Culminated Culture Errand Mass Thread Completed

Interacting with : Reducio Open to interactions

Outfit: Reducio outfit

Notes: Reducio Speech: #8e19d7 Thoughts: italics Date: January 3, 2026

The opening ceremony had been fantastic, in Devon’s opinion. To be fair, she thought everything she had seen thus far had been fantastic. She was a bundle of energy in a new place. While she could rarely sit still in her classes at Ilvermorny, she had found herself pretty still during all of the performances. There had been so many! And there were so many with catchy beats! She had to physically stop herself from constantly swaying in her seat. Although that wouldn’t have been too terrible an outcome.

The performances of the day, however, took a turn. Not for the worst, definitely not. The guests were allowed to share their own cultures … and apparently in different varieties, too! Devon’s green eyes hovered over the instruments on the stage. This trip was one of the very few, when she didn’t bother to pack her violin. It didn’t seem like too terribly long a time to take her violin with her, and she had … apparently incorrectly … assumed that there would be no need for a violin at the Isle of Divination. It pleased her to see that she was wrong.

With a smile, Devon glanced around the other students and guests. Who would dive toward displays of music and entertainment? Or maybe other forms of creativity, like art or poetry? Or maybe cuisine, too? There were plenty of opportunities, and it seemed like the host school was going to leave the floor open … quite literally … for anyone to share something interesting about their culture. She had no idea if her form of entertainment was exactly interesting … but that wouldn’t stop her from trying. After all … no amount of social embarrassment could top when she fell off her broom as a first-year.

Noticing no one was immediately trying to share, Devon rose from her seat. The young blonde-haired girl walked toward the violin in the sea of other magical instruments. She uttered no words as she walked, allowing the sound of her sandals grazing the ground to fill her silence. Her delicate fingertips held the violin’s bow and body. She cradled the instrument, as if it were her lifeline. Still silently, she walked to the middle of the stage with the violin.

Devon stood at the center of the stage, closing her eyes and holding the violin up to her neck. She gently tapped her toes against the ground. Once. Twice. Thrice. At the third touch to the ground, she began to play. A familiar song emitted from the violin, as the musical notes of Hallelujah played from her movements. Yet, she didn’t stay standing where she was like a statue. No. It started with a sway, followed by dancing around the stage. Solo. Twisting and twirling. Her pigtails swayed heavily with her movements. She danced around the stage, continuing her song, launching into a series of pirouettes.

Her movements slowed as she neared the end of her song. Devon’s eyes scanned the other guests, not afraid to hold eye contact with anyone. With one final pirouette, she returned the violin to its original spot before returning to her seat.

Reducio

Note: 525 words

The visit to Tenūsa was already so warm and bright, the exact opposite of the cold and dreary English countryside in which Aly had spent the last few months. Sure, Hogsmeade was a beautiful place, all golden lights and holiday cheer this time of year - but with the sun shining down and the slight tang of ocean salt in the air, somehow being here felt much more right. Much more free. Her hair was already curlier because of the higher humidity; she could feel her skin beginning to warm, a red flush in her cheeks. Not to mention the setting of Omah Geni. The opening ceremonies had been... something, as events at international schools did tend to be, but once that all died down, the stage had been set for students of various cultures and countries to share bits about themselves.

Luckily, for this Aly had been prepared ahead of time. Though she had not grown up in a particularly culinary family, the soon-to-graduate Ravenclaw had spent the last few years writing food articles for the Hogwarts Headliner. She had grown accustomed to kitchens and cooking, particularly foods that she quite enjoyed and had spent her whole life eating - everything from butter chicken to soufflés, pies and pasta galore to even ice cream. However, what was perhaps the most English of the meals she'd cooked so lovingly as a journalist and chef over the last few years was none other than the elegant, traditional, and ever-delicious pumpkin pasty.

Pasties were nothing short of a standard in English fare. From the crust that flaked off in savoury, salty crumbles to the slightly sweet, spicy filling within, they were a staple everywhere from the Hogwarts Express to welcoming feasts and, of course, on the everyday Englishman's table for supper. Though Aly had found herself busy as ever over the last week, she had also found the time to bake several batches of the flaky pastry (with some help from the house-elves at her family manor, of course, who thankfully had taken on a large amount of the prep work). Her enchanted satchel, naturally, had plenty of space for all sorts of stacking trays that carried about a dozen pasties each - lots and lots of handheld delectable delights for everyone to try. She hadn't done more than one filling - they were all pumpkin, one of Aly's personal favourites - but figured that folks would indeed enjoy getting to try a warm bite of England here in Omah Geni. She hadn't banked on it being quite so warm here, too, but never mind that. Pasties were a fair-weather food just as easily as they could help to heat a cold stomach on a freezing Scottish day.

A few fellow Hogwarts students went first, playing instruments and dancing; Aly was neither musical nor confident enough in her dance skills to perform something of the sort. Before her palms could sweat any further, the Ravenclaw made her way up to the stage and held up the trays to show the folks out in the pseudo-audience. "Hullo everyone. I'm Aly, from Hogwarts, and I've made pumpkin pasties for you all. A little taste of my home," she said with a smile that bordered on nervous, but also excited; most often her cooking was only eaten by herself or a few trusted friends, so to have others consume food she had made so carefully with her own two hands (and wand) was both nerve-wracking and also thrilling. Hopefully, they'd like the pasties. She set the trays down on one of the tables near the stage, leaning down to set them carefully there before standing back up with one pasty in her hand. "Quite common in England, where I am from, though they aren't always pumpkin-flavoured. Made in all sorts of fillings, really. They're essentially quite like a miniature handheld pie, and these in particular have some pumpkin filling inside. I used cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom to flavour them, among other - secret! - spices. Oh, and if you have an allergy to dragon milk or occamy eggs, please do not eat them!"

She broke open the pasty in two as she spoke, showcasing the rich, steaming orange filling within. Just moments before, a well-placed Hot-Air Charm had helped to heat the pre-made pasties, and now she took a big bite of the flaky crust and sweet pumpkin before holding up a happy thumbs-up. Surely eating a pasty could come as second nature to most folks here. Then the seventh-year headed off the stage and rejoined the crowd, sitting at one of the tables and munching on her pasty whilst keeping an eye on the trays just to see who was brave enough to come up and try her cooking.

Jan. 3, 2026 | outfit in banner | #C47DDB | open to interactions/mentions
lovely & charmer affect everyone | sta 10, eva 14, str 5, wis 19, arc 7, acc 16

Date: January 3rd Word Count: 643/400 Location: Ilvermorny

Mentions: Reducio @Open to interaction

English: #00b899 Spanish: #009919 French: #e69f3d Thoughts: Italics

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The moment it was announced that people could come up on stage, Lucy immediately thought of showing off her dance skill. But she couldn't, not with everyone watching her, and with no music. So she settled down into her seat and watched everyone. She watched as the first brave soul came up and played the violin with lots of amazing talent and skill. She clapped extremely hard, loving music, and wishing she had the courage to go up and dance. Then to her surprise, a dancer came out! She danced a sort of tap-like dance, with some music accompaniment. She frowned, wishing she had thought to dance, because she would now seem unoriginal. Her frown quickly went to a smile when the next person gave out a delicious sort of pastry. As she munched on the snack, she almost choked when she saw who came up next. It was Clément, who she remembered as meeting back in her second year, and having a crush on. She hadn't seen much of him since the ball last year, which was unfortunate. Lucy hadn't realized he played the cello, and so beautifully too. As he finished up his last notes, she decided to go next. If everyone else could do it, so could she. It was just dance after all, not something that really needed a music accompaniment. At the farm, she had just danced to the melody of the chickens and the cows, and sometimes just silence. The long days with no people to talk to had inspired her to use all of the empty space in the barn to learn to dance. She started out horrible, but eventually could do a little ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and acro. Now she was pretty good, and occasionally practiced in her dorm room. But she had never danced in front of an audience. Well, times change, and today she was going to be courageous. She stood up from her seat and walked over to the stage, breathing deeply to try to dispel the fear that came from having eyes on her. She walked over to the mic and took another deep breath, which unfortunately made the mic screech. "Aaah. Sorry, um...I'm going to be performing a lyrical dance called, Scattering Seeds. I based the dance off farm work, a little piece of home." She waited for the stage to be cleared before walking to center stage and taking another calming breath. Then she lifted her arms up to her head and started to dance. She began by pirouetting into a stag leap, then going into a plié and then a sauter in first position. She made a sudden stop and glanced around, then began spreading some imaginary seeds. She fouetted three times, then went into an arabesque that she rolled out of. She went into her middle splits, which was perhaps a little rusty, but she could still manage it. She quickly went out of it and did a seal stretch, but on her elbows, and kicking her legs back and forth. She got back up and did a grand battement, which she turned into a leg hold that while spinning around in a circle and pretending to throw seeds. That was quite hard after lack of really practicing, so she went back to a simple jéte and then a pirouette. She finished it off by pretending to spread the seeds once more, then stag leaped again and began to run off. She stopped almost gone, and did a pirouette turned four times, almost falling out, but catching herself at the last moment to end well and bow. She realized that it hadn't been scary, but nice. Nice to just let go of all her worries and dance away into another world, just for a time. Back in reality, she walked offstage, glad she had done it.

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Coding by @Estelle Nyx

Zephyr was sitting quietly, enjoying his food with his group, and watching all the students perform one after another. When you look at all the students who performed, they all seemed very confident and very proud to show a part of themselves. Seeing that, he felt a spark of admiration for people who could do that, because he was normally shy and very quiet. He's usually content to stay in the background, nodding along or clapping politely. Being in front of a crowd, especially this big with so many unfamiliar faces and in a place he didn't even know, was the exact opposite of what he considered comfortable. Yet, as he watched the dance performance, the person sharing food, and the students playing instruments, a strange confidence began to grow inside him. It was like a longing. He spent his life keeping things to himself, including his thoughts, his feelings, and most importantly, his music. Playing his tin whistle was his private escape. Back in Swansea, he would often sit by the small river near his house, or up in a tree, and play until he felt better. It was personal to him, but he knew it was also something that could reach other people, especially strangers.

He remembered the first time he had held his tin whistle. He was eight back then and was bored one rainy afternoon. The instrument was left to him by his late grandfather. Since then, he has always brought the tin whistle with him everywhere, including school, home, and on occasional trips with his parents. He liked how he could control it, how it could match his mood, and even how it gave him confidence and peace. But while sitting there and watching the performances, he realised something, he didn’t want to be just another face in the crowd today. He wanted to share a piece of himself, too, just like everyone else who had already done so. He reached into his bag and looked for the familiar instrument. It was his comfort, like holding a friend’s hand. He glanced at Ryder, Skylar, Rose, and Angel. They were all watching the stage, but probably not with the same nervous excitement he was feeling. Maybe no one will mind, maybe they’ll even like it. I just have to try.

Before he fully realised what he was doing, he excused himself from his group and left his chair to join the students who were going to perform. His heart was racing, and his palms were sweaty. He never really intended to volunteer, but somehow, stepping onto the stage was the right thing to do. It was as if the Isle itself nudged him forward. When he reached the centre, all the sounds of the crowd seemed to quiet down in his mind. He took a deep breath and spoke when it was his turn. “Hello… um…" Realising his voice was hoarse, he cleared his throat and tried again. "Hello everyone, my name is Zephyr Deakin, a Hogwarts student. I… I’m from Swansea, Wales.” A few heads turned toward him, which gave him a bit of courage. “I grew up on a farm in Swansea, and I love playing the tin whistle. It’s simple, but expressive, and its melody tells stories.” He held up his tin whistle and smiled to the crowd, “Today, I’d like to play something I enjoy a lot. It’s called ‘Song of Storms’ from a game I like. I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

Zephyr held his tin whistle near his lips and took a deep breath again, his heart beating faster than ever, but he put his focus on the instrument. The stage was huge, and the crowd looked really big, but the moment he put the whistle to his lips, he was calmer. He played the first note softly, careful not to make a mistake. It sounded a bit shaky, but then he started to relax. The melody of Song of Storms started playing and filling the place. He had always liked the song, as if he were sharing a part of himself that he usually kept private. His fingers moved automatically, pressing the holes with the right rhythm. He played this tune many times alone back home. The nervousness in his chest started to fade, and now it was replaced by excitement. He could feel the air vibrating in the whistle and the sound reaching the crowd. Sometimes, he would move his body in tune to the beat, tilting the whistle to achieve the right sound and pressing the holes carefully. He focused on each note, ensuring the melody flowed naturally. When he reached the end of the song, he played the last few notes slowly and then let them fade. When he lowered the whistle, the crowd was silent for a moment, and then they erupted into clapping and cheering. His face turned red, but he smiled and bowed. His hands were shaking; he only noticed now, but it wasn't due to fear, but to exhilaration. Even though he was usually shy, he was proud of what he had done here today. It felt good to be brave and let people see who he really was.

Harvey had thought long and hard when he heard about the Culminated Culture event. The thought that the Isle of Divination was being opened up for the first time had been wild enough, but now each attendee would be given the chance to showcase a bit of their own culture and that was really doubling down on the inclusivity and openness of the modern magical world. Well, some of it anyways. Harvey himself had come from quite a restrictive society. A real “Goblin first” mentality and even his own mixed nature was often looked down upon even by his own kind. While the boy had a strong desire for privacy, maybe he ought to push himself outside of his comfort zone to contribute?

However, what would he be able to bring to the stage? He was certainly no performer. While a skilled young wizard, the boy was not graced with any kind of performative talent. Harvey couldn’t sing, his dancing was good enough for a ball, but nothing special. Nothing that really celebrated his culture. So, he thought beyond the ideas of dance or song. After language and unique customs, what else really defines a people? Food, perhaps? Harvey thought to the food on display at the welcoming feast. It really was an excellent way of getting to know a new people. It could highlight the differences while recognizing what was similar. But was there something uniquely Goblin in his cuisine preferences? Not really. He ate like a true Englishmen. Then an idea struck!

While metal smithing was practiced around the world, the art of enchanting armor was something Goblins often excelled at more than most. Throughout wizarding history there were stories that had now become legend. The sword of Gryffindor probably being one of the most famous pieces in modern history, but there were countless items that would bring pride to Goblin-kind. What better way to show off Harvey's unique nature than to showcase just that?

After the previous participant left the stage, Harvey would seize the opportunity to take his turn. He would enter with an impressive chest plate floating along behind him before letting it float down onto a display table for the crowd to see. It was fashioned from the finest of Goblin silver and its make was flawless. In fact, it was one of the pieces that his grandfather kept in their personal collection at Gringotts. However, what may be the most impressive thing about it was the large ruby socketed in the center of the plate.

Reducio

"Hello, everyone. My name is Harvey Barrows. Some of you might know me from Hogwarts, but to those that don't I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself as a part-Goblin." The boy paused to let that sink in fro just a moment. To some it may be obvious, but perhaps not to all. "What you can see here is a chest plate made of Goblin-silver forged by the finest of Goblin smiths. However, I will draw your attention to the jewel here in the center. The ruby is in fact enchanted with magical properties. A talent that my Goblin ancestors have thrived at for centuries. This particular ruby will grant its wearer additional power to the spells that they cast for a more powerful cast. I soon will begin my own apprenticeship in metal smiting and this is an example of what is possible when the skill and ingenuity of two magical peoples come together. Thank you for allowing me to share a small part of my culture with you today."

Harvey would levitate the chest piece again and move off center stage to allow for the next participant to set up, but he would answer any question if approached.

Interacting with: N/A Mentioning: N/A Date: 01/03/26

Word Count: 532

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Avery couldn't believe she was back at another school. The school was shrouded in mystery and absolutely breathtaking. Avery could only imagine a school like Tenūsa. It was a place where she guessed beauty met the stars. Of course the opening ceremony had been fantastic. They always were. Each and every welcoming ceremony she had been to had its own unique flair that made it better than the last. That was why Avery had always jumped at the chance to go to international schools. Not only did she have a way to make new international friends, but she also had the chance to have a break from her life and enjoy herself for the first time in a long time. The day was full of events for Avery. This one in particular intrigued her. At this event, she was to show off her Welsh heritage and show people who she really was deep down. Who her ancestors that came before her were. She had chosen to play an instrument. She chose the Pibgorn. It was a traditional woodwind instrument created in Wales. It reminded her of her alto saxophone, and she remembered her father's father teaching her a small piece on it when she was little. Though that had been a long time ago, Avery could still slightly remember what it sounded and felt like to hear the music. She gently picked up the Pibgorn. It was simple yet complex at the same time. She had learned from her grandfather that it was traditionally made of elder wood. A beautiful wood for a beautiful instrument. There were also two open ends. One end where your mouth went to play and the other the bell. Just like her alto saxophone that she played. Now it was the hard part. Introducing herself was easy. The hard part? Well, the hard part was actually playing the instrument and not making a fool out of herself. All she could hope for was that her recent practice on her saxophone would help things go smoothly. "Hello everyone. As some of you already know, I'm Avery Gray. I'm a Gryffindor second year at Hogwarts. For those of you who don't know, my heritage resides in Wales. Mainly in the Swansea and even Cardiff area. This instrument I'm holding here is called a Pibgorn. It's a traditional woodwind instrument from Wales made with elder wood. When played correctly, it can make a beautiful musical sound which I hope to achieve for you all today." Avery bit the bullet and went for it. The music was haunting and slow at first. The crowd was silent. Or maybe she was so focused on what she was doing that she didn't realize people were still talking. Either way, she became enveloped in the music and haunting melody. It reminded her of when she was little. The music and the notes came back to her with each passing moment. Avery finished the song eventually and bowed her head in a curt nod. Then she placed the instrument back where she'd found it and left the stage towards the crowd. She couldn't wait to see what else she would hear from the other acts.

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