shot with or without the help of your friends! Regarding pranks, I have a challenge for you: try and come up with your own prank to pull on your friends on Potterworld and give it a snazzy title! Good luck, and like always, have a beautiful day!
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#7

Which Crystal Calls to You?
Lifestyle

Written by MamaDuckie
Edited by bluecherub

Even in the magical world, there are alternative methods of healing and manifesting a change in our day-to-day lives. Perhaps you’re the witch or wizard who turns to meditation and yoga to focus your energy and thoughts to shape your life. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re the one who feels more connected to the earth and believes in the power of crystals for healing, helping to manifest that promotion you wanted at work, or the patience to get a good grade on your next class project. Perhaps you’re just curious about which crystals match up to your Hogsworth House. If you are that witch or wizard who is driven by crystals, or if you just want to find out which to wear to represent your house and its qualities, then this is the Lifestyle article for you.

As a student, former or otherwise, you may be wondering which crystals match your house. Luckily for you, I have compiled a list of crystals for just such an occasion. Whether you’re a Griffin, Honeybadger, Serpent, or a Raven like me, you’ll be able to go out and grab yourself one of these beautiful and natural works of art to help bring out your house qualities if you believe in the power of the crystals, or find a piece of jewellery matching your house that you didn’t know you needed.

For those in Griffin, the Fire Agate crystal is most suitable. The crystal itself looks like molten lava, or fire that was frozen in time. It is considered a semi-precious gemstone and is made up of many varieties of quartz crystals in hues of reds, oranges, golds and sometimes greens. Fire Agate crystals are known as stones of courage and protection. They help promote taking initiative and understanding while also easing fears and deflecting harm.

Honeybadgers should search for Aragonite Sputnik crystals. Usually a golden brown crystal, it is most commonly found crystalized on and around stalactites. Aragonite Sputnik crystals are mainly used to enhance patience and reliability. Known as an earth healer and grounding stone, it is said to help alleviate stress and calm the muscles of the body.

Serpents will find themselves most closely linked to Tiger Eye crystals. Much like a real tiger’s eye, this crystal comes in hues of rich gold and red-brown tones. If polished and held under proper lighting, the crystal sometimes reveals a true ‘cat’s eye’ formation. The Tiger Eye crystal represents personal power, bringing with it bouts of confidence and strength, as well as manifesting and maintaining wealth.

If you’re a Raven, then the royal blues of Sodalite crystals will draw you in. While it is primarily blue, it is often found with veins of white calcite. The stone of self-truth and insight will help guide you in staying true to yourself and what you believe in while also helping you to open your inner mind for observation. If you were to ever doubt yourself, Sodalite helps release your fears and allow you to be who you truly are without worrying about others’ judgement.

An honourable mention is Nuummite, also known as the “sorcerer’s stone”. Unlike the magical version— the Philosopher’s Stone, which is used to give eternal life— Nuummite is an exceptionally rare protective stone. As a protective stone, it draws energy from the earth’s core to ward off negative energies and can even enhance the luck of the one who carries it. Due to weather conditions, Nuummite can only be mined a few months out of the year. Not only is it rare, but it is also the oldest mineral ever to be discovered, estimated at nearly 3 billion years old. Though most commonly an all black stone, Nuummite is sometimes found with specs of iridescent colours, giving it a rather enchanting touch.

There are, of course, more crystals that can match your Hogsworth House, but the Fire Agate, Aragonite Sputnik, Tiger Eye and Sodalite crystals seem to radiate the house traits the best. That’s not to say that as a Serpent you can only use Tiger Eye crystals. If another catches your attention, then by all means wear or carry it to your heart’s content. The crystal that works best for you may surprise you. Of course, you may also just like the crystal for its colour, and you would not be alone in choosing a crystal based on that; I personally am drawn to Labradorite and Moonstone. There are also those who wear crystals without actually knowing the reason behind them and simply use them as a fashion statement. So perhaps you’ll wonder if those around you believe in their healing, protective and other properties, or if they just think they are the perfect accents for their choice of outfit.

Now that we’ve come to the end of this article, and you’re far more knowledgeable in crystals than you were before you started reading, I have a question to get your gears turning: which crystal, mentioned or not, is your favourite?
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#8

Making History
Original Works

Written by Silquer
Edited by kvmw
The Hogsworth Great Hall was rarely as silent as it was in that moment. Just minutes prior, there had been laughter and loud conversations. Now, you could hear a pin drop or the barest ghost of a whisper in the corner of the Serpent’s table. It was a reverent quiet, the kind shared by those who knew they were witnessing history.

The newly-appointed Headmistress of Hogsworth stepped onto the stage, draped in purple robes signifying her status, brown curls tied in a tight knot atop her head. Half-moon glasses balanced precariously on her nose. She stopped at the podium and looked across the hall; every student was waiting, attentive.

Tera Rosarian, the first transgender Headmistress of Hogsworth, smiled down at her students. Standing at the precipice of her success, she was reminded of a turning point in her life during her own time at Hogsworth.

Thirty years prior…

Tera stormed out into the castle halls, slamming the classroom door shut behind her. It opened again quietly and closed just as softly, but Tera hardly noticed it.

Today was it; the last straw, the final push towards the cliff of madness where she would descend into bitterness. She stormed back to the dorms, ready to pack her bags and leave Hogsworth behind for good.

“Tera, wait!” someone cried from behind her. She only sped up, finding the grand staircase and dashing up, panting all the way as the stones shifted beneath her.

“Tera, please! Let me talk to you,” the voice cried again from a distant stair.

“Go away, Sylvan.”

By the time Tera reached the top of the staircase, she was out of breath and near tears. Sharp pricks of anger and hurt glittered in her eyes. She rubbed them away before starting down the hall, but it was far too late. Once the first tears had fallen, the others followed short behind. Soon, she stopped to sob into the glass pane of a window, waiting for Sylvan to catch up.

She saw her reflection in the glass as she waited. Sylvan had helped her pick out her clothes just that morning, a red-and-white t-shirt tucked into a high-waisted skirt with black tights. It had made her heart flutter looking in the mirror, a shame to cover the outfit with her robe.

Muffled pants approached behind her, coming closer and closer. Footsteps came next, and soon a gentle hand was pressed on Tera’s shaking shoulder. She looked away from the glass and up at Sylvan.

“I’m sorry, Tera.”

Tera only shook her head, voice bitter, but not towards Sylvan. “It isn’t your fault. There’s nothing you can do, anyway.”

The hand left her shoulder, and Tera knew Sylvan had drawn it back to run it through her long golden hair in frustration. Not at Tera, though. Never at Tera. “I should be able to do something.”

Tera hesitated, then turned her blotchy, tear-stained face to Sylvan’s pale, troubled one. Her gold hair spilled across her shoulders in a way Tera had always admired. “You can. You can help me get out of here.”

“Tera…”

“I’ve made up my mind this time,” was all Tera snapped in return. She immediately regretted the words, but Sylvan knew her well enough to not be offended.

“Oh, Tera,” Sylvan said and hugged her. It took Tera only a moment to sink into the hug of her best friend. She didn’t know what she would do without Sylvan; instead of saying as much, she sobbed into her shoulder. They sat like that for a while, long enough for Tera’s legs to cramp. But it was warm, and it was safe and comfortable, knowing her nerdy Raven friend had given up an entire class period to comfort her.

When Tera had calmed down, she mumbled into Sylvan’s robes, “I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid. What if I can never accomplish anything because of who I am?”

Sylvan’s embrace tightened in response; Tera felt the brush of her breath on her own mouse-brown hair. “You can accomplish anything you set your mind to, Tera. You’re stronger than you know.” When Tera snorted, Sylvan nudged her jokingly. “I mean it. Really. You just need to trust yourself.”

Tera didn’t say anything for some time, but when she and Sylvan unentangled themselves, there was a new determination in Tera’s eyes.

“I’m staying,” Tera started, voice still trembling with tears but smiling anyway into Sylvan’s bright eyes. “And one day, I’ll prove them wrong. I will make sure no one has to feel unsafe in these walls ever again.”

“That’s the spirit,” Sylvan grinned back.

Present-day…

Tera snapped out of the memory. That had been so long ago, and she had been so young. Looking out into the sea of expectant young faces, Tera could only smile at all that she had accomplished for other transgender men and women. As a professor of Charms, she had created a safe space for all of her queer students. Now, she could extend her work to the entire school as Headmistress. Just as her young, sixteen-year-old self had declared that day, she would continue to make Hogsworth a comforting place for all.

And it began with her and all of the brave students and professors before and after her.
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#9

The Hunt
Original Works

Written by IChloe__
Edited by snotflower
"Jack," Vivian called excitedly from the courtyard. "The rain stopped! Come look!"

“Yeah, don’t be such a couch potato, Jack!” George yelled to him.

As the boy trudged through the muddy courtyard to join his friends, he looked up into the brightening sky where storm clouds were rolling away. He could see a colourful rainbow strewn across the sky.

"Look, Vivian-- a rainbow! Didn't you just finish a book on those?" Jack tapped the cover of her book, which flashed a vibrant rainbow image.

George laughed. "That's all she can talk about!"

"Shut up, George! That is beside the point– the book said that at the end of every rainbow is a pot of gold! We have to go find it. We'd be rich!" Vivian exclaimed.

“For once, I can agree. Imagine all the Kettle Cakes I could buy!” Jack said excitedly.

Vivian rolled her eyes. “Or, you could buy something actually useful.”

Jack grinned at her remark. “Well, we can decide when we get there. C’mon!” Jack called out before sprinting off in the direction of the rainbow.

Vivian began running after him. “Jack, wait up!” she called as George trailed behind them.

“Guys, this is idiotic! There is no treasure!” George called out, chasing after his two friends.

Around twenty minutes later, Jack finally stopped running. The rest of the group was trying to catch their breath, covered from head to toe in mud. “Guys, look up there on the mountain! That must be where the rainbow ends.”

“Yeah, obviously we can see that!” Vivian huffed exasperatedly, shoving Jack over. “Look at us. We're all covered in mud! I knew we should've taken the trail.”

George looked up at the mountain. “This is ridiculous. I am not climbing that.” he growled, crossing his arms.

“Oh, c’mon George! Let’s do it. It’ll be fun even if we don’t find treasure!” Jack smiled, staring pleadingly at his friend.

“Fine…" George sighed, and soon the trio was trekking up the mountain once more.

Just before they had climbed halfway up, Vivian stumbled.

The mountainside was steep, and she fell back towards the jagged rocks below.

At the last second, Jack snatched her arm and jerked her towards him, pulling her into his chest. "Vivian!" he cried out hoarsely.

"Are you alright?" George panicked, craning his neck from above them on a boulder to check if they were safe.

“Yes! Let’s keep going,” Vivian responded, looking more determined than ever. When they finally made it to the top, they spotted the end of the rainbow attached to a pot overflowing with all kinds of priceless gems and ancient gold coins.

“Look! I told you guys,” Vivian pointed excitedly, still panting from the climb. “There’s the treasure!”

At that, a short little creature popped out. “Who goes there?” Its voice was gruff and old. It was a Leprechaun!

“Who are you?” Vivian squeaked, jumping back from the treasure and the perturbed-looking Leprechaun. George looked down at the tiny man, raising his eyebrows in concern. He quickly drew his wand from its holster, prepared to defend his friends.

“Begone from here! This is my treasure,” the old Leprechaun screeched at them. “Get off my mountain!”

“No way– it took us so long to get here!" Vivian glanced back at her friends who were slouching in defeat. "Isn’t your pot full of gold? Can we please have something?”

The Leprechaun looked at them sceptically. “Well…” he turned towards Jack. “I saw you save the lass. That was very honourable... Alright, I’ll give you one thing. But then you will go!”

The students all nodded. The Leprechaun walked over to his pot and reached in, pulling out a small red ruby and handing it to the boy.

“This gem has a special ability. It will teleport you anywhere you’d like to go. Now, leave me be and get the hell off of my mountain!”

Jack rubbed the stone. “Hogsworth?” his friends nodded, smiling at each other.

“No way am I walking back.” George looked down the mountain in disdain.

With that, Jack grabbed his friends’ hands, and they disappeared with a pop.

“Finally...” The grumpy Leprechaun walked back to his pot, grinning greedily at his treasure and rubbing a few coins between his arthritic fingers before he settled back down for the evening.

 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#10

Who's in Detention?
Original Works

Written by Silquer
Edited by kvmw
Every once in a while at Hogsworth, there would be a sunny day with no classes— a rare occasion when the clouds stayed to the far side of the horizon, and professors and students alike were given a rest. Students would scramble across the castle grounds where they would promptly kick off their shoes and flop onto the cool grass or throw off their house robes and dip into the refreshing river without caring that their dress shirts were soaked.

So it was rather unfortunate that four students found themselves trapped in the Astronomy Tower classroom, sweating profusely, desperately wishing they were outside enjoying the shade of a swaying tree or sleeping on the lawn.

“I really wish you hadn’t brought those fireworks to class, Josh,” Simon sighed into the hot air. He felt sluggish and uncomfortable, and would much rather be anywhere but that room.

Josh looked mockingly affronted. “I wasn’t going to use them.”

“You told me yesterday you were,” Aisling chimed in, earning an exasperated look from Josh.

“I was only joking. Besides, if you hadn’t decided to show off my fireworks in the middle of class…”

Simon hadn’t meant to — he had just been surprised to see his friends sitting around with the fireworks, and accidentally exclaimed it to the whole class. Still. “I didn’t—”

“That’s it,” Alice announced, standing up and startling the others. “I’m leaving. The professor isn’t even awake,” she said, pointing at the sleeping ghost at the head of the classroom, “and I’m hot and sweaty. Who’s with me?”

“Me,” Josh said, standing immediately. Aisling was quick to follow. Simon was the only one who remained in his seat.

“You know you’ll be caught, right?” he asked them apprehensively.

“Nah,” Aisling said.

“We won’t get caught; we’re careful enough,” Alice assured simultaneously in that same confident, assured tone that usually got her into trouble.

Simon rolled his eyes, but there was a small smile playing on his lips. “Whatever you say. I’ll flash Lumen in the window if the professor wakes up.” He may have been quite exasperated, but he didn’t want his friends to get in trouble, either.

“But I’m not doing your work for you!” he called after them (as quietly as he could, so as to not wake the professor) as they made their way to the door.

“Thanks, Simon!” one of them called back.

The three delinquents snuck past the sleeping professor and descended the Astronomy Tower. The courtyard below was filled with students, some lying on the grass and soaking up whatever coolness they could, others leaning against a tree in the corner and sleeping under the shade.

The three friends flopped onto the grass at the center of the courtyard. That was their first mistake. Not a minute later, a shadow loomed over them, attached to a darkly scowling student .

“I thought you three were in detention?” the girl asked, squinting down her nose at them.

Alice glared right back and snapped, “What does it matter to you?”

“Rulebreakers need to be punished,” she said haughtily. “And if you don’t go back right now, I’m telling a teacher.”

Alice opened her mouth, and Aisling was ready to back her up, but Josh spoke out before either could do or say anything they would regret later. “Listen, we already finished our detention.”

The student narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious, and was about to argue further when Alice noticed something flashing out of the corner of her eye. She gasped.

“Uh, we have to go,” Alice said, grabbing her friends’ hands and dragging them back inside the tower, away from the snotty student outside.

“What was that for?” Aisling asked, wrenching her hand away.

“Simon,” was all Alice said, and then the three of them were racing up flights of stairs to the classroom. They reached the top and burst into the room to find a frantic-looking Simon at the window, still flashing Lumen. Upon seeing them, he raised a finger to his lips and pointed to the slowly-waking professor in the corner.

The four sat down at their seats just as the ghost professor woke from his sleep. He yawned, rubbed the sleep from his transparent eyes, and floated through the rows of chairs, slowly making his way over to them to note their progress.

He frowned, seeing their papers blank and their quills untouched. “All this time, and you’ve done nothing? Besides you, Simon; you’re free to go. As for you three …”

Simon stood with an apologetic grin and left the room to spend the rest of the day somewhere in the castle, leaving the three to a disappointed professor.

“Finish your work within the next hour, and I won’t give you another detention.”

That set them to work.

Thirty minutes later, when they had finished, they found Simon relaxing in the library, and they collapsed next to him (barely avoiding extra detention left one rather shaken), silently agreeing that they would never shirk their work again.
 
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