InsaneJournal

Laurel Templeton wakes up to realize the flag she made and hung in her window has disappeared!

Drama tryouts! After some consideration, it’s been decided that the play this year will be A Midsummer Night’s Dream. While the end-of-year musical is always a bigger deal, the mid-year play at least promises exciting costumes and lots of roles. Characters not in Drama may try out if they wish, but are not guaranteed a part.

Tabitha Ogletree goes to talk to Mr. Merrill about an assignment and ends up getting challenged to a game of darts in the History of Magic classroom. They win, and earn some extra credit.

At breakfast, staff announces that the buddy system has been lifted, and commend the student body on their cooperation. That probably also means they won’t be as aggressive about curfew from now on. Nice!

Veronica Powers missed breakfast, and doesn’t realize that the buddy system is no more. They ask Roxanne Barringer to walk back with them to their cabin, and Roxie is too nice (or maybe Vee is too cute) to say no.

MONTHLY BONDING ACTIVITIES for all sophomores.

There’s some construction going on in the woods just beyond the lodge. Students are told to stay away for safety reasons.

Happy birthday, Sofia Delgado!

A storm’s approaching, which has led to a pleasant warm front.

Philippa Nightingale and Estella Morales-Tran are outside together when they see a darling white rabbit. Delighted, they follow it down Goosey Trail, and it takes them off the main path to a little cliff that overlooks the lake. Wait, are those voices they hear? Down at the shore, Pippa and Essie see that a handful of Gooseberry’s cutest boys have decided to go skinny dipping where teachers can’t catch them. Oh my! If they hide behind these bushes they probably won’t be seen.

• Do you play one of Gooseberry’s cutest boys? Add a comment here indicating if they would like to go skinny dipping. (Sorry, Essie, Diego’s definitely going to be there.)

That night, there’s a violent thunderstorm.

The rain has eased up, and things are misty in the morning.

QUIDDITCH MATCH: Ribbonfin v. Coppertale

Happy birthday, Ursula de Luca!

The rain’s falling even heavier today, with no signs of letting up.

Christopher Park and Theresa Noble cast their rain-repelling charms to try to hike out of the anti-Apparition zone to see the midnight premiere of Thor: The Dark World. Unfortunately, they're caught by a very displeased Mufferaw, who was hiking in the same area. Apparently the Healer can give detention too!

The heavy rain results in the Ribbonfin campground flooding as the stream spills over. All of the Ribbonfins have to wade through a foot of water to get out, and end up staying in the lodge overnight. Impromptu sleepover?

Rain turns into snow.

🌟 In the morning, at the Azurcrest camp, Quinn Cunningham breaks into a ridiculous dance allegedly inspired by Snoopy from Peanuts. She claims everyone back home does this at the first snow of the year.

🌟 After stumbling into one of Beatrix Armstrong's glitter traps, Cameron Carney decides to try to give everyone wet glitter hugs.

Late at night, Nathaniel Bird leaves their cabin to use the bathroom, and sees a dark shadow creeping ahead. Oh no, it's turning and coming for them! Spooked, they hex the approaching figure—who turns out to be patrolling prefect Cressida Quayle.

Happy birthday, Theresa Noble!

Light snow continues to fall.

The cast list for A Midsummer’s Night Dream is posted in the lodge!

The Grotto party that Quinn Cunningham suggested is finally taking off, and some students are willing to endure the snow for unrestrained partying. Charms can keep the Grotto’s building toasty, and a huge bonfire will have to help everyone outside. Luckily, the Grotto always seems a little warmer than the surrounding area.

• As students are settling in, they see that there’s something hung up inside the Grotto’s building… It’s Laurel Templeton’s flag! It appears to be stuck hard with magic, so taking it back will be a problem.
• There will be games of Spin The Bottle and Seven Minutes In Heaven! If you'd like your character to participate, please sign up below.

Happy birthday, Ryan Hertz!

More snow.

Some freshmen spend the day building snowmen and try using magic to get them to fight each other. Susana Velasquez decides to give the freshmen some charms help, while Anthonia Papadakis does their best to stop anyone from bleeding or breaking any rules. No, you can't make the snowmen shoot projectiles.

The snow finally lets up, but there’s enough of it that Coppertale holds an interhouse snowball fight, despite some people wondering if this is going to get out of hand.

Several students are put into quarantine after coming down with Fervor Fever after playing Spin the Bottle during the Grotto party.

🌕 BEAVER MOON

This week, Mr. Elmasry issues 50-question multiple-choice tests to all of his students, with a bonus challenge: if you can get every answer wrong, you’ll be awarded 110%. Olivia Sanchez studied up and won the challenge, as did Robin Youngblood, although they managed it more through luck. Sadly, Veronica Powers also tried and got two questions right by accident, flunking the test.

Sybilla Borgin’s cat kills a wild rat and leaves it on their roommate’s pillow. Eww.

The Head Girl and Boy, and all prefects, Quidditch captains and Cheer captains are sent a note from Headmistress Bloom, which asks them to come down to the lodge for a meeting. There, it's revealed that the tiny building that was being constructed is a new sauna, complete with a little cool pool and hot tub, and in the grand tradition of Hogwarts (or so she’s been told) it’s only right to give prefects and captains a reward for their hard work.

Henrietta Gray gets up before their roommates and sees that it snowed overnight. However, they also find that there are strange footprints in the fresh snow outside their cabin, like someone had been walking in circles around it all night... while barefoot? (The footprints appear to have came from the woods/fields/etc., but no footprints are found leaving the cabins. The trail is lost about fifteen feet from the cabins.)

MONTHLY BONDING ACTIVITIES for all juniors.

Inspired by Cecil Honeychurch’s questions about Tephramancy, Mr. Chettri has been doing a great deal of research. He takes all his Divination students out to the edge of the woods to teach them how to divine from the ashes of burnt tree bark. The results are iffy for most students, but Ursula de Luca gets a remarkably clear message about love and madness. What that could mean? Meanwhile, Cecil Honeychurch is convinced that their reading said that Ebonhide’s going to win this weekend’s game.

Levi Kramer and Cecil Honeychurch are having a talk on the docks when they’re abruptly joined by Goosey, who pops up about thirty feet away from them. They try throwing food out to her, but all she does is bring it back to them. This eventually turns into a 30 minute game of Fetch with a large stick.

QUIDDITCH MATCH: Ebonhide v. Azurcrest

Happy birthday, Zoey Valentine!

While staring out the window and not paying attention in Charms, Saira Raza notices someone on Lone Wolf Island waving frantically. Their classmates witness the stranded student as well. They quickly alert Mr. Calderon-Boot, but by then, the figure has vanished back into the trees. Students and staff boat out to Lake Gooseberry all the time, so someone probably snuck out there and got stranded.

• At first everyone assumes it’s Cole Moss, who can’t be found anywhere, but it turns out that they were skipping lessons and spent all morning hanging out in the Grotto. If all students are accounted for, then who did Saira and their classmates see?
• Mr. Thorn and Mrs. O’Hare spend all afternoon searching Lone Wolf Island, but no one is ever found.

🌟 Christopher Park holds Hockey Boot Camp for any interested students, in preparation for Quinn Cunningham's intramural hockey games.

Happy birthday, Frances Noble!

Zoey Valentine is working on a tarot spread by the river, and she’s having little luck. However, as she packs up, she gets the feeling that something is watching her. She looks up, and sees a powerful-looking black bull moose in the distance, staring back at her. She’s so startled by the sight, a single tarot card slips out of the deck she’s holding. It’s The Tower card, upright. When she looks up again, the moose has disappeared.

THANKSGIVING. No classes today!

That night, a huge Thanksgiving feast is held for the school. Afterwards, the students gather in the Atrium, which is decorated for the autumn season. There’s a small Harvest Dance, with music, cider, and pumpkin pie. Vegan options are available.

MONTHLY BONDING ACTIVITIES for all seniors.

🌟 Inspired by the events of November's senior bonding activity, Christopher Park and Quinn Cunningham try to spectate the LARP session from the sidelines. They have a bag of microwave popcorn and are very engaged with the various storylines.

Gabriela Flores is sitting in the Divination Tower relaxing while Mr. Chettri is nearby staring out the window. Suddenly, he gets very flustered, and nearly drops his coffee mug while attempting to wave to someone out the window.

At this same time, Levi Kramer is helping Ms. Whittle with cleaning the telescopes up in the Astronomy Tower. She turns away for a moment to wave at someone outside of her window, and then suddenly bursts into delighted laughter.

At breakfast, there are pots of magically warmed relaxation tea that students are welcome to try. Apparently, it’s the project of a few freshmen Potions whiz kids, and they say they’re developing magical aromatherapy by way of herbal tea. Everyone agrees the tea smells amazing, although oddly, they all seem to think it smells completely different. Oh no.

• The tea has been laced with small amounts of Amortentia. All characters who drank it become infatuated with another nearby classmate after a 15–20 minute delay. The freshmen were actually testing a time-delay version of Amortentia, and have used the upperclassmen as guinea pigs. They are in sooooooo much trouble.
• Faye Turner (NPC) catches on to what’s happening, and before they themselves succumb to the potion’s effects, decides to play matchmaker. They push together a couple they think need to make out like right now: [Trixie & Robin]. (Use the comments below to plan out who your victims are. You must have the permission of both players, as they may have other plans!)
• The effects of the potion come on fast and without warning after the 15–20 minute delay. The person who drank the potion appears "pale and sickly" and becomes obsessed with the object of their affections, speaking of them as though "hit by a ray of purest sunlight," and also act excited or dangerously unstable towards others.
• Teachers are scrambling to maintain order, and students are asked to remain in the lodge while this wears off. They’ll be mostly trying to make sure no students under the influence of the potion get, uh, too carried away. The lodge is still littered with deliriously happy couples, students sobbing over their rejection, and jealous arguing.
• Students who took Amortentia will remain in the lodge supervised overnight. Anyone who didn’t is allowed to return to their cabins for a remarkably prefect- and staff-free evening. Sofia Delgado celebrates this freedom by staying up late playing loud music and brazenly enjoying contraband.

This is an opt-in event! Please sign up here if you would like your character to be affected.

Classes are cancelled again on account of rampant love potion hysteria. By morning, it’s started to wear off, and by noon, everyone is back to their senses and can reflect on what they did.

• The only exceptions are Ryan Hertz, Laurel Templeton and Iris Shacklebolt, who all drank an unusually large amount of the tea. They remain “in love” with their respective objects of obsession until that evening.
• The freshmen responsible have been suspended, and some serious talks are being had with them and their families.
• Adeline Foster-Hayes has been released early from Amortentia quarantine, and overhears an emotional Mr. Elmasry being comforted by Ms. Rhee. “This is all my fault for showing them how to make it,” he’s saying. “I never even wanted to be a teacher.” Addy has to slip off before hearing any more, for fear of being caught.

Happy birthday, Gabriela Flores!

🌑 NEW MOON

The Anonymous Writer should post tonight...

Happy birthday, Jesse McBride! 🌟 As promised, Diego Morales throws his roommate a party, despite all the interpersonal drama of late.

Kurt Wolfhart goes to see Healer Mufferaw because they’re worried that they’re still suffering from the effects of Amortentia! Mufferaw has some bad news, kid. That’s not the potion, you’ve just got a crush.