The Epic Harry Potter Challenge

oo2. Shopping in Diagon Alley
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"Could It Be Another Change" - The Samples
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I'd definitely end up in Diagon Alley by myself.
 
In my dream world, mom isn't afraid to travel, just busy, so she'd stay in the States. Not that I'd mind; Diagon Alley is perfect, and I'd kill to just walk through for a couple hours by myself, left to my own devices and allowed to just wander.
 
It's not a shopping day with a caramel macchiato (I'm muggleborn, I'm totes bringing starbucks into the wizarding world). I'd shop for school essentials by myself, then rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron for a night and wait for my friends to meet me there (all of them are halfblood, at least, and none of them still live in the muggle world.)
 
Once my friends met up with me, it'd be time to do the really fun shopping.
 
do i hashtag this?? polyvore what even. #harrypotter #magic #diagonalley

The Epic Harry Potter Challenge
 
oo1. Your House Uniform/Entry Info
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"Sophia" - Laura Marling
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Me: Valorie Curry is me, in both the face and the mannerisms and the voice. If I'm not her in 8 years, I'm gonna strike.
House: Hufflepuff
Wand: Maple, 10 3/4 inches, Phoenix Feather Core
Pet: A bullfrog named Caddywhompus
Patronus: A stag
Favorite teacher: Remus Lupin. He's one of those life changing professors.
Favorite Class: Definitely Defense Against the Dark Arts. No question.
Favorite spells: Lumos. That light spell would be super handy.
Accio, because I'm a lazy bum.
Reparo, because I'm a clumsy bum.
Episkey, because, again, I'm super clumsy.
REDUCTO BECAUSE EXPLODING AND also it's just really fun to say.
 
Best friend: my best friend in the HP world is just my irl best friend. A gryffindor who, paired with me in Potions in first year (or science class in the 5th grade) ended up being a super bad influence on me and being my best friend ever since. Casting: Mischa Barton.
In the book? Easily Neville, because he's my second favorite character in the series.
 
Extracurriculars: I'd try out for the Quidditch team and...fail miserably.
I'd definitely commentate for Quidditch, though! I'd probably try to start a Hogwarts school paper or a radio show like i did in my real high school.
 
Post-Hogwarts Career: IF I WAS IN THE MAGICAL WORLD I WOULD WANT TO BE AN AUROR LIKE NOTHING ELSE. But I'd probably end up at the Daily Prophet, satisfying my journalist itch and writing/working my way up trying to clean up the mess it had become by the end of the series.
And of course a popular wizarding novelist.

"pursuit of happiness" - kid cudi (lissie cover)
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18. your favorite child of the big 3
 
Astrid Stark, daughter of Zeus. Played by Crystal Reed.
 
Read about her in my CYAD set, #15!

"dragonfly" - m. craft
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17. your camp crush
 
SIlas Wilder, played by Aaron Johnson.
 
The 16-year-old son of Poseidon (and only known human relative to the hero Percy Jackson) has spent most of his life completely conscious of what he was. His mother died when he was very young, but when she did, she told him her secret.
 
Silas went to live with his uncle Zachariah and Aunt Katherine, and he has been avoiding Camp Half Blood like the plague ever since. He refuses to leave his only family, and instead begged Poseidon himself to train him in combat. He has protected himself well so far, but on the eve of his sixteenth birthday, he is one of the many affected by the Trojan curse; specifically because he is a son of Poseidon, and the trojans kind of hate his dad. This results in him being forced to come to Camp Half Blood...where he meets Jules.
 
When he first sees her, she is climbing the rock wall for her third year (as it has become a first-day tradition for her and her brother, Foster). When she reaches the top, the rock wall shakes her off (one of the many symptoms of the Trojan curse, as it is directly attacking the Greeks and their headquarters, Camp Half Blood.) She falls off and is saved by a quick-thinking Silas.
 
Of course, Jules is absolutely gaga over him and those big blue eyes of his, not to mention the ass-kicking boots and the attitude to match. Silas is a bad boy, through and through, with the smirk to match. Jules has a history of falling for the trouble-makers.
 
As it would turn out, underneath the ocean-boy, devil-may-care cockiness, there's a boy with a wicked sense of humor and a appreciation for good hearts. He considers sunny and adventurous Jules to have one of the best, and he admires her very much for it (so much, he's been known to grab her hand and kiss it without so much as a thought or another word afterwards.) Their relationship is tentative, as Jules is hesitant to be hurt again, and Silas has always had an issue trusting people, but the two of them jive so well off of one another, people see it as a natural partnership.
 
Silas likes the ocean (of course), swimming, his hometown of Bethany Beach, Delaware, rock music, ugly sea creatures (the uglier they are the cuter he seems to find them), drumming for his band Not Penny's Boat (along with Harry, Jules, and Foster), and diet coke. A lot of people find him threatening because of his looks and physical prowess, but generally, once they find out how laidback he is, he's a fairly friendly guy. As such, he and Harry are an unlikely pair of friends, and he holds an affection for the rest of the 5 as well.

"we are never ever getting back together" - taylor swift
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16. your camp bully/enemy
 
Ajax "Jack" Lewis, played by Alex Pettyfer.
 

After dunking her head in the toilet, Jack learned a lot about Julianna Crane. He made it a mission, in fact, even if he refused to admit it. Something about her from day one caught his eye, and when her own father sent them on a quest together (granted, the Robinson kid had to tag along), he couldn't deny his feelings for her. Sure, he antagonized her a lot and yeah, maybe she hated his guts, but...he loved her. He couldn't help it.
 
Turns out, neither could she.
 
Surviving a quest with a person (or in their case, /barely/ surviving a quest together), kind of puts thing in perspective. So when they found themselves trapped in a small inlet of rock alone, cornered by the Python that abducted her father's prized "oracle" and thought they might die, grabbing her and kissing her felt natural.
 
And so did leaping out to sacrifice himself in hopes of her making an escape. One thing can be said of Ares kids, always, and that is that they're fearless in the face of a good fight. The fact that a pretty girl was thrown into the mix only sweetened the deal.
 
Jules actually ended up saving his life in that battle, and after berating him for his stupidity, kissed him again. They started a relationship afterwards, swearing to keep in contact even though Jack and his mother (and sister, Andromeda, head of the Ares cabin) lived in Virginia.
 
The distance got to him, and that year, he stopped contacting her. So began the vicious cycle of breaking up and getting back together, the both of them too stubborn to ever back down, and Jack frequently too flirty for Jules's tastes.
 
The final straw was last summer, when Jack, through a great misunderstanding that actually wasn't his fault, was kissed by Gretta St. Luce, a daughter of Hades and long-running competitor for his affections. Jules never forgave him, because in the end, he really was too much of a tool to her friends for her to continue, this whole incident aside.
 
In what is now an infamous performance at Camp Half Blood, Jules got a bunch of her friends and as many dancers as possible to sing "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" at the end-of-summer talent show. Jack, suitably mortified, left the room red-faced and fuming. He and Jules haven't spoken since, despite the fact that Jack suspects he is cursed to always love her.
 
Jack has the personality and interests of a typical child of Ares: cocky, aggressive, loves to fight and damn good at it, too. But he has a secret, sensitive side. He has a weakness for classic novels and writes a lot in his spare time, and sometimes, when it used to be just him and Jules on the top of the rope-climb, he would be turn out to be a wonderful listener.
 
It's a new summer and Jack is hellbent on proving to Jules that he's a better person. But he doesn't know how good his chances are, especially now that this broody Poseidon kid has caught her eye.

"you and i" - ingrid michaelson
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15. your best friends at camp.
 

ASTRID STARK, played by Crystal Reed. 15, daughter of Zeus. Astrid was born in Washington, but moved to Long Beach with her mother when she was small, in order to open an adorable bed and breakfast on the sand.
Astrid was not informed of her predicament till the second she turned thirteen, when her father came to claim her and instructed her to get to Camp, as she was in grave danger (like puberty wasn't hard enough.) He'd never told her mother, instead faking his death in order to avoid the confrontation.
Needless to say, it didn't go well.
Harry was ordered to meet Astrid, but as he was already vacationing with Aggie in San Francisco, they thought they'd both pick her up, and hell, why not bring Foster, too. As a result, Astrid is one of the only West Coaster's who has the ability to fly, but prefers to make the trek in Foster's beat up VW or on foot with her best friends.
Astrid is calm, a bit quiet at first, and generally sweet to whomever she meets. However, like her father, her temper is mighty when unleashed. Forced to control herself, she's almost completely numb unless you manage to crack that hard, softspoken shell.
Her center is made up of a deep love and affection for her friends and family, and a silent determination that makes her even more stubborn than Jules. And, yes, once you get to know her, she certainly does get louder.
Jules and Astrid are closer than most, one complimenting the other in almost every situation. She and Foster are almost brother and sister, practically, often hanging out during the school year, and she's had a small crush on Harry since the first time she met him. Elliot, the only one of the "fab five" to not live in California, somehow still manages to be the first one she'll tell a secret to.
Astrid considers herself relatively simple. She likes thunderstorms, poetry, and has a gift with a sword. She drinks sparkling water likes it's vodka and has a weakness for attractive men (not unlike her father for beautiful women.) She is an active athlete, the most physically fit of the Fab 5, and fears swans like the dickens.
 
FOSTER HAYDEN-CROSBY, played by Skylar Astin. 17. Go read his profile in my CYAD #14 set.
 
HARRISON BEECH, played by Caleb Landry Jones. 16 (32 in satyr years.) Go read HIS profile in my CYAD #6 set.
Anything else you need to know about Harry is that he: loves dandelions, can play both a mean harmonica and guitar, has a deep and serious love for the 5, plays "mom" in the absence of anyone else (and does a horrible job at it), and plays lead guitar/harmonica for the band "Not Penny's Boat", along with Jules (rhythm guitar and lead vocals) and Foster (bass/lead vocals.)
 
ELLIOT ROBINSON, played by Harry Styles. 15. Elliot, who lives in Nevada, is the perfect Hermes kid; that is to say, he's quick as lightning and can play pranks like nobody else in the world. Elliot's ADHD is super-charged, meaning he can't really stay still and thinks even faster. That is, if he thinks at all.
Elliot is Foster's best friend and Jules's comrade in arms, having gone on her first quest with her.
Elliot was claimed when he was eleven, and has a wonderful relationship with his father, idolizing him in every way possible. He and his mother lead a simple life, but he's always been happy (such is the way of Elliot; it's hard to catch him without a smile.)
Being the baby of the group, he uses it to his full advantage, constantly acting the part of the mischevous younger brother who won't quit. Fearless and cunning, he's a force to be reckoned with in battle (even if he is the size of a half-grown pixie.)
Elliot loves to be outdoors, to run around, and to play pranks. He's a big cuddler (he'll lounge on you if you let him) and eats more fast food than anyone thinks possible, considering his size. His pranks are famous, and he flirts like the dickens with just about everything that moves. He likes warm weather and he collects other people's wallets.
 

Foster, 17. Born June 21st, 1994. Gemini.
Harry, 16 (32.) ???~~~ Capricorn.
Jules, 16. Born March 21st, 1995. Aries.
Astrid, 15. Born September 30th, 1995. Libra.
Elliot, 15. February 18th, 1996. Aquarius.

"can't hold us" - mackelmore and ryan lewis
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14. your favorite sibling
 
played by: skylar astin
 
Foster Hayden-Crosby, son of author David Hayden and architect Jason Crosby, was never the most popular boy in his hometown of Anaheim, CA. Quirky, offbeat, and just a bit more awkward than the average bear, Foster was often mocked by his peers, whether it be for being weird, or into choir, or for having two gay dads, or for really anything anyone could think of.
 
As he grew older, you think that little smile of his would have faded. But spurred by the love of his parents, and the undying optimism of someone wiser than his years, the smile proved unbeatable.
 
He always knew Jason wasn't his birth father (David, a NY native, married when Foster was six), but loved him like a dad anyways (who do you think taught him to drive? To ride a bike? To fall deeply and madly in love with classic rock and showtunes at the same time?) He also knew that David would never say a word about his birth mom, always referring to her as "they" and never saying much more than, "They were so special. And they loved you very much."
 
When Foster was twelve and walking home from an unfortunate schoolyard brawl (he lost), he was attacked by his first monster. Jason and David knew he couldn't stay with him much longer, and told him as little as possible before accompanying him across the country to Camp Half Blood.
 
Even there, Foster did not make many friends (finding a brother in Elliot Robinson not included), as he was unclaimed, untalented at everything but singing, and completely uncoordinated. It wasn't till his second summer that he met Jules Crane and finally found his footing (literally, on the lava wall) that Apollo laid his blessing on him and he discovered who his father was.
 
Yes.
 
Father.
 
Apollo's always been known to love whomever he chose, and Foster's dad was no exception; a handsome young wordsmith with an eye for poetry? Please! And so Foster, in a manner of speaking, pulled an Athena, and was pulled from Apollo's chest as a baby, born from love and yearning and more than a little bit of Greek hoodoo.
 
Suffice to say, it didn't help Foster's popularity. People began to regard him as more of a freak than before, even his own siblings. That is, minus Jules, and his counselor and brother, Eddie Cash.
 
As Foster grew, so did his propensity for greatness. He became an impressive healer and can hold his own with a bow and arrow at 17. He may still be the awkward song-and-dance kid that everyone came to know, and even though the fact that he was Apollo's chest-baby has haunted him, his quests have proved him to be an astonishingly important hero, one destined be legend.
 
His godly gift from his father is an orange bandana that, when used as a tourniquet, will completely stop the flow of blood from a wound for a short period of time.
 
He loves music of all kinds, disneyland, his VW beetle, the beach, reading classics, and churros. He, Jules, and Astrid start the cross country trek to Camp each year, as the three west-coasters in their friend group.

"wasted daylight" - stars
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13. your cabin space.
 

Jules and Foster moved out of the Hermes cabin on the same day, taking two empty bunks in the Apollo cabin, one right on top of the other. Foster, ever the gentleman, let Jules have the topmost bed, up in the high ceiling and opposite their counselor (ahem, brother), Eddie Cash.
 
Since the Apollo cabin is quite spaceous, everyone has enough space to make their bunk their own. Jules has gone to work festooning christmas lights (adding to the already bright atmosphere of the many-windowed cabin) and posters about her walls. Her favorite, just opposite where she sleeps, is her GIANT Breakfast Club poster.
 
Jules has a not so secret love for 80s coming of age stories. John Bender is her boyfriend. She's aware he's fictional. No, she does not care.
 
The room is also covered in photos of San Francisco, as well as many maps and polaroids of her friends (most importantly, Grace, her human friend from back home.)
 
Jules keeps a healthy supply of Arizona iced tea and coffee in her bunk, constantly sipping at night over either a) her giant stack of novels or b) her giant stack of CDs. Her stuffed Oswald plush sleeps with her every night and if you make fun of her she will kick you right in the butt, Mister.
 
Best of all, after getting to know all of her siblings, she can safely say she loves all of them. Especially the one who can throw stuff at the underside of her bed at night when he wants to be an /annoying little twerp./

"magic" - b. o. b. ft. rivers cuomo (treblemakers version)
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12. your claimed set.
 
alexander skarsgard as apollo.
skylar astin as foster, jules's brother.
 
It was Jules' fifth day at camp; she'd already found a steady friend group with the other demigods, and just that day, after getting pushed around by Jack and his Ares friends, the sweet boy named Foster had come to her aid (even if he was kind of a big loser.)
 
He was an awkward sort of kid, unabashedly goofy and smiley, but always saying the wrong thing. ("I prefer to sing it, y'know?") This was Foster's second summer at Camp, and his fourteenth birthday was the next day; he was still unclaimed. He and Jules got to talking after lunch, lounging near the mess hall.
 
When training came, they decided to scale the climbing wall together. Foster had never made it to the top, and Jules had never tried ("I have an innate fear of dying by lava," she'd snarked.) But the two of them, goaded by some of the meaner campers, suited up and decided to go for it.
 
Gangly Foster and skinny Jules made quite the pair in their camp shirt (Jules' suitably cut-up and distressed to her version of camp-chic), and several people that day remarked on how alike they looked.
 
Half way up, Jules' hands slipped and Foster just managed to grab her wrist and swing her out of the way of pouring lava. When Foster's footing gave out, Jules used her own hands as footholds and pushed him back up. They worked together well, ("LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND," Jules grunted once, holding Foster by the collar of his camp shirt after he burned his hands and let go.)
 
Somehow, by the grace of the gods, with Jules' ponytail singed and Foster's eyebrows blackened, they made it to the top. And when they did, the sunlight around the both of them brightened, like they were radiating it from their very skin, and triumphant music filled every corner of the forest, till two golden laurel wreaths rested themselves on the kids' heads.
 
"Children of Apollo," boomed Chiron, "hail!"
 
"Happy birthday to us," grinned Foster, grabbing Jules' hand and raising their joined fists above their heads.
 
"It's not my birthday," she said, amidst cheers.
 
"Shhh."

"cups" - lulu and the lampshades
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11. your first campfire
 
It's customary that the Apollo cabin leads the kids in campfire sing a longs. Eddie, however, has a special tradition of finding out if the new kids know how to play an instrument, hand it to them, and make them sing the first song of the night.
 
Jules chose Cups.
 
"I got my ticket for this half blood camp," she sang. "Two bottle 'brosia for the way, and I sure would like some sweet company, and I'll be there by tomorrow, whaddya say?"
 
"When you're there," a boy near the back chimed in. He had spiky brown hair and an eager smile and a voice that Jules likened to butter. (This boy was Foster and she knew already she liked him.)
 
"When I'm there," she sang back.
 
"When she's there," sang the Apollo cabin.
 
"I'm gonna be safe when I'm there," she laughed. "Ain't no gorgons, ain't harpies, only centaurs gods and parties, yeah it sure will be nice when I'm there."
 
It was a simple introduction, but her voice, clear as a bird's and lilting and sweet (and honestly, the only thing the gangly and rude-mouthed redhead had going for her at the time) caught the eye of an Ares camper, Jack Lewis.
 
"Have we dunked her yet?" he whispered to his friends, careful not to catch the attention of the head counselor/older sister, Andy.
 
"Not yet."
 
"Make sure I'm there when you do," he said, "I wanna see what she does."
 
The rest of the campfire went perfectly, Jules taking up an acoustic guitar borrowed from an Apollo girl (her own broken on the trip over, smashed against one of the goblin-things that had almost eaten her before Harry's arrival.) It didn't take long to notice that she had a way with song and words, improvising campy songs about gods and satyrs.
 
She was grabbed by some of the Ares kids afterwards, promptly dragged to the bathrooms, and force-dunked into one of the girls' toilets.
 
She put up quite a fight, popping an elbow back just as her head emerged and striking a boy in the crotch, kicking a girl hard in the shin and in the stomach, and finally, punching Jack so hard in the nose that it snapped.
 
She wrung her hair out and left, swearing under her breath and cursing Ares's name.
 
Jack, nose bloody and pride wounded, has been in love with her ever since.