Welcome to this month's In the Spotlight, where we've got some fabulous interviews and all kinds of House news for you all! 

This month, the prefects honored @Ineke with the Order of Merlin! Ineke's work in the queue is legendary, but she can be found all over the site, working hard to help make this the site we know and love! Thanks for all you do, Ineke!

I N T E R V I E W

If there was only one forum that you could post in on HPFT, which one would it be?

This is a very rude question because, to be honest, I have no idea... This is also a really good reminder to myself that I might need to more actively post everywhere, but, I think, for now, it'd either be the Staffroom bc I love helping out, or the Ravenclaw CR, bc I can't be without my Claws either  

What is a hobby of yours?

Just one? I think this will come down to reading then! It's what I do every day to some capacity (though it's been mostly limited to fanfic but yknow, it's still reading and some fanfics are better than books), so I guess it comes down to that!

Who is your favorite character [from any fandom] and why?

From any fandom eh. Okay.

B99 - Rosa. I love the rest of the cast to pieces as well, but Rosa is just a badass woman who knows what she wants and just does whatever the hell she wants. The air of mysteriousness despite being layered as hell just gets to me.

HP - Scorpius. The boy is so kind and lovable and I just love him so much and I wish I could be more like him tbh, because he is just so himself and passionate and even though people might think he's weird he doesn't let it bother him all that much and just continues to be who he is and that is just so himself and god I wish i could be that way

DW - River. I love her. She's amazing. No other words.

TGP - torn between Chidi and Eleanor, tbh, can't say why really, it's just how it is.

and bc I'm binging the Nanny atm - Niles. I love his snark and sass and sarcastic comments and I wish i could come up with retorts that fast.

When is the last time you’ve written? What did you write about?

This... is a very good question... Because I cannot remember. Let's see what my google docs say... Okay my google docs say it was my Drastoria and that was mid-March (this is what I mean with my muse is being an ass and not working (and if it works the things i see in my head won't translate to paper so that's also a thing). It was only a paragraph or something and a continuation of a bit I had written previously. Still what I have is random and not in order so it'll probably be ages before it goes up so...

What would Amortentia smell like to you?

I honestly don't know... I think the smell of new books would be in there, and maybe fresh mown grass? Bc I also adore that smell. Maybe also the smell of rain, or the general theatre smell. I don't know...

You can have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of you life- what is it?

Theatre tickets. Hands down. Like, to whatever play I want to visit. I love the arts. I want to support the arts. And if I can do it this way I absolutely will. (and if not I still buy as much as I can for whatever I wanna see because the theatre is my home away from home and it just is my happy place.

| A D V E R T I S E M E N T|

Story Title: Gone
Link: +here
Pairings: Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy
Summary:

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Astoria passes away, and Draco tries to process it all.

Ineke writes with perfect delicacy how Draco and Scorpius process their grief about the passing of Astoria, and how it affects their relationship with each other now that she's gone. With some truly heartbreaking lines and strongly written emotions, this story is certainly going to make you cry.

Irrational by @RonsGirlFriday

R E V I E W  C O L U M N
| I R R A T I O N A L |

Irrational is a feel-good romantic comedy that embodies everything that is fun and wonderful about that genre. In Audrey we have a sweet and sensitive protagonist, a woman whose many fine qualities are usually overlooked by those around her. In Percy we have an adorkable love interest; a man who is a little too uptight for his own good—but knows a good thing when he sees it. He might stick his foot in his mouth from time to time, but he knows that Audrey is a treasure, and he’s grateful for the chance to be with her. In addition to the fluffy romance, there’s also a mystery (exploding wands anyone?) and a smattering of angst (so this one time, when Voldemort was in charge of the Ministry…) that seasons the fic into a feast for the heart.  

I N T E R V I E W  W I T H  T H E  A U T H O R
| R O N S G I R L F R I D A Y|

What was the inspiration for Irrational?

I wanted to write a feel-good romance that celebrates the ordinary and is about acceptance and belonging. I thought, who is this person who would not just tolerate Percy but actively and unconditionally love him, who would be compatible with him long-term, and whom he would trust and admire? Years ago when I started it, I hadn't personally seen many Percy/Audrey fics, and it seemed whenever it was discussed, or depicted as a background ship, the instinct was to pair him with a carbon copy of himself or go with an opposites attract theory, making Audrey a foil to his personality. I didn't love either of those alternatives -- power couples can be great, but sometimes they just eat each other alive; and I didn't buy into the idea that Percy needed to be changed or loosened up, or that he would last with someone who had vastly different priorities or approach to life. I love a good love-hate or fiery romance as much as the next person, but for this story I wanted to celebrate a realistic, functional relationship where each respects the other for who they are, sees their inherent value (even when others may overlook it), and encourages them to be their best. To me, it's an incredibly romantic sentiment to look at someone and think or say, "I see you, and you're perfect the way you are."

What's the last book you read and would you recommend it?

Joyland by Stephen King, and I enjoyed it! It's sort of pulpy crime-thriller/ mystery meets ghost story meets coming-of-age novel. (Definitely not horror.)

Which Potter character would you have for an invisible friend and why?

Invisible friend?? I think maybe Remus. Invisible or not, I think I'd get along with that guy really well. I'd totally accept him following me around basically being my conscience (with the low key snark that I'm convinced he possesses).

What fruit or vegetable would you most want to be and why?

A pumpkin. One of those little cute ones. Because who doesn't like those suckers?

Which four characters would be on your Potter Mount Rushmore?

I object to this impossible question! But... okay. McGonagall, Lily, Hermione, and Luna. There, I said it.

If you could instantly become an expert in one thing, what would it be and why?

Cosmology. Because there is not a person on this planet who doesn't consider Neil deGrasse Tyson among the baddest of badasses, and I would like in on that. Also, I find it fascinating, and I've always wished I'd had a better mind for science beyond high school bio and chem.

Our Head Students this month were @beyond the rain and @maraudertimes!

I N T E R V I E W S

| B E Y O N D  T H E  R A I N |

What is your favorite place to visit on HPFT?

Probably the writer's journal area! I love knowing about everyone's thought processes and headcanons about the HP verse! 

If there’s one story of yours you would like to tell us about, what would it be and why?

I think it would have to be Raising Helena. This story is the first one where I've let go of looking at statistics. That means no more daily viewcount and review checks. I'm writing this because it's a challenge, totally out of my comfort zone...and I'm loving every minute. I think because it's a bit self indulgent, it might be the best thing I've written. 

What is your ideal writing environment?

In a perfect world, I would own a conservatory that overlooked miles of countryside, or I would write by a log fire in the evenings. Unfortunately my bank account can't support such dreams I like to plan out a chapter/beta my work during the day, and then write during the evenings. I'm normally in bed, with a cup of coffee playing whatever music works with the fic I'm writing! 

Are you a planner, a pantser, or a little of both?

I will admit that I do like to plan...though the plan often goes awry! For Raising Helena, I have an overall "beginning > middle > end" plan for the overall plot and each subplot. I also like to write chapter plans, even if it's just bullet points of Lennie's internal monologue. Chapters 1-3 are essentially the result of freewriting, and were written without a hint of planning. So, I think planning helps, but on occassion I have been known to freestyle, haha! 

Would you rather be roommates with Rita Skeeter or Dolores Umbridge?

Rita Skeeter, definitely. I'm far too boring for her to try and dig up any dirt on me...and I'm a sucker for good gossip. 

What food from the wizarding world do you wish you could eat?

Good question! On my trip to london I bought a proper chocolate frog (no movement, but the card inside was worth it!) and bertie bott's beans, and I liked those! That being said, I have read that the Hogwarts Steak and Kidney pie is to die for, so that's my answer.

| M A R A U D E R T I M E S |

What is your favorite place to visit on HPFT?

Gryffie Tower! It's got all my lovely Gryffies and it's a place that I can just be my chaotic self around like-minded people

If there’s one story of yours you would like to tell us about, what would it be and why?

Fatal Pleasures! It's my new novel about Molly Weasley II (of course) going through Auror Training! I like to think of it as a magical soap opera, with hot people, dangerous situations, and a lot of dumb chaoticness! I love it because it combines everything I love!!

Tell us a little about your writing process.

I am a chaotic mess, and although I try to plan things, usually I just sit down and starting writing what would be fun to read about. This is why I'm terrible at updates! I also will sometimes (read: a lot of the time) get stuck on a song, listen to it on repeat for hours, spend like 30mins writing a one-shot about it and just throw it into the void.

What is the first fanfic that you ever read?

Dang, it was back in January of 2013 (SEVEN YEARS AGO!!!), so I honestly don't remember, but I do know it was a Sirius Black/OC novel...

Who do you think is the best teacher at Hogwarts (in any time period)?

McGonagall! She cares about her students, wants them to do well, but does so with an iron fist. She's like the strict but loving den mother, and it's amazing. 10/10 marks for being a great HOH!

If you were a month, what month would you be?

Probably October? Because where I live it can be cold or warm and switches without warning, and it's completely filled to the brim with candy  

Don't forget, there's still some time to drop a drabble off for the Springtime Writing Event and earn some House Cup points for your House! The deadline for entries is May 31st and then a voting period will begin!

Don't forget to send one of the prefects your fic recs or messages about what Pride means to you for our upcoming June Celebration blog for Pride Month!

C O M M O N  R O O M  U P D A T E S

| G R Y F F I N D O R |

Gryffindor has been in a heated game of Red vs. Gold in preparation for our upcoming Pride of Gryffindor awards! Voting for the awards will begin shortly and a livestream of the winners to follow! May's Featured Fic was friends don't by @belgian quaffle and our Leading Lion was @CambAngst! We're also excited to welcome @maraudertimes to the Gryffie staff and send a big congrats to our newest Auror!

| H U F F L E P U F F |

The 2020 Golden Chalice Awards Wrap(Wrapped) up on the 23rd so be on the lookout for a winner announcement soon. Monthly awards are being postponed to allow our members to really focus on who they think is worthy enough to take home a coveted Golden Chalice. We would like to give a special shout out to @sinnersandsapphics, @just.a.willow.tree, and @MuggleMaybe for putting this year's awards together. Stay tuned for a winners announcement in the common room soon! 

Team Black and Yellow are also getting our puzzle solving minds and fast fingers ready in anticipation of this year's House Cup Finale. Members from all corners of the world are flocking to the basement to undergo an intense training regimen to ensure we are all in fighting shape and ready to take home this year's House Cup Trophy. 

| R A V E N C L A W |

Ravenclaw House has been pretty busy with the annual Nargles Awards which just wrapped up earlier this month! May's Claw of the Month was @potionspartner, and no Story of the Month was held due to the Nargles. Be on the lookout for the winners announcement livestream soon. Our Blue vs. Bronze Review Battle is very competitive this month, and we would also like to welcome @RonsGirlFriday to both the Ravenclaw Prefect team and to the Ivory Tower staff! 

| S L Y T H E R I N |

The snakes are locked in a battle royale reviewing spree in preparations for the annual My Father Will Hear About These Awards. They also rebooted the Dead Snakes' Society with a slightly fluffier book. Otherwise they have been very busy uploading stories to the queue and hanging out on discord.

M A D I  A P P R E C I A T I O N

It's Madi Appreciation Month!! Sending lots of love to our girl @magemadi because she's the greatest human and we're all lucky to have her! 

from @grumpy cat

Thanks for all your hard work, Madi! You’ve helped to make the forums a wonderful place to be, and I appreciate everything you do for our community. I’m also so proud of your real life commitments and have loved hearing about your progress in your advancement. Love you! - @victoria_anne

Hey Madi! Just wanted to say that I appreciate the time and effort that you put on this site  and thank you for your hardwork! Also wanted to mention that I love reading your stories as well as they're very well written!   - @starlitcastles

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Magic Madi the Magnificent,

I'm extremely thrilled to see an appreciation post being made for you, and I hope that it's filled to the brim with all the gifts and love that you deserve to be showered with (and you absolutely deserve all the love in the universe). I struggle with these types of messages so before I jump into it, I would like to just say that I hope you're proud of yourself for all you've done because I am so, so proud of you. 

On a personal level, for someone like me who tends to blow either very hot or very cold at any given moment, being able to have someone like you around has always been nothing short of a gift. You're a reliable force of (what I can only describe as) GOOD, infectious to everyone you come into contact with. There is just no perfect way to describe how powerful your kindness, strength, and acumen are, nor is there an ideal way to describe how that amount of sheer awesomeness affects anyone who has been lucky enough to get to know you, but they are qualities worthy of recieving a bit of spotlight.  I'm so grateful to have been able to get to know you.

You've done so much for HPFT and its memebers, adding to the continued brightness in this little corner of the interwebs. Your ability to both be a part of a team and to be a leader is simply amazing -- you never fail to be spectacular in any role handed to you.  On top of that, you have this ability to make almost any situation FUN...doing ANYTHING with you winds up being fun, no matter how "mildly frustrating" the task at hand may be.

With everything that you are, I know that you're going to be successful in everything you try. I have little doubt that, if you really wanted, you could probably take over the world, and you deserve the world so that would be okay. 

So... thank you, Madi. Thanks for being apart of my life, and thanks for being apart of other people's lives. Thank you for bringing good into the world. Thank you for all your endless hard work and dedication. Thank you for existing and just being you. - @Rumpelstiltskin

 

The kindness, dedication, and joy you bring to HPFT is contagious and truly makes the community a better place  - @sinnersandsapphics

Madii  I just wanna say that I love you so much and appreciate everything you do! You're honestly a rockstar and you deserve all the love and kindness and happiness in the world. I hope this will make you feel a little bit better, but just know that Ravenclaw would not be the same without you and honestly - we'd be lost without you Keep being awesome, because you are  - @Ineke

Madi, you're the best. The literal best. You are such a good friend, someone that we can always rely on, and you always know just what to say. You are a beacon of light in every conversation that you're a part of and just so much fun. I'm so glad that Ravenclaw has you. It's been amazing to see you progress in your life, in academia, and in your writing. Thanks for being such a great friend.  - @crowsb4bros

Madi, you’re such an inspiration as a person and an invaluable part of this site. Your dedication, energy, and kindness are seriously amazing, and I’m so happy to know you.  - @RonsGirlFriday

I left you some reviews on Planetary Boundaries--It's so good! - @Noelle Zingarella
 

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madi!! you're such a fantastic human and a constant source of light and love and you deserve all the appreciation in the world. hpft wouldn't be the place it is without your wonderful presence some lil witchy and spacey aesthetics for you: - @down-in-flames

 

Madi is an amazing person - she's always reliable, kind, and supportive, and I'm so so glad I know her and that she's part of the community.   - @abhorsen.

How to even start? Madi, you’ve been such an incredible part of this team right from the start. I think we’d all agree that we would be lost without your passion, your organisation, positivity, creativity, with your personal wee madi touch that makes everything run better. It’s been a wonderful two (almost) years working alongside an incredible friend and irreplaceable Prefect. We’re unbelievably lucky to have you  - @something wicked

Madiiii, my dear, my darling, my lovely! thank you for being the most wonderful friend and human, always here when I (or anyone else) need you! the prefects and hpft as a whole are better for knowing you! i'm so happy and lucky to call you a friend and you continue to amaze me each day for so many reasons! - @belgian quaffle

Madi, Thank you for being such an amazing person and for everything you do for everyone on the site and off. I know we’ve never had an opportunity to meet in person but I’ve come to look forward to getting to chat and play games with you on Saturdays and I’m grateful that I can call you a friend. - @MalfoysAngel

Happy Madi Month!! We love youuu

 

 

credits:
graphics: deni
oom adverts, sotm review column: madi, noelle
interviewers and writers: sarah, madi, noelle, tasha
blog compilation: sarah