Welcome to HPFT's August bulletin, where you can find our monthly announcements (and graphics featuring the amazing Valkyrie and Jane 'Thor' Foster )!

If you're new, welcome to HPFT! It's awesome to have you with us. HPFanficTalk is a forum/archive - the forum is Harry Potter-themed (including a year-long house cup), but we talk about other fandoms, too, and the archive is multi-fandom/OF.   We have a strong culture of support for other writers and feedback here, including a story help section, challenges, and reviewing events, so if you're a writer, you've come to the right place.

A quick rundown to help you get started here on the forums: please post in the 'Welcome to HPFT' topic +here to say that you've read over the rules and understand them. You can specify your house in that post or in our sorting ceremony +here - once you do, we'll sort you into the right group so you can see a common room that only people in your house are allowed to see. You're welcome to post in your common room and/or in our introductions forum +here to introduce yourself if you'd like, and you may also find our +FAQs helpful.

Enjoy your stay! 

We're sad to announce that @FireCrest and @Lacey Black will be stepping down from their role as Prefects. Thank you both for your hard work!

In addition, @something wicked will moving back to the Prefect team from her current role as Muggle Liaison. We're very happy to announce that @Dojh167 will be joining the Muggle Liaison team in her place!

Thank you, Kyle and Deni! Congratulations, Sam and Deni ()!

Do you want to help out behind the scenes? If so, you're in luck! Applications for all staff, prefect, and house newsletter editor positions are open for the next week. There's no post count/join date limit, and you can apply for as many positions as you like - it's all on one application. A detailed rundown on how HPFT staffing works can be found +here, and you can find the application +here. If you're interested, please apply by Midnight EST on August 10th.

If you applied in June or July, you don't need to apply again unless you'd like to apply for additional positions or change your answers - we will still consider you this month. 

Now that the finale has drawn to a close, the end-of-the-year results are coming in this month, so keep your eyes open for that!

Our first Head Student of this month is someone who's been on the site for so long we can't imagine her house without her. She's been very active on the forums in general, but was also an invaluable asset to Gryffindor during the finale of the House Cup, for she really stepped up the plate there. So please give it up for our first Head Student...

@nott theodore!

Our Second Head Student of the month has been a positive force in the community for quite a while now and her enthusiasm and excitement really gets things going inside her House! She's been especially active during the finale, even doing things which might've been out of her comfort zone, proving to be a great asset to her House. So please give it up for...

@juls!

Congratulations to you both - this is so well-deserved!   Please PM  @abhorsen. with your choice of story you'd like to have featured next month!

This month we'd like to recognize @grumpy cat with the Order of Merlin! Kris is a helpful, friendly, and extremely encouraging staff member who always jumps in wherever she can. Since she first arrived at HPFT, she has been an awesome, active part of the community who has become a fantastic part of the amazing staff team here on the site. We hope that she continues to be apart of this community for a long time to come -- make sure to thank her for being awesome!

August's Story of the Month is...

reorienting by @sibilant!

Quote

After the war, Padma searches for a home.

We're featuring winners from our house cup competitions, sitewide and house awards, and a staff pick.

   

Congratulations, @1917farmgirl, @dirigibleplums, @down-in-flames, @just.a.willow.tree, @Oregonian, @Pixileanin, @Renacerá, @Rumpelstiltskin, @sibilant, @sunshine_locks, @TidalDragon, and @VaguelyCreativeName!

August 25 - The Pick-up Line Challenge by @grumpy cat

August 30 - The "To The Village Voice" Challenge by @Lacey Black

September 1 - The one lyric challenge by @beyond the rain

September 14 - the five plus one challenge by @sibilant and @belgian quaffle

September 21 - The Feminism Is For Everyone Challenge by @Chemical_Pixie

September 22 - The Picspam Challenge by @Crimson Quill

September 29 - The Open Ended Elements Challenge by @Stella Blue

October 1 - The Fan Non-Fiction Challenge by @potionspartner

October 31 - The Evil Incorporated Challenge by @something wicked

2 - @dirigibleplums; @800 words of heaven

4 - @MalfoysAngel; @Rumpelstiltskin

6 - @MileyMalfoy

8 - @bittersweetflames

9 - @BLONDEbehaviour

10 - @galaxies

12 - @Hufflepuffbookworm1990

13 - @crowsb4bros

15 - @caomoyl

18 - @Hobbit

21 - @Magi Silverwolf; @sunshinedaisieswindmills

23 - @sapphicsunrise

24 - @wildest dreams

26 - @sibilant; @WalkingDredd

29 - @LilyEvans33; @ohmymerlin

31 - @ScarletEye158

 

Bulletin written and/or compiled by @Ineke and @abhorsen.. Order of Merlin written by @Rumpelstiltskin.  All graphics by @abhorsen.. Featured staff pick by @galadriel (In a Heartbeat).