Remember Remember, the 5th of November Open

----- Saturday, 8th of November 2025, Evening --- Fireworks Night Party

Hjørdis watched the flame flicker as she brought it close to the string. Taking a few steps back once the string had caught on fire, she watched as it started to sizzle. Within moments, the firework whizzed into the air and exploded in the night sky, just off the viaduct. She had roped a couple of house elves in to helping her set off a firework display off the edge, giving everyone in the castle or on the viaduct itself a good view of the display.

The sound of crackers could be heard. "Violaceous," Purple sparks shot out of the tip of her wand, much like a sparkler.

It was a few days after the fifth of November. Bonfire night. Guy Fawkes Night. A night celebrated throughout the UK by muggles everywhere. Whilst normally, Bonfire night would have been celebrated on the day itself, she did not want to disturb people's sleep or studies. Waiting till the weekend was the smartest course of action.

Every child had grown up knowing the 5th was Fireworks Night, though the exact details were probably ignored in the passing of the story from parent to child.

On 5th November 1605, there was a plot to murder a king. It was known as the Gunpowder Plot, and the plan was to blow up the House of Lords - with the king inside - by placing barrels of explosive gunpowder underneath. The plot was leaked and Guy Fawkes - one of the members of the failed plot - was arrested and sentenced. King James I mandated that the day would never be forgotten, and it would be celebrated for centuries to come as a day where the plot failed. There were finer nuances to the story, of course.

However, what was important to know was that over the centuries, people's view of Guy Fawkes had changed. Wrongly or rightly, it had changed over the course of history. Whilst originally a villain, he started to symbolise protest against authority and injustice. Movies were inspired by him (such as the muggle movie, V for Vendetta).

Hjørdis stared into the fireworks, seeing the similarities between today and the actions of the Ministry in recent times. The Ministry had threatened the lives of people she cared about, but more than that, the lives of people that those she cared about cared about. Her friends had left the school, gone to protect their loved ones. She had not seen the Brownes but she knew Caradoc had taken them away from their home. At no point was her plan to overthrow the Ministry or commit treason, not at all. She was no Guy Fawkes, nor did she have any intention to be. This day was about a rebellion, about a group of people who tried to rebel against the government and those in power over four hundred years prior - and about how that government had stopped them.

"Periculum!" Erupting from the tip of her wand, red sparks shot up into the night sky in the direction she was pointing in, blending into the firework display. She was not in immediate danger. And yet, she had never felt more hunted and endangered than she did right now. She was alone. Staying behind to fend off the attacks for a few more days, if possible, buying the Headmaster and the castle time.

The Ministry would not stop the audits, the threats, the creepy stalking. There was a reason that only a few knew where her office was. She had been doing everything possible to hide from the inspections but they knew where she lived now, after they had followed her home one day. One side had to break and bend. She knew this. And they would do whatever they could to stop those who oppose them. The four Heads of Houses were first left in their post, shattering throughout the lands. One returned in a different post but the other three had not. It was only a matter of time before they got to her, forcing her to break. She knew it, Headmaster Lear knew it, they knew it. She had been receiving the same threats that they had. But what they failed to realise is that she did not care about her mother, nor did she have any intention of reuniting with that side of her.

Besides, she highly doubted that the Ministry wanted to end a long line of purebloods. The people who mattered most to her had died a long time ago, long before she had even set foot in Hogwarts. Her father and the grandparents who raised her... they were all muggles. The threats would have worked against them in a heartbeat but their heartbeat had stopped long ago. She would know, she spent many years wishing she could bring them back from wherever they were. From the other side of the veil. She had spent many years researching, studying, but it was to no avail.

Now, she only had a few people left in her life. And most of them would have been standing on this very viaduct alongside her only a few weeks ago. But the Ministry had won. There was no rebellion, but perhaps, just perhaps, Hogwarts still standing was the rebellion. The school was constantly under attack and the Ministry were not helping them. Hjørdis could not help but wonder if they were even involved, somehow. This whole thing... it ran deeper than she could possibly uncover. Not from here. Not right now. She knew it was only a matter of time before they found what she had tried to hide, before they uncovered the secrets of her past or threatened the few she truly cared for.

There was soft music playing on the instruments charmed not too far away [music symbol at the top of post]. "Remember, remember, the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. We see no reason, why gunpowder treason, should ever be forgot." The gunpowder song softly blew on the wind as the fireworks lit up the skies above them, flooding the view with bright beautiful colours against the dark night. The lake was not visible in the dark until the light of the fireworks reflected brightly in the water below.

The Viaduct had several boxes of fireworks for the occasion and students could easily find a range of them, such as muggle sparklers, some small crackers, low noise fireworks and so on. Students were able set them off. Some had an area set up already, such as the Catherine Wheel that could be placed onto the stand on the edge. Whilst others could be fired into the air. House elves stood around to make sure no students did anything stupid but most of the fireworks that were available were child-friendly options.

There was also some food available. A bunch of different baked goods (such as a huge range of cupcakes in different flavours and some pumpkin pasties), muggle snacks, a few kegs that were filled with hot chocolate, a hot chocolate decorating stand with some marshmallows and sprinkles. There were also some exploding bonbons for the occasion, though perhaps they should not have been there.

Hjørdis stood in thick black winter robes as the cold had started to set in, staring into the fireworks as she pondered deep in thought.

Guidelines for the thread:

• Fireworks party thread to celebrate the 5th of November. It is being held on Saturday, the 8th, though, so students can attend.
• Feel free to interact with Jensen, but please note that I won't be able to post very often, so you don't have to wait for me.
• There are fireworks available for you to use, but feel free to cast spells, such as firecrackers or sparks, if you'd like. Just uh, be reasonable.
• Whilst the original incident has some religious context, this is not a religious event by any means. It is a cultural event. I just thought it was interesting to draw parallels to it with the recent IC story. For those who don't know, Guy Fawkes Night is widely celebrated in the UK with bonfires and fireworks.