Another month has come and gone, and it certainly was an interesting way to set foot into the new year. So much happened, and so suddenly and then ....
and then .....
And then, nothing. Nothing else happened. And we didnât really get any answers, did we? We survived to see what this new year still has in store for us, but the Minister didnât. We put several souls to rest last year, and then someone saw fit to disturb those already at rest. Cygnus Black was arrested and spent hours being interrogated because of a poorly timed joke (or was it a prank?), we saw the engagement of Reuben Skeeter to Dahlia Prewett as well as that of Orpheus Burke to Agnes Fawley, the late ministerâs son was appointed by the court to replace her, and then, days after the Ministry assured us â in the same fell swoop that they let us know we were still to be led (in the interim) by a Tuft â that all personnel were present and accounted for .... Adrianne Moody, the auror formerly known as missing, stumbled back into town.
But we donât know anything more than that do we? Not even when talking to Llewellyn (heâs got a big mouth, but he never gives spoilers), and thatâs a shame.
So whatâs next?
Well, Iâll tell you whatâs next:
FEBRUARY!
We get to try again at getting off on the right foot in 1956, and there are plenty of ways that we can do that!
Weâll have a double event - Valentineâs Day in Hogsmeade!Â
Now, the Three Broomsticks and Madame Puddifootâs Teashop are both nostalgic classics, and theyâve earned it. Most people have frequented either one or the other on a date at least once, especially during their Hogwarts years, but these days, as long as youâre willing to brave the mobs of teenagers, it still feels as magical as it did back then â and we still have time for The Leaky or Wyvern to join in the fun, too, if they want to. You can expect all the feel-good vibes you remember, and you can be hurtled back in time with the dizzying displays of hearts and cupids.
But if youâre a longtime patron of the Hogâs Head then you know that Valentineâs Day means something very different - itâs the day after Abeâs birthday. And because Aberforth is who he is as a person, you regulars may also remember that he took the first chance he could get to get out of celebrating both his birthday and Valentineâs Day: by creating the 2 Day Dru-Day, a two day birthday celebration for Druella Rosier. Of course, this is only bested by the Double Lucky Fest, but those are much more rare.
Youâll be getting new details on these things as we move along, but please guys, feel free to move on if youâve been hesitating. You are still free to play in the last week of January, but you may now also officially consider us in the first week of February 1956.Â
And maybe ... just maybe ... some of those mysteries will get unraveled as we go.
I'm so upset!!! I've checked the main no less than 4 times today, and never once saw this.
At this point in time, I'd say the most wanted kid right now is probably Atlas Burke - he's got instant connections, and the person who wrote it is STILL HERE!!!
Now, if you don't want to walk directly into a very wanted pair of shoes â you'd learn a lot upon arrival, but you'd get some really interesting plots â then I do have some other ideas for you!
Mary-Jane Warren, Ignacius Prewett (we have your twin), or Alastor Moody (we gave you a younger sister, and you can check her out here) !
I hadn't realized we were nearly out of open skeletons, and now I feel horrible for slacking â life has not been gentle to me, lately.
I would also be absolutely open (and excited for) to seeing apps for names like Abraxas Malfoy (think 22-25) , Lyall Lupin (21-24), Fenrir Greyback (29-34), and Amelia Bones (24-28). I've had these skeletons planned for a while, but I haven't gotten them anywhere near being ready for posting. If you'd like help with these, or any other ideas, I'm around and happy to help!
I'm also really sorry for the wait, and it's worth saying twice.
You have been accepted for the original character Adrianne Moody, with the faceclaim Sophie Turner! Oh, this was a treat. Iâve been so excited about this ALL. DAY. LONG. We have all missed you, and our dash has certainly missed Adriâs auror flash and sass. Canât wait to see you bcak in action, and to find out what, exactly, happened to Adri. Please submit your url within the next 48 hours and review our checklist.
You have been accepted for the skeleton character Jacq Bell, with the faceclaim Dominique Provost Chalkley! Oh, this was a treat. I know that weâve .... as a group (I wonât take all the blame here) ... been really excited since you told us you were considering Jacq, but I definitely know I speak for everyone when I say that they are going to make SUCH a splash upon their return to our slice of the universe. Itâs good to have you back, Jacq, I donât care what anyone else from your past says â I think youâre an icon, and I canât wait to see what you get up to. Please submit your url within the next 48 hours and review our checklist.
On Friday, 13 January 1956, the Ministry of Magic released the following statement, received by most citizens with their morning paper:
âWhile the whole of the Ministry and the country still mourns the loss of our leader, Willhemina Tuft, her untimely passing has left a void which we know must be filled. A special session was called this week, within the Wizengamot, to appoint a new Minister, Pro Tem, ahead of this yearâs scheduled election.Â
The Court have selected Ignatius Tuft, son of his predecessor, who has agreed to finish out his motherâs last elected term for the sake of continuity, after which, come the May election, he may choose to run, himself, for office or remove his name from the ballot.
Further, Minister Wilhemina Tuftâs death is an active investigation. Details of the case will not be released to the public until such time that definitive answers can be given. As of this time, it is the Ministryâs belief that the Ministerâs death is NOT tied to the recent grave disturbances, nor should any weight be given to alleged reports that an Auror is missing. All Law Enforcement personnel are accounted for and present, and are working diligently to bring all open cases to a close.
It is the Ministryâs wish that the truth will be discovered, and justice delivered swiftly. In keeping with this wish, the Ministry reminds all citizens that if you have knowledge of the cases at hand, or information you believe would be of use, to contact the Department of Magical Law Enforcement immediately.âÂ
Approved for immediate release by: Ignatius Tuft, Minister Pro Tem; Griselda Marchbanks, Wizengamot;Â Â Elphinstone Urquart, Head - DMLE
Well, some things never change, do they?Â
Thatâs alright, though. The Ministry always promises that details wonât come out.....but we all know that the truth has a way of letting itself be known. And with two papers, both chock full of dedicated writers, researchers, and great connections, weâre bound to know plenty soon.
So letâs go over what we do know, and give it a little thought:
The Ministry is denying that an Auror is missing â so it might be a while before we find out if the disappearance of Adrianne Moody is tied to the Ministerâs death or the grave disturbances
Winter Macnair is still missing - though we suspect his absence was reported to the authorities, no one knows for certain. If his absence was reported, who was assigned to the case? Was it Aurors? Hit Wix? Who can we look to for updates in this case? We better hope it wasnât Auror Moody. Either of them.
The grave disturbances - Hepzibah Smith and Myrtle Warren are buried, surprisingly, in the same cemetery, though thereâs quite a bit of distance between them. Why were the graves disturbed? How was it discovered? How are they linked? Are they? And why were graves in two other cemeteries disturbed? Is someone searching for something .... or were they just seizing on an opportunity to cause a little chaos? And if they were .... how did they know to strike when they did?
Ignatius Tuft - Heâs the son of our late minister, and heâs agreed to a temporary position so itâs pretty likely that heâll keep his name on the ballot this summer as the sitting incumbent ..... but why would the Court select the Ministerâs son? Were there no other candidates? Was she working on something that needed to be seen through? Why did the Wizengamot hold a special session without telling anyone about it?
The Daily Prophet - The DMLE still hasnât given us satisfying answers, or any at all, about what happened just before Halloween. We know who attacked the paperâs offices, but we donât have names, and we do know that Mercutio Crouch, who had recently taken up his fatherâs post has also cleared the coop. No one is sure where the Editor in Chief has gone, and whispers have begun to spread in the office. Was Mercutio part of the plot against the Prophet? Was the stress, combined with his grief, simply too much to bear? Will his brother, Duncan, be taking over? And when are we ever going to get an update on what happened to Arabella Greengrass? Maybe we donât need help understanding why she was targeted .... but it might be nice to know how she even found herself attached to that story to begin with. And how did she know about the Horcruxes?
Hmmmmm ..... Seems to Summer that we have a few puzzles that need solving. But things will probably work out, right? Guess weâll just have to wait and see!Â
You have been accepted for the skeleton character Fyodor Dolohoc, with the faceclaim Matt Daddy! I am biased when I say this, and we all know it, but I donât care â I have missed Fedya so much. Things have been plenty chaotic in our charactersâ lives, but it seems that without our elusive Russian lawyer, things have just been missing a little pizazz. Our beloved orange cat is back, though, and I canât wait to see what excuses heâll offer fo rhis absence. Please submit your url within the next 48 hours and review our checklist.