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Season 2 – Issue 1

IWSC

Welcome to Year Two of the International Wizarding School Championship. As usual, The Wizarding World News will be following all the action. We also have a live Twitter feed and an Instagram account for you to get day by day updates!

summer camp 2019

Headmistress Claire here, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank to everyone who took part in summer camp this year. Everyone worked really hard and there were some truly great stories submitted from every single team!

A huge shout out to Prewett Cabin for winning the first IWSC Summer Camp with 1950 points. All the writers have received four reviews from myself, and this has all been recorded on my fanfiction profile page. 

To the other cabins, my commiserations, you all did fantastically! You’re all winners in my eyes.

I hope to see more of you next summer, where again we’ll have activities galore, and friendships to build. Until then, see you all in school. Much love

-Headmistress Claire

HANDY HINTS TO GET YOU POINTS

This article is all about helping you to understand how points are awarded and how you can get the best score possible. Not all areas of judging are based on the quality of your writing, for example, you can write a beautiful story, but miss the theme completely. In this article I will be outlining what a theme is, how you can interpret it, and how to get maximum points.

What Is A Theme?

Your story is like a human body; the theme should be its bone structure; without it, your story wouldn’t stand up. That is how important a theme should be! The plot of your story should merge with your theme completely.

Breakdown of a Theme

To explain, I will be taking a theme from last year; Felix Felicis.

  • First of all, you do not have to include the potion, this is a point of inspiration. It can be included, but you are also allowed to play with the idea behind it
  • ‘Liquid Luck’ — that tells me what will drive my story. ‘Luck’ means; ‘Success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions’. From this simple idea, I can build my plot.
  • Luck is not only ‘good luck’, you can also have ‘bad luck’ (sometimes it’s good to think outside of the box)
  • This year, each theme will have a list of buzzwords rather than a long winded explanation. They are to help you interpret the theme, but DO NOT have to be used in the story. They can also help you with a more subtle interpretation. Make sure you look at the overall theme explanation and that your theme matches up with that too. Buzzwords can help build motive and purpose for your character. For Felix Felicis, these buzzwords might be:
    • Gold
    • Obtaining treasure
    • Recklessness
  • Research your theme to add other elements. My character cannot use the potion if I choose to write about their bad luck, but when researching the potion, I might find that it is addictive, and this is something I can incorporate to bolster my theme and add tension to the story. 

A Subtle Interpretation

Sometimes we have some fantastic plot lines in mind, but they involve a more subtle interpretation. This is risky, because you cannot guarantee the judge will see it.  To help explain this I will use the Beauxbatons constellation theme: Circinus – The Compass; a journey or adventure, finding your way when you are lost. One Beauxbatons writer had lost points due to their main character — Alice Longbottom — not ‘overcoming’ within their story.

  • In this story Alice had sought to connect with Neville through sweet wrappers; she began to overcome. 
  • Neville overcame in his journey to accept his absent mother.

These interpretations are valid, and integral to the story. In order to prevent deductions for a more subtle interpretation, outline them in your author’s note. This author’s note should only highlight what is already present in your narrative, and it does not mean that you will automatically receive full marks. Your interpretation and execution is still being judged, and you get full points based on how well you have done this. We will be actively working with judges to support their judgement of more subtle interpretations.

Point Allocations

  • 0 – No use of the theme – This is when a judge is unable to find any connection to the theme at all. No minor elements of the theme have been used either. The judge is simply unable to see the theme anywhere within the story. 
  • 1 – Used in a very minor capacity – This is when a theme is used more like a prompt, it is an element of the story, but it does not hold the story together, it is not the spine. The story would not change that much without it. 
  • 2 – Used in a minor way, but has some significance – It is important to the plot, but it is not the focus of the story. The story would be severely lacking if we took out the theme, but it is only used in part of the story. This could be a moment that is important to the plot, but it is just a moment. 
  • 3 – Used well and is significant – This is a theme that is used very well; it flows throughout the plot, and it is very important. The story would be less without it. 
  • 4 – Used very well and integral to the plot – This is for the themes that go the extra mile. The plot and the theme are merged together perfectly, and the story would not exist without the theme. This might also be given when it has reached 3 points, but the interpretation of the theme is exemplary and creative.

Prompt of the Round – Songs

Song prompts are some of the hardest prompts to nail. The reason is that you have to make them significant to the story, but you cannot just dump loads of lyrics into your text. This is something that is against FanFiction.net rules, so when considering using these prompts you should bear in mind how you will use it.

Song Prompt Techniques

  1. Listen to the song and use the overall theme of the song as an integral plot point
    1. ‘Tom Walker: Leave a Light On’ is about a friend who is promising to always be there for a friend and to help them through their struggles, leaving a light on being an image that says you can always come to me. This idea can be easily translated into a story.
    2. This could also be the genre of the story, sadness, tragedy, fun, disco and nights out etc.
  2. Using one line that is of significance to the song, and your story as dialogue for a character
    1. Taking the same song, I could use lyrics from this song such as ‘Tell me what’s been happening, what’s been on your mind. Lately you’ve been searching for a darker place to hide.’ This could be used for a friend who is confronting another and letting them know that they are there for them regardless of the mistakes that they have made
  3. Using lyrics as headings to highlight issues being addressed in various areas of your story
    1. A song often tells a story, and it has a progression, using the progression of the song can punctuate the progression of your story:
      1. ‘The second someone mentioned you were all alone, I could feel the trouble coursing through your veins. Now I know, it’s got a hold’ — This can highlight the part of the story where a friend is becoming aware that someone is in trouble
      2. ‘But if you carry on abusing, you’ll be robbed from us. I refuse to lose another friend to drugs. Just come home, don’t let go’ — this section can highlight the concerns that the friend has and how they confront their troubled friend
      3. ‘If you look into the distance, there’s a house upon the hill. Guiding like a lighthouse, it’s a place where you’ll be. Safe to feel at grace and if you’ve lost your way. I will leave the light on’ — this section could highlight the hope they are giving to a friend.

This round we have a song prompt: ‘Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez’. Maybe you want to try one or more of these techniques, if you have any other techniques that you like to use for song prompts, please let us know.

Writing School – Introducing a story

Time for some of Headmistress Lun’s creative writing tips (this season with the support of Admin TQA)! There will be some old and new information in this section, but we are working on fresh ideas to try to respond to your wishes from last season’s feedback. We hope you find what you were looking for in future articles!

This round we are looking at how to introduce a story in an engaging way. We updated this topic from last season’s WWN.

This article will also be the challenge for this round’s Writing School.

Introducing a Story

Have you ever been in the situation where you have a great idea for a story: Your characters feel just right, and you have the most awesome ending already written out, and then your fingers hover over the keys, paralysed by the pressure to write the perfect introduction to this incredible idea you have had?

Here are some tips to tackle that anxiety and write a great introduction!

Avoid exposition at all costs.
Exposition means that you give your reader a rundown of the history of the world or the background of your characters. While it is effective to introduce your readers to the setting in which the story takes place, it is incredibly boring and a bad example of telling rather than showing.

Instead of just dumping all essential background information on your reader, try one of these alternatives:

  • Start your story with a question to draw the readers in.

Make them curious by introducing the plot with a mystery, something your readers want to understand. A way to do this is to go for something out of the ordinary that makes them ask: “How is this possible? How did it come to this?”

  • Begin with a specific scene.

Example:
This can be a fight between your protagonists, subtly introducing them and their standpoints.

  • Focus on details that reveal the greater contexts and background of your world.

Example:
In Harry Potter, witches and wizards are completely clueless about Muggle culture and technology. This is shown in details like Mr Weasley asking Harry about a rubber duck. It is also a great detail of the world, telling a whole lot more about history than just stating that their society is isolated from outer influences.

  • Thorough world building is essential. Think of the implications your greater world building has on the everyday life and your plot.

Example: 
The isolation of the magical society from the Muggle way of life affects all areas of living, from politics seeming slightly backwards, to bigoted people and kids literally living in a school that is an old castle.

  • Start with action.

To hook the reader with your opening, start right where the story gets interesting. You can literally start with a big bang, or metaphorically introduce something grand and life-changing for your characters. This way, the reader will be interested enough to wait for character setup and worldbuilding. After the initial intense opening, introduce your characters and their world, so the reader can put the introduction into context.

  • Start your story by building characters.

Good stories are often character-driven, so a good plot comes with interesting and detailed characters. Your introduction can be used to frame a character by putting them in a certain setting and in relationship with other characters.

Final Advice:

Revisit the beginning once you reach the end! A lot can change in writing process, and what you thought the story would turn out in the beginning might no longer be true when you reach the end. Make sure your introduction still fits the story as a whole.

Writing School Challenge

Every round in the World Wizarding News there will be a Writing School challenge either focusing on technical storytelling aspects or on grammar. Every student can take part to win up to 10 extra points for their team. You can do this by writing a drabble that will be judged specifically on the aspects of that round’s challenge. However, these stories are not to be beta’d by another member of your team. The idea is that you learn the rules and beta for yourself, ensuring that there are as few errors as possible.

Find the rules for this challenge in our rules and regulations thread!

This week’s challenge is to write a drabble focusing on the introduction. Try to implement some of the tips to draw the reader in right from the beginning.

Prompts:

  1. [object/metaphor] Rabbit hole
  2. [emotion] Urge to destroy something
  3. [character] Bill Weasley (check Character article on Bill for tips on writing him!)
  4. [word] formidable
  5. [setting] a pub in the early morning

Leading a Comp – An interview with our Headmistress Verity

Rita Skeeter would start the interview with a trick question, and I do admire her style even though she is pretty scary as an interviewer. I will just go ahead and ask you what probably all of our students are dying to know and what will get you right out of that comfort zone!

What is the most annoying thing about leading a comp? Has there ever been a situation in season 1 where you just wanted to tear out your hair and quit?

I was ready to go full Thanos! I just hated that I had gotten something wrong.

Verity Grahams

Well, when the timezones kept changing, I really wanted to end it! I wanted to destroy all clocks in the entire universe! I was ready to go full Thanos! I just hated that I had gotten something wrong, I hated that all these different countries dared to have a different timezone than myself, and different daylight savings dates!

So it’s hard for you to realise you made mistakes?

It is, I hate admitting it too. But I can admit it, and I was so thankful that Paceso helped me out with the timezones! I don’t think we had an issue once I listened to her.

Seems like there is always a lot going on. Did you ever want to quit because it was getting too much work?

I think there were times when things got really tense, and sometimes you have to just step back and take time. I love this competition, and even in the hardest times, I would take a break and come back with a clear head. I am so proud of what we have created here, I love it so much, I love the students, the heads, the judges; they are all amazing! I could never have really quit, I might just pretend for an hour.

Do you play favourites with your Hoggies? Were you ever tempted to steal a few points here and there?

I love my Hoggies, but I don’t. They don’t need me to! I mean for example I have never met anyone so enthusiastic and lovable as NinjaDevil. I literally light up whenever I get a PM from her. Also, I would never get away with stealing points!

But remaining fair is a tough one! I want them to get good scores, I see the effort that they put in. I think the only way is for me not to butt into judging docs till all is said and done. The temptation is so strong to be like: ‘NO they worked so hard! You can’t do that!!!’

I had a few faves outside of Hogwarts!

Verity Grahams

As for choosing JP’s I find it easy not to be biased. I read the stories and always for me there would be one story that I would adore, and it wasn’t always a Hogwarts student, in fact, it was frequently another school, I had a few faves outside of Hogwarts!

In which moments do you know that all that hardship is worth it?

The student feedback questionnaire, seeing the results. There is that moment when not a single person said that they would not, not return to the competition, and most of them said that they definitely would! That’s a big moment, and when rounds go up, and you get people telling you how much they love the rounds, the prompts, how excited they are. For example, Ancient Runes round, it was not a popular round, and in the end I truly hated it! But I had a note from Claude Amelia Song telling me how much she loved it, and I forgot about the complaints and how much I hated it.

Oh, we had plenty complaints on that one! The Muggle AU round wasn’t the most popular one either I think. Tell us some more about the complaints! 

Well, I am no ancient greek scholar, so I recall having a lot of people tell me that I got something wrong. I should correct that statement, it sounds like I got one particular ancient greek thing wrong, I didn’t. I got many things wrong! And then there was the moment some people realised Percy Jackson Crossover was not allowed… Phew! Deep breath and calm down!

The expectations are high, aren’t they?

I get it, I understand it, and you have to realise, not everyone likes what you like.

Verity Grahams

They are, very high, which I think shows you did a great job on other rounds, but you won’t catch me creating another Ancient anything round!

Muggle AU was my favourite round, so complaints on that one hurt deeply! I was like WHY????!!!!! But taking the magic away takes the fun away for some people. I get it, I understand it, and you have to realise, not everyone likes what you like.  It’s what makes things fun, so we need to embrace that.

What did you want to make different than other comps when developing the IWSC? 

Do you think you achieved that?

There were two things I wanted to achieve; creative diversity, and bully-free forum.

There have been complaints regarding both of those objectives, I remember.

I found it upsetting, emotionally draining.

Verity Grahams

See I used to judge another comp, and the prompts were as such I read the same story three times in one round. It was almost identical, and I don’t think we have had the issue here, I think for the most part our writers have been able to interpret things very differently, and having different themes for each school helps too. I think there is more we can do on that front, I think themes and prompts can always be tweaked and perfected, but I am proud for the first season.

As for bully-free—I know I can never guarantee that. I know we did have a small handful of incidents, very small. I like to think we handled them as tactfully as possible, I hope that those that felt they were treated unfairly felt that we had their back. Realistically, I can’t answer that question, only the students can. I hope they feel safe here, and that they can raise concerns and know that they will be dealt with.

I, and the other heads, have acted on a ‘can we mend this rift’-type policy. We talk it through with both parties and apologies are required, change is required. If you continue to bully and we know about it, I would never allow someone to stay.

What do you think is the most difficult when dealing with situations like that?

I found it upsetting, emotionally draining. I know that there are very mature people here and earlier instances were handled well, because misunderstandings and feelings were understood by all parties and I felt good about that.. But there were instances were there felt like no good outcome and I was devastated.

To deal with such situations, you need good people by your side. How did you pick the headmistresses?

I guess this is the thing, it can look like you are picking friends. It’s not like that, you have to trust those you work with, there were situations that I dealt with, and it went well, there were situations where I tried to deal with it and it went horribly wrong! So I needed heads that I can talk with openly, and I need those that I know are going to be unbiased as I expect myself to be. When my judgement is called into question, I have to be confident in who I ask to deal with that. I am confident in all the Heads. I picked them based on who I knew had my back, who I knew would be help to me and put in the hard work.

Do you think each headmistress has her own strengths?

Yes, Claire is our mama bear! I don’t know what I would do without her! I mean even friends have fall outs, and that has happened, Claire was always a great mediator, and someone that I would always ask for advice on dealing with tough situations. She was the person I would ask to inspect a bullying allegation, I know she’s got what it takes!

Headmistress Lun! Well, she’s a creative genius, and does so much heavy lifting, you have no idea! I mean I mention we want students’ feedback at the end of the competition, and she creates this form, and then there is a spreadsheet that tracks the answers, and everything is just easier! Judging was so much easier once she binned my very rubbish judging documents and created something AMAZING!

Headmistress Hope – Always calm! Always kind! Those qualities can’t be understated, they really can’t. In some ways she was like a moral compass, when I got something wrong, or I got angry for no reason, she would tell me. She clearly has a way with her school too, because of how she is with people, she’s good to people and it’s a quality that makes her helping with this so much easier.

Headmistress Tiggs has only just been picked as a head, but I can point to the reasons I picked her: She’s fun, kind, a creative genius (you need as many of them as you can get), and that girl will listen to you rant all day! She is such a good listener, and having been a Mod on other far bigger competitions, her advice is always priceless.

It would be wrong to leave out Carol, even though she is unable to be a Headmistress anymore. She was the first person I discussed this crazy idea with, and it was a joke, until it wasn’t. I don’t think I would have had the guts to do this without her, and many of the ideas at the start came with and from her. 

Friends in this kind of thing is important, each and every one of the heads is reliable, and I wouldn’t change one of them.

Coming to my last question: Among all the students we have in this comp, I bet there are one or two who were inspired and want to start their own comp. Can you tell us about about how to get a comp started?

Firstly, you need the idea.The idea is the hook to pull you in, something that’s different than what is already on offer!

Triwizard Tournament theme was the original idea, which was very very limiting, you can only have three schools to start with, so I decided there would be a wider world wizarding competition. From that I looked at set up, how long it would be, and then I designed rounds, and honestly, it started as a joke! Carol said it could be done, and so it was.

Then the little side ideas came about, and I asked Tiggs for some tips very early on. She was kind enough to advertise for us, and I had to reach out to people I wanted to help me.

Before you know, I am mass spamming with my friends asking them to join the competition!

It will haunt me forever!

Verity Grahams

Oh yes, the great spamming 😀

The great spamming of 2018! It will haunt me forever!

The biggest piece of advice I can give: Pick your Mods carefully. Pick people that you can argue about things with, and they will argue back and tell you that you are wrong, but you can remain friends! You will disagree, and you need to be safe to do that, you need people you can trust, and this wouldn’t have worked without people telling me when I was wrong, and giving me better ideas, better ways of doing things.

I want to add that there are students that have inspired me as a writer, and a sneaky shout out is a must: I loved Liasis’ writing so much. There were many others, believe me! But students should know they inspire us too!

The Lair of Madam Pince

This season we will not be having a Library thread on the forum. We do want to give all students a chance to publicise works that they wish to get some more attention. You can also send in links to stories that you have truly loved that are not your own. We will feature those stories, as well as all the Judges Picks and Honourable Mentions. 

In this first issue we will be showcasing the fantastic stories and authors that won in the IWSC Awards, as well as the Judges Picks from the finals.

The Great Book Review

Welcome to the great book review. In this segment we will be reviewing the five stories that received judges pick in the previous round. Each writer received three bonus points, but the winner of the overall JP will get five points instead!

Judges Picks Season One – Finals

SilvermistRuhi – The Circle of Life

SilvermistRuhi is one of the only original writers for Hogwarts. She worked so hard throughout the entire competition, and proven that she is a valuable member of the team. She has earned judges picks before, and is an active participant in many other challenges! Ruhi brought the Hogwarts series to a beautiful, yet tearful conclusion, focusing on the end of Harry’s life and the birth of his first Grandchild, and all through the medium of Harry’s diary.

whitetiger91 –  Moving On – OVERALL JP

whitetiger91 has been a frequent choice for Judges Pick in season one, despite only being a stand-in player! Each fiction that she has produced has managed to tug the judges heart strings, and for the finals she did it again. The Pygmy Puffs were the focus, but whitetiger91 still manages to grip your emotions, focusing on how the loss of friends can truly hurt, and how the simplest of things can help you get through it.

Hemlockconium – Assembling the First-War Order of the Phoenix Part 4: Marlene McKinnon

Hemlock has proven to be one of the main contenders in this competition, and since she joined Beauxbatons she has been a force to be reckoned with. The IWSC Awards featured many nominations and wins for Hemlock, so it’s not a surprise that this pick was favoured for Judges Pick for the french teams series which focused on the original Order of the Phoenix. Hemlock focuses on Marlene McKinnon and looking at how and why she signed up for this prestigious organisation.

IWSC Awards Winners

Also in the library are the winners of the first seasons awards. We wanted to feature them because they are the stories that YOU thought were the best; they were nominated by you, and the winners were voted for by you. Remember, as you go through the competition, you can nominate any story for one of the categories that we have for the Awards!

Fred and George Award for Best Wizardly Wheezes

Ink by Saturnine Spiders

Snapes Award for Tragic Tales

To Make a Monster by Hemlockconium

The Lovegood Award for Creativity

A Werewolf’s Woes by Hemlockconium

What other categories for stories would you like this year? Please send all nominations or category suggestions to the competition account with the heading IWSC Awards Nominations/ IWSC Awards Categories.

Dear Aunt Molly

Hello, dears, 

Welcome back to year two of IWSC. For those of you who know me, hello, how are you? To anyone who is new this year, welcome! I am Molly Weasley, and I will be answering all of your burning questions. You can contact me at Fanfiction.net: Aunt Molly.

Now, as it is a new year, I would like to talk to you about teamwork. 

First things first, when working as part of a team, a very important factor is communication! 

Talk to each other about plots, how you intend to write your story, but most importantly, anything that you have going on in real life. You may be thinking, ‘Aunt Molly, that is a weird thing to say,’ if there is IRL stuff going on, your classmates will need to know, now I say this, but it needn’t be anything too personal that is not suitable for sharing. But things like exams, revision or minor stuff that you don’t mind sharing with others is fine. It’ll help your classmates to know, so you can take a round off, and have a part timer step up in your stead and write for you.  Trust me, this is key to functioning well. Sometimes you will find help from an unexpected quarter! That, and the support you’ll receive will be invaluable. Also, you can garner help with things like writer’s block, breaking down plots, and what prompts would be appropriate to match your story well. This competition is about more than writing though, it’s about finding new friends, finding friends with similar interests, and above all, having a good time. This is always better when you work together.

Next important factor, discussion. 

Don’t argue! Go into each round with an open mind. Occasionally, you may find that some of your classmates, for whatever reason, may not like your ideas – this is completely okay, life would be boring if we were all the same. Calmly discuss why they dislike your idea, maybe it has something that triggers them, or maybe it’s just not their taste, sometimes it might even be that they know you can do better. Don’t take it personally! We all occasionally have dud ideas! Merlin knows my children have over the years. Teams can argue for all sorts of reasons, sometimes personalities will clash. Try to make sure that you are considering the other members of your team, and utilise the Deputy and Heads if things are getting a little dicey!

Keep an open mind.

Now, when it comes to your team betas, listen to them. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, you should all beta each other’s work so you all get the benefit of everyone’s strengths. I know there is nothing worse than having your story pulled apart and critiqued, it can be so utterly soul destroying, but trust me when I say, it will help! Remember, where one person is fantastic at spelling, punctuation and grammar, you might be able to really help with convincing characters, compelling descriptions, or any other important part of storytelling. You can learn so much from your fellow writers. Do you think any published author hasn’t had to endure this? Of course they have! Those who beta for you are the people who will help you to get the scores you so desire, just like you can help them get higher scores in other areas. I would always recommend sharing your feedback with your teammates, this is how you know who to get to help you with certain aspects of your next story. 

Teams are about working together, sharing the burden, and having fun. Most importantly they are about friendships, winning is great, but having fun with your friends is even better!

I hope you all have a fantastic year at IWSC. This is Aunt Molly, signing off.

Dear Aunt Molly,
I’m feeling a bit discouraged. I work really hard on my stories every round, but I don’t get any reviews. What is the point in writing if no one reads my work? 

Weary writer

Dear Weary Writer,
It can be hard when we don’t get recognition for hard work, particularly when what we are doing is in part for the enjoyment of others. I have a few tips for you. 

Firstly, remember that a lack of reviews does not mean a lack of readers. I myself have been guilty of loving a story and yet forgetting to review. In your account you can see how many people have viewed your story – this is a much more accurate measure than counting reviews. 

Secondly, join the review challenge here. Many people feel more motivated to review stories when their stories have been reviewed. Review some of the wonderful stories written here, and I’m sure that you’ll see your reviews go up too. Plus, you’ll be giving well-deserved feedback and encouragement to your fellow students, which is an important part of our community. 

Finally, think about why you are writing. Are you really writing for reviews, or are you writing to be creative, have some fun and increase your skills? If it is the former, you will almost certainly be disappointed from time to time. However, if you are writing for the latter reasons, you will find that you enjoy yourself and take pride in your work regardless of the number of reviews you receive. 

Keep up the good work dear! 

Love,

Aunt Molly

Dear Aunt Molly,
I’ve always liked school, but recently some of the other students have been really mean. They tease me for being a bookworm, and tripping over things in the common room. It’s really got me upset, and I don’t know what to do. My friend says to just ignore them, but it’s getting harder and harder, and doesn’t seem to work anyway. What do I do?

Baffled Bookworm

Dear Baffled,

Firstly, I am sorry you are experience bullying at school. It is something no one should have to face. But it seems that you are lucky to have a good friend to support you. 

In part, your friend is right. It is much better to turn the other cheek than it is to engage the bullies. Most bullies will get bored eventually if they see that they can’t elicit a reaction from you. However, ignore the behaviour, not the person. Instead of fighting fire with fire, fight fire with kindness. Smile at them if you pass each other in the hallways, pick up something they have dropped, or respond nicely if they try to engage you in conversation. I’m not saying to purposefully gain their attention, but counter negative behaviours with positive ones. 

Most importantly, report this behaviour to your Headmistress. Bullying is not condoned within any school, and needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Your Headmistresses are kind and always willing to help, so don’t feel shy about asking for help. And ask your friend if they would be willing to speak to them too to corroborate your story. It is much easier to deal with these situations when all the facts are in the open. 

Stay strong dear, I am confident it will get better very soon. 

Love,

 Aunt Molly

Character Profiles

How To Write: Bill Weasley

Hey everyone, and welcome to Season 2! It’s Headmistress Hope here, with the new article How To Write. This is an alternative version of the Historical Characters article I did for a bit last season. Instead of a random person we don’t know much about, this will be about various characters and how to write them in character, OOC (Out of Character), and some popular headcanons and AUs (Alternate Universes) that can be written about that character.

As we all know, family is important, yes? That’s why we’re going to be talking about one of the lesser known members of the Weasley family, William Arthur. Better known as Bill, he is the oldest of the siblings and the one that most of the others look up to for guidance.

Throughout his school years, he didn’t really know what he wanted to do with his life. Some options that he had were to be an Auror, or else go into the Ministry, neither of which truly appealed to him. In his third year, he met Jacob’s sibling, who was on the hunt for the Cursed Vaults (please see Hogwarts Mystery for further research). Their adventures in the Vaults over the next few years, coupled with his knowledge of magical creatures, led him to pursue a career at Gringotts Bank as a Curse-Breaker.

During his school, the one subject he was never good at was Herbology, needing extra help in order to pass the class. In almost all other subjects, he was extremely gifted, taking many classes starting third year and eventually earning twelve NEWTs. This has led many people to theorize that Bill had access to a Time-Turner for at least a year or two in a similar situation to Hermione Granger. 

Despite his reputation for being extremely smart, he was also quite cool, adopting a style similar to Muggle punk, which could show that he was a fan of the lifestyle. Maybe he liked the Weird Sisters? He had a pierced ear with a dragon fang on it, kept his hair long and shaggy against his mother’s protests, and was generally well liked and popular. Many would assume that because of this, he was a playboy, but this wasn’t true. He was generally nervous around girls for a long time, even being turned down by his first crush Emily Taylor. Eventually, however, he met and fell in love with the French Triwizard Cup champion, Fleur Delacour, during the fabled tournament, and the two were married in August 1997.

Bill maintained a push and pull relationship with his mother, Molly. She often wanted to cut his hair to a manageable length, and greatly disliked his earring. She loved her son, but he felt that she was often quite overbearing.

During the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, which followed the death of Dumbledore, he was scratched by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. However, it wasn’t the full moon, and so he was not turned, coming out of it with a severely scarred face and a penchant for raw meat. Fleur stood beside him all the while, and this finally won Molly and the rest of the family over, accepting that their relationship was about more than Bill’s good looks.

During the Battle of Hogwarts, he fought well and survived, but his younger brother Fred did not, which likely affected him for most of his life, as they appeared to be quite close.

A year after the Battle of Hogwarts, Fleur and Bill had their first child, and named her Victoire, to signify their victory at the battle. Two more children followed not long after; another daughter they named Dominique, and a son, Louis.

As there aren’t really many headcanons involving just Bill, some ideas to use when writing Bill would be to write him as his new brothers and sister are born. What does he think when Charlie is born? How does that change as Ginny comes around? Another could be how he treats his father’s love of everything Muggle-related. Does he tolerate it, or join in the absurdity? Does he help him fix the flying car?

One other would be after the wedding, during the days and months after his marriage to Fleur. The war was in full sway at that time, and it was sure to have a great effect on the newlyweds. A specific bit would be to write about their first Christmas, which Bill’s brother Ron joined them for as he had left Harry and Hermione on the hunt for Horcruxes. How did Bill feel about having someone else around during his first Christmas as a married man? Did he rebuke Ron for leaving? These are all questions that have great story potential behind them.

Whatever you guys do with Bill Weasley, I wish you luck. I hope you enjoy this new article, and that it provides you with aid as to how to write him. Stay tuned next week, where I’ll be walking you through the ins and outs of Kingsley Shacklebolt!

Creative Corner

Quotes Challenge

This challenge will earn each participant 5 points for simply submitting! The winner of the challenge will be featured in the next issue and will get themselves another 5 points!!

J.K. Rowling is a fantastic writer, on that I think we can all agree, as she certainly knows how to turn a phrase! There are many iconic quotes from the series dealing with love, loss, family, prejudice and so much more throughout the seven books. This challenge is all about taking those words and making them as beautiful as they sound!

We are asking for you to take your favourite quote from the Harry Potter books and use your design skills to turn it into a wonderful work of art. Here are some examples for you:

There are rules for this challenge too:

  1. It must be original artwork – no finding and copying something from google!
  2. It must include the quote and the name of the character that said it. If it is part of the narrative the name you use would be JK Rowling
  3. The background or image that is included should connect to the words in the quote, e.g. a somber quote should have a somber background, or include an image that related
  4. Copy and pasting another image is not allowed

Any submissions that do not meet these requirements will not get the points. It’s all about celebrating your favourite words, characters and your own imagination. Good Luck!

Birthday Announcements

Hip, hip, hooray! It’s your birthday!

In this section, we will celebrate your birthday with you with a special message. During sign ups in January (and throughout the year), a birthday thread will be created for you to let everyone know when your birthday is. You will not have to put the year if you don’t want, and you can even simply put the month if that is what you prefer. During each issue, we will then let everyone know it’s your special day coming up!

Hogwarts Mystery

Something mysterious is happening at Hogwarts…

In this section of the paper, we will be exploring the wonderful game, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. The game (available on both Apple and Android devices) is an intriguing new addition to the fandom. Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned player, we hope you’ll enjoy our updates and tips. We will aim to cover a range of things, from secrets and advantages, to characters, events, and creatures.

In this issue, we will look at the main character, whom you play as during the event, as well as your character’s very first friend, Rowan Khanna.

Who are you?

What we love about Hogwarts Mystery is the ability to create a realistic character. We are able to customise using a wider variety of features than you’d normally be able to do on many other games. You can choose your character’s sex, eye colour and shape, hair colour and style (there are three main styles to begin with), eyebrow shape, face shape, lip shape, and skin tone. Many more options open up as you progress throughout the game, and can be purchased with ‘coins’ and ‘gems’ that you earn during classes and other game tasks.

Recently, the game has offered make-up choices, in which your character can wear lipstick, blush, and eyeshadow, as well as wear facial hair such as sideburns, moustaches, and small beards (available as a Year 6 student, and potentially Year 5). Furthermore, you can also opt to purchase different outfits (some are prizes in events) and accessories, such as necklaces and glasses.

Whether you choose to create your own self or play around with the character, it is a lot of fun—especially having the ability to choose your own Hogwarts house!

One thing you cannot choose, however, is your family. Your character is the younger sister or brother of Jacob, a disgraced student who disappeared after being expelled. The reason why he was expelled becomes clearer as the storyline progresses, but it often means that you aren’t the most popular witch or wizard in your year. Whilst you can choose your own path to follow, being a cursebreaker follows you, kind of like Horcruxes follow Harry!

Rowan Khanna

Rowan Khanna is your very first friend. You meet her in Diagon Alley when shopping for school supplies. Depending on the sex you choose for your character, she or he is female or male to match. She or he also joins your house and helps you along the journey. Think of her as your very own Ron and Hermione wrapped into one neat little package.

Many players think Rowan is a little suspicious, but like all characters, she or he is simply well rounded, and will be there for you in times of need. Rowan’s aim is to become Head Girl or Boy one day, and as such, she or he is very studious. Rowan also grew up on a tree farm that often produces wood for wands.  

Next issue, we will look at ways to maximise your energy and rewards. Until then, please feel free to share with us what your character and Hogwarts Mystery world looks like! We will feature as many as we can in the next issue!

The International Wizarding School Competition League Table

School Place This Round Points MVP
Hogwarts 1st Placexxx
Beauxbatons 2nd Place xxx
Mahoutokoro 3rd Placexxx
Durmstrang 4th Placexxx
Ilvermounry 5th Place xxx

Trivia and Puzzles

Welcome to our trivia article. This was a big hit last season, but there was the concern that it was unfair to those that weren’t in a timezone that allowed a quick response. For that reason we have implemented this solution to that issue, as with trivia and puzzles, there is usually only one clear winner. All those that have answered within the first forty-eight hours will be put into a hat, and one of our admins will pull out a number of names, up to three, to get the points. 

  1. How old was Nicolas Flamel when he died? 
  2. Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same plant, also known as what? 
  3. How many staircases does Hogwarts have? 
  4. What is the max speed for a Firebolt broomstick? 
  5. How many possible Quidditch fouls are there? 
  6. For Harry’s 17th birthday, what colour did Hermione turn the leaves of the Weasley’s crabapple tree? 
  7. In The Prisoner of Azkaban. How much does a ticket cost if it includes hot chocolate? 
  8. On the wall across from the Room of Requirement, there is a tapestry showing a wizard trying to teach trolls ballet. What’s his name?
  9. What is the name of the Apparition instructor who comes to Hogwarts in Harry’s sixth year?
  10. What is Fred Weasley’s chosen code name on Potterwatch? 

Across

5 The Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts, until she is killed

8 The street where the Black residence is located

9 An array of magical sweets that make you ill so you can miss a lesson

11 A Hogwarts textbook written by Bathilda Bagshot

12 A street near where Harry lives

13 Sirius and Regulus’ mother

16 The date that James and Lily Potter were killed

20 Three magical items that, when owned, can make one Master of Death

22 A Hogwarts House that is stigmatized for being known to have produced many Dark witches and wizards

23 Voldemort’s snake, later a Horcrux

Down

1 A fire that is extremely dangerous and hard to control. Can destroy Horcruxes.

2 Cat-like creatures that are excellent at detecting untrustworthy people

3 The address of the Dursleys and Harry Potter

4 An elf that befriends Harry Potter, likes being freed

6 The town where Harry and Dumbledore find Horace Slughorn in hiding

7 A non magical person who has magical parents

10 The only girl in her family for many generations

14 The region of England where Malfoy Manor was built

15 Potato-like creatures that infest Wizarding gardens

17 Harry Potter’s pet owl

18 The home of the Weasley family

19 An unintelligent creature that lives in the Weasley’s attic and moans a lot

21 Harry’s eccentric neighbour, has many cats

Feel free to contribute to other aspects of the paper by sending a private message to the Competition account. We are always looking for pieces of fanart, and even your thoughts or recommendations. Even if you want to send a message to someone in the competition that you think has excelled, or maybe they helped you out? Send it to Aunt Molly! Anything else should be sent to Wizarding School Championship. In the Subject should be Wizarding World News: [Name the section of the paper you are writing about] depending on what you’re messaging about.

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