#also STOP. RECOMMENDING. HOGWARTS. LEGACY. TO. ME.

[autumnoakes]

why has youtube decided that i like the last of us now?

[somethingofzerointerest]

Looking for new people to talk to 😔🙏

I'm looking for people who want to be moots/online friends to try and meet some new people 🙏

Currently have no DNIs just don't be weird or creepy.

I'm not necessarily looking for anyone with particular interests since I wanna be exposed to some new things, but here's some things that I'm interested in or that are related to me so you can see if anything peaks your interest.

I'm a big music lover. I mainly like alternative music, lot's of punk music, but I listen to other genres too. Some specific bands/artists I like are the Misfits, Dead Kennedys, Moon Walker, Molchat Doma, Björk, Jazmin Bean, Mindless Self Indulgence (not as much anymore), Uncle Outrage, Insane Clown Posse, KMFDM, And One, and Funker Vogt. I'm also interested in different ways to listen to music. I'm working on building a CD and cassette tape collection and I've been playing around with the iPod classic recently.

I'm interested in fashion and personal style, especially alternative fashion. I don't have a lot of money so I don't really look fashionable, but I've been wanting to get more into it. I love seeing what other people wear, especially if they have a unique style. I'm a big believer in what someone wears can tell you a lot about them because for a lot of people fashion is a big way they express themselves, and I've always been interested in that.

I'm trans ftm and pansexual so I'm definitely down to meet other people in the LGBT community. I would say that I'm open to most identities, although I might not completely understand them, but that's also why I'm trying to meet new people, to be exposed to different things. Just don't be like a MAP or something.

I also have an interest in leftist politics, so if you're someone who likes to talk about leftist politics and discuss those kinds of ideas feel free to talk about it just be civil and open-minded. I'd say I'm open to any good faith discussion just don't be hateful, MAGA, neo-Nazi, terf (or rather, the term I like more, fart 🤭, feminist appropriating radical transphobe) or anything like that.

I like tech, specifically unique tech and for that reason I'm usually interested in older stuff. Some of my favorite tech is probably from the 90s, 2000s and early 2010s because that's around the time when the more colorful and unique tech was popular.

On that note I'm also into 2000s and 2010's revival stuff. I like some of the aesthetics from that era, specifically the more alternative side. It's also a bit nostalgic because a lot of it is stuff I remember from my childhood.

I like horror movies, although I haven't watched any in a while, so if you have any good recommendation feel free to yap about them. I got pretty into the Purge series around Halloween last year and I used to be into Saw when I was younger, and I'm hoping to find more horror movies or TV series to watch.

On the topic of TV, some shows I've liked are Blood-C, Serial Experiments Lain, Krapopolis, Stranger Things, Abandoned and Dark Tourism. There's probably more, but I don't watch TV that much so I'm probably forgetting them.

I also play a lot of video games. Some of my favorites are Skyrim, Red Dead Redemption 2, Sea of Theives, Terraria, Stardew Valley, Sims 4, Hogwarts Legacy, Minecraft, Fortnite and No Man's Sky. I've also been wanting to play more of the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series as well as Days Gone. I used to be a huge Elder Scrolls fan back when I was, like, 12, and then when I was 14 I got really into Fortnite, so those are always fun. (And when I was 12 I'm talking like, chronic Skyrim player. I was getting Tetris syndrome from how much Skyrim I was playing. Fun times.)

I'm gonna stop here before I go on and on and on. If any of this interests you definitely drop a comment or a DM. Also I'm 17 (soon to be 18) so if we're gonna talk it's probably better if your around my age so like 16 - 19 preferred, but I also probably won't shun you if you're a little outside of that gap just don't be waaaaay younger or waaaaay older (like min 14, max 20).

[bigjimbopickens]

hi sorry to bother you i know this is like a dead issue now but i was a massive fan of kevin before the hogwarts legacy shit, i’m a trans guy and i stopped watching him because of it. i really miss his content though, his channel is pretty much all the games i like and my sense of humour, but i feel so conflicted about wanting to go back to his content. i was just curious what your thought process was around rejoining the cult? i know it’s kinda weird to ask now since it’s been like 6 months since it happened but i feel really weird about it.

also like. no pressure to answer i don’t know if this is crossing a line or anything sorry

It’s okay don’t worry :) enough time has passed, to me at least. Tbh this is the first I’ve heard about this in a while lol.

It’s okay to feel conflicted. I don’t speak for everyone here but everyone I talk to regularly has forgiven him but won’t forget that this happened.

I do believe he learned from this, he hasn’t done anything HP related since then, besides for a few ps1 Hagrid cameos (which is fine, ps1 Hagrid has been a channel meme for a while). I just hope this doesn’t age poorly.

What started getting me back was a bit after the apology post I noticed that other YouTubers were doubling down on their decisions or just not saying anything, including ones I used to respect. Even though I wished Kevin did more than just a Reddit post, I’m glad he didn’t stay silent and admitted he fucked up. His intention wasn’t malicious, unlike a lot of other creators, which is why I was more forgiving with him compared to others. Though I still lost a lot of respect which was regained over time.

Oddly enough what got me to really respect him again was his video on those American Superpastors and Megachurches. Having grown up in one (though in Canada, they exist here but aren’t as big) it was very healing. He couldn’t say it because he didn’t want to get sued, but he was very heavily implying that he believes it’s all a huge scam and they’re exploiting people. But he’s right, I’ve witnessed it myself. Never would’ve expected him to make a video like that and be so bold with it. I’m glad Europeans see what goes on here and think “what the fuck?!” Great video definitely recommend.

Other than that, mainly just enough time passed where I no longer feel that way. I missed the sense of community which is why I rejoined the fandom but it’s not my main one anymore. I mostly do my own thing these days. It was awesome going to Vancoufur as Werewolf Jim and meeting CMK fans there too, I could’ve sworn I was the only British Columbian in the entire fandom. Though I don’t fully trust the fandom still, mainly people I don’t recognize. But not anyone here, Tumblr isn’t really the site for those people.

Not much else has really changed in his content, just no more HP videos in general (as of July 22, 2023) and the fast-paced editing has mostly stopped. He now only uploads on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays now + any 2nd channel content, song covers or streams. The community has changed a lot though. The Reddit protests caused the subreddit to shut down so it’s gone, so there’s now no longer one big gathering spot besides Discord, which is the one side of the community I’m not in.

It’s really your choice if you wanna start watching again, anonymous user. Do whatever makes you happy :)

Since this is related, I haven’t heard a thing about HL since February. It really was just a mid game that was only popular because it was controversial. Transphobes really spent a lot of money on this, they’re the real losers. I know single player games get less players overtime but a lot of them still get talked about, replayed or are still relevant. Idk just my thoughts. If you really want a magic game with custom spells, play Oblivion’s Mages Guild questline or modded Skyrim.

Also sorry if I got back to this so late. I haven’t had a stable connection for a while until now. I’ve been away, escaping wildfires. Average Canadian summer activities.

[first-impressions-gaming]

Marvel's Midnight Suns

Developed by Firaxis Games

Published by 2K

Release Date 2022

Tested on Xbox Series X

MSRP 59,99 USD

Superheroes and non-stop action are a traditional combo in gaming, recently we have seen The Avengers, Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but none of them actually were a success, both financially and in terms of user-retention. So, if all these action games based on superhero franchises fail to hit the sweet spot for gamers, what can be the alternative for it? Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a superhero game based on Midnight Suns and The Avengers heroes, developed by the legendary studio Firaxis Games, which is famous for turn-based strategy games like Civilization and XCOM. With this in mind, in this game the most prominent aspect is the turn-based combat. Let’s get to it.

Who are we? We are roleplaying as The Hunter, who is the offspring of Lilith, a.k.a Hydra and we have been in deep sleep for the last three centuries and we are woken up by Midnight Suns to fight Lilith. At this point the game takes you to the character creation screen, and you can select the gender of The Hunter. Female and male voices are voiced by relevant actors and I should directly say this that, the female voiceover does not vibe with the character and overall experience at all, the voice is always flat, her voice never sounds the way it should be, for example when The Hunter is conversing with a fellow superhero in hub area, her voice does not move with the dialogue, that’s why I would recommend you to go with male character, at least male voiceover feels like The Hunter is right here before our eyes, and not a simple voice recording bereft of touch and feeling that should be captured in the moment.

Please see the clip below, The Hunter’s voice lacks the required tone and play which is pretty unfortunate for me because the cover art of the game presents The Hunter in female form, so I thought ‘okay the female voiceover should be the to pick here’ but it has been a let-down personally:

As I talked about in the opening, the game makes use of turn-based card combat system, but that’s not all. Almost half of playtime, you will be interacting with other superheroes, from Magik to Blade and Doctor Strange, in the hub area. The hub area is made of couple of interactive locations and these are Blade’s Yard where you can upgrade cards on the condition that you have two copies of a card and you can train with another superhero daily and you and the hero can earn XP and boost your friendship level with the said hero. The higher friendship level you have with a hero, the better synergy and combo you will get in combat. Then there’s Forge with Iron Man and Doctor Strange. Strange lets you work on artefacts that you earn as a reward from missions and these enable you level up and do research. These researches provide you bonuses for abilities, extra XP in training arena and crafting hero abilities, legendary hero items and more. On the other hand Iron Man is there to help you craft new cards each day, he crafts cards automatically and you get to pick which one to keep, once you collect two copies of a card here, then you can visit Blade’s Yard and upgrade your card. 

Here is how you craft cards, in other words ‘Gamma Coil Analysis’:

And this is how we upgrade cards and train with fellow superheroes, which is called ‘daily sparing’, honestly I expected more than what’s presented here, you click on the button, and it ends instantly, there is no conversation, no action, nothing at all. It is like a gimmick. This boosts your friendship level with the picked hero and earns XP for both sides.

You can also customize your own room with basic furniture and decorations, this reminded me of the customization options available in Hogwarts Legacy, these are nothing fancy though, actually it does not even matter how you customize the room, 95% of the time you are in the room, and you will visit there only to ‘sleep’ after a mission. For example, I put some chair and table just to see if I can interact with them, but not at all. They are pure cosmetics that you can purchase with currency you earn from missions. 

I’ll touch upon two other topics and get to gameplay later. The game puts emphasis on interaction with other superheroes in hub area, and the game requires you to ‘hang out’ with them after each mission. I understand this concept, bonding with them, creating a friendship and building on it, yet this game does not deliver a believable or fully-immersive way to experience it. You can ‘watch a movie’, ‘stargaze’, ‘have a drink’ with them the conversations you hold during these activities are not that deep and I didn’t find them outstanding in any aspect, the reason behind this is that, they don’t add anything in value to gameplay or story. Here and there superheroes talk about their backstory and the game attempts to portray a more 3D personality with an intimate touch, yet it falls short almost all the time. Take a look at this clip, where The Hunter watches a movie with Nico. It is so weird and uncanny, I don’t see any reason to comment on this at all. The game says the characters are going to watch a movie, but all they do is talk and talk, and on the screen we see stop-motion frames which looks like a western-inspired, but…what is this? Why is this mechanic so bland, lifeless, soulless? I wish the developers did not put this sort of mechanic into the game, this feels rushed, and unpolished:

Lastly we arrive to Hero Ops section which is Captain Marvel’s own room, here you can send a hero for special ops in exchange of currency, and in return you receive rewards such as cards for the hero you select to send in. At first I thought we would roleplay as the hero, but no, you click on the button, and nothing happens further. The hero you prefer to send will be unavailable for a day, which means s/he will be unavailable to you for the mission you are going to play that day.

The actual gameplay and combat mechanics really shine here thanks to experienced team of Firaxis, the combat is turn- and card-based, you prepare your deck with default cards and ones you earn as you progress and craft. In each turn you can play 3 cards, you can redraw 2 cards, and you can move only 1 superhero. It is also helpful to note that, once you play an action card, such as attacking an enemy, the hero moves by default and the location where the hero will end up is shown on the screen. If you play your cards and strategize your heroes well enough, you will be moving all of your characters each turn, this is especially useful because there will be enemies which do damage in a big area impacting your heroes, so the only way to avoid those attacks is to move heroes manually or move them with your cards as you attack. Also you should not distribute your heroes across the battlefield randomly, the enemies do attack the closest enemy usually, and you can see which hero they are targeting with the superhero icon above the enemy.

As you can see in these clips, the combat is pretty smooth and straightforward, the importance is put on synergy among superheroes you choose for the mission, for example Blade is better for direct attack, Spider-Man is more useful for combos and temporarily rendering enemies unable to attack. As you progress and craft new cards you shape your decks for heroes accordingly and create new dynamics for combat.

Midnight Suns offers a great turn-based gameplay experience, if you are willing to put up with unenjoyable cutscenes and ‘filler’ side content then you’ll have a pleasant time with it.

[incendio22]

FOR THE HOPE OF IT ALL

Part 2: Year 7

-------

Author's note: Some reflections about pt 1 and some thoughts on pt 2

Hi my lovelies,

I am so thankful for everyone who took their time to read this, to comment or to like. But mostly, I'm glad you like my version of Sebastian(or at least the ''normal'' version of him, when he's not self sabotaging). I am constantly surprised and extremely flattered when I see that you appreciate this story. I never imagined so many people would read it and actually like it enough to keep reading. I think my most surrealistic moment was seeing people recommending this fic in some comments on TikTok. I literally had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Thank you, each and every one of you.♡

When I played the game Hogwarts Legacy I was so captured by his storyline and I felt as if they could have done so much more, which is why I started writing this. I felt the same with Ominis' storyline and his connection to Voldemort, although I was confused how I would make that into a story. Finally, I had some ideas and decided to start writing.

As you know I was conflicted whether or not I should write a 2nd part to this story. But honestly, I'm too invested in this to stop here. I know the ending isn't what you hoped for and I will tell you, it's not what I planned either. But since I'm writing a 2nd part(which I already started writing on and will post chapters as soon as possible) I couldn't do the ending I originally wanted, hence the very disappointing end.

When I decided that I would write about their 7th year I decided that I didn't want to repeat the 6th year all over. We need something new to build a story on. Y/n's heart is broken and she is in her villain(read: bad bitch) era when she returns to Hogwarts, determined not to ever let a man hurt her like that again. But like I've written, if it's right - you know. And if two people are meant to be, they will find their way back to each other.

Hopefully, you aren't too disappointed and are still excited for Y/n's last year at Hogwarts, because I certainly am. I can't wait to show you where this year takes us and what happens after.

My main goal was to write about a soft and kind love, something healthy. But of course, Sebastian is broken, and has his issues. I do not want to romanticize or excuse his bad behaviour when he is feeling down, which is also why I made Y/n leave at the end and set boundaries. But I also want to highlight that the good love that I write about does exist.

I will continue to post almost everyday, and tomorrow you will have the first chapter from part 2. This week(last week of Feb-23) is very intense for me and I have to prioritize my energy, which might result in fewer chapters this specific week.

Also a little fun fact: The smell that Y/n doesn't recognize in her Amortentia, which turns out to be Sebastian's perfume, I pictured smelling like Gentle Fluidity Silver from Maison Francis Kurkdijan.

Also, I made you a playlist on Spotify that fits the theme and vibe of this fanfiction(yes, this is part of my love language). You find it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/26ysRl6LGmrV0ufITDjkBD?si=f045fa370f7941b1

Take care ♡

[crimsonrevolt]

Congratulations Tess you’ve been accepted to Crimson Revolt as Alastor Moody!

↳ please refer to our character checklist

Alastor is a character that I know we have all been keen to see on the dash, even more so when it means an old member is returning to us! Your app was fantastic and went into such detail that it gave us a really clear idea of who he is as a person and what motivates him, it was truly a pleasure to read! I don’t think I can pick out just one thing that I loved when all of it was so wonderful, from the expansion of his traits to the writing sample and his reaction to the most recent plot drop it was all so well thought out and developed. We’re thrilled to have you bakc, Tess! *your faceclaim change to Gael García Bernal has been accepted

application beneath the cut

OUT OF CHARACTER

INTRODUCTION

Tess, 21 years old, she/her, pacific time, USA.

ACTIVITY

I’m not going back to school until the fall so I have more time than originally expected. I’m able to log in daily, since the threads on this group tend to be on the longer side I’m contemplating I’ll be able to get at least one reply a day.

HOW DID YOU FIND US?

I’m a former member but originally through the tags.

WHAT HARRY POTTER CHARACTER DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST?

Hedwig because I too would die for Harry Potter. No but really I think I identify the most with Bill Weasley, mainly because I always liked the career of curse breaker and I think that going far away from the family to do something he loved was amazing (and brave).

ANYTHING ELSE?

I’m really hoping to get accepted again. I had an amazing time when I was part of this amazing group last time. I’ve been feeling a little out of it since the baby came and the doctor recommended I do something I love, and getting to write with you all is really one of my favorite things in the world. I hope I get to be a part of this group again!

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER

Alastor Moody

Alastor: Ancient Greek for “he who does not forget”. Thus ��avenger”, “persecutor”, “tormenter”, “one who suffers from divine vengeance”. Which is rather fitting as he made a career out of putting bad guys in jail, when failing to stop them before hurting innocent he made sure to avenge those lives that were lost.

Moody: Temperamental.

FACE CLAIM

Matt Ryan, or Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, or a POC rec from you. Honestly I would be willing to work with whoever you see fit.

REASON FOR CHOSEN CHARACTER

I have always been a fan of Alastor, I just never had the confidence of playing him before. But with this plot, and everything going on, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass. There’s something about how the order is going to deal with Aversio. Slowly coming to the realization that it is because in a way they were not getting results that this other group decided to come into action. And then there’s the ministry, specially the aurors. I want to have a chance to explore Alastor’s feelings, how he questions if they have been doing a good job training the new recruits. He is going to be set on the fact that Aversio does more harm than good, but there’s going to be something reminding him that if only they had acted sooner, all of this could’ve been prevented. Plus, the paranoia is only going to grow, he now realizes that there’s definitely no one he could trust, he could very well be surrounded by enemies. I felt drawn towards him because he is a good guy through and through, his methods might not be the best, and he is not the nicest guy around, he’s far from it, but he knows what path he wants to follow, he has a clear objective in mind. I hope I get to do him justice the same way he seeks to achieve justice for all those who have been wronged.

PREFERRED SHIPS // CHARACTER SEXUALITY // GENDER & PRONOUNS

I’m all for Alastor/Chemistry if the opportunity presents. Alastor is way too paranoid to let himself be vulnerable, but with the right development I’ll be on board with a ship. My anti-ship would be something out of character for Alastor, like death eaters. Alastor is a cis-male and uses he/him pronouns.

CREATE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CHARACTER:

-A MOODBOARD ( here )

-AN AESTHETIC ( here )

-A PLAYLIST

For Those Below – Mumford & Sons

Pompeii – Bastille

You Are a Runner, and I Am My Father’s Son - Wolf Parade

Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars

Beat The Devil’s Tattoo - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Warrior - Disturbed

Fears - Serj Tankian

The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance – Vampire Weekend

When The War Came - The Decemberists

Seven Devils – Florence + The Machine

Ready! Aim! Fire! – Imagine Dragons

Knights of Cydonia – Muse

The General - Dispatch

Broken Road - Sully Erna

Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford & Sons

-EXPAND ON THE TRAITS ( and here’s a character tropes edit )

✓ Hard-working. He comes from a family of Aurors, both his parents as per canon were Aurors, and I feel like that gives us a glimpse into his early life. It’s like coming from a family of cops, there’s a need to prove you too can achieve greatness while at the same time showing people you have earned the right to where you are, and that it wasn’t given to you because of your family. So Alastor works harder than anyone, since he demands that from people he leads by example.

✓ Great mentor. He will never be one to sugar coat things, but he knows the right way to encourage people. He wants to train London’s best, and he would try his best to make sure that happens. He guides by example, and tries to keep everyone under his watch alive.

✓ Persevering. Linked with hard-work, perseverance is something in Alastor’s nature, he never gives up despite everything that has happened to him. Despite everything that’s happening in the world he will keep pushing forward.

✓ Open-minded. There’s nothing he hasn’t seen, and still believes there’s more to see. Moody likes to keep an open mind, would always listen to someone before making a decision, he’s never one to be prejudiced, as that is what’s killing this society.

✕ Harsh. Greatness is not achieved by babying people, Alastor believes in though love, it’s how he was raised. He has never been one to be tactful and is not going to start now.

✕ Gruff. Life made Alastor into a bitter person, he sounds like he’s always mad, even if deep down he cares about everyone around him, he knows it’s best to keep a rough front.

✕ Paranoid. When someone has lived what he has they would have no trouble believing that is best to be wary and not trust anything or anyone. He is constantly worried someone is going to try and kill him or worst betray him.

✕ Anti-social. He prefers to keep people at arms length, after all no one knows when is the last time he’s going to see them.

-A FEW POTENTIAL PLOT POINTS

connections & wanted plots

&&. KEEP ME GROUNDED Is not that Alastor forgets social niceties and manners, is that he just couldn’t care less whether people likes him or not. Which only leads to him coming off as a straight up asshole on his worse days, and a paranoid grump on a daily basis. He could use someone he respects and is strong enough to call him out when he’s being a jerk. To point out where the line is, and making it clear that it is not okay to cross it.

&&. BROTHERS IN ARMS You are only as good as the person fighting next to you. Someone Alastor had grown to respect and rely on. They might not always have a heart-to-heart about their feelings, but this is one of the few people Alastor knows he can turn to. Whether sharing drinks or just being there for each other, this is one of the few people Alastor can honestly say he trusts.

&&. SURE I’LL TEACH YOU Alastor has a hard time believing anyone in their right mind would chose him as a mentor. The role of mentor and teacher coming easy to him despite originally having being appointed head of the department because there were no other options around. Alastor stepped into the role and with each passing generation he gets better at preparing aurors. Now with the order he had also taken the responsibility to get them ready for a fight he wished they never had to fight. Alastor is always willing to work with anyone who wants to be better prepared and work on refining their technique.

&&. JUST PROMISE YOU WON’T END UP LIKE ME Callous grumpy nature aside, Alastor is a mentor at heart, and sometimes even if it surprises everyone around, he might end up giving some advice to those brave enough to bring up discussing their feelings with him. Rumor says the best time to approach him is when he’s drinking, that’s when he’s more at ease, he might even pour you one. OPEN

&&. FIGHT ME It’s not that he lives to make enemies, that’s just something that happens from time to time. With the wizarding society hanging by a fine thread, and Alastor living up to his last name every day of the week, everyone could easily fall into this category. Whether this is someone who annoys him, like a fellow ministry employee, or someone Alastor would love to punch their teeth out if the opportunity ever were to arise.

&&. NOTHING LEFT TO SAY BUT GOODBYE Alastor was born and raised into the pureblood life. His parents were never pureblood elitists, and coming from a long line of Aurors they had an impeccable reputation. His family was murdered before any of them could be labeled blood traitors. At sixteen Alastor was left to carry one a family legacy. He cultivated many friendships through his childhood and early years in Hogwarts. Some of those friends, that he once considered family, have now turned out to be on the other side of the war. What happens when the person you would take a hit for is the one pointing the wand at you?

&&. I WOULD FOR YOU Alastor’s family was taken from him in the blink of an eye. For years he convinced himself that caring for anyone was only going to end in pain and heartbreak. Despite having friends that he cared for and loved, he always tried to push them and keep them at arms length. After a failed engagement he accepted the fact that he was not meant to have a family. Always the man with the plan, he failed to prepare for what would happen when they wrapped their small hand on his finger. Alastor might never have children of his own, but family has always been about more than blood.

IN CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE

♔ If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it? Feel free to name it:

“This one is easy. A truth spell. And not like that veritaserum rubbish. We all know that bloody thing doesn’t work. But with a proper truth spell, interrogations would go smoothly. And it won’t just benefit the department, but people who are wrongly accused would have a better chance at clearing their name. Of course it should only be used with regulations, there should be training, an official team like the obliviators. Just think about how much good a truth spell could do.”

♔ You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one other character and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you’d want with you:

“I see the tactical advantage of having someone when you venture into the Forbidden Forest, but I wouldn’t risk anyone’s life, but if I have to name someone I would pick Minerva or Kingsley. And I’ll take my invisibility cloak.”

♔ What kinds of decisions are the most difficult for you to make?

“All decisions are difficult to make. But the hardest ones are probably the ones where the only choices you have are bad choices. Because you still have to choose. You still have to make a decision.”

♔ What is one thing you would never want said about you?

“Why would I bloody care about what people say about me? People are always going to say things about you, no matter what you do. Good things or bad things. You are still going to be judged. You can’t let that stop ya.”

Alastor shifted a little before adding, “…that I didn’t try.”

REACTION TO LAST EVENT DROP

Is no secret that Alastor was never fond of the Ministry of Magic, he never cared much for the bureaucracy and the red tape, but he had been hopeful that with Millicent in charge things would change for the better. The auror department on the other hand, well that was his entire life. Every single person in that office was his responsibility, and Alastor was not there for them. Alastor’s paranoia is through the roof, knowing that Aversio stemmed from the order had already made him doubt everyone around him, but when it was clear that the initial attack to the Ministry had to be aided by someone in the aurors’ department, well that just made him mistrust his own shadow. Alastor is angry, and more determined than ever to put and end to the war. He might not be entirely convinced about letting aversio members join the order, but at least he can keep a close eye on them. After the attack on St. Mungos he’s starting to reconsider his stance on non-lethal, because arresting people is not going to be enough, specially since the death eaters are in power and he knows there’s no way to get justice unless they make their own.

WRITING SAMPLE

They were failing. That much was clear. And in the long list of categories under which a failure could fall, their failures were the worst kind. People were dying left and right. A hate group and a terrorist organization fighting for control, meanwhile the Ministry could barely hold together, let alone put out so many fires. And the order. The order was filled with well intentioned people, kids really, they were mostly kids who had wanted to do good and ended up having to fight a war against two ruthless enemies. If fighting one group had proved to be hard, now, after what Alastor had learned. A house divided could not stand. Aversio had infiltrated the order, that much was clear, and now Alastor could not help but wonder, if the death eaters had someone on the inside too. Concentrating on those particular thoughts were simply maddening. He would rather not think about it, but if he didn’t, then no one would. There was something about human nature that refused to believe someone you care for could betray you. Life had thought Alastor better. Anyone can turn on you at any moment, people are capable of doing all kinds of things under the right pressures. Loyalty for many was a matter of circumstance. There was of course a few that were loyal, to the cause, the people they loved. Those were the ones in the most danger. The ones he worried the most about. And out of those only a few he could really trust. Trust being a term he had not used in a while, and that he was sure he wasn’t using properly. These were difficult times for trust.

Alastor could no longer remember when going to work was just going to work. When it was boring and bureaucratic, and he had to write reports, and his only concern was making sure the trainees completed the program. Now every day was a new tragedy, a new horror to be seen, analyzed, pictures taken and pinned to a wall. Alastor still remembered the day everything changed. And no, it wasn’t the day they told him he had lost his entire family. That had been so long ago, at times he even believed that the person he was at sixteen, before that, didn’t really exist, had not really existed. No. The day everything changed had been but a few years ago. At the time he had been mad, annoyed was more like it, that the auror department had been called into that crime scene when it had been cleared of any dark magic. The auror department was supposed to chase and capture dark wizards and witches, not waste their time with common crimes. But upon arriving Alastor realized that there was something far more dark, something that was about to change their lives.

“Do we keep track of hate crimes?” Alastor had asked, confusion was the only answer he got, “we should start” he had said looking at the crime scene in front of him.

He had been right, everything had changed. A war had started and it had not slowed down. And since that moment the auror department had handled the cases that had fallen under the criteria of the thing propelling this war. Hate.

It was a misconception that people got used to it. Seeing a crime scene, specially one where it’s clear how much hate was behind it. It’s a lie. No matter how many times you walk into a scene there’s a moment when you wonder how can people be capable of so much hate. There’s a moment when for a split of second you wonder what’s the point of fighting back, if all that’s inside someone’s heart is hate. But then the fog clears, and the realization that the point of fighting back if so that this doesn’t happen again. So that the next family is saved from this fate, so that the next person walking alone in an alley makes it home. It felt as if he had not slept in days, but before he could rest, Alastor knew he had to eat. He was in the middle of making diner, and some extra meals he could store for the upcoming days, when he heard a knock. The alarm had not been raised, there was only a handful of people that would be allowed near the perimeter without the defense charms going off. Alastor crossed the room in a few strides and opened the door. Panic was the first thing that came to mind, people usually sent word that they were coming, “is everything okay?” he asked as soon as he opened the door.

//SAMPLE TWO

Alastor let out an annoyed huff. He had been waiting for more than ten minutes now, talk about these people having little regard of the time of others. As he looked around it was more and more evident that he did not belong here, he was not made for this sort of job, he was the kind of person to be out there, getting his hand dirty, doing real work, he had never wanted any of this. A few days ago an owl had arrived at the Ministry, it had been carrying a very urgent letter, it requested Alastor’s presence immediately. He figured it must had been someone high up on the command chain, as he had never been one of the Ministry’s favorites, and yet he had been ordered to leave for America at once. He had offered many good reasons as to why leaving in the middle of the current situation was a bad idea, but as always he had been tasked to do the trip anyways. At least he made it clear that he was not going to play along or be nice to whoever was waiting for him. He was not one to care about diplomacy when they had so more pressing issues at hand. Now as he waited in this pristine lobby, full of people is expensive suits, he was glad he didn’t have to work here. One look at him was enough to figure out how much of an outsider he was, at least back at London people were not as elegant as the ones here. Honestly it was baffling to picture them working on such fine clothing, but then again Alastor had never been one to dress so fine, even as a child, even at the request of his parents, he had always done as he pleased. Being the youngest of four sons gave him a little bit of leeway when it came to getting away with things. But that was before he had lost his entire family, now there was no one but him, all alone in the world.

“Alastor Moody” a voice called, a very familiar voice, one that Alastor hoped he would never hear again, one he feared he was never going to hear again. “Clarissa?” he asked turning to look at the approaching figure, she was just as he remembered her and so different at the same time. The light coming in through the elegant and unnecessary, they provided an exposed lobby, glass windows hitting her just right to make her look like an angel. He quickly got rid of those thoughts, they belonged to someone long forgotten, the person he used to be. “I wasn’t even sure you were going to show up” she said with a half smile. “It’s not like I was able to refuse, I assumed the sender was well connected, as they didn’t even listen to my complaints” Alastor informed her. “Please follow me” she asked before Moody walked behind her.

They got to her office and Alastor started to list all the things she could do to improve security, she had left so many weak spots, it was during his assessment that he almost missed the way she was extremely closed to him. “What are you doing?” he demanded walking away from her, “What do you think? I’m giving you a hug, I haven’t seen you in years, I’ve missed you Alastor” Clarissa told him in a confused voice. “Need I remind you whose fault that is?” he said harshly, “I’m not the one that left.” Alastor had never been one to pick the right words, he mostly said whatever came to mind, what he was feeling, not caring how it sounded, he always spoke the truth. A hurt looked crossed Clarissa’s features, she never quite had a chance to see this new Alastor, it was hard to her to hear him sound so, bitter. “I know that, I know that I made the choice and I can’t take that back, but how could I’ve stayed Alastor? I couldn’t, not after- not when they all-” he watched her struggled for the right words, “when they all died?” he finished for her. “When they were murdered” she argued back, “how could I stay and live a life they were never get to live?” she said in almost a whisper. “Bloody hell Clarissa, I never asked you to stay so we would get married and have a family, I wanted you to stay so I wouldn’t walk into that place, into those empty cubicles, and miss our friends on my own” Alastor admitted.

The mood had grown tense; it was like even a word would set off everything they had been keeping in for years. They had survived when their friends had not, that tended to do something to people, even when they ought to have stayed together they instead had only drifted apart. “Why did you called me here Clarissa?” Alastor asked wanting to get this over with, “Because you are the best” she told him in a firm voice. “That’s not true, you know that’s not true, you know that the only reason I have this job is because there was no one else around to take it, had you stayed it would’ve been you. It would’ve been you the one to have to watch new kids sit where our friends sat, do you know how many kids I’ve trained?” Alastor asked angrily, “how many kids have not made it? How many of the ones I’m currently training remind me of them, of us? Do you? Do you know what it is to wonder if they are going to end the same way? Of course not, because you left, because you ran away and turned your back on us” he finally admitted.

“You are right I don’t” Clarissa spoke with a pain in her tone, “but I couldn’t stay” she said prompting Moody to scoff, “it was because of me that we survived Alastor. It was because of me that we weren’t with the others when- when they were murdered. How do you think that makes me feel? You were always giving work your best, you wanted to go, to get there on time, but I didn’t. I convinced you to stay, to- If we had not been so-” she shook her head, “irresponsible” Alastor said sarcastically. “So stupidly naïve to think we could have made it, if we had not been so” Clarissa looked at him to see if he knew what she was trying to say, he dared her to finish her thought, “so in love” she finally said, “we would’ve been there with them.” Alastor scoffed again, “and do what? Like two teenagers would’ve faired better than more trained Aurors in that ambush, our friends died, our mentors died, everybody that was there died, it was a trap, a set-up. What do you think we would’ve been able to do if we had been there?” he demanded. “Die with them!” Clarissa said before bringing her hands to cover her mouth.

“Why am I here Clarissa?” Alastor asked again, “I have a feeling that you telling me that you wish we had died is not the reason I’m here” he said with a smirk. “I left London in the middle of crisis, and like I said I was thrust into a job I never wanted to do, but I still have a responsibility to my people.” Clarissa reached for some files and handed them to Moody, “Whatever is happening back home” she said and Alastor scoffed, “yes London is still my home, it will always be my home” she stated, “whatever is happening, is spreading. There have been some cases of no-maj, muggles, getting killed by magical means” she said as he combed through the files, “the ideology is spreading, we need to put an end to this Alastor.” Moody nodded, “I appreciate you telling me about this. I have no doubt you know how to take care of your people, I need to go take care of mine. I’ll appoint someone to stay in touch with you about any developments, I will put an end to this. Take care Clarissa.” Alastor gave her a nod before walking out of her office. Coming to America had been a mistake, but at least it had added a new sense of purpose, to stop this madness from spreading, they had to kill it at the root. Once he was back he was not going to rest until every single person responsible was caught. Alastor had already lost everything once, he was not going to lose anyone else.

[dedalusdigg]

annalisefawley​:.

“That’s a lovely thought,” Annalise said with a sad smile, as she internally rolled her eyes. It was a legacy she was quite ready to burn to the ground— and really, hadn’t the kindling already been lit? It had been one of their own precious Order members who had betrayed and murdered him, after all. Annalise wondered what other potential traitors, potential conflicts might be wandering these halls. She was only too willing to fan the flames.

But that was for the future. Before she attempted to burn anything down, she ought to just figure out how to get around. “I’m sure I will! I suppose we all survived the chaos of Hogwarts’ moving stairs and whatnot, so I can certainly figure out this place. But your help is much appreciated in getting there,” she told him with a smile, taking his offered arm.

She laughed quietly as Dedalus pointed out that loophole. “That is true!” she agreed. “We don’t need to act like strangers. That’s a relief, really,” she added. “I’m sure it will be necessary at some point, to act like I don’t know someone, but I’m not fond of lying,” she lied, with a small shrug. “Well, where shall we start? Where’s your favourite spot in the estate?”

.

“Ah, the moving staircases, a true classic. I have to admit I’m still somewhat surprised we did manage to survive those. An accident waiting to happen, especially when you’re late for class.” Punctuality had never been his strongest suit and while it was an annoying quality now, back at Hogwarts it’d been potentially deadly. Running around the halls and corridors while the staircases constantly moved and shifted had been a bad idea, though that most certainly hadn’t stopped Dedalus from doing it. On multiple occasions. He shook his head, smiling at the memories. “Those were the days.”

He wholeheartedly shared her distaste for lying, but it was a necessary evil. “I’d say you’ll get used to it too, but what a horrible thing to get used to, isn’t it?” And he supposed he should be smart about this and show Annalise the most important rooms first, like the Healer’s quarters for example, but that would just be boring. And she’d asked about his favourite spot, hadn’t she? It would be incredibly rude to ignore that. “Well. There’s a billiards room on the second floor and it doesn’t seem to be the most popular spot from what I’ve seen, but I’d say that’s part of its charm. Obviously, there’s not much time to sit around and play games, but even if you just need a place to clear your head, I’d recommend it.”

Now, it was still tricky trying to navigate the corridors of the estate, but Dedalus was confident in his ability to at least not get too lost, which while plain embarrassing would also be uncomfortable to explain. The current corridor seemed familiar at least, and he frowned at the paintings adorning the walls. “This one was making fun of me earlier,” he mentioned to Annalise, nodding his head towards one of the ladies in the painting. “I miscalculated and ended up arriving a bit earlier so I might’ve paced around for a bit before joining everyone at the memorial. Probably the first time in my life I’m early at an event and it’s this of all things. How… ironic.”

[coruscorp-blog]

DEAR, MS. ( MITSUE ONISHI )

We are pleased to have you back for another year as an UPPER SECOND YEAR STUDENT at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We sincerely hope your classmates in RAVENCLAW treat you well.

sapporo, hokkaido. 1988. odori park is where onishi rikizou and matsumura kanon meet under the fleeting flowers of spring. two people lost to the heart of a work culture that demands constant overtime and obeying of seniors, their minds only know of exhaustion. one silently craves death, telling nobody of their thoughts. if the two of them had not met, forced to share a bench to eat their respective lunches, then perhaps this story would come to end in a tragedy.

conversation strikes solace. then a friendship blossoms while the brief sakura wilts above them. among the emerald and turquoise of summer, rikizou decides to ask kanon out on a date. the cicadas almost drown his voice out, but she hears. he doesn’t think he’s ever seen a smile that shone so beautifully in his life. she can’t wait to offer him many more, scattered throughout the future.

kyoto, honshu. 1998. “nee-san, nee-san!” there is a loud thump of a body hitting the floor, but the excited boy in question does not feel the pain from the soft tatami. he scrabbles over to a nearby coffee table, to slap his sister’s arms. “okan and otoun are coming back! i see them right out the window!”

“amato what did i say about keeping calm?” his sister hisses without much malice for she too is excited, leaving the table to head to the door. it only takes a few seconds for the door to unlock and there enter two proud parents. kanon is cradling a precious bundle against her chest.

“amato. yuika. come to meet your imouto mitsue.”

kyoto, honshu. 2003. “mitsue, what did i say about climbing the gingko tree?”

“but nee-san i can’t think as well when i’m on the ground.”

“are you a bird? why do you need to be high up to think better?”

“maybe it’s the sky…” the little girl reaches her hand out towards the broad blue carefully. "because when i look at the sky it spreads out infinitely and it makes me realize how much i don’t know…but also how much space my mind probably has. like the sky.“

“is that what a five-year-old should be saying? maybe amato was being serious when he said you’re smarter than him,” there is a giggle, a brush of leaves against branches as a familiar figure sits beside her to stare off into the distance. but unlike her younger sister, yuika is unable to see the same colors and thoughts.

but though she won’t tell mitsue beyond a fond stroke of the younger girl’s hair, yuika knows that she doesn’t want to live the same life. a life of obsessing over details, solving riddles and theorizing things that extend even beyond a simple explanation of imagination.

kyoto, honshu. 2004. “mitsue is what? a witch?” kanon pulls her daughter closer to her on the couch, but the little girl is not paying attention to her mother’s movements. she’s focused on the sudoku book in her laps, but she can hear distress. she can also hear the stranger’s words.

there’s some things about magic which now explains to the little girl why she’s often been able to stare at something long enough for it to float. or the few times that she’s been angry at her older siblings she’s made the ceramic on the dining table crack much to her entire family’s further displeasure.

weird things happening. emotions correlating to power. there’s an answer to it all. there’s always an answer to things, it just depends how easily everything can be reached. the stranger does’t take long to convince kanon and rikizou of their daughter’s behaviors and soon she is sent off every morning on umi tsubame to an unknown island with unknown people.

unknown, but they are just like her somehow.

minami iwo jima, ogasawara. 2008. “mitsu! what book have you lost your nose in this time? put it down! we’re going to be late to the entrance ceremony.”

“hai, hai, i’m coming!” mitsue sighs but she’s not actually annoyed by her friends calling for her, tucking away the milky way road by miyazawa kenji into her gold colored robe she runs after her them. opening ceremonies are nothing new, but this will be the first time she attended mahoutokoro as a boarding school and not something simply for the day.

it’s the first time she’ll be away from her parents and her two older siblings. it was the first time she saw amato cry too when he hugged her goodbye, but the girl had promised him when he handed her his stack of mangas that she’ll read them all and message him back about it before they meet again over christmas holidays. there was no way she wouldn’t go back and risk missing her mother’s osechi during the new years.

“are you excited to live here mitsu?”

“stuck on an island with you? i don’t think so,” she earns a sharp jab in the ribs by a rough elbow but the laughter in the air as the flock enters the building is enough to explain everything about them all.

minami iwo jima, ogasawara. 2014. “takeru you’ll get water all over your bangs.”

the boy leaning over the water foutain looks up at her with a goofy lopsided grin, mischief glimmering in his eyes. she sighs at his response, reaching into her robes to pull out a simple red hair-clip. her fingers are careful when they brush aside wet bangs, clipping the stray strands into place with a satisfied smile.

“is this the school idol onishi mitsue that i know? the famous mahoutokoro quidditch manager being a lot more approachable than rumors say and even doing a few things beyond playing tactician? shocking.”

“what are you saying? are you an idiot,” mitsue scoffs at takeru but she doesn’t break eye contact from the warm familiar brown hues that she’s come to call a piece of her home. comfortable silence fills the space between the two of them, then it too is pushed out of the way as he leans in to close the distance between the two of them. her eyes close. briefly, a sensation like honey floods her entirety for eternity. but eternity is always so painfully short.

“hmmm, i wonder? what am i saying to my girlfriend?”

“girlfriend,” mitsue tilts her head to the side playfully. “quidditch captain, i wasn’t aware that someone like you could actually get a girlfriend?”

she screeches when cold water hits her robes but the noise dissolves into a fit of giggles under the sunny warmth.

minami iwo jima, ogasawara 2017. “onishi-san, as you are the valedictorian of your year and someone who holds an excellent extracurricular record, i would highly recommend you to attend the new program at hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry,” there is a short but loud snap of a folder snapping to a close. mitsue sits in her gold, knees pressed together and hand on her lap. maple irises are reading the headmaster’s every expression.

hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. another transition to another world.

“kouchou sensei, i’m honored you believe that. but are you positive about this? it’s halfway across the world and i have never stepped one foot outside of japan. i may know english, but i know nothing about the people there. the culture. i don’t think i’m suited for it, i would be so lost.”

“remember when we first met?” there is a warm hand on her shoulder, offering her a comforting squeeze, “i told you that i wanted you to become like the sakura trees and blossom beautifully. but you told me you didn’t want to live such a short fleeting life. that as someone born to a regular family, you wanted to become a tanpopo. one that can survive anyplace anywhere. people may call you a weed, but they would also be the ones holding hands with the wind to spread the seed of your legacy. that was almost ten  years ago when you told me this mitsue. you wre still a child when you said such profound words. now tell me, where is this dandelion now?”

a pause, there is a small shuffling noise that comes from her aureate robes as she finally stands up from the couch to bow down to the senior.

“preparing for a journey across water and land to scotland.”

highlands of scotland. 2017. i can already tell, you’re a smart one. but i have one question for you, do you like quidditch?

“no, i’ve never been athletic. sweating’s gross and flying’s not as fun on a broomstick.”

interesting, but when i look into your memories i see a lot of the sky.

“when i’m high up, i think better. i tell myself the sky is endless and that the only part stopping me is the horizon itself. same goes for the human mind. we’re stopping ourselves.”

the sorting hat murmurs something she can’t quite catch then it roars into the great hall.

RAVENCLAW.