#harry potter trivia game

[thedaveandkimmershow]

Yesterday we got a late start. Our niece and her dad were in Amsterdam for the Friends Experience because they are both HUUUUUUUGE fans of the show.

They had tickets for a while now but my niece somehow forgot and went already with a friend of hers. Then yesterday she went again with her dad because, you know, Friends.

The experience involves accurate and various Friends sets and moments... and the two of them took full advantage with photographs of themselves in iconic spaces recreating iconic moments.

They both said it was super busy because the day got off to a delayed start due to technical problems... so there were more people than expected crammed into a shorter schedule. Still, the pictures they took make it seem like they're the only ones on set.

Adorable. 😊

Around 2 in the afternoon I get a text they're on their way back from Amsterdam... so at 230 we leave our hotel for the local grocery store, Aldi, because Kimmer literally cannot get enough of the place.

Also, I'm not clear why we need more food. My aunt is a relentless feeder of family members. Plus we've got a stock of baked foods we keep receiving as gifts from family over the last few days.

Still, we're going up and down the aisles looking... looking...

And yeah. We find a gift or two for someone or someone's at home.

Don't tell them, though.

It's a surprise. 😉

3pm and my niece and her dad are pulling up to our hotel. Since we're still at Aldi, they drive down the street to pick us up...

And then we're on our way to the center of Gorinchem.

Now first we've gotta a coupla highly important things to figure out.

Here's how my niece put it:

"So my father and I are discussing a few options. We thought we could get a chai latte 😆 we could go into town and drink some in one of the local lunchrooms. Then I can take the card game to my grandparents tonight! Or we could get the chai latte to go and go to our house. Or we don’t get a Chai latte 🤣🤣 so many options😆"

Yeah.

Complicated. 😉

We quickly decide the Chai Latte is essential to our afternoon so we head to Gorinchem Centrum and park in the Kweeklust parking garage along one of the rivers surrounding the centrum.

We spend the next hour walking from the north end to the south end where there are locks and then those boats that take tourists down the Merwede river to castle Slot Loevestein.

I'm pretty sure this is the dock from which my cousins 'n I as children made that trip ourselves with our parents, one of whom took an iconic photograph of us.

From the parking garage, Kimmer 'n I do a pretty good job of walking and being present with family. This part of town is so picturesque, though, there's so much unique architecture, so much fascinating detail, that for a while in there we become raging photography monsters, eating up everything we see along the way.

This is, of course, my niece and her dad's hometown. It's also a small town and every so often they run into someone they know.

And then another someone.

And another someone.

Yeah.

That small.

Either that or they're both quite famous and we just don't know it. 🤔🤨

Along the way, both my niece and her dad point out the shops and cafes they frequent: a record store here, a high-tea restaurant there. It's a lovely bit of family Show 'n Tell. 😊

For example, my niece points out an entrance to a church that used to be walled off, hidden from the Nazi's during the occupation of Holland during World War II.

My niece's dad one-upped her by pointing out a lane along which is a row of connected, narrow homes. In one of these, he tells us, is the home in which he was born.

He just can't remember exactly which one. 😕

He can tell us, though, that the building across the narrow lane from the row houses used to be an orphanage. And then a block later we run across a shop featuring a painting of Hugo the Great and an illustration of castle Slot Loevestein which prompted a telling of this slice of dutch history in which Hugo is captured, taken to the town center where villagers help him escape inside a wooden cabinet.

Huzzah!

By 'n by, we wander to a historic door that's related to the Hugo the Great story... next to which is Espressobar Hugo.

Where we get our Chai Lattes.

It's 4pm.

A lovely little espresso place, the bar offers a full sit-down experience: take your seat, check out the menu, and soon someone comes by to take your order.

Eventually, our Chai lattes are brought to the table. Actually, three Chai lattes and one cappuccino 'cause that's my niece's dad's jam.

The Chai, by the way, comes in tall, thick, clear glass cups accompanied by a shot of whipped cream with Bailey's and a little square of chocolate brownie.

Kimmer couldn't have hers... so she gave it to me for a sum total of two little brownie squares for my afternoon.

After a lovely hour of hot drinks, good fun company, and a bunch of photos Kimmer felt compelled to take at the back of the espresso bar, we take our leave of Gorinchem in order to swing by the home of my niece's family.

Why?

Because our day's primary agenda with her is to play her Harry Potter trivia game.

We've taken most of the afternoon with a lovely city walk, so now we're gonna grab the game on our way to my aunt and uncle's to play after dinner there.

Of course it's not a grab 'n go we do. The "stop" easily turns into a Show 'n Tell of their home including the "shed" out back that's a pretty massive deal with plenty of storage inside and a covered space outside for lounging on chairs. There's even a sign over the window facing the covered space that reads

Surf Shack. 🙂

It's actually more fun than I'd guess getting a tour of someone else's home. But this one's comfortable and hits a lot of the same design notes that we love from lighting to furniture to decor (including the old-school LPs and the Lego VW bus).

6pm We're back at my aunt and uncle's place for dinner. At the dinner table's their daughter (arriving a little later than the rest of us due to work), her husband, their daughter/my niece, and then us.

Once again it's a lovely time had by all with a thoroughly traditional Dutch menu including variations on mashed potatoes, sausages, and beef.

After dinner, we settle around the table to play my niece's Harry Potter trivia game. We don't specifically read or follow the rules... we just play in a way that makes sense to us and is fun for us.

So.

Is it fun?

Well, all I can say is it's LOUD. It's competitive. And we're super into it against each other and with each other.

Because that's how we roll. 😉

Now, while we're thoroughly into all things Potter, my cousin's husband's in the living room with my aunt and uncle revisiting some of my uncle's history.

Meanwhile (and I don't know how this happened) the game we're playing at the dining room table turns into a wide-ranging conversation about the British royal family, from "The Crown" to the tabloids to each royal to each royal couple.

Again. No idea how that happened.

Definitely the conversation drew my aunt into the room. My aunt... who isn't into Harry Potter trivia games but is quite able to weigh in on British royals past and present. 🤔🤨

And then somehow (again, I don't know how) the conversation pivots to the challenges of being a parent and the simultaneous, complementary challenges of growing up. It's another wide-ranging and detailed conversation with everyone everyone everyone at the table weighing in.

'Cause we're all experts like that.

With so many parents at the table, it's like a support group. 😉

Inevitably, our arrival at 6pm flips through more hours than I would've guessed because suddenly it's 11 o'clock at night.

Did not see that coming either.

So, with hugs and kisses all around, my cousin's husband and niece drop us back at our hotel at 11:30.

Dang.

Talk about Time Travel.

That time at my aunt and uncle's flew.

And yeah. It's amazing how much life you can cram into those hours...

When you're with your tribe.

☺️

[thanestable]

Gaming Tavern!

Welcome traveler, to Thane’s Table, your local gaming tavern. Thane’s Table features private themed gaming suites, immersive settings, and several games! We are opening in July 2022. Follow for updates to join us this year for the Yule Ball, Harry's birthday, cosplay Halloween, Candlenights feast, themed trivia, series viewings, and more!

[fandomfrenzy97]

Hogsmeade screenshots taken during the Hogwarts Trivia adventure.

[hp-hcs]

(Fine, I’ll do it my damn self: part 1 of my silly lil mlm stories <3)

Gay Awakening (Chapter One) — smitten! mattheo riddle x male! reader

TWs: tobacco & alcohol use, internalized homophobia, homophobic slurs (once)

hella ooc mattheo. congrats, ur his gay awakening, and he’s an absolutely smitten lil gay mess for you but yk he’s trying

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Hey, dude. Who’s that?” Theodore asked, bumping Mattheo’s arm to get his attention, then pointing his fork in your direction. You were sitting at the very end of the table’s bench, wearing an oversized black muggle hoodie with your green tie loose and haphazardly slung around your neck. You were animatedly talking with, out of all people, a Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuff girl sitting at the Slytherin table either seemed to be completely unaware of the looks she was receiving, or she was steadfastly ignoring them. Your laugh cut through the room, the Hufflepuff cracking up with you.

“American transfer students,” Malfoy sneered. “They clearly don’t know the rules yet.”

“Oh, shut up, Draco,” Pansy rolled her eyes, resting her chin on her hand and looking at the Hufflepuff for a moment too long.

Draco scoffed, clearly offended. “Whatever. They’re probably faggots anyway.”

Pansy whirled around with a furious expression. Mattheo himself flinched slightly at the slur, which caused Blaise to look at him questioningly. Once Theo had waved Blaise’s unspoken question off, Zabini shrugged, leaning over and muttering in his ear, “Ten galleons says she brings up Potter.”

“-and everyone knows that you have a crush on Harry Motherfucking Potter, so maybe you should take your bigotry and shove it right up your-”

“Pansy?” you questioned, awkwardly standing across from her. “Here, ‘m supposed t’ give this to you.”

You leaned across the table to drop a folded up note in front of her, allowing Mattheo to catch a faint whiff of your cologne. You looked back down at the floor shyly, hurrying back to your spot at the end of the table.

“He’s hot,” Enzo shrugged, taking a bite of his toast. “I call dibs.”

“You can’t call dibs on the guy who just asked Pansy out, dipshit.”

“Actually, it’s a note from the ‘puff,” Pansy interjected, twisting her wrist around to show off the neat cursive written in a purple glitter gel pen. “She wants to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend, dipshit.”

“Yeah, dipshit,” Mattheo teased Nott. “Plus, I think Malfoy already called dibs on him, so tough luck.”

Theodore blew a raspberry at him, only a slight distraction from where Mattheo’s comment had fueled another Pansy-rant and left Draco sinking low in his seat as if he wanted to disappear.

~~~

“Alright, Zabini, you’re up. What classic novel is a satirical adaptation of R. M. Ballantyne’s The Coral Island?”

“Why the fuck would I know that, Berkshire?”

“Blaise forfeits! Sudden death round is down to just us, Riddle,” Nott crowed excitedly, watching as the score quill of the charmed muggle trivia game scratched Blaise’s name off of the paper score sheet, drawing a condescending frowny face next to it.

Enzo laughed, flipping over the little hourglass timer. “If anyone can answer in the next thirty seconds, they automatically win the game.”

“No idea,” Mattheo shrugged. Theodore spun his rings around on his fingers before shrugging too.

“The Lord of the Flies,” your quiet voice pipes up. The game players all look over in your direction from where you’ve just entered the common room—coming back from the library, it looks like, if the stack of books in your hands explains anything.

“What?” Draco asks, raising an eyebrow and sneering.

“The Lord of the Flies,” you repeat. “William Golding. Fantastic book.”

Malfoy huffed. “And who are you, exactly?”

“Y/N L/N,” you introduced yourself, nodding slightly in their direction before wordlessly disappearing up the dorm room stairs.

Mattheo stared after you alongside his friends, none of them immediately noticing the charmed quill writing your name down on the score card as the winner.

~~~

“C’n I bum a smoke?” your sleepy voice called softly from behind Mattheo. He turned around from his spot on the otherwise unoccupied balcony to see you rubbing your eyes, a fuzzy green blanket draped around your shoulders. He cleared his throat and nodded, fishing a fresh cigarette out of the pack and holding it out to you. His heart rate stuttered for a moment when your fingers brushed against his.

“Thanks,” you muttered, using a wandless incantation to light it. Mattheo leaned back against the railing, taking a drag from his half-finished cigarette and blowing the smoke out thoughtfully.

“Why’re you up? It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?”

Maybe it was his well-meaning-but-patronizing phrasing or the confidence-imbued late night cigarette, but you clicked your tongue once and said in a short, clipped tone, “Oh, shut the fuck up, you hypocrite.”

Mattheo barked out a surprised laugh, choking on his lungful of smoke and falling into a coughing fit.

“Language, L/N,” he teased.

“English, Riddle,” you snickered back.

He grinned at you, blushing a nice pink color as you both smoked in a comfortable silence for a moment.

“My roommate brought some girl back from the party he went to,” you say after a while. “Didn’t want to deal with all that.”

“Ah,” Mattheo nodded slowly. “Boys seem to lose all of their brain cells as soon as they come within a ten-foot radius of a hot girl.”

You snort. “Not all of us.”

“Yeah?” he questioned, in a way he hoped came off as nonchalant, even though he was internally freaking out. “No lucky lady piquing your interest?”

“This may shock you, but believe it or not, I’m not actually into girls at all,” you snort again, dropping the cigarette butt and grinding it into the ground with the toe of your sneaker.

“Really?” he asked in a high voice before loudly clearing his throat. “I mean- really? That’s cool. Uh, m-me too.”

“Yeah?” you glanced up at him curiously. “Huh. I wouldn’t’a guessed.”

“Can I kiss you, Y/N?” Mattheo blurts out, immediately snapping his mouth shut and clearly mentally facepalming.

“Sure,” you shrug.

“Huh?”

“I said sure.”

The poor boy was frozen in place, gaping at you. Taking pity on him, you make the first move—tugging his tie to pull him down to your level.

His hand finds the back of your neck, kissing you softly, much more gently than you would’ve expected.

When you break apart, he looks like he’s just been enlightened. Like, he might actually shout eureka! and run off.

“Holy shit,” he breathed. “I’ve never kissed a guy before- holy shit!” he laughs freely, cupping your face to kiss you again.

“So what now, Archimedes?” At his confused expression you elaborate, “Muggle reference, sorry.”

He nods slowly, his fingers automatically winding their way into the hair at the nape of your neck. “Well… you could sleep with me tonight,” he offered after a moment. “Y’know, so you don’t have to deal with your roommate.”

“Oh, um, I’m not really that type of boy, Theo…” you trailed off.

“Oh!” his eyes widened in panic. “I didn’t mean to imply- I mean, not that I wouldn’t love- I meant we could just literally sleep in the same bed!”

You giggled, a bit relieved. “I’d like that.”

He took a deep breath, smiling hesitantly at you. “No funny business, promise. All at your discretion.”

He held out his hand to you, and you took it immediately, leaning into his side.

“So about that fight between Malfoy and Pansy…”

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Chapter Two

[screamingmandrakes]

💀 Voldemort Brainrot 💀(18+)

Introducing my first Harry Potter server - Voldemort Brainrot!

I've wanted a place to dump my Voldemort fixation for a while, so I've finally conjured up a server for it. It's not specific to Voldemort - all Death Eater fanatics are invited, though there are only four specific ship channels right now (Tomarry/Harrymort/Tomione/Volmione) though there is a channel for other ships and I'm always open to expanding!

This server is 18+ and there are no exceptions to that. I am an adult, and due to the nature of this server, I must keep it to other adults. There is a Dead Dove channel - which is restricted by a specific role separate from the one confirming that you're of age, so if you'd like to engage but not see that sort of content you don't have to.

There are also writing channels and a few ones for built-in server games, alongside a House Cup bot and a trivia one.

This is a queer-owned server. Any bigotry against queer people - specifically transgender people - is strictly prohibited. If you're a terf, you're not welcome.

Remember to have fun and be kind. That's what fandom is for.

VOLDEMORT BRAINROT (18+)

[olderthannetfic]

https://olderthannetfic.tumblr.com/post/733663911945142272/since-im-seeing-the-harry-potter-asks-on-here#notes

Ok I never read the HP books, so it took me until saw some random trivia for HP that the houses all had specific ways of getting into the dorms common rooms and thereby their bedrooms.

Ya know, Gryffindor? Weekly password. Cool cool, easy enough. Simple.

Green snakes? Magic ID-DNA system. Ok, interesting, I mean that's a pretty big leap from a basic ass password that resets every week. Like this is actually a proper barrier and magical. Ok then.

But then I read about the Badgers and the Raven-Eagles...

Badgers have a fucking rythm game? You hit some drum barrels to the beat? What? What if you don't have rythm? I thought this was a joke because it sounds like something you'd do as a parody, because it's like a toddlers piano game. Also one of the barrels vomits on you if you fuck it up.

And the Raven-Eagles? "Yeah we're gonna give you some random as fuck question, hope you're smart because otherwise you ain't getting in!" I think this one irritated me the most because the blue ones don't even need to be smart, they can be artistic or otherwise creatively gifted and you might still have to solve the fucking Da Vinci code to change your panties. This one also feels the least like an actual measure to protect your "house" and more like a shitpost idea by someone who just wants to piss off some kids. Great, so you have like 11 yo kids who can't enter their dorm because the question given needs some big brain senior year brain to answer. No one better need to shit unless you know the (canon) poop vanishing spell.

--

[wizardnaturalist]

the most grating rejoinder from people who claim to be allies to queer people, poc, jewish people, etc yet still consider themselves harry potter fans is "but it was my childhood!" because

you dont think it was my childhood too? "it meant to much to me growing up, it was my first real fandom, I related to the characters so much, etc etc" I did too!! Ive read through the series a half dozen times, the first time in the third grade! Ive seen every movie, I own the supplemental books, I had a pottermore account and dressed up as hermione! I memorized all the trivia and went to themed camps and activities and was so so excited to go to universal to see harry potter world.

but none of that matters anymore because I grew up and I realized that the work I loved hurt people. I learned that it's creater hates people like me and other groups I care about. I learned that her hatred was ingrained in the stories I had been consuming for so long, and I just hadnt realized it because I never thought or knew to look.

But I do know now. and the material effects on people now outweighs any nostalgia I may feel. I dont play new games or read new content or watch new movies because I do not want to. despite my history with the series, despite what it meant to me as a kid.

quite simply, read another book

[persepoliste]

a studyblr introduction

hi everyone!

this feels weird to write, since i have been using tumblr on and off for the past 9 years. i spent most of middle school very active in the harry potter fandom, then briefly had a studyblr in high school. i have been steadily using this new blog since the beginning of this summer, so i thought i would briefly introduce myself!

name: ava—not my actual name, but that has always been my alias on this platform, and i find it quite pretty

pronouns: she/her

program of study: master's in sociology (1st year). planning to pursue a phd afterwards, so i will probably stick around a while

languages spoken: english & french, some spanish

academic interests: urban segregation, environmental justice, class inequalities

non-academic interests: film photography, true crime, trivia games

i am looking for other studyblrs, especially gradblrs, to follow and learn from. i mainly use tumblr to look for study guides, tips on how to navigate grad school, and notion templates, but i am planning on using it to post pictures of my progress, too—i think it will help me stay motivated, and do away with some of the inescapable anxiety of grad school.

i love the studyblr community so far—it has been so helpful, the vibes are very ✨nurturing✨. i look forward to engaging with you all over the next few years.

some studyblrs i have especially been enjoying so far are: @socstudies @ink-stained-clouds @owlchimedes @penandpaper-love, but i look forward to discovering many more!

don't hesitate to talk!

ava

[floridaboiler]

HAPPY HARRY POTTER DAY!!! This magical day was first created in 2005 to honor the beloved book and movie series by J.K Rowling that has since become a worldwide phenomenon. On this day, fans of all ages come together and dress up in their favorite costumes from the movies, enjoy themed activities such as trivia nights or a game of Quidditch, and just generally show their love for Harry Potter. 

Source - https://mewe.com/p/bikinisummer

[silenzahra]

hey bestie!!

for the ask game: 🎲🌎📺

Referring to this game ✨

Hey bestie!! 😁 Thank you soooo much for sending me a few questions!!! Here are my answers:

🎲 It has to be Trivia! 🤩 I just LOVE it!!! 😁 I used to play Trivial Pursuit a LOT in the Wii, even with my mom who totally dislikes videogames 😂 And when it's focused on a specific matter, like The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Super Mario... I love it even MORE 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

🌎 Okay, I'm affraid I'm gonna cheat in this one 🤭 First I'm gonna say Ireland, for it was my very first trip aboard. I was 18 and I went the summer after I finished high school with a bunch of classmates (we had all been given a scholarship so that we could practice English in an English-speaking environment). And it was so GREAT. I spent two weeks in Dublin and they also took us to many other places like Belfast (where Titanic was built!!!) and Glendalough. I fell HARD for the Emerald Isle and I've been meaning to go back since then, but life has gotten so expensive that it's been impossible 😅 I just hope I can finally do it at some point in a few years 🤞🤞🤞

Fancy a few pics of a 18-year-old me? 😁

Yes, I took a picture with Oscar Wilde... and I don't look too happy about it 😂😂😂 And of course I had to fool around at one of those souvenir stores full of typical Irish stuff 😂😂😂 I wanted to buy it all 🤭😁 The others were at some of the places we visited: a beach north of Dublin, a riff and Glendalough's graveyard, with those beautiful crosses that I've always liked 🥰

And the second place I'm gonna say is within my own country, and I'm sorry but I just had to 🤭 I LOVE Madrid 🤩 I live far from it (I'm a Southern girl), but I went for the first time in 2017 and, like with Ireland, I fell HARD. Madrid is a very cosmopolitan city and it offers absolutely EVERYTHING that you may ask for (except for a beach 😂). It has great buildings, TONS of museums, lots of lovely places to visit... I especially LOVE the Retiro Park. So HUGE and beautiful! 😍 I even got lost more than once because I'm not used to nature, I'm a city girl 😂 But I love it!!! And it's more or less easy to go everywhere thanks to the subway, though I must admit, at first I had trouble trying to understand how it worked because there's no subway where I live, only train and bus 😂

And also, many events of all kinds take place during the whole year: musical, sporting, artistic... And literary! I've been managing to go there every single year since 2018 for the Book Fair in June, and, my God, for a bookworm like me, that book fair is simply a DREAM come true. This year sadly I won't be able to attend (life too expensive again), but I treasure every single time I've been in Madrid for the past few years and I look forward to going back next year (and, perhaps, someday I'll be able to live in Madrid since it's my freaking dream 🤞🤞🤞).

And again, here are a few pics! 🥰

Don't know if you've raced through Madrid Drive in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but if you have... some of these places may sound familiar 🤭 From top left to bottom right: Gran Vía, Puerta del Sol, the Arbutus Bear, and Atocha, the biggest station I've seen in my entire life 😂

That statue on the left is the Fallen Angel Statue and it's in the Retiro Park. I don't know why, but that statue speaks to me, so I always take TONS of pics every time I visit Madrid. And the one on the right is in the middle of the Book Fair, in one of those stands they put so people can take pics in them. Man, I'm gonna miss so much not visiting the Book Fair this year 🥲

Also! Look what I ran into when I entered FNAC, one of the biggest malls in Madrid! 😁

I was already totally obsessed with Mario, since this was in June, so suddenly seeing this almost at the beginning of my trip made me SO HAPPY!!! 😁😁😁 It's always Mario time for me!!! ❤️❤️❤️

📺 Ooohh you and @vulpixfairy1985 have asked me the same thing! 🤭 Since I already mentioned Lost in her ask, I'm gonna say another show that I watched while growing up and that had an impact on me as a reader and as a writer: Charmed. It's a show from the 90s-early 2000s about three four witch sisters, the Halliwell sisters, and they all had different magical powers and had to fight against demons and such, and it was so GREAT 🤩 I take it that the special effects weren't as good since it was the 90s, but to me back them they actually were, and I unconsciously included some of them in my writing when I was a teen 🤭 And of course, I LOVED the relationship between the sisters 🥹 I've always loved stories that revolve about two or more siblings, and this show truly fed me back then 🤭

This got longer than expected lol, and I took forever finding those pics, but I hope that you like my answers, bestie! 🥰 Thanks again for asking! 🫂💖💖

[hchollym]

Harry Potter Master Post

Percy Weasley 

Book facts about Percy

Percy Weasley & the Weasley’s Homophobia/Transphobia

Percy was a spy during the war

Percy was a spy continued 

Percy was a spy - Part 3

Percy was a spy & Barty Jr. hurt him

Percy actually wasn’t Molly’s favorite

Parallels between Percy and Theseus Scamander 

Percy had good reasons for not believing Dumbledore & Harry

Percy’s doubt of Dumbledore continued 

Slytherin Percy

Slytherin Percy as a spy

Percy’s Gryffindor Characteristics

Percy is socially awkward with just a few friends

Percy & treason

Percy during OotP

The Weasleys never had faith in Percy

No one told Percy about Arthur’s accident until later

Percy in different Houses

The relationship between Percy & Arthur

Percy & Arthur continued

Percy wasn’t ugly

Percy’s physical traits

Percy & Fleur became friends

Percy and Oliver were both neurodivergent 

Percy as a judge for the Second Task

Percy was a third parent to the younger Weasleys

Random Percy Headcanons

Extra Percy Headcanons

NSFW Percy Headcanons

Even More Percy Headcanons

Percy x Cedric Headcanons

Percy When Scrimgeour Was Killed

Unpopular opinion: Percy was openly bisexual

or Percy “forgot” to come out

Unpopular Percy headcanons amongst his fans

Weasley Family Game Night

Percy & Peter Pettigrew

Percy & Christmas Dinner During Book 6

Athletic Percy & Muggle Sports

Athletic Percy & Muggle Sports Continued

Percy exercising 

Percy would reconnect with Charlie first 

Why Percy likes Divination (he has a romantic personality) 

Kid Percy Headcanons

Would Percy ever blow up at the twins/his family?

Everyone comes to Percy for random facts

Molly & Arthur’s effect on Percy & the twins’ relationship

The twins calling Percy ‘Perce’

Does Percy trust/forgive easily?

Percy and the twins were once close

Unpopular opinion: the Weasleys were star-struck by Harry

Percy, Oliver, Marcus - their heights and being nerds

Percy’s last year of Hogwarts was super stressful

Perciver & the Twins

Animagus Percy

Percy should have worked somewhere besides the Ministry

Percy felt like he was supposed to work at the Ministry

Percy felt like he was supposed to work at the Ministry continued

Percy hated the Ministry & author Percy

Hogwarts needs a career day - Percy

Healer Percy

Historian Percy

Percy is great at trivia

Molly complained about Arthur to Percy

Molly expecting Percy to keep an eye on Harry

Percy’s Hair

Hermione & Percy both doubted Dumbledore

Is Percy’s animagus form a peacock? 

Percy sings in the shower

Percy & the effects of Scabbers/Peter

The Weasleys treating Percy hypocritically 

Was Percy a good singer?

Quidditch Player Percy

Percy played Quidditch with his brothers

Hermione & Percy’s interactions with the Weasleys

Percy’s alcohol tolerance

Percy won’t work for free

Bill & Charlie as the fun “uncles”

Percy fits well with “Surface Pressure” from Encanto

Percy & his co-workers

Most of the Weasley kids don’t have a lot of friends

Percy was told about Peter & Sirius

What Percy knew about Sirius & OOTP

Percy wasn’t super attached to Scabbers

Ron would have chosen Harry & Hermione over the Weasleys & Percy is judged more harshly

Some Percy x Oliver headcanons

More Percy x Oliver headcanons

Percy x Oliver in the books

Marcus x Percy headcanons

Perciver - Who ends an argument by saying “because I love you”?

Percy participating in a snowball fight

Percy liked a joke shop

Would Percy change his last name when he gets married?

Percy as a stay-at-home dad

Stay-at-Home Dad Percy Headcanons

JKR’s drawings of Percy

Percy & Oldest Daughter Syndrome

Harry’s an unreliable narrator for Percy

Uncle Percy & Dad Percy

Percy painted his nails black

Percy, Ron, & the girls’ bathroom

Percy, Bill, & Charlie’s Zodiac Signs Fit Them Well

Percy is a skilled duelist

Percy & the Long-Term Effects of the Cruciatus Curse

Was Percy really Fabian or Gideon’s son?

Percy’s Animagus form was probably a big cat

Is Percy’s Animagus form a red panda?

Was Percy close to Fabian or Gideon?

Percy is autistic-coded: Link to a great article!

I don’t think Percy was overly attached to Hermes

What TV shows would Percy watch?

Percy & friends watching reality TV

Percy has a terrible sleep schedule

Was Percy close to Remus or Sirius?

More of why Percy & Sirius weren’t close

How could Percy x Sirius work?

What was Percy’s relationship with his siblings like after the war?

Percy as the third Weasley parent & a post-war argument with Bill

What does Percy’s voice sound like?

Percy Headcanons I DON’T Accept

What if Percy x Fleur dated first?

Were Ginny & Percy close while they were growing up?

Percy is a homoromantic bisexual.

Anon makes me sad about Percy & Charlie

Percy x Fleur & speaking French

Bill & Percy’s strained relationship

Summary of why Percy is my favorite HP character

Percy scene from the first movie that shouldn’t have been cut

How would the Weasleys treat Teddy if he was Percy x Tonks’ son?

I want Percy to paint his nails

Percy being genderfluid & loved for who he is

Percy has anxiety attacks

AU - Percy is a year younger & enters the Triwizard Tournament

Percy’s parallels to Isabela from Encanto

More Percy & Ron Encanto parallels

Some songs I associate with Percy

Percy x Audrey & Audrey traveling the world

Percy’s Prewett looks

Some songs I wish I didn’t associate with Percy & Perciver

Anti Percy x Harry (aside from 1 story)

A song I associate with Percy x Marcus

Percy is good at nonverbal spells and wandless magic

Percy’s relationship with the Lightning Generation kids

Fred & George resented Ron for stealing Percy’s attention

What if Percy’s child was a Squib?

Who were Percy’s friends & mentors?

Percy learning sign language for George

Percy’s siblings took out their anger on him because he was “safe”

Did Percy and Flitwick get along?

Why I now ship Percy x Marcus more than Percy x Oliver

Marcus would kill for Percy

Percy has a sweet tooth & Oliver buys him candy

Percy doesn’t “need” a boyfriend or to get laid

Marcus wasn’t really a bully and left the twins alone for Percy

How would the Weasley kids be different without Percy?

Stop making Slytherins Sex Gods & let Marcus be nervous around Percy

Percy should be allowed to have a partner who’s a little bloodthirsty

I love stories where Percy’s partner’s family loves/adores Percy

Marcus had some internalized homophobia and how it affected Percy x Marcus

Percy’s less-than-amazing relationship with the Weasleys after the war and how they treat his partner

Marcus is a doting boyfriend to Percy in private

Fanfics that I think have great characterization of Percy

Percy would not have been able to convince the twins to finish school, and their success was unrealistic

Which characters do I want to see Percy interact with?

Werewolf Percy (I love it)

Realistic ways to characterize Percy in fanfics

Percy x Marcus fun AUs

The Weasleys finding out about Werewolf Percy

Some of my favorite Percy fanfics (that are not necessarily realistic)

I want Percy to be in a band

I’m not a fan of Percy x Audrey

The twins were way out of line to try and lock Percy in a pyramid

How Percy & the twins react when someone insults their brother(s)

What would Percy think of soulmates?

If Percy traveled back in time and got stuck in the Marauders era, he would end up dating Regulus

I personally picture Percy as mtf (if Percy is trans)

What would happen if Percy lost a limb during the Battle of Hogwarts?

Cute story idea about Percy being turned into a dog for a little while

Percy should not have named his daughter Molly

Percy’s opinion of Umbridge

Percy & Sansa Stark Parallels

Does Percy have a roommate in OOTP?

Overview of my headcanons for Percy & his siblings

Was Percy even invited to Bill’s wedding?

My (Very Long) Thoughts on a Time Travel Percy AU

Trans Percy Headcanons

Percy & Pronouns

Percy’s Handwriting

Percy loved the muggle world

How would Percy’s family react if he was an EMT?

Percy Memes

Percy & Mental Illness

Why I sometimes write Percy as perfect (an addition on someone else’s post, along with some memes)

With Oliver x Percy x Marcus, I only picture Marcus & Oliver as Percy’s main partners (not with each other)

More Thoughts About Percy with OCPD

Percy & Fleur Parallels

More Percy Memes

Percy & His Siblings Memes

Misc. 

My Analysis of Marcus Flint

Oliver Wood isn’t actually Scottish in the books

Gay marriage in HP

Why the deaths in Deathly Hallows were problematic 

Summary of why I hate Dumbledore

Unpopular opinions about the HP books

Unpopular opinion: My issues with Bill x Fleur

Unpopular opinion: Bill x Fleur’s affair & divorce

Unpopular opinion: My issues with James x Lily

The younger siblings weren’t close to Bill & Charlie

Penelope is a queen

Molly was awful to the twins

Dumbledore should have stopped Voldemort earlier

The issues with PoA

Issues with PoA/Dumbledore continued

Issues with GoF

Issues with GoF/Dumbledore continued

HP Next Gen Headcanons

Could Fred x Penelope work?

It was weird to give Harry a Weasley watch

Fudge was terrified that Voldemort returned

Hogwarts was smaller than people think

Weather in the Wizarding World

Can wizards/witches control the weather?

James Potter was very flawed

I hate Cursed Child and Hogwarts Mystery

The Weasleys, Hermione, & Harry as parents

Dumbledore is a biased jerk

Angsty Weasley family headcanons

Harry & Hermione are Ron’s family more than the Weasleys

What if one of the next gen kids got pregnant as a teen?

If one of the next gen kids got pregnant, part 2

Was Charlie annoyed with his family for wearing dragon hide?

McGonagall is also biased

JKR messed up Charlie & Bill’s ages

Did the Weasley kids have a favorite sibling?

Molly’s unhealthy relationships with her kids

Harry married Ginny for the wrong reasons

Molly & Arthur would not have reacted well if one of their favored children didn’t want to have kids/they expected their kids to take care of them when they got older 

I don’t picture Harry naming his son after Regulus

What should Harry have named his son instead of Albus Severus?

My realistic thoughts about Fleur 

More Reasons to Hate Dumbledore

Veela are a lazy twist on Sirens

My headcanons about Marcus x Adrian

Moodboards/Fancasts

Percy, Oliver, and Marcus’ Actors

Percy x Oliver

Percy x Marcus

Oliver x Percy x Marcus

Bill, Fleur, Charlie, & Percy Fancasts

Percy, Oliver, Marcus, Penelope, & Cedric Fancasts

Current Wolfstar Fancasts

James x Petunia

[witches-and-windchimes]

I really don't think enough English people understand just how ubiquitous the assertion that Cornwall isn't English is amongst Cornish people. Even Cornish people who don't feel strongly about independence will tell you that Cornwall is not in England

At a board games night a trivia question came up that read "What English county is known for its pasties" and every Cornish person in the room without hesitation replied "it's not English". I don't know how they feel about independence, the response is just automatic

Growing up my Cornish mother taught me about the Cornish language and independence movement. She doesn't really care about Cornish independence but it was important to her that I knew about it

Back when I still liked Harry Potter (fuck jkr) I mentioned Professor Trelawny to her and it turned into a lesson about The Song of the Western Men. She told me that in primary school their houses were named after important people from Cornish history (Trelawny, Trevithick, Landor and Davey iirc). Someone once told me that England invented the steam train and my mum immediately responded "No, it was invented by Trevithick" (not sure how you could mistake him for an Englishman when his name was Trevithick)

And it's only ever English people who seem surprised by this. When I told my English flatmates that Cornwall isn't in England they were shocked, but my Welsh flatmates understood it as a given

[gothicprep]

one social interaction that proved something I’d always suspected happens pretty often in the back of my mind, but never could really evidence.

my stepsister, before she got married, had this “how well do you know the bride to be” trivia game at one of the various parties that predated her wedding. i didn’t know half of what the answers were, because we’ve lived on opposite sides of the country for several years, but I did know one: “what is [her] favorite movie?”

easy. it’s fiddler on the roof. she’s about as subtle as a gun with that one.

so my stepmom is reading off the answers at the end of this, and before she reads the answer to this one, makes a confused face. says in a confused voice, “…the harry potter series?”

and her fiancé blurts out “i thought it was fiddler on the roof?”

so basically, the answers she’d written down on the key about her media tastes weren’t actually true, i just assume she thought they’d go well over with the crowd or something.

[vaudevillianic]

may we hear some of your cc headcanons?

OH OF COURSE!

I'll do my favorite character from each game!

Grimsbourgh: Cathy turner

- pink is not the first color she dyed her hair...it was also blue , purple , red , green and she even had black hair for a while ! She switched her hair color and style so many times ,people gave her the nickname "chameleon cathy"

- she has a collection of postcards from every place she ever visited

- her favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla

- she likes the smell of rain

- her favorite season is fall

- she's a huge fan of Paramore, helstorm and against the current

Pacific bay: Andrea marquez

- she loves cooking , its relaxing for her

- she sleeps with a weighted blanket on

- she is originally from Mexico

- she was married , but her husband cheated on her and they divorced

- she has a tattoo on her shoulder

- she likes the color blue

- if she wasn't a police officer, she would've been a teacher

Save the world: Marina Romanova

- she has ADHD

- her favorite TV show is the nanny

- between the events of after save the world and the beginning of travel in time , she and jonah got married and had two kids named Elani and Konstantine

- she has a cat named Duchess

- she loves to read in her free time , her favorite books are "1984" by George Orwell, " Doctor zhivago" by Boris Pasternak and "The Time: Night" by Lyudmila Petrushevskaya

- she's super good in trivia games

- she's an atheist

- her love language is physical touch

- she always has earphones with her no matter what

- loves Turkish TV shows , her favorite is "magnificent century "

MOTP: Evie Holloway

- she's British

- has the longest hair you will ever see

- her favorite fruit is strawberries

- like to create paper collage in her free time

- agetha Christie, Mary Shelly, Jane Austin and Charlotte Bronte are her favorite authors

- she's such an introvert, the only people that can get her out of her library are Diego and Kathrine

- she and Isaac are surprisingly besties

- she looks at Charlie like a father figure

The conspiracy: mia loukas

- she's half Colombian

- she always dreamed of becoming a cop

- loves knitting

- writes poetry

- the therapist friend

- listens to lady gaga and dolly Parton

- her guilty pleasure is reality dating shows

- has read Harry Potter, like , a million times

Travel in time : Kai Malano

- besties with Marina , they watch telenovelas together

- has 5 other siblings

- his parents own a restaurant back in Hawaii

- fell in love with zara , and then with Theo

- is the definition of "gentle giant"

- loves going to the beach ,especially surfing

- has a sweet tooth , and a serious one.

- listens to old music all the time

- is dyslexic

Supernatural investigations: Ben shepherd

- a cinnamon roll , precious baby who needs to be protected at all costs

- makes the team laugh all the time

- gives the best hugs

- makes the best cup of tea you ever had

- can cook really good

- will beat a bitch if needed

- has glasses

- owns the cutest bear onesie ever

- love to explore new traditions and cultures

And last but not least...

City of Romance: Nadia Ben Yamin

- she's Moroccan

- she's Jewish!

- the mom friend of the team

- when you get to know her , you discover a lot about her

- gives the best advices

- considers Lea bonnet as her "daughter"

- really into fashion

- used to be a teacher

- she knows how to saw

- has a tattoo of a fairy on her back

- lived in Canada for a while in her 20's

- very protective of her teammates

That's it! Hope you liked it!

[ladycatryx]

In Defense of Harry Potter

If you or someone you love is a trans person in crisis: The Trevor Project‘s 24/7/365 Lifeline [US]: 866-488-7386 Trans Lifeline [US]: 877-565-8860 TrevorChat, (online instant messaging option) International Support: TrevorSpace

I minored in Gender Studies for both my Bachelor's and Master's. I have a bookshelf full of queer theory. I have several trans friends.

And I went to a Harry Potter themed party the other day.

Like many of my fellow 90s kids, I grew up reading Harry Potter. It was an era-defining feature of my adolescence, eagerly anticipating book releases and midnight movie theatre screenings. But unlike many of my peers, it is not merely a feature of my past. I still regularly read and write Harry Potter fanfiction. I have beautiful art books and unofficial compendiums chock-full of lore and behind-the-scenes details. I am a HP trivia wizard---or witch, as the case may be. I have so much investment into the lore and the world of Harry Potter, and I often find myself in Hogwarts and the surrounding Highlands in my dreams---even moreso now that Hogwarts Legacy has given us a first-person and 3D experience of the layout and landscape of the Wizarding World. So I relished the chance to don my Slytherin robes and get all dressed up in character. The pictures turned out great. But I couldn't post them on any of my social media. I have been told, in no uncertain terms, that anyone who continues to support or engage with the Harry Potter franchise is a TERF and a fascist. Full stop. To quote one of my friends, "I don't interact with Harry Potter media anymore. And frankly I treat any interest in it as a sign of transphobia for my own safety. So I really don't care to know much about the [Hogwarts Legacy] game aside from the disgusting blood libel it chose to use in it's narrative. It's a hard line for me as a trans person."

It's a controversial topic, to be sure. Now I absolutely hate cancel culture's tendency to drag something someone said 10 years ago into the spotlight and blow it out of proportion, even sometimes taking it out of its original context to spin it as a bad actor with bad intentions, and then to deny people the ability to apologize or acknowledge personal growth (see: what happened to Lindsay Ellis. Thanks, I hate it). But let's be clear: that's not the case here. JKR has only dug herself deeper into the hole, being belligerently and purposefully ignorant and cruel despite a PR team probably begging her to shut up, and despite an entire world of people who have attempted to teach her better. She has acted, and continues to act, in bad faith, even writing trans and queer-coded villains and serial killers into her latest books. This is not a person who has attempted to apologize and make right her wrongs when they've been pointed out. This is someone who has been given every opportunity to not be an awful person and instead has doubled down on her hurtful and hateful views.

So, now that we know JKR's true colors, clearly the entire world of Harry Potter is suspect, as is anyone who continues to enjoy it....right? Sure, maybe not everyone who still rocks their House Pride merch is a TERF, but, like the sandwich-eaters of Chick-fil-A who just need their chicken fix, they certainly can't be counted as allies....right?

I've struggled with this.

And maybe this entire blog post will be read as nothing more than a selfish person defending their right to enjoy a thing guilt-free in order to conveniently overlook or dismiss the harm they're doing by persisting in centering their nostalgia over the real-life danger JKR's views presents to trans people. You can be the judge of that, I suppose.

My impulse since all of this has been to lean into "death of the author," an argument that says, essentially, it is not authorial intent that matters for meaning, but the text itself that is authoritative. In theory, the text can speak for itself, and the way readers engage with it and interpret it can stand in isolation from whatever meaning was meant by the author. (For an excellent video on this subject, click here, and here for a JKR-specific one). But I'd like to expand on that here, because 1) as the links above point out, engaging with the work of a living author still empowers them and gives them a platform and 2) is usually just an emotional response to silo oneself from the guilt of consuming the content of a problematic creator. In other words, it's a cop-out.

But I'm a sociologist. I'm currently an ABD Ph.D. student. I specialize in theory, gender, religion, and culture---the latter is just an elaborate system of signs and symbols that we are embedded in and have to make meaning out of. And meaning-making is a messy business. Interpretation is a vital and integral part of meaning-making. Messages aren't just handed down from the heavens and absorbed---social actors are actively engaged in the process of receiving them. Sometimes there are interferences, misunderstandings, and mixed signals that scramble the meaning. Intent does not equal impact, and so the messages we receive and understand do not always correspond to the meaning that was meant. (Again, not saying JKR is misunderstood or that we're misreading her intentions here---she's pretty unequivocally awful. But I am saying that in a world where meaning is what we make it, a trash person can still produce something of value, since beauty is in the eye of the beholder.)

Sometimes reading a meaning other than that which was meant into something can have humorous consequences. Sometimes the results are disastrous. Sometimes it means that we humans, as pattern-seeking creatures, see the face of Jesus on a slice of toast, or a baby-shaped cloud in the sky the same week we find out a loved one is pregnant. I think the fact that we can make meaning where there is none and make beauty out of nothing is spectacular, miraculous. In this age of disenchantment, many people are looking for ways to reconnect and reenchant their lives, to create sacred rituals out of their mundane routines. We are meaning-seeking creatures, and with many people feeling burned by, disillusioned with, or distrustful of traditional religion, we are turning to nontraditional sources of wisdom and inspiration. For literal millions of people, the Harry Potter books have been one such source. And I think there is value to them still, despite what has come to light about their author.

In college, I was heavily involved in interfaith activism. I no longer identify as Christian, but I was raised Christian. And I started to feel the parallels from my own experience.

If a person has been hurt by a Christian, feels Christianity is toxic, identifies passages in the Bible that have been used to oppress or were the product of a time that was openly endorsing of slavery, homophobia, misogyny, etc...their experience is valid. They have a right to say "Hey, I was raised with this thing and at one point it meant a lot to me (or maybe not, maybe it was always forced) but it hurt me and I no longer feel comfortable there and I choose not to engage with Christianity anymore." They have a right to be wary if they hear someone is Christian and they don't know anything else about that person.

But no religion is a monolith. The Bible is not a monolith. For every passage that may be hurtful or harmful or be interpreted in bad faith to support a particular agenda, there are dozens more about love, kindness, and compassion. Religion has been the driving force behind so many wars and evils...but it has inspired countless good as well. The Bible has been wielded as a weapon to cause suffering as well as been looked to as a resource of hope and peace.

I'm not saying that cancelling someone for resonating deeply with the Harry Potter series and not wanting to give it up because of what it means to them is like asking someone to not be a Christian or to give up their faith so as not to offend others. Of course, the comparison seems flippant. Religion is religion! We give it special legal protections because of its literally sacred status. It concerns matters of ultimate importance. The other is...fiction.

But what is sacred is a social construction. I'm going to bracket here any discussion about the existence or nonexistence of deities, an afterlife, and etc. What does religion actually do for people? What does it mean in the lives of the faithful? It is a source of comfort. Of hope. Of inspiration. Of answers. It can be a moral guide, with lessons and instruction and a guide for how to live that others can model their own lives on.

Casper ter Kuile, cofounder of the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, (check out their values statement if you want to know where they stand---spoiler alert, they're as progressive as it gets) would not find the comparison ridiculous. In fact, ter Kuile (who is, by the way, a gay man) founded the project with a fellow student while at Harvard Divinity School. In his book The Power of Ritual (2020) he talks about how the HP books have been a source of solace and inspiration and sacred reflection for him---and not just for him, but for thousands. Millions.

"Millions of readers already treated the Potter books as sacred in their own way. Therapists and counselors report young people using Hogwarts as their psychological safe space to go to in times of struggle and pain. And it isn't simply a refuge from the world. The Harry Potter Alliance, founded in 2005, has mobilized thousands around the country to act on marriage equality, fair-trade chocolate, and other progressive issues, using the narratives and rituals from the books to motivate and shape winning campaigns. Just as social justice movements have reinterpreted biblical narratives like the Exodus story and quoted the psalms, so too the Harry Potter Alliance references characters and plotlines from the wizarding world to motivate readers into action" (2020:44-45).

The HP books have helped people (and kids) cope with the loss of loved ones, understand privilege, learn that adults, authority figures, and even the government that makes the laws can lie and be corrupted and may not always have one's best interests at heart. That what is legal is not necessarily right or just. That evil doesn't just look like pale, snake-faced men who attempt to murder babies---sometimes it's enough for people in power to do nothing, to care more about maintaining their own relative privilege, power, and comfort. That often bullies lash out because they too have been hurt, and that hate can be easier to speak than love when it's all that you know...but that in the end, it is our choices that matter, not our abilities or the circumstances of our birth. The books have powerful messages, and they have nuance.

Take, for example, Petunia Dursley. As ter Kuile points out, universally disliked. But:

"As Vanessa and I reread that first chapter, we saw a young woman, unsupported in motherhood, suddenly given a second infant to care for after the death of her sister. Imposed on by a world she has always envied and feared, with no explanation, she feels vulnerable to a society that can only spell danger. No doubt, Petunia is abusive to Harry. She neglects him in the most foundational years of his life. But this sacred reading illustrated that narratives of good and evil nearly always are more complex when we risk our hearts to explore a sacred reading. It not only gave me a new lens for understanding a character, but it challenged me to realize I'd let the polarizing news narratives construct simplistic binaries of innocence and guilt" (2020:49).

The books aren't perfect. Even the messages JKR wrote into the books aren't all good, even if many are. Many people despise Dumbledore despite the twinkle in his eye and his many wise sayings for the way he used Harry like a pawn, like a tool---keeping him in the dark and just getting him to survive long enough to get him to die at the right time. By putting him in danger year after year, putting responsibility on his shoulders that no child should ever have to bear. For thinking that there would ever be an acceptable reason to leave him in the care of abusers, blood or no, magical love ward or no. And I love fanfiction because this messiness is explored and unpacked.

And yet, in canon, this jock who married his high school girlfriend and became a cop named his son after that guy and the incel who lusted after his mom man who tormented him and his schoolmates for years (I do love Snape as a literary character though, speaking of nuance...) instead of, oh, Remus, Rubeus, Arthur...y'know, any of the other men that were actually decent father figures to him in his life.

And yes, there are some heinous things in the book, like giving the Asian character the name Cho Chang and the Black man the name Shacklebolt. The antisemitism of the way goblins are portrayed: big-nosed, greedy, and money-hungry. And don't get me started on the fucking shofar. It has become trendy to shit on the books and other related IP, even to the point of ridiculousness. (Case in point: the uproar over the inclusion of a trans character in Hogwarts Legacy. And not from TERFs, but from the progressive community. At first I didn't understand---performative allyship? Surely her inclusion, and the ability to make trans characters in the character create, is better than the alternative, right? Apparently, it's her name that's the issue: Sirona Ryan. I had to actually look up why people were mad because again, I didn't get it. Evidently, people took issue with the "Sir" and the "Ryan," arguing that two such masculine-sounding elements on a trans woman's name was the equivalent of naming her "Penis McMan." Yes, really. Guess we better tell Serena Williams she's canceled too for perpetuating the "Black women athletes are too muscular and masculinized" stereotype). Anyway, it's been a dogpile lately to point out the plot holes and the poor world-building. And I admit, fanfiction authors often wield some amazing transformative alchemy, building on some of the half-assed parts of the lore and magic system and turning it into something far superior to what is canon. Nevertheless, it is reductive and revisionist history to portray the books as something other than the international bestsellers that they are. They are not the most amazing, brilliant things ever written, and yes, there are series out there that deserve the fame and attention and accolades that the Harry Potter series got. But nor are the HP books terrible derivative drivel that suddenly everyone wants to portray them as. In reality, they're a mixed bag.

What they undeniably are is important to people.

People read sacred texts because:

"the thousands of years in which generations have engaged these texts is something we need to pay attention to; and that we can step into a continuous stream of conversation between the text and human beings that has lasted centuries" (The Power of Ritual 2020:38).

There are nuggets of wisdom and timeless truths to be found, even in fiction. There is nostalgia for those of us who literally grew up with these characters, being of a similar age to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as we first read the books. The HP series is fairly unique in being both culturally relevant---a pop culture touchstone (I can't recall ever attending themed midnight release parties at a bookstore for any other series)---and possessing of longevity. The HP generation is passing the books along to their kids now. It connects generations in a way not many other franchises do. Star Wars and Lord of the Rings are the only other ones that come to my mind at the moment.

JKR is a TERF (which is not a slur, incidentally). Unapologetic. An awful person, certainly.

But I've seen people call her evil.

We can debate the meaning of the term, certainly. Evil itself is not black and white---her own books taught me that. If someone is evil, can anything they produce contain some good? Or is it irreparably tainted? Can someone be evil and still donate millions of pounds to charities for the homeless and victims of domestic violence? Could an evil person be capable of writing such emotionally deep and nuanced characters?

I think we are all capable of great evil and great good. Again, I'm not advocating for forgiveness or redemption here---she's done nothing to earn such goodwill. I don't support her.

But I think there are ethical ways to continue to engage in and enjoy the franchise. Don't buy officially licensed merch---but the fan-made stuff on Etsy labeled "Red House" or "Magical School Badger House" I find fair game. Buy your copy of Hogwarts Legacy used, or borrow from a friend. (Personally, I'm pessimistic enough to think that there's nothing I personally can or can't do that will financially impact her in any meaningful way...throwing away all my HP merch and not buying the $7 Slytherin slipper socks at BoxLunch isn't going to make a dent. It's up to the major companies and corporations that have partnered with her in the past to license Harry Potter-themed merch to roll back their association, and for production studios and actors to refuse to associate with the franchise. That's what she'll notice and care about. But I digress.)

On a personal level, I find deep psychological satisfaction from identifying as a Slytherin. (I'm also that bitch who is way too into her MBTI archetype and knows her rising sign and other obscure details of her natal chart, so sue me.) Just the other day, I got into an argument with my partner, who accused me of employing leading questions to get information about his mental state and plans for the day---he prefers directness, I find subtlety to be much more polite. We speak different languages. That's not the point. The point is, he felt manipulated, and even though he knows me well enough to know it wasn't out of any malicious intent, it felt slimy to him. From my perspective, my approach comes from a history of emotional abuse from my father, who has Borderline Personality Disorder and a host of other mental illnesses I inherited (yay, trauma!) In other words, it's a survival tactic. (Self-preservation: also a Slytherin trait.) I had to learn to prioritize myself from a very young age to avoid being taken advantage of. To some, that may sound selfish. For me, it was survival. And the word "manipulation" gets a bad rap, but it literally means "to handle or control (a tool, mechanism, etc.), typically in a skillful manner." That isn't necessarily sinister or done with bad intentions. It's strategic. It's smart. It's what emotionally aware humans have evolved to do as social animals. We don't talk about manipulating tools as shady behavior. It's an asset, this ability.

Maybe that's my ambition speaking. But I wouldn't be where I am today---working hard to earn my Ph.D., having already earned a Master's Degree from a highly prestigious institution, having graduated summa cum laude with research honors at my previous university---without ambition. But I do understand that people distrust sly, slippery, cunning people. But Coyote is a culture hero, I don't abide by the maligning of snakes and serpents, and I'm a Prometheus/Lucifer apologist. People may not find their methods entirely honorable, but you can't argue with the results being for the greatest good. Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends. It all fits, and it's a label that allows me to understand myself and my motivations and priorities better.

If you've been hurt and betrayed by JKR and can no longer find solace in a world that was once a source of comfort for you, I grieve that with you. I understand, and I'm sorry. No one should be forced to engage with something they find tainted and harmful, and everyone must draw that line for themselves. But I think there are ethical ways to continue to enjoy and engage with a franchise that has been a source of joy and inspiration for so many, including those within the LGB+TGNC community. The text even lends itself to queer, subversive, progressive, and action-oriented readings, which is the sweetest form of reclaiming and empowerment, and which the queer community has a long history of---appropriating the hurtful and harmful and transforming it into something playful and prideful. Queer folx are the original alchemists.

It's an egregore now, especially the fanon version of the Wizarding World. It's the collective product of millions of people loving and investing in these characters and their world. It has taken on a life of its own, independent of its creator. And like Lucifer, like humankind, it can defy the will and designs of its master and break away. It's expanded beyond her. She may have built the framework of the house, but we grew up there. We furnished it. And we can return to move things around and play in it from time to time. Some of us never left. I won't give that up because I've been made to feel I have to.

Oh, and that Harry Potter themed party? It was held at a business that is an unofficial hub for the local queer community. A portion of the proceeds went to a local LGBTQ charity, and there were several trans people in attendance. And we all had a fabulous time.

[nagargent]

toa anniversary munday!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

Name: Nic

Pronouns: they/them

Birthday (no year): 14th July

Where are you from? What is your time zone? The UK (BST)

Roleplay experience: I started around like '06 via msn or stuff doing Harry Potter or Naruto rp with my friends.

Got any pets?: Catcat!

Favorite time of year: Summer - I hate the heat but like, I need the sunlight to keep myself together

Some interests and things you like: Reading, writing, languages and linguistics, astrophysics, mythology, history, animals uh... I find almost everything interesting and it definitely keeps me awake a lot.

Some funfacts & trivia about you: I fell asleep at a scout camp once in the toilets and didn't hear the tannoy that was sent out for me. My grandfather taught me how to stroke bees. I love water/the oceans/seas/rivers but never learned how to swim. Peas scare me. I'm pretty good at -- and rather competitive about trivia games and quizzes.

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play?: The Sims! Dragon Age, Persona, Story of Seasons, Rune Factory, Stardew Valley, Wildermyth

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Fire or Fairy and I just think Dreepy is very endearing.

How did you get into Fire Emblem?: I saw a review of it on a news channel and decided to try it out. Then I became obsessed and haven't looked back since.

What Fire Emblem games have you played? I've watched playthroughs and read scripts for all but I played about half of fe5, fe7 (lyn and eliwood modes only though), fe8, 3/4 of fe9 before my emulator crashed, fe10 and everything post Awakening.

First Fire Emblem game: Fates

Favorite Fire Emblem game: Either Genealogy, Radiant Dawn or Three Houses

Any Fire Emblem crushes?: Ayra, Mercedes, Camilla, Lucia, Diamant, Jeorge, Sonya and oh my god I hate myself for this but Sylvain.

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? Who would you S support nowadays? - Awakening: Chrom but now I'd probably opt for Libra or Henry? - Fates: Takumi before I knew what an S support was. Kaze as a neutral pick, Subaki for Hoshido and Niles for Nohr - Three Houses: Dimitri or Mercedes ? - Engage: Yunaka was my first!

Favorite Fire Emblem class: DARK FLIER. but also any pegasus class is so chefs kiss for me

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? I'd want to be a pegasus knight or a mage but I could see myself being an armoured unit tbh

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? LION PRIDE LETSSSSSGOOOOOO

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? Micaiah :D

How did you find TOA? I just searched the fire emblem rp tags on a whim one day and found the group. Had a nosy around and was really impressed and excited to join :)

Current TOA muses: Elincia, Goldmary and Julia

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? Lincie! :D

Have you had any other TOA muses? I've had quite a lot um... Eirika, Ares, Orochi, Mercedes, Mae, Manuela, f!Shez, Macuil, Lana, Forrest, Constance, Tana & Celine

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? I do feel a big pull to healers usually? Or pegasus knights.

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? Character's bonding and forming relationships.

Favorite TOA-related memory: Unlocked 2021 Cha Cha Slide

How do you pronounce TOA? 🤔 Usually like noah but with a t but sometimes i call it twaaah just to be silly.

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day that you’d like to share? 😉 Tatiana, Safy, Rodrigue, Altena and Yunaka all have either blogs or partial apps. Of them Tatiana and Rodrigue whilst still outliers could potentially hit me with a steel chair at some point in the future.