#Java 21 new features

[elgarnaouicom]

Exploring the Exciting Java 21 New Features

Introduction: Java 21 has landed, bringing along a treasure trove of new features and enhancements designed to streamline development workflows and empower Java programmers worldwide. In this comprehensive blog post, we’ll explore each of the exciting new features introduced in Java 21, accompanied by code examples to illustrate their practical applications. Let’s embark on a journey through the…

[lboogie1906]

Christopher Edward Martin (March 21, 1966) known professionally as DJ Premier (known as Preemo), is a record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr—alongside the rapper Guru—and presently forms half of the hip hop duo PRhyme, together with Royce da 5’9”.

He was born in the Fifth Ward of Houston. He was raised in Prairie View, before moving to Brooklyn, during his teenage years. He attended Prairie View A&M University, where he honed his musical skills as the campus DJ, and he occasionally performed with the Marching Storm band.

He is known for producing all of Gang Starr’s songs as well as many of those composed by the Gang Starr Foundation. Notable artists he has worked with include Anderson. Paak, AZ, Big Daddy Kane, Big L, Blaq Poet, Bun B, Canibus, Christina Aguilera, Common, Cormega, D’Angelo, Dilated Peoples, D.I.T.C., Dr. Dre, Fat Joe, The Game, Ill Bill, J. Cole, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Joey Bada$$, Kanye West, KRS-One, The Lady of Rage, Limp Bizkit, Lord Finesse, The LOX, Ludacris, Mac Miller, Mobb Deep, M.O.P., Mos Def, Eminem, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., O.C., Papoose, Rakim, Royce da 5’9”, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit and more.

He collaborated with MC Jeru the Damaja on the album The Sun Rises in the East, released in 1994, as well as the 1996 follow-up, Wrath of the Math. He produced and supervised Livin’ Proof by Group Home, from the Gang Starr Foundation; although overlooked at the time of its 1995 release, the album received acclaim.

As a businessman, he has a record company named Year Round Records. Among its artists are New York group NYGz, New Jersey rapper Nick Javas, and Houston rapper Khaleel. The Blaqprint by Blaq Poet, which features 13 Premier productions, was released by Year Round Records through Fat Beats Records in June 2009. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[fracturedgodhead]

Happy New Year!! I missed a day again #24

Hope you all had a safe and fun new years/eve. I know I did. First one since turning 21, so also my first* time being drunk. It's pretty fun I think.

Like it says in the title, I missed a day again. I want to make not of it, but I don't really think it's too big of a deal. I was having fun. It's okay to have a day off y'know.

Anyways, into the meat.

Rust, and specifically the Rust toolchain is the best workflow I've ever experienced. Better than C++ by lightyears, and even better than Java. I haven't been entirely problem free, but every problem was clear and I could fix it in about 10 minutes or less. I don't fully know the language and it's features, so I'm relying a lot on the tutorial I'm following for correct syntax and whatnot, but it's intuitive enough that I can read it with my level of programming experience (not expert, not novice, idk exactly).

I need to do the usual tutorial pathway for any new language eventually, but for now, getting the OpenGL "hello, triangle" program written is technically done. In about 6 hours of programming across 2 days. Maybe less.

It took easily 20-30 hours across 2 weeks for me to get to this same point in the Vulkan with C++ "Hello, triangle" tutorial. And that's not counting my first attempt where I learned what I needed to know about the C++ toolchain, and how to set up my workspace, and all the little tiny details that break everything when they're wrong. That first attempt was probably over 100 hours over the course of a month.

AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET THE STUPID THING TO WORK.

If you want to make a game or application, and you are struggling to get your programs to compile or work or whatever bs, please look into Rust. It's beautiful.

Anyway, that said, this week is supposed to be the one where I make a multimedia project. I think I'll try and draw something and make a little guy in a room that can jump around once I get through the rest of the tutorial. I hope it covers loading textures and in-depth toolchain configuration and whatnot.

I don't think I can confidently animate anything, at least not in Krita. Who or whatever this character is is probably just gonna be a ball that rolls around or something.

Trying to handle collisions in a way that isn't incredibly hackey is an interesting problem I think. I think the technical term for it would be a "collision system", but that's gay, and I am gay, so I will be calling it that. The collision system will take an array of collision objects specified in some external file and parse them, then using some algorithm (probably just normal testing on some simple polygons, but possibly a path-traced collision detection approach could be feasible), calculate collisions on them.

That's a problem for either tomorrow or Friday though. For right now, I am incredibly exhausted, so I will be going to bed soon.

I'm so excited about Rust and OpenGL. I can't believe how much I've been hampering myself, and all because of a misinterpretation of my own goals.

[vikas-brilworks]

This article explores the new features in Java's latest release and compares them to the previous version, Java 17.

[chandra2026]

The Ultimate Timeline for Learning Selenium: From Beginner to Pro

Selenium is one of the most sought-after tools for web automation testing, making it a valuable skill for software testers and developers. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to enhance your existing knowledge, this timeline will guide you from a beginner to a Selenium pro. By following this structured approach, you’ll gain proficiency in Selenium within a realistic time frame. If you want to advance your career at the Selenium Course in Pune, you need to take a systematic approach and join up for a course that best suits your interests and will greatly expand your learning path. 

Week 1: Lay the Foundation

Days 1–2: Learn the Basics Before diving into Selenium, ensure you have a solid understanding of:

Programming Fundamentals: Focus on Python, Java, or C#. Python is often the easiest for beginners. For those looking to excel in Selenium, Selenium Online Course is highly suggested. Look for classes that align with your preferred programming language and learning approach.

HTML, CSS, and DOM: Understand how web pages are structured, including tags, attributes, and the DOM.

If you’re entirely new to programming or web technologies, spend a few extra days mastering these essentials.

Days 3–7: Setting Up and Exploring Selenium

Install Selenium: Set up Selenium WebDriver and a browser driver like ChromeDriver.

First Script: Write your first script to open a webpage and automate basic tasks like clicking buttons and filling forms.

Locators: Master identifying web elements using locators like id, name, class, XPath, and CSS Selectors.

Waits: Understand implicit and explicit waits to handle page load times.

By the end of Week 1, you should be comfortable with basic web automation tasks.

Week 2: Building on the Basics

Days 8–10: Interacting with Advanced Elements

Automate dropdowns, checkboxes, and radio buttons.

Handle pop-ups and alerts with Selenium.

Days 11–13: Navigating Frames and Windows

Learn how to switch between iframes and browser windows or tabs.

Practice using real-world websites with multiple frames and pop-ups.

Day 14: Data-Driven Testing

Integrate data-driven techniques to test multiple scenarios by reading data from files like Excel or CSV.

By the end of Week 2, you’ll be skilled at handling complex elements and data-driven testing.

Week 3: Tackling Real-World Scenarios

Days 15–17: Organize Code with POM

Implement the Page Object Model (POM) to make your test scripts reusable, modular, and easy to maintain.

Days 18–20: Work with Testing Frameworks

Combine Selenium with frameworks like TestNG (Java) or pytest (Python).

Learn how to create, organize, and run test suites efficiently.

Day 21: Handling Dynamic Elements

Develop strategies to manage dynamic web elements, such as those with frequently changing IDs or classes.

By the end of Week 3, you’ll be able to write clean, scalable, and efficient test scripts for real-world applications.

Week 4: Mastering Advanced Concepts

Days 22–24: Advanced Selenium Features

Explore headless browser testing to execute tests without a visible browser.

Learn how to run parallel tests to save time.

Days 25–27: Integration with CI/CD Tools

Set up Selenium with tools like Jenkins for continuous integration and delivery.

Automate test execution as part of your CI/CD pipeline.

Days 28–29: Distributed Testing with Selenium Grid

Set up Selenium Grid to run tests on multiple browsers and platforms simultaneously.

Day 30: Final Project

Choose a real-world application and create a comprehensive test suite. Use advanced techniques like POM, data-driven testing, and CI/CD integration.

Pro Tips for Success

Practice Daily: Dedicate 2–3 hours each day to coding and practicing on real websites.

Focus on Hands-On Learning: Write scripts regularly to strengthen your understanding.

Leverage Community Resources: Join forums and Selenium groups to troubleshoot and learn from others.

Stay Consistent: Stick to the timeline, even if progress feels slow.

Learning Selenium is an exciting journey that can significantly boost your career prospects. This timeline gives you a structured approach to mastering Selenium in just four weeks. From understanding the basics to handling advanced scenarios, you’ll be equipped to take on real-world web automation projects with confidence.

So, start today, follow this timeline, and watch yourself grow from a beginner to a Selenium pro in no time!

[21astor]

Portland’s NW Neighborhoods Are Quickly Becoming the Most Exciting Areas in PDX!

Incredibly Fun Things to Do

To say that the Northwest neighborhoods are a vibrant area is a bit of an understatement. At any given time, Portlanders have their pick of marvelous parks, entertainment venues, and cultural events. Here are a few of the local faves:

Jamison Park

This park boasts a cool fountain, tidal pool, and outdoor art gallery.

McMenamin’s Crystal Ballroom

This historic venue, which is about five minutes from our nob hill apartments, showcases some of the biggest music acts as well as themed dance parties.

First Thursdays

On the first Thursday of every month, PDX-ers enjoy an awesome gallery walk featuring art exhibits, wine, and live music.

The Brody Theater

A mecca of improv comedy, The Brody Theater offers up a good time with shows, open mics, and classes.

Amazing Places to Eat, Drink and Shop

BridgePort Brewing

A Portland original, BridgePort crafts brews and pub bites with deliciously fresh and locally-sourced ingredients.

Powell’s City of Books

A major benefit of living in Northwest District/Nob Hill zone is being super close to world-famous Powell’s. With millions of new and used books in their inventory, it’s a bibliophile’s paradise.

Marrakesh

Marrakesh is not just about the exceptional Moroccan fare. It also delights diners with talented belly dancers.

Java Hound Coffee Bar

Java Hound welcomes both humans and canines alike with scrumptious coffee, tea, pastries, and puppuccinos (dog treats floating in goat’s milk).

Incredible Urban Innovations

Portland has done a brilliant job of keeping up with economic growth and an increase in population. One example of this is the Portland Streetcar. No doubt the overall public transportation system in PDX is terrific, but the Streetcar is uniquely inventive for several reasons:

It was the country’s first modern streetcar

It’s an award-winning system

It’s easily accessible and links multiple Portland districts (yes, including Pearl)

It’s a cinch to use for PDX-ers and out-of-towners alike

It ingeniously utilizes unused railyards

It serves as a model for other cities

One of the Top Luxury Apartments in Portland

The Residences

Our 1 Bedroom luxury apartments Portland and 2 Bedroom luxury apartments Portland are designed to be spacious and contemporary with a high-end aesthetic. Units include tall ceilings, large windows, wrap-around kitchens, quartz Carrara countertops, stainless steel appliances, porcelain enamel tubs and showers, plenty of closet space, and serene color palettes.

Amenities

We understand what matters to Portlanders. Every day, our residents benefit from amenities like bike storage and maintenance spaces, a pet washing station, in-building parking, concierge and package receptions services, reserved storage, and dry-cleaning pick-up and drop-off lockers.

The Building

In order to rise above other luxury apartments close to Nob Hill Portland, we knew we had to impeccably blend modernity and beauty with environmental consciousness. The result — a LEED-certified, highly efficient building with features such as a gorgeous dark-red brick exterior, Neoclassical bay projections, and a lobby with Statuary Carrara Marble and a 24K white gold Bisazza mosaic.

The Northwest District has certainly earned its spot as one of the top places to live in Portland. (It’s no wonder why it was named one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world.) We’re ecstatic that this dynamic community has allowed us to provide our residents with a living experience that is unmatched by any other luxury apartments in PDX. But, you don’t just have to take our word for it. Why not come check it all out for yourself?

Connect with us to find out more about living in 21 Astor’s incredible PDX apartments!

[newmusicradionetwork]

Griefcat Announce The Release Of Late Stage Capitalism Out April 19

Annie Nardolilli and Louisa Hall, the masterminds behind DC duo Griefcat, are set to release their brilliant album Late Stage Capitalism, April 19.  They’ve been compared to Flight of the Conchords, Tenacious D, Norwegian duo Ylvis, and Garfunkel and Oates by fans but Griefcat brings their own unique voice to the genre. The nine tracks on Late Stage Capitalism range from flat out hilarious to unexpectedly thought provoking, each with a unique sound, beautifully blended harmonies, and brilliant lyrics all with an unpredictable twist.  The musicianship stands out on its own too; traditional instruments abound but you will also hear slide guitar, ukulele, trumpet, trombone, violin, and cello peppered throughout the album. Says the duo, “We are overjoyed to finally share these songs with the world! We’ve been working on this album since 2020, and it has been a labor of love to bring our full vision to fruition.” Late Stage Capitalism explores how unbridled capitalism has invaded every facet of modern life, from workplace politics to interpersonal relationships, and even our most private moments. They came up with the title in early 2020 when they wrote arguably their most well-known song on the album to date, “Revolution (Poop At Work),” a song about how even the smallest acts of defiance can be revolutionary, catapulted the duo to viral infamy and a strong following with over 25 million organic views of their videos, more than 15 million of those views for that song alone.  Even Questlovecommented on the song, saying “LOL I feel seen, I see my version as a political act.”  They’ve also received likes from SZA and actor Alan Tudyk for their posts, among others. Other songs on the album include “I Just Want To Get Inside (Your Bank Account),” an unanticipated, ‘90s-style love song with a hilarious contradiction between two women looking for two different things when it comes to a new relationship.  Are they looking for love or money? It also shines a light on dating culture and how much sensitive personal information we share online every day.  “Crytpobro” is a traditional country tune with all the makings of a hit song.  It’s a melodic, catchy, and current, and a breakup song about losing love, in this case to the cult of Cryptocurrency and the church of Elon Musk.  The opening track, “Benevolent Billionaire,” featuring standout vocalist Jarreau Williams along with many of DC’s brightest musical talent, is loosely based on ‘80s supergroup charity singles like “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and “We are the World.”  “Love The Sinner” was written while Annie was working as a deputy sheriff and was inspired by two narrow-minded coworkers she didn’t get along with. All these songs would never have existed if it weren’t for the mind melding of the opposites attract duo.  Annie, from Arlington, VA is a Mormon and former sheriff’s deputy while Louisa, from Alexandria, VA (now lives in Reston VA), is a long-time lapsed Catholic and a career tech employee.  That dichotomy in perspectives has been the key to the duo’s success both in songwriting and in their friendship.  They met at a DC-based variety show and were the only musicians in a group of comedians performing that night. They scheduled their first rehearsal, wrote a song about vaccines and egg rolls, and the rest is (recent) history. Now, with Late Stage Capitalism, Griefcat has all the potential to be more than just a musical act.  With each live show, they invite their audience to step inside their world, creating a fun and exciting atmosphere that becomes a universally shared experience for all.  Tour dates are listed below, more to be announced soon. Griefcat Tour Dates: Feb 08 – Pearl Street Warehouse, Washington, DC Feb 29 – Jammin Java, Vienna, VA Mar 16 – The Pocket, Washington City, DC Mar 21 – The Heist, Bowling Green, VA Griefcat Website Instagram TikTok Spotify YouTube Facebook #  #  # Read the full article

[mp3monsterme]

Java 21 & GraalVM -- lots to be excited about

Today, Java 21 has reached General Availability (GA) with some important new features in the language mainstream (i.e., not requiring preview flags enabled), and Oracle will be supporting Java 21 as a Long long-term support (guaranteed at least 3years of free support (2years to the next LTS + 1 yr overlap) and then for at least an additional 5 years under support subscription). Everyone is…

[datavalleyai]

Transforming Your Career with DevOps: Course Insights

Are you looking to transform your career as DevOps Engineer? Do you want to learn the skills and knowledge required to excel in the field of continuous development and deployment? If yes, then you have come to the right place.

In this article, we will discuss the importance of DevOps, the skills required to make a successful career in DevOps, career opportunities, salary potential, and how you can start your journey in DevOps. We’ll also share insights into Datavalley’s DevOps course to help you transform your DevOps career.

Rising Demand for DevOps

DevOps is revolutionizing software development and deployment in companies by eliminating the conflicts between development and operations teams, which was one of the main challenges that businesses faced for a long time. The demand for DevOps talent is rising rapidly, and leading job search portals like indeed.com have witnessed a 75% rise in listings of DevOps jobs, and social media sites like LinkedIn have recorded a 50% increase in mention of DevOps as a skill.

Skills Required for a Successful Career in DevOps

To make a successful career in DevOps, you need to have a combination of technical and soft skills. Some of the technical skills required for a career in DevOps include:

Knowledge of cloud computing platforms like AWS, Azure cloud services, and GCP (Google Cloud Computing Services) is essential for anyone in DevOps . These platforms offer a wide range of services, including compute, storage, networking, and databases. They can be used to build and deploy applications, store data, and manage infrastructure.

DevOps professionals need to have proficiency in programming languages like Python in Azure, Ruby, and Java.

DevOps professionals need experience with DevOps tools like Ansible, Chef, and Puppet because these tools help automate the process of software delivery and infrastructure management. This can help to speed up the delivery of new features and bug fixes, and can also help to reduce the risk of errors.

Orchestration and containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes are essential for managing and deploying applications in a distributed environment. Understanding of orchestration and containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes is a must for DevOps.

A good understanding of continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) tools like Jenkins and GitLab will be beneficial. CI/CD tools help automate the software development process, from building and testing code to deploying it to production.

In addition to technical skills, you also need to have soft skills like:

Collaboration and teamwork

Communication and interpersonal skills

Problem-solving and critical thinking

Adaptability and flexibility

Career Opportunities

DevOps offers a wide range of career opportunities in various industries and domains. As companies continue to adopt DevOps practices, the demand for DevOps professionals is expected to rise in the coming years. They can be employed in a variety of industries, including:

Finance

Healthcare

Retail

Technology

Organizations seek individuals who can seamlessly bridge the gap between development and operations, ensuring efficient and reliable software delivery. DevOps professionals are currently in high demand across various industries.

DevOps professionals can work in various roles, including

DevOps engineer

Cloud Engineer

Automation Engineer

DevOps architect

DevOps consultant

DevOps manager

Salary Potential

DevOps salaries are rising as demand for these professionals grows. Industry reports suggest that DevOps engineers can command competitive salaries, often surpassing those of traditional IT roles. Your earning potential is likely to increase significantly as you gain experience and expertise in DevOps.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that the number of software developer jobs will increase by 21% between 2018 and 2028, which is more than the average growth rate for all occupations.

How to Start Your Journey in DevOps

If you are interested in starting your journey in DevOps, there are various resources available to help you get started. One of the best ways to start your journey in DevOps is by enrolling in a DevOps training course that offers a complete learning path. Datavalley offers a comprehensive DevOps course that covers all the essential topics required to make a successful career in DevOps. The course is designed to offer a real-world, practical understanding of continuous development and deployment, automation of configuration management, and monitoring using a wide range of tools and technologies.

Join Datavalley’s DevOps Course

To accelerate your journey to becoming a DevOps engineer, consider joining Datavalley’s Microsoft Azure DevOps Solutions Masters Program. Our program is designed to equip beginners with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in DevOps roles. We offer:

Comprehensive curriculum covering essential DevOps concepts and tools

Hands-on experience through practical projects and exercises

Multiple Experts For Each Course

Scholarship benefits on all courses

Certificate of completion

Resume preparation

Career support, including job placement assistance

On-call project support for up to 3 months

Conclusion

DevOps is more than just a set of practices. It’s a philosophy that can transform your career and help you succeed in the fast-paced and competitive tech landscape. By enrolling in the DevOps DevOps Solutions Masters Program at DataValley, you equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this exciting field. Make the most of this chance to take your career to the next level. Join DataValley today and start your DevOps journey. Your future self will thank you.

[elgarnaouicom]

Exploring the Exciting Java 21 New Features

Introduction: Java 21 has landed, bringing along a treasure trove of new features and enhancements designed to streamline development workflows and empower Java programmers worldwide. In this comprehensive blog post, we’ll explore each of the exciting new features introduced in Java 21, accompanied by code examples to illustrate their practical applications. Let’s embark on a journey through the…

[lboogie1906]

Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966) known professionally as DJ Premier (known as Preemo), is a record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr—alongside the rapper Guru—and presently forms half of the hip hop duo PRhyme, together with Royce da 5’9”.

He was born in the Fifth Ward of Houston. He was raised in Prairie View, before moving to Brooklyn, during his teenage years. He attended Prairie View A&M University, where he honed his musical skills as the campus DJ, and he occasionally performed with the Marching Storm band.

He is known for producing all of Gang Starr’s songs as well as many of those composed by the Gang Starr Foundation. Notable artists he has worked with include Anderson. Paak, AZ, Big Daddy Kane, Big L, Blaq Poet, Bun B, Canibus, Christina Aguilera, Common, Cormega, D’Angelo, Dilated Peoples, D.I.T.C., Dr. Dre, Fat Joe, The Game, Ill Bill, J. Cole, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Joey Bada$$, Kanye West, KRS-One, The Lady of Rage, Limp Bizkit, Lord Finesse, The LOX, Ludacris, Mac Miller, Mobb Deep, M.O.P., Mos Def, Eminem, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., O.C., Papoose, Rakim, Royce da 5’9”, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit and more.

He collaborated with MC Jeru the Damaja on the album The Sun Rises in the East, released in 1994, as well as the 1996 follow-up, Wrath of the Math. He produced and supervised Livin’ Proof by Group Home, from the Gang Starr Foundation; although overlooked at the time of its 1995 release, the album received acclaim.

As a businessman, he has a record company named Year Round Records. Among its artists are New York group NYGz, New Jersey rapper Nick Javas, and Houston rapper Khaleel. The Blaqprint by Blaq Poet, which features 13 Premier productions, was released by Year Round Records through Fat Beats Records in June 2009. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[mihirprajapati]

Exploring Java 21: Unleashing Exciting New Features

Introduction: Java, the beloved programming language that has been the backbone of countless applications for decades, continues to evolve with each new release. Java 21, the latest installment in the Java family, brings with it a host of exciting features that promise to make coding in Java more efficient, expressive, and enjoyable than ever before. In this blog, we'll take a journey through the most intriguing features of Java 21, making sure that you not only understand them but also get excited to start using them in your own projects.

Pattern Matching for instanceof: Java 21 introduces a significant enhancement to the instanceof operator with the introduction of pattern matching. No more casting and boilerplate code! Now you can directly extract and use the casted value within a single line of code. Let's see how it works: if (object instanceof String s) { System.out.println("Length of the string is " + s.length()); } 

Sealed Classes: Sealed classes allow you to control which classes can be subclasses, enhancing encapsulation and security. By declaring a class as sealed, you can specify which other classes or interfaces can extend it. This feature helps prevent unexpected subclasses that could break your class's contract. example: sealed class Shape permits Circle, Square { // … } 

Records Improvements: Records were introduced in Java 16, simplifying the creation of classes primarily used for data storage. In Java 21, they've been further improved with the ability to add custom methods. This means you can maintain the simplicity of a record while adding business logic to it. example: record Person(String name, int age) { // Automatically generated constructor, getters, equals, hashCode, and toStringpublic boolean isAdult() { return age >= 18; }

4. Enhanced Switch Expressions: Java 21 builds on the enhanced switch expressions introduced in previous versions by allowing multiple case labels to be combined into a single block. This makes your code more concise and readable. example:

int dayOfWeek = 3; String dayName = switch (dayOfWeek) { case 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 -> "Weekday"; case 6, 7 -> "Weekend"; default -> "Unknown"; };

5. Foreign Function & Memory API: Java 21 introduces the Foreign Function and Memory API, which enables you to interact with native code and memory in a safer and more controlled way. This feature opens up new possibilities for integrating with existing C/C++ libraries and optimizing performance-critical parts of your applications. 

Conclusion: Java 21 brings a fresh wave of innovation to the world of Java programming. With features like pattern matching, sealed classes, enhanced records, and improved switch expressions, your code will become more concise, readable, and maintainable. Additionally, the Foreign Function and Memory API offer new opportunities for performance optimization and integration with native code.

As you delve into Java 21's new features, remember that these enhancements are designed to make your coding experience more enjoyable and productive. Embrace them, experiment with them, and unlock the full potential of Java in your next project. Happy coding!

[livrosjava]

Learning Java

Ideal for working programmers new to Java, this best-selling book guides you through the language features and APIs of Java 21. Through fun, compelling, and realistic examples, authors Marc Loy, Patrick Niemeyer, and Dan Leuck introduce you to Java's fundamentals, including its class libraries, programming techniques, and idioms, with an eye toward building real applications. https://bit.ly/43IkrWr

[neyatimes]

JDK 21: The new features in Java 21

The feature set for Java Development Kit (JDK) 21, due September 19 as the next long-term support (LTS) release of Oracle’s standard Java implementation, is officially frozen. Java 21 will have 15 features, as a previously proposed 16th feature, the experimental Shenandoah garbage collector, was dropped last month. The 15 features that made the final cut range from previews of string templates…

[berrynarrybanana]

Deck the Halls - pt. 1

A/N: Ummmm.....so this is kind of like a Christmas fic, but it turned out very different than I expected it to. It’s more of a...wintery suspense type thing with an actual lengthy as fuck plot, but the romance is strong from the beginning. I tried to keep it in one post, but the word count is simply too much for me to put in one post. I plan on updating everything that I have so that you all can indulge in the story while I finish it up. I know that this might not be everyone’s cup of hot chocolate, but I hope that some of you enjoy it! I haven’t really done anything of this nature before, so I’m kind of nervous about the whole thing. I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday, and I can’t wait for us to ring in the new year together! I love you all loads! 

Word Count: 7.3k

Warnings: Mentions of death, violence, smut, fluff....other things i can’t remember at this moment? 

November 1

Harry is walking through the snow. 

The soft sound of snow crunching under his boots and the wind whipping around him is all that he can hear at first. He feels cold, but he’s been colder than this. His hand feels warm, though his hands are bare. He glances down, his eyes locking on an emerald green mitten. He feels the fingers in the mitten flex, gripping his hand tightly. He trails his eyes up the arm covered in a light green coat, freezing when he sees the curly tendrils of snow white hair draped over her shoulder. He knows instantly who it is, and he knows exactly how this dream will end. 

When his eyes finally land on rich, berry red lips, he feels his breath catch in his throat. He’s never seen her face before this. She’s usually drowning by the time he gets to the lake, already under the block of ice as the man with blue hair holds her under. He can’t help but stare, taking in the beautiful and ethereal features of her face. It’s almost as if she isn’t real at all, from the color of her skin to the pointed tips of her ears. The hair was strange, but he’d gotten used to the beyond platinum shade over the years. It wasn’t so shocking to him anymore. 

Harry turns his attention from the girl when he hears a twig snap, his gaze dropping to the snow covered floor of the forest they've been walking through. He wasn’t sure why they were walking in the woods, or where they were going, but he was happy to be spending time by her side. He was happy that he wasn’t watching her die for once, her beautiful face still full of life as her lips moved. She was talking, but he couldn’t hear a word that she said. All he could hear was the wind and the snow, a whistle and a crunch echoing in his ears as if he had winter sounds playing from a quality stereo. 

He hated that he couldn’t hear her.

He hated that he didn’t know where they were going. 

But suddenly, it all becomes clear. 

The lake. 

“Don’t.” Harry croaks out through chapped lips, squeezing her fingers in an attempt to get her attention. Her lips stop moving as he pulls her closer, but she offers him a sad smile. “We shouldn’t-”

“It’s alright.” He can finally hear her voice, the sound something akin to Christmas bells being softly run in the middle of the night. “We have to go.”

“You can hear me.” He breathes out, his eyes stinging due to the wind, and the inevitable tragedy that’s about to occur. “You can hear me and I can hear you.”

“I guess so.” She glances up, an amused smile curling the corners of her lips as she hums out. 

When she looks back down at Harry, he loses his breath. 

“What’s your name?” She asks, turning her back towards the lake, giving him her full attention.

“Harry.” He whispers the word, almost as if he’s afraid for anyone else to hear it. “I...who are you?” 

“I can’t tell you.” He watches her face fall, her expression going dismal. “But I want to.”

“You can tell me anything.” He moves closer, squeezing her fingers. “Talk to me, love.” 

“I can’t say it.” Her brows furrow in frustration. “It won’t come out, no matter how hard I try to say it.”

“Why is this happening to us?” He presses, moving his feet closer. “Why do you drown every single time? Why can’t I save you?”

“I don’t know.” She glances down, her cheeks losing their glow. “I wish that you could save me, Harry.”

“I’ll try harder this time.” He gulps, his throat tightening as tears threaten his eyes. “I’ll try harder to save you, I promise.”

“But you won’t save me.” She looks up, her own eyes glossed over with unshed tears. “It’s okay, Harry. It was meant to be this way.”

“No, I don’t believe it.” He shakes his head. “I can save you.”

She shakes her head, slowly backing away from him. 

“We have to go now.” She says softly, her feet carrying her towards the iced over lake. 

Harry notices a pair of skates dangling over her shoulders. 

“No, don’t go.” He reaches out for her, but she continues to move away. “Don’t leave me.”

“I have to.” She steps onto the ice, the soft cracking noises causing Harry’s eyes to grow wide with panic. “Save me, Harry.” 

And just like that, it’s all over.

November 2 Harry’s POV - Age 21 

Harry pushes the door to Paradise Records open, watching a few flakes of paint fall to the concrete stoop outside of his shop. He made a mental note to buy some paint to touch up the door before the holiday season started. 

He could feel the frustration creeping up his spine at the mere thought of Christmas, and it was times like these that he wished the world had sympathy for those who hated the holiday.  He hated to give into the global phenomenon, but it did bring in enough business and revenue to keep the shop afloat until the annual summer sale rolled around in June. 

He sipped at his bitter, black coffee, walking into the record store with a relieved sigh. This was truly his paradise where he escaped from the demons that haunted his mind. For a split second, he was finally at peace after the grueling nightmare he endured. That peace was quickly disturbed by the jingling of bells from the front door, causing Harry to frown as he turned on his heels. 

“Another beautiful day in paradise, eh boss!” Niall clapped his hand down on Harry’s shoulder on his way towards the checkout counter, causing Harry to bite back a whine of discomfort. “How are you today?”

There were knots in Harry’s shoulders causing him pain, and most of them were caused by the cheery Irish lad pushing behind the checkout counter.

“Good morning, Niall.” Harry turned towards the boy with a sarcastic smile. “Why are you always so bloody loud.”

 “You knew I was loud when ya’ hired me, I put it under my strengths on my job application.” Niall called out as he walked through the beaded curtain to the back office, whistling a tune that made Harry’s ears ache. 

“I didn’t know that you were a fucking foghorn, mate.” Harry hiked his leather bag higher up on his shoulder, fighting off a yawn as he followed slowly in Niall’s footsteps. 

“Did you have a long night?” Niall popped out from the beaded curtain, causing Harry to jump as he made it behind the counter. “You look exhausted.”

“Yeah, long night.” Harry grumbled, shutting the employee gate at the end of the counter. “You watch the front for a few hours, I’ve got some paperwork to catch up on.”

“Sure.” Niall nodded as Harry pushed through the curtain. “If you need anymore coffee, just let Mitch know. He’s stopping at Java Java before he comes in.”

Harry pulled out his phone, typing a quick text telling Mitch not to get Niall coffee. 

He didn’t need any more energy. 

He needed a proper nights rest.

Harry sat down at his desk, putting his coffee by his keyboard with a heavy sigh. 

There wasn’t enough espresso in the world to fix the aching in his head caused by the nightmare he had last night. In the sixteen years that he’d been having the recurring nightmare, he was never able to talk to her in the dream. He was still haunted by the beautiful sound of her voice when she spoke to him, but he was mostly haunted by the sound of her desperate pleas for help. But his feet were frozen solid to the ground as the man with ice blue hair held her under the water. He emerged from the cracks in the ice this time, pulling the girl under with him as she screamed for her life. Harry remembers screaming for her until his throat was sore, but when he woke up this morning, he felt fine. 

Harry brushed his palms over his face, inhaling sharply as he tried to push the image of her face from his mind. He didn’t need to spend the rest of his day thinking about her. He needed to get to work. There was a lot that he needed to do in preparation for Christmas. Every single year, parents and Uni students would come into Paradise Records and buy out his record players, and usually all of his Christmas albums. He’d already pre-ordered Christmas albums, but he needed to get in contact with the shipping company and the manufacturer to make sure they all arrived on time for the Christmas sale. 

“Hey boss,” Niall’s sudden shout made Harry flinch, muttering a curse under his breath at the Irish lad. “Gemma is here.”

“Tell her to come back.” Harry called back, reaching into his bag in search of his glasses with his left hand while he booted up his computer with his right hand. 

He hated wearing glasses, but Gemma bought them for him last Christmas when he opened the shop, insisting that they would improve the quality of his eyesight by blocking out the blue light in most devices. He did notice a slight difference in the quality of his vision after using them. 

“Look at you, a dapper young man in his glasses.” Gemma pushed Noah’s pram into Harry’s office, the toddler screeching out the second his eyes landed on his uncle. “Alright, young man, Mum isn’t superwoman. I can’t move that fast.”

“You have five seconds to hand me my nephew before I start screaming with him.” Harry teased, looking at Noah with a wide smile. “I’ve missed you, mate.”

“It’s been three days, not three months.” Gemma huffed out, unbuckling the straps on the pram until Noah was free of restraint. “Alright, you can stop your crying now dove, uncle knobhead is right here.” 

Harry scowled at his sister, leaning up to grab his nephew by the waist with ease.

“Harry.” Noah screeched, patting his palms against Harry’s cheeks. “Hi.”

“Hi, bubba.” Harry kissed over Noah’s face, causing him to giggle out as Gemma found a seat on the opposite side of Harry’s desk. “You know he’s not going to leave here without throwing a fit, right?”

“I know.” Gemma let out a breathy laugh laced with frustration. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“You’re welcome.” Harry settled Noah in his lap, resting his hand on Noah’s lap so that he could entertain himself by playing with the rings on his uncle’s fingers. “What brings you by?”

“I just wanted to talk to you about Christmas.” Gemma said softly, watching Harry’s face change from curious to furious in two seconds flat. “I know, you still don’t feel ready to celebrate after Mum and Dad, but I think we should start easing back into it. Noah is getting older, and we’ve got friends who-”

“I’ll do it for Noah, but I don’t want to celebrate with other people.” Harry interrupted. “I still don’t get how can you be okay with it, Gemma? They died because of some stupid Christmas tradition.”

“So are we supposed to hate pancakes now?” She tossed her hands up with an eye roll. “You drive a bloody car, don’t you? The pancakes didn’t kill them, Harry. Some reckless driver knocked into their car.”

“It’s not-”

“You’re being childish, Harry.” Gemma snapped at her younger brother, shaking her head. “Christmas isn’t the thing that killed Mum and Dad. I know that it sucks, having the anniversary of their death on your favorite holiday, but you have to deal with this. You can’t keep pushing it off like this.”

“I can, and I will.” He said, clearing his throat as his sister shook her head. “I don’t want to be happy without them on such a terrible day, Gemma.”

“I really think you should talk to someone about this.” She sighed, brushing her palms over her thighs. “I think it would do you some good to work out the issues you have surrounding this whole thing. I’ve been talking to someone since it happened, and it’s really helped me cope.”

“I don’t need help.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s fine, Gemma.”

“It’s not fine, and the fact that you don’t seem to realize that worries me the most.” She whispered. “You’re drowning in your own grief, and I can’t save you.”

Harry froze, his eyes snapping back to his sister. 

“What did you just say to me?” He asked her, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I said it’s like you’re drowning in your own grief.” She said slowly, tilting her head with narrowed eyes as Harry stared back at her like she’d stepped on his foot. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Because…..” He paused, licking over his bottom lip as he inhaled sharply, shaking his head. It was best not to mention the nightmares, or the girl. “Nothing.”

“There you go again.” She let out a bitter laugh, smacking her thighs. “You can’t keep everything bottled in forever, Harry.” 

But this, I should keep bottled in. 

“It seems to be working out alright.” Harry shrugged, searching for something to change the subject. “How are we on presents for little man this year? Did you get everything on your list?”

“Yeah, nearly.” Gemma mumbled, picking at a loose strand of thread on her scarf. “Niall has helped me get most of the shopping done when I’m at work. He’s truly a godsend, Harry. I’m so happy he lives close by, and that Noah loves him.”

Harry narrowed his eyes at his sister, previous suspicions about Niall and Gemma creeping back into his mind. He always knew there was something between the two, but he could never get a straight answer out of either of them on their feelings. Gemma swore that he was only a friend, and a good neighbor. Niall swore that he only hung around Gemma to hang out with Noah. Harry pressed his lips together, watching as Gemma’s cheeks turned pink, the soft color giving away their secrets in an instant. Normally, she was better at hiding it. 

“What?” She squeaked out, shifting in her chair.

“You slept with Niall, didn't you?” Harry said slowly, his eyes narrowing. “You finally bit the bullet and slept with him.”

“Harry, Noah is right there.” Gemma’s eyes grew wide. “Don’t say things like that in front of him!”

“Don’t be a hypocrite, Gemma! Who was watching Noah when you were getting it on with Niall of all people!” Harry asked, his brows lifting up towards his hairline. “Noah doesn’t know what that means, calm down.”

Gemma snapped her mouth shut, sinking in her chair. 

Harry wasn’t really mad, but he enjoyed teasing Gemma. 

Niall was a good guy. 

“My poor nephew.” Harry tutted, shaking his head before he pressed a kiss to the soft ginger hair on top of Noah’s head. “I’m so sorry, buddy. I’ll make sure to dock Niall’s pay to help out with the therapy you’re going to need when you’re older.” 

“Alright, we get it.” Gemma grumbled, crossing her arms with a frown. “I’m a terrible mother and a horrible sister.” 

“Hey.” Harry snapped, turning his attention back towards his sister with furrowed brows and a deep frown. “I never said that, and I never will. I’m only teasing you because you slept with fucking lucky charms out there, I’m not shaming you as a woman or a mother in anyway. You’re allowed to have fun, Gemma.”

“I know.” Her lips curved into a smile as her brother nodded, glancing at Noah as the toddler tried to pull off his Grateful Dead ring. It seemed to be his nephew’s favorite ring, and Harry couldn’t wait until Noah was old enough to wear it himself. “I’ve raised you well.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Harry rolled his eyes with a playful snort. “I just don’t want to hear about you and Niall’s sex life ever again, capiche?”

“Got it.” She nodded, trying not to smile. “He’s a really good guy, Harry, and I really like him a lot. I would also love it if he could spend Christmas with us.”

Realization dawned over Harry as he looked at his sister. 

So that’s what this is about. 

“You want him to spend Christmas with the three of us?” Harry asked. “Like, as a family?”

“We’re gonna ease Niall into it, but I think so.” She softly laughed. “Noah adores him, Harry, and quite frankly so do I.”

Harry bit the inside of his cheek, looking down at his nephew with hesitation. 

These two were all that he had left in the world, and bloody Niall was trying to take them away. 

But maybe she needed someone like Niall in her life to balance out all of the bad that loomed over her head. The Irishman was supportive, and positive no matter what situation he was in. He was loyal and kind to everyone he met, and he was honest, and genuinely the best at giving advice. Harry hated to admit it, but Niall was everything Harry used to be. He couldn’t be that positive influence that his sister and nephew needed anymore, but Niall could. 

So maybe he needed to let them move on. 

“Yeah.” Harry whispered. “I’ll think about it, okay?” 

“Okay.” Gemma smiled. “That’s all I’m asking.”

“I can’t believe-”

“Oh, actually-” Gemma held up her hand, interrupting Harry. “I am also asking that you won’t kill him when I leave.” 

“That’s asking a lot.” Harry blew out a breath, shaking his head. “I’m definitely allowed at least one punch, Gemma. My best mate slept with my sister, c’mon.”

“Please don’t punch him, he bruises like a peach.” Gemma groaned.

“How do you know that?” Harry’s brows lifted before they fell, a look of disgust washing over his face as Gemma pressed her lips together. “That’s fucking gross! I didn’t need to know that!”

“I’m sorry!” 

“Did you tell him?” Niall’s head poked into Harry’s office. “Did he call me his best mate a second ago?”

“I’m going to punch you.” Harry lifted his free hand, pointing at Niall. “You’re lucky I have Noah in my lap, mate.”

“But I bruise like a peach!” Niall looked at Gemma with wide eyes. “Did ya tell him, love?”

“I did.” She nodded, but she pursed her lips in defeat. “I can’t help you with this one, Ni.”

“Oh, for fucks sake.” Niall groaned. “I knew I should have taken those self defense classes with you Gem.”

Harry watched Niall sulk out of his office, Gemma glaring at Harry before she got up to follow her new loverboy. Harry rolled his eyes before glancing down to Noah. The toddler dropped his head back against Harry’s chest, lifting his uncle’s hand up to chew on one of his fingers with a sparkle in his eyes. 

“This is your fault, mate.” Harry said softly, not a stitch of malice in his voice. “I’m only agreeing to this because I love you more than anyone else in the world, and I expect you to change my nappies in return when I’m old, do you hear me?”

“Harry.” Noah gurgled out, a gummy smile melting Harry’s fake stern expression. “Harry, hi!”

“I love you.” Harry pressed soft kisses all over Noah’s face. “You’re my favorite human... even if you don’t have any teeth.”

November 3 Holland’s POV 

Holland felt like she was going to vomit as she walked through the halls of Santa’s workshop. 

As the elves watched her with judgmental, licorice colored eyes, her palms started to sweat, and her feet moved faster. Her father requested her for an urgent meeting, but Holland truly had no idea what it could be about. She hadn’t told anyone about her dreams, afraid that people would think she was crazy for having them. She was used to the dreams, but last night’s dream put her on edge. Something was different about the situation, and it wasn’t just the fact that she knew the boy’s name. 

For the first time since they started, she saw his face. 

She would admit without shame that she would die over and over again in her dream if it meant she could look at him. His hair was shoulder length and the strands curled up at the end. He had a beautiful set of candy pink lips that Holland wanted to taste with her own, and gorgeous jade eyes that were almost translucent. She spent most of her nightmare staring into them, trying to see into his soul as if it would help her find him. 

But it didn’t work. 

He was still just a stranger to her. 

A stranger named Harry.

As she approached her father’s office, she felt her palms become slicker than they were before as her heart pounded faster and faster in her chest. She reached down for the doorknob, turning it before she pushed the heavy wooden door open. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed the three, ominous figures standing off to the side of her father’s desk. The vibe that they gave off sent shivers down her spine as the little hairs on her arm stuck up to warn her of danger. 

“Come in.” Her father ushered her in, and Holland’s feet followed the command without hesitation. “Holland, I would like for you to meet the Council of Elders.”

“Hello.” Holland offered them a small wave, her body shrinking nervously as they glared back at her. 

Their dark robes were just as creepy as the large, wooden walking sticks they carried. 

“Young child.” One of the men spoke up, holding his hand out to her. “Give me your hand.”

Holland looked towards her father, afraid to take a stranger’s hand. 

“Go on, Holland.” Her father said. “Do as they ask, my dear. I promise that they won’t hurt you.”

Holland moved closer to the man with jet black hair, sliding her fingers into his palm. 

A shock greeted her senses, causing her to gasp and jump. 

“It’s alright.” The man whispered. “Close your eyes, show me what you see.”

When Holland obeyed his order, Holland thought of the lake.

Her entire dream played out in her head, almost as if it were on a television screen instead of in her mind. The closer they got towards the end, the harder Holland gripped the man’s hand in her own. The end was the part that she hated the most, the part that tore her apart. 

“Holland, baby, please breathe for me.” Harry’s palms brushed over her cheeks, tears streaming down his own as he tried to bring her back to life. “I need you to wake up, Holland! I need you.”

The dream finished with Holland on the ice, Harry sobbing into her neck. 

He did know her name. 

“My, my, my.” The man spoke, tutting his tongue. “It seems that I was right after all.”

“Right about what?” Holland whispered, blinking her eyes rapidly in attempts to clear the tears from her vision. “How did you know about my nightmares?”

“Because I rule them, my dear.” The man spoke. “I’m Morpheus, the god of dreams.”

“Oh.” She whispered, still in shock. “You make those happen?”’

“Most dreams are of my creation, but not yours.” He said. “Your nightmare is crafted at the hand of someone else, a master manipulator that has conned his way into using someone else’s magic.” 

“Morpheus, I would like to know what in the sleigh bells is going on with my daughter-”

“Kristopher, this is not your place.” The shortest of the three men hissed, his chubby cheeks turning red. 

“Now, now…” The only woman spoke up, a sly smirk on her black painted lips. “Erotes, Kristopher is merely concerned for his offspring.”

“If he was concerned about her well being, Ma’at, he would not have split her from the boy-”

“Erotes.” Morpheus drawled out. “He could not have known about the boy.

“He should have known.” Erotes turned back to Holland, offering her a soft smile. “To be parted from the other half of one’s soul is a pain I would not wish on my worst enemies. I sincerely apologize on behalf of myself for letting you be away from him for so long.”

“I don’t understand.” Holland looked from Erotes to Morpheus, her brow furrowed. “What does-”

“Things have changed, haven’t they?” The man hummed out as if Holland were a specimen that he was examining in a lab instead of a girl. 

“He knows my name.” She whispered. “And I know his name.”

“And you didn’t know it before.” The man narrowed his dark eyes, staring at her with a curious grin. “How is that, little elf?”

“I don’t know.” She tried to pull her hand back, but the man kept her fingers in a tight hold. “I just...I had the first dream when I was five, and it’s always been the same up until last week. It was all the same until suddenly I saw his face, clearer than it’s ever been before. I said his name like I’d known it all along and then….when I was drowning I saw him for the first time.”

Holland cleared her throat as it started to tighten, trying to regain her voice.

“You saw who did it.” The man spoke. “You know who it is that is trying to kill you both?”

“I do.” She nodded, licking over her lips nervously. “It’s Jack Frost.”

“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Kris spoke up from his desk, his chair scraping across the wooden floor as he stood up. “What does Frost have to do with this?”

“The boy that you exposed yourself to as Santa sixteen years ago on Christmas night is your daughter’s other half.” Erotes said. “They are two souls created from the same star, the brightest star, and their love for each other has been tainted by your ignorance. The moment you laid eyes on the boy, you should have contacted me.”

“He reminded me of Holland, but I didn’t...” Kris said. “He had that same glow that she has in her eyes, I remember that much about him.”

“Their souls were forged from the ash of the Christmas star.” Morpheus said. “Other than you and your son, these two are the last people on earth with true Christmas spirit and it is their job as children of the Christmas star to instill that spirit into the souls of everyone they meet.”

“Jack Frost wishes to kill them both to absorb that power for a different use, of course.” Ma’at spoke up, drawing Holland’s eyes from Morpheus. “In the wrong hands, their power can be used for evil things.”

“When Frost kills them both, he will kill Christmas.” Erotes tutted. “We wouldn’t want that to happen, Kringle. The humans wouldn’t know what to do without Christmas, it would be horrible.”

“So what do we do?” Holland looked at Morpheus, swallowing around the lump in her throat as he looked down at her. 

“We must keep an eye on Jack Frost.” Morpheus spoke. “And you must find your soulmate. He has suffered great tragedy, and his Christmas spirit is nearly gone. You must save him, and restore his power if you wish to properly fight for your lives.”

“Both souls must be pure in order for you to fight Jack Frost and his twisted magic.” Ma’at said. 

“You must go to him, Holland.” Erotes said. “You must be by your beloved.” 

“I don’t have any clue how to survive in the real world.” She shook her head. “And I don’t know where to find him, or how I would even begin to restore his Christmas spirit. I’ve never been trained on that kind of thing.” 

“Look at me, Holland.” Morpheus snapped. “I have faith in your ability to do this without failing, but my faith in you is nothing if you don’t believe in yourself. Let that be the lesson you learn during this mission of yours.”

“Without Christmas, the rest of us will cease to exist.” Ma’at said. “The entire world of magic relies on you.”

“I will take you to him in six days time.” Erotes said. “He is in London.”

She swallowed, clenching her fingers into fists at her side. 

“Alright.” She said softly. “What do I need to do to prepare myself?”

“There is a book you must read.” Morpheus said. “I will send it to you as soon as I return to my own realm. You need to practice your Christmas magic, little elf.”

When Holland blinked, the council of elders was gone without a trace.

She turned around to her Father with wide eyes, her mouth open in shock. 

“What in the sugar plum just happened?” 

November 7 Harry’s POV

Harry felt like he was one gust of winter wind away from falling over. 

The lack of sleep was starting to catch up to him as the days grew shorter and the nights colder. 

Fighting off sleep to avoid the violent dreams that plagued his mind at night wasn’t helping, because no matter how hard he tried to fight it off with caffeine, or cold showers, he ended up falling into the ominous forest in his mind where he would inevitably watch the girl die the same way that she always did. But the blue haired man was getting bolder, taunting Harry with icy smirks and snide remarks. Harry could never retaliate with his feet frozen solid to the forest ground however. His eyes were always glued to the girl with snow white hair as she cried his name out, his heart breaking in his chest as he accepted the cruel fate bestowed upon them. 

She was fighting so hard to stay alive, and it killed Harry knowing that it was never enough. He spent a lot of time trying to convince himself that it was just a nightmare, something that the darkest parts of his brain conjured up to punish him. But with each passing night that he stared into the girls eyes, he started to think that he was wrong about that. His brain didn’t conjure this dream up at all, it was real. It made him feel insane, of course, thinking that some recurring dream with two strangers in it wasn’t a dream at all, but a reality. But he couldn’t shake the feeling in the pit of his stomach that this was a premonition, not a figment of his imagination. 

That girl was real, and Harry cared for her. 

They weren’t just friends in the nightmares, they were lovers.

At this point, he was considering committing himself to an insane asylum so that he didn’t end up accidentally telling someone about these dreams. If he told anyone, they would surely look at him like he was loony, and he couldn’t really blame them. It was a weird situation, and he didn’t have anyone he could confide in. 

“Why do you look like you’re in pain?” Niall nudged Harry’s foot with his own, lifting his pint up to his lips as Harry snapped out of his thoughts. “You’ve been staring at the table for like, five solid minutes. Do you have heartburn or something?” 

“I don’t have heartburn, you prick.” Harry rolled his eyes, grabbing his own pint from the table before he tipped it back. “I’m still upset with you for sleeping with my sister.”

“Here it goes.” Mitch inhaled, trying not to laugh as he reached for his whiskey. “Styles, I don’t think talking about your sister’s sex life with your best mate, while your drunk, is a good idea.”

“Yeah, what Mitch said.” Niall shifted uncomfortable as Harry slapped on a fake scowl, sending it towards the blonde boy. “You’ve already threatened to punch me-”

“I’m still going to.” Harry said plainly. “Of all the women in the world, you had to pick my sister.”

“Mitchell, help me.” Niall whined, glancing over at the brunette with desperate eyes. “I don’t want to die tonight.”

“I don’t think that I can help you.” Mitch shrugged his shoulders, catching the wink Harry sent his way. “He might actually kill you.”

“I might.” Harry shrugged, sipping at his beer. “I might save it for a rainy day, who knows?”

“Jesus.” Niall scoffed, shaking his head. “I better call my Ma and tell her I love her then.”

“Niall, I’m kidding.” Harry laughed, shaking his head. “I’m happy for you both. I think you’re good for her, even if I hate to admit it.”

“Really?” Niall let out a sigh. “Because I really like her.” 

“I know that you do.” Harry nodded, sitting his pint glass on the table. “And I know that you love Noah just as much as you love her.”

“I really do.” Niall’s lips curved up in a secret smile. “They make me happy.” 

“And the end of the day, that’s all we can really ask for.” Harry shrugged his shoulders. "But I don't want to hear anymore about how you bruise like a peach or what you get up to in your spare time.” 

“That’s fair enough.” Niall nodded.

Harry lifted his pint glass, downing what was left before he stood up. 

“Where are you going?” Niall’s brows furrowed. “It’s still early!”

“I’ve got to open the shop tomorrow.” Harry reached for his jacket, sliding his arms in. “I don’t want to be late….or hungover.”

“I think you’ll already be hungover.” Mitch laughed. “I can open if you’d like me to, I don’t have any plans tomorrow.”

“Nah, you spend time working on those guitar skills, shredder.” Harry stuffed his hands in his pockets as he looked at Niall. “And you, treat my sister to breakfast or something you lowlife.”

“Will do.” Niall laughed, his cheeks turning pink. “We’ll drop something off for you with Noah?”

“I’d like that.” Harry mumbled, offering Niall a tight lipped smile. “Alright lads, you be good.”

“Same to you.” 

Harry waved at his friends before he made his way out of the pub. 

He walked towards the end of the street, looking both ways before he ran across. 

His building wasn’t far from the pub, but the wind whipping around made it feel like a twenty mile trek in the tundra. Harry was shivering by the time he made it into his building, his feet carrying him slowly through the lobby and towards the lift. He stepped in, using his elbow to press the button to his floor as his teeth started to chatter. The landlord was going to get an earful about the temperature inside the building tomorrow, Harry would make sure of it. 

He stepped off of the lift, fumbling his fingers around in his pocket until he made contact with his keys. He pulled them out, glancing down until he found the one that opened his flat. As he walked down the hall, his mind went back to the girl. He could almost smell her familiar scent in the air, berries and clove filling his senses with every step he took. He was sure one of the ladies that lived down his hall was burning a winter candle with the same scent. 

It was the only explanation. 

When he made it towards his door, he heard a soft gasp. 

He lifted his head up, his eyes growing wide as he saw the girl from his dreams standing right across the hall from his flat. She was staring at him, her pine colored eyes wide with disbelief and her berry red lips parted with shock. Her hair wasn’t as white as he remembered, more honey colored tones tied into the strands to compliment her skin. Harry stopped in his tracks, his heart slamming against his rib cage as she blinked rapidly, shaking her head as if she were trying to bring herself back into reality. 

Harry swallowed around the nerves in his throat as he took one step forward. 

Just as his foot landed on the ground, she fell to the floor. 

Harry felt like he lost all of the air in his lungs, vivid visions of her body falling through the ice playing through his mind. But this time, he could do something about it. He rushed forward, grabbing her arms with his palms to lift her up as her head lolled back. She was limp, her body heavy and warm in his hands. He was shocked by just how warm she was, her skin was usually ice cold by the time that he got to her. He felt the tears blurring his eyes as she lay there. 

“No, no.” He shook his head. “Get up!” 

Her eyes snapped open at that, the dark shade of green greeting Harry like a breath of fresh air. 

He was stone cold sober when he yanked her against his chest, holding her tight in his arms. 

“I can’t breathe.” She gasped out, her hands tapping his shoulders. “Harry?”

He pulled back, staring back into her eyes with pink cheeks. 

“How are you here?” He asked her, licking over his lips. 

“Um, I don’t really have an answer for any of it.” She cleared her throat, glancing away from his gaze with shy eyes. “I just kind of...ended up here?”

“Did you take a taxi or something?” He asked, confused when she laughed. “Do you live in London? Have you always lived in London?”

“To be honest with you, I think that I teleported here.” She said slowly, like she was unsure of the response he might have. “That might sound insane to you. I know you only ever see stuff like that in Dr. Who, but um, it’s kind of real?”

“You sound like a mad woman.” He whispered, his eyes flitting over the features of her face, taking it all in. “But for some reason, I believe you.”

“If you think that was mad, wait until we dive into the fun stuff.” She said softly, giving him a sympathetic smile. “I don’t really know what I’m doing here, if I’m being honest with you.”

Harry nodded, loosening his grip on her arms. 

“Do you have some place to stay?” He asked her. “Or do you plan on teleporting back to wherever you came from?”

“Um, that’s my flat.” She pointed to the door just next to them. “I’m staying there until...well, until I can go home.” 

Harry suddenly felt drunk again, his mind swirling with information as he let go of her. 

She sat up on her own, clearing her throat as she brushed her palms over her thighs. 

“I’m gonna get off of the floor now.” She said softly. “Is that okay?”

“Just promise me that you won’t faint again.” He felt his brows pull together in concern, panic flashing into his heart. “Please?”

“I will try not to.” Her laughter still sounded like bells. “Um, so, I know your name-”

“But I’ve never learned yours.” He finished for her, standing up before he offered his hands out to her. He pulled her up, pressing his hand against her hip when she stumbled. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good.” She offered him a smile, one that genuinely comforted him. “I’m Holland.” 

Holland. 

“Holland, baby, please breathe.” 

“I did know that.” He cleared his throat, reaching up to scratch at the back of his neck as his cheeks grew warm. “I guess….I guess I forgot about that part of my dream.”

“Our dream.” She pressed her lips together, fighting off a smile. “I have the same one.”

“How do you know both of our dreams are the same?” He asked, a small smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. “Maybe mine is different from yours.”

“I think I die in each version of the dream, Harry.” She said softly, trying not to laugh when his face paled. “But, I’m here now, in the flesh!” 

“But you’re going to die.” He said slowly, anger rising in his chest. “That’s not funny.”

“No, I’m not going to die.” She was firm with her response, holding her chin up proudly as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I refuse to die like that, it just won’t do.”

“I don’t think you can control it.” Harry said, his voice bleeding with frustration and disbelief. “You are a mad woman.”

“I’m not.” Her berry lips pushed out into a pout, and Harry nearly dropped to his knees. “I’m very smart, and extremely sane, Harry. I just….I happen to know things that you don’t!”

“Things like teleportation?” He asked, his brows lifting towards his hairline. “You look different, did you know that?” 

“No.” She said. “Why do I look different?”

“Your hair is normally white.” He lifted his hand, grabbing a few strands gently. “And your skin is normally like the snow.”

“I suppose it would be weird if I walked around London looking like that, eh?” She asked. “I can’t exactly be myself in this world.” 

Harry knew what that was like. 

“I think you’ll be just fine.” He whispered. “You’re still beautiful.”

“Well, I should probably go inside.” Holland said softly. “I’m quite knackered from all of that teleporting and stuff.” 

Harry felt panic start to rise in his chest again. 

She was leaving him. 

What if something happened to her while he was just across the hall?

He would never forgive himself. 

“You’re…” He felt his palms get sweaty. “Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?”

“I’m sure.” She nodded. “I’ve done a lot of research on this place, so I think I’ve got the hang of everything.”

“This place, as in the complex or this place, as in earth?”

“This place as in London.” She snorted. “I’m from Earth, gumdrop. I just come from a very small, remote island near the arctic.”

“Are you really from earth?” He let out a breathy chuckle. “Because I could have sworn you fell from heaven.”

Harry watched her cheeks glow like they did in the beginning of his dream. 

“You’re cheeky.” She said softly. “I learned what that means by watching Skins. By the way, those children should all be on the naughty list, they’re horrid.”

Harry froze, watching Holland as she shook her head. 

“You still believe in Santa?” He asked her softly, as if he were afraid he would startle her. 

“Oh, yeah.” Her eyes grew wide, but she was quick to look away. “Who doesn’t?”

“Most of the world.” He cleared his throat. “Most of us don’t even like Christmas.”

“Gumdrop, by the time I’m through with you, I’ll have you singing Christmas Carols with Santa himself.” 

“If there’s one thing you should know about me, Holland-” His voice was low as he spoke, frustration bubbling in his chest.. “It’s that I will never love Christmas or anything that has to do with that bloody holiday.”

He pulled his hand back, turning on his heel before he slipped his key into the lock. 

He could feel Holland’s eyes on his back, but after the comment he made, he needed a little time to cool down. Sure, Holland was someone that he had dreamed of meeting for most of his life, but he didn’t really know her as a person. He drew the line at Christmas with anyone, and she was no exception to his strict rule. He pushed into his flat, shutting the door behind him with his foot. Seconds later, he dropped his head against the door with a heavy sigh. 

“Maybe this is another dream.” he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. “Wake up, Harry.” 

But when he opened his eyes, he was still standing in his apartment, and he could still smell the sweet scent of berry and clove.