#to my fellow northern hemisphere folks

[unspuncreature]

tag yourself, i’m mr bottom right snooooork mimimi

[spark-lapis]

hello sorry to my mutuals that have only heard from me via sparse queued posts lately! my break has not started yet :( but soon!!! about this time tomorrow with any luck I will be more able to actually make sure I haven't like. forgotten to respond to my friends' messages and posts. promise i'm not trying to disengage on purpose and i value you all deeply!!

[luckyredeyes]

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[pyromaniac-cyndaquil]

(image source)

It's that time of year again lads, happy darkest day winter solstice my fellow northern hemisphere folk

[xray-vex]

Happy 1st Day of Fall to my fellow northern hemisphere folks!

time to enjoy autumn vibes, insane foliage, sweater weather, pumpkin everything, and giant bins of Halloween sweets

[fullyfunctionalminiaturebeehive]

Shoutout to my fellow northern hemisphere summertime SAD peeps, folks who suffer in hot weather, people who are allergic to the sun, folks who are allergic to spring and summer plants, people whose health issues flare in the warmer months, and folks who just plain prefer cooler, darker, wetter weather. The internet's full of "spring is coming! we survived the dark!", but this too shall pass. We'll make it through the light.

[vanhelsingapologist]

I am submitting my formal request for folk music ~opinions~ ❤️

Folk music is another one of those genres that’s hard to pinpoint. It’s basically been merging with country and Americana for years. Further, are people asking for traditional folk? Folk metal? Indie folk? Baroque folk? But it’s all folk! Folk, folk, folk. I’ve written it so many times that it doesn’t look like a word. Anyway, I went contemporary/indie/roots folk for this. Started with more woodsy stuff, too.

• Empty Northern Hemisphere by Gregory Alan Isakov. Gregory Alan Isakov is one of those artists I adore and I think he pretty consistently nails it when it comes to folksy themes and instrumentation. His Weatherman album is pretty fantastic. He’s probably considered indie folk, if I had to put a finger on it.

• My Gal, My Guy by Darlingside. The first song I ever heard by them was called Harrison Ford, which is also pretty good, but there’s just something about this song! Also indie folk.

• Oats In The Water by Ben Howard. He has another great one called In Dreams. His earlier music sort of feels like standing in a dead forest. I can’t really explain it beyond that. His newer stuff is a bit more atmospheric, but it’s good.

• Bavarian Porcelain by Sea Wolf. His song Dear Fellow Traveller got some fandom airtime, but his whole discography is pretty good and soaked with forest imagery. My favorite album is probably White Water, White Bloom, but Cedarsmoke is very kind to me.

• Let This Remain by Alana Henderson. Henderson keeps making her way into my playlists. She sort of reminds me of Enya, sort of reminds me of something reminiscent of the Dresdon Dolls, but it’s just enough that she’s got this incredible unique sound.

• Francis by Haley Heynderickx and Max García Conover. This is another one that I have to physically restrain myself from looping. Their voices blend really well, and I’d also consider it my official endorsement of both their music. Heynderickx’s No Face and Show You A Body kill me and Conover’s collaboration on the everything in winter album is worth a listen.

• Deep Green by Marika Hackman. I feel like we can call Marika Hackman folk. Her voice is haunting, her lyrics stick, and she does really neat stuff instrumentally, and she had the folk sound. Not coffeehouse music, so I had to look to see what she’s categorized as. Alternative, it was. Her new album is less folksy, but We Slept At Last definitely is.

• Darlin Corey by Amythyst Kiah. If you haven’t heard any of her work, go listen as soon as possible. She’s got this deep, beautiful sound and writes about isolation in a way that really resonates. It’s hard to find artists who make folk that sounds a hundred years old, but she nails it every single time.

• Love Me Like You Used To by Lord Huron. Lord Huron is an old favorite, and I do think their Long Lost album is my favorite, despite Strange Trails being so well-known. Nothing makes you wanna awoo the way these guys do.

• Traveling On by The Decemberists. I’m a Decemberists fan first, person second. Sometimes I go about my day and “street side smokers, holy rollers” pops into my head at random. Hopefully, you will share my plight.

• Ofelia by Kiltro. Kiltro plays a mixture of shoegaze and Chilean folk. If that doesn’t sound like the best fucking time ever get AWAY from me. Creatures of Habit bumped all year before I graduated.

• The Weight by Amigo the Devil. Darker folk. I think he’s on a playlist called Murderfolk, which just about sums it up. I might put Amigo the Devil in the same camp as AJJ in terms of sound. Slightly different in lyricism.

• Northern Wind by Liza Anne. Their new stuff isn’t folk, but their old stuff is definitely indie folk. I sometimes describe them as drinking cold water, and I think that definitely sticks with their Two album.

As always, I have no idea what I’m talking about. Hope this is good!

[inga-don-studio]

I might take this week as a semi-hiatus.

Between work being A Lot, my phone having increasingly serious connectivity issues, and prepping for our comic con this next weekend, I have the feeling that I’m not going to be able to be on here much, no matter how much I want to.

So if I don’t catch up with y’all until next week- I hope this week treats you kindly, and that you treat yourself kindly, and have a wonderful last week of Summer (for fellow northern hemisphere peeps, or winter for my Southern hemisphere folks), and a happy equinox!!! 🎃🧡

[lady-morrigen]

jadore-andor’s freaky fall

i’ve been bullied convinced by @acrossthesestars & @emilykaldwen to make this official…

so, without further ado, i’m officially declaring it Freaky Fall!

Freaky Fall is my take on a themed, smutty writing challenge where the guidelines are minimal and the submission dates are fluid - i know we all struggle with balancing real life and our passions, so i wanted everyone to have a chance to participate!

if you’ve ever wished kinktober extended beyond October, this challenge is for you 🧡

details are listed below!

dates: if it is currently autumn where you live, it’s Freaky Fall! for the Northern Hemisphere, that’ll be late September to late December (according to Google) & for the Southern Hemisphere, that’s March-May.

the rules (more like guidelines):

the kinktober prompt generator i’m personally using is this one as it’s super customizable. you can also use any other smut prompt list you find (giving proper credit), pull from your own head, or even create your own bingo cards. the options are endless!

add me to your taglist and use the #freaky fall tag in your post!

as this is primarily a smut challenge, no minors! 18+ participants only!

you can be as explicit or non-explicit as you’d like. we love a good fade-to-black moment!

fluff fic is welcome, but be aware that there will be smut in the tag!

multifandom - write for any fandom character or pairing you’d like!

absolutely no rpf. i get that some people are into it, but i’m not and i’d rather not bring that into the equation.

no word limit! write as little or as much as you like.

post at your own pace! you don’t have to post every day or even every week. just post when the mood strikes and you feel comfortable.

write any perspective! this can be: x reader, OC fic, third person, first person, etc.

NO KINK SHAMING! let me say that again… NO! FUCKING! KINK! SHAMING! i get that we don’t all share the same tastes, and that’s totally valid, but i don’t want this challenge to start any drama and thus, i ask you to be respectful. if you have less-than-friendly opinions on work submitted by others, keep them to yourselves (or in the discord DMs, if you must, where they can’t hurt anyone’s feelings)

if you want to make these fall themed, great! it’s a fall challenge after all! but it’s not necessary! we’re here to get freaky, not split hairs.

please, please, PLEASE reblog content from your fellow creators. if you don’t reblog, at least drop them a comment letting them know you enjoyed their work! likes do nothing here and i’d love to see some community building with this challenge!

that’s all, folks - pretty easy! i want this to be as laid back and as fun as possible.

i can’t wait to see what everyone creates!

Happy Freaky Fall! 🍂

taglist: @acrossthesestars, @emilykaldwen, @dragonsbone, @arrthurpendragon, @lightblindingme

[etherealamoeba]

Happy Summer Solstice to my fellow folks here in the Northern Hemisphere, and a lovely Winter Solstice to those in the Southern Hemisphere!☀️🌼🌌

Here's a pic looking out a window, a hydrangea starting to bloom more and getting its blue color!

[dad-friend]

explanations below the cut if you want more details:

METEOROLOGICAL

spring is march, april, and may

summer is june, july, and august

autumn is september, october, and november

winter is december, january, and february

ASTRONOMICAL (yes thats the right word i googled it)

spring starts on the vernal equinox (roughly march 21st)

summer starts on the summer so stice (roughly june 21st)

autumn starts on the autumnal equinox (roughly september 22nd)

winter starts on the winter solstice (roughly december 22nd)

VIBES

like a kids book;

spring means flowers and mild temperatures

summer means heat and/or beach weather, sunscreen is necessary

autumn means the trees have turned and temperatures are mild again

winter means its cold and dark and there is probably snow

HOLIDAYS

spring starts sometime between valentines day and saint patrick's day (possibly whatever the groundhog decides that year)

summer starts on memorial day

autumn starts on labor day

winter starts the friday or saturday after thanksgiving

HOLIDAYS BUT NOT THOSE ONES &

OTHER

listen yall im gonna be honest im making this in like 10 mins while half alseep, im sure theres obvious stuff im missing and i know the fact that im an american doesnt help Imao

however i am fr curious so like. yell in the tags, live your dreams live your truth etc, i genuinely would love to know

[just-a-fangirl-in-fandom-world]

Hi as an Aussie I would just like to say to my fellow southern hemisphere folks Have 👏 some 👏 fucking 👏empathy!

Also some sense my goodess sure its always summer during chrismas time but that doesn' make the fact that in the northern hemisphere its suppose to be snowing in most of that part of the world and IT'S NOT any less aweful.

And if that isn't something you are capeable of considering thing about hot consistantly stupidly hot is is becoming during spring/summer. It used to be normally low to mid 30's °C and now its hitting consistantly mid 30's °C to low 40's °C. If getting like this in some of the cooler parts of the southern hemisphere think about what that means for the northern hemisphere.

Christmas as a cultural icon is starting to get really dystopian in a climate sense, december has historically been a time of year in which there would be snow in a significant portion of europe and north america, and the fact that its not even icy this time of year and all the christmas songs and decorations reference a time of year that will likely never exist in the same way again in my life time is so strange.

[teacherintransition]

The Wordy Ramblings of A Weak, Weary, Wimpy Texan Wandering Winter

No, really …a REAL winter

Ahhh …how everyone tingles with excitement to hear the braggadocio and bravado of the Texas man! With rapt attention all humanity bends their ear and focuses full attention when a rough and rowdy Texan starts a sentence with, “by god …why back in Texas we got it all!” “We got us mountains and rivers and forests and beaches and deserts and wild horses and longhorn cattle and the ‘by damn’ Alamo and the best ‘by god’ barbecue in the whole damn world!” He won’t stop there; oh no …he will go on ad infinitum! “We got us Merica’s team …THE COWBOYS, we got us the Astros and everything is bigger in Texas!” And, with no forethought or sense of restraint will bellow, “AND ITS BY GOD 120° EVERY DAMN DAY!” It’s too late now, with foot firmly planted in the loud mouth, he must respond to the inevitable question asked by any thoughtful citizen of the forty nine other states or the rest of the Northern Hemisphere; “that’s amazing big Texas fellow, but how are the winters down there?’ “How do you fellas handle cold weather?”

At this point, excuse making and stuttering and stammering most likely follows. The bigger than life Texan will most likely be overcome with a sense of feeling inferior and attempt a subject change. I got them feels. I know that the entire state will panic and shutdown the moment a gray sky fills the horizon and a few gentle snowflakes make their way to the ground. Cars run off the road whether it be a farm road or interstate highway and sand is poured on aforementioned roads to avert vehicular disaster. It’s a real scene man and would be hilarious if it was for the mismanaged disaster of the 2021 “snowmaggedon” where hundreds of Texans froze to death. That’s all I’ll mention about the criminally bungled handling of our major winter storm; we can’t lose the light hearted frivolity of this article …what would the reader say? What would sensitive Texans say? What do I have to say beyond the rambling?

As a lifelong Texan, the last two weeks of our time in Kansas City, Missouri, I must say I’ve been humbled, nay I’ve been rattled, disconcerted, why in a tizzy even. We arrived January 5th to a light dusting of snow and we “ooed and awed” at the lovely sight. We were being set up for what followed; and what was that you may ask? Two weeks of -15° temperatures (I couldn’t bring myself to look at the wind chill factor) ice on roads an inch think and up to a foot of snow. It HURT, I couldn’t get a semblance of getting warm, my doggies wouldn’t step onto the iced over porch to do their business.(let your imagination wander on that one) Driving became precarious, cabin fever set in, I felt stir crazy, the sun disappeared; and, with proper …uh props to Dr. Peter Venkman, sleet and ice falling from the sky, rivers freezing, forty years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanoes, human sacrifice, cats and dogs living together….MASS HYSTERIA!* I exaggerate, but just a little because as I write this tale of woe, a gray squirrel just slipped off of an icy limb and fell twenty five feet into a snow bank. He brushed himself off and climbed back up the tree. Obviously not a Texas Squirrel. What is even more frightening to consider is that bar mates of mine who have lived in Canada, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota wave their hand at this weather saying, “oh,this is nothing!” It is beyond my comprehension!

We’ve had people question us with incredulity as to why in the world are we there? Geez, we’ve asked ourselves the same questions. It’s a metaphor for a life well lived …in a sense. Life ain’t always sunshine and warm tropical breezes my friend, sometimes it’s cold and harsh; but aren’t we better off for the experience? The experience… life is all the more richer when you have a variety of experiences. No one wants just vanilla all the time and the hardy nature of the folks we’ve met and the beauty of the snowy cold has been fantastic. We know we can handle it; another new challenge overcome, yea for us! Memories and stories and anecdotes will be packed away with the others we’ve collected since this traveling adventure began two years ago. Variety is the spice of life whether it’s served hot or cold. All of us on this world carry their own struggles, triumphs and challenges, with the more of them you see yourself the better human you can become. Look, it’s snowing again …

*From the lines of the immortal Bill Murray in GHOSTBUSTERS

[laegolas]

Occasionally someone will bring up the fact that USAmerica has colonized the internet and while that is true, something I rarely see acknowledged is that the effect also extends to the entire northern hemisphere in general.

So here’s one to my fellow southern hemisphere folk struggling with seasonal depression:

The longest night has passed, and the sun returns earlier each day than the one before. You are wonderful. You are not alone.

[trekbec82]

For my northern hemisphere followers. (I'll see if I can find the staying cool post for my fellow southern hemisphere folks.)

COLD WEATHER TIPS FROM SOMEONE WHO LIVES WHERE IT’S COLD:

I always see posts about layering clothing, but there are so many more creative ways to help keep you warm if you don’t have a lot of warm clothes. But first, a note on layering clothing:

-Your underlayer is your WICKING layer. That means it is a layer specifically to absorb the moisture your body produces. DO NOT USE COTTON AS A BOTTOM LAYER. Use merino wool if possible, but other good substitutions are nylon, polyester and rayon. 

-Your middle layer is for insulation. You want AIR POCKETS in there, NOT tight fitting clothes. This is where you want to put your fluffy sweaters, your fleece, down, fur, flannel, or vests. If you do not have these, you can substitute with multiple layers of long sleeve shirts.

-Your outer layer is for keeping the cold away from your body. If you do not have a jacket, you can put on your thickest piece of clothing and then a raincoat over it. Windbreaker if you have one. 

ALSO

-Jeans are the absolute worst at holding heat. Use only as a last resort. 

-You can’t really ever have too many layers on your feet. Alternate tucking your layers of pants into your layers of socks to keep your ankles warm!

-Wear a hat OVER a hood if it will fit! This will keep your ears warmest.

TAKE OFF/OUT ANY AND ALL JEWELERY/PIERCINGS

-If you have a medical bracelet, DO NOT REMOVE IT. If you can, tuck a layer of clothes between it and your skin.

NON-CLOTHING TIPS:

-Raid your recycling. Gather all cardboard boxes and break them down so that they are flat. Put them on the floor to add more layers between you and the cooling house. Newspaper will also serve the same purpose.

-In an emergency, you can also layer newspaper between clothing layers. Don’t worry about looking stupid if you’re staying warm.

-If you have a tent, set that sucker up in whatever room you have decided to stay in. Stay in it and keep it zipped shut as much as you can, but do NOT cover the vent at the top. You can put the rain fly up, but make sure there is circulating air for you to breathe.

-You are probably not going to feel very hungry at times. DO NOT STOP EATING OR DRINKING. Digestion produces a lot of body heat and the food will give your body energy to keep itself going.

-The best foods are heavy and full of carbs and proteins. Eat nuts, eggs, pasta, meats, and beans. If you are on a diet, now you’re not. If you’re vegetarian… bulk up on those pastas and nuts.

-Try not to sweat. If you are finding yourself getting damp, take off the outer layer just until you start to cool slightly. Then redress! Your bottom layer should dry quickly, and being wet is dangerous.

-On that note, STAY ACTIVE. You are probably going to want to hunker down and snuggle up, but that will make your muscles cramp. Every 15-20 minutes do something that gets you up and about. Walk circles in the room, do a couple jumping jacks, stretch, whatever. Just enough to move some blood around your body. Don’t get sweaty or out of breath, it’s just a little movement.

-CHAPSTICK. ON YOUR LIPS. ON YOUR NOSE. ON YOUR EARS. ON YOUR KNUCKLES. Don’t let your extremities get dry or cracked.

SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA:

-Uncontrollable shivering -Slurred speech -Confusion or memory loss -Dizziness or lack of coordination -Inability to be woken from sleep

CHILDREN AND INFANTS!!!! I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH.

-Children WILL get colder before you. Make sure they are properly bundled up.

-If you need to breastfeed, put a blanket over the both of you and wait a few minutes for the air to warm before removing or shifting your clothing.

-DO NOT COVER AN INFANTS FACE. ESPECIALLY WHEN SLEEPING. Keep them tucked inside your own clothes when possible. As close to your heart and stomach as possible. 

-Put chapstick on children’s cheeks and clean their face often if they are crying or wiping at their nose. This will prevent cracked skin and irritation.

-Make sure your children are staying as hydrated as you! They are going to fuss and not want to drink cold things, but they NEED liquids.

SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA IN INFANTS AND TODDLERS ARE DIFFERENT:

-Shortness of breath  -Cold, red skin -Lethargy or listlessness

Finally:

CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS. CHECK ON CHILDREN. CHECK ON THE ELDERLY. STAY SNUGGLED. STAY SAFE.

[hpc-media]

The Daily Prophet’s

2020 Supreme Mugwump Candidate Profile Guide

July 24, 2020

Learn about the candidates for Supreme Mugwump and see where they stand on key issues with The Daily Prophet’s 2020 Supreme Mugwump Candidate Profile Guide.

With the large number of candidates campaigning to become the next Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, it can be difficult to distinguish various candidates from one another.

To assist readers in finding information about the candidates in the 2020 Supreme Mugwump Election, The Daily Prophet has produced a Candidate Profile Guide.

All candidates were given the opportunity to submit a brief statement to let voters know about themselves and their platforms. The view and opinions expressed in the statements are those of the candidates and do not reflect the position of The Daily Prophet.

Ivanna Verynhora, age 34, is one of the youngest Delegates the ICW has seen out of Ukraine. Since Muggle unrest in the region took the life of the previous representative of Ukraine, Delegate Neschadymenko, Ms. Verynhora has taken upon herself to strengthen Ukrainian ties with the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Russia, Spain, and South Korea. An alum of the world-renowned Beauxbatons, Ms. Verynhora was an exemplary student with talents in charms and healing, which she put to use during the 2013 Ukrainian Crisis. With her mastery in Healing magic, she went on to found the ICW’s Committee for Cross Boundary Healers, inspired by the Muggle organization Doctors Without Borders. Funded anonymously—by whom is unclear at this time, but many believe them to be international banking financiers—the committee has expanded into the Middle East, South America, and the United States and Canada. She currently serves on the Committee for International Quidditch and the Committee for International Magical Transportation. Much of Ms. Verynhora's time is spent strengthening Ukraine and little time at ICW meetings or the committees she belongs to—which is to be expected, as the Ukraine has has experienced extreme changes in its government for the last five years, and several turnovers within the Ukranian Ministry, including the loss of Ivannas's late uncle, killed last spring during the Centaur & Giant Uprising in the northern part of the country. 

Despite these tragedies, both personal and nationally, Ivanna hopes that the esteemed title of Supreme Mugwump will be but a stepping stone to her larger goal of facilitating a younger, more progressive, stronger ICW focusing on international ties and bonds between countries for the purpose of mutual aid.

Sitara Noorani, age 35, is one of the most accomplished witches of her age. A graduate of the esteemed school Uagadou, she moved quickly after her schooling to join the Pakistani Ministry of Magic, working with their Control of Magical Creatures division before transitioning into politics to succeed her elder brother in the Pakistani Senate. Since joining the ICW only 3 years ago, she has had notable success in working with Being Outreach as well as in addressing illegal creature movements and breeding across borders in partnership with the Rangers. She has found a friend in Delegate Baptiste, who shares her passion for preventing cross-border illicit activities, and together they have drafted new international law addressing the issue. 

Noorani has only this to say about the upcoming election cycle: “We must continue to strengthen border security across the world, increase education about culture between wizards of all enclaves, and continue monitoring illicit activity among the lower echelons of our society.”

Continuing the procession of younger Delegates tossing their names in the ring for the title of Supreme Mugwump, Estefania Caldera, age 32, comes from one of the largest and most powerful pureblood families in the Caribbean, with branches in Mexico, California, and Brazil. The rising star of the Caldera family, Estefania attended Castelobruxo alongside fellow Caribbean Delegate and classmate Horacio Baptiste—and took special interest in the subject of Magical Eco-Tourism. Her subsequent specialization in the field and her time in the Cuban Ministry for Magic have prepared her to help bring economic prosperity to her region through her practice. Though young, she must not be underestimated by her peers. She has already forged strong connections with the Caribbean, Brazilian, Venezuelan, and Peruvian Delegates, creating a Committee around revitalizing tourism in these regions while highlighting their natural beauty and working closely with Indigenous communities to preserve and celebrate their heritage. 

Caldera says about her candidacy for Supreme Mugwump, “Though I am young, I am not without passion for both Cuba and the magical world at large. For too long, we have idolized industrializing and militarizing our magical nations, but I am calling for peace and for a new age of magical understanding shared by all.”

Horacio Baptiste may be known for his booming voice in ICW meetings, his Caribbean Pride, and his ability to cross the many committee aisles of Nations across the world, but he is more than the handsome face many purport him to be. An alum of Castelobruxo, he first rose to prominence as an Auror for the Commonwealth of the Caribbean Islands. Baptiste’s ambitious track record as an Auror soon gave rise to something far more momentous, as his public image transcended his official title and Baptiste became known as something of a folk hero at the tender age of 24 during his 2010 run for President of the Caribbean Commonwealth. While Baptise lost with grace, he was subsequently offered a position on the ICW with an aging Delegate Ocasio-Cortez’s blessing. As the first-ever Muggleborn elected by the Commonwealth, Baptiste’s position as the Caribbean ICW Delegate is considered boundary-breaking by many. He has not only risen to expectations—he has shattered them. Currently, Baptiste sits on the Committees for International Magical Transportation and International Committee for Human Trafficking and Dark Wizard Tracking, and is a proponent for sanctions against magical nations for Human Rights Violations and Dark Magic Violations. Though only 34, Baptiste has garnered the respect of many other Delegates, and has contributed monumentally to the ICW’s efforts at lowering crime internationally, in collaboration with the Rangers and Delegate Caldera. 

Baptist maintains no comment at this time beyond: “I am entirely too busy to talk about the Supreme Mugwump Election. Bother someone who wants to play nice with the press and has less work to do than me. They’ll be easy to find— go ask the Delegate from Sweden.” Fighting words from everyone’s favorite fighting Caribbean.

What more is there to say about Delegate Lyra Arista that she has not already demonstrated over her many years of service to the ICW? Elected to the ICW in 1958 at the age of 21, she was the youngest Delegate ever elected in America, and has only continued to be a trailblazer in her 62 years of service. Delegate Arista proved to be a powerhouse while helping create the Human Rights Act for Magical Folk, and she has been a vocal proponent for Natural Magic (or Wild Magic) and expanding Magical education across the globe. Arista is renowned for her magical masteries over charmwork, transfiguration, healing, alchemy, and potions. One of the most esteemed graduates of Ilvermorny, Arista’s been a bastion of the ICW, admired cross-generationally. In America, she has been a proponent for Being rights and education, and has helped expand the LGBT+ movement for equal rights in collaboration with Muggle political allies. In the 90's, Arista advocated to expand magical education access to American magical immigrants, refugees, and the Indigenous population. Her election to Supreme Mugwump would only be a footnote to the aggressively progressive acts she is known for. 

Lyra Arista says about the upcoming election, “I am old, and though I have much to offer to the ICW as its leader, it would not surprise me if someone younger takes my place. But I have done my work for over 50 years, and if elected I will do so for another half-century, as is my duty to magical folk across America the Beautiful and Earth the Magnificent. Blessed be.”

Cyprian Patenaude has been nothing but a joy to the ICW Delegate circuit. As the newest ICW Delegate, at the age of 30 they are well-loved and well-known in the Western Hemisphere, having attended both Ilvermorny and Castelobruxo. Patenaude became a rising star in the Canadian Senate for Magic, elected from his home city of Montreal in 2013 through a grassroots campaign after leading several organizations concerned with underserved magical communities, championing early magical education, and combating Auror brutality. His ties to MACUSA through the Patenaude family helped to establish several laws concerning magical secrecy within the United States and Canada. In addressing political unrest in both regions, Delegate Patenaude became a familiar face in the media through his regular attendance at rallies and protests. On the subject, then-Senate member Patenaude said, “It's not political grandstanding that got me to this position, it is empathic standing, with people both magical, Being, and Muggle. I am not doing this for political clout. It is the right thing to help where you can, ease tensions, and create a better atmosphere for healing.” Delegate Patenaude would know a thing or two about healing after having been viciously outed as transgender by American political opponents and instigators. Patenaude took this in stride, advocating fiercely to expand Canadian magical law for privacy protection, and he was elected to the ICW by the Candian government shortly thereafter in 2018. He often jokes that his efforts in this realm are for his own safety, as there have been no less than three attempted assassinations since the debacle. 

Patenaude is a proponent for Being rights, de-militarization of Aurors, blocking illicit animal sales, and raising awareness around LGBT+ issues among magical communities. Though young, Patenaude is respected by his opponents due to his gregarious ability to broker deals and swiftly end infighting in committees. Like Delegate Baptiste, Patenaude has no comment at this time, likely owing to the fact they are currently occupied dealing with political unrest in the Canadian-American district of the world.

Readers have always been fascinated by Delegate Sergio Gutiérrez, who, while proud of his long and unbroken ancestral wizarding line, quite frequently shocks the stately old families of British wizarding society with its high civility and careful social graces. After completing his formal education at the Madrid School Of Magic and Durmstrang Institute, Gutiérrez made Keeper for the Barcelona Eagles, prior to the Spanish Quidditch Association (AQE) and the Catalonian Quidditch Association (AQC) split. While amassing a large fan following with his record-breaking, jaw-dropping saves and daring high-speed maneuvers, Gutiérrez discovered his ability to attract support for political issues and a passion to change lives through his advocacy. Critical to Gutiérrez’s successful transfer into politics was the convergence of several crises within the Spanish wizarding community, which slashed public faith in the current Delegate’s ability and the wizarding political class. These events presented an opportunity for Gutiérrez to prove himself a skilled manueverer both on and off the Quidditch pitch. In addition to tapping into widespread discontent with political elites, Gutiérrez also strongly advocated for a retreat from Spain’s involvement with international affairs to focus on its own issues. At age 51, Gutiérrez, who considers himself a self-styled political outsider among his fellow Delegates, still leads a very public life (one may recall the ongoing investigation into whether Gutiérrez converted campaign funds to rather scandalous personal use in 2019), and can always be counted on for his transparent stance on issues and his commanding approach to diplomacy—in particular, his meteoric clashes with Cyprian Patenaude. To detractors, he’s a dangerous cheerleader for an insular and traditional wizarding community at both a national and international level. To supporters, he is one of the only Delegates with a strong and loud enough voice to bring about real change and unity. 

On the subject of the Supreme Mugwump election, Gutiérrez said, “What I know is that people are tired. Tired and pushed beyond their limit by the demands of this new ‘modern’ wizarding world, as they say, and its politicians that push policy after policy for this new group and that new group down their throats while ignoring our real, shared issues…we have forgotten that in our history there are simple answers to complex problems.”

For Delegate Kotov, age 40, his personal life is his political life. As a young man, Kotov attended Durmstrang to study martial magic for a brief time, withdrawing the same year the institution began to admit Muggleborns and part-goblins under the leadership of Headmaster Matvey Golovin. Kotov’s parents then began his private homeschooling, although many have long speculated Kotov was in fact transferred to the secretive Scholomance to complete his education. Proud of his centuries-long wizarding heritage, and regularly extolling the values of fraternity, tradition, and legacy in his speeches, Kotov is a man who has never forgotten his past while keeping his eye firmly fixed on the future. During his homeschooling years, a group of vampires newly displaced by a freshly implemented Romanian policy attacked and killed Kotov’s childhood friend. The event, followed by sluggish and failed attempts to capture the vampires, left Kotov with a resolve to shake the wizarding world out of its stupor concerning dark creatures. Kotov would work at the Romanian Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures for all of six months before quitting; during that time it was his capture of infamously “uncatchable” vampire Sebastian Vântu which catapulted Kotov to international recognition. After resigning, Kotov pivoted immediately into politics, championing an increase in international private and public security for the wizarding world, and pledging to tackle magical creature-related violent crime rates and threats to the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy by cracking down on criminal offenders and allowing Aurors greater freedom and less government oversight. Despite his colleagues’ voiced concerns that his actions may cause further breakdowns in negotiations between the ICW and sentient magical creatures, 

Kotov remains sanguine and determined about the future, though he has some choice words to offer about his fellow Delegates in advance of the upcoming election. “They have no idea what they’re dealing with,” Kotov said grimly, in his statement last Tuesday. “Half of them are idiots who follow Patenaude and his kind–magical creatures are just like us, etc, etc.—and half of them are people like Arista, heads stuck in another century and no idea how to deal with the growing number of strikes and crime rates among the magical creature communities. Either way, while the ICW tries to negotiate and sits in committees, their numbers grow and the violence continues—and something is better than nothing.” It’s a tricky dilemma he raises, and one the magical community has conveniently avoided answering head-on, though Kotov has received campaign funding from many old, well-known wizarding families that suggests he has their support.

Serving his freshman year on the ICW at a shocking 22 years of age, Sven Nordstrøm is the fresh face of Swedish international politics whose influential family name precedes his appointment to the Confederation. The Nordstrøm family have for centuries stood tall (and no, we’re not just referring to their statuesque genetics) as pillars of traditional wix values in the Scandinavian region, with generation after generation passing the political torch on from father to son. Delegate Nordstrøm’s own brother, Gunnar Nordstrøm, is a favorite to take over for current Swedish Minister Engström at the end of his term, which has led to speculation regarding the young Delegate’s novice appointment over Gunnar’s notably more cultivated experience and presence in politics. But don’t write off young Sven just yet! He may thus far be known in delegation meetings for his looming, mountain-like presence and choice few words, but Delegate Nordstrøm has a few tricks yet up those long sleeves, making several controversial statements and voting decisions without any predictable formula that seem to go against every ideal his political platform was built around. Are the boy’s wildcard antics toward shock and awe a crafty plot to attract favor and attention to his icy, old-fashioned country? Or is Delegate Nordstrøm simply having the last laugh at us all? 

When asked for a comment, Nordstrøm just had this to say: “And why the [expletive] would I tell you anything? Who even are you?” Who indeed. We’ll be following Delegate Nordstrøm at the upcoming conference with keen interest.

As recognizable in the society papers as he is on the delegation floor, Atticus Ayers has been an asset to British-French wizarding political relations for upwards of twenty years. Savvy local readers will surely recognize Ayers from his meteoric post-Hogwarts rise through the ranks of Britain’s own International Magical Office of Law, or perhaps from his brief but memorable five-year stint as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, during which time Ayers garnered widespread respect and adoration as a moderate judicial voice amongst the uproarious radicalism and reforms that swept through the Ministry of Magic following the Second Wizarding War. After presiding over a number of landmark Wizengamot proceedings, Ayers settled in the magical district of Montmartre in France with his family, but he’s been a staple French Delegate since day one, where he’s continued his campaigning for Being equality as well as amendments to the Statute of Secrecy in favor of privacy and protection of magicfolk, their livelihoods, and their assets. 

Nowadays, Delegate Ayers is known throughout Europe for throwing outrageous fundraisers in support of the causes he’s backing, with some of the most famous faces in the international magical community making regular appearances. Some may raise brows at Ayers’ “party for politics” methodology, but there’s no arguing that beauty, popularity, and a knack for entertaining are powerful tools when it comes to reaching the upper echelon of magical folk with the means to enact change.

The Daily Prophet will continue to run extended profiles of candidates and bring you updates on the September 9th election.