News Archive

Slytherin Elections

12:40 pm - Pain

Hey! You in the silver and green. It's election season! It's time to sort out a new house staff for the next four months. Yes, we get our own special election time slot. We are Slytherins. Anyway, slither on over to the Common Room and check it all out.

Rules | Campaigns | Nominations

The RPC is Hiring

3:58 pm - Cait

The Roleplaying Central is on the prowl for new moderators! The RPC is a forum entirely devoted to roleplaying, and it is one of the most active forums on HEX. As such, we're looking for new, active, and reliable moderators to help us keep the area running smoothly.

Interested? Great! Then please head over to this thread to read more about what it means to be an RPC Moderator and to find out details about how to apply.

These applications will be open through June 3rd at 11:59 PM HEX time. We look forward to reviewing your applications!

The Atrium

6:19 pm - MariaAna

It seems the Atrium wants to recognise the hardwork done by the Hogwarts' teachers. So, here are new activities!
We can't wait to hear what you have to think in our two newest polls, and we've got a new participation raffle and HEXperience trivia to tickle your taste buds! Run on over to the Fountain of Magical Brethren to chat up two members of site staff and ask them all your questions! It's Professor Sprout's birthday, but being the Hufflepuff that she is, she decided to share the day with the rest of her colleagues. In this month's contest, Professor's Day, you need to solve the mess of gifts for the Hogwarts' teachers!

In addition to our Errors and Glitches thread, be sure to check out our Known Bugs thread, the Broken Coding and Formatting thread, and our Homepage Polls: Let's Talk About That! thread!

We hope to see you around The Atrium soon!

House Election Results

8:15 pm - Brandon

And without further ado, the results from House staff elections! Please help us congratulate the winners of each House. We wish them the best of luck in the upcoming term and can't wait to see what they will do for their House!

GRYFFINDOR
House Staff: bubblebaby, lochness, dagaz, Kyh, kasey, and desi

HUFFLEPUFF
Prefects: Cait, Lilian Pearce, Lilyanabell, Queenie, Shelbeth, and Zavaron

RAVENCLAW
Head Student: Japanthony and Oakley
Prefect: Beccabear1992, CaptainBreeland, Joan dArc, and Karylle

Additionally, we would like to announce not one, but two Assistant Admin promotions! First we have Nichole in Ravenclaw and then we have Hallie in Hufflepuff! We are so very excited to have them joining the House Administration teams and cannot wait to see all of the wonderful things they will achieve. Congratulations, Nichole and Hallie!

Fan Fiction Forum

3:52 pm - Ry240

"We teachers are rather good at magic, you know.”
There are many things that make Minerva McGonagall incredible, but perhaps her greatest tales have come to her when people didn't know she was there. What secrets can a cat collect that a human can't? Tell us your feline story in May's Theme Prompt.

Or, are you more a reader than a writer? Then, head on over to Reader's Digest where the audience gets to shine! Don't forget to participate in the following activities to earn tickets towards the Monthly Raffle:

Character Journals l Continue the Story | FanFic Con | Guess the Character | Picture Prompt | Writing Circle

Daily Prophet :: May Edition

1:47 pm - ragna lokisdottir

While not as popular in Mexico itself, Cinco de Mayo has become the international day to celebrate Mexican heritage. From the Battle of Puebla until today, it is this blend of history and culture that captures our attention. Join us in May's issue as we immerse ourselves in this celebration!

Did you miss an edition, or want to re-read your favorite articles? Check out our Official Archives to get your hands on all of the Daily Prophet's former issues.

If you have any concerns regarding the Daily Prophet, please contact Janelle, Mark, or Thene. You may also get in touch with Cody, Karli or Steph from Publications Management.

Caretaker Concoctions - May

4:55 pm - Ry240

As the spring dries and the grounds bloom with every color imaginable, Hogwarts will host a May Day ball. The hope is to foster further House unity, while allowing the students a chance to 'let their hair down' and enjoy the limited time before exam preparation comes full force. Students are advised to discard their House colors for the evening, and further encouraged to costume as fictional characters from stories new and old. Don't lose your ticket so you can join us in a May Day Masquerade!

PRIZES


Lockhart's Lurid Pink Robes || Scorpius Malfoy's School Trunk || Wonder Witch Pimple Vanisher


Be sure to watch the Student Hangout's Watch Thread and our Student Corkboard for regular updates on the happenings inside the walls of Hogwarts.

Shopping Forums Update

2:37 am - Enyra

It is May, and the Shopping Forums are inviting you to a new set of exciting contests!

This month in Hogsmeade, we challenge you to get your shopping done. Constant vigilance for discounts and restocks are the key to success in Shopping for Supplies. If you are more in the mood for gambling, take a look at Bartending with Butterbeer where Madam Rosmerta has an interesting approach to hire new staff members. In Knockturn Alley, you will need to put your wit and puzzling skills to good use to solve the mystery of the twin bottles in Relics of the Realm. Last, but not least, you can help decorate London Underground in Lovely LU.

All of our monthly contests will earn you a ticket for the Quarterly Raffle, so don't forget to check them out!

From the Grounds

4:08 am - Enyra

It is spring break at Hogwarts and, as always, some of the students are indulging in mischievous pranks and shenanigans. What are you going to do with all your free time? Will everything go according to plan, or will you unleash chaos and destruction? Let us know in this month's role play contest, Holiday Meltdown.

Don't forget to put our Watch Thread on watch to be notified of all the news from the Grounds, for example, the Bi-Weekly Chat or the announcement of the Roleplay / Roleplayer of the Month.

New Issue of The Quibbler!

8:25 pm - Zoe

That's right, lovely HEXians! This month, emojis have taken over at The Quibbler! Personally, I think that Eline and I should have thought this through a little better than we did, but we never truly learn from our mistakes. Despite the fact that our office is now covered in emojis of all expressions, objects, and sizes, we somehow managed to wrap up the May issue of The Quibbler with minimal issues. Shocking, right? Whether you're up to date on your emoji lingo or not, we're certain you'll still enjoy this issue. ...And even if you don't, please don't tell the writers. They put enough sad face emojis on the walls when I told them that the Raisin Ban of 2018 extended into 2019.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about The Quibbler, please either visit The Newsstand or send an owl to Zoe.

RPC Teaching Center - May Update

8:55 am - Morgan93

Under the Sea we go, with World Building a plenty. Doo dads, thingamabobs, dinglehoppers and things a plenty; we've got Twenty!

Down in our Grotto this month we splash into the world Under the Sea and it's your turn to build it! World Building is a key component to Roleplaying, it helps your partner and anyone choosing to read feel like they are there with your character. Find yourself a thingamabob and join us in World Building 101 - Under the Sea! After you help build the world, find your other sea friends and lets get to roleplaying in our Beginner Roleplay, where you have to be a sea creature.

Additionally, the Teaching center would like you to congratulate our Student Sea Creature of the Month for May, Gildaglen! Do you think you've got what it takes to be the next Student of the Month? Check out the Student of the Month thread to learn more about it!

Want to help teach others how to roleplay? Be sure to check out our Mentor Applications.

Publications Management - May Updates

5:35 am - anna

Spring is in the air, flowers are in bloom, birds are twittering sweet nothings, and May brings another assortment of activities to The Newsstand! Last month's Daily Prophet was all about spring, so we've decided to take advantage of the season and do some spring cleaning. Grab your broom and mop, and come on over to give us a hand. Just don't get Lost in the Clutter!

May was also the month in which the Battle of Hogwarts took place. The latest WWN broadcast looked back on that pivotal year, and you've now got the opportunity to come discuss it in our discussion on 1998. We've got another discussion for you, but alas, the Quibbler had no theme! So, we've got a discussion on everything and nothing for you to take part in.

As always, participation in any and all of the activities will earn tickets to The Newsstand's Quarterly Raffle!

RPC May Updates

2:37 pm - Pyper

This month, the RPC is going back in time. There are disasters everywhere, and the animals are striving to respond to the best of their ability. Will these prehistoric creatures figure out what is going on, or Is This The End? Come tell us your tale in May's Roleplay of the Month.

After figuring out what has happened to these creatures, perhaps you can help Ashlee sift through the aftermath of her disaster and see what the future holds. Come figure out what has happened in this month's Freestyle, When Disaster Strikes.

Enigmatic Extinctions are the topic of conversation in the Lounge this month. Are you able to solve the clues and find the theories that we've hidden away?

Finally, we have unearthed some wonderful prizes for you in the May Participation Raffle. Be sure to get your entries in on time and grab one of these prizes before they too go extinct.

HINT Forums :: May

11:51 am - Kasey

Rivalries have broken out all over HINT! Magical Theories is spouting words at Fandom, while Fandom is sending HINT Enterprises off to every death-battle arena they've read about. It's a Battle Royale in the HINT forums - every forum for itself, and no one is giving in.

However, they need warriors for the rumble. Come join the fight! Get yourself sorted into a forum and duke it out with the other forums in different contests around HINT for a number of items and a grand total over 30,000 House Points in our Battle Royale event.

Social Media May Update

2:46 pm - little fox

The Social Media forum is sprinkling in the fun this month!
Let's celebrate #singing! Check out our May contest Country Confusion to join the fun!

What do you consider an advantage to Social Media? Discuss this and more in May's Monthly Musings!

May brings a new batch of monthly trivia questions! Scroll on over to I Bet The Muggles Won't Know About This! to check them out!

Do you want a chance to win the Social Media exclusive item or House Points? Visit our monthly raffle Platform Ponderings for all of the important details!

A new Social Butterfly is fluttering around HEX! Interested in earning this title and a snazzy new avatar? Check out the details here!

#SocialMediaofHEX #BeSocial

Arts & Graphics :: May

11:41 am - Katie

The devastating images and repercussions of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral fire were felt around the world. Whether you're religious or not, the role that Notre Dame has played throughout its 850-year history is undeniable. This month, the Arts & Graphics forum wants to celebrate this incredible building and what it means to so many people around the world.

Head over to our Graphics Challenge to help design Notre Dame's newest stained glass window. If writing is more your style, skip over to our Writing Challenge to describe how the magical community reacts to the inferno. Be sure to pop into our Weekly Prompts for some additional creative inspiration throughout the month! Be sure to stop by our brand new Monthly Discussion to chat about all things Gothic architecture!


Don't forget about our Blotting the Parchment Incentive Program! Head on over to learn all about the different ways to earn ink spots to win our exclusive Enchanted Paintbrush! If you're looking for a little extra help in your artistic skills, be sure to jump into our Mentorship Program as well to see how our team of mentors can help you reach that next level!

1st Place: Hogwarts Castle Charm OR Hogwarts Snow Globe + 3,000 House Points
2nd Place: 50,000 Galleons + 2,000 House Points
3rd Place: 25,000 Galleons + 1,000 House Points

Graphics Challenge || Writing Challenge || Weekly Prompts || Artwork of the Month

Magical Archives - May

9:12 am - Data

May has arrived, and with it, new discussions over fairy tales to be had. Head to the Tales of Beedle the Bard forum to discuss the Wizard and the Hopping Pot, or if you're more musically inclined, try making a soundtrack in Musical Tales.

In the In Loving Memory forum, we have decided to take a walk down to the Rainbow Bridge for users to discuss pets they've loved that have already crossed it.

Staff would also like to let users know that the spoiler ban for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has been lifted! You are now free to talk about it in any forum openly.

With a dozen forums, there's plenty else to enjoy. Check the Table of Contents to see all the goings on in the Magical Archives. And be sure to keep tabs on the Watch Thread so that neither the house points nor the Book of Records will slip through your fingers.

Watch Thread || Table of Contents

Mobile Friendly Has Arrived

12:41 am - John

HEX has seen a lot of changes throughout the years. From our humble beginnings in 2001, we would utilize the same design for a little over a decade. Then in 2013, the site was completely redesigned from the ground up to provide a brand new experience for everyone. Now in 2019, we enter a new era of HEX: being completely mobile friendly and responsive across all devices. Mobile friendly has finally arrived!

The desktop experience will remain the same (for now), but you will notice the difference immediately on your phones and tablets. Three icons are now on the far left of the top bar. The first is the standard menu, the second is all of your user information, and the third is general info. Your existing events, owls, apparition, and hogfriends icons are still on the far right. Guidelines will come soon on how to create layouts for the new design.

It has taken a long time to complete the process, with pouring over 17+ years worth of code and continually making adjustments to make things look right on mobile. I want to give a big thanks to everyone that has tested the new code through the years, especially the ones that really ramped up in the past month or so. I also want to thank, Josh, who helped me get things touched up and ready in the past few months.

With so many years of code, we recognize immediately that things will not be perfect for this release. For that reason, a Mobile Design Errors & Glitches thread has been created to report any bugs or issues you may encounter on the new mobile design.

Becoming mobile friendly paves the way for so many other releases that have been on hold waiting for the design to be released. Stay tuned and thank you!