What Has Been and What Could've Been?

[Stefan Archer]

Folks!

In most birthdays we take a moment to look back, to reflect on what has happened and talk about it. Given that this is the last birthday before the site closes, we wanted to do more than that. One is what has been, tell us about your favourite HNZ memories, things which will stick with you long after the site has closed, and also what could've been, what plots were coming up, what plots did you ultimately not bother with.

For me, a memory will always been the site move, and the work that went into that, being sat at my kitchen table clicking on things, in my lunch break at work, clicking on things to help build it.

And what could've been I was eager RPing with one of my first years, that was a really fun character and would've been really fun to RP in the school. I had always vague plans that Jerara was going to be an evil wizard and try to take over, and I did and do have always in the back of my mind, plots for how to kill any of my characters.

So have it, reflect and tells us about what might've happened.

 

[Tilly Drage]

What has been: I remember waking up at ridiculous hours in my time zone to reply to Quidditch (old system) or post with/talk to friends that lived continents away from me. The friendships and creative interactions meant so much to me, especially as a lonely teen and then later as an adult struggling through the pandemic.

What could've been: eventually returning to the site to revisit some old characters and start new plots. I'm content with how things are settled with the Drage family in the site universe. Maybe some of my characters will make their way onto non-HP boards/even into a proper published story someday? Who knows...

 

[Professor Adorah Zumwalt]

What has been: Like Amanda mentioned, friendships. I met people from all over the world and even met Amanda in person. Who knew a random site I found when I was a teenager would lead to making friends so many years later?

What could've been: I was really looking forward to seeing Adorah and Noel get married and have kids. Jamie and I had already started some of those plans. I was also really looking forward to developing Daviana, as I had her in the works for a while. I didn't have any concrete plans for her, but I loved that she was more open ended so I could see what her life plan would be like.

 

[Harper Alston]

What has been: Like Amanda, my favorite memories all revolve around staying up way too late to chat with others or post in threads and games (Quidditch, of course, but also Werewolf). I have one PM conversation with over 4,000 messages, which is wild

What could have been: As much as I admire the people who are posting epilogues for their characters, I do not have it in me to do that. So I'll just say that I had plans to have Harper slowly develop PTSD as an auror and maybe eventually leave to do some muggleborn-related charity work/activism. She was also going to become very disillusioned with the Statute of Secrecy. Celia was supposed to graduate muggle law school, realize she missed hexing people magic, and join MACUSA's diplomatic corps, which would then send her back to New Zealand. She was going to be very grumpy about it (and maybe also evil). As for Weston, I really wanted to kill him and turn him into a ghost

 

[Elvera Le Fey]

I have a note on my phone entitled potential topic titles. that has a list of quites etc that may at some form make good topic titles. most of them were never used.
there were also a couple of RP starts that also never got used.

Spoiler: titles

some of them are song lyrics or book/movie/tv show quotes, some of them referenced.

There is no universe where you will ever be a burden. - magnes to Alec shadow hunters 3x6
Lonely people in crowded rooms
Covering old heartbreaks with new tattoos
You’re the only love I’m near and I can’t stand to be alone
The wildness on her eyes betrays her fragility
The fire of her eyes
What is politics but chess on a grand scale
We bite our tongues and our fingernails.
It made my happy.
What's law and what's practical and common sense. . . . . .are often completely different
Love needs language to express its self.
Being angry is an exhausting way to spend your day
This relationship is built on breakfast.
The smell of sugar and seaweed.
There is truth in fiction, it may not be fact but there is still truth.
I might may be a fool but I’m liking what my eyes can see
We are all young at heart but some of us are older in other places.
People want to laugh at you because they are all the same
Life close to the birds?
Wishing I had wings
(Look me in the eye and)Tell me you don’t find me attractive
I finish my own sentences (the way that you used to)
The pain is half the fun of it
Why are you always such a Gemini
Perfect sigh of a moment.
You don’t have to be cool on a Monday
A home in your head
Sighs slouches and soft tangled hair.
A home in your mind.
When right is not right, you've only got left left
History that hangs like cobwebs.
Growing up a little at a time then all at once.
Euphoria mixed with extisential vertigo
Just friends is for two fives not a pair of nines. - Sky, Love victor s2 ep10
Auroras and sad prose.
Emotions aren’t that hard to borrow.
There is nothing I can’t turn into confidence.
Using words like knives and blades.
Where’s the line between real and fantasy
Nothing works like a bad analogy
A room of my safest sounds.
The wheels are in motion and someone is about to get run over.
I’ll keep my visions to myself
Talking to myself it boring conversation.
We used to be friends, not you are just an acquaintance.
I hate dreaming of being with you.
It takes a fool to remain sane
It's your right to laugh at me
Feels like sunshine, sounds like rain (applause, Light from uncommon stars)
It’s your right to laugh at me.
Unhappy mothers and fathers of unhappy kids.
Unplanned high altitude rapid parking event (aka crashing into a tree)
Love songs playing louder than the voices in our heads. (Loveless)
How lucky we are to be alive right now
Am I strung up or do I pull the string.
Nothing too bad happens on a Tuesday.
I know I’m a work in progress and I would like to stay that way.
If you had a genie, would I be one of your three wishes?
Maybe I’ve always been more comfortable in chaos.
The tune as gaudy as a technicolor nightmare - the life of puppets chapter 15
By being gay and reckless.

Spoiler: scene sets

It was a beautiful morning. The air was warm and still and the birds were singing. But it was also the kind of morning that promised a day what would become stiflingly hot.


The sky was the monotone grey that made it impossible to make out the individual clouds.

The sky was a uniform shade of grey, perfectly mirroring the wet tarmac beneath it. The cloud was such a heavy blanket you there was no indication as to where the sun was. This might explain why she would rather be tucked in bed rather than outside.