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The Daily Diviner - Special Edition: Pride

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Hello and welcome to Iris Cove! The locals have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. You probably aren’t used to viewing everything in our rainbow-coloured vision, so to help you to see the world from our perspective, I would like to give you a grand tour of our island. Let’s get started!

Starting at the docks, you’ll notice some beautiful sailboats with various coloured sails that are designed after the lesbian, gay, asexual, and transgender flags. Their sails are strong and help them weather any storm. However, in case any of the boats get lost, the lighthouse in the distance helps guide these pride-themed boats back home to Iris Cove where they bring their wares to the marketplace.

If you stick around long enough by the docks, you might find an old sailor surrounded by children, telling the tale of how they thought they were doomed to die to the murderous storms and the monstrous sea, yet somehow the sails stayed strong and true, with the lighthouse in the distance to guide them home. The vendors in the marketplace roll their eyes at the sailors’ anecdotes, but the seamen will tell you that those folks have never set foot offshore. But regardless of their seafaring history, these vendors have plenty to offer! Their multi-colored stalls sell all sorts of souvenirs you’ll have to buy, and as this is Iris Cove, they specialise in pride-themed goods!

Also located in the marketplace is Iris Cove’s very own Vixen Van Gogh. This year, Vixen Van Gogh is teaching students how to paint. If you’re interested in taking one of his classes, you should stop by the rainbow-coloured stall. I heard that he is also looking for an assistant to help him make preparations for class. Be sure to check him out. Fun fact: he’s colour-blind!

When Van Gogh isn’t teaching others how to paint, he helps with maintaining our glorious, vibrantly-coloured town statue, the crown jewel of the island located in the centre of town. You will notice that the statue is wearing a stunning cloth rainbow, woven together by the community. This statue is our pride and joy. It represents our harmony and solidarity as a community. I bet you wish Hogsworth had a statue like this one! Unfortunately, the only way this statue is going home with you is through photos and memories.

Other things you might notice about the island include the rainbow-coloured houses. Each colour represents a different housing district. Starting with red on the left, the houses and shops there represent the gardening district. You can find all sorts of blooming flowers and fruit-bearing trees there. The orange district is the artistic district. You will find all sorts of paintings, drawings, and artists there. The yellow district is the baking district. The island’s best bakery is located here. The green district is the gaming and arcade district; I highly recommend checking out the Whack-A-Mole there. Last, but certainly not least, the blue district is the fashion district. Iris Cove has exclusive, high-quality fashion that you cannot get anywhere else. Stop by and take a peek to see what’s in store!

Also, keep an eye out for some hidden fairies and lemons. They are located all over the island and mean something special to some of the shopkeepers here. If you find one, take note of its location! It may just be useful later on.

I hope you have fun visiting Iris Cove. Go have your own island adventure. In the meantime, have a pride-tastic day!
 

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The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#2
Hello lovely readers and welcome to a very special edition of the Daily Diviner! In today’s article we had the chance to speak to some members about the Pride community inside and outside of Potterworld. Pride month is the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of LGBTQ+ people as a social group.

I had the lovely opportunity to speak with tqrpiar, The_Blue_Lady, Order66Sky, and rvowan. All four of them gratefully agreed to be interviewed for the Daily Diviner’s Pride article. Let’s get to know our interviewees a little more, shall we?

What is your preferred name and pronouns? Do you feel comfortable sharing what makes you a part of the LGBTQ+ community?
tqrpiar: My name is arne (lowercased!) and I use he/him pronouns, though I'm never opposed to people using they for me either! I'm very out and open about my identity—I'm a trans binary man and I identify as queer with my sexuality. So, I don't mind what gender people identify as, as long as their personality is great!
The_Blue_Lady: Stardust, she/her and I'm an openly proud Pansexual.
Order66Sky: Mara, She/her and I'm Pansexural with Asexural tendencies.
rvowan: My pronouns are she/they, and I am part of the community by being bisexual!

Now that we know the lovely people that have given their time to answer our questions, let's dive into what Pride month means to them and how they feel about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

What does Pride month mean to you? And what gives it this meaning?
The_Blue_lady: Honestly, it means the celebration of people who feel like they are able to connect with who they are even if that falls out of the normal viewpoint of a person. Its something I've personally participated in within real life with parades and finding my own identity as I grew up. I feel like everyone within the queer community has had to struggle with the questions of who they are and what they're feeling about others. Pride month being such an open and free experience allows people to not feel alone in their experience as a human being.
tqrpiar: Pride month to me is a celebration in so so many different ways! Our community has gone through a lot in history and having a month where we can celebrate every person, no matter how big or small, is so important and is what pride month should be. Whether someone is out and about, or someone who is figuring out who they are, pride month is so open and so welcoming. During this month the whole community just becomes family even more, and that's what pride month means to me; love and family! There's so many aspects that honestly give it meaning, and I think it's different for every person! For me now with how long I have been in this community, just our own community gives pride month its meaning and I wouldn't have it any other way.

These are really great answers! It’s amazing that both arne and Stardust have similar views as to what Pride month means to them. I agree with them 100% that Pride month is a celebration for what LGBTQ+ has been doing for years. Also, just a piece of advice, let’s not have arne have his way because then the world will be on fire. Let’s dive into the second question!

What is your favorite part about being a member of the LGBTQ+ community? And why?
Order66Sky: Favorite part is being able to connect with people who are like me and how everyone is very supportive. Reason why is that I can't be open to a part of my family and have to walk on thin ice. It's nice to get away from all that and just talk freely.

It’s always important to have something that you can use to escape to when it’s hard to talk about something. Especially Pride, since not everyone understands what someone can be going through. Let’s move onto our third question!

Everyone celebrates pride differently. How do you plan on celebrating? How have you celebrated before? Have you celebrated before, or is this your first time?
tqrpiar: I have most definitely celebrated pride before, I'm getting so old now... Kidding! A lil'... No, but it's not my first time celebrating! I've celebrated pride in many different ways—by going to pride parades for example! Every year I go to the one in my province, but have gone to a couple in other countries such as Amsterdam Pride which is gorgeous!! If it's not for the pride parades, I honestly celebrate pride in a couple of different ways. Can't lie, I'm extremely excited to go back to a parade as it has been ages due to the world's situation! Things I do as well are painting my nails in my own flags colours to celebrate! My room also has two pride flags hung up, though they don't match the rest of my interior whatsoever, they're still there. I want people to know that this is something I am more than proud of! Besides that, I just hang out with other people of the community and even that is celebrating pride—by being ourselves at any given point.

It’s always amazing to see the different ways people spend Pride month. There are people who attend Pride parades, or they just have parties with close friends. Being with the people you love during this month is one of the most important things in life, as we all need each other. Let’s slide into the next question!

How do you feel about the way Potterworld celebrates pride? Do you feel that it represents the community well?
The_Blue_Lady: I'm not sure if it represents the community as a full whole as that in itself is a challenging task. The community is ever changing and fueled the definitions and identities created by masses of people. However they definitely did a decent job at mixing in some information with some fun quests and pretty general rewards. Overall it was a noticeably smaller event but wasn't in no way a lackluster one and I've got to give the team's credit for that.

Yes, I 100% agree with Stardust again. There is so much detail and love that goes into the making of the Pride event that each year there is always something different. Let’s wrap this up with our last question!

Have you attended the Pride event before? What did you like about it and what are you the most excited for?
rvowan: I have not attended it before, but I am really excited! I wanna see how it’s done, and Potterworlds events are amazing! I do hope there will be a shop to get a few different types of flags, or even just the regular rainbow one!
The_Blue_Lady: I did, the 2021 event was very cute with rewards like a very sought after staff, flags and event rewards. I felt the explanations of the flags and most common sexualities and gender identities (including all of them would be impossible) were handled pretty well. It showed pride as an opportunity to learn and a chance for people who may not have experience with Queer folk in their day to day be more exposed to it. I hope they do something along those lines again if the event section is completely new or even just updated. That for me was good to see normalised for those who may be confused or questioning their sense of identity as they grow.

Well it seems that we will be having someone new joining us for the Potterworld Pride event, along with a veteran returning for the fun. It is so exciting to see what the Pride event will look like each year, because it could be something completely new or something from a past year just updated with more new things!

I’d like to thank tqrpiar, The_Blue_Lady, Order66Sky, and rvowan for giving their time and taking part in our Pride interview! I hope everyone is able to join us at this year's Pride event hosted by the amazing events team. This has been ivyronincheez reporting for the Daily Diviner!
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#3
Hello readers, and welcome to this Pride Special Edition article! How are you enjoying the colorful Pride Event so far? Pride is well known for its vast array of colors and flags, and they all have their own meanings and symbolisms. The famous rainbow pride flag is the perfect example of this, and if you’ve ever wondered what these colors mean, look no further. We will be discovering what your favorite color on the pride flag says about you!

The first color on the pride flag is red. Red is the warmest color on the color wheel, standing out for its passionate shade and association with the heart. Because of this, red often represents courage and strength. On the pride flag, red symbolizes life, and it is a reminder for all to have courage and passion for their LGBTQ+ community. If this is your favorite color, you are surely a boisterous individual and full of courage! Bold, brave, and willing to show your pride to the world, you are a great ally and friend. Stay passionate about everything you do!

The second color on our lovely flag is orange. Orange is next to red on the color wheel and is most notable for its vibrant tone that inspires creativity. Although commonly associated with its fruit counterpart, the color orange stands for much more than that! Orange often represents health and creativity, and it means healing on the pride flag. If orange is your favorite color, then you are an incredibly fun person with plenty of creativity to go around. You are a great friend and a magnet for all types of people. You also love to offer acceptance and a safe space for healing. Never let anyone stop you from being yourself!

The third color is the often-overlooked yellow. Yellow is orange’s cooler companion (on the color wheel, of course) and signifies joy, happiness, and optimism. Yellow is sometimes scorned for being a frustrating color, but its symbolism of positivity and optimism tells a different story. It represents new ideas on the pride flag. If this is your favorite color, just like orange, you are amazing fun to be around and always looking on the bright side of things. Your positivity is unmatched, and you are always willing to share it with others. You are also incredibly supportive and always open to new ideas and opinions. Even in the face of bleakness and negativity, keep your positive attitude!

The fourth color on the flag is green. Green is the start of the cool colors on the color wheel and the direct opposite of red. Although more understated than other hues, green is a strong color. It represents growth and new life, and it is found everywhere in nature. It symbolizes prosperity on the pride flag. If this is your favorite color, you are a calm soul in touch with nature and life. You are always focused on growing as a person and achieve great success because of it! You lend a helping hand to anyone in need and offer plenty of support to others. However, make sure you take plenty of breaks to re-center yourself!

The fifth and coolest (literally) of all the colors is blue. It is also the calmest color, representing freedom, wisdom, and tranquility. Besides green, it is one of the most common colors. It can be found everywhere, from the oceans to the sky, and is often associated with feelings of calm and peace. It fittingly means serenity on the pride flag. If this is your favorite color, you are a peaceful person who strives to be calm at heart. You are very loyal to friends and family and inspire others to be at peace with themselves as well. Even in the most tumultuous of situations, you are an anchor of wisdom!

The final color on the pride flag is violet. Violet is a combination of the lively hue of red and the calm tint of blue. Due to its nature of balance between red and blue, violet represents quiet ambition and independence. In history, it has often been the color of royalty and extravagance, and on the pride flag, it means spirit. If this is your favorite color, you are strong-willed and quiet. You are more subtle than red and a bit more confrontational than blue. You always stand up for yourself and the ones you love!

That concludes our journey through the pride flag and what the colors are to you. What was your favorite color and was it accurate? Whether or not these meanings hold true to you, it is important to look at the pride flag for yourself and find what each color means to you personally. I wish everyone a spectacular Pride Month!
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#4
Hello lovely readers and happy Pride month! As we get further into the month, we at the Daily Diviner have been receiving more questions from our readers regarding how to stray from masculine or feminine-presenting fashion styles. We have heard your questions and are proud to present to you the androgynous dressing tips we have found and collected!

Tip #1: Wear Loose Clothing!
By wearing an oversized or even looser clothing, it can help give your body less shape. This is nice to hide any curves or musculature you aren’t comfortable with or even give more of a gender-neutral feel to your look. I personally love oversized sweaters as you can dress it up for special occasions or dress it down for a more casual look. A simple sweater also allows you to accessorize a bit more, whether it be with a belt or a necklace.

Tip #2: Mix And Match!
Mix and match some clothing from the men’s and women’s section at the store. One of my personal favourite things to do is buy some shorts from the men’s section (I am a huge fan of the deep pockets and baggy shorts) and some large sweaters from the women’s section (I love soft things especially). By mixing and matching, it can help achieve that androgynous look you may be going for.

Tip #3: Don’t Be Afraid To Experiment!
You might find that some articles of clothing work better for you than others. Do not hesitate to try on new pieces! Even just taking clothes to the dressing room, putting them on, and viewing yourself in the mirror may help you figure out what works best for your personalized androgynous look. If there isn’t a dressing room, you can always buy the clothes, but keep the receipt and the sales tags on so that you can return them later if you do not like it.

Tip #4: Have Fun With It & Wear What You’re Comfortable With!
In my opinion, this is the most important step. You want to love what you are wearing and feel like you in your own clothes. If you aren’t loving it and don’t feel comfortable or feel like yourself while wearing it, then don’t wear it!

By remembering these tips, you’ll find yourself with a new androgynous-styled wardrobe in no time! However, more important than a new wardrobe, you may find yourself becoming more comfortable with who you are and what you like. If there are any tips that we missed, feel free to let us know. Happy Pride month, everyone! This has been Creme_de_Creme reporting for the Daily Diviner. See ya next time!
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#5
The Griffin Common Room was empty, save for two students leaning against the back of a worn couch. Legs stretched out on the carpet towards the fire and Nick resting his head on their shoulder, Tess thought they knew what happiness was. The fire had long ago become uncomfortable in the near-summer night’s heat, but Tess couldn’t bring themself to move for fear of disturbing the weight on their shoulder. A fluttering of content flickered in their stomach as Nick snored softly into Tess’s robe, a sense of pure pride in their heart that he felt safe enough to fall asleep in their presence.

Tess had come out as aromantic and asexual the year prior, and since then, they had come to identify these butterflies and appreciation for Nick as a platonic crush; in other words, a complete and utter squish.

They tilted their head over Nick’s, not quite courageous enough to lean into his mess of black curls, and fell asleep to the silent promise that tomorrow would be the day they finally asked Nick to be their queerplatonic partner.

—​

Tess shared only two classes with Nick: Arithmancy and Potions, and an unfortunate test in the former decided that Tess’ first chance at talking to Nick would be in Potions. They walked into the period shaking with nerves.

The potions classroom was sweltering, and Nick was already sitting in the corner with a seat saved for them, their cauldron prepped for their class on the Elder Elixir. After a brief reiteration of the recipe, the group work began.

“Hey,” Tess smiled at Nick as they began mincing the newt spleens.

“Hi,” Nick grinned back, reaching under the cupboard for the bunch of ripe bananas. “Thanks for letting me sleep on your shoulder,” he said as the two dumped their ingredients into the cauldron.

“It was nothing. Can’t let Sleeping Beauty miss out on his quality nap, after all.”

“Ha.”

Tess searched in the drawer for the leaf they needed. It was empty, save for one blue leaf. They shrugged, picked it up, and plopped it into the potion. It was probably fine.

When Nick took out the vial of orange snake venom, Tess gathered their courage. “I was wondering if I could ask you something.”

Nick hummed curiously, looking at them with the vial in hand.

This was it. “Do you want to—”

Tess didn’t get to finish, for, at that moment, their potion exploded in a puff of black smoke. When the fumes cleared, all Tess could see was Nick’s surprised, ash-dusted face and an empty vial of venom in his hand. And then they were doubled over, wheezing with laughter.

The professor came over and said something about using the wrong color leaf, but Tess couldn’t really hear it over the sound of their and Nick’s laughter.

—​

After that failure, the two spent the rest of the period in the bathrooms, scrubbing ash from their faces and hair and flinging water at each other.

When classes ended, Tess and Nick sat on the Courtyard steps. It was an old tradition of theirs. Normally, Tess would be lying flat across the steps, looking up while they fiddled with their wand. Today, they sat straight, nervous hands stuck in their lap.

“So, Nick,” Tess began. Nick looked up from his book. Tess loved that about him; as long as Tess had known him, Nick always had his nose in a book. But when you spoke to him, even if he was mid-page, he gave his utmost attention.

Tess cleared their throat and started again. “Back in the Potions room, I was trying to ask if you…”

Tess trailed off at the sound of loud footsteps and laughter from behind them. They sighed. “Nevermind, I’ll tell you later.”

Their three friends sat down beside them, and the moment was gone. Tess couldn’t complain, though; they were their friends, after all, and they soon forgot their annoyance in the calm feeling of being around the people they loved.

—​

Dinner came and went, and Tess and Nick found themselves alone again in the library before lights out. It was another of their traditions. An hour spent in the library, talking in hushed tones, revising notes, and poring over textbooks. Nick was more fidgety than normal, often playing with a corner of a page or twisting his hair around his finger.

“What’s on your mind?” Tess asked at last. Nick took a visibly deep breath while they watched on patiently.

“I’ve been wanting to ask if you want to be queerplatonic partners with me,” he blurted out, and Tess’s mouth dropped open. He went on before Tess could regather their wits. “Right, sorry. A queerplatonic relationship is a completely platonic, non-romantic and non-sexual relationship between friends who love and appreciate each other.” Nick’s face colored a deeper red than Tess had ever seen. “And I do like you, platonically. You’re my best friend. Though I understand if you don’t want to.”

“Are you kidding? Of course I want to.” Tess laughed, a little breathless. “I know what a QPR is. I’ve been trying to ask you all day.”

“Wait, really?” Nick asked. Realization dawned on his face, and he buried his head in his hands. “Oh Drooble, I’m so sorry.”

Tess giggled and reached across the table, taking his hands in theirs. “We’re such idiots.”

Two days later, matching rings could be found on their hands.
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#6
A masquerade is no place to be nervous, I kept telling myself. My butterfly-inspired outfit was beautiful. The flowing black dress with small butterflies on it framed my figure perfectly. Tiny flowers covered the small mask that hid away my face. I was at a royal ball, and I was picture perfect. I was determined to show off my best looks tonight.

As I strode into the ballroom, my eyes caught the shining chandeliers and silk ribbons. I had to admit, the palace did know how to whip a party together. The entire kingdom seemed to know how to dress for one, too. I might have looked amazing, but some people were fabulous.

I barely glanced at the royal family before my eyes spotted the buffet spread out on the other side of the room. This ball might be about them, but I was here for the food. Forgetting myself, I began to dash across the room. What better way to celebrate than to stuff my face with food?

I snapped out of it within moments and slowed down to a steady walk. I lifted my chin and pretended the past few moments hadn’t happened. Tonight, I was a presentable and respectful young bachelor, not a peasant.

Also, if I ran, someone might see I was wearing platform heels. That would give my entire presentable facade away. Plus, there may or may not have been a 3/5 chance I’d trip and fall to my doom, but I refused to think about that.

I stared down at my dress and fought to keep my heels beneath the butterflies that littered the hem. Even if the mask was the centrepiece, I couldn’t embarrass myself while in such a beautiful dress. I made sure to place every step with precise calculation.

That is until I ran straight into a body.

I stumbled back and tried to twist my head around what had just happened. The stranger was staring back at me with the same alarm that I was feeling. Peacock feathers lined his face, and a colourful pocket square broke up the white of his suit.

He was clearly rich and could determine my livelihood with a snap of his fingers.

“I’m so sorry,” I choked out, breaking out from my daze. “I wasn’t watching where I was going! I should have been paying attention and–”

“Hey,” he interrupted. I was sure I was dead. “It’s okay. I don’t mind, really.”

“Yeah, but what if the other guests saw that?” My mind had already dismissed one anxiety and was on to the next. “What if they’re disgusted by my behaviour?”

“I don’t think that matters in this situation–”

“What if I get kicked out? I need to taste the palace food! I mean, Merlin’s beard, have you seen that chocolate fountain?”

The man laughed. “You won’t get kicked out.”

“And how do you know my night won’t get ruined?” I retorted.

He smiled. “Trust me. I just have a hunch.”

Suddenly, we were engulfed in a crowd of dancing couples. The first song of the night had begun without me noticing. I glanced at the man in a panic, and we rushed to the sidelines.

I heaved a sigh when we were safe. “Thank Merlin,” I muttered.

“What? Not interested in dancing?”

I glanced at the man bashfully. “I don’t know how to dance, actually.”

He blinked in surprise. “Then why are you here?”

“The food, obviously. What about you?”

“I’m here because my dad forced me to, though I don’t know why he bothered. I can dance, but I don’t really fancy it.” He chuckled. “Last time I danced with someone, I grew so bored I accidentally tripped her.”

My cheeks were warmed by the sound of his cute laugh. As a distraction, I cleared my throat. “By the way, I haven’t introduced myself.”

I took a step back and did a curtsey that I knew would make my mother proud. “I’m Marigold; Mari for short.” I straightened myself back up and shrugged. “It’s a bit feminine but better than Gold, ya’know?”

The man laughed. “Well, nice to meet you, Mx. Marigold.”

He grinned and held out a hand. “I’m Harry-”

“Please, you’re not that hairy.”

“-Prince Harry, I mean.”

“What?”

That was enough for me.

A prince? No. No way. I crashed into the prince and revealed I was only here for the food!

Plus, who crushed on a prince?!

And for a second time that night, I contemplated running. Merlin hadn’t lent me any luck tonight, and he wasn’t starting then.

I spun fast on my heel and immediately tripped over my clumsy feet, revealing my bright rainbow shoes.

With hesitation, Harry, heroically, handsomely, and very princely of him, might I add, caught me in his arms. We both seemed shocked that it had happened and stared at each other for a few seconds.

Before Harry snapped out of it.

“Are those– platform heels?”

I couldn’t stop myself from breaking out into laughter.

He gave a confused smile before lowering the two of us to the ground.

I remarked, “You’re very strange for a prince.”

Harry tilted his head. “Well, I think I’m pretty normal.” His eyes began to twinkle. “Though, I get a lot stranger than that if you wanted to get to know me. Later, there’ll be fireworks in the rose garden if you want to join me.”

My face reddened. “Yes,” I replied with less grace than I should have. I mean, what else was I to do? Say no to a handsome prince? Plus, he probably knew where more food was.
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#7
“You can’t be serious.”

Sienna stared down at the crowd of first years. After an awkward pause, one of them said, “Um, yes? We are?”

“Well, you see,” she said, “we can’t have forty first-years trapezing around.”

“Why?” another asked.

“You would all have to march to the same rhythm, never fall down a trick step in the Grand Staircase, and not get lost down some corridor leading to who knows where! That’s never happening. It’d be a mess!” Without waiting to hear their protests, Sienna marched off—she had a parade to organize.

. . .​

Sienna studied the float in front of her. It was beautiful—the garden was full of life, flowers blooming in colors that matched the iridescent rainbow hanging above—so she gave a satisfied nod to the three girls nervously standing in the corner. “It looks fine.”

They all breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Sienna!” they chorused before leaving.

But no sooner were the three girls out of the room than a hoard of second-years burst in. “Sienna!” one shouted. “Can we join the Pride Parade?”

“What are you planning on adding?”

An awkward silence. Sienna glared at them. “Don’t tell me you barged in here without a plan.”

“Well, we were just planning on adding ourselves?”

She grimaced. “Have you been talking to the first years?”

Their shifty gazes confirmed her suspicions. Pointing at the door, she ordered, “Get out. Ask why I said no. I don’t want to hear from you again.”

. . .​

“Sienna, we want to join the Pride Parade!”

“Sienna, you don’t trust us?”

“Sienna, it’ll be a lot of fun!”

“Sienna, you’re being so—”

“Shut up!” she bellowed one night, causing the entire Great Hall to fall silent. “Fine! If you guys want to join so badly, give me a color guard, dancers, a choir, and musicians. Then we’ll talk. My parade, my rules.” And with that, she stalked away.

. . .​

“Sienna!”

She spun around. “What, Isla?”

“That was mean. You know it was.”

“If you came here to scold me, I don’t want to hear it.”

Isla put her hands up. “Not here to yell at you. Just to remind you, the Pride Parade symbolizes the community coming together in support of LGBTQ+ people. I know this means a lot to you, but without the students’ support, the parade means nothing.”

“Without the students’ support? What are they going to do, not show up?”

Her response was an impassive stare. Sienna laughed bitterly. “Even you?”

“If it comes to that.”

“My own girlfriend breaks up with me over a parade celebrating our relationship. How ironic.”

“I’m not breaking up with you, Sienna,” Isla said softly. “Just think about it, okay?”

She turned around and left, leaving Sienna alone in the corridor.

. . .​

A quiet knock on the door roused Sienna from her thoughts, and a nervous-looking fourth-year peeked through. “Miss Sienna?”

Sienna raised an eyebrow. “Since when was I ‘Miss Sienna’?”

The fourth-year winced. “Since you yelled at Marcus for not addressing you respectfully?”

“I did that?”

“You did!” Marcus himself swaggered into the room. “But not to fear. I have good news!”

“Really,” she said flatly.

He turned to the fourth-year. “Bailey, could you tell the others to come in?”

As students began to file into the room one by one, Marcus said, “Please don’t start shouting, Miss Sienna. Hear them out.”

“Don’t call me that,” she grouched, but acquiesced, staring at the crowd in stony silence. Once they were all in the room, she said, “Well?”

“We did what you asked,” Marcus explained. “Over there is our lovely color guard—see what they’re carrying? Pride flags! And over there are ten of Hogsworth’s finest dancers. And in the center are our magnificent frog choir, who will belt any song you wish with an accompanying bass of bullfrogs. And last but certainly not least, our musicians!” He grinned proudly. “Now for demonstrations!”

The crowd lept into motion. As Sienna watched the flags spinning, dancers moving in sync, and the frog choir rumbling in the background accompanied by soothing voices and melodies from crooning violins, she found herself relaxing a little.

Once they were finished, she stood. “Guys, that was amazing,” she said, and the students’ eyes widened. “Really. But I was being stupid—you don’t really need to do that all. The parade is about the community, and you guys clearly care as much as I do. Of course, you guys can join—even if you’re technically doing nothing.”

A sixth-year in the back spoke up. “I think I can say for all of us that this was a lot of fun, Sienna. We appreciate your offer—most of the younger kids will be relieved to not perform—but we want to uphold our part of the bargain! So just tell us what to do and we’ll do it!”

The students began to cheer, and with a smile, Sienna stood.

. . .​

“That was fun.”

“Long time no see. Come to gloat?”

Isla grinned. “A little.”

“Can’t blame you.” Sienna glanced around. A few of the first years were stuck in the trick steps, a pride flag had covered the portrait of a particularly noisy duchess, and bullfrogs were droning in the oddest places, but she somehow didn’t care. “I was an idiot.”

“That you were.” Isla rested her head on Sienna’s shoulder. “But I love you anyway.”

“Love you too, Isla.”
 

The Daily Diviner

New Magician
Staff
#8
“Hey! Kaylyn!”

Kaylyn’s head turned to see another seventh year approaching them in the courtyard. “Leo! I thought I was going to finally get some time to read.”

“Well, you thought wrong. But listen, I have an idea–”

“What is it this time? Not another coffee shop, right?” Kaylyn slammed the book shut in their lap and let out a sigh. “Nice pins though.”

Leo shook his head and proudly showed off the pins that clung to his robe which appeared to be the MLM and Transgender flags. “Thanks! My parents mailed them over to me for Pride Month when I came out.”

“Congrats! It's awesome that you opened up to them about it. Though, don’t tell me you want to start a pride pin making business.”

“No! I want to start a club. A Pride Club.”

Kaylyn’s head snapped back to look at Leo. A small smile appeared on their face. “...I’m listening.”

“Maybe for people whose family or friends aren’t as supportive. Sort of like a way to get to know other LGBTQ+ people.”

“I think that’s the smartest thing you’ve said yet—I’m in!”

Leo gave Kaylyn a wide grin, and he reached to pull them off the bench. “Really? Why, thank you. Glad to hear it!”

As the two were about to head off, Kaylyn stopped to look at Leo. “Wait, where are we even going?”

“I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“Ugh, Leo! We need to find someone to help us run the club. I think I have someone in mind…”

With that, Kaylyn dragged Leo behind them as they marched back into the Hogsworth building.

—​

When they arrived in front of the Transfiguration classroom, Leo looked at Kaylyn in confusion.

“Are you positive we are in the right place? I don’t see how Transfiguration could help us start a club.”

“Not the class, no. But what about the professor? Ms. Rean!”

“Hello, darlings! How are you both doing? Do you need something?” She opened the door, and Kaylyn gave Leo a soft nudge.

“Ah! Actually yes! So Kaylyn and I came up with the idea to have an LGBTQ+ Club! I know it might be hard to execute, but we need—“

“A professor to help? I’d love to! Though, there is a slight issue…”

“That being…?”

“Unfortunately, there are no more rooms for clubs currently. We only have a certain amount of rooms available, and we’ve recently maxed out.”

“B-but, there has to be a way!” Leo remarked loudly, followed by a quiet huff.

“The only thing I could think of is combining with another club, but that can be difficult.”

“Well, I’m sure we can figure something out!”

“Yeah! You can count on us, Ms. Rean.”

—​

The Raven students found themselves back in the courtyard. After hearing the frustrating news about their club, it became clear that they needed another plan.

“What club would even want to combine with us? Most like sticking to the activities they were made for.“ Leo sank into the same bench that Kaylyn was sitting on earlier. They placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and sighed.

“Yeah… maybe Wizarding Chess…?”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

There seemed to be no good candidates for clubs to combine with. The Potions Club wouldn’t cooperate, Quidditch was out of the question, and not many people would drop out of any of the bigger clubs.

“We’ve been through everything; what else is there to even try?” He sounded defeated, which was unusual for the upbeat person he usually was.

“I’ve got it! Book Nook!”

“Book Noon?”

“No, Book Nook! It meets on Fridays, and I’ve heard it’s pretty chill. I know Wally runs it, and I think he is aroace. Maybe he could help us?”

Suddenly, the situation was looking up. Once Leo agreed to ask Wally for help, he ran off to ask him while Kaylyn reported back to Ms. Rean.

—​

After a lot of searching, Leo was able to find Wally, as per usual, reading in the library.

“Hey, Wally!”

“Leo, right? Good to see you outside of class. What brings you to the library?”

“Well, I actually have a small favor to ask…”

Wally picked his head up from his book and looked back to Leo with a small nod to continue.

“So, do you know Kaylyn, another seventh year? Well, we had the idea to start an LGBTQ+ club. I know that you run Book Nook, and all the club slots are currently full. I was wondering if maybe we could ‘combine’ clubs…?”

Wally ran his hand through his pale blue hair in deep thought, pondering what Leo just said. After a few moments, he finally responded.

“I think that is an awesome idea. I love it! Currently, the club is mostly my friends, and many of them are already in the LGBTQ+ community, so it all works out!”

“Great! I’m going to go work out the final details, and I guess we will meet on Friday?”

“You know it.”

—​

Even though it felt like forever, Friday finally came. All of the students in the club gathered together, along with Ms. Rean, and began introducing themselves. Kaylyn and Leo smiled at each other, both excited and proud of what they were able to accomplish. If the first meeting was this successful, they couldn’t wait for the next one.
 
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