#nox.event026

[chacswins]

“Fuck.” The English language is complicated animal, with many idiosyncrasies and odd ways of describing situations. So perhaps fuck wasn’t the most flowery or mature thing to say when Damien was walking into the place he almost died in. But it felt most appropriate to him. 

As he does best, he slinks to the backs of each crowd, desperate not to be noticed in a place he most likely would be anyway. “This is,” He says out loud ( defeating his original idea. ) “Very fucking depressing.”

[sneakscar]

it will never stop feeling WRONG. marietta decided that years ago ; a list of names, pictures of faces too young that will never change. the worst of it is the fact that she always realizes anew that she had forgotten the finer details of people’s faces until seeing mementos of them here, that voices she once would have recognized in an instant have left her mind all together. what had padma sounded like, her laugh, her voice? that’s the name that catches her off guard every year, and it has again this time. maybe it’s the memories of happy times spent in ravenclaw tower that has really thrown her this go-round.

whatever it is, it’s what drove her to try and find someplace quiet. there’s an abundance of places one could go in hogwarts to reflect and be alone, but it seems a lot of people have had the same thought of her. every secluded bench or bathroom she recalls being empty most of the time has been host to someone else trying to stifle weeping or staring blankly into the middle distance or speaking lowly to someone in a way marietta knows wouldn’t be welcoming to another face.

she’s going to have to settle to sitting with someone else, it seems. this bench is tucked in a corner of one of the courtyards and marietta draws close to the figure already sitting there. “mind if i join you?” her voice is quiet but not quite tentative, “it feels more crowded this year.”

[iustitiias]

𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍:  choose any secret passageway outta hogwarts at random  !

“can i help you?” boredom laces arturo’s tone, and he doesn’t immediately glance up from what he was doing before they approached, giving the muggle wire puzzle he’s been attempting to solve a few more fruitless tugs before finally tossing it aside. predictably, it broke apart when it hit the cobbled floor, and he gave it one, long, disdainful look before he leant forward in the chair that professor mcgonagall had provided ( and that he’d dragged into this darkened alcove ) so that he could better see them... and they could better see him. “the secret passageways are closed for business, this weekend. didn’t the head miss tell you that?” 

[dolorsarchived]

𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽          :          the     great     lake     ,     hogwarts     school     of     witchcraft          &          wizardry     . 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚂          :          open          (          @startertms​​          )          .

&          it     is     a     strange     dichotomy     she     finds     herself     living     in          /          confident     tones     never     falter     in     front     of     a     gathered     crowd     ,     but     the     simplest     of     sentences     shake     the     minute     she     finds     herself     𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄     .          (          inhale     ,     exhale     ,     control     the     corybantic     throb     that     thrums     in     a     visible     beat     at     her     throat     .          )          slipping     away     has     become     a     ROUTINE     ,     honed     one     memorial     after     another          ---     -          𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜     -     𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚍     on     the     ground     ,     hermione     only     bothers     to     acknowledge     another’s     presence     when     their     footsteps     echo     over     her     shoulder     .

❛          you’d     think     it’d     stop     being     strange     ,     eventually     .          ❜          dark     hues     track     the     fading     glimmers     of     𝗌𝗎𝗇𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍     that     catch     on     the     lake     ,     unnervingly     still     despite     lazy     may     breeze     .     callused     fingertips     press     beyond     the     freshly     -     mown     grass     ,     dig     into     the     rich     soil          /          it     gathers     under     bitten     fingernails     ,          &          she     cannot     bring     herself     to     𝐶𝐴𝑅𝐸     .          ❛          never     does     .     get     any     better     ,     i     mean     .          ❜          there’s     something     rueful     ,     UNCOMFORTABLE     in     the     way     syllables     are     bitten     off     by     a     humourless     chuckle     ,     dry          &          leaden     ,     raw     .               ❛          i’d     ask     whether     you’re     enjoying     the     whole     thing     ,     but     that’s     a     bit          .     .     .          sordid     ,     really     .          ❜

[kxbellem]

location: the great hall , hogwarts

status: open ( @startertms​ )

knox felt like an imposter. being here again. a place where bodies once lied. and yet she was never here to see that. only heard the words, only heard the stories. she never lived through it. no, she ran. though no matter how far away she had gotten from the chaos and strife, death still followed her, just as much as it followed everyone else in these halls. it didn’t matter if she wasn’t there during the battle or not. loss was inevitable. perhaps it was what she deserved, being selfish and saving herself. perhaps at the end of the day, she was just like everyone else here.

“do you think they’re all ghosts now too?” she voiced to no one in particular as someone sidled beside her. she was staring blankly at the banners above. “like headless nick? the baron? you think your friends are around here somewhere?” it was a morbid thought but she couldn’t help but be curious.

[brcathlcss]

“i think i'm going to do everything in my power for at least, like the next three years, not to fall in love.” -- @chacswins​ (damien graves)

“Only three?” Elodie quirks a brow, amused. She leans with her back pressed against a courtyard wall, cigarette in hand half-done, hair free around her shoulders, foot propped up against the wall as well. With the exception of the cigarette and a good few scars, both physical and otherwise, she could be the same girl from school. Her eyes wander past Damien to a group walking slowly past them, voices hushed and trembling. Mourning. It makes sense, of course, how many people around them are varying shades of devastated, but the fact of the matter is that the young Marchbanks remains vastly unaffected. The Battle was a tragedy, certainly, but very little skin off her back with one incredibly notable exception. Dark eyes pan back to Damien and she sighs. “You over Crabbe yet? Never can tell with you.”

[astrcphe]

henri looked up at the jingle of the bell, announcing someone had just walked into the tattoo parlour. “we aren’t doing walk-ins today.” tattoos were a very permanent sort of thing, cover-ups and removals even more of an investment, and grief clouded the mind too much for henri’s comfort. there was also the matter of the store being largely empty—most artists being the weekend off for the memorial. “i can schedule an appointment for you in a few weeks if you want.”

[noxtms]

❝   EIGHT YEARS HAVE NOW PASSED US BY, and i know that for myself, not a day goes by where i don’t think of the dozens who lost their lives in the fight for our freedom from he who must not be named. there is no one in our community who does not remember that horrible day ; who didn’t lose somebody over the course of it or who does not know someone who fought bravely until the very last to bring about a BRIGHTER future than the one we faced during those dark days. we are so lucky to be the ones who survived to see it, but as always, it is of utmost importance that we remember those who did not, because without them, we simply would not be here. while we must never forget their sacrifice, we must use them as the example from which to live : we must REMEMBER that twice before we have triumphed where some would have seen us fail, and that we can, we will, and we must do it again : if not for our own futures, but for the futures of our children, and their children after them.   ❞

WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE :  

the battle of hogwarts memorial is held annually on the hogwarts school grounds and holds the honor of being one of the most intricately planned ( and largely ministry run ) events of the year. while the rest of the wix world honors those that fought the war valiantly in their own ways - many businesses offer discounts to the survivors, while temporary remembrance walls are set up with pictures of the fallen at the heart of wixen communities across the country, the perfect place to leave flowers, teddy bears, or candles lit in their memory - the hogwarts run event is by far the most notable and has always been run to a standard no one else would ever stand hope of achieving.

many expected some change to the schedule, this year, if not the outright cancellation of the event due to the whole judy strout debacle of last may. the lack of any formal statement in regards to her mysterious death ( & then assumed abduction from the school itself ) has not exactly gone unnoticed. an anonymous ministry worker featured in the prophet put many minds at ease only four days from the start of the event, quoted as saying that the auror taskforce still investigating that particular tragedy now believe it an unfortunate coincidence, with no correlation to the event ( or bellatrix lestrange ). with it, most breathed a sigh of relief : the weekend promises to be grief heavy with or without the given space to mourn, but it certainly helps that their routine remains unchanged. 

those who actually fought over the course of the two halved battle receive an ivory invite several weeks in advance, with the same sent to the loved ones of those who lost their lives. this year, the opening remembrance ceremony is to be held on the castle grounds early on the 30th, with recognisable public figures and the members of dumbledore’s army who killed lord voldemort giving practiced speeches and saying a few words to their most dearly departed. an early feast follows inside the castle, house tables abandoned in favor of dozens of smaller tables and chairs designed to encourage the mingling of everyone present, regardless of their house or present status. the cream candles suspended by nothing more than air close to the ceiling have been swapped for pure black and though the starting event usually continues into the evening, many head towards hogsmeade - and the promise of a stiff drink - at the sun sets. 

the last quidditch game of the season ( gryffindor vs. ravenclaw ) will continue as planned on sunday the 1st, with guests welcome to attend if they feel up to it, or permitted to wander the school and grounds, if they do not. the 2nd of may never really does creep up on anyone, and though the early morning of it passes by without note - with many indulging in some quiet time of reflection - the goodbye ceremony ( a gathering in the courtyard where wands are raised & orbs of multicolored light are sent high into the sky, like muggle fire lanterns ) usually brings with it an understandable upset. 

as with last year, headmistress mcgonagall has opened hogwarts up to guests, with house quarters freshened up by well paid house elves in advance of anyone’s arrival. hogwarts alumni are welcome to stay close to their old common room - the thought being, of course, that they’ll be much more comfortable in an almost familiar space - while alumni from other magical schools are welcome to take advantage of the guest quarters located beneath professor lodings. in the past, visiting wix chose to board at B&B’s in nearby villages or simply to travel in each day, but as with last year, the intention is to make sure everyone is protected by the enchantments around the school ( with no one but mcgonagall & professors sprout, flitwick & slughorn aware of the added protections for this year ). 

OUT OF CHARACTER:

it’s not much of a surprise if i’ve already had y’all vote on it, but... surprise ! the annual battle of hogwarts memorial is once again upon us, and though the ministry remains silent on the events of last year ( rip, miss strout ), the hogwarts professors have done everything they can to assure no such repeat. in addition to now being required to stay at hogwarts through the course of the event and a boatload more protective enchantments added by the heads of houses, guards ( read as : professor volunteers ) will be rotating watches on the secret passageways in and out of the school, and headmistress mcgonagall has insisted on the continuation of the tripled auror security. this will not be the third year in a row that some horrible event ( dark mark in the sky during the goodbye ceremony... the abduction and death of an innocent healer... ) transpires at the hogwarts memorial event - at least, not on mcgonagall’s watch. 

the event will be starting tomorrow ( may 3rd ) at 6:00pm gmt : click this sentence to see what that translates to for your timezone ! the plan, as of this minute, is for it to run for two weeks. 

since you guys voted fair and square, this event will be another discord / dash hybrid ! you’re welcome to post starters into the memorial category set up over on the writing discord, and though it is not a requirement for you to pause old threads or keep things specific to the event on the dash in gen, please make sure to differentiate between old threads and new in some way ( title, tagging, etc ). i know this is still a pretty chaotic time for people, so there’s no shame in isolating your rp for this event to the disc.

most characters would be expected to attend, regardless of whether they fought or not and a myriad of other factors - you have to remember that while the rest of the wix world might stand still over these few, heavy days, this is the biggest event honouring those lost. it sends a message if you are not present , so i highly encourage everyone to get involved ! 

you can tag event starters with nox.event026, and you have the wide range of location choice that comes with an event set at hogwarts & the surrounding hogsmeade area ! 

if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to message the main ! please like this post once you’ve read it.