#i'm not an artist but i wanted to conceptualize a scene from the fic i wrote yesterday

[meteorologears]

“I can back off if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Spy glanced down. “It’s not that.”

Engineer’s eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly. “Then what is it?” her voice grew low and husky, scanning Spy’s unreadable physiognomy for any indication of how she felt, “Want me to kiss you somewhere else?”

Sketch of a fic scene i wrote, found here

[ebp-brain]

chapter 11 on ao3

1985, London. The wizarding queer art scene revolves around a gallery called the Bent, where conceptual artist Remus Lupin and photographer Sirius Black exhibit their works, and a club called the Bush, where they spend time with Jane and Lily Potter, who work at a nearby heath clinic. Although war with Voldemort was averted, the wizarding world is still simmering with tension. In the face of increasing intolerance and calls for censorship, Remus’ art takes a riskier, more political turn, and he must figure out how to balance self-expression and safety. Also, he might be falling in love with his best friend.

Author's notes on ch. 11:

This is the second-to-last chapter! I have to say, it's been a strange time to be posting an HP fic, even one that's giving a big middle finger to JKR and everything shitty about the franchise. The antisemitism of the Hogwarts Legacy video game and JKR's ever-worsening transphobia are just absolutely miserably terrible and both impossible and irresponsible to ignore. I believe strongly in the value of fanworks that reshape and rewrite canon in truly transformative ways; I believe in the power a bunch of weirdos getting our grubby little hands all over source material that wasn't really meant for us and taking what we want from it to turn it into a source of community, inspiration, and joy. I also know that sometimes the well is so poisoned the foul taste of canon and the creator linger no matter what. I've long since reached the point of no return when it comes to canon and the franchise; my engagement with Harry Potter pretty much begins and ends with very explicitly trans-inclusive and antiracist internet fandom spaces. I know lots of people can no longer even stand to participate in those spaces because it feels so bad just to think about Harry Potter now. I wonder sometimes if I'm leaning in that direction myself.

Except, look at you all--what a bunch of brave and gorgeous weirdos. It's good to be angry with you. It's good to be joyful with you.

One more chapter next week; for now, here are some brave and gorgeous weirdos from our queer past:

Artists and performers from Club 57 in St. Mark's Place, NYC, circa 1980.

And here are couple good articles on this club/performance space:

Club 57 and the sweet, sweet smell of St. Mark’s Place

Club 57: Film, Performance, and Art in the East Village, 1978–1983

[transhitman]

Very late on this but I did art for the Wirral segment of my fic lmfao. I'm actually really fucking pumped about how these turned out. I rendered them basically from scratch (color picked in some spots though) and it took WAY TOO LONG for what is ostensibly a joke scene. More about the characters under the cut because YES I did actually put thought into what they would play as.

Though I based the fourth portrait on Judit's, the character is actually her husband's. Judit is the GM and hosts the games at her place.

OCTAVIA KVASS -- Harry’s character of course is an OBVIOUS self-insert – a dweogr glamor bard. He actually didn’t know about the horny bard trope and just wanted to play as a musician. Then he found out you could seduce people and pogged harder than anyone has ever pogged. I also made her a woman so I could push my He/They Du Bois agenda in my fic. (I KNOW AND PERCEIVE THE TRUTH.) Harry playing as himself but a hot lady because he thinks it would be funny: "Hmmm I sure hope this doesn't awaken anything in me."

DRAUGUS INFERNITUM -- I called Kim a necromancer in my fic, but he's actually a grave cleric, or whatever the Wirral equivalent is. Draugus is a verrry subtle self-insert, as I think the ability to protect people and prevent death is sort of a wish-fulfillment thing for Kim lol. With no conceptualization skill, Kim doesn’t really like RP (he sucks at it), but he’s very good at resource management and combat (hence why he's a cleric), and probably enjoys writing lore and backstory stuff. (He and Judit bond over nerd shit lol.)

MAX MUSTERMANN -- Jean didn’t give a shit about his character, so everyone just pictures Max as normal Jean with a stupid hat. He’s a rogue, but a more str-based subclass I think, whatever that might be. (Scout? Swashbuckler?) I also think Jean eventually just loses interest in the game and stops playing, and Judit takes Max over as a DMPC. She cares more about him than Jean did and everyone ends up liking the bizzaro Jean she plays more than the real-life Jean lmfao.

JACQUES BUCHER -- I have Many Thoughts about Judit and her husband and what their relationship is like, but I'll summarize it quick. I interpreted her singular line about him as more of a lighthearted jab and less of a genuine complaint, and I think he's like a Spencer Shay type guy. Eccentric artist that can't hold down a job lol. Goofy and incompetent in a charming way, because he's at least trying. And he's also the only person among the players with the creative chops to actually make a real OC and not a self-insert. I made Mr. Minot's character a fairly normal fighter for the sake of party-balance. Although it would be very funny if he was a fucked up eldritch knight or psi warrior type class. Secretly the most insane person at the table. (And NO this is not a case of competent wife/dork ass loser husband. For you see, Judit is also a dork ass loser. (Wirral Fan) (Cop) (Willingly Spends Time With Harry Du Bois))