gryffindorhealer

[gryffindorhealer]

I just want to say how much I hate the "Harry Potter is a trust fund jock who grew up to be a cop" take.

just tell me you don't understand Harry Potter. Just tell me you're too American to understand Harry Potter.

He isn't a "trust fund kid" he's a fucking orphan. It is his good luck that his parents were wealthy and that wealth has been safely stored for the past ten years but then it is his incredible bad luck that his parents were murdered and he was sent to live in an abusive household where he was clothed in hand me downs and never given enough to eat. So - you know - swings and roundabouts.

Harry did not grow up with privilege. He just happens to have enough money that he doesn't have to worry about buying school supplies.

He isn't a "jock". Because a jock is an American concept. School sports are really not a big deal in the UK (as clearly seen by the way they just cancel Quidditch - twice - with barely a shrug). The athletes on school teams don't wield social power because of their place on the team and there will be no scholarships allowing them higher education. There are no stereotypes around the type of kids who play the sports, no idea that they're all "dumb" and only good at whatever it is they play but are getting preferential treatment because of their talent. They don't date the cheerleaders (we don;t have cheerleaders) they're not the popular kids, or the rich kids. They can be any kid. School sports are just another extra curricular activity that any student might or might not take part in as the fancy takes them.

Quidditch is just a hobby that Harry happens to enjoy.

If you wanted some kind of obnoxious sportsman equivalence, you could say Harry was a "rugger bugger"... but he really isn't. He doesn't fit that stereotype at all.

"Jock" is a concept which fits neither the character nor the culture. It is an entirely futile and inaccurate prism through which to view Harry and means you cannot understand him if you insist on enforcing your own cultural labels and stereotypes on him.

And he didn't grow up to be a "cop". FFS. he grew up to be a Dark Wizard catcher. Again, there is a lot of cultural imperialism misunderstanding going on here when people on the internet talk about cops in relation to HP. The relationship the British have with their police is very different to the one the Americans have with theirs. British police are unarmed (apart from specially trained officers, whose job is to be the armed response unit and who most people will never encounter). They "police by consent" - and that is genuinely important to the officers themselves. Are they popular? No. But are they widely seen as a fascistic force murdering citizens? Also no - because (by and large) they're not.

They wear funny helmets, and sometimes ride horses, and work in the community.

The entire social structure of the USA is so different to the UK that it is impossible to just transplant a concept from the US and assume it will work for the UK. But the American lack of a welfare state, the war on drugs and the insane amount of guns in the hands of private citizens and police mean that the relationship between the two is shaped in such a way that crime is driven by poverty, crimes of poverty are dealt with much more harshly than they need to be, and the police feel empowered to kill (mostly black) people just because they looked at them funny. The police are the enemy.

But if this is your understanding of "cops" then you need to leave it at the door when you engage with British media. It's a totally different culture.

And within a culture of "policing by consent", it is possible to imagine a fantasy law enforcement office that is made up entirely of good guys, who hunt down only bad guys - the type who kill for fun. And that they do it justly and humanely (because that is what the police are supposed to be, even if they fall short in every corner of the world).

This is what the aurors are under Kingsley Shacklebolt's Ministry. They catch dark wizards - the type who kill people for fun. And they use the power of the wizarding state to arrest them and put them on trial.

Harry had no time for the Ministry when it was corrupt. He spoke out about them arresting the wrong people. he refused to work with them when the Minister himself asked for his support.

Harry Potter does not become a mindless "cop".

But in the aftermath of a brutal blood war, once the Ministry is run by someone he trusts, he joins up to clear up the last of the Death Eaters and stays to make sure it doesn't happen again. People rail against the fact that the system is not upended totally at the end of the books, and the Harry preserves the status quo - but that's just silly. You can't just tear down a system and hope for the best. Nature abhors a vacuum, and something worse would rise in its place. Harry is putting in the hard work (the real and necessary work) to clean up an imperfect system and make it work the way it is supposed to. He's making actual, possible changes that help make his world better and safer. That's far more radical, and far more useful, than the armchair anarchism of those who criticise his career path.

So please stop with the bad takes which not only show that you have no understanding or respect for the books, but that you have no understanding or respect for the culture they hail from or understanding and respect that the whole world doesn't live the way you do.

If you are the type of person who says "Harry Potter is a trust fund jock who becomes a cop" then literally nothing else you have to say about Harry Potter is going to be worth listening to. Because you just don't understand Harry Potter. The character or the series.

[gryffindorhealer]

Throwback with the wonderful Kelsey Dylan, back before the plague.

patreon - print shop - everything else

[gryffindorhealer]

Apropos, sort of, the second? Maybe? Larry Niven points out that the first editions of Ringworld are worth some significant money if you can find one. Because Louis Wu, while “prolonging” his 200th birthday uses teleportation booths to jump ahead of the sunset. Alas, in the order Niven listed the jumps, he had the Earth rotating in the opposite direction than it does…

There are two types of writers:

1. 'It's fiction, it doesn't need to make sense!'

2. 'I didn't account for the rotation of the planet and how that affects the constalations while my characters stargazed at different times of year, I have failed as a writer, and this entire thing is trash'

[gryffindorhealer]

Beer Run

[gryffindorhealer]

On a manual typewriter. Before white-out correction fluid. Get off my virtual lawn.

Also a really good thread.

[gryffindorhealer]

Slurping soup is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

hi, a lot of you need a perspective reset

the average human lifespan globally is 70+ years

taking the threshold of adulthood as 18, you are likely to spend at least 52 years as a fully grown adult

at the age of 30 you have lived less than one quarter of your adult life (12/52 years)

'middle age' is typically considered to be between 45-65

it is extremely common to switch careers, start new relationships, emigrate, go to college for the first or second time, or make other life-changing decisions in middle age

it's wild that I even have to spell it out, but older adults (60+) still have social lives and hobbies and interests.

you can still date when you get old. you can still fuck. you can still learn new skills, be fashionable, be competitive. you can still gossip, you can still travel, you can still read. you can still transition. you can still come out.

young doesn't mean peaked. you're inexperienced in your 20s! you're still learning and practicing! you're developing social skills and muscle memory that will last decades!

there are a million things to do in the world, and they don't vanish overnight because an imaginary number gets too big

[gryffindorhealer]

Let us also remember these are teenagers when we are reading about Ginny’s third year (GF), and that there’s barely a year difference in her and Harry’s age.

Ginny Weasley’s Social Life

There’s a huge idea in the fandom that Ginny Weasley is popular. And this isn’t exactly incorrect.

By HBP, she’s well-liked and appears to have friends in a variety of circles. Boys find her attractive. She’s a member of the Quidditch team. People laugh at her jokes.

But before anyone imagines that Ginny’s Hogwarts years were a cakewalk, let’s look back on how she got there.

First year (CS)

Ginny starts out a bit nervous, but hopefully makes some fledgling friendships with her dormitory mates. But before those friendships could get off the ground, Ginny is drawn in by Riddle. Her dormitory mates/classmates (hopefully) continue to be friendly to her, but she’s becoming more and more moody and withdrawn. Her dormitory mates, who barely had a chance to get to know her, shrug and let her be.

She establishes a friendship with Colin Creevy, but he’s petrified two months into the year. She’s distraught, and it’s hinted that this is when she starts to suspect her own involvement. Ginny withdraws further into herself.

Those who’ve had classes with her see her as quiet and slightly odd. Her class performance is spotty and her confidence has never been lower.

Second year (PA)

Ginny’s starting from scratch. She almost certainly has no friends.

The alliances within her dormitory have already been established, and she’s the odd one out. Her dormitory mates probably see her as the moody secretive unfriendly girl with whom they share a room. She’s the Neville of her dorm, and has had her confidence dashed by her past experience. Hogwarts was where she was violated, and it takes time to be comfortable again.

But instead of wallowing, she starts slowly building friendships and building a social network for herself.

Among the Gryffindor second years who had shared all of their classes with her the previous year, she’s quiet Ginny Weasley. And she never really feels like she can escape that first impression.

But to a Gryffindor third year or a Ravenclaw second year, she’s largely a blank slate. So she gravitates toward people that are not in her year, not in her house, or both. People that are less likely to have known Ginny Weasley circa first year.

Third year (GF)

By third year, she’s doing significantly better. She’s probably still the odd one out in her dormitory, but she’s got the twins, Ron, Hermione, and (probably) Colin. She’s also establishing friendships with people like Neville, who is similarly isolated from his year mates. She doesn’t view herself as having particularly high social currency and she’s probably right, but she’s happier and that’s what’s important.

You’ll notice that Ginny tends to have a higher than average number of male friends. This is partially opportunity (she meets male friends like Neville via her brothers), but it’s mostly a matter of comfort level. Ginny is neither a complete tomboy nor a girly-girl. She’s comfortable interacting with boys, but she’s also comfortable with being the only girl in a pack of boys and doesn’t feel the need to give up her identity as a girl just to fit in.

She continues to broaden her circle during third year, and by the end of the year she has a bonafide boyfriend, Michael Corner. This transition also coincides with the beginning of her transition from a cute young girl to a beautiful young woman.

Fourth year (OP)

She’s still getting her feet wet with her relationship with Michael Corner. She quickly establishes herself as friends with Michael’s friends Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein. Through Michael, she’s strengthened her social network in Ravenclaw.

When the first meeting of the D.A. takes place, it’s pretty clear that her invited guests were Michael, his friends, and probably Luna as well. She might have been the one to invite the Creeveys, if they didn’t find out on their own.

She also starts playing Quidditch for Gryffindor, which raises her profile further. And like Luna and the others, she benefits from the cross-house interaction the D.A. provided. The D.A. also provides her with a major confidence boost.

By this point, she’s starting to resemble HBP Ginny. She’s comfortable speaking in front of large groups, has a variety of friends across houses, and people see her as someone who’s fun/vivacious.

Fifth year (HBP)

Ginny comes back onto the scene full force.

She’s still on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and has quickly become one of the most talented members of the team. She’s struck up a few new friendships with people like Demelza Robbins. At this point, she’s also dating Dean Thomas. Dean is a better fit than Michael, and she’s much more public/official about the relationship. She doesn’t bother hiding it from Ron or anyone else. She also seems to become friends with Seamus via Dean.

And this is where Harry (and therefore the reader) takes notice. He sees a vivacious, talented, clever, funny, confident 16-year-old girl. But Ginny’s social journey has actually been a step behind everyone else.

[gryffindorhealer]

A very interesting take on Percy.

I know Percy is very ambitious but I've always felt in my heart that he would join the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office with Mr Weasley after the war.

He got 12 OWLs, so definitely took muggle studies. I feel like it would be a perfect fit for him. He'd be working with his dad, and, yeah, things would be strained at first, but it would give them the chance to repair their relationship.

I feel like Percy would turn the department around, or at least introduce new ideas - combining magic and muggle technology (which yeah, I know "goes haywire around magic" — but surely there's a way around that. If there is, Percy would find it.

Arthur would definitely help, with his flying ford anglia and all.)

And I just imagine the sight it would be for Percy Weasley, youngest ever assistant of the previous Minister of Magic, to be contentedly working in the 'joke' department that no-one takes seriously.

Imagine Percy and Mr Weasley, along with the help of Hermione (they always got along well) writing a book for wizards about muggles — technology, society, currency, fashion, music, art — and how to blend in with said muggles. Having Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter promote it would certainly send sales through the roof. (And Oliver Wood ofc, Percy's famous Quidditch bf)

Imagine how excited Mr Weasley would be publishing his book and giving seminars and interviews for the Daily Prophet as an expert on muggles, getting recognition for his work.

If you're thinking that's not who Percy is, and that it doesn't align with his character, remember he receives a metaphorical slap in the face in the seventh book. He apologises for allowing his ambition to blind him from seeing that Fudge was using him to spy on the Order. In my opinion, I think that blows his confidence a bit — I don't think he would learn to trust himself to be in a position of power again for a while.

Percy Weasley finding a true passion in muggles — the 'odd one out' of the Weasleys ending up very like his dad <3

[gryffindorhealer]

Making it official

for @ginnystrophyhusband prompt: hesitate

Harry walked up the first flight of stairs but then he hesitated outside of Ginny’s bedroom. This was it, he was going to talk to her, properly, for the first time since the battle. Something more than a glance or taking part in the same conversation with other people. This was about them.

He exhaled and knocked on the door.

“Come in!” her voice came a second later.

He opened the door just a bit and looked in. She was by her closet, putting away a pile of clothes.

“Am I disturbing you?” he asked.

“You?” She shook her head as she closed the doors of the closet. “Never.” She smiled lightly and sat down on the edge of her bed, patting the spot beside her.

He stepped in and closed the door, crossing the small room and settled down beside her.

Ginny’s gaze swept over him with both scrutiny and care. She reached out and adjusted his fringe. “Who cut your hair?”

“Your mum.”

She locked eyes with him. “Don’t let her do that again. It’s not one of her many talents.” Her hand dropped back in her lap. “I’ll do it next time.”

He scoffed. “Like I’d trust you.”

“Excuse me.” The corners of her mouth twisted upward ever so slightly. “I would give you an excellent cut.”

He shook his head. “I think I’d rather trust Ron.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

He hesitated for another moment but then he gave in and smiled. “No, I wouldn’t.”

She chuckled. “Did you want to talk about something? —You had that particular frown on your face when you came in when something’s on your mind.”

“Hm.” He looked at her. She had changed since last year, as they all did, but there was that same fiery look he loved and the little twinkle in her eyes that balanced it out. “I wanted to talk about…us.”

Her eyebrows rose ever so slightly. “Are you breaking up with me?” she asked without any sort of worry detectable in her tone.

“I…” He was confused. “No?” He pressed his lips together as he thought. “The opposite?”

“You don’t sound too sure,” she quipped. “Wait, what do you mean the opposite?”

Harry was getting more confused by the second. “I mean… we haven’t really spoken about…” He gestured vaguely between them.

“Well…” Her cheeks turned rosy. “I thought it was a sort of unspoken thing between us.”

“No! I mean, yes!” He was suddenly feeling very warm. “It is, I guess. I just felt like we needed to… talk about it. Perhaps put it down on paper,” he joked.

Her lips pursed in amusement. “On paper, you say? I mean, if you insist we can do that, officially.”

“Ginny,” he said. “That’s not what I meant.” He couldn’t help his smile from forming.

She looked at him innocently. “No, I heard what I heard. It’s fine, I’ll do it. I just figured you’d be more romantic about it.” Her hand swept her hair back over her shoulder with a bit of a flourish, a teasing look in her eyes.

He couldn’t resist the urge to laugh. Then it hit him like a bludger to the face. Putting it down on paper officially, marrying Ginny, was something perfectly reasonable to want. More than that, it was attainable and it had not been before.

“Now, hold your Hippogriffs,” he told her. “Not so fast.”

Ginny sighed with exasperated fondness, brought her hand to the back of his head and guided him to her lips. Her lips were soft and it was so excruciatingly familiar to shift closer to her and brush his hand through her hair, the swipe of her tongue and the way her fingers brushed through his hair.

He had missed it more than he cared to admit. Needed it more than he could ever express out loud.

“Gin?” he said. “You would do it? Marrying me for real?” he asked against her lips.

She adjusted her position just enough to lock eyes with him. “Harry. When, in all the years that you have known me, have I ever given you the impression I didn’t want to marry you?”

He hesitated for a moment. “Uh…never?”

“I’d hope so.” She pulled him in again. “Is snogging you official enough for now?”

“Yes.” He kissed her. “Suppose I was worrying about a conversation we didn’t need to have.”

“You were worrying?” She looked more seriously at him. Her gaze danced over his face. “No, I am glad you did come. If there was any doubt on your side I’m glad we can clear that up. I don’t want you to doubt about what you are to me.” She squeezed his shoulder. “I love you. Still, always.”

His breath got stuck in his throat. “I love you too.”

“It’s nice to hear you say that without it sounding like a goodbye,” she said quietly.

“It’s nice when it doesn’t feel like goodbye,” he admitted.

Ginny’s reply was pulling him back in, and he was more than fine with that.

[gryffindorhealer]

Writing Motivation

Set a writing time

By setting aside a specific time for writing, you can train your mind to more easily shift into the right mindset. You could write just after waking up, just before going to bed, or at some point in the middle of the day. Alternatively, you could choose a specific day, such as Sunday, to make it your official writing day. Try out different options and see what works best for you.

[gryffindorhealer]

River bank angel

Translated from a @cosmic-rains-blog photo

[gryffindorhealer]

Familiar with the series title. Not otherwise familiar with the series. Nicely done art.

[gryffindorhealer]

And keep in mind, Eisenhower was a Republican. Oh how that’s changed.

The US military budget is larger than the military spending of the next nine largest countries combined. We're pumping huge amounts of money to the defense industry as Republicans plan devastating cuts to the social safety net through their budget bill. It does not have to be this way. This is all a policy choice.

[gryffindorhealer]

Lets go All Over The Fucking Place with mama

[gryffindorhealer]

So this is just a PSA, y'all should never sign a contract until you read it. I’m talking in rl right now. I just got through reading my employee handbook/service contract and my bosses slipped in a lot of bullshit like telling me I can’t complain about my job on social media, demanding I work off the clock in the name of good service, expects me to show up on time during inclimate weather, and considered disability or religious accommodation a direct threat to the company.

These are all things I took issue with and brought to my employer for further discussion before signing the contract. Most of my coworkers signed without reading, treating it like an internet terms of service contract.

Tl;dr real life is serious shit, lawyers write contracts to protect your employer FROM YOU, read contracts before you sign them - fucking ARGUE about contracts before you sign them

[gryffindorhealer]

ALT

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https://archive.org/details/vhsinstructionals

[gryffindorhealer]

me as a kid reading Dune: I appreciate the detailed world-building that justifies why everyone fights with swords and has mental powers, but the idea of a Butlerian Jihad against computers is pretty silly

me in 2025, trying desperately to find the three (3) places you need to go to to disable the latest helpful AI assistant that's inserted itself into my work chat and is advising me to do things that would be a breach of federal law: Oh Now I Get It