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Monday, May 28, 2007
Another Tale from Pottersworld
CONFUNDED AGAIN OR MINISTRY CONSPIRACY?
Exclusive by: Nikki Malene
"LONDON-- Local wizards from Hogsmeade Village are saying that they have suffered greatly since the attack that happened over a week ago when several Dark Wizards raided the village while students from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry wandered the streets. Thanks to the heroics of some of the Hogwarts staff and other Ministry officials, only a handful of students suffered fatal injuries.
The most famous of You-No-Who’s supporters still around being the questionable Griffey family line has one of them currently in custody. The ongoing investigation on the attack at Hogwarts two years ago, in which two students were killed, was being led to believe that Octavius Nox alongside Autumn Beaumont were responsible. Raven Griffey is the daughter of Rhueben Griffey, who has managed to elude the Ministry three times, but now this reporter has the inside scoop on how his family and his associations were the only ones that succeeded in escaping Azkaban according to a first-hand account from Raven Griffey.
According to the Griffey heir, Rhueben Griffey, her father, was the sole reason that young Harry Potter attained the knowledge to defeat Lord Voldemort. Though the crimes for which Rhueben Griffey was imprisoned all stemmed from his previous dealings with the Dark Lord, Octavius Nox has repeatedly asserted that the senior Griffey is innocent of all charges since his questionable release before the end of the last Great War. He was widely criticized during his interview for his claim in helping The-Boy-Who-Lived, but one might wonder if perhaps there is more to the story than what happened that day.
Rhueben Griffey was sent to Azkaban for multiple uses of the Unforgivable Curses during Lord Voldemort’s reign without a trial in 1996. Though Griffey’s actions in the service of the Dark Lord are largely unknown and speculartory, he was considered to be part of the Dark Lord's inner-circle. Don't be surprised if Nox’s name strikes you as familiar since he is the one that was suspected in the murders of the two girls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
What complicates the story is that Professor Autumn Beaumont, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts, was also present that night as well as the night of the attacks in Hogsmeade. While blame does not lie with her for the attacks, one can only wonder if ex-Auror and current headmaster of Hogwarts, Matthias Chadwick, is perhaps not some tragic here that has fallen victim to Beaumont’s own use of the Dark Arts.
Despite the unaccustomed way in which the Ministry has handled these matters, Raven Griffey pleads for the case to be reopened and presented to the Wizengamot. While this will take much time and debate, it appears that an ex-Death Eater is undoubtedly showing her dislike of Minister Yearly and wishes to challenge him on a rather unprecedented scale. A vote will be cast no later than July if this case goes to trial, but with so many unanswered questions and Rhueben Griffey still at large, it may be overruled because of Raven Griffey’s scandal-plagued past with the Auror, Adieus Lumien.
Still, this is only a small opposition in which Raven Griffey chooses to challenge the Ministry. Based on further conversations, Griffey revealed a suspected plot involving the Manning family and question donations made by them to both St. Mungo's and Minister Yearly. This new coalition does not stand alone by mere accusation. According to Raven Griffey’s friend, Talia Merceir, Adieus Lumien divulged official records to her. Upon closer inspection, these files showed that large portions of money have been supplied in the care of Adamus Lott, starting only weeks after his admittance there to receive treatment for his temporary insanity. Although this is not unheard of, it remains to be determined why the Mannings would go to such lengths to care for one whom their son, Tyler Manning, is suspected to have been involved in his attack.
As outlandish as these accusations may seem, the next steps will be taken to dictate the legal course of action the magical community will take. Even Yearly will be powerless against the low-making power since evidence shows he has taken bribes from a supporter of the Dark Arts. At the moment, the Wizengamot's greatest power lies in its most influential members, one of which is Matthias Chadwick.
Although it is expected for Chadwick to decline any involvement in such matters, it is not hard to believe that the Wizengamot will search elsewhere for a possible replacement for the headmaster. After my interview, it is obvious that Raven Griffey wishes to oppose Minister Yearly, and I for one would support him as a candidate.
Raven Griffey ended the interview by saying, "It is bloody well time for someone to do something about that bumbling fool (Yearly)." In Griffey’s new ambitions for power, she must remember that for the time being the Wizengamot still supports Minister Yearly, however, the possibility in succeeding is not far-off in finding a new suitable candidate for Chadwick if Autumn Beaumont is ever charged for her alleged crimes.
Because of Minister's Yearly’s questionable dealings with the Beaumont in the past, Chadwick has plenty personal motivation to see that she is brought to justice. The celebrated headmaster will undergo much speculation in the future, but it is obvious with whom his loyalties lie. Regardless of what sort of meaning it will have for his future, Yearly can only benefit from the outcome of July’s vote.
When I questioned Yearly on a last minute interview, he of course argued and not surprisingly refused to comment on Raven Griffey’s accusations. He merely commented that "Raven Griffey was a dangerous woman, a murderer, and nothing she, or anyone else, say is going to make me change my mind."
This one statement seems to epitomize the entirety of Chadwick’s reign at Hogwarts. Whether it be his refusal to recognize the truth of Beaumont’s character or his total disregard for the Dark Wizards remaining at large, the Headmaster has never once allowed reason to change his mind before it was too late. The opposition is already lining up against both parties involved, but one thing is for sure, this controversy will result in more that one causality for either candidate.
Missing out on the fun? Don't forget to stop by HPFF's RPG Potter's World by clicking here
Exclusive by: Nikki Malene
"LONDON-- Local wizards from Hogsmeade Village are saying that they have suffered greatly since the attack that happened over a week ago when several Dark Wizards raided the village while students from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry wandered the streets. Thanks to the heroics of some of the Hogwarts staff and other Ministry officials, only a handful of students suffered fatal injuries.
The most famous of You-No-Who’s supporters still around being the questionable Griffey family line has one of them currently in custody. The ongoing investigation on the attack at Hogwarts two years ago, in which two students were killed, was being led to believe that Octavius Nox alongside Autumn Beaumont were responsible. Raven Griffey is the daughter of Rhueben Griffey, who has managed to elude the Ministry three times, but now this reporter has the inside scoop on how his family and his associations were the only ones that succeeded in escaping Azkaban according to a first-hand account from Raven Griffey.
According to the Griffey heir, Rhueben Griffey, her father, was the sole reason that young Harry Potter attained the knowledge to defeat Lord Voldemort. Though the crimes for which Rhueben Griffey was imprisoned all stemmed from his previous dealings with the Dark Lord, Octavius Nox has repeatedly asserted that the senior Griffey is innocent of all charges since his questionable release before the end of the last Great War. He was widely criticized during his interview for his claim in helping The-Boy-Who-Lived, but one might wonder if perhaps there is more to the story than what happened that day.
Rhueben Griffey was sent to Azkaban for multiple uses of the Unforgivable Curses during Lord Voldemort’s reign without a trial in 1996. Though Griffey’s actions in the service of the Dark Lord are largely unknown and speculartory, he was considered to be part of the Dark Lord's inner-circle. Don't be surprised if Nox’s name strikes you as familiar since he is the one that was suspected in the murders of the two girls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
What complicates the story is that Professor Autumn Beaumont, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts, was also present that night as well as the night of the attacks in Hogsmeade. While blame does not lie with her for the attacks, one can only wonder if ex-Auror and current headmaster of Hogwarts, Matthias Chadwick, is perhaps not some tragic here that has fallen victim to Beaumont’s own use of the Dark Arts.
Despite the unaccustomed way in which the Ministry has handled these matters, Raven Griffey pleads for the case to be reopened and presented to the Wizengamot. While this will take much time and debate, it appears that an ex-Death Eater is undoubtedly showing her dislike of Minister Yearly and wishes to challenge him on a rather unprecedented scale. A vote will be cast no later than July if this case goes to trial, but with so many unanswered questions and Rhueben Griffey still at large, it may be overruled because of Raven Griffey’s scandal-plagued past with the Auror, Adieus Lumien.
Still, this is only a small opposition in which Raven Griffey chooses to challenge the Ministry. Based on further conversations, Griffey revealed a suspected plot involving the Manning family and question donations made by them to both St. Mungo's and Minister Yearly. This new coalition does not stand alone by mere accusation. According to Raven Griffey’s friend, Talia Merceir, Adieus Lumien divulged official records to her. Upon closer inspection, these files showed that large portions of money have been supplied in the care of Adamus Lott, starting only weeks after his admittance there to receive treatment for his temporary insanity. Although this is not unheard of, it remains to be determined why the Mannings would go to such lengths to care for one whom their son, Tyler Manning, is suspected to have been involved in his attack.
As outlandish as these accusations may seem, the next steps will be taken to dictate the legal course of action the magical community will take. Even Yearly will be powerless against the low-making power since evidence shows he has taken bribes from a supporter of the Dark Arts. At the moment, the Wizengamot's greatest power lies in its most influential members, one of which is Matthias Chadwick.
Although it is expected for Chadwick to decline any involvement in such matters, it is not hard to believe that the Wizengamot will search elsewhere for a possible replacement for the headmaster. After my interview, it is obvious that Raven Griffey wishes to oppose Minister Yearly, and I for one would support him as a candidate.
Raven Griffey ended the interview by saying, "It is bloody well time for someone to do something about that bumbling fool (Yearly)." In Griffey’s new ambitions for power, she must remember that for the time being the Wizengamot still supports Minister Yearly, however, the possibility in succeeding is not far-off in finding a new suitable candidate for Chadwick if Autumn Beaumont is ever charged for her alleged crimes.
Because of Minister's Yearly’s questionable dealings with the Beaumont in the past, Chadwick has plenty personal motivation to see that she is brought to justice. The celebrated headmaster will undergo much speculation in the future, but it is obvious with whom his loyalties lie. Regardless of what sort of meaning it will have for his future, Yearly can only benefit from the outcome of July’s vote.
When I questioned Yearly on a last minute interview, he of course argued and not surprisingly refused to comment on Raven Griffey’s accusations. He merely commented that "Raven Griffey was a dangerous woman, a murderer, and nothing she, or anyone else, say is going to make me change my mind."
This one statement seems to epitomize the entirety of Chadwick’s reign at Hogwarts. Whether it be his refusal to recognize the truth of Beaumont’s character or his total disregard for the Dark Wizards remaining at large, the Headmaster has never once allowed reason to change his mind before it was too late. The opposition is already lining up against both parties involved, but one thing is for sure, this controversy will result in more that one causality for either candidate.
Missing out on the fun? Don't forget to stop by HPFF's RPG Potter's World by clicking here
Team Deadly's Update
Chaos has ensnared the ever vigilant staff of harrypotterfanfiction.com as the official Staff Competition has entangled all and sundry into it's web!
Whether it be bribery or flat out validating parties, the four staff teams, Team Deadly, Team Potter, Team Harry and Team Hollow, are in it for the win.
Team Deadly leads the pace, with the top validation totals thus far (plus, the best name!), closely followed by Team Potter who have, quite mysteriously (and more than a little sneakily) managed to rouse up the majority of votes in the Staff Team poll. Team Hollow's members have been known to trick competing teams into fake coalitions in order to send the other opposing teams into battle with each other, and Team Harry bribes innocent members to do their dirty work for them (and has managed to get some pretty nifty graphics out of it, at that!)
Trickery and cheating certainly hasn't been ruled out of the running, what with most of the teams already being awarded points for "such" (and note the broadness of 'such'), which, in laymen's terms, could really be anything from shining the admin's shoes to bribing them with lollies. Who knows?
With the queue being practically empty of fics, the staffers are now left only with a sense of their own creativity to further their agendas, extending but certainly not limited to figuring out ways to effectively coerce the admins into giving out more points, in larger quantities, for more and more obscure tasks.
It's a challenge, to be sure.
But the challenge facing all you members out there, is which Staff Team are you going to choose to support? (psst! Team Deadly!)
Whether it be bribery or flat out validating parties, the four staff teams, Team Deadly, Team Potter, Team Harry and Team Hollow, are in it for the win.
Team Deadly leads the pace, with the top validation totals thus far (plus, the best name!), closely followed by Team Potter who have, quite mysteriously (and more than a little sneakily) managed to rouse up the majority of votes in the Staff Team poll. Team Hollow's members have been known to trick competing teams into fake coalitions in order to send the other opposing teams into battle with each other, and Team Harry bribes innocent members to do their dirty work for them (and has managed to get some pretty nifty graphics out of it, at that!)
Trickery and cheating certainly hasn't been ruled out of the running, what with most of the teams already being awarded points for "such" (and note the broadness of 'such'), which, in laymen's terms, could really be anything from shining the admin's shoes to bribing them with lollies. Who knows?
With the queue being practically empty of fics, the staffers are now left only with a sense of their own creativity to further their agendas, extending but certainly not limited to figuring out ways to effectively coerce the admins into giving out more points, in larger quantities, for more and more obscure tasks.
It's a challenge, to be sure.
But the challenge facing all you members out there, is which Staff Team are you going to choose to support? (psst! Team Deadly!)
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Been To the Forums Lately?
Haven’t been to the forums lately?
Come see what you’re missing!
Got questions about the Terms of Service? Want reviewers for your most recent story? Have writer’s block? Or do you just want to take a break from reading and expound on theories about Deathly Hallows? The HPFF Forum is exactly the place you want to be!
The staff and members will always be willing to help you out. Just make sure that you check the FAQs and Forum Rules before posting. If you don’t find the answers to your questions, check out the Ask the Staff section and make a post.
If your inspiration has dried up, you need look no further than the Help Needed and Help Offered threads. There you’ll find people willing to help you out with writer’s block, write reviews, even make up names for OCs! You can also take a look at the Challenge Fics section and see if there’s a plot bunny to your liking. Stretch your boundaries by taking a stab at a humorous Voldemort story or even writing a story about a ship that you absolutely despise. You never know where your stories will go!
And then there’s the section called “The World of Harry Potter”. Maybe you want to review theories surrounding Dumbledore’s death or Harry’s scar – it’s all there. So come on down to the forums and join the fun!
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE HPFF'S FORUMS
Come see what you’re missing!
Got questions about the Terms of Service? Want reviewers for your most recent story? Have writer’s block? Or do you just want to take a break from reading and expound on theories about Deathly Hallows? The HPFF Forum is exactly the place you want to be!
The staff and members will always be willing to help you out. Just make sure that you check the FAQs and Forum Rules before posting. If you don’t find the answers to your questions, check out the Ask the Staff section and make a post.
If your inspiration has dried up, you need look no further than the Help Needed and Help Offered threads. There you’ll find people willing to help you out with writer’s block, write reviews, even make up names for OCs! You can also take a look at the Challenge Fics section and see if there’s a plot bunny to your liking. Stretch your boundaries by taking a stab at a humorous Voldemort story or even writing a story about a ship that you absolutely despise. You never know where your stories will go!
And then there’s the section called “The World of Harry Potter”. Maybe you want to review theories surrounding Dumbledore’s death or Harry’s scar – it’s all there. So come on down to the forums and join the fun!
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE HPFF'S FORUMS
Tales from Pottersworld
Harrowing Experiences in Hogsmeade
By: Nikki Malene
Late Friday afternoon, several professors and students, were declared dead by Regis Pulido, a medi-wizard at St. Mungo's. He described the cause of most deaths were from the Killing Curse. He went on further to comment that several Aurors, Ministry officials, and even Matthias Chadwick, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, promptly came to the aide of the grieving victims of Hogsmeade. The area was sealed off from further questioning and comment while this matter undergoes a full investigation, but this reporter was able to get an ear into the conversation before everyone departed on that tragic evening. It turns out that Auror, Adieus Lumien, confirmed my suspicion that it was the Killing Curse that had been used by several Dark Wizards for reasons unknown in an unofficial raid of unsuspecting students while in Hogsmeade after hours. Several professors who seemed to be looking for the students engaged in a confrontation with these Dark Wizards and came off poorly for their efforts. We were told not to print this story until later as Auror Adieus Lumien wanted to get the facts straight before this went out and not cause panic, but we at the Daily Prophet wanted to extend our sympathies to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and let them know we too share in their suffering. So far, there are no clues as to who is responsible for the murders. Rumors of Dark Arts activity are circulating, but the Minister of Magic vehemently denied it. Coincidentally, the Deputy Headmistress, Professor Autumn Beaumont, has been detained by the Ministry for questioning. She was sighted at St. Mungo's as well, the night several other victims were brought in. One can only wonder what part she has in all of this. More on this story will follow as soon as we have more information.
Our sincerest condolences go out to the families of the following deceased who have been identified at the harrowing events in Hogsmeade.
Hogwarts Staff:
Professor Gwendolyn McPherson
Professor Elliot Birch
Professor John Dudzik
Professor Charlotte Logan
Hogwarts Students:
Melanie Webb
Destin Sinclair
Teague Montague
Naiara Mallory
Xavier Wyse
Andres Regent
Perry Winsome
Merrick Falke
Riley Behan
Joshua Macey
Kelli Maddox
Starshine Patches
Troubling times seem to be ahead, and one can only wonder how much of this could have been prevented if Headmaster Matthias Chadwick had better reign on the happenings of Hogwarts. Further investigation is underway as we strive to retrieve accounts from witnesses such as Professor Viola Cooper, who will possibly be sent to St. Mungo’s for further treatment, Maddy Emmerson, Eleanor Armistead, Verrena Amsel, Tyler Manning, and Thom McClearly. Expect to hear live testimonies in the next edition from some of the students who made it through the attack and hear there tale.
Missing out on the fun? Visit the HPFF RPG Pottersworld by clicking here
By: Nikki Malene
Late Friday afternoon, several professors and students, were declared dead by Regis Pulido, a medi-wizard at St. Mungo's. He described the cause of most deaths were from the Killing Curse. He went on further to comment that several Aurors, Ministry officials, and even Matthias Chadwick, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, promptly came to the aide of the grieving victims of Hogsmeade. The area was sealed off from further questioning and comment while this matter undergoes a full investigation, but this reporter was able to get an ear into the conversation before everyone departed on that tragic evening. It turns out that Auror, Adieus Lumien, confirmed my suspicion that it was the Killing Curse that had been used by several Dark Wizards for reasons unknown in an unofficial raid of unsuspecting students while in Hogsmeade after hours. Several professors who seemed to be looking for the students engaged in a confrontation with these Dark Wizards and came off poorly for their efforts. We were told not to print this story until later as Auror Adieus Lumien wanted to get the facts straight before this went out and not cause panic, but we at the Daily Prophet wanted to extend our sympathies to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and let them know we too share in their suffering. So far, there are no clues as to who is responsible for the murders. Rumors of Dark Arts activity are circulating, but the Minister of Magic vehemently denied it. Coincidentally, the Deputy Headmistress, Professor Autumn Beaumont, has been detained by the Ministry for questioning. She was sighted at St. Mungo's as well, the night several other victims were brought in. One can only wonder what part she has in all of this. More on this story will follow as soon as we have more information.
Our sincerest condolences go out to the families of the following deceased who have been identified at the harrowing events in Hogsmeade.
Hogwarts Staff:
Professor Gwendolyn McPherson
Professor Elliot Birch
Professor John Dudzik
Professor Charlotte Logan
Hogwarts Students:
Melanie Webb
Destin Sinclair
Teague Montague
Naiara Mallory
Xavier Wyse
Andres Regent
Perry Winsome
Merrick Falke
Riley Behan
Joshua Macey
Kelli Maddox
Starshine Patches
Troubling times seem to be ahead, and one can only wonder how much of this could have been prevented if Headmaster Matthias Chadwick had better reign on the happenings of Hogwarts. Further investigation is underway as we strive to retrieve accounts from witnesses such as Professor Viola Cooper, who will possibly be sent to St. Mungo’s for further treatment, Maddy Emmerson, Eleanor Armistead, Verrena Amsel, Tyler Manning, and Thom McClearly. Expect to hear live testimonies in the next edition from some of the students who made it through the attack and hear there tale.
Missing out on the fun? Visit the HPFF RPG Pottersworld by clicking here
Validators' Pick of the Week
This week's validator's pick is:
Brothers by Dark Princess
"Sirius knew he would never again hear the voice of his best friend – his brother. Brothers look out for each other. They would never joke about anything again. They would never again have a 'little too much' to drink and then have to try and explain it to Lily afterwards. Never again would the Marauders be together . . .”
Sirius had the perfect plan to protect James. But what happens when a flawless idea isn’t so flawless?
Enjoy and please remember to leave a review!
Brothers by Dark Princess
"Sirius knew he would never again hear the voice of his best friend – his brother. Brothers look out for each other. They would never joke about anything again. They would never again have a 'little too much' to drink and then have to try and explain it to Lily afterwards. Never again would the Marauders be together . . .”
Sirius had the perfect plan to protect James. But what happens when a flawless idea isn’t so flawless?
Enjoy and please remember to leave a review!
Friday, May 25, 2007
HPFF Podcast
A new HPFF podcast has been released. Through the Looking Glass is a compilation story by various HPFF authors. You can download the podcast by visiting the following page: HPFF Podcasts
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Validators' Pick of the Week
This week's validator's pick is
Remember by Caliente.
Another small endeavor into the HP fandom. This little one-shot is set sort of during and after the first war with Voldermort. It has spoilers through Order of the Phoenix but really mildly implied ones. Normally, I don't dedicate my stories. But, as this was inspired by a trip to Arlington Cemetery, I'd like to dedicate it to the fallen. All of the fallen.
Please check it out and remember to leave the author a review!
Remember by Caliente.
Another small endeavor into the HP fandom. This little one-shot is set sort of during and after the first war with Voldermort. It has spoilers through Order of the Phoenix but really mildly implied ones. Normally, I don't dedicate my stories. But, as this was inspired by a trip to Arlington Cemetery, I'd like to dedicate it to the fallen. All of the fallen.
Please check it out and remember to leave the author a review!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Validators' Pick of the Week
As a new little treat, each week we will find a brand new story that is making its first time through the queue and drop a note to all of you. It’s a way to help welcome new stories to the site and help give some recognition to our hard working authors who’ve waited in the queue to see their baby become real.
This week’s validators' pick is:
Dumbledore's Path by invisiblelight.
Albus Dumbledore has been on a long and dangerous path, which he will now share with Harry Potter. After Harry's Sorting, Albus knows he must begin training the next Vanquisher--Harry. Albus looks at Harry after he has become a Gryffindor, and thinks "...an ancient tale is being retold and re-lived through you, and through your father's face and your mother's eyes. How bravely you chose your destiny tonight." How much can Albus teach Harry, before he must face Lord Voldemort, alone?
I hope you enjoy and please, remember to leave the author a review!
This week’s validators' pick is:
Dumbledore's Path by invisiblelight.
Albus Dumbledore has been on a long and dangerous path, which he will now share with Harry Potter. After Harry's Sorting, Albus knows he must begin training the next Vanquisher--Harry. Albus looks at Harry after he has become a Gryffindor, and thinks "...an ancient tale is being retold and re-lived through you, and through your father's face and your mother's eyes. How bravely you chose your destiny tonight." How much can Albus teach Harry, before he must face Lord Voldemort, alone?
I hope you enjoy and please, remember to leave the author a review!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
10 Days...oh, the horror!
As many of you know, the queue is extra busy this time of year. People begin to get out of school and start updating their stories on a more consistent basis. Great for all of us readers who have been waiting ages for those updates (Noblevyne…where is the next chapter of NFA??) but not so great for those of you waiting in line to have your story validated.
Site policy is that is can take up to 10 days to have your story validated. While it rarely takes that long, we do regularly get to seven or eight days. Unfortunately, most validators have additional site responsibilities (not to mention real life) that cuts into the validating time. For instance, answering trouble tickets. Trouble tickets are the method by which you can ask questions directly to the site and have them answered by a staffer that is online at the time.
The system is hosted separately for a variety of reasons but one of which is to help keep site traffic running smoothly. What this means is that to answer trouble tickets, a staffer must go to another site, log in to another site, open a screen to view all current trouble tickets, open a single trouble ticket, read it and then post an intelligent (or at least somewhat intelligent) response.
Now, here’s where I make my plea to all of you wonderful people who take the time to read this….please do NOT send trouble tickets saying your story has been sitting in the queue for over ten days. We have a counter on the queue…we know how many days we are behind and, so far, we’ve yet to hit over 10. So, every time we must answer a trouble ticket saying the story has been waiting for over ten days (when, in truth, it’s only been 6 or 7) it’s a bit frustrating. But that’s not the important part. The important thing is that every time a staffer has to answer an erroneous trouble ticket is time spent away from the queue….meaning by trying to prompt us to hurry by lodging a ticket you are actually slowling down the time we could be validating your stories.
Please, please, only lodge a trouble ticket if it has actually been ten days (yes, we know exactly when you submitted) and you have already checked your account to see if your chapter was rejected. It will help us move faster and get all that great summer reading up on the site for you even quicker. Note that we will no longer be responding to trouble tickets that regarding validation time unless it has truly been longer than 10 days but will simply refer you to this post. Happy writing!
Site policy is that is can take up to 10 days to have your story validated. While it rarely takes that long, we do regularly get to seven or eight days. Unfortunately, most validators have additional site responsibilities (not to mention real life) that cuts into the validating time. For instance, answering trouble tickets. Trouble tickets are the method by which you can ask questions directly to the site and have them answered by a staffer that is online at the time.
The system is hosted separately for a variety of reasons but one of which is to help keep site traffic running smoothly. What this means is that to answer trouble tickets, a staffer must go to another site, log in to another site, open a screen to view all current trouble tickets, open a single trouble ticket, read it and then post an intelligent (or at least somewhat intelligent) response.
Now, here’s where I make my plea to all of you wonderful people who take the time to read this….please do NOT send trouble tickets saying your story has been sitting in the queue for over ten days. We have a counter on the queue…we know how many days we are behind and, so far, we’ve yet to hit over 10. So, every time we must answer a trouble ticket saying the story has been waiting for over ten days (when, in truth, it’s only been 6 or 7) it’s a bit frustrating. But that’s not the important part. The important thing is that every time a staffer has to answer an erroneous trouble ticket is time spent away from the queue….meaning by trying to prompt us to hurry by lodging a ticket you are actually slowling down the time we could be validating your stories.
Please, please, only lodge a trouble ticket if it has actually been ten days (yes, we know exactly when you submitted) and you have already checked your account to see if your chapter was rejected. It will help us move faster and get all that great summer reading up on the site for you even quicker. Note that we will no longer be responding to trouble tickets that regarding validation time unless it has truly been longer than 10 days but will simply refer you to this post. Happy writing!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Speech???
I suppose it time to make that ever so famous speech. Well, first let me say Timeturner and I approach this new challenge with a heavy heart. Nobody can or could ever replace Jay. He is the father of our community and we’ll miss him dearly.
We find ourselves taking charge of HPFF in a very busy time. Our queue is busier than ever, we are currently hosting a duel and the final book is due out by the end of the summer… yeah, maybe busy isn’t a strong enough word. Don’t panic because they’ll be no major changes in the way HPFF is run day to day. We’ll still be the best and oldest Harry Potter fanfiction archive on the web.
I know some of you may be curious about your new site managers. That’s understandable but remember all you need to know is when you offer bribes that I prefer Hershey Kisses to doughnuts and I drink Coke Zero not Pepsi… I’m only kidding. I’ve been with the site since 2003 and loved every minute of it. I’ve a semi-prolific author who doesn’t update nearly as often as I should. I’m never available on Thursday nights from 8-9 and I live a fairly hectic life. My main goal as one of your new site managers is to make HPFF bigger and better! I love reading and writing fanfictions and I want to see our story numbers continue to climb.
My partner in crime is the ever-famous Timeturner. She really doesn’t need an introduction. I typically don’t come out of virtual staff room except during competitions whereas Timeturner is always out and around getting to know each and everyone of you. She’s been with HPFF since 2004 and, like myself, has fallen in love with this community. I’m really not sure which she likes better… Pepsi or Coke…. but I know she’s very fond of lemonade and pink marshmallow bunnies.
We’re going to try to improve on queue, trusted author selection and ease of use for all authors. You probably are already noticing several of our new features such as the new message system on the archive. Please bear with us as we learn our new roles here at the site. As you can imagine our PM boxes have been very busy since Jay’s announcement. If we don’t answer your comments or suggestions please don’t take it personally. Thank you all for helping us keep HPFF the BEST Harry Potter site on the web!
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Writer's Duel
Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending. …
It has finally happened and all of us are preparing ourselves. We find ourselves anticipating the greatest and saddest ending of all times. The Harry Potter series is quickly drawing to a close. This is a Duel like no other. We cannot express the sentimental meaning this challenge will hold for us all. Take the challenge and compete against your fellow authors and see how close you can predict the future. Are you a future Divinist? Do you know what Rowlings has in store for our beloved characters? As always, there will be three categories and the nine stories with the highest number of votes will be featured on the Duel Archive and move on to the final round.
The Categories
Challenge 1: When Harry Meets Ginny…: Yes we all have our theories about what happens when these two young people meet but can you express it like no other writer can?
Challenge 2: The Last Horcrux…: What are your thoughts about the last Horcrux Harry must find and destroy. This is your chance to prove your theory is more realistic than all the others. Can you defeat your fellow authors in this challenge?
Challenge 3: It Ends With A Scar… : J.K. Rowling once said the last word of her series will be ‘scar.’ Now is your opportunity to write how this remarkable series will finally end. Are you up to the challenge?
Make it real and make it believable. You can draw inspiration from fanfictions, Harry Potter resource sites and most certainly the Harry Potter books themselves. This isn't something you want to rush. Take your time and proofread your work. This is a competition about creativity and excellence. There is a thread in the competition section of the forum if you would like to request a beta reader who might be willing to help you out with your story. **Remember, beta readers cannot enter into the competition**
Grand Prize
A pre-ordered copy of Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows from Amazon.com and a featured spot on the famous HPFF Podcast.
Submissions Start: Friday, May 4th at 11:59 pm GMT (6:59 EST, 4:59 Pacific)
Submissions Close:Saturday, May 14th at 11:59 pm GMT (6:59 EST, 4:59 Pacific)
Voting Begins: Sunday, May 15th
Voting Ends: Friday, May 20th
Completed entries are to be submitted to ‘competition(at)harrypotterfanfiction.com'
Please include your story document, title, challenge number, e-mail address and penname.
Please read and review all the Rules of the competition before submitting your entry
Rules and Regulations
Don't Forget to Check out the Following Links
HTML tutorial
Sample Submission
Submission Checklist
Writer's Duel Discussion Via the Forum
Offical Rules
1. All story are anonymous and will remain anonymous until the end of the competition.
2. Only new fics written specifically for the challenge will be accepted.
3. Must adhere to the TOS (No, really! It must!)
4. Must be between 2,000—5,000 words (Yes, we will check!)
5. Must be rated 15+ or under. (No Mature Ratings)
6. One submission per author
7. All ships/non-ships are welcome so long as they adhere to the TOS
8. E-mail all submissions to competition(at)harrypotterfanfiction.com
9. In your submission, please include your title, penname, email address, rating, genre, and the fic. We accept .doc, .html, .rtf, and .txt formats and attachments are fine so long as they are something recognizable like "my_fanfic_submission.doc"
10. Untitled attachments will automatically be deleted
11. Information about your story CANNOT be posted on the forum, the main archive or any other forms. This includes the category you entered into, the title of your story or how many votes you have received. Any information revealed is immediate grounds for disqualification.
12. Please make sure you use html codes. For further assistance in html coding please visit our HTML tutorial.
A Special Panel of Judges will judge on the finalist on the following:
Spelling (1-10)
Grammar (1-10)
Punctuation (1-10)
Originality (1-10)
Flow/Format/Readibility (1-10)
Style (1-10)
Ability to keep Characters in Canon (1-10)
Wielding of Genre (1-10) --if a Humor fic, it's humorous, Romance, Drama, etc.
Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding the ToS or the Writer's Duel Rules, please visit our Trouble Ticket. Former staff members of HPFF, FictionCentral or The Phoenix Feather are not eligible to win.