#meanwhile snape is like maybe death would just be better than this actually

[gender-thief2]

james the typa guy to (when saving snape from The Prank) see remus fully transformed and be like “n-nice giant wolf…😅” while backing away slowly

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Hey! I love your meta’s, a little while ago you talked about The Order of the Phoenix as an organization could you talk about the Death Eaters?

The post anon is referencing.

TL;DR the Order is incompetently hilarious and Dumbledore is a man who trusts no one.

Oh, the Death Eaters, what to say about the Death Eaters...

In a World Without Voldemort, They'd Probably Be Arsonists

One of the things JKR implies in the series, and something fandom seems to take for granted, is that Tom Riddle is the ultimate corrupting influence.

Were it not for him, the Wizarding World would be a much better place, and people like Bellatrix LeStrange would be productive members of society.

As soon as he is killed, even, by Harry, the good guys win, their problems all presumably solved, and Harry tells his son Albus Severus that it's totally fine if he's put into Slytherin.

I don't believe that though.

To me, it's not so much that Tom Riddle corrupted these people, but that he gave them an organized cause. The people themselves, oh, they were itching for a fight.

In a world without Tom I think they'd be a loosely, poorly organized, group (probably with Bellatrix as the ring leader) where they commit acts of domestic terrorism probably involving burning offensive shops to the ground or attacking muggleborns, halfbloods, and blood traitors.

Voldemort, to me, is designed to pander to them (and not the other way around).

The Death Eaters' Beginnings

So, first off, I think Tom's goals are not what he says they are. What he represents to his followers is exactly what they want to hear, wrapped in a grandiose theatric bow that they just love.

But how did this all start?

First, I don't believe in the Knights of Walpurgis. Instead I think Tom came relatively out of nowhere in the 70's uses parseltongue to prove his heritage as the Heir of Slytherin and thus of purer blood than any of them.

He throws these exciting rallies/parties that the rebellious, angsty, teenage heirs all go to. There he says everything they wanted to hear in the most eloquent manner they've ever heard, promises them the action that their fathers have never delivered, promises them a role in the glorious revolution and a place in history, and probably offers them mounds of cocaine.

All the Death Eaters we see, or the core of them, appear to be in this age range where they'd be in Hogwarts or just out of it when Voldemort came knocking. I can imagine they're all whipped up with excitement, YEAH LET'S BLOW UP THE MUDBLOODS and for some that's great, for others... things don't go the way they expected.

October 31, 1981: It All Falls Apart

Regulus famously steals Tom's horcrux. I imagine it wasn't so much that he learned the error of his ways but that he saw what Tom Riddle was really after: the destruction of his very society.

Lucius is riding high until October 31, 1981 and he sees the complete destruction of the entire Black family. Lucius' priorities greatly shift and as he grows older he prays Voldemort never returns. Unfortunately, Tom does, and he charges interest.

Bellatrix absolutely loses her mind, refuses to accept reality, and tries to torture the Longbottoms for information they do not possess. She is imprisoned in Azkaban and never truly recovers from this.

Snape ends up the cause of death for Lily Evans and must forever live with the guilt and be tied to her prophesied son. He also becomes Dumbledore's lackey forever, which ultimately gets him killed.

Point being, no one's having a good time. Some because they figure out being a Death Eater wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and others because they had the Voldemort rug pulled out from under their feet when Tom Riddle disappears.

Pettigrew flees and lives as the Weasley rat for nearly fifteen years.

They're left making a mad scramble as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Canon Catches Up

More than ten years go by and then suddenly, in a muggle graveyard, the surviving Death Eaters discover that they are bound to Voldemort for the rest of their lives.

Death cannot stop this man and he has branded them: there's no escape.

Some are still enthusiastic supporters of the cause: Bellatrix is vindicated that her lord has returned, he rescues her from hell on earth, and everything's finally coming up Bella. Barty is similar in actively working for Voldemort's resurrection.

Lucius, meanwhile, lives in constant terror. Karkaroff desperately flees the country and hopes Tom will not find him. Snape, is in fact, Dumbledore's agent. Pettigrew only returned in utter desperation and has now cut off his own hand.

They're not the young men they were, some of them have families, to some of the past ten years have been utterly miserable. They have to watch as their children make the same damn mistakes they did, be sucked into this same hell hole, and there's nothing they can do about it.

There is a notable reluctance for the cause, and yet, they have to try with the same vigor or this madman will kill them all.

And it's all worthless anyway: come 1998, Voldemort dies again (perhaps for real this time, who knows, Harry Potter seems to think so for whatever reason) and then they are imprisoned for their acts as Death Eaters.

And they just laugh, because how badly Lucius wishes he could go back in time and tell his eighteen-year-old self, "YOU DUMB FUCK, LEAVE NOW!"

But Do They Learn Anything?

No.

Just because we see some of them regret being Death Eaters doesn't mean they regret their beliefs. Their beliefs were fine, even blowing up people here and there, a bit gauche but fine.

But maybe following Voldemort blindly was a bad idea.

Are They More Competent Than the Order?

No.

Tom Riddle is terrifyingly competent in that he infiltrates the government with ease, has spies everywhere, and all but proclaims himself minister one day and nobody blinks.

He gains the full support of most of the wizarding world's wealthiest and prestigious families.

But he doesn't actually give these people anything to do. Because there's nothing for them to do, with them, Tom's won. He owns the Wizengamot, the Ministry, everything.

There's no need to fight. It's over, there never was a war. Society is primed to accept Tom Riddle as their ruler.

However, the likes of Bellatrix LeStrange thinks there's a glorious war on, so "uh, go out and blow up a few muggles, have fun." And the young Death Eaters (and the older ones), think they've committed this great, daring, brave, and very important act.

Tom only seems to hand out real assignments when in desperate straits or else when being particularly vindictive.

Lucius, after messing up with the diary, is told to retrieve a prophecy he is not allowed to touch in a department of the ministry he should have no access to. If he fails: Tom kills his entire family. When Lucius does fail, Tom assigns his son to assassinate an already dying Dumbledore. These aren't real tasks, though they do have the appearance of one, and consequences for failure.

Barty, Tom is forced to rely on, as he is trapped in this dying infant's body. And better Barty, someone who is truly loyal and seems fairly clever, than Peter Pettigrew who is a miserable scum bag who'd sell his grandmother for a bar of soap.

Barty, of course, fucks this up. Rather than just kidnap Harry Potter at any of the many easy points this could be done (Hogsmeade trip, lure Harry out to Hogsmeade with super secret serial information about Voldemort/Snape being a Death Eater, etc.), Barty is determined to make use of the Triwizard Tournament to destroy his father's legacy.

This means rather than a few weeks, it takes months to kidnap Harry, and even then they bring along an extra boy who then gets killed and provides some evidence that Tom Riddle has in fact returned. (Somebody murdered Cedric). It takes months and Barty actively ensuring Harry makes it through the tournament and does well, leaving open the possibility that he might get caught helping Harry cheat at any moment. And of course, Barty has to pretend to be Madeye Moody for months, keeping his man locked and drugged in his trunk.

Thankfully, Moody's such a paranoid wreck, no one even notices.

Quirrell, Tom is forced to rely on. Quirrell fucks up, though admittedly not as badly as Barty. Quirrell fails to steal the stone when it's in transit/in Gringotts. He fails to murder Harry Potter, an eleven year old boy in the world's most dangerous school. He rouses Snape's suspicion almost immediately. Then of course he doesn't get the stone. He at least gets to the room with the stone and nearly overpowers Harry and gets it had he not been mysteriously lit on fire by the power of love/Lily Evans.

The only one Tom ever really relies on by choice is Snape. Snape is charged with spying on Dumbledore and later running Hogwarts (which he fucks up).

There is only one competent man in Britain: Severus Snape. Which is, of course, why he's a double agent that Dumbledore and Tom both extensively rely on despite his being a double agent.

There's no one else.

Tom Riddle doesn't make use of the Death Eaters but given they prove themselves enthusiastically incompetent at every turn I don't blame him. Just pretend to give them something to do and hope it makes them feel important.

That's all I've got in general, you want anything else you'll have to ask for something more specific.

[thesiriusmoon]

Harry Potter ships I truly hate

Disclaimer: I’m not telling you who to ship and whatnot, I’m just expressing how awful these ships are to me and then explaining why.

1. Harry X Draco

Now this is coming from a former drarry stan who before, hadn’t read the books. I thought Draco ‘had no choice’ and ‘just wanted love’ until I opened my eyes and saw the character for who he really was. That is a spoiled blood supremacist who hates muggleborns, and is loved by both of his parents. Draco bullied Harry. Although Harry fought back, it was because he was the victim and had to defend himself. Harry never went out of his way to hurt Draco, but Draco did it constantly. Draco and Harry would never work because Harry hated Draco just as much as Draco did him. You could ship Harry with so many others that wouldn’t be toxic such as, Ginny, Cho, maybe Hermoine (but I prefer Romoine), maybe even Ron if you want to. (I don’t ship Harry and Cedric because the ages are too weird). It’s so obvious throughout the entire book that Harry didn’t have romantic feelings for Draco, he only ever thought he was doing bad things, seeing as he was a bad person. Harry found love in Ginny in like the fifth book? Which is when the crush started, and no one else was in the picture for him once he began dating Ginny. In conclusion, Ginny is the one he married and had children with, not Draco, because he hated him and wanted nothing to do with him as he was nothing but a bully who hated muggles and muggleborns. Seeing as Harry is a half blood, and his mother was muggleborn, why do you think Harry would turn around and be like “oh he’s just broken I’ll fix him.” And ignore everything Draco ever said about his family???? That’s such a toxic thing to think... because believe it or not, in a relationship you’re supposed to be with someone you like as a person. Just because you may find Draco attractive, that doesn’t make him a good person!! Harry would never choose Draco over anyone for that matter. If it were between Ginny or Draco to be saved, you better bet on Harry saving Ginny.

2. Hermoine X Draco

I genuinely hate this ship with my entire being. It disgusts me. This isn’t an enemies to lovers, this is literally bully X victim. Hermoine didn’t fight back, meaning Draco was the full oppressor and she was the oppressed. Draco is a blood supremacist who called Hermoine a mudblood constantly and hated her, and the feeling was mutual from Hermoine because why would anyone like their bully? Falling in love with your bully is a book trope, that doesn’t happen in real life. When Hermoine was being tortured in Malfoy Manor, Draco stood and watched because he didn’t care, meanwhile Ron, the boy Hermoine was attracted to and loved, was screaming and crying begging for him to take her place so she would be protected. That’s true love, something Hermoine and Draco will never have. I really will never understand why so many people love shipping victims with their oppressors... like do you get a sick kick out of it by babying the oppressor? Saying things like “oh he’s just unloved” or “he can change!” When none of that is true. Draco chose to be who he is, which is a blood supremacist and was loved by his family, and Hermoine chose not to ever engage with him because of his personality and attitude. Draco hated her, and everyone else like her because of their status, and overall, Hermoine just isn’t attracted to him. Hermoine is attracted to Ron and he’s the only person I can see dating Hermoine because everyone else would be a bit strange. Dramoine is unbelievably toxic, and all it does is romanticise abuse. “Oh Draco only bullied her for 7 years because he was afraid to love her.” Stfu. You’d never hurt someone you love. Draco bullied her because he thought he was ABOVE her, and she was nothing but dirt on his shoe.

3. Hermoine X Pansy

When it comes to fanon, I still don’t understand why it gets shipped because in order to do that, you have to change Pany’s entire personality to the point where it’s not even Pansy anymore. It’s just some nice girl with the same name. Because the real Pansy bullied Hermoine and made it known how much she didn’t like her. Not only that, but Pansy was head over heels for Draco. This isn’t an enemies to lovers, this is shipping the bully with the victim for some weird reason... because Hermoine didn’t fight back just like Hermoine X Draco. If they were both at each other’s throats I could see your enemies to lovers, but that’s just not what this is. If you ship them because you’re looking for a wlw ship, why not take a look at Ginny X Luna, Lavender X Parvati, or even Tonks X Fleur, rather than picking the toxic ship that would never ever work and would only hurt Hermoine. Ron Weasley exists for a reason. Again, shipping someone with their oppressor is a very weird thing to do. For example, Ron is a pureblood, but Ron wasn’t prejudice towards muggles or muggleborns, because he’s a decent and normal person. Pansy and Draco aren’t decent people, and they bullied people. Really there isn’t much else to say as all canon stuff about Pansy is about her bullying people, and encouraging people to capture Harry because SHE’S A BLOOD SUPREMACIST THAT’S ALL SHE IS. Hermoine is a strong and independent woman and would NEVER date someone prejudice like that, she has standards.

4. Lily X Snape

We have to stop with this “she can fix him” mentality, because women don’t exist to fix men. Either Snape was a good person, or a bad person. He should be able to choose that himself. Which he was actually, and he was very clearly a bad person. You can’t force someone to be attracted to another. Attraction forms on its own, and it’s something Lily never had for Snape, they were only friends. To say that Lily owed Snape something because he liked her... is so wrong and disgusting. If she doesn’t like him, she doesn’t like him and Snape should fucking move on instead of obsessing over her. But, Snape overall was a creep so you can’t say “oh he made a mistake” when that man knew EXACTLY what he was doing. Ripping Lily’s happy photograph of her with her husband and baby, and taking the letter she wrote for Sirius who Snape could pretend she did that for him. Literally disgusting. Even the friendship was toxic. When reading I realised that Snape played the victims card a lot when talking about the marauders as if he wasn’t doing WORSE thing to them. Lily knew that Snape wanted to join Voldemort, as seen in the books. ‘You and your previous little death eater friends — you see, you don’t even deny it. You don’t even deny that’s what you’re aiming to be! You can’t wait to join you-know-who, can you?” Then she says “I can’t pretend anymore, you’ve chosen your way, and I’ve chosen mine.” Lily PRETENDED that Snape wasn’t going to be a death eater because she didn’t want to believe that her own friend would hate her kind so much. Though once reality hit her she was gone and was never coming back. To ship someone who was oppressed with the oppressor is so weird and wrong, and I genuinely think you’re strange if you do that 😐. Snape already didn’t like Lily having other friends... so what does that tell you about what kind of relationship they would have? A manipulative one and an emotionally abusive one. James Potter was a pureblood, and not once did he ever bully someone for their blood status. He did things to Snape because Snape was a prejudice piece of shit and deserved it quite frankly. I would have done the exact same thing. Remember, the Potter’s were ‘blood traitors’ and Snape was a blood supremacist, of course the two aren’t going to like one another. But the difference is, Snape bullied innocent people (laughing at the fact Mary MacDonald was subdued to dark magic) and James fought back for those without voices. Getting revenge for people who couldn’t do it themselves. That’s the difference between a bully and a hero tbh. There’s no way Lily would ever date a death eater, she’s a strong woman who can make up her mind for herself rather than having people on the internet say things like “she was brainwashed!” And things like that. She became attracted and fell in love with a respectful man who would never cause her any type of emotional or physical harm.

In conclusion, I will judge you if you think shipping abusers/oppressors with their victims is ok in any way.

If you made it this far, feel free to comment or reblog with your own opinion. Just know that my opinion on these ships will never change because they’re all extremely toxic whether you like it or not. That’s just common sense. It’s canon that Draco, Pansy, and Snape were horrible people who liked to make fun of others. Fanon doesn’t mean a single thing in this because fanon isn’t real. If you have to change the entire personality of someone so they aren’t abusive... what does that tell you about their character? A lot of people do this because they like how a character looks, which is so tone deaf. If you think a victim should date their oppressor because of looks... I’m judging you heavily. If a character is wrote to be abusive, I don’t understand people do fan art of them with the people they hurt in a romantic way.

You might say I’m being over dramatic, but really it’s not that hard to understand that you shouldn’t romanticise abuse or say that oppressor X victim would make the perfect couple just because of their looks.

Would you ever ship Neville with Draco? No you wouldn’t. And it’s not for the reasons you would think. I bet if Neville was conveniently attractive (in the books, I love Matthew.) people would have shipped him with Draco despite Draco mercilessly bullying Neville for 7 years. A lot of people would have made excuses like “Draco was broken!” In order to be able to ship two attractive men together. (Which also plays into fetishisation of lgbt+ couples I think...) This fandom is rather toxic when it comes to this, and they’d rather ship a very abusive relationship with two conventionally attractive people rather than a loving one with two people that aren’t.

[vsilas]

Okay.... hear me out. T4T post-war Snarry where substance use starts them on the path to cracking their eggs and meeting as new people who are ready to give each other a second chance. A sickeningly self-indulgent fic idea, pure rambling. Target audience: me and me alone.

Transfemme Snape is on probation after the Death Eater trials and is stripped of her magic. It's temporary and much better than Azkaban but it also means that Snape is essentially a Squib for three years following the sentence. One of the things that happens as a result of this is that all of the subtle "notice-me-not" charms on the area around Spinner's End wear off and the local authorities finally decide it's time to get rid of that slum. Snape is forced to move, which is probably for the best, all things considered. Living with your abusive parents' ghosts isn't conducive to healing... and there's a lot that Snape needs to heal from. As things stand Snape really doesn't want to have anything to do with the wizarding world so she moves to a muggle town somewhere on the coast. What with not being able to do magic she also turns to muggle solutions for a lot of her problems. She makes a living tending bar (she's basically nocturnal, doesn't drink, and can quell unruly customers with a look, so it's a good fit). She starts taking medical marijuana for the chronic pain caused by her encounter with Nagini and it stops her from feeling mildly suicidal for the first time in ages. It's nothing like her life was before and so she slowly starts shedding some of the fear and pain that kept her in line and an effective tool... basically her whole life.

Trans guy Harry goes a bit wild after the whole "I died to save the wizarding world" thing. He feels like he's been robbed of his childhood, his adolescence, and basically all the experiences that "normal kids" should have, so he lets go of his remaining impulse control and starts to spiral. The summer of 1998 is rough. There's the funerals, the trials, everybody trying to pick up the pieces of their life. Harry doesn't think he has any pieces of himself left to pick up. He didn't really plan for a future after the war... he could never see himself grown up. Harry breaks up with Ginny because the way they are together makes his skin crawl, even if he can't put a finger on why that is. Ron gets really mad at Harry for dumping his sister and even more so when Harry says that he doesn't want to be an Auror anymore. He briefly goes back for his 8th year with Hermione but drops out in November when he only manages to turn in two assignments and spends most of his time finding ways to sneak off the grounds to get drunk in London clubs. Harry's friends worry about him but there's only so much they can do to help somebody who really doesn't want to be helped. Harry moves into Grimmauld Place, cuts his hair really short, and spends his nights "living" which mostly just means doing party drugs and having a few ill-advised one-night stands. When there is no one to party with, Harry gets drunk alone in Grimmauld Place and punches mirrors. He doesn’t see a future for himself so he decides to just live in the present, however long that's going to last him. He can feel a break coming, something terrifying but necessary. It feels like the only way to forward is to spiral down.

Snape, who has known something was off since she was a kid, finally lets herself accept what that thing is. It isn’t an earth-shattering revelation, just part of slipping off the masks of professor and spy and Death Eater until all that's left underneath is her. How the fuck did she fool everybody into thinking that she was a man for all these years? Maybe that’s why she was such a good spy. Started young. Hid it even from herself. It’s not really an easy thing to accept, but inevitable. Snape is already grieving everything else about her life so what's another lie, another chance at happiness that slipped away before she even knew what it was? She spends a lot of time in her shabby little flat getting stoned but she also walks along the beach and starts planning the rest of her life.

Harry cracks on another of his drunken nights out to some rather unpleasant consequences, including ministry officials having to obliviate dozens of muggles in a Camden club and a hangover so bad even potions don't help with it. Most of it gets hushed up but the yellow press takes the opportunity to start saying how the "Girl-Who-Lived" finally went off the rails, complete with an unflattering picture of Harry's new haircut (granted Harry was about to throw up when the picture was taken...). Harry lays low for a while but he is also a man of action and so he begins to research ways he could transition. St. Mungo's doesn't provide that kind of healthcare so if he wants to go the magical route he would have to figure it out himself or find an expert in gender magic... who doesn't seem to exist. There are references to a witch who brewed a potion to change her gender, but she lived in the 18th century. Being trans is stigmatized in the wizarding world so he assumes that wixen who have transitioned probably don't advertise the fact. Harry doesn't trust himself to do any magic or potion work that advanced without killing himself, so he decides to keep searching. He swears Madam Pomfrey to secrecy and asks her if she can help him. She's taken aback and tells him this kind of magic is not well studied and she doesn't know if there's a potioneer alive, other than Severus Snape maybe, who would even try working on something like that. However, even if Snape wasn't a squib and unable to brew anymore, Harry certainly isn't planning to have anything to do with his old potions professor. He decides that maybe he should just try muggle means.

Meanwhile Snape has been doing theoretical research on magical transition but hits a dead end. She needs access to a magical library, she needs to be able to actually experiment... Not to mention that she still has years of her probation left, which means years before she can even attempt transition. The only thing to do is turn to muggle means to both manage her dysphoria and maybe inspire the next stage of her research. It takes a while to secure an appointment, but one fateful day Snape walks into the reception area of a London clinic... right as Harry Potter is exiting the doctor's office after his check-in for being 3 months on T. To say that there is a moment of shocked silence would be an understatement.

They meet up for coffee and cautiously become a two-person support group for trans wixen who got fucked over by fate (and Dumbledore) and miraculously survived a war. Harry lets Snape use the library at Grimmauld Place and Snape promises to expand her research to try and develop something for him too. Harry apprentices to a curse-breaker and weathers the press dragging him through the mud every chance they get. Snape might have mellowed out a bit but she still gets on Harry's case about the drinking and not finishing school. They bicker a lot and sometimes Harry overcompensates on the machismo and acts like James, or Snape feeling a blinding rage that Harry is so fucking young and has his whole life ahead of him... but they end up coming around to each other every time. On some level, they are the only people in the world who can really understand each other.

Over the course of the next year and a half, they slowly get their lives sorted. And through that process, they become the most important people in each others' lives. What started out as reluctant solidarity grows until one day Harry can't imagine a future that doesn't have Snape in it, and Snape starts thinking of "home" as being wherever Harry is. It's not easy, considering how many issues both of them have, but it's the easiest thing in the world compared to the alternative. Cue resolution of them both magically transitioning, dealing with public perceptions, and leaning into being a scandalous power couple who doesn't take shit from anybody.

Now, if only I could write this as an actual story....

[kinsey3furry300]

5 ships I hate, why I hate them, how to (kinda) fix them, the better ships you should be doing in that universe, and why you should ignore me and keep writing them if it makes you happy.

Note: this is done for amusement, please don’t be offended; I’m not attacking your ship, I’m just listing some ships I do not always care for, and how I think they could be improved, and maybe made brilliant, by clever writing.

In no particular order, and focusing on ships that often annoy me, with no attempt by me to say anything meaningful or popular about the current state of any particular fandom. I’m also a firm believer in the idea that there’s no such thing as a bad ship, only a badly executed ship, so my objections to these is less a dislike of shipping, or the paring, and more that they raise writing issues that I think are difficult to fix in a satisfying way. That’s why in a lot of the examples below I prefer AU ships to ones that try to messily work it into the cannon. Anyway, enjoy... I guess?

 Marco x / anyone (Animorphs)

Why I hate it: Animrophs is an intensely character-driven story, where the tension of each book comes from the conflicts, external and internal, that the five Animrophs (and Ax) face during a long, hard, traumatic war.  And while several of the character are paired off romantically, it’s always to emphasise character conflict over their different points of view. Jake and Cassie are a pair because Jake’s struggle with having to make hard, grey, morally ambiguous choices as leader is highlighted by Cassie’s burning need to make the right choice, the lesser evil, the choice that leaves some small shred of humanity and dignity and kindness left in this bleak world. Tobias and Rachel are a pair as their arcs deal with literal and figurative loss of humanity, as the slow accumulation of trauma over time turns these happy(ish), normal kids into psychologically ruined husks of their former selves and destroys them slowly, one fight at a time.

Marco’s arc, isn’t about either of these things: Marco’s arc, is about the bright, clear line between A and B, between problem and solution. Marco is a utilitarian, a pragmatist: his concern isn’t the burden of leadership, or the cost of the decision, but about how to put that all aside and make hard decisions that actually work regardless of cost. It’s not about what to do, the path is obvious: the bright, clear line of ruthless logic, but how to do it. His match, his counterpoint, the other character who’s all about the logic of taking awful decision in a way that actually works for the team, and his foil, his female counterpart in this, is not a romantic partner, but his mother: Visser one, making the exact same hard, difficulty ruthless decisions using logic and maths, but for the other side of this war. A romantic paring gets in the way of this arc because a partner doesn’t help him with that bright, clear line, and worse, any attempt to pair him of with either Rachel or Cassie breaks up not only a cannon paring, but their respective character arc.

How to (kinda) fix this: Marco’s arc is, at the end of the day, a trolly problem. So make sure whoever you ship him with is one of the people tied to the tracks. Introduce a character he crushes on, and then in the second act reveal that they are either a Controller, or in the family of a Controller or the proximity of the target of their next mission in a way that will make them collateral damage ,and let Marco struggle with what happens when that bright, clear logical line from A to B cuts through someone he actually loves; you know, like it did with his mother. See, even trying to fix this ship is weirdly Freudian.

The far better ship you should be doing: Ax x / EVERYONE. Ax in human form is described as a worryingly pretty, worryingly androgynous male of indeterminate race. He is a literally Bishonen alien hedonist with no familiarity with human senses, poor impulse control in human form, and no knowledge or understanding of human courtship rituals, and he can shape-shift, including into other members of the core team if needed to compel a mission, he calls Jake his prince,  and he is incredibly close to Tobias, the lonely outcast woobie that the LGBT fans adopted as their poster boy. Come on, the potential for shipping, both with wacky hijinks and sad, tragic star-crossed lovers’ trope is endless. Every line dedicated to Marco shipping is a line of text that could be dedicated to Ax trying to eat a Cinnabon erotically on his first date as a human and hulking out mid way because he forgot just how good they are. What could be better than him leaning into to erotically kiss a team-mate, and then fucking up due to his failure to understand human mouths, making weird mouth sounds, and then licking crumbs of the table in the middle of the mall, in front of the entire school, while his crush awkwardly tried to pretend this is normal? What’s wrong with you Marco-shipper people, do you hate fun?

 Riz/Tem (beastars) Why I hate this ship: Okay, just to quickly ask a question, to people who un-ironically like this as a serious ship and not a dark joke, just one little question: What’s wrong with you? I mean,are you okay? Keep taking the meds: the show is VERY clear on that point.

It’s like those people who say Joker X Harley Quinn is their ideal dark, edgy relationship: no it’s not, it’s abusive! Morticia x Gomez is dark and cool but CONSENTUAL and HEALTHY. This… this is a deeply imbalanced person murdering someone and telling themselves after that fact it was special and rare and magical. ITS HOMICIDE! And even if you write that out (and you shouldn’t, because that changes the character arc of every other major character) it’s still got more red flags that a soviet military parade. This is the botulinum of a toxic, one-sided teenage infatuation. Riz’s entire arc is about how he projects his thoughts and feelings about himself onto this idealised, made-up version of his and Tem’s relationship which, from Tem’s point of view, never existed. Riz never loved Tem: he loved the idea of Tem, the idea that someone would see the real him, see his inner pain and accept him anyway, but he never once told Tem this. He didn’t warn him “Hey, because of you I don’t feel I need my meds any more, do you mind if I try not taking them and we can meet and talk about this in a safe, well-lit pace?” He’s not honest with Tem, and on top of that It doesn’t make sense from the point of view of either of the characters for them to be actually, romantically in love (although  they were clearly close friends), because it undermines and cheepens Riz desire to just be seen and accepted for his real self, and the cannon Tem X Els ship. It also doesn’t make sense from a story point of view: Riz is a shadow archetype for Legosi. He’s what Legosi would have become if someone hadn’t interrupted his attack on Haru. That’s why Legosi needs to beat Riz with his own hands: because then he’s beating the darker version of himself he’s been carrying with him, and he can finally move on with Haru guilt-free. Having Riz and Tem’s relationship actually be what Riz imagined it to be undoes that. It undoes Riz’s interesting, dark inner struggle between truth and fantasy, it turns Tem’s tragic, unsolved murder that sets the entire story in motion into a just sort of weird Romeo-and Juliet suicide. It’s ruins the character arc not only for Riz, but for Legosi, and also, by extension, Louis and Haru, because Legosi’s internal angst over whether or not herbivores and carnivores can have a relationship as true friends needs this example of a tragic, flawed, toxic, failed friendship to bounce off of.

How it could (sort of) work: an AU where Riz’s attack on Tem is interrupted and Tem lives with a slight arm injury, and doesn’t tell anyone out of his complex feelings for Riz. Meanwhile, that bunny girl from the gardening club had been brutally devoured and Rz and/or Tem are so horrified with how close this was to their own near-miss, they start to investigate the murder, and in doing so get caught up in Louis’ inner struggle. Because that’s how the story needs to work, it’s about duality and struggle: and if Riz takes Legosi’s role, and by dating a herbivore he de facto takes the role, so Legosi must take Riz’s. This could be a great AU!

The better ship you should be doing: Pina/Riz (with a dash of Pina x Els), no, seriously, I’m not shitposting. You want to give Riz a redemption arc with a cute woolly boy? How about a story where Pina, out of a need for closure about at happened to him, starts to visit Riz in jail and they talk, mockingly at first, confrontational at first, but later Pina slowly becoming more fascinated in Riz and Tem’s life and asking Riz for more and more detail until they both bond over their shared traumatic experiences and their sense of loss for Tem’s senseless death, Tem’s unfished life casting a shadow over both off them. Eventually, the two of them find, from Legosi who still has the diary, that Tem had planned out an elaborate and beautiful first date with Els that he never got to take her on, and Riz, guilt ridden and sad than Tem never got this beautiful moment, decides to ask Pina take her on that date for Tem, with Riz coaching him by phone cyano-de-Bergerac style, Riz finally getting some closure that he helped one of Tem’s wishes come true and finally acknowledging to himself that Tem had a life and loves outside of him that were cut of short by his actions, and just crying over his lost friend, as Pina and Els slow-dance in Tem memory. Or if you just want to see Tem awkwardly date a carnivore boy from school, why not something less creepy and more wholesome and ship him with Jack? That would be cute AF, and more importantly, not romanticize brutal murder. Or an AU where everything is happy and nice, I’d argue at that it’s no longer Beastars at that point, but if it makes you happy, go for it. Let’s not shame anyone here.

 Snape X Lilly (Harry Potter)

Why I hate this ship: honestly, it’s not for the reason you think; I just like Snape too much as a tragic character, and making him in any way happy destroys his arc in my opinion.  The objection’s others have raised: that Snape acts in a worryingly possessive stalker-ish way towards Lilly, and that if Voldemort had gone for Nevil rather than Harry as a child Snape would have remained a loyal death eater, are true and I acknowledge them as having some validity, but that’s not why I can’t stand this ship. Snape is supposed to be a morally and emotionally complex, tragic figure. That “After all this time?” line was the best line in the Deathly Hallows.  Snape is supposed to show the equality destructive and redemptive power of  love. It’s sort of trinity: Lilly shows the pure power of true, unconditional love in her sacrifice to save Harry, Voldy shows what self-destruction and cruelty a life without understanding love leads to, and Snape sits somewhere in the middle: his one-sided  un-requited love being both the cause of his darkest, and his greatest actions. His curse, and his redemption, fall and rise. Making him happy messes that up.

How to (kinda) fix this ship: make them miserable. Make them fall for each-other only to be pulled apart by circumstance (you know, like they were in the darn original source material). You’re serious about making this a tragic, dark romance? Don’t ship them when they’re at school: Ship them during Voldemort’s rise to power, in the 80’s, after Lilly is married. Have the original Order of the Phoenix send her to meet with Snape and use their previous relation to try to milk some information out of him. Have her feel conflicted about it, have James furious about it, but have her do it anyway for the greater good. Have her meet up secretly with Snape who is angry and distrustful, knowing his must be a trap, and talk. Have the relationship slowly build over time against the backdrop of a cold-war spy thriller, as Lilly slowly realizes that she has some lingering feelings for Snape, but can’t reconcile them her loyalty to the order and her family. Make this a love story of conflicted feelings, divided loyalties, and spy-work against the background of drawing war-clouds. Have Snape offer to leave Voldemort, if she’ll leave the Order, and run away with him, but by that point she knows she’s pregnant and chooses to stay, out of loyalty even though she’s crushing on Snape. Have him show up at the rendezvous expecting for her to be there only for James to lead an Order Ambush, and a fight to ensure, on top of Tower Bridge in the howling wind and rain, Snape surviving but having his spirit crushed and fleeing before Lilly can tell him her true feelings. Make it big, and melodramatic, but above all, make it tragic.  Because that’s the only way Snape works as a character. Always.

The better ship you should be doing: Ginny X Nevil or Luna x Nevil: You want tragic lovers, at school, with divided loyalties, who never get together in the main cannon because a Potter ruins it and gets the girl? Ginny X Nevil. Write what was happening that final year Harry wasn’t at school when they took Dumbledore’s Army and make it work in earnest. Heck, you could even have Snape, as headmaster, hated by them but secretly trying to protect them as a secondary character to their secret, forbidden love. You don’t want to break up Harry X Ginny? Luna X Nevil is sweet and wholesome, but also tragic as they never get a chance, having their school life taken over by the horror of that final year and the need to fight for their very souls in a school run by Death Eaters and the trauma of the Battle of Hogwarts meaning that in order to put away the past and move on, they need to leave each other behind. Hell, do an AU where they canonically end up together, why not? They deserve happiness.

 Dean / Sam AKA Wincest (Supernatural)

Why I hate this ship: They’re brothers. The show even makes a joke about how squick this is. Several times.

How you could (sort of) fix this ship: You can’t: They’re brothers. The show even makes a joke about how squick this is. I guess a body-swap arc could fix this, as it’s less squicky if its just their bodies with someone else’s minds,  but seriously, the reasons why this shouldn’t exist are extensively covered in the show, and it was hilarious.  To be honest, I don’t hate this ship done as a joke, but I have seen some dark spots on the internet, and I can say with all honesty it’s not always treated as a joke. Some folks are really invested in this, and all I can ask is, is your home life okay?

Now, done as a joke, I’m 110% behind this. This is exactly the sort of insane wacky bullshit that makes for a good crack-fic. For example imagine that the supernatural threat of the week was book that made anything written in it come true, and the brothers are trying to find and destroy it, but they keep getting distracted by their burgeoning romantic feelings for each-other, and suddenly realise that the owner of the book is a fan on the in-universe novels, and writing slash-fic in the book. They need to find the writer before they make them do something they’ll both regret, but it’s just so distracting when Sam’s beautiful eyes are right there and- dammit, Sam, it’s happening again! Make Sam less concerned and even a little amused, with it, but make Dean hate what’s going on. Especially when the writer’s description suddenly makes Sam noticeably better hung that him. Make the villain turn out to be Becky from “Sympathy for the devil” and end with them trying to take the book away as she writes frantically to force them to do her bidding, and you’ve got yourself a good fic.

The better ship you should be doing: Cas/Sam or Cas/Dean or Cas/Sam AND Dean fic. Duh. Once again the show-runners beat the fans to the mark and pointed out that this is the best ship, and then they took it away just to fuck with us.

 Any Katniss ship that ignores her obsession with Emotional Security Logic. (The Hunger Games)

Why I hate these ships: Katniss is, briefly put, a mess before the books ever start, her father’s death and harsh upbringing have arguably given her PTSD before she ever volunteers for the reaping, and it doesn’t get better from there.  In psychology, Emotional Security Theory (EST) is a hypothesis that the heightened emotions surrounding repeated violent exposures leaves children vulnerable to dysregulated distress responses and eventual psychopathology, aka, why Kat be so messed up.  Her internal monologue makes the books completely clear that her choice in partners is not motivated by normal affections, but by deep, deep fear. A fear of loss, abandonment and death that leads her to make every decision about what minimises her, and her sister’s, exposure to potential physical and emotional harm. It’s frantic, fraught, cold survivalist thinking. And the other characters in the book notice and acknowledge it! “Which of us will she pick?” “She’ll pick whoever she can’t survive without.” Kat doesn’t like herself for it, but she does eventually admit to herself that she makes her decisions like this.

How do we fix this ship: Ship Kat with whoever you like, but give her a good reason to pick them: and in Kat’s mind “A good reason” is based on Emotional Security Logic, she needs to have a pressing reason why this ship makes her and her sister safer. Do that, and you’ve got yourself a good Katniss story. Don’t do that, and while you may or may not have a good story, the person staring in it isn’t Katniss Everdeen anymore.

The better ship you should be writing: Finick X Annie. Or, Haymitch prequel ships

FinAnn. This, this ship has some real potential to it, and is criminally underutilized. Finick and Annie’s relationship is one of the most tragic and romantic in the story, and has so much to offer. Or, if you want to have a hard-bitten character from district 12 struggling with trying to find love in the hellish combat of the games, do a prequel in which Haymitch finds love in the capitol during training, but loses then in the area and turns to drink as a result. Heck, you could even have some fun with this and turn it into a dark comedy, or a great tragic love story, whatever you like. It’s got potential, and his backstory is vague enough you could do a lot with it.

So, tell me below why I’m wrong, and have fun with your writing: just because I hate that ship doesn’t mean you should. Enjoy yourselves.

I’m off to write awful Ax/Pina/Luna Polyjuice’d into Nevil/Cas/Finick fiction set at an anime high-school that fights a magical war against other fictional schools, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[mrsseverussnape]

Love Is You - chapter 7

Scarlett woke up quite early this morning. She was feeling pretty good, apparently talking with someone and going out were pretty much what she has needed. She wanted to return the favour by preparing Severus's breakfast this morning. She dressed up and headed to the kitchens. She wasn't the brightest chef so just made cheese toast, scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes to the side and fresh orange juice. She took the tray and headed to Severus's room happily. It was hard to hold the tray and knock on the door at the same time but she managed to do it without causing a mess. Severus opened the door couple of minutes later with a sleepy look on his face and a messy hair.

"Oh, i guess i woke you up this time..."

"We are even now. Come in." Severus showed her the table and she put the tray on.

"Today's breakfast is from me, hope you like it."

"It looks delicious, thank you." He sat down after her and took a bite of his toast.

"I did improve my kitchen skills tiny bit, i can show you sometime." Scarlett grinned proudly. She was not the best in the kitchen since her family always had house elves for the cooking. And when she was together with Severus, he was doing most of the cooking and he had a talent for it. His caramel brownies were Scarlett’s favourite.

"If you say so, i am excited to see then."

"Don't get your hopes too high tho."

"Ah i already did, they changed from 1 to 1,5." Severus smirked at her.

"You are a jerk Severus!" Scarlett chuckled and slapped his leg lightly.

He laughed, he loved to annoy Scarlett like that. "Jokes aside thanks for the breakfast Scarlett."

"My pleasure." She smiled softly. "I better leave so you can do whatever you want, i already woke you up early on a Sunday morning." She stood up to leave. Her mood has started to change, she felt like she’s being a burden for him.

"It is totally fine, i normally wake up early anyways. Last night i marked some papers so i went to bed quite late."

"Rest then. You already spent the last two days with me and i was pretty tiring with my nonsense."

Severus shook his head in disapproval. "I like spending my time with you Scarlett. We can all have problems time to time, life is not always easy and fun so don't feel guilty or anything."

"You do me good Severus, i feel better when i am with you..."

Hearing those words made his heart melt. He was very happy that he was actually being helpful to her.

"I will take the dishes and come back then. And meanwhile you can get dressed." She smiled and fixed his messy black hair slightly.

"Thanks..." Severus smiled shyly while she was leaving.

~~~~

    Scarlett was walking back to Severus's chamber when she came across with Professor McGonagall.

"Ah Scarlett i was looking for you! You need to go to Albus's room; you have a guest."

"Guest? Who is it?" Not many people knew she was staying at Hogwarts so she wasn’t expecting any guests.

"The new deputy minister."

Now Scarlett had a even more confused look on her face so McGonagall continued. "I know you are not in the mood for such meeting, so i tried to send him back but he was pretty persistent."

"That's weird but i guess i have to meet him... Thank you Minerva." She smiled and headed to Dumbledore's room. She knocked and walked in after hearing the headmaster’s invitation.

"Oh hello Scarlett! Someone wants to meet you, i will leave you alone." Dumbledore greeted her and then left, leaving her alone with the new deputy minister. The tall man has stood up, Scarlett took a look at him and first thing came to her mind was he was looking like a human version of a husky dog with blond hair. His light blue eyes were so piercing and made her feel uncomfortable in a way.

"Hello Miss Rose. I am Amos Langley, the new deputy minister." He held his hand out for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Langley." She shook his hand but his grip was strong enough to hurt her hand.

He looked at her head to toe attentively. He has seen her before but mostly on newspapers and magazines. She was the type of woman who so many men would dream of to be with. Even though she wasn’t looking her best right now, she still had the captivating aura. "I heard the news. It's such a shame you've been cheated on, you are such a beautiful and intelligent woman Miss Rose." Amos sent a tiny smirk to her way while sitting down. She was feeling extremely uncomfortable with him and just wanted this meeting to end as quickly as possible.

"My personal life is none of your business and I am asking you to be respectful. Beside that I am guessing you didn't come here just to meet me Mr. Langley, may i ask what's the real reason? Because i don't have much time." Scarlett replied firmly.

"I thought you have plenty of time Miss Rose since you are unemployed now. Anyways, the real reason is that i want to abolish a law which you legislated."

"You know you can do it without asking me, right?"

"I know but the minister wanted me to consult you first, he is still very fond of you Miss Rose." He made an unamused expression.

"Which law is that?"

"The one that causing death eaters to serve in Azkaban for rest of their lives."

"Why would you want to change that one?" Scarlett raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"I think it is very cruel to put someone in jail because they chose a different side than the majority."

"It is not about choosing a different side but the side they chose murdered innocent people and caused a war."

"Everybody deserves a second chance Miss Rose, even the "bad" ones."

"I am not the decision maker anymore; you can do whatever you want since you are the new deputy minister but if you ask me i don't think this law should be abolished." Scarlett stood up, she had enough of this man.

"Thank you for sharing your opinion Miss Rose but like you said, you are not the decision maker anymore. I just come here because the minister wanted it."

"Well okay then. Have a good day."

"You too Miss Rose, you too." Amos Langley watched her go with a challenging look on his face.

~~~~

Scarlett was so confused and annoyed, it was such a weird conversation and made her extremely uncomfortable. She went to Severus's room directly after it ended.

"I thought you got lost on the way." Severus said while letting her in.

"New deputy minister came here to "meet" me. But it was actually a showdown." She sat on a chair while murmuring angrily.

"By looking at your face, i am guessing you didn't like him?" Severus sat in front of her.

"I hated him. Severus he was just... so weird."

"What do you mean?"

"He kept calling me "Miss Rose" in an annoying tone, literally crushed my hand while shaking it, mentioned the cheating situation and he wants to abolish the law that i made about death eaters."

"I wasn't expecting that much fuckery to be honest. What is his problem?"

"I don't know but i got such a bad vibe from him, something is off with him but i can't put my finger on. I will write a letter to the minister later."

"That's a good idea. Don’t think much about him, probably he was just trying to annoy you."

"He was so weird..." she mumbled to herself once again.

~~~~

    Around 8 pm Carina and Remus turned back to Hogwarts after spending their weekend with Sirius.

"I will come with you, i want to see Scarlett as well." Remus followed Carina to her chamber.

"Sure, uncle Rem, hopefully she is doing better. I couldn't stop thinking about her."

"Her letters sounded good though. I think she is doing okay."

Carina nodded and walked in her chamber but it was dark and Scarlett was not here. She immediately started to worry, thought the worst and run to the Professor Snape's room, knocking it in hope to find her there. Nobody answered the door, now that made her even more worried if it’s possible.

"Where are they!? Did something happen to mum and he had to take her to the hospital...?" Carina was panicking and pacing around. Remus held her softly to stop.

"Don't worry if something has happened Severus would let you know for sure. Maybe he is in his class, marking papers? Let’s check there."

He walked her to the potions class and Carina rushed in with worried eyes. Severus and Scarlett turned to see the person who interrupted them.

"Mum!" Carina run to her. "I couldn't find you in the room, i was scared!"

Scarlett hugged her daughter and caressed her hair to calm her down. "I am fine, we are playing chess here."

"Oh... i am sorry that i rushed in Professor..."

"It is okay." He smiled slightly.

"How are you doing Scarlett?" Remus asked her while kissing her cheek. That caused him getting a deadly glance from Severus.

"I am good, pretty good actually. Thanks to Severus, he took care of me really well." She smiled softly at him.

"No doubt he did... Anyways, you are having the dinner with me tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, i would like that."

"Okay then, good night everybody." Remus waved at them before he left the classroom.

They wished him good night except Severus.

"Mum i will be in the room, okay? You can continue your game. Good night professor and thanks again."

"Good night Carina." Severus smiled at her and turned his attention back to Scarlett.

"I was taking your queen." Scarlett grinned and knocked his queen down. "Aaaand checkmate!"

Taglist:

@snapefiction @lizlil @elizabeth-baelish @misselsbells06 @mais-e @lunnybunny12 @anfre109 @entirelymesmerising @wolvesofwinter13 @mrssnivellussnape @mestin-writes

If you wanna be on my taglist, let me know!

[ourloveisforthelovely]

Lost Part 3

Harry Potter Marauder Era 

Link to Part 2

Pairings: Regulus Black x Reader 

Rating: M- smut and adult themes 

Song at the beginning and end: O Children by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds

_______

Pass me that lovely little gun My dear, my darling one The cleaners are coming, one by one You don't even want to let them start

They are knocking now upon your door They measure the room, they know the score They're mopping up the butcher's floor Of your broken little hearts

O children

Forgive us now for what we've done It started out as a bit of fun Here, take these before we run away

“I can't live with or without you…”

You muttered the next morning as your eyes opened. Throughout the night you had been replaying the kiss with Regulus and his less than stellar departure over and over in your mind. Sleep had eluded you for the most part.

When you did sleep all that you saw was Regulus staring back at you. He gave you that cocky little smile that would typically get him what he wanted.

“Come to me, darling”

His voice was velvety smooth and laced with venom. Venom just waited to be injected by a serpents bite that you wouldn’t be able to turn away. Being 100% honest with yourself, you know that you wouldn’t want to turn Regulus away either. His toxic behavior, something that should make you want to turn and run, did not deter your feelings of love.

At least now you knew that Regulus still had feelings for you. Regulus Black would have never chased someone down let alone kiss them if he didn’t have some kind of feelings. The only problem that you faced now was getting him to admit it. This task was going to prove to be one of your biggest struggles and you knew it.

When you were finally able to get yourself in order, you decided to go down to the great hall for breakfast with a yawn. Today was going to be a long day. Between trying to stay awake and dreaming of Regulus’ kiss, you would have one hell of a day.

Sitting down across from your Hufflepuff friends Margaret Abbott and Lucille Green, you reached across the table for a piece of toast as their conversation caught your attention.

“He is good looking.”

Hannah said with a dreamy smile that she had developed the moment that she started liking boys. Lucille nodded.

“I heard that his family is horrible though. He isn’t very nice himself.”

“Could you imagine being his wife and going to those pureblood balls and parties?”

You finally decided to speak.

“Who are you two talking about?”

Lucille looked up with a smile.

“Regulus Black. Rumor has it that he’s had his eye some you for some time, Y/n.”

Margaret grinned..

“Everything lovely happens to you.”

You rolled your eyes. How your current situation with Regulus was “lovely” was beyond you! You looked across the great hall to where Regulus sat frowning down at the table in front of him. His fingers were anxiously tapping on the wooden table in front of him.

“You two are silly. Regulus Black has nothing for me.”

Lucille shook her head.

“He watches you like you are something to eat.”

You picked up another piece of toast and attempted to butter it before Margaret spoke again.

“I bet there is something that he would like to get his pretty mouth upon.”

Again, you dropped your toast and decided not to go for round three. You felt your blush deepening. This time, when you looked up, Regulus was looking right at you. There it was, that displeased frown that seemed to look right into your soul.

“Yeah, my soul.”

You sheepishly replied. Lucille giggled.

“He would be perfect for you, Y/n! You wouldn’t have to worry about anyone messing with you.”

Margaret nodded.

“Is he really a death eater?”

Your mouth dropped.

“Like he would tell me.”

You would do better going right up to Regulus and asking him to spank you versus asking him if he was a death eater. He would probably hex you if the question even left your lips.

Looking back to Regulus, he was smiling about something, He wasn’t paying attention to you nor anyone else around him but was thoroughly amused by something. Little did you know, Regulus was pawing through your mind and was enjoying the conversation that you were in the middle of.

Lucille waived Margaret’s question off.

“Personally, I don’t care what he is. I would just be thrilled to have a moment of Regulus’ attention. The most he has ever said to me was to shut up.”

You weren't surprised. Regulus never had any nice feelings toward Margaret or Lucille. When the two of you were friends, fuck buddies or whatever you were to each other, Regulus didn’t have many nice things to say about either girl. He often encouraged you to find other female friends that weren’t complete dipshits.

“Love, they make me feel like I am losing brain cells. Don’t make me listen to them talk another moment.”

You could still hear Regulus whining about having to deal with either girl.

“Well, you two have fun drooling over him. I have to go sit in potions and be his partner.”

Margaret grinned again.

“Again, everything lovely happens to you.”

You shook your head and started down toward Slughorn’s classroom. Along the way, you tried to think exactly what you were going to say to Regulus. After the kiss the night before, you weren't sure what you would say to Regulus. Ignoring him was going to be awkward. Asking for another sounded like a fun idea but you decided against it. He would probably laugh at you and deny everything.

(Meanwhile)

Regulus waited until you were out of the great hall before standing up.

“She went that way.”

Evan commented over his drink. Regulus rolled his eyes. The night before he went off on Evan in a dramatic tizzy that left his best friend baffled as to what to do. Regulus didn’t even want to think about it but...shit happens…

Evan was sitting quietly in the common room when Regulus came in looking as if he was ready to kill someone.

“Problem?”

Evan questioned. Regulus nodded before flopping down on the leather couch and holding out a pillow to his friend.

“If I give you this will you smother me? Just hold it down until I stop twitching.”

Evan put down his magazine and took the pillow from Regulus before tossing it at some first year that was walking by.

“What has you in such a twist?”

Regulus shook his head.,

“You don’t want to know. Trust me.”

Evan raised an eyebrow. He knew what his friend’s tizzy was about. Evan was too busy trying to keep any older death eater from figuring it out. In the dark lord’s eyes, Regulus was like some golden boy. The last thing that Evan wanted was for Regulus to end up harmed.

“I already know.”

Evan replied in that smooth voice that he kept even when furious. Regulus poked his head up with a confused expression on his face.

“What?”

Evan sighed.

“Why don’t you just go talk to Y/n Evans already? I know that she is a mudblood but you have it so bad for her. You have since we were 11.”

Regulus sat up.

“Yeah, right then you’ll go and run your trap to your father who will tell my father and I’ll be dead.”

To Regulus’ surprise, Evan looked offended.

“Your comment offends me, Reg. Yeah, a mudblood isn’t the best choice but if she makes you happy then it isn’t my business. I’m not saying anything. That will be starting too much trouble and we already have enough of that to deal with. Now go play with your lovey. Don’t forget to show her who's boss.”

Regulus laid back down muttering a slew of curse words under his breath before jumping up.

“It's not like she will talk to me anyway. I really fucked up with her. I kissed her last night then left after saying fuck. I swear, Evan...I am the biggest idiot. I’m awkward and say the wrong things at the wrong time. It’s no wonder that she is wanting to go to Hogsmeade with Gavin McDonald.”

Evan’s calm composure was not calming Regulus down like normal.

“McDonald? The little pussy from Ravenclaw?”

Regulus nodded.

“That would be the one.”

Evan stood up and pulled on his abandoned robe.

“Tell you what, Snape and I will go deal with McDonald. You just work on getting back with Y/n.”

Regulus shook the thoughts from his mind as grabbed his potions book and went for the nearest exit.

(meanwhile)

You were down the second flight of stairs by the time a Ravenclaw boy stepped out from a classroom.

“Y/n! Hey! I need to talk to you.”

You stopped walking as you tried to remember the boy's name.

“Jeremy, right?”

The boy nodded but didn’t smile. You shook his almost angry manner on the back burner. Maybe the guy was just having a bad day?

“Yeah, Gavin wanted me to tell you that Hogsmeade is off.”

You frowned, feeling disappointment and relief shoot through you. Disappointment because you actually wanted to have an opportunity to fall in love with another boy. Relief because you wouldn’t have to explain it to Regulus later when he came for another kiss.

“What? Did he say why?”

You asked, genuinely concerned if you had done something wrong. The night before you were sweet as pie. You were friendly and tried to talk to all of Gavin’s friends.

Jeremy glanced over his shoulder before turning back to you.

“He was jumped by some Slytherins in a hallway. It was some of Regulus Black’s friends if that tells you anything.”

Your mouth dropped. Why you were shocked was surprising. You should have seen this coming. Regulus wasn’t ready to admit that he had feelings for you but he wasn’t about to let someone else have a chance with you either.

Selfish little shit

You thought but felt flattered at the same time.

Seriously, what is happening to me?

You screamed in your mind before focusing on Jeremy.

“Was Regulus part of it?”

Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest. This had been his worry when Gavin stepped outside with you the night before. He didn’t see Regulus Black letting you go so easily.

“If that is your concern maybe you should go back to Regulus and date him. Leave my friend out of it.”

Jeremy said coldly before turning and walking off. You stood motionless a moment as your anger built up a bit more. Turning, you stormed back up toward the last place that you had seen Regulus. He was about to get a big piece of your mind and you didn’t care who saw.

Evan Rosier and Snape were walking out of the great hall when you were about to go in.

“Rosier!”

You practically yelled his name.

“What do you want, mudblood?”

You had your wand out ready to hex the boy but Evan was faster. He had his arm around you and shoved you into a wall.

“What are you going to do? Curse me? Do you think that I am scared of you? Let me guess, it makes you feel powerful as some pathetic little Hufflepuff to order Slytherins around...too bad you don’t do anything for me.”

“Evan, that’s enough.”

Snape said. The last thing that he wanted to deal with was James and Sirius if they should decide to turn up and see this most unpleasant scene. Evan didn’t let go. While he tried to be nice to Regulus that didn’t mean that he had to be thrilled with the crush. He wouldn’t tell the dark lord about Regulus’ hopeless crush but he would make your life hell to hopefully scare you away. If Evan could cause even more bad blood between Regulus and yourself that would be all the more thrilling to him.

“Let her go, Evan.”

Evan immediately dropped your now bruised wrist at the sound of Regulus’ voice. He turned to face his annoyed best friend before smiling.

“We were just playing.”

Regulus ignored the smirk on Evan’s face as he turned his attention to you. You had stepped away from the other boy and was rubbing your wrist. Had it been anyone but Evan, Regulus would have knocked his face in. He would deal with Evan later.

“Come on, Y/n.”

Regulus said, keeping his voice emotionless. Had it been two years ago, you would have eagerly grabbed Regulus’ hand and let him take you off. Today, however, was a different story. You were mad and slightly embarrassed about Evan manhandling you.

Picking up your dropped book, you turned and stormed right past Regulus. Your face was burning as you quickly walked down the hall.

“Y/n, stop.”

You heard Regulus’ voice behind you as he raced to catch up with you.

“I said fucking stop!”

He snapped before his arms wrapped around your waist and hauled you into the room of requirement that seemed to be waiting just for him.

Once inside you threw your books down before turning to face Regulus. He was giving you that cold Black family sneer that you wanted to wipe off of his face. Reaching out you smacked the books out of his hands. Regulus raised as you reached out and pushed him back against the door.

“You need to get your friends in check. I am not your doormat and I am not letting you walk all over me.”

“Anything else?”

Regulus questioned. You shook your head before moving to open the door. Regulus didn’t move.

“ You’re really cute when you're mad.”

He said with a smirk.

“Well, I am about to be gorgeous and kick you in the balls.”

You snapped. Regulus really laughed at that as he wrapped his arms around you from behind.

“There, there. No need to play rough.”

You sighed, as your newly developed temper began to increase a little more. Pulling away from Regulus, you turned and tried to collect your thoughts.

“You really are a cruel person, Regulus. I don’t know what happened to the boy that I loved but you aren’t him. Playing with my emotions isn’t nice.”

Regulus chuckled.

“What are you going to do about it, sweetheart?”

You trembled a few times before storming right back to Regulus, Not thinking twice you reached up and pulled him down to you by his tie. Regulus smacked your hands away to pull you into a head angry kiss. Both of you knew that this wasn’t about to be some sweet romantic time to make love. This was going to be passion-driven hate sex.

“You have to say yes.”

Regulus said in a low voice as his hands started shoving at your robes to get them off. You nodded stubbornly. If it were up to you, you would give him all of the sass that you could come up with.

“I want an answer.”

Regulus snapped. You reached down to the buckle of his belt before starting to undo it.

“Fine, yes. You’re so bossy.”

You said with a mirthful smile. Regulus didn’t smile instead he looked absolutely lived.

“You’re such a brat.”

He commented before picking you up and carrying you to the bed. The moment that your mouth closed around his neck, Regulus’ eyes closed. How had he forgotten how good your lips on his skin felt? None of the girls that had touched him since the last time you had could have even compared with the feelings going through him.

“ I didn’t say that you could touch me.”

Regulus hissed before dropping you on the bed. You didn’t have much time to adjust from the shock of the fall as Regulus started yanking your remaining clothing off.

“I really hate you.”

You said, hoping to sound as bratty as possible. Regulus had sat down on your hips with a leg on either side of your body. He reached down and yanked you up to him by your tie. You wanted to call him a copycat but the blazing expression in his eyes stopped you.

“Do you think that’s cute?”

You slapped his hand away but held yourself in the same position.

“Yes, I do think it's cute.”

The two of you locked eyes for a few moments before you tugged your dress shirt and bra off in one rough tug. Regulus’ eyes were locked on your breasts then flickered up to your face.

“Be a good girl and lay back.”

“I don’t want to be a good girl.”

You happily sassed. Regulus quickly loosened his tie and followed your lead by tugging his own shirt off. Your eyes raked down his now nude torso before stopping on his left arm. Seeing the dark mark on his arm made your heart stop. Sirius was right...all of your friends were right. Oh, poor Sirius.

Regulus knew then that you saw it.

“Y/n…”

“How could you do it?”

You gasped before shoving Regulus off of you in one fluid motion. Before Regulus could hit the soft plush mattress, you were on your feet and quickly pulling your bra dress shirt back on. Regulus quickly stood up and wrapped his arms around you from behind.

“I had to...it doesn’t mean that I don’t care for you…”

You pulled your body away from his ignoring the expression of pain on Regulus’ face.

“You were supposed to be different.”

You didn’t give Regulus a chance to speak before rushing from the room. This time you wouldn’t let him catch up to you. Your brain couldn’t process what you had just seen on his lovely creamy skin. For now, all you could do was run...

Hey little train! We are all jumping on The train that goes to the Kingdom We're happy, Ma, we're having fun And the train ain't even left the station

Hey, little train! Wait for me! I once was blind but now I see Have you left a seat for me? Is that such a stretch of the imagination?

____

@fairywriter-oracle

@amelie-black

@realgaytrash

@swinginsoulbailiffrascal

@velveteencurls

@kitkatkl

@brokencasbutt67-writer

@authoressskr

@fandom-trash-worth-it

@summer-novak

@shaylybaby2032

@emiwrites3reads

@li0nh34rt

@tas898

@marichromatic

@maggioli-m

@stuckinsaudi1

@knight-of-gleefulness

@shadows-and-padlocked-hearts

@untoldshortsofthefandoms

@wontlookaway

@sprnaturallover

@mycuddlycorner

[writing-red]

Like Father Like Daughter

Father! Remus x Daughter! Reader

Also Reader x Oliver Wood, but lightly, a couple kisses xx

Authors note: I SUCK at time, years, and counting, I do not know what the deal is in 1975 in the HP universe so please please excuse that, merci lovely reader. Also! This was requested over a year ago although, as we know that’s about how long it takes me to write shit.

Request: Remus having a 7th year prefect daughter and not knowing until he teaches her?

Summary: Set during POA

Warnings: ANGST and daddy issues! Death! Bc I like trauma

Word Count: 1.9k

After an incredibly eventful train ride to school, and ensuring that Harry and his friends were okay, Remus hurried up to the headmaster's office. As it was his first year teaching there, and considering all that was going on with Sirius Black Dumbledore scheduled a meeting with the new professor.

“I don’t anticipate it will be an easy year, but no year here is ever easy or simple. Especially since Harry arrived on campus,” Dumbledore said.

“It was nice to see him again, he’s gotten so old, and he looks so much like James,” Remus said, melancholy lacing his voice.

“The boy could use some good positive reinforcement from somebody who knew his parents so personally. Please, do not share information regarding Sirius, I would rather not bring him down. Instead, I would prefer he focuses on his studies. Especially since we have such a talented Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year,” Dumbledore said.

“Of course, now is that all for now?” Remus asked as he gathered his things, wanting to spend some time on the grounds before the student's arrival.

“Yes, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this year. I believe you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what Hogwarts has to offer.”

“I’m sorry?” He asked, pausing to look at the headmaster, confused by his statement on the school.

“Oh nothing,” Dumbledore said with one of his signature winks.

Remus smiled, unsure how else to respond. “Well, I’ll see you at the feast later tonight.”

“Certainly,” Dumbledore said, seemingly having forgotten about his odd statement, already focusing on something on his desk.

Meanwhile, Y/n went along with her boyfriend, Oliver Wood to the feast.

“I wonder what kind of crazy shit will happen this year,” you said, thinking aloud.

“Maybe we’ll get a somewhat normal year for once,” he proposed, hopefully. “And a good bloody season.”

“At Hogwarts?” You retorted. “Impossible. And of course you’ll have a good season, you’re the best damn quidditch player I’ve ever seen.”

Despite a bit of red flushing his cheeks, Wood brushed off the comment. “I wonder who this years Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is.”

“I haven’t heard anything,” she said with a shrug.

“Well we’ll see,” he said and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Enjoy your feast with Weasley.”

You smiled back at him, “Oh I will, it’s a promise.” you said before splitting, as you went to go meet with Percy Weasley, and Dumbledore before the feast's official start.

The feast went as normal for Y/n, she was mostly preoccupied with seeing friends she hadn’t seen since the last school year ended, and her head girl duties. Being a Gryffindor she felt that the year would present some challenges, considering the difficulties her house had caused in the past two years. Y/n had nothing against Harry Potter, in fact she was quite fond of him, having tutored him in a couple of subjects. Although, she understood the trouble he and his friends were fond of.

Remus on the other hand was unnerved at the announcement of the Head Girls last name, La Rosa. Her being Head Girl meant she was a seventh year, meaning she must have been born in 1976. The math happened in his head faster than Remus would like to admit. Remus absolutely knew a La Rosa in 1975 who managed a disappearing act after a couple of months together, and a small scare of sorts. Although, he brushed off the arithmetic, and Dumbledore’s dubious wink with a large swig of wine, which earned him a judgemental scoff from Snape.

Eventually, of course, the feast ended and the tired first years returned to their rooms while friends and couples reunited, and Filch stalked the halls with Mrs. Norris close behind.

Both Remus and Y/n’s day started off with breakfast in the Great Hall as each had a first period in their schedule. Y/n’s day kicked off with charms, and ended with Defense Against the Dark Arts. She ate breakfast with Oliver and a couple of their friends, yet left early enough so that the two could walk to class together without him being late. They had a couple of classes together but knew that as the year went on their other half would respectively get quite busy.

Y/n was having a fantastic first day, excited for lunch she made her way from the Towers to the Hall, which was abuzz with talk of “Professor Lupin.”

“He let us do actual magic in class!” you heard one third year exclaim with a great deal of excitement.

“I’m just glad he didn’t prattle on about his book deal for the entire period,” some Ravenclaw said to their friend which made Y/n laugh.

“How was Snape?” Wood asked as you sat down next to him, he had sent a couple of letters over summer bragging about how he wouldn’t be taking Potions, and she was.

“The same, angry that he isn’t teaching DADA, now I’m more intrigued by this Professor Lupin,” you responded.

“Merlin, Y/n, it’s the only bloody thing I’ve heard all day!”

“I heard someone earlier say, ‘I’m glad he didn’t brag about his book deal through the whole class.’” You responded with a giggle.

“I can’t believe they ever hired that man,” Wood said with a snort.

With that the two of you started lunch, your friends Ethel and Roberto joining you only a little while into the block.

You had a couple of classes and a free period from the time spanning between lunch and when you finally got to step into Professor Lupin’s class. The buzz about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. had turned into a roar in just a few hours.

Despite being early you were not the first student in the class. It being a seventh-year course there were only eight of you taking the class, and there were already five of your peers sitting at desks. One of which being your boyfriend who had saved you a seat near the front of the class.

“You are late La Rosa,” he rudely teased as you set your things down and sat next to him.

“You know I can go find another seat, right?” As if on cue the last of your classmates filed in and filled the last couple of seats.

“Can you?” He asked with a goofy smile plastered over his face.

“Well Weasley owes me a favor and I’m sure you’d love to sit next to him for the whole three hour period.” “Oh that’s just cruel sweetheart.” Before you could retort your new professor walked into the room, immeadiatley silencing the class. Oftentimes the last class of the day meant students were groggy, and had shorter attention spans than usual, but this class was on high alert.

“Good afternoon, let’s go ahead and introduce ourselves however you deem fit. My name is Remus Lupin, and I am clearly your Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor this year, any questions?”

In response you along with a couple of your peers shook your head ‘no’.

“Fantastic, let’s go ahead and start with our Head Boy, if you could introduce yourself sir?”

Percy excitedly introduced himself to the class, not failing to make the new professor aware of his many, many achievements, after him a slytherin you had a strong level of distaste for, and on it went until you were left as the last student to introduce herself.

“My name is Y/f/n Y/m/n La Rosa, I want to write spell books once I leave Hogwarts, my favorite Quidditch team is Puddlemere, and my favorite food is milk chocolate although I’ve been told chocolate isn’t a food I disagree.” “I have to take your side Miss. La Rosa, chocolate is in fact a food, and deserves its own damn food group,” Lupin shot you a smile, then looked around at the small class. “I feel like you should all be writing down that your professors favorite food is chocolate for when you have to impress me at the end of the year.” 

Remus was genuinely confused by Y/n’s presence. He had decent intuition and something about the seventh year was throwing him off, and it wasn’t bad which honestly only confused him more. He decided it would be better to get ahead of it in order to not let his thoughts ruin his teaching.

“Well that’s it, class is over. Miss La Rosa if you wouldn’t mind staying after class for just a moment?” “Of course professor,” you said.

“Ooh in trouble already?” Oliver said and gave you a peck to which you rolled your eyes. “I’ll see you in the common room later love.” “Don’t forget our meeting tonight Y/n,” Percy said as he sauntered out the room which earned a second eye roll from you. 

Even though it didn’t take long, it felt like an eternity for the room to clear. All of a sudden your throat was in your heart, or, something. Whatever it was something was happening.

“I know this is going to come off as odd but I have an important question,” Lupin said, his eyes kind, no sense of a reprimand coming.

“Sure Professor, what is it?”

“What’s your mothers name?”

You figured he noticed your last name, and had maybe worked with your mum.

“Marie Dulcinea La Rosa,” you said. “Why?”

Remus’ mind started racing at a million miles an hour. “Did she attend Ilvermorny?” “Yes, is everything alright?” “I’m sorry dear, just two more questions.”

You responded with a single nod.

“Did your mother ever tell you who your father is, and are you a werewolf?”

A look of shock crossed your face and you clutched your bag. “I’m not supposed to answer that question professor.” “Y/n, I am, I also dated a Marie La Rosa in 1975, that same Marie attended Ilvermorny.”

“Are you trying to insinuate-”

“Yes.”

You walked out of the classroom as fast as your feet could carry you. You weren’t quite sure where you were going but you were crying and you wanted to be as far away from Remus Lupin as possible and your mind was far to occupied to think up a destination. Somehow that destination ended up being Dumbledore’s office, which by some means was open to you.

“You must have known, you know everything.” Not the best choice of words but it seemed to get the point across.

“That Professor Lupin is your father? Yes dear I did happen to know that.”

“And how long have you known that?” “Since the year you were born, Y/n, your mother and father both fought in the war and your mother came to me when she was pregnant with you. She didn’t want your father to know because she wanted him to stay and fight when she couldn’t. She wanted to raise you away from the war but she couldn’t ask him to abandon the cause.” “Does he know that she’s dead?” “No I am afraid that he doesn’t.” “Marie is dead?” 

You turned to see Remus Lupin standing in the entrance of the office. He was distressed and had clealry followed you to the headmasters office.

You gave a curt nod to answer his question.

“Y/n, I am so sorry, I didn’t know, I shouldn’t have ever let your mother think that I would value anything over her and you.”

“You have to know how hard it is growing up a werewolf with absoluetly no help. With no one to help you through your first transition, with no one to tell you that everything’s going to be okay. Then on top of that growing up thinking that you were nothing to your father, and losing your mum at 14?”

Remus reached into his pocket and pulled out a mostly intact chocolate bar and held it out, towards his daughter.

“Let me fix it? Please.” It was a plea, and a kind request, an apology, all tied up in a chocolate bar.

[remuslupinfest]

Remus Lupin Fest 2020 Master List (Anon)

We're pleased to release this years Master List of fics, sorted by ship and alphabetically! There's 38 incredible works! Author and artist reveals are next week.

GEN

TITLE: First Year SUMMARY: I hope whoever prompted this in the first place is happy with the result. I know it's super messy but I was experimenting a bit with my style!

TITLE: On Talking SUMMARY: Five conversations Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall have during Prisoner of Azkaban and one they do not.

TITLE: One of Many Happy Moments SUMMARY: Remus has only come back home from one of particularly typical days of teaching in Hogwarts, but he couldn’t refuse Teddy to read the book together

TITLE: Remus Lupin Sleeping Peacefully SUMMARY: Prompt: Remus sleeping peacefully.

TITLE: Tousled SUMMARY: Prompt: Remus wrapped in a sheet/duvet going to the bathroom or kitchen after having had sex with someone. Maybe someone knocks on the door and he can’t find his trousers. He’s flushed, tousled and possibly has a hickey or two.

REMUS/MISC

TITLE: A Heart Grows Warm SUMMARY: After the war, Remus is a single father and desperate for a job. Snape hires him to work in his potions shop, but Remus can't ignore the building sexual tension between them.

TITLE: Bad Moon Rising SUMMARY: James, Lily and Voldemort all died on Halloween night. Years later, Remus is working in the Auror Department on a confusing case of a transformed werewolf stalking a family outside of a full moon and is assigned a brilliant new Auror, Nymphadora Tonks, to work with him.

TITLE: Briseé SUMMARY: Death eater!Remus struggles to face his past after the death of his lover and the end of his freedom.

TITLE: Care to Share? SUMMARY: Remus had every intention of enjoying solidarity over the holidays. That may change now that he's not the only Slytherin staying behind.

TITLE: His Luck SUMMARY: Modern setting, model/photographer AU for Remus Lupin and Narcissa Black. Written for the Remus Lupin fest 2020.

TITLE: Hold Me While You Wait SUMMARY: Remus Lupin just needs someone to hug him.

TITLE: One Night In Barcelona SUMMARY: The chemistry was too much to resist.

TITLE: Readjusting SUMMARY: When Voldemort murders Frank and Alice Longbottom, their baby survives. Meanwhile, Lily moves into a flat in Muggle London. Alone. With baby Harry and the cat. Remus helps.

TITLE: The Paths We Take SUMMARY: Lily Evans Lupin is a detective, though her husband Remus' name is on all the paperwork. He writes incredible tales while she solves mysteries. All seems normal as the Second World War ends, and Lily is hoping for peace and eventual renown for her talents legally attributed to Remus. Her and Remus' entire world comes crashing down once more as Sirius O. Black, Remus' first love, enters their agency, with one request: to find his missing brother Regulus, who joined the Nazis and hasn't come home. Can Lily find the missing Regulus? Can Remus face his heartbreak?

TITLE: You keep messing with my brain SUMMARY: The awful truth was that when he had noticed Regulus Black he couldn’t exactly look away anymore.

WOLFSTAR

TITLE: AMOR VINCIT OMNIA (love conquers all) SUMMARY: Remus, a servant boy to the cruel Emperor Voldemort, meets Sirius, a charming nobleman. Together they fight for freedom and love in Ancient Rome.

TITLE: An Endearing Portrait SUMMARY: At the beginning of their seventh year at Hogwarts, Sirius fears that Remus’s mother and perhaps Remus himself, too, prefers someone else.

TITLE: Falling Into Place SUMMARY: There's always been something special about Remus Lupin, even if it's taken Sirius Black until his seventh year to realize it. Too bad he spends so much time agonizing over his changing feelings that he loses his chance. In which Remus acts like an idiot, Marlene is the snarky voice of reason, James is a mother hen, Peter is confused, and Sirius is seriously jealous.

TITLE: Fate and Other Ambiguous Notions SUMMARY: Truth be told, Sirius has never really paid much attention to Remus before... (Slytherin!Remus, Gryffindor!Sirius)

TITLE: Hold Me While You Wait SUMMARY: Remus Lupin just needs someone to hug him.

TITLE: If You’ll Be Waiting SUMMARY: Remus gets the Information that Sirius is probably still alive. He goes on a road trip to Germany with Harry to find him.

TITLE: In the Throws of You SUMMARY: Prompt 178: Sirius has a track record for picking bad BDSM doms, but luckily Remus is always there to provide the proper aftercare he needs.

TITLE: Ivory and Gold SUMMARY: Sirius Black is all Remus has been looking for and more. A muse, an inspiration, a theme he never wishes to let go. He’s magnetic. And Remus lets himself be pulled in.

TITLE: Let the Awful Song Be Heard, Bluebird SUMMARY: Prompt: I just miss you, in a quite simple desperate human way. I miss you even more than I could have believed; and I was prepared to miss you a good deal. So this letter is really just a squeal of pain. – Vita Sackville West In some ways, they are still Padfoot and Moony.

TITLE: making a fool out of myself (for you) SUMMARY: Sirius and Remus have been friends for years. However, unbeknownst to the other, both of them have a secret life working as a clown. Over the years, Remus and Sirius have competed against each other in the clown/birthday party circuit, becoming actual clown enemies of each other without knowing their true identities... until now, that is.

TITLE: Meet the Moonies SUMMARY: Remus introduces Sirius to his parents for the first time.

TITLE: Renewal SUMMARY: Remus and Sirius return to Remus's cabin together after the events of Harry's third school year come to a close. Remus decides that Sirius would be much better off with a haircut and some TLC.

TITLE: Sanctify My Body (With Pain) SUMMARY: When Remus leaves for what is essentially a suicide mission, Sirius finds himself grappling with the realities of a life where he doesn't know if the love of his life is dead or alive.

Perhaps the most confusing question in these situations is: which is worse?

TITLE: Siren songs SUMMARY: Sirius had heard of mermaids before, of course. They were all over the songs bards performed at his parents' table and the tall tales sailors traded in every port. He had never given much thought to whether or not the stories were true, though. Imagine his surprise when he and his best mates found themselves shipwrecked on an unfamiliar shore, with a breathtaking and mysterious merman for their only ally.

TITLE: Sweet Nuthin’ SUMMARY: When the summer between third and fourth year begins, Sirius expects it to be nothing but lazy days, harmless pranks with James, and the occasional meet-up with the rest of his friends from Hogwarts. Those plans go out the window rather quickly when he gets a sudden glimpse of Remus Lupin, a mysterious boy who changes everything about Sirius Black's life and shows him that love will always win in the end.

TITLE: Teddy’s Wedding SUMMARY: Teddy's wedding brings about memories of the past and hopes for the future.

TITLE: That Iron Taste SUMMARY: In the middle of a particularly bitter winter, a new attendee starts showing up in Father Black’s congregation. He is entirely unfamiliar and wholly arresting. In his wake there will be confusion, horror, heat, bliss, blood, and perhaps the end of reality itself.

TITLE: The Great Gay Pornstar Twitter Feud of 2020 SUMMARY: “So what I’m hearing is that you’ve got a date with your hot, clever, fellow porn-star twitter nemesis, of whom you once said ‘I’d rather die than let that pretentious knobcloud touch my dick’... is that about right?”

“... Yes.”

Or; Remus Lupin forgets to turn the fucking camera on.

TITLE: The King I Could Become SUMMARY: Prince Sirius of Nox has one thing he cannot stand. Or rather it should be said, one person. Prince Remus of Lupos. They had never gotten along well, though their kingdoms are close allies, but a disturbance in the lands has brought them together on a quest. They'll be able to take down this threat...if they can survive each other's presence first.

TITLE: The New Sailing Master SUMMARY: Sirius is a pirate, Remus is a fugitive, Remus manages to get a lift aboard the Blithering Idiot and it's love at first sight…

TITLE: Things We Can’t Say SUMMARY: Prompt 18: Angst during the first war, based on being on opposite sides. Trying to convince them to join the light side maybe, or accidentally injuring each other or close friends of each other.

TITLE: Thoroughly Debauched SUMMARY: Prompt: Remus riding Sirius in a chair

TITLE: To Admit What Is Not More Illegal SUMMARY: On Valentine’s Day in their seventh year at Hogwarts, Sirius tries to offer what Remus needs, and starts figuring out if he's ashamed of something, and if he is, what it is.

TITLE: You Would Be Calling Me Moony SUMMARY: A month after Sirius falls through the Veil, Remus starts seeing Sirius in his dreams. But they're only dreams...right?

[slytherin-team]

I thought it would just be easier to put this in it’s own post - some bullet points for why I unironically ship Snape and Petunia:

- the potential set-up is irresistible! Also, who wasn’t shocked when it was revealed that Snape and Petunia of all characters knew each other as kids?! I see Snape as an ultimately good person. I can’t say the same for adult Petunia but I have a lot of sympathy for child Petunia, and frankly I think adult Petunia should have been written more grey and nuanced like Snape. The Dursleys overall were a little too cartoonish and bland. It’s been said that “there’s more to Petunia’s character than meets the eye,” and that should have been shown more.

- speaking of the potential set-up - it allows for so many avenues to explore in fanfic! For example, stories where teen Petunia and teen Severus get together in Cokeworth, or the two of them coming together as adults, or stories of them raising Harry together instead of Petunia and Vernon, etc. Like there’s just so many different ways it could happen and it could range from a really, positive enlightening relationship to a really toxic or torrid love affair, and all of those could be great and interesting stories.

- we don’t get any on-screen muggle/wizard romances and that would have been interesting. I also like the idea of Petunia being with a wizard and feeling more included in the magical world and I like Severus with a muggle, maybe living a quiet life away from all the death eater stuff, kinda returning to the muggle world but in a new, positive way

- Petunia and Snape are both extremely insecure as kids/teens. Petunia never feels good enough compared to Lily and Severus never feels good enough compared to wealthy pure-bloods like James Potter. Petunia claims that her parents neglected her and favored Lily. Severus was neglected by his parents (my personal headcanon is that his mother loved him but was so beaten down by Tobias’s abuse that her health and state of mind prevented her from being a good mother). Petunia and Snape look down on each other when they meet, but actually they have more in common than Snape and Lily. Petunia can probably understand him better than someone popular and loved like Lily.

- In the movie Snape has that line about Petunia being jealous because Lily is special and she’s ordinary. This gets at the heart of Petunia’s insecurities. But here’s the thing - Snape and Petunia, who both feel that they’re not special- could be special to each other. Snape is attracted to power because he wants to be in control and not weak, which leads him down a dark path. He didn’t need the death eater stuff - he needed someone he could confide in. I always imagine him as domestic and a homebody at heart - just brewing potions in his basement or reading books in his armchair. He wants to regain a sense of control over his life but he doesn’t seek prestige to the same degree as Lucius Malfoy and has nothing but contempt for showy people like Lockhart. Petunia is also very domestic. I like the idea of her cooking and humming to herself while Snape brews his potions.

- they both suffered a lot in their youth and I just wish both of them could be happy as adults. They’re two of the most bitter, regretful characters in the series and I’m a sucker for shipping two bitter assholes together and seeing them bring each other joy lol

- They both found James Potter to be arrogant and off-putting and nothing brings two people together like the hatred of a third party.

- Again, I like how it’s easy to imagine them in a secure, happy, domestic partnership or in a really fucked up torrid affair. There’s not a huge amount of fanfic about these two but of the ones I’ve found, writers usually create either something really romantic between them, where they come together and are special to each other, or something really toxic that makes for a terrible relationship but very fun reading

- Pride & Prejudice/ “the folly of first impressions” - if you like this sort of thing, well then, you can see how this ship is appealing I’m sure

- I love it when two characters seem like opposites on the surface (Snape is greasy, unkempt, a wizard, has dark hair and dark eyes, meanwhile Petunia is neat, clean, a muggle, has blonde hair and blue eyes) but are actually really similar (both of them are precise, have a lot of pride, hurt the ones they love in order to protect their own egos, seem to love the home and the hearth, take pride in their work, have a complicated relationship with Lily, Petunia feels she’s not as good as Lily, Severus feels like he’s not good enough for Lily, are spiteful, in the DH memory scenes, they are both shown to spy and snoop around a lot, they grew up in the same town, etc)

- I love Snape and Lily as friends but I have never been a snily shipper. I don’t see them as compatible in that way. Also, I’m personally not a fan of friends -to -lovers, give me enemies-to-friends-to-lovers over the former any day.

- If any atla fans are reading this - I ship Zutara, not Kataang, so this might explain a lot as well.

- the potential Snape and Petunia romance just has so many classic elements. the folly of first impressions/ pride & prejudice thing mentioned above, two misunderstood people coming together, or two people who misunderstand each other at first then come together later, the romeo and juliet potential because of the war, etc.

- They remind me of Xellos and Filia from the anime Slayers, which was the first enemies-to-friends-to-lovers ship I really fell in love with, and they even physically resemble these two as well. Filia is a prim and proper blonde, always drinking tea and acting self-righteous. Xellos has long hair that falls into his eyes and is thought to be evil by nature yet we only see him do good in the series. Although he has a sharp tongue. This relationship is not canon either and never comes to fruition in the series but it’s heavily hinted at.

- it’s super corny and cliche but I love the whole beauty and the beast parallel, and also the hades/persephone vibe that this ship evokes

- If Petunia was a witch - she’d totally be a slytherin and I have legitimate reasons for this that have nothing to do with her being a “villain” character. Self-preservation and protecting the in-group while being cautious of outsiders are important slytherin qualities. The defensive, on-guard way Petunia acts when Snape first appears, shows her being protective of her little sister. The snobbery she exudes is reminiscent of Narcissa’s Malfoy’s snobbery, looking down on outsiders to protect or maintain the in-group basically. Petunia’s pride and the way she protects it, insisting she really didn’t want to go to Hogwarts after all, shows that self-preservation and preservation of her dignity are important to her. Pride, pride, pride! We see this in how she painstakingly tends to her home and family as well. She always wants to make a good impression and be the best.

- Nothing against Dramoine shippers but I’m not a fan of that ship. I don’t like putting the racist bully with the person he’s racist towards. Okay, so then why Snape and Petunia? Petunia can pretend to hate magic all she wants because of her jealousy but at the end of the day, she’s Lily’s sister and has magical heritage even if she’s not a witch herself. Likewise, Snape can call people with muggle parents “mudbloods” all he wants but that doesn’t change the fact that he himself has a muggle parent and literally wouldn’t exist if not for that muggle parent, as awful as he is. So, this is different to me from a pureblood supremacist and a muggleborn or muggle romance, because I don’t see either Snape or Petunia as racist, but rather, as self-loathing, and while it may not be healthy, I’m a sucker for pairing two self-loathing characters together. Also, I think character growth for both of them requires accepting the two worlds - muggle and magical- and their relation to them, and I feel like being together could keep them from going down dark paths (with Severus, Petunia can stop resenting the magical world and feel more included in it, and with Petunia, Severus can appreciate the muggle world and stop seeing every muggle as his awful father)

I can’t believe I just wrote all of this but I’m super into this ship recently and have a lot to word vomit about it. enjoy.

[gloves94]

To Be So Lonely [Draco Malfoy] 16

Rating: PG-13 Pairings: Draco Malfoy/OC Chapter warnings: None

CHAPTER MASTERLIST MY MASTERLIST

Living in the House of Lestrange, was, well, strange for less of a better word. It didn’t take Nel long to learn two things about Ms. Cloelia Lestrange. The main thing was she had a knack for polished manners. Apparently, the missus ran a primary school for Pure-Blood children, she taught everything from reading, writing and other educational basics to extra curriculars such as proper etiquette and ball room dancing. Things that were considered to be essential to the people running in these circles. Since Elowen was under her thumb and guardianship it was essential that she be a fit representation of this. For the first time in her life the teenager had the proper guardian of what seemed to be a proper motherly figure.

Despite her opposition to it Elowen as she was now to be addressed according to Cloelia, learned to dress, groom herself like a proper lady. This she surprisingly didn’t mind too much, as a young child she had been curious by makeup once sneaking into Wool’s room and putting a pink lipstick all over her face and a street dog. This earned her twenty slaps on her hands with a snappy ruler. She never went near the damn things ever again.

However, what she did mind was sitting in the old dining table that kicked you whenever you committed an etiquette mistake. Talk with a mouthful. Kick. Reach for jam without asking for it to be passed. Kick.

Use the wrong utensils in the wrong order. Kick.

Eating your soup towards you instead of away. Kick.

Kick the table for kicking you. Kick.

Cloelia would always sit at the head of the table which seemed to dictate the meal’s accepted and unaccepted manners.  “Nuh-uh-hu,” She’d warn whenever Nel reached for a bread roll across the table. “Too many and you’ll get plump.”

The girl shot her a glare. Kick. “Mind your manners,” She’d smile smugly at her. When the table would attack her. It almost seemed to bring a strange type of sadistic pleasure to her.

Because of this Nel’s shins were painfully bruised in shades of violet, purple, green and yellow. When confronting Cloelia about it she simply sipped on her tea and told her Nel was asking for it.

Being at the Lestrange’s was like some twisted charms school. Perhaps the abuse wasn’t physical, but it was certainly emotional.

The second thing about Cloelia was that she absolutely adored her only son Ellar. The only time that Ms. Lestrange seemed to remove her hawk like eyes from Elowen was when she was reading her son’s leaders. There weren’t many recent pictures of the two in the walls, but the woman would constantly praise him and remind the girl just how handsome and terribly smart her son was. She would even gush when receiving letters and French pastries from him. There didn’t seem to be a Mr. Lestrange in the picture. Nel didn’t ask why. Apparently Ellar who Nel had already boxed as pretentious racist like most of the other Pure-Bloods she had met was away doing an internship in France.

It was strange being in the life. She finally had the same clothes as the other Slytherin girls, but they still weren’t hers. Accepting them felt like granting Cloelia ownership over her person. Something Nel felt like was a given to the older woman consider how she took her liberties in making harsh comments about her appearance constantly.

One of the bright sides of living with Cloelia was that she did not mind if Nel had contact with her friend which was a breath of fresh air. However, Nel still had to work up the courage to ask if she could attend the Quidditch World Cup Final Game with Theo and Tracey. Presently…

‘Harder. Up, down, up down, left, right, left, right- That’s right! Keep it up! Transform those buns into steel!’

Nel was currently coated in sweat working out to an old record of witch-lattes or aerobics, she wasn’t sure which one was playing. All she knew was that she was exhausted and Cloelia was watching her from a comfortable sit while eating a large pumpkin pastry.

“You’ve got to maintain your figure,” She said licking her greasy lips before taking a small lady-like bite from the pastry.

‘Easier said than done,’ the girl bit her tongue and rolled her eyes. She was sweating bullets and felt she was in desperate need of a shower when she heard the front door slam. She paid it no mind much to focused on the exercise.

“Maman!” An unfamiliar voice entered the room.

“Ellar! Oh! Welcome home mon cœur!”

Nel had never seen Ms. Lestrange move so fast before. She jumped from her seat and exclaiming other French words in excitement advanced towards her son whom she embraced and showered in kisses.

“I wanted to surprise you!” He stated hugging his mother back.

Elowen remained quiet at the interaction. Not because she had always wanted somebody to welcome her home like that. In that moment she realized she wanted to die.

He was hot.

He was a couple of years older than her and very handsome. In contrast here she stood a sweating mess. She had never seen a more beautiful person before. With a strong jaw, sleepy eyes and dark curly hair, Ellar looked like the protagonist of a period drama. He was dressed in soothing tones of velvet blue and turned to acknowledge her with his hazel eyes.

She wanted to look away but couldn’t and felt her skin heating in unflattering patches of red. She prayed he’d assume they were from the exercise and not his presence.

“This is Elowen Saintday,” Cloelia introduced. “She’s the young lady I wrote to you about.”

Nel was too busy drooling at her son that she didn’t snap out of her trance until she heard the woman addressing her. “I expect you’ll be gracious towards my son.”

You bet that would not be a problem. His mother gave Ellar what seemed to be a knowing look. He approached her and reached for her hand bringing it to his lips in an antiquated gesture. He said something she didn’t understand in French.

“What?” She asked flushing nervously. She wanted to slap herself and mentally beat herself up for not responding “Hi.” She was shellshocked never having had her hand held and kissed like that, specially by an older boy. “I’m enchanted,” He now said in English flashing her a charming smile. “I said the pleasure is all mine,” he translated. Was he blatantly flirting with her, in front of his mother? Ms. Lestrange seemed unbothered or completely oblivious to this. She had been around the opposite sex her whole life. Back at Wool’s, Back at Hogwarts. Why would this one be any different?

That day Nel found herself actually looking forward to dinner. You bet she picked out her nicest clothes and did and re-did her hair over and over again until she just gave up on it. At dinner she learned that Ellar was a sixth-year student at Beauxbaton Magical Academy in France. He had spent his summer at an internship with the French Ministry of Magic working in the Department of Mysteries. He said he was particularly studying certain enigmas of magic such as death, time, space, thoughts and love, it was fascinating. Even Bindi the Lestrange’s House Elf, whom Nel wasn’t allowed to speak with, had gone all out with the dinner. However, she did not seem happy to see her master return. Cloelia was stern with her but as far as Nel knew she had never seen her be stern or particularly cruel to the female elf.

Ellar drank his wine and lay a hand on his stomach taking in the familiar meal he had just had. “Everything magnificent as always mother,” he let out a long breath as he relaxed into his chair.

Her hand was halfway reaching for a second slice of cake. It was then that she noticed the older teen was looking at her, and she was staring at the beautiful stranger back. “Should you really be having another slice?” He arched an eyebrow in the direction of the beautifully decorated vanilla cake in the center of the dining table.

Embarrassed she lowered her fork and looked away from his perturbing gaze. “Will we be attending the Quidditch World Cup Finals this year?” Ellar added turning to face his mother.

Forgetting her embarrassment at wanting another slice she turned to attentively listen out for Cloelia’s answer.

“Of course, dear, the Minister has invited us to his personal box,” His mother responded pompously. “And I trust both of you,” Her eyes shot the girl a look, “Will be on your best behavior.”

Nel couldn’t help but smile a little.

Don’t count on it. She winced when she felt the dining table kick her shin. Could the stupid table read minds too?

Alright, maybe do count on it. “I was actually planning on attending with some friends of mine. If that’s alright,” Elowen butted scanning her guardian’s face for any hint of disapproval.

Ms. Lestrange put her utensils down and gaped at the girl in appalling horror. “And refuse the Ministry of Magic’s invitation?” She brought a hand to her chest in offense. “You will sit with us in the box,” She said in a term that was non-negotiable.

“Minister of Magic can choke,” Nel grumbled underneath her breath earnings her a well-earned kick from under the table.

“Friends?” She was surprised to see Ellar scoffing and judging her answer. He learned slightly forward in her direction. “Why would you rather see your friends when you can network with the Minister himself? Think about it Elowen,” He began speaking in an eloquent tone. “If you’ve got Fudge on your side it could open a lot of doors for you,” He smirked slightly in her direction. “How do you think I got my foot in the French Ministry of Magic’s door?”

He spoke like a true Slytherin. This was the type of cunning talk about ambition she would’ve heard in the Common Room or perhaps the type of advice that Professor Snape would’ve given her if she had asked for any.

Nel wanted to disagree but Ellar was right.

She had to respect his ambition.

Xxxxx

Meanwhile, that same night, in a dark room, in an old broken-down house just outside of Little Hangleton a vile ploy was being orchestrated.

Whispers and hushed voices could be heard echoing the dusty, cob-webbed corridors of the house. Their only companions a howling wind and a nosey old man.

“Oh, no, no, no my Lord. I only meant... Perhaps if we were to do it without the boy. We could use the girl; the girl is ready…” A large man with the face of a rat cowered before his master. “She’s under the guardship of Lestrange. We could take her now, do what we need-“

“NO!” The master’s dark tone bounced off the walls. “I need them both. Together. It will be done exactly as I say.” He stretched out a hand calling for his snake to come and gather around its master. “The boy, he’s everything, and the girl…” He went silent for a moment. “Everything will be done with precision at the right time. I’ve been waiting fourteen years for this. I can wait one more…”

Without much of a choice Pettigrew lowered his head as he groveled to Voldemort. “I will not disappoint you my Lord.” He bowed.

“Good,” Voldemort rasped. “First, gather our old comrades. Send them a sign.”

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AN: Short chapter but brief introduction to Y4. What do you guys think Voldy is up to? Also, thoughts on Ellar’s character? Next chapter we’re going to the Quidditch World Cup!

[evenmyzefronposter]

If Lily hadn't died, would Snape have stayed loyal to Voldemort?

(I will preface this by saying that, as always, I really don't know why I continue to participate in discussions on Facebook. It is not the right fandom space for me but evidently I am a masochist for this kind of thing.) I have often seen it stated, by snaters, that he definitively would have stayed loyal to Voldemort in this scenario, but this is possibly the first time I've actually seen it asked, presumably in good faith, as a question for discussion. That's why it stood out to me and then I had no choice but to engage. (Again, I'm a masochist for this stuff). So I responded:

No. Snape went to Dumbledore before Lily died. Her death wasn't the catalyst for his change of heart; her being threatened was. Even if Voldemort had ultimately gone after the Longbottoms instead, I think Severus still would have stuck with the Light side.

We don't really know if he ever deeply believed in their cause or not. All that we do know is that he was groomed from a very early age to join them, and he was very vulnerable to that for a number of reasons. I think that, once he had a reason to defect from the Death Eaters, he'd have been well and truly out, no matter what that meant.

And of course several people laughed at me, which I fully expected. There's no better way to belittle someone's thoughts without actually engaging with them than to laugh at them. What I didn't expect was people angry reacting me. I don't really understand anger there? (Unless it was anger at the way Snape was treated, which I totally understand. But, I feel like if that's the case, you engage in the discussion to make your stance clear. You don't just be angry and bugger off). But, like, I don't think I said anything incorrect, and when I was just stating an opinion vs something from canon, I made that clear by saying "I think..." So it seems like the angry reacts are maybe just stemming from the fact that I didn't say something nasty about Snape? Or maybe because I didn't say anything that they could directly argue against? Strange.

As far as the original question goes, though, I think that Snape is the type to stick to a side once he's chosen it unless he has a very serious reason not to. He told Dumbledore that he'd do "anything" and I think he really meant that. In fact, if Lily had been saved, I think that would have only given him even more reason to stay loyal to Dumbledore, not less. Because, again, he said he'd do anything to save them – not just her, but her family as well. He wasn't saying that he'd do anything for revenge after her death, he was saying he'd do anything to keep them safe. And he still, if somewhat begrudgingly, honored that with Harry even when Dumbledore didn't hold up his end of their bargain. So I see absolutely no reason to think that he wouldn't have done it if Dumbledore had been able to keep them safe. He probably would have been much happier to follow through with anything if Lily hadn't died.

On the other hand, and this is not how I read that question, but I don't mind taking it there. If Voldemort had never gone after Lily's family at all... if he'd picked the Longbottoms from the beginning and Lily had never been threatened. Well, then I do think Snape likely would have stayed loyal to Voldemort (unless there was some other unknown catalyst that might have impacted him). I see no reason why he wouldn't. He had to have felt valued and respected among the Death Eaters because they wanted him to feel that way, Voldemort wanted his loyalty. Meanwhile, the Light side had only ever shown him contempt and cruelty, implying that he was worth less than other people and implying that literally anything is okay as long as you don't use "Dark Magic" (which seems like an incredibly asinine distinction, but that's a whole different conversation). With no other catalyst, why in Merlin's name wouldn't he stay loyal?

[aurora077]

Harry Potter and the OMG Hermione is not Ugly - Chapter 8

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12755845/8/Harry-Potter-and-the-OMG-Hermione-is-not-ugly

Heart to heart -- With Snape!

Two pairs of eyes followed Harry and Ron as they sat down to breakfast. The owners of those eyes would be dismayed to know that they were having the exact same thought as the other in reaction to seeing the redhead:

 Why’d it have to be him???

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After having the most restful night of sleep since she realised her feelings, Hermione had gone down to breakfast in a slightly cheerful mood. She made sure to go down extra early so that nobody would be able to tell she hadn’t gone back to her dorm at all, but instead they’d assume that she had just gone to bed late and woke up early. (Or, so she hoped.) Oblivious to Harry’s worry, she munched on her toast idly, thinking about the Charms quiz they’d be getting in a few days.

That is of course, until her friends came down to breakfast, bringing her earlier dilemma to the forefront of her mind.

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Malfoy had been having trouble sleeping ever since The Incident. He was always tired, he found no pleasure in the things he liked (including leading the Inquisitorial Squad and taking points from his fellow students), and he found himself sighing all the time.

He’d had another rough night and decided he’d just forget about trying to sleep in and go down to breakfast early. Surprisingly, someone else appeared to have beaten him to it. There was Granger, sitting at the Gryffindor table all by her lonesome, eating her meal and practicing charms-- quite absentmindedly apparently because a teapot was wobbling dangerously next to her and she appeared not to notice it. Her wand was nowhere in sight and Malfoy was struck with an odd bout of admiration. Even if the witch in question was doing it unconsciously, wandless magic was an impressive feat.  

He settled for watching her go through a variety of charms while eating his eggs. It was quite amusing. The teapot had floated in the air for a while, going through some interesting transitions.  Finally, after being shrunk to the size of a teacup, it righted itself and abruptly settled back on the table as it turned a shade of purple that would have made Dumbledore sing.

He was just grateful she hadn’t managed to make it explode.

Of course her Charms session was cut short by the arrival of her friends, who were inexplicably early as well.

As he watched them come into the hall his bad mood returned. No point in sitting there watching the Golden Trio act all chummy, he decided, and promptly left the hall.

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“Hermione! There you are!” said Harry, plopping down next to her and scanning her worriedly. “Is something wrong?” she said, eyes widening at the sight of the bags under his eyes, “Did something happen?” Ron snorted as he took a seat beside Harry, “Nothing’s wrong Hermione. Harry just spent—ouch!” He glared at Harry, whose foot had mashed his under the table, “What was that for?”  Harry gulped, “Sorry mate...accident.” He turned back to Hermione while Ron muttered curses under his breath and bent down to check on his sore foot, “I just couldn’t sleep, nothing to worry about.” He smiled at her convincingly (or so he hoped). Ron had almost outed him. It wouldn’t do to have her find out that he spent all night looking for her on the map, she might think he was stalking her. The last thing he wanted was for Hermione to think he was a creep. “Oh no! Was it the dreams about you-know-who again?” she cried worriedly. Ron, having caught on to what Harry had been trying to do but also taking the opportunity for a little revenge, emerged from under the table with a wicked smile on his face, “No don’t worry Hermione it was nothing like that at all. He’s just been having a lot of dreams with Malfoy as the star lately.” Harry sputtered in indignation but couldn’t refute it without exposing that he was lying so he had to let it slide. Shooting a glare at Ron, he completely missed the way Hermione’s face fell.

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Draco had left in such a hurry that his breakfast had not digested well. He groaned at the slight stomach-ache he was having and decided he’d just have to go get something from the Hospital Wing. While waiting for Madame Pomfrey to attend to him, he heard a loud thump followed by several derogatory words. Curiosity getting the better of him he peered around the curtains to be met with Professor Snape’s angry face looking up at him from the floor.

“Well don’t just stand there, help me up!” he demanded.

“Sorry Professor!” said Draco, swiftly offering his aid to the fallen man.

Snape sat on the bed, rubbing his head gingerly. He did notice that he felt a lot better than he had in ages....physically at least. He was about to ask why Draco was in his chambers before he realised that he was actually in the Hospital Wing.

“What happened Professor?” Draco asked, curious and also bit concerned as to why his favourite teacher was in the Hospital Wing. Snape privately wondered the same thing but snarkily replied, “I fell out of bed Draco, don’t tell me you’re becoming as slow as Weasley now.” Draco was taken aback. It wasn’t like the Professor to speak to him like that. Crabbe and Goyle maybe but not him.

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As soon as the words left his mouth, Severus regretted it. He saw the slight hurt on the boy’s face and softened. “Forgive me Draco,” he said, with a small groan as his head throbbed, “I’m not particularly myself at the moment”. The boy just nodded a silent acceptance but continued to look worriedly at him as Madame Pomfrey ushered him away for his own treatment.

He’d always had a soft spot for Draco. The boy reminded him slightly of himself if he was being honest. Draco was smart and cunning, but what really struck a chord with him was the fact that the boy was always vying for his father’s approval, and to a less noticeable extent, his love and attention. Severus, as a boy, had once craved his own father’s approval, but as he had told Lily once, his father did not like much of anything—which included his own wife and son. And while he had no doubt that Lucius loved Draco, the Malfoy family wasn’t exactly what you would call warm and cuddly.

Then there was the fact that once upon a time, Severus himself wanted Lucius’ approval. It was part of the reason he had used that dreaded word on the love of his life that fateful day. Wanting to fit in with the group of boys who had recently accepted him as a part of them (all future death eaters but Lucius being the ‘leader’) he had done something unforgivable and lost the most precious person to him in the whole world.

The person he’d confessed his love to just the day before, his brain supplied, and his eyes widened in horror at the memory of what landed him in the Hospital Wing in the first place.

“Oh no..oh no,” he gasped, and rubbed the bridge of his nose to try and alleviate the migraine that was fast approaching. What had he done?!

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“Professor!” Draco cried, “What’s the matter?” He had gone to drink the potion for his stomach and was about to leave but upon hearing the Professor’s pained cries he doubled back. He found Snape rocking back and forth slowly on the bed, and ran to get Madame Pomfrey. “What’s wrong with him?” he asked nervously.

“He’ll be fine, the Professor’s just having a stressful time right now,” said the nurse, coaxing a calming draught down Snape’s throat, “Be a dear and keep him company for a while would you? Just until I come back to determine if he’s ready to leave.” “Yes Ma’am,” Draco gulped; coming from her, it wasn’t a request but rather an order. She was one terrifying lady when she wanted to be and he dared not disobey.

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“Ah Harry my dear boy, just who I was looking for,” said Dumbledore, popping out from behind the Golden Trio. Ron startled so badly his sausage flew straight off his fork, only to be caught smoothly by Dumbledore who proceeded to eat it right then and there, completely unaware of Ron’s heartbroken look.

“My sausage,” he whimpered to himself, pouting at the loss.

Hermione glared at him and gestured pointedly to the entire breakfast spread that was on the table before them.

Ron had the good sense to look abashed.

“Yes Miss Granger, I did notice,” continued Dumbledore, as if Hermione had meant to signal him rather than Ron, “Marvelous job you did with that teapot. It’s simply magnificent! Why I may have to commission one for myself! I’ve never quite managed to get that shade of purple on anything.” It was enough to make him want to sing delightedly, however, he did have some more important things to discuss than the wonderful teapot—singing would have to come later so he filed it away in his brain’s to-do list and got back to the matter at hand.

“Dear Harry, do forgive me for interrupting your breakfast, but I simply must have a word with you,” he said.

Harry wasn’t inclined to speak to Dumbledore, especially after the night he’d had, however the headmaster could not be ignored and so he reluctantly separated from his friends and followed Dumbledore back to his office.

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Meanwhile, Draco was pleased that the calming draught worked and the Professor was somewhat normal again.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Draco asked, in a small voice. He didn’t know what was plaguing Professor Snape (though Madam Pomfrey had said stress but he felt there was more to it than that) but he would be an ear if one was needed, just as the Professor had been for him so many times before.

Severus sighed, he really didn’t want to recount the memory again. The shock of the fall that had woken him up had momentarily driven the previous day’s events from his mind, but the thought of Lily brought it right back. What he did was inexcusable and also, completely humiliating. It burned even more because of who exactly witnessed his breakdown.

“It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with Draco, I’ll be okay now. I just haven’t been myself for a while. Yesterday was a particularly bad day,” he said.

“If it makes you feel any better Professor, I know the feeling,” said Draco despondently.

Genuinely worried he missed something going on with his student while he was attempting to drown his despair, he coaxed the boy into elaborating.

ixixixixixixiixixixixixixixixixixxixixixixixixixixixi

Draco was reluctant to share at first; it wasn’t exactly something he was used to, but eventually he cracked.

“I...I just don’t know. Lately I’ve just been so tired. Nothing brings me joy anymore. And Crabbe and Goyle have been getting on my nerves more and more. It’s like they have one brain cell between them!” he cried in frustration. “What’s more...I,” he stopped. He wasn’t sure how to say it and certainly not how it would be received by the man in front of him.

“Go on,” Severus said, so gently that nobody would ever believe this was the same man who tormented so many on a regular basis.

“I feel like...well, I don’t really have friends do I? Not the way Saint Potter and crew do. Crabbe and Goyle follow me around but...well it seems more true what the Gryffindors call them...they do seem more like lackeys than friends. Even when I’m together with them, I still feel...alone. Father always says that it’s better to be around those less intelligent because then I’m the one in control but—”

“But you need proper companionship. Equals who can keep up with you,” Snape finished for him, “And most of all, people who actually like you for you and not your family name. Not people you have to control, but people who can actually enrich your life.” In other words, Draco was terribly lonely.

Draco just stared. He nodded, unsure of how the Professor could have read him so easily when even he didn’t know how to express the feelings he had. Did he use legilimency?

Severus sighed, “No, Draco, I can simply read the look on your face.” Draco flushed, had he been that obvious?

“More to the point,” Snape continued, “I know this because once I was also a boy with similar feelings. Unlike you however, I had that companionship. I had it and I threw it away while seeking the approval of others.” Others like your father, he left unsaid. Lily may have been his love, but she was also the best friend he ever had. Probably the only friend, if he was being honest with himself.

“Don’t be like me Draco. You asked why I was here? I was reminded lately of the very friend that I lost, and it was too much for me to bear. I am not proud of the way I have been acting but it is what it is. If you can learn from my mistakes then at least some good will have come out of my loss. Don’t wait until it’s too late. You’re at school now, the only real chance you have at making friends. Especially when considering what is going on outside of these walls,” he said meaningfully, and Draco caught his drift with a solemn nod of acknowledgment.

“I’ve never made friends without father’s approval,” Draco admitted, slightly ashamed, “I don’t even know how to make friends. People just gravitate towards me, I’ve never had to look for any.”

“Well has there never been anyone you wanted to be friends with? That your father may not have approved of but you thought you could be friends anyway?” Snape queried.

Draco blushed brightly. There was only ever one person. And he had in fact tried to befriend them, before he was sorely rejected...in favour of Weasley no less!

[missnight0wl]

Nobody believes Merula is powerful - not even Rakepick. Plus, my take on “the parallel theory”

I wasn’t really planning on making this post yet (and at first I wanted to do it only on Merula), but then I had a discussion with @wilhelminafujita where she mentioned “the parallel theory”. And since it’s kind of related, I decided to go with it. If you’re not familiar with the parallel theory, it’s basically about the similarities between MC’s group (MC, Bill, Merula) and Jacob’s (Jacob, Duncan, Olivia) – where Merula is supposed to mirror Duncan. However, before we dive deeper, let’s discuss Merula and what the heck I mean by this title.

Y5Ch10, when we finally visited Knockturn Alley for the first time, was quite interesting as a whole, but one small thing I find particularly intriguing are differences in Rakepick’s reaction, depending on who you took as your back-up. To be exact, I’m talking about this dialogue:

MC: What are you doing here?

Rakepick: Saving your life. Again. I couldn’t bear to lose my favourite apprentice.

… and then there’s a part which varies.

For Jae:

Not to mention, a promising Dark Artefact dealer in the making…

For Bill:

No offence, Mr Weasley. I have no doubt you’ll become a formidable Curse-Breaker.

For Merula:

No offence, Miss Snyde.

And honestly, I laughed out loud when I saw Merula’s. She’s so desperate for Rakepick’s approval, and Patricia didn’t even throw her a bone, like “Not to mention the most cunning Slytherin student”, or anything. But then it made me think, and I realised that Merula is hardly ever praised by our mentor in general, at least on-screen. Actually, I suppose that even Jae was more appreciated. He was praised after practising Hex-Deflection and in Knockturn Alley. It’s somehow impressive, considering how little he interacts with the current DADA professor. Meanwhile, Merula – whose practice is way longer – was directly complimented also two times, if I remember correctly. Once, when Rakepick explained her choice as one of the apprentices. Second, when we found Bea, and Patricia admitted that Merula did the right thing to inform her right away (and that we also should’ve thought about it). All right, but she IS the Curse-Breaker apprentice, isn’t she? So Rakepick has to see some potential in her, right? Well… yes and no.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that Patricia considers Merula as totally worthless. I just got a feeling she might see her as not talented enough to mentor her if circumstances were different. Why did she pick her to our group then? Well, she told us why. At our very first meeting, Patricia said that she has chosen “Miss Snyde for her ambition and strength”. Merula is too ambitious to stop searching for the Vaults, and she’s strong enough just to be a pain in the ass for MC – as she was in the previous years.

I know that the urgency of the current events is not very clear for us, players, due to content realising schedule and filler plotlines, but the assumption is that it is there. And Rakepick is probably a person who reminds us about it the most. She gets annoyed when we’re wasting time on Scabbers, on asking about her relationship with our brother, that we still don’t have the portrait. And she probably knows that in the past we were also wasting time on dealing with Merula. So, she decided that it’s better to include her into the team – she won’t be disturbing us that way, and maybe she could even help. And that’s the first reason. Rakepick gave away the second one when she told Merula in the same scene this:

You see, Patricia might be a bitch, but she doesn’t like to see children dying. It seems that she genuinely cares about teaching those kids how to defence, and not only MC’s friends. She’s engaged as a professor because of that, and that’s why students like her. So when she got such Merula who’s asking life for permanent injury all the time, she decided that it’s easier to keep an eye on her while having her closer. Therefore, when she told her:

… she wasn’t really lying. Even though Snyde probably thinks otherwise.

Merula is starting to realise that she and her mentor perhaps see the situation differently, and she doesn’t like it. She has more doubts about Rakepick, she doesn’t idolize her so much as she used to. She’s faster to put her under suspicion, and I believe she’s way more likely to accuse her than defend her recently.

Also, in Y5Ch20, there was an interesting scene before we approached Kettleburn to ask about his “142 cats” letter. He was talking to Merula who had that angry/upset/”I’m done with this” animation. 

(screenshot from I-GGames YouTube channel)

Was she arguing with the professor? Was she trying to find out something about Rakepick from him? Either way, I don’t think it was put there without reason. I’m telling you, despite Patricia’s efforts to keep her in check, Merula is going to do some fuckery (again) by the end of this year.

With all above in mind, we can move to the comparison part. I won’t be talking much about MC and Jacob because I feel this one is pretty obvious. We’re hearing all the time how much we resemble our brother. Instead, I want to focus on two other members and their relationship with MC/Jacob. But let’s start with the basis: houses and personality.

First couple: Duncan-Merula. Both Slytherins. Ambitious, determined, with a mischievous streak. Everything checks.

Second couple: Olivia-Bill. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Not the same, although, Olivia was described as exceptionally brave (so Gryffindor characteristic), while Bill is a very intelligent and talented student (Ravenclaw characteristic). So technically it’s quite alike, and you could say it also checks.

However, this is pretty much where the similarities end, in my opinion. Because look…

Duncan and Jacob were friends from the very beginning. They apparently were spending a lot of time together, visiting Zonko’s and causing some mischiefs at Hogwarts. Maybe in later years, it was their way of dealing with the Vaults stress. From what Duncan said, they saw each other as equals, they were in that mess together.

MC and Merula’s relationship depends on the player’s choices/interpretation to some degree, but most of the time we’re in conflict. If we’re spending time together, it’s usually connected to the Vaults and rather goal-oriented. And if you ask me, there’s no way Merula would stop trying to dominate MC.

But you know what? While Bill and Duncan seem to be a very different people, the more I think about it, the more I can see of Jacob&Duncan in MC&Bill. We’re in a friendly relationship from the moment we met, we support each other. We can go to Bill with our problems which reflects J&D hanging out together. Sure, it’s not exactly identical, but it’s the same kind of energy, only directed in different activities. Moreover, @wilhelminafujita noticed one interesting thing in our previous discussion: Duncan wanted to be a Curse-Breaker. I still have doubts if it could mean that he was the first one to get interested in the Cursed Vaults, but it’s an idea worth exploring.

You see, Jacob wrote in his notebook: “I’ll move my research to that abandoned room on the fifth floor to avoid Filch, Snape, and R”. Not we’ll move, not our research. Therefore, I believe he was still alone at this point. But let’s assume that Jacob got interested in the Vaults out of curiosity, maybe even hunger for power, knowledge, or whatever. However, he wasn’t really into the whole curse-breaking per se. What if, when things got more serious, he decided to risk and reach out for help to his friend who’s passionate in this field? Just like MC reached out for help to Bill? I don’t know, suddenly Duncan and Bill don’t seem to be so different anymore, in my opinion.

(By the way, we all know that Bill is older than MC. Interestingly, Duncan could’ve been younger than Jacob. Notice that he told us: “I was friends with Jacob from the day I got sorted”. Not we got sorted. It might suggest that Jacob was indeed older and therefore already had his Sorting Ceremony in previous years.)

Now, let’s try to look at Olivia-Bill, and I’ll reference again something that @wilhelminafujita said about Olivia having a role of a mediator between Jacob and Duncan, similar as Bill was trying to ease the atmosphere at our meeting with Merula. And that there might’ve been a conflict between the boys after Olivia “met her fate”. The thing is… I don’t really see hints for any conflict occurring. Duncan is so angry at Jacob that he’d surely took the opportunity to mention how terrible our brother was even when he was alive. Meanwhile, he’s rather understanding, he doesn’t even blame Jacob for his death – only that he didn’t use it to expose R.

To be honest, I believe that if there was any kind of conflict in their group it was between Duncan and Olivia. It’s mainly guessing at this point, considering how little we know about Olivia, but Duncan still didn’t mention her even once. And when we talked with Grey Lady, she also said only about Olivia talking to Jacob, not “to them” or something like that. It could actually be another similarity between Duncan and Bill, who doesn’t really get along with Merula. And Jacob&Olivia might reflect MC&Merula. We can’t tell what was the relationship between J&O, but there’s a possibility it was somewhat friendly. Just like our relationship with Merula which might be more or less friendly, depending on the player’s choices.

And if we’re talking about Merula-Olivia already… As I said before, it’s hard to speculate about Olivia since we don’t even know what happened to her. But I have a theory that she got trapped in the next vault because she went after it out of order. And I assume they had to know about the order from R, which would mean that Olivia rebelled against R. Similar to Merula possibly rebelling now against Rakepick.

Another thing that is different between these two groups is their nature. Jacob’s group was probably formed by R, and its goal was to choose the winner (next member) while eliminating the rest. The kids were aware of that. MC’s group, on the other hand, was formed to support and help each other. Even if you want to believe that Rakepick is manipulating them to use them (she’s not), they’re working with a totally different image in mind.

I know I might be biased by my own theories, but I really tried to look at all of this objectively, and there are just too many things that don’t add up to me. While some aspects are indeed parallels, the others seem to be the exact opposite, and that’s why I’m not entirely sold out on the parallel theory. I’m also not really sure what I’m supposed to take from that. Should I make parallel predictions or on the contrary? It feels more like one of those metaphorical theories – you know, like Dumbledore, Snape, and Harry representing the Peverell brothers. It’s a very interesting observation, but does it really change the story? Does it explain anything? Not exactly, to be frank…

[unproduciblesmackdown]

while i’m thinking about it: one of jkrs most baffling self contradictory inconsistencies (the whole jkr experience)

why is she so sensitive abt fans hating snape while also saying she doesn’t Get why there’s pro-draco-“little shit”-malfoy fans

like, she says the reason snape is a complex man who evades judgment is because of his Inner Motivations

and then she says she doesn’t understand why ppl would like draco M because of his outward demeanor and his usual actions

like! pick one!! because you yourself say the Grand Plan was always to reveal that malfoy was too good at heart to continue on the Road Of Evil, but then apparently you consider the most important defining thing about him to be his schoolyard bullying. meanwhile the shit snape pulls on the daily just doesn’t Count at all re interpreting his character? and the fact that he did shit that he was in a unique position to do—ONLY BECAUSE of his own choices!! he didn’t choose to become a death eater so he could be a spy!! he did it and THEN decided he wanted to keep lily’s son from actually dying and so yeah he could and would have to use his position for that objective! he was in such a Dangerous Position tho because he put himself there; he wasn’t somehow Braver than everyone else in the Order who never chose to be death eaters in the first place—somehow is the only thing that matters, and he has a free pass to do Anything Else and still be considered ultimately noble apparently

like also draco malfoy is 11-17 through the course of the series and by 16 is disillusioned w voldemort b/c voldemort sabotages so much of his own shit by needlessly making an example of the malfoys when a) needless and b) strategically awful—he needs all the followers he can get and just cuz lucius is somewhat useless doesnt mean draco and narcissa are?? and you literally made them lose any motivation to continue helping you. god. anyways Bigotry Is Bigotry even when you’re young & dray shouldve known better and shouldve learned faster and deserved to have everyone think he’s crap and beat him up. cue the AVPS “my name is draco malfoy. i.....am a racist...” etc etc monologue. but also, he WAS raised in a cult. doesn’t make it any more harmless, but in terms of maybe why people saw a redemption arc a million miles away and were rooting for it even while dray was still being an annoying shit? like, yeah, maybe it’s obvious rowling idk

and meanwhile snape was raised in that same cult but then when he was 16 he responded to “the girl i’m horny about is angry at me for hanging out with a hate group and calling her a magical slur” by uh.....continuing these things? and only ~repenting~ when this one person he’s obsessed with ended up dying; he was cruising along just fine otherwise. wasnt bothered about all those OTHER murders i guess! (when, also to contrast, all thru hbp / dh it’s repeatedly made clear that draco malf’s a weenie who doesn’t like Actual Murder.) and then, again, snape only decides to turn on voldemort b/c that’s the only way to uh...do something for lily who he just got killed i guess. it’s all a self-serving thing for his weird obsession because idk how to call it love when he didn’t give a shit about her husband and infant son or other friends or values or anything, he was just a possessive creepo

and then also snape is a bad teacher who for some reason refused to pass on his ACTUAL potions knowledge, bullied and terrorized the teen and preteen students, targeted students based on his random grudges, tried to get harry expelled all the time wtf?? and generally is a total shit taking up space where a competent teacher could be. oh!!! and outing lupin to the entire world just because he’s petty from like 15 yrs ago when lupin was like, the one guy who was passive in that whole mess, and revealing lupin as a werewolf immediately endangered him and meant he was practically outcast from all society for the rest of his life except for when he was able to take breaks with the order. like, jeez, kill snape already

anyways. its just totally self contradictory and thats jkr all over

[buttercreamblog]

Feeling Lucky

Ask:

Also, I'm like dying for some really cute Seamus Finnigan stuff. I was wondering if you could write one where they're in sixth year, and Seamus manages to blow up their potion, and the reader was told by Slughorn to help clean Seamus up. While she's doing that, she fails to notice him staring at her, until he kisses her. I love your stuff, btw ❤❤

A/N: I was originally going to put the reader in Slytherin because ya girl loves Slytherin/Gryffindor pairings but decided to just not mention the readers house as I don’t know the house of the girl who requested it and it makes it easier for the audience to picture themselves you feel me?. Also I got locked out of this account for ages and forgot about it but I’m back and better than ever 

Seamus Finnigan. Y/N’s crush since he tried to turn water to rum in their first year. And now the partner assigned to y/n in potions for the remainder of the year, since their best friend used a product from Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes to feign ailment in the first and most important class of the year. Whilst y/n was usually a fairly confident and outgoing person around friends, it seemed they had lost their voice upon being paired up with Seamus, despite his best efforts to crack jokes and make light hearted conversation.

“Did you see Snape’s hair today Y/N? Maybe in celebration of becoming the DADA teacher he had himself a bath!”

Y/N laughed along a little, trying to focus on brewing the Draught of Living Death Potion, chopping the Valerian root carefully. Perhaps if they were the most successful pair, Y/n could take the Felix Felicis and have enough luck to ask Seamus out successfully.

Seamus tried to continue, “I can imagine Snape acting scary while teaching but secretly having a rubber duck and a bubble bath in his own time. The prince of self care” he laughed to himself. Staring at y/n as they smirked at him yet still avoided eye contact.

Seamus groaned internally, his jokes were weak and y/n probably hated that they were paired together.

“Hey, even Snape deserves to indulge in himself every once in a while. You’re probably jealous because if you tried to take a bubble bath, you’d somehow blow up the whole bathroom” Y/n joked, feeling slightly more at ease now that they had something to laugh at.

Yet just like the potion before them, Y/N’s nerves still brewed just beneath the surface.

The small talk and occasional jokes continued until y/n somehow spilt the entire beaker of water onto them, the beaker shattering, and shattering the quiet of the classroom with it. Causing a few peers around them to look over. Whilst this was something y/n could usually laugh off, the event happening right next to Seamus made their stomach drop and heat rise to their cheeks.

“It’s no big deal y/n, just grab another one and we can fix the broken beaker with a simple spell later”! Seamus tried to comfort y/n noticing the growing agitation in his partner.

Y/N nodded at Seamus, approaching Professor Slughorn to grab a new beaker, and certain that they now had a very little chance of winning the potion of luck.

Meanwhile, Seamus who had done very little to help with brewing up the sleeping potion decided to add in a few more ingredients whilst Y/N was gone. He may not be very good at potions but surely he could do one thing. The potion had currently resembled a smooth blackcurrant-coloured liquid, meaning Y/N must have just placed in the Valerian roots. The liquid slowly turned into a deep purple as he poured in the entire bowl of Sopophorous bean juice into the cauldron. A smile broke out onto Seamus' face and his confidence grew as he realised he must have done it right. He was sure now that within no time at all Slughorn will give them the Felix Felicis and he will have enough luck to ask Y/N out.

Continuing, as to speed up the process, he poured all seventeen drops of Valerian root into the cauldron as Y/N approached with the new beaker in hand… Wait seventeen? That couldn’t be right. The potion which had turned from its most recent deep purple to a tar back started to steam, and he looked back to the instructions. Seven.

The state of the potion and the look of panic on Seamus’ face caught Y/Ns attention, “What did you-”

An explosion sounded before y/n could finish. Seamus, along with their lab desk and belongings, was lilac from head to toe

“Seamus, the potion was meant to be lilac, not you” Y/n laughed upon assessing that no one was hurt and no serious damage was done.

“WHAT HAPPENED?!” A shocked Slughorn sounded alarmed as he ran to where the two sixth years were standing.

“Too much, um…” Seamus blinked slowly, drowsiness taking over him. “Too much valerian root” he managed to expel from his mouth.

Slughorn peered into the cauldron, eyeing the last remnants of the Draught of Living Death. “Whilst the potion seems to be in excellent form, Mr. Potter achieved the same results without nearly blowing up my classroom,” he began, pointing at Harry, who was trying to hold off laughter directed towards his friends purple face, and nodding seriously as Slughorn looked at him.

“Finnigan. Y/L/N. You can both stay back after class to clean both yourselves and my classroom up. Harry, as you are the only one who has successfully gotten to the half-way point in the potion, you will be rewarded the Felix Felicis. And as for the rest of the class, you are all dismissed”.

The class piled out of the potions room slowly, Harry being the last one as Slughorn had to explain to him the risks of taking Felix Felicis. Finally Slughorn turned to Seamus and y/n who stood staring at their mess. “He will be fine once all of it is cleaned off of his body, but until then do not let him fall asleep.” Slughorn addressed Y/N before leaving. Y/N grabbed some cleaning supplies and with that Seamus began to clean the table in a lethargic nature.

“Hold still.” Y/n whispered, as they began to wipe away the remnants of the potion that lingered on Seamus’ skin.

Y/N’s stomach was doing somersaults, being so close to their long term crush. And noticing every little detail. The pairs faces mere inches apart; Seamus’ exhales became y/n’s inhales as they shared a single breath. Y/N could not make eye contact out of fear that their love for Seamus would become utterly obvious.

However, unbeknownst to y/n who had taken extreme interest in wiping Seamus’ face with a cloth, he looked at them with stars in his eyes. Overwhelmed and heart beating like a car alarm.

Slowly he took his hands to their face, wiping away the single drop that had landed on Y/N’s cheek. Seamus didn’t know what was coming over him, perhaps his Gryffindor nature was shining through because suddenly he felt an overwhelming sense of bravery. Y/n  looked up at him and simultaneously the pair leaned in, closing the space between them. Y/N was seeing stars, ecstatic that this was actually happening. The kiss lasted what seemed like an eternity as their lips intertwined, but every moment was pure bliss. Seamus certainly wasn’t going to fall asleep after this. When they pulled apart, both parties were gasping for air and grinning from ear to ear.

“Well I guess I didn’t need the Felix Felicis for luck after all” Y/n giggled.