Redeem Cards & Lottery

3:45 pm - John

The Site Store now has all new redeem cards. A big thanks to Ken for designing these.The cards can be obtained through purchasing stuff in the Site Store. With this card, new potential prize items have been added like Dumbledore Army's Coin, the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, and more! Check out this page for all of the details! If you have a pending order right now in the store, it will be shipped on Monday with the new cards.

The lottery has experienced a large amount of growth lately. Due to this and changing economic conditions, the number range for each number is being adjusted. You will still activate 5 numbers, but the range will now be 1 to 35 per number. This will come into effect after the reset tomorrow.

Thank you!

Quidditch Referee Applications

5:12 am - Sophia Oceanborn

After an unfortunate event involving Bludgers and last match's losing team, Madame Hooch finds herself in need of a couple more Quidditch referees.

If you've ever wanted to be a part of the exciting world of Games and Sports, now's your chance to become an official Quidditch referee.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON APPLYING

*Protection against Bludgers not guaranteed.

Estranged Beasts

5:52 am - Jojo

Curiosity and mischief are no strangers to the students of Hogwarts. On this dewey night, that fact still rings true. With only the moonlight and, "Lumos!" to guide them, a group of students wander aimlessly into the Dark Forest. The leaves are restless, the trees are dark, and the pounding of the students' hearts seem to vibrate the forest floor.

Grab your wand and whisper, "Lumos," to join the students and Gryffindor Staff. The Forbidden Forest is crawling with Estranged Beasts, will you be able to survive them?

Teaching Positions Available!

8:19 pm - Tinuel

Do you enjoy taking classes here on Hex, and wish you could be the one teaching new students? Have you learned how to bottle fame and brew glory, and think you're ready to start teaching others all that you've learned?

There are currently many positions for full-time professors and subs still available for the current school term! Classes such as Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Astronomy, Herbology, Potions, and many more are all available.

To see the entire list of available classes and how to apply, please check out this thread in the Entrance Hall! We look forward to seeing all that you have to offer.

Good luck!
The Magical Administration

New Issue of the Daily Prophet!

11:13 am - icemousey

The new year finally arrives, and with it new beginnings and endless possibilities! We have excellent news from all over the globe in the styling of our new writers! Read articles on the advancement of science, the official address from our Minister of Magic and some delectable gossips from the wizarding world!

Need to reminisce? Well, that's what our Official Archives are for! Head on over to the top secret location to peruse our extensive database.

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If you have any concerns regarding this Daily Prophet issue, please contact Samantha Bradley or Kay85. You can also contact Icemousey with the Publication Management.

Magical Archives Update

12:05 am - Brit

We are now on the next step of our Journey Through Time as we continue rediscovering each book, chapter-by-chapter. Get your ticket for The Knight Bus and come travel through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with us. There are tons of prizes to be won, as well as our Book of Records incentive. While our Journey Through Time event is truly magical, keep in mind that the Magical Archives forums also holds two other contests in our eight forums each month! For your ease, here are the current, on-going contests:

Stoney Tales | The Birthday | Inquisitorial Orders

Note: Magical Archivist applications are still open. If you're interested in being part of the Magical Archives team, check out this thread for more details.

Squid Tank Applications Extended!

2:54 pm - icemousey

Applications for the new sitewide competition Squid Tank have been EXTENDED. That's right, folks! You have until 11:59 p.m. HEX time on Jan. 17 (tomorrow) to submit your fantasy raffles and enter the competition. You could be crowned HEX's next great econ star!

Intrigued? Think you have what it takes to compete? Check it out here!

Caretaker Concoctions!

1:50 am - Spiora

The Book with No Home

Hogwarts is abuzz over a mysterious book left in the Library. Who does this book belong to, why is Madam Pince keeping the title a secret, and what is it about? You didn't see anything, but there may be a few characters that did, if you're lucky they may even help you solve the mystery.

Join the Caretakers of The Student Hangout and The Library, in this month's cross forum event, to find clues that may lead you to the answer. Join in on the discussions, search for clues, and use your creativity to answer three questions - who, what, and why.

Prizes:

First: Hufflepuff Journal & 3,000 House Points
Second: Enchanted Timeline & 2,000 House Points
Third: Quill Charm & 1,000 House Points

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

Out with the Old, In with the New

5:23 am - _sky_

Out with the old and, in with the new as the saying goes. It's the time of the year for resolutions and new plans, and the groundskeepers have been busy tidying up to do just that! With everything off to a great start in the new year, it's time for a little fun in the Shrieking Shack. The dusty, creaky, old shack could use some refurbishing in an attempt to get it ready for a club. RP your way through the process and you may just be able to win some house points. Check out the thread in the Shrieking Shack for more details! Better hurry though, this contest only lasts until January 31, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. HEX Time.

RPC Updates

6:10 pm - Raventhefree

And then she saw that there was a light ahead of her, not a few inches away where the back of the wardrobe ought to have been, but a long way off. Something cold and soft was falling on her. A moment later she found that she was standing in the middle of a wood at night-time with snow under her feet and snowflakes falling through the air.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe tells the tale of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, who enter the magical world of Narnia via a wardrobe. Narnia is a land of mythical creatures and talking animals, which has been ruled by the White Witch for over one hundred years. The children's task is to assist the Lion, Aslan, to defeat the White Witch and break the spell she cast over Narnia, causing it to be winter all year round.

Join the RPC for January's Roleplay of the Month: Winter Wonderland. You have until January 31st, 11:59 PM Hex time to complete your roleplay.

Prizes
Best Plot: 5,000 Galleons and 2,500 HP (each)
Best Character: 5,000 Galleons and 2,500 HP
Best Overall Post: 5,000 Galleons and 2,500 HP

Dueling: Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor

6:05 pm - Artemis Eve

Feeling cold? Would love to get warm? Fancy a little entertainment while you are toasting your toesies? Look no further. There is sun, sand, and Gilderoy Lockhart looking fine on a hammock where Dedicated Hufflepuff takes on Bold Gryffindor. Wands will slash and spells will clash in a heated battle for glory. Fair warning, though. Things are about to get real hot, real quick. So what are you sitting there for? Grab a towel and head on over to the Great Hall to experience it all for yourself.

Now Hiring: Magical Archivists

2:23 am - Chrissy

The Magical Archives are looking to add some new moderators to the team. We're looking for users who are committed to Hex, enthusiastic about the Harry Potter series and are able to coordinate innovative contests and activities for the eight Magical Archives forums. If that sounds like you, then what are you waiting for? Fill out the application below and send it in.

Application
1. Preferred Name/Nickname:
2. Date of enrollment:
3. Average amount of hours spent on Hex per week:
4. Current HEX responsibilities:
5. Why do you want to be a Magical Archivist?
6. Create one original contest for the Half Blood Prince forum OR the Deathly Hallows Book forum. The contest must be completely written up and coded as if it were ready to be posted in the forum. The prizes section MAY be left blank, or you can make up what the prizes would be.

Please owl your application with BBCode turned OFF, to Chrissy May by 11:59pm Hex time, January 23rd. Late applications will not be considered.

Any questions? Post them here or contact Chrissy.

Arts & Graphics Forum Update :: January

10:38 am - deidra

But I've got a blank space, baby. And I'll write your name.
-Taylor Swift

Welcome to 2016! Arts & Graphics is back and we have some fresh challenges for you to try your hand at. This months theme, we've nicknamed it "fill in the blanks," but to be more specific, it's all about taking the pieces we've given you and turning into art work. Over in the writing challenge, you are using a story generator to get your basic plot line and idea, and then, it gets harder, you have to take those elements and turn it into a limerick. Fun, yeah? For the graphics challenges, we've given you select textures and other images that you have to some how put together to create something pretty and interesting. As always, we've discovered a marvelous work of art for the Artwork of the Month, but we've also announced the winner of 2015's Artwork of the Year! Both pieces are, as usual, stunningly gorgeous. Please check those out and wish the artist your biggest congratulations.

As always, the winners will go home with galleons and House Points, and their entries will be published on the official HEX Tumblr page.
1st Place: 10,000 Galleons + 3,000 House Points
2nd Place: 5,000 Galleons + 2,000 House Points
3rd Place: 2,000 Galleons + 1,000 House Points

Writing Challenge || Graphics Challenge || Artwork of the Month || Artwork of the Year - Winner
Happy New Year from the Arts & Graphics Forum Staff!

Squid Tank!

2:01 pm - icemousey

Applications for the new sitewide competition Squid Tank have been EXTENDED. That's right, folks! You have until 11:59 p.m. HEX time on Jan. 17 (tomorrow) to submit your fantasy raffles and enter the competition. You could be crowned HEX's next great econ star!

Intrigued? Think you have what it takes to compete? Check it out here!

Promotion to Administrator

3:02 pm - John

Today, Rose has been promoted to the Administrator position. Rose has been a long time member and contributor to the site, and most recently has helped raise the bar immensely in IM and other areas. Most of you know just how much of a hand she had in HEXmas 2015 planning and execution, among many, many other things. We are excited to see what she brings to the team and for what the future holds!

Congratulations, Rose!

New Issue of the Quibbler!

1:04 pm - icemousey

It's a new year and the staff at the Quibbler has decided that 2016 needs a few new and exciting holidays. Christmas? Valentine's Day? BORING! It's time for a change. Check inside to see what we're celebrating in 2016! If you have questions or comments about The Quibbler or Hex's Publications, please either visit the Newsstand here or send an owl to Allie. Happy reading!

Happy New Year!

12:01 am - HEX Staff

The Hogwarts Holiday Fund is running low -- unforeseen Christmas expenditures (who knew fleece and fluff were so expensive?!) and the high cost educational supplies (pickled toad prices have tripled in the last year!) have led the professors to look for places to cut corners. So off they went to the Room of Requirement to find party supplies for the traditional New Year's Eve celebration.We are very grateful that they were able to find a massive, yet eccentric pile of items to recycle. It's amazing what you can find in there!