#but a windows laptop? wizardry

[monsterlets]

like half the sixth graders are failing english cos the homework is on google classroom and they don't have basic computer skills. like mayhaps we should fuckin teach them basic computer skills

[habswest]

5 Best Laptops For Each Utilization Case And Financial Plan

Find the best Laptop for you in light of spending plan and use case in view of our top to bottom testing.

Laptops. There are simply such large numbers of them. Yet, what’s the best Laptop for you? Is it a business journal, a strong gaming Laptop, or a Chromebook? We know the sheer number of decisions can be overpowering, which is the reason we made this rundown.

We’ve made this convenient, dandy aide so you’ll know every one of the intricate details of your forthcoming framework before you go with the choice to stir things up around town button. From exhortation on picking screen size, to choosing between a SSD and HDD, to insider scoops on where to find the best costs on Laptops, here are a few fundamental ways to track down the right situation for you.

Throughout the span of a year, we survey more than 150 Laptops covering each cost and use case. Whether you’re searching for an efficiency workhorse, a boss gaming framework or a media machine to kick back and watch a film or two, we can assist you with tracking down your optimal match.

1. Dell XPS 13 OLED

SPECIFICATIONS:

CPU: Intel Core i7–1185G7

GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics RAM: 16G

BStorage: 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD

Display: 13.4-inch, 2160Size: 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 2.8 pounds

The Dell XPS 13 OLED happens when the best Laptop meets the most recent presentation innovation. Joining the two makes something near wizardry — a super compact gadget fit for running most undertakings while giving a film like review insight. All that we love about the other XPS arrangements remains, including the quick exhibition, striking plan, and top-rate touchpad.

The most recent XPS 13 model makes a big appearance a dazzling OLED board that gives rich picture quality to while you’re streaming films at home or altering recordings for work. Is it worth the tradeoff to battery duration? On the off chance that you really want a high-res show, yes. The 3.5K OLED show outlived the 4K IPS config in our battery test and is equipped for creating a more extensive scope of varieties. Furnished with an Intel Center i7–1185G7 central processor with 16GB of Slam, the XPS 13 is little yet strong.

In general, the XPS 13 OLED brings a superb presentation move up to what was at that point our number one Laptop, and it does as such without an excessive number of penances.

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2. Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2)

SPECIFICATIONS:

CPU: Apple M2

GPU: Apple M2

GPURAM: 16GB

Storage: 1TB

Display: 13.3-inches, 1600

Size: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 3 pounds

The following section in Apple figuring proceeds and the organization’s wagered on custom silicon keeps on raising a ruckus around town. M2 is 18% more remarkable than its progenitor with a 8-center computer processor. M2 is likewise bringing another 10-center GPU that is 35% quicker than the past model. Also, indeed, M2 certainly proceeds with its Windows Laptop. What’s more, in the event that that isn’t sufficient to get you energized, Macintosh has figured out how to enhance the Laptops power productivity, conveying north of 18 hours of battery duration.

It conveys noteworthy execution and has the longest battery duration I’ve seen on a Macintosh. On the off chance that that is sufficiently not, matched with Ventura, you get rankling site page load times and a superior webcam experience — — all because of Apple Silicon. To put it plainly, the new MacBook Expert is all that Macintosh said and that’s just the beginning.

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3. Acer Swift 5

SPECIFICATIONS:

CPU: Intel Core i7–1260P

GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics

RAM: 16GB

Storage: 1TB SSD

Display: 14-inch, 2560 x 1600

Size: 12.2 x 8.4 x 0.59 inches

Weight: 2.65 pounds

The Acer Quick 5 blew us away this year. To such an extent, it procured a 4.5-out-of-5 score and a Manager’s Decision identification because of its lightning-quick execution. It beat a large number of its opponents on our testing, it has a zippy SSD, fast video-transcoding rates, and quick record move rates. To summarize everything, the Quick 5 is essentially as quick as Roadrunner with its Intel Center i7–1260P computer chip.

Its battery duration is likewise dazzling, outperforming 11 hours during our in-house testing. In the event that you’re searching for a really quick Laptop that is no pricier than $1,500, the Quick 5 is your person. Slacking, stoppages, and holding up will be a relic of days gone by. One minor objection we have is its tranquil speakers, yet other than that, the Quick 5 is certainly one of the most mind-blowing Laptops of the year.

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4. MacBook Air M2

SPECIFICATIONS:

CPU: Apple M2

GPU: Apple M2

GPURAM: 8 GB

Storage: 1TB SSD

Display: 13-inch, 1664p

Size: 12 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

Weight: 2.7 pounds

The most recent part in the MacBook Air’s adventure is convincing without a doubt. The Laptop shuns the wedge plan of old for a look that puts it unequivocally in MacBook Genius region. Be that as it may, remaining consistent with its name, the Air is 20% more modest than its ancestor regarding volume. You even get a great new varieties to look over this time around. Apple’s likewise added a couple of other new treats like a 1080p webcam, another speaker arrangement and a greater presentation.

In any case, the genuine superstar is the Mac’s M2 chip, which offers extraordinary execution for a ultraportable Laptop. It’s quicker and more remarkable than the past model and is great for anybody searching for a super-light workhorse. Also, it endured north of 14 hours on our battery test and has quick charging. A tempting blend of movability and execution makes it ideal for work and play.

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5. Dell XPS 13 2-in-1

SPECIFICATIONS:

CPU: Intel Core i7–1165G7

GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

RAM: 16GB

Storage: 512GB SSD

Display: 13.4-inch, 1200

Size : 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 2.9 pounds

The new XPS 13 2-in-1 is without question among the best 2-in-1 Laptops you can purchase. That shouldn’t really shock or amaze anyone. Dell cleverly involved the XPS 13 as a diagram for the XPS 13 2-in-1, a practically indistinguishable Laptop, however with the capacity to change into a tablet.

New highlights to the current year’s version make the XPS 13 2-in-1 more engaging than previously. Intel’s eleventh Gen Tiger Lake computer processors with Iris Xe Designs convey a strong presentation and illustrations support from the past chips. The XPS 13 2-in-1 likewise got a personal satisfaction improvement in the method of an IR camera, so you can quit composing in passwords. Furthermore, albeit the plan is unaltered, another Ice cover matches the white variety choice.

It’s an extraordinary decision for those searching for flexibility alongside execution and perseverance.

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Hope this article helps you find the right Laptop for your needs.

Augie Hashka

ARH Products.

[good-questing-modpacks-min0]

Best Minecraft Modpacks [17 Top Picks for ]

💾 ►►► DOWNLOAD FILE 🔥🔥🔥 From those exciting creations come these best modpacks for Minecraft. We will visit everything from outer space to wizards and dragons, all within Minecraft. Well, if you want to elevate your Minecraft experience, modpacks are one of the best ways to change the groove. All of these mods will be limited to the Java Edition of the game, and you can find out why in our comparison of Minecraft Java and Bedrock Editions. Though, before we dive into this extensively curated list, make sure to install Minecraft Forge to use mods with Minecraft on your PC. Best Modpacks in Minecraft Before we list down the best Minecraft modpacks, you must be wondering — how are modpacks different from mods? Well, the name essentially gives it away, but let us clarify. Modpacks are a heavily sized and curated collection of different mods under a single theme or topic that you can install to elevate your Minecraft experience. Unlike mods, modpacks aim to change almost every aspect of the game. And even though most mods can work on any PC setup, many of these will require a medium or high-tier gaming PC for a playable experience. As modpacks are limited to the Java Edition of the game, you can only expect them to work on Mac or Windows. Though there might be an easy way to get Minecraft Java on Chromebooks and experience the magic on your low-end school laptop as well. Once you have your platform sorted, head on to the first entry in our list of best modpacks for Minecraft. Acting in some ways as a direct competition to the RTX on Minecraft Bedrock experience, this mod focuses on realism. Not just realism in terms of textures or shaders, but in aspects beyond what you can imagine. Going beyond graphics, the RLCraft modpack also makes the sounds feel more realistic. Download RLCraft Modpack. This is a special, regularly updated modpack with a ton of unique and somewhat lesser-known mods. If you want to discover random new mods, this is the Minecraft modpack to stick with. If this feels like ideal Robinhood vibes for your game, grab the modpack right now. The screenshot above captures the random essence of the modpack well with this specialized tool. Download All the Mods 6 Modpack 3. Demon Slayers Unleashed One of my personal favorites and popular Minecraft modpacks is the one based on the Demon Slayer anime series. This is a combat-based modpack, where you get the characters from the anime in your game, including the antagonist Muzan Kibutsuji, and can use them for a roleplay experience. The whole modpack is based around the concept of traveling and hunting demons or humans, increasing in strength as your progress. If you are an anime fan or if demon-hunting feels exciting for you, this is a modpack you should definitely check out. Download Demon Slayers Unleashed Modpack. As per the creators, this collection offers adventures, magic, science, quests, combat, bosses, automation, and exploration all in one place. This multi-thematic mod provides players with a taste of every good mission style Minecraft modpack that you can look for in a single one. From dozens of pets to new weapons, there are many things to look out for in MC Eternal, including cannon shooting rats and even the aurora as shown in the image above. Download Minecraft Eternal Modpack 5. This Minecraft modpack aims to tackle that by teaching you how to properly use advanced mods and tools on offer without feeling overwhelmed by the massive variety. As the name suggests, the Minecraft world you land in is infected by parasites, and they are turning villagers into deadly creatures. This zombie-style survival experience in Minecraft has always been a popular choice for players. What makes it even better than the general zombie-style story is the fact that the actual parasites and mobs are far scarier and challenging. Download Parasites Modpack 7. Advanced Wizardry Are you a Potterhead like I am? If yes, this modpack is going to make you fall in love with itself. Download Advanced Wizardry Modpack 8. Valhelsia 3 Modpack This modpack aims to target a wide variety of players while ensuring you have access to only the highest quality of mods. Explorers will have the best biomes to explore, technical players will have unlimited building abilities, while the adventurers will have a whole world of quests waiting for them. The team behind this collection is of professional modders, so expect the most reliable and bug-free experience from this Minecraft modpack. Download Valhelsia 3 Modpack. Dragons are entities you will find in several Minecraft modpacks, but this one gives them the attention they deserve. It is directly inspired by George R. Check out a list of the best Netflix TV series right here for more such recommendations. The plot of this modpack is based around attempts to subdue dragons, using their carcasses for materials, connecting with the villagers, and doing tons of quests. You can use multiple magic and technology-based methods as well as a combination of the two to take down the dragons. We can easily conclude that World of Dragons offers more variety to dragons than any other modpack out there for Minecraft. Download World of Dragons Modpack There are castles, caves, new biomes, and Mineshafts for you to explore in the modpack. Each biome in this world is looming with creatures ready to kill you. From dragons and undead souls to tigers and queen bees, you will have to take each step wisely to survive in this world. This survival-based modpack is fun and has high-stakes involved if you are up for the challenge. Space Astronomy 2 Minecraft Modpack This is the time to take our list of best Minecraft modpacks beyond the horizon. Quite literally. An install size of 4GB makes it one of the heaviest modpacks on our list. The main aim of this modpack, as you might have guessed, is to explore the universe, visit different planets, and then record those journeys in the achievement booklet. Download Space Astronomy 2 Modpack With random creations in the sky, this pack takes a beautiful Minecraft world and divides it into sky blocks. There are massive changes in the game beyond that as well, including cool new entities like the karate Zombies and a ton of new blocks and recipes. Download SevTech Modpack. If you want to see how diverse yet good modpacks can get, the 1. Download 1. And well, this modpack celebrates that like nothing else. The popular Minecraft YouTuber Direwolf20 created this amazing modpack to play with fans of the channel. Created with community engagement in mind, the pack has some of the best mods loved by Minecraft fans, including MineTogether, EnderCore, Storage drawers, and more. If you already know the Youtuber or simply wanna enjoy a variety of fan-favorite mods, get this Modpack right away. Download Direwolf20 Modpack Regrowth After a whole list of exciting and unique Minecraft modpacks, Regrowth is here to bring things down to a standstill. You have to turn the wasteland you spawn in into the Minecraft world we have come to adore. Download Regrowth Modpack Download the Best Minecraft Modpacks Right Away Grab any of these Minecraft modpacks that excite you, and do let us know if you find some better ones in the comments. Though, if you are looking for more subtle changes, our list of best Minecraft mods might be something you want to check out. Not to forget, these modpacks can be demanding, so getting Optifine for Minecraft might help ease some load and optimize performance. It will also end up enhancing the graphics for most of the modpacks in this list, which is a huge plus. Hi Sir I visit your site daily its very informative for me thanks for sharing such a nice piece of words in this article. I am new at blogging running 3 different sites like saeeddeveloper dfaho and hiitech4u approve my comments everytime. Your Comment. Your Name. The internet is rife with image editing software that promises a boatload of features without charging a penny. However, as a writer who edits images daily, I find myself on these websites only to be annoyed with constant pop-ups, forced […]. In March earlier this year, Garmin launched its Instinct 2 smartwatch series in India. Of the latest models in the Instinct 2 lineup, the company launched two variants with solar charging. Yeah, the Instinct Solar has solar charging support, and […]. If you are a gamer who travels around, you might find yourself in a tight spot. Most gaming components perform but do so after weighing in a few kilos at the least. Well, laptop makers in recognized the need […]. Skip to content. Best Modpacks in Minecraft Table Of Contents. Quest Preview Screenshot. Official Wiki Screenshot. Recommended Articles. How to Spawn the Wither in Minecraft. Minecraft 1. Leave a Reply Cancel reply.

[timm59wang]

Best To Be Able To Download Free Psp Games Online

Installation is difficult as inserting the CD and click 'Next' 'Next' or running some executable files. I needed to install and learn Macintosh OSX on Windows in my PC, so i searched on the internet for the opportunity to have Macintosh on Windows computer. Eating habits study returned nothing very useful other than changing your XP, Vista themes to Mac OS themes. Based on the other tips in several sites and after I was able to it practically, now I'm writing little to install mac on VMware in Windows Pc. This is the most complex item. As for originpro software , it really is without praoclaiming that pigments ought to used. origin pro serial key are mostly organic compounds and and so they decay. Dyes have a wider color gamut crackfiles are usually unsuitable for very long lasting photos. Now to eliminate that screen press "Q". Tab Concerning the Main Kismet Screen to another SSID and press "I". This Kismet window can have detailed the specifics of the wireless network. The Kismet detail screen shows the type of network (Infrastructrure / Adhoc), signal strength, channel, encryption type, even more. Do you ought to convert your files? origin pro activation as however.mp4 files, but the most common video editors are only allowed to handle .mp3 files. Never fear, there are shareware and freeware programs that will convert on.mp4 files to .mp3 or .avi files so which you can work with them in simple editors like Windows Movie Maker. The traits of Harry in the series are the most effective part of the story in my opinion. To think of him, picture in the mind the mysterious Van Helsing. Add in a little sheet of badass wizardry, and some wise-ass sarcasm to a combination and anyone could have Harry Dresden. So, initial question for everyone wanting to work on-line is "Are you prepared to spend the price?" If the answer is "No", keep the money safe, crack another beer, put your feet up across the sofa, view your favorite soap. Best advice for this day: don't get lost on the hoopla of Cyber Monday laptop opportunities. Know what you want and obtain only what need to have to! Make this holiday shopping guilt free without buyer's misgivings!

[5thmarauderwrites]

Apps, Texts & Wizardry — The Marauders x Reader | Request.

Requests are: OPEN.

Requested by Anonymous: “Helooo💛 could you write a modern au where the reader is teaching the marauders how to use tech? Have a nice day :)“.

Pairing: The Marauders x Fem!Reader [platonic].

Word Count: 2,4K

Warnings: None, it’s basically all fun and teasing and friends being friends.

A/N: Hope you like this! I had to refrain myself from the dialogues a bit because i had lots of fun remarks and teasing moments in my head as i imagined how the teaching process would be, so it would end up being very, very long if i hand’t stopped myself. Also the title SUCKS because i literally couldn’t think about anything good.

“L/N!” James yelled your last name in the middle of the library, shaking a brand new smartphone clutched in his hand; Sirius and Peter on his trail. Remus walked a little further, an apologetic frown on his features as he looked at you.

“Potter!” Madam Pince shrieked. “Out! Now!”

“But I’ve just got here!” The boy with unruly black hair protested.

“I do not care! Screams and loud tones of voice are strictly forbidden in my library! Go on – out! Out before I hex you!” The witch brandished her feather duster at the boy as she gesticulated for him to leave.

James grimaced, pushing his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose, “I just need to talk to my friend, please! She’s right there!” He pointed to you, who watched the unfolding scene with a look of pure terror, in fear that Madam Pince would banish you from the library for good after James’ antics.

Madame Pince sent you a death glare before turning back to the Marauders with a fulminant look on her face, “out, all of you! NOW!”

“We haven’t even done anything!” Sirius shrugged with a frown, trying to defend himself.

The older witch gave them a last warning glare and, getting the message; Remus mumbled an apology and dragged the other three boys out of the room. Madam Pince waited until they were completely off the library’s limits to walk angrily to the table you were sharing with Lily, Marlene and Alice in the quieter corner of the study room.

“L/N!” She spat as she approached your table. “You know you’re one of the few students that I actually tolerate in this school, but this better not happen again because next time you’ll be kicked out with them!”

You widened your eyes in horror and nodded vigorously, afraid to make any noise and irritate the librarian even more. Madam Pince huffed satisfied at your acknowledgement of her threat before turning on her heels and leaving you with a dumbfounded look on your face.

“I don’t know how you and Remus can be friends with those twats,” Lily said in a belittled tone of voice whilst rolling her eyes.

“They’re not that bad once-“ you started to defend the Marauders but trailed off as you looked in the direction of the closed window by the side of the door and saw James and Sirius with their faces glued to the glass, waving for you to come to them.

“You were saying?” Marlene frowned disgustedly at their behaviour.

“Come on, they’re nice people, girls!” Alice chuckled, defending the boys as the sweet and kind person she was.

“They are! Thank you, Ali!” You wrapped your arm around the girl’s shoulders in a gesture of appreciation.

“Sure,” Lily teased with a frown as she studied the boys, whom were now making silly faces at your group from behind the glass window. “I’m sure if you google stupid twats their names won’t come up as soon as you hit the search button.”

Marlene high-fived Lily at her remark and you couldn’t help but smile, even though you rolled your eyes at your redhead friend, “you know you and James have a lot in common, don’t you?” You teased, getting up and grabbing your phone and laptop.

“Where are you going?” She asked amidst a blush, purposely ignoring what you had just said.

“To see what they bloody want before Madam Pince spots them and forbids me to step a foot into the library for good of course,” you shrugged with a lopsided grin and walked away from your lady friends, heading to the boys in the corridor.

 -

 “Y/N, I’m so sorry! I told these idiots that you were studying and they should not bother you!” Remus said as soon as he saw your moving figure approaching the door, his arms up in an apologetic gesture.

“That’s okay, Rem. I know their stupidity is uncontrollable,” you chuckled, squeezing the taller boy’s shoulder.

“Hey!” Sirius exclaimed, offended, as he ran a hand through his thick dark locks.

“She’s not lying,” Remus said with a light shrug of his shoulders, pressing his lips together to contain a smile.

“What do you bloody want from me anyway to barge in the library like that?” You winged your brows, specifically scolding James.

“Sorry about that, little one. Madam Pince really needs to learn how to relax,” he frowned, recalling her unpleasant screams. “Anyway, we got ourselves brand new phones and this muggle box you call a laptop and we were wondering if you could help us out with those… things.”

You lifted a brow as you crossed your arms across your chest, “you got phones? And laptops?” You repeated his sentence with a surprised tone of voice.

“That’s what I just said, yes,” James frowned.

“I reckon you saying something like,” you started, raising your hands in the air and mimicking quotes as you tried your best to impersonate James, “’I will never trade my owl and parchments for these bloody muggle things with these annoying noises.’”

“I’ll admit I may have spoken too soon,” he shrugged with a grimace. “Blimey, it’s hard not to surrender to those things when the entire school and even the Professors are using it!”

You gazed at James with an amused look on your face.

“So, will you help us out, love?” Sirius steadied himself on you as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and stared at you with puppy eyes.

“I could use the help of these things to improve my studying method and have easier access to books,” Remus said shyly, putting his hands into his pockets.

“I want to try those games the lads have been playing, they’re even talking about doing championships and starting clubs,” Peter’s eyes twinkled as he nodded excitedly.

You heaved a sigh as you looked to the pleading faces of the four Marauders. “Fine, I’ll help you idiots out.”

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 You had been helping the Marauders with the muggle technology for a few days now and it wasn’t getting any easier. As wizards born and raised into wizarding families, the boys never had any sort of familiarity with technology nor muggle devices before, which hampered the task in hand considerably. Even Remus, who was unquestionably the cleverest among them, was struggling to learn how to properly use a phone.

Beginning with the smartphone was your idea, because you thought that after they mastered this complex device, learning how to use a laptop would be a piece of cake. You just didn’t imagine that it would be so bloody difficult.

“Wait, wait, and wait!” Sirius interrupted your explanation about the Face ID for the third time with a confused frown as he threw his head back heavily into the back pillow of the Gryffindor Common Room sofa. “How am I supposed to make my face unlock this thing? Will I have to hex it?”

“No, you daft dimbo!” You huffed, annoyed. “I’ll get there if you just stop interrupting me!”

“Sorry, love,” he smirked satisfied at your apparent annoyance, resting his elbows on Remus’ and James’ shoulders. “I’ll admit I have a liking to piss you off; and apparently I accomplish that even when I’m not trying to.”

“You sure do!” You smiled wryly at him, curling your legs on the seat of the stuffed armchair you were occupying, leaning yourself a little in the boys direction. “Anyway, you’ll access your phone settings right… here,” you said, showing them with your phone where to tap. “To register your face, you’ll need to hold your device between 10 and 20 inches away from you. With your face centered in the circle, you’ll move your head around until the scan is complete.”

The boys quickly followed your instructions and registered their faces, finally completing the basic configurations of their phones as they did so, allowing you to start teaching them how to use its apps and download other ones.

“There’s a camera in this? Cool!” Sirius exclaimed excitedly once he unlocked his phone screen. “What?” He added with a smile when you chuckled at his reaction.

“I’ve always thought that if you were a muggle, you’d sort of be an edgy photographer,” you answered with a lopsided grin.

“I could be one to,” James shrugged uninterested. “I’d definitely be edgy.”

“You, James? Come on!” You rolled your eyes, laughing wholeheartedly. “You’d be an annoying influencer jock.”

“A what?” He asked, utterly confused as if you were speaking in another language.

“You’d definitely be an overachiever high school athlete who were not only famous at school but also on the internet,” you winged your brows at him, resting your chin of your fist.

“You’d definitely be like that, mate!” Remus laughed, pointing his index finger at James.

“Yeah? And how would all-mighty Moony be?” James teased, crossing his arms across his chest and bending his head a little so he could playfully stare at his brown-haired friend.

“Rem would be a total hipster!” You shouted excitedly, clapping your hands. “He’d definitely be an outsider to the cultural mainstream, he’d have an online blog where he’d review books and would definitely be vocal about structural issues in the muggle society.”

“Why would he be the coolest among us?” James frowned, a little annoyed.

“Because he already is,” you shrugged, winging your brows.

“I can totally see muggle Moony being like that too,” Peter nodded vaguely from his seat on the arm of the sofa, picturing what you had just said inside his head.

“Can we focus on the tech again?” James said, swinging his phone in the air.

“Yes, we can, you pampered berk,” you answered, the ends of your lips curling up into an amused smirk as you got up of the armchair and motioned to the sofa, squeezing yourself between James and Sirius.

Slowly, you started to explain to them how to use the iMessage service and how to text someone and read the texts you receive. The boys seemed awestruck by the fact that you could get in touch with someone so easily and get an instant response back.

“Wicked! Now I can ask Lily out without putting myself in danger!” James exclaimed excitedly, the blaze that crackled in the fireplace lighting up his features. “Can’t I?”

“Well, she can always block your number, you know…” you frowned mockingly at him, earning amused laughs from Remus, Sirius and Peter.

The four of you teased James for a while before you and the boys got back to the teaching process. An hour or so later, you had already covered all the phone basic apps and they were already familiar with their functions and how to properly use them.

“Now, to the fun stuff!” You announced excitedly. “Let’s introduce you lads to the wonderful world of the trending apps.”

“Are there more?” Sirius widened his eyes as he rested his head on your shoulder.

“Indeed, my dear Black!” You quirked your brows satisfied, tilting your head so you could look him in the eyes. “There are tons of apps you can download to improve your experience, apps that match your likings such as, in your case, dating apps.”

“Dating apps? Can’t you just charm the ladies through texts?” He asked confusedly.

“You sure can, but these apps are basically made for people who want to engage on… knowing someone a little bit better, if you know what I mean,” you chuckled. “With the dating apps you don’t have to ask yourself if the other person is somehow romantically interested in you, because when they swipe right and the match is made, it means the interest is mutual.”

“And how would you know all this?” He asked, lifting his head and smirking mockingly at you. “Y/N L/N, do you use dating apps?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” you retorted, blushing furiously. Sirius’ smirk grew wider.

A sudden silence fell among the five of you as you and Sirius stared at each other with narrowed eyes; he holding a teasing look whilst you held a deadly one. James and Remus watched the scene with delighted expressions whilst Peter monotonously scrolled through his phone screen.

“Ahem,” Remus cleared his throat with an amused smile, dragging you and Sirius back to reality. “Are there any good apps to download books and to read them?”

You slowly tilted your head in Remus’ direction and, nodding, started to show him the apps you had on your phone for reading purposes and which ones you thought would fit his needs better. Remus avidly listened to your tips whilst downloading each and every app you had mentioned on his own phone.

The day quickly faded into night as you and the Marauders went on and on about the technologies and its functions and soon, the five of you were the only ones in the now silent Common Room, the light coming from the fireplace and the displays of your phones being the only things shining in the almost complete darkness.

“And done!” James exclaimed, getting up from the sofa and stretching himself. “TikTok is already downloaded and ready to be used! Tomorrow we’ll pull the ‘Dance Like a Hippogriff’ prank and Y/N here will film everything so we can upload the edited video on our TikTok account later.”

“Excuse you?” You frowned, crossing your arms across your chest.

“It’ll be fun, I promise!” He joined his hands pleadingly. “Come on! Please?” He added at the grimace you made.

“Fine!” You rolled your eyes with a smile after a few seconds. “Now I’m going to bed before another brilliant idea pops up into that twat mind of yours."

Saying goodbye to the Marauders, you walked to the stairs that led to the girls’ dormitory and took a quick look over your shoulder. Before you climbed up the stairs, a smile formed on your lips as you saw the four boys talking excitedly and laughing whilst scrolling through their phones.

[a-vintage-snake]

8. Oh, I’ll Fall In Love With You

Pairing(s): Pre-romantic Dukeceit

First chapter - Previous chapter - Next chapter

Warnings: Child abuse, dirty humor, basically Remus is Very Thirsty™ for that Snake Booty Characters: Janus “Deceit” Sanders, Remus Sanders,

Summary: Deceit makes an offer to Remus he can’t refuse

Word Count: 10601

Author’s Note: Guess who’s baaaaack? This chapter is dedicated to Lumi, Rose, Alec and all the other wonderful people in the Shatter discord server who encouraged me to keep going, even when I struggled so hard with this chapter that I wanted to throw my laptop out of the window. Also, on AO3 I have actually edited and updated all the previous chapters! Worked out the mistakes, added some stuff and deleted some unnecessary things. I will update the chapters here on Tumblr too, but in a few days (I wanna SLEEP man). If you ever wanted to reread this whole beast, now is your best chance!

Taglist: @avocados26, @fandoms-will-collide @nottoonormalme, @bihighandgivinghighfives, @atticusfinchthelegend​, @hekking-happy-nonsense, @lockmcduckwoodchuck

If you want to be removed or added to the taglist, just ask!

Read on AO3

The warlock led him through winding halls, which were slowly brightened by the rising sun outside. Remus knew that he had to pay attention, try to remember some of the routes through this maze-like structure. He however couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away once more from the back of Deceit’s head, although this time it wasn’t just because of those exquisite curls.

Were all evil warlocks like this? Or did this guy just not read the guide on Villainous Wizardry 101?

It was only when Deceit threw open a couple of double doors that Remus finally mentally slapped himself and remembered to look around. One snap of the warlock’s fingers and the dark room erupted into light, candles on the wall flaming up along with a fire starting in an ornately decorated fireplace at the end of the hall. The room that they had just entered appeared to be a grand dining hall. The flames illuminated the massive dining table that took up the room, which had to be at least twice the size of the one Remus knew from back home. Yet the table was caked in dust, years of untouched grime making the warm wood almost grey in appearance. The many chairs surrounding it were in no better condition.

Another bored wave of the warlock’s hand and curtains were drawn, allowing light to stream in through tall windows. Remus rapidly blinked at the sudden brightness, slowing to a halt as took in the stunning view of the mountains and valleys that greeted him beyond the windows. Morning fog was pulled like a blanket over the land below, but if Remus squinted he could still make out the white towers of his family castle in the distance, peaking up from the mist like needles from a pincushion. It was almost impossible to believe that just a few days ago he was still there. Would anyone have started missing him by now?

…Eh. Probably not.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the view,” The warlock’s voice echoed across the hall. “I assure you, it’s just as lovely from this side of the room.”

Startled from his thoughts, Remus hurried over to the end of the dining hall, where he saw that one small part of the table was dust free. On that clean part a modest array of plates were arranged, filled with seasonal fruits, bread and dried fish. There was one one carafe filled with clear water and one with a dark red liquid, which he guessed to likely be wine. Simple food, but nevertheless Remus’ stomach made an embarrassingly loud rumble that nearly echoed in the quiet air. The small dinner in his room seemed ages ago. The warlock chuckled.

“It appears that I got you here just in time,” He said amusedly as he poured two glasses of water. “Have a seat.”

Hesitantly Remus sat down in one of the two chairs that seemed just as clean as the table part. It placed him at Deceit’s left hand, while the warlock sat closest to the fireplace. Looking over the food again Remus ignored his vague disappointment that the warlock didn’t feast on his enemies’ hearts and the blood of virgins or something along that line. Well, he supposed it was only breakfast. Maybe the human meat was reserved for dinner only.

While pondering if perhaps the warlock would put him on the menu and try to strap him to the table to feast on his organs (which was a strangely hot mental image) Remus reached for the glass of water that was placed in front of him-

A sharp ache shot through his wrist and Remus drew his hand back with a pained hiss. He had nearly forgotten about his little injury, but he figured it would be hard to ignore now. His wrist thrummed miserably, thickened with dark blue bruises. Before he could discretely hide the offending arm under the table the warlock looked his way.

“…You are hurt.” Deceit frowned as he spotted his wrist.

“It’s nothing!” Remus said quickly. “I barely feel it, I didn’t lie about-!”

Slender hands grasped his wrist, and Remus’ mouth slapped shut with an audible click. Deceit didn’t react to his sudden silence, only pulled his hand closer. Remus’ throat went bone dry. He didn’t dare to move an inch as the warlock delicately examined his wrist, gentle fingers feeling and pressing for any injury. Sharp talons moved dangerously close to the vulnerable veins on his wrist, yet not a scratch landed on Remus’ skin. The pressure, however soft it was, still sent painful twinges down his arm. Remus barely registered it. He could only stare, a little dazed, at those elegant long fingers. Iridescent green scales ran down the back of the warlock’s hands, even spreading as far as his fingers. Remus wanted to lean forward and explore every single one of them with his lips and tongue.

Oh yeah, good fucking luck with THAT when just him touching your wrist makes you wanna faint like a damsel in a boring story!

“Move your fingers for me?” Deceit asked, unaware of Remus’ inner turmoil. Remus wiggled his fingers, grimacing at the pain the movement caused. The warlock hummed.

“Just a sprain,” Deceit said. “Nothing I can’t heal easily.”

“Ha,” Remus laughed weakly. “Told ya it was nothing! Very tough-! Me…”

Remus trailed off when the warlock gently folded his hands around his wrist in a light grasp. Remus wasn’t sure he could take much more before his heart would literally explode on him and cover the fancy dinner table with his organs, when the warlock’s eyes started glowing molten gold once more… And he started to sing.

Had Deceit’s speaking voice already turned Remus into a pile of goo, nothing could have prepared him for his singing voice. Remus understood exactly none of the words, but it didn’t matter. Breathlessly he let the song wash over him, barely daring to blink lest the warlock would stop singing in that crooning dark baritone voice, soft yet powerful. Every single note felt like silk against his skin, or a soothing warm drink on an ice-cold day. He scarcely noticed how the veins on Deceit’s hands came alive in that same golden glow as his eyes, enveloping Remus’ wrist in warm light.

I’m dying. This is death and somehow I made it into paradise.

Far too soon for his liking the song came to an end. The glow in Deceit’s eyes and veins vanished and, much to Remus’ disappointment, he released his hold on his wrist.

“How does it feel now?” Deceit asked.

Reluctantly Remus pulled his wrist back, only to stop short when he realized the movement didn’t hurt anymore. The bruises had vanished, not even a hint of blue marring his skin anymore. Gingerly he rolled his wrist, preparing for pain, but none came.

A healing spell, Remus realized as he rubbed his wrist. The song had been a healing spell.

In awe over his magical recovery, Remus looked up into the warlock’s calm mismatched eyes. Right. Now was the time to for a charming answer, a sincere thank you that would certainly sweep him off his feet-

“Fuck me.” Remus breathlessly said.

Deceit blinked, baffled. “I beg your pardon?” He sharply asked.

Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit!! That was NOT the right thing! Quick, thinkthinkthink, fix this, FIX THIS-!!

“I mean FUCK ME, how did you do that?!” Remus yelped.

Nailed it.

Deceit gave him an odd look. “You would say this is nothing new to you,” He said as he gracefully sat down in his own chair. “Healing is one of the most common magic practices out there. Especially amongst nobility, I would say.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve never been much to a healer! So no, not really used to it!” Remus readily jumped on that little bit of truth. His parents had always believed that sending him to a healer for every injury he had would just make him soft. So his body had always repaired itself the old fashioned way, no matter how seriously hurt he was. Even when Roman was healed for every little bruise that appeared on his disgustingly perfect skin.

“Is that so…” Deceit hummed quietly, more to himself than to Remus. Before he had a chance to decipher the thoughtful tone the warlock smiled, instantly sweeping any rational thought Remus might have had under the rug.

“Well, let’s not stare at this wonderfully set table, shall we? Please,” Deceit waved an inviting gesture towards the food. “Help yourself.”

His stomach rumbled again, so Remus gladly took that invitation, sweeping his eyes over the stalled out food.

This is an opportunity to impress him! You have survived all those boring-ass etiquette for a reason! Show him you’re sophisticated as balls!

He made an excellent point to himself. So Remus picked up the chic silverware, filled his plate with bread, fish and some fruits and ate.

The breakfast was a silent affair, but Remus was used to that. The warlock didn’t touch the food, merely nipped from his water as Remus ate with all the enthusiastic energy of someone who hadn’t brought enough rations on his impromptu quest, filling up his plate again and again. Fuck, he hadn’t realized just how hungry he was. He struck down the instinct to throw his knife and fork aside to unashamedly gorge himself on the food. If it had been Roman with him he would have done that in a heartbeat. In the very rare occasion that both their parents couldn’t attend dinner he had delighted in disgusting his brother by eating everything with his hands. Including soup, that one memorable time. Yes, the soup had been uncomfortably hot, but the grossed out look on Roman’s face had made it all worth it.

Hungrily zooming in on the last slice of dark bread, Remus reached to grab it.

“Wait!”

Remus’ hand stopped midway, hovering over the last slice of bread uncertainly.

“Rule number one of this castle,” Deceit said. “Always leave one piece of food behind on the platters.” That was an… oddly specific rule. “Why?” Remus asked, confusedly pulling his hand back.

The warlock smiled lightly. “See for yourself.” He said as he nodded towards the platter. Remus frowned and looked back, puzzled, at the last slice of bread.

For a while nothing happened. Then, to Remus bewilderment and with the faintest little pop sound a second slice appeared on the platter, identical to the first one. Several more soft pops were heard and within a matter of minutes the platter was once more filled with neatly sliced bread.

Remus thought that at this point his eyes would literally roll out his head with the sheer amount of ogling he had done in just these past 12 hours alone. He couldn’t help it. Any display of magic made him want to see more. He was incredibly tempted to snatch the bread away again just to see how new slices would appear. Instead however he turned to the warlock, not caring about how dumb his astounded face probably was.

“…Well that’s a neat trick.” Remus said weakly. The warlock laughed, and Remus’ stomach made all sorts of funny loopity-loops at the sight.

“It’s merely a simple duplication spell applied to the platters. Along with an air bubble created around them to keep everything at its peak freshness. I’ll admit, that one was a bit trickier.”

“Wait, all the platters do that??”

“Those and the carafes, yes.”

Remus’ eyes immediately went to the carafe of wine. Holy crap, Infinity Wine… Every alcoholic’s wet dream.

“That’s so cool!” Remus breathed. He had never seen magic being used like that! Deceit swirled the water in his glass around. “It is a necessity, I’m afraid. Food is sometimes so hard to come by in the mountains. One learns to appreciate what you can find, even when it is as simple as this. Although I never thought I would have to serve it to such…” The warlock smirked at Remus. “Royal company.” “I-I don’t mind!” Remus shook his head. How was it that one smile of this man made his brain turn to lumpy mush? “Not at all!”

“Oh, I’m so glad about that,” Deceit grinned. “I would positively be distraught if you did mind! Especially since I suppose you were used to the… finer things in life, back at your home?”

Something about that last line jostled something in the helplessly purring slush that was currently his head. His home… His home! His plan! Now was as good of a time as any!

“Oh, right!” Remus dropped his cutlery. “When are we going to take over the castle??” He asked brightly.

Deceit’s hand froze, the glass in his hand halfway up to his lips. He shook his head, seemingly unsure whether or not he heard that correctly.

“I… What?” The warlock’s voice had gone from lightly teasing to downright flat.

“That’s what you want, right?” Remus clarified. “I can help! I know all the entrances of the castle, including the ones that aren’t really entrances I guess? But don’t worry, I would never ask you to go through the sewers! Or do you want info on the guards’ shifts? I got those too! Had to evade those fuckers every time I snuck out!” Growing more and more enthusiastic about the whole idea, Remus grabbed an empty plate and some spoons and arranged them on the table in a rough approximation of the castle’s defence system. “Right, just imagine this plate is the castle! The guards change every six hours, except when there’s a party, then it’s every four hours!” He moved the spoons around the plate, mimicking the exchange of guards. “I would say the best time to sneak in would be at… three o’clock at night or so? Especially on Wednesdays, because then general Isolda isn’t on duty! She’s a real piece of work, lemme tell you! Ohoh!! Shall I detail who the best knights are? So we can take those out first??”

Remus eagerly beamed up at the warlock. The other man hadn’t moved throughout his little explanation. He still held his glass halfway up to his mouth, all the while staring at Remus with the most incredulous blank look he had ever seen. Remus’ grin turned a little less enthusiastic as the seconds kept ticking away in politely baffled silence. Did he say something wrong?

Just as he wanted to ask if maybe his explanation was unclear, Deceit’s eyes hardened with suspicion. The warlock’s face darkened with slow awakening rage as he slammed his glass down with a bang.

“Do you think I’m a fool?” Deceit hissed as he rose from his chair, the very air around him crackling with barely held back fury. Remus paled.

“What??? No! No, no, no!” Remus threw up his hands in a placating gesture. “I just want to help you, I swear!”

“Oh, of course!” The warlock bitterly laughed. “One of the royal family just swoops in and wants to help me! What a cute little fairy-tale! Do tell me another! What’s next, you wish to burn down your family castle?!”

“Yeah, really wouldn’t mind that either-!”

“DON’T LIE TO ME!” Deceit roared, his eyes flaring up in flaming gold. Remus sharply inhaled as the eyes bored into him, pinning him down as helplessly as they had done back on the mountain. The warlock moved in, fast as a viper, gripping the arm rests of Remus’ chair as he loomed over the prince.

“Tell me the truth!” The warlock commanded with a hiss. His voice seeped into Remus’ mind like honey, stickily sweet and burning, dousing Remus’ head in gold. The pure intensity of the feeling left him shaking.

“I want…” Remus gasped. “I want-!”

“Yes?” Deceit bit out impatiently.

“I want to help you take over the kingdom because those fucking bastards got it coming!”

Immediately the gold receded, making Remus’ his eyes slip shut and his head fall back as he gulped for breath from the abrupt withdrawal. For a while there was nothing heard but Remus’ laboured breathing. When he sluggishly blinked open his eyes Deceit still loomed over him, stock-still. Staring down at him with the most pure perplexed look of utter confusion on his face. It made Remus want to kiss him senseless.

“You… I… You’re-!” Deceit shook his head, his silver tongue seemingly at a loss for words. “You’re actually serious-!”He finally sputtered out.

“Sure am!” Remus grinned, hoping to hell the warlock wasn’t going to ask why exactly he was so eager to help him.

“But-! But what about your life there?!” “Fucking overrated, let me tell you!”

“Your companions? Your friends?!”

Remus shrugged. “Don’t have those!”

“Really?” The warlock frowned. “There is no one? No one at all?”

Briefly the image of serious eyes behind square glasses crossed his mind’s eye, and for the first time since he woke up a little nugget of hesitance wiggled in Remus’ head. He hadn’t thought about the stuffy librarian… Would his favourite nerd miss his sparkling presence?

“Your Grace, could you kindly get off the bookcase?”

“I can not converse right now, I am quite busy.”

“No, your Grace, I do not eat books. That seems like a very counterproductive way of attaining new knowledge.”

…Oh, who was he kidding? Logan was probably just glad he didn’t have to clean up after his messes anymore.

“Nope! There’s no one!” Remus cheerfully said, throwing up his hands in a ‘what ya gonna do’ gesture. “So let’s burn the castle to the ground!”

Deceit stared down at him for a long moment, a wildly searching look in his eyes. A hundred clever remarks and questions crossed Remus’ mind but he bit them all back. Instead he steadfastly held eye contact, even when his gaze wanted to flick down to the warlock’s lips. What was Deceit looking for? Proof that Remus was being dishonest? Or was it something else?

Eventually Deceit pulled back, slowly releasing the death grip he had on the chair’s armrests. Unsteadily he stepped away to heavily fall back into his own chair. Remus released the breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding. Whatever it was that Deceit had tried to find, apparently it hadn’t been there. The warlock’s thousand-yard stare suggested someone who saw three weeks (or a month at most) of planning disappear into thin air.

“Well this is an… Unexpected time saver.” Deceit muttered.

“…Time saver for what?” Remus asked curiously. The warlock jostled, as if he hadn’t realized he had spoken out loud. Remus squirmed under the glower Deceit send his way. The warlock took him in with narrowed, analysing eyes. Like Remus was a puzzle he wasn’t quite sure how to solve yet. It almost made Remus shy, which was just ridiculous. He didn’t do shy. Quickly he grabbed his glass and took a big swig of water to avoid that scrutinizing gaze.

“…Let me get right to the point then,” Deceit said, his face once more an unreadable mask. “Have you ever wanted to learn magic?”

“Magic?” The prince frowned. “Uh, yeah? Who hasn’t? Why? Are you offering?” Remus joked before taking another sip of water.

“As a matter of fact,” Deceit said lightly. “I am.”

Remus doubled over in a cough as the water went straight up his nose. Hacking like an old man he pounded on his chest to dislodge the water he inhaled in his own lungs.

“Try not to die on me, little prince,” The warlock’s dry tone reached through Remus’ coughing. “We still have much to discuss.”

It took a few minutes before Remus got his breathing back under control. He swallowed a good couple of times, and looked back at the other to ask multiple questions, including, but not limited to, ‘what the actual fuck’ when he saw that the warlock wasn’t looking at him. Instead he looked just a bit past Remus.

“Ah, there you are, my dear.” Deceit said with a warm smile. Remus whipped around. Who was this?? A rival?? His plan be damned, he would challenge his competition to a duel right then and there-!!

Yellow and black scales patterned down a long coiling body, which silently glided itself across the table towards him. Loudly cursing Remus grabbed the utensil nearest to him (a fork unfortunately) from the table and held it up like a sword as quite possible the largest cobra he had ever seen raised itself up right before him. Vicious green eyes with split pupils stared him down scornfully. The cobra’s tongue flicked out, scenting him, before flaring its hood and hissing furiously at Remus, showing off fangs the size of his little finger. He suddenly understood why he hadn’t spotted any rodents around the castle.

Before Remus could even think about jamming his fork into the snake’s jaw, Deceit reached forward and softly caressed the cobra’s belly with his knuckles.

“Ssssh, sssh... Eris, Eris…” The warlock soothingly cooed. “There’s no need for that, my beauty.”

The cobra turned to Deceit with another hiss, this one not quite promising murderous intent like the previous one, but still fierce.

“Oh dear, someone is grumpy,” Deceit chuckled affectionately, like he was talking to a toddler and not a massive venomous killer rope full of rage. “Eris, may I introduce you to Remus. Remus, this is Eris.”

Remus sunk down his chair when the cobra looked at him again, her eyes filled with contempt. The resemblance to his mother was almost uncanny.

“P-Pleasure to meet you…?” Remus hesitantly smiled. Eris pulled her nose up with a snarl, showing off her fangs once more. Remus gulped and slid a bit further down his chair, hoping to hide his vulnerable neck from those teeth.

“This man will be our guest for the foreseeable future. Yes he will!” Deceit said sternly as Eris angrily hissed, disbelief somehow clear in her eyes. “So be nice.”

Eris glanced between Deceit and Remus dubiously, before hissing again. Deceit sighed. “Please don’t question my decisions at the dinner table. We talked about this.” He said tiredly. Eris made a rolling movement with her head, like she desperately wished she had eyes that could roll.

This was turning into quite possibly the weirdest (and oddly arousing) day of Remus’ life as he watched Eris slither onto the warlock’s arm, and Deceit let it happen calmly. As if the snake, sliding herself up and wrapping around his neck and shoulders like the world’s deadliest scarf, couldn’t kill him with just one bite. Eris rested her head on Deceit’s shoulder and glowered over her own coils at Remus.

“Don’t mind her,” Deceit absent-mindedly caressed the cobra’s yellow and black scales. “She’s not good with new faces, but she won’t harm you.”

“…Riiiight.” Remus said as Eris raised the tip of her tail, first pointing it at her eyes, then at Remus. He wasn’t sure if snakes could glare, but this one was definitely giving him a look that told him she could kill him a hundred times over if he stepped as much as a toenail out of line.

“You haven’t answered my question yet.”

Remus tore himself away from his little staring contest with the cobra to look at the other snake at the table. “Your question?” He repeated a little confused.

“If you would like to learn magic.” Deceit clarified.

“…Hold up. You mean that was a genuine offer??” Remus asked as he sat up from his crouched hold. “You actuallywant to teach me magic?”

“I do.” Deceit calmly nodded.

“B-But… Wait.” This wasn’t real. He was most likely just unconscious under one of those bookcases he knocked over.

His head was probably crushed. A plank impaled him, right through the eye, and he was bleeding pretty pictures all over the floor with bits of brain swirling in the red-

Remus shook his head. No, no, no! Bad brain! Roman thoughts, remember?? But how else could he explain it? There was no way that not just a warlock, but The Warlock In The Goddamn Desolate Mountains was offering to make his childhood fantasy become a reality. It had been his dream to learn magic. A dream he shared with Roman, ever since their ninth birthday party. Their parents had invited a magic performer, who had woven illusions of light into thrilling stories that came alive around the guests. Remus remembered reaching his hand out, utterly mesmerized, toward a pirate ship made of shining orange light. His hand had passed through the illusion, but his fingers had tingled with the feeling of pure magic.

That night Roman and him had barely slept. Instead they had excitedly whispered into the late night hours, planning and saying mock spells, their imagination making their hands light up with magic. They would become the greatest sorcerers in whole the land!

Of course, their dreams were crushed the next morning when they excitedly talked about their plans at breakfast and their mother had gracefully informed them that royalty was not allowed to learn magic.

“What?! Why not?!” Roman had whined.

“It would create chaos if kings and queens could use magic to rule their countries. Just imagine if any monarch could enchant their fellow leaders to hand over their crowns,” Queen Nadia had said matter-of-factly over her cup of morning tea. “That rule has been decided in the Peace Treaty set up after the Iron Wars. Which you two would know if you paid attention to your history lessons.”

“Peace Treaty? More like Peace Doody…” Remus had muttered scornfully, making Roman snort.

“Besides,” King Augusto had continued. “The universities do not teach just anyone. The ancient art of magic is a difficult path, only destined for the worthy. You would need actual talent to be able to learn such a difficult thing.” At this point, both of his parents had pointedly looked at Remus.

“…Can I even learn magic??” Remus hesitantly asked.

Deceit shrugged, and somehow managed to make it look elegant. “I don’t see a reason why not.”

“Isn’t it like…” Remus waved a hand in a vague twist. “ ‘An ancient art, only destined for the worthy?’ ” He said, mimicking his father’s words.

“Ah yes,” Deceit rolled his eyes. “That old lovely titbit of elitist superiority. Well dear, let me just crush that mind-set immediately. That idea is something what we call in the professional world complete horseshit.”

The warlock saying swearwords really shouldn’t be as sexy as it was. “What do you mean?” Remus asked quickly to distract himself.

The warlock growled- Actually growled! Remus wanted to scream.

“Magic is an ancient art only destined for the worthy,” Deceit mockingly spat in a nasally voice. “HA! You know what that is? A lot of showy talk for ‘We only want the people that we approve of to learn.’ As if magic is a snooty benefactor who values bribing money over actual talent! No no no!” Deceit used no magic, yet his eyes lit up as if fire was burning in them. Remus leaned forward a bit, breathlessly pulled in. He couldn’t help but want to be consumed by those flames.

“Magic, true boundless magic, is inside all of us. Anyone, from the man who thinks he’s worthy because he wears a crown, to the lowest beggar on the streets. They all have that potential for magic. Everyone can learn it! And there was a time everyone did! A time where farmers would draw sigils in their land to ensure their crops would be bountiful. Midwives would chant spells to guarantee mothers a painless delivery. But of course, of course,” The warlock snarled. “Those in power would look down upon such practices. Can’t have your ‘peasantry’ grow too independent, or have the power to fight back once they realize they’ve been mistreated! So as time went on those practices disappeared... Hunted down by those who discouraged it at best, or killed who opposed them at worst!”

Deceit grumbled on quietly, but Remus didn’t quite catch it. In fact, he was feeling a little dizzy. How was it that one second the warlock was all grace and poise, a deadly kind of calm that reminded him of a predator in waiting, yet the next he was so passionate, so full of fire? The contrast made Remus’ insides simmer.

They could cut him open and nothing but mush would come out. A soup of all his bones and organs, with his bloody beating heart at its centre-

“I was… taught about that in history class,” Remus said weakly. “But… My teacher… He said that that kind of magic was…” What did that old fart say again? Ah yeah. “ ‘It’s like comparing high class art with simple scribbles on a wall.’ ” Remus did his best to imitate the snooty voice from his memory.

The warlock’s eyes darkened. Even Eris made a soft scoffing sound. “He said that, did he?”

Remus held up his hands in defeat. “His words, not mine!”

Deceit nodded with a short hum. “And scribbles on a wall are any less valid than high class art because…?” He asked with a too sweet smile.

Remus blinked stupidly. “Uuuuh… You can put high art in museums,” He tried. “And scribbles… Not?”

“Huh,” Deceit tilted his head in mock thought. “So one is only for the privileged to enjoy, while the other is for everyone?”

Dumbly he stared at the other man. Up until this point Remus had never put doubts on his teacher’s words, but now? Well fuck. He had never considered it that way…

“My point stands,” Deceit said smugly when he saw Remus struggled to answer. “You can learn magic, despite what some people would like you to think.” He took a sip of his water, and smirked over the rim of his glass at Remus. “So what is your answer, little prince?”

Remus grinned so wide his cheeks hurt. Him! Learning magic! Oh man, if only Roman could see him now! Remus had given up on that dream, resigned himself to just staring jealously whenever he saw Virgil summon his purple shadows. But now!! Now he could! To hell with the stupid “No Magic For Monarchy” rule, he would actually become a sorcerer! He was already down with committing treason! Why not break some more rules while he was at it? He could already imagine his brother’s dumb face and his dumb offended noises if he knew Remus would be learning magic instead of him!

In your fucking face Roman!!

He opened his mouth to yell ‘YES!’ when-

“I’m afraid he just can’t be helped, your Majesties.”

Remus bit his lip, resisting the urge to shuffle his feet. What he wouldn’t give to be doing homework right now, even if it was math equations. If he just could be anywhere but here, listening to his tutor summing up his every mistake. All the while his parents sat and listened, their hands folded in their laps. The parlour felt suffocating hot, yet still Remus struggled not to tremble.

“He has no talent for the written word. All his work is not only completely inappropriate, but also riddled with spelling errors.” His teacher said. Remus wanted to yell that his stories were fun, you stupid old fart! Why did some mistakes matter?? He wasn’t suicidal however, so he kept quiet.

“He refuses to pay attention to any of the classes, he doesn’t understand even the easiest of subject matter and his grades in math are… Well, you’ve seen those.”

“You’re saying he’s simple.” His father said coldly. Remus winced, biting harder down on his bottom lip. Maybe he would bite through his own flesh and they would have no choice but to send away, lest he bleed on the expensive carpet. With that small hope in mind Remus clenched his jaw harder.

“Well, he does have some passion for the arts-”

“We’ve seen what he draws,” His mother said airily. “Clearly you can agree that’s a passion we should discourage.”

“Of course, your Majesty.”

But he liked drawing! He loved filling pages upon pages with the things he found interesting! So what if his interests included blood and monsters and zombies and… Maybe he should have drawn more unicorns, like Roman did.

“Regardless, I have tried everything in my power,” His teacher continued. “But the boy just refuses to learn.”

“Pure laziness,” King Augusto dismissed. “You’ll just have to drill him harder. You have our permission to use whatever you deem necessary to discipline him into learning.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

Remus flexed his fingers, making the red lines where his teacher had struck his hands with a ruler twinge. Whatever he deems necessary? What else could his teacher do??

…On second thought, he really didn’t want to know.

“Thank you for your report, mister Davis,” Queen Nadia smiled. “Now please leave us. We wish to talk to our son for a moment.”

“Of course,” Mister Davis said as he deeply bowed. “A grand day to you, your Majesties.”

Remus stared up at his teacher with pleading eyes. As much as he despised the older man, he didn’t want him to leave. Mister Davis however completely ignored him as he made his way out of the parlour. The door slamming shut behind him sounded in Remus’ ears like the executioner’s axe coming down.

“Well?” His mother icily said after a few agonizing seconds. “Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”

Remus stared down at his feet as he racked his brain. Should he run? No, no… The last time he tried to run he didn’t get very far, and afterwards… No, he didn’t want to relive that.

“Answer!” His father barked, making Remus jump. “Or are you too dumb to talk as well?”

“I-I’m sorry!!” Remus stuttered. “But I-! I just-! I try-!”

“Goodness me, always with the mumbling!” His mother said impatiently. “How many times do we have to tell you? Speak. Clearly!”

“Sorry!” Remus said, louder. “I didn’t mean to-!”

“And now you’re shouting at us? Horrid little boy, you know perfectly well shouting worsens my headaches!” Queen Nadia sighed delicately as she rubbed her temples. “It’s as if you want us to suffer… Is that it?”

“I’m sorry,” Remus apologized again, this time in a whisper. “I don’t-!”

“And he’s back to the mumbling!” His father shook his head. “Why do we even still try with you?”

Remus worriedly bit his lip again, which by now was raw from the extensive chewing. He was unsure of the volume his parents wanted to hear from him, so he kept his mouth shut.

“First you insist on continuously disrupting your brother’s class,” His father continued. “So you force us to hire a private tutor for you. And how do you repay our generosity? By failing even the easiest of classes! How do you suppose your mother and me feel under all of this? You’re an ungrateful little-”

“But I don’t get it!” Remus blurted out. Shocked he slapped a hand over his mouth, but it was too late. Oh no oh no oh no why did he say anything??

“Oh?” His father’s voice turned quiet, the kind of quiet that Remus learned to associate with danger. He couldn’t stop trembling now even if he tried. “Pray tell, what exactly is it that you ‘don’t get?’ ”

What could he say? That he didn’t remember any of mister Davis’ snooty rambling of bone-dry facts, especially since his tutor refused to repeat himself? That his mind seemed to move faster than his pen, so he rushed his writing to keep up? That no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t for the live of him focus on any big block of text shoved in front of his nose? “I… don’t get the lessons,” Remus finally choked out. “They’re hard! I just-! Don’t understand them…”

Due to the rushing in his ears he didn’t hear his father get up. Because he was staring at his feet he only knew that his father approached him when a big hand grabbed his collar. The shirt digs into his throat, cutting off his air, as he is hoisted up.

“Don’t understand them? Don’t understand them?!” His father barked. “My goodness, you really just are that stupid, are you?!”

His head is harshly slapped sideways as his father’s hand connects brutally with his cheek, leaving a ringing in his ears and tears forming in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry-!!”

“ ‘Sorry’ isn’t good enough!” King Augusto shook his son harshly, making Remus’ teeth rattle. “Sorry doesn’t fix your grades, you utter waste of space!”

Remus wailed as another hard backhand struck him, his father’s ring stinging on his cheek.

“You’re a disgrace to our family name, you hear me?! A DISGRACE!”

“Augusto, stop.”

His father’s hand lowered as the king turned to his wife. The grip on Remus’ shirt didn’t loosen though, so Remus was left hanging, barely standing on his tippy-toes.

“He has to learn, Nadia!” King Augusto growled.

“I know, dear. But we have that state dinner in a two days,” Queen Nadia said. “He has to be presentable by then.”

His father grumbled an annoyed ‘Oh, that’s right’ and Remus sagged in relief, his breath leaving him in a rush.

“Oh, don’t get comfortable,” King Augusto turned his attention back to him, and Remus froze. “I suppose this just means the usual punishment for you.”

Remus’ throat squeezed itself shut, fear churning in his stomach as he desperately shook his head. “Please no- I’m sorry, I’ll try harder, I’ll do everything, please don’t-!” His father started dragging him along. “NO PLEASE PLEASE I’M SORRY I WON’T DO IT AGAIN I’M SORRY PLEASE!!”

Remus’ smile died away. No... No, this was a bad idea. Years of bad grades and annoyed tutors started ringing in his head, in an atrocious symphony of all his mistakes. What made him think that this would go any differently? Deceit would try to teach him and soon realize that he was as dumb as a rock. Just imagining that lovely voice sighing in irritated disappointment made him wince. He couldn’t handle that.

“You…” Remus wrung his hands and shook his head dismally. “You don’t want to teach me.”

Deceit frowned at the sudden shift in mood. “Why not?”

“I told you, I’m…” A moron. “Not good with learning. Never been a good student, me!” Understatement of the year, don’t you think? “Seriously, you’re doing yourself a favour by not teaching me! Loads of people have tried and failed!” Remus perked up a bit and smiled eagerly up at the other man. “But I’m more than ready to bust some skulls for you!”

Deceit didn’t look thrilled as Remus was with the promise of skull breaking. He only narrowed his eyes with that analysing expression again. “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand,” He said. “Are you saying you doubt my abilities?”

“Wh- NO!” Remus quickly said. “No, not at all!”

“So you don’t think I lack the skills to be a good tutor?”

“Never!” Remus shook his head vehemently. “I wouldn’t even dream of it!”

“Well in that case, do not ever presume again that you can tell me what I do or don’t want to do.” Deceit finished in a cold tone.

“But I’m not joking!” Remus protested. “I’m not a good student-!”

“I’ll be the judge of that, thank you very much,” Deceit tilted his head. “That is of course when I actually get an answer from you. Do you want to learn magic?”

“No, really, you don’t want to-!”

“That is not what I asked,” Deceit interrupted. “I asked about what you want. What I want is irrelevant to the question. So I ask you one last time…” The warlock leaned forward, his two-toned eyes intent. “Do you want to learn magic?”

“I…” What he wanted? Since when did that matter? Remus swallowed the protest that lay on his tongue when the warlock raised an impatient eyebrow. “…Yes.” He admitted quietly. “Yes, more than anything...”

Deceit smiled. “Then I’ll be your teacher.” He said satisfied as he leant back. Remus gaped at him, opening and closing his mouth like a fish on dry land.

“But I really can’t learn-!” He weakly tried one more time.

“Nonsense,” Deceit dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Anyone can learn. Everyone just has a different way of how they learn. And if I have to dig a little deeper to find yours, well,” He flashed Remus a short smile. “So be it.”

Beneath the table, Remus stabbed the fork he was still holding into his own leg before he could blurt out that the warlock was welcome to dig deep into him anytime he wanted. “Neat!” He squeaked instead.

The warlock took no notice of his distress. His eyes had taken a distant look.

“Let’s see… I will need to prepare your lessons. For that I should…” He trailed of in a mutter, his eyes closing as he thought. Remus focused on the thinking crease that Deceit’s brow made. He wanted to smooth it out with his thumb and a kiss. How disgustingly cutesie of him. Roman would approve, so he counted it as a win for him.

“Right!” Deceit’s eyes snapped open and he got up from his chair. “Your lessons will start tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow??” Remus sputtered.

“I expect you here in the morning at eight,” Deceit continued, undisturbed, as he made his way to the doors. “Make sure you’re on time.”

A thousand questions rushed through Remus’ head, so many that he had no idea where to start. What would he learn? How was the warlock so confident in him? What would happen? Why him? What did any of this had to do with taking over the kingdom? Why him? Why. Him??

No, Remus blurrily thought through all the screaming of his head. That was not the right question. The right question was…

“Wait!” He blurted, jumping up from his seat and reaching out to grab the warlock’s sleeve. He immediately withdrew his hand as Eris’ jaws snapped at his fingers.

“Eris! I said be nice!” Deceit turned to him as Eris wound herself back around his shoulders, a snarl showing off her fangs. “Even if he is a little rude.”

“Sorry,” Remus muttered. “But… I need to ask.”

“Yes?”

“…Why do you want to do this? What’s in it for you?”

Eris made an offended little hiss, like she was appalled that Remus dared to question her human. The warlock however seemed to have expected the question. “It is quite simple,” He said. “I will teach, help and otherwise guide you through your learning process and whatever you wish to do with afterwards. And in return… You will do something for me. A favour, if you will.”

Well that wasn’t ominous at all. “…What’s the favour?” Remus squinted.

Deceit smiled, a secretive small thing. “All in due time, little prince. All in due time.”

That answered exactly nothing, but Remus didn’t get the chance to ask more as Deceit turned away from him once more.

“Take the day to explore the castle, and get acquainted where everything is,” Deceit said as he walked to the door. “But don’t bother looking for an exit. You won’t find one.”

Remus stared after him. “…So I am to be your prisoner?” He asked. The warlock stopped in his tracks and turned to him with a smile.

“Oh, ‘prisoner’ is such a strong word,” He drawled. “I prefer to call it… My honoured guest.”

And with that, and one last threatening glare from Eris, the warlock left the room. Leaving Remus to wonder just what exactly he had gotten himself into.

--

Deceit walked through the halls he had walked a million times without truly seeing them, his feet automatically taking the turns needed. His plan would be set in motion sooner than he thought, so he sifted through the mental list of what he needed to prepare for tomorrow. He would have to dust off some books, see if he had enough potion ingredients-

“this again.”

Interrupted from his contemplations Deceit looked at Eris. Her green eyes had lost their ire for now. Concern was the only thing left.

“I have to try it,” Deceit said softly. “Surely you understand that I must?”

Eris tilted her head, her tongue flicking out.

“i don’t trust him.”

“We don’t have to trust him. We only have to make sure he trusts us. So try not to antagonize him too much?”

Eris thought this over for a minute before she nodded. She rubbed her head against his cheek, scales against scales. Deceit relaxed at the familiar sensation as he cupped her head against him with his hand. He smiled at the soft, almost purr-like sound that filled his mind when he scratched her under her chin.

“will it work?”

“It will,” Deceit said confidently. “It has to. If not for me…” He sighed. “Then for her.”

The monster wondered if maybe he was dreaming. Maybe he was still at his home, held down and unconscious because of the pain, instead of out here in the forest. There was no way he escaped, much less that a witch would save him! But for a dream the fat arms that securely held him felt alarmingly real, as did the pain still burning up his back. The woman carried him away from the open spot, deeper and deeper into the forest. All the while she kept murmuring reassurances into his hair. He was too frightened to protest. The woman was obviously very strong, so trying to struggle out her grip would do nothing.

He didn’t know long they walked when the witch finally came to a stop. The monster peeked up to see why, but he saw nothing. Just more trees.

“Hold on tight, little one.” The witch said. The monster frowned. Hold on tight? For what?

The witch muttered something incomprehensible, a white glow lighting up the veins in her hands. The monster heard a loud snap, as if something spread open after being folded close for too long. The witch leaped up. The monster’s stomach lurched as the ground fell away beneath him. Up and up they went, further than any person could jump. Strong flapping sounds reached his ears as they got higher and higher. Did the witch have wings?!

After a few dizzying seconds the witch landed on a deck of wooden planks. “We’re here!” She cheerily said. A wave of her hand, and a door in front of them opened. A door?? Up in the trees?? A snap of the witch’s fingers and warm light suddenly illuminated the dark night, streaming out from the door and making the monster blink rapidly, blinking away spots in his vision until his eyes got used to the light.

The home they just entered was so… Cosy. The monster found that he had no better word for it. Everything, from the walls to the ceiling and the furniture was made of wood. A ladder led up to a loft with a messily made bed. Wooden cabinets with glass stained windows took up most of the walls, and a comfortable looking couch with a mountain of colourful pillows stood before a woodstove where a fire burned heartily, quickly warming the cabin up.

The door closed behind them. The witch gently sat him down in that nest of pillows. As she released him the monster’s heart hammered in his throat. She got him to her home… What would she do to him now? As if she sensed his fear, the woman softly shushed him as she walked behind him.

“I’m going to need to take your shirt off,” The woman said gently. “Okay?”

No! No not okay! They had tried to take his shirt off too, before they grew impatient and just held it over his head while a knife started slicing under his skin. He shook his head, muttering ‘no no no no no!!’ while he desperately tried to pull away. The witch however held his shoulders firmly.

“It’s alright! I won’t hurt you!” The woman said. “I just want to heal you! You won’t feel any pain, I promise!”

He didn’t believe her. All adults ever did was hurt him, why would she be any different? He kept shaking his head, tears filling his eyes again.  

A light weight landed in his lap. The monster blurrily squinted down to see the small form of the white dragon looking up at him with a tilted head. The scaled snout snuffled at his face, before they nuzzled their head under the monster’s chin. The motion tickled a little bit, and the monster couldn’t stop the soft giggle that escaped him. Next the dragon nudged at his hand, and the monster hesitantly started to stroke the smooth scaled body. The little dragon radiated heat, warming the monster’s cold skin.

“I think Rosie likes you.” The woman said warmly.

“R… Rosie…?” The monster asked softly.

“That’s her name,” She laughed as the little dragon yawned. “You know, there’s a spot behind her wings where she loves to get scritches. Why don’t you try it?”

Not wanting to disobey her, the monster carefully scratched the scales just behind the wings, cautious of his sharp claws. Rosie however didn’t seem bothered by his talons, her red eyes shuttering close. The pleased gurgle that left the dragon sparked another giggle out of the monster.

Distracted by the little dragon the monster didn’t notice that the witch carefully peeled up his shirt until the fabric dragged on the wounds on his back. Rosie was startled off his lap as he screamed at the sudden flash of sharp pain.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” The witch said as she pulled off the shirt quickly, exposing his ruined back to the cold air. The monster sobbed, hiding his face into his knees. “It’s okay, it’s okay… I got you.”

He didn’t hear the singing at first, his own sobs overpowering the lilting voice that started of as quiet as a spring breeze. Hands hovered over his back, and he braced himself, preparing for more pain. None came. Instead it almost felt like… Like…

…Like the pain was disappearing.

His sobs quieted, as he finally heard the singing that steadily grew in volume. A strange tingling sensation ran down his back. As if a comforting fog made from a thousand small, cool hands soothingly caressed the pain away. A new melody started, and now it felt like refreshing water travelled down in streams, moulding broken skin back together and easing his fevered skin. With every note the witch sang another agony was lulled to nothingness, another ache rippling away like a puff of smoke. When finally the song ended the monster’s back felt like the knife never went near his scales. The witch murmured something he didn’t understand, snapped her fingers, and now even the sticky feeling of dried up blood disappeared.

“There you go…” Fingertips gently dragged down his back in a feather light touch. “All better. Now you only need…”

The light touch disappeared. The monster was distantly aware that she searched for something, but as he gingerly sat up he could only dizzily focus on how the pain, his everlasting companion, had vanished. Even the bruises where they had gripped his arms too tightly to force him down had disappeared.

“Where did I put it...?” The woman muttered behind him. “Aha!” The witch walked back to him. “This may be a bit big on you, but it’s better than nothing!”

Something fuzzy was pulled over his head, and the monster only briefly panicked before he realized it was soft and warm, and enveloped him like a hug. A little dazed the monster allowed his arms to be guided into the far too big sleeves of what turned out to be a brightly yellow woollen sweater. He bunched the sleeves up in his hands, smiling lightly at the sweater paws he created. The fabric was so soft!

“That feels better, doesn’t it?” The woman chuckled, patting his head gently. The monster stiffened at the touch and the hand pulled back quickly. The monster swallowed. He mustered up all his courage, before he carefully, oh so carefully, glanced up through his unruly curls.

The woman in front of him was tall, taller than any adult he had ever seen. She had no wings, as far as he could tell. Her thick dark hair was braided, hints of grey hairs starting at her temples and lacing through the braid like rivers of pure silver. Her eyes stood out like stars amongst the sky. They were a pale grey, so light that they were almost transparent. The intensity of her gaze however was significantly softened by her kind smile, which made the soft wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and laugh lines around her mouth deepen.

Everything about this woman was big and beautiful, making him feel even scrawnier and uglier in comparison. Realizing he had been staring, the monster quickly looked back down.

“No need to be shy,” The witch said gently. “My name is Lysandra. What’s yours?”

The monster wrung his hands. He shrugged.

“…You don’t want to tell me just yet? That’s okay. Maybe… Maybe you should drink something first! You’re probably thirsty, huh?” Lysandra disappeared from his line of vision, and the monster heard her rummage through a cabinet. He eyed the door. Should he try to run? But the house was so far above ground…

“Found it!” The witch walked back to him, a goblet in one hand and a water pouch in the other, which she used to fill the cup up. “Here you go.” She held the drink out for him with a smile. The monster said nothing. Despite his parched throat he leaned away slightly, fearfully staring at the offered drink.

“…What’s wrong?” Lysandra asked, frowning slightly.

The monster fidgeted with the soft fabric of his new sweater. “Is… Is it poisoned…?” He asked quietly.

The woman’s eyes widened. “What- Poison-? No! No, of course not!” She quickly reassured. “Why would you think it’s poisoned?”

The monster looked at his lap, nervously picking at the yellow fabric of his sleeves. “That’s… That’s what t-they always said…” He stammered. “T-That they should p-poison me for poisoning their lives…”

“No! They said that-?? Those-!” The witch gasped in horrified affront. “Those… They actually-!” Lysandra closed her eyes for a second and took a deep, deep breath through her nose. When she opened eyes she gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s not poison. Here, let me proof it you!” She took a big swig from the goblet before holding it out to him again. “There, you see? No poison. Promise!”

The monster looked between her and the drink for a few seconds, before finally slowly reaching out and grasping the goblet with both hands. The second the water touched his tongue the monster gulped it down greedily. He hadn’t quite realized just how thirsty he had been.

“Not so fast, you might get a stomach ache!” Lysandra laughed. The monster however refused to slow down. Who knew when he would get water again? The goblet was empty within a minute, and he wasted no time licking the last few precious drops from the cup. He lowered the cup and stared forlornly down at it. Maybe he should have been more careful with it…

“Would you like some more?”

The monster looked up, gaping in shock at the witch.

“R-Really? I can have more?” Lysandra’s made a little noise in the back of her throat, her pale eyes softening with an unreadable kind of sadness. “Yes. Yes, of course you can.” She said softly, and poured the cup full to the brim. The monster wasted no time either with this portion either, and thought that he would faint when the witch filled his cup again! He couldn’t quite believe his luck!

“I wasn’t kidding about the stomach ache, you know.” The witch teased, but she made no move to stop him. He was halfway through his third cup when the monster finally lowered the cup. For a brief second he felt so content.

“Now will you tell me your name?”

The feeling fled. He bit his lip and once more only shrugged.

“It’s alright, you can tell me!” Lysandra said kindly.

The monster squirmed in his place anxiously. What was he to say? He shrugged again. The witch frowned.

“…Wait,” She said in gradual understanding. “You… don’t know?”

The monster shook his head minutely. “They… They never told me…” He said softly. Or rather, he had figured out at one point that ‘freak’ wasn’t an actual name.

For a while nothing was heard but the soft crackle of the fire and the wind outside. The monster tightened his grip on the goblet. When the silence kept stretching on, he dared to glance upwards. He immediately regretted it when he saw the witch’s balled fists and the dark fury on her face.

“I’m sorry!!” He shrunk back into the cushions, dropping the goblet to throw his arms over his head, spilling the water over the floor.

“What? No! No, no!” Lysandra anger immediately disappeared as she quickly knelt before him, ignoring the water that now soaked into her pants. “I’m not mad at you! Never at you! I’m mad because-” The woman shook her head. “Because those people-! Not even the common decency to give you something as simple, yet utterly important as a name-!”

The monster glimpsed up at her, lowering his arms a smidge. Catching the terror in his eyes the witch sighed deeply and rubbed her temples with her middle and index fingers. When her hands lowered her soft smile had returned.

“You know,” She said gently. “Sometimes parents are not really parents. Sometimes people are… Unworthy of the children they were given. When that occurs, a child can start a life away from them! Choose their own destiny. And…” She gently caressed his scaled cheek with her thumb. “Choose their own name.”

The monster’s mouth fell open. “Y-You can do that??” He asked bewilderedly.

“Of course you can!” The witch laughed. “Why? Do you have one in mind?”

As a matter of fact, he did. He had overheard one when he had secretly listened in on a reading of a poem, years ago. He remembered pressing his ear to the floorboards, soaking in the words like a sponge. He remembered gasping loudly when he heard the name for the first time.

For years he had hidden the name, like someone else might hide a treasured trinket in a box. It had been his, and his alone. He hesitated. To suddenly say it out loud…

The witch noticed his reluctance. “It’s alright,” She assured. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“…I don’t?”

“You don’t. In fact…” She gently grasped his hands. “Keep your name safe and secret inside your heart,” She said as she placed his palms over his chest, where his heartbeat fluttered like the nervous wings of a butterfly. “And once you feel like you can trust me with both, then, and only then… You can tell me. Okay?”

The monster glanced dubiously between the witch and his hands. He didn’t understand any of this. But he nodded. Lysandra smiled.

“Are you hungry?” She asked sweetly. The monster hesitated for a second, before he nodded again.

“I’ll make you something! Probably something light… Soup maybe?” The witch got up and walked towards a cabinet. “I should add some strengthening potions to it… To help you heal better!” She pulled several vials from the cabinet, mumbling to herself about the different properties of each potion. Meanwhile Rosie the dragon nudged at the monster’s hands again. Carefully he caressed and scratched the white scales. With a happy thrilling sound Rosie contently curled up on his lap, her wings stretched out to give him access to the best scratching place.

The monster once more wondered if he was dreaming. He had a dragon purring on his lap, not a hint of pain in his body and a kind witch wanted to make him soup. Even if it all turned out to be a dream, he would cherish this moment forever.

His petting faltered as flickering candlelight reflected on the scales of his hands. No… No, if this were a dream those things would be gone.

“Dragon’s breath…? No, no… Too potent for now…” The witch muttered before putting a vial back. A thought struck the monster suddenly. He wondered…

“Y-You’re a witch…” He said before his courage left him. He shifted nervously when Lysandra looked back at him, but she only smiled.

“Indeed I am!” She laughed. “But you don’t have anything to fear from me. Like I said, I won’t hurt yo-”

“Can you take them away?”

The vials slipped from the witch’s hands. The monster winced at the harsh shatter of glass against the wooden floor. The deafening silence that fell sent an uncomfortable shiver down his spine. A sudden found boldness however made him press on.

“I mean… If you can do magic… Maybe you could-!” He could hardly finish the sentence, hopeful excitement coming alive in his heart. He could see it now... him, proudly returning with smooth skin on both sides of his face, without claws or fangs, no extra arms appearing out of nowhere. Everyone cheering and welcoming him back home. The image made him smile.

“…I can’t.” The witch said quietly. His smile fell.

“But… You can do magic!” He protested. “Can’t you-?”

“There are some things…” Lysandra’s voice wavered. “That not even my magic can undo, little one,” She shook her head. “I’m sorry…”

His hopeful fantasy crumbled to ash. It was too much. Thick tears started rolling down his cheeks again. Funny. He thought he would have ran out of tears by now.

“No! No, little one!” The witch abandoned her vials to kneel again in front of him, gently brushing his tears away with her thumbs. But not even the little dragon’s soft nuzzling against his chin could comfort him now.

“Please, little one,” Lysandra pleaded. “Please don’t cry! It will be okay!”

“B-But I-I-I’m a- a monster-!”

“You are not a monster!” Lysandra said fiercely, cupping his cheeks to make him look at her. “You are just a boy! A boy who suffered because of-!” The witch stopped. She closed her eyes, and let out a shuddery breath. “…Because of other people’s ignorance.” She finished quietly.

He sniffled, staring at the witch with blurry eyes. “I don’t w-wanna to go b-back like this-!” The monster- No, the boy- hiccupped.

“You’re not going back!” The witch’s eyes snapped open, fire filling her pale gaze. “You’re never, ever, going back to that place again!”

The boy startled. “B-But where…?” Where would he go? Would he live in these woods forever, survive on insects and berries his whole life? Lysandra looked torn for a second, before her eyes filled with determination.

“You are not going back there,” She repeated resolutely. “Not if I can help it. Buckle up, kid! I’m your mom now!”

With that she pulled him into a hug. He allowed it, too stunned to object. The witch caressed his hair and hummed a soothing little tune, a melody he vaguely recognized.

(Remus and Eris at each other:

[jameeltruong-blog]

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[franciscosolomon-blog]

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RPG Computer games The first computer role-playing games began in 1975 just as one offshoot of early university mainframe text-based RPGs on PDP-10 and Unix-based computers, starting with Dungeon and graphical RPGs around the PLATO system, pedit5 and dnd, games inspired by role-playing games. Other influences during this time period were text adventures, Multiple-User Dungeons (MUDs) and roguelike games. A few of the first graphical RPGs after pedit5 and dungeons and dragons, were orthanc, avathar (later renamed avatar), oubliette, dungeons of degorath, baradur, emprise, bnd, sorcery, moria, and dndworld, that were developed and became widely popular for the PLATO system during the latter 1970s, mostly because of PLATO's speed, fast graphics, nationwide network of terminals, and huge quantity of players with access to those terminals. These were as well as (but did not always lead straight away to) games on other platforms, including Akalabeth (1980) (which gave rise for the well-known Ultima series), and Wizardry.

The very first RPG Computer games offered just one player experience. The buzz of multiplayer modes during these games rose sharply in the mid-1990s. Diablo (1996) was one of the games that heavily influenced this boost in popularity. It combined RPG and action game elements, and featured an Internet multiplayer mode that allowed around four players to go in exactly the same world and fight monsters, trade items, or deal with each other. Massive Multiplayer Online RPGs (MMORPG) introduced huge worlds with open-ended gameplay and a huge number of interactive characters (both player and computer-controlled). In 1997, a fresh Internet fad began. Influenced by console RPGs, a big group of young programmers and aficionados began creating and sharing independent RPG Computer games, based mostly on the gameplay and elegance with the older SNES and Sega Genesis games. Virtually all such games owe to simplistic software development kits for example the Japanese RPG Maker series. A steadily increasing amount of non-RPG games have adopted aspects traditionally observed in RPGs, like experience point systems, equipment management, and choices in dialogue. The blending of these elements which has a various game engines and gameplay styles are creating many hybrid game categories. These hybrid games are generally formed by mixing popular gameplay elements featured in other genres, such as first-person shooters, platformers, and real-time strategy games. PC Apps Games Download free Full Vesion For Windows 7,8,10,XP,Vista and Mac.Download and play these free PC Apps Games For Laptop,Desktop,Tablet,Mac.It's also possible to download free software and apps for PC (Windows 7,8,10,XP,Vista) and Mac.We act as apk downloader to download free apps games for pc.This can be the most effective places online to play new PC/Laptop apps games free of charge!Our apps games are licensed Full Version PC Games apps. Download and play racing games,3d action games, car games, bike games, 3d games,shooting games,mini games,fighting games,adventure games,free war games,hidden object games and train simulator games,gta vice city games. Our free downloadable apps games are 100% free from malware and viruses. You can download freeware games for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. To learn more about pc games free download for windows 7 go our webpage

[feelingsdusk-writes]

On idiocy and stupidity

(For the Harry Potter AU square)

John doesn’t like the magical world at all. If he was completely honest, he would go as far as to admitting he hates it. Alas, that doesn’t happen unless he’s reached the bottom of a bottle of whisky, and he’s trying to keep away from that path nowadays, so he’ll just say that he would have been a man happy in his ignorance.

Again, no matter how he wishes that was true, that’s not the case.

The first time Stiles had a burst of accidental magic, it left John nearly in shock. He actually had a moment where his brain refused to catch up with what he was seeing and his whole body trembled, leaving him unable to even take a step further, so no, it wasn’t a figure of speech.

One of the frequent visitors to the park Claudia liked had a very big mixed breed as a pet. That beast was as humongous as it was mean, so there were a lot of complaints issued to the police department about it, and the owner, as mean and temperamental as his pet, was facing losing the dog because he refused to leash it at the very least.

He had talked about it with Claudia, but she refused to back down. She liked the park, it was the only one near their house and Stiles loved the play park, and she wasn’t going to let that awful man take that from them. John knew how to choose his battles, so he didn’t insist more on a lost one.

He should have.

It was Sunday, sunny, warm and his day off for a change, so they prepared a little basket with sandwiches and the like and went to the park to spend the morning and lunch hour there. After a couple of hours they managed to reign in Stiles for enough to have lunch. All was nice and well until John went to get coffee nearby and a blood curling toddler scream pierced the air just as he was coming back.

It attacked Stiles.

There wasn’t anything left from the beast besides the blood splatter on the ground of the play park and the owner was hysterical by the time he rushed in. Stiles was wailing, covered in blood, and Claudia was trying to calm him unsuccessfully.

Then, obliviators came and went, and John found out that his three year old baby boy was a wizard. A very, very powerful one, the ones that came to explain everything gushed, issuing a lot of recommendations about how to proceed.

It may be selfish or bad on his part, but John was more hung up on the fact that his wife had been lying to him since the very beginning, because she was a witch too.

(He’s also always being secretly grateful that they never acknowledged the fact that she would have never told him if Stiles hadn’t presented, even though he knows it is a cowardly thing.)

The instances where Stiles had accidental magic continued to grow in number as the time passed, but it got almost to an unbearable point when Claudia got sick from some magical sickness John has never been able to understand the facts of.

The last time Stiles’ magic acted out of control was when he blasted his own mother out of a window when she tried to strangle him, out of her mind and seeing things that weren’t there.

No, John doesn’t like the magical world.

If he was drunk, he’d admit he hates it.

Ignorance would have been, certainly, a bliss.

And this way of thinking has cost him a son.

He knows he should have done something, said something before Stiles left to that school, but he couldn’t. And now his betrayed expression will haunt him forever.

He’s such an idiot.

—

The Salem School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is, very inconspicuously (not), located in Salem, Oregon. Stiles has always thought it was a way to flip the bird at the ones responsible for the witch trials… and mooning at them too, just for good measure.

(Even if, historically speaking, it’s a fact that no real witch was burnt in those.)

Founded by Salazar Slytherin after he left England, Salem is as similar to Hogwarts as day is to night, and that’s being generous.

For starters, it’s students start their education way earlier, some being as young as seven years old. As soon as their core is proven to have stabilized (age which varies from one kid to another, none of that nonsense of waiting until the standard age of eleven) they can be accepted at Salem. And even before that, they are portkey ports for parents to leave their kids at the daycare building at the edge of the property, if they wish that their kids start to get in touch with the theory and various simple exercises and they can’t handle that themselves.

Another different thing about Salem is that the formative journey is much lengthier, some wizards and witches staying up to twenty years as students. Since the structure is that of a free school, but without the age classifications, there’s a lot of magical and procedural failsafes to ensure that older students don’t abuse the younger ones. Add in that Salem’s castle is as sentient as Hogwarts, with surrounding wards to match, and it’s one of the most secure places for it’s students.

Because the magic at the States is more raw and wilder in comparison to its European counterpart, unlike at Hogwarts, Salem’s students aren’t divided according to their personality traits, but according to their levels of raw magic. It’s not meant to be an elitist system, but to ensure the students safety.

Literally, when untrained, a student from the first tier could fry another from the third just by being around them daily.

Also unlike Hogwarts, starting as a part of a particular tier doesn’t mean necessarily that the student will remain in it. Cores grow with age, after all, and that may cause a necessity of changing the placement of the student.

Age doesn’t especially matter either on the placement in the classes that conform each tier, but knowledge. The more you study and the more magics you master, the higher the class you are on. There’re no exams, besides the grade ones, and even those are optional because one only takes them if they want to qualify to advance a class or a tier forward (it’s a double edged sword, though, because you can be demoted too) to have access to their libraries and laboratories, and the mentors and professors.

To sum it up, the organization at Salem is power and merit based, which can be fucked up sometimes, in Stiles’ opinion, because it places a lot of pressure on the students (or their parents) who put a lot of importance on the class and tier they’re part of. But it generally works, because as a free school, it’s your choice to remain or what to study or on which magic center your attention on, so…

It can get really expensive, though, the more one advances. Not the basic tuition, that’s not it. Third tier students rarely struggle for money, because the tuition covers for the basic supplies and meals, and the libraries have enough copies of each books that you never have to wait for a text. But the more you dabble in side experimentation or if you want to have your own copies of certain books…

Stiles is not a third tier student.

Or a second tier, for that matter.

Stiles vaporized an animal large enough to double his size when he was three years old and blasted his own mother out a window with enough force to propel her into the next building when he was eight, it’s obvious he’s not a first tier, either.

He’s been part of the special tier, which has less than twenty students, ever since he set a foot in the school, nearly ten years ago, and he made first class at the third semester of his second year at Salem.

(For him, the entire education system is perfect. Except for the daily reminders to eat (and there’s a handy spell for that) and periodical medical check-ups every student has (which forces to take care of yourself, or you’ll be sanctioned), he can study what he wants, when he wants and how he wants. He’s good at what he does so, unlike his first year when he struggled with the pocket money he had, he now sells potions, rituals and rune work all over the country (getting his laptop to work in his dorm what a bitch) and he can afford almost anything he wants without having to contemplate contacting his father… which he has never resorted to, anyway).

As a rule, he doesn’t go home unless he’s forced to and he spends all his time either studying or experimenting with anything and everything that catches his attention. He doesn’t care about making friends but he does have some people he’s in good terms with. He doesn’t want more, attempts to force the issue with him will be met with a sneaky and swift retaliation, as many can attest.

He may be an idiot like professor Callaway always tells him, but he doesn’t care.

He doesn’t need anyone, he thinks as he signs on the sheets to stay at Salem for Winter break.

—

Peter doesn’t like the third tier dorms and common rooms at all. It’s not a matter having to come all the way here when his own dorms are at the other end of the castle, but another thing entirely… though he has to admit that grates him quite a bit too. Out of all the tiers, the third one has the highest number of younger children in it, and that makes it’s dorm noisy and grating, and more frequently than not, messy. He eyes with distaste the clutter of unorganized books and paraphernalia that decorate the far end corner.

The thing is that if he doesn’t check on Talia’s brats more or less daily, she gets insufferable, and he prefers to brave the jungle before listening to another of her rants and empty threats about making him end his student career prematurely, so…

Don’t get him wrong, it’s not that he doesn’t like the rugrats (he did grow so close in age to them to consider them his siblings more or less, after all), but maintaining his status as a first class of the first tier (status that is a great source of pride for him because it’s extremely rare for a werewolf to reach higher than second tier) requires a lot of dedication on his part.

Dedication and a lot of studying.

Two kids run across the common room squealing and laughing and topple over a pile of books, startling another kid into messing whatever he’s working on, which explodes into his face. Other students rush in to check if he’s alright and march him to the infirmary just in case. A first class girl is left behind to somehow deal with the fire salamander the kid accidentally freed.

Studying he can’t do here, no matter how funny what just happened was.

He shivers and eyes the containing band around his wrist with distaste. Another reason to hate coming by the third tier dwellings. Students visiting another tiers have to wear one of those always to avoid getting hurt or hurting others. It’s a containing or shielding band depending on if you are visiting a tier below or above your own, but either way, the sensation is of being dumped in ice cold water. Needless to say, Peter hates it.

He sighs and turns his attention back to his own work.

Maybe he’s being an idiot for opposing Talia about ending his studies now. Just thinking about Cora with them all alone and without her only ally makes his stomach turn.

—

Another summer comes and goes without no sign of Stiles. He doesn’t know why he’s so surprised. How can he be so stupid? Of course he didn’t, exactly just like all the past summers and no measly letters are going to change that. The only information he’s had about him for the past ten years is what professor Callaway tells him sporadically. Melissa reaches over to take his hand and he squeezes it.

He just has to persevere, he tells himself. He messed up real bad and Rome wasn’t built in a day.

He wanted ignorance, and now that he has it, it feels like a curse.

—

So far, ever since he came to Salem, only three people have tried to mess up with Stiles, and that was only in his first year. They learned better than to cross Stiles and try to impose something he didn’t want on him.

Until this year.

Until ickle itsy bitsy Cora Hale entered Salem, got sorted into the special tier and, wide eyed after one of his experiments blew up spectacularly, she pointed at him before telling professor Callaway, who was with her, I can choose anyone right? I want him to be my mentor.

And that was a week ago.

He’s been evading her for a week straight and she stubbornly won’t give up.

“This is stupid,“ he grunts, out of breath.

“If it’s stupid, then give up,” she throws, just as out of breath at him.

“You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that.“ He looks at her thoughtful and she holds her breath. “Okay, if you manage to get out of this, I’ll give in.”

And then he promptly curses her.

—

Out of the three of Talia’s children, little Cora is the one Peter adores the most. She’s a sarcastic, smart and evil little shit and Peter loves that. He also loves that she gave the entire family the imaginary finger when, after being born a simple human, not a werewolf, not a witch, and being though almost as a useless disappointment for six years of her life (of course, nothing to her face which, stupid, because she is smart enough to notice it all), she presented not even two months ago when she blew an omega into smithereens.

And then she’s proceeded to be accepted at Salem and gotten transferred into the special tier on her very first year.

Peter, who has been the only one to treat her like the smart and wonderful kid she really is (not with pity, like Derek and Laura, not with disappointment like the rest of the family) cannot even feel a smidgen of jealousy that she’s surpassed him but instead is enjoying a vindictive kind of successful feeling.

Now, normally, Peter would hunt down anyone who dared to curse Cora and rip his throat out, but it seems to be harmless and Peter’s own mentor did something similar back in the day.

And he hasn’t been able to stop snickering ever since he recognized her.

“And what are you going to do?” he asks her.

“I don’t even know which one is the curse,“ she chirps from where she’s perched on his finger. “Flying is kind of cool, though.”

“Back on topic, aren’t you supposed to be trying to break this on your own?“

“He never said that I couldn’t ask for help,” she pipes and Peter snorts delighted. “Well, are you going to stop laughing like an idiot and help me out?”

“If you ask so nicely…“

—

John gets remarried to Melissa on a nice spring morning. Stiles is nowhere in sight. Scott, very angry, lets his feelings on the matter out while his girlfriend tries to calm him.

John, very calmly and with his heart breaking, because talking about it makes it even more real, explains who’s at fault. He can’t look at his new son in the eye.

When he gets back from the honeymoon, he finds a letter dated from the day he remarried, day in which he didn’t check the mail.

It’s short, succinct, way too formal and mostly cold, but John cries like an idiot.

—

“You’re ruining my reputation,” he grumbles at Cora as he braids a new protection charm he’s been working on into her hair. The cauldron with another of his projects bubbles in front of them.

“If it makes you feel better, I still think you’re as much of an asshole as the first day,“ Brandon deadpans as he not so subtly approaches said cauldron with his hands hidden behind him.

“Time to reaffirm that reputation,” Stiles mutters, patting Cora’s hair, and she presses her lips to contain a giddy cackle, seeing hell and damnation coming.

She’s not an idiot, though, so she covertly gets herself near the door, just in case.

—

Peter’s again at the third tier common rooms when a big explosion rocks the entire castle, making the ground tremble and the bottles in the shelves rattle. Derek curses when the sudden noise startles him into jerking his hand to the left, successfully messing completely the runic wards he was working on. He panics as it starts to sizzle, dark brown smoke coming from the paper in a matter of seconds.

Peter rolls his eyes at him and, without taking his eyes from the text he’s been studying for the better part of the afternoon, he nicks his finger and swiftly reaches to neutralize it before the wound closes.

“Showoff,” the fifteen year old grumbles before sighing at the ruined project. He growls frustrated, showing a bit of fang. “Damn it.”

“I bet it was your crush, uncle Peter,“ Laura grumbles, closing her notebook noisily.

As much as it pains him to admit it, he's coming to dislike Laura more and more as she grows. Seeing as she is more like her mother with each passing day, it’s not really that surprising that his brotherly love is souring as the time passes, though.

He arches a brow at her before going back to his text. When she sees he’s not going to raise to the bait, she continues.

“Who else could it be? I still don’t get why mom can’t make Cora have another mentor, he’s going to end up seriously hurting her.“

(She also doesn’t seem to get, just like her mother, than the more they dislike Cora’s mentor, the more she likes him. And the same happens with Peter, to be honest.)

When Cora rushes into the third tier common room, Peter ignores Laura’s validated exclaim, because, really, an explosion of that magnitude? Of course it was Stiles. He looks expectantly at Cora, waiting for some juicy story from her about her mentor and she doesn’t dissapoint.

“Stiles invoked a demon,“ she cackles gleefully after she jumps into his lap and it tells something that Peter isn’t surprised that those are the first words that come out of her mouth. “Brandon tried to trick him and Stiles messed” here she makes quotation marks with her hands, “a ritual and it charred Brandon’s ass… and his eyebrows.”

“Did he now?“ he inquires silkily, taking a short moment to envy the containment black bracelet Stiles made for her. According to Cora, she doesn’t feel cold at all and she can activate and deactivate it at will. He’s been trying to manipulate Stiles into making him one like that for months, but his subtle approach has bore no fruits yet.

“Yeah,“ she smirks evilly, obviously remembering the entire thing at this very moment and savoring it.

Peter’s lips twitch.

He rubs his cheek over her hair discreetly and she molds into his chest without a complaint about the scenting. If it was another person than him, even her own mother, she would have snarked her way out in disgust.

“You know what’s even better?“ she crows, turning to look at him in the face. She doesn’t wait for him to answer. “Brandon got demoted a class until the next grade exams and lost all library and laboratory privileges for a semester. And the professors are going to reward Stiles for his timely intervention.”

He smirks with Cora. Now, that’s a loss. Peter has already tried to sneak into the special tier’s library three times and failed each and every one of them. And that was the third class’ library. He’s not ashamed to admit that he would drool at the prospect of accessing the first class’ one. Losing all privileges…

“He also got the demon to accept to being his familiar,“ she finally adds and Peter raises his eyebrows impressed.

“What?!” Laura exclaims. “He can’t… That’s really dangerous! No one is that stupid!”

“Now, that would hurt if I actually cared about your opinion,“ a new voice drawls from the doorway.

Laura growls at Stiles and the nogitsune growls back at her from atop his hair (an ancient and overpowered being’s miniaturized form shouldn’t be that deceptively cute), making her back off, wide eyed and fast as lightning. Peter hides a delighted snicker in Cora’s hair but she’s not as considerate. Stiles grins at her, not even bothering to cover it either. Derek, who as a rule doesn’t like trouble and just likes to be calm and relaxed, rolls his eyes at their antics and pulls a paper out to restart his project.

“Well, Ikari, Cora, my disciple, well met and all those things,“ Stiles says with a whimsical wave of hands. “Don’t eat her… or the one behind her either, for that matter. That’s Peter and he provides enough entertainment to not let him suffer that fate.” Peter waves at the kitsune sassily, trying to not let out an embarrassing pleased smile. Judging by Cora’s snort, he’s not entirely successful. “That other one is all right…”

“Thanks,“ Derek deadpans, not taking his eyes from the blood ward he’s trying to etch into the parchment again. “The name’s Derek.”

“… she, you can eat, I don’t care. Might upset your stomach, though. The name’s bitch.”

“Hey! It’s Laura, you fucker!“

“Tche, no one cares about the name of their food unless they want seconds, and I doubt there’s someone else like you. Anyways,“ Stiles claps his hands, “since they’re still clearing the common room, I thought you’d like to go to the dungeons, Cora.”

“The last time you said that…“

“We agreed to never talk about that ever again,” he interrupts her hastily, and Peter raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “But, no, it’s a completely different thing I just thought you’d enjoy, but it’s obvious that you don’t want to, so…”

“Wait,“ Cora squeaks, and Peter catches Stiles covering a smile. “I’m game.”

“Well that sounds sufficiently intriguing. Mind if I tag along?“ Peter drawls from his seat.

Stiles looks at him over Cora’s head, gaze considering, as he adjusts some protection charm necklaces on her (and they worry about her safety, hah!). It’s telling that she doesn’t mind the contact and actually seems to enjoy it and preen at the attention.

“Sure,” he says finally and then throws to him a bracelet like Cora’s, but exactly on his size.

Score, Peter thinks, taking in all the implications of that. Cora, the brat, rolls her eyes at him when Stiles is not looking. Even the nogitsune smirks at him.

Aaannnddd now a fox mocks him too.

Wonderful.

He needs to get his act together.

Pronto.

But how to court Stiles? Everything he knows he would enjoy, he already has and in more quantity (and quality) than what Peter would be ever able to provide even if he tried. Other things he could get him with no problem, like clothes and other amenities, he doesn’t care for. What to do then?

Peter is a fan of the big gesture, but maybe that’s not the path to take in this case? Maybe it’s the small things are what he needs to watch out for…

He can already tell this is going to be a lengthy campaign. He sighs and follows after Cora and Stiles.

Spy, it is.

After a month of watching him (subtly, very subtly, not like a weirdo, no matter what Cora says about that) like a hawk, he feels confident enough to start.

Stiles, of course, foils all his plans when, after two or three measly small (but thoughtful) presents, he comes by the first tier common room to kidnap him, all exasperated.

“Seriously, Peter,“ he complains and grumbles after he slips a protective charm pendant around his neck. “Now you want to court me? If this wasn’t cute in it’s own way, I’d give up on you. How can you not have noticed I’ve been courting you for months?”

“What,“ Peter rakes his head dumbfounded and Stiles rolls his eyes, taking his hand to pull him out of the dorms. He lets him.

The texts Stiles lends him (they have to be from his own collection not the school’s, because that’s forbidden), the charms, the bracelet… Cora and Ikari’s exasperation makes a lot more sense now. Peter wants to facepalm really bad.

“I’m an idiot,“ he sighs chagrined.

“Yes, you are, but just sometimes and you have an amazing physique to compensate,“ Stiles makes a show of sticking his nose in the air, acting long-suffering, “so I’ll let it slide this time.”

Peter may be, quite possibly, in love, he realizes.

—

John starts getting at least a letter a month. Again, they’re stiff and too formal, but he’s not an idiot and he’s not going to look a gifted horse in the mouth, so he cherishes every and each one of them.

—

“Do you have a limit?” Cora asks wide eyed.

“Of course,“ Stiles purrs as she scratches behind his ear. “It’s not as easy at it seems. It’s taken me almost ten years to get at this point. I had to learn the anatomy of the ones I wanted to shift into perfectly before even attempting it. And even so, if professor Callaway hadn’t been there those first few times I would have died. Seriously, the first time I nearly had a heart failure because I didn’t have the heart of a cat clearly in my mind before shifting”

“Oh,“ she utters quietly.

“Cora?”

“It’s nothing, just a stupid thought.“

“If you’re sure…”

—

“Cora has been really quiet lately,“ Stiles tells him one day in December, sprawled on Peter’s bed with a thick tome in front of him. “I had to take her out of the laboratory because she nearly caused an explosion. The bad kind.”

He doesn’t look at him, but he can tell he’s worried. Peter sighs and lets himself fall into the bed, which makes Stiles bounce. He swats at him half-heartedly and Peter crushes him under himself playfully. He then rests his face between his shoulder blades and inhales deeply.

“I didn’t know there was a good kind?“

“No one but the special tier knows… you guys must live such a sad lives,“ he deadpans and Peter snorts.

“It’s the Wolf Moon,” he confesses after a beat of silence. Stiles makes an inquiring sound. “Basically, in January, the whole family has a reunion to run under the full moon, to strengthen the bonds and a lot of mystical whassit. Since she’s the only human in the family right now… Their attitude has gotten better ever after she presented, but this is something…”

“Fuckers,“ Stiles mutters darkly.

“Exactly. Ever since she got accepted, I’ve defied Talia by staying here, with her, but I still need to run. I can control myself and not leave her behind or hurt her, but she still feels bad about it, about making me hold back.”

“So it’s a matter of shifting?“

“I’d say more like a matter of willingness,” he huffs. “If they wanted, they could control themselves enough for her to run with us and for everyone to enjoy themselves. It’s what other packs with human members do (even the Hales when there used to be more human members). But they don’t want to, they want to be free or some stupid shit like that. Nonsense, because out of the whole family, only Talia and I manage a full shift, and if I can do it…”

After a moment of silence, Stiles speaks again. “So that’s why…“

And that’s that. Peter doesn’t hear anything else about the matter until Cora starts insisting about going home for the holidays this time, baffling Peter. Stiles is strangely accommodating about the whole issue, telling him has a lot of work to do, because a coven has hired him to draw some wards around their home and the rituals necessary for that have to be done the last day of the year and the first. And that’s not counting the two weeks of beforehand preparation he’s going to have to do in a week and a half.

Peter finally shrugs and decides to roll with it. Whatever it is that they have planned he’ll know soon enough. Hopefully.

The whole vacation, they spend more time outside their home than inside. Peter is losing hope of ever finding out what they have planned, but he’s not very heartbroken, because just the way Cora is getting back at the family (because it’s most certainly her, not Peter like everyone suspects… not that he’s going to confirm or deny anything) is the most entertaining thing he’s ever witnessed .

Then, Wolf Moon comes.

And Cora comes to the garden, protective charm necklace around her neck and with a defiant expression on her face.

And, in front of everyone, she performs a full shift and tackles the already wolf Peter.

If he could, he would cackle.

When Wolf Moon ends and they shift back, she proceeds to pull a cloak over him and look around at the stark naked people disdainfully.

“And, look at that, I don’t flash at anyone,“ she humphs as she leaves the clearing, a cackling Peter in tow.

He’s going to marry Stiles.

—

The letters keep coming. They’re not warm but they’re not cold, either.

The first time Stiles addresses him as dad again, John doesn’t even feel like an idiot for crying his eyes out.

—

“I want to try shifting into a cat next.”

“While I appreciate the irony, do you want to end as dog chew?“

“Don’t be an idiot, I never said what kind of cat.”

Stiles cackles.

—

Two years later, Peter decides it’s enough and that, since he’s never going to make special tier, he’s exhausted what he can (and wants to) learn from Salem. He knows Stiles is the same, but he’s just waiting for Cora to decide on a mentee.

He’s going to ask him to marry him. And since his initial courting got thwarted, he’s going to make it amazing and unique and memorable and all around awesome.

He spends an entire month mulling over it, about the how and the when. He gets a ring he knows Stiles will love. He researches wedding rituals. He cajoles and manipulates and blackmails some students and professors into helping. Basically, he does everything he can before feeling confident enough to finally go for it.

The day comes, everything is perfect, Stiles says yes.

Later, at Stiles’ common room cuddling each other, a sudden though assaults him… and a couple or three memories. And he recalls Ikari and Cora’s exasperated looks as of late, again.

“Stiles?”

“Mmhm?“

“Have you been courting me again?”

“Ah.“

“Dude,” comes from the end of the room, “he spent three months carving and assembling a protean charm. And he blew the laboratories three times before that.”

“And he went to the dragons to get those scales. He came back without eyebrows and had to grow them back with Capilagro.“

“Lets not forget about…”

“Okay, okay, I get it,“ Peter finally recovers enough to cut in. Stiles is shaking with the effort to contain his laughter.

“You were so cute planning all that and trying to hide it from me that I couldn’t destroy your efforts like that,” he admits with red all over his cheeks. Peter groans.

“I’m an idiot,“ he sighs chagrined.

“Yes, you are, but just sometimes and you have an amazing physique to compensate,“ Stiles snickers at him, “so I’ll let it slide this time.”

What Peter is, is so stupidly in love, he realizes.

He raises from the couch, pulling his wayward fiance with him and hoisting him up over his shoulder, and starts climbing the stairs to Stiles’s room enveloped by the sound of his laughter.

[immedtech]

Making magic with the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit

Like so many Harry Potter fans, I've dreamed of attending Hogwarts and learning magic with a wand, cauldron and bulging bag full of quills, ink and parchment. In the absence of real witchcraft and wizardry, I've visited movie sets and played countless video games of varying quality. While fun, none of these experiences capture the thrill of actually understanding and performing magic. There's a thrill, of course, to summoning a Patronus with a DualShock 4 controller. These spells rarely feels earned, however, because they don't require much practice or knowledge to pull off in-game.

That's why I was intrigued by the Harry Potter coding kit developed by Kano. The app forces you to construct each spell with logic-based pieces before waving a plastic wand in the air. It's not the same, of course, as the classes depicted in J.K. Rowling's award-winning books. But the process provides a similar sense of learning and satisfaction when you can finally wave your hand through the air and explode a box of chocolate frogs.

Kano's companion app works with Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices. You use this to create a cartoon-ish avatar and explore a map-like overworld. I know what you're thinking, and no, it's not the Marauder's Map. Kano's version lacks the detail of the iconic Harry Potter parchment, such as the moving character footprints and magically complicated paper folds. While a tad disappointing, the map uses a clean and consistent art style to depict memorable buildings such as Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, The Great Hall and the Forbidden Forest. Everything is also labeled in case you don't recognize Flourish and Blotts or The Daily Prophet's offices.

The plastic wand connects to your PC, laptop or tablet over Bluetooth. It contains a gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer that track its movement in 3D space. The 'tip' of the wand appears as a cursor inside the app -- a little like pointing an old Wiimote or Switch Joy-Con at your TV.

Different spells require different block combinations.

To perform a spell, though, you have to code it first. Kano's magic is broken down into lessons, or tasks, that are highlighted on the map as small orange circles. You can click on them manually or hit the 'next challenge' button in the top right-hand corner to teleport to the appropriate destination immediately. The challenges themselves revolve around a puzzle piece library, workspace and live preview pane. Drag blocks onto the canvas and the preview pane will update immediately, summoning, moving and transforming magical objects, or causing them to react differently to the movement of your wand tip.

Different spells require different block combinations. To levitate a pint of Butterbeer, for instance, you'll need a block that applies force to the glass once the wand has been waved correctly. Once that's in place, you'll want a piece that explains it should fly in a particular direction. Finally, you'll need two boxes that specify the low-alcohol beverage should head towards the X and Y position of the wand tip on screen.

The wand connects to your PC or tablet over Bluetooth.

Kano's app will highlight the correct pieces and where to place them on your workspace. There's also a series of text prompts that briefly explain the purpose of each block and its impact on everything else you've assembled so far. The idea, of course, is to subtly teach you the basics of programming while recreating some of the most iconic spells and moments from the books. Some utilize Quidditch broomsticks, while others revolve around owls, spiders and potion cauldrons. The art is quite simplistic but it's always obvious what the company is trying to depict in each task.

Once you've finished the code, you're free to activate the spell. Some can be triggered just by moving the wand or performing a quick upward or downward flick. Others require a specific gesture that you perform while holding the button on the wand. And yes, that includes the famous swish-and-flick that Harry, Ron and Hermione use for Wingardium Leviosa.

Kano's kit has been rubber-stamped by J.K. Rowling and whoever else manages the Harry Potter brand. I wish the company had licensed more from the mostly superb Warner Bros. movies, however. The music, for instance, is slightly different from the tracks and motifs composed by John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper and Alexandre Desplat. You never see any of the classic characters, or hear the actors who gave them so much life on the big screen. It feels like a missed opportunity after the sizeable voice cast that was assembled for Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery.

The kit doesn't have an obvious story, either. It would have been nice to play through the events of the first movie, or an entirely original storyline that knits the various challenges together. The puzzles could have been packed up as the opening term for a Hogwarts transfer student, for example, or some kind of revision before the all-important OWL exams.

Some code requires specific hand gestures to run.

The saving grace is a game-like leveling and experience system that slowly unlocks new gear for your avatar. It's a simple premise but I was instantly hooked and wanted to collect all of my favorite pieces from the Harry Potter universe (I eventually settled on the classic 'H' sweater knitted by Molly Weasley, a time-turner necklace and the all-powerful Elder Wand.)

Running through the tasks, it's easy to fall half-asleep and grab whatever block the app has highlighted. To truly learn the fundamentals of programming, however, you need to read each text prompt and, ideally, experiment at the end of each challenge to understand the limits and capabilities of each block. If you don't, there's a good chance you'll struggle when the app produces a no-guidance puzzle. These are sprinkled throughout the 'campaign' and challenge you to complete a specific task with a small selection of logic-based pieces. Some are required for the solution, while others are optional or utterly irrelevant.

It captures the feeling of learning something that most mortals can't comprehend.

Completing the puzzles is hugely gratifying. They also encourage a slower, more methodical approach with the other tasks -- at one point I started taking notes to make sure I understood the cause and effect of a particularly complicated block.

This is where the feeling of tuition and development really starts to kick in. There's a genuine skill, or rather intelligence, that's required to perform magic with Kano's wand. Coding, of course, isn't part of the Harry Potter universe but it captures the feeling of learning something that most mortals can't comprehend. Because -- and apologies for what might be the cheesiest sentence I've ever written -- programming really does feel like magic sometimes.

Sometimes the motion tracking is a little wonky.

The experience isn't flawless, however. The wand relies on AAA batteries and doesn't have an obvious off button. I took a week-long break from the kit and found that the batteries had already depleted upon my return. Kano suggests removing the batteries in between sessions, which is simple enough -- a single button removes the cover -- but really shouldn't be necessary. I also found the wand tracking to be a little finicky. I frequently had to recenter the on-screen cursor and struggled with some of the more advanced spell gestures because the wand tip tracing was so inconsistent.

These are small nitpicks, though. Kano's $100 wand kit is heaps of fun and highly educational for people who have never tried coding before. If you know a Harry Potter fan with even the slightest interest in science or technology, this would make a great gift. The company's greatest achievement, though, is replicating the sense of accomplishment that Hogwarts students must feel while learning magic. Until I receive my acceptance letter (I'm assuming the owl got lost somewhere...) this is the closest I'll ever get to sitting in a classroom and practicing transfiguration.

Source: Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit

- Repost from: engadget Post

[kdiwoodrow70-blog]

United States Found 204 Mass Firings In 2015.

Great time, women and gents and thanks for visiting The Ceramic tile Outlet Secondly One-fourth 2015 Profits Call. Considering that on-line shopping offers an opportunity to go shopping whenever you prefer, you will love this concept. I have actually right now been manager listed below for regarding eight months as well as really enjoy my task, as that's a fantastic shop with brilliant team. As outdated pieces are not consistently on call you need to recognize just what form of old pieces come into the marketplace as well as the basic problem from these aged coins. Tesla's network of 227 (and also checking) Supercharger locations in the United States right now consists of 3 in Michigan, along with a fourth set up to follow online in our house condition due to the end of 2015. This is my individual viewpoint that there is actually no primary difference between white miracle and wizardry along with one sole exemption, the intent with which the miracle is directed. And also if you are actually exhausted from seeing black and remains in state of mind for an adventure make an effort naval force blue, delicious chocolate brownish, maroon or even dark gray. When he was kind sufficient to open our Bath Road shop in 2002, I additionally had the really good luck to fulfill Harry Redknapp. Then I happened on an angling specialty shop that Recommended Website possessed a large sell of old reels. Ensure to have the laptop computer to a counted on repair shop that are going to be honest concerning exactly what has to be actually done.

Most shops enjoy to offer the old collection at a mark down to make room for the brand new items they are acquiring. On Tuesday, the Swiss assemblage accepted discuss longer store position hrs to offer tourist drivers a shot in the arm, while the government allowed for agencies to minimize operating hours if required. My working live started when I participated in McGettigans pie store when I was 16. My father utilized to joke that I simply did this for the money! When making an effort to come up with a label for your automobile repair work store is actually to be innovative, the initial thing you should keep in thoughts. For old color graphics and also pictures along with significant harm, seek an in-depth examine photographic reconstructions. You could contact a neighborhood media store or an online studio that are going to move video recording strips to DVD for you. Black Friday is actually a long time, along with several sellers opening up at 5 am or maybe earlier to crowds of folks waiting anxiously outside the home windows. Within the black patent shoe style you also have numerous kinds of heel types available. When my service stopped developing because of this switch, I recognized I must work with brand new car service center advertising tactics to draw in superior consumers thinking about sustaining their vehicles. Casting a regard him, half-reproachful and also half-compassionate, the schoolmaster took the little one in his arms, as well as, pressing the old male gather her little bit of container and also observe him directly, bore her out at his utmost speed. Examine your local second hand retail stores and also charitable organization groups, like the Salvation Crowd, as well as observe if they allow outdated beds. My daughter repainted this old deacons bench that was on her frontal balcony as well as incorporated pillows she dealt with in classic design textile. As you store and also dine your way through the globes from Singapore, you additionally may record a few of the cultural festivities and also festivities that are plentiful in this modern city.

[componentplanet]

These 11 Award-Winning Mac Apps Will Have Your MacBook Running Like You Just Took It Out Of The Box

It’s easy to get cynical as an app buyer. With so many fly-by-night developers dropping dozens of half-baked apps for handling virtually any operation, you’re bound to run into plenty of apps, both free and paid varieties, that just don’t make the grade.

If you’re a Mac user, then The Limited Edition Mac Bundle Ft. Parallels Desktop ($59.99, over 90 percent off) has thankfully done all that pre-screening for you. This collection brings together 11 apps, each closely vetted and including several award winners, all dedicated to a different aspect of priming your Mac — or you — to run at maximum efficiency.

The crown jewel of the collection is Parallels Desktop, a top 15 app in the Mac App Store that effectively turns your Mac into a super machine. Optimized for Windows 10 and macOS Catalina, Parallels lets thousands of Windows-based apps right on a Mac without any performance glitches. That includes everything from the entire Microsoft Office suite to Internet Explorer all the way up to graphic-heavy games or CAD programs, all running like they’re native to the Mac.

While Parallels streamlines Mac operations, Windscribe VPN Pro stays dedicated to your complete security protection online. In addition to VPN duties like masking your IP and effectively shielding you from online hackers or cybersnoops, Windscribe also features ad blockers and tracker crackdowns to protect your online browsing, a strict no-logging policy and protection on an unlimited number of devices.

Those two apps alone are valued at around $300, yet this package also includes nine more apps for cleaning up every aspect of your Mac’s performance.

For those looking to improve system performance, you’ll get iMazing for effortlessly moving data back and forth between devices, while Disk Drill Pro recovers potentially lost or damaged files, and Delta Walker Pro for synchronizing and merging up to hundreds of thousands of folders and files to clean up processing space in your system.

As for tools, you’ll have access to the Apple Editors’ Choice winning PDF Expert to create and collaborate on user-friendly documents; TextExpander to speed up your typing with shortcuts to auto-fill content anywhere; and XMind 8 Pro which help users organize their thoughts with charts for business, presentations, and mind mapping exercises.

If you want to improve your home WiFi, NetSpot Pro is there to analyze your signal and give you the best possible web connection. If you need to erect a website, RapidWeaver 8 is an intuitive and fantastic web design resource for builders. And if you just want to crop or edit one of your digital images, Aurora HDR is a photo editor capable of loads of digital wizardry.

Every one of these apps is at least a $50 value on its own, with some retailing over $100 or $200 each. This offer brings the price for all 11 down to just $59.99, less than $6 per app.

Note: Terms and conditions apply. See the relevant retail sites for more information. For more great deals, go to our partners at TechBargains.com.

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from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/deals/311352-these-11-award-winning-mac-apps-will-have-your-macbook-running-like-you-just-took-it-out-of-the-box from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/06/these-11-award-winning-mac-apps-will.html

[anishkksingh-blog]

The future is here, though you might not know it. While flying cars, robot servants, and virtual reality aren’t quite the same as we predicated for ourselves, we’re able to do so much more than we could have imagined just two decades ago. Devices have gotten smaller, exponentially smarter, and more ubiquitous, yet we act like they’re no big deal.

Behind every Smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, computer, and now a car is the software that makes all of that possible. 2015 has been a great year for tech, and software has made all of it possible. Here’s a look at what this year has brought in the world of software.

Microsoft Windows 10:

The last operating system, as far as Windows is concerned, Windows 10 has taken the love-it-or-hate-it Windows 8 and made it even better. With just one version for desktop/laptop, tablet, and mobile, the new OS brings everything into a single unified ecosystem. This theoretically means smoother transitions when moving from one Windows 10 device to another. This means consistent applications, easier coding, and a more consistent experience overall. Rolled out in stages starting the third quarter of this year, the update remains free for all legitimate users of Windows 7/8.1 for a whole year from launch. Since the first users received the update, the response seems to be generally positive. Windows 10 phone is slowly starting to hit the market now, with more and more manufacturers expected to join the party shortly. One of the main draws of the OS, particularly for mobile, is that with a dock or appropriate wireless hardware, one can connect a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the phone and use it as a desktop, thanks to the Continuum feature. Whether this is just the push Microsoft is looking for to get back on top remains to be seen, but it seems to be a very good step in the right direction.

Google Apps:

Google has been getting busier and busier with each update to its Android operating system. With a refocusing of the business, more acquisitions, and a continuous stream of devices hitting the market, the big G is at a great place right now. They still emphasize the importance of the mobile ecosystem as the means to reach the world’s unconnected. To further enhance the experience brought by Android Marshmallow, they’ve spent a lot of time honing the apps surrounding the ecosystem, with some really powerful Machine Learning wizardry.

Now on Tap:

Now on Tap brings the extremely useful Google Now to all your apps. For example, if you were to receive an email from a friend inviting you to watch a particular movie at a particular mall, you could call up Google Now, which would then give you the details on the film, such as ratings, cast, and run times, the location of the mall with a handy map and maybe traffic information, and even offer to make you a calendar entry so you don’t forget.

Google has likewise beefed up Photos. Should you ever want to find all your photos of lakes, all you have to do is launch the Google Photos app, and type “Lakes” in the search bar. Google will then bring up all the photos of lakes you ever took and backed up in Photos. You won’t even need to have tagged them previously. Want to see all your pictures of your girlfriend from your trip to EI Niño? Just type her name and modify the search with “in EI Niño,” and let Google do the rest. It’s both amazing and incredibly useful, particularly if you’re the kind of shutterbug that just dumps everything to be searched through later. Google has also powered-up Translate with Machine Learning code, which gives it a much better success rate than previously achieved. (Oh, and all this works on the competition’s devices as well.)

IOS 9:

Not to be outdone in the mobile phone space, Apple released the 9th iteration of their mobile operating system this year. IOS 9 not only packs optimizations that make the most of the hardware in the iPhone (which is why iPhones stack up beautifully against more powerful devices), it also has a few new tricks up its sleeve.

Two-fingered dragging on the keyboard now moves the text cursor like one would use a trackpad on a laptop, making editing text easier by several magnitudes. A shortcut bar has also been added for easy access to commonly used edit functions. Hitting the Shift key also reflects upper-or lowercase letter on the keyboard, as the case may be. A new News app now brings the latest info from leading news sources, so users can remain up-to-date, and the stock Notes app has been updated to include more tools such as doodling, adding links, and including map locations. Multitasking has also been improved, allowing users to slide over an app from the side, see two apps at a time in split-screen view, and do picture-in-picture Facetime calls. You also get a better, smarter Siri, greater support for passbook (now renamed Wallet) and 3D Touch for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, which gives users more options for interacting with menus and links that are both intuitive and useful.

OS X:

OS X EI Caption arrived this year as well. Similar to the IOS update that gives additional functionality to the devices, the desktop version of Apple’s OS also saw some significant changes. Multitasking was given more attention, with OS X getting the same split-screen functionality we see in iOS 9. You can easily have two apps occupy the screen, without having to bother with clicking, dragging, and resizing to get a perfect fit. Mission Control has also been streamlined, allowing users to easily see everything you have open on your Mac with a single swipe. You can also better organize open windows by dragging them to the top of your screen to move them to a different desktop space. Improvements to Spotlight have been included, allowing it to now give you more info including updates to sports, stocks, videos, and even transit info for getting around. Notes got a similar update as iOS, with support for the attachment of links, photos, videos, and map locations. A photo has been given the ability to work with third-party editing software, better organization, and performance upgrades.

2015 has been a good year to be in tech. Things are progressing at a much faster rate, and we’ve never had devices that are more useful, friendly, and intuitive, and that’s all thanks to software.

  The post This Year New Technology: Software appeared first on .

[theseventhhex]

Jon Hopkins Live Review

Jon Hopkins

Photo by Steve Gullick

Performer: Jon Hopkins

Date: 25th September 2018

Venue: Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn, NY

Review by: Leo Hardy

Finding himself in familiar fine form in the wake of another excellent release in ‘Singularity’, Jon Hopkins must be used to receiving plaudits from leading media outlets. Nonetheless, the praise is always worthy and fitting when it comes to a musician who just seems to shine with each passing body of work. Tonight, it’s Brooklyn, New York’s turn to delve deep into the renowned live offerings that Jon seems to have bettered furthermore with material from his latest release…

Jon’s stage setup consists of a one-man band; a desk with all of the marvel producers tools at his disposal. The wizardry that’s about to follow is surely going to send us into a trance... Oh, and soon enough the visuals do just that! We get a glimpse of the backdrop behind the desk and a screen with old school Windows Media Player type of visualisations lights up the venue - quite hypnotic indeed. Heck, there’s even some forestry and nature mixed in to give us a cinematic feel... Yup, this is going to get intense!

Soon enough, the man of the moment is given a warm welcome. Jon’s trusted laptop and wide-ranging electronic medley of a setup is about to take us on quite a ride. With a grey t-shirt and calm demeanour, Jon’s backdrop is suddenly illuminated with powerful green light strobes that intertwine at a pace in a line type of format. ‘Singularity’ blares out throughout the arena as fans start to sway and enter a nightclub mode.

Latest single ‘Emerald Rush’ builds and then offers a crushing and thudding bass drop as the pace quickens - I can barely keep up with the youngsters losing their shit at this point. Again, the visuals during this particular track are stunning - an animated scene reminiscent of the video for the song itself.

The party and club like atmosphere is further boosted when ‘Collider’ and ‘Open Eye Signal’ are reverberated ear-splittingly throughout Brooklyn Steel. At this point the mammoth speakers seem to taking a painful pounding, but they’ll hold up just fine.

In between songs Jon nods and smiles as his delirious fans catch their breath and chug some water/beer, before getting set for another tantalising and unpredictable ride. Throughout, Jon’s ability to meddle with pace, timing and genre-fusing is akin to a puppet master pulling the strings - he’s in control and he knows exactly how to deliver electronic enchantment.

To close out proceedings for the encore, Jon selects two of his remixes: ‘Magnets’ by Disclosure and ‘Two Dancers’ by Wild Beasts. Both songs are at times improvised and furthered in length to ensure that the impulsive nature of the show remains varied and intoxicating.

Various conclusions can be drawn from tonight’s magnificent concert, but one thing is for sure, Jon Hopkins does not do predictable or lacklustre. Right now, no one is making music like him. So if you happen to see a social media post or a local listing stating he’s passing by your town, be sure to part with your money and take a punt – your choice will result in a momentous and worthwhile evening.

Jon Hopkins - “Singularity”

Singularity

[talesofanaturalspoonie]

6th June... #fms_whereiwork Working from home means that most days I have my laptop either balanced on my knee as I sit on the sofa, fighting for space amongst the crumbs and toy debris of the dining table, or perched on a pillow as I blog from bed. Once or twice a week though I get to use this beast, with its techy wizardry, an actual desk, and a large ginger cat watching me through the window. I always get 10x more done on those days to 😊 #fmspad #fmsphotoaday #workingfromhome #wahm #blogginginbed #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookreviewer #bookblogger #lifestyleblogger #parentingblogger #spoonieblogger #bloggersofinstagram #photochallenge

[kinoalyse]

Gear List

I think most professional photographers, especially portrait and landscape, aren't willing to admit that their gear does get them further than someone with a Rebel series camera and a lot of creativity.  Anyone can take a good picture.  Without gear, however, it's difficult to capture the world in many specific ways.  If you leave suggestions, I'm happy to make tutorials on how to use/how I use any of the gear below.  This list is set to change, but I will try and update as I introduce new gear, which includes a Manfrotto debate - is Manfrotto only a fad or is it quality enough for the pros?

I've included links to my gear, some of which are affiliate links, which gives me a 2-3% kickback (so I can stop using a two-legged tripod :D ).

Photography Gearset

Canon 5D Mark III - it may be the elder to the Mark IV, but it sure gets the job done.  This is my second camera from my retired Rebel T2i of last year - I finally made the plunge and got serious.  It's a staple of professional photographers.

G7 X Mark II - This compact camera is perfect for vlogging, awkward angles, and especially timelapses.  It's a fully manual compact with a devastating amount of features, including preset click times, exposures, manual lighting, and let's certainly not forget, the manual focus.  This is a dream camera for any vlogger on the market.

Canon 17-40mm f/4L - This is my general carry-around lens.  It's sharp, relatively quick, and perfect for numerous situations, such as street, portrait, and some landscape situations.

Canon 24-105mm f/4L - This is my go-to for landscape with it's wide-angle feature.  It's one of the least expensive wides on the market, but comparable in features.  I hardly notice the missing aperture.

Canon 50mm f/1.4 - This is solidly locked to my camera in any situation I find myself with people.  It's a bokeh monster.

Extra Canon Batteries - I have six at any given time 'cause chance can be a bitch.  I have owned two aftermarket batteries, but they didn't sit in my camera correctly, and they drained rather fast.  I highly recommend going brand on this one - Canon batteries have yet to fail me.

Discontinued Manfrotto Tripod - So...  I worked for Best Buy when Manfrotto was introduced to me - it was the first time I had heard of them, and I asked the manager if he'd give me this cheap (comparatively), plastic $90 tripod with my Rebel T2i back in the stone age.  It's been beaten half to death, four of the locks are broken, but it's a trooper.  I would recommend grabbing something newer than this dinosaur.

Gorillapod - When you have a weak tripod, or you can't afford a $500+ setup, the Gorilla pod saves lives.  It's sturdy when you manage to balance everything (which isn't so difficult), and it can hold the massive 5D Mark III without much hassle.  I use it for low-angle wide shots, mostly.

Lee Filters - Oh, Lee.  You've given me glass envy like no other.  I've only purchased the Foundation Kit, which includes two 100x100mm neutral density filters, a 3.0 ND Big Stopper and a 1.8 ND Little Stopper.  Practicing time wizardry is arguably the most fun I've had as a photographer.

Hoya Circular Polarizing Filter - I'd love to keep on my Lee glass fix and replace this one with a Lee Polarizer, but it does a decent job of reducing glare on water in close-proximity.

WhiBal Pocket Card - WhiBal helps you to balance the real colors of any scene, whether it's a moody wedding or a landscape.  With one click, Lightroom can calibrate to a scene's true colors.

Lexar 16GB 800x Compact Flash - The amount of panic attacks I've had from the "NO CAPACITY" warnings on my camera are enough to age me fifty years.  I would highly recommend buying a large Compact and SD card and mirroring them, because the capacity of mine makes it impossible to mirror - my SD cards remain secondary cards for when the CF fills.

Lowepro Tactic 450 AW - Solid, rugged, and it takes a lot of my crap.  I've thrown it, tossed it on rocks, put in in trees, put it near a roaring ocean and prayed, and ran/climbed/trudged through pouring rain with this, and it's still keeping my gear safety tucked away.  Bless.

Spider Holster - When you're climbing mountains, holding onto rocks, or shooting a wedding, sometimes you need your hands free.  The holster is a quick means of getting your camera out of danger.

Post Work

WD My Passport 4TB - I have a NAS drive for backups that I do need to start using.  Part of me is just waiting for the data apocalypse before backing up - I'm literally asking for it by not backing up.  I use a Windows laptop, so purchasing an HDD is relatively easy.  Sharing between devices is not as seamless as Apple, so if you can find a compact, shareable drive, I highly recommend that.

MSI Apache Pro - I really wanted to play a single video game before I got serious about photography, so I opted for a computer that would run Adobe programs and the game.  Nowadays, I'm regretting it - I'm certainly not Apple loyal, but Adobe programs on Apple is just beautiful, easy, and I'm much more sure about my color settings.  MSI does have a built-in color correcter, but I'll be second-guessing the accuracy until I buy a DataColor Spyder.

Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom - Adobe offers much more affordable options for your editing needs, including a yearly subscription to both Photoshop and Lightroom.  Creative Cloud is also tossed in there, so you can easily share your work across Adobe products.

Adobe Premiere Pro - Offered again with a one-year subscription, this seriously powerful program is for editing video.

Outdoor Safety

I've been so pre-occupied with photography that I haven't been gearing up for longer days in harsh environments.  Much of my childhood was spent in the Colorado wilderness, and I can't wait to spend more time in the wild.  This list will be updated in the next year.

Wigwam Socks

Stormproof Matches

Microfiber Towel

Neewer 160 LED Lamp

Petzl Tikka XP 2 (discontinued)  

Priorities

Canon 70mm-200mm - After this baby, I'll be set with my basic lens kit for a while.  It's SO DIFFICULT to shoot landscape photography, with sweeping distances, with a lens that has a 105mm reach, to the point where I've adopted praying that the mountain in the distance is in focus.  I shoot a few shots with the focus just barely touched each time in the hopes that one of them is correct.  Sometimes I get lucky.  Sometimes.  

Lenspack - Because I'm as elegant and dexterous as a newborn giraffe trying to stand up for the first time, and this would help with switching lenses.

Manfrotro Tripod (no head) - I'm torn on this.  A professional landscape photographer told me that Manfrotto is a joke, and no one seriously uses them, but every professional that I know on YouTube uses them.  What's real?  Let me know what you think.

Filter Pouch - Keep them secret.  Keep them safe.

Rugged HDD - 'Cause I like to throw things around, and you might, too.  Western Digital isn't about to survive a harsh environment... or me.

DJI Mavic Pro - Drone photography interests me in special regards for abandoned locations, but, man, I'd love to play with drone cinematography as well.