The Daily Diviner - Special Edition: The Haunting

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Terrifying Tour of the Haunted Hollow​
Conversations in the Haunted Hollow​
Magical Halloween Costumes​
Spooky Spots​
A Spooky House​

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BOO! Welcome to Haunted Hollow! I must admit, it is not often that we have guests from the mortal realm… but we are more than happy to invite you in! You have come at the perfect time, especially with Halloween on the horizon. In order to get the most out of your time here, let me give you a quick tour through our spirited town. I am sure you are itching to explore, so follow me!

First things first, step off the train and take in the environment! Our town is settled in the middle of a dense forest and surrounded by towering mountains. In front of you is the train station. Do not be fooled by its run-down appearance—Haunted Hollow is far from abandoned. There is plenty to do if you dare to venture farther!

Take a right and follow the path through the forest. I would not recommend straying too far into the woods, as you never know what lurks off the path! On the left, you will soon see a sprawling graveyard, home to all sorts of creatures, dead and living alike. Though cemeteries are often seen as scary places, I find much comfort here, especially with the giant pumpkins lurking in the background!

Past the cemetery is the pumpkin patch. We work extra hard to ensure our pumpkins are ready in time for Halloween, and this year is no different. You will notice our town is decorated with pumpkins, all taken from our garden here!

If you go right and then left, you will be at the center of Haunted Hollow, most noticeable by the large, looming tree sat in the middle. This is where most of our residents live. There are a lot of different activities to do around here, so I would recommend taking the time to explore this area and introduce yourself to all the townsfolk!

Head east and you will soon spot Ciarian’s Manor, an intimidating large mansion on the outskirts of town. Enter if you dare, but be careful, as it is easy to get lost in its winding halls…

Last, but certainly not least, on the south side of town is the Marketplace, where you can obtain a number of collectibles we have prepared to make sure your trip is a memorable one! Pick up a few items to bring back to home so that you will always remember us, just as we will always remember you.

Now, I see you look a little overwhelmed, and I do not blame you—Haunted Hollow has much to do! If you are looking for a place to start, I would recommend speaking to Jerome, our mayor, who you can find at the train station.

Make sure to speak to the other residents as well. The Halloween season can often be a stressful time, and I am sure some of them could use some help. I also encourage you to try your hand at our various Halloween activities. Bob for apples, go trick-or-treating, and most importantly, have fun!

This is where my tour ends. Though our time together is up, this is only the start of the festivities! Keep an eye out as you explore, and always stay on your toes. Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a spine-chilling time in Haunted Hollow!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Hello my dear readers, and welcome back to the Daily Diviner… and to Haunted Hollow! Students have made a return to this spooky location to spend Halloween among the magical and supernatural. I had the pleasure of speaking with some of the residents of Haunted Hollow about the season and celebrations.

I first saw the conductor when stepping off the train to enter Haunted Hollow. Standing there with his fancy cap, he certainly intimidated me, but I approached him nonetheless to ask about his work. When asked about his favorite part about working as a conductor, he replied:

I just love to meet all of the people that come through the train, y’know? Why, all the new and returning faces always bring a good story with them.

That then begged the question: had he seen any strange characters come through the station? He said he didn’t know about any strange people, but that the cat over there (I could only assume he was referring to Blossom) was rather odd.

Indeed, Blossom has seemed very strange to me. I thanked the conductor for his time and went onward.

After that lovely conversation with the conductor, I wandered over to Blossom, who appeared to be guiding students around the hollow. However, she didn’t seem to want to speak with me after our last encounter and interview (you can see Issue #119’s Feature for those details), so I instead headed into the town, taking the path to the pumpkin patches.

A striking figure caught my eye at the entrance of the grounds with the large pumpkins. This turned out to be a werewolf named Orlando and the perfect interview subject. He graciously answered my questions about why he liked living in Haunted Hollow, saying:

It’s always been a safe place for us werewolves, even when the rest of the magical world rejects us.

It is reassuring that the werewolves here have found a good home. I then asked if he had any advice for students visiting from Hogsworth; after all, it is best to be as respectful to the locals as possible.

He recommended not to be alarmed by all of the supernatural and magical creatures that make a home here. He explained that most are nice once you get to know them, and he mentioned Sam as one such resident of the hollow. I knew where to go for my next interview then!

As Orlando directed, I found Sam next standing outside a lovely house. Although a little intimidating to approach, Sam was incredibly kind and answered my questions enthusiastically.

His favorite part of Halloween, he said, was the trick-or-treating. Who could blame him? The candy, the costumes, the adventure of not knowing whether you will get a trick or a treat…

I then, of course, asked for his advice for all trick-or-treaters, and Sam suggested:

Be quick and make sure to maximize your trick-or-treating route! You want to get as much candy as possible (to then give to me).

I then gave Sam a bag of candies I had on me to repay him for his time. However, that concluded my round of interviews. There are so many more villagers and visitors to speak with, though!

Octavius the ghost is at the train station to greet you and always happy to talk, and I have found that Sabrina is usually up for a chat when she is found outside of her house in the center of town.

A big thanks to all of Haunted Hollow’s residents for speaking with me and being so gracious with their time. I hope all students have a seriously spooky time during this trip; don’t get too scared, and enjoy the spooky season!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Welcome, readers, to the Haunting Special Edition of the Daily Diviner! There are many ways to celebrate Halloween, including decorating, watching scary movies, eating lots of candy, and most importantly, dressing up in a costume! Coming up with ideas for Halloween costumes can be pretty challenging, but do not fret, as I have plenty of spooky and magical ideas for all of the witches and wizards out there!

The first costume idea is a Halloween classic: a Vampire! Vampires are blood-drinking creatures who look similar to humans. They live for centuries and can only die by being exposed to sunlight or being impaled by a wooden stake. Vampires make a great costume for those who want something on the simpler side.

To make your costume, start with dressing in darker clothes: primarily black with some accents of red. Most popular Vampire fashion has gothic influences. Once you have the clothes down, there are a few ways to accessorize. Start out with an umbrella, since Vampires cannot go in the sun. The last piece of the costume are the fangs and fake blood. Check local joke shops for fake fangs, and make your own fake blood by mixing a bit of red food coloring into Pumpkin Punch!

One of the most ghastly creatures found in the wizarding world is the Dementare. They would make a chilling costume for those who prefer something on the spookier side. Dementares are mostly found guarding the Dark Prison. Any experience with these creatures is an unpleasant one, as they drain any and all happiness from their victims.

For a Dementare costume, it is best to start with a black cloak for clothes. They are known to have extremely gaunt faces with black holes for mouths. This effect can be recreated using makeup. Dementares can fly, so giving the illusion of flying would be a great addition to your costume! One way of doing this is by eating some Pop-Up Popcorn which will give you the ability to levitate off the ground for a few moments. You can also use a mobility spell like Appareo.

One particularly foul creature that would make a terrifying costume is the Undead. The Undead are a rare branch of the death process different from skeletons or ghosts. They are a result of a cursed former life. The Undead reek of dead flesh, as they are nothing but walking corpses who spend most of their time in the cold, damp forest.

The Undead tend to have tattered, dirty clothing. You can use any old clothes you do not mind cutting up and getting dirty. For your hair, mess it up and add bits of leaves or small sticks. If you really want to go all out, try adding live worms to your costume! It may seem gross, but you can use some worm bait from Warbles’ Wormtastic Wonders in Tristmoor to add an extra layer of earthiness.

If you are looking for a costume with a bit more color, a Fairy is the perfect choice! Fairies have unique appearances and can range in color along with wing shape and pattern. Many are linked to a specific element alongside magical abilities harnessed within their hands. Overall, Fairies are gentle and kind creatures who live in peace alongside humans.

A Fairy costume is one you can really use all of your creativity with. Focus on the element you want your costume to embody. Find clothes in the colors that fit this element and make sure they suit the ethereal nature of Fairies. Cut out unique wings and do your makeup to fit the aesthetic of your element and colors.

The final piece is a beautiful flower crown! You can use the flowers of your choice, but the most popular are roses. Different rose colors have their own symbolism. You can use pink and red to represent love and elegance, purple and blue for royalty and mystery, orange and yellow for joy and passion, and white for innocence.

Halloween is a great time to be creative making a costume, and there are plenty of fantastic magical creatures to base one on, not just the ones mentioned here. You can even match your costume with your friends! Whether you plan a group costume or just make one yourself, I hope you all have a fantastic and spooky Halloween!

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Greetings, witches and wizards of Haunted Hollow. Last night, I went on a late-night stroll around the town by myself, which, thinking back on it, probably was not the smartest idea. Nonetheless, I came across numerous places that made me think, “Wow, this is spooky,” so in this article, I will be giving you info on all the spookiest spots!

The first one that gave me the chills - in a good way - was the graveyard naturally. I personally was not overly creeped out by this one, despite what my roommate Salem says. She claims I was shaking out of fear when I entered our dorm, but I swear it was just the adrenaline! Either way, the graveyard is definitely the place to go if you are seeking some late-night thrills or a bit of ghost hunting, perhaps?

I then walked through the town centre, across a bridge, and then up a hill before I stumbled upon some huge mansion referred to as Ciarian’s Manor. What a trek that was. It was entirely worth it, though. I have never seen such a large and mildly terrifying house in my life. It looked so old and worn in like it had been lived in for a long time. Possibly still lived in, in some way. I did not have time to go in, but if any of you reading ever decide to, please be respectful of the home.

I went back to the town centre, and it seemed that in the time that I had been admiring the manor, everyone had retreated back to their homes. The town centre is admittedly scarier when you are all alone in it. All the lights are off, and there is not the slightest hint of a person milling about. Well, besides me. It felt as though someone, or something, may have been watching me. Um, let’s continue, shall we?

The next place that I stumbled upon was the pumpkin patch, and while typically, pumpkin patches would make everyone from toddlers to adults happy, something about the pumpkin patch at night was simply unnerving. All the open space makes you feel vulnerable in a way, like something may be lurking in the shadows that you cannot see. If I were not in a rush to get home, I would have stayed, I swear, but Salem needed me to come home. Ha.

In my rush to get home, I had to take the train back to Hogsworth to get to my and Salem's dorm, and I would not have expected to be able to see the ghosts here. I guess they just are not scared to make themselves known, or simply have the power to do so. I do not know the logic behind it, all I know is I was severely creeped out, okay? I admit it. I was scared. I needed to get on the train right away.

Anyway, that is all I have time for, I am still tired from my adventures last night. I am lucky I did not get caught by the prefects for being out past curfew. Thank you for reading, and I hope to stumble across some of you checking out these spooky spots! Goodbye.

 

[The Daily Diviner]

Vera, Lowen, Ryan and Anna, a group of students at Hogsworth, find their way into the town with the world’s famous Haunted Mansion. They had been planning to see it for months, and today is finally the start of their trip.

As they make their way through the town, they almost walk into a group of older teens. A few of the teens chuckle as one of them accidentally bumps into Ryan. A different teen scares Anna as he passes, causing Vera to pull her girlfriend towards herself.

“Hopefully the Haunted Mansion is funnier than those people.” Vera rolls her eyes after sending a glare their way before checking up on Anna. Lowen chuckles at his sister, agreeing.

“Hey! Kids!” The group turns around to see the older teens walking back towards them with mischievous grins. “You guys going to the Haunted Mansion? We have a way better one than that old dump.” Vera and Lowen raise their eyebrows, sharing an uncertain look. “We’ll show you. I’ll even dare you to go in for five minutes. Wouldn’t it be fun to see two haunted houses on your trip?”

Lowen, Ryan, Vera and Anna shortly look at each other, clearly unsure, before Vera agrees, always having been the daredevil out of the four of them.

The older group of teens lead the way towards an old, broken-house. Cobwebs dance around almost every corner, and there is definitely a hole in the roof.

The sight alone makes Vera excited to see what lies inside, so she instantly accepts the dare, dragging Anna in with her. The boys follow, not wanting to leave the girls unattended. Besides, neither of them trust the older group of teens, who all seem content with staying outside.

Every step they take on the wooden floor creaks loudly, dust everywhere. The four explore the house. Most of it has fallen apart or is starting to do so, making the four teens wonder how long it has been in this state. A wind chime in the window above the kitchen sink starts making noise, causing Anna’s face to drop into a fearful one for a second.

The group starts to go up the stairs, only to be stopped by a voice.

“Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?”

Lowen whirls around to see a ghost, one that is clearly not happy to have uninvited visitors. Vera covers Anna’s mouth with her hand, while Ryan quickly steps in front of the two girls. Though he knows it’s unlikely could fight a ghost, he would never leave his friends in danger.

“I’m sorry,” Lowen says nervously, “We were told to check out this house. We can leave if you want.”

The ghost’s face changes into a kind expression, realising they didn’t come inside to ruin the place or be cruel to him.

“I would like it if you guys left, yes, but I need your help first.” The four teens nod at the ghost, following him to a tall, wooden grandfather clock. “There is a strange noise coming from the clock. Could you maybe get rid of it?”

“Let me check! I’m pretty good with clocks,” Ryan says, bending over to peer at it. A minute later, he straightens up with a nod. “I see it. Did some teen put something inside of it while others were busy distracting you?” He holds up a rubber duck.

“They must have. Thank you for getting rid of it.” With those last words, the ghost disappears down the hall, signalling the group it is time to leave.

As they step outside, Vera takes the rubber duck from Ryan and puts it in her bag.

“Now we will forever remember the Spooky Dare House.” She grins, causing Lowen to chuckle as they all make their way back to the official Haunted Mansion.