Closed Errand March To Your Own Beat

Interacting with : Reducio @Minnie Duke + open to any and all interactions!

Date: Reducio June 7

Notes: Reducio Speech: #3CB371 Thoughts: italics

Outfit: Reducio

As she marched, Kaitlyn was paying attention to her spins and twirls. Her feet were securely held in her sandals. She really wanted to break out a pirouette … but was very cognizant of the other students around … both marching and watching. She’d likely be injured if she tried. This was not the time, nor the place, for doing so. Maybe later, if everyone cleared out by then. Or, at least, if there was enough room for her to spin around and not fall. Perhaps she should’ve brought a lesbian flag with her.

Just as she finished a twirl, a very familiar voice came from next to her. A bright smile formed on her lips as her eyes found Minnie marching next to her. “Hi, Minnie. It’s nice to see you here, too,” she replied, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. She recalled the happiness from last year when they were getting closer to each other, back when they were dating. It was a nice feeling … as the journal in her dorm could attest to.

At Minnie’s question, Kaitlyn nodded. “I’m alright, how have you been?” For this event, she didn’t wear her prefect badge. On the one hand, she’d love to talk about it to Minnie. On the other hand, she didn’t want to gloat about becoming a prefect. The day she got word, she celebrated with her bunny, Demeter, in her dorm room, instead of loudly proclaiming it to everyone. While she was proud of herself, she had no intention of making anyone feel bad about themselves.

A chuckle danced on Kaitlyn’s lips. “This may be a rarity from me, but I agree. I can’t wait for a break from all this studying … especially since next year we get those new fancy classes, too,” she recalled, knowing that third years got a few more specialized classes. That meant even more studying. Maybe for once, she’d take some time off for the summer, so she could recharge before the hectic new year.

“I intend to, yes. I have nothing too specific planned. Plus, I want to cheer on my bestie, Devon, from Ilvermorny. Oh, and Simon Kincaid’s healing group, Pulse, is planning to visit St. Mungo’s over the summer. On … June 15th. I hope I can go to it … What about you, do you also plan to go to the summer camp?” Kaitlyn asked.

Word Count:

Reducio

Note: 404 words

Oh, how to describe herself?

Korinna blinked and stepped into the courtyard, a little nervous with each step they took. Sure, they knew everyone here was friendly, but they weren't sure if.. people would be surprised that they were there? if they would ask questions? heck, did they even know anybody? That made it worse.

For a little while now, they'd been hesitantly identifying as unlabeled, even though they hadn't explicitly come out to anyone - they weren't sure if they were.. queer? or.. uh... maybe they would need to come out to themselves first before coming out to everyone else...

For one, they identified as female, but recently they had also preferred /they/ pronouns sometimes.. and then they thought they might be attracted to more than one gender, they just weren't sure which one? or if they had ever been attracted to any gender at all? ... augh and there were just so many things, labels were a little too complicated, honestly.

Of course, they had always wanted to be there to support their friends either way, as a pride ally. A magical pride festival was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

They perked up as the music began to swell and some of their fellow students began to cheer. Hmph. That was a muggle song, wasn't it?

Because they'd been around their muggle friends, they decided to start listening to some muggle pop music, and it was.. it was quite the experience. This one sounded sort of familiar!

"Lady Gaga?"

Hearing the answering murmurs of others, they knew they had gotten it right. Well! They were pleased with that, it was about time they learned some more about muggle pop culture.

Kori smiled as they began to nod their head to the catchy tune, almost forgetting about how nervous they felt. Maybe it was finally the time to get to know some people. As themselves.

They tapped their heels together softly, twirling around with a laugh. The breeze played with their hair, whipping gently in their face. They couldn't remember the last time they had been so happy.

Word Count - 353/800

PLACE:Courtyard
TIME:June 7th, after parade
MENTION(S):@None
INTERACTION(S):
@Lorraine Hawkes
FIT:Same as 1st post
WC: 326 words

The parade was amazing! Other students were on the sides cheering and yelling, though the sun was extremely hot, the smiles on other people's faces were pretty infectious

After the march, there were to be more events, but Aurette was far too tired to think about them for now, she was still at the courtyard, so we're the others, she was drinking water from a plastic bottle.
Lorraine then came running to her smiling and drenched in sweat.

By the time she was in front of Aurette, she was panting very heavily and holding onto a broken brick wall where Aurette was leaning onto. "Hey," , she panted.

" Not a clever idea, is it?", Aurette teased as Lorraine stood up, "Running after walking miles under the sun?", Lorraine chuckled. "Oh come on, what was I supposed to do? Fly?", Aurette laughed, she was pretty good at making jokes.

"Anyways" she continued, "I was thinking that after this, we should go up to the Owlery, I've got someone to send a letter to." Aurette looked at her, eyebrow raised, clearly bewildered, who on earth would she send a letter to? Why?

"Who?", she asked, "That gorgeous ginger?", she joked teasingly, though Lorraine did laugh. "No? Plus they moved away anyways" ("Aw, shucks", said Aurette)"It's for my parents, I wanted to come out to them and tell them that I'm pansexual", she continued while Aurette took a sip at her water.

"Finally!", Aurette replied, as though she'd been waiting for hundreds of years. "Don't you 'finally' me," Lorraine told her, "It was hard coming to a decision like this"

"Right...", Aurette replied cheekily, "Anyways," she added, changing the subject, " you never told me bout your other crushes,"

"Why the hell would I even?", Lorraine asked hysterically, "I don't even know why you're bisexual!"

"All right, all right," Aurette replied, defeated. She then burst into story, Lorraine was also an exceptional listener , to be honest.

Date: June 7th, 2025 | Dialogue: #407e58 | Word Count: 628
OOC Note: Jade is not open for interactions at this point.

When Jade had heard Hogwarts was hosting an event for Pride month, she wasn’t sure what to think. Pride month wasn’t something Jade thought about a lot, or did anything for. Sometimes her mom would go to events, or rallies, but Jade had never gone with. She hadn’t seen the point — especially if she didn’t think she was a part of the LGBTQ+ community — and the large, loud crowds that would surely be there had never interested Jade. But at Hogwarts, she kept hearing about Pride month, and about the event — there would be a parade, and a talent show, and something with books that sounded vaguely interesting. It seemed like Pride was a big deal at Hogwarts — at least, more so than it had been back home.

In the end, Jade had decided she would attend the event. It would be a good opportunity for her to learn more about Pride celebrations and the LGBTQ+ community, which were topics she should be informed of. The book-related event sounded promising, and Jade didn’t have to stay for long. She could attend the opening parade, get a few books on various LGBTQ+ related topics, and return to her dorm to read. I should make an effort to stay, at least for a little while, though… Jade had thought. Who knows, maybe it’ll be entertaining.

Now, as Jade headed down from the Ravenclaw dormitories to where the parade was taking place, she was beginning to fret over her decision to attend the event. She had already worried over her outfit, eventually deciding to go with what she normally wore, plus a rainbow headband she had found at the bottom of her trunk. The worries that currently occupied Jade’s mind were about the event itself (and probably a bit irrational, if Jade was being honest). What if I misinterpreted the situation, and it’s not that big of a deal? What if someone thinks I’m LGBTQ because I’m going to the event (and because of my headband)? Various ‘what if’s’ echoed in Jade’s mind as she made her way to the parade. Relax, she told herself. That’s what I need to do. No reason to worry, none at all…

When Jade arrived, she was relieved to find that she wasn’t late — the parade hadn’t started yet. She also wasn’t too early, as there were other students eagerly waiting for the beginning of the parade. Not seeing anyone she recognized, Jade kept to herself, content to observe the event from the sidelines for the time being. Soon, music started to play (though Jade didn’t recognize the song), and the parade began processing through the grounds. Jade was a little bit surprised to see that the parade was entirely made up of students, but in hindsight, it made sense. It would be… weird, to say the least, if there were teachers in the parade.

The parade wasn’t incredibly fancy or complicated, just students cheering as the music played and occasionally calling out, “Happy pride!”. Despite that, Jade found herself smiling and her worries lifting. She hummed along to some of the more familiar songs, still too nervous to sing along out loud. As the parade began to wind down, the students around Jade began to disperse, turning to neighbors or seeking out friends. At a first glance, Jade didn’t see anyone she recognized. Even if she had, she didn’t feel particularly inclined to chat — especially with such a big, energetic crowd.

I’ll go and find the book portion of the event, Jade decided. It’s bound to be calmer there, and I can get some new reading material! She smiled at the thought, and turned away from the parade, beginning her search for the other portion of the event.

There was a buzz around Hogwarts, capturing Lyssandra’s attention as she was taking a leisurely stroll around the school grounds. She had a free period, and she wanted to clear her mind for a while when colours and music exploded before her. Curious, she made her way to what sounded like festivity and was met with a grand celebration.

Navy blue eyes widened at the sight of it all. It was like the goddess Iris herself graced the grounds of Hogwarts and bathed everything in her 7-colored light.

Lyssandra looked around and spotted people from various houses sporting their respective colours and could not help the small smile gracing her lips. She’s heard of this event.

Dion and Carolus told both Argentus and her about certain celebrations and among them was “Pride.” They both spoke of how in their travels, Pride was almost always a Muggle-born and Muggle thing, and they’ve just recently started to participate (incognito of course, can’t have an Auror and a Curse-Breaker draw attention to the parade and cause mayhem should their enemies and evil wizards catch wind of their presence and ruin the entire thing) and celebrate it.

“It’s quite amazing actually. Colourful, loud, and very welcoming. The both of you could come with us when you’re older and with your respective partners.” A wave of his wand and Carolus creates small images of the event. Dion, however, smacked his husband and pouted.

“Hush! I don’t want to think about my baby cousins being old and… and… and holding hands and going on dates.” Argentus takes out his handkerchief and charms it to match one of the flags Carolus projected. With a bit of concentration and a satisfied nod, the young heir waves his charmed handkerchief around like how the people in the projected images did.

“Reall, Cousin Dion? Lyss and I are not going to remain “little”, as you say, forever, you know.”

“Quiet, Argentus. Let me spoil you some more while I still can.”

“What if… Could I still come even if…” As if sensing her hesitance, Dion smiled at Lyssandra.

“You don’t have to worry about that yet. You still have A LOT of time to figure it out. Until then, you and your brother could still come with us if you want to.” They both look at Carolus and Argentus who was now transfiguring a rock into a handkerchief and charming it to look like a different flag.

“Uncle Nax,”

“Yes, darling?” A large yet gentle and warm hand pats her head, careful of the ribbon that holds her hair and preventing himself from ruining its intricate design.

“You loved the late aunt, right?” Fondness.

“Yes, I did. I still love her so.”

“But you also love uncle?” An amused chuckle.

“As much as I did your late aunt.” Small eyebrows furrowed in concentration as a moment of silence passes over them.

“Then… Is it hard?” A questioning hum meets her ears.

“Is it hard loving two people?” This time, the man kneels before the child and looks deep into her eyes. Deep navy blues filled with curiosity and a sense of maturity that Anaxagoras couldn’t help but be in awe of.

“Not at all,” He takes her hands in his, dwarfing them with his calloused pair.

“I loved your late aunt, still love her to this day. But I also love your uncle. Were things different and had your late aunt escaped the clutches of death, I would have wedded them both.” Lyssandra’s eyes widened as she tried to picture how that would look like. She made a sound of awe, and her Uncle Anaxagoras simply chuckled.

“Things were different then, cruel even… So much crueller than what is allowed now. I was most fortunate to be born in House Navarus where you were free to love whomever you please, so long as they bring honour and glory to the Navarus name.” The last bit was grumbled out though with fondness and a bit of eye-rolling that made Lyssandra giggle. Anaxagoras smiles fondly at his niece.

“Still, I am most fortunate. I had so much love to give so I followed my heart and now you have 5 older cousins who compete over the most mundane of things.” Lyssandra nods, remembering when her cousins would even compete with whoever could change the colour of their teeth and escape the notice of the adults.

“That sounds wonderful, uncle.”

“It does, doesn’t it?”

…

“Did you know Nereus accidentally courted a noble heir during our visit to Uagadou School of Magic?” A gasp.

“Father did?” An excited nod.

“That’s right. Nereus thought he was being polite and civil like a true heir would, but he had no idea he was already courting the young heir. Poor dear brother was so flustered when he finally realized,” Lyssandra giggled. It always amuses her when she hears something new about her father.

“The young heir didn’t mind. In fact, if I remember correctly, they did go on dates during our stay. Eventually, they chose to remain as friends before we parted ways. I believe they still send owls and have them with their respective partners occasionally.” Lyssandra takes his words and vaguely recalls rich brown eyes, gentle and mischievous, and a deep voice that spoke with a fond tone.

“Wait... You don’t mean… Lord Gumede?” At her uncle’s nod, her eyes shined in a way that earned Anaxagora’s delight as he continued to tell her more.

date: june 7th, 2025
word count: 503

Magnolia was no stranger to pride parades. Which was obvious, considering her Mother was a lesbian and her Momma was bisexual. She grew up pretty immersed in the LGBTQIA+ community, having gone to parades for as long as she could remember. But her own identity? She was still figuring that all out.

She didn't feel a strong pull within her, and maybe it was because of her moms. They both encouraged her to take her time, and provided her with a welcoming and safe environment to be whoever she wanted to be. So for the time being, she was just... Maggie. All that complicated stuff would come later. Probably with puberty, but even just thinking about the 'P' word made Mags shudder.

And so when she got wind that a pride parade was happening here at Hogwarts, she was practically jumping for joy. She admittedly was a bit homesick, so to have a bit of home while she was here at her far-away magic boarding school meant everything to her. So even though she was cramming for her exams, she was determined to join the parade as soon as she could. So if that meant her Transfiguration homework remained on her desk unfinished, then so be it. ...Sorry, Professor Kāne.

First things first, she needed to get dressed. She obviously didn't have access to her entire wardrobe while she was at school, but she had a few pieces that fit the occasion. She brushed out her short, blonde hair before putting her hair clips in, hair clips that of course had multicolored gummy bears on them. And she quickly threw on a light, multicolored sweater and her favorite jean shorts. It was summer, and she couldn't afford to overheat. Mags also slipped her multicolored stockings on before putting on black boots that had colorful beads through the laces. And of course, no pride outfit was complete without kandi, and so the clacking of at least 20 beaded bracelets sounded from her wrists. Grabbing her usual satchel and a few pride flags to wave, she hurried over to the space between Hogwarts and the courtyard.

The weather reflected the energy of the event, absolutely brilliant. Glad to be wearing her shorts in the summer heat, Magnolia grinned as a familiar Lady Gaga song blasted, humming along as she waved her flag to the marching parade. She admired everyone's looks, eyeing a beautiful trans-flag dress and a butterfly-themed purple-colored outfit. And of course, when an opening showed itself, she hopped into the parade itself, skipping about as her bracelets clacked together and her little flags waved. She felt completely at home.

But after a bit of time, she noticed a small area off to the side. A bookstall. Students crafting together. Awh, heck yeah, books and crafts were definitely more her speed. She instantly felt a pull, finding an opening out of the parade and hurrying over to the books to the brown-haired boy who was handling the stall, the widest grin on her face.

--> exiting the topic and heading to Pages and Paints.